What EA Getting Rid of Online Passes Tells Us About The Games Industry (And Gamers)
Thursday, 16th May 2013Posted in Industry
Tags: downloading, ea, gamers, Online Pass, worst company in america
Written by: Paul Nyhart
From out of the heavens this week, EA reigned down the announcement that they will discontinue their practice of online passes. For those not privy to how the “passes” work(ed), a customer who bought a second hand or used game had to purchase an additional, separate pass to access the game’s online features (which usually cost around 10 bucks). If you buy the game new, the “online pass” could be activated with a code included with the game.
The measure allowed the publisher to pocket some coin on the sale of a used game; while EA is largely credited with beginning the practice, it has since been adopted by publishers Activision and Ubisoft. However, EA, in impeccable corporate speak, said the practice is donezo: Continue reading “What EA Getting Rid of Online Passes Tells Us About The Games Industry (And Gamers)” »
Always Online DRM Continues To Plague SimCity Players, EA To Add Two More Servers
Thursday, 7th March 2013Posted in Industry
Tags: Australia, connectivity, ea, game, gamers, issues, Oceanic Servers, online, servers, SimCity
Written by: Craig Hunter
The newest iteration in the SimCity franchise recently launched to fairly favorable reviews. The main problem is the online connectivity issues many players are experiencing.
After US gamers struggled during the launch to connect with the game, new reports from Australian gamers with the same issue have surfaced. Players in that region are having a hard time accessing SimCity’s Oceanic servers (via Polygon).
Not only is there connectivity problems, some Australian region gamers are reporting that their entire cities have been deleted.
Electronic Arts Will Host Their First LGBT Gaming Event in San Francisco This Week
Monday, 4th March 2013Posted in Industry
Tags: characters, company, Electronic Arts, event, gamers, gaming, gay, lgbt
Written by: Jeff Nau
Follow @jeffnau
Recognizing that there’s an increased love of games from gamers of all sexual orientations, Electronic Arts is making serious headway in reaching out to gamers in the LGBT community.
This Thursday, March 7, that the company will be holding the Full Spectrum convention in New York — an event oriented specifically towards gay, lesbian, and transsexual gamers. Continue reading “Electronic Arts Will Host Their First LGBT Gaming Event in San Francisco This Week” »
Annual EA Sports Challenge Series Presents $1 Million In Prize Money
Tuesday, 12th February 2013Posted in Industry
Tags: 1 million, ea, gamers, gaming, madden, series, tournament
Written by: Craig Hunter
Virgin Gaming and EA have partnered up again for the annual EA Sports Challenge Series. It took place on February 9 and is one of the largest live gaming tournaments in the world. Gaming takes place solely on the Playstation 3 (via GI).
The tournament handed out over $1 million in prize money to players competing in FIFA Soccer 13, MADDEN 13 and NHL 13. Over 1000 spectators piled into Lagasse’s Stadium in Las Vegas to watch 640 different gamers complete.
Continue reading “Annual EA Sports Challenge Series Presents $1 Million In Prize Money” »
The World’s Most Perverted Game Controller Allows You To Play Video Games With Your Penis
Tuesday, 12th February 2013Posted in Offbeat
Tags: controller, Custom Maid 3-D, game, gamers, ju-c-air, maid, pirate
Written by: Jeff Nau
Follow @jeffnau
Japan will soon be introducing the Ju-C-Air, a(nother) penis-powered controller that soon will allow horny gamers everywhere to play completely in the nude and without the risk of damaging those already-sore wrists.
Sort of like existenZ, the wireless and muscle-responsive controller will be packaged specifically with a game. In this case that’s the virtual sex Custom Maid 3-D. Continue reading “The World’s Most Perverted Game Controller Allows You To Play Video Games With Your Penis” »
DAILY DEED: 6 Gamers Launch 5 Day Marathon To Raise Money For Good Cause
Friday, 10th August 2012Posted in Blog Archive, Gaming
Tags: california wish foundation, charity, deed, gamers, gamers give back, gaming
Written by: Paul Nyhart
We told you about a rather inauspicious gaming marathon that happened this week in Ohio, where a 15 year old boy passed out over 4 days of playing Call of Duty.
But the gaming marathon from the guys over at “The Bro-Cast” is a tad different, not only are they planning to take water breaks, they are trying to raise money for charity with their gaming marathon “A Decade In Gaming.”
The marathon will take place over 120 hours and will feature the guys playing “Top 10 Games” from the last decade. Viewers can watch the stream live via the bro cast site and donate via chip-in. Continue reading “DAILY DEED: 6 Gamers Launch 5 Day Marathon To Raise Money For Good Cause” »
The Angry Gamer: When Disgruntled Players Threaten Game Designers
Thursday, 26th April 2012Posted in Blog Archive, Gaming
Tags: angry, black ops, call of duty, gamers, MW3, reality, Robert Bowling, video game violence, video games, violence
Written by: Jeff Nau
Follow @jeffnau
With war game franchises like Call of Duty and MW 3 doing insane sales, seems only natural that gamers out there love a little (or a lot) of death with their gaming experience. Both a lot of boys and girls would probably agree that, hey, it’s fun to take out the pent up aggression of a long day at work/in school on fictional digitized characters, and just watch sh*t get blown up.
