Rise of The Rising Sun: How Japan Is Returning to Top of Gaming Charts
Thursday, 15th November 2012Posted in Industry
Tags: gaming, japan, japanese gaming, mobile, mobile gaming
Written by: Paul Nyhart
If you’ve heard of the gaming company DeNA, chances are you’re familiar with the RPG “Blood Brothers” the top grossing game in the U.S. Google Play store. The free game has a 4.6 rating on over 80,000 reviews and over 1 million installs.
One of DeNA biggest competitors is GREE, which also resides in the Land of The Rising Sun. Both companies have models that differ greatly from their ancestors Sony and Nintendo — GREE and DeNA exclusively make freemium games.
They compulsively hook you on addictive gameplay that relies less on characters and more on simplicity and basic mechanics. Of course, if you want to enjoy the experience a “little more” you can pay a dollar for “premium add ons.” Continue reading “Rise of The Rising Sun: How Japan Is Returning to Top of Gaming Charts” »
This Week in Gaming: Pigs, Mice, Crops and Rated M Kirby shirts
Thursday, 6th September 2012Posted in Blog Archive, Week In Gaming News
Tags: angry birds, Farmville, gaming news, glenn beck, mobile gaming, news, Rovio, weekly wrap up
Written by: Patrick Scott Patterson
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Seven more days in the chronicles of gaming history have passed us by. Like sands through an hourglass, um, here is stuff about it.
This Little Piggie Went To The App Store
Rovio announced this week that those green swine we spent so many years smashing to death with Angry Birds will star in a spin-off game called Bad Piggies, set to launch later this month. Continue reading “This Week in Gaming: Pigs, Mice, Crops and Rated M Kirby shirts” »
Epic Says Infinity Blade Is More Profitable Than Gears of War
Wednesday, 27th June 2012Posted in Blog Archive, Gaming
Tags: gaming, gears of war, Infinity Blade, ipad, mobile gaming
Written by: Craig Hunter
Follow @jordankahn
The Gears of War franchise has been hugely successful for its developer Epic, but it looks like a somewhat less epic iOS game is where the developer is making the most money.
Infinity Blade for iPad currently holds the title for Epic’s most profitable franchise raking in over $30 million in the 18 months since the first game’s release (via Gamasutra).
The increasingly popular sword fighter has been Continue reading “Epic Says Infinity Blade Is More Profitable Than Gears of War” »
EA’s Stock Plummets; What The Hell Happened?
Monday, 25th June 2012Posted in Blog Archive, Gaming, Technology
Tags: CitiGroup, ea, Electronic Arts, mass effect, mobile gaming, Need For Speed, Neil Doshi, social gaming, Star Wars: The Old Republic, stock, stock market
Written by: Jeff Nau
Follow @jeffnau
Shareholders beware: EA’s overall stock is down some 40 % from last quarter and stock analysts are predicting things will continue to get much worse — at least until the end of this fiscal year.
Last week, the company’s stock status was downgraded from buy to neutral, and stock target prices took a dive from about $19 to a little over $12, their lowest in the past year.
According to Marketwatch, Market analyst Neil Doshi of Citigroup (officially downgraded EA’s rating) concurs that the rest of the fiscal year is looking similarly dreary, mostly due to Continue reading “EA’s Stock Plummets; What The Hell Happened?” »
Mobile Gaming n00bz Are Increasing, But Still PWNED By Consoles
Friday, 22nd June 2012Posted in Blog Archive, Gaming
Tags: mobile gaming
Written by: Paul Nyhart
It’s no surprise that the continued innovations in mobile technology have caused something of a paradigm shift in the gamiung industry — we saw a sample of that this year at E3, which had a substantial exhibit dedicated to mobile gaming and “social apps.”
But as the graphics below explicate, mobile technology, while growing popular, still has a way to go if it wants to seriously consider “taking over” the console gaming market.
Of U.S. Households that own at least one of a console, pc, smartphone, hadnheld system and a “wireless device.” Continue reading “Mobile Gaming n00bz Are Increasing, But Still PWNED By Consoles” »
How Google Has Kicked Android Gaming Directly In The Balls
Tuesday, 15th May 2012Posted in Blog Archive, Gaming
Tags: android, google, mobile gaming, social gaming
Written by: Rob Justice
Business Insider recently observed that Android is “Suddenly In A Lot Of Trouble.” The reasons are numerous but it all boils down to a few things: shoddy attention to detail, poor cross platform support for apps (making development difficult) and an overall inconsistant user experience across the board.
