It's better to give than to receive - this was the point of the new initiative set up by Ratchet & Clank developers Insomniac Games as it introduced a new technology sharing program entitled "Nocturnal" for other video game developers in the industry. Its aim is basically to create a central information hub which different devs can share with one another. You can find out more about the Nocturnal initiative by reading our full article after the jump.

If you loved Insomniac Games' Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, then you'd be interested in what old pal Quartermann has to say about its next chapter. In the latest EGM issue, the gaming seer also talks about Tecmo Bowl and a possible challenger to Mario's platform game throne from Disney. We smell a hidden Mickey! All this and more after the jump!

It's been a common practice in the video game industry for developers to license game engine technology to avoid having to build the foundations of games, saving time and money in the process. However, some of the industry's best game makers see this as a bad practice, fueling a debate in DICE 2008. Find out who are for it and who are against it, and which side AAA titles like Resistance: Fall of Ma, Ratchet & Clank, BioShock, and Mass Effect fall into when you read the full article ahead.

A few months ago, Insomniac Games' Marketing Director Ryan Schneider had commented that they (Insomniac) were flattered by games that were apparently influenced by their Ratchet and Clank franchise. Among the title he noted was Shigeru Miyamoto's Super Mario Galaxy. So, was this the case? Read the full article and find out!

eGames Australia has a lot in store for its gamers this year. Keynote speakers from 2K Games, Insomniac Games, and Nintendo of America are all in the roster along with many treats. Musical performances, game demos, and panel discussions addressing the latest issues are all in store for those who'll be there. Find out more as the people behind BioShock and Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction give straightforward answers to game-related questions.

Keiji Inafune may have implied, quite bluntly and painfully, too, that Clover Studio's primary failure was the bottom line. It was a failure of marketing, not of development. That (though not Clover) was the theme of an MI6 Conference workshop headed by Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) and Insomniac Games marketing chiefs Torrie Dorrell and Ryan Schneider, Next-Gen reports.

If Clover and Capcom had done what SOE does, would the studio not have met its demise? Torrie revealed that in each of SOE's projects, the development head is "married" to a marketing head, and the two are expected to work together to get the game to market.

This means that we see less of, say, the very aggressive developer who pushes away everything that marketing says. But it also encourages marketing to understand the point of view of developers and the challenges they face. It makes the relationship much less adversarial.

Same thing at Insomniac: Ryan describes it as "bringing everyone together," an all-hands evolution. Sometimes it even involves outside people: Torrie mentions focus groups (no matter how devs may hate them for... cramping their style, like).

Does it really have to hurt development and creativity? Torrie points out that Marketing's job isn't to tell the developers what to do with their games, but "only to recognize the facts that we need to know to make the best game that we can and sell as many copies as we can."

Again this goes back to: with better marketing support, either insisted by Capcom or insisted by Clover, would Okami have been a bestseller that knocked everyone's socks off? Loved the game, but the sales don't do it justice. Perhaps the solution to bringing creative and inspiring games to market (and not just more clones) doesn't only lie in creative games production, but in excellent marketing as well.

Gaming is a business, after all. But who says business had to be stagnant?

A couple of weeks ago, we ran an article titled "Seven reasons to love the PS3." This time, Insomniac head honcho Brian Hastings raises the bar and gives us 10 reasons why he believes the PS3 will yet win this generation's console war. These are his reasons in no particular order:

1. Home & LittleBigPlanet
2. Free online
3. 50 GB games
4. Casino Royale
5. HDMI
6. Standard HDD
7. The Wii fad will fade
8. PS3 has a major CPU advantage
9. PS2 still outselling 360
10. Something for everyone

In addition to those reasons, Hastings also took a swipe at the Wii, explaining that the communal factor will fizzle in time and at the end of the day, will be a non- issue. Insomniac Games is the creative force behind the marquee platform series Ratchet and Clank.

If you want to read a little tale spun by the outspoken Insomniac head, you can follow the read URL.

For the high school seniors out there, you've already come to that point where you can look forward to college. In hope or in dread, we can't help you there. Alistair Wallis of GameCareerGuide.com could, though. Although addressed to college seniors rather than high school seniors, "What Game Companies Want From Graduates" helps the shiny-faced, wet-ears high school senior, too. After all, you've got four years to prep yourself to be the kind of guy that Ubisoft wants, right?

The article features interviews with gaming industry recruitment people from Electronic Arts, Insomniac Games, and THQ, and demands the Read link below. Long story short, however:

• (At least EA) encourages the traditional educational route: the hard work through a regular collegiate degree. "Game schools" are nice, too - although the idea is so new as its impact in the industry is, well, "unclear." (We can presume that the first batch of graduates from these courses have more than their merits and skills to prove, but their alma maters, too).
• (Hey, just be glad Harvard won't be on the top of the most wanted list in this department anytime soon - but don't tell Harvard.)
  
• The industry loves people with a passion for the industry (duh): make sure this is reflected in your course work (as much as you could) and internships.
• Flexibility is key, Kim - not to mention good interpersonal skills, diligence in the work, creativity and talent (not to mention endurance). But, as Insomniac's recruitment/staffing chief puts it, they've got no "cookie cutter" in their recruitment office (at least for Insomniac). There really is no mold of sorts to fit - it comes back to the passion and the talent, really.
• Individual companies often have individual requirements (depending on shortages of personnel in key areas, key projects in the pipeline, etc.).
• When you finally decide to submit that application, or sit down for that interview: do your research, bring your "A" game. Demonstrate how you can  stand out of the crowd - you know, like making your own games, for example. Well, the PSP, NDS, and XNA homebrew communities down here have that one nailed.

GameDaily is apparently done with its selection process for person of the Year. Insomniac Games CEO Ted Price and Bethesda Softworks' Todd Howard come in at a tie for slot number 5. Cliffy B gets fourth place. WoW Wizard Rob Pardo gets number 3 Slot. Satoru Iwata comes in at second.

So who gets top honor this year? It's ESA president Douglas Lowenstein.

If you're wondering why he deserves top spot, just try to recall how many times the guy went to Capitol Hill. Too bad he's making an exit.

Anyhow, you could also check out QJ's 2006 Community Awards and let your voices be heard.

Insomniac Games, best known for creating the multi-million unit selling Ratchet & Clank and Spyro the Dragon franchises for the PlayStation and PlayStation2 consoles, has once again made it into the "50 Best Small & Medium Sized Companies to Work for in America" rankings.

The 155-employee strong company retained its unique distinction of being the first and only videogames company named to the list, getting fourth place in the "small companies" category. The company placed third in the same category last year.

The rankings, compiled by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), recognize the top 25 small and top 25 medium companies in America that have used smart people management strategies to develop successful organizations with highly productive and satisfied workforces.

The results were primarily based on a randomly distributed employee opinion survey that measures several categories such as workplace environment, management's responsiveness to employee feedback, and adherence to company philosophy. Each company evaluated was given a score based on employees' responses to this detailed questionnaire. In addition, further assessments of company programs, practices and workplace culture were factored into judging.

Insomniac Games is currently developing Resistance: Fall of Man for the PS3.