Rob Fahey (Page 157)

As we enter the slow summer months, <i>gi.biz</i>'s resident stat-freak Kristan Reed looks back over the year to date and finds out which games and platforms have been the real winners and losers of 2003 in the UK charts.

This year's ECTS, which runs once again at Earls Court from the 27th to the 29th of August, is promising to build on last year's improvements to the format - with many major publishers back on the show floor.

Nintendo's redesigned handheld console, the GBA SP, has sold through some 1.1 million units in the USA in the ten weeks since it was launched - which means it's been selling ten units a minute non-stop, fact fans.

Atari's film tie-in Enter The Matrix is on top of the UK all-formats chart for a fourth week, thanks to strong performance on PS2 and Xbox - but elsewhere the market is largely stagnant once again, with no major new releases.

Comments made by Microsoft's David Hufford in an interview with American City Business Journals have cast doubts over whether Valve's Half-Life 2 will appear on Xbox after all, despite assurances last month that a version for the console is in development

UK-based publisher SCi has announced its results for the first half of fiscal 2003, revealing record turnover of £7.3 million and significantly lower than expected losses - with a strong development schedule pointing to further growth.

Nintendo has taken the top spot in the Japanese sales charts for the second week running - with the GameCube Pokemon Stadium title (sold as Pokemon Box Ruby & Sapphire in Japan) debuting at number one with sales of around 68,000 units.

Another part of the PlayStation 3 jigsaw puzzle slotted into place today, as Sony announced a partnership with Elpida Memory to supply the Rambus-based memory technology for the console.

Cease and desist orders have been issued to a number of independent retailers by Nintendo this week, demanding that they stop selling imported Nintendo titles and supply details of their suppliers.

In a lengthy internal email, Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer has commented that the company has "aggressive plans" to reduce the cost of goods sold in its Xbox division as part of a broad cost management exercise.

A consumer event showcasing forthcoming PlayStation titles will once again run alongside ECTS in London's Earls Court this year, with Sony promising that the event - which runs from August 28 to 31 - will be twice as large as last years.

The all-star cast of industry veterans behind new development studio Real Time Worlds have formally announced their new venture, and dropped broad hints about the nature of the next game from GTA creator Dave Jones in the process.

The company behind the Java platform, Sun Microsystems, has announced plans to focus on the networked gaming sector - with the launch of a new Game Technologies Group within the company, headed up by Chris Melissinos as Chieft Gaming Officer.

Reports in the Japanese press are indicating Nintendo has opted not to hold a Spaceworld showcase event this year - making this the second year running that the event, previously an annual occurance, has been shelved.

It's the first anniversary of the launch of GamesIndustry.biz - and the world's number one trade news source is celebrating its birthday with the launch of two key new services for the interactive entertainment industry.

A spokesman for Atari UK has denied that the company will release a new Matrix game to tie in with the launch of the third movie this Christmas, but stated that Shiny will develop new games based on the franchise for release at Christmas 2004 and in 2006.

The IDSA is celebrating a ruling by a federal appeals court in the USA which has overturned a Missouri law restricting the sale of violent games to minors, claiming that it is a key victory in its ongoing fight against censorship legislation.

A number of Japanese magazines are reporting that Microsoft is moving ahead with plans to release a redesigned Xbox, dubbed "Xbox 1.5", which will come in a significantly smaller case than the original model.

The PlayStation 2 will finally go online in the UK on June 11 as the Network Adapter kit arrives at retail, priced at £24.99, with two multiplayer-enabled titles available at launch and several more to come.

A number of online sources are reporting that Nintendo will launch the successor to GameCube as early as Spring 2005, with the platform holder allegedly already talking about the new system with key external developers.

Publisher Acclaim has announced the appointment of president and COO Rod Cousens to the role of CEO, replacing company co-founder Greg Fischbach, who has resigned from the position after holding it since 1987.