Slashdot Mirror

illuminata writes "Can the video game industry keep its mittens out of the political slugfest? According to Kevin Parker's article Free Play, they sure can't. In it, he cites Dreamcatcher's Gore and Sega's Legacy Online and Jet Set Radio Future as main offenders. He even goes on to point out how some people want video games to convey their favorite political message in the future. Are there any particular titles or game companies that you think lay on the politics too thick, or is it all just a bunch of foof?"

illuminata writes "Can the video game industry keep its mittens out of the political slugfest? According to Kevin Parker's article Free Play, they sure can't. In it, he cites Dreamcatcher's Gore and Sega's Legacy Online and Jet Set Radio Future as main offenders. He even goes on to point out how some people want video games to convey their favorite political message in the future. Are there any particular titles or game companies that you think lay on the politics too thick, or is it all just a bunch of foof?"

Thanks to 1UP for its article discussing the announcement of Electronic Arts' Lord Of The Rings: The Third Age, "a new console RPG based on Peter Jackson's movie trilogy [and J.R.R. Tolkien's books]", and due out later in 2004. A GameSpot interview with producer Steve Gray has more information, as he notes that "the combat is turn-based... if you have played Final Fantasy it will feel familiar to you", and says of the game structure: "You travel on a sort of 'S' curve that weaves in and out of the path of the Fellowship through the story of the trilogy. At times you'll be behind or 'next to' them; at other times you'll be in the same time and place as members of the Fellowship." He also teases the game's bad side: "The main focus of the game is the quest on the side of good, but you can also unlock evil encounters, and we think players will really enjoy playing on the side of Sauron in addition to playing as good guys."

Thanks to GameSpot for its editorial discussing the fine art of 'cheesing', and the annoyance of those who complain about it. The write explains of 'cheesers': "These gamers (either intentionally or unintentionally) use the same moves or tactics over and over again [in games such as Soul Calibur II or Top Spin] to defeat opponents and, as a result, are often treated as the redheaded stepchildren in gaming circles." However, he argues: "Repetitive moves and tactics can become annoying, but what irritates me more are the people that whine about them", and concludes by suggesting: "The challenge then, for those who prefer to take the high road, is to find ways to beat them... Don't get mad. Get better." But is whining actually a good, natural part of videogaming?

Kemanorel writes "After a couple years of development, several months of hints and previews, and four weeks worth of drooling after a live demo in Vegas, Sony Online announced that EverQuest 2 Beta sign-ups begin next Monday. Minimum specs are 1 GHz processor, 512 MB RAM, and a DX9 compatible video card with at least 64 MB of memory - not too bad. Get in line now!" There's also an interview with EverQuest II producer John Blakely over at GameSpot in which he mentions: "Currently we have over 80 people working on the EQII development team", before arguing that the sequel shouldn't necessarily siphon players from the original: "EQII is being designed to complement EQ in terms of the gameplay experience. EQII is a game that will focus most of our content on the individual and smaller groups, while EQ's endgame encourages large raid forces to play the high-level content."

Thanks to GameSpot for its news story confirming the final line-up for multi-platform retro compilation Midway Arcade Treasures 2. According to the piece: "the compilation will feature 21 ports from the venerable publisher's arcade catalog on a single disc, including A.P.B., Arch Rivals, Championship Sprint, Cyberball 2072, Gauntlet 2, Hard Drivin', Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat II, Mortal Kombat III, NARC, Pit Fighter, Primal Rage, Rampage World Tour, Spy Hunter 2, Steel Talons, STUN Runner, Timber, Total Carnage, Wizard of Wor, Xenophobe, Xybots." The compilation, a follow-up to last year's first Treasures compilation, is "priced at $19.99... [and] is scheduled for a fall 2004 release on the Xbox, PlayStation 2, and GameCube."

Thanks to GameSpot for its article revealing SNK NeoGeo's announcement of exclusive PlayStation 2 compilations, featuring 2-pack conversions of "SNK's 2D fighting games" King Of Fighters 2002 and 2003 (for Winter 2004), and "old-school side-scrolling-shooter action" titles Metal Slug 4 and 5 (for Spring 2005), for "an MSRP of $39.99." This follows the recent release of King Of Fighters 2000 and 2001 for PS2. Elsewhere, NeoGeo For Life has a picture of the box cover for the Xbox-exclusive Metal Slug 3 conversion, due out next month, which is also sporting "Xbox Live [stats] Leaderboards."

