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Latest by A. Agnello

Angry Birds is still big business but Rovio thinks its time for new IP

Finland's Rovio isn't a one trick pony. Angry Birds was successful, but so were Angry Birds: Star Wars and Bad Piggies! Spin-off success is one thing, but Rovio does see its future in developing new intellectual properties.

Nintendo TVii hits Wii U on Dec. 20, but is it ready for primetime?

Nintendo TVii hits the Wii U on Thursday, unifying some of the console's entertainment apps and live television into a single service. Given the shaky performance of the Wii U's operating system and apps so far, though, is Nintendo's system seller ready?

Konami: Metal Gear Rising 2 with Platinum a possibility, no Rising Wii U

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance won't be out until February but Kojima Productions is already discussing the possibility of collaborating with Platinum Games on a sequel. Meanwhile, the studio shoots down the possibility of Rising for Nintendo Wii U.

Microsoft apologizes to Halo 4 players with free DLC then bans them

Let it never be said that the distribution of downloadable content can't cause wacky hijinks. The botched release of the Crimson Map Pack DLC for Halo 4 led Microsoft to give away paid content for free and then to accidentally ban players for using it.

Day of Cease Fire planned for Dec. 21 to support Sandy Hook families

Gamer Fit Nation's CEO is organizing an event for Friday asking gamers to not play online shooters for 24 hours to show support for those affected by the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

Journey’s Austin Wintory composes new score for Leisure Suit Larry

thatgamecompany's Journey and Al Lowe's Leisure Suit Larry don't outwardly share much. One's about a loser trying to get lucky and the other's about a spiritual journey through a ruined civilization. They do share one thing: Composer Austin Wintory.

Electronic Arts battens down the hatches with Origin Free To Play

Electronic Arts continues to consolidate and rebrand its various digital businesses in its effort to create a future proof video game company. Its plans in free-to-play gaming are well intentioned but they may not lead to financial or creative growth.

Sony signs indie developers to strengthen its PS Vita line up

Support for Sony's PlayStation Vita is dwindling as the handheld is still struggling to connect with gamers. Sony is working to beef up the PS Vita's game selection by signing indie developers like FuturLab to create new content.

Sniper Elite shot down as publisher suddenly takes servers offline

Rebellion's Sniper Elite demonstrates just how fragile video games in the digital age can be as the multiplayer game's servers were abruptly taken offline after sever years, effectively killing the game.

Plants vs. Zombies studio PopCap is making a “AAA” console shooter

PopCap Games has been the king of casual video games for the better part of a decade, but the studio is moving beyond Bejeweled and Plants vs. Zombies according to a new job listing. PopCap is getting into the shooter business.

Jetsetter: GoldenEye 007 developer Eurocom closes after 25 years

It's a bittersweet week in Jetsetter as we say goodbye to one of the UK's most prolific console game developers but celebrate new shooters from New Zealand and Japan's best and brightest.

Assassin’s Creed III DLC is erasing player data

Players picking up the new downloadable content for Assassin's Creed III should exercise caution, as Ubisoft has confirmed that a glitch in the process is causing players' save files to be erased.

Rockstar North starts hiring developers for next-gen Grand Theft Auto tech

Rockstar Games isn't done with the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 yet, but the company is already building the technology that will run games on Microsoft Durango and Sony's Orbis. Grand Theft Auto is ready to go next-gen.

InXile puts out a call for fans to help create Wasteland 2

Fans wanted Wasteland 2 so badly they helped InXile Entertainment raise nearly $3 million through Kickstarter to make the game. Now InXile is asking fans if they want to help join the team and build parts of the game's world.

Far Cry 3 studio readying an online RPG for Xbox 720 and PlayStation 4

Massive Entertainment, one of the studios behind Ubisoft's Far Cry 3 and Assassin's Creed, is shifting away from the aged PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 to work on a next-gen RPG.

BioWare puts full writing staff on next Mass Effect 3 DLC, records new voice work

With fans grumbling about the story content in Mass Effect 3: Omega, BioWare is committing major resources to its follow up. Main Mass Effect studio BioWare Edmonton is handling writing duties and recording new voice work with actos like Seth Green.

Nintendo 3DS gets new Fire Emblem, Luigi’s Mansion, and Brain Age in 2013

In July 2011, Nintendo promised it would keep a steady stream of games coming to Nintendo 3DS and it's sticking to that plan in 2013 with Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, Fire Emblem Awakening and Brain Age: Concentration Training out by March.

