Sony’s PlayStation and Vaio division has just reported a 24.2 percent drop in sales compared to Q2 2008, down from 465.2 billion yen to 352.6 billion yen. Losses for this period widened from 40.6 billion yen to 58.8 billion yen.
First half sales have gone done to 599.5 from 859.6 in the previous corresponding period. Losses extended from 36 billion yen to 98.6 billion yen.
Sony is blaming “a deterioration in Vaio PC and the game business profitability,” and, “Deterioration due to a decrease in PS2 hardware and software unit sales, and the impact of foreign exchange rates,” for the figures.
This brings Sony’s total losses in the PlayStation division at $4.7bn since the release of the PlayStation 3. Ouch.
Media Create console sales in Japan for May 2009 have been compiled, and guess whose in the lead? The PSP came a shocking 2nd place, with the once omnipresent Wii loitering around in third place.
Complete sales figures below.
1. Nintendo DSi – 238,037
2. PSP – 181,036
3. Nintendo Wii – 95,102
4. Playstation 3 – 77,035
5. Nintendo DS Lite – 33,399
6. Xbox 360 – 24,325
7. Playstation 2 – 22,831
Here’s something that’ll thoroughly annoy most of us. It seems us Europeans will have to wait a while in order to play Ghostbusters: The Video Game on our 360s and Wiis.
Sony announced yesterday that Ghostbusters would be a PlayStation exclusive in Europe, releasing only on PS3, PS2 and PSP. Atari has clarified that this exclusivity is only exclusive to Europe, and that gamers in North America will be able to enjoy Ghostbusters on all platforms.
While Atari confirmed later that the 360 and Wii versions of Ghostbusters will be released in Europe “at some point”, they don’t know when. Until that point, it’s PS3 exclusivity all the way.
This will be the best news you’ve ever heard, or the worst, but First Showing has just confirmed that one of gaming’s most praised intellectual properties, Shadow of the Colossus, is heading to the big screen.
The movie is currently being developed by producer Kevin Misher (Public Enemies, Scorpion King, the Interpreter) at Columbia Pictures. This isn’t so bad.
Unfortunately, it appears that Hollywood’s favourite fanboy, Justin Marks (Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li, and the upcoming Voltron and Masters of the Universe movies) will be penning the script. This isn’t so good.
Can they do faithfulness to one of gaming’s most loved intellectual properties? Our will it be completely destroyed in the transition to the big screen? It’s going to be quite a while before we find out, unfortunately.
SCEA’s John Koller has just confirmed that the PS2 will soon drop to drop below $100 in the US, proving recent rumours to be true.
“Today I’m excited to talk about another milestone in PlayStation 2’s lifespan. For the first time ever, PlayStation 2 will be offered at a price point under $100 (that’s $99.99 MSRP, to be exact), starting April 1,” said the firm’s director of hardware marketing in a statement.
Koller pointed out that the machine’s library of games will hit nearly 1,900 this year (of course, how many of these are actually any good is another question entirely…), and pointed out how PlayStation consoles outstrip the life-span of most otherconsole.
“In the gaming industry, the typical lifecycle for a console is around five years, but because we build each of our platforms for a large and diverse consumer base, we design our platforms differently,” he said.
“With the original PlayStation and now PlayStation 2, we’ve proven that consumers can rely on our platforms for their gaming and entertainment needs for at least a decade.”
No price is expected in the UK.
Joystiq’s feelers on currently on the loose, and they’re currently rumouring that the PS2’s price tag is going to drop from $120 to $100 in April.
If this is true, it seems likely that this is the March 31st mystery announcement that Sony has planned for tomorrow. Well, it’s more likely than a PS3 price drop at this rate, anyway…
We’ll be letting you know first thing tomorrow.
How many of you fine PS3v readers still play your PS2s to this day?
If you hoped Sigourney Weaver would be the heroine in the new Ghostbusters game, you’ll be sorely mistaken.
Weaver was actually offered the role, but declined. When she changed her mind, her character had already been written out of the script.
Who’s her replacement you say? None other than Charmed actress Alyssa Milano. Her character is virtually the same as Weaver’s, at least it seems like it in the video.
She’s still hot, though.
Ghostbusters: The video game is out on all platforms June 19.
Edge magazine’s 200rd issue features a list we’ve often seen before, but with a twist. In stead of merely stating the 100 greatest games ever made, they decided to list the “100 best games to play today”.
Edge magazine poses the question “if you had every game ever made at your fingertips, which would we play right now? What are the games, shorn of nostalgia and presumption, that we would actually want to spend time playing?”
The list is quite a good readthrough, but the number one game is easily guessed.
Can you guess what it is without looking?
Naruto and his fellow Konoha Ninja are heading for Europe in Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja 4.
Ultimate Ninja 4 is the first game based on the Naruto: Shippuuden anime series, taking place 2 and a half years after Naruto left Konoha to train with Jiraiya.
With 52 unique characters, the game promises to be “chock full of one-on-one ninja battles”.
New characters will also be introduced (as they were in the anime series as well), as well as brand new play modes for the Naruto franchise.
Oh, and it’s PS2 exclusive.
Full press release after the break.
Electronic Arts announced this morning in a company press release that they are working on a G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra videogame, to be release for all formats on August 7, alongside the live-action movie based on the franchise.
Best. News. Ever.
“G.I. JOE® has been an icon of action for 45 years,” said Mark Blecher, General Manager of Digital Gaming and Media at Hasbro. “EA has tapped the legacy of the G.I. JOE vs. COBRA saga to create an amazing interactive experience inspired by the movie, comic books, animated series and iconography that we hope will resonate with millions of fans.”
Though details are slim, its known that it will be an action title (duh), with a story that continues on from where the movie leaves off. Co-op mode will be included, but there was no mention of online multiplayer modes or downloadable content.
The wonderful people over at Shacknews have posted the new trailer from the Ghostbusters video game. It’s not particulary scary, but the game isn’t really meant to be.
You can watch the trailerhere.
Though I have to say the characters in the game look amazingly like their movie counterparts.
Capcom has just posted up a sales list of the top 42 best selling games it’s ever published in its long and illustrious history as a games publisher and developer.
Not surprisingly, Street Fighter II takes the gold on the list with 6.3 million units sold. Following shortly behind in second and third are Resident Evil 2 and Street Fighter II Turbo, will 4.96 million and 4.1 million sales respectively.
Hit the jump to see the top ten for yourself.
Eidos has released a new gameplay trailer from their upcoming Tomb Radier: Underworld, detailing a sinking ship section. The trailer shows tilting corridors, slow motion, shooting, fighting, fire and other goodies.
If you can’t get enough of Lara, the trailer is after the cut.
Media Create has just updated its weekly sales charts, and there’s a few some interesting figures and surprises out of them this week.
Despite the lukewarm reception from the public, the DSi has managed to sell 172,000 of Nintendo’s initial 200,000 unit shipment. Not bad, but only time will tell if it can keep up that kind of selling pace
The PS3 had an amazing week in contrary to its usually poor performance in Japan, apparently thanks to the release of GTA IV in the region. Sales were up from 3,931 last week to over 39,500 units this week.
Full sales figures after the cut.
Brett Ratner, the director of the Rush Hour films and X-Men has confirmed that he is working on a God of War movie. Ratner casually mentioned that he was waiting for the ‘Green light’ for a number of projects including one for God of War.
Not being a marvellous fan of the X-men film, I’m not expecting much from this. I enjoyed the game but I’m not so sure about a possibility of a film
As a film, it has huge potential, but I’m not sure in the hands of Ratner.
What do you guys think?
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