Quickly…

1. Nintendo’s three goals for its online solution:

   'Free, easy and safe', says Eric Walter of Nintendo of America.

2. Xbox Live Orientation:

   Priceless.

3. When In-Game Ads Go Bad.

   Know your audience before planning your ad placement.

4. ESRB Partners with PTA to Educate Parents on Game Ratings, Online Play.

   The rating organization will work with the Parent Teacher Association to make sure parents are prepared for their kids' online interactions in games.

5. Getting steamed: Digital distribution for games isn’t there yet.

   CNET Australia looks at the problems Valve is facing distributing content internationally with its Steam platform.

6. Eric Goldman talks about the pitfalls of user generated content.

   Thoughts from a law school professor on the topic. Eric will be presenting at the ION Conference later this year.

7. Call of Duty 4 Map Downloads Set Xbox Live Record

   One million downloads in the first nine days. Their platform exclusivity expires 4/24, when it hits the PS3.

8. GamerDNA Gets $3M to Expand on WoW Communities.

   The funding will allow the social network provider behind GuildCafe to expand beyond MMO titles.

9. YNK, PayByCash offer Ultimate Gamer Card for online games payments.

   Users without access to credit cards will be able to buy cards at retail locations and use them in over 150 titles.

10. Petroglyph/True Games Creating Free-to-Play Title.

    The RTS developer will produce a micro-transaction based online game for PC.

11. NCsoft Introduces NCcoin.

    The MMO publisher creates its own in-game commerce tech for in-house titles. Not with NCSoft? Ask us about our own Direct2Game product that offers the same.

12. New Burnout Paradise multiplayer modes offered in PS3/Xbox 360 patch.

    EA & Criterion development studio doesn't shy away from offering significant new multiplayer game play for free in patches to both platforms.

13. Metal Gear Solid 4 online to require two game-specific IDs.

    On top of your PlayStation Network ID, a Konami ID will be required to play the game online

14. In-game ads can help developers fill gaps

    between release schedules with free for play version of their games, says IGA Worldwide's Steve Tucker.

15. Sony’s Peter Dille says PSN community features are a focus for 2008,

    on the occasion of the launch of the redesigned Playstation Network Store. Video services and in-game XMB are also mentioned.