1001 Spikes has received a new patch on Wii U, and it adds a much-requested feature. Once downloaded, you should be able to experience the game via off-TV play. We’re not sure if the patch contains any other features or addresses bugs, but the update is an unexpected surprise in any case!
Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. debuted in Japan last week. Sadly, it’s almost an understatement to say that it’s off to a very slow start.
As Media Create didn’t include Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. in its latest charts, it was an indication that the game sold under 2,000 units. This is something that Famitsu confirms with its own sales figures. According to the site, Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. moved just 1,835 copies in Japan.
A new update has been applied to Miiverse, which makes some improvements to the Activity Feed. This is for all versions of the social community – Wii U, 3DS, and web.
Here’s the full rundown from Nintendo:
Separately from what Nintendo has reported, we’re hearing that the Activity Feed’s loading speed has improved. That is certainly good news!
Update: Here’s another trailer to promote Splatoon Global Testfire:
Nintendo has prepared a third Japanese weapons trailer for Splatoon. In the latest video, we get another look at the Splat Roller. View the trailer below.
Warner Bros. Interactive prepared a new video for LEGO Dimensions. Christopher Lloyd, who starred in Back to the Future, appears in the trailer to promote the game. Check it out below.
Today, Nintendo of America announced that Doug Bowser has been hired as its new Vice President of sales.
Bowser “will oversee a variety of sales-related functions, including Sales, In-store Merchandising, Retail Strategy and Retail Marketing. He will play a key role in driving national sales strategies to generate demand and achieve revenue objectives across all of Nintendo’s product lines.” He’ll also “manage Nintendo’s key retail customer relationships and will oversee retail marketing for the Nintendo World store in New York.”
Bowser previously worked at Electronic Arts. He joined the company in 2007 and most recently acted as the Vice President of Global Business Planning. Before his role at EA, Bowser worked at Procter & Gamble in a number of sales leadership roles in Asia, Latin America and the U.S.
Bowser will report to Nintendo of America’s Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Scott Moffitt. Moffitt said of today’s announcement:
Doug Bowser is an outstanding addition to our Nintendo team, as he brings a deep blend of both consumer package goods and video game sales experience. I know he will work tirelessly with our internal and external partners to ensure the broad Nintendo product lineup of hardware, software and accessories are strongly represented throughout U.S. retail points of distribution.
You can read today’s announcement in full below.
The latest Japanese hardware sales from Media Create are as follows:
PS4 – 11,489
New 3DS LL – 11,340
Vita – 10,685
Wii U – 6,428
New 3DS – 3,483
PS3 – 2,964
3DS LL – 790
3DS – 742
Vita TV – 439
Xbox One – 148
For comparison’s sake, here are the hardware numbers from last week:
New 3DS LL – 17,875
Vita – 17,273
PS4 – 15,992
Wii U – 11,137
New 3DS – 5,446
PS3 – 4,351
3DS – 1,413
3DS LL – 1,358
Vita TV – 665
Xbox One – 187
And here are the software charts:
1. [PS4] Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster – 15,913 / NEW
2. [3DS] Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition – 13,844 / 232,683
3. [PSV] Minecraft: PlayStation Vita Edition – 11,303 / 155,278
4. [3DS] Girls Mode 3 – 7,422 / 128,213
5. [PS4] Borderlands: The Handsome Collection – 5,944 / NEW
6. [WIU] Mario Kart 8 – 5,405 / 989,307
7. [3DS] Bravely Second – 5,260 / 134,905
8. [WIU] Xenoblade Chronicles X – 4,236 / 101,511
9. [3DS] Pokemon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire – 3,648 / 2,622,489
10. [PS4] Dying Light – 3,252 / 44,450
11. [WIU] Mario Party 10 – 3,204 / 140,963
12. [3DS] Super Smash Bros. for 3DS – 3,133 / 2,230,716
13. [3DS] Yo-Kai Watch 2: Shinuchi – 2,723 / 2,606,206
14. [3DS] Animal Crossing: New Leaf – 2,439 / 3,972,933
15. [WIU] Dragon Quest X: Inishie no Ryuu no Denshou Online – 2,300 / 105,342
16. [PS4] Tropico 5 – 2,133 / 17,997
17. [3DS] Theatrhythm Dragon Quest – 2,072 / 117,161
18. [WIU] Super Smash Bros. for Wii U – 2,041 / 636,111
19. [3DS] Xenoblade Chronicles 3D – 1,944 / 84,347
20. [PS3] Pro Baseball Spirits 2015 – 1,863 / 100,345
Nintendo issued a North American press release for the launch of Puzzle & Dragons Z + Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition. You can read up on it below.
Puzzle & Dragons Z + Puzzle & Dragons Super Mario Bros. Edition Come Packaged Together on One Game Card
REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Nintendo is doubling down on puzzle gaming with two adventures for Nintendo 3DS – so big and so immersive that they have room for dragons and Mario – in one power-packed game package. Puzzle & Dragons Z + Puzzle & Dragons Super Mario Bros. Edition will challenge gamers to drag and match colored orbs to create combos and take down enemies. And Puzzle & Dragons Z + Puzzle & Dragons Super Mario Bros. Edition will delight them with the chance to befriend Mario baddies across multiple worlds to rescue Princess Peach. Both games will be available on a single game card in stores and as a game download at Nintendo.com and in the Nintendo eShop on May 22 for one suggested retail price of just $29.99.
“The drag-and-match fun of these games will attract fans of puzzle games,” said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing. “Then it will surprise them with a much deeper and richer experience than they expected.”
A new report from Nintendo Life paints a concerning picture about the state of indies in Germany. The site claims that “over the past months there have been secret European developer meetings to discuss the current state of the eShop.” The big takeaway is that “larger download publishers are starting to drop Germany because they are not able to recoup the cost of earning a USK rating”.
Unfortunately, that isn’t all. The article also mentions that many indies are facing issues selling 3,000 copies of their game o nthe eShop. Because of this, “many are dropping support for Nintendo’s consoles.”
