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Thanks to GamesAreFun for its round-up of updated news relating to Nokia's N-Gage 'mobile game deck'. According to the piece: "Inconsistent sales in some areas have prompted GameStop to shift their [U.S.-based] N-Gage inventory; while the N-Gage is being pulled from 450 GameStop locations, this inventory will be moved to locations where sales have been stronger for Nokia's unit." However, it seems Nokia "remains positive about their future in the game industry", and Nokia's Ilkka Raiskinen argues: "We are getting invaluable feedback... Our hardware cycles are different to what the games business is used to and our strategy is clearly to have more devices." This has led some to believe more N-Gage-like hardware may debut soon, and in the interim, GameSpy has previews of Ashen and of Operation Shadow, two original, first-party published N-Gage titles.

Bert Tam writes "The folks over at 1UP put together a cool feature highlighting all the games shown at Capcom's U.S. press event, held yesterday in Las Vegas." There are similar features at GameSpot and over at GameSpy, and highlights include new U.S./European-focused title Shadow Of Rome, "a gladiator fighting and stealth game [from the creator of Onimusha] that currently is not even scheduled for release in Japan", an early look at a Nightmare Before Christmas title which "aims to give players the chance to play through a sequel to the classic film", and an interview with the creators of Onimusha 3 courtesy of GamePro, discussing the reasons for Jean Reno's co-starring role: "To give a broad appeal, especially to those who aren't gamers", and noting that other stars were asked, but "...American [actors] are difficult to deal with."

Thanks to HeraldTribune.com for its article discussing prospects for the Phantom PC 'console' with new Infinium president Kevin Bachus. Bachus, a recent ex-Microsoft appointment to the PR-challenged Infinium Labs, discusses possible release dates: "The challenge I have given my team... is we've got to be out with a product for this holiday season." He also acknowledges skepticism over the product: "When I first heard about Infinium I was squarely in that camp as well", but suggests the PC compatibility for the 'console' means that "...there are thousands of people out there writing Phantom games today... They just don't know it." GameSpy also has an interview with Bachus in which he argues: "What's interesting about our service is that we can offer an outlet for independent developers. Will we have something that's the gaming equivalent of The Sundance Channel? Probably."

Decaffeinated Jedi writes "Over at GameSpy, they're running a feature looking at the top ten handhelds that never made it. Included on the list are such 'favorites' as the Atari Lynx and the more recent Nokia N-Gage, as well as commentary by the GameSpy editors on why these portables failed to set the gaming world on fire."

DeadBugs writes "According to Blue's News: 'The public source code for Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory is now available from id Software, Activision, and Splash Damage (the developer working on Doom 3's multiplayer content), offering modification authors the resources to create mods for the free multiplayer shooter.' First they release a free game, and now free source code for it - there are download links at Splash Damage's files section."

Thanks to GameSpy for its interview with Makoto Osaki of Sega-AM2, in which the Japanese director of projects discusses Western videogames he's been trying out ("I enjoyed Max Payne a lot. I've only played the PS2 version, though. I also enjoyed Ghost Recon and SOCOM a lot"), before noting the uncertain possibility of the arcade-based Out Run 2 making a U.S. Xbox appearance ("You could probably just rent the games, play them a bit until you're done, say 'That was fun,' and take them back'), and mentioning the inevitable Virtua Fighter 5 ("It will be what fans expect - a one-on-one fighting game.") Elsewhere, GameSpot has a preview of the Sega-published Samurai Jack, as this GC/PS2/Xbox title, "reminiscent of Capcom's Maximo games, albeit with a more over-the-top feel", is officially announced, and 1UP confirm that a Sega-made Astro Boy game is coming to the West, in PS2 and GameBoy Advance flavors.

Thanks to GameSpy for its article discussing the best videogame titles that appeal to those unfamiliar with gaming. The list of these 'gateway' titles, games which "...are usually quite easy to pick up and play and remain addictive", includes EyeToy: Play ("It's immensely entertaining to watch your co-workers move around ridiculously while trying to wash a virtual window or fight a virtual boxer"), Dance Dance Revolution ("sits in a strange purgatory between social awkwardness and coolness"), and The Sims ("...breaking boundaries that many thought impenetrable.")

