Let's understand each other: I have nothing against Warcraft or Warcraft gamers, or MMOs. I don't fear addiction to them, because I've built my life around deadlines and never missing them, and I'm fortunate to have some every single day to keep me honest. It's not the fantasy setting or the stigma, either - I was trundling AD&D books to my seventh grade classes and suffered enough teasing that I truly don't care about such things, now that I'm older. Maybe it's the fact that I've never been a serious PC gamer. Maybe it's my lack of comfort with WASD and mouse controls.

I think mostly it's how I was raised on RPGs. When I play a fantasy role-playing game I expect dice. I expect dice chalk. I expect character sheets. I expect stacks of hardbacked manuals. I expect a dungeon master screen. I expect rainy Saturdays with nothing to do but read "Unearthed Arcana." I expect going over to a friend's house on a Friday night. I expect paying the DM $20 to let me re-roll at name level. I expect everyone telling Eric to shut the fuck up, we're not letting him name his drow paladin-bard-illusionist "Zartan."

While I can't say these things have no analogue in WoW (except for paying the DM), the experience does seem to me to be a little less social. Yeah, you can form a raiding party at 3 a.m. and battle both sleep and orcs. For me, nothing beats lurching into one last cavern full of bugbears, and watching your pal, laying on the floor with his eyes closed, confidently tick off his weapon and spell choices to save the day, and then finding him the next morning asleep in exactly the same posture.

Again, nothing against Warcraft, but back in the day, that's just how we rolled. Literally.

Stephen Totilo, Deputy Editor, Kotaku

I don't play World of Warcraft. Haven't touched it since a single Saturday a few years ago when I brought a Tauren Druid to his 12th level and had a player, controlling a Tauren-turned-bear, approach my character and lick him. I believe this was the same player who, earlier in the day, went on a quest with me and didn't actually disconnect when I needed him most — he just had stepped away to change a load of laundry. I get what's appealing about WoW: The leveling, the oddities that occur when you're playing a game full of real people. But I quickly decided that I feared the game. I feared its monthly drain on my budget. I feared the sense of obligation to keep playing a game I continuously paid for. And I feared the amount of other games I wouldn't have time to play in order to play this single one. I like to play games that people consider to be great. I like to try to understand them. But with some disappointment, I stay away from World of Warcraft. I think it's better for me that way, that I gain more than I lose.

Juan Perez, Editor-in-Chief, Perez Start

Easy answer, addiction. MMO players are a different type of gamer. They live for the grind. Previously, I played Star Wars Galaxies - the first release - not that "revamped" watered-down version. There were not enough hours in the day to rank up my Twi'lek Bounty Hunter, join the Imperials and raid Anchorhead looking for Rebels who took the battles a little too serious by "reporting" other players. World of Warcraft then came along and swooped all those who still had the itch to game MMO. Macro nerds really pissed me off. You know the type, the ones that made all their actions a damn script. What enjoyment did they get from that? Sure, it was practical but gaming should be fun not a job. I already know gaming is an addiction that some can handle, while others become infatuated. WoW changed lives and kept some living like hermits. Monthly fees forced them to play "more" because of the "Geez, I'm paying for this crap so I'm going to use it" mentality. WoW is a cult I may have missed thanks to SWG setting my standards for MMOs, but I'm glad it did. Not sure how much time a week a WoW player plays but I bet it's close to 20 to 25 hours. No Thanks! Oh yeah, and that South Park episode helped keep me away. "Make Love, Not Warcraft". Staaaaaaan!!!

Fergus Mills, Senior Editor, The Koalition

Many people have tried to get me to play World of Warcraft, but it never appealed to me. Playing a game like WoW consumes so much time and all WoW players that I know play for hours on end everyday. There isn't enough time for me to have a social life, go to college, get enough, sleep, and play WoW the way they seem to. I have nothing bad to say about WoW players in general. Now that I am older I realize that people are just passionate about things that increase their quality of life. I just don't see why WoW is worth my time, so I stay away from it. It seems like just another game to me.

Overall, I think World of Warcraft has an extremely niche audience. I might be wrong, but WoW seems to take a certain amount of time and resolve to really get into it. It's not a game that you turn on and start to have fun right away with. My roommate DeJarvis Oliver says that he never got into WoW because it takes too long to build a character, level him up, and enjoy the action. I never got into it because of its monthly subscription. I have an internet bill, Netflix, Gamefly, and a cell phone bill to pay to name a few things. World of Warcraft does not have priority over any of that. I can cop a few console games and have satisfied experiences without any additional cost (besides XBL hitting my wallet up once a year). I realize that some of this additional cost is perceived and justified to some aspect, but I like variety in my games. Playing one game for too long is not my style. I don't think World of Warcraft has done a good job in letting people know why this is the game that they should playing. The commercial with Ozzy Osbourne is cool and all, but c'mon. Ozzy isn't going to convince me to play this game. He looks like he doesn't play it himself.

Brian Miggels, Editor & Graphic Designer, GameSpy

I don't play World of Warcraft at all. I never have and I never will. There's something that makes me cringe whenever co-workers start talking about raids, loot, and whatever level their blood elf is. I find it easy to sit back, relax, pick up a controller (not a keyboard with strategically popped out keys) and be labeled a "con-tard" by a number of people here at the office that specifically play PC games. Point number 1: Whatever the minimal difference is between my computer screen and my HDTV, it's enough to make me separate my worlds as far as a life is concerned. The symbolic gesture of closing my laptop at the end of the day is a brief reminder that it's game time or going out time. Point number 2: WoW is one of the most obviously addictive games there is. I have a full time job that I largely owe to me getting my shit together and doing away with some of my tendencies of being a highly addictive person. If I started playing it I know I would like it so much that my entire career would fall apart and I would go back to living in my parents' basement — although they never really even had a basement to begin with, but you get the point. Not for me, and no thank you.

