52,53 MCV552_final:Layout 1
21/8/09
13:35
Page 2
INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION WWW.MCVUK.COM
MCV 28/08/09 53
The International Distribution Guide is dedicated to promoting companies outside of the UK. If you are looking for new customers overseas, then look no further...
DistribucionesVideográficas Digitales ....Madrid Distribuye Palmera................................Las Palmas
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
USA
UAE
JC Distribuciones .............................................Getxo Shine Star, S.A...........................................Barcelona
ALESAYI UNITED COMPANY
SWEDEN Bergsala AB............................................Kungsbacka
Video Games Distributor in the Middle East P.O BOX 16999 Jebel Ali Free Zone Dubai U.A.E. Tel: 00971 4 883 5960
July proved another tough month for video games retailers in North America, with the overall value of the market declining 29 per cent year-on-year with a total value of $1.19bn. Hardware sales were hardest hit, falling 37 per cent to $281m. Software sales also declined – a 26 per cent drop saw them dip to $437m. Accessory sales fell 12 per cent to $150m. “The US video games industry declined for the fifth consecutive month, bringing year-to-date sales to $8.16 billion, down 14 per cent from the same time period last year,” NPD’s Anita Frazier said.
Fax: 00971 4 883 5175
Despite the hardware market’s overall decline, Xbox 360 saw sales climb by 0.93 per cent, shifting 20,900 units. Its sales were not far behind Wii, which notched up 252,500 unit sales in July – though this number was 54.5 per cent down on the same month in 2008.
E-Mail: marketing@alesayi.ae U.A.E. Website: www.alesayi.ae Group Website: www.alesayi.com GAME OUTLET EUROPE AB PO Box 5083 S-650 05 Karlstad, Sweden Phone: +46 54 854750 Fax: +46 54 854759 E-mail: info@gameoutlet.se Website: www.gameoutlet.se
Meanwhile, Nintendo of America has revealed that the DSi, the third iteration of its twin-screened handheld hit, sold 1.7m units in its first three months on sale in North America – the best performance from a Nintendo machine in recent times. The original DS sold just under 1.38m in the same timeframe and the DS Lite just over 1.07m. Even the Wii could manage just 1.52m, making the DSi’s achievements all the more impressive. Total DSi sales now stand at 6.86m worldwide.
PLUTO GAMES PO Box 10705, Office 103-104 Emirates Islamic Bank Building, Dubai, UAE www.pluto-games.com Tel: +971 4261 8111
Panvision....................................................Stockholm
Fax: +971 4261 8112
SIBA AB ...................................................Gothenburg
SWITZERLAND ABC Software GmbH.......................................Buchs
Modern Pluto Trading LLC...............Saudi Arabia NXT Global LLC .................................................Dubai Pluto Derinton Games LLC............................Egypt Red Entertainment Distribution ..................Dubai
TURKEY ARAL Import..................................................Istanbul Nortec Eurasia...............................................Istanbul
UNITED STATES
BASCO, INC. VIDEO GAMES DISTRIBUTOR Tel: 1-917-627-3000 Fax: 1-718-228-4401 Email: sales@bascodistribution.com Web: www.bascodistribution.com
U.S. GAMES DISTRIBUTION, INC. 16700 Schoenborn St. #2 North Hills, CA. 91343 Tel: +1 818 920 9393 info@usgamesdist.com www.usgamesdist.com
AUSTRALIA
Tom Crago, the president of the Game Developers Association of Australia, has labelled the country’s video games classification system as “ridiculous and antiquated” following the decision to ban Piranha Bytes’ Risen owing to references to sex and drugs. Risen was refused a certificate as its adult content was deemed unsuitable for those under the age of 15. And since Australia currently lacks an ‘Adult’ or ‘Mature’ certificate for games, the title has now effectively been banned. “We are once again caught in this awful, ridiculous web of the antiquated classification system that we all have to endure,” said Crago. “We are looking at a video game industry that is very different from what it was 20 years ago. We are the butt of a lot of jokes. I travel a lot, talking to other developers and publishers and people cannot believe it that we still have this ridiculous system here in Australia, designed 20 or 30 years ago, and hasn’t changed since. “The sooner that changes, the better. It is a battle to ensure common sense prevails. We will get there eventually, but until then gamers in Australia will suffer. To be honest, we are embarrassed at how backward our government is.”
PLEASE CONTACT ROB.BAKER@INTENTMEDIA.CO.UK