Wii U Sales Climb Slowly Despite Key Releases

Nintendo managed to sell 3 million Wii U consoles worldwide during the final nine months of 2014, marking only a slight increase from the 2.4 million sold in the same period of 2013.

The new figures bring the Wii U's total lifetime sales to 9.2 million, an indication that, despite key releases such as Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros for Wii U, Nintendo is still struggling to push forward with its troubled system.

By comparison, the original Wii had surpassed 44 million sales worldwide after its third Christmas on the market. Sony's PlayStation 4 passed 18.5 million by its second Christmas, and although Microsoft hasn't recently revealed detailed sales numbers, it had shipped 10 million Xbox Ones worldwide before December.

More than half of Wii U owners have bought Mario Kart 8

However, the tie-ratios for key Wii U games are strong. Mario Kart 8 has sold 4.8 million units, meaning more than half of Wii U owners have purchased the game. Meanwhile, Super Smash Bros for Wii U managed to sell 3.4 million units.

Nintendo 3DS sales fell significantly during the nine-month period, due in part to gamers in Europe and North America awaiting the release of the New Nintendo 3DS model. In total, some 7 million 3DS units shipped worldwide during the three quarters, down from the 11.6 million sold during the same period last year.

Of that number, sales of the New Nintendo 3DS in Japan--which launched in October--accounted for 1.8 million (0.6m for the smaller model, 1.2 for the XL). Despite slower sales, the handheld nevertheless passed a key lifetime sales milestone of 50 million units.

Key 3DS software performed handsomely, with Pokémon Omega Ruby / Alpha Sapphire selling 9.35 million units, and Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS hitting 6.19 million.

The combined performance of the 3DS and Wii U, along with its software, is expected to pull Nintendo out of an annual loss for the first time since 2010. Total sales for the year are revised down slightly, by 7 percent, to $4.7 billion, while profit expected to reach $505 million, compared to the $200 million loss last year.

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3DS Browser Exploit Allows Users to Play Game Boy Color ROMs

A Nintendo 3DS loophole is allowing customers to play Game Boy Color ROMs on Nintendo's new hardware.

To activate the loophole, users need to purchase a legitimate Game Boy Color game via the eShop, and then suspend the software and open up the handheld's internet browser. At this point, if users then download a Game Boy Color ROM it can be played on the handheld. However, in most countries this action likely violates copyright law.

According to Nintendo Life, the workaround works right up to the current firmware version (9.0-9.4), but those who own a New Nintendo 3DS will not be able to create the same exploit.

In all likelihood the loophole will be closed with a future system software update.

A 3DS software update, released in December, managed to block a backdoor hack that allowed users to play unlicensed games on the handheld.

Further Reading: Why You Should Buy a 3DS in 2015

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As Ubisoft Axes "Stolen" Origin Keys, Reseller Denies Blame

New light has been shed on Ubisoft's crackdown of grey market PC game codes, with the publisher revealing that the games it has deactivated were purchased with fraudulent credit card information.

On Tuesday it emerged that the publisher had begun blocking access to some of its PC games, such as Far Cry 4 and Assassin's Creed Unity, having discovered they were not acquired through official channels. Consumers raised complaints about their games being deactivated on a Ubisoft forum, but the publisher insists this is a legal matter.

Now it emerges that some, or perhaps all, of the game codes in question were bought from EA's Origin store using fraudulent credit card information.

EA is co-operating with Ubisoft and has temporarily removed the games from Origin. Meanwhile, the reseller website believed to have sold these codes online has denied responsibility.

In a statement sent to GameSpot, Ubisoft said: "We have confirmed activation keys were recently purchased from EA's Origin store using fraudulent credit card information and then resold online. These keys may have been deactivated. We strongly recommend that players purchase keys and downloadable games only from the Uplay Store or their trusted retailers."

EA, in turn, has notified customers that "a number of activation keys for Ubisoft products were purchased from Origin using fraudulent credit cards, and then resold online. We identified the unauthorized keys and notified Ubisoft."

It added: "We removed Ubisoft games from Origin to protect against further fraudulent purchases. We don't have an update [for when the games will return], but are working to get them back in the store as soon as possible."

"Not in Any Way Responsible"

Following this clampdown on fraudulent keys, the online vendor now in the spotlight has insisted it is not directly linked to the illegal purchase.

