Going from 1gig to 2gig for increasing popularity of HD content

YouTube announced on Wednesday it is doubling the size limit for uploads to its website from 1 gigabyte to 2 gigabytes in order to allow users to post more HD video content.

"The increase means you can upload longer videos at a higher resolution as well as large HD files directly from your camera, the changes allow you to share links directly to the HD version of your video, as well as embed the HD version on your blog or website," the media host said.

HD video is increasingly popular but the higher resolution results in larger files; YouTube, although increasing the allowable file sizes, is still keeping a cap of 10 minutes for the length of each video.

Steam has just released one hell of a deal: 20 Games for 54 bucks

Earlier this week we had an article on a great deal from Steam: Fallout 3 for 25 bucks.  That won't be the only deal blowing out of Steam over the next little while.

2K Games just launched its huge game pack, bundling 20 of its games which would normally cost $229.80 in total, for only $54.00.   This is a real deal considering some of the tiles included in the game pack:

•     Sid Meier's Pirates
•      Shattered Union
•      Prey
•      CivCity: Rome
•      Sid Meier's Railroads
•      Railroad Tycoon 3
•      Railroad Tycoon II Platinum
•      X-COM: Terror From the Deep
•      X-COM: Apocalypse
•      BioShock
•      X-COM: Interceptor
•      X-COM: UFO Defense
•      X-COM: Enforcer
•      Freedom Force
•      Freedom Force vs. the Third Reich
•      Sid Meier's Civilization III Complete
•      Sid Meier's Civilization IV
•      Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword
•      Civilization IV Warlords
•      Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization

Re-enters GPU market after a short hiatus

In January of last year, Mushkin announced its first graphics card, the Geforce 8800 GT XP.  Now it looks like Mushkin is about to release a few more.

The manufacturer has announced several Nvidia based cards that they plan to produce, ranging from GTX 260 to GTX 285 and GTX 295, all of which should be announced soon.

All of their cards so far have been based on Nvidia's primary design. Branded "UltimateX," the recently announced lineup includes a few overclocked models, and Mushkin is apparently preparing to do a few ATI based cards as well.

These cards are also shipped in nice wooden boxes, a high contrast to the cheaper cardboard containers typically seen. Precise details about the cards are still unknown, but we are quite sure that more information will come up soon.

MSI's overclocking competition in full swing

Selection for the MSI Master Overclocking Arena North American qualifiers begin today and MSI is inviting overclockers from USA, Mexico and Canada to sign up and participate in this online tournament to determine the best overclocking team from their respective countries.

Phase I competition is open to everyone and the qualifiers will run from June 29th to July 19th. All you need to do to take part is submit your highest overclocking score online. The top 10 winners will be selected for the Phase II which runs July 25th to August 2nd. The top two overclockers from that round get to choose a guest to accompany them to the MOA 2009 Grand Final in Beijing. So head on over to the MOA 2009 site and check out the rules and submit your best overclocking score.

Merger first announced in 2008, TKE formed

Today, we finally see TECMO and KOEI officially merged across the Pond, forming TECMO KOEI Europe or TKE.

News of their merger first came up late last year, and the two companies originally planned for the process to be completed some time this spring; in April, the two companies did indeed form TECMO KOEI HOLDINGS.  Now it's summer, and we're hearing about their holy union in Europe as well.

The first game to be released under TKE will be Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, which we've already heard some interesting news for earlier today.  Something about the violence being toned down.

"Featuring new characters, game play, and developed by the award-winning Team NINJA, NINJA GAIDEN Σ 2 is the perfect vehicle with which to launch the new company," commented Will Curley, VP of Sales and Marketing. 

"This is a momentous occasion for both KOEI and TECMO.  With some great quality titles coming from both sides, such as UNDEAD KNIGHTS and QUANTUM THEORY from TECMO, and Warriors: Legends of Troy and TRINITY: Souls of Zill O’ll from KOEI, TKE will quickly become one of the major players in the video games industry."

Company wanted to offer better child-rearing environment for her

Apparently, Konami thinks it can raise children better than their actual parents and will not hesitate to act in the best interest of the child.  Like demoting and cutting an employee's pay for the good of her new baby, for example.

