Some Microsoft shareholders, including cofounder Paul Allen's investment group, have called on Microsoft to sell off its Xbox business as a means to boost profitability. Nokia CEO Stephen Elop, who now runs the Xbox business, was even reportedly interested in unloading the Xbox unit. But the Xbox faithful can rest easy, because any potential sales sounds pretty unlikely. Asked by a fan on Twitter if Microsoft was committed to supporting the Xbox platform for the long haul, Xbox boss Phil Spencer said, "Yes, very committed." Support for the Xbox business is strong across the company "from the top of Microsoft to the Xbox teams," Spencer said. According to previous comments from Spencer, new Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is a "good supporter" of Microsoft Studios and the Xbox business unit itself. Allen's investment group, Vulcan Capital, maintains that though the Xbox business has been successful, it's also detracting from Microsoft's core competencies, namely corporate customers. It's unknown if Microsoft has entertained any offers for the Xbox business. source:gamespot

According to the findings of a new study, children who play violent video games regularly might end up having increased levels of violent thoughts and behavior. The report is based on data from Singapore and found that children who often play violent games even believe that hitting is acceptable and can have more aggressive tendencies than children who do not play violent games. "Just like children's bodies can be affected by what they eat, their brains can be affected by what they repeatedly do," Iowa State University researcher Douglas A. Gentile, who worked on the study, told Reuters. Whether or not there is a link between violent games and violent behavior has been a point of debate in gaming circles and even Washington for years now. This new study doesn't conclude anything definitively and its findings aren't without controversy and debate. The study, conducted over the course of three years, included around 3,000 children ages 8 to 17. Every year, the researchers asked the kids how often they play video games, which games were their favorites, and how much violent content was featured in the games. The researchers also asked the children how likely they would be to physically strike someone if provoked. Other questions put to the children included asking for their thoughts about violence in general, whether or not they thought hitting was acceptable in some situations, or if they ever had dreams about hurting others. Children in the study also reported how involved their parents were in limiting how much time they spent playing games. The study, Mediators and Moderators of Long-Term Effects of Violent Video Games on Aggressive Behavior, found that children who played more violent video games often had more fantasies about violent and reported that real-world violent was sometimes acceptable. The correlation was about the same for boys and girls, even for children with and without a history of aggression and parents who were involved or detached from their gaming habits. Stetson University media research professor Christopher Ferguson challenged the study. "This is not a very good study," Ferguson told Reuters. "This data set has been criticized before." Ferguson said the design of this study is similar to a report that the United States Supreme Court struck down in 2011 in its landmark decision about violent video games. Ferguson said one problem with the study is that children might be unlikely to self-report their feelings. This could skew the data, he argued. "The research we have now has been very inconsistent," Ferguson said. "There may be a connection to relatively minor acts of aggression, the equivalent of kids sticking their tongues out at each other," but there is no evidence of a link to bullying, fighting, or school shootings, he said. source:gamespot

Ubisoft has said that it peppered the Assassin's Creed series with clues as to the location of this year's title--the French Revolution--way back in Assassin's Creed Brotherhood. Image credit: Eurogamer. Eurogamer spotted writer Jeffrey Yohalem talking about an ending sequence from 2010's Brotherhood, which displayed the symbols Phrygian Cap, which is associated with the French Revolution, and the masonic Eye of Providence, which referred to the North American setting of Assassin's Creed III. "The symbols pointed to American Revolution and French Revolution," said Yohalem. Ubisoft confirmed Assassin's Creed Unity last week after its existence was leaked online. Yohalem was the lead writer on Assassin's Creed Brotherhood, and later went on to work on the scripts for Far Cry 3 and the upcoming Child of Light. source:gamespot

The list of senior game designers opting to leave Sony for something new continues to grow. Sony Santa Monica game designer Seth Killian announced on Twitter that he has left God of War developer Sony Santa Monica to do something new. His departure from Sony is the latest in a string of high-profile exits from the company, including Driveclub director Col Rodgers, Infamous: Second Son lead designer Jaime Griesemer, and God of War series veteran Stig Asmussen. "Hi guys, I chose to leave my Sony family back in December and on great terms," Killian said. "I was inspired by their amazing indies to do my own thing." Killian made clear that his departure from Sony Santa Monica does not mean the company's game lineup is anything to worry about. "You'll see the games I had the privilege to work on at Sony soon--[sony Santa Monica] has a STELLAR lineup coming," he said. "As for what I'm up to, stay tuned…" Killian, a fighting game veteran who previously worked at Capcom, joined Sony Santa Monica in summer 2012. At Sony, Killian worked as lead game designer for the company's external group, working on games like The Unfinished Swan, PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, and Sound Shapes, among others. You can read more about Killian in our interview. Sony Santa Monica has seen better days. Last month, Sony cut jobs at the studio and even canceled a new IP in development. The company is currently collaborating with Ready at Dawn on The Order: 1886 and is working on a super-secret project with God of War co-creator Cory Barlog. source:gamespot

