Here’s what caught my eye last week:

Microsoft is blocking 3rd-party memory units in the latest Dashboard update [Joystiq]. They are determined to keep an iron grip on that sweet sweet peripheral cash, even though both the Japanese platform holders have moved on to non-proprietary memory cards and attachments. Any time you buy an “unsupported” 3rd-party peripheral you do run the risk of something like this happening, but it kind of sucks for those who wanted to save a few bucks and have been denied use of their memory unit after buying it.

Peter Moore of Electronic Arts made some interesting comments recently [NeoGAF], referring to disc-based platforms as “burning” (as in, we are on a burning boat). This is probably the beginning of a much longer effort to start transitioning their publishing empire to more digital-only services. It’s inevitable really, although I’m sure this will be a bumpy period for the next few years. Everybody screamed about Steam when it first rolled out, and now look at it – it’s practically mandatory for PC gaming.

A rumour is making the rounds that we’ll see a “PSP2″ in 2010 [thesixthaxis]. The details on the graphics chip are credible; the timeline is not. Fascinating to see the shift in focus to mobile game chips. It used to be all about how much power you could cram into your triple-fanned liquid-cooled dual-slot PC card, and now the likes of ATI and nVidia are being asked to do the same thing in the size of a dime. Anyways, I can’t see the possibility of a PSP2 unveiling until at least 2011.

Mass Effect 2 will ship on January 26 in North America [gamasutra]. That will mark the beginning of second Christmas for the wave of Q1 games.

There’s an interesting article about the perception and portrayal of sex in videogames here [PopMatters]. It details a scene in Heavy Rain where the player, as the female protagonist, is forced to strip for a slimy mob boss. Of course in this situation, it is the player that is being demeaned, rather than watching a non-player-character go through the same thing. A really fascinating bit of turnabout. I admire David Cage’s willingness to specifically inflict discomfort on his audience. This is where truly “adult” games need to go, to explore themes that go beyond the usual amusement-park mentality.

OH HAI, I am everything Nerfgun despises in alien design.

Almost as bad as this guy.

By the way your Mass Effect DLC is available on Live.

This is interesting. Ever since Electronic Arts acquired our celebrated Canadian developer BioWare – with the attendant gnashing and wailing, of course – players have wondered if we’d see PC or PS3 versions of Mass Effect. There’s some confusion as to who actually has the say-so in this deal. Microsoft published Mass Effect, but of course BioWare is now owned, and has loudly proclaimed their ownership of the actual story IP for many years.

BioWare’s front page says Mass Effect will appear for PC very soon. Like, May 2008. The bullets:

• Optimized controls designed specifically for the PC.
• High resolution visuals – Mass Effect for the PC features highly detailed textures, characters and environments.
• Fully customizable controls – PC gamers can re-map the control scheme any way they like.
• Run & Gun Control – Players can assign biotic powers or skills to ‘hot keys’ allowing them to play Mass Effect with a heavier focus on action.
• New decryption mini-game.
• New inventory screen GUI and functionality – The enhanced inventory system makes it easier for players to equip and modify their weapons and armor.

That last one is a biggie, since the experience of using Mass Effect’s inventory screen on 360 need not be conveyed with mere utterance. It can be accurately re-created by simply auguring a rusty spoon into your coccyx.

In fact, I’d go so far as to say that if the entirety of the ME trilogy does appear on PC, I’ll be playing it on my Mac via Boot Camp. The inventory management is but one issue on 360. The game seems to fairly gasp for air while running. My play through was completed entirely using headphones, to save my eardrums from the infernal racket constantly issuing from the drink holder.

The PC version of Mass Effect is not that surprising, particularly after what Shane Kim told MTV Multiplayer just a short time ago at DICE:

“We really care about our relationship with EA. BioWare’s been a good partner for us. We’re very happy with the success of “Mass Effect” and we want that to continue. From a platform perspective, is it the most important that Microsoft Games Studios publishes it or [rather] that it’s exclusive to the platform? That’s the way we have to think about it.“

Pretty much a tacit admission of losing “true” exclusivity – he’s saying they’d rather they at least get to keep the series on 360 than insist on publishing all ME titles ourselves (which they have no control over now, anyways). EA can play very nasty with MS if they need to. They don’t.

Everyone’s favourite British content-rating outfit, the BBFC, has given Mass Effect a “12″ rating. We learn this by way of their sober, considered report entitled “OMG Boobz”:

“If playing as a male character the scene can take place between him and a human woman or a humanoid female alien. If playing as a female character the scene can take place between her and a male human or a female humanoid alien.“

Of course the space lesbians get a pass.

I’d be a lot more impressed with BioWare’s so-called mature content if it involved non-humanoid aliens. Now that’s daring.

This will at least fill the gaping hole left behind by Microsoft’s rejection of Halo 3-branded Cortana Lingerie.

Yes, I said gaping hole.

(Link @ Pro-G)

I’m hoping it doesn’t end up like this: