Posted by Stephen Johnson - Wednesday, November 14, 2007 6:00 PM
Here's what happened today in the world of videogames, popular culture and technology.
- Atari reportedly has halted all production in order to focus on publishing, and their CEO, David Pierce, stepped down.
- Rumor on the interweb is that the previously announced but not-yet-released Marvel MMO has hit some serious problems
- Microsoft has been hit with a class-action lawsuit over Xbox Live fees
- Both Guitar Hero 3 and Tony Hawk Proving Ground were added to Massive's in-game advertising network to run dynamic ads.
- According to Japanese analysts, the PlayStation 3 is pulling back from the brink.
- Geometry Wars: Galaxies is going to be late everywhere.
- Screwjumper, The 100th downloadable game, has hit the Xbox Live Arcade this morning
- A new videogame is helping kids with diabetes.
- The Nokia N82 is hitting US stores (like Best Buy) for purchase.
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Tags: Daily Wrap-Up
Posted by Jonathan Hunt - Wednesday, November 14, 2007 5:42 PM
Call of Duty 4 has been about everything anyone can about over the last week and now it's time for Adam to have his say.
In this week's episode of Sessler's Soapbox, Adam answers all those who doubt the multitude of glowing reviews for Modern Warfare. Have you played? Let us know what you think in our comments section below or share your thoughts on our forums.
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Tags: PC Gaming, PlayStation 3, Sessler's Soapbox, Videogames, Videos, Xbox 360
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Wednesday, November 14, 2007 3:38 PM
In spite of the title of the VH1 show where the never-wases make fun of has-beens and wannabes, every week really isn't the Best Week Ever.
But this week, in terms of videogames, might really be the best week ever. The slate of games that hit the street is truly momentous: Assassin's Creed, Super Mario Galaxy, Crysis, Kane and Lynch, etc. etc.
To celebrate the releases, we've put together a collection of trailers from some of the biggest titles on the block.
Visit, why don't cha?
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Tags: Videogames
Posted by Brian Leahy - Wednesday, November 14, 2007 3:36 PM
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Tags: Videogames, Videos, Xbox 360
Posted by Ty Colfax - Wednesday, November 14, 2007 3:33 PM
Only 40 Christian shopping days left. Better run out to Akihabra and grab that game all your nephews, nieces, sons, and daughters are looking for. How about an arcade game where the might of your spanking determines your sexual prowess? Or maybe one where you hover around a glob of semen while battling a cross-dressing giant is more your speed? Perhaps something from the Battle Raper Series?
Ah, whatever, it’s Japan’s Top 5 Perverted Games. You can’t get ‘em anway.
Pree-verts
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Tags: Videogames
Posted by Frank Meyer - Wednesday, November 14, 2007 3:05 PM
 After years upon years of anticipation, speculation, and anticipatory speculation, Paul McCartney says the Beatles catalog will finally go digital next year.
"It's all happening soon,” McCartney told Billboard. “Most of us are all sort of ready. The whole thing is primed, ready to go -- there's just maybe one little sticking point left, and I think it's being cleared up as we speak, so it shouldn't be too long. It's down to fine-tuning, but I'm pretty sure it'll be happening next year, 2008."
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Tags: Internets Culture, Music
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Wednesday, November 14, 2007 2:31 PM
 Original Ghostbuster stars Harold Ramis, Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd have signed on to appear in a Ghostbusters videogame. Not only that, but Aykroyd and Ramis are teaming up for scriptwriting duties as well. Sweeet.
Our only question is: What about Ernie Hudson, the guy who played oft-forgotten African American Ghostbuster Winston Zeddemore?
Will he be in the game? We consider ourselves some of the biggest Ernie Hudson fans on earth, and plan on boycotting the game if he'd not included.
Presumably, this and all other Ghostbuster game questions will be answered when the December issue of Game Informer hits stands.
Game Informer
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Tags: Movies, Videogames
Posted by Frank Meyer - Wednesday, November 14, 2007 2:06 PM
 Country Crock, the fine company that brings you buttery goodness, is running a contest right now on its website asking you to send in stories about special times you shared with someone. For every story you send in, they’ll donate a meal to a family in need through America’s Second Harvest.
Isn’t that sweet…
…except it raises some frightening implications.
Like, is Country Crock sitting on a giant stockpile of food that they could release to the homeless, but are withholding as they wait for these fluffy stories? They say that the more stories we send in, the more homeless they will feed. But that implies that the less food we send in, the less homeless people will get fed. And what if we don’t send in any food, will they burn the whole dang airplane hanger full of goodies down to the ground in response? Or worse yet, start killing the homeless?
Please, Country Crock, stop the killing. We need our homeless. I mean, who else is gonna wash my windshield and chase quarters down the street?
