Video Games and Gaming

There are no calls for an encore and lighters remain in pockets. Video gamers seem to have had their fill of the genre made famous by Guitar Hero and Rock Band causing the music-game category to take a massive sales hit in 2009. Even with The Beatles: Rock Band's guaranteed fan base and the innovative controls in DJ Hero strumming and scratching along to scrolling discs has worn out their welcome this year almost as quickly as auto-tune...  

For PlayStation 3 fans, 2009 was a bounteous year, filled with amazing platform exclusives that would make any owner of the console proud to be so, with Uncharted 2, inFamous, Killzone 2 and Ratchet and Clank: A Crack in Time beefing up the bragging rights. This was also the year that multiplatform games releasing on PS3 were no longer treated like distant cousins and finally lived up to the quality of their Xbox 360 doppelgangers, as...  

(Evergeek) - Wii can have its chortling plumbers and waggle-activated bowling; serious console gamers own an Xbox 360 or PlayStation3. The gift of serious games will make those gamers seriously happy, especially if you wrap up one or all three of these.  

(TrendHunter.com) The true video gamer needs no introduction. You know the one—their eyes never leave the screen and their hands always grasp a controller. And because the gamer is no ordinary geek, you need to get them…  

The Xbox 360 has a points system in which gamers can unlock Achievements that reward the player with Gamerscore points. Some gamers love Achievements and spend hours upon hours unlocking them, while others view it as a complete waste of time.Contributor: Jared DillonPublished: Dec 18, 2009  

Crispy Gamer, a New York-based provider of online editorial content for gamers, has acquired GamerDNA, a Cambridge, Mass.-based social media site for online gamers. No financial terms were disclosed. Crispy Gamer has raised $8.25 million from Constellation Ventures and company founders. GamerDNA Inc. has raised more than $3 million led by Flybridge Capital Partners. www.gamerdna.com  

Nearly anyone who's active on Xbox Live is aware of Gamerscore points, awarded for achieving certain in-game goals. They're not used for any sort of material gain -- they're pure ego, a way for gamers to compare their chops with other gamers. And people take them very seriously.  

Over on my secret gaming blog I just wrote a long post analyzing Farmville FarmVille is a great social, viral app. The puzzle I can't work out is whether FarmVille would be more successful if it were a better game. I think probably not; the casual, simple gameplay along with the fun Sims-like construction is a pretty sweet spot for the Facebook market. Too bad, I'd love to play a game like this that was actually interesting as well.  

With all-round development in Nintendo market, it was announced that it would be creating a new console by Nintendo Company. Nintendo DS was set to release in the last month of 2004, in Japan and gradually first in Europe and Australia then in North America. DS stands for ‘Dual Screen” and the most significant feature [...]  

There may not be any special handshakes or furtive high signs for it, but make no mistake: Video gamers are part of a secret society. Sure, nowadays billions of people from all walks of life enjoy the occasional video game. They play Farmville on their lunch break, Hearts while working on a term paper. Celebrities famously tweet about World of Warcraft or dish about gaming on talk shows. But none of that matters to those devotees of gaming...  

Health insurers are paying facebook gamers virtual currency to oppose the US healthcare reform bill. Users of Facebook apps by Zynga (which include Farmville, CafeWorld, Mafia Wars, etc.) earn virtual currency to use in games by following links to various "special offers". Get Healthcare Reform Right offers virtual cash in return for completing a form which is sent to government representatives. Now, in response, Healthcare For...  

Infinity Ward may have broken all records when it comes to sales of Modern Warfare 2, but its reputation with PC gamers must be at an all time low. The latest problem the game has caused is ISP letters threatening to cut off connections due to the activity being logged while playing the game. The problem [...]  

The package includes burning or copying software, download software and follow the instructions and video tutorials you should have no difficulty in boarding. The manufacturer also offers free support via e-mail, and questions will be ...  

Platform: XBox 360 Fable II comes brand new and never played. However, only the game disc and instruction manual are included. The case is NOT included. Set 500 years after the original game, Fable 2 offers even more choices and features, while building on the core gameplay theme of Fable where every choice continually defines who you become, allowing you to truly live the life you choose. Fable II expands upon the scope...  

Gamer's Mind: The Gamers Manifesto. Hello readership! By now, all of you know (and laugh at) the fact I'm on a crusade to embark a journey into the video game development world as a video game writer. If I wasn't myself, I'd laugh too, ...