This will be the first time I've ever worked on Crecentral Time, as I'm in Colorado hanging with Kotaku alum Adam Barenblat for the weekend. It's also a shortened two days thanks to July 4.

But to everyone who might be kicking back, lighting up and/or grilling out this weekend - Francophones, we realize you're waiting on Bastille Day - we start with a roundup of our reporting highlights, led by the Summer of Gaming package. McMike also got a look inside Blizzard and Starcraft.

Hey, wasn't Frank O'Phone a reliever for the New York Mets? I digress. The week in original coverage.

Summer of Gaming
Sink Or Swim? The Game Designer's Conundrum
Kotaku's 2009 Summer Reading List
Kotaku's Summer of Gaming

Blizzard/Starcraft
No LAN Play For Starcraft II
Three Things We Weren't Allowed To Photograph At Blizzard HQ
Ogle Blizzard HQ's Epically Mounted Orc
StarCraft II Beta Planned To Last 4 To 6 Months
What's Inside Blizzard's Library?
StarCraft II Hands-On: Round Three

Features
How To Name A Video Game Studio - And Hopefully Get It Right
In Defense Of The Classic Controller

Previews, Reviews, Hands-On and Impressions
Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen Review: Clench The Difference
Battlefield Heroes Review: The Great (Cartoon) War
Frankenreview: The Conduit
Mecho Wars Micro-Review: Landians Versus Wingians... Really?
Sony Expands "Official Licensing Program"
Let's Take A PlayStation Home Survey!
Captain Blood Preview: Errol Flynn He Ain't - But He'll Do
Dreamkiller Impressions: "Emotional Painkiller" Doesn't Sound As Cool
The Conduit Review: A Bland, But Enjoyable Shooter
Death To Spies 2: Moment of Truth Preview: SMERSH is a fun word to say
Bit.Trip: Core Preview: Thumb-Aching Good Fun
Gunstar Heroes Micro-Review: The Perfect Shot
MySims Agents Preview: Spy vs. Sims
Fight Night Round 4 Review: Boxing Beautiful

Rumor
Foot Controlled Silver Surfer Game?

News
PS3 Bundle Includes MGS4, Killzone 2

Ninja Gaiden 2 Sigma Premium Box Pack Premium Price
How Many Hours People Play Nintendo's Wii Games (Sorry, Donkey Kong)
Square Enix Brings Hammer Down On French Retailer
Midway Sale To WB Clears Court, Staff At Two Studios Given Notice
Grand Theft IV Auto Goes Discount In Japan
Xbox 360 Game Creation Tool Kodu Now Live - Got Any Ideas?
Dave Perry: How Gaikai Goes Beyond OnLive, Could Spread Gaming Everywhere
Square Enix Mystery Solved - The Four Warriors Of Light
Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 Dated And Detailed For Japan
Damnation Developers Laid Off
Nintendo Patents WarioWare Take On Othello
Carmack: Just About Everything id Makes Coming To iPhone
Doom Resurrection: The iPhone Game That Nearly Wasn't
Would Natal Enable User-Generated Mo-Cap?

Kotaku Reader
K6

Swag and Toys
Wish I Had A Record Player
Kotaku Kard Man
Check Out This Awesome Akuma Statue

At the Half
2009 Is Half-Done: What's Been Great So Far?

Facts and Figures
How Many Hours People Play Each Wii Sonic Game, Music Games Too
The Ten Most Avidly-Played Wii Games In America (As Of July 1)

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