Source: videogamesblogger.com

Turner Broadcasting System and Metaboli have partnered to create a Global Online Gaming Service under the GameTap brand in the U.S. and Metaboli brand in Europe, the companies announced. GameTap will continue to offer arcade, console and PC games from a library of several hundred titles to broadband users in the U.S. The GameTap/Metaboli combination brings together two established leaders in the online gaming space that creates a global gaming brand with a presence on two continents.

Under the new agreement, Turner Broadcasting will continue to manage GameTap operations and provide technical and migration support through a transition period to conclude in early 2009, at which time Metaboli will assume direct management of the GameTap business and brand.

Launched in 2005 by Turner Broadcasting, GameTap delivers more than 1,300 authentic versions of console, computer and arcade games, including original and exclusive episodic titles such as Sam & Max, Seasons One and Two and American McGee’s Grimm.

Source: videogamesblogger.com

SCCEE boss David Reeves has stated that the release date for the Home beta is still autumn this year, likely November 2008 for most regions (North America and Europe were mentioned). He expects Sony Computer Entertainment to announce a final release date shortly. Home is currently in a closed beta with 10,000 PS3 users. From July on the company will allow more players to gradually join Home and then in November the open beta will start (assuming it’s not further delayed).

This video walkthrough gives a look at the fun diversions players can enjoy while in the world of Home, Sony’s social gaming platform.

See more from the latest beta of Home in this trailer from Sony’s E3 2008 conference, complete with new game-centric hubs.

Source: videogamesblogger.com

1UP is doing a special series called “RSVP” where they get great minds in gaming together for a dinner and lengthy chat about everything personal and professional in their respective corners of the gaming universe. In Episode 01 you’ll see Portal’s Erik Wolpaw, Q Games’ (creators of the PixelJunk series) Dylan Cuthbert, and Everyday Shooter creator Jonathan Mak. As they put it: “lean back, relax, and enjoy a truly unique insight into some of gaming’s most inspiring creators and, by extension, their creations.” It really is quite interesting to see the real people behind the games talk about how those games came to be what you might’ve played.

Click on the bottom-right corner arrow of the video to view the 41 minute long gaming discussion in full-screen.

Source: videogamesblogger.com

Grand Theft Childhood authors Lawrence Kutner and Cheryl Olson talk on G4’s X-Play TV show about their research and findings regarding gaming and violence amongst adolescents. The result: video games make kids less violent!

If you’re an avid gamer you already knew that games don’t make you a violent person. But for worried parents (gamers or not) the reasons behind it make this a very interesting video interview.

Via Kotaku

Source: videogamesblogger.com

Mega64 are at it again with this comical God of Games documentary spoof. Watch as Alexander Arby Allen (short for AAA) and Frederick Alan Grier (yeah you guessed it ) fight a battle to find out who’s best gamer with the most highscores in all of the world.

Part 1 of God of Games in the Arcades:

Part 2 of God of Games in a Brawl tournament:

Source: videogamesblogger.com

Happy Easter everyone! The first Sunday after the first full moon on or after March 21st Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, this festival is called Easter as you no doubt know. Non-religious Easter traditions include eating chicken or chocolate Easter Eggs as a popular sign of the holiday.

In gaming we also know the term Easter Egg as a hidden secret (message, feature or object) in a videogame. The first ever Easter Egg was put in 1979’s Atari 2600 action-adventure single player game “Adventure”. Find out how its creator, Warren Robinett, seeking credit led to the first in-game hidden secret.

Source: videogamesblogger.com

According to recent reports the Taiwanese Notebook manufacturer Acer plans to enter into the videogames console market. Senior Vice President, James T. Wong, said this in a press conference. Most current consoles are closed and proprietary systems, which he said are basically “PC technology based game machines.” Acer plans to create open standards, opposed to Nintendo and Microsoft’s closed and proprietary systems, this could mean that game developers would not have to pay licensing fees for the publication of games on their system.

Betanews further expands on this news by mention that beyond “openness,” all of the Acer-branded systems being eyed right now, including the game machine, are envisioned as offering new and innovative form factors and applications. — Via Neogaf

Source: videogamesblogger.com

While the January’s American video game sales data from America focusses on console releases. The NPD decided to release the Top 20 best selling PC games of January 2008 as well. No one can debate that the MMORPG World Of Warcraft continues to rule PC gaming.

1. World Of Warcraft
2. Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
3. World Of Warcraft: Battle Chest
4. World Of Warcraft: Burning Crusade
5. The Sims 2 Deluxe
6. Diner Dash
7. 15000 Games
8. The Sim City 4 Deluxe
9. The Sims 2 Teen Style Stuff
10. Crysis
11. The Sims 2 Bon Voyage
12. Half Life 2: Episode 2 The Orange Box
13. Battlefield 2
14. Warcraft III Battle Chest
15. Pirates Of The Burning Sea
16. Rock Tour Tycoon
17. Sim City 5: Societies
18. The Sims 2 Seasons
19. Age Of Empires III
20. Age Of Empires III: Asian Dynasties

Source: videogamesblogger.com

Microsoft Surface, the first commercially available multi-touch surface computer from Microsoft, turns an ordinary tabletop into a vibrant, interactive surface. The product provides effortless interaction with digital content through natural gestures, touch and physical objects. Surface is a 30-inch display in a table-like form factor that’s easy for individuals or small groups to interact with in a way that feels familiar, just like in the real world. In essence, it’s a surface that comes to life for exploring, learning, sharing, creating, buying and much more. Soon to be available in restaurants, hotels, retail establishments and public entertainment venues, once it becomes affordable for in-home use Microsoft hopes it will transform the way people shop, dine, entertain and live.

An introduction to Microsoft Surface:

Now let’s take this into gaming. At Microsoft’s Surface campus, they showed the very first videogame ever for this new computing platform. Carbonated games (of Uno and Hexic fame) created it and it’s called Firefly. Using Surface’s unique multi-touch interface, it gives a glimpse of what a gaming could be if it’s not limited to mice and controllers. The goal in Firefly is to be the first player to collect 3 fireflies of each color, while preventing your opponents from doing so. But it’s not really about the bug collecting, imagine how the interface could be used for real-time strategy games and the like.

Here’s Firefly, the first game for Microsoft Surface:

Via Sarcasticgamer

Source: videogamesblogger.com

Taking place June 19-22nd at the Grapevine Convention Center near Dallas, Texas, over $10,000 in cash and prizes will be up for grabs as gamers can compete on games from “All Consoles, All Genres, and All Eras”. That’s 5 classic games that will be unveiled every Wednesday, 4 current games you can vote on yourself by going to IronManofGaming.com, and 1 mystery game.

Watch the Iron-Man of Gaming 2008 announcement: