Gundam creator Yoshiyuki Tomino thinks games are evil. He's said it before, and he's not afraid to say it again. This time, however, he does give credit to what he believes are technological advancements brought forth by video game hardware.

Always quick with a comment, Michael Pachter has weighed in on the rumor about Microsoft buying Electronic Arts. As far as the Wedbush Morgan analyst is concerned, the rumor doesn't make any sense at all.

The average age of a gamer is starting to edge higher. Gamers are also less healthy and more depressed than those who don't partake in our particular brand of entertainment. That's what a CDC survey suggests, at least.

An MMO GTA? Can you imagine that? Janco Partners is certainly imagining it as it ponders on Take-Two Interactive's prospects at acquisition. Mike Hickey is of the opinion that given the proven success of the franchise, the company is a very enticing candidate for future acquisition.

Microsoft Europe's David Gosen has questioned the gaming industry's seasonal approach to game releases in a recent interview with MCV. According to Gosen, the focus on Q4 and Christmas releases has put the sustainability of new IP into question, and that a second or third release window will be good news for the industry. Great news for my wallet as well, since I won't have to buy all the major releases I want in one big go. More after the jump.

Ohhhhh boy... Talk about flame bait. Reuters recently quizzed various stakeholders and analysts on their take on the recession benefiting the MMO scene. With jobs being lost, a lot of folks have more time on their hands now, and that points to more play time for MMO players. So where does Pachter come in? Find out in the full article.

As the attorney general of South Australia, Michael Atkinson has been one of the most rabid critics against the introduction of an R18+ classification in Australia. This has made him a frequent target for Aussie gamers. GameSpot recently had a chance to ask Mr. Atkinson why he's so against the R18+ rating. Check out Mr. Atkinson's point of view after the jump.

This is it, Game of the Year. No quantifiers, no excuses. Our team looks at the year gone by and decides which games they feel stood head and shoulders above the rest. Considering '08 has been a banner year for gaming, it wasn't easy.

The Nielsen Company has published their annual report of consumer activity for 2008. While there are lots of Top 10 lists in their report, ranging from most watched shows to most downloaded songs, what concerns us, of course, are the video game lists!

This is a category that's especially close to my heart, kudos to those who dared to risk all, who colored outside the lines and put the extra thinkin' effort into giving us something fresh.

Once again, a lot of our editors agreed on one very special title... Unreal Tournament III... just kidding!