Its memory manipulation makes us hyperinflate the value or quality of past relationships, experiences, things we loved. When we see them again, the disappointment can be a shock. No, Speed Racer was not a good cartoon show. No, your grade school crush wasn't that impressed at your spelling test scores. But yes, the first Halo game was, and still is, the greatest first-person shooter video game ever made. It all adds up to an unforgettable experience that begins what becomes an iconic trilogy of titles.

One of the suits of armor available in Assassin's Creed: Valhalla -- if you're willing to pay realn money. One of the suits of armor available in Assassin's Creed: Valhalla -- if you're willing to pay realn money. Assassin's Creed Valhalla, the latest installment in Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed franchise, came out in November 2020. Like most AC games, it was highly anticipated; it sold more copies in its opening week than any other game in the series. Needless to say, fans were excited.

Video games that allow players to buy digital items using real money must now carry a special warning icon on the box under new rules designed to stop children unwittingly spending hundreds on in-game purchases. The new warning icon -- a hand holding a credit card -- will appear on game boxes alongside existing warnings for other dangerous content, including references to sex and drugs, violence, bad language, gambling and discrimination. The new warning has been created by the Pan European Game Information (Pegi) organisation, which provides game ratings for most of Europe, including the UK. It will appear on video game boxes later this year, ready for Christmas, Pegi says. Many popular games, including popular football simulator Fifa and multiplayer shooter Fortnite, now offer players the chance to buy in-game items.

How much money can a free game bring in? If your game is "Fortnite," the answer is quite a lot. The popular video game notched $318 million in revenue last month for maker Epic Games. It was a new high and a 7 percent jump from the game's $296 million haul in April, according to the latest data from SuperData Research, a research firm that tracks the video game industry. Over the last three months, the game has generated roughly $837 million in revenue.

Australian gambling regulators are considering whether pay-to-win "loot boxes" in video games constitute gambling and may be in breach of state laws. The recent release of Star Wars Battlefront 2, one of the year's gaming blockbusters, has renewed a global debate about the convergence of gambling mechanisms and video games. Authorities in Belgium and a legislator in the United States have both expressed concern about Battlefront 2's reliance on loot boxes, a randomised system of reward that can help a player progress through the game. The game's progression system relies significantly on the boxes, which can be purchased using real money to give the player equipment and "star cards" with varying levels of effectiveness for their character. A character may, for example, get lucky and unlock an ability to cause significantly more damage.

Free, it turns out, can be a great business. When Shigenori Suzuki played video games in high school, he spent a few hundred dollars a year on titles like "Final Fantasy." Now the 42-year-old Tokyoite plays free games including Sony Corp.'s "Fate/Grand Order" -- but spends more overall. Players like Suzuki have transformed the video game industry in recent years, giving companies from Sony to Electronic Arts Inc. new ways to profit without charging upfront. Companies give away games, then sell digital goods and services through so-called microtransactions.

If you've already paid $60 for a video game, haven't you spent enough? That's the question Electronic Arts, or EA, the maker of games including the Madden NFL series, FIFA and Battlefield, has to answer after angering customers who eagerly anticipated one of its biggest holiday releases, "Star Wars: Battlefront 2." On top of the "Star Wars"-themed action-shooter's $60 list price, the game included micro-transactions, which enabled players to spend real-world money on in-game items such as "loot crates" -- essentially a mystery box filled with perks. Although video games have long allowed players to spend currency on cosmetic purchases such as special costumes, "Battlefront 2" players were upset to learn that a trial version of the game let them spend money to bolster their characters. Those who opted against paying were at a disadvantage and simply had to "grind" -- that is, play for many hours -- to achieve similar powers or unlock marquee characters such as Darth Vader. Players accused EA of engaging in pay-to-win practices.

Welcome to California Inc., the weekly newsletter of the L.A. Times Business Section. Good times in the Golden State: We learned Friday that California added 31,700 net jobs in October and the state unemployment rate fell to 4.9% from 5.1% a month earlier. The latest state jobs report follows a strong September, when employers boosted payrolls by a revised 50,300. In October, the leisure and hospitality sector, and the educational and health services sector, saw the largest gains. The Automobile Club of Southern California says this year's Thanksgiving holiday will be the busiest locally since 2007, with 3.87 million residents expected to get away for the long weekend.

It appears the Force is strong with fans of video games. Following backlash over the use of microtransactions, Electronic Arts announced it will temporarily remove them from its action game Star Wars Battlefront II, which launched Friday on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. In a statement, Oskar Gabrielson, general manager of Battlefront studio DICE, apologized after players raised concerns the game's virtual economy lead to a "pay to play" environment where dollars spent is valued more than player skill. "It's clear that many of you feel there are still challenges in the design. We've heard the concerns about potentially giving players unfair advantages. And we've heard that this is overshadowing an otherwise great game," said Gabrielson.

World-of-Warcraft-maker Blizzard has released its first original gaming franchise in nearly two decades. Overwatch - a first-person shooter - also marks the first time the studio has launched a title worldwide on PC and consoles simultaneously. WoW is the second bestselling PC game of all time, but its subscriber numbers have halved since their peak in 2010. Blizzard predicts strong sales of Overwatch and hopes it will attract large audiences as an e-sport. The game is a departure from the developer's previous hits, in which players usually viewed the world from a god-like, third-person perspective.