Video Game Godfather - 75% Payout - Hot Niche Low Competition

2011-01-15T20:03:00.000-08:00

How to make a killing selling video games online - by a million $ game seller. Killer template by gfx designer of Day Job Killer & 7 Figure code. (2 - million dollar CB products). Copy written by 25 year copywriting veteran. Includes coaching!

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More Adults Are Playing Xbox 360, Playstation 3 And Wii Video Games

2011-01-15T16:29:00.000-08:00

Do you think that most video game players are kids sitting bleary eyed in front of television sets with fingers and thumbs tapping away in a staccato like manner on the control buttons of a remote control or keyboard? Well, there are plenty of those kinds of kids for sure, but they are not the most prevalent number in the demographics of video game players. That would be the grown ups, or people over the age of 18 to be more specific.

The Entertainment Software Association, a top demographics and research company did a survey recently and found that adults make up 92 percent of the people who purchase video games these days and 80 percent who purchase video game consoles.

The average age of video game players is now up to 33, and getting higher every year it seems. This recent survey found that 67 percent of the Heads of Households play video games as a form of recreation, according to the Entertainment Software Association, or ESA. The average age of the most frequent video game buyers is 38 years old.

The evidence of how old video game players have become was quite evident recently when the release of Halo 3 was getting a lot of media attention. Every news story showed footage of die-hard Halo 3 fans waiting in line for the release of this latest Halo video game. Most of these fans were adults who have followed the Halo video game franchise for many years. Many television reporters showed up at these events and when they conducted interviews you could see that the zeal and fanaticism of these fans was second to none. Some even had costumes that would have made any serious Star Trek or Star Wars fan quite jealous.

There are a lot of parents playing video games these days. Even more interesting is the fact that 80 percent of parents who play video games said they play them with their children, and that this experience has brought them much closer together as a family. In the early days of the video games parents often dismissed them as nothing more than a diversion. The parents of today recognize the value of playing video games.

The grown ups of today are the first generation to be raised on video games. They were the first kids to play Tron, Pong, and Donkey Kong and they have never lost their interest in this kind of activity. They have matured along with video games, made them part of their everyday lives and used them as an escape from reality.

Some of the video games that are currently on the market are quite amazing in their technical and creative achievements. Corporations like Microsoft spend millions of dollars to create games like Halo 3 which offer an experience that is much more than a game. First person shooter video games like Halo 3 and Far Cry by Ubisoft put the players in the game and provide them with choices that determine the outcome. A person can play alone on their PC or with many other people online.

There are now games that offer the sense of touch through the use of special hardware that can be purchased. The hardware involves attaching sensors and transmitters to your skin. The result is a virtual experience that is so realistic you can literally feel it. This kind of interaction can be far more rewarding than simply watching a movie or listening to music. The adult entertainment industry sees the obvious value of this technology and they have seized upon the opportunity with great interest.

Video game developers have known for years that adults are their main customers. They are designing more and more games these days like Grand Theft Auto, San Andreas that are strictly for players over the age of eighteen.

More and more middle aged adults are playing video games these days. Back in 1999 only 9 percent of people over the age of 50 played video games. Now, in 2007 that number has increased to 24 percent.

The video game industry generates 80 billion dollars worldwide annually. Most of that money is made from the sales of video games and Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and Nintendo Wii video game consoles that are purchased by adults for themselves. That is, after they have purchased one for their kids, of course.

Michael P. Connelly is an Author, Artist and award-winning Filmmaker who writes on a variety of topics that effect people in their every day lives.

Click here [http://www.video-games-giant.com] for more information on the topic of this article

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How To Become A Video Game Tester - What You Need To Know!

2011-01-15T11:53:00.000-08:00

How To Become A Video Game Tester is a commonly asked question onlin, probably because it seems to be such an attractive job! Just imagine being able to get up and the only work you had to do is get paid for playing video games.

That said and it sounds wonderful in theory but what do you need to know to learn How To Become A Video Game Tester? Today I am going to tell you a bit about how video game testing begun and explain why it is not as simple as just playing games for money!

When video games first started in the 80's there really was not much need for video game testers as a lot of the testing could be done by the programmers who were designing the games. This was mainly due to the size of the games that were being designed. As time went on and the video games became more complex there became more and more bugs in the games that the programmers themselves simply did not have time to spot or test for.

This was when the video game tester was born! The reason being was if a game was released that was too buggy and it got bad reviews then this would lead the video game company to lose a lot of money!

So what does a video game tester actually do?

Well in short what a video game tester does is during the building of a paticular video game, when it is nearly complete say 80% it is up to the video game tester to play the game and test for any errors or glitchs that may be in the gameplay, normally they are called bugs.

To learn How To Become A Video Game Tester you will need ti have good attention to detail and excellent communication skills as you will have to relay the info about the video game directly to the company or you might have to write it to them.

The pay for a video game tester can be quite high but does depend on your experience, also if you are wanting to know How To Become A Video Game Tester it is advisable to get a video game tester job part time at first and build up some experience to get the higher paid jobs!

So what can you do to learn How To Become A Video Game Tester?

The first thing you should do is seek out a video game developer as this can be an excellent starting point and they are the most likely to be able to land you a job. Although if you are not lucky enough to know a video game developer then I suggest you search the net for websites of game development companies and either search for video game tester jobs on the website or give them a call!

There are loads of video game development websites out there so if you ring enough you should strike gold. Another way you can learn How To Become A Video Game Tester is to search the net for sites that have done all the hard work for you and contain databases of video game tester jobs!

I hope this has helped you learn How To Become A Video Game Tester and helps you find your dream job!

Michael Fieldings is a qualified computer programmer and has ten years experience in IT. He writes articles and product recommendation on anything that can better your IT World!

For more info on How To Become A Video Game Tester and to learn how you can get your dream job in as little as 1 week Click the link below How To Become A Video Game Tester

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How to Become a Paid Video Game Tester - A Simple 3 Step Process

2011-01-15T05:29:00.000-08:00

If you're a serious gamer and would like to get paid to test video games and to give feedback on a game's overall quality, you may want to continue reading this article. In it, I will give you a simple three step process on how to become a professional video game tester.

First, you have to understand that video game testing is a business. Although the actual testing itself is immense fun, there are many professional aspects involved with game testing. Having said that, the payoff for this type of "professional" work can be very rewarding. As a matter of fact, you can make more than $100 an hour playing video games and giving honest feedback. With that in mind, let's talk about how you can land a job.

Even though game developers need video game testers on a constant basis, they don't advertise it. Truth be told, they really don't have to because the game testers will simply come to them. This saves them a great deal of money on advertising, not to mention time, which would have likely been used to separate the wanna-be testers from the actual game testers. With that being said, the first step to becoming one is to contact the companies directly.

