Economic meltdown? Pah! As long as there is quality games swag floating abut you can be sure that someone is going to find some ready cash in order to indulge themselves.

Of course, in these difficult times, highly covetable promotional tat is likely to be the most solid investment around. Gold is just a shiny metal, after all - this thing comes in a box shaped like a NES cart.

Beat that, gold. Stupid gold.

UPDATE: the kits will be going on sale for, er, $49.95 tomorrow. Ouch.

Limited Edition Mega Man 9 Launch Pack and T -Shirt XL [eBay via Capcom-Unity]

For games journalism to gain more credibility, journalists need to play by their own rules. Do more informative pieces, do humorous pieces or biting satire, do more critical pieces, seriously explore avenues other than PR representatives for information. Journalism isn't about always making nice with everyone. Journalism is about providing accurate information to the reader even when it isn't readily available, unless there is an overriding public concern. In many cases, infringements on the free exchange of information about games between journalists and our readers are not backed by any legitimate overriding concern.

Granted, not all publishers impose limitations. Many understand that the journalist has a job to do and that, in the end, what is written is just an opinion, and as long as that opinion is based on facts and not erroneous information, the writer and publication are free of scrutiny. However, there needs to be a divergence from the cozy two-step that some marketing departments do insist on dancing with the press by threatening to pull ads or blacklist a writer or publication if a story paints an unfavorable picture. If any "journalists" willingly do dance to that tune, they need to look in the mirror and examine who they are really working for and why.

All in all, a thoughtful piece, though the musing on embargoes is more compelling than railing against the 'enthusiast press.' Is there any point besides financial gain for one or two parties?

Are Embargoes Really Necessary? [Crispy Gamer via GameSetWatch]

The doors to TGS opened about 15 minutes ago and the Sony keynote is set to start in another 15. Kotaku writers are currently scattered to the wind, playing Metal Gear Solid 4, checking out booths, taking pictures and prepping to liveblog the keynote. Me? I'm hanging out in the stripped down sauna known as the TGS press room, a no-frills linoleum-floored box filled with folding tables and chairs and staffed with two TGS employees sitting behind a row of drink dispensers

At other shows people sprint to the games, here they sprint to the press room, because it's small, wifi-less and a necessary evil.

According to the press release they handed out with the TGS press pack this year's show will have 97 exhibitors, 1,735 booths featuring 217 companies.

I'll just let that sink in a moment. Go ahead, soak in it.

Online travel insurance comparison site Squaremouth has announced that Wii users can now use their console to compare and purchase travel insurance.

"The Wii also contains a downloadable web browser which allows users access to Squaremouth's comparative travel insurance engine. "All of Squaremouth's site functionality works perfectly on the Wii," Harvey explains. "It's quick and easy to compare products then make the purchase without the need to go to a computer."

The fuck? These people went to all this trouble to issue a press release stating that they could be reached via the Wii web browser? Hell, Kotaku can be reached with the Wii web browser, but you don't see us issuing a press release. Holy crap! I shouldn't post this. Once wind of this gets around everyone with a website is going to want to declare themselves Wii compatible. It'll be total chaos!

Seriously, the balls of this company. You have to admire them. There is no special Nintendo agreement. No Wii travel insurance shop channel like "Everybody Travels Dangerously!" Just a flimsy excuse to put their company name together with Wii. Bravo Squaremouth.

Squaremouth First to Transact Travel Insurance Business on Nintendo's Wii™ Platform [PR-GB.com]

Moledina said several factors contributed to the event's growth, confirming, "We certainly did see a boost in interest following the E3 announcement - I couldn't keep my voicemail clear that whole week.

Depending on how this year's E3 pans out, GDC could be even bigger next year, which is fine with me as long as they maintain a fair balance between walking all over San Francisco and stuffing yourself with free food and drink. Michael Fahey

GDC picked up E3 constituents, says Moledina [GamesIndustry.biz]

Of our sample of 200 women, those who played video games on average had sex 4.3 times a week while those who didn't play games only had sex just 3.2 times a week.

Perhaps even more promising for gamers is the fact that many of the women that we interviewed who have only recently started playing games said that they now have sex more often than before.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
13/02/07

Gamers Have Sex More Often!

It's official - women who play video games have sex more often! Gametart, the UK's largest online games rental company, carried out the survey throughout January to see how the recent influx of the likes of Pink PSPs and DS Lites would affect gamers' sex lives across the country.

The results were surprising.

