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Editor's note: This is a very interesting (and humorous) analysis of the Grand Theft Auto series. It dives into the "games as art" debate (don't groan yet -- Richard does a good job with it) as well as GTA4 protagonist Niko Bellic's psyche. Why is mowing down pedestrians with a sedan fun? Read on to find out. -Shoe

It's no secret that the Grand Theft Auto series has spawned countless psychotic serial killers and several rather unpleasant rapists ever since Grand Theft Auto 3 hit the PlayStation 2. This is backed up by dozens of studies done by guys in lab coats who couldn't get laid even if their disco sticks ejaculated fine wine and water from the fountain of youth. That means these studies are made of science, and science is never, ever wrong!

Still, for all the Ed Geins and Charlie Mansons that the Grand Theft Auto series has vomited onto society, I can't help but feel that throughout the hundreds of hours I have used these games to train myself to fire real weapons and steal real police cars and watch real TV, I have perhaps also engaged in something meaningful.

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Rumblings from the Internet indicate that Marvel vs. Capcom 3 may finally be on the way. As a huge fan of the series, I'm really excited. Now, Marvel vs. Capcom 2 had one of the largest rosters of any fighting game, but many great Marvel and Capcom characters were sadly absent from that epic rumble. Do you feel a list coming on?

These are the characters that I feel need to be in Marvel vs. Capcom 3. The words "wish list" may be in the title of the article, but this is really more of an ultimatum. Include these characters, or I will whine on Twitter. A lot.

Phoenix Wright

He was once rumored to be in the running as a character in Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, but it was not to be. This was a crime against gamers everywhere. Phoenix Wright has emerged as one of the great new gaming characters of the last decade, and his outlandish style would make him perfect for such an over-the-top fighting series.

I've heard some argue that it would be impossible to make a move-list for Phoenix Wright. Bull. Have you ever heard of a Sega Saturn game called Fighters Megamix? A Daytona race car was a playable character in it. If an automobile can mix it up, then why not a blue-suited lawyer?

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Bitmob prides itself on being more than the average game site. We are not beholden to the preview/review cycle. But we still love looking forward to games. And so do you.

We want to hear your thoughts about what's coming up in 2010. Are we going to see any surprises? Are we going to see any innovations? Will 2010 change the gaming landscape for years to come?

For our next callout, we want you to put on your prognostication hat and have a go at a game that is scheduled for release in 2010. You can take any angle you'd like in your article, but we want you to exercise some creative thinking.

The catch: After E3 and all the upcoming press events, we'll ask you to come back to your game and see whether your opinion has changed in any way.

Here's how you join in the fun:

1. Choose one (1) game that is scheduled for release in 2010.
2. Write an article about that game. Try to keep it concise. About 200-400 words should do it, but you can go longer.
3. Tag it with "Anticipated Games."
4. Submit your article by April 28, 2010.

Cover as many games as you wish, but make sure you submit a new article for each game you want to write about.

Stumped for ideas? Check out my sample article, or peruse the following questions to spur those creative juices:

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I can just imagine monocled gentlemen sitting around a wood-paneled study at EA, chortling with glee as their besotted rival flails around in agitation.

News Blips:

Activision scoffs at the formation of Respawn Entertainment by former Infinity Ward (Modern Warfare 2) heads Jason West and Vince Zampella. While the fledgling company (which has partnered with EA in an exclusive distribution deal) has yet to release any information regarding future projects, the embattled Activision is adamant of achieving success with the remainder of Infinity Ward. "This agreement comes as no surprise to Activision given the myriad of improper activities detailed in the cross-complaint filed on Friday against Jason West and Vince Zampella," said the company in a statement earlier today. "We look forward to continuing to work with Infinity Ward’s deep bench of proven talent on exciting new projects." Naming your company "Respawn" does get the message across, but I would have gone with something avant-garde like "ActiSuck." [MCV]

In order to reduce the gaming sessions of its younger citizens, Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism is introducing blackout periods for certain online games. Gamers will choose a specific time block that denies access to games requiring an Internet connection, such as massively multiplayer titles. A secondary clause in the new plan calls for a throttling of Internet speeds if the gamer remains connected for a "lengthy" period of time. Sadly, I'll bet dollars to Zerglings that this new system will be quickly thwarted. [GamePolitics]

Former and current professional Starcraft players in Korea have been implicated of illegal betting and tampering with match results. Organizations involved with the shady practice had infiltrated certain teams and official betting websites in order to approach players, coaches, and announcers with the prospect of leaking replay files and skewing win-loss ratios. The police have begun an investigation of the various online betting sites for the wildly popular competitive Starcraft leagues. Oh, say it ain't so, Joe! [TeamLiquid]

A recently resolved glitch encountered in an early level of Splinter Cell: Conviction for the Xbox 360 caused the game to freeze up completely. The glitch occurred by reaching a weapons cache in the mansion area of the game, which forced players to restart their consoles in order to un-freeze their consoles. A fix was quickly released, much to the relief of Ubisoft who should by now realize how much of a bad ass Sam Fisher is by his power to kill electronics with his mind. [GamerVision]

Got any hot news tips? Send 'em over to tips@bitmob.com.

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It's that time again, Bitmobbers! We need your answers to the upcoming Pixel Revolt community question.

This week's question asks you to think along the z-axis and predict of the future of gaming in 3D. With the announcement of the 3DS and the emergence of 3D gaming on consoles and PCs, we want to know:

What game series do you feel would benefit most from getting the 3D treatment? Why?

Send on over your email and audio responses by 6 p.m. PST on Thursday to be featured on Pixel Revolt!

How you can respond to the question:

1) Record a sound clip on your computer, then email it to us at PixelRevoltDL@gmail.com (Preferred)

2) Email your written answer to PixelRevoltDL@gmail.com

3) Leave a comment in this post!

Oh, and just a reminder: We've changed the way we present voice mails, which means we can now insert them in as we record for instant feedback. In other words, record away!

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In the future, humanity will adopt an en masse predilection toward gray-on-gray architecture and oversized weaponry.

Video Blips:

• This Gears of War 3 trailer features a band of brothers (and a sister) standing their ground against a Locust onslaught. I don't think the veins in Fenix's neck can bulge out any farther. [GameVideos]

Continue after the break for a character profile from Splinter Cell: Conviction, further gameplay footage of Dead to Rights: Retribution, and some clever banter from Sam & Max: The Penal Zone.

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Editor's note:I've never been much of an Achievement guy, but I've definitely seen many people fall prey to Microsoft's siren song. Paul analyzes what is arguably a very simple call-and-response formula for addiction. -James

Ding!

When I first heard the Achievement unlocked sound, I would look at the screen or occasionally check to see how many points I had unlocked. I hadn't heard the response enough times during those first months, but Microsoft had conditioned many others to yearn for that sound. Soon after the Xbox 360 hit the market, the great achievement race began.

As I migrated from the PlayStation 2 and the Wii to the Xbox 360, my compulsion to pause the game and open the Achievement menu began to grow. During these pauses, I started to scroll the menu and look for other Achievements that were ready to be unlocked. Like so many others, I had started to pine for that sound.

I began to notice that my friends who are avid gamers were spending less time with their other systems and more time plugged into Xbox Live on their 360. I've started to question why this happened. The Trophy system on PlayStation 3 sucked me in, but it didn't have the same effect as the Achievement system.

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Welcome to This Week in Video Game History, your guide to the anniversaries of note for the coming week. As this is a new feature, it's coming in a day late. Going forward you'll see it every Sunday. Let's go back to yesteryear (and in one instance, the future) and get started on this week's anniversaries, including exclusivity deals, Animal Crossing, and a not-so-happy first for Jack Thompson.

April 11

2005 -- EA and the NCAA sign an exclusive six-year deal that will see EA be the sole developer of college football video games. This move put a stranglehold on the football video game market, as EA had previously signed an exclusive contract with the NFL. The good: fewer sports games on shelves. The bad: fewer sports games on shelves.

April 12

2005 -- Jade Empire is released for the Xbox. Bioware takes its Knights of the Old Republic-style RPG to ancient China (or at least a fictional world inspired by the culture). While it certainly has a following, it may have been the least talked-about game developed by Bioware, a company known for making a huge splash for each release.

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Raychul.com's Raychul Moore joins Bitmob's Dan Hsu, Jason Wilson, and Aaron Thomas on the 49th episode of the Mobcast.

The gang talks about the Nintendo 3DS, similar sequels, terrible controls, the future of open-world games, and games that had "soul."

Shoe and Jason were pretty chill throughout the show, but Aaron and Raychul butt heads on a number of topics. Does Aaron hate too many games, or does Raychul just like everything? Feel free to choose sides and share your thoughts in the comments below.

Have a community topic that you want to hear us discuss? E-mail the crew at letters@bitmob.com, subject: Mobcast.

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Well this isn't terribly surprising....

News Blips:

Former heads of Infinity Ward (Modern Warfare 2) Vince Zampella and Jason West create a new game studio, cleverly titled Respawn Entertainment. The duo's distribution deal with Electronic Arts (the rival of their previous employer Activision Blizzard) gives them control over the intellectual properties that they create. Zampella and West refused to give details on their next game, but they described it as a "huge, summer blockbuster." That kind of goes against my theory that it would be a Phoenix Wright-type of court game about their impending trial with Activision. [LA Times]

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Editor's note: Sure, you know that most kids games are crap. But what do kids think about them? Find out in Matthew's new review series, Dad vs. Kids. This week, Matthew and his son grind through How to Train Your Dragon. -Brett

Part 1: How to Bore Your Father

I wish I could give game recommendations based on good ideas. 

The concept of How to Train Your Dragon is a solid one: coddle and teach a fire-belching lizard in the hopes of turning it into a powerhouse for what are basically Nordic cock fights. It's a lot like Pokémon -- minus the satisfying sense of accomplishment or character development that's kept that series going so strong for over a decade.

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It's nice to know that the Crysis 2 aliens don't discriminate. Apparently they kill humans of all ethnicities. 

Video Blips:

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