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October 25, 2011

TIGA wins two management awards

UK trade association TIGA last night won two of the Chartered Management Institute's (CMI) Leadership And Management Awards. The trade body was named Outstanding Organisation 2011, with CEO Dr Richard Wilson winning the Outstanding Leader award. A total of 41 finalists including IBM and multinational energy company Centrica were nominated across 12 categories.

UK trade association TIGA last night won two of the Chartered Management Institute's (CMI) Leadership And Management Awards.

The trade body was named Outstanding Organisation 2011, with CEO Dr Richard Wilson winning the Outstanding Leader award. A total of 41 finalists, including IBM and multinational energy company Centrica, were nominated across 12 categories.

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Sony: PSN outage "woke up dormant customers"

Sony evidently prefers to look on the bright side following the attack that took PSN offline for six weeks earlier this year, saying it "woke up dormant customers". Speaking to TechRadar, senior director of global business strategy and development Soichiro Saida said that user numbers and revenue were up, attributing PSN's reviving fortunes to Sony's efforts to improve the service and the Welcome Back programme, which encouraged users back to the service with free games.
http://www.techradar.com/news/internet/sony-psn-outage-woke-our-customers-up--1035931
TechRadar

Sony continues to look on the bright side following the attack that took PSN offline for six weeks earlier this year, saying it "woke up dormant customers".

Speaking to TechRadar, senior director of global business strategy and development Soichiro Saida said that user numbers and revenue were up, attributing PSN's reviving fortunes to Sony's efforts to improve the service and the Welcome Back programme, which encouraged users back to the service with free games.

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Free-to-play switch prompts fivefold increase in TF2 players

The number of people playing Team Fortress 2 has increased by a factor of five since it switched to the free-to-play model, according to Gabe Newell, co-founder of developer Valve. Newell revealed the news at a recent conference in Seattle, Geek Wire reports. Valve is also seeing a far higher percentage of players purchasing virtual items through microtransactions than is typical across the industry.
http://www.geekwire.com/2011/experiments-video-game-economics-valves-gabe-newell
Geek Wire

The number of people playing Team Fortress 2 has increased by a factor of five since it switched to the free-to-play model, according to Gabe Newell, co-founder of developer Valve.

Newell revealed the news at a recent conference in Seattle, Geek Wire reports. Valve is also seeing a far higher percentage of players purchasing virtual items through microtransactions than is typical across the industry.

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Hori reveals Mario Kart 3DS peripheral

Japanese peripheral company Hori has revealed a 3DS steering wheel attachment to be released alongside Mario Kart 7. According to Andriasang, the thirdparty peripheral is officially licensed by Nintendo and features prominently in the game's marketing campaign.
http://andriasang.com/comyqd/
Andriasang

Japanese peripheral company Hori has revealed a 3DS steering wheel attachment to be released alongside Mario Kart 7.

According to Andriasang, the thirdparty peripheral is officially licensed by Nintendo and features prominently in the game's marketing campaign.

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October 24, 2011

Out There: What's Pac-Man's story?

Why does he pop those pills? Plus Jason Kapalka's a pinko commie and playing the ice market in Eve.

What's Pac-Man's story? If it was made today, we'd be furnished with backstory told through a series of five-minute videos, an opulently illustrated hardback book and paperback novel, and creator interviews that insistently place Pac-Man's motivations in his exquisitely realised world.

Play The Past has put together pieces of fan art that attempt to make their own stories out of Pac-Man's pixels.

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Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception review

Naughty Dog pushes its cinematic adventure saga to giddying new heights.

You can read this review in full in our print edition.

In our December 2011 issue, which is with subscribers now and in UK newsagents from October 25, our review includes a Post Script article specifically examining Drake's Deception's monumental set piece design.

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Opinion: Who is the biggest threat to videogames' legitimacy?

Gamers are going the wrong way about securing the approval they crave from society, says Leigh Alexander.

Are games art? Just kidding – this isn’t another one of those articles. There sure have been a lot, though, right? The issue of art, and whether games are or aren’t it and blah blah blah, has captivated gamers, developers and the press to the point that it’s practically a punchline, yet that doesn’t stop people from trotting the issue out.