That's exactly what happened to Konami employee Yoko Sekiguchi, who is thankfully speaking out and -- not surprisingly -- suing the company for $343,000 in damages.  After returning from maternity leave, Sekiguchi was allegedly demoted and had her wages cut by $2,080 a month. 

Konami apparently reasoned this would create a better child-rearing environment for her.  Before her demotion, Sekiguchi traveled frequently to acquire license deals for Konami.  Now she holds a domestic position.

Sekiguchi was not amused and states, "Being forced to lessen your career to raise a child is sexual discrimination."

See who's online, who has the most posts, and much more

Every day during the work week a crack team of coders works deep within the depth of Neoseeker's HTML, and CSS, and such. Making new pages. Fixing things. Adding stuff to the site.

The latest work of web art is the reworked community page. You can normally find the link to the community page in the absolute top left of the screen, above the Neoseeker logo, and beside the link to the forums. 

On this new community page you'll find all sorts of fun info. For example, you can observe that total forum posts surpassed 21,000,000 yesterday. Or you can see who is online, and perhaps send them a silly PM if you want, about silly -- or even serious -- stuff. There are also tons of 'top 10' user rankings charts. These are kind of neat. If you are like me, you can be amazed that Neo-user Nabo has over 500,000 profile views, or that lucky Setthotep has over 500 games in his personal collection, or that Kilik64 has 744 images uploaded into his gallery (including alluring manga chicks and funny motivational posters, check it out.)

Over the next year there will be many new features added to the site. We hope you enjoy them, and find they make your entire Neo'perience an even better time.

Prepare to empty your pockets

Still looking for BlizzCon 2009 tickets?  Get ready because the second allotment of tickets will go on sale tomorrow, May 30, at 10:00 am PDT.  These tickets will be going for $125 USD each, and you'll find them at the event website.  Pray for your Internet to stay strong amidst the imminent flood.

This year, Blizzard fans can expect more from their favorite franchises, including WarCraft, StarCraft, and Diablo, between August 21 and 22 at the Anaheim Convention Center.  BlizzCon and Disneyland in one city for two days?  Now it really is the happiest place on Earth. 

Hardcore attendees can participate in tournaments, while everyone else can just relax with the panels, contests, hands-on game previews and other activities.  No doubt Blizzard will unveil more juicy Diablo III details, on top of the usual venue.

Note that the Blizzard Store does require an active Battle.net account, so you can make one ahead of time in preparation for tomorrow's buying frenzy.  The online store will have a first-come, first-served queue system and a fixed time limit for completing purchases to ensure everyone has a fair shot at these tickets.  Remember to print the ticket and take it to the convention.

The first batch of tickets went on sale on May 16 and sold out within an hour.

Corporate policies on foreign travel cited

Keiji Inafune, Capcom's producer for the Onimusha and Dead Rising franchises, had originally planned to attend the Nordic Game Conference in Sweden this week.  However, the trip has been cancelled due to the global H1N1 (swine flu) outbreak.

"I'm sorry to announce that Keiji Inafune has cancelled his appearance at Nordic Game 2009, due to corporate policy restricting foreign travel during the current influenza outbreak," said a Nordic Game spokesperson.

Taking Inafune's place will be Team 17's Martyn Brown, who will be delivering the 'Digital Publishing for Independent Studios: Myth or Reality?' talk in his stead.

While the ESA has stated E3 2009 will not be affected by the H1N1 scare, it is uncertain whether attendees and guest speakers feel the same way.

Video games spared this round, surprisingly

Earlier in March, a school shooting in Winnenden, Germany prompted politicians to revive their war on violent video games.  Minister for Social Affairs Mechthild Ross-Luttmann even suggest World of Warcraft may be correlated with such violent behavior, and sought to place age restriction on such games.  Additionally, the government began declaring a large portion of the nation's minor population addicted to games, citing research claiming many children or teenagers now have "excessive" play habits.

Now, two months after 17-year-old Tim Kretschmar killed 15 people with his father's gun, Germany is banning paintball and laser tag as a part of renewed measures against illegal firearms.  Guess video games are off the hook for now.

