Banzaii - The blog of online games and games of Jorge Mediavilla

Since I commented recently that all political parties unanimously (rare, rare, rarooo) had approved extending the subsidies and grants currently receiving the cinema and other cultural industries to video games. In the magazine "Thursday" have done a great reflection on how they will affect aid to the scripts:

Brilliant. Visit the blog of Manuel Bartual , the author of this cartoon, he deserves it.

Will we see Almodóvar on the verge of a nervous breakdown while trying to create a video game in the footsteps of Spielberg? What do you think about ourselves in the shoes of Hugo Silvia in the second part playable and Fat Lies? Can not wait! I can not wait!

According to ADES, which collects data from GFK, the Holy Trinity of Nintendo, that is, Wii Play, Wii Fit and Mario Kart, again occupy the top three positions in the ranking. April has been pretty boring one month without releases to rave about. This explains that the infamous Wii Play, the game that comes bundled with the Wii controls, is number one again.

April will not go down in gaming history accurately. None of the launches this month has entered the top 10, but equal or Ninja Blade, and The Godfather II and other games like Wanted deserved.

The thing is so bad that the Wii Trivial Pursit is the largest entry. Disappear from the list Killzone 2, which seemed more solid, Empire Total War and Street Fighter IV, which also has had the bellows was expected to follow the list. Only stay in a decent way the PS3 version of Resident Evil 5 and Professor Layton's puzzles for Nintendo DS.

Thousands of water in April, but video games, just

Let's see if next month there is more color with games like EA Sports Active, Terminator, Guitar Hero Metallica, Virtua Tennis 2009, Bionic Commando or FUEL.

The ADES, Spanish Association of Publishers and Distributors Entertainment Software, has released its data in 2008 (my comments in brackets):

- The video game sales continue to lead the audiovisual entertainment with 57% market share in Spain. (Whenever this leadership position is strengthened more and more).

- In Spain the use of videogames reached 1,432 million euros in 2008. This represents a slight decrease of 1.5% over the figure recorded the previous year. (There is a crisis, but it seems that video games are not the most affected).

- The video game sales in Spain rose by 3%, while the number of consoles sold was down 6%. The home console sales in Spain rose by 5% but a decrease in sales of portable consoles of 14% over the previous year. Leading the sales ranking for specific games consoles, with a total of 16,883 units sold (-3% compared to 2007). Regarding PC games were reached 3,523 units sold (-21%). The top selling games console is the action, which account for almost half of sales. We follow the racing games and sports. In the market for PC games, strategy games dominate with more than one third of sales, followed by action-adventure. (Down on the entire PC, which is already very sharp decline, and laptops. Have you taken into account in the PC game World of Warcraft and the like? Nothing new in preferences by gender).

- Spain has Europe's fourth intake of interactive software and console sales, behind the United Kingdom, France and Germany. The European market in value almost reached 15,000 million euros, an increase over 2007 of 2,000 million euros. In this sense stands above all the United Kingdom, with a 28% increase. Regarding the number of consoles sold in Europe in 2008, the number was more than 29 million consoles, representing an average growth of 15%. (Spain is in the same place, but stagnating sales records when in other European countries continue to experience large increases. What's wrong? I have the answer).

- Of the games released in 2008, 55% were classified as suitable for +3 years (for all audiences), and only 5% have been explicitly labeled as +18 (for 18 years). Continuing self-regulation, according to data released by Self, in 2008 there has been only one complaint about the advertising game. The complaint, which was initially accepted for processing, was finally dismissed. Self received a total of 287 prior consultations on video game advertising, of which only scored negative for dissemination. (Data sing. Is less fierce wolf as it looks).

- As for the advertising investment of the video game industry continued to increase during 2008, reaching 237 million Euros, representing a 60% increase over 2007. According to data provided by Infoadex. (As far as I know, this year will still be less investment in TV and magazines and the Internet continue to grow, so ... Let us sharpen the claws).

The government reacts

It seems that finally the political class is becoming aware of where the shots go in the entertainment industry and all groups in Congress have supported an initiative of the PSOE would elevate video games to the same cultural category that music and film . The game developers and receive the same grants and subsidies that the rest of the entertainment industry. It is clear that our country is a hotbed of professional video game and you have to avoid brain drain.

I think it's a great initiative in the face of the crisis that will not bear fruit until a few years, but it is very important to place our country on the right track. You can expand the information in the article "A respect for the game" in The Country .

