Despite a recent string of down months in U.S. video game sales at retail this year, a new report from research firm Gartner paints a very rosy picture for the global video game industry. When adding in revenues from burgeoning online, mobile and digital gaming sectors, Gartner estimates that worldwide spending on the gaming ecosystem will exceed $74 billion in 2011, up 10.4 percent from the $67 billion spent last year. By 2015, spending is expected to reach $112 billion.

LOS ANGELES – Hip-hop legend Snoop Dogg made the pilgrimage to the mecca of video games, E3 2011, to check out Yoostar Entertainment’s Yoostar on MTV game, which puts players inside their favorite TV shows. Snoop talks video games in this exclusive video interview from the Yoostar booth.

Although the Guitar Hero franchise -- as well as MTV’s rival Rock Band games) are dead -- the music keeps playing. Activision has released three new downloadable Track Packs for Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock and the Guitar Hero music library.  Available now and featuring music from artists such as GRAMMY Award nominees Paramore, alternative rock staples Middle Class Rut and Madina Lake, and melodic death metal legends Darkest Hour, these new downloadable offerings are sure to satisfy fans’ musical appetites. Gene Simmons, who serves as the narrator of the last Guitar Hero game, talks about video games and rock in this exclusive video interview.

While Activision saw record sales of over $1 billion for its Call of Duty: Black Ops game, the publishing giant had little success in the once-booming music genre. Just months after original Guitar Hero developer Harmonix was unloaded by MTV Games to a group of investors, Activision has pulled the plug on the next Guitar Hero game and also killed DJ Hero. Non-music game True Crime: Hong Kong was also canceled. And the publisher laid off 500 employees. Not even Gene Simmons could save Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock from failure.

NEW YORK -- Microsoft launched the Kinect for Xbox 360 to great fanfare in Times Square in New York City with a big street party starting at 6pm ET. Microsoft pulled out all the stops with a big concert right in the middle of Times Sauare complete with 600 street dancers dancing to MTV Games' Dance Centrral for Kinect and a concert by Grammy-award winning hip-hop music artist Ne-Yo.  Some of the celebs in attendance included Garcelle Beauvais, Jennifer Grey, “Zoey 101” star Chris Massey, Sarah Chalke and lots more.

Want to be a rock star? Can you beat Rock Band on Expert level? Harrah's Entertainment and MTV Games are once again seeking the best Rock Band® gamers in the United States with The 2nd Annual Total Rock, Total Rewards Rock Band Competition.

The New Orleans Saints are Super Bowl XLIV Champions. With the memorable Super Bowl ads now available online, MTV Games and Harmonix are allowing gamers to relive The Who half-time show with new downloadable content for Rock Band. A special recording of the performance The Who from the Bridgestone Super Bowl XLIV Halftime Show is now available for purchase for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii.