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Totally fresh comments, never canned. . . catch up on all of the community happenings here.
Other Site Blogs
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Producer's Note
GameSpot Versus: Beat the Pros Edition Winter 2012 MVP's
GameSpot Versus Beat the Pros Edition is a way for GameSpot members to test their skills against super star pro gamers. From FPS to...
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Reviews Blog
Natural Selection 2 Review Pulled
Hi GameSpot readers! Yesterday, we posted our review of Natural Selection 2--but unfortunately, it's come to our attention...
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Rumor Control
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 arriving Nov. 13?
Source: A supposed Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 box art photo posted to the unofficial Modern Warfare 3 Twitter account. What we...
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Downloads Blog
Interested in a challenging yet fun indie turn-based strategy game?
You wake up in an unknown facility, in a medical gown and nothing else. The cold sense of reality sets in; you don't know your...
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Daily Digest - DMC Contest
To-Do List
- WATCHEpisode 2 of GameCribs
- ENTER Reboot Review Contest
- Discuss What makes a good horror game. - COMMENT on the emotional price of making gamesTip: Who has the most likes?
Did you know that now you can sort comments in news, reviews and feature stories by "most liked"? Well you can! Simply click the "Most Likes" section located under the comments module and TA-DA, like magic you can filter the insightful from the cellar dwellers.
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Daily Digest: PS4, Tomb Raider, and Unicorns
To-Do List
- UPDATE your GameSpot iOS App
- DISCOVER the Ps4mageddon
- GET lost in translation meme
- COMMENT about Why Alien games dont live up to expectations
- GRAB the remainder Blacklight: Retribution weapon bundles
- READ what GameSpotter say about the Tomb Raider review scoresTip: MAKE A GAME, WIN 25K!
Enter for a chance to win 25K In the Unicorn Apocalypse game creation contest. Not only do you have the chance to win a chunk of change, but the winning entry will also be published on the Android Market. Does making a game seem scary? Well GameSalad is here to help. Gamesalad has all the stuff you need to make your game, so just head on over to the game creator and make your game!
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Daily Digest - Writing Contests Abound
To-Do List
- PLAY In this weeks Firefall beta
- WATCH GameCribs - Episode 1: Welcome Home
- PARTICIPATE In the Chalk Talk season 2 writing assignment
- DISCUSS Why Aliens Games Never Live Up to ExpectationsTip: Assassins Creed III Creative Writing Contest
To celebrate the release of the new AC3 DLC we're having a creative writing contest. All you have to do to participate is create a blog entry that matches the guidelines and submit no later than March 1st. For more information see the official contest page.
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Writing Assignment - What makes a great horror game?
Your assignment is to write up your editorial focusing on what makes a great horror game. Deadline to have your entries submitted is Thursday, February 28th by 2:00 pm PT.
As you may be aware, in 2013 we altered the format of Chalk Talk to include contributing editors, we are please to announce that we have our first volunteer for the second edition of Chalk Talk, GameSpotter Starshine_M2A2.
With the release of Dead Space 3 arguably pushing that franchise firmly into the action shooter territory Contributing Editor Starshine_M2A2 wishes to examine what makes a great horror game. Is it the slow tension of survival horror; the relentless throat grabbing of action horror like Dead Space 2 and F.E.A.R. or do games require a more psychological approach to truly be considered horror? Do games like Silent Hill and its continued focus on character disintegration highlight the need for characters as well as well as atmosphere?
You decide! Choose which games you wish to discuss in your feature as you build your case for what makes a great horror game. Also, you can submit your entry to the GameSpot Writers Round Table for a peer review.
Chalk Talk submission must include the following:
- Entries must be a minimum of 500 words.
- Do not use altered text fonts, colors, and be aware of your formatting.
- Select at least one image to act as your "cover shot".
