Source: videogamesblogger.com

Grand Theft Auto IV plus zombies for Halloween? Sounds like fun to me! Here is the word directly from Rockstar, developers of the massive car-jacking hit (note: This is exclusively for the Xbox 360 version of the game).

“Attention Citizens,

There is a virus sweeping through Grand Theft Auto IV turning many unsuspecting players into Zombies. If you’ve seen the special Zombie-with-yellow-briefs player skin running around during Grand Theft Auto IV multiplayer, then you may already know that the virus can be contracted in any and all multiplayer modes and is spread when an unsuspecting player kills someone who has the infection (BE ADVISED: The infected DON’T necessarily have to be wearing the Zombie skin, some show NO SYMPTOMS!). The signs of infection are:

- Access to the zombie skin
- Gaining the Achievement “Let Sleeping Rockstars Lie”.

With the all-new Viral Infection feature at the Rockstar Social Club, members can now see whether they are currently infected, the number of total global infections and the number of infections in the last 24 hours. Digging deeper, Social Club members can also browse a color-coded world map tracking the spread of the infection worldwide, including breakdown for all 50 US States.

The rest of you: register for the Rockstar Social Club now.”

The new zombie Downloadable Content addition was first hinted at in a Eugenics Inc. “ad” that appeared in the RockStar Social Club, issuing a vague quarantine order locking down the mysterious company’s compound due to a contagious disease outbreak. Eugenics Inc. is a physical location in Grand Theft Auto IV, located in Bohan, though it didn’t play into any part of the game up until today.

The quarantine announcement was actually the second Eugenics Inc. display to appear on Social Club, following a “Sperm for Cash” ad posted in April (now removed), which, to date, has never been an actual in-game activity.

So what are you waiting for? Fire up Grand Theft Auto IV for today’s festivities instead of handing out candy to those miniature bastards at your front door and get ready to kill some zombies!

Source: videogamesblogger.com

What are the best-selling games in America, Japan, and Europe (UK) this week? Thanks to Amazon online sales data here are the games that are the most popular now.

Nintendo Wii
North America: 1. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo), 2. Wii Fit (Nintendo), 3. Active Life: Outdoor Challenge (Namco Bandai), 4. Wii Play (Nintendo), 5. Rock Band (Electronic Arts).

Japan: 1. One Piece Unlimited Cruise: Episode 1 (Bandai), 2. Wii Fit (Nintendo), 3. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo), 4. Wii Sports (Nintendo), 5. Wii Play (Nintendo).

Europe: 1. Wii Fit (Nintendo), 2. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo), 3. Wii Play (Nintendo), 4. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 (Electronic Arts), 5. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (Sega).

Xbox 360
North America: 1. Dead Rising (Capcom), 2. Madden NFL 09 (Electronic Arts), 3. Mercenaries 2: World in Flames (EA Games), 4. Halo 3 (Microsoft), 5. Grand Theft Auto IV (Rockstar).

Japan: 1. Infinite Undiscovery (Square Enix), 2. Tales of Vesperia (Namco), 3. Infinite Undiscovery - Limited Edition (Namco Bandai), 4. Viva Pinata 2: Trouble in Paradise (Microsoft), 5. Dead Rising - Platinum Collection (Capcom).

Europe: 1. Mercenaries 2: World in Flames (Electronic Arts), 2. Grand Theft Auto IV (Rockstar), 3. Halo 3 (Microsoft), 4. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare - Game of the Year Edition (Activision), 5. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 (Electronic Arts).

PlayStation 3
North America: 1. Grand Theft Auto IV (Rockstar), 2. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (Konami), 3. Madden NFL 09 (Electronic Arts), 4. Gran Turismo 5: Prologue (Sony), 5. Resistance: Fall of Man (Sony).

Japan: 1. Afrika (Sony), 2. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots - Special Edition (Konami), 3. Battlefield: Bad Company (Electronic Arts), 4. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (Konami), 5. Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - Game of the Year Edition (Bethesda).

Europe: 1. Mercenaries 2: World in Flames (Electronic Arts), 2. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (Konami), 3. Grand Theft Auto IV (Rockstar), 4. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 (Electronic Arts), 5. Gran Turismo 5 Prologue (Sony).

