Earlier this week we had a chance to ask a number of pointed questions of Gallagher about some of the news that has recently rocked the association that he runs.

In this exclusive first in-depth interview with Gallagher about the perceptions and problems plaguing the ESA, he reveals that the annual E3 tradeshow made up about 85 percent of the association's operating funds and that the membership dues increases sparked by the show's downsizing were in some cases "substantial." He also offers his thoughts on why companies like Activision, Vivendi, LucasArts and id have left the fold of the association and why the ESA, despite the recent troubles, is still an important and viable part of the industry.

How much advance notice did you have that Activision, Vivendi, Lucas Arts and id were going to leave the ESA?

Each company gave the ESA ample notice. In discussions, they expressed gratitude for our work and continued support for the mission of the ESA. The public comments from all involved reflect that.

What reason did they give for leaving the ESA?

I would refer you to those companies for their reasons. They are publicly on the record supporting ESA’s mission, but their own business circumstances led them to that decision.

The business environment for video games is very complicated today. Some games are hugely successful – and very costly to develop and publish – but those are greatly outnumbered by those that do not do well in the marketplace. Even though the industry as a whole had a record year last year, with revenues up over 43%, that success has not been spread evenly.

Do you think that the increased cost of ESA membership factor into their decision?

Again, I’m sure this was a tough decision for those few companies, but would encourage you to contact them.

How much did ESA membership dues go up, percentage wise?

To answer this, it’s important to provide some context. In the past, E3 was a revenue-generating entity. As such, approximately 85% of the ESA’s operating funds resulted from that event. The trade show surplus allowed the ESA to provide membership at significantly discounted rates.

With the introduction of the new E3 Media & Business Summit, our Board of Directors increased membership dues to fund the ESA’s work. In some cases the increase in dues was substantial. Without getting into specifics, which are private and specific to individual ESA members, each company pays a certain amount based on North American sales.

Do you have any sense how happy your current member companies are?

Again, I would direct you to the member companies for that answer. The video game industry is very fortunate to have an abundance of strong, innovative, successful companies. Those companies are still very much engaged and supportive of ESA and its mission. In the past year, our industry has faced serious state government challenges, including attempts to regulate the sale or distribution of video games, which we have successfully beaten back. In addition, computer and video game companies are currently enjoying great economic and critical success and ESA has been a leading force in amplifying that good news to key audiences that are critical to a robust environment for the industry. We know our members appreciate these successes and remain deeply engaged in the ESA’s activities and are supportive of our mission.

Is the exodus from ESA over or do you expect more to follow suit?

The membership of any association fluctuates over time. For example, though it didn’t receive much attention by the gamer press, in the past nine months we added four new members—Epic Games, MTV Games, NCSoft, and Codemasters. What’s important to remember is not the changes in membership rolls, but the value the ESA provides to the industry –- a proven track record of defending First Amendment rights, educating elected officials and the uninitiated about computer and video games, and creating an environment beneficial to the entire industry. I would expect that the ESA will continue to make adjustments to ensure that we are delivering the best value and highest benefit to our members in the years to come.

Our industry has changed dramatically since the association was formed 13 years ago, and it is experiencing significant growth and change today. One thing that has become very clear in my first year on the job is that the huge growth the industry has undergone – 43% revenue growth last year, the expansion of online gaming, new revenue streams and models – has given rise to scores of entities that would benefit from participation in the ESA. This overall industry growth is going to be reflected in the ESA of today and tomorrow regardless in the number of members we have on our rolls on any one day.

How unanimous was the decision by the ESA’s board to downsize E3? Were any of the now former members of the ESA dissenters?

That decision was made well before I arrived and I am not going to talk about the specific votes of individual board members. The ESA Board collectively made the decision. What I will say is that the E3 Business & Media Summit in July will display the best the entertainment software industry has to offer. And, the exclusive, invitation-only nature of the event will help ensure an intimate environment, conducive to meeting business and media needs.

How unanimous was the decision by the ESA’s board to move to Santa Monica? And to move back to LA? Were any of the now former members of the ESA dissenters?

Again, that decision was made well before I arrived at ESA, and I am not going to talk about the specific votes of individual board members. The ESA Board heard the feedback provided by exhibitors, journalists, guests, and their own staffs and decided to move the event.

Was the roughly $5 million penalty paid by the ESA to the LA Convention Center the entire cost of breaking the contract that ran through 2012 or was that only for breaking it for a year?

t’s important to note that the $5 million figure that was reported isn’t a penalty or fine assessed by the LACC. It was the cumulative one-time sum from a number of different factors—all of which are normal when moving an event.

Was the decision to move back to the LACC in anyway tied to the penalty paid, in other words did it lessen the fines?

No, the decision to hold the E3 Media & Business Summit in Los Angeles was made to meet the needs of both exhibitors and participants. It offers a centralized location for the number of activities and events occurring during the Summit and has the necessary infrastructure to support the number of attendees, staff, and personnel required for a successful Summit.

How did the ESA manage to land space at the LACC so quickly? Are you in a new multi-year contract with LACC? Did the ESA have to pay more than usually to get space in the center on such short notice?

The LACC space was available and we were able to close quickly on a contract because of our long-standing good relationship with both the city and the LACC. I’m not going to get into specifics our agreement.

Will there be an E3 next year?

Absolutely, The E3 Media & Business Summit will remain the preeminent gathering for the computer and video game industry on this continent. As we have done in the past, we will survey participating companies, members of the media and other Summit participants to learn after this year’s event and decide how we can consistently improve subsequent editions of E3 next year and in the years to come.

Is the continuation of E3 in doubt or up for discussion by the board?

See above.

In today’s state of video gaming, with the industry often being included in mainstream coverage, both as a form of entertainment and as business news, does there need to be an E3?

Yes. Remember, the E3 Summit is first and foremost about getting business done. The Summit provides key players within our thriving industry a much-needed window for high-level meetings in a business-like setting. E3 also provides a time and venue for valuable networking opportunities and dedicated time for interaction with key analysts and members of the media.

Is the board considering shifting their attentions to a new event that is open to the public, perhaps as a way of replacing E3?

To be honest with you, the ESA and our members’ E3 Summit teams are right now wholly focused on ensuring a productive, efficient, and professional experience for attendees this July. That’s where our focus belongs. As we have done following past editions of E3, we will survey various participants and, based on that input, we will set about designing the 2009 edition of the Summit.

Does the recent exodus of member companies reflect a loss in faith or of value of the ESA?

The loss of a few members reflects the individual choices these companies made for their own business reasons. There are hundreds of trade associations in Washington. Members come and go over time. The same has and is happening at ESA. We added members last year and have lost a few members this year.

