Global Mobile Games Spending Jumped 35% over the Festive Period; PlayStore and Paid Games Benefited most in December:
Comparing total spending of December and November 2012 on the top 200 grossing iOS and PlayStore games shows an increase of 35%. The biggest leap came from the PlayStore, followed by the iPad then the iPhone App Store. Most interestingly, spending on paid games almost doubled, clearly boosted by the gift season.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Playlore brings post-apocalyptic warfare to iOS with Downfall: Clash of Factions
Playlore brings post-apocalyptic warfare to iOS with Downfall: Clash of Factions:
Playlore today launched its first iOS game, Downfall: Clash of Factions.
The title is a midcore strategy game, with players helping rebuild humanity after the world’s been devastated by nuclear war. Users build up a city, manage resources and establish an army while carving out a part of the wasteland to call their own. Players can also either join Factions or establish their own that others can join.
This is the second full game from Playlore, which previously created Soccer Town on Facebook and Football Nation on Orkut and Facebook. Before that, the developer contributed to AAA games like Sony Online Entertainment’s DC Universe Online and Über Entertainment’s popular shooter Monday Night Combat.
We’ve spent a little time playing the Downfall on the iPad and the overall feel of the game seems reminiscent of Kabam’s popular Kingdoms of Camelot: Battle for the North. However while multiplayer components and online chat are already available, social sharing via services like Facebook, Twitter and Game Center aren’t currently enabled, though Playlore tells us they’re coming soon.
When it comes to emulating success, Kabam’s mid-core titles are certainly the brass ring to aim for. When we talked to Kabam VP and Head of Corporate Communications Steve Swasey earlier this week about his company’s acquisition of Exploding Barrel Games, he noted that Kingdoms of Camelot is a $100 million-a-year franchise on its own.
Playlore today launched its first iOS game, Downfall: Clash of Factions.
The title is a midcore strategy game, with players helping rebuild humanity after the world’s been devastated by nuclear war. Users build up a city, manage resources and establish an army while carving out a part of the wasteland to call their own. Players can also either join Factions or establish their own that others can join.
We’ve spent a little time playing the Downfall on the iPad and the overall feel of the game seems reminiscent of Kabam’s popular Kingdoms of Camelot: Battle for the North. However while multiplayer components and online chat are already available, social sharing via services like Facebook, Twitter and Game Center aren’t currently enabled, though Playlore tells us they’re coming soon.
When it comes to emulating success, Kabam’s mid-core titles are certainly the brass ring to aim for. When we talked to Kabam VP and Head of Corporate Communications Steve Swasey earlier this week about his company’s acquisition of Exploding Barrel Games, he noted that Kingdoms of Camelot is a $100 million-a-year franchise on its own.
Warface begins operation Closed Beta
Warface begins operation Closed Beta:
Filed under: Betas, Free-to-play, MMOFPS
Trion Worlds and Crytek announced that the online shooter has now progressed into the beta phase, where it'll stay for the time being. Crytek General Manager Publishing Dirk Metzger says that players should be drooling over this ridiculously good-looking title: "We look forward to making the experience even more engaging as waves of pre-registered players are invited to join the closed beta and play their part in shaping Warface ahead of its final launch."
The studio describes Warface as taking part in "a vast and frequently updated PvE universe." If you're interested in joining the beta test, you can apply on Warface's site.
[Source: Trion Worlds press release]
Warface begins operation Closed Beta originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Jan 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Filed under: Betas, Free-to-play, MMOFPS
Warface. Warface never changes. Except when it does, such as how it's gone into closed beta today in anticipation of a spring launch.
Trion Worlds and Crytek announced that the online shooter has now progressed into the beta phase, where it'll stay for the time being. Crytek General Manager Publishing Dirk Metzger says that players should be drooling over this ridiculously good-looking title: "We look forward to making the experience even more engaging as waves of pre-registered players are invited to join the closed beta and play their part in shaping Warface ahead of its final launch."
