Today’s 
big game launches are massive media events. Die-hard fans brave all sorts of weather to line up, stores open at midnight, and CEOs hand out the first few copies.
But even the carnival atmosphere of today’s biggest titles pales compared to the launch of the seminal, controversial first-person Doom, which made its debut 20 years ago today.
Spies 
aren’t just listening in on your phone calls and reading your e-mails. They’re also monitoring your gaming.
Based on new information disclosed by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden, a joint report by The New York Times, ProPublica and The Guardian alleges that U.S. and British spies have conducted surveillance and gathered data in online games such as World of Warcraft and Second Life.
Sony 
is asking an unspecified number of PlayStation Network customers to change their passwords after finding “irregular activity” in a routine scan of the system.
The company did not disclose how many users were affected, nor what the exact nature of the activity was.
Sometimes, 
it really pays to read the fine print.
United Kingdom resident Peter Clatworthy learned that the hard way recently when he paid £450 (roughly $750) on eBay for what he thought was an Xbox One. What he received for his money, though, was just a picture of the console.
EA’s 
biggest game of the year is broken, and the publisher is taking extraordinary steps to get it fixed.
Players of military shooter Battlefield 4 have reported several big issues with the game, including a bug that applies damage from a single bullet multiple times, killing the player instantly (quickly dubbed the “one-hit kill” by players). As a result, EA has said it will not work on any planned expansions to the game until the core product is running smoothly.
Christopher 
Evan Welch and Danny Wells, two television actors who made significant marks on the video game world, have both passed away.
The losses are a blow to fans of kitschy gaming tie-ins. Welch was the original voice actor for Miles “Tails” Prower in the “Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog” animated TV series. Wells portrayed Luigi on “The Super Mario Bros. Super Show,” another Saturday morning staple.
The 
PlayStation 4 has crossed another milestone.
According to Sony, the system has sold through 2.1 million units just two weeks after hitting shelves, a record-setting worldwide mark for the PlayStation brand. That follows the launch of the next-generation console in Europe, Australasia (Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea and other neighboring islands) and Latin America.
The 
Xbox One seems to have won the first round of the latest console war.
A survey of early shoppers found that Microsoft’s next-generation console was the system of choice this Black Friday, soundly beating Sony’s PlayStation 4.
the season to be gluttonous. We may stuff our faces from Thanksgiving until New Year’s, but at some point, we have to pay for the fun (or for a new wardrobe.) If you’re looking to avoid overcrowded gyms in January, a new wave of exergames can help you maintain your waistline as you celebrate the season.
Black 
Friday is no longer just a one day event. Many retailers open Thursday night, while other are already offering Black Friday deals now. And don’t even get us started on the run up to Cyber Monday…
One thing is consistent, though: If you’re looking to buy a video game (for yourself or someone else), you’re bound to find a stellar deal.
Chris Morris: Journalist 