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40°

EA's micropayment ripoff: $2 Tutorials

Electronic Arts released today a set of video strategy guides for NCAA 07 Football and Madden NFL 07 over Xbox Live. Each five-minute tutorial costs 160 MS points ($2.00) and covers either Running, Passing, Run Defense, or Pass Defense.

That's right... you're paying for tutorials. You know, those things that were always included in games for free.

Silverwolf7157d ago

For a multi million dollar company to do something like this is nothing short of embarrassing.

jtdonnelly7157d ago

There's this thing called the internet that most people have already paid for, and the cool thing about it is they have access to all kinds of tutorials and game hints for free. 2K games all the way!!!

joemutt7157d ago

They will learn when nobody buys it. Maybe the occasional accidental download, but I have some retirement stock in EA, so if it does sell, good, more money for me at retirement!

BIadestarX7157d ago

Is it cheaper and more effective than a strategy guide($19.95)? I never buy strategy guides cause I think it is a rip off that you can always get online. But if they make these in digital form so people don't have to buy the physical form and save money it may seem like a good deal for people that like buying guides. I'm not one of those so EA will not see my money.

calderra7157d ago

People are trying to make such a huge deal- these are just miniature online strategy guides.

You might have a problem with those, too. But all of us have at least needed a peek at a guide or a forum for a little tip to beat SOME game in our lives. Some people are willing to pay for that (or too lazy to look it up for free, or etc).

And also- there's the myth of "free" content. Lots of game sites (like this one!) pay for their servers through all the ad banners and stuff on the site. Lots of people are already paying for that "free" content anyway, whether they realize it or not.

f1r3waII K1LL3r7157d ago

Still not as bad as Grand turismo where polynphony(sorry if the spelling is wrong) wants you to pay alot of money to unlock cars and stuff. I doubt people will buy these tutorials though.

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20°

Pro Football in the Current Generation

Since the Xbox 360 launched in November 2005, followed by the Wii and Playstation 3 in the following year, pro football video games were launched into a new area as well. Ever since the first videos of Madden 06 on Xbox 360 were launched around E3 2005, expectations have been sky high for pro football games over the last 5 years. But did they really live up to them or did things go mind numbingly wrong?

Smootherkuzz5736d ago (Edited 5736d ago )

" everything was unnecessarily complicated. Nobody liked anything besides the Tackle Alley feature and the animations. There was really no depth and whether there will be a Backbreaker 2 is up in the air"

There is a lot of people that love this game and yes there is some issues as with most games that are released these days, a patch has fixed some of the issues, as for a first release of a football game that EA has tried to block anybody from doing, this is not bad and yes Backbreaker 2 will be the great.Got go and play my season game.

70°

NPD: Wii Play top US best seller to date

GameSpot writes: Wii Remote pack-in leads list of all-time titles; Guitar Hero III, GTA: San Andreas, Modern Warfare 2, Wii Fit, Mario Kart Wii, Call of Duty 4, Madden NFL 07, COD: World at War, and Namco Museum also make chart.

Last week when NPD released its December 2009 US sales numbers, it declared that three of the 10 games of all time were from the Call of Duty franchise. Today, the industry-research firm released its list of top 10 domestic non-PC games to date, which reconfirmed that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 was the fourth best seller of all time. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare came in seventh place, followed by Call of Duty: World at War in ninth.

Don't call it a comeback--it's been here for years.
Unfortunately, NPD's number-one best-selling software "game" is a game many people don't consider a game at all. The Wii Remote pack-in minigames compilation Wii Play is now the top-selling software game product of all time in the United States, beating out Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (second) and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (third).

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gamespot.com
JoelR5954d ago

Hmmm Sony could have 100 million sales on *anygame* for the PS2 if they packed it in...

a pack in is not really a sold unit. It's a here you can have this whether you want it or not...

akashifire5953d ago

We're not talking about WiiSports, lol.

vhero5953d ago

Of course it was gonna be a top seller since its free with every wii remote you buy..

koehler835953d ago

It's also the most thrown out 'game' in history.

Also, AOL starter discs are apparently the best selling software of all time. OF ALL TIME!

Jamescagney5953d ago

I've never threw it away. I don't play it a lot but I wouldn't throw it away. What would be the point in doing that, unless you're an idiot?

koehler835953d ago

It comes with every Wiimote you buy. How many do you need?

Jamescagney5953d ago (Edited 5953d ago )

You can buy the wiimotes without the game though.

koehler835953d ago

Actually in a lot of places you can't. Wii Remotes aren't stocked everywhere that the combo pack is. Why would they let you pay $45 for a controller when they can force you to pay $60 with the promise of a 'game'? Nintendo probably gives the retailers a cut of the difference.

SpoonyRedMage5953d ago

It's funny that people can't accept that Nintendo's games are the best
sellers(ever in fact).

Hell Mario Kart Wii has surpassed what any PS2 game sold worldwide.

Nintendo's franchises are massive and still sold millions when they were in 3rd place.

Cosquae5953d ago

They're excluding PC games from that list (says in the article).

Kind of limits the need for acceptance ;)

SpoonyRedMage5953d ago (Edited 5953d ago )

Good point, Blizzard may be able to match Nintendo's sales on some titles throughout the years.

but how many publishers can claim to have multiple title with over 20 million sold just this gen?

@V: I think that is it though. No console games outside of Nintendo has topped 20 million this gen.

Cosquae5953d ago (Edited 5953d ago )

Over 20m this gen?

Maxis - Sims series.
Blizzard you've already mentioned.
Not sure about other console sales since I'm mostly a PC gamer...

Though if you're including games as part of hardware sales, Solitaire, Minesweeper and Hearts probably have sales in the billions by now? ;)

Seferoth755953d ago

Sims has not hit 20 million in sales this generation on a console.on a CONSOLE
You do not pay for Minesweeper, Solitare, so how exactly do they count as sales? I know you didnt ask before buying yours if they were included.
Blizzard hasnt hit 20million in sales either. Their last big game was WoW and that was in the last generation that it came out. It also did not hit 20m as the most blizzard had at any one point as around 15 million subs.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 5953d ago
Kurisu5953d ago

Wii Play is good ONLY for the controller. Once you've played through the "games" once...that's it. Move on.

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10°
6.5

TheGo Review: Blood Bowl

Mez of TheGo writes: "If you're a fan of the original Blood Bowl game, this is for you without a shadow of a doubt. But for those expecting a Madden type game or something you can drink beer and play without any real skill (Anti-Jock/Frat Boy speaking) then you're doomed. A side note, approach this game with a sense of humor, you will lose some of your most invested players all too easily. Remember the rule of thumb, you roll dice enough, you will roll a 1, and it's just a 1 at the wrong time that'll turn your All-Star Blitzer into the next Goblin BBQ."

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thego.com.au