Even though it’s eroded grammar, civility, and our reflex to cringe at spectacles most people decry as “unnatural” and “offensive to anyone without a chemical imbalance,” the Internet has done some good to offset decades of depravity.

It was a boon to indie developers, allowing two dudes in a garage to bring their concisely coded masterpieces to the masses. But until recently, producing content for consoles (the platform most people associated with the term “video games”) wasn’t feasible. Unless you had a spot on one of the major development teams, the financial auspices of an opulent entrepreneur, or some super embarrassing beach photos of Howard Stringer, producing a game on Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo’s turf couldn’t be done.

Read More »

During lunch hour, they whir to life on computer screens in high schools across the country. They can single-handedly drag down an office’s productivity (funny story about that one).

And while hardcore gamers lament their popularity — likening them to a firing squad casually taking aim at the industry as a whole — they’re still inducting non-gamers into the fold.

Flash games are — without hyperbole — everywhere on the Internet. From the microgames in the banner ads above your favorite Web sites to full-length RPGs that can suck you in for hours without costing a cent (again… funny story), Flash games have developed into a big business over the past few years.
Read More »

pro⋅fes⋅sion⋅al

[pruh-fesh-uh-nl]
–adjective
1. Following an occupation as a means of livelihood or for gain: a professional builder.

We all know what the word “pro” means. It’s someone who’s good — nay, goddamned great — at what they do. So great, in fact, they can use those aforementioned skills to pay their bills.

Read More »