UPDATE | "Ask President Obama Anything" Just Crashed Reddit

An AMA ("Ask Me Anything" thread, where you can get an answer from a celebrity or public figure on any kind of question) just unceremoniously popped up on Reddit. That's not a huge deal unless it's President Barack Obama.

WATCH | A New Trailer for Indie Hopeful Lifeless Planet

When indie dev David Board's PC and mobile game Lifeless Planet came to Kickstarter in late September, its goal was a modest $8,500. The project pitch site found him backers that would more than double that number.

GO GO GO | Get Your Free One-Month Hulu Plus Subscription

With Hulu's abhorrent film selection and nigh unnavigable interface, it's not something I'd recommend someone actually shell out hard-earned dollars for. Luckily, this month, you don't have to.

OMG | Black Isle Studios Returns! ... With No One From Black Isle Studios Onboard

The KING of PC RPG's, Black Isle Studios, is BACK — is what we would be saying if Black Isle Studios didn't scatter to the winds aeons ago, its top talent now working in far flung pockets of the gaming industry.

But, Interplay seems excited about it.

LOOK | Here's Your New GTA V Screenshots

Rockstar is starting to give a little peek into Grand Theft Auto V's modernized San Andreas. Screens started cropping up earlier this week, with the promise of more to come in the near future.

On the Wire | Epic Apple vs. Samsung Deathmatch Wraps Up

People wait in line to get inside for the Apple and Samsung trial during a lunch break at a federal courthouse in San Jose, Calif., Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2012.

By Paul Elias

Associated Press

SAN JOSE, Calif. — A lawyer for Apple said Tuesday that Samsung was having a "crisis of design" after the launch of the iPhone, and executives with the South Korean company were determined to illegally cash in on the success of the revolutionary device.

Samsung's lawyer countered that the technology giant was simply and legally giving consumers what they want: Smart phones with big screens.

On the Wire | What the New iPhone Will Look Like

DISCLAIMER: This is not the new iPhone. You really think we're cool enough to have the first screenshot? Pssh. This is just a dumb stock photo. Look at it up there... geez... that hand model has nice fingernails. 

By Farhad Manjoo 

Slate.com

The new iPhone looks pretty much like the old iPhone. Sure, it's a bit taller, allowing for a display that has one extra row of icons on the Home screen. And instead of the glass that you find on the back of today's iPhone, the new model's posterior is composed mainly of some kind of metal — either stainless steel or aluminum that has been polished and, in the case of the black version, treated by a chemical process to turn it a dark, matte gray. (On the white model, the metal on the back looks untreated.)

The other difference is the dock connector — instead of the inch-wide plug that Apple has placed on almost every iPod, iPhone and iPad since 2003, the new iPhone will inaugurate a new, tiny plug that we'll presumably find on all of Apple's other devices, too. Finally, and strangely, the headphone jack is now on the bottom of the phone, rather than the top.

But that's it.

Court Rules Cops Can Track You by Phone Without a Warrant

A 2 - 1 ruling handed down by the Sixth District Court of Appeals yesterday makes anyone who has a smartphone smelly.

Don't get so injured, unwashed people. We're talking about the smell of the GPS signal coming from your phone. The court decided that the odor it gives off is fair game for authorities to use when "sniffing out" perps — no warrant necessary.

The perp in question here, Melvin Skinner, tried to invoke the Fourth Amendment to get his phone data thrown out, but to no avail.

(Judge John) Rogers likened it to the use of dogs tracking a scent, and criminals complaining they didn't know they were giving one off, or that the dog had picked it up.

The whole court document is below in all its stuffiness.

VIA: Engadget via Ars Technica

SOURCE: U.S. Court of Appeals

WATCH | A New Far Cry 3 Trailer from gamescom

Taking a leap from their tried-and-true singleplayer FPS routine, Ubisoft revealed four-player co-op mode for their latest jungle island bullet romp, Far Cry 3.

Let the Left 4 Dead comparisons commence. Here's mine: One department in which Ubisoft has Valve beat is ethnic diversity.

WATCH | A New Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance Trailer from gamescom

Plenty of new trailers are coming out of gamescom today — take a look at this Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance trailer with all the fixins'.

Ever since Sons of Liberty in 2001, I figured a Raiden spinoff was inevitable. What I didn't expect was for it to feel like the hard-boiled ninja ballet from a Devil May Cry trailer. There's even a song (unfortunately in English.)

The only hint of Kojima's handiwork was that the trailer looked like it was wrapping up about two-thirds of the way through, to leave space for Kojima-esque last-second sensational and speculative reveals. This one was a robot dog companion. Good on ya'.

