Max Gaming|Gaming Taken to the Max - Recently Updated Pages

Ranks & Requirements

Nokiamosoc — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 15:47:09 CDT

Ranks

Registered User
Moderator
Administrator
Creator
Banned

Requirements

To become a:

Registered User- Sign up!! (Yes it's that simple)

Moderator *- 125 good page edits, be a member for at least 1 month then fill out the Moderator Application. This is the highest rank achievable by anybody who doesn't know Air1306(the creator) in person. This is the highest rank attainable by anyone who doesn't know the MAXG Staff.

Administrator- This rank is only available to the MAXG Staff. The only other way to achieve this rank is if Air1306 or pwn3d_ninja knows you in person.

Creator- Only Air1306 has this rank. It is unattainable to anyone else. (I mean, you should know that...)

Banned- Can't access your your account or edit pages. Possibly the worst position you can be in

*Many will enter, only 1 will be chosen every month!

Images

pwn3d_ninja — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:11:21 CDT

There is no abstract available for this page revision.

Cheats

aditya351 — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 13:03:13 CDT

If you really really need some help and you really suck.....

Xbox 360
Xbox
Playstation 3
Playstation 2
PSP
Wii
DS
Game Cube
Game Boy Advance
Classic Consoles

MAXIMUM GAMING

BlueGus — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 13:45:47 CDT

GAMING, TAKEN TO THE MAX!!

Welcome to MAXG!

Your source for games, to the MAX!

MAXG IS DYING!!!!

Changes due for July 4, 2008 at 3:00 P.M: (Not gonna happen)

New and IMPROVED Banner!!
Updated News
Reviews, cheats, and Walkthroughs for GTA4!!
Updates on the newest games!
New Buttons(you'll see.....)
MAXG will be back and running guys! Lets make the deadline! (this place is dead on the inside)

if you have any questions or comments, please make a Thread, or contact us at maxgaming777@gmail.com!

MaxG gets you exclusive news for games and consoles, and info on all the best games that have been released: some which include Bioshock, Halo 3,
Guitar Hero 3, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Grand Theft Auto V, and much, much more. The links below will help you navigate through out the website.

The Games link will take you to where all the games we have here are so far. It will tell you about all the games we have put here on the website.
The Members link is to see who is already a member. You can become one too, just sign up. Once you sign up, please add your info and pic on the Members page!
The Cheats link will take you to the cheats that we have for the games. This is only for if you are really stuck in a game. Don't be a n00b and cheat your way through a game(but...really...if you can't resist...).
The Walkthroughts link will take you to the walkthoughs that we have. Only go there if you don't know what to do in your game(once again, if you REALLY can't resist....).
The Game Videos link directs you to our game videos, all about: yes you guessed it, GAMES~!
The News link directs you to our news, where you can get all the latest news about gaming around the world, courtesy of www.gamedaily.com and 1up.com!
The Reviews link sends you to our reviews, where we have reviews for games for every console!
We also have Polls that you can answer! We update another poll every week, and the old polls are still up and going so you can take your time!
Then we have the "How To" Pages, where we tell you how to do stuff (O come on, you know what i mean).
In the Other Stuff page, you can add anything electronics related. (i.e. flash games, news about processors, stuff about TVs, speakers, pics,amps, electric guitars, anything!)
Now we want your Feedback. You can comment us on the website, whether good or bad, or you can request a game!
So tell us what you want to be put in the website in the Request link, but it has to be game related, so no anime. So now, just Click away! ; )
And if you would need to contact us, Our e-mail is maxgaming777@gmail.com. You may contact us there. We promise to reply back within a day!

Add us on Gmail to live chat with on of the creators from 4:00 pm to 4:15 pm PST on weekdays if you have any questions for us, or just e-mail us!

Gaming News

Force Unleashing on September 16

By GameDaily

If that wasn't enough to get you excited, than there's going to be snippets of the game shown during Spike TV's showing of the Star Wars Saga during the next two weekends.

Read Full Story

Game Marketing: What Compels Us To Click?

by GameDaily
Ant Farm's Scott Meldrum continues his exclusive series on game marketing by examining why a web surfer might click on a video game ad, and how advertisers can use this knowledg...

