analysis

No Place For Hideo: MGS 4’s Hidden Themes

5:00AM Leigh Alexander | [The following article discusses the themes of Metal Gear Solid 4 and contextualizes them with Hideo Kojima's directorship. It contains no plot spoilers, but nonetheless those wishing to avoid all thematic details should steer clear.] “War has changed.” That’s one of the main themes of Metal Gear Solid 4, and from the beginning, it forms a major thread that runs through Hideo Kojima’s hallmark marriage of gameplay and narrative. Even if one were to skip the game’s introductory cinema, it’s evident something has changed from the first moment of gameplay. The silent tranquiliser gun, a fixture of the Metal Gear Solid series, has historically been the key weapon in a game that prefers the player be stealthy rather than confrontational, pragmatic rather than murderous. As the symbolic lynchpin in that approach, it’s usually one of the earliest pieces of equipment the player obtains. More »

Virtual Worlds Getting Ready To Explode

10:40AM Mike Fahey | Sure, laugh when I tell you that I spent the better part of last night DJing a virtual wedding in Second Life, but the next wedding I DJ could be yours. In a report released today titled “Market Forecasts for Virtual World Experiences”, Strategy Analytics predicts that over the course of the next decade, 22 percent of broadband users around the world will be subscribed to one or more virtual worlds. “Despite a multitude of challenges, virtual worlds present a unique marketing opportunity to target a highly sought demographic, and virtual worlds should be part of a company’s marketing portfolio,” according to Harvey Cohen, President of Strategy Analytics. Hear that? You might as well sign up now. Go ahead and IM Caliban Karas on SL if you need to know where to pick up your furry avatar. Study: One Billion Virtual World Users in Next 10 Years [GameDaily] More »