MAG isn't out until the 26th of January, but you can get a head start with the 7-Eleven MAG recruitment kit. It contains all you need to know about the Shadow War and its three factions - S.V.E.R, RAVEN, and VALOR. The kit contains information on the factions' reputations, skill sets, and purpose, giving you several months to do some soul-searching in order to determine which suits your personality the best.

And if that doesn't do it for you, hey - free poster.

Get Your MAG Marching Orders at 7-Eleven! [PlayStation Blog]

Xbox 360 owners have been taking down the giant Akrid boss in the Lost Planet 2 co-op demo since August 26th, but their gloating will soon come to an end, as next week sees the release of a bigger, badder version of the demo on the PlayStation Network. Coinciding with the first day of the Tokyo Game Show, the PS3 version scores two exclusive missions worth of co-op hunting of the Akrid of E.D.N. III. Both the new demo and a new trailer hit PSN on September 24th.

It's times like these that make me glad I own multiple consoles.

Lost Planet 2 Co-Op Demo Coming to PSN September 24 [PlayStation Blog]

Yes, scenic Monkeytown, a former animal testing site now inhabited by intelligent talking gorillas who just want to be left alone to farm. Help out the local inhabitants and you might find yourself walking away with a shiny new Monkey Wrench. I can't imagine the developers weren't singing "Funkytown" with altered lyrics the entire time they were building this area. Hell, I'm singing it right now.

St. Sebastian's might not be as lyrical as Monkeytown, but it's still a lovely little place to visit. Built from a pre-Fall church, St. Sebastian's serves as a stronghold for the Lightbearers, the faction dedicated to helping humanity emerge from the darkness of post-apocalyptic society. Unfortunately, this postcard contains no monkeys.

And neither does the one for Barret Manor, one of the last bastions of culture in the ruined world. The oldest and most interesting families in Grand Canyon Province make their homes in this community, which boasts one of the only intact art galleries on the planet. It sounds like where snobs go when the world dies.

These are just a few of the fun places to visit in the Grand Canyon Province. There's also the Tech town of Picus Ridge, where worshippers of technology (aren't we all?) roam free, or New Gallows, a ruined golf course where members of the mutant-hating Human League don't want mutants, baby. Don't want them oooooooh.

Head over to the game's official website for more info on the history, factions, and scenic locales of Fallen Earth.

While I was interviewing Chiaki for an upcoming book I'm doing on Japanese schoolgirls (second book — hooray!), I brought up gaming at the end of the interview while making chitchat. Best known in the West for her work in Kill Bill and Battle Royale, Chiaki appeared in Resident Evil 5 TV ads in Japan, so I thought it was suitable small talk.

"I like Zelda," she told me. "I also like role-playing games. Hrm, what else... I like Gyakuten Saiban. Do you know Gyakuten Saiban?"

Yes, yes I do.

She went on to say that she really likes puzzle games as well. When I brought up her rumored role as Ling Xiaoyu in the Tekken movie, she told me, "I'm not in the Tekken. Everyone's been saying to me, 'Hey, Tekken! You're in Tekken?' And I'm like 'bwah?' People have been saying this to me for a while — is the movie done yet? I don't know where this rumor is from."

Wherever it's from, it's not true, she said. No Chiaki Kuriyama in the Tekken movie — according to Chiaki Kuriyama, that is.

Visitors to the San-Diego Comic-Con this week will have a chance to pick up one of 500 of these exclusive Street Fighter IV accessories, with 250 each split between the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the controllers. According to Mad Catz Art Director Roentgen D. Reyes, Sagat and his nasty scar were the inspirations behind the design, which definitely has an angry orange-owie feel to it.

When we set out creating the Limited Edition artwork we knew that we had to create an impactful design that was radically different from the previous imagery and color schemes. With that in mind we chose not to concentrate on a group of characters but instead produce something targeted to the fan community. After working through a number of designs, we focused on one of the strongest ‘fan-favorite' characters in the game, Sagat. The character is renowned for his large scar which game legend tells us was caused by archrival Ryu. In my mind, playing Street Fighter® IV evokes the player's competitive nature, with rivalry a key element of the experience."

