In 1995 electronics giant, Casio, made a second unique venture in gaming, after their first failed attempt. (ルーピー, Rupii) Loopy - My Seal Computer SV-1000 was the first game console marketed entirely towards young females. Like the PV-1000, this console also failed to gain popularity; though it does have some curious features. First off, there is only one controller port, limiting any possibility of two-player gaming. Also, the console itself has a built-in "Seal" printer, or thermal sticker printer, that uses heat to burn an image onto chemically treated stickers. This seal process is similar in function to the Game Boy Printer, but not in black-and-white. The controller is quite simple with a single D-pad, a start button, and four buttons arranged in an arc to the right side. The alternative peripheral was a mouse controller, which was sometimes bundled with one of two games. The only other hardware items available for the Loopy were replacement Seal cartridges.
The Loopy game library is almost a joke in itself. Casio published all 11 titles throughout the console's short two-year lifespan. All games also tend to have the same themes. Painting, dress-up/makeover, and romance stories are all that were offered. The art programs make the most use of the Seal printer, and seem to have little value otherwise. While the system claims uses 32-bit RISC processing, it appears technically unimpressive due to the nature of the software available.
Nothing gives a better impression of the Loopy than a look at the game offerings available.
The Xbox 360 is not known for its first-party support, yet the undeniable, record-breaking sales of Halo 3 have pushed console sales to outsell both the PS3 and Wii for the months of September and October. At $30 million in development costs, Microsoft Corporation found return profit, multiplied ten-fold in the first week alone. Sales were more than a once-off phenomenon, as the game has managed to consistently sell more than all the console versions of the hit game, Guitar Hero III, every week since release.
Now, it seems they're giving it away, at least to the poor original Xbox owners who are still living in the last generation. This promotion is more than a replacement for your scratched LE discs; this is the full deal.
Once again this is a promotion for original Xbox owners with an Xbox LIVE account. To register, go to the registration page and follow the instructions outlined below.
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Current paid Xbox LIVE members on the original Xbox console (not Xbox 360), here's how to get your Halo 3 game:
1. Buy an Xbox 360 console between November 21 and December 21, 2007. 2. Convert your current paid Xbox LIVE account to an Xbox LIVE Gold subscription. 3. Register here between November 21 and December 21, 2007 with promotional code XBX7777, with your new console serial number, and a valid mailing address. 4. Look for your copy of Halo 3 in your mailbox!
Additional step #5. Wait. the game should arrive by January 18, 2008.
NOTE: The registration page has been down frequently since details of this promotion have been introduced to the internet. It took me a few visits to find a time that the site was up. It has since gone down again. Good luck! Also, why did I even register!? I didn't have a paying LIVE account for the original Xbox, nor do I have a Gold account. Save yourself some time and read the promotion terms of use.
I encourage you to check out this kick ass marching band routine put on by Cal. Band geeks doing video game tunes... what is geekier than that? It's too cool. I wish my high school marching band did a show like that. The only interesting theme we ever did was Halloween Themes. What is scarier than Thriller? I digress. Here is the video:
[img width=300 align=right]http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/hardware/J-112/hw/J-112-H-00010-A_00.jpg[/img]Notable game developer Bandai was very involved in hardware development and manufacturing beginning in 1977 with its popular line of TV-Jack pong based consoles (six total releases within two years). Building on their mild success in this arena, the Bandai Super Vision 8000 debuted in 1979 and was the very first programmable game cartridge system released in Japan. This timeline (1979) and notoriety (initial entry and the developer, Bandai) may be a surprise to some simply due to the fact that Japan has been a leader in video game technology for some time, with big hitters Nintendo and Sega in the fold.
While the video game player in the USA had been exposed to the new programmable game cartridge systems (Fairchild Channel F, Atari VCS, APF MP-1000, Bally Professional Arcade, Odyssey 2) beginning in 1976, pong based consoles enjoyed a prolonged following within the Japanese market. This initially retarded the growth, development and embracement of new technology. The release of the Super Vision 8000 was a small, but significant, step taken by Bandai in changing the atmosphere within the hardware gaming market in Japan.
