Following the NPD Group's report for September, Deutsche Bank analyst Jeetil Patel believes that it may be the beginning of the end for Sony's PlayStation 2. According to the report, software sales for the console fell at a faster rate than was first seen last month.

Patel describes the PS2's decline as inevitable but it's unclear whether the decline (which came sooner than expected) was due to "consumer transition to next-gen software or weak spending patterns amongst the low-end consumer." This may be a wrench in the gears for Sony which plans to commit to the console's 10-year lifespan.

"Needless to say, with tougher comps ahead for PS2 software sales, we think that the PS2 may finally be on its way out of the industry for good" says Patel. Although software sales may be down it remains that the PS2 console continues to sell, and continues to be one of the most played consoles despite the presence of the next-gens.

The decline in software sales may be explained partially by the lack of backwards compatibility for the new PlayStation 3 consoles, which was once explained to also boost PS3 games by limiting the console to only play that format. Perhaps the backlash of the absence of backwards compatibility is that sales for PS2 games suffered.

Patel also observes the underperformance of two of Electronic Arts' franchises: NCAA 08 (PS3, Xbox 360, PS2) and Madden 08 (PC, Xbox 360, PS2, PS3, PSP, Nintendo Wii, and DS). He believes that - in the light of a very "competitive environment" with competition such as Activision, Ubisoft, Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo during the holidays - EA may introduce a price cut in November if the games continue to underperform.

Looks like July saw a lot of excitement for the video game industry. According to the latest reports from the NPD Group, not only did the Wii sell more than the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 did combined, but total industry sales also shot up a whopping 37% to US$ 925.5 million.

 

Nintendo is far ahead of the group with the Wii and the DS for July. The Wii sold 425,000 consoles for July. Sony's PlayStation 3 also did pretty well, selling 159,000 units, almost catching up to the Xbox 360 which sold 170,000 units. The PlayStation 2 is still going strong, selling 222,000 units. The Nintendo DS sold 405,000 units, twice as much as the PSP which sold 214,000 units. Console sales accounted for US$ 286 million for the video game industry's revenues.

July also saw the rise of NCAA Football 08, the top selling game for that month totalling 789k units sold. The 360 version is the top selling game across all consoles, followed by Guitar Hero Encore Rocks the 80s. In third is Wii Play. All in all, game sales gave the industry US$ 313.2 million in revenues.

NPD analyst Anita Frazier has some interesting insights on the sales results for July. She explains that price cuts certainly played a major part, but it wasn't the only factor. "By far the most significant purchase motivator is the availability of desired content and that will play into hardware sales more than anything else," she said.

Going more into this, Frazier explains how Grand Theft Auto IV plays into sales. GTA IV remains to be one of the most highly anticipated games for the PS3 and 360 and whose release date was unfortunately delayed. Frazier explains:

GTA IV was certainly eagerly awaited by fans, but at the most macro-level for the industry, I don't think its postponement will have that big an impact on total industry dollar sales once everything is tallied for the year. [...] There are other very big games still to come that will really smooth over any hole left from GTA IV moving to 2008. What I really think is that 2008 will benefit from GTA IV because it will be no small task for the industry [in 2008] to measure up to this year's sales.

 

EA is taking realism in their games one step further by simulating real-world weather in NCAA Football 08. By coordinating efforts with the Weather Channel, EA is able to let players experience real-time weather while playing their favorite college football team. The weather will affect the game according to which stadium the game is being held. A storm in Florida will affect the Gators football field, for example.

The game will get the weather forecast directly off the internet so once players go online they have the choice of simulating real-time weather. Jeffrey Luhr, producer of NCAA Football 08, says "We are always looking to add more realism to the game experience. Adding real-time weather conditions from The Weather Channel interactive truly helps gamers feel 'in the game.'"

NCAA Football 08 is already available for the PS2, the PlayStation 3, and the Xbox360.

Football fans, heads up! What we have for you below is another trailer video for Electronic Arts' (EA) upcoming sports title NCAA Football 08. The title is scheduled to appear both on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 platforms this coming July. And much like all other previous video games in the franchise, Football 08 still has that raw and exciting energy.

We don't have to remind you how the graphics were really improved for this particular title as it's always a given from EA every year. What we're really curious about NCAA Football 08 are the different new features employed in the game. We've already discussed some before like the improved Dynasty Mode as well as the My Shrine feature.

The video clip below reveals that Xbox 360 fans should get NCAA Football 08 on July 17. However, there was no mention if the PS3 version will come out on the same day.

Seeing the release date for sports video game NCAA Football 08 is only a couple of weeks away from now, Electronic Arts just opened a new website dedicated to the title. Aside from the usual stuff one sees in an official page, this particular site hosts a section where members of the NCAA community get to blog and discuss the progression of the title.

