Boomtown X

Dear friends I’m sorry to say that I come here this morning to bury BoomtownX rather than to praise it. We’ve reached the end of the run - which for me began all the way back in 2004. The truth is that that BTX hasn’t managed to support my family and so I have to put my and energy elsewhere. There’s a limit to how much time and effort we can put into a site that doesn’t pay its way. And so today BoomtownX closes as an ongoing daily concern.

That’s not to say we’re going to suddenly disappear. Oh dear me no. The site will be here tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day, and so on. But it’s unfair for publishers and developers to send us games we can’t promise to get reviewed in a timely manner due to a lack of time and resources. And so while we’re likely to still post some of the usual nonsense, we’re not going to be a commercial site anymore, nor are we going to expect to receive review code that will just pile up waiting for someone to tackle it. So dear friends in the trade, thank you so much for your support, it has meant an awful lot to us. But please delete us from your mailing list to receive your games, we just can’t promise to review them.

Let me take you back in time a little. Back in late 2004 I had been working as a professional online writer/editor for several years. At INC I’d worked on such concerns as IGN, Gamespot, Daily Radar, FGN Online, BW Vault and Racing Gamer. I then moved on to edit sites for Telefragged - including PS2Faction which was hugely successful. I then moved out of mainstream games coverage for a while editing channels for the ISP Supanet and then developing a new website for Firesoft Technologies.

In November 2004 I became the UK editor for Boomtown.net. This was one of the greatest career moves I’ve ever made. Not in terms of riches, but in terms of job satisfaction and the wonderful friends I have made over the years. Of course many of you will think that getting paid to write about games is as good as jobs get but that isn’t true. But working for Boomtown was as good as you might imagine it could be thanks to wonderful colleagues such as Jakob Paulsen, Christian Johansen, Michael Ronde and James Hamer-Morton all of whom I’ve known since the very beginning. And there are many more names I could mention who have joined the writing team since 2004 and become good friends.

During most of the time I worked for Boomtown we were owned by TDC (Danish Telecom). We were a very small cog in a very big machine and didn’t really receive the resources to do our excellent team of writers justice. But while we didn’t have a flashy Web2.0 site what we did have was integrity, honesty and a team of writers striving to put the reader first. Our aim was honesty - which often didn’t sit well with fanboys or publishers - but meant we actually reviewed games between one and ten out of ten, rather than the current tabloid site norm of nine for good games, eight for poor ones.

Unnamed sources from Team Bondi have claimed that staff are victims of a brutal working regime with employees subjected to harsh dismissals, walk outs and impossible targets. These claims have not been taken lightly as now it has emerged that the IGDA is going to look into the matter.

Paradox Interactive has announced today that former DICE Battlefield producer Gordon Van Dyke has joined the company as a Senior Producer. The publisher says that Van Dyke will be charged with leading the production of the online titles and developing new IP.

“Gordon brings a great amount of experience from working on the Battlefield series and Visceral. We are thrilled to welcome him to Paradox. Over the past couple of years we have been one of the fastest growing companies in the industry and Gordon will play a key role in our continued growth,” said Fredrik Wester, CEO of Paradox Interactive.

“I’m very excited to join the production team here at Paradox. Some really fortunate events led me to this amazing opportunity to work on projects that really speak to my inner gamer. I know it’s going to be an incredible journey and can’t wait to start right away on inspiring projects like Salem, Gettysburg: Armored Warfare, and Project Postman,” Gordon Van Dyke commented.

Last week was a good one for Electronic Arts. Crysis 2 remains at the top of the all formats chart with new entries Shift 2: Unleashed and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 entering the chart in fourth and sixth place respectively.

A great week for 505 Games too with Zumba Fitness sliding straight into second position. The week was less good for SCEE/Evolution Studios though as Motorstorm Apocalypse could only muster a chart entry of 17th, understandable though given the delay and interrupted marketing push.

All formats full price chart for week ending April 2, 2011

1 Crysis 2 - EA Games (1)
2 Zumba Fitness - 505 Games (-)
3 Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars - Lucasarts (2)
4 Shift 2: Unleashed - EA Games (-)
5 Homefront - THQ (3)
6 Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters - EA Sports (-)
7 WWE All Stars - THQ (-)
8 FIFA 11 - EA Sports (10)
9 Pokemon White Version - Nintendo (5)
10 Art Academy - Nintendo (33)
11 Fight Night Champion - EA Sports (11)
12 Just Dance 2 - Ubisoft (12)
13 Pokemon Black Version - Nintendo (7)
14 Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood - Ubisoft (21)
15 The Sims: Medieval - EA Games (8)
16 Super Street Fighter Iv 3D Edition - Capcom (4)
17 Motorstorm: Apocalypse - Sony Computer Ent. (-)
18 The Sims 3 - EA Games (17)
19 Call Of Duty: Black Ops - Activision (22)
20 Killzone 3 - Sony Computer Ent. (16)

Source: ChartTrack/UKIE

Call of Duty: Black Ops has returned to the top of the UK all formats videogames chart.

