The employees who recently got axed from Electronic Arts probably won't agree with this one. Speaking at the DICE Summit, EA CEO John Riccitiello remarked that the recession is a "blessing" for the video game industry. "The riffraff" will be forced out of business, and that means less poor quality games.

I'll have to say I agree with him. And disturbed that I do.

Games and movies, will they ever be seen under the same light? For the new Dragonball: Evolution game for the PSP, at least, maybe not. Then again, that's a different matter altogether... Enter EA CEO John Riccitiello talking about video games as an art form - he thinks that within five years, the game industry may prove every one wrong, that games do have the potential to be considered just as impressive as movies and books.

Bambi, Evanescence, and video games. Bet you can't find the connection. At the DICE Summit, Ubisoft Montreal CEO Yannis Mallat presented a video featuring Bambi clips set to an Evanescence track in order to demonstrate how games aren't all about the technology. Rather, technology is simply a tool to express a message, one that produces an emotional response from the gamer. More on this in the full article.

There was a time when developing games in your own garage would have made you rich beyond your wildest dreams. That dream is getting farther and farther out of reach as the video game industry is becoming larger and more complex. EA CEO John Riccitiello remarked in his DICE keynote speech that by 2010, the garage studio dream will no longer be possible. More in the full article.

Here's an update on the current DICE Summit 08: Roger Hector, Vice President of Development at Namco Bandai, gave a short talk on how video games have made fictional characters into living icons. He even mentioned one of the greatest icons living until now. Details in the full article.

Masaya Matsuura made a name for himself when he introduced the Parappa the Rapper series and set off a growing trend in the rhythm-based video game genre. The founder of NanaOn-Sha talks about the potential of the now flourishing game genre and how developers should explore its vast potential. You can read about his interview in the full article after the jump.

Microsoft Game Studios Vice President Shane Kim discussed several choice topics during the recent DICE Summit in Las Vegas last Thursday. Among the things he mentioned were the company's move to expand its userbase into the casual gaming market, more Halo projects and some other small tidbits discussing the state of the gaming company and its plans for the future (a portable handheld gaming console, perhaps?). Read more about what Shane Kim had to say in the full article.

DICE Summit 08 had much to offer with the 11th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, and games such as Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, BioShock, and The Orange Box came home as big winners, garnering four awards each.

Individual achievements by Mike Morhaime and Ken Kutaragi were also recognized by The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences. Details in the full article.

During the DICE Summit, Michael Gallagher, CEO and new president of the ESA, told the audience that the video games industry has become mainstream.

It all started with Pong, the game industry has finally arrived with games reaching millions of households in the US and throughout the rest if the world. Details of his speech in the full article.

Entertainment Software Association (ESA) announced today that it has finally found the replacement for former president Doug Lowenstein in the person of Michael D. Gallagher.

Prior to this, the trade group representing U.S. computer and video game publishers went without a leader for almost five months. Gallagher used to be the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information is currently the Communications Practice chair at leading international law firm Perkins Coie.

His academic background includes a degree in Economics and Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley as well as Juris Doctor from the University of California, Los Angeles. ESA Board of Directors Chair Robbie Bach had this to say:

Mike's outstanding technology, policy, and government relations experience makes him a strong fit for the ESA, where issues like intellectual property, self-regulation, and industry social and economic contributions are at the forefront of the agenda.

It should be remembered that Lowenstein fired some shots at the DICE Summit saying that he is sick and tired of the people in the video game industry sitting on their hands and letting others do the hard work. The former president was particularly articulate about the seeming lack of participation by the industry in pushing for video game-related legislation.

Despite the scathing comments from the ESA's former head, it looks like Gallagher is quite happy and excited to man the position. Here's what the newly-named president, who will begin his term later this month, said:

It is a privilege to represent the dynamic entertainment software industry. From consoles and PCs to handhelds and broadband enabled cell phones -- the business is poised for tremendous growth. I look forward to working with federal and state leaders to foster an environment where the industry and its consumers can thrive.