Video game makers are about to try to convince you that fancy 3-D screens, gesture-recognition cameras and ultra-sensitive motion controllers topped with brightly glowing spheres are what you need to have a good time.

They’ll do this as they try to emerge from a slump in the recession, which shocked a business long believed to be protected from, if not totally immune to, the workings of the broader economy.

Much of the industry’s success this year is riding on whether Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony and game publishers are able to sway consumers toward new, maybe even pricey ways to experience games — even as free or inexpensive options on Facebook, smart phones and the iPad compete for their attention.

Read the full story

Michael Jackson’s stunning death made him the Internet’s biggest star this year.

The quest to find out what happened to Jackson in his final hours on June 25 and celebrate his legacy elevated the late entertainer to the top of the Internet’s search charts for 2009. On Yahoo, it ended singer Britney Spears’ four-year reign on top.

The annual lists released Tuesday were compiled separately by Google Inc. and Yahoo Inc., which combined handle two-thirds of the world’s Internet searches.

Jackson also grabbed the top spot on the third-largest U.S. search engine, Microsoft Corp.’s Bing, which announced its rankings Sunday. AOL, which relies on Google’s search technology, also had Jackson at No. 1.

The lists are meant to provide a reading on our cultural pulse.
Read the full story

Abington IP, a Tulsa-based law firm specializing in Intellectual Property Law and Consumer Class Actions, is investigating the possibility of a class action lawsuit in regards to Microsoft’s recent banning of thousands of modified Xbox 360 consoles.  Typically, consoles are modified or “modded” in order to play games without legally owning a copy.  Once banned, the consoles are no longer able to connect to Xbox Live to play games online.

Of course, a law firm suing a major corporation is not news; however, their reasoning in the suit is unique.  Abington IP is suggesting that Microsoft timed the bannings after the releases of two major online games, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Halo 3: ODST; games likely to generate increased revenue in Xbox Live subscriptions.  Apparently, users are still able to connect to Xbox Live using their subscription, just not with the banned consoles.

The reality is that anyone modifying their console for illegal uses knows the associated risks (read: getting banned).  Hopefully the lawsuit fizzles out.

E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) 2009 is underway and the major players are grabbing their share of the media cycle by revealing hot games and new technologies. Once the major industry show, E3′s relevance has been questioned in recent years, especially since it has served more to confirm rumors than offer surprises.

It’s refreshing that Microsoft has kicked off the show with an impressive E3 Briefing. Here are the three biggest announcements Microsoft revealed today for their Xbox 360:

The Beatles: Rock Band
We knew this was coming on 9.09.09 (number nine, number nine, number nine) and we could have guessed at the track list, but did anyone see vocal harmonies coming? Support for up to three vocalists shows that unlike recent Guitar Hero releases, this isn’t just Rock Band with a Beatles skin. This is a multiplatform release, but the biggest surprise Microsoft pulled off was putting the two surviving Beatles onstage during the announcement. Paul and Ringo may have had an awkward two minutes in the E3 spotlight, but unless Nintendo or Sony have Elvis waiting in the wings, it would be hard to surpass this level of star power.

Social Notworking
I hope you like your couch, because Microsoft is planning to keep you on it. Announced today was integration for social networking giants Facebook and Twitter. Redesigned for your television, it will be easier to keep track of friends, share pictures and highlight your gaming excellence all through your Xbox. As if that isn’t enough, Microsoft is bringing Last.FM to Xbox Live subscribers letting them create and share playlists.

Project Natal
This morning people were talking about Xbox Fluid which morphed into Project Natal during the briefing. I can only assume the pregnant Trixie 360 created this natal fluid confusion. Anyway, Project Natal is Microsoft’s answer to the Wiimote. Bypassing controllers completely, Microsoft showed off the Project Natal concept which uses a camera for facial recognition and body movement tracking while a microphone picks up your voice. Examples shown included miming steering a car to play a racing game, unleashing a martial arts barrage to defeat an on-screen opponent and shouting trivia answers at the screen to win a multiplayer game. Potentially the biggest game-changer, Project Natal also faces the potential of being another gimmick like the EyeToy — or worse — the new Power Glove.

Related articles by Zemanta

• The Beatles: Rock Band’s ‘All You Need is Love’ exclusive download on Xbox Live (joystiq.com)
• E3 2009: The Beatles: Rock Band DLC Details (cinemablend.com)
• E3 2009 promises to return to form, surprises expected (arstechnica.com)
• Engadget arrives at E3 2009! (engadget.com)