GamerNode: Latest Industry News

Full-sized Master Chief helmet for sale: $115

When the Legendary Halo 3 edition came out last year, the usual extra DVD content and goodies came along with the special set.

But along with these items was also a miniature Master Chief helmet. Oh, if only it was a full sized helmet, some of us wished.

Well, considering that Halloween is just around the corner, you'll be the talk of the town because Microsoft has announced that it has licensed the making of a full-sized Master Chief helmet at the Covenant shaking cost of $115. Better act quick, they're going fast.

The replica helmet has a padded interior and will fit an adult-sized head. The exterior of the helmet will come compete with battle damage scars so your friends will know that you're no sissy. 

And if you lose your keys at night, never fear; you'll have onboard LED search lights...

• (5)
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

First gamer in space - Richard Garriott

Richard Garriott has made history in two ways. First, he is probably the only true gamer (Garriott is the developer of the popular Ultima Online RPG games) that has ever gone into space.

Second, he now carries the distinction of being the only second generation astronaut in history. His father, Owen Garriott, was a NASA astronaut and boarded Spacelab in 1973 and 1983.

Richard Garriott launched into space on Sunday atop a Soyuz TMA spacecraft and is headed towards the International Space Station.

Garriott said in a prepared statement that, "Today, my dream of following in my father's footsteps to explore new frontiers is being realized. Throughout my life, my sense of adventure has taken me to the ends of the earth to embark on journeys few people have encountered. It's with honor and appreci...

• (0)
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

This week's NA game releases: 10/14

Are you ready for the holiday season to begin? Game publishers are, as this week marks one of the first "BIG" weeks of the holiday season in terms of releases. Outer space horror, soccer, gangsters, classics reimagined... There's something for everyone this week. And if there's not, don't forget that by the end of this month you'll have all sorts of wonderful games coming out!

The question now, is which (if any) of these games are a first-day purchase for you? People are trying to save money during the economic crisis, others are trying to forego buying games in hopes of getting Christmas (or birthday) gifts... But let's be honest: sometimes there's a game you've been waiting too long for that you just have to get. For me, that game is Dead Space. And Blitz 2... And Golden Axe... And Secret...

• (1)
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Game arcades: Dead or Alive?

Some gamers remember the days when arcades ruled. It was at these places of fun where tens of millions of quarters were deposited in coin-ops by little kids, teenagers, and even adults.

But arcades are rare now. You'll usually only find them in the lobbies of movie theater complexes, specialty restaurants, or along the beach boardwalk attractions.

In Japan, the opposite is true. Arcades are everywhere from bus stops, to shopping centers, to the local store. But Makoto Osaki, head of Sega's arcade division, laments the fact that game arcades in America are virtually extinct.

"Let's not even go into the overseas market... it's practically dead... The market there is entirely redemption [prize] machines now. The users in America just don't go to arcades anymore, because they don't see why they...

• (9)
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

"Digital distribution won't replace retail games"

There are a good number of gamers who believe that digital distribution is the wave of the future. But will it ever replace retail boxed games?

Not according to Nintendo of America president, Reggie Fils-Aime. He believes that while digital distribution has its place, it won't surpass the traditional method of selling games to customers.

"[Digital distribution is] a nice added business model, but it's not something that's going to take over retail game sales."

Fils-Aime believes that the convienience of having a game disc is another reason why retail sales of games will continue to be the prefered choice for consumers.

"We'll be able to see the sales growth and plan for [the digital download market], but I guess similar to home consoles, the consumer will want an experience that's best deliv...

• (14)
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Mighty Microsoft is feeling the economic crunch

The stock of Microsoft went down 4.7 percent in value due to the continued credit problems facing the US economy.

Shares of Microsoft dropped from $26.32 to $25.09 in late trading today. Microsoft shares, in spite of the downturn, are still well above the previous 52 week low of $23.50 set on September 19.

Before the approval of the $700 billion bailout package to help Wall Street and failing banks, Microsoft urged Washington to pass the legislation. Steve Balmer, Chief Executive at Microsoft, said that the nation's economic woes would slow down spending in the country, and that no company is immune to the crisis. That apparently means Microsoft too.

The game industry has generally been resistant to low economic tides, but until the US financial crisis stabilizes, some consumers are being a ...

• (4)
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Price wars in the UK: Wii and Xbox 360 cheaper

There's an old adage that says competition is good for business. This little bit of wisdom has proven itself true over in the UK. Price wars have evidently broken out among several store chains with the price of the Xbox 360 Arcade, Xbox 360 60GB, and Wii dropping to drum up more business.

It is reported by sources that Sainsbury's (one of the oldest supermarket chains in the UK) will be dropping the price of the Nintendo Wii from £179.97 (319.20 USD) to £149.97 (265.96 USD). The Xbox 360 Arcade will drop from £129.97 (230.47 USD) to £99.97 (177.32 USD). And last but not least, the Xbox 360 60GB will go from £169.97 (301.58 USD) to £139.97 (248.40 USD).

