Friday, November 29, 2013

Korean News and Beta Test Announcements

  • Dragonfly MMORPG “Ssen Online” starts Mgame channeling service.
  • Galaxy Gate action RPG “Legend of Fighters” starts client download, 2nd CBT starts on November 29, 2013.
  • Allm action RPG “Kritika” reveals new character “Yoran.” 
  • L&K MMORPG “Recod of Lodoss War” in development based on Japanese fantasy novel of the same title.
  • Nexon casual racing game “Kart Rider” releases new brand “Kart Rider 2014” brand image and teaser video via homepage.
  • Dragonfly 2013 3Q sales: 17,800,000,000 won, operating income: 1,200,000,000 won, net income: 4,000,000,000 won.
  • RekooKorea TCG “General – Beginning of a Legend” Android version released in Naver Appstore.

Is this the start of the Paymium generation?

Is this the start of the Paymium generation?:
New consoles, new business models - but the reception to "paymium" has been anger and outrage. Until its instigators start respecting their customers, that won't change

ArcheAge – XLGAMES taking action against staff who leaked game details

ArcheAge – XLGAMES taking action against staff who leaked game details:
Yesterday, developer XLGAMES posted on ArcheAge Korea’s website, stating that action is being taken over a staff who leaked confidential information pertaining to ArcheAge. The leak was discovered after some large guilds

We're now in the era of non-intrusive UA, says AppLift

We're now in the era of non-intrusive UA, says AppLift:
User acquisition - or UA to those in the know - is the driving force for mobile game marketing. Speaking at the App Promotion Summit in Berlin, Kaya Taner, CEO of German UA company AppLift reckons that we're currently into

Going global: Two thirds of Google Play revenue is from outside of the US

Going global: Two thirds of Google Play revenue is from outside of the US:
Google has stressed the importance of developers launching their games outside of America, with the giant revealing that a large chunk of Google Play revenue is now generated overseas. Speaking at Pocket Gamer's recent

Drive on Moscow Review

Drive on Moscow Review:
Drive on Moscow Review By Chris Kirby on November 28th, 2013 Our Rating: :: Drive-By ShootingiPad Only App - Designed for the iPad Wargames have a notorious learning curve. Drive On Moscow tries to flatten that curve.

Stellar Wars Review

Stellar Wars Review:
Stellar Wars Review By Carter Dotson on November 28th, 2013 Our Rating: :: STELLARUniversal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad Stellar Wars excels thanks to the immense variety of the gameplay scenarios it presents.

Don't focus on UA. Focus on re-targetting, says Trademob

Don't focus on UA. Focus on re-targetting, says Trademob:
Re-targeting was an aspect of user acquisition that was cited by at least one industry insider as being a key trend for 2013. But clearly that's not happened as at the App Promotion Summit in Berlin, Trademob's head of sales Florian

Monetizer: Why the 'third builder' bottleneck is crucial to monetising Clash of Clan clones

Monetizer: Why the 'third builder' bottleneck is crucial to monetising Clash of Clan clones:
Sherlock Holmes measured the difficulty of his detective cases in the number of pipes he had to smoke before a solution arose. A 'three pipe' problem was a real stinker. For developers of that most popular mobile game the strategy

Review: Icycle: On Thin Ice

Review: Icycle: On Thin Ice:
Icycle: On Thin Ice is a thing to behold. As its levels deform and reshape themselves, cracking into shards and collapsing all around your ever-panicking avatar, you can't help but be impressed. And these are far from just

Touchgrind Skate 2 Review

Touchgrind Skate 2 Review:
When it comes to skating video games, I've pretty much played them all. From the earliest Tony Hawk titles that probably gave the genre a name for itself, to the more hardcore games like Skate, there's oodles of creativity that has

Johnny and the Doomsday Machine Review

Johnny and the Doomsday Machine Review:
Developer: Written by David Titcher and released by Writeur Films Price: $3.99 Version: 1.0.1 App Reviewed on: iPad Air iPad Integration Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars User Interface Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars Re-use / Replay Value Rating:

Naruto Online – Debut test phase begins next week in China

Naruto Online – Debut test phase begins next week in China:
Naruto Online was first announced this time last year, and it is finally ready for its debut test phase on 5th December. Developed by Namco Bandai, CyberConnect2 and Tencent Games, Naruto Online is a China-exclusive

Thursday, November 28, 2013

Gloria Victus – A journey through medieval Europe interview

Gloria Victus – A journey through medieval Europe interview:
[Facebook page] There aren’t really many full 3D and Free-to-Play online games I can think of which fully relates to actual history and the particular time’s culture. Enter Gloria Victis, an upcoming MMORPG focused on a time

Criminal Case on Facebook celebrates first birthday by reaching 100 million lifetime players

Criminal Case on Facebook celebrates first birthday by reaching 100 million lifetime players:
Image via Pretty Simple Games To celebrate the game’s first birthday, Pretty Simple Games has released some monumental stats for its hidden object game Criminal Case (our review) on Facebook. In the past 12 months, the

Molten Games – First screenshot for Unreal Engine 3 title revealed

Molten Games – First screenshot for Unreal Engine 3 title revealed:
Molten Games, which received a “multi-million” investment from NCsoft earlier this year, earlier revealed the very first screenshot of its debut title, currently known as “Blunderbuss”. Crafted using Unreal Engine 3, it was

OpenKit wants to resurrect everything you loved about OpenFeint

OpenKit wants to resurrect everything you loved about OpenFeint:
It's said that nature abhors a vacuum, and that's true in the world of video games as well. When something popular disappears, it's just a matter of time before a replacement pops up to take its place.For mobile developers, the

Free for All: MMORPGs for your new console

Free for All: MMORPGs for your new console:
Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Super-hero, EVE Online, Launches, New Titles, Previews, PvP, News Items, PvE, Free-to-Play, Consoles, Casual, Virtual Worlds, MMOFPS, Free Realms, Rumors, Warhammer 40k, Kids, DC

Ich bin ein Berliner: King to open new office in German capital

Ich bin ein Berliner: King to open new office in German capital:
King - née King.com - has announced that it will open an office in Berlin at the beginning of 2014. Dubbing Germany as a "home to an exceptional amount of games development talent", King CEO Riccardo Zacconi said that Berlin is

Killzone dev hires Fallout writer

Killzone dev hires Fallout writer:
Killzone developer Guerrilla Games has hired John Gonzalez, best known for his work on 2010 role-playing game Fallout: New Vegas, for which he served as the lead writer.Gonzalez will work out of Guerrilla Games' offices in

Million Arthur's Chinese success boosts Shanda's FY13 Q3 mobile game sales to $25 million

Million Arthur's Chinese success boosts Shanda's FY13 Q3 mobile game sales to $25 million:
Chinese online and mobile games publisher Shanda Games (NASDAQ: GAME) has announced its unaudited consolidated financial results for FY13 Q3, the three months ending 30 September 2013. Net revenues were $183

Skulls Of The Shogun Finally Makes It To iOS, And It's Brilliant

Skulls Of The Shogun Finally Makes It To iOS, And It's Brilliant:
After spending most of the year as a Windows Phone 8 exclusive, the mobile version of 17-Bit's wonderful little turn-based strategy game finally makes the jump to iOS, and damn if it doesn't look gorgeous there.

Korean News and Beta Test Announcements

  • Antic Game World web RPG “Jungwoneul Beda” starts Toc Toc channeling service.
  • Galaxy Gate action RPG “Legend of Fighters” starts 2nd CBT on November 29.
  • Panggame web game “Gumong Online” holds 1st CBY from December 5 to 7.
  • CJ E&M Netmarble casual UCC shooting game “Brick Force” holds 1st CBT from November 28 to December 1.
  • Funigloo mobile TCG “Guilty Dragon” released in T-store and Google Play.
  • Gamepia mobile TCG “Daehangukji: Fantasy Korea” released in iOS and Android versions.

Darklings Review

Darklings Review:
Darklings Review By Lucy Ingram on November 27th, 2013 Our Rating: :: THE DARKNESS IS COMINGUniversal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad MildMania’s Darklings is a wonderfully unique and magical game that relies

Review: Friendly Fire!

Review: Friendly Fire!:
Rare are the games made in the West that make an opening gambit of attacking the United States - though in the wake of the NSA revelations it's sure to go down well in certain quarters. It's a striking opening to what is

Zuki’s Quest Review

Zuki’s Quest Review:
Zuki’s Quest Review By Angela LaFollette on November 27th, 2013 Our Rating: :: TRICKY AND CLEVERiPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad This turn-based puzzle platformer will keep gamers

Google Glass could have iPhone-like impact on gaming

Google Glass could have iPhone-like impact on gaming:
Glu Mobile CEO sees potential for a wearable computing revolution as mobile's big players only get bigger

Star Wars: The Old Republic: Taking Galactic Starfighter for a Spin

Star Wars: The Old Republic: Taking Galactic Starfighter for a Spin:
We took Galactic Starfighter, the upcoming digital expansion to Star Wars: The Old Republic, for a spin on the game's public test server and today we're offering our thoughts.

World of Warcraft: Greg "Ghostcrawler" Street to Leave Blizzard

World of Warcraft: Greg "Ghostcrawler" Street to Leave Blizzard:
In a shocking announcement, Greg "Ghostcrawler" Street has announced that he will be leaving Blizzard Entertainment after six years with the company. According to the post written on the Battle.net forum, Street is leaving to

General: Former Bioware Dev Rich Vogel, a New Studio & Bethesda

General: Former Bioware Dev Rich Vogel, a New Studio & Bethesda:
Former Bioware developer Rich Vogel has formed a new game studio that is hard at work on a new, as-yet-unnamed game. Called Battlecry Studios, it joins the Bethesda corps of development houses.

