This past week Kotaku put a comprehensive look into its crystal ball, breaking down what's ahead for the major platforms, while also looking at the agendas and priorities of games' top influencers and constituencies over the 365 days to come.

This is our equivalent of baseball's hot stove league, when the season's done but there's still fun in pulling up a chair to opine and speculate. Please rejoin us and your fellow readers in the following features and discussions of 2010, the year to come in games.

2010: The Year Of Better PSP Games?</
2010: The Year Of Better PlayStation 3 Games?
2010: The Year of Better Xbox 360 Games?
2010: The Year of Better PC Games?
2010: The Year Of Better Wii Games?
2010: The Year of Better Nintendo DS Games?

What Won't Be Coming To Video Gaming In 2010

You're A Gamer In 2010 ... What Will You Do?
You're A Game Developer in 2010...What Will You Do?
You Run A Big Game Publisher In 2010...What Will You Do?
You're A Video Game Retailer In 2010...What Will You Do?

You've got your modded out gaming system, your supply of guarana-infused energy drinks, and even your USB drink cooler. The nearest pizza joint is number one on your speed dial, and you are ready to kick some major ass.

You get all set up, when all of a sudden, out of the corner of your eye, you see a super hot chick standing by a really sick gaming system. Some guy's babe of a girlfriend must be dropping him off before she heads to the mall to go shopping, you think to yourself. Then you realize, holy shit, that water cooled, dream-machine is hers, and she's here to game.

Over the next couple of hours you find it hard to focus on bashing and raiding. How do you get her to notice you over the havoc she is creating online?

Unfortunately, many guys will give up without ever trying. Much like WoW, dating is a game —- a game which requires strategy and patience.

Think about your possible moves and think about the positive and negatives. Pick up lines are generally a negative. For example: "Mind if I run a sniffer to see if your ports are open?" or, "Hey sweety, you know, I'm hung like a Tauren". While I would definitely laugh my ass off, these lines would not elicit the necessary amount of swoon to get my number.

Quitting without trying is not an option! You've actually got to do something and do it with confidence. As Charles Kettering said, "Believe and act as if it were impossible to fail." This is the number one key to picking up girls – you have to act like you are the perfect man for them, they just don't know it yet. So for those of you that are ready to claim the prize, here's my top five suggestions for picking up a sexy geek goddess at a LAN tournament:

1) Go talk to her about her system and ask plenty of questions so she has a chance to explain. Don't assume that she doesn't know her stuff – she could probably describe the differences in AGP vs. PCI slot architecture better than most guys you know. If there's one thing to know about female gamers, it's the fact that they have honed their craft meticulously to be able to hang with the guys. Asking questions shows your interest and gives her a chance to talk while you try to keep your shit together.

2) Offer her some of your energy drinks or pizza. There is nothing more romantic than offering a girl a nice, refreshing taste of your Bawls...or Red Bull. Just don't shove your own face with five pieces of pizza while attempting to carry on a stimulating conversation with her, of course. Remember your manners, and use a napkin, please. Even if she has her own food, this shows that you are interested and thoughtful.

3) Try messaging her in game if you can't quite work up to actually going over and chatting her up. This is especially effective if she is so cute that you need a chance to get your thoughts together. It also allows you to filter some of the things that nerves may otherwise shoot out of your mouth. Just make sure that you know without a doubt that you're messaging her, and not some dude. That could be bad.

4) Plant a fake virus on your friend's computer, and then come to the "rescue" very loudly and triumphantly as she looks on. Appear to save his computer from sheer and utter demise, and then hope that she is attracted to your knightly tendencies. Just make sure that while you're saving your friend's computer, he doesn't go over and talk to her first.

5) There is one more option that I've left until last. This is only for the true risk takers—the champions of their own destiny. Are you sitting down? Because here it is: You actually go over and tell her what's on your mind. Tell her that you noticed her and that you think she's intriguing, or interesting, or just plain hot. Let her know that you want to chat with her, or just play with her (notice my pun). Yes, guys, this strategy actually works. Letting a girl know that you're interested, and the fact that you had the balls to actually say it, will make you highly exciting and sexy to her. Please note that the difference between this and a pickup line is honesty. Once you've opened the airways of communication, maybe then you can make her giggle with the Tauren line.

So there it is, the five steps to complete and total pwnage of a gamer girl's heart. Follow these suggestions and I guarantee that you'll find a long lasting relationship. Well, I can't actually guarantee anything, but hey, if it doesn't work, you still have me and online porn at RavenAlexis.com and DigitalPlayground.com to keep you company!

Self-proclaimed nerd Raven Alexis is a huge sci-fi gadget and gaming fan. Raven also spends hours online maintaining her webpages, interacting with fans, and leveling her World of Warcraft characters. The owner of the original websites RavenAlexis.com and RavensPlayhouse.com, Raven signed on with Digital Playground earlier this year.

Read the rest of our celebrity columns.

When I wasn't washing green slime out of every crevice of my body, I spent my time cheating my way to first place at celebrity bowling tournaments (Tell no one.) and schooling Aaron Carter at foosball (Tell everyone.). As glamorous as that was, I took a break from acting for educational purposes and soon landed my first "real life" job: A Game Advisor position at GameStop.

I quickly learned a few things about working there:

1. Men reserve more games when I wear low-cut shirts. Women, not so much.
2. Children may urinate, defecate, and/or vomit on the store carpet, resulting in me cleaning up said unholy bodily substance before realizing I could have tricked my co-workers into doing it.
3. Every attempt by mouth-breathing fanboys to lock horns about how much GameStop sucks while I'm ringing them up for $500 worth of peripherals ends with me choking on my own drool because I care so little.

Whenever a customer recognized me, they would immediately ask why I went from humiliating myself on television to humiliating myself at a game store. The answer was simple: It was a block away from my condo.

…Which segued into my REAL answer: I am infatuated with video games.