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BAFTA announces Children's Awards nominees

The British Academy Of Film, Television And The Arts (BAFTA) has announced the nominees for its Children's Awards ahead of next month's ceremony. In the running for the Videogame Award are charming Wii platformer Kirby's Epic Yarn, Lego Pirates Of The Caribbean, Media Molecule's PS3 sequel LittleBigPlanet 2, and DS RPGs Pokémon Black & White.
http://www.bafta.org/awards/childrens/2011-childrens-awards-nominations-winners,2169,BA.html#jump16
BAFTA

The British Academy Of Film, Television And The Arts (BAFTA) has announced the nominees for its Children's Awards ahead of next month's ceremony.

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Squids review

This mix of strategy and billiards for iOS stretches the RPG template – but does it break it?

Put aside the underwater setting and the bubbling pools of sea urchins and crabs. At heart, Squids is a turn-based strategy RPG based around billiards. Your sweet, tentacled party members are both cue and ball, and you launch them around the screen, bouncing enemies into the abyss in the watery equivalent of pocket shots.

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Jagex urges caution in rush to free-to-play

CEO Mark Gerhard warns developers of the perils in blindly switching to the increasingly popular funding model.

Jagex Game Studios, UK developer of browser MMOG Runescape, has cautioned developers against blindly joining the current rush to the free-to-play model.

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Moshi Monsters dev set to double headcount

Mind Candy, developer of kid-friendly online game Moshi Monsters, is expanding at such a rate that it expects to double its headcount over the next 12 months. Speaking to MCV, head of recruitment Richard Chipchase said the company was looking within and without the videogame industry as it continues to expand Moshi Monsters into other media following the successful launch of a spinoff magazine earlier this year: it is now the best-selling kids magazine in the UK.
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/monster-firm-gobbling-up-uk-games-staff
MCV

Mind Candy, developer of online children's game Moshi Monsters, is expanding at such a rate that it expects to double its headcount over the next 12 months.

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Yogscast: credit us for Minecraft's success

YouTube sensations say their gameplay videos have helped drive stunning success of Mojang's PC sandbox.

Simon Lane and Lewis Brindley, the men behind YouTube sensation Yogscast, believe they deserve a share of the credit for the stunning success of sandbox smash Minecraft.

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New issue of Edge out now

Introducing E234, featuring our review of The Legend Of Zelda: Skyward Sword.

Issue 234 of Edge should be arriving at subscribers homes today, and will appear on UK newsagents' shelves October 25. Featuring Link on its cover, the magazine contains our review of the young hero's latest adventure, The Legend Of Zelda: Skyward Sword. It's the Wii game you've been waiting for.

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New issue of Edge out now

Introducing E234, featuring our review of The Legend Of Zelda: Skyward Sword.

Issue 234 of Edge should be arriving at subscribers homes today, and will appear on UK newsagents' shelves October 25. Featuring Link on its cover, the magazine contains our review of the young hero's latest adventure, The Legend Of Zelda: Skyward Sword. It's the Wii game you've been waiting for.

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Batman: Arkham City tops UK chart

Rocksteady's open-world superhero tale goes straight in at the top after doubling Arkham Asylum's launch sales.

Batman: Arkham City is the new number one in the UK all-formats software chart.

Rocksteady's open-world superhero tale gave publisher Warner Bros its most successful UK launch of all-time, doubling sales of 2009 predecessor Arkham Asylum and enjoying the fourth best launch sales of the year behind FIFA 12, Gears Of War 3 and LA Noire.

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Blizzard to monetise mods with Blizzard Arcade

Blizzard Entertainment is to allow modders to charge for their creations through Blizzard Arcade, a revised version of the Blizzard Marketplace to launch alongside StarCraft II expansion Heart Of The Swarm. The publisher revealed Arcade, a hub for free and premium user-made mods and games created using the StarCraft II mod tools, during a panel at this weekend's Blizzcon event in California.
http://us.battle.net/blizzcon/en/blog/3768746/StarCraft_II_%E2%80%93_Blizzard_DOTA__Mod_Tools_Panel-10_20_2011#blog
Blizzard

Blizzard Entertainment is to allow modders to charge for their creations through Blizzard Arcade, a revised version of the Blizzard Marketplace to launch alongside StarCraft II expansion Heart Of The Swarm.

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Fourth World Of Warcraft expansion announced

The previously-rumoured Mists of Pandaria has been officially anounced as the fourth World Of Warcraft expansion.

The previously-rumoured Mists Of Pandaria has been officially anounced as the fourth World Of Warcraft expansion.

Blizzard said the expansion will introduce the panda-like Pandaren as a playable race, along with their homeland Pandaria and a new martial-arts-focused Monk class.

