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Wordy: The Consoles Defined in One Sentence
The October issue of Wired mag has a nice succinct nerd encyclopedia that does a fine job of defining things in a single sentence. Game-wise, this is what they've got on the seventh generation consoles:Wii. A motion-sensing controller, simple games, and a low price make this the top 7th-genner.Xbox 360. Brilliantly conceived online-community features give this box sizzle.PS3. Stellar specs can't make up for the high price and late release — a missed opportunity.Agree? Disagree? Can do better? Discuss.Consoles Defined [Infendo]

Un-Fucking-Believable: Simple 2000: The Japanese Software Chart Where Halo 3 Does OK
Now is not a time for words. Now is a time for quiet reflection on just what exactly this means for humanity.1) Halo 3 (360) 59,000 copies2) Pokemon's Mysterious Dungeon: Toki (DS) 55,0003) Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core (PSP) 54,0004) Tamagotchi (DS) 54,0005) Pokemon's Mysterious Dungeon: Yami (DS) 46,0006) Bleach Blade Battlers 2nd (PS2) 31,0007) English Test 2 (DS) 28,0008) Yu-gi-oh Duel Monsters GX (PSP) 28,0009) Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (PS3) 27,00010) Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops + (PSP) 25,000Media Create Sales 9/24 - 9/30: Halo on top! [Jonnyram @ NeoGAF]

Look What I Got: So Richard Garriott Owns A Sputnik...
Fantastic piece up over at the NY Times, albeit one with a slightly understated title. Said title reads: "Texas Man Linked to Past and Future of Space Exploration by Sputnik and Soyuz". Which is true, to an extent, but doesn't really capture the fact the super-nerd pictured above is Ultima creator, castle-builder and all-round space buff Richard Garriott. Holding his very own Sputnik satellite. A real one, too, which he picked up during the "fire sales" that followed the breakup of the former Soviet Union. He owns a whole bunch of other cool space stuff, which you can both see and hear Garriott discussing by checking out the full story below. So please. Do.Texas Man Linked to Past and Future of Space Exploration by Sputnik and Soyuz [NY Times]

Another Con: Osaka Game Festa Coming
Missed TGS? Live in Kansai? Next month, the Games Japan Festa kicks off at Osaka's ATC Hall. The two day event, sponsored by the Video Game Commercial Association of Japan, will feature 80 titles on display from 25 companies that include Capcom, Konami, Square Enix, SEGA, Bandai Namco and Nintendo. The festival will move to the Makuhari Messe, where TGS is held, at the end of November. No clue what they'll be showing at the Festa — whether it'll be TGS builds or new stuff. Nintendo, who usually sit TGS out, will be there, possibly showing stuff like Wii Fit to the Japanese public for the first time. Not sure, though! Nintendo should draw a fair crowd, no?Osaka Festa [Famitsu]

Un-Fucking-Believable: Simple 2000: The Japanese Software Chart
Now is not a time for words. Now is a time for quiet reflection on just what exactly this means for humanity.1) Halo 3 (360) 59,000 copies2) Pokemon's Mysterious Dungeon: Toki (DS) 55,0003) Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core (PSP) 54,0004) Tamagotchi (DS) 54,0005) Pokemon's Mysterious Dungeon: Yami (DS) 46,0006) Bleach Blade Battlers 2nd (PS2) 31,0007) English Test 2 (DS) 28,0008) Yu-gi-oh Duel Monsters GX (PSP) 28,0009) Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (PS3) 27,00010) Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops + (PSP) 25,000Media Create Sales 9/24 - 9/30: Halo on top! [Jonnyram @ NeoGAF]

New Things: Game, Demos, Trailers, All New On Your PlayStation Store
Today being Wednesday in your United States, Sony have gone ahead and updated your PlayStation Store. With what, I hear you ask with a half-hearted sense of idle curiosity? Buncha stuff. You've got demos for The Simpsons and Bladestorm, trailers for Uncharted, Haze, Tekkonkinkreet and Surf's Up, a couple of tutorials for NBA 08 and Eye Of Judgement and...a game! A real game. Go! Sports Ski, which is only $3 and lets you ski with the Sixaxis. That's at least one or two good times right there.PlayStation Store Update [PlayStation.Blog]

OPM Reckons: Team ICO Working On "Sequel"
While at TGS, the Official PlayStation Mag team ran into Kaz Hirai. First instinct? The right one: they asked what the hell Team ICO were up to. Kaz's response? Dude had no idea. Luckily, one of his accompanying executives did, and blurted out: I'm pretty sure they're doing the sequel. Great! But...sequel to what? No clue, the Sony types realised they may have said too much and shut their yaps. Let's say it's for ICO, if only because we all know where the Shaow of the Colossus ending leads us...OPM (UK) stalks Team ICO for us. No, seriously [Team ICO Gamers]

Movin On Up: Capcom Dump PS2, Upgrade To PS3
PS2, what have you done for Capcom lately? Not enough, it seems, the company announcing yesterday that they're ditching support for Sony's ageing warhorse in favour of the PlayStation 3. That's not to say they've gone PS3 CRAZY at Capcom headquarters, though: while expressing a desire to move on and get cracking on some proper PS3 games, company president Haruhiro Tsujimoto also emphasised Capcom's plans to support multiplatform development. Which means the 360. I'd guess it includes the Wii too, but the source article says naught about that, so maybe he was just having a rough day and forgot all about Zack & Wiki.Capcom's Software Development for Sony to Focus on PS3 [JCN, via PS3 Fanboy]