As a game enthusiast, I love not only playing games, but the history of gaming, the storylines, the soundtracks, the voiceover acting, and discussing them for hours with other gamers. But being an actor first and a gamer second, the things I love most about games are the characters, and their capability to stir up genuine emotional reactions from players.

Movie characters are roles performed by real, living actors. Game characters, while voiced by living actors, are simply computer creations. With today's graphical technology flirting with Uncanny Valley along with ever-improving game dialog, do characters in video games have the same ability to conjure up feeling from the viewer/player as actors in motion pictures?

On one hand, video games consume more of your time than simply a trip to the movie theater. The more time you spend with your computer-generated lead, the closer you two become. You can almost feel an imaginary high-five from your character after overcoming a treacherous obstacle, like getting past that unreasonably strong white-haired assassin in No More Heroes or finally showing Zeus the meaning of the phrase "Kratos Smash!" Most often, I will walk out of a two-hour movie and feel somewhat familiar with the characters, but not enough to say I really know them. I rarely reference the leading man or lady from some blockbuster-of-the-week in the days following my viewing of the film, while I will spend the rest of my life remembering my seven(plus)-hour journey with Dante and Nero from Devil May Cry 4 or Nathan from the Uncharted series, and how good it felt to be part of the victory instead of just an observer. Finishing Odin Sphere after over seventy hours of gameplay, and realizing my adventure with the amazing characters was over, left me with an empty feeling. From this perspective, video game characters connect better with humans than those in movies.

On the other hand, the remembrance of your long journey may not necessarily be a positive one. An extended meet-and-greet with characters in games may cause your mind to associate negative traits with these heroes. For example, sure, the Prince from Prince of Persia 4 had some incredible moves and fought like a badass, but why did he have to communicate like every arrogant frat boy I've ever met and immediately wanted to punch in the mouth? (Okay, that's from a chick's perspective. Get off me.)

On the living and breathing side of things, actors have been evoking audience emotion since nearly the dawn of film. From Rick and Ilsa's tragic romance in Casablanca to the heart-wrenching performances at the end of Saving Private Ryan, a superbly acted role can conjure up laughter, tears, and reflection from the audience. Perhaps the reason for this stems from the old saying that less is more. Unlike a game, where you can explore environments, talk to other characters, and sometimes choose even what your character says, a movie gives the audience just enough information about the characters to understand the story – no more, no less. The rest is left to the imagination.

Picture Casablanca as a video game. Gameplay would force you to be with your main character, Rick (Humphrey Bogart), for a long period as you navigate through the game. As a result, you would develop a kinship with Rick, like you do in the movie – just in a different way. With ten times more dialogue, you would more fully understand his way of thinking and relationships with the other characters at the same time you are running him into walls, getting him killed by Nazis, and yelling at him to reload faster. Pretty standard for a game.

Then you get on the tarmac. Your digitally rendered Humphrey is grasping Ingrid Bergman by the shoulders, telling her to get on that plane. However, Humphrey's motions are stiff, his eyes are too glossy, his teeth are…weird, and his arms keep magically passing through Ingrid's shoulder. The scene would still play out in a melancholy fashion, but you wouldn't quite feel their pain and passion the same way as in the film, where you can literally see into the souls of the actors.

When I was thirteen, my acting coach refused to give me comedic scenes to perform because they were too easy for me. She'd give me scenes where I'd have to cry. I struggled for months, and even tried cheating by pinching the crap out of my eyelids when my coach turned her back. Turns out she could see the pinch marks. (GOOD IDEA, THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD LISA.) But one day I figured it out. Crying took preparation. I had to take a few moments, think about something tragic I'd been through, and get into a state of mind that made me pale in the face and ran chills up my spine. Not only did the camera see the tears, but it picked up the pain in my eyes, and the subtext of a discontent, troubled mind. I became relatable to the audience.

Digital characters, no matter how good the graphics, cannot get in a state of mind. They can't draw from experience – only real, living actors can do that. While voiceover actors have that ability, their emotion can only go so far when they're talking through a computer creation. From this perspective, movie characters connect better with humans than game characters.

LET'S QUICKLY RECAP SO WE CAN GET BACK TO OUR RAIDS:

Movies connect with audiences because of the actors, who are real people with real pasts. Video games connect with players by making them part of the story. If the thought of Elena being dead caused me to tear up the same way Armageddon did, I'm going to go ahead and say these two art forms are finally on an even playing field.

Obviously, in the end, video games are supposed to be a form of entertainment! I mean, who really cares about emotion when we can have infinite rocket launchers? Anyone?

Lisa Foiles landed a role on Nickelodeon's primetime sketch comedy series, All That, in 2005 after the show held a nationwide casting call. Aside from hosting countless Nickelodeon shows, such as On-Air Dares and Snick's Sleepover Jam, Lisa's other memorable roles include a recurring part on Disney Channel's Even Stevens and FOX's Malcolm in the Middle. Lisa currently works as a graphics/web designer in Portland, OR where she acts in various Portland-based commercials, such as the recent campaign for Raving Rabbids TV Party. Her free time is spent riding sport motorcycles, writing for Save Point (www.loadsavepoint.com), and of course, playing video games.

For more information, visit Lisa's official website.

Read the rest of our celebrity columns.

Chat About It.com is heard on the CBS Radio Digital Network. The show will also be heard live on AOL radio, YAHOO launchcast and of course Kotaku.com. The entire show will be available for download from iTunes.

If you can't be near a computer to hear the show you can catch the show live on your mobile device.

The recently inked deal allows Kotaku to maintain total control of it's podcast format, with myself and Stephen Totilo continuing to take live calls via a new toll free number, while giving it the full support of a professional broadcast studio, engineers and support personnel. It also means that Kotaku could soon be coming to you live on local radio stations.

We're extremely excited about this latest iteration of Kotaku's podcast, launched earlier this year. With more than 1 billion pageviews since its launch, reviews, news and features rolling out 24-hours a day and an internationally syndicated print column, Kotaku keeps on truckin'.

The podcast will be changing over to its new home in January. Until then, keep listening and keep calling.