Thanks to GameSpot for its article confirming the resignation of Blizzard co-founder and vice president Allen Adham. This move comes after earlier high-profile departures from Blizzard in 2003, but a spokesperson "denied it was related to Vivendi's recent reaffirmation of ownership of the developer, as some have speculated.", but rather due to the "cumulative effects of 'working the long hours and doing the game crunch for many years'" GameSpy has further information, noting that Adham "...started coding games while studying at UCLA. The success of his first two games, Gunslinger and Demon's Forge, encouraged him to strike out with a new game company, Silicon & Synapse, which would eventually evolve into Blizzard in 1994." According to the spokesperson, Adham "plans to go back to school and move into the area of financial investment."

Thanks to GameSpy for its two-part tour of World Of Warcraft, as they "got the chance to get our hands on... [an] early 'alpha' build" of the eagerly-awaited Blizzard PC MMORPG. The author praises the "incredible atmosphere and game speed... solid interface [and] fun quests", while expressing a few reservations about the "[lack of] character customization options" and the "racially restricted zones" in which "NPCs...would automatically attack any members of another race." The preview is closely followed by an interview with designer Jeff Kaplan, in which he addresses questions on design philosophy ("It's very important not to fall into that trap of trying to manipulate your community as if you're trying to run an ant farm") and in-game housing ("We do not anticipate that our player housing system will ship with the initial product.")

Thanks to GameSpy for its two-part tour of World Of Warcraft, as they "got the chance to get our hands on... [an] early 'alpha' build" of the eagerly-awaited Blizzard PC MMORPG. The author praises the "incredible atmosphere and game speed... solid interface [and] fun quests", while expressing a few reservations about the "[lack of] character customization options" and the "racially restricted zones" in which "NPCs...would automatically attack any members of another race." The preview is closely followed by an interview with designer Jeff Kaplan, in which he addresses questions on design philosophy ("It's very important not to fall into that trap of trying to manipulate your community as if you're trying to run an ant farm") and in-game housing ("We do not anticipate that our player housing system will ship with the initial product.")

Thanks to GameSpy for its two-part tour of World Of Warcraft, as they "got the chance to get our hands on... [an] early 'alpha' build" of the eagerly-awaited Blizzard PC MMORPG. The author praises the "incredible atmosphere and game speed... solid interface [and] fun quests", while expressing a few reservations about the "[lack of] character customization options" and the "racially restricted zones" in which "NPCs...would automatically attack any members of another race." The preview is closely followed by an interview with designer Jeff Kaplan, in which he addresses questions on design philosophy ("It's very important not to fall into that trap of trying to manipulate your community as if you're trying to run an ant farm") and in-game housing ("We do not anticipate that our player housing system will ship with the initial product.")

Thanks to LucasArts for their press release officially announcing more information on Star Wars Battlefront, the PS2/Xbox/PC multiplayer action title featuring "the most memorable Star Wars battles set in over 15 environments across 10 diverse planets, including Hoth, Geonosis, Yavin, Tatooine and Naboo." However, a GameSpy preview adds further detail to the previously revealed information regarding this Battlefield 1942-like online-orientated title, including "the 'metagame' driving Star Wars Battlefront. Tentatively called 'Galactic Conquest,' this mode will throw players into a full-scale war. Once you capture every checkpoint on a planet and defeat the enemy's forces utterly, you'll control that planet."

Jesse writes "My local games store has been running tournaments for one of the stranger non-video games to come out recently. Breakey is a 'collectable key game' made by Upper Deck. That's right - collect keys and compete with your friends to see who has the stongest key! This is accomplished by inserting two plastic keys into each other, and twisting until someone's key breaks. That person loses. Oh, and the winner keeps all the broken keys." Unsurprisingly, it appears that critics such as online comic Full Frontal Nerdity are already poking fun at the concept.

