Since when have the salaries of game company executives become news?

Perhaps I've been reading far too much of this blog (WARNING: Contains strong language by the bucket-load) and am simply being nitpicky, but I fail to see how anything regarding someone's salary is news just because he or she works for a videogame company. Is there something I'm missing?

The main offenders so far (to my knowledge, anyway) are Kotaku, who posted not one, but two articles on this, and GameSpot. The differences between the two are that the Kotaku articles focus only on Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto's salary, whereas GameSpot divulged the salaries of a myriad of company execs (including Miyamoto), all of whom make a sizable mound of money every year. How sizable? Let's just say you wouldn't have to worry about money or anything on those salaries.

But, again I ask: how is this news? What is it about others' salaries that compels you all to report on it? Why should we care about it? Surely there's a logical reason for this, right? I'll be awaiting your answer, Journalists.

What: MDK 2 coming to WiiWare

I think I just found the winner of the "Weirdest News of The Month" award: MDK 2 coming to WiiWare courtesy of Interplay. Here's the scoop via Joystiq:

Interplay is continuing its bizarre WiiWare resurrection of classic franchises with BioWare's beloved MDK2. The action-shooter-puzzle-adventure game, a sequel to an equally well-remembered game by Shiny, is being planned for release on WiiWare sometime this winter.

Following that, a new version of the game, called MDK2 HD, will be released on PC via the Beamdog distribution service -- which happens to be have been founded by Trent Oster, formerly of BioWare.

I never really played much of MDK 2 -- maybe once or twice tops -- so I guess this is a good chance to rectify that. The guys on GameSpot's podcast, The HotSpot, seem to think very highly of it. That's gotta mean something, right?

But WiiWare? What was the thinking behind that decision, I wonder. I mean, it's a fine choice and all -- control-wise especially -- but it just... I don't know. It just doesn't seem like the optimal choice given WiiWare's 40MB limit on games. I fear that size limit will hurt it somehow, like by cutting content or something.

Or maybe I'm just sour that this was for the second game instead of the original MDK. Loved that game. Used to play it all the time back when I was a kid. (I like to think it played a role in making me the man I am today: crazy and lazy, with odd fascination of parachutes that defy the laws of physics.) Maybe that will happen if MDK 2 does well. That would certainly be enough of an incentive for me to buy it. Here's hoping!


MDK 2 dropping into WiiWare, 'HD' version targeting PC [Joystiq]

Hulu on PS3? Yes please!

Hulu: Making TV-watcing better since 2007.

After last months rumors of Hulu's TV streaming service hitting an Xbox 360 near you, reports from Bloomberg say that Hulu will be making its way, not to an Xbox 360 -- though I'm sure that will happen eventually -- but a PlayStation 3 near you.

Bloomberg's report comes courtesy of a couple folks that have "knowledge of the talks," and asked to remain anonymous because said talks haven't been made "public"* yet. Nothing specific was mentioned in the Bloomberg article, like whether users would have to pay a subscription fee like last months reports suggested -- it did reference the possible $10 per month plan, though -- but an announcement may come as soon as next week, according to their sources.

As someone who uses Hulu extensively (that and Netflix are how I watch television shows, these days), this news excites me. Streaming shows through a computer works and all, but it's certainly no replacement for the good ol' TV. Here's hoping that they make it happen.

*Apparently, they failed to see the irony in how telling the press has now made those talks public knowledge. So much for their cunning plan, eh?


Sony's PlayStation Network Said Close to Deal for Hulu Service [Bloomberg via GameSpot]

Best font ever?

Is it sad that I know what letter each controller represents?

Ever had this sudden feeling to write in videogame controllers? Me neither. All that "always write clear and concisely" stuff knocked that outta me ages ago. But after seeing this clever "console font," I'm starting to reconsider.

Created by Dutch designer Varun Vachhar, console font uses game controllers, console parts and hardware to represent the letters of the English alphabet, as well as numbers. The consoles and controllers used range from the recent (PlayStation Move, Wii Remote and Nuchuck, Dual Shock controller, DS, etc.) to the obscure (I think there's a ColecoVision controller in there? I don't know. They're obscure for a reason, people!).

While I can't see any practical use for this (not that I could actually use it since there doesn't appear to be a download link on the page for this), I must say that it is really darn cool. Much better than those simple, "Here's the title font from some videogame" stuff that usually pops up. Kudos, Mr. Vachhar!

[Via Geekologie]