- Entries must be submitted by Thursday, February 28th by 2:00 pm PT either in the comments below or on the GameSpot Writers Round Table. -
Daily Digest - PlayStation 4 Excitement
To-Do List
- WATCH Everything you need to know about the PlayStation 4
- CHECK OUT The new Playstation 4 controller
- DISCUSS Larry Hryb’s snark in regards to PS4 unveiling.Tip: TOPIC
Which of the games announced during yesterdays PlayStation press conference peeked your interest and why? Share in the comments below which game you think is the one to watch; inFamous Second Son, Destiny, Watch Dogs, Killzone, The Witness, Deep Down, Drive Club, or Knack
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Daily Digest - PlayStation Rumor Mill
To-Do List
- TUNE IN Super Awesome PlayStation Announcement!
- WELCOME The GameSpot Justicars
- WATCH Escape from Mount Stupid - PlayStation 3
- JOIN GameSpot’s Official Steam CommunityTip: Rumor Mill PS4
With less than 24 hours standing between you (the gamer) and Sony’s new announcement it’s time to get the rumor mill turning. Comment below on your favorite, fictitious, or famed PlayStation 4 rumor for a boost in profile points. If we get over 50 comments we will choose our favorite 3 rumors to be the Rumor Mill Champions those winners will get this nifty poster!
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GameSpot Writers Round Table - Meet the Justicars
Welcome Justicars
You might be asking yourself what exactly is a Justicar? First and foremost they are the authority of the GameSpot Writers Round Table, a union dedicated to written contributions by the GameSpot Community. A GameSpot Justicar is also a trusted member of the site, as well as a user who has also proven their writing skills to the GameSpot community. They have a solid grounding on advanced writing skills and are in regular practice. Some of you may already know the following to be amazing writers, but we thought we should take some time to get to know them a little more.
Justicar benleslie5
About me: I've been a member of Gamespot for the last 6 years now and slowly making towards my 7th year on Gamespot. Over the years I've learned a lot from writing reviews and blogs on Gamespot and it is nice to hear feedback from everyone. I do try and make my blogs and reviews good for anyone to read and view online. I do try and keep myself busy outside of Gamespot by taking on voluntary work, doing course work and finding a paid job on office/admin.
How long have you been gaming?: I've been gaming for the last 13 years now from the Sega MegaDrive to the PS3 and 3DS.
What is your favorite subject to write about?: I always liked to talk about what games I've been playing and what have been my favourite games over the year. And of course I do special blogs on various Anime Conventions I've been to like SUNNYCON and Nemacon.
Share your favorite editorial piece that you've written? I've got at least 2 favourite pieces- this one and this one
Can I follow you on Twitter, Tumbler, or Deviantart? Of course Twitter- LegendHeroBen and, Deviantart- www.benleslie5.deviantart.com
What is your "Golden Rule" for aspiring writers? Be as creative as you can, try and surprise your friends and fans on Gamespot when it comes to making blogs.
Justicar c_rake
About me: Name's Callum Rakestraw. I started writing back in 2007 because it seemed easy (man, was I wrong). Always wanted to work in the games business, and writing about them seemed like the best option. Since then, I've begun writing for a couple of small sites you've never heard of while also perfecting my craft here at GameSpot. Currently unemployed, keeping myself afloat however I can while I try making something out of this writing thing.
Share some of your writing strong points: Descriptive, succint, critical.
How long have you been gaming? For 17 years.
What's your favorite subject to write about? Music is a subject that fascinates me, mostly because it's such a difficult subject to talk about. Love me a challenge.
Share your favorite editorial piece you've written? Haven't written too many here, actually. Though this piece on Demon's Souls and its music is one of my favorite works.
Can I follow you on Twitter, Tumblr, or DeviantArt? I'm on Twitter (@c_rakestraw). Don't use it as much as I ought to, though.
What is your "golden rule" for aspiring writers? Don't be afraid to use I in your work -- or just seem human, for that matter. Too often I see reviews or articles that sound like they were made by robots or printed off a production line. All because people are too often afraid to mention themselves in their work. Don't let that happen to you. Oh, and clutter -- root it out. Don't use fancy words because you can; use them because they have meaning.
Justicar pokecharm
About me: Born in New York, moved to Virginia, where I now live and work. Currently claiming to be an IT professional, I also enjoy the occasional movie, book or game to eat the time away. I am aspiring to succeed, in something.
Share some of your writing strong points: I read a lot, so my vocab is pretty impressive most of the time. The more you read, the more you learn and understand how certain words work better than others.
