Despite an extensive marketing campaign, positive reviews and some of the most widespread media attention ever given to a video game, “The Beatles: Rock Band” had a relatively lackluster first month on store shelves.

While the demographic for video games and action movies is basically the same, the track record for films based on games has been a pretty dismal one. For every “Tomb Raider”-sized hit, there are a handful of flops like “BloodRayne.”

The November 2005 launch of the Xbox 360 marked not only the beginning of a new cycle of video game hardware, it also launched a new era in video game pricing.

IPhone downloads count both free demos and paid games — and free is always more popular. So how does a small developer make a profit?

One of the video game industry’s most consistent hitmakers is taking things to the next level.  PopCap Games, the creator of titles such as “Bejweled,” “Zuma,” “Bookworm” and “Peggle” – has raised $22.5 million from venture capitalists.

The issue of whether minors should be legally prohibited from buying violent video games may soon be settled – once and for all.

Unlike its predecessors, the new portable gaming system from Sony does not run on traditional packaged software. Any game or movie the user wants has to be downloaded — and that leaves retailers out of the loop on the most profitable part of any gaming system.

Following price cuts by its two rivals, Nintendoreduced the price of its Wii video game system by $50 later this week. The widely expected move could help the company reverse slowing momentum as it heads into the holiday sales period.

Following price cuts by its two rivals, Nintendo is expected to reduce the price of its Wii video game system by $50 later this week. The widely expected move could help the company reverse the company’s slowing momentum as it heads into the holiday sales period.

When Microsoft released “Halo 3” a little shy of two years ago, it was a certifiable entertainment event. The conclusion of the hit franchise’s trilogy would ultimately sell 5.9 million copies, making it one of the top selling games of this generation of video game systems.

Initially rolled out by Microsoft in 2006, the Zune was positioned as a wannabe iPod killer – and was promptly squashed by Apple’s popular system. Now the Zune HD, a redesigned, flashier version of the system, is hitting retail shelves.

August was supposed to be the month video game sales turned around. Instead, they extended their slide for the sixth consecutive month.

Alex Seropian, the founder of Bungie Software and co-creator of the "Halo" franchise has joined the company to oversee creative development across Disney’s in-house video game development teams.

The video game price wars are getting fiercer. Microsoft on Thursday announced plans to lower the price of its top-line Xbox 360 model from $399 to $299.

Nolan Bushnell has re-entered the industry, co-founding Reality Gap, a publisher exploring a new in-game economic model that can be transported across multiple titles.  The idea is a simple one.