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While the official figures from ELSPA/GFK Chart-Track point out that Nintendo led the way as part of last year’s record-breaking 4bn market value, it’s clear that both Sony and Microsoft formats made considerable gains as well. According to the data today, The PlayStation 3’s first full year of software sales …
Read More »Software for Nintendo formats sold over 40m in 2008
While 2008’s 4bn market boom comes thanks to the overall wider demographic served by the industry, ELSPA/GFK Chart-Track say that it was Nintendo which ‘led the way’ in growth during 2008. Unit sales of games for the format-holder’s Wii and DS platforms amounted to 40m in total. Wii games sales …
Read More »EA announces branded XBLA Channel
EA and Hasbro have announced that they are to launch a branded channel on Xbox Live Arcade under the Hasbro Family Games Night banner. The move mirrors similar deals struck by Sony on its recently released PlayStation Home service, and is the first of its kind to emerge since the …
Read More »Mass Microsoft layoffs unlikely
A new report has dispelled rumours that Microsoft will be laying off a significant portion of its workforce, claiming the company has other cost cutting measures in mind. Following rumours that Microsoft was considering dismissing thousands of employees, CNBC reports that the company will be reducing its outgoings through attrition …
Read More »Empty shops to reach record levels
The worsening conditions on the UK High Street could lead to a record number of vacant retail outlets by the end of the year, analyst Experian has predicted. Ongoing retail administrations, disposals and rationalisations are expected to see the vacancy rate climb from its current seven per cent to ten …
Read More »PETA praises Fable II
PETA, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, has named Lionhead’s Xbox 360 RPG Fable II in its 6th Annual Proggy Awards, naming it the year’s most animal-friendly video game”. The organisation said of the game: Fable 2 is a vegetarian’s dream come true. Why? In this virtual fight …
Read More »JAPAN: 360 to get Resi 5 bundle
Platform holder Microsoft has announced that the upcoming release of Capcom’s Resident Evil 5 will be accompanied by an Xbox 360 hardware bundle including the game in Japan. The Xbox 360 Biohazard 5 Pack (as the series is known in the region) will include the console, a 60GB hard drive, …
Read More »Sony: PS3 sales up 130%
Following SCEE president’s David Reeves upbeat forecast of the year ahead for PlayStation , fellow executives have praised the achievements of the business in the last 12 months and predicted a bumper year ahead for PS3. SCEA vice president Ian Jackson stated: We’ve had a solid holiday season and have …
Read More »Reeves: Profit is a specific pressure for PlayStation business
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe president David Reeves has stated that Sony’s PlayStation division is on target to alleviate” the specific pressure” it has come under for failing to post a profit since the launch of PS3. In an upbeat forecast for the year ahead on the UK PlayStation site, Reeves …
Read More »JAPAN: Year-on-year market decline predicted
Ahead of the release of its official figures next week, Famitsu publisher Enterbrain is predicting a significant decline in the value of the Japanese video games market in 2008. Enterbrain states that in 2007 the market was worth YEN 687.95 billion, whereas it expects the 2008 figure to be around …
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