Read Full Story

Sam & Max Come to Wii

by GameDaily Ask and you shall receive fans. Sam & Max Season One will be releasing on Wii opening up the adventures of Sam & Max up to an audience that may have never experienced it before.

Read Full Story

"How To" of the Month

Can't Unlock the Secret Characters?

Don't know how?

Here's HOW!!!!

Poll of the Week

Game of the Week

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII achieves a striking balance of old and new, and juggles fan service with pure role-playing satisfaction. It's striking how these elements have been shaped into such an appealing and emotionally affecting prequel.

Read Review

Cheat of the Day

Coming Soon!!!!

Guide of the Day

Coming Soon!!!!

Game Video of the Week

New Trailer For Halo 3 Legendary Map Pack

(Website is still under construction. If you want to help please do so, it would be appreciated!)

To become a Moderator apply here: Moderator Application Form

Dead Rising

xSmartMetal — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:34:32 CDT

Achievements

Complete each of the following achievements below to get the allotted gamerscore.

Unlockable How to Unlock

How to get a BlueGus talk to all zombies and fuck them up with spoons.
Zombie Hunter (20) Defeat 1,000 zombies.
Zombie Killer (20) Defeat 10,000 zombies.
Zombie Genocider (20) Defeat 53,594 zombies.
Self Defense (20) Defeat 1 psychopath.
Peace Keeper (20) Defeat 5 psychopaths.
Punisher (20) Defeat 10 psychopaths.
Tour Guide (20) Escort 8 survivors at once.
Frank the Pimp (20) Simultaneously escort 8 female survivors.
Full Set (20) Collect all portraits in the Notebook.
Humanist (20) Get 10 survivors out of the mall.
Life Saver (20) Get 20 survivors out of the mall.
Saint (20) Get 50 survivors out of the mall.
Strike! (20) Send at least 10 zombies flying with bowling balls.
Costume Party (20) Place novelty masks on at least 10 zombies.
Raining Zombies (20) Knock at least 30 zombies aside with a parasol.
Gourmet (20) Eat all types of food available in the mall.
Item Smasher (20) Break 100 items.
Bullet Point (20) Fire 1,000 bullets.
Perfect Gunner (20) Don't miss with a machine gun.
Photojournalist (20) Score at least 1,500 PP from a single photo.
The Artiste (20) Score at least 3,000 PP from a single photo.
Group Photo (20) Get 50 Target Markers with the camera.
Portraiture (20) Photograph 10 survivors.
Census Taker (20) Photograph 50 survivors.
Psycho Photo (20) Photograph 4 psychopaths.
Psycho Collector (20) Photograph 10 psychopaths.
PP Collector (20) Photograph all PP Stickers.
Transmissionary (20) Answer all calls from Otis.
Indoorsman (20) Spend at least 24 hours indoors.
Outdoorsman (20) Spend at least 24 hours outdoors.
Freefall (20) Drop from a height of at least 16 feet.
Marathon Runner (20) Cover a distance of 26.2 miles.
Carjacker (20) Steal the convicts' vehicle.
Stunt Driver (20) Jump a car at least 33 feet.
Stunt Rider (20) Jump a motorcycle at least 33 feet.
Zombie Road (20) Walk over 33 feet on the backs of zombies using the Zombie Ride.
Karate Champ (20) Defeat at least 1,000 zombies barehanded.
Sharp Dresser (20) Change into at least 20 different costumes.
Clothes Horse (20) Change into all costumes available in the mall.
Level Max (20) Reach Level 50.
Unbreakable (20) Get the True ending without being knocked out.
Overtime Mode (20) Unveil all Cases and be at the heliport at noon.
7 Day Survivor (20) Survive for 7 days.
5 Day Survivor (20) Survive for 5 days.
3 Day Survivor (20) Survive for 3 days.
Infinity Mode (20) Get the true ending.
Snuff Shot B (20) Successfully photograph zombie Brad.
Snuff Shot J (20) Successfully photograph zombie Jessie.
Hella Copter (20) Successfully repel a helicopter.
Legendary Soldier (20) Defeat at least 10 special forces soldiers.
How to get a BlueGus talk to all zombies and fuck them up with spoons.

Polls

aditya351 — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 18:07:05 CDT

Welcome To the Polls Page!