Think of video game tester application process like any other job interview. You have to make connections and present your "above average" qualifications to the right people. You have to describe who you are, your expertise in gaming, and why they should consider hiring you over someone else. In other words, you have to clearly show that you are qualified to test video games. Things that may help you land a testing job include: playing many hours each week, owning an assortment of different video game consoles, and, of course, being an expert at games in a variety of different genres. This is how you will make an impression upon the game developing company; by showing them your overwhelming experience when it comes to playing video games.

The second step is to start making contacts with people in the industry. This means other testers, video game programmers and developers, as well as other fields associated with the video game industry. This can enhance your references drastically when you fill out an application to become a video game tester, not to mention the fact that it can open up many more job opportunities for you. After all, what others can say about you is far more convincing than what you may say about yourself; when it comes to landing testing jobs anyways.

Finally, you have to approach video game testing from a business standpoint, not just as a fun, recreational hobby. This means understanding EXACTLY what companies want and need... Video games are tested because developers "need" to find all the bugs and glitches in their game. They are tested because developers "want" to get honest feedback in order to gage the probable level of consumer interest.

So, if you can find video game bugs and supply honest feedback on the video games you play, you might just be what video game companies are looking for. In that case, I'd recommend getting started with a video game tester career immediately!

Sean Saunders Spends Most of His Time Playing Video Games And He Now Has A Very Successful Career as a Professional Video Game Tester. If You Too Would Like To Get Started With Paid Video Game Testing, Visit Gamer-Testing-Ground.com, The Number One Resource For Video Game Testers Everywhere.

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Video Games That Will Never Ever Become Movies (We Hope)

2011-01-15T01:20:00.000-08:00

11 Video Games That Will Never Ever Become Movies (We Hope) - UGO.com UGO.com1UP.comMyCheatsGame VideosActress ArchivesGameTabHeroMachineDVD and Blu-rayTry These: Tron | New on Blu-ray | Funniest Memes

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Frag'em AAAVideo Games That Will Never Ever Become Movies (We Hope)Some video game movies are so bad they're good, but picturing these games as movies is followed only by tears. Gamers, commence shuddering.By Timmy Williams December 10, 2010Follow TweetShareEmail This Story To A FriendRequired fields are marked with *

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More...VIEW AS: ListSlideshowViewing: 1 / 11Next11Gran Turismo

Because watching cars drive around in a circle is boring. I don’t care how many people say “But Danica Patrick is hot,” it’s just not true. And it’s just not true.

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Cancel.comment_indent_0 { margin-left: 0px; }.comment_indent_1 { margin-left: 25px; }.comment_indent_2 { margin-left: 50px; }.comment_indent_3 { margin-left: 75px; }.reported_msg { font-weight: bold; color: #ff8a00; }.hidden_comments { display: none; } Comments Add a Comment Nicoy Caine - Sat. Dec. 18, 2010 at 07:12:31 AM

tekkentekken was made sorry

Report Comment|ReplyRichard Paone - Thu. Dec. 16, 2010 at 10:12:21 AM

Don't any of you know who this guy is?He's one of the stars of the "Whitest kids u know" sketch comedy team.

Report Comment|ReplySponge-Ed Forster-Pants - Wed. Dec. 15, 2010 at 06:54:23 PM

You're a ******* moron.Either you're the worlds greatest Troll behind the guy that invented the 'John' copy pasta, or you're the dumbest **** I've ever met (I'm hunting you down to kill you and eat your corpse).Fallout is the most appropriate game to make into a movie EVER. It'll be like the road but without Viggo Mortensens arse and a lot of boring depression and lack of I am Legend.Mass Effect is the most appropriate game to make into a movie IN THIS SENTENCE. It's already in high consideration to be made into a movie, with Matthew Fox as Shepard, which I consider mildly ironic seeing as his most iconic role is 'Jack Shepard'.That's a really bad picture of Zac Efron.Apparently the Legend of Zelda is good but I think it's for faggots who like Hentai and are so desperate for female appreciation they'll travel from kingdom to kingdom to earn the right to fight for it.And Tekken has already been made into a movie. I seriously hope you die. You ****.

Report Comment|ReplySponge-Ed Forster-Pants - Wed. Dec. 15, 2010 at 06:57:00 PM

I didn't know you weren't allowed to swear on this shÃtty site.What kind of fÃºcking website are you? That last word was cÃºnt.

Report Comment|ReplyRon Dayaram - Wed. Dec. 15, 2010 at 05:46:41 PM

TekkenDoes the writer know that Tekken was a movie? Because if he didn't, then that was lazy writing.

Report Comment|ReplyZach Rose - Tue. Dec. 14, 2010 at 04:35:38 PM

pure ****that was a waste of timing reading that

Report Comment|ReplyJustin Saint Jean - Tue. Dec. 14, 2010 at 03:02:10 PM

Stay contemporary, friend.Tekken (2010): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0411951/Way to foul up your "hysterical" finish by unintentionally blowing your wad on #4.

Report Comment|ReplyDonny Ward - Mon. Dec. 13, 2010 at 12:26:03 PM

ummmYou sir, are an idiot. please tell me this list is a joke...here comes the punchline.....

Report Comment|ReplyGeorge Carr - Sat. Dec. 11, 2010 at 06:52:33 PM

errris mass effect not being made into a movie already ?

Report Comment|ReplyAndrew Tracy - Sat. Dec. 11, 2010 at 03:08:55 PM

I Disagree, To A PointGames like Fallout, Mass Effect and the not mentioned BioShock could make for some truly incredible movies - ones that could put most straight-up movies to shame - if they were only handled right. Which would mean putting heavy focus on the story and deeper themes and not just making two hours of CGI action and skimpily dressed women- which is exactly what Hollywood will continue to do with video game adaptations. Rage.

Report Comment|ReplyBenjamin Clark - Sat. Dec. 11, 2010 at 01:03:46 PM

Horrible List!there are several games on this list (Fallout, Mass Effect, Zelda, Braid) that have the potential to be great movies. In fact those three are probably in my top five movies that I hope are made into good movies. Horrible list!

Report Comment|Reply

MLB 11: The Show Screens

2011-01-14T22:19:00.000-08:00

MLB 11: The Show Screens for PlayStation 3 at GameSpot CES 2011 Black ON TV.com: WALKING DEAD Cannot Be KilledGameSpot.com sign in username password Sign upHelpForgot Password SearchSearchHomePCXbox 360WiiPS3PS2PSPDSiPhoneAndroidForumsVideosCheatsNew ReleasesDownloadsNews FuseGameSpot Fuse FAQWatch a Video DemoJoin GameSpot FuseMore About RaptrMarketplaceReviewsPreviewsCheatsAnswersNew ReleasesTop GamesAll PS3 GamesPlayStation NetworkGetting StartedMoveTheme:LightDark

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MLB 11: The Show Images Screens added on: Jan 7, 2011 MLB 11: The Show Quick Links

MLB 11: The Show Move Compatible SCEA SCEA San Diego Baseball Sim Release: Mar 8, 2011 More Info Game Stats Rank: 805 of 111,556
(down by 5) PS3 Rank: 144 of 1,431 Highest Rank: 333 in 2010 Followers: 60 Follow» Wishlists: 31 Wish It» Game Universe: MLB 10: The Show (PS2, PS3, PSP), MLB 09: The Show (PS2, PS3, PSP), MLB 08: The Show (PS2, PS3, PSP), MLB 07: The Show (PS2, PS3, PSP), MLB 06: The Show (PS2, PSP) Full Game Details »Close Also on PS2 PSP Summary News Previews & Features Images GameSpot Images › User Images Answers Forum Sell and Buy Games you may like… MLB 2K11 (PS3) MLB 10: The Show (PS3) Promoted Title Hunted: The Demon's Forge (PS3) MLB 2K11 (X360) MLB 2K10 (PS3)

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What Were the Biggest Disappointments Of 2010?