Thanks to GameSpy for its article covering the unveiling of a utility called Games X Copy at this year's CES show in Las Vegas. This commercially-sold gaming backup option claims: "You no longer need to fear losing your expensive PC game collection to scratches, skipping, or freezing... Now you can simply back them up and put the expensive original in a safe place, and the backup will play on your PC just like the original." The maker of this soon-to-launch utility, 321 Studios, has faced lawsuits previously regarding its DVD X Copy software, and a prominently marketed, gaming-specific backup product is sure to cause sparks - the GameSpy article writer comments: "No matter how much 321 Studios claims that parents with the most honorable intentions are its target market, it's easy to see where it would be the perfect item for unscrupulous gamers to copy software to give to or trade with their friends. It goes against everything the industry has been fighting against."

Thanks to GameSpy for their article covering a panel at CES in Las Vegas discussing the future of the handheld gaming market. Representatives for the Sony PSP, Tapwave Zodiac, Nokia N-Gage, and for Intel's 'standard portable platform' XScale technology were in attendance, and it was noted that: "Intel, Nokia, and Tapwave are attempting to expand the market by offering powerful platforms that also offer other productivity and entertainment features." However, Sony are staying out of allowing other kinds of software on the PSP, suggesting: "We feel very strongly that what the consumer wants is a dedicated gaming device." A retail representative also voiced concerns with the new diversity of portables: "I don't know if there's room for tons of other devices. You've got to sell to the core gamers and expand from that."

Thanks to 1UP for its coverage of Konami's Gamers' Day, during which U.S. press are being shown new Konami titles, including the newly announced Neo Contra for PlayStation 2, a 3D update of the classic Contra action/shooter series - 1UP/EGM includes a brief interview with the creators. GameSpot is also covering the Gamers' Day, and notes that Konami has officially announced Silent Hill 4: The Room for PS2 and Xbox on their website, and "the game will see players assuming the role of Henry Townsend, who has become trapped in his cursed apartment." 1UP also has new details on Nanobreaker, an sci-fi PS2 action title "that doesn't fall that far from the Castlevania: Lament of Innocence tree" in terms of gameplay, and is, indeed, developed by the Castlevania team, who are also interviewed about the game. Update: 01/10 00:01 GMT by S : The full coverage overviews for 1UP and for GameSpot are being extensively updated as the day progresses, and GameSpy also has a coverage overview page.

Thanks to GameSpy for its CES 2004 report, which includes coverage of a roundtable regarding product advertising in videogames. The writer points out: "The Super Monkey Ball simians gobble Dole bananas. Jet Moto features a giant Mountain Dew billboard. The alien-fighters in RLH drank Bawls", and goes on to cite research that "30% of in-game ads are recalled in the short-term, which is impressive. Even more amazing is the fact that 15% are recalled after five months - unheard of in advertising." But, of course, "if a placement ticks off the gamer, there's not much a company can do to negate that negative." What are the most appropriate and least appropriate advertising placements you've seen in games?

Thanks to GameSpy for its CES 2004 report, which includes coverage of a roundtable regarding product advertising in videogames. The writer points out: "The Super Monkey Ball simians gobble Dole bananas. Jet Moto features a giant Mountain Dew billboard. The alien-fighters in RLH drank Bawls", and goes on to cite research that "30% of in-game ads are recalled in the short-term, which is impressive. Even more amazing is the fact that 15% are recalled after five months - unheard of in advertising." But, of course, "if a placement ticks off the gamer, there's not much a company can do to negate that negative." What are the most appropriate and least appropriate advertising placements you've seen in games?

Thanks to GameSpy for their article discussing available information and prospects for Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo's next generation of consoles. Regarding Sony's PlayStation 3, the piece notes: "May 2004's Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) would seem an appropriate time for the PS3 unveiling, but it's unlikely that Sony will want to steal the thunder from its already-scheduled PlayStation Portable (PSP) unveiling", and also muses that "Nintendo's next-gen machine doesn't even have a good moniker yet, as it's unlikely that it'll want to name it after the underperforming GameCube." As for the alleged Xbox Next, the article suggests: "Jostling with Nintendo for the second-place spot worldwide, Microsoft has a bit more [motivation] than Sony to tip its hand early", and claims news of the device is "set to debut at the San Jose Game Developers Conference (GDC) in March 2004." But do those who unveil and launch their consoles first always get the advantage?