The newly released Marvel vs. Capcom 3 trails it in second place.

All formats week ending 19 February 2011

1 CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS ACTIVISION 4
2 MARVEL VS CAPCOM 3: FATE OF TWO WORLDS CAPCOM -
3 DEAD SPACE 2 EA GAMES 2
4 TEST DRIVE UNLIMITED 2 ATARI 1
5 FIFA 11 EA SPORTS 3
6 JUST DANCE 2 UBISOFT 7
7 ASSASSIN'S CREED: BROTHERHOOD UBISOFT 5
8 MARIO VS DONKEY KONG: MINI-LAND MAYHEM! NINTENDO 6
9 GRAND THEFT AUTO IV: COMPLETE EDITION ROCKSTAR 9
10 LITTLEBIGPLANET 2 SONY COMPUTER ENT. 10
11 NEED FOR SPEED: HOT PURSUIT EA GAMES 16
12 MARIO SPORTS MIX NINTENDO 8
13 DANCE JUNIORS UBISOFT 12
14 WII PARTY NINTENDO 18
15 WII SPORTS RESORT NINTENDO 20
16 WII FIT PLUS NINTENDO 13
17 TOY STORY 3 DISNEY INTERACTIVE STUDIOS -
18 MASS EFFECT 2 EA GAMES -
19 BEN 10 ULTIMATE ALIEN COSMIC DESTRUCTION D3P 17
20 JUST DANCE UBISOFT 15

Source: ChartTrack/UKIE

Electronic Arts' Dead Space 2 is enjoying its second week at the top of the UK chart.

There's little movement around the top this week, with new entries being limited to some Nintendo fare in the bottom half of the top 20.

1 DEAD SPACE 2 EA GAMES 1
2 FIFA 11 EA SPORTS 3
3 ASSASSIN'S CREED: BROTHERHOOD UBISOFT 4
4 CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS ACTIVISION 5
5 LITTLEBIGPLANET 2 SONY COMPUTER ENT. 2
6 JUST DANCE 2 UBISOFT 6
7 NEED FOR SPEED: HOT PURSUIT EA GAMES 7
8 ART ACADEMY NINTENDO 9
9 THE SIMS 3 EA GAMES 13
10 WII FIT PLUS NINTENDO 8
11 MARIO VS DONKEY KONG: MINI-LAND MAYHEM! NINTENDO -
12 MARIO SPORTS MIX NINTENDO -
13 JUST DANCE UBISOFT 10
14 WII PARTY NINTENDO 15
15 KINECT SPORTS MICROSOFT 12
16 GRAN TURISMO 5 SONY COMPUTER ENT. 14
17 FOOTBALL MANAGER 2011 SEGA -
18 RED DEAD REDEMPTION: UNDEAD NIGHTMARE ROCKSTAR 18
19 MASS EFFECT 2 EA GAMES 11
20 MEDAL OF HONOR EA GAMES -

Source: ChartTrack/UKIE

The UK all format chart is rather interesting this week as there's been plenty of movement near the top. Dead Space 2 is the new number one and pushes LittleBigPlanet 2 into second place. Meanwhile FIFA 11 and Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood have risen once again to push Call of Duty: Black Ops down to the depths of fifth position.

All formats week ending 29 January 2011

1 DEAD SPACE 2 EA GAMES -
2 LITTLEBIGPLANET 2 SONY COMPUTER ENT. 1
3 FIFA 11 EA SPORTS 4
4 ASSASSIN'S CREED: BROTHERHOOD UBISOFT 5
5 CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS ACTIVISION 2
6 JUST DANCE 2 UBISOFT 3
7 NEED FOR SPEED: HOT PURSUIT EA GAMES 10
8 WII FIT PLUS NINTENDO 6
9 ART ACADEMY NINTENDO 15
10 JUST DANCE UBISOFT 11
11 MASS EFFECT 2 EA GAMES 7
12 KINECT SPORTS MICROSOFT 8
13 THE SIMS 3 EA GAMES 12
14 GRAN TURISMO 5 SONY COMPUTER ENT. 9
15 WII PARTY NINTENDO 16
16 DANCE CENTRAL MICROSOFT 13
17 WWE SMACKDOWN VS RAW 2011 THQ 20
18 RED DEAD REDEMPTION: UNDEAD NIGHTMARE ROCKSTAR 17
19 EA SPORTS ACTIVE 2 EA SPORTS -
20 WII SPORTS RESORT NINTENDO 18

Source: ChartTrack/UKIE

Black Ops is having to spend a week down in second place as Sony's welcome sequel to LittleBigPlanet takes the top spot.