Clip: UMDs Designed to "Self-Destruct"
Wii-mote straps had a problem. This I knew. And Xbox 360 have hardware issues. This also I knew. But UMD cases falling apart? That would involve prolonged PSP use. Not an issue! Above, Dave's hands from web vender Multimedia Recovery claim to have repaired 70,000 busted UMDs and shows the horrors of "flimsy" UMD cases. So flimsy that it looks "deliberate" as the disks are "designed to self-destruct," while the cases are made out of "junk."Awesome.Each improved case, designed to keep the UMD from self-destructing, costs US $3.99 with free domestic shipping and comes in different five different colors like green — which Dave claims is blue. Go figure. UMD Problem Solved [Multimedia Recovery via PSP Fanboy]

Death Adder: Sega Trademarks Golden Axe: Beast Rider
The Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 sequel to Sega's hack n' slash series Golden Axe sure isn't gonna make its estimated 2007 release date. We haven't heard a lick about the game since it was announced way back in May of 2006 but now, we may have a name. Golden Axe: Beast Rider was recently trademarked by the Sega for "video game software" and "computer game programs" and could be the name of the next high-def iteration.On the other hand, it's Sega. They could've have decided to divert resources to what would essentially be Golden Axe: The Ride at one of its SegaWorks arcade locations. We'll bug them and try to find out more.

Weed, Feed, Repeat: Next Harvest Moon Takes Repetition Online
I like Harvest Moon as a concept. A game that features child-making and cow-cuddling should be a winner. But in practice...it's all a bit dry. And boring. And repetitive! Oh, the repetition. Anyways, maybe that'll all change, or at least be alleviated somewhat, by the news the next Harvest Moon will feature online play. Series creator Yasuhiro Wada, speaking with Game Informer: Of course I am now making an online Harvest Moon. I cannot tell you which platform. What he can tell us is that it won't be an MMO style of online, more a feature where 2-8 people can visit your town, hang out, help with the mundane chores around the farm, maybe even try and sleep with your missus.Harvest Moon Creator Reveals Next Project To Take Series Online [Game Informer]

Day Note: Cells
To: AshFrom: CrecenteRe: The Toilet is Where to StudyYou know, it's a documented fact that Martin Luther did some of his best work on the "throne" and Chaucer was also known to take some writing paper with him when nature called. I'd make my Feces Thesis joke now, but I think I already used that one with you, so I'll just shut up.Tristan has a cell phone. This is something that sort of happened by steps. We bought him a Migo, essentially a gimped cell, back in December as a Christmas present. But a month or so ago he lost it. So I told him he had to save up to buy the replacement. Thing is they no longer sell Migos at the place I go to, so he managed to sweet talk the manager into selling him an honest to goodness cell phone for $50. (His lost one was still under contract so that's quite a feat.) I'm able to lock it so he can only make an accept calls from the people I put into his address book.Earlier today he was sitting on the front doorstep messing around with his phone....

Gallery: Treasure Trove Of Zack & Wiki Screens Unearthed
We don't post Zack & Wiki screenshots out of obligation or monetary compensation. No, it's done out of pure love. Maybe it's actually guidance from a higher power, as I saw someone describe the Wii adventure game as an average puzzler and I expected nothing short of a proper smiting from the Lord. Regardless of our religious fervor for all things Zack, Wiki and Barbaros, these shots illustrate the new "whiteboard" feature that allows three backseat gamers to draw things on the screen. Arrows, circles, the occasional "FU", it all adds to the multiplayer experience. Enjoy. That's an order.galleryPost('zackwikioctober', 4, 'Zack & Wiki: The Quest For Barbaros\' Treasure');

Clip: The Best Damn Halo 3 Plasma Grenade Video Yet
No spoilers. Just watch. Repeat if necessary. Finally, appreciate the Halo 3 "Saved Films" feature.Thanks a million, Weston.

PC: Gears of War PC Fact Sheet
Gears of Wars hits PC in about a month, so Microsoft put together this rather chunky fact sheet to remind us why we should buy the game. To summerize: The PC will have some new content, DirectX 10 support and a game editor that will let you create your own levels using the Unreal Editor. Hit the jump for the full fact sheet via Beyond UnrealGears of War Fact Sheet "Gears of War," a Games for Windows title, features the amazing tactical action and multiplayer excitement found in the critically acclaimed "Gears of War" for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system that sold more than 3.5 million units, and a variety of all-new content, including three new multiplayer maps, a new multiplayer game type, Game Editor, five new campaign chapters and DirectX 10 support."Gears of War" thrusts gamers into a deep and harrowing story of humankind's epic battle for survival against the Locust Horde, a nightmarish race of creatures that surface from the bowels of the planet.With "Gears...

