Retail

Leading US games blog Joystiq is reporting that Microsoft’s upcoming Halo-themed RTS Halo Wars will be released next February – and it adds that those willing to stump up the cash for the Limited Edition bundle will get early access to Halo 3’s Mythic map pack. The Mythic map pack …

Whilst shopping numbers have to date remained buoyant amidst the current global credit crunch, October stats from the Retail Traffic Index make for sombre reading for retail, with a 3.1 per cent year-on-year drop in shopping trips reported. The numbers were also 1.3 per cent down on September. Dr Tim …

Activision has revealed a plan to target a whole new segment of the market with its release of the fourth instalment to its music franchise, Guitar Hero: World Tour on November 14th. The publisher intends to get its game installed in a number of musical instrument outlets in an attempt …

Nintendo’s global president Saturo Iwata has revealed why the Wii is the only current console not to receive a price drop – he doesn’t like them. Kotaku translated an interview with Touch-DS, in which the leading gaming icon stated: This is my personal thinking, but when the model’s price-tag drops …

Leading casual mobile and portable games publisher Gameloft has announced Q3 2008 sales of €26.2 million – numbers that are eight per cent up on the same period from 2007. Mobile titles accounted for 98 per cent of the firm’s sales, with the combined output for DS, WiiWare and Xbox …

The UK trade is familiar with the arguments surrounding the knock-on effects of the rampant trade-in market on the UK High Street – but Belgium authorities have decided to instead clamp down on game rentals in an effort to help the games industry. Kotaku reports that stockists in Belgium have …

An anxious UK trade is holding its collective breath over fears that some retailers might sell two of 2008’s biggest games early next week. On Wednesday November 5th Sony’s landmark PlayStation 3 release LittleBigPlanet, distributed by Centresoft, will hit shelves. Two days later on Friday (November 7th), Microsoft’s Xbox 360-exclusive …

Tesco has extended the time it takes to pay entertainment suppliers by 30 days in the run-up to the Christmas season. The supermarket has written to suppliers to tell them it has changed its payment terms from 30 days to 60 days as of December 1st, 2008. The Financial Times …

HMV has left publishers fearing for revenues on new and catalogue stock with the introduction of its pre-owned offering. In a canny move that further cements its position as a specialist games retailer, HMV’s new Re/Play initiative will pile further pressure on publishers and rival retailers as the pivotal Christmas …

Microsoft has finally dated its highly anticipated SingStar-rival, Lips, which will be released in Europe on November 21st and cost 49.99. For the money punters will pick up a copy of the game and a set of two wireless motion-sending microphones. The game’s on-disc track listing has also been revealed, …