TWICE on Gaming

May 6, 2008 | Link This | Email this | Comments (0)

While Halo 3 might have set the record for the biggest one-day sales, and Grand Theft Auto IV was a smash hit out of the gate, one of the most popular and enduring games in the electronic entertainment industry has long been “the Blame Game.” This has been something that has been played by the industry for decades, and likely won’t stop being played anytime soon.

The Blame Game has been played year round, by companies big and small. It has never had any set rules, but this hasn’t kept this one from getting a whole lot of playtime. 

Basically, the Blame Game has been played anytime a developer, producer or publisher has run into problems. If a game didn’t sell, the...Read More

May 2, 2008 | Link This | Email this | Comments (0)

Will the formerly largest trade show for all things video game survive? That’s bound to be the question being asked right about now. GameDaily has reported that Activision and Vivendi have discontinued their membership with the Entertainment Software Association, and thus will not be presenting at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles.

This is big news considering that the show is making a return to the Los Angeles Convention Center after opting to do a scaled-down affair in Santa Monica last July. The show will remain a low-key business conference with a tightly controlled invite-only list of press getting the chance to atte...Read More

April 28, 2008 | Link This | Email this | Comments (0)

Last December I took the time to write about how the video game industry has so many end-of-the-year Best and Worst lists. But actually in truth the industry has lists throughout the year. At any given time one gaming magazine or another, or Web site or blog, seemingly posts the “Top X” of something game-related. It can be the Top 100 Adventure Games, or the 100 Most Innovative Controllers or in some cases the 15 Best Digitally Rendered (and overly endowed) Female Sidekicks. 

Of course the game industry isn’t limited to lists. Various business magazines provide annual lists of everything from individuals’ wealth to environmentally friendly companies. Entertainment magazines list the “power” of entertainers as well as those behind the scenes. So why shouldn’t video games be ranked? 

And in fairness, this reporter i...Read More

April 21, 2008 | Link This | Email this | Comments (2)

It is safe to say that I’ve played quite a few computer and video games over the years. As a reviewer for nearly 20 years, I’ve conquered worlds, explored new lands and in the course of it battled monsters, zombies and Nazis over and over. My big pet peeve remains innovation, a non-stop hot topic in the world of video games. 

Gamers constantly clamor for innovation, while game developers continually promise it. Yet more of the same is what routinely sells. Note that Halo 3 was huge, Grand Theft Auto IV will be huge and other than the upcoming Spore, everything else sounds like even more of the same. So what’s the problem? Well, I’ve broken it down into a list of a few problem areas. Most of these affect action games, but these are where innovation is promised most, and yet rarely delivered. 

Now With 50 percent Mo...Read More

April 14, 2008 | Link This | Email this | Comments (1)

With Earth Day a week away, a lot of attention is being directed toward the “green movement,” and a lot of reporters (including me) are using tired headlines such as “Not Easy Being Green,” and “Green Sees Growth.” This time I’ve looked at the issue of whether the electronic entertainment industry can ever go green — or at least get greener. The answer is yes and no. 

Earlier this year at International CES in Las Vegas, I attended the Keeping CE off the Curb SuperSession, moderated by Brian Taylor, editor in chief of Recycling Today, which I covered for TWICE. The panel addressed concerns that the CE industry might face mandatory recycling fees and new programs being implemented across the country. Over the hour-long session much was talked about,...Read More