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Kat's Korner- Episode Two

Editorial | May 2, 2012 2:31 pm

Hello and welcome to the second installment of Kat's Korner! Today I don't really have a topic to rant on, haha, and there's a lot of news to talk about, but I want to take a brief moment to talk about a refreshing topic. Softmedia has reported that a handful of video game companies are joining the push to get children healthy and active.

Electronic Arts, Microsoft, Konami, Sony, Take-Two Interactive, Ubisoft and Nintendo have signed up to the new initiative and have plans to integrate the principles of Presidential Active Lifestyle Award into their video game projects.

AND GO!

I love to see this, I truly do. As I reported last week, even after video games have been around for decades, there's a lingering stereotype of who gamers are and what they do.

With so much focus on video games and their possible connection to everything from violence to obesity, it's easy to think that video games have brought nothing but ruin to the world. Instead of focusing on facts, like how video games are used as therapy for soldiers, video games can be used to help people learn- and are even starting to get their own curriculum, and video games can keep people to stay healthier as they age, politicians and activists are using video games to avoid putting blame where it should be- squarely on the parents' shoulders. No, sitting around all day playing games isn't healthy, but why are parents allowing it? Seriously- stop feeding your kid cheeseburgers if he's morbidly obese! Get him to the Dr if a healthy diet and exercise doesn't help! Be active yourself! Be proactive! If your kid is miserable and withdrawn, get him in counseling! Stay on top of what's happening in his life! And for the love of God, keep guns out of the hands of hormonal teenagers!

So what is the video game industry to do, besides putting out a huge number of weight loss/ exercise/ dance/ personal trainer games? Join with the President and Drew Brees to pledge to help end childhood obesity! By designing games and tools to help monitor activity and help raise fitness levels, video games are becoming part of the solution- and refusing to let people see them as the problem. Good for them! Here's hoping they can also develop games to teach common sense and moderation, and a few other values that people seem to have stopped passing on to their children a few generations ago.

Now for a look at what's going on in the gaming industry!

If you like to pay more for your furniture and electronics through a rent to own company, Microsoft has something for you! The Verge reports that Microsoft will be selling a contract service for XboxLIVE service. For $99 and then $15 a month, purchasers will get a 4 gb Kinect bundle and 2 years of live service. The total cost will come to $459, which is the same as picking up that same bundle from Target and getting locked into 2 years of XboxLIVE for $7.50 a month (or just 8 3 month cards). This isn't much of a deal... actually, it's not a deal at all, but if you need a new 360 or want to pick up a slim without the large upfront cost, look for the contract bundle in Microsoft stores as early as next week. Be warned, though, Microsoft will be imposing an early termination fee, for people planning to pick a 360 up at the lower price and canceling their service.

In a case of dueling lawsuits, Motorola has received an injunction against Microsoft, ordering them to stop selling the Xbox 360 and Windows 7 in Germany. Currently, this will have no effect, as Microsoft preemptively got an order from a court in Seattle preventing Motorola from carrying out the German order, if said order was approved. You still following? Whether the German injunction will be upheld in the future depends on the results of a hearing in Seattle this month, as well as a pending anti-trust case against Motorola that was brought forward by Microsoft and Apple. Meanwhile, Microsoft has moved their European distribution headquarters out of Germany. The entire case hinges on Motorola sharing video compression technology with Microsoft, then claiming patent infringement. Unsurprisingly, Google is in the process of buying out Motorola Mobility, and the whole thing can be chalked up to cell phone wars.

Are you fat? Do you want to lose weight using a video game? Are you willing to undergo mild public embarrassment to do so? If you can answer yes to all three questions, Zumba Fitness Rush has a contest for you! Send them a 2 minute video about why you want to lose weight, and they may select you to be one of two challenge finalists who will document their 90 day weight loss journey on camera in an attempt to win $2000 and appear in an upcoming Zumba fitness game. Finalists receive a bunch of swag, like a visit from a celebrity trainer and a neat camera to use to record themselves dropping weight. A Kinect and the game will also be provided. For more information, rules, and how to enter, get your fat ass to their official site.

In Japan, Sega has begun to sell video game systems that interact with urinals. With screens that mount on the back of a urinal, the toylet allows users to use their- ahem- streams to control the action. The mini-games will be sold individually, and depend on high pressure, and accurate shooting. Yeah- this is happening! I'd like to see it come to America- it might be worth shelling out the $1800 just to have to clean my bathroom floors less.

IGN has launched an app on XboxLIVE yesterday, according to the Sacramento Bee. I don't really care what the app does- I'm more disturbed by the fact that the Bee says that IGN is "the world's leading video games media company." Really? How did gamers let this happen? I'm disappointed in my fellow man. And woman. I'm disappointed in all of you. Personally, I'll never change my opinion that IGN is a joke- I don't care how many developers use them as a "credible" media outlet to control what we see.

