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All Articles: Red Dead Redemption 2
Celeste, God of War, Spider-Man, Red Dead 2, Smash Ultimate will compete for “Video Game of the Year” at 2019 SXSW Gaming Awards
The SXSW Gaming Advisory Board has sifted through all of 2018’s biggest games and announced the nominees for this year’s SXSW Gaming Awards.
As you might have expected, Sony Santa Monica’s God of War, Insomniac’s Spider-Man, and Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption 2 claimed the most nominations. Each of the three games will compete in a total of nine categories, and all three are in the running for “Video Game of the Year.” Matt Thorson’s brutal platformer, Celeste, and Nintendo’s crossover fighter, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, were also nominated for the big prize.
The public will get the chance to vote for the winners in all categories at this year’s SXSW Gaming Awards, and the final winner in each category will be determined by a weighted total between public and advisory board votes. Voting is open now at SXSW Gaming’s official website, and will close on Sunday, February 17 at midnight (Eastern Time).
The SXSW Gaming Awards will be given out on March 16 and you can find the full list of nominees in all categories after the break. (more…)
Posted in Mobile, News, PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One
Tagged Celeste, Detroit: Become Human, Fortnite, God of War 4, No Man's Sky, Octopath Traveler, Red Dead Redemption 2, Spider-Man, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Tabletop Games, Tetris Effect
Red Dead Redemption 2 cowboys up as the best-selling game of 2018
A wise man once said, “When you have to shoot, shoot. Don’t talk.” And that’s exactly what Rockstar Games did with Red Dead Redemption 2.
The publisher’s western epic has been nine years in the making, and it blew away all expectations (and chased every other big release away from its October 26 launch date) as the best-selling game in November. Now, The NPD Group has revealed that it’s also the best-selling game for all of 2018.
Activision’s mighty Call of Duty franchise claimed the #2 spot with Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, and many of the other usual suspects can be found throughout the top ten including NBA 2K19 (#3), Madden NFL 19 (#4), Far Cry 5 (#7), and Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey (#10).
It was also a good year all around for single-player games as Spider-Man (#6) and God of War both cracked the top ten. Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros. Ultimate was also able to break into the top five (at #5) after only being on sale for a few weeks. Finally, the surprising success of Capcom’s Monster Hunter: World helped the latest entry in the franchise come in at #9.
Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, the NPD Group said that the entire game industry generated $16.7 billion in sales in 2018, a 13% increase over 2017. That includes a 33% increase for accessories, as a 7% increase for software, and 8% for hardware. On that note, the Nintendo Switch was the best-selling console of 2018.
The NPD’s Top 10 best-selling games for 2018 (in handy list format) can be found after the break. (more…)
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate beats up the competition as the best-selling game from December 2018
Even though it’s one of Nintendo’s marquee properties, the Smash Bros. series has always drifted a bit below the radar of the average gamer. That is definitely no longer the case, as The NPD Group revealed the best-selling games from December 2018 and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate absolutely blew away the competition.
In fact, the tracking firm told GamesIndustry.biz that Smash Bros. Ultimate had a record-setting debut, and set a new “Launch Month” sales record for a platform exclusive. More impressive, it set this record even though Nintendo doesn’t share digital sales data with The NPD Group.
With the gift-giving season in full swing, some of 2018’s biggest games populated the rest of the list. Red Dead Redemption II slid down to #2, and it was followed by Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 (#3), Battlefield V (#4), and NBA 2K19 (#5).
Nintendo dominated the back half of the top ten, with three more titles on the list… Mario Kart 8 (#6), Super Mario Party (#8), and Pokemon: Let’s Go Pikachu (#9). Madden NFL 19 (#7) and Insomniac’s Spider-Man (#10) rounded out the top ten.
A complete look at The NPD Group’s list of the best-selling games from last month (in handy list format) can be found after the break. (more…)
Pinkerton Detective Agency wants Rockstar Games to pay up for using name in Red Dead Redemption 2
Quick, let’s do some free association. If I say the name “Pinkerton,” what do you think of? If you’re in your 30s or 40s, your mind probably instantly went to Weezer’s 1996 album of the same name. But fans of Red Dead Redemption 2 might also be reminded of Andrew Milton and Edgar Ross, two Pinkerton Detectives that are constantly hounding the Van Der Linde Gang.
The Pinkerton Detective Agency was an actual private police force in the late 1800s and early 1900s, though they continue to operate as a security company to this day. In their heyday, Pinkerton Detectives were often hired by industrialists to stomp on unions and used extreme measures when hunting outlaws. According to The Verge, the current incarnation of the Pinkerton Detective Agency (which is owned by a Swedish company) has sent a cease-and-desist letter to Rockstar over the use of their name, and they’re seeking a royalty payment for all sales since the game’s October launch.
Rockstar has responded by suing Pinkerton, claiming their use of the name is accurate to the historical record. The publisher also cites a variety of media that has referenced Pinkerton agents over the years including Deadwood, Titanic, and the video game BioShock: Infinite (which was published by Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar’s parent company).
