There's been post-apocalyptic MMO games in the past, but the apocalypse in those games has never been of an undead nature. Undead Labs is looking to fix that with the first MMOz, and the Z stands for zombies.

ArenaNet co-founder Jeff Strain, who's resume includes Blizzard and NCsoft, formed Undead Studios to build a new MMO game from the ground up for consoles. He assembled a crack team of zombie-loving developers in Seattle, Washington, and set about creating a game that quite frankly begs to be created.

"Every time I see a good zombie movie with friends, we spend days debating our strategies for surviving the zombie apocalypse," said Strain. "The police station, or the supermarket? Garden rake, or staple gun? Bach, or the White Stripes? I'm a game developer, so I'd probably be useless for anything other than ghoul bait, but I'm excited to have the opportunity to build an MMOZ that lets us put those strategies to the test and find out for sure."

This is the single best idea for an MMO game that I've heard in the history of the genre, and I've played a lot of MMO titles. To be able to work together with other players to survive a zombie apocalypse, without having to worry about the government simply nuking everything before the credits roll? That's love right there.

Undead Labs plans on being pretty transparent throughout the development process of the game, so you might want to keep an eye on the official website for further apocalyptic developments.

Says Major Nelson, the Xbox Live community guru:

When Preview Program members start receiving the Xbox 360 system update next week, one of the changes is that unauthorized Memory Units will no longer work with the Xbox 360. If you've moved your profile or saved games onto one to "back it up," you'd better move it back onto an authorized Xbox 360 storage device prior to taking the update. If you continue to use an unauthorized Memory Unit after the update, you will not be able to access your stored profile or saved games.

One way to be sure you have an authorized storage device is to check it against this list.

Note: Unauthorized does not necessarily mean "third party." This link identifies the brands featured on third party products - including memory units - that are authorized.

Don't Use Unauthorized Xbox 360 Storage Devices [Major Nelson, via Gamers Reports]

Reggie Fils-Aime was his usual confident self during Kotaku's interview with him in a Nintendo meeting room this past E3 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Fils-Aime was proud this time of, in his words, "a holiday with content that speaks directly to the core Nintendo fan."

He was one E3 removed from many Nintendo fans' least-favorite Nintendo moment of the Wii era, the 2008 E3 media briefing that focused on more casual gaming experiences and was capped with the non-hardcore Wii Music. No regrets from Nintendo, of course: "Last year we focused on Wii Music, and that is a title that's very important to [Nintendo's head of game development, Shigeru] Miyamoto," Fils-Aime said. "And for all of the criticism, it's still a title that on a global basis has sold over two million copies."

This year Fils-Aime could talk about Wii Fit Plus. But he could also talk about New Super Mario Bros Wii, the surprisingly deep gameplay of Wii Sports Resort and even a new Metroid game, Other M. ("As fans will see, 'Other M' has a number of meanings, which we'll reveal in the coming months.")

But this being E3 2009, even with Reggie Fils-Aime, our most urgent topic of conversation had to be the buzz-building Microsoft Project Natal.

"We have been very familiar with that technology," Fils-Aime said of the hands-free camera-and-sensor tech Microsoft debuted for the Xbox 360. "I have personally seen a lot of iterations of similar technology. Our first reaction is that it is ironic that, three or four years ago, the prevailing industry opinion was that prettier pictures or more horsepower were the waves of the future. And now it's clear from both of our competitors that physical activity in gaming is the wave of the future. It's also ironic that, for Nintendo, the future is here. The future is now."

Fils-Aime said that it is too early to judge whether Natal — or Sony's new motion control technology — will be a success. Such a question can only be answered when the projects' launch software and prices are announced, he said.

And could he see Nintendo doing a Natal-type technology of its own? "We have pioneered many interface options that people take for granted today," he replied. "We've looked at similar technology and will continue to look at other technology for the future. What's different, I think, for us, is that the experience is what drives us down a particular path, not simply how nifty the technology is… When we looked at this technology and other technology, we decided that the best way to drive immersion and precision as well as creating an environment for publishers to flourish was the Wii remote coupled with the nunchuck."