Every week, 1 of the MAXG crew will be posting a poll, so stay tuned!

Old polls can still be answered so take your time! Remember, answer only once, please!

News

Air1306 — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:53:04 CDT

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

News Title:	Date Added:	Added By:	Article From:
Games for Health Conference 08 Details	April 28, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Analyst: GTA IV to Have Longer Shelf-Life than Halo 3	April 28, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Hollywood Fears GTA IV Could 'Kill' Iron Man	April 28, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Spider-Man Spins Web of Shadows	April 18, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Call of Duty 4 DLC Sets Xbox Live Marketplace Record	April 18, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Metal Gear Solid 4 Didn't Meet Kojima's Original Vision	April 18, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
DS Sells 100 Million Games in Japan, PSP Continues Surge	April 18, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Ace Combat Series Bull's-eyes 10 Million	April 18, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
EEDAR: Console Hardware Price Cuts Before July?	April 18, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Microsoft on March NPD: Xbox 360 Reaches Record Attach Rate of 7.5	April 17, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Research: 'Absolutely No Evidence' Violent Games Lead Kids to Real-Life Violence	April 17, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
The Rise of the 'Casual MMO'	April 17, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Microsoft: Xbox 360 Sales in Europe Have Doubled on Price Cut	April 17, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Game Marketing: What Compels Us To Click?	April 5, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Sam & Max Come to Wii	April 5, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Force Unleashing on September 16	April 5, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Analyst: GTA IV to Lead All Game Sales in '08 with 13M Sold	April 4, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Ubisoft Takes off with Tom Clancy's HAWX	April 4, 2008	Air1306 and Warhaloboy	GameDaily
Wii to outsell PS3 and 360 combined in 08, says analyst	April 4, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
DualShock 3 Controller Replacing SIXAXIS	April 2, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Violent Online Gaming Relaxes People?	April 2, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Lost Odyssey Found by Gamers, and Tops Charts	April 2, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Playstation Network Compromised	March 29, 2008	Warhaloboy	G4
Testronic Labs Launches Venus Blue	March 28, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Paramount Enters Gaming	March 28, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Master Chief Makes PS3 Appearance	March 28, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Death of Consoles in 5-10 Years	March 28, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
CNN's Take on Brawl	March 26, 2008	kunal95	CNN
Disruptive Media Launches Xbox 360 Theme Challenge	March 17, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Super Smash Bros. Brawl is Fastest Selling Game in Nintendo of America History	March 17, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Epic Games Now on Steam	March 17, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Sony on February NPD: PlayStation is #1	March 13, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Analyst: PS3 Gaining on Xbox 360, Price Cut Needed	March 13, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Nintendo on February NPD: 'Our Momentum Has Not Let Up'	March 13, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Microsoft on February NPD: 'It's More than Console Sales'	March 13, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Metal Gear Solid's Kojima Starting New Franchise	March 10, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
BioShock 2 Confirmed for '09 as Losses Rise to $38 Million at Take-Two	March 10, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
U.K. Game Pirate Sentenced to Four Years	March 10, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Xbox 360's In Short Supply	March 10, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Super Smash Bros. Brawl Has Problems Already?	March 10, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Xbox 360 Price Reduction in Europe	March 10, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
PS3 vs. Xbox 360 in 'Stalemate' Through April	March 10, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Halo 3 Wins Visual Effects Award	March 5, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
U.S AirForce Seeking 300 PS3s	March 5, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Mario & Sonic Tag Team To Sell 5 Million	March 5, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
IGN Launches Marketing Group, Hires Yahoo! VP	March 4, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Paramount 'Very Excited' about Video Games	March 4, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Lack of Hard Drive in Core Xbox 360 Was a Mistake?	March 4, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Nintendo Stock Slumps on Weakening American Dollar	March 3, 2008	Pwn3d_ninja	GameDaily
Will the Guitar Hero Wave Last?	March 3, 2008	Pwn3d_ninja	GameDaily
Wii Fit Goes Skiing	March 3, 2008	Pwn3d_ninja	GameDaily
Major League Eating: The Game: The Interview	February 29, 2008	Pwn3d_ninja	1up
Resident Evil Zero Wii is Japan-Only	February 29, 2008	Pwn3d_ninja	1up
BioShock Sweeps G.A.N.G Awards	February 29, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Metal Gear Solid 4 Stabs June 12 Release	February 29, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Japan: Wii Trounces Competition in February	February 28, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
GDC and D.I.C.E. May Go Invite-Only	February 28, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Chart Toppers: Burnout is EA's Paradise	February 28, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Mario Kart Wii to Have Text Chat Only	February 27, 2008	Pwn3d_ninja	1up
Activision Sued Over Blizzard Merger	February 27, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Disney Rocks: Rock Band Style	February 27, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Sony Announces Metal Gear Solid 4 PS3 Bundle with DualShock 3	February 26, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
MKR Group Sues Capcom Over Dead Rising	February 26, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Guild Wars Sells Five Million	February 26, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
MLG/Ubisoft Team Up For Rainbow 6 Vegas 2	February 25, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Insomniac Gets Nocturnal	February 23, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
GDC: Final Fantasy, Beautiful Women, and Fighting the Uncanny Valley	February 23, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
GDC: Some WiiWare Details From the Wii Menu Talk	February 23, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Nintendo and ELSPA Team Up To Fight Pirates	February 6, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Interactive Achievement Awards	February 5, 2008	Pwn3d_ninja	GameSpot

