If you're looking for video game statistics, you have a lot of chances to grow old going through all the interesting stuff you're going to find, believe me! A few days ago, we were talking about a very important question - "Are Video Games Harmful?," and after laughing a little when seeing the results of those studies we talked about back then, now we're getting really serious, because it's all about money. To be more accurate, we're going to talk about US games sales data released by NPD for the month of July, 2008. Ready or not, here we go...


Since it's all about the numbers, then let's see the video game statistics for July, shall we? Here they are...

1. NCAA Football 2009 (360): 398,000
2. Wii Fit (Wii): 370,000
3. Guitar Hero: On Tour (DS): 310,000
4. Wii Play (Wii): 284,000<-125x125 Button - right->
5. NCAA Football 2009 (PS3): 243,000
6. Soul Calibur IV (360): 219,000
7. Mario Kart Wii (Wii): 175,000
8. Rock Band (Wii): 166,000
9. Soul Calibur IV (PS3): 156,000
10. Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution (360): 148,000

Even more, when talking about the video game statistics for July, we should also remember that sales topped the $591 million mark, a 41 percent increase over last year's same period. The sales for 2008 so far got really near to the $5 billion mark, but didn't manage to reach it before July's end.

Other than the above, I think the numbers speak for themselves. After all, it's sales that push game series forward or into oblivion. I am sure most of us remember at least one or two great game series that were discontinued simply because they didn't arrive at the right time, in the right place, and the public wasn't ready for them yet...

I can't remember if I told you this already, but I see no problem in (eventually) repeating myself, so here's my confession: I am not crazy at all about horror movies. OK, so why would I watch one? If your best friend comes to your place, you have some beers, you chat for a while, and then he suddenly tells you about a horror movie you have to see, what would you do? The trailer was enough to convince me watch Silent Hill, and I must confess I liked it a lot. Unfortunately, I didn't find the time to try any of the games, especially since I tried only a few horror survival games, and all became boring really fast, or there was something that made me go away after playing only for a few minutes. Anyway, here's a new game in the Silent Hill game series - Silent Hill: Homecoming, and a few details about it!

Developed by Konami, this new game is the sixth in the series, and is expected to drop by in November on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, as well as Windows PCs. According to the official press release, this new version introduces a new hero who's trapped inside the town, trying to find his brother.<-125x125 Button - right->

"The sixth installment in the landmark horror series, Silent Hill: Homecoming introduces Alex Shepherd, as the latest hero to become trapped within the mist-shrouded town. Alex has returned to his hometown of Shepherd’s Glen to investigate the sudden disappearance of his younger brother Joshua. Alex must face the darkest of horrors in order to find his brother."

The PC version was just announced, and this is very good news for those into Silent Hill, especially since Konami promises this is going to be "identical in all respects" to the game console players will be enjoying in about three months from now...

If you were too young to play Fallout or Fallout 2, and you're into serious simulations of the real world, combined with role playing action, then Fallout 3 is surely a title you don't have to miss! No, skip that, they call it "post-apocalyptic RPG," and I think this sounds much better than "simulation." Anyway, no matter how we label it, Fallout 3 is headed this way, and the release date is no longer a mistery, as you can find out in the latest press release from Bethesda Softworks!

To make a longer story shorter, here's what Vlatko Andonov, president of Bethesda Softworks has to say about Fallout 3:"We are very excited to let gamers get their hands on Fallout 3, the latest chapter in this beloved and highly acclaimed franchise.<-180x150 Small Rectangle - right-> To meet the huge demand for this title by our fans worldwide, we are planning one of the biggest launches of any game released this year."

The press release continues without revealing much about what should you expect, but I think the screenshots are showing the visual delight we should prepare for already...

"Considered to have "one of the most realized game worlds ever created. Set more than 200 years following a nuclear war, you can create any kind of character you want and explore the open wastes of Washington, D.C. however you choose. Every minute is a fight for survival as you encounter Super Mutants, Ghouls, Raiders, and other dangers of the Wasteland.

Hailed as one of the most anticipated games for 2008, Fallout 3 has already won numerous awards including Best of Show from the official Game Critics Awards at E3 2008, a selection voted on by an independent group of journalists from 36 leading North American media outlets that cover the videogame industry."