How long have you been gaming? Since the mid-1990s…fifteen years or so What is your favorite subject to write about? I love writing fiction, making up people, places, things that happen, and inspiration for that is truly everywhere. Here on Gamespot, I like to post topics that are polarising to get a good range of feedback
Share your favorite editorial piece that you've written? This one was funny and flippant, and about Cool Whip!
Can I follow you on Twitter, Tumbler, or Deviantart? orangeyHina on twitter, I’m not on the other two.
What is your "Golden Rule" for aspiring writers? Proofread! The easiest errors to find are those you read after writing!
Justicar SuperMassive20
About me: Budding games journalist from the UK, PC enthusiast and all round creatively minded. Has a strong passion for the written word and respects the English language. Has been known on occasion to appear outside. Could be Batman (so clichéd but I love it)
Share some of your writing strong points: Great with sentence structure and descriptive language. Alliteration aficionado. Have plenty of experience with creating engaging opinion pieces as well as more investigative articles.
How long have you been gaming? 17 years
What is your favorite subject to write about?: anything that requires heavy research, journalistic approaches or in depth looks into 'hidden' themes and sub plots. Current events are a close second.
Share your favorite editorial piece that you've written?: This one
Can I follow you on Twitter, Tumbler, or Deviantart?: @SuperMassive20 on twitter, supermassive20.tumblr.com, search SuperMassive20 into just about anything and it should be me.
What is your "Golden Rule" for aspiring writers?: Don't stress, write in peace, concentrate on putting one word in front of another and keep going. Always have a general message and make sure you stick to it.
Justicar Asagea_888
About Me: I'm a thirty-four year old CSULB alumni with a Studio Art Bachelor's Degree. My main goal is to one day find a career in character design for video games and other media. I also have a deep love for writing, drawing, art and art history. And I have a profound love for video games, a hobby I've enjoyed since I was about five years old. I wouldn't call myself a hardcore gamer, but I enjoy gaming to have fun, indulge in escapism every once in a while and find inspiration.
Share Some of your Strong Writing Points: My strongest writing points involve thinking objectively, and using as much of the English vocabulary as possible without complicating my message. I also refer to the Rogerian argument style because I typically try to avoid bias, as I want to convey my opinions and acknowledge the points of the other side as well. The goal of my writing is to invite both sides to the table for a legitimate, healthy debate.
How Long Have You Been Gaming? I've been gaming for thirty years, from the time of the Atari 2600 my older brother owned.
What is Your Favorite Subject to Write About? The Golden Age of 16-bit gaming is something I love discussing, as I've lived through it and had the most fun during that time. Outside of gaming, I like writing about Art History and often delve into creative storytelling.
My Favorite Editorial Piece? "The art of Stealth in Gaming". One of my first Soapbox entries. I'm very proud of that.
Can I Follow You on Twitter, Tumbler or DeviantArt? I currently do not yet have either of those accounts, but I do have Coroflot and Facebook. Yes, you can follow me once I start said accounts, however.
What is your Golden Rule for Aspiring Writers? Always write from your heart. Don't worry about being perfect -- nobody is. The important thing is to convey your message loud and clear, be objective and avoid bias so as not to arouse hostility--regardless of how strongly you feel on an issue. Work hard to hone your craft, and never give up--even when it gets hard or if you suffer writer's block every now and then.
Justicar michaelP4
About Me: Whenever I get away from my busy lifestyle, I like to spend my time on GS and games. I've been a Ranger since 2007 and still have a strong interest in games, despite my time for them being squeezed. This is why I find reviews, not just from the professionals, but probably even more importantly from all gamers, whoever they may be, to serve a common interest we all have: to find out which games are good and which games are bad. We don't have an infinite amount of time and money, so this is why we need to spend it wisely on games we perceive to be worthy of it.
Strong Writing Points: Always critical and skeptical, even of my favorite games - I detest fanboyism. Never take anything for granted and appreciate a well made game for what it is, even if I don't like it.
Favourite Subject to Write About: Underrated Games
Share your favorite editorial piece that you've written?Could it be the end of Koei's Warriors series?