Fils-Aime and I kept most of our talk on business and broader topics, as Mr. Miyamoto and a pair of Metroid developers engaged most of our gaming questions during other appointments. For Reggie, I wanted to know about some platform initiatives.

One of the new initiatives to launch since my previous interview with Fils-Aime was DSiWare, the downloadable gaming services for the DSi. Nintendo posted a list of 15 upcoming DSiWare games and applications (read animated sketchpads and clocks) during E3, which follow the first month's worth of games and, well, clocks, released for DSiWare. Fils-Aime said that Nintendo is "very pleased with the DSi connection rate to the DSi shop," but he declined to offer any download stats yet. "Our expectation is that it will quickly grow to be robust just like WiiWare," he offered. "WiiWare today has almost 90 titles. Including greatly acclaimed titles like World of Goo and Lost Winds. We think our model of highly-polished, immersive, innovative experiences is the right model to have."

Leading into E3, it was widely discussed by the gaming media that Nintendo might announce a Virtual Console service for the DSi, which could include games from old consoles as well as old Nintendo portables. "I know there has been a lot of speculation, but we have no plans for that," he said.

Nintendo is moving ahead, however, with Facebook integration into the DSi. As announced at E3, the connection will enable DSi users to upload photos taken with the system's cameras to Facebook. It's not a service that connects to Nintendo's home console, a point of contrast from the Microsoft-announced integration of Facebook into the Xbox 360's Xbox Live. "We think it makes a lot more sense for the DSi [than the Wii] from two different standpoints," Fils-Aime said. "One: the portable nature of the device and that instant satisfaction that you get from something like Facebook. More importantly, because of the two cameras and the 10 different camera lenses [in the DSi], we think that's where the appeal is. For me to take your picture, blow up your head, blow up your nose, post it on my page, [and say] 'Ha ha ha, look what I did to Stephen,' we think that's just a lot more fun and that's the direction we'll go."

Another partner that has been discussed as a possible collaborator with Nintendo is Netflix, which enhanced its streaming arrangement with the 360 at this E3 with an improved integration of movie-watching and Xbox Live. The Wii had been pegged as another potential console partner for Netflix. "We have nothing to announce [as] a partnership from an online streaming standpoint," Fils-Aime said. "Should we go down that path we will do something different than our competitors."

The NOA president and I also discussed the Wii Vitality Sensor and game sales for the Wii and DS. More on those topics in future posts.

If I have to explain what The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask is to you people, then you might be at the wrong website. The second outing for Link on the Nintendo 64, Majora's Mask is one of the darkest and most original games in the Zelda series, and it can now be yours to play on your Wii for 1,000 Wii points. An extremely nice way to celebrate the big 300.

The rest of the Nintendo Download isn't too shabby either. The DSi gets a new Art Style game in Pictobits (500 DSi Points), and WiiWare gets the second helping of Final Fantasy-themed defense gaming with Crystal Defenders R2 from Square Enix (800 points), along with Agetec's Silver Star Chess (500 points).

As always, check out the official description of the titles from Nintendo below.

So, anyone picking up Majora's Mask? Anyone who owns a copy of the original game and a functioning Nintendo 64 planning on buying it anyway?

Virtual Console
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (Nintendo 64, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone - Cartoon Violence, 1,000 Wii Points™): Link™ must save the world! This time, he finds himself trapped in Termina, an alternate version of Hyrule that is doomed to destruction in just three short days. Link must race to recover the Ocarina of Time (which allows him to manipulate time in multiple ways), defeat challenging bosses in dungeons spread across Termina and discover the key to the mystery of Majora's Mask. Along the way, he'll obtain new weapons and items and help other characters (some strangely familiar) in their everyday lives. In addition, Link must use a wide assortment of masks scattered throughout Termina, each with its own specific use or power. Never before have three days offered so much in the way of action, mind-boggling puzzles and depth. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask is an adventure unlike any other!

