What We Learned This Week: Week Of July 11, 2010

I like to regard all of life as an opportunity for learning, and by "learning," I mean "eating doughnuts," but nonetheless, this week brought with it more than an oppressive heat wave and the death of thousands of sea animals in the Gulf of Mexico. It brought life lessons I'll cherish forever. Here's what I learned this week:

• No matter how good I get at Super Street Fighter 4, I'll never be able to compete with Ricky and Daigo.
• It's funny when game company heads call each other names.
• It's possible to be a "Bond Girl" and not appear in a James Bond movie.
• Eventually, Apple will listen if enough iPhone users yell at them.
• Even Jabba the Hutt can be sexy.

I already knew this, but our web shows are awesome. Here are this week's:

• Feedback looks at Crackdown 2 and talks about the Battle.net controversy.
• The MMO Report:  Casey examines how the Korean government is investing in the development of Tera.
• Fresh Ink: Blair takes a look at Northlanders: The Sea Road, Ghost Projekt, Wonder Woman, The Invincible Iron Man: Annual, and the lone graphic novel holdover, Batwoman: Elegy
  

And now the news...

Monday

• Sonic the Hedgehog returns. Marcella Churchill from Sega tells us how the title returns to classic Sonic games with high speed racing
• Microsoft's Major Nelson has announced that the launch of the new Destination Arcade for Xbox Live has been bumped a week.
• Test Drive Unlimited 2 expands the gameplay offered in the first game, from multiplayer to open world races to the world's most luxur
• Square Enix has started sending out invites to the Final Fantasy XIV beta test. Did you get one?
• Ubisoft today announced their games lineup and panel discussion info for Comic-Con 2010.
• Jake Digenmaro goes in depth about the development of "Two Worlds II," which continues the narrative of the first game.
• It's not too late to save some money with these game deals.
• The Madden NFL 11 Divisional Preview Series offers up a first look The AFC in this year's football juggernaut of a video game.
• An analyst is currently predicting Call of Duty: Black Ops could outsell Modern Warfare 2.
• If your games library is in need of some new additions, then be sure to check out this week's new releases list.
• The Deus Ex tie-in novel, Deus Ex: The Icarus Effect, has been announced, and will be released in 2011.
• Creative director Daniel Neuberger gives us the lowdown on the downloadable title and tells us about the puzzles and challenges packe
• Edward Norton is not returning as the Hulk. What will this mean for The Avengers?
• Do you want to be Feedback's question of the week?!
• Maxis Studios plans to unveil a Spore-based action-RPG during Comic-Con 2010.
• In today's Daily Reacharound, a reader isn't totally convinced by Call of Duty: Black Ops yet.
• Ubisoft has decided to push Driver: San Francisco back a bit, into early 2011.
• PopCap is teasing a Plants vs. Zombies-related announcement for August 2.
• We interviewed the executive producer on the future of League of Legends.
• LeBron James abandoned Cleveland famously last week, but the city has so much going for it that it will never look back. Here's why.
• SimTower was an addictive skyscraper construction game from the 90s, and it looks like it is heading to the iPad.
• EVO 2010 is all wrapped up, but you can watch the championship videos right here. Check out how Daigo takes on challenger Ricky Ortiz
• The new CG trailer for League of Legends heralds the beginning of Season one for the game.

Tuesday

• A resume seems to confirm that EA's Steven Spielberg game is still on the way, but will we see it for sure?
• The Trophies list for the PS3-exclusive DLC for Mafia 2 has popped up online.
• Kane and Lynch 2 will be hitting stores a week early.
• Sony changed its terms and conditions to warn of potential eye-strain caused by 3D.
• The 10-car World Class DLC pack for Forza 3 is now available on Xbox Live.
• It looks like Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier's release date has been pushed back until March 2011.
• EA announced today the limited edition version of Medal of Honor.
• Check out these galleries from the EVO Championship Series World Finals.
• Rumors about the upcoming Superman reboot film have Chuck's Zachary Levi auditioning for the Man of Steel.
• Kinect doesn't have an official price yet, but Walmart has a listing for $200 Kinect bundle.
• We take a look back at the last year of Sessler's Soapbox and revisit our 3 favorite episodes.
• Patrick Klepek turned off English in Metro 2033 and found himself in a whole new video game.
• Azeroth will get quite a shakeup when Cataclysm hits the World of Warcraft, and the developers tell us exactly how and why.
• Xbox Live's Destination Arcade will be usable after the "Summer of Arcade" promotion ends.
• TECH REVIEW: Alison Haislip and Kevin Pereira review the massive iBuyPower Level 10 Gaming PC.
• A Walmart Kinect bundle listing suggests Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will include Kinect support.
• This summer, the Public Broadcasting System is airing a Video Games Live concert featuring music from the world's best known games.
• Quantic Dream is currently working on two -- yes, two! -- new projects.
• The developers of Kid Icarus: Uprising are currently testing online modes for their Nintendo 3DS title.
• Despite delays, Peter Jackson is reportedly meeting with actors for The Hobbit.
• Loot Whore doesn't just want to save you money, it also wants to get you into new games! Dive in and save!
• Check out the EVO 2010 Super Street Fighter IV Women’s Invitational Final & Tekken 6 Championship Final
• The state of California filed its arguments in favor a measure that will restrict the sale of violent games to minors.
• The ESRB accidentally exposed the e-mail addresses of concerned Blizzard fans.
• Looking for some laughs to go with your dungeon crawling? Deathspank has you covered. Find out more.