Everyone knows that games are consistently the #1 selling category on mobile devices…upwards of 60-70% of all “app store sales” happen to be games – so it is logical that if you want your platform to skyrocket in popularity, you want to get games right.
Unfortunately…the reality is that games just don’t work good on Android. Continue reading “How Google Has Kicked Android Gaming Directly In The Balls” »
Angry Birds Space Hits 10 Million Downloads, As $80 Million Minecraft Franchise Considers TV Shows
Monday, 26th March 2012Posted in Blog Archive, Gaming
Tags: angry birds, mobile gaming
Written by: Craig Hunter
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It isn’t just triple A publishers capable of turning their games into money-making franchises these days, with Rovio, developer’s of Angry Birds, and Minecraft developer Mojang are perhaps two of the best examples.
For anyone that once upon a time told you Angry Birds was just craze, the developer announced today its latest title, Angry Birds Space, was able to hit over 10 million downloads in just three days since its release.
We’re assuming Continue reading “Angry Birds Space Hits 10 Million Downloads, As $80 Million Minecraft Franchise Considers TV Shows” »
Halo Creator Teams Up With Ex-Marvel and DC Guys. Their Mission? To Revolutionize Mobile Gaming
Friday, 24th February 2012Posted in Blog Archive, Gaming
Tags: bungie, DC, marvel, mobile games, mobile gaming, Tony harris
Written by: Jeff Nau
Alex Seropian. A name that’s getting more and more (in)famous every day, largely because he’s co-creator of both one of the most famous sci-fi games ever, as well as its parent company, Bungie Software. But in addition to the world of Halo and the millions its entertained, Seropian has moved on from his endeavors at Disney Interactive as head of game development, and is now onto possibly bigger and better things at his newest company, Industrial Toys.
Armed with President Tony Harris, some formidable talent from some ex-DC and Marvel Comics (man, what it takes to get those two to work together), and a vision to make the mobile gaming industry an unparalleled and truly 1337 force Continue reading “Halo Creator Teams Up With Ex-Marvel and DC Guys. Their Mission? To Revolutionize Mobile Gaming” »
Snake ’97 Android App Emulates Original Nokia Game
Thursday, 26th January 2012Posted in Blog Archive, Gaming
Tags: 1997, android, arcade, classic, emulator, market, mobile gaming, nokia, port, remake, retro, Snake '97
Written by: Craig Hunter
No matter what style and era of mobile gaming you enjoy most, there’s likely a half decent port available or soon to be available on the App Store or Android Market. Atari and arcade game makers are quickly re-releasing all of their classic titles, while Sega titles like Sonic and third-party Nintendo games from SNES to Gameboy are also being ported to the popular mobile platforms.
Rather than reminiscing with some retro console titles, take a second today to remember what the best mobile games once looked like on cellphones. Remember Snake? Continue reading “Snake ’97 Android App Emulates Original Nokia Game” »
Is The Razer Fiona Project the Next Big Thing in the Console World?
Tuesday, 17th January 2012Posted in Blog Archive, Gadgets, Gaming, Technology
Tags: ces, console, mobile gaming, Razer Fiona Project, skyrim, tablet
Written by: Jeff Nau
The Razer Project Fiona is generating some unprecedented hype for a gaming console. Much of that is due to it not being a traditional gaming console — it’s a tablet.
But it isn’t so much about the hype as it is the hi-res video we have of someone actually playing the game on ultra-high settings. Quite simply put, it looks unlike anything we’ve ever seen before (dare we say at first glance a bit awkward).
Its pros, according to several CES attendees, outweigh the cons — largely because of the sidebar controllers, eliminating the need for a touchscreen with tablet gaming Continue reading “Is The Razer Fiona Project the Next Big Thing in the Console World?” »
Nvidia CEO: Real-time Graphics Will Reach Cutscene Quality By 2019
Thursday, 15th December 2011Posted in Blog Archive, Gaming, Technology
Tags: cutscene, gamers, games, graphics, huang, industry, mobile, mobile gaming, nvidia, Tegra3
Written by: Craig Hunter
If anyone is qualified to comment on the future of graphics in the tech industry it’s GPU maker Nvidia. If you believe CEO Jen-Hsun Huang, the real-time graphics in console games will be surpassing the quality of the highest quality pre-rendered cutscenes by 2019.
