The IDG (International Development Group) values the European market at $17.9 billion in 2007, compared to $18.8 billion for the US. Forbes Online states that the European market is “dominated” by casual games and shows an “aversion to excessive violence”. Gaming news site Gamasutra adds “The number one selling title, actually released in 2006, is Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training (aka Brain Age) for the Nintendo DS. The only single format titles in the top ten are for the Nintendo DS and Wii, with the Nintendo DS described as controlling 26 percent of the European market. ”

Europe has twice the population of the U.S. the fragmented market - divided by different languages, cultures and laws - has often seen publishers concentrating on the North American and Japanese markets.

Euro Top Ten 2007:

1. Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training (Nintendo)
2. FIFA 2008 (Electronic Arts)
3. Wii Play (Nintendo)
4. Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 (Konami)
5. New Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo)
6. Need for Speed: ProStreet (Electronic Arts)
7. Assassin’s Creed (Ubisoft)
8. Call of Duty 4: Mordern Warfare (Activision)
9. Big Brain Academy (Nintendo)
10. The Simpsons Game (Electronic Arts)

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Prospective game testers are invited to sign up for the beta at www.wizard101.com. Wizard101 was designed to fill the void between online play sites for the very young and massively multiplayer online games with mature ratings. The first beta testers have now joined the large cast of fantastical in-game characters for adventure and magic spell-collecting fun. Over the coming weeks, beta testers are invited to play the game (more…)

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“As part of Neopets’ strategy to extend the property into a multiplatform brand, we are continuously giving our audiences new ways to play on and off of the site,” said Kyra Reppen, Senior vice president and general manager for Neopets. “Our partnership with Capcom provides a new form of game play for Neopets that is relevant to the platforms our audience is using, and that complements the game play on the site.”

“Capcom is working to expand the breadth of our catalog to gamers of all ages in North America and Neopets is a perfect brand for us to bring to casual and family gamers,” said Germaine Gioia, senior vice president, licensing for Capcom Entertainment. “Combining Capcom’s experience, the rich world of Neopets, and Infinite Interactive’s skills in the puzzle/adventure genre makes a perfect match.”

Neopets Puzzle Adventure will release on PC, DS and Wii in late 2008

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A select few platform exclusives round out North America’s release lineup. Ninja Gaiden II is set to debut on the Xbox 360, arriving as what could be this week’s most anticipated multiplatform release. On portables, SCEA’s golf sequel Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee 2 seeks to fill the void left by conspicuously absent PSP ports of Kung Fu Panda and The Incredible Hulk, while Atlus provides Nintendo DS owners with a new localized RPG in Summon Night: Twin Age.

Nintendo Wii:
- The Incredible Hulk
- Kung Fu Panda
- Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures

Xbox 360:
- GRID
- The Incredible Hulk
- Kung Fu Panda
- Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures
- Ninja Gaiden II
- Robert Ludlum’s The Bourne Conspiracy

PlayStation 3: (more…)

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The small arena has been released as part of an online tournament for the game and features a simple circular design where players are challenged to knock four “Spikey Topmen” (spinning top-like enemies first featured in Super Mario Galaxy) off the edge in as short at time as possible.

The challenge can only be played in tournament mode, not in the standard multiplayer modes, and is available alongside downloadable “ghost” time trial cars for users to compete against.

Extra downloadable content of a type now commonplace on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 are an atypical addition for the Wii, likely due to its limited internal storage space. MTV Games and Harmonix have chosen, for instance, to release new tracks for Rock Band in the form of new retail ‘track pack’ discs.

Nintendo has hinted of a “solution” to this issue for (more…)

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“Shaun White Snowboarding will turn all of the traditional ideas and experiences of past action sports titles upside down,” said Tony Key, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Ubisoft. “The combination of Ubisoft’s innovation approach and the influence of Shaun’s lifestyle and perspective make this gaming experience like no other.” The game will be available for PS3 and Xbox 360 in addition to a Wii version that will take advantage of the Wii Balance Board.

