Here's an interesting sign-of-the-times: The iPhone has its own, separate summit at this year's Game Developers Conference. Previously, talks devoted to Apple's phone/gaming platform were mixed in with the rest of the mobile gaming rabble, but this year, 16 panels and discussions are being held in an iPhone-specific summit. Sample panels include: "How to keep your game on top of the charts;" "Fastest path from concept to Top Paid;" and "A big dash of success: how to capture the female iPhone gamer" Look for the iPad to dominate iPhone game developers' thoughts and conversations at this year's GDC. The Apple tablet is compatible with iPhone, but you gotta wonder how many iPhone games will work well in the new format, and whether developing specific games for a device with a much-smaller install base than the iPhone will make sense for developers. The other not-so-new trend: Social gaming (Farmville, Mafia Wars, etc.) is very heavy at GDC this year because, let's face it, it's in terms of cost to benefit ratio, a successful "casual" game can't be beaten by anything. As a console gamer who doesn't own an iPhone and has never played Farmville, I'm trying not to be too sad, but I'm getting used to the idea of not being catered to exclusively, know what I mean. What about you? Are you an iPhone user? Do you play Mafia Wars or some other Facebook or Twitter game?

Aliens vs. Predator fans looking to spice up their interspecies murdering will get their chance next week with the release of the game's first batch of downloadable content. The "Swarm Map Pack" will include two new multiplayer maps, Docks and Machine, which Sega describes thusly: Docks: The caustic alkali waters of BG-386 put an end to Weyland-Yutani’s planned shipping activities. But this dockyard soon became an historic battleground. Machine: As well as processing exotic ores, the BG-386 Refinery provided electrical power to the colonists at Freya’s Prospect. The lights may still be on, but nobody’s home. Yet. Also included in the pack will be two new Survivor maps for you horde fans: Outpost: The site of the original Weyland-Yutani colony on BG-386 was abandoned, and soon reclaimed by the planet’s voracious jungle plant life. It is now the perfect hunting ground for all manner of wildlife. Hive: Deep in the heart of the Freya’s Prospect Refinery lays the Xenomorph Hive. Beware all who enter here. Alien, Predator or human, you’ll be able to pick up the map pack on March 18 for $6.99 or 560 Microsoft Points.

"Play bigger!" demands Nintendo. That's apparently the official tagline behind Nintendo's marketing push for the DSi XL, revealed at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco alongside a series of WarioWare: DIY ads. Nintendo is really pushing the make-your-own-game WarioWare: DIY around GDC. The company is known for doing marketing at GDC, however. Last year, they gave out free copies of the sadly underrated Rhythm Heaven to everyone who attended Satoru Iwata's keynote. The DSi XL launches in North America on March 28 for $189.99. Have something to share? Sitting on a news tip? E-mail me. You can also follow me on Twitter.

Electronic Arts today announced it will publish the first title from 38 Studios, the company founded by former Red Sox pitcher and World Series MVP Curt Schilling. 38 Studios’ Big Huge Games is developing the role-playing game, codenamed Project Mercury, and given that the head of Big Huge Games is Ken Rolston (lead designer on Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion), it’s safe to say the game is in highly capable hands. “We are creating an enormous world, with heroes and villains and a rich back story from the brilliant minds of R. A. [Salvatore], Todd [McFarlane] and Ken at its heart, and I can think of no finer partner than the global powerhouse that is EA Partners,” said Curt Schilling. Considering R.A. Salvatore is scheduled to speak at GDC 2010 this week, there’s a good chance some more Project Mercury news could be inbound over the coming days.

Four tracks from colorful pop singer Lady Gaga are headed to Rock Band and Rock Band 2 next week. Along with the Gaga, a cover version of "Poker Face" voiced by the great Eric Cartman will be available to download too. Sweet. Here are the Gaga tracks: Bad Romance Just Dance Monster Poker Face The full track pack will cost you $6.99 for the pack, and $1.99 per individual song. You'll be able to download the Gaga on Tuesday for the 360 and Thursday for the PS3. The Cartman version of "Poker Face" is the greatest, by the way.