The Kojima Productions and Platinum Games collabo drops February of next year.

VIA: Kotaku

SOURCE: gamescom

What It's Like for Girl Gamers

Horrendous stock photo courtesy of Metro Creative Connection - I'm so, so sorry

By Elisa Meléndez
Slate.com 

I am a gamer and a geek. I'm at the computer writing this in a Star Trek T-shirt, in celebration of the recent Mars Curiosity rover landing. I've been a gamer for as long as I can remember, having had a Nintendo Power magazine thrust into my hands as soon as I could sound out the words on the page in order to be my older brother's co-pilot.

Since then, I have developed a fierce love of games. I have a tattoo of a Trivial Pursuit pie on my right hip. My haircut resembles one of my favorite characters, Lilith, from Borderlands. You can't tell me Revolution X wasn't amazing. You just can't.

This may sound like I'm trying to validate my geek cred. I shouldn't have to prove anything, you're right, but there are those determined to limit my rise in the gaming world. Though 47 percent of all gamers are women and though many of us are equal in our skills and drive to the men, we are often not welcome. The gamers who still aren't ready for us resort to online harassment to belittle, silence and drive us away from their precious boys' club.

WHOA | The First 360-Degree Landscape Pic from Mars 'Curiosity' Rover

Here's a new update in the saga of NASA's thrill-laden Curiosity rover! Yesterday, NASA released the darling little spacelab's first color panoramic shot from the dusty, red surface of Mars.

Hit the jump and glimpse this lonely, desolate horizon of an alien world for yourself.

LOOK | First Screen of Abe's Oddysee Remake Surfaces

Welcome to the future, Abe

Here we have the first shot of the Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee remake coming from Oddworld Inhabitants and Just Add Water.

So far, the project is pre-pre-pre-alpha, but this HD redressing is a thing, make no mistake. 

Hit the jump for a comparison shot...

WATCH | A 3-D Tour of the Universe

Inside, you'll find the largest 3-D map of the universe ever assembled, courtesy of the Apache Point Observatory in New Mexico.

Glide with us through the cosmos! And those of you who own a pair of 3-D anaglyph glasses (the red and blue ones) — hold onto your butts.

WOW | Cliffy, Carmack, Newell Coo Over Impressive New VR Tech

Source: Kickstarter   

And now for something completely different.

Remember VR? Virtual Reality. If you were born in the early 90s, probably not. It was a big thing back in the day. Then again, so were Pogs.

Traditionally resigned to the lonely back corner of your local Dave & Buster's and several mainstream yet pathetic, failed hardware attempts (Virtual Boy, anyone?), Palmer Luckey a "pluckey" young dev from Oculus VR, is now receiving emphatic support from some of the biggest names in the biz.

It's Official: Windows 8 is RTM

Source: AP Photo

Windows OEM has received the final release of Windows 8 — now manufacturing begins.

According to the official Windows blog, the much anticipated OS will be available to devs and the IT crowd starting August 15; Microsoft business partners and customers with Microsoft Software Assurance for Windows can get it the next day.

Windows 8 is set for general release on Oct. 26 for a $39.99 upgrade and will be standard on all new Windows PCs.


VIA: Engadget
SOURCE: Official Windows Blog

On the Wire | Tech titans face off in court over iPhone, iPad

Source: AP Photo/Sascha Schuermann

By Paul Elias | Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO — Two tech titans will square off in federal court Monday in a closely watched trial over control of the U.S. smartphone and computer tablet markets.

Apple Inc. filed a lawsuit against Samsung Electronics Co. last year alleging the world's largest technology company's smartphones and computer tablets are illegal knockoffs of its popular iPhone and iPad products. The Cupertino-based company is demanding $2.5 billion in damages, an award that would dwarf the largest patent-related verdict to date.

WATCH | What Appears to Be the iPhone 5 Being Assembled from Parts

CHOO CHOO! Hype train a-comin'.

No more than a couple days after we get "factory-leaked" iPhone 5 candids that support rumors of a redesign, this video surfaces on Verge — is this the iPhone we know and love?

Meeting our cultural overlords at Comic-Con

SAN DIEGO — I understand the allure of comic books. Stunning artwork. Twisting plots. Serial cliffhangery.

What I've never been clear on is why this visual and narrative approach is so pressed into the service of stories about people who wear capes and fly through the air. How did it come to be that comic books -- and comic-book-inspired movies, and the fans who adore those movies, and the culture at large -- are all deeply obsessed with the notion of the superhero?

