| Future System Sellers in a Buyer's Recession |
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Possibly among one of the handful of industries floating its head above murky recessive waters, the gaming industry has thrived off oxygen in the form of an increase in leisure time during these not-so-economically-fantastic times. Perhaps a telling statistic derived from minutes-logged-on-Facebook from April 2008 to April 2009 will better illustrate our point. Statistics tell us that during April 2008, 1.7 billion minutes of our time were spent on Facebook poking, tagging, commenting and status updating each other. That’s 28.33 million hours, 1,180,555 days, or approximately 3,234 years on Facebook in total as a combined effort. But see that’s not where it stops. During the month of April this year, minutes-on-Facebook increased from 1.7 billion to 13.8 billion minutes. That’s 26,255 years on Facebook in total thanks to the good folks on planet Earth. Remember that shockingly terrible film 10,000 B.C.? Well to picture the amount of time we’ve spent on Facebook in a mere month you’d have to picture yourself in present time, travel back to the mammoth days when barbarians were speaking perfect English, double the amount of years, and you’ve got yourself the amount of time we’ve collectively spent on Facebook during April in 2009.
Obviously console, handheld and PC gaming aren’t as comparable or accessible as Facebook, but you get the picture. Our bosses don’t really like us in times of a recession; we’re costs that are too much to bear. A few weeks later we’re searching for jobs, tidying up our CVs, e-mailing companies with our very best impersonations of Charles Dickens and yet the tumbleweeds are still rolling in a Wild West backdrop. Some of us tough it out, but the rest of us give in and get out to our local GameStop or EB Games and dish out the cash to buy a Nintendo W—I mean Xbox 360. Now the real question is this: what titles in the coming year will lure those who haven’t bought a console yet to buy Microsoft’s machine? This isn’t an introductory hoorah for Xbox fanboyism in the second half of the year; it’s merely a list of games we’ve compiled in an attempt to guesstimate which games may be pivotal in Microsoft’s success for late 2009 til early 2010. Because honestly, we’d rather have the awesome populous of Earth join us on Xbox Live, headset on and trash-talk attitude switched to full blast rather than them sitting down, slouching over the latest status update from John Smith.
10. DJ Hero
Hopefully by now you’ve realised that Activision loves to milk its Guitar Hero cash cow dry. Not that that’s a bad thing, because justifiably each new iteration of Guitar Hero has brought at least a few new enhancements that its predecessors didn’t. DJ Hero is the first major depart from the guitar rocking formula; and boy does it look good. After the experience gained during the development of more than half a dozen Guitar Hero’s, Activision’s newest spawn sets to mesh songs across all spectrums of rap into gloriously exaggerated remixes of your favourite 808-thumping-tracks right into your grandmother’s living room. Everyone loves a party game, and with a vast amount of rap and R&B tracks to DJ to amongst your unemployed friends, a new interface, a mic for the aspiring rapper of the family, a guitar for the Jimmy Hendrix in you and a funky, new turntable peripheral for your old man are all the ingredients you’ll need to complete the home-based concert. We’re going to assume this will sell a few Xboxes even to those that are only slightly interested in rhythm games. If Warren G and DJ Whoo Kid came away suitably impressed from E3’s private hands-on demo, what could go wrong?
9. Assassin’s Creed 2
Seriously, who isn’t excited by Ubisoft’s pampered baby? Hell, even our grandparents rushed off to buy an Xbox 360 after we showed them the E3 trailer. Alright, not really, but you can’t deny the fact that the sequel to the most popular game in the Assassin-Back-In-Time-Killing-Sh*t genre looks -- plain and simple-- gorgeous. If we earned a buck for every time we heard Ubisoft flaunt that there are currently over 400 individuals working on AC2, we’d have some serious ca -- $7 by now. That’s good for three Disneyland churros. It doesn’t matter if you thought Altair’s outing was a disappointment or if you regarded it as the pinnacle of adventure games, Ubisoft have made sure that improvements are made to combat any repetitive elements of the game. Guaranteed, prospect buyers of the 360 will have a hard time refusing this one. Somewhat riding on the coattails of Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code and recently screened Angels & Demons, be sure to see conspiracy theorist teenagers flocking out to see what Desmond (or was it Altair...or Ezio) gets up to next in Italy’s sprawling, living city that is Venice.
