Videogame developers view guns through a profoundly two-dimensional lens. The gun is still a power-up, too practical in its uses to be the object of much emotional tension. When games were confined to two dimensions and only a handful of pixels, it was difficult to portray a firearm in any convincing way other than a fantastic ray of light spewing from the barrel. Players went through games amassing guns like so many mushrooms and fire flowers. Little has changed in this regard, as players run through any first person shooter scooping up weapon after weapon, discarding one in favor of another.

For many, this is the purpose of games - to provide a concrete experience grounded in gameplay mechanics, as opposed to an exercise in symbolism and iconography. But in putting this goal before all else, videogames concede their ability to produce images of consequence. In a vain attempt to tack meaning onto an otherwise meaningless image, developers have placed an inordinate emphasis on technical details.

We can probably extend this idea to gaming weaponry in general: I'm not much for FPS and the like for a variety of reasons, but I do have a soft spot for samurai-themed hack 'n slashes as well as RPGs of various stripes. Do those shiny, shiny swords mean much beyond a means to a gameplay end and upgraded stats? And should they?

From the Barrel of a Gun [The Escapist]

"I take these weapons, and look at what defines them, or what people think defines them. For an Uzi, people think it fires lots of bullets, and it's really inaccurate." That, he knows, has nothing to do with reality—if anything, Uzis are considered some of the most reliable and accurate submachine guns around. But the 80s (and Miami Vice in particular) offered us the Uzi as a low-life villain's weapon, spit-fire and out-of-control. "So I make it fire faster than it should. It's about taking the personality of a weapon, and making it shine in the game,"

Armed Boy Takes Classmate's Pokemon Cards [CBS13.com via DS Fanboy]

''One's in jail, one's in the hospital,'' she said. ''I won't know exactly what happened until I talk to [my son]. He's incoherent yet; they have him heavily sedated. (My ex-husband) did the shooting but it was an accidental thing that took place"

Clearly the Xbox 360 was really just a catalyst in what appears to be a long standing major family dysfunction. Sad, sure. Weird, definitely. But seriously, you couldn't make this stuff up.

When boy said 'shoot me,' dad did, police say [The Morning call]

I received this wood box in the mail yesterday afternoon, inside was a set of these Inspector Tequila pistols with Stranglehold engraved on the sides. The best part? They're also lighters. Now I just need to find to people who need a light at the same time. Brian Crecente

I'm not sure if this is the coolest thing I've ever seen or the saddest. On the one hand, it has two of the biggest video game badass characters ever, first fighting against each other and then teaming up against a common foe. It's got a lightsaber dual, short-circuiting crotches, Matrix references, suggestive girl on girl action, and even a dance number.

All those things are great, but all mashed together along with fighting moves out of a wire-fu martial arts film makes the whole thing feel like a fanfic threw up on camera. Great dance number though. Michael Fahey

GameTrailers User Movie: Haloid [Thanks to Everyone and their Brother]

From Round Game to Challenge Ball to Ultra Machine, this collection is not only a display of cool, wicked old-school Nintendo gear, but a testament to the clever naming for which the company is known. Neat stuff! (I'd kill to have that Beam Gun Lion box art on a t-shirt.) Michael McWhertor

Nintendo Toys - Pre-1980 [via Gizmodo]

Just kidding, it's actually about eighty bucks!

The BFG. General consensus is that the BFG stands for "Bio Fragging Gun", "Bio Force Gun" or *ahem* "Big F#*king Gun"! The debate will rage on long into the next decade, but whatever the name disagreements, no one is going argue that the BFG is the mother of all guns. Period. Unfortunately, this is a non functioning model so you won't be able to blast hordes of Imps, Pinkies, Zombies etc with it! However, you will be able to impress all your friends who will surely think you've got the coolest mini replica around! By First 4 Figures.

Surely! Surely the coolest!

I wish Nerf would come out with replicas so you could actually use them. I guess you could launch rubber bands from the barrel or something. Eliza Gauger

[originally from Aeropause]

Over in Florida, a father fired shot at his son's computer, missing the monitor, nearly killing his son and hitting the wall. Forty-four-year-old Joseph Langenderfer said he and his 22-year-old son were arguing. Instead of doing the laundry, his son was spending all his free time playing computer games. Officers arrested the father Monday afternoon. According to Tampa Bay's 10 News, "Langenderfer is in the Pinellas County jail charged with one count of attempted murder, (accused of trying to kill his son, not the computer.)" Zing!

Full Story Here [Tampa Bay's 10] Thanks, Patrick!