It’s hard to imagine that just a few short years ago the Call of Duty series didn’t even exist on consoles and the Medal of Honor series reigned supreme. How times have changed! Another year and another Call of Duty game is on its way, this time with co-op gameplay.
Killzone 2 has certainly wowed gamers before. From the original “target” trailer to the later “actual” trailer, the game has provided plenty of eye candy. Of course, it has also provided plenty of controversy thanks to that “target” demo. However, it appears Killzone 2’s critics may finally have to eat their crow.
What goes better with playing video games than poisoning the environment for future generations? Perhaps melting the polar icecaps? Clubbing baby seals? Okay, that last one went a bit far.
Still, the point is that video games can be very bad for the environment. Take the following five games for instance. Each is addictive to the point of chugging electricity where other games only sip. Ban these five games, and the environment will thank you.
In the whole argument over whether or not video games are art, one issue that often goes overlooked is whether or not the industry truly wants that burden. A recent Associated Press story covering war games says the industry doesn’t want to get too serious for the fear they might seem too frivolous to cover serious matters. They have a legitimate concern.
If you haven’t picked up Call of Duty 4 yet, then it may actually be in your best interest to continue waiting. Word is that Activision will release a Game of the Year edition sometime in April. The special edition will feature new packaging as well as the ability to download the new map pack for free.
So far the special edition of the game has only been confirmed for the Xbox 360, though it would seem likely a PS3 version would be released, too. The whole idea of special editions of console games seemed entirely foreign just a few years ago. That all has changed as more games get the special edition treatment such as Ninja Gaiden and Devil May Cry 3. (more…)
A Marine who had fought in the Iraq War has apparently died back on the home front. The connection to video games is that Eric Hall first disappeared after playing Call of Duty 4, which some witnesses believe set off a severe war flashback caused by post-traumatic stress disorder. The whole story raises far more questions than it has so far answered.
While the latest news is that the body still hasn’t been identified, Eric’s mother believes it to be him. The story goes that Eric was playing Call of Duty 4 when he suddenly got up, went outside, got on his motorcycle and drove away. He had not been seen or heard from since. He has been missing since February 3. (more…)
The general economy may be down, but video game sales are up in a big way. Compared with the same period last year, games sales are up 40%. This is obviously a very good sign for the industry’s ability to weather an economic downturn.
Of interesting note among the numbers, the PlayStation 3 topped the Xbox 360 for a second month in a row. Of course, there are apparent shortages of the Xbox 360 in stores, but it’s still a good bit of positive news for Sony’s flagship console. The Wii, of course, continued to sell the best despite its scarcity in stores. (more…)
Electronic Arts’ Skate was one of the big surprises of 2007. Many had challenged Tony Hawk’s dominance of the extreme sports genre, but Skate was the first to really deliver a knockdown punch with its innovative controls. Now, in the face of being outsold two to one, Activision has plans to innovate with the Tony Hawk franchise.
Speaking with USA Today, Activision Senior Vice President Will Kassoy referenced the “Tony Hawk Innovation Plan,” but refused to elaborate. What could this plan be? The easy speculation is a move toward a new control scheme akin to Skate’s. However, with Activision’s success with the Guitar Hero franchise and now Call of Duty 4 online, one should not rule out the move to a more multiplayer friendly setup. And yes, Tony Hawk Wii featuring the Balance Board seems inevitable. (more…)
Bobby Kotick is a happy guy right now. With the upcoming Vivendi merger, which will bring Blizzard and World of Warcraft under the Activision umbrella, the sky is the limit for what Kotick’s company can do.
At the recent Morgan Stanley Technology Conference in California, the CEO of Activision discussed how they would use Blizzard’s expertise in the world of online gameplay to help open a new door for some of the company’s best selling titles. Starting with the Guitar Hero franchise, Kotick proposed using Blizzard’s “institutional expertise” to bring PC editions of Guitar Hero to the “roughly 300,000 game rooms between China and Korea.” This would be a feat definitely not insurmountable considering the popularity of the title and the fanatical gaming community in Korea. (more…)
NPD released the January sales chart for PC games and it was completely dominated by two franchises. Can you guess which two, without referring back to the title of this article? In case you couldn’t, the two franchises are Warcraft and The Sims.
What’s really weird is the number of older titles in each series that have shown staying power. The Warcraft III Battlechest and Sim City 4 Deluxe both charted in the top 20. While Sim City Societies or the newest The Sims 2 expansion packs would seem sure bets, these classics are showing some true longevity. Perhaps it’s a side-effect of their sequels bringing in new fans who want to explore the games’ past? (more…)
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