Hulu.com may be getting ready to go public.
Reuters reports the Web video service is preparing for an initial public offering and could file the prospectus with the Securities and Exchange Commission before the end of the year. Morgan Stanley is likely to lead the underwriters.
Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog
Given the economy, it’s no secret that this
holiday season is likely going to be a cautious one – but a new survey by the NPD Group shows that entertainment companies might have a rough go of things at retail stores.
NPD has released its annual holiday retail outlook– and while most shoppers say they plan to spend about the same as last year, the general lack of “must-have” products has people less enthusiastic about movies, video games and electronics than they were last year.
Last year, “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2” 
set an all-time entertainment industry record for opening day sales – and has gone on to become one of the best selling titles in the industry’s history.
No one was expecting the follow-up – “Call of Duty: Black Ops – to match those numbers, but a comment today from a GameStop executive might have some people rethinking their estimates.
Ubisoft’s Rabbids franchise has been
fairly synonymous with the Wii since that console’s launch. Now the company is looking to take the bug-eyed bunnies further.
Ubisoft and Aardman, the company behind Wallace & Gromit, are working together to create a pilot and several shorts based on the franchise.
On Friday, Nintendo said goodbye to its 
executive vice president of sales & marketing with a Princess Peach-adorned cake and the entire staff wearing masks with her Mii’s visage on it. On Monday, Cammie Dunaway starts her new job as U.S. President and Global Chief Marketing Officer for KidZania.
If you haven’t heard of the company before, don’t worry. You’re not alone. While KidZania has eight ocations around the world (including Mexico, Japan and Dubai), it hasn’t hit U.S. shores yet. That’s something Dunaway’s going to change.
Besieged from all sides, Electronic Arts has capitulated 
and made a last minute change to its upcoming reboot of “Medal of Honor,” removing the ability for players to assume the role of the Taliban in the game’s multiplayer mode.
Greg Goodrick, executive producer of the game, announced the decision in a blog post Friday morning, citing feedback from military families as the reason for the move.
Openfilm.com, a Website dedicated to 
offering independent filmmakers a chance to get its foot in the door, has found its first winner.
“Help,” a short by Val Lauren, has taken the top prize – which earns the director $50,000 in cash and $200,000 in financing. The film tells the story of a man on a desperate mission to save his dying mother’s life.
Anthony Zuiker will always be known as the
creator of “CSI,” but he’s also the author of the “Level 26” thriller series. Now he’s bringing the two worlds together.
On the Oct. 14 episode of “CSI,” the forensic investigators will square off against Sqweegel – the “forensic proof” serial killer from Zuiker’s books. Ann Margaret guest stars in the episode.
So much for a holiday 
surprise from Nintendo.
The company today announced launch details for the 3DS, its upcoming handheld gaming platform that lets users play games in stereoscopic 3D without the need for special glasses. Japanese consumers will be the first to get their hands on the system – starting Feb. 26. U.S. and European gamers will have their chance in March.
Hulu seems to be making noises that 
it could be nearing the end of its beta period on its Hulu Plus service. The company has announced another pair of set-top boxes that will begin carrying the service soon.
Tivo has signed on with the company to bring Hulu Plus to its Premiere DVRs in the coming months, and all Roku streaming media players will begin carrying it this fall.
Chris Morris: Journalist 