From Red Herring:

The Federal Communications Commission has a bone to pick with Blizzard Entertainment, the makers of the smash hit video game, World of Warcraft. Deborah Taylor Tate, is one the five commissioners overseeing regulation of TV, Radio and all things pertaining to the media in the US stated: “You might find it alarming that one of the top reasons for college drop-outs in the US is online gaming addiction - such as World of Warcraft - which is played by 11 million individuals worldwide.”

If World of Warcraft is enough to make one drop out of school… well…

I blame it all on Mashed Potatoes and Velveeta.

Going back to being serious… there is actually a lot of internet literature on how one substitutes on addiction with another. Addictive personalities seem to tend to substitute one addiction with another.

Just like smokers that manage to quit thanks to Pikachu.

What do you think?

I can only say… WTF.

But if you enjoy robo-erotica, these images below are from Overflow’s game Cross Days, an erotica game where you get some pretty scary peripherals… reminds me of the movie Top Secret.

Info and Pics are from Kotaku and Cartoon Leap.

From Joystiq:

How much does Nintendo make for each Wii they sell?

$6 (in operating profit)

How many Nintendo’s have been sold in 2008?

19 Million

The Math:

$6 x 19,000,000 = $114 Million

How much does MS or Sony make on the 360 or PS3?

0 - that round thingy is a zero

News #2: Black Friday

Black Friday is the biggest day of US shopping (right after Thanksgiving) and all goes on discount.

I never go buying on black friday (played some Wow instead this year). Seems like it was a good idea, cause apart from risking being killed… this is the kind of situations you can encounter…

News #3 MMO Copies Assets

From shack, the chinese developed MMO Aurora Blade has been accused of stealing assets from WoW, Ragnarok and Maple Story. By stealing assets, I guess what they mean is not simply “being inspired,” but rather lazily “copy and pasting”.

See images below and make your own opinion… Aurora Blade assets on the left, other games on the right.

Below, Ragnarok Online assets are on the right - Aurora blade on the left.

I originally thought I would mainly get some high quality art (like Valeera Sanguinar), but I ended up finding also some quite funny things I’m going to go ahead and post.

The Dancing Blood elf is quite funny… is there a girl version anywhere?

No comment…. sheer genious, as the one below. Lol.

But what about cosplay? I mean, the girl below must be some sort of professional…

And for those who just want some Blood Elf images… check out the few below.

Sources of the pics are here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

NEWS #1 Warcraft Seizure

Some swedish dude played Lich King for 27 hours in a row and then ended up having a seizure.

“Doctors told the father that his son’s bodily systems had been disrupted by a combination of sleep deprivation, lack of food, and the prolonged period of concentration playing the game.”

Now, the big question is… who is to blame? The game? Or the father for letting the son play for 27 hours in a row? Or the son for not feeding himself during a 27 hour click-fest?

I blame myself. I had never really tested my proton accelerator before using it…

Bah. The human  being is an addictive animal - 27 hours in a row of anything apart sleeping will probably kill you… or make you feel like crap… let’s think about it:

1. 27 hours of studying… not good. Then you have teen students falling asleep behind the wheel as they go home…
2. 27 hours of reading - say hello to your new glasses.
3. 27 hours of exercising. I think you died around hour 8 but your body just kept on going.
4. 27 hours of food & wine. No comment.
5. 27 hours of cricket. If you didnt die, your soul probably did.

Still, from the Telegraph:

Dr Richard Graham, a child psychiatrist at the Tavistock Centre, warned last week that some young people were damaging their social and mental development by playing the game for up to 16 hours at a time.

“The problem with World of Warcraft is the degree it can impact and create a socially withdrawn figure who may be connecting with people in the game and is largely dropping out of education, social opportunities,” he said.

More news about this: here, here, here and here.

NEWS #2 GTA 5 Subscription Based

From 1Up:

At the same BMO Capital Markets’ conference last week in New York where he gave an update on upcoming GTAIV DLC and Chinatown Wars, Take Two CEO Strauss Zelnick offered a glimpse further down the road. In his “Negative Approach” blog for cnet, Dave Rosenberg related these remarks from Zelnick:

The Holy Grail is taking a business, already a very large and successful business that’s focused on packaged goods…and turning that into a subscription business or a semi subscription business where we have an ongoing relationship with consumers, giving them products that they want. Who’s better positioned to do that than the company that has the top franchises?

Comments anybody?