"We have agreed on reasonable changes that will mean more security without over-regulating hobby marksmen and hunters," said Wolfgang Bosbach, deputy head of the conservative Christian Union parliamentary group.  According to Bosbach, paintball and laser tag "simulate killing."

A German newspaper stated that those found in violation of the ban could be fined up to €5,000.  Other German media outlets have reported that lawmarkers have been considering stricter age restrictions at shooting ranges by barring people under 18, as well as allowing police to conduct random checks on registered gun owners to make sure their firearms are accounted for.

Other possible measures include the creation of a digital database for firearms, biometric security systems to ensure weapons are being used by their rightful owners, and special consideration for individuals who turn in their illegal goods.

What a relief

Reversing some earlier policy decisions, E3 -- the Electronic Entertainment Expo in the first week of June -- is going to once again feature scantily-clad female models again (better known as booth babes.) Rejoice! 

Starting in 2006, E3 began to scale down the size of the production, limiting access to the public, and putting more stringent restrictions on what was allowed for publishers to advertise their products. At the last E3, any exhibitors with booth babes would risk a fine up to $5000.  

However there was a bit of disgruntlement over the down-sizing and fun-reducing directions taken by the ESA. So in response, some of these restrictions are being lifted, such as the no-booth babe policy.

You might not be familiar with the concept of 'booth babes', so we've included some sample booth babe images in this news story, as examples. 

Company keeping close watch over suspicious sites

Around 100,000 copies of Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete were sold in Japan on launch day, and Square Enix is making damn sure none of those wind up on the Internet for your enjoyment.

In a recent press release, Square Enix stated they will be monitoring websites and "other avenues" where a digital copy of Advent Children Complete might pop up illegally.  They didn't specify which sites they would be babysitting, but they've apparently flagged several sites as possible outlets.

The websites and participating individuals may receive a notice from Square Enix, who could pursue legal action against said parties.  At least, that's what we assume; they might just politely ask the pirates (or fans) to stop.

No word yet on if Square Enix has found anything on these sites, but ACC piracy seems almost inevitable, especially if there are enough disgruntled gamers out there who already bought the "incomplete" Advent Children movie and feel cheated by this latest release.  And the Internet is a force to be reckoned with.

Investing in entertainment think tank led by Wright

Will Wright, the genius behind The Sims and Spore, is leaving Electronic Arts to focus on Stupid Fun Club, an entertainment think tank dedicated to developing new Intellectual Properties across multiple media fronts.

EA doesn't appear sour about the split at all, announcing today their plans to make an equity investment in Stupid Fun Club.  Both EA and Wright will each own equal percentages of his most recent endeavor, making them the principal shareholders.  Additionally, EA will have the right to develop game concepts coming out of Stupid Fun Club projects.

Creative Artists Agency is representing Will Wright.

“The entertainment industry is moving rapidly into an era of revolutionary change,” Wright said.  “Stupid Fun Club will explore new possibilities that are emerging from this sublime chaos and create new forms of entertainment on a variety of platforms. In my twelve years at EA, I’ve had the pleasure to work alongside some of the brightest and most talented game developers in the industry and I look forward to working with them again in the near future.”

“We believe in Will’s vision for Stupid Fun Club and we’re looking forward to partnering with Will and his team long into the future,” adds EA's John Riccitiello.

Making his last day on the job count

Ever left a job thinking, "Good riddance!" or suppressing that gnawing urge to flip off your boss and co-workers?  Jason Della Rocca, now the former executive director for the International Game Developers Association, did something similar on his last day. 

Before leaving his position at IGDA, he went on a lovely tirade before an audience at this year's Game Developers Conference.  According to his blog, Reality Panic, the idea came from Eric Zimmerman, and the rant is more of an apology than anything.

Regardless of Della Rocca's intended sentiments, his work-related frustrations are apparent:

Serving the IGDA for the past 9 years has been extremely rewarding and challenging. I helped to get a lot done, but somehow feel that I failed the community.

