Welcome to week three of JOE’s videogame round-up. We’re looking to be provide you with up-to-the-minute news, download reviews, weekly charts and forthcoming release dates on a weekly basis. So if there’s anything you think we’re leaving out, or would like us to shine a spotlight on, feel free to leave a comment below.
News
Activision CEO re-iterates desire to create Call of Duty MMO-style subscription service
Remember guys, we have to stop Bobby Kotick at all costs
Much-reviled Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick (whose profit-at-all-costs outlook was supplanted last year when he described that his goal in gaming development was “to take all the fun out of making video games“) has attracted the ire of gamers once more, further stressing his goal to create an seperate online subscription service for Call of Duty titles alone. Speaking to the Financial Times, Kotick told the paper that he believes 60% of Xbox gamers are subscribing to Xbox Live purely to play CoD titles online, bemoaning the fact that Activision “don’t really participate in that revenue stream“.
Questioning a need to pursue different models of online gaming to achieve his goal, the CEO admitted the company had begun looking at non-gaming devices such as PC-to-TV integration. “[Consoles] do a very good job of supporting the gamer,” Kotick said. “If we are going to broaden our audiences, we are going to need to have other devices.” The Activision CEO first broached the subject of CoD-only subscription services last month, telling the Wall Street Journal that CoD gamers were “clamouring” for a subscription service. Hmm… speak for yourself Bobby.
Nearly 70% of Japanese have zero interest in taking up 3D
Glasses or not, she’ll get square eyes standing that close to the telly
Often seen a key indicator for emerging consumer electronics trends, it appears Japanese households are not altogether convinced of the merits of the much-hyped 3D revolution. Despite a number of Japanese electronics giants (such as Sony) pushing 3D TV’s and 3D gaming incessantly, the tech-savvy Japanese are so far unimpressed. Japanese price-comparison site Kakaku.com recent online survey polled 8957 individuals to get their thoughts on 3D, ultimately discovering that 67.4% of respondents were not interested in buying a 3D TV at all.
Of those who had no interest in buying a 3D TV, 70% of the naysayers cited the requirement of special glasses as the main stumbling block, with 54% agreeing the prices were too high and 40% claiming there is currently not enough 3D content to justify the spend. Nintendo’s glasses-free 3DS handheld is looking like a smarter proposition each day.
Download of the Week
Puzzle Quest 2 (Xbox 360, 1200 Microsoft Points – out now)
With the recent explosion of mobile gaming, there’s no genre these days in greater supply than the puzzle genre, so it takes a very special game to stand out from the crowd. Puzzle Quest 2 is such a title, an outrageously addictive puzzle/RPG hybrid, fusing puzzle elements with role-playing mechanics and strategy. With dungeon-crawling, a full-on story mode, side quests and 4 different character classes, Puzzle Quest 2 is so much more than a quick, disposable puzzle download – this is a download with the kind of content and longevity befitting a full-price physical release.
Friday Releases 09/07/2010
Kick some asphalt with Crackdown 2
Well, it looks like the summer drought has finally hit us. This coming Friday brings just 4 new physical releases, the standout title being Crackdown 2. A relatively unchanged sequel to the bonkers 2007 open-world predecessor, Crackdown 2 recreates the superhuman agent skills of the original title, whilst incorporating some welcome additions, such as 16-player competitive online multiplayer and the series’ first day/night cycle. Elsewhere, the Pacific Theatre-set Battlefield 1943 should be a big hit for PC gamers that can’t get enough of the exer-expanding Battlefield universe. Elsewhere, Nintendo have sneaked out the mini-game reliant Pokémon spin-off Poképark on the sly, with little to no marketing whatsoever – approach with caution.
Crackdown 2
Blacklight: Tango Down (XBLA)
Monkey Island 2 Special Edition: LeChuck’s Revenge (XBLA)
None
PokéPark Wii: Pikachus Adventure
LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
None
Battlefield 1943
