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July 12, 2011

Riptide and Projkt Nine announce merger

Developers Riptide Games and Projkt Nine have announced that they will be merging in the next few weeks to form Riptide Games Corp. Both developers have been working together over the past year on Apps such as My Pet Zombie. The new company will be headquartered in Denver but retain Projkt Nine's office in Ottawa as well. “I am very excited about this merger.” said Projkt Nine founder Mike Montgomery, who is assuming the role of Chief Creative Officer for Riptide Games Corp. “With the success of the titles already released, and the current titles in the works, we have a very big year ahead of us.” Riptide founder Brian Robbins, to be president of the new company added: “Our teams are very complementary to each other. Our combined forces bring together extremely talented programmers with amazing graphic and game designers, so we’re perfectly positioned to create the best of tomorrow’s mobile experiences.”
http://www.projkt9.com/2011/07/riptide-games-inc-and-projkt-nine-inc-announce-merger/
Projkt Nine


ModernWarfare3.com redirects to Battlefield 3 website

One of the more interesting subplots of last month's E3 was the increasingly snide comments Activision and Electronic Arts made about each other's big 2011 shooters, the highlight of which was EA's reported refusal of Activision CEO Bobby Kotick's request for a Battlefield demo. The two firms have continued trading blows over framerates, engines and likely audience shares ever since, and while there's no suggestion that EA is behind the redirection of modernwarfare3.com to battlefield.com, it is evidence that the publishers' playful combativeness is beginning to trickle down to their audience. Some wacky sorts have also registered modernwarfare4.com, and have relaxed an initial demand for fast cars and ladies of the night. They're now offering Infinity Ward the domain in exchange for the inclusion of dedicated servers in Modern Warfare 2.
http://www.modernwarfare3.com/
ModernWarfare3.com


EEDAR: Publishers could profit from Welcome Back model

Results of Sony's PSN apology suggests sales of sequels could increase by giving previous games in the series away for free.

Market research firm EEDAR has today suggested that publishers could benefit from following the example of Sony's Welcome Back programme, and stimulate sales of sequels by making previous games in the series available for free.

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Space Invaders movie in production

According to The Hollywood Reporter, producers Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Gigi Pritker have optioned the movie rights to the 1978 arcade game. Quite what form the eventual film will take is anyone's guess, but we're assuming it starts off pretty slowly and gradually picks up the pace ahead of a frantic conclusion. Di Bonaventura, who has previous in adapting 80s pop culture icons having produced GI Joe and Transformers, has also picked up the movie rights to Asteroids.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/space-invaders-video-game-headed-208968
The Hollywood Reporter


Dark Horse to release Valve comics

A listing on Comic Book Resources reveals that Dark Horse will release Valve Presents: The Sacrifice And Other Steam-Powered Stories in the US this November. The 300-page, hardcover collection will feature comics based on Left 4 Dead, Team Fortress and Portal, and retail for $29.99.
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=33181
Comic Book Resources


Schafer: BAFTA is "way out ahead of the Academy"

While Hollywood was left starstruck by British royals, stars from the game industry were struck by BAFTA's support of gaming.

The inaugural event in the BAFTA Brits to Watch initiative met large-scale success on Saturday, with the appearance of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge stealing worldwide attention towards its showcase of British entertainment talent.

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Report: EA acquires social studio Ohai

According to VentureBeat, Electronic Arts has continued its expansion into mobile and social games with the acquisition of Ohai, a San Francisco-based developer of social games whose CEO, Rex Ishibashi, was formerly general manager of EA Japan. Its Facebook MMOG, City Of Eternals, never took off following its release in 2009, but the studio is to again seek success on the social networking site in the near future with the release of Unicorn Parade. While the deal has yet to be confirmed, VentureBeat believes it was completed for "a relatively low price."
http://venturebeat.com/2011/07/11/ea-buys-social-gaming-firm-ohai-exclusive/
VentureBeat


Levine: Irrational has "no plans" for Wii U

Despite his inclusion in the video of developers enthusing about Nintendo's new console during its E3 press conference last month, Ken Levine told IGN: "Just to be clear, there are no plans. I'm not saying it can't happen, but we have no plans to do any games for that platform." While his studio Irrational may not be making games for Wii U, Levine remains vocal in his support for the new system, saying: "There are things about it that, as a core gamer, really appeal to me. We're now getting to a place with Vita and what Nintendo's doing where that's not necessarily going to be the case, where you can play full-on hardcore games in bed with the lights out while your wife's asleep. I like that a lot. That means a lot to me."
http://uk.wii.ign.com/articles/118/1181645p3.html
IGN