News Courtesy of:

April News

Air1306 — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:50:47 CDT

News Title:	Date Added:	Added By:	Article From:
Games for Health Conference 08 Details	April 28, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Analyst: GTA IV to Have Longer Shelf-Life than Halo 3	April 28, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Hollywood Fears GTA IV Could 'Kill' Iron Man	April 28, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Spider-Man Spins Web of Shadows	April 17, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Call of Duty 4 DLC Sets Xbox Live Marketplace Record	April 17, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Metal Gear Solid 4 Didn't Meet Kojima's Original Vision	April 17, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
DS Sells 100 Million Games in Japan, PSP Continues Surge	April 17, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Ace Combat Series Bull's-eyes 10 Million	April 17, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
EEDAR: Console Hardware Price Cuts Before July?	April 17, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Microsoft on March NPD: Xbox 360 Reaches Record Attach Rate of 7.5	April 17, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Research: 'Absolutely No Evidence' Violent Games Lead Kids to Real-Life Violence	April 17, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
The Rise of the 'Casual MMO'	April 17, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Microsoft: Xbox 360 Sales in Europe Have Doubled on Price Cut	April 17, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Game Marketing: What Compels Us To Click?	April 5, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Sam & Max Come to Wii	April 5, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Force Unleashing on September 16	April 5, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Ubisoft Takes off with Tom Clancy's HAWX	April 4, 2008	Warhaloboy	GameDaily
Wii to outsell consoles in o8	April 4, 2008	Warhaloboy	GameDaily
GTA 4 To sell 13M	April 4, 2008	Warhaloboy	GameDaily
DualShock 3 Controller Replacing SIXAXIS	April 2, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Violent Online Gaming Relaxes People?	April 2, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily
Lost Odyssey Found by Gamers, and Tops Charts	April 2, 2008	Air1306	GameDaily

Games for Health Conference 08 Details

Air1306 — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:48:56 CDT

Today, the Games for Health Project announced details for the fourth annual Games for Health Conference. There will be over 60 sessions provided by 75 speakers, covering topics ranging from physical therapy, disease management, health behavior change, biofeedback, epidemiology, training, cognitive exercise, nutrition, health education and exergaming. There will also be a special Keynote Panel, organized by Humana, with four of the largest health insurance providers in the U.S. discussing their emerging activities in the games for health field.

"This conference provides a forum for collaborations to emerge between the video game industry and the health and health care industry," said Chinwe Onyekere, RWJF program officer. "Through these exchanges, we hope attendees will continue to explore how the power of video games can help to solve complex health challenges."

"Humana is proud to be the first insurer in the healthcare industry to sponsor the Games for Health Conference. We're excited to support the Conference's ability to bring together leading researchers and game developers to address critical health issues," said Paul Puopolo, director of Consumer Innovation at Humana. "Our participation in this conference is just one part of our overall commitment to understanding and applying electronic games to positively impact health."

