Acclaim Games announces the launch of closed beta testing of 2Moons, their upcoming MMORPG:

Los Angeles (January 10, 2007) - Acclaim Games is pleased to announce the start of Closed Beta testing for 2Moons, a totally brutal Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) that is FREE to download and play on a PC. With the tagline “No mercy for the weak, no pity for the dying, no tears for the slain”, 2Moons was designed exclusively for Adult gamers age 17 and over, featuring extreme fantasy violence, profanity, an epic story, and heart-pumping action.

Since Closed Beta email registration began in August 2006, without any marketing, over 100,000 gamers have already signed up to participate via the official 2Moons website at www.2MoonsGame.com.

These Closed Beta testers will be given an exclusive & confidential first look at the game, and are asked to report bugs and issues, and to make suggestions to the development team.

2Moons was designed to be easy for any player to get into and enjoy right away. Featuring elements of traditional role-playing games and arcade-style fighting action, 2Moons will appeal to a broad range of players who seek a thrilling, action-packed gaming experience in an exciting story. The game story is set in an aggressive, dangerous, and visually stunning world and was written by writer Henry Jones.

Macgamefiles now offers the Mac edition of the Prey Demo, which includes the first five levels of the game, just like the PC demo. Word is: "Intel integrated video chipsets are not supported." The demo is mirrored on 3D Gamers.

This Russian Website now offers downloads of a Russian demo for AIM Racing, offering the chance to take this motorsports game (and your knowledge of Russian) for a spin. The first link in the Cyrillic file list contains the demo, which is mirrored on 3D Gamers.

• Supreme Commander
  The Supreme Commander Q&A on GameSpot talks with Chris Taylor, asking the supreme commander at Gas Powered Games questions about their upcoming RTS game: "We have seven different environments, and although the environments' art styles don't impact the game, the way the maps are laid out topographically does. The most important aspects of the terrain that players will want to consider when playing is high mountains, cliffs, and water. It's a good idea to scout the map early on, especially if you haven't played on it before, and be especially wary of where units can access the water. For example, units like the Cybran destroyer can't crawl up a sheer bluff, and you'll need to find a less extreme grade."
• Infernal
  The Infernal Q&A on FiringSquad talks with Pawel Miechowski of Metropolis Software about their coming third-person action game: "The basic weapons are shurikens and a pistol, followed by machine guns. Later, Ryan will also be able to use more complicated guns such as a flamethrower or a bazooka. That’s not all, but some weapons better be a surprise for players. But the most important thing is that every weapon can be used in two ways: a regular way, and a devilish one. To use a gun in a devilish way, Ryan needs to collect mana, which makes the gun far more powerful. Weapons used in the devilish way give the player different possibilities then the regular weapons."
• Vanguard
  The Vanguard: Saga of Heroes Interview on MMORPG.COM is an article-format interview from CES with Brad McQuaid and Paul Luna of Sigil about their MMORPG.
• Gods and Heroes
  The Gods and Heroes interview on MMORPG.COM is an article-format conversation catching up with Richard Zinser of Perpetual Entertainment at CES to discuss how squadrons will operate in God and Heroes: Rome Rising, the upcoming MMORPG.

• Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars on Games Radar.

• Stop the PERFORM Act, save the ability to record radio.
• Sega Sends Cease-and-Desist to YTMND.
• Recording Industry Wins Judgment in Piracy Case (registration required).
• Man gets $256 for nuisance text messages.
• Anshe Chung YouTube video now 'terms of use violation'.

• Paul Thurrott Confirms New Xbox 360 Coming Late 2007.
• Flashback - Gamespot Documentary for 20th Anniversary of NES.
• Google map your Nintendo Wii friends on WiiMap. (thanks Ant).
• Tiny homebrew Commodore 64 clone.
• Saints Row Slamming Onto PS3?
• Bungie dishes out info on new Halo 3 vehicle.
• Gradius lives: Konami denies 'cancellation' rumor.

• AMD warning shows processor momentum shifting.
• Top Ten New Features in Windows Vista.
• Dell finally uses its designers, sheds ugly duckling facade.

• Doom played on iPod with NES controller. Thanks Digg and Ant.
• The 10 worst PSP games so far PSP.
• MINI USA rolls out RFID-activated billboards.
• Motorola Teams With Warner Music Group - New music products for mobile phones in the works.

• Is Safari Headed For Windows?
• Google Groups: Is Something Broken? Thanks Ant.

• Rootkits: What They Are And How To Fight Them.
• Customers lose when vendors refuse to patch.
• India may block YouTube over Gandhi pole-dancing video.

• Zeebys - First Annual Casual Game Awards 2007 voting opens.

• Distorted Vision on GamesIndustry.biz. On public perception of the games industry.
• TrustedReviews - The Virtues of Vista.
• Here's why Wikileaks is a horrible idea.
• Will Sony's Apparent Anti-Porn Stance Doom Blu-Ray?

• Europa Universalis III on GameZone and Out of Eight.
• Heroes of Annihilated Empires on GameDaily.
• Sam & Max Episode 2: Situation: Comedy on The Gamers Temple.
• Space Station Sim on Gamesradar.
• Warhammer: Mark of Chaos on Computer Games Romania.

• Abit NF-M2 nView Motherboard on Phoronix.
• Antec Nine Hundred Case on 3dGameMan.
• Asus Crosshair Motherboard on bit-tech.net.
• Asus P5N-E SLI Motherboard on Legit Reviews.
• ASUS Silent Knight Cooler on X-bit labs.
• AVM Fritz!Box Fon WLAN 7140 Router on TrustedReviews.
• Brother HL-5270DN Printer on TrustedReviews.
• DFI Infinity 975X-G Motherboard on X-bit labs.
• Evesham iPlayer 80GB HD Media Centre on TrustedReviews.
• Foxconn GeForce 8800 GTX Video Card on AMDZone.
• Noctua Case Fans on Modders-Inc.
• Scythe Andy Samurai Master Cooler on APH Networks.
• XFX Fatal1ty 7600 GT Video Card on MADSHRIMPS and TrustedReviews.

• Burning Crusade: Closed Beta Finale Event Write-up on Blizzplanet…
• These WoW Patch Notes describe a new version 2.0.4 bug-fix release of Blizzard's MMORPG. Thanks Frans…
• How Platform Holders Spin NPD Figures…

Off for a birthday celebration that will take place in a bowling alley. I haven't bowled in so long I can't remember the last time, and I wasn't very good back then, but I'm looking forward to it nonetheless, as it's always fun to throw around heavy objects. And after all, the dude abides.

R.I.P.: Millionaire Secret Santa dies.

The Big Link-bowski!	Thanks Ant.
Stories:	Minibus missing after subway collapse. John Grisham set for real court drama. UK polar team set to make history. Thanks jonathan.
Science!:	Scientist: Minesweeper probably cost economy billions. Gravity gets a quantum boost.
Image:	Legend of Zelda's Link executed in cupcake pixel-art.
Media:	Spinning Things. How to take printouts... Thanks Digg.