Thursday afternoon at Comic-Con, I attended a panel that I hoped might shed some light on the matter. A group of academics had convened in a medium-size conference room to explore the past and the future of superhero studies. What flavor of seminar was this? Let us note that when the projector clicked on, the first slide was a photo of Carl Jung.

Syfy Channel Gives Windber's Grand Midway Hotel the Scooby-Doo Treatment

WINDBER – Big-time paranormal detectives have investigated a hotel in Windber, and television viewers can look over their shoulders tonight.

The Syfy channel show “Haunted Collector” came to examine The Grand Midway Hotel in Windber in January, and the program will air at 9 tonight.

[WATCH] The "God Particle" Explained in Layman's Terms

Above the din of patriotism - in the form of M-80s and Steve Miller Band - European scientists from the CERN research center in Switzerland announced something even more remarkable than your aunt's potato salad: The "God Particle" has been found.

[WATCH] Legend of Grimrock's Map Editor in Action

Just a couple months ago, Finnish dev Almost Human dusted off a trusty yet dated genre with as much style and panache as one would expect from a AAA blockbuster studio. 

Legend of Grimrock was a very well-written love letter to the ancient PC lineage of Dungeon Master and Eye of the Beholder. The crafty puzzles, frantic real-time combat and a wholly unique, enveloping atmosphere could suck in the older, nostalgic dungeon delvers and first-timers alike. 

The experience is about to become a lot more enveloping as Almost Human is getting ready to drop their streamlined dungeon editor toolset. You can watch a short tutorial in the video above.

[GOOGLE I/O] Hands-On with the Nexus 7 Tablet

Hugo Barra, Director of Google Product Management holds up the new Google Nexus 7 / AP Photo

Google's I/O conference is in full swing today through Friday at the Moscone Center in San Fran. One of the marvelous new toys they brought for show-goers: the Nexus 7 Android tablet.

Gizmodo copped a few feels on the show floor and has made a weighty judgment call:

"There is zero reason to buy a Kindle Fire over this... Your move, Amazon."

[WATCH] 'Meet the Pyro', Then 'Meet the Source Filmmaker'

The last of Valve's Team Fortress 2 shorts was loosed unto the world today, almost five years after the game's release. If you haven't watched the above video yet - WHAT ARE YOU DOING IT'S HILARIOUS. 

"Meet the Pyro" lives up to the reputation established by all the previous shorts - slick, quality animation, gut-busting laughs and a Pixar-esque attention to detail and facial expression.

"But the Pyro has no facial expression!" you're saying. That allows Valve a unique direction in portraying everyone's favorite monstrous, muffled mongoloid.

But there's one more surprise for TF2 fans today - hit the jump to hear all about it...

[WATCH] The Dream Eaters in the New Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance Trailer

First, there was the Heartless, then the Nobodies; now, Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance introduces new, cute little beasties to wallop with a giant key. 

They're called the Dream Eaters and the above video suggests they'll be deeply customizable. Players can breed monsters (a lá Shin Megami Tensei's demon fusion system) to give them new abilites and "bond" with them through minigames or by petting their fruit cocktail-themed manes with a cold, plastic stylus.

Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance is set to drop for Nintendo's 3DS on July 31 at $39.99.

SOURCE: Joystiq

Square-Enix CEO Feels FFVII Is Franchise's Best

I feel like an age-old struggle is grinding away into dust - finally.

Some will tell you that when fanboys wage war, there are no winners. Final Fantasy VII fanboys, however, just won, big time.

At a recent shareholders meeting, Square-Enix CEO Yoichi Wada was asked about the public's ever-present clamor for a remake of 1997's JRPG classic. See? Even nameless, faceless moneybags who know nothing of the franchise want an FFVII remake. What's the holdup?

[WATCH] New CGI Footage That Shows... Thief 4!?

Here's the first semi-legit footage from Thief 4. EGMNow's wonderful Matthew Bennett sniffed this one out early today and although it's but a scant morsel, those familiar with the franchise will be very piqued.

This video comes to us from Goldtooth Creative, the talent behind Deus Ex: Human Revolution's exemplary CGI cutscenes. As Bennett reports, the studio seems to be in a bit of a scrape as development is rumored to have slowed. All the evidence suggests the revival of the Thief series could make a huge splash in the next generation.

It's pretty grainy but watchable. It appears to be from an intro of some sort, showing the titular thief, Garrett, suiting up and flashing his gadgets around.

Look cool? Let us know what you think. Which Thief title was your favorite?

SOURCE: EGMNow

[WATCH] 'Walter' the Water Droplet Melt Your Heart

With what appears to be a solid winner in the currently parched "cute and endearing platformer" genre, French indie studio Blossom Minds gives us some much-needed Walter. 