Paloma Pedrero has written an article Reason charge against video games and unfortunately has neither head nor tail. Paloma, renowned writer I had not well known, falls into the classic mistake of columnist-commentator who thinks he knows everything and can write their opinion in a newspaper of general information about a topic that dominates not without well informed. No one in La Razon had to check the column or perhaps seeking to provoke, to get free publicity even a negative one. Who knows ...

We comment only

The fact is that the video game blogosphere is on fire with the subject. Dandel denounces the lack of judgment , Akihabarablues think is baseless defamation , The Big N ADES encouraged to take action on the matter and all refer to otakufreaks, which has worked a great article and has been reporting for days .

I have little more to contribute to so much literature on the subject. I just wish that someone would kindly Reason reading the reviews and, if possible, publish a correction, although I am aware that in the end it will be a sign that polite silence "here has not gone national."

Update: You can express your rejection of the column in the contact form of Reason .

Update 2: I read in Otakufreaks that Reason has eliminated the controversial article. The reason I thought it would not move a finger, but I was wrong. At least they removed the article. What a rectification and is asking too much. I think the big failure of the reason is that no one should check, because they never had to be published. The case is once again a show of force in the blogosphere. See if the next time the ADES decision in the matter and not solely dedicated to the fight against piracy, because we have to send eggs mobilize users.

Taking a look at the best sellers as the ADES, the Spanish Association of Publishers and Distributors Entertainment Software, Nintendo consoles are the most games sold in our country. Eight of the top ten were edited August for Wii or Nintendo DS and the list not a single Xbox 360 game. Hopefully the new price cut them a little lift sales.
Furthermore, non-Nintendo games are still strong. Wii Fit tops the table, next to "Cooking" in fifth place and the classic Brain Training. Despite the high degree of piracy experienced by Nintendo, we do not sell anything poorly compared to its rivals.

Wii Fit

PlayStation 3 could only drop the official video game of the Olympics, which certainly seems like a roll, in third place. PSP Buzz has the pocket and to the count. The other games are from Nintendo.

By the way, shameful second place Wii Play, a pantomime game in many places force you to buy because there is no control without the damn game. Sometimes we go through hoops like sheep ...

Here's the list:

1 Wii Fit + Balance Board (WII)
2 WII PLAY (Wii)
3 BEIJING 2008: OLYMPIC GAMES (PS3)
WII MARIO KART + 4 WHEEL (WII)
5 Cooking: What to Eat? (NINTENDO DS)
6 SUPER SMASH BROS. Brawl (WII)
7 GUITAR HERO: ON TOUR GUITAR GRIP + + ADJ.STRAP (NINTENDO DS)
8 BUZZ! Master Quiz (PSP)
9 WALL-E (Nintendo DS)
10 BRAIN TRAINING FROM DR. Kawashima (Nintendo DS)

More charts in ADES

In my other blog I realize the concern, said John Riccitiello, president of Electronic Arts, has Hollywood. The major movie studios would be looking at the big releases of games like GTA IV a real threat. The balance is shifting, the weight of the entertainment would now be in the video game industry, as indicated, for example, the latest data from ADES.

- Article: "Hollywood is concerned" .

He who does not control what plays his son, who does not know how to deal with their children's relationship with video games, has no excuse or forgiveness. There are guides all colors. All advise from all points of view and for all types of games.

Last week I went through the center Game and found the pleasant surprise of finding a small decalogue ADES also can be seen from the following link: Decalogue of ADES in collaboration with the Ministry of Health.

In this catalog I would like to highlight a couple of ideas that are obvious, but we live in a world that seems to remember every day the obvious:
- Before you purchase a game yourself about your content, what kind of scenes included, which transmits values ​​or level of difficulty.
- Do not give up his duties as adult buyer.
- Encourage sharing and common video games, which need not always be a solo activity.

Some time ago they contacted me from the City of Barcelona to help manufacture it from the point of view the game online. Finally I can not claim to have played a decisive role, but I contributed my bit and the result is spectacular. It is a comprehensive guide, essential, which was distributed on paper in Barcelona and that can be accessed at the following link: Guide to the choice and use of video games of Barcelona City Council.

In this guide highlight the section on Internet and video games, with really useful tips.

The last page will be used to extend information, but I think that with the first two guides that I leave is more than enough for anyone may address the issue of gaming. Last guide: www.guiavideojuegos.es .

I surprised that the list of top selling ADESE March who entered four PS3 games in the top 10 overall best-seller. It has happened than I expected: although the most expensive console ourselves in other continents, to give us any more than another stick and not offer much more than we have been offering Xbox 360 for over a year, sold as churros. Clearly we live in a country PlayStation.

I also called attention to in the top 10 overall there is not a single game of Wii or Xbox 360.

- Best Sellers ADES .