Got Mad Game

Who will be the Spike Lee of the Indie Gaming movement?

2005-11-17T10:04:00.000-05:00

With the launch of the Xbox 360 to the marketplace indie games will go prime time in Xbox Live Arcade. We had a chance to sit down and speak with Mark Frohnmayer from GarageGames.com and he gave us a walk through on Marble Blast Ultra. If any of you guys play shochwave.com games your probably famulure with the games early brother Marbel Blast. But with the power of the Xbox 360 and GarageGames development tools they've make a new and improved version that's easy to pick up and play. What most important about this game is that it was done in 5 months with a team of 5 people at the cost of $200K. That's a far cry from the time and cost that it takes to develop Halo.

But this is an example of where the gaming industry is going. With recent reports showing that only 80 titles are successful in the market place per year then video game development for millions is a hit or miss situation. The indie game community that Mark and his partners has developed will be the new pool of talent making fun and cheap game and turning a profit on top of that. You can download Marble Blast Ultra for about $10 from Xbox Live Arcade. With a low price point like that on a really fun and easy game you'll have people from ages 8-48 downloading the game. Where as most parents will cringe at paying $60 for a new Next-Gen title. So what's this all really about?

Well here is the door for the Black/Latino geeks like us to enter the game development space. Just like how Hip-Hop got started with parties in parks in the Bronx and guys spitting verses over old school jams. They didn't have record lable support but they had the music and the fans and it worked. So here is where is can work for us. We can enter in for 200K and 5 people. We can make those games that reflect our culture our heritage and our mass flavor and distribute that to a large audience. And we need to get on the ball because the gaming industry has no idea still about the Black/Latino gamer. They don't know who they are, what games they play, what brands they trust, how they get gaming information, ect..ect. Now Xbox 360 has a door and GarageGame.com has the community and the talent. All you need is the creativity and the idea.

So who will be the Spike Lee of the indie gaming movement?

Game

Nintendo to reach out to Urban/Black/Latino gamers

2005-11-16T15:07:00.000-05:00

The company behind the popular Boost Mobile cellphone marketing campaign with be handling
the new Nintendo account. Apparently Nintendo has decided to reach out to the young adult gamers in the urban marketplace. Which is still an untapped market. But can Nintendo earn it's streat cred. From our current research Nintendo has the lowest brand awarness in the urban community. And what will be see from this new campaign? A Mario pimp? A black Zelda character? A pimp my Revolution?

The real question is:
Will this create more jobs for the low numbers of African-Americans and Latinos in the gaming industry? Well there be more of a committment to placing Black and Latino characters into video games?

When asked: Which game brand do you trust the most?
Nintendo 36.52%
X-Box 33.04%
Playstation 60.8%

So clearly Playstation has the edge over Nintendo and X-Box. But will that stay the same as we move towards the Next-Gen of games?

Take our survey and let the gaming industry hear our voices.
http://survey.perseus.com/6a5ce82b.htm
Game

PSP Fashion movie in the South Bronx

2005-11-16T14:22:00.000-05:00

Check out this short PSP Fashion film by The Neistat Brothers and see what the kids in
the streets had to say about the PSP Fashion cases. There was even a PSP build into a shoe!

Watch the movie!

Iskin Neo - Lamb Skin PSP Case

2005-11-11T08:50:00.000-05:00

The iSkin neo for the Sony PSP brings together the rich feel of genuine lamb skin leather with functional and protective features that combine to create an essential companion to your PSP. Crafted from genuine lamb skin, the iSkin neo personifies the quality and exceptional elegance of the PSP keeping it true to its form and providing a protective barrier against the everyday world. A flexible design gives users quick access to controls, ports and the UMD loading tray. It also has built-in storage for an additional game cartridge and two memory cards with a fold out design that's genius. Best of all it comes in a variety of fashionably cool colors that are a match for your best outfit.

www.iskin.com

Sony launching surprises

2005-11-07T13:10:00.000-05:00

The Hollywood Reportes has done an extensive interview with the CEO of Sony. He states that "In a demonstration of the swift collaborative response to consumer-driven marketplace changes that a revitalized Sony can deliver, the company soon will unveil a line of compact, portable video devices to fill the time gap before PlayStation 3 launches in Japan in March and in the U.S. a year from now."

Umm...like what? So they want to compete with the Ipod video? Why not just give more support to the PSP and make it the DS killer that so many people want it to be. The problem is the storage. Build a way for it to store more data and you'll have a winner on your hands. The PSP is a great device but lacks the content that many people want from it. I doubt if sony will be able to take the hype off of the Xbox 360 launch. It's sold out everywhere online. Sony will just have to wait until Fall of 06 to shine. But they will be competing with Nintendo for the 2006 Next-Gen spot light. And with nothing really extra specail coming from the PS3 could this be the changing of the guard?

GTA = Urban Thuggery Sim.

2005-11-07T09:25:00.000-05:00

"And I don't think it is necessary," he continued. "At this point, GTA is the ultimate urban thuggery simulation, and you can't take a step back from that. But I sure wish they would apply the same level of design genius to something we really could show enriches the culture instead of debases it." Speaking at the Montreal International Game Summit, Warren Spector (Deus Ex, Thief) voiced his frustrations with games like GTA and his concerns for the industry as a whole. Spector believes the industry needs more creativity and fewer "mindless pathetic killfests."

Well we have to agree with that statement. We here at GMG have been gamers for a long time. And we love that fact that more and more people of color are being featured in video games. However, we've seen to many GangBan, wanna be boys in the hood clones. Some the terrible 187: Ride or Die, to GTA: San Andres, and so that wack game that featured D-12 that no one even remembers. The hood has been on blast. But we can do so much more. People of color are doctors, laywers, billionaires. We don't all live, drink, eat, and sleep guns and drugs. So it's time for the gaming industry to set up and to learn how to really play with our community. But all goes back to the fact that the industy is only %2 minority and are seriously out of touch with probably their biggest consumers.

Viewtiful Joe comes to the kids WB

2005-11-05T11:40:00.000-05:00

Another day another kids cartoon inspired by a popular video game. Of course Joe is sucked into movie land to save his girl Sylvia. Joe gets his powers fron his favorite movie here Captain Blue. With special superpowers Joe transforms into Viewtiful Joe to vanquish the enemies in Movie Land. It's kind of boring but I'm just seeing the first episode. So maybe it will pic up next week.

Damnit Atari!

2005-11-04T16:08:00.000-05:00

Atari has just postponed the release of Marc Ecko's video game "Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure." The company fears that with all the Xbox 360 craziness that the game won't do well.
Fuck YOU ATARI! So we will have to wait until 2006 to get our hands on the game.

Breed Love Odyssey Tour

2005-10-28T17:16:00.000-04:00

Sweeping across the nation, PlayStation® proudly presents one of hip-hop's most influential newskool visionaries - Mos Def. Mos, along with Talib Kweli*, Pharoahe Monch and Jean Grae join forces with PlayStation to launch the Breed Love Odyssey Tour kicking off October 28th. Teaming up our multi-media PSP system with musician/movie star Mos Def (whose recent movies The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and Italian Job are available on UMD) makes perfect sense!

Street Teams will be showcasing the newest games and features of the PSP system to concertgoers while distributing CONNECT Cash cards for EXCLUSIVE music you'll MOS DEFinitely want to have! As if that weren't enough, the first 50 people to show their personal PSP systems to the Street Teams will receive NBA '06 for their PSP system AND 25 more song downloads (a.r.v. $65)! ** Check back for the latest info on routing and the promotions page for info on an upcoming sweepstakes where someone will meet Mos Def! Now that's what's up!

28-Oct	Sacramento	Memorial Auditorium	6:30pm
29-Oct	San Francisco	Mezzanine	7:00pm
30-Oct	San Francisco	Mezzanine	7:00pm
31-Oct	Santa Cruz	Catalyst	7:00pm
1-Nov	Santa Cruz	Catalyst	7:00pm
3-Nov	Los Angeles	Gibson Amphitheatre	7:15pm
4-Nov	Anaheim	House of Blues (early)	5:00pm
4-Nov	Anaheim	House of Blues (late)	9:45pm
5-Nov	San Diego	House of Blues (early)	5:00pm
5-Nov	San Diego	House of Blues (late)	10:00pm
6-Nov	Las Vegas	House of Blues	7:00pm
7-Nov	Phoenix	Marquee Theatre	7:30pm
10-Nov	Denver	Ogden Theater	7:00pm
11-Nov	Denver	Ogden Theater	7:00pm
12-Nov	Albuquerque	Sunshine Theatre	7:30pm
13-Nov	Austin	Stubb's	7:30pm
14-Nov	Houston	Hush	7:00pm
19-Nov	Atlanta	Earthlink Live	TBD
20-Nov	Tampa	Masquerade	8:00pm
23-Nov	Ft. Lauderdale	Revolution	TBD
24-Nov	Orlando	House of Blues	8:00pm
25-Nov	Washington DC	9:30 Club	TBD
26-Nov	Washington DC	9:30 Club	TBD
29-Nov	New Haven, CT	Toad's Place	8:00pm
30-Nov	Providence, RI	Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel	8:00pm
1-Dec	Boston	Roxy	TBD
2-Dec	Colchester, VT	St. Michael's College	TBD
9-Dec	Chicago	House of Blues (early)	5:30pm
9-Dec	Chicago	House of Blues (late)	11:00pm

Research proves that Game Industry is only 2.5% Black/Latino

2005-10-20T09:44:00.000-04:00

The International Game Developers Association (IGDA) has released the results of a survey conducted to find out what the makeup of the game industry's workforce is really like. And it proves with out a doubt that the industry is mostly made up of what make. Only about 2.5% of the gaming development industry is Black or Latino. In order to reach a more diverse market of customers the gaming industry is going to have to become more diverse itself. From the people making the games to those marketing the games.

The results show:

Male = 88.5%, Female = 11.5%
White = 83.3%, Black = 2.0%, Hispanic/Latino = 2.5%, Asian = 7.5%, Other = 4.7%
Heterosexual = 92%, Lesbian/Gay = 2.7%, Bisexual = 2.7%
Average age = 31 years
Average years in the industry = 5.4 years
Percentage of people with disabilities = 13% (e.g., cognitive, mobility, sight,
etc)
More than 80% have a university level education or greater
More than 60% of studios claim that obtaining diverse applicants is challenging

Read the Article:
http://biz.gamedaily.com/features.asp?article_id=10871§ion=feature&email=

Read the full findings:
http://www.igda.org/diversity/IGDA_DeveloperDemographics_Oct05.pdf

Hookers can help out the home team in NFL Blitz: The League

2005-10-18T00:16:00.000-04:00

Who would have know that hookers are the new must have items for any The League team. Well anyway controversy is starting to brew over the game and that story mode. In the story mode you can get the help of a happy hooker who will go over to the enemy football team members house and give "special services" that would leave any man tired and weak and unable to play in the next days game. What fun!

Sean 'Diddy' Combs Joins Forces with Atari and Marc Ecko on 'Getting Up'

2005-10-12T11:40:00.000-04:00

NEW YORK, Oct. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Continuing the company's pledge to deliver one of the most innovative, unique and compelling video games of the year, Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATAR - News) and Marc Ecko today announced a musical collaboration with Sean 'Diddy' Combs for in-game music tracks for Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure, which will also be available on a soundtrack included in the Limited Edition of the product.

The Limited Edition and the soundtrack for Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure feature four tracks executively co-produced by Sean 'Diddy' Combs, including an exclusive version of Notorious B.I.G.'s "Who Shot Ya," remixed by Serj from the band System of a Down. Other Diddy-produced tracks include "Clik, Clak, and Spray" from Pack FM, "Book of Judges" from Pharoahe Monch and "Getting Up Anthem: Part 1," performed by Talib Kweli, the voice of the game's lead character, Trane, and legendary Hip-Hop artist Rakim.

Commenting on the lineup, Marc Ecko, executive creative director for Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure, stated, "For a game so deeply rooted in the history and culture of graffiti, we knew that the soundtrack would be integral to the story's development. I couldn't think of a better partner than Diddy to assist in bringing the music to life, offering his insight and enthusiasm to the development process while navigating the complexities of the music industry to assemble this remarkable collection of talent."

"When Marc first presented this opportunity to me last year, I was blown away by the passion and depth of his script and knew that we could do something groundbreaking with the music. While the use of original tracks as narrative tools are quite common in film, this project has raised the bar for the future of in-game music," added Sean "Diddy" Combs.

"Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure is a collaboration where no effort was spared in working with the top talent on every dimension," said Marc Metis, Senior Vice President Marketing, Atari. "Through the creative input of such innovators as Marc Ecko and Sean 'Diddy' Combs, Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure stands to be one of the most unique and original games introduced this year."

In addition to the Combs-produced tracks, the Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure soundtrack features an eclectic array of original and licensed music. RJD2, who recently won the PLUG "DJ Album of the Year" award, has composed the in-game music. The RZA, the critically acclaimed leader of Wu-Tang Clan, is composing an exclusive remix for one of the game's cinematic videos. DJ Nature, a notable club DJ, has contributed several original tracks for the game. Other licensed music on the soundtrack includes:

     * Fort Minor -- "There They Go"

     * Mobb Deep -- "Shook Ones Part 1" and "Survival of the Fittest"

     * Big Mama Thorton -- "I Smell a Rat"

     * Jane's Addiction -- "Mountain Song"

     * Roots Manuva -- "Too Cold" and "Chin High"

     * Sixtoo -- "Boxcutter Emporium"

     * DJ Vadim -- "Aural Prostitution"

     * Liquid Liquid -- "Cavern"

     * Bohannon -- "Save Their Souls"

     * Glen Brown and King Tubby -- "Version 78 Style"

     * Eddie Kendricks -- "My People Hold On"

     * Grand Wizard Theodore -- "Subway Theme"

     * Bloc Party -- "Helicopter"

     * Polyrhythm Addicts -- "Motion 2000"

     * Del The Funky Homosapien -- "Catch a Bad One"

     * Eric B and Rakim -- "Follow the Leader"

     * Nina Simone -- "Sinner Man"

     * Rhymefest -- "Wanted"

     * Thomas Rusiak -- "Throne of Redemption"

     * Kasabian -- "Club Foot"

A broad-based action-adventure game inspired by graffiti's historically rich and diverse culture, Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure is the culmination of seven years of story and character development by Marc Ecko, the visionary behind several of today's most respected youth lifestyle brands.

Developed by The Collective, Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure is slated to release this November for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows. A mobile version is currently available through Glu Mobile. For additional information on the game, please visit the Web site http://www.gettingup.com.