While noting that a PS3 has only several hundred gigaflops, he claims consoles in 2019 will reach up to 40 teraflops, on par with some of today’s most powerful supercomputers. However, while your typical supercomputer takes megawatts to power, Huang says, “We will be able to deliver that level of capability in 2019 in a game console with a 100 watts”.
While Huang has certainly been no stranger to making bold claims in the past, as gamers it’s interesting to hear how far away we are from truly achieving a seamless experience between cutscenes and gameplay. Continue reading “Nvidia CEO: Real-time Graphics Will Reach Cutscene Quality By 2019” »
‘Angry Birds’ Take Over Your Local Parks and Playgrounds
Tuesday, 13th December 2011Posted in Blog Archive, Gaming, Offbeat
Tags: amgry birds, franchise, mobile gaming, playground, retail, Rovio, toys
Written by: Craig Hunter
We know developer Rovio is trying to capitalize as much as possible on its little iOS franchise known as Angry Birds. First the developer made plans to open a retail shop dedicated to pushing Angry Birds merchandise, and an animation studio for Angry Birds cartoons. This was shortly after announcing the half a billion downloads milestone.
Now, the company plans on infiltrating local parks and outfitting them with Angry Birds inspired playground equipment. Reuters reports: Continue reading “‘Angry Birds’ Take Over Your Local Parks and Playgrounds” »
Microsoft Releases First iOS Game…Unfortunately It’s ‘Kinectimals’
Tuesday, 13th December 2011Posted in Apple, Blog Archive, Gaming
Tags: iOS, ipad, iPhone, iPod touch, Kinectimals, microsoft, mobile gaming, port, xbox
Written by: Craig Hunter
Microsoft certainly isn’t shying away from releasing content on the iOS platforms, as evidenced by the release of the My Xbox Live app just last week, but an iOS version of Kinectimals is one of their first REAL Xbox ports.
For those of you unfamiliar with Kinectimals, and we’re assuming that’s almost all of you, the game uses the Kinect (should we just stop there) and allows you to interact with virtual animals. You can teach them tricks and guide them around an obstacle course on the Kinect version of the game (opposed to real life, where you take your actual pet out for a walk and watch him try to punk out a squirrel for five minutes).
The game isn’t the full-fledged Kinectimals that you get on Xbox 360, the $3 universal download compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, might be Microsoft testing the waters for bigger and better ports down the road. The good news is owners of the Xbox version will be able to unlock Continue reading “Microsoft Releases First iOS Game…Unfortunately It’s ‘Kinectimals’” »
Who’s To Blame For Kids Maxing Out Their Parents’ Credit Cards?
Saturday, 10th December 2011Posted in Blog Archive, Gaming, Pop Culture
Tags: AasivMandvi, credt card, freemium, kids, mobile gaming, parent, TapFish, TheDailyShow, video
Written by: Craig Hunter
Do you hate freemium games as much as The Daily Show?
Correspondent Aasiv Mandvi did a segment on yesterday’s show that takes quite a funny look at freemium games while profiling developers of Tap Fish 2 and a few kids who maxed out daddy’s credit card while playing the game.
Mandvi speaks to a parent and his three kids who racked up over $1500 in credit card bills playing the “Tap Fish.” Continue reading “Who’s To Blame For Kids Maxing Out Their Parents’ Credit Cards?” »
Get Downloading…Batman Arkham City and Chrono Trigger Land on iOS
Thursday, 8th December 2011Posted in Blog Archive, Gaming
Tags: arkham, batman, ChronoTrigger, iOS, ipad, iPhone, iTunes, mobile gaming, port, warner bros
Written by: Craig Hunter
We already knew Chrono Trigger was coming, but today we get more than just one great iOS title with Warner Bros. and Netherrealm Studios dropping Batman: Arkham City Lockdown, a touch controlled spin-off of Rocksteady’s console title.
After posting some screenshots and promising a December release date last month, Square Enix is delivering with the title now available in the App Store for $9.99.
