Over at Softpedia, there are rumblings that Microsoft could announce the release of a new 360 model as well as a price cut for current models at E3 in July. Microsoft is likely hurting as the PS3 sold more units in May than the 360 (about 208,700 and 186,600, respectively according to the NPD) and this trend is expected to be the case in June, too .

Part of the reason for Sony’s success as of late is the recent run of PS3-exclusive titles on the system (MGS4, we’re looking at you) according to EEDAR analyst Jesse Divnich:

This is likely due to the exclusivity factor as exclusive releases on Sony’s platforms have historically shown to be a better hardware driver than that of multi-platform releases. On average, PS3 exclusive games sell 45% more, throughout their lifetime, than multi-platform titles available on the PS3. Exclusive titles for the other two systems, the Wii and Xbox 360, only boast a small increase in lifetime sales over multi-platform titles.

With E3 less than a month out, we’ll know soon enough whether this holds any water or not.

[Via Evil Avatar]

Today, Rare has shown and confirmed that cooperative play will be a feature in the highly anticipated Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise. Sadly, there is still no confirmation on whether or not there is an online co-op mode. As it stands, Rare has only said that they hope to have the feature implemented by the time it is released.

In a statement by Rare about the co-op mode:

“The other player will not have full control over the game, and, for example, will not be able to build new houses or other constructions, but with spade in hand you can help with tending the garden thus gaining a form of magic for every useful act than can be used to turn objects in the garden into different things.”

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I don’t know about you guys but I spend a considerable amount of time playing what I (and many other gamers) thought to be a children’s game. To this day I am still trying to get a Roario and an Elephanilla to stay in my garden.

Luckily at MS Gamers Day, Rare not only leaked info out about the new Banjo Kazooie game, but also a game that I will probably be the first in line on release day to get…Viva Pinata 2.

The tentative title for the game is Viva Pinata: Trouble In Paradise and we were lucky enough to secure a half dozen screenshots to put up. Since this is only the first day of the MS Gamer’s Day event, lets hope that they have even more amazing items to reveal tomorrow.

Michael Pachter, an analyst for Wedbush Morgan, is putting his cart before the horse by speculating on what the NPD report for April (which is expected for release on the 15th) will state.

He casually says that Pokemon will sell well, GTAIV will sell many copies and push more people to buy new game systems, Mario Kart Wii will drive more sales for Nintendo, as will the continually high selling copies of Guitar Hero III and Rock Band.

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In its continuing effort to kick E3 while it’s down, Gamecock has announced its “BE-3 Initiative,” to “mock and take full advantage of the E3 Expo (or, since its death, the Media & Business Summit).” In conjunction with this, Grand Champeen of Gamecock Mike Wilson is running for ESA President (see his campaign ad above).

It’s hard to argue with “fun we can believe in,” and I’d vote for him just to get his hair into office (if I actually could).

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Guess what, guys? There’s going to be a Bioshock movie, and the illustrious director of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies is going to be making it. For some, this is pretty exciting news, but I know a certain ninja that probably feels otherwise. Still, considering how strong Bioshock’s narrative was, I think it should adapt quite nicely to film. Said Verbinski, “I think the whole utopia-gone-wrong story that’s cleverly unveiled to players is just brimming with cinematic potential. Of all the games I’ve played, this is one that I felt has a really strong narrative.” Hopefully they decide to make the ending a bit more riveting than it was in the game, though. Moreover, this is supposedly going to be the biggest game-to-movie deal since the now-defunct Halo deal in 2005. Hopefully Bioshock won’t end up in the trash, though.

[via Variety.com]

Peter Moore may not work for Microsoft anymore, but that doesn’t mean he can’t talk smack complain about Sony’s Playstation Home from his position as the President of EA Sports.

Here’s what Moore had to say about Home:

“I just wish it would ship. I [previously] questioned it a little bit, whether I’d want to wander around there. Phil Harrison showed me a demo - it’s very cool, but let’s go already. And so I’m disappointed that it’s been pushed back a little bit again.

