1. Mass Effect 2 (96/100)
2. Red Dead Redemption (95/100)
3. Pac-Man Championship Edition DX (95/100)
4. Rock Band 3 (93/100)
5. Super Street Fighter IV (91/100)
6. Halo: Reach (91/100)
7. Bayonetta (90/100)
8. LIMBO (90/100)
9. Super Meat Boy (90/100)
10. Plants vs. Zombies (89/100)
11. Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood (89/100)
12. NBA 2K11 (89/100)

If you haven’t already seen the film Inception, then I suggest you stop reading and find the nearest move theater near you.

Christopher Nolan, the visionary director behind the film had this to say in regards to the video game:

“[What] we are looking at doing is developing a videogame based on the world of the film, which has all kinds of ideas that you can’t fit into a feature film. That’s something we’ve been talking about and are looking at doing long term, in a couple of years.”

Like the movie, a video game adaptation will not be an easy feat. If they decide to branch off and do an original story, that alone will be a serious endeavor. However, the notion of reenacting the Hotel fight scene is reason enough to play the game.

Still, this is all speculative. While the ball is rolling, it will need a top notch studio to tackle the project.

I’m looking at you Bioware!

[via Variety]

This is a question that the Nielsen Company, along with EA and Gatorade, has now answered. The companies conducted a study into the purchases made by two groups, one group who had bought one of six EA sports games featuring Gatorade advertising and one that hadn’t. The study also took into account sales made before advertising was introduced into those games and those sales made afterward.

The study “shows that in-game advertising increased household dollars spent on Gatorade by 24%, and offered a return on investment of $3.11.” This shows that spending money on product placement is definitely a viable advertising solution for increasing sales within a brand.

The study has been heralded as a “milestone for interactive entertainment” by Elizabeth Harz, Senior Vice President of Global Media Sales at EA who went on to say that “For the first time, advertisers are able to link the value of their in-game marketing or sponsorship to actual sales. Now brands can feel confident adding gaming as a core media channel for their advertising.”

With this study showing the success of games advertising it is likely to remain or even grow as an advertising means, but will this be welcome within the games community?

I’ve heard opposing opinions ranging from advertising adding realism to some games whilst others have claimed a dislike to the adverts which they find off putting when relaxing with a game. If you have any thoughts on this topic, whether you would like adverts to stay or go, please leave them below.

The codec we used when we first launched was a low bit rate codec and we stuck with that.  We launched and we said we required broadband. We required a 64k connection, which not many people think of as broadband any longer. But that was the minimum requirement to run the service at the time.  It’s time for us to move on. Especially if we want to think about broadening – a crackly headset on the top of your head – not what people think of when they talk about popular entertainment."

- Jerry Johnson, Xbox Live Studio Head

I’ve had a mixed experience with sound on Xbox Live.  There are times where it is very crisp and times when you hear nothing but static.  The headsets themselves should also take a fair amount of blame.  Using the default headset can be a complete crapshoot. One minute it works fine, the next it completely dies.  Regardless, this is a welcome change.

[via Eurogamer]

The amazing minds at Rockstar Games have released a Behind-the-scenes look at the Red Dead Redemption soundtrack. The video itself contains a interesting look at wide range of instruments used and the unique recording techniques used to produce the soundtrack. The video also features composers Woody Jackson, Bill Elm and Harmonica and Western movie soundtrack legend Tommy Morgan. Make sure to check out the video and admire the music made for this beautiful game.

Achievement Unlocked! Vince Curley, an Engineer at Xbox, just wrote an article on the Xbox Engineering Blog about achievements and how they’re unlocked. The lengthy article discusses the actual software behind making achievements and therefore is lightly based on code. Hit up the links below for the article and the sound you love to hear (the same one that is heard 4 million times a day.)

[Source: Xbox Engineering Blog]
[Achievement Unlocked Sound]

Hey is this major news? Well, no, but since I had Photoshop open and I never post here I thought I would give Patrick a heart attack!

[via Kotaku]

Need some new shoes? Now you can skate with a pair of the Jameson 2 shoes in real life and in EA’s Skate 3. Today Electronic Arts announced their partnership with etnies to bring you the Jameson 2 skate shoe and the etnies in-game GvR skateboarding contest. The shoe is “super thin” consisting of both the logos of Skate and etnies. You can pick them up at Zumiez and look for them with the GvR contest in Skate 3.
Full PR after the break

ETNIES RIDES WITH ELECTRONIC ARTS AGAIN IN SKATE 3

The Latest SKATE Installment Features the etnies GvR Skateboarding Contest and etnies Jameson 2 Shoe

LAKE FOREST, Calif. (June 3, 2010) – etnies and Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) collaborated for a second time on featuring the etnies GvR skateboarding contest in the new SKATE™ 3 video game, and created an etnies SKATE 3 Jameson 2 shoe for real life skateboarding.  Not only will the etnies Jameson 2 SKATE 3 shoe be available at retailers worldwide in June 2010, but a virtual version of the shoe will be unlockable in the retail version of SKATE 3.

