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    Rock Band Weekly: Guns N' Roses' Chinese Democracy album

    April 10, 2009 - 10:50am


    "Shackler's Revenge" was only seeking vengeance because it was lonely -- but, no longer. Next week's Rock Band Weekly will be Guns N' Roses' Chinese Democracy album, the groups first album in ... 15 years. The album has gone on to sell 3 million copies and is now ready to pick a couple more wallets in its Rock Band incarnation.Guns N' Roses' Chinese Democracy (1600 / $20 -- 200 Wii points apiece)

    • "Chinese Democracy" (160 / $2)
    • "Better" (160 / $2)
    • "Street of Dreams" (160 / $2)
    • "If the World" (160 / $2)
    • "There Was a Time" (160 / $2)
    • "Catcher in the Rye" (160 / $2)
    • "Scraped" (160 / $2)
    • "Riad N' the Bedouins" (160 / $2)
    • "Sorry" (160 / $2)
    • "I.R.S." (160 / $2)
    • "Madagascar" (160 / $2)
    • "This I Love" (160 / $2)
    • "Prostitute" (160 / $2)

    All tracks are masters and will be available for Xbox 360 and Wii next Tuesday. PS3 owners can download the album on Thursday.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

    The Grudge director working on Wii horror title, 'Feel'

    April 10, 2009 - 5:00am

    Famitsu has revealed that Takashi Shimizu, director of popular Japanese horror films such as The Grudge, is working with AQ Interactive -- publisher of Bullet Witch, Vampire Rain and the canceled Cry On -- to create a new horror game for the Wii called Feel. Our cohorts at Joystiq Japan -- PSA: There's a Joystiq Japan now -- tell us that Shimizu will serve as the game's "horror adviser," so we expect plenty of creepy, crawly Onryo. The game has players exploring a haunted house using the Wii remote as a flashlight. Apparently the flashlight battery also serves as the player's health meter, though we're not sure exactly how that would work.Feel supports up to two players and is scheduled to hit Japanese Wiis this summer.[Via Cubed3]Permalink | Email this | Comments

    MI6: Peter Moore talks capturing Wii crowd, expanding reach

    April 9, 2009 - 8:30pm


    During a panel at the MI6 Games Marketing Summit, Peter Moore talked about EA Sports' philosophy when it comes to Wii. He warned against unnecessary ports, stating that it's wrong to "simply take what you're doing on the PS3 or Xbox 360 and port - that's a dirty word - down to the Wii," noting that EA Sports learned this the hard way. Now, through things like the All-Play brand, EA Sports is starting to develop experiences specifically for that console from the ground up.There's more to it than just that, as Moore points to a need for the company to develop "lifestyle" games, which is where EA Sports Active comes in. He says this game will help the company expand from the males that comprise the majority of its audience. Not that Moore wants to alienate them, though. EA Sports wouldn't exist without them.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

    Nielsen corrects console usage chart: Wii beats 360 in January

    April 9, 2009 - 7:30pm

    The Nielsen report on American console usage percentages contains some mislabeled data, according to a correction sent to Fast Company by Nielsen's Gavin McMillan. In the original PDF's Figure 4, "January 2008 to January 2009 Video Console Usage Percents," the Wii and Xbox 360's positions are transposed for January 2009. The correct chart appears above, showing that Wii usage, at 20.7% of the total recorded usage minutes, exceeded 360 usage (18.2%) in January.The average percentage of active use for each console for December 2008, the metric on which we reported yesterday, remains accurate. That refers to the percent of use each console got against the total possible time users could have been using them.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

    Ask Joystiq Nintendo: Interwebs Edition

    April 9, 2009 - 7:00pm

    This week in Ask Joystiq Nintendo, we deal mostly with issues relating to the DS and the Internet -- how to get online with a DS system, and interfacing with the Internet once you get there. We also start the Countdown to New DSi Colors, for the benefit of those of you who are somehow unsatisfied with the blue DSi (or the Gyakuten Kenji white DSi).Do you have a question for the sages experts dudes at Joystiq Nintendo? Simply email your query to asknintendo AT joystiq DOT com, and we will stare at it until an answer becomes apparent!

