As I am a strong proponent of getting free stuff, this piece of news certainly made my day.
News Blips:
EA and Visceral Games wants to hand you an exclusive piece of footage from the Dead Space 2 demo at E3. If you're curious about the new creepy-crawlies featured in the upcoming sci-fi survival-horror — such as Mr. Snotmouth pictured on the right — then simply point your browser to the official website and enter your e-mail address. EA plans to shoot the content your way on June 14, one day before the doors open to E3.
Red Dead Redemption has shipped a whopping 5 million units since its release. As part of its second quarter fiscal results, publisher Take-Two revealed the gargantuan number of units that were "sold-in" — copies of the game that were sold or shipped to retail stores, not directly to consumers. The number also signifies that it's breaking even with the game's purported production cost of $70 million, which Rockstar had already proudly proclaimed as their "most ambitious game to date." I hate to be the bearer of bad puns, but…John Marston has really made out like a bandit, hasn't he? [IndustryGamers]
Microsoft investors are "getting impatient" with the slipping sales of the Xbox 360. While the impending release of Project Natal seeks to boost sales of the console once more, a few investors believe that the actual decision to delve into consumer electronics was an unsound move, even going so far to claim that a complete exit from the market would cause stocks to rise. Well, damn, there goes my Monopoly-to-stock-market crossover game concept. [Business Week]
Professional gamers benefit from sharpened reactions but suffer from poor fitness levels. A University of Essex study indicated that "cyberathletes" possessed an acute level of awareness and mental agility comparable to "real" athletes while simultaneously faring much worse physically, such as one professional gamer's physical performance being likened to a heavy smoker in his sixties. The study blamed the oft-maligned sedentary lifestyle of professional-gaming teams, which practice upward to 10 hours per day with minimal physical movement. [Telegraph]
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