Aug
9th

Call of Duty: World At War shows off Co-Op gameplay

It’s hard to imagine that just a few short years ago the Call of Duty series didn’t even exist on consoles and the Medal of Honor series reigned supreme.  How times have changed!  Another year and another Call of Duty game is on its way, this time with co-op gameplay.

(more…)

May
10th

Killzone 2 finally getting it right

2 has certainly wowed gamers before.  From the original “target” to the later “actual” , the game has provided plenty of eye candy.  Of course, it has also provided plenty of controversy thanks to that “target” demo.  However, it appears 2’s critics may finally have to eat their crow.

(more…)

Apr
22nd

Earth Day: Five games that kill the environment

world_of_warcraft_logo

What goes better with playing video games than poisoning the environment for future generations?  Perhaps melting the polar icecaps?  Clubbing baby seals?  Okay, that last one went a bit far.

Still, the point is that video games can be very bad for the environment.  Take the following five games for instance.  Each is addictive to the point of chugging electricity where other games only sip.  Ban these five games, and the environment will thank you.

(more…)

Mar
26th

AP says game industry too scared to be taken seriously

army_of_two

In the whole argument over whether or not video games are art, one issue that often goes overlooked is whether or not the industry truly wants that burden.  A recent Associated Press story covering war games says the industry doesn’t want to get too serious for the fear they might seem too frivolous to cover serious matters.  They have a legitimate concern.

(more…)

Mar
18th

Call of Duty 4 gets Game of the Year edition for April

call_of_duty4.jpg

If you haven’t picked up Call of Duty 4 yet, then it may actually be in your best interest to continue waiting. Word is that will release a Game of the Year edition sometime in April. The special edition will feature new packaging as well as the ability to download the new map pack for free.

So far the special edition of the game has only been confirmed for the , though it would seem likely a PS3 version would be released, too. The whole idea of special editions of console games seemed entirely foreign just a few years ago. That all has changed as more games get the special edition treatment such as and 3. (more…)

Mar
16th

Marine lost after playing Call of Duty 4 is found dead

call_of_duty4.jpgA Marine who had fought in the Iraq War has apparently died back on the home front. The connection to video games is that Eric Hall first disappeared after playing 4, which some witnesses believe set off a severe war flashback caused by post-traumatic stress disorder. The whole story raises far more questions than it has so far answered.

While the latest news is that the body still hasn’t been identified, Eric’s mother believes it to be him. The story goes that Eric was playing 4 when he suddenly got up, went outside, got on his motorcycle and drove away. He had not been seen or heard from since. He has been missing since February 3. (more…)

Mar
14th

Game sales up 40% in February over last year despite sluggish economy

money_sign.gifThe general economy may be down, but video game sales are up in a big way. Compared with the same period last year, games sales are up 40%. This is obviously a very good sign for the industry’s ability to weather an economic downturn.

Of interesting note among the numbers, the PlayStation 3 topped the for a second month in a row. Of course, there are apparent shortages of the in stores, but it’s still a good bit of positive news for Sony’s flagship console. The Wii, of course, continued to sell the best despite its scarcity in stores. (more…)

Mar
10th

Activision says Tony Hawk to innovate to counter Skate

tony_hawk4.jpg’ Skate was one of the big surprises of 2007. Many had challenged ’s dominance of the extreme sports genre, but Skate was the first to really deliver a knockdown punch with its innovative controls. Now, in the face of being outsold two to one, has plans to innovate with the franchise.

Speaking with USA Today, Senior Vice President Will Kassoy referenced the “ Innovation Plan,” but refused to elaborate. What could this plan be? The easy speculation is a move toward a new scheme akin to Skate’s. However, with ’s success with the franchise and now Call of Duty 4 , one should not rule out the move to a more multiplayer friendly setup. And yes, Wii featuring the seems inevitable. (more…)

Mar
6th

Guitar Hero to become Rock Band clone, and Call of Duty goes MMO

guitar_hero.jpgBobby Kotick is a happy guy right now. With the upcoming Vivendi merger, which will bring Blizzard and World of under the umbrella, the sky is the limit for what Kotick’s company can do.

At the recent Morgan Stanley Technology Conference in California, the CEO of Activision discussed how they would use Blizzard’s expertise in the world of gameplay to help open a new door for some of the company’s best selling titles. Starting with the Guitar Hero franchise, Kotick proposed using Blizzard’s “institutional expertise” to bring PC editions of Guitar Hero to the “roughly 300,000 game rooms between China and Korea.” This would be a feat definitely not insurmountable considering the popularity of the title and the fanatical gaming community in Korea. (more…)

Feb
29th

Warcraft and The Sims dominate PC game sales

the_sims2.jpgNPD released the January sales chart for PC games and it was completely dominated by two franchises. Can you guess which two, without referring back to the title of this article? In case you couldn’t, the two franchises are and The Sims.

What’s really weird is the number of older titles in each series that have shown staying power. The III Battlechest and Sim City 4 Deluxe both charted in the top 20. While Sim City Societies or the newest The Sims 2 expansion packs would seem sure bets, these classics are showing some true longevity. Perhaps it’s a side-effect of their sequels bringing in new fans who want to explore the games’ past? (more…)