MTV gets its game on

MTV said today that it would devote an entire week of programming to games and game culture in anticipation of the November 22 release of Microsoft's new gaming console, the Xbox 360.

Starting this Sunday night, MTV will air game-focused coverage, as will its sister channels and Web sites, including MTV2, mtvU, mtvU Uber, and MTV Overdrive. The video game-themed programming, dubbed GameORZ Week, acknowledges the degree to which game culture is integrated into the mainstream, but especially among the MTV market of 18- to 24-year-olds.

"Video games are at the front of our audience's daily lives, just like music, fashion, and movies," Christina Norman, president of MTV, said in a statement. "GameORZ Week will be a multiplatform entertainment experience for gamers that will showcase the touch points where music, stars, and video games intersect with youth culture."

MTV's TRL (Total Request Live) will cover the launch of the new Xbox and provide viewers with a look at some currently popular games, including Mario Kart DS, NBA Live 06, and Battlefield 2: Modern Combat.

MTV will also cover the semifinals and finals of the Cyberathlete Professional League's world tour (Saturday, November 26, at 8:00 p.m.), as well as provide profiles of some of the most successful, and notorious, professional gamers.

Among the segments airing next week are True Life: I'm a Professional Gamer, a program that follows three young gamers as they make their rounds on the pro circuit, and This Sims Life, a show that documents the lives of people who spend much of their waking hours playing Electronic Arts' popular life sim. Taking the high road, Sims Life intends to spin "a tale about hope and dreams and empowerment," according to the network. True Life airs November 20 on MTV and MTV2, while Sims Life will be broadcast the following day, November 21.

MTV will examine more-sobering topics on MTV News: Racism and Online Gaming will look at how online gaming has, at times, created a forum for racist invective, while Gaming Cost Me My Girlfriend examines the negative effect excessive gaming has on relationships. The latter segment will focus on a group of students at Kansas State University who formed a club called Girlfriends Against Video Games.

Another segment to air on MTV and MTV2 will explore the making of the game True Crime: New York City and will talk to a number of actors featured as voice talent in the game. Christopher Walken and Lawrence Fishburne are both slated to be interviewed.

On board as advertisers for the weeklong event are Burger King, Taco Bell, Verizon DSL, Microsoft, and Nintendo.