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Activision remembers DJ AM's work on DJ Hero
by Ben Gilbert 
{ Aug 31st 2009 at 6:00PM }
Having worked with Goldstein so closely as of late, we asked Activision for comment. VP of music affairs Tim Riley told us over the weekend:
We are deeply saddened by the loss of DJ AM, who was a tremendous talent, a trusted partner and friend to DJ Hero. Our thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family. AM was instrumental in the making of DJ Hero and we hope that his work on the game will be a fitting tribute to his creative spirit and musical talent.Joystiq would like to offer our condolences to DJ AM's family, friends, and anyone else effected by his passing.
BioShock 2 lets you shut off the Vita Chambers, die
by Griffin McElroy { May 25th 2009 at 2:00PM }
It was an option that last year's BioShock DLC (as well as the PS3 version of the game) afforded to its more hardcore players. And by "hardcore," we mean "absolutely insane." Seriously, during our first jaunt through Rapture, we died more times than Bill Murray did in Groundhog Day.
Kojima wants to make games until he dies
by Griffin McElroy { Apr 28th 2009 at 11:30PM }
He went on to explain that the only thing that could lure him away from the world of game development is, of course, space travel. Oh, aeronautical exploration! Does your temptation know no bounds?
D&D co-creator Dave Arneson dead at 61
by Griffin McElroy { Apr 9th 2009 at 12:32PM }
Even if you've never hurled icosahedrons with a group of fantasy-obsessed friends, Arneson, along with D&D co-creator Gary Gygax (who sadly passed away last year), is responsible for the evolution of the RPG format as we know it today. Though the influential hobby's creators have passed away, their legacy will live on through the skittering of dice across tables worldwide. Rest in peace, Mr. Arneson.
D&D co-creator Dave Arneson in hospice care [update 2]
by Ben Gilbert { Apr 7th 2009 at 6:00PM }
Dave Arneson, half of the duo -- the other half being Gary Gygax -- that created influential tabletop RPG Dungeons & Dragons,
Known recently for his teaching at Full Sail College in Florida as well as his fantasy RPG Blackmoor, Arneson had been struggling with his health ever since a stroke in 2002. According to The Escapist, Arneson's health worsened last week and he was admitted to the hospital.
[Thanks, Jeremiah]
Circuit City blows its last fuse, all remaining stores to be liquidated
by Alexander Sliwinski { Jan 16th 2009 at 12:04PM }
Consumers should keep an eye out for any sales following the announcement. No word on how this will affect game pre-orders, but we strongly recommend trying to get your money back, like, now.
Branching Dialogue: R.I.P. Death
by Ludwig Kietzmann { Dec 23rd 2008 at 8:15PM }
Presenting Branching Dialogue, a weekly, wordy and often worryingly pedantic discussion of video game genres, trends and err ... stuff I didn't think to put in this introductory line.
The game's difficulty (or supposed lack thereof) has also come under scrutiny, with some tough-guy gamers lamenting the Prince's newly found and quite convenient resistance to death. I don't wish to argue with the complaint ... but I do want to pluralize it. "This game is not difficult," and, "You can't die in this game," are two very different accusations, and one of them is more than a little unobservant of modern conventions.
I hate to break it to you guys, but death has been pushing up daisies for years.
Murder linked to Advance Wars forum
by Alexander Sliwinski { Sep 26th 2008 at 1:30PM }
All the German police will say at this point is that the two men "got to know each other through the internet" on Pyke's Advance Wars website.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in.]
Stare Death in the face in Castlevania Judgment
by Chris Greenhough { Sep 22nd 2008 at 6:12PM }
The official site for Castlevania Judgment has profiled two new characters for the fighting game, adding an obscure hero and one of the most common baddies to the cast.Eric Lecarde was playable in only one Castlevania game, Castlevania: Bloodlines for the Genesis (though he did pop up as a helpful ghost in Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin), and in Judgment he'll look every bit as effeminate as he did in the character art for Bloodlines. What is a man? Answer: not Eric Lecarde.
The second new combatant is familiar foe and all-round cheery chap Death, whose design in Judgment actually looks totally badass and is our favorite rendering of the character so far, even beating his design in Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow. We're guessing you can expect to have many a spinning scythe lobbed at your face.
