Blog Posts by Ben Silverman

Peter MolyneuxFor better or worse, game designer Peter Molyneux knows how to get people talking about his work.

The creator of legendary franchises like Populous, Black & White and Fable has a knack for making big, crazy promises that pique gamer interest and turn his games into significant events. And while the final product often comes up a bit short of his dreams, it's always fun watching him aim for the stars.

For his next trick, however, he's aiming for your wallet by releasing a piece of downloadable code that costs a cool £50,000 -- or roughly $77,000.

Microsoft's SmartGlassIt may not have quite lived up to its "Innovation Unveiled" billing, but E3 2012 still managed to do what it was supposed to: give us a glimpse into the future of video games. No, we didn't hear about any new consoles from Microsoft and Sony, but we were treated to a wealth of polished, solid games and a few surprising new bits of tech. What's the Next Big Thing in gaming? Perhaps one of these:

New Super Mario Bros. UWii U, we hardly know you.

Of all the companies showcasing new games and hardware at the E3 video game convention this week, none face as much pressure as Nintendo. The once -mighty Wii may have left an indelible mark on the game industry by broadening the very definition of a gamer, but it's been on a downhill slide for years now. After toiling away in its top-selling shadow, Microsoft and Sony's more mature consoles are now proving their worth in terms of sheer staying power, trouncing the Wii on the charts month after month. (more...)

(Photo credit: Marvel Entertainment)

When 4-year-old comic book fan Anthony Smith stubbornly refused to wear his hearing aid, his mother decided to bring out the big guns.

Born with no right ear and partial hearing loss in his left, the Salem, MA boy refers to his hearing device as 'blue ear' -- and while it's helped him immeasurably, Anthony suddenly decided that since superheroes didn't use hearing aids, neither would he.

That prompted his mother, Christina D'Allesandro, to email Marvel comics in a desperate attempt to prove to her son that superheroes were, in fact, just like him.

After more than 60 years spent falling down staircases, the Slinky is finally getting to strut its stuff.

For over three riveting minutes of gravity-powered determination, one enterprising metal spring manages to Slinky away on an inclined treadmill. Youtube user Abzde captured the epic walk, which packs drama (will it fall off the edge?), intrigue (where is it going?) and humor (it's a slinky on a treadmill) into quite the viral hit:

Lego bricks might be a dime a dozen, but one Silicon Valley bigwig got caught trying to turn them into easy money.

Thomas Langenbach, an executive with global software company SAP, has been arrested for stealing Lego toys from Target retail locations across Northern California, reports the San Jose Mercury News. But forget shoplifting -- Langenbach's scheme was considerably more hi-tech.

Tim Tebow (AP)Jets fans, your fake video game prayers have been answered.

According to Madden NFL 13 creative director Michael Young, a certain kneeling celebration will appear in the upcoming football game.

"Tebowing is in for #madden13," Young tweeted.

They're a little late to the party, as Tim Tebow's signature post-touchdown move -- in which a player drops to one knee and puts a fist to the forehead while offering a quiet prayer to the heavens -- has already been parodied enough times to warrant its own website.

Most gamers cringe at the thought of playing games on Facebook, and who can blame them? After years spent scrubbing their walls of incessant requests for bales of hay -- or doing the farm-spamming themselves -- they've grown wary of signing up for yet another Facebook clickfest.

The good news is that a handful of newer Facebook games deliver plenty of fun without requiring that you ruin your relationships. Better yet, some actually offer gameplay deep enough to warrant an hour or two of your time each day. If you're looking for new Facebook game pal, start with these five.