CuBeFReNZy writes "Game-Science has an article mentioning: 'Capcom held a meeting today to show off their newly formed development team, Clover Studio.' The team showcased their first titles: a Viewtiful Joe conversion ('will include Dante, from Capcom's Devil May Cry series, as a playable character') to the PS2, Viewtiful Joe 2 ('new co-op gameplay') for PS2 and Gamecube, and Ookami ('toon-shading engine... nature adventure') for the PS2."

An anonymous reader writes "Over at GameSpot, there's an interview with Dr. Michael Macedonia of the U.S. Army about the AWE training sim, a 'massively multiplayer simulation [based on the There 'virtual world' game engine] that will be used by military personnel to train troops in urban situations before they are airlifted to a battle zone.' Macedonia says 'We built downtown Baghdad in this environment', and also says 'we call our games tactical decision aids. Our thing is not making people shoot better; it's making people think better.'" We previously featured an initial announcement of this project in January.

Thanks to GameSpot for its news story noting Electronic Arts' announcement of The URBZ, a multi-platform title due later this year which "..will see players creating new Sims-style characters who live in a city where reputation is everything and the goal is to become the biggest 'player' in the city." Apparently, players will need to impress the bosses "at locations such as the Sushi Bar, the Chop Shop, and the Bootleg Fireworks", and the game engine in the console versions "will also allow for a great deal of character customization, with support for tattoos, nose rings, and the like" - more information and screenshots will be available at the E3 Expo next month.

Thanks to HomeLAN Fed for its article discussing the state of the annual 'Best Of E3' game awards, in which the writer suggests that the "E3 awards are a bit of a sham and... a lot of games that get these awards are either not released in the coming year or if they are they are not as good as their E3 presentations make them out to be." He points out that "...out of the 16 categories that the Game Critics E3 awards had last year, 10 of them went to games that have not yet come out and won't be out until after E3 2004." Elsewhere, GameSpot focuses its 'GameSpotting' editorials on the forthcoming E3 trade show itself, suggesting that the show "is becoming a bigger and bigger source of stress and anxiety to the gaming industry as time goes by", even taking into account the excitement of "the biggest video game convention on God's green earth."

Thanks to HomeLAN Fed for its article discussing the state of the annual 'Best Of E3' game awards, in which the writer suggests that the "E3 awards are a bit of a sham and... a lot of games that get these awards are either not released in the coming year or if they are they are not as good as their E3 presentations make them out to be." He points out that "...out of the 16 categories that the Game Critics E3 awards had last year, 10 of them went to games that have not yet come out and won't be out until after E3 2004." Elsewhere, GameSpot focuses its 'GameSpotting' editorials on the forthcoming E3 trade show itself, suggesting that the show "is becoming a bigger and bigger source of stress and anxiety to the gaming industry as time goes by", even taking into account the excitement of "the biggest video game convention on God's green earth."

Thanks to GameSpot for its preview of Insomniac's PS2 title Ratchet And Clank: Up Your Arsenal and a similar hands-on look at Naughty Dog's PS2 game Jak 3, as Sony's big platform-action titles for Xmas 2004 get shown in detail for the first time. Notable changes for Ratchet And Clank 3 include "a fully loaded multiplayer game as well, for online or offline play. The broadband-only mode will support up to eight players, with voice support via the PlayStation 2's USB headset" - the preview calls it "a nice bit of addictive madness that had some surprising echoes of Battlefield 1942." Contrastingly, Jak 3 apparently "does a lot of what Jak II did in terms of gameplay, in that it takes the bulk of its predecessor's mechanics and builds out" although we're assured the title "is being tweaked to address player concerns with Jak II's gameplay."

Thanks to GameSpot for its preview of Insomniac's PS2 title Ratchet And Clank: Up Your Arsenal and a similar hands-on look at Naughty Dog's PS2 game Jak 3, as Sony's big platform-action titles for Xmas 2004 get shown in detail for the first time. Notable changes for Ratchet And Clank 3 include "a fully loaded multiplayer game as well, for online or offline play. The broadband-only mode will support up to eight players, with voice support via the PlayStation 2's USB headset" - the preview calls it "a nice bit of addictive madness that had some surprising echoes of Battlefield 1942." Contrastingly, Jak 3 apparently "does a lot of what Jak II did in terms of gameplay, in that it takes the bulk of its predecessor's mechanics and builds out" although we're assured the title "is being tweaked to address player concerns with Jak II's gameplay."

