XNA dev: "Downloadable games are too cheap"

According to Weapon of Choice developer Nathan Fouts the vast majority of games on Xbox Live Arcade are underpriced and should be dramatically more expensive.

"I want to go on the record and say I feel like most downloadable games are under-priced," the indie developer told MTV.

Fouts, who had worked on Resistance: Fall of Man before turning independent, said that the pricing structure was controlled solely by Microsoft and that the situation was ridiculous.

Commodore lands MLB-skinned gaming PCs

Commodore today seized on the holidays to launch a new set of MLB custom skins for its gaming PCs. The initial lineup lets buyers of any of the company's existing systems choose a theme based on the Boston Red Sox, New York's Mets and Yankees, or the Philadelphia Phillies that covers nearly the entire outer surface of the mid-tower case. The company's assembly process applies the artwork directly to the case and so is more scratch-resistant and permanent than a sticker or vinyl cover.

Only 20 percent of games make a profit

Granted, this bit of rather shocking news only caught our attention thanks to Forbes magazine making a mistake, but it's still worth reporting that apparently only 20 percent of games ever turn a significant profit.

The information, which is based on data gathered by the Electronic Entertainment Design and Research analyst firm (EEDAR, originally showed that only 4 percent of games ever make a profit but EEDAR has now issued a correction to those figures.

Marantz Japan intros Bluetooth iPod dock

Marantz Japan on Friday has introduced a new wireless dock for the iPod and iPod Touch personal audio and multimedia players. The system is composed of a receiver and multiple docks that will also charge the Apple devices and supports Bluetooth 2.1+ EDR A2DP and Bluetooth AVRCP (Audio/Video Remote Control Profile). The system will allow users to play the content of their iPods via their home theater systems and control them via their home theater remote.

ELSPA claims BBFC downgraded 22 adult-rated games

In a report released by the ELSPA, the company claims that the BBFC downgraded 22 adult titles that were given an 18 rating by PEGI. This follows recent criticism targetted at the BBFC for being too harsh with games ratings.

"The BBFC's downgrading of games opens up the potential of unnecessary risk for UK children and teenagers when playing games against other non-UK players online," ELSPA said.

"Last year, of the 50 games that PEGI rated 18+ and passed to the BBFC for classificiation, the film rating board downgraded 22 of them - almost 50 percent.

ELSPA claims BBFC downgraded 22 adult-rated games

In a report released by the ELSPA, the company claims that the BBFC downgraded 22 adult titles that were given an 18 rating by PEGI. This follows recent criticism targetted at the BBFC for being too harsh with games ratings.

"The BBFC's downgrading of games opens up the potential of unnecessary risk for UK children and teenagers when playing games against other non-UK players online," ELSPA said.

"Last year, of the 50 games that PEGI rated 18+ and passed to the BBFC for classificiation, the film rating board downgraded 22 of them - almost 50 percent.

The 14 most influential arcade games of all time (Wii)

TechRadar have gone all retro with a list of classic arcade games that were the foundation of the multi-billion dollar videogame industry that we have today.

No surprises that iconic monochrome bat and ball game Pong tops the list, but there's a few lesser known cabinets in there too like Atari's simplistically titled Fooball and Amstar Electronics' Phoenix, picked out for being one of the industry's first full-colour coin-ops.

The 14 most influential arcade games of all time (PlayStation 3)

TechRadarhave gone all retro with a list of classic arcade games that were the foundation of the multi-billion dollar videogame industry that we have today.

No surprises that iconic monochrome bat and ball game Pong tops the list, but there's a few lesser known cabinets in there too like Atari's simplistically titled Fooball and Electronic Art's Phoenix, picked out for being one of the industry's first full-colour coin-ops.

Check out the full list on TechRadar: 14 arcade machines that led to a misspent youth

Zune 3.1 adds like minded listener feature, games

Microsoft this afternoon launched an uncharacteristic mid-cycle Zune software update that adds new features in addition to usual fixes. The 3.1 upgrade now has a significant visual overhaul for the Zune Social feature and should be easier to navigate. It also adds a "like minded listeners" feature that shows users other Zune Social members that tend to play similar music. Three new Zune games, Checkers, Sudoku and Space Battle, will also be loaded on to Zune hardware with its next sync.

Study finds video games increase heart rate

Research recently published by the Swedish Research Council (and reported by Science Daily via Wired) into the effects of violent video games on teens has found that playing violent games affected subject heart rate variability not only during gameplay (no surprise there) but also when they were sleeping that night.

A group of boys aged between 12 and 15 were asked to play two different games in the evening, one focused on violence, while the other had no violent features. Heart rates were monitored both throughout the gameplay, then during the rest evening and finally while they slept.

Games for Windows Live redesigned

Quietly, ever so quietly, Microsoft has released a revamp of the entire Games for Windows Live service on PC and begun hinting at future expansions and enhancements to the service.

The update, which was rolled out yesterday, does away with the ill-advised and clunky Xbox 360 interface and replaces it with something more suited for mouse and keyboard control. The new interface for the service now pops down out of the top of the screen and include a more streamlined and much faster loading set of menus.

Epic: Second hand games are a huge issue

Dr. Michael Capps, President of Epic Games, has called for developers and publishers to try and find some way to combat the second hand games market which he says is a huge issue for the industry.

Capps also said that piracy was a huge issue for PC games specifically, pointing to Crysis as an example. According to Capps the ratio of pirated to non-pirated versions for Crysis was a staggering 20:1. Capps says that's why Epic has no intention to release

Fallout 3 outsells all previous Fallout games

Fallout 3 is doing pretty well for itself it seems. According to recent sales figures from GfK Chart-Track Bethesda's foray into the post-nuclear genre has sold almost 60 percent faster than the studios last title, Oblivion.

What's more, Fallout 3 is currently topping the sales charts on all platforms it was released on and has outsold all of the previous Fallout games combined, including the lack-lustre spin-offs