The holidays are all about eating, and Japan is no exception. During the extended holidays in The Land of The Rising Sun, people pig out. Nintendo knows this. Nintendo is no dummy.

This ad reminds Japan that during the New Years people gain weight and recommends Wii Fit to those who put on the holiday chunk. The guy at the end of this TV spot doesn't look very fat, though...

Radical and Activision brought a newly previewable build of the open world game Prototype to CES, showing it off in the THX booth. THX? Why? Well, Prototype is THX 7.1 certified on the Xbox 360.

Obviously, Prototype sounded pretty darn good in the THX stage room. It had better, if Activision's going to borrow demo room time from THX.

But we were more impressed with what was happening on-screen in Prototype, which follows the violent, sandbox-style adventures of superhuman amnesiac Alex Mercer. If you don't know the premise, Mercer wakes up, super-powered and pissed, determined to find out how he became blessed with the ability to turn his arms into blades and climb the walls of New York City's skyscrapers.

If you're looking for easy comparisons, Prototype looks to play like the hyper-violent bastard child of Crackdown, Spider-man and *gulp* State of Emergency. We were reminded of that last one because of the metropolitan beat 'em up chaos that permeates Prototype's version of the Big Apple — half populated by Infected humans and occupying Army forces.

What we saw at CES was a quick example of some of the game's missions, which can be accessed by GTA-style light columns. The mission, "Rolling Thunder," tasks Alex with killing as many enemies — infected or otherwise — with a tank under a time limit. Seeing Alex wreak havoc with tank shells on the zombie-like infected was exhilarating and packed with over the top violence.

We also saw Prototype's protagonist go on more free-form killing sprees, slicing up Infected with his razor sharp arms, crushing them with his "hammerfist" ability and blazing through them with an organic spiked shield.

Mercer also sprinted to the top of a New York skyscraper, switching quickly to a military disguise to avoid being spotted, then pulling down helicopters with a stretchy "whipfist" ability.

We got a peek at some of Prototype's other abilities, some in name only. These include muscle mass, armor, disguise, thermal vision, and infected vision skills.

While there's plenty of exciting action to be had in Prototype, Radical's Kelly Zmak told us a bit about the game's story telling tactics. Portions of the conspiracy-laden adventure will be told through traditional in-game cut scenes, with others pieced together bit by bit via absorbed memories — Alex can assume the identities and knowledge of the people he kills throughout the game.

Prototype looks far more promising — and frenetic — than I had personally anticipated. While it may not have blown me away graphically, the sheer amount of stuff packed on-screen impresses. It's slated for a Summer release and we look forward to going hands-on with the game as soon as possible.

As far as consumers go, I think Sony showed Home too early. Allowed it to build expectations for too long, to the point where the finished product was never going to meet said expectations.

But hey, that's just me. I can't speak for consumers, and Sony aren't speaking for consumers either. But what about developers? Well, Sony are sure they showed it to developers too soon.

Speaking with Develop, Sony's Ed Fear has said:

Initially, there was real excitement from people, because we were showing something really different and that had a lot of potential. And then there’s the realisation that, well, we probably announced it too early – GDC 07 was a long time ago. I think there was sort of recognition amongst developers of ‘Oh, this is interesting, but there’s still a lot of work to be done.

End result of that being few outside developers have bothered crafting anything together for Home, which is why the Home of today is so devoid of things to do.

But the Home of tomorrow, that's another story. Fear says that, having explained Home a little better and improved the toolset for outside developers to create content with, more, bigger and better stuff is on the way.

Onwards and upwards!

Home Sweet Home – Part 1 [Develop]

Now’s your chance to tell the FTC how you feel about Digital Rights Management technologies – the Commission has opened up a comment form to the public.

“All timely and responsive public comments, whether filed in paper or electronic form, will be considered by the Commission, and will be placed on the public record of this proceeding,” says the posted FTC notice.

This matters to you, dear gamer, because DRM is a pain for gamers and hardly an obstacle for PC game pirates. Games for Windows Community Manager Ryan Miller backs this up on his blog. Take the time to tell the FTC this and Microsoft might actually have to start playing nice.

The actual Town Hall meeting will take place in Seattle, WA on March 25, 2009.

Check out the form here.

Good news, girls. You're getting new pink things! Technology is moving forward for things that girls like and we have proof from this year's Consumer Electronics Show. Remember when all this stuff was white?

Not anymore, as Girl Gear — which may or may not be an actual manufacturer or just an aftermarket pink supplier — is displaying a broad range of peripherals for the Wii that will appeal to the "pink ocean" market. Wii racing wheels, Wii tennis racket remote jackets, a Nintendo DSi starter kit, and even an innuendo filled pink sword.

We'll be delving deeper into the third-party video game accessory bowels of CES later this week, so if rosy, injection molded things are up your alley, don't miss our coverage!

With CES going on, nobody’s got to time to check for new DLC – so Activision’s done it for us with a press release on the new Country Rock Pack for Guitar Hero World Tour.

Details and sarcasm after the jump.

“We wanted to let you know that the Country Rock Track Pack for Guitar Hero World Tour is available today for Xbox 360 (worldwide) and PlayStation 3 (Europe),” says the press release, “and will soon be available for PlayStation 3 (North America) and Wii. The Country Rock Track Pack features Rascal Flatts ‘Me and My Gang,’ plus GRAMMY Award-winning artists Brad Paisley’s ‘Ticks’ and Brooks & Dunn’s ‘Hillbilly Deluxe.’”

Hillbilly Deluxe? Be still, my heart.

The Country Rock Pack goes for 440 Microsoft Points and $5.49 at the PlayStation Store. Each song can be bought for 160 Microsoft Points, $1.99 or 200 Wii Points, depending on your platform.