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Captain America Is Ready For Retirement Chris Evans claims that after he fulfills his Marvel movie contract (including third "Captain America" and "Avengers" flicks), he'll retire from acting to focus on directing. In an interview with Variety, Evans says, "I can't see myself pursuing acting strictly outside of what I'm contractually obligated to do." Though it should be noted that his directorial debut, a film called "1:30 Train" that was shot this winter, stars, ironically, Evans himself. Chris Martin & Gwyneth Paltrow 'Consciously Uncouple' The Coldplay frontman and actress announced their split on Tuesday in a letter posted to Paltrow's GOOP blog, causing the website to crash. Talk about schadenfreude. The news comes after a year of infidelity rumors and, presumably, a lot of time spent apart. Coldplay's been busy recording a new album, Ghost Stories out May 19, and Paltrow's been filming new episodes of "Glee," as well as "Mortdecai" with Johnny Depp. 2014 Lollapalooza Lineup Announced For once, the rumors were true. Eminem, Outkast, Kings of Leon and Skrillex will headline the Chicago music festival this year, with support from the likes of Childish Gambino, Calvin Harris, Arctic Monkeys, and 120+ other performers. Three day passes are already sold out, but single day tickets go on sale today at 10 a.m. EST. Lollapalooza will rock the windy city August 1-3. Chris Hemsworth & Elsa Pataky Name Their Twins Pataky took to Instagram on Tuesday to share the first shot of her week-old twin boys. Granted, the pic was only of their feet, but aren't they the cutest feet you've ever seen? "You are home!" Pataky captioned in her native Spanish. "Tristan and Sasha came to this world on March 18 just after full moon. Complete happiness!" Emma Watson Is Taking Over Our Twitter The "Noah" star will take over the @MTV Twitter handle today, taking us along as she preps for the premiere, walks the red carpet and shares her thoughts about the new Darren Aronofsky epic. Be sure to follow along all day for exclusive updates and images. source:mtv

Minecraft creator Markus "Notch" Persson isn't the only Oculus Rift backer who isn't pleased with the virtual reality company's recent $2 billion acquisition by social networking giant Facebook. The Oculus Rift Kickstarter page is flooded with negative comments about the sale. "What a disappointing decision to cash out even before getting first consumer version out," one backer wrote. Another said, "A sell out is a sell out, and it means the end of VR Gaming. Welcome your Social VR overlords." "Too late for a refund? Unbelievable what happened. I was extremely optimistic for the future of this product and the company behind it, and this is how I'm repaid for my investment? Incredibly disappointing," said another Oculus Rift backer. 21-year-old Oculus Rift creator Palmer Luckey yesterday wrote a detailed blog post about why selling Oculus VR to Facebook makes sense. He said that though he was initially skeptical about partnering with Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook, he said the deal is beneficial to virtual reality supporters because it "accelerates our vision, allows us to execute on some of our most creative ideas, and take risks that were otherwise impossible." GameSpot editor Peter Brown argues in a new editorial that even though Facebook might not be everyone's favorite company, that doesn't mean its acquisition of Oculus VR will negatively impact the Oculus Rift's gaming potential. Check out his full editorial for more.