Marc Normandin, Baseball Prospectus

Most of my close friends played WoW a few years back. They would play at a LAN center we visited often, and eventually would only play WoW. I still went to hang out with them, but that became harder to do as they morphed into hot-key-striking zombies.

Thanks to watching all of the riveting non-action as they stood around for hours waiting to organize themselves for daily raids, and what I can only assume are the same feelings a resentful, scorned girlfriend would have towards the game, I have had no interest in giving it a shot.

Shaun McIlroy, U.K./European Editor, One Last Continue

There's a simple reason why I no longer play World of Warcraft, I've got too much to lose in my life. Back in 2006, as a lowly college student, I managed to justify my then-addiction by claiming it was a way to unwind after a busy week. It was then that grades began to suffer. After a time I decided that enough was enough and the increasing workload was definitely more important than collecting animal pelts.

In short, life had, and has, more to offer than a trip across a virtual land for a nominal fee each month. I'd much rather use that money on a night out with my girlfriend, or a book for my games design degree, or even something more basic such as rent. I'm not sure how many hours I'd need to invest into that world again without risking my University degree or my wonderful relationship, but I know it wouldn't be worth it.

To contrast, my older brother (38) spends a hell of a lot of his personal time on WoW. Then again, and I say this with the utmost love and respect, with a lack of a real social life outside of Azeroth he can afford to.

Kreyg Dezgo, Editor, Hot Blooded Gaming

To this day, I have never played or so much as tried World of Warcraft. Some might say, "what kind of gamer are you?!" and I would reply sarcastically with, "a smart one?" While the game seems fun and like something I would greatly enjoy, the price of addiction is not one I wish to pay. It seems that everyone I knew who played WoW became addicted to it in some way. Working at a gaming LAN center/retail store didn't help either. Co-workers would play at work instead of working, friends would rather stay in and when asked to hang out, they would "not feel like it" It seemed like everyone just wanted to play World of Warcraft.

Instead of jumping on the bandwagon, I stayed away from the game. Co-workers and friends tried to peer-pressure me into playing many times. It was almost like those situations they told us about in [anti-drug program] D.A.R.E. Luckily I remember the "eight ways to say no," "broken record" and "say no and walk away" seemed to work best. Over time, my friends stopped playing, but periodically they would relapse and all their old patterns were back. The South Park episode later came out and I said to each of them, "at least you weren't as bad as that guy" Ultimately my friends are the reason I do not play WoW.

Josh Robinson, The Blue Banner (University of North Carolina Asheville)

The first time I tried World of Warcraft was when I was in the 11th grade. My buddy let me try the "friend trial" that came with the game. I gave it a try, but I was just so bored with the repetitive nature of the game. The never-ending leveling up, or "grinding," wasn't fun to me – I'm still not sure how it is for everyone who plays that game.

My friends were obsessed with the game from about the 11th grade until somewhere around the end of my sophomore year of college. I've still go friends who play it, but none that play it nearly as religiously as they did.

I don't have the time to play most of the video games I'd like. I don't see how people have the time to dedicate to a game like that. I definitely understand the appeal of the community aspect. I played EverQuest: Online Adventures for the PlayStation 2 while I was in the ninth grade and then Final Fantasy XI on the PlayStation 2, as well, in the 10th grade. I made some relationships with people that I still keep in contact with today.

But these days, I don't have the time to give to an MMO. I'm a full-time student and I have a job, as well. That alone ties up most of my time. I'm a senior, which means no rest, even in death, haha. Any spare time I have isn't going to be spent on a game that requires a monthly fee.

To me, WoW was not as fun as the other two MMOs I had played before. Can't really put my finger on what it was, but WoW lacked something the other two had. But obviously there's something there that appeals to a much larger group of people than the two MMOs that I played before it.

Your turn. If you don't play, now or ever, why not?

Check back all week for more stories related to World of Warcraft's fifth anniversary.

Truth be told, I did actually take a stab at WoW a few years back at the behest of an ex-boyfriend. I was willing to go to hell and back for that man at the time, but it turned out I wasn't willing to go to Blackrock. Also, I never did get over my scorn for total strangers who demand to know if I'm really a woman before partying with me – and I was never very good about following directions, anyway.

Luckily, you never have to look very far to find someone who does play WoW. They might be only casual amateurs as opposed to level 60 devotees. However, as people who keep coming back to play World of Warcraft, I think they're every bit as qualified as a social scientist to explain the phenomenon.

Dan Amrich, Editor-in-Chief, World of Warcraft: The Magazine
I am an altaholic so I have many, but my main is a 74 blood elf rogue. I play for the social aspect. WoW has become more about the people I play with than the game itself. Although I really enjoy the stories and the spectacle, I find it much more enjoyable because I get to share it with my family. I play with my wife and brother-in-law every week; we live in different states and it's a lot more fun to chat on Skype about what happened in our lives that week while simultaneously slaughtering murlocs wholesale. It's three hours of online quality time. We've been trying to convince my mother-in-law to play but I don't think even WoW is that powerful.

Katrin Auch, Freelance Graphic Designer
I have 10 characters from 77 to 35, mostly horde, but I have Blood Elves, Tauran, Undead, Human, and Dreani. I play because I love that it is cooperative. I almost never solo. I play with different groups of friends, with different types of characters at different levels-we usually voice chat, and we find ways of using our skills together. Most of my characters are healers of some class, priest, shaman, pally-I get great pride out of keeping my party alive. And we talk about all kinds of things, so it's fun and social-like having a game night, but not having to clean up afterwards.

Casey Lynch, Director of Public Relations, Reverb Communications
Explaining why I play WoW is like explaining why I like to go out and eat pizza, drink beer and hang out with my friends all night. Obviously, because it's hella fun to me. And come to think of it, when I play, I'm usually eating pizza, drinking beer and hanging out with my friends all night, except we're wired into Vent and running Naxx instead of carousing at our favorite pub.