The studio describes Warface as taking part in "a vast and frequently updated PvE universe." If you're interested in joining the beta test, you can apply on Warface's site.
[Source: Trion Worlds press release]
Warface begins operation Closed Beta originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Jan 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
AppGratis raises $13.5 million to improve app discovery
AppGratis raises $13.5 million to improve app discovery: The company's Series A funding round ends
Saint Seiya Online: Leaked Gameplay Footage
Saint Seiya Online: Leaked Gameplay Footage:
Have you been drooling over the leaked character creation footage posted days ago? If you do, I guess you will enjoy the actual leaked gameplay footage below which was found online, showing fights with several Gold Saints.
Have you been drooling over the leaked character creation footage posted days ago? If you do, I guess you will enjoy the actual leaked gameplay footage below which was found online, showing fights with several Gold Saints.
Call Of Duty Survey Hints At Next-Gen Console Downloads
Call Of Duty Survey Hints At Next-Gen Console Downloads:
Call of Duty fansite Charlie INTEL is claiming that it managed to get hold of some screengrabs, taken while users were completing a survey for Activision on the future of the series. More »
Tencent Games, Namco Bandai team up to develop Naruto MMORPG for China
Tencent Games, Namco Bandai team up to develop Naruto MMORPG for China:
Game companies to partner up with Japanese manga publisher Shueisha to create online game for web browsers.
Anime and manga fans can expect an online MMORPG based on the Naruto series to pop up soon.
According to Game Spark (via SGCafe), China-based online gaming company Tencent Games made a deal with Japanese manga publisher Shueisha and video game publisher Namco Bandai for the rights of the upcoming game's development and distribution. The upcoming title will be playable on web browsers and is developed by More Fun Studio, Namco Bandai, and CyberConnect2 (Asura's Wrath, Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm series).
The game is scheduled for a 2013 release and will be available on Tencent's gaming portal. The publishers did not announce on whether the game will be published outside of the Chinese market. For more news on CyberConnect2's upcoming Naruto title, check out GameSpot's recent coverage.
Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
Game companies to partner up with Japanese manga publisher Shueisha to create online game for web browsers.
Anime and manga fans can expect an online MMORPG based on the Naruto series to pop up soon.
According to Game Spark (via SGCafe), China-based online gaming company Tencent Games made a deal with Japanese manga publisher Shueisha and video game publisher Namco Bandai for the rights of the upcoming game's development and distribution. The upcoming title will be playable on web browsers and is developed by More Fun Studio, Namco Bandai, and CyberConnect2 (Asura's Wrath, Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm series).
The game is scheduled for a 2013 release and will be available on Tencent's gaming portal. The publishers did not announce on whether the game will be published outside of the Chinese market. For more news on CyberConnect2's upcoming Naruto title, check out GameSpot's recent coverage.
Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
"Tencent Games, Namco Bandai team up to develop Naruto MMORPG for China" was posted by Jonathan Toyad on Thu, 17 Jan 2013 19:02:11 -0800
Take a Working Vacation in CrossFire
Take a Working Vacation in CrossFire:
Two new vacation-themed battlegrounds have come to CrossFire today, together with new unique player skins: female Ranger and the demonic Havoc available in the competition. Get a deeper look at the new way to play fan-favorite Hero Mode X with today's content update.
Two new vacation-themed battlegrounds have come to CrossFire today, together with new unique player skins: female Ranger and the demonic Havoc available in the competition. Get a deeper look at the new way to play fan-favorite Hero Mode X with today's content update.
C9 Opens a New SEA Server Acharon
C9 Opens a New SEA Server Acharon:
C9 reveals the new server 'Acharon' for players in Asia. Players from the Asian region will be migrated to the new server.
C9 reveals the new server 'Acharon' for players in Asia. Players from the Asian region will be migrated to the new server.
There's a Domo Game Coming to the iOS. Rejoice!