WildStar: Winter Beta Progress Report

WildStar: Winter Beta Progress Report:
WildStar's Winter Closed Beta has been rolling along now for a few weeks, and we pulled Executive Producer Jeremy Gaffney out of the game his busy work schedule to chat about the progress Carbine is making, what the good

Review: Strike Force Heroes: Extraction

Review: Strike Force Heroes: Extraction:
The side-on endless-runner hasn't really changed its shape since it first popped into existence. Simple controls, spinning gold coins, and randomly positioned obstacles are all still the dish of the day. But there are always little

Coaster Crazy Deluxe Review

Coaster Crazy Deluxe Review:
Coaster Crazy Deluxe Review By Jennifer Allen on November 27th, 2013 Our Rating: :: CRAZY FUNUniversal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad Building rollercoasters proves to be great fun in this colorful simulation. Developer:

'AdvenChewers' Review - It's Time to Chew Bubble Gum

'AdvenChewers' Review - It's Time to Chew Bubble Gum:
Endless runners can satisfy a certain kind of itch every so often, but sometimes, I want structure. With a level-based system and endless runner-like qualities, AdvenChewers is a modest compromise of both formulas, and

Defunct Blitz Games Studios returns as Radiant Worlds

Defunct Blitz Games Studios returns as Radiant Worlds:
Although UK-based Blitz Games Studios was closed down just a couple of months ago, the company's co-founders have already set a new studio in motion, and hired back a portion of its staff. ...

Renren continues to struggle in mobile transition; FY13 Q3 sales down 6% to $47.6 million

Renren continues to struggle in mobile transition; FY13 Q3 sales down 6% to $47.6 million:
Chinese real-name social network Renren (NYSE: RENN) has announced its unaudited financial results for its Q3 period, the three months ending 30 September 2013. Revenues were $47.6 million, down 6 percent year-on-year.

Video: Making an observer-friendly game, according to Day

Video: Making an observer-friendly game, according to Day:
50 percent of YouTube video game content is community-generated, so developers should consider how to make the gameplay itself entertaining and easy to understand, says Sean 'Day[9]' Plott. ...

Fun Town Review

Fun Town Review:
For younger gamers, sometimes it's okay if the line between a game and a learning app gets a little blurry. That "best of both worlds" quality definitely applies to Fun Town, the latest release from British studio Touch & Learn.

Tiger & Chicken Review

Tiger & Chicken Review:
Tiger & Chicken Review By Lucy Ingram on November 27th, 2013 Our Rating: :: SHAOLIN CHICKENiPad Only App - Designed for the iPad From the first episode Tiger & Chicken is a remarkable, extremely solid adventure that

Skull Legends Review

Skull Legends Review:
In Skull Legends, players are forced to stand their ground with nothing but a bow and arrow in their hands, and the knowledge of building various towers throughout the landscape as legions of evil skeleton monsters slowly shake

King’s League: Odyssey Review

King’s League: Odyssey Review:
King’s League: Odyssey Review By Jennifer Allen on November 27th, 2013 Our Rating: :: BATTLING SIMUniversal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad Combining RPG and management sensibilities, King’s League: Odyssey is

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Windows Phone developer support set to double in 2014

Windows Phone developer support set to double in 2014:
A third of mobile developers are planning to support Windows Phone in 2014, with support for Microsoft's platform doubling during the last 12 months. That's the main takeaway from a developer survey published by Strategy

Review: Big Action Mega Fight!

Review: Big Action Mega Fight!:
Are you a bad enough dude to play a mobile game that lets you walk from left to right and punch out anyone who gets in your way? That probably depends on whether or not you're carrying a torch for classic 8- and- 16-bit brawlers like

Ironhide Game Studio brings Kingdom Rush: Frontiers to browser on Armor Games

Ironhide Game Studio brings Kingdom Rush: Frontiers to browser on Armor Games:
Image via Ironhide Game Studio Ironhide Game Studio and Armor Games have announced the release of Kingdom Rush: Frontiers online on Armor Games’ website. This marks the first time the tower defense game has been

Wakfu Asia – Free-to-Play version begins Closed Beta phase

Wakfu Asia – Free-to-Play version begins Closed Beta phase:
[Game website] Following the successful runs in North America and Europe, Ankama has brought over its flagship turn-based MMORPG, Wakfu, to the Asia Pacific region! The Closed Beta phase will be a pretty short one,

The return of HTML5: Nickelodeon throws weight behind platform with Ludei deal

The return of HTML5: Nickelodeon throws weight behind platform with Ludei deal:
App development platform Ludei has given a shot in the arm to HTML5, revealing that Nickelodeon is set to add HTML5 game features to it Nick App for Android. By utilising Ludei's CocoonJS technology, Nickelodeon hope to

Why making a good game may not be enough

Why making a good game may not be enough:
Gamasutra's Simon Carless talks to designer and artist Christian Etter about his new game Drei, and ponders the question: Is making a good game enough? ...

Diving into Guild Wars 2's Fractals of the Mists changes with ArenaNet

Diving into Guild Wars 2's Fractals of the Mists changes with ArenaNet:
Filed under: Fantasy, Interviews, Patches, Previews, Endgame, PvE, Guild Wars 2, Dungeons, Buy-to-Play Last November, the Lost Shores content patch brought the Fractals of the Mists, a set of bite-sized dungeon scenarios

Perfect World gains in Q3 revenue and profits

Perfect World gains in Q3 revenue and profits:
CEO looks ahead to the launch of DOTA 2 in China

NPD: 3 in every 10 smartphones will soon be bought in China

NPD: 3 in every 10 smartphones will soon be bought in China:
The latest research from the NPD Group predicts that smartphones will account for 82 percent of the total, global phone market by 2017. This represents a dramatic growth over the current 2013 market, where - according

Even The Most Promising Game Can Be Ruined By Free-To-Play Foolishness

Even The Most Promising Game Can Be Ruined By Free-To-Play Foolishness:
Dammit, Tank Nation — why won't you just let me love you?

Games Workshop boardgame adaptation Space Hulk will stomp onto iPad on December 5th

Games Workshop boardgame adaptation Space Hulk will stomp onto iPad on December 5th:
Full Control has confirmed that the iPad version of its digital adaptation of the classic Games Workshop boardgame Space Hulk will go live on the App Store on December 5th. In this game, you take control of a squad of heavily

SMITE: Official Launch Date Arrives with a Big Money Tourney

SMITE: Official Launch Date Arrives with a Big Money Tourney:
SMITE will officially launch out of beta and into retail release on March 25, 2014 in both North America and the EU. To celebrate the game's release, Hi-Rez will be hosting a $100,000 tournament in Atlanta, the home of the

Aura Kingdom – Schedule announced for upcoming anime online game

Aura Kingdom – Schedule announced for upcoming anime online game:
[Game website] Also known as Fantasy Frontier in its native Taiwan, Aura Kingdom’s beta and launch schedules were finally announced by Aeria Games. Developed by X-Legend, the studio behind titles such as Eden

Eldevin: Ready for Launch

Eldevin: Ready for Launch:
Hunted Cow Studios has announced that Eldevin is ready for its launch date this Saturday, November 30th. After eight years in development, Eldevin is playable in all browsers and takes players on a journey to find out more about

Review: Don't Shoot Yourself!

Review: Don't Shoot Yourself!:
If you're a fan of bullet-hell shooters then you already know it's possible to kind of lose yourself in a trance when you play. Something about squeezing yourself down the thread-thin alleys of safety is curiously relaxing, even when

Hatch Review

Hatch Review:
Hatch is a wholly charming, visually polished virtual pet simulator that will quickly take over your phone and heart. Its Disney-quality opening film sets the standard for the colorful, crisp, and youthful aura the rest of the app

Tank Nation Review

Tank Nation Review:
Tank Nation Review By Stacy Barnes on November 26th, 2013 Our Rating: :: VENI, VEDI, VICIiPad Only App - Designed for the iPad The war is on! Tank Nation blasts its way up the app store charts with explosive artillery and

MacGuffin Quest Review

MacGuffin Quest Review:
MacGuffin Quest Review By Jennifer Allen on November 26th, 2013 Our Rating: :: PRICEY ROGUELIKEUniversal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad Switch between three characters in this somewhat entertaining yet ultimately

Applifier: Spending $100,000 a day to hit the top 10 is pointless

Applifier: Spending $100,000 a day to hit the top 10 is pointless:
Applifier's VP of business developer Mickey Maher had claimed that developers can no longer buy their way to the top of the app charts, adding that even spending large amounts of money only delivers very short term

Chicken Boy Review

Chicken Boy Review:
Chicken Boy Review By Jennifer Allen on November 26th, 2013 Our Rating: :: REPETITIVE BUT FUNUniversal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad It gets samey, but that doesn’t stop throwing fruit at monsters in Chicken Boy from

Team Monster Review

Team Monster Review:
Team Monster is another one of those combination games that hybridizes a couple of gameplay ideas, in this case monster collection with line-drawing strategy, and actually manages it to great effect. Within the first minute I was

Review: Farming Simulator 14

Review: Farming Simulator 14:
Reversing a tractor and trailer in real life is pretty difficult the first few times you try it. In fact, if the embattled gateposts near where I grew up are any guide, driving a tractor and trailer forwards is pretty difficult too. Unsurprisingly,

Blog: A Humble competitor to Steam's market dominance arises

Blog: A Humble competitor to Steam's market dominance arises:
The Humble Store has launched. Can it eat Steam's lunch? After all, Humble already distributes Steam codes. In this post, an indie game marketer ponders what will happen. ...

GTA parent publisher to buy out billionaire's stake for $203.5 million

GTA parent publisher to buy out billionaire's stake for $203.5 million:
Grand Theft Auto parent publisher Take-Two Interactive is in the process of buying back $203.5 million worth of stock from billionaire Carl Icahn, bringing to an end his involvement with the company.Take-Two's plan is to purchase

Continent of the Ninth Seal announces fourth expansion, releases Rahkdan's Counterattack

Continent of the Ninth Seal announces fourth expansion, releases Rahkdan's Counterattack:
Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, Patches, News Items, Free-to-Play Webzen has announced that its free-to-play hack-and-slasher Continent of the Ninth Seal (or C9, if you prefer) is getting a new expansion. This expansion, the

Square Enix seeking "formula that works" for Latin America

Square Enix seeking "formula that works" for Latin America:
Head of publisher's regional start-up says it's time to start targeting the emerging market with homegrown content

Stateside: It's time to stop blaming Apple and Google for poor app discovery

Stateside: It's time to stop blaming Apple and Google for poor app discovery:
The complaint I keep hearing from mobile developers is that discovery is a pain. Getting people to find the content that they're making is an eternal challenge, and the suggestion inevitably comes that Apple and Google need

Hide & Seek shutting down

Hide & Seek shutting down:
Tiny Games developer to halt operations early next year

Blog: Finding mid-core monetization success

Blog: Finding mid-core monetization success:
Former Supercell and Rovio product manager and monetization guy Michail Katkoff offers up two common strategies for monetizing mid-core games which you should avoid. ...

Arkadium CEO's 2014 predictions for the game industry

Arkadium CEO's 2014 predictions for the game industry:
Now that another successful year in the video game world has nearly come to a close, it's time we start looking ahead to 2014 and all of the potential the future can bring. So many big things have already happened in gaming

Quality checks, testing, feedback and promotion: Google on the steps to getting featured on Google Play

Quality checks, testing, feedback and promotion: Google on the steps to getting featured on Google Play:
Google has claimed there are simple steps developers can take to increase the chances of their apps being featued on Google Play, stressing the need for studios to check their releases meet the store's quality guidelines.

Guild Wars 2: Fractured Update Now Live

Guild Wars 2: Fractured Update Now Live:
ArenaNet has announced the deployment of the latest Guild Wars 2 update. Called "Fractured", the update is primarily focused on fractals with new boss fractals and leaderboards announced. In addition, the Tower of Terrors story

'Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse' Review - iOS is a Worthy House for this Mouse

'Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse' Review - iOS is a Worthy House for this Mouse:
It's crazy to think how many console games are ported to iOS, and actually work. With a number of high profile Xbox Live and PSN games releasing on a weekly basis, a large sample of them are starting to see some life in the

The King of Fighters ’97 Review

The King of Fighters ’97 Review:
The King of Fighters ’97 Review By Carter Dotson on November 26th, 2013 Our Rating: :: FIGHTING ROYALTYUniversal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad The King of Fighters ’97 is an excellent port of a classic entry in the Neo

Hero of the Obelisk – Open Beta for English server begins this week

Hero of the Obelisk – Open Beta for English server begins this week:
[Game website] Also known as Dungeon Hero in South Korea, the English Europe server for Hero of the Obelisk will be hitting Open Beta on 28th November, 15:00 EST. To find out the what the current EST time is, please

World of Trinketz: A Disney-esque Game for Teens

World of Trinketz: A Disney-esque Game for Teens:
Trinketz is a game that has been receiving some attention of late, a game that is aimed squarely at the early teen crowd. See how it fares in the face of other MMOs catering to the same market. Let us know what you think in the

China Mobile Game Growth

China Mobile Game Growth:
The mobile gaming market in China is expected to reach 10.9 billion yuan ($1.8 billion) in 2013, of which 74% of that revenue is generated on smartphones. The estimates were provided by Baidu, Inc. senior vice president of strategy Sun Zude in an interview with the Chinese Internet Data Research Information Centre. Baidu is the Chinese equivalent of Google that was founded in 2000 and is the leading search service in the country. The company is moving significantly into the mobile space, most notably via the acquisition of 91 Wireless from NetDragon Websoft Inc. for $1.85 billion that finalized last August – the largest IT acquisition ever in China. 91 Wireless not only is one of the top-three smartphone app marketplaces in China via its 91 Assistant and HiMarket stores, but is also a major mobile game operator. Between its own app stores and the inclusion of 91 Wireless, Baidu racked up an average of 69 million daily downloads in July. Combined with its search engine data, the acquisition of 91 Wireless provided Baidu with an enormous repository of user purchase information from which to size the mobile game market in China. By the end of 2014, Sun forecasts that smartphone game revenue will be more than 20 billion yuan ($3.3 billion).

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Chart of the Week: How Disney is dominating Amazon's Android Appstore

Chart of the Week: How Disney is dominating Amazon's Android Appstore:
We often talk about the iOS-Android duopoly, but - even ignoring Windows Phone - where does that leave Amazon's own take on Android? Of course, the problem is that, with no official figures on how many Kindle Fire devices are

World of Tanks – New branches for Japanese tanks in update 8.10

World of Tanks – New branches for Japanese tanks in update 8.10:
[Press release] Wargaming, the leading free-to-play MMO developer and publisher, today announced the first details for Update 8.10 for its massively popular free-to-play MMO action World of Tanks. The upcoming update will

Zuki’s Quest is a gravity-flipping ‘turn-based platformer’ that’s perfect for mobile

Zuki’s Quest is a gravity-flipping ‘turn-based platformer’ that’s perfect for mobile:
The term "turn-based puzzle-platformer" sounds like a contradiction. Platforming is about brute action — we think of it and picture the rush for coins in Super Mario Bros. or the panic of wall-jumping and narrowly avoiding deathtraps in Super Meat Boy. But the word “puzzle” slows us down, and that’s what makes turn-based play such a natural fit for a game like Zuki’s Quest.

Brace yourself for the mobile user acquisition bloodbath this holiday season

Brace yourself for the mobile user acquisition bloodbath this holiday season:
The holiday spending spree starts this week. Different this year is the marketing spend by mobile game companies, hoping to gobble up users at the close of the year. Early estimates suggest the cost of user acquisition will reach new heights this year. For 2013, we forecast the total mobile game market in the US at just over $3 billion, an increase from $2.4 billion a year earlier. But marketing spend is largely outpacing consumer spend. And for 99% of mobile game companies, that’s a problem.

The Charticle: Jelly Splash for KakaoTalk

The Charticle: Jelly Splash for KakaoTalk:
As we discussed a couple of weeks ago, getting a game released on KakaoTalk in Korea is not always the gateway to success. There are too many games being released too frequently for the mobile messaging platform to be

It Came From Canada: Boom Beach

It Came From Canada: Boom Beach:
Supercell has made an absolute killing over the past year with two colossal hits in Hay Day and Clash of Clans. The latter particularly has been a rather successful and influential game, spawning countless imitators but only in

Grand Chase Allstar – Another online title makes mobile transition

Grand Chase Allstar – Another online title makes mobile transition:
While Grand Chase is known as a side-scroll action game, it has become a turn-based title for mobile platforms. Known as Grand Chase Allstar, players choose between 2 factions at the beginning, with the monster card system

Kabam COO Chris Carvalho to step down

Kabam COO Chris Carvalho to step down:
Mobile social specialist Kabam has revealed that executive VP and general counsel Kent Wakeford will replace COO Chris Carvalho when he leaves at the end of the year. Carvalho, who will stay on as an advisor, was one of the

Boom times as Qihoo 360 sees Q3 FY13 sales up 124% to $188 million

Boom times as Qihoo 360 sees Q3 FY13 sales up 124% to $188 million:
Chinese internet and mobile outfit Qihoo 360 (NYSE: QIHU) has announced its unaudited financials for Q3 2103, the three months ending 30 September 2013. Revenues were $188 million, up 124 percent year-on-year. This was

Not So Massively: Star Citizen's mining ship, D3's cow level, and Elite's incoming alpha

Not So Massively: Star Citizen's mining ship, D3's cow level, and Elite's incoming alpha:
Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Video, Business Models, Expansions, Game Mechanics, Patches, Endgame, News Items, PvE, Free-to-Play, Casual, Dev Diaries, Miscellaneous, Not So Massively, Sandbox, Dungeons,

Review: Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse

Review: Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse:
Two decades ago, Sega released one of the Mega Drive's defining platform epics: Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse. Given how bankable nostalgia is with gamers these days, it's perhaps not all that surprising that the

Castle of Illusion Review

Castle of Illusion Review:
Before we get into this, a disclaimer: This reviewer has never played Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse in its original release for the SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive. As such, no comparisons to the original game are to be

Castle of Illusion Review

Castle of Illusion Review:
Castle of Illusion Review By Carter Dotson on November 25th, 2013 Our Rating: :: MAGICALUniversal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad Castle of Illusion resurrects a gaming classic with modern standards. Developer:

Review: Demon Tribe

Review: Demon Tribe:
Whenever I'm assigned a review, I like to swing by its page on the App Store just to see what sort of experience I'm in for. When I toddled over to Demon Tribe's page and scrutised the carefully selected screenshots, I was left

Demon Tribe Review

Demon Tribe Review:
Demon Tribe Review By Arron Hirst on November 25th, 2013 Our Rating: :: LET BATTLE COMMENCE!Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad Demon Tribe is a MOBA experience which has SEGA’s classic stamp all over

Demon Tribe Review

Demon Tribe Review:
Demon Tribe is an ambitious attempt to combine collectible card battle games with MOBA-style action, and it works quite well - as long as you have the patience to figure out what's going on. I've played a lot of CCGs in my time

Video: 9 trends for the next decade of games

Video: 9 trends for the next decade of games:
Former project director for Ultima Online Starr Long discusses the 'blurring boundaries' of games, toys, interfaces and more in this projection of game trends. ...

Korean News and Beta Test Announcements

  • Panggame web game “Gumong Online” opens official homepage.
  • Smilegate FPS “Crossfire” holds countdown test from December 5 to 8, reveals shadow mode, crater map play video and artwork.
  • Wise Logic TCG “El Gracia” released in Olleh market and T-store.

Chat happy: LINE passes 300 million global users

Chat happy: LINE passes 300 million global users:
Japanese messaging app LINE has amassed a total of 300 million registered users across the globe according to the company's internal figures. The firm, which had previously announced that it hoped to reach 300

Strike Force Heroes: Extraction Review

Strike Force Heroes: Extraction Review:
Strike Force Heroes: Extraction Review By Lee Hamlet on November 25th, 2013 Our Rating: :: RUN FOR COVERiPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad SFH:E implements a cover system and several

Review: Joe Dever's Lone Wolf

Review: Joe Dever's Lone Wolf:
It's impossible to experience Joe Dever's Lone Wolf without thinking of Skyrim. You play as a solitary hero, the last of a powerful race, adventuring through snow-covered lands in a quest to right the wrongs of the world with

Skee Ball Arcade Review

Skee Ball Arcade Review:
Skee Ball Arcade Review By Jennifer Allen on November 25th, 2013 Our Rating: :: TRADITIONAL YET MESSYUniversal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad Offering a fairly entertaining adaptation of the popular game of Skee Ball,

Skee-Ball Arcade Review

Skee-Ball Arcade Review:
The death of arcades threw up a cloud of fallout that subsequently killed almost everything even associated with the neon-lit caves of old. Arcade cabinets weren't the only machines that dissolved into irrelevance: classics

Excalibur: A Decent RPG with Online Elements

Excalibur: A Decent RPG with Online Elements:
R2 Games' Excalibur: Knights of the King is a new browser-based title that is often billed as an MMO. But does that title fit and how does the game play? Find out in our latest review!