New iPod with streaming video - get free engraving & free shipping.

50 Cent on your PSP

2005-10-11T12:36:00.000-04:00

PSP Users Browse for 50 Cent
› › › ClickZ News

By Enid Burns | October 10, 2005

Paramount Pictures created a site to promote its upcoming 50 Cent vehicle, "Get Rich or Die Tryin.'" The Web site, formatted specifically for Sony's PSP handheld gaming system, can be accessed wirelessly.

The PSP-optimized site, available at 50psp.com, features film trailers, wallpapers, cast photos and Webisodes based on the movie. Paramount was not available to answer questions about which site features were unique to the PSP site, or whether all the content was shared with the movie Web site, getrichordietryinmovie.com.

According to Paramount, this is the first movie-related site where users can browse and directly view movie trailers and additional video content on the PSP. Existing content offerings require users to download video onto a PC, then transfer content to the PSP to view. While Paramount may be the first to launch a movie site, Reebok, along with its interactive agency Zugara, recently debuted a PSP portal of sorts.

The Paramount site was developed with special attention to the aspect ratio and navigation controls of the PSP handheld. To use it, people must first install version 2.0 firmware, a software upgrade provided by Sony. PSP users have criticized that upgrade for blocking certain content and downloadable games not controlled by the manufacturer.

The PSP has a reported installed-base of six million units worldwide, which is expected to double this holiday season. Beyond the movie release, the site may be used to promote the DVD and UMD (define) release of the film. The UMD format is used by the PSP. Sony anticipates UMD sales to hit $250 million by the end of this year.

Upclose with Xbox 360!

2005-10-11T08:16:00.000-04:00

Ha ha...as Nelson from "The Simpsons" would say but we just got our hands on the XBox 360 and we have to give it our 100% seal of approval. Xbox has really out done themselves because not only will it appeal to hard core gamers but it will also appeal to the novices.

The 360 itself

It's a ton times smaller then the original Xbox. I always though the original was just way to big and clunky. But this is a nice size and easily can be put into a book bag and carried off. Now what we think is sooo fuckin' hot is that you can hook your Ipod into the front USB port and bam you have your own sound track. So instead of listening to some weird grunge band that EA paid to much money for to be included in Need For speed you can just pop in your Nano and pump 50 Cent or the Black Eye Peas. And you can do this for any game anytime anywhere. All you have to do is push the shiny X. And it takes all of 2 seconds for your Xbox to reconigse your Ipod and to start pumping your own tunes. And it's also designed so that the game sound effects are heard over top of your own sound track.

The Games!!!!!!!!

OMG! DOA looked fucking fantastic! All the moves where sweat, the details on the graphics and the motions on the water where breath taking.
The we got our hands on Need For Speed for the 360 and it's totally amazing. The cars look killer and it's action packed from beginning to end. This will be a must have title for the 360. Then there was Perfect Dark Zero. It looked good but I'm just not a first person shooter kind of guy so it would take me a minute to get into it. However, once I was on it I was really into blasting people away. I'm sure those into FPS will be all over this title. NBA Live was cool. Wasn't to much new to the game but the graphics where AMAZING!!!!!!!!! Looking at the sweat dripping off of Kobe's big forehead was enough to have me sold on the game. But what we found to be the most fun, cause we are getting old and can't play overly complex titles anymore, was XBox Aracade. Now here is where XBox is being really smart! Now when you get your 360 out of the box you'll be able to play simple old school coin-op games like Joust. But all of the games have been re-designer and souped up. But what's even cooler is that ALL the XBox arcade game will be multi-players. User will be able to download these simple and easy to play game for about $5-$10 max. And what's even cooler is that for your a tech. geek and you and your buddies are programming games out of your parents basement then you can strike a deal with XBox arcade and make a profit from selling your game on XBox arcade. Now Ain't that HOT!! There will be about 15 titles in XBox arcade at launch and many many more to come through 2006. The good thing about XBox arcade is the change for game development companies to extend their brands by making simple and fun game that cost less then $200K to make and in less time. So there could be a simple Halo shooter or a new Sonic pinball in between the time it takes to make a serious $20mil title.

COMMUNITY IS KING!
Xbox has taken spectator sports to new level with their community aspects. First off say your on Xbox Live and you've entered into a DOA tournament. You and your lil avatar and be outside in a mini world watching the action on a mini TV screen and chatting with each other via the head set or you can go straight to the action and control the camera angles any way you want to. With many new aspects Xbox 360 is all about playing people on your level and having the community be king. There will be 4 different types of user profiles from the no holds or words barred Underground users to the kid friendly Family users. Now you can block all those annoying comments from XBox Live users. Community is KING for XBox 360.

Media Center
On a side note the media center is cool. All you do is hook up your Xbox 360 to your router and it will sees your XP media Center PC and all the media. Then with the remote you can surf all your movies, music, and photo's via the XBox 360. You don't have to have the 360 store your media to it's 20GB HD. Your just using the 360 as a means of interface. And the interface is pretty dope. You can see cover art, bios, movie database info and more. And from the looks of the controller you should be able to play a game or two with it. The X,Y,A,B buttons are all located on it.

Overall
The Xbox 360 is Da Shit! We can't wait to get one.

4GB HD/Battery for the PSP

2005-10-07T11:31:00.000-04:00

Datel has just released a 4GB storage/battery attachment for the PSP. About $250 US! It's really not that bad of a deal when you think that you get above the storage of any Memory Stick DUo and double battery life, plus a media manager, and media cable. YEah yeah we know you might have paid $250 for your PSP but fuck it your rich, your a baller and you can afford it.

http://www.darkplanets.co.uk/product_info.asp?pid=1726

Microsoft and Adidas

2005-10-05T07:55:00.000-04:00

Microsoft and Adidas have made a partnership to do more cross promotion with Adidas the launch of the Xbox 360 and the Fifa World Cup 2006. The partnership will include placement of Xbox 360 kiosks in Adidas stores across the globe, Adidas will install content on Xbox 360 consoles. What's cool about this is that for a long time I've felt that with the storage space on the 360 they sould have more pre-install goodies. I think artist face plates and pre-loaded album buldles would be a really cool way to promote music.

Read the full story at Joystiq

Dwele on X-Box Live

2005-09-30T12:55:00.000-04:00

One of our favorite R&B singers Dwele will be hanging out on X-Box Live on Oct. 6 from 4-5pm. Fans should keep an eye out for the gamertag dwelelive. Since his burst onto the music scene in 2003 with his debut album, “Subject,” Dwele has performed around the globe, blending a mixture of Jazz and soulful R&B. The 27-year old Detroit native will look to add to his critical acclaim with his sophomore album, “Some Kinda…,” which hits store shelves on October 4. As the most realistic driving simulator released on Xbox to date, it's all about you and your car in Forza Motorsport™ (www.forzamotorsport.net). Race over 250 of the most intense driving machines available for gamers to customize and tune to their satisfaction as well as the power to take on the world via Xbox Live®.

Ubisoft To Publish Breakdancing Video game For Holiday 2005

2005-09-30T10:39:00.000-04:00

SEPTEMBER 29, 2005 – Today Ubisoft, one of the world's largest video game publishers, announced that it will publish Flow: Urban Dance UprisingTM, the first and only breakdancing and hip hop video game. Developed by Artificial Mind and Movement, Flow: Urban Dance UprisingTM will be available worldwide for holiday 2005, exclusively for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system.

Flow: Urban Dance UprisingTM features classic breakdancing gameplay and a soundtrack of hip hop artists including the Sugar Hill Gang, Kurtis Blow, and Eric B & Rakim. Gamers can compete against as many as seven other players and choose from a host of dancers that perform classic breakdance moves in one of 10 different urban settings.

Key Features:

50 urban dance tracks including tracks from famous hip hop artists.

Six modes of play and three difficulty levels to choose from.

100 break-dancing challenges across all modes of play

Up to eight players supported in three different party modes.

10 unique characters and 10 urban-flavored environments to choose from, with more than 100 distinctive dance moves.

EyeToyTM USB Camera (for PlayStation®2) support.

It's like Ebay but for Video Games?

2005-09-27T13:27:00.000-04:00

GameSwapZone.com is a new site that's like Ebay for games. You can of course
buy, sell, and trade games. Currently, they Game Swap Zone has over 4,500 items listed for sale. As a special promotion, they are giving you a voucher which entitles you to 1 FREE category featured item upgrade for your auction.

Please enter voucher code: b53e9cd5a393.

FREE Listing Fees
There will be no listing fees until December 31, 2005!

You can even make your own store front. And from marketing surverys about 25% of Americans are supplimenting their income from on-line auctions sites like ebay.

REDMAN -- TO HEADLINE TRUE CRIME®: NEW YORK CITY SOUNDTRACK

2005-09-27T13:05:00.000-04:00

Redman Concocts Two Original Tracks for True Crime Soundtrack
and Appears as Secret Character in the Game

Santa Monica, CA—September 27, 2005— The “Funk Doc,” Redman, headlines an eclectic NYC inspired soundtrack for Activision, Inc.’s (Nasdaq: ATVI) upcoming True CrimeÒ: New York City video game with two all-new original songs and the debut of “Rush The Security” from his upcoming album Red Gone Wild, scheduled for release on November 8. Redman will also appear as an unlockable character in the gritty drama, which is slated for release this fall.

In addition to Redman’s tracks, the soundtrack perfectly defines the diverse sounds of the city and the high caliber action of the game with more than 80 licensed songs from NYC raised, or transplanted, punk, hardcore, hip hop and rock royalty who helped define the city’s music scene including Jay-Z, Fat Joe, A Tribe Called Quest, The Ramones, The Velvet Underground, My Chemical Romance, The Bravery and Bob Dylan, among others, making this soundtrack the ultimate New York experience.

According to Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, President and CEO of Def Jam Recordings, “This soundtrack is New York City.”

“As an East Coast artist who paid his dues performing in the clubs of New York City, Redman’s inspired rhymes bring the gritty realism of the city to life in our game,” said Tim Riley, worldwide executive of music at Activision. “His bold lyrics and hard-edged funk beats capture the vibes of the city from Washington Heights to Harlem and all the way down to Battery Park.”

True Crime: New York City is being developed by Luxoflux for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Nintendo GameCube™. The game has been rated “M” (“Mature” – Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs) by the ESRB and will release this fall.

The game will be showcased on Thursday, September 29 at the 8th annual The Power Summit, (http://www.thepowersummit.info/), an influential music convention which brings together tastemakers ranging from DJs to recording industry titans and major brands.

About Redman

This Newark, New Jersey native has been rapping for almost 10 straight years, delivering hits each time out. His five solo albums (Whut? Thee Album, Dare Iz A Darkside, Muddy Waters, Doc’s Da Name 2000, Malpractice) and two collaborations (Blackout w/ Method Man and El Nino w/Def Squad) have placed the rapper in a hip-hop hall of fame. While some rappers just make songs, Redman’s history proves that he is an all-around multi-talented hip-hop artist. He has also co-starred in the major motion picture, “How High” alongside Method Man.

Check out Verizon Games on Demand

2005-09-26T21:31:00.000-04:00

http://verizon.exent.com/gamesondemand/unlimited.html

200 PC games...no disk required

2K SPORTS TEAMS WITH NIKE TO OFFER THE ULTIMATE BASKETBALL EXPERIENCE

2005-09-21T12:38:00.000-04:00

2K SPORTS TEAMS WITH NIKE TO OFFER THE ULTIMATE BASKETBALL EXPERIENCE

NEW YORK, NY, September 21, 2005 - 2K Sports, a publishing label of
Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (Nasdaq: TTWO), and Nike, Inc.
(NYSE:NKE) today announced they have partnered to deliver a new level of
authentic basketball experience in the fall 2005 release of the NBA 2K6
video game. This relationship marks the deepest integration into video
games ever for Nike, with authentic footwear, the use of performance
attributes associated with specific footwear models and the first ever
video game integration of the Nike iD shoe customization function. In
addition to Nike footwear, the game also will feature athletes wearing
other Nike brands including Jordan and Converse.

"The relationship between 2K Sports and Nike is about the natural union
of two leading brands synonymous with sports, competition and
innovation," said Erik Whiteford, vice president of marketing, 2K
Sports. "Through this relationship, our aim is to deliver a truly unique
basketball experience that taps into the intense passion and energy of
the sport."

"Partnering with an industry leader like 2K Sports allows us to deliver
new and rich experiences with the Nike brand and also to provide more
authentic gameplay for the consumer," said Ralph Greene, US Basketball
Brand Director, Nike.

Among the most compelling elements of the partnership is the integration
of the Nike iD shoe customization feature within the game functionality.
In 24/7, NBA 2K6's Streetball Mode, players dribble across North America
and compete in various streetball tournaments. As players advance
through the mode, a new pair of Nike Basketball shoes is awarded to the
user. Each shoe earned is then added to the player's Nike Shoe Locker.
The shoes are classified based on Nike's Flight, Force and Uptempo
categories and give the user enhanced performance when worn in the game.
The player must choose the best performance characteristics, such as
greater speed, to defeat the opponent. Once shoes are collected in the
locker, gamers can use the exclusive 24/7 Nike iD customization feature
to personalize their shoes. This feature mirrors the real-world
customization capabilities accessible at the Nike iD web site
(www.nikeid.com).

Other key components of the 2K Sports and Nike in-game integration
include:

- Nike Shoe Locker - As gamers fill up their locker with the Nike
shoes they've won in various streetball challenges, they will have the
option to return to their locker throughout the mode and select shoes
that will favorably affect their ability in future competitions. The
virtual shoe attribute boosts are aligned to the true-to-life
performance benefits of each particular Nike shoe.
- Nike and 2K Sports to cooperatively launch new shoes - Throughout the
upcoming NBA season, secret codes will be announced allowing users to
unlock newly released Nike signature shoes in the game. These shoes
will be found exclusively in NBA 2K6.
- In standard gameplay mode, over 200 Nike athletes will be wearing
their actual Nike shoes.
- NBA 2K6 will also be featured within NBA.com and the Nike Basketball
web site (www.nikebasketball.com) throughout the season.
- Collector's editions of 2K Sports / Nike shoes to be released to the
sneaker enthusiast community. Each collector's shoe will be bundled
with a copy of NBA 2K6.

NBA 2K6 will hit the courts with all the ingredients necessary to
continue its reign as the #1 rated professional basketball game*.

