Pirates Of The Caribbean title cancelled as owner Disney re-shapes its Vancouver studio.
Disney Interactive Studios has restructured its Propaganda Games studio, combining its two development teams into one.
As a result of the changes Propaganda’s Pirates Of The Caribbean: Armada Of The Damned, due for release next year, has been cancelled.
Analytics firm says in-app micro-transactions have eclipsed advertising sales on Apple's platform.
According to smartphone application analytics and monetisation platform, Flurry, the revenue from sales of virtual goods in social networking and social gaming applications on Apple’s iOS operating system now exceeds that from advertising.
Ever since I can remember, I have loved using level editors. I got my start before I was even a teenager building Lode Runner levels on the VIC-20, by my mid-20s I was making levels in UnrealEd, and my first game industry job was as a level designer. The game level editor was at least as important to my personal creative development as was the word processor. I believe a good level editor can be as engaging and entertaining as a game itself and - when combined with a great game - has the potential to create a positive feedback loop between playing and creating.
Nintendo’s DS line holds first place in the Japanese hardware sales chart despite week-on-week declines.
The DS line of handhelds, comprised of DSi, DSi LL and DS Lite moved 50,038 units combined, in the week ending October 8, according to new chart information released today.
Sony’s PSP line, including PSP Go, managed 34,874 units combined. For individual models, the standard PSP system came in first place with 33,683 unit sales.
New entries can’t topple Nintendo’s RPG in the latest chart results.
Pokemon Black/White for DS has held the top spot in the Japanese software charts for a fourth consecutive week. The title sold 231,638 units in the week ending October 10. It’s a drop on the previous week’s 374,859 units.
The rest of the top five are new entries, with another DS RPG, Kingdom Hearts Re: Coded managing close to 100,000 units.
We're presenting our take on each studio on the shortlist until the voting deadline on October 25.
See the rest of the nominees and put your vote in right here >>
Next month sees Microsoft launch its online service in nine new countries.
Xbox Live will make its debut in Russia, Poland, South Africa, Greece, Czech Republic, Hungary, Brazil, Colombia, and Chile on November 10.
US sales figures reflect launch of PlayStation Move and Halo: Reach bundles.
Market research group NPD has revealed sales figures for game hardware and accessories for the month of September.
Compared to the same month last year, video game hardware sales fell from $472 million in 2009 to $383 million this year: a drop of 19 per cent. Average console prices increased, with the 360 Halo: Reach and PS3 Move bundles both released during the month.
If Habitat and David Kronenberg ever decided to make things together, the end-product would probably remind you of Vectorpark’s work. Patrick Smith’s cleanly enigmatic imprint has been turning out fascinating Flash oddities for the last few years: playful distractions where clean lines stand alongside fur, talons, and giant eyeballs.
Strong sales for Bungie’s shooter can’t prevent an overall decline in US software sales.
NPD Group has released chart details for the month of September in the US. Halo: Reach was the best selling game, shifting $3.3 million units – excluding those sold in bundles.
Compared to last year, overall software sales fell five per cent from $692 million in 2009 to $655 million this year.
The first part of this article, in which we look at EA''s freemium game strategy, was published on Wednesday. The second part, in which we look at the increasing freedom the publisher affords its internal studios, was published yesterday.
Supermarket chain guns for bigger share of the UK software market.
UK-based retailer Tesco has reaffirmed its dedication to establishing a strong presence in the videogame software market.
Speaking to MCV, Tesco’s senior manager for games, John Stanhope, says: “We have already doubled our share on software, hardware and peripherals in the last year”.
Bungie “putting the finishing touches” to Noble Map Pack.
Halo creator Bungie has revealed three new multiplayer maps for Halo: Reach. The map pack will be available for download via Xbox Live on November 30 for 800 MS points.
The three maps comprise spaceborne docking station Anchor 9, abandoned shoreline base Tempest and the ice-covered archaeological labs of Breakpoint.
We're presenting our take on each studio on the shortlist until the voting deadline on October 25.
See the rest of the nominees and put your vote in right here >>
Moon developer Kenishi Nishi asks fans to help him tweet his way to a publisher for a sequel.
The Japan-based game developer behind 1997 PlayStation title Moon: Remix RPG Adventure, has asked fans to use social networking and micro-blogging site Twitter to show their support and help secure a publisher for a second series instalment.
Job listing announces a new US office for the social games giant.
Zynga will open its twelfth US office in Seattle, Washington, a job advertised on the social network game developer’s website reveals.
Earlier this month Zynga made the latest in a string of acquisitions of thirdparty developers, taking over Texas-based Bonfire Studios.
Suda 51 says recruits will help the Japanese developer to “explore other genres”.
Harvest Moon creator Yasuhiro Wada and Little King’s Story creator Yoshiro Kimura have left Japanese publisher Marvelous Entertainment to join developer Grasshopper Manufacture.
Movie rental company makes deal to bring streaming service to Sony’s console.
Film rental company Lovefilm and Sony Computer Entertainment UK have announced that a streaming service will be making its way to Playstation 3 in the UK.
The Lovefilm service will be accessible through a dedicated app, not through the console’s browser, via the PS3’s XMB, offering thousands of titles for on-demand streaming.
The event that started it all has become the stuff of videogame fable. In August 2007, John Riccitiello, the freshly crowned CEO of Electronic Arts, gathered 160 top-ranking executives in a New York conference centre and told them the company was in crisis. Just back from founding private equity firm Elevation, he saw EA as a bloated giant, ill-equipped to thrive amid a worldwide economic downturn and a rapidly evolving digital marketplace.
Development community moved from games focus to include apps as Windows Phone 7 launch nears.
Microsoft has relaunched its XNA development community, renaming it from Creators Club to App Hub, following its reveal event for Windows Phone 7 on Monday. The new brand and website caters to both XNA and Windows Phone 7 developers.
We're presenting our take on each studio on the shortlist until the voting deadline on October 25.
See the rest of the nominees and put your vote in right here >>
Having absorbed Bullfrog Productions in 2004, Bright Light is one of the many UK development studios that can boast a fabled past. And with a remit in the constantly developing world of family games, it's demonstrating creativity, adaptability and diversity to suit it.
Format: Xbox 360, PC, PS3 (Version tested)
Release: Out now (US), October 15 (UK)
Publisher: EA
Developer: Danger Close / Dice
Screenshot gallery
Sega spokesperson says downloadable racer “will remain offline on PSN and XBLA.”
OutRun Online Arcade, developed by UK studio Sumo Digital, has been taken off the PSN store. It is currently still available on XBLA but is expected to be removed soon. The PlayStation 3 version of the title was exclusive to Europe.
Media production company behind Big Brother and Deal Or No Deal strengthens online gaming presence.
Endemol UK, a subsidiary of the Endemol media production and distribution company which is behind global entertainment brands including Deal Or No Deal, Big Brother (and Dead Set (pictured)), has today announced the launch of Endemol Games.
Endemol says the division has been set up to “specialise in licensing and monetising both Endemol and third-party entertainment properties in the gaming space.”
DeNA founder says “We’re building the largest mobile social gaming platform in the world.”
Mobile portal and e-commerce solutions company DeNA has today announced that it is to buy US-based iOS publisher of GodFinger and Rolando, Ngmoco, for up to $400 million in cash and stock value.