Review: Stellar Wars

Review: Stellar Wars:
Stellar Wars takes the core concept laid down by the fantasy-themed Legendary Wars and blasts it into space, replacing knights with robots and pimple-covered goblins with slavering aliens. That's not the game's only trick,

Striker Soccer 2 Review

Striker Soccer 2 Review:
Striker Soccer 2 Review By Jennifer Allen on November 25th, 2013 Our Rating: :: SIMPLE SOCCERUniversal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad Striker Soccer 2 plays a reasonable if unremarkable game of soccer, but it’s

'Pocket Stables' Review - Another Career Simulated By Kairosoft, Several Hundred To Go

'Pocket Stables' Review - Another Career Simulated By Kairosoft, Several Hundred To Go:
Remember back when Game Dev Story released? It was such a fun game, and it seemed like everyone was playing it, even people who weren't really into mobile gaming. At that point in time, the future looked pretty bright for

Flick Kick Football Legends Review

Flick Kick Football Legends Review:
Soccer, or football as they call it everywhere but here in America, is a funny game. Sometimes you lose sight of how humorous it can be until a game reminds you, which is what Flick Kick Football Legends does so well. The

Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas Review

Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas Review:
Let's get this out of the way: Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas is the Zelda-like to end all Zelda-likes. Its similarities to and inspirations from The Legend of Zelda--especially Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass--are

Hearthstone beta survey mentions new features including raids, replays, and paid tournaments

Hearthstone beta survey mentions new features including raids, replays, and paid tournaments:
A survey being sent to beta testers of online collectible card game Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft has hinted at possible future additions Blizzard is considering for the title.Hearthstone is still in closed beta, with an

Lightning strikes in Path of Exile's update 1.0.2

Lightning strikes in Path of Exile's update 1.0.2:
Filed under: Fantasy, Historical, Video, Game Mechanics, Patches, News Items, Path of Exile Just one look at Path of Exile's newest content update preview video from Grinding Gear Games and you know that the upcoming

What Twitter's Expanded Images Mean For Clicks, Retweets, And Favorites

What Twitter's Expanded Images Mean For Clicks, Retweets, And Favorites:
The changes to how Twitter displays images can make your tweets stand out. Here's how to boost your engagement one image at a time.I recently covered some big changes that Twitter has made, and here is another one. Twitter

There’s a Map on My Lap! Review

There’s a Map on My Lap! Review:
There’s a Map on My Lap! Review By Amy Solomon on November 25th, 2013 Our Rating: :: MAP APPUniversal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad There’s a Map on my Lap! is an educational app that teaches young children about

Space Chicks has gone free-to-play just 3 days after going live on the App Store

Space Chicks has gone free-to-play just 3 days after going live on the App Store:
It didn't take long for Space Chicks to become a free-to-play game, did it, folks. You see, the game came out on November 20th with a price tag of 69p / 99c. Three days later, however, it costs precisely nothing. To mollify those who

'You can't crack Korea's top 10 without KakaoTalk': Yooii Studios on making a mark in Asia

'You can't crack Korea's top 10 without KakaoTalk': Yooii Studios on making a mark in Asia:
On the day when chat app LINE has announced it's passed 300 million users, it should be of no surprise that mobile developers are increasingly reliant on social gaming platforms for success. However, the importance of

APB: Reloaded brings loads of new free content with Version 14

APB: Reloaded brings loads of new free content with Version 14:
Filed under: Patches, Free-to-Play, All Points Bulletin, Crime The team at GamersFirst's Reloaded Productions has been busy on the newest update to APB: Reloaded as the crime-based MMO hits Version 14 today. This latest

EVE Online: Rubicon Certainly Feels Compelling

EVE Online: Rubicon Certainly Feels Compelling:
Rubicon, EVE Online's 2013 Winter Expansion, was recently released and we've taken the new content for a spin. See what we thought of our time in Rubicon before leaving your own impressions in the comments.

Metaps' zero commission pay-per-click DirectTAP ad network opens its doors

Metaps' zero commission pay-per-click DirectTAP ad network opens its doors:
When it comes to mobile advertising networks, scale is the vital feature. That's one reason Japanese gaming-focused outfit Metaps is opening up access to its DirectTAP pay-per-click network. During its closed beta, it's been

Microtransactions, subscriptions will define next-gen, says Avalanche boss

Microtransactions, subscriptions will define next-gen, says Avalanche boss:
Microtransactions and subscriptions will define the next generation of gaming, Just Cause developer Avalanche Studios founder and creative director Christofer Sundberg has said."Micro-transactions, subscriptions, and

Zenonia dev Gamevil buys successful mobile RPG company

Zenonia dev Gamevil buys successful mobile RPG company:
Gamevil, a leading mobile game company based in South Korea, continues its buying spree with the full acquisition of Monster Warlord developer Everple. ...

City of Steam: Relaunch Coming December 4th

City of Steam: Relaunch Coming December 4th:
Mechanist Games has announced that City of Steam: Arkadia will launch on December 4th. Arkadia is the newest version of City of Steam after Mechanist retook the English language version of the game from R2 Games.

Legend of Fighters – Closed Beta 2 for action game to begin this week

Legend of Fighters – Closed Beta 2 for action game to begin this week:
Officially revealed just last month, Legend of Fighters is already heading to its 2nd Closed Beta later this week in South Korea. Developed by GalaxyGate (Rosh Online), the game is an action side-scroller with various other MMO

Monday, November 25, 2013

Game Marketing: Part 2 – Where’s the Ramp?

Game Marketing: Part 2 – Where’s the Ramp?:
This is the second part to a multi-post blog on game marketing and is aimed at helping  indies get to grips with some of the basics of what they need to be thinking about.  This particular post could more appropriately be titled ‘When’s the ramp?’ as it is about the key phases that make up the game marketing plan and what things are most appropriately done when.  In the last blog, we looked at the key elements of a game marketing strategy and what game developers need to think about.  In this post, we now look at how those things might be translated from a marketing strategy into a marketing plan and the plan is done in phases.

Memory of Aria – New game invites players to travel through time

Memory of Aria – New game invites players to travel through time:
Just revealed recently after being announced some 6 years ago, Memory of Aria is the first online game from Korean developer Curoa. According to the introduction, players will travel to the past and future to change the course of

Wakfu APAC – Free-to-Play version lands on Asia Pacific region

Wakfu APAC – Free-to-Play version lands on Asia Pacific region:
[Game website] Wakfu, 1 of the most successful turn-based MMORPG in the Western market, has finally reached the shores of Asia. Not only is it the first official English client for the Asia Pacific (Southeast Asia,Australia, New

League of Angels starts closed beta on December 4th

League of Angels starts closed beta on December 4th:
Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Free-to-Play, Browser Who doesn't need a guardian angel watching over their party at times? In the upcoming turn-based League of

The F2P game that's gone to war with my wallet: My month with Friendly Fire

The F2P game that's gone to war with my wallet: My month with Friendly Fire:
There's a massive risk whenever the topic of free-to-play is raised that, rather than debating the issues, we all get wrapped up in the passion fuelling the argument. For me, the controversy that continues to surround free-to-play (for

No smartphone shutdown: Why Korea's anti-gaming laws won't hurt mobile devs

No smartphone shutdown: Why Korea's anti-gaming laws won't hurt mobile devs:
You may not be aware, but the Korean games industry is currently in a state of flux. Proposed new laws threaten to wreak havoc on what is a thriving gaming community, with the country's politicians openly arguing that games are as

Review: Hatch

Review: Hatch:
Remember Tamagotchis? They were fun, weren't they? Ever since that craze for virtual pets in the '90s, makers of interactive entertainment have brought you new ways to look after animals. Whether it was making your Dogz and

Review: Hunter Island

Review: Hunter Island:
Hunter Island looks impeccable on paper - it's basically Pokemon crossed with a bit of Final Fantasy, taking the core elements of each series and chucking in a few ideas from other sources for good luck But, while it's

Death Tower Review

Death Tower Review:
Death Tower Review By Mike Deneen on November 22nd, 2013 Our Rating: :: SO MUCH FROM SO LITTLEUniversal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad A little bit Zelda, a little bit Final Fantasy, with an added twist of zazz. Developer:

MMObility: Battle Command is similar in a good way

MMObility: Battle Command is similar in a good way:
Filed under: Sci-Fi, Video, New Titles, PvP, Opinion, War, Free-to-Play, Hands-On, Casual, MMORTS, MMObility Spacetime Studi.. er I mean Spacetime Games has been branching out lately. This time, they are working on a new

Trove starts alpha testing, sells supporter packs

Trove starts alpha testing, sells supporter packs:
Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Free-to-Play, Sandbox, Crowdfunding, Trove Trion Worlds has sent out its first wave of Trove alpha invites today as the game moved into its latest phase of testing. On Reddit, Trion devs addressed

Review: Lords of Waterdeep

Review: Lords of Waterdeep:
There has been a slew of excellent Dungeons & Dragons boardgames over the past few years. Mostly they consist of the sort of tactical monster bashing you'd expect. But one title stuck out like a sore thumb: Lords of Waterdeep. It's

HOOKBALL Review

HOOKBALL Review:
HOOKBALL Review By Carter Dotson on November 22nd, 2013 Our Rating: :: GET HOOKEDiPad Only App - Designed for the iPad Fight against time with a hookshot in Hookball. Developer: Nachobeard Price: $0.99 Version

'Maze Crusade' Review - Beware the Traps

'Maze Crusade' Review - Beware the Traps:
Maze Crusade from developer My Evil Twin is something special: A fun and challenging take on the ubiquitous match-3 genre that spurs players on with the same intensity as a game like Knightmare Tower. You play as a knight

'Tower Dwellers' Review - Kingdom Rush With A Slightly Different Brush

'Tower Dwellers' Review - Kingdom Rush With A Slightly Different Brush:
I was pretty excited to hear about a new game coming from Eccentricity, the developers of Dive For Treasures . In spite of a pretty plain name, the game itself was a unique, relaxing experience. Well, there's not a lot unique about

Epic Empire: A Hero's Quest Review

Epic Empire: A Hero's Quest Review:
As the adage says, "Rome wasn't built in a day." Not surprising. Every empire is slow to build up the momentum necessary to become a world-dominating force. Unfortunately, Epic Empire: A Hero's Quest won't hold up your plans for

'Neon Shadow' Review - The Brighter Side of Doom

'Neon Shadow' Review - The Brighter Side of Doom:
Playing Doom for the first time is one of my fondest childhood memories. It sounds odd, playing such a violent game at such a young age, but Doom really helped shape my gaming habits for years to come. It wasn't my first FPS

Charting the future of the mobile games space

Charting the future of the mobile games space:
The future of mobile games is full of uncertainty. We asked some notable mobile game developers to peer over the horizon so you can better prepare yourself for what lies ahead. ...