The fourth annual Games for Health Conference will be held May 8-9, 2008, at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland. More details can be found at www.gamesforhealth.org.

Analyst: GTA IV to Have Longer Shelf-Life than Halo 3

Air1306 — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:45:19 CDT

Hudson Square Research analyst Daniel Ernst, who previously forecast that Rockstar's GTA IV would become the top selling game of 2008 with 13 million copies sold, reiterated in a pre-launch "countdown" note that based on retailer surveys, "the game is very much on target for both a strong launch and a strong year."

Commenting on the reports of a $400 million first week for GTA IV, he said, "While we believe the figure is attainable (especially with the apparent high interest in the special edition copy), we believe the target is largely irrelevant."

Ernst continued, "We believe GTA's fan base addresses a wider demographic than Halo – and therefore expect the game to a have a longer shelf life, and expect the game to sell well over a longer portion of the year."

He also pointed out that while Halo 3 has reached 40 percent of the Xbox 360 installed base in the seven months since the game's launch, GTA IV naturally has a much wider pool of consumers to target since the title is available on PS3 as well. Ernst believes the game will reach 26 percent of the combined global installed base of the PS3 and Xbox 360 by the end of 2008.

Hollywood Fears GTA IV Could 'Kill' Iron Man

Air1306 — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:42:25 CDT

Last month we reported on comments from Janco Partners analyst Mike Hickey, who said that Rockstar Games' GTA IV launch could be so huge that it could actually dent the box office release of Marvel's Iron Man, which hits theaters this Friday (May 2). Now, according to the Financial Times, more fuel has been thrown on the fire as EA Chief Executive John Riccitiello (whose $2 billion bid for Take-Two has continually been rejected) commented that Hollywood is actually fearful about the impact of GTA IV.

He told the publication that more and more movie executives have told him that they fear the game could "kill" Iron Man. "I don't think I've ever heard of that before," he said. "There's a big reset happening now."

Not everyone shares this sentiment, however. Iron Man is fairly low on the comic book totem poll compared to other characters such as Spider-Man or the X-Men, but many have high hopes for the theatrical release anyway. Furthermore, some think GTA IV's release could actually help, not hurt, the movie. "The forecasts range [from] $50m to $100m for its opening weekend," said Paul Dergarabedian, chief executive of Media by Numbers, which tracks the box office performance of films. He added that "gamers buying GTA IV are going to be talking about the game and they're going to be talking about the movies and the movie they will be talking about is Iron Man."

So how does Marvel feel about the impact of GTA IV? Geoff Ammer, president of worldwide marketing and home entertainment for Marvel Studios, said he appreciates EA's "enthusiasm" but he doesn't believe one property will necessarily hurt the other. "The two properties can co-exist in the marketplace," he said. "We believe that moviegoers will make going to see Iron Man part of their weekend plans."

Members

LikeOmygosh — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 22:13:03 CDT

Add member avatars and bios

(Click on the picture to see their Profile*)

Name: Air1306 Rank: Creator Time Zone: PST	Name: Pwn3d_ninja Rank: Administrator Time Zone: PST	Name: Bluegus Rank: Administrator Time Zone: PST
Name: Nokiamosoc Rank: Administrator Time Zone: PST	Name: Warhaloboy Rank: Administrator Time Zone: PST	Name: kunal95 Rank: Administrator Time Zone: PST
Name: jx14mada Rank: Registered User Time Zone: PST	Name: liboa999 Rank: Registered User Time Zone: PST	Name: Bryon Rank: Registered User Time Zone: PST
Name: Izzy12 Rank: Registered User Time Zone:PST	Name: ooomax Rank: Registered User Time Zone: PST	Name: aditya23 Rank: Registered User Time Zone: PST
Name: EmoFillipino Rank: Registered User Time Zone: PST	Name: buddyfish2 Rank: Registered User Time Zone: PST	Name:KBFC Rank: Registered User Time Zone: CAT
Name: aditya351 Rank: Registered User Time Zone: PST	Name: drakez Rank: Registered User Time Zone: PST	Name: Rank: Time Zone:
Name: Rank: Time Zone:	Name: Rank: Time Zone:	Name: Rank: Time Zone:

*Provided Link is added
Note: Not all members are listed here. To see all members of this site click on View all Contributors.
Please, if you are a member but not listed here, do add yourself.

