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  Xbox Division Sees 66 Percent Slide in ’09 Profit Despite 11 Million Units Shipped

  Microsoft’s Xbox division booked an eye-popping 66 percent drop in profit for the 2009 fiscal year, reflecting a terrible economy and mirroring steep declines across all of the software behemoth’s business segments. For the fiscal year, Microsoft’s revenue from the Xbox 360 and from PC gaming was down $161 million, which the company mainly attributed…

  By Owen Good Published July 23, 2009
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  DreamBox Succeeds At Tricking Kids Into Learning Math

  Seven months ago, DreamBox Learning launched its math-based edutainment site for kids between kindergarten and second grade. Today, it’s making virtual headlines with success stories. The Wall Street Journal reports that DreamBox — along with other web-based learning game sites like SmartyCard, Brightstorm and Grockit — is closing the gap between between a child’s expected…

  By AJ Glasser Published July 23, 2009
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  Halo Waypoint Becomes Destination For Halo Fans This Fall

  Microsoft has more than just Halo 3 ODST to whip the Halo fanbase into a lather this fall. It’s also launching the Halo Waypoint on Xbox Live, a “destination” for fans of Bungie’s space marine creation. Halo Waypoint will give fans their first peek at the Halo Legends anime series of shorts, with “select” episodes…

  By Michael McWhertor Published July 23, 2009
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  iPhone Archon To Get Weekly Updates, Get It Free

  The iPhone version of chess classic Archon will be getting major updates every week for the next couple of months, the developer tells Kotaku. The latest update to hit the App Store for the game for free includes plenty of fixes and tweaks as well as newly enhanced AI settings for the game. I’m told…

  By Brian Crecente Published July 23, 2009
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  Comic-Con

  To: Ash From: Crecente Re: Is Food Hating Genetic? It’s not even Friday yet and already Comic-Con is filling the site with news, previews, screens and videos. My favorite story, so far, is Blizzard talking about what role they think Bruce Campbell should play in Warcraft. Did I tell you I met Campbell once? This…

  By Brian Crecente Published July 23, 2009
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  You Can Buy Actual World Of Warcraft Gold Coins

  With World of Warcraft comic books, action figures, t-shirts and trading card games already thoroughly merchandised by Blizzard and their partners, what’s left to license? How about World of Warcraft coins? DC Unlimited is making ’em, legitimizing WoW gold selling. Both the Horde and Alliance will get 24 karat gold plated, Sterling silver and copper…

  By Michael McWhertor Published July 23, 2009
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  Old News ’87: Zelda Is Going To Be Bigger Than Mario

  Once a week, let’s dig up an old bit of news and see what became of it. Today we’ve got Nintendo in 1987 predicting that the Zelda NES “game pak” will be huge. Bold words, Nintendo. It’s May of 1987, the year after Nintendo started selling the Nintendo Entertainment System in America. Super Mario Brothers…

  By Stephen Totilo Published July 23, 2009
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  Even Comic-Con Has Its Own Exclusive PSPs

  Sony’s booth contains two very special PSPs, each a Comic-Con exclusive. Both are also Comic-Con appropriate, given their Green Lantern and Caprica branding, and likely to live forever protectively stored in a glass case. The Green Lantern one is the more eye-catching of the two. The Caprica styled PSP is maybe a little too understated……

  By Michael McWhertor Published July 23, 2009
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  Left 4 Dead 2 “Swamp Fever” Hands-On Impressions

  Valve brought a playable “Swamp Fever,” the second announced campaign for Left 4 Dead 2, to Comic-Con. In addition to showing a new environment in which to kill zombie hordes, it helps the game feel more like a proper sequel. At E3, the campaign “The Parish” played a touch too much like the original Left…

  By Michael McWhertor Published July 23, 2009
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  Rare Sighting: Pro-Marijuana Reference In A Video Game