ESA’s success in helping to create an ecosystem conducive to the growth and innovation we are seeing in the computer and video game industry is indisputable. Our industry is growing and evolving and these changes are going to be reflected in the ESA’s membership, mission and activities. The industry of today will likely be different than the industry of 2015. We look forward to continuing our role as the voice and face of the industry in Washington, DC and in state capitals around the nation in the years to come and carrying forward the policy agenda that promotes an environment where video games thrive now and in the future.

With first amendment and gaming issues fading away, the level of awareness in the rating system rising and E3 no longer the preeminent gaming event in the world, does there need to be an ESA?

I actually disagree with the premise of your question. First amendment issues aren’t fading away at all. In the past year we’ve seen serious state government challenges, including attempts to regulate the sale and distribution of computer and video games. We also are starting to see unconstitutional proposals that would tax video games differently than other forms of first amendment-protected material. Now, more than ever, we have to maintain our vigilance and promote the ESRB rating system, public/private partnerships, and applaud elected officials who work with us to ensure the games children enjoy are appropriate.

Look, it’s a simple equation. Unconstitutional limitations on entertainment software inhibit not only developers in what they can create, but also in the types of games consumers enjoy. Also, the tax proposals we see hurt ordinary consumers, too. The issues we’re at the forefront fighting are not just publisher or developer issues. They are challenges to the entire art and entertainment of video games.

Knowing this, gamers need to be involved in letting their elected officials know that gamers are politically active and vote. We encourage all those interested to visit www.videogamevoters.org and sign up.

ESA is the leading defender of the industry in all of these challenges. As an industry, we will continue to face challenges as we grow into new business models. As online gaming blossoms, issues of privacy, law enforcement, and helping parents to protect children will be a part of a larger discussing. ESA will continue to be the singular voice of the industry in those debates. Where foreign governments are not fully protecting our industry’s investment in innovative and creative products, ESA is leading the charge to encourage sanctions and open up new markets and opportunities. Similarly, where misguided and unconstitutional state legislative proposals are defeated, ESA will be front and center, defending the creative forces within this industry.

These opportunities and challenges have not, and in the foreseeable future will not, disappear. As our industry grows and changes the need for representation in Washington and state capitals will grow and evolve. The political battles we are fighting today could be very different form the battles we fight next year and five and ten years from now. As a result the need for the ESA will exist for many years to come.

Some anonymous company sources have expressed concern over Michael Gallagher’s leadership, they say he isn’t vocal enough and blame some of the recent issues with the industry on him? How do you respond to that?

As a matter of policy, ESA doesn’t comment on blind quotes and speculation. If they are anonymous, it shows the quality of the source. Many industry leaders have publicly endorsed the ESA mission and my leadership.

About those review limitations, Payton says the NDA covered: Install times, length of cutscenes (the ending in particular), number of environments, opening "movie", product placement and a half dozen story-specific items. Payton gets down to specifics, stating, "The game requires an eight minute install, as well as a number of two to three-minute installs between acts." But what about the cutscenes? The rationale, according to Payton, was that they wanted reviewers to refrain from describing which cutscenes were long as it would "ruin" the experience if players knew when a cutscene was unfolding. What's more, Payton adds, "I want to make it clear that, from today, reviewers are welcome to discuss the length of the cutscenes and install times, but we ask that they not get too specific about the cinematic times and what happens in later install sequences..." Hit the jump for Payton's email in full.

Hey Brian,

Believe it or not, I've been so busy working on a special surprise for MGS4 buyers (that not even those who have leaked copies of the game can spoil! Haha!), that I haven't had time to catch up on most of the pre-launch excitement.

Scanning the net today, I came across that 90-minute cutscene rumor, and a red-faced Adam Sessler, who was obviously very upset about the restrictions placed on MGS4 reviews.

Adam asks at the end of his Soapbox clip if he was rambling. On the contrary, I think he voiced some really important concerns about the restrictions placed on MGS4 reviewers.

In light of this, I took a look at the list of restrictions and found that some items are outdated and require more explanation.

We asked reviewers to avoid the following topics:

-Install times
-Length of cutscenes (the ending in particular)
-Number of environments
-Opening "movie"
-Product placement
-(Plus a half dozen story-specific items)

The game requires an eight minute install, as well as a number of two to three-minute installs between acts.

As for the cutscenes, reviewers are more than happy to comment on whether they're too long or short. We simply want reviewers to refrain from describing which scenes are long, thus spoiling some of the experience because players will know what to expect when a scene is unfolding.

I want to make it clear that, from today, reviewers are welcome to discuss the length of the cutscenes and install times, but we ask that they not get too specific about the cinematic times and what happens in later install sequences...

But as for the next three items, we are still asking reviewers to avoid these topics. We want the opening to be a huge surprise for gamers, and knowing how many environments there are in the game, obviously, is a spoiler. These restrictions will remain in place.

Finally, we've asked reviewers to not write about some of the product placement because of some contractual agreements we have with third parties.

I hope this helps clear up some of the controversy.

As a former writer, I'm proud of the discussion this topic has sparked. I hope Adam, Patrick Klepek, and everybody else who covered this issue continue to be diligent about restrictions placed on media outlets. (That's honestly why I'm such a fan of Kotaku — it keeps publishers on their toes.)

I do, however, hope gamers can appreciate the efforts we go through to keep them protected from reviewers that could spoil some of the MGS4 experience.

rp

Eds Note: Adam Sessler has responded, stating: "I’m very pleased this has a resolution in time for the reviews on the game to come out. I haven’t talked to Ryan Payton yet, who I consider a friend and colleague, but I greatly appreciate his and Kojima production’s reconsideration of these restrictions. Our ability to speak openly and honestly to our viewers has always been of the utmost importance, and I know Kojima productions and Konami feel the same way."

"I thought the term '90 minutes' was just a shorthand way of saying 'long' from the beginning. Anyway, I’m glad this all settled, because I really want to play this game."

Hit the jump for the other three clips, which get progressive more amusing as they go along.

Rokkitball brings a new level of multiplayer gaming to InstantAction, combining the frantic pace of a shooter with the team strategy of a real-world sport," said Alex Swanson, Rokkitball Producer and Designer. "We plan to provide an on-going flow of new content to players through InstantAction, with several additional stadiums and enhanced team customization options already in the works."

InstantAction RELEASES 'ROKKITBALL'

Fast-paced Full-court Action Combines FPS Skills with Sports Strategy

EUGENE, OREGON - InstantAction.com, the web browser based action gaming platform that's revolutionizing how people play, today announced Rokkitball, a futuristic team-based game that's best described as football with rocket launchers and magno-beams. The game is available in public beta to play today at www.instantaction.com.

