Video 
game hardware is hot once again. The games themselves? That’s a murkier picture.
Retail sales of game systems are up 51 percent in 2014 compared with a year ago, according to data from The NPD Group. Excitement over Sony’s PlayStation 4 and Microsoft’s Xbox One and the potential of the next generation has revived interest in console games, which is welcome news for traditional gaming companies.
Last 
year, gamers had a pair of new consoles to get excited about. This year, the video game industry is hoping to maintain that excitement with a crop of some of its biggest game franchises.
If E3 2013 was about hardware, E3 2014 is centered on software. But as traditional game makers flex their muscles, there are plenty of upstarts at next week’s trade show looking to steal that thunder.
E3 
2013 was laser-focused on hardware. This year, it’s time for the games to take center stage.
With the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One hitting their stride, Sony and Microsoft will look to boost the momentum of their consoles at the big Los Angeles conference next week, showcasing an array of games intended to justify that shiny new console sitting under your TV. Nintendo, meanwhile, hopes to right the ship as it tries to re-engage lapsed fans with go-to favorites and a new Skylanders-like toy line.
Tetris 
should never have become a hit, much less a global sensation. But you just can’t keep a great game down.
Today, Tetris celebrates its 30th birthday. Famed Tetris creator Alexey Pajitnov says despite the obstacles, he knew the legendary puzzler was destined to be something special the moment he released in on June 6, 1984.
Temple 
Run has dashed to a milestone.
The original 2011 endless runner game and its 2013 sequel have been downloaded a combined 1 billion times, the game’s creator, Imangi Studios, announced Wednesday. That number soars even higher if you count spin-offs for Brave and Oz: The Great and Powerful.
Watch 
Dogs is barking up a storm at retail.
The open-world hacking game has sold more than 4 million copies in its first week of availability, based on data from NPD and Ubisoft. And that, says the publisher, makes it the best-selling new IP in the industry’s history.
The 
biggest video game show of the year takes place June 9-12 in Los Angeles, but like most trade shows, E3 2014 is technically closed to the public. That’s never stopped people from trying to sneak their way into the Los Angeles Convention Center, but to be honest, that can be a real pain.
These days, however, you can experience a good chunk of the annual digital confab from the comfort of your living room — or a few nearby businesses. Here’s how.
Now 
that his stint overseeing weather conditions in the Northeast is over, Sub-Zero is getting back to what he does best: kicking butt.
After weeks of winks, whispers and hints, Warner Bros. Interactive and developer NetherRealm Studios have officially announced Mortal Kombat X, the latest in the long-running fighting game series. It’s due to land on the PS4, PS3, Xbox 360, Xbox One and PC in 2015.
Kristin 
and Zachary make no effort to hide their love of all things nerdy, including each other. So when they decided to tie the knot, they were determined to let their geek flag fly.
And fly it does, like Harry Potter’s Nimbus 2000 strapped to an X-Wing.
Apple 
sells music. Jimmy Iovine makes music. So Apple Records makes sense, right? Except few actually think it will happen.
Beats co-founders Iovine and Andre “Dr. Dre” Young are extraordinarily well-connected with artists, and Apple is the music industry’s largest retailer. Combining those forces to create a content distribution hub could boost Apple’s bottom line income on iTunes and guarantee it a position in the fast-evolving music industry.
Chris Morris: Journalist 