Rumor Smushed: Sony Denies "Big Bang" Next Week
Rumors of a "big bang" announcement from Sony appeared on the French edition of GamePro late last week, issuing in a mini-torrent of speculation from internet bottom feeders, console war veterans, bloggers and message board posters. Speculation that Sony would be holding a conference on October 12th seemed to tie in nicely with the now painfully obvious future appearance of the PLAYSTATION 3 40GB announcement.SCEE has since told Eurogamer that "has nothing of the sort planned", meaning we won't have to wake up early/stay up late to learn what they have up their sleeves. While spokespeople say they have nothing planned nor have they announced anything new, that doesn't rule out a "small bang" announcement about the new PS3 model that doesn't quite fit into the terms provided in PR speak.No Sony conference next week [Eurogamer]

Charity: The Fight Like a Girl Halo Charity Tourney
Hawty McBloggy points out that they second annual Flight Like A Girl Halo Tournament kicks off later this month. Entry is $10 each for the Halo 3 FFA and 2V2 tourneys with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.The event is Oct. 20 on Xbox Live at 11 a.m. PST and is, despite its name, open to anyone, whether you fight like a girls or not. Sounds like a good time for a good cause.Sign Up [Komen Donations, via Hawty McBloggy]

Llamazing: Minter Working On Gridrunner++ For XBLA
Fan of all things hairy, bearded and woolen, Jeff Minter, dropped word on his LiveJournal today on the follow up to the loved/hated Space Giraffe for Xbox Live Arcade. Llamasoft's Gridrunner++ is currently in the redesign process for XBLA which will undergo a 3D transformation and will be "a much more involved game than the PC-only predecessor."For those unfamiliar with Gridrunner++, demos for the PC and Mac are currently available at Llamasoft. For those who can't be bothered with the half-dozen clicks required to run it, the game is a "twitch gaming shoot 'em up" featuring "glorious, retina scorching, psychedelic themed parallax scrolling levels." It sounds like Robotron. It's fun. Go play it.iPod touchness [Jeff Minter's LiveJournal]

Portal Time: The Orange Box Begins To Pre-Load Via Steam
The ultimate Half-Life 2 collection, The Orange Box, is nearly upon us. Xbox 360 and PC gamers will bask in the value next week, while PLAYSTATION 3 owners will enjoy chewing their nails and cursing Ken Kutaragi until December. Fortunately, for those of us with a Windows box and a Steam account, we can start working on our Half-Life 2 downloads, as Valve has begun pre-loading of both Portal and Half-Life 2: Episode Two to those who have pre-ordered the package.Pre-loading via Steam for instant access is just one more reason I don't feel the need to drop my weight below 900 pounds and venture out of doors to visit a game shop ever again. Take that, society! You too, traditional retail!

Biowhat: Mass Effect Limited Edition Details Emerge
According to a report from Team Xbox, BioWare has confirmed the details of the limited collector's edition of its Xbox 360 space epic Mass Effect. For an extra who knows how much, you can snag yourself the following, probably all snuggled up tightly in a fancy metal tin.Fiction Book: Galactic Codex: EssentialsMass Effect Art Book: A Future Imagined2nd DVD with exclusive videos about Mass Effect (Art of Mass Effect, Interactive Storytelling of Mass Effect)Oddly enough, the official Mass Effect forums had the following response from Chris Priestly, Bioware's community coordinator: "Sorry, but we do not have any information about a Limited Collectors Edition (LCE) at this time." So... are we clear?Mass Effect Limited Collector's Edition Content Revealed [Team Xbox]

Clips: Solider of Fortune: Payback
newVideoPlayer("sofpayback_gawker.flv", 475, 376);I guess this is the ultimate proof that Soldier of Fortune: Payback is coming. Too bad it's going to be a craptastic value game. Man, that really sucks.

Clips: ASH: Archaic Sealed Heat Gameplay
Mistwalker's Archaic Sealed Heat should be in the hands of Japanese gamers within a matter of hours, but when we Westerners will get it, I have no idea. Despite that name that sounds like a variation on the "Dutch oven" the stylus controlled Sakaguchi-standard battle system looks like a good fit for the Nintendo DS. I'm a sucker for moving flamboyantly dressed characters grid to grid and soaking in the strategic action. Let's just hope it doesn't ship on more than two DS carts.

Orchestral Maneuvers: Metal Gear Music Man Makes Modern Warfare
Harry Gregson-Williams flare for dramatic scores has provided memorable soundtracks to Metal Gear Solid 2, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater and the forthcoming Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, but now he's lending his talents to another series. Infinity Ward has announced that Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare will feature a main theme and music production from Gregson-Williams whose music you may also recognize from loads of Hollywood fare (Enemy of the State, The Chronicles of Narnia, Team America: World Police). Further, Harry may also be known for his ability to stand near Kiera Knightley.Steve Barton has been enlisted to write the game's original score alongside producer Gregson-Williams.Based on what we've seen of the epic levels shown to us at Games Convention, Gregson-Williams stuff sounds like a perfect fit. Dramatic press release right after this.Harry Gregson-Williams To Product Score Call Of Duty 4: Modern WarfareTMAward-Winning Composer Leads Soundtrack to...

Awards: Digital Life Gaming Show Winners
Ziff Davis' DigitalLife show is all over, but the awards were just announced today. Among the dozen award winners were two gaming standouts: Guitar Hero III in the Game category and HP Blackbird 002 in the Gaming Hardware category.Hit the jump for the short break down of why the PC Magazine editors, led by Editor-in-Chief, Lance Ulanoff, picked these two as the top in gaming.CATEGORY: GameWinner: Guitar Hero III: Legends of RockCompany: Activision, www.activision.comThe latest version of this interactive music game features a slew of new songs and an update on the guitar hardware. Any skeptics were quieted after visiting the boisterous GH booth at DigitalLife and witnessing aspiring rockers of all ages jamming out with a smile.CATEGORY: Gaming HardwareWinner: HP Blackbird 002Company: Hewlett-Packard, www.hp.comThe first foray into the gaming market since acquiring Voodoo, HP hit the ground running with the Blackbird. This top-of-the-line system will make any gamer drool with...

Bliss: The Zelda Vodka Luge (And Um... Mario Wedding Cake)
We're well aware of the fact that some of our readers are so humorless, so singularly focused on complaining between bouts of waiting to die, that the posting of kitschy video game cakes really makes their blood boil. But, when someone delivers frosted awesome into our tips inbox, giving us a view into their wedding day baked goods, we're just pleased as punch. Take, for example, newlywed Cory of Blizzard Entertainment who had this gorgeous cake designed for the last day of his bachelorhood featuring a three tiered Super Mario Bros. stack of deliciousness.While cake may genuinely be my favorite thing to ingest, alcohol may come a close second. That's why I was doubly impressed to see the wedding's ice luge.Yes, that's the Master Sword and Master Shield from The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time delivering ice cold vodka to wedding invitees. Could anything be more perfect?Oddly enough, my first experience with an ice luge happened to be a Nintendo branded one at E3 2006. Unfortuna...

Fantasy Island: If Bungie Bails On Halo 4, Who Will Pick Up The Slack?
Halo without Bungie? It's like a world without a sun. An internet without easy access to terabytes of porn. A peanut butter sandwich without the bacon and deep fried crust. But, God forbid that this week's rumors are true and that Bungie is moving on to greener development pastures, putting the Master Chief on ice, in the unlikely scenario, who would rescue the first-person shooter franchise? MTV's chief speculator Stephen Totilo looks at the options, from the logical (Rare! Epic!) to the nigh-impossible (Team Ninja! Valve!), giving us solid odds on the potential steward for Halo 4.I'm going to go with Team Ninja as my dream developer for this one. Itagaki has already confessed his adoration for the Halo series and public interest in seeing much skimpier Spartan armor has surely been piqued by the prospect. Make it happen!If It Couldn't Be Bungie, Then Who Would Make "Halo 4? [MTV Multiplayer]

Xbla: Expansion Pack Hits Carcassonne
Tabletop-to-XBLA game Carcassonne is getting an expansion pack. The King and Baron pack comes with new five new town piece tiles and two new bonuses:* The player with the largest completed Town will get the 'King' icon next to their Gamertag/Avatar. The player with the King icon at the end of the game will receive one point for each completed city in the game.* The player with the longest completed Road will get the 'Baron' icon next to their Gamertag/Avatar. The player with the Baron icon at the end of the game will receive one point for each completed road in the game.The "pack" will sell for 300 Microsoft Points.

Stats Feed: Today's most popular headlines are The Holiday ...
Today's most popular headlines are The Holiday Season - Now How Much Would You Pay? (6,535 views today), The Princess Bride, The Game, The Heartbreak (5,628) and New Guitar Hero III Tracks Revealed (4,868).

Politics: Venezuela Solidarity Network Celebrates Merc 2 Delay
At least someone is happy about the delay of Mercenaries 2: World at War. The Venezuela Solidarity Network is chalking up the delay as a win in their battle to have the game stopped or made less realistic."The Venezuela Solidarity Network notes with pleasure that Pandemic Studios announced on Sept. 24, 2007 that it is delaying the release of its new video game Mercenaries 2: World at War which is set in Venezuela," announced US Interim Coordinator Chuck Kaufman. The argument the VSN makes is that the game, at least originally, too closely mirrored the real world. Thank God they put a stop to that, now if they could get to work on Call of Duty, Call of Duty 2, Call of Duty 3, Brothers in Arms, etc., etc., etc.Grassroots Group Celebrates Delay of Game Attacking Venezuela [Venezuelanalysis]

Game Violence: Moral Kombat Premieres At VGXPO
Spencer Halpin's feature-length HD documentary about violence in video games, Moral Kombat, will be premiering at this year's VideoGame Expo in Philadelphia. The documentary seeks to provide unbiased views from both sides of the battle against violent video games, despite its own trailer which projects a definite anti-video game vibe. "I'm really pleased to screen the movie at VGXPO," said Spencer Halpin, the filmmaker behind the work, "and I envision us having a panel discussion with participants from the documentary debating the matter thoroughly."Speaking of participants, JT himself will be on hand to possibly participate in said potential discussion, along with Lorne Lanning and N'Gai Croal, whose hair can actually read minds. Should be a real hoot! Hit the jump for details. Controversial Documentary about Video Game Violence Debate to Screen at VGXPO'Moral Kombat,' First High Definition Feature-length Documentary Debuts in PhiladelphiaOctober 3, 2007 - (Philadelphia,...