Sorry for being too focused on the nuts and bolts, with my head down in execution. I just didn’t spend enough time on the big picture vision stuff. It’s scary, and easy to avoid when you’re just “busy” doing stuff.

Sorry for not having the leadership skills to beat the barriers of participation inequality. Less than 1% of the IGDA membership are truly active in driving the org forward. Sorry for not doing a better job building up a strong pipeline of community leaders and volunteers. Sorry for not overcoming your general apathy and laziness.

Sorry for not doing a better job of roping in all the snipers from the sidelines. Turns out you are all pretty damn good at bitching and complaining and being critical. But then you don’t actually do anything about it and you don’t get involved. Sorry for not bringing critics under the tent and getting them to work at improving things.

Sorry for not getting you to be more serious about the profession of game development. You are no longer a bunch of hacks. This is a real art and science. We need to be way more deliberate and control the path the profession takes as it evolves into the future.

Most of all, sorry for not doing more to help you realize your power! Both, collectively as a profession to tackle industry issues, and as creators of culture. You are all having a massive impact on society. You are transforming the world day-by-day without even realizing it.

Oh well, f* you, it’s not my job anymore!

Quite the finisher, too.  He must be the envy of disgruntled employees everywhere.

British employee angry over "homophobic attitude"

Photo by TIM STEWART NEWS

Big corporation plus charges of homophobic discrimination?  Sounds like a winning combination for the media.  Prepare for another long and sordid tale.

Jamie Durrant, a 38-year-old Xbox game designer, is suing Microsoft for £45,000 ($66,276) over "hurt feelings" due to unpleasant nicknames he was called by in the workplace. 

Durrant is claiming that insensitive co-workers called him insensitive names like "Fag Boy Jim" and circulated hurtful messages about him, with headings like "I'm Jim and I'm Gay," "Me and My Favorite Men," and "Ladies Are Bad."  The nickname previously mentioned was apparently posted in the office's shared kitchen.

The plaintiff has also said that the firm didn't have policies for dealing with such complaints about homophobic harassment.  He'd been employed by Lionhead Studios for 11 years, and the company was bought out by Microsoft two years ago.  Durrant states the harassment began last January.

"I have never hidden my sexuality from the office and I felt this could be targeted at myself," he proclaimed to the media.  "This was not the first time there was homophobic content in the office."

When Durrant approached his superiors, they agreed to send out an email reminding the staff of "how to behave responsibly in a diverse office."  However, months went by and no action was taken, so he went back to human resources, asking why they hadn't addressed the issue yet.  The HR chiefs then told him that they'd have to change their policies before they could send out an email.

Durrant stated, "I was very surprised that Microsoft did not have any policies relating to this sexual orientation harassment."

Sounds like a real headache for the guy, right?  Doesn't stop there.  Durrant was then (allegedly) asked to sign a document agreeing not to raise any formal complaints and was satisfied with how the situation was being handled.  Of course he refused, but an agreement was made in which Microsoft would post their anti-discrimination policy on the firm's intranet where staff could see it.

Durrant said the firm offered him counselling, but felt that the company was making him seem like the problem, not the "homophobic aspect."  In August 2008, he was signed off for depression and is living on half pay.

"I feel I should be compensated for the stress that this whole complaint procedure has placed on me, the amount of effort and time I have put into trying to get this resolved and acknowledgment that they have done nothing whilst the homophobic harassment continued, making my workplace uncomfortable and unpleasant," he concluded.

Needless to say, Microsoft is denying most of Durrant's claims.  The case is due for trial later this year.

Grand Theft Auto! No, wait -- it's a new Max Payne!

We were all sitting around this morning, waiting for the hammer to fall, when someone mentioned Max Payne.

That's more or less how this went down, anyway.  Rockstar had recently put up an official announcement page for Max Payne 3, and that's about all they're offering right now.  Fans can register with Rockstar to receive updates for the game until its official release some time in Winter 2009.

Max Payne 3 will be available on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC; the rating is still pending.

Hideo Kojima sure does like a long title, doesn't he?

Hideo Kojima, creator of the very successful Metal Gear Solid series, has received a promotion from Konami.  The games he makes sell exceptionally well and have a huge fan-base, so it only makes sense that Mr. Kojima would be moving up in the world.

Kojima was initially a Vice-President at Konami, though he ceased his business role in 2005 in order to focus on the gaming aspect, taking on the title "Operating Officer and Studio Head of Kojima Productions."

As of April 1, Hideo Kojima will be known as the "Managing Director Operating Officer and Studio Head of Kojima Productions."

What does this title mean for Kojima exactly? It means that he can do anything he wants of course. I just hope no one asks him what his title is too often, he may be driven insane from repeating it all the time.

Founds independent game studio to revolutionize online gaming

Many have been wondering what would become of Ensemble Studios' workforce once the company closed its doors.  Well, former Ensemble developer Dusty Monk is wasting no time jumping back in the game.

Monk started Windstorm Studios after leaving Ensemble, and he's excited about the uncertain future.  The new game studio's official website reflects an eager sentiment:

"Windstorm Studios is an independent game studio whose mission is to bring a new era to online gaming! Are you tired of online games filled with depressing predictions of post apocalyptic destruction? Are you weary of walking through grey streets beneath grey skies and killing grey zombies? Have you had your fill of dank cellars and dark caves? Well so have we!"

"And we’re ready to build a brighter world! A better online game - a game with the promise of of a hopeful future -- cities of glass and steel, and most importantly, flying cars!"

Sources suggest Windstorm is already working on some mystery project, but that's about all we know right now.

Updates to iMac, Mac mini, Mac Pro, MacBook, MacBook Pro, AirPort Extreme, Time Capsule and Wired Keyboard

New is the flavour of the day at the Apple Store as the company introduces a number of changes to their range of Macintosh computers. Highlights include long-awaited performance updates to both the Mac Mini and iMac desktop computers and the addition of the Intel "Nehalem" Xeon processor to the high-end Mac Pro workstation.

iMac

"Our flagship 24-inch iMac with twice the memory and twice the storage is now available for just $1,499," said Tim Cook, Apple's COO. "The Mac mini is not only our most affordable Mac, it's also the world's most energy efficient desktop computer."

Apple's all-in-one desktop computer has been updated to offer faster processors, superior graphics and larger hard drives. The iMac now sports Intel Core 2 Duo reaching speeds of 3.06GHz and up to 8GB of RAM. A wider choice of NVIDIA GeForce and ATI Radeon graphics cards are now available, including ATI Radeon HD 4850 powered discrete graphics on the 24" model for those looking for the best performance available. Additionally, the iMac now comes equipped with a 320GB hard drive as standard. Build-to-order options allow for generous 640GB and 1TB internal storage choices (at $75 and $175 respectively).

As expected, an Apple Mini DisplayPort connector has been added for compatibility with the recently released 24" LED Cinema Display.

Mac mini

Starting at $599, the Mac mini is an innovative, tiny desktop measuring only 6.5 by 6.5 by 2-inches. [...] The Mac mini features NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics for up to five times better graphics performance than before and now with dual display support can drive two Apple or third-party displays with Mini DisplayPort or DVI connections.

Probably the most eagerly anticipated update amongst Apple's install base is that of the Mac mini. Whilst there have been no real alterations to the device's design or form factor, it has undergone a lot of internal changes. One of the most notable of these is the ability to output video to two monitors at once.

The updated Mac mini features a 2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 1GB of RAM, 120GB of storage, five USB 2.0 ports, a FireWire 800 port and a slot-loading 8x SuperDrive.

Build-to-order configurations allow for a 2.26GHz processor and 4GB of RAM, both priced at $150 each. The hard drive can be upgraded to either 250GB or 320GB, at $100 and $175 respectively.

Apple claim that the updated Mac mini is "the most energy efficient desktop in the world", using less than 13 watts of power when idle. This is up to ten times less than a typical desktop PC.

Mac Pro

"The new Mac Pro is a significant upgrade and starts at $300 less than before," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "The Mac Pro features an advanced system architecture, new faster processors and our best-ever graphics options to deliver a faster, more powerful system that our professional customers are going to love."

