I <3 Iron Maiden

ACME Game Shop Owner in Federal Halfway House

Before he got busted for game piracy Jason Jones was the owner of ACME, one of the cooler game shops in Los Angeles. I met the guy a couple times. Don't know about what he did behind closed doors, but he threw good parties.

LAist just posted an interview with Jones, who is currently serving his sentence in a Hollywood halfway house with other felons.

They all thought it was a joke. I’m the square. I like to think I’m a badass, but I’m not. You’ve got guys in here for heinous shit. Hate crimes, murder, kidnapping. I got shit from them when I first got here. Guys were like “what gang are you with?” and stuff like that. I was like, dude, I’m a guy who rides a skateboard.

Worth a read, if only to see what happens to gaming geeks when a hacking habit morphs into wares distribution.

Unlocked

My buddy Bryan finally got an Xbox 360!

Indie MMO Game Development Conference

Even though Game Informer is based here, Minneapolis isn't exactly ground zero for video game events. The forthcoming Indie MMO Game Development Conference will be the first gaming event I haven't had to travel for in quite some time. The meeting is scheduled for April 14th and 15th and will host talks from Richard A. Bartle, Brian "Psychochild" Green and Jack Emmert. I'll be there, if only to sniff out the next Andrew Tepper.

Today's Hilarious Gaming Headline

"A Videogame That is Good For Your Child"

What'll they think of next? A cigarette that cures cancer?