Nintendo DSiWare
Art Style™: PiCTOBiTS™ (Nintendo, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Nintendo DSi Points™): Your goal in Art Style: PiCTOBiTS is simple: clear large blocks that fall from above ("megabits") by combining them with "bits" (square blocks) of the same color. Add in the ability to pick up bits and place them anywhere on the touch screen, and you'll quickly find that strategy is critical to your success. By clearing the bits, you gradually reveal each stage's hidden game character - look for favorites from classic NES™ titles - and earn coins that can be spent to unlock DARK stages or to listen to the game's soundtrack in MUSIC mode. This grand mix of familiar elements and new game play leads to the uniquely enjoyable experience that is PiCTOBiTS.

WiiWare
CRYSTAL DEFENDERS R2 (SQUARE ENIX, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone - Mild Fantasy Violence, 800 Wii Points): In CRYSTAL DEFENDERS R2, you must deploy various units, such as Fencers and Black Mages, to stop waves of encroaching monsters from escaping the area with your party's crystals. There are many types of units to choose from: Some specialize in powerful short-range attacks, some wield far-reaching magicks and still others are equipped with bows, enabling them to bring down aerial foes. Deploy units in strategic locations to take full advantage of their traits. Each time an enemy breaches your defenses and reaches a map's exit, your party will lose crystals. When all your crystals are gone, the game is over. CRYSTAL DEFENDERS R2 offers several new, challenging maps containing multiple entrances and exits. It also introduces three varieties of Power Crystals, allowing you to enhance the abilities of your units, while new jobs, including Flintlock and Tinker, set the stage for even more complex strategies. Can you defend all the maps without losing a single crystal?

Silver Star Chess (Agetec, Inc., 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone - Mild Suggestive Themes, 500 Wii Points): Silver Star Chess has two modes: 1-Player and 2-Player. 1-Player mode allows you to play a chess match against the computer opponent. 2-Player mode allows you to play against another person. In 1-Player mode, you can select one of five different computer opponents, as well as turn the background music off, adjust sound effects and access in-game help features. Also, during the match, you can redo your last move, save the game at any point or resign from the game. After the match has ended, you can review each move made during the match. While reviewing the match in this way, you can resume that match at any point.

Tasked with selecting the best console games of all time, contributors of this year's Gamer's Edition reviewed hundreds of releases to compile a list of the top 50 titles ranked on their initial impact and lasting legacy.

Tetris ranks in at number two, according to the list, and the original Grand Theft Auto is in the number three spot. Where does Super Mario Bros. turn up? Way down at number 17, beneath Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

Guinness World Records Editor-in-Chief, Craig Glenday, said of the selection process: "We knew this would be a complex task so we invited a crack team of industry experts to form a judging panel - and the result is a "top 50" list of games ranked both on their importance and on how fun they are to play."

I would love to know who was on their team, because their picks are just friggin insane.

The team said they picked Super Mario Kart for the top spot because it is the best-selling racer on the SNES, the GameCube and the DS. Tetris, a good choice for number two, was selected because it is available on at least 50 different gaming platforms. And Grand Theft Auto holds the record for the most controversial series of games.

The full list, shown here, appear in the newly-released Guinness World Records 2009 Gamer's Edition.

Look over that list and then tell us what your top ten picks would have been. Keep in mind this is being judged on a game's initial impact and lasting legacy, not necessarily how fun they were.

