In the videogame industry, summer usually equals videogame death. Few if any games hit the shelves. Somehow, every publisher magically designs their games to ship between November 21 and November 22, right before Thanksgiving. There are a few exceptions, like last year when 2K Games published Sid Meier's Pirates on Xbox. Or back in 2001 when Sony published Gran Turismo 3 A-spec and Twisted Metal: Black on PS2. Generally, however, summer is the kiss of death for games.
We're happy to say that between now and the end of August a handful of original, worthwhile Xbox 360 games will hit retail stands. If release dates remain concrete as of today then, according to retailers, approximately 11 games will ship this summer, including two football games, one RTS, two first-person shooters, one racing game, one zombie game, one GTA-style urban mayhem title, and North America's first Japanese RPG.
This summer is significant for Microsoft's new system for a couple of reasons. With these games, the Washington-based game manufacturer will continue to establish its foothold in the next-generation space, which should be pretty easy since no other "next-gen" systems are out. This summer we'll see whether EA can truly make the transition from PC to console with The Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle-earth 2's spiffy new controls, we'll get the first localized Japanese RPG on the system with Enchanted Arms, and we'll get the second generation of EA's exclusive NFL football games on Xbox 360 with Madden NFL 07. Plus, on a purely gleeful note, we'll get Prey, a smoking hot first-person shooter that should kick all kinds of ass.
What are the games of summer you ask? IGN has the full story.
Since the Xbox 360 launched in November 2005, followed by the Wii and Playstation 3 in the following year, pro football video games were launched into a new area as well. Ever since the first videos of Madden 06 on Xbox 360 were launched around E3 2005, expectations have been sky high for pro football games over the last 5 years. But did they really live up to them or did things go mind numbingly wrong?
" everything was unnecessarily complicated. Nobody liked anything besides the Tackle Alley feature and the animations. There was really no depth and whether there will be a Backbreaker 2 is up in the air"
There is a lot of people that love this game and yes there is some issues as with most games that are released these days, a patch has fixed some of the issues, as for a first release of a football game that EA has tried to block anybody from doing, this is not bad and yes Backbreaker 2 will be the great.Got go and play my season game.
GameSpot writes: Wii Remote pack-in leads list of all-time titles; Guitar Hero III, GTA: San Andreas, Modern Warfare 2, Wii Fit, Mario Kart Wii, Call of Duty 4, Madden NFL 07, COD: World at War, and Namco Museum also make chart.
Last week when NPD released its December 2009 US sales numbers, it declared that three of the 10 games of all time were from the Call of Duty franchise. Today, the industry-research firm released its list of top 10 domestic non-PC games to date, which reconfirmed that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 was the fourth best seller of all time. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare came in seventh place, followed by Call of Duty: World at War in ninth.
Don't call it a comeback--it's been here for years.
Unfortunately, NPD's number-one best-selling software "game" is a game many people don't consider a game at all. The Wii Remote pack-in minigames compilation Wii Play is now the top-selling software game product of all time in the United States, beating out Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (second) and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (third).
Hmmm Sony could have 100 million sales on *anygame* for the PS2 if they packed it in...
a pack in is not really a sold unit. It's a here you can have this whether you want it or not...
Of course it was gonna be a top seller since its free with every wii remote you buy..
It's also the most thrown out 'game' in history.
Also, AOL starter discs are apparently the best selling software of all time. OF ALL TIME!
I've never threw it away. I don't play it a lot but I wouldn't throw it away. What would be the point in doing that, unless you're an idiot?
Actually in a lot of places you can't. Wii Remotes aren't stocked everywhere that the combo pack is. Why would they let you pay $45 for a controller when they can force you to pay $60 with the promise of a 'game'? Nintendo probably gives the retailers a cut of the difference.
It's funny that people can't accept that Nintendo's games are the best
sellers(ever in fact).
Hell Mario Kart Wii has surpassed what any PS2 game sold worldwide.
Nintendo's franchises are massive and still sold millions when they were in 3rd place.
They're excluding PC games from that list (says in the article).
Kind of limits the need for acceptance ;)
Good point, Blizzard may be able to match Nintendo's sales on some titles throughout the years.
but how many publishers can claim to have multiple title with over 20 million sold just this gen?
@V: I think that is it though. No console games outside of Nintendo has topped 20 million this gen.
Over 20m this gen?
Maxis - Sims series.
Blizzard you've already mentioned.
Not sure about other console sales since I'm mostly a PC gamer...
Though if you're including games as part of hardware sales, Solitaire, Minesweeper and Hearts probably have sales in the billions by now? ;)
Sims has not hit 20 million in sales this generation on a console.on a CONSOLE
You do not pay for Minesweeper, Solitare, so how exactly do they count as sales? I know you didnt ask before buying yours if they were included.
Blizzard hasnt hit 20million in sales either. Their last big game was WoW and that was in the last generation that it came out. It also did not hit 20m as the most blizzard had at any one point as around 15 million subs.
Wii Play is good ONLY for the controller. Once you've played through the "games" once...that's it. Move on.
Mez of TheGo writes: "If you're a fan of the original Blood Bowl game, this is for you without a shadow of a doubt. But for those expecting a Madden type game or something you can drink beer and play without any real skill (Anti-Jock/Frat Boy speaking) then you're doomed. A side note, approach this game with a sense of humor, you will lose some of your most invested players all too easily. Remember the rule of thumb, you roll dice enough, you will roll a 1, and it's just a 1 at the wrong time that'll turn your All-Star Blitzer into the next Goblin BBQ."
Wow, I cant wait for the summer to come. I mean Dead Rising, LOTR:BFME,Prey, you have to love it!Great move to get all these games out in the summer before any other consoles are released.I mean by the time any consoles come out 360 will have around 30-50 titles. Smart move by the publishers and microsoft.
Make that about 160 titles that's the number as far as I know MS told to be out at Christmas 2006
Gears of War and Forza 2 are on top of my list for this year
And I plan on buying atleast 20 by christmas, the 360 is by far the best system I have ever had, PC Xbox etc... It is the only next gen system I will buy, except maybe the Wii for the NES and SNES back catalogue, my NES bit the dust last year, that damn thing lasted forever. But, my Sega Genesis lives!
The 360 is doing very good lots of mazing games coming out in cople months starting july i just can,t wait to play Forza Motorsport 2 and Saint Row - Gears of War etc good to now that the 360 gives us alot games choice.
Since I have always been a hard core Madden player, the release of NCAA and MAdden usually fills my summer and fall gaming fix, then the holiday releases come out and I have more games than time again...