PlayStation 2
North America: 1. Yakuza 2 (Sega), 2. Rock Band Special Edition (Electronic Arts), 3. Madden NFL 09 (Electronic Arts), 4. TNA Impact! (Midway), 5. God of War II (Sony).

Japan: 1. D.Gray-man: Sousha no Shikaku (Konami), 2. Persona 4 (Atlus), 3. Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 33: Fantasy Zone Complete Collection (Sega), 4. Drastic Killer - Special Edition (Banpresto), 5. Sengoku Basara X (Capcom).

Europe: No longer being tracked.

PC
North America: 1. Spore (Electronic Arts), 2. Spore: Galactic Edition (Electronic Arts), 3. The Sims 2: Apartment Life (Electronic Arts), 4. Spore Creature Creator (Electronic Arts), 5. The Orange Box (Electronic Arts).

Japan: 1. Spore (Electronic Arts), 2. Final Fantasy XI: The Vana’diel Collection (Square Enix), 3. Monster Hunter Frontier Online Season 3.0 Premium (E-Frontier), 4. Ragnarok Online Beginner’s Package 2008 (E Frontier), 5. Ragnarok Online Summer Package 2008 (E Frontier).

Europe: 1. Spore (Electronic Arts), 2. Spore Creature Creator (Electronic Arts), 3. The Sims 2: Apartment Life (Electronic Arts), 4. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky (Deep Silver), 5. Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Deluxe Edition (Microsoft).

Nintendo DS
North America: 1. Mario Kart DS (Nintendo), 2. Spore Creatures (Electronic Arts), 3. Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir (Nintendo), 4. New Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo), 5. Brain Age 2 (Nintendo).

Japan: 1. Rhythm Tengoku Gold (Nintendo), 2. KORG DS-10 (AQ Interactive), 3. Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride (Square Enix), 4. Daigasso! Band Brothers DX (Nintendo), 5. Dokidoki Majo Shinpan! 2 (SNK Playmore).

Europe: 1. Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training (Nintendo), 2. 42 All-Time Classics (Nintendo), 3. More Brain Training (Nintendo), 4. Scrabble 2007 Edition (Ubisoft), 5. Puzzler Collection (Ubisoft).

PlayStation Portable
North America: 1. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (Square Enix), 2. God of War: Chains of Olympus (Sony), 3. Tekken: Dark Resurrection (Namco Bandai), 4. Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (Rockstar), 5. Madden NFL 09 (Electronic Arts).

Japan: 1. Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G (Capcom), 2. Phantasy Star Portable (Sega), 3. Fate/Tiger Colosseum Upper - Megamori Box (Capcom), 4. Don’t Be So Bold Just Because You Are Heroes - Best Of PSP Edition (Sony), 5. Maplus: Portable Navi 2 (Edia).

Europe: 1. God of War: Chains of Olympus (Sony), 2. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (Square Enix), 3. Lego Indiana Jones (LucasArts), 4. Call of Duty: Roads to Victory (Activision), 5. FIFA 08 (Electronic Arts).

Mario Kart Wii races back to the first place on the Wii chart. After a price drop to $20, Dead Rising “rises” to the top of the Xbox 360 chart. Grand Theft Auto IV remains on the top of the PS3 chart. Yakuza 2 debuts in first place on the PS2 charts. Spore debuts globally on #1 in the PC top 5. Mario Kart DS returns to first place on the DS chart. Lastly Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII remains high on the PSP chart. — For the full lists go to Amazon’s US, JPN (PC) & UK sites.

Source: videogamesblogger.com

What are the best-selling games in America, Japan, and Europe (UK) this week? Thanks to Amazon online sales data here are the games that are the most popular now.

Nintendo Wii
North America: 1. Wii Fit (Nintendo), 2. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo), 3. Rock Band (Electronic Arts), 4. Wii Play (Nintendo), 5. We Ski (Namco Bandai).

Japan: 1. Wii Fit (Nintendo), 2. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo), 3. Wii Sports (Nintendo), 4. Fatal Frame IV (Nintendo), 5. Captain Rainbow (Nintendo).