News #3 NEW Xbox Live Look

Just a few hours to go…

A turkish inmate managed to mail himself out of a german prison.

Solid Snake approves.

More info at joystiq.

From the email Blizzard sent me “personally” regarding WOTLK:

With the launch of World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King, the winds of change will blow from the frozen north and sweep across the face of Azeroth, altering it forever. For the first time in the history of the land, death knights will ride side-by-side with heroes of the noble Alliance and the mighty Horde. Spellcasters and melee combatants will unlock the power of glyphs and scrolls from the all-new inscription profession. And player-vs.-player battlefields will ignite with the exploding payloads of siege catapults, goblin shredders, and gnomish flying machines.

Azeroth will never be the same again.

To help you prepare for the epic changes coming with the second World of Warcraft expansion, the Blizzard Insider has crafted this special Wrath of the Lich King primer. We’ve gathered and distilled all of the essential information you need to know for day one of the expansion into one handy compendium.

So read on, for the air grows cold, and soon you will ride into the jaws of Northrend!

Getting Started in Northrend

Once the expansion launches, expect general chat to bubble with questions about how to get to and from the continent of Northrend. Ignore the fallacious rumors of the flight path from Shattrath City. Do not attempt the swim from Azshara. Here’s how to embark upon your epic journey to the roof of the world:

Horde

· Take the Undercity zeppelin tower to Howling Fjord

· Take the Orgrimmar zeppelin tower to Borean Tundra
Alliance

· Take the Menethil Harbor warship to Howling Fjord

· Take the Stormwind Harbor steamship to Borean Tundra
You’ll notice that you have a choice of beachheads in Northrend: Borean Tundra or Howling Fjord, which lie on opposite ends of the continent. Borean Tundra is a frozen landscape marked by coastal barrens, glaciers, and mineral-encrusted hot springs. Howling Fjord is a temperate forest perched atop some of the sheerest seaward cliffs in all of Azeroth. Whichever starting point you choose, arrive with your blades sharpened and your mana replenished. Battle will find you soon enough.

If you ever need to travel back and forth between Borean Tundra and Howling Fjord to group with comrades on the other side of the continent, you can hitch a ride on the turtle boat that is run by a tribe of neutral tuskarr. Note that you will not be able to ride a flying mount in Northrend until you have mastered the cold-weather flying skill at level 77, nor is it advisable to attempt the dash across Dragonblight until you have honed your skills in less dangerous areas.

To get an overview of the harsh new terrain opening up in Wrath of the Lich King, visit the interactive map of Northrend on the official World of Warcraft site.

Dungeons

Many are the dark and guarded tunnels, ruins, and towers of Northrend. Still, reliable scouting reports of the continent are scarce, and so this primer will cover only the first two dungeons that you are likely to encounter in the course of your adventures.

Utgarde Keep – Situated in Howling Fjord, the vast fortress of Utgarde Keep looms over Daggercap Bay. Here, vrykul loyal to the Scourge gather their armies to attack nearby Horde and Alliance settlements. A full description of the lore and background of Utgarde Keep can be found in the Wrath of the Lich King Utgarde Keep preview.

The Nexus – Magically infused rings of gigantic size loom over Coldarra in the Borean Tundra. Here, the Dragon Aspect Malygos has begun his efforts to siphon the magical energies from Azeroth and ultimately deny arcane power to all mortal spellcasters. Opposed by the Kirin Tor of Dalaran, Malygos and his blue dragonflight guard the gates of this mysterious tower. Further details on this dungeon are available in the Wrath of the Lich King Nexus preview.

Death Knights

Descending from Ebon Hold in the Eastern Plaguelands, the death knight is an all-new playable class that wields the necromantic powers of blood, frost, and unholy runes. With a predilection for two-handed weapons and heavy plate armor, the death knight is best suited to fill tanking and DPS roles within a group.

As World of Warcraft’s first hero class, the death knight stands apart from other classes, and special circumstances and rules surround its creation, progression, and management. Players can only create a death knight on a realm on which they have at least one level-55 or higher character, and they can only create one death knight at a time on any given realm. All races are able to start as death knights, who begin play at level 55 with basic gear and no mount. At first, death knights are bound to the service of the Lich King — and before they are able to group with members of the Horde or Alliance, they must find a way to break free from Arthas’ control.

For those seeking a more detailed look at the creation and management of death knights, visit the full death knight creation FAQ on the official forums.

