Author Archives: Chris Morris

Analysis: The Next Legal Threat For Game Makers

Posted on by

New changes to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act could have a wide impact on the industry as traditional game makers enter emerging markets, according to Gamasutra editor-at-large Chris Morris.

The video game industry has barely had time for the hangovers after this year’s Supreme Court victory celebration to wear off, but its next big legal challenge is already gaining strength.

While June’s high court ruling let developers rest easy about the content they put in games, many attorneys at the time warned that privacy issues, specifically as they relate to children, could be the next thing to watch for. Late last week, the Federal Trade Commission announced proposed changes to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) that could have a notable impact on many game makers.

Read more at Gamasutra

3D may be hurting the Nintendo 3DS

Posted on by

The Nintendo 3DS’ biggest selling point may be its biggest weakness.

A study unveiled earlier this week at the Variety-sponsored 3D Gaming Summit earlier this week finds that 28 percent of the system’s owners feel the use of 3D actually hurts gameplay.

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog

Facebook introduces media apps

Posted on by

(Note: This story was co-written with Variety’s Andrew Wallenstein)

At its f8 conference Thursday, Facebook introduced a new class of apps that will allow viewing and sharing of content on its massive social platform via partners including Netflix, Hulu and Spotify.

The apps allow Facebook users to see which songs, movies, TV shows, news and games are being consumed by friends and to sample that content as part of a reformatted Facebook page layout.

Read more at Daily Variety

New first-person shooter swaps guns for cameras

Posted on by

There’s an interesting trend taking shape in the gaming world these days: First-person shooters where the player can’t actually shoot anyone.

An Australian development team has put together a prototype for Warco (short for War Correspondent) — a game that puts you in the boots of a reporter in the midst of a war zone. Instead of bullets, you’re shooting footage via a video camera.

Read more at Yahoo! Games

Putting Apple’s market cap in perspective

Posted on by

You don’t have to be a stock market wonk to know that Apple is a staggeringly rich company. Heck, you barely need to have a pulse.

Even the departure of the iconic Steve Jobs from the CEO role hasn’t dampened consumer optimism, with shares gaining 8 percent since his Aug. resignation. The company’s market cap now stands at more than $378 billion – and a new tumbler site is helping people comprehend exactly how much that really is.

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog

4G: CNBC Explains

Posted on by

There aren’t many tech fields that move faster than the cell phone world. Not only are the devices themselves designed to be disposable within two years, but the back-end technology powering the networks is constantly being upgraded.

That means the transition to the next generation of wireless communications is already under way. The latest is called 4G — and all of the carriers are peppering their marketing with the phrase. What many are failing to do, though, is explain what’s so important about 4G and why consumers should care.

Read more at CNBC.com

Star Trek Games: The Best and Worst

Posted on by

45 years after Star Trek beamed into our lives, the show continues to be one of sturdiest brands in pop culture. Beyond spawning five spin-off series, 11 feature films, hundreds of novels and even a Las Vegas attraction, it was a natural fit for the video game world.

Publishers have put out nearly 70 different Star Trek video games over the years (not counting fan-made titles and Star Trek-themed mods of other games), but they’re notoriously hit or miss. Here are five of the best — and five that belong on the other side of the nearest worm hole.

Read more at Yahoo! Games

Study: Video games cited as key cause of divorce

Posted on by

Communication and financial problems are the two leading causes of divorce today, but a new study shows that video games are quickly climbing the list.

Conducted by Divorce Online, the study breaks down the reasons couples split. Of the wives that pointed to “unreasonable behavior,” 15 percent said their husbands put gaming before them. One year ago, that figure stood at 5 percent.

Read more at Yahoo! Games

NCIS gets the video game treatment

Posted on by

CBS’ hit procedural drama NCIS is making the leap to the video game world.

Ubisoft and CBS Consumer Products today announced plans to create a title based on the show for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii due this fall. The game will feature four cases that were written and developed with the show’s writers.

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog

Game Review: F1 2011

Posted on by

If you’re a F1 enthusiast, you will be squarely in your element with F1 2011. If you’re not overly familiar with genre (or with any sort of hard core racing sim), you will be downright baffled about what’s going on. The game is a fantastic simulation of the popular racing sport, but it throws players immediately into the deep end and lets them sink or swim. The amount of information presented to you at the beginning is nearly overwhelming, but it gets even harder once you’re out on the track, where the Artificial Intellegence used for controlling the other racers is ruthless, speeding past you whenever it spots an opening. All of this said, the game is beautiful and handles as precisely as you would expect. Fans will be incredibly happy with what developer Codemasters has put together.

Read more at Common Sense Media