Constructed of hard, thick plastics, the light grey chassis of the Super Vision 8000 is accented well with classic black molding resulting in a clean, crisp look. Cradles for the two included controllers flank the respective sides. This console will never be mistakenly described as being small. The Super Vision 800 is a healthy sized piece of hardware, relatively rectangular in design with a gradual incline of roughly 15 degrees from the bottom to the top. The seven (7) confirmed games were rendered in 16-bit color across three sound channels, graphically in between the output of the Atari VCS and the Mattel Intellivision. Powered by an 8-bit NEC D780C running at 3.58 MHZ that was complimented by a AY-3-8910 coprocessor, this advanced piece of hardware was quite revolutionary, as well as expensive, at that time in Japan. With an initial offering of around 60,000 yen ($560 USD, $1,300 USD comparable in 1979), the Super Vision 8000 was priced out of the reach of most Japanese gamers.
[img width=300 align=left]http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/hardware/U-013/bf/U-013-H-00010-A.jpg[/img]This console is often mistaken for being a clone of the Mattel Intellivision, primarily due to controller design. However, the exact opposite actually applies. The Super Vision 8000 was released prior to the Intellivision, and the internal hardware specifics are completely different and not compatible at all. The story behind the controller similarity is varied, with half of those with actual knowledge of both systems siding with the thinking that Mattel was the original developer, the other stating it was Bandai. There seems to be more historical data to side with the former in this debate.
Though the hardware technology at the time (1979) in Japan was not as advanced as that in the USA, there is evidence that the Super Vision 8000 was developed independently, and prior to, the Intellivision. Further, there are claims that Bandai was going to sue Mattel for patent right violation(s) when the initial Intellivision was displayed at a gaming demonstration forum. There seems to be some validity to this story since Bandai gained the rights in 1980 to be the sole manufacturer of the Intellivision console in Japan. With the Super Vision 8000 not selling well at the time (due to the high price and a changing Japanese market), Bandai focused their efforts on production of Intellivision units. This eventually lead to the cessation of production and development for of the Super Vision 8000 within one year of its release. [img width=300 align=right]http://www.videogameconsolelibrary.com/images/1970s/79_Bandai_Super_Vision_8000/79_Bandai_games.jpg[/img] Bandai, though mostly known now as a great game developer, was a big player in the video game hardware industry in Japan and paved the way for juggernauts like Nintendo and Sega. The Super Vision 8000 is an extremely rare system and is considered to be a holy grail amongst console collectors. Games for this system will run you around $80-$100 USD due to their rarity. The system itself was not sold in great quantities. Finding one at all (working or non) is quite a chore. To land yourself a working, CIB unit, expect to lay out $700+, plus S/H. This is definitely a system that should be targeted by only the most serious of console collectors.
Sweet mother of double jeopardy backstroking in butterscotch! In celebration of Season Two of their critically acclaimed Sam & Max episodic game series, Telltale Games has released Episode 4 from last season, Abe Lincoln Must Die!, for free! That's right, FREE!
The game continues the adventures of the Freelance Police: Sam, a detective dog, and Max, a "hyperkinetic rabbity thing". This time, they must travel to Washington DC and take care of the President who is enacting federally mandated group hugs before sporting events, putting an embargo on pudding, and requiring mandatory gun registration! Along the way, you will encounter many hilarious situations, such as Max becoming president of the United States, an incredible musical number, and the Soda Poppers becoming the Governors of North Dakota, South Dakota, and West Dakota (newly formed).
This game is a must play for it's sharp writing and intelligent humor, both of which are very rare to find in gaming (or any other media) these days. You can download the game direct from Telltale Games for free. If you like this episode, be sure to buy Sam & Max Season One from Telltale ($30 for a download of all six episodes, plus a free bonus DVD with the episodes and a ton of bonus features) or the boxed retail version from The Adventure Company/Dreamcatcher Interactive ($30 as well, but you don't get as many extras). Also, remember to check out Season Two, which just started on both Gametap and Telltale's website.
Seriously guys. This is by far one of the best games out there right now. I urge each and every one of you to try it out and see what you think.
Celebrating the fifth year of Xbox LIVE service, Microsoft is offering up a free download. The LIVE Arcade title Carcassonne will be available for only 48 hours, starting 12:01AM PST November 15, and ending 11:59PM PST Nov. 16. Also, if you have been a member of the Xbox LIVE community since 2002, you will receive an additional gift from Microsoft of 500 MS points, free.
