GameFly Digital Client Launches
Nov. 9, 2012 • Eleven months after the open beta inauguration of its PC digital content client, game rental retailer GameFly officially launched the service with a free download of 2K Games’ Bioshock. The company entered the digital distribution business in August of 2011 with the acquisition of the Direct2Drive service from IGN. Using the Direct2Drive platform as a foundation, GameFly was intent on creating an online portal where its subscribers can manag.....
Aeria Interview: Embracing Mobile Games
NOV. 8, 2012 • Aeria Interview: There is a flood of free-to-play publishers making bold moves to carve out territory on mobile platforms. While it cannot be contested that many consumers are now completely enamored with their smartphones and tablets, there are mounting questions about how many games these consumers will actually pay for on their mobile devices, and whether there is too much content vying for far too little prospective purchasers.
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Disney Acquires LucasFilm
OCT. 31, 2012 • The Walt Disney Company is purchasing LucasFilm Ltd., for $4.05 billion. The latter is wholly owned by chairman George Lucas, who will receive roughly $2 billion in cash, and the remainder in 40 million shares of Disney stock. Disney is acquring Lucas’ entire entertainment holdings, including the LucasArts video game division, and the Industrial Light & Magic special effects business. The sale will make Lucas the second-largest sharehol.....
Microsoft SmartGlass Examined
OCT. 31, 2012 • The Kinect motion controller was a tremendous boon to the Xbox 360 released far back in 2005 – helping to extend market share for the console at the very time that sales should have been trailing off. While much outside attention is being focused on what the next Xbox will look like and when it will arrive, Microsoft’s Entertainment and Devices Division has launched a new complementary input technology, SmartGlass. Although Kinect can e.....
Nintendo Wii Drops to $129.95
OCT. 15, 2012 • In anticipation of the Nov. 18 launch of the Wii U, Nintendo of America is reducing the price of the original Wii to $129.95 from $149.95. The new package should be shipped-in to retailers by Oct. 28, includes a black console, Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort, a Wiimote Plus, and a Nunchuck controller. The package replaces the existing $149.95 bundle that included New Super Mario Bros.  Nintendo has made no similar price reduction announcement f.....
League of Legends MAU Reaches 32 Million
OCT. 12, 2012 • League of Legends has become the poster child for successful free-to-play games. According to Riot Games, the League of Legends MAU has reached 32 million active users a month, based on a total of 70 million registered accounts. Further, the game is attracting 12 million players a day, with an average of 3 million people competing against each other concurrently any hour of the day, with 1 billion-plus game hours played each month worldwide. Leag.....
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