Building an online community is a big challenge for developers. These days they must find a way to prevent consumers from trading in games the same month they purchase them. Some games such anything Call of Duty or Halo have amassed a huge following, but they didn’t start out that way. Microsoft believes a game must have DLC available within the first month of a games release in order to stay relevant.

No more denials, no more secrets. Twisted Metal for the PlayStation 3 does in fact exist and it looks incredible. After months upon months of denials that it was even being worked on, the newest title in the legendary car combat series was revealed during Sony’s E3 press event June 15. David Jaffe’s Eat, Sleep, Game studio will handle development and it is a PS3 exclusive.

Three more game-relate print pubs have crumbled under the force of an economic recession and inexpensive online competition.

Fusion Publishing recently filed for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, essentially shutting down Geek Monthly Magazine, Play Magazine and Girls of Gaming.

The company has not been responding to inquiries from fans, subscribers and former writers so most of the news about the publications being shuttered comes from former writers. I can confirm from online contact with Geek‘s former Editor, Jeff Bond, that Geek has officially been shut down.

I bet you thought that, if you missed one of the PLAY! A Video Game Symphony concerts, which only play in select locations around the world, you’d never get to hear the wonderful renditions of classic video game songs. Well, feel left out no longer! On January 9, a PLAY! A Video Game Symphony Live! CD/DVD set is going to be released. Its available in the PLAY! shop right now, for $35. You can order it today, and then have it shipped out tomorrow to you.

Unfortunately, the official PLAY! shop doesn’t offer a track listing to let you know exactly what songs and performances are going to be on the CD and bonus DVD. If you visit the program section of the site, or decide to splurge and get the $20 PLAY! Official Concert Program, you can get a better idea of what kind of music you can expect to hear and see. Select pieces from Blue Dragon, Castlevania, Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy, Halo, Legend of Zelda…

At seeing the list of top-selling games for 2007, the first thing I saw that made me scour the internet for confirmation was that Wii Play took the #2 spot. I know it has been out since February 12, 2007, and had more time to collect sales, but come on. This game got mediocre reviews across the board, and Mario Party 8 didn’t fair a lot better.

Where is Bioshock? Where is Forza 2? Where is The Orange Box? Where are all the games that we hardcore gamers look for? Well son, the times they are a changing. I think the Seth Scheisel, of the NY Times has hit this one on the head: critically praised single-player games that appeal to hardcore gamers are being outsold by multiplayer games that appear to a less hard-core audience (and critics).

Take a look at the list…