Chris Morris: Journalist

The Best Selling Video Games of 2012

Chris — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 19:19:39 +0000

For the past several years, Activision’s Call of Duty franchise has been the videogame industry powerhouse — dominating the sales charts not only during the critical holiday sales period, but also carrying that momentum well into the following year.

In 2012, though, the franchise is showing signs of weakness.

Gritty new ‘Star Wars 1313′ has fans buzzing

Chris — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 19:16:24 +0000

LucasArts is turning to the Dark Side for its next Star Wars game.

Not the Dark Side of the Force, mind you. It’s done that several times already. Nope, this time the publisher is hoping to explore a darker, more mature side of the sci-fi universe in a new game called Star Wars 1313.

Read more at Yahoo! Games

‘Modern Warfare’ Not 2012′s Best-Selling Game to Date

Chris — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 14:21:52 +0000

There aren’t a lot of sure bets in the video game industry, but for the past few years the “Call of Duty” franchise was a pretty safe place to put your money.

The past three installments of the game have set consecutive entertainment-industry sales records at their launch. And even after the holiday season ended, they’ve led the sales pack for at least the first few months of the following year — but not this year.

Is the Video Game Industry Dying?

Chris — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 14:20:08 +0000

E3 is usually the video game industry’s big party of the year — a chance to celebrate its strengths and showcase the titles it expects to drive sales forward for the rest of the year.

But as the game makers gather for this year’s event, a cloud hangs over the soiree. Retail sales are down 27 percent compared to this time in 2011. Mobile devices are stealing the spotlight from traditional consoles. And naysayers are openly questioning the long-term viability of the console industry.

Apptastic: Skylanders Cloud Patrol

Chris — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 10:16:35 +0000

Unlike its popular console cousin, the app store incantation of Skylanders isn’t exactly heavy on story. That doesn’t stop Skylanders Cloud Patrol from being an incredibly entertaining and time sucking game, though.

Activision, Infinity Ward founders settle lawsuit

Chris — Thu, 31 May 2012 23:05:34 +0000

What was threatening to be one of the nastiest legal battles in the history of the video game industry has ended peacefully.

Game publisher Activision and the founders of Call of Duty developer Infinity Ward, Jason West and Vince Zampella, have settled their legal differences at the very last minute. The case was expected to go to trial tomorrow.

Read more at Yahoo! Games

New ‘Gears of War’ game confirmed

Chris — Thu, 31 May 2012 18:57:40 +0000

Less than nine months after Gears of War 3 hit store shelves, the next installment of the series is set to make its debut.

Microsoft and Epic Games will formally reveal the next Gears of War on Monday, June 4^th, during Microsoft’s annual E3 press conference. The big question is: What system is it for?

Read more at Yahoo! Games

Amazon fights multi-front war

Chris — Thu, 31 May 2012 16:35:01 +0000

Remember when Amazon.com was just an online bookstore?

As the Internet has evolved, Jeff Bezos and company have transformed with it. And while the site is certainly a retail powerhouse and dominates the publishing (and ePublishing) industry, Amazon has become a company with deep interests in other forms of entertainment — and those efforts are starting to bear fruit.

Apptastic: Alphabeast

Chris — Thu, 31 May 2012 09:32:03 +0000

Learning the alphabet is always easier for kids when there’s some fun attached. Alphabeast is a flash card app that has received several awards for its clever extras, which range from playable musical instruments to spinning bow ties. It’s all wrapped together by illustrations from children’s author Chris Judge.

‘Doom 3′ is coming back, playable with head-mounted display

Chris — Thu, 31 May 2012 02:13:37 +0000

Everything old is new again — even hell demons.

Eight years after its initial release, the first-person scarefest Doom 3 is about to hit store shelves again. Bethesda Softworks has announced the Doom 3 BFG Edition — a remastered version of the horror/shooter that includes all of the previously released expansions as well as seven new levels.

Read more at Yahoo! Games