Train2Game News: UK Top 20 – 22.10.12

In the charts this week Skylanders Giants has come in at number two, leaving FIFA 13 still sitting pretty at the top for week number four and Bethesda’s Doom 3: BFG Edition has come in at number five.

Week ending 20 October 2012

POS.  TITLE  PUBLISHER  LAST
WEEK 
1 –  FIFA 13 EA SPORTS 1
2 SKYLANDERS GIANTS SKYLANDERS
3 DISHONORED BETHESDA SOFTWORKS 2
4 JUST DANCE 4 UBISOFT 6
5 DOOM 3: BFG EDITION BETHESDA SOFTWORKS
6 POKEMON BLACK VERSION 2 NINTENDO 3
7 RESIDENT EVIL 6 CAPCOM 4
8 –  BORDERLANDS 2 2K GAMES 8
9 POKEMON WHITE VERSION 2 NINTENDO 5
10 XCOM: ENEMY UNKNOWN 2K GAMES 7
11 F1 2012 CODEMASTERS 9
12 007 LEGENDS ACTIVISION
13 THE ELDER SCROLLS V: SKYRIM BETHESDA SOFTWORKS 10
14 –  ROCKSMITH UBISOFT 14
15 PRO EVOLUTION SOCCER 2013 KONAMI 12
16 NEW SUPER MARIO BROS. 2 NINTENDO 15
17 SLEEPING DOGS SQUARE ENIX 11
18 LEGO BATMAN 2: DC SUPER HEROES WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE 19
19 FORZA MOTORSPORT 4 MICROSOFT 13
20 GRAN TURISMO 5 ACADEMY EDITION SONY COMPUTER ENT. 16

leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (C)2012 UKIE Ltd

Train2Game News: UK Top 20 – 15.10.12

On Monday mornings I will now be posting the top 20 UK games chart from UKIE to keep you all updated.

 
Dishonored has come in as the highest new IP this year at number 2 but nothing can knock FIFA off the top spot for the third week running. It is interesting to see that Skyrim and Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 are still in the top 20.

Week ending 13 October 2012

POS.  TITLE  PUBLISHER  LAST
WEEK 
1 –  FIFA 13 EA SPORTS 1
2   DISHONORED BETHESDA SOFTWORKS
3   POKEMON BLACK VERSION 2 NINTENDO
4 RESIDENT EVIL 6 CAPCOM 2
5   POKEMON WHITE VERSION 2 NINTENDO
6 JUST DANCE 4 UBISOFT 4
7   XCOM: ENEMY UNKNOWN 2K GAMES
8 BORDERLANDS 2 2K GAMES 3
9 F1 2012 CODEMASTERS 5
10 THE ELDER SCROLLS V: SKYRIM BETHESDA SOFTWORKS 8
11 SLEEPING DOGS SQUARE ENIX 10
12 PRO EVOLUTION SOCCER 2013 KONAMI 9
13 FORZA MOTORSPORT 4 MICROSOFT 11
14 ROCKSMITH UBISOFT 7
15 NEW SUPER MARIO BROS. 2 NINTENDO 12
16 GRAN TURISMO 5 ACADEMY EDITION SONY COMPUTER ENT. 13
17   CALL OF DUTY: MODERN WARFARE 3 ACTIVISION
18 NBA 2K13 2K SPORTS 6
19 LEGO BATMAN 2: DC SUPER HEROES WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE 14
20 DEAD ISLAND GOTY EDITION DEEP SILVER 16

 

Train2Game News: A day at Eurogamer Expo: Part 2

This is the continuation of my day at the Eurogamer Expo held in London at Earl’s Court.

The first game I tried in the afternoon was the new Devil May Cry from Capcom. With the main character, Dante, being younger, he is cockier and cooler than ever. I have not played previous Devil May Cry games. It’s a grand display of action in a beautiful demonic world with a good mix of Angel and Demon powers it looks to be attractive with a good pace of action.

I finally got my first play on a PSVita at the show, playing Little Big Planet. The game was enjoyable, it made good use of the touch screen. However I did find the way that I was holding the device meant I was touching the track pad on the back. It didn’t affect the game I was playing but I fear it might when a game uses the mechanic.

I didn’t get to play a WiiU unfortunately. I did however have a look at it. The person I watched was playing ZombiU. The game definitely blows away any worries that it is going to be all family games again like with the Wii. ZombiU looks like a good horror with impressive graphics. It uses the tablet controller in interesting ways, having to hold up the tablet to the screen so that it can disable a jammer in one of the in game areas. My only worry is whether the tablet will be too big in your hands to use comfortably.

