Ultra Combo News Report 10.12.09: PS3 Dominates, More Halo, Alpha Protocol Delayed and More!

Posted by Armando Rodriguez on 10.12.2009

Plus, God of War Collection's rumored delay false (for now), Little Big Planet PSP release date, EyePet delayed and much more!



It's that time of the week again folks! Welcome to the Ultra Combo News Report! This week on the Ultra Combo News Report: PS3 tops September sales, even more game delays and a lot more! As for my week in gaming, I finally made it to Tier 4 in Need for Speed Shift. Yes, I have already unlocked the championship and I could just beat the game now, but I'd rather explore everything before I review it. I am really enjoying my time and I have to admit that the ability to level up and unlock rewards is a real hook. Look forward to my review at some point this week.



Playstation 3 Dominates September Sales

Two different sources, the EEDAR (Electronic Entertainment Design and Research) and analyst Michael Pachter are predicting that the PS3 won out the console sales battle for the month of September. Although official numbers are still one week away, Pachter predicts that the PS3 sold around 410,000 units, with the Wii selling 390,000 and the Xbox 360 350,000. EEDAR predicts that the PS3 sold around 400,000 units, with the Wii selling 375,000 and the 360 selling 370,000. With both reputable sources agreeing on the subject, we are expecting similar numbers when the official ones are revealed next week. Pachter also predicts that the PS3 will continue to dominate sales for the reminder of the year due to having price parity with the Xbox 360. However, only one PS3 game made the Top 10 software sales for the month, which continues to be a problem for Sony.
[Credit: 1UP.com]

The Beatdown: It's not Halloween yet, but the dead are rising! If the predictions prove to be true, Sony will dominate the rest of the year. Is this the beginning of a huge comeback, or just a faint glimmer of hope that will disappear in the next few weeks? Only time will tell, but I for once predicted that even if Microsoft wins the console race (The Wii is more like a toy, so it doesn't count! Just kidding. They are too far ahead for anyone to catch up, really) the numbers will be a lot closer than everyone thought.


Microsoft Outlines "6-Year Plan" for Halo?

Even if Bungie decides to abandon Halo after Halo: Reach, Microsoft is not ready to abandon the franchise. Frank O'Connor, creative director for Microsoft's Halo label, 343 Studios, said that they have a plan outlined for at least 6 years.

After announcing that Halo 3: ODST has already sold 2.5 million copies, Frank said that the ending of Halo 3's Legendary setting is such a cliffhanger that people would be irritated if they don't continue the series. The story of Master Chief will continue through comics, novels and games, in addition to the Halo Legends series due out next year.
[Credit: Gamespot.com]

The Beatdown: Of course we will see more Halo. They would have been stupid to say otherwise and abandon the most lucrative franchise in the console. Microsoft abandoning Halo would be like Activision leaving Call of Duty and Guitar Hero or EA leaving Madden. The Halo universe and mythology runs deep and they can continue to crank out sequels, prequels and spinoffs for a long time, not only in first person, but also in other genres. There is simply too much to explore right now to just abandon the ship.


Alpha Protocol Officially Delayed Until 2010

Ever heard the term "last minute delay"? I guess it applies to Alpha Protocol. Scheduled to be released on October 6, Sega waited until the very last minute to announce that the game has been delayed to spring 2010. That's right; they actually announced the delay on the day the game was supposed to come out!
[Credit: 1UP.com]

The Beatdown: I am sick and tired of delays until 2010. Actually, I am not sick and tired anymore. There have been so many that I am immune, I don't even feel anything when I hear of yet another delay. This time it involves a game I was looking forward to, one of the few I had on tab to purchase this winter. Oh well, I guess my money will be spent on Fallout 3: GOTY instead. I really don't know what's wrong with the game, outside of the comments a Sony rep made about how it didn't feel like an RPG. Is this the reason Sega delayed the game? We don't know, because Sega didn't even tell us what was wrong.


Dragon Age Getting DLC Expansion On Day 1

If you are eager to play Dragon Age and whatever expansion packs are made for it, you will not have to wait long. On the very same date Dragon Age launches (November 3 on PC and 360, late November on PS3) an expansion pack will be available for purchase on XBLA, PSN and PC. For $7 you can purchase Warden's Keep, a DLC expansion that will add a dungeon-based quest, six new abilities, a variety of magic items and a base where players can trade with merchants.
[Credit: Gamespot.com]

The Beatdown: This is my problem with DLC. If they can have it ready for the game's launch date, why in the blue hell isn't it part of the original game in the first place? I have to admit that $7 doesn't sound too bad for a new quest and a bunch of items or abilities, but that doesn't change the fact that it feels like they are nickel and diming us. If they can have it ready for launch date, there is no excuse for it not being on the disk in the first place.


