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RPG Cast – Episode 743: “There’s a Body in My Inventory”

Chris got extra hands and became too weird even for SMT. Kelley got to the boat song and noped out. Phil destroyed half the furniture in his living room. Now go give your cat some nose drops.

The post RPG Cast – Episode 743: “There’s a Body in My Inventory” appeared first on RPGamer.




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RPG Cast – Episode 744: “11.5-Bit Graphics”

Chris is unmasked as The Corporate Body. Tam talks about anime and waifus. Kelley is excited about text size. Josh explains the meaning of "time to shipwreck." Subscribe to our latest offering, The Monthly Litterbox.

The post RPG Cast – Episode 744: “11.5-Bit Graphics” appeared first on RPGamer.





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RPG Cast – Episode 746: “Extra Life 2024”

Chris gets killed by Dick Van Dyke. Kelley is done with VR now. Sam had a busy work week of dressing up as a blanket ghost. And Josh sails into invisible walls.

The post RPG Cast – Episode 746: “Extra Life 2024” appeared first on RPGamer.



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Boeing could ‘take over’ hunt

A veteran aviation expert said Boeing could take up the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370.




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Musical chairs on Virgin board

Richard Branson’s Virgin Group has swapped out its envoy on Virgin Australia’s board, putting in Warwick Negus.




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Budget airlines boost industry

More than a billion passengers flew with budget airlines last year, helping lift total passengers to 3.7 billion.




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MH370 search ends in two weeks

The hunt for missing flight MH370 will end in two weeks, Malaysia’s transport minister said yesterday.




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Aviation’s achievers set to soar

Up to 700 international competitors and crew will flock to Benalla as the event returns to Australia after 30 years.




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Commercial flying ‘never safer’

A 10-year analysis of air accidents reveals good news for most passengers but worrying trends in training and drones.




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Tigerair passengers stranded

Tigerair has been forced to suddenly halt services to Bali after Jakarta unexpectedly cancelled a flight agreement.




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Tigerair ban strands Aussies

More than 170 Australian travellers remained stranded in Bali last night following the Indonesian ban on Tiger­air.




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Buffett joins $200K club. Membership: 1

IMAGINE if you’d spent a grand on a single Berkshire Hathaway share 31 years ago. That stock just passed $US200,000 and is still climbing.




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Bangladesh next in Seek strategy

ONLINE jobs and education group Seek will continue expansion into international markets.




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Former IBM chief John Akers dies

JOHN Akers, who led IBM as its longtime dominance of the computer industry began to wane, has died, aged 79.




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Young diners not lovin’ it

MCDONALD’S revenues have slumped and there’s one key reason: Millennials aren’t Maccas fans, choosing fresher, healthier food instead.




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Rosneft poised for Arctic LNG stake

ENERGY giant Rosneft is poised to take control of a new Arctic Circle LNG project planned for an area of northern Russia fronting the Barents Sea.




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FBI probes possible J.P. Morgan hacking

THE Federal Bureau of Investigation is probing a possible computer hacking attack on J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.




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Traders suspended in forex probe

TWO banks have suspended London-based currency traders over the alleged manipulation of foreign exchange markets.




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China ends floats logjam

INVESTORS swarmed over the shares of a maker of valves on Friday as China broke its self-imposed freeze on initial public offerings.




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Super Mario Party Jamboree Tops the Japanese Charts

Super Mario Party Jamboree (NS) has remained in first place on the retail charts in Japan with sales of 57,522 units, according to Famitsu for the week ending October 27, 2024. 

Farmagia (NS) debuted in eighth place with sales of 4,296 units.

Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven (NS) remained in second place with sales of 14,646 units. The PS5 version fell from third to seventh place with sales of 5,097 units.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (PS5) is up one spot to third place with sales of 8,620 units and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (NS) re-entered the top 10 in fourth place with sales of 5,782 units.

Professional Baseball Spirits 2024-2025 (PS5) is up two spots to fifth with sales of 5,729, and The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom (NS) is up two spots to sixth place with sales of 5,492 units.

The Nintendo Switch was the best-selling platform with 60,096 units sold. The PlayStation 5 sold 13,965 units, the Xbox Series X|S sold 2,610 units, and the PlayStation 4 sold 53 units.

Here are the best-selling games in Japan:

    1. [NSW] Super Mario Party Jamboree (Nintendo, 10/17/24) – 57,522 (364,484)
    2. [NSW] Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven (Square Enix, 10/24/24) – 14,646 (85,013)
    3. [PS5] Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (Activision, 10/25/24) – 8,620 (35,567)
    4. [NSW] Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Nintendo, 04/28/17) – 5,782 (6,044,039)
    5. [PS5] Professional Baseball Spirits 2024-2025 (Konami, 10/17/24) – 5,729 (84,989)
    6. [NSW] The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom (Nintendo, 09/26/24) – 5,492 (294,371)
    7. [PS5] Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven (Square Enix, 10/24/24) – 5,097 (37,254)
    8. [NSW] Farmagia (Marvelous, 11/01/24) – 4,296 (New)
    9. [NSW] Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Nintendo, 03/20/20) – 4,253 (7,943,533)
    10. [NSW] Minecraft (Microsoft, 06/21/18) – 4,242 (3,666,338)

    Here is the hardware breakdown (followed by lifetime sales):

    A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

    Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/463007/super-mario-party-jamboree-tops-the-japanese-charts/




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    Switch Comfortably Best-Seller - Japan Hardware Estimates for October 2024

    The Nintendo Switch was the best-selling console in Japan with 241,803 units sold for October 2024, according to VGChartz estimates. The Nintendo Switch has now sold an estimated 34.30 million units lifetime in Japan.

    The PlayStation 5 sold an estimated 49,056 units to bring its lifetime sales to 6.12 million units. The Xbox Series X|S sold 5,862 units to bring their lifetime sales to 0.64 million units. The PlayStation 4 sold an estimated 162 units to bring its lifetime sales to 9.68 million units.