"Rokkitball brings a new level of multiplayer gaming to InstantAction, combining the frantic pace of a shooter with the team strategy of a real-world sport," said Alex Swanson, Rokkitball Producer and Designer. "We plan to provide an on-going flow of new content to players through InstantAction, with several additional stadiums and enhanced team customization options already in the works."

Launching on InstantAction with support for up to eight players, Rokkitball puts players on an ultramodern playfield with multiple goals. The tactics reward a combination of precision fire and team positioning to disrupt the enemy and control the field. Challenging bot players can be used to fill out games if there are too few humans, or to practice your skills when your friends aren't available.

"Rokkitball is a great example of the depth of games we can deploy on InstantAction," said Andy Yang, General Manager of InstantAction.com. "It begins to show the versatility of the platform and the quality of titles that we'll deliver more and more of to players."

Rokkitball was created by GarageGames internal studio.

To sign up and play Rokkitball or the numerous other games at InstantAction, please visit www.instantaction.com

About InstantAction
InstantAction is the leading multi-player action gaming destination that's revolutionizing how and where people play core games. It combines high-end visuals and action gameplay with social gaming, allowing players to form parties and easily move from one game to the next. InstantAction's initial portfolio of original games range from high-profile studios to newly discovered game development talent. InstantAction was created by GarageGames, an operating business of IAC (NASDAQ: IACI). InstantAction is located in Eugene, OR and on the web at http://www.instantaction.com.
# # #

You can check out the entire list of artists and their tracks after the jump.

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue North American Soundtrack
Exclusive Tracks to North America
— Weezer - "Automatic" (LA Riots remix)
— The Mars Volta - "Goliath" (EL-P remix)
— Justice - "Let There Be Light"
— SebastiAn - "Dolami"
— Kavinsky - "Testarossa Autodrive" (SebastiAn remix)
— DJ Shadow - "LOVE LOVE"
— Does it Offend You, Yeah? - "With a Heavy Heart (I Regret to
Inform You)"
— The Earaches - "Not the Kind of Man I Am"
— Thin Lizzy - "The Rocker (Richard Evans Mix)"
— The Klaxons - "Golden Skans"
— Friendly Fires - "On Board"
— Pride Tiger - "Let 'Em Go"

International Tracks also on the North American Soundtrack
— Masahiro Andoh - "Moon Over The Castle" (Gran Turismo 5
Prologue version)
— Nittoku Inoue - "Road Star"
— Nittoku Inoue - "100,000 R.P.M."
— Nittoku Inoue - "Get Away"
— Nittoku Inoue - "V12"
— Nittoku Inoue - "Kill Switch"
— naomee - "Vanish From Angel"
— naomee - "Sky High Mountain Breeze"
— naomee - "Twieky 4"
— Daiki Kasho - "Surv1v3"
— Daiki Kasho - "Edge of the World"
— Daiki Kasho - "Flow"
— Goose - "Check"
— Goose - "3T4"
— Goose - "Everybody"
— Backdraft ft Tor - "Off The Wall"
— Alloy Mental - "We have Control"
— Reverend & The Makers - "The Machine"

Larry Niven has written some of the most critically acclaimed science fiction of the past century, with several series of books that would seem perfect for the video game treatment. His Known Space world alone has enough fodder for dozens of games. Instead of capitalizing on the built-in audience of Ringworld and Man-Kzin Wars fans, he opted for something different.

After talking about a bunch of options Larry decided it would be most fun to create a new world for the game, rather than set it somewhere already established. That way we could build the world to support the game, rather than the other way around... which I really wasn't expecting from an author.

Niven is known for hard science-fiction - sci-fi that uses explainable technologies. You won't find nonsense voodoo tech in his stories. Even his rational fantasy series The Magic Goes Away treats magic as a non-renewable resource. The same rules apply for Free Fall. Alchemic is so keen to make sure the tech in the game is functional and realistic that they've recruited aerospace engineers to create their equipment.

The guys we have designing our tech (space suits, weapons, tools, ships) are aerospace engineers as well as artists... these are the same guys that are helping visualize the spacecraft for NASA's Mars mission. So everything is totally workable. Like I can point to anything on the tech illustrations and ask "what does that do?" and they can tell me. We actually had to redesign our suits because our initial design wouldn't allow the miners to thrust backwards because of the placement of the nozzles.

Hell yeah.

Alchemic is envisioning the game as an Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 title, though the game is still in early developmental stages and that's always subject to change. They pitched the concept around at last month's GDC and got a very favorable response, so I'd fully expect to hear more news on the game soon. For now, oogle the concept art and imagine what could be, just like Larry Niven's been doing for the past 40+ years.

The game is one hundred percent hand drawn. There is zero cell shading in The King of Fighters XII.

Hardcore. That means that an actual human hands lovingly drew and colored in everything in the game. Every single frame, every character and every background. Everything — down to the game's in-game title. SNK gave us the full rundown, so here's how it worked: The original character drawings were modeled into 3D. Those 3D models were then rendered back into 2D. That way the 2D characters could have a greater depth of motion. Since the 2D models were devoid of color and details, artists went through each character, background, image and painstakingly added colors and drew in details pixel-by-pixel on a tablet PC. In one day, one artist would be able to draw one frame and a half for whatever image he or she was working on.

"We knew it was going to be hard going in," says Kukino. "But we wanted to make the ultimate 2D fighting game." Up close, that meticulous attention to detail becomes apparent, and you're always noticing a flourish here or a nice touch there. Every inch of the screen has something interesting going on. "We wanted the look of the game to have more in common with manga or anime," Kukino adds. With KoFXII, it looks like SNK hasn't only created another stylized 2D fighter, but this time, a genuine work of art.

"id Software is among the proverbial godfathers of modern gaming and we are thrilled to be working with them on their first title in our 'freemium' category," said Justin Townsend, CEO of IGA Worldwide. "This partnership is only the latest testament to the increasing acceptance of in-game as an effective, measurable advertising medium and a strategic revenue opportunity for publishers and developers."

While I know many of you folks aren't too fond of in-game advertising, this is free Quake we're talking about. It's not like they are delivering some Peggle clone or something. And the features? It's like they're packing a mini Xbox Live into the website. Seems like a fair trade-off for a few "Sponsored By" banners to me.

IGA is banking big on Quake Live, hopeful that other forward-thinking publishers will give the "freemium" concept a go. No word yet on when the game will officially launch, but you can bet we'll be keeping you posted!

