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Sixty Percent of The US Play Videogames
According to NPD group, a research firm, video gamers constitute nearly two thirds of the US population. These games are played on consoles, PC’s, handhelds, kids systems, iPods and other devices. This survey was done on 5,000 online participants.
The average number of hours of play per week was about the same as it was last year for most people. 30 percent each said they played more than and less than last year. The majority of 40 percent said that they played the same amount as last year.
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Are Board/Party Games The Next Big Thing In Video Games?
Over the years different genres of games have excited gamers. The latest big hit has been Guitar Hero. After this genre’s success, analysts have given their opinions on which genre will be the next one to entertain gamers.
According to some analysts like Jesse Divnich the next big genre of games is board game types that will be big over the next few years. The Xbox 360 has seen the launch of Scene it. This is expected to have moderate success. In addition titles that promote learning which are very successful abroad are likely to have a great degree of success as well.
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Wii Therapy
If you thought the Wii was good only for video gaming, you are in for a bit of a surprise! The Wii is now being used in Therapy. The idea for using the Wii as therapy incepted seemingly from a rehab hospital in Alberta, Canada which was using the popular video game console from Nintendo.
According to Winget, an occupational therapist, who had a chance encounter with the Wii, playing with the Wii could help in building lower and upper body strength in addition to balance, endurance and coordination.
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Learning With Video Game Consoles
The worlds leading information and communications event is the BETT.The BETT educational technology fair in London this January comes with a message. The message is simple – chalky blackboards and textbooks are a thing of the past as far as school learning goes.
Through the BETT fair teachers can explore technology that they do not see every day. This year there will be 600 exhibitors. One of the items on display is the RM Asus miniBook. Valued at 1699 pounds, it allows students to access the web, type assignments and send emails.
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The Largest Video Game Company in The World
Activision is in the news once again. It is slated to combine with Vivendi’s game division to create the largest video game company in the world. This agreement places a price tag of $18.9 billion on Activision. Vivendi is a well known French conglomerate that operates in the media and entertainment spheres.
In the past many of the more popular games for Sony’s PS3 console as well as Microsofts Xbox 360 have been developed by Activision. By joining hands with Vivendi, Activision is likely to enjoy even more clout in the gaming sphere. They are likely to now strongarm into online games that are hugely popular.
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Cheap Video Game Consoles @ $199 on the Way?
According to Activision Inc CEO Bobby Kotick Video Game Consoles must fall below the $200 mark to be appealing to the masses. The PS3 – although a good product is highly priced at $400. The cheapest XBox is worth $280. The Wii from Nintendo is leading the pack in price positioning at $250.
The fact that the Wii is not so technically complex may not matter so much to the consumer. It provides great entertainment for the price. According to Kotick, the masses will adopt a video game console at a price point of $199.
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And The Best Video Game Console Is…
The holidays are almost here and video game consoles are likely to be among the most popular gifts this festive season. So which console should you be gifting. Lets take a peek into the top three.
If you know a gamer, he is probably playing games on an Xbox 360, a Nintendo Wii or a PS3. These are the most popular video game consoles on the market today. Each has something that sets it apart.
‘Mass Effect’ Makes its Debut in North America
Gamers and science fiction fans have something to be very excited about. The much awaited and award winning RPG game ‘Mass Effect‘ is finally out to purchase and play. This game has been created by BioWare – makers of other critically acclaimed games like Jade Empire.
The game is available for play exclusively on the Xbox 360. According to reports, Mass Effect is an intense story with great combat. The graphics are high definition and you can interact with voices of many digital actors.
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Sony’s New Strategy for Better Games
Sony Corp. seems to have adopted a new strategy for better game software development. It is looking to encourage independent designers to create games for the PS3. With this in mind, Sony has halved the charge for the software development kit for the PS3.
According to sources, the PS3 development package cost is now only USD 10,250 in North America, 950,000 yen in Japan and Euro 7,500 in Europe.
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U.S. Video Game Sales Skyrocket in October.
This october, video game harware and software sales have crossed the billion dollar mark to reach 1.1 billion dollars. Last year the sales were 643 million dollars in October. The Nintendo Wii was the top selling video game console.
519,000 Wiis were sold in October, 366,000 Xbox’s and 121000 PS3′s. Microsofts Halo 3 had propelled it to become the highest selling console in September.
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Old Game Offerings for Xbox and Nintendo
Xbox has recently come up with an interesting offering. You can now download old games that play on the Xbox 360. This has been made possible through a software update. Games available for download now include Burnout 3, Halo, Fable and Crimson. These games have been some of the most popular among Xbox 360 games. Is this going to be a big successful move for Microsoft? Yes and No.
In simple words these games are not old enough to bring out nostalgia. The older the game is, the more the nostalgia. I would rather download Super Mario Bros than Halo. This is the edge Nintendo has over Microsoft. Classic titles are unplayable on the newer consoles. You may find them on eBay, but if your old console is not working, you can’t play them.
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Atari 2600 in the Hall of Fame
The Atari brought a whole new world of games to children three decades back. It was instantly accepted by the children of that generation. When it was launched, it retailed for $199 and contained just 9 games. It has been a long and exciting journey for video game consoles since then. Today the graphics and quality of video games is much different from the earliest predecessors.
Xbox 360 Now With a Family Timer
Xbox is now giving parents control over their childrens gaming habits. Video game usage of kids can now be managed with a family timer.This is the first time the video game industry is seeing the entry of parental control.
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Marvel Ultimate Alliance for Wii Review
If you ever thought you could put together a better team of Marvel superheroes than the Fantastic Four or the X-Men, Marvel Ultimate Alliance will give you the perfect opportunity to prove it. Initially developed for the xBox and the PS2, the latest port of this action filled RPG for is for the Nintendo Wii. Fortunately, unlike many of the Wii’s initial releases, Ultimate Alliance makes good use of this new platform to enhance the playing experience.
For starters, the game’s designers have adapted the game controls to take advantage of the Wii’s remote and nunchuck. Although the game controls were originally designed for a standard game-pad, the Wii version allows you to physically involve yourself in game play by shaking, thrusting, swiping and lowering the controls to execute various moves and attacks throughout the game. Although these controls take a while to get comfortable with, they certainly give the battles in the game an extra edge. Continue reading