Retail News, Retail Features - Page 2 of 8

Could do better?

Although those who have purchased the Wii U - us included - are perfectly happy with the system, experts and analysts want cold, hard numbers to prove how well a new piece of hardware is doing. And sadly, in the case of the Wii U, those figure are a little on the depressing side. Eurogamer has conduced its own investigation into...

Get both the 3DS and Wii U versions for a slightly reduced price in the UK

As you probably know, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate is launching on two Nintendo systems this year - the 3DS and the Wii U. While the Wii U version offers online play, the 3DS edition has that all-important portable factor - something we can imagine is causing many potential...

Beating Apple, Sony and Microsoft

A recent poll has seen Nintendo top the list for best customer service, outranking Apple, Sony, Samsung and Microsoft - among others. The findings were charted by Forrester, an independent market research firm that specialises in the tech sector. 7,500 US participants in the survey were asked: “How well did they...

Tough times ahead?

The past twelve months have shown just how volatile the current market is for retailers. With the global recession taking its toll, several high street businesses are finding it difficult to compete. This week alone saw both HMV and Blockbuster slip into administration in the UK, putting thousands of jobs at risk. Video game...

UK games retail suffers its second blow in the space of a week

This week, HMV - the UK's last major high street entertainment retailer - slid into administration after suppliers declined to help the ailing chain, putting around 4,350 jobs at risk. The bad news for UK retail doesn't end there, however - Blockbuster UK has also announced its...

4,350 jobs at risk

HMV is the latest high street casualty in the UK. The music, DVD and video game retailer is to appoint an administrator, putting around 4,350 jobs at risk. The company has been in a financial mess for more than a year now; in December share prices plummeted after it warned it could breach bank loan agreements. The retailer...

Big challenges for the industry

The Entertainment Retailers Association has reported that in 2012 the UK video games market fell by 17.4%, including both physical and digital sales. In 2011 the whole video games market in the UK was worth £1.934 billion, in comparison to £1.598 billion in 2012. While digital sales did increase by 7.7% in 2012,...

UK retailer blames listing error

A few outlets were reporting earlier this morning that UK catalogue store Very.co.uk had become the first retailer in the world to begin selling the Wii U GamePad as a standalone item - which was surprising news given that there's nothing to use two GamePads for right now, unless you like really expensive bookends...

Where there's smoke, there's fire

Remember that Wii Mini rumour we posted the other day? Well Best Buy Canada just upgraded it from "huh?" to "legit". The store's site features an image of the new-look console, which appears to be more akin to a set-top box than the old design. Sadly, clicking the image itself currently takes you to the Wii...

Hundreds of consoles sent out into the wild

It can be quite difficult to really sell the concept of a new console with just words and advertising alone; this is something Nintendo has found with Wii, 3DS and now Wii U. The best way for people to get a feel for what a new console is like is for them to literally get their mitts on it; that's exactly...

No pleasing some people

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot has stated that although the Wii U is cheap when compared to devices like Apple's iPad, he's not 100% happy with the price of the system. Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, Guillemot remarked: I always prefer lower pricing, so I can't say I'm happy. I'm never happy when the machines are expensive...

Epic is the word you're looking for

Disney's Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two is due to release for the Wii on November 23rd, and fans can look forward to a special Collector's Edition of the game as well as the standard retail copy. UK retailer GAME has the exclusive on this bundle, which features a copy of the game, an 8GB Oswald-shaped USB stick...

White basic bundle already completely sold out on day one

UK video games retailer GAME has revealed that it expects to sell out of its entire allocation of Wii U consoles before the launch day of 30th November rolls around, but has stated that all current pre-orders will be fulfilled on the day of release. Speaking to Videogamer.com, a GAME...

Crossover RPG limps to 100,000 copies

Namco Bandai's much-hyped tactical RPG Project X Zone isn't performing as well as expected in its native Japan, with just 12,450 sold during the week of Monday 15th October. That brings the game's total sales to 97,989 units since its launch a week before. In contrast, Bravely Default: Flying Fairy has...

Mario and Pokémon plushes a-hoy!

Are you tired of going into a video game store and seeing M-rated games covering the shelves, with rows and rows of box covers full of guns and snarling faces? Help is at hand, if you live in the U.S. near Grapevine Mills Mall in TX, as there's a new GameStop Kids store in town. The first of a new range of 80 stores...

Ho Ho Bros

It's almost that time of year, when everyone is merry, bright, and decking the halls with boughs of holly. Whether we like it or not, it's creeping up fast. Buying cards for this festive time, meanwhile, can often be a little bit dull, but GamerPrint has something to offer gamers for the upcoming holiday season. The gaming enthusiast's...

Nintendo's handheld remains robust in the face of mobile competition

Like a broken record, industry experts seem to delight in telling anyone that will listen that the 3DS is doomed. The rise of mobile phone gaming on iOS and Android seems to suggest to many that traditional consoles have no real future, but this anaylsis conviently ignores the fact...

Research also shows the growth of digital downloads

Everywhere you look, there seems to be a story about how traditional consoles are under threat from social gaming, and that the console market as we know it is all but doomed. However, new research from Analyst firm Piper Jaffray reveals that attitudes towards social gaming are changing, with teen...

Industry as a whole is in better shape, though

2012 hasn't been a fantastic year for the video game industry in terms of sales. Year on year, the market is shrinking - August saw a drop of 20 percent, which is understandably worrying for developers, publishers and retailers. However, The NPD Group - whose job it is to research sales trends in the...