Me? I’m still holding out for Total Eclipse of the Heart.

Sony dedicated one of the PlayStation 3s at its CES booth this year to show off its new partnership with Electronic Arts. The publisher's newly announced space in Home, the EA Sports Complex, was playable.

Yes, playable not just walk around-able, as we tried out the RC car racer EA Sports Racing, one of three mini-games planned to be available in the EA Sports Complex at launch. The other two, a tournament poker game and a driving range weren't open to us yet, with the former not exactly the type of game you'd want to play solo.

EA Sports Racing, while a rather simplistic third-person driving game does have a dash of depth. Home users will be able to upgrade their cars via the in-Home "Pro Boost Shop," using in-game currency — no, it's not something you'll be paying real dollars for — to add on turbo and acceleration boosts. Better car performance leads to better lap times lead to higher leaderboard placement lead to unlockable achievements. Or trophies, if you will.

As with other Home games, you'll be able to unlock items for your avatar — a carbon fiber racing helmet, for example.

Robert Burnett, senior producer at EA, says that EA's plans for the EA Sports Complex have been in the works for almost a decade, but that PlayStation Home provided the digital distribution system necessary to make it a reality. The publisher's plans for the EA Sports Complex area include interactivity with EA's Sports World, letting Madden players upload play videos via the web, then show them off in Home. Beyond that, it's also looking at opportunities to re-skin the Home room for timed events — the NBA play-offs or an upcoming game release.

The EA Sports Complex is officially planned to launch in "Spring" which translates to an "end of March" period according to Burnett.

To: Ash
From: Crecente
Re: Here Is American Money, Grandma

The Consumer Electronics Show officially kicked off last night. Today the thing is in full swing with both Microsoft's Steve Ballmer and Sony's Howard Stringer having a go at the whole keynote dealio.

By now Mike is trucker hat brim deep in nonsensical gadgets, gizmos and video game peripherals. I'm not expecting any real news to come out of the show. But, as always, I'm sure he's going to find and get some time with some pretty nifty toys.

What you missed:
Fable II's Knothole Island DLC Hits Next Week
Godfather II Ships In Late February, Pre-Orders Get Exclusive Mobster
Red Alert 3 Launches PC Uprising In March
Snowy Fallout 3 DLC Screens, Now With More Ninja
Here's Your 2009 Consumer Electronics Show Coverage
Square Enix To Deliver Ubisoft Games To Japan

Sony's not just focusing on electronic wizardry it can sell you now, it wants to get you pumped up for products it will sell in the future. Like playing games in three dimensions.

The electronics giant is dazzling CES attendees with a trio of 3D Bravia displays, purely for tech demo purposes. While the tech requires a dedicated monitor capable of displaying a 3D signal and forces the viewer to wear special, but still very hip-looking glasses, they're of the polarized variety, not the red and blue lens style as seen on Mr. Ken Kutaragi up there. (Sorry, actual photos don't do the technology any favors.)

How is it?

Amazing, really. Seeing PlayStation 3 games like MotorStorm, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, and Wipeout HD in simulated 3D is surprisingly convincing. And, according to Sony reps on the show floor, it also helps give a better sense of depth perception in the above mentioned racing games. It certainly impressed more than the video content Sony was showing off, but we're clearly biased (toward video games, that is).

The only downside noticeable while standing near the space-age display was that screen-tearing is much more annoying in 3D.

We've been promised a chance to go hands-on with the PS3 games in 3D later today (shhh... don't tell) so, hopefully, we'll be able to give you the verdict on not just how it looks, but how it plays.

Atlanta-based developer Hi-Rez Studios announce today that beta sign ups have begun for their upcoming Unreal Engine 3-based action MMO Global Agenda.

Global Agenda pits rival player-created agencies against each other as they strive to achieve power in the wake of a global disaster. The game features fast-paced PVP more akin to an FPS than an MMORPG, while allowing players to choose classes and progress, gaining access to better and more powerful gear. Now, after ages of alpha testing (which I had a chance to participate in), Hi-Rez has finally opened up applications for closed beta.

"Our alpha testing has gone very well - in terms of game stability and, most importantly, very positive feedback from an active alpha community", said Todd Harris, Executive Producer of Hi-Rez Studios. "Based on these results we are excited about aggressively growing the Global Agenda player community in Beta"

Agressive, yes, but not so agressive that you won't have to wait until the seccond quarter of 2009 in order to participate. Still, you might want to head over to the website and sign up now, just in case they take eagerness into account when selecting testers. You never know.

BETA SIGNUPS BEGIN FOR ACTION MMO GLOBAL AGENDA

ATLANTA, Georgia – January 8, 2009 – Hi-Rez Studios™ announced today that players can now apply to participate in closed beta for Global Agenda™, an action massively multiplayer online game (MMOG) scheduled for release in late 2009. The closed beta is anticipated to begin in the second quarter of '09 and players can apply by visiting http://www.globalagendagame.com/

Global Agenda, built using Unreal® Engine 3, is set in a near future world of advanced technology and player-driven conflict. It features fast-paced ranged and close combat, RPG-style character progression, solo or cooperative team missions, and epic, competitive campaigns between player-created agencies.

