World of WarCraft can boost brain function in elderly players, suggests study 8
by Tom Curtis [02.22.12]
A new study from North Carolina State University has found that World of Warcraft can help elderly players refine their spatial awareness, improve their memory, and better focus their attention.
Console/PC, Serious, Design

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GDC 2012 details Game IT Summit talks featuring McGonigal, Bogost, more 4
by Staff [02.21.12]
GDC 2012 organizers have debuted a talk details for the first-ever Game IT Summit, featuring a set of lectures on crowdsourcing, health-focused games, new prototyping tools, and more.
Console/PC, Serious, GDC, Business/Marketing, Design

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University of Colorado receives $1.5M grant for game research 1
by Tom Curtis [02.15.12]
The National Science Foundation has given a $1.5 million grant to the University of Colorado at Boulder to help fund research on using video games to aid computer science education.
Console/PC, Serious, Business/Marketing

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Reminder: Game Developer magazine's annual salary survey ends Friday  
by Staff [02.14.12]
The editors of Game Developer magazine would like to remind developers to take part in its annual Salary Survey, which compares salaries and benefits throughout all areas of the video game industry, and closes on Friday the 17th.
Console/PC, Social/Online, Smartphone/Tablet, Indie, Serious, Programming, Art, Audio, Design, Production, Business/Marketing

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Serious Games Association opens membership  
by Eric Caoili [02.14.12]
Serious Games Association, a new international trade group serving the non-entertainment games industry, has opened its membership to students, developers, publishers, tool providers, analysts, and other professionals.
Console/PC, Social/Online, Smartphone/Tablet, Serious, Business/Marketing

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GDC 2012 highlights first-ever Games for Change @ GDC Summit 1
by Staff [02.14.12]
Today, GDC 2012 organizers have detailed the brand-new Games for Change @ GDC Summit, featuring talks with Eidos life president Ian Livingstone, Sojo Studios on its charity-focused WeTopia, and more.
Console/PC, Serious, Design

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What's NASA doing making video games? 16
by Tom Curtis [02.13.12]
While not normally known for video game development, NASA has released two new games that aim to teach players about aeronautics research, and Gamasutra spoke with the organization to learn more.
Console/PC, Social/Online, Smartphone/Tablet, Serious, Exclusive, Design

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Ovelin raises $1.4M for music education games  
by Mike Rose [02.09.12]
Finnish startup developer Ovelin has raised $1.4 million in funding, with which it plans to expand on its WildChords guitar-teaching game for iPad.
Smartphone/Tablet, Serious, Business/Marketing

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Ignite Game Technologies raises $5M for realistic racing sim  
by Eric Caoili [02.07.12]
Silicon Valley-based developer Ignite Game Technologies has secured $5 million in a new round of financing for its upcoming online racing game Simraceway, and its complementary S1 Steering Wheel accessory.
Console/PC, Social/Online, Serious, Business/Marketing

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UK's Science Museum to teach teens with new retro-themed web games  
by Tom Curtis [01.31.12]
In a new effort to teach teens about science and technology, the UK-based Science Museum has commissioned a series of free, retro-themed educational games.
Serious, Business/Marketing

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Get a job: Rockstar, LucasArts, others hiring now on the Gamasutra jobs board  
by Eric Caoili [01.27.12]
In the latest postings over the last seven days, Gamasutra's jobs board plays host to roles in every major discipline, including opportunities at Rockstar, LucasArts, Blizzard Entertainment, and others.
Console/PC, Social/Online, Smartphone/Tablet, Indie, Serious, Programming, Art, Audio, Design, Production, Business/Marketing

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MechWarrior's Weisman fights to save the wetlands with new game 5
by Leigh Alexander [01.27.12]
We catch up with veteran designer Jordan Weisman on his work leading UW Bothell's Center for Serious Play, whose students have just launched a Facebook game geared at wetlands restoration.
Social/Online, Serious, Exclusive, Business/Marketing

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Opinion: Plagiarism as a moral choice 39
by Dan Cook [01.26.12]
Spry Fox's Dan Cook considers the definition of plagiarism as it applies to game design, and warns developers of the consequences of borrowing ideas from other games.
Console/PC, Social/Online, Smartphone/Tablet, Indie, Serious, Business/Marketing

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GDC 2012 partners with Iam8bit for 'Magnetic Game-O-Matic,' launches contest 1
by Staff [01.25.12]
GDC 2012 organizers have announced a new onsite partnership with iam8bit for live-drawing of wacky game concepts, alongside a magnetic poetry-related opportunity to win an All-Access pass to the show.
Console/PC, Smartphone/Tablet, Social/Online, Indie, Serious, GDC, Audio, Business/Marketing, Design, Programming, Production, Art

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New game to teach students about slavery, the American Civil War 3
by Tom Curtis [01.24.12]
Public media provider Thirteen today launched a new educational web game that teaches students about U.S. history by putting them into the shoes of a runaway slave in the years leading up to the Civil War.
Serious, Business/Marketing

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2012 Games for Change Festival issues call for proposals  
by Tom Curtis [01.24.12]
The organizers behind the 9th annual Games for Change Festival have issued their call for presentations, encouraging game developers to submit presentations on the creation of games that facilitate social change.
Serious, Business/Marketing

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Get a job: Visceral, Retro, others hiring now on the Gamasutra jobs board  
by Eric Caoili [01.20.12]
In the latest postings over the last seven days, Gamasutra's jobs board plays host to roles in every major discipline, including opportunities at Visceral Games, Retro Studios, Ubisoft Massive, and others.
Console/PC, Social/Online, Smartphone/Tablet, Indie, Serious, Programming, Art, Audio, Design, Production, Business/Marketing

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Gamasutra takes anti-SOPA stance 129
by Kris Graft [01.17.12]
Gamasutra will not be updating the website between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. PST on Wednesday, January 18, in opposition to the Stop Online Piracy Act. Editor-in-chief Kris Graft explains why.
Console/PC, Social/Online, Smartphone/Tablet, Indie, Serious, Exclusive, Programming, Art, Audio, Design, Production, Business/Marketing

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Get a job: PopCap, Activision, others hiring now on the Gamasutra jobs board  
by Eric Caoili [01.13.12]
In the latest postings over the last seven days, Gamasutra's jobs board plays host to roles in every major discipline, including opportunities at PopCap, Wooga, Adbesive Games and others.
Console/PC, Social/Online, Smartphone/Tablet, Indie, Serious, Programming, Art, Audio, Design, Production, Business/Marketing

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Pulitzer-winning NYT columnist partners for humanitarian social game  
by Eric Caoili [01.12.12]
Games for Change has teamed up with Pulitzer Prize winning New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof to develop a social game about female oppression around the world.
Social/Online, Serious, Business/Marketing

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