NBA 2K6 will debut this fall for the PlayStation(r)2 computer
entertainment system and the Xbox(r) and the Xbox 360(tm) video game and
entertainment systems from Microsoft. For more information, please
visit www.2Ksports.com

* According to GameRankings.com average scores of 2004-2005 pro
basketball video games

Need 4 Speed Black Edition

2005-09-20T19:47:00.000-04:00

In celebration of Need of Speed's 10th year anniversary, EA announced today that it will be shipping a Need for Speed™ Most Wanted collector’s edition in November, in conjunction with the launch of the game for PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, PSP, Nintendo DS, GBA, PC and Mobile. The Xbox 360 version of the game will also ship as an Xbox 360 launch title.

The collector’s edition titled, Need for Speed™ Most Wanted Black Edition, will feature exclusive cars, races and specially-tuned rides, as well as a bonus DVD with behind the scenes footage of model/actress, Josie Maran, concept art, exclusive videos and much more. Need for Speed Most Wanted Black Edition will be available for the PS2, Xbox and PC.

Need for Speed Most Wanted combines the thrill of open-world street racing and customization with the intensity of strategic police pursuits. Need for Speed Most Wanted is the next release in the hit racing series that challenges players to become the most notorious and elusive street racer.

For more information on the game, please visit: http://www.needforspeed.com.

True Crime gets a sneaker and Hollywood Voice Talent

2005-09-19T14:46:00.000-04:00

Aww marketing...don you just love it! Well here's a good example of how companies will be fully intergrated into video game:

Puma Press Release
To commemorate the launch of the highly anticipated video game True Crime: New York City, PUMA has created a special edition True Crime RS-100 sneaker. Building off the success of the original True Crime partnership, PUMA and Activision Publishing Inc. have once again collaborated to create a unique and realistic experience for gamers and sneaker collectors alike.

Throughout True Crime: New York City, players will be able to interact with the PUMA brand on multiple levels including a specific sneaker collector mission. As a separate quest from the main game objectives, players can find and collect the special edition True Crime: New York City sneakers scattered throughout the city. To complete the mission and unlock a PUMA outfit for the character, players must successfully collect all of the True Crime RS-100 sneakers and return them to the appropriate retail locations.

In keeping with the realistic nature of True Crime: New York City, PUMA can be found in various aspects of the game environment. PUMA product is featured on numerous characters and players. The PUMA Soho store is also featured in the game along with real New York City boutique stores that sell PUMA sneakers including Classic Kicks, Flight Club and Clientele. Additionally billboards are scattered throughout the virtual streets of New York.

So with Puma onboard as a full sponsor, Activision has also acquired big time voice actors. The talent on board will include Christopher Walken as FBI field agent Gabriel Whitting, Laurence Fishburne as drug kingpin Isaiah "The King" Reed and Mickey Rourke as New York Police Detective Terrence Higgins. Activision has also employed the help of two former New York cops for advice during the game's development: Bill Clark, who also served as the executive producer of "NYPD Blue," and Tom Walker, author of "Ford Apache: The Bronx." Hopefulyl this will be a good game like the first True Crime: LA. Which also feature Snoop Dogg as an unlockable character. But in this new version our hero will be a black man!

CD-i

2005-09-16T17:39:00.000-04:00

The four Mario and Zelda games that Nintendo inexplicably allowed Philips to create for the The four Mario and Zelda games that Nintendo inexplicably allowed Philips to create for the CD-i would be terrible no matter what controller you used to play them. But the pad that shipped with the CD-i hardware defies all reason. Held in one hand, it's basically like a television remote -- the directional pad surrounded by two tiny, thin buttons. Perfect for browsing through the menus of Shelley Duvall's It's A Bird's Life. Awful for gaming. www.1up.com

Watch the Nintendo Key Note Address from the Toyko Game Show 2005

2005-09-16T16:45:00.000-04:00

Click Here to watch the key note address about the Nintendo Revolution* Video*

However, Nintendo is not slick. They are acting like this is new and they haven't tried it before. Remember The Power Glove which was called innovative and was probably the least useful of all peripherals. The Power Glove along with the sensors that were to be placed around your TV supposedly allowed you to control the game through virtual reality. This lasted all of 2 minutes before you got bored. Then enter R.O.B. the most pointless piece of Christmas crap. There wasn't much to R.O.B. except for dropping spinning gyros...wtf was that game about?

Nintendo Un-Revolution's new controller

2005-09-15T23:42:00.000-04:00

OK! We know it. Nintendo just keeps disappointing with wackness. Here is the picture of the new controller for the new Next-Gen system. And all we can say is that we don't want to play games with a remote control. The analog stick will me used for "attachments" to play other games. Ummm...ok...no!

I think this new dildo design will be popular with the ladies or it's a remote control design that will be popular with couch potates....but mostly this is what Nintendo has become. Remember in Purple Rain when the club owner said "nobody understand your music but yourself." This is what's happening with Nintendo. Nobody understands what they hell they are doing.

But we will be playing the the Revolution controller in about a week when we meet with Nintendo and will have a full report here.

Try NDS and PSP Games before you Buy.

PSP Pin-Up Girls

2005-09-15T08:52:00.000-04:00

Download Now For Your PSP

PSP Pin-Up Girl: J. Lo

2005-09-15T08:37:00.000-04:00

Download to Your PSP

Photo tribute to J. Lo...download it now for your psp.

The ceramic white Sony PSPavailable in Japan now

2005-09-15T07:53:00.000-04:00

A new batch of PSP in a cool icy white new flavor for us video game heads. Now shipping out in JApan and will soon hit the states. Hopefully, the PSP will take note that users do like lots of colors and will release a fire engine read or lime green version of the PSP soon. We'd also like to see artist branded versions as well, with a full album loaded on to a memory stick. Think of it a Bananna yellow PSP and a yellow memory stick with Gwen Stefi's album pre-loaded on to it. SOE think limited edition!

Verizon Teams With Exent

2005-09-14T08:21:00.000-04:00

Today, Verizon Communications announced that their new Games-on-Demand broadband service will run on software by Exent Technologies. Exent's EXEtender takes much of the hassle out of PC gaming by checking the hardware and downloading the software, allowing for easy use for all consumers. Verizon Games-on-Demand: Unlimited is priced at $14.95 per month and Verizon Games-on-Demand: Family Place is available for $7.95 per month.

"Games-on-Demand services benefit broadband access providers with additional revenues, reduced access churn and strengthening their strategic position." said Zvi Levgoren, CEO, Exent Technologies. "Leveraging attractive game content and marketing it to new untapped audiences benefits service providers, game publishers and end-users alike."

A hot new idea for the PSP

2005-09-12T23:38:00.000-04:00

So looks like Sony and the PSP are expanding out to co-branded movie tie-in games/UMD movies. So these new the hybrid UMD's will simply re-package a movie and tie up video game content. So in the new Wipeout Pure: Setalth Edition will include the first three levels of Wipeout Pure and a new “Stealth” track featuring the advanced fighter jet from the box office bomb staring Jamie Foxx. The game will be a bonus feature in the UMD version of Stealth, which will also include the 2.0 firmware upgrade for the PSP if you haven't upgraded already.

Xbox Live Awarded Prestigious Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Technology and Advanced New Media

2005-09-12T12:52:00.000-04:00

The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences honors Xbox Live for ground-breaking innovation in console game technology Xbox Live®, the premier global online console games and entertainment network, announced today that the service has been awarded a prestigious Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Technology and Advanced New Media. The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) will honor Xbox Live for Outstanding Achievement in Multiplayer-Backend Console Game Technology, in recognition of pioneering leadership and continuous innovation, as part of the upcoming 57th Annual Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards on September 29, 2005 in Princeton, New Jersey.

Xbox Live continues to transform and unite Xbox game communities worldwide, with more than 300 games planned by end of holiday 2005 for Xbox and Xbox 360 across 24 countries worldwide. As the first global, unified online console games network connecting more than 2 million members worldwide, Xbox Live continues to take online gameplay and entertainment to unprecedented heights.

Founded in 1955, NATAS presents Emmy awards in the area of Technology & Engineering, for ground-breaking work in television broadcast and production systems, interactive television and other new media technologies.

“Gaming and its particular needs have been a significant source of new technology development in the areas of video and television-centric activities. It is quite natural that this work should be recognized in the same way we’ve recognized the achievements in broadcast technology,” said Seth Haberman, Chair of Video Gaming and Technology awards panel for NATAS. “Given Microsoft’s long considerable achievement in the area of gaming, I was particularly proud that the committee was able to acknowledge those efforts with an Emmy.”

“Xbox Live is the ultimate online gaming experience avidly enjoyed by millions of gamers around world,” said Peter Moore, corporate vice president of worldwide marketing and publishing for the Home Entertainment Division at Microsoft. “We are extremely honored to receive this Emmy Award in recognition of our pioneering innovation in advanced new media and online gaming technology and entertainment.”

GameSpy on PSP

2005-09-09T08:18:00.000-04:00

GameSpy, a subsidiary of IGN Entertainment, announced today that it has concluded a deal with Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.. Through the terms of this deal, PSP developers can use GameSpy technology to enhance their software's online features. This will let developers implement options like online leaderboards easily into their PSP games.

"New online elements in console and PC games like Battlefield 2 are increasing
hours of game play and attracting more players," said Mark Stieglitz, Vice President
and General Manager of IGN Entertainment's Publisher Services. "Now we are able
to help add functions such as persistence and team play to the online game titles
for PSP. Plus, developers are familiar with our technology already, having used it to create more than 300 PC and PlayStation 2 games, so they should be able to adapt quickly to this new tool."

"Over time, GameSpy's new infrastructure may change the way portable games are played," added Stieglitz. "Developers can create games that span platforms; for example, a player can use a PlayStation 2 while in the dorm and a portable system like a PSP at the library, with both systems contributing to the same game and the player's results. Game developers can even include combined statistics on custom web-based pages, encouraging the dynamic community that is central to many successful games."

Midway Game 22-year agreement with The League teams

2005-09-08T11:52:00.000-04:00

Midway Games, Inc. today announced exclusive licensing relationships with The League and the Players Group to develop and distribute future videogames based on the on-and-off-the-field activities that fans of The League have come to love over the 150 years of The League's existence. Both of these twenty-two year contracts provide Midway the exclusive rights to The League teams, stadiums and players for use in its football videogames. Financial terms, rumored to be in the multi-billion dollar range, were not disclosed.

"We are extremely happy to expand our agreement with Midway, the leading gaming manufacturer of The League and a valued partner," said The League Commissioner. We look forward to working with Midway to continue to create quality games that deliver the raw, exposed truth that fans of The League enjoy week in and week out.

"We are excited about the opportunity to strengthen, broaden and enhance our relationship with The League and the Players Group," said Steve Allison, chief marketing officer, Midway. The twenty-two year agreements will provide football fans with an interactive version of tomorrow's daily sports page and, specifically, focus on bringing even more of The League to videogame fans everywhere.

Fight The Flood

2005-09-07T23:33:00.000-04:00

Buy A Fight The Flood T-Shirt

All Money Goes To the Red Cross. This is brought to you by the game developers who created Halo.

Visit Their Site

Gauntlet : Seven Sorrows

2005-09-07T09:58:00.000-04:00

http://www.gauntletsevensorrows.com/

Check out the website for one of our favorite games ever Gauntlet!

The PSP rocks the UK and gains Virgin

2005-09-07T07:37:00.000-04:00

The Sony PSP has sold a record number of units in the UK. Selling well over 187K units in it's first 3 days of release, with Ridge Racer being the #1 most brought game. The Sony PSP is now the most successful handhel device in all of Europe. Just to note that the DS only sold about 80K units it's first week of launch in the UK. While the DS might have Japan on lock, the PSP is becoming the handheld of choice in the US and in the UK.

Sony is doing it real big now as being the offical sponsor of Virgin Radio Xtreme, a new digital radio station launched earlier this week. The deal carries a six-month exclusivity window, and positions the PSP as the sole sponsor for the digital channel. "This opportunity gives us entry at the very start of the exciting launch of a new station aimed at those consumers on the cutting edge of music and gaming," commented Katrin Owusu, Sony PSP senior product manager in the UK.

Virgin Radio Xtreme is aiming for an edgy, hip crowd. The station is being designed to take on Xfm, and is part of a growing number of stations making the move to digital. But despite the movement, more voices are urging the government to help existing analog stations make the switch. That would encourage more consumers to migrate from analog, FM reception to take advantage of a wider range of available stations. The British market currently remains in a transitional phase, though it is a leader worldwide in the emerging digital radio format.

So looks like Sony is giving the DS a real run for it money and with the GameBoy Micro being a flop by the press...looks like Nintendo really needs to grow up and stop playing with plungers.

$2 for Nintendo Mobile

2005-09-06T16:46:00.000-04:00

Nintendo Mobile Announced
According to Nikkei Japan, Nintendo is getting its feet wet in the mobile market... but isn't jumping in face first. The company will be launching Nintendo Mobile on October 17. The service will not include mobile games for the time being.

What Nintendo Mobile will include is wallpapers and sound effects from such games as Super Mario Bros. Nintendo also plans on releasing the latest news on their titles through the service. Nintendo Mobile will carry a monthly fee of roughly two dollars.

The AP hates on the Game Boy Micro

2005-09-06T16:40:00.000-04:00

AP Guns Down Game Boy Micro

Nintendo's line of Game Boy handhelds has seen nothing but success, but the Associated Press is not very confident in the Game Boy Micro, which launches in a little over two weeks. The review questions who Nintendo is trying to appeal to with the latest handheld and eventually labels the Micro a "giant missed opportunity."

Ever since the original Game Boy made its debut more than 15 years ago Nintendo has released numerous incarnations of the handheld and easily dominated the portable market. Even with the Sony PSP now challenging Nintendo's grip on handheld gaming, the GBA and Nintendo DS are still holding their own, as the success of games like Pokemon Emerald (GBA) and Nintendogs (DS) can attest to. So why, then, would Nintendo want to launch yet another version of the GBA less than a year after the successful introduction of the DS?

Another GBA?
The Associated Press, in what appears to be the first mainstream review of the Game Boy Micro, attempts to find an answer to that question. Following the GBA, and then the redesigned clamshell GBA SP, the Game Boy Micro will be the third version of GBA hardware when it hits stores on September 19th for the price of $99.

"... I'm still searching for a compelling reason to spend $99 on this machine, the smallest portable gaming system I've ever used, when Nintendo itself already offers better products for not much more money... The Nintendo faithful already have a pretty small system in the Game Boy Advance SP—and it costs $20 less. Likewise, for $50 more than a Micro, you can buy a snazzy DS and play new interactive games exclusively for that system, as well as Game Boy Advance games," writes AP author Matt Slagle.

