An MCV report claims that - according to information it received from an anonymous retail source - Xbox One sales jumped 155 percent week-on-week to beat out the PS4 in the United Kingdom. This, the source claims, was due to a price cut for the Xbox One in the region and the release of FIFA 15, which managed to top the UK video game software charts during the week in question.

Game streaming company OnLive and online retailer Green Man Gaming today announced a new channel partnership. Under the terms of the deal, customers will be able to purchase OnLive Game Service subscriptions outside of OnLive, making Green Man Gaming the first online retailer to offer OnLive’s ‘play anywhere’ subscriptions to its customers.

Video game retailer GameStop reported earnings for the quarter ended May 3, last night after the closing bell. The retailer posted $2 billion in revenue, up 7 percent compared to the $1.87 billion it made in the same period a year ago. The company reported a profit of $68 million, an increase of roughly 24.5 percent compared to last year's net earnings of $54.6 million.

UK retailer John Lewis basically said "woops" today when it revealed to Eurogamer that it couldn't fulfill the £112 Wii U console bundle orders that lead a lot of traffic to its online site last week. A spokesperson for the retailer said that the listing for the ultra cheap Wii U bundle was a mistake, and apparently one it would not honor for those who locked down an order before the bundle was unceremoniously yanked from public view.

While Australia's government pushes for an automated solution to speed up the work of the Classification Board (the government ratings agency in charge of classifying ratings for games and other forms of entertainment) in the country, civil liberties groups and anti-pornography groups in the country are sounding alarm bells.

Online retailer Newegg.com has officially launched an editorial site this morning called GameCrate. The website will offers consumers visiting Newegg.com a place to read the latest news, reviews, and features related to video game hardware and software, original video content and the latest game-related trailers, live eSports event coverage, and professional advice on the latest hardware and technology.

GameStop reported sales of $3.68 billion for the forth-quarter of 2013, a 3.4 percent increase over the $3.56 billion the company reported in the same period a year ago. It comes as no surprise that the retailer attributed the increase in sales to the launches of Sony's PlayStation 4 and Microsoft's Xbox One in November of last year.

A source close to the situation (who asked not to be named because they were not authorized to talk about the matter) has informed us that GameStop is in a battle at locations around the country that are in a general proximity to Walmart. Walmart launched its video game trade-in program today, offering consumers the ability to trade in their old video game software for in-store credit.

Walmart announced this week that it is getting into the used games business. Beginning March 26, customers can trade in their video games and apply the value of those items immediately towards the purchase of anything sold at Walmart and Sam's Club, both in stores and online.

Those trade-in games will be refurbished and made available for purchase in like-new condition starting this summer. Walmart says that this new category of merchandise is new ground for the company but it decided to give it a shot because customers have been asking for it.

With the House Judiciary Committee set to hold a hearing on "Exploring Alternative Solutions to the Internet Sales Tax Issue" soon, the National Governors Association (NGA) today released a statement reiterated its strong support for the passage of the Marketplace Fairness Act.

According to this Eurogamer report UK retailer HMV is getting out of the used games business to make room for other merchandise. A "UK industry source" told the publication this morning that HMV is no longer buying used games or game systems.

UK video game retailer GAME has been ordered by the Court of Appeals to pay missed rent payments of around £3 million amassed during its period of administration back in 2012, according to MCV. The retailer said that it had put aside £3 million in the event that it lost its case.

Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) said in a new report that it would push hard for the passage of an national Internet sales tax law and for better data privacy regulations this year. In its annual policy agenda, the trade group highlighted the issues it deemed to be of grave importance this year. A federal law to deal with online sales tax is at the top of the list. The group, which represents traditional retailers, believes that having a national sales tax collection law will levy the playing field so that online-only retailers don't have an advantage.

GameStop said today that it generated $3.15 billion in total worldwide sales over the nine-week holiday shopping season of 2013. The numbers represent a 9.3 increase over the same period a year ago, which can be directly attributed to new consoles and new console software sales. In fact, GameStop said that hardware sales were up 99.8 percent over the same period a year ago. Go figure.

If you shopped at U.S. retailer Target on Black Friday, you may want to pay close attention to the following story from the BBC.

By all accounts online retailer Zavvi made a mistake when it mailed out a PlayStation Vita and Tearaway bundle to UK customers who simply ordered only the PS Vita game, but the company's response to customers is what's making news this morning. According to Eurogamer, the retailer has sent customers who received the PS Vita bundle by accident emails filled with ultimatums and legal threats.