Europe: 1. Wii Fit (Nintendo), 2. Wii Play (Nintendo), 3. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 (Electronic Arts), 4. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo), 5. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (Sega).

Xbox 360
North America: 1. NCAA Football 09 (Electronic Arts), 2. Mercenaries 2: World in Flames (Electronic Arts), 3. Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise (Microsoft), 4. Infinite Undiscovery (Square Enix), 5. Madden NFL 09 (Electronic Arts).

Japan: 1. Tales of Vesperia (Namco), 2. Warriors Orochi 2 (Koei), 3. Ninja Gaiden II (Tecmo), 4. Clannad (Prototype), 5. Too Human (Microsoft).

Europe: 1. Mercenaries 2: World in Flames (Electronic Arts), 2. Grand Theft Auto IV (Rockstar), 3. Infinite Undiscovery (Square Enix), 4. Beijing 2008 (Sega), 5. Halo 3 (Microsoft).

PlayStation 3
North America: 1. Grand Theft Auto IV (Rockstar), 2. Madden NFL 09 (Electronic Arts), 3. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (Konami), 4. Mercenaries 2: World in Flames (Electronic Arts), 5. Gran Turismo 5: Prologue (Sony).

Japan: 1. Afrika (Sony), 2. Battlefield: Bad Company (Electronic Arts), 3. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots - Special Edition (Konami), 4. Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - Game of the Year Edition (Bethesda), 5. SoulCalibur IV (Namco Bandai).

Europe: 1. Mercenaries 2: World in Flames (Electronic Arts), 2. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (Konami), 3. Grand Theft Auto IV (Rockstar), 4. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 (Electronic Arts), 5. Gran Turismo 5 Prologue (Sony).

PlayStation 2
North America: 1. Rock Band Special Edition (Electronic Arts), 2. Madden NFL 09 (Electronic Arts), 3. God of War II (Sony), 4. Metal Gear Solid: The Essential Collection (Konami), 5. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Bundle (Activision).

Japan: 1. Persona 4 (Atlus), 2. J-League Winning Eleven 2008 Club Championship (Konami), 3. Sengoku Basara X (Capcom), 4. Drastic Killer - Special Edition (Banpresto), 5. Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn! Dream Hyper Battle! (Marvelous).

Europe: No longer being tracked.

PC
North America: 1. The Sims 2: Apartment Life (Electronic Arts), 2. Spore Creature Creator (Electronic Arts), 3. The Orange Box (Electronic Arts), 4. SimCity 4 Deluxe (Electronic Arts), 5. Baldur’s Gate II: Ultimate Collection (Vivendi).

Japan: 1. Monster Hunter Frontier Online Season 3.0 Premium (E-Frontier), 2. Final Fantasy XI: The Vana’diel Collection (Square Enix), 3. Ragnarok Online Summer Package 2008 (E Frontier), 4. Civilization IV: Deluxe Pack (Cyber Front), 5. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Activision).

Europe: 1. The Sims 2: Apartment Life (Electronic Arts), 2. Spore Creature Creator (Electronic Arts), 3. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky (Deep Silver), 4. Football Manager 2008 (Sega), 5. Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Deluxe Edition (Microsoft).

Nintendo DS
North America: 1. New Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo), 2. Brain Age (Nintendo), 3. Brain Age 2 (Nintendo), 4. Mario Kart DS (Nintendo), 5. Lego Indiana Jones (LucasArts).

Japan: 1. Rhythm Tengoku Gold (Nintendo), 2. KORG DS-10 (AQ Interactive), 3. Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride (Square Enix), 4. Fire Emblem: New Dark Dragon and the Blade of Light (Nintendo), 5. Daigasso! Band Brothers DX (Nintendo).

Europe: 1. Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training (Nintendo), 2. Guitar Hero: On Tour (Activision), 3. 42 All-Time Classics (Nintendo), 4. More Brain Training (Nintendo), 5. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (Sega).

PlayStation Portable
North America: 1. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (Square Enix), 2. God of War: Chains of Olympus (Sony), 3. Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (Rockstar), 4. Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions (Square Enix), 5. Tekken: Dark Resurrection (Namco Bandai).