Decaffeinated Jedi writes "Each week, GameSpy inducts classic games into its Hall Of Fame 'either because of their brilliant gameplay (which makes them playable to this day), or because they innovated in such a way to reshape gaming as we know it,' and a noted inductee is none other than the classic dungeon crawl NetHack. GameSpy's article looks back on the history of NetHack, tracing its origins from Rogue all the way up to the present day, including humorous 'Tales of NetHack Addiction' along the way." Update: 01/06 04:04 GMT by S : Though listed as a 'Recent Highlight' on GameSpy's main page, this article, whilst worthwhile, is an old one.

Decaffeinated Jedi writes "Each week, GameSpy inducts classic games into its Hall Of Fame 'either because of their brilliant gameplay (which makes them playable to this day), or because they innovated in such a way to reshape gaming as we know it,' and a noted inductee is none other than the classic dungeon crawl NetHack. GameSpy's article looks back on the history of NetHack, tracing its origins from Rogue all the way up to the present day, including humorous 'Tales of NetHack Addiction' along the way." Update: 01/06 04:04 GMT by S : Though listed as a 'Recent Highlight' on GameSpy's main page, this article, whilst worthwhile, is an old one.

Decaffeinated Jedi writes "Each week, GameSpy inducts classic games into its Hall Of Fame 'either because of their brilliant gameplay (which makes them playable to this day), or because they innovated in such a way to reshape gaming as we know it,' and a noted inductee is none other than the classic dungeon crawl NetHack. GameSpy's article looks back on the history of NetHack, tracing its origins from Rogue all the way up to the present day, including humorous 'Tales of NetHack Addiction' along the way." Update: 01/06 04:04 GMT by S : Though listed as a 'Recent Highlight' on GameSpy's main page, this article, whilst worthwhile, is an old one.

Thanks to Yahoo for reprinting a press release announcing Nokia has teamed up with Eidos to give away over 70,000 copies of the N-Gage version of Tomb Raider at this year's Sugar Bowl college football game. An Eidos spokesperson oddly opines: "Lara [Croft] has always been the number one video game heroine, and it's appropriate for her to be present at this year's Sugar Bowl where the national champion will be crowned", and insider suggestions that Nokia are pulling an Atari of sorts, in the face of allegedly limited demand for the N-Gage 'game deck' are, of course, fatuous. Meanwhile, GameSpy weighs in with some reasons to like the N-Gage, still suggesting: "Nokia's game deck has a lot going for it, and is in many ways superior to the system that has dominated the portable gaming market for over a decade: Nintendo's Game Boy (now Game Boy Advance)." Update: 01/02 16:46 GMT by S : According to a L.A Times/TribNet article, Tomb Raider on N-Gage sold around 3,000 copies in October, the last stats available to the reporter.

Thanks to GameSpy for their 'Spy/CounterSpy' editorial discussing whether the rise of online console gaming will eventually lead to the decline of online PC gaming. On the one hand, it's argued: "Not only do I think that console gaming is not a threat to PC gaming - I think it actually helps the PC gaming scene by introducing new players to the online gaming world", but on the other hand, an alternative point of view is advanced: "My current love for certain online PC titles really reminded me just how annoying online computer gaming is... even though there are PC exclusive online games that I love to play, I'd rather be playing them on Xbox Live."

Thanks to an anonymous reader for suggesting abstruse information on Ultima creator Richard Garriott's mysterious new MMORPG, Tabula Rasa, as referenced in a recent Slashdot Games post dealing with Korean MMO behemoth NCSoft, who purchased the nascent game for "$33.4 million in stock and cash" back in 2001. An online chat transcript from early 2003 noted that "many people that worked on [cancelled MMO Ultima Online 2] are now with NCsoft working on Tabula Rasa", and more recently, a Richard Garriott lecture at the Austin Game Conference mentioned that the game "will most likely utilize a massively multiplayer metaworld for player matching and instantiated spaces for smaller groups of matched players", but almost nothing about the game has yet been revealed. The clearest indication yet comes from several recently-posted pieces of concept art, as noted earlier this week, showing an alien planet called Eera as the main setting, and mentioning such oddities as "Eeran Wastelanders [which] will beguile you with psychic hallucinations."

