Despite Microsoft's past efforts to prevent Xbox Live account hijacking, the theft of Halo 3 multiplayer producer Joe Tung's account has pulled the issue back to the forefront.

The hijacking was not the result of sophisticated computer wizardry, but rather "social engineering," the act of creatively lying to customer service representatives to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information. Xbox Live stores credit card information, and while hackers are unable to steal that information for their own use, they can make unauthorized purchases from a stolen account

Tung is far from alone, as account hijackings are not uncommon among players of Bungie's online behemoth Halo 3. He is not even the only Bungie employee to be a victim of such thieves. But his position makes his case the highest profile to date.

Microsoft claims it previously retrained customer service employees ... Read more

The PC editions of Oddworld Inhabitant's beloved and bizarre action-adventure titles Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee and Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus are now available for purchase from Valve's PC digital distribution client Steam.

Originally released on PlayStation in the late 90's, both side scrolling games were quickly ported to the PC by Digital Dialect.

Each game sells for $9.99, with a two-game combo pack going for $14.99. Per Steam tradition, both games be discounted by 10% during their first week of availability.

The Entertainment Software Association--the industry organization assisting game makers in legal and governmental matters and organizes the annual E3 event-- today applauded the recent jail sentences of two American game pirates in a press release.

Kevin Fuchs of West Amherst, NY, and Kifah Maswadi of Oakland, FL, were sentenced to eight and 15 months in prison, respectively, this summer. Fuchs will follow that up with eight months of house arrest and another 16 months of court supervised release. Maswadi also received three years of court supervision, 50 hours of community service, and an order to pay $415,900 in restitution.

"These decisions illustrate, once again, that game piracy will not be tolerated and the extent at which these criminals will be prosecuted. The ESA and its members will continue to support law enforcement's efforts to protect the intellectual property of our industry," said Michael Gallagher, CEO of the ESA. The sentencing follows a recent United Kingdom ruling which established a legal precedent in their courts.

The news comes at a time when piracy has had increasing influence... Read more

Amidst rumors and speculation that Brothers in Arms creator Gearbox has been tasked with developing Halo 4 for the Xbox 720, Kotaku reports that Gearbox technology director Corrinne Yu will soon depart to lead Halo technology development at Microsoft.

"I accepted the offer to lead the team to build the engines and games for future Halo's on Xbox'es and PC's at Microsoft," reads a message supposedly penned by Yu. "I assure you I will continue to help Gearbox."

id art director Kenneth Scott, Yu's husband, appears to have joined his wife in her move to Microsoft's Washington headquarters, as he is no longer listed among id Software's staff and is now a member of the Microsoft Facebook group.

The message further stated that Yu, pictured above, will begin her new role as "Principle (Lead) Engine Architect of Halo Franchise Team" beginning September 15, 2008.

Microsoft has been beefing up its internal Halo team in recent months, with former Bungie content designer Frank O'Connor leaving the studio to work more closely Microsoft on Halo projects.

Rumors that Gearbox was handling Halo 4 emerged earlier this week... Read more

A television series based off Traveller's Tales' upcoming action game LEGO Batman is currently in production, beginning with a one-off short about 20 minutes in length.

While Warner Bros.-owned developer Traveller's Tales will have no direct involvement in the show, which is being handled by a separate studio in the United States, the series will utilize the same technology and assets that power the block-busting game.

"I think it's a 20-minute cartoon," game producer Rich Earl told GamesIndustry.biz. "I'm personally quite intrigued to see how it comes out. LEGO, every time they've had a new brand out, they've done some CGI stuff as well, but I think this will be quite different."

Earlier in the year, Traveler's Tales teased that it was planning a LEGO TV show based off its work, which includes LEGO Star Wars and LEGO Indiana Jones.

The LEGO Batman game is slated to hit PC, PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, Nintendo DS and PSP in September, with the studio presently at work on LEGO renditions of other, unspecified Warner Bros. properties.

A new game based off the adventures of Indiana Jones is headed to Nintendo DS and PSP, according to a listing from European game rating board PEGI.

Listed as Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings, the action game is reported to be published by Activision, with no other details available.

LucasArts, the license holder for Star Wars and Indiana Jones games, is known to have an as-yet-untitled Indiana Jones title in development for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of LucasArts' upcoming action game Star Wars: The Force Unleashed were developed internally, while the PS2, Wii, Nintendo DS and PSP editions were outsourced to external studios.