Can I follow you on Twitter, Tumbler, or Deviantart? You can follow me on GameSpot - I write blogs and use Fuse to disseminate useful GS information.
What is your "Golden Rule" for aspiring writers? Think outside of the box - don't parrot what's already out there.
Justicar Elk
About me: I was born in the UK and now I'm living in the Kansas with plans to move to San Francisco by the end of 2013. For my full time job I am a lead developer for a major group of websites but the gaming industry is where my heart lies. I love all types of games, writing reviews and creating videos. For a while I was even making video reviews for the popular Android website AndroidSPIN.com
Share some of your writing strong points: Because I have such a vast experience with gaming I can talk about just about any game or genre with experience.
How long have you been gaming? My parents bought me a ZX Spectrum +3 when it came out, but before that I was derping around on the Commodore 64, so I'd say at least 28 years.
What is your favorite subject to write about? I love to review games, any game, good or bad.
Share your favorite editorial piece that you've written? Most of the things I'm the most proud of are videos, although in their own way they were written. I was humbled by the popularity of my Grow review, even though I believe I have written better: You can see it here
Can I follow you on Twitter, Tumbler, or Deviantart? I'm madelk on Twitter, but you'll find me on GameSpot's Fuse site just as often.
What is your "Golden Rule" for aspiring writers? Enjoy writing for the enjoyment of writing, not the popularity.
Justicar zyxe
-Share some of your writing strong points: I have a decent grasp of grammar, even though I'm an engineer! I had a solid technical writing background and appreciate critical thinking beyond the nuts and bolts of most standard essays or editorials.
-How long have you been gaming? I have been gaming for over 26 years now, since I was 7 years old.
-What is your favorite subject to write about?: I enjoy writing emotive vignettes that are more about describing a state of mind or stream of consciousness than an essay or editorial.
-Share your favorite editorial piece that you've written? This one here (I tend to write emotive pieces more informally with no capitalization.)
-Can I follow you on Twitter, Tumbler, or Deviantart? I'm not an active member of any social networking, pictorial or artsy sites, sorry!
-What is your "Golden Rule" for aspiring writers? Write what YOU would like to read and stay true to your style without letting your writing get bogged down by grammatical errors. Using big words simply because you think it makes you look smart is rarely successful; if you can explain your message well to an 8-year-old I'd say you have an excellent grasp of your message and are quite effective in its delivery!
Interested in the Writers Round Table?
All are welcome at the writers round table simply stop by and create a topic including the phrase "evaluation" that lets the Justicars know that you are looking to have your work critiqued. If you are interested in becoming a Justicar you can send an email to community@gamespot.com with the subject "Justicar Application" for your chance to join the ranks.
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Blacklight: Retribution Weapon Bundles Giveaway!
Today is the day to pick up some in-game code bundles for Blacklight: Retribution. Watch the replay of our livestream with Perfect World developers earlier today, and then drop by to grab the AK470 and M4-X bundles!
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Daily Digest - Valentine's Day 2013 Emblem!
To-Do List
- WATCH the Crysis 3 live stream starting at 10:30 a.m. PT
- COMMENT on relationships in gamesTip: Unlock a Valentine's Day Emblem!
Share a video game valentine in the comments below! If the comments reach 100 posts, everyone that posted will receive a Valentine's Day 2013 emblem. You're also welcome to share videos or images of your valentine!
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Daily Digest: Showdown Effect beta key giveaway
To-Do List
- WATCH GameSpot AU’s Valentine’s Day Livestream at 5pm PT
- WRITE a caption in the Showdown Effect beta giveaway
- COMMENTwhether or not the game industry is more mature
- DISCOVER AC3: The Tyranny of King Washington - The Betrayal
- FOLLOW GameSpot on Instagram -
Daily Digest: Image Hosting Changes
To-Do List
- READ Offsite Image Hosting rules before its too late
- GAIN meme knowledge about LEEEEEEEEEEEROY JENKINS
- DISCOVER Giant Bomb’s site redesign
- WATCH the latest game releases -
Daily Digest - TSM Reality Show?