This comes with the news of the Xbox original titles to be offered after the December 4th fall update. The only titles mentioned so far (for the U.S. at least) are Halo, Crimson Skies, Fable, Psychonauts, with others planned for future releases priced at 1200 MS points.
Play and Win. The big GIMME GIMME event being held is the Xbox LIVE is 5IVE Play & Win Sweepstakes. Players who register their gamertags and play on Xbox LIVE on Nov. 15 will be entered to win free prizes.
Game with Fame. The other gamer treat is the opportunity to play against the development teams from a number of games on their own turf. These games will be hosted throughout the day of November 15th, so check out the schedule for times.
UPDATE Xbox.com currently lists as the first Xbox original dowloads (for the U.S.) as being: Burnout 3: Takedown, Crash Bandicoot: Wrath of Cortex, Crimson Skies, Fable, Fuzion Frenzy, Halo, and Psychonauts. Also, there will be no achievements.
Starting on Decmember 4th with the fall update, you will be able to purchase and download games from the original Xbox from the Xbox Live Marketplace. Among the first games offered for download are Fable, Indigo Prophecy (the best of the initial offerings, in my honest opinion), Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge, Crash Bandicoot: Wrath of Cortex, Burnout 3, and some other TOTALLY OBVIOUS game which need not be mentioned here. These six games will run you 1200 MS Points (that's $15 in real money), and obviously will not work on the Core/Arcade model unless you have a hard drive added in.
I think that while it's nice that they are adding downloadable games from the original Xbox, I think that $15 is too much to pay for them, especially when you can go to Gamestop or the local pawn shop and get those games for a much lower price than $15. Seems kind of a waste if you can get the game cheaper and can get the physical media and manual as an added bonus. In addition, these games will probably be up to 7GB in size, which means you won't be able to store very many on a 20GB system. So that means you'll have to take the Nintendo-recommended approach and delete games from your hard drive that you aren't using.
It should also be noted that all of the games up for download are currently backwards compatible with the 360. Why sell them for $15 then? Probably so MS can try and capture some money from the sale of secondhand games is my guess. However, I am happy they are doing this because it will be nice to have a catalog of the original Xbox games up for download when they become harder to find.
For his 15th birthday in 2004, Mega Man (or Rockman, if you prefer) recieved the special treatment and had all 8 of his original games bundled up and re-released with some special extras on the Xbox, PS2, and GameCube. Fortunately (or unfortunately) each version has unique exclusives, making no version inferior to the others (that includes you, GameCube). If you're a hardcore Mega-Maniac and that still isn't enough, there's always Mega Man X Collection gathering up all the other titles.
Whatever you call him, the blue bomber always delivers the right technique, and should he defeat you... he will assimilate your specialty move into himself, further expanding his arsenal. Just look at the lineup of bosses little Rockman conquered in Mega Man 2, he means business.
There are few "Mega" things that can rock as hard as Rockman himself, but Sega knew how. Affectionately called the Mega Drive in Europe and Japan, this 16-bit system ushered Sega into the golden age of gaming in the early 90s; with an edge that showed even mighty Nintendo that the stakes were raised.
Finally, we acknowledge a collector with fairly even-spread numbers for most of his consoles. All games in silentscythe's collection are childhood favorites, and likely get some play every once in a while. A healthy helping of RPGs and adventure games always catches my eye, and are a welcome addition to any collection.
That's all for now. Check out chat tonight, and tune in to channel 3...
[img align=right]http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/repository/4790319754737ba3ac4734old_TV.jpg[/img] So, in between my Pavement Problems I've been playing Guitar Hero, but today I noticed something as I was up close to the game. Sound was only coming out of the center speaker of my sound system. Nothing in the subwoofer, rear, or front speakers, just the center speaker. I didn't think much of it, as my receiver does DSP, which I promptly turned on. How humorous then is it when Tondog sends me a link mentioning that the Wii version of Guitar Hero III was in fact shipped with only Mono Sound. For a game that touts the music, certainly this is a low blow, and this screw up should have been caught in the really stringent QA that I guess Activision really does not have. Here's to you, Activision. Charging $90 for a gimped product, I certainly hope that the money you saved on skipped QA time will cover the costs of this screw up.
