A Lil' Diddy

If you told someone 10 to 15 years ago that the music industry would be huge in video games they probably would have laughed at you. Music has come along way from the simple polyphonic tunes of Mario Bros. Although classic, the music from that time was simple and repetitive.

These days to have a blockbuster game you need to have a blockbuster soundtrack to go with it. It is that important to have a great theme that is recognizable. It is no longer a simple polyphonic sound but has grown to even be a symphonic sound. With games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band, music is hitting it big in the video game market. Such video game music that made it big using the sound of a symphony are games like Halo, Metal Gear Solid, Civilization and Advent Rising. Songs like these have been traveling around the states on a tour called Video Games Live with sell-outs and encore shows.

Recently the Hollywood Music Awards (HMA's) included a new category for the first time in their ceremonies. This new category is for video games with awards given to "Best Original Score," "Best Original Song," and "Outstanding Music Supervision." This is the first time video game music has been recognized equally with movies and television. This years winners are as follows:

Best Original Score

Wataru Hokoyama - Afrika (Afrika)

Best Original Song

Azam Ali - Logan's Shadow (Siphon Filter: Dark Mirror)

Outstanding Music Supervision

Steve Schnur - Madden NFL 2008 (Electronic Arts)

Long Live PS2!

It appears that the PS2 will be no longer. After this holiday season developers will be withdrawing their support from the PS2.
What does that mean? It means no new games for the PS2. Sony was hoping for 10 years but will only get 8 of their historic system. That is quite a feat. New systems come out about every 5 years, give or take a year. Even after the release of the PS3 Sony continued to support their lesser system.
That is more than Microsoft can say about their Xbox. Microsoft stopped with the new release of games for their Xbox only a few months after the Xbox 360 was available in stores.
PS2 had and still has one of the biggest user bases for a console system. Microsoft could learn something from Sony.

(Source: MCV)

"Hi my name is Rick and I'm a Gaming Addict."

"Hi Rick."

Some news out ouf Canada is suggesting that the addiction to gaming can be fatal. This probably isn't the first time this has been said or heard of. Once again parents of these so called addicts are looking for more education about this phenomina. Should it be included in the schools like sex and drug eductaion? It seems parents are getting lazier and lazier about the education that should take place in their homes. A friend commented to me the other day that "..times have changed since he was young. Nobody goes outside anymore because they have thier video games." It is true. More and more people choose the confines of their house or room to hang out with friends over the internet. This addiction is even being compared to acloholism. Well anything done outside of moderation can be considered an addiction in which people plan their lives around. Would planning a specific route to work just so you can pick up your fovorite coffee each morning be an addiction, what about listening to music on a portable device so you can take it where ever you go, and what about making sure you are home and available for your favorite TV program? If we want to talk about addictions lets make sure we don't leave anyone out.

(Source: Canadian Press)

For help with your game addiction follow this link.

Open or Closed Circuits

Apparently Circuit City hasn't been doing well lately. When I say lately I actually mean for awhile. Circuit City might be shutting down stores to remain afloat and avoid bankruptcy. They are considering filing for bankruptcy protection. If they do then they would be joining some other retailers that have filed for bankruptcy protection like Linens 'n Things, Mervyn's and Sharper Image. To make matters worse Sony doesn't trust Circuit City anymore. Sony had their shipment turn around while in route to Circuit City. They don't think Circuit City's word is good anymore. Will it ever be good again? I went there once and haven't been back. So if you wan't Sony products don't go to Circuit City.

(Sources: Gizmodo, Marketwatch, Pic)