Most kings adopt a regal 
air, separating themselves from the common folk. Not Jordan’s King Abdullah II. He’s a geek and he’s proud of it.
The Jordanian monarch is the chief investor in an upcoming theme park that will revolve around Star Trek. Slated to open in 2014, the park costs a reported $1.5 billion.
That’s a lot of Gold-Pressed Latinum.
GameFly has found a fair bit 
of success by emulating Netflix’s old business model in the video game space. For a fixed amount per month, users can rent console games and keep them for as long as they want.
Now, the company is following in its forerunner’s footsteps once again – with plans to add a game streaming site to supplement its offerings.
For some families, Monopoly is a 
bonding experience. For others, it’s a Machiavellian affair that tosses love and loyalty aside in favor of a capitalistic bloodlust where there is but one goal: Drive mom, dad, grandma and weird Uncle Steve into bankruptcy as soon as possible.
But what’s the most efficient way to do that? Everyone has a theory about how best to win at Monopoly. Some try to buy a single property of every color, while others swear that becoming a slum lord, buying up the low rent properties, is the key to victory.
And no matter the strategy, there’s no greater jewel in a player’s crown than Boardwalk. But is that pricey blue spot — and it’s sister street Park Place — really worth it?
[In light of an NBA lockout, Gamasutra 
editor-at-large Chris Morris calls Take-Two’s optimistic outlook for NBA 2K12 “baffling,” arguing that the publisher missed a “free pass to lower expectations in a way investors would understand.”]
There was plenty of bad news in Take-Two’s earnings call Monday.
The company missed expectations – and managed to do so on a day where investors were already in panic mode. Duke Nukem Forever, the company said, was profitable, but the overwhelmingly negative reviews put a ceiling on that title’s earnings potential. And because of that stumble from the flat-topped king of the one liner, the company was forced to cut its forecast.
But the bad news was almost overshadowed by Take-Two’s baffling decision to maintain a downright optimistic outlook for this year’s NBA 2Ktitle, despite the dark clouds hovering over the real-world NBA.
The annual QuakeCon video game 
expo in Texas draws a pretty dedicated crowd. Few, however, are as dedicated as engaged gamers Chaz and Stevi.
This past Thursday, the couple was sitting in a demonstration for Bethesda’s upcoming role-playing epic The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim when Stevi, who was nine months pregnant, began to feel what she thought were contractions.
This is when a normal person might go to the hospital. Not Stevi.
Spotfiy rode into the 
U.S. market on a high wave of anticipation and hype – and it looks like that pre-publicity has really worked well for it.
The cloud-based music streaming service has captured 1.4 million users in its first month – with 175,000 of those subscribers selecting the pay option.
While Roboto has some control 
issues that might have you pulling out your hair from time to time, there’s no denying this is a very well done platform game. Graphically gorgeous, this app offers some truly fun twists (like areas where gravity is reversed). The game’s late ramp up in difficulty is a bit unexpected, though, and actually detracts from the pleasure of playing — especially when coupled with less than responsive controls. Still, there’s plenty to do in each level and the game certainly doesn’t rush you through it, boasting 30 levels. It’s not perfect, but it’s darned good.
A collective of the top 
television manufacturers have joined forces to make 3D TV more attractive to consumers.
Panasonic, Samsung and Sony have announced plans to collaborate with XpanD 3D to develop a new technology standard for active 3D glasses. The partnership, called the Full HD 3D Glasses Initiative, aims to eliminate the specialized glasses required for each manufacturer’s set.
Add Maroon 5 vocalist Adam 
Levine to the list of musicians who are angry with Activision.
The singer and co-star of NBC’s hit series “The Voice” has sued the publisher over the use of his likeness in 2009’s Band Hero, saying he did not authorize many of the ways his image is used in the game. Sound familiar? It should. Levine’s complaints are virtual carbon copies of the ones made by No Doubt and the former members of Nirvana.
It’s hardly a secret that North 
Korean leader Kim Jong-il is a big fan of the entertainment industry, but who would have thought he was using parts of it to fund his government?
Police in South Korea have arrested a group of hackers accused of heading a team that attempted to set up a series of unmanned computers to play massively multiplayer games like “Lineage” and Samsung-owned “Dungeon and Fighter” nonstop. The goal? Gathering in-game points that are convertible to cash.
Chris Morris: Journalist 