[

"... the Micro is nothing more than a redesigned Game Boy Advance SP reduced to a palm-sized rectangle akin in dimensions to a candybar cell phone," Matt Slagle, AP reporter

]

Slagle wonders whom exactly Nintendo is trying to target with the diminutive Game Boy. "Is it for tech-savvy fashionistas who can't afford Sony Corp.'s sleek but pricey PlayStation Portable? Collectors who insist on owning every flavor of Game Boy ever made? Perhaps grown-ups who think they'll somehow look more professional playing Astro Boy on a Micro?" he says.

If you ask Nintendo, it's probably a combination of the first two; that is, the fashion-conscious and the Game Boy collectors. "I think you kind of have to look at it as what we've done, whether it's different color casings, different designs for casings; it's almost like a fashion or image thing. It will probably attract a different gamer or person who just thinks it's very cool and likes the gadgety aspect to it," Beth Llewelyn, Senior Director, Public Relations, Nintendo of America, explained to GameDAILY BIZ during E3.

A missed opportunity?
But if Nintendo is going for the "gadgety aspect," Slagle argues that they should have integrated other features such as digital music capability, wireless gaming, or even cell phone functionality. "As it stands, the Micro is nothing more than a redesigned Game Boy Advance SP reduced to a palm-sized rectangle akin in dimensions to a candybar cell phone," he writes.

The AP review does praise the Micro's excellent battery life and its screen for being brighter and sharper, but at the same time Slagle complains about the screen's dimensions: "But at only 2 inches diagonal, the flat screen strained my eyes."

In the end, the reviewer admits that he prefers the Micro for portability to the SP "because its tiny size makes it incredibly easy to take with me," but he believes Nintendo could have done much more. "I can't get rid of the nagging feeling that the puny Micro is a giant missed opportunity," he concludes.

It'll be interesting to track the sales of Micro hardware during this fall and upcoming holiday season. NPD's Entertainment Industry Analyst, Anita Frazier, however, believes the Micro should do well. "The [GBA] platform continues to be incredibly popular and there is a trend, generally in the consumer products industry not just videogames, for personalization and customization. This is a trend we're seeing in many different industries... all those different faceplates, Nintendo is definitely responding to a trend there. I think the GBA [business] is very healthy," she told us in a prior interview.

GIVE!

2005-09-03T09:05:00.000-04:00

Cash donations do allow the agencies to avoid the need to store, pack, and distribute donated goods. The cost to do so becomes prohibitive which is why cash donations are currently being sought.

FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency www.fema.gov) listed the following agencies as needing cash to assist hurricane victims:

- American Red Cross, 800-HELP NOW (435-7669) English, 800-257-7575 Spanish.

- Operation Blessing, 800-436-6348.

- America's Second Harvest, 800-344-8070.

- Adventist Community Services, 800-381-7171.

- Catholic Charities, USA, 703-549-1390.

- Christian Disaster Response, 941-956-5183 or 941-551-9554.

- Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, 800-848-5818.

- Church World Service, 800-297-1516.

- Convoy of Hope, 417-823-8998.

- Lutheran Disaster Response, 800-638-3522.

Mobile Games are the future

2005-09-02T09:11:00.000-04:00

Will the next gen. game consoles win or fail? With high price tags, rehashed and souped up games, and $70 a piece for titles...will everyone go mobile? More and more games are being developed for cell phones. There are over 30million cell phones in the US alone and mobile gaming is becoming very popular. With Nintendo and Sony in a battle for handheld's will a cell phone company sneak in under the wire and trump them both. It could very well happen. Old school titles such as like Pac-Man and Dig-Dug continue to sell well on the mobile market. Marc Ecko's new game "Getting Up" is already been translated for cell phone play. And with AOL recently acquiring a mobile gaming company have the major game companies shot them selves in the foot when there's evidence that the market is swinging in a different direction. Already stated this week more College Students have cell phone and play games on them. Also in another report release this week stated that younger kids want games for their PC. And several interactive entertainment veterans most recently from EA's Black Box created a new development studio called Deep Fried ENT. The company will develop titles for the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP. So maybe it's time to see the game developers finally pay attention to the market insted of trying to sell us a new box with old tricks.

Save New Orleans

2005-09-01T16:40:00.000-04:00

http://store.yahoo.com/redcross-donate/
http://www.amazon.com/gp/philanthropy/red-cross.html/102-3806668-9292955

Help save a life and help save New Orleans...it must be rebuilt. If you've ever taken a trip to the big easy then you must show your love and show your support in the effots to save lives and rebuild. Make a donation.

Lil' Flip vs Pac Man

2005-09-01T16:22:00.000-04:00

Sony BMG Music and video game maker Namco settled their differences over Lil’ Flip’s “Game Over,” which samples sounds from the PacMan arcade game. Apparently Pac Man thought he should get some money from rapper Lil' Flip cause he was an O.G. Pac Man said he was going to pop a cap in dat ass if he ain't get no money. The details of the deal were not made public, according to the press, but both Lil' Flip and Pac Man where reportedly satisfied with the deal. In the suit, filed one year ago in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, Namco claimed that its intellectual property was violated by the sampling of the classic video game. Originally released in 1980, PacMan is, according to Namco, the “most popular arcade game of all time.”

Black Video Game Characters: Barrett from Final Fantasy 7

2005-08-31T13:19:00.000-04:00

Barrett Wallace

Job: Leader of AVALANCHE
Age: 35
Weapon: Gun-Arm
Height: 197 cm
Birthdate: December 15
Birthplace: Corel Village

Head of the underground resistance movement AVALANCHE. Barrett is fighting the mega conglomerate Shinra, Inc. which has monopolized Mako energy, building special reactors to suck it out of the planet. Barrett depends on brute-strength and his Gun-Arm to see him through. His wife died in an accident several years ago, and he now lives with his daughter Marlene.

Namco acquires rights to publish Afro Samurai

2005-08-31T13:12:00.000-04:00

The US division of Namco announced that it has acquired the publishing rights to Afro Samurai; GDH’s hip-hop samurai infused manga. The deal permits Namco to publish two games over the next five years. In addition to these games, Afro Samurai will become an animated mini-series with Samuel L. Jackson signed on as lead voice actor and co-producer—a live-action film is also in the works.

Reebok Reaches Out to PSP-ers With Site

2005-08-30T18:35:00.000-04:00

It's only been a week since Sony released the firmware that lets Playstation Portable (PSP) users browse the Web via Wi-Fi. Already, Reebok has launched a site to market the sneaker maker's wares via the new platform.

Reebok's head start comes in part from its relationship with interactive agency Zugara. The Los Angeles-based creative shop also does work for Sony's Playstation brand.

"[The firmware upgrade] was released in Japan about two months ago, so we've been toying around with this since then," Matt Szymczyk, CEO of Zugara, told ClickZ News. "We've had about two months to play around with it and figure out what will work and what won't work -- what would be the best in terms of usability."

The site, at rbk.com/psp, serves as a sort of PSP portal to all of Reebok's various campaigns, allowing device users to access content tailored to the PSP. Content includes wallpapers, themes, audio and video clips. So far, all of the elements are re-purposed from Reebok's Web campaigns, but the agency plans to watch usage and see if it would be worthwhile to create unique content for the device.

To tailor the content for the PSP, Zugara designed the site for the PSP's aspect ratio, avoided Flash, and kept video file sizes below five megabytes, for the most part.

"We're basically going back to the HTML roots and creating a site that would be easy to navigate and add content to," explained Szymczyk.

The agency plans to get the word out about the site by sending press releases to PSP-oriented sites like PSP Garden, PSP Home and Joystiq.

"We're going to leak it out slowly and hope it catches on," Szymczyk said.

The agency will gauge the site's success by measuring downloads of the various content elements.

Atari Sells Humongous

2005-08-27T10:43:00.000-04:00

Friday, August 26, 2005
More restructuring
Atari Sells Humongous to Infogrames for $10.3 Million

Dealing with its own financial struggles, Atari has further streamlined its business and sold off its Humongous Entertainment studio to parent company Infogrames. The deal should give Atari a bit of a lift by increasing resources as it looks to ways to produce higher quality titles and strengthen its bottom line.

In an effort to streamline U.S. operations and reduce costs, Atari, Inc. today announced the sale of Humongous Entertainment to Atari parent company/majority stockholder, France-based Infogrames Entertainment SA, which is the largest video games publisher in Europe.

Humongous deal
About $2 million of the sale (worth approximately $10.3 million) "represents pre-payment of certain future costs Atari will incur related to platform royalty advances, manufacturing costs and milestone payments." In addition, Atari will continue to be the exclusive distributor of Humongous products in the U.S., Canada and Mexico through March 31, 2006 and possibly beyond. Humongous Entertainment is primarily known for its kid-friendly line of "Backyard" sports titles, such as Backyard Baseball, Backyard Basketball, and others.

[ "This transaction substantially contributes to our resources... and further enhances our capacity to develop new titles, ultimately enhancing shareholder value," Bruno Bonnell, Atari CEO ]

The deal is hardly surprising, as the financially beleaguered Atari said during its last fiscal conference call that it was looking to divest itself of the Humongous studio because "certain operations do not sufficiently complement its strategic vision or creative direction." The sale of Humongous is actually the third studio that Atari has rid itself of this year. Several months ago, the publisher shuttered its studios in Santa Monica, California and Beverly, Massachusetts.

Shedding Humongous should be seen as a largely positive move for Atari, as the studio was one of the loss leaders for the company, posting a $4.2 operating loss on $12.6 million in revenues during Atari's last fiscal year. When you consider that Atari only netted $5.7 million on $395.2 million in sales last fiscal year, the Humongous loss is, well... humongous.

Cost control and better games
Atari certainly needs to start turning things around, especially as publishers start moving resources to the next generation of consoles. The company's last Q4 was a nightmare that included the sudden resignation of chief executive James Caparro, a drop in revenues, and a loss of $9.1 million. Atari's been faced with poor critical reviews for mostly lackluster titles and the company's cash balance has been weakening—it stood at $5.8 million at the end of the last quarter.

"We continue to execute our previously articulated strategic initiatives and strengthen Atari's financial position moving forward," stated Bruno Bonnell, Chairman, CEO and Chief Creative Officer of Atari. "As we streamline the operations of the Company and focus on cost controls, we remain committed to developing unique high-quality titles that appeal to both mass-consumers as well as hard-core gamers. This transaction substantially contributes to our resources for the launch of our largest titles in the holiday season and further enhances our capacity to develop new titles, ultimately enhancing shareholder value."

Looking ahead, Atari's plans to improve its product line seem to be of the "less is more" variety. The publisher intends to focus more on quality and will release fewer SKUs.

"By improving our business processes in order to release higher quality products on time and on budget and creating comprehensive global market initiatives to support them, we will be taking better advantage of our assets," said Bonnell.

As of press time Atari shares (ATAR) were largely unaffected by the news, increasing only 1 cent to $1.37 on NASDAQ.

Gaming takes over

2005-08-27T10:41:00.000-04:00

Friday, August 26, 2005
Gaming takes over
Study: Most Kids Play Video Games Daily; Web Ads Gaining Importance

A new study by marketing agency JuniorSeniorResearch found that the vast majority of children play video games everyday. They also found that while advertising to the younger crowd is still dominated by television, Internet marketing is becoming more important as more and more kids use the PC not only to play games but to get new information on upcoming or newly released titles.

Remember when you were a kid? Life was pretty simple, wasn't it? You went to school, came home, maybe had a quick snack and then rushed outside to play with your buddies. Some of you probably owned early video game systems such as Atari or Intellivision, but in most cases you didn't play video games everyday. Times certainly have changed since then.

Playing lots of games, PC games
According to a recent study from Netherlands-based marketing agency JuniorSeniorResearch, video games have become a central part of the lives of today's children. The study polled 4,000 kids up to the age of 15-years-old (both boys and girls) and discovered that 61 percent play video games on a daily basis.

[ "It is wise for marketeers - who specialize in kids marketing - to keep considering Internet as a viable and positive medium," JuniorSeniorResearch ]

Interestingly, with all the focus on consoles and handhelds in this industry, the study found that a large majority (65 percent) of children prefer playing games on the PC. Also, only a small percentage (12 percent) admitted to copying their games from friends, despite the fact that PC titles are much easier to duplicate than console games.

Rather than copying games, more kids (39 percent) said that they were willing to save their money in order to purchase new titles for themselves. Most of these were older children (ages 13 to 15) but surprisingly, even some 9-year-olds (or younger) said they save money to buy their own games.

Marketing to kids
Although much of the industry concentrates its marketing on the coveted 18 to 35 male demographic, this study also shed some light on some advertising trends for the younger crowd. Among children, advertising doesn't appear to be as important as word of mouth. The study found that 32 percent of children learned about new games through their friends. Younger children tended to get more information from friends and family members than from advertising.

That being said, ads still play an important role with children. Practically every child (92 percent) has seen an ad for a game, with television being the predominant format at 63 percent. The Internet, however, is seen as a growing medium for advertising to children. More than 15 percent of children said they view video game ads on the Internet, while only 11 percent said they see them in print media. Furthermore, children tend to look for more information on the games they become interested in, and the Internet is obviously a great source for further information on games.

"Although children prove a difficult to reach target group through their fragmented media use, game developers can count on 'digikids' actively searching out their information and products," stated JuniorSeniorResearch.

"It is wise however for marketeers - who specialize in kids marketing - to keep considering Internet as a viable and positive medium... Internet reaches both a very young audience and 'hardcore' gamers or digikids alike," the marketing firm continued.

Mike Tyson Punch out on your celly

2005-08-27T10:04:00.000-04:00

Mike Tyson Boxing for your mobile phone. No ear bitting...just all the fun action from the classic game that made everyone a boxing fan. Player One Limited have secured the rights from Codemasters to create a java boxing game endorsed by the ‘Iron Man’ himself. According to the press release the game ”will offer boxing fans the chance to put on the devastating boxing gloves of the boxing legend himself”. Read More at Joystiq

2005 Black Weblog Awards

2005-08-27T08:12:00.000-04:00

http://www.blackweblogawards.com/awards.html

VOTE 4 US!

MARIO, LUIGI, PRINCESS PEACH HIT THE SLOPES WITH EA’S SSX ON TOUR

2005-08-26T20:01:00.000-04:00

Nintendo All Stars to join forces with the critically acclaimed SSX Franchise

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – August 25, 2005 – Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) and Nintendo announced today a partnership that brings the Nintendo All-Stars – Mario™, Luigi and Princess Peach – to the Nintendo GameCube™ version of SSX™ On Tour, scheduled to launch this fall under the EA SPORTS BIG™ brand. The game is being produced by Electronic Arts Canada in Vancouver, BC.