At GDC 2010 today, NBC and developer Bigpoint announced an MMO based on popular science fiction show Battlestar Galactica. Battlestar Galactica Online is a browser-based MMO that promises “tactical space combat and adventure” when it comes out this fall. The launch itself will happen exclusively on SyFy.com for a 30 day period. "Battlestar Galactica is a supremely gameable intellectual property, with compelling character classes, a fantastic array of ships and weaponry, multiple worlds, and a dramatic storyline," said Bill Kispert, VP & GM, Digital Platforms, Universal Partnerships & Licensing, in a press release. Players will be able to choose to be Human or Cylons, and the game will be a blend of tactical space combat, exploration, and mission-based gameplay featuring 3D graphics directly in your browser. Assets from the television production will be integrated into the game to deliver an even more authentic experience. What do you think? Are browser-based MMOs the wave of the future?

At GDC 2010 today, NBC and developer Bigpoint announced an MMO based on popular science fiction show Battlestar Galactica. Battlestar Galactica Online is a browser-based MMO that promises “tactical space combat and adventure” when it comes out this fall. The launch itself will happen exclusively on SyFy.com for a 30 day period. "Battlestar Galactica is a supremely gameable intellectual property, with compelling character classes, a fantastic array of ships and weaponry, multiple worlds, and a dramatic storyline," said Bill Kispert, VP & GM, Digital Platforms, Universal Partnerships & Licensing, in a press release. Players will be able to choose to be Human or Cylons, and the game will be a blend of tactical space combat, exploration, and mission-based gameplay featuring 3D graphics directly in your browser. Assets from the television production will be integrated into the game to deliver an even more authentic experience. What do you think? Are browser-based MMOs the wave of the future?

At GDC 2010 today, NBC and developer Bigpoint announced an MMO based on popular science fiction show Battlestar Galactica. Battlestar Galactica Online is a browser-based MMO that promises “tactical space combat and adventure” when it comes out this fall. The launch itself will happen exclusively on SyFy.com for a 30 day period. "Battlestar Galactica is a supremely gameable intellectual property, with compelling character classes, a fantastic array of ships and weaponry, multiple worlds, and a dramatic storyline," said Bill Kispert, VP & GM, Digital Platforms, Universal Partnerships & Licensing, in a press release. Players will be able to choose to be Human or Cylons, and the game will be a blend of tactical space combat, exploration, and mission-based gameplay featuring 3D graphics directly in your browser. Assets from the television production will be integrated into the game to deliver an even more authentic experience. What do you think? Are browser-based MMOs the wave of the future?

Bungie is hard at work on the next/”last one for a while” installment in its acclaimed Halo series, and from the looks of it, Halo: Reach is coming along quite nicely. The game’s creative director Marcus Lehto recently spoke with X-Play about the majorly anticipated title, and offered up what are sure to be encouraging words for diehard Halo lovers. “This is really the ultimate Halo game, because we’re building on a decade’s worth of experience building Halo games. We’re taking all of the best parts from each one of those Halo games, and we’re putting them all into Reach.” Check out X-Play’s All Access preview right here: Watch Larger Version | Watch HD Version

When Hello Games programmer Sean Murray and his three friends left their roles at large development houses to found Hello Games, the studio behind the IGF-nominated and PlayStation Network-bound Joe Danger, he knew there was a big risk. He knew failure was not only possible -- it was likely. "We really wanted to do our own thing," said Murray during a talk at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. "When we were kids, it's all we ever talked about. But we realized when we were leaving, it was a really stupid thing. It was an illogical thing. We're going to do this and we're probably going to crash and burn doing this." Murray and his friends used to work at companies like Criterion, Sumo and Electronic Arts. "Most companies don't last very long," he continued. "It's really tough." The advantage of working on their own, however, meant the studio could quickly adapt. "We're much more flexible," said Murray. "In theory, we can do amazing things, get people on the same page and that's kind of more powerful...We can do everything ourselves. We can write our own engine. And with marketing, we just kind of talked about 'we'll do something personal to us, we'll do something that we are really interested in, and we'll see how people react to that.'" Joe Danger arrives this spring on PlayStation Network. Have something to share? Sitting on a news tip? E-mail me. You can also follow me on Twitter.