The hefty Tournament Edition sticks will be available exclusively through Capcom at Comic-Con for $179.99, while the pads will be available at the convention and on the Mad Catz Gameshark website for $49.99.

Last we heard, the development of the standalone sequel to one of the most played Half-Life 2 mods had hit a financial snag, with developers forced to sell their bodies Sodoku to get by. Now we learn that grassroots fund raising and investor capital have given developer Unknown Worlds all they need to finish the game, which will be released later this year via Steam.

Like the original Half-Life mod, Natural Selection 2 pits two teams of up to 16 players against each other in a battle between space marines and the aliens who would infect them, featuring real-time alien infestation effects and a great deal of strategic gameplay for those looking for something more from their shooter.

I'd have to say the game is looking absolutely gorgeous. The team at Unknown Worlds have crafted their own game engine for the project, and everything you see in the video is created using said engine. Not bad for a four-person development team, huh?

Oh, and for those of you unfamiliar with the mod, that giant beastie up there? That's an Onos, and it's playable. Yum.

Find out more at the official Natural Selection 2 website.

Last July Todd Howard, lead designer at Bethesda Softworks, took the stage during the Microsoft E3 press briefing and did a rather un-extraordinary thing. Like so many developers, publishers, marketers, and media outlets in gaming before him, he announced an "exclusive."

Specifically, he said: "We're going to be doing substantial downloadable content for Fallout 3 and it will be exclusive for the Xbox 360 and Games for Windows."

What exactly he meant by that we can't say, as a Bethesda representative declined to comment for this story.

But what's just as important as what Howard meant is what you, the gamer, thought he meant — then or now. After all, this week, Bethesda announced that that content would be coming to the PlayStation 3.

Exclusivity, in this case, was not forever. Was it ever meant to imply it was? Bethesda won't say.

There is a difference between the idea that a piece of gaming content will only ever appear on a given console or that it is just appearing on one of them first. Such a distinction could impact the purchasing decision of a gamer looking to decide which version of a game to buy or which gaming console to support. And there are a variety of ways to telegraph which version of the word "exclusive" is meant. Witness Microsoft's Shane Kim, in the same E3 2008 press briefing as Howard, announcing that Rock Band 2 would "premiere exclusively" on the Xbox 360 in September 2008. The implication that Rock Band 2 would show up on other platforms later was obvious.

We contacted Microsoft, hoping to glean the company's take on what the announcement of an "exclusive" should mean to gamers. We wondered if, in this instance, there was reason for the company to have felt gamers were mislead.

A Microsoft spokesperson took our request as an opportunity not to look back to past uses of the word "exclusive" but as a chance to hype the future of the next two Fallout 3 DLC add-ons: "Again coming first to Xbox 360, the upcoming releases of 'Point Lookout' and 'Mothership Zeta' for Fallout 3, mean we're continuing to bring the biggest and best Game Add-ons to our customers before anyone else," the spokesperson wrote back to us via e-mail. "Xbox LIVE is hands down the most popular destination for Game Add-ons. Publishers and consumers recognize this fact and will continue to turn to Xbox 360 first to extend the lives of their games with great Game Add-ons."

That word Exclusive isn't so easy to pin down. But with Bethesda mum and Microsoft changing the topic, we needed to find an expert on these things.

Who better to ask than the gaming media's chief purveyor of exclusives, the man whose reference to them could form the basis of a weekly drinking game?

We contacted GameTrailers TV host and former Kotaku guest-editor, Geoff Keighley.