PlayStation 4-exclusive racing game Driveclub will move forward without its game director. Col Rodgers confirmed to Videogamer that he left Evolution Studios and the Sony family entirely in February to form an indie startup called Big Red Switch Games. Rodgers said his exit from Evolution Studios was not tied to the recent wave of layoffs that affected the company, but was rather an entirely personal decision. He says he remains on good terms with Sony and that Driveclub's development is unaffected by his departure. Driveclub was originally intended as a PS4 launch title, though Sony would later delay the game to a release in spring 2014. Earlier this month, Sony said the game had gone "back to the drawing board." Sony president of Worldwide Studios Shuhei Yoshida told GameSpot at GDC last week that Evolution Studios had experimented with Project Morpheus support for Driveclub. However, the studio couldn't get it right and Yoshida made clear that the company's experimentation with a virtual reality mode is not why the game was delayed. Rodgers is not the only high-ranking PS4 developer to leave Sony recently. Earlier this month, Infamous: Second Son lead designer Jaime Grisemer quit Sucker Punch Productions. source:gamespot

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The previously confirmed new modes for Respawn Entertainment's multiplayer shooter Titanfall will not be locked behind a paygate, cofounder Vince Zampella said on Twitter. These modes will be release for free to all players, instead of being bundled with the game's DLC. "DLC is in the works, not quite done yet though," Zampella said. "Modes we release will be free to all, not part of DLC." Titanfall's $25 DLC pass includes access to three expansion packs. Standalone expansions will sell for $10 each, Zampella revealed, meaning you'll pay a $5 premium if you buy them individually. There's no word yet on when the first expansion will launch. Finally, Zampella also said on Twitter that private matches are coming "soon" to Titanfall and that players can expect double XP weekends sometime in the future. Titanfall launched March 11 for Xbox One and PC. The Xbox 360 version was recently delayed and is now expected to arrive on April 8. Beyond that, we heard last week at GDC that Electronic Arts had secured the rights to publish Titanfall 2, which might not be exclusive to Microsoft platforms. source:gamespot

One day, poor Battlefield 4 will pull something off without a hitch. But not today! Following yesterday's bungled launch of the Naval Strike DLC on PC, developer DICE has now said that it is delaying the launch of the new content on Xbox One. There's no word on a release date, although DICE says it's now targeting an early April release for both the Xbox One and PC versions of the DLC. "We have decided to delay the Xbox One version of Naval Strike because we want to address issues in the animation system that hinder players from engaging targets in set circumstances using popular weapon configurations," said DICE. The developer also explained why it chose to delay the DLC on PC. "Wehave delayed the PC version of Naval Strike because we are concerned that the combination of the pack and planned PC updates would increase performance issues on mid-range to high-end PCs. We are working hard to resolve that issue now. "We know that many Battlefield 4 Premium owners wanted to play Naval Strike today. However, we didn’t want to release the new content until we believed it was quality content." "We are trying to resolve these problems as quickly as possible and hope to release the update in early April for Xbox One and PC. We also want to remind Xbox One and PC owners of Battlefield 4 Premium that they will have two weeks early access for Naval Strike once it’s released. Thanks for your continued patience and passion for our games." source:gamespot

Warning: Spoilers for "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" are ahead! "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" doesn't hit theaters in America until April 4, but the Marvel Studios sequel is already slinging shields on foreign soil. With the international release of "Winter Soldier" in full effect, the gloves are off when it comes to decoding some of the film's more provocative and controversial twists and turns. We start today by looking at one of the female leads in the new "Captain America" movie: Agent 13, the S.H.I.E.L.D. rookie better known by "Captain America" comic book readers as Sharon Carter, the niece of Cap's first flame, Peggy Carter. Emily Van Camp Talks Her 'Captain America' Future While that's not news to comic book fans, it's certainly a newsflash for "Winter Soldier" viewers who lack familiarity with Sharon's paneled page persona. That's because the new movie doesn't delve into Agent 13's connection to Peggy whatsoever, other than revealing her name to be Sharon — not even a mention of her last name, "Carter." "They're just planting the seeds for this character. Marvel likes to sprinkle little bits for the fans," said Emily VanCamp, the actress who plays Agent 13. "Anyone who is a 'Captain America' fan will know that Agent 13 is Sharon Carter. The fact that Cap doesn't know that yet is very interesting, and a fun little thing for them to play with." "When we first see her, we see something in her brewing for Cap," she continued. "There's a tremendous amount of respect and love for him in the comic books, but this is where that respect and switch turns on. This is where she says, 'I'm on your side.' That was very fun." The Sharon Carter reveal, or lack thereof, is just one of many plot threads left dangling in "Winter Soldier," as the "First Avenger" sequel sets up a greater world with compelling story-points to explore in the already planned "Captain America 3." One assumes that Sharon's full story will be revealed in the next film, though VanCamp remains tight-lipped on exactly what to expect. "I love Sharon Carter and Captain America's relationship within the comic books, and there are so many different versions of that," she said. "Where it's headed, I have no idea, but I think it would be great if it gets explored." "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" is in theaters internationally, and releases stateside on April4 . source:mtv