Capcom to unveil new game at Comic-Con

A list of videogame panels set for next week's Comic-Con in San Diego reveals that Capcom will announce a new game on Friday July 21. Hiroyuki Kobayashi, producer of Killer7, Devil May Cry 4 and the upcoming Dragon's Dogma, will be on hand to reveal more about his next project, and Capcom is also widely rumoured to be announcing a new iteration of Marvel Vs Capcom 3 and more characters for its Namco crossover Street Fighter X Tekken. Other videogame panels planned for the four-day event in San Diego include: Activision, featuring Marvel legend Stan Lee; new character announcements for Batman: Arkham City; Cliff Bleszinski with "key announcements" for Gears Of War 3; and more.
http://www.destructoid.com/all-the-game-panels-at-san-diego-comic-con-2011-listed-205854.phtml
Destructoid


Trenched trademark holder ready for Microsoft fight

Rui Alipio Monteiro, the Portuguese whose First World War-themed board game Trench was revealed last month to be the reason for the European delay of Double Fine's XBLA title Trenched, appears ready to fight publisher Microsoft every step of the way. Explaining that his trademark covers electronic games as well - and claiming that one is already in development - he said in a statement: "[Microsoft], until the present date, has never contacted nor has any relation with Rui Alipio Monteiro. [Portuguese firm] Criações a Solo and Rui Alipio Monteiro, taking into account all investment already made, cannot do anything but obviously defend all their author's copyright and intellectual property against any infringements, as any designer would."
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-07-11-trenched-trademark-man-vows-to-fight-on
Eurogamer


Eidos producer joins Mediatonic

Pete Hickman appointed head of production at Who's That Flying? developer.

Former Eidos executive producer Pete Hickman has joined London-based Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess and Who's That Flying? developer Mediatonic.

Hickman is appointed head of production and brings with him 20 years of experience in production roles at publishers such as Virgin and Eidos.

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Electroplankton dev making Final Fantasy music game

Gamasutra reports that Indies Zero, the Tokyo-based independent studio behind experimental DS music game Electroplankton, has been tasked with development of Theatrythm Final Fantasy by Square Enix. Announced last week, the 3DS rhythm action title features characters, music and settings from all games in the series, with character levelling and collectable music and video clips.
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/35803/Electroplankton_Team_Developing_Final_Fantasy_Rhythm_Game.php
Gamasutra


Electroplankton dev making Final Fantasy music game

Gamasutra reports that Indies Zero, the Tokyo-based independent studio behind experimental DS music game Electroplankton, has been tasked with development of Theatrythm Final Fantasy by Square Enix. Announced last week, the 3DS rhythm action title features characters, music and settings from all games in the series, with character levelling and collectable music and video clips.
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/35803/Electroplankton_Team_Developing_Final_Fantasy_Rhythm_Game.php
Gamasutra


Nintendo Video hitting 3DS this week – report

The Nintendo Video application for 3DS will launch in Europe this Wednesday, July 13, according to Destructoid. Downloadable from the eShop, it will give users access to both 2D and 3D videos, with confirmed content including 3D episodes of Disney Australia's Oscar's Oasis, 3D Magic Tricks from studio D4D, and 3D movie trailers. The 3DS SpotPass system will allow users to download videos automatically when the portable is close to a wireless connection, even when in sleep mode.
http://www.destructoid.com/nintendo-video-comes-to-european-3ds-this-wednesday-205824.phtml
Destructoid


Sony: Industry must support indie developers

“Without doing so, the whole industry will stall, in terms of innovation,” says the head of SCE Worldwide Studios.

Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios boss Shuhei Yoshida has said the industry must support digital indie game development in order to sustain innovation.

Yoshida told Develop “the whole industry will stall” if small, creative ‘garage developers’ aren’t encouraged to flourish.

“As an industry, we have to support those smaller teams, and let them try out their ideas,” he said. “Without doing so, the whole industry will stall, in terms of innovation.”

