Over the summer I had the privilege of working with a group of doctors, graduate students, and other professionals on a very special video game code named the "P.E. Game" or patient empowerment game.

The goal was to create a motion-controlled game to help kids with cancer get exercise while hospitalized, to help the maintain their fighting spirit, and to understand key facts in their treatment.

With initial funding from the department of pediatrics at the University of Utah, we used Sony's Move.Me (we were given beta access) to create a prototype that we're finally ready to show patients.

I cannot say enough about how companies, like Sony with Move.Me, granting access to game development tools has incredible potential to not only expand the world of games, but to truly make a difference.

Fingers crossed that the game takes off and that the initial success we've had in early tests is an indicator that motion controlled games, like the PS3's Move, have true therapeutic value.

Read More: Reuters

First, I feel obliged to inform you that About.com is owned by the New York Times and they do, in fact, sign my check.

Disclaimer aside, the New York Times had just published an article lambasting the tax breaks that video game companies receive. Using EA as an exemplar, they show how game companies double dip on tax breaks and utilize loopholes, such as the R&D tax break, to increase their profits. They also cite tax experts who critique the notion that video game companies produce any technology useful outside of their own interests, and that tax breaks for game companies have little positive effect.

I'm not sure I'm a fan of the style nor content of the article. Game industry reps were not given a chance to respond, and rather than using experts to bolster arguments, the author uses them as arguments. For example, one tax expert claims no useful tech has come from games. I have not only seen firsthand, but used Sony's Move in a therapeutic setting for hospital bound children, at the University of Utah we made new games for health that could only be made with the Move. I also know folks in games research labs, and their work is cutting edge, real science. There are countless examples of game tech being spun-off. This is one of those times where a simple call to a game company could have rendered the point mute. It's a sad lack of fact checking.

More importantly, the simple truth is that it's cheaper to make games overseas and in Canada. Want to see games made in the U.S.? Tax-breaks help keep them here. We have a growing games industry in Utah, it employs thousands and the jobs are steady and pay a high wage. If our state government didn't work with our game companies, including EA, we wouldn't be making games here.

In fact, our local EA affiliate has served on so many panels and committees, trying to promote games in general, not just EA, in Utah. And our state government has shown that the presence of game companies in the state has a strong positive economic impact.

Bottom line? Yes, the fed and the states give tax breaks to game companies. I have seen first hand how this generates more revenue by not only keeping companies local, but encouraging them to grow. If Canada and other countries, where wages are cheaper, are going to cut taxes to encourage game companies to move there then we have to respond in kind to keep them here.

Too bad the NYT article was more about trying to "expose" the tax breaks EA and other companies get, rather than taking a birds eye view and looking at their overall economic impact. Game companies are great for communities, they provide jobs and in my case free technical expertise to my students. During a time of economic turmoil and high unemployment the proof is in the economic impact and everyone, except perhaps the New York Times, sees that game companies make a very strong economic contribution,

[Source: New York Times]

It looks like we're getting closer and closer to "Final Fantasy XIII-2." According to Andraisang the game is nearly 90% complete.

Not good enough for ya? Well, we should get an official release date for "Final Fantasy XIII-2" at this year's Tokyo Game Show.

"Final Fantasy XIII-2's" director, Motomu Toriyama, also let us all in on some exciting details.  First, if you played FFXIII then XIII-2 will find you save game file and unlock special goodies just for playing the previous game. Also, you'll be styling riding on a red Chocobo and be prepared to be a breeding machine with over 150 monsters to raise.

Sounds like a very different game from "Final Fantasy XIII" and  just like you, I can't wait.

[Source: Andraisang]

Certainly the coolest and one of the biggest games event of the year, PAX Prime opens it's doors tomorrow in downtown Seattle.

There will be booths demoing games, a huge expo floor, contests, games hall, concerts, speakers, and much, much more.

As a matter of fact, I'll be sharing words of wisdom on Friday at 10:30 in the Kraken Theater. I'm on the "We Study Games...Professionally: Academic Research and Game Studies" panel with far more illustrious games scholars, including: Chris Paul (Seattle U), Nate Dutton (Ohio U), Mark Chen (UW), Shawna Kelly (USC/Intel), and Todd Harper (MIT).

If you're going to be at PAX, swing by. We'll be chatting all about universities and games.

I'll also be available to sign copies of the infamous Anguish Vinaigrette strip. Yes, we're all still embarrassed about that.