Here's a bit of a rhetorical question. What's scarier, EA's Origin service existing passed 2012 or SOPA and PIPA? Trick question, they are both pretty equally terrifying. Jokes aside, even though we're nearing the end of Internet Blackout Wednesday where sites such as Wikipedia, BoingBoing and Reddit closed up shop so to speak, more news trickled out as it relates to two of gaming's biggest juggernauts--Electronic Arts and E3 powerhouse Entertainment Software Associate both of who refuse to change their Pro-SOPA and PIPA stances despite a hefty petition on Change.org.

Rayman Origins was, in our eyes, one of the best games of 2011.  Michel Ancel and his team made a platformer that all players could easily get into, while including a local multiplayer factor that turned it into the ultimate party experience.  Now, in 2012, the game will be thriving on the portable front, with a release slated for the PlayStation Vita around launch.  There's a version in the works for 3DS as well, though there's a catch at this point regarding it...

Driven by fast-selling software Nintendo 3DS sells more in its first nine months than Wii did, capping a very good 2011 for the game maker. Whether they were on the go or at home, whether they played in 2D on the TV or in glasses-free 3D in their hands, gamers of all ages celebrated the holidays with Mario and Zelda. Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 for Nintendo 3DS not only became the fastest-selling titles in the history of their respective franchises when they launched, but they are now also the first Nintendo 3DS titles to sell 1 million units each in the United States. On the console side, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, which also broke launch records, became the 45 Wii title to sell more than 1 million units in the U.S.

In a sign that CES continues to grow despite the struggling global economic situation, 94 companies will exhibit in the new Eureka Park TechZone at the 2012 International CES. The dedicated area was created partnership with the National Science Foundation, Startup America Partnership, CNet and UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), showcasing innovative start-ups and entrepreneurs. Owned and produced by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), the 2012 International CES, the world’s largest tradeshow for consumer technology, is scheduled January 10-13, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

Nintendo may not have had the greatest of years with its 2011 outlook, but 2012 could be an interesting turnaround for them between the 3DS' rising popularity and the prospect of the Wii U, despite its price rumors.  But Satoru Iwata, president of Nintendo of Japan, is ready to send the company out of the year on a high note, as he will host a "Nintendo Direct" web conference the day after Christmas.

Years ago, the PC game Myst stood out amongst others for its time, with its dynamic visual interface, intricate puzzles and somewhat moving storyline.  Granted, it did all this without actually using real-time movement, as you walked around a pre-rendered island searching for answers.  But that isn't stopping Maximum Family Games from giving the game a new look, this time for Nintendo 3DS.

Inspired by the upcoming film directed by Steven Spielberg and produced by Peter Jackson, The Adventure of Tintin – The Game combines mystery, exploration and humor as it follows the intrepid reporter Tintin, his faithful companion Snowy, and his inseparable friend Captain Haddock in search of a treasure lost in the wreckage of “The Unicorn”. Now mobile gamers and console gamers can join in on the fun as they experience an authentic adaptation of the environments and cutting-edge technology used in the movie itself while navigating through an immersive 3D adventure game. Jackson and Spielberg discuss the new movie in the video below.