Gallery: Castlevania Judgment
[Via Go Nintendo]
Hell hath no Fury, neither does anyone else now
by Alexander Sliwinski { Aug 5th 2008 at 3:00PM }
We're not exactly sure who was running Fury, as developer Auran shut down late last year after the game failed to catch on. Obviously, we know this comes as a shock to the handful out there still playing Fury, but there's whole worlds of MMO titles out there to explore. We know it's hard, but it's best to accept it and move on.
[Via Massively]
VP says Gametap's troubles are 'greatly exaggerated'
by Alexander Sliwinski { Jul 3rd 2008 at 3:30PM }
Although rumors of GameTap's demise have pretty much been present since the service launched -- something even Sanchez jokes about -- things went into overdrive after the company laid off its all-star editorial team. GameDaily reports it heard rumors in the wake of the firings that the service would remain online only as a shell until December and then be buried. Sanchez "categorically denies" any of that, pointing to Grimm and more announcements expected in the future as proof of the service's growth.
Man kills neighbor over missing PS3
by Majed Athab { May 8th 2008 at 11:00PM }
Being a protective console owner is one thing, but taking obsessive love for one's system to violent ends is a whole other ballpark. Take the story of Edward Keith Stoddard Jr. who was arrested last night in Dade City for murdering his neighbor over a missing PlayStation 3. He's accused of murdering neighbor Douglas F. Abrams when the two were arguing over the PS3 in question on April 24.It's such a sad thing to hear that someone had to die over something so trivial. Sure, most of us love our systems, but not enough to kill for it. It's not clear whether the PS3 was the only reason for the murder, but even if it wasn't, it wouldn't matter. The story would end the same -- someone's dead, the other's in jail, and the PS3 still missing.
[Via Digg]
'Most shocking': The death of Jennifer Strange
by Alisha Karabinus { Dec 31st 2007 at 3:00PM }
The end of every year is fraught with polls and recaps, but this one easily caught our eye for a variety of reasons. The death of 28-year-old Jennifer Strange after a radio station's "Hold your Wee for a Wii" contest was voted the most shocking tech story of the year by readers at geeksugar. Would you agree? The story faced some fierce competition, particularly when considering that one of the other contenders was the story of a Nevada couple too wrapped up in their games to care for their young children. To us, the latter is certainly more horrific, but that wasn't the question.Water intoxication is not exactly a commonly known cause of death; it's one of those rarities that's always guaranteed to raise an eyebrow. But with the extreme demand for the Wii since its very release, it's hard to say we're surprised at the lengths people will go to get one. For once, however, we can easily say we'd rather see people paying scalpers on eBay than putting themselves at risk.
Detroit prosecutor makes outdated violent games list for holidays
by Alexander Sliwinski { Dec 4th 2007 at 2:56PM }
Detroit has a bit of a crime problem and prosecutor Kym Worthy is looking to bring that down by issuing her third annual list of the "Top 10 Most Violent Games" for parents. As GamePolitics points out, the list isn't looking to be topical or specific; wide brush strokes will do. For example, if reading literally, the original Grand Theft Auto, the original Manhunt, and last year's Scarface round out the top three. 50 Cent Bulletproof comes in at number four -- because that already forgotten 2005 title is on The problem with Worthy's list is its basic redundancy of what one would hope is common sense, because every title on her list is rated M. How about just telling parents not to buy M-rated games for their kids? Blanket statement, end of story. Why pick and choose games when the ESRB has been kind enough to slap an M on the cover, giving parents adequate warning in the first place?
The DS Life: God Bless You, Mr. Crabs
by Eric Caoili { Nov 14th 2007 at 10:30PM }
The DS Life is a weekly feature in which we scour the known world for narrative images of Nintendo's handhelds and handheld gamers. If you have a photo and a story to match it with, send both to thedslife at dsfanboy dot com.
Mr. Crabs was an extraordinary creature, brilliant but brash. Always dreaming up new adventures, he promised us all that he was destined for big things. We pleaded with Mr. Crabs, "Don't go chasing waterfalls. Please stick to the rivers and the lakes that you're used to." But he shrugged off our pleas, setting out one day without notice to explore the world. It was that devil-may-care attitude of his that we all loved, and, ultimately, it was also what lead to his demise.
We gather here today to celebrate Mr. Crab's death by remembering not only how he lived, but also how his skeleton lived during the months long after his crustacean soul's passing. Scuttle sideways past the break and read on for the story of how a young crab in Santa Cruz became an international superstar with his debut on DS Fanboy's front page.