This marks the second collaboration between EA and Nintendo to bring Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach to the EA SPORTS BIG lineup of titles, with NBA Street V3 being the first iteration of the partnership.

Building on the critically acclaimed gameplay of the SSX™ franchise, SSX On Tour features all-new player customization that gives you the chance to join The Tour. SSX On Tour is packed with all-new highly detailed tracks, new stylish player customization options, new monster tricks, and enhanced multiplayer options.

“I am extremely proud of our innovative partnership with Nintendo with our EA SPORTS BIG titles,” said John Schappert, Senior Vice President and General Manager of EA Canada. “Mario, Peach and Luigi are among the greatest videogame characters of all time and we are thrilled to include them in SSX On Tour.”

“When Electronic Arts put a basketball in Mario’s hand, he did quite well,” said Reggie Fils-Aime, executive vice president, sales and marketing, for Nintendo of America Inc. “Now Mario and crew are hitting the slopes thanks to a successful and creative partnership between Nintendo and EA. Mario has traveled in snow before, but never this fast. Let’s hope his mustache doesn’t freeze."

Reach breakneck speeds, catch huge air, and become an icon with SSX On Tour. Create a rider or skier and build a career as you progress from a slope-side wannabe to a black-diamond-dominating rockstar. Compete for medals or just tear up the massive new mountain, but make sure you look good doing it because your reputation is always on the line. Pull off jaw-dropping monster tricks to out-style your competitors while hurtling down the slopes at supersonic speeds. You create the hype-the hype creates a legend in SSX On Tour.

GOT GAME?

2005-08-26T17:06:00.000-04:00

Take our survey..CLICK HERE

Marc Ecko Mobile Game Preview

2005-08-26T16:48:00.000-04:00

Click here to watch a preview of the mobile version of Marc Ecko's
Getting Up

Black Video Game Characters: Ludacris

2005-08-26T16:17:00.000-04:00

Name: Ludacris
First Apperance: Def Jam Vendetta
Publisher: EA Games

The bad boy from the south kick ass in this urban themed figihting game.

Black Video Game Characters: Lil Kim

2005-08-26T10:27:00.000-04:00

Name: Lil' Kim
First Apperance: Def Jam Fight For NY
Publisher: EA Games

The queen bee makes her video game debut in the popular Def Jam Fight for NY game. She really packed a mean stinging punch when she got fired up. You wanna rumble with the B huh? Put a hex on your whole family.

Sony May Expand PSP Functionality

2005-08-25T12:03:00.000-04:00

From GameDaily:
Sony's new 2.0 PSP firmware has just been released in the U.S. enabling web browsing and more, but Sony is not likely to stop there. Sony Computer Entertainment platform development chief Izumi Kawanishi has indicated that they are considering adding Flash support and better Javascript functionality, as well as support for USB peripherals like a mouse and keyboard. More inside...

Although Sony's PlayStation Portable is already a pretty versatile device, it seems that Sony is planning on slowly expanding its capabilities to add even more functionality. According to an interview with Sony Computer Entertainment platform development chief Izumi Kawanishi on Japanese technology website ITmedia (and partially translated by GameSpot), Sony is strongly considering adding to its PSP web browser, as well as releasing several USB peripherals in the future.

Going beyond HTML
Some of the new features for the PSP web browser—which is currently nothing more than a basic HTML browser—that are being considered include Web-based game content, downloadable movies, support for e-mail and Macromedia Flash, and also increased Javascript capability. Kawanishi also indicated that they are thinking about supporting downloadable games for the PSP and that he'd be curious to see what simple games users could create on their own and then distribute online.

[ "... a mouse and keyboard would not only make surfing the web much easier but also open the door for other possibilities like word processing" ]

Flash has become an integral part of many websites, so enabling Flash on the PSP would certainly better the portable web browsing experience. Kawanishi explained that his development team is actually very open to basically any Internet-related functions as long as the PSP's memory could handle it and the unit's performance doesn't suffer. As such, the development team has to experiment with Flash on the PSP before deciding to implement it.

Kawanishi also said that his team will probably release a manual to give website designers guidelines on how to make web pages specifically for the PSP. He explained that memory constraints are sometimes problematic because the PSP relies on the unit's internal main memory to handle the data streams; it currently does not use the memory stick pro duo because just as with any memory card, if it should pop out a number of errors could be triggered suddenly. That being said, Sony may allow for displaying saved web pages via the memory stick pro duo in the future.

USB peripherals forthcoming?
In addition to fleshing out the web browser, Kawanishi told ITmedia that Sony is looking at releasing USB peripherals such as a mouse and keyboard, which would not only make surfing the web much easier but also open the door for other possibilities like word processing if such software is made available. Another potential peripheral mentioned was the Global Positioning System (GPS), which actually had already been shown at last year's E3. A GPS peripheral could have some interesting implications for both web-based applications and PSP gameplay.

In related news, PSP firmware 2.0, which was made available in Japan weeks ago, has finally been released for the U.S. The update patches a few security holes, gives PSP owners the ability to use the much talked about web browser, adds support for wallpapers and also some new media formats, such as the higher-quality AVC video.

From this editor's experience, the newly released official PSP web browser is a nice improvement over the hacked browser enabled through Wipeout Pure. The pages load faster, you can bookmark your favorites, and inputting text has been made slightly easier. With better Flash and Javascript support and email, the PSP could offer a fantastic portable web browsing experience. As it stands right now, it's more than acceptable if you're in a pinch.

Marc Ecko Block PARTY TODAY!

2005-08-24T09:34:00.000-04:00

Marc Ecko, designer and "Navigator of Youth Culture," is set to recruit the legends of Hip-Hop culture for the upcoming Marc Ecko's Getting Up Block Party. The first-of-it-kind street festival, free to the public and held August 24th on 22nd Street between 10th and 11th Avenues from 12:00PM – 8:00PM, will feature graffiti demonstrations, live DJs and surprise musical performances in celebration of the golden age of Hip-Hop. The event coincides with the anticipated release of Atari's graffiti-based videogame, Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure.

As a throwback to graffiti's glory days, "Marc Ecko's Getting Up Block Party" will feature ten 48-foot-long by 8-foot-high replicas of the legendary NYC transit blue-bird subway cars Ed Walker, Jr., which will be transformed into contemporary urban works of art by renowned graffiti writers.

A lineup of legendary artists, from the notorious 'Bronx bomber and destroyer' COPE2 to T-KID (Terrible Kid), who first started writing on trains as early as 1974, will spend the day doing full color murals on the vintage trains.

Other participating graf writers include DASH, WEST, CES, SONIC, IZ THE WIZ, MIN, DURO, WANE, WEN, DERO, CYCLE, SMITH, PINK, DOC, KEL 1st, MARE139, CRASH, DAZE, SUB, GHOST, and the famous TATS CREW.

Blue-birds, a high point of nostalgia for historians and artists alike, were often used as an urban canvas by graffiti writers throughout the 1980s before blasting machines and buffers were used to strip them clean, effectively putting an end to the era of graffiti artwork on the sides of trains.

"Graffiti is without question the most powerful art movement in recent history and has been a driving inspiration throughout my career," said Marc Ecko, Executive Creative Director for Getting Up. "I'm honored to be bringing its pioneering creative forces together to look back on its tradition and to celebrate its future."

In addition to reviving an old school graffiti tradition, the block party will offer guests the opportunity to participate in live demos of Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure and experience the first truly authentic video game based on urban culture and graffiti. The videogame, which is being published by Atari and developed by The Collective for a Fall 2005 release, brings together over 65 legendary graffiti writers, six of whom will serve as in-game mentors to its protagonist, Trane.

Event sponsors include GameStop Corp., Truth (www.thetruth.com), Toy Tokyo (www.toytokyo.com), Montana paint and Mass Appeal magazine.

Black Video Game Characters: Trane

2005-08-24T07:58:00.000-04:00

Name: Trane
First Apperance: Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure
Publisher: Atari

Trane, voiced by rapper Talib Kweli, a young graf artist who goes from Toy (the equivalent of a "noob" in the graffiti world) to All-City (a legend). As the game progresses, Trane uses his growing underground notoriety to expose and uncover corruption in New Radius' tyrannical government.

Black Video Game Characters: Afrodite

2005-08-24T07:49:00.000-04:00

Name: Afrodite
First Apperance: Outlaw Tennis
Publisher: Global Star Software/MTV

The badass sister on rollerskates. She packs a mean swing....just don't let her dance near the turntable cause her big bootay will make the record skip

Black Video Game Characters: D'arci Stern

2005-08-23T22:44:00.000-04:00

Name: D'arci Stern
First Apperance: Urban Chaos
Publisher: Eidos

B A C K G R O U N D
A troublesome child, D'arci was always trying to be prove herself as an equal to her peers. Getting into scrapes with the older kids never backing down she was renowned to fighting with the passion of a wildcat. This continued through her teens and her knack of finding trouble led her to associate with the wrong crowd. To counter this troublesome streak her parents enrolled young D'arci into a gymnasium and hoped that the focus would deter her from getting into trouble. She excelled and became county champion.

F A M I L Y
The youngest of 4-Darci was the only girl. Her 3 brothers along with their father before them had all ventured into the career path of law enforcement. Never wanting to join the Police herself but would rather go against her father's wishes and travel the world and "see what's going on out there". Her path in life change when a call came through to he mother informing them that on a routine patrol her father was gunned downed and died on the way to the Hospital, the next day she applied to the Police Academy and would soon be patrolling the streets. Her second year in the force would prove to be a year she would like to forget. After hearing the about the death of her brother. Again in the line of duty, she went crazy with rage and hunted down the perpetrator. She spent the next 3 months hunting down her brothers killer, on finding him she unleashed all her anger and pain. She left him inches from death. She was also looking at a demotion that would haunt her to this day.

C A R E E R H I S T O R Y
Her first year on the force was one of learning the ways of the city from her partner. On the beat, she showed incredible talent in stalking and apprehending criminals. Her physical abilities enabled her to explore hard to reach locations, her martial art skills kept her safe. Unfortunately she was prone to fits of temper which clouded her judgment and lead to several 'incidents' while apprehending criminals. Her second year found her maturing into an excellent cop, that it until her demotion for excessive violence and misconduct. (in apprehending her brother's killer)

Black Video Game Characters: TJ Combo

2005-08-23T22:36:00.000-04:00

T.J. Combo comes from a rather large family. When he was very young, his father died of cancer, leaving his mother to take care of him, his three sisters and two brothers. All of the kids were forced to take jobs around the neighborhood (ie lawnmowing, raking leaves, etc), and when they were of legal age, they were employed at minimum wage. Combo worked perhaps harder than any of his other family members. Therefore, he didn't do as well in school, especially compared against his younger sister, Karen, who was turning out to be quite a genius. Combo always dreamed of making a lot of money, and helping his poor, overworked mother out. He decided to pursue a career in professional boxing, since from what he could tell, sports superstars made more money than any other profession. Combo loved to fight, and he loved boxing - every evening, after working, he used to train in a gym in the neighborhood with an old, retired circuit fighter. After finishing high school, Combo decided to skip college in order to train. Combo was good enough to earn his way into a minor circuit of the ABA (American Boxing Association). However, a superstar he was not. He lost many fights, and it was hard enough for him to break even with his wins/losses. Combo started to get desperate, and fight beyond his own limits. In what would be his last minor circuit fight (for now), Combo received devastating injuries to both his arms, including shattered bones, torn ligaments, and the muscles in his right arm had been almost completely ripped apart. The medical assessments were very grim. Some doctors believed that he would never regain full use of either arm. Others believed that, over time, they might heal to basic mobility. Some thought he'd never be able to use his arms again. All agreed that he could never box again. Thoroughly dissatisfied, Combo turned to his younger sister, Karen. By this time, she had gone through college fairly quickly, and was now working in the field of engineering for a rising technological corporation, Ultratech. Using radical techniques and cybernetics, Combo could regain 100% use of his arms. Unfortunately, Combo realized that, if cybernetics were to be used to restore his arm strength, then it could be used to enhance his arms, and make him into the boxing superstar he dreamed of becoming. When he proposed it to Karen, she flatly refused. Combo pleaded with her, saying he wouldn't undergo the surgery to restore his arms unless she included the enhancements as well. He also brought up their mother; how hard she had worked, how much she deserved a break, and how much he wanted to give it to her. Karen finally buckled, and agreed, as long as Combo retired from boxing one year after making his fame. By then, he should have enough money to take care of the family, and anything longer than that might risk putting a strain on the cybernetics. The operation went flawlessly. T.J. Combo now had arms that were 75% cybernetic, which gave him arm speed and strength up to 200% of a normal man. Returning to boxing after a reasonable hiatus, Combo all but demolished the minor circuit, and quickly made his way to up the world circuit. Of course, there were rumors abound as to how a low ranking fighter who had suffered a crippling injury was suddenly the world's number one contender. But nothing could be confirmed, so the rumors remained rumors. Needless to say, Combo quickly became world champion. Before he knew it, he had more wealth and fame than he had ever imagined. As promised, he pampered his family, especially his mother. She was able to spend the last years of her life happy, and finally living comfortably. But, Combo's excessive wealth went to his head, and going against his sister's wishes, he decided to stay in boxing past the one year. His relationship with Karen became strained, to the point that they stopped talking altogether. Aside from that, things continued to go extremely well for Combo for several years, but during a particulary tough championship fight, his cybernetic arms suffered severe damage and shorted out during the fight, exposing the truth to all. Combo was stripped of his title, he lost his wealth, and he was disgraced in the entertainment world. No sponsors would touch him, he was now banned from the ABA, he couldn't even earn a spot as an announcer. This was truly the lowest of all lows. As a final salvation, Combo discovered the Killer Instinct tournament. Held every year by the Ultratech Corporation, the winner of the tournament was granted any one wish he so desired, as long as it was within Ultratech's power (and given the Corporation's might, that was a lot). Combo figured that if he could win KI, he could get back into the ABA at least, or just wish for unfathomable riches, and let his fame build again from his participation in the tournament. Having no other options, Combo tried out for, and made it into, Killer Instinct 7. Originally, Combo entered the tournament for nothing more than his personal fame. However, midway during the tournament, one of the other fighters, Orchid, held a conference with him and several other fighters. She said that she was an agent of a top secret organization, and Ultratech was hiding sinister intentions behind the Killer Instinct tournament. She asked the non-Ultratech fighters to help her combat the evil corporation. At first, Combo felt pressured to agree, and would only help this "secret agent" for as long as purposes suited him. During the battles, Combo saw that much, much more was at stake than his fame. Combo now lends his skills towards the greater good - preventing Ultratech's plans from becoming a reality.

