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"Movie tie-in games are tough to pull off, especially if you stick too closely to the story of the movie (hello, spoilers). \nHowever, Toy Story 3 hopes to pull it off with an open world mode that stays true to the movie while still giving players something entertaining (and non-spoilerific) to do. Disney Interactive Studios announced a Toy Story 3 tie-in game Wednesday that's coming out for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable, and the iPhone/iPod Touch. No surprises there; but we were glad to hear there's an \nopen world mode in the game that adds a touch of originality to the game called Toy Box."

Kongregate, which operates a web site for indie games, is announcing today it has had good success with its app platform for browser-based games.

"EA isn't making a version of its NCAA Basketball video game series in time for the March Madness college basketball tournament. That's truly unheard of for EA Sports, which has released a game every year since 2003."

"Lawmakers also said there is a "causal connection" between access to such games and psychological or other harm to children. In their petition to the high court, state lawyers cited studies showing children who repeatedly watch on-screen games can become more aggressive, antisocial, and less able to distinguish the consequences of violence in real life."

Analysts are changing their forecasts on the growth of the in-game advertising industry. 

Gaming industry executives gather for an online round panel exploring several industry developments that are leading to increasing growth in the video game sector. Increased broadband access, open platforms, new platforms and other structural developments are cited.

Learn about the "metaphysics of game design.

Analysts weigh in on whether Zynga will bring its games to Microsoft's popular online console service. Also, could MS be eyeing a Zynga buyout?

In March of 2009 when OnLive was first announced, it was deemed to be a questionable but potentially revolutionary change in the direction gaming was headed.

While Rhode Island Bill S.2156 drew backing from the Parents Television Council, an unlikely pair has come out against the Bill, which proposes fines and possible jail time for retailers that sell M or AO rated games to underage patrons.

Article describing the continuing decline in video game sales that began in 2009.

The Federal Communications Commission is looking into whether the producers of the planned Fox game show "Our Little Genius" gave potential contestants the answers to some questions before taping episodes of the program last year

"Social media blogs complain about too much advertising on NBC's Vancouver Olympics. And yet NBC has released new viewer data showing that in virtually every single category - including brand recall, engagement, and other marketing metrics - numbers are up for advertisers who bought into the winter games. Viewership is up right now, too: some 25% higher than the 2006 games in Torino, Italy."

Australia's largest videogame retailer has joined the movement to add an R18+ rating category for interactive entertainment Down Under.

Location-based game Foursquare has found its groove, as U.S. visits to the site jumped 50 percent in January, according to Hitwise.

Mass Effect 2 relies heavily on dialog and story to grab gamers, but many playing the game are having problems reading the text.

Video game software sales across the world's three largest markets--the United States, Japan, and the United Kingdom--fell 8 percent in 2009, according to a joint report issued Wednesday by a consortium of industry analyst firms.

"As Disney's Pixar prepares to release Toy Story 3 this summer, virtually every major toy maker -- including Barbie's Mattel Inc. -- has lined up to make dolls, action figures, construction sets, vehicles and board games based on the film. No fewer than 250 toys will begin appearing in stores before the movie's June 18 release -- three times as many as were made for Toy Story 2. And retailers are expected to clear shelf space for Buzz, Woody and pals, notwithstanding a recession that has slowed toy sales."

The XBox moves into cable TV turf. What does it mean for the industry?

Xbox draws more users per hour than most cable channels. MSFT wants to blur boundaries between gaming and cable by providing more video content.