Over e-mail, Keighley made clear what no one else would be explicit about: "In this day and age, unless otherwise specified, you have to assume 'exclusive' means a timed exclusive. In other words it is 'exclusive' to one platform for a period of time, or "first." Of course no one will tell you about the length of exclusivity....This is similar to world exclusives on GTTV or in Game Informer. We have the 'exclusive' on a game for a period of time, but other outlets ultimately receive the assets. "

Keighley's analysis makes explicit what some gamers suspected all along. Still, this expert of exclusivity had to put things in more colorful context: "The one wrinkle is whether Todd actually THOUGHT the content was exclusive, only to later realize he wanted to re-evaluate his decision. When you get married you think you're in an exclusive relationship, but sometimes I guess it turns out to be a timed exclusive."

So much for the dictionary definition of the word "exclusive," though it's not precise either.

Is the English language letting the gaming industry down? Or is the gaming industry letting the English language down?

Get ready to hear and read that word "exclusive" a lot come E3 2009. We submit our exclusive request: Let it finally be clear what it means.

The demo version of Zen Pinball comes complete with Eldorado, one of the four pinball tables launching with the full version of the game. The board is heavy on early South American imagery, evoking the legend of the lost city of gold.

"We have received huge success with our Pinball FX title on XBLA and fans around the world have been clamoring for a solid pinball title on PlayStation Network," said Zsolt Kigyossy, managing director for ZEN Studios. "We're pleased to offer a free sample pinball table that introduces players to the intense realistic pinball physics and mechanics that can be found in the full edition. If you enjoy arcade games this is definitely a title you'll want to check out!"

Zen was gracious enough to pass on a few exclusive images of the demo table, along with shots of the Shaman, Tesla, and V12 tables as well. The full version of the game will be available on May 14th for $9.99.

Out of the three images that Cryptic passed along, the top one here is the one that truly spoke to the Star Trek fan in me. That right there, my friends, is a starship that's boldly going somewhere to seek out some stuff. The planet-side depicts a nice place to pick up alien spores or lose your memory and live life as a caveman, and the third shot reinforces the fact that things will indeed be exploding in space. Very nice, but the first shot makes me desperately hope that there's some sort of epic travelling music in the game.

No, not "Faith of The Heart".

Amazon is offering a limited edition pack that contains Ghostbusters the Video Game for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, or Wii, packed with enough exclusive goodies to satisfy even the most rabid fan, provided they have the disposable income to afford it. The package includes an Ecto 1 key chain with lights and sound; a set of Ghostbusters Gamer Graffix console skins; four exclusive Ghostbusters Mini-Mates action figures (concept shots below); and the piece de resistance - exclusive Slimer bust designed and created by the original movie sculptor, Steve Johnson.

An attractive package, but the hairs on the back of our necks began to stand up a little when we saw the price tag. Amazon wants $129.99 for the Slimer Edition on the PlayStation 3 and 360, knocking off $20 for the Wii version. As I said, definitely attractive, but probably not $70 worth of attractive. Boo.

Ghostbusters the Video Game Amazon.com Exclusive Slimer Edition [Amazon via Proton Charging]

When browser-based gaming destination first announced GarageGames' Fallen Empires: Legions, people immediately started calling it a browser-based Tribes. InstantAction would rather we call it the spiritual successor, especially now that they've got an official web-based version of Tribes on the way. The new web-based version of Tribes will feature enhanced graphics, thanks to InstantAction's powerful browser-based gaming tools, along with better modding options.

Visitors to the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco next week will be able to get their hands on a playable version of Tribes, while learning how InstantAction managed to deliver an updated version of the game in web browser format.

Check out the first screens of InstantAction's Tribes below!

The designer of the watch himself, Adi Wells, sends us the scoop on the Resident Evil 5 watch, which will be available for pre-order through UK retailer Gamestation later this week, for a July 31st release. Limited to 555 pieces, this lovely watch comes with a steel band with a dual-clasp buckle engraved with the Capcom logo. It features a reinforced mineral lens, a screw down crown, and many other things that I'm sure only a watch aficionado would understand. Adi was a bit excited when he mailed us, so the description gets a bit technical.