    PS5 sales compared to the same month for the PS4 in 2017 are down by nearly 53,000 units, while the Xbox Series X|S compared to the same month for the Xbox One are up by over 5,000 units. PS4 sold 101,851 units for the month of October 2017 and Xbox One sales were at 563 units.

    Nintendo Switch sales compared to the same month a year ago are down by 41,368 units (-14.6%). PlayStation 5 sales are down by 17,208 (-26.0%) and Xbox Series X|S sales are down by 2,294 units (-28.1%). The PlayStation 4 is down by 5,362 units (-97.1%) year-over-year.

    Looking at sales month-on-month, Nintendo Switch sales are down up nearly 67,000 units, the PlayStation 5 sales are down by over 4,000 units, and Xbox Series X|S sales are up by over 2,000 units.

    2024 year-to-date, the Nintendo Switch has sold an estimated 2.47 million units, the PlayStation 5 has sold 1.16 million units, and the Xbox Series X|S has sold 0.09 million units.

    Monthly Sales:

    Japan hardware estimates for October 2024 (Followed by lifetime sales):

    1. Switch - 241,803 (34,300,699)
    2. PlayStation 5 - 49,056 (6,121,649)
    3. Xbox Series X|S - 5,862 (636,764)
    4. PlayStation 4 - 162 (9,679,626)

    Weekly Sales:

    Japan October 12, 2024 hardware estimates:

    1. Switch - 55,097
    2. PlayStation 5 - 11,810
    3. Xbox Series X|S - 429
    4. PlayStation 4 - 31

    Japan October 19, 2024 hardware estimates:

    1. Switch - 58,866
    2. PlayStation 5 - 11,324
    3. Xbox Series X|S - 1,612
    4. PlayStation 4 - 36

    Japan October 26, 2024 hardware estimates:

    1. Switch - 67,736
    2. PlayStation 5 - 11,951
    3. Xbox Series X|S - 1,207
    4. PlayStation 4 - 40

    Japan November 2, 2024 hardware estimates:

    1. Switch - 60,104
    2. PlayStation 5 - 13,971
    3. Xbox Series X|S - 2,614
    4. PlayStation 4 - 55

    A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

    Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/463008/switch-comfortably-best-seller-japan-hardware-estimates-for-october-2024/




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    Marcus and Dom Voice Actors to Return for Gears of War: E-Day

    Publisher Xbox Game Studios and developer The Coalition have announced John DiMaggio, the voice actor for Marcus Fenix, and Carlos Ferro, the voice actor for Dom Santiago, will reprise their roles for the prequel Gears of War: E-Day.

    "On today's 18th anniversary of Gears of War, we're proud to share that John DiMaggio and Carlos Ferro are reprising their roles as the iconic voices of Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago in Gears of War: E-Day," announced the developer.

    Gears of War: E-Day is in development for the Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Xbox Game Pass.

    We are so back. ????????

    On today's 18th anniversary of Gears of War, we're proud to share that John DiMaggio and @RealCarlosFerro are reprising their roles as the iconic voices of Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago in Gears of War: E-Day. pic.twitter.com/x9uaH9R0sR

    — Gears of War (@GearsofWar) November 7, 2024

    A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

    Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/463012/marcus-and-dom-voice-actors-to-return-for-gears-of-war-e-day/




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    Mass Effect TV Series has Been Greenlit by Amazon

    A TV series based on the video game series Mass Effect is officially in development at Amazon, according to a report from Variety.

    F9: The Fast Saga writer Daniel Casey will write and be an executive producer on the series. Karim Zreik will also be an executive producer under his Cedar Tree Productions, which is under an overall deal at Amazon.

    Ari Arad and BioWare's Michael Gamble will also be executive producers. Arad previously was a producer on other video game adaptations - Borderlands and Uncharted.

    Developer BioWare is developing a new entry in the Mass Effect series. 

    A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

    Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/463013/mass-effect-tv-series-has-been-greenlit-by-amazon/




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    A Late Look: Red Dead Redemption II

    Welcome to A Late Look, a series of articles where I take a belated look at games from yesteryear that I missed out on the first time around. Not quite review and not quite rant, it’s more a casual assessment of what I – the gamer of the future – consider to be each game’s strengths and weaknesses in retrospect.

    This time we’re saddling up for a look at Red Dead Redemption II, one of the biggest critical and commercial successes of the last ten years. It conveniently went completely under my radar, allowing me to look at it now. I was ten years late to the first game, this time it’s only six, so at this rate I’ll definitely be playing Red Dead Redemption IV on launch day. I'm looking forward to that, but for now let’s see how the second game fares in 2024.

        

    Strength: The Van der Linde Gang

    Travel back to a time before former-outlaw John Marston got pulled from his farmer life in the first title, to when he was… well, an outlaw. While you might play as Arthur Morgan, in this game you become part of John’s old gang – the Van der Linde gang – together with Marston himself and other familiar and unfamiliar characters. While RDR2 also boasts a few other strong characters, this gang is at the heart of the game and, luckily, is also its strongest element, with plenty of faces and personalities that (almost) all get their time to shine. What adds all the more to the connection and believability of these characters is the living nature of the camp itself; it's your home base outside of missions, where the gang will go about their daily tasks and have conversations & arguments that you can occasionally join in on – there are even celebrations and songs around the campfire. Even if it’s mostly just flavor, the strength of this particular feature and what it adds in terms of immersion shouldn’t be understated.

       

    Weakness: Red Dead Redemption II: Usability Nightmare

    Full Article



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    PS5 Ships 65.5 Million Units as of September 2024

    Sony Interactive Entertainment in its financial results announced it has shipped 65.5 million PlayStation 5 consoles as of September 30, 2024.

    With 65.5 million PlayStation 5 consoles shipped through the end of June that means 3.8 million units were shipped from July to September. This is down 1.1 million (-22.45%) from the same quarter in 2023 when 4.9 million units were shipped.

    For reference, the PlayStation 4 had shipped 4.2 million units in the same quarter for a lifetime total of 67.7 million units shipped as of September 30, 2017. This puts the PS5 behind shipped PS4 units by 2.2 million units.