The price cuts are valid from October 3 to October 12. So for those of you who live across the pond from us Yanks, it looks like this is an ...

• (2)
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Matt Hazard returns in Eat Lead

Remember Matt Hazard? The gaming icon who's been a staple name in the industry for over 25 years? Well, that shouldn't really come as a surprise, because his entire history has been fabricated by D3 Publisher over the last several weeks as part of a viral campaign promoting the upcoming game, Eat Lead.

The campaign itself was one of the few entertaining (and successful) "We're trying to be funny!" viral marketing campaigns recently. It featured a website built in traditional 1990s Angelfire fashion listing the Top Ten Matt Hazard titles of all time. From Fistful of Hazard to Choking Hazard: Candy Gramm the list is a nostalgic what's-what of our fictional childhood.

Eat Lead will be a parody game, utilizing this fake history. An old legendary hero coming out of retirement to face his past fo...

• (2)
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Doug Lowenstein blames gaming media for Jack Thomp...

Doug Lowenstein, former head of the Entertainment Software Association, was no stranger to Jack Thompson. Often the focal point of Thompson's attacks (he's been linked to Goebbels, Hitler, the devil-you name it) Lowenstein never gave Thompson a response.

Doug's belief has always mirrored my own: ignore Jack and stop giving him free press (which is all he ever wanted) and eventually he'd go away. Other writers tended to have their own idea-which I have no problem with-and you all know how it ended up.

In a letter to Kotaku's Brian Crecente, Doug asks him to examine the gaming press and its role of creating Thompson, as well as question whether or not the incident has caused it to mature. He has some good points, but he also has some which are pretty much completely wrong and stupid. I'll le...

• (3)
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Jack Thompson disbarred

The day many have been waiting for is here: Jack Thompson has been disbarred by the Florida Supreme Court. The controversial ex-lawyer first came into the public eye as a "defender" against videogame violence. It didn't take long for people to see through his act and realize that he was just trying to make a name for himself. (Unfortunately, it took most of the mainstream press until today to see through it...) Earlier this year, people began the process of a disbarrment trial, hoping to prevent Jack from practicing law for ten years. Until now, it was entertaining but long-winded.

In a four page final statement, the Court cited numerous examples from the past, drew from many past reports on Thompson, and ultimately listed out why he was being disbarred. For those of you unfamiliar with th...

• (15)
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Quantum of Solace pre-order bonuses

Order. Pre-order. (Okay, that was awful and made no sense, I apologize.)

If you're looking forward to the upcoming Bond flick (and game tie-in) Quantum of Solace (which is competing with Infinite Undiscovery for most awkward name choice of the season) then the new pre-order bonus might be your thing. The game will hit stores on November 4 for the Xbox 360 and PS3, but between September 22 (today) and then, those pre-ordering the game at GameStop will receive a special in-game multiplayer map, and those pre-ordering the game at Best Buy will receive a $10 off coupon for any James Bond DVD.

You'll get the $10 off Bond gift in-store upon pre-ordering, so if you've been considering buying one of those big Bond packs or picking up an old classic, it might be worth your while to save a few bucks...

• (1)
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Lawsuit says Jaffe and Sony stole God of War story...

David Jaffe, the lead designer for God of War, has been sued, along with Sony, for copyright infringement by Jonathan Bissoon-Dath and Jennifer Barrette-Herzog. In the lawsuit, they allege that Sony received "a series of related works of fiction, including Olympiad, a screenplay."

The two writers claim that in 2002, their work was sent to Sony, and that certain elements, such as the character relationships, dialogue, themes, settings and mood of the storyline were suspicously similar to the God of War plot and game elements.

Some of the claims in the lawsuit state:

* Plaintiff's works tell the original story of how a champion saves Athens from destruction by the invading Spartan army that has been sent by Ares... [GoW]... is the story of how a champion chosen by Zeus and Athen...

• (2)
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Microsoft will get rid of the Seinfeld ads

Microsoft is getting rid of Seinfeld. The commercials recently seen on television, starring none other than Billy Gates and Jerry Seinfeld, were met with yawns and the scratching of heads. What are the commercials about, anyway?

Microsoft decided to spend about $300 million on television ads to try to get people to give Vista another chance. The commercials tried to mimic the feel of a Seinfeld show. The ads were, in short, about nothing.

Microsoft sounds as if it is trying to put their own spin on why they are dropping Seinfeld. Is it because the ads didn't connect with the public? Not according to Microsoft. It says that it was only "phase one" of their strategy and that they were always planning on moving away from the Seinfeld based commercials.

Sure, sure. It probably also has to do with...

• (19)
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Nintendo's not so hard to figure out new game

Well, we're going to take a wild guess and say that Nintendo is planning on announcing a new game that has something to do with a pink character, according to the press release below.