1. Super Mario Kart
2. Tetris
3. Grand Theft Auto
4. Super Mario World
5. Zelda Ocarina of Time
6. Halo
7. Resident Evil IV
8. Final Fantasy XII
9. Street Fighter II
10. GoldenEye
11. Super Mario 64
12. Tomb Raider
13. Metal Gear Solid
14. Call of Duty 4
15. Sonic the Hedgehog 2
16. GTA San Andreas
17. Super Mario Bros
18. Zelda: A Link to the Past
19. Gran Turismo
20. Final Fantasy VII
21. Pro Evolution Soccer 4
22. The Orange Box
23. Lego Star Wars Complete Saga
24. Tekken 2
25. Wii Sports
26. Pokemon Red/Blue
27. Guitar Hero
28. Project Gotham Racing 4
29. Super Mario Galaxy
30. Resident Evil
31. Ico
32. Chrono Trigger
33. Gunstar Heroes
34. Soul Calibur
35. Advance Wars
36. Ridge Racer
37. Super Metroid
38. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
39. GTA Vice City
40. BioShock
41. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
42. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
43. God of War
44. Sega Rally Championship
45. Starfox 64
46. Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
47. WarioWare Inc
48. Saturn Bomberman
49. Crash Bandicoot
50. Outrun 2

WiiWare title LIT, but Wayforward Technologies, offers a single-player horror puzzle game for 800 Wii Points.

Dark creatures have taken over Jake's high school, and it's up to you to guide him through each classroom in order to be reunited with his girlfriend Rachael. Existing light sources must be used smartly to create bridges of light for Jake to cross. One false step and Jake gets pulled into the darkness. Along the way he'll encounter twisted versions of his school's faculty, which must be battled in order to advance. LIT is a horror/puzzle game that requires the Wii Remote and Nunchuk controllers. It contains 30 levels, five boss battles, replay modes and several unlockables, including multiple endings, Dark Mode timed challenges and an unlockable character.

Meanwhile over on the virtual console you can pick up classic Sega Genesis title Wolf of the Battlefield: Mercs for 800 Wii Points.

Following a rash of terrorism outbreaks and increasing opposition from guerilla fighters, the U.S. government has decided to hire a group of professional mercenaries to undergo secret missions, battling through enemy lines to go where no ordinary soldier would dare to go. Based on the popular arcade game, the SEGA GENESIS version of MERCS lets you play as a MERC and also adds an original mode, allowing players to choose from five different characters. Take no prisoners as you shoot, drive jeeps and tanks, and clash against huge bosses to accomplish your mission.

Wild Tangent's CEO, Alex St. John, made some 'brazen' claims at the ION keynote — one of the boldest being that console gaming is dead and the PC is looking towards a renaissance. It should be noted that St. John has blabbered about this before, so he's just retreading previous ground:

Beginning one of several brazen claims in his keynote, St. John spoke of the death of video game consoles: “Nobody needs a console when a game's value and DRM is defined by community or an input device. Consoles just serve to keep you from playing a game you didn't pay for.”

He asked, “What's Sony and Microsoft's motivation to make another console? It's been so rocky, and it's not about the pretty graphics anymore.” According to St. John, spectacular graphics have become a commodity, and not the platform for games to differentiate themselves. “The Wii is the exception that proves the rule — it's not about the graphics, it's about the input device.

He went on to talk about advertising models and targeting the right audience — but his statements on the console vs. PC pack the most punch.

WildTangent's St. John Declares Consoles Dead, Claims PC Renaissance [Gamasutra]

UPDATE - I just got my account approved, and now have a relatively useless (myserialnumber)@dreamcast.com Gmail account! Hooray!

SEGA of Japan to update www.Dreamcast.com for 2008! [Sega of America Forums via Sega Nerds - Thanks Sonic_Freak!]

Discovered at CES: Two generic consoles that play non-generic games. The Retro Duo accepts both NES and Super NES games, while the Gen X takes Sega Master System and Genesis/Mega Drive games. Both of the consoles were built on technology that takes advantage of lapsed patents, so they are perfectly legal. At least according to the guy showing them off at CES they are.

CES 2008: Retro Console Clones Take Actual Cartridges [Wired]

Guanqiao was showing off their line of prettifying console stickers on the show floor. The stickers come in either pre-designed packs for any of the current consoles or portable, or you can design your own art. I wasn't super impressed with the DS Lite stickers, but the Wii, Xbox 360 and PS3 stuff looked kinda zupear koole.

