Reality TV has explored 
deserted islands, crowded cohabitation, romance, travel and primal fear. So why not video games?
Spike TV and Sony are teaming up to create a reality show centered on the upcoming Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception.
Monthly Archives: August 2011
App Review: Emberwind
Emberwind shows lots 
of potential, with plenty of areas to explore and sidescrolling mainstays like items to collect and enemies to vanquish. Unfortunately, a terrible control scheme makes the game an absolute chore to enjoy. The onscreen joystick is non-responsive, which can cause you to miss crucial jumps and makes it hard to retreat in a hurry. Other buttons seem randomly placed on the screen and are less than intuitive. The screen can become overly busy, which is especially frustrating when playing on an iPhone or iPod Touch. It’s particularly maddening because the game has plenty of depth. But because of its other issues, players may simply give up before they discover that.
How big might the next Grand Theft Auto be?
Take-Two Interactive Software 
hasn’t formally announced the next installment of the massive Grand Theft Auto franchise, but it’s the industry’s worst kept secret.
Most industry analysts expect it to be unveiled (and released) next year – and the oddsmaking has started on exactly how big it will be. Right now, the most conservative guesses put the number just below the worldwide grosses of Titanic.
Feds move to block AT&T, T-Mobile merger
AT&T’s takeover of 
T-Mobile has hit a major roadblock as the U.S. government plans to block the merger of the two mobile giants. The Department of Justice today filed suit in U.S. District Court in Washington, saying the deal violates U.S. antitrust law.
“We are seeking to block this deal in order to maintain a vibrant and competitive market place,” said James Cole, Deputy Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice in a press conference.
8-year-old gamer scores a sponsorship
Plenty of kids 
love playing video games, but Noah Solis is in an entirely different league.
Earlier this month, the pint-sized powerhouse (who goes by the alias “The Prodigy”) attended the Evolution Championship Series (EVO) gaming tournament in Las Vegas, decimating opponents in fighting game Marvel vs. Capcom 3 en route to placing in the top 48.
App Review: Early Bird
There’s not a lot 
that’s especially original about Early Bird, but the game still manages to charm your socks off. Swiping the screen to make your onscreen bird fly, after all, is one of the most common mechanics in the app world, but the attention to detail in the game is worthy of note. The artwork is wonderful and appropriate, the sense of satisfaction you get when your bird lands a perfect bullseye is real and the atmosphere is endearing. It’s also priced at an easily digestible 99 cents, making Early Bird worth a peep … er, peek.
Initiative for 3D standard glasses gains steam
The Full HD 3D Glasses 
Initiative – a joint effort by Samsung, Panasonic and Sony to adopt a new technology standard for active 3D glasses – continues to attract supporters.
Philips, Sharp, TCL and Toshiba have all announced their support for the program, which hopes to eliminate the specialized glasses currently required for each manufacturer’s set.
Analysis: Why Zynga’s IPO Might Be ‘Delayed’
Reports this week that 
Zynga is holding off on its IPO are not “a sign of weakness or scandal,” according to Gamasutra editor-at-large Chris Morris, who says it’d be reckless to go forward in current market conditions.
When reports crossed the wire Monday that Zynga might push back the launch of its initial public offering, the conspiracy theorists started buzzing. Later word that the SEC might play a role in the delay whipped ’em into a frenzy.
In fact, none of this was a sign of weakness or scandal. It was actually a sign that the folks running the business side of the game maker could a) read tea leaves and b) realize that early, enthusiastic investors might become confused, angry ones if a few things up weren’t cleared up.
Weird Video Game Accessories
We don’t fault peripheral 
manufacturers for trying to make a buck or two off video game consoles. After all, when an industry boasts global annual revenues of $65 billion, there are bound to be some remora.
But some of the add-ons that are available these days are just plain ridiculous, catering to a segment of the gaming world that’s so niche it makes you wonder what the heck these companies were thinking when they green-lighted the production of these mostly useless trinkets.
More Halo 4 details revealed
We’re more than a 
year away from Halo 4 hitting store shelves, but Microsoft is already giving fans a peek behind the curtain on one of the most anticipated upcoming games for the Xbox 360.
At last weekend’s Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) in Seattle, 343 Industries, which has taken over ownership of the franchise from longtime developer Bungie, dropped a few hints about what we can expect in the game — though the crew certainly left attendees with more questions than answers.
Chris Morris: Journalist 