MEDIA ALERT: ONE-OF-A-KIND CELESTIAL EVENT EXPECTED IN SEPTEMBER

Spectacular, Star-Filled Display Will Be Visible From Earth at Select Locations

WHAT: Authorities at Nintendo are forecasting an extraordinary celestial event this season. Expected to be visible on Sept. 18, this eye-popping occurrence will be best viewed from a handful of specific U.S. locations (see below). Experts are still deliberating over the scientific significance of this rare phenomenon, but evidence points clearly to the reemergence of a luminous entity that citizens from all walks of life will appreciate.

WHO: Fun-seeking families and a...

• (6)
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Age of Empires continue. Three Halo games coming

Phil Spencer, head of Microsoft Game Studios, said in an interview with GamesIndustry.com that there are at least three games in the Halo universe being developed. Good news for Halo fans.

He didn't go into details on what those games were, but Halo junkies can breathe a sigh of relief for now.

Spencer said, "Well, there's more than one team building Halo games right now. There are more than two or three teams building Halo things right now. Some of them we will own, some of them we won't. It's never been, for me, about who you own or don't own - it's about working with the best creative talent in the industry."

Spencer also talked a bit about the Age of Empires strategy-action game franchise. Microsoft recently decided to close down the doors of Ensemble Studios, the developers behind the Ag...

• (4)
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Electronic Arts exits.Take Two tanks

Since February of 2008, EA has set its sights on Take Two as a possible addition to the EA brand.

Electronic Arts offered a cool $2 billion for the company, but since then, Take Two has been playing it cagey and said the price wasn't right. T2 was concerned that EA would be getting a "bargain" because the price didn't account for the success of GTA IV.

After many extensions, EA has finally said, hasta la vista, baby, and walked out the door. Shares of Take Two, which have been hovering around $24-$26 per share, plummeted to $17 on word that EA had given up its chase of purchasing the company.

Although the management of Take Two refused the previous offers from EA, the majority of shareholders were in favor of the original deal. With the sudden downturn of Take Two shares, and the loss of EA...

• (8)
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Whodunnit? Peter Moore killed the Dreamcast

Those of us who still own our Dreamcast machines still regret the day when Sega pulled the plug on making any more of them. And now, we know who was behind the smoking gun--none other than Peter Moore, who was chief operating officer and president of Sega at the time.

Moore is now the head of EA Sports, but he recounted how he made his decision to kill the Dreamcast in 2001.

"We had a tremendous 18 months. Dreamcast was on fire - we really thought that we could do it. But then we had a target from Japan that said we had to make x hundreds of millions of dollars by the holiday season and shift x millions of units of hardware, otherwise we just couldn't sustain the business. "So on January 31st 2001 we said Sega is leaving hardware. We were selling 50,000 units a day, then 60,000, then 100,0

• (7)
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Konami buys UEFA Champions League license

Yet another untouchable sports juggernaut has purchased exclusive rights for one of the world's biggest leagues, ensuring that (for several years) they'll now be the only REAL dog show in town.

But it's okay, because this time it wasn't EA, and EA was the one who got the short end of the stick! Hah! Irony!

Today, Konami announced a four year exclusive deal with the UEFA Champions League, one of Europe's greatest soccer (football, whatever) club competitions. Previously held by EA and used in the UEFA series (which was actually a very solid title this year), the UEFA license now belongs exclusively to Pro Evolution Soccer and will debut in the upcoming 2009 iteration.

"The Pro Evolution Soccer series is synonymous with football being played at the highest level, which makes it perfect for h...

• (2)
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Will you be ready for Google Games?

Forbes magazine, a highly respected business publication, has speculated that Google may be entering the lucrative video game industry.

The editorial stated, "The paths Google could take to develop a bigger presence in the gaming industry are varied. With its financial war chest, the company could easily acquire one or several casual game development houses, using those to deliver in-game advertising via Adscape."

Imagine doing your surfing on Google only to notice that there were free games offered by the search engine. Forbes went on to say:

"For instance, visitors to Pogo.com and RealArcade tend to be women over 35, and they are already used to seeing advertising with their games--sometimes particularly intrusive advertising. If Google were to introduce a more subtle style--similar to the...

• (0)
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Western games are better than Japanese ones

In a statement which will make many go "Well, duh!" former Capcom developer and current Game Republic big dog Yoshiki Okamoto has added another to his quickly growing list of controversial developer quotes. (The first being his gem about good developers not liking games in the first place.)

In an interview on the Japanese +D Games, Okamoto is asked about the disparity between Western and Eastern game development these days, and states:

"It's almost too late. During the Famicom (NES) era, Japanese video games comprised 70 percent of all video games. And currently, it's like 15 or 20 percent, isn't it? Now, Western games are more advanced. For games like GTAIV, those guys are spending something like 5 or 10 years to make them. Even if we thought about catching up with them now, they'd still ...

• (6)
• 
• 
• 
• 
•