As if on cue, given the previous story, Electronic Arts has decided that fans DO respond to brand names and plans to consolidate its studios into a few new categories. Marketing weenies have realized that the EA Sports division sells fairly well because people associate one product with another. "I like Madden 2001 this year, hey, maybe I should buy that EA Basketball game too!" The result of all this will be that Origin, Maxis, Bullfrog and Westwood will disappear as separate entities and brands, forever being known only as EA Games. This basically means I don't have Origin Systems to kick around anymore.

"This is about the consumer walking in the store and making it easier for him or her to identify EA titles," Brown explained. "EA doesn't want you to think of development studios, we want you to think of EA, EA and only EA!"

Did you buy Ultima IX: Ascension because it was released by producer Electronic Arts? How about Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun? Actually, why did you buy any of those titles? Maybe this division should be renamed EA Crap instead.

Looks like Westwoo-- er-- EA Games is going to make that old 80's Patrick Swayze movie Red Dawn come true. They've just announced that Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 will be shown at E3. Since it's doubtlessly based on that RTS retread engine Tiberian Sun this is probably nothing to get too excited about.... Unless you're that puffy guy they got to play Stalin last time around. Verk is verk, eh comrade?

The hotly anticipated sequel to the classic 70's anime cartoon Battle of the Planets is apparently in stores! How did I miss this one the first time? Whoo-hoo! G-Force! It'll be great! Tiny, Princess, Keyop and the evil Zoltar all on my desk... What? NVIDIA? Oh, right the graphics card, cool. Ahem. Never mind.