Several new images and information from Taku Murata's session at this year's GDC have appeared online, revealing the name of Square Enix's next generation MMORPG: codename "Rapture". Square Enix has already revealed the MMORPG is under development using Crystal Tools.

We have already learned Square Enix's engine supports the PlayStation 3, Xbox360, PC and the Wii in a limited way. This means the new MMORPG will probably be released for all three next generation consoles.

Sonycowboy on NeoGaf (who brought you the latest NPD numbers), quotes a few key statements in an interview that EGM had with Michael Pachter, in the current issue out in newstands.

"I think the Wii momentum will last until the Playstation 3 is under $300, so another year"

"2008 is definitely Sony's year. And I'd throw Grand Theft Auto IV into the mix, given that it's considered a PS2 owner's [franchise]. Also, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue should sell some consoles.."

"I think Microsoft's first party lineup is weakning, but I think that exclusives like Splinter Cell: Conviction will keep them going for another year. They also have the resources to sign third party exclusives."'

-From Decision 08 article in this month's EGM

- They didn't quite make the top 10 list for December on US NPD charts, but Mass Effect, Mario Party DS and Uncharted: Drake's Fortune also performed well during the holiday month.

Xbox 360 exclusive Mass Effect sold 401,000 during December, according to NPD numbers provided to virtual videogame stock market The simExchange.

Sony and Naughty Dog's critically-acclaimed action adventure game for PlayStation 3, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (also released November 20) sold 206,000 copies during the month.

Game Front has a list of Q1 release dates for Ubisoft titles in Europe. The list includes titles for PS3, PS2, PSP, Xbox 360, Wii and DS. It also has price information in Euro. The list is dated 18 January, 2008.

Very disappointing review scores for Baroque and Worms: A Space Oddity. However, Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword, Bully: Scholarship Edition, and Sega Superstars Tennis all receive respectable scores.

Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword (DS) - 8.5
Worms: A Space Oddity (Wii) - 6.0
Baroque (Wii) - 3.0
Sega Superstars Tennis (Wii) - 8.0
Bully: Scholarship Edition (Wii) - 8.5
House of the Dead 2 and 3 (Wii) - 7.0
Myst (DS) - 5.0
Opoona (DS) - 7.0
Destroy All Humans: Big Willy Unleashed (Wii) - 7.0
Sega Bass Fishing (Wii) - 5.0
MLB 2K8 (Wii) - 6.5
Obscure (Wii) - 7.0
Sega Superstars Tennis (DS) - 8.0
Lost in Blue 3 (DS) - 5.5
Pinball Hall of Fame (Wii) - 7.5

Konami released some images of Solid Snake who will be playable New in International Track and Field on Nintendo DS

Destructoid writes, "I enjoy Mario. I like Mario games. I'm just potentially getting bored of them. I also understand that Mario will never really go further than what it really is. Miyamoto has made a game for all ages in mind. All ages usually means markets its self to the more casual of gamers, who want that 3-hit kill boss and want that basic save the princess story line. They want simplicity, fun and it to be short."

"As gaming becomes more mainstream and gamers become more hardcore, can Mario still stand up in a sea of deep games with more than just mushrooms and stars to their look. Gaming is ultimately about fun, which Mario is. We all complain about games repeating the same thing. We all complain about franchises getting old. Why are we not complaining about Mario?"

This amazing dummer brings the 8-bit Mario Bros 2 back to life with is 3mins 1/2 Youtube video

One of the reasons cited by Nintendo for the Wii?s lack of HD and processing power was that it would help developers create games on shorter time scales. So with this in mind TVGB decided to take a look at how Nintendo?s software support for the Wii compares to their two previous consoles: the GameCube and the N64 during the first 16 months they were on sale.

WRCB TV reports:

"Libraries have a new, creative way to lure in teenagers and make reading fun: video games.

Workers at the Cape Coral, Florida library hope kids will come for the newly-installed Nintendo Wii's and stay for the books. "Children that are getting into their teen years, they start reading less and less," said Chris Serio.

Teenagers admit books often lose out to video games. "I've never really seen them come to the library, so I think they do video games more than reading," said 10th-grader Christopher Wright"".