Op-Ed

Much as we'd prefer not to care what anyone on the planet thinks of us, positive or otherwise, the rules of the game have changed over the last decade.

Unfortunately, however, it will not disprove the theory that videogame makers are dysfunctional, juvenile, pre-adolescent ingrates with severe testosterone imbalances. In typical Spike TV style (I mean, come one, it's on Spike TV, FFS), the event was full of rock 'n' roll, celebrity worship and the glorification of excess. As one colleague put it, it's hard to be critical of an event willing to fly you to Las Vegas, put you up at the Wynn and roll out the red carpet. Fortunately I wasn't there, so I can be as critical as I want.

The burning questions are: 1) Did Gamespot's deal with Eidos include an expectation of editorial coverage, or of a certain kind of editorial coverage, and 2) Was Gerstmann fired specifically for his negative review. If the answer to either of these questions is "yes," we're all screwed. We kind of already are screwed merely because even if the deal didn't go down this way, it's so plausible that it did.

"Ownership" is not a dirty word, and we shouldn't be restricted from using our products in reasonable manners. The fact technology changes and opens up new opportunities for consumers should not, by default, mean every company threatened by that new technology has the right to confine and restrict their customers. It's the corporations' job to adapt to a changing marketplace.

I've worked my fair share of Black Fridays, which has since inspired me to always add "that I don't have to work retail tomorrow" to my list of things for which I'm thankful, right after the part about a healthy family and that I don't have any terminal illnesses.

Now a shortage of Wiis isn't news - they've been hard to find since they came out - nor, unfortunately, is a parent-induced holiday shopping panic. Breeders have been suffering anxiety attacks over the latest hot, new toy since Sears & Roebuck started selling Tinkertoys 100 years ago. Why should this year be any different?

Do you love games? Do you enjoy writing? Want to be first to know all the juicy details about games and upcoming releases? If so, come join the fast-growing Themis Media team - Team Humidor.

I kept at the COD 4 multiplayer beta for two weeks solid, cycling through the same three maps, eagerly working my way toward higher ranks, improved weapons and more useful perks. When I finally set it aside, it wasn't because I'd become bored of its steady stream of rewards, I just couldn't bear earning more accomplishments that would be erased when the beta closed.

With Halloween upon us, Team Humidor has been emptying our closets in search of movies, music and games to jump start the spirit of spookiness. Because toilet papering Cliffy B's house, soaping the windows of the police station and digging up graves are hard work, and a double shot of witch's brew will only take you so far on its own.

So to help us (and you) get in the mood, we've compiled the following list of spooktacular Halloween treats. Enjoy!

Regardless of the motivations and intentions that might have led to the deal, the endgame played out with Riccitiello returning as CEO of Electronic Arts in February of this year, relinquishing his roles as Managing Director of Elevation Partners and CEO of VG Holdings. In his wake, Greg Richardson, himself a former Electronic Arts general manager, was named to the new CEO position at VG Holdings. The $860 million dollar deal would be the biggest in Electronic Arts' history.

I walked into the freak show tent fully expecting to get robbed. The pictures on the marquee looked compelling, and the suggestions of the man over the PA sounded incredible. He told me I'd be surprised, amazed and even frightened. My imagination ran away with me, and by the time the line wound around to the entrance, I was all too willing to hand over my money to be let inside, to see the chupacabra, the two-headed cow, the live sheep with four horns and the Mongolian Death Worm.

In researching this article I found a disturbing trend that seems to bear itself out across most of the media: Game developers are so uncomfortable with the current situation that they aren't even able to discuss how concerns over violence in video games affects their design philosophies.

"I have no idea what the solution is. Waiting for Jack to consign himself to the pits of absolute irrelevance sounds good, but who decides when he's hit bottom? If he is disbarred, as many observers expect is inevitable, will we find ourselves free of him?"

To most people, we're all still boys in bedrooms, Peter Pans with joystick thumb who're putting one over on society at large and laughing all the way to the credit union.

I'm sure Bungie envisioned player galleries filled not with carefully framed works of in-game art, but with documentation of especially impressive, humiliating or humorous kills. Still, I'm willing to bet they also wanted to let players discover and appreciate what they might otherwise miss. It's all too easy or overlook a game's creative and artistic details, especially in a frenetic action setting where the primary goal is to kill or be killed.

Adam LaMosca takes a look at Halo 3's Theater feature.