Round-Up: G4 On Violence, Heavy Machinima, Sims 2 Xmas

Today's round-up includes news of a new G4 cable network documentary on video game violence, the latest machinima-related online shows from Heavy.com, and a special Xmas makeover for EA's The Sims 2, as well as today's product news and Gamasutra job postings. - U.S. game-related TV channel G4 has announced 'Violence in Games: A G4 Special Report', a documentary to air on Wednesday, October 26 at 11:00PM ET/PT, and tracing the history of violence in video games. The show features interviews with high-profile individuals at the forefront of this issue including, California Assemblyman Leland Yee, U.S. Congressman Darryl Issa and former Columbine High School Student Craig Scott as well as Doug Lowenstein, President of the Entertainment Software Association, Melissa Caldwell, Parents Television Council; Jamil Moledina, Executive Director, Game Developers Conference; Chris Morris, Columnist CNN/Money; and Dean Takahashi, Game columnist, San Jose Mercury News. - Online media site Heavy.com has announced that it is launching an entire slate of original video programming for this Fall, and much of it is 'machinima' - scripted entertainment based on video game engines. Highlights apparently include 'Gangster Nanny 911', created using Activision's True Crime: New York City, 'Tourettes Cowboy', made using Neversoft's Gun, 'Dr. Philpra, Colossus Whisperer', based on Sony's Shadow of the Colossus, and 'Need For Speed: The Musical', unsurprisingly made using EA's Need For Speed. David Carson, Co-CEO of Heavy.com, commented: "Broadband is poised to overtake cable audiences and America is ready for breakthrough shows like 'Dr. Philpra, Colossus Whisperer'." - Electronic Arts has announced The Sims 2 Holiday Edition, a special-edition holiday-themed version of the world's best-selling PC game of 2004, The Sims 2, and due to ship on November 17. The title contains the original game, The Sims 2, in its entirety, plus 40 new holiday-themed items that allow your Sims to celebrate their holidays in style. According to EA: "With this bonus content, your Sims can decorate their house, serve a festive holiday dinner, engineer a visit from Santa himself, even host a rollicking New Year's party!" - Also updated today: product news including the announcement of the Catapult V1.42 GBA development system, hardware/tools company Ageia's appointment of a new VP of Engineering, and today's Gamasutra job postings, including positions at Bungie Studios, Irrational Games, Midway Games, NCsoft, Sixteen Tons Entertainment, The Collective, and Visual Concepts.