Nintendo 
and Sony took pains to avoid mentioning their next-generation console systems at this year’s E3 videogame conference. But their publishing partners had plenty to say.
While no independent publishers were willing to come out and call the graphically-intense games they had on display “next generation,” many quietly confirmed that they were showcasing what consumers can expect to see when the Xbox 720 and PlayStation 4 finally hit the market in late 2013.
Sales 
in the videogame industry have been declining for more than three years, due in no small part to competition from mobile devices. Yet it’s still a field that’s creating high-net-worth individuals at a rapid clip.
On average, rank-and-file videogame professionals pocket more than $81,000 per year, according to a study by Game Developer Magazine. That alone is nearly double what the typical American takes home. But a few game-box heroes (who undoubtedly weren’t part of that study) blow the curve. Click ahead for some of the industry’s most affluent individuals.
As 
Nintendo prepares to launch the Wii U later this year and Microsoft andSony gear up for expected 2013 launches for their next generation consoles, there’s a sense of excitement building in the videogame industry — but there’s also a sense of fear.
The market has changed considerably since the launch of the Wii, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 — and while new console launches used to be a surefire way to reinvigorate both core and casual gamers, nobody’s certain if that will happen this time.
Less 
than nine months after Gears of War 3 hit store shelves, the next installment of the series is set to make its debut.
Microsoft and Epic Games will formally reveal the next Gears of War on Monday, June 4th, during Microsoft’s annual E3 press conference. The big question is: What system is it for?
The Wii, 
Xbox 360 and PS3 have done well for themselves, as over half of all U.S. households own a modern video game console. That also means, however, that a good chunk of the country still isn’t playing along.
With whispers of next-generation systems swirling — and one confirmed to launch later this year — deciding whether to buy a current generation system isn’t an easy one. Should you spend the money now, or should you wait and be a part of the cutting-edge in the months to come? Systems have typically hit the sweet spot in pricing, and there’s a tremendous catalog of games to choose from (many at discount prices, thanks to “Platinum editions” of top-selling games).
Every 
Thursday, I join Chris Salcedo and Lori Lundin on the mid-day edition of America’s Radio News Network to discuss trends and news in the technology and video game space. (Dana Mills sat in for the vacationing Lori today.) This week’s topics were Microsoft’s $99 Xbox 360 offer – and the strings attached to it, shocking statistics on Facebook privacy and a look ahead to next week’s Facebook IPO – and exactly how rich it will make Mark Zuckerberg.
It’s 
hard to keep a secret in the video game world.
Microsoft’s confirmation this week that it will offer the Xbox 360 for just $99 (with a $15 per month Xbox Live subscription) was a bit anti-climatic after the news leaked last week. But spoiled surprises don’t necessarily negate a move’s impact.
After 
a week of speculation, Microsoft has formally announced plans to offer a subscription-based Xbox 360/Kinect bundle requiring a two-year paid commitment.
Customers will pay $99 for a 4 GB Xbox 360 and Kinect up front, then will pay $15 per month for the next two years. They’ll enjoy an Xbox Live Gold subscription during that time period, but no additional functionality in the service.
As 
the Xbox 360 enters what appear to be its swansong years, Microsoft might find that there’s no such thing as a smooth finish.
A U.S. International Trade Commission judge has ruled that the console infringes on four patents held by Motorola, reports Bloomberg. Worst case scenario? It could result in a blockade of Xbox 360 consoles imported to the U.S.
As 
America elects its Commander in Chief, Xbox 360 owners will likely elect to spend some time with a different sort of Chief.
Microsoft has unveiled an Election Day launch date for the next installment in its flagship Halo series — quite possibly the last Halo game for this generation of console systems.
Chris Morris: Journalist 