"As some of you may already know, steps have been taken to remove games purchased indirectly from a publisher, via main marketplaces in the web.

"G2A is not in any case responsible for any of these procedures," the corporation wrote in a statement.

The vendor said it "will do everything possible to compensate" for those who have bought the fraudulently purchased keys.

It added: "G2A will make every possible exertion to prevent this kind of procedures in the future and exclude merchants responsible for such incidents from the marketplace."

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EA Will Give Star Wars: Battlefront a Battlefield-Sized Push

During this week's Electronic Arts earnings call, CFO Blake Jorgensen talked more about the upcoming Star Wars: Battlefront game, which is in development at Battlefield series studio DICE.

Jorgensen confirmed that the shooter is due to launch before Christmas 2015. More specifically, the game aims to be "aligned with" Star Wars Episode VII -- The Force Awakens, which arrives on December 18, he said.

DICE's new Star Wars: Battlefront is not directly based on the upcoming movie from J.J. Abrams, though it will share some general universe themes, characters, and items. In previous teaser trailers and images, DICE has revealed that the game will take players to locations such as Hoth and Endor, and feature vehicles such as AT-ATs and speeder bikes, among other things.

About the game in general, Jorgensen said DICE will share more about the project in the coming months. He went on to say that Battlefront's launch this year will be a "very large activity" for EA overall, on level with the company's blockbuster Battlefield series.

"We're extremely excited about that," Jorgensen said about Battlefront. "We think there's huge potential for that title. More to come in the next couple of months on that as more about the movie comes out as well as more about our title comes out. You should consider that a very large activity for us [this year] and a very large focus--similar to how we've thought about Battlefields in the past."

Battlefront is not the only new Star Wars game EA is currently working on. The developer's Visceral Games studio is also producing an entry in the series, rumored to be an open-world game. EA has even hired longtime Naughty Dog creative director Amy Hennig to work on the title.

EA and Star Wars franchise owner Disney signed a ten-year, multi-title deal in 2013 that makes the Mass Effect publisher the exclusive creator of new Star Wars games.

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Check Out These 24 Karat Gold Xbox One And PS4 Controllers

Not to be outdone by the gold-plated Xbox One and PlayStation 4 consoles we heard about last year, the team at ColorWare (via Kotaku) recently released 24 Karat gold Xbox One and PS4 controllers.

The extremely limited batch of gold-plated controllers--only 25 of each were made--have already sold out. They went for $300 apiece.

"The extraordinary new controllers undergo a complex process to achieve a rich, glossy finish. These products look amazing and have outstanding ergonomics," ColorWare writes about them.

There's no word yet on if ColorWare will replenish stock.

At least we can look at some images of the controllers, which are either amazing or silly--I can't decide. Check out the gallery below to see some pictures, and be sure to click each image for a full-size version.

Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com

Filed under:

Xbox One

PS4

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Microsoft Remains "Committed" To Xbox One Following Windows 10 Announcements

Microsoft's recently announced major plans for gaming on PC via Windows 10 won't come at the expense of the company's long-running Xbox console business, according to executive Phil Spencer.

A fan asked on Twitter why he should buy an Xbox One, given that more Xbox games are coming to PC and with cross-platform play, too. Spencer replied: "I understand why you ask and I'm committed to Xbox owners, we will continue to focus on console."

He added: "There will always be unique games, experiences, and capabilities on Xbox One."

During a Windows 10 event last week, Spencer revealed the Xbox app for Windows 10 (which testers can try now), and also announced Xbox One-to-PC streaming and talked about the impact HoloLens could have on gaming. For everything you need to know from last week's event, check out GameSpot's news roundup.

What do you make of Spencer's comments about his commitment to console gaming? Let us know in the comments below!

Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com

Filed under:

Xbox One

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10% Off PSN Discount Ends Today -- What Will You Buy?

[UPDATE] The 10 percent off PSN code expires today at 9 AM PDT / 12 Noon EDT, meaning you have just about three hours left to cash in. The US discount code is 2NQPCN9PRH, while international codes are listed below.

The original story is below.

Here's some good news to take you into the weekend. Sony on Friday announced that the 10 percent off PlayStation Store discount, a makeup effort for the Christmas downtime, is now available worldwide.

In the United States, you can use the following code to get the discount: KF56EM5KB3. International users can find a code for their country in the list at the bottom of this post.