Compared to other games out there that have quantifiable replay value, i.e. something I could potentially sink 100+ hours into, WoW just seems to have more variety to offer. Between running endgame instances, PvP, Arena, Battlegrounds, and leveling new classes of toons I haven't played before, to the more obvious introduction of new content via expansions and updates, just when you feel like you've done it all, you try something different and it feels like a new game. I heart wow!

Reginald Rhoades, Corporate Support Associate, Viz Media
Why I play? Zombies. Also I played the original [real time strategy] games when I was a no good punk kid back in middle school. Being a delusional adult who gets obsessed with false realities, interacting with these long-known characters has been immensely entertaining.

I have additional reasons such as bonding with friends that live far too far away and flirting with married women in a safe environment.

My favorite character is a level 80 Forsaken warlock hotty named Arisu.

Just to summarize… In WoW, you can play as a zombie! And eat people!

Anonymous GameStop Employee
I play World of Warcraft to unwind – that's my "me time" after work. I play as a Hunter, which is a solo class, so I don't really party up with friends. But, yeah, I can go anywhere and do anything I want. It's the one time of day when I feel like I can do that. It's so relaxing.

Feel free to share your World of Warcraft motivation down below. And for all you haters out there who don't play WoW, stick around. Old Man Owen Good is cooking up something for you tomorrow.

Check back all week for more stories related to World of Warcraft's fifth anniversary.

Sure, there are other good things about Ultima Online as well. It'll run on your toaster, and there isn't any of that third-person camera view you get in today's MMORPG titles that makes you feel uncomfortably semi-immersed. No, Ultimate Online is old school, and EA hopes that lapsed players are feeling a little nostalgic about old Britannia. At least nostalgic enough to take advantage of a little free game time.

"We're hoping that, as part of the Return to Britannia Campaign, former players will once again rediscover the joys of Ultima Online," said Jeff Hickman, Executive Producer for Mythic Entertainment. "UO was the first love of many MMORPG players, and it still holds a special place in their hearts after 12 glorious years. I think returning players will be pleasantly surprised to find a thriving and vibrant community from around the world ready to welcome back their former compatriots and include them in their ongoing adventures."

Returning players will have access to all expansions through Mondain's Legacy, so they'll be able to create elves and hunt for mailboxes to dance naked near. Those wanting a taste of the new Gargoyle race recently introduced in the Stygian Abyss expansion are welcome to pay for it.

Visit the game's official site to hop back onboard. The free play time runs from now until October 16th.

Sega shook the very foundations of the newly reborn U.S. gaming industry on August 14th, 1989, when the Sega Genesis made its North American debut in New York and Los Angeles. Due to a trademark dispute, the console that was known as the Mega Drive to the rest of the known world was rechristened, the new name evoking conflicting notions of biblical import and small, balding British musicians.

While the Mega Drive trailed behind the Super Famicon and NEC's PC Engine in Japan, it gave the Super Nintendo a run for its money in the states, with titles starring big-name sports celebrities like Pat Riley, Joe Montana, and James "Buster" Douglas. Even the late Michael Jackson put in an appearance, saving the children of the world with his dance moves.

In 1991, the Genesis birthed Sonic the Hedgehog, one of the most recognizable and beloved video game characters in the world, despite a run of rather dismal games as of late.

The Genesis eventually gave under the weight of its own add-ons, with the Sega CD and 32X selling far worse than expected. Sega moved on to the Saturn and finally the Dreamcast, but they never quite recaptured the level of support they saw with the Genesis, eventually giving up the console business altogether.

A testament to cartridge-based console reliability, my original Sega Genesis sits on a shelf behind me, ready to be hooked up and played at a moment's notice. They just don't build them like that anymore.

Happy 20th, Sega Genesis! Long may your lovely red LED shine.

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Our favorite blue hedgehog is already 18-years-old? It seems like only yesterday he was being placed in mediocre game after mediocre game, making millions of dollars per title on name recognition alone. Ah, how far we've come since that fateful day back in June of 1991, when something fresh and new stormed the video game store shelves, promising innovative game play for decades to come. I'm almost getting misty here.

While I dry my eyes, Sega Europe has been busy handing out Sonic-themed swag all morning via both Facebook and Twitter. They've got soundtrack samplers, stationary packs, and all kinds of Sonic junk, or at least they did when they started. Pickings are probably a bit thin now, considering they've been doing this since 11am UK time, but there is always hope.

Hit up the link below to find out what you need to do to possibly get your hands on celebratory goodness. Happy birthday, Sonic the Hedgehog!

Sonic City's Sonic Birthday Giveaway! Tuesday June 23rd 2009 [Sonic City Blognik]

The festivities start on Wednesday, April 28th, continuing through to Sunday, May 3rd. Kicking things off will be an in-game event running from 11am Eastern to midnight on Wednesday. The devs are being quiet about what is actually going to happen, promising only that "all CHAOS is going to break loose". Also on Wednesday, players are urged to being in game around 8pm Eastern for the global anniversary address from the game's lead designer, Matt "Postiron" Miller.

Other special occurrences celebrating five years include special secret guest appearances on the game's test server, and a Fifth Anniversary Badge available to all players who log in between April 28th and May 31st, though only one will be available per character.

There will also be two contests running during the celebration; one for a logo t-shirt design and one for a City of Heroes video tribute. Details on both contests will be released on anniversary day.

During the entire celebration, old players are welcomed to return to the game for free in order to give their old characters a workout and perhaps consider freeing up some of the more impressive names they've been holding in limbo for several years. Not me, however. Sorry folks, but I'm holding on to Stonemason, Hightower, and Miss Stake as long as humanly possible.

City of Heroes® 5 Year Anniversary Celebration! [Official Website via MMORPG.com]

Yes, Everquest is 10 years old, and Sony Online Entertainment is celebrating their baby with a massive hardcover book detailing the rise and leveling off of their biggest, brightest MMO star. At a private event held at CES, the company presented the cover art for EverQuest: The 10th Anniversary Collector’s Edition, a gorgeous piece of work created by master artist Donato Giancola. Meanwhile, Firiona Vie stood to the right, possibly hoping that no one who knew her would ever see this picture.