An anonymous reader writes "Science & Industry, a teamplay mod for Half-Life, has been updated. S&I is one of the oldest Half-Life mods: it was there at the first Valve mod expo back in 1999, but it hadn't been updated since 2001! A new version is finally being released today. Science and Industry is a mod in which players assume the role of Security Officers in one of two rival corporations striving for domination in the cutthroat world of chemical and weapons research and development. Learn more about the mod on its website. This new version works for both WON and Steam versions of Half-Life. For a full list of changes, either check the Science & Industry website, or this detailed forum thread."

Thanks to GameSpy for their interview with Lucasarts staff about playing as a Jedi in Star Wars Galaxies. The article discusses the powers granted to the newly-unlocked Jedi in this PC MMORPG ("There are over fifty Force powers, ranging from Force Lightning, Force Weaken, and Force Throw, to Jedi Mind Trick, and a variety of lightsaber moves"), and the possibility your Jedi character could be lost forever ("We have partial permadeath for a Jedi. Basically, a Jedi is allotted a certain number of deaths before they lose all progress that character has made.") Elsewhere, player-owned vehicles were enabled in the game earlier this week, and the official SWG page has information on the types, including the X34 Landspeeder, Swoop bike, and Speeder bike, and even documents player-hosted races that are being attempted, showcasing an in-game reproduction of the Mos Espa Circuit from Star Wars: Episode 1.

Thanks to GameSpy for their interview with the creators of Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth, as the long-in-development survival horror PC FPS, based on the Chaosium RPG, in turn based on HP Lovecraft's 'weird fiction' writings, discusses its setting ("The majority of the action takes place in the sea port of Innsmouth, the setting for the famous Lovecraft story 'The Shadow over Innsmouth'"), and uniquely Lovecraftian gameplay traits: ("The concept of Jack's mental health and its slow degradation is one of the core concepts in Dark Corners of the Earth. This loss in sanity will risk the development of specific mental conditions; these include shaking, blurred vision, hallucinations, dizziness, and panic.") As for its previous videogame heritage, Lovecraftian influences seem particularly noticeable in id's Quake series - but if in doubt, you can always Cthuugle for it.

Thanks to Wired News for their article discussing the continuing and increasing synergy between games and movies, as the piece starts: "Hollywood involvement has gone one of two ways: licensing a hit game franchise... for a big-screen adaptation, or incorporating Hollywood talent (writers, directors, actors) within a... game." The piece discusses Hollywood agencies like Endeavor, who "...worked with Vin Diesel in setting up his new game company, Tigon Games.", and has also arranged creative input behind the scenes: "Despite the objection of some game designers, agencies are cutting deals for writers to get involved in video games. In the case of Activision's World War II game, Call of Duty, Michael Schiffer was brought in to punch up the game characters' dialogue." The article concludes: "It looks like Hollywood and games are in this marriage for the long haul."

mmx writes "GameSpy is partway through a week-long feature celebrating the 10th anniversary of seminal FPS Doom: 'Ten years ago today, Jay Wilbur uploaded an executable to the overloaded University of Wisconsin FTP that pretty much changed first person shooter games forever. He was having trouble because it was packed with rabid DOOM fans, slavering over the demo's imminent release. Eventually Wilbur had to have them all kicked off, and only then did he manage to get the roughly two-megabyte file online.' GameSpy's Doom timeline is pretty interesting, and Doomworld has also started a special anniversary feature. Happy birthday, Doom... and thank you, id software."

mmx writes "GameSpy is partway through a week-long feature celebrating the 10th anniversary of seminal FPS Doom: 'Ten years ago today, Jay Wilbur uploaded an executable to the overloaded University of Wisconsin FTP that pretty much changed first person shooter games forever. He was having trouble because it was packed with rabid DOOM fans, slavering over the demo's imminent release. Eventually Wilbur had to have them all kicked off, and only then did he manage to get the roughly two-megabyte file online.' GameSpy's Doom timeline is pretty interesting, and Doomworld has also started a special anniversary feature. Happy birthday, Doom... and thank you, id software."

Zonk writes "RPGDot has a story up right now about the closing down of development at Black Isle Studios. The information comes from an unnamed Interplay source, who says 'Any time you see the [Black Isle] logo on a future product, know that no one who was associated with BIS actually worked on it', as well as a post by BIS employee Damien Foletto on the Interplay message boards, and a Blue's News story that adds: 'The non-announced [PC] title that the division was working on, Fallout 3 [aka Van Buren], has been 'shelved', to quote management.' BIS, you will be missed." Black Isle are particularly known for work on the Fallout series, Icewind Dale, and Planescape: Torment.