    There were a total of 77.7 million games sold on the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 for the quarter. This is up 10.1 million from 67.6 million during the same period a year earlier. Digital sales accounted for 70 percent of software sales.

    There were 5.3 million first-party games sold across the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4. This is up 0.6 million from 4.7 million a year ago.

    There were 116 million monthly active users on the PlayStation Network, an increase of nine million from 107 million a year ago. Sony did not disclose the number of PlayStation Plus subscribers. It was at 47.4 million at the end of March 2023.

    Sony's Game & Network Services Segment for the quarter ending September 30, 2024, reported revenue increased 244.5 billion yen ($1.60 billion) year-over-year to 2,973.4 billion yen ($19.46 billion), while operating income increased 142.0 billion yen ($0.93 billion) to 389.3 billion yen ($2.55 billion).

    A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

    Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/463014/ps5-ships-655-million-units-as-of-september-2024/




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    Astro Bot Sales Top 1.5 Million Units

    Publisher Sony Interactive Entertainment and developer Team Asobi in Sony's latest earnings report have announced Astro Bot has sold over 1.5 million units as of November 3, 2024.

    Astro Bot released for the PlayStation 5 on September 6.

    Our own Lee Mehr gave the game an 8.5 out of 10 in his review and said "As an ode to PlayStation, Astro Bot succeeds at meaningfully infusing its history; as an all-ages theme park, it succeeds by infusing each location with an overwhelming sense of joyous wonder most often felt in Nintendo platformers, but with a level of technical sophistication not yet seen from its hardware."

    Read details on the game below:

    Join ASTRO on a supersized space adventure.

    When the PlayStation 5 mothership is attacked by ASTRO’s long-standing galactic nemesis, scrambling its wires and scattering the crew throughout space, only ASTRO can make things right! Setting off on his biggest mission yet, he needs your help to rescue the stranded crew and rebuild the mothership.

    Make the most of ASTRO’s new power-ups, handcrafted to level up your immersion: from springy punches and rockets all the way to a giant sponge!

    Buckle up for some epic PlayStation camaraderie, join forces with your favorite PlayStation icons and show the universe that small is mighty in this fresh new ASTRO adventure, exclusive to PlayStation 5 consoles!

    Features:

    • Embark on a galactic quest and explore more than 50 planets in search of ASTRO’s lost crew.
    • Dash, swing, and rocket-punch your way through this journey, with all-new power-ups.
    • Feel the world come to life via your DualSense wireless controller.
    • Team up with iconic PlayStation heroes to save the galaxy!

    A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

    Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/463015/astro-bot-sales-top-15-million-units/




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    Capcom Updates Its Best-Sellers List - Monster Hunter World at 20.9M, RE4 Remake at 8M, More

    Capcom has updated its list of Platinum Titles, games that have sold over one million units as of September 30, 2024. The list includes 122 games with sales over one million units, 64 over two million units, 14 over five million units, and six over 10 million units sold.

    Resident Evil 4 remake sold 400,000 units to bring lifetime sales to eight million units, Resident Evil 2 remake sold 300,000 units to bring sales to 14.5 million units, and Resident Evil 3 remake sold 200,000 units to bring lifetime sales to 9.2 million units. 

    Resident Evil 7: biohazard sold 300,000 units to bring lifetime sales to 14 million units and Resident Evil Village sold 400,000 units to bring sales to 10.5 million units.

    Monster Hunter Rise sold 600,000 units in the quarter to bring lifetime sales to 16 million units. Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak sold 400,000 units to bring lifetime sales to 8.8 million units.

    Monster Hunter: World sold 400,000 units in the quarter to bring lifetime sales to 20.9 million units, while the Iceborne expansion sold 600,000 units for a total of 14 million units.

    Dragon's Dogma 2 sold 300,000 units in the quarter to bring lifetime sales to 3.3 million units. Street Fighter 6 sold 400,000 units in the quarter to bring lifetime sales to 4.1 million units. Devil May Cry 5 sold 300,000 units to bring sales to 8.7 million units. 

    Check out the complete list below:

    Release Title Platform Million
    units
    1 Jan 2018 Monster Hunter: World

    *Unit sales including Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Master Edition: 27.00 million units