SKATE 3 redefines the videogame skateboarding experience as players build their ultimate skate team, take on new challenges or compete against other teams, and share their custom creations and experiences online.  In SKATE 3, players can also prove which stance is best as they compete in the renowned etnies GvR Skateboarding contest. 

The etnies Jameson 2 x EA SKATE 3 collaboration is a super thin, low-top skate shoe with a vulcanized profiled cupsole. Featuring the EA and etnies logos on the thin, padded tongue, the Jameson 2 also includes STI Foam Lite level 1 footbed for added comfort and protection. The shoe will be sold at Zumiez in the U.S. and will be available at select retailers internationally. Players can outfit their skateboard team with the etnies Jameson 2 by unlocking the virtual shoe in SKATE 3.

Developed by Black Box, SKATE 3 is rated “T” for Teen and “16+” by PEGI and is now available on PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system for $59.99.

More information on SKATE 3 can be found at www.skate.ea.com, become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/skate, or follow us on Twitter @ Hippyjump.

More information on etnies can be found at etnies.com, become a fan on Facebook at

www.facebook.com/etnies.

About etnies

Established in 1986, etnies is the first skateboarder-owned and operated global action sports footwear and apparel company. etnies not only pushed the envelope by creating the first pro model skate shoe, but it pioneered technological advances  and changed the face of skateboard footwear forever. Today etnies’ vision, led by owner and skateboarder Pierre Andre Senizergues, is to remain the leading action sports company committed to creating innovative products that provide the most style, comfort and protection possible.  etnies stays true to its roots by sponsoring a world class team of skateboarding, surfing, snowboarding, moto x and BMX riders and continues its dedication by giving back to each of these communities.  For additional information, visit etnies.com.

About Electronic Arts 

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA^TM, EA SPORTS^TM, EA Mobile^TM and POGO^TM. In fiscal 2010, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.7 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million units. EA’s homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA’s products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.

EA, EA SPORTS, EA Mobile and POGO are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. Need for Speed is a trademark of EA in the U.S.and/or other countries. The names, designs, and logos of all products are the property of their respective owners and used by permission.  Microsoft and Xbox 360 are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.  "PlayStation" are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.  All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

The US Supreme Court has rejected the NFL’s claim to be immune from antitrust laws by a unanimous 9-0 vote.  The NFL has been arguing that they are a single business entity and thus do not fall under any antitrust laws.

The ruling came in American Needle Inc. v. NFL, a case that resulted from the league’s decision in 2000 to award an exclusive contract for hats and caps featuring NFL logos to Reebok International Ltd.

What does this mean for gamers?

Well, it mainly targets the Madden community.  With no competition in the football market, EA Sport’s Madden series has had a monopoly over the years with their exclusive contract.  This has led to year after year of minor developments and changes in the Madden formula.  Most of the supposed innovative new features are really too small to require a new version being churned out every year.  Even small problems that have plagued the game for years continue to be ignored.  In the end, the fans really just want the fully updated rosters, something that does not justify the $60 price tag.

Competition is a good thing and drives developers to make better games.  Even today, ESPN NFL 2K5 is widely considered one of the, if not the greatest football game ever.  There are online communities still devoted to keeping up to date rosters for this 5 year old game.  I, for one, am excited about the thought of playing a 2K Sports developed football game again.

For players and their unions, for coaches and for fans, the ruling is crucial. It’s cause for high-fives and fist bumps in every player union office. The court’s ruling preserves for the unions, for coaches and for fans the antitrust leverage that has produced enormous benefits for players in successful antitrust suits, has prevented the installation of coaches’ salary scales and has maintained competitive pricing for tickets and team paraphernalia. If the high court had ruled the other way and given the NFL what it wanted, the ruling would have applied to all four major professional team sports and the NCAA and would have changed the economics of the sports industry.

Free agency, bonuses and increasing salaries gradually would have disappeared. Assistant coaches and coordinators would have faced leaguewide salary scales instead of the current system in which teams bid for their services. Fans buying tickets, subscribing to television packages, and purchasing paraphernalia would have faced escalating prices. Team owners would have enjoyed windfall profits.

The court’s ruling eliminates all these possibilities and tells the sports industry that it is not immune from antitrust liabilities and, in all likelihood now, will never be immune.

Make no mistake, this is a monumental decision with far reaching consequences.  You can bet 2K Sports along with 505 games will be keeping a close eye on this case.  EA Sports must be very nervous, as the thought of their cash cow having competition will undoubtedly frighten them.

[via ESPN]

You may have heard that Alan Wake is a pretty scary game. If you, like me, prefer to play games like this in the comfort of your own home, I don’t blame you.

But what if you had to play the game in what’s been called the most haunted location in all of Australia? Would you still play it?

With a batch of leading neuroscientists, and some of the most advanced medical technology in existence, the five were monitored extensively during their 45 minute gaming session.

You can view the EKG results, each of the five participant’s videos containing their personal results, and more at the Xbox AU website, here.

Why only five participants? One flaked out, and didn’t go. Too intense for some, it seems.