Japan: 1. Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G (Capcom), 2. Phantasy Star Portable (Sega), 3. Fate/Tiger Colosseum Upper - Megamori Box (Capcom), 4. Gundam Battle Universe (Bandai), 5. Don’t Be So Bold Just Because You Are Heroes - Best Of PSP Edition (Sony).

Europe: 1. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (Square Enix), 2. God of War: Chains of Olympus (Sony), 3. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 (Electronic Arts), 4. International Athletics (Ghostlight), 5. Lego Indiana Jones (LucasArts).

Wii Fit stays on the healthiest spot of the Wii chart. After a discount sale, NCAA Football 09 rises to the top of the Xbox 360 chart again. Grand Theft Auto IV returns on the top of the PS3 chart. The Rock Band Special Edition remains on the PS2 stage. The Sims 2: Apartment Life expansion pack sits comfy on the PC’s best seat. New Super Mario Bros. remains on the #1 spot of the DS chart. Lastly Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII returns to the PSP chart. — For the full lists go to Amazon’s US, JPN (PC) & UK sites.

Source: videogamesblogger.com

Take-Two’s Q3 2008 results just came in and they show a heavy increase in revenues for the last quarter: up from $206.4 million to $433.8 million year on year! CEO Ben Feder said: “I’m extremely pleased with our strong position heading into the holiday season.”

Why so pleased Ben? “Our world-class holiday portfolio includes Grand Theft Auto IV, Top Spin 3, Sid Meier’s Civilization Revolution, and Carnival Games, as well as upcoming hits such as Midnight Club: Los Angeles, BioShock for PlayStation 3, and a range of sports titles.”

If you read the headline you already know why the company’s growth was so massive compared to last year. To quote: “Third quarter sales were led by the blockbuster Grand Theft Auto IV, as well as Top Spin 3 and Sid Meier’s Civilization Revolution. – Sales of Rockstar Games’ blockbuster Grand Theft Auto IV continued to exceed the Company’s expectations. Over 10 million units have been sold through to consumers as of August 16, 2008. Based on GTA IV sales to date… we believe the lifetime Grand Theft Auto sales will ultimately track well ahead of any previous Grand Theft Auto titles.”

The financial report also mentioned “More than one million units of previous GTA titles were sold in the third quarter of fiscal 2008 alone.”

Source: videogamesblogger.com

Sony has announced a new 160GB PS3 model that will come bundled with Uncharted: Drakes Fortune for $499 this November and will only be available for a limited time.

The increased hard drive space will allow gamers to store more movies (which Sony allows you to buy, download and keep), TV shows, games and whatever else you decided to download off the PlayStation Network. Or anything else you want to put on it, such as music, videos or photos.

Here is what the 160GB Uncharted Bundle will contain:

* 160GB PlayStation 3 system -A complete entertainment system comprising a Blu-ray Disc player, HDMI output, an integrated Wi-Fi connection, and Cell Broadband Engine.
* Uncharted: Drakes Fortune video game - A 400-year-old clue found in the coffin of Sir Francis Drake sets a modern-day fortune hunter, Nathan Drake, on an exploration for the fabled treasure of El Dorado, leading to the discovery of a forgotten island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The search turns deadly when Drake becomes stranded on the island and hunted by mercenaries. Outnumbered and outgunned, Drake and his companions must fight to survive as they begin to unravel the terrible secrets hidden on the Island.
* DualShock 3 Wireless Controller - The DualShock 3 wireless controller provides the most intuitive game play experience with pressure sensors in each action button and the inclusion of the highly sensitive Sixaxis motion sensing technology.
* A PlayStation Network Voucher for PAIN - PAIN boldly tackles a rarely explored area of video-gaming … comedy. The unique mechanic of the game allows the player to load a character into a human-sized, ultra-powerful slingshot, and fire the character into an active, physics-controlled environment, filled with precarious and humorous situations. Download PAIN from PlayStation Store to your PS3 system with the included voucher.

“As PLAYSTATION Network continues to evolve with our recently launched video delivery service and more exclusive games, PS3 owners are demanding more storage capacity,” said Jack Tretton, president and CEO, SCEA. “Consumers also are utilizing PS3 as an entertainment hub for their digital media, placing content such as their entire music collection on the hard drive. The 160GB PS3 system addresses this growing consumer demand in a compelling bundle that delivers significant value.”