Solid screw down case back Matte black dial w/ white luminous imprinted indices and Special 5 index in colour. OS21 mov't 5hands with date at 6hr, White luminous hands. Presented in an RE5 display box..

Out of all of that, I think the only thing I understood was RE5 display box, which if anything like the Metal Gear Solid 4 display box is a lovely piece of work in and of itself.

The Resident Evil 5 watch has been fully endorsed by Capcom Europe, and will retail for £119.99. Each watch has its series number inscribed on the underside, and will ship with a certificate of authenticity.

They will be a UK exclusive initially, though Adi indicates that they'll try to offer it to the rest of Europe should supplies hold out. With only 555 hitting market, I'd say now would be a god time to find a friend in the UK. Keep an eye on the Gamestation website over the next few days, cause when pre-orders start, I doubt they'll last long.

Mecho Wars tells the story of the war between the mechanical Landians and the Winged, which left protagonist Angel as one of the last of his kind in Eternity's Child. Inspired by Advance Wars and Fire Emblem, among other things, it looks to be exactly the sort of tactical strategy game that could be perfect for the iPhone format. The game contains nine different units on both sides of the conflict, with three gameplay modes - Campaign, Tutorial, and Challenge.

Once again Luc teams up with Sean Beeson, the award-winning composer of the Eternity's Child soundtrack, to provide music for Mecho Wars.

So it looks pretty, and it should by all means sound nice. How does it play? We'll find out later this month, when Mecho Wars hits iTunes with a $4.99 price tag.

“The WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 collector’s edition is a must-have for the WWE aficionado,” said Nelo Lucich, senior vice president of interactive, JAKKS Pacific. “With innovative content and packaging that looks great on collectors’ shelves, and a host of Blu-ray content including a behind-the-scenes, this collection is certain to be enjoyed by WWE fans for years to come.”

Seems an odd choice really, limiting the collector's edition to one system like that. I suppose THQ just loves PlayStation 3 owners more. It's okay, 360 owners. They still love you, they're just not in love with you.

WWE® SmackDown® vs. Raw® 2009 Set to Deliver Collector’s Edition Exclusive to PLAYSTATION®3 System

Leading Fighting Videogame Franchise to Offer Fans Unique Retail Incentive In Support of Upcoming Worldwide Launch

AGOURA HILLS, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—THQ Inc. (NASDAQ:THQI) and JAKKS Pacific, Inc. (NASDAQ:JAKK) today announced details of the WWE® SmackDown® vs. Raw® 2009 collector’s edition. Exclusively for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, the collector’s edition is now available for pre-order at select retailers worldwide. WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 is slated for release on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION 3, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, Wii™ video game console, Nintendo DS™ and mobile devices on November 9, 2008.

The WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 collector’s edition for the PLAYSTATION 3 system features a copy of the game and a disc with exclusive Blu-ray content. Included on the disc is a behind-the-scenes documentary on the making of the videogame, as well as more than two hours of WWE footage from a variety of popular SmackDown vs. Raw cross-brand matches from 2008. The content is delivered in a unique steel cage package for North America, while fans in Europe and Asia Pacific regions will see their items encased within a miniature ring.

“The WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 collector’s edition for the PLAYSTATION 3 system is a tremendous opportunity for us to collaborate with our partners to produce a unique offering for our fans,” said Bob Aniello, senior vice president, worldwide marketing, THQ. “In addition to the great WWE video features, the videogame documentary will allow fans to see all of the work that goes into making their favorite fighting videogame franchise.”

“The WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 collector’s edition is a must-have for the WWE aficionado,” said Nelo Lucich, senior vice president of interactive, JAKKS Pacific. “With innovative content and packaging that looks great on collectors’ shelves, and a host of Blu-ray content including a behind-the-scenes, this collection is certain to be enjoyed by WWE fans for years to come.”

This video was recorded in NetDevil's second Lego Universe Project event. According to Scott Brown, NetDevil's president, in the first LUP event they asked these Lego users to give them an idea of what the game should be like, which of course resulted in them building hundreds of actual Lego models of monsters, places, and all kinds of devices, machinery, and vehicles.