Sure you could use our reference guide of games and reviews to help you sort through what video games to give and what to avoid, but why not try something a little different.

For the third year in a row the brains (and Mikes, AJs, Lukes, Owens and Stephens) at Kotaku Tower have put together a list of eclectic toys, gadgets and doodads - from super hero hoodies to supernatural castles, to give and ask for.

Now, for your viewing pleasure, Kotaku's 2009 Gift Guide of Obscene Nicety and Sublime Naughtiness.

Mandatory Secret Santa (Under $20)
Gin & Titonic Ice Cubes ($6.95): Every gin & tonic is now an adventure, and best of all, in this one, 1500 people don't have to die.

PK Yomega Yo-Yo ($17.00): For the Earthbound/Mother fan—or even the dedicated Super Smash Bros. Brawl player—Fangamer's PK Yomega yo-yo offers the Nintendo-loving gamer something to do with their middle finger when not attached to a controller. Pair it with a Shirtness Ness shirt for added authenticity and maybe a Yomega yo-yo trick DVD for the ultimate in learning how to walk the dog like a pro.

Lightsaber Chopsticks ($17.99): Not as clumsy or random as a spork, an elegant utensil, for a more civilized age. Dig into your sushi or soba with these two-pair sets, in Yoda Green and Vader Red, or Luke Blue and Yoda Green. But with the blast shield down I can't get anything in my mouth! How am I supposed to eat ...?

Graphic Novels, Graphic Novels, Graphic Novels ($9-$20): Every week brings new video game comic books to your local comic shop, to the point where we've started a weekly round-up. but while some enjoy visiting the shop every Wednesday, others prefer the weight of a book in their hands and not having to wait for the next issue to arrive. Video game comic trade paperback collections abound, with popular titles like Street Fighter, Gears of War, Resident Evil, and Halo all represented. InStockTrades.com carries just about everything a video game comic fan could want at substantially discounted prices. Tell them Kotaku sent you, and they'll spend hours trying to figure out what the hell you are talking about.

Ganges #2 ($7.95): Or, if you think your potential gift-getter is just not a comics-based-on-games type, than prove you have refined tastes and purchase him or her one of the best comics about games, one that doesn't even look like it has anything to do with games. The wonderful Kevin Huizenga, who writes a damn good comic book about walking down the street looking at birds and such also writes and draws a damn fine one, Ganges #2, about what happened to his life in the 90s when he played way too much Doom. It's subtle, smart, beautiful and sort of also about Doom. But more about life.

Dismember-Me Plush Zombie ($12.99): Zombies may be all the rage in video games these days, but they're seriously under-represented in stuffed toys and plushies. Fortunately, Think Geek has your back with this nifty Dismember-Me Plush Zombie. The stuffed zombie can be pulled to bits and put back together willy-niley. Better still, it comes with it's how handful of brains so you don't have to worry about it getting late-night munchies.

Tiny Bobomb Earrings ($8): Not only are they cheap, but they're cute enough to dupe most chicks into wearing them once out of guilt and game-related enough to make you smile when you see them.

Final Fantasy XIII Potion Elixer ($6.99) Can't wait to play Final Fantasy XIII? What about drink Final Fantasy XIII? This "potion elixer" from Japanese beverage maker Suntory and Square Enix offers players a taste of Final Fantasy. Yum.

Relative You Don't Particularly Care For But Will Probably Bring A Gift For You ($21 to $50)
Solio Charger ($39.95): Whether you're zombie head hunting in the frozen tundras of Alaska or hiding out from a Russian surprise attack in Virginia, this solar-paneled charger will keep you gaming on the go. Just hang the panel from a tree or your backpack to charge the battery in the sun and use after-market power tips to recharge your DS Lite, iPhone, PSP or even your GameBoy Advance.

The Ellis Look - Left 4 Dead 2 Trucker Hat & Bullshifters shirt ($38.98) Give your loved one a blue collar makeover with this tasteful ensemble modeled by stock car racing enthusiast Ellis from Left 4 Dead 2. Not only does this set help the recipient on your list overcome the "No shirt, no shoes, no service" restriction, it can tame the most wild mullet, while offering ample ventilation to the head.

Freakin' Swords ($40+): It's a video game collectible! It's a personal defense device! Everybody loves swords, daggers, maces, and shields, and even if they don't, they aren't going to give you crap about the gift, because they know you are armed. King of Swords, the Georgia shop we profiled earlier this year, carries a wide range of video game replica weapons, from the $40 Dagger of Time here to some truly epic God of War weapons that don't belong in this category. Go crazy with it.

To complete the look, for next year's Halloween party, maybe, pair the set with some Dickies workwear, a pair of Red Wing boots and, for amusing Southern-flavored anecdote purposes, the selected works of Jeff Foxworthy.

Pan Flute ($30+) Because you waited until the last minute to ask for anything and the only game you don't have is The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, well, maybe a real pan-flute would be appropriate so you can feel like the new Link?

Pac-Man Retro Arcade Plug & Play TV Video Game System ($35.95): Now you'll have something to do if you're roped into going to their house next holiday season.

Dead Space Isaac Figure ($20): There are loads of video game action figures on the market these days, but our pick (at least for Western games) is NECA's take on Isaac, from Dead Space. Why? Because it's Isaac from Dead Space.

Persona 4: Kuma Figure ($45.90): Everyone's favorite circus-tent wearing cute bear gets immortalized in soft vinyl form. Îf only we could be immortalized in soft vinyl. Hard vinyl, even. Kuma is outfitted with a non-functioning zipper on his back. It's there just for looks.

The Sweet Spot - Not too 'spensive, Not too cheap ($51 to $100)
Captain America Hoodie ($60): Is it a hoodie or a cowlie? This zip-front jacket sports a full winged cowl, turning you from hipster to crimefighter in a flash. Continuity error! Cap's ears poke out of the cowl in the comic books. Does this getup come with a No-Prize?