IGA Worldwide Partners with id Software on Forthcoming QUAKE LIVE title

IGA Selected Exclusive Provider of Advertiser Sponsorships; In-Game Brand Integration Opportunities within Revolutionary QUAKE LIVE Portal

San Francisco, CA- February 19, 2008 -IGA Worldwide Inc., the leading independent in-game advertising network announced today from the 2008 Game Developer Conference that it has partnered with id Software to manage all advertising, sponsorship and creative branding opportunities within the forthcoming QUAKE LIVE web site and free-to-play version of the popular action series.

Created by id Software as an all-new way to deliver the excitement and energy of first-person multiplayer action to a broader audience than ever before, QUAKE LIVE offers game players of all skill levels a totally free and easily accessible multiplayer gaming experience and community through a single website at quakelive.com. Every element of the experience, including friends lists and communication, sponsored events and tournaments, matchmaking, stats tracking, and even the game itself is accessed and delivered free of charge through the web browser. Integrated with IGA's proprietary SDK, QUAKE LIVE will offer companies and agencies fresh opportunities to dynamically-target brands to audiences within a broadly accessible version of one of the world's premiere game franchises, while also offering gamers a totally free premium game, fun events and a vibrant, active community of other players.

"IGA understands game developers and game players which makes them the perfect partner for QUAKE LIVE. Whether it's been the ease of implementing their SDK or just their excitement about QUAKE LIVE, they have been fantastic to work with," said Todd Hollenshead, CEO of id Software. "As we work to bring QUAKE-style deathmatch excitement to the masses, IGA has fully supported our vision."

"id Software is among the proverbial godfathers of modern gaming and we are thrilled to be working with them on their first title in our 'freemium' category," said Justin Townsend, CEO of IGA Worldwide. "This partnership is only the latest testament to the increasing acceptance of in-game as an effective, measurable advertising medium and a strategic revenue opportunity for publishers and developers."

IGA predicts more progressive game publishers like id will create what the company has coined "freemium," or free-to-play premium games based on their most popular titles in order to attract new audiences and open new revenue advertising revenue streams. A recent eMarketer forecast estimated the current video game advertising market to exceed $502MM and is expected to grow 23 percent year-over-year over the next five years.

About IGA Worldwide
IGA Worldwide, Inc. is the market-leading in-game advertising network offering brands and agencies a single point of access to an exclusive range of opportunities within the world's premium videogame franchises. IGA's proprietary Radial NetworkSM enables advertisers to dynamically-target over 15 million uniquely engaged consumers and has successfully delivered campaigns for brands such as Intel, Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Nokia, Gillette and Unilever. IGA also provides brands with customized branding solutions including integrated product placement and co promotion. IGA Worldwide is headquartered in New York with offices in London, Los Angeles, Connecticut and Berlin.
For more information please visit www.igaworldwide.com.

About id Software:
Id - defined by Freud as the primal section of the human psyche; id Software, located in Mesquite, Texas, was founded in 1991. From inception to present day, id Software has relentlessly provided technical, design and artistic leadership as an independent game developer and technology provider. Transcending the games industry, id's iconic brands such as Wolfenstein, DOOM, QUAKE and Enemy Territory have become staples of popular culture for generations of gamers. More information on id Software can be found at www.idsoftware.com.

"We've listened to our customers, who are showing a clear preference toward Blu-ray products and movies with their purchases."

Wal-Mart will continue to sell HD-DVD products in the coming months, but expect to be Blu-ray exclusive soon with a heavy shift happening in the next thirty days. Add to that this week's announcement of Netflix's Blu-ray exclusivity and you've got what looks like an end in sight to the format wars.

Wal-Mart on Blu-ray bandwagon [CNN Money]

This of course is probably one of the most highly debated rumors of the past year, now spilling over into 2008, and while we'd generally take it with a grain of salt, we've heard rumblings over the past few months that lend support to the notion that Solid Snake's epic could eventually see the light of day on the 360.

The main problem is that our sources are somewhat conflicted. One indicates that Konami has returned money paid to it by Sony to secure the title's exclusivity on the PlayStation 3, while other sources tell us that money never actually changed hands, and that the exclusive nature of the title was merely a matter of support for the relationship the two companies share.

At this point of course there really isn't enough information to jump to a solid conclusion, but if I were a magic 8 ball right now, I wouldn't have hands to type with and you wouldn't be reading any of this. I'd just sit quietly on my desk in front of my keyboard with a little 'Signs Point To Yes' floating in and out of view on top of my head.

Feel free to maul each other in the comments section, and Happy New Year! I'm going back to bed.

Metal Gear Solid 4 Coming to Xbox 360 [XboxFamily]

HOMESTEAD, FL—New EA Sports President Peter Moore was at Miami Speedway over the weekend to hand out the $10,000 check to NASCAR Challenge winner Brandon Coppinger of Nashville, TN. Before heading to a meeting with the NASCAR drivers to talk videogames, Moore took some time for this exclusive Kotaku interview.

When asked how the unique NASCAR experience compared to his F1 racing, the Brit said that F1 had gotten boring for a while because Michael Schumacher seemed to win every race. Moore was recently in London, where he had the opportunity to meet the latest F1 sensation, Lewis Hamilton.

"Between Hamilton and the scandal involving the exchange of information between McLaren and Ferrari, F1 is getting more interesting," said Moore. "But. I'll tell you, there's nothing like a NASCAR race. This is my first NASCAR race in the flesh, although I follow the circuit."

This year's inaugural NASCAR Challenge, which was a partnership with Craftsman, is the key to expanding the sport and the game's sales moving forward, according to Moore.

"NASCAR has been a one nation sales opportunity, but we're working with our NASCAR partners on the ability to bring NASCAR, even here in North America, to places that normally don't get a chance to see races," said Moore. "We had 11 winners from retail tournaments for the NASCAR Challenge, but we also had five online winners, so utilizing the Internet is going to be the key to involve more people."

The NASCAR Challenge semi-finals and finals too place before the Ford 400 Championship race on pit row under a black tent surrounded by palm trees. Game Live's founder evidently loves palm trees, which did shade contestants from the 81 degree November Miami sun. CBS broadcaster Brent Musburger was on hand to provide commentary for the final race.

"You can see this is quite an undertaking and it's not something you can do every week, particularly with the lack of tracks the further west you get," said Moore. "The ability for us to bring the NASCAR experience virtually is going to be the key."

EA Sports, through its long-term partnership with ESPN, has turned "Madden Nation" into a hit series and televised the Madden Challenge. Last season, NBA Live also got its own TV show. Could a NASCAR Challenge program be far behind?

"I would hope so," said Moore. "We do phenomenal TV programming with ESPN around Madden, whether it's 'Madden Nation' or the Madden Bowl or the Madden Challenge. I see no reason why we can't get NASCAR on TV, particularly since driving is such an easy sport to translate to television. Madden is a little bit different because you have to look to figure out what's going on. Driving is different because it's easy to see who's leading and who's chasing. We now have ESPN integration in the new NASCAR game. I hope we can get together with ESPN and really bring this Challenge alive in a new way."