    PS4, Xbox One, PC, DL 20.90*
    2 Mar 2021 Monster Hunter Rise NSW, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, XSX, PC, DL 16.00
    3 Jan 2019 Resident Evil 2 PS4, PS5, Xbox One, XSX, NSW, PC, DL 14.50
    4 Jan 2017 RESIDENT EVIL 7 biohazard PS4, PS5, Xbox One, XSX, NSW, PC, DL 14.00
    5 Sep 2019 Monster Hunter World: Iceborne PS4, Xbox One, PC, DL 14.00
    6 May 2021 Resident Evil Village PS4, PS5, Xbox One, XSX, NSW, PC, DL 10.50
    7 Mar 2009 Resident Evil 5 PS3, Xbox 360, DL 9.40
    8 Oct 2012 Resident Evil 6 PS3, Xbox 360, DL 9.30
    9 Apr 2020 Resident Evil 3 PS4, PS5, Xbox One, XSX, NSW, PC, DL 9.20
    10 Jun 2022 Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak NSW, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, XSX, PC, DL 8.80
    11 Mar 2019 Devil May Cry 5 PS4, Xbox One, PC, DL 8.70
    12 Mar 2023 Resident Evil 4 PS4, PS5, XSX, PC, DL 8.00
    13 Feb 2016 Street Fighter V PS4、PC、DL 7.70
    14 Jun 1992 Street Fighter II SNES 6.30
    15 Jan 1998 Resident Evil 2 PS 4.96
    16 Dec 2010 Monster Hunter Freedom 3 PSP, DL 4.90
    17 Mar 2017 Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate 3DS, NSW, DL 4.90
    18 Nov 2014 Resident Evil PS3, DL 4.50
    19 Jan 2016 Resident Evil 0: HD Remaster PS3, PS4, Xbox One, PC, DL 4.40
    20 Nov 2015 Monster Hunter Generations 3DS, DL 4.30
    21 Oct 2014 Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate 3DS, DL 4.20
    22 Jun 2023 Street Fighter 6 PS4, PS5, XSX, PC, DL 4.10
    23 Sep 2013 Monster Hunter 4 3DS, DL 4.10
    24 Jul 1993 Street Fighter II Turbo SNES 4.10
    25 Apr 2013 Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen PS3, Xbox 360, DL 4.00
    26 Mar 2008 Monster Hunter Freedom Unite PSP, DL 3.80
    27 Feb 2019 Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy PS4, NSW, DL 3.80
    28 Nov 2013 Dead Rising 3 Xbox One, DL 3.80
    29 Feb 2009 Street Fighter IV PS3, Xbox 360, DL 3.60
    30 Mar 2015 Resident Evil Revelations 2 PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC, DL 3.60
    31 Mar 2016 Resident Evil 6 PS4, Xbox One, DL 3.50
    32 Sep 1999 Resident Evil 3 Nemesis PS 3.50
    33 May 2018 Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection PS4, Xbox One, NSW, PC, DL 3.40
    34 Jun 2016 Resident Evil 5 PS4, Xbox One, DL 3.30
    35 Aug 2016 Resident Evil 4 PS4, Xbox One, DL 3.30
    36 Mar 2024 Dragon’s Dogma 2 PS5, XSX, DL 3.30
    37 Sep 2010 Dead Rising 2 PS3, Xbox 360, PC, DL 3.20
    38 Jan 2013 DmC Devil May Cry PS3, Xbox 360, DL 3.10
    39 Jan 2008 Devil May Cry 4 PS3, Xbox 360, DL 3.00
    40 Feb 2014 Resident Evil 4: Ultimate HD Edition PC, DL 3.00
    41 Jun 2015 Devil May Cry 4 Special Edition PS4, Xbox One, DL 2.80
    42 Mar 1996 Resident Evil PS 2.75
    43 May 2013 Resident Evil Revelations PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U, PC, DL 2.70
    44 Mar 2012 Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City PS3, Xbox 360, DL 2.70
    45 Dec 2011 Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate 3DS, DL 2.60
    46 Oct 2017 Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen PS4, Xbox One, DL 2.50
    47 Dec 2017 Okami HD PS4, Xbox One, NSW, DL 2.50
    48 Feb 2021 Capcom Arcade Stadium DL (PS4, Xbox One, NSW, PC) 2.40
    49 Feb 2007 Monster Hunter Freedom 2 PSP 2.40
    50 Feb 2010 Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition PS3, Xbox 360, DL 2.40
    51 Jul 1999 Dino Crisis PS 2.40
    52 Sep 2017 Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite PS4, Xbox One, PC, DL 2.30
    53 Dec 2005 Resident Evil 4 PS2 2.30
    54 Aug 2014 Ultra Street Fighter IV PS3, Xbox 360, PC, DL 2.20
    55 Feb 2011 Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds PS3, Xbox 360 2.20
    56 May 2010 Lost Planet 2 PS3, Xbox 360, DL 2.20
    57 Aug 2001 Devil May Cry PS2 2.16
    58 Mar 2002 Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny PS2 2.10
    59 Jan 2001 Onimusha: Warlords PS2 2.02
    60 Jul 2021 Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin NSW, PS4, PC, DL 2.00
    61 Mar 2017 Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 PS4, Xbox One, DL 2.00
    62 May 2007 Resident Evil 4 Wii edition Wii, DL 2.00
    63 Mar 2018 Devil May Cry HD Collection PS4, Xbox One, DL 2.00
    64 Jun 1994 Super Street Fighter II SNES 2.00
    65 Aug 2009 Monster Hunter Tri Wii 1.90
    66 Oct 2018 Mega Man 11 PS4, Xbox One, NSW, DL 1.90
    67 Apr 2010 Super Street Fighter IV PS3, Xbox 360, DL 1.90
    68 Mar 2012 Street Fighter X Tekken PS3, Xbox 360, DL 1.90
    69 Aug 2006 Dead Rising Xbox 360, DL 1.80
    70 Jul 2022 Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium DL (PS4, Xbox One, NSW, PC) 1.80
    71 Dec 2006 Lost Planet Extreme Condition Xbox 360, DL 1.70
    72 Nov 2013 DuckTales: Remastered PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U, DL 1.70
    73 Jan 2003 Devil May Cry 2 PS2 1.70
    74 Sep 1993 Street Fighter II’ Special Champion Edition MD 1.65
    75 Jun 1986 Ghosts’n Goblins NES 1.64
    76 Aug 2015 Mega Man Legacy Collection PS4, Xbox One, DL 1.60
    77 Dec 2016 Dead Rising 4 Xbox One, PC, DL 1.60
    78 Jan 2005 Resident Evil 4 GC 1.60
    79 Feb 2004 Onimusha 3: Demon Siege PS2 1.52
    80 Dec 1988 Mega Man 2 NES 1.51
    81 Sep 2016 Dead Rising PS4, Xbox One, DL 1.50
    82 Jun 2013 Remember Me PS3, Xbox 360, PC, DL 1.50
    83 Nov 2017 Resident Evil Revelations Collection NSW, DL 1.50
    84 Feb 2014 Strider DL(PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC) 1.50
    85 Oct 2010 Dead Rising 2 Off The Record PS3, Xbox 360, DL 1.50
    86 Dec 1990 Final Fight SNES 1.48
    87 Dec 2003 Resident Evil Outbreak PS2 1.45
    88 Mar 2001 Resident Evil Code: Veronica X PS2, DC 1.40
    89 Jul 2009 Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age Of Heroes DL (PS3, Xbox 360) 1.40
    90 Sep 2014 Dead Rising 3 Apocalypse Edition PC, DL 1.40
    91 Mar 2015 DmC Devil May Cry Definitive Edition PS4, Xbox One, DL 1.40
    92 Mar 2002 Resident Evil GC 1.35
    93 Dec 2003 Mega Man Battle Network 4 GBA 1.35
    94 Jul 2018 Mega Man X Legacy Collection PS4, Xbox One, NSW, DL 1.30
    95 Jun 2009 Bionic Commando PS3, Xbox 360, PC, DL 1.30
    96 May 2012 Dragon’s Dogma PS3, Xbox 360 1.30
    97 Feb 2011 Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition 3DS, DL 1.30
    98 Dec 2005 Monster Hunter Freedom PSP, DL 1.30
    99 Mar 2012 Resident Evil 4 DL(PS3, Xbox 360) 1.30
    100 Nov 2007 Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles Wii 1.30
    101 Feb 2005 Devil May Cry 3 PS2 1.30
    102 Nov 2002 Resident Evil 0 GC 1.25
    103 Jun 2011 Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition PS3, Xbox 360, DL 1.20
    104 Sep 2000 Dino Crisis 2 PS 1.20
    105 Nov 2011 Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 PS3, Xbox 360, DL 1.20
    106 Mar 2012 Devil May Cry HD Collection PS3, Xbox 360, DL 1.20
    107 Apr 2019 Dragon’s Dogma DARK ARISEN NSW, DL 1.20
    108 Sep 2016 Dead Rising 2 Off The Record PS4, Xbox One, DL 1.20
    109 Aug 1998 Resident Evil Director’s Cut Dual Shock PS 1.20
    110 Dec 1993 Mega Man X SNES 1.16
    111 Feb 2000 Resident Evil Code: Veronica DC 1.14
    112 Sep 1986 Commando NES 1.14
    113 Sep 1997 Resident Evil Director’s Cut PS 1.13
    114 Aug 2017 Resident Evil Revelations PS4, Xbox One, DL 1.10
    115 Jul 2021 The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles PS4, NSW, DL 1.10
    116 Oct 1991 Super Ghouls’n Ghosts SNES 1.09
    117 Sep 1990 Mega Man 3 NES 1.08
    118 May 1993 Final Fight 2 SNES 1.03
    119 Oct 2019 Resident Evil 6 DL (NSW) 1.00
    120 Dec 1998 Street Fighter Alpha 3 PS 1.00
    121 Jul 2018 Megaman X Anniversary Collection 2 PS4, Xbox One, NSW, DL 1.00
    122 Feb 2006 Devil May Cry 3 Special Edition PS2 1.00

