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, Zynga lost three more executives, Sony revealed a new slim PlayStation 3, and BioWare founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk retire.
We also have reviews for the action-role-playing games Borderlands 2, and Torchlight II.
News:
- The DeanBeat: The BioWare doctors built games the nice way
- Kickstarter lays down the law: ‘We’re not a store’
- EA draws fire for consulting SEAL who wrote tell-all about killing Bin Laden [updated]
- YoYo Games lands Microsoft as a supporter of its cross-platform game engine GameMaker
- Add to your collection of classic game collections with Midway Arcade Origins
- How Activision uses Salesforce.com for engaging with (complaining) gamers
- Expanded Dark Souls content from the PC coming to consoles in October
- Bunchball’s sales gamification 2.0: Easier to learn, easier to customize
- Making every gamer famous, Twitch raises $15M to expand its eSports webcasts
- The PlayStation 3 continues to slim down with smaller console this fall
- Microsoft set to boost original video content on the Xbox, hires TV exec
- BioWare cofounders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk announce retirement
- Torchlight debuts on Linux along with the rest of the latest Humble Indie Bundle
- Badgeville gamifies Salesforce.com to make salespeople more productive
- Chasing more engaged users, Zynga acquires ‘midcore’ social game startup A Bit Lucky
- Sega: Sonic Adventure 2 and Nights into Dreams HD remakes coming in early October
- BioWare confirms Dragon Age III: Inquisition in the works that runs on Battlefield 3 engine
- Bohemia Interactive: ‘Insinuations are completely false’ about employees’ alleged spying [Updated]
Mobile News:
- Moga game controller for Android devices to debut Oct. 21 for $49.99
- With a veteran startup team, Scopely raises $8.5M for social mobile games
- Sharp and Fujitsu join Sony’s PlayStation Mobile program; new games debut Oct. 3
- Ludei can convert HTML5 apps into speedy mobile apps in minutes
- Pickmoto simplifies sports betting on smartphones
- Nvidia loses its mobile chips chief
- Comic book guru Stan Lee moves into mobile games
Zynga troubles:
- The exodus continues: Zynga’s chief security officer resigns
- GSN snatches up former Zynga chief marketing officer
- New departure from Zynga: Omgpop’s chief revenue officer (exclusive)
- Zynga alleges EA’s chief executive proposed an anti-competitive ‘no hire’ pact or he would ‘rain hell’
- Zynga strikes back hard at EA in copyright infringement case
Reviews:
- Torchlight II is a poor man’s Diablo that’s rich in content but not originality (review)
- Borderlands 2 nearly perfects the blend of shooter and role-playing game (review)
Interviews:
- Borderlands 2 dev on creating the canonical sequel to James Cameron’s ‘Aliens’ (exclusive)
- This year’s Halo/Call of Duty killer: Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (interview)
- Facing down the giants: CEO Max Schaefer talks Torchlight II and its competition
- Nintendo VP Scott Moffitt dishes on the Wii U’s $299 price, living room strategy, and more (interview)
- Activision is finally swinging for the fences in mobile games (interview)
Features:
- The story of MarioBART: How one artist finds gaming inspiration in transit maps and lawn ornaments
- The good, the bad, the Minecraft: All the inspiration and clones you’ll ever need
Pieces of Flair:
- A working Aperture Science Sentry Turret from Portal
- Cel-shaded Lilith cosplay from Borderlands (gallery)
- Breaking Borderlands 2: Easy money, XP, Eridium, boss fights, and tokens
- Gotta mold them all! Clay versions of the original 151 Pokémon
- 15 baffling Street Fighter II mysteries
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