2011 Review: January – April

Handheld announcements, the launch of 3DS and the first of many hack attacks made for an eventful start to the year.

The early months of 2011 gave the world its first glimpse at what would become the PlayStation Vita, its first chance to take 3DS home, the launch of a new Apple tablet and even the end to those long-running rumours of a PlayStation Phone.

Elsewhere, Activision called an end to the struggling Guitar Hero franchise and GAME called out to consumers everywhere with the announcement of GAMEfest.

JANUARY

NOTABLE RELEASE
Dead Space 2 – The sequel managed to top the charts on release, and was just another notch in a long year of success for EA.

IN THE NEWS

• VAT rises from 17.5 per cent to 20 per cent
• HMV plans to close 60 stores before Christmas
• Sony seeks legal action against PS3 hacker George ‘geohot’ Hotz
• Football Manager boss Miles Jacobson awarded OBE
• 3DS given March 25th date for the UK, retailers price it at up to 230
• Sony announces PSP successor, tipped for Christmas release
• Activision closes Bizarre Creations
• Sky Sports presenter Andy Gray is sacked after making off-camera remarks about female referees

FEBRUARY

NOTABLE RELEASE
Killzone 3 – The acclaimed sequel was the second of Sony’s two No.1s this year – following LittleBigPlanet 2 the previous month. It was part of a breakthrough period for PS3.

IN THE NEWS

• Livingstone-Hope Review calls for academic change
• Sony announces the long-rumoured PlayStation Phone, Xperia Play
• Blockbuster US and its international assets are put up for auction
• The Dead Island teaser trailer takes the internet by storm
• Guitar Hero franchise is canned, later said to be ‘on hiatus’
• 3DS debuts in Japan, sells 400,000 in first two days
• Reports suggest Russian billionaire Alexander Mamut will buy HMV? Group – keeping Waterstone’s and selling HMV’s stores and live division
• The ban on product placement in British TV shows is lifted

MARCH

NOTABLE RELEASE
Homefront – Controversial, hyped and the target of a critical drubbing but nevertheless this new IP was still a huge statement of intent for THQ.

IN THE NEWS

• Nintendo president Satoru Iwata claims industry is ‘drowning’ in a sea of apps
• Apple unveils and releases iPad 2
• Nintendo 3DS launches in UK and US
• Xperia Play, aka the PlayStation Phone, is released
• GAME announces GAMEfest
• Angry Birds tops 100m downloads
• Popular games blog UKResistance closes down
• A tsunami devastates the East coast of Japan

APRIL

NOTABLE RELEASE
Portal 2 – The critically acclaimed sequel to Valve’s highly innovative first-person puzzler once again won over consumers and critics alike.

IN THE NEWS

• PSN is shut down as Sony suffers from the first of many hack attacks
• Michael Rawlinson steps down as UKIE’s director general
• UK PlayStation boss Ray Maguire departs after 17 years
• Tabloids report 3DS causes dizziness
• Sony discontinues the download-only PSPgo
• Nintendo confirms its new home console will be unveiled at E3
• Microsoft, Ubisoft and EA win big at the MCV Awards
• Prince William marries Kate Middleton