There are many more facets to World of Warcraft’s first hero class — such as how death knights will augment tactics in PvP battlegrounds or what role they will ultimately play in the inevitable showdown with the Lich King — but you’ll have to discover them for yourself as you make your way through Northrend. In the meantime, check out the death knight gameplay preview to get a better idea of the skills and powers wielded by this formidable new class.

Glyphs and the Inscription Profession

Players with the inscription profession can ply their trade to create scrolls and glyphs. The scrolls scribed via the inscription profession are similar to scrolls commonly found throughout Azeroth — meaning they offer a one-time, limited-duration boost to a character’s abilities.

Glyphs, on the other hand, are permanent and offer an entirely new way to customize characters. These magical runes are infused with energies that permanently augment a character’s existing abilities and powers. Common examples include glyphs that decrease the amount of mana required for a specific spell, increase the damage done by a particular ability, or add a bonus buff or other effect to a skill.

There are several things you should keep in mind when dealing with glyphs:

· A new tab has been added to the spellbook to attach glyphs and show you which glyphs are currently in use. If you want to use a glyph to augment a spell, simply navigate to this tab and use a glyph from your inventory on any available glyph slot.

· All level-80 characters will be able to use up to six glyphs at any given time — three minor glyphs and three major glyphs. These slots gradually become available as a character progresses through levels, so be sure to check the glyph tab regularly to see what you’ve unlocked.

· Most — but not all — glyphs can be traded or bought and sold on the auction house. In addition, practitioners of the inscription profession can create special vellums that enchanters can use to trade and sell certain enchantments.

· Similar to jewelcrafting gems, glyphs cannot be removed once they have been applied. They can only be overwritten and replaced by other glyphs.
For players just getting started in the inscription profession, herbalism would make an ideal supplement, as most of the components needed to create scrolls and glyphs are derived from the flora of Azeroth and Outland. For further details on inscription, be sure to check out the inscription guide on the official World of Warcraft site.

Alliance and Horde Factions

The Alliance and Horde have each mobilized their forces to fight the mounting threat of the Scourge. Although these two valiant armies share a common enemy, they still vie against each other for control of Northrend’s territories and resources — particularly around the zone of Wintergrasp, where all-out war has erupted between the longtime rivals. The heroes of Azeroth must contend not only with the Lich King, but also with one another.

Here is a list of the Alliance and Horde factions and sub-factions that have joined the front line in Northrend:

Alliance Vanguard – Recognizing the threat posed by Arthas’ latest aggressive actions, the Alliance Vanguard represents a larger campaign dedicated to halting the Scourge in Northrend before the undead menace can spread further southward.

· Valiance Expedition – The Valiance Expedition is the Alliance Vanguard’s main military presence in Northrend. Dedicated to the destruction of the Lich King, the Valiance Expedition contains several of the Alliance’s greatest heroes, including King Varian Wrynn himself.

· Explorers’ League – The Explorers’ League is a predominantly dwarven faction committed to uncovering new territory, discovering ancient ruins, and compiling the history of Azeroth. The league has joined forces with the Alliance Vanguard in the hopes of recovering lost artifacts from the forgotten reaches of Northrend.

· The Silver Covenant – This group of high elves represents the Alliance in Dalaran, the floating city hovering above Crystalsong Forest in Northrend. The Silver Covenant opposes the entry of the blood elves into the Kirin Tor, the council of elite magi that rules Dalaran.

· The Frostborn – These frost dwarves, native to the Storm Peaks, have welcomed their southern cousins and agreed to join the Alliance Vanguard in its stand against the Lich King.

Horde Expedition – After the Scourge’s latest attack on Orgrimmar, the Horde has organized a counteroffensive against the Lich King. The following sub-factions have joined the Horde Expedition:

· The Warsong Offensive – Led by Garrosh Hellscream, the Horde’s main military force has mobilized in Northrend to end the reign of the Lich King forever.

· The Hand of Vengeance – Led by Sylvanas Windrunner, the Hand of Vengeance is comprised of elite Forsaken loyalists dedicated to the utter destruction of the Scourge.

· The Sunreavers – This group of blood elves has agreed to represent the Horde in Dalaran. The Sunreavers campaign to bring their kind into the fold of the Kirin Tor.

· The Taunka – Ancient relatives of the tauren, the taunka have aligned with the Horde Expedition in the hopes of driving the Lich King from their homeland.