Thanks to EGM for their article discussing the latest Electronic Arts games based on the Lord Of The Rings movie franchise. In talking to executive producer Neil Young, previously creator of unconventional online title Majestic, the existing, well-received Return Of The King game is dissected, but there's also information on further LOTR games due in 2004. Young discusses the already unveiled "[PC] RTS game we're developing called The Battles of Middle-Earth, which is being developed by our Los Angeles studio by the team that did Command & Conquer Generals", but also talks about "a new game - currently entitled The Lord of the Rings Trilogy... due out by the end of next year." According to Young, this multi-platform action title strives not to be a sequel too far: "The idea isn't to just take you back through the fiction again, but to give you some other characters who you might not expect to be able to play, and really extend the multiplayer features.. [and] develop the online feature."

Thanks to GameSpy for their feature discussing the best videogaming holiday seasons of all time, as they point out: "Most of the biggest and best games, and many of the best game consoles, have all come out during the final months on the calendar." Their nominations include 1982, in which "Ms. Pac-Man ruled the arcades, and the previous arcade king, Donkey Kong, could finally come to our homes, packed in with the snazzy new ColecoVision", and 1996, where: "With the introduction of Mario 64 in September, gamers discovered the joys of games in 3D. With the release of Tomb Raider that same month, gamers discovered their hormones." What was your all-time favorite gaming Christmas?

Thanks to GameSpy for their 'Spy/CounterSpy' editorial discussing whether the videogame developer should listen to all fan feedback regarding in-development titles. The writer suggests: "Who in their right mind ignores advice from the people who are going to pay for your product? And in the end, that's what it comes down. Fans pay the bills - and they deserve respect." Bit he also points out the negative angle: "Fan suggestions are usually what would make the game better for that one individual. Developers need to consider the global effects of any suggestion and work to keep the majority happy." Are there some game titles or genres where a vocal minority's agitation for change has resulted in an inferior title?

Thanks to GameSpy for their 'Pile On!' feature, in which a multitide of their staff rate Ion Storm's Deus Ex: Invisible War, the hotly-awaited PC/Xbox FPS title whose recently released PC demo has met with much controversy. Comments rage from the mixed ("It does offer lots of great gameplay, but I can understand peoples' initial reaction to the title") through the positive ("Ion has tried to make the game more accessible, and I think it's done a fine job of doing this without harming the core DX gameplay"), to the negative related to game engine speed ("You trade 20 or more frames per second so that the rivet textures on a barrel accurately reflect the nearest light source.") Elsewhere, PlanetDeusEx has a demo walkthrough also discussing INI fixes to improve your experience, and there's another GameSpy article interviewing the developers about their 'magic moments' playing the game they created ("I had an epiphany when I wanted to destroy the coffee beans in QueeQueeg's coffee shop, but I didn't want to arouse suspicion.")

Thanks to GameSpy for their 'Pile On!' feature, in which a multitide of their staff rate Ion Storm's Deus Ex: Invisible War, the hotly-awaited PC/Xbox FPS title whose recently released PC demo has met with much controversy. Comments rage from the mixed ("It does offer lots of great gameplay, but I can understand peoples' initial reaction to the title") through the positive ("Ion has tried to make the game more accessible, and I think it's done a fine job of doing this without harming the core DX gameplay"), to the negative related to game engine speed ("You trade 20 or more frames per second so that the rivet textures on a barrel accurately reflect the nearest light source.") Elsewhere, PlanetDeusEx has a demo walkthrough also discussing INI fixes to improve your experience, and there's another GameSpy article interviewing the developers about their 'magic moments' playing the game they created ("I had an epiphany when I wanted to destroy the coffee beans in QueeQueeg's coffee shop, but I didn't want to arouse suspicion.")