"Our alpha testing has gone very well - in terms of game stability and, most importantly, very positive feedback from an active alpha community", said Todd Harris, Executive Producer of Hi-Rez Studios. "Based on these results we are excited about aggressively growing the Global Agenda player community in Beta"

Features Intended for Closed Beta Include:

* Develop your agent – Create, extensively customize, and improve your agent character over the course of your career, complimenting your FPS skills with RPG-style progression and high-tech gear.
* Join with other agents – Engage in cooperative PvE missions to develop and refine your individual and team tactics
* Advance your agency – Join a player-created agency, compete in technology races for advanced equipment, and capture critical locations to increase your influence in the world.
* Compete in fast-paced PvP combat – Work with your allies to raid or capture enemy controlled facilities during objective-based missions. Equip yourself from a powerful array of weapons, armor, and strategic devices like triggered explosives, deployable turrets, stealth suits, holographic decoys, and remote control robots.
* Experience a dynamic, player-driven world – Agency leaders navigate through a global conflict of other player-run groups, striving to reach their goals first. Territory, resources, technology, and influence are all valuable commodities, with agencies engaging in politics, intrigue, and outright deception to control them.

About Hi-Rez Studios
Hi-Rez Studios, Inc. was established in 2005 to create exceptional online interactive entertainment and is located just outside of Atlanta, Georgia. For more information, visit www.hirezstudios.com.

A multiplayer beta for Relic's Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II will be coming to Steam on Jan. 21, THQ announced today.

The beta will be available exclusively to Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Soulstorm owners on Jan. 21, followed by a worldwide public release on Jan. 28. The beta will feature all four playable races, five multiplayer maps, and Microsoft's Games for Windows - LIVE TrueSkill Matchmaking.

That's right, Games for Windows Live is back. Kinda odd that this beta will use Live matchmaking but be made available through Steam, isn't it?

Dawn of War II is scheduled for a Feb. 23 release on PC through worldwide retail and online outlets.

Sony's CES booth holds promise for the wi-fi connected multimedia hound: a PSP that acts as a software remote for networked audio streams. While experimental and not yet confirmed for release, the software looks cool.

The PSP basically acts as a cheaper software remote for your Sony brand AV receiver. It would give users the option of browsing and controlling audio on a laptop steaming to the receiver, all via the PSP. The receiver unit on the show floor was, I believe, the STR-DA6400ES — one of the pricier home theater options Sony offers.

Currently, the interface follows the Xross Media Bar standard used in recent Sony products and, while it could use some massaging, it works.

No word on when or if Sony plans to release this little software perk to the public, but we'd guess expressing your interest in getting your hands on something like this wouldn't hurt.

The second game in Bioware's planned Mass Effect trilogy makes a special appearance at GDC in March, where the company will present a panel discussing the Iterative Level Design Process of Mass Effect 2.

While we won't call it an official announcement - we've long known that Mass Effect was only part one of a three-part series - we might be getting our first glimpse at the second chapter at the Game Developers Conference in March. In a 60 minute lecture titled "The Iterative Level Design Process of Bioware's Mass Effect 2", Bioware project manager Corey Andruko and lead technical designer Dusty Everman will discuss lessons learned from crafting the first game, and how they've been applied to level design in the sequel. They'll talk about the team's new level creation process, which strives to maximize iteration while minimizing reworking and cost. It sounds amazingly exciting. So exciting that I nearly fell asleep writing that last bit.

Game developers eat this sort of stuff up though, and since it is the Game Developers Conference, I'm sure it will go over splendidly. We're just hoping that the panel comes with some new information on the follow up to the original game, and that we don't snore too loudly.

The Iterative Level Design Process of Bioware's MASS EFFECT 2 [Game Developers Conference 2009 - Thanks Danny!]

The Brutal Art of Brutal Legend and rendering techniques of Killzone 2 will both be making an appearance at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco later this year.

Michiel van der Leeuw and Michal Valient from Guerilla Games will walk attendees through an overview of the rendering techniques they used in creating the Playstation 3 shooter, including a focus on lighting and shadowing and dealing with anti-aliasing.

In the Brutal Art of Brutal Legend, Double Fine Studios art director Lee Petty talks about creating the art for the Jack Black-voiced original game. Petty will also talk about how the independent studio has "evolved".

Other sessions detailed in the latest Game Developers Conference update include a postmortem of Fable II, and a look at the narrative of Far Cry 2.

Bosslady Blog: Welcome To 2009! [GDC]

It's brother against brother as diabolical Street Fighter villain Akuma takes on his sibling in an all-out battle to the death in this brutal new trailer for Capcom's Street Fighter IV.

Done in the same sketchy style as previous trailers for the game, the new trailer features a fight between Akuma (Gouki in Japan) and Gouken, two brothers on opposite sides of the battle between good and not-so-good. Gouken is of course the legendary trainer of Street Fighter mainstays Ryu and Ken, and Akuma? Well he's just a dick. Witness the very earth fall away from the sheer power unleashed during the battle, followed by some rather squishy blood splattering.

As if that weren't enough, Capcom also released a new set of screens, many of which show Dan doing what he does best - getting his ass kicked. Possibly not new, but quite satisfying nonetheless.

In a rather pointed media alert distributed yesterday, Sony illustrates why they believe the PlayStation 3 is the most complete console entertainment experience, complete with a handy table to highlight the competition's shortcomings.

Sony's statement in the alert echoes points tossed about in forum flame wars all across the internet. The Xbox 360 has no built-in Wi-Fi and online multiplayer isn't free; the Wii lacks enhanced features such as DVD playback and a hard drive - we've seen it all before. Just not generally in the form of an official company communication.

The Xbox 360 requires additional money, multiple upgrades and additional external devices, putting a burden on the wallet and adds clutter to the entertainment center. And the Wii's lack of enhanced features comes at the expense of a comprehensive entertainment solution. So as PS3 continues to evolve without the need for additional parts or expenses, expect the competition to continue peddling add-ons in an effort to keep up with the Jones'.

Now of course their statements are all valid and truthful, but it isn't often we see them brought to light in such a manner. The alert delivered its message in such an abrupt fashion that at first we thought it might have been some sort of fluke, but then Sony followed up to make sure we got the message.

Yes, we got the message.