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Xbox Music to launch this autumn - report

In a speech at the Microsoft Partner Conference yesterday, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer reportedly announced plans to launch a new service called Xbox Music this autumn. Presumably based on the Zune Marketplace, Business Insider says Xbox Music will play home to over 11 million songs, and that Kinect users will be able to search for tracks using the device’s voice recognition tech.
http://www.businessinsider.com/ballmer-talks-about-how-skype-will-fit-into-microsoft-2011-7?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+typepad%2Falleyinsider%2Fsilicon_alley_insider+%28Silicon+Alley+Insider%29&utm_content=Google+Reader
Business Insider


July 11, 2011

Siggraph highlights: Real-Time Live! and Sandbox

Siggraph chair Jason RM Smith, who is also digital production supervisor at LucasArts San Francisco, has outlined Real-Time Live!, a showcase of trends and techniques in game graphics presented via live presentations by the artists and engineers who made them. Games will include Kinectimals, Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit and Epic's Samaritan demo. Accompanying Real-Time Live! is the Sandbox, which will allow attendees to try projects for themselves - which is a grand way of saying they'll be able to play the games. "I’m also using it to squeeze in additional content just because there were so many great submissions," Smith says. Along with Kinectimals and Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit will be games including Alan Wake and Killzone 3.
http://siggraphmediablog.blogspot.com/2011/07/siggraph-gaming-content-revealed-part.html
Siggraph


Edge Facebook hits 3000 followers

Being shy and reserved types, it was with some trepidation that we set out into the world of Facebook. But 3000 likes later we're feeling distinctly more confident, especially given the (mostly) excellent discussions taking place on the page. If you're on Facebook and fancy joining the rapidly growing Edge community, follow the link below.
http://www.facebook.com/edgeonline
Edge Facebook


Free-to-play overtakes premium in App Store

Freemium model accounted for significantly more iOS revenues in June; Trip Hawkins says free-to-play is most lucrative model in all sectors.

Mobile analytics and advertising network specialist Flurry has released research which shows that free-to-play revenue has overtaken premium revenue in the App Store.

Flurry's research shows that 65 per cent of revenues from the 100 most-downloaded games in June came from titles using the freemium pricing model, compared to just 39 per cent in January this year.

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EA omits Steam from Battlefield 3 distributors

Developer and publisher Electronic Arts has omitted Steam from a recently published - and subsequently removed - list of nearly 100 digital retailers supporting upcoming shooter Battlefield 3. The omission follows last month's removal of Crysis 2 due to a disagreement over DLC. We've contacted EA for comment.
http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/10/battlefield-3-may-not-come-to-steam-according-to-eas-list
Joystiq


EA omits Steam from Battlefield 3 distributors

Developer and publisher Electronic Arts has omitted Steam from a recently published - and subsequently removed - list of nearly 100 digital retailers supporting upcoming shooter Battlefield 3. The omission follows last month's removal of Crysis 2 due to a disagreement over DLC. We've contacted EA for comment.
http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/10/battlefield-3-may-not-come-to-steam-according-to-eas-list
Joystiq


US spent $5.9 billion on videogames in Q1 2011

NPD's "expanded research" takes in used sales, DLC and mobile games.

According to market research company NPD, US consumers spent an estimated $5.9 billion on videogames, hardware and accessories in the first quarter of 2011. The figure represents a 1.5 per cent increase year-on-year, with $2.03 billion accounting for video and PC game sales.

In total, an estimated $1.85 billion was spent on used games, rentals, subscriptions, digital downloads, social titles, DLC and mobile games.

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US spent $5.9 billion on videogames in Q1 2011

NPD's "expanded research" takes in used sales, DLC and mobile games.

According to market research company NPD, US consumers spent an estimated $5.9 billion on videogames, hardware and accessories in the first quarter of 2011. The figure represents a 1.5 per cent increase year-on-year, with $2.03 billion accounting for video and PC game sales.

In total, an estimated $1.85 billion was spent on used games, rentals, subscriptions, digital downloads, social titles, DLC and mobile games.

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Street Fighter IV: Volt review

Here's an idea – if online play is a game’s key feature, it should probably work properly.

Capcom is the modern master of repackaging, and Street Fighter IV is its flagship project. Excluding the arcade versions, Volt is the sixth standalone SFIV game thus far. Cynics point out that these iterations often introduce features that should have been in the game in the first place, and to an extent they have a point, but it's a shallow one. No one who's bought multiple SFIV iterations cares as much about new characters and levels as new features the playerbase has demanded.

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Titus: Politics Is Not A Game review

Practice dirty politics through the medium of minigames in a charming, if simplistic, satire for iOS.

Politics is not a game – it's a dirty business, one that Titus makes almost straightforward as he faces a series of elections in which he tries to pocket cash from lobbyists, or hold a town hall meeting while dodging rotten tomatoes. 

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