USPTO denies Microsoft’s application for Killer Instinct trademark

Microsoft hyped up old school fighting game fans in September when it announced it was refiling its trademark for Killer Instinct, but the USPTO has denied the application due to a cancelled Fox TV show.
Under Defeat Dreamcast

Under Defeat HD review: The shooter preservationist society

G.Rev's Under Defeat HD is a period piece in the best possible way, a polished recreation of a cult classic but also an ideal specimen of a lost gaming craft. They simply don't make shooters like this anymore, and this game demonstrates why that's a shame.

Irrational Games hires BioShock Infinite cosplayer to be game’s mascot

Most people who dress up like video game characters at conventions do it for the love. In the case of one Anna Moleva, dressing up like a BioShock Infinite character actually landed her a job as the game's mascot.

Call of Duty Black Ops: Declassified review

Guillermo del Toro’s horror game Insane finds a new developer

Resident Evil was turned into an action game, Dead Space has co-op, and ZombiU's just got more zombies: Where is all the horror? Guillermo del Toro's bringing the fear back to games with Insane, a game that came back from the dead.

2K Games: No annual sequels for BioShock, Borderlands, or Grand Theft Auto

Do video game series need a new entry every year to thrive? Ubisoft, Activision and others push out new games for series like Call of Duty each year to keep the business running. 2K Games thinks its series like Grand Theft Auto thrive on a slow schedule.

Rumor: X-Men director Matthew Vaughn will direct Star Wars Episode VII

Yet another rumor suggests that Matthew Vaughn quit directing X-Men: Days of Future Past for a very good reason: The Kick-Ass and Stardust director will helm Star Wars Episode VII.
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LEGO Lord of the Rings review: Traveller’s Tales finds fertile ground in Middle-earth

Traveller's Tales second big LEGO game in 2012 doesn't quite capture the grand story of its inspiration but it does build a wider open world to play in than any other game in the series. LEGO Lord of the Rings is worth exploring.

With BioShock Infinite’s multiplayer cancelled, 2K Games shows growth

Ken Levine confirmed on Monday that BioShock Infinite will not have multiplayer modes when it comes out in February 2013. While the move should help guarantee additional polish for the game's campaign, it also signals a positive shift in 2K Games' policies.
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Jetsetter: Warface hits 5 million players in Russia, Czech president calls for ArmA III devs’ release

In the Thanksgiving edition of Jetsetter, we look at Crytek's newfound success with Warface in Russia while diplomatic efforts to free Bohemia Interactive developers imprisoned in Greece ramp up. Plus: The R4 era ends in Japan!

THQ elaborates on Metro: Last Light developer’s statements about Wii U

Looking to clarify 4A Games' statement that the Wii U's CPU is horrible and slow, THQ provides more context for why developer 4A Games decided not to bring Metro: Last Light to the console, but does not quell the Wii U's growing reputation as a weak console.

Hitman: Absolution series split between two studios to make more games

Square-Enix aims to speed up production on the Hitman series by splitting the franchise between two studios, much like Activision has done with the Call of Duty series. Who will IO Interactive share its signature series with?

Nintendo: Wii U profitable if players buy just one game

In the past Nintendo made it a rule to sell its gaming consoles at a profit from day one, but the company admitted in October it would take a loss on each Wii U sold. Now Nintendo says it needs to sell just one game with each console to make a profit.

Composer Gordy Haab wins award for Star Wars Kinect score

Video game composer Gordy Haab wins the award for Best Song at the Hollywood Music in Media awards thanks to his score for Star Wars Kinect.

What do steep discounts on Wii U games say about Nintendo’s new console?

Retailers like Target are offering huge discounts on Nintendo Wii U games, an unusual move following the release of a brand new gaming console. Are these price cuts say the Wii U's in trouble or is this a sign of a fast-changing business?

With $6.3 million raised Star Citizen is the highest earning crowd-funded game yet

Star Citizen, an ambitious new space sim from the man behind Wing Commander and Freelancer, is now the highest earning crowd-funded video game project to date with $6.3 million raised. The people have spoken: Bring on the science fiction!

Electronic Arts named one of the best places to work by LGBT advocacy group

The Human Rights Campaign named Electronic Arts one of the best places to work in the United States this week, thanks to the video game publishers efforts to create an equal work environment for LGBT game professionals.