Ubisoft also announced the next title in the Rayman Raving Rabbids series. Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party will be coming to the DS and Wii, with the latter also having compatibility with the Wii Balance Board. The game pokes fun at TV shows and popular culture in general.

“The Rayman Raving Rabbids titles have been an immense success, entertaining the world over,” said Yves Guillemot, president and chief executive officer, Ubisoft. “The inclusion of the Wii Balance Board into the game was a huge source of inspiration for our development team and I guarantee you will see the Wii Balance Board used in ways that will be surprisingly unexpected!”

In what was easily the most unusual and unexpected announcement at Ubidays, the publisher announced Allen Carr’s Easyway to Stop Smoking. Based around the series of books, clinics and DVDs, the game’s goal is, as the title states, to help people to stop smoking.

“Ubisoft’s creative team has worked hard to deliver a game that successfully communicates Allen Carr’s Easyway method via play,” said Christian Salomon, vice president of worldwide licensing at Ubisoft. “The player experiences a truly interactive engagement with the game through which he or she learns that it can actually be enjoyable to quit smoking.”

Ubisoft also announced the latest title in its Imagine series. Titled My Fashion Studio, players are cast as a young woman looking to make her mark in the fashion industry. This DS title allows players to design and tailor their fashion creations.

In the casual realm, Ubisoft also announced Dogz 2008. This Wii title is designed to use the Wii Remote for activities like jump roping and playing catch. The dogs can also travel to (more…)

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As many of you know, Virtual Magic Kingdom was created and launched back in 2005 as part of the Disneyland 50th Anniversary Celebration. VMK exceeded expectations in terms of performance, and as a result we extended the promotion (that is, VMK, the game) well beyond the 50th Celebration.

Eventually though, all promotions must come to an end, so I’m announcing today that on May 21, 2008, VMK will open our virtual gates for the last time. You read that right: VMK was never intended to last forever - we’ll close the game for good at the end of day on May 21st, 2008.

Now we understand this news may be upsetting to you but let me explain. Again, VMK was launched as part of Disneyland’s 50th Celebration in 2005 and the game has lived well beyond the originally intended time it was planned to run.

Over time you’ve seen our in-Park presence and other parts of VMK go away. You may remember our V.I.P Tours at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, or our in-Park Quest. (more…)

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Fans who crave more Indy-themed fun will find it online with National Geographic’s new interactive game “Tomb of the Unknown Mummy,” where they can dig for and learn about virtual ancient artifacts, then matching those discoveries to the specific mummy they belong.

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Part of its XNA Game Studio 2.0 program, the Creators Club allows members to create cross platform games for PC, Xbox 360, and, most recently announced, its handheld Zune media player. With its Community Games initiative, games made in Game Studio can be uploaded and shared with other members, and soon to the Xbox Live community at large.

Currently, the site contains a quick start guide to show off new site features and how its proposed pipeline will work, a Community Spotlight area with interviews and articles by community members, and a Role Playing Game Starter Kit that gives programmers a jumping off point to create new content.

Submitting and reviewing games currently requires a premium subscription membership, but the site is free for all to join. (more…)

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The game is based on Microsoft Game Studios’ highly-rated original Viva Pinata game for Xbox 360(R) video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. Viva Pinata: Pocket Paradise features an array of content exclusive to Nintendo DS and an intuitive control scheme designed to take full advantage of the DS touch screen and stylus, making it a breeze to navigate through the garden.

“Nintendo DS is the perfect platform for the Viva Pinata franchise because players can have direct interaction with the environment and their pinatas using the stylus,” said Bob Aniello, senior vice president of worldwide marketing, THQ. “We are thrilled to introduce Microsoft’s critically-acclaimed Viva Pinata series to an entirely new segment of the gaming community.”

In Viva Pinata: Pocket Paradise, players will inherit a neglected garden on Pinata Island and turn it into a pinata paradise by (more…)

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