Poopies: Lesbo In Scrabble DS? You Ain't Seen Nothing...
Our own Luke Plunkett recently pointed out that the word "lesbo" is in the list of Scrabble DS suggested words, and elaborated that if he'd known that the Scrabble dictionary were so naughty, he'd have "played a lot more Scrabble." Well suffice it to say, I intend on playing a bit more Scrabble, too, based upon this update from a reader:Hey, my wife was playing ds scrabble and it suggested the word CUNT...Just thought it was way funnier than LesboCunt is funnier than lesbo. It really, truly is. [image]

Clips: Zero Punctuation Takes On Halo 3
Zero Punctuation is always a funny review, but their take on the Halo canon...never having played a Halo game in the past...is schizophrenically insightful (and I guess a little ironic, coming from a train of thought voice of a chain smoking speed freak).Zero Punctuation: Halo 3 [The Escapist]

Industry: Nintendo Stock Hits All-Time High
Nintendo stock spiked at 64,800 yen on Wednesday, an all-time high, on speculation that the company might be bumping up its earning forecast again. The stock dipped back down to 64,300 by closing, a 2.7 percent increase over the day, Reuters reports."We believe Nintendo's talent in creating new markets, evident from the launch of the DS and Wii, could bring it close to the level of Apple, whose high valuations are due in large part to its innovative business model," Goldman said in a report.All of this a day after Nintendo dropped $17 million on free (get out of a lawsuit) Remote Jackets. Nintendo's certainly riding high going into the holidays.Nintendo shares hit record high on GS "buy" rating [Reuters]

Hotness: Team Fortress 2 Art Direction, Justified
Of all the things we would never make a developer Justify in fifteen seconds, it would be Valve's art direction for Team Fortress 2. The retro, phong shaded design is quirky and fun, and not to mention gorgeous to the eyes. But developer Robin Walker's explanation of the art style is interesting nonetheless, especially since the look is so disparate from what was originally imagined.The earliest version of TF2 that you guys never got to play was this ultra-realistic... it looked a lot like Counter-Strike to a large degree. We wanted to do all these things, but realism fought us every step of the way. In a realistic game it's hard to justify why everything isn't just a bullet or an explosive, because at the end of the day, that's what kills people in the real world...So the point I was trying to make was that we spent some time squirming under this art direction that we'd chosen too early. Later, when we started thinking about humour, we had a lot of fun with being free. We realised...

Seriously: Sony Passing On Better DualShock For No Good Reason?
MGS4 producer Ryan Peyton may think the Dual Shock 3 feels better than the old version—and maybe it does—but according to Sony, the new controller is using Immersion's same base technology from 10 years ago. And it's a major point of contention that confuses Immersion as much as anyone else since they have far better technology in the ready.I believe it's actually less expensive. The old technology utilizes two motors to create the complex set of sensations, whereas Immersion's new TouchSense technology utilizes a single motor, but we drive the motor in unique ways so that you can get stronger yet crisper effects... So you save on at least one motor, there's less power consumption, and you may save on other components and circuitry.Oh, but it would cost Sony money in new licensing, right? We have a standard royalty rate... we don't want to make this more expensive and give anyone a reason not to implement it.Hmmm...then I guess that just leaves the cost of...

Uh Oh: Video Games Fix Weak Woman Brains
We've long heard that, scientifically speaking, woman are not as good as men at tasks like mathematics. And while my wife, who is incidentally both a psychologist and smarter than me, may disagree with such assertions (or may not), one University of Toronto study has found that video games may give women a leg up in spatial task processing, thereby potentially closing the gap on topics like geometry (...or even driving?).Our second experiment showed that both men and women can improve their spatial skills by playing a video game and that the women catch up to the men... Moreover, the improved performance of both sexes was maintained when we assessed them again after five months...Clearly, something dramatic is happening in the brain when we see marked improvements in spatial skills after only 10 hours of game playing and these improvements are maintained for many months.Men, with the advent of vibrators and now this, our species is clearly doomed to a slavery caste where a penis-wea...

Storytellers: Video Game Writers Recognized
With video games becoming more and more a part of American life every day, the Writer's Guild of America has finally decided to recognize achievement within the field of video game writing with the creation of a Video Game Writing award. It's part of the guild's New Media Caucus, which seeks to bring writers outside of traditional fields into the organization. "Writers are finally being recognized and valued in the video game industry. Both artistically and financially, video games matter - and video game writers matter to the WGA," commented WGAW New Media Caucus member Jay Lender.Of course after the first year, award nominations have to be produced under WGA jurisdiction, which means membership fees and the like, but since the award will first be presented at the 2008 Writer's Guild Awards in February, any video game writing is currently eligible. I've personally played through some amazing stories over the years, so it is great to see the people behind the stories getting...

Corporate MAWAGE: The Princess Bride, The Game, The Heartbreak
The Princess Bride saga continues in videogame form: True Love and High Adventure -- The Official Princess Bride Game. But before you get too excited and start getting all quotey on us, you should know a few things (click through at your own risk). 1. It's a PC download.2. It's aimed at the casual market. 3. A demo will come alongside the release of The Princess Bride 20th Anniversary DVD (reinforcing that casual game point pretty firmly). 4. The company developing it also makes this game. Like never conceiving the color blue or the taste of homogenized cheese, I never knew until I read this announcement that I would love a full-fledged game based upon the canon of The Princess Bride. Sure, it could be cheesy. But in the right hands—hell, screenwriter William Goldman might be game—you could have a Monkey Islandesque adventure complete with a "My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father prepare to die," expanding health bar. And while we have no real details...