Next year's NASCAR 09 PlayStation 2 game is currently in development at EA's new Raleigh, NC studio. Moore said EA Sports is starting to develop a studio in Raleigh because it's part of the culture in North Carolina.

"It gets NASCAR out of Orlando (EA Tiburon) a little bit, where we're still dominated—whether we like it or not—by our Madden and Tiger Woods games," said Moore. "It allows the NASCAR franchise to stand on its own two feet as a game. The ability to bring the game not only to the next gen platforms, but also to the PSP, handhelds, and mobile are all ways that I think our Raleigh Studio will help expand this franchise in the future."

With the opening of EA's Raleigh Studio came the closing of EA Chicago, home of Fight Night and Def Jam.

"Our boxing franchise will move over to Vancouver," said Moore. "The Fight Night franchise is very important to us. We have 1,400 people over in Vancouver. This closure is the classic redeployment of resources."

Beyond the addition of NASCAR to the EA Sports Challenge Circuit, Moore said he believes an NHL Challenge will debut in the not-so-distant future. In addition, EA Sports is with Sony on a new iteration of the FIFA Interactive World Cup.

"In my previous life at Microsoft, I helped develop the FIFA Interactive World Cup," said Moore. "If you think NASCAR's a challenge, then try to imagine getting people together to play FIFA when you have soccer played in 180 countries. We distribute FIFA games in 42 countries. Online becomes critical. EA and Microsoft worked together a few years ago to establish the FIFA Interactive World Cup. Now with Sony's sponsorship of FIFA, we're going to be working with SCEA and SCE to be able to develop this competition and bring it one notch further. I think this could be the model of how you can bring this experience to someone in their own living room. As long as they're on some kind of a connected network using a console or even a PC I think we can deliver that on the couch moving forward."

When told that the first Madden Challenge winner was a die hard PlayStation 3 gamer, Moore said he loves all the platforms.

"As long as he's playing EA Sports that's fine by me," said the former Microsoft and Sega exec. "We have the 360 here primarily because of the great steering wheel. This is a multi-platform game. I think Xbox helped us enormously, especially with being able to deliver some of this equipment for the NASCAR Challenge, but that doesn't mean this thing is an Xbox 360 exclusive in any way."

Moore has no regrets about jumping ship from Microsoft and heading up EA Sports, but he does believe it's a small world.

"Back in my Sega days, I competed pretty aggressively against EA Sports the first time around against Riccitello when we were having a good time at Sega Sports," said Moore. "We developed 2K Sports when I was at Sega and interestingly, they've become a competitor of mine now. It's amazing what goes around, comes around. And more recently at Microsoft, we had a great time working with EA Sports. I've both competed with and collaborated with them. It feels real good to be back in the Bay Area."

Finger Eleven lead singer Scott Anderson is a huge gamer, so he's pretty stoked that his band is the first to offer a free live concert in high definition on Xbox Live Video Marketplace. Through January 6, gamers in the U.S. can download the 58-minute set from the Berkeley Church in Toronto. The concert includes hit songs "Paralyzer," "So So Suicide," "Falling On," and "Lost My Way."

"It's pretty awesome," said Anderson. "Anyone who's tried Xbox Live Video Marketplace for a while, they've been waiting for this type of thing...I live in Canada, so I've been waiting for this type of HD content for a long time. It's a full hour of a show we did a few months ago. It's so cool. It's a couple clicks away. It's a platform that I endorse, literally. I love it, man. I'll load it up and see my face and probably cringe, but it's cool. We're living in the future, man. There's no flying cars yet, but it's still pretty cool."

Anderson has been a passionate gamer his entire life. He said he doesn't discriminate against any platform, since he's not a fan boy of any console in particular. In fact, if he had to pick a favorite gaming medium, it'd be the PC.

"I'm playing a lot of Team Fortress right now," said Anderson. "That's such a nice game. I just cracked open Hellgate. I've been waiting for that for a while. World in Conflict is something that really kicked me in the nuts. I keep real current."

Anderson said he has every system known to man, but he doesn't have one of those gaming museums.

"I have the current stuff and I have an 8-Bit Nintendo kicking around somewhere," said Anderson. "I love a bad ass RPG as much as a first-person shooter. I'll play anything that's well done."

While Anderson always has his laptop with him for PC gaming, when he's on tour with the band, it's all about Xbox 360. The luxury bus has not one but two gaming lounges for the band members to play Halo 3 on.

"We play split-screen system link and that keeps eight of us busy," said Anderson. "It makes things heated. Everyone takes it very seriously. Even the guys who aren't hardcore gamers have some Halo shops. It's nice because every other band we'll make a party of it before the show or after the show and before the bar. We play pick-up games and get wasted on the bus."

Anderson recalls the launch day of Microsoft's hit game. The band was on tour and in New Jersey, of all places. He said they were in line before midnight to be among the first to own the new game.

" I wanted to pull a big rock star thing and cancel everything around Halo 3's launch, but we happened to have three days off then," said Anderson. "We stayed up until 4 or 5 a.m. just breaking everything in, checking out the new maps, weapons and other stuff just like everybody else that day. It's fun because you get to play videogames with your buddies on a big expensive tour bus. Not since high school have I had the chance to get together with eight buddies and play games. I love the fact that that's part of my job. I was actually working at that point because we were on tour. It's a good life."

When it comes to Halo 3, Anderson was pretty disappointed with the game, which he didn't believe lived up to the overwhelming hype.

"The multiplayer's not broken so I'm sure we'll be playing that forever, but I'm disappointed that I had to wait so long for just an okay game," said Anderson. "Maybe it was tested to death, I don't know. It was as long as the wait for Episode 2 of Half-Life II, but at least that was worth it. I spoil myself because I play everything, so it really sets the bar high when you play the really good stuff. And Halo 3 didn't meet my expectations."

The band is currently taking a short break, playing lots of games. But Xbox Live gamers can enjoy their music for free for the next two months.

A source has also leaked me with the surprisingly honest memo sent to EA employees from Frank Gibeau, President of EA Games. In it he says:

"Within the EA Games Label, we are committed to running each franchise and facility as a city/state, teams with unique creative identities as well as responsibility for product quality, ship dates and profitability....Unfortunately, EA Chicago hasn't been able to meet that standard....Closing EA Chicago is the toughest decision I've made in my career - one that in no way reflects on the talent and dedication of the people who work there."

Read the full memo from EA after the jump...