Other Factions

In addition to the factions loyal to the Horde and the Alliance, many other groups both native and foreign can be found throughout Northrend.

When advancing your standing with these outlying factions, remember to take advantage of the new championing system. Don the tabard of specific non-Horde and non-Alliance factions in Wrath of the Lich King, and you will be able to improve your reputation with that faction by defeating a wide range of enemies in their name. Be sure to ask around to find the tabard of any faction with which you wish to gain standing.

Good Luck!

The information in this primer should serve as a solid foundation for your journey into Northrend. But be warned: Many twists and turns wait along the path to the inevitable showdown with the Lich King, and the way will be dark and treacherous.

We leave you now with these words of warning, spoken by the Lich King Arthas Menethil himself:

“Young heroes, I was once like you. You have come to this place seeking to bring judgment upon the damned. You will venture deep into forgotten lands. You will see wonders beyond imagining. But be warned. The land itself will rise up against you. Long-forgotten terrors will smother your courage. Sacrifice everything as the final darkness falls. In the end, all that awaits you is death. Only then will you understand you’ve been following in my footsteps all along.

So come then, you heroes! Come in all your power and glory! For in the final hour, all must serve the one… true… king.”

Believe it or not, somebody had sued Grand Theft Auto San Andreas… wow, I would have never expected that. At least this is a funny lawsuit…

Who sued: The Play Pen - a strip club in LA

Why they sued: cause in GTA SA there is a strip club called “The Pig Pen.” See movie below…

Who won? Good news (thanks Gamasutra and Evil Avatar).

A U.S. federal court has dismissed claims by a strip club owner that Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas’ satirical depiction of the club infringes the club owner’s trademark.

The legal battle, which pits the real-life East Los Angeles establishment The Play Pen against the game’s fictional Pig Pen, has been raging for over three years.
…
“The San Andreas Game is not complementary to the Play Pen; video games and strip clubs do not go together like a horse and carriage or, perish the thought, love and marriage. Nothing indicates that the buying public would reasonably have believed that ESS produced the video game or, for that matter, that Rockstar operated a strip club.”
…
“Undeterred, ESS also argues that, because players are free to ignore the storyline and spend as much time as they want at the Pig Pen, the Pig Pen can be considered a significant part of the Game, leading to confusion. But fans can spend all nine innings of a baseball game at the hot dog stand; that hardly makes Dodger Stadium a butcher’s shop.”

I just love the crack on the Dodger Stadium…

Ah, the horror. From Destructoid, here is  Cliffy B’s most prized possession…

What is it? Well… (from Destructoid)

Apparently, the young Clifford once jokingly told faceplate creator SpaceGhost2K that he would like him to make a plate based on the famously disgusting Internet meme in which a young Japanese girl summons forth a veritable geyser of watery backdoor clay with which to douse herself. Be careful what you wish for. Cliff received this artistic tribute to self-degradation at the Gears 2 launch party.

If you want the full non-pixelated view, plz click here [VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED].

From Kotaku.

You ask, and you receive. Last spring, when faceplate creator extraordinaire SpaceGhost2K attended a Microsoft Spring Showcase in San Francisco, Gears of War’s Dude Huge, AKA the game designer formerly known as CliffyB, told SpaceGhost2K he liked his custom faceplates and jokingly (we think? we hope?) put in a request: TubgIrl. SpaceGhost2K agreed and created a Tubgirl faceplate, which he gave to DH at the Gears 2 launch.

Hit the jump for an uncensored version. It’s anime-style, but should still be stomach churning to those who haven’t erased the original image from their brains. Note: New to the internet and unfamiliar with Tubgirl? Check out this text only Wiki entry. Anyone who posts or links the actual picture in the comments section will get cozy with the brunt end of the Banhammer.

NEWS #2 - New Dead Space DLC

On November 13th, Dead Space will be getting a new load of DLC. From 1Up, here is the list…

Since I already finished it… I really dont know why I would buy this stuff. I hope for more missions/levels in the next DLC, then maybe I’ll buy something to look cooler… dunno. What do you think?