MTV's Musical March Madness tournament is midway through round two ... though, to be honest, we're still coming to grips with the seismically-shocking upset Echosmith pulled in round one. In what will certainly go down as one of the most improbable victories in #MMM history, the unheralded L.A. quartet — making their first appearance in the tournament — knocked off ,a href="http://www.mtv.com/artists/thirty-seconds-to-mars/">Thirty Seconds To Mars, a perennial powerhouse who one year ago battled Ed Sheeran for the championship. Now, Jared Leto and Co. are out ... and Echosmith move on to face the Used in the second round. They're the underdogs once again, but as frontwoman Sydney Sierota told MTV News, they're ready to prove that their win over 30 STM was no fluke. Not entirely, at least. Vote Now In All #MMM Second-Round Matchups! "We didn't expect it; nobody did," she laughed. "Thirty Seconds To Mars is pretty awesome, we love that band, and we didn't think we could beat them until we actually did. We kinda came out of nowhere, so we feel pretty good." And now, Echosmith are out to shock the world once again. But for a band with zero athletic experience ("I did play soccer for bit," Sierota said), advancing in the tournament may prove tough ... so they're relying on their one advantage: Unity. After all, though the term is thrown about loosely these days, Echosmith are literally a band of brothers, made up of siblings Sydney, Jamie, Noah and Graham. And they're counting on that bond — and their fans — to help carry them past the Used, into the Sweet 16, and perhaps beyond. "We'll see what happens. If we win, maybe we'll take the trophy on the Warped Tour with us," Sierota said. "Or at least we'll let out fans pose for pictures with it." And if Echosmith can continue to roll all the way to the #MMM trophy, what would be their first act as reigning champions? "I'm not sure," Sierota laughed. "Maybe get some Chipotle? I love Chipotle." You can help Echosmith live out their burrito dreams! Voting in all second-round #MMM matchups is underway, and polls will remain open until Monday, March 31 at noon E.T. ... so hit the polls, and help this Cinderella story come true! MTV's Musical March Madness tournament is underway! Vote in all second-round matchups now at MMM.MTV.com, and spread the word on Twitter using the hashtag #MMM source:mtv

Well, so much for secrecy. Confirming earlier reports, Eminem, OutKast, Kings Of Leon and Skrillex have been announced as headliners for for Lollapalooza 2014, set for August 1-3 in Chicago's Grant Park. Arctic Monkeys, Calvin Harris, Lorde, the Avett Brothers, Foster The People, Childish Gambino and Nas are just some of the other 130 artists confirmed for this year's Lolla, which is marking a decade in the iconic Chicago park. Want even more names? Okay, how about Broken Bells, Spoon, Young The Giant, Phantogram and Chicago's very own Chance the Rapper. And, as in previous years, Lollapalooza co-founder Perry Farrell will host some of dance music's biggest names — including Zedd, Sebastian Ingrosso and Flosstradamus — on his own namesake stage. Up-and-coming artists like Bleachers, NONONO and Vic Mensa are also on the bill, as are a spate of international acts, including South African rock act Kongos and Ireland's Kodaline. Eminem previously headlined Lollapalooza in 2011, and KOL did the same in 2009. Skrillex follows in the footsteps of dance acts like Avicii and Justice, who made the leap to the main stages in 2012. Three-day passes for this year's fest went on sale Monday — and promptly sold out within an hour. Single-day passes and various VIP packages will be available at 11 am ET (10 am CT) through Lollapalooza.com. source:mtv

Bethesda has announced that the European release date for Wolfenstein: The New Order has been brought forward to May 20. The date shift means Bethesda is staging a simultaneous worldwide launch for the title, which will now be released on the same Tuesday across America, Europe, and Australasia. Bethesda is also offering eventual access to a Doom 4 beta for those who preorder the game. "The New Order seems like it's trying to be Inglourious Basterds, mixing dark, absurd humour with even darker ultraviolence. If the prologue is any indication, I'm not sure MachineGames has enough Tarantino in it to pull this off. But the lows of an inconsistent tone didn't detract from the game's first hour of first-person shooting highs," said GameSpot editor Daniel Hindes after playing the new Wolfenstein earlier this month. Wolfenstein: The New Order will be released for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. source:gamespot