The new game system is just in time as well, as a whole slew of AAA PS3 games are on the horizon, including: LittleBigPlanet, Resistance 2, MotorStorm: Pacific Rift, Killzone 2 and Buzz: Quiz TV. And PlayStation Network games including Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty, SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEAL’s Confrontation and The Last Guy.

These some great already released PS3 games like Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Gran Turismo 5: Prologue and Grand Theft Auto 4.

Source: videogamesblogger.com

What are the best-selling games in America, Japan, and Europe (UK) this week? Thanks to Amazon online sales data here are the games that are the most popular now.

Nintendo Wii
North America: 1. Wii Fit (Nintendo), 2. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo), 3. Wii Play (Nintendo), 4. Rock Band Special Edition (EA Games), 5. Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Nintendo).

Japan: 1. Fatal Frame IV (Nintendo), 2. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo), 3. Wii Sports (Nintendo), 4. Family Trainer (Bandai), 5. Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Nintendo).

Europe: 1. Guitar Hero III: Legends Of Rock Bundle (Activision), 2. Wii Fit (Nintendo), 3. Wii Play (Nintendo), 4. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo), 5. Carnival: Fun Fair Games (Take 2).

Xbox 360
North America: 1. Soul Calibur IV (Namco), 2. Halo 3 (Microsoft), 3. Grand Theft Auto IV (Rockstar), 4. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Activision), 5. NCAA Football 09 (Electronic Arts).

Japan: 1. Tales of Vesperia (Namco), 2. Soul Calibur IV (Namco), 3. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Bundle (Activision), 4. Bully (Bethesda), 5. Dead Rising - Platinum Collection (Capcom).

Europe: 1. Soul Calibur IV (Ubisoft), 2. Grand Theft Auto IV (Rockstar), 3. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Bundle (Activision), 4. Halo 3 (Microsoft), 5. Beijing 2008 (Sega).

PlayStation 3
North America: 1. Grand Theft Auto IV (Rockstar), 2. Soul Calibur IV (Namco), 3. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (Konami), 4. Resistance: Fall Of Man - Greatest Hits (SCEA), 5. Gran Turismo 5 Prologue (SCEA).

Japan: 1. Soul Calibur IV (Namco), 2. Siren: New Translation (SCEI), 3. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots — Special Edition (Konami), 4. Valkyrie of the Battlefield: Gallian Chronicles (Sega), 5. Yakuza 3: Kenzan! (Sega).

Europe: 1. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (Konami), 2. Soul Calibur IV (Ubisoft), 3. Uncharted: Drakes Fortune - Platinum (Sony), 4. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Bundle (Activision), 5. Grand Theft Auto IV (Rockstar).

PlayStation 2
North America: 1. Rock Band Special Edition (EA Games), 2. Metal Gear Solid: The Essential Collection (Konami), 3. God of War II (SCEA), 4. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Bundle (Activision), 5. Final Fantasy X (Square Enix).

Japan: 1. Persona 4 (Atlus), 2. Aoikuro no Kusabi: Hiiro no Kakera 3 - Limited Edition (Idea Factory), 3. Aoikuro no Kusabi: Hiiro no Kakera 3 (Idea Factory), 4. Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu 15 (Konami), 5. Sengoku Basara X (Capcom).

Europe: 1. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Bundle (Activision), 2. SingStar Summer Party - Solus (Sony), 3. Lego Indiana Jones (LucasArts), 4. Kung Fu Panda (Activision), 5. FIFA 08 (EA Sports).

PC
North America: 1. World of Warcraft Battle Chest (Blizzard), 2. The Orange Box (EA Games), 3. Nancy Drew: The Phantom of Venice (Her Interactive), 4. Diablo Battle Chest (Blizzard), 5. Baldur’s Gate 2: Ultimate Collection (Vivendi).

Japan: 1. Monster Hunter Frontier Online Season 3.0 Premium (E-Frontier), 2. Pandora Saga Starter Package (E Frontier), 3. Little Busters (KEY), 4. Ragnarok Online Summer Package 2008 (E-Frontier), 5. Final Fantasy XI: Vana’diel Collection (Square Enix).

