Video Game Trader Magazine

Venturebeat.com

A report from famed video game industry analyst from Michael Pachter of Wedbush Morgan finds that there were 100 million units sold on the second-hand game market for an approximate revenue of $2 billion.

The video game industry has been trying to make a case for the negative effects of second-hand game sales, even to the point of considering implementing game codes that could leave out crucial game elements if the owner did not have a code.  The report finds that fewer than 5 percent of new game sales are affected by the growing trend of buying and selling used games.

The vast majority of used games are not traded in until the original new game purchaser has finished playing – more than two months after a new game is released – typically well beyond the window for a full retail priced new game sale,” said analyst Michael Pachter.

Read the full story at Examiner.com.

HardestLevel.com

Apple is probably better at hyping its products than it is even at designing them, so pronouncements that the iPhone is a console killer should probably be taken with a grain of salt. I have played a few games on the iPhone: Super Monkey Ball for some time, Asphalt 4, a disturbingly male-centric racing game, and Vans SK8: Pool Service most recently. The controls can be problematic; the accelerometer was not designed to control games and it generally performs poorly when pinpoint control and immediate response is required.

The learning curve, in my opinion, far exceeded that of console or DS controls. Some games include a combination of accelerometer control and taps, which makes for an awkward ballet with your primary concern being to not drop the phone. In addition to the control issues, the iPhone’s battery wears down even faster when gaming. I need to recharge every night, and any length of gaming makes even a nightly recharge insufficient. This is likely related to the size of most game files and the processing power needed for play. There is no question that the graphics are excellent. I did not expect much when I played my first game, and I was shocked by the level of detail in some cases. Need for Speed: Undercover is amazing and seems to be among the class of iPhone games. Like many others, it keeps up with the DS in graphic quality.

Read the complete blog at HardestLevel.com.

Ok, so it’s not really a “blowout” sale, but Toys R Us is giving 5-10% off all video games, systems & accessories. You can find the coupons at ToysRUs.com, or you can just click here (PDF) to get right to the coupons.

One of the best parts of playing the original Wolfenstein 3D was that you got to take out the ultimate bad guy… Hitler.

However, id Software, has informed fans that there will be no Hitler in Raven Softwars Wolfenstein 3D.

Read more of this story at TechShout.com.

You remember the classic games but how well do you remember their great tunes? Turn up those speakers and take a nostalgic stroll down Theme-Song Lane by naming the following 10 classic melodies.

Take the Video Game Theme Song Quiz. I scored an 80%. The average score is 68%. How will you score? Take the quiz and comment below.