Category Archives: CNBC

Grand Theft Auto: The controversy, the money and the impact

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Rockstar GTA sliderGames famously keeps a tight lid on its “Grand Theft Auto” games, but there are generally three constants to each new release.

Something in the game will outrage activists. The game will make a staggering amount of money. And it will incorporate parts of pop culture that raise its coolness levels even higher among players.

In the 12 years since “Grand Theft Auto III” first hit shelves (and the game really became the industry force it is now), it has had plenty of highs and lows – and an impact on the videogame landscape that few titles can match. Here’s a look at some of its most notable moments and achievements.

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Grand Theft Auto V stands ready to break records

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“Call GTAof Duty” might be the video game industry’s 500-pound gorilla, but on Sept. 17, it faces its biggest threat yet.

That’s when Rockstar Games and Take-Two Interactive Software will release “Grand Theft Auto V,” the first new full game in the series in five years—and analysts expect it to be one of the biggest releases of the year.

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HIV strikes again—what does it mean for the porn industry?

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The rod-dailyrevelation that a second porn star has contracted HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, will likely have little to no impact on the bottom line of major porn studios but could act as a rallying point for supporters of mandatory condom laws.

The performer, who calls himself Rod Daily, confirmed his diagnosis Tuesday via Twitter, saying “With the tests I have done the doctors have figured out that I was infected within the last month.”

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Brothel or bust: Hard times at Nevada’s bordellos

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Dennis dennis hofHof is on a buying spree.

The owner of the Moonlite Bunny Ranch had just two brothels a few years ago. Today, he owns seven and a strip club. The expansion of his empire comes as Nevada’s brothel industry struggles to recover from the recession. And though Hof said his business is increasing, most of his competitors are having a tough time.

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Xbox One-80: Behind Microsoft’s multiple about-faces

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Strategies xbox onefor video game console are typically planned years in advance, but the course has been anything but clear for the Xbox One. In the months since Microsoft introduced the next-generation system, the company has made four major policy reversals—and there’s no telling if it’s done yet.

At stake is Microsoft’s leadership position in the $70 billion video game industry. For the past 30 months, the Xbox 360 has topped console hardware sales, but Sony’s PlayStation 4 is resonating with gamers as the next generation looms. And investors are trying to determine whether the Xbox team is scrambling to catch up or is simply showing a willingness to preemptively respond to market feedback.

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Gaming legend joins hot virtual reality startup

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John oculus riftCarmack, whose “Doom” and “Quake” helped revolutionize the video game industry, is looking to lead a new upheaval with a technology once dismissed as a pipe dream.

Carmack, the co-founder of id software, has been named the new chief technical officer at Oculus VR, makers of the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset.

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College athletes score big in court victory over EA

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Electronic Samuel-Keller-Arizona-StateArts’ college sports franchises have been sacked by a U.S. federal appeals court.

In a 2-1 vote, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with a lower court that EA had used the images in its video games of several ex-NCAA athletes without their permission in its NCAA football and basketball series. The decision comes two weeks after EA lost the rights to put the NCAA logo and name on its games beyond this year.

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No porn please, we’re British

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As porn at workU.K. Internet surfers prepare for major changes to the availability of online porn, U.S. adult entertainment companies are scrambling to determine the potential consequences on their bottom lines.

British Prime Minister David Cameron announced Monday that the U.K.’s four biggest Internet service providers will automatically block access to porn sites for both new and existing connections, unless users specifically request that the filters be disabled. The new measures are expected to be in place before the end of the year.

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Picking the perfect porn star, using big data

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There’s boogie nightsa scene in Paul Thomas Anderson’s epic movie about the porn industry, “Boogie Nights,” when Jack Horner—the film director character famously played by Burt Reynolds—sees for the first time a porn movie made straight for video cassette. He knows his world will never be the same.

The adult entertainment industry is experiencing another big moment, and again, content format is critical to the changes taking place.

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Gamers: Your man cave is being monitored

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On generic gamersan average day at Electronic Arts, players of the video game publisher’s hit title “Battlefield 3” create over one terabyte (TB) of data. In the course of a month, the company will collect more than 50 TB from its respective titles.

For a long time, that information wasn’t immediately harvested. Certainly, it would be sifted through as planning began on a sequel, but that was about it. Eighteen months ago, however, the company realized it was ignoring valuable data, and launched a program to change that.

Today, that program is quickly becoming one of EA’s most valuable assets.

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