Jasman HALO 3 Covenant Plasma Pistol Laser Pursuit Gaming 2 Players Set ($87.94): To kids, it'll just be another plastic gun set to pretend shoot each other with. To adult fans of the game, it'll be THE plastic gun set to pretend shoot each other with.

World of Warcraft Alliance Tabard ($99): We're not the world's biggest WoW players here, but we must admit, anything game that inspires tabards as officially licensed merchandise is OK.

30 Pounds of Gummi Bears ($69.00): 30 pounds of gummi bears, all at once, all for you. The only possible reason one could have for not wanting to stick their head into a giant box filled with gummi bears is that they simply hadn't thought of it yet. You don't even have to eat them. You could just put them in a giant clear case and stare at their majesty for years on end.

A year of Edge ($76 U.S.): There's a good chance you have a Game Informer subscription, but do you have an Edge one? England's best gaming magazine is full of news, interviews and reviews, but the best thing about the magazine may be its visual-design. An Edge cover is often one of the best-designed gaming visuals of any given month. And sometimes, a spiffy poster is inside that's even better.

Final Fantasy VII Cloud Strife & Hardy-Daytona Action Figure ($79.90): You're not just buying this for the Cloud fig, but for the bike. It's got rotating tired, movable forks and steering — working shocks, too! Vroooooooooooom.

Burton Sleeper Hoodie ($99.99): I travel a lot and in the past I've always used a hoodie as my impromptu sleeping bag. I just pull the hood down as far as it will go, pull my hands up into the sleeves, curl up and go to sleep. The Burton Sleeper Hoodie takes that idea and pushes it to the extreme. A contoured light shield pulls out from the back of the hood to cover your eyes properly, ventilation underarm holes and cuff thumb holes keep the jacket in place and comfy, and a built in inflatable neck pillow optimizes the catching of sly Zs. If that weren't enough, the hoodie also comes with an eye mask, compact toothbrush and even a fake United Red Carpet Crew card with the name Frank Abagnale Jr. on it. Score!

Person You Are Or Hope To Be Sleeping With ($100 to $500)
Supernova Riot 2 Trail-Running Shoes ($110): Running shoes are fine if you're out for a Sunday jog, but when things get rough and you're being chased down by hooded thugs, angry aliens or hordes of zombies you better be prepared to run places other then flat pavement. Adidas' trail-running shoes feature wider, deeper tread for grip on anything from cement to dirt and mud and the thermoplastic urethane arch shanks protects your feet from the pointed rocks found on off-road scrambles to safety.

Custom 1-UP Mushroom Crochet Scarf Diy Mario Bros. Nintendo Mens / Womens Limited Edition ($150): So cute and so warm, this scarf is a huge hit with the ladies and instantly recognizable even by those who don't regularly game. If you really want to go for gold, order the red mushroom variant for yourself and thereby become THE geekiest chic couple this holiday season.

Astro A40 Headset ($249.95): Our review should have said it all, but we'll say it one more time. Astro's A40 Sound System, including headset and MixAmp, is one of the best personal audio solutions we've ever used. It's perfect for gaming late at night when everyone else is fast asleep, visions of sugar-plums dancing in their heads, and you need to shoot some zombies, Nazis or Nazi zombies!

Custom Console Painting ($125-$149): Take your loved one's console away for Christmas! Don't worry, they'll only be angry until you tell them they'll be getting it back with a brand new paint job, courtesy of custom-painting specialists ColorWare. ColorWare with apply a professional paint job to your PS3 Slim, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, or Nintendo DSi, with tons of color options to ensure that your creation is truly unique. As an added plus, while the conole is being painted, the target of your affections will have no choice but engage in actual human interaction. Everybody wins!

Exotic fresh fruit every month ($250-$450): What does new fresh fruit being shipped to your doorstop every month have to do with video games? Nothing! Aren't you trying to show people how well-rounded you are? Without, you know, physically becoming too well-rounded?

Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series ($200-350): It's all of Battlestar, in high definition, in the single box. About as perfect a gift as you could hope to receive give.

Flux Capacitor Replica ($249.99): One-point-twenty-one gigawatts? Try three double-A batteries. They'll get this flux capacitor, uh ... fluxing and send you Back to the Future - in no time at all. The unit comes with authentic tape-label warnings from Dr. Emmett Brown and a knob for adjusting the lights. The ultimate car accessory (Mr. Fusion sold separately.)

Zelda: Ocarina of Time ($119.99): It's Link from the classic Zelda title, Ocarina of Time! Limited to only 2,500 worldwide, the 7-inch statue has been hand cast and hand painted. Each is individually numbered. Each one is Link.

Our Prices Are Insane ($500 and up)

I-sopod Isolation Float Tank ($25,500): Playing portable video games on your PSP, Nintendo DS, and iPhone is the new book reading - someone is always walking up behind you with "What are you playing? Is it good? You look annoyed! What are you doing with that knife?" Enter Floatworks' I-sopod isolation chamber. No really, enter it! You'll float nearly weightless on heavily salted water, isolated from all outside interference and free to play Pokemon, LittleBigPlanet PSP, or Puzzle Quest in complete peace. As an added bonus, you can load the built-in MP3 player with sci-fi sound effects and pretend you're in a spaceship.

Halo Warthog (Contact WETA Workshop for pricing): Nothing says "I should really be in a unique tax bracket and pay a much higher percentage of my outlandish earnings" than a custom, WETA Workshop designed, fully functioning Warthog from the Halo series. We doubt that WETA will offer you a functioning mounted gunner position, but if you've got a checkbook big enough, the Halo fan on your list will probably thank you for the hundreds of thousands you'll invest in recreating the legendary ride.

Complete Assassin's Creed Altaïr Costume ($1,156 total): Of course Ezio is all the rage now, but give Museum Replicas time, it'll have that Da Vinci hang glider ready for you soon enough. Meantime, this ensemble recreates the look of the series' progenitor, Altaïr, with much of its cost devoted to badass weaponry - throwing knives, short blade, retractable blade and longsword. Should the getup be too pricey, tunics for Robert de Sable and William of Monferrat are also available.