Music: Lair Soundtrack on iTunes (...thanks?)
Fans of Lair will be happy to know that the official soundtrack is available on iTunes for download. And while we understand that Lair isn't necessarily a fan favorite, the music has received a nomination from BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) for Best Original Score. To find the album, just search iTunes for "John Debney Lair." Hopefully more publishers will see the low cost and potentially huge benefit in offering their soundtracks on iTunes. Because while Kotaku can't speak for you, we'd love to hear the surprisingly haunting melodies of Pony Friends with the click of a button. LAIR Score Now On iTunes! [via gamelife]

Clips: Wii Boxing: So Easy a Caveman Can Play It
I'm still struggling with the fact that those cleaver Geico commercials featuring the "So Easy a Caveman Could Do it" logo have been transformed into what is destined to be a really bad sitcom. Then throw into the mix the fact that the sitcom is plugging Wii Boxing in its pilot. So you've got a commercial turned television show advertising a video game through product placement. Wow! [Thanks George for the tip]

Game Violence: Moral Kombat Premiers At VGXPO
Spencer Halpin's feature-length HD documentary about violence in video games, Moral Combat, will be premiering at this year's VideoGame Expo in Philadelphia. The documentary seeks to provide unbiased views from both sides of the battle against violent video games, despite its own trailer which projects a definite anti-video game vibe. "I'm really pleased to screen the movie at VGXPO," said Spencer Halpin, the filmmaker behind the work, "and I envision us having a panel discussion with participants from the documentary debating the matter thoroughly."Speaking of participants, JT himself will be on hand to possibly participate in said potential discussion, along with Lorne Lanning and N'Gai Croal, whose hair can actually read minds. Should be a real hoot! Hit the jump for details. Controversial Documentary about Video Game Violence Debate to Screen at VGXPO'Moral Kombat,' First High Definition Feature-length Documentary Debuts in PhiladelphiaOctober 3, 2007 - (Philadelphia,...

Clips: Final Fantasy IV DS Trailer
Final Fantasy IV (II in the states) was the video game that transformed me from a gaming enthusiast into a gaming addict. It was the first video game I had played that featured a story beyond "Here's some evil, kill it". I must have played through the entire game on various systems at least a dozen times, and when the DS version was announced and the first 3D images were shown, the purist in me was a little outraged. After seeing this trailer, however, my feelings are slowly beginning to change. Voice overs? As long as they get some good English-speaking talent for a North American release I can easily see myself giving the epic story another couple of passes.

Clips: Fracture Terrain Deformation Dev Diary
Man they love saying "Terrain Deformation" don't they? I tried counting but lost count about two minutes in. I gotta say, despite all of the loose talk about terrain deformation, the video is worth a watch if only to watch a retired military officer running around an office with a Nerf gun. Classy.

Money: The Holiday Season - Now How Much Would You Pay?
The holiday season is upon us, and that means game publishers across the country and around the world are getting ready to unleash some of the best gaming of the year on our poor, unsuspecting wallets. Every time a new release date is posted I simultaneously cheer and wince as through my elation the more sensible part of my mind emits a little cash register sound. To help drown out the constant ringing in my brain, I decided to go through GameStop's always completely accurate (lies!) coming soon section and tally up just how much the gamer who wants everything would have to shell out to get the hottest titles of the season. Now before you hit the jump, keep in mind that this is a completely subjective list, and yours may vary wildly. I've sorted the list by console, listing titles and prices with totals at the end. I chose not to include handhelds because a) portable titles tend to lean more towards niche games instead of blockbuster must-haves and b) I am a lazy bastard. Also...

PC: Unreal Tournament 3 PC Specs
With Unreal Tournament 3 hitting computers next month it's time to start worrying over what exactly you might have to do to get your computer to run the game.Midway shot me the system requirements today and they are, not surprisingly quasi hefty:Minimum System RequirementsWindows XP SP2 or Windows Vista2.0+ GHZ Single Core Processor512 Mbytes of System RAMNVIDIA 6200+ or ATI Radeon 9600+ Video Card8 GB of Free Hard Drive SpaceRecommended System Requirements2.4+ GHZ Dual Core Processor1 GBytes of System RAMNVIDIA 7800GTX+ or ATI x1300+ Video Card8 GB of Free Hard Drive Space

City Of Heroes: Time Travel Comes To Paragon City
NCSoft has announced the latest free expansion for the City of Heroes and City of Villains MMORPG, and along with new power sets, new inventions, and the long-awaited ability to customize your weapons to suit your character's style, guys both good and bad will get a chance to journey back through time and experience the history of Paragon City and the Rogue Isles. The update will introduce the Menders of Ouroboros, a mysterious organization with the power to send characters back through time to experience epic struggles that shaped the City of universe into what it is today. As well as historical missions, the Ouroboros system will let players experience story arcs they might have missed on the first go-round, automatically powering down your character to the appropriate level. Neat! More details on Ouroboros as well as the new power sets, Dual Blades and Willpower, after a brief message from our gallery. galleryPost('coh103', 4, '');City of Heroes / City of Villains - Issue...