FROM FRANK GIBEAU Today we are announcing the closure of our studio in Chicago. This is a difficult decision but we are convinced it's the right thing to do for the future of the Games Label and EA.

Within the EA Games Label, we are committed to running each franchise and facility as a city/state, teams with unique creative identities as well as responsibility for product quality, ship dates and profitability. We recognize that games require large investments and extended development cycles. We're willing to take risks, make long-term investments, and to support teams and individuals between launches. But each team is responsible for staying on a reasonable path to profitability. Sticking to that strategy is what gives us the financial resources and flexibility to take risks on new projects.

Unfortunately, EA Chicago hasn't been able to meet that standard. The location has grown dramatically in the past three years while revenue from the games developed there has not. The number of employees has grown from 49 in 2004 to 146 people currently in the new facility in downtown Chicago. As it stands, EA Chicago has no expectation of hitting our profitability targets until FY2011 or later.

Closing EA Chicago is the toughest decision I've made in my career - one that in no way reflects on the talent and dedication of the people who work there. I've enjoyed their games and consider GM Kudo Tsunoda to be one of the best creative minds in our industry. The people impacted by this decision will be treated fairly - we're offering relocation opportunities to many and there will be outplacement assistance and severance for all eligible employees.

I know this decision will be unsettling to many beyond those who work in Chicago. It's important that you understand that we are willing to take creative risks and make long-term investments in people and projects. But the city/state philosophy demands that every project be committed to delivering a reasonable expectation of profitability. It's a performance commitment that binds us together and ensures we have the resources we need to invest back into our people and creative output.

Finally, when EA announced our quarterly earnings last week, John and Warren referenced facility closures. We had planned to include Chicago in that communication but a personal tragedy in the studio - the death of a colleague - resulted in our delaying the announcement out of respect for his family and friends. I apologize for any confusion or concern that caused.

I think you'll find that in addition to tackling some serious challenges, we are making great progress on our business. Consumers have responded well to our new IP and quality scores are tracking up. We are proud of our recent hits, such as Skate and the success we have made in making a solid game with The Simpsons. And we're looking forward to breakout hits like Need For Speed Pro Street, Rockband, Burnout Paradise, Battlefield Bad Company, Army of Two, Crysis, and more in the future with Mass Effect and Mercenaries 2 World in Flames.

We're definitely headed in the right direction.

Frank

Bell's involvement was first leaked last December when the blonde starlet started to mouth off about some of the game's top-secret sci-fi elements. (Let's just say you're in for a shock when you start playing Assassin's next week). But if you're looking for more details on Bell's character, you won't find any in the press release. Jade does say she's a big fan of Bell's "professionalism, "dynamic personality," "emotional range," and "talent." Do I sense a little crush? We'll have to see if Jade follows in Bell's footsteps and appears on the cover of Maxim like this thread suggests. Knowing Jade I'm guessing not.

For your eyes only, the official trailer for the upcoming Soldier of Fortune: Payback shooter. Hell of a kicker. The Activision folks told me today that the game will be hitting the PC, Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 and that it won't be a "Value" title in either spirit or price.

Tomorrow Activision launches the site, which has the above trailer, the below screens and some more details. Hit the jump for a quick description of the plot.

Soldier of Fortune: Payback is the long-awaited third installment of the Soldier of Fortune videogame series. The saga continues with the organization known as "The Shop" where players take on the role of a hired mercenary. Players will experience all the thrills and dangers of authentic mercenary combat blasting their way through high intensity combat situations in the world's most dangerous hotspots in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe. Using any means necessary, players will need to uncover a complex plot and defeat an extremist organization determined to throw the world into global conflict. Failure is not an option.

Check back tomorrow for our feature on the game including hands-on with Payback and some time with the man behind the magazine... behind the game.

Target Corp. Giving Fans More Reasons To Rock With Guitar Hero® III: Legends Of Rock Bundle

Exclusive to Target This Holiday Season, PlayStation 2 Bundle Will Feature Game and Two Specially Designed Guitar Controllers

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - October 18, 2007 - Target, Activision, and RedOctane are teaming up to form a supergroup this holiday season with the release of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock on Oct. 28. Aspiring shredders can head on into Target stores for an exclusive bundle that includes the game, two specially designed guitar controllers and a customization kit full of guitar straps and stickers. The bundle will retail for $109.99. Curious gamers can get a sneak peek of the game at this week's E for All Expo in Los Angeles.

"Guitar Hero isn't just a game, it's a social and cultural phenomenon," said Troy Peterson, Senior Buyer at Target. "Our exclusive bundle gives fans a chance to hit the ground running right out of the box with two guitars and lets players take advantage of the new multiplayer features in Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock."

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock will include explosive new content and features including a multiplayer action-inspired battle mode, grueling boss battles, a host of exclusive unlockable content and visually stunning rock venues. The third installment of the franchise is the biggest yet, including songs from such artists as Aerosmith, Guns N' Roses, The Killers, Metallica, Smashing Pumpkins, Beastie Boys, The Who and KISS. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, published by RedOctane and developed by Neversoft, is rated 'T' for Teen by the ESRB and will be available October 28, 2007. For more information about the Guitar Hero franchise, please visit this dedicated community site: www.guitarhero.com.

The South Park gang was kind enough to shoot us this exclusive early look at some of the commentary included in the Make Love Not Warcraft episode. I also had a chance to watch through the gaming episodes and listen to the commentary. Pretty interesting stuff in there.

The guys said they had been thinking of doing a WoW episode for quite awhile, mostly because nearly everyone on their team plays the game. Though one of the guys, it's hard to tell who was talking, said that he played it for about hours and then got sick of it... that's exactly what WoW was like for me too. How weird. They go on to talk about making the episode and some funny problems they ran into.

More interesting, I thought was their discussion about the Wii episode which lead to, they say, both of them getting free Wiis from Nintendo. One of the guys says that during the lead up to Nintendo's new console like "95 percent of my day was the Wii. I'd been waiting for it to come out for five months and at the end of the day that's what I was concerned about."

He said that's a good explanation of his religious beliefs too and his take on atheism. "You can argue and you can get upset at these people and they can get upset at them, but the fucking Wii is coming out."

The shows themselves are, of course, hilarious, so the gaming connection, and that free WoW trial, are just the cherry on top.

Cartoon Network sends word that new details for their upcoming massively multiplayer online game, named Cartoon Network Universe: FusionFall, will be hitting tomorrow morning.

I was able to eke a few things out of them early though. First is the name, FusionFall, but I also got these two screens from in-game and news that there will be a playable demo at Comic-Con later this week. Cartoon Network will also have the development team at the show doing a panel Thursday evening.

