The most significant video game news of 2007

GamePro lists the biggest stories of the year - some shocking, others far-reaching, everything you need to know.

PlayStation 3 struggles
After a dismal launch in 2006, PlayStation 3 continued to stumble in 2007. While running the public relations gambit, Sony denied soft-demand for the console in January, derided the competition in July, before conceding a first-year defeat in November saying they'll need "to play catch-up." The future shows promise, however, given a recent price cut and some solid year end games. But Sony has its work cut out if they wish to keep the PS3 from becoming the GameCube of this generation (read: a worthy system unable to realize its full potential).

Bungie leaves Microsoft
Less than two weeks after the release of Halo 3, Bungie and Microsoft Game Studios jointly announced the disolution of their partnership. It wasn't a bitter break-up, however, as Microsoft retained long-term Halo rights and a minority stake in the newly-formed independent developer. While the Halo-maker is only working on 360 titles for now, the possibility of Bungie-made games on non-Xbox consoles still exits.

The Father of the PlayStation retires
Ken Kutaragi, the mastermind behind every PlayStation system ever made, relinquished the driver's seat to Kaz Hirai in June, leaving behind a brilliant yet tarnished legacy. His most noticeable contribution was in taking video games to the mainstream with both the PlayStation and PlayStation 2, each which sold an unprecedented 100+ million units worldwide. But despite his heavy influence, Kutaragi may unjustly be remembered as the man responsible for the PS3's controversial design and high launch price.

Grand Theft Auto 4 delayed
The Grand Theft Auto series is on the verge of surpassing total Tetris sales of 70 million. Tetris people -- the game that everyone and their dog played in the Eighties! But all-time sales don't do the franchise justice. Over the last six years, combined GTA sales have made it the most popular series in recent history, by far. So when the latest sequel gets delayed for development issues, gamers panic, and panic they did. You can only wait so long for sand box tyranny.

Review integrity called into question
Long-time GameSpot editor Jeff Gerstmann was abruptly fired in November for what his employer called "internal reasons." That didn't stop numerous reports, however, from speculating that the seasoned game critic lost his job due to his negative review of Kane & Lynch. A recent Kohnke Communications' court filing saying the PR firm was successful "in convincing reviewers to write positive reviews" didn't help to simmer the incident. The real story, however, was in the examination and subsequent scrutiny of video game coverage. While allegations of payola and advertiser pressure are nothing new to the industry, Gerstmann-gate helped redraw the lines for both the gaming press and publishers seeking favorable review scores.

Xbox 360 failures go critical
Microsoft says, "the best games are on Xbox 360." But what difference does it make if you can't play said games due to unreliable hardware, aka the Red Ring of Death? This fatal error, said to be affecting some 33 percent of all Xbox 360s in existence, just won't go away, despite Microsoft's promises and the hopes of patience gamers everywhere. While on track to outsell its predecessor (extended warranties be damned), think of what the 360 could accomplish with dependable hardware. Microsoft needs to nip this one in the bud, or else.


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