Of our sample of 200 women, those who played video games on average had sex 4.3 times a week while those who didn't play games only had sex just 3.2 times a week.

Perhaps even more promising for gamers is the fact that many of the women that we interviewed who have only recently started playing games said that they now have sex more often than before.

Gamers have never had it so good!

And a tip for Valentines Day: a nice meal and a bottle of wine only last for one night but for only 11.96 you can have games for a month!

Head to www.gametart.com to make this Valentines Day the best ever!

###

I told you I was going to be the Bully flagbearer, and so I am. A tip from reader Matt points to this San Francisco Chronicle article on the game, titled "Bully a Far Cry From Columbine":

Even if you agree that video games are too violent, focusing energy on Bully is like trying to raid a crack house and accidentally smashing in the door of the doughnut franchise across the street. Bully may have been the game CNN's Lou Dobbs was getting apoplectic about, but I can name 50 other titles released this year that featured far more gratuitous blood and mayhem.

The article also mentions that "lessons are being learned", a phrase that clicked with me. Bully seems like Rockstar's revenge. Eliza Gauger

Bully is a far cry from Columbine
Controversial game takes place at school, but creative energy, fun characters rule [SFGate]

The Gamer's Day event, an invitation to "preview the beginning of the next generation", will take place on Thursday, Oct. 19 in San Francisco and feature a round-table discussion, executive presentations and a half-day of hands-on gaming time.

I suspect Sony will have most, if not all, of their launch titles on hand for playtime as well, perhaps, as some early builds of later games.

This has also got to be the event where Sony dishes the details on PSP connectivity and the PS3's online capabilities. I'm psyched... and going. Brian Crecente

After a painful 2 hour bus ride back into Tokyo (the show is in Chiba), we were ready to drink away the pain of interviewing unhappy developers and suffering of being elbowed in the flanks by otaku charging for the Dead or Alive hump pillows. Fortunately, for the burdgeoning alcoholics in the group, Sony obliged. We were bussed to the Sony Computer Entertainment TK building, elevated gently to the 16th floor, and let loose upon the hors d'oeuvres. While the rest of us were drinking and shoving sushi in our pockets, Mr. Spatola was filming the action. Take a look. Michael McWhertor

Dennis McCauley of GamePolitics addresses the recent appearance of 2008 presidential hopeful Mark Warner in MMO Second Life, a move which some have called smart and others suicide.

Warner held a small press conference in Second Life, appearing as a reasonable simulacrum of himself and giving tongue to his views on Iraq and reproductive rights, and studiously ignoring various hijinx perpetrated by attendees, one of whom was wearing an avatar that made him into a series of tubes.

Still, there were some obvious problems. Warner's avatar was just this side of creepy, resembling nothing so much as the G-Man from Half-Life 2. Plus, there's a certain amount of freaky avatar sex going on in certain areas of Second Life. Uh, so I'm told ... . When rival campaigns "go negative," as they invariably will, could Warner's Second Life visit be spun as an excursion to some type of animated porn site?

Whatever the outcome, I applaud Warner's sheer sack to have done this at all. Although I'm inclined to agree with one of the commentors on the original post, who requests that Warner lead a PvP raid. Eliza Gauger

More Here [GamePolitics]

Presidential hopeful Mark Warner recently held a press conference in the MySpace of MMOs, Second Life. The coverage of the event was decidedly subdued, and I've seen very little followup worth reporting.

Except, of course, for the article from which the following excerpt is plucked. Surprise surprise, all did not go as planned. Uninvited attendees were removed from the premises while shouting slogans about freedom and democracy; the invited reporters, fresh from Help Island, couldn't figure out how to use the provided chairs; and once the impertinent questions from the same reporters were silence by the moderator, the former quickly became restless and took matters into their own hands, making this the most entertaining political debate since the word "internets" was coined.

One reporter was a green Incredible Hulk type, one was a series of tubes, another was a knight with feathers in the helmet, still another carried a balloon proclaiming "Stop Slavery," and several turned themselves into buxom blondes. Warner chose a dark jacket and tan slacks.

[...]

The avatars became bored. Whirling Eddy and the tube guy began to fly. Others joined the governor on the stage or made some of the "gestures" in the program, such as muscle-flexing, yawning, rock-scissors-paper and a spanking gesture called "kmb" — kiss my butt.

After fending off the questions with increasing ferocity, moderator Hamlet Au pronounced the governor a virtual success. "You've performed quite well, sir," he said. "You are not a noob."