Redo Your Living Room With Super Mario Brothers Stained Glass ($700 for four window panes): Made with the "Tiffany" foil method of stained glass, even one window would be a classy addition to anybody's living room. But a whole stained glass Mario makeover? That's a pricey gift beyond the bounds of generosity. Gift wisely.

The Arkeg ($3500): This hybrid arcade cabinet and ... keg. MAME cabinet. Beer. "Fully assembled gaming/draft system," the seller's site says.

Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr. and Mario Bros. All-In-One Arcade Cabinet ($3,990): There's something about playing retro games on an arcade cabinet in the privacy of your own house. And that something is usually very expensive. Games run on a 19 inch monitor, outfitted in an old style decorated cabinet. Costs lotsa monies.

Tamerlane ($660,000): Love books? Why not splash out and get that special someone in your life an original copy of Edgar Allen Poe's "Tamerlane & Other Poems", the first work ever published by the man. Pricey, yes, but if you like that "old book smell", this will be reeking.

Bran Castle ($135 million): Built in 1378 to defend against the encroaching Ottoman Empire, Bran Castle is most famous for allegedly being used by Vlad Tepes as the jumping off point for his raids into Transylvania. The castle was one of the inspirations that led Bram Stoker to write Dracula. The castle includes loads of history, certainly some ghosts, and at least one hidden staircase that allows would-be vampires to get from the first to third floor without having to bother with the second.

Technically, you would have had to pick this castle up by January of this year, because the owners have decided to turn this ancient structure into a museum. But another recession or a solid offer and I bet this bad boy would sell in an instant.

Emerald Cay ($48.5 million): This 2.3-acre island in Silly Creek, Providenciales includes two swimming pools, tennis and volleyball courts, two boat slips, several cottagesm a 30,000-square-foot mansion and secure access via a remote-controlled swing bridge.

2008's Guide
2007's Guide

Call now! Ask away.

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Listen to the show here.

The game, which hits in Japan on Dec. 17, will include a new battle system, a "dramatic story" focused on the emotions of the character and will feature a Leona Lewis single as the game's opening theme.

Also, holy crap, are you looking at this video? Because it's spectacular. The video also gives us a better look at the game's Paradigm system.

You may want to watch this video full-screen, just click on that button in the bottom right corner.

This claim is based on sell-through sales, with Activision bean-counters reporting the game managed to pull in $310 million in its first 24 hours on sale. And that's not a worldwide number, that's just in North America and the UK. $310 million. In a single day. In three countries.

Sure, games cost more than a movie ticket, but $310 million in 24 hours is still a mighty impressive number, regardless of the admission price.

That $310 million was earned off the back of an estimated 4.7 million units sold, another frightening number when you consider it's again excluding sales from all the other PAL territories.

Today Microsoft told Kotaku that they've refunded the money Greg's dog spent on Xbox Live and have granted the dog his own Gamertag.

Here's the statement sent to Kotaku:

"I saw you wrote a story on the guy whose dog bought Xbox LIVE points. People spend tens of billions of dollars on their pets every year, but it's pretty unusual for your pet to return the favor (except in love and tail wagging of course ). One lucky pet owner in Richmond, Virginia, though has a pet who really cares. Greg Strope's dog purchased 5,000 Xbox LIVE points while the guy slept. Luckily for Greg, Microsoft is refunding his LIVE points and providing extra for good measure. Plus he will get an extra controller and a LIVE subscription for his dog, Oscar. We also created a gamertag for Oscar so that he doesn't feel left out anymore!"

For those of you who missed it, Greg told Kotaku that he awoke a couple of weeks back to discover that his dog, Oscar, had managed to spend $60 on Xbox Live while chewing up his Xbox 360 controller. At the time Greg said he was annoyed but hadn't bothered asking for a refund.

The story went on to make national news.

Oh, if you want to be Oscar the dog's only friend on Live his Gamertag is Oscar The K9. Go figure.

Dubbed the Nintendo DSi LL, the new portable will feature a 4.2 inch screen. Priced at ¥20,000 (US$220) the DSi LL will be released on November 21. The "LL" refers to the extra large size.

The redesign comes at the request of customers who said they wanted a larger screen, and the screen is a 93 percent increase over the DS Lite's screen size — the number of pixels is the same, however. The DSi LL is geared for those who want to use their Nintendo handheld for internet and as a music player as the larger screen is able to display letters and characters in a bigger font.

The DSi LL is bundled with two touch pens: one shorter and one longer touch pen (129.3mm), and comes will three DSiWare titles pre-installed: Two brain training games (one for humanities, the other for sciences) and DS Easy Dictionary. Releasing in three colors, the DSi LL will be available in Dark Brown, Wine Red and Natural White.

The scenes are so powerful that despite already having a Mature rating, players can choose to skip playing through it.

Details of the scene came to light after footage from the game was leaked on the Internet. Activision says that the footage comes from a game obtained illegally and "is not representative of the overall gameplay experience in Modern Warfare 2."

You probably want to stop reading now if you don't want to hear anything about the game.

"Infinity Ward's Modern Warfare 2 features a deep and gripping storyline in which players face off against a terrorist threat dedicated to bringing the world to the brink of collapse. The game includes a plot involving a mission carried out by a Russian villain who wants to trigger a global war. In order to defeat him, the player infiltrates his inner circle. The scene is designed to evoke the atrocities of terrorism.," according to the statement provided to Kotaku from Activision.

"At the beginning of the game, players encounter a mandatory "checkpoint" in which they are warned that an upcoming segment may contain disturbing elements and they can choose not to engage in the gameplay that involves this scene. Consistent with its content, the game has been given an "M" for Mature by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board. The rating is prominently displayed on the front and back of the packaging, as well as in all advertising."

It sounds like Modern Warfare 2 isn't planning on riding on the success of its predecessor. Whether the game goes too far will have to wait until all of us can play the game and experience the scenes in context.

