Town Ending 29 Year Video Game Ban

From Pacman to Pin Ball, citizens of the town Marshfield, MA, will finally get their chance to play video games in public once again as a 29 year old ban on video games will be lifted soon. It all started back in 1982 due to fears that video games were causing the town kids to steal money from the parents to play them and "go wild" in the process. This was obviously a pretty nutty mindset but perhaps some of it was legitimate back then?

Local bars and other establishments are greatly awaiting the return for the ability to put in video games machines to hopefully increase business. One of the council women that helped the ban go through at the time remembers it being more a concern of what would it lead to next in that gambling could be put in place but maybe that is a bit of extreme paranoia?  
YouTube: Town Ending 29 Year Video Game Ban

China Considering End To 13-year Ban On Video Game Consoles

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China is considering lifting a decade-long ban on video game consoles, the official China Daily newspaper reported on Monday, sending shares of major hardware makers such as Sony Corp and Nintendo Co Ltd surging.

In November, Sony's PlayStation 3 received a quality certification from a Chinese safety standards body, prompting speculation that Beijing would lift the ban, which the government said was imposed in 2000 to safeguard children's mental and physical development.

"We are reviewing the policy and have conducted some surveys and held discussions with other ministries on the possibility of opening up the game console market," the China Daily quoted an unnamed source from the Ministry of Culture as saying.

"However, since the ban was issued by seven ministries more than a decade ago, we will need approval from all parties to lift it."

An official at the ministry's cultural market department, which is responsible for the legislation, denied the report.

"The ministry is not considering lifting the ban," the official, who identified himself only as Bai, told Reuters.

In Tokyo, Sony shares traded 8 percent higher while Nintendo gained over 3.5 percent, outperforming a broadly weaker Nikkei index.

Yoshiko Uchiyama, a spokeswoman for Sony Computer Entertainment, a unit of Sony, said she could not comment directly on the report.

"Our stance towards business in China has not changed. Of course, we acknowledge China as a promising market for our business, and we are always considering and preparing business opportunities and possibilities (in the country)," she said.

A Nintendo spokesman declined to comment.
Earlier moves suggest Chinese authorities are ready to take a softer line on game consoles.

Last year, Lenovo Group Ltd launched the Eedoo CT510, a motion sensing device similar in concept to Microsoft Corp's Kinect extension for its Xbox game console. Lenovo marketed the Eedoo as an "exercise and entertainment machine".

Video game consoles are banned in China, but online gaming and playing games on mobile devices are both extremely common, which analysts say limits the potential upside for Sony and rival game machine makers. 

(Reporting by Kazunori Takada in SHANGHAI and Mari Saito in TOKYO; Editing by Daniel Magnowski)

West Virginia Senator Jay Rockefeller Reintroduces Bill To CongressCalling For Study Into Impact Of Violent Games On Children.

A bill calling for research into the effects of violent games on children will live on. Democratic West Virginia senator Jay Rockefeller reintroduced the bill to Congress this week, after it originally expired at the end of the 112th Congress last month.  First introduced last month just days after the December 14 schoolhouse shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, the bill--S.134--would task the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to study the effects of violent video games and other programs on children.
"Major corporations, including the video game industry, make billions on marketing and selling violent content to children," Rockefeller said at the time. "They have a responsibility to protect our children. If they do not, you can count on the Congress to take a more aggressive role."
The bill has four co-sponsors, including three republicans and one democrat. They are Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Thomas Coburn (R-OK), Dean Heller (R-NV), and Mike Johanns (R-NE). The potential legislation has been referred to the Senate's Commerce, Science, and Transportation committee, according to government documents.  According to public research firm GovTrack, the bill has a 13 percent chance of progressing past committee and a 2 percent chance of being enacted.  The bill would direct the NAS to conduct a "comprehensive study and investigation" of the link between violent games and other violent video programming and harmful effects on children. More specifically, the NAS would be charged with looking into whether or not video games/programming cause children to act aggressively or "otherwise hurt their wellbeing," and if so, determine if that effect is notably distinguishable from other types of media.  This study would also look at the "direct and long-lasting impact" of violent content on a child's well-being. If the bill passes, NAS must submit a report on its study within 18 months to Congress as well as the FTC and FCC.  S.134 is not the only newly proposed legislative action targeting games in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. President Barack Obama recently introduced a $500 million, 23-point plan that called for the Centers for Disease Control to conduct further research into the relationship between violence in media and violence in the real world.
The Entertainment Software Association--which represents the gaming industry's interests in Washington, DC--has said it will cooperate with the Obama administration, but claimed scientific research has proven entertainment does not cause real-world violent behavior.
In addition, Republican Utah congressman Jim Matheson recently introduced a bill to the House that would make the Entertainment Software Rating Board ratings legally enforceable, with fines up to $5,000. The ESA called this legislation "flawed."
In state-level news, a Missouri representative has introduced a bill that aims to charge a 1 percent excise tax on all games sold inside the state rated T, M, or AO.