Did you know you're at least 80% Walter? 

You need as much Walter as possible. But, you'll have to stick it out until sometime in 2013, when Walter charms the pants off XBLA, PSN and Steam (which is unintentionally another satisfying water pun.)

Mmmm... refreshing!

SOURCE: Joystiq

Six Amazing and Unsung New Features of iOS 6

Associated Press

With all the hubbub that's always swirling around iOS update time, it's easy to miss out on some potentially life-changing new features nestled in the tried-and-true operating system. Ok, so these won't eclipse your wedding day or your firstborn but it just might be better than the first time you watched Godfather Part II.

[PREVIEW] Wii U Functionality in Pikmin 3 Was M.I.A.

As always, the unfailingly chipper Shigeru Miyamoto was on stage at Nintendo's E3 keynote. Last year he was showing Skyward Sword. This time, he brought a red Pikmin with him in the breast pocket of his jacket.

[WWDC 2012] MacBooks Are Now on Steroids - Here's What You Need to Know

Apple CEO Tim Cook takes the stage at the 2012 Worldwide Developers' Conference in San Francisco.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Apple Inc. on Monday said it's introducing a laptop with a super-high resolution "Retina" display, setting a new standard for screen sharpness.

The new MacBook Pro will have a 15-inch screen and four times the resolution of previous models, Apple executive Phil Schiller told developers at a conference in San Francisco on Monday.

[FAN-MADE] Half-Life Revamp Not Dead Yet - Here's the Screens to Prove It

It's been eight long, worrisome years since the Half-Life community first started raving about Black Mesa: Source, a full-on redressing of Valve's classic opus.

Although all's been quiet on the dev front for some time but Kotaku caught the screenshots released this morning which could keep hope alive.

Hit the jump to see how Black Mesa is evolving.

[SUNDAY READ + WATCH] Sci-Fi in the Valley Con Brings Jedi, Vulcans to Ebensburg

Mike Mirobelli of Pittsburgh's Snake Eyes Gaming surveys the field during Sci-Fi in the Valley Con's "Warhammer 40,000" tournament play.

On Friday and Saturday, the North Central Recreation Center in Ebensburg was the epicenter of a splash of sci-fi, fantasy and horror subculture previously unseen in this area.

The first "Sci-Fi in the Valley Con" packed the rec center for two days of geeky communion.

The event wraps up today, yet many starships have landed, lightsabers have “vwoomed” and undead have shuffled alongside pirates and robots on the show floor - luckily, author Kirk Allmond put together a "Zombie Preparedness" panel.

[WATCH] The Visceral, New "The Last of Us" Trailer

OMNIpixel hasn't given Naughty Dog's hot new IP "The Last of Us" as much exposure as it probably deserves. 

Sure, post-apocalyptic settings are a dime a dozen nowadays. And make no mistake, TLoU is one of them. But it's less Fallout and more Cormac McCarthy's The Road. 

And that's a damn good thing. 

According to Kotaku's Stephen Totilo, TLoU makes much finer use of the human element in the "end of the world" scenario; just like McCarthy's beleaguered yet devoted father and innocent, defenseless son, making their way across a scorched America, in search of somewhere - anywhere - to call home.

Bruce Straley, the game's director, said that Naughty Dog wants players to feel the same emotions that Ellie and Joel feel as they try to survive in this strange post-apocalypse in the game. He talked about the game as a quest for survival, one that is inflected by a balance of power that causes enemies to adapt to Ellie and Joel's choices of weapons and tactics. Everyone is trying to live, he said.

The trailer above shows just how brutal and visceral that fight for life can get.

So, scope that fresh cinematic, then make sure you suck every ounce of marrow from Kotaku's preview at the link below.


SOURCE: Destructoid | Kotaku

[OMG] Tetsuya Nomura Talks FFVII Remake

Ok, I'll let you down slow, first. That headline is... rather misleading, yes.

When the premier Square Enix art director spoke to Japanese gaming pub Famitsu recently, he wasn't confirming that they were considering remaking one of the most beloved JRPGs of all time, he instead gave some insight into why it'll never happen. :[

Read on to see what the zipper-happy character designer had to say - there's also a previously unheard behind-the-scenes tidbit about FFVII that may interest you... :]

[OMG] Diablo 3's Dark, Disturbed Secret

See that image above? Fill your eyes. Cherish it.

Where we're going, the most depraved and desensitized are given cause to shudder.