Clumsy Ninja Review

Clumsy Ninja Review:
Clumsy Ninja Review By Campbell Bird on November 22nd, 2013 Our Rating: :: NINJA PETUniversal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad Train a ninja to be the best. Or maybe just tie a bunch of balloons to him and see what happens

Crowman & Wolfboy Review

Crowman & Wolfboy Review:
Crowman & Wolfboy Review By Lucy Ingram on November 22nd, 2013 Our Rating: :: ESCAPE THE DARKNESSUniversal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad Flee the planet of shadows and the life-devouring Darkness as

Tank Nation Review

Tank Nation Review:
In the post-apocalyptic game world of Tank Nation, the rising countries are all at war once again (I guess they didn't learn their lesson from destroying the world in the first place). But this time around, they've all come to an agreement

Korean News and Beta Test Announcements

  • NHN Entertainment “Winning Eleven Online 2014” brand image released.
  • Gamevil acquires mobile game “Monster World” developer Everple.
  • Beat Rain card battle game “Soul Knights” game play video revealed.

Monetizer: Batman: Arkham Origins vs. Injustice: Gods Among Us

Monetizer: Batman: Arkham Origins vs. Injustice: Gods Among Us:
Warner Bros. and its internal development house NetherRealms started 2013 with a big hit in the form of Injustice: Gods Among Us. It's now taken the basic gameplay of the free-to-play team-based arena brawler, replacing the DC

Spicy Horse soft-launches its card battler The Gate for iPhone and iPad in New Zealand

Spicy Horse soft-launches its card battler The Gate for iPhone and iPad in New Zealand:
In the main, card battlers are, well, a bit rubbish. Most of them involve you not doing anything while cards bounce around the screen and numbers flash. And then you have to pay some money. As card battlers go, though, newly

Defiance: Detailing the Arkbreaker DLC

Defiance: Detailing the Arkbreaker DLC:
Yesterday, we had the chance to catch up with Defiance's Creative Lead Trick Dempsey to get the lowdown on everything the upcoming Arkbreaker DLC will be bringing to the game when it launches on December 10th. Trick let loose

Phantasy Star Online 2 – New game cinematic for upcoming update

Phantasy Star Online 2 – New game cinematic for upcoming update:
SEGA is still continuing its regular game updates for Phantasy Star Online 2 in Japan, and the upcoming one will see a new defense mode where 12 players fight to destroy waves of monsters. The new opening cinematic

Betawatch: November 16 - 22, 2013

Betawatch: November 16 - 22, 2013:
Filed under: Betas, MMO Industry, News Items, Betawatch, Miscellaneous Yes, The Elder Scrolls Online fans, another set of beta invitations has gone out, making for a large number of very happy fans. ArcheAge fans, by contrast,

Final Fantasy XIV's 2.1 patch coming December 17th

Final Fantasy XIV's 2.1 patch coming December 17th:
Filed under: Fantasy, Game Mechanics, Patches, Previews, News Items, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV, Community Q&A, Dev Diaries, Dungeons, Subscription During Final Fantasy XIV's live producer's letter that aired this

Doom Co-Creator John Carmack Leaves Id Software

Doom Co-Creator John Carmack Leaves Id Software:
John Carmack, co-creator of iconic first-person-shooter Doom and one of the smartest minds in video games, has resigned from the development studio he helped co-found.

World of Warplanes Review

World of Warplanes Review:
Wargaming.net proved they could make a pretty mean free-to-play MMO with World of Tanks. But why stop with World War II-era combat on land when you can conquer land, air, and sea (insert evil cackle here)? World of Warplanes

World of Warcraft turns 9 years old

World of Warcraft turns 9 years old:
Today Blizzard Entertainment posted a message to its community celebrating a full nine years of World of Warcraft, its...

Review: Drive on Moscow

Review: Drive on Moscow:
We didn’t have a great deal of criticism for Shenandoah’s ace World War II strategy game, Battle of the Bulge, outside of the way it cruelly ground our underdeveloped tactical skills into the cold hard Belgian dirt. Oh, there was

The Shivah: Kosher Edition Review

The Shivah: Kosher Edition Review:
If my spirituality could be depicted as an animal, it'd be a mutt-dog with two crooked legs. My mother is an Orthodox Jewish convert from Irish Roman Catholicism. I was raised as (and identify as) a Jew, but I still had enough

Forsaken World's latest expansion is live

Forsaken World's latest expansion is live:
Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Expansions, MMO Industry, Patches, PvP, News Items, PvE, Free-to-Play, Dungeons Forsaken World's newest expansion is now live. The content drop is called Dysil's Wrath, and it adds a

TouchArcade Game of the Week: 'Touchgrind Skate 2'

TouchArcade Game of the Week: 'Touchgrind Skate 2':
The idea behind the TouchArcade Game of the Week is that every Friday afternoon we post the one game that came out this week that we think is worth giving a special nod to. Now, before anyone goes over-thinking this, it

'Space Chicks' Review - Endless Galactic Galavanting

'Space Chicks' Review - Endless Galactic Galavanting:
There are so many ‘endless’ games constantly being released that it really takes a lot simply to get noticed in the crowded genre. Crescent Moon Games’ Space Chicks , which combines fast-paced platforming with endless

'Hunter Island' Review - Finally Ready For Prime Time

'Hunter Island' Review - Finally Ready For Prime Time:
About a year and a half ago, NTT Resonant and ZigZaGame Inc. released Dragon Island Blue , an RPG that was very heavily inspired by Nintendo's Pokemon. Offering a huge roster of monsters and abilities, it nicely tapped

ArcheAge: Taking the Hits

ArcheAge: Taking the Hits:
Late this week, Trion's CEO, Scott Hartsman, headed over to ArcheAge Source to chat with the community about the localization efforts for the North American / European version of the game. We take a look at what Hartsman

Naughty Dog hires Halo 4 programmer Corrinne Yu

Naughty Dog hires Halo 4 programmer Corrinne Yu:
Corrinne Yu's LinkedIn profile indicates that she has moved from her position as Principal Engine Architect at Microsoft's Halo 4 developer, 343 Industries, to Uncharted developer Naughty Dog.At this time we don't know what project

Tencent and Baidu both big up their value to thirdparty developers

Tencent and Baidu both big up their value to thirdparty developers:
The big thing in the Chinese mobile ecosystem isn't apps or games. It's all about building massive platforms. Earlier in the year, Qihoo 360 was reckoned to the #1 Android app distribution channel, but there are plenty of

EVE Evolved: First impressions of Rubicon

EVE Evolved: First impressions of Rubicon:
Filed under: Sci-Fi, EVE Online, Economy, Expansions, Game Mechanics, Patches, Previews, PvP, Endgame, Opinion, Hands-On, First Impressions, EVE Evolved, Sandbox, Player-Generated Content, Subscription For years I've

Counter-Strike Online 2(KR) to Enter OBT on Nov.28th with Big City Trailer Unveiled

Counter-Strike Online 2(KR) to Enter OBT on Nov.28th with Big City Trailer Unveiled:
Nexon Korea has announced that its MMOFPS Counter-Strike Online 2 will enter Open Beta in Korea on Nov.28th , the brand new Big City trailer has been released in the official website.As the latest work in Counter-Strike

Friday, November 22, 2013

Understanding the realities of video game monetization

Understanding the realities of video game monetization:
If there's one word that can cause chills to instantly run down the spine of any game developer, it's "monetization." Here, experts on the topic discuss the intricacies of converting free users into paying customers. ...

SHARING WILL DEFINE THE NEW CONSOLE GENERATION

SHARING WILL DEFINE THE NEW CONSOLE GENERATION:
Twitter didn’t exist when the last console generation began. Facebook only came online a few months before the Xbox 360 released. MySpace rose up and fell behind even as the 7th-gen boxes found their sweet spots.

Now, social integration is the central, defining feature for the 8th generation consoles.

The momentum can’t be undersold. This is an industry that immediately adopted spectator mode as a standard once League of Legends demonstrated its popularity. Video games are a service industry. At its best and most successful, they identify what players want and provide it.

Moreover, Internet-savvy people in general and the gaming community in particular have become a group of content providers. Whether it’s a 10-second Vine, a 140 character thought, or a 20-minute YouTube video, people are finding their voices. To say nothing of the thousands of modders happily creating in-game content.