  As I played the upcoming Grand Theft Auto-like iPhone game Gangstar: West Coast Hustle earlier this week, I tuned the radio to 42.0 and got a surprise. The 42.0 station, the frequency itself a reference to marijuana, is called “Legalize It. “It’s one of four radio stations of original music in the game, which models…

  By Stephen Totilo Published July 23, 2009
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  Dante’s Inferno Cartoon Features Monster Anal

  While EA’s Dante’s Inferno video game allows you to explore the darkest depths of hell, the animated feature goes darker and deeper still. During the Dante’s Inferno panel earlier today at the San Diego Comic-Con, director Vic Cook explained just how deep Dante would travel in the animated feature. “You’re gonna love it. We’ve got…

  By Mike Fahey Published July 23, 2009
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  Some New Lost Planet 2 Screens For You

  It’s Comic-Con time. That means, perversely, it’s time for video game news and video game media. Early out of the gates are these Lost Planet 2 screenshots. And yes. There are both mech suits and giant bugs.

  By Luke Plunkett Published July 23, 2009
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  Gran Turismo PSP’s Japanese Commercial

  If you’re still having trouble believing that all of those gorgeous screen shots from Gran Turismo PSP are actually from a PSP game and not a PS3 one, here’s some of the cars in action. Gran Turismo launches alongside the PSPgo on Oct. 1 as both a digital download and UMD.

  By Brian Crecente Published July 23, 2009
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  Comic-Con 2009: The Damage So Far

  The main problem with sending fans of things anime, comic book, and video game related to a giant anime, comic book, and video game related convention, is the lack of infinite money at our fingertips. So far we’ve been pretty restrained. Yesterday’s crowds offered little time to browse the wares at the various booths, and…

  By Mike Fahey Published July 23, 2009
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  A Look at Uncharted 2’s Gold Rush

  Naughty Dog is showing off a new co-op gameplay type for Uncharted 2: Among Thieves at Comic-Con this week. In Gold Rush a team of players try to grab and move a treasure across the map without getting taken out. Looks kind of fun.

  By Brian Crecente Published July 23, 2009
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  Infinite Space Anime Confuses, Delights

  I’m still equal parts confused and excited about upcoming DS role-playing game Infinite Space. On the one hand, I’m still am a little hazy on just what I’ll be doing in the game. On the other it’s being developed by PlatinumGames and Nude Maker. Oh, and it has these insane, over-the-top anime shorts. This one…

  By Brian Crecente Published July 23, 2009
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  What’s The Most Important Warcraft Movie Casting Decision?

  Blizzard is making a movie based on its rather popular Warcraft property. Sam Raimi is directing it, meaning one actor’s involvement is almost assured. So which actor and which role? The hot topic currently raging at Blizzard’s creatively leaning offices is apparently “What role will Bruce Campbell play?” That’s according to Blizzard VP of creative…

  By Michael McWhertor Published July 23, 2009
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  A Famicom Controller For Your Business Cards

  Hey business people! Do you have business cards? Do you? Priced at ¥2,900 (US$31), there’s this from Japan’s Banpresto. The aluminum card case has two compartments: one is for your business cards, and the other is business cards you receive during your meeting. The case is scheduled to drop this October and comes in two…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published July 23, 2009
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  Getting Barefoot With Nintendo

  At a fake beach today, Nintendo’s vp of corporate affairs didn’t want to tell me how many copies Nintendo hopes to sell of Wii Sports Resort. Nor shipped. Give me something for a post, Denise! She suggested this. I had fished for news, but I wasn’t going to get it from Nintendo of America’s Denise…

  By Stephen Totilo Published July 23, 2009
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  Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack In Time Preview: Time Is On Your Side

  What has Ratchet’s robot buddy Clank been up to since being kidnapped by the Zoni at the end of Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction? We go hands-on at Comic-Con to find out. What Is It? Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time is the continuation of Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of…

  By Mike Fahey Published July 23, 2009