Since the July 6 release of the “Pokemon Go” app for the iOS and Android devices, millions of users have downloaded the game to catch the popular Japanese video game monsters. The game has become a social phenomenon as cnet.com reports users have, on a daily average, spent more time on the app over Facebook […]
Monster hunters descend upon California’s Japantowns with ‘Pokemon Go’
July 21, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Falling birth rates and infantile otaku culture
March 17, 2012 by Leave a Comment
I’m more of a Western gamer when it comes to my video gaming habits. I guess I just never got into the Moe-blob romance and tsundere masochism my friends have enjoyed (though I did play a few dating sims in my day). If I had to choose, I’m much more an “action games” person. That, […]
Hispanics and African Americans missing in gaming industry
September 15, 2011 by 1 Comment
The pixilated elephant in the room of the multi-billion dollar gaming industry: African Americans and Hispanics play and purchase video games more than any other ethnic group in the U.S., yet the overwhelming majority of characters in games are young white males. According to the video game industry, we don’t need another hero? A recent […]
All’s not quiet on the ‘Homefront’
July 14, 2011 by Leave a Comment
I’m surprised, to say the least, that there is a total lack of condemnation about THQ’s “Homefront.” After going through a full play- through of the game’s solo mode, I wondered why no one spoke up about just how propagandistic and vile this game really is. “Homefront,” released earlier this year, tells the story of […]
PlayStation seen useful for war games in U.S. military
December 16, 2010 by Leave a Comment
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force has recently revealed a supercomputer built from thousands of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.’s PlayStation 3 game consoles, transforming a machine made to play video games into one suitable for military tasks. The computer, known as the Condor Supercomputer, was unveiled at a ribbon-cutting ceremony held at the United States’ […]
Reflecting on diversity in video games through the LA Riots
Editor’s Note: An edited version of this post was published in the May 4, 2012 issue of the Nichi Bei Weekly. Who here remembers the Los Angeles Riots of ‘92? I certainly don’t. I was 4 (and now you feel old). LA burned following the acquittal of the four police officers charged in the beating […]