Random Bob Dylan song reference aside, are the days of the BBFC soon to be up in regards to games classification in the UK? According to MCV it is! Following the Manhunt 2 affair which saw the BBFC refuse the game classification, but then get overruled by its own appeals body it seems that the BBFC is facing an uncertain future in games rating here in the UK.

The MCV article mentions that some commentators think that following this disaster for the BBFC it has lost credibility and that DR Tanya Byron is due to give her support to PEGI, the European rating board in her report due to be published soon.

It will certainly be interesting to see if the BBFC can recover from the Manhunt 2 affair and regain credibility. The PEGI rating system which currently rates games accross Europe is, in my eyes the better system offering clearer advice to parents on what different games contain.

However the PEGI ratings are not currently enforceable under law at the moment in the UK and it will be interesting to see what happens if the BBFC is forced out of the games rating scene.

Just take a look at the trailer below, the first gameplay footage from upcoming Codie’s racer, Race Driver: GRID the spiritual follow up to the TOCA series. It will be landing this summer on the PC, 360, PS3 and, for some unfathomable reason, the DS!

This is actual gameplay footage, and it looks like Codie’s have taken the Colin McRae DiRT engine and made it even tastier. I officially want this game!

Great news for everyone waiting for Mass Effect on the PC, it is not a port of the 360 version…it is a conversion! At least that is the word that emerges from a Eurogamer interview.

The first thing to establish about Mass Effect on PC is that it’s not a port. “This is a conversion,” explained BioWare demonstrator Chris Priestly. “BioWare hates ports.”

Which really is great news for all us PC gamers who have yet to play Mass Effect. This conversion is also set to feature a new inventory system along with higher resolution gaming, and maybe some other stuff.

Go read that damn interview!

I am currently in my second year of University, and I have had to start thinking about dissertation topics as by the beginning of May I have to have written a Dissertation Proposal. Which is going to be all kinds of fun…I may actually be serious there.

I have an idea of a dissertation title: “The Digital Age: The Internet and Video Games as Political Tools and Victims of Politics.” Well it is going to be something like that anyway. Why I hear you ask? Well for my the internet and video games take up a massive part of my life (wow…that sounds a bit sad) and they are of great interest to me.

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The folks over at CVG have confirmed Prey 2 is in the works, though right now there is no release date. They also reveal that the plot will place you back in the shoes of Tommy the star of the first game.

“This time, abandoned and framed for the disappearance of his family and girlfriend, Tommy escapes an Earth that no longer wants him for a future that cannot survive without him”, is the word on the storyline.

“Building on the mind-bending portal and gravity-defying gameplay of the original with several innovative new twists, Prey 2 promises to once again take players into a compelling science-fiction world with breathtaking visuals and adrenaline-pumping action gameplay”.

I never really go into Prey myself, maybe it was due to my PC not being able to handle it well at the time or that it just didn’t grab my attention as I had hoped. Hopefully this can be a bit better than the original.

Additional note - this is why I must get a PS3 or dream of GT5 coming to the PC.

The latest publisher to join Steam is Epic Games which is bringing along the Unreal games including Unreal Tournament 3. There is a starting offer with all of Epic’s games available on Steam receiving a 10% discount. You can also purchase the Unreal Deal Pack for $59.95. This Unreal Deal Pack includes all of the Unreal games available on Steam ranging from Unreal II to Unreal Tournament 3.

“Epic is a leading developer of game engine technology and has produced some of my favorite games of all time,” said Gabe Newell, president of Valve. “It’s an honor to be working with them and offering their current and classic titles to the millions of Steam gamers around the world.”

“Steam is a revolutionary technology that opens up an entirely new way to put our games into the hands of millions of PC gamers around the world,” said Jay Wilbur, vice president of Epic. “Valve has changed the face of digital distribution for game developers, publishers and consumers, and we are thrilled to be a part of the Steam community.”

Head over to Steamgames for all the latest on how to get these unreal games.

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Sony Online Entertainment President John Smedley has talked with GameDaily here about the state of the PC gaming industry to add to a debate that seems to be getting ever more intense as the weeks go on.

Smedley is decidedly of the view that the PC is a strong platform and the growth of the MOG is a key factor in this. He is also critical of the NPD for not covering MOG subscriptions and digital distribution methods.

“It’s ridiculous and foolish to say that PC gaming [is in decline]. I’ve seen some of the dumbest quotes out there about the business [falling apart]. It’s just not true. The simple truth is the online business is picking up in a huge way. If you’re able to add in – and NPD is beginning to track this stuff – the digital sales and regular sales and subscription money and all that stuff, the PC gaming industry is at its strongest point in its history period.”

Read the rest of the article here.

IGN have interviewed Chris Corry, the big boss man behind the development of Red Alert 3. This really in-depth interview with Chris talking a bit about the back story, FMVs and a lot about Naval warfare and co-operative play.

IGN: Tell us about the setting and the story, and is it directly related or connected to the events of the last game, or is it a completely different timeline?

Chris Corry: I touched on that time travel theme. The events that kick off Red Alert 3 really come back to that. Our story opens with the Allies and the Soviets going at it again, but this time the Allies have beaten the Soviets back and have the upper hand. The Soviet leadership is cowering behind the walls of the Kremlin; their defeat is imminent and all but certain. At that point, sort of crazed with desperation, the leadership descends into the bowels of the Kremlin into their secret labs where they have this skunk works project going on. They fire up this prototype of this device which is a time machine that’s never been used before. And their intention is to go back in time and erase Albert Einstein from the timeline. Of course, Albert Einstein in the previous games has been instrumental in the technological advances that made the Allies so successful…

There are also a bunch of sexy new screens and the wealth of information is immense. Check it all here.

Final note - why can’t I get an interview like this! Damn being told to wait until April :(

So the latest episode of Sam and Max Season 2 has been released. I have been able to review the game thanks to my work on 411 Mania, so continue to read my review!

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In the latest ‘Project Update’ e-mail from SEGA regarding the development process of Football Manger Live some interesting information emerges. I have picked out the best bits, read on for what they are!

Tentative release date of early summer.

There are now six gameworlds currently being beta tested resulting in over 5,000 people currently working away on FM Live to ensure it is up to scratch.

New ‘Skills’ system - players can take the time to improve around 100 skills across four categories - Management, Coaching, Scouting and Physiotherapy. Each skill will have five levels able to be achieved with higher levels taking longer to reach than lower levels. Skills will directly effect the team players.

Achievements are being included - reach a number of games without defeat or conceding among others and you will be rewarded with an achievement.

A new Football Manager Live website will soon be going live ‘offering a whole new experience’ for FM Live.