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  Linden Lab Buys Second Life Virtual Marketplaces OnRez And Xstreet SL

  Second Life creators Linden Lab have been shopping for shopping, acquiring virtual goods marketplaces OnRez and Xstreet SL in order to integrate them into their popular virtual world. OnRez and Xstreet SL (formerly SLExchange) are basically the Amazon.com of Second Life, where residents of the virtual world can browse and purchase items for their avatars…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 21, 2009
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  Wash Your Hands? Gargle?

  To: Crecente From: Bashcraft RE: Podcast Guest Editor ‘Cause man, people in Osaka apparently do it like crazy — Osaka’s children have the cleanest hands and clearest throats in the nation. Mrs. Bashcraft has always told Mini-Bash to wash his hands and gargle after he returns from being outside. She does it. Her family does…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 21, 2009
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  Gears of War 2 Update Arrives With Mountain of Fixes and Tweaks

  Gears of War 2 updated last night with a patch that includes quite a number of fixes for multiplayer and balancing issues as well as some new features. The patch, which went up about 3 a.m., also adds seven new achievements, four of which require the Flashback Map Pack that came free with new copies…

  By Brian Crecente Published January 21, 2009
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  Governor-General Visits Afghanistan To Drop Off A Wii

  Background info: Australia has a Governor-General. Read up on that here. Anyway, she was in Afghanistan today, paying a surprise visit to Australian troops stationed there. Troops who were bored. So Governor-General Quentin Bryce flew in, said hello, shook some hands, dropped off a Wii and left. Bemused troops smiled, shook hands, waved goodbye, asked…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 21, 2009
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  Five Ways Game Sites Can Improve

  Been to a game’s official site lately? You probably have. Probably noticed while there that it was a bit crap, full of useless flash pages and 320×240 “screenshots”. Here’s five ways to fix that. Owen Davis, from Evolution Research, makes a living telling people that make websites how to do their job. We’re not normally…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 21, 2009
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  Only One Xbox 360 Game Made Top 100 Sellers of 2008

  Crunching the sales data from game publication Famitsu, we have a breakdown by platform of the 100 biggest selling games of last year in Japan. Here goes: DS: 47 games Wii: 15 games PSP: 15 games PS2: 12 games PS3: 10 games Xbox 360: 1 game And that one Xbox 360 game is Tales of…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 21, 2009
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  Different Ways To Play Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time

  Actress Airi Taira isn’t only starring in the live adaption of manga 20th Century Boys, but also these new Square Enix ads. Lucky her! The TV spots are for Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time and show how the game can be played with the Wii, the DS, your friends and a cat. That’s…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 21, 2009
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  SEGA Staff Cuts Confirmed

  The rumor that SEGA of America made thirty of its employees redundant is not a rumor. Confirming the lay-offs, a SEGA rep. stated, “Sega of America has grown at pace with the booming videogame industry, but at this time of economic recession, harsh retail landscape, and the reality of business challenges to profitability, we must…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 21, 2009
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  Aaron Greenberg Disagrees With Kaz Hirai, Bites Him In Face

  Gotta love this harsh economic climate. It’s dragging executive shit-talking back to its 2006-07 heyday. Latest example? Aaron Greenberg’s response to Kaz Hirai’s “console leadership” quips to the Official PlayStation Magazine. Not liking what he’s read, Greenberg does not politely rebuff the Sony man’s point of view. He does not choose to ignore the man.…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 21, 2009
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  Barack Obama Doll Relaxes With Miniature Famicom

  Okay, the gaming connection? Slim at best and pretty much stops at the title. But hey, yesterday was the inauguration. If you’re cool with all that, read on. A 1/6 scale version of the new President is relaxing under a kotatsu. There are mikans and a nearby Famicom — not a Wii. But really, consider…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 21, 2009
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  Which Games Sold The Most, In Australia, During 2008?

  Seen America’s. Seen Japan’s. Seen Britain’s. Now let’s see which ten games sold the most copies in…Australia. Anyone expecting a break from the Nintendothon, don’t bother, but the list isn’t entirely devoid of surprises. It’s Wii, Wii, Wii at both the top and bottom of the list (Big Beach Sports? Really?), but in the middle?…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 21, 2009
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  Peter Moore Thinks World of Goo Devs Can Teach EA Stuff (Like Leave EA?)

  Back when Peter Moore went all “WTF” to Eurogamer, the EA Sports exec was baffled about World of Goo making the Top 50 games of 2008. “World of Goo? I’m sure it’s fun,” Moore then blogged, “and the reviewers certainly loved it, but surprised to see up so high.” Well, the exec has finally played…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 21, 2009
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  Because Halo 3 Always Needed A Little More Fallout 3

  The Halo series is, when it comes to shooters, up there with the best of the best. Only problem is, it’s so old. I mean, the last game came out in, when, 2007? That’s ancient! So let’s freshen the game up a little, throw in some features from games we’ve been enamoured with a little…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 21, 2009
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  Three New Final Fantasy XIII Screens (So, So Sazhy)

  Last week, new Final Fantasy XIII scans appeared in Japanese magazine V-Jump. And this week? Those same scans appear in the upcoming Famitsu. But, Famitsu being Famitsu, there are a few new scans — three, actually. They’re of Sazh Katzroy and his magnificent hairdo. 2chan

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 21, 2009
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  Left 4 Dead Brings 2 Lovers Together

  Valve’s Left 4 Dead is useful as both a chilling simulation of the zombie apocalypse and as a tool for encouraging cooperative play in an online shooter. Those and…weddings. Example: AJ plays Left 4 with his lady friend. Seeing as the game plays a special part in both of their lives, he decided to propose…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 21, 2009
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  Developer Would Like DS Mother 3 For Fans Abroad

  GameBoy Advance Mother 3 sadly never got a Western release. That doesn’t mean it couldn’t possibly get a DS release. Nintendo funded studio Brownie Brown had a hand in developing Mother 3. Brownie Brown President Shinichi Kameoka said a DS port is possible — though, this is not an official announcement in any regards. “If…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 21, 2009
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  Real Portal Gun Won’t Leave You Tasting Blood

  Click to viewFlickr user emilyskeith has a boyfriend who knows she loves Portal. Knows she loves to cosplay. Knows that, should she ever feel the need to cosplay as Chell, she’d need a suitably authentic ASHPD. So he made her one! A real one, made out of heavy, real materials. Calling it amazing would be…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 21, 2009
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  Kaz Hirai Feels Faint, Needs To Lie Down

  We saw some fairly conclusive evidence last night that Kaz Hirai needs a good lie down. Today, though, we got some more, as the rest of his Official PlayStation Magazine interview hit the internet. You’ll find two things of interest. Here’s one: This is not meant in terms of numbers, or who’s got the biggest…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 21, 2009
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  No, Famitsu Didn’t Announce Tales of Vesperia For PS3

  See that blurry magazine scan? It apparently says that Xbox 360 title Tales of Vesperia is coming to the PS3 with new events and new dungeons. Don’t get excited just yet. It’s totally fake. Below is the index for the upcoming issue of Famitsu — the same one that supposedly announces Tales of Vesperia for…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 21, 2009
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  Get In On The Dawn Of War II Beta

  Want in on the Dawn of War II beta? Don’t want to pay “full price” for Dawn of War: Soulstorm, the only way you can currently get into the beta? Things just got easier. Valve and THQ have announced that the price of Soulstorm has been slashed by 75%, so if you want in now…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 21, 2009