For game developers and programmers behind most of these games, it’s a little bit of a different story. Continue reading “The Angry Gamer: When Disgruntled Players Threaten Game Designers” »
Crytek Developing Social Network For Gamers With OnLive-like Streaming
Thursday, 2nd February 2012Posted in Blog Archive, Gaming
Tags: browser, Crytek, Facebook, Gameloft Live!, gamers, GFACE, onlive, social network, streaming, Xbox Live
Written by: Craig Hunter
There are a few sites that claim to be a Facebook dedicated to gamers, but nothing like a new service called “GFACE” being developed with help from Crysis developers Crytek. From screenshots posted by Kotaku, the GFACE is not only the ultimate Facebook/Google+ for gamers, it’s also an innovative online game streaming platform that scales from mobile devices to traditional PCs.
GFACE, like Facebook and most other social networks, will run your browser. Some of the innovative features highlighted in Kotaku’s report: integrated video chat, and drag-and-drop friend invites, and the ability to access your friends list to share content like Xbox Live– such as watching a movie together. Continue reading “Crytek Developing Social Network For Gamers With OnLive-like Streaming” »
Response To ‘Shit Gamer Girls Say’ Shows How Male Gamers Really Feel
Tuesday, 24th January 2012Posted in Blog Archive, Gaming, Online Video
Tags: comments, community, female, gamers, harassment, Machinima, response, Shit Girl Gamers Say, video, XboxLive
Written by: Craig Hunter
For your own benefit up until now we haven’t brought you the endless “Shit gamers say” videos that have inevitably littered the internet over the past weeks. We couldn’t, however, help ourselves from getting in on the conversation for the “Shit Gamer Girls Say” video posted by Machinima.
If you’ve seen any of the Shit __ say videos, there aren’t a ton of surprises here. Although, this particular video seems to, for no good reason, be getting a lot of hate from the gaming community. The comments attached to the YouTube video are a clear indication of just how welcomed female gamers are within the community online, and it certainly isn’t any better in-game on Xbox Live or elsewhere. Continue reading “Response To ‘Shit Gamer Girls Say’ Shows How Male Gamers Really Feel” »
8 Reasons Why Girls Want to Date a Gamer, Whether they know it or not
Tuesday, 20th December 2011Posted in Offbeat
Tags: dating, don't, gamer, gamers, guy, i love geeks, tips, want
Written by: Paul Nyhart
Not all gamers are geeks, and not all geeks are gamers, but for the sake of keeping things simple (we are talking dating here) let’s look at what makes gamers unique, and why this ultimately makes them a good catch for any girl looking for a solid guy.
Here are 8 reasons why girls want to date a gamer, whether they know it or not: Continue reading “8 Reasons Why Girls Want to Date a Gamer, Whether they know it or not” »
Nvidia CEO: Real-time Graphics Will Reach Cutscene Quality By 2019
Thursday, 15th December 2011Posted in Blog Archive, Gaming, Technology
Tags: cutscene, gamers, games, graphics, huang, industry, mobile, mobile gaming, nvidia, Tegra3
Written by: Craig Hunter
If anyone is qualified to comment on the future of graphics in the tech industry it’s GPU maker Nvidia. If you believe CEO Jen-Hsun Huang, the real-time graphics in console games will be surpassing the quality of the highest quality pre-rendered cutscenes by 2019.
While noting that a PS3 has only several hundred gigaflops, he claims consoles in 2019 will reach up to 40 teraflops, on par with some of today’s most powerful supercomputers. However, while your typical supercomputer takes megawatts to power, Huang says, “We will be able to deliver that level of capability in 2019 in a game console with a 100 watts”.
While Huang has certainly been no stranger to making bold claims in the past, as gamers it’s interesting to hear how far away we are from truly achieving a seamless experience between cutscenes and gameplay. Continue reading “Nvidia CEO: Real-time Graphics Will Reach Cutscene Quality By 2019” »
Avatars and Their Creators: This Is What Gamers Really Look Like
Thursday, 15th December 2011Posted in Blog Archive, Gaming, Pop Culture
Tags: Alter Ego, avatars, comparison, gamers, MMO, photography, reality, RobbieCooper
Written by: Craig Hunter
A project entitled Alter Egoby photographer Robbie Cooper sets out to compare real world gamers with their online counterparts, giving us a glimpse into how gamers represent their own personalities through their online characters.
Cooper spent three years taking photos of gamers in Korea, France, China, and Germany, while at the same time documenting their online avatars in various games including City of Heroes, Second Life, and World of Warcraft.
The result was a fascinating look at how we perceive ourselves in the online world, and at the same time get lost in the fantasy of a world not restricted by the physicality of our bodies in real life. As the project’s description describes it, it’s a “phenomenon that is shaping the future of human interaction”.