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When Remy Ma went to prison in 2008, she and Fat Joe were on less than friendly terms. But it looks like they may get a fresh start when she comes home this summer. "I just recently spoke to him and we had a wonderful conversation," Remy told Billboard in a recent interview from behind bars. "It started off a little awkward. We're both like, 'Just say what you want to say.' We were both holding on to our egos. 'Well, what do you want to say?' 'No, what do you want to say?' We finally let it go." "He said, 'I still think you're the dopest female rapper ever,' " she said. "I'm like, 'Really?!' When you put egos and pride aside, and be the real people that you are it works out... I told him that when I do go home, I'm going to make it my business that we talk more." Despite their success together last decade when Remy was a member of Joe's Terror Squad, things eventually soured. "Sometimes, when you have hit records out, you let that control your actions and affect your relationships," she said. Joe reflected on the state of their relationship on an August 2010 episode of "RapFix Live." "I don't communicate with her; I wish her the best," he told MTV News. "The fallout we had was ugly." Still, he acknowledged her talent. "I'm sure when she gets out she'll be spittin' fire, 'cause she's the nicest female girl in the game," he said. Remy sounds eager to prove him right. She's scheduled to be released in July. "I want to come home and make an impact," she said. "I feel like my time was cut short and I didn't get to blossom where I wanted to be in my career."

While we may be just less than a year away from the highly anticipated flick, "Fifty Shades of Grey," some very lucky people got their first glimpse of Mr. Grey in action. Those at CinemaCon in Las Vegas on Tuesday were treated to a five-minute look at E L James' erotic novel turned movie. Their reactions have already been making the rounds from CinemaCon attendees. Here's what they're saying: What's Missing It's no secret that probably everyone watching this footage was hoping for some steamy sex scenes, but it looks like we will have to wait until it hits the big screen for some action. The clip focuses on the romance developing between Christian Grey, the billionaire tycoon and the good-girl college student Anastasia Steele. Studio chairman Donna Langely promised the crowd of viewers that stars Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson "have the kind of chemistry that could turn this into the next iconic romance." "While the movie promises to be filled with all kinds of taboo carnal relations, what was shown in the clips was very PG-rated (they didn't even mention the word "sex"),"CinemaBlend's Eric Eisenberg writes, "Of course, there was plenty of innuendo and suggestion of Christian Grey's habits behind locked doors, but none of it was explicitly shown. The closest is came to showing anything even remotely R-rated was Ana tied to a bed with a blindfold on, but even that shot lasted only about a half a second." What Made It While they may have opted to keep the footage PG, they didn't leave out everything. "The clip showcased the burgeoning romance, filling the screen with some of the iconic moments fans of the book will remember, like the first introduction in his office: Anastasia nervous and earnest; Grey, handsome and aloof," Entertainment Weekly's Nicole Sperling wrote. "Grey's surprise appearance at the hardware store and his helicopter also make an appearance. Plus audiences were given a sense of the Grey psyche with Dornan uttering, "Hearts and flowers: That's not who I am." The Performances Probably just as anticipated as the sensual scenes is how Dornan and Johnson play the characters. Grey is a complex, sexy individual with a penchant for the erotic, while Ana is a clean-cut innocent college student. "As for the actors, Johnson appears to play Anastasia's wide-eyed perspective appropriately and certainly looks good with a reddish brown dyed hair," Gregory Ellwood of HitFix wrote. "Jamie Dornan is handsome and has that debonair thing down, but...whether the two of them have genuine chemistry remains to be seen." Final Word While still so many questions remain unanswered, it seemed like the five-minute teaser left viewers wanting more, with Variety writing that "Universal played it safe." However, LA Times writer Amy Kaufman pointed out that the footage may have been stripped of its sexiness due to its audience. "It's of course possible some of that footage was of the toned-down sort thanks to the CinemaCon crowd, which can be a more buttoned-up group," Kaufman wrote. "Still, that only underscores the balance Universal must strike in selling this film to a large mainstream audience, some portions of which may have appreciated the explicitness in the privacy of their own home more than they will in the communal setting of a movie theater." "Fifty Shades of Grey" hits theaters February 13, 2015. source:mtv

Remember when we all collectively freaked out when we heard that the Backstreet Boys and the Spice Girls might just be joining forces for a world tour? Yeah, well, scratch that. A rep for the Backstreet Boys confirmed to MTV News that rumors that the hookup to end all hookups were definitely not true. The rumor caught fire after BSB's Brian Littrell reportedly told U.K.'s The Sun that "We are actually in early talks about maybe doing a world tour together with the Spice Girls." But they'll be a little busy this year -- not only are they hitting the road with Avril Lavigne on a North American trek this summer, they've also got their Backstreet Boys Cruise in October. Their In A World Like This Tour with Avril kicks off on May 3. »5/3 -- Moncton Coliseum Arena -- Moncton, NB
 »5/4 -- Halifax Metro Centre -- Halifax, NS
 »5/6 -- Rogers K-Rock Centre -- Kingston, ON
 »5/7 -- Budweiser Gardens -- London, ON
 »5/8 -- Frist Ontario Centre -- Hamilton, ON
 »5/11 -- MTS Centre -- Winnipeg, MB
 »5/13 -- Mosaic Place -- Moose Jaw, SK
 »5/14 -- Enmax Centre -- Lethbridge, AB
 »5/16 -- Scotiabank Saddledome -- Calgary, AB
 »5/17 -- Rexall Place -- Edmonton, AB
 »5/18 -- EnCana Events Centre -- Dawson Creek, BC
 »5/20 -- Rogers Arena -- Vancouver, BC
 »5/22 -- WaMu Theater, Seattle, Wash.
 »5/24 -- Sleep Train Amphitheatre -- Sacramento, CA.
 »5/25 -- Shoreline Amphitheatre - Mountain View, CA
 »5/28 -- Viejas Arena, San Diego - CA
 »5/29 -- The Forum, Los Angeles - CA
 »5/30-31 -- Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino - Las Vegas, NV
 »6/2- Isleta Amphitheater - Albuquerque, NM
 »6/4 -- American Bank Center Arena - Corpus Christi, TX
 »6/5 -- Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion - Houston, TX
 »6/6 -- Chesapeake Energy Arena - Oklahoma City, OK
 »6/7 -- Starlight Theatre, Kansas City - MO
 »6/9 -- CenturyLink Center Omaha - Omaha, NE
 »6/10 -- Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul - MN
 »6/11 -- FirstMerit Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island - Chicago, IL
 »/13 -- Klipsch Music Center - Indianapolis, IN
 »6/14 -- First Niagara Pavilion - Pittsburgh, PA
 »6/15 -- Riverbend Music Center - Cincinnati, OH
 »6/17 -- DTE Energy Music Theatre - Detroit, MI
 »6/18 -- Darien Lake Performing Arts Center - Darien Lake, NY
 »6/20 -- Xfinity Center - Boston, MA
 »6/21 -- Susquehanna Bank Center - Philadelphia, PA
 »6/22 -- Nikon at Jones Beach Theater - Wantagh, NY source:mtv