2011-01-14T17:58:00.000-08:00

So one of the best parts about Lost was formulating wild theories about what was going on on the Island. Was it a parallel reality? Unstuck in time? Purgatory? And the creators promised us that, by the end of the series, we'd know.

Well, they were right, but we wish they hadn't told us. The massive hit ABC show totally went off the rails in the last season, perpetrating all of its worst tendencies (New characters nobody cares about! Huge leaps in logic!) and adding one horrible new one.

The whole reason for everything was a magic cave like something out of Land Of The Lost. I can't even begin to express how shoddy the whole wrapup was.

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CES: Fable III Revealed for PC

2011-01-14T12:58:00.000-08:00

Microsoft chose CES to unveil the PC edition of Fable III, the successful third entry in Lionhead's Xbox adventure trilogy. There were no specific announcements about Fable III for CES beyond having it in their booth. Microsoft just wanted to reveal the game and reassure PC gamers that Microsoft remains very active with Games for Windows.

Coming later this year -- Microsoft did not give out a firm release date -- Fable III for the PC will feature a fresh visual pass to take advantage of graphics cards and processors that now outstrip the Xbox 360. Certainly the version of Fable III I played today looked sharper than it did on Xbox 360, with crisper textures.

But what matters far more is how it plays. Thought you can customize your controls to your liking, the default settings used today were workable. The potions and spells once attached to the Xbox controller's d-pad have been mapped to the first four function buttons. To select between the three available weapons to heroes -- melee, ranged, magic attack -- you scroll the mouse wheel. Whether or not you launch a light or heavy attack depends on which mouse button to press: left or right. I really enjoyed this simple system as it dovetailed nicely with the streamlined combat, which is something I rather liked about Fable III on the 360.

What did throw me off, though, was movement. The combination of the mouse for "looking" and traditional WASD just felt clunky. During the first battle in Bowerstone, one of the earlier pivotal moments in Fable III that launches the second act, staging off against the king's thugs was a tug-of-war. I had no problems launching area effect lightning magic and finishing off villains with a sword flourish, but aiming? Erg. However, you can always plug in an Xbox 360 controller to play Fable III on the PC.

According to the Microsoft representative showing me Fable III, Lionhead is one of the best "listeners" in the industry. The developer heard many of the impressions and complaints leveled at Fable III (for example, I think that too many choices in Fable III lack consequence), but do not expect any radical gameplay changes in the PC edition. However, there could be some minor alterations or new content, which Microsoft will disclose later in the year.

Fable III for the PC -- and the Xbox 360 -- will also hook up to the newly announced Fable III: Coin Golf, a Windows Mobile game (exclusive to Windows Mobile handsets). In the penny-pushing mobile game, gold earned is transferred to your hero's coffers. If you've played Fable III on the 360, you know how this could be a big help in the final act.

Look for more on Fable III for Windows in the near future on IGN, including where and how it will be sold. Will Microsoft skip the Steam juggernaut and stick just to retail and Games for Windows Marketplace? And be sure to keep checking our CES coverage for the latest out of the world's biggest tech expo in Las Vegas.

IGN.com

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On Being a Video Game Programmer - The Perks and Pitfalls

2011-01-14T09:46:00.000-08:00

What is it like to work as a video game programmer? It is considered by many game-playing children to be a dream job. Is it actually as good as it sounds? It certainly is an interesting life. However, as with anything else on this planet, there are both positive and negative sides to working as a video game programmer.

For the last 7 years I have worked as a video game programmer at three development studios: Activision/Treyarch, Visual Concepts and DiscoPixel. I have published titles for the Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo consoles. This article is a summary of some of the perks and pitfalls that I have experienced through my work at these companies.

Perk #1 - Make Games!

This one is pretty obvious, but the biggest perk of working at a video game studio is that you will be MAKING games. You will be helping build the next great game that potentially millions of people will play and enjoy. There's an amazing satisfaction that stems from knowing that you helped make something big.

Perk #2 - Play Games!

In addition to testing and improving your current game every day, you'll also be playing games made by other companies. There are few jobs out there where sitting down and playing a newly released console title is considered research. Companies definitely want you to stay on top of the technology and features of new games, and the only way to do this is by playing lots of games. At the companies I've worked at, I've never seen anyone get reprimanded for playing video games during the day.

Perk #3 - Independence

A great aspect of working as a video game programmer is the independence you are given. It is rare that you'll have a manager breathing down your neck or double checking everything you do. To get hired into a development studio you need to already have excellent programming skills, so you are given a lot of freedom to make many decisions yourself. You may be assigned a general task to complete, but how that actually should be done, as well as how long it should take, are often up to you.

Provided that you can get your work done, the companies I have worked for generally seemed to be very willing to let me work on my terms. When I was tired or bored or lazy I could go play a game or relax somewhere without anyone complaining. Happy employees with improved morale make better games.

Perk #4 - Fun Office Environment

Everybody that works at a video game studio has one thing in common: they love games. If they didn't love playing games they would never have been hired to make them. Because of this, the office setting often has fun or quirky things anywhere you look. Many people bring strange new objects to show off or play with during the day.

Most video game studios have lots of games and toys lying around to keep its employees entertained. A few things that I have come across at various studios: Arcades with free coin-op games, foosball tables, ping pong tables, razor scooters, board games, action figures, puzzles, daytime basketball games and giant stuffed animals.

Coming to the office still means you're going to work, but there's no reason why it can't also be fun.

Perk #5 - Free Soda + Snacks

This perk is maybe not important to everyone, but it's nice to know that you won't go hungry working at a video game studio. I've never met a video game company that hasn't offered free soda and snacks as part of the benefits of working there. I suppose being loaded up on caffeine and sugar helps boost productivity. During long days at the office, companies will typically provide free dinner as a thank-you for staying late. One company I worked for served fully catered meals from assorted restaurants every night for many weeks.

Pitfall #1 - Long Work Hours

Making video games is a lot of work. The amount of time needed to make the latest game seems to be growing exponentially. Development teams continue to get bigger and bigger every year, yet somehow the amount of work per person doesn't seem to get any smaller. Games are very complicated. Also, the nature of games is that they must be fun, which is not always so easy to accurately pencil into a schedule. A lot of experimentation is needed, especially with new game concepts.

