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Geek Links of the Week

It’s been almost a year since Disney killed off LucasArts and turned it into a licensing division rather than a video game developer and publisher. However, the death of LucasArts had been a decade in the making. [Game Informer]

Popular YouTuber TotalBiscuit explains the downside of being famous on the internet. [/r/CynicalBrit]

In something of a surprise, the internet has reacted favourably to The Escapist reviews editor Jim Sterling being cast in Volume. How does he get a pass but a Jessica Chobot and IGN get raked over the coals? [Stick Twiddlers]

Good news for people who are roughly my age: Tony Hawk says that Activision is working on a new Tony Hawk skateboarding game. Just make a game and use the soundtracks from THPS1 & 2 and you’ll be fine. [IGN]

FYI: GOG is moving to a regional pricing model at the request of publishers. That probably doesn’t benefit anyone who is now subject to regional pricing. They say it’s necessary so more publishers will release DRM free on the service. [GOG.com]

Posted in Links of the Week

What if Disney Princesses Were Game of Thrones Characters?

Feb 21

Posted by Steve Murray

Since we’re only six weeks away from the season premiere of Game of Thrones, I think that now is the time for the return of regular Game of Thrones posts in a series that I’ve come to dub Fridays of Ice and Fire.

For the return of Game of Thrones posts, I found this mashup of Disney princesses with characters from Game of Thrones in the gallery of DjeDjehuti. So what would Disney characters look like if they were in the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros?

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Posted in TV/Movies

2 Comments

Tags: A Song of Ice and Fire, Disney, Game of Thrones, HBO, Mashup

The FCC Plans to Rewrite Net Neutrality Riles

Feb 21

Posted by Steve Murray

The whole of the internet was sent into a panic last month when the US Court of Appeals struck down the so-called net neutrality rules that the Federal Communications Commission put in place on internet service providers after the rules were challenged by Verizon.

Well, the FCC hasn’t given up the fight over net neutrality and have stated that they are targeting later this year for a new set of net neutrality rules.

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Posted in Tech

1 Comment

Tags: FCC, Net Neutrality, Politics

Gravity Gets an Honest Trailer

It may be a critically acclaimed, award nominated movie but I haven’t really been too interested in Gravity. Sure, it looks pretty but the commercials didn’t seem to indicate much to the movie besides visuals and a panicking Sandra Bullock. And this edition of Honest Trailers… doesn’t do anything to change my mind actually.

And while I know that Honest Trailers takes the piss out of movies, between this and the terrible DVD ads, Sandra Bullock does seem a bit like Homer Simpson when he did his stint with NASA. Her character doesn’t exactly seem like she would ever make it past NASA training. Oh well. Suspension of disbelief and all that.

Posted on February 20, 2014 | Video

Titanfall Beta Impressions: Pilots and Rockets and Mechs, Oh My

Feb 20

Posted by Steve Murray

One of the most hotly anticipated games of 2014 just wrapped up its beta testing period. For the majority of interested gamers, this was their first chance to play the heavily hyped and critically acclaimed Titanfall.

I somehow managed to get into the beta despite the fact that I rather detest multiplayer in first-person shooters. Granted, that’s mostly a function of my being terrible at FPSs. Single-player campaigns, like BioShock, I’m fine. Throw me into something like Planetside 2 and I’ll be into a sub-0.1 K/D ratio. Could Titanfall convert me from FPS neophyte to another shooter junkie? No but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t still fun.

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Posted in Game Reviews

King Files for $500 Million IPO

Feb 20

Posted by Steve Murray

Little things like trademark disputes, intellectual property law abuse and being a frontrunner for The Consumerist’s worst company in America poll doesn’t stop the progress train.

King Digital, the company behind Candy Crush Saga, filed an application with the SEC for an Initial Public Offering of shares on the New York Stock Exchange.

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Posted in Games

1 Comment

Tags: Business of Gaming, Candy Crush Saga, King

What If Doctor Who was an American Show?

Feb 19

Posted by Steve Murray

When the ill-fated Doctor Who TV movie was made back in 1996, it was a co-production between the BBC and the American network Fox. The movie was made as a pilot for a revival of the show that would be produced by Fox for an American audience. However, while the movie was a success in Britain, it was a flop in America which meant that the series was never made.

But what if Doctor Who wasn’t just revived as an American series? What if the whole of Doctor Who was produced in America? Maybe these American actors would have played The Doctor. What do you think?
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Posted in TV/Movies

1 Comment

Tags: BBC, Doctor Who

Irrational Games is Shutting Down, Cutting Most Staff

Feb 19

Posted by Steve Murray

The developer of such legendary games as System Shock 2, BioShock and BioShock Infinite will be all but shutting its doors after the release of the upcoming BioShock Infinite DLC, Burial At Sea: Part 2.

Irrational Games boss Ken Levine announced that the developer would be letting go all but about 15 staff members as it transitions from a big triple-A studio to smaller endeavor for Take-Two Interactive.

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Posted in Games

2 Comments

Tags: 2K Games, BioShock Infinite, Business of Gaming, Irrational Games, Ken Levine

Titanfall Data Miners Uncover New Game Modes and Maps for Full Release

Feb 19

Posted by Steve Murray

When the internet is excited about something, people are going to find a way to find out more about it. Yesterday, intrepid data miner and NeoGAF user, RazorUK, discovered two new multiplayer game modes not seen in the beta, a number of new weapons and perks for both pilots and titans, and 12 new maps that will be available in the game at launch.