User "Zerofire" on the European Battle.net brought this evil upon us. His mortal meddling in the demonic world of Diablo 3 has caused a rift, through which unspeakable horror creeps and threatens all.

Read on to see harrowing, unedited footage of Zerofire's discovery...

[FREE] One Weekend In The Old Republic

On tap for free MMO play this weekend: Star Wars: The Old Republic.

Starting Thursday, May 17 at 1:01 a.m. EST and ending Monday, May 21 at 3 a.m. EST, the Weekend Pass Free Trial allows previously unsubscribed players can play for free up to level 15.

From the SW:ToR website:

• No credit card is required to take part in the Weekend Pass Free Trial.
• You can play for up to four full days free.
• Characters you create during the trial will be saved to your account, so allowing you to continue on your journeys once you've purchased the game and redeemed the Game Product Registration Code at the Code Redemption Center.
• You'll be able to experience the first fifteen (15) levels of the game, allowing you to explore the Origin Worlds for each character class, as well as possibly seeing your faction’s Capital World.
• You will also be able to join other players take part in Player-vs-Player Warzones, or group with friends to take on one of the numerous Flashpoints in the game.

Perfect for the padawan on your Nubian cruiser!

SOURCE: Rock, Paper Shotgun via Bioware

[UPDATE] 38 Studios Pleads with R.I. Gov't for More Assistance

Former Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling, center, is followed by members of the media as he departs the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation headquarters, in Providence, R.I. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling asked Rhode Island for additional help to save his video game company Wednesday, prompting state leaders to consider whether the firm is viable enough to justify further investment.

[OMG] Johnstown's Inclined Plane: Ancient Anime Hero

Videographer Kenji Wakabayashi shoots one of the cars on Johnstown's Inclined Plane - photo by John Rucosky

[Editor's note: This story comes from OMNIpixel's parent publication, The Tribune-Democrat. More specifically, it was written by the lovely Kelly Urban. That being said, it was too geeky to pass up for our purposes. Certainly, one of the weirdest things I've seen happen in Johnstown...]

The world’s steepest vehicular incline plane is going anime.

A Japanese film crew from Total Planning Office Co. based in Toyko was in Johnstown Tuesday shooting footage of the Inclined Plane that will be used in a children’s animated series that is to air on TV Tokyo next year in April.

[BEHOLD] Halo 4's Box Art Revealed

There she is. The Halo 4 box art. Mmmm.

Snippets of this overall image were sent to Xbox Live users earlier today, requiring them to put their pieces together to make the magic you see above (ew, that sounded dirty.) 

Wait - how, exactly, does Master Chief's armor keep getting upgraded? As I understood it, he was on the other end of the galaxy - faaaar, far from any humans that could provide him with a shiny, new set.

This reeks of retcon... 

To quote NeoGAFfer "monsterfracas": "Got to say, that is some fine boxart."

Yes, yes it is.

SOURCE: NeoGAF

[OH, INTERNET] The Diablo 3 Experience Thus Far

"Diablo 3's first level is a tough one" - Reddit user Flash_09

Reddit is aflame today, specifically /r/gaming, who had their sick days called and their Doritos in-hand in preparation for the Diablo 3 launch. Except, few have actually been able to play it, what with constant connection to the Battle.net servers a requisite for even single-player mode.

And with the hundreds of thousands frothing - no doubt, frothing - to get back to Sanctuary, it seems the Battle.net servers can't handle hundreds of thousands of near-simultaneous logins.

But seriously, how long have we been doing this first-day-of-an-online-game thing? How long, folks? And you didn't expect the developer of the most high-profile launch of 2012 to come out of this with egg on their face (or title screen, which is about as far as most got in the early hours of the morning.)

The good thing - at least for those who haven't gotten around to D3 yet - is that the outcry is hilarious.

[UPDATE] R.I. Gov't: Kingdoms of Amalur's 38 Studios in trouble

Screenshot from 38 Studios' Kingdoms of Amalur

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Associated Press) — Rhode Island leaders are working to help former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling's video game company remain viable after it failed to make a scheduled $1.125 million payment to the state's economic development agency.

[WATCH] Leaked Beyond Good & Evil 2 Footage

Take a spinning tour around this back-alley market from Beyond Good & Evil 2 - the exorbitant amount of detail and rich texturing was rendered using the in-game engine

What a rollercoaster ride this one's been - Beyond Good & Evil made a quiet splash when it dropped for all the last-gen platforms in 2003. 

A messianic sequel has long been rumored, but official announcements and concrete details are scant and fleeting, leading many to wonder where the projects stands today.

