When 
it comes to collecting video games, JJ Hendricks knows his stuff.
Earlier this week, he completed a two-year quest to obtain one of the rarest of Nintendo cartridges in existence, shelling out over $12,000 to do so. But the story of how he finally got the collectible is even more fascinating than object itself.
The 
years of anticipation for Diablo III have brought about a number of marathon play sessions since its release on May 15, but one fan’s obsession with the game has proven fatal.
An 18-year old Diablo III player in Taiwan was found dead recently after a 40-hour marathon session with the game, reports the Australian Associated Press.
Forget 
Coco de Chanel. The heck with Calvin Klein’s Obsession.
The next big thing in cologne? Eau de Mario.
As 
big as video game are today, they’re about to get a whole lot bigger.
New analyst research from DFC Intelligence predicts the global market for video games will hit $82 billion by 2017 — a 22 percent increase over this year’s expected $67 billion. That’s news that’s likely to be a relief to those who have eyed the past seven months of sales data (all of which have shown significant declines).
He’s 
well known as a rapper, actor, and, uh, marijuana ambassador, but Snoop Dogg’s favorite hobby might well be yours: video games.
Celebrities appear in video games all the time, but few have as diverse a gaming resume as Snoop. If there’s a big time video game event going on, chances are good that he’ll show up.
Successfully 
launching a video game is no easy task. There are a million details that publishers have to check off the list to get a game out the door, on to shelves, and into your hands.
Over at Tecmo Koei, though, they missed a rather big one: They shipped the wrong game.
The 
next generation of consoles can’t get here fast enough.
According to the NPD Group, overall video game sales were down 29 percent in June compared to last year ($699.8 million to $989.5 million). Hardware sales were hit hardest, tumbling a massive 45 percent, though game accessories — such as gift cards and Skylanders figurines — were up slightly.
While 
Microsoft’s dream of a big screen Halo flick (originally planned to be produced by Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson) is pretty much dead, the upcoming release of Halo 4 is letting the company make a different sort of Halo film.
“Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn” will be a series of five live-action shorts leading up to the release of Halo 4 this November. Once the game is out, the company plans to collect those episodes, add in another 15 minutes of content and release the product as a feature film, which will be sold direct-to-video.
Rick 
Santorum’s favorite video game is entering another medium.
Temple Run, the iOS hit that has players endlessly fleeing a band of screaming, angry simians after defiling their temple, is being made into a comic book.
Thinking 
about picking up a new video game? Don’t do it on a Friday!
While it’s no secret that retail prices fluctuate (sometimes on an hourly basis), the day of the week that you buy games, computers or other electronics can make a big difference. And, speaking broadly, the best times to shop are the days when you’re probably least in the mood.
Chris Morris: Journalist 