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  Who’s Killing The Music Industry Now? Video Games!

  Music sales have been on the decline for years—even if that decline seems to be slowing—with record executives citing illegal filesharing and downloading as one of the root causes for the downturn. But are all those Sam Goody’s closing and executives whining over just the rampant illegal downloading, not purchasing, of music? The Guardian argues…

  By Michael McWhertor Published June 12, 2009
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  Is Microsoft Using 3DV Systems Tech For Natal? No Idea

  Ever wanted to see Microsoft’s John Schappert dance? Ask him what’s in the Xbox 360‘s “Project Natal” hardware, specifically if it uses 3DV Systems‘ technology, which Microsoft was rumored to have purchased earlier this year. GameTrailers TV host Geoff Keighley asked the (deep breath) Corporate Vice President of Live, Software and Services for the Interactive…

  By Michael McWhertor Published June 12, 2009
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  APB Does All Of The Following, In Theory

  No game at E3 may have had a longer list of unexpected features than APB, Real Time Worlds’ so-called crossing of Grand Theft Auto and an MMO. APB, which comes from the creators of Crackdown, has been in development for a few years and has bounced publishers to land at EA for its expected early…

  By Stephen Totilo Published June 12, 2009
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  Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny Customization Can Make You Blue

  Namco Bandai‘s PSP port of Soulcalibur IV, dubbed Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny, carries over much of its console predecessor’s character customization features. Want to tell the eternal tale of swords and Smurfs? You can do that. Or you can go pink, add devil horns—the Soulcalibur team seems to really like horns—or give yourself an intimidating skull…

  By Michael McWhertor Published June 12, 2009
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  BioWare Officially Unveils Old Republic Smuggler Class

  A Star Wars character hiding behind a crate with a pistol in his hand can only mean one thing: BioWare has gone and unveiled the Smuggler class for Star Wars: The Old Republic. We knew they were coming, but it’s nice to see them anyway. BioWare has posted information on the Smuggler, the latest class…

  By Mike Fahey Published June 12, 2009
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  Nintendo Expects The Conduit, GTA Chinatown Wars To Sell Well

  Despite some signs of trouble earlier this year, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime told Kotaku why third-parties have a bright future on Wii and DS. The company that’s been riding high on its own Wii and DS successes has recently had some trouble convincing people that marquee games from publishers other than Nintendo can…

  By Stephen Totilo Published June 12, 2009
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  See Metal Gear Arcade In Action

  .html Konami is looking to squeeze a little more cash out of the development of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots by taking the online portion of that game to Japanese arcades. The recently announced Metal Gear Arcade takes Metal Gear Online and stuffs it into an impressive-looking, but similarly expensive to develop,…

  By Michael McWhertor Published June 12, 2009
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  The Air Force Has Video Games Too

  Just like the Army, the U.S. Air Force uses games to help potential recruits connect with their organization. Just not quite as well. The Games and Extras page of the official U.S. Air Force website is chock full of interesting little activities to help demonstrate how much fun it is to be in the Air…

  By Mike Fahey Published June 12, 2009
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  Nintendo: Other M Will be A “Metroid Unlike Anything Ever Experienced Before”

  Two of the men leading the new Metroid Wii game told Kotaku about their narrative ambitions for the 2010 sequel Metroid Other M and explained why the Metroid Prime team isn’t involved. Yoshio Sakamoto, Nintendo’s long-time developer of 2D Metroids, and Yousuke Hayashi, head of Tecmo’s Team Ninja, wouldn’t tell me and Brian Crecente how…

  By Stephen Totilo Published June 12, 2009
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  LittleBigPlanet Action Figures Have Been Sacked

  Toymaker Mezco Toyz was planning to release LittleBigPlanet licensed action figures this year, in sizes ranging from 2″ to 18″, along with sundry other Sackboy and Sackgirl themed things. Not anymore, as the product line has been scrapped. According to customer notifications from retailers like BigBadToyStore, Mezco Toyz has nixed plans for a LittleBigPlanet action…

  By Michael McWhertor Published June 12, 2009
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  Placing Your Face In Fight Night Round 4

  The only thing better than beating up famous boxers in EA’s Fight Night Round Four? Beating up your friends, family, and yourself. Somehow I don’t think people will be limiting their custom boxers to themselves when Fight Night Round Four comes out on June 23rd. Not when you can use both your USB camera and…

  By Mike Fahey Published June 12, 2009
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  The New Borderlands Look That Almost Wasn’t

  Gearbox Software artists are sensitive about the whole cel-shading thing for Borderlands. They like to call it gritty realism or concept art. But how did a game so far along get a total art make-over? It almost didn’t. Randy Pitchford, president of Gearbox, said that a couple of artists got together and started complaining about…

  By Brian Crecente Published June 12, 2009
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  What Are You Playing This Weekend?

  It is entirely possible that I’ll be playing Plants Vs. Zombies this weekend, as I’m in possession of a new power supply that will make the ol’ Windows based PC function like it did in its heyday. Of course, that may not be such a good idea, as I hear it’s rather good and somewhat…

  By Michael McWhertor Published June 12, 2009
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  Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: The Glorious Screens

  A bit earlier today I gushed about the look of Tatsunoko vs. Capcom. Here’s a better look at some of the characters found in the game.

  By Brian Crecente Published June 12, 2009
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  Runes Of Magic Getting Much-Needed Elf Injection

  What’s a massively multiplayer online fantasy roleplaying game without playable elves? It’s Runes of Magic, at least until the September release of Chapter II – The Elven Prophecy. Frogster has released a set of new Runes of Magic screenshots, showing off the elves and the green, leafy areas they will inhabit come September. They’ve been…

  By Mike Fahey Published June 12, 2009
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  When Will It Be Wrong To Call The Xbox 360 A Game Console?

  Kotaku recently asked Microsoft if the flourishing of non-gaming features like Netflix, Facebook, Last.fm and Twitter on the Xbox 360 will someday invalidate the classification of the device as a gaming console. Since the original Xbox launched in 2001, Microsoft has worked hard to deflate suspicions that the company wasn’t serious about video games. Microsoft,…

  By Stephen Totilo Published June 12, 2009
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  The Scratch Turntable In Action

  Take a look at Numark’s "first and only legitimate DJ controller for gamers" in this turntable hyping video for Scratch: The Ultimate DJ. I suppose it is the first video game controller created by a company that mainly manufactures DJ equipment, but to call it a only “legitimate” DJ controller seems like a direct dig…

  By Mike Fahey Published June 12, 2009
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  Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles Preview: A Chilling Shooter

  Capcom returns to Raccoon City in Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles, dropping gamers back into the zombie-killing action in a game that plays like a on-rails shooting title, but promises to deliver a sense of action and suspense. Can those two even go together? What Is It? Capcom’s on-rails shooter for the Wii boasts two-player…

  By Brian Crecente Published June 12, 2009
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  Neo Steam Lurches To Life

  The beta has closed, the servers are open, and Atlus Online officially has its first active online game in Neo Steam: The Shattered Continent. Following a successful open beta that kicked off in late May, Neo Steam: The Shattered Continent is now fully operational, free to play for anyone who has signed up at the…

  By Mike Fahey Published June 12, 2009
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  Next Week In Rock Band: This Is New Spinal Tap

  Faux rockers Spinal Tap are releasing Back From The Dead on June 16th and Harmonix is on point, with three songs from the new album hitting Rock Band next week, along with a little Evanescence. “Back from the Dead,” Rock ‘n’ Roll Nightmare” and “Warmer Than Hell” comprise three of the four tracks in the…

  By Mike Fahey Published June 12, 2009