For fans of the game, the iOS version includes the Lost Sanctum Continue reading “Get Downloading…Batman Arkham City and Chrono Trigger Land on iOS” »
OnLive Brings Super Laggy Console Games to iPhone, iPad, and Android
Thursday, 8th December 2011Posted in Apple, Blog Archive, Gaming
Tags: android, cloud gaming, console, droid, iOS, ipad, iTunes, mobile gaming, onlive
Written by: Craig Hunter
OnLive has just dropped a press release announcing new mobile apps for Android, iPhone, and iPad that will effectively bring their “console-class” cloud gaming experience to over 500 million mobile devices in the UK and US.
You’re probably already familiar with OnLive’s game streaming service previously only available to Macs, PCs, or a dedicated OnLive console.
However, while most of the 200 games in their library will be playable on mobile devices via a wireless controller, 25 of those titles have also been ported with touchscreen controls. It isn’t just the smaller titles Continue reading “OnLive Brings Super Laggy Console Games to iPhone, iPad, and Android” »
Grand Theft Auto III: 10 Year Anniversary Edition hits iOS and Android Dec. 15
Tuesday, 6th December 2011Posted in Apple, Blog Archive, Gaming
Tags: android, grand theft auto, GTA, iOS, ipad, iPhone, mobile gaming, Motorola, rockstargames
Written by: Craig Hunter
Rockstar just made things official for a Grand Theft Auto III Android and iOS port, announcing the 10 Year Anniversary Edition will finally be landing in the Android Market and App Store for $4.99 on December 15th.
While we haven’t yet got our hands on the new trailer expected to launch next week, we do have all the details on supported devices as well as screenshots for both versions.
When it comes to supported devices, iOS users (other than 3G and 3GS users) of course don’t have much to worry about. The iOS title, presumably a universal app, will support iPad 1 & 2, iPhone 4 & 4S, and 4th-gen iPod touch. Continue reading “Grand Theft Auto III: 10 Year Anniversary Edition hits iOS and Android Dec. 15” »
Viral Video: What Your iPhone Games Look Like in Real Life
Friday, 2nd December 2011Posted in Blog Archive, Gaming, NERDCORE, Online Video
Tags: angry birds, iOS, iPhone, irl, mobile gaming, youtube
Written by: Paul Nyhart
I counted five iOS games in this video, but that was admittedly after a thorough google search and texting my sister, who would have responded sooner if she wasn’t currently playing half of the games featured in the video.
Some of these games as you may well know have already made their way to console ports, helping to lead the surge for consoles quality games to make their way to social networks.
The Aussie group “Hey Geronimo” from down under, offers quite the tribute….good luck getting this song out of your head. Continue reading “Viral Video: What Your iPhone Games Look Like in Real Life” »
Former EA, Activision Execs to Bring Console Quality Games to Facebook
Friday, 2nd December 2011Posted in Blog Archive, Gaming
Tags: console, Facebook, gameplay, Greg Richardson, iOS, mobile gaming, Rumble, zynga
Written by: Craig Hunter
Are you frustrated with the thousands of Farmville clones trying to pass themselves off as video games…on platforms like Facebook, Android, and iOS?
What about their micro-transaction models that create a “spend-to-progress” sense of urgency rather than focusing on engaging gameplay?
NYT points us to former EA and Activision execs who have formed startup Rumble Entertainment to develop and publish hardcore games specifically aimed at the platforms where social, casual gaming companies like Zynga dominate. Continue reading “Former EA, Activision Execs to Bring Console Quality Games to Facebook” »
Not So Fast Farmville Clones, FACEBOOK Thinks They Could Be The Future of Gaming
Tuesday, 15th November 2011Posted in Blog Archive, Gaming
Tags: app, Facebook, future, games, HTML5, mobile gaming
Written by: Craig Hunter
Facebook’s presence in the gaming industry is, at the very least, highlighted by Farmville and a handful of other semi-successful titles. But if you ask Facebook’s European head of Gaming Partnerships, Julien Cordorniou, the platform will also be “the future for the gaming industry” in its entirety.
According to PocketGamer.biz, Cordorniou recently took the stage at the Social Gaming Summit in London to talk about Facebook’s future in mobile gaming. Perhaps his most intriguing comment was the fact he thought every “game that exists on PC, consoles, should come on the Facebook platform at some point”.
The report continues Continue reading “Not So Fast Farmville Clones, FACEBOOK Thinks They Could Be The Future of Gaming” »
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