Video and video game rental giant Blockbuster is not going to exist by the end of January 2014. Parent company Dish Network announced today that it will shut down its retail and by-mail rental distribution operations by early January 2014. The 300 remaining retail stores in the United States and distribution centers will also be closed.

"This is not an easy decision, yet consumer demand is clearly moving to digital distribution of video entertainment," Dish CEO Joseph P. Clayton said in a statement.

An angry Blockbuster customer in the UK decided that he'd had enough concerning getting a refund for the PS4 he bought and took to the Dunstable store to protest outside. He brought a megaphone with him and let customers going into the store that they would get ripped off.

Are you looking to secure a PS4 or Xbox One in time for Christmas?

Well, according to a PR email we just received, Walmart is currently "the only retailer taking online pre-orders for PS4 and XBOX One Standard with a guaranteed ship to customers on December 16."

The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has released a new public service announcement on its YouTube channel to highlight and promote the ESRB's video games ratings system and the parental controls they can use to keep their kids from playing inappropriate games.

Despite opposition from fellow House members and a majority of constituents, some Republican lawmakers are pushing forward with Internet tax proposals as part of a comprehensive package on the topic similar to the Senate's Marketplace Fairness Act.

A new product page for the $199 12 GB Flash version of the PlayStation 3 is now live on Sony's U.S. PlayStation page, confirming reports last week that the new SKU would hit retail on August 18 in the United States and Canada. According to that product page, the new system is available at a number of retailers including Amazon.com, Best Buy, Costco.com, Frys.com, GameStop, Kmart, Sears, Sonystyle, Target, Toys'R'Us, and Wal-Mart.

Engadget is reporting that a 12 GB flash-based PlayStation 3 retail SKU is set to hit North American markets on August 18. The story first surfaced when Engadget spotted a flyer from Canada's Future Shop showing off the 12 GB PS3 for $199. The 12 GB PS3 was released in Europe last October, but never made its way to North America.

A federal judge in Camden, New Jersey has given the greenlight on a lawsuit against GameStop filed by three customers who claim that three of the company's South Jersey stores sold used games that sometimes cost more than buying the game new. The lawsuit alleges that GameStop did not disclose to customers that buying used games would have additional costs of anywhere from $10 - $15 online. All three of the plaintiffs bought EA games, which up until recently contained online passes.

Back in June one of the things many consumers wanted to hear during Sony's E3 press conference was that the company had finally given in to the idea that the PS Vita hand-held was just too expensive. The PS Vita retails for right around the price of a brand new PlayStation 3 console. Unfortunately we didn't hear Sony say those words then and it hasn't indicated it has any plans in the future to slash the price of the hand-held.

Deep Silver has announced an insane gag SKU for Saint's Row IV called the "Dangerous Wad Edition." Sure, it's a marketing joke to draw attention to the upcoming release of Deep Silver's Saint's Row IV and UK retailer GAME's REAL SKUs for the game, but it sure is interesting - especially if someone was insane enough to purchase it.

The Dangerous Wad Edition costs $1 million, is only available in the UK through GAME and - there's only one copy available in the world.

It comes with some extravagant extras including:

The Entertainment Merchants Association (EMA) is holding its annual Los Angeles Entertainment Summit event this week (July 23-24) in Los Angeles. The event brought together nearly 1,000 people from dozens of entertainment companies for two days of business meetings, tech displays, and seminars focused on the state of the entertainment industry.

GameStop is taking everybody for a ride with the pre-owned games market, according to Ready at Dawn Studios boss Ru Weerasuriya. And by everybody he means developers and publishers. Speaking to GII, the head of the studio for God of War: Chains of Olympus and upcoming game The Order: 1886, thinks retailers like GameStop are making "a living at the expense of everybody else."

GameStop has shut down pre-orders for the PS4, according to a Game Informer report. According to the story, the top video game retailer in North America has run through its launch allotment of systems. GameStop issued a one sentence statement confirming the news:

"Due to high demand for the system, GameStop is not currently taking additional store reservations for the PlayStation 4," a GameStop rep. told the publication.

The Android-based home console the Ouya is available in North America and the United Kingdom today. The system is widely available for $99 at most retailers. An additional controller will cost you $49.95.

Currently the system offers consumers over 170 free-to-try games including Chronoblade and Final Fantasy 3, access to services such as Twitch.tv, TuneIn and Plex, and a whole lot more.