“But I really hope it gets going and becomes that portal to the PlayStation Network and we can utilise it. But boy, I just wish we’d get going.”

While Moore may or may not still have a bias against Sony, I don’t think this quote suggests any bias. He does compliment Home, and you can’t blame him for being anxious - when something’s been delayed as much as Home, of course people just want it to finally be ready and are disappointed when it’s not.

He’s just expressing the same feeling plenty of gamers have, but his prominent position makes his opinion actually matter.

Downloadable content for games is a sensitive subject. If handled correctly it can enrich and expand a game, opening up new options, or if it’s free it can be a reward to loyal fans. Then there’s the opposite, when it costs more than it should considering the content and is only a tool for game publishers to make some quick, easy money. Like when gamers were charged $2.50 just for some horse armor - or, in this case, ninja armor.

The current offender is Microsoft, who is planning on charging 200 Microsoft Points, or $2.50, for downloadable armor in Ninja Gaiden II. While ninjas are certainly more awesome than horses, it’s still a pretty high price to pay for “new and never before seen looks,” especially when that’s the kind of stuff that most games include free, right on the disc itself. Plus, since the game isn’t even out, this could easily be included as part of the game, but instead they’ve chosen to charge for it.

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No, Mr. Glenn Beck, you’re the fucking loser.

Strauss Zelnick, chairman of Take 2 Interactive and Jack Thompson’s arch-nemesis, is a happy man, a very happy man. His company’s flagship title Grand Theft Auto IV has made over $500 million in its first week of sales. Helping this happy fact along is the knowledge that there have been over 6 million units sold to date, with more than half being sold in the first day. According to Mr. Zelnick:

“We knew Grand Theft Auto IV would break new ground in terms of the player’s experience, with its compelling story line, extraordinary gameplay and action that ranges over a broad urban canvas. Now, it has broken sales and rating records as well…Grand Theft Auto IV’s first week performance represents the largest launch in the history of interactive entertainment, and we believe these retail sales levels surpass any movie or music launch to date. We congratulate the entire Rockstar team on creating a must-have experience that takes the legendary Grand Theft Auto franchise to a new level.”

I wonder if EA is now going to come back to Take 2 with a much larger offer than they did a few months ago. If there was any doubt to the Grand Theft Auto series continuing on after this one, let me assure you, a half billion in a week guarantees a sequel. I find it hilarious that at least $50 dollars of that large sum is Jack Thompson’s, don’t you?

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama talked about gaming, television, and entertainment’s effect on education and how the importance of school has to be emphasized at a recent stop in Indianapolis. He specifically made reference to Grand Theft Auto IV (you may have heard of it), although he talked about games in general as well:

“I was just catching the news this morning about Grand Theft Auto, alright, this video game, which is gonna break all records, and make goo-gobs of money for whoever designed it. Now, this isn’t intended for kids, I understand, although I promise you there will be kids who are playing it. But, those video games are raising our kids.

“It just reminded me, video culture, TV culture - across the board - middle class, upper class, working class kids, they’re spending a huge amount of time, not on their studies, but on entertainment.

“And so part of our job is gonna have to be to inspire the entire country to say how are we giving our kids a thirst for knowledge, and turning off the TV set, and getting them to be engaged and interested and really feel… that their future really does matter on how well they do in school.”

It’s true that a lot of parents try and let games and entertainment raise their kids instead of doing it themselves, and I don’t think it’s an attack on video games as much as Obama saying games shouldn’t detract from things like education. Michelle Obama, his wife, also clarified that this applied to “not just one specific game.”

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Blockbuster is trying pretty hard to make its mark in the gaming retail department, just as many other store chains are trying to do. The company’s Game Rush service wants a piece of the game sale goldmine, which is why Blockbuster will be expanding the service by offering more accessories for consumers.

