Itwasanitsybitsieteenyweenieyellow.... Wargame Specialist????

1) Sadly, Talonsoft, the excellent (if ever so slightly anal) wargame designers are rocking this week as 5 key members of their team left. Bob McNamara, Charles Kiber, Steve Longmead, Robert Waters and Tim Kipp were apparently unhappy about the direction that the company intended to take with future products, and quit en masse. To me, this points to an even bigger problem that is threatening 'traditional' games companies: the demise of the genre they specialise in. In Talonsoft's case, it is the hex-based wargame that is on the way out. Despite some excellent recent offerings (The Close Combat series and Norm Koger's The Operational Art of War, along with Sid Meier's Gettysburg and Antietam, (these are not strictly hex-based but very much adhere to the traditional wargame formula)) the sales for this genre are decreasing all the time, and games like these are increasingly becoming commercially inviable.

2) I was just thinking the other day about celebrity (and brand) endorsements. Have you noticed just how ridiculous they are getting now? This month we have news of that "internationally renowned superstar" "Matt 'Condor' Hoffman" and a BMX games using the "Tony Hawk Skateboarding" game engine to power a product that will beat "No Fear Downhill Cycle Racing" and (and this has to be my personal favourite!) ! "Edgar Torronteras Racing". I'm sorry, but just who are these guys? I appreciate that some games, like many big sports licenses, rely on endorsements: but this is getting kinda ridiculous. I wonder how many extra copies an Edgar endorsement can add on the sales?

3) "Would you sell your body to fund a gaming habit?". Yes, you read that headline from a major American publication right. Gaming habit. No, drugs, drink and dangerous chemicals are no longer public enemy number one, but Pokemon games are now in trouble. Apparently there have been cases of young girls selling their bodies for Pokemon trading cards and game character swaps. These "may possibly be widespread throughout Michigan". Well, that's conclusive for you..... I can see the headlines now....

Protesters in Los Angeles call for Higher Minimum Wage, Metapod Silver Foil Special Editions.

A group of 1000 angry protesters outside "Cam's Card Chamber" recently urged President Clinton to "give us a $5.50 per hour minimum wage, better working conditions, and some of those funky Blackout Edition evolved Machoman cards". It is believed that a march on the Capitol is imminent. The President will have emergency meeting with Trade Union Executives, top Business Executives and Nintendo/Wizards of The Coast employees soon. He said "I hope that all of our worker may receive greater than subsistence level incomes and some light reflection trading cards. Me, I'd go for Charmelion, but Hillary is cool about Metapod".

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