Kotaku recently convinced a bunch of game industry people to take photos of their desks and game rooms. Above is EGM editor Dan "Shoe" Hsu's home TV. Notice how it could crush a small village.

Industry and multi-console news

New media: The Agency walkthrough, Part one of the Turok - Awakening the Giants documentary

• God of War designer David Jaffe makes the argument that there should be only one console.
• Sega has announced Beijing 2008, the official Olympics game. This one doesn't have Mario or Sonic.
• Shares in EIdos parent company SCi fell to an 18-year low after takeover talks ended.
• Ubisoft has completed its acquisition of Digital Kids, makers of the Petz series of games.
• Again proving that no one reads reviews, Kane and Lynch has sold one million copies.
• Gamasutra has an interview with Taito's Keiji Fujita about the success of Cooking Mama, among other things.
• The newest Japanese sales chart sees the top 13 titles belonging to Nintendo systems.
• Peavey has inserted Guitar Hero parts into some of their regular guitars as part of a kit going for $2,000 that also includes a PA and floor monitor.
• Nintendo and Sony are being taken to court over a patent suit filed by a man with a 1996 patent on a "Hand Held Computer Input Apparatus and Method."
• The Otronicon website has a look at the process of converting a real drumkit for use with Rock Band.
• I-Mockery lists the top 50 arcade cabinets of all time. I don't think I've ever seen the Paperboy cabinet with bicycle handlebar controls.
• Uwe Boll tells you why you should see In the Name of the King. "We proved in europe that our movie has the power to stay 3 weeks in the TOP TEN and that we can get at least 50% good reviews."
• Harmonix provides some tips on being a good drummer. In Rock Band, anyway.
• Alone in the Dark 5 has been delayed again, to September.
• Dan Hsu talks to GameDaily about EGM's recent "banning" by Midway, Ubisoft and Sony. "Sony's sports division and Midway's Mortal Kombat team have been on-again, off-again problems for several years." If you want to read Hsu's original EGM editorial on the issue, he's put it on his blog here.
• Ars Technica has first details on Star Wars: The Force Unleashed.
• The people at Pivotal Games have taken to calling Conflict: Denied Ops a "casual first person shooter." Joystiq has impressions from CES.
• Wagner James Au ponders which video game consoles represent which democratic presidential candidates. "Instantly appealing like the Wii, Obama is popular not because of his library of policies, but because he is changing the way the game is played."
• Games Radar has an interesting feature on what game names actually mean. Whadya know, "Baten Kaitos" isn't something someone randomly made up.
• You can see a couple Rez and Space Channel 5 concept sketches here, as part of designer Jake Kazdal's portfolio.
• Apparently people keep looking for digital versions of the Wing Commander 1 fighter blueprints, so someone's gotten around to making a definitive set.
• Psychologists argue that children should be banned from playing games until the age of seven. "Educational psychologist Jane Healy said research indicated that computer games fuelled the development of basic 'flight or fight' instincts rather than considered reasoning."
• Press the Buttons has video of a full episode of the Bubsy cartoon. The number of times they try to force feed you the awful "What could possibly go wrong?" tagline makes me ill.
• GoNintendo has this coming week's Gamestop flyer. There's also a coupon code for 25% off used games.

PC and mobile news

• Next Generation looks at the games of 2008 for the PC.
• Spacetime Studios has announced that their deal with NCSoft to publish the space-based MMO Blackstar has been cancelled.
• Game Critics provides the noob's guide to optimizing Crysis.
• Ars Virtua is taking applications for an artist-in-residence in World of Warcraft. The program "is an extended performance that examines what it means to reside in a place that has no physical location." You actually get a $400 stipend for this.
• Amazon has Sim City Societies on sale for $31.99 and the Baldur's Gate 2: Ultimate Collection for $9.97.

Nintendo news

New PAL Virtual Console titles: StarTropics, Alien Storm
New media: De Blob gameplay footage

• Nintendo says not to expect lightsaber attachments for the Wii remote, as Nintendo will not license any "bat-like" add-ons for safety reasons.
• A prequel to Assassin's Creed called Altair's Chronicles has been accidentally revealed for the DS.
• Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney has been dated for February 12 in America.

Sony news

New content: Super Stardust HD and Kane and Lynch demos, Folklore and ProStreet packs, Crash Bandicoot 2, and a Super Stardust HD patch with new features

• According to the Kojima Productions Report, Metal Gear Solid 4 is in its "last push". The game is fully playable and about to go through bug testing.
• Sony plans to release "bite sized" PSP games via the Playstation Store, as well as older PSP games retailers aren't carrying anymore. Unbelievably, they're also still talking about UMD movies, though at a more reasonable price point. "We definitely understand that releasing a '70s era romantic comedy at $29.99 didn't appeal to most of the demographic."
• Variety reports that Universal may be backing away from its HD-DVD exclusivity.
• The new issue of Game Informer has revealed the first details on Resistance 2.
• The PS3 may be getting Sony Pictures Television content in DivX format.
• IBM and the Mayo Clinic are using the Cell processor to speed up brain imaging.
• Amazon deal of the day is the Eye of Judgment for $44.99.

Microsoft news

New media: Fable 2 video developer diary, part four

• Microsoft's Dae Hwan Lim talks about setting up shop in Korea.
• Bill Gates says Microsoft's commitment is for the 360 to be "the most reliable video game box out there."
• Demoed at CES, the Cerner Care Console is basically a bedside 360 for hospital patients that lets them talk to their doctors and informs them about the hospital and the staff treating them. Of course, it can also be used to watch movies and play games.
• A UK games journalist who immigrated to the US has had a heap of trouble trying to get his Live account transfered over, culminating in Microsoft trying to get him fired from his job.
• A conservative website has claimed that Mass Effect contains "explicitly graphic sexual intercourse," quoting lawyer Cathy Ruse as saying the game is "clearly marketed to minors." She adds: “There are cultural implications for feeding porn to kids in this way." Naturally, the fact that you can also have two women do it is especially heinous to them.