Currently, EGMNow's getting riled again over footage that surfaced on Unseen64. Ubisoft lead Michel Ancel claims the clip is from 2009 (above). Read more to see more video of BG&E2 that has trickled in over the last few years.

Valve Settles With Blizzard, Retains DOTA Trademark

The legal kerfuffle over Valve's revived version of Defense of the Ancients ended today, with Blizzard surrendering commercial use of the "DOTA" trademark.

Blizzard released a short and somewhat cryptic press release that states they'll be allowed to use the name to refer to their version of the RTS on message boards, fan sites and the like, but the title will be officially called, "Blizzard All-Stars"henceforth.

... What's in a name?

[UGC] TES Online: Could It De-throne the MMO King?

[Editor's note: OMNIpixel has a new staffer... He's 21-year-old Michael Metroka IV - a.k.a. "MosquitoLemon" and he hails from sunny Florida. Currently kicking up his heels and racking up his headshots in sometimes-sunny Johnstown, Pa., he will be contributing to OMNIpixel as part of a regular pool of users, contributors and discerning fans of the vidya, like you, fair reader. Metroka enjoys writing - "and especially about video games." (So I put him to work - HA!) 

But srsly guyz, if writing about the industry we love sounds cool, send an email to omnipixel9000@gmail.com, subject header: "Contributor" and find out how you can help! We accept all kinds of submissions based on OMNIpixel's namesake: "OMNI" for "everything" and "pixel,"  so, "everything to do with pixels." 

You can send in a cool video, a review of whatever you're playing, a pensive reflection on the merits and woes between all your smartdevices - all sorts of things, really. Enjoy Mr. Lemon's inaugural post - a preview of Bethesda's recently announced MMO. I think you know which one...]

Whether you're a console gamer or a PC fanatic, you have probably played - if not then at least heard of - The Elder Scrolls series (TES), created by Bethesda Softworks and published by ZeniMax Media Inc.

Thanks to these two organizations, the average RPG genre has been moving in a new direction. A true role-player will always be satisfied with the standard features of the series. How many games can you switch from first to third-person in the middle of combat and truly become engaged in a lifelike world?

Anyone who has played the earlier TES titles - such as Arena or Redguard - were just scraping the tip of the iceberg, unconsciously part of a revolutionary movement. To back up the aformentioned information, I will provide a firsthand account I witnessed and was a part of in OMNIpixel's hometown of Johnstown, Pa...

[WHOA] XBLA Minecraft Breaks Day One Digital Sales Records

One hour - that's all it took before Minecraft started officially filling Notch's wallet. No more than 60 minutes after the block-stacking smash hit made its XBLA debut, profit had surpassed the budget of even the PC version, which was millions.

[WATCH] Game of Thrones' Westeros Being Built in Minecraft

A speedy tour of Westeros in all its pixellated finery

I know, I know - another Game of Thrones post.

Oh, the horror.

But here, I get to combine my A Song of Ice and Fire passion with my vidya passion and give you this: Fanatic fools that are re-creating George R. R. Martin's world of Westeros - all on a lone Minecraft server (dubbed "A Server of Ice and Fire" - tee hee.)

Click through for more video and to watch a live map of the blocky Westerosi construction...

"Adventure Time: Hey Ice King! Why'd you steal our garbage?!" Is a Thing

In a wholly unsurprising development, D3 Publisher announced Adventure Time: Hey Ice King! Why'd you steal our garbage?!, coming to the DS and 3DS this Fall.

[WATCH] Diablo 3's Animated Short, "Wrath", from Titmouse

Diablo is coming...

... In about a week. BUT - here's something that might tide you over: a six-minute animated short from Titmouse Inc., of Metalocalypse fame. 

Borrowing heavily from Eastern stylings - who doesn't nowadays - the plot follows Tyrael, Archangel of Justice and a recurring character in the Diablo series, and his angelic comrades. 

The production quality is reminiscent of Avatar - which stands high above material from other Western studios.

Diablo 3 will descend from a swirling, fiery rift in the sky on May 15. Enjoy!

SOURCE: Joystiq

"ClassRealm" Levels Up Students' Educational Enthusiasm

Meet Ben Bertoli. He's a teacher, but his passion for vidya games is about to make him a very rich man. That's because Bertoli's pet project could revolutionize classrooms everywhere. 

Bertoli's sixth-grade students in Indiana - they're zombies and wizards and mermaids, you see. And each Friday, they do battle for Bertoli's favor - and some XP.

It's called ClassRealm - a "gamification" system that turns learning  and classroom participation into a gaming experience. Since Bertoli implemented it, his "players" can't get enough.

[WATCH] Animated Game of Thrones Shorts Before They're Pulled

History & Lore | The History of House Targaryen

Here - here's your Saturday afternoon. You're welcome.

Kickstarter Endures Crowdfunding Scam

Well, the Internet consensus seems to be: it was only a matter of time. Someone had to go and be that guy - the guy that attempts to swindle online investors via a video game pitch.

Mythic: The Story of Gods and Men (not italicizing it because it's not a real work) has been outed by the Kickstarter community for flagrant plagiarism of artistic assets. Read on for the Mythic "trailer" and comments from Scammy McScammerton himself.

Skyrim "Dawnguard" DLC Coming This Summer

Recently, Bethesda Marketing VP Pete Hines tweeted that Skyrim fans could expect Skyrim DLC details on May 1st - and so, here we are, with this zombie-Dovahkiin photo.

It's called Dawnguard and even though this photo may be enough to drop you to the floor in a frothing, Elder Scrolls fugue, you'll have to wait until E3 to catch any more tasty infobits.

Dawnguard is set for release on this summer exclusively on Xbox 360, but today, Skyrimmers can get the free Kinect update that adds over 200 voice commands.

Bethesda released this handy-dandy PDF of all the words your spouse is going to get sick of in the coming months.

VIA: Joystiq 1 | 2

SOURCE: Bethesda

[SUNDAY READ + WATCH] Gates of Fire Was... Pretty Cold

Pete “Alistair” Walsh scans the crest of a green hill ahead of him. To his rear, a handful of tightly formed, iron-clad sentries await with blood red shields raised, spears thrust out. They are his men – a unit he proudly serves as commander.

Rising over the cold, stiff horizon before the Roman 14^th Legion sentry are dozens of leathered orcs bearing axes and crude flails. Yesterday, Walsh was an office worker. Today, he raises his gladius and the hardened Roman 14th leap into a melee.

An orcish arrow whizzes past the Romans’ tower shields and finds an infantryman’s neck. Luckily, the padding on the tip bounces the arrow away.

Most would call this fantasy, but thousands all around the world have another name: The Dagorhir Battle Games.

CISPA Passes House, Obama Threatens Veto

Associated Press  

Although the vote was set for tomorrow, the U.S. House just sneak-passed H.R. 3523, a.k.a. CISPA, the Cybersecurity Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act, by a vote of 248-168.

Bad news bears...

[WATCH] "Go Right" Make Heart-Swelling Gaming Nostalgia

Here's a powerfully edited YouTube gem called "Go Right" after one of the most fundamental mechanics in any old-school game. I wouldn't call it a tearjerker but it's definitely moving.

Relive your gaming adolescence with this montage of Sonic, Alucard, Mega Man and many, many other classic gaming icons set to the Michael Nyman's "A Wild and Distant Shore." Feel enriched by its deeper message about giving up in the face of adversity.

You can thank YouTube user RockyPlanetesimal for this creation and Kotaku for bringing it to my atención. 

VIA: Kotaku

SOURCE: YouTube

Get Free Live TV On Your iPhone While You Can

Hear that? Shh... Listen. That's the sound of hundreds of irate, buzzing lawyers spinning into attack formation - shuffling case documents and raking thin combovers. 

iOSLiveTV.com is a thing that lets you watch all kinds of TV channels from the US and Europe - all free - on your iOS or Android device. It's soon to be an un-thing, too, so get on it while you can.

Gizmodo readers claim the service is currently alive and well - albeit taking on a large amount of traffic as a result of the blogosphere exposure. Let us know in the comments if iOSLiveTV works for you and what you're watching...

VIA: Gizmodo
SOURCE: 9 to 5 Forums

Adam Sessler Departs G4TV

Kotaku is reporting the departure of longstanding G4tv personality Adam Sessler, formerly part of the network's flagship gaming show "X-Play."

Sessler debuted X-Play alongside fellow G4-ian Morgan Webb in 1998 so this unceremonious exit is rather surprising - he had been one of the most recognizable figures on the network for over 10 years.

Read on for an official statement from Sessler's camp.

Play Diablo 3 This Weekend Only

Blizzard's open beta for Diablo 3 kicked off at 3 p.m. Friday. If you weren't one of the lucky kids to get a golden ticket for the closed beta last month, now's your chance to get your grind on.

Anyone with a Battle.net account can join - if you don't have an account, click here to set up a new one. Each account can hold five characters up to level 13.

The beta will only run through 1 p.m. EST on Monday, April 23 so make sure you stop by your local Mountain Dew retailer before your weekend bender.

Diablo 3 is set to be released May 15, to a moaning, odorous sea of outstretched arms.