It's actually a rather nice costume, and the book sounds interesting as well. Just not quite as interesting. It'll be available later this year from BradyGames for $49.99.

EVERQUEST®: THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTOR’S EDITION BOOK EXCLUSIVE COVER ART UNVEILED AT CES IN LAS VEGAS

Sony Online Entertainment Kicks Off Anniversary Celebration for Legendary Online Video Game

LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Jan. 9, 2008 — It has been a decade since Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) rewrote the rules and forever changed the video game industry with its massively multiplayer online game, EverQuest®.

To celebrate the historic milestone, today SOE held a private event at the Consumer Electronics Show to unveil the exclusive cover art being used for an upcoming book that recounts how the story of Norrath became a global phenomenon and attracted millions of players.

The art for EverQuest: The 10th Anniversary Collector’s Edition, created by master artist Donato Giancola, shows iconic elf princess Firiona Vie leading a band of adventurers into battle against an evil wizard and his enormous dragon ally in the Swamp of No Hope.

“We are thrilled that a talented artist such as Donato has created an exclusive masterpiece in honor of the celebration of the EQ legacy,” said John Smedley, president of Sony Online Entertainment. “The cover brings together a special selection of EverQuest artwork and documents the quintessence of an intensive creative process over the last decade.”

EverQuest: The 10th Anniversary Collector’s Edition celebrates EverQuest’s legacy by taking a look at the past, present and future of the brand. The book, written by veteran video game book author Rusel DeMaria, includes essays and photographs of the events, products, personalities and art that graced the world of Norrath over the years. Rich in vivid detail, each page will help tell the story of the evolution and its place in our culture.

SOE will also hold special events around the country in honor of the 10th Anniversary of EverQuest throughout 2009.

The book, published by BradyGames, will be available for purchase online and at select retailers in North America later this year for a suggested retail price of $49.99. Pre-orders are available at www.bradygames.com/everquest10.

About the artist:

Donato Giancola balances modern abstract concepts with realism in his paintings to bridge the worlds of figurative and non-representational arts. From “The Lord of the Rings” to Gericault’s ”Raft of the Medusa,” Donato’s influences encompass visits to the local game shops and pilgrimages to the greatest of museums. Donato recognizes the significant cultural role played by visual art and makes personal efforts to contribute to the expansion and appreciation of the science fiction and fantasy genre that extend beyond the commercial commissions of his clients. To those ends, the artist teaches at the School of Visual Arts in New York City and appears at various institutions, tournaments and conventions, from San Diego to Rome to Moscow, where he performs demonstrations in oil paint and lectures on his aesthetics.

About the author:

Rusel DeMaria is the author or coauthor of more than 60 books, most of them in the gaming field, including Myst: The Official Strategy Guide, which sold more than 1.2 million copies, as well as one of the most comprehensive histories of the industry, High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games. He founded and served as creative director for the most successful strategy guide publishing imprint in the industry and is a former senior editor and columnist for several national video game magazines.

About Sony Online Entertainment:

Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) is a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games, with hundreds of thousands of subscribers around the globe. SOE creates, develops and provides compelling

entertainment for the personal computer, online, game console and wireless markets. Known for its blockbuster franchises and hit titles including EverQuest®, EverQuest® II, Champions of Norrath®, Untold Legends™ and PlanetSide®, as well as for developing Star Wars Galaxies™, SOE continues to redefine the business of online gaming and the creation of active player communities while introducing new genres on various entertainment platforms. Headquartered in San Diego, CA, with additional development studios in Austin, TX, Seattle, WA, Denver, CO, and Taiwan, SOE has an array of cutting-edge games in development.

SOE, the SOE logo, EverQuest and PlanetSide are registered trademarks of Sony Online Entertainment LLC. Untold Legends and Legends of Norrath are trademarks of Sony Online Entertainment LLC. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.

Crafted lovingly by gaming legends John Carmack, John Romero, and a host of other people, some of who weren't named John, Doom is credited with pioneering networked multiplayer PC gaming, immersive 3D graphics, and the ability for players to create and share their own custom-built expansions. The game is estimated to have been downloaded by over 10 million players over the first two years of release, with ports spanning 16 PC platforms and 11 different console gaming systems, not including source ports.

It's been a rocky road, what with the controversy over the title's satanic imagery and violence and one of the most horribly movie adaptations this side of Uwe Boll, but fifteen years and multiple sequels later, Doom still remains one of the most important franchises in the history of gaming. Here's to another 15 years of hell on Mars!

Havok's mission since their inception on 1998 has been to change the way computer and video games look and feel, and I'd say they've done a damn fine job, working with more than 70 developers on more that 200 titles. Along with driving the physics in games like Halo 2, Age of Empires III, and Fallout 3, Havok technology has also played a big role in movie special effects, most notably in everyone's favorite spoon-bending epic, The Matrix.

I don't think a month has gone by for me in the past 7-8 years where I haven't seen that sawblade logo popping up on my television screen. I get the feeling I'll be seeing it for a long time coming. Happy 10th, little physics guys.

Havok Celebrates 10 Years of Physics in Games and Film

San Francisco, CA (December 9, 2008) – Havok, the premier provider of interactive software for physics simulation and content development, and services for digital media creators today announced they are celebrating 10 years as a solutions provider to the gaming and film industries.

Started in 1998 when 3D graphics accelerators were rising in popularity and computing power was approximately 1/10th of what it is now, this Dublin-based company set out to change the way computer and video games looked and felt. Launching first with their physics simulation software tools SDK for games at the 2000 Game Developers Conference, Havok now offers a complete modular suite of products that help visual and interactive content developers create more realistic games and special effects for film.

“Havok was born from the idea that the emergence of realistic real-time 3D graphics created the need for realistic physical simulation,” said David O’Meara, Managing Director of Havok. Back then we were motivated by such a difficult challenge and each other’s energy. I’m happy to say the majority of the original Havok team is still with us 10 years later, still sharing the drive to provide solutions to the biggest challenging facing developers, and empowering them to create realistic and visually stunning entertainment.”