Golden Fiddle: New Guitar Hero III Tracks Revealed
Looks like that leaked Guitar Hero III track list from a couple weeks back might be closer to reality than we thought. While the new press release from Activision doesn't reveal specific song tiers, it does add seventeen new songs, all of which were included on the rumored list. Still the leaked list has seventy songs, while I am only counting fifty-nine in the press release, so I'll leave it to you junior detectives to work out the discrepancies. Seven of the new songs are master tracks from the original artists, including Sonic Youth's 'Cool Thing', Aerosmith's 'Same Old Song and Dance", and The Killers' 'When You Were Young', which will be stuck in my head the rest of the day. Covers include White Zombie's 'Black Sunshine' and 'Devil Went Down To Georgia' made famous by the Charlie Daniels Band. Living in the south, I can tell you right now that if the Devil cover sucks the folks at Activision better start keeping an eye out for suspicious looking pickup trucks in their vicinity....

Night Note: The Toilet Is Where to Study
To: CrecenteFrom: BashcraftRE: Halo 3 Smack DownYes, I think a fund raiser would be a dandy idea. And if it's in December, even better! 'Cause I'll be back in Texas for the holidays. And all the games coming out? I'm at a loss. Hey game companies, let's space this stuff out! Kthx.Today, when in the bathroom, I noticed a chart of hiragana characters. In Japanese, there are three basic writing systems: hiragana, katakana and Chinese kanji. Kids start learning hiragana first, then katakana, then kanji. Mini Bash is learning hiragana. It's not *that* hard as compared to English as it's completely phonetic. Though, like learning anything there is remembering involved. So, back to the bathroom! Seems a chart has been place at his eye level. While sitting on the throne, doing his business, he can stare at the chart and review characters he's learned. Here's the odd bit: When I first started learning hiragana so many moons ago, multiple people here in Japan recommended that I put a...

Implausible Denial: More (Italian) Fuel To Fan 40GB PS3 Flames
Sony, come on. Just go ahead and announce it already. All this "unconfirmed" internet news malarkey is just making you look a bit silly. Latest example: Gamestore Magazine are reporting that Italian consumers will see the 40GB model on October 10, and that it'll come in two flavours: 399 for the console itself or 499 for a starter pack which includes two games and an extra controller. First we've heard of the continuation of the current Starter Pack deal, but the date certainly checks out with earlier reports. PS3 price drop at last - in Italy [MCV]

Spinal Tap: Screw DS Yoga, We're All About DS Pilates
Konami's made a yoga game for the DS, called Dokodemo Yoga ("Anywhere Yoga"). Somewhat of a niche title, but makes sense — Konami does own a chain of sports clubs in Japan. Though, hot on the heels of the yoga game, comes another back bending Konami title: Dokodemo Pilates ("Anywhere Pilates"). Pilates? Yes, Pilates! You too can learn to control your muscles and improve posture via your Nintendo DS. Basically, it's the equivalent of an instructional video on your DS. Not sure if Pilates is even more niche than yoga or what. I personally look forward to more of these Dokodemo games from Konami. They haven't quite reached kooky, yet. Almost there!Dokodemo Pilates [Famitsu]

Sing It: The iDOLM@STER Gets Cheap in Japan
For those living in Japan and for those who own an Xbox 360, good news! Microsoft sent word that Bandai Namco's popstar sim THE iDOLM@STER is now available as part of the 360's budget "Platinum Collection" for a mere ¥2,940 (US $25) starting November 1st. That's nothing! The game is certified nerd heroin, boasting a million iDOLM@STER items downloaded via Xbox LIVE marketplace. That's a not a lot, it's a shit ton. Surely, enough for an English localization?

Mistaken Identity: Wow, Soldier Of Fortune Payback IS Real
Yesterday, Crecente had a bad case of the "can't believes". After seeing an awful-looking promo poster for a new Soldier of Fortune, he couldn't believe Activision would rush something so shoddy to market in such a short space of time. Couldn't happen. Shouldn't happen. Thing is, it is! Kotaku Australia's Logan has pinged us to let us know that yes, the game is real, and was quietly announced at Activision's recent Activate Asia 2007 promo show. Why the lack of fanfare? It's a budget game, being launched under the Activision Value label, and won't feature either Raven Software or the series' GHOUL body-separating tech. Sad.Soldier Of Fortune: Payback Details [Kotaku Australia]

Business: Nintendo "Close" to Apple's Level
Hey, guess what? That Blue Ocean strategy Nintendo kept spouting worked. The company is behind only Toyota and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group as the third most valuable Japanese company. Goldman Sachs labeled Nintendo with a "buy" stock rating, and shares rose to an all-time high. According to the Goldman Sachs report:We believe Nintendo's talent in creating new markets, evident from the launch of the DS and Wii, could bring it close to the level of Apple, whose high valuations are due in large part to its innovative business model.Close to Apple's level? Wow. That makes two companies who have unseated Sony: Apple with music players and Nintendo with gaming consoles. It's like they're ganging up or something. To recap: Nintendo is rich, its products print money, blah, blah, blah. Nintendo Stocks [Reuters]

Stop, Please, Thanks: EA Go Command & Conquer CRAZY
When is a lot of Command & Conquer too much Command & Conquer? Right now. Forgetting the fact they released a C&C compendium less than a year ago, Electronic Arts have announced the impending release of Command & Conquer Saga, a bundle which will include C&C 3 and every C&C game before that (ie the games that made up C&C: The First Decade). No word on a release date, but when it does hit, it'll set you back USD$50. Which is not bad considering C&C3 is neither that bad nor that old, but is enough to make you a little cranky if you played the sucker and went ahead and bought The First Decade.