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Posted by Mike D'Alonzo - Wednesday, November 14, 2007 1:49 PM
 Facebook is really a big part of the lives of the teens and adults who use it. How much so? Well, a new widget for the social networking site allows young people to apply to college. That's how much so. Yes, a new application called College Planner allows you to go and surf collegiate websites, find out where your friends are interested in going, and apply for admission to that college, all without leaving the comfort of your Facebook account.
We are all for this application. In fact, we're kind of hoping that Facebook will, in the future, allow you to apply for jobs, visit your family, and give birth without having to leave the relative comfort of the internet, as well. After all, the more convenient, the better, right?
The Social: Facebook application lets you apply to college
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Tags: Tech
Posted by Ty Colfax - Wednesday, November 14, 2007 12:16 PM
So, this Garry’s Mod thing has really panned out.
Any game running on the Source engine created by Valve, makers of Half-Life 2, Team Fortress 2, and Counter Strike, can be altered to the user’s liking with the Garry Newman "physics sandbox tool.” And the best part is that they’re always making changes and updates that come down to your PC via Steam.
Here are some examples of what can be done; what TheFeed thinks will become GMod classics some day.
NeoGAF Forums
What’s Your Problem Charles?
And One Pic That’s Already a Classic
And here's the The Garry’s Mod Web Site
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Tags: Internets Culture, PC Gaming, Videogames
Posted by Frank Meyer - Wednesday, November 14, 2007 11:49 AM
 After 10 months of deliberating, shareholders approved a deal Tuesday to allow Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. to acquire its rival XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. for around $5 billion.
But it ain’t over yet, Stern fans as they are still waiting on regulatory approval from Washington, where the Department of Justice and the Federal Communications Commission must grant approval. And those guys are d*cks!
Some consumer groups have opposed the merger, claiming it would create a monopoly that could hurt consumers. Yet the satellite companies say the deal will offer pricing and programming options. Sirius and XM argue that satellite radio now faces more competition for listeners since the boom in digital listening devices like Apple Inc.'s iPod, Internet radio and cell phones that can play music.
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Tags: Music, Tech
Posted by Frank Meyer - Wednesday, November 14, 2007 11:39 AM
So how is FOX dealing with the writer’s strike when it comes to animated shows like Family Guy?
By carrying on without the creator and writers, that’s how!
Yep, it turns out that despite creator/writer/voice-master Seth MacFarlane pledge that last week’s "Lois Kills Stewie" episode was the last episode completed before he joined the Writers Guild strike, FOX is planning on running a brand new Family Guy, "Padre de Familia,” this Sunday.
So how did they finish it without the guy who writes and voices most of the characters? Well, it turns out that FOX and the show's production studio 20th Century Fox TV are doing the final work without him on this one, and potentially three other episodes MacFarlane says "relatively close to completion" before the strike began.
Legally, the network and studio can do this, says MacFarlane, but "it would just be a colossal d*ck move."
Well, colossal d*cks they must be, ‘cause FOX is doin’ it.
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Tags: TV
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Wednesday, November 14, 2007 11:29 AM
Today is Ninjafest on G4, and to celebrate the holiday, we're not only letting you in on how Attack of the Show's American Ninja Challenge competitors did in Japan, we're also dropping some exclusive info on Gamecock and Blazing Lizard's Pirates Vs. Ninjas Dodgeball on ya!
Below is an exclusive first look at all the special abilities of each dodgeball-playing assassin on this Xbox Live Arcade title. Here's a photo gallery for ya! The game comes out in early 2008.
 Name: Hideki Miyamoto
Age: 80
Hometown: Born in Osaka, Japan
Special Move: Hideki’s suit is able to cloak giving himself temporary invulnerability to
attacks.
Background:Hideki grew up in Osaka and was introduced to Ninjitsu by his uncle at the age of 3. He became quite infatuated with this form of martial arts…often training for many hours a day. He joined the Takahashi Ninja Clan at 16 and rose very quickly within their ranks. When their leader, Nobuo, was killed he took over the clan and renamed them Miyamoto.
Tragedy struck Hideki when he was attacked by the Silver Crescent’s during a recent raid on his village. They managed to beat him in battle sending him to Davy Jones locker. But as luck would have it ED-109 of the Robot faction managed to salvage what was left of the Ninja leader by downloading all his thoughts into a positronic matrix and giving him a new cyber suit. When Hideki woke up he snuck out of the Robot Factory and rejoined his Ninja clan.
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Tags: Videogames, Xbox 360
Posted by Brian Leahy - Wednesday, November 14, 2007 11:29 AM
 It seems that Attack of the Show isn't the only bunch breaking world records. Taipei's 101 Elevator has been certified as the world's fastest.
The elevator, which needed to be aerodynamic, travels at speeds reaching 37.7 miles per hour.
Head over to Gizmodo for a video of the elevator's display as it descends.
Gizmodo: Taipei 101 Elevator, Fastest in the World
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Tags: Tech
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