Gadgets and Video Games

Brett Favre is one of the all-time greats. Still, he throws one untimely interception, and that’s all people talk about. Just image if he threw 7 and a half million! That’s the number EA highlighted during its EA Sports Opener last night in an extraordinary example of the game data the company collects from its players.

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EA Sports mines your football data, and makes example out of Favre

Sony will announce the “official” name for its PlayStation Motion Controller during its main event tonight (7PM ET) at GDC . In the meantime, let’s play a game! According to our source, the official name for the device is one of the choices in the poll below — we’re not going to tell you which one, though. So … View Poll Name that PlayStation Motion Controller! originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds

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Name that PlayStation Motion Controller!

Tags: arcade, gift, house, live, Media, Microsoft, Online, party, perfect-dark, promotion, recipient, scrap-metal, silver-members

The list of game server shutdowns back in January was pretty extensive in its own right, but EA’s not done retiring more of its legacy titles from online play. Over at EA.com , the full list of server shutdowns details the next wave of house cleaning, starting on April 15 with Burnout 3: Takedown for PS2 and Army of Two for PS3 (in Asia only). Then, on March 15, additional titles will no longer support online functionality, including Def Jam for PS3 and Xbox 360, Mercenaries 2 for PC and Lord of the Rings: Conquest for PS3, Xbox 360 and PC. For the full list of games going offline and when, head on past the break. [Thanks, Marcus N] Continue reading Next wave of EA game server shutdowns detailed Next wave of EA game server shutdowns detailed originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:30:00 EST

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Next wave of EA game server shutdowns detailed

Sony’s taking a fairly unconventional approach to putting a stop to piracy on the PSP platform. The recently released handheld shooter, SOCOM Fireteam Bravo 3 , comes bundled with a code which, once redeemed through the PlayStation Network, allows the player to access the game’s online modes. Folks who purchase the game directly through the PSN are automatically online-enabled — but those who nab the game illicitly won’t have access to the code, and will have to shell out $20 to unlock a license which lets them play online. Sony’s John Koller recently spoke to IGN about the activation procedure, saying it’s “a trial run for a new initiative we are exploring for the platform.” Obviously, it’s going to be very effective at sticking it to software pirates worldwide.

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SOCOM Fireteam Bravo 3 requires PSN activation for online play

Over the weekend, EA Sports announced a new community influencers program that it’s calling “Game Changers” — the idea is that the publisher will choose big EA sports fans who use their online community know-how “to improve the experience and overall growth of the EA SPORTS Community.” Presumably, you have to yell “EA Sports” whenever you say it, which would be why the name is in all caps. The chosen few will get early access to EA games, as well as represent the community while giving feedback on future releases. They’ve picked nine guys (no girls) so far, all of whom are active in the various EA communities and forums. They’ve also posted a video of the program’s kickoff , and while we were totally going to make fun of it for sounding like a cliched sports team (“It’s the dream of a lifetime, we just go out there to do our best” and so on), that Anton B dude actually gets a little choked up at the end after being honored with Game Changer of the Month.

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EA Sports honors ‘Game Changers’ in its online communities

Activision co-founder David Crane knows a thing or two about profitable business ventures. In addition to helping one of the most lucrative gaming industry juggernauts get off the ground, he (and business partner Garry Kitchen) founded a successful iPhone app publisher named Skyworks . (You know, of Spill Da’ Milk fame?) Now — for unknown reasons — the two men are starting up yet another iPhone publishing firm , this time titled AppStar Games. It’s unclear whether the duo have left their posts at Skyworks, though the company’s contact page no longer mentions their involvement with the studio.

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Activision co-founder co-founds a new iPhone publisher

During this week’s quarterly earning’s report , EA COO John Schappert answered an investor question with a somewhat vague but potentially far-reaching comment regarding the publisher’s future strategy for implementing online functionality into its games. “In fiscal 2011 [from April 31, 2010 to March 31, 2011], every one of EA’s releases will have an online component, both downloadable content and online play,” Schappert said, according to a VG247 report.

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Schappert clarifies EA’s sweeping DLC and online strategy

The online multiplayer portion of Cyan Worlds’ Uru: Ages Beyond Myst has had about as troubled a past as video games can have. It never made it out of its beta stage when Uru first launched in 2004. Three years later, GameTap opened up servers for the game — but a lack of subscribers led to them being shut down after just one year . Earlier today, the developer proved its persistence by re-launching the game once more; this time, as a totally free-to-play MMO.

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Myst Online: Uru Live gets a third shot at success

Filed under: Mac , PC , Meta (about Joystiq) Apparently there’s some “foot ball” match or something on today, but, ya know, you’re already sitting there in front of your screen — why not check out some of this week’s features and news from Joystiq’s PC sister site Big Download ? What’s that? Because you’re a heartless monster? No excuses! We accept doting, loyal readers and heartless monsters alike.

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The Best of Big Download: February 1-7