Delivering twice the performance of its predecessor, the updated Mac Pro now features the very latest Intel "Nehalem" Xeon chipset. This allows for up to two 2.93GHz quad-core processors each with their own integrated memory controller. This gives three channels of 1066MHz ECC memory that deliver up to 2.4 times the memory bandwidth of the previous model while cutting memory latency up to 40%.

The quad-core Mac Pro starts at $2,499 and is clocked at 2.66GHz at standard. It comes with with 3GB of RAM, an NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 512MB, 640GB of hard disk space and an 18x SuperDrive.

The octo-core Mac Pro starts at $3,299 and comes equipped with two 2.26GHz quad-core Xeon processors, 6GB RAM, an NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 512MB, 640GB of storage and an 18x SuperDrive.

Upgrade options include 2.93GHz iterations of the two Xeon processors, up to 32GB of RAM, up to four NVIDIA GeForce GT 120s (unfortunately not connected in SLI) or a single ATI Radeon HD 4870 and up to 4TB of storage.

Like the updated iMac and Mac mini, the Mac Pro comes with Mini DisplayPort connectivity as standard.

MacBook and MacBook Pro

The high-end 15" MacBook Pro now comes standard with a 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor that can be upgraded to 2.93GHz for an extra $300. These changes replace the previous 2.53GHz chip and its 2.8GHz optional upgrade.

Additionally, consumers can now opt for a 256GB solid state drive on both the 15" MacBook Pro and 13" MacBook. Pricing for this upgrade ranges from $750 to $900, dependant on notebook choice. This completes the inclusion of SSD storage options throughout the entire MacBook range.

AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule

A welcome addition to the AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule base stations is simultaneous dual-band WiFi. This allows for a wireless connection that caters to both 2.4GHz and 5GHz at the same time. Previous iterations required network administrators to choose between the two modes.

Also of note is the ability to set up a secondary "Guest Network" with the new Time Capsule, enabling users to browse the internet through the device without providing access to attached devices or other machines on the network.

Wired Keyboard

Apple's wired aluminium keyboard now also comes in an smaller form factor that loses the numeric pad. This looks identical to the wireless version, with the only difference being that it is tethered.

It is available for $49 from the Apple Store or free with a new iMac purchase as an alternative to the original keyboard.

Disgraced lawyer goes crying to U.S. Supreme Court

Jack Thompson doesn't seem to be doing much these days, becoming an even bigger joke since he lost his license to practice law.  Gaming sites occasionally poke at him like a caged animal, scoring interviews to get his blood pumping and their readers laughing.

Always the persistent one, Thompson filed a petition late last week for writ of certiorari -- order by a higher court -- with the U.S. Supreme Court, in hopes that his disbarment can be reversed.

Of course, the chances of the Supreme Court actually giving a damn are pretty slim.  According to its website, the system receives such petitions to consider around 10,000 cases each year, and only about 100 of them are ever granted a hearing.

Not that losing his license has convinced Thompson he's a whack job.  Thankfully, most people of reason know when to ignore a barking dog.

Fourth Blizzcon returns to Anaheim in August

Blizzard has announced that BlizzCon 2009, the fourth BlizzCon gaming convention, will be held at the Anaheim Convention Center on Friday, August 21 and Saturday, August 22. 

Attendees can expect an amazing lineup, as the convention expands from previous three halls to four this year.  As BlizzCon draws closer, more information will be made available on the official website. 

This two-day event will not be a letdown to attendees and includes a number of activities that should appeal to Blizzard fans across the board:

• Hands-on play time with upcoming Blizzard Entertainment games
• Discussion panels with Blizzard Entertainment developers
• Competitive and casual tournaments for players to showcase their talents
• Community contests with great prizes
• Commemorative merchandise based on Blizzard Entertainment’s game universes
• A silent auction
• More exciting activities and attractions to be announced

“We’ve been amazed by the incredible response to each of our previous BlizzCon events,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and co-founder of Blizzard Entertainment.  “We’re pleased to be bringing the convention back to Anaheim this year, and we look forward to this new opportunity to meet Blizzard gamers from around the world.”