While Rockstar’s legal fight with Pinkerton has just started, the detective agency has a pretty steep hill to climb. As Rockstar’s suit shows, using trademarks in a work of fiction is a common practice, and it rarely results in any kind of penalty for the publisher.
On top of that, Rockstar is no stranger to these types of legal proceedings and how to win them. Just ask Lindsay Lohan.
Posted in News, PS4, Xbox One
Tagged Red Dead Redemption 2
God of War and Spider-Man lead the way as 2019 DICE Awards nominees announced
I have a feeling it’s going to become a familiar refrain this awards season, but the DICE Awards have announced this year’s nominations, and Sony’s God of War and Spider-Man are leading the way. Both games will be competing for the “Game of the Year” award against Subset Games’s Into the Breach, Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption 2, and Lucas Pope’s Return of the Obra Dinn.
All told, God of War nabbed 12 total nominations while Spider-Man secured 11 nominations (and both are up for many of the same awards including “Adventure Game of the Year,” “Game Design,” and “Game Direction”).
The winners in all categories will be announced during the DICE Awards ceremony (which will take place during the DICE Summit) on February 13. A complete list of this year’s nominees can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in Mobile, News, PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One
Tagged God of War 4, Red Dead Redemption 2, Return of the Obra Dinn, Spider-Man
Red Dead Redemption 2 leads the way with 7 nominations at 2019 GDC Awards
It looks like Red Dead Redemption 2, Spider-Man, and God of War will be taking over another awards show, as the three games lead the way at the 2019 Game Developers Choice Awards. Rockstar’s “Cowboy Game” secured the most nominations with seven, but Sony’s Spider-Man and God of War were close behind with six apiece.
As you might have guessed, all three games are in the running for the coveted “Game of the Year” trophy, and they’ll be competing against Lucas Pope’s Return of the Obra Dinn and Matt Makes Games’s Celeste.
A handful of other games will attempt to push their way into the spotlight at this year’s GDC Awards, including Mountains’s Florence (four nominations), Enhance’s Tetris Effect (three nominations), and Nomada Studio’s Gris (two nominations).
In addition to the main awards ceremony, the GDC Awards will also present a Lifetime Achievement Award to Amy Hennig, the creator of Naughty Dog’s Uncharted franchise.
The 2019 GDC Awards ceremony will take place on on Wednesday, March 20, at 6:30 PM (Pacific Time). The full list of nominees, and all the Honorable Mentions, can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in Mobile, News, PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One
Tagged Celeste, GDC 2019, God of War 4, Red Dead Redemption 2, Return of the Obra Dinn, Spider-Man
Red Dead Redemption 2 was the best-selling game of November 2018
It took an extra month, but Red Dead Redemption 2 is finally perched atop the NPD’s monthly best-seller list.
According to the tracking firm (as reported by GamesIndustry.biz), Rockstar’s open world epic was November’s best-selling game, topping such contenders as Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 (#2), Battlefield V (#3), and Fallout 76 (#4). Other new releases in the top ten include Pokemon: Let’s Go Pikachu (#4), Pokemon: Let’s Go Eevee (#5), and Spyro Reignited Trilogy (#5).
But the most important statistic in the NPD’s November report was on the hardware side of things, as the PS4, Switch, and Xbox One all sold over 1.3 million consoles. It’s the first time ever that three console platforms each sold more than a million units in a calendar month. All told, US consumers purchased more than $3.9 billion worth of video game hardware in November.
A complete look at The NPD Group’s list of the best-selling games from last month can be found after the break. (more…)
Sony Santa Monica’s God of War wins “Game of the Year” at 2018 Game Awards
In what is surely to be the first of many accolades, Sony Santa Monica’s God of War won “Game of the Year” at the 2018 Game Awards. Kratos’s latest adventure also picked up statuettes for “Best Game Direction” and “Best Action/Adventure Game.”
But the biggest winner of the night was Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption 2, which picked up four wins last night. The publisher’s “Cowboy Game” collected some shiny hardware for “Best Narrative,” “Best Score/Music,” “Best Audio Design,” and “Best Performance” (for Roger Clark’s work as Arthur Morgan).
The all-mighty Fortnite picked up two awards, “Best Ongoing Game” and “Best Multiplayer,” but the most surprising news of the night might be that Insomniac’s Spider-Man was completely shut out. Best of luck next time to the ol’ webhead.
More than a dozen different games went home as winners at the 2018 Game Awards, and you can find them all after the break. (more…)
Posted in Mobile, News, PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One
Tagged Astro Bot: Rescue Mission, Celeste, Dead Cells, Dragon Ball FighterZ, Florence, Fortnite, Forza Horizon 4, Game Awards 2018, God of War 4, Into the Breach, Monster Hunter: World, Overcooked 2, Overwatch, Red Dead Redemption 2, Return of Obra Dinn, The Messenger