Sony and Microsoft Spend $94 Million on Video Game Television Advertising

JULY 3, 2014 • During the first five months of 2014 Sony Computer Ent. America and Microsoft Corp. combined spent $93.7 million to advertise their latest consoles on U.S. television, as reported in the Wall Street Journal based on estimates provided by research firm iSpot.tv. Total video game television advertising spend for the period was $226.5 million. Between the two console makers Sony spent $59 million to support the PS4 versus Microsoft’s $34.7 mill.....

Behind Ninja Metrics’ Veil

JUNE 1, 2014 • Ninja Metrics Interview: How and why people spend money in games has taken on much greater importance as the free-to-play model has taken root worldwide. What is relatively novel is which players influence purchases by other players. The concept is not new, consumer electronics companies have been cultivating early adopters for decades – people who then go onto influence other consumers to purchase. Yet translating that concept to in-game purcha.....

GameStop Shifts Impulse Digital Game Distribution Course

MAY 21, 2014 • Three years after GameStop Corp. acquired the Impulse digital game distribution service and streaming firm Spawn Labs, the retailer is taking a different approach to its digital sales. Starting this week, GameStop will no longer service nor deliver digital purchases of PC games via its own Impulse server infrastructure. Consumers who visit impulsedriven.com are now directed instead to gamestop.com/pcgames where they will receive a voucher to use w.....

Destiny Franchise Has $500 Million Price Tag

MAY 6, 2014 • Activision Blizzard chief executive Bobby Kotick told financial executives at this week’s Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angeles last week that with the $500 million bet his company was making on Bungie Inc.’s Destiny franchise could only be made on owned IP. The $500 million figure includes production, promotion and marketing, royalties, packaging, merchandising  and other costs. Destiny is a futuristic science fiction vid.....

Yodo1 Interview: China Mobile Localization

APRIL 22, 2014 • Yodo1 Interview: With 3G and 4G mobile networks spreading coverage throughout China it is no surprise that overall smartphone penetration is growing significantly with a corresponding demand for mobile game content. That is a very tempting scenario for Western mobile game studios looking to expand revenue. Yet China is a very different market.  There are a dizzying number of players in discovery and billing on top of picky consumers with distin.....

CCP Cancels Vampire MMO

APRIL 14, 2014 • When CCP Games acquired Atlanta-based White Wolf Publishing late in 2006 a Vampire MMO based on the Vampire: The Masquerade RPG series was already in the planning stages. Although production on World of Darkness was intended to start in the 2008-2009 timeframe, the title never exited pre-production and has now been officially cancelled. A year ago CCP showed off video .....

Titanfall Xbox One Bundle at $450

MARCH 25, 2014 • Sharp-eyed gamers awoke to find a $50 price reduction on the Titanfall Xbox One bundle at major national retailers in the United States. Amazon.com Best Buy Co. Inc., Fry’s Electronics, Target Corp., and Wal-Mart Stores all advertised the bundle at $450. Soon after the Microsoft online store matched the price reduction. Prior to this week Costco Wholesale Corp. had the best deal on the package at $380. Surprisingly, GameStop was still dis.....

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