A FEATHER STYLUS.

In Japan, those who pre-order the game can get a stylus that Nintendo was giving a few years ago. Progress!

The folks at Electronic Arts are putting a lot of time into developing fun, sin-themed marketing for their upcoming release of Dante’s Inferno.

Watch the extended cut of me playing around with the box marketeers sent as I try to avoid using the hammer included as part of their wrath-themed giveaway.

Let’s just hope that the development team is putting as much work into the game as the PR team is putting into the swag. Fingers crossed.

P.S. This video is 16 minutes long!

It began with a press release from Microsoft telling me they’re bringing MC Hammer to Australia to promote karaoke game Lips: Number One Hits. Sadly, Mr Hammer will not be performing for the general public. Instead he’ll be doing a few private shows for Xbox partners and retailers. However he will be giving a guest lecture on the topic of social media at the University of Technology, Sydney. I’m serious!

Then I got a rather bulky package from Popcap. Inside was a belated Plants Vs Zombies Halloween pack containing two masks (one plant, one zombie), a zombie mouse pad, a XL zombie t-shirt (”Your grass is mine!”) and a copy of the game. I’ll be adding these to the Big Pile Of Crap I’m accumulating under my desk in readiness to give it all away at the end of the year.

Then I got another package, this time from Sony’s PR agency. It held two knitting needles, a ball of brown wool and the (baffling) instructions on how to knit my own Sackboy. I think it was meant to remind me that LittleBigPlanet is coming to PSP shortly. It’s gone in the Pile.

Yeah.

They also go some neat swag, like a turntable key chain.

[Thanks Andrew and Atlas for the pictures]

Namco sent a copy of Dragon Ball: Revenge of Piccolo to Kotaku’s NYC branch office this week and bundled this “Instant Anime Character Costume”. I might have to put this costume in the charity give-away pile.

What’s that mean? Shipping a bloodied box with bits of hair sticking out of it.

The 17-inch sculpture shows Eddie Riggs, axe in hand and another on back, leaping from the bones of his enemies into full battle.

Besides the standard t-shirt and neato bag, all those lucky enough to attend got a copy of the game — a week before the release! That’s way better than a stick in the eye. I hate it when I get a stick in the eye.

Uncharted 2 event – the spoils [Gameritis]

Bloggers, as reported earlier, are specifically mentioned by the recommendation, which has obvious implications for the speciality press covering video games. “The post of a blogger who receives cash or in-kind payment to review a product is considered an endorsement. Thus, bloggers who make an endorsement must disclose the material connections they share with the seller of the product or service.”

The pivot here is what constitutes an in-kind payment. Games do have a value, but is agreeing to review a game an endorsement, regardless of whether the review recommends it or not?

It’s also important to note these new guidelines do not themselves have the force of law. They are:

“administrative interpretations of the law intended to help advertisers comply with the Federal Trade Commission Act; they are not binding law themselves. In any law enforcement action challenging the allegedly deceptive use of testimonials or endorsements, the Commission would have the burden of proving that the challenged conduct violates the FTC Act.”

So there are two layers here: One, that it’s not even law and two, does it even apply to video game reviews? Either way, the singling out of a blogger’s endorsement is significant.

FTC: Freebies Must Be Disclosed [Game Politics]

We’ve learned how big a focus ArenaNet was putting on the art for Guild Wars 2 during our annual pilgrimage to the Penny Arcade Expo, which really puts the The Art of Guild Wars 2 into perspective. This isn’t just concept art. As far as ArenaNet is concerned, this is the game itself. Consider the book a way of getting your hands on the MMO a little early.

North American fans can snag the book from the Penny Arcade Store for $US30, while our friends in Europia can order directly from NCsoft for £20.00 or €25.00.

Kotaku AU note: Both ship to Australia. NCsoft have sold out, but will take back orders.

The Art of Guild Wars 2 [Guild Wars 2 Website - Thanks Connor!]