Years and years ago, MW2 didn't automatically translate into "Modern Warfare 2"; PC gamers were using that shorthand to refer to the fine giant robot action-sim MechWarrior 2. While I didn't devour the lore to name all the Clans or the five Houses within the Inner Sphere, I did spend a lot of time alternating between TIE Fighter and MechWarrior 2 (especially MW2: Mercenaries).

Besides the slick opening cinematics that had mechs jump-jetting around each other or Kodiaks hiding in the snow, the MechWarrior series struck a great balance between simulation and action. As much as I respected the like of Jane's Combat Simulations, I confess that it was easier for me to manage a giant robot brimming with autocannons and particle projector cannons (PPCs) than to try to fly an F-15 or an AH-64 Apache.

A few matches of MechWarrior Online at a community event last week prompted the above reminiscing. While I generally associate the phrase "free to play shooter" with Counter-Strike knockoffs, I found myself pleasantly surprised at how this free to play shooter managed to conjure up memories. I had to unlearn a lot of habits that modern first person games instilled in me, and remembered what the heck I did in the mid-'90s.

Read more: A giant tank with legs »

If the string of developers making the same game with the exact same map weren't a big enough hint that the MOBA--Multiplayer Online Battle Arena, or 'DotA clone' to you and me--is getting big, the genre's now getting its very own mouse. Peripheral maker Razer yesterday at CES announced the Naga Hex, packing six extra buttons designed for your Doting pleasure.

Read more: Buttons for Dota players »

Peripheral manufacturer Razer has unveiled a concept design for a portable gaming PC called Switchblade, which boasts a touchscreen and a flash dynamic keyboard.

Switchblade is built upon an Intel Atom processor and packs a seven-inch multi-touch screen but the real star certainly is surely that pretty little keyboard, which Razer explains would reconfigure its layout and appearance "based on game content and user requirements." Read more »

Razer, makers of gaming peripherals for the PC, is set to release a gaming mouse for left-handed individuals.

The DeathAdder Left Hand Edition, based upon the company's DeathAdder product, runs $59.99, but is currently back-ordered. Shipments should start going out worldwide on March 24th. Read more »

A couple of new developer-centric tools facilitating the integration of the bluntly-named "Ultra-Precise Motion Controller" were released today via Steam, Valve Software's digital distribution service. Created by PC gaming peripheral-maker Razer and technology developer Sixense, the tools mark the latest endeavor born from the multi-year partnership between the three companies, which was announced back in January.

Gaming hardware developer Razer has announced a new multi-year partnership with Sixense Entertainment and Valve Software to deliver a, "...revolutionary true-to-life, next-generation motion sensing and gesture recognition controller for PC gaming."

Razer, Valve, and Sixense, along with a selection of PC OEM partners, are aiming to produce, "...ultra-precise one-to-one motion sensing controllers that use electromagnetic fields to track precise movements along all six axes." Each controller will reportedly track its orientation within a single degree, and detect positioning within one millimeter. Thankfully, the device will be compatible with both current and future generation PC games. Read more »

Getting into the spirit of April Fools' Day, peripheral maker Razer today announced a partnership with Half-Life creator Valve to develop a new PC game, HellRazer: Triple Helix, to take advantage of Razer's motion-sensing "Anaconda" controller.

Here's what Razer had to say about the "game" due in fall 2010, wink wink:

Read more »