http://www.redorbit.com Sci-Fi & Gaming http://www.redorbit.com/modules/news/images/tools/rss_logo.gif http://www.redorbit.com A trusted figure in the EVE Online game stole money from the virtual bank he managed, and exchanged it for real-world cash via the black market.The embezzlement took place in the popular game EVE Online, which has more than 300,000 subscribers who pay $15 a month to play.   The game has players earning their wealth through hard work, market manipulation, or offing competitors in a distant future where people have colonized the stars.The scam centers on EBank, EVE’s largest player-run financial institution, which has thousands of depositors.  EBank’s 27-year-old CEO embezzled some 200 billion “interstellar credits”, the game's virtual currency. http://www.redorbit.com/news/scifi-gaming/1715359/trusted_gamer_in_virtual_cash_embezzlement_scam/index.html?source=r_scifi_gaming Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:35:00 -0500 Sci-Fi & Gaming Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is headed for a global five-day box-office record but not a five-day U.S. http://www.redorbit.com/news/scifi-gaming/1712571/transformers_rolls_toward_global_record/index.html?source=r_scifi_gaming Sat, 27 Jun 2009 20:30:00 -0500 Sci-Fi & Gaming Hollywood's Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: The IMAX Experience earned $510,000 at 10 international IMAX theaters last weekend.IMAX Corp., Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures said Monday the Michael Bay-directed Transformers sequel had a per-screen average of $51,000 June 19-21.The international IMAX release included three new IMAX digital locations in Japan. http://www.redorbit.com/news/scifi-gaming/1710482/transformers_imax_gets_strong_start/index.html?source=r_scifi_gaming Tue, 23 Jun 2009 21:45:00 -0500 Sci-Fi & Gaming Most people know to unplug computers to prevent lightning damage but some are injured by lightning using hardwired video games, a U.S. researcher says.Dr. http://www.redorbit.com/news/scifi-gaming/1708282/video_games_are_lightning_risk/index.html?source=r_scifi_gaming Thu, 18 Jun 2009 21:20:00 -0500 Sci-Fi & Gaming Some video games can make children kinder and more likely to help — not hurt — other people.That's the conclusion of new research published in the current (June 2009) issue of Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, a top-tier, peer-reviewed academic journal.The article presents the findings of three separate studies, conducted in different countries with different age groups, and using different scientific approaches. http://www.redorbit.com/news/scifi-gaming/1707658/playing_video_games_for_better_not_worse/index.html?source=r_scifi_gaming Thu, 18 Jun 2009 07:40:00 -0500 Sci-Fi & Gaming In May of last year, U.S. http://www.redorbit.com/news/scifi-gaming/1704719/may_video_game_sales_drop_compared_to_last_year/index.html?source=r_scifi_gaming Fri, 12 Jun 2009 13:30:00 -0500 Sci-Fi & Gaming It has been reported that the North American edition of the Xbox 360 Ghostbusters video game will be made region free and able to be played on any console in the world. http://www.redorbit.com/news/scifi-gaming/1703970/ghostbusters_video_game_made_region_free/index.html?source=r_scifi_gaming Thu, 11 Jun 2009 11:00:00 -0500 Sci-Fi & Gaming Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is set to debut in a record 167 U.S. IMAX theaters, its distributors announced Friday.The sequel to the 2007 blockbuster, Transformers, is slated to hit IMAX screens and conventional theaters June 24. http://www.redorbit.com/news/scifi-gaming/1701289/transformers_set_for_huge_imax_release/index.html?source=r_scifi_gaming Fri, 05 Jun 2009 17:40:00 -0500 Sci-Fi & Gaming Sony Corp. http://www.redorbit.com/news/scifi-gaming/1700067/sony_unveils_motionsensing_game_controller/index.html?source=r_scifi_gaming Wed, 03 Jun 2009 16:50:00 -0500 Sci-Fi & Gaming