Ubisoft Opens Mid East Studio in Abu Dhabi
OCT. 25, 2011 • Abu Dhabi was chosen as the location for the latest of Ubisoft’s development studios, set to open in December. Yannick Theler, a 10-year veteran with the publisher, will head the new studio. In addition to creating games, the Abu Dhabi operation will also train local talent in cooperation with twofour54, Ubisoft’s media partner in the venture.
Impact: A lot of lip s.....
KMM Brisbane Shuttered
OCT. 17, 2011 • KMM Brisbane became the latest game studio to shut down in Australia. The branch of KMM Sydney was set up to work on Happy Feet Two on various platforms and had been operating for less than a year. Many of those employed there had come from Krome Studios, which was shuttered in 2010. Other Australian developers to close down in the last two years include a branch of EA’s Visceral Games, Pandemic Studios, Team Bondi, as well as THQ’s Brisb.....
Microsoft AcquiresTwisted Pixel
OCT. 12, 2011 • Microsoft Studios acquired Twisted Pixel Games LLC based in Austin, Texas. The studio is best known for its Xbox Live Arcade titles such as Splosion Man and The Gunstringer. No financial terms were released. The acquisition was touted as a way to bolster Microsoft’s fortunes on e.....
Peter Dille Hired by Tapjoy
SEPT. 7, 2011 • Mobile monetization firm Tapjoy has hired former Sony Computer Entertainment America executive Peter Dille as its chief marketing officer. More than 10,000 apps feature Tapjoy’s service that inserts ads into iOS and Android gameplay. Dille was a senior VP at SCEA before leaving in March.
Impact: This is the sign of another major shift in the game industry. Increasingly lo.....
Google Acquires Motorola
AUG. 15, 2011 • Google Inc. will pay nearly $12.5 billion to acquire Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. Although Google has marketed its own Android phones with hardware sourced from partner electronics manufacturers, the acquisition of Motorola puts the company in direct competition with smartphone makers who use the Android OS. No change is expected in Google’s policy of giving rights to use Android to these hardware manufacturers for free in order to buil.....
HTC Invests in Beats Electronics
AUG. 11, 2011 • The Taiwan-based smartphone maker HTC Corp is buying a 51% controlling share in U.S. specialty headphone designer Beats Electronics for $309 million. Beats markets enhanced headphones that reproduce a fuller spectrum of audio, and was launched by music producer Jimmy Iovine, and rap artist Dr. Dre. The move is seen as a way to enhance HTC’s products against competition from Apple and Samsung.
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