[img width=300 align=right]http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/hardware/U-052/bf/U-052-H-00010-A.jpg[/img]The 3DO REAL Interactive Multiplayer (3DO) system is one of those consoles that is either loved or hated by those in the gaming community. Released by Panasonic in September of 1993, this new gaming machine was one of the first entries within the 32-bit gaming era. The developer, The 3DO Company, was created by Trip Hawkins, co-founder of Electronic Arts. Their aim was to create the first 32-bit system that truly delivered a 3D gaming experience. On many levels they achieved this objective and were successful in pioneering some technological advances in both hardware and software for the time. 3DO had an eager audience yearning to upgrade their outdated 16-bit systems (notably the Sega Genesis, Super Nintendo and NEC Turbo Grafx systems).
The 3DO Company did not actually construct any of the 3DO systems, but instead chose to develop the technology and license it to third party manufacturers (Panasonic, Goldstar, Sanyo and AT&T). With very affordable licensing fees and a heavy marketing campaign, the 3DO seemed destined to become the system of choice. Unfortunately, this opportunity was squandered by the steep $699 USD ($1228 USD in todays dollars) offering price which alienated much of the video gaming community. Most game munufacturers expect initial financial losses on console sales with the thought that they will make it up in royalty fees and software sales. Since the manufacturers would never see any of these profits (since The 3DO Company owned these rights, Pansonic, Goldstar and Sanyo had to gain a profit on each system that was sold. Hence the high price point.).
Aesthetically, the 3DO system (any version) is nothing to write home about. Each is rather nondescript and belies the potent technology under its hood. There were five (5) releases of the home system:
1993 Panasonic FZ-1 REAL 3DO Interactive Multiplayer (1st release with a sturdy plastic housing, front loading CD, high price tag
1994 Panasonic FZ-10 REAL 3DO Interactive Multiplayer (Redesigned housing with a more reliable top loading system at a lower cost)
1994 Goldstar 3DO Interactive Multiplayer (Black/dark grey machine featuring a more reliable front loading CD tray
1994 Goldstar 3DO Alive II (South Korea only. Wikipedia reference. No details available. I dont have this one.)
1994 Sanyo TRY 3DO Interactive Multiplayer (Japan only. Solid system release in Japan that is highly collectable in the US and abroad.)
1994 AT&T 3DO (Never released to the public that can be confirmed. The most visually appealing of the lot, if it had been released.)
[img width=300 align=left]http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/hardware/U-052/bf/U-052-H-00010-B.jpg[/img]The 3DO was powered by a 32-bit 12.5 MHz RISC CPU (ARM60) with a math co-processor and separate video co-processors which rendered games in true 24 bit color and was able to display FMV (Full Motion Video). This hardware was a great leap forward in 1993 and was revolutionary for the time. The 3DO featured an internal drive that was utilized for saving games and caching game data during play. Sound is delivered in crisp 16-bit full stereo and with Dolby Surround Sound technology (one of the first to incorporate this into a console). The interface of the console featured power and CD eject buttons with only one controller port. The controllers, while very comfortable and intuitive, required the 2nd controller to be plugged into the "master" controller to enable two (2) gaming ("daisy-chained"). Obviously, this set up was not a good call by 3DO.
With the exception of the controller configuration, the 3DO hardware technology was all good news. One thing was forgotten in the process (and that we have seen repeated in subsequent "next gen" systems even to today). Game play.
The 3DO library of games is not the worst of all time (that honor belongs to the Philips CD-i in my opinion), but it is not out of the bottom ten. Relying too heavily on the new technology that was afforded them, games for the 3DO often relied upon FMV to attempt to deliver the gaming experience. What was forgotten was the actual game play and development. FMV production was costly at that time and, though impressive in 1993, did not offer much to the gamer other than eye candy. The frame rate of the FMV (and FMV-based games) was a bit choppy at times. That being said, lets proceed to the actual games. [img width=300 align=right]http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/hardware/U-052/bf/U-052-H-00010-C.jpg[/img] There were a number of great games released for the 3DO. Notable hits include Road Rash (best version on any platform), The Need For Speed, PGA Tour Golf 1996, Madden Football, Out Of This World, the ShockWave series and the highly collectable Luciennes Quest. The 3DO also released the game Night Trap, a FMV game featuring Dana Plato (know from the 1980s hit TV series Different Strokes and subsequent adult movie fame), which was the catalyst in the creation of the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) which we now see today. Unfortunately, for every great game that was released there were 9 others than were truly brutal.
