Professional Gamer

pro-gamer

Professional Gamer returns with some news and time wasters this week. Again, let me remind you that if you find anything game related which you think is worth sharing feel free to email me ([email protected]) and I will try and include it in a future post.

NEWS

Gfk Chart Track released the UK Lifetime Hardware figures as of 31 January 2009. Link

Wii    4.9m
360   3.2m
PS3   1.9m
DS    8.8m
PSP   3.2m
PS2   10m

The PS3 is lagging behind its two competitors (launched later than both consoles) but it’s believed to be ahead of the 360 in the rest of Europe. While the Wii appears to be the new leader in the current console generatio, and not just in the UK, some dark clouds are starting to appear in the horizon. Japan has traditionally been the country where the console cycle is ahead of the rest of the other countries. Bill Harris at Dubious Quality has an excellent analysis of the lifetime sales in Japan and why Nintendo should be worried. It seems that the financial crisis, lack of good Wii games and the expansion of the market to less hardcore gamers are starting to take effect. Not to mention that the Wii has not had a price cut yet since it’s launch. In Cyprus the Wii is more expensive than the 360.

“The Wii‘s decline is also shocking. I knew that sales were down substantially, but on a twelve-month basis, those numbers are alarming. Yes, the first year sales were absolutely huge, but it’s still a freefall.” Read more here

Downloadable content

A lot of downloadable content out there this month.

Valve once again shows the gaming world how it is done. It released the FREE patch for Left 4 Dead Survival Pack. The patch is available on PC and Xbox Live to download and introduces the Survival mode “Survival Mode pits your team against never ending waves of infected”. I really love this game and want to play more of this. For more details read the Left 4 Dead blog. Link

Burnout Paradise is probably one of the best value for money and highest quality racing games of all time. Criterion keeps producing excellent downloadable content for the game with the next one coming out on April 30th named Cops & Robbers. Will be available on both the PS3 and 360. Here is the teaser trailer Link.

Tom Clancy’s HAWX, Ubisoft’s
flight simulator. has also got some DLC this week called European Assault and it costs 400pts on XBL or US$4.99 on the PS3. The pack contains The Dassault Rafale, the Saab-37 Viggen, “two Mirage planes designed for nuclear strike and long-range interception,” the FB-22 prototype bomber, and the XA-20 Razorback, from Tom Clancy’s EndWar. HAWX is not my cup of tea but it has a good co-op campaign experience for those console owners longing for some dogfights.

TIME WASTERS

If you are reading this at work that means you are really bored. If you like arcadey, no brains fun flash games then check this one out. Flying dinosaurs shooting laser beams from their mouths…..Link

Another flash game called Hex Empire and it’s a hex turn based strategy game for the armchair emperors out there. It’s pretty straightforward to play and it has that “one more turn” curse. Link

CURRENTLY PLAYING…..

I have been playing a lot of card and board games on Xbox Live Arcade this past week and specifically Carcassone which is a tile based game. If you are a fan of Catan (one of my favourite board games), Risk, Ticket to Ride then you should probably check this game out. Here is a link to the Eurogamer review which also explains how the game is played. It’s a fast game to play meaning you should be able to play a (offline or online) session in around 45mins or less. I had my doubts about the element of strategy in this game but i am finally understanding that it has its own virtues and i am enjoying it a lot.

About the Author

Costas

Costas Taliadoros is an accountant by profession but a gamer at heart. He was born in Nicosia in 1977 and was raised by Donkey Kong. At a very young age he started piloting F-15 Strike Eagles over the Iraqi and Libyan deserts and has also seen action in an M1 Ambraams tank somewhere in Eastern Europe fighting against the Soviets. As the years went by, he was integrated into Civilization until he finally conquered the world and sent the first human mission to Alpha Centauri. He graduated from the International Superstar Soccer academy and moved back to Cyprus to start his career. In this dark period of his life he fought and swore against 3 more Master Chiefs on a 4-way split-screen all day and night. It was around this period that he also started traveling to Live in many places around the world but mostly the USA. There, he met a lot of young American teenagers who were willing to discuss topics like his mother and the colour of his skin in great detail. It only strengthened his belief that he still has a lot to learn in this life. Nowadays Costas can be found on a couch playing games with friends and foes, with beer in close proximity. He is just a non-professional “writer” who loves games, books, comics, football, and running. He is also writing in the video-game site he co-founded, www.forevergamers.com, and on his personal blog, www.lostingames.net.