Wiki Tip:

Send updates and important messages to your entire clan/guild by using the person-to-person messaging feature.

Requests

BlueGus — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:16:19 CDT

You can request a game here by starting a new thread, or if your not a member, please feel free to e-mail us at: maxgaming777@gmail.com. We'll try to get the game on this website including all Cheats, Walkthroughs and Info in about 1 School week! No ANIME .....yet............ (no)

"How To" Pages

Warhaloboy — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 19:36:40 CDT

How to put Youtube Videos on a PSP	How to put Videos on a PSP	How to put Halo 3 Videos on your Computer
How to Unlock all Brawl Characters	How to put Vista on PSP
How to beat Subspace Emissary in Brawl

Ace Combat Series Bull's-eyes 10 Million

Air1306 — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 23:00:27 CDT

Namco Bandai announced today that the Ace Combat series has surpassed 10 million units sold worldwide. Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War for PS2 has, in particular, sold over one million copies in the U.S. alone. The series latest release was Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation for the Xbox 360.

The Ace Combat series debuted on the PSOne and had a corresponding arcade title. In total, Ace Combat has had eight releases across four platforms. For more information about the series' latest title, please visit acecombat6.com.

EEDAR: Console Hardware Price Cuts Before July?

Air1306 — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 22:59:24 CDT

Microsoft officials today sent word that sales of the Xbox 360 console have more than doubled across Europe following the recent price cut on hardware. Last month, Microsoft dropped the Xbox 360 Arcade price by £40 to £159.99, the standard 360 to £199.99, and the Elite SKU to £259.99.

"Xbox 360 is truly the next-generation console of choice among consumers, and today's numbers are proof that we are delivering on our commitment to achieve critical mass in Europe," said Chris Lewis, Vice President, Microsoft Interactive Entertainment Business Europe. "The highly competitive ERP, coupled with entertainment content that's appealing to everyone in the home, makes Xbox 360 the ultimate high-definition entertainment choice, and it's clear that we're already seeing this resonate with consumers."

Microsoft claims that it's Xbox 360 is now "the number one next-gen console in EMEA, owning 42% of the market in terms of life-to-date revenue. Xbox 360 continues to enjoy the highest software attach rate of any game console in Europe with more than 7.0 games sold per console (PS3: 3.8; Wii 3.5) after 27 months on the market."

Many in the industry believe Europe will be a key battleground in the console wars. Microsoft corporate vp Jeff Bell has acknowledged Sony's brand strength in Europe, and leading publisher EA forecast back in February that Sony's PS3 will double or even quadruple sales of Xbox 360 in Europe.

Microsoft: Xbox 360 Sales in Europe Have Doubled on Price Cut

Air1306 — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 22:58:21 CDT

Microsoft on March NPD: Xbox 360 Reaches Record Attach Rate of 7.5

Air1306 — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 22:57:28 CDT

Both the Nintendo DS and Wii may have sold more than twice as many units as the Xbox 360, but the folks at Microsoft are still quite pleased with their console's March sales performance.

"Consumers continue to make the ultimate vote for Xbox 360 as the console of choice by investing $9.4 billion to date this lifecycle in the Xbox 360 experience, far outpacing that of other game consoles. (March NPD data) Going into March, some key U.S. retailers were still experiencing the trickledown effect of Xbox 360 console shortages. By the end of March, supply issues had improved and we expect retailers to be fully stocked with Xbox 360 consoles in time for the Grand Theft Auto IV launch," the company stated.

Here's the "highlight reel" from Microsoft's public relations (some of which has absolutely nothing to do with the March U.S. data):

Xbox 360 drives industry growth with record attach rates

March NPD data shows a new U.S. Xbox 360 software attach rate of 7.5, a record for any game console.

In Europe, Xbox 360 continues to enjoy the highest software attach rate of any game console with more than 7.0 games sold per console (PS3: 3.8; Wii: 3.5) after 27 months on the market.

Xbox 360 sales in Europe have more than doubled in the wake of recent retail price changes, solidifying its leadership position as the number one next-generation console in EMEA, owning 42 percent of the market in terms of life-to-date revenue. (Microsoft estimates based on ChartTrack and Gfk data).