• Astronaut Pack: Download the Astronaut Suit and Weapon Skin Pack, featuring an amazing Astronaut Suit and new skins for the Plasma Cutter, Pulse Rifle, and Ripper! — $3.00 / 240 MS points
• Big Gun Pack: Download the Steam Punk Force Gun, the ultimate in Necromorph-killing destruction. — $1.00 / 80 MS points
• Heavy Damage Pack: Download the Heavy Damage Weapon pack featuring a cool new look and massive firepower for the Plasma Cutter, Contact Beam, Pulse Rifle, and Ripper. — $3.00 / 240 MS points
• Hot Rod Pack: Download the Hot Rod Weapon Skin Pack, featuring awesome flame graphics for the Flamethrower and Pulse Rifle. — $1.00 / 80 MS points
• Military Pack: Download the Military Weapon Pack for a new look and enhanced power for all 7 Dead Space weapons. — $4.00 / 320 MS points
• Pedestrian Pack: Download the Pedestrian Weapon Skin Pack, featuring a fresh new look for the Contact Beam, Plasma Cutter, and Ripper. — $1.50 / 120 MS points
• Scorpion Pack: Download the Scorpion Pack featuring an upgraded Level 5 Suit and powered up Plasma Cutter, Line Gun, and Force Gun, all decorated in an awesome red Scorpion Skin. — $4.00 / 320 MS points
• Scorpion Weapon Pack: Download the Scorpion Weapon Pack featuring a faster death-dealing Plasma Cutter, Line Gun, and Force Gun in awesome red skins. — $2.25 / 180 MS points
• Speed Kills Pack: Download the Speed Kills Weapon Pack! Includes faster-firing Force Gun, Line Gun, and Plasma Cutter. — $2.25 / 180 MS points
• Tank Pack: Download the Tank Pack featuring an upgraded Level 5 Suit and powered up Flamethrower, Force Gun, and Line Gun, all covered in Unitology script. — $4.00 / 320 MS points

PLAYSTATION®3 Exclusive Packs:

• Obsidian Weapon Skin Pack: Download the exclusive Obsidian Weapon Skin Pack now, available only for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system. Includes weapon skins in jet-black PLAYSTATION 3 colors for the Line Gun, Plasma Cutter, and Pulse Rifle. — $1.50
• Obsidian Pack: Download the exclusive Obsidian Suit and Weapon Skin Pack now, available only for the PLAYSTATION®3! Includes an upgraded Level 5 suit, and weapon skins for the Line Gun, Plasma Cutter, and Pulse Rifle, all in jet-black PLAYSTATION®3 colors. — $3.00

Xbox 360®-Exclusive Packs:

• Elite Weapon Skin Pack: Download the exclusive Elite Weapon Skin Pack now, available only for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system! Includes weapon skins in Xbox 360 colors for the Line Gun, Plasma Cutter, and Pulse Rifle. — 120 MS points
• Elite Pack: Download the exclusive Elite Suit and Weapon Skin Pack now, available only for the Xbox 360! Includes an upgraded Level 5 suit, and weapon skins for the Line Gun, Plasma Cutter, and Pulse Rifle in Xbox 360 colors. — 240 MS points

NEWS #3: K-Mart and Sears Black Friday Sales Leaked

If you are planning on buying a lot of gifts and whatnot on black friday you should check out kotaku’s news on the leaked list of games and price points that came out of K-Mart and Sears.

 

K-Mart

 

2 Pack Wii Games - $16.99

 

3 Pack PS2 Games - $9.99

 

Animal Crossing Wii - $49.99

 

Guitar Hero III Bundle PS3 - $54.99

 

Guitar Hero III Bundle Wii - $54.99

 

Guitar Hero III Bundle Xbox 360 - $54.99

 

Limited Edition Ratchest & Clank PSP Bundle - $199.99

 

Mario Kart Wii - $49.99

 

Mario Super Smash Bros Wii - $49.99

 

PSP System - $169.99

 

Super Mario Galaxy Wii - $49.99

 

Wii Music - $49.99

 

Wii Play - $49.99

 

Sears

 

Buy Any XBox 360 System And Get A Free XBox 360 Wireless Controller - $0.00

 

Guitar Hero On Tour Decades Bundle For Nintendo DS - $49.99

 

Guitar Hero World Tour Guitar Bundle For PS2 - $89.99

 

Guitar Hero World Tour Guitar Bundle For PS3 - $99.99

 

Guitar Hero World Tour Guitar Bundle For Wii - $99.99

 

Guitar Hero World Tour Guitar Bundle For Xbox 360 - $99.99

 

Gutar Hero III Bundle For PS3 - $54.99 *

 

Gutar Hero III Bundle For Wii - $54.99 *

 

Gutar Hero III Bundle For Xbox 360 - $54.99 *

 