Before a milestone and especially a few months before a game is released, the work day will be very intense. The work has a way of very quickly piling up. New features and old bugs suck away all of your time. Working long nights or weekends is not uncommon. Fortunately, employees generally care about the games that they are making, and their passion helps energize them through these occasional long shifts.

The stress can get overwhelming, too. At one company I had a giant stack of bug reports waiting for me on my chair when I came into the office. I would work all day, scrambling to fix the bugs as quickly as possible, working on full blast all day and night. I'd go home for a couple hours of sleep, but when I'd return to work there would be a new, even larger stack of bug reports waiting for me.

Typically after a project has shipped there will be a period of downtime where the employees can get a chance to relax and recover. The work load will suddenly significantly reduce. One company gave bonus vacation time after a project shipped, and another put employees "on call" for about a month, in which they only had to come to the office if there was some kind of problem. It's nice to know that your long work hours do not go unnoticed.

Pitfall #2 -Choosing What to Work On

Working on your own video games in your free time is a lot of fun. You get to choose exactly what game and tasks you want to work on, focusing only on the fun stuff. Anything boring can be safely ignored since the only audience is you. Unfortunately, this is not the case for large video game studios. There are many tasks to be completed, some of which are not too glamorous. Fixing console manufacturer standards violations or building data tools is not very exciting, but it still needs to be done by someone in order to ship the final product.

These tasks typically are given to people who are just starting out in the video game industry, perhaps as a rite of passage, but probably just because nobody else wants to do them.

In addition to the possibility of working on less glamorous tasks, you could be assigned a project that you are not fully interested in. Typically the company will let you work projects that interest you, but this is not always possible. A particular project could be falling behind schedule and it needs a few more employees to fix some bugs or add some new features. Or, the project you are interested in already has enough workers.

I think that the passion of the employees working at a video game studio is crucial to the success of that game. If you are not excited about what you're working on, it will show up in the game you're creating. To avoid any misunderstandings or letdowns, before deciding to work at a particular company, it's important to find out what game you will be working on in addition to what tasks you will be assigned.

Pitfall #3 -Pay Not as Good (Maybe?)

I've heard from a few people that the pay working as a video game programmer is not as good as the pay working at more conventional companies. Business database programmers, for example, could be earning more money. This could be true. However, choosing your profession is not just about the pay. You spend a large percentage of your life at your job. Money is not everything. Choosing something that you enjoy is important, too.

I thought the pay at the companies I have worked at was very reasonable. There is also a large potential upside from royalty checks coming from a game that sells well, which has sometimes turned out to be significant. You will definitely not be living as a pauper if you get a programmer job at a video game company.

Conclusion

I hope that this article has been helpful towards learning a little bit about working as a video game programmer. As with everything in life, there are pros and cons to this profession. If what you have read sounds good to you, I hope you find that dream job making the next great bestselling game.

About The Author

Tom Bak is a professional software developer with over ten years of programming experience on diverse projects, including seven years of video game experience with numerous published console game titles. He is currently working on a free charity word puzzle and a free word game.

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Dragon Age II Signature Ed. Character Revealed

2011-01-14T05:42:00.000-08:00

Electronic Arts (EA) announced the Signature Edition of Dragon Age II back in October, which will include an extra playable character and missions. But until now we didn't have any details on this mysterious stranger. Today EA revealed the character to be an archer named Sebastian Vael. Sebastian will be starring in "The Exiled Prince," a three-mission storyline that will be downloadable at launch on March 8.

In "The Exiled Prince," Sebastian is out to avenge the murder of his family. He is now the only surviving heir and must turn to violence, even though he was sworn into the priesthood as a child. Beyond this story, Sebastian can also be utilized as a follower throughout Dragon Age II.

As previously announced, the Dragon Age II Signature Edition will also include a code to download the game's soundtrack and exclusive weapons. Gamers who pre-order Dragon Age II before January will receive a free upgrade to the Signature Edition. Miss the pre-order deadline and you can download "The Exiled Prince" for $7 after launch.

Or, you could get the Signature Edition for free just by listening to Game Scoop! today. Game Scoop! is IGN's most popular podcast, delivering all the week's gaming news with wit and wisdom every Friday. We're getting two copies of the Dragon Age Signature Edition for each platform (360, PS3, and PC). Listen to Game Scoop! today to find out how to win yours.

IGN.com

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How Do I Become a Video Game Tester? - Becoming a Video Game Tester

2011-01-14T02:13:00.000-08:00

It's possible for you to become a video game tester. You can't just become a video game tester just like that. There are some things you need to know, have and do in order to become a game tester.

What are the things you need to know?

There is a reason why game manufactures assign jobs to interested video game testers. Your responsibility as a video game tester is to discover bugs in any game you are given to test. If you aren't experienced in playing video games, I tell you, you are not qualified for this job. Tell me; are you able to detect bugs in a video game? What is these bug you are talking about? Bugs are errors made why designing video games. As a human being, we have this spirit in us that tells us that this thing should be this way, that way or the other way round. If you are the type that has been playing games since you were a kid, I believe you would be able to detect bugs. Your job as a video game tester is just to detect bugs, write it in a report and your assignment is through, the next step is to submit to the report to the company, and then wait for your pay check. I tell you, detecting bugs is not so easy but you can do it. What you need is a short course on how this job is done and with it, you would conquer.

The short course I am talking about will guide you to successfully pass your first test. If you are able to impress the person that gave you the games to test at first, you've got a contract to continue to test and test games until you don't want to test anymore.

Furthermore, the compensation for testing games is encouraging. Won't you be okay with $40 to $150 per hours times the total number of hours you spend testing a particular game? There is no way you won't be okay with that salary. The video game industry is a multi-billion dollars industry, it even makes more revenue that the film industry.

Salary of a video game tester

The pay is okay compared to other testing jobs. You are paid with regards to the number of hours you spend testing games. The pay ranges from $10 to $150 per hour, which means that the more hours you spend testing video games, the more money you are going to earn.

Where to find a video game testing job

After you are familiar with what video game testing is all about, the next step is to apply for a video game testing job. This is another difficult stage of a video game testing career. It would be easy if you have the connections and know how to make them, but if you don't, it won't be so easy like eating hamburger and coke. All hope is not lost because I am going to offer you a guide on how to find one. How am I going to do that? It's possible to see a video game testing ads on the newspaper, classified sites and game magazines. Find these stuffs, both old and recent ones, and check if you can see any openings. If you see one, use their contact information like email, phone no or website to locate them and enquire if there is any opening for a video game tester.

Think of any game manufacturing company. Let's say, Microsoft Xbox, Sony, Nintendo and the rest of others. They normally post openings for video game testers in their website. I recommend you browse through their websites. Who knows? You might be lucky to find one. Apply for it with sufficient reasons why you are going to make a good testing job. Video game companies accept ages from 15 and above. There's no special degree to get a video game testing job but if you've got one in a video game related field, it will be an advantage. If after trying all these and you are able to get one, I recommend you try out some websites that have the listings for game companies that are hiring. One of them is gametestingground. They have a database of video game companies looking for video game testers with their contact info, how to apply and make sure you get the job.