BiteMyShinyMetalAss writes "According to a GameSpot story, Interplay plans to publish Fallout 3. However, development has not been restarted, and it will likely be farmed out from the sounds of it. There is supposed to be an announcement with more details coming soon to your neighborhood. No Mutants Allowed is also covering it."

BiteMyShinyMetalAss writes "According to a GameSpot story, Interplay plans to publish Fallout 3. However, development has not been restarted, and it will likely be farmed out from the sounds of it. There is supposed to be an announcement with more details coming soon to your neighborhood. No Mutants Allowed is also covering it."

JayBonci writes "According to CNET News, Nokia is preparing the N-Gage QD for release at the end of June. The redesign is an attempt to address design criticisms; such as 'side-talking' and the need to take out the battery to replace the game. Will this signal new life for the console, or is it too little, too late?" We linked to leaked pictures of the N-Gage follow-up late last week on Slashdot Games, and there's further information at GameSpot, which mentions: "When bundled with a service contract, the QD is expected to sell for $99. Without subsidy from a service provider, the phone will go for $199 (with the platform's Tony Hawk title bundled in at that price)."

Thanks to GameSpot for its 'GameSpotting' editorial discussing whether men can be trusted to portray women fairly in videogames. The author references Metroid ("I don't appreciate that Samus being a woman is a punch line"), and Ico ("Yorda... [is] this supposedly sympathetic female character in a video game that can do absolutely nothing for herself and is constantly in danger of being kidnapped"), and ends by leveling the charge: "I think men are inherently incapable of doing an adequate job of properly presenting female characters in games."

Thanks to The Hollywood Reporter for its column discussing game companies' continuing encouragement of 'modders' for content creation purposes. Valve's Doug Lombardi points out the obvious advantages his company received from modding: "In the typical scenario, even if a game is a mega-hit, within eight to 12 months on the store shelves, it's gone. But, in the case of 'Half-Life,' our revenue stream increased year after year for the first three years of the game's life. I attribute a lot of that to three mods -- 'Day Of Defeat,' 'Team Fortress,' and 'Counter-Strike.'" It's also mentioned that modding is starting even before a game hits the shelves, since Vivendi Universal has "even licensed an outside team that is building a mod, 'Starsiege 2845,' using the [as yet publically unreleased] 'Tribes Vengeance' engine."

Thanks to GameSpot for its feature regarding a Square Enix analyst's attempts to grow the company into the online and mobile arenas. This new strategy "...has two main themes - one that recognizes the limitations of the current-console platforms and one that acknowledges the fascination consumers have with online gameplay." The analyst, Ichiro Otobe, discusses the importance of community above all: "You need to have something like a Final Fantasy XI that can attract a certain community of people. In a way, our content is more a kind of bait to attract strong community, and the actual content is offered through the communication with these communities [of players]", and also has interesting theories on the perceived decline of the Japanese games market, suggesting it's "...actually a shift of users' interests. Most of the people spend time and money for mobile content, but most of the money is actually going to packet fees, which, in turn, go to network carriers."

Thanks to GameSpot for its coverage of a panel discussion at Stanford University named '2010 Game Odyssey - Visions of Electronic Gaming', and discussing "the industry's need to further establish itself as a form of mainstream entertainment." Different participants had starkly separate views, as Doug Lowenstein of the ESA (Entertainment Software Association) opened "...by criticizing the 'narrow-mindedness' of many digital entertainment companies, arguing that 'they still don't understand how the demographic has shifted... we're a victim of our terminology - people tend to pigeonhole us as toys...people don't appreciate [games] as an art.'" However, Jeff Brown of Electronic Arts "...pointed out that 'when you are playing games, you are not watching Viacom [television],' Brown concluded, 'I think we're feared.' Brown argued against the stigma that adults are 'outgrowing' games and instead suggested that the steep decline in gamers over the age of 37 simply demarcates the first generation that grew up with the medium."

Thanks to GameSpot for its article discussing Microsoft's announcement of a limited-edition Halo bundle for the Xbox. The article explains that "the company unveiled a 'limited-edition retail special' which bundles the the award-winning, Bungie-developed shooter Halo with a translucent green Xbox and S-controller for $169." Following the recent standalone Xbox price drop to $149, the green console is "the same color as the debug kit Xboxes used by Microsoft game testers and a limited-edition console issued in Europe last year", and the article also notes: "Microsoft is only releasing 200,000 of the boxed sets."