Nintendo DS - $129.99

 

Nintendo DS Car Adapter - $9.99

 

Nintendo DS Figure Skater - $9.99

 

Nintendo DS Folio - $9.99

 

Nintendo DS Kirby Super Star - $29.99

 

Nintendo DS Mario Party - $29.99

 

Nintendo DS Master Chef - $9.99

 

Nintendo DS New Super Mario - $34.99

 

Nintendo DS Pen Stylus w/Protector - $9.99

 

Nintendo DS Petz Hamsterz 2 - $9.99

 

Nintendo DS Pokemon Ranger - $29.99

 

Nintendo DS System Glove - $9.99

 

Nintendo DS Traveler NDS 125 Bag - $9.99

 

Nintendo DS Traveler NDS 300 Case - $9.99

 

Nintendo DS Traveler NDS 700 Case - $9.99

 

Nintendo DS Traveler NDS 801 Case - $9.99

 

Nintendo Wii All Star Cheer - $29.99

 

Nintendo Wii Animal Crossing - $49.99

 

Nintendo Wii Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader - $19.99

 

Nintendo Wii Music - $49.99

 

Nintendo Wii Play w/Remote - $49.99

 

Nintendo Wii Rayman Raving Rabbids - $49.99

 

Nintendo Wii SpongeBob SquarePants Globs Doom - $29.99

 

Playstation 3 80GB Console - $399.99

 

Playstation 3 Blu-Ray Remote - $24.99

 

Playstation 3 Component AV Cables - $19.99

 

Playstation 3 DualShock3 Controller - $54.99

 

Playstation 3 Fallout 3 - $59.99

 

Playstation 3 Little Big Planet - $59.99

 

Playstation 3 Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe - $59.99

 

Playstation 3 Resistance 2 - $59.99

 

Special Edition Mario Red or Ice Blue DS - $149.99 *

 

Value Video Games - 20% Off *

 

XBox 360 Call of Duty: World at War - $59.99

 

XBox 360 Fable 2 - $59.99

 

XBox 360 Gears of War 2 - $59.99

 

XBox 360 Pro 60GB Holiday Bundle - $299.99

 

XBox 360 Wireless Controller - $49.99

 

XBox 360 Wireless Network Adapter - $99.99

 

XBox 360 WWE 2009 - $59.99

Have you played both? The guys at destructoid think that Saint’s Row 2 beats GTAIV on all of the following 10 points…

1. Mission Checkpoints
2. Cars are actually fun to drive
3. In-Mission Checkpoints
4. Cars are actually fun to drive
5. Weapons are far more varied and awesome
6. You can be a cockney bastard
7. Real customization
8. Lots more to do
9. Superior multiplayer
10. It looks better
11. It’s much funnier
12. It’s not ashamed of its own stupidity

What do you think?

NEWS #2 - Used Videogame Market is Bad For Games

From 1Up - The founder of Lost Winds developer Frontier Developments, David Braben, has sounded off with some extremely harsh criticisms of the practice of buying and selling used games.

In the wake of UK-based entertainment retailer HMV announcing it would begin accepting trade-ins, Braben claimed that used games are “really damaging to the single-player experience.” He pointed out that single-player games are frequently traded back in at stores once players have completed them, he told GamesIndustry.biz.

He also spoke with Eurogamer recently where he made similar statements, although his comments were far more volatile. He even went so far as to claim, “The shops are not giving us a way of distinguishing between pre-owned and new. So the shops are essentially defrauding the industry.”

Do you think selling used games is fair? Is it fair to consumers and also to game developers? Keep in mind, all the money on used games goes ONLY to the retailer - nothing to the developer.

NEW #3 - New PS3 Controller

A new rumor appears confirmed - always from 1Up and gamesindustrybiz - here is the new PS3 controller.

This new controller isn’t just another revision of the Sixaxis; rather, it looks like a complete overhaul of the form and function of the device, resembling a pair of ice cream cones more than Sony’s ubiquitous Dual Shock. The images accompanying the patent display two Wii-like remotes with removable button faceplates, topped off with strange, bulb-like shapes. These glowing, spherical structures house LEDs and ultrasonic sound emitters, which would allow the PlayStation Eye camera to determine the controllers’ positions in three-dimensional space.

Yes, it has all that great stuff. Plus it has boobs.

Get more info on the new PS3 controller at BLORGE.

