Monks from the Cistercian monastery of Heiligenkreuz - a 12th century monastery just outside Vienna have secured a lucrative recording contract with Universal Music to record Gregorian Plainchant. Universal Executive Tom Lewis credits Halo3 for the resurgence of interest in plainchant.

Here's the article on Yahoo News.

Rather interesting. Halo3 won a number of awards for their sound, including best use of surround sound.

This is just more evidence that gaming is mainstream these days. No more hiding underneath a rock for us gamers.

When Variety Magazine reports on the fact that Video Games revenue is up 27% this year, and that Devil May Cry "sold a boffo 529,000 units" right next to news about high-flying moguls heirs in Italy taking over daddy's empire, and Universal and Dark Horse inking a 3 year deal... we've come a long way, baby!

Electronic Arts Inc., the world's largest video-game publisher, made a $2 billion hostile offer for Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. after management refused to negotiate before its next ``Grand Theft Auto'' release.

According to Bloomberg

``The offer will go up only if Take-Two management is perceived by EA management to have some leverage, and the only leverage they have right now is to make this a friendly deal,'' said Michael Pachter, an analyst with Wedbush Morgan Securities in Los Angeles. Take-Two should meet with Electronic Arts, and in exchange, may get as much as $1 a share more, he said.

Take One - March 2007 - Talks initiated by Take Two. EA terminates to "concentrate on other things"
Take Two - Feb 2008 EA makes hostile bid, Take Two rejects.
What have we in store?

Take Three! Action! Zelnik won't re-negotiate until GTA 3 is out and their stock very possibly goes up. Smart man.

A follow up to an announcement made at GDC, here's the information on how to apply for an SOE G.I.R.L scholarship.

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Are you a woman? Do you go to an Art Institute? Are you interested in creating videogames? If you answered yes to all three of those questions, Sony Online Entertainment might just have a check for $10,000 with your name on it.

Yes, in front of a star-studded crowd -- Fatal1ty and IGN Personality Ryan Geddes were there -- SOE announced its Gamers In Real Life (G.I.R.L.) scholarship, which is open to any female attending one of the nation's more than 40 Art Institutes and interested in the gaming industry career.

"It's no secret to female gamers: women are out there in significant numbers playing MMOs, action games, first-person shooters, etc.," said SOE Senior Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing Torrie Dorrell in a release. "What is lacking in the equation are women behind these games, and we hope G.I.R.L. can help support this program."

The application period for the $10,000 scholarship will begin April 1, and students will need to supply an in-game design, concept art and two essays to be eligible. The winner puts the money towards her education at the Art Institute but will also receive a ten-week, paid internship at one of the SOE studios. Want all of the details? Check out the official web site” Gamers in Real Life.