Over the last decade, Havok has partnered with more than 70 of today’s top game developers, and their industry-leading technology has been included in an excess of 200 game titles by the end of 2008 including the award-winning “Age of Empires III”, “Halo 2”, and this year’s smash hit “Fallout3”. Additionally, Havok products have been used to drive the special effects in such films as “The Matrix”, “10,000 B.C.”, and “Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix”.

“Technology has progressed a great deal since we first conceived of dynamical simulation in games,’ commented O’Meara. Computing power and the adoption of graphics cards has reached the point where many of the things we imagined back then are not only feasible, but high definition 3D visuals and real-time physics are now mainstream and expected across games, film and the Web.”

Havok’s technologies are multi-platform, enabling development across today’s leading game consoles and computers. It’s this agnostic approach that has lead to the adoption of Havok products by the majority of today’s leading publishers and developers including Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft, Electronic Arts, UbiSoft, Eidos, LucasArts, Sierra, Blizzard, Bethesda, Bungie, Valve, Neversoft, Relic, Lionhead and Pandemic Studios.

Some of the highly-anticipated games currently under development or slated for release in 2009 are Microsoft’s “Fable 2”, Namco Bandi’s classic remake “Splatterhouse”, Pandemic’s “Saboteur”, “HaloWars” from Ensemble Studios, and the new “Indiana Jones” game from LucasArts.

Havok recently expanded its software lineup with the release of Havok 6.0. As the company’s most broad suite of games middleware components to date, Havok 6.0 marks the addition of Havok Cloth™ and Havok Destruction™ to the award winning Havok Physics™, Havok Behavior™ and Havok Animation™ products. Each product forms part of an integrated suite of runtime SDKs and tools, representing the most comprehensive set of cross-platform modular tools available today, enabling game studios to deliver more compelling gameplay, character interaction and physical effects in less time.

With more than 100 games utilizing Havok’s technology slated for release over the coming year, details on Havok’s current lineup follow:

Havok Animation™
Havok Animation is a fast, flexible animation SDK that provides a rich set of general purpose animation capabilities, tight integration with Havok’s award-winning Physics SDK, and incorporates easily into existing game engines.

Havok Behavior™
Havok Behavior is a system of software tools for developing event-driven character behaviors in a game. The Havok Behavior product is comprised of an intuitive composition tool for artists and designers, and a run-time SDK for game programmers, resulting in “what you see is what you get” results.

Havok Cloth™
Havok Cloth is a new platform-optimized runtime SDK and toolset that significantly increases the realism of game characters and environments by enabling character designers to add realistic, physically-based drape and motion to garments, environmental objects and other deformable items like hair, bellies or tails.

Havok Destruction™
Havok Destruction is the cross-platform tool for the simulation of rigid body destruction. In addition to drastically reducing the production time and cost of creating large numbers of realistic destructible game objects, Havok Destruction provides more realism to structural mechanics, graphical effects and level design for a new game play experience

Havok Physics™
Based upon the award winning Havok Physics 2 SDK, the recently released Continuous Physics™ is an innovative technology that adds an extra level of integrity to games, and frees up production time by eliminating design limitations that stem from high-velocity game objects. Havok Physics also incorporates robust memory optimizations crucial for simulating physics in complex game environments on next-generation platforms.

The Japanese version of the Sega Dreamcast launched with a rather paltry four forgettable games: Godzilla Generations, Virtua Fighter 3tb, PenPen TRiIceLon and July. Sonic Adventure, originally planned to hit at launch, was delayed. Other titles that came shortly after, like Incoming and Seventh Cross, didn't help matters.

Given the line-up, the Japanese launch was somewhat of a dud, far from the early success of its North American counterpart which hit almost a year later on September 9, 1999. When Sony announced the PlayStation 2, less than six months after the Japanese Dreamcast launch, it ended the console war — at least in terms of perception — before it had a chance to begin.

The Dreamcast still managed to deliver some of the best software of the generation, with titles like Power Stone, Soul Calibur, Jet Grind Radio, Phantasy Star Online, Typing of the Dead and Samba de Amigo still fondly remembered.

My first hands on time with the Dreamcast came when I rented an imported console, along with Blue Stinger and The House of the Dead 2, for a Sega filled weekend. Fortunately, those two titles didn't dissuade me from picking up a North American console at the midnight launch.

Please feel free to share your fondest Dreamcast memories and pour out a bit of your virtual forty for this enduring casualty of the console war.

For those of you online right now, you actually have to log off, then login again to receive the award. Consult your instruction manual for directions on how to actually log off.

Obviously, that didn't happen.

What did happen was that a fraction of the now 13 million-plus strong U.S. Wii user base went home with copies of Wii Sports, Excite Truck and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, ushering in the Age of Waggle, changing the game forever. The rest of us waited in lines, camped outside electronics stores for the next shipment and watched as Wii fever swept a nation.

Since then, the console has seen major releases from Nintendo, including Super Mario Galaxy, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Wii Fit, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, WarioWare: Smooth Moves and Mario Kart Wii. Nintendo has added new platforms to its Virtual Console service, launched WiiWare, shipped a slew of hardware peripherals, and announced a sequel to the console's biggest hit in Wii Sports Resort.

Third parties have seen success — critical or financial, but not always both — with Wii offerings like Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz, Okami, Red Steel, Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure, de Blob, Trauma Center: New Blood and No More Heroes. And the shovelware? Oh, God, the shovelware!

In just two years, Nintendo has gone from third place from the previous generation to an uncontested first, outpacing its nearest console competitor by nearly 2 million units. Not bad for a console that know-it-all gamers derided for its TV remote-like controller and a couple of GameCubes slapped together.

We and the Imagine Party Babyz wish you a happy second birthday, Wii.

