To usher in the New Year, Microsoft has announced some new changes to the Xbox Live Indie Games App Hub, giving developers a bit more flexibility with the games they can release on the platform.

Today, Zynga launched Hidden Chronicles, a hidden object title that stands apart from the company's traditional, resource management games like FarmVille or CityVille.

Pandemic co-founder Greg Borrud details his latest venture at social startup Seismic Games, noting the emerging social space is sort of a "replay of the mid-90s" PC market.

Thanks in part to donations from throughout the game industry, the Penny Arcade-led Child's Play charity brought in $3,512,345 in 2011, all of which will go toward providing toys and games to hospitalized children around the world.

Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter said he is much more optimistic about the future of Nintendo's latest handheld, even though it may never catch up to its successful predecessor.