Episode 33: Maximum Bacon

This week we set our engines to Maximum Bacon! We talk June NPD numbers, the slim 360, Deathspank and ask about your favorite gaming beverage! Don’t miss a single minute..

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Ep 33: Maximum Bacon [ 1:51:57 ] Play Now | Download

This Week in Gaming

• http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/19/pachter-online-multiplayer-games-to-blame-for-game-sales-declin/

  Last month’s NPD figures were rather disappointing, reflecting a 15 percent decline in year-over-year sales. With the exception of Red Dead Redemption and Super Mario Galaxy 2, it appears gamers simply aren’t buying as many games as they used to … and, predictably, Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachterhas a theory.

  The problem? Online games. According to Pachter, “the overall decline was due to a very large number of people playing multiplayer online games.” With an estimated 12 million players spending 10 hours a week rampaging through Activision’s shooter, Pachter argues that online games like Modern Warfare 2, Halo 3and Bad Company 2 have “sucked the available time away from what otherwise would be spent playing newly purchased games.”

  While there are many other factors to consider — the still-sluggish economy, the declining sales of key Wii software (a la Wii Play) — Pachter’s point does seem to have some merit. Unfortunately, his publisher-centric solution is unlikely to win him many fans among gamers. The “monetization of multiplayer,” as he describes it, would have publishers figuring out some method to charge gamers to play online. It’s a risky proposition that could bear some terrible consequences, but the current model is, as Pachter puts it, “devastating for publishers and shareholders, who are seeing sales and profits decline.”

• http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/19/netflix-streaming-headed-to-canada-this-fall/

  “Finally!” We have to imagine that’s what millions of Canadians are shouting at the top of their lungs this morning, as Netflix announced plans to launch a streaming-only service in America’s northern cousin sometime “this fall.” That said, French Canadians take note: the service will only be launching in English, with a French option to follow “over time.”

  So will the service be accessible through Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii, as it is in the US? According to the announcement, “Canadian Netflix members will be able to instantly watch a broad array of movies and TV episodes right on their TVs via a range of consumer electronics devices capable of streaming from Netflix, as well as watching on PCs and Macs.” A Netflix representative told Joystiq this morning, “We’re not announcing the Netflix ready devices until the service launches, but it’s fair to assume that several popular, brand name devices will be capable of streaming from Netflix to TVs at launch – in addition to the ability to watch instantly on computers — and that we’ll add to the family of devices over time.” While the service doesn’t launch until this fall, interested Canadians can head over to the Netflix Canada website right now and sign up for ongoing, (presumably) more specific notifications about when “streaming instantly” will go live.

• How’s That Slim Xbox 360 Selling?
• Paid Call of Duty? Activision Says No.

• (via joystiq) For those about to rock — well, you should probably just cool your jets, as you’ve still got a little while to wait. A press release from Harmonix has announced that its upcoming, keyboard-infused rhythm title Rock Band 3 will hit North American store shelves on October 26, 2010.

  Accompanying this announcement was the unveiling of the pre-order bonuses being offered by major retailers. Folks who reserve the title at Wal-Mart get a $10 e-Gift card. Those who go with Amazon will unlock an exclusive in-game guitar. Pre-orders who go with GameStop will be able to download three songs for free at launch: “My Own Summer” by The Deftones, “Blue Monday” by New Order and “Burning Down the House” by Talking Heads.

• The NPD Group has their monthly video game sales report for the month of June 2010 up and it’s about what you’d expect — Red Dead Redemption holds the top spot with a slew of Nintendo titles not far behind. Turned out to be a tough month for hardware sales.
• Okami-den vido features babeh gods and new allies! When Okamiden was first revealed, we learned that Chibiterasu would be accompanied by several different companions, each offering their own unique abilities. Until now, though, we’d only ever seen the young warrior Kuninushi. Now, a new video released by SiliconEra shows a young – and cute – crew of new allies, like a mermaid girl with water for hair, and a young fan-wielding girl.  Also, if you played the original Okami, then you’ll recognize some of the gods that come to help you out…
• NIS America has three AWESOME-looking games on the horizon: Another Ar Tonelico, Clandun: This is an RPG (which is basically 3D-Dot Game Heroes in a PSP RPG), and the most hilarious (and difficult one): ZHP: Unlosing Ranger VS Darkdeath Evilman (Zettai Hero Project). ZHP is – and I quote: “an RPG grindfest that you can play over 40 MILLION TIMES.” You can customize…EVERYTHING. It’s crazy.
• Mega Man Universe? Yeah, I dont’ even know.

Rumor Mill

• Call of Duty Black Ops will have a Zombie mode similar to zombie Nazis from Call of Duty: World at War.
• There is currently in development(by EA) a Harry Potter MMO set to be released around 2012.
• Twilight the Videogame alpha testing will start in a few months.

5 Deals in 5 Minutes

1. SEGA Genesis Firecore System w/ 20 Pre-Loaded Games for $28 + free shipping
2. Retrogen Sega Genesis Handheld Game Console for $28 + $1 s&h
3. Over at Best Buy, Green Day Rockband, Skate 3, Battlefield Bad Company 2, and Final Fantasy XIII are $39.99 each. Reward Zone members may be able to get an additional $20 off of Final Fantasy XIII with this coupon. They’ve also got a buy 2, get 1 free offer on $9.99 PSP games.
4. Kmart is taking $40 off Transformers: War for Cybertron when you buy an Xbox 360 250 GB console. PS3 owners can pick up ModNation Racers, God of War III, and MLB 10: The Show for $39.99 each.
5. Kinect for Xbox 360 with $30 Walmart gift card, game for $199 + $1 s&h

Question of the Week

What is your drink of choice while gaming?

• mohalen: Fresh H2O with ice, or some kind of fruit punch, or cokewaternice
• Triz: Anything I have ready, basically, which mostly is milk.
• tartdarling: non alcoholic: plain ol’ coke, alcoholic: beer/jager depending on the night.
• nochecazador: Lemonade or Sweet Tea. Root Beer if it’s available.
• mulletsWow: nothing special but some ice cold diet pepsi, or a glass of ice water.
• glassofwater2: Stash Earl Gray tea that has been left out for about 30min to an hour.
• lougagliardi: Tea, Mt. Dew or Pepsi and tons of it.
• GridDragon: merlot
• Achloryn:  Not that you won’t hear this thousands of times, i’m sure, but Mt Dew. Sometimes with a shot of vodka!
• quietambition: Water or beer depending on time of day/week
• deaf_marty: my drink is a Grand Marnier, that is a blend of true cognacs and distilled essence of bitter orange. I are fancy like that.
• bryterside:  I always start a raid with a cold IPA and a glass of water
• kirinkouki: Non alcoholic: water with ice or juice, alcoholic: wine coolers or malt liquor.
• tinkerpriest: sweet tea, juice, or koolaid. (Depends on what we have in the house)