8. Bioshock 2
Don’t be surprised if you see more 2s attached behind an original IP’s brand name along the list, because it seems that every AAA title decided to show up for the final quarter of the year to birth a younger, more handsome and crafty sibling for everyone to stare over. We’d be quite surprised if fans of FPS games from the last gen weren’t lured the first time round by Rapture’s imaginatively spellbinding world. Well, here’s a chance to redeem yourselves. Expect another stellar single player experience in the form of a Big Daddy post-Fall of Rapture narrative and an online multiplayer mode. Yeah, we know, that didn’t sound half as exciting as it should have. But truth be told, the folks who ported BioShock for the PS3, Digital Extremes, have been diligently working on the multiplayer experience from the ground-up. 2K Interactive have insisted that it is not a tacked on mode and it seems that they’re adamant on sticking to their word. With an all new single player mode that allows players to venture out of Rapture, a committed team working on the online component of said game and the original BioShock available for purchase, you’ll probably want the Xbox 360 and a Gold Xbox Live subscription this winter.
7. Left 4 Dead 2
Hot on the heels of the echoes of Valve-condemning cries, in particular the “you’ve abandoned Left 4 Dead!” screams of the fans, we’re taking it easy here at MS Xbox-World. In fact, we’re actually excited that a sequel is being attended to one of; if not the most visceral and intense co-op multiplayer game we’ve ever played. Apparently set in New Orleans (here come the “Valve is racist just like Capcom!” shrieks); gamers will again assume four different estranged survivors intent on living through a zombie infestation. For non-PC gamers, this console exclusive for the Xbox 360 is a title many FPS fanatics will want to grab. Let’s get this out of the way; PSN is inferior to Xbox Live. Consumers looking to buy a console for multiplayer gaming need not look elsewhere; Left 4 Dead 2 coupled with XBL’s community is a strong enough reason as to why you should buy an Xbox 360 in the near future. We’re not sure if it’s just us, but the thought of blasting multitudes of zombie hordes with 3 of your mates online in an infected New Orleans seems damn appealing. And to many perverted teenagers, it’s probably the most appealing thing Valve have conjured up since Zoey.
6. Project Natal
Project Natal isn’t a game, you’re right, it’s a peripheral. And Project Natal shouldn’t be at #6, you’re right; it should probably sit atop the list. But seriously, by the time Peter Molyneux and Microsoft release their lovechild the recession would probably be over, or so we’d like to optimistically think here at the MS Xbox-World office. Regardless, we’re still including Natal in the list just in case the economy digs a deeper hole yet to be imagined and is indeed released before the trough rises. With games such as 'That Dodgeball Demo Game Every Celebrity Played, Bending Over To Make An Elephant At The MS Conference Game' and 'Burnout Natal', we’re pretty damn sure Microsoft will tap into the casual market stronger than ever before. What we’re saying is that we think Milo has what it takes to infiltrate your homes better than Viva Pinata could ever do anyway.
5. Splinter Cell Conviction
Sam Fisher’s a badass. Unlike Snake, the ex CIA-operative always seems to like killing his foes with all sorts of ninja moves and manners. He also killed his friend, you know, Lambert. Alright, maybe you didn’t choose to kill good ol’ Lambert in Double Agent, but still, Fisher’s a violent man and he’s probably about to transform into Fred Krueger in Conviction with the way things looked during the E3 trailer. The ex-sneaky, stealthy agent is more ruthless than ever and he’s out for revenge. Ubisoft have kept this one under the Microsoft umbrella of exclusives which always helps to sell a handful more Xbox 360s. After years of silence we can’t help but to be surprised by the game’s outstanding appearance at E3 this year. Boasting detailed visuals, a great new objective-on-the-wall minimalist interface and gameplay that strive to take Fisher out to the great outdoors as a wanted man, we’re labelling this one a winner. It’s Splinter Cell, it’s an Xbox 360 exclusive by the talented team at Ubisoft Montreal and it’s looking more attractive than Megan Fox wearing a silky white dress after downing a full bottle of Grey Goose on New Year’s Eve. It’ll sell.