    A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

    Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/463020/capcom-updates-its-best-sellers-list-monster-hunter-world-at-209m-re4-remake-at-8m-more/




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    Final Fantasy Series Sales Top 195M, Dragon Quest Series Tops 91M

    Square Enix has revealed the lifetime sales for two of its biggest franchises Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest.

    The Final Fantasy series has now sold over 195 million units worldwide and the Dragon Quest series has sold over 91 million units worldwide.

    "The Square Enix Group also boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property including: Final Fantasy, which has sold over 195 million units worldwide; Dragon Quest, which has sold over 91 million units worldwide; and the legendary Space Invaders," said Square Enix.

    A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

    Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/463021/final-fantasy-series-sales-top-195m-dragon-quest-series-tops-91m/




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    Nintendo and The Pokemon Company Seeking Injunction and Damages from Pocketpair

    Nintendo and The Pokémon Company in September filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Palworld developer Pocketpair. 

    At the time Nintendo did not share which patents Palworld infringed on, however, Pocketpair has now revealed what patents Nintendo are claiming were infringed on.

    "As announced on September 19, 2024, The Pokémon Company and Nintendo Co Ltd (hereinafter referred to as the Plaintiffs) have filed a patent infringement lawsuit against us," said Pocketpair. "We have received inquiries from various media outlets regarding the status of the lawsuit, and we would like to report the details and current status of this case as follows.

    "The Plaintiffs claim that Palworld, released by us on January 19, 2024, infringes upon the following three patents held by the Plaintiffs, and are seeking an injunction against the game and compensation for a portion of the damages incurred between the date of registration of the patents and the date of filing of this lawsuit."

    Nintendo and The Pokémon Company are each seeking an injunction and damages of five million yen plus late payment damages.

    Pocketpair added, "We will continue to assert our position in this case through future legal proceedings. Please note that we will refrain from responding individually to inquiries regarding this case. If any matters arise that require public notice, we will announce them on our website, etc."

    A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

    Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/463022/nintendo-and-the-pokemon-company-seeking-injunction-and-damages-from-pocketpair/




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    Take-Two CEO is Not Worried About Grand Theft Auto VI Performance on Xbox Series S

    Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick in the company's latest earnings report said he isn't worried about Rockstar getting Grand Theft Auto VI to run on the Xbox Series S.

    "Look, we support the platforms where the consumers are for as long as they’re there, and we find a way to support platforms despite different levels of tech," said Zelnick (via VideoGamesChronicle) when asked about the Xbox Series S.

    Zelnick added, "Our labels are really good at that. I’m not really worried. I’ve never worried about where hardware was going. And I’ve said this many times over the years because, first of all, I don’t worry about things over which I have zero control.

    "Secondly, I believe in the audience. The audience is going to show up if you have great properties, and so we just have to make sure to be on an array of platforms."

    Zelnick added PC is an important platform to release games on, despite the fact Grand Theft Auto VI has not been announced for PC.

    "If one platform diminishes in value, there’s always another one," he said. "So we’re seeing great growth in PC right now, for example. And I have been able to view that open formats would continue to grow. PC is an open format.

    "I do think PC will continue to be a more and more important part of the console business going forward, and that isn’t complicated for us to support at all. So the bottom line is we are selective about which platforms we support. We make the tech work when we can make it work as long as the audience is big enough to make that worthwhile."

    Grand Theft Auto VI will launch for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S in Fall 2025.

    A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

    Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/463023/take-two-ceo-is-not-worried-about-grand-theft-auto-vi-performance-on-xbox-series-s/




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    Sega Sells Humankind Developer Amplitude Studios

    Sega has sold Humankind and Endless developer Amplitude Studios to members of its internal team, announced the developer in a community post. This means the studio is now independent.