Along with a lengthy list of everything they've accomplished over the past couple of years, the ECA used some of their press release space to announce the eventual availability of membership cards online via Walmart.com and Amazon.com,along with a partnership with MMO service provider K2 Network to help raise awareness of their various services, and indeed their very existence. Hit the jump to see what the ECA has done for you while you weren't looking.

Entertainment Consumer Association (ECA) Celebrates Two Years of Video Game Consumer Advocacy

ECA Continues to Defend Consumers’ Rights Through Formation of New Strategic Partnerships and an Unprecedented Level of Consumer Visibility

WILTON, Conn.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—The Entertainment Consumers Association (ECA), the consumer rights advocacy group dedicated to providing passionate gamers a voice, is today celebrating twenty-four months of serving the evolving needs of individuals who play computer and video games. In the two years since its inception, this flagship organization has established a solid foundation focusing its advocacy efforts on a variety of consumer rights issues, anti-games legislation, and a host of other public policy concerns. The organization simultaneously provides substantial community and affinity benefits to its ever-increasing dedicated and proactive members. Through these efforts, the ECA has also forged strategic alliances with other influential non-profits, and well-established endemic and non-endemic corporations including video game publishers, developers, retailers, and trade media.

In the months and years to come, the ECA intends to not only expand upon quality programs in place for its members, but will continually spearhead new initiatives and services, beginning with three new solid partnerships to increase the ECA's visibility, outreach and accessibility to gaming consumers. The organization today announced two new partnerships with retail giants Walmart and Amazon to sell ECA membership cards online at Walmart.com, and Amazon.com. The ECA also announced a significant collaboration with K2 Network, the leading MMO service provider in the Western Hemisphere, to drive awareness of video game advocacy and the ECA's services to the 23 million K2 members representing over 160 countries. Additional merchant partners will be announced at a later date.

“In just over two years, the ECA has brought together a politically charged videogame community united to rally against efforts singling out videogames from the First Amendment protections enjoyed by other forms of entertainment,” said ECA founder and president, Hal Halpin. “We are humbled by the strength of what a unified consumer voice can accomplish, and challenge gamers everywhere to empower themselves and their communities by becoming more educated, active and involved, and leveraging the ECA’s services as a platform to rise against unjust legislation and ignorance.”

Some highlights of what the ECA has been involved in and accomplished to date, include the following:

The ECA and Advocacy:

The ECA has made great strides in legislation, building productive relationships and joining coalition partnerships with other established non-profit and public interest organizations, such as the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), Rock the Vote, Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB), Verizon, Connected Nation, Free Press, International Game Developers Association (IGDA), and many others, who have embraced its mission. Under the ECA, independent topical groups are established for members to stand behind their most pertinent issues and actively outreach to form partnerships with other non-profit and corporate entities in support of their topics. These groups rally around such issues as video game violence legislation, Fair use – as it relates to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), e-waste, net neutrality, video game tax, universal broadband, parental empowerment, the regulation of video games, and more.

The ECA and Affinity Benefits:

ECA membership goes beyond advocacy, and is dedicated to providing substantial community and affinity benefits to its members. With membership, entertainment consumers can connect with others, stay on top of industry issues and events, explore career and educational opportunities in gaming, and voice their feedback on issues and products. Current initiatives with a continually expanding list of partners, including recently announced support from: Activision Blizzard, Alienware/Dell, G8 Clothing, GameFly, Game Informer Magazine, iGames, K2 Network, Nos Energy Drink, Philips/Ambix, Red Lion, and dozens more – in addition to all of the major consumer and trade shows, conferences and events. The organization also actively supports students and the military with discounted annual memberships of just $14.99. These partnerships enable the ECA to provide members with substantial discounts and savings.

The ECA and Education:

The ECA has made it a priority to partner with the major enthusiast media outlets in order to address the single greatest ongoing challenge: the education of members, the industry and the general public. The association also has created and/or partnered with other properties whose mission and readership parallels their own. GamePolitics.com, is a politically-oriented news and opinions web site addressing politics, legislation and the way in which games and gamers relate to the legal system. GameJobs.com provides comprehensive gaming industry job listings, resume writing help and online database and tools for gamers interested in attaining or furthering a career in video games. GameCulture.com delivers news, commentary and features on video games, technology and the ways in which gamers and gaming has had, and continues to have, a profound impact on culture. VideogameYellowPages.com links members to companies involved in all aspects of the interactive entertainment business and acts as a catch-all directory and repository. Additionally, the fast-growing ECA Today, the nightly newsletter which is distributed to all members free of charge, keeps readers informed on the most interesting and relevant games-related news of the day.

The ECA and Community:

The ECA is rapidly broadening its reach through an expansive national network of regional chapters powered by local gaming communities and college campuses across the country. They adopt the collective goal of educating on political issues directly affecting the interactive entertainment industry, connecting consumers with like-minded gamers in their area, and offering access to a larger professional network for career and educational opportunities within the gaming industry. The ECA will continue to empower these regional chapters, helping them focus on broadening the ECA’s mission – giving gamers a voice – by providing support tools and training seminars for chapter presidents and members on how to engage with their local, state and federal officials on issues that matter to gamers.

Additionally, the ECA went international this year with the inclusion of representation of Canadian gamers. Since the announcement this past summer, ECA has increased both its membership and chapter count and undertaken efforts to include Canadian-specific affinity benefits, services and discounts.

For more information on the ECA and to sign up for membership, please visit: www.theeca.com.

“We have had an overwhelmingly enthusiastic response from Zelda fans and video game enthusiasts,” said Dr. Dennis Yeh, the school’s director. “Our Zelda items quickly became bestsellers – and we are happy to be celebrating the game’s tenth anniversary in our store this month.”

You can check out the company's website at www.stlocarina.com, where they have an entire page dedicated to Zelda ocarinas, with instruments ranging anywhere from $19.99 to $300, as well as a couple of songbooks to get you started. Happy anniversary, Ocarina of Time! These folks owe you everything.

St. Louis Ocarina Store Celebrates 10th Anniversary of Classic Video Game The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time

ST. LOUIS—(BUSINESS WIRE)—When a new Legend of Zelda video game, The Ocarina of Time, was released in November of 1998, very few people in North America knew what the instrument was, or if it even actually existed outside of the game’s fictional realm of Hyrule. In the classic Nintendo game, the protagonist Link is on a quest to recover an ancient relic from an evil king. Along the way, Link (who is controlled by the player) must learn a dozen songs on a small whimsical wind instrument to progress through the levels.

The game, which was the best-selling video game of 1998 and has since sold 7.6 million copies, created a resurgence of interest in the ocarina. The small and versatile instrument, which is still popular throughout Asia and Italy, has a storied 12,000-year-old history but had fallen into obscurity in the recent years in the United States.

At the forefront of the ocarina’s increasing popularity is the St. Louis Ocarina Store, which is run by the St. Louis School of Music. The store sells, ceramic, clay, and plastic ocarinas – making instruments available for those of all skill levels and ages, from professionals to collectors to novices. After opening its doors in 2005, the store quickly became aware of the wide overlap between Zelda players and ocarina players.

“We have had an overwhelmingly enthusiastic response from Zelda fans and video game enthusiasts,” said Dr. Dennis Yeh, the school’s director. “Our Zelda items quickly became bestsellers – and we are happy to be celebrating the game’s tenth anniversary in our store this month.”

The store offers a number of Zelda-inspired products, including over a dozen ocarinas and two songbooks that help students recreate songs from Ocarina of Time and a later game, Twilight Princess. Zelda fans can also choose from instruments in a range of colors and in tenor, alto, or soprano. The ocarinas range from a ceramic three-octave instrument for $300 to a plastic 12-hole for just $19.99. The store, which is staffed by professional music teachers, also offers ocarina lessons.

“One of my favorite aspects of the ocarina is that, unlike other instruments like the piano or violin, it is available for everyone to own and play,” Yeh said. “You can learn a song or two quickly, you can carry it easily wherever you go, and you can afford one no matter who you are or what you do.”

To learn more about ocarinas or to browse the store’s selections, please visit www.stlocarina.com.

I didn't get my Sega Genesis until 1994, picking it up at a MediaPlay in Roswell, Georgia, mainly because it was bundled with the excellent game based on Disney's The Lion King. That system is still very much alive to this day, holding a special place in my heart as the first game console I purchased for myself as an "adult", sparking the realization that I could spend a massive percentage of my income on video games and still afford cheap frozen food, a practice I continue to this very day. Thanks a lot, Sega Genesis, and happy birthday!

In some alternate reality somewhere we're currently playing the latest games on the Dreamcast 2 while Sony and Microsoft struggle to keep up and Nintendo has become a third-party software developer. Today is the day to indulge in this fantasy. Drag out your old Dreamcast, draw a big "2" on the lid with a sharpie, and pop in Soul Calibur, or Dragonriders of Pern, or Record of Lodoss War, and dream of console success, just like Sega did nine years ago.

Things kick off June 23rd with a keynote speech from Linden Founder and Chairman Philip Rosedale and newly appointed CEO Mark Kingdon, both of whom better have some pretty kick-ass avatars. If they don't have at least jet packs and glowing eyes I'm laughing them off the stage. Cue my character's temporary ban in 3...2...1.

Hit the jump for details on some of the milestones that SL will be celebrating, or visit the official site for a schedule of events.

Linden Lab Celebrates Second Life’s 5th Birthday With a Virtual World Fair

Keynote Addresses by New CEO Mark Kingdon, Founder Philip Rosedale and Board Member Mitch Kapor Highlight Two-Week Long Celebration

SAN FRANCISCO—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Linden Lab®, creator of 3D virtual world Second Life® (www.secondlife.com), has announced that it will hold a two-week long Virtual World Fair to celebrate the 5th birthday of the Second Life community. The virtual fairgrounds, created in tandem by Linden Lab and Second Life Residents, will host a series of roundtable discussions, parties and exhibits that showcase the vast creativity of Residents as well as groundbreaking organizational uses of the Second Life platform. The event will be held in various regions in Second Life and will take place from June 23 – July 7, 2008.

Open to Second Life Residents, Linden Lab employees and industry thought leaders, the event will explore such topics as the evolution of Second Life’s culture, the role of virtual worlds in business and the opportunities the platform offers for education, art, philanthropy and health care, among others. Founder and former Linden Lab CEO Philip Rosedale and newly appointed CEO Mark Kingdon will each give an opening address and Linden Lab board member Mitch Kapor, founder of Lotus Development Corporation, will offer closing remarks.

Some highlights of the first five years that will be discussed and celebrated include:

2003

June 23, 2003 – The highly anticipated Second Life virtual world comes out of beta and launches to the public

November 14, 2003 – At the State of Play Conference, Founder Philip Rosedale announces that Linden Lab will allow Residents to retain all IP rights to the content they create in-world, a groundbreaking move that while initially questioned by industry leaders, epitomizes Linden Lab’s approach and philosophy and has greatly helped establish its leadership position

2004

June 15, 2004 – Linden adds a Custom Animation scripting engine to Second Life, enabling Residents to more fully develop and personalize their avatars by adding distinctive moods and movements

August 15, 2004 – Second Life surpasses 10,000 Residents – to celebrate the milestone Philip takes the entire office to a Giants game; by the time the game ended, residency had jumped to 13,000

2005

April 25, 2005 – Having outgrown its office, Linden Lab moves to a much larger office on Sansome Street in San Francisco. A short time later, Linden would move again to its current location at 945 Battery Street

October 3, 2005 – Linden launches the “LindeX” – its own hosted currency exchange - L$400,000 is traded on the first day of business

2006

January 5, 2006 - Second Life surpasses 100,000 registered Residents

May 1, 2006 – BusinessWeek cover story “Virtual Life, Real Money” further validates Second Life as a revenue-generating vehicle for individual entrepreneurs and businesses