GameTestingGround is a site that contains step-by-step guides on how you can learn the works of a video game tester and they also have listings of video game testing openings around the States. Visit them today and begin your video game tester career. Check it out at http://gamertestinggroundreview.blogspot.com/

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How To Become a Video Game Tester - A Few Very Powerful Tips

2011-01-13T21:15:00.000-08:00

Being a professional video game tester is a dream job. Most gamers would love the chance to be able to play great video games and get paid for it. Unfortunately though, most gamers think that paid video game testing is too far out of reach and will remain a dream forever. Well luckily, it's not a "dream" and anybody can be a paid video game tester with the right amount of experience and guidance.

The following tips should help you get started with a career in professional video game testing.

Tip 1: Don't Wait For Jobs to Find You, Get Out There and Find Them.

Video game tester jobs are not going to fall from the sky, so you can't expect to find them with a few glances at the Sunday newspaper. Therefore, instead of just sitting around and waiting, be proactive and actually chase those high paying testing jobs.

Make a beeline straight toward the game developers and present your case, no matter how poor or excellent it might be. Let them know who you are, what you do (game tester), and why you would make a great addition to their team/project.

It's important to remember that developers aren't going to hire you on the spot; so, don't let rejection get you down. They have lots of video game testers applying for projects and jobs, which means they can literally be as picky as they want to be. With that being said, be as confident as you can and be sure to let them know of all your gaming accomplishments and deeds. They should know about what games you play frequently, what consoles you own, what communities you are apart of, and any websites/blogs you own or help operate. No matter what the gaming accomplishment, big or small, it will help with landing you a job.

Tip 2: Don't Think "Hobby with Pay", Think "Career With Benefits!"

You have to keep in mind that developers pay video game testers as part of a job. They are not paying testers to merely enjoy video games at their own expense. Therefore, when you land a testing job, don't simply play it to have fun; play it like you are earning a paycheck. Does that mean you can't have any fun? No; it simply means you shouldn't make "fun" your top priority while testing video games.

If you take each and every testing job seriously and give it your all, you should have a much more successful game testing career.

Tip 3: Know What To Expect

The biggest part of being a professional video game tester is knowing the golden rule; which is "You are paid to test games, not to play them." There may be a fine line between the two, but any real game tester will tell you that the difference is definitely there.

The subtle difference between testing and playing is, well, work. A game tester will have to do actual work, such as filing reports & filling out questionnaires; as opposed to a regular game player, who will just relax and play the game at a leisurely pace. Admittedly, the work isn't back breaking, but it is work nonetheless.

The questionnaires are the easier part of game testing, as all the video game tester has to do is answer some general questions about the game and give his/her honest opinion. The reports, on the other hand, are a bit more difficult to do. These reports need to be filed on every bug/glitch that the tester comes across, and they have to be remarkably accurate. In each report, the video game tester has to describe what happened, where it happened, and how it happened. With this detailed information in hand, the developers & programmers will then fix the problem and find out why it happened in the first place. Every video game goes through this basic cycle, which is precisely why video game testers are so vital to the gaming industry.

As you can see, there really isn't all that much work involved with video game testing, but that doesn't mean it isn't a serious profession.

Tip 4: Build up a Network of Reliable Contacts.

Networking is a crucial part of professional video game testing. Although it is quite possible to have a prosperous career without a reliable network, having one just makes things easier.

A network of contacts can actually help your career in many different ways. The biggest thing it can do is give you heads up about new job openings and testing assignments that have been announced. Also, some of your contacts can even act as valuable references when applying for testing jobs. And, as if those two things weren't enough, your network can give you the inside scoop about what's going on behind closed doors.

Much like a video game tester job, a reliable network is not going to just jump out at you. Therefore, you will have to build it up all on your own. The best way to do that is by getting to know the industry and the people who work in it. Anyone that spends time around video games (professionally, of course) can be included in your network; game testers, developers, programmers, concept artists, art designers, graphics designers, technical support specialists, audio specialists, etc. Basically, if they know video games and work with video games, you want them in your network.

Tip 5: Don't Give Up. Keep Trying!

The unfortunate fact is that you are not going to land a video game tester job whenever you want one. As a matter of fact, it may be weeks or even months before you land your first testing job. However, that doesn't necessarily mean that you don't have what it takes; it just means you have to keep trying & giving it your best. Not many newcomers start off at the top of their game, which means you likely won't either. Hence, just give it time. After a few months and a few jobs, you should be able to get your footing and begin advancing in your career as a professional video game tester.

Do You Think You Are Ready For a Career as a Video Game Tester? Are You Prepared To Make Up To $120 an Hour Testing Video Games? If You Are, Click Here To Find Out How To Get Started With Your Very Own Game Testing Career.

To Get More Information on Video Game Testing & a Free "Quick Start" Game Tester E-book, Visit This Website... www.GameTestingParadise.com

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Children And Video Games

2011-01-13T16:51:00.000-08:00

Strict study patterns, high competition in sports, and pressure from friends, parents, and teachers are some issues that can cause children to be under immense stress and mental exhaustion. One of the most popular ways for children to relieve mental stress is video gaming. Children may however get so addicted to video games that it may change their mental state and lifestyle.

Some of the most popular video games played by children are Counter-Strike, Halo, Warcraft, Playstation, Xbox, classics, and other arcade games. The most common video games played by children incorporate the aspects of violence. Violence in video games may have some of the most adverse effects on the mental state of children. Violence leads to the increase in belligerent thoughts, resulting in the probability that a gentle or ambiguous irritation may be interpreted in a hostile manner. Violent video games also result in a general arousal of physical and mental states like heart rate and brain interpretation rates. Children tend to develop different behavioral patterns and tendencies that may reflect the type of games to which they were exposed. They may tend to directly imitate some violent behavior they have recently been exposed to leading to real life physical fights that may cause serious injuries. There have been recent real life killings at schools and public places and the cause of such brutal killing has been concluded as the increased exposure to violent video games. It has been proved that children's exposure to violent video games is potentially more hazardous than the exposure to violent television and movies.

Video games also prove to be beneficial in many ways for children. Video games require a lot of observation and reaction at the same time. Almost all video games are played with hands. In game scenarios call for quick responses from players allowing children to improve hand and eye coordination and observation skills. Most video games require concentration to be successfully mastered. Video games facilitate the improvement of concentration skills. Some video games encompass concepts of education and knowledge. Parents have started allowing children to play video games, which have educational knowledge on different topics. Some games also generate effective decision-making skills and intuitive and imaginative thinking in the minds of children. Video games increase decision-making speeds and help to make right judgments based on previous experiences.

Video Games provides detailed information on Video Games, Video Game Rentals, Video Game Cheats, Online Video Games and more. Video Games is affiliated with Video Poker Software.

