Game Room

  SNEAK PEEK

Pets Project for Sims 2

An expansion on the game series will add cats and dogs and the ability to interact with other owners in the virtual universe

 

 REVIEWS

Gradius Collection

Rating:

Platform: Sony PSP

Release Date:

Publisher: Konami

Developer: Konami

Genre: Shooter > 2D

The Legend of Heroes II: Prophecy of the Moonlight Witch

Rating:

Platform: Sony PSP

Release Date: 06/20/2006

Publisher: Namco Bandai

Developer: Nihon Falcom Corporation

Genre: RPG > Turn-Based

World Tour Soccer 2006

Rating:

Platform: Sony PSP

Release Date: 06/27/2006

Publisher: SCEA

Developer: SCEE

Genre: Sports > Soccer

 

  PRODUCT REVIEWS > >

No Tube of Plenty

Google's video service is easy to use, but skimpy when it comes to programs you actually want to watch

BW Editor's Review

 

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See our take on cell phones, PCs, digital cameras, music services, games, TVs, and Web services

 Top Downloads

• GameCube
• PC
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• Wireless
• Xbox

  FEATURED SPECIAL REPORT >>

My Virtual Life Slide Show: Inside the World of Second Life

Slide Shows The Evolution of Virtual Worlds Scenes from a Virtual Hospital Graphic Second Life: Common Terms It's Not All Fun And Games Virtual worlds abound in useful business applications The Online Universe: An Old Fogey's Guide Here's a primer on these strange new worlds of online gaming Virtual Land, Real Money Second Life is an online world where a savvy avatar can make a bundle. Its best known "land" developer explains how Virtual Worlds, Virtual Economies An economist talks about how online games can blur the line between fantasy and reality Inside a Virtual Global Treasure Hunt Mind Candy Chief Executive Michael Smith talks about Perplex City, his company's new alternate-reality game Blog: Tech Beat Inside the business of innovation and design READER COMMENTS > MORE SPECIAL REPORTS >

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Inside Neverwinter Nights II

A conversation with the creative director and senior designer Chris Avellone on the much-anticipated game

The Road to Main Street

To reach the mass market, game companies should consider the benefits of custom publishing

What an Indie Publisher Wants

Stardock CEO Brad Wardell talks about what he's looking for in a game and why graphics do matter

$149 PSP for the Holidays?

Why the price-cut would make sense for Sony. (Hint: It's not only because of runaway Nintendo DS sales.)

Get Unreal

Four game-industry execs explain the attraction of the Unreal Engine 3

id's New IP

The company's CEO talks about what's next from the makers of Doom and Quake

I Want My GTV?

MTV Networks has put down $200 million for casual game-maker Atom Entertainment

The Age of Development

Broadband Internet, online services and the increasing popularity of casual games has shifted power from game publishers towards indie developers

Ten Tips for Going Global

Employ these game-making and marketing tips and you could have the world at your feet, says Scott Steinberg, managing director of Embassy Multimedia Consultants

Self-Confident? That Makes You Type Xbox

Anderson Analytics' psychological study reveals the personality traits associated with gaming brands

Microsoft and Nintendo's Controller Headache

A small Texas outfit has sued the two companies for patent infringement related to its game controller

Opinion: What Comes After E3?

As the show's corpse is laid to rest, critics question what will replace it

Not-So-Casual Games

The $350 million market could grow to $1 billion by 2008 according to analysts. Three industry leaders discuss what it will take to get there

A Mythic Career

Matt Firor discusses his plans post-Mythic

The End of E3's Excess

Computer gaming's premier trade show is being scaled back; the industry may be better off for it

Ten Tips for Mobile Magic

Pocket Gamer site managing director says these straightforward guidelines could help mobile developers everywhere make better games

Xbox's Exclusivity Option

Massive could become Microsoft's exclusive in-game ad provider, but the company's new media president says that won't hurt the industry's growth

China's Online Gaming Craze

The mainland market for online games is set to surpass $2 billion by the end of the decade and beat out South Korea as king
Slide Show: China's Hottest Online Games

In-Game Billboards Go Interactive

Funcom and Massive Inc. give Anarchy Online players the option of interacting with ads in the online game's world

Will Sony's Pricey PS3 Pay Off?

The Japanese giant hopes to duplicate the success of the earlier versions. But critics contend that the $600 price tag could cost Sony big

The Lasting Impact of "Failed" Consoles

Gaming history is littered with washouts like Dreamcast. Yet many have made a bigger contribution to the industry than the "winning" boxes

Spore Lives Up to the Hype

When Will Wright invited us over to play his latest masterpiece, we couldn't refuse
Slide Show: What Spore May Spawn

Could PS3 Complexity Spell Production Problems?

With more than 1,700 parts in the PS3, Sony may have trouble hitting its 1 million units a month target

Take-Two Takes More Lumps

Renewed scrutiny of a Grand Theft Auto sex scene raises questions as to whether the game maker can bounce back—and remain independent

Congress: Stop Playing Games

Video-game makers and retailers feel the heat on Capitol Hill about the ratings process and lax sales practices

The Best Games for the Summer

Thirty titles that could keep the cash tills ringing through the long hot months

Five Gorgeous-Looking 2D Games

What's good about 2D graphics? Here are five games that are worth playing even if the competition from 3D is undeniable

Are Video Games the New Soccer?

