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With all the fuss about the console wars, I think it may be time to place our focus on the great games that have come out so far in the first half of 2008. Though most of the good games seem to be sequels of bestsellers, there are new ones that have struck our fancy.

As always, Grand Theft Auto remains on top of the list. GTA IV continues to mesmerize fans with new storylines and exciting gameplay. I’m not so happy about the fact that the best game that have come out in this generation deals about car theft. However, the excitement and fun seem to catch all gamers worldwide. I haven’t played the game myself. But I can see how addictive it has become for adult and kids alike. Rockstar’s GTA IV is now even more compelling with better graphics and more realistic action.

Next on the list is Nintendo’s Super Smash Brothers Brawl. All Nintendo characters are placed in one fighting game that would outrank all other fighting games. Imagine Sonic the Hedgehog kicking the ass of Solid Snake . . . wow, the kids can’t stop laughing and wont let go off the controls for hours. It’s definitely the party to end all parties. Then, for those who want a little more tamer and more creativity, there is Build-A-Lot 2. Even while the real estate market has crashed, become a mastermind builder and create your house, manage your workers, and develop an entire village right at your fingertips.

There’s a new racing game that’s making everyone forget about Gran Turismo 4. Grid is absolutely captivating with it’s graphics and non-stop action. Grid is the surprise new entry into rally racing that will have others grappling to catch up. And to round up my list lest I continue forever, there’s Metal Gear Solid 4. Despite bad reviews, gamers snatched up the new Metal Gear sequel and emptied the shelves. Apparently, there is no thing as a bad review for Metal Gear fans.

I keep wondering how my kids never complain about sore thumbs these past few months. Looks like they will endure pain just to play these games. What I wouldn’t give to have them exude this much passion with books.

And you thought it was raining money in the Sony camp? Apparently, despite the PS3’s hefty price, Sony is unable to recoup the cost they incurred from research and development of the PS3. Research and development constitutes bulk of the cost to manufacture and distribute the PS3 console.
The company’s fiscal 2008 annual report reveals that Sony has now lost about $3.3 billion on the Playstation 3 since its launch. That is broken down into losses of $2.16 billion in 2007 and $1.16 billion in 2008. The only reason is because they priced the console lower than production cost. Pricing it higher would give competition free reins in the market which could translate to even bigger losses, not to mention possible loss in goodwill and reputation among gamers worldwide.

However, losing money on the console is a common occurrence in the industry. Companies such as Sony usually lower prices on the console to sell more units, but they recover from higher software sales. In the last quarter alone, Sony’s game division improved sales by 26%. They expect the trend to continue with the upcoming exclusive games such as Metal Gear Solid 4 and Resistance 2. There is only one question. Will the increase in software sales compensate for the losses from the console? At a whopping $3 billion, it will take a whole lot of software sales to recover from that.