Before we even think about what kind of game it is, let's think about our wallets! COD: Modern Warfare 3 for $60 (including the cost it takes to play the game on a console or PC) , or a fun app of Angry Birds for $0.99 you can download in seconds on a smart phones, tablets, and other electronics the majority of the nation has?

Let's face it. People aren't buying video games as much as they used to these days. According to The NPD Group, physical content sales were down 8% in 2011. It's not a new fact that new video games are costly. So why are new video games pricey?

1. - Psychologically, $60 just sounds expensive.
   
2. - People are having fun playing more affordable games. The choice and product quality at the bottom end of the pricing scale -- anything under $15 or so -- has grown tremendously in a relatively short period of time. Games like Draw Something, Angry Birds, and Infinity Blade aren't only played by 'casual' gamers.
   

With that being said, series such as Halo, Elder Scroll, and Battlefield aren't going to leave anytime soon. However, "must have" games are probably going to be the only things strong enough to strive on such prices. Facebook and smartphones aren't stealing away the gaming crowd, the PSN and XBL Marketplace are trying to live on their arcade and indie games that are on a lower price range. 

"If the Old Guard would just drop the charade that $60 is the only feasible price point, they might find an unexpectedly higher volume of purchasers to mitigate the reduced revenue per gamer. I realize that the $60 Call of Duty costs some tens of millions more to develop, market, and distribute than the $1 Angry Birds, but is there really a $59 differential there? Someone wiser than me in economics can surely model up a theory that finds a middle ground." - yahoo

[source:yahoo]

- Rizumi/Rabbit

4Kids and KidsCo Media Ventures LLC have went to the US Bankruptcy courts to file documents about the buy out of Yu-Gi-Oh! .That Tuesday 4Kids is selling to KidsCo Media what they say, "substantially all of [their] Yu-Gi-Oh!-related assets" to KidsCo Media, a company incorporated in April 4, 2012 for $10M.

The proposed sale also includes the sale of rights relating to the Dragon Ball Z series, including 52 episodes of the television show, as well as the company's rights relating to Dragon Ball Z Kai. The closing date for the sale described in the agreement is June 30, 2012.

4Kids filed for bankruptcy last year shortly after a lawsuit was filed by TV Tokyo, Nihon Ad Systems, and ADK. The suit reached an "amicable" settlement earlier this year, with ADK and TV Tokyo paying US$8 million to 4Kids.

[source:ANN]


- Rizumi/Rabbit

THQ announced that they're giving Darksiders 2 an extra month to work on making the release date go from June to August. THQ said that it'll be worth the wait for Darksiders 2 so that the game will be more polished up. Darksiders II follows the exploits of DEATH, one of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, in a weaving tale that runs parallel to the events in the original Darksiders game. Jim Huntley, Vice President of Global Brand Management at THQ says, "We are really looking forward to allowing players to take on the role of the ultimate anti-hero and this trailer gives them a real taste of what it will be like playing DEATH".

There is no set release date for Darksiders 2. Expect their release in August for PS3, PC, Xbox 360, and a title to be released for the Wii U.

[source:gamefreaks]

- Rizumi/Rabbit

Don’t have a Xbox 360? Check out the companion piece This Week on PSN.

Trials Evolution (Available Now; April, 18, 2012)
It's survival of the fastest with Trials Evolution! Your favorite physics-based motorcycle racer is back in a brilliant new outdoor setting. Ride in real-time multiplayer with 2-4 players, either locally or through Xbox LIVE. Enjoy a deep, rich single player career with 50 brilliant tracks, challenging unlocks, and tricky achievements. A massive, powerful track editor lets you build the track of your dreams and easily share it with the world. Or simply download top-rated tracks from around the world, using the all-new Track Central. Customize your bike and rider with awesome gear and unique parts, enjoy unique skill games, try ghost racing, beat your Friends' scores, and more! Don't miss the madness!

[source: Major Nelson]

-William

According to a press released by Microsoft, and 343 Studios, Halo 4 will launch worldwide on 6th November, 2012

“With Halo 4 leading the charge, we’re confident 2012 will be the most successful year in Xbox history,” Microsoft Studios VP Phil Spencer said in a statement. “We are beginning a new saga with Halo 4 and embarking on a journey that will encompass the next decade of Halo games and experiences.

- Sean Chapman

The Vita will be coming out with three free applications which will be available to download starting this week, on April 18.

The first app to come out will be Paint Park:

Using the touch screen, you can doodle, sketch and scribble quickly and easily with the virtual markers and on-screen color palette. The Vita’s cameras can play a part too, as you can take pictures and add them into your drawings. The app also has online multiplayer mode where you can play up to 5 people in its “AD Hoc” game.

Treasure Park

    A cool puzzle app that allows you to make and share your own puzzles will be another great multiplayer game to come out. The app will use whatever methods you can to share, using its “Near Application” and 3G to share wherever you are.

     Wake-up Club is an application which turns your PS Vita into an alarm clock that can sync up with other Vita users who set their alarm for the same time."

Wake-Up will be available this summer.

I'd really like to see Draw-Something, or some other Android apps hit these machine.

- Sean Chapman
Source: Sony

Don’t have a PlayStation 3? Check out the companion piece This Week on XBL.

Network Games (Available Now; April 17, 2012)
StarDrone Extreme (PS Vita) – StarDrone is a perfect blend of high-speed physics and pinball action, with strategic elements of break-out and object collection. But this is no walk amongst the stars, as the Drone is always in motion in the zero gravity environment, and the more stellar matter collected, the faster it travels until it is careening across the screen at light speed. Gather enough momentum and enter into Comet Rush where the Drone is impervious to all enemies and obstacles.