Starting today, Blockbuster will now carry software, hardware, and accessories for the Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Nintendo DS systems. In addition to more offerings, the company will also be expanding the variety of games it has available for rent, as well as the number of existing rental copies.

Not only will the company be expanding its variety, but it will also try its best to get the gaming crowd’s attention with exclusive deals and promotions. One example, Blockbuster’s announcement explained a $499 PS3 bundle that included a 40GB system, an HDMI cable, Spider-Man 3 on Blu-ray, Transformers: The Game, a Blu-ray DVD remote, and one free Blu-ray or PS3 game rental per week for 12 weeks. Blockbuster definitely wants to compete with GameStop.

Take note that the company hasn’t mentioned the PSP or PC in any of its offerings. Blockbuster hasn’t totally revealed if they’re ditching the two consoles or just not giving them any attention yet.

Epic Games’ president, Mike Capps, reiterated what Epic has previously said in an interview with IGN, stating that Epic won’t ever be developing games for the Wii. It’s not about the success of the platform to him, but what can be done on it. When asked whether there would ever be a time when Epic would be forced to give in and create a game for the Wii, Capps said, “no, we go forward, not back. It makes more sense for us to invest in the next-generation tech.”

As for why he believes the Wii has become so popular, he says it’s like a virus that just keeps spreading:

It’s a virus where you buy it and you play it with your friends and they’re like, “Oh my God that’s so cool, I’m gonna go buy it.” So you stop playing it after two months, but they buy it and they stop playing it after two months but they’ve showed it to someone else who then go out and buy it and so on. Everyone I know bought one and nobody turns it on. Obviously there’s a class of people who really love it and enjoy it and are getting into the games but I’m still waiting for that one game that makes me play it.

Some in our forums have shared a similar sentiment regarding games for the Wii (at least this year), but others are very excited about the upcoming games for the system. It seems that in many cases it may just be personal taste.

Capps also talks about everything from Gears of War 2, Grand Theft Auto IV, and Unreal Tournament III to the comics, paying for weapons, and Wii Fit, so if you want to hear more of what he has to say make sure to read the rest of the interview.

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Sources close to Take Two as well as several industry analysts expect Grand Theft Auto IV to make $400 million in its first week, selling 6 million copies when it releases April 29, according to Variety.

If these predictions are correct it will be the biggest one week video game launch ever, surpassing Halo 3’s $300 million in the first week. GTA IV might even beat movie records, with the the highest being $404 million worldwide, made by Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End in the first six days. If GTA IV’s launch does end up being the biggest entertainment launch of all time, at least we’ll know that gamers have better taste than movie goers when it comes to breaking records.

However, Halo 3 was an Xbox 360 exclusive, while GTA IV is on both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, so it does have a significantly larger base of customers to draw money from. Still, $400 million is an impressive figure, and and at $60 a piece it works out to be over 6.67 million copies (even higher than the previously mentioned prediction). By my informal estimates, that works out to be amassiveshitload of virtual hookers killed per day and an even higher number of virtual cars stolen. While I don’t have industry analysts or important anonymous sources to back this up, I’m going to go ahead and say that GTA IV will break all records for crimes committed in-game in a week, and probably the record for amount of cumulative enjoyment from one game crammed into a single week too.

If the above picture (spotted on Digg) is to be believed, someone has gotten a copy of Grand Theft Auto IV ahead of its scheduled April 29 release. It was rumored that someone had a copy in March when a video showed the case and intro, but 1UP believed it was fake.

There is also more reliable proof someone has GTA IV already, since Powderblue Kes’ 360voice.com blog shows that he played it April 9 after 28 days with nothing played. As is usual when a game suddenly appears early, there are plenty of questions; did Powderblue Kes take a picture of his disc, or are there multiple copies out there? Did they (or he or she) get it for review, or because they work at Rockstar, or because a store sold it early, or by more nefarious means? How long until someone who has it leaks it to the internet? And how did the Xbox 360 pictured get that mustache?