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  Let Pac-Man Describe Your Pain

  Spotted on Flickr, this handy chart asks folks to choose the Pac-Man face that best describes how they feel. I’m a little “BERRR-.” You? Pacman Pain [Flickr via technabob]

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 4, 2009
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  So What’s EA’s Market Share Like These Days?

  EA ain’t what they used to be. Activision are top dogs now, and Nintendo aren’t kidding around either. So let’s see how much of the gaming market in the US & Europe EA still commands. The graph below is fairly self-explanatory. The percentage is the percentage of sales of EA games in relation to total…

  By Luke Plunkett Published February 3, 2009
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  Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 Is Ready To Kick Your Ass

  Hostesses? Boring! Guys getting hit with a gas tank? So not boring. This batch of Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 images packs a walloping punch. PS3 exclusive Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 hits Japanese retailers February 26.

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 3, 2009
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  Shacknews Bought By..GameFly?

  It’s a strange headline, yes, but that’s how the world goes sometimes. Shacknews founder Steve Gibson has revealed that his site has indeed been bought by games rental outlet GameFly. Gibson – who claims the move has nothing to do with money troubles for the site – says of the surprising deal: GameFly has demonstrated…

  By Luke Plunkett Published February 3, 2009
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  Taito Arcade Hikes Prices 20 Percent [Update]

  Arcade games since the birth of Japanese arcades have been 1 play for ¥100 yen*. Starting this week, that has changed. Sure, players could enjoy older games for ¥50 and some new, deluxe titles charged ¥200 and up. But generally speaking, 1 play was and has been ¥100. Game center Taito Station in Shibuya is…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 3, 2009
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  Eric Nylund Writes Something Unrelated To Halo

  Tor Books announced today that they’d be publishing an original novel from Halo and Gears of War writer/story consultant Eric Nylund. Mortal Coils is the first book in a planned five-book series. I’m to understand Nylund did in fact write books before he adapted the Halo series — but this is the author’s first original…

  By AJ Glasser Published February 3, 2009
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  Escapism In The Time Of Layoffs

  The Wall Street Journal has a nice little article up about laid off employees getting into games and social media networks as a way to escape the grim reality that they’re out of a job. Internet games, gambling and other forms of online entertainment have seen significant surges in use in the several months since…

  By AJ Glasser Published February 3, 2009
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  More Battlefield: Bad Company On The Way

  Seems EA’s John Riccitiello didn’t get the memo that the “Battlefield Announcement Event” in the UK had been snowed out, because during this afternoon’s Q309 conference call, he went ahead and announced a new Battlefield game. Sadly for fans of the core series, it’s not one of those games. Instead, it’s a sequel to last…

  By Luke Plunkett Published February 3, 2009
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  N’Gai, Totilo Take on Howard, Levine at Comic Con

  If you’re going to be at the New York Comic Con later this week, you might want to check out the panel hosted by Newsweek’s N’Gai Croal and MTV’s Stephen Totilo. The two will be talking with Fallout 3’s Toff Howard and BioShock’s Ken Levine in what they’re calling Vs. Mode Live. The one hour…

  By Brian Crecente Published February 3, 2009
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  Major Minor’s Majestic March Brings The Wii Music

  Who could use some brightly colored screen shots to perk up their day? Well, how about some new Major Minor’s Majestic March media? Majesco has 16 new, nearly identical new shots of the game. While the new screens don’t, in any fashion, illustrate any variety in the NanaOn-Sha developed Wii title, they show that creators…

  By Michael McWhertor Published February 3, 2009
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  The Godfather II Gets Last Minute Delay From EA

  Electronic Arts big day of delays and disastrous financial news has claimed one more victim: The Godfather II. The sequel won’t make its previously scheduled February ship date, moving to a post-April release. Why? EA’s John Riccitiello says that its moving to Q1 of the company’s 2010 fiscal year, which runs April to June, to…

  By Michael McWhertor Published February 3, 2009
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  Crytek Buys Free Radical

  Timesplitters and Haze developer Free Radical Design has found financial sanctuary in German developer Crytek, who is reported to have purchased the struggling Nottingham, UK dev for an undisclosed amount. According to 1UP, Free Radical scriptwriter Rob Yescombe confirmed the purchase of Free Radical by the developers of Far Cry and Crysis, saying that the…

  By Michael McWhertor Published February 3, 2009
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  Mass Effect 2 Coming In 2010, Will Be “Multiplatform”

  EA’s John Riccitiello didn’t confine himself to announcing Wii ports during today’s Q309 conference call. He also gave a release timeframe for Mass Effect 2, saying that it’ll be out in early 2010. Interestingly, he announced the game would be appearing on multiple platforms, but didn’t get into specifics, leaving it unclear whether he meant…

  By Luke Plunkett Published February 3, 2009
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  Why No Killzone 2 Review Yet

  To: Bash From: Crecente Re: Writing About Jobs We still have plenty of time before Killzone 2 official hits, but I’ve been receiving a lot of messages from people asking why we haven’t reviewed the Playstation 3 exclusive. The simple answer is, it’s not ready to be reviewed yet. Sure the on-disc experience is mostly…

  By Brian Crecente Published February 3, 2009
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  First Look At Uncharted 2: Among Thieves In Action

  Naughty Dog invited us to its Santa Monica studios on Monday for a look at Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, the PlayStation 3 exclusive that you should really be more excited for. How do we know? Seeing Uncharted 2‘s new “traversal gunplay” mechanics in real-time action, we couldn’t help but become overly excited about the prospects…

  By Michael McWhertor Published February 3, 2009
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  Dead Space Wii Announced

  During Electronic Arts’ Q3 2009 earnings call earlier today, boss John Riccitiello mentioned a Wii game we’d previously not heard about. That game was Dead Space Wii. It’s due out later this year, and is part of a plan from EA to bring a more “core” experiece to the Wii. Riccitiello promises that, despite the…

  By Luke Plunkett Published February 3, 2009
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  EA Loses $641M Over Holiday Quarter, Increases Layoffs, Closures

  Electronic Arts announced today that its quarter ending December 31 saw a massive loss, totaling $641 million. EA John Riccitiello called the lower than expected earnings “a clear disappointment,” announcing additional, extended layoffs. The company will increase the number of jobs cut to 1,100, up from 1,000, or 11% of its total workforce. It expects…

  By Michael McWhertor Published February 3, 2009
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  The Sims 3 Given New, Later Release Date

  Virtual residents of the last version of EA’s popular life simulation get a stay of execution today, as the company officially pushes the release of The Sims 3 to June. The rumblings from last month prove true as Electronic Arts stamps a release date of June 2nd of the eagerly anticipated PC title The Sims…

  By Mike Fahey Published February 3, 2009
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  EA Delays Dragon Age: Origins Until “Last Half Of 2009”

  Followers of BioWare’s epic development cycle on Dragon Age: Origins probably won’t be surprised to learn that the game has been delayed. Again. Electronic Arts announced a new “last half of 2009” release date today. Dashing any hopes of the “early 2009” release date provided by EA late last year, the publisher now says the…

  By Michael McWhertor Published February 3, 2009
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  Australian Police Minister Urges People to Report WoW Sales

  The New South Wales Police are asking people to contact them if they see retailers selling World of Warcraft or other massively multiplayer online games. Both the police and the attorney general’s office in New South Wales say that the New South Wales Classification Enforcement Act prohibits publishers and retailers from selling unclassified computer games…

  By Brian Crecente Published February 3, 2009