The dust finally settled on "The Voice" battle round stage Tuesday night (March 25), and coaches Adam Levine, Shakira, Usher, and Blake Shelton had nailed down their teams of eight singers. With only six more vocal battles to go, and coach Usher with the only steal left, the remaining contestants left their coaches with some of the toughest decisions seen in this stage of the competition. Here's how the final battles went down: It Comes Down To A 'Matter Of Taste' When Cary Laine and Sam Behymer hit the battle stage to represent Team Adam, it was clear to all the coaches that it was an equally matched duel. Behymer's airy and quirky voice coupled with Laine's country powerhouse vocals made for an interesting and resonating rendition of Ed Sheeran's "Give Me Love." Shelton commended the singers for "captur[ing] the mood" of the song, but found it hard to pick a winner, advising Levine that it was simply a "matter of taste." In the end, Levine declared the "quiet thunder" Sam Behymer the winner. 'The Voice' Battle Rounds Continue With 'Everything' 'A Little Love Ditty' Coach Shelton chose to put folk-pop singer Kaleigh Glanton against crooner Noah Lis for his last vocal battle. With Michael Buble's "Everything," Usher warned Lis of his tendency to be "too lounge," but commended the singer on his great upper range. The young crooner may have been more in his comfort zone, but Glanton rose to the occasion, wowing her coach with vocal abilities Shelton insists simply cannot be taught. In the end, Kaleigh Glanton was chosen as the winner. Be Bold, Be Brave With only one steal slot left, Usher waited patiently for just the right artist to hit his button for. The final battle came from Team Shakira's Emily B. and Cierra Mickens. Guest mentor Miranda Lambert urged both singers to leave their hearts on the stage, and with Sara Bareilles' triumphant song "Brave" the two soulful singers did just that. Coach Shakira was torn between Mickens' "deep and rounded voice" and Emily B.'s story of strength and survival, but in the end, she declared Emily B. the winner. As Mickens made her way off the stage, Usher hit his steal button, and nearly brought the singer to her knees. He told her that there was "beautiful talent" he sees in her that he wants "the world to be a part of." Now that the first round of battles is completed, "The Voice" will debut a new twist in the show: a second level of battle rounds with one final steal available. The best of the best will enter the battle stage one more time for a spot in the playoffs, but their opponents will be a surprise. The battle pairings will choose their own songs, and be mentored by possibly the biggest guest artist to hit the singing competition, Coldplay's Chris Martin. As the competition heads into the second round of battles next Monday (March 31), here's how the teams look: Team Adam Kat Perkins Delvin Choice Josh Kaufman Dawn & Hawkes Sam Behymer Christina Grimmie Brittnee Camelle (steal) Jake Barker (steal) Team Shakira Dani Moz Clarissa Serna Deja Hall Ddendyl Emily B. Kristen Merlin Patrick Thomson (steal) Josh Murley (steal) Team Usher T.J. Wilkins Stevie Jo Melissa Jimenez Madilyn Paige Bria Kelly Morgan Wallen Ayesha "Music Box" Brooks (steal) Cierra Mickens (steal) Team Blake Jake Worthington Sisaundra Lewis Audra McLaughlin Megan Rüger Ryan Whyte Maloney Kaleigh Glanton Biff Gore (steal) Tess Boyer (steal) source:mtv

Future wants to keep it all the way real with his fans on his sophomore LP, Honest. But when he had to leave the Nicki Minaj-assisted track "Rockstar," on the cutting room floor because George Michael refused to clear the sample from his hit, "Never Gonna Dance," the "Move That Dope" MC reportedly dared the writers at his private listening session Tuesday night (March 25) to record the song on their phones and leak it themselves. In two short clips posted via Instagram, the DJ Clue-produced song begins with the familiar beat from the British singer's song, with Future Vandross amending the refrain with lines like, "All my life and all my dreams, all my bitches in love with me/ I like the life we lead, surrounded by a bunch of stars." Next up, as the bass-heavy beat works up into a lather, Minaj chimes in with her signature flow. Future can be seen nodding his head and mouthing the YMCMB empress' lyrics that begin with the line, "How Imma come on it? I just come on it/ Another bitch why would you put a drum on it?" And just like that, with Minaj about to fire off more bars, the video ends abruptly. Although "Rockstar" won't make the album, Future allegedly hinted that the song might eventually be released anyway source:mtv

The practice of issuing copyright infringement notices for the purpose of obtaining cash settlements is now commonly referred to as “copyright trolling." It’s a practice that started in Germany, before moving to the UK and US, and now it’s facing a resurgence in Europe, this time in Finland. finlandIt’s a system that first started in Europe with games and especially pornography, where people were less likely to fight back due to fear of public embarrassment. The aim for copyright holders is to avoid litigation while generating revenue. Their evidence is often questionable and as a result those that fight back often have their cases dropped – trolls tend to prefer the escape option over the consequences of an adverse verdict. After moving to the U.S., settlement programs gained prominence through the actions of entities including Prenda and X-Art. These schemes have come under increasing fire in U.S. courts, so it’s perhaps unsurprising that a new country is now on the agenda. Citizens of Finland are now being subjecting to pay-up-or-else letters, but the decision to target this Scandinavian country isn’t the most obvious one, thanks to less favorable laws than those in the US. Letters that have recently gone out to some Finnish Internet subscribers (translated example below, from a DNA customer) accuse them of downloading porn using BitTorrent and include an offer to settle for ‘only 600 euros’ (about US$825). A vague reference to the police is also included, ratcheting up the pressure to comply. According to Ville Oksanne, vice chair of the EFFi and Post-doc researcher at Aalto University, under Finnish law the account holder is presumed to be the infringer by the courts, unless the or she can show that someone may have used the account. In addition, the loser of a case pays the costs, unlike in the U.S. where each side pays its own costs with a few exceptions (such as a baseless case). More and more courts around the world are starting to look closely into these kinds of cases, and in some instances throwing them out. That’s not so good if you’re liable for the substantial cost of defense. TorrentFreak has been able to confirm that the letters relate to content from the Hustler stable, who committed to “turning piracy into profit”, presumably through these troll tactics, as far back as 2009. Why this scheme is starting in Finland now is unknown, although the crowdsourced copyright law may make it less profitable in the future. According to Oksanen, the law as written would remove some sections of copyright law, making account-holder identification much harder. The lawfirm behind this letter, Hedman Partners, did not respond to requests at the time of publication. http://torrentfreak.com/file-sharing-copyright-trolls-invade-finland-140326/