Thanks to GameSpot for its feature discussing plans to give full-audio speech to non-player characters in PC MMORPG sequel EverQuest II. The article points out this is "a first for online role-playing games, which have previously only featured silent characters that interact with players by sending them text chat messages", and elsewhere, a Grimwell Online article mentions a new PC Gamer magazine article specifying "an expected 130 hours of speech across 70,000 lines of dialogue", and revealing that "EQ2 is a $25 million dollar project." This new information comes as EverQuest celebrates its fifth anniversary with a multitude of developer interviews on the official site, as well as the re-activation of all old accounts until April 15th.

Thanks to Insert Credit for its GDC 2004 in-depth feature, in which last week's Game Developer's Conference is alternatively analyzed, from basic impressions ("the GDC's show floor was even more low-key than last year, with few real surprises") through lectures on game criticism ("Certainly it was a bit dry, and filled with references to Foucault and Baudrillard... But it was an excellent discussion of the pitfalls and potential methodologies of extraditing oneself from the trenches of the 'technical review'"), through American Idol 'star' William Hung's appearance caterwauling to PS2 music game SingStar ("even if you have a record deal; even if you don't quite understand your fame; even if thousands of women profess to want to be your wife -- Mom is still Mom.")

Thanks to GameSpot for its interview with Space Channel 5 and Rez creator Tetsuya Mizuguchi, held on the final day of last week's GDC show. As for his future projects, he seems in no hurry to reveal anything, mentioning: "Well, it's been about six months since I left Sega... I think we'll be able to make an announcement [about new projects] at E3 or maybe next year." But he does indicate: "I think my next game will be for the PSP or Nintendo DS", and when asked if it would be a sequel to Rez, suggests: "In my mind, yes. But I won't use the Rez name because that belongs to Sega."

Thanks to GameSpot for its feature discussing the history of video game music as an artform, as they point out: "Once an afterthought in terms of game design and overall pop-culture consciousness, video game music is now a legitimate industry of its own." The feature goes on to chart game sound from 1972's Pong ("The sonar-blip sound that's generated as a digital ball is batted back and forth is the first true video game sound effect"), through the 1980s and Tetris ("...millions of glassy-eyed players endure endless loops of vaguely martial Russian Muzak playing in their heads"), right up to new titles such as Frequency ("notable in that it reduces visuals to a near-abstract level... and provides a gameplay experience that is primarily aural.")

loftydog writes "Gamespot is reporting that our favorite console manufacturer has thrown down a gauntlet in Florida. Seems they didn't want to play in Texas with HardOCP. Turns out that SCO doesn't have a corner on the lawyer market after all, and we'll see something from Infinium, even if it is an overpaid suit."

Thanks to Shacknews for pointing to the Game Developer's Conference index at 1UP, further coverage at GameSpot, more coverage via GameSpy, and yet more coverage at IGN, as GDC finally wraps up. Highlights of newly posted articles include confirmation of Metal Slug Online from Mega Enterprises and SNK, a preview of BioWare's Xbox RPG Jade Empire, a post-mortem of Elixir's disappointing strategy title, Republic, and new information on much-awaited Xbox RPG Fable.

Thanks to Shacknews for pointing to the Game Developer's Conference index at 1UP, further coverage at GameSpot, more coverage via GameSpy, and yet more coverage at IGN, as GDC finally wraps up. Highlights of newly posted articles include confirmation of Metal Slug Online from Mega Enterprises and SNK, a preview of BioWare's Xbox RPG Jade Empire, a post-mortem of Elixir's disappointing strategy title, Republic, and new information on much-awaited Xbox RPG Fable.

Thanks to GameSpot for its article covering a lecture by Pac Man creator Toru Iwatani at Game Developer's Conference in San Jose, during which the long-time Namco employee discussed his role in the company's Incubation Center, and "cited Namco's travel photography site NamcoPolo and Counter-Strike LAN cafe LEDZone as two examples of past projects" from the department he heads. Elsewhere, GameSpy has coverage of a lecture by the creators of Sony's ICO, in which its revealed that the PlayStation 2 game "was originally developed as a PS1 title" - however: "When a question was posed concerning the oft-rumored sequel to ICO -- commonly referred to as Nico -- Ueda gave an expected 'no comment' response." Update: 03/25 22:39 GMT by S : There's more comprehensive coverage of the ICO lecture over at 1UP.