There's a Domo Game Coming to the iOS. Rejoice!:
As a mildly enthusiastic fan of the ever-present mascot for Japan's NHK television station, new that Domo: The Journey is coming to iOS next month from Playlithium has me squealing like a large man imitating a little girl. More »
Diablo III Director Jay Wilson Steps Down, Staying At Blizzard
Diablo III Director Jay Wilson Steps Down, Staying At Blizzard:
Jay Wilson, longtime Blizzard employee and the director of Diablo III, has stepped down after seven years on the game. Wilson will move to another project at Blizzard. More »
Console makers may have a case of innovator's dilemma
Console makers may have a case of innovator's dilemma:
Ben Cousins, a triple-A publisher expatriate who now works at Ngmoco, says Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo may know how to fend off disruption from the mobile game market -- but now they may be at the point of no return. ...
Ben Cousins, a triple-A publisher expatriate who now works at Ngmoco, says Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo may know how to fend off disruption from the mobile game market -- but now they may be at the point of no return. ...
I Might Not Have What it Takes to Be a Disney City Girl
I Might Not Have What it Takes to Be a Disney City Girl:
Maybe moving to the big city to be a Disney City Girl wasn't such a good idea. My apartment is a hovel compared to the palace Jenna has, and even that's stretching my budget to the limit. My boss will give me extra money for washing dishes if I dress in active wear, but he doesn't pay me enough to buy new clothes. My idea of fun is sitting in my apartment singing karaoke by myself. I saved up enough money for a fridge so I can stop eating microwaved Cup of Soup, but it arrived disassembled and I have no one to help me. Space is at such a premium I have a coffee maker next to my toilet. A COFFEE MAKER NEXT TO MY TOILET. More »
Amazing Ants surpasses 1M installs in one week, ranks in the top 5 on the top free iPad apps chart
Amazing Ants surpasses 1M installs in one week, ranks in the top 5 on the top free iPad apps chart:
Indie mobile game developer Twyngo revealed to Inside Mobile Apps that their first game, Amazing Ants for iOS, surpassed the 1 million install mark in one week since the title’s launch on Jan. 10.
Indie mobile game developer Twyngo revealed to Inside Mobile Apps that their first game, Amazing Ants for iOS, surpassed the 1 million install mark in one week since the title’s launch on Jan. 10.
The Showdown Effect Gets a New Website and Trailer | Ten Ton Hammer
The Showdown Effect Gets a New Website and Trailer | Ten Ton Hammer:
What’s an action game without a few cliché one-liners? Paradox delivers that and more with a new website and trailer for The Showdown Effect.
What’s an action game without a few cliché one-liners? Paradox delivers that and more with a new website and trailer for The Showdown Effect.
Zynga Elite Slots is now live on Facebook
Zynga Elite Slots is now live on Facebook:
Zynga’s blend of social casino and mid-core role-playing game, Zynga Elite Slots, today arrived on Facebook.
As we learned last month from Design Director Josh Gause (who co-developed Bingo Blitz), Zynga Elite Slots features a combination of slots gameplay with cooperative multiplayer elements and and boss battles. Players are represented in a window at the top of the game canvas by one of 24 pets (all but two of which can be acquired by grinding), who run along a path with each slots spin. Users play their slots games alongside 149 other players in a slots room, with all of the spins contributing to a communal progress bar; when the bar is filled, everyone in the room participates in a boss battle that provides bonus content.
Zynga Elite Slots is an interesting idea because it combines two highly lucrative genres —mid-core and social casino— into one casual title. The game is currently only available on Facebook and is expected to come to Zynga.com at some point in the future, although no launch date for that version has been announced yet.
Tune in tomorrow for our review of Zynga Elite Slots.
Zynga’s blend of social casino and mid-core role-playing game, Zynga Elite Slots, today arrived on Facebook.
Zynga Elite Slots is an interesting idea because it combines two highly lucrative genres —mid-core and social