Expect more details as well as some game-play footage tomorrow. Two things: those screens look pretty cool, especially that top one, and please, please,please include Adult Swim in the game, then I'll be happy.

Ps. Bloo too!

This year's show was the second time I've had a chance to have a one-on-one interview with Shigeru Miyamoto and, as always, it was a pleasure. Instead of talking to Miyamoto about the things he often is seen talking about (games), we decided to talk more about Nintendo philosophy, supply issues and the future of the company's hardware platforms.

On a side note, I've been trying to get Nintendo to talk to me, up front, about the future or death of the Game Boy Advance almost since the DS came out. I'm not exaggerating. I've even interviewed some Nintendo of America execs about it, but I could never really get them to be frank. Miyamoto finally was, but it took a bit of tag-team cajoling with the help of Ash and lead to him saying, in the middle of the exchange, "You ask hard questions." Excellent.

Hit the jump for the full list of topics. We broke down the 30 minute or so interview into shorter videos so you can jump to the ones that interest you most, though I think all of them are worth viewing if you haven't yet.

The death of the GBA
Hardcore versus casual gamers
Wii upgrades
The death of E3
Manipulating Wii supplies
The next iteration of the DS
Retirement

I had a chance to meet with Jack Tretton and Kaz Hirai during their now annual blogger event. It's kind of a neat idea. Sony gathers together a bunch of bloggers for an open meeting with an assortment of Sony executives.

The first such event, held at GDC, was quite amazing. Not only was there a pretty wide selection of Sony folks on hand, they were just as interested in hearing what we had to say as we were in what they had to say. So it was more like a chat than an interview.

This time around things seemed more like a straight-up interview. I ended up not really asking that much because Sony had been kind enough to set up a one-on-one interview for us with Jack Tretton earlier in the day.

Kaz had some interesting things to say, in particular he said that in his new role with the company he's trying to afford the regional presidents more control or at least say over what's going on in their area.

"One of the things I've tried to start changing is giving more autonomy, decision power to the regional headquarters," he said in the group meeting.

As always, I asked about the PSP download service, my now years long pet-peeve. Kaz said that they are "looking at a variety of ways of brining a video download service and a music service to the PS3 as well as the PSP." He also made a good point about the delay. He said that they couldn't launch a PSP service that didn't also include the PS3 and because of that there have been some hang-ups.

"Given the fact we want to make sure we are integrating the experience, we want to make it a PSP, PS3 experience, we can't look at it in a vacuum. It's is a bit of a hardware transition issue. This is the reality of being in the business of both a console and a portable... the ingredients are all in place."

Hit up Joystiq which was kind enough to transcribe a redacted version of the full interview, or you can check out or exclusive one-on-one interview with Tretton after the jump, broken down into bite-sized videos.

Jack Tretton On:
The future of the UMD
Metal Gear Solid 4 Exclusivity and its future
Sony's Take on Video on Demand
The new PSP
SIXAXIS Rumble
The Future of the Playstation Network
The Death of E3

I'm hanging out at the NetDevil offices and was lucky enough to get my hands on this copy of their trailer for the upcoming LEGO mmo. Keep in mind, this is just a concept, but it's a damn cool concept. More to come, plus, I think, a LiveBlog tonight in about an hour or so. Brian Crecente

By: Brian Crecente

Slamdance finalist Super Columbine Massacre RPG has been officially kicked from the festival due to mounting pressure from protesters and the loss of sponsorship, the game's creator told Kotaku Thursday night.

This is the first time in the Slamdance Festival's 13-year history that a game or film has been removed from the festival due to criticism or outside pressure.

In a last minute phone call Thursday evening, Slamdance president and co-founder Peter Baxter, told game developer Danny Ledonne that he regards his decision to remove the game from the festival as "deeply flawed," but necessary to the festival's survival. He went on to say, according to Ledonne, that the festival's initial decision to select the game was "consistent with Slamdance's philosophy but somewhat naive," and apologized profusely for pulling the entry.

Ledonne said that he bears no ill will toward the festival, but that the decision to pull the game does raise concerns about freedom of speech and video game development.

"I don't want to paint them as the villain in this," he said. "I don't think the real issue is a couple of guys at Slamdance who decided to reject my game, it's the larger pressures placed on them."

Ironically, Super Columbine Massacre RPG was courted by the festival coordinators. Ledonne initially wasn't behind the idea of entering the game. In late November, the festival announced that Ledonne's game was one of 14 titles selected as a finalist.

In the press release naming Columbine Super Massacre RPG a finalist, Sam Roberts, Slamdance's games competition manager said that the year's entrants "push the edges of what games can be and can try to be, experimenting in art style, gameplay, metaphor, story, concept and time. They provide challenges and inspiration for game designers working the traditional space, and game designers who will work in the future. While each of these games forces you to examine something you thought you already knew, or experiment in life and evolution, they also all entertain - they strive to be fun, and to be true play experiences."

Baxter added that video games are "as important and influential as movies have ever been."

Neither Baxter nor Roberts were responded to calls or emails seeking comment when the story broke late Thursday night and the website still lists the Columbine game as one of the finalists.

Ledonne said Thursday evening that he was contacted by Roberts earlier that day and told that some financial backers for the show had pulled their support because of the game's selection as a finalist. He was then told that his game was being removed from the competition.

Ledonne said he's not sure now what he should do.

"There are people in the gaming community who think I should protest," he said. "But I haven't decided what to do yet.

"I don't feel like (Baxter and Roberts) ought to be vilified in this, I think they had the best of intentions to showcase this game."

Ian Bogost, an agenda game designer, academic game researcher at Georgia Tech, and educational publisher on the topic, said the decision to pull the game from the festival could have greater implications for the indie scene, though he thinks it could be more serious for flim makers.

"As I understand it, Slamdance has never before pulled a film or a game they've accepted. So I'd imagine this will have some impact on the indie film scene — maybe it will even have an impact there first," he said in an interview with Kotaku last night. "Unfortunately, the indie game festival scene is not as experimental and daring as the indie film scene, and there probably was never a lot of empathy for SCMRPG... I hope I'm wrong though. I hope there is a strong response among indie game developers. We could use the solidarity."

Bogost, whose Persuasive Games studio had finalists in the past two Slamdance festivals, says he's not sure what to think about the decision as a developer.

"We make games about political and social issues, and also games about corporate critique," he said. "If we made a game with a political opinion one of the Slamdance sponsors didn't like — heck, if we made a game about one of the sponsors — would we have a place there? It's a concern."

Ledonne is set to speak in Vancouver later this month at the 69th Annual Canadian University Press National Conference about video games as an alternative form of journalism. Next month, he will be speaking at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles about the first amendment and video games.