    "Our studio is backed by strong and meaningful franchises and our team is committed to creating the best games possible," said Amplitude Studios founder Romain de Waubert de Genlis.

    "With our extensive experiences in strategy game development and two exciting titles currently in progress, we are confident in our ability to deliver outstanding experience to players. This decision allows us to be more agile in our approach while continuing to shape the vision that has been ours from the very beginning, empowering us to push boundaries and be closer as ever of our community."

    Sega in its own statement said: "Sega Europe has today announced the sale of Amplitude Studios following a management buyout from senior leaders and employees at the Parisian studio. The move will see Amplitude go back to its roots as an independent organisation and concludes the structural reforms that have been taking place in Sega’s European business.  

    "The decision to part ways follows a period of close consultation between Sega Europe and Amplitude. As an independent studio once more, Amplitude will focus on its in-development projects and growing its own franchises, while Sega will continue to advance its strong and diverse stable of Japanese and Western IP. 

    “Sega Europe acquired Amplitude in 2016, and together have released epic strategy titles like Endless Space 2 and Humankind, along with Endless Dungeon, the successor to 2014’s indie hit, Dungeon of the Endless.

    "While Amplitude is no longer a part of the Sega family of studios, the two entities will continue to work together on the smooth transition of services and operations, ensuring minimum disruption for Amplitude employees and continuity of service for players of Amplitude games."

    A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

    Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/463024/sega-sells-humankind-developer-amplitude-studios/




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    Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Tops the PS5 PS Store Download Charts in October

    Sony has released the US and European PlayStation Store downloads charts for September 2024.

    Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 topped the PlayStation 5 charts in the US and Canada, as well as on the European charts. Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero was number two in the US and Canada, as well as in Europe. Undisputed was number three in the US and Canada, while it was EA Sports FC 25 in Europe.

    Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 was the most downloaded game on the PlayStation 4 charts in the US and Canada, while it was EA Sports FC 25 on the European charts. Minecraft was number two in the US and Canada, while it was Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 in Europe. Red Dead Redemption 2 was number three in the US and Canada, while it was The Forest in Europe.

    Arizona Sunshine Remake topped the PlayStation VR2 charts in the US and Canada, as well as in Europe. Beat Saber VR was number two in the US and Canada, while it was The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR in Europe. The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR was number three in the US and Canada, while it was Metro Awakening in Europe.

    ASTRO BOT Rescue Mission topped the PlayStation VR charts in the US and Canada, while it was Batman: Arkham VR in Europe. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR was number two in the US and Canada, while it was The Exorcist: Legion VR in Europe.

    Throne and Liberty topped the free-to-play US and Canada charts, and in Europe. Fortnite was number two in the US and Canada, and in Europe.

    Here is the complete list of charts:

    PS5 Games

    US/Canada EU
    Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
    DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO
    Undisputed EA SPORTS FC 25
    SILENT HILL 2 SILENT HILL 2
    EA SPORTS Madden NFL 25 Grand Theft Auto V
    NBA 2K25 Phasmophobia
    EA SPORTS FC 25 Undisputed
    Grand Theft Auto V Hogwarts Legacy
    Dragon Age: The Veilguard Palworld
    Palworld It Takes Two
    Metaphor: ReFantazio Dragon Age: The Veilguard
    Phasmophobia Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered
    SONIC X SHADOW GENERATIONS Black Myth: Wukong
    EA SPORTS College Football 25 Metaphor: ReFantazio
    NHL 25 ASTRO BOT
    Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 NEW WORLD: AETERNUM
    Black Myth: Wukong Resident Evil 4
    ASTRO BOT NBA 2K25
    Hogwarts Legacy Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2
    NEW WORLD: AETERNUM Cyberpunk 2077
    *Naming of products may differ between regions
    *Upgrades not included

    PS4 Games

    US/Canada EU
    Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 EA SPORTS FC 25
    Minecraft Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
    Red Dead Redemption 2 The Forest
    Batman: Arkham Knight Minecraft
    The Forest Red Dead Redemption 2
    Grand Theft Auto V Grand Theft Auto V
    Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands A Way Out
    theHunter: Call of the Wild Batman: Arkham Knight
    EA SPORTS Madden NFL 25 Hogwarts Legacy
    Call of Duty: Black Ops III Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands
    Gang Beasts Kingdom Come: Deliverance
    Dying Light Need for Speed Payback
    Pacify Dying Light
    Mafia: Trilogy Mafia: Trilogy
    A Way Out Unravel Two
    EA SPORTS FC 25 Need for Speed Heat
    Alien: Isolation Gang Beasts
    Injustice 2 Middle-earth: Shadow of War
    Need for Speed Heat Pacify
    DayZ DayZ
       *Naming of products may differ between regions

    PS VR2 Games*

    US/Canada EU
    Arizona Sunshine Remake Arizona Sunshine Remake
    Beat Saber The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR
    The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR Metro Awakening
    Among Us VR Beat Saber
    Grand Rush VR Highway Car Traffic Racing Simulator Grand Rush VR Highway Car Traffic Racing Simulator
    Metro Awakening Arizona Sunshine 2
    Into the Radius Among Us VR
    Arizona Sunshine 2 Pavlov
    Pavlov Into the Radius
    Legendary Tales Crossfire: Sierra Squad
     *PS Store purchases only. Game upgrades or games bundled with hardware not included

    PS VR Games

    US/Canada EU
    ASTRO BOT Rescue Mission Batman: Arkham VR
    The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR The Exorcist: Legion VR
    The Walking Dead Onslaught Sniper Elite VR
    Batman: Arkham VR The Walking Dead Onslaught
    Paranormal Activity: The Lost Soul ASTRO BOT Rescue Mission
    The Exorcist: Legion VR Titanic VR
    Job Simulator Job Simulator
    Beat Saber Beat Saber
    SUPERHOT VR Paranormal Activity: The Lost Soul
    Marvel’s Iron Man VR Ghost Giant

    Free to Play (PS5 + PS4)

    US/Canada EU
    THRONE AND LIBERTY THRONE AND LIBERTY
    Fortnite Fortnite
    Roblox Roblox
    Call of Duty: Warzone Call of Duty: Warzone
    Rocket League Rocket League
    Asphalt Legends Unite Asphalt Legends Unite
    VALORANT eFootball
    Apex Legends VALORANT
    Fall Guys Fall Guys
    eFootball Stumble Guys

    A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

    Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/463025/call-of-duty-black-ops-6-tops-the-ps5-ps-store-download-charts-in-october/




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    Sony Discusses What Lessons Can be Learned from the Failure of Concord

    Sony president Hiroki Totoki in a Q&A session with investors was asked about the failure of Concord, which was shut down less than two weeks after it released.

