This weeks news brought directly to your living room!
1) And the Nobel Prize goes to…
The Nobel Prize in Literature 2013 went to renowned Canadian short-story writer Alice Munro. Munro is most known for her writing style, where she begins the story in the middle and then either go forward or backwards in time.
At the age of 82, she has announced that her collection “Dear Life”, published in 2012, will be her last.
“It just seems impossible, it seems just so splendid a thing to happen.” she said after being woken up at 4am to get the news from the Nobel Committee.
2) Eve Online gets graphic novel
Eve: True Stories is the first written piece on the ever-so-popular game Eve Online. The game already have an animated series made about it and next year this graphic novel will follow.
Written by Wolverine: Origins story writer Daniel Way, it will contain stories based on actual player experiences and have artwork from the creators of 28 Days Later, Daredevil Noir, Suicide Squad, Star Wars: Crimson Empire Saga and Star Wars: Old Republic.
The first issue will be released in February 2014.
3) Frank Sinatra’s top-selling album re-released
It’s been 20 years since Frank Sinatra’s Duets was released. The album sold platinum several times over and had an equally successful follow-up the year after. The two albums will now be re-released in digital form as 3 packages. You can either get the digitally remastered tracks as 2 LP’s, 2 CD’s or the Super Deluxe 20th Anniversary Box Set, containing the LP’s, CD’s and a lot of other goodies. This pack includes, among other things, the rare deleted album Classic Duets from his time at ABC TV and a DVD with interviews and a promo video of “I’ve Got You Under My Skin”, performed by Sinatra and Bono.
Frank Sinatra’s Duets: 20th Anniversary Edition is set to be released on November 18th 2013.
4) Burn2 is coming to Second Life
The virtual Burning Man festival, Burn 2, is coming to Second Life for the 10th year in a row. Burning Man is an annual celebration of community and altruism taking place in a desert field over a weekend. The participants carry all the supplies they need by foot and will also have to make room for entertainment in their packing. It has become such a skill to pack for Burning Man that they are nowadays building an entire town around the man. One of the 10 principles they follow is the principle of Leaving No Trace, which is exactly what they do. The entire town and all traces of them ever being there are cleaned up when they are done.
Burn2 is the virtual version of Burning Man, designed for those who cannot participate in the real life version. It was created shortly after Second Life was created by some of the Lindens themselves, who are avid “burners” but didn’t have time to go to the real one. Over the years, the organization of the project has changed hands and have finally landed entirely in the hands of the Burning Man organizers. This is to ensure the participants that it resembles the real deal as closely as possible, while tweaking the aspects that cannot be transferred from analogue to digital world.
This weekend, Burn2 will start it’s week-long journey in Second Life.
5) Simply Games in ransom drama
British web store Simply Games got into some trouble this week when they sent out what was perceived as a ransom notice to their customers. Everyone who had pre-ordered a Playstation 4 was asked to pay a fee of 65£ in order to keep their order status.
The gaming console has been sold out already and is near impossible to get anywhere else and many feel Simply Games are taking advantage of the market situation, since they know they can get the console sold for more if someone doesn’t wish to keep their order status.
The free-standing organisation in charge of making stores keep to the law, Trading Standards, deemed this action unlawful despite Simply Games’ claim that the pre-order is an invite to treat, not a binding contract.
Simply Games owner Neil Muspratt said in an interview with CVG that they do not intend to change this policy in light of the criticism, but that they will do what they can to make sure those who did not order a bundle will get their standalone consoles. Those they cannot deliver to will still have to upgrade to a bundle.