Now, the Fallout 3 info we've been waiting for: the release dates for the game are October 28, 2008, in North America, and October 31, 2008, in Europe. These being said...start the countdown timer, what are you waiting for??!

Do you miss Settlers? I am not talking about a TV series, but you're close with that one. It's a game series, and if you missed it until now, you may want to grab one of those games in the Settlers series...or get to the World of Zellians! This is a whole new game that was just announced by Gameinvest, and I think going from Settlers to it could be a very interesting transition, but starting with it and then checking out the Settlers series could also be a very pleasant gaming experience. Anyway, let's see what's the catch with World of Zellians, shall we?

Yesterday, Gameinvest announced that "is creating a beautiful and expansive world for multiple platforms this fall with World of Zellians." Expected to become available for Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, PS3 and PC, this game is "a strategic life simulation game where players must create, manage and grow a prosperous new civilization while caring for the well being of the community." As you can see in the screenshot above, the cartoonish graphics could either send you into the "game for kids, I'll pass" gang, or help you enjoy better a game that tries to stand out of the crowd.<-180x150 Small Rectangle - right->

According to Gameinvest founder and CEO Paulo Gomes, "The concept of creating a balanced society in World of Zellians is truly engaging and challenging, and we are designing this experience to be fun and accessible for all audiences – from casual to core gamers. As the ruler of this society, players will be responsible for developing the community as well as providing a positive influence in the world – creating a very challenging and interactive gaming experience."

Apart from taking care of the daily needs of the Zellian society, you'll also be in charge of protecting your citizens from the evil god called Zorm, providing a positive force to bring hope and happiness, and gain areas of influence that are controlled by Zorm's darkness and fear. Interesting enough? Well, the screenshots look nice, and the fact that we'll get this game on all platforms it's also a plus, but until we'll get our hands on it, there's plenty of time to enjoy Settlers...or dream about a better Zellian world!

If my neighbor dies and I can get a benefit out of it, without doing anything illegal, I have nothing to regret. No, I don't hate my neighbors, although I wouldn't mind at all to see those listening crappy music with the volume pushed to the max while I sleep disappearing. Obviously, that would only bring me a huge personal satisfaction, but no extra money, but what would you say if you were to find out that while you buy the games you play, and while others grab them using some BitTorrent tracker, which is obviously illegal, unless we're talking about free games, hardware manufacturers consider game piracy a blessing, since it boosts their sales?

I know this is one of those "the rest can die, as long as I live" approaches, and those into the hardware industry should also be aware that the downfall of the gaming industry, or a massive switch of releases from PC to consoles would also hurt their business, but for now...we're talking about Todd Hollenshead's personal thoughts, so this is not public. Anyway, such things won't ever become official, as you can figure out for yourselves, but let's see what id Software's CEO thinks, shall we?

In an exclusive interview for GamesIndustry.biz, Todd said "I think that there's been this dirty little secret among hardware manufacturers, which is that the perception of free content - <-336x280 Large Rectangle - right->even if you're supposed to pay for it on PCs - is some sort hidden benefit that you get when you buy a PC, like a right to download music for free or a right to download pirated movies and games."

He continued by confirming what I was saying earlier about such things becoming official - "I think that if you went in and could see what's going on in their minds, though they may never say that stuff and I'm not saying there's some conspiracy or something like that - but I think the thing is they realise that trading content, copyrighted or not, is an expected benefit of owning a computer."

In the end, it's the fight for survival, and I can't imagine someone not being happy when his competitors' bad luck leads to an increase of his own fortune. I know, some may say this is not true, but this is sometimes a natural reflex, and not something you really can control.

"I think that just based on their actions...what they say is one thing, but what they do is another. When it comes into debates about whether peer-to-peer file-sharing networks that by-and-large have the vast majority, I'm talking 99 per cent of the content is elicitly trading copyrighted property, they'll come out on the side of the 1 per cent of the user doing it for legitimate benefit," he concluded.

In the end, it seems piracy is a blessing for the hardware industry. Just think about a user from an emerging country, where a legal copy of a game can worth as high as 10-25% of his monthly income - should he buy 2-3 games per year, and remain with the same hardware, or get a decent video card and play 5-10 pirated games each month?