Tech blog Digital Foundry reports that sources "intimately involved with the alliances and deal-making within their sector" have effectively confirmed that Nintendo and nVidia are teaming up for the next DS. The report also mentions that Sony has formed an alliance with IMG for the PSP2, which is expected to be a "technological monster." While neither devices have been flat-out confirmed by both groups, Digital Foundry tosses around some tentative tech specs for the next generation of handheld gaming supposedly leaked by industry insiders.

Digital downloads seem to be the way of the future, looking at the current landscape of the gaming industry now. Even analysts say that retail will be overtaken by digital distribution in a mere three years' time. Nintendo's big boss, Satoru Iwata, begs to differ, however. To him, digital distribution will sure be a hit -- but not till 20 years later.

The 2009 Today's Gamers International Survey reveals a fact that has been pretty obvious for quite a while now: more and more US citizens consider playing video games as their primary past time.

Gundam creator Yoshiyuki Tomino thinks games are evil. He's said it before, and he's not afraid to say it again. This time, however, he does give credit to what he believes are technological advancements brought forth by video game hardware.

Nintendo's main man in America, Reggie Fils-Aime, is making it known that he's not that much of a fan of the PSP Go, characterizing its concept as problematic. In an article from The Washington Post, it is reported that Fils-Aime described the newest Sony handheld as having a "fundamental concept problem."

This sounds grim. Speakers at the upcoming London Games Conference are forecasting that in three years' time, retail would have been outstripped by digital distribution. Not only that, but 40% of the companies in the games industry will be caught unprepared for this shift in consumer choice.

Always quick with a comment, Michael Pachter has weighed in on the rumor about Microsoft buying Electronic Arts. As far as the Wedbush Morgan analyst is concerned, the rumor doesn't make any sense at all.

This we expected from Jack Thompson. But from the Gundam creator? This certainly brings a whole lot of disconnect to me. Yoshiyuki Tomino, creator of the most famous sci-fi giant robot (complete with his own posse) Gundam, believes that "video games are evil." Why? Because it's killing our planet. Among many other things, I can only suppose. I think he must have heard of the failed suicide/ arson episode in Japan because mommy took out the guy's Gundam collection to trash. Check out the rest of his statements in the full article.

The average age of a gamer is starting to edge higher. Gamers are also less healthy and more depressed than those who don't partake in our particular brand of entertainment. That's what a CDC survey suggests, at least.

For the fifth consecutive month, the US gaming industry experiences a downward slip, this time with a 29% year-over-year decline to US$ 848.9 million. Details on July's NPD results are at the full article.