I think I killed him, that's how I got into the Dark Brotherhood.

and the podcast is back!

aspro said:

Now with EVEN MORE racism!

The more the better because if you manage to offend every race then it ceases to be racism!

aspro said:

Should be up in about an hour and a half folks.

Sweet. I need a good podcast for driving tomorrow!

I need to get on in the future so I can talk Vita!

Foolz said:

First podcast that has had part of it embargo'd out?

I don't think so - I'm pretty sure there's been one or two podcasts where I've been embargoed. Weirdly, a bunch of journos were embargoed on the device - which was odd.

aspro said:

GAME is in deep trouble. In North America we have GameStop, which bought up all the smaller chains, and as you know from the stories we post they are doing great every quarter.  In Australia we have GAME and another place called Games for Less or something like that.  GAME is identical to GameStop.  The second chain I mentioned is nicer, they carry old consoles and games.

As I hear on the UK podcasts GAME is the only dedicated gaming retailer in the UK right?  Like Stores like "HMV" and "Tessco" stock other things like movies and groceries but also games?

In any case, if GAME goes online only (which looks like the pattern) that sucks for UK gamers.

Yeah before gaming went mainstream we had little independent shops and back then there was no online shopping. Game UK built themselves up, they were electronics boutique but changed names.

Eventually they became so successful they bought their only rival Gamestation. HMV is more of a music and movies retailer, supermarkets have started selling games in the past couple of years but they have a limited selection too. Basically you'll be left in a situation where you can't just walk into a game shop and expect them to have a game in stock on launch day. You'll have to ring around or travel about like a headless chicken. Back to the old days basically.

IGN last story review says it has the best combat in any rpg, japanese or otherwise. Graphics are great, it's a tight game with no shortcomings. Seems really up on the game. It's about 20 hrs long, so not scary huge or anything and it's not too hard either so that fear factor is washed away for me. Looks very, very decent and the main city especially has all the detail of an Assasins Creed game.

So what's going on with you Move owners?

Anything cool you're playing? Anything new coming for it? Are you still happy with it? Awaiting new games or what? Anyone thinking about getting HOTD or the RE lightgun ports?

Video Game Analyst Michael Pachter Says Nintendo Is in Disarray

Michael Pachter, video game analyst for Wedbush Morgan Securities, delivered a keynote at the fourth annual Ayzenberg A-List Summit 2012, put on by the all-purpose game marketing, PR and publishing firm. With the conference focusing on “The Consumer Courtship,” Pachter focused his speech on how the social landscape is already affecting the gaming industry and how will it will trend.

Pachter delved into the role of social gaming and its relationship to all platforms. And he explored what the future holds for publishers and developers building brands in this space, which discussing what strategies and tactics are best employed to attract new players as the category matures.


But the outspoken analyst did take questions at the end of his entertaining talk. And he was asked about Nintendo.

“I think Nintendo is in disarray,” said Pachter. “I think they’ve completely blown the Wii U by not telling people what the price is going to be. It’s going to launch at $249 because it has to. I think they’re dead anyway because Xbox with Kinect will be priced below that by the time they launch.”


During his keynote, Pachter said the “Wii was a bubble and that the Wii bubble has burst.” Wii gamers are now playing social games like FarmVille. He said that Nintendo had great success with the Wii, and actually pushed gaming further into the mainstream with its Blue Ocean policy than even the company had planned. But the influx of social games and quality mobile games on tablets and smartphones has killed the Wii. And he believes it will ultimately kill Nintendo’s handheld business.


Regarding the Wii U, Pachter believes Microsoft and Sony will ship their new hardware, PlayStation 4 and Xbox Next, with 4GB hard drives. But he said Nintendo will release Wii U without any hard drive.

When asked about rumors that Microsoft might launch Xbox Next for $600, Pachter said if that happens, “no one’s going to buy it.”

Discuss.

Or not.