Disney Interactive Media recorded a fall in sales and reduced operating losses during the third fiscal quarter ended June 27, 2009.
Sales dropped 20 per cent to $113 million (£66.65m/€78.39m), while operating loss narrowed from $91 million to $75 million (£44.2m/€52m), largely due to decreased marketing and product development costs at Disney Online and at Disney Interactive Studios.
Nintendo DSi users will be able upload pictures taken with the handheld’s cameras directly to Facebook from today.
The new functionality will be available through a downloadable update which will allow interaction with the social networking site through wireless connections. While reviewing pictures taken through either of the handheld’s cameras, users can upload their pictures via the Facebook icon on the system’s touch screen.
IPhone developer Freeverse has entered into a deal with Ngmoco to make use of its connectivity platform Plus+.
Plus+, already in use in a number of Ngomoco titles, allows players to create profiles and friends lists, challenge other users and take part in game events. “Freeverse fans are always eager to engage meaningfully with their social groups and share the games they love, so integrating Plus+ into our games was a natural choice for us," said Freeverse president Ian Lynch Smith.
Format: Wii
Release: Out now
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: In-house
Nintendo’s Wii Sport Resort held onto the top spot of the UK software sales chart for the week ended August 1, according to data provided by Chart-Track.
The Wii MotionPlus title held onto the top spot with an increase in sales of six per cent. Nintendo also claimed second place with Wii Fit, up from number four the previous week.
Sega Sammy has released its financial report for the first quarter ended July 31, revealing mixed results with a decline in sales but also a decline in losses.
The company’s net sales hit 60.4 billion yen for the quarter, down by 19 per cent from 74.6 billion year-on-year. However, operating losses improved from 10.2 billion yen in 2008’s comparable quarter to a loss of only 7.8 billion yen in 2009. Net losses decreased to 10.2 billion yen during the quarter, down from 10.5 billion yen year-on-year.
Shigeru Miyamoto has said that Nintendo plans to ride out the recession by creating family focused products that will continue to be in demand as household entertainment budgets decline.
“Obviously, the recession is bad for everybody and it does have impact in certain areas,” Miyamoto told Mercury News, adding: “but one of the things we look at when we look at entertainment is, if you want something bad enough, you're going to save your money for it, right?”
Sony claims to have nearly doubled the installed base for the PlayStation 3 as of June 30, following the company’s quarterly financial results.
Cumulative sales of the platform have hit 22.7 million units since its launch in 2006. The company also announced lifetime PlayStation Portable sales of 51.6 million units and a total PlayStation Network membership of 24 million accounts.