Thanks to GameSpot for its article covering a lecture by Pac Man creator Toru Iwatani at Game Developer's Conference in San Jose, during which the long-time Namco employee discussed his role in the company's Incubation Center, and "cited Namco's travel photography site NamcoPolo and Counter-Strike LAN cafe LEDZone as two examples of past projects" from the department he heads. Elsewhere, GameSpy has coverage of a lecture by the creators of Sony's ICO, in which its revealed that the PlayStation 2 game "was originally developed as a PS1 title" - however: "When a question was posed concerning the oft-rumored sequel to ICO -- commonly referred to as Nico -- Ueda gave an expected 'no comment' response." Update: 03/25 22:39 GMT by S : There's more comprehensive coverage of the ICO lecture over at 1UP.

Thanks to GameSpot for its story revealing that Microsoft is unveiling its XNA game software development platform later this morning at the Game Developer's Conference in San Jose. XNA is "designed for use with future iterations of all Microsoft game platforms, including Windows, Xbox, and Windows Mobile-based devices" to make simultaneous platform development easier and cheaper, and the company is also expected to announce "Xbox Live-style functionality for billing, security, and matchmaking being made available to Windows developers... [and] the introduction of controllers that are compatible with all Windows and Xbox game players" as part of this move. IGN Xbox has an interview with Microsoft's Jay Allard and Dean Lester which explains XNA as being a cross-platform, evolving toolset that will ensure backwards compatibility, giving the example: "...[if] Adobe was writing an application for Win95, and then WinNT came out there were special features they could take advantages of -- they didn't have to throw it all away and start again." Update: 03/25 00:46 GMT by S : Microsoft has made the official XNA site public, including streaming video from unspecified next-generation games.

qasimodo writes "Gamespot.com is reporting that Epic has banned the first cheater from Unreal Tournament 2004. You can read the thread explaining this on the official Atari forums for the game. DrSin, one of Epic's programmers started the thread as a warning to fellow users, and so far everybody seems to be happy. I agree with that, we need to stop the cheaters before they ruin every game out there. But the question remains: How can they stop them completely? Surely, script kiddies will just stop and go somewhere else, but how about the guys who write all the tools? They won't stop so easily." Elsewhere, nerdb0t points to an ACM Queue editorial on the subject of cheating in online games, arguing: "Perhaps game developers don't realize they're enabling roving gangs of sociopaths who are effectively destroying the virtual world the developers have worked so hard to create."

Thanks to GameSpot for its news story covering the announcement of Microsoft's new massively multiplayer PC game, Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, in development by "renowned designer and cocreator of EverQuest Brad McQuaid" and his company Sigil. The official Vanguard site is now publicly viewable, stating Vanguard's aim to "become the premier third generation massively multiplayer RPG", and an interview with Brad McQuaid over at GameSpot goes into more detail, noting the game's style is "generally what someone would label as high fantasy", although not discussing whether Vanguard's development is one of the reasons for Microsoft's cancelling of their internally-developed MMO Mythica.

Thanks to GameSpot for its news story covering the announcement of Microsoft's new massively multiplayer PC game, Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, in development by "renowned designer and cocreator of EverQuest Brad McQuaid" and his company Sigil. The official Vanguard site is now publicly viewable, stating Vanguard's aim to "become the premier third generation massively multiplayer RPG", and an interview with Brad McQuaid over at GameSpot goes into more detail, noting the game's style is "generally what someone would label as high fantasy", although not discussing whether Vanguard's development is one of the reasons for Microsoft's cancelling of their internally-developed MMO Mythica.

Thanks to GameSpot for its 'TenSpot' feature selecting picks for the top ten first-person shooter (FPS) games of all-time. The article argues: "So what makes a first-person shooter good? Is it a cohesive story and a well-designed campaign? A creative multiplayer mode? How about a devastating arsenal of weapons? Or fiendishly clever AI enemies? The games in this list exhibit one or more of these qualities and have all affected the way shooters are made in a tangible and lasting way." It goes on to identify top titles such as Duke Nukem 3D ("...good-natured attitude... great level design, and solid engine"), Battlefield 1942 ("...an excellent game made better by retail expansion packs"), and, naturally, Doom ("one of the true classics of computer gaming.")

