[Laconfir]

I love video game systems... I own a PS2 and an XBox. I was wondering if anyone else owned any of these systems, and good games they have played. The two best games I have played this month would be Armored Core: Silent Line (PS2) and Crimson Skies (XBox) Anyway, I think we need a Games Forum, as I know there are quite a few companies working in Canada recently. (The popular Star Wars: Shadow of the Empire game for N64 was created by a company in Halifax I believe. Also, for the game Age of Mythology, one of the most powerful characters can be recieved by pressing enter and typing, O CANADA, and its a bear with a Canadian flag on its back and jumping monkeys )

Heres a little something about gaming Sales:


TOKYO - The videogame industry received a dose of good news on Wednesday when Nintendo Co Ltd said holiday sales of its GameCube rose over 70 percent from a year ago, while Sony Corp's PS2 sales did not fall as sharply as expected. A 27 percent rise in software sales for Sony's PlayStation 2 (PS2) console in November and December from a year earlier confirmed that year-end sales were strong, but analysts said the comeback by Nintendo was big news for the industry.

"Nintendo has managed to make a bit of a comeback, which is quite important for them. It was make or break for them this Christmas season and they have pulled it off more or less," said KBC Securities analyst Hiroshi Kamide.

A Nintendo spokesman said it would easily achieve a global sales target of six million GameCubes for the full business year, easing some market concerns about the feasibility of that goal after it sold only 890,000 in the six months to September 30.

The Kyoto-based company said holiday sales — roughly defined as the period from the end of November to early January — rose over 70 percent from a year earlier, without specifying how many units it sold.

Nintendo got a boost from cutting GameCube prices in Japan, Europe and North America in September and October, ahead of a holiday sales push.

Sony said in a news release that global PS2 sales fell about eight percent in November and December, but analysts said a single digit decline is a good showing at this point in the console's business cycle.

Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE), the company's game unit, said PS2 sales totaled 7.83 million units in November and December, down from the previous year's 8.5 million units. Software sales rose to a record 66 million units.

PS2 has been a runaway success for Sony since it was launched in Japan almost four years ago, grabbing almost two-thirds of the game console market in competition with Microsoft Corp's Xbox machine and Nintendo Co Ltd's GameCube.

PlayStation head Ken Kutaragi told reporters last week that the entire industry enjoyed a strong holiday season.

Happy holidays?
Other industry officials confirmed Kutaragi's opinion.

Microsoft's Chief Xbox officer Robbie Bach told Reuters in an interview earlier this month that the game machine's holiday sales were "solid", without specifying exact numbers.

Still, KBC Securities' Kamide cautioned about getting too excited.

"The trend to November was so poor that people really pushed down expectations so low and were a bit too pessimistic. The actual result was good, but on the whole it was not as fantastic as people think," he said.

Sony said PS2 sales in North America fell 27 percent to 2.94 million units in November and December from four million units a year earlier.

It said sales grew 18 percent to 1.11 million units in Japan, where sales were boosted by a decision to cut PS2 prices by roughly 20 percent to 19,800 yen.

In Europe, PS2 sales rose five percent to 3.56 million units.

Prior to the announcement, shares of Sony closed up 3.82 percent at 4,080 yen after investment bank Goldman Sachs upgraded the shares, due in part to strong Christmas sales.

Copyright 2004 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters.


About the poll, if you have more then one, choose the "more then one" anwser and just post the systems if you wish.

[Zyzzyxx]

I own a PS2 and i use the PC. I mostly use PC. a few of my favs are, Battlefield 1942, Age of Mythology, Command andCounquer Generals and NHL 2004.

As for the PS2 i pay Everquest and GTA: Vice City

Outta those Age of Mythology is my favoriute. "O CANADA" eh....i should try that cheat

[polemarch1]

I own a PS2 (don't use the computer for games). My favorite games for the PS2 that I own are GTA (3 and Vice City) as well as Silent Hill 1,2 and 3 and Medal of Honour: Rising Sun.

[drunken_prop]

I use my PC alot! Games like Medal of Honnor, Age of Mytholoogy (O CANADA - great code gotta love the killer bears), and Max Payne. But I am considering getting a PS2 or a XBOX, thought about the game cube but I don't like it at all. ANy suggestions on what would be the better purchase?

[Evan]

I have a pc and a gamecube. I dont have alot of games for the gamecube yet. my fav game for pc is DoD a halflife mod.

[joe_sock10]

Wouldnt it be cool if they made a grand theft auto canada for example gta: regina

[Laconfir]

I play TFC and Counter Strike (Both using STEAM) for the PC. I take it you play just regular DoD right Evan? I've tried it on Steam and it is really crappy, I think it's jkust due to steam (Or my computer is crappy).

Drunken Prop, as for what to get, I really wouldn't know... PS2 has way more games... But I find the XBox games really good (If you like FPS) But of course, PS2 has its classics.... My advice would be go to your local video store, and rent both systems at least once, and buy which ever you like the best

I play Age of Mythology alot... We should make a CKA Age of Mythology group OR a CKA Half-Life MOD Group... What would you think Trevor?

[drunken_prop]

We should set up a AoM game and play each other over the net!! Then we could have some fun kicking each other around!

[Zyzzyxx]

I up for it , when do we start? I love AoM, and im getting used to Loki now! What Gods to you guys use?

[Laconfir]

I mostly use Zues, Poseidon or Kronos

[drunken_prop]

Zeus, Odin or Thor. The only thing that I was dissapointed about in the game is that each religion didn 't get its own campaing.

[polemarch1]

Just got Max Payne and it ROCKS! This is one of the sweetest action games ever!

[Laconfir]

Yea, it does suck that they don't get their own Drunken.. Oh well eh?

About Max Payne... OLD GAME! lol Its a great game though... Anyway, I say OLD GAME because, it is, and Max Payne 2 is out now... It looks even better.. Haven't been able to play it yet though...

[polemarch1]

I know, I'm a little behind

Anyway I'll definantly be grabing Max Payne 2. I also want to check out Dead to Rights, The Getaway and True Crime.

[Goaler27]

I share the PS2 with my 14 year old, he likes all the shoot em up games but I love the racing and sport games.. I just Rented Need for speed Underground, paid the late charges for a week. could not get enough of it. it is way faster then any of the GT3's.