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Major League Gaming, now on ESPN

In what appears to be a healthy intermingling of the mainstream sports and gaming cultures, ESPN has struck a deal with Major League Gaming so that they can have shows on ESPN. Sounds pretty cool and the guys at MLG are ecstatic enough to release this press release. This elevates MLG’s status to biggies like the MLB, the NBA, the NHL and what-not, because ESPN will be giving complete coverage to the MLG.

That means you’ll be seeing player interviews, the 2008 MLG Pro Circuit Competitions, streamed matches, scores, statistics and so on. We’re definitely not talking about an oddly-timed half-hour show talking about how gaming tournaments are so weird. We’re talking a full-fledged sports deal that puts the MLG actually into the major league.

Check out ESPN’s flashy new site for the newfound affiliation, where they’ve already got the show going, with fresh MLG news and Pro Circuit stuff. Those not in the know might also be interested in ESPN’s Video Games site, where they try to be real cool and pretend they are good at covering video games like other major sites we won’t mention here. Just kidding.

This event has a profound impact on gaming, perhaps the largest since Halo 3’s humongous sales. With nerdy gaming tournaments getting showtime on ESPN, you know that the mainstream-gaming gap is being filled slowly. And while some might be annoyed by that, the more optimistic among us will tell you that this can only mean more people play games, more people make games and hopefully, games become cheaper and better!

So much for Utopia.

Echochrome dated in Japan

The most impressive game from E3 2007 finally gets a release date.

Last week I mentioned Echochrome was arriving on the PSP on March 19. Now I can confirm it will arrive on the PlayStation Store as a downloadable PS3 game on the same day. The price has not been announced, but if Sony is selling the PSP version for 3,990 yen ($36) it will probably fall in the $25-$30 price range.

I know what some of you are thinking, “no fucking way am I paying 25-30 dollars for some tiny PSN game.” You, sir, are dead wrong. Echochrome’s like nothing you’ve ever seen before, the kind of game M.C. Escher would make if he could only draw stick figures. I play games to have this kind of mindbending experience, and just watching the trailer, it felt like I had sprained my brain. Don’t let the lo-fi graphics fool you: Echochrome is one of the most promising PSP and PS3 releases this year. At least, I think I’ll probably have more fun with it than MGS4 and GTA4. If the trailer below doesn’t convince you of its awesomeness, well, you have no soul.

Courtesy of Siliconera.

Could there be a new Windows Vista in 2009?

According to TG Daily ‘industry insiders’ have confirmed a new version of windows has been ‘shipped’ as code to be validated.

Even though the existing Windows Vista has barely been out, the so-called new version could be out in the second half of 2009, if reports are to be believed.

If you’re thinking “That’s a bit soon isn’t it”, then you’d be right. Microsoft originally planned to release the new version in 2010, but then changed it to the earlier date. We’re not sure why though.

Other points mentioned by TG Daily are the ability of the sofware to handle a ‘heterogeneous graphics system consisting of multiple graphics cards from different vendors’ and a new integrated media center that at the moment only supports PC speakers.

Wannabe early adopters will have to wait to hear when they can ty it out as the Beta date has not yet been decided.

Eager PC heads can find out more here.

Myst to hit the DS!

In gaming’s Hall of Fame stands out one title – Myst, an adventure game that left a huge impact on the games industry and also became the highest-selling game of its time, later beaten by the gay The Sims. If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’ve never even heard of the game, because it was released in 1993 and you started getting serious in games in like what, 2003?

This classic adventure title that a whole lot of people have fond memories of, is now making its way to North American Nintendo DSs, where it will do the same magic it did 15 years ago. And if you haven’t played the original, and own a DS, we see no reason why you shouldn’t get this game other than the fact that you have a gay pink DS. Okay.

The DS version features brand new graphics, with a lot more information to aid your quest. The lower screen functions as the game itself (which you now gloriously control with your phallic stylus), while the upper screen gives you all sorts of information. Myst, while being an adventure game that puts you into stunningly immersive environments, still focuses on puzzles and logic games. And hell, I don’t see “immersive” coming anywhere when you’re staring into a tiny DS screen in the middle of a crowded subway station.

Myst DS is scheduled to release in North America in March 2008. Buy it and let’s see if we can make it the best-selling DS game on the planet.

Why No Pokelove?

I was just about to go to sleep when a question came in to my head:
Why has there not been a fully 3D Pokemon to come out for either the Gamecube or the Wii?
I sat in my bed thinking about this for about 20 minutes until I realized that there is no good reason why there isn’t already one.

Pokemon has been around forever. Although the popularity has died down considerably from what it used to be, I can’t think of a better way to get people to come back to it. Now I’ll admit, I did have a lot of fun playing those games for a while and if a fully 3D one came out, I would definitely considering picking it up.

I just think that although the Wii achieved a ridiculous amount of success this past year, it has still gotten a lot of flak from the more hardcore gamers who feel that there are not enough “quality” games out for the summer. I think that a Pokemon game could definitely help get some of the more hardcore gamers on their side.

More cool game swag you’ll never get your hands on.

Why do developers enjoy tormenting me? First the Weighted Companion Cube plush sells out before I can get one, then the Okami Complete Works book gets delayed indefinitely, and then I hear about the cool chocobo mug several months after Square-Enix sells out its original production. The latest useless bit of junk I’m doomed to lust after and never get my greedy paws on? A kick-ass fan with official artwork of Okami on it. This one they’re not selling at all, so at least I don’t have to blame my chronic late to the party status this time