GamesBeat weekly roundup: THQ, GameStick, and Project Shield

If you follow VentureBeat but don’t regularly check our GamesBeat site, here’s a list of the best video game stories we ran over the last seven days that you may have missed.

This week, Nvidia unveiled its new mobile gaming platform Project Shield, the itty-bitty Android console GameStick gets in trouble on Kickstarter, and developer and publisher THQ loses it quick sale request and loan in its ongoing bankruptcy negotiations.

You’ll also find reviews for Anarchy Reigns, Seduce Me, and Noble Nutlings.

News:
The DeanBeat: Nvidia is taking big risks moving into game hardware. Is it crazy or genius?
Skylanders toys outsell Transformers and Star Wars action figures in 2012
Wii U sells 890,000 units in U.S. in first six weeks
The top 10 best-selling games from all of 2012
December NPD: The Xbox 360 dominates another dull month at retail
New wave of Skylanders Giants action figures start hitting retailers
Will you buy this TCL TV for a new way to play Fruit Ninja?
The Walking Dead first-person shooter debuts in March
Kickstarter takes down GameStick project due to intellectual-property dispute (update)
Game developer association to Biden: ‘We welcome more evidence-based research’
GameStick will support the Xbox 360 controller-like Green Throttle Atlas
Entering the ‘free-to-play’ MechWarrior Tactics closed beta will cost you
Fantasy MMO Tera goes free-to-play
Planescape: Torment followup is set in new RPG world Numenera, and a Kickstarter is likely
Hanna writer attached to Shadow of the Colossus film
New Pokémon X and Y details: Legendary Pokémon named
Shaq is back in gaming with ShaqDown on smartphones
GameStick gets more colors and MicroSD support if backers meet new goals
American McGee sees brighter future for year-old Akaneiro: Demon Hunters on Kickstarter (updated)
GameStop’s holiday: Used sales down 15.6 percent, digital up 40 percent
Big Fish’s casual cloud-gaming service headed to Windows 8, brings Xbox Live Achievements
Imprisoned Arma II developer helping DayZ map design from behind bars
THQ equity backer agrees to hear bids for individual titles (update)
DayZ standalone entering prerelease testing soon
Lenovo and Ubisoft deliver cool touch-screen games on giant 27-inch Table PC
THQ denied request for quick bankruptcy sale and loan

Mobile News:
Balrogs! Kabam can’t keep #11 top grossing iOS game The Hobbit live tonight
Point this app at your TV screen and it overlays all kinds of augmented-reality goodies
Mobile-ad platform Chartboost raises $19 million to fund further product development
Moga unveils a console-style mobile-gaming controller
Nvidia unveils Project Shield, an open mobile game console you can play in the living room or on the run

Interviews:
Nvidia CEO’s 7-year journey to make the Project Shield portable gaming device (exclusive interview)

Previews:
Nvidia’s Project Shield: Hands-on demo with the hot portable gaming system of CES (video)
Razer wants to satisfy gamer lust for tablets with the Edge (hands-on video)

Community Spotlight:
Save me: The symbolism of Silent Hill’s save points
The music industry took too long to recognize game music as worthy of the Grammy
Saying farewell to the PlayStation 2 (2000-2012)
Japanese role-playing games on major consoles are dead
The Buddhist teaches players that goals aren’t always necessary
Video games, violence, and religious identity

Reviews:
Anarchy Reigns is the digital version of a big box of mismatched toys (review)
Noble Nutlings is a safe debut from three former Angry Birds developers (review)
Seduce Me makes sex seem really boring (review)

Pieces of Flair:
If Mega Man had a dating site profile
8 button prompts we would like to have seen
10 female characters not featured in their game’s cover (and 10 that are)