Black Video Game Characters: Jonathan Blade

2005-08-23T22:29:00.000-04:00

Real Name: Jonathan Blade
First Appearance: Eternal Champions (1997)
Publisher:Sega Interactive

Occupation: Bounty Hunter
TIME ZONE: 2030 A.D.Fighting
Style: Kenpo
Born in Syria and raised in Africa, Officer Jonathan Blade was dedicated "to the extreme", working some of the meanest streets in New Chicago. His only real problem was his temper. Once he beat a suspect within an inch of his life. The suspect sued the police, and Blade was fired to hush the scandal. Blade moved back to Syria and became a bounty hunter, making better use of his quick temper. He was sent by the Syrian government to deal with a rogue scientist who had a virus that could kill 95% of the world's population. Blade convinced the scientist to surrender peacefully, unfortunately, the Syrian government disregarded their non interference agreement with Blade. Laser rifles open fire on Blade's alley location, and the vial smashed to pavement. it was the last thing Blade saw, dying because he was infected with the virus.

Black Video Game Characters: D-Mob

2005-08-23T19:58:00.000-04:00

Real Name: Darrell Lewis
First Appearance: Def Jam Vendetta
Publisher:EA Sports Big

Here’s the big man himself. The man you will avoid if you know what’s good for you, understand? D-Mob runs all the fight club action in New York City. He also has his hands in just about everything else you can think of that involves money. Illicit enterprise is his thing, and he does it better than anyone. With run-ins with you and Snoop Dogg, he still sits on top of NY as the king. We'll see if he returns in Def Jam 3 for the 360 and if he still runnin thangs.

Black Video Game Characters: Carl Johnson

2005-08-23T19:30:00.000-04:00

Real Name: Carl Johnson
First Appearance: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Publisher:Rockstar

In his youth Carl Johnson ran with his neighborhood street gang The Grove Street Familes. After a tragic turn of events in which one of his blood brothers is murdered, Carl moves to Liberty City, turning his back on the rest of the gang. 5 years later while living the fast life in Liberty, he receives a phone call from his brother "Sweet" Johnson, telling him that his mother has been killed. Carl quickly hops on a plane back to San Andreas to pay last respects. Once there, at the cemetary his brother lays into him about not protecting his other (dead) brother and then running away to Liberty City years ago. Carls' sister forgives him, but he now has bigger problems. He wants to patch things up and reunite with his family, but the only way to do it is to return to the gang he ran away from, which is currently involved in fierce turf wars from every front.

(taken from blacksuperhero.com)

Black Video Game Characters: Black Orchid

2005-08-23T12:19:00.000-04:00

Who can forget the super sexy Black Orchid from the Killer Instinct series from Nintendo. Pulling off 101 Hit Combo's with this sister was always a pleasure. We also loved when she turned into the eletric yellow cat during her combo's.

Full name: Black OrchidAge: 23
Height: 5'6''
Weight: 125 lbs.==
ARCADE HISTORY ==B. Orchid is a secret agent, sent by an unknown group toinvestigate the mysterious disappearances that surroundthe Killer Instinct tournament. Her true identity andabilitie are shrouded in secrecy.

ANOTHER HISTORY ==For many years Black Orchid has been amongst the codenamedelite of a professional spy organisation working for thegreater good of society. Her past remains hidden, includingsome things of which even she is unaware: she won't find outfor some time yet that Jago is actually her brother. Realisingthat clear evidence of Ultratech's crimes and dark ambitionis proving impossible to come by, she eventually decides thatthe only way into the company is also the most dangerous - straightthrough the open front door. Once her superiors are persuaded ofthe necessity, she goes ahead and enters the tournament.

Black Video Game Characters: Eddie Gordo/Tiger

2005-08-23T09:39:00.000-04:00

Real Name: Eddie Gordo
First Appearance: Tekken 3
Publisher:Namco

Now you can't tell us that Eddie wasn't a Bad Ass. I remember kicking many peoples asses with with Eddie and his twin Tiger. Now Tiger was a Stright up 70's disco dancer/PIMP

Eddy's master was about to be freed from prison after a long incarceration. Eddy went to the prison to meet him but instead found a frail old man that was only a shadow of his former self. Eddy was told his he had a incurable illness and less than six months to live. Eddy discovered there was a remote possibility that he could discover a cure if they had access to the technology and resources of the giant financial group Mishima Zaibatsu.

Several days later, Eddy decided to enter The King of Iron Fist Tournament with the intention of taking over the Mishima Financial Empire. His student "Christie" also joins him in the tournament.

Sexy Ladies of Hip-Hop and R&B 2

2005-08-22T00:28:00.000-04:00

Sexy Ladies of Hip-Hop and R&B 2

It's here! Thanks to all you guys over at PSP Drive.com that downloaded the first edition. So hit us up and let us know who you want to see in #3.

Mobile Gaming Gains in Popularity

2005-08-22T00:24:00.000-04:00

Mobile gaming is far more than just a fad, according to a new report published by The NPD Group. The report, which provides an in-depth look at consumer demand for mobile games, is based on a recent survey of more than 8,500 teens and adults conducted by The NPD Group and explores the key growth drivers in this flourishing market, including purchasing habits, who's buying vs. who's freeloading and just how much they'll pay to play.

"The world of mobile gaming is like the Wild West," says Clint Wheelock, vice president of wireless research for The NPD Group, who oversaw the study. "In this time of rapid growth, and with the industry in such a formative stage, it's especially important for wireless operators and game publishers to understand the mindsets of mobile gamers, in order to best position themselves for long-term success."

According to the report, the addressable market for mobile games continues to expand quickly, with half of all U.S. wireless subscribers now owning phones capable of downloading games. A full 27 percent play games on those devices, including purchased downloads as well as free demos and pre-loaded games, compared to 20 percent last year. Even better for the industry, the market hasn't come close to tapping its potential-another six percent of current non-gamers confessed an interest in playing on their phone over the next year. The reason most often cited for the burgeoning interest: "to kill time or alleviate boredom." In fact, the average gaming session is a mere 11 minutes.

The Players and What They're Playing

Mobile games are a "digital snack" for video gamers while they're away from their game consoles, PCs, and handhelds - consumers who play games on other devices are twice as likely to play on their cell phones, as well. But limited screen size and navigation options do have an impact, which is a key reason why casual games like puzzles and cards are the most popular. Not surprisingly, kids between the ages of 13 and 17 (60 percent) are nearly three times as likely as adults (23 percent) to be mobile gamers. More surprising, however, is the increasing ethnic diversity of the mobile gaming community-compared to typical wireless subscribers, mobile gamers are twice as likely to be African-American, Hispanic or Asian.

The Price Conundrum

According to the report, mobile gamers tend to spend more on handsets-an average of 57 percent more. They also tend to be heavier users of their mobile phones for regular calls, using 48 percent more wireless minutes than non-gamers, and their monthly wireless bills are 22 percent higher than the average subscriber.

But not all of the news is positive for the mobile gaming industry. According to the report, there's a significant price sensitivity issue, which is inhibiting the industry from really taking off. That helps explain why only about one-third of mobile gamers actually buy the games themselves. The remaining two-thirds are satisfied playing free or pre-loaded games. And just like digital music, the dominant purchase model is single downloads, while monthly subscriptions barely show up on consumer's radars.

Invisible Gamers

2005-08-22T00:21:00.000-04:00

According to the miserably scant research that has been done on gaming and ethnic minorities in the U.S., African Americans are among the most avid players of video games. Hip hop music saturates many game soundtracks, and the ethnically diverse inner city has become the fashionable setting for the Grand Theft Auto series and its many progeny. What you won't see, however, are game ads on the BET cable channel, on African-American radio stations, or even on the most popular online hub for African American players, AAGamer.com. "We are visible as people who are buying the product, but there is nobody who is marketing to us," says Joseph Saulter, CEO, Entertainment Arts Research (www.earesearch.com), an Atlanta-based "urban games developer" that is working on game titles targeting African American gamers. "There is an entire market that is being underserved," says Saulter. "They can't wait for someone to market to them."

Of course, licensed sports titles have always included African American athletes. Recent franchises like EA's "Street" sports series and Def Jam Vendetta and Midway's NBA Ballers clearly focus on this community. But many game companies rely on their general marketing plan to capture ethnic audiences and fail to see the benefits of targeted marketing into these communities, a tactic that the film industry and even packaged goods manufacturers realized many years ago. "There are opportunities for achieving in this market additions to your bottom line," says Roderick Woodruff, an advertising veteran who co-founded AAGamer.com last October with his wife, bestselling author Connie Woodruff. Even with 2 million hits in April, the site has not attracted direct advertising from game publishers.

Even when it doesn't result in immediate new sales, advertising specifically to the African American community helps companies build franchises and loyalty in a community that can be tapped in future launches. "It shows audiences that you understand, that you care about people of color. It lets me know that you are concerned about me as a black consumer and that you've tried to represent me in the storyline somehow."

Towards Inclusion

The dearth of marketing and game design that include African Americans is only beginning to be addressed. Vivendi brand manager, Nicole Bradford will offer a keynote address on the topic at the upcoming Digital Arts Symposium (October 6-9, Silver Spring, MD). Saulter's company, EAR, is about to start shopping around a game demo by his coalition of designers. Kaotic Foolz, an urban action adventure for consoles, is the first of about six titles he has in development. And mainstream games marketers who want to try to understand this market can start with the well-attended and opinionated forums at AAGamer, which the Woodruffs started as a place where African American gamers could have a voice.

More than marketing to African Americans, Saulter and the Woodruffs want to see game companies move beyond the rough stereotypes of NBA Ballers or Def Jam Vendetta, let alone the thuggish depictions in GTA and its offspring. "To have me always represented as the fool or the prostitute is not going to pay well, and we have seen it done in games," says Woodruff. He and his family have become avid players of NCSoft's City of Heroes in part because the game lets users play African Americans. "The designers must have given that storyline some thought about how to represent people," he says.

Saulter has no objection to violence and criminality in games or to have African American characters engage in this typical sort of action gaming behavior. But he wants to see more depth. "If the world can look at the Italian Mafia crime syndicates and almost idealize them in entertainment, then why can't we bring in gangs and make their characters understandable? "I've been watching 'The Sopranos' for three years, and inside of everything Tony is a person." Saulter also wants to see the range of African American experience represented in games. "There are good people in the ghetto, not just chain-wearing criminals." One EAR game in development, Seventh Day, is a Christian-oriented title being written by novelist Charles Campbell, and another, Billy Zane, is in the horror genre.

In fact, one of the blind spots in gaming is the presumption that sports is the genre of greatest interest to African American players. According to a Forrester survey last year that asked gamers what types of games they played at least once a week, 25% of African Americans said fighting titles, slightly more than traditional sport games (24%). This segment is well ahead of white audiences in frequency of playing wrestling games (20%), survival horror (15%), and action/adventure (23%).

And like the Latino gamer, African Americans are much more social players (see chart), a critical aspect of minority segments that could prove very lucrative for the game companies that attend to it. Forrester analysts say "This tendency to game socially will lead Hispanics and Blacks to be early adopters of commercial game consoles - which will boost their adoption of broadband." Publishers should also be considering how games with head to head play can work well in this segment. But most of all, the power of social play and social networking within American ethnic minorities should tell games marketers a great deal about the potential for marketing virally and through key community influentials. "When one person does something, it goes throughout this community very fast," says Saulter.

Getting in the Game

In fact, African Americans are much more likely (12%) to play educational titles than whites (5%), and Woodruff thinks that this is a much-overlooked opportunity for game companies. Initiatives throughout the African American community to improve local schools dove-tails perfectly with one of this community's favorite pursuits, gaming. "These kids can play games but they can't read," he says. "We think the future of gaming is huge and we see more in education. Urban schools need it." He already sees Microsoft and others starting to spend a lot of time and money exploring the school and educational market and starting to see how classic game design skills apply here. "Simulation will be the wave of the future. It will be how children are taught," he says.

As with Hollywood film, music and TV before it, games will better reflect and include the audiences who use this medium when African Americans and Latinos themselves are designing the games, not just buying them. Neither Saulter nor Woodruff contend that the gaming industry in any way excludes African Americans from the design workforce, but it is important to have minority voices contribute to the fundamental designs.

"It's the puppeteer's point of view," says Saulter. "If I want an African American character to be in my game, then who is the puppeteer? When I take all the clothes off a 3D character and put on the baggy pants, the character moves differently, the clothes move around differently. It's a different kind of jump."

If the game industry really wants to speak to ethnic minorities and the considerable markets of ultra-loyal consumers they represent, then it needs to cultivate designers, writers and executives of color who sit at the table when the scripting decisions are made, when the media are bought, and when the green lights are given. "If Black folks and Latino folks are waiting on white folks to write these stories, it ain't going to happen," says Woodruff.

Contact: Rod and Connie Woodruff, 443/367-0023; Joseph Saulter, 404/965-5937

Do You Spend Half or More of Your Playing Time... ?
: Playing with someone else in the room?
White: 26.10%
Afr.-Am.: 36.40%
Latino: 34.60%

: Playing with someone else online?
White: 1.30%
Afr.-Am.: 3.90%
Latino: 6.90%

: Playing with others In the room against others online?
White: 0.80%
Afr.-Am.: 4.40%
Latino: 3.50%

Source: Forrester Research

Blacks and Latinos, the untapped market

2005-08-22T00:16:00.000-04:00

Apr 2005 Video Gamers Benchmark Release

Industry’s First Benchmark Study From Nielsen Entertainment Provides Directional Findings on Emerging Markets, Spending, and Cross-Media Ownership for Interactive Entertainment First Quarter Video Gaming Industry Benchmark Report Highlights Consumer-level Data on Gaming Behavior and Purchasing

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA –April 7, 2005 – How are the demographics of gamers evolving, how much do they spend each month on games and competitive entertainment media, what platforms and genres do they prefer, what motivates a purchase of new platforms such as the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP or next generation hardware such as Xbox2 and PS3, and what sources of information drive awareness are among the questions answered in an industry-first benchmark report, the first installment of this bi-annual study being released today by Nielsen Entertainment’s Interactive Group.

Among the key findings, evidence that:

• Gamers are growing beyond the traditional 8-34 year-old male target;

• Women, Hispanics and African-Americans are an underserved and emerging market for interactive entertainment;

• For males, spending on games has become the 2nd ranked purchased category behind DVDs and in front of CDs, MP3 and music purchases;

• Women and older adults are playing games in increasing numbers;

• Graphics dominate as a significant motivation for purchase of specific titles and next generation hardware;

• There is a strong connection between DVD and game consumption to be exploited in marketing and cross-promotion;

• While Caucasians report spending the most money per month on DVDs, African-Americans and Hispanics report spending more money per month on games and mobile services.

