People Are Still Buying Older Pokémon RPGs

Last year, Nintendo released Pokémon Black 2 and Pokémon White 2 for the Nintendo DS.  While the two games have already sold over 7 million copies to date, plenty of people are also still getting caught up with older Pokémon titles. In fact, over the course of the last one year, about 1 million people were content buying older Pokémon RPGs.

Take a look at the table below, containing sales data for Pokémon that we’ve compiled from Nintendo’s various financial reports over the last year, with an explanation below it.

ReleasedTitleMarch 2012March 2013Increase2007Pokémon Diamond/Pearl17.61 million17.63 million+20,0002010Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver12.40 million12.67 million+270,0002011Pokémon Black/White14.71 million15.42 million+710,000

The “March 2012” column shows worldwide sales figures for each Pokémon RPG as of March 31st, 2012. The “March 2013” column shows sales figures exactly one year later. By calculating the difference between these figures, the “Increase” column tells us how much each game sold from March 2012 to March 2013.

As you can see, Pokémon Black and Pokémon White, despite being released two years ago, still managed to sell over 700,000 copies. Meanwhile, HeartGold and SoulSilver, which were released in 2010, sold an additional 270,000 copies last year. Furthermore, 20,000 people even picked up Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl, which were released six years ago. That totals up to 1 million players.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering, sales of Pokémon Black 2 and Pokémon White 2 are at 7.81 million as of March 2013.

Nintendo’s next Pokémon RPGs, Pokémon X and Pokémon Y, will be released this October. The two new titles will be the first mainline Pokémon games on the Nintendo 3DS, effectively hitting the “reset” button and marking a generational transition, where a large number of players will be required to upgrade from a DS to a 3DS in order to play the new games. It should be very interesting to see how they sell.

Read more stories about Nintendo DS & Pokemon: Black and White & Pokemon: Black and White 2 & Pokemon: Diamond and Pearl & Pokemon: HeartGold & Pokemon: SoulSilver on Siliconera.

Level-5 Sales Professor Layton Series Sells 15 Million Units, Ni No Kuni 1.4 Million

During this morning’s Level-5 Vision press conference, president and CEO Akihiro Hino talked about the “company’s vision” along with a look at the business performance of some of their most popular franchises to date, in addition to the announcement of Layton 7, an upcoming “role play puzzle” game being developed for iOS, Android and 3DS.

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Level-5 shared, the Professor Layton series has been the most successful in sales, and has sold a total of 15 million copies across the globe. The Inazuma Eleven series also had their share of success, mainly in Japan and Europe, having sold about 6.5 million games total. Ni no Kuni sales for the PS3 and Nintendo DS version (Japan-only) reached 1.4 million sales worldwide.

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Additionally, the Guild series, featuring a compilation of games such as Liberation Maiden, Aero Porter, and Crimson Shroud, have sold a total of 400,000 in downloads with 50% of its totals from overseas sales.

Read more stories about Level-5 & Nintendo 3DS on Siliconera.

Skullgirls Pre-Order Steam Key Only $12, Closed Beta Starts Today

If you weren't one of the contributors to the Skullgirls Indiegogo campaign, you can still join in on the closed beta fun that started today, August 1st.

All preorders of Skullgirls will gain access to the Skullgirls closed beta, currently being served up on Steam. The game was also just added to the Steam catalog today. You can even choose to buy a 2-pack or 4-pack of the game. (I suppose some people have to be ballers to get their friends to play with them).

For the rest of us without magical fat wallets, we can get preorders of Skullgirls for 20% off through GameFly for a Steam key. Just use coupon GFDAUG20 (or GFDAUG20UK if you're in the UK) and the game will be only $11.99 ' a solid $3 off the $14.99 list price. Since closed Beta started today, you'll get access to that as well in your Inbox after purchasing.

Skullgirls will be fully released for the PC on August 22nd. System requirements for Skullgirls are relatively reasonable, as you'd expect for a 2D fighting game. Minimum system requirements listed on Steam are a semi-vague 'dual-core CPU' with 2GB of RAM and a minimum Intel HD 3000 level graphics processor. (So essentially, Intel 2nd Gen Sandy Bridge Core series processors or better will do the trick.) If you have a discrete GPU newer than 2010, the game should run without a problem.

As a bonus for following this column, below are 50 beta keys that will get you into the Skullgirls beta on Steam right away. If you use one, please make mention of it in the comments section below, so that the rest of the community knows it's gone.