In trying to grow its audience beyond a maniacal core fan-base, gaming is in the same situation as "futbol"

Half-Life's Thriving Business

Since its release, Half-Life 2 Episode 1 has continued to top the PC games charts, proving that Valve Software's episodic business model can work

Nintendo's New Brand Game

By introducing an imprint for portable video games geared toward older players, the game maker aims to capitalize on the industry's sales trends

Top 20 Games We'd Like to Play

Unlike typical E3 game roundups, Next Gen prefers to focus on the games that were playable, and that are likely to appear in the year ahead

My Virtual Life

A journey into a place in cyberspace where thousands of people have imaginary lives. Some even make a good living. Big advertisers are taking notice
Slide Show: Inside the World of Second Life

Taking the Pulse!! of Medical Training

Students are learning from a computer simulation that borrows elements from shoot-'em-up games. But don't call it a video game
Slide Show: Scenes from a Virtual Hospital

Mobile Game Mosh: An Overnight Success

Parsons the New School for Design hosted a 24-hour competition to create new games for mobile phones. Judges were impressed by the fast action
Slide Show: A Whirlwind of Game Design

XBOX 360: The Inside Story

In the first part of Next Gen's serialization of Dean Takahashi's new book, he offers a detailed view of the planning behind the launch

Gamers, Put Down Your Weapons

The challenge was to design a game based on the Nobel Peace Prize, the results may not change the world, but thinking about peace can't hurt

Nvidia CEO Talks Console War

Jen-Hsun Huang discusses why the graphics chip maker is working with Sony (and not Microsoft) and his belief that the PS3 will last 10 years

Where Old and New Media Collide

In his new book, Convergence Culture, MIT professor Henry Jenkins points to massively multiplayer online games as a model of the future relationship between companies and consumers

How to Make Great Games

From Populous to Fable, Peter Molyneux has been creating hit games for more than 15 years. Here, he talks about the secrets of great game design

The Innovation Game

Video game designer Tetsuya Mizuguchi talks about the inspiration behind Lumines and his other hit titles

High Voltage Designer Needs his Freedom

Game design can be very rewarding, but publishers, licensors, and directors can make it frustrating as well. David Rodriguez explains

Bing Gordon's Game Revealed

The Electronic Arts CEO shares his views on game design programs, the value of an MBA, and outsourcing. Plus: EA's "biggest risk"

Cutting Edge for Game Music

Video game music composer Jesper Kyd, whose music can be found in Hitman, Freedom Fighters, and many others, discusses what he's striving for

Meet the High Priest of God of War

Designer David Jaffe talks about the strengths and weaknesses of the video-game medium, and why his hit title needed a sequel
Slide Show: Inside a Game Designer's Mind

Sonic's Creator Spins Out of Sega

Yuji Naka, the man behind the company's ubiquitous hedgehog, is striking out on his own. But Sega will still enjoy access to his talents

EA Heads to the Big Show

Electronic Arts and ESPN plan more cross-promotion as part of the exclusive 15-year deal between the respective video-game and sports brands

The Dude Tube

Will a gaming league lure boys back to TV?

The Game Industry Skills Shortage

Hundreds of development jobs are going unfilled — a situation that may only worsen as demands from new formats intensify

Why Old-School Marketing Still Dominates

Viral campaigns, podcasts, and other new ad strategies are all the rage. So why do video-game marketers still love TV, retail, and print?

Gamers Moving Forward, Looking Backward

Backward compatibility in consoles is an issue that divides the industry and enrages consumers. But does it actually matter?

Behind the Controllers

What the slew of new game controllers means for designers and developers

In-Game Ads Elusive for Trackers

According to a panel at the Digital Marketing Conference, less than 10% of in-game advertising is trackable. Still, ad revenues are growing

Something to Hold Onto

Innovative controllers and input devices are the key to a mass market of gaming

Getting Activist Video Games to Market

Do-good video games are popular as free downloads and offer benefits that more traditional games don't, but can they find funding?

Does Independence Mean Freedom?

In an age of big publishers, do independent developers have greater creative liberties?

Casual Gamers Aren't So Casual After All

Think casual gamers play only for short 15-minute spurts a few times a week? A new study measures those players' hardcore habits

The Era of the Controller

Has there ever been a time where the subject of gaming control has been so hotly debated?

Lifestyle Games

How can developers and publishers avoid being lumped together? By offering products that turn into part of the customer's identity

The Next Billion-Dollar Company

VC and tech industry veteran Stewart Alsop believes the videogame industry holds big, big opportunities

What Spore May Spawn

The latest video-game innovation from the man behind The Sims could send ripples into fields ranging from design to law and education

Big Blue Brainstorm

IBM is putting some 100,000 heads together for an online Innovation Jam

Sguig: The Chair That Bounces Backs

With its Pilates pedigree, this ergonomic office chair lets workers bounce and pivot, which does wonders for their vertebrae
Slide Show: Want to Sguig?

Interaction Design: An Introduction

Adaptive Path's Dan Saffer explains the emerging field of designing interactive systems for everyday products and services like iPods and TiVo

Hero of the High-Design Headset

Designer Darrin Caddes is hewing to Plantronics' design-heavy strategy by aiming iconic products straight at Bluetooth users—and women
Slide Show: Plantronics: In Search of Iconic Status

Eight Tips for Better Brainstorming

Should your team brainstorm as a group or as individuals? At creative companies, switching between the two modes can be seamless—and highly productive