Format: iPhone
Release: Out now
Publisher: Kairosoft
Developer: Kairosoft
When playing a game that doesn't achieve its potential, there's one thought common to all players: I could have fixed that. Kane and Lynch? Tweak the cover system, give the weapons a bit more oomph, improve AI. New Vegas? Keep debugging until there's no glitch left standing. Wii games? Ban waggle. Gross oversimplifications of complex products? Of course - but it seems so easy from the outside.
Third annual game conference shows strong presence from online and mobile game makers.
A new report highlights the building momentum of Android devices and the rise of paid-for game apps.
Research and consulting firm Futuresource Consulting has revealed projections for the future of mobile gaming worldwide.
Quarterly guide to greener electronics slams the Japanese games company for the second time in a row.
In the 16th edition of Greenpeace’s Guide To Greener Electronics report, Nintendo is ranked last place with a score of 1.8 out of 10. Nintendo achieved the same score in the last report, issued in May.
Inside the cavernous Anaheim Convention Centre, 30 miles west of downtown Los Angeles, worship is in full session. “This word is power. This word is identity. This word is our word,” bellows Blizzard’s answer to Billy Graham - senior vice president of creative development Chris Metzen - to rapturous approval from the 20,000-strong crowd gathered at his feet. Behind him a single word is emblazoned across a huge screen: ‘Geek’. This is a man who knows his audience.
Atari introducing a free-to-play option to its MMOG to attract a “new audience”.
US-based developer Cryptic Studios and publisher Atari will change the payment model for its super-hero themed MMORPG Champions Online in the first quarter of 2011.
Format: 360 (version tested), PS3, Wii
Release: Out now
Publisher: Activision
Developer: FreeStyleGames
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Social games giant’s estimated stock value has doubled since March.
US-based analyst SharesPost has valued FarmVille maker Zynga at $5.51 billion on its index for privately held companies. In March SharesPost valued the company at $2.61 billion. The new valuation puts Zynga ahead of Electronic Arts’ Nasdaq stock market value of $5.16 billion.
As a result of presentation about the work of LTS’ Consolarium initiative in Strasbourg last year we were kindly invited to present a keynote talk about the place and value of game based learning in Scottish schools at a teacher technology conference in Bergen.
A few weeks back we received a call from a journalist from the Bergen Times whose interest in what was happening with the Consolarium in Scotland was sparked by his reading of the forthcoming conference’s programme. He told us that he had carried out a bit of research and would really like to see this for himself. A date was duly arranged and his flight to Aberdeen from Bergen allowed us to call on out colleagues in Aberdeenshire to showcase the GBL work that is happening in their schools.
A programme was duly organised and the Norwegian journalist and his photographer spent a day visiting schools who were using a range of computer games in the classroom.
It appears that the game based learning approach that we employ in Scotland is new to Norway and as such it merited a real splash in the Bergen Times Weekend supplement, including a feature on the front cover! It appears that the journalist was somewhat taken aback by the power of what he witnessed in the classrooms he visited and as such he has written a very positive article about GBL in Scotland and what questions Norway can begin to ask itself about how the Consolarium’s ideas, practice and approach might begin to be developed over there.
The article is not online as yet so in the meantime please find attached .pdfs of the article:
Bergen Times Weekend Saturday Supplement main article
Page1: Photograph of kids playing Guitar Hero
There was also a piece following on from the main article that focused on asking schoolchildren from Bergen what they thought about having game based learning in school.
Page 1: Bergen schoolchildren and GBL
Page 2: Bergen schoolchildren and GBL
Finally, there was also a piece in the Sunday edition of the Bergen Times that included comments from prominent Norwegian educationalists about the work of the Consolarium in Scotland.
Bergen Times Sunday edition article
In order for you to make sense of these article we have attempted to use Google Translate so that you can make some sense of the stories featured in the Norwegian press. The translation has worked well although we do think that some meaning has been lost in translation.
There are also some errors in detail in the article that need to be highlighted and corrected:
It appears that the input that we gave at the conference has been well received and has at least started a discussion about the place of game based learning in Norwegian schools. The Bergen Times article has certainly helped!