CX473-TTR85-BRJV9KD7IC-7VWVM-39GPJZA6V7-50WWB-B4XEFVIQ3L-ZWXPB-GL29NQWBF9-IZ0RD-ADXX74T93Z-Z36GH-GHH642948V-WIARJ-8XA6NHKT7D-DMICZ-VNLBFQZJFV-TXH2R-FGPT3BGTJN-7HLYL-M742RM5DZZ-9LJHY-R3Q4BGL9R9-6JQQG-6VW2J0BND3-XTQFN-5I28PXCJKN-GLG7Z-JTTCIZNWZI-7CCAJ-23MVG2CAYZ-7ZBW6-7X2WX0522W-43BEZ-ZWAW4LXPR4-7WATA-QWDJ88ZV2T-973DX-FVC3I9IKZC-VW4XR-H46EFP38VG-TE8KJ-RB66BTQZBX-69M80-4C5WDIMFQB-YKVXM-NT42D758EK-9KL7Y-QRGFW9IJ68-9F62W-20G0AIPDVR-HP5EE-QRB6ZHW0LI-0GCW9-R98D5HZ4AR-L83BE-TMQTYJTD89-0QFFB-LC8KA809L9-4D2E8-NDM8BN5EHR-W5X73-V70IEK0KLN-22KA8-WGZ43C8II2-RITBV-WD04IEX8DE-WE5YC-ZNF2DMEN93-5HE9C-AMCR0R77PD-C5R55-VPEZV3W6QQ-8AFK7-TW6WP9IICT-D7WMT-9V53B30WIP-PC6HN-ZBJGDA57T7-KCKMW-9V4ELIEJ9D-NWR48-9GNQ9GWIWQ-Y294N-CJ7GRH3NQA-VRH07-6Q0I92E38M-WCF57-4QCNWT4P6I-4F5BL-998IBXIYEF-69ALI-BCB5VCQLXL-R4DTV-KFD82WZMF8-9JP64-VC7PNWGCDD-M5CQ4-00NK9DT6TP-98B3T-KVHWK

This post is brought to you by the crew at Dealzon. We’re here to help Siliconera readers find the best gaming deals online, whether for the PC or console. To be clear, Siliconera will sometimes make money if you buy a game. Feedback? Let us know in the comments. 

Read more stories about PC & Skullgirls on Siliconera.

Rin And Gumi Don Panda Costumes For Hatsune Miku Project Mirai 2

As previously reported, Megpoid software mascot Gumi will be making her first appearance in Nendoroid form in Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai 2. Here’s a look at her in “One, Two Fanclub” by Mikito-P, in a duet with Kagamine Rin:

 

Costumes for the song, designed by Yori:

You can view the original video for One, Two Fanclub here and a preview of the video that appears in Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai 2 here. The game is slated for release this Fall.

Read more stories about Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai 2 & Nintendo 3DS & Screenshots on Siliconera.

sengoku basara 4 will have an alternate what if history mode

While the fast paced brawler Sengoku Basara 4 will only grace Sony鈥檚 PlayStation 3 next year, more details are being put forth by Capcom on the cast and system. Latest to be unveiled are poster boy Sanada Yukimura, loyal ninja Sarutobi Sasuke and anti-Takeda general Ii Naotora.

From left: Ii Naotora, Sanada Yukimura and Sarutobi Sasuke

There will also be an alternative history mode called Warring Periods Creation Mode, reports game blog Game Jouhou. Here, players will get to choose their own commanders and fight in what-if battles or create their own alternative bouts of army-versus-army action, with the ability to select options such as difficulty, rewards, and even the music.

Sengoku Basara 4 will be out on Sony鈥檚 PlayStation 3 in 2014.

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Read more stories about PlayStation 3 & Sengoku Basara 4 on Siliconera.

One Piece Author Creates New Characters For One Piece Unlimited World RED

The next One Piece game, One Piece Unlimited World: Red will have an added reason to be picked up by fans—two brand new original characters designed by mangaka Eiichiro Oda himself, revealed in the next issue of Shounen Jump magazine.

 

Red is the final boss and titular bad guy in the game. With white, flowing hair and red sideburns, the well-dressed elderly man shares the curled eyebrows of Sanji. Nothing is known yet of his motivations, with his story arc being wholly original.

Pat, on the other hand, is a strange new racoon (or Tanuki) with a bushy tail. What his role will be is also unknown.

There will also be a third new character, the innkeeper Yadoya. Yadoya is voiced by Rumi Hiiragi who voices Chihiro (Sen) in Spirited Away.

One Piece Unlimited Works will be out in Japan on the Nintendo 3DS on November 21.

 
Read more stories about Nintendo 3DS & One Piece Unlimited World: Red on Siliconera.

Motoko Is The Star Of A New Ghost in the Shell Arise Trailer

The first of Bandai Visual’s Ghost in the Shell: Arise movies will begin playing in Japanese theatres this June, and Bandai have shared a new trailer for the June 22nd release. As previously reported, Arise takes place during Public Security Section 9’s early days, with a younger Motoko Kusanagi as its protagonist. Watch the trailer below:

Ghost in the Shell: Arise will consist of four 50-minute movies in total. Blu-Ray and DVD versions of the first movie will be available on July 26th.

Read more stories about Anime & Ghost in the Shell: Arise & Videos on Siliconera.

Guilty Gear Xrd SIGN Heats Up For Spring 2014 Release

Sol Badguy, Ky Kiske, May, and Chip will be all over Japan in spring 2014 when Arc System Works releases Guilty Gear Xrd SIGN. Sega will distribute Guilty Gear Xrd SIGN in Japan and the game uses their ALL.net P-ras Multi Version 2 system to store player data.

Arc System Works started location tests for Guilty Gear Xrd SIGN in August. Siliconera was there and have hands on impressions of the game.

Read more stories about Arcade & Guilty Gear Xrd SIGN on Siliconera.