EyePet Delayed Until 2010 in North America

After setting a November 17 release date just a few weeks ago, Sony has confirmed that the North American version of EyePet has been delayed until next year. The game will still come out this year in the European market. There seems to be no technical reason for the delay, as the game is apparently fine, but Sony wants to take extra time to deal with marketing issues.
[Credit: 1UP.com]

The Beatdown: Sony is actually delaying a game that looks like it is aimed at the younger market until next year, missing the entire holiday season where this thing could have sold like hot cakes. I think that is a horrible decision, but whatever, it just shows that I will never understand Sony. If you told me the delay had to do with the fact that they want to add motion controls (which I think is a very good idea for this type of game) and have the game come bundled with the wand/motion controller (which I also think is a fantastic idea) then I would have understood and supported their reasoning.


Little Big Planet PSP Dated

Only one week after Modern Warfare 2, Little Big Planet PSP will make his way home. Sony has confirmed that Little Big Planet PSP will hit stores on November 17. Bringing the "Create, Play, Share." slogan to portables, Little Big Planet is a 2D platformer that allows players to create, play and share their own levels.
[Credit: 1UP.com]

The Beatdown: Another great game in a year full of them for the PSP. I have said it a ton of times before: The PSP is the comeback system of the year. I don't think that Modern Warfare 2 will hurt LBP's sales, they don't share a demographic and Modern Warfare 2 is not going to be on the PSP. If it retains the gameplay and ease of use as the console version, LBP PSP is going to be awesome.


God of War Collection Delayed?

Various retailers have started to change the projected release date of God of War Collection to spring 2010. Gamestop has changed the release date to March 6, 2010 while Target now lists the game as coming out on April 1st. However, Jeff Rubenstein (from Sony) has told PS3 center that the game is still on track for a fall 2009 release date.
[Credit: 1UP.com]

The Beatdown: It would be a shame if this title got delayed, especially as it might hint at a God of War 3 delay as well. I don't think Sony will release both titles two or three weeks apart. However, the official word from Sony is that the game is still on track for release this year and I guess we have to believe that for now. However, this might prove to be another Alpha Protocol, whose delay was hinted at by retailers a few weeks before it was officially confirmed.


Details Emerge on Sin & Punishment 2

If you owned a Nintendo 64 back during it's peak, one of the coolest games that never made it stateside was the Treasure-made shooter Sin & Punishment. It was released to rave reviews in Japan and when it finally debuted stateside in the Wii's Virtual Console, it was received with great praise as well. Now a sequel is on the way and on track to be released stateside during the first quarter of 2010. Like the Nintendo 64 original, Sin & Punishment 2 will be an on-rails shooter, with your character using guns and swords to dispatch enemies and stay alive. The main character this time around is the son of Saki and Airan from the previous game, named Iso Jo. He has been sent to an alternate version of Earth to kill an amnesiac girl named Kachi. Treasure stated that the game will be twice as long as the original Sin & Punishment and that character will be able to move in the air in addition to the ground.
[Credit: 1UP.com]

The Beatdown: Treasure is the type of company that always creates games with cult followings. As a former N64 owner, I was mighty pissed when the first game's North American release never came to pass, so Wii gamers have to count themselves as lucky to get the sequel.

The Quick Hits:


- Activision boasted that Guitar Hero 5 was outselling The Beatles: Rock Band by a wide margin. Now it seems that the opposite might be true as analysts now expect The Beatles: Rock Band to sell 1.3 million copies in September, with Guitar Hero 5 selling around 700,000 copies.

- Another reason to be excited: Scribblenauts development team is now working on an XBLA game.

- Beyonce wants to be in a Wii Fitness game. The problem is no one else wants her to.

- In one of those "WE TOLD YOU SO!" moments, Infinity Ward stated that Activision didn't want Modern Warfare and that they didn't even see Infinity Ward as a console developer. Activision wanted Call of Duty to remain a World War II game and even went as far as to try and find market studies that proved that Infinity Ward's idea was wrong. You see, this is why creative games are rare: Publishers want to stop new, crazy ideas. Well, this new crazy idea gave new life to the company.

Finish Him!


Jade Wins!

Until next week folks! Don't forget to check The Top 5 and a special appearance by yours truly in Four Player Co-Op this week. Have a great week and play great games! *like Target Terror*………..



Shut up Mark!