Games came originally packaged in long, tall boxes made of sturdy cardboard with a hard, black plastic lining to protect them. Later releases were distributed in cheap cardboard boxes that collapsed easily, or in standard CD style cases. Many collectors hate the long original boxes since they do not stand up well and are difficult to display (due to size and poor construction on many). Personally, I love the old-style boxes. The art work is generally very good and there is just something about them for me (like, but not as great as the Neo Geo carts) that I like. It may be just that they are different from every other game packaging.
Overall, the 3DO was a somewhat innovative console in 1993 but lacked the attention to gaming that caused this systems demise (along with its absurd initial price). The Sony Playstation, released in December of 1994, ultimately put the stake in this systems heart. 3DO attempted to make a comeback in 1997 with its second generation (3DO 2 / Panasonic M2), but that is for another article.
This console is a recommended purchase for any gamer. A working, original FZ-1 model is sought after by many due to its place in gaming history and will run you around $40 USD (CIB $90). The FZ-10 is the most reliable. Expect to pay $30 ($70 CIB). The Goldstar version is a little more rare, with a going rate of around $40 ($90 CIB). The Sanyo TRY is the most expensive. Expect to pay $200 for a CIB system plus $65 shipping if coming from Japan to the US.
[img align=right width=200]http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/repository/538275589473727706723cred-ring-of-death-rrod.jpg[/img] Well, some of you may be aware of the Spike TV Video Game Awards. It's pretty much a show of which games are the most violent, bloody games on the market, not necessarily the best, unless of course you thoroughly enjoy only violent, mature games. Certainly, this list is a reflection of our culture's Roman Tendencies. I thoroughly look forward to the day when I can watch prisoner's fight to the death against each other at the local stadium. I hope they are given random weapons, ranging from truly awesome to absolutely absurd. Who wants to fight to the death with a rubber chicken? Certainly, I do not.
So yeah, without further ado, here is are the nominations for the Game of the Year:
Game of the Year BioShock (360) Halo 3 (360) Mass Effect (360) The Orange Box (360)
Hmm... how, Microsoft skewed. Apparently Microsoft is kick ass in the violence department. The rest of the nominations are found after the jump.
The One-Laptop-Per-Child program (see laptop.org) is a long running effort to make an internet-accessible computer available to the masses at an affordable sub-one-hundred-dollar price point. Decades in the making, this is one of the greatest humanitarian efforts towards improved education ever, and will certainly be used by children worldwide in the near future.
The program turned down the free and almighty ubiquitous Linux ALL HAIL! and other commercial software systems in favor of a proprietary one, yet they accepted a meaningful donation from one of the biggest companies in the video game industry. Electronic Arts is donating the original SimCity to the OLPC program. The "SimCity" and "Sims" franchises are the largest PC game franchises ever created. In education, it found use in over 10,000 classrooms and even some national tournaments.
Originally released in 1989, SimCity was originally a game where the user could control his own municipality. The unintended benefit to players was that they learned about real-world community services and how to properly manage resources. The appeal of the game was the complex balance of how to: manage taxes and the economy, design roadways, supply water and energy to business and residences, provide law enforcement and medical services, and be prepared for fires or natural disasters. Decades after initial release, the game is expected to be a welcome introduction to children getting acquainted with their new laptops.
[img width=300 align=right]http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/hardware/C-124/hw/C-124-H-00010-A_00.jpg[/img]One of the lesser known consoles released by Nintendo, the iQue debuted in China on November 17, 2003. The published intention of this system was to allow gamers easy and affordable access to past Nintendo game releases for both the Super Nintendo/Famicom and N64. In reality, the truth behind its incarnation seems to lie somewhere in between their attempt to govern the illegal distribution of game ROMs while profiting from the reissuing of past games. Though plans to release the iQue worldwide were in the works at the time, this console was only sold in China. Targeting the Chinese audience was not done by accident - digital copyright laws differ significantly from those employed in the US.
Strongly resembling a plug-n-play device, the iQue is indeed a stand alone console on all levels. The iQue does not offer anything new to the gaming world technologically. Inside this system resides a R-4300 64Bit CPU that is based on the same chip used in the Nintendo 64. Graphically, games are able to be displayed using 2 million colors at a maximum rate of 100,000 polygons per second. This sturdy, stylistic unit plugs directly into the television AV ports. Though only one controller interface is provided, an expansion pack is offered, sold separately, allowing multiplayer gaming.