The Shivah: Kosher Edition Review

The Shivah: Kosher Edition Review:
The Shivah: Kosher Edition Review By Lucy Ingram on November 21st, 2013 Our Rating: :: ADVENTURES IN YIDDISHISMUniversal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad The remastered version of The Shivah: Kosher Edition for

Review: Shivah

Review: Shivah:
I've played as plenty of cops and P.I.s over the years, but they've rarely made me feel like I was doing detective work. Who knew I'd have to step into the Yamaka of a rabbi to truly feel like I was following leads, unravelling clues,

NPD Group: $3.45 billion spent on games in Q3 2013

NPD Group: $3.45 billion spent on games in Q3 2013:
Industry sees its greatest growth since Q2 2011, social gaming declines

Team Fortress 2 Two Cities update features new weapon effects and maps

Team Fortress 2 Two Cities update features new weapon effects and maps:
Valve's latest update for free-to-play shooter Team Fortress 2 will include cosmetic weapon and character effects.The update will be rolled out over two days, with the first day bringing two new maps: Mann vs. Machine map

Jason Citron on why MOBA is the best genre for a core tablet gaming audience

Jason Citron on why MOBA is the best genre for a core tablet gaming audience:
Multiplayer Online Battle Arena remains a hot PC gaming genre. But the success of DOTA and League of Legends hasn't yet been experienced on mobile, although plenty of companies including Gameloft to Zynga have made

Fates Forever receives $8.2 million in funding with help from League of Legends lead investor

Fates Forever receives $8.2 million in funding with help from League of Legends lead investor:
When OpenFeint founder Jason Citron started a new games company called Hammer & Chisel in 2012, many fans have been eagerly looking forward to the exciting projects that were sure to come. Well today Citron has announced

Review: Max Axe

Review: Max Axe:
Somewhere deep within the soul of every man and woman on Earth there exists a primal desire to strip down to our skivvies and run screaming into traffic, hefting an axe. Unfortunately, acting on certain instincts is unacceptable

Lords of Waterdeep Review

Lords of Waterdeep Review:
Lords of Waterdeep Review By Campbell Bird on November 21st, 2013 Our Rating: :: RULE THE CITYUniversal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad Lords of Waterdeep is an elegant D&D-themed board game port that fans can

Review: Touchgrind Skate 2

Review: Touchgrind Skate 2:
The Tony Hawk games gave a generation of gamers the idea that skateboarding is simple. With a few button-taps you could pull off ridiculous flips and twists that would make even the best real-life boarders roar in

Numerity Review

Numerity Review:
Numerity Review By Jennifer Allen on November 21st, 2013 Our Rating: :: CEREBRAL HIDDEN OBJECT HUNTUniversal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad Find numbers and create landmarks, people, and more, in this

Korean News and Beta Test Announcements

  • Inno Games web strategy RPG “Tribal Wars 2” to start global CBT on January 22, 2014
  • KOG signs publishing contract with Changyou for extreme action RPG “Hero” 
  • Joycity buys shares and signs publishing contract with IconOn for card battle game “Rule The Three Kingdoms.”

GameStop nudges into new markets with Spring Mobile acquisition

GameStop nudges into new markets with Spring Mobile acquisition:
As revealed this morning in its quarterly earnings call with investors, games retail giant GameStop has acquired the AT& T wireless retailer Spring Mobile for an undisclosed sum. ...

Com2uS sees FY13 Q3 sales down 28% to $15 million

Com2uS sees FY13 Q3 sales down 28% to $15 million:
Korean mobile game publisher Com2uS (KOSDAQ: 078340) has announced its preliminary Q3 FY13 financial results, for the three months ending 30 September 2013. Revenue was $15 million (KRW 16.1 billion), down 28

Changyou spends $50 million to buy gaming comms channel Raidcall

Changyou spends $50 million to buy gaming comms channel Raidcall:
Chinese online publisher Changyou (NASDAQ: CYOU) has made a push into mobile messaging and communications. It's announced it's acquired a majority 62.5 percent stake in Raidcall, previously owned by Kalends Inc. The

Five things we learned from G-Star 2013

Five things we learned from G-Star 2013:
As the dust and swag bags settle in the aftermath of G-Star, developers, publishers, and industry veterans from across the globe are now heading home with a greater appreciation of the show and the Korean market.

Kingdom Under Fire II SEA Coming Soon with Sneak Preview Trailer Released

Kingdom Under Fire II SEA Coming Soon with Sneak Preview Trailer Released:
As Kingdom Under Fire II first English server coming soon, MMOG.asia today unveiled a brand new sneak preview trailer for the highly anticipated RTS-MMO hybrid game. With a unique and impressive gameplay, Kingdom Under

PlayHaven's top 5 push notifications best practices

PlayHaven's top 5 push notifications best practices:
Push notifications should be one of a developer's most important marketing tools. Not only are they free, they go direct to your players' homescreen, allowing you to tell them what's going on in their game. In that context, it's sad

Flick Kick Football Legends Review

Flick Kick Football Legends Review:
Flick Kick Football Legends Review By Jennifer Allen on November 21st, 2013 Our Rating: :: RESTRICTIVE FLICK KICKINGUniversal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad There’s a fun, casual soccer game here, but it’s hampered

Review: Morphopolis

Review: Morphopolis:
Morphopolis isn't quite like anything you've ever played before. It's a game in which you'll add the legs to a dying beetle before crawling into its shattered shell to transform into your next incarnation, or use twigs to dislodge a stick

Drive on Moscow Review

Drive on Moscow Review:
Shenandoah Studios burst onto the scene last year with Battle of the Bulge, a title that set a new standard for strategy games on the iPad. The follow up, Drive on Moscow, is now out, and the big question is whether it can live up to

The Secret World: Latest Patch Goes Live

The Secret World: Latest Patch Goes Live:
Funcom has announced the deployment of the latest update to The Secret World, Issue 8: The Venetian Agenda. This brings the game version up to 1.8.2. The patch contains several key fixes including bug squashing in the

Designing for monetization from day one

Designing for monetization from day one:
A thoughtful game design process - like the one proposed in this post - is a tool for ensuring that monetization is integrated into the design from day one.

Clash of Clans dev's farming sim Hay Day comes to Android

Clash of Clans dev's farming sim Hay Day comes to Android:
For most of us, farming simulators are the closest we'll ever come to living an agrarian lifestyle. Full of cute graphics and catchy music, these sims have almost nothing in common with the hardscrabble, workaday world of actual

Atlantica Online: Crucible of the Dragon Released

Atlantica Online: Crucible of the Dragon Released:
Nexon has announced that the latest update has been deployed for Atlantica Online. Called "Crucible of the Dragon", the update features a new Dragon Trial, featuring a timed dungeon with five stages for players to clear.

Sega's Shin Megami Tensei-like action-RPG Demon Tribe arrives on iPad and iPhone

Sega's Shin Megami Tensei-like action-RPG Demon Tribe arrives on iPad and iPhone:
Pay attention fans of the hardcore Shin Megami Tensei series - Sega has just launched Demon Tribe on the App Store. As we informed you before, Sega acquired Atlus and its Shin Megami Tensei RPGs earlier this year. While

Defiance: Arkbreaker Launching December 10th

Defiance: Arkbreaker Launching December 10th:
During an interview with Creative Lead Trick Dempsey, it was revealed to MMORPG that Arkbreaker is set to launch on December 10th, 2013 (barring any issues that may pop up of course). The new expansion will feature tons of

Allods Online revamping its Dominion PvP

Allods Online revamping its Dominion PvP:
Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, PvP, Free-to-Play, Allods Online Dominion battles will get a lot more interesting -- and fair -- when the December update hits Allods Online. The Wind of Changes update will feature a top-down

ArcheAge to start Russian closed beta in December

ArcheAge to start Russian closed beta in December:
Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Business Models, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, ArcheAge, Sandbox Good news for Russian ArcheAge fans eagerly waiting to dive in and experience the upcoming fantasy sandpark:

ArcheAge: What's Up with ArcheAge

ArcheAge: What's Up with ArcheAge:
Trion Worlds' CEO Scott Hartsman took time from his schedule to be interviewed by ArcheAge Source about what Trion Worlds has been up to recently with regard to the game's Western release. Hartsman talks about the

Tenth Weapon Arrives in Fantasy Frontier Sky Tower Update

Tenth Weapon Arrives in Fantasy Frontier Sky Tower Update:
When you guys are focusing on Aura Kingdom, the original Taiwan version of the game-- Fantasy Frontier has already launched lots of new contents. In the Sky Tower Holy King Patch 1.0, new class and new weapons are introduced.

Neverwinter: Module 2: Shadowmantle to Go Live December 5th

Neverwinter: Module 2: Shadowmantle to Go Live December 5th:
Perfect World and Cryptic Studios have announced that the Neverwinter content expansion, Shadowmantle, will go live on December 5th. Shadowmantle brings the Ranger class into the game and gives players the

Not so far from The Bay, Kixeye opens new Portland office

Not so far from The Bay, Kixeye opens new Portland office:
San Francisco-based online gaming powerhouse Kixeye has just cut the ribbon on some prime new office space in Portland, Oregon. And that's not just some pretty prose - Kixeye's chief marketing officer Brandon Barber

GameStop sales, profits up - but investors wonder what's next

GameStop sales, profits up - but investors wonder what's next:
GameStop's sales and profits got a boost during the last financial quarter thanks in part to sales of Grand Theft Auto V. Now the company looks to capitalize on next-gen consoles. ...

Touchgrind Skate 2 Review

Touchgrind Skate 2 Review:
Touchgrind Skate 2 Review By Carter Dotson on November 21st, 2013 Our Rating: :: RISE AND GRINDUniversal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad Hop back on the board with one of the best skateboarding games around.

Tic Tactics Review

Tic Tactics Review:
The title gives Tic Tactics away. It's the age-old game of Tic-Tac-Toe with a tactical twist, spread out across nine separate Tic-Tac-Toe boards that collectively form one mega, meta-board. You control where your opponent

GT Racing 2: The Real Car Experience Review

GT Racing 2: The Real Car Experience Review:
Gameloft's GT Racing 2: The Real Car Experience comes packed with a sense of familiarity. As I sat down to play my first race, I caught myself ignoring most of the tips and guides. I hardly read anything while navigating

Sixteen games that ease the MMO level gap -- and how they do it

Sixteen games that ease the MMO level gap -- and how they do it:
Filed under: Culture, Game Mechanics, PvP, Opinion, Miscellaneous There's nothing I hate more than logging into an MMO, running across a friend, and being hit by the wall of levels that separates us. She might act as if she's OK

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Review: Deemo

Review: Deemo:
Deemo is an accomplished pianist – stop sniggering at the back – a strangely sinister figure with elongated limbs who dwells alone, perfecting his craft. Until, one day, a mysterious girl falls through his window and onto his

EA: Facebook is a “lifeline” for Battlefield 4 promotion

EA: Facebook is a “lifeline” for Battlefield 4 promotion:
When it comes to social media, Facebook is EA's focus for Battlefield 4 PR.