    Continue reading Ask Joystiq Nintendo: Interwebs Edition

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    Calling the greatest Pokemon trainers in the US

    April 9, 2009 - 6:00pm


    For all you pokémaniacs, the 2009 Pokémon Video Game World Championships are set to begin qualifiers next month. Regional qualifiers (apparently the northeastern part of the country doesn't count) will begin in May. Trainers need to bring their own copy of Pokemon Platinum to compete in the "2-on-2 Double Cup" format -- no creature can exceed level 50.Regional qualification will accept "128 players for each age division (Juniors and Seniors)" at random from those in attendance. All registrants will receive a "level 50 Shiny Milotic."

    • May 9 - Seattle, WA
    • May 16 - San Francisco, CA
    • May 23 - Phoenix, AZ
    • May 30 - Dallas, TX
    • June 6 - Philadelphia, PA
    • June 13 - Nashville, TN
    • June 27 - St. Louis, MO

    For full details about the regional competitions and the international locations, head on over to www.pokemonvgc.com.

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    Telltale: Strong Bad sales have doubled since SD Card Menu update, more WiiWare coming

    April 9, 2009 - 5:00pm

    It appears that some of the kids who "boycotted" the Wii Shop Channel until Nintendo offered some kind of fix for the storage issue have, true to their word, started buying stuff. Telltale Games sent out a press release claiming that sales of the Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People series have "more than doubled" since the GDC unveiling of Nintendo's "storage solution." Telltale didn't specify any numbers -- just that whatever the rate of sales was since GDC is better than whatever the rate was before."Nintendo's new solution really opens the door for players to add to their collection of downloadable games, which is critical for a series with multiple installments," Telltale CEO Dan Connors said in the press release. "This is a major step forward for episodic gaming. We're looking forward to even greater success on WiiWare with Strong Bad, as well as other projects."Other projects!Permalink | Email this | Comments

    Dead Space: Extraction gameplay footage & prod interview

    April 9, 2009 - 4:00pm

    In the IGN video interview embedded after the break, Dead Space: Extraction producer Steve Papoutsis discusses the motivation for the "guided first-person experience" design for the Dead Space prequel, as well as the storyline, the controls, and the co-op modes. That's great, and of course it's wonderful to hear such ideals behind the game's design.But the real attraction here is footage. The video is interspersed with gameplay footage from Extraction, mostly consisting of the disarming (and dislegging) of creepy spider-dudes. In our estimation, at least, EA is delivering the graphics it needs to ensure that the game is appropriately atmospheric. And by "atmospheric" we mean "eeeeeeeee."

    Continue reading Dead Space: Extraction gameplay footage & prod interview

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    In limbo: Big Huge Games ... games

    April 9, 2009 - 2:58pm


    Big Huge Games could be saved from the swinging axe, according to a report from Kotaku, which also details two games the company was in the middle of developing: God: The Game and Ascendant. God: The Game was planned for Wii, with obvious inspiration from games such as Animal Crossing and The Legend of Zelda, and seems to have been early in development based on the game art available.The other title, Ascendant, was destined for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC, and is (was?) an action RPG set in a fantasy world. A brief trailer for the game confirms that Ken Rolston, lead designer for Oblivion, was involved. Based on that trailer and some in-game shots, we'd say Big Huge Games was on the verge of living up to its name.There could still be hope for these games, though. Unnamed sources claim that several buyers are checking out the developer, including Curt Schilling's 38 Studios. Hopefully, Big Huge Games can be big huge saved.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

    Ubisoft confirms Rabbids Go Home for holiday season

    April 9, 2009 - 2:31pm


    We brought this news to you via Nintendo Power, but just in case you didn't want to get your hopes up until you heard it straight from the horse's mouth: Ubisoft has confirmed that it'll be bringing Rabbids Go Home to the Wii this holiday season.We know that the game centers on the rabbids building a pile of junk to get to the moon, and that Ubisoft Montpellier will be developing the game with a new engine, but that's about it for the time being. Check out Nintendo Power's May issue for more details.Permalink | Email this | Comments