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Nintendo Products Contain “Conflict Minerals”
According to the Enough Project, Nintendo, among other big-name companies like Panasonic and Canon, has failed to ensure its products are free of “conflict minerals.” As part of a campaign to end support for militant groups in Central Africa, the Washington-based group ranks technology companies on their efforts to certify their mineral purchases do not finance terrorist activity. Gold, tungsten, and coltan are among the many minerals produced in the Congo, and the illicit trade of these has helped fund “more than 15 years of conflict” in the region.
Nintendo issued a response to the group, saying it outsources the assembly of all of its hardware products and “therefore is not directly involved in the sourcing of raw materials.”
Source: Bloomberg
Sega Touts Sales, Teases Announcements
Sega seems to be quite pleased with the market’s acceptance of Sonic Colors, calling the game the “highest pre-selling pure Sonic title” the company has ever had. Alan Pritchard, Sega’s vice president of sales and marketing, views this favorable reaction as a telling indication the company’s strategy of releasing fewer but higher quality Sonic games is working. Colors and its downloadable sibling Sonic 4 represent the company’s first attempts to right its wayward franchise, and the two have been met more favorably by critics and consumers alike as a result.
In addition, Pritchard hints at the company’s plans for the hedgehog in the near future: “We have some announcements in the early part of next year that will further support and add to this strategy. There will be two of three big Sonic announcements in the early part of next calendar year.”
Source: CVG
Time’s Top Ten of 2010
The video game connoisseurs at Time have revealed their top ten list of 2010, and among their favorites is a certain little adventure starring everyone’s favorite space-faring plumber. The full list, ranked in order, is as follows:
- Alan Wake
- Angry Birds
- Red Dead Redemption
- Halo: Reach
- Super Mario Galaxy 2
- Limbo
- Super Meat Boy
- Super Street Fighter IV
- Starcraft II
- Mass Effect 2
Source: Time
Kirby Patches on Club Nintendo
In an altogether appropriate move, Nintendo has added patches inspired by Kirby’s Epic Yarn to the list of rewards available on Club Nintendo. The patches come in sets of two, and each costs 350 coins to purchase.
Source: Kotaku, Club Nintendo
You gotta admit, Sega, the main reason for Sonic Color’s excellent pre-order numbers has a lot to do with the months-long Sonic Hat pre-order incentive and less with the “quantity over quality” mantra.
That said, the game is fantastic, so I hope that more people continue to buy it regardless of any pre-order incentives, and future Sonic titles follow in the footsteps of Color’s excellent design.
According to Enough Project I might fund prostitution. I mean, I have no idea what happens to that $5 bill I tip my server after good service at dinner. You know, I really should make an effort to ask him what he’s going to do with my money after I’ve given it to him.