GameSpasm

Gamestop's financial data for the first quarter of its fiscal 2013 have arrived like a pizza with nearly 25 percent fewer toppings than the pizza you ordered during the same 13-week period last year. Also, cheesy bread sales are way up? This may not be the strongest analogy.

In non-allegorical terms, gross revenue (overall sales) and net income (post-tax profit) were both down year-over-year, at $1.865 billion and $54.6 million, respectively. As far as net income, that's a 24.69 percent decrease from the $72.5 million Gamestop reported at the end of Q1 2012.

Meanwhile, mobile device sales were up 290 percent, though this massive increase was largely due to the fact that Gamestop's mobile trade-in/sales program was just getting started during Q1 of 2012. Digital sales also increased, to the tune of 47.3 percent year-over-year, while new software sales, both physical and digital, fell 3.8 percent.

As was the case during Q1 2012, used hardware and software sales accounted for the majority of Gamestop's pre-tax profit, with new hardware and software sales making up just 29.5 percent of the quarter's overall gross.

Gamestop Q1 sales and profits down, mobile/digital sales up originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 May 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments Tags: 2013, 3ds, android, Ds, Financials, fiscal-2013, gamestop, microsoft, Mobile, Nintendo, PC, Playstation, playstation-vita, PS3, PSP, q1, Sony, vita, Wii, wii-u, Xbox

Square Enix America CEO Mike Fischer left the company this month and is now vice president of digital music and video for Amazon in Japan, Polygon reports. This follows news in April that Square Enix America eliminated "a number of positions" and Fischer was expected to leave in May. Those same reports said the head of marketing should be gone after E3, along with other employees in public relations.

In March, Square Enix President Yoichi Wada stepped down and the company announced widespread restructuring that it expected to cost $106 million. Square Enix posted a net loss of $134 million for fiscal year 2013, citing "weak" sales of major console games, including Sleeping Dogs, Hitman: Absolution and Tomb Raider, the last of which sold 3.4 million in its first month.

Report: Square Enix America CEO leaves, joins Amazon originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 May 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments Tags: 3ds, lay offs, layoffs, microsoft, Mobile, Nintendo, PC, Playstation, playstation-vita, PS3, PSP, Sony, square-enix, vita, Wii, wii-u, Xbox

Square Enix America CEO Mike Fischer left the company this month and is now vice president of digital music and video for Amazon in Japan, Polygon reports. This follows news in April that Square Enix America eliminated "a number of positions" and Fischer was expected to leave in May. Those same reports said the head of marketing should be gone after E3, along with other employees in public relations.

In March, Square Enix President Yoichi Wada stepped down and the company announced widespread restructuring that it expected to cost $106 million. Square Enix posted a net loss of $134 million for fiscal year 2013, citing "weak" sales of major console games, including Sleeping Dogs, Hitman: Absolution and Tomb Raider, the last of which sold 3.4 million in its first month.

Report: Square Enix America CEO leaves, joins Amazon originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 May 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments Tags: 3ds, lay offs, layoffs, microsoft, Mobile, Nintendo, PC, Playstation, playstation-vita, PS3, PSP, Sony, square-enix, vita, Wii, wii-u, Xbox

While the exact date may be hard to pin down, the demise of the Wii was foreseen for years. With a decline in quality content, and minimal first party releases, the Wii went on life support long before the release of the Wii U. Some people (this reviewer included) might think that the 2010 release of "Donkey Kong Country Returns" signaled the beginning of the end for a variety of different reasons. It was the first time that Nintendo had really gone back to the Donkey Kong well since the original releases, and while Retro Studios were well equipped to create a quality title, it seems like the fad of the Wii had passed, and the game was released to significantly less fanfare than it deserved. Fortunately, Nintendo has made a business out of recycling ideas for new platforms, and "DKCR" is one of the rare software titles to get this special treatment. In an unprecedented first, Donkey Kong will be the first Nintendo character to have their game ported from the Wii console to the 3DS in the aptly named, "Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D."

"Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D" is essentially the same game that was released a few years ago for the Wii, with some slight adjustments, and added content. The game follows the age-old story of Donkey Kong on the hunt for his stolen bananas with Diddy Kong in toe, and Cranky Kong set up to help him out along the way. As DK explores the island looking for the evil Tikis that pilfered his fruit, he'll encounter an assortment of different platform-based levels that range in gameplay, but all take advantage of his unique simian skills. From the standard beach levels, to the series' staple mine cart levels, fans of the classic Super Nintendo "Donkey Kong Country" games will feel right at home with this game.

The 3DS port takes the opportunity to upgrade an already near-perfect game, for this all-new platform. First and foremost, "DKCR3D" takes advantage of the 3DS' 3D capabilities, really showcasing some impressive graphics, offering a true sense of depth throughout every level in the game. You may remember that the original release had multiple levels where DK would explore both the foreground and background courtesy of some barrel cannons, making this releases' multi-layered setting ideal to take advantage of the 3DS' parallax features.