Wednesday

• VIDEO: Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days "Focus On The Job" Multiplayer Trailer
• Cat Fight: In an interview, Tim Schafer called Bobby Kotick a "Total Pr**ck."
• The Old Spice Guy answered questions from both Cliffy B. and Kevin P. Let's watch.
• Nintendo announced today that Professor Layton and the Unwound Future will be released a week early.
• Atari is reviving Atari 2600 game Haunted House.
• Marvel has revealed two of the latest characters coming to LittleBigPlanet via DLC: Spider-Man and the Human Torch.
• A NY Mom is accused of helping her twin sons clean up a crime scene, then playing Frontierville.
• Microsoft announced today its full list of events for Comic-Con 2010.
• Bioware says its working on a "small MMO."
• It has been announced that the upcoming Thor and Captain America movies will be coming at you in 3D.
• Downloadable online shooter Blackhawk: Tango Down wants to steal you away from higher profiles games. Can it succeed?
• VIDEO: Monocle Smile! Kevin Pereira and Alison Haislip bring you this edition of Around the Net.
• Check out the Yakuza: Black Panther Debut Japanese Trailer
• It is being reported that Mark Ruffalo is in talks to be the new Hulk in The Avengers.
• The release date of Zelda Skyward Sword may be in early 2011.
• Microsoft has announced the latest additions to the Game Room library.
• Summer! This means vacation, and leaving your consoles behind. Here are video game books to take with you.
• BioWare says they have "big plans" for future Mass Effect 2 downloadable content.
• Realtime Worlds' MMO shooter APB promises massive cops and robbers. But it falls short of its potential. Find out why.
• In today's Daily Reacharound, a reader demands a new president for Activision.
• Do you know the connection between Steven Spielberg and NiGHTS into Dreams?
• The 1991 adventure classic gets a new lease on life with Monkey Island 2 Special Edition. Have the years been kind? Find out.
• Look for a new Feedback on Thursday morning!
• Check out Three EVO 2010 Championship Matches To Feed Your Fighting Spirit

Thursday

• Could Double Fine really be so cruel as to tease a Psychonauts sequel via a new t-shirt on their online store? Seems like it.
• Rockstar has dropped 40 employees from Rockstar San Diego, the studio that made Red Dead.
• Microsoft is getting rid of 1 Vs. 100.
• Capcom announced today the episode release schedule of Keiji Inafune's Zombrex Dead Rising Sun film.
• Check out our look at the Gamesalad development tools.
• DJ Hero 2 artist list revealed.
• You can download Starcraft 2 right now, and play it later.
• Ubisoft announced today they are developing a comic book mini-series based on Assassin's Creed.
• Sega says it's developing a more "sophisticated" Kinect game for the future.
• Entertainment Weekly has unveiled the first official look at Ryan Reynolds as Green Lantern.
• The box art for Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions has revealed the fourth and final version of Spider-Man appearing in the game.
• Developer Double Fine is working on four games, none of which are Brutal Legend 2.
• Sony Online Entertainment has reportedly laid off 35 employees.
• Capcom released details and pricing info today for the Dead Rising 2 Zombrex edition.
• VIDEO: Olivia Munn and Kevin Pereira take you Around the Net, with Bale vs. Gibson, a kayak fail and more!
• Nothing shouts "hockey!" in the middle of summer in Los Angeles than the NHL 2K11-branded RV that pulled into our parking lot.
• The first full trailer for Facebook origin tale The Social Network makes its debut.
• TECH REVIEW: Kevin Pereira and Olivia Munn review the Falcon Northwest Talon gaming PC.
• Casey drops some knowledge about Korea investing in TERA, Final Fantasy 14's beta test, and Uncle Casey's Mailbag.
• On this week's episode of Feedback, we recap the EVO 2010 championships, Blizzard avoiding a nerd-mageddon, and Crackdown 2.
• Red Dead Redemption and Super Mario Galaxy 2 are leading game sales...again!
• Games based on movies don't have a great track record, and games based on comic books haven't fared much better. But, there have been some highlights,

Friday

• Microsoft have announced the dates and stops for their nationwide Kinect demo tour.
• Alert: Kids getting high on digital drugs.
• Atomic Games' Breach has been delayed.
• Tracks from The Stooges and Bad Religion are coming to Rock Band.
• 2K Games has started sign ups for the Xbox 360 exclusive multiplayer beta for Spec Ops: The Line.
• Activision and Bizarre Creations today unveiled James Bond: Blood Stone.
• EA is selling its stock in Ubisoft.
• Bethesda Softworks today announced they are developing a graphic novel based on Fallout: New Vegas called "All Roads."
• Developer Just Add Water is working on multiple new Oddworld projects.
• Apple presented solutions to the iPhone 4 antenna issue during a press conference today.
• VIDEO: Talban monkeys, what? Kevin and Alison take you Around the Net.
• Get your first look at the upcoming Legends and Killers DLC for Red Dead Redemption in this new batch of screenshots.
• Capcom has announced Mega Man Universe is coming to Xbox Live and PSN.
• Nicolas Cage has confirmed that he will return for Ghost Rider 2 and reveals the film's new directors.
• Ubisoft hopes to hit 30 percent of the 3DS software market when the system launches.
• Comic reviews of Batman, Lock and Key, X-Files and more on this week's Fresh Ink Online.
• According to the Wall Street Journal, Starcraft 2 cost around 100 million to develop.
• Have you ever wondered about the evolution of Xbox Achievements? Engineers at Microsoft give you the whole scoop.
• 2K revealed details today about the first two DLC packs for Mafia 2.
• Is pay-to-play multiplayer the way of the future? One industry analyst thinks you'll soon be shelling out bucks to play Call of Duty
• TECH REVIEW: Find out why Kevin Pereira and Alison Haislip gave the Maingear Shift Extreme 4 out of 5 Seals of Approval.
• Watch the Fempire Strikes Back Burlesque Show in theFeed.
• Summertime blues? It figures. Snap out of the July doldrums with some great games of last autumn that you might've overlooked.