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The Absolute Worst Video Game Hardware Gimmicks

2011-01-13T13:24:00.000-08:00

What's dumber than stomping on a big plastic mat to J-Pop and calling it dancing? Stomping on a big plastic mat to generic 8-bit tunes and calling it running. But what made Nintendo's Power Pad truly insufferable was that it didn't even work all that well. Everyone knew that if you wanted your character to truly book it in World Class Track Meet, you had to get down on your knees and pound on that mat with your stupid little fists. And what are you trying to do anyway, make my dining room chandelier fall out of the ceiling? Oh, is that so? We'll just see what your father says about that smart mouth of yours.

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Wholesale Video Games

2011-01-13T08:34:00.000-08:00

Increased Payout*** Brand New Sale Pitch *** Affiliates now Earn 75% = $23.50 Per Sale... Unique, Low Competition Niche.

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Treasure Hunt party game with pirate theme suitable for all ages

2011-01-13T03:35:00.000-08:00

Established, successful ebook, now open to affiliates. Easy To Organise Party Games For The Whole Family / Church / Corporate / Celebration Etc. Longtail Keywords, Cross Sell And Upsell. More Info At www.TreasureHuntBook.com/affiliatehelp.htm

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The Coolest Ice Levels

2011-01-12T23:24:00.000-08:00

The Ghouls & Ghosts series is one of Capcom's most hardcore - not only does it require precision reflexes to manuever the knight Arthur through stages full of dangerous terrain and infinitely respawning enemies, you need to finish the game twice in a row to get the good endings.

Super Ghouls & Ghosts, released in 1991 for the Super Nintendo, expanded on the original in many ways, including Stage 5's icy level. Werewolves that breathe icy gales of wind, giant arctic plants and more will bedevil you here, but you also get to chill out to some of the game's best music.

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Video Game Career? The Future?

2011-01-12T18:45:00.000-08:00

Your desire to build your future in the video game industry is possible when you begin finding video game tester jobs that give you the right career to build that future. Whether, you spend hours playing games, or you are interested in all that it takes to develop a console game you can build your future when you begin as a tester. Choosing a career in the game industry may be where you want your future to take you so finding the right way to build that future is important. This career can be the building block that builds your future in the video game industry.

Before the massive games of today the developers of these marvels would be the actually testers as well. However, with the complexity and detail of today's games many testers may be needed for just one game Due to this high demand video game testers are needed for quality assurance, gaining the experience as a game tester will give you the first building block you need to build that future with a career in computer/console game development. There are many careers available in the video game industry such as programmers, artists, game designers and producers. If this careers interest you then gaining experience in video game tester jobs is the first building block you need because most of these careers require some experience.

A new computer game takes from 1 to 3 years to fully develop. The tester doesn't come into the project until the game is almost completed. The reason for that is because there is nothing to test until the game is almost finished. Some of the responsibilities that you will be responsible for when you are searching for video game tester jobs include, testing the durability of the game disc, playing the game to find errors and record all the errors, glitches, logic and level bugs you find. Once it has been recorded that the errors have been fixed the video tester goes back and verifies that the errors are no longer there.

Quality assurance is the name of the game in the video game industry without that the video game will not be successful or maybe even playable. As a video game tester you will be a part in making sure future video and computer games have the highest quality available. When the deadlines approach for the new video game you are testing you may begin to feel the crunch of time. That is exactly what a deadline in the console game industry is called it's crunch time, and during that time testers may be included to generously help make sure the video game is at it's highest quality. If you have dreamed of a future in the industry than video game testing could be just the right building block to that future you have always dreamed of so choose from the many of these jobs available to you to build that future.

Mikey Simms - has been not only playing video games for many years but has also built several toy and video game sites including the hot Video Game Tester site. If you are even remotely interested in getting involved in the gaming industry as a tester or beta tester visit this site, http://www.video-game-tester.org

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Gaming With The Claus

2011-01-12T14:05:00.000-08:00

Let's lead off with Squaresoft's action-RPG classic Secret Of Mana, probably the best co-op RPG for three players ever made. Midway through the game, you travel to the Ice Country where you meet... a reindeer. Hmmm. He tells you that his master has been kidnapped by a monster and taken to the Ice Palace. Well, since this is an RPG, y'all better rescue him. After hacking and slashing your way through the palace, you face the Frost Gigas. Beat the crap out of this icy giant and you'll discover that he actually is Santa Claus! Once you've knocked the evil out of him, he'll give you a Boomerang Orb and send you on your way.

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Understanding Your Game Tennis eBook & Video

2011-01-12T10:32:00.000-08:00

A 12 lesson Tennis guide called Understanding Your Game for you to finally understand why you are not performing at your optimum level in tennis. Learn the secrets of the professionals. Info from a high level tennis coach with over 40 years exp.

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Microsoft Stock Gets Help From Halo 3 Video Game

2011-01-12T07:01:00.000-08:00

The good folks over at the Microsoft Corporation have plenty of reasons to celebrate these days as their company stock is on the rise. This can be attributed mostly to the incredible success of the video game Halo 3, which was released on Monday, September 25. This futuristic first person shooter game has had a devoted following since the first version was released in 2001, and they are the indirect driving force behind the increase in the Microsoft stock price.

On September 24, 2007, the day before the release of the Halo 3 video game, Microsoft saw their stock value increase by as much as 3.35 percent. By the end of the day it had settled at 29.08 dollars per share on NASDAQ, up by 1.5 percent. About a week later on Monday, October 1, it opened up at 29.46 per share, and things are expected to improve even more for Microsoft during the week.

Halo 3 has been flying off the shelves since September 25 with a record breaking 170 million dollars made on the first day. With the holiday season coming up, Microsoft is hoping that all the publicity and sales will be focused on their Halo 3 video game and Xbox 360 video game consoles instead of on Playstation 3 and Nintendo Wii, as it was last year.

Even with all of the business Microsoft has lost to Sony and Nintendo lately, they are still doing very well overall. They are a huge corporation with annual revenues reaching 50 billion dollars. Their Entertainment and Devices division makes up only about 12 percent of that amount, but it is the fastest growing part of their company. In 2007 this division grew by 28 percent. This kind of growth has caused Microsoft to take their video games and video game consoles very seriously.

The Halo 3 video game cost Microsoft 60 million dollars to make and another 20 million dollars in promotion and marketing. They are predicting that overall Halo 3 will make about 600 million dollars with a profit margin that is astronomical compared to most video games. So far, sales have exceeded expectations and it seems certain that they will continue to do so.

Video games like Halo 3 are not typical in their success. In fact, most video games lose money. But this game is different, for it has a cultural phenomenon surrounding it. There is a very large customer base that adores this video game and just cannot get enough of it. The first two installments of the Halo franchise sold 15 million video games.

Sales of the Xbox 360 video game consoles had been lagging in recent months due to the popularity of Playstation 3 and Nintendo Wii. The Halo 3 game should help to improve their sales. Microsoft is hoping that this highly publicized chapter in the Halo video game franchise will also help to sell a lot of their Xbox 360 video game consoles that come with a Halo 3 theme and design.