Given that precedent, it is possible that the Staff of Kings listing is indicative of a similar multi-platform treatment for the upcoming Indiana Jones game, though no evidence is currently available to support or deny that speculation.

If you thought that the eternal struggle would end after Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball arrives on Xbox 360 as an Xbox Live Arcade download next week, think again.

Developer Blazing Lizard and publisher Gamecock today announced that they'll be bringing the fight to Wii this winter, complete with new story and challenge modes.

Though the Xbox 360 release will be downloadable, a Gamecock representative has confirmed to Shacknews that the Wii version will be a full-fledged retail release.

Rock Band developer Harmonix and Entertainment Weekly have revealed the next six full-length albums that will arrive as downloadable content for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of the multi-instrument music game:

• Foo Fighters - The Colour and the Shape
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik
• Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking
• Megadeth - Peace Sells... But Who's Buying
• Stevie Ray Vaughan - Texas Flood
• No Doubt - The Best of... Rock Band Edition

No dates or pricing details were provided.

Though Harmonix has released new downloadable songs for the game each week since its launch last November, the studio traditionally debuts full-length albums in the last week of a month. That streak was broken this week, as the release of Rush's Moving Pictures was delayed by technical issues.

As previously reported, Rock Band 2--due on Xbox 360 September 14, with PS2, PS3 and Wii releases in October--will be fully compatible with all Rock Band downloadable content released thus far, and content released after the sequel arrives will continue to work with the original.

Morning folks. So why do lawyers blame silly things like Grand Theft Auto in court? Because it's their job. Also, if you were waiting for Rush's Moving Pictures album on Rock Band, you may have to wait a bit. And Will Wright? Loves the Sporn.

The use of Grand Theft Auto as a scapegoat isn't going anywhere, says law professor Ashley Lipson. The trick is worth too much money.

"A good defense lawyer will blame everyone in sight, except of course the client. When he or she runs out of people to blame, it's time to look around for objects. What could be better than a popular videogame?" Lipson reasoned to the Palm Beach Post.

James Waller, a practicing defense attorney--and gamer--admits to using the tactic. "Portraying your client as the victim of outside forces (be they child abuse, coercion by peers, or an ultra-violent video game industry) humanizes the client and shifts the culpability," he said.

As a gamer, Waller is put in a strange situation by using the ... Read more

For those of you who sent in applications for the first job opening here I should have all the responses out by the end of day tomorrow. Thank you for the interest to everyone who applied.

• An auction of private emails?
• Dude, dark matter
• Chocolate science
• IE8 trying to catch up

As for the the videogame news around these parts for today:

• Nintendo swears it loves core gamers
• Geometry Wars 2 makes Nick angry
• GTA4 team doing PS3 game
• Warriors handling Max Payne 3
• Far Cry 3 details already coming
• Sin City game changing developers
• Far Cry 2 trailer
• UbiSoft hates America, loves Europe
• Meteos heading to Xbox Live Arcade
• Will Wright loves him some Spore porn
• Nintendo responds to new DS rumors
• Skate It screenshots and trailer
• Prince of Persia trailer
• Guitar Hero meets Jesus
• Dinosaurs in NWN2 screenshots
• Gaming is good for the office!

Lastly, I spent the last few evenings checking out Generation Kill. As someone who spent many years on military bases and with family in all branches I found it quite interesting. Worth checking out if you have HBO. Too bad about the lame name.

The next big trends in business management come from video games, Xbox Live executive David Edery and MIT Business Ph.D. candidate Ethan Mollick argue in their new book "Changing the Game."

In a write-up for The Economist, Edery and Mollick present several game-inspired examples of giving employees strong incentives, improving morale, and marketing products. The two flaunt the case of Microsoft's Windows Vista undergoing testing before its release. Asking busy Microsoft employees to bug-test previous incarnations of the operating system was a tall favor to ask, but by making the mission into a game with points and prizes, Microsoft managed to quadruple employee participation in the testing.

The article also looks at other examples of gaming's success in business, such as advergaming: the creation of games like Sneak King as an advertisement for Burger King. Morale and productivity improvements have been seen among work groups that play together. Some groups even believe experience in online role-playing games like World of Warcraft is valuable experience for a resume.

