Analyst unimpressed by Stuntman’s start

After posting a less-than-expected second-quarter net loss of $9.3 million last month, THQ reaffirmed its fiscal year 2008 guidance of $1.12 billion to $1.15 billion in net sales. THQ president and CEO Brian J. Farrell told analysts that the forecast hinged largely upon the projected platinum status of five internally developed multiplatform games: Frontlines: Fuel of War, MX vs. ATV Untamed, Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights, the latest Destroy All Humans!, and Stuntman: Ignition.

However, selling a million copies for at least one of those games may not be as done of a deal as THQ hoped. In a company note to investors, Lazard Capital Markets analyst Colin Sebastian said early sales of Stuntman Ignition were "a little slow off the blocks" and "slower than originally anticipated." Sebastian noted that the over-the-top racer was experiencing a weak sell-through at retail and that restocking orders were "unlikely in the near-future."

Nevertheless, Sebastian remained optimistic on Stuntman's outcome. Provided that THQ invests in a more aggressive marketing campaign that includes "a free movie ticket and cable ads targeting a 'mass market' audience," Sebastian believes Stuntman: Ignition can reach platinum status by March 2008, the end of THQ's 2008 fiscal quarter.

The analyst also maintained THQ's "buy" rating on the strength of Juiced 2's and Ratatouille's upcoming European releases, as well as projected strong holiday sales for THQ's WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2008, Cars, SpongeBob, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and MX vs. ATV games.

Free online games

Whether we are in school or behind the desk at work if there is a computer nearby with Internet access we got to search for an online game that’s free to play of course. Doesn’t it just make maths lessons that much bearable, and thus make time go very so quickly whist surprisingly enjoying yourself, problem is some are quite difficult to find here are a couple of sites to play free online games.

Feel free to add more of your own the more the merrier.
- www.miniclip.com
- www.shockwave.com
- www.tekzone.com
- www.hurtwood.demon.co.uk/Fun/copter.swf

What has happened to The Sims?

The Sims has been the most popular and successful game on the PC, however has the introduction of The Sims on various platforms affected The Sims as a whole?, Does The Sims still give you that ‘buzz’ as if it was your very first expansion pack?.

Talking to a Sims fan, Mandi replies: I think that The Sims have and are a popular franchise because it allows the use of players to take control of a completely virtual being (a Sim) and control their every need. It’s not common to find a game, which delivers such game play.

I feel that The Sims on different platforms has made any major damage to The Sims, but the ones created for other platforms didn’t do quite as well as compared to the PC versions. It really depends much on the gamer’s preference of platforms, which they fell most comfortable.

I’ve been a fan from the start, I’ve bought all the expansion pack on the PC and PS2, but sadly to say The Sims or rather The Sims 2 as it is commonly known by its newest generation. Doesn’t really give me that ‘buzz’ I once got from playing The Sims 1 simply to collect it now. I feel with the latest versions it’s too unrealistic and limited in game play. You start to see the faults (non-technical) in the game as you get older you demand too much from the game as it is somewhat based on an actual human being life you begin to compare contrast and question The Sims and real life.
Mandi
What are your opinions?