Shippin' Out Nov. 9-15: Wrath of the Lich King

By Tom Magrino, GameSpotPosted Nov 10, 2008 12:58 pm PT

Retail shelves brace for impact, as headliners join Call of Duty: World at War, Mirror's Edge, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw, PES, Star Wars The Clone Wars, and more.

MMOG gamers take notice: The 800-pound gorilla is rumbling forth from its corner. In a year full of legitimate challengers, Blizzard Entertainment this week returns with World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King, the second expansion to its 11-million-player-strong massively multiplayer online game.

New Releases

And now for this week's retail rundown in video form!

Wrath of the Lich King has big shoes to fill, considering its predecessor, The Burning Crusade, set PC sales records with its 2.4-million-units-in-24-hours debut in January 2007. However, it isn't likely to be hampered much by those aforementioned challengers: Funcom's Age of Conan and Mythic's Warhammer Online. In publisher Activision Blizzard's post-earnings conference call last week, Blizzard president Mike Morhaime said that 68 percent of WOW's defectors to the former, as well as 48 percent of the latter, had already renewed their subscriptions to Azeroth.

Blizzard may be tying up the PC charts, but console gamers will be forced to make some serious and difficult decisions to avoid extravagant credit card bills. Topping the list for many will be Activision's Call of Duty: World at War on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, DS, and PC. Activision employs a dual-studio setup on the Call of Duty franchise, so while COD4 creators Infinity Ward plug away at the 2009 installment in the franchise, Spider-Man handlers Treyarch have been given command of World at War. Rather than maintaining the modern-day setting seen in COD4, Treyarch has returned to the Axis and Allies conflict of the 1940s.

EA's march toward all-new properties continues this week with Mirror's Edge on the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC. Undoubtedly hoping to continue building on the tone of quality set by Dead Space and Spore before it, Mirror's Edge is a first-person action adventure in which players assume the role of renegade courier Faith as she scales the city in an effort to evade law-enforcement personnel.

THQ may be going through a time of substantial transition, but that isn't likely to impact the annual release schedule of its bread-and-butter wrestling franchise. WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 enters its yearly title bout this week on the Xbox 360 PS3, PS2, PSP, Wii, and DS, bringing with it a number of incremental enhancements such as the return of tag-team play, locally or online, as well as streamlined load times. As for real sporting entertainment, Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 also takes to the pitch this week, arriving for the Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, and PSP.

Microsoft's gaming console sees a pair of titles coming only to its platform, one being exclusive in perpetuity and the other partial to this week alone. Breaking its prolonged absence, Rare's Banjo-Kazooie duo kicks the tires on Nuts & Bolts, a vehicle-based open-world platformer. With EALA arming Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3's war dolphins on the PC earlier this month, the Xbox 360 real-time strategy title wages its hallucinogenic take on the Cold War this week.

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed put up big numbers for LucasArts in September, and the publisher is undoubtedly hoping the Force will be equally as strong with Star Wars The Clone Wars: Lightsaber Duels and Jedi Alliance for the Wii and DS, respectively. The Wii also sees EA's FaceBreaker K.O. Party and Namco Bandai's Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World added to its library this week, while the DS takes on Tecmo Bowl: Kickoff.

Nintendo's online storefront will also see a pair of downloadable games. Gameloft will be stimulating Wii gamers' gray matter with Brain Challenge (1,000 Wii points, $10), and Virtual Toys serves up its cooking game Yummy Yummy Cooking Jam (1,000 Wii points, $10). Microsoft had not yet revealed its weekly Wednesday release as of press time. However, Capcom did say last week that one new addition to XBLA this week would be a Street Fighter-themed table for Pinball FX.

Though the XBLA edition of Capcom's Age of Booty was all sails ahead last month, the PlayStation Network version hit an unexpected sandbar as it was leaving port. Today, Capcom revealed that it has once again hoisted the anchor on the strategy game, saying the PSN edition will arrive this Thursday.

