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According to the NPD, video game sales across Canada grew nearly 25% over 2007. Like elsewhere around the globe, the Nintendo Wii and DS dominated console and portable sales.

The annual donation drive for Child's Play has begun! Locally, the Montreal Children's Hospital receives the benefits of your generosity.

Child's Play works the same as last year. With the help of hospital staff, we've set up gift wish lists full of video games, toys, and movies. You can go to each hospital's list and buy a toy, and that toy will be sent to the hospital. Some of these kids are in pretty bad shape. Imagine being stuck alone in a hospital over the holidays, getting something from a fellow gamer would really raise their spirits. Some of the stuff the hospital will give away for kids to keep, while other gifts (like consoles) will be kept by the hospital for patients to use throughout the year.

Gifts purchased from the Montreal Children's Hospital Amazon wishlist will be sent directly to the hospital, which will in turn issue you charitable tax receipt.

If you aren't able to donate, please post flyers in your office or banners on your website.

Gamasutra reports that they have obtained an old email between two local gaming companies, along with telephone confirmation from another, in which they discuss the possibility of fixing salaries to increase employee retention and decrease poaching from other companies. Other companies are refusing to comment on the matter.

The McGill Health Challenge, an international conference taking place in Montreal this Wednesday to Friday, will focus on how exergaming can be used to combat obesity. Lisa Carson, one of the conference speakers says, "Exergaming needs to recognised as an exciting alternative to traditional physical exercise." She and her colleagues recently completed a study that showed children who played exergames didn't gain weight and it improved their self-confidence in trying more traditional sports.