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Watch The Play Machinima Law Conference
Almost two months ago, I attended a Machinima Law conference at Stanford University as part of an extra credit assignment. Today, you can watch what I saw for free. Stanford’s video game research project, How They Got Game, is hosting a series of videos from the conference. They’re kind of small, so you’ll have to…
By AJ Glasser Published June 16, 2009 -
MTV Seeks Gaming Addicts For Reality Show
MTV’s documentary series “True Life” is looking for you, if you’re addicted to playing video games to the point that that it’s ruining your life. The decade-old reality show is seeking hardcore addicts for “True Life: I’m Addicted To Videogames.” The reality show is seeking gamers with an unhealthy attitude toward the hobby, giving you…
By Michael McWhertor Published June 16, 2009 -
Mecho Wars
To: Ash From: Crecente Re: No Pizza, No Life I’ve been playing Mecho Wars for a chunk of the day on my iPhone. It’s a pretty neat Advanced Wars-style game, though I can’t same I’m a big fan of the art style or unit names. The base mechanic though is great. I know there are…
By Brian Crecente Published June 16, 2009 -
World Of Warcraft Flavored Mtn Dew Ad Features Night Elf On Orc Action
The first television spot for Blizzard and Pepsi’s marriage of World of Warcraft and Mountain Dew features a familiar scene: two attractive for television women buying six packs of Warcraft-themed soda and the ensuing supermarket brawl. Oh sure, this kind of thing happens all the time at my local Ralph’s. Telegenic women prepping for a…
By Michael McWhertor Published June 16, 2009 -
This Week In Video Game Comics
Here’s a rundown of the new video game-based comics going on sale in comics shops in the U.S. on Wednesday. Via publisher Dark Horse Comics: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic #42... Written by John Jackson Miller; Art by Ron Chan; Cover by Benjamin Carre.. When an argument between ex-Padawan Zayne Carrick and the…
By Stephen Totilo Published June 16, 2009 -
Ubisoft CEO Expects $60 Million Game Budgets Next Gen
If Yves Guillemot, chairman and CEO of publisher Ubisoft, is correct, the next generation of video game consoles won’t just look visually on par with current CGI movies, they’ll be outrageously expensive to make—more than double current budgets. Guillemot, according to a report from CNBC, estimates video game budgets will “average $60 million to make”…
By Michael McWhertor Published June 16, 2009 -
Red Faction: Guerrilla Price Hammered Quickly
THQ’s sci-fi third-person shooter Red Faction: Guerrilla was released in North America just eleven days ago, but prices appear to be quickly dropping on the Xbox 360 version of the game. Both NewEgg and Amazon.com are marking it down. The two online retailers were both listing the title for $20 below its normal asking price,…
By Michael McWhertor Published June 16, 2009 -
How Our Game Platforms Will Change In 2009
PSP, DSi, and Xbox 360 owners can expect their consoles to gain some new abilities over the next month — many for no added cost. We’ve broken down the big changes coming. [NOTE: The following reflects the plans for the U.S. market] Spring In June, during E3, Sony enabled the PSP Video Store, which allows…
By Stephen Totilo Published June 16, 2009 -
These PlayStation 3 Games Are Now Greatest Hits
The price of the PlayStation 3 may be holding steady, but the software library just got a price cut, effective today. That includes a cheaper Metal Gear Solid 4, now sporting a tasteful new red “Greatest Hits” bar. As previously posted, the PS3 game library welcomes six new “Greatest Hits” budget offerings in North America,…
By Michael McWhertor Published June 16, 2009 -
Space Invaders Extreme Gets A Bit More Extreme Tomorrow
More levels, more bosses, more enemies, and two classic arcade emulators add even more extreme to Space Invaders Extreme as new DLC for the Xbox Live Arcade version drops from the sky tomorrow. A total of three new stages are being added to Space Invaders Extreme with tomorrow’s new downloadable content, along with the requisite…
By Mike Fahey Published June 16, 2009 -
Best 2009 Video Game Soundtrack So Far?