This week's new releases are listed below (list taken from retailer information--actual dates may vary).

NOVEMBER 9, 2008
WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 (X360, PS3, PS2, PSP, Wii, DS)

NOVEMBER 10, 2008
Avatar - The Last Airbender: Into the Inferno (DS)
Brain Challenge (WiiWare)
Call of Duty: World at War Final Fronts (PS2)
Mega Man 3 (Wii VC)
MLB Superstars (Wii)
Pony Friends: Mini Breeds Edition (DS)
Populous DS (DS)
Yummy Yummy Cooking Jam (WiiWare)

NOVEMBER 11, 2008
Amazing Adventures The Forgotten Ruins (DS)
Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (X360)
Big League Sports (Wii)
Block Party (Wii)
Call of Duty: World at War (X360, PS3, Wii, DS, PC)
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 (X360)
Eternal Poison (PS2)
FaceBreaker K.O. Party (Wii)
Fantasy Aquarium (Wii)
Guinness World Records: The Videogame (Wii, DS)
Hasbro Family Game Night (Wii, PS2)
History Civil War: Secret Missions (PC)
Imagine Party Babyz (Wii)
Luxor 3 (Wii)
Luxor: Quest for the Afterlife (PC)
Mirror's Edge (X360, PS3, PC)
Monkey Mischief: Party Time (Wii)
Mortimer Beckett and the Secrets of Spooky Manor (Wii)
My Stop Smoking Coach with Allen Carr (DS)
National Geographic Panda (DS)
Pet Pals: Animal Doctor (Wii)
Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 (X360, PS3, PS2, PSP)
Rock Revolution (Wii)
Sacred 2: Fallen Angel (PC)
Sally's Salon (DS)
Secret Service (PC)
Six Flags Fun Park (DS)
Star Wars The Clone Wars: Jedi Alliance (DS)
Star Wars The Clone Wars: Lightsaber Duels (Wii)
Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World (Wii)
Tecmo Bowl: Kickoff (DS)
Testament of Sin (PC)

NOVEMBER 12, 2008
Super Street Fighter II Turbo Pinball FX (XBLA)

NOVEMBER 13, 2008
Candace Kane's Candy Factory (Wii)
Street Fighter II: Special Champion Edition (Wii)
World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King (PC, Mac)

NOVEMBER 14, 2008
futureU: The Prep Game for SAT (DS)
Hello Kitty Daily (DS)
TrackMania DS (DS)

51 Comments

  • buffdaddy69

    Posted Nov 17, 2008 12:09 pm PT

    Hmm...i think its time to bust my rouge out of retirment quicker then Hulk Hogan at an upcoming wrestlemania.

  • langrisser2005

    Posted Nov 15, 2008 10:50 pm PT

    World at War for meeeeeeee! I suppose i dont mind the WWII setting done with the COD4 format, least you know its high quality! But i'm hoping now they'll end with the WW2 and move on with Modern or Futuristic settings, Battlefield 2142 was a cool game, I'm sure the COD series can do something as good or better!

  • tudyniuz

    Posted Nov 12, 2008 10:14 am PT

    only good games

  • Beagle_san

    Posted Nov 11, 2008 6:00 pm PT

    "In a year full of legitimate challengers..."

    Now there's a load of crock. AC was a woefully unprepared Beta test upon release. Far too many review sites, Gamespot included, rated it based upon potential not upon actual existing performance of product. One legitimate contender does not a "year full" make. WAR was the sole legit challenger to WoW this year, yet so far, it is only a partial challenge, only in the area of PvP, (where it indeed does well, when serve balance and population are all in line) absurd claims by developers notwithstanding.

    As I've said before, it's ridiculous for AC and WAR to have the same rating.