In addition to the graphical tweaks, "Returns 3D" also comes complete with some additional content. Fans of the Wii game can play the game entirely as it was intended by selecting the "Original" option, but, if that was too difficult, there is now a "New Mode" that helps make this traditionally challenging franchise a bit more accessible. By adding another heart to Donkey and Diddy Kong's lives, and offering up the option for additional special items throughout the levels, Monster Games have ratcheted down the difficulty, while retaining the essence of the gameplay. While some may consider this blasphemy, it will open up the game to less skilled players, and if you're a purest, you can always just keep to yourself and play the original mode.

In addition to the different modes, "Returns 3D" also includes a handful of additional levels that are exclusive to the 3DS release. While there aren't a ton, anyone that has milked all the bananas out of the original game, can at least have something new to look forward to here.

"Donkey Kong Country Returns" was already a great new entry into this long dormant franchise, and the 3DS just makes it better. Allowing players to take DK on the go highlights how easy the game is to pick-up-and-play, and what made the original such a solid game - well designed levels, and engaging gameplay. While the difficulty of Original Mode still might be a bit steep for some players, New Mode offers a nice incentive for newcomers to the series. Should you opt to make a visit to DK's island paradise, just make sure you're 3DS is ready - "Returns 3D" is one of the few games that is enhanced with 3D, so charge up those batteries. Also, if you plan on downloading the game make sure you have 17,000+ blocks available, since this monkey's adventure is pretty big. Other than that, whether you missed out on the Wii release, or just want to spend some more special time with Donkey Kong, "Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D" is a solid release, and well worth your hard-earned bananas.

Score: 4.5/5

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Tags: 3ds, 3DS / DS, Donkey Kong, donkey kong country, Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D, Donkey-Kong-Country-Returns, Nintendo, Reviews, Wii

While the exact date may be hard to pin down, the demise of the Wii was foreseen for years. With a decline in quality content, and minimal first party releases, the Wii went on life support long before the release of the Wii U. Some people (this reviewer included) might think that the 2010 release of "Donkey Kong Country Returns" signaled the beginning of the end for a variety of different reasons. It was the first time that Nintendo had really gone back to the Donkey Kong well since the original releases, and while Retro Studios were well equipped to create a quality title, it seems like the fad of the Wii had passed, and the game was released to significantly less fanfare than it deserved. Fortunately, Nintendo has made a business out of recycling ideas for new platforms, and "DKCR" is one of the rare software titles to get this special treatment. In an unprecedented first, Donkey Kong will be the first Nintendo character to have their game ported from the Wii console to the 3DS in the aptly named, "Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D."

"Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D" is essentially the same game that was released a few years ago for the Wii, with some slight adjustments, and added content. The game follows the age-old story of Donkey Kong on the hunt for his stolen bananas with Diddy Kong in toe, and Cranky Kong set up to help him out along the way. As DK explores the island looking for the evil Tikis that pilfered his fruit, he'll encounter an assortment of different platform-based levels that range in gameplay, but all take advantage of his unique simian skills. From the standard beach levels, to the series' staple mine cart levels, fans of the classic Super Nintendo "Donkey Kong Country" games will feel right at home with this game.

The 3DS port takes the opportunity to upgrade an already near-perfect game, for this all-new platform. First and foremost, "DKCR3D" takes advantage of the 3DS' 3D capabilities, really showcasing some impressive graphics, offering a true sense of depth throughout every level in the game. You may remember that the original release had multiple levels where DK would explore both the foreground and background courtesy of some barrel cannons, making this releases' multi-layered setting ideal to take advantage of the 3DS' parallax features.

In addition to the graphical tweaks, "Returns 3D" also comes complete with some additional content. Fans of the Wii game can play the game entirely as it was intended by selecting the "Original" option, but, if that was too difficult, there is now a "New Mode" that helps make this traditionally challenging franchise a bit more accessible. By adding another heart to Donkey and Diddy Kong's lives, and offering up the option for additional special items throughout the levels, Monster Games have ratcheted down the difficulty, while retaining the essence of the gameplay. While some may consider this blasphemy, it will open up the game to less skilled players, and if you're a purest, you can always just keep to yourself and play the original mode.

In addition to the different modes, "Returns 3D" also includes a handful of additional levels that are exclusive to the 3DS release. While there aren't a ton, anyone that has milked all the bananas out of the original game, can at least have something new to look forward to here.