Surfing my guild site, I hit an interesting video:

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/41869.html

(thanks to Gametrailers )

it is a retrospective about Warcraft universe that starts in the early years of computer gaming.

The video includes clips taken from the gorgeous Blizzard Cinematic, the art concepts pictures and many, many action clip of all the Warcraft game saga.

A telling voice describes how everything started and gives curious information.

It is worth to check out, and worth to wait for the second part.

Street Fighter 4 is coming out shortly - as is a new Street Fighter movie: Street Fighter the Legend of Chun Li.

And to Chun Li we dedicate this web-page shrine - find more art in the gallery at the bottom. These two pics were my favorite ones I found. Which one is yours?

“Yatta’!”

A good chunk of Chin Li art was found at Creative Uncut (great website with loads of videogame art), the rest surfing the web.

NEWS #1: Gameboy iPhone

MacThemes has an awesome new design available for the iPhone. Designed by Rob Sheridan, is the above theme that will give your iPhone the distinctive 80’s gamer look. So if you want to be an O.G. geek, hit MacThemes today.

NEWS #2 Molyneux Interview

If you love Molyneux and Fable 2 you should read his recent and extremely honest interview with Develop.

An excerpt:

Q: A lot of designers do that and think it’s perfectly acceptable, though…

A: True. But look right back at Dungeon Keeper and then through all of my games, you’ll see me do it and talk that kind of thing up.

Q: Such as?

A: Classic example: in Black & White 1, I said that while you were playing it the weather in the game would be the same as it was outside. Now… who really gives a fucking shit about that? What should have been important was how the player felt when playing the game.

NEWS #3 - Fallout 3 Reviews

Fallout 3’s reviews are finally out…from gamerankings.com:

Site Name / Link	Quality	Date	Rating	Ratio
IGN		10/28/2008	9.6 out of 10	96.0%
TeamXbox		10/28/2008	9.4 out of 10	94.0%
GameSpot		10/28/2008	9 out of 10	90.0%
Official Xbox Magazine		12/1/2008	10 out of 10	100.0%
Game Informer		12/1/2008	9.5 out of 10	95.0%
GameSpy		10/28/2008	5 out of 5	100.0%
Eurogamer		10/28/2008	10 out of 10	100.0%
Worth Playing		10/28/2008	9.5 out of 10	95.0%
GameZone		10/28/2008	9.4 out of 10	94.0%
VideoGamer		10/28/2008	9 out of 10	90.0%

Well… this was unexpected…NOT! Bethesda seems to have the RPG formula down to a science, can’t wait to play 100 hours of this.

An excerpt from IGN:

It’s rare that a game can hit the mark in so many different and often conflicting areas. Fallout 3 offers freedom without sacrificing a focused story. It delivers fantastic combat without forgoing a deep role-playing system. The characters you meet are engaging and oftentimes hilarious without feeling out of place in this harsh world. The game has a few flaws — most of them technical — but it’s a case where the whole is greater than the sum. It’s a fantastic game with incredible atmosphere that offers fun in so many different ways that you’re almost sure to get hooked. This is one of the best games you’ll play this year.

But let’s pretend that’s not true… Or let’s just say that whatever the case, Blizzard has made a great job with their femal heroes. The art of the game is fantastic - and it has inspired tons of great artists that regularly submit their works of art to Blizzard and get posted on their Fan Art pages.

This post is dedicated to what, IMHO, are the best female art pieces inspired from WoW I found on the Fan Art website.

Enjoy and vote your favorite.

#1- The Light of Lights
by Krystopher Decker (Pepperwolf)

This dude should setup an online gallery and sell his art.

#2 - Valeera Sanguinar
by Paul Kwon (Shira Mune)

#3 - Rogue
by Wenjun Lin (Junc)

#4 - Paladin
by Jung-Hun Ju (kveldulv)

#5 - Night Elf Archer
by Paul Kwon (shiramune)

#6 - T7 hunter
by xia jie (jiejie)

#7 - Guarding the Moonwell
by Michael Nothdurft (M1keN)

#8 - Morganna and Jolinaar (Medivh)
by Val D (Jilian)

#9 - Become the Betrayer
by Nancy Cho (Avedral)

#10 - Lena
by Emiko Setsuna (Dênakê)

Note for Authors: For some I could not find a website link - please submit a comment if you want your link posted.