Thanks to GameSpot for its story revealing Naughty Dog co-founder Jason Rubin is leaving the company after Jak III is completed. Rubin, who has a long history in the games industry, helping create both the Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter franchises, mentions he's "made a conscious decision to leave Naughty Dog and explore other options in the gaming sector", arguably not a surprise since his recent DICE Conference speech on the disrespect paid to game developers. The GameSpot article notes: "While Rubin's speech took game publishers to task for not valuing talent, he maintains he was not singling out Sony", and a separate interview fleshes out Rubin's feedback from the speech, noting: "So far nobody has said anything negative, but those who do not want to hear what was said won't be the types to comment directly."

Thanks to GameSpot for its story revealing Naughty Dog co-founder Jason Rubin is leaving the company after Jak III is completed. Rubin, who has a long history in the games industry, helping create both the Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter franchises, mentions he's "made a conscious decision to leave Naughty Dog and explore other options in the gaming sector", arguably not a surprise since his recent DICE Conference speech on the disrespect paid to game developers. The GameSpot article notes: "While Rubin's speech took game publishers to task for not valuing talent, he maintains he was not singling out Sony", and a separate interview fleshes out Rubin's feedback from the speech, noting: "So far nobody has said anything negative, but those who do not want to hear what was said won't be the types to comment directly."

Thanks to the San Jose Mercury News for its story discussing the ever-present problem of cheating in online games. One of the issues discussed is cheating on Xbox Live using Action Replay-like devices, with a Microsoft spokesperson suggesting: "We didn't go into this with the idea that no one's ever going to be able to exploit this... But we absolutely take this stuff seriously and are taking action on it every day." However, noted FPS player Dennis 'Thresh' Fong laments an unfortunate side effect for the dextrous: "Because there is this perception that everybody cheats, people that are good are not recognized for their skills. When I play online, I'm always accused of being a cheater."

Decaffeinated Jedi writes "Sex, violence, animal cruelty, and scandalous pixels -- GameSpot has posted an in-depth feature examining the history of controversy in the video game industry. The feature examines several "major offenders" dating back as far as Death Race in the arcades up through more recent games like Grand Theft Auto III and Manhunt. Also included in the feature is coverage of the so-called "retail rogues" (games controversial enough that they were pulled from the shelves), as well as a docket of game-industry lawsuits and a look at the lighter side of game controversy. Who wants to bet that that the use-confiscated-drugs-for-short-term-benefit gameplay of Midway's upcoming NARC will make the cut in future articles about video game controversy?"

Decaffeinated Jedi writes "Sex, violence, animal cruelty, and scandalous pixels -- GameSpot has posted an in-depth feature examining the history of controversy in the video game industry. The feature examines several "major offenders" dating back as far as Death Race in the arcades up through more recent games like Grand Theft Auto III and Manhunt. Also included in the feature is coverage of the so-called "retail rogues" (games controversial enough that they were pulled from the shelves), as well as a docket of game-industry lawsuits and a look at the lighter side of game controversy. Who wants to bet that that the use-confiscated-drugs-for-short-term-benefit gameplay of Midway's upcoming NARC will make the cut in future articles about video game controversy?"

Decaffeinated Jedi writes "Sex, violence, animal cruelty, and scandalous pixels -- GameSpot has posted an in-depth feature examining the history of controversy in the video game industry. The feature examines several "major offenders" dating back as far as Death Race in the arcades up through more recent games like Grand Theft Auto III and Manhunt. Also included in the feature is coverage of the so-called "retail rogues" (games controversial enough that they were pulled from the shelves), as well as a docket of game-industry lawsuits and a look at the lighter side of game controversy. Who wants to bet that that the use-confiscated-drugs-for-short-term-benefit gameplay of Midway's upcoming NARC will make the cut in future articles about video game controversy?"

Decaffeinated Jedi writes "Sex, violence, animal cruelty, and scandalous pixels -- GameSpot has posted an in-depth feature examining the history of controversy in the video game industry. The feature examines several "major offenders" dating back as far as Death Race in the arcades up through more recent games like Grand Theft Auto III and Manhunt. Also included in the feature is coverage of the so-called "retail rogues" (games controversial enough that they were pulled from the shelves), as well as a docket of game-industry lawsuits and a look at the lighter side of game controversy. Who wants to bet that that the use-confiscated-drugs-for-short-term-benefit gameplay of Midway's upcoming NARC will make the cut in future articles about video game controversy?"