The rave revues and excitement surrounding the Halo 3 video game has given stock investors confidence in Microsoft. They are predicting that this video game and its related products like Xbox 360 video game consoles, action figures and the Xbox 360 Live game that subscribed members can play on the Internet will put Microsoft far ahead of its main competitors Sony and Nintendo.

Playstation 3 and Wii consoles have dominated the hearts and minds of those who play video games due to their technological advances, but neither of those two video game consoles has a game like Halo 3 attached to it with such a huge fan base.

Microsoft has been very clever to marry the Halo 3 video game to their Xbox 360 video game console. Having the Halo 3 name and design on the console is sure to boost the sales of it and bring in more revenue to Microsoft through their Entertainment and Devices division.

So far, those who play video games are giving Halo 3 rave revues and it looks like Microsoft has hit a home run with this product. They are well on their way to regaining the crown as the king of video games and video game consoles. Halo 3 has proven to be a very good investment for them, and this has helped the value of the Microsoft stock. It has risen almost 2 percent in just one week and things are looking good for this scrappy, creative and innovative company.

Michael P. Connelly is an Author, Artist and award-winning Filmmaker who writes on a variety of topics that effect people in their every day lives.

CLICK HERE For More Information on the topic of this article [http://www.video-games-giant.com]

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Video Game Tester Jobs

2011-01-12T02:43:00.000-08:00

What if I showed you how you can make $2000 per month, just by playing games?

Don't believe me? By the end of this article your perspective on work will have completely changed. Why? Because you'll have learned that you don't need some run of the mill job to make a living. And you'll have greater insight into how you can slowly accumulate wealth as a video game tester by doing what you love. At the end of this article, I provide a link that will get you started right away. In the meantime, read on to learn more about this fantastic money-maker!

It must be every young person's dream to get one of the video game tester jobs available in the industry. And now that dream is completely possible for anyone who shows interest and takes just a little initiative. That's right, you can have a video game tester job by next week if you put your motives into action today.

All video game tester jobs have immense appeal to everyone who enjoys video games. Imagine being paid to do what you enjoy doing most of all. One reason for applying for one of the video game tester jobs is that it gives you a foot in the door of the video games industry. Of course those who have programming or artistic qualifications may find it easy to break into the industry without applying for one of the video game tester jobs but for those without such qualifications it is not so easy.

There are two main types of video game tester jobs - paid and unpaid. The paid variety of video game tester jobs entails going into work every day (or at the very least reporting into work from home). The unpaid jobs involve the circulation of Beta versions of the software to volunteers for early feedback and help with debugging. Paid is obviously preferred and knowing this, we've provided a sweet little link at the bottom of the page that will give you more information on getting a paid video game tester job.

Having one of the video game tester jobs doesn't necessarily mean an easy life beckons. It is essential that video games are bug free and that they work as they should. Sometimes those who hold the video game tester jobs have not been involved in the original design of the game and don't have a vision of what the aim of the game is. In this case it is easy for functionality to be identified as a bug when it is in fact supposed to be there. And...that's pretty much the only negative I can think of. Other than that, you're getting paid for going about your regular routine. I should however warn you that just because you don't have to work 40 hours a week testing games, you should take this as some kind of a "whatever" side gig. You should treat the tester jobs you are given with some seriousness. After all, once you earn the respect of the software company you are testing for, you never know what doors can open up. Be smart and think long term.

It is not enough for those in video game tester jobs to simply find bugs. They must be able to record how they found the bug; what steps they had taken before the game crashed or behaved unexpectedly. They must be prepared to go the extra mile to help the developers provide the necessary fix.

It is, therefore, essential that those in video game tester jobs have a flexible approach to their work and an ability to look for a bigger picture when working. You may be asked by some software companies to really get involved in solving problems by listing specifics when reporting a bug. Again, look at this as a positive aspect to having a video game tester job. You're actually looked at as having a respected opinion. If you enjoy playing video games and show the hiring company a professional attitude, you will be given all sorts of opportunites. Maybe you have an interest in Designing Video Games. Maybe you have an Interest in making Video Game Music. Maybe you enjoy computers and are looking to get into the Information Technology field. In any of these cases, a Video Game Tester Job can provide the exact gateway you're looking for.

Other than that, you're home free to a sweet paycheck for passing the time away in your most enjoyable fashion. It's not as difficult as you may think to get a gig testing video games. I've included a link below to a site that will show you exactly how to do it. So click away and find out how you can reel in some extra dough having a great time scoring touchdowns, killing aliens, infiltrating the enemies base or playing any other game you can thing of.

Are you still sitting on your butt playing the latest PS3 game and NOT GETTING PAID? Don't be such a sucker. You can be making some sweet sweet cash right now for going about your normal video game playing routine. Click Here To Learn More About How To GET PAID Testing Video Games

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Which is Best Place to Rent Video Games Online?

2011-01-11T22:28:00.000-08:00

The popularity of renting video games online has led me to question which unlimited video game rentals site is the best. There are quite a number of places to rent video games online a few which are quite popular. However, it can be difficult to tell which unlimited game rental sites have enough of the most popular video games to go around, fast delivery, and quality customer service.

The best video game rental site will have plenty of games to go around and fast delivery. Good unlimited video game rentals sites will offer the newest game titles as well as classic video games. There are even a few rental sites that offer unlimited movie rentals as well as unlimited video game rentals. If you want to rent games, look for a site that offers a wide selection of games you will enjoy in case any of the games you want to play happen to be checked out. Do not give out any personal information, including credit card info to any site you feel is suspicious. Only use reputable sites with a privacy policy in place.

Even though most sites advertise and offer "unlimited video game rentals", this does not mean you can rent as many games at you want at one time. Video game rental sites usually offer different membership levels depending on how many game you would like to check out at the same time.

Many of the video game rental sites have free delivery and include pre-paid free return shipping envelopes which are already filled out to save you time and money. Look for video game rental sites that have more than one distribution shipping warehouse to insure you receive the games you rented in a timely manner.

It's easy to rent video games online, and easier to find an unlimited video games rental service. However, choosing the best video game rental service can be a little tougher.

Before you sign up for any video game rental service, please read my Unlimited Video Game Rentals Review at: http://www.Unlimited-Video-Game-Rentals.com

My name is Cody Gamel and I write reviews for video game rental sites at http://www.unlimited-video-game-rentals.com

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History of Video Games - The First Video Game Ever Made?

2011-01-11T18:52:00.000-08:00

As an avid retro-gamer, for quite a long time I've been particularly interested in the history of video games. To be more specific, a subject that I am very passionate about is "Which was the first video game ever made?"... So, I started an exhaustive investigation on this subject (and making this article the first one in a series of articles that will cover in detail all video gaming history).

The question was: Which was the first video game ever made?

