Halo

September another rough month for game industry

The video game industry is still having a tough time shaking off the recession, NPD revealed in its September industry report.

According to the market researcher, overall U.S. game-related sales for the month reached $1.22 billion, representing an 8 percent decline compared with the $1.32 billion the industry generated in September 2009.

Hardware sales were down a whopping 19 percent from $427 million in September 2009 to $383 million last month. Physical game sales dropped by 6 percent from $649 million in September 2009 to $614 million last month.

NPD found that game accessories was the only … Read more

Crave giveaway: Halo Reach Legendary Edition

The other day the folks at Microsoft sent over a rather large, heavy box. Lo and behold, inside we found the Halo Reach Legendary Edition for the Xbox 360. And guess what? We're giving it away to one lucky person.

Microsoft says that this ultimate collector's item is "packed with content" from the Halo universe and features a 10-inch-tall commemorative statue of Noble Team created by the expert artisans at McFarlane Toys. How cool is that?

Normally, Halo Reach Legendary Edition would cost you a whopping $150, but we're giving one away gratis. So, how … Read more

Bungie nabs 15,000 Halo: Reach cheaters

In late August, Microsoft permanently banned a number of people who procured illegitimate copies of Halo: Reach and ill-advisedly played them on Xbox Live. Now, the Washington developer has slammed 15,000 players for exploiting the game's credit system.

According to a Bungie employee post on Bungie.net, the developer has reset credit tallies for 15,000 players who have "egregiously" exploited a credit rip-off. The post reads, "Specifically, we targeted an exploit that allowed players to complete a Challenge 20+ times via itentional [sic] network manipulation (i.e., disconnects)."

Bungie did not specify any … Read more

Netflix coming to Canada?

Links from Wednesday's episode of Loaded: AT&T pay as you go plans Samsung MetroPCS phone Canada gets streaming Netflix soon Halo: Reach breaks records Windows Phone 7 next month?

New Halo games coming every year from now on?

Halo fans looking to get new titles might not have to wait too long in the coming years.

Microsoft Game Studios Vice President Phil Spencer said in a recent interview with IGN that the company plans to increase the frequency with which new Halo games hit store shelves.

"There's no explicit strategy that says we're to ship a Halo game every year," Spencer told the publication. "I will say I think one Halo game every three years, which was kind of our old cadence, is probably not frequent enough."

Spencer indicated that by waiting … Read more

Digital City 97: NFL FanVision hits the field and hands-on with the Samsung Galaxy Tab

This week we check out the new NFL FanVision device, which Scott demoed live from this week's Jets game. It's a slightly dated looking handheld screen that gives you access to instant replays, other game highlights, and more, all while you're sitting in the stadium.

Following that, we discuss our recent hands-on demo with the Samsung Galaxy Tab, along with the exciting news that Google Docs editing is coming to both Android and iOS within weeks.

We also act out the latest testy Steve Jobs e-mail exchange with an equally tone-deaf college student, and finally show some some amazing video we shot that very morning, of a daredevil window washer, working on a high ledge without any kind of safety harness.

Buzz Out Loud 1309: The telcos are a poison pill (podcast)

Samsung Galaxy Tab pricing shows up on Amazon UK, and it's well over a thousand dollars U.S., presumably to force you toward subsidized prices so you'll end up paying the same amount or more for with-contract tablets. Which ... seriously? No. Also, Craigslist says the adult services section is gone for good, and Google's music service appears to be imminent--much to Spotify's demise--er, dismay.

Halo: Reach tallies $200 million on launch day

Halo: Reach generated $200 million in global sales on launch day, Microsoft Game Studios Vice President Phil Spencer announced at the Tokyo Game Show today. Reuters first reported on the news.

Spencer said Halo: Reach, which launched on Tuesday for the Xbox 360, generated more revenue in a single day than any game or movie so far in 2010 in the U.S. The game ranges in price from $60 for the standard edition on up to $150 for the "legendary" edition. Microsoft did not say how many units were sold.

Big launch days are nothing new to … Read more

Halo: Reach Spartan in a rocketpack lands in London

Yes, it's a promotional video by a major corporation that's trying to make it viral, but it's also totally awesome. To promote Halo: Reach (like it needs help), Microsoft outfitted a stunt man like a Spartan from the game and then landed him via rocketpack in London's Trafalgar Square among other Spartans.

I'd like them to pull this stunt a few more times, specifically in Seattle. I've been to many very geeky events, but I've never seen a rocketpack in action, and I think it's about time I had.

preGame 27: God of War: Ghost of Sparta, Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions

Today on preGame, we'll take an early look at God of War: Ghost of Sparta on the PSP and sample the many faces of Spider-Man in the web slinger's latest adventure, Shattered Dimensions.

But before we get to the demos, we must take time to talk about one of the biggest game releases of the year, Halo: Reach. We were fortunate enough to get an exclusive advance look at the game back in June, so be sure to check out preGame episode 19 when we had Bungie Community Director Brian Jarrard live in the studio!

Believe it or … Read more