Rise In Game Accessory Sales

By Digital Trends Staff December 30, 2007

The holidays weren’t just a bonanza for game consoles and, of course, games themselves. They also brought a big boost to game accessories, according to a story in the Financial Times. The Wii Fit, which focuses on health, was launched in Japan on December 1, since when it’s sold half a million copies. It uses a balance board shaped like bathroom scales. Accessories are becoming more and more integral to games. In the US the top selling game, Guitar Hero III from Activision, uses a guitar accessory. How popular is it? During November it accounted for 17% of all game sales, a staggering figure given the strong competition. Its rival EA’s Rock Band, includes a microphone, drum kit and guitar in its packaging. Wireless controllers for the Wii, especially the Zapper, which comes bundled with Link’s Crossbow Training, and PS3 have also been massive sellers, along with buzzer controllers for quiz games.

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Gaming

What’s free on the Epic Games Store right now?

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Checking in on the Epic Games Store is one of the easiest ways to grow your gaming library. Epic gives out a free game or two every week, ranging from darling indies to AAA titles. All you have to do is jump on the Epic Games Store to claim the free games and they'll be added to your library to keep forever.

Keeping track of all the free titles and gaming deals can be a pain, so we're monitoring the Epic Games Store for you. We'll update this article every time a new game is made available!
What's free on the Epic Games Store right now?
These games can be picked up on the Epic Games store right now for free. Scroll down to the Free Games section of the app's Discover tab or find the individual title using the search bar. Just find and select the Get button to claim your free game. You do not have to download or install it right away.

Gaming

How to start the Rising Tide DLC in Final Fantasy 16

Rising Tide DLC

Final Fantasy 16's base adventure is already a long and winding tale full of intrigue, but that doesn't mean there isn't more story to be told in its world. Like the Echoes of the Fallen DLC before it, The Rising Tide DLC serves as an additional journey for Clive and company to undertake, providing players the opportunity to discover various all-new enemies, locations, and characters. This fresh content even includes Leviathan as a new Eikon for Clive to encounter, making it a must-play for completionists hoping to experience everything in the game. If you're wondering how to start The Rising Tide DLC, look no further — we'll tell you how to do so below.
How to start The Rising Tide DLC in Final Fantasy 16
To access The Rising Tide DLC in Final Fantasy 16, you'll first need to be sure you've purchased and downloaded the content. You can buy The Rising Tide as a standalone DLC for $15 or as part of the Expansion Pass, which also includes the Echoes of the Fallen DLC, for $25.

Once you've purchased and downloaded the DLC, however, there's more you'll need to do before you can start tackling the new content in The Rising Tide. For starters, you'll need to have unlocked Origin as a destination on the world map, which requires you to be at the end of the main campaign. You'll also have to complete the two sidequests, "Where There's a Will" and "Priceless," for Joshua and Jill, respectively. After clearing those quests, you can finally head to Clive's quarters at the Hideaway and check the missives table. There, you'll find an unmarked letter that lets you begin a new quest called “The Rising Tide."

Gaming

The Nintendo Switch just got 2 surprise games — and they’re both worth grabbing

A teddy beat sits on an embroidery hoop in Stitch.

If you were unable to catch this week's Nintendo IndieWorld showcase, then you missed a surprisingly loaded show. Lorelei and the Laser Eyes got a May release date, WayForward showed off its Yars' Revenge revival, and Steamworld Heist 2 got an exciting reveal. In the midst of all those headlines, two smaller games were surprise released on the platform: Stitch and Sticky Business. Don't sleep on either of them, as they're both worth a purchase.

Both games are ports of previously released games, but both went a bit under the radar upon their original launch. Sticky Business modestly launched last summer on PC, whereas Stitch has actually been around since 2022 as an Apple Arcade exclusive. The latter even has an Apple Vision Pro version now that can be played in mixed reality. I can't blame anyone for missing either, but their Switch releases offer a good opportunity to catch up with some quiet hidden gems.