Didn’t 
get enough Destiny during the short alpha trial last month? Good news: you’re going to get more time to test out Bungie’s upcoming sci-fi franchise.
The developer has announced that a beta of the game will kick off in 10 days for PlayStation owners, with Xbox owners getting their chance to play a week later.
We 
entered 2014 with big expectations. Two new consoles, a Wii U desperate to make some strides, a healthy PC gaming ecosystem, a mobile market stuffed with hidden gems … this year was bound to be a big one for gamers, right?
We can’t say for certain until the year is through, but six months in and we’ve already got some answers. As we impatiently wait for the summer doldrums to pass and the fall deluge to begin, here are our picks of the five best and worst games of the first half of 2014.
Mother 
Nature is ruining quite a few Independence Day cookouts. With a Hurricane Watch along the east coast and parts of the Midwest still drying out after this week’s major rains, a lot of people are going to have to bypass the fireworks and parades.
The upside? That means more time for video games! And, given the holiday, why not play one that proudly waves the flag?
Lindsay 
Lohan is facing another legal battle, but this time, she’s the one starting the fight.
Seven months after threatening to do so, the tabloid favorite filed suit against Rockstar Games and Take-Two Interactive Software Wednesday, saying the creators of Grand Theft Auto V used her image and likeness without her permission.
Video 
games are often accused of causing violence, but in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, they may have prevented it.
According to multiple reports, a 24-year old man in the city’s Oakland neighborhood used a fake gun to stop a burglar who sneaked into his house. The unnamed victim was playing video games in his bedroom on Sunday. He was wearing a headset and didn’t hear the robber enter the house — until his bedroom door opened and he was confronted by a stranger. And that person was pretty surprised to see him as well.
The 
Wii U has its first certifiable smash.
Mario Kart 8 has sold more than 2 million copies since its release in late May, making it the system’s biggest selling title by a landslide, according to Nintendo.
John 
Madden’s coaching days ended in 1978, but today’s rookie quarterbacks are still learning from him…or the game that bears his name, at least.
Teddy Bridgewater, rookie quarterback with the Minnesota Vikings, has a bit of downtime these days. Minicamp is over and it’ll be another month before the team converges on training camp. So to keep sharp, he’s playing a lot of EA’s best-known franchise.
When 
it comes to educational aids, Cut the Rope isn’t the first thing to spring to mind.
But a new study claims that the popular game — and others like it — can actually bolster your brainpower.
Back 
in May, virtual reality pioneer Oculus was served with a scathing lawsuit over accusations that it stole technology from ZeniMax Media, the parent company of gaming powerhouse, Bethesda.
Now, Oculus is firing back.
Game 
publishers loooove pre-orders. And to encourage gamers to plunk down cash a few months early, they often dole out rewards in the form of extra characters, weapons or missions. Occasionally, you’ll get a trinket.
But for Assassin’s Creed: Unity, Ubisoft is taking a page out of Wheel of Fortune and offering pre-orderers a weekly chance to – no joke – spin a virtual slot wheel to determine prizes. Those could range from in-game content to something much more glamorous.
Chris Morris: Journalist 