Microsoft says: we’ve sold 2.5 million Kinects in 25 days. Sony says: we’ve sold 4.1 million Move controllers worldwide. Microsoft’s been pushing ridiculous amounts of advertising, and Sony’s had Kevin Butler working his Moves as best he can while tweeting about his fictional 90-day stay with the fictional Maguire family. You’ve probably seen his ads on TV with one-liners dissing Grandpa about being a veteran of the Mexican-American war or some such. Yeah, he could’ve been nicer to the elder statesman of the household.

All kidding aside, so far it doesn’t look bad for either Microsoft’s or Sony’s motion control solutions. The next step is the hard part. As every reviewer said — aside from each solution’s one or two signature titles — like Kinect’s Dance Central or Kinectimals and Move’s Sports Champions or EyePet — it’s all about potential and developers delivering on it. The next year will be key for them both and will hopefully push each other to do better and give us more to play.

What do you think of motion control so far? Have any of the games surprised you in a good way? Let us know in the comments.

The ending is good in this one, definitely among the best they’ve had in the series. GT5 is slated to hit retail on Wednesday the 24th, just ahead of Thanksgiving.

IGN is currently kicking the tires on the game and promising a review early Wednesday morning, assuming the online play portion comes up by then.

Southpeak has put together a new series of trailers to assist in marketing their upcoming release, Two Worlds II.  The new advertising campaign shows Gandohar’s right hand henchman, Sordahon, looking to escape from Two Worlds.  The trailers poke fun at the quality of the first Two Worlds, and how Sordahon seems a bit upset by all the criticism.  He then goes to a temp agency, to look for a new job, and one of the jobs they offer is rather ironic.

Hit the jump to see Sordahon’s first two episodes after the jump.  Two Worlds II is set to ship this fall on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC from Topware and Southpeak.

An offering to you who welcome a new dawn of man.
Take this image and answer our call. A great battle looms to finish
the past and begin the future. Stand ready to serve.
We will send for you soon.
- Dr. Vidic

I assume this means more details on the way – as soon as we hear more, we’ll let you know!

It appears that the hunt for Sam Fisher is on.  He seems to be an enemy of the state, with no where to run, and no friends to be found.  That said, it appears that Sam Fisher has his own story to tell and has taken it to Twitter to get the truth out about his struggle and fight against The Third Echelon.  Not sure why the government couldn’t just attack the Twitter offices and get the IP info needed to track down good old Sam, but those are questions that should never be asked about a good action game or movie.  Follow Sam Fisher’s fight over at www.twitter.com/Real_SamFisher.

Sometimes, all of us at Aeropause have received gaming related items in regards to marketing.  At times, it will be a little figuring, or some sort of memento related to the game in question.  Other times, it might be a grab bag of stuff from an event.  However, I was in a fit of laughter over the Prison Break item that I received in the mail yesterday.  It seems that the good folks at Deep Silver have a good sense of humor, as they sent over Soap on a Rope as a reminder of the Prison Break game that is coming out in a week.  It was accompanied with the following little text:

Grab your ankles and wash away the taint of everyday life.  Prison Break: The Conspiracy drops March 30th, 2010.

Funnier still is my 8 year old son asking me why soap would come on a rope for prisoners.  That is a discussion for a whole nother day.

When Jimmy Fallon went on to host “Late Night” on NBC, he talked at great length about he would have more focus on video games in the show.  Well, it seems advertisers have taken note of his love for games as well.  2K Games announced that it will be showing a launch trailer for Bioshock 2 during the first commercial break of the “Late Show” tonight (tomorrow technically by the clock).

The trailer will be rather long, clocking in at 3 minutes 15 seconds, and will show off some cutscenes and gameplay, while announcing the midnight launch event that will be happening at both Gamestop and Best Buy next week.

Check the jump for all the information.  Also, Aeropause.com has been invited to a developer conference call for Bioshock 2 that we will be live blogging on Friday, February 5th, 2010 at 2:00 PM Pacific time.  We will have a link in the forums for Facebook friends that will let you sign in with your information to the conference, and there will be a post on the site the day of the event for the live blog event.

2K Games Puts BioShock® 2 Fans in Rapture with Midnight Openings and Exclusive Pre-order Characters

Launch trailer to debut tonight on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

New York, NY – February 2, 2010 – 2K Games announced today its nationwide Return to Rapture with midnight openings celebrating the launch of the eagerly awaited BioShock® 2, the shocking sequel to the 2007 Game of the Year. On February 9, more than 2,500 GameStop and Best Buy stores will open their doors when the clock strikes midnight to the hordes of Big Daddy fans hungry to get their hands on and devour BioShock 2. Additionally, those who pre-ordered the game through GameStop will receive two bonus characters* – Blanche the Actress and Zigo the Fisherman – to use in the game’s multiplayer mode. The road to the launch of BioShock 2 kicks off tonight, with the debut of a 3 minute 15 second trailer during the first commercial break of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.

“One of the most exciting aspects of the original BioShock was how our fans responded with adoration for the game, from creating homemade Big Daddy suits to their own BioShock-inspired art and videos,” said Christoph Hartmann, president, 2K. “We felt it was only fitting to reach out to those passionate fans with nationwide Return to Rapture midnight openings where they can pick up their copy of BioShock 2 as early as possible.”