Keeping Gaming and Entertainment Simple

The 2008 holiday season was an exciting time for video gaming and the Blu-ray side of the interactive entertainment industry, and 2009 promises to follow suit. As consumers continue to invest in their entertainment needs this new year, the feature sets of the three multi-functional gaming systems — PLAYSTATION 3, Xbox 360 and Wii — become that much more important to consider.

PLAYSTATION 3 has always been about streamlining the gaming and entertainment experience by giving consumers the most features and functionality out of the box, there is no immediate need to upgrade anything to get a rich entertainment experience, as the console comes standard with:

* Built in Blu-ray drive for HD movies and mind-blowing games
* Built in Wi-Fi for wireless gaming and Internet access
* Huge hard drives for storing games, movies, music photos and more
* Free online gaming and entertainment access through PSN
* Ten years of value with a future-proof system via firmware updates that offer new services and features

The Xbox 360 and Wii offer a set of features in their own right. However, when you take a look at the feature offerings side by side, there is only one true winner in delivering total value and price.

We've compared the lowest entry points from each manufacturer — PS3 80GB - $399, Xbox 360 Arcade - $199, Wii - $249.

(Insert the above chart here)

The PS3 is the perfect example of a product featuring superior technology and a sophisticated design creating an ideal all-in-one entertainment product. The Xbox 360 requires additional money, multiple upgrades and additional external devices, putting a burden on the wallet and adds clutter to the entertainment center. And the Wii's lack of enhanced features comes at the expense of a comprehensive entertainment solution. So as PS3 continues to evolve without the need for additional parts or expenses, expect the competition to continue peddling add-ons in an effort to keep up with the Jones'.

Playstation 3s will be showing up in every suite of the new Yankee Stadium and in a gaming zone for non-rich folk, as part of a new agreement between the stadium and Sony Electronics.

The plan will bring a Sony HD broadcast control room, more than 550 flat-panel BRAVIA and LCD HD television sets in the luxury suits, lounges, concourses, restaurants and administrative offices.

"We are proud to continue our long-term relationship with Sony Electronics," said Yankees COO Lonn Trost. "Integrating Sony products into Yankee Stadium is very important to us as we near completion of what will certainly be among the most modern and technologically advanced sports venues in the world."

The deal also brings with it plenty of new Sony advertisements, all of which will be in place for the stadium's April 16 opening.

"The new home of the world's most renowned sports franchise — with its storied history of leadership and excellence — is the perfect place to showcase all that is Sony," said Sir Howard Stringer, chairman and chief executive officer of Sony Corporation. "It is thrilling for Sony to be playing a part in this new chapter in Yankee history."

Yanks strike corporate deal with Sony

The exciting news that North American gamers will get Halo Wars a few days earlier than planned wasn't exactly news. It was a mistake. It's still landing on these shores March 3rd.

Yes, Microsoft's Robbie Bach misspoke during last night's CES keynote. Nowhere in the world is Halo Wars' release date February 28th. It's hitting Japan and Asia Pacific on February 26th; Europe, Middle East and Africa on February 27th; and it's waging war on the Americas on March 3rd.

We're pretty sure that February 5th release date for the demo is correct though. Microsoft reps haven't issued a correction on that.

Square Enix continues to further their global agenda today as they announce an agreement with Ubisoft to distribute the French publisher's titles throughout Japan.

The agreement with Ubisoft marks Square Enix's second deal to bring western titles to Japan, having recently agreed to publish the WiiWare title LostWinds from the UK's Frontier Developments in the country.

“The global video game market is expected to maintain sustainable growth thanks to geographical expansion and diversification of customer base," said Yoichi Wada, president and representative director of Square Enix. "By partnering with the UBISOFT Group having a number of highly acclaimed titles, we can now work to provide high-quality overseas-produced games to Japan, thus invigorating the Japanese game market while strengthening our presence as a global leader in the video game industry."

Earlier in 2008 Square Enix began publishing third party titles in European regions, and they recently signed a deal with Dungeon Siege developer Gas Powered Games to publish Supreme Commander 2 in North America.

Details on which Ubisoft titles they will be bringing to Japan will be announced at a later date.

SQUARE ENIX Signs Exclusive Distribution Agreement with Ubisoft

Agreement to Strengthen SQUARE ENIX’s Product Lineup and Diversify Japanese Game Market

Tokyo, Japan, (Jan. 8, 2009) – Square Enix Co., Ltd. (Square Enix) today announced that Square Enix and Ubisoft Japan entered into an exclusive distribution agreement under which Square Enix is entitled to distribute UBISOFT Group games exclusively in Japan starting April 2009.

In the increasingly consolidated video game industry, Square Enix has been implementing strategic initiatives to expand its product lineup and strengthen its presence as a global game publisher. In 2008, the company began publishing third-party titles in PAL territories, and in December 2008, published its first overseas-produced game in Japan with the launch of UK-based Frontier Developments Ltd’s LostWindsTM for WiiWare™. This exclusive distribution agreement for UBISOFT Group games will be another key step to achieve the aforementioned goal.

“The global video game market is expected to maintain sustainable growth thanks to geographical expansion and diversification of customer base," said Yoichi Wada, president and representative director of Square Enix. "By partnering with the UBISOFT Group having a number of highly acclaimed titles, we can now work to provide high-quality overseas-produced games to Japan, thus invigorating the Japanese game market while strengthening our presence as a global leader in the video game industry."

Details on games to be released will be available at a later time.

The 2009 Consumer Electronics Show officially kicked off today and our very own Mike McWhertor is feet down, hands-on at the show with an eye towards gaming do-dads, announcements and goodies.

