Those who knew me well know that I love hockey. I play hockey all-year round. Yes, even in the summer I find a rink to play in and join summer leagues. I am passionate about my sport and I suppose it’s the Canadian blood in me. After all, my grandfather was drafted by the Maple Leafs (before losing his legs in World War II on a bombing run over Germany), my other grandfather played when growing up in Montreal and my dad won the city championship in Montreal and went on to play at Ithaca.

This has nothing to do with video games but everything to do with passion. I’m passionate about games and I’m passionate about hockey and because I’m passionate about both I try to recruit people to be interested in both. I engage people in discussions about gaming if they don’t seem to understand my fervor, and I talk endlessly about the glorious Montreal Canadiens every chance I get.

With that said, the NHL playoffs are on now, the Stanley Cup playoffs, the fight for Lord Stanley’s Cup, and everyone should be watching. Are you watching the Stanley Cup Playoffs? Please tell me you are. You should be. Just look at the two videos after the break and tell me you don’t want to watch this sport. continue reading…

Following the exciting news that X-COM and possibly Silent Hill are to be ‘re-imagined’ as first-person shooters, the gaming industry announced today that every game ever will be remade as an FPS.

Speaking exclusively to Terminal Gamer, EA’s Head of Marketing, Chet Bandersnatch, said: “We’re delighted to bring gamers the opportunity to resample the delights of older games in the form of the only gaming genre they seem capable of understanding – the first-person shooter. Take a look at the Xbox 360 or PS3 charts nowadays, and you’ll see that they’re completely dominated by FPS’ – so if that’s what the global gaming community wants, that’s what it’s gonna get. Currently, we’re in the process of remaking FIFA 96 in the form of a gritty urban shooter set in Afghanistan.” continue reading…

I’m sure you’ve been following the unfolding events at Infinity Ward with the same horrified fascination as the rest of us. Last month it was revealed that studio heads Vince Zampella and Jason West were forced to leave IW following an investigation by parent company Activision that found “breaches of contract and insubordination by two senior employees”. The pair promptly sued Activision, claiming that they were unfairly dismissed just weeks before they were due to receive considerable royalty payments.

In the aftermath staff have been leaving IW in droves – around 10% of the workforce are believed to have resigned – and West and Zampella have formed a new studio, Respawn Entertainment. Rumors keep emerging that staff at IW have not received royalty fees for their work, although Activision continue to claim that they treat their staff ‘extremely well’. continue reading…

Open world games are awesome. Honestly, experiencing the sheer scope of Morrowind for the first time was just, well, mindblowing. Emerging from a dark, dank hold on a slowly shifting ship to see the undulating waters of the ocean and a small, coastal town nestled against green hills was an experience that made me smile and secretly cheer inside. Here was gaming at its best. No direction, a huge world in front of me full of possibilities, hidden secrets, dungeons filled with treasure and cities emerging over horizons. continue reading…

I get easily frustrated when I hear about a video game’s violent or sexual content on the news. continue reading…