The Rabies Blog

Some very impressive sales numbers have just officially come through regarding console sales for 2007. Can you guess who came out on top?

According to NPD figures, Xbox 360 saw sales of $4.8 billion landing them ahead of both Wii at $3.5 billion and PlayStation 3 at $2.2 billion. Those figures add up to a total of more than $13.7 billion in total sales, of which 45% was spent on Xbox 360. But that’s not all…

According to NPD:

* Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare for Xbox 360 was the leading game last month with 1.5 million copies sold, outselling the PS3 version nearly 3:1.

* Assassin’s Creed for Xbox 360 was the fourth best selling title, having sold 894,000 units. It outsold the PS3 version more than 2:1.

* Guitar Hero III outsold the PS3 nearly 2:1, having sold 625,000 copies.

* Rockband sold 463,000 units for the Xbox 360 platform, compared to 174,000 units for the PS3

*To date, 33 third party games on Xbox 360 hit the top 10 list across all consoles compared to five third party games on PS3, and four on Wii.

* Halo 3 was the sixth best selling title in December, selling another 742,000 units. In 2007, NPD projects that Halo 3 has sold 4.8 million units in the U.S. since its launch in September.

* Xbox 360 continues to lead in number of games sold per console, setting another record with an attach rate of 7.0 games per console.

These facts and figures should remove any doubt about Xbox 360 having won the un-official console war. Considering that the Microsoft console is only in its second generation - and was competing against two historic gaming icons in Sony and Nintendo - this feat becomes even more impressive.

Some of you may be experiencing some difficulty logging into (and staying connected to) Xbox LIVE. While there hasn’t yet been an official response from Xbox on the issue - or at least none that I’ve seen - I’m hopeful that we’ll hear something from them soon. In the meantime, I want to pass along a workaround that seems to help when LIVE hangs up and all you see on the Dashboard is the spinning 360 icon. This hang seems to occur when first signing into LIVE or switching between games.

If you get hung, press “X” (sign-out) once and confirm that you wish to sign out. The console will then tell you that you’ve signed out, although your gamertag info should still appear. After a short bit, your console should sign you back into LIVE automatically and all is well again.

I can’t promise that this will work for everyone, but I’ve had success with this method so far. If you’ve discovered a workaround of your own, or just want to vent your frustration with LIVE, feel free to drop a comment.

*UPDATE: I just got word from the Xbox team that they are well aware of the problem and are working ’round the clock to fix it.*

I was in Target doing a little Christmas shopping yesterday, when I happened upon this:

This should help sell PLENTY of consoles, don’t you think?

Do you think you have what it takes to create the next big hit on Xbox LIVE? If so, you may be interested to know that Microsoft has just released XNA Game Studio 2.0, a brand new version of the development software that began as XNA Game Studio Express.

XNA Game Studio 2.0 includes more than 15 new features including the ability to create online, cross-platform multiplayer games for Xbox 360 and Windows using Xbox LIVE and Games for Windows - LIVE. The new software is available for download now at http://creators.xna.com/.

Once you’ve created your masterpiece, be sure it gets the attention it deserves by registering for Dream-Build-Play 2008. Here are some of the details:

“Microsoft will once again challenge aspiring game developers to create their dream games for a chance to win more coveted publishing contracts. This week Microsoft kicks off registration for Dream-Build-Play 2008 with the Silicon Minds Warm-Up Challenge. Registration begins on Dec. 14 and winners will be announced at the Game Developers Conference where details of the main challenge will be announced. Run in partnership with Microsoft Research’s Machine Learning Group in Cambridge, England; Rare Ltd.; and Lionhead Studios, prizes for the Warm-Up Challenge will include the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to interview for an internship with one of those organizations.”

Head over to http://www.dreambuildplay.com/ for more details on Dream-Build-Play 2008.

Ok, so I finally had a chance to grab the Fall Update and was playing around, setting up my bio and checking out some of the new features when I came across an unexpected surprise. Xbox LIVE now has streaming video in Video Marketplace!

When I watched Major Nelson’s feature in the new Inside Xbox area, I immediately shot over to Marketplace to see if the streaming feature was added there. Sure enough, it is! While you can still choose to download movie and television trailers, those of us with limited hard drive space can now choose to Preview the selection. The Preview streams the trailer, albiet in low quality, saving both time and digital real estate.

The Update seems to have a number of cool new additions, but this one was a surprise, so I thought I’d hop online and blog it.

Microsoft has confirmed a sizeable list of new features that gamers will be able to enjoy when the Fall Dashboard Update hits consoles next Tuesday, December 4^th. While this doesn’t include every new improvement included in the update, the following list is pretty impressive in and of itself:

Downloads:

Xbox Originals - With this new service, announced on Nov. 13, consumers can download-to-own full original Xbox games that were previously only available at retail. The digital shelves will always be stocked with classic titles, such as Crash Bandicoot: Wrath of Cortex, Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge, Halo, Fable, Fuzion Frenzy, Psychonauts, and more as the catalogue grows over time, at 1200 Microsoft Points per game.

Xbox LIVE Arcade Hits - On Xbox LIVE Arcade, the Arcade Hits program kicks off where some of the best selling Xbox LIVE Arcade games will become available at permanently reduced prices, making it easier than ever for everyone to build a library of downloadable games! The first games to become Arcade Hits will be Bankshot Billiards 2 and Lumines LIVE, which will be available for 800 Microsoft Points each, and Marble Blast Ultra, Small Arms and Zuma Deluxe, which will be available for 400 Microsoft Points each.

News, Information and Community:

Inside Xbox - A new direct feed brings current news straight from Xbox.com into the Xbox LIVE Dashboard providing members an easy, predictable entry point where they can discover what’s new in: game releases, events, and Xbox LIVE Marketplace offers.

Enhanced online profile - Members interested in sharing a few more details about themselves will have the option to go beyond their motto and further personalize their profile with an expanded bio. The extended bios will be visible to “Friends Only” or the entire Xbox LIVE community.

Expanded Friends List access - A quick and easy way for gamers to expand their personal community on Xbox LIVE, members will be able to see the Friends Lists of other Xbox LIVE members, boosting their social networking experience on the service.

More Control:

Enhanced Parental Controls - Family Timer, a strong and flexible new addition to the Xbox 360 Family Settings, enables parents to set the amount of time their Xbox 360 can be used on a per-day or per-week basis by their children or other members of the household.

New video features - The convenience of full-screen movie previews and enhanced video codec support further expand the options when it comes to the Xbox 360 entertainment experience.

Easy-to-use navigation features - With several noteworthy changes in the Xbox LIVE Dashboard, from the new Game Store button to the Video Store button to enhanced visuals and descriptions in the video library, Xbox LIVE members can find what they want, when they want it.

The full list of included features and enhancements will be made available at http://www.xbox.com/live when the Update launches on December 4^th.

Over the past 5 years, Xbox LIVE has grown from an “interesting concept” to the benchmark for online success. With more than 8,000,000 members and the best combination of online play and downloadable content, we’ve all got something to celebrate!

No longer a rumor, Microsoft announced the new family-friendly Xbox 360 Arcade console has hit retail stores. The new console - a much improved version of the Core -  includes a wireless controller, a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) connection, 256 MB of memory useful for storing games and entertainment content as well as 5 very respectable Arcade titles (PAC-MAN Championship Edition, Uno, Luxor 2, Boom Boom Rocket and Feeding Frenzy) all for the Core price of $279.99.

In keeping with the family oriented theme, Microsoft also announced the addition of more than 100 episodes of popular Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. and Nickelodeon TV shows including more than 50 episodes of the classic Looney Tunes library in high definition as well as several shows from Nickelodeon’s various channels like “The Backyardigans”, “Blues Clues”, “iCarly” and more.

We’ve been wondering for a while how and when Xbox would finally pursue the Nintendo Wii market, clearly the group this package is targeted towards. If buyers can look beyond the hype that has fueled Wii sales this past year, they will undoubtedly realize that this new Xbox console offers much more value for the money.

I’ve just finished posting some new details and screenshots from Omega Five (Hudson Entertainment and Natsume) over at the Totally360 website.

Judging by the screens, this could be one of the best looking titles we’ve seen show up in Arcade. Check ’em out and see what you think. The official website for the game is here.

An interesting report from Electronic Entertainment Design and Research (EEDAR) showed up in my email box late yesterday, the subject of which is Achievements in Xbox 360 games. The study shows a direct relation between a game’s quality and quantity of Achievements with its critical and consumer success.

The report, entitled Accomplishments Unlocked 2007, states “…in general, game titles that have a higher volume of Accomplishments correlate with both a higher Metacritic Metascore and higher gross sales in the United States.” It goes on to say, “The results showed a strong connection between a game title’s diversity of Accomplishment types with that game’s profitability - pointing to the idea that the more diverse the Accomplishments available to the user, the more enjoyable the game, higher review scores, more units sold.”

While I would certainly not dispute these results, I am a bit surprised that the most obvious answer to contribute to these findings was not mentioned. Quality game companies that develop top-tier games also devote the time and effort into the creation of a game’s Achievements. Simply put, high quality games usually include high quality Achievements and thus, sell very well.

As an example, Gears of War, Bioshock and Halo 3 are a few of the highest rated games for Xbox 360. These games also include between 49 and 57 Achievements each. Although several Achievements are based on progression through the game, the majority are based on challenging tasks that require players to develop their skills in order to accomplish them.

On the other hand, games like Bullet Witch, Fuzion Frenzy 2 and the horrific Vampire Rain are all poorly designed titles which appear to have been put together solely for the purpose of getting them into the market with little concern to their quality. As a result, Vampire Rain includes only 20 Achievements while Bullet Witch and Fuzion Frenzy 2 check in with a measly 14 Achievements each.

What it comes down to is this; gamers know a good title when they see it. Although the report states that it also, “…found evidence that consumers are taking the time to review the available Accomplishments for a game before making purchasing decisions“, I personally don’t know anyone who has used the included Achievements in a game as a basis for deciding whether or not to purchase it. I’m truly convinced that the relationship between Achievements and a game’s success is coincidental in that, a legitimately good game will naturally include legitimately good Achievements.

Check out the report for yourself and let us know your thoughts on this.

Here’s another release update for you: Activision has announced that Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground has shipped and is now available at retailers nationwide.

“Set in the streets of Baltimore, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground features an arsenal of amazingly detailed Nail the Trick moves, including Nail the Grab and Nail the Manual for total board control, and new gameplay mechanics like skateable terrain building and the Aggro Kick for intense action. In addition, the title enables gamers to seamlessly skate from single player to multiplayer online.” 

“The title also features a booming soundtrack with more than 50 tracks from the likes of Bloc Party, Foo Fighters, Jurassic 5, Nirvana, the Rolling Stones, Slick Rick and more.   Additionally, on the game disc, Xbox 360 enthusiasts will have the opportunity to play a demo of 5 songs from this year’s hottest music based video game, Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock.  The title, which is also being developed by Neversoft, will hit retail stores on October 28.”

I think it’s time I look at my gaming budget again…

Micorosoft has just relvealed that Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom (Kingdom Under Fire’s long awaited follow-up) will be coming exclusively to the Xbox 360 console VERY shortly.

The release schedule is as follows:

* Japan , Australia/New Zealand and Asia Dec. 13
* Americas (U.S., Canada, Latin America) Jan. 8, 2008
* Europe, the Middle East and Africa Feb. 1, 2008

More details on the game can be found at www.xbox.com/kufcod.