Yesterday’s big story was the emergence of adverts for Barack Obama in the virtual world of Burnout Paradise on Xbox 360. The in-game advertisements take the form of billboards within the open-world racer and urge players to vote early.

Have you noticed something about Microsoft’s gaming advertising recently? It’s looking more and more like Nintendo’s! Along from the wider marketing blitz - which has seen the Xbox 360 rebranded as a product with genuine mass-market appeal – there has been a seismic shift in both style and emphasis from all communications the company has lent its name to.

 Popular Rapper Soulja Boy has been showing his loyalty to the Xbox brand this weekend via his YouTube channel. In his latest video, the young superstar flaunts his game collection and impressive living room setup, making public his Xbox LIVE gamertag and openly inviting other gamers to challenge him.

 A look at Wieden & Kennedy's efforts to reposition urban planning simulation as something for everyone.

 Warner Bros. wants to get into games. Or at the very least, Warner Bros. wants to be known for games. The classic movie studio, eager to raise the profile of its game publishing arm, has gone all cylinders firing into the marketing for the upcoming ‘Lego Batman’, Variety is reporting.

 When a gaming PR agent launches his own news publication is it any wonder that alarm bells start ringing?

 As a promotional tool, are demos a smart investment for highly anticipated titles?

 Yesterday was a big day for Nintendo. While inevitably it was the DSi which took centre stage among the plethora of announcements what the company also put on show, less explicitly but equally importantly, was a shift in its marketing strategy.

What are the pros and cons of using weblogs as a means of promoting gaming brands and upcomg titles?

 A deal between IGA Worldwide and Activison raises the question of what role advertising has in authentic gaming experiences.