Korean News and Beta Test Announcements

  • Galaxy Gate action RPG “Legend of Fighters” starts 2nd test on November 29.
  • Ubi Nuri card RPG “LOA: The Lost Legend of Avalon” released in Olleh market and LGU+ store.
  • Dragonfly mobile FPS “Special Force First Mission” released.

Knights of Glory Released

Knights of Glory Released:
Knights of Glory was just released on the popular Japanese Mobage platform. This was one of those Mobage titles that I was really looking forward to sinking a lot of time in, but after finding out that it's not on a separate

Garfield and friends come to Gourmet Ranch in special Thanksgiving event

Garfield and friends come to Gourmet Ranch in special Thanksgiving event:
Just in time for Thanksgiving, Garfield and his pals Odie, Nermal, and Pooky will all be getting their chow on this week in a food-filled trip to Gourmet Ranch, the popular Facebook game from Playdemic. In the game, players can

'Pocket God' and 'Amateur Surgeon 3' Converge in New Crossover Updates

'Pocket God' and 'Amateur Surgeon 3' Converge in New Crossover Updates:
Pocket God is no stranger to cameos and crossover promotions, and the latest evidence of this is a brand new update which injects all sorts of Adult Swim Games goodness into everyone's favorite Pygmy torture simulator. First

Wolfknights – New introduction trailer details the seasonal game process

Wolfknights – New introduction trailer details the seasonal game process:
While the focus is currently on Tree of Savior, IMC Games will be launching Wolfknights first. A large scale PvE and PvP title, each round ends after 1 of the 3 factions wins. An image guide is available in my previous post, with a

A Remarkable Rhythm Game With A Touching Tale To Tell

A Remarkable Rhythm Game With A Touching Tale To Tell:
There are plenty of rhythm games out there that deliver snippets of story in-between bouts of tempo-matching finger tapping. The haunting Deemo is the first one I've played that lets the music tell the tale.

Neon Shadow Review

Neon Shadow Review:
Neon Shadow Review By Arron Hirst on November 20th, 2013 Our Rating: :: PURE ACTIONUniversal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad Neon Shadow hits the mark at almost every turn, providing players with the authentic space-

Review: GT Racing 2: The Real Car Experience

Review: GT Racing 2: The Real Car Experience:
The Real Car Experience, eh? That doesn't sound too good. In my dozen or so years of driving, "the real car experience" involves dodgy electrics, oil spillages, head gasket failures, and limping home from Cornwall in engine

LEGO Lord of the Rings Review

LEGO Lord of the Rings Review:
LEGO Lord of the Rings Review By Carter Dotson on November 20th, 2013 Our Rating: :: A MERRY QUESTUniversal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad Go on a light-hearted version of the quest to throw the One Ring into the fires

Dragon Season Review

Dragon Season Review:
Wouldn't it be great to soar through the sky as a powerful dragon, feeling the wind whipping at your scales, and spitting out fireballs whenever something tries to get in the way of your peaceful voyage? Well now you'll actually get to

BeBop Blox Review

BeBop Blox Review:
BeBop Blox Review By Amy Solomon on November 20th, 2013 Our Rating: :: MUSICAL BUILDING BLOCKSUniversal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad BeBop Blox is an early building block app with puzzle elements as well as

Review: Blur Overdrive

Review: Blur Overdrive:
Blur is considered by many to be the game that sealed the fate of UK studio Bizarre Creations - its commercial failure forced owner Activision to shut down its creator. That makes the decision to license the game for smartphones all

Tower Dwellers Review

Tower Dwellers Review:
Tower Dwellers Review By Jennifer Allen on November 20th, 2013 Our Rating: :: STEADY TOWER DEFENSE FUNUniversal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad A solidly dependable Tower Defense game, Tower Dwellers

Warhammer 40.000: Eternal Crusade: Looking Forward to the Beta

Warhammer 40.000: Eternal Crusade: Looking Forward to the Beta:
After the recent release of a game play video from Warhammer 40k: Eternal Crusade, the anticipation of the beta has only gotten keener. In our latest column, we take a look at the reasons we're impressed and at the venerable

EverQuest Next: Landmark: The Value of Claim-Staking

EverQuest Next: Landmark: The Value of Claim-Staking:
Claim-staking in the world of EverQuest Next Landmark is going to be as exciting as the Oklahoma Land Rush in the late 19th century. In today's column, we take a look at the value of land claims and a lot more. Read on

Age of Conan Unchains Three More Dungeons | Ten Ton Hammer

Age of Conan Unchains Three More Dungeons | Ten Ton Hammer:
Funcom overhauls three more classic Age of Conan dungeons with new loot and tougher challenges.

Pocket Gamer Explainer: MFi game controllers for iPhone, iPod, and iPad in iOS 7

Pocket Gamer Explainer: MFi game controllers for iPhone, iPod, and iPad in iOS 7:
The controller revolution has begun. Apple's first officially licensed joypads are here, the first controller-compatible games are on the App Store, and the days of having your thumbs obscure the action is over. But what are all these

Dragon Nest: New Chapter in Apocrypha 2 Released

Dragon Nest: New Chapter in Apocrypha 2 Released:
Nexon has announced that the next chapter in the Dragon Nest Apocrypha 2 has been released. Players can find two new dungeon expansions, new accessories and crests and what devs are calling all new game types in the

Monetizer: EA and King had the perfect October, but Rovio and Disney need to do better

Monetizer: EA and King had the perfect October, but Rovio and Disney need to do better:
Data is great but analysis trumps it every time. At least, that's my thinking as I look at the top 10 charts for the top downloads and revenue ranked game publishers that App Annie has estimated for October 2013. In terms of the

Blade and Soul China: The Long Wait Is Finally Over! OBT in 8 Days!

Blade and Soul China: The Long Wait Is Finally Over! OBT in 8 Days!:
The time is now! I have received CONFIRMED news on the Official Open Beta Test from a trusted source. As usual I am unable to name him/her here due to confidentiality reasons. Guys, get your wallets ready OBT is just 8 days away

Right answer: QuizUp dev Plain Vanilla raises $2 million in funding

Right answer: QuizUp dev Plain Vanilla raises $2 million in funding:
Having previously raised $3.6 million, Icelandic/US studio Plain Vanilla Games has added a further $2 million to its investment pot. The money was invested by Sequoia Capital and e.ventures and closed before its signature

Obsession with metrics is killing our love for the games: Finnish studio Rammin' Speed talks modern day mobile

Obsession with metrics is killing our love for the games: Finnish studio Rammin' Speed talks modern day mobile:
Jim Stenman used to be a singer – a profession that 'put him through college'. Now he's a serial entrepreneur in the technology space, and his latest venture is Finnish development studio Rammin' Speed. Yes, the name

Stateside: The 'indie bubble' won't burst, but the one around King and Supercell just might

Stateside: The 'indie bubble' won't burst, but the one around King and Supercell just might:
Lately, an idea has been floating around about the idea of the "indie bubble" – essentially, that the current conditions that support the success of some independent developers will disappear as the market gets saturated with

Air Supply Infinite Review

Air Supply Infinite Review:
Air Supply Infinite Review By Carter Dotson on November 20th, 2013 Our Rating: :: JUST BREATHEUniversal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad Tired of frantic endless runners? Air Supply Infinite is a slow burn. An endurance

Space Chicks Review

Space Chicks Review:
Let's get this out of the way right up front: Space Chicks is the next Jetpack Joyride. It's the next 'endless play, buy new upgrades, can't put it down' addiction that fits snuggly in your pocket. You're going to play it, love it, and

Stop wasting your UA budget. Use our Acquisition Value Predictor, says Playnomics

Stop wasting your UA budget. Use our Acquisition Value Predictor, says Playnomics:
US outfit Playnomics sounds like the sort of place I'd like to work. Formally, it describes itself as a "predictive data and personalized marketing platform". The fun bit, however, is that is comes up with crazy products such as its

4 approaches to making companion apps for video games

4 approaches to making companion apps for video games:
Companion apps aren't exactly a new phenomenon in video games, but they're certainly becoming more and more popular these days. ...

Lord of the Rings MMO adds Helm's Deep expansion

Lord of the Rings MMO adds Helm's Deep expansion:
Helm's Deep, the fifth major expansion for Tubine's free-to-play MMO Lord of the Rings Online, was released today across North America and Europe. The content was previously scheduled to be released on Monday, but a power

EA holds onto Star Wars games license for 10 years, says SWTOR is 'profitable'

EA holds onto Star Wars games license for 10 years, says SWTOR is 'profitable':
Filed under: Sci-Fi, MMO Industry, Free-to-Play, Star Wars: The Old Republic Electronic Arts' recent deal with Disney over the Star Wars video game license will extend for the next decade, meaning that any dreams of a non-EA Star

PlanetSide 2: Celebrating Its First Year with Live-Stream Goodness

PlanetSide 2: Celebrating Its First Year with Live-Stream Goodness:
Sony Online Entertainment has announced the first anniversary of PlanetSide 2. The team released some fascinating statistics for the past year and that there will be a special first anniversary live stream from now through 6:00 pm

Pirates of the Burning Sea opens new account creation

Pirates of the Burning Sea opens new account creation:
Filed under: Fantasy, Historical, Pirates of the Burning Sea, MMO Industry, Sandbox Pirates of the Burning Sea continues its voyage of transition from the old days of SOE to the new ones under Portalus Games. As such, the team

Perfect World International: New Horizons Expansion Announced

Perfect World International: New Horizons Expansion Announced:
Perfect World International will be expanding later this winter. Called "New Horizons", the expansion will feature a new Ascension system, a card trading and battling system, and much, much more. No firm release date has been

New iOS Games Tonight: Space Chicks, Touchgrind Skate 2 and more!

New iOS Games Tonight: Space Chicks, Touchgrind Skate 2 and more!:
I've really got to hand it to all of the characters that we play as in our favorite mobile games: it takes some serious energy and stamina to do the things they do along their respective adventures! I mean, I get exhausted just sitting

Vindictus heralds upcoming Episode 3

Vindictus heralds upcoming Episode 3:
Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Patches, Previews, Free-to-Play, Vindictus Episode 3 will be coming to Vindictus next week featuring a new area full of challenging monsters. In it, Vindictus players will be able to

Time for another big TF2 update, Valve kicking off something called "Two Cities".