Europe: 1. Sid Meier’s Civilization IV: Complete (2K Games), 2. Football Manager 2008 (Sega), 3. The Sims 2: IKEA Home Stuff (EA Games), 4. The Sims 2: Kitchen & Bath Interior Design Stuff (EA Games), 5. Crysis (EA Games).

Nintendo DS
North America: 1. New Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo), 2. Mario Kart DS (Nintendo), 3. Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day! (Nintendo), 4. Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! (Nintendo), 5. Guitar Hero: On Tour (Activision).

Japan: 1. Rhythm Tengoku Gold (Nintendo), 2. KORG DS-10 (AQ Interactive), 3. Dragon Quest V: Tenkuu No Hanayome (Square Enix), 4. Fire Emblem: New Shadow Dragons and the Blade of Light (Nintendo), 5. Daigasso! Band Brothers DX (Nintendo).

Europe: 1. Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training (Nintendo), 2. 42 All-Time Classics (Nintendo), 3. Mario Kart DS (Nintendo), 4. Puzzler Collection (Ubisoft), 5. New Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo).

PlayStation Portable
North America: 1. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (Square Enix), 2. God of War: Chains of Olympus (SCEA), 3. Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions (Square Enix), 4. Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops (Konami), 5. Patapon (SCEA).

Japan: 1. Phantasy Star Portable (Sega), 2. Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G (Capcom), 3. Gundam Battle Universe (Bandai), 4. Eiyuu Densetsu: Sora no Kiseki the 3rd (Nihon Falcom), 5. Hayarigami 2 Portable: Keishichou Kaijiken File (Nippon Ichi Software).

Europe: 1. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (Square Enix), 2. Lego Indiana Jones (LucasArts), 3. Call of Duty 3: Roads to Victory (Activision), 4. Final Fantasy I (Square Enix), 5. Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 (Konami).

Wii Fit stays on the healthiest spot of the Wii chart, not surprisingly the game has sold over 3.42 million copies so far worldwide. Soul Calibur IV stays on top of the Xbox 360 chart, but Grand Theft Auto IV reclaims the PS3 top spot. Rock Band remains a hit on the PS2. World of Warcraft Battle Chest returns on the PC’s top spot. New Super Mario Bros. stays on the DS chart. And lastly Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII remains high on the PSP chart. — For the full lists go to Amazon’s US, JPN & UK sites.

Source: videogamesblogger.com

Grand Theft Auto 4 is coming to PC with a release date of November 18, 2008, Rockstar Games has officially confirmed, after months of rumors (even though it was never really in doubt considering Rockstar released GTA 3, Vice City and San Andreas for PC as well).

The game will be releasing on PC in North America on November 18th and in Europe on November 21st.

“We are very excited to be releasing the PC version of Grand Theft Auto IV,” said Sam Houser, Founder of Rockstar Games. “The whole team is dedicated to bringing an amazing gaming experience to the PC. The game looks and plays beautifully on PC and we can’t wait for people to play it.”

Developed by series creator Rockstar North and set in Liberty City, the latest installment in the enormously successful Grand Theft Auto series features a painstakingly detailed and life-like city for players to explore; a rich, immersive narrative experience; an original soundtrack highlighting the cultural eclecticism of Liberty City; and newly expanded multiplayer just for the PC.

Source: videogamesblogger.com

Grand Theft Auto IV is reportedly heading to PC after it’s huge debut on consoles (PS3 and Xbox 360).

This isn’t a surprise in the least though since most of the GTA games have come to the PC in the past.

It was “confirmed” for all intents and purposes when the ESRB (via their online web-site) updated the games listing to include the PC platform, although it has since been altered and the “PC” platform has been deleted.

Rockstar also had this to say when asked about the PC version of Grand Theft Auto 4, “Rockstar didn’t announce official release date, but as a real Rockstar’s fan you should know when it always happens”.

So you can bet that GTAIV is definitely coming to PC. It’s not a matter of if, but when.