The new system goes on sale on November 3rd, just in time for holiday shopping. The unit is the same size and shape as the 120GB PlayStation 3 Slim, only with slightly over double the hard drive capacity. The system seems to be priced a bit lower than its UK counterparts at $349.99.

Every day my $600 60GB PS3 launch purchase looks more and more ridiculous.

NEW 250GB PlayStation 3 System Available November 3 [PlayStation Blog]

While commenters have always had a huge amount of influence on the shape of Kotaku, starting today that's even more true.

In the past we've always insisted that tips and letters to the editor are sent in by email and mediated by our editors; that discussions stay on topics that we determine; and that our writers are the only ones who can initiate stories on the site. No longer.

With the launch of Kotaku Open Forums, we're allowing readers to post tips, screens, game cheats, amateur reviews and walkthroughs directly from a front page form. Readers can also initiate discussions on any topic they choose simply by including a Twitter-style hashtag in their post. And commenters can expand on a story, or rebut a post, just as now.

While our daily Talk Amongst Yourselves will continue to run each morning, now you can create your own discussion groups and forums to talk about just about anything.

And of course you can still respond directly to a post or another comment. Now, though, keeping track of those discussions has become easier with alerts you can receive from the site. And have no worries, we will still keep a close eye on the comment threads connected to stories. So read our FAQ.

We have no idea what uses people will make of these open forums. But we suspect that many of them will be fantastic.

The assistance mode will be introduced in Nintendo's marquee November title for the Wii and is officially called the Super Guide. Using it, players who struggle with the classic side-scrolling action in New Super Mario Bros. Wii will be able to let the Wii run through a level on its own, automatically playing through the content without the gamer's input. Players will have the option to re-assume control at any time.

Nintendo's attempt to introduce a special helper mode in Wii games was first reported by Kotaku in January when it came to be known, informally on this site, as the "kind code." In June, Nintendo's development director, Shigeru Miyamoto, confirmed the mode's inclusion in New Super Mario Bros., though the company seemed conflicted at the time about spilling the beans.

Any hesitation about revealing the mode ended this morning when, in a hotel demo suite in New York, Kotaku was shown how the Super Guide works. Nintendo is using this new help option to offer an unprecedented amount of in-game assistance, but it will only be available to players using the game's single-player mode who have failed at a level eight times. Nintendo's intent is to offer Super Guide as a helper for its less skilled customers and to allow its designers to make some of the game's levels devilishly difficult.

New Super Mario Bros. gives a starting player of the game five lives. So, to activate the Super Guide option this morning, a Nintendo representative had to sacrifice her Mario character five times, then use a Continue option to replenish her lives before losing the rest needed to enable the help. Once she did that, a floating green box appeared at the start of the level she had repeatedly failed at. Hitting it with Mario — the only available playable character in single-player — will restart the level in Super Guide mode. Mario is replaced with a computer-controlled Luigi, who then proceeds through the level on his own.

The recorded Luigi playthroughs are run in-engine, not as pre-recorded video. They are, essentially, the equivalent of "ghost modes" commonly available in racing games, though the player can only watch Luigi do his thing, not play alongside him with Mario.

The Nintendo rep showed Kotaku two Luigi super-guide runs. She explained that these would be simple zips through the game's levels and would not reveal shortcuts and secrets. The runs were definitely not the perfect playthroughs that a gamer might find if they searched YouTube for an expertly played Mario Bros. speed run. A more faulty human hand was evident. In fact, in this pre-release version of the game, the first Luigi run that I was shown ended prematurely when Super Guide Luigi died halfway through the level. That's not supposed to happen in the final build, Kotaku was told. In the second Luigi run, the Mario brother got through the level on his own without any trouble.

What separates Super Guide from traditional video-based playthroughs of game levels is that the player can assume control during the Luigi run. At any moment, the player can press a button and cancel the computer control of Luigi. An indicator showing that that game is in Super Guide mode stays on screen, and the player assumes control of Luigi, rather than switching to Mario. But the breakthrough in the feature is that the player is not starting the level from the beginning. They are taking control in the midst of the Super Guide run. Thanks to this, players who repeatedly struggle with a tough part of a level in New Super Mario Bros. Wii will be able to let Super Guide Luigi get past that tough part for them. Even though a player takes over as Luigi using this help system, the completion of the level counts and they can play deeper into the game.

(UPDATE: Word from Nintendo is that players will not be able to revert to Super Guide in the middle of a level, once they've taken control of Luigi for themselves. The Super Guide can only be turned on at the beginning of a level.)

The levels of New Super Mario Bros. Wii I saw today seemed harder than those of the last side-scrolling Mario platformer, New Super Mario Bros. on the DS. Super Guide does appear to have given Nintendo license to make the new game tougher and may provide the relief some players need to get to the end of the latest Mario world-hopping adventure.

The original Naughty Dog-developed third-person shooter was one of the crown jewels of the Playstation 3 launch, its critical success highlighting the technical prowess of Sony's new console and the storytelling chops of the game's creators.

Now nearly two years later, Uncharted 2 has not only to live up to the game's growing expectation but to improve upon those few areas in which reviewers found fault in the original.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves puts players back in control of Nathan Drake a few years after the events of the original game. This time around Drake is on the hunt for Marco Polo's lost ships and the treasure they may hide. The story eventually leads Drake on a search for Shangri-La somewhere in the Himalayas.

Loved
Page Turner: There really aren't many surprises tucked away in Uncharted 2's workable plot. But the delivery and character development help make the story something worth reliving. The strongest element is how the writers managed to create a story that has you pushing through the game at an unforgiving pace. Like a good book, each chapter ends in a way that makes you want to continue playing to see what happens next. Before you know it, the story comes to a perfectly-proportioned ending.

Dialogue : While the story in Uncharted 2: Among Thieves has plenty going for it, the thing that really drives home its strengths is the clever back and forth among the main characters. Unlike a movie, a video game doesn't tell its story over a few hours. There are, in all video games, hours and hours of trial and error, repeated performances and sudden deaths. This forced repetition is one of the things that handicaps the medium. Naughty Dog does an amazing job of filling that typically bland space with sharp conversations that help to build the rapport between the lead, love interests, friends and enemies.