"Donkey Kong Country Returns" was already a great new entry into this long dormant franchise, and the 3DS just makes it better. Allowing players to take DK on the go highlights how easy the game is to pick-up-and-play, and what made the original such a solid game - well designed levels, and engaging gameplay. While the difficulty of Original Mode still might be a bit steep for some players, New Mode offers a nice incentive for newcomers to the series. Should you opt to make a visit to DK's island paradise, just make sure you're 3DS is ready - "Returns 3D" is one of the few games that is enhanced with 3D, so charge up those batteries. Also, if you plan on downloading the game make sure you have 17,000+ blocks available, since this monkey's adventure is pretty big. Other than that, whether you missed out on the Wii release, or just want to spend some more special time with Donkey Kong, "Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D" is a solid release, and well worth your hard-earned bananas.

Score: 4.5/5

Related Posts:
Call of Duty: Ghosts - My God, It's Full of Math!
Live Stream Reveals New Xbox!!!--

Follow @MTVMultiplayer on Twitter and be sure to "like" us on Facebook for the best geek news about comics, toys, gaming and more!

Tags: 3ds, 3DS / DS, Donkey Kong, donkey kong country, Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D, Donkey-Kong-Country-Returns, Monster Games Inc., Nintendo, Reviews, Wii

Another hot, fresh loaf of financial data has been pulled out of The NPD Group's analytical oven, and its buttery goodness contains sales information for the four week period between April 4 and May 7, 2013. During that time, the physical retail sector of the games industry was down 25 percent when compared with its performance over the same four weeks in 2012, pulling in a grand total of $495.2 million. It's worth noting, however, that this figure does not include the sale of PC games.

Hardware sales brought in $109.5 million, a 42 percent decrease from the $187.8 million seen last year, with the Xbox 360 once again enjoying the highest sales with 130,000 units moved. Meanwhile, the brief reprieve from year-over-year decline seen by the Accessories segment last month was short lived, as in April it by dropped 19 percent to a total of $131.4 million.

Software sales (including PC games) topped out at $267.8 million, with NetherRealm Studios' Injustice: Gods Among Us taking top honors as the best-selling game for the period, the first time a fighting game has finished in first since 2011's Mortal Kombat. Dead Island: Riptide and BioShock Infinite rounded out the podium in spots two and three respectively - meanwhile MMO/Syfy series Defiance debuted in fifth. As always, scope the full list after the break.

Continue reading April NPD: Injustice: Gods Among Us reigns supreme

April NPD: Injustice: Gods Among Us reigns supreme originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 May 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments Tags: 2013, 3ds, April-NPD, bioshock-infinite, dead-island-riptide, financial, injustice-gods-among-us, microsoft, Nintendo, npd, PC, Playstation, PS3, Sales, Wii, wii-u, Xbox

EA has announced it will discontinue its Online Pass program. "Yes, we're discontinuing Online Pass," EA's senior director of corporate communications John Reseburg told GamesBeat in an e-mail. "None of our new EA titles will include that feature."

Reseburg added that "many players didn't respond to the format," despite EA going on record months after instituting Online Passes, reporting it had not seen a "significant" backlash. "We've listened to the feedback and decided to do away with it moving forward."

The Online Pass, a one-time use code required for online play, was first introduced in 2010 with the intent of being exclusive to EA Sports games, though it quickly escalated from there. Online Pass revenue generated between $10-$15 million for EA in its first year alone.

EA puts an end to its Online Pass program originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 May 2013 20:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments Tags: Ea, EA Sports, ea-online-pass, microsoft, Nintendo, online-pass, PC, Playstation, PS3, Wii, wii-u, Xbox

EA has announced it will discontinue its Online Pass program. "Yes, we're discontinuing Online Pass," EA's senior director of corporate communications John Reseburg told GamesBeat in an e-mail. "None of our new EA titles will include that feature."

Reseburg added that "many players didn't respond to the format," despite EA going on record months after instituting Online Passes, reporting it had not seen a "significant" backlash. "We've listened to the feedback and decided to do away with it moving forward."

The Online Pass, a one-time use code required for online play, was first introduced in 2010 with the intent of being exclusive to EA Sports games, though it quickly escalated from there. Online Pass revenue generated between $10-$15 million for EA in its first year alone.

EA puts an end to its Online Pass program originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 May 2013 20:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments Tags: Ea, EA Sports, ea-online-pass, microsoft, Nintendo, online-pass, PC, Playstation, PS3, Wii, wii-u, Xbox

One of the signature features of the Animal Crossing series, since its original release back on the N64 in Japan in 2001, has been its cast of colorful characters. Over the franchise's handful of releases there have been hundreds of friendly villagers for players to get to know. With each animal having its own unique look and personality players are bound to have their favorites. Whether it’s the talented musician, K.K. Slider, the humorous Kapp'n, or the polarizing Resetti, there's always someone that appears in your town that's refreshing to see. We recently had a chance to ask some of the developers of the latest "Animal Crossing" game, "New Leaf," who their favorites were, both from the franchise and from the latest game, some of their answers may surprise you.