Loadmaster writes "Dov Moran of M-Systems, who recently closed a deal with Microsoft to provide 'customized memory units' for the next Xbox, spills the beans. He says Xbox 2 will not have a hard drive in an interview with the Israeli website Globes Online. No details on how their memory solution will replace the HDD, though." Regardless, Moran seems pretty confident in the agreement with Microsoft, so it's likely that the Xbox 2's storage system is now in M-System's hands. S!: Also worth noting is a GameSpot story which has an Xbox spokesperson claiming: "Mr. Moran is aimlessly speculating... we've made no such announcements about future Xbox products and services."

Cebu writes "According to GameSpot, in a less than surprising move, Kyle Bennett of tech website HardOCP has decided to file a lawsuit against Infinium Labs, makers of the forthcoming Phantom PC-based 'console'. On February 27, a lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division under the Declaratory Judgment Act to force the issue of Infinium Labs' repeated legal threats against HardOCP for an allegedly defamatory article written last year."

Pluvius writes "A terse press release from LucasArts, the creator of classic adventure games such as Grim Fandango and the Monkey Island series, reveals that development on Sam & Max: Freelance Police, the planned sequel to Sam & Max Hit the Road, has stopped. Says LucasArts exec Mike Nelson, 'After careful evaluation of current market place realities and underlying economic considerations, we've decided that this was not the appropriate time to launch a graphic adventure on the PC.'" The International House Of Mojo fansite has some editorial comments [original URL] on this move, the second Sam & Max game cancellation in recent years, lamenting: "LucasArts has made a gigantic mistake."

Decaffeinated Jedi writes "As reported by GameSpot, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata indicated in a recent interview (Japanese-language) that the company's upcoming dual-screen portable (previously covered on Slashdot) will feature wireless Bluetooth-esque connectivity for multiplayer gaming. Iwata goes on in the interview to describe the Nintendo DS as a 'unique' machine, noting that 'not everybody will understand it right away. There might only be 10 to 15 people applauding during its unveiling at the E3, but they'll understand it once they touch it. At the least, it should serve as a hint towards [our] next-generation console.'" Although we've covered Iwata interviews recently, this now makes a little more sense given the context of the DS announcement.

Thanks to IGN PS2 for its hands-on preview of Midway's PS2/Xbox action title NARC, an update of the classic '80s anti-drug arcade title of the same name. This game, which Game Informer notes has been "built on VIS Entertainment's State of Emergency engine", takes the "good cop/bad cop" gameplay concept to an extreme, as GameSpot explains: "You'll actually be able to use the illegal drugs you confiscate throughout the game. In fact, they'll actually give you short-term benefits." The drugs include "pot, speed, LSD, crack, and the newly invented Liquid Soul", and effects vary - for example, IGN notes: "Smoking marijuana in NARC slows time down and makes the screen blur, but also gives incredible focus", and GameSpot mentions: "Dropping acid fills the screen with crazy colors, but it also gives innocent citizens large jester heads while giving criminals large devil heads, for easy identification." But GI also cautions: "By taking one of the addictive drugs... the controller vibrations will get longer and longer until the player will literally have to fight to keep the shakes at bay."

Thanks to GameSpot for its first look at Midway's new PS2/Xbox title, Mortal Kombat: Deception, as "the recently announced sixth installment" in this long-running franchise officially debuts with a teaser trailer, heavily analyzed at Mortal Kombat Online. Elsewhere, Midway, who is trying to rebound from poor financial results, has announced a new addition to the Gauntlet series, and it's noted that "John Romero, the famous (and infamous) creator of Doom and Daikatana, will be developing the title", confirming earlier rumors to that effect.

Thanks to GameSpot for its article discussing the latest Japanese arcade games showcased at the AOU 2004 show in Tokyo, with a particular highlight, as well as an example of building a play experience unique to an arcade, being Sega's Quiz Show, which "gives the player the experience of being a contestant on an American TV quiz show." The Japanese page for the game has pictures of the massive arcade cabinet, which has players "sitting behind a colorful table, just like a real quiz show", and allows each contestant to answer trivia questions which are "randomly selected by a physical, spinning wheel that's attached to the game booth."