By Eddie Makuch, News Editor

Eddie Makuch (Mack-ooh) is a News Editor at GameSpot. He works out of the company's Boston office in Somerville, Mass., and loves extra chunky peanut butter.

Atari Files For Bankruptcy

Video game innovator Atari has filed for bankruptcy in a bid to cut ties with its troubled French parent holding company.  The US branches of Atari – Atari Inc, Atari Interactive Inc, Humongous Inc and California US Holdings, have jointly filed petitions for relief under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code.  Atari SA and Atari Europe SAS have also filed for related procedures before the French courts.  With this move, the US-based Atari operations hope to separate from the ‘structural financial encumbrances’ of its French parent holding company, Atari SA.
Instead it hopes to secure independent capital for future growth, primarily in the areas of digital and mobile games.

In a statement, Atari said that within the next 90-120 days, the companies expect to effectuate a sale of all, or substantially all, of their assets in a ‘sale free and clear’ under section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code, or to confirm plans of reorganization that accomplish substantially the same result.  These assets include not only one of the most widely recognized brand logos, but also legendary game titles including Pong, Asteroids, Centipede, Missile Command, Battlezone and Tempest.

In a statement from Atari SA, it said the company is currently profitable on an operating basis and had been paying off debt. However, as its main shareholder and sole lender, BlueBay, has been unable to find a buyer for its stake in Atari, this led to the company being ‘starved for funds and unable to finance its continued growth.

Arcade game pioneer
Founded in 1972, American video game and home computer company Atari Inc, was seen as a pioneer in arcade games, home video game consoles and home computers.  From the 1970s to the mid-1980s, Atari Inc’s games such as tennis sports game Pong and the hugely popular Atari 2600 console, helped define the computer entertainment industry and helped propel the company into the limelight.  Parent company Infogrames completed its takeover of Atari in 2008 and soon after renamed itself Atari SA.

Business to continue during bankruptcy?
A company spokesman said the Chapter 11 process is the most ‘strategic’ option for Atari’s US operations, as they look to preserve their ‘inherent value’ and unlock revenue potential ‘unrealized while under the control of Atari SA’.  During this period, the company expects to conduct its normal business operations.
The US companies are also seeking approval to obtain $5.25 million from one or more funds managed by Tenor Capital Management, to allow them to continue business during the bankruptcy.
[Images via videogamehistory & atari-forum]

Will The STEAM BOX Be The Future Gen Of Consoles?

It is rumored that 2013 is the end of this current gen of console and the start of a new one, while Sony and Microsoft Next-Gen of console existence are not clear, and Sony's PSVita is in Cocoon state, Nintendo step up and bring us the Wii U with promising feature, stating it will be the new dawn of next-gen console.

However, as it current state, the Wii U is only on PS3 and Xbox360 level, so the possibility of it being a future generation console is questionable. Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft have been competing for years, and the release of the Wii U is just Nintendo attempt to out-sell Sony or Microsoft, to call it a next-gen console is blasphemy if not laughable because it's is only on PS3 and Xbox360 level, as I repeat myself so to be sure.

Thus, what will be the hope for our gamer? What will be the true Future-Gen or Next-Gen Console?