September 15, 2006 – Second Life surpasses 1,000,000 registered Residents

2007

January 8, 2007 - Linden Lab announces that it will release the code to its viewer software – further opening the world and enabling Residents to have more control over their experiences. An audacious and unusual move for a company in a leadership position but indicative of the company’s approach and ethos and a key step towards Linden’s vision of a pervasive 3D online environment

March 26, 2007 – Second Life surpasses 5,000,000 registered Residents

September, 2007 – In the month of September, Second Life surpasses: a) 10,000,000 registered Residents b) 25,000,000 total monthly usage hours and c) 50,000 concurrent users logged in at one time

2008

April 3, 2008 – Linden Lab announces that IBM will host regions of the Second Life Grid behind IBM’s firewall, combining the operational scale and security of IBM’s BladeCenter with Second Life’s dynamic content creation tools and vibrant user community. Combing these solutions together has the potential to make custom-created, security rich virtual environments a viable option for enterprises

April 22, 2008 – Philip steps down as CEO of Linden Lab, assumes the position of Chairman of the Board and names Organic’s Mark Kingdon as his successor; Mark officially began his tenure on May 15, 2008

“It’s amazing to look back and reflect on everything that we’ve accomplished in such a short time. From our initial launch, to the decision to allow Residents to retain their IP, to opening up the Platform to third parties, most of the decisions we’ve made have gone against the grain of conventional wisdom and that’s made all the difference,” said Philip Rosedale, Founder and Chairman of the Board of Linden Lab. “While we’ve come a long way in our first five years and have surmounted significant challenges, there’s still plenty of work left as we continue to advance the medium. With Mark’s leadership and the passion and creativity of our Residents we are extremely excited about what the future holds and the evolving role that Second Life will play in business, arts, education and communication in general.”

If you squint and suddenly gain the ability to read Japanese you'll notice the in the bottom right hand of the image they list the Clock Tower movie for a 2009 release and the Onimusha movie for 2011, joining Street Fighter: the Legend of Chun-Li as part of some freaky Capcom movie triple-play.

Either way, Happy Birthday, Capcom! Meet you back here in another 25 for the release of Street Fighter VI!

Happy Birthday to Us! [Capcom Community Blog]

So I decided to check out MXO after three years now.  I'm always skeptical about joining new mmo's and this one was a title that I originally wanted to check out back when it was in beta.  However all the negative press, high technical requirements, and average reviews made me pass on it.  Three years later it has an anniversary today and since I feel mmo's are usually more improved years after their release since most stuff is fixed and improved - I'll give it a whirl on my DX10 laptop.

The game is surprisingly fun if your a huge fan of the Matrix films.  Sci-Fi mmo's don't ever get any slack cut for them since the most popular ones are the traditional cliché knights, swords, and magic.  While I can see it having some graphical issues, they seemed minor compared to what I read at release.  Lastly, the most impressive thing I noticed about MXO is the community.  They are the most friendly, helpful, and non-obnoxious (juvenile behavior, n00b calling, '1337' attitudes) mmo crowd I've met.  Even the forums are so welcoming and friendly.  Heck the moment I jacked in this really nice girl gave me a tour and shown me around the game.

Overall I kind of wish I didn't wait out all these years on MXO, but I can say if your not a fan of the movies even by a little - then search further for your clichés.

IGN.com Kicks Off 10-Year Anniversary With The Launch Of IGN Retro And Week-Long Editorial Retrospective

Leading Videogame Site Introduces New Channel and Daily Features Highlighting the Past Decade in Gaming

BRISBANE, CA — January 14, 2008 — IGN.com (http://www.ign.com), the Web's leading videogame and entertainment information destination, today announced the unveiling of its latest channel, IGN Retro, covering games and systems from the distant and not so distant past as IGN.com kick-offs a year-long celebration for its 10th anniversary. In addition, IGN will present a week-long retrospective of the past 10 years in gaming that will explore IGN.com's history, from the games and franchises over the past decade to the editors who reviewed them.

The launch of IGN Retro (http://www.retro.ign.com) represents IGN's first site dedicated to classic videogames. IGN Retro will cover gaming systems from the distant past - including the Atari 2600, Intellivision, Colecovision, and NES - as well as more recent platforms that aren't seeing active release schedules any longer such as the Dreamcast, GameCube and original Xbox systems.

"Having been with IGN.com since its inception, I am very proud of what the site has accomplished so far and very excited for the next 10 years," said Peer Schneider, Senior Vice President and Publisher, IGN Entertainment. "IGN.com has become the leader in providing users with the latest in videogame news and exclusives, and as the videogame industry continues to evolve, IGN.com will continue to be on the forefront of the industry."

In addition to the IGN Retro, starting today through Friday, January 18 on IGN.com, the site will feature variety of different editorial topics highlighting the evolution of videogames and IGN.com's role in covering the industry for the past 10 years. Editorial features include:

* Monday, January 14: "Press X: Ten Years in Gaming"

Examining the impact of the last 10 years in videogames

* Tuesday, January 15: "The Many Faces of IGN: Where Are They Now?"

An update on many of IGN.com's past editors

* Wednesday, January 16: "Classic IGN Video Moments "

A collection of cool and funny videos from throughout the years

* Thursday, January 17: "IGN.com Turns 10 Podcast"

Editors, past and present, come together to talk about the anniversary

* Friday, January 18: "IGN Video Documentary: The First 10 Years"

A three-part look at the decade of IGN.com with past and present editors

"As we hit the 10-year mark, it is important to take a look back at the moments in history that helped define IGN.com as an industry leader," said Roy Bahat, General Manager of IGN Entertainment. "It is with great pride that we celebrate this company milestone with the millions of IGN.com users who have been with us since the beginning."

January 12th, 1998 marks the official start of IGN as a branded Web site, and is the day N64.com officially changed its name to IGN64.com. Ten years later, IGN.com is a leading Internet media and services provider focused on the videogame and entertainment enthusiast markets. It is the Web's number one videogame information destination and attracts one of the largest concentrated audiences of young males on the Internet.