Anyway, EA Sports has promised that this year's iteration of the NCAA video game franchise is going to be much bigger than the previous one because of the many changes and improvements added to it. There are many really but the ones oftentimes mentioned include the Dynasty Mode and the My Shrine feature, not to mention the awe-inspiring gameplay and graphics.

The website itself is not yet fully functional as there are still several sections that are still on "Coming Soon" status. One good example that caught our attention is the one where the fan base of the title can upload their very own videos, screenshots, and even a dedicated forum which we envisioned to be the place where fans can talk anything about the game.

NCAA Football 08 will be released on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 this coming July. If you want to see the newly opened website, our Read link below should take you there.

Fast and furious football action captured on video coming your way with this NCAA Football 08 video of the Bulldogs and the Gators duking it out in Astroturf. We give you the action straight from the stands as we watch these two famous teams collide in a battle of brawn and strategy.

As usual, the graphics are looking very gorgeous with the models sharp and convincing. One thing to watch out for is how the crowd looks alive, not just a looping image of fans cheering but actual entities packed tightly together to form a roaring mob that's more than authentic.

The commentary, furthermore, is clear and sharp not to mention it being quick. and with the player movements convincing and lifelike, it feels as if you're just watching a game on the tube instead of playing one on your Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3.

Great visuals, great audio, and great gameplay - all in one tight, well-rounded package that's bound to make any football enthusiast jump for joy. Updates about Electronic Arts' NCAA Football 08 as we get them - in the meantime, enjoy the video!

Adding insult to injury and time-warping in EA Sports' NCAA Football 08? It's more likely than you think, and way easier than you would expect. We get to the bottom of this with the latest video of the game, titled New Features Tutorial, and see what's in store for fans eager to throw the digital pigskin around.

One new feature in NCAA Football 08 is the My Shrine feature. This lets you collect, view and show off all your achievements in the game. Had that picture-perfect play pull off exactly how you wanted it to? You can save that particular moment for posterity, whether it be in photo or video form, with My Shrine.

Besides those cherished moments, you also collect trophies that will be stored in a massive trophy case that you can view individually anytime you wished. Now that's adding insult to injury with style!

Bored with how your game's going, and want to get to the meat of the action? Or maybe you'd like to fast-forward to the last few seconds of the game, get the blood pumping with those buzzer-beater moments. With the new Super Sim feature, you can skip to any part of the game you want, and that includes skipping defense or offense entirely.

That's enough from us, here's the video for your viewing pleasure! Enjoy!

Depth is a gameplay factor sometimes overlooked or sacrificed during a game's development to make room for higher-priority aspects of a title. In EA Sports' new NCAA Football 08, however, that notion is disproved as no stone is left unturned in terms of gameplay and presentation as explained in the video above.

Aside from the feverish college football action, the developers invented Dynasty Mode where players will do more than just pick a team and trade players. When you think about it, the Dynasty mode takes simulation well beyond the grid iron.

In fact, it almost becomes The Sims dressed in a football jersey. As coach and manager, you'll have to take care of your players to get optimum results. Most of the time when you recruit top prospects, they'll have stipulations before agreeing to play for your school. Break your word and you may find them enrolling elsewhere next year.

We're very excited to see how it performs once it makes its next-gen debut for the Sony PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Xbox 360.

July is right around the corner, and NCAA Football '08 draws near. The wait can get exhilarating, we know. Running yards won't make the game release sooner, but at least we've got some new info for you.

During an interview, Assistant Producer Ben Haumiller revealed some new features for the next installment of the series. He emphasized the new Motivation feature which allows your player to give teammates a Motivation boost and make them play better. To increase your own Motivation, you gotta juke, spin, score a touchdown, intercept or sack. In other words, you have to display your skills and play mad football to get your guys motivated.

Another feature new to the series is the Campus Legend, which requires you to earn your playing time before jumping into the fray. This means you'll have to do a lot of practices, training your man to be worthy to play on the field. During this part, there's also a little bonus for running close to someone better than you. If you practice with stronger players, you'll earn stat bonuses and eventually be as good or even better than the guy you're tailing.

Aside from cosmetic improvements such as improved collision animations or new tricks, one very convenient feature is the ability to download and stream ESPN videos. You can also save photos and videos of your game and store it in your hub.

For more details, the interview is on the embed below:

College football fields are the breeding grounds of potential pro NFL players, hence a potential rookie's chance to get drafted into the pro teams. Electronic Arts showcases the glory of college football with NCAA Football 08.

The developer walkthroughs involve the Legend Mode. Football pro hopefuls have to start somewhere and with NCAA Football 08, they start in high school. Players can choose between existing players and making their own custom player with Create a Legend. Once players finish high school, they have a choice of schools and rise up the depth charts. Of course, there's practice to add up on your custom player's attributes and a legend meter.

Anyway, we'll leave you to watch the videos and see what we mean. NCAA Football 08 is slated for release on the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox360 this July. Enjoy!

One more video after the jump!