Via game-on-game

Source: videogamesblogger.com

Led by the PlayStation 2, the “128-bit” generation of video game systems has reached a record global installed base that is expected to exceed 180 million units. Of course, the PS2 was the best-selling game system ever. With high hardware prices and a slow start for most of the current generation of game systems (Microsoft Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 3), DFC Intelligence had originally forecasted that it would not be until 2012 that the installed base for the current generation started to match that of the 128-bit systems.

However, 2007 was a record year in every way, shape and form, as sales of PC and video games reached an all-time high. And overall worldwide industry sales soared over the $50 BILLION dollars mark. DFC Intelligence forecasts that sales for the current generation of systems will pass the 180 million mark in 2011.

Ironically, a slowing economy can actually help the game industry. Video games provide a high rate of entertainment return and high gas prices actually encourage people to stay home and play games. The latest DFC Intelligence forecasts predict that all three systems (360, Wii, PS3) will have a solid installed base.

Nevertheless, it looks like the Nintendo Wii will be the overall installed base leader. The Wii has enormous momentum and appeals to the broadest audience.

In doing retail checks over Memorial Day weekend, the item that everyone was asking about was the just launched Wii Fit. However, none of the retailers we visited had any in stock.

It is because of this type of demand that DFC believes in 2008, the Wii could set a record for most console systems sold in a single year.

Of course, many of the biggest games are not even coming out for the Wii. Halo 3 and Gears of War were exclusive to the Xbox 360 and Metal Gear Solid 4 is a Playstation 3 exclusive. And then you have Grand Theft Auto IV, which is only available for the PS3 and Xbox 360. In other words, for many third-party publishers the more important race is between the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Two years ago about this time, DFC Intelligence asked the question, “Could Sony Go From First to Worst?” At the time, our less than definitive answer was: maybe. They argued that much would depend on the execution of Sony and its competitors over the next few years. Two years later, the DFC can say with more confidence that they do not think the PlayStation 3 will be the third place system. DFC forecasts that the PS3 will overtake the Xbox 360 in 2009 and finish in a strong second place behind the Wii.

The price of the PlayStation 3 has come down to a reasonable level and the software lineup is finally starting to look fairly strong. Most importantly, Sony was able to keep the PlayStation 2 installed base active. For its recently ended fiscal year, Sony Corp. reported that hardware unit sales of the PS2 were down by 7%. From our perspective we would say they were ONLY down by 7%. This is amazing for a system that launched in 2000. The PS2 managed to outsell both the PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2007.

The sales performance of the PlayStation 3 has been less than stellar, but Sony has survived. The Xbox 360 was unable to take advantage of Sony’s struggles to build the type of large lead needed to maintain a long-term advantage. The PS3 survived the onslaught of AAA Xbox 360 titles that hit the market from late 2006 through 2007. Halo 3 had great sales, but it did very little to enhance the Xbox 360’s overall position in the marketplace. The Xbox 360 is the system of choice for fans of high-action first-person shooter (FPS) games. However, for the 80%-plus of game consumers that DO NOT play FPS games, the Xbox 360 is not the system of choice.

The biggest story over the next few years may be the declining overall importance of the console systems. Last year Sony’s biggest selling game system was the portable PSP. Meanwhile, the Nintendo DS blew out all records for game system hardware unit sales (portable or console) in a single year. From a pure revenue perspective, the biggest system for software sales in 2007 was the PC, if you include revenue generated from online services. As previously mentioned, 2007 blew away sales records on all fronts. Right now it looks like 2008 will be even better.

Via GameDaily

Source: videogamesblogger.com

How does Saints Row 2’s open gangster world compare to Grand Theft Auto IV’s? When you’re not playing the story mode, you’ll want to have some fun with the activities (Insurance Fraud, Fight Club, FUZZ “Fake Cop”) and diversions (Stunts, Criminal Mischief, Varied Combat) in the city of Stilwater. This not only builds up your respect level, but adds more members to the 3rd Street Saints and opens up more story missions.

Take a look at how that works in this Saints Row 2 Versus GTA 4 activities video.

With GTA 4 selling 6 million in 1 week, Saints Row 2 has a lot to prove when it comes out on October 14th, but it’s looking like it’ll be a lot of fun. Both games are/will be available on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. — Via IGN