Solving crimes is definitely no game, but that doesn't mean you can't play one. Ubisoft and CBS Consumer Products have jointly announced today via press release their latest game in the mystery-adventure genre based on the number one television franchise, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. The new CSI game will be coming out on the Wii, DS, Xbox 360 and PC, and will be called CSI: Deadly Intent.

I've always wanted to join the Amazing Race, and this is probably the closest chance I'll ever get. Ludia Inc. has announced that they got the rights to develop CBS' reality TV show as a video game across multiple (but still unspecified) platforms. Sounds like they're going to go for some LBP-type of co-op gameplay with a partner.

So, any one of you want to pair up with me for the race? Dude, move it, let's go!

Still trying to fight his seemingly endless battle against violent video games, Jack Thompson has now forwarded his concerns to the White House. The latest on the already disbarred ace attorney has him sending a letter to none other than President Barack Obama, asking him to give an outright ban on these 'murder simulators.' And that ban is absolute - not to be sold whether you're a kid, a tween, an adolescent, or even an adult on your 50s! He wants violent games to be totally wiped off the map!

We are not immune. This statement can not go any clearer than this. CBS, mother company of media company CNET, has brought down the ax on several of its subsidiary companies, merging newsrooms, including TV.com, MP3.com and gaming website Gamespot.

If you thought Bob of Tekken 6 would be the only rotund fighter to grace this current era of fighters, don't look now because he may have a potential rival with Rufus from Capcom's Street Fighter 4 (PC, Xbox 360, and PS3). Along with El Fuerte and Seth, these three were the highlighted characters of this week's issue of Famitsu, featuring the upcoming sequel to the highly celebrated Street Fighter series. You can check out the details that were discussed in the full article.

Word is out that CBS corporation has entered a deal which will allow it to acquire CNET Networks, Inc. If this pushes through, CBS will become one of the major players among the internet companies in the United States. Care to know more? Head on over to the full article.

2008 is a new year for all - even in the games industry. It seems Midway also joined in the New Year's corporate shakeups of other gaming corporate notables, including Activision Blizzard, all which began flowing in since last November. Long time serving Chairman of the Board, Kenneth D. Cron, finally stepped down from his seat at Midway and was immediately replaced by vice chair Shari Redstone. More at the full story.

Tomorrow may be a big moment on the history of gaming as broadcast giant CBS formally becomes the first network of its class to show a video game tournament as a regular sporting event like other athletic spectacles such as the Masters and March Madness.

"There are an enormous amount of people of all ages who play video games these days, so we’re going to try to see if video games’ popularity can translate into a viable television audience," says CBS Sports Vice-President Rob Correa as he explores the possibility of people looking at this moment as a poignant event after a decade or so.

The tournament concerned is the World Series of Video Games which will be held in Louisville, Kentucky. Edited footage from the event will show highlights of face-offs between players in games such as Fight Night Round 3, Guitar Hero and other non-violent titles. First-person shootouts in Halo and Quake will sadly not make it on air because of the nature of the content.

The idea of the tournament and the coverage by CBS is pegged on the South Korean model which has an entire nation embracing gaming and making it a part of pop culture. A full-time coverage in the manner that ESPN covers sports isn't possible for video games just yet but for now, this is the biggest step game broadcasting can take in the US.

The CBS coverage is also a pilot test of sorts on how game programming in cable TV initiated by G4 and Gameplay HD can work in a bigger scale. The response of viewers will determine future plans on the coverage of electronic gaming as a sport on the network.

This week it's another new stretch for the World Series of Video Games tour, as the WSVG 2007 hits Dallas, Texas for another round up for Counter-Strike, World of Warcraft, Guitar Hero II, Call of Duty 2, Gears of War, Quake 4 and Fight Night Round 3 competitive players.

Prizes totalling up to US$ 90,000 will be given away at the event, starting July 5, Thursday up to July 8, Sunday. The highlight of Dallas is the inclusion of Xbox 360 titles Gears of War from Epic Games and Guitar Hero II from Red Octane, so the event might be worth checking out for the Xbox 360 gamer.

And if you can shrug off the US$ 10 admission fee, you might want to pick up a few tips from James ‘2GD’ Harding on dominating with your trusty Quake 4 railgun. Listen carefully, and see tips being put to practice on the grand arena floors.

Cheer for your select team or players and get your face plastered all over CBS Sports news, while demoing some of the industry's latest games and winning some free swag. But first things first: you'd have to figure out how to get to the Gaylord Texan Resort on time.

A report was recently published by the New York Times detailing how Microsoft's Xbox 360 console is good enough to replace cable TV for some people, at the same time drawing in new users outside of the core demographic.

The famed publication has recognized the marvel that is the Xbox Live network and how it's serving up a well-rounded dose of gaming and viewable content which consumers have caught on to because it can be availed of in increments. Movies and TV series episodes can be rented or purchased, making nostalgia another drawing point to the business model.

The strategy for Microsoft is basically to form an entertainment coalition with heavyweights Paramount Pictures, New Line, Warner Brothers, MTV, CBS, A&E and ABC, then find the consumers wherever they are and give them what they're looking for. By taking into consideration the demographic included in the more than 6 million subscribers, the coalition determines what content is most appropriate to serve.

More importantly, the New York Times report reveals an unexpected but pleasant side effect of the move by Microsoft and its partners: Non-gamers are actually getting into the act by warming up to the entertainment content.

The example of Memphis account executive Josh Roberts is cited in the article. He's 24 and has owned every game system since the Nintendo Entertainment System. When he and his wife moved to the city, they didn't have cable TV for a while and Xbox Live kept them occupied. Today, Mrs. Roberts still doesn't play video games but uses the Xbox 360 to watch HD movies and series episodes. However, they do have their gripes with how the system is currently set up.

Roberts says that the Microsoft Points system, for one, is a little confusing. He says he'd rather have it in dollars. Still, he's optimistic with what Xbox Live can be given the right approach. "[Xbox LIVE Marketplace]," he added, “is not yet at a place where I think it’s made my life easier or more entertaining in my leisure time, but I’m excited for the potential. When it moves faster and the bandwidth is great, then I think it will be very cool."