Sony's Playstation 2 accounted for 42 percent of video game console usage during June far outstripping the Xbox, which had the second highest usage at 17 percent, according to Nielsen's latest GamePlay Metrics.

Rounding up the list of consoles was the Playstation 3 with just 1.5 percent of usage and the Wii with four percent.

Metrics found that 68.1 million people used a video game console in June, playing an average of 7.5 days during the month. On the days they played, Xbox 360 users logged an average of 2.2 sessions, with an average session length of 61 minutes. In contrast, PlayStation 3 users' logged an average of 1.9 sessions, with an average session length of 83 minutes, on the days they played.

Metrics also found that game play patterns shift seasonally. For instance in April, Wii's peak usage hour was 5PM, and now, during Summer Break, Wii usage peaks at 8 PM. Finally, Metrics reports that Wii households are upscale, with annual income more likely to be more than $100,000 income.

Hit the jump for a sexy numbers chart and the study's methodologies.

Nielsen GamePlay Metrics Methodologies
Nielsen GamePlay Metrics uses console data collected from the Nielsen's People Meter TV sample combined with Nielsen GamePlay Metrics' proprietary audio signature library that matches the unique audio signature of every game tracked on the six most widely available video game consoles, including PlayStation 2, PLAYSTATION 3, Xbox, Xbox 360, Wii and GameCube. The GamePlay Metrics user sample includes more than 12,000 households with approximately 33,000 individuals.

Nielsen GamePlay Metrics uses PC data collected from the Nielsen's Video Game Tracking Survey. Video Game Tracking is a weekly online survey of 1200 gamers 7 - 54 years of age. Qualifications include ownership of a console or PC, play video games at least 1 hour per week and have purchased at least one or more video games in the last 6 months. The Video Game Tracking online survey has been in the field for more than two years (104+ weeks).

Additional data, including rankings of console video game titles and the electronic metering of PC game titles are in testing and will be available to select Nielsen GamePlay Metrics clients in the near future. On July 5, 2007 Nielsen announced a collaborative agreement with Sony Computer Entertainment America to develop a measurement system for computer game advertising that includes the sharing of video game console data. The Nielsen-Sony data will also be provided within GamePlay Metrics service in the near future.

A sharp-eyed reader points out that Blizzard added three new positions on their job openings page yesterday for a "next-gen MMO."

The company is looking for a lead engine programmer, lead tools programmer and lead technical artist. While the reader theorizes that this is for a console port of World of Warcraft, my money is on World of Starcraft or something like it.

Remember, yesterday was also when Blizzard told us that they intend to announce a new product at th Worldwide Invitational in Korea on May 19. They also said they do plan to revisit the StarCraft universe at some point in the future.

What do you think? A new World of Warcraft, a Starcraft MMO, oooh, maybe Lost Vikings the MMO? Brian Crecente

Job Postings [Blizzard, thanks Ryne]

Sword of Vermilion, Vectorman, Sonic Spinball and Beyond Oasis are hitting the Wii's Shop Channel "soon" with prices starting at 800 points. Starting at? What the hell, are they selling cars now? What's the price already?

Hit the jump for the full descriptions of the games. I'll update it once Sega gets back to me with the actual prices you will be paying. Brian Crecente

Sword of Vermilion - When the evil wizard-king, Tsarkon, invaded Excalabria, King Erik V had no choice but to turn his infant son over to his most trusted warrior, Blade. As his castle burned, King Erik hurriedly gave Blade an ancient family heirloom, the Ring of Wisdom, and asked him to leave at once in the hopes that the young heir to the throne would survive. Blade raised Erik VI as his own, knowing one day the prince would fulfill the prophecy of the Malaga fortune tellers. Now, eighteen years later, Erik VI returns to Excalabria to avenge his father's death and reclaim the kingdom.