Surviving Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr were on hand in Los Angeles for the world debut of the latest installment of the “Rock Band” franchise, which allows players to tour and play the songs of the Fab Four, AFP reported."The Beatles: Rock Band" delivers an interactive experience of the band’s music, career and legacy.The game will hit stores on September 9 and is the first time The Beatles have released any of their music digitally. http://www.redorbit.com/news/scifi-gaming/1698802/beatles_rock_band_installment_debuted_at_e3/index.html?source=r_scifi_gaming Tue, 02 Jun 2009 10:50:00 -0500 Sci-Fi & Gaming Houston researchers say many of the children treated for carbon monoxide poisoning after Hurricane Ike were playing video games powered by generators. http://www.redorbit.com/news/scifi-gaming/1695143/co_poisoning_linked_to_video_games/index.html?source=r_scifi_gaming Wed, 27 May 2009 01:05:00 -0500 Sci-Fi & Gaming A wide array of health-related activity occurs in the 3 dimensional virtual world of Second LifeResearchers at the University of Toronto and the University Health Network's Centre for Innovation in Complex Care (CICC) have found that a wide array of health-related activity occurs in the 3 dimensional virtual world of Second Life. http://www.redorbit.com/news/scifi-gaming/1694325/more_to_second_life_than_just_sex/index.html?source=r_scifi_gaming Mon, 25 May 2009 09:10:00 -0500 Sci-Fi & Gaming "The Sims 3," Electronic Arts and Maxis' best-selling life-simulating game for the PC and Mac will center on social manners more than ever, said executive producer Ben Bell. "'The Sims 3' is a huge step forward for us," said Bell. http://www.redorbit.com/news/scifi-gaming/1693767/sims_3_gives_users_power_to_choose_behavior/index.html?source=r_scifi_gaming Fri, 22 May 2009 08:30:00 -0500 Sci-Fi & Gaming Newly-released patent applications from Microsoft Corp. http://www.redorbit.com/news/scifi-gaming/1691867/microsoft_patent_spurs_rumors_of_magic_wand_to_rival_wii/index.html?source=r_scifi_gaming Tue, 19 May 2009 15:40:00 -0500 Sci-Fi & Gaming Blizzard, the inventor of World of Warcraft, is the world's most successful games creator, according to a new study. The online role playing game has 10 million users globally and the firm's profits top $1.34 billion yearly. http://www.redorbit.com/news/scifi-gaming/1686425/world_of_warcraft_developer_no_1_in_top_100_games/index.html?source=r_scifi_gaming Mon, 11 May 2009 08:40:00 -0500 Sci-Fi & Gaming Paramount's 'Star Trek' reboot hit warp speed in its opening weekend at the U.S. box office, taking in $76.5 million, Daily Variety said Sunday.The figure includes $4 million from Thursday night plays. In addition, director J.J. http://www.redorbit.com/news/scifi-gaming/1686076/star_trek_boldly_goes_to_765_million/index.html?source=r_scifi_gaming Sun, 10 May 2009 17:35:00 -0500 Sci-Fi & Gaming Star Trek, the 11th movie based on the '60s TV series, took in $31 million on its U.S. http://www.redorbit.com/news/scifi-gaming/1685980/new_star_trek_movie_opens_big/index.html?source=r_scifi_gaming Sat, 09 May 2009 17:55:00 -0500 Sci-Fi & Gaming 3D Realms, a veteran games developer that popularized the concept of shareware gaming and published the seminal Duke Nukem and Wolfenstein 3D first-person shooters, has closed down because of a lack of funds, BBC News reported.The company, founded in 1987, had spent the last 12 years developing a follow-up title, Duke Nukem Forever.Publisher Take-Two retains rights to the title but said it would no longer fund development of the game.Take-Two's Alan Lewis confirmed a publishing arrangement with 3D Realms for Duke Nukem Forever, but said it did not include ongoing funds for development of the title.3D Realms has not offered an official comment regarding the closure.However, the company's Webmaster Joe Siegler said in a forum posting: "It's not a marketing thing. http://www.redorbit.com/news/scifi-gaming/1684982/developer_of_duke_nukem_gaming_series_to_close_down/index.html?source=r_scifi_gaming