When 
it comes to educational aids, Cut the Rope isn’t the first thing to spring to mind.
But a new study claims that the popular game — and others like it — can actually bolster your brainpower.
Author Archives: Chris Morris
Oculus fights back against ZeniMax lawsuit
Back 
in May, virtual reality pioneer Oculus was served with a scathing lawsuit over accusations that it stole technology from ZeniMax Media, the parent company of gaming powerhouse, Bethesda.
Now, Oculus is firing back.
Pre-order Assassin’s Creed: Unity, win a prize (maybe)
Game 
publishers loooove pre-orders. And to encourage gamers to plunk down cash a few months early, they often dole out rewards in the form of extra characters, weapons or missions. Occasionally, you’ll get a trinket.
But for Assassin’s Creed: Unity, Ubisoft is taking a page out of Wheel of Fortune and offering pre-orderers a weekly chance to – no joke – spin a virtual slot wheel to determine prizes. Those could range from in-game content to something much more glamorous.
Sid Meier’s Civilization Revolution 2 coming to iOS
Civilization: 
Beyond Earth isn’t the only entry in the time-sucking franchise coming out this year.
Sid Meier’s Civilization Revolution 2 is on its way to iOS devices on July 2 and Android devices soon thereafter. The sequel to the 2009 hit game is more than just a double shot of Civ for fans, though. It could also be seen as a worrisome sign to console makers.
Steam launches massive summer sale
Hang 
onto your wallet. Valve’s coming after your money again.
The annual Steam Summer sale, a blowout event designed to trigger the impulse nodes of your gamer brain, is on. And, as always, the deals are tempting.
Why taking on Sony, Microsoft isn’t child’s play
One 
year ago, Ouya seemed poise to change the gaming world.
The console was a crowdfunding sensation. Having raised $8.6 million on Kickstarter in late 2012, its success attracted the notice of noted venture capitalists (Kleiner Perkins was among the firms that took part in a subsequent $15 million fundraising). With its $99 price tag, the Android system seemed poised to shake up the hierarchy of the console world. And that’s why it was one of two gaming companies named to CNBC’s 2013 Disruptor 50 list.
13 pioneers that forever changed consumers’ lives
While 
the fast pace of technology can seemingly shake up our daily routines every few weeks, seismic changes are actually fairly rare.
Most companies specialize in evolution rather than revolution, so when a real paradigm shifter appears, it’s worthy of note. Those are the sorts of firms that become icons in their industry, but becoming a disruptive force can make them a target for other companies looking to institute change of their own.
Here are a handful of businesses that have not only made people’s lives easier but upended industries in the process.
E3 2014 trinkets commanding insane prices on eBay
E3’s 
not only where gamers get an advance look at what’s to come, it’s also where savvy entrepreneurs can freely scoop up items worth hundreds of dollars.
As happens every year, a cottage industry has formed on eBay around some of the more collectible (and not-so collectible) E3 shwag, with excited gamers paying ridiculous amonts of money for show-related tchotchkes.
Fake FIFA Instagram account scamming gamers
As 
World Cup fever grips the nation, interest in EA’s FIFA soccer games is on the rise as well — and that’s bringing out the scam artists.
A popular Instagram account offering new and exclusive characters for FIFA 14 and 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil turned out to be a fake, designed to steal users’ Xbox Live and/or Origin game service log-in details.
World’s largest video game collection sells for $750,000
The 
world’s largest video game collection has found a new home.
Michael Thomasson’s epic collection, which includes over 11,000 unique games, was sold for a whopping $750,250 at auction this week. While the name of the winning bidder (who goes by the online handle “peeps_10091970”) is unknown, he or she is now the proud owner of a Guinness certificate proving the collection is the world’s largest, a lifetime subscription to Retro magazine, and enough video games to last several lifetimes.
Chris Morris: Journalist 