THIS WEEK ...We Focus on Some More Titles That Have Made an Impression on Eurogamer Readers, and Reveal Why
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Brought to you by Every week: The UK games market in less than ten minutes Issue 6: 14th - 20th July WELCOME ...to GamesRetail.biz, your weekly look at the key analysis, news and data sources for the retail sector, brought to you by GamesIndustry.biz and Eurogamer.net. THIS WEEK ...we focus on some more titles that have made an impression on Eurogamer readers, and reveal why. Plus - the highlights of an interview with Tony Hawk developer Robomodo, the latest news, charts, Eurogamer reader data, price comparisons, release dates, jobs and more! Popularity of Age of Conan - Hyborian Adventures in 2009 B AGE OF CONAN VS WII SPORTS RESORT #1 A This week we look at the Eurogamer buzz performance around two key products since the beginning of 2009. First up is the MMO Age of #10 Conan - a game which launched to great fanfare this time last year, but subsequently suffered from a lack of polish and endgame content. #100 Eurogamer.net Popularity (Ranked) Recently the developer, Funcom, attempted to reignite interest in the game by marketing the changes made in the build-up to its first anniversary - point A notes a big feature and #1000 Jul free trial key launch, while point B shows the Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jan '09 Age of Conan - Hyborian Adventures re-review which put the game right at the top of the pile earlier this month - whether that interest can be converted into subs is a different question, but the team has given itself a good Popularity of Wii Sports Resort in 2009 chance at least. #1 Meanwhile, Wii Sports Resort shows rather D E more consistency over the same period, with numerous little interest spikes throughout the C #10 year building up to its release this week. Point C shows the buzz created around a Eurogamer sports and music article, while the #100 first hands-on of the game last month Eurogamer.net Popularity (Ranked) generated another huge spike at Point D. Finally Point E is the Eurogamer review of the title, and while at no point does the game enter #1000 Jul Feb Mar Apr May Jun the site's top five buzz games, it's still a strong Jan '09 Wii Sports Resort result for a game that's arguably aimed less at the hardcore than most. It'll be interesting to track the post-release tail over the next few months. Tickets for Eurogamer Expo 2009 are now on sale at expo.eurogamer.net. Page 1 Brought to you by Every week: The UK games market in less than ten minutes Issue 6: 14th - 20th July THIS WEEK IN RETAIL HMV BAGS MODERN WARFARE 2 - PRESTIGE UK EXCLUSIVE Retailer announces pre-order of shooter's premium edition - with night vision THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW goggles. Kuju's new Czech studio is working on a couple of high-end projects, the first of NPD: ACTIVISION'S PROTOTYPE LEADS JUNE SOFTWARE SALES which should splash down at retail in 2011 Open world action-adventure sells a combined 600,000 units as overall sales - a big, well-known franchise..? continue to slump. The race between OnLive and GaiKai - two 'cloud' gaming services - is hotting up, with GATES: NATAL ON PC IS "A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AWAY" people impressed by the latter at Develop Microsoft founder anticipates costs will reduce enough by then to make it last week. realistic for most offices. Relentless, of Buzz fame, is moving into self-publishing with a new downloadable VATRA STUDIO LAUNCHES WITH TWO PROJECTS AND PUBLISHER BACKING title, but has no plans to stop working on its Kuju opens "hardcore" 360, PS3 studio staffed by ex-Mafia devs; publisher quiz games yet. already on board for first title in 2011. Microsoft hasn't forgotten about mobile GAMESINDUSTRY.BIZ SUMMER PARTY PHOTOS NOW ONLINE platforms for games, with plans to extend the Live service at some point... Witness evidence of why your employees were unproductive on Thursday morning. THE BIG INTERVIEW: PIMP MY RIDE Director of Robomodo Josh Tsui talks to GamesIndustry.biz about why Tony Hawk: Ride could see the team skate or die. - Tony Hawk himself gave more time to the new title than any other in the franchise. - He's also a big fan of the skateboard peripheral, shockingly... - The final board peripheral will be "iPod" white, rather than "Darth Vader" black. - The peripheral will also be used for other, non-skateboarding titles in the future... - Ride features "discrete levels" rather than open-world gameplay. MOST-ANTICIPATED GAMES MOST-READ ARTICLES 1. Alan Wake Microsoft 1. Darkfall Online Review 2. Final Fantasy XIII Square Enix 2. Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition Review 3. God of War III SCEA 3. Wii Sports Resort Review 4. Final Fantasy Versus XIII Square Enix 4. PES 2010: Pro Evolution Soccer 5. Gran Turismo 5 SCE 5. Retrospective: The Dig 6. Heavy Rain SCEE 6. FIFA 10 7. Splinter Cell: Conviction Ubisoft 7. SEGA teases unannounced game 8. Dragon Age: Origins Electronic Arts 8. 1 vs 100 9. Halo 3: ODST Microsoft 9. Sony confirms PSP app store plan 10. BioShock 2 2K Games 10. Eidos files Kane & Lynch 2 trademark List based on traffic for Eurogamer articles dated 14th - 20th July. The GamesIndustry.biz Network now has over 6500 registered industry users! Page 2 Brought to you by Every week: The UK games market in less than ten minutes Issue 6: 14th - 20th July RETAIL DATA PRICE-CHECK DATA Anno 1404 (PC) Wii Sports Resort + MotionPlus (Wii) Transformers: RotF (PS3) HMV £24.99 £39.99 £24.99 Amazon £24.96 £37.96 £29.99 ASDA £24.91 £37.50 £37.91 Play.com £24.99 £39.99 £29.99 GAME £24.99 £39.99 £--.-- Tesco £24.96 £37.96 £37.96 Cheapest Online £24.73 £37.43 £24.99 UK ALL-FORMAT CHART EVENT CALENDAR Title Publisher 10th - 16th Aug 2009 1. (4) Harry Potter & The Half-blood Prince Electronic Arts Edinburgh Interactive Festival Edinburgh, UK. 2. (3) Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen Activision Blizzard 3. (1) Tiger Woods Pga Tour 10 Electronic Arts 19th - 23rd Aug 2009 4. (6) Wii Fit Nintendo gamescom Cologne, Germany. 5. (2) Fight Night Round 4 Electronic Arts 6. (5) Call Of Juarez: Bound In Blood Ubisoft 17th - 20th Sep 2009 7. (8) The Sims 3 Electronic Arts Games Convention Asia 2009 Singapore. 8. (7) Virtua Tennis 2009 Sega 24th - 27th Sep 2009 9. (9) Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Activision Blizzard Tokyo Games Show 2009 Makuhari Messe, Tokyo, 10. (13) EA Sports Active Electronic Arts Japan. 11. (14) Mario Kart Wii Nintendo 12. (16) Professor Layton And The Curious Village Nintendo SELECTED GAMES INDUSTRY JOBS 13. (10) [prototype] Activision Blizzard 14. (17) FIFA 09 Electronic Arts Senior Consultant for games software 15. (15) Call Of Duty: World At War Activision Blizzard vendor 16. (11) UFC 2009: Undisputed THQ Stockholm, Sweden, UK & Europe. 17. (12) Grand Slam Tennis Electronic Arts Trading Card Game Product Manager 18. (20) Wii Play Nintendo London, South East, England, UK & 19. (18) Pokemon Platinum Nintendo Europe. 20. (19) Guitar Hero: World Tour Activision Blizzard Marketing Manager (Sports & Core Gaming), SEGA Europe © ELSPA, compiled by Chart Track London, South East, England, UK & Europe. REVIEW SCORE COMPARISONS Producer - 3rd Person Shooter Metacritic UK average Spain, UK & Europe. Age of Conan - Hyborian Adventures (PC) 80 77 Battlefield 1943 (360) 84 85 Games Product Manager - Contract Guitar Hero: Smash Hits (PS3) 75 70 The Netherlands, UK & Europe. Guitar Hero: Smash Hits (360) 74 66 Punch-Out!! (Wii) 86 81 Rock Revolution (360) 38 30 The UK score is the mean average of the most read UK-based videogame websites and magazines. You can reach key UK retailers by advertising with GamesRetail.biz. Page 4 Brought to you by Every week: The UK games market in less than ten minutes Issue 6: 14th - 20th July TOP 10S PLATFORM TOP TENS PS3 PSP 1. (1) Fight Night Round 4 1. (1) Monster Hunter: Freedom Unite 2. (2) Call Of Juarez: Bound In Blood 2. (2) Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen 3. (3) Tiger Woods Pga Tour 10 3. (3) FIFA 09 4. (4) Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen 4. (4) Harry Potter & The Half-blood Prince 5. (5) Virtua Tennis 2009 5. (5) Resistance: Retribution 6. (7) Infamous 6. (6) Football Manager 2009 7. (9) Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare 7. (8) Need For Speed: Undercover 8. (8) Ghostbusters: The Video Game 8. (7) Ben 10: Alien Force 9. (6) UFC 2009: Undisputed 9. (9) X-men Origins: Wolverine 10. (10) [prototype] 10. (-) WWE Smackdown Vs Raw 2009 WII DS 1. (1) Wii Fit 1. (1) Professor Layton And The Curious Village 2. (3) EA Sports Active 2. (3) Harry Potter & The Half-blood Prince 3. (5) Mario Kart Wii 3. (2) Pokemon Platinum 4. (4) Tiger Woods Pga Tour 10 4. (10) Rhythm Paradise 5. (6) Harry Potter & The Half-blood Prince 5. (4) Mario Kart DS 6. (2) Grand Slam Tennis 6. (5) Transformers: Revenge - Autobots 7. (7) Virtua Tennis 2009 7. (8) Dr Kawashima's Brain Training 8. (10) Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen 8. (7) Club Penguin: Elite Penguin Force 9. (9) Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Games 9. (6) Lego Battles 10. (8) The Conduit 10. (9) New Super Mario Bros. XBOX 360 PC 1. (1) Fight Night Round 4 1. (1) The Sims 3 2. (4) Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen 2. (2) Football Manager 2009 3. (2) Call Of Juarez: Bound In Blood 3. (4) World Of Warcraft: Wrath Of Lich King 4.