Debuting during the first commercial block of NBC’s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon exclusively in North America, the launch trailer is a realization of the elements that BioShock 2 fans have been clamoring for. Breathtaking action set against the backdrop of a decaying underwater Utopia provides players with the slice of Rapture that awaits them next week, all presented in a style that is distinctively representative of the BioShock universe.

BioShock 2 will provide players with the perfect blend of explosive first-person shooter combat, compelling storytelling and intense multiplayer to form one of 2010′s most highly anticipated titles. Set approximately 10 years after the events of the original BioShock, the halls of Rapture once again echo with sins of the past. Along the Atlantic coastline, a monster has been snatching little girls and bringing them back to the undersea city of Rapture. Players step into the boots of the most iconic denizen of Rapture, the Big Daddy, as they travel through the decrepit and beautiful fallen city, chasing an unseen foe in search of answers and their own survival.

BioShock 2 was developed by 2K Marin in collaboration with 2K Australia, Digital Extremes and 2K China. The game will be available worldwide on February 9, 2010, and is rated M for Mature by the ESRB.

For more information, please visit www.bioshock2game.com, www.cultofrapture.com and www.somethinginthesea.com.

2K Games is a division of 2K, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).

* Pre-order incentive items are while supplies last. Please check with local store to confirm Midnight Launch event before attending.

About Take-Two Interactive Software

Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is a global developer, marketer, distributor and publisher of interactive entertainment software games for the PC, PlayStation®3 and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment systems, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, WiiTM, Nintendo DSTM, iPhoneTM and iPod® touch. The Company publishes and develops products through its wholly owned labels Rockstar Games and 2K, which publishes its titles under 2K Games, 2K Sports and 2K Play. Take-Two also distributes software, hardware and accessories in North America through its Jack of All Games subsidiary. The Company’s common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol TTWO. For more corporate and product information please visit our website at www.take2games.com.

All trademarks and copyrights contained herein are the property of their respective holders.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

The statements contained herein which are not historical facts are considered forward-looking statements under federal securities laws and may be identified by words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “potential,” “predicts,” “projects,” “seeks,” “will,” or words of similar meaning and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the outlook for the Company’s future business and financial performance. Such forward-looking statements are based on the current beliefs of our management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to them, which are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Actual outcomes and results may vary materially from these forward-looking statements based on a variety of risks and uncertainties including: our dependence on key management and product development personnel, our dependence on our Grand Theft Auto products and our ability to develop other hit titles for current generation platforms, the timely release and significant market acceptance of our games, the ability to maintain acceptable pricing levels on our games, our reliance on a primary distribution service provider for a significant portion of our products, our ability to raise capital if needed, risks associated with international operations, and the matters relating to the investigation by a special committee of our board of directors of the Company’s stock option grants and the claims and proceedings relating thereto (including stockholder and derivative litigation and negative tax or other implications for the Company resulting from any accounting adjustments or other factors). Other important factors and information are contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2009, in the section entitled “Risk Factors,” and the Company’s other periodic filings with the SEC, which can be accessed at www.take2games.com. All forward-looking statements are qualified by these cautionary statements and apply only as of the date they are made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

The advertisement, called “Hell Awaits”, will be 30 seconds in length and will show off both gameplay and cinematic elements from Dante’s Inferno.  The advertisement should run a couple of million dollars to run during the Super Bowl.

Check the jump for all the info on this new advertisement.  Also, look for Dante’s Inferno on game shelves February 9th in North America, while our European listeners will get to experience the action starting this week on February 4th, 2010.

EA Sends Football Fans to Hell With ‘Dante’s Inferno’ in Company First Super Bowl Commercial

30-Second Spot Introduces 100M Viewers to Hell in Fourth Quarter of Super Bowl XLIV

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Feb 01, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) — As the New Orleans Saints make their Super Bowl debut, so too does Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:ERTS). On Sunday February 7th, EA will air its first-ever Super Bowl commercial as part of the massive marketing program for the company’s newest videogame franchise, Dante’s Inferno. On Super Bowl Sunday, EA will invite 100 million football fans to join Dante on an adventure that spans all nine punishing circles of Hell; limbo, lust, gluttony, greed, anger, heresy, violence, fraud and treachery. The hell-raising 30-second spot entitled “Hell Awaits…” premieres during the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XLIV broadcast on CBS on Sunday, Feb. 7, 2010. Dante’s Inferno from EA will be in stores on February 9, 2010.

EA – a leading interactive entertainment software company – will use the Super Bowl as a platform to expose nearly 100 million viewers to Dante’s Inferno within the coveted 18-34 year old male demographic. EA joins perennial advertisers Anheuser-Busch and Mazda as well as newcomers to the Super Bowl advertising scene such as Time Warner cable channel TruTV, Sprint Nextel’s Boost Mobile and Kia Motors.