As the fall release window for Obsidian's PC RPG expansion Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir approaches, publisher Atari has provided a glimpse of the dinosaurs that can be found within NWN2's second expansion pack.

A new trailer was issued as well, though it focuses more on story than dinosaurs.

Please install Flash to view this Shackvideo

Shackvideo users can use the HD Stream.

Not content with the hedonistic rock-n-roll found in megahit music games Rock Band and Guitar Hero, Christian software publisher Digital Praise is about to unleash Guitar Praise: Solid Rock, GameDaily has uncovered.

Including tracks from Christian bands like Flyleaf, Reliant K and The Crucified, the game encourages players to persevere in their practice: "Crank it up and try again - you'll soon be rockin' with the best while praising the Lord!"

Guitar Praise: Solid Rock is now available for pre-order on PC and Mac for $99.95 for a single guitar bundle, with a second guitar available for $69.95. The Christian-valued music game will be released in mid-September.

The 52-song-strong Guitar Praise playlist includes:

1. 12 Stones - Broken
2. Bride - Same Ol' Sinner
3. Caedmons Call - There You Go
4. Casting Crowns - Lifesong... Read more

Ubisoft Montreal checks in with the first Prince of Persia development diary, highlighting the open-world structure and ceiling-running ability found in the upcoming platformer.

Please install Flash to view this Shackvideo

Shackvideo users can use the HD Stream.

The acrobatic wall-scaling title hits PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 later this year.

Apparently eager to participate in the spelling bee, EA Black Box has provided a a new trailer of Skate It. An offshoot from the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 skating series, Skate It debuts on the Wii and Nintendo DS this fall.

The Wii version, depicted above and below, makes use of the Wii Remote controller and also supports the Balance Board accessory used by Wii Fit for realistic skating action.

Please install Flash to view this Shackvideo

The Last Guy, SCE Japan Studio's people-herding zombie-avoiding top-down action game, will hit North American PlayStation 3 systems tomorrow at a price of $9.99.

A player-controlled Himalayan zombie, the titular last guy is on a mission to rescue the citizens of major world cities including Tokyo, London, and Los Angeles from monsters. Using actual high-resolution satellite imagery of the cities, players run through streets and allies, collecting humans who follow their hurried savior.

The downloadable game will sell for $9.99 in the online PlayStation Store, with a free one-level demo currently available.

Nintendo today denied reports that it is working on a new version of its Nintendo DS handheld.

The rumors, reported by several sites, indicated that a new Nintendo DS will be announced in early 2009. The purported update is said to boast larger screens, as well as a second touchscreen.

Nintendo labeled the talk "rumor and speculation." The company has not revised the Nintendo DS since the debut of the DS Lite in early 2006.

After the release of the free Spore Creature Creature earlier this summer, the internet was filled with pictures and video of the public's imaginative monsters--some of which of which were sexually explicit and downright terrifying.

Though most of those explicit creatures--sometimes referred to as "Sporn"--have since been removed from the offical Sporepedia, Spore and The Sims creator Will Wright can't help but be impressed with what some were able to accomplish.

"Some of it's really good for what they were shooting for," Wright told the Associated Press. "It's amazingly explicit, especially when those creations are animated. We just have to make sure those people aren't messing up the experience for others."

With the full versions of the Maxis-developed PC and Mac life simulator slated to hit alongside a scaled-down DS edition on September 7, Wright noted that any console release of Spore would be designed to take advantage of the specific system.

"Spore on almost any platform is going to be different and tied to the unique aspects of that platform," he explained. "Sitting in front of a console is very different from sitting in front of a PC. Whether you're using a mouse or a PS3 controller or a Wii wand, that right off the bat is arguing for a somewhat different design."

Q Entertainment, the studio behind the addictive puzzlers Lumines and Every Extend Extra, has announced that it will bring its rocket-launching stacking puzzle game Meteos to the Xbox 360 as a downloadable Xbox Live Arcade release.

Originally a Nintendo DS game, Meteos has players grouping together stones of the same color on the bottom of the screen and launching those groups off into space.

The Xbox Live Arcade version, now called Meteos Wars, adds head-to-head multiplayer and characters that can be decorated as the player unlocks achievements, according to 1UP.

Meteos Wars does not have an announced price or release date, but it will launch on Xbox Live Arcade Japan in October.