Even though we're only one day into the show there have already been some interesting news shaking loose from the show. Here's a break down of our coverage:

Peripherals and Accessories
CES 09: Razer Bringing High-Grade Expensiveness To CES
Nyko Waves Their Wand At CES
CES 09: Audiovox Puts PlayStation 2s In Your Car, Dawg
Mad Catz' Hits CES With Street Fighter, HAWX Controllers
Rock Band Branded Memory Cards Come to the Wii
Energizer Reveals Hot Controller On Controller Charging Stations
Logitech's Color-LCD Sporting Keyboard, New Mouse and Headphones
Mad Catz Bringing Street Fighter Sticks, Rock Band Accessories to CES

Games
CES 09: Don't Count On Rock Band 3 This Year, Expect Beatles Game Instead
CES 09: XBLA Doritos Game Downloaded Almost 1 Millon Times
Prototype Web Site Counting Down To... CES
Street Fighter IV Battle Pits Capcom Against Microsoft Against Sony
The EA PlayStation Home Sports Complex In Motion

Culture
CES 09: We're In Vegas!
Who's Going To CES? Kotaku!

Sony Computer Entertainment Press Conference
Playstation 3 Invades Yankee Stadium
CES 09: MTV Bringing Its Goods To PlayStation Store
CES 09: EA Moves Into PlayStation Home
CES 09: Kaz Says LittleBigPlanet Has Sold 1.3 Million, PSN Accounts At 17 Million

Microsoft Press Conference
CES 09: Whoops! Halo Wars Release Date Still March 3
There Are 25 Million Copies Of Halo In The Wild
Kodu CES Presentation Clip
Microsoft Inch Further Up The LittleBigPlanet Bandwagon With Kodu
Halo Wars Demo Dated, Release Brought Forward
CES 09: Liveblogging Microsoft's CES Keynote: Just The Games

Here's the trailer to go along with EA's official announcement of their first venture into PlayStation Home support, the activity-filled EA Sports Complex.

My first reaction to the news that EA was building an interactive sports complex within PlayStation Home was basically, "Great, more places to stick ads". Having seen some of the mini-games they've got lined up for the massive sports playground in the video here, I have to say that it actually looks like there might be fun to be had. Certainly more fun that Home currently boasts. The download times might wind up being a bitch, but it could just be worth it.

Razer, maker of all things gaming, shiny and precision-oriented, have a couple of new wares readied for CES 2009 — the Razer Mamba gaming mouse and Razer Carcharias a "circumaural" headset. Oh yeah, they're pricey!

The Mamba, a sleek, "lag free" gaming mouse with the "world’s fastest 5600DPI Razer Precision 3.5G Laser sensor." It's got Teflon coated feet! All that coolness comes with a price tag, $129.99 USD to be exact, or €129.99 if you're on the Euro.

It's available starting February.

The other thing we'll be going body parts-on with at CES this week is the Razer Carcharias, a professional grade gaming headset that we'll get pronunciation details on soon. Read on for pretty pictures, prices, technical details and much, much more.

Razer™ Unveils New Product Suite For Gamers.

New products reveal renewed focus on product design and proprietary technologies
Las Vegas, NV – January 8, 2009 – Today, at the Consumer Electronics Show, Razer™ unveiled a cutting edge of gaming peripherals including the Razer Mamba™, a high precision wireless laser gaming mouse, and the Razer Carcharias™, a circumaural audio headset. Product demonstrations will be held at the South Hall, meeting room 35166.

This new suite of Razer products will give gamers the competitive edge and allow for enhanced game play for longer periods of time. With an emphasis on product design and a focus on proprietary Razer technologies, these latest products will help gamers amplify performance levels with faster response times, increased precision and offer unique design features.

“The best entertainment experiences happen when you are fully immersed in your game, and hardware shouldn’t get in the way of that,” said Razer president Robert “Razerguy” Krakoff. “We’ve put every bit of advantage available in the hands of our gamers with the new Razer Mamba, and the Razer Carcharias. These products are for gamers who understand how minimal wireless lag time, high quality audio communications and increased precision can mean the difference between winning and losing.”

PRODUCT OVERVIEW:

The Razer Mamba™
Razer has unleashed the full potential of gaming mice by designing an ergonomic, lag free gaming mouse with 2.4GHz gaming grade wireless technology, making it the fastest mouse both on and off the cord. With dual mode wired/wireless functionality, the Razer Mamba lets users immediately and seamlessly switch from wired to wireless play. With first in class polling rates at 1ms as compared to traditional wireless mice that poll at 8ms, players will have virtually lag free game play.

The Razer Mamba also includes a host of features like Razer Synapse™ on-board memory that lets gamers store and bring their mouse settings wherever they go. And the world’s fastest 5600DPI Razer Precision™ 3.5G Laser sensor, the Razer Mamba wireless gaming mouse lets gamers move with lightning speed and precision to easily escape from becoming prey.

Cost: US- $129.99; Europe- €129.99
Available: Razerzone.com Feb, 2009, Worldwide Q1 2009

Features:
• Detachable seven-foot, lightweight, braided cord
• Battery life & DPI stage indicator
• Ultra-large non-slip Hyperesponse™ buttons
• Ergonomic design
• Zero-acoustic Ultraslick™ Teflon feet
Specifications:
• Gaming Grade Wireless Technology
• Dual Mode Wired/Wireless Functionality
• Razer Synapse™ On-board Memory
• 5600DPI Razer Precision™ 3.5G Laser sensor
• 1000Hz Ultrapolling™ / 1ms response rate
• Up to 200 inches per second*/ 50g acceleration
• Approximate size: 128mm x 70mm x 42.5mm
• Battery Life: 14hrs (continuous gaming); 72hrs (normal gaming usage)
*Depends on surface used

The Razer Carcharias™
The Razer Carcharias is the essence of uncompromised comfort and audio clarity. The Razer Carcharias contain certain key features focused on comfort, like a circumaural shape to allow full over-ear coverage, interchangeable ear pads for a custom fit and a fully adjustable headband. The Razer Carcharias headset boasts superior audio clarity, deep, thumping bass and a noise filtering microphone. An inline remote lets users quickly and easily adjust volume and mute the microphone.