The 10 percent off discount is good for anything in the PlayStation Store--games, movies, TV shows, etc.--but not preorders. A full list of terms and conditions is available here.

The discount is valid through 9 AM PDT on January 26, so you'll need to act quickly. You can start shopping right now through the PlayStation Store online marketplace.

The 10 percent discount isn't the only way Sony is making it up to fans affected by the Christmas network downtime. The company will also offer PlayStation Plus subscribers a five-day membership extensions. These extensions will roll out automatically with no action on your part required.

The membership extensions are being pushed out right now. If you're a PlayStation Plus member, you should receive an email in the next few days confirming the extension.

"Thanks again for your loyalty," Sony said.

With what appears to be a major nor'easter headed my way this weekend, I'm probably hunkering down and staying inside to catch up on my gaming backlog. What do you plan to pick up using the 10 percent off code? Let us know in the comments below!

International 10 Percent Off PSN Codes:

• Australia: K5B9PMJQMF
• Austria: A9PMAFADEM
• Bahrain: QC86D5C7CD
• Belgium: KPBH6DAH9D
• Bulgaria: J49QT96DLD
• Croatia: EMKDP7T657
• Cyprus: LBL4F2T854
• Czech Republic: HLTCL52QCQ
• Denmark: Q4E7J3GEP3
• Finland: 2BTQAHF2AL
• France: KCQDNMGR94
• Germany: B6P3N5ATNK
• Greece: 7AAQQC83F9
• Hungary: 8JBQQTPCFB
• Iceland: KEM4JD98DA
• India: R99P6BR9FG
• Ireland: C4EFQJ4KFB
• Israel: QG6DQJKN69
• Italy: 3NBPML225L
• Kuwait: 7LTL3R55DH
• Lebanon: DG32HDLLE8
• Luxembourg: FQLKDNN5BR
• Malta: TBT5NHCG9Q
• Netherlands: DDHBNBF9EK
• New Zealand: 7LMGFC3B33
• Norway: JC9EEEHGLR
• Oman: 7D995HE92Q
• Poland: 9C38255C6L
• Portugal: PBTRQ7FGBF
• Qatar: 2P863Q427A
• Romania: A3G86KQ7T3
• Russia: T34NK72FQ6
• Saudi Arabia: 93NBHTTJDG
• Slovakia: F8LRPK323P
• Slovenia: HPDEG94QQF
• South Africa: BD43JPHDJJ
• Spain: GKE22RKKCN
• Sweden: 3E4MBKJTG6
• Switzerland: 9FTRKF52QL
• Turkey: QCDTCD526N
• UAE: RB32RL5EBN
• Ukraine: 233NJCNQ59
• United Kingdom: T6R3KB529K

Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com

Filed under:

PS4

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Planetside 2 Sets Guinness World Record After 1,158 People Battle At Once

Sony Online Entertainment announced Monday that its free-to-play MMOFPS Planetside 2 has set a new Guinness World Records title for "Most players online in a single FPS battle."

The record was achieved on January 24 when SOE partnered with PlanetSideBattles for a massive in-game war between all three Planetside 2 Empires. In all, 1,158 players simultaneously duked it out in one instance on the game's Jaeger competitive server.

The previous world record holder was the game Man vs. Machine, which in 2012 saw 999 people simultaneously compete. According to Planetside 2 producer David Carey, the first Planetside actually held the original record for most players online in a single FPS battle.

"We're thrilled to have officially taken it back with PlanetSide 2," Carey said. "It's truly the players that define the game and we'd like to extend a BIG congratulations to our players for reaching such an accomplishment nearly every night, as well as thank them for making PlanetSide 2 exactly the type of experience it was meant to be."

Planetside 2 is available today on PC, while the PlayStation 4 version recently entered a closed beta testing period ahead of its public release.

For more on Planetside 2, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.

Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com

Filed under:

PlanetSide 2

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GS News Top 5 - Hatred Gets Adults Only Rating; Destiny Levelling Hack!

I would use the Microsoft Hololens. This could be a great new way to play games, especially ones with a top-down perspective. Imagine playing Diablo 3 in a dark basement or maybe even outdoors at night for a more immersive experience. Horror games might become painfully scary with this or VR technology. Seeing creepy things coming out from behind the real trees in your environment could be terrifying :0 

Of course it may be incredible for learning experiences and work environments, but that isn't quite as fun :P

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