As usual I will be brief - but here are TWO great reasons to a avoid at all costs signing up for capped internet connections…
When I say capped, I mean signing up with a provider that says you can use only X amounts of bandwidth a month.
Reason #1: Monitoring your bandwidth usage is a pain if you alone use your PC/Mac…

• let alone if you have other users in the household…
• let alone if you have a kid surfing the net and playing games…
• let alone if your kid is hitting puberty.
• And BTW - please do put a security code on you wireless router if you use one. Apart from being a HUGE security risk, you dont want to provide free internet to all your freeloading neighbors, dont you?

Reaon #2: Certain programs use way more bandwidth that you would ever expect… especially if you are a gamer and play any sort of online game and especially MMORPGs.

• See this article at BBC News on the cost of World of Warcraft.
• See this article on Massively regarding the hidden costs of MMOGs.
• For those with more know-how, see this PDF file from the Vienna University of Tech regarding a Traffic Analysis on World of Warcraft.

Top image was found here.

As I finished Dead Space there were two moments where I really wondered… “How do I do this…”:

1) How do I place the beacon?

2) How do I get the singularity core?

Here are the answers… (NO STORY SPOILERS HERE)

BEACON:

• Stand on the wall up and to the left of the asteroid.
• Wait for both of the bars to move away and jump onto the asteroid.
• Run to the outside part of the ship - that is where you see a sort of shimmering vacuum around the asteroid.
• Plant the beacon.
• Kill the monsters.
• Use a oxygen can if you didnt upgrade your rig’s O2.
• Break the two tethers that are in outer space. You need to first slow them then aim at the neon light thingy inside them.
• Go back to the area close to space border with inner spaceship and study the bars movement (dont wanna get chopped after all this stress).
• Run back and jump to the safety of a wall ASAP.

SINGULARITY CORE:

• There are hanging engines on either side of the beam you can use kenisis on.
• Move the engines to keep yourself safe.
• Go to the left and move engine forward till you see a fuse box to the right.
• Destroy the fuse box.
• Continue moving using kinesis on the engine and destroying all the fuse boxes you encounter.
• Move back using still the engine as cover.
• Go to the right side and repeat.
• The blasts will die as you destroy the last fuse.
• Take the core.

NEWS #1 - THE WAIT IS OVER

At 2PM today, PST, Tuesday Oct 21 2008, LucasArts and Bioware will be holding a formal press event to announce “the official unveiling of the game that’s been rumored about for years.”

Stay tuned.

NEWS #2 - FABLE 2 CE NERFED

Fable 2’s collector’s edition has been nerfed again…

Not only it lost the cards, the little dolly chotchkie, the whatever stuff nobody needs… But now for those 9 dudes who dont have Xbox Live, it looks like the card that would grant them awesome 2 days of live experience is missing!

AAAARGH!

More details at 1Up.

NEWS #3 - BARBARIAN DIABLO 3 TREE!

Hurra’ for the new Barbarian talent tree you can now find at Diablo3X.

Wonder how the chick barbarian will turnout…

NEWS #1: NO WOW2 (HURRA)

Good News: Next Blizzard MMO will NOT be a set in Azeroth. No Wow 2 then… no Everquest 2 mistake hopefully.

In the words of Morhaime (Blizzard CEO):

“We’re not trying to replace World of Warcraft with this new MMO. We’re trying to create a different massively multiplayer experience, and hopefully World of Warcraft will still be going strong when that one is released.”

NEWS #2 FABLE 2 SPARTAN

If you buy the Fable 2 Collector’s Edition your character will be gifted some pretty crazy items (source Joystiq)

The Spartan Armor (LAME)

The Energy Sword (LAMEer).

NEWS #3 - VADER VS. YODA

In the latest Soul Calibur, Thanks to DLC, you will be able to download Vader or Yoda, whatever is missing to your Xbox 360 or PS3.

Awesome.

—

Source of incredibly beautiful top art, Blizzard Fan Art - author: Emiko Setsuna.

Who is the hottest booth babe? Which booth babe has the best outfit?

Here are my top 3 (+ a gallery of 45 more pics at the end of this post).

Number 3: Level 5 Booth Babe (I think)

Number 2: Capcom Booth Babe

Clearly Number 1: Tecmo Booth Babe (BTW - Tecmo always has the best babes).

And for the worst outfit ever seen on a Booth Babe…Electronic Arts (EA) is the absolute winner. Possibly of the last 10 years of TGS history… if not booth babe history.

More snapshots below.

Which ones are your top 3?