I don’t usually post quick one-offs, but this is worth it. Welcome to one of the most foolish PR moves in the history of the video game industry. Followed by an understandably quick (and rather humiliating) reversal.

Can’t claim I’m posting this for purely innocent reasons (I have a competitive streak a mile wide) — but I do honestly believe that this is an excellent example of a big corporation being completely out of touch with the rules of the blogosphere.

Want a lesson in handling a potentially negative situation on the Internet in the appropriate manner? See Linden Lab’s handling of the “First Life” campaign.

• Konami is developing a Yoga Training game for the DS. Probably the most stark example of third party publishers buying into the mass-casual vision laid out by Nintendo.
• Acclaim is taking community-centric game design one step further by effectively launching the equivalent of American Idol/The Apprentice for game design. The “best” contributor to an existing project will become the “director” of a future MMOG. Neat stuff; looking forward to seeing whether this is purely a PR stunt, or a genuine attempt to loop users into game design (plus PR stunt).
• Lots of Google/YouTube news. TV networks are thumbing their nose. Google is developing its own DRM solution (to help appease the aforementioned networks, no doubt). But Google has reason to smile, because YouTube traffic keeps exploding.
• I love Penny Arcade. :-)
• Always useful to be reminded how unbelievably compelling Xbox achievements are to some customers…
• GameTap is trying hard (short of significant first or second-party funding, as far as I know) to claim the mantle of “indie game champion.” All kinds of snide, competitive remarks are coming to mind, but I’m stiffling ‘em. ;-)