After a little shopping trip, buying a Joker shirt and an Assassins Creed wall scroll, I came back to the Capcom stand to play Resident Evil 6. Now you may know I am a big fan of the series, so much so that I have the Umbrella logo tattooed just above my elbow. I was disappointed with Resi 5, I felt that it had lost all of its horror elements. Resident Evil 6 however seems to have something for most people. Playing as Chris Redfield you get a good action paced story, like what it seemed they wanted Resident Evil 5 to be. Playing as Leon Kennedy however you get a good sense of the survival horror similar to the first games of the series. There is a third character called Jake who I didn’t get to try out, my guess would be he is a mixture of the two styles.

As I was playing Resident Evil 6, I turned around to see a zombie who was eyeing up my arm. The guy had amazing make up which was so good in fact he wouldn’t look out of place in The Walking Dead. He then proceeded to give a friend of mine his phone to get his picture taken with a character from Mortal Kombat, that isn’t something you see every day.

I attended the Train2Game stand once more and saw the results of the Royal Rush competition I mentioned in the first part of this blog. The winner got a limited edition silver Xbox360 Controller and it was handed to the winner by The Joker.

The final game I played at the event was the Tomb Raider reboot. The game was absolutely gorgeous and Lara Croft no longer feel likes an immortal woman. She now feels flawed and real as you run around which adds to the immersion of the game. I was doing a hunting mission and my objective was to kill a deer using the Bow and Arrow I had just obtained. My only complaint was the arrows seem far too weak. I shot the deer straight through the neck, thinking that would kill it no problem. It then took an extra six arrows to take it down. The game is still in pre-beta though so I am sure such problems will be fixed by release in March.

Before I set off to drive home I headed in to the Cybercandy store and I bought my self a Zombie survival energy drink to keep me going through the drive home. I had an incredible day and it is very exciting seeing all the games that are soon to be released.

Train2Game news: Capcom launch Street Fighter 25th anniversary art tribute contest

Train2Game Art & Animation students have an opportunity to showcase their skills and potentially see their work used by Capcom in a contest launched to celebrate the upcoming 25th Anniversary of Street Fighter.

“Whether you’re a professional or a first-timer, your art is welcome. Throughout the year, we’ll be showcasing our favorite pieces, and we’ll even utilize some of them in our official 25th Anniversary celebration activities. It’s a great opportunity to have your work become a part of history!” read a post on the Street Fighter website.

The Street Fighter artwork can be a traditional pencil or paint piece, digital artwork, or even photography. Two themes Capcom are looking entrants to expand on are ‘Twenty Five years of history’ or ‘I am Street Fighter’  The pieces that the publisher likes the most will be used in their official Street Fighter 25th anniversary material.

Train2Game students wishing to enter the contest have until Friday 4th May to do so. All the information on how to submit work is here.

Will you enter the Street Fighter 25th anniversary art contest?

Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

Train2Game news: EA’s Peter Moore questions role of handheld consoles

Train2Game students will be aware the impact the iPhone has had on the games industry, with millions of people carry devices which allow them quick access to cheap games.

With the success of smartphones, EA COO Peter Moore believes there could be problems for dedicated portable gaming units like the PlayStation Vita and Nintendo 3DS.

“I think Sony does brilliant hardware, as we all know. I think the broader question is what is the role of dedicated handheld gaming years from now?” Moore told The Sydney Morning Herald when asked about the PlayStation Vita.

“More and more we see the ubiquity of smart-phones and tablets, how does a dedicating gaming device fit in, add value, and still get the same volumes that it needs in terms of hardware that we were used to in the golden days of Game Boys and PSP?”

“So I think the broader question is what is the role of a dedicated device compared to these relatively cost-effective tablets and smart-phones that have great screens and plenty of buttons to control the game with?” he said.

As previously reported by the Train2Game blog, Nintendo have stated that they don’t believe they’re competing with gaming on increasingly powerful smartphones. Capcom however, believe the rise of the iPhone is drawing users away from traditional handheld consoles.

Meanwhile, Sony’s PlayStation Vita will be able to play Android games. See the Train2Game blog for more.

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts? Are mobiles a threat to the likes of the PlayStation Vita and Nintendo 3DS? Or will there always be a market for dedicated handheld consoles?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Souce: Sydney Morning Herald via Industry Gamers]

PC ‘always at the bleeding edge’ of games say Capcom

Capcom's Super Street Fighter IV

The Train2Game blog has long emphasised how the PC could be the ideal platform for Train2Game students to develop games for.

Now Capcom – traditionally very much a console developer – are putting more focus on PC gaming, claiming it “is always at the bleeding edge” but technologically and in business.

“When I entered Capcom nearly six years ago, I viewed PC as extremely important for the company, not just to grow a new audience for our brands, but because of what the PC market teaches a company” Capcom senior vice president Christian Svensson writes on his blog.

“The PC helps teach a company how to be a global and how to embrace emerging markets and business models. As we continue to expand our businesses in Russia, China, Korea and Brazil, the PC becomes increasingly important as it is the primary platform in those territories.

