Blog Posts by Ben Silverman

(Courtesy EA)Electronic Arts has taken video game marketing to scary new heights.

To commemorate the March 6^th release of their highly-anticipated role-playing game Mass Effect 3, the company decided to launch a handful of advance copies into space. Literally. Like, they crammed them into weather balloons and shot 'em into the stratosphere.

The point? Each game contains a GPS tracking device; fans were told to follow those coordinates to find the games as they landed back on Earth. Locate a copy, and you've got a solid week with the game before it's in stores.

At least, that was the plan.

(Photo credit: Simon Beck)Are aliens giving up cornfields for cold, mountain air?

Nope. Turns out these incredibly awesome snow designs are the work of decidedly human artist Simon Beck, who takes the concept of a crop circle to new heights by strapping on a pair snowshoes and getting to work.

Showtime, Sony.

The company newest video game handheld, the PlayStation Vita, officially launched in North America, Europe and Latin America on Wednesday. Sony hopes the powerful device will strike a chord with portable gamers who want a more robust experience than what they're currently getting from rivals Nintendo and Apple.

Angry Birds Space (Image courtesy Rovio)They've conquered smartphones and social networks. Next up for the Angry Birds?

The final frontier.

We've got the exclusive scoop on the next official game in Rovio's blockbuster, bird-flinging franchise: "Angry Birds Space." The game is due to smash into mobile devices on March 22.

Cars, chaos, and creepy clowns — put 'em together and you've got one of the most revered names in vehicular combat. But it's been a while since Sony's Twisted Metal franchise has been relevant, as the last core release (Twisted Metal: Head-On for the PSP) dates back to 2005.

Twisted Metal (Sony)So when Sony announced that a brand new game was coming to the PS3, built by none other than franchise creator David Jaffe and his team at Eat Sleep Play, thumbs started twitching. Despite a few delays, the rechristened 'Twisted Metal' races into stores this week. Is it a barn burner, or just another weirdo with a painted face?

That depends who you ask. Currently averaging a solid but underwhelming 77 at Metacritic, this insane racer is equal parts hit and run.

Rovio's feathered heroes have already put a dent in your social life. Now they're taking aim at your social network.

Angry Birds officially went live on Facebook on Tuesday, bringing some new tweaks to its immensely popular formula. You'll start off with access to a few new gadgets, including a super slingshot, a handy targeting scope and a pig-rattling earthquake.

Of course, you only get the first few for free. As with most Facebook games, Angry Birds features a microtransaction model that lets users spend real coin to buy more in-game power-ups. The game also includes Facebook staples like gifting and leaderboards.

Time to take a break.The humorist Don Marquis once said that "a sequel is an admission that you've been reduced to imitating yourself." He died in 1937, so I'm pretty sure he wasn't talking about video games. But glance at the sequel-flooded game industry these days and you'll know that he was on to something.

The good news? Despite their prevalence, video game sequels tend to be technically superior to their predecessors. They often fix flaws, improve visuals, and add features than fans have requested. The best games in most successful franchises are often not the first ones.

Skylanders Giants (Activision)Bad news for parents who are having trouble tracking down those suddenly elusive Skylanders toys: the problem is about to get a lot bigger.

Activision unveiled Skylanders Giants at the International Toy Fair in New York on Tuesday, bringing more figurines and a new video game adventure to fans of the franchise.

And those fans are legion. According to the NPD group, last year's Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure -- with its associated action figures -- was the top new children's property of 2011. More telling? A glance at empty retail shelves, which have been picked clean of the collectible little devils since their arrival last holiday season.