London-based studio remains open despite threat of closure and rumours surrounding cancellation of ambitious action game.
Develop is reporting that Ignition Entertainment's London development studio has survived the closure threat made last month.
Research reveals Nintendo has sold an average of 46,000 controllers per day since launch.
Yesterday Nintendo announced findings by the independent research group NPD regarding US Wii Remote sales.
The data includes Wii Remotes bundled with the Wii console as standard since launch in November 2006.
Of 65.3 million Wii Remotes sold, 30.41 were pre-packaged with the Wii hardware. This brings the average number of Wii Remotes per console to 2.15 in the US.
British Academy Of Film And Television Arts recognises the rise of social games.
Independent charity BAFTA has revealed a new Social Network Game category in its forthcoming awards, to be presented next year.
The new category has been introduced to identify and reward excellence and innovation in the area of social games.
Destroying a world that's taken years to build up is not a task you'd imagine a level designer would cheerfully go about. But that's exactly what Alex Afrasiabi, World Of Warcraft's lead world designer, will do in the upcoming expansion Cataclysm. We met up with Afrasiabi at this year's Blizzcon to discuss growing up with Everquest, learning from mistakes and where World Of Warcraft can possibly go once Azeroth is torn asunder.
Some of the social network’s biggest games have been sending user IDs to thirdparty companies.
Blizzard answers Age Of Conan designer’s claim that “more isn’t always better”.
Alex Afrasiabi, World Of Warcraft’s lead world designer, offered his perspective on story during an interview with us at Blizzcon in Anaheim, California, this weekend.
Nintendo of America president believes the iPhone-maker could cause more damage to the company than Microsoft.
Speaking to Forbes about the competition Nintendo is facing from Apple, Reggie Fils-Aime, says, “Do I think that in the near term they can hurt us more than Microsoft? Absolutely.”
Host of online gaming portal claims growth is currently at 250,000 registrations per day.
German-based game developer Bigpoint announced today that its browser-based gaming hub Bigpoint.com, has reached 150 million registered users.
In January Bigpoint announced it had reached one million registered users. Heiko Hubertz, CEO of Bigpoint.com, says “Our growth over the last few months has been incredible.”
Blizzcon 2010, Blizzard's fifth annual celebration of all things Warcraft, StarCraft and Diablo, took place over the weekend in Anaheim, California. We sat down with executive vice president of game design, Rob Pardo, in between Q&A sessions and tournaments, to discuss the event's continued growth, the importance of not becoming complacent in the face of sucess and the possibility of a Bungie MMOG.
How do you feel Blizzcon has evolved since it started in 2005? Do you miss the days when it was a smaller event?
WOW developer could share resources with ex-Halo studio.
Blizzard would consider offering support and expertise to a Bungie MMOG project, World Of Warcraft co-designer Rob Pardo revealed to us during Blizzcon, which took place in Anaheim, California over the weekend.
Sony announces a 10,000 yen ($130/£80) price cut for its download-only games device.
In a culture dominated by TV talent shows, overtly-sensationalist news and gratuitous amounts of advertising, it's difficult to go a day without raising the suspicion you're being looked down upon. There is a presumption with the onslaught that consumers are bovine: naturally passive and wilfully apathetic - not fizzing with anything that might even resemble creative energy.
Global Agenda developer using the FPS licence for "large scale fighting” game, Tribes Universe.
The US-based developer of thirdperson MMO shooter Global Agenda, Hi-Rez Studios, announced on Saturday that it is the new owner of the Tribes franchise.
Format: Xbox 360, PS3
Release: Out now
Publisher: THQ
Developer: Double Fine
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Bethesda’s debuting role-playing game knocks Medal Of Honor off the top spot.
The UK's multiformat chart in the week ending October 23 also saw DS puzzler Professor Layton And The Lost Future make a strong debut at number four. Wii games Just Dance 2 and Wii Party remained strong, slipping just two places each, while Wii Sports Resort managed to climb back into the top ten.
Halo: Reach and Castlevania: Lords Of Shadow both fell out of the top ten.
Persona publisher and developer's owner also reveals hopes for upcoming game sales, including Catherine.