After that session, NetDevil started to program the software tools and the models needed to design Lego Universe terrains and structures. Now, in the second LUP event, they have trained those Lego people on the tools themselves, which they are using to create the virtual worlds. Apparently, NetDevil is very impressed by how fast these people—who in their day jobs are mostly engineers—got into the tools after just a three-hour class. Hopefuly that means things are progressing fast and we will see this game—which seems to have great potential—sooner than later.

After the jump, we've posted an audio recording submitted into evidence by Tomonobu Itagaki. The recording is of Tecmo president Yoshimi Yasuda and Ninja Gaiden II producer Yoshifuru Okamoto on January 22nd of this year. It was secretly recorded by Ninja Gaiden II producer Okamoto as he claims he was being harassed and called names by president Yasuda. In the recording, Yasuda says, "The board of directors approved it and signed the ringi (a type of Japanese corporate approval form)." This is in direct conflict with Yasuda's court claim that this "special incentives" proposal was made single-handedly by the former president and not approved by the Tecmo board. The recording helps support Itagaki's claim that his special incentive bonus was approved by Tecmo's former president and the board of directors, and that the current president knows this.

For those who are interested in following the Japanese transcript click here. Along with the audio recording, we've included an English translation of the entire conversation Kotakuite Chinpokomon so graciously did. Many thanks for that, Chinpokomon!

boomp3.com
The sound quality is of course rough, so you might need to pump up the volume.


Yasuda:
Ok, man, so you definitely won't talk? If you promise not to, I'll talk. Don't say anything, man.
Ok, so I'll turst that you're a real man and will keep your promise.
Itagaki was keeping the Super Incentive from DOA4 all to himself.
You didn't know it, but I was really fighting with that guy.
He got 150,000,000 Yen. And, none of that was approved by the board of directors.
And, how should I put this.... So, Nakamura-san said that if DOA4 doesn't come out by the end of the year, it'll be big trouble. And Itagaki, well, Nakamura-san knows that... Well, guys like Itagaki are pretty easy to figure out. He's a control freak.
And, since he can't control me, me and him were fighting.
And, the Super Incentive bonus, well that's actually different from the normal incentive bonus.
And, it's only for group managers.

Okamoto:
That's an impressive name. Super Incentive...

Yasuda:
Yeah, Development Manager Incentive, there's also a paper and everything (?)
But, it hasn't been passed by the board of directors.
Even so, Nakamura-san (promised it?), to Kanematsu, and to me.
I used to be a group manager right? Also to Kikuchi, and to Itagaki. So, he clearly promised that this incentive was just for Itagaki, and as a result, Itagaki's all happy and busting his ass.
So, then when I became the company president, what pissed of Itagaki the most, was that Nakamura-san was no longer around, and the Super Incentive was revoked. 150,000,000 Yen

Okamoto:
But, you say it was revoked, but it wasn't even approved by the board of directors, right?

Yasuda:
Yeah, so they approved it and signed the ringi. However, the Chief of the board wasn't there at the board meeting where Nakamura-san reported on this plan.

Okamoto:
hmmmm

Yasuda:
So, yeah, there was all that stuff.
And so, when Itagaki is going on about whether he'll quit or not, it's not some thing cool like that, he's actually just saying are you going to pay me the Super Incentive, or not.
He actually already promised it to his wife.
Also, so, how should I put this. Umm, so he said his previous company was really cheap, and that even a company like ours, he said it was all because of him that it was able to come as far as it has, so he said he deserved the Super Incentive. So, I'm telling you this for the first time, Okamoto, but the truth is at that time, me and him really had it out.

Okamoto:
Oh, so that's how it happened.

Yasuda:
The truth is at that time, I was really against it, Nakamura-san's proposal.

Okamoto:
Right at the same time (as when you were arguing with Itagaki???) ?