“Our core technology for all of our platforms has been informed by and pushed by the PC, which is always at the bleeding edge.”

Regular Train2Game blog readers will also be aware that the PC allows aspiring game developers to do a lot more than the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 thanks to modding tools. Aspiring developers can use their skills to make levels or whole new games based on the engines of a number of titles.

Valve are a strong supporter of the modding community, with the Train2Game blog previously reporting that a fan created map is well on it’s way to becoming an official part of the game.

Valve’s Team Fortress 2 also gets many updates featuring in-game items created by fans.

 The PC is also at the forefront of the casual gaming boom, and as the Train2Game reported this week, Gas Powered Games believe this could be the future of the system.

Do you agree that the PC is “always at the bleeding edge”? Is Capcom’s increased focus on PC gaming a positive move? And do you see yourself developing PC games in future?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: PC Gamer

Capcom: Smartphones drawing users away from handheld consoles

Train2Game blog Capcom Logo image

Train2Game students certainly spend a lot of time playing video games on their smartphones, and Capcom believe the whole portable market is moving in that direction.

Capcom Interactive’s president and COO Midori Yuasa told MCV Online that gamers are increasingly abandoning handheld consoles and PCs in order to play casual games on smartphones such as the iPhone. She also confirmed that Capcom is investing in a variety of titles for the iPhone this year.

“The casual gamer that used to play on the PC and the hardcore gamer that used to play on a dedicated gaming portable now plays on their smartphone,” said Yuasa.

“The iPhone and larger smartphone markets are extremely important to Capcom as, like no device before, smartphones have the potential to become a universal game platform.

“We have a lot of stuff on the horizon for both hardcore and casual gamers, so 2011 is shaping up to be huge on Capcom’s mobile front.”

The Capcom COO used the company’s successful release of the free to download Smurfs Village for the iPhone last November, where players have the option of in-game purchases which cost between £2.99 and £59.99.

“A freemium business model can be extremely effective as illustrated by the success of Smurfs’ Village. However, the key is that the game has to be designed from day one as a freemium title.

“If you try and shoehorn in an alternate revenue model into an existing design, you end up with a muddled experience that users either ignore or hammer with user reviews.”

It’s another sign for Train2Game students that the casual mobile market is growing extremely quickly. Yuasa’s comments come little over a month after the Train2Game blog reported that  market research firm  Interpret claimed ‘Stagnating’ handheld consoles are losing their market to smartphones

Of course, Nintendo are confident that the 3DS will be a huge success, with President Satoru Iwata predicting the handheld console will have a ‘rocket start’ For more information about the Nintendo 3DS, check out the Thoughts of Train2Game blog.

So Train2Game, do you think Midori Yuasa is right? Have you abandoned your handheld console in favour of smartphone games? Or do games on your iPhone or Android mean you just won’t bother to buy a handheld console again?

As usual, you can leave your thoughts here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: MCV Online]

Street Fighter vs Tekken announced. Who will win?

Namco and Capcom are set to make history by each producing a version of the newly announced Street Fighter vs Tekken games.  The two titles, revealed at last weeks Comi-Con, will bring together characters from the developers flagship beat ‘em ups.

Capcom are currently developing the first of these titles, Street Fighter X Tekken.

Utilising the same technology that powered Street Fighter IV & Super Street Fighter IV, TekkenTM characters such as Kazuya Mishima and Nina Williams will make the transition into the Street Fighter universe with suitable redesigns. They’ll retain their unique characteristics and signature moves as they go head to head with the likes of Ryu, Blanka and Chun Li. Paul vs Guile in a battle over the most ridiculous haircut perhaps?

As in Street Fighter IV, game play will feature fully realised 3D character models battling it out in both new and familiar 2D environments. In addition to modes such as Versus and Training that will feature new enhancements , Street Fighter X Tekken will include Tag Team combat where players select two fighters to deliver knockout assist attacks and special combos. How about teaming up Ken and Jin then? Or Heihachi and M. Bison?

The announcement was made by the Producer of Street Fighter X Tekken, Yoshinori Ono, and Tekken series Director, Katsuhiro Harada. Commenting on the origins of the project, Ono said:

“This is history we’re making. Two fighting games that have rivalled each other are finally standing on the same stage. This isn’t just a showdown between Tekken and Street Fighter, but a decisive battle for Capcom and Namco Bandai Games. So I’m going to give it my all.”

Street Fighter X Tekken will be released on both the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360. Namco are also working on their own title, Tekken X Street Fighter, which will transfer the Street Fighter characters into the Tekken universe.

So, Train2Game students, how do you feel about the arguably two top developers of beat ‘em ups working together to produce one game? Which title will work better, Street Fighter X Tekken or Tekken X Street Fighter? And which characters would you like to team up?

As usual, leave your comments either here or on the Train2Game forum. Don’t forget, you can also leave your thoughts on the Train2Game Facebook page too.