Amazing Moments: Planted throughout this solid adventure title are the sorts of moments that you'll want to talk about with your friends. Some involve plot points, others amazing backdrops and still more, cleverly crafted fighting scenes. They come timed to elevate the game's potentially slow points, ridding it of any valleys and instead making Uncharted 2 an upward journey across a series of peaks.

Camera Framing: More than most games, Uncharted 2 looks like a movie. And I don't mean that just as a compliment to the graphics, but also because so much care was put into the way we see those colorful pixels.

This is something tricky to do in a third-person shooter when the gamer has almost total control of the camera. But the default view, the place the camera drifts to at the beginning of a scene and as you play, was obviously crafted with care. I found my attention drawn to the game's beautifully detailed scenery and unusual settings not just because they were so unique, but because of the way the camera framed them.

Ending: My biggest complaint with the first Uncharted was with its ending. After delivering a fairly stunning and rather original journey to gamers, Uncharted fell back onto bad habits, forcing players to confront a final boss that was redundant and anti-climatic.

Lesson learned, it seems, for Naughty Dog because this time around the ending feels like the reward it should be. The conclusion neatly wraps up all of the loose plot lines into a tightly woven climax and then slows down the story just enough to allow the emotional impact of the final scene to wash over gamers.

Free climbing: A bit heavier on the climbing this time around, Uncharted 2 gives Nathan Drake the ability to free climb up and around objects. Not everything is climbable, Drake will still have to hunt out fingerholds. But there's enough there to give gamers different ways to tackle obstacles, in particular the gun-wielding obstacles.

Melee: Hand-to-hand combat this time around feels much more fleshed out than it did in the original Uncharted. You can perform a number of savage, but silent take-downs on unsuspecting enemies and even slip effortlessly between gunplay and melee without losing the pace of an encounter.

The biggest improvement is the need for gamers to use both melee buttons when facing certain enemies to dodge attacks and perform counters. This relatively simple addition adds a very welcome facet to what had been a borderline mundane mechanic.

Mechanics: The best of games can be brought low by faulty controls. Fortunately for Uncharted 2, the game's controls are as solid as the rest of the title. The familiar controls make it equally easy to stealth you way through a level, climb up and over enemies or just seek cover and blow everyone away.

Multiplayer: Featuring both cooperative and competitive multiplayer modes, what really sets the online play in Uncharted 2 apart is that much of the single-player mechanics have made their way into the game. That means free climbing, scrambling up to cover and hanging from a wall or railing and plunking enemies.

I've only played online with developers on a private network, so I can't address how stable a loaded and public server will be. But the experience, lag-free, is an amazing multiplayer adaptation of Uncharted 2.

Hated
Twitter: The ability to have Uncharted 2 automatically send out updates about your gameplay to your Twitter account is a neat idea, on paper. But, as Naughty Dog quickly realized, being the recipient of a tidal wave of updates sent from a friend can become old quite quickly. And dread the thought of having several friends play the game.

Naughty Dog realized it was a bad idea and officially disabled it even before the game was released, promising a patch that would limit progress updates when it comes back. While the ability to notify friends of online sessions and awards earned remains, it's apparent that this wasn't the best concept for any otherwise nearly flawless title.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves succeeds in as many ways as possible: It had me telling myself "just one more chapter" from the first to the 26th. It made me laugh at jokes and mutter in annoyance at characters. And for a moment at the end, touched me.

I'm not one to say something is the best ever or to dole out perfect scores, and Uncharted 2 does have its share of trivial issues, but to date, Naughty Dog's second adventure with Nathan Drake appears to be the best experience hitting a console this fall.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves was developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the Playstation 3 on Oct. 13. Retails for $59.99 USD. Played entire campaign mode on normal difficulty. Tested hard difficulty. Played several sessions of multiplayer with the game's developers on a private network.

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"We were evaluating a UMD conversion program, but due to legal and technical reasons we will not be offering the program at this time," a Sony Computer Entertainment of America spokesman told Kotaku.

The $250 PSPgo has no UMD drive, instead relying fully on an Internet connection to purchase, download and install games onto the system's harddrive or removable memory.

At this year's E3 Expo in Los Angeles, Sony Computer Entertainment officials said that they hoped to have a plan in place to allow UMD games to be transferred over to the PSPgo by the launch of the system.

"We are looking into programs for owners who have previously purchased UMD titles and want to exchange them for digital versions," Sony Computer Entertainment's Brian Keltner told Kotaku at the time. "It's something we are still hammering out the details. As soon as we have solid plans in place we will make an announcement."

One of the rumored plans involved Sony installing kiosks in retail stores which would allow gamers to turn their UMD games into digital ones. Recently a Dutch and Australian retailer said they would not be carrying the PSPgo.

While the ability to transfer already owned copies of UMD games to the PSPgo could likely have a large impact on whether current Playstation Portable owners would buy the system, it's unlikely it would impact gamers new to Sony's portable offerings.

During the Tokyo Game Show Sony unveiled new peripherals for the PSPgo, dropped the price of the Playstation Portable in Japan and announced the launch of a program that would free games to people in Europe who upgrade from the PSP to the PSPgo.

In the US, the cut will take effect on September 27, and as expected will see the console go from $250 to $200.

In Japan, the reduction will kick in on October 1, and see the console dropping from 25,000 (USD$273) to 20,000 (USD$218).

This marks the first time Nintendo have officially reduced the price of the console in any market since the console's launch in 2006. That's an impressive run.

This new console will be black, with Modern Warfare 2 branding, and will also come packing a 250GB HDD (so, yes, it is real), a copy of the game and two wireless controllers. It'll be $399, available on November 10, and is already available for preorder.

UPDATE - We've now got some official shots of the console.

The Beatles: Rock Band features band authentic replica instruments, 45 songs pulled from the history of the band and the backing of the surviving members of The Beatles themselves. But is it just another Rock Band with The Beatles' music, or is it, as Harmonix promised, something entirely new?