Yasuda:
Yeah. I was against it. The reason why is because... well, everything I said is all in the meeting record, but anyway. If everyone recieves the incentive, that's fine, by why should you, and you alone get it? Isn't everyone working on the game?
To which he replied, "You're like Lenin. You're a communist. This isn't like that, right?"
Oh, and one other thing.
Hey, I can trust you right? Definitely do not pass this on.

Okamoto:
Y, Yes.

Yasuda:
So there's a thing called "Revokation awards", and it's like a retirement pension. One of the perks of being a board member. During the year, if you are fired, you get somewhere between 100,000,000 and 120,000,000 Yen. I did away with that entirely.
And why did I do that? Because it just doesn't work (we don't have enough money to go around???).
So when I told him this, he said that even after hearing me say such a thing to everyone, that he still needed to do what he had to do, and that he was very particular on the subject. (???)
So, anyway, that was his strange response to what I said.
He wasn't even praising the company president. Go ahead, take your share. Just give me mine too.
So, that was the timing of all this.
At that time, it was when you, and Kanematsu as well, were telling me that if we didn't give Itagaki the incentive, that he would quit, and that our company would be screwed without him.
And I told you, no, it's not like that. Even in the rare event that he did go away, I told you that your job was to work out something with the company president.
So, yeah, that was the timing, right before the infamous drinking party, where at the banquet you praised Itagaki so much.
You told me something like, "Itagaki's looks down because of our new company president", or maybe I misunderstood you.
Also, when I explained my fundamental philosophy to you, I guess I did a bad job. There are plenty of employees who say, "If Okamoto-san's on board, I'll do my best!" But, after that, everyone wonders "Why doesn't Okamoto-san stand up?" So, everyone was saying that someday that day would come.
Truth is, there were just so many things that piled one on top of the other.
So, do you know why Itagaki was following me at that time?
So, yes, it's true that it hasn't passed the board of directors, but since it had been decided and communicated, it would be unfair to Itagaki if he didn't get some sort of bonus, even if the current scheme didn't work out exactly.
So, at that time I thought about it a long time. If we split this payment out over 20 years. 150,000,000 Yen over 20 years, we could get away with paying out just 10,000,000 yen per yer. So I told him that I would speak with the board chief about it. To that guy.
And then all of the sudden, since he's such a money grubber, he's dead inside. He started whining "Mr. President, Mr. President!"
And this came up a second time at the drinking party.

Okamoto:
Oh.

Yasuda:
And, after that, Itagaki consulted with the board chief, and the board chief said he would definitely not pay it, and they really started fighting. Saying it was fucked up, and how the board chief screwed up by making me President.

Note: Chinpokomon wrote above his translation, "...there are a lot of cases where I'm unable to follow the context, so I just did the best I could.
I also think these conversations occurred over a few beers, as the're using informal language, and Yasuda's kind of rambling."

In fact it was shown to a focus group less than a month before E3. One among that group, after seeing the MAG E3 debut, reached out to me, under a promise of anonymity, to describe what was shown and asked of the group. Put simply, MAG - whatever title it comes out under - will be a mercenary combat MMO. We're told that it will more than likely carry SOCOM branding, as Zipper Interactive is behind it. And if so, it could be called SOCOM: Shadow War or SOCOM: Zero. Though Sony did stress it was a brand new IP at the press conference.

For purposes of identity protection, my source, who has experience in other video game focus groups, will be called Orange. Being identified could cost Orange, and others, future work.

"They gave us six options for taglines at the end," said Orange, who could only remember four: MAG: Shadow War; MAG: Zero; MAG: Global Assault and MAG: Final Hour. Orange said the group liked Shadow War and Zero. Orange reasoned that Zipper Interactive's involvement means all signs would point to a repurposing of SOCOM IP for this one, rather than creating a new title outright. Indeed, when providing me visual examples of certain factions that he observed, Orange used images from SOCOM 3.