Earthbound: MOTHER Shirts to Hold You Over
Consider this a consolation prize of sorts. With MOTHER 3 not getting an English language release anytime soon, Kyoto-based shirt maker King of Games has *get this* shirts that should make you feel better! The company's latest line is MOTHER. For those who've never purchased a KOG shirts, be aware they not only look cool as fuck, but they're made from the highest quality material, come in a groovy box and are totally Nintendo approved. Besides MOTHER 3 ULTIMATE CHIMERA shirts, they got MOTHER 1+2 as well. Pre-orders for them kick off October 10th at midnight with shirts shipping in November. They're gonna go fast!KOG Shirts [King of Games International Shop]

Big Band: Mistwalker Putting On A Show In Japan
I mean that literally. They're putting on a show! With a band and live music and everything! To celebrate the fact they're making decent RPGs to zero sales, Microsoft Japan have decided that a live concert is in order, and will be holding a concert called "Orchestral Pieces" at Tokyo's Orchard Hall on November 19. The Japan Philharmonic are on music duties, both composer Nobuo Uematsu and The Gooch will be in attendance and tickets will set you back 5250. Don't go expecting any Final Fantasy tunes, though, this ones all Mistwalker, so its naught but Lost Odyssey and...Blue Dragon. I'm just going to presume Ian Gillan won't be there. Though it would be fantastic if he was.Microsoft Presents "Orchestral Pieces" [Official Site, via Game|Life]

Kooky: Japanese Cell Phone Character Starring in DS Game
Japanese cell phone carrier NTT DoCoMo has put its character DOCOMODAKE in an action puzzle Nintendo DS game. Yes, even a cell phone character that has nothing to do with gaming whatsoever is getting a DS title. It's from AQ Interaction, out this December in Japan. Think of this not of an indication of DOCOMODAKE's popularity, but the DS's. DoCoMo DS game [Gizmodo Japan]

DIY: Chunky Custom Master Chief Figure
Nothing wrong with McFarlane's Halo 3 toys. Then again, you don't have to put much work into them either. You exchange currency, you receive the goods, that's it. Where's the fun in that? Nowhere, that's where. So custom toy creator Jin Saotome decided to come up with his own custom Halo 3 Master Chief, cannibalising a GI Joe, an old Halo 2 toy and then a whole bunch of custom sculpting. End results are nice, landing it somewhere between a realistic figure and one of them urban vinyl toys the kids are so hot on these days.Custom Halo 3 Master Chief [Jins Dangerous Toys, thanks Syp!]

Clip: Kane and Lynch, Total Bastards
Boy oh boy, I am excited about Kane & Lynch: Dead Men. And with the massive flood of games, that's saying something! Here the game's director Jens Peter Kurup talks about how the game and the characters evolved. So watch it! Great stuff, can't wait until November when the title is released.

Go Forth: Namco Bandai Date Ace Combat, Katamari For 360
Namco Bandia got a couple of 360 games coming up. One is Beautiful Katamari. The other is Ace Combat 6. Katamari, it'll be released in the US on October 16 for the "budget" price of USD$40. Ace Combat, it's coming along a little later on October 23 for USD$60. It's also a little more interesting, at least for collectors of meaty peripherals, because you'll also be able to pick up a bundle pack that includes AC6, an AC6 faceplate and a Hori 360 flight stick for USD$150.Ace Combat, Katamari 360 debuts locked down [GameSpot]

Contest: The clock is tick-tocking down, and there's ...
The clock is tick-tocking down, and there's only a few more days left to enter our Halo 3 schwag contest. Click here for the questions and good luck all!

99.8% Confirmed: 40GB PS3 To Hit Australia On October 11 For AUD$699
I've heard from multiple sources today, both from retailers (EB Games, JB Hi-Fi) and customers (cheers Musky!), that the 40GB PS3 is on its way to Australia on October 11, and will retail for AUD$699. When asked for comment, Sony would only offer: We don't provide comment in relation to rumours or speculation such as this. Which would be fine, were it not for the fact retailers across the country are already telling anyone and everyone walking in off the street about the thing. I'd say this puppy's as good as confirmed.

Ubisoft Claims: Girls So Want Babies, Clothes and Cooking
Remember Ubisoft's propagation of female gaming stereotypes Imagine series for the DS? Sure ya do! According to French publisher Ubisoft, in-house research showed that pre-teen girls were interested in things like fashion, cooking and caring for animals and babies (and probably baby animals). The Imagine series is aimed at 6-14 year-old females. According to Ubisoft's Shara Hashemi:We did research, and we are studying the market... that's what the girls actually like, so we should try to fulfill their needs... Those games were really designed for young girls who are just looking for fun games and ways to explore their favorite hobbies... From what we've seen, [the girls] didn't mention anything about being a police officer.Thus, later this month will see clothes deigning and photo shoot coordinating Imagine: Fashion Designer, cooking with gas Imagine: Master Chef, sick animal vet sim Imagine: Animal Doctor and baby-sitting title Imagine: Babyz. (See that? See how they changed...