4. Halo ODST
I never hopped on the Halo bandwagon. Surrounded by peers who were constantly brainwashing me to hate all things Halo, I never got around to taking the fight to the Bloats. Or was it the Brutes? Being the diligent gamer I am, a Halo 3 purchase was mandatory 2 years ago. Suffice to say, upon reaching the game’s 63% mark the beastly sly animal that was the Red Rings of Death kept flashing its ugly rear to my face. The Halo save file somehow corrupted itself and never did I witness Master Chief kick planetary ass ever again. Apparently Halo ODST is different. It looked to be a glorified Halo 3 expansion title in its beginnings and somehow turned into a game of its own by the time E3 came around. Seriously, even with the little knowledge I possess of the Halo Universe it doesn’t take a Professor Dumbledore to figure out that anything Halo-related sells a gazillion copies. Pack this Bungie baby up with an Xbox 360 Arcade deal and watch it do numbers. Gazillion numbers.
3. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Activision’s other, more mature cash cow; the Call of Duty franchise has always provided the premiere first-person shooter experience on both home consoles and the PC. With its predecessor winning multiple awards including Game of the Year by countless editorials and publications, Infinity Ward have got a lot to live up to, especially after they aired out fellow developers Treyarch. Fortunately, competition usually brings out the best in all of us, and these superhuman geniuses are no different. If Treyarch could use the Call of Duty 4 engine and turn World War II into a beautiful serenade of a shooter, we can be sure that the folks over at Infinity Ward are refining the sequel to their classic to ensure that gamers will never have to return to the Reichland ever again. Infinity Ward have yet to disappoint us. With a promising single player experience set in various unique locales to an always-meaty online multiplayer mode, you’ll be hard pressed to find such a promising sequel that aims to take out the M16, utilize the Dead Silence perk and aim for its predecessors’ cranium like Modern Warfare 2 will. Well, even if it did suck more than a Juggernaut spammer on Live, the Call of Duty brand itself will sell Xbox 360s quicker than Activision could say cha-ching. Win!
2. MGS Rising
Anything Hideo Kojima-related we’re in. With one of the biggest gaming franchises to finally play over on the greener side of the fence, there’s a better, more convincing reason now why last-gen gamers who loved Metal Gear should purchase an Xbox 360. Let’s admit it; not having Metal Gear Solid 4 (MGS4) on Microsoft’s beloved console was a big blow to owners of said machine. It was considered amongst the greatest games of all time, and we’re not ones to argue. Personally, MGS4 was more than a game to me. And as I mentioned to Rob “Big Kahuna” Cram of MS Xbox-World a couple of weeks ago, it’s art. The distinct cinematic style of the cut scenes, the grand set pieces, masterful soundtrack and standing ovation-worthy closing storyline to the saga were exceedingly impressive. If Rising is even half of MGS4’s sheer quality, there’s no reason why this game won’t sell Microsoft’s system like hot cakes worldwide. One of the reasons why many Japanese consumers have been reluctant to buy the Xbox 360 is probably due to the lack of Japanese third party developers joining in on the party. Let’s see if Kojima’s involvement in an Xbox 360 game will encourage reluctant buyers to dive in – we’re predicting a strong yes.
1. Mass Effect 2
This is it. The sequel to BioWare’s undisputed modern action RPG classic will undoubtedly sell consoles. Touted as the best looking game at E3 next to Uncharted 2, we seriously doubt that any other title from any other developer will top this giant, intergalactic epic. The amazing amount of options your path could lead you to and the freedom the dialogue provides is simply cool. Combat has been improved with an all-new limb-blasting feature being one of the improvements that’ll supposedly increase your strategies in taking down dumb alien scum. But honestly, all we care about is the fate of Commander Shepard. BioWare have explicitly mentioned that Shepard may not even survive the journey if you made the wrong decisions during the course of the game. A stellar storyline involving distinct alien factions vying for power, conspiracy theories to overthrow the government, visuals that are unmatched on the console, state of the art voice-acting and a protagonist cooler than Jack Bauer – seriously, if this game doesn’t sell and give Microsoft a head start in 2010, we’d be at a loss for words as to what actually will. Actually, according to Fox, physical full frontal alien sex just might.
Posted By: Jeff Effendi
Date: 2009-07-31
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