"We were all deliberating what sort of game it was similar to, and for the most part, SOCOM and Planetside (another Sony title) were the only names that came out, based on what we have heard and seen," Orange said. The group members saw, or was described, gameplay but could not perform it themselves, which indicated it was in a far less complete stage than other games for which Orange had been in a focus group. All the group saw was a "touched up" version of the trailer that ran at E3, Orange said. Then they were asked questions, mostly regarding the game's story and the scope of its battles.

SOCOM and Planetside were the closest cousins, Orange said, because the game involves "troop like gameplay with a 3rd person view. The game is set following catstrophic events in the near future - "2015 to 2020, around there," said Orange - in which mercenaries, aligned with certain factions, are engaged in relentless secret wars for control of resources.

Orange saw three factions - Americans, based in Alaska ("I can assume a snow level," Orange joked) Europeans and a Middle East faction. Orange provided two .jpgs from SOCOM 3 that were close analogues to the MAG Europe and Middle East factions. If Sony chooses to go forward like this, the obvious Middle East motif could cause some PR problems (although, "It was a black American soldier they showed us, if that makes up for it.") To Anglo players, that kind of garb clearly says "terrorist," and not mercenaries, especially considering the regular fatigues and high-tech suits worn by Americans and Europeans, respectively.

Orange said the presenters focused on two topics: Whether the story justifying the state of current events in the game was believable enough for gamers, and whether the scale of combat was appealing. MAG is promising multiplayer battles of up to 256 participants, broken down into 8-member units aligned to one of two sides. There will be no third-party intercessions on any battles, Orange said.

"For MAG they were all about scale," Orange said. "That was the word they were going for. Massive (as in the scale of the level). With 256 players, they don't want it to be a clusterfuck of deathmatch. They want vast levels where troops can approach from all angles."

At that scale, you can be an independent operator assigned to one unit, knowing none of the others on your side, or you can gather up to seven of your friends and jump in as a squad, with other participants added in if your unit totals less than eight. Obviously, it's not obligating you to find 127 of your closest friends if you want to see the largest scale of combat MAG will offer.

That said, mission objectives for these battles will definitely be in the hands of a few human players. We've reported on the concept of ranks in MAG, where players accumulate experience and ascend a shot-calling ladder within the game, such that they are either grunts, lieutenants, or generals in charge of the whole operation. You'll ascend in rank according to a points accrual system that Orange was able to describe loosely.

"When they were describing it, it kept reminding me of Alterac Valley from World of Warcraft, if you are familiar," Orange said. "What happens is: You get points for contributing with your troop/overall team. If you happen to win or do better than the rest of your team, you get more points. So the more you play, or the more points you get, the higher your rank goes."

Some speculated/wished that at high command levels, the game moved back into some sort of top-down/RTS interface. That sort of happens. "Everyone is in the field," Orange said, "but the person in charge is capable of looking at the map and commanding the overall group or individual troops. He is also capable of things like airstrikes and parachute drops. He could either control and babysit from far back, or jump right into the action [with a weapon himself.]"

Orange didn't like the fact another human player could set all the mission parameters. "Why would I want someone telling me how to play the game?" Orange said. "Perhaps I know more about the certain terrain than they do, should they have the ability to penalize me if I don't listen? Granted, penalizing and kicking were not mentioned but they're always a possiblity.

While Orange did not see individual character classes or their abilities demonstrated, Orange came away with the understanding that all units could be comprised of a single class if they desired. Also, once a character achieved a certain point ranking, certain options became customizable, such as appearance and equipment/weaponry upgrades.

In all, Orange described an appealing game, and it's a logical progression from MMOs set in fantasy contexts. After all, there are, at least for narrative purposes, kingdoms and heads of state in those worlds too, and adventurers set off on individual quests and find combat there. Given a good enough story to set it up, what should preclude that kind of experience in the modern world?

Don't forget that since this is all coming out of a focus test it could be very pie-in-the-sky stuff, though certainly ideas that are tickling Sony's collective grey matter.

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.