One of the most important developers behind the "Animal Crossing" series, Mr. Katsuya Eguchi, a man that has been involved with these games since the franchise's inception, had a hard time choosing just one character, especially since so many characters were added in "New Leaf," however he was able to settle on a couple.

"One of my favorite characters from the franchise is the pig character named 'Rasher.'"

"And, of course in 'New Leaf,' his favorite is Isabelle, the new character that becomes the secretary for the mayor. All the actions she makes, how she talks, and she's kind of clumsy in a way - just everything about her is so cute."

"Animal Crossing: New Leaf" Producer, Ms. Aya Kyogoku, opted for a feline and a familiar face.

"I have so many favorite characters in the series. My favorite character from the franchise is Tabby, he is one of the cat characters."

"From 'Animal Crossing New Leaf,' of course Isabelle is one of my favorite characters, but also K.K. Slider, now spins at Club LOL, not just as K.K. Slider on Saturday nights, but other nights when you go to Club LOL, you'll see him as DJ K.K.. So I enjoy going to the club and listening to other music from DJ K.K."

Mr. Isao Moro, another Producer on "New Leaf," also chose a kitty and another returning character that shows up in a completely different role.

"For the franchise, I also like a cat character, Mitzi, because the cat looks like my own cat at home."

"From 'Animal Crossing New Leaf,' my favorite is Tortmore. As you know he was the previous mayor, and now he is retired and enjoying his life on a tropical island, and I love that lifestyle that he has now. "

-----------

Now that you know who the team behind the "Animal Crossing" are keen to, tell us who your favorites are, and if they line up with the team at Nintendo's choices. You're going to have to wait a few weeks to spend some time with the "New Leaf" villagers though, since that game won't be out until June 9.

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Follow @MTVMultiplayer on Twitter and be sure to "like" us on Facebook for the best geek news about comics, toys, gaming and more!

Tags: 3DS / DS, Animal Crossing, animal-crossing-new-leaf, Interviews, Nintendo, Wii

One of the signature features of the Animal Crossing series, since its original release back on the N64 in Japan in 2001, has been its cast of colorful characters. Over the franchise's handful of releases there have been hundreds of friendly villagers for players to get to know. With each animal having its own unique look and personality players are bound to have their favorites. Whether it’s the talented musician, K.K. Slider, the humorous Kapp'n, or the polarizing Resetti, there's always someone that appears in your town that's refreshing to see. We recently had a chance to ask some of the developers of the latest "Animal Crossing" game, "New Leaf," who their favorites were, both from the franchise and from the latest game, some of their answers may surprise you.

One of the most important developers behind the "Animal Crossing" series, Mr. Katsuya Eguchi, a man that has been involved with these games since the franchise's inception, had a hard time choosing just one character, especially since so many characters were added in "New Leaf," however he was able to settle on a couple.

"One of my favorite characters from the franchise is the pig character named 'Rasher.'"

"And, of course in 'New Leaf,' his favorite is Isabelle, the new character that becomes the secretary for the mayor. All the actions she makes, how she talks, and she's kind of clumsy in a way - just everything about her is so cute."

"Animal Crossing: New Leaf" Producer, Ms. Aya Kyogoku, opted for a feline and a familiar face.

"I have so many favorite characters in the series. My favorite character from the franchise is Tabby, he is one of the cat characters."

"From 'Animal Crossing New Leaf,' of course Isabelle is one of my favorite characters, but also K.K. Slider, now spins at Club LOL, not just as K.K. Slider on Saturday nights, but other nights when you go to Club LOL, you'll see him as DJ K.K.. So I enjoy going to the club and listening to other music from DJ K.K."

Mr. Isao Moro, another Producer on "New Leaf," also chose a kitty and another returning character that shows up in a completely different role.

"For the franchise, I also like a cat character, Mitzi, because the cat looks like my own cat at home."

"From 'Animal Crossing New Leaf,' my favorite is Tortmore. As you know he was the previous mayor, and now he is retired and enjoying his life on a tropical island, and I love that lifestyle that he has now. "

-----------

Now that you know who the team behind the "Animal Crossing" are keen to, tell us who your favorites are, and if they line up with the team at Nintendo's choices. You're going to have to wait a few weeks to spend some time with the "New Leaf" villagers though, since that game won't be out until June 9.

Related Posts:
Haunting: 'Deus Ex' Dev Debuts 'The Novelist,' a Game About Ghosts and Family
New Twitch App Brings Game Streams To Xbox 360

--

Follow @MTVMultiplayer on Twitter and be sure to "like" us on Facebook for the best geek news about comics, toys, gaming and more!

Tags: 3DS / DS, Animal Crossing, animal-crossing-new-leaf, Interviews, Nintendo, Wii