One download per Gold account

For those who are curious about Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X., Ubisoft currently has a limited time offer for Xbox 360 owners.

A free download of the demo is now available via Xbox LIVE Marketplace, and 360 owners with Gold accounts can add the demo to their download queue from the Marketplace website.  There's a limit of one download per account (or e-mail), and the file is 724 MB.

In addition to the special offer, there's a modest collection of screenshots on the H.A.W.X.'s Marketplace page, along with a brief description of the upcoming strategy and simulation tile:

Tom Clancy’s HAWX lets you become a pilot of the future; it is an awe-inspiring game primed to revolutionize the way you think about combat in the sky. Cutting-edge technology, devastating firepower, and intense dogfights bestow this new title a deserving place in the prestigious Tom Clancy franchise. Soon, flying at Mach 3 becomes a right, not a privilege.

Vivox extends voice service to Epic

Vivox Inc., a market leader in online voice service, has recently joined with Epic Games via the company's Integrated Partners Program (IPP).  As a part of this agreement, the Unreal Engine 3 will be integrated with Vivox's voice technology, and publishers and developers who license the engine will have "immediate access" to the voice service for their UE3 powered games.

"Epic's Unreal Engine 3 powers many of the best known games on the market. We're pleased to contribute to their commitment to innovation, and we're proud to be part of the high-quality solution they offer," said Vivox CEO Rob Seaver.

The voice integration provides companies who utilize the UE3 with a simple and cheap method of adding voice chat to their projects.  "The Voice of Virtual Worlds," the Vivox website proudly proclaims, and now they've expanded the service considerably by teaming up with Epic.  Vivox also worked with CCP Games, NCsoft, and Sony Online Entertainment.

"Working with top partners like Vivox and integrating their technologies into Unreal Engine 3 further provides our licensees with the best development tools available," said Dr. Michael Capps, president of Epic Games. "Their breadth of features, operational excellence and ability to scale has made Vivox a market leader in voice services for games, and we welcome them to the Integrated Partners Program."

European release announced for the Xbox 360

Retro gaming seems to be the new trend.  Well, step aside Wii Shop Channel, because Namco is bringing a new edition of their Namco Museum to the Xbox 360. 

NAMCO BANDAI just announced today that European retailers will be receiving Namco Museum: Virtual Arcade in April 2009.  European gamers can expect a healthy collection of nostalgic favorites and "future classics," attracting both experienced and new players.

Namco Museum: Virtual Arcade includes several features, as listed in a press release from NAMCO BANDAI:

• Over 30 titles: The largest and most comprehensive Namco Museum™ collection to date will keep you and your friends entertained for hours.

• Xbox Live® Arcade Games: No downloading necessary! Now you can get your XBLA fix and play the critically acclaimed and visually spectacular Pac-Man Championship Edition and the underground drilling classic Dig Dug™.

• Leaderboards: Show off your high score worldwide and compete for the #1 spot.

• New Arrangement Games: In their first console debut, 3 beloved games arrive with a new twist, a fresh new look and fun gameplay - Dig Dug Arrangement, Galaga™ Arrangement and Pac-Man Arrangement.

• Legendary Classics: Get nostalgic and play more than 20 retro fan favorites such as Dig Dug™ II, Pole Position™, and Pac-Mania™.

• Multiplayer: Each game supports between one and four players depending on the title.

Gun went through cell phone and into man's neck

Here's a follow-up article concerning an earlier report of a cell phone related death in China.  On February 4, we published an article about a Guongzhou man who was allegedly killed by an exploding cell phone, and Chinese authorities suspected a defective third party battery.

Turns out neither the cell phone nor its battery is to blame.  The man was actually killed when a homemade firearm, which went off as it fell to the floor.  Police now say that the gun must have accidentally gone off when the man, named Huang Heping, dropped it, promptly killing him with a single shot to the neck.  The bullet also damaged the phone in his breast pocket, leading to the initial theory that it had caused Huang's death.

The damage has already been done, however, as the original report caused widespread paranoia throughout China.  Not that counterfeit electronics (especially batteries) are exactly safe.