“Even within the spectrum of live sports events, the Super Bowl stands apart, almost as a national holiday,” said Frank Gibeau, president at EA. “The Super Bowl is a bull’s-eye in terms of cross-over to our core demographic and the reach is outstanding. Not only does it draw 100M viewers, but most people watch the Super Bowl live, a rarity in the world of DVRs. While digital outreach to Facebook, Twitter, and online bloggers is a core part of our marketing strategy, we felt that advertising during the Super Bowl is an excellent way to introduce this new game to a massive cross-section of people who are likely already familiar with the “Divine Comedy. Inspired by a classic, but perfect for today’s action gamer. This is entertainment at its best.”

EA’s Super Bowl ad caps off a breakthrough marketing campaign crafted to cut through the noise and attract core action/adventure fans to this all-new videogame property. With a focus on engaging players, EA used digital media, bloggers and social networking to build the Dante’s Inferno marketing campaign. The company brought the tagline “Go to Hell” to life using several innovative programs:

•’Go to Hell’ Facebook App – This free app takes the poem’s nine circles of hell, and brings them into everyday life. With the click of a button, anyone can send a friend, foe, place, product or brand to one of the nine circles of hell. Angry at your mom for grounding you? Send her to ‘Treachery’. Mad at your ex- for cheating? Send them to ‘Lust’.

•Special Edition Book – EA is releasing a special edition of “The Divine Comedy” in partnership with Random House and Del Rey Books. The book features an introduction written by the EA executive producer Jonathan Knight, and a 16-page, full-color art insert showcasing the evolution of characters and environments from the classic poem to the video game.

•Animated DVD Feature – EA is releasing a full-length animated feature developed in partnership with Starz Media, Film Roman, and Anchor Bay Entertainment. The movie features six unique art styles created by six of the best animation studios in the business (DVD/Blu-Ray).

•Comic Book – An exclusive six-issue comic miniseries created by DC Comics/WildStorm Productions featuring the highly stylized artwork of Diego Latorre and written by esteemed comic book writer Christo Gage.

•Collectible Action Figure – A collectible figurine of the hero Dante created by NECA, available as a pre-order bonus at select retailers and for sale beginning 2/9/10.

•Dante’s Nine Circles Hit the Blogosphere – Beginning in June 2009 at E3, EA brought the game’s nine circles of hell to bloggers, one month at a time. “Limbo” was illustrated with a mock protest. “Greed” was illustrated by bloggers being asked to cash a check for $200. “Heresy” was demonstrated through a fictitious game called “Mass We Pray”. Each stunt set fans buzzing about the core themes of ‘The Divine Comedy’ and Dante’s Inferno, the game.

•Hidden Messages-Dante’s Inferno online advertising will contain hidden source code and ASCII art, further bringing to life the world of Dante’s Inferno and the hell that lies beneath.

Inspired by the first part of ‘The Divine Comedy’ written by 13th Century Italian poet Dante Alighieri, EA’s Dante’s Inferno, delivers a unique visual representation of the nine circles of Hell, once only experienced in the pages of the timeless classic. Dante’s Inferno offers a fully animated experience in which players assume the role of Dante, who descends into Hell after returning home to find his beloved Beatrice murdered, with Lucifer seducing her soul into the underworld. As in the poem, players will descend through Dante’s unique nine circles of Hell: limbo, lust, gluttony, greed, anger, heresy, violence, fraud and treachery. Each circle will showcase distinct environments, enemies and story elements befitting of the sins committed by their inhabitants. Developed by Visceral Games(TM), Dante’s Inferno delivers fast, fluid and responsive combat at 60 frames per second — a must-have for the action adventure genre.

Dante’s Inferno is available for the PlayStation(R)3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360(R) videogame and entertainment system beginning February 4th in Europe and on February 9th in North America. Dante’s Inferno is rated M for mature and has an MSRP of $59.95. For more information on Dante’s Inferno, please follow Dante’s Inferno on Twitter at www.twitter.com/danteteam, and visit the game’s official web site at www.dantesinferno.com.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world’s leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, cellular handsets and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTSTM, EATM, EA SPORTS FreestyleTM and POGOTM. In fiscal 2008, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.67 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA’s homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA’s products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.

EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS Freestyle, and POGO are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Wii is a trademark of Nintendo. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Well, strolling through Walmart (or is it dash and hope not to be seen at Walmart), I went into the electronics section to do some bargain bin hunting.  Normally, Walmart will clear out a lot of older DVDs at pretty cut rate prices.  Well, as I dived into the bin to see what was swimming below the junk on the top, I came across, “Modern Warfare – Collectors Set”.  While the DVD was just a collection of some weapons and war documentaries, the box art was what caught my eye.  Anyone else see any similarities to a certain game that sold  4+ million copies on its opening month.  Yeah, me too.

Yes, the cover uses the art of a real soldier, but I was just taken back at the pains the publisher of the DVD went throught o make it look the same as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.  Same font set, a snazzy looking sub-title, a soldier in the middle with explosions, it was just incredible.  Hey, Mr. Kotick, if you read this article, and decide to suit the proverbial pants off of the publisher, make sure to kick some of that doe-ray-me this way.  Aeropause will appreciate it.

See a comparison after the jump.

DVD Cover

Xbox 360 Box Shot