Persona 4: The Golden is heading to America! Originally thought to be a PS Vita exclusive, Kotaku points out that the game's website has the following in their fine print: "KINECT, XBox, Xbox 360, Xbox Live, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies and are used under license from Microsoft." Sweet... wait- Kinect? Hmmm...

As Hektic posted earlier, Skyrim will be receiving DLC this summer, and it will indeed be named Dawnguard, as was speculated after Bethesda filed a patent for the name in March. While Bethesda's last word is that details will be released at E3 in June (look for that to change by next week, if the twitterverse has its way), rumors have been swirling around the official forums thanks to some technologically inclined members. Scanning the 1.5.26 patch files has given some info through the file names listed under "dlc01." Files have been found for snow elves, vampire feeding animations, crossbows, and a mysterious set of files called only "RF." Fans are speculating that the DLC will be dealing with the Snow Elf Prince and falmers. All I know for sure is that I can't wait to get back into Skyrim... what's with developers that are unable to get the timing right for DLC? While DLC released the same day as the game and then flooding the marketplace for 2 months isn't great timing, neither is having to wait 8 months just for the first DLC! For the wait, I hope this DLC is more along the lines of the Shivering Isles rather than the Knights of the Nine.

Fable Heroes launched today and although I haven't heard a lot about this game, Microsoft has released a launch trailer and shots of gameplay. It looks like a fable themed Castle Crashers and at 800 points, might be worth picking up. Here are some screen shots:

Well, the votes have been counted, the winner has been chosen, and Cam Newton managed to dodge a bullet this year. The Detroit Lions' Calvin Johnson was chosen by voters to be the next player inflicted by the Madden curse. Yes, I said it. I believe in the Madden curse. You know why? Because it just makes sense. Come in contact with EA, lose something- whether it's your soul, your talent or a leg. EA is the monkey's paw of gaming... Of course, Calvin Johnson doesn't believe in the Madden curse. Neither did Peyton Hillis, and things worked out fine for him last year. Here's a pic from the cover shoot, so we can remember the man as he was.

And finally, gaming and politics are set to clash this fall, when Halo 4 releases on November 6th. Called "The Halo Effect," some media sites are predicting a sharp drop in poll numbers, especially for President Obama- the 2 to 1 choice among college age voters back in 2008. While it seems unlikely that anyone who would be holing up for days with a game, unable to even come out for 15 minutes to vote had any plans to vote in the first place, at least the loser this November has a scapegoat already.

That's all for this week's Kat's Korner, thanks for reading! Now if you'll excuse me, I have to give in to this crazy impulse to go buy an iPad that just came out of nowhere! :confused:

Fine print:
As always, the views expressed in Kat's Korner are mine alone and not meant to be representative of the staff or members of xboxamerica.com. Feel free to agree or disagree and discuss with each other, but there will be absolutely no flaming or personal attacks. Yes, even if they really are stupid, fornicate with their mothers and have several children with their siblings. Suggestions or subject tips are always welcome, and can be left here, in my shout box or pmed to me.

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Archived: Article Discussion: Kat's Korner- Episode Two

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Re: Kat's Korner- Episode Two

05/02/12 6:17 pm | #2

Fable Heroes looks fun for the co-op element.

I am looking forward to finally being able to try a Persona game, and with Achievements to boot! I've heard a lot of great things about the series.

I agree completely with the IGN thing. It's like if everyone suddenly decided that Rush Limbaugh was the world's #1 political gasbag and started paying him tons of money to give his one-sided, narrow-perspective'd opinions on everything so they didn't have to bother doing their own research or opinion-forming. Wait...

Another awesome episode Kat. We appreciate the time and energy you put in to these. I especially like it because I have grown so tired of the "big" game news sites like Kotaku, Destructoid and others--I would try to glance through them real quick to find the relevant 360 news but that took too much energy. It's great to have quick shots here!

And yeah it sure is dumb how people scapegoat games. I realize they don't accomplish a whole hell of a lot at the end of the day, but to me they are a more creative and interactive form of tv, movies, books and music, so frack it.

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Re: Kat's Korner- Episode Two

05/02/12 6:30 pm | #3

If your kid is obese and not active at all but likes to play video games, pick up a Kinect, lol. Got one for my gf's son and he loves it. He's 6, hasn't been interested in extra curricular activities, loves video games, and needs to lose no weight whatsoever, but since he's played Kinect sports and some other ones, he's joined a soccer team and loves to be active now.

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Re: Re: Kat's Korner- Episode Two

05/02/12 7:24 pm | #4

Quote by Tig:

This would be interesting to bring up in some political circles......I mean video games are attached with the stigma of making people lazy and sedentary, but here is an example of quite the opposite......video games stimulating someone into activity.......