Age of Wonders has returned, and this past week I spent a lot of quality time with the latest in this long-running strategy series. However, at the time of this writing, I have not yet been successful in playing Age of Wonders III online. This means I'm not ready to pass judgment on the game just yet, but I wanted to share with you my thoughts and impressions on what I've played thus far. Age of Wonders III is at its best when you're leading your army in glorious battle. From flanking bonuses and line of sight to magical research and the industrial infrastructure of your empire, every detail in this turn-based strategy game contributes toward making the battlefield as complex and rewarding as possible. And because its managerial aspects are kept to a minimum, Age of Wonders III is easy to pick up, moves at a fast clip, and frees you up to focus your attention on the action. Your path to glorious battle starts with building an empire. You settle cities and expand your kingdom in much the same way as in Civilization; however, in Age of Wonders III, all empire management is geared towards fielding and enhancing your army. Your cities do not require a lot of micromanaging, so you can concentrate on your troops. When you engage another army in battle, you are transported to a more intimate arena that's separate from the world map. The fighting takes place on a hex-based grid, which is usually filled with trees, boulders, or, in the case of urban assaults, city walls. Using the terrain, your skills, and every other tool at your disposal is paramount to victory. Rushing headlong into the fight only gets you slaughtered. The key to victory lies in internalizing all these different factors and working out a solution that forces your opponent to make a mistake. Similar to the XCOM series, Age of Wonders III gives you plenty of opportunities to screw up in battle. Flanking attacks from teleporting foes, shield-bearing enemies who can deflect arrows, and a wide variety of harmful spells are just some of the dozens of possibilities you must juggle in a given encounter. The key to victory lies in internalizing all these different factors and working out a solution that forces your opponent to make a mistake. There's a lot to keep up with, but the game does a good job of presenting all this information in an easily accessible way. When you emerge victorious, it's because you outmaneuvered your opponent and successfully capitalized on his or her mistakes. Woven between the combat and empire building is your empire's research tree, where you research new spells and technologies for your people. It's one of your most powerful assets, but also one of the most unpredictable. Depending on your class and race, there are always a few staples on the tree--such as basic seafaring or the ability to cast more spells per turn--but the rest are randomly selected and can be unlocked in any order. If you start out with a few direct-damage spells, you may wish to press that advantage by being extra aggressive, while on the flip side, if you have a magical ward for your city, you may wish to stick close to home. While they may be unpredictable, your available research options are always balanced in such a way that you never feel at a loss or underpowered. Adaptation is the mark of a good leader. While Age of Wonders III does a good job of providing variety in most aspects of the game, there is one area that is underrealized: the classes and races. In the end, your class and race selections simply apply subtle variations on the same core set of units, and as a result, encounters can start to feel similar in spite of the game's elements of randomness. Sure, the orc archer may have a -1 penalty to damage while the elven archer has a +1, but in the end, they both behave largely the same. This isn't to say that the core set is unbalanced or not fun to command; however, it would have been nice to see the differences between these different factions pushed a little further to open up even more diverse strategies and tactics in battle. Dragons of all stripes are always a pain, regardless of which army you're playing. With its tactically rewarding battles and streamlined empire management, Age of Wonders III is a well-crafted strategy game that doesn't let itself get bogged down in needless busywork. It pushes your focus onto its strongest suit, the battlefield, while keeping everything else in the background. Some smart elements of randomness help keep you on your toes after multiple sessions, though you will find several go-to strategies still apply regardless of the sort of army you lead. Hopefully the odds will be in my favor when I take the game online. Be on the lookout for the full review of Age of Wonders III on the PC ahead of the game's March 31 release. source:gamespot