Games Inbox: PSN scandal, Wii 2 business strategy, and Portal 2 downloads

Catch up on every previous Games Inbox here

Nothing is free

I found the secret memo outlining Nintendo’s business strategy for the Wii 2:

i.) Don’t give away the only game the majority of your customers play for free with the console.

ii.) A new Mario game every three months, as those are the only ones both gamers with a Wii actually buy.

iii.) Hope and pray the 3DS props up the flagging sales of the Wii 2, like the DS did with the Wii.

Tyler Zerstören

GC: You think making Wii Sports a bundled game was a mistake?

Gaming TV

RE: Paul Davidson 32″ TV query. Have a look at the Samsung LE32C530, (
see here for review). It’s a 1080p TV with very low input lag and since it’s a model from last year’s range you can pick one up now for about £260. There is more info on the ‘Net about how good this TV is for gaming.

Alternatively, if you decide to go for a 40″+ then buy a plasma, as they tend to have lower input lag than LCDs. Keep up the good work GC.

SajR (gamertag)

Summer rush

Seriously what is wrong with publishers? Zelda: Ocarina Of Time 3D, Child of Eden, Shadows Of The Dammed and Dream Trigger 3D all released within a two week period! June’s gonna be an expensive month.

Oumar786

Second Strike

I’m sure I read somewhere that the First Strike map pack for Black Ops was the best selling downloadable content ever for the Xbox 360, so I’m wondering if you knew what the case was with the PlayStation 3 version? I’m hoping four months of a shoddy online experience convinced a lot of people not to buy it and made Activision realise that if they release a half finished product, then gamers will vote with their wallets and not blindly buy their products.

Funtimefitzy

GC: Activision don’t seem to have ever said, which may imply you’re right but is more likely simply because First Strike came out later on the PlayStation.

Slow data

So – Portal 2 only had 10% sales on the PC? I’m actually surprised it was that high if it doesn’t include downloads! As a primarily PC gamer I really do pretty much only download games, the DRM on the hard copies, along with how rare it is to find anywhere that sells PC games means it is pretty much a no brainer!

The last hard copy I have is Batman: Arkhum Asylum, and that’s primarily because it was a present. If I’d bought it myself it would have come from Steam… Any idea why downloads aren’t counted? After all they are in the (really quite meaningless) music charts.

Thedudeabidesman

GC: There are plans afoot to have a digital chart in the UK, but remember this is an industry where there isn’t even a weekly chart in the U.S. – as if they’re still counting up the receipts by hand or something.

Testing your faith

Played Black Ops at the weekend against a player I didn’t know called ‘PS3 is best’. I wondered why he was playing on the Xbox if he thought this. I only realised with your story today it was because PlayStation Network was down. Wonder if he still thinks PlayStation 3 is best?

Manic Miner 100 (gamertag)

More than a niggle?

Just to add to HHH’s comments on the PlayStation 2/TV hybrid, I’ve had one since it was released and it’s worth mentioned how shoddy the glossy plastic it’s built with is. Like the old, fat PlayStation 3, it collects dust extremely quickly and simply giving it a wipe with a duster will leave permanent scuffs. Also, it can’t be wall-mounted. And the bezel surrounding the screen is far too big.

And, like HHH said, you need to buy a £70 accessory to use Wi-Fi with it, even though the box says that it’s ‘Wi-Fi ready’. And it’ll only do 720p. Apart from these small, niggling faults, I can’t recommend it enough. Having four HDMI ports is an absolute godsend.

Jeremy_Paxman (PSN ID)

Inbox also-rans

Ghost Trick on DS is only £14.99 in the GAME sale at the mo.

Tim F

PS: Do you prefer Power Stone 1 or 2 GC? 1 wins it for me all the way.

GC: We love them both equally, they’re very different games.

Remake Deadly Premonition! I think Steve Perrin kind of missed the point. What made it great for me was everything he wants improving.

Gill C.

Is it me or does L.A. Noire appear to be a total rip-off of Contact Sam Cruise on the Spectrum – from Microsphere who did Skool Daze. Now that is a classic game!

Alan Lovedog

I’d recommend a film called Brick for more modern day noir fare. Give it a go if you haven’t seen it yet.

Bobwallett

PS: When will the PSN get back to being on again?

This week’s Hot Topic

Since we’ve only got three days to get everyone’s responses in we’re going to make this week’s topic as simple as possible: what’s your favourite weapon in a game?

Whether it’s a gun, a melee weapon, or a special move which is your favourite way to dispatch bad guys? Would the weapon really work in real-life and does it matter to you whether it’s realistic or not?

What’s the most violent weapon you’ve used in a game and do you feel guilty about using it? What about the least violent method of dealing with enemies? What makes a really good weapon – is it the visuals, the sound effects or some other less obvious feature?

Remember it’s a bank holiday again on Friday and Monday, so please get in all your responses by Thursday afternoon. We could also do with more reader’s features, to get through the long weekend.

E-mail your comments to:
gamecentral@ukmetro.co.uk

The small print

New Inbox updates appear twice daily, every weekday morning and afternoon. Letters are used on merit and may be edited for length.

You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word 4Player viewer features at any time, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot.

If you wish to vote in the Readers’ Top of 2010 simply send us an e-mail with a list of your three favourite games of the year so far. Please vote only for games released in the UK during 2010.

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