Video Game News

(Newser) - Video games are going gangbusters financially, but they're still generally relegated to "lowbrow" entertainment by the culturati. Some critics, however, are finally giving video games their due and deeming them art. "The best games are already beautiful, and I can see no reason why the look of video games won’t match or surpass that of cinema," notes John Lanchester in the London Review of Books. More »

(Newser) - Nintendo plans to launch video programming for the blockbuster Wii game console, reports AFP. Players could access original programming online to watch on their TV sets. The service will  be aimed initially at the Japanese market and expand to markets worldwide. Rival Sony already uses its popular PlayStation for online movie sales and advertising, and Wii players can now use their consoles to play games, surf the Internet and shop online. More »

(Newser) - You might not rock out with Nintendo’s new Wii Music the way your teen would with Guitar Hero , but that won’t stop the family from having a ball with the game, Katherine Boehret writes in the Wall Street Journal . The game stays true to the Wii tradition of “cute,” offering a friendly challenge to gamers. More »

(Newser) - It was probably inevitable: Michael Phelps, video game star. The Olympic swimmer is teaming with 505 Games to launch a Phelps-themed game in the spring of 2010, the Baltimore Sun reports. Swimming will play a role, but it won't be the main event. Beyond that, the game-maker is not revealing details, except to add: "This is a pure action game." More »

(Newser) - With many Americans singing the recession blues this holiday season, they may not be willing to shell out $200 to groove to Guitar Hero or Rock Band . Some analysts say the dueling, popular video game franchises are beginning to peak, MarketWatch reports. “The music game genre is getting a little long in the tooth,” one analyst said. More »

(Newser) - Video game sales remain strong despite the flagging economy, reports USA Today . Nintendo Wii had its biggest month ever in November, selling more than 2 million systems, twice what the company sold last November. Microsoft Xbox 360 also had a strong month with best-selling games Gears of War 2 , and Call of Duty: World at War . More »

(Newser) - The musical scores for video games have kept pace with the evolution of the games themselves, the Los Angeles Times reports, with composers bringing in as much as $2,000 per minute to create sweeping, film-like compositions. With sales projected to hit $50 billion this year, game developers can budget $500,000 or more for the soundtrack—which can prove musically challenging. More »

(Newser) - Electronic Arts has become the latest game maker to target the Wii-as-personal-trainer market, USA Today reports. EA Sports Active, developed with experts including Oprah Winfrey's trainer, hits the shelves in March and aims to help users lose weight through more than 20 exercises that work the upper and lower body and boost cardio fitness. Nintendo remains the industry leader, selling 2.3 million versions of Wii Fit. More »