esa

According to the ESA, there will be a big announcement on Monday regarding E3 2013.

One of the odd things about this year's E3 was that on the way out, we didn't get dates for next year's conference. It turns out that was because the city of LA is planning on knocking down half of the convention center to make room for a football stadium next to the Staples center. Nevermind that they don't have an NFL team yet, they're building it in hopes that will happen.

Anyway speculation has run wild as to when and where the E3 convention will be held next year. Looks like we'll find out on Monday. Rich Taylor of the ESA (the guys that put on the show tweets):

"Hey guys. On Monday I’ll be making a big announcement regarding E3 2013, so be sure to follow me for updates and spread the word! #E32013"

And the @E3expo account backs it up with: 

"Make sure you guys are following @RichAtESA. He’ll be making a big #E32013 announcement on Monday!"

So there you have it, we'll find out Monday. I can't wait... we need to get that hotel room booked in advance... or maybe it'll be in Vegas and we won't have to travel. That'd be nice!

Two new studies find that the engrossing virtual worlds and visual puzzles found in video games significantly lessen individuals' physical pain or mental stress.

We need to get FnJimmy playing Tetris.

Research funded by the National Institutes of Health and presented at the American Pain Society's annual scientific meeting found that playing video games does more than just distract people from physical pain. By engaging other senses, such as sight and touch, game play reduces signals in areas of the brain that are associated with pain. This is particularly true for games that are motion-controlled or feature 3-D worlds, which offer a more fully engaging experience. In a test conducted with burn victims, researchers found that playing video games reduced patients' reported pain ratings by 30 to 50 percent.

Another study conducted by researchers at Oxford University and published in Public Library of Science found that visual puzzles, such as the classic video game Tetris, could reduce symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Following exposure to video clips, participants recorded how often they experienced flashbacks from the film. Those who played Tetris experienced fewer nightmares and painful flashbacks than participants who played a trivia game or did nothing. The study suggests that games challenging a player's visuospatial skills may offer a cognitive treatment against the development of PTSD.

Source: The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) newsletter.