    "Currently, we are still in the process of learning," said Totoki (via VideoGamesChronicle). "And basically, with regards to new IP, of course, you don’t know the result until you actually try it.

    "So for us, for our reflection, we probably need to have a lot of gates, including user testing or internal evaluation, and the timing of such gates. And then we need to bring them forward, and we should have done those gates much earlier than we did.

    "Also, we have a siloed organisation, so going beyond the boundaries of those organisations in terms of development, and also sales, I think that could have been much smoother.

    "And then going forward, in our own titles and in third-party titles, we do have many different windows. And we want to be able to select the right and optimal window so that we can deploy them on our own platform without cannibalization, so that we can maximize our performance in terms of title launches. That’s all I have."

    Sony senior vice president for finance and IR Sadahiko Hayakawa discussed the success of Helldivers 2 and the failure of Concord.

    "We launched two live-service games this year," he said. "Helldivers 2 was a huge hit, while Concord ended up being shut down. We gained a lot of experience and learned a lot from both.

    "We intend to share the lessons learned from our successes and failures across our studios, including in the areas of title development management as well as the process of continually adding expanded content and scaling the service after its release so as to strengthen our development management system.

    "We intend to build on an optimum title portfolio during the current mid-range plan period that combines single-player games – which are our strengths and which have a higher predictability of becoming hits due to our proven IP – with live-service games that pursue upside while taking on a certain amount of risk upon release."

    Concord released for the PlayStation 5 and PC on August 23, and it was shut down on September 6.

    A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

    Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/463026/sony-discusses-what-lessons-can-be-learned-from-the-failure-of-concord/




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    EA Sports FC 25 Debuts in 1st on the Canadian Charts

    EA Sports FC 25 has debuted in first place on the Canadian charts for September 2024, according to data from Circana (formerly The NPD Group) reported by the Entertainment Software Association of Canada (ESA).

    There were four other new releases in the top 10 with NHL 25 debuting in second place, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom in third place, Astro Bot in fourth place, and NBA 2K25 in 10th place.

    Star Wars: Outlaws is in fifth place, Hogwarts Legacy is in sixth place, and Madden NFL 25 is in seventh place. God of War: Ragnarök is in eighth place following the release of the PC version and Elden Ring is in ninth place.

    Top 10 best-selling games in Canada:

    1. EA Sports FC 25 - NEW
    2. NHL 25 - NEW
    3. The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom* - NEW
    4. Astro Bot - NEW
    5. Star Wars: Outlaws
    6. Hogwarts Legacy
    7. Madden NFL 25
    8. God of War: Ragnarök
    9. Elden Ring
    10. NBA 2K25* - NEW

    *Digital sales not included

    A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

    Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/463027/ea-sports-fc-25-debuts-in-1st-on-the-canadian-charts/




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    Dragon Age: The Veilguard Debuts in 2nd on the Australian Charts

    Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 has remained in first place on the Australian charts, according to IGEA for the week ending November 3, 2024.

    There were three new releases in the top 10 this week with Dragon Age: The Veilguard debuting in second place, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered in fourth place, and Life Is Strange: Double Exposure in ninth place.

    Hogwarts Legacy is up one spot to third place, EA Sports FC 25 remained in fifth place, and Super Mario Party Jamboree dropped from second to sixth place.

    Red Dead Redemption is in seventh place, NBA 2K25 is in eight place, and Battlefield 2042 rounds out the top 10.

    Here are the top 10 best-selling titles in Australia for the week:

    1. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
    2. Dragon Age: The Veilguard - NEW
    3. Hogwarts Legacy
    4. Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered - NEW
    5. EA Sports FC 25 
    6. Super Mario Party Jamboree
    7. Red Dead Redemption
    8. NBA 2K25
    9. Life Is Strange: Double Exposure - NEW
    10. Battlefield 2042

    A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

    Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/463028/dragon-age-the-veilguard-debuts-in-2nd-on-the-australian-charts/




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    Dragon Age: The Veilguard Debuts in 2nd on the New Zealand Charts

    Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 has remained in first place on the New Zealand charts, according to IGEA for the week ending November 3, 2024.

    There were two new releases in the top 10 this week with Dragon Age: The Veilguard debuting in second place and Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered in fourth place.

    Hogwarts Legacy is down one spot to third place, Grand Theft Auto V is up three spots to fifth place, and NBA 2K25 climbed from ninth to sixth place.

    Red Dead Redemption is in seventh place, Borderlands 3 is in eight place, Battlefield 2042 is in ninth place, and EA Sports FC 25 rounds out the top 10.

    Here are the top 10 best-selling titles in New Zealand for the week:

    1. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
    2. Dragon Age: The Veilguard - NEW
    3. Hogwarts Legacy
    4. Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered - NEW
    5. Grand Theft Auto V
    6. NBA 2K25
    7. Red Dead Redemption
    8. Borderlands 3
    9. Battlefield 2042
    10. EA Sports FC 25 

    A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

    Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/463029/dragon-age-the-veilguard-debuts-in-2nd-on-the-new-zealand-charts/




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    Card-en-Ciel (NS)

    Inti Creates has made a living creating 2D side-scrolling action-platformers. So when it officially revealed Card-en-Ciel, a dungeon-diving, roguish card-collector that draws its inspiration from games like Slay the Spire and Mega Man Battle Network, it turned some heads. Indeed, this latest production represents a fairly significant departure for the independent developer, even as it embraces a familiar philosophy when it comes to art direction, music, and character design. The question remains: is this the start of something special for Inti Creates or still a work in progress?