Thu, 07 May 2009 12:30:00 -0500 Sci-Fi & Gaming Twentieth Century Fox says an unfinished copy of X-Men Origins: Wolverine illegally posted on the Internet has been downloaded 4 million times since March 30.The Hollywood Reporter said the figure is four times greater than previous estimates.The film was No. 1 at the U.S. http://www.redorbit.com/news/scifi-gaming/1684755/pirated_wolverine_downloaded_4m_times/index.html?source=r_scifi_gaming Thu, 07 May 2009 10:40:00 -0500 Sci-Fi & Gaming Atari Wednesday confirmed its Ghostbusters: The Video Game will be released in North America next month.The title will be made available on the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Windows PC, Playstation3 computer entertainment system, PlayStation2 computer entertainment system, Wii and Nintendo DS in North America June 16.In an exclusive deal for Europe and the PAL publishing territory covering most of Asia, Africa, South America, Australia and New Zealand, the Playstation3 system and PlayStation2 system versions will launch June 19, published by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. http://www.redorbit.com/news/scifi-gaming/1684333/ghostbusters_game_set_for_june_release/index.html?source=r_scifi_gaming Wed, 06 May 2009 21:05:00 -0500 Sci-Fi & Gaming PopCap Games Survey Finds Average AT&T Wireless Gamer Purchases Four Mobile Games Per Year; 50 Percent Play Mobile Games at WorkAT&T wireless customers are turning to their wireless devices to do more than talk and text. http://www.redorbit.com/news/scifi-gaming/1681791/mobile_gaming_gaining_in_popularity/index.html?source=r_scifi_gaming Mon, 04 May 2009 08:00:00 -0500 Sci-Fi & Gaming The U.S. http://www.redorbit.com/news/scifi-gaming/1681251/publishers_giving_comic_books_away/index.html?source=r_scifi_gaming Fri, 01 May 2009 12:50:00 -0500 Sci-Fi & Gaming Star Trek's original 1960s Capt. http://www.redorbit.com/news/scifi-gaming/1681059/shatner_snubs_star_trek_premiere/index.html?source=r_scifi_gaming Fri, 01 May 2009 09:15:00 -0500 Sci-Fi & Gaming Eight defendants are facing charges from the makers of the cult-classic role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons alleging they illegally posted the game’s newest handbook online. http://www.redorbit.com/news/scifi-gaming/1708333/dungeons__dragons_files_suits_for_illegal_posting_of_handbooks/index.html?source=r_scifi_gaming Fri, 19 Jun 2009 06:55:00 -0500 Sci-Fi & Gaming Video game retailers, such as Wal-Mart, Target, and GameStop, are concerned that Internet distributors may soon push them out of the video game market.At last week’s E3 Expo in Los Angeles, retailers spread out across large booths showcasing games like Activision's "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen."Despite efforts from retailers, games continue to turn to “streaming” online games, or downloading games rather than purchasing from a brick-and-mortar store."Our solution is not to dive into a fight with Sony (Corp), Microsoft (Corp), Nintendo Co Ltd, as it wouldn't gain any 'new audience' for publishers," said industry veteran Dave Perry, whose Gaikai online system lets PC gamers buy and stream games through their Web browsers without needing to download any content."Instead, our strategy is 100 percent focused on being an ally to publishers and first-party hardware makers, by delivering them audiences they don't reach today," he added.Digital downloads are still a small business, but according to the NPD group, 17 percent of games sold in 2008 by PC gamers were digitally downloaded.According to Michael Pachter, analyst for Wedbush Morgan Securities, digitally downloaded games will account for nearly 2 percent of industry sales this year, or around $400 million. http://www.redorbit.com/news/scifi-gaming/1703746/digital_downloads_threaten_video_game_stores/index.html?source=r_scifi_gaming Thu, 11 Jun 2009 06:00:00 -0500 Sci-Fi & Gaming