Andy Wing, CEO of Nielsen Entertainment said, “As interactive entertainment aims to take a more central place in the ecology of the living room, we will continue to monitor consumer awareness and purchase interest of next-generation consoles, and more broadly, the ways in which all consumers are responding to competing forums for their leisure time.”

The report is a first for the interactive entertainment space, a medium which has flourished among the young male demographic and has until today, been guided more by instinct and technology than empirical data. The results of this first study and the forthcoming second installment in Q3’05 will assist developers, marketers and interactive entertainment sales executives in strategy and planning decisions, in addition to providing the entertainment industry more broadly with a clear picture of video games today and their potential as a thriving entertainment medium in the not so distant future.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM VIDEO GAME INDUSTRY BENCHMARK REPORT

The Benchmark report found that nearly 40% of U.S. households own at least one of the following game systems for game play - PC, home console or handheld device. In terms of cross ownership, the study found that 23% of gamers own all three types of gaming devices – PC, console and handheld; among those who own a gaming device, 89% own a console, 65% own a PC, 36% own a handheld, Among the respondents who own Playstation 2 (PS2), Xbox or Nintendo GameCube - 8% own all three popular consoles. The report found that among those who own one of these three consoles, 57% own a PS2, 39% own an Xbox and 27% own a GameCube.

Results from the report suggest that the use of video games as an entertainment option is directly correlated to overall leisure time availability: younger gamers reporting the most leisure time and are the most likely to play games. The Benchmark report also found that 39% of gamers are female and that nearly 24% of all gamers are over the age of 40.

“While this reinforces the industry’s traditional targeting towards these groups, women between the ages of 18 to 24 show relatively high entertainment expenditure and time availability, suggesting there are opportunities for publishers to target this consumer,” said Emily Della Maggiora, Vice President of Nielsen Interactive Entertainment. “African American and Hispanic gamers appear to be a potentially lucrative (and currently under-served) consumer target for publishers as these gamers are spending more money to purchase games and more time to play them compared to total gamers, in general.”

Overall, active gamers typically spend approximately 5.2 hours playing by themselves with a large proportion also being spent playing socially (3.07 hours per week with friends and family or online). Among females, the split between solo and social game play is even more equitable with younger females 13-17 tending to play more with friends or family (54% of the time) and women 25-34 playing almost as much socially as alone. Males and females 45 and older are markedly different, spending almost all their time (79%) playing alone. Interestingly, platform-based analysis shows significant variation which is reflective of Xbox’ emphasis on online game play and multiplayer games. Those from the study that prefer playing on an Xbox spend as much time playing with friends and family/online as they do alone (5.49 hours vs. 5.36 hours, respectively).

The Benchmark report explored consumer sentiment towards future next generation devices such as ‘Xbox 2/Xenon’ and the ‘PS3’ home consoles. The report found that at this point in time consumer response to next generation consoles is lukewarm and only minimally heightened by decreasing price. Active gamers who do express some interest in purchasing one of the next generations consoles indicate that they are more likely to wait some time after release before purchasing the system. Also important to note is that among the current consoles, Xbox holds up slightly better than PS2 in retaining consumer loyalty.

NIE plans to field its next study in August with results available in September 2005.

METHODOLOGY Through a random digital dial frame (RDD) of over 1500 respondents – collected in January and February 2005 – the 80-page report delivers key information on:

• Gamer demographics

• Penetration figures for PC, console and handheld games

• Cross ownership

• Purchase behavior along with rental and usage behavior

• Purchase motivators

• Attitudes towards next generation hardware

The report also includes special analyses on mobile phone related entertainment, 2004 holiday purchase insights, and high potential consumer targets as mentioned above, particularly Female, African-American and Hispanic gamers.

About Nielsen Entertainment

Through custom research, consulting and the world's most comprehensive network of entertainment measurement systems and analysis, Nielsen Entertainment delivers Actionable Entertainment Intelligence to clients engaged in the business of selling entertainment and trading in the marketplace of our popular culture.

Nielsen Entertainment’s AEI products give clients unrivaled perspective from which to steer business decisions, providing the measure and the motivation in one package; comparing what the consumer says they do and what they actually do, in any given environment including film, television, music, books, and interactive media.

Nielsen Entertainment is comprised of the following businesses: National Research Group (NRG), EDI and EDI International, Television Services, SoundScan, Broadcast Data Systems, Aircheck, Music Control, VideoScan, Market Navigator, BookScan, BookData, and Interactive Entertainment, and utilizes the full portfolio of sister companies including Nielsen Media Research (television ratings) and Nielsen Net Ratings (internet usage) to deliver a whole media point of view. Nielsen Entertainment is part of VNU, www.vnu.com, and a global leader in information services for the media and entertainment industries.

Blacks More Likely To Be Hardcore Video Gamers

2005-08-22T00:14:00.000-04:00

Blacks playing on their video game consoles are definitely getting their money’s worth. They buy all kinds of games–from action-adventure to sports and even educational games. And they spend a lot of time playing–in fact, they’re more likely than whites to be hardcore video gamers. Blacks are also social gamers: they like hanging out with someone else in the room when they play.

Did you know that in the U.S….?

When it comes to video console gamers–

Blacks are more likely than whites to be hardcore gamers.

Blacks are just as likely as whites to be casual gamers.

Hispanics are more likely than blacks, whites or Asians to be hardcore gamers.

Asians are the most likely to be casual gamers.

And among PC gamers–

Blacks are more likely than whites to be casual gamers.

Hispanics are more likely than blacks, whites or Asians to be casual gamers.

Asians are the most likely to be hardcore gamers.

And there’s more–

Among blacks and whites who own a video game console, blacks are more likely than whites to play almost all types of games including fighting, racing, action-adventure, and sports. The exception is role-playing games, where blacks and whites are about equally like to play. But don’t think that blacks are just goofing off on their consoles: they’re also far more likely than whites or Hispanics to play educational games on their consoles.

When blacks play on their consoles they’re much more likely than whites to play with someone else in the room and to play with others in the room against others online. Hispanics are the most likely to play with someone else online.

Hmmm. So it seems that blacks playing on their video consoles are definitely getting their money’s worth–they buy all kinds of games and they spend a lot of time playing. And blacks are social gamers: they like hanging out with someone else in the room cheering them on.

Data Source: Forrester Research

2005-08-19T08:26:00.000-04:00

A big nappy happy b-day to sneaker15. Wit his old ass.

Microsoft Announces Xbox 360 Pricing

2005-08-18T10:27:00.000-04:00

You been waiting for a long time for this. You heard the rumors and everything like that. We know the truth and here it is.

#1. They will be two verisons on the 360 for launch, set at two different prices. One will be for the "ultimate gamer". Set at $399.99, the Xbox 360 pack will be the Xbox 360 Console itself, a 20 GB detachable Hard Drive (which will be preloaded with some undisclosed high definition content), a single Wireless Controller, a removable Faceplate, a wireless Headset, a Component HD AV Cable, an Ethernet cable, an Xbox Live Silver membership, and, for a limited time, the Xbox 360 Media Remote.

The second verison is the Xbox 360 core system. For 299.99, this includes the system, a controller which will not be wireless, a removable Faceplate, an Xbox Live Silver membership, and the Xbox 360 Standard AV Cable.

#2. The company also released an initial list of some of the accessories that will be available at launch. It's interesting to note that gamers who purchase the Xbox 360 (as opposed to the Core System) will be saving a chunk of change over their friends who purchase the accessories separately. Here's what you'll be able to pick up on launch day

-Xbox 360 Faceplate (Suggested Retail Price: $19.99)
-Xbox 360 Hard Drive (20 GB) (SRP: $99.99)
-Xbox 360 Memory Unit (64 MB) (SRP: $39.99)
-Xbox 360 Wireless Networking Adapter (SRP: $99.99)
-Xbox 360 Wireless Controller (SRP: $49.99)
-Xbox 360 Play and Charge Kit (SRP: $19.99)
-Xbox 360 Rechargeable Battery Pack (SRP: $11.99)
-Xbox 360 Controller (SRP: $39.99)
-Xbox 360 Headset (SRP: $19.99)
-Xbox 360 Universal Media Remote (SRP: $29.99)
-Xbox 360 Component HD AV Cable (SRP $39.99)
-Xbox 360 S-Video AV Cable (US only) (SRP: $29.99)
-Xbox 360 VGA HD AV Cable (SRP: $39.99)

Marc Ecko Speaks

2005-08-18T09:53:00.000-04:00

OPEN LETTER TO THE CITY OF NEW YORK

August 17, 2005

In recent days, certain members of New York’s City Hall have raised significant concern over an outdoor art exhibition scheduled to be held on Wednesday, August 24, on West 22nd Street between 10th and 11th Avenues. The City has gone so far as to revoke an event permit we have had in hand since July 18, 2005.

Unfortunately the spirit of the event, as it was originally conceived and as it has been presented to the appropriate civic groups and government officials since November 2004, seems to have been lost in the haste to stereotype all graffiti-style artists as “vandals” and to brand this event as a “promotion of crime.”

At its core, this is an event designed to celebrate an art form born from the streets of New York over two decades ago as a means of creative self expression, allowing the public a unique chance to experience the workmanship and skill that go into creating a piece of art fine enough to hang on the walls of any traditional gallery or museum. Upon completion, a 48 foot mural will be donated to The Point, a Bronx-based nonprofit youth development organization, while the remaining nine will be placed throughout the city for public display.

This is my tribute to the 20 participating artists whose works now command top dollar across the globe, as well as to an art form powerful enough to permeate virtually every moment in our lives, from the ads and music videos we watch on TV to the products we wear and consume.

I am not, for the record, here as a graffiti artist. My style pales in comparison to people like Pink, Cope2, and T-Kid. I am, however, here as a by-product of their sense of style and their truly unique aesthetic language, drawing influence from their work in every one of my business ventures and surrounding myself at night with their canvas, photographs, and sculptures.

I am well aware that drawing graffiti in public places is a crime, and I do not condone or encourage it. At the same time, however, graffiti is a legitimate and historical part of the great art history of our city. The visual dialect is alive and well, and contrary to the opinion of certain elected officials, just because you draw on paper that way doesn't mean that you are writing on walls. That is the dialect that these artists and others like them dream through, that informed their creative energy so early on and helped them to go on to become a muralist, a film maker, a story teller, and even a clothing designer.

We are, as we have for nearly 10 months, continuing our dialogue with the proper authorities to reach a mutually agreed upon means of hosting this event on August 24 as planned. I have retained legal counsel who will vigorously and zealously represent my First Amendment interests, and those of my fellow artists and the community at large. In the meantime, I will continue to focus on what promises to be an enjoyable day of free art and music for the city that is home to my operations and that so generously embraced our “Save the Rhinos” benefit concert in Central Park less than two months ago.

- Marc Ecko

Atari Speak out on the "Getting Up" game controversy

2005-08-18T09:46:00.000-04:00

Marc Ecko’s Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure provides fun, innovative and challenging game-play set in the fictional city of "New Radius". The game environment and narrative present a unique setting and look based on the lifestyle and legend of graffiti artists and their chosen art form. The look and feel of the game reflect many aspects of this culture, including its music, fashion, and language, giving the player the ability to "experience" the graffiti art form in a safe and legal setting. The focus of the game is on expression through art; the hero is typically equipped with only paint, and never guns.

The game includes feature-film-level contributions from world-renowned multi-media artists such as Sean “P Diddy” Combs and the RZA, and the voices of actors such as Brittany Murphy, Rosario Dawson and Giovanni Ribisi. Just as popular films and television shows present fictionalized entertainment depicting stories, cultures, characters and actions that may be exaggerated versions of "real-life" people or events, video games such as Getting Up provide amusement and escape in a fantasy world where players can vicariously experience different lifestyles and mock activities.

Atari, Inc. prides itself on providing innovative entertainment experiences like Getting Up. Atari, Inc. does not condone or encourage the commission of any criminal act, or the wrongful suppression of the freedom of artistic expression."

Sincerely,

Ryan Barr
Vice President, Corporate Communications
Atari, Inc.

AllHipHop.com Madden 2006 Tournament

2005-08-18T00:13:00.000-04:00

Want to get some pratice in before the big national Madden 2006 Tournament?

Sun, Aug 21st: AllHipHop Madden 2006 Tournament. Check out the local competition at this event, and win prizes such as NFL controllers, Atari/Marc Ecko T-shirts, and other great prizes!

Location: Game Time Nation, Time: 2pm-5pm
Address: 111 E. 12th Str, (btw 3rd & 4th Ave)
Directions: 4, 5, L, N, R to 14th Street
RSVP: GAMERSVP@swirlpr.com
Cost: $5 to get in, $20 for the tournament

Marc Ecko comes under attack from nonprofit organizations.

2005-08-17T22:40:00.000-04:00

Keep America Beautiful, and the National Council to Prevent Delinquency, are warning mayors, city council members, and police officers to look for "increased property crime by juveniles" when the game is released. The PlayStation 2 version of Getting Up is due in mid-September. In other words they are saying that more blacks will be out and about on the streets trying to tag the city up. What kind of bullshit is that! In an age where Grand Theft Auto: San Andres and a slew of other urban based games are all focused on gun play, stick ups, and murders. Marc Ecko finally comes out with a game featureing an African-American in a fantasy world. Trane uses his artistic abilites to spread a message through the city and expose the corruption in the system.

The two groups are asking the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) to give the game "the most restrictive rating possible" and have also asked that the ESRB's Advertising Review Council "sanction Atari for its advertising practices on the grounds that the game violates the ARC principle that 'all advertisements should be created with a sense of responsibility toward the public.'"
I could see if Trane was blowing peoples heads off with a mechine gun or ripping someones guts out. But these people sitting behind a desk who odviously haven't read about the details of the game are just shooting off at the mouth.

And as much as we like to think that people understand hip-hop and want to try and "be down" with our culture, they still don't get it or understand. And I don't be surprised of we see 50 Cent Bulletproff come under the same attack. I don't see these guys out there protesting war simulation games, or proesting animal abuse from the usage of unfeed Nintendogs.

Both of the groups needs to get a fucking grip and shut the fuck up. It's a game! It's entertainment!

Aagamer.com

2005-08-16T22:11:00.000-04:00

http://www.aagamer.com

Just happened to stumble across this site which is about African-American's and video games. IT's a cool site but could use some more frequent updates to the site and maybe a lil sexier site design. But check it out...there are some good articles on there.

