The Hollywood Reporter's weekly game column by the sharp Paul Hyman this week focuses on product placement in games, throwing out some excellent facts right from the get-go: "At Electronic Arts, plans are to sell space in 13 games next year compared with 11 in 2005 and just two in 2002. At Midway, the company hired its first director of in-game advertising just a few weeks ago to intensify sales efforts." Midway's Steve Allison agrees that getting ads right in full-price games is crucial: "You and your ad partners have to be crafty; you have to present it in a way that's going to appear cool."

Also very interesting is the mention of Devin Cambridge, "...managing the creation of a new video game called "Sirius Sepheroth" which features the talents of comic book veteran Mike Carey of DC Comics." Wait... Sirius Sephiroth? Well, almost. According to Cambridge, who is the CEO of Newnan, GA-based Cambridge & Smith: "the plan is to incorporate real-world brands into the game, which would 'not only add to the immersion of the cyberpunk fantasy adventure, but bring in revenue over and above what the game might receive from a publisher'." The only other info on the web about Sirius Sepheroth is a press release from late 2004 announcing the game and mentioning that "well known developers Troika Games will provide game development." Unfortunately, they won't anymore, since Troika closed down in early 2005, but an original IP title from the Lucifer/Hellblazer writer sounds at least somewhat enticing, maybe even with Cheetos and Tylenol involved?