Video+Games+Level+4

Video Games Level 4

Video game sales dip again, 'Madden' tops September Played by: Kristina Blanco Video games and hardware (consoles) sales have been in decline since the summer time. It is crazy to think that in September sales of video games fell to $1.16 billion. The video game industry is one of the most profitable industries out there, mainly because it has such a big fanbase. Those who are involved in video games are die-hard and are willing to buy everything that goes along with their favorite game. Recently, gamers have been just buying games, and not investing in hardware or accessories. This could be because many of the hard core gamers already have their accessories and consoles and are just buying new games. Maybe this holiday season the consoles themselves need to advertise to different types of people and families. Games can sell themselves, especially with the new technology in the visuals, but consoles are harder to sell. The portable consoles are going to be the most popular because they are easy and more people are able to use and understand them. In regard to the most popular games, Madden NFL 12 is going to be popular because Madden comes out with a game each year and it gets better and better. The games that are the most popular are the ones that are for more than one console, such as Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars. The holiday season is always the most profitable time for the video game industry.

[|Article]

=Holographic Projections: Raising the bar for interactive entertainment =

Played by Jorge Hernandez
Being an interactive medium, it is not surprising to see the success of new technologies that allow the player to physically interact with their games. The latest advancements have been in motion-sensing technology that was spearheaded by the Nintendo Wii. Then came Kinect by Microsoft. Kinect recognizes the player in a physical space and transfers their movements into the digital space. When combined with the advancements in holographic technology, the implications for this type of technology on gaming would be nothing short of a revolution. Thoughts of the X-Men’s Danger Room and Star Trek’s Holodeck ran through my head when I first heard of this. I imagined walking into a white room like in //The Matrix// and having objects appear at my request. In gaming, I imagine First-Person-Shooters that will literally mean First-Person-Shooters. You lift up your empty arms and see an MG42 in your hands and when you fire it you can see the smoke and muzzle flash while looking down the sights, as if it was real. Or being the quarterback in a sports game and seeing the ball actually launch from my own hands into the arms of the receiver for the game winning catch. Then I thought about interactive games of the past and remembered Operation. What if surgeons in training could use this technology to do virtual operations before moving to the real thing? It could be used for such simple things as teaching teens to drive or putting kids in a virtual playground where the toys can’t hurt them. The possibilities for the application of this technology are limitless and could change how we consume and interact with media.

media type="youtube" key="JHL5tJ9ja_w" height="294" width="532" align="left" media type="custom" key="10964630" width="169" height="208" align="center"

New This Week in Nintendo... Nintendo eShop! Played By: Francine Im [|Article]

Ever wished that video games easier to purchase? Want that new game when it comes out but don't really want to go to the store to buy it? Shop directly from your game console using Nintendo's eShop. New this week within the gaming industry, Nintendo has released it's new Nintendo eShop! Not only can gamers purchase the latest and most up to date games, they can now download them to their game consoles. You can purchase the downloads with cash (through a prepaid Nintendo card or using a credit card to load money onto your eShop account) and the downloads include a variety of games, applications and movies in both 2D and 3D. The Nintendo eShop is available for the Wii, 3DS and the DSI and with the release of an online store very much similar to iTunes, retailers everywhere that sell video games may lose foot traffic within their stores, specifically because it's convenient to download items/purchases directly from the eShop on the go. Going off of my post from last week about XBOX live expanding their offerings, Nintendo seems to be doing the same thing. They are allowing their audience and gamers to have a more hands on experience while going about their daily lives. Needless to say, Nintendo may not be the only company to to create an eShop for its gamers.

=Smurfs Saves Capcom's Financial Blues =

Played by Amanda Setter
[|Article] Capcom announced recently that their social game Smurfs' Village "served as the driving force in increasing Capcom's financial results" during a quarter after seeing profits cut in half. The Smurfs' Village was launched jointly with Facebook helping its downloaded figures reach nearly 20 million. Capcom said that both Resident Evil and Monster Hunt Portable 3D performed great while other games by Capcom failed to measure up to regular earnings in the past. Mobile and social games have grown increasingly with Facebook's popularity, with revenue reaching to over $33 million. Without the launch of this game, Capcom would have taken a loss in profits and had to cut budgets and game production. September ended in a loss for Capcom by 49 percent and income down 28 percent. This decline is more then last quarter for this game company due to economic factors and production costs. Without Smurfs' Village they would have seen dramatic changes in the company, and a rep confirms that everyone was glad that this game came through for the company. Keep watching the growth of this game, or download it on Facebook to play.



Video Games