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Re: Re: Re: Kat's Korner- Episode Two

05/02/12 9:04 pm | #5

Quote by mcdevlin182:

Quote by Tig:

Let's find someone to draft a law requiring every family with obese children to buy a Kinect and force children to play an hour a day...

Quote by Meta:

Another awesome episode Kat. We appreciate the time and energy you put in to these. I especially like it because I have grown so tired of the "big" game news sites like Kotaku, Destructoid and others--I would try to glance through them real quick to find the relevant 360 news but that took too much energy. It's great to have quick shots here!

Thanks! I like to think of myself as a better looking, easier to understand Layla Kayleigh. Maybe one day I'll figure out how to do this as a podcast, hahahaha.

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Kat's Korner- Episode Two

05/02/12 10:51 pm | #6

Quote by Kat:

Thanks! I like to think of myself as a better looking, easier to understand Layla Kayleigh. Maybe one day I'll figure out how to do this as a podcast, hahahaha.

Whoa ho ho now, let's not get crazy here. You may or may not be a looker, but Layla Kayleigh can be fappably hot sometimes, and her lazy accent makes her even more crunchy-sock worthy.

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Kat's Korner- Episode Two

05/02/12 11:49 pm | #7

Quote by Meta:

Quote by Kat:

Thanks! I like to think of myself as a better looking, easier to understand Layla Kayleigh. Maybe one day I'll figure out how to do this as a podcast, hahahaha.

Whoa ho ho now, let's not get crazy here. You may or may not be a looker, but Layla Kayleigh can be fappably hot sometimes, and her lazy accent makes her even more crunchy-sock worthy.

LOL lazy accent is a great description! You just like it cause she talks like she's got a dick in her mouth. I'm not saying she's ugly or any less than she is, haha, but I do hate how she talks. I could never understand her!

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Re: Kat's Korner- Episode Two

05/02/12 11:50 pm | #8

Thanks Kat, another great episode.

I also won't touch IGN...even with Metas ten foot pole!!!(No Homo) :no:

IGN=virtual STD

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Re: Re: Kat's Korner- Episode Two

05/02/12 11:54 pm | #9

Quote by TK Chillin:

Thanks Kat, another great episode.

I also won't touch IGN...even with Metas ten foot pole!!!(No Homo) :no:

IGN=virtual STD

Newfound-interest-in-Meta GET!!!

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Kat's Korner- Episode Two

05/03/12 1:52 am | #10

Quote by Kat:

Quote by Meta:

Whoa ho ho now, let's not get crazy here. You may or may not be a looker, but Layla Kayleigh can be fappably hot sometimes, and her lazy accent makes her even more crunchy-sock worthy.

LOL lazy accent is a great description! You just like it cause she talks like she's got a dick in her mouth. I'm not saying she's ugly or any less than she is, haha, but I do hate how she talks. I could never understand her!

That is EXACTLY why Meta likes her.

Nice read - I meant to get around to it earlier, but I was first lazy, then busy boosting. Now I must go do my Kinect workout because I'm fat. :laugh:

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Re: Kat's Korner- Episode Two

05/03/12 8:11 am | #11

Nice read, and now I need to google image search this Layla Kayleigh.

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Re: Re: Kat's Korner- Episode Two

05/03/12 9:48 am | #12

Quote by Hektic Juggalo:

Nice read, and now I need to google image search this Layla Kayleigh.

I had to do the same thing, and I still don't recognize her.

Great read - IGN is a pain in the ass, but I still watch their segments if I am interested in the game they are hawking.

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Re: Kat's Korner- Episode Two

05/03/12 1:57 pm | #13

I just Found her picks. (Layla's not Kat's) It's funny how none of the guy's she's in a pic with seem to want her there. She must be even more annoying than a Kardashian...If that's even humanly possible!!!

Still looking for Kat's pic's...I know there out there!!!

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Kat's Korner- Episode Two

05/03/12 2:30 pm | #14

Quote by Kat:

Quote by mcdevlin182:

Let's find someone to draft a law requiring every family with obese children to buy a Kinect and force children to play an hour a day...

This is exactly how I pictured it would be manipulated by politicians.....if their campaigns are funded they will attempt to make anything a law.........

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Kat's Korner- Episode Two

05/03/12 2:39 pm | #15

Quote by mcdevlin182:

Quote by Kat:

Let's find someone to draft a law requiring every family with obese children to buy a Kinect and force children to play an hour a day...

This is exactly how I pictured it would be manipulated by politicians.....if their campaigns are funded they will attempt to make anything a law.........

... That's a point that scares me. :no:

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Kat's Korner- Episode Two

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