SOURCE: EGMNow

Sony Santa Monica Is Back with God of War: Vengeance

After hyping up some teaser art and a leaked product listing on Amazon last night, Sony has confirmed that their Santa Monica studios new title is, in fact, the new God of War.

The reveal trailer after the jump...

Ubisoft sued for Assassins' Creed copyright infringment

"Nothing is true, everything is permitted" - except for copyright infringment. Ubisoft's flagship franchise Assassin's Creed has drawn a copyright suit from science fiction author John L. Beiswenger.

Beiswenger's 2002 book, Link, allegedly established many of the themes found in the AC plot, namely genetic memory and "spiritual or biblical tones." Link also insinuates that the eponymous "Link" device (comparable to AC's "Animus") may have been used for assassination purposes. Innnnnteresting.

Beiswenger is suing for up to $5.25 million but Ars talked to legal analysts who don't hold out much hope for the suit. Attorney/blogger Mark Methenitis says the key is what makes a narrative element infringing:

"The level of comparison they're trying to make would be along the lines of both Back to the Future and Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure have time machines as plot devices, so one must be infringing the other," he said. "A copyright does not protect abstract ideas at that level."

With the recently revealed Assassin's Creed 3 looking damn good, anything that might derail Desmond's generational/assassinational story would be most heinous, bro.

VIA: Boing Boing
SOURCE: Ars Technica

Media: Breivik used video games to 'train' for Utoya massacre

If the Magnavox Odyssey had come out in the mid-40s, would Hitler have been a fan of Table Tennis? Perhaps he would have been inspired by cartridge nine's Dogfight to assemble the fearsome Luftwaffe.

One thing is certain: the role of video games in unconscionable, politically motivated violence is undeniable and fits quite conveniently as an explanation for most scenarios, such as Anders Behring Breivik, pictured above.

Anders, on trial for the massacre of 77 people - 69 of which were students gunned down by Breivik personally - recently testified on his video game habits. And newsrooms around the world sprung into action.

Hands-On with Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

In case you hadn't heard, Level-5's Studio Ghibli collabo, Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, is coming stateside Q1 2013. That means we get all its hype-a-licious trailers in our native tongues - for better or for worse. 

That also means American vidya journo outlets will start getting their time in on Namco Bandai's demo unit. Siliconera posted their 20-minute joyride with the game that is shaping up to be the pinnacle of the JRPG.

[WATCH] 3-D Imaging Give Amazing Prenatal Insight

Warning: Some graphic imagery

This is a couple years old (but I just saw it, so it's new) and unless you keep abreast of TED talks every week, chances are this is new to you too.

In 2010, Alexander Tsiaras, author of Body Voyage and, most recently, The Architecture and Design of Man and Woman, took the TED stage during India's INK Conference to share the three-dimensional digital imaging technology that allows him to render the unborn baby in its mother's womb. 

Among the din of memes, Wall posts and LOLcats, there's something to be said for a 10-minute piece of content as compelling as the video above. 

With Tsiaras' tech, doctors can examine a 3-D model of a baby through the stages of fetal development. Now you can too. The models are uncannily rendered using volume data - a process which won him the Nobel Prize.

Y'know what - just watch the video.

Life is beautiful, folks. Oh, and slightly NSFW.

SOURCE: TED

Bethesda Hyping... Something with Vague Image

This is a picture that's made its way around the Internets by now. It was posted on the official Bethesda Facebook earlier today, with a description reading simply, "Tomorrow."

Halo 4 Announcement on Tuesday's Conan

Word on tha street is 343 Industries are planning to make an announcement regarding Halo 4 on Conan O'Brien's late night talk show.

10-Year-Old Makes Game His Blind Grandmother Can Play

Video games, like all forms of media, impart an understanding to players. Whether it's understanding the finer nuances of a game's rules or structure or an understanding the emotional impact of the narrative, video games bring people together. Fact.

Kotaku reported on avid gamer Dylan Viale, a fifth-grader from Martinez, California, who shares a special bond with his grandmother, Sherry. Naturally, he wanted her to understand his love for the medium.

Sherry, however, is blind. So, Dylan got a free version of YoYo Games' GameMaker and made a game that a blind person could play (and excel at, compared to those who aren't.)

Skyrim + Kinect = FUS ROH MY GOD YES

Look here. Look at this video above. Consume it. 

This is why you bought Kinect - aside from Kinectimals. After mysteriously trademarking "Fus Ro Dah" yesterday, Bethesda announced today via press release that its 2011 Game of the Year will soon enjoy Kinect voice command support for the Xbox 360 version.