Cost: US- $79.99; Europe- €79.99
Available: Razerzone.com Jan, 2009, Worldwide Q1 2009

Headphone:
• Frequency Response: 20 - 20,000 Hz
• Impedance: 32 at 1kHz
• Sensitivity (@1kHz, 1V/Pa): 102 ± 4dB at 1 kHzMax.
• Input Power: 200 mW
• Drivers: 40 mm, with neodymium Magnets

Microphone:
• Frequency Response: 50 – 16,000 Hz
• Sensitivity( @1kHz, 1V/Pa): -37 ± 4dB
• Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 50 dB
• Pick-up pattern: Unidirectional
• Cable: 3 meters, Braided Fiber Sheath
• Connector: 3.5 mm jack (headphone and mic)

Sure, video games are raising our children and you can't vote with a Wii remote. Now that the voting is over, President-elect Obama finds time to kick back with a little Wii Sports bowling.

In an article in the New York Times in which our soon-to-be President predicts a Florida win over Oklahoma in tonight’s BCS championship game, it is revealed that Barack Obama's daughters received a shiny new Nintendo console when Santa Claus visited this year.

Mr. Obama said he’d have his hands full attempting to rescue the American economy. But he has gotten in a little practice in bowling lately on the Nintendo Wii his daughters received for Christmas. Mr. Obama, who famously struggled in bowling during last year’s Democratic primaries, said he performs better in the video game.

I don't know much about politics, but it gives me an amazing amount of warm fuzzies knowing there's going to be a game console in the White House.

Obama Predicts a Florida Victory [The New York Times via GameCulture]

Sony announced at its CES keynote today that the PlayStation Network will get a big boost from MTV. The network is bringing 2,000 hours of quality* programming to Sony's video service in February.

While you may lament that that means nothing but an opportunity to pay for episodes of The Hills and Real Chance At Love, it also includes content from MTV's other properties. The PlayStation Network will soon have access to content from MTV, VH1, Comedy Central, Spike, Nickelodeon, TV Land and more.

Yes, more South Park and Spongebob Squarepants on your PS3 are not a pipe dream!

Read on for the full release.

Playstation(R)Network's Video Delivery Service Partners With MTV Networks to Offer Lineup of Hit Entertainment, Kids' and Comedy Programming

FOSTER CITY, Calif., Jan. 8 — Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) today announced that MTV Networks (MTVN), a division of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), will bring its hit entertainment, kids' and comedy programming to PlayStation(R)Network's video service for PLAYSTATION(R)3 (PS3(TM)) and PSP(R) (PlayStation(R)Portable) systems in the United States. The partnership encompasses MTVN brands attracting a diverse collection of audiences, including MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon, COMEDY CENTRAL, Spike, Logo, CMT, The N, TV Land and Atom.

The initial lineup of TV shows available for download to own beginning in February will include a growing library of current popular shows including MTV's The City, COMEDY CENTRAL's Emmy and Peabody-Award winning South Park, Nickelodeon's SpongeBob SquarePants and VH1's Rock of Love Bus with Bret Michaels. New shows premiering in the spring will be added as they become available.

The PlayStation Network video delivery service provides consumers with an exceptional entertainment experience as it adds movies, TV and exclusive content for rental or purchase to its already comprehensive lineup of games, demos, trailers and variety of other features. The video delivery service is home to nearly 1,200 movies and more than 3,000 TV episodes, many available in standard-definition (SD) and high-definition (HD), making PS3 system the ultimate entertainment platform and PSP system a leader in portable entertainment.

"We're thrilled to add content from MTV Networks to our line up, it's a perfect fit for the PlayStation(R) demographic, one of the most coveted audiences in entertainment today," said Peter Dille, Senior Vice President of Marketing and PlayStation Network, SCEA. "Combined with the superior technology of the PS3 and PSP, the PlayStation Network's video delivery service truly provides consumers the best and most comprehensive content on demand from an incredible line up of entertainment brands to enjoy at home or on-the-go."

"From Nickelodeon to TV Land and everywhere in between, MTV Networks' brands feature some of the most popular shows and some of the hottest stars for almost every conceivable demo," said Greg Clayman, Executive Vice President, Digital Distribution and Business Development, MTV Networks. "By making our diverse content lineup available through the PlayStation Network, we're giving PlayStation users instant access to hundreds of hours of our very best programming in the comfort of their own living rooms."

Usage rules of the video delivery service allow content for purchase to be shared on multiple activated devices including PS3 and PSP systems per PlayStation Network account, depending on the type of content purchased by the user. One of the main value propositions of the PlayStation Network's video delivery service is the ability to transfer standard-definition (SD) content from the PS3 system to the PSP system. For one price, consumers can transfer and view certain types of content on multiple devices. The connectivity between the PS3 system and the PSP system provides a seamless solution for those looking for a variety of entertainment experiences.

For more information about the content available on PlayStation Network visit: http://www.us.playstation.com

About PlayStation(R)Network

The PlayStation(R)Network is an emergent entertainment network aimed at digitally delivering innovative content and fostering community for a worldwide audience. In addition to offering new and original forms of entertainment, the PlayStation(R)Network supports free and community-centric online gameplay, communications tools, and PSP and PS3 connectivity. As of December 2008, the PlayStation Network has more than 17M registered accounts worldwide.

About Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.

Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. continues to redefine the entertainment lifestyle with its PlayStation(R) and PS one(R) game console, the PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system, the PSP(R) (PlayStation(R)Portable) system, the ground-breaking PLAYSTATION(R)3 (PS3(TM)) computer entertainment system and its digital services PlayStation(R)Network and PlayStation(R)Store.

Recognized as the undisputed industry leader, Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. markets the PlayStation family of products and develops, publishes, markets and distributes software for the PS one game console, the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment systems and the PSP system for the North American market. Based in Foster City, Calif., Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. serves as headquarters for all North American operations and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Visit us on the Web at http://www.us.playstation.com

"PlayStation", "PLAYSTATION", "PSP", "PS one" and the PlayStation logo are registered trademarks and "PS3" is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

* Kotaku will not be held responsible for mental anguish incurred by watching Flavor of Love, Rock Of Love Charm School or any other Celebreality branded programming.

Electronic Arts has the keys to Home. SCE head honcho Kaz Hirai announced the mega-publisher's support of the PlayStation 3 virtual space at Sony's CES keynote, with EA backing 'em up with a formal announcement.

The EA Sports Complex is part of Electronic Arts' "initial plans" for the PlayStation Home beta, bringing "exclusive new EA Sports multiplayer games" and an opportunity to hang with fellow virtual sports fans. There's also going to be a good chance you'll get to stare at some banners for FIFA 09, if the first glimpse of the EA Sports Complex is anything to go by.

EA plans to launch its Home presence this Spring.

With Home having seen 3.4 million downloads to PS3 owners and an astounding $1 million spent on virtual goods (seriously?) it certainly makes sense for EA to want some of that exposure and income.

Read on for the full release.

EA ANNOUNCES SUPPORT FOR PLAYSTATION®HOME BETA

EA SPORTS to Debut on PlayStation®Network with EA SPORTS Complex

Guildford, UK – January 8, 2009 Electronic Arts Inc (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced its initial plans for the PlayStation®Home Beta for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, the 3D social gaming community that allows users to interact, communicate and share gaming experiences online. EA’s support of the PlayStation Home Beta will begin with the EA SPORTS™ Complex, which is currently in development and is slated to launch this Spring.

“We’re proud to support the PlayStation Home Beta with a very robust offering from EA SPORTS,” said Peter Moore, president of EA SPORTS. “As part of our continued commitment to the connected experience and the digitization of our business, the EA SPORTS Complex is a rich new online environment that presents a compelling and immersive social gaming experience for the global sports audience.”

EA worked closely together with Sony Computer Entertainment to ensure that the EA SPORTS Complex space within PlayStation Home would be a compelling experience for all EA SPORTS fans, with a space designed for both casual and hardcore gamers. Gamers will be able to play exclusive new EA SPORTS multiplayer games, meet and interact with EA SPORTS fans, view daily, weekly and annual leaderboards to see how they compare against the rest of EA SPORTS Nation, as well as watch trailers and other content from some of their favorite EA SPORTS games.

EA is currently working with Sony Computer Entertainment on further label support of PlayStation Home Beta, and will announce plans in the near future.

EA SPORTS™ is the leading interactive sports software brand in the world, with top-selling titles and franchises including Madden NFL football, FIFA Soccer, NHL® hockey, NBA LIVE basketball, NCAA® Football, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® and NASCAR® racing.

About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, cellular handsets and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTSTM, EATM, EA SPORTS FreestyleTM and POGOTM. In fiscal 2008, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.67 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is www.eagames.co.uk. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at www.eagames.co.uk/press.

EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS Freestyle and POGO are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Madden, NFL, NHL, NBA, NASCAR, Tiger Woods, PGA TOUR and FIFA are trademarks of their respective owners and used with permission.

“PlayStation”, “PLAYSTATION” and “PS” Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Sony Computer Entertainment boss Kaz Hirai had some fresh PlayStation data for the CES crowd today. Probably most important to Sony's PlayStation 3 fortunes are LittleBigPlanet sales, which Kaz says now total 1.3 million worldwide.

Hirai also revealed that more than 300,000 user created levels have been made for LittleBigPlanet, with over two years of game play time racked up in the PlayStation 3 game. That's over 17,000 hours by our calculator.

Kaz also noted that some 17 million PlayStation Network accounts are in the wild, with 2.1 million of those created in the month of December. Hey, that's the same number of Xbox Live users! How convenient.

The final number that the Sony folks wanted to throw out was 330 million. That's the total number of things downloaded from the PlayStation Store. Great success!

Earlier today Lionhead Studios announced that Knothole Island is coming to the Xbox 360 on Jan. 13 for $10. Here's a chance to check out all of the hardwork that goes into earning your two fins.

CCP draws back the curtain today on EVE Online: Apocrypha, the 10th free expansion for their popular space MMORPG, delivering whole new regions of the universe to explore.

Using the tried and true giant wormhole mechanic, Apocrypha will open up unexplored areas of the universe to adventurers brave enough to explore them. With new regions of space comes new technology, enabling the crafting of what they are calling the most dynamic ships ever - "Tech 3 modular ships with an astounding amount of customizability that can fill any role from skirmish muscle to industrial support".

They are also redoing the new player experience completely in order to give newcomers a better idea of how to survive and prosper in the vast, oftentimes confusing universe, which makes me think that maybe I should start over again for the fresh experience. Hmm.

Eve Online: Apocrypha will be available for free in March, coinciding with the Atari-aided retail release.

EVE Online: Apocrypha Uncovers a New Version of the Universe Itself

Reykjavik, Iceland January 8, 2008- CCP, one of the world’s leading independent game developers, today announced the launch of the tenth free expansion for EVE Online, its popular science-fiction massively multi-player online game (MMOG). EVE Online: Apocrypha is the most ambitious EVE expansion in the game's over five year history and it coincides with the March 10th, 2009 release of EVE Online as a boxed product through a partnership with Atari.

