Gamertell

In what would be a major bummer for Ghostbusters fans, Canadian comedian Rick Moranis will not be lending his voice to the upcoming game bearing the films’ name.

The game, being developed by Sierra, will feature the voices of most of the other cast members, including (according to Das Gamer) Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, William Atherton and…

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We all have bad habits we’re trying to free ourselves from. Whether its drinking, speeding, or in my case caffeine and chocolate. One of the more popular vices everyone would like to see vanish is smoking. Yep, down with the nicotine sticks, no more dancing with cancer these days. But if you have friends who smoke like I do, asking them to stop will result in their telling you to ‘butt’ out or blow that defiant puff in your face.

It’s a habit that people find difficult to shake, especially if they’ve been smoking for quite a long time, rendering the nicotine patches, gums and carrot sticks useless. But in Canada, members of the Allen Carr Team - founded by anti-smoking guru Allen Carr - found a way to help smokers break their habit with the help of a Nintendo DS.

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Canada has become a haven for European game developers who are looking for a tax reprieve.  The tax incentives being offered to game developers in Canada have ensured that the country gets a bigger chunk of the burgeoning videogame business while countries like Britain and France watch the exodus of game developers. Britain has decided that its time to take the war to Canada. And, no, Britain is not going to offer greater relaxation in taxes to the videogame industry, but it will challenge the very legality of the tax incentives on offer in Canada.

The UK Ministry of Culture, Media and Sport has convinced the European Commission to launch an inquest into Canada’s trade practices…

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The Second Annual Elan Awards - which honor excellence in the Canadian video game, animation and digital arts industries - were held at Vancouver last Friday (Feb 15, 2008). The show was hosted by animator Seth MacFarlane of Family Guy fame, who brought his impish humor along and also managed to win an award himself.

Mass Effect, which was developed by Canadian developer Bioware, bagged the top honors. It was recognized as the game of the year and triumphed in…

Click through for a complete list of winners.

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Seth MacFarlane will be hosting the Canadian Awards for the Electronic and Animated Arts this year. The event will feature winners from over thirty categories and is scheduled to take place on February 15, 2008 at the Centre in Vancouver for the Performing Arts. To cut to the heart of the matter, the nominees for best game of the year are as follows:

Assassin’s Creed by Ubisoft
Company of Heroes: Opposing Forces by Relic Entertainment
Mass Effect by Bioware/Microsoft Games
Skate by Electronic Arts

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Advocates of hard line parenting strategies that preclude video games are starting to loosen the ban in the face of entertaining, family oriented titles for the Wii. A story from the online version of Halifax News tells the tale of one Canadian mother who never thought she would enjoy video games, especially with her kids.

Kelly Bearne, wife and mother of two, now enjoys Wii games on family night with her children and husband. The new gamers are responding to easy to learn titles that have caused the console to become so popular among non-traditional gamers.

The Big Brain Academy series focuses on math and cognitive skills, and it’s also been released for Nintendo’s portable system, the DS. Alzheimer patients have even reported that playing these kinds of games have helped to delay the degenerative effects of the disease. 

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Seth MacFarlane, creator of well-known hit animated series Family Guy and American Dad, has been named the host of the 2nd Annual Elan Awards Show scheduled to perform on February 15, 2008 at The Centre in Vancouver for the Performing Arts.

“I am extremely excited to be hosting the 2nd Annual Elan Awards. I am, of course, heavily involved in animation, and gaming seems to be the wave of the future,” said MacFarlane in a press release posted by the Canadian Awards for the Electronic and Animated Arts (CAEAA), then joked, “but most of all, I’m excited to purchase inexpensive prescription drugs and smuggle them back into the United States.”

The announcement was made today (January 7, 2008) by the producers of CAEAA, event partners (which include Ernest & Young, Electronic Arts (EA) Autodesk, N-GAGE by NOKIA) and by the Government of British Columbia.

The CAEAA’s Elan Awards are given to Video Game development and Animation industry talent. The Elans are awarded to otherwise behind-the-scenes individuals in the industry are are given for exceptional talents in much the same way Hollywood awards their actors with an Oscar.

Tickets for the event go on sale today and can be purchased online at The Elans official website.

Read [The Elans Award] Site [Seth Macfarlane’s Official Website]

In the old days a pirate was a seafaring thief who committed his crime at sea and at times on the shore, the first known acts of piracy took place in the 13th century B.C., but today modern day pirates sail the digital seas on the internet and siphoning the revenues of hardworking corporations through counterfeit products.

The hunt for modern day pirates live on and with the rise in demand for certain videogames and gaming consoles, these pirates ready their vessels for the opportunity to offer their counterfeit consoles and games to those consumers desperate enough to purchase the product as a substitute for the real deal.

More recently, a modern day pirate was caught in Canada selling counterfeit Xbox 360 and modified PlayStation 2 consoles as well as the games for the systems, according to a City of Richmond, BC news release.

According to the release, store owner and operator Chi Hong “Terry” Wong appeared in court on November 5, 2007 to answer the charges made against him on December 14, 2006 when the RCMP Economic and Computer Crime Unit received a search warrant to investigate Wong’s store Toy Revenge Hobbies and Entertainment Ltd., where the unit seized numerous modified gaming consoles, the equipment used for modifying the consoles and numerous counterfeit games.

The crack down on video game piracy in Canada actually started two years ago by the Entertainment Software Association of Canada who hired private investigators to search for businesses engaging in piracy and according to Danielle Parr, executive director of the Entertainment Software Association of Canada, in an interview with the local Canadian news source The Province, video-game counterfeiting is growing despite DVD and CD piracy being the more popular form of piracy.

“There has to be sufficient deterrent, as opposed to just the cost of doing business,” Parr told The Province. “There really is an impact locally in our ability to invest in the industry.”

Wong pleaded guilty to the 26 counts of fraud. According to the Richmond BC release the charges against Wong’s company were stayed but sentenced WOng to pay a $25,000 fine with forfeiture of all counterfeiting related items sized by the police during their search.

Read [The Province] News Release [Richmond, British Columbia, Canada] Site [ESA Canada]

Ten years ago, Eidos Interactive could do no wrong. With properties including Soul Reaver, Legacy of Kain, Fear Effect, Hitman and of course, the legendary Tomb Raider series, Eidos was on top of the gaming world as one of the most acclaimed third party developers.

As the next generation of gaming has come upon us, Eidos hasn’t managed to capture that same old magic that had sustained them during the Playstation One era. Now, with the opening of their largest studio to date, Eidos is focusing on reclaiming their old glory, and what better way to do that then to bring back one of their most popular prosperities, Deus Ex.

Eidos Interactive is looking to hire 350 people throughout the next two years to work in the new studio in Montreal, Canada, the company’s seventh studio. Deus Ex 3 has been slated as this new studio’s maiden project, news that will no doubt bring a smile to many gamers faces who have been waiting a long time for the fan favorite series to return.

Read [Montreal Gazette] Also Read [Game Industry] Site [Eidos Interactive]