Monthly Archives: May 2010

Video games gaining more time

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Core gamers are the lifeblood of the video game industry, buying more titles and playing more frequently than anyone else. They are the film world’s equivalent of the equivalent of the film world’s superfan, who visits the cinema multiple times each weekend. According to a study from the NPD Group, which also tracks retail sales of videogames, “extreme” gamers spend 48.5 hours per week playing games, while repping 4% of the total gamers in the U.S.

On the whole, U.S. gamers spend 13 hours per week playing games — 42 minutes more than last year. That’s still considerably less than the average American’s TV viewing habits, which clock in at 35 hours per week, according to Nielsen. But games are gaining.

Read more in Daily Variety

Getting a mortgage when you’re self-employed

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Ever since the 2008 financial meltdown and real estate crisis, banks have made some dramatic changes to their lending policies. That’s making it harder for the self-employed to secure a mortgage.

If you own a company and are in the market for a home, here are a few ways to ease the process and boost your chances of getting the loan.

Read more at Bankrate.com

How dedicated is the core gamer?

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The term “core” gamer gets thrown around a lot in this industry. It’s an easy way to describe the enthusiast audience, but statistically differentiating an avid fan of games from a regular enthusiast has been a bit trickier. Now, a newly released study from the NPD Group is shedding more light on the term. 

According to the organization, which tracks retail sales of video games, ‘extreme’ gamers (their buzzword for core) spend 48.5 hours per week playing games. (Yup. More than two consecutive days per week.) The ‘core’ audience, it says, represents 4 percent of the total gamers in the U.S.

Read more at Variety’s The Cut Scene blog

Lost finale sets BitTorrent record

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The “Lost” finale may not have set a ratings record, but pirates absolutely loved it.

TorrentFreak, a news site that covers the file sharing industry, reports the May 23 finale has broken all previous download records – with nearly 1 million people downloading the concluding chapters of the show in less than one day.

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog

Fox to air ‘Red Dead Redemption’ film

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Machinima (films that are made from the graphics engines and assets of video games) isn’t exactly a household word in most of America. And, despite its critical acclaim and strong sales, “Red Dead Redemption” probably isn’t either. 

That’s not stopping Fox from taking a gamble with the new title from Take Two Interactive Software and the makers of the “Grand Theft Auto” franchise. On Saturday May 29, the network will air a 30 minute short film made from the game at midnight.

Read more at Variety’s The Cut Scene blog

Bach, Allard out at Microsoft

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Two of the most visible faces in Microsoft’s entertainment and devices division are leaving the company. Microsoft today announced the departure of president Robbie Bach and chief experience officer J Allard. 

Bach is retiring after 22 years with the company effective this fall. He has headed the entertainment and devices division since its inception five years ago and is a regular presence at major Microsoft press events. Allard, the driving force behind the Xbox and Zune media player, is leaving, but will remain as an advisor to CEO Steve Ballmer.

Read more at Variety’s The Cut Scene blog

Or, read an extended version (with deeper analysis) at Daily Variety

Microsoft Xbox Chief Out as Division Stumbles

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Microsoft is shaking up its entertainment and devices division, the group responsible for many of its most familiar consumer devices.

Robbie Bach, a 22-year veteran of the company and president of the unit since its inception five years ago, will retire this fall. And J Allard, who was the powering force behind the Xbox video game console and Zune media player (and, until recently, was the driving force behind the company’s plans to make a PC tablet computer), will also depart the company.

Read more at CNBC.com

Halo’s ‘Reach’ Expands, Microsoft Preps for A Big Holiday

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If there’s one truth in the videogame world, it’s this: Never bet against the sales success of a new “Halo” or “Grand Theft Auto”. But as Microsoft prepares to launch “Halo: Reach” this fall, early evidence indicates people may not be betting heavily enough.

For the past three weeks, Microsoft has given fans of the game a taste of what the series’ next installment will be like. It turns out that player appetites were even more voracious than expected.

Read more at CNBC.com

Sony taking the Killzone franchise into 3D

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It’s not news that Sony is leading the charge among consoles when it comes to3D, but until today the company hadn’t committed any of its titles to the technology. But with word that “Killzone 3” would offer stereoscopic 3D support, the gloves are off. 

The game, which will pick up where last year’s “Killzone 2” left off, will also reportedly boast substantially bigger levels, jetpacks and other new weapons.

Read more at Variety’s The Cut Scene

The last hurrah of ‘Lost’ – video games?

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While the fates of Jack, Sawyer, Hurley, et al were sealed in last night’s finale to “Lost,” the show may have one more trick up its sleeve.

“Rock Band” will reportedly add the biggest songs from the show’s soundtrack to its collection of downloadable titles later this week – giving you the chance to play both Driveshaft’s “You All Everybody” and Geronimo Jackon’s “Dharma Lady”. The songs are expected to come from the Rock Band Network, meaning Xbox 360 will get them first (and perhaps exclusively).

Read more at Variety’s The Cut Scene