[img width=300 align=left]http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/hardware/C-124/bf/C-124-H-00020-A.jpg[/img] Now to the games. There are no new ones. The iQue solely uses ports of existing games from the Super Nintendo/Famicom and N64. Games are played from and stored on 64 MB flash cards that are inserted into the bottom of the unit. The system itself comes with time-limited demos of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Super Mario 64, and Star Fox 64. Additional titles are purchased through official iQue distributors (downloaded onto the flash cards). Games are exactly as they were at the time of their original release, though graphics have been updated slightly. Game downloads sold for $5-$10 USD. A nice thing about the system was that the Flash cards are rewritable but retains your download history for purchased games (so you can reinstall them at no charge if you run out of room and need to delete a title). There are 14 known game ports for this system.
Overall, this console is nothing more than a compact, glorified SNES/N64 port machine aimed at thwarting piracy (ROMs) and attempting to cash in as well. These systems are somewhat rare, but not entirely. Do not spend a great deal in investing in these systems. A CIB unit should run you around $100 USD, with about $45 S/H from China. This console should go up in price in time due to its limited release in China. If making the purchase, due so for collection purposes only, not for a new gaming experience.
In a surprising move, EA has shut down their Chicago studio and is moving its 150+ employees to other studios owned by them. In a company memo, Frank Gibeau (President of EA Games) mentioned that the reason the studio will be shut down is that it has not been profitable and is not expected to be profitable. What's really strange about the whole situation is that they only started in 2004 and have done just two games, Fight Night Round 3 and Def Jam Icon. I don't understand why EA would close down a studio after only two games.
The future of their in-development games (a Def Jam Icon sequel and a Marvel comics fighting game using the Def Jam Icon/Fight Night Round 3 engine) is unknown. However, I do hope the those two games get made because I LOVED Def Jam Icon (the demo at least) and I would love to see a game using Marvel characters made with that same engine. It could be especially fun with all the environmental damage and weapons found in Icon, like throwing people into the car wash or into a gas pump.
If you have a Playstation 3 or an Xbox 360, consider checking out Fight Night Round 3 and Def Jam Icon as both games are quite fun.
So, best of luck EA Chicago employees. Hope the closure doesn't hit you too hard.
So, I was checking out Surfer Girl Reviews Star Wars for the latest insider gaming information, and she posted this YouTube video, claiming it was the best game trailer ever. Reluctantly, I played the clip. Five seconds in, my head asploded...
Believe? Mad World? FORGET THAT! They aren't Rasta Style, now are they? That's right, a Bob Marley mobile phone game based on crappy flash games. I...I...I can't believe that Hudson got the rights to use Bob Marley's likeness for this "game".
You know, this is why the gaming industry is going down the crapper these days. People are willing to make crappy games for a quick buck, even if it means raping the legacy of a legendary person.
Sweet mother of double jeopardy backstroking in butterscotch! In celebration of Season Two of their critically acclaimed Sam & Max episodic game series, Telltale Games has released Episode 4 from last season, 
Celebrating the fifth year of Xbox LIVE service, Microsoft is offering up a free download. The LIVE Arcade title Carcassonne will be available for only 48 hours, starting 12:01AM PST November 15, and ending 11:59PM PST Nov. 16. Also, if you have been a member of the Xbox LIVE community since 2002, you will receive an additional gift from Microsoft of 500 MS points, free.
Starting on Decmember 4th with the fall update, you will be able to purchase and download games from the original Xbox from the Xbox Live Marketplace. Among the first games offered for download are 
For his 15th birthday in 2004, Mega Man (or Rockman, if you prefer) recieved the special treatment and had all 8 of his original games bundled up and re-released with some special extras on the 
The One-Laptop-Per-Child program (see 
In a surprising move, EA has shut down their Chicago studio and is moving its 150+ employees to other studios owned by them. In a company memo, Frank Gibeau (President of EA Games) mentioned that the reason the studio will be shut down is that it has not been profitable and is not expected to be profitable. What's really strange about the whole situation is that they only started in 2004 and have done just two games, Fight Night Round 3 and Def Jam Icon. I don't understand why EA would close down a studio after only two games.