Cooper has been no stranger to photographing gaming related subjects Continue reading “Avatars and Their Creators: This Is What Gamers Really Look Like” »
Want To Cure A Horrible Disease? Playing This Online Game Might Help
Wednesday, 14th December 2011Posted in Blog Archive, Gaming, Technology
Tags: cancer, cure, DNA, gamers, nucleotides, online, phylo
Written by: Jeff Nau
Canadian scientists are on the forefront of a revolutionary online game that could help unravel the complexities of cancerous cells.
Dr. Jérôme Waldispuhl and Mathieu Blanchette, of McGill University in Montreal, have developed something called Phylo — an interactive online game which allows players to help arrange different sequences of colored blocks, in this case representing the nucleotides of a DNA strand (think Tetris, only with more reality-based results).
You don’t necessarily have to think of it as research — just like so many other online games, a number of players show up and register to play just for fun. Others come to help work in their own way towards finding a cure, and choose which disease they’d like to work on.
Here’s how it works: Continue reading “Want To Cure A Horrible Disease? Playing This Online Game Might Help” »
Minecraft Players Pay Tribute to Steve Jobs
Tuesday, 11th October 2011Posted in Blog Archive, Gaming, Technology
Tags: actually, apple, created, gamers, jobs, Minecraft, steve, tributes
Written by: Craig Hunter
Here at the Jace Hall Show we know how passionate gamers can be about the things they love, especially when it comes to epic minecraft tributes. In the midst of the passing of one of the computer industry’s greatest pioneers, the outpouring of remembrance from gamers has been just as heartwarming as the tributes from the core Apple community.
Using what they know best, several dedicated Minecraft players have created some pretty stunning tributes to Steve Jobs. The most emotional (below) of the dedications (courtesy of KickAssTechnology) doesn’t actually show the group putting it together, but definitely hits the mark ending with Jobs’ famous quote, “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life”. Continue reading “Minecraft Players Pay Tribute to Steve Jobs” »
Awesome Poster Details the ‘Evolution of Joysticks’
Friday, 23rd September 2011Posted in Gaming, Offbeat
Tags: consoles, controllers, game controllers, gamers, joysticks, pop chart lab, popchartlab.com
Written by: Jeff Nau
All gamers are preferential to games and consoles — even gaming companies — but a few OCD players are even violently preferential to certain gaming controllers. While most of us could give a crap, it’s still a riot to think of some crazy guy polishing his joystick(s) (insert dirty joke here) in a garage or basement somewhere who would have this poster framed and placed in the center of a joystick shrine.
Continue reading “Awesome Poster Details the ‘Evolution of Joysticks’” »
Good London News! Gamers and Redditors doing good for Barber
Thursday, 11th August 2011Posted in Blog Archive, Gaming
Tags: gamers, gaming, good, london, london looters, london riots
Written by: R Bryant Francis
But hey, some good news out of London! In the wake of disaster, the kindness of the internet continues to know no bounds. Continue reading “Good London News! Gamers and Redditors doing good for Barber” »
Gamers Do Good: WoW Players Raise $1.9 Million for Japanese Charity
Thursday, 4th August 2011Posted in Blog Archive, Gaming
Tags: charity, gamers, good, japan, Warcraft, wow
Written by: R Bryant Francis
After the Japanese Earthquake Disaster in May, Blizzard decided to put their massive network of 11.1 Million WoW subscribers to work–and for once it didn’t involve grinding Continue reading “Gamers Do Good: WoW Players Raise $1.9 Million for Japanese Charity” »
Gamers AND Humanity are Awesome; Save Artist’s Shoulder
Thursday, 30th June 2011Posted in Blog Archive, Pop Culture, Technology
Tags: charity, culture, donation, gamers
Written by: R Bryant Francis
Want something to warm your hearts today guys? This will. First off, let’s set the stage.
Meet the gang of Extra Credits. Every week James Portnow, Daniel Floyd and Allison Theus set out to discuss gaming in a dialogue that isn’t the usual format we’re used to hearing. There’s no press, no PR, no harsh criticism–just a lot of dialogue fueled by a desire to see games improve humanity.
Unfortunately, the team got some rough news yesterday. James took to the show’s twitter account to announce Allison, (the show’s artist, who animates and edits the videos) was in dire straits. Thanks to an old college injury, she now had a radial tear around her shoulder blade, meaning the muscle was literally shredded. If she didn’t have surgery soon, she could never draw again. Continue reading “Gamers AND Humanity are Awesome; Save Artist’s Shoulder” »
GamerLife Top 5: Wednesday May 4th, 2011
Wednesday, 4th May 2011Posted in Blog Archive, Gaming
Tags: gamer life, gamers, gaming, video game news
Written by: Paul Nyhart
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By Paul Nyhart
A lot of news hit the wires from yesterday. More places to rent video games, TV’s are suddenly starting to vanish, and the Mac vs. PC debate is finally solved. Here’s your top 5 for May 4th , 2011.
5) Number of Televisions Drops
The last time the number of homes with televisions in the US dropped, Roseanne was the number one show on television. But that’s exactly what has happened, twenty years later, as 96.7 percent of American households now own sets, down from 98.9 percent previously. Continue reading “GamerLife Top 5: Wednesday May 4th, 2011” »
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