Final Fantasy X-2 Mp3 Article

Data Filter: The News You Need in Easy-to-Swallow Gel Cap Form

News-o-Matic

Whassup?: THQ Wireless launches , a European multi-lingual portal
for purchasing and downloading mobile Java-based titles. Users buy games by
sending an SMS message and receiving a download link in return. Madtap will
feature THQ titles but also carry games from other publishers. Madtap
provides the back end fulfillment and billing system. THQ Wireless
anticipates expanding offerings to include ringtones, screensavers and
multimedia messaging.
So What?: THQ shows the mobile carriers how it should be done in this
excellent portal that lets users quickly find games that are compatible with
their handsets and tastes. While it doesn't allow for online demo
 play, the portal gives liberal screenshots and matches users with the right
games for their hardware in an efficient interface.

                        

Take that, Cingular and AT&T! The portal is a nice end run around the carriers and their abysmal sites. Despite THQ's promise, we saw no sign of other publishers yet at the site, and who knows how Madtap will handle competitor content. Whassup?: Microsoft partners with online digital music service Eatsleepmusic to provide downloadable karaoke music to the Xbox's upcoming Music Mixer karaoke/music library product. Users can purchase any of 20,000 voice-less popular tunes from .com, download the files to their PC and transfer them to their Xbox. Special song packs will be available directly through the Xbox Live service as well. Music Mixer goes on sale on Oct. 18. So What?: With the PS2 EyeToy gaining momentum (UK sales are through the roof), and EA throwing in with the Sony online strategy, MS needs a win for its upcoming gadget. This partnership makes the Music Mixer much more attractive, since offers a wide range of familiar pop songs for download at $ each, although we would prefer that users didn't need the PC as a go-between. The EyeToy is cooler. ..for a couple of days...but the Music Mixer is more likely to be used as a credible MP3 library and playback device. Whassup?: IBM gave a dry run for its GameGrid in late August in an attempt to stress test a distributed computing system that is designed to handle massive multiplayer gaming more efficiently. IBM invited students to download and play a customized version of id's Quake 2 to show that hundreds or thousands of players could be handled simultaneously in an arena on relatively simple hardware. So What?: What if they gave a beta test and nobody came? IBM netted only 80 participants of the GameGrid in this first try, after fewer than 900 people downloaded the software. IBM is going to try a re-test using bots instead of unreliable students. Nevertheless, the relevance of distributed style processing to online game play is undeniable. IBM is deliberately trying to run server- and network-intensive tasks on Neanderthal hardware to demonstrate the efficiencies gained by a grid approach. As MS and Sony console networks already approach 1 million users, the cost of maintaining a robust online gaming network could be monstrous in years to come, and techniques like IBM's could make available to publishers and hardware makers more flexible revenue models. Whassup?: relaunches. According to Microsoft, the site is in direct response to user requests for more streamlined access to more game information. In addition to feature stories about the platform, upcoming titles promos, etc. the new site also gives Xbox Live players easy access to online friends lists, high score info, and head-to-head competition. The site also sports an accessible, and massive, message forum for most Xbox topics and specific titles. Some forums have tens of thousands of entries. So What?: Gamers will need to bring their enthusiasm with them. So clean and well-lit, looks downright bland. Partners will enjoy an oversized frame for promo animations, and the re-design puts lists of upcoming titles in clear view. Otherwise, the site does little to merchandise the platform or offer any unique selling points or even embody any of the excitement of gaming. Alluring media assets are fairly well hidden, aside form some trailers, and the site asks you to sign in with Microsoft's Passport system but never tells you what good it does. Also, and this is inexcusable for a Web site, some prominent areas of the site list as "upcoming" titles that have been out for weeks.

August Sales (Sort of) Meets Expectations

Top Amazon Game Pre-Orders (as of Sept. 22)
Title Platform\ Publisher Expected Release
1. Halo2 Xbox\Microsoft 4/18/04
2. Final Fantasy X-2 PS2\Enix-Square 12/5/03
3. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2004 PS2\EA Sports 9/25/03
4. Mario Kart Double Dash GC\Nintendo 11/20/03
5. WWE Smackdown: Pain PS2\THQ 10/30/03
6. Super Mario Advance 4 GBA\Nintendo 10/21/03
7. DDR Max Dance Revolution PS2\Konami 9/26/03
8. Socom II PS2\Sony 11/7/03
9. Jak II PS2\Sony 10/17/03
10. NHL 2004 PS2\EA Sports 9/25/03

Top 20 Online Game Destinations (9/7/03 - 9/13/03)
Site Market Share*
1. Yahoo Sports Fantasy Football %
2. Yahoo Games %
3. Pogo %
4. Yahoo Fantasy Sports %
5. Yahoo Sports Fantasy Baseball %
6. Neo Pets %
7. ESPN Fantasy Games %
8. MSN Gaming Zone %
9. Gamefaqs %
10. CBS Sportsline Fantasy Sports %
11. GameSpot %
12. %
13. Solitaire %
14. Lycos Gamesville %
15. Whomp %
16. %
17. Fantasy Sports %
18. Puppit %
19. Uproar %
20. Game House %
* Indicates share of total category traffic visiting this destination.
Source: Hitwise

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