This is a follow-up to Star Wars Battlefront II's Loot Box Problem, posted on VOG earlier this week. Late Thursday, EA's Star Wars account tweeted that they had “turned off in-game purchases for #StarWarsBattlefrontII.” defusing part of an extremely contentious issue that erupted into a PR nightmare for both the game and the company on the eve of the game's highly publicized release.

Battlefront II's release this week is also highlighted by the growing debate over loot boxes – specifically those that players believe to be P2W (pay to win). The arguments supporting this vary from the corporate side of things (additional revenue channel needed to fund expensive development for this and future projects) to those completely opposed to it (introducing unfair advantages in multiplayer between the haves and the have-nots).

The Nintendo Switch was revealed on Thursday confirming much of what the rumors said it might be – a hybrid device for both mobile and traditional gaming at home in the living room. Although the teaser put to rest a number of questions about the system, it also asked a lot more with the answers to those likely coming over the next few months now that everyone knows its name. But in case you missed the teaser, or are curious about the system, here's a very brief and general overview.

Konami's delisting from the NYSE shouldn't be a surprise. They filed notice to do so way back in November citing reasons that essentially boil down to consolidation. Their actions earlier this year in shuffling around executives (and removing Hideo Kojima's name from the list of active officers) also point to an internal restructuring, though information has generally been very scarce as to exactly why they're doing this.

It's the end of the year, so awards are being handed out and everyone is making their lists of the best of 2013. Well, many of the movies we highlight here on VOG don't make a lot of those lists or award shows, despite being some of the biggest box office hits and keeping the Hollywood machine running smoothly year after year.

Before I begin, I must preface this with a few disclaimers. I have not done Homestuck cosplay (yet!), I know many of us have a bad reputation because of the cosplayers, and let's face it, there's a lot of misinformation out there. I've been asked before why I've been drawn into the Homestuck fandom and why have been defending it, so it's time to clear the air and let out a few tidbits...

E3 2013 is now a memory. Consoles were demoed, shots were fired, and the Internet is raging about "who won" E3. My answer still stands, and that's that the gamers won E3. There are so many great games coming out in the next year, and the beneficiary of those are you. This post isn't about E3. This is about what I learned from doing our Interactive Coverage - what worked, what didn't, and how I'd change it in the future. I'm writing this while being three hours early for my flight home from LAX, so the entire experience is still fresh in my mind.

Here on VOG there is a definite focus on the sci-fi and fantasy genres in film. And why shouldn't there be? It's the geek bread and butter after all. But I wanted to shift the spotlight a bit, and focus on what I believe to be the most difficult genre to pull off and have universal appeal: the comedy. What’s great about comedies though is they can take place in any setting, be it a fantasy world, outer space, or even a convenience store.

This past Wednesday, the Internet said goodbye to the original programming of the G4 cable television network. X-Play and Attack of the Show were ending their long run, and the network will be on autopilot until being turned into the Esquire Channel. I, however, said goodbye in late 2004, after being one of the earliest vocal supporters and cheerleaders of the network since before it even went on the air. I was a Senior Moderator of G4's forums and chat room from 2002-2004. This is my story, and my final goodbye.

In November of 2008, Microsoft launched the Xbox LIVE Indie Games section of the Marketplace (then called Xbox LIVE Community Games) and touted it as a way for hobbyist video game developers to have their creations visible to the large audience of Xbox 360 owners. Almost four years later, it seems that Microsoft has all but abandoned the platform, leaving what developers are left frustrated and scrambling for solutions. The latest hurdle facing XBLIG developers? The lack of Prepaid Codes, and it hits developers right in the wallet.