To-Do List
- WATCH the TSM reality web show trailer
- JOIN the GameSpot Players Network
- PARTICIPATE in the GTA Vice City or Fire Emblem contests -
Daily Digest - EA Sports Challenge
To-Do List
- WATCH the EA Sports Challenge coverage
- DETERMINE if you should be a GameSpot Justicar
- SIGN-UP to be a guest writer on Chalk Talk -
Daily Digest: Reviewers of the Month
To-Do List
- COMMENT about the Reviewers of the Month Feature!
- READ about the new players in the GameSpot Players Network
- PARTICIPATE in the Fire emblem contest
- FIND out about Xbox 720’s Siri-like voice recognition -
Daily Digest: eSports Roadmap
To-Do List
- DISCOVER our eSports roadmap for 2013
- COMMENT on Field Trip: Career Move
- PARTICIPATE in the GTA Vice City contest
- VISIT our 2013 Events & Attractions scheduleTip: Events & Attractions
Did you know we have an Events and Attractions forum? We’re always looking for small and big events we may not have listed in this forum. Feel free to create a new topic listing the event, location, and webpage url!
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Daily Digest: Social, Competitive & Appealing
To-Do List
- SIGN UP as a guest editor on Chalk Talk
- COMMENT on the return of Social Share: Safe & Secure Edition
- VIEW the League of Legends Fan Art Gallery
- DISCOVER the road to EA Sports Challenge Coverage -
Chalk Talk Contributing Editor Casting Call
Last week we revealed the GameSpot Writers Roundtable, a new program dedicated to the amazing writers of GameSpot.
As part of roll out of this new program, we are announcing a casting
call for 'Contributing Editors' for the second edition of Chalk Talk.When Chalk Talk was first introduced in June of 2012 one of the initial components considered to help make this feature unique was giving users the chance to appear as contributing editors. Essentially, this roll would allow you to choose the Chalk Talk topic, which blogs would be featured, as well as getting a byline as "Contributing Community Editor".
If you are interested in volunteering to become a Contributing Editor for Chalk Talk you can go to the official discussion and include; a brief bio about why you want to be a contributing editor, and the topic you want to write a Chalk Talk feature for.
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Introducing the Writer's Roundtable!
We have an exciting new program and volunteer dedicated to GameSpotters who enjoy publishing editorial blogs and user reviews on GameSpot. In the past month we've recruited prolific writers to assist with a new program called the GameSpot Writers Round Table (GSWR). Starting today, you can share your written work in GSWR prior to publishing it.
In addition to being an ideal place to get insights about your writing, the GameSpot Writers Round Table is the perfect place to gain recognition from GameSpot Staff. The experts who will be examining your work are volunteers known as "Justicars". If you wish to become an official GameSpot Justicar, simply submit an application to the community@gamespot.com email with the subject "Justicar Application" with a brief introduction, examples of your work, and why you should be considered.
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Daily Digest - Member Benefit Changes
To-Do List
- ENTER your best Mario Wii Score
- WATCH Zorine and Jess play System Shock 2
- SIGN UP to play Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 at 4pm PT this Friday!
Tip: Free Registration Changes
If you overheard the news about the subscription service changes this month, the changes we rolled out on the site today will be no surprise. Free registrants now have access to create a user created board, customize their forum name colors, and download videos in HD.
- User created boards: To create or change your UCB settings, go to members only and you’ll find a way to create your UCB there.
- Custom forum name colors: To change the color of your username in the forums, go to your settings under members only.
- HD video downloads: To download a video in HD, visit a video page and click the downloads button.
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Daily Digest - Augmented Reality
To-Do List
- SIGN UP to play Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 with Ryan Ramirez!
- READ about the EA Challenge Series
- WATCH Nerf Lazer Tag for iOS battle testedTip: Introducing Battle Fight!
GameSpot Australia is holding a new kind of competition for GameSpot members! Here’s how it works: If you can beat the high score challenge staff set, take a photo or a screenshot of it and post it in the challenge discussion. Whoever posts the highest score by the time GameSpot AU goes live next week will be crowned WINNER on the live stream! You are allowed to submit multiple posts, so keep on trying to grab the best score! The latest challenge is in a game of Tetris. See if you can beat Edmond Tran’s score: 237,459!