EA can save them selves big if BF:Bad Company 2 is amazing.

I fail to see how GT5 could be scared off by MW2. They occupy a different niche in the gaming market, and if you are a driving nut and a FPS nut are you telling me that you're only gonna get one of these games for Christmas? How about MW2 from Dad and GT5 from Uncle Joe?

I can see MW2 scaring off other FPS games, some TPS games and a few hack and slash adventure games maybe. But a racing game? No. Between 360 and PS3 there are over 50 million consoles (maybe 60 mill by November) out there vying for Christmas presents to play with. MW2 might sell to 20% of them, but that sill leaves 10s of millions of consoles needing 1 or 2 shiny new games to wile away those long, cold northern winter nights (or for us antipodeans to be working on our Playstation tans during the summer hols, sorry don't know of any Xbox or GC adds that were similar to this iconic PS2 add; and the fact a friend of mine was in it here).

With most things in life there is usually more then one reason to do something. In the case of this holiday season there are a multitude of issues to contend with. We have the soft economy. A large number of massively high profile titles. Decreased profits and incurred losses. Heavy marketing from large players.

Then we have next year which should have a stronger economy. Less competition and marketing. Plus the added benefit that the gains can be compiled to give investors a stronger return rather then a small one in a very tight holiday season.

They are not afraid of one title. They are afraid of the weak economy damaging their ability to make a profit. While they can make more money by holding off for five to six months. The weak economy means less games will be sold, and the space for high selling games will be sopped up by a relative handful. This is especially hurtful if your trying to move a high budget game in this season, and as we all know most of a games sales are derived within just a few weeks of a games launch.

In other words there is only room for a few big budget games this holiday season. A couple of years ago there would have been room for more. A couple years ago there would have been room for five or six games under the tree. This year it will probably be more like three or four, and if your going to be title five or six on the list you might not get the sales you deserve.

It isn't just Modern Warfare. It is Modern Warfare, ODST, Forza, Left 4 Dead, Assassins Creed 2, Uncharted, and a couple others. There just isn't a lot of margin for titles outside top five. Now that said watch the list carefully, because it may actually expand the closer we get to the holiday season. The economy actually seems to have seen some improvement. In the United States last week due to a government program 200,000 new cars were just purchased. So the missing consumer confidence may be getting a rebound.

That means the holidays might start to open up, and some developers might decide to push games forward into the openings made by departures. A game having been delayed does not mean it cannot move back forward, or that titles originally slated for early next year releases to begin with cannot slip forward. Where there is an opportunity there is a way, and more then that someone keen to get in on great action.

Speaking to the game highlighted here. I recommend that you not buy the game. You have a vote in how companies treat you. You cast your ballot by opening or not opening your wallet. Speaking to those that own a 360 you still have Halo, and that game is months worth of fun to play. I say give the developer a dead pan response, and you will see some back peddling on their pricing. They will also probably think twice before pulling that shit again. You know what your dignity is worth more then any game. I say if you feel your getting shafted by a company then you need to have the commitment to stand up for yourself.

I have some companies on a personal shit list. All you need is a little self respect, and you will not find yourself still buying their goods. I couldn't look myself in the mirror afterwards, and I bet you will find that you couldn't either.

I agreee!!!!! Full destructible environments=HUGE gameplay changes.

What? Obama's car subsidies for America will make games like Mafia II, Dark Void and Bayonetta available for the Holiday rush? lol

You are a very smart and likeable poster Dodece, but this was really laughable.

Well, Mirror's Edge was certainly innovative (quality is, of course, subjective, and I'm not a fan). I do indeed think that Paradise and Dead Space are quality games, and DS was pretty innovative too. Bad Company was quality, as well, and pretty innovative with the destructible environments thing (though I'm sure it's been done in some form before- I believe Red Faction had it, and Red Faction: Guerilla handled destructible environments much better IMO).

Thought NSMB wii was going to come out q4 2009 as well? Guess the article forgot about it?

How in god's name New Super Mario Bros. Wii is not on that list, I will never understand.

This is the biggest crybaby article I've ever read.

Activision is NOTHING like EA. That 'EA from 2003-2007' is false because it's 2003-present.

And now this guy here is whining because Modern Warfare 2 is coming out for the holidays? It's not their fault everyone else is scared of them. Maybe they should make better games instead of complaining.

Also, Gran Turismo 5 is slated for this year..the list is wrong in that regard. On top of that, he's complaining about a price increase...but read this again:

Activision has seen fit to hike the price of the game, at least in the UK, to £54.99. That’s up £15 from the standard RRP of a game in the UK, which is £44.99...

What we take from this is that the person writing this article can't even add. Regardless, I fully support their price increase...why? Because when Killzone 2 came out, I ordered mine from shopto.net. What price did I get it for? £34.99...which came out to, after shipping, me saving more than $10 on the normal edition of the game here in the states. Except, I GOT THE STEELBOOK COLLECTORS EDITION THAT CHEAP. What's that mean? Retailers are going to slash the price of games regardless. So if the RRP is higher, the price of the game won't get slashed as much. You're still going to be paying less than they want you to pay, SO STOP CRYING. Or cry me a river, and float the hell away in it.

@Slimebeast

I think you need to review the structure of the government in the United States. Recently I have read a lot of ignorant commentary. Not your fault you shouldn't need to understand the underlying mechanics. However it should be clarified. The Congress of the United States creates bills, and then they vote on said bills. If the bill passes the Congress it then proceeds to the President who then has a vote. They either concur and sign off on the bill, or they decline and veto the bill. Which sends the bill back to the Congress for a second vote. Now if the Congress passes the bill with a high enough of a majority then the bill becomes law.

So when you say the Obama whatever it is a really a ignorant statement. The reality is the bill that created this program was the culmination of the efforts of hundreds of elected officials. The President is merely the last one to sign off on it. Even though the President may be the leader of their party. They only have influence not authority. They cannot make any member of Congress produce legislation, or even compel them to sign off on it. In fact many a President once out of office will tell stories about the Congress even one aligned with them causing them all kinds of grief.

So please don't just label it the work of one man. I am sure the two Senators and my very own local Representative also had a hand in this program. So they all share recognition if it succeeds and responsibility if it fails. Unless they voted against it, and in that case they are stupid for voting against it if it succeeds brilliantly, and they are to be commended if the program is a failure.

You think my assertion is laughable. Well wait a couple months, and we will see if I am right or I am wrong. That said I have a bit more evidence in my life experience. I have a brother that was laid off that is suddenly finding side work where there was no work previously. Where I work is seeing a upswing in business, and my father is working for a company that is actually getting much more work. In fact where he works they have actually had to hire people.

So paint me the optimist, but I am seeing more reason to be optimistic then even a few months ago. Things aren't going fantastic, but they sure as hell aren't as bleak as they were earlier in the year.