Tickets to The Festival make the Best Father’s Day Present

We’ve done the research and the evidence is overwhelming… the best Father’s Day present possible is tickets to The Texas Testosterone Festival. Tickets go on sale Father’s Day - this Sunday, June 21.

Buy tickets online by clicking here and show the printed receipt to Dad - if he doesn’t begin weeping with joy we’ll be shocked. If he does, pull out the camera and record it. We’ll put it on the website. We have the technology, and we have the popcorn.

Madden 10 Co-op Play Preview

How exciting is the next release of the Madden football franchise? EA Sports is adding a co-op play feature for multiple players to play on the same team (a QB and a receiver, for example) from different locations through the internet. The video below gets into the details.

The game is released August 14 but make a plan to NOT sit in your house the entire following weekend. Play in a Madden tournament August 16 at The Texas Testosterone Festival and make some money crushing the competition. Losers stay at home.

UFC Videogame might not happen?…

“WatchKalibRun reports that THQ, the publisher of UFC 2009 Undisputed, is in serious financial straits, which could affect the fate of the hotly-anticipated video game.”–cagepotato.com

It looks like the videogame industry isn’t immune to the current financial woes affecting the rest of the country. Here’s hoping that they can pull it together for this release. It looks pretty damn cool to me. The only noticeable likenesses missing are Randy Couture and Rachelle Leah, but the game does have a robust fighter-creator toolkit, so creating your favorite ring girls and, ah-hm, enhancing them how you’d like won’t be a problem. For the record, Rachelle (if you’re reading this), I don’t think you need any enhancing. Don’t ever change. Stay just the way you are.

The video game industry refuses to be recession-proof

“So how can publishers lose money amid such incredible sales and record growth? The answer is simple: They’re spending more than they’re bringing in. Game development budgets have ballooned, and publishers are reeling because they can’t keep the costs under control.”–www.slate.com

The economy, while dour, isn’t affecting the video game industry the same way it is the rest of the economy. Traditionally, entertainment industries, providing an escape, have done well, or not as badly as other parts of the economy in rough times. People want to forget what’s happening, get away from the reality. What better way than through video games? They can provide quite a bit of time away from reality; just ask my World of Warcraft-addicted room mate. On second thought, don’t bother him. He’s close to leveling up his Warlock Elvin Mage Wizard Thief thing.

It looks like the way forward might be more games like Valve’s Portal, and less games like Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto. It’ll be interesting to see what adjustments the big guys (like EA, Rockstar and Activision) make, if any at all.

Legal Kombat

“The language of the motion, which seeks to protect the interests of holders of $150 million of senior Midway debt, comes close to alleging fraudulent insider dealing.” “The motion also digs into the shadowy relationship between former Midway owner Sumner Redstone and mysterious purchaser Mark Thomas.”–www.gamepolitics.com

I did kind of wonder about Midway, publishers of such video game classics as Mortal Kombat and NBA Jam, and, let’s not forget, video game forgetful Area 51. Not to mention, they were also publishers of some pretty cool pinball games like The Addams Family. I must’ve contributed over 50 bucks in quarters alone to that thing. It was all worth it. Memories…

Boy, meet the craziest pseudo-video game ever made

“I still haven’t figured out what kind of game Noby Noby Boy is, but at this point, I don’t really care. Namco Bandai had my money at ‘$4.99′ and ‘guy who made Katamari Damacy.”

Regardless, now I feel better, knowing that I’m not alone in my bafflement at this next PlayStation Network release due out the 19th.”–www.giantbomb.com

Katamari Damacy (from the same creator) blew/blows my mind. You basically are rolling around a sticky ball that picks up things (paper clips, cars, people, alligators, trees, buildings, stadiums, clouds, islands) in the world. It’s strangely addictive. I was wondering what they could possibly come up with next. Well, Noby Noby Boy. I challenge someone to figure out what’s going on. Seriously. If you come to the Texas Testosterone Festival, I’ll personally shake your hand and give you a dollar if you can tell me what the bajeezers is going on with Noby Noby Boy.

Gamecock shuts down

The Austin American Statesman recently blogged that Gamecock would be shutting it’s doors. “Gamecock had been a game publishing house that worked with game developers to help them bring their games to market.

Miller and Wilson had spoken enthusiastically in the past about Gamecock’s business model, which emphasized publishing games developed by smaller game studios and giving these developers better terms and more control over the intellectual property.”

Let’s hope that their vision and ingenuity isn’t lost in this, the area’s biggest video game industry-related casualty. It’s unfortunate that they couldn’t hold on until the Governor’s plan hits full stride (see http://www.texastestosteronefestival.com/wow-the-gov-advocates-gaming/).

But, really. Gamecock? Suggested names for better success if they start up again: Not Gamecock, Gamemalegenitalia, Electronic Farts, My Game Company Can Beat Up Your Game Company, Gamepwndlolrofll33t.

WoW, the Gov. advocates gaming?…

“Governor Perry has said he wants to make the state the leader in the industry. He has vowed to push lawmakers this session to increase incentives to lure more game makers here.”–www.keyetv.com/news/local

Or at least, he’s advocating the industry and it’s growth. There’s been a bit of a dip in the amount of game industry-ing being done here in the greater Austin area, but the Governor looks to be attempting to change that. Let’s cross our fingers that this town with such a creative energy can stake a claim to a creative industry ripe for exploitation.

Bigfoot Sighted, Moving to San Jose

Bigfoot, a gaming hardware company that does what it can to preserve your life is moving its headquarters to San Jose, according to  the Austin American-Statesman.

According to their website, “Bigfoot Networks develops technologies designed to fight Lag in online games. Our products are designed to enhance the online gaming experience in multiplayer action games, providing smoother, more responsive gameplay.”  In other words, they make sure you don’t die when your online connection freezes up.

The company also named a new chief executive. No news as to whether employees are being relocated or laid off but we are expecting the former. Some of its operations are expected to remain in Austin.

Bigfoot’s Killer NIC card is considered vital by many gamers for MMORPGs like World of Warcraft, Battlefield 2, and Second Life.

It’s my party and I’ll game if I want to

Kotaku is a well-known and respectable Japanese gaming magazine. They lay down the dos and don’ts of throwing a video game party. And, yes, you can punch them in the face if they dump a 2-liter on your PS3.

“Have Cleaning Supplies on Standby – Spills happen, controllers might get Cheeto’d, or maybe you picked a snack that exploded down the front of your friend’s shirt. Whatever happens, be ready to apply cleaning fluids to the site of the mess and don’t make whoever’s responsible feel bad. Unless they upended an entire two liter on top of your PS3 – then you can punch them in the face.”

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