The answer: Well, as a lot of things in life, there is no easy answer to that question. It depends on your own definition of the term "video game". For example: When you talk about "the first video game", do you mean the first video game that was commercially-made, or the first console game, or maybe the first digitally programmed game? Because of this, I made a list of 4-5 video games that in one way or another were the beginners of the video gaming industry. You will notice that the first video games were not created with the idea of getting any profit from them (back in those decades there was no Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft, Sega, Atari, or any other video game company around). In fact, the sole idea of a "video game" or an electronic device which was only made for "playing games and having fun" was above the imagination of over 99% of the population back in those days. But thanks to this small group of geniuses who walked the first steps into the video gaming revolution, we are able to enjoy many hours of fun and entertainment today (keeping aside the creation of millions of jobs during the past 4 or 5 decades). Without further ado, here I present the "first video game nominees":

1940s: Cathode Ray Tube Amusement Device

This is considered (with official documentation) as the first electronic game device ever made. It was created by Thomas T. Goldsmith Jr. and Estle Ray Mann. The game was assembled in the 1940s and submitted for an US Patent in January 1947. The patent was granted December 1948, which also makes it the first electronic game device to ever receive a patent (US Patent 2,455,992). As described in the patent, it was an analog circuit device with an array of knobs used to move a dot that appeared in the cathode ray tube display. This game was inspired by how missiles appeared in WWII radars, and the object of the game was simply controlling a "missile" in order to hit a target. In the 1940s it was extremely difficult (for not saying impossible) to show graphics in a Cathode Ray Tube display. Because of this, only the actual "missile" appeared on the display. The target and any other graphics were showed on screen overlays manually placed on the display screen. It's been said by many that Atari's famous video game "Missile Command" was created after this gaming device.

1951: NIMROD

NIMROD was the name of a digital computer device from the 50s decade. The creators of this computer were the engineers of an UK-based company under the name Ferranti, with the idea of displaying the device at the 1951 Festival of Britain (and later it was also showed in Berlin).

NIM is a two-player numerical game of strategy, which is believed to come originally from the ancient China. The rules of NIM are easy: There are a certain number of groups (or "heaps"), and each group contains a certain number of objects (a common starting array of NIM is 3 heaps containing 3, 4, and 5 objects respectively). Each player take turns removing objects from the heaps, but all removed objects must be from a single heap and at least one object is removed. The player to take the last object from the last heap loses, however there is a variation of the game where the player to take the last object of the last heap wins.

NIMROD used a lights panel as a display and was planned and made with the unique purpose of playing the game of NIM, which makes it the first digital computer device to be specifically created for playing a game (however the main idea was showing and illustrating how a digital computer works, rather than to entertain and have fun with it). Because it doesn't have "raster video equipment" as a display (a TV set, monitor, etc.) it is not considered by many people as a real "video game" (an electronic game, yes... a video game, no...). But once again, it really depends on your point of view when you talk about a "video game".

1952: OXO ("Noughts and Crosses")

This was a digital version of "Tic-Tac-Toe", created for an EDSAC (Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator) computer. It was designed by Alexander S. Douglas from the University of Cambridge, and one more time it was not made for entertainment, it was part of his PhD Thesis on "Interactions between human and computer".

The rules of the game are those of a regular Tic-Tac-Toe game, player against the computer (no 2-player option was available). The input method was a rotary dial (like the ones in old telephones). The output was showed in a 35x16-pixel cathode-ray tube display. This game was never very popular because the EDSAC computer was only available at the University of Cambridge, so there was no way to install it and play it anywhere else (until many years later when an EDSAC emulator was created available, and by that time many other excellent video games where available as well...).

1958: Tennis for Two

"Tennis for Two" was created by William Higinbotham, a physicist working at the Brookhaven National Laboratory. This game was made as a way of entertainment, so laboratory visitors had something funny to do during their wait on "visitors day" (finally!... a video game that was created "just for fun"...) . The game was pretty well designed for its era: the ball behavior was modified by several factors like gravity, wind velocity, position and angle of contact, etc.; you had to avoid the net as in real tennis, and many other things. The video game hardware included two "joysticks" (two controllers with a rotational knob and a push button each) connected to an analog console, and an oscilloscope as a display.

"Tennis for Two" is considered by many the first video game ever created. But once again, many others differ from that idea stating that "it was a computer game, not a video game" or "the output display was an oscilloscope, not a "raster" video display... so it does not qualify as a video game". But well... you can't please everyone...

It is also rumored that "Tennis for Two" was the inspiration for Atari's mega hit "Pong", but this rumor has always been strongly denied... for obvious reasons.

1961: Spacewar!

"Spacewar!" video game was created by Stephen Russell, with the help of J. Martin Graetz, Peter Samson, Alan Kotok, Wayne Witanen and Dan Edwards from MIT. By the 1960s, MIT was "the right choice" if you wanted to do computer research and development. So this half a dozen of innovative guys took advantage of a brand-new computer was ordered and expected to arrive campus very soon (a DEC PDP-1) and started thinking about what kind of hardware testing programs would be made. When they found out that a "Precision CRT Display" would be installed to the system, they instantly decided that "some sort of visual/interactive game" would be the demonstration software of choice for the PDP-1. And after some discussion, it was soon decided to be a space battle game or something similar. After this decision, all other ideas came out pretty quick: like rules of the game, designing concepts, programming ideas, and so forth.

So after about 200 man/hours of work, the first version of the game was at last ready to be tested. The game consisted of two spaceships (affectively named by players "pencil" and "wedge") shooting missiles at each other with a star in the middle of the display (which "pulls" both spaceships because of its gravitational force). A set of control switches was used to control each spaceship (for rotation, speed, missiles, and "hyperspace"). Each spaceship have a limited amount of fuel and weapons, and the hyperspace option was like a "panic button", in case there is no other way out (it could either "save you or break you").

The computer game was an instant success between MIT students and programmers, and soon they started making their own changes to the game program (like real star charts for background, star/no star option, background disable option, angular momentum option, among others). The game code was ported to many other computer platforms (since the game required a video display, a hard to find option in 1960s systems, it was mostly ported to newer/cheaper DEC systems like the PDP-10 and PDP-11).

Spacewar! is not only considered by many as the first "real" video game (since this game does have a video display), but it also have been proved to be the true predecessor of the original arcade game, as well as being the inspiration of many other video games, consoles, and even video gaming companies (can you say "Atari"?...). But that's another story, arcade games as well as console video games were written in a different page of the history of video games (so stay tuned for future articles on these subjects).

So here they are, the "First Video Game" nominees. Which one do you think is the first video game ever made?... If you ask me, I think all these games were revolutionary for its era, and should be credited as a whole as the beginners of the video gaming revolution. Instead of looking for which one was the first video game, what is really important is that they were created, period. As the creator of "Spacewar!", Stephen Rusell, once said: "If I hadn't done it, someone would have done something equally exciting or even better in the next six months. I just happened to get there first".

Ian Blake is a freelance writer/blogger from Planet Earth, Solar System. You may read similar articles at his History of Video Games Blog at --> http://www.retro-videogames.com

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