It seems that Michael “Shagg” Washington believes the life of CJ in Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas mirrors his own personal life. He’s looking to bag 25 percent of the game’s profits, which amounts to a nice healthy sum of $250 million. Makes you wonder just how much San Andreas actually made. Mr. Washington is going to need excellent representation to win this one. Good thing he isn’t suing about Vice City or I would’ve been in that courtroom myself.

Source: Destructoid

Not sure what’s going on over there in the US of A, but on the island of Britain, there is a big debate going on about video games and the harm they cause to children. The conservatives are rising and the programs and articles are increasingly showing support of this viewpoint. One show, however, may have been exposed for being a tad biased.

Panorama is a popular documentary program on the BBC, that is renowned for its unflinching and brave documenting. In one particular show, video games and addiction was the topic, and after watching this one myself, I felt that there really was only one side of the argument on which they focused. Additionally, CVG reports that one of the students interviewed was asked several questions, but only the one answer that fell in line with the documentary’s aim was picked for use in the show. Tell me if I am wrong, but surely a quality documentary should fairly show both sides of the argument. Well, unless it’s a documentary about George Bush.

The best performing console refuses to go away. Just when you thought the PS2 would finally take its final bow from retailers and bid farewell, another clever way of getting the age-old console out there has been created.

The Inquirer reports that the Sony Bravia Digital TV will come with a PS2 built into it. All you need to do is grab those old PS2 games and relive driving through the streets of Vice City or getting pissed off when Raiden appears in MGS2. This just might entice those looking for a TV with something cool attached.

It does seem quite long ago when Nintendo shocked us all by outperforming the heavy-hitters and became the number one console on the market. Now, its sales are down 24%, and there are those seeing it declining and fading away with the emergence of Sony and Microsoft’s motion capabilities. Reggie Fils-Aime (Nintendo of America President) is still confident, however, that the system can attract new users, and according to TG Daily, has some innovations cresting the horizon that will help them to do this.

I don’t want to make the same mistake I made last time by putting down the capabilities of Nintendo. They shocked us before and they could do so again. If they focus on the fact that they don’t make games for gamers but instead for families, I feel that they can still control that side of the market. I’m in the camp of the cheaper Blu-Ray Player (aka PS3) and the 360 being the hardcore machine, with Nintendo being the more versatile of the three. We’ll just have to wait and see what 2011 holds for the company.

The BioWare team is putting the finishing touches on the PlayStation version of Mass Effect 2, and according to Gamer Blorge, are touting it to be even better than the 360 version. In addition to 20 hours of additional gameplay, the package includes the Dark Horse interactive comic that allows users to save choices made and implement them into the game. Graphically, you won’t have to worry about drops in resolution, as nothing will be going below 720p.

Personally, however, I still feel that the first game is stronger than the second one, despite the latter’s improvements in both gameplay and graphics. I’m not sure how much of the story they’re actually including in this version of Mass Effect 2, but PS3 users will not be getting the full experience by jumping straight into it. You still might need a 360 after all.

It has been ten years since Sony’s sophomore console was released. And while the vast majority of folks have moved onto the PS3, Wii and 360, there are still some who do their gaming with one. Push Square reports that in a recent poll in Japan, 70% of gamers still use the PS2. Even with the new generation of consoles out there, that machine still holds some sway back east.

I’m one of the few westerners that still use the PS2, and played the excellent and under-appreciated Soul Reaver 1 & 2 (you really should check it out) on it. I also still find it useful when I want to pop in the best GTA, Vice City, for a little run around town. I think that when all is said and done, the PS2 will be remembered as one of the best performing consoles ever. Think about it. They still release new games on it. When was the last time you saw a title released for the regular Xbox?

It all sounds too familiar. Big talk, ads that have little to do with the final game, and the buildup of overwhelming hype and anticipation. It all sounds too familiar.

I don’t believe any ad campaign for any video game has come close to that of Halo 3. Anywhere you looked, touched, walked or bumped into was something telling you to buy the third and “final” instalment of Bungie’s franchise. It was the first time the gaming world had seen such marketing and promotion, which had normally been saved for the latest overblown Michael Bay blockbuster. There was huge promise, and the expectations were sky high. Everything, apart from the actual game, couldn’t be described in any other way but spectacular (I still have and watch those TV spots on my Xbox 360). But in the end, the final product really didn’t meet the hype that preceded it.

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