While many in the UK are pointing fingers at the gaming industry for rising obesity rates, researchers are exploring the potential of games to narrow waistlines. Casual gaming site Popcap Games launched a pilot study which tested the potential for casual games to be used as a dieting tool.

The participants took part in a a month long trial during January of this year where they played Bejeweled Twist as a tool for controlling their appetite. Presumably they were instructed to sit down and play whenever they felt a craving for a snack. Unfortunately a large number of participants failed to complete the study and removed any statistical validity to their results, but what we can take away from it still seems promising.

It was reported that those who completed the trial experienced 100% success in lifting their mood and beating cravings when they played the game. Distraction has often been used as a diet aid and video games are especially helpful since they engage not only the mind but also the hands, helping to prevent from reaching for another bag of chips. Though it’s wonderful to see gaming getting some good press, it’s also a rather silly thing to study, because the results are pretty common sense. Many overweight people eat as a comfort; whether they’re sad, stressed out or just feeling uncomfortable, the sensation of eating reassures them. Video games are just as good at relieving stress and boosting spirits (get 100% on a Guitar Hero song and tell me you don’t jump for joy). Despite the limited success of the study, PopCap say they’re excited and plan on commissioning more studies into the health benefits of casual gaming.

Many of us can remember our first cellphones; not quite the gigantic monstrosities that are parodied in anything related to the early 90s but still sizeable pieces of technology with monochrome screens and large pixels. My first cellphone had an Othello game that I played many times, but since that time they’ve come a long ways. With more and more complex phones like the iPhone some are expecting the mobile phone gaming market to blow up, and others are expecting it’ll drive existing handhelds out of demand.

Most of the people making these predictions though either have a vested interest in saying so (like working for Apple) or aren’t involved in the industry (business analysts). Nintendo has insisted that they’re not concerned about the mobile gaming industry, saying that they in no way designed the DSi as a competitor for the iPhone or other cellphone gaming devices.

David Yarnton, general manager of Nintendo UK said that in designing the system the company left out many features they could have included, planning on keeping with their approach of letting the software sell systems. “We could have added lots of things, but then you become a jack of all trades, and a master of none. One of the things we are really honest about is that we stay faithful to our roots, of being a games company. The most important criterion is to make sure that what we’re offering can do the best games.”

He’s also warning people already that systems will be in short supply come this holiday season.

For the many PSP owners and enthusiasts, brace yourselves for a storm of new applications heading your way as Sony Computer Entertainment Europe today announced a huge and colourful year for its PSP handheld entertainment system.

The arrival of some big-name titles in 2009 for PAL territories include

These new games will be coming to PSP this year, joining the ranks of popular PlayStation franchises such as the ever entertaining Buzz!

“There are a lot of big claims in the gaming industry but we’re confident when we say that 2009 is going to be an exciting year for PSP,” said Mark Hardy, European Marketing Director, SCEE. “Our fans have demanded big PSP titles and this year, we’re going to deliver again and again. With Resistance: Retribution™, already on its way to stores, PSP gamers are going to get one big franchise after another.”

(Source) Three Speech

If you are among the Final Fantasy fans in the gaming industry, watch out for the official launch of The Last Remnant for PC that is set to be available this March 24, 2009.

THE LAST REMNANT is a completely original adventure title, benefiting from the finest creative talent to build a lush, real-time fantasy world. The game’s battle system has been carefully crafted to deliver a brand-new experience for gamers, as they control forces in massive cinematic battles.

The Games for Windows version boasts a host of new features, these include; giving the player the choice to select Japanese or English voice- overs, improved character animations, the ability to allow multiple leader units to form unions and faster gameplay during battles.

Features

New features not included in the original Xbox 360(R) release version include:

(Source) Press