Video game songwriter fights back against ‘Glee’

Posted on January 28, 2013 by Chris Morris

Last week, songwriter Jonathan Coulton, who most gamers know through his legendary work on Valve’s Portal series, accused the FOX show ‘Glee’ of ripping off his cover of Sir Mix-a-lot’s “Baby Got Back.” Coulton’s version, released in 2006, transformed the hip-hop anthem into a laid back folksy jam, which apparently was so catchy that it caught the ear of the arrangers at ‘Glee’, who pretty much ripped it off.

Producers for the show haven’t made any public statements, though Coulton says on his blog that they acknowledged his complaints privately.

Read more at Yahoo! Games

Rule the table with these Air Hockey tips

Posted on January 25, 2013 by Chris Morris

Stick your head into any arcade around the country and you’re likely to find an Air Hockey machine. Since its introduction in 1972, the fast-paced game, with its gently floating pucks and distinctive mallets, has become a favorite of kids and adults alike.

But while it’s often the source of epic, occasionally unfriendly battles between friends, few people think of it as a skill game. Turns out, it is. And if you’re looking to improve your game, following these simple tips can help you become nearly unbeatable – or at least the baddest player in the arcade.

Read more at Yahoo! Games

Did Grand Theft Auto creators threaten ‘Shawshank’ writer?

Posted on January 25, 2013 by Chris Morris

Hollywood and the video game industry usually have a fairly cordial relationship. Studios need game publishers to put out licensed products for their tentpole films, and game makers are often eager to expand the universe that directors create on screen.

This week, though, there was a fracture in that relationship, as Rockstar Games, creators of the Grand Theft Auto franchise, and Frank Darabont, screenwriter of films like “The Shawshank Redemption” and “The Green Mile” and developer of AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” bickered publicly about an upcoming project, each with a different version of the story.

Read more at Yahoo! Games

Scenes from the Porn Convention Red Carpet

Posted on January 24, 2013 by Chris Morris

While social media has had a dramatic impact on all forms of entertainment, the effect on the porn industry has been especially notable.

Perhaps because of the nature of their business – and what they do for a living – porn stars have always been a larger-than-life fantasy figures to fans. Historically, they were inaccessible except for annual trade shows. And the common wisdom was that mystique helped build their star status.

Today, though, stars jostle for the most Twitter followers – regularly communicating with them and promoting their upcoming appearances and films. It’s a new era for porn – so, as they walked the Red Carpet at this year’s AVN Awards (adult entertainment’s equivalent of the Oscars), we asked some of its biggest stars about their thoughts on the impact of social media on their careers – and the industry.

THQ assets sold off, company shuts down

Posted on January 24, 2013 by Chris Morris

THQ has shut its doors.

A bankruptcy auction marked the formal end of the company that was once the industry’s third largest publisher, divvying up its pieces among bidders like Vikings after a raid. Several companies bought THQ’s franchises and developers for total of about $72 million.

Read more at Yahoo! Games

Primed for a Wii-peat

Posted on January 24, 2013 by Chris Morris

The Wii U didn’t exactly light the world on fire when it made its grand debut at 2011’s E3 gaming expo. A year later, it still didn’t have the gaming faithful quivering in their fanboy boots. But now that the system is widely available, that old Nintendo magic could be brewing once again.

In the system’s first six days, Nintendo sold 400,000 units to eager consumers, who lined up early to grab a system – and eBay sellers were commanding a 40 percent premium for a Wii U. If all of this sounds familiar, it should: It’s reminiscent of the madness we saw when the original Wii went on sale in 2006.

DejaQ – Devil May Cry

Posted on January 24, 2013 by Chris Morris

If it weren’t for Dante and Trish, we might never have met Kratos.

When Devil My Cry debuted in 2001, it didn’t just start a new franchise for Capcom, it introduced a new genre to the video game industry. Blending frenetic combat with stylish moves and a smooth play mechanic, it opened the doors for titles like God of War, Bayonetta and the modern incarnation of Ninja Gaiden.

MMO devs will lose the fight against content churn, says SOE’s Smedley

Posted on January 24, 2013 by Chris Morris

Sony Online Entertainment has become largely pseudonymous with the free-to-play movement, offering triple-A titles like PlanetSide 2 for no cost from day one, and converting legacy games like EverQuest to the model.

It’s fairly seamless these days, but when Smedley and his team decided to embrace free-to-play, it was a big leap of faith.

THQ split-up complete as competitors take pieces

Posted on January 24, 2013 by Chris Morris

THQ, once the third-largest publisher in the videogame industry, is no more.

A bankruptcy auction, concluded Wednesday, has broken up the company into pieces and sold them to competitors, along with its key videogame titles and licenses, dashing executives’ hopes that it could remain intact with the help of a corporate white knight.

With THQ’s demise, plenty of questions remain

Posted on January 23, 2013 by Chris Morris

The fat lady has sung at THQ. After years of near misses, the company that was at one time the industry’s third largest publisher is being sold for parts.

THQ has a lot of haters in the game world, with plenty of people pointing fingers of blame at the company’s management, expansion philosophy and business methods. But any time a publisher is forced to close its doors – especially when it has titles on the near horizon that seem to have so much potential – it’s sad.