Unexpected news flew through the gaming community Monday, as we learned that the premier yearly video gaming event, E3, will undergo a seemingly radical downsizing. Announced by the ESA (Entertainment Software Association: Yeah, I’ve never heard of them either), this is supposedly a reaction to the tendency of gaming companies to save up their news and announcements, much akin to charging up that perfect plasma bolt, which they then unleashed on the games community each May.

I for one will morn the passage of E3, as the gaming community treated it as our own little holiday, a secret ceremony outside the coil of the greater consumer consciousness. I can see the point made by the ESA though, especially due to game companies habit of… “overstating” their looming products.

Even though I fully believe there will be an E3 next year, and there will most certainly be spectacle in tow, the conclusion that it will be lessened considerably seems unavoidable.

Rest in peace, sweet prince of an Expo.

Video Game history is littered with unbelievably poor titles that should have never seen the light of day. Typically, they are a result of some cross-promotional tie-in or a project that was rushed to market in an attempt to capitalize on a passing fad. Having been burned by a few of these woeful purchases in the past, it was with great joy that I watched the lambasting of Back to the Future on the NES. This game truly does scrape the barrel for the worst of the worst. Have a look if you don’t believe me.

Using voice recognition in Microsoft Vista makes you sound like a deranged lunatic!

Gametrailers.com recently ran this interesting look at what they are calling the Top Ten Video Game Weapons of All Time. While some of the choices and rankings may be a bit questionable, you have to give them credit for looking at the entire canon of videogames and not just the most recent first person shooters.