Loved
The Music: The Beatles: Rock Band is an aural journey through the sizzling, but short history of one of the world's most successful and popular bands in history. The selection of music that walks participants through the 45-track trip was deftly plucked from the group's discography, providing a deep look at the group's evolution from skiffle to pop and offering subtle insight into how they absorbed and transformed the music of the day into their own sound. Along the journey the more popular, more pop music of The Beatles gives way to a sophisticated sound, touching on The Beatles' experimental songwriting, their use of unusual recording methods and, of course, those dazzling lyrics.

Dreamscapes: Where the power of the game's music selection sneaks up on gamers as they work their way from "Twist and Shout" to "The End," the game's 20 fantastical "dreamscapes" are a far less subtle, though no less powerful device. Each of these dream-like sequences start off in the Abbey Road recording studios, then launch gamers into surreal, psychedelic, fantasy worlds tied to specific songs. Each has the production value of a televised music video and each seems to draw out the meaning and power of the song it supplements.

Sounds: Easily missed, the background sounds included in the loading screens and at the beginning and end of many of the game's songs, help pull gamers into the experience. Listening to the foursome talking among themselves about trivial matters, or hearing Ringo Starr complain about the blisters on his fingers after playing through "Helter Skelter" on drums, and perhaps earning some yourself, adds a final touch of authenticity to the experience.

Extras: As much as I enjoyed playing through The Beatles evolution, it is only 45 songs. It helps, then, that the game offers up such compelling rewards for replaying and perfecting venues and songs. These unlockables, all drawn from the Apple Corps' archives include photographs and hard to find audio clips, such as the full version of The Beatles unreleased Christmas Record from 1963.

Instruments: Another level of realism includes the creation of four new controllers based on the instruments used by The Beatles. The Special Edition bundle of the game comes with a Ludwig drum set, a microphone and microphone stand and Paul McCartney's Hofner bass. While the drum isn't different looking, the Hofner bass is a surprisingly accurate replica. Other controllers available include a Rickenbacker 325 guitar and a Gretsch Duo Jet guitar.

Harmony: Not much has changed in the basic mechanic of Rock Band, but one of the biggest changes is the ability for three singers to use three microphones while playing The Beatles: Rock Band. The game actually tracks and scores each of the microphones separately. When multiple singers are playing there are also multiple pitch indicators that track the melody and two harmonies.

Hated
Deja Vu: The Beatles: Rock Band will be familiar to anyone who has played a Rock Band or Guitar Hero game. Very familiar. Perhaps too familiar in light of Harmonix co-founder's promise to deliver an all new game built from the ground up. With the same mechanics, essentially the same controllers and the same way to experience the music, the only thing new about The Beatles: Rock Band is its subject matter. If this was built from the ground up, it was done without leaving the successful frame work of the original Rock Band.

Dopplegangers: The game features six settings carefully recreated from their real world counterparts and 20 mind-blowing dreamscapes, but what it doesn't feature is a lot of variety in those fans watching you perform. For a game focusing on such a shot period of time and a single band, one would have hoped that more diversity would have been included in the screaming fans that compile a bulk of the shots at the venues you play. Instead gamers are treated to a few too many recycled audience animations in each location.

Beatle Beats: Beatles Beats is The Beatles: Rock Band version of the drum trainer already found in Rock Band 2. Instead of training with generic beats, it teaches gamers how to drum using some of Ringo Starr's famous rhythms. But that's all you get from The Beatles. No voice work from Starr, no new animations. A bit of a disappointment.

The Beatles: It should probably go without saying that a game called The Beatles: Rock Band is meant for fans of The Beatles. It's worth pointing out, though, that unlike band-themed released of Guitar Hero which include other group's music in the mix, this one doesn't. What you're paying for is 45 songs by The Beatles and the promise of more Beatles music to purchase down the road.

The promise of Harmonix and Apple Corps working together to deliver a new way to experience The Beatles can't help but raise expectations. It doesn't help that early on Harmonix was adamant that what fans would receive would not be Rock Band featuring music from The Beatles. And that eventually, ultimately, is very close to what Harmonix delivered.

But while the game's core remained mostly untouched, the developers managed to massage enough new, enough subtlety into the title to deliver something that leaves gamers somehow feeling much more in tune with not just the music of The Beatles, but their personalities. Ultimately, The Beatles: Rock Band is an interesting experiment, one that, while flawed, eventually delivers a new and rewarding experience for music and game fans alike.

The Beatles: Rock Band was developed by Harmonix and published by MTV Games for the Playstation 3, Wii and Xbox 360 on Sept. 9. The stand-alone game sells for $59.99, the Limited Edition Premium Bundle sell for $249.99, the Rickenbacker 325 Standalone Guitar and the Gretsch Duo Jet Standalone Guitar sells for $99.99. Played through the entire story mode on drums. Played multiple quickplay sessions on drums, guitar and microphone. Sampled the Beatle Beats trainer and vocal harmony trainer.

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The class action will be dismissed in exchange for an aggregate payment of $20,115,000 into a settlement fund for the benefit of class members, of which $15,200,000 will be paid by Take-Two's insurance carriers, and $4,915,000 will be paid by Take-Two.

Today's settlement is related to a 2006 consolidated securities class action which included both historical stock option granting practices and the inclusion of a hidden sex scene in the game. It's not tied to an earlier 2005 consumer class action.

"We are pleased to have reached this settlement, which represents another important step forward for the Company," said Strauss Zelnick, Chairman of Take-Two.

Hot Coffee, a bit of hidden sex found behind the apartment doors of the game, was discovered July 2005 after a modder released a hack for the game that unlocked the previously hidden content.

In June, 2006 the Federal Trade Commission found that Take-Two Interactive was deceptive in the way it marketed Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas but did not fine the company or order that they return any of their profits from the game.

While the company was not fined, they were placed on notice that if they again violate the ratings, they will be subject to a civil fine of up to $11,000 per a violation.