    The story in Card-en-Ciel takes place in the not-too-distant future, where citizens increasingly turn to "full-dive" games, fully immersive virtual reality experiences. As these games became more popular and ubiquitous, criminal activity within the virtual space exploded. This activity, referred to collectively as "full-dive crimes", became such a problem that ordinary citizens took it upon themselves to fight back. One such crusader is Neon Nanashiki, the self-described Gaming Chair Detective. When Neon receives a suspicious email with the subject line "Please save the world", he logs into the virtual space, which turns out to be the back-end of the full-dive game Rust Tactics. There he meets a strange girl named Ancie, who explains that data from some game worlds is leaking into others, creating monsters and dungeons. Soon, Neon and Ancie team up to resolve the errors and anomalies.

    Despite a very promising premise, Card-en-Ciel doesn't do enough with its story. Ultimately, it's difficult to get invested in the stakes or the characters. Neon is your boilerplate archetypal hero, Ancie is frustratingly submissive, and the mystery villain generic and forgettable. There's also a some fan service here, which feels out of place. To be fair, there are some amusing conversations inside dungeons where Neon and Ancie talk about the type of game they're exploring, leading to several self-deprecating meta jokes at Inti Creates' expense, but for the most part there isn't a lot to latch on to. It hurts also that the studio dropped the ball in terms of visual storytelling. You select dungeons from a menu list, instead of traveling to them physically, and each dungeon — despite representing a wildly different game and genre — has roughly the same layout and look.

    It's strange that dungeons are so alike, because every one of the 300 collectible cards is entirely unique, with its own statistics, portrait art, and voice sample. As a result, collecting and experimenting with different cards is quite fun. Clearly, a lot of time, energy, and attention-to-detail went into the audiovisual design of each and every card.

    The same can be said for the card-battling mechanics. Inti Creates obviously took the time to sort out the various rules and synergies of each card type, allowing for many different approaches and strategies. At the simplest level, each card can be used to produce an effect or for movement along each battle map's 6x3 grid. The effects fall into three general categories of break, damage, and support. Using a card with a break effect will reduce a monster's attack power and chip away at its balance. If you reduce the enemy's balance to zero, it will enter breakdown, rendering it unable to act for one turn and opening it up to double the output from damage cards. In addition, triggering a breakdown will recover your cost by one. You only have three cost (action points) at the start of each turn, and each card has an individual cost between zero and three.

    Things get even more interesting with the introduction of muse cards and special skills. Once you recruit a muse card, you can activate it by fulfilling certain conditions, for example by forging three zero-cost cards. The muse will then begin their performance, bestowing unique effects during battle. Not only that, but the performance will award Neon Special Skill energy, which allows him to convert any card to a significantly more powerful variant for a turn. Consequently, in each dungeon it's important to unlock muses and then recruit cards likely to trigger the muse and/or reap the rewards of a performance. When you do this right, and lay waste efficiently to the monsters and bosses in a dungeon, it feels amazing.

    The problem, as mentioned before, is that each dungeon feels like the exact same thing. Apart from a specific final boss, who represents the protagonist of the fictional game world, almost everything is identical. Neon crosses the same generic square rooms & bridges and fights the same monsters over and over. It just gets boring after a while. Inti Creates really should have designed each dungeon with a layout and aesthetic unique to the IP on display.

    Then there's the issue with Grand Battle dungeons. These are climactic dungeons at the end of each chapter where you face off against the mystery villain. Regrettably, the rules here are different. No cards and muses can be obtained in these areas; rather you bring with you every card and muse you've accumulated to that point. The problem here is threefold: one, it removes the rogue-like flavor of standard dungeons, where you need to build a powerful deck from square one; two, it creates a lot of bloat in your deck; and three, it opens up the opportunity for irksome chain reactions, where a single card might trigger a half dozen muse performances one after the other.

    Card-en-Ciel partially makes up for some samey, tiresome dungeons with a huge amount of replay value. Indeed, the game is incredibly generous when it comes to content and replayability. Not only are there 300+ cards to collect, but there are 12 total main dungeons, each of which can be experienced at 11(!) different difficulty levels. And once you beat the game, you'll begin to unlock four secret dungeons. Moreover, there are daily & weekly dungeons, plus online network battles where you can fight opponents from around the world using a randomly generated starting deck. If you're someone who loves the core gameplay, you could spend dozens of hours with Card-en-Ciel. If you're more of a one-and-done sort of player, expect roughly 15 hours. Note: Inti Creates announced last week that the game will receive new content, including post-game dungeons, each month for at least five months starting this November.

    For a new IP, Card-en-Ciel shows potential. The premise is intriguing, the core rules and mechanics provide a strong foundation for tactical decision-making, and the replay value is absurdly high. Regrettably, the campaign that houses everything is a slight letdown, due to clichéd storytelling, forgettable characters, and generic, tedious dungeons. By retaining the core card-collecting system and enhancing the narrative and structural pieces, Inti Creates could have something special on its hands. 

    Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/462883/card-en-ciel-ns/




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    Hello Neighbor 3 Announced for PC

    tinyBuild has announced Hello Neighbor 3 for PC via Steam.

    View a developer log below:

    Read details on the game below:

    Arriving in Raven Brooks as a stranger with no ties to this place, you find yourself in a forgotten, half-abandoned town where every citizen has relations, desires, and goals. Your actions will ripple through the town, changing the course of events…

    • Simulated town - Raven Brooks as a sandbox simulated in real-time. Residents act based on their personalities and circumstances.
    • Every decision is the right one - The system-based nature of the game allows for complex ways of achieving your goals.
    • Cozy yet eerie adventure - A fading half-abandoned town in early spring, tangled with overgrowth and memories.

    A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

    Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/463030/hello-neighbor-3-announced-for-pc/