Eliza Gauger

edit: I updated with a new photo, which I graciously stole from Joystiq. Observe the Series of Tubes in the second row.

Do You Have a Question, Pixeleen Minstral? [Washington Post, via GamePolitics]

The Microsoft insiders over at Gamescoreblog have kindly thrown up a link to the official top-secret XBox E3 online press kit. It's a bit skimpy now, but expect this site to pubertally blossom over the week with press releases, screenshots, videos, developer headshots and logos for all of the games highlighted or to be revealed by Microsoft at this year's E3. All the information that the on-floor press will have access to is promised to make its way up on the site in a timely manner.

We'll keep our eye on it over the coming week and be sure to report anything that makes our adam's apples start tremulously bobbing.

Microsoft E3 Press Site (via Gamescoreblog

Sony still hasn't said what the press conference will be about, but it wouldn't be too outrageous to assume that the Playstation 3 might come up.

Oooooh, maybe there will also be some idle talk about the rumored Playstation Portable Lite.

PS3 details expected tomorrow, as Sony confirms briefing plans [Games Industry]

And I thought David Jaffe just produced kick-ass games, little did I know he also had some hardcore ranting skills. Last week Jaffe posted a "Plea to The Game Journalist" to stop being such fanboy, industry suck-ups and start doing their jobs. I couldn't agree more. Here's his excellent P.S.

ps. There are SOME mags/sites that ARE doing some really nice writing about games in my opinion. So it's not a total wasteland in that respect....and NO I won't name them. I think that crosses the line from a standpoint of hurting Sony in that I don't want to be the guy who is out there bashing specific magazines and then see those mags take it out on Sony games just for spite. But catch me in public and you know I'll spill the beans! Oh, by the way, I don't dislike ANY of the key magazines or websites. I really do think they all do at least a few things really well and I gladly pay for them all each month/year. I'm just talking in regards to the issue of real, meaty game journalism.

Oh, but I will say this to ALL the fucking print mags: LESS FUCKING PREVIEWS AND MORE FEATURES!!!! I can get my previews on the web a shit load faster than I get them from you. I wanna read some STORIES and MEATY INTERVIEWS in the print mags....and I wanna spend more than 5 minutes reading your magazine that I've paid 5 bucks for. I really should be READING your magazine, not just FLIPPING FUCKING THRU IT!!! More content please!!!

Did you see ROLLING STONE with the BONO interview?!? Give me THAT but with KOJIMA....OR MIYAMOTO! And no more of this bullshit about how he plays the fucking banjo and likes to garden. Wow, that's hard hitting! Shit guys, dig into the man and let us know what makes him tick, what he really likes and dislikes, his political views, what his stresses are, what his vices are, does he feel stress to save Nintendo,etc....you know, go and WRITE something! Man, I would gladly pay triple for a mag like that! And shit, if you guys don't champion the real visionaries of this biz in a meaty and detailed and challenging way, who ever will?!?

That rantish column received nearly a hundred links and more than 60 comments, it also spurred Jaffe to post a second time on the subject to better explain his points and respond to some of the chatter out there.

Bottom line, in my mind, is that game journalists need to be journalists first and gamers second. It's great to love video games and great to have some knowledge on the subject to help put things into context. But covering gaming needs to be about getting past the press releases, past the shwag and fanboy mentality and digging into what makes a game good or bad and what the industry is doing right or wrong.

The good news is that the mainstream media is waking up to the power, money and importance of gaming and have started covering it as a real and important industry.

The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Mercury News all have excellent gaming writers. More importantly by far is that those papers and others are starting to create fulltime positions for their gaming writers, so the days of reporters having to cover games in their spare time for a paper are going to go away.

I speak with some experience on this. I'm a fulltime reporter at the Rocky Mountain News covering crime (something I've reported on for major dailies for the past 11 years) and the publisher of our paper recently approached me about becoming a fulltime game writer.

The reason newspapers are suddenly willing to make the plunge is because the gaming industry has finally pushed enough into the mainstream for newspapers to realize that they can see a significant increase in both advertising and in young readers if they start to cover gaming.

We're in for some interesting days as game sites, blogs, magazines and newspapers compete for the same readers. Mark my words, expect some major changes in the way the industry is covered.

A PLEA TO THE GAME JOURNALIST and DON'T WANNA BE NO INDUSTRY RANTER! [David Jaffe's Thoughts on Video Games]