    For those who say that WoW didn't have PvP fully implemented upon its release, quite true. However, WAR knew where the bar had been set by WoW, and makes absurd claims that about the PvE elements of WAR. I see the usual population of of WoW bashers is out in force. Sorry boys and girls, but WoW remains # 1 for a very good reason, and WotLK will likely continue that dominance.

  • Diernes

    Posted Nov 11, 2008 1:16 pm PT

    Dont be stupid, its time people take responsibility for thier own actions. games do not ruin lives, weak people ruin their own.

    as for WOTLK .. *yawn*

  • Slick_Racer

    Posted Nov 11, 2008 11:59 am PT

    "I wonder how many lives WOTLK will ruin this year? Only time will tell."

    Everyone who allows a game to ruin their life deserves it. It's their own fault, not the game's.

  • Lostboy1224

    Posted Nov 11, 2008 11:49 am PT

    I wonder how many lives WOTLK will ruin this year? Only time will tell.

  • finaleve

    Posted Nov 11, 2008 11:37 am PT

    sieg6529 > WTH are you talking about? What game isn't a rehash these days? Metal Gear Solid 4, Resistance 2, Gears of War 2, Fable 2, Guitar Hero World Tour, Rock Band 2, Call of Duty World at War...all rehashes. What makes WofLK any different? WotLK, maybe CoD:WaT, and Mirror's Edge are looking good...

  • Sins-of-Mosin

    Posted Nov 11, 2008 10:27 am PT

    I have two friends who will be getting the WoW expansion at midnight. Myself, I'm sticking with CoD5, B&K: Nuts and Bolts, and the WWE game.

  • Chimpman_Z

    Posted Nov 11, 2008 10:05 am PT

    Am I the only person excited about Eternal Poison?

    What? Age of Booty?! Huh huh, the article said "booty" huh huh...

  • RawTechnique

    Posted Nov 11, 2008 9:47 am PT

    Cmon Gamespot... why do you have to continue the lies about the Mirror's Edge PC release date??? EA screwed over PC gamers and it was delayed back to January 2009 so they can get cash from the console sales. Get your damn facts straight!

  • da_chub

    Posted Nov 11, 2008 9:00 am PT

    Now this is what is sad, there are some good Wii games mixed in there, but everyone over looks them because most of this weeks releases are shovelware. Come on Devs....My stop smoking coach and Monkey mischief, i feel bad for anyone who buys these games.

  • theshireling

    Posted Nov 11, 2008 8:10 am PT

    too....many....games...

  • 96windsor

    Posted Nov 11, 2008 8:05 am PT

    i hope i can pull myself away from WWE smackdown vs. raw 09 long enough to try out wrath of the lich king. i heard that warcraft is awful fun.

    ZOMG! national geographic panda!! sorry arthas! i'll have better things to do

  • sieg6529

    Posted Nov 11, 2008 7:14 am PT

    I think WotLK is not going to be so huge as BC, because there are so many other great games available now that aren't a rehash of old material.

  • WiiNut6493

    Posted Nov 11, 2008 6:14 am PT

    WOOT! HELLO KITTY 3 MORE DAYS!

  • wilyry

    Posted Nov 11, 2008 5:51 am PT

    WOTL is going to bring the servers down to their knees. I remember when BC came out, took awhile to get back up and running smoothly. Maybe give it a week or two.

  • CamiKitten

    Posted Nov 11, 2008 5:49 am PT

    LoL @ Pony Friendz. And LoL at WoW -__-, cause I'm almost guessing the expansion is as useless and repetitive as teh rest of the game.

  • TehUndeadHorror

    Posted Nov 10, 2008 11:51 pm PT

    "its way better snowboarding then playing shaun white or ssx"

    Woah... I so totally thought you said s e x...

  • GrimGravy

    Posted Nov 10, 2008 10:04 pm PT

    dude parmjit awesome glade you have such a great life why dont you go blog about it or something and put more about yourself on the internet so we can continue not to give two $h@Ts about your life

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