Vectorman - In the year 2049, mankind is forced to abandon an over-polluted Earth to seek out other planets for colonization while the mechanized Orbots stay behind to clean up the mess. When the Orbot leader, WarHead, starts blowing a few circuits and a war among the mechanical brethren, a sludge barge pilot named Vectorman is the only one willing to step up and fight him. You'll morph into a speeding train, a power drill, a mechanical fish, or a mighty dune buggy in this warfare adventure. Equip yourself with weapons, pick up morphs and power-ups to defeat WarHead and restore peace on Earth.

Sonic Spinball - With his Veg-O-Fortress built high up on an active volcano, Dr. Eggman is turning all the cute, furry creatures of Planet Mobius into robot slaves! Sonic and Tails rush to save the animals and quickly discover the only way to stop the mechanizing madness is to trigger a volcanic eruption. Sonic knows this can be done by removing the Chaos Emeralds that keep the volcano stable. However, Dr. Eggman is also aware of the fragile relationship that exists between the Emeralds and the mountain, and he's set up an elaborate Pinball Defense System to make sure the precious jewels don't go anywhere.

Beyond Oasis - You are the young Prince Ali in a desperate fight to defeat the evil that is threatening your island empire, Oasis. Long ago, a war raged between a wicked sorcerer who used a silver "armlet" to unleash destruction on the island and a wizard who defied him with a gold armlet that could summon four powerful spirits. Both armlets had been lost until recently when someone unearthed the silver band and began using it for their evil gain. Just when you think all is lost, you discover the precious gold armlet and finally have the power to combat the wearer of the silver band...but can you stop them in time?

GamesIndustry reports that Gas Powered Games, still entrenched in the final tweaks for Supreme Commander development, are already hard at work on hyping their next title: a console comedy.

You've previously worked as a stand-up comedian. Would you ever do a comedy game? Do you think that's worthwhile?

"Actually, well, we've got something we think is going to be very funny, very entertaining... When you get this next game, a couple years from now, and you're like, 'Okay, finally, I get to check out what this guy's talking about,' you're going to sit back, you're going to relax, you're going to enjoy yourself. And you're going to go, 'Oh, I know what he means now.' That's the next thing I want to try to do."

Very funny indeed...Brian Crecente

Powered Up [GamesIndustry, via 1Up]

I convinced my dad to buy my older brother an Xbox 360 earlier this year for his birthday.

Drew loves gaming, but wasn't decided on whether he wanted the Playstation 3, Wii or 360, so I decided for him. I was pretty sure I had made the right call after he received it and started playing the games. He had an Xbox and loved a lot of the titles on that system, so it seemed like a natural fit.

Then he called me last night to tell my his system, his three week old system that he had played exactly one game on had crapped out on him. He was getting the red ring of death. So I told him to call customer service.

"They'll handle everything, they're great. They'll even pay for shipping and Fed-Ex it for you. That's what they did for my systems (yes, plural) when they died."

He emailed back a little more than unhappy:

Brian Crecente

I was annoyed and disappointed when I saw my three-week old 360 wasn't working. I looked up the info about the blinking red circle on the Internet and found out that it was apparently toast. I called Microsoft and was relieved that I didn't have to wait very long to speak with "Vishay." What are the odds that Vishay is housed at Microsoft's campus in sunny California?

After going through the requisite questions Vishay stated (nearly enthusiastically) that my 360 needed to be repaired. He sounded as if he was doing me a favor when he said that all repairs and having the 360 shipped back to me was going to be covered by Microsoft.

When he said that I'd have to pay to ship it to Microsoft, annoyed went to pissed immediately.

I explained that there was absolutely no way that I was going to pay a penny for what was apparently a "shoddy product." Three weeks and it's already a paperweight? No sir.

I told Vishay that if he was unable to handle this situation that a supervisor would be required. After waiting nearly ten minutes Vishay returned to say that I was being transferred to a supervisor. Another five minutes of listening to some very static-filled on-hold music and Vishay came back to say that a supervisor had "approved" free shipment of the 360 to Microsoft.

Microsoft: if you're selling a product that goes belly-up in less than a month never suggest that I should pay anything to get said product fixed. You've blown the customer experience (and not in a good way). Instead of annoyed and disappointed I'm now pissed and unfortunately will stay so for a while. That sucks for me ... so thanks for that.

Unfortunately, these reports of shoddy costumer service on Microsoft's part seem on the rise lately. And what's with a console manufactured in August (I had Drew check) dying after a few weeks? I thought this was an issue with just the early batch of consoles. Come on Microsoft, don't fumble now. Brian Crecente

Time Warner Cable, the company that was first at fast and first at fiber optics, is increasing your speed again. We're doubling it in the new year ... for no extra cost.

In the first quarter of 2007, Road Runner will be doubling the download speed for its residential customers to 10 Mbps. Our Time Warner Cable Business Class customers will experience similar increases in speed.* The same monthly price that you've been paying will stay the same.

Increased speed. Same price. Great deal.

We haven't told the media yet. This is a special notice directly to you, our loyal and valued Road Runner customer. In the coming weeks, you'll see more information about this exciting improvement in your internet service.

There was a time when this would have been great news for PC gamers who use the service, but nowadays it's great news for all gamers who use the service. I hope that as more providers realize the importance of high speed for gaming, more of them will offer free upgrades like this to keep us. We are, after all, legion. Brian Crecente

Road Runner Doubling Bandwidth [Loot Ninja]

The hopefully non-prophetically named Singe did a little bit of research on Wii power consumption since the thing is on 24/7. Turns out that Nintendo's nifty new console isn't just light on power use, it's super light.

Wii:

- In Standby Mode: 10w
- Idle @ Wii menu: 17w
- Running a Wii Game (Test with Zelda / Trauma Center) in 480i: 17w

37" Sharp Aquos LCD TV:
- In Standby Mode: 40w
- Turned on: 180w

XBox 360:
- In Standby Mode: 2w
- Idle @ Dashboard: ~140w
- Running a Game: ~160w
- Playing a DVD: ~110w

Brian Crecente

They lay, side-by-side, stretched out in sleeping bags that cover them from head-to-toe, just their ashen and weary faces are visible.

There's a boom box sitting nearby, softly playing some non-descript music. At the front of the line is a red sign, it says they are getting eight 60GB PS3s.

They group laugh and point to one guy when I ask which one of them isn't getting the console. "I'm sharing it with him," the singled-out guy says motioning to his neighbor.

They seem exhausted. But they should be, they've been in the line since Tuesday. At one point, they say, someone came by the line and offered then $1,500 cash for a spot in their line. No one took the guy up on the offer.

"You can make a lot more on eBay," one of the line-waiters said. Brian Crecente

In this time of Playstation 3 violence and line-waiting, gamers should come together. 360, PS3, Wii, we're all just in it for the games, so why not go out and do a random act of kindness, like reader Jimmy Canuck.

JC decided to deliver cups of hot chocolate to his local line-waiters.

Reports have been coming in all day about problems with violence in the line-up's for the PS3. One look at Kotaku and you'll see everything you need to - four injured with BB guns in Kentucky, rioting outside of a Wal-Mart in Wisconsin, rioting inside of a Wal-Mart in California - and we've still got a day to go. Despite all of this, I had to pop into my local Best Buy this morning and saw about a dozen fanboys and one nice grandma huddled under plastic tarps and tents to keep themselves out of the freezing rain. So I drove across the parking lot to Tim Horton's and brought them all back hot chocolate.

I thought about writing "Buy a Wii instead" on the bottoms of all the cups, but by the time I thought of it they were already full of delicious chocolately goodness.

It's an easy thing to do, especially if there aren't too many line campers in your area - so on your way home from work today stop by your local PS3 line-up and do something nice.. After all, these people might be trampled to death at any moment.

If you do something kind (no, jumping someone with a PS3, beating their face into a pulp and taking their console isn't kind) email us you're story so we can post it.

A Random Act of Kindness Today for the PS3 Folks [Jimmy Canuck]