Thanks to GameSpy for their 'Biz Buzz' summary discussing the recent launch of Microsoft's web-based Windows XP Game Advisor. The Game Advisor site, "created in conjunction with Futuremark, the makers of the 3DMark 3D game benchmark utility, takes the user's answers to questions regarding age range and preferred game genre, then returns a list of recent games (along with gameplay information) that might interest the user." As for the motivation behind this service, a Microsoft spokesperson "...noted that it's not a profit center for Microsoft - it doesn't charge publishers to list their games in the Advisor database... [and] equates it to the company's DirectX API bundle, which doesn't get revenue from users nor publishers, but if, by regularly improving and enhancing and promoting it, another computer with Windows is sold, Microsoft then earns some revenue, albeit indirectly."

Thanks to GameSpy for their column discussing a number of videogame genres that are popular in Japan, but not in the West. Picks include the more obvious such as dating sims ("Players look through the eyes of a young man and try to woo a variety of girls by making the proper dialogue choices"), pet raising sims ("where you raise and, uh, feed an everyday hamster... or a rhinoceros beetle"), and even voyeurism-based titles such as Primal Image, where "...poorly constructed 3D women with frightening facial features played brief animated sequences while you took pictures before the time limit ran out." Have Japanese-only genres such as dating got the capacity to take off in the States?

Thanks to 1UP for its illustrated primer to Final Fantasy X-2, illustrating the PS2 RPG sequel that debuts in the U.S. on Tuesday. Advance press reviews vary somewhat, but fan reviews of the import version have been overwhelmingly favorable, with the GameFAQs messageboards also harboring a handy pre-release guide to "give you a feel of how the game is played". 1UP illustrates the 'dress-up' angle of FFX-2 well with their expose of "the new Job system and the costumes it entails", showcasing the Cher-like variety of outfits Yuna, Rikku, and Paine wear, and finally, Futurama fans may rejoice, because Bender himself, John Di Maggio returns in FFX-2 as the voice of Wakka. Update: 11/16 15:48 GMT by S : GameSpy has just added their own review of the game, giving it 3/5 ("It's not quite what you may be expecting.")

Thanks to GameSpy for their feature discussing user-created content as the future of massively multiplayer games. In one section, Will Harvey of There Inc. discusses potential problems with more exotic player-created features: "If third-party developers [A.K.A., gamers playing the game] write games for an MMPG, will the code for those games also run on the servers? What if it crashes?" Elsewhere, Will Wright talks about quality issues after players create content: "Once we have the ability to leverage the creative process, how do we move that content between players in the most efficient way? There's always some content that a small number of players create that will have the most appeal."

Thanks to GameSpy for their 'Sole Food' editorial discussing which console has the lead in the online marketplace. The author says: "If you asked me a year ago which console would be the online leader, I would have said Microsoft Xbox - no doubt." But, twelve months later, he's rapidly drawing other conclusions: "I forgot the most important lesson in publishing: Content is king. And most of the killer online content is not on the Xbox, but rather the Sony PlayStation 2." And, after citing specific examples of great titles on both PS2 and Xbox, he concludes: "There's just more games for the PS2, ergo there are more online games. It doesn't matter how good and how uniform the online user interface is if the content isn't there."

Thanks to GameSpot for their feature documenting the final hours of development on Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time, Ubisoft's update of the classic '80s platform adventure. The piece follows the development team as they squash the final, most obscure bugs, such as "...the disappearance of the head of the female character, Farah, if you leave the game on for more than 12 consecutive hours", and elsewhere, IGN PS2 rate the results as "the perfect realization of the franchise in 3D." GameSpy also has a set of features on the game, with the Xbox version's review largely positive, proclaiming "this prince is no pauper", while 1UP spell out the bonuses for each version, including "PS2: The entire original Prince of Persia... Xbox: The entire original Prince of Persia 2... GC/GBA: The entire original Prince of Persia, unlockable via the GBA or GameCube."

Thanks to GameSpot for their feature documenting the final hours of development on Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time, Ubisoft's update of the classic '80s platform adventure. The piece follows the development team as they squash the final, most obscure bugs, such as "...the disappearance of the head of the female character, Farah, if you leave the game on for more than 12 consecutive hours", and elsewhere, IGN PS2 rate the results as "the perfect realization of the franchise in 3D." GameSpy also has a set of features on the game, with the Xbox version's review largely positive, proclaiming "this prince is no pauper", while 1UP spell out the bonuses for each version, including "PS2: The entire original Prince of Persia... Xbox: The entire original Prince of Persia 2... GC/GBA: The entire original Prince of Persia, unlockable via the GBA or GameCube."

