AP - Nintendo Co.’s net profit surged 47.7 percent to a record high, powered by strong sales of software and accessories for its popular Wii video game console and brisk sales of its DS handheld devices.

Reuters - Japan’s Nintendo Co Ltd (7974.OS), maker of the hit Wii game machine, said on Thursday fourth-quarter profit jumped 60 percent but it forecast only modest annual growth of 9 percent as sales of its DS handheld machine slow.

Reuters - Sony’s PlayStation 3 is off to the races with a teaser installment of its iconic “Gran Turismo” franchise, starting this year’s high-octane video game lineup with a wave of the checkered flag.

NewsFactor - While the buzz is building that Grand Theft Auto IV will be the biggest video game release ever, the leaked copies of the software are making it onto the Internet.

Reuters - After exhausting just about every elf, dragon and knight featured in Western cultures, makers of popular online games are turning to ancient Asian history and war heroes for new inspiration.