Third party publishers find more success on Xbox 360. In March, Xbox 360 accounted for $220 million of all third party game sales this generation, or 49 percent of share. Third party publishers win on Xbox 360 more than any other platform. (March NPD data)

Games for the Xbox 360 platform accounted for four of the top ten games for this generation. (March NPD data)
Xbox 360 most widely used system for online gaming

Xbox 360 delivers social entertainment experiences to more than 10 million Xbox LIVE gamers around the globe. (Microsoft internal data)

On April 2, NPD released a study called "Online Gaming 2008" which reported that 42 percent of people ages six to 44 play video games online. Their console of choice? Xbox 360. Half of online gamers prefer the Xbox 360 over other current-generation gaming consoles. ("Online Gaming 2008")

Xbox LIVE now delivers 4,800 hours of TV and movie entertainment including family favorites like "Hannah Montana," "Lost," and "Superman III."(Microsoft internal data)

Research: 'Absolutely No Evidence' Violent Games Lead Kids to Real-Life Violence

Air1306 — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 22:56:11 CDT

Lawrence Kutner, PhD, and his wife Cheryl K. Olson, ScD, recently appeared on X-Play to talk about the findings in their new research book Grand Theft Childhood: The Surprising Truth About Violent Video Games and What Parents Can Do. While anti-game activists and politicians have continually tried to tie violent video games to some of the nation's most despicable acts of real-life violence (including the recent Virgina Tech tragedy), Kutner and Olson, whose research was funded with $1.5 million by the U.S. Dept. of Justice, found after surveying around 1,300 kids in multiple states that "there is absolutely no evidence" that playing violent video games will turn kids into criminals.

"If you look at violent crime in the U.S. over the past 20 years among teenagers, it's gone down and gone down significantly, and if you look at video game play, it's gone up significantly," said Kutner.

Olson noted that many of the studies done by psychologists in recent years, which have tied aggression in video games to aggressive behavior, don't seem viable. Kutner also clarified that there's a difference between short-term and long-term aggression effects. "If you go to the local Cineplex and see a Jackie Chan or Jet Li movie and you watch a bunch of teenagers come out of that, of course they're going to be sort of hitting each other and kicking; you know, they're excited. But that goes away very quickly. And so there's this leap of faith that if a child or teenager or even a young adult is exposed to this and they have a short term response, then that means it's going to change their behavior. We found it to be actually quite the opposite," said Kutner.

Kutner did state, however, that both boys and girls who play almost nothing but M-rated violent video games (and play those games for more than 15 hours a week), can be at greater risk for "getting into trouble." Olson added that this is a "risk marker; it doesn't mean it's causing it."

More interesting still is that boys who did not play any video games at all also had "significantly greater risk," Kutner explained, "It seems that playing video games for boys is a marker of social confidence. That surprised us."

He continued, "It's interesting if you look at what happened a year ago at Virgina Tech... [the attacker's] suitemates who he shared a dorm room with said that he didn't play video games at all and that struck them as really odd because everyone else did. And that fell right in line with our research findings, that the kids who don't play at all are actually at greater risk... It says something about their social relationships."

Kutner added that games can actually be quite valuable to society because they're more than just games; they're simulations. They give kids an opportunity to explore new worlds and try new environments that are not critical of them, "where they can make mistakes, recover, and practice for the real world."

The Rise of the 'Casual MMO'

Air1306 — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 22:49:59 CDT

They are two ends of the video game spectrum: the tiny, personal-sized casual game on one end and, on the other, the complex, massive multiplayer online game (MMOG) which can support thousands of players simultaneously. Rarely, if ever, do the twain meet. Until now. The Cartoon Network is about to release a video game oxymoron ... what it calls a "casual MMOG." And it may just be the first of a trend.

Back in April 2006, Disney's Toontown had only captured 0.9% of the MMOG market since its launch in June, 2003, but that was enough to convince rival Cartoon Network to begin cooking up an MMOG of its own that it planned to release this spring.
But here it is, the spring of 2008, and the release of Cartoon Network's FusionFall MMOG has been delayed twice, first to this summer, and now to this fall, for reasons no one at Cartoon Network chooses to discuss.

