IT seems we are a nation - and indeed a world - of people who love bad news.
I'm sure if you look back at hit counts surrounding all the major news stories over the last 10 years, figures would should most people logged onto the web following the death of someone or the demise of something.
And yesterday was further proof.
The first reports of Michael Jackson’s death emerged on a showbiz website sparking a massive surge in online traffic around the globe as millions of people logged on to find out more.
It was the American site www.tmz.com that broke the news reporting it was "looking bad" for the star.
The massive level of interest caused the site to temporarily go down but that did not stop the news spreading via blogs and social networking sites.
So many people wanted to verify early reports of his death that the computers running Google’s news section interpreted the "Michael Jackson" requests as an automated attack for about half an hour.
The BBC News website reported UK traffic was 48% higher than usual at 4am today.
By 3.20pm yesterday even The Herald's (www.thisisplymouth.co.uk) website had received a great many views with more than 2,000 viewing that story alone making it one of the most read of the day.
With the news of his death confirmed, one of the UK’s most popular sites, Twitter, was full of reaction.
Among the people who turned to the site to pay tribute were Hollywood star Demi Moore and Foreign Secretary David Miliband.
Before long, nine of the 10 most popular topics being discussed were related to the star.
Fans also logged on the myspace page of his former wife, Lisa Marie Presley, to pay tribute.
Once again it seems sad that in death a figure will actually be larger than he was in life, regardless of whether he was known as the 'king of pop'.
If you can peel yourself away from the online updates check out this week's new game releases and related news:
Title: Fight Night Round 4
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Boxing
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 5/5
The Fight Night series has been a rip-roaring success on next-gen consoles, with Round 3 raising the bar in terms of jaw-dropping graphics and gameplay mechanics in the ring. Round 4 picks up right where EA left off, with another hard-hitting simulation that mixes a variety of fighting styles and boxer differentiation to emulate the greatest fighters of all time. Whether you’re pressuring your opponent with the brawling inside style of a young Mike Tyson, or capitalising on Muhammad Ali’s reach and fleetness of foot, this really is the real deal as scrapping experiences go. It’s polished off with an incredible new physics-based animation system that will have you reeling on your sofa with every punch you take. Top-notch sporting action – have you got what it takes to be king of the ring?
Title: Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen
Platform: PS3
Genre: Action
Price: £39.99
Hit count: 4/5
Tying in with one of this summer’s blockbuster releases, Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen may be greeted with a little trepidation by gamers, if not cinema-goers. The franchise’s previous foray into the gaming world provided enjoyment, yet left fans wanting so much more. Here, flitting from Autobot to Decepticon side in the engaging single-player campaign soon shows you that the controls have been tightened up and you’re now capable of some pretty stunning combat moves, particularly thanks to the ability to transform in mid-air. A solid multiplayer mode takes the mechanised action online to good effect, and adds up to an all-action sequel that delivers for long-standing fans of these iconic characters, with pretty much all your favourite characters available to play. Transformers fans, let’s roll!
Title: Indiana Jones And The Staff Of Kings
Platform: Wii
Genre: Action
Price: £44.99
Hit count: 3/5
What self-respecting gamer and action-movie fan isn’t going to get just a little bit excited about the prospect of wielding Indy’s whip, thanks to the motion-sensing technology that Nintendo’s Wii can offer? Here, the world’s most famous archaeologist sets out on an all-new globe-trotting quest, from San Francisco’s Chinatown to the lush jungles of Panama, in a race to recover a relic of biblical proportions – the Staff of Moses. There are some control issues, but this shouldn’t detract from what is still a well-designed adventure romp that stays true to the spirit of the original films. Whether you’re running for your life as a temple collapses around you or flying a biplane through a canyon trench, the cinematic moments come thick and fast and should provide more than enough amusement for casual gamers and hardcore Indy fans alike.
Title: Ghostbusters: The Video Game
Platform: PS3
Genre: Action
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 4/5
Yet another movie to morph onto console systems, Ghostbusters: The Video Game presents an all-new storyline for gamers to get their teeth into, once again putting you in charge of that motley crew of paranormal pest controllers. Not only does it deliver in terms of humour, with superb voice-acting from almost all of the original actors, it also has the kind of gameplay mechanics you’d hope for when faced with the prospect of grappling with a ghost above a trap and lowering it down to complete the capture. It’s pretty much everything fans could want in terms of an authentic recreation of a much-loved film, and it’s a great example of how movie tie-in titles don’t have to always be tosh.
Title: MySims Racing
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Racing
Price: £29.99
Hit count: 4/5
Little racers like this are designed to be high speed, great fun and perfectly designed for DS on-the-go gaming. MySims Racing sings out all of these virtues from the off, as wannabe speedsters burn rubber against the toughest MySims rival racers on the trickiest tracks in Speedville. Rewarding your success on the track with a staggering array of options for kart customisation off it adds a fantastic extra layer of depth to the game. The obligatory four-player multiplayer racing option is delivered really well, with some great power-ups available to help wreck your pals’ progress in the heat of the battle. It may be a small system, but MySims Racing has bundles of big personality and is well worth a look for racing fans.
WHAT’S HOT AND WHAT’S NOT
PSP handheld gamers may have been green with envy when they saw all the fuss around the release of Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars on the DS recently, but fear not – it’s coming to Sony’s system, too. Due for release this autumn, development on the PSP version will home in on using the console’s widescreen graphics, enhanced lighting and animation power, while new story missions will also be introduced.
In the charts this week, Prototype nabbed first place, knocking The Sims 3 down into second spot, while Wii Fit climbed one place from four to three. Ghostbusters: The Video Game was the only new entry to the top end, coming in at four, while the Wimbledon factor is taking effect with Virtua Tennis 2009 and EA Sports Grand Slam Tennis moving up into the bottom rungs of the top-10.
GAMES CHART: ALL FORMATS FULL PRICE
1.Prototype
2.The Sims 3
3.Wii Fit
4.Ghostbusters: The Video Game
5.Call of Duty: World At War
6.Red Faction: Guerilla
7.UFC 2009: Undisputed
8.EA Sports Active
9.Virtua Tennis 2009
10.EA Sports Grand Slam Tennis
Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (c) ELSPA (UK) Ltd