Thanks to GameSpot for their feature documenting the final hours of development on Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time, Ubisoft's update of the classic '80s platform adventure. The piece follows the development team as they squash the final, most obscure bugs, such as "...the disappearance of the head of the female character, Farah, if you leave the game on for more than 12 consecutive hours", and elsewhere, IGN PS2 rate the results as "the perfect realization of the franchise in 3D." GameSpy also has a set of features on the game, with the Xbox version's review largely positive, proclaiming "this prince is no pauper", while 1UP spell out the bonuses for each version, including "PS2: The entire original Prince of Persia... Xbox: The entire original Prince of Persia 2... GC/GBA: The entire original Prince of Persia, unlockable via the GBA or GameCube."

Thanks to GameSpy for their feature discussing the large array of new MMORPGs due in 2004, as they suggest: "We're in the middle of an MMORPG gold rush, with companies hurtling headlong into the battle for your time, and more importantly, your monthly fee. The big question is whether there will be enough players to go around." Featured games include Everquest II (it's argued: "EverQuest players are a natural target audience that can't be ignored, but Sony obviously doesn't want players canceling their accounts to migrate to the sequel"), The Matrix Online ("When The Matrix Online actually goes online, how many people will still care?"), and World Of Warcraft ("Blizzard has never been known for innovation. Will this ultimately come across as just another MMO?")

Thanks to GameSpy for their preview of Wrath Unleashed, LucasArts' hex-based action strategy videogame. This PS2/Xbox title, being developed by The Collective, has some similarities to a gaming classic, as the writer explains: "If you're like me and were born in the '70s, you may yet remember Archon... Wrath Unleashed revisits and updates the original. With a shorthand mythology regarding elementals, it offers a hexagonal board game with an RPG heart." The game, which is also reminiscent of Archon co-creator Paul Reiche's under-rated The Unholy War for PlayStation, is described as a "promising mix of elements", and Wrath Unleashed's preview concludes: "The balance between action and strategy is a tricky one in games such as this ... but it does offer a distinctly old-school feel and plenty of options for different gamers."

Thanks to GameSpy for their preview of Wrath Unleashed, LucasArts' hex-based action strategy videogame. This PS2/Xbox title, being developed by The Collective, has some similarities to a gaming classic, as the writer explains: "If you're like me and were born in the '70s, you may yet remember Archon... Wrath Unleashed revisits and updates the original. With a shorthand mythology regarding elementals, it offers a hexagonal board game with an RPG heart." The game, which is also reminiscent of Archon co-creator Paul Reiche's under-rated The Unholy War for PlayStation, is described as a "promising mix of elements", and Wrath Unleashed's preview concludes: "The balance between action and strategy is a tricky one in games such as this ... but it does offer a distinctly old-school feel and plenty of options for different gamers."

jvm writes "We've all read comments that some videogame sites are allegedly biased for or against some games, consoles, or companies. So, Curmudgeon Gamer has investigated whether bias can be seen in the review scores over several games on each console. The review sites in question are GameSpot, GameSpy, and IGN, each of whom are compared to the game review averages on GameRankings. Additionally, a selection of review scores for crossplatform games are examined. While solid conclusions are difficult to draw and improvements can admittedly be made, perhaps people will find these results interesting to examine and discuss."

Thanks to GameSpot for its review of Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King, the EA-developed hack-n-slash action game based on Peter Jackson's acclaimed movie trilogy. The reviewer rates the now-released multiplatform title as a "relatively simple and short action game at heart, but [with] a solid combat system, some extremely intense and cinematic levels, [and] cool extras that fans of the movies will enjoy." 1UP also seems to dig the game, although notes that "the pre-level sequences are potentially spoilerish", since FMV from the not-yet-released movie is sometimes used. Finally, GameSpy has a whole section on the game, including a developer-friendly postmortem and a 'Pile On!' article that has opinions ranging from EA doing "such a good job of appealing to mainstream and hardcore gamers", to a sole dissenter: "This is definitely a great game for fans of the films, but others beware."