You’ve heard the theme to Bowser’s castle from Super Mario Bros. But have you heard it remixed in kind of a hip-hop way and officially commissioned by Nintendo as part of the Pictobits soundtrack? A reader rightly chided me for omitting mention of YMCK in my Pictobits review last month. That’s YMCK, the Japanese chiptunes…
By Stephen Totilo Published June 16, 2009 -
Microsoft: 1 Vs 100 Live Season Pass “Simply A Test”
1 Vs. 100 Live is currently in beta testing on Xbox Live and currently free to Xbox Live Gold members. That may change with the introduction of the “Season Pass,” but Microsoft calls the double subscription possibility “simply a test.” The Xbox Live Primetime game show recently had its description clarified, formerly planned as free…
By Michael McWhertor Published June 16, 2009 -
Remembering Final Fantasy VIII
PopMatters recently posted an extremely in-depth look back at Final Fantasy VIII, exploring the themes, emotions, and insight into human behavior that make one of the most neglected entries in the franchise great. Final Fantasy VIII was light-years ahead of VII both graphically and in terms of complexity, and perhaps that’s the reason the game…
By Mike Fahey Published June 16, 2009 -
PSA: Nintendo DSi Doesn’t Rock
For those of you looking forward to picking up a copy of Guitar Hero On Tour: Modern Hits, don’t forget that it doesn’t work with Nintendo’s DSi. Despite coming with an adapter that lets you use the game with either the original DS or DS Lite, the game doesn’t include anything to let you use…
By Brian Crecente Published June 16, 2009 -
Bethesda Softworks Goes Full Steam Ahead
Steam users can now enjoy more of the fruits of Bethesda Softworks labor, as The Elder Scrolls series and Call of Cthulhu join Valve’s digital distribution service. Hardly shocking news, but news nonetheless. Typical of new Steam additions, the updated Bethesda catalog is currently cheap. That means things like The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game…
By Michael McWhertor Published June 16, 2009 -
The Great Chain Interview, Part 2: Metroid Guy To Xbox Guy To PS3 Guy
When last we left off, Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto was asking me to ask Metroid designer Yoshio Sakamoto when he wants Miyamoto to retire… [This post is the second in a series that recounts the chain of questions I solicited from the people I interviewed during E3. I asked each of my interviewees to ask a…
By Stephen Totilo Published June 16, 2009 -
The Wait is Over
The Ghostbusters are back in Ghostbusters™: The Video Game, available now from Atari! 2009 is the 25th anniversary of the original theatrical release of Ghostbusters and original writers Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd have teamed to script the video game. Click here to order now or click through for a preview of Ghostbusters. With Manhattan…
By Chrissie Lamond Published June 16, 2009 -
Wheelman Devs Unveil ‘Necessary Force,’ Seek Buyer
With all things Midway up for auction and interested buyer Warner Bros. committed to purchasing only portions of the company, some of the company’s assets are looking for a new home. That includes Midway Newcastle—and its new game. So Midway Newcastle, developers of the coolly received Vin Diesel vehicle Wheelman, is looking for a buyer,…
By Michael McWhertor Published June 16, 2009 -
And The Game Critics Best Of E3 2009 Award Nominees Are…
The official Game Critics Best of E3 2009 award nominee list has been released, with Brutal Legend and Uncharted 2 punctuating EA and Sony’s nomination domination. Both EA’s Brutal Legend and Sony Computer Entertainment’s Uncharted 2: Among Thieves rise to the top of this year’s nomination list, both scoring four each including the coveted Best…
By Mike Fahey Published June 16, 2009 -
Msoft: Gay Tony OK, Gay Gamer Tags Not Yet
This fall, an Xbox 360 game will have the word “gay” in its title. But will 360 gamers be able to call themselves gay by then? During an E3 interview with Microsoft’s corporate vice president of Xbox Live software and services, John Schappert, I posed a question that I’d been sent by a reader: How…
By Stephen Totilo Published June 16, 2009