I'm afraid we have our answer, not so long ago, at VGA 2012, Valve, a video-game company responsible for the Half-Life Series and Steam ( The world best digital gaming and market service for PC gaming) had announced that they will join in the battle between the company, and to make themselves clear, they announced the existence of their own Video Game Console, called the Steam Box, and Gabe Newell, the head of Valve promised it would be the true start of the Next Generation of Video Gaming Console and stated that it will compete with Sony and Microsoft Next-gen console ( It's also amusing that he didn't even mention Nintendo).

So what is a Steam Box? It's a console currently developed by Valve and Alienware ( Best Known for Powerful Gaming Laptop and PC). With power and spec as powerful as the Alienware X51, which is 5 times more powerful than the Wii U and the PS3 or Xbox360, in fact it's a redesign of the same Alienware but run on a different engine, called the Steam Engine.

What make this console unique is that it have a storage of over 1000GB, worth 1 Terabyte I guess, which mean it could store up to 200 digital downloaded installed game or more, it can run video, play music or view Photos and is compatible with every TV screen, with user friendly interface, 6 USB port, 3 in front and 3 in the back for additional storage USB or a Controller or Game pad, of course Steam Box has it own controller:
A pitch black redesign of the Xbox Controller but with more features to be announce.

The Steam Box act like the Wii U, like if you're playing and like your kid want to watch My Little Pony, well, you can press a button on the controller and then you can continue playing on a PC screen or Laptop Screen, so as long as there are Wi-fi to transfer data.

The Steam Box run PC Games, either physical or digital, and Gabe Newell said that there will also be Steam Box Exclusive games, one of them is Half-Life 3, yes, the final chapter or episode of Half-Life, long waited for so many years.

The Steam Box utilize Steam as it own Online Service, for all of you that don't know what Steam is, it's a online service for Computer Gaming, what make Steam unique than PSN and Xbox Live is that, Online Gaming is better, Daily Sales ( Farcry 3 for 20$, are you kidding me?) access to the community and chat live instead of sending message, and of course auto update patches and DLC notice for all of your installed games.

Second of all, Steam PAY you to gain achievement, it's not like real money, but digital money which can be used to buy games on Steam or give you bonus item for a different game make by the same company, for example if you play Batman Arkham Asylum and beat it 50%, you get an achievement that unlock a special Free DLC mission and Costume for Batman Arkham City, some case, even the Harley Queen DLC.

In another example, you're playing Dota2 ( Yes Dota2 is on Steam) and you pick up this Rare Item, you can go onto the Market and sell it for 20$ for other player or exchange it for 1-5$ on Steam if there is no one interested in your product, all of the money you gain can be use to buy games and DLCs.

Well that is all we can gather since information is limited.  (This artical posted by BigBrotherKaz on the PSN).

Pandora 1GHz: The world's smallest, most powerful gaming micro-computer.

 

This is the Pandora Handheld Consoles that I hope I will own one of these days! 

 Lightning fast performance, for a laptop-like experience in your pocket. 

The new 1GHz ARM Cortex brings the Pandora up to date and almost doubles its processing power. Unlike tablets and smartphones, you can use this power in the full linux desktop environment.
Now with 512MB RAM, the Pandora has plenty of memory for more demanding applications and more multitasking.
The NEON co-processor and SGX graphics chip are instrumental to top-notch emulator and 3D gaming performance. The open nature of the Pandora 1GHz lets developers get right down to the metal, squeezing out every iota of power.

Specifications

• 1GHz (+ overclock support) ARM Cortex A8
• PowerVR SGX GPU with OpenGL ES 2.0 support
• 512MB DDR SDRAM RAM and 512MB internal NAND storage
• 4.3-inch 800x480 touchscreen TFT-LCD
• Stereo speakers, analogue volume wheel, microphone, high-quality DAC
• QWERTY keyboard, gaming controls, dual analogue
• 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR
• USB On-The-Go + full-sized USB 2.0 host port
• Two SDHC/SDXC compatible SD slots
• 4200mAh lithium-ion polymer battery, 10 hour battery life 

 Pandora Website (click here)