Joystiq!

2005-08-16T21:44:00.000-04:00

http://www.joystiq.com/entry/1234000997054665

Aww Sookie Sookie now...we got mentioned on Joystiq.com. We love that site.

Drawing minorities into gaming

2005-08-16T11:14:00.000-04:00

Push for more black, Hispanic heroes in video games

ATLANTA, Georgia (AP) -- In the popular video game "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas," players assume the lead character of Carl Johnson, a down-on-his-luck criminal who roams city streets, stealing cars and helping gang members knock off rivals in drive-by shootings.

"CJ," as he's known by his pals, is black -- and to some in the video game industry, that's a problem.

A growing number of people in the booming industry believe there should be more black and Hispanic heroes and heroines instead of hoods and hoodlums.

"Not everybody goes outside with bling-bling and listens to rap music all day," says Amil Tomlin, a black 15-year-old from Baltimore who plays hours of video games each day.

Among those trying to paint a different racial picture is Mario Armstrong, who hosts a weekly National Public Radio program on technology. He and two fellow black colleagues have started the Urban Video Game Academy, a virtual programming boot camp for minorities.

"It's been said that a bunch of nerdy white guys are creating these games," Armstrong said. "The problem with a bunch of white guys creating the games is that the story isn't being created with balance."

Roughly 80 percent of video game programmers are white, according to preliminary results of an International Game Developers Association survey. About four percent of designers are Hispanic, and less than three percent are black.

The academy is holding summer workshops in Atlanta, Baltimore and Washington to give minority students like Tomlin an opportunity to learn the basics of making video games. Organizers hope this early exposure will inspire a new generation to make minority video game characters that go beyond typecast racial roles.

"I'd love to hear what other stories exist in the world besides the stereotypical ones. There are good people in the ghetto. There are role models," said academy co-founder John Saulter, who runs Entertainment Arts Research, one of the industry's few black-owned video gaming companies.

So far, interest in the workshops has been high, which doesn't surprise organizers.

A March study by the Kaiser Family Foundation revealed that black youths between 8 and 18 years old played video and computer games roughly 90 minutes a day -- almost 30 minutes more than white youths. And Hispanics play about 10 minutes more per day than whites.

"If you've got kids who can sit in front of a game for eight hours, then they have the cognitive thought process to learn how to build the game," Saulter said.

Some in the industry believe race in games is a serious issue that has been ignored for too long.

"For a long time, we've talked in the game industry about gender diversity as the one problem on the radar, but the racial split is worse," said Ian Bogost, a Georgia Tech game design professor who recently published a book on video game criticism.

Jason Della Rocca, IGDA's executive director, said the industry must confront a cycle that threatens its creativity: Educated, young white males create games for other educated, young white males.

"Games are an expressive medium. They are an art form, just like movies, theater and literature," Della Rocca said. "We're seeing, to a large extent, that the games that are being designed unconsciously include the biases, opinions and reflections of their creators."

In a way, he said, stubbornness to diversify runs counter to the industry's tolerant roots.

"We like to think that game design is a higher calling and that no one really cares what your skin color is or your sexual orientation," Della Rocca said. "But that doesn't seem to manifest itself in terms of a more diversified workplace."

Puppets, Kung-Fu, and Hip-Hop oh my...

2005-08-16T08:17:00.000-04:00

A new game that combines Kung Fu moves with hip hop beats and, string puppetry will soon be available via Steam. Rag Doll Kung Fu has been developed by industry veteran Mark Healy in his spare time and went on show at the Game Developers Conference earlier this year, where it caused quite a stir. It involves making puppets perform super-sharp kung fu moves, and looks like being more fun than it sounds. Judge for yourself by checking out the trailer via the Steam website.

Marc Ecko's Getting Up Block Party

2005-08-15T19:58:00.000-04:00

TAKE OUR SURVEY!

2005-08-15T13:08:00.000-04:00

Click here to take a survey
We are in the process of doing a large market research project and if you are a black or latino video gamer and want to tell the gaming industry what you think please fill out the survey.

THANKS!!!!!!!

PSP USA 2.0 Upgrade moved to Aug. 15th

2005-08-14T09:21:00.000-04:00

The guys at Sony missed the mark on the US upgrade of the PSP 2.0 software. So we will have to wait until monday to see the new software on our PSP. I wonder if they are adding anything different from the JP upgrade? But regardless make sure you upgrade to the US version otherwise it voids your mechine.

Final Fantasy XI

2005-08-10T18:34:00.000-04:00

Looks like XBox 360 is gonna pull out some big guns to pull in that Asian market they so desperatly need. Square-Enix released the first official screenshot for the upcoming Xbox 360 installment of Final Fantasy XI. This latest version will feature noticeable graphical enhancements, but will still be played on existing servers with PS2 and PC players. Seeing how the original game was released way back in 2002, and with a current active subscriber base in excess of 500,000 accounts, Xbox 360 owners will have some catching up to do.

Gamer Dies

2005-08-10T00:13:00.000-04:00

A South Korean man who played computer games for 50 hours almost non-stop died of heart failure minutes after finishing his mammoth session in an Internet cafe, authorities said on Tuesday....Lee had recently quit his job to spend more time playing games, the daily JoongAng Ilbo reported after interviewing former work colleagues and staff at the Internet cafe."

Donovan McNabb

2005-08-09T17:54:00.000-04:00

Yeah that's right we got some time with Donovan McNabb while he was in NY promoting Madden 2006. So how did he feel about being on the cover? "It's special man. You see so many other guys on the cover and when it happens to you it's special."

And how did he feel about the Madden cover curse? "I don't believe in that. I don't believe in that kind of stuff. The main up stairs us on this earth to do something and I don't think this would be me into a bad direct. And if I'll be the first to do that I'm going to make that happen."

So make sure you check out Madden 2006 NOW!

MADDEN 2006

2005-08-09T15:33:00.000-04:00

Yes it's in stores now. People where out late last night picking up their copies. Funcoland was open until 2:30am selling copies.

Wal-mart and the 360

2005-08-06T15:58:00.000-04:00

You ever have a lil brother who just told your business to everyone and it seem like the whole world knew. Well i guess wal-mart is 360's lil one. Reports all over the web states that Wal-mart leaked the price tag and the date for Microsoft new toy. November 4th was the date that they told and $299.99 is the price. Now Billy Gates people aren't saying if this is true or not, but more than likey, if the person doesn't fess up then it might be true. As widely believed games appear to be slightly more expensive then many would hope with the likes of Perfect Dark Zero and Project Gotham Racing 3 marked at $59.99.We'll have further information soon.

Tomb Raider Legends

2005-08-06T15:39:00.000-04:00

Here at got mad gamez, we aren't one to hate on anyone(well maybe nintendo), but i picked up the latest psm mag out the store today and on the dvd they had showed the demo to the new Lara Croft adventure. I read many a magazine, saying how this is like no other Tomb Raider we played. New graphics, yeah Lora looking good, looking like Ms. August. New sound, yeah guns poppin off like u live in the hood. New game play... yes and no. Now, before I go on I have to say I wasn't never really the biggest Tomb Raider fan, and I'll be the 1st to say that, so please don't send us hate mail when we say that this shit right here looks just like Prince of Persia with guns. I wasn't really impressed by it, but it does look good for it to be a ps2 game. Hopefully i can rewrite this and change my mind within the upcoming months.

Up Close with the XBox 360

2005-08-04T20:33:00.000-04:00

YEAH! We just got back from seeing the XBox 360 in action. It's going to be a truely community driven piece of hardware. The 360 is going to keep you connected to XBox Live all the time during game play. So you'll be able to get messages from your friends, get video messages, and receive photos. The XBox 360 is all about community. There are 4 different levels of users. Pro, the serious gamers. Underground, the hardcord bad asses, Rest and Relaxation, the casual gamer. And Family, for kids.
With Xbox 360 you'll be earn user ratings points the more you play games. And your histroy will follow where ever you go with your XBox 360 and memory card. With the points you'll be able to me matched up with other 360 users who are on your gaming level for competition. This matching up was refered to as "True Skills." And what was even hotter was that you can plug in your own USB keyboard to chat with your friends and type. The 360 comes with 3 UBS ports, 1 in front and 2 in the back.

Then we got our party on! Our demo then showed us how we can view a photo story and listen to music from a burned CD or an Ipod or an IRiver. 360 will recongise as many devices as they can program intot he system. Once recongisted you can play whatever you want and it's streamed from the device. While the 360 has a 20GB HD you'll probably nvever had to use all of it because it can connect to so many devices.

The 360 Marketplace is where users can download new items, new levels, new photos, and so much more. XBox is currently working with all the gaming companies to get as much cool stuff into the system as possible at the launch date.

We where truely impressed with how deep they have built the community aspect of the system. With over 1 million plus subscribers already on XBox Live, they already have a vast community experience which is taken to the next level with 360. While Nintendo is focusing on gaming, and who knows what PS3 is doing...I clearly see that 360 is trying and can be that 1 device in your home that can do just about everything.

We where also treated to a trailer of Adam Wake. A story about a novalist who's writing suddendly comes to life. The video look almost life like and you can really see how video game are the movies of today. Why go watch a flic that's over in 2 hours when you can play for hours and be the hero.

XBox will be back in NY soon to show off the Next Gen. games before launch. No date was given as to when the 360 would be released but they did give us a nice XBox face plate!

The 360 has some serious parental controls. A kids parents will be able to tweek every aspect of their kids profile and that will determin who they can have on their buddy list, who they can talk to, and what kind of games and movies they can watch. So no more Hot Coffee for lil Jimmy.

360 gets it's BOX

2005-08-04T09:29:00.000-04:00

Awww sookie sookie now! The 360 is COMING!!!!!!!!!!

PS2 Price Drop

2005-08-03T17:11:00.000-04:00

Sony has little something something planned for Microsoft’s launch of the Xbox 360 this fall: a cut in the pricing of the slim PlayStation 2 to somewhere between £60 to £70 in the UK. Supposedly they’re also considering dropping the price on the PS2 to around $100 in the US

Rockstar's Bully gets protested

2005-08-02T17:17:00.000-04:00

Angry parents and students stood outside of Rockstart today to protest the releasing of "Bully." Somebody needs to really sit down with Rockstar and their PR department and tell them to STOP. Still burning from "HOT COFFEE" and the lose of millions Rockstar is pushing ahead with the "Bully" videogame.

Rockstar Games describes the upcoming title as one where gamers play a "troublesome schoolboy" who "stands up to bullies, gets picked on by teachers, plays pranks on malicious kids, wins or loses the girl, and ultimately learns to navigate the obstacles of the fictitious reform school."

The protester are still outside of Rockstar's head quaters in New York with picket signs and the local and national news covering the story. Looks like Rockstar needs to make kiddy game and chill on the rough stuff or face the serious downfall of the company.

Aug. 12th North American PSP Upgrade

2005-08-02T08:47:00.000-04:00

www.pspdrive.com states:
IGN and Dailygame.net are reporting that the 2.0 firmware will be released on August 12th. Yeah!

Now the really interesting part is that the IGN seems to suggest that you can upgrade to the North American Firmware even if you've already installed the japan 2.0 firmware. to quote the IGN Article.
The release is going to include all the features that the Japanese got last week in their nifty upgrade. Sony recommends that if you have an American PSP and you downloaded the Japanese software, that you go ahead and download the American version. Operating under the Japanese 2.00 update on your American PSP voids its' warranty. In this case, the Japanese software is said to fall under the category of "unauthorized software." The 2.0 update has now been tested and authorized for use American PSPs specifically, and the NA version to be released will be fully authorized for use with your PSP.

Maybe they're just editorializing but if you can upgrade to the 2.0 Release on August 12 then there's isn't much risk if you upgrade to the Japan 2.0 Firmware. They're very clear that running the Japan 2.0 software could void your warranty.

Maybe it's all just BS and you'll screw up your PSP. Also, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO RUN HOMEBREW APPS & GAMES if you upgrade! You can still download Movies, Mags, Saved Games from this site.

new MTV2 game show

2005-08-01T19:35:00.000-04:00

MTV is now casting for a new video game show which features Need For Speed.

A letter to the Senators from Game Modders

2005-08-01T11:56:00.000-04:00

Dear Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Yee, and Mr. Thompson

In recent statements by the ESRB, they have accused the mod community of undermining their ratings by putting sexually explicit material into PC games, namely San Andreas, which was already rated "M". However, if you look into a game by the name of "Singles - Flirt up your Life", it becomes quite clear they are doing a good job of that all by themselves. This "M" rated game features full frontal nudity (and not androgynous "barbies" like The Sims) and characters engaging in interactive sexual scenes. Screenshots of this game can be seen over at IGN: http://media.pc.ign.com/media/667/667197/imgs_1.html

And for that matter, what of the game "Playboy: The Mansion", which is based on the skin magazine, and is also rated "M"?!

Seeing as these game contains *far* more graphic depictions of sex than anything found in San Andreas, including the scenes involving nudity which we modded into the game (by default, "Hot Coffee" did contain fully clothed actors...), how exactly have we undermined their rating? If anything, what was left on the disc by Rockstar and modded into the game by us doesn't even come close to what the ESRB itself considers "M" material, let alone rising to their very own standards of "AO". To blame the mod community for this is not only hypocritical, but quite deceptive as well. Not to mention the fact that they've essentially had one title banned for containing "pornography", while they let more explicit games get by them.

For the record, we feel that "M" is an appropriate rating for these games, as their contents are no worse than R-rated films which have long been considered "okay" for ages 17 and up. However, we do agree with you all that that the ESRB is a big joke. Especially now that they're attacking their own customers for content which they obviously don't seem to have a problem with. Why should we the consumers be persecuted for adding something to a game which the ESRB has already demonstrated as perfectly acceptable for titles in the "M" range? San Andreas originally carried a warning for "strong sexual content", and judging by their previous ratings, we would insist that we released the "Hot Coffee" mod well within the ESRB's (apparently broken) guidelines.

Best Regards,
the administration of gtagarage.com

GTA banned down under

2005-07-31T08:14:00.000-04:00

It was a matter of time before this became official. Australia, notorious for its strict policies on movies and games (they’ve kind of used Crocodile Dundee as a ratings standard - just kidding), has finally banned Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas from the country. Australian had been doing its own investigation into the Hot Coffee matter, and now the Attorney-General has decreed that GTA would exceed its MA15+ (Mature, for 15 years and up) rating, and since that’s the limit the game is therefore barred from being sold anywhere in the land down under.