Time for another big TF2 update, Valve kicking off something called "Two Cities".:
Time for another big TF2 update, Valve kicking off something called "Two Cities". There's new maps, new weapons, new achievements.

KongZhong predicts better times ahead but Q3 FY13 mobile sales down 12% to $4.7 million

KongZhong predicts better times ahead but Q3 FY13 mobile sales down 12% to $4.7 million:
Chinese mobile and online gaming company KongZhong (NASDAQ: KONG) has announced its unaudited Q3 results for the three months ending 30 September 2013. Total revenues were $44 million, down 12 percent year-on-

WeChat growth boosts Tencent to #2 on chart of top global publishers by download

WeChat growth boosts Tencent to #2 on chart of top global publishers by download:
As many have hoped (or feared), the opening up of Tencent's WeChat platform for mobile games is having a big impact on the Chinese market. With around 200 million users in China, the mobile messaging service is

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Tencent Shifts to Chat

Tencent Shifts to Chat:
Last August Tencent Holdings Limited added a game center to its WeChat Messenger service. The mobile app was launched in 2011 and is available on all major platforms and features mobile text and voice messaging. According to Tencent half of all Chinese smartphone owners use WeChat. Somewhat like the arrival of social games on Facebook, WeChat is growing in popularity within China as a social network for mobile gameplay. Games on the service require a WeChat login to play. Despite the recent arrival of WeChat games, Android app store Wandoujia reported that two of its top three game downloads – Rhythm Master and WeRunner – were WeChat titles.

Novus AEterno announces Kickstarter campaign, expected to launch in 'next six months'

Novus AEterno announces Kickstarter campaign, expected to launch in 'next six months':
Filed under: Sci-Fi, News Items, MMORTS, Sandbox, Crowdfunding Taitale Studios has announced today that its upcoming MMORTS, Novus AEterno, is nearing completion and is "expected to launch within the next six months." In

Attack On Titan Closed Beta Draws Near

Attack On Titan Closed Beta Draws Near:
After numerous Attack on Titan Online Closed Beta delays, S&P MY GG will kick a new beta test early next week starting on November 26th. I'm not sure if you can still sign up for the beta, but I think a lot of my readers signed up for

Kingdom Under Fire II Is Still on the Way. Honest!

Kingdom Under Fire II Is Still on the Way. Honest!:
RTS-MMO hybrid Kingdom Under Fire II has been in development for a long time. A long, long time. So long, in fact, that some people might be giving up hope—well, don't. We've got some news for you.

Maze Crusade Review

Maze Crusade Review:
Maze Crusade Review By Jennifer Allen on November 19th, 2013 Our Rating: :: ENDLESS WANDERINGUniversal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad Endless running through a maze? Who’d have thought it could be a winning

'Joe Dever's Lone Wolf' Review - A Cool Take On Gamebooks, But Not Without Problems

'Joe Dever's Lone Wolf' Review - A Cool Take On Gamebooks, But Not Without Problems:
Even if you've never heard of the Lone Wolf series of gamebooks written by Joe Dever (with their sporadic publishing history I wouldn't blame you), Joe Dever's Lone Wolf , a new adventure made specifically for mobile platforms,

General: Ever, Jane: Bringing Women's Fantasies to Video Games

General: Ever, Jane: Bringing Women's Fantasies to Video Games:
Ever, Jane: The Virtual World of Jane Austen is a game in the making that is simultaneously bringing new game play elements to the MMO genre. We caught up with project founder and 3 Turn Productions' CEO Judy Tyrer to talk

MONOPOLY Bingo Review

MONOPOLY Bingo Review:
My day job is in a casino, so I've seen on slot machines how the Monopoly brand gets people excited. EA is hoping to tap into that feeling in a different way as it unleashes Monopoly Bingo,a freemiumgame for mobile devices.

Review: Neon Shadow

Review: Neon Shadow:
Neon Shadow mixes nostalgia and modernity to create a consistently entertaining blend of gorgeous graphics and classic FPS gaming. It's smooth, it handles the limitations of touchscreen controls well, and it thrills

'Classic MMORPG' Arcane Hearts launches

'Classic MMORPG' Arcane Hearts launches:
Filed under: Fantasy, Launches, New Titles, Free-to-Play, Browser Looking for a brand-new MMO to play today? G4Box probably wouldn't mind if you checked out Arcane Hearts, which transitioned from open beta to launch on this

MoviePop Review

MoviePop Review:
Half the fun of seeing a movie is recalling the film's best moments for years to come. What's better than sitting with a fellow enthusiast over some beers and jabbing one another in the shoulder while hooting, "Ooh! Ooh! Do you

Oceanhorn Review

Oceanhorn Review:
Oceanhorn Review By Carter Dotson on November 19th, 2013 Our Rating: :: SET ADRIFTUniversal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad Oceanhorn is a beautiful and ambitious game, but it’s missing that special something to

Review: Monsters Rising

Review: Monsters Rising:
Monsters Rising is an eccentric grab bag of ideas, one that borrows from real-time strategy games, Streets of Rage-style brawlers, and Chinese folklore in near-equal measure. And its narrative setup is pretty exuberant to

Asteroid Smash Review

Asteroid Smash Review:
Asteroid Smash Review By Angela LaFollette on November 19th, 2013 Our Rating: :: HECTIC YET FUNiPad Only App - Designed for the iPad A multiplayer game where the goal is to mine friends’ asteroids and build attack

Galactic Revolution Begins with the Launch of EVE Online: Rubicon | Ten Ton Hammer

Galactic Revolution Begins with the Launch of EVE Online: Rubicon | Ten Ton Hammer:
CCP launches New Eden into a new galactic power struggle with the 20th free expansion to EVE Online.

Tilt to Live 2: Redonkulous Review

Tilt to Live 2: Redonkulous Review:
We've all had our App Store obsessions. Whether it's the sneakers you've burned through in Temple Run, the mileage you've logged in Real Racing 3, or the family you've spent more time with in The Sims Freeplay than you have

Core Puzzle Review

Core Puzzle Review:
Core Puzzle Review By Arron Hirst on November 19th, 2013 Our Rating: :: LOGICALLY NICEiPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad Core Puzzle is a logic-based puzzler with all the elements one would

Gran Turismo 6 will let you buy in-game credits for real money

Gran Turismo 6 will let you buy in-game credits for real money:
PlayStation 3 driving sim Gran Turismo 6 will offer the option to purchase in-game credits for real money, Sony has said.Credits will be sold in 500,000, 1 million, 2.5 million, and 7 million denominations, though Sony did not offer

Fighting Star – New arena fighting game revealed by CrossFire developer

Fighting Star – New arena fighting game revealed by CrossFire developer:
Smilegate is currently 1 of the biggest independent developer in Korea, largely thanks to CrossFire, its 1-hit wonder which continues to rake in big money in China. Over at a private G-Star media conference, Fighting Star

Aqueduct Flow Review

Aqueduct Flow Review:
Aqueduct Flow Review By Jennifer Allen on November 19th, 2013 Our Rating: :: SIMPLE PIPE MANIPULATIONUniversal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad Manipulate the pipes to reconnect the water supply in this simple yet

Review: The King of Fighters '97

Review: The King of Fighters '97:
The original The King of Fighters '97, which was released in the arcades and on home consoles of the time, is an immense piece of work. Since developer SNK was releasing a new version of its crossover 2D fighting game every

Review: Deadly Bullet

Review: Deadly Bullet:
Some surprises are bad - for example, a lion in your kitchen. While other surprises are good - for example, a lion in Piers Morgan's kitchen. Odd, brisk, addictive, and simplistic projectile-based casual game Deadly Bullet is the

Operation7 II: Rise of Condota – Sequel set for Closed Beta next year

Operation7 II: Rise of Condota – Sequel set for Closed Beta next year:
I know, the trailer was out for over a month now, but I did not expect the game to be showcased at G-Star’s business hall. This is Operation7 II: Rise of Condota, somewhat a sleeper hit online shooter in the Western market.

Review: Football Manager Handheld 2014

Review: Football Manager Handheld 2014:
If a football manager isn't careful they can be typecast, just like an actor. Perfectly decent, dependable managers such as Sam Allardyce and Tony Pulis will probably never get a crack at a top job. Whether it's down to their not

Keep track of your footballing career with myPES2014 for iPhone

Keep track of your footballing career with myPES2014 for iPhone:
Konami's myPES2014 app is now live on the App Store, meaning you can keep track of your PES scores, stats, and other important information while you're out and about. You can use the app to create a group of friends with

How Much Is A Pinterest Pin Worth? Much More Than A Tweet

How Much Is A Pinterest Pin Worth? Much More Than A Tweet:
Unlike a tweet, the gift of a pin just keeps on giving, commercially.We know just how much Pinterest has been valued at--$3.8 billion--but how much is a pin on the social media cork board worth to brands?Read Full Story

Korean News and Beta Test Announcements

  • SEGA soccer simulation game “Football Manager Online” planned to holds CBT in February 2014.
  • Onnate golf game “Winning Putt” holds 1st CBT from November 20 to December 10.
  • Smilegate action game “Fighting Star” holds 1st test tester recruitment until December 8.
  • Gamevil invests in Finland developer Ocean View Games, signs publishing contract with Colombia developer Brainz and Ukraine developer Zadzen Games.
  • Palmple signs Taiwan publishing contract with Gameflier for card battle RPG “Devil Maker.”

Fed up with tricky cross-platform development and overcrowded app stores? HTML5 is coming to the rescue

Fed up with tricky cross-platform development and overcrowded app stores? HTML5 is coming to the rescue:
Over the course of the last few years, there's been endless debate about the power and potential of HTML5 as a serious platform for mobile games. As things stand, much of that potential remains unproven. That hasn't stopped

Project Pentakill – Marvel goes missing from its own MOBA title

Project Pentakill – Marvel goes missing from its own MOBA title:
First announced back in November last year, the secretive Project PK made another secret appearance at ChinaJoy in July. At Korean developer Smilegate’s recent G-Star media event, the tentative name “Project Pentakill”