The fabric of space itself will be transformed as vast, unpredictable wormholes open to connect previously unexplored regions of the universe to the stars of New Eden. The seeds of advanced new technology await inside of these cosmic anomalies for those brave enough to explore them. This infusion of technology will enable production of the most dynamic vessels ever – Tech 3 modular ships with an astounding amount of customizability that can fill any role from skirmish muscle to industrial support.

Furthermore, NPC agents in EVE Online: Apocrypha will be authorized to assign Epic Mission Arcs to the pilots of New Eden. These branching, far-reaching mission strings are full of meaningful stories and more intelligent and deadly adversaries.

In addition, we are offering an entirely reworked New Player Experience for those joining (or rejoining) the game – giving them better insight into how to thrive in a truly limitless universe. We’ve already launched EVElopedia—a great repository for information on all things EVE where our players are also building their own living history of the previous five years of Alliance warfare, political intrigue and nostalgic recollection

“Just this past week we broke our concurrent user record with 45,186 people flying unbound in the same game world at the same time—a huge percentage of our quarter of a million current subscribers and a true testament to EVE in our sixth year of operation,” said EVE Online Senior Producer Torfi Frans Olafsson. “Today is an unprecedented time to start playing, as you can get ahead of the curve before Apocrypha releases in stores and our hard work hits the server cluster. It’ll be easier than ever to get ‘lost in the wormhole’ that is EVE with what we have planned for the future of our expanding universe.”

Leading up to the release of EVE Online: Apocrypha and the boxed version of EVE Online in stores, we’ll be revealing more features on www.eveonline.com.

Availability:
EVE Online: Apocrypha will be available at retail stores across the galaxy in March this year and as a free download at www.eveonline.com/download/ for existing subscribers. A new Premium graphics client for Mac will also be included in the retail box.

Visit the EVE website now to sign up for a free 14-day trial account or to reactivate your account to get ahead of the curve.

GameStop stands proudly in the snow, one foot atop the neatly decapitated recession monster as it proudly proclaims its triumph over the failing economy, with holiday sales up 22% over last year.

Is the gaming industry recession proof? Maybe not as far as development studios are concerned, but from a retail perspective things are looking just peachy. Retail gaming giant GameStop, in a press release titled "GameStop Rises Above Recession", have announced that the period between November 2nd and January 3rd saw an increase in sales of 22.3% over last year, with same store sales increasing 10.2%. Good for them.

Along with the good financial news, GameStop also informs us that new software sales were up an impressive 23.5%, with Call of Duty: World at War, Guitar Hero World Tour, Gears of War 2, Wrath of the Lich King, and Wii Fit making up the top five sellers of the season. Good for them.

GameStop Rises Above Recession
Holiday Sales Increase 22%

Same Store Sales Increase 10%

GRAPEVINE, Texas—(BUSINESS WIRE)—GameStop Corp. (NYSE: GME), the world’s largest video game and entertainment software retailer, today reported record sales results for the nine-week holiday period, November 2, 2008 thru January 3, 2009.

During the 2008 holiday period, total sales were $2,856.0 million, a 22.3% increase from the prior year of $2,334.6 million. Comparable store sales for the period increased 10.2%.

New video game software sales were outstanding, growing 23.5% with many titles selling in record numbers. The top five video games sold during the holiday period were Activision’s Call of Duty: World at War and Guitar Hero World Tour, Microsoft’s Gears of War 2, Blizzard Entertainment’s World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King, and Nintendo’s Wii Fit.

Hardware sales, led by Nintendo’s Wii and Microsoft’s Xbox 360, were also robust, dramatically increasing the installed base of new users that should drive software demand in 2009 and beyond.

Daniel DeMatteo, Chief Executive Officer, commented, “As expected, the consumer saw great entertainment value in video games in one of the most challenging holiday shopping seasons ever. In fact, in the midst of a serious recession, our average transaction was higher this year than last. In addition, our proprietary inventory management systems allowed us to maintain a great in-stock position during the busiest season we have ever experienced. A major highlight of the period was that GameStop’s sales grew in every worldwide territory in which we operate; a clear indication that the GameStop model works everywhere.”

J. Paul Raines, Chief Operating Officer, noted, “Our store associates did a tremendous job of making sure all of our holiday shoppers found the right systems, games, and accessories to fill their wish lists. Their hard work and knowledge of our wide assortment of game products was critical in serving a record number of GameStop customers. Of note this year, gift card sales during the nine-week period rose 15% over last year and the day after Christmas was the third highest sales volume day in GameStop’s history.”

Updated Guidance

In a very challenging retail environment, we successfully managed our business to achieve our forecasted earnings. While sales significantly exceeded forecast, gross margin rates were lower than anticipated as a result of a higher mix of hardware sales and the success of our value messaging and promotions during the holiday period. Therefore, we are increasing our fourth quarter 2008 comparable store sales guidance to +9.0% to +9.5%. We are also raising the low end of our previously announced fourth quarter 2008 diluted earnings per share guidance by $0.02, resulting in a range of $1.31 to $1.34, which represents a +15% to +18% increase over the prior year quarter.

Full year diluted earnings per share are now forecast to range from $2.37 to $2.40, an increase of +32% to +33% over the prior year. Comparable store sales are projected to increase between +12.0% and +12.5% for the full year, with total sales growing between +24% and +25%.

Note that guidance does not include debt retirement costs or merger related expenses.

Full year 2008 sales and earnings results and fiscal 2009 earnings guidance are expected to be released in mid-March 2009.