Tag Archives: yahoo

Did Grand Theft Auto creators threaten ‘Shawshank’ writer?

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Hollywood la-noire-vs-hollywoodand 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

THQ assets sold off, company shuts down

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THQ thq-logohas 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

New Mario, Zelda games coming to Wii U in 2013

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The wind-waker-wiiu-top630Wii U has taken some heat from critics post-launch. The system is slow, they say. There haven’t been any new games. Where’s Zelda?

Nintendo met those accusations head-on Wednesday in the company’s latest Nintendo Direct online press conference, unveiling a collection of new games and enhancements that would cheer even the most skeptical fan. Before the year is out, Wii U owners can expect a double dose of Mario, Yoshi’s return to the spotlight and a high-definition take on a classic Zelda game.

Read more at Yahoo! Games

Texas gamers build real-life Mario Kart

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It’s mario kartone of the best-selling video game franchises in the world, but what if you could play Mario Kart for real?

A group of Texas gamers/engineers from Waterloo Labs decided to give it a go, and the results are pretty amazing. This real-life Mario Kart racing track features actual power-ups, including mushrooms, lightning bolts and even those pesky turtle shells.

Read more at Yahoo! Games

Big games slip out of Wii U’s launch window

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Some wonderful101of the biggest titles in the Wii U’s initial lineup have met with some big delays.

Nintendo today announced the delays of Game & Wario, The Wonderful 101 and Wii Fit U – which, alongside the previously delayed Pikmin 3, were initially promised to hit stores by the end of March. The company now says they’ll arrive in the “first half of the year.”

Read more at Yahoo! Games

Obama orders CDC to investigate video game violence

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President obama-violent-gamesBarack Obama, as part of a wide ranging proposal to reduce gun violence, has ordered the Centers for Disease Control to launch a study into the correlation between violence in video games and the real world.

The order, which does not require Congressional approval, was part of a Presidential Memorandum that laid out 23 actions designed to curb violence.

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NRA releases target practice game app

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In nra-target-practice-top630the wake of the Sandy Hook school shooting in Newtown, CT, the National Rifle Association squarely pointed a finger of blame at the video game industry. But that isn’t stopping them from releasing their very own game.

On Monday the group released NRA: Practice Range, an iOS app that’s rated not for mature users, but for anyone ages 4 and up.

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Massachusetts town to launch violent game buyback program

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While melrose-massthe town of Southington, Connecticut decided at the last minute to cancel its controversial plans to collect and destroy violent video games, a Massachusetts town is following in its footprints.

The town of Melrose, Massachusetts is planning to launch a program that would encourage kids to turn in violent video games in exchange for gift certificates and homework-free nights. The city’s mayor, Robert Dolan, says he hopes to have things up and running by the beginning of February.

Read more at Yahoo! Games

Skylanders sales top $500 million

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When skylanders-top-500-mil-top630Activision-Blizzard launched Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure in 2011, there were a lot of questions about its chances of success. A hybrid toy/video game based on an aging franchise? Would people be interested?

The answer, of course, was yes. Skylanders has been a hit for toy companies and Activision alike. A really, really big hit, as life to date sales have now topped $500 million, reports Activision.

Read more at Yahoo! Games