The history of 
financially successful videogame-to-movie conversions is a pretty short one. The list of critically successful conversions is even shorter.
That doesn’t mean there haven’t been a few solid hits that got their start in the console world. Popular franchises tend to come with a built-in audience, and when Hollywood supplements that with a big star it can be an immensely profitable venture — often spawning one or more sequels.
For the past dozen 
years or so, Hollywood has leaned on classic (and not so classic) television shows as the source catalog for new films. As that trend comes to a close, studios are focusing more and more on the videogame industry.
Despite the tarnished history of videogame adaptations, studios are moving forward with more than dozen big-screen gaming movies. What’s amazing, though, is it’s possible — just possible — that some of these films might not stink.
Everyone needs a 
work break now and then. Between meetings, meetings to prepare for other meetings, and meetings to discuss what happened in those other meetings, even the most dedicated employee needs to shift his or her focus away from the grind, if only for a few minutes.
And games are a great way to clear your head.
Tim Schafer is 
responsible for some of the most critically-acclaimed titles in the video game industry. But when word came down that he and his team at Double Fine Productions would be making a Sesame Street game for Microsoft Kinect, it caught everyone by surprise.
Schafer’s games — which include cult-hit Psychonauts and heavy metal adventure romp Brütal Legend — are known for their quirky, adult sense of humor, making the jump to the most famous name in children’s programming a little bizarre.
Steve Jobs never 
had a lot of interest in the video game world, but that didn’t stop Apple from accidentally becoming one of the most influential companies in the industry.
Now, the founder of Valve Software, makers of the acclaimed “Half-Life” series and Steam digital distribution system, says he believes Apple could make Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo’s consoles irrelevant at some point in the future.
While the story in 
Stray Souls: Dollhouse Story might not be the strongest in the app store, it does a masterful job of creating a spooky atmosphere that makes the story come alive. It’s well-paced and scales well to both experienced puzzle/adventure gamers and newcomers to the genre. The heroine is a bit disappointing, though, in that she sometimes comes across as someone who is entirely dependent on her husband. (For instance, she notes at one point that she had never driven before her husband taught her how.)
All in all, though, the game is a clever blend of puzzle games with a story that twists nicely. It’s certainly too intense for young players, but tweens and adults will have lots of fun with it.
Borrowing heavily from 
Angry Birds and Fragger, Monster Island adds an extra layer of cartoon absurdity as characters try to blow up other monsters. There’s no story to the game, per se, but it’s very well animated. And despite taking some trial and error to master, it’s not overly complicated and very welcoming. The problem with the game is it’s derivative and doesn’t really advance the genre. And the coins you work so hard to collect don’t have a lot of use, except for buying unlocks for levels or cheats — something you likely don’t need if you’re able to amass coins. (You can also unlock other monsters to play as, but that’s nothing that affects gameplay.)
It’s a fun diversion and will keep you busy for quite a while, but won’t prove to be an all-time great.
Few, if any, 
in the Hollywood community have embraced the Web as passionately as Felicia Day.
Now, with the fifth season of her comedic web-series “The Guild” in her pocket, Day has weighed anchor on a new project, a six-part Web series tying in with Electronic Arts hit video game franchise “Dragon Age” – and it looks like she may have another hit on her hands.
Nolan Bushnell is 
a man with big ideas.
In 1972, he founded Atari, laying the foundation for the video game industry we know today. Five years later, he bought a pizza chain from Warner Communications and built it into Chuck E. Cheese.
Now, the serial entrepreneur and tech visionary says mind control could be the next big step for video games.
Four months after 
Warner Bros. announced that it would delay the release of its films in Hungary due to rampant piracy in that country, officials have raided a substantial piracy operation.
Police have confiscated a number of computers and allegedly pirated content that belonged to the CiNEDUB ring. Included among the haul was a 70 TB hard drive housing 5,000 movies, 4,000 songs, 6,000 games and computer software.
Chris Morris: Journalist 