"Let's just say that MMOs are very deep, very large games that are ready when they are ready," says Chris Waldron, the game's executive producer. "They take a lot of testing, a lot of polish, and that's what we're going through."

Indeed, Cartoon Network is under a lot of pressure to "get it right" and to clearly differentiate FusionFall from the competition in what some describe as a very cluttered, perhaps over-saturated MMOG market.

"Casual gaming is growing in popularity and I suspect that MMOs will latch onto that -- in terms of their accessibility and playability as well as the time required to get into a game and enjoy it. It very well may be the next big thing, you'll see."

"When we started building FusionFall, Toontown was the only kids MMO," notes Waldron. "Since then, we've seen a proliferation of MMOs targeting the same young demographic as ours, including Pirates of the Caribbean, RuneScape, and even social games like Club Penguin and Habbo Hotel. So, yeah, it's getting crowded out there and there are many more in the works so it's getting even more crowded. But I honestly believe that ours is a different kind of game."

Which is why Paul Condolora is calling FusionFall a "casual MMOG, one that's easy to get into, very accessible, and doesn't require the time commitment that some of the more hardcore MMOGs demand." Condolora is senior VP and general manager of Cartoon Network New Media.
"We've designed a game that is best for our core audience," he adds, "and we need to be sensitive to the limited amount of time that kids and tweens can devote to a game, which is where the nature of casual gaming comes into play."

In actuality, FusionFall is meant to appeal to 8-14-year-olds, a slightly older audience that Cartoon Network's core audience of 6-11-year olds, according to Waldron, who says the strategy is designed to expand the current demographic.

"To do that, we've incorporated 52 of the popular characters from 11 of the TV shows in the Cartoon Network universe with which gamers can interact, but we've advanced their ages a bit and we're depicting them in an anime style," he says. "For instance, Dexter -- from the show Dexter's Laboratory -- is known as a young, very short, elementary school kid. But, in FusionFall, he's older and going to high school. Likewise, the Powerpuff Girls are no longer in kindergarten but are in junior high. It's sort of like reading the Harry Potter books and having the characters grow as the reader is growing. I think that is one of the appeals of the book series."

Another differentiator, says Waldron, is that while most traditional MMOGs are role-playing games (RPGs) in nature "with lots of stats and number-crunching," FusionFall features "platform-style" action, meaning the running, jumping, and shooting that are a feature in many popular casual or arcade games.

"The gamer's skills that have to do with moving around and fighting are much more important here than their character's stats," he explains. "We're not building a game for hardcore gamers who will spend 60-plus hours a week here. If you think of those as hour-long dramas on TV, we want to be the half-hour sitcom. All of our missions are built in a way that they can be completed in 30 minutes at most. That get-in-and-get-out style of play is what makes casual gaming so popular, and we hope it is what will make FusionFall popular."

Similarly, the anime style of art reflects Cartoon Network's plan to create an international game that will also appeal to an Asian audience.
"In fact, our developer is Seoul, Korea-based Grigon Entertainment, best known for its popular MMO Seal Online, " notes Condolora. "We selected them for two reasons. The first is that Korea is arguably the world leader in MMOs. And, second, the casual and cartoony nature of Korean MMOs is very simpatico with the Cartoon Network sensibility."

When FusionFall eventually launches, it's still not clear how it will be monetized -- through subscriptions, advertising, micro-transactions, or a combination of the three. Condolora chooses not to elaborate on his business plan which "is still being evaluated."

"I'm pretty certain, however, that it won't be a 'one-size-fits-all' model," he explains. "While, in this country, our business model may mirror what is most common in the U.S. today -- which is a subscription-based product -- outside of the U.S., we intend to tailor our business model to the dominant models in other countries. Which means our revenue may come from subscriptions here, but, say, in Asia, it could be micro-transactions which are most popular there. As for advertising, I don't think that's the dominant model anywhere."

Regardless how FusionFall is monetized, Condolora says he expects the MMOG to be successful by virtue of the casual style of gameplay that will be its hallmark.

"And I believe this will become a trend in the MMOG space," he says. "Casual gaming is growing in popularity and I suspect that MMOs will latch onto that -- in terms of their accessibility and playability as well as the time required to get into a game and enjoy it. It very well may be the next big thing, you'll see."