Mists Of Pandaria will also raise the MMO’s level cap to 90, add new PVE scenarios, a pet battle system and a new talent system.

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Xbox 360 sales decline, revenues up on XBL

Increased digital sales helped drive a jump in revenues for Microsoft’s games business in the first financial quarter ended September 30, but Xbox 360 sales declined year-over-year and operating income fell nine per cent.

Increased digital sales helped drive a jump in revenues for Microsoft’s games business in the first financial quarter ended September 30, but Xbox 360 sales declined year-over-year and operating income fell nine per cent.

Revenues at Microsoft’s Entertainment and Devices division - which plays home to Xbox 360, Windows Phone and internet TV platform Mediaroom – came in at $1.96 billion, up nine per cent over the first three months of the previous fiscal year.

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FIFA 12 enjoys third week atop Nordic chart

EA’s FIFA 12 has held off competition from new releases Forza Motorsport 4 and Might & Magic Heroes VI to stay at number one on the Nordic chart, which collates sales data from Norway, Finland, Sweden and Denmark.

EA’s FIFA 12 has held off competition from new releases Forza Motorsport 4 and Might & Magic Heroes VI to stay at number one on the Nordic chart, which collates sales data from Norway, Finland, Sweden and Denmark.

Microsoft’s racer and Ubisoft’s strategy game debuted at numbers two and three respectivley, followed by Rage and Dark Souls.

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Sony wins Assassin’s Creed film rights – report

Sony Pictures is said to be on the verge of finalising a deal with Ubisoft that will see it bring the Assassin's Creed franchise to the big screen.

Sony Pictures is said to be on the verge of finalising a deal with Ubisoft that will see it bring the Assassin's Creed franchise to the big screen.

The film production firm won the Assassin’s Creed movie rights following a bidding war with other Hollywood studios including Universal, and is now in the closing stages of negotiations to adapt and distribute the popular series for cinema, Variety reports.

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October 22, 2011

News round-up: October 17 - 21

Apple's record-breaking growth and the dawn of YouTube gaming - a week in videogames.

Monday

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October 21, 2011

Nevigo release "first ever" professional narrative design tool

Tools company Nevigo has unveiled Articy:Draft, a new narrative editor that the company claims can help game writers avoid plot holes, eliminate dead ends and smooth over logical flaws in the story.

Tools company Nevigo has unveiled Articy:Draft, a new narrative editor that the company claims can help game writers avoid plot holes, eliminate dead ends and smooth over logical flaws in the story.

The software allows writers to compose their story arc piece by piece using what Nevigo terms 'Flow fragments'. Assets created for the game can also be attached to fragments to help set the right tone, and 'hubs' allow for complex branching and looping shorelines.

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Nevigo release "first ever" professional narrative design tool

Tools company Nevigo has unveiled Articy:Draft, a new narrative editor that the company claims can help game writers avoid plot holes, eliminate dead ends and smooth over logical flaws in the story.

Tools company Nevigo has unveiled Articy:Draft, a new narrative editor that the company claims can help game writers avoid plot holes, eliminate dead ends and smooth over logical flaws in the story.

The software allows writers to compose their story arc piece by piece using what Nevigo terms 'Flow fragments'. Assets created for the game can also be attached to fragments to help set the right tone, and 'hubs' allow for complex branching and looping shorelines.

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Bethesda quashes Doom 4 postponement rumours

Rumours circulating earlier today - which suggested that Bethesda had indefinitely suspended development of Doom 4 following Rage's mixed reception - have been dismissed as "Complete bollocks" in a curt tweet from VP of PR and marketing Pete Hines.

UPDATE: Id's Matt Hooper, design director on Rage, weighs in with a tweet that calls the rumous "a bit silly":

"Doom4 rumor is a bit silly... We're still cranking away on Doom & Rage ... and btw, we're still looking to hire even more talent."

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Bethesda quashes Doom 4 postponement rumours

Rumours circulating earlier today - which suggested that Bethesda had indefinitely suspended development of Doom 4 following Rage's mixed reception - have been dismissed as "Complete bollocks" in a curt tweet from VP of PR and marketing Pete Hines.

UPDATE: Id's Matt Hooper, design director on Rage, weighs in with a tweet that calls the rumous "a bit silly":

"Doom4 rumor is a bit silly... We're still cranking away on Doom & Rage ... and btw, we're still looking to hire even more talent."

read more


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