The rest of the chart is pretty much business as usual apart from the arrival of Mass Effect 2 on PlayStation 3.

All formats week ending 22 January 2011

1 LITTLEBIGPLANET 2 SONY COMPUTER ENT. -
2 CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS ACTIVISION 1
3 JUST DANCE 2 UBISOFT 3
4 FIFA 11 EA SPORTS 2
5 ASSASSIN'S CREED: BROTHERHOOD UBISOFT 7
6 WII FIT PLUS NINTENDO 4
7 MASS EFFECT 2 EA GAMES -
8 KINECT SPORTS MICROSOFT 5
9 GRAN TURISMO 5 SONY COMPUTER ENT. 8
10 NEED FOR SPEED: HOT PURSUIT EA GAMES 6
11 JUST DANCE UBISOFT 13
12 THE SIMS 3 EA GAMES 11
13 DANCE CENTRAL MICROSOFT 12
14 FALLOUT: NEW VEGAS BETHESDA SOFTWORKS 9
15 ART ACADEMY NINTENDO 15
16 WII PARTY NINTENDO -
17 RED DEAD REDEMPTION: UNDEAD NIGHTMARE ROCKSTAR 17
18 WII SPORTS RESORT NINTENDO 16
19 FOOTBALL MANAGER 2011 SEGA 18
20 WWE SMACKDOWN VS RAW 2011 THQ 19

Source: ChartTrack/UKIE

The latest NPD sales figures for the North American market make for happy reading for Microsoft, Sony less so. Of course Microsoft's happiness must be tempered by the continued dominance of Wii and DS. But here are the hardware unit sales figures for December:

Nintendo DS – 2.5 million (-24%)
Nintendo Wii – 2.36 million (-38% YOY)
Xbox 360 – 1.86 million (+42% YOY)
PlayStation 3 – 1.21 million (-11% YOY)

Perhaps more interesting that the actual unit sales are the pecentage falls and rises compared to December 2009. Xbox 360 saw a massive sales rise compared to the previous year in a market that's fallen by five percent for the year and nine percent comparing December to December. When one combines software, hardware and accessory sales Xbox 360 came out as the leading earner.

Blizzard has just sent word that the World of Warcraft expansion Cataclysm sold 4.7 million copies during its first month on sale.

"We created thousands of new quests, introduced new lands to explore and extensively revamped the game world for World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, making it our biggest and most ambitious expansion yet," said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. "We’ve been floored by the community's response so far, and we'd like to thank them for their continued passion and support for World of Warcraft, and for helping Cataclysm reach this incredible milestone."

The Cataclysm expansion was rolled out in a global launch beginning December 7th 2010.

Activision's multi-format juggernaut is back on track - Call of Duty: Black Ops has retaken its spot at the top of the UK chart.

Last week's valiant chart topper - Gran Turismo 5 - moves down to fourth place.

Christmas gift season is in full swing and it's no surprise to see FIFA 11 up there in second place.

All formats week ending 4 December 2010

1 CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS ACTIVISION 2
2 FIFA 11 EA SPORTS 4
3 ASSASSIN'S CREED: BROTHERHOOD UBISOFT 3
4 GRAN TURISMO 5 SONY COMPUTER ENT. 1
5 JUST DANCE 2 UBISOFT 5
6 MICHAEL JACKSON: THE EXPERIENCE UBISOFT -
7 NEED FOR SPEED: HOT PURSUIT EA GAMES 6
8 WII PARTY NINTENDO 7
9 WII FIT PLUS NINTENDO 13
10 PROFESSOR LAYTON AND THE LOST FUTURE NINTENDO 11
11 FALLOUT: NEW VEGAS BETHESDA SOFTWORKS 10
12 MARIO KART WII NINTENDO 20
13 DONKEY KONG COUNTRY RETURNS NINTENDO -
14 MEDAL OF HONOR EA GAMES -
15 RED DEAD REDEMPTION: UNDEAD NIGHTMARE ROCKSTAR 14
16 ART ACADEMY NINTENDO 8
17 NEW SUPER MARIO BROS. NINTENDO -
18 THE SIMS 3 EA GAMES -
19 SONIC COLOURS SEGA 16
20 KINECT SPORTS MICROSOFT 12

Source: ChartTrack/UKIE

Some rather sad news to report, especially this close to Christmas. It seems that 19 members of the Reflections team working on Ubisoft's Driver: San Francisco for have been let go.

The cause - according to online reports - is the games troubled development, which has seen the release delayed into the next financial year.

You can find more details on this over at Develop.