The House of the Dead 4 – Slap in a clip and prepare for an onslaught of terror in The House of the Dead 4! Set three years after the second game, the fourth game in the shoot-em-up series featuring House of the Dead 2′s protagonist James Taylor as well as new hero Kate Green, working together to battle untold horrors from beyond. In addition to the run-and-gun-down-creatures gameplay players had come to know and love, the game fully supports PlayStation Move. 

[source: PlayStation Blog]

-William

Continuing their recent trend of externally-developed games (Bionic Commando, Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City), Capcom has not only announced Lost Planet 3, but also announced that California-based developer Spark Unlimited is at the helm.

Details are a bit limited right now, but more articles should be up as the embargo from the recent Captivate event lifts. Naturally, more information will also be revealed as E3 comes closer. Below check out the plot details, sourced from Game Informer:

"Lost Planet 3 introduces Jim, a rig pilot who leaves Earth to take on a hazardous but lucrative contract on E.D.N. III. Working for Neo-Venus Construction (NEVEC) who are preparing the planet for colonization, Jim joins his fellow pioneers at the Coronis base and begins surveying the uncharted terrain and obtaining samples of the planet’s energy supply – Thermal Energy.

With NEVEC’s existing Thermal Energy reserve running low the fate of the Coronis mission depends on the natural source of the energy supply being located. Realizing that this is a great opportunity for a huge pay-off and early ticket home to his family, Jim braves the risk of the treacherous environment and threat of the indigenous Akrid. Acting as a home away from home and boasting an array of tools that can assist Jim on the field, the utility rig provides Jim’s safety and is essential for not only his contract work but also his protection against the ever-changing climate."

[source: Game Informer]

-William

Don’t have a PlayStation 3? Check out the companion piece This Week on XBL.

Network Games (Available Now; April 10, 2012)
The Pinball Arcade (PSVita / PS3 Cross Purchase)
From the makers of Pinball Hall of Fame comes the ultimate pinball machine collection — step into The Pinball Arcade and you’ll have access to many of the all-time greatest tables from Williams, Bally, Stern Pinball, and Gottlieb! Players build their pinball collection by purchasing and downloading the tables they want to play, each powered by a realistic pinball simulation that re-creates pinball gameplay with accuracy and authenticity. Leave your quarters at home and just enjoy playing your favorite pinball machine for the zillionth time or discovering an acclaimed pinball classic for the first time.

Skullgirls
Developed by newcomer Reverge Labs, Skullgirls is a fast-paced 2D fighting game. Starring a cast of feisty female warriors, Skullgirls is a multi-layered fighter featuring all-new game systems for veteran fighting game fans while also making the intimidating genre enjoyable and accessible to the casual gamer.

Sour Patch Kids: World Gone Sour
Joining forces with fellow lost Sour Patch Kids, players will use a combination of jumps, twists and puzzle-solving to negotiate and overcome larger than life obstacles. Along the way, they will battle unusual candy enemies, escape from deranged humans, and face-off against bizarre creatures including one very angry wad of sticky chewing gum.

PS2 Classics (Available Now; April 10, 2012)
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES
A spin-off of the RPG Persona, Fes (or “Festival of Persona 3″) consists of Persona 3′s content along with 30 hours of additional gameplay. The new gameplay comes primarily in the form of the “Gojitsudan,” a story sequence that comes after the original’s ending, with new cinematic sequences in addition to the added gameplay. While the main storyline is the same, it’s been tuned up with new events. Gameplay has been updated as well, with a new “hard” setting (the original had just easy and normal), 23 new Personas, a weapon synthesis system and a system for changing your characters’ clothes. 

[source: PlayStation Blog]

-William

Don’t have a Xbox 360? Check out the companion piece This Week on PSN.

Skullgirls (Available Now; April 11, 2012)
Skullgirls is a fast-paced 2-D fighting game that puts you in control of fierce warriors in a Dark Deco world. All-new game systems test the skills of veteran fighting game fans while also making the genre enjoyable and accessible to newcomers. A modern take on classic arcade fighters with a hand-drawn high-definition twist, Skullgirls is a one-of-a-kind, action-packed competition complete with awesome combos and an intriguing backstory.

The Splatters (Available Now; April 11, 2012)
The Splatters are acrobatic masters with a unique death wish - to blow themselves up with style! In this award winning action-puzzler, you will unlock and master a variety of stunts and perform spectacular moves to clear out each stage in the most show-stopping way possible. With its fast-paced, splattery liquid physics engine you’ll never play the same way twice. And using Splatter TV, an in-game feature for sharing game clips, you’ll pick up a ton of new moves as you watch the world’s top players perform their jaw-dropping combos. It’s a messy, vibrant show of skill and splattery destruction. Life’s short. DIE WITH STYLE. 

World Gone Sour (Available Now; April 11, 2012)
Based on the popular Sour Then Sweet candy Sour Patch Kids, World Gone Sour takes players on a journey from the perspective of a lost piece of candy finding its way to its ultimate destination – the human stomach. Gamers take on the role of a miniature Sour Patch Kid in a stylized human-sized world, guiding the hero through unique locations such as the sticky floors of a movie theatre and a concession stand counter. Joining forces with fellow lost Sour Patch Kids, players use a combination of jumps, twists and puzzle-solving to overcome larger than life obstacles. 

Fez (Available Now; April 13, 2012)
Gomez is a 2D creature living in a 2D world. Or is he? When the existence of a mysterious 3rd dimension is revealed to him, Gomez is sent out on a journey that will take him to the very end of time and space. Use your ability to navigate 3D structures from 4 distinct classic 2D perspectives. Explore a serene and beautiful open-ended world full of secrets, puzzles and hidden treasures. Unearth the mysteries of the past and discover the truth about reality and perception. Change your perspective and look at the world in a different way.
[source: Major Nelson]

-William