There's hearts, checkers, chess, Texas hold 'em, Dolphin Olympics, a form of Scrabble, and on and on. Which - if you're a game aficionado - can make the social Web a 24/7 party (it can also give young gamers 24/7 access to communities of players of all ages, but more on that in a moment). "Online social gaming has been around for years, available on Yahoo and other sites. But its popularity is … [Read more...] about Here comes social gaming
gaming
Videogame sales growth
Sales of videogame software and hardware reached $1.12 billion last month, up 37% from a year earlier, Reuters reports. Grand Theft Auto 4 was the best-selling title for the month, according to market researcher NPD, and is the year's top-selling game so far. Meanwhile, an Australian research found that "playing videogames for hours on end may be bad for your health, but ... it doesn't mean you … [Read more...] about Videogame sales growth
Police on gaming community risks
I don't like the excessive reporting about "predators" online that go way beyond alerting parents to spreading the kind of fears that cause overreaction and shut down parent-child communication (the latter can put kids at greater risk because they go underground at a time when grownup street smarts are needed more than ever). But this is a predation story worth parents' awareness. "FBI officials … [Read more...] about Police on gaming community risks
Videogame fitness training?
Now there's a concept: a videogame that aims to get people in shape. People of all ages to get in shape. This is great for kids whose motivation for doing things like learning or getting active is helped by videogame play. But there are qualifications, reports ConnectSafely co-director Larry Magid at CBSNEWS.com. "The Wii Fit screen recommends that you achieve a BMI [body mass index] of 22 but … [Read more...] about Videogame fitness training?
Grand Theft Auto IV’s realism all bad?
A lot of media reports about GTA IV's blockbuster release last week focus on the negative. Don't get me wrong, this violent game is appropriately rated "M" for ages 17+ only in the US, but listen to this in Slate.com and see if it isn't somewhat encouraging: "Based on my play experience [with GTA IV] so far and in talking with reviewers who have finished the game," Chris Baker writes, "I get the … [Read more...] about Grand Theft Auto IV’s realism all bad?