Update: I've since had a chance to the Slamdance organizer and others. Slamdance: Columbine Pulled on Moral Grounds.

Slamdance Finalists

The folks at 2k Games just can't make up their minds whether their new hybrid first person shooter, Bioshock, will be coming out for the PS3. When first announced, the title was set to be released on PC, Xbox 360 and PS3. Then at the X06 event back in September, Microsoft stated that, in fact, Bioshock would not be released for the PS3, but would be a PC/Xbox 360 exclusive.

Now it seems they've changed their minds yet again. According to the latest issue of UK Official Playstation Magazine, the title is once again confirmed for Sony's next gen console. Certainly, having such a highly anticipated title on their new system would be a boon for Sony, but what's with all the back and forth? It also brings up questions about exclusive titles. How important are they in helping to sell a system?

Have you ever bought a console because it had an exclusive title that you just couldn't resist? Flynn De Marco

Bioshock No Longer PC & Xbox 360 Exclusive - Heading to PS3! [Maxconsole - Thanks, Tristan]

How bad is this news for Sony? While Virtua Fighter may not be a strong system seller on par with GTA or Halo, the PlayStation 2 version of Virtua Fighter 4 did shift some 1.7 million units worldwide, so the series still has its fans worldwide.

Let's hope that someone (Sega!) releases that very nice USB Virtua Stick High Grade so we can play VF5 with proper controls. Michael McWhertor

SEGA ANNOUNCES VIRTUA FIGHTER 5 FOR XBOX 360

Premiere Fighting Game Franchise Makes First Appearance on Microsoft's Next Generation Videogame Console

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN (December 21, 2006) - SEGA of America, Inc. and SEGA Europe Ltd. today announced that the highly anticipated arcade fighting game, Virtua Fighter 5, will make its way onto the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system. Virtua Fighter 5 is scheduled for release on Xbox 360 in North America and in Europe during late summer 2007. The game will also be available for the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system on February 20th, 2007 in North America and will be available in Europe simultaneously with the system's launch in March 2007.

"Those people lucky enough to have already played Virtua Fighter 5 will know that it's laid the foundations to become the clear benchmark for fighting games on all next generation consoles", said Matt Woodley, Creative Director, SEGA Publishing Europe Ltd. "Bringing Virtua Fighter 5 to the Xbox 360 offers us a platform with power to handle the astonishing visuals, the complex and varied fighting styles of all the customisable characters and will undoubtedly put Virtua Fighter 5 into the hands of a gaming audience craving for a highly polished and credible fighting game."

Virtua Fighter 5 features beautifully detailed stages from around the world where players face off in fast-moving martial arts battles against one of 17 characters. Two lively new characters join the elite group of fighters, adding two new unique fighting styles for players to try and master. With more skill and strategy than ever before, players are also given the opportunity to learn and employ the new "Offensive Move" technique to take down their opponents from different angles, adding a new dimension to the game and something for both new and old fans to master. Virtua Fighter 5 also includes the ability to customise characters by selecting from four base costumes and a wide range of unlockable accessories and earnable items. As players win more tournaments they will not only earn costumes and accessories, but also prizes and in-game money that will allow them to buy items from the in-game shop.

"The Virtua Fighter series from SEGA has one of the most prestigious histories in video games," said Jeff Bell, corporate vice president of global marketing for the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. "It's a franchise that has grown an army of loyal fans both in arcades and on consoles worldwide, and is consistently rated extremely high by the media. Fighting game fans have been hungry for Virtua Fighter 5 and we can now proudly deliver this game with SEGA to Xbox 360 gamers around the world."

Developed by the highly renowned Tokyo based development team, AM R&D Development No.2, Virtua Fighter 5 for the Xbox 360 will be available across Europe and North America during late summer 2007.

The internet has been abuzz with rumors that Kojima Productions will bring the PlayStation 3 showcase title Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots to the Xbox 360. Despite Microsoft's Japanese woes, Kojima has called the 360 "more down to earth" and likened the console to a "great dinner, great steak with their family, a little bit more casual during the weekends." Which, I guess, is a good thing. Maybe?

So, Konami, is there any basis to the rumor that the PS3 flagship title will jump to the 360? Not so, says a company spokesperson to CVG:

Konami has no plans to bring Metal Gear Solid 4 to the Xbox 360 at this time. [It's] exclusive to PlayStation 3.

Yeah, I don't believe it either. That get-out-of-exclusivity-"at this time"-statement should worry the PS3 faithful who'd probably appreciate a more definitive statement from Kojima himself. But when they do announce MGS4 for Xbox 360, don't take it personally, kids. It's just business. Michael McWhertor

Konami: "MGS4 is exclusive to PlayStation 3" [CVG]
Next 360 Developer: Hideo Kojima? [Kotaku]

According to this month's PC Gamer UK, the Xbox 360 exclusive sci-fi RPG from BioWare and Microsoft Game Studios will be hitting the Windows platform in 2007.

Mass Effect will come to PC (it's currently only announced for Xbox 360): it's not been officially confirmed but we have it on good authority. It's been three years since a BioWare developed game hit the PC: Mass Effect is a forceful reminder of why that's too damn long.

This sounds like a pretty safe bet, as BioWare's other Xbox exclusive titles, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Jade Empire also made (and will make) the trip to PC's everywhere. We'll let you know if we hear more from Microsoft or BioWare.

Thanks for the tip, John! Michael McWhertor

BREAKING NEWS: Mass Effect Coming to PC in 2007

What you see before you is a sketch Playboy put together for November's issue (on stands next week) which features the annual Playboy's Women of Videogames 2006 spread. The magazine will also feature a look at the state of the video game industry. The six-pages of gaming content include a 2-page foldout, final version of what you see above.

This particular sketch, given to us by Pboy editor Scott Alexander, was used to block the shot before the final renders were done. The image shows eight women from seven games. The cool thing is that all of the art you are looking out, be it pencil or final 3D render, was done by the various game studios. Playboy then melded all of the art into one two-page shot.

This image, showing the different stages of the creative process, is exclusive to Kotaku. No one else has it and no one else is getting it.

And now the run down. From left to right: Sarah Morrison of Tabula Rasa, two of the Femmes Fatale from Scarface (the third from left didn't make the final cut, her name is Jessica McRae), two women from God of War 2, a very preliminary version of Alicia Claus from Bulletwitch, Dr. Jasmine Lin from Timeshift, and Enrica from Splinter Cell Double Agent.

As a special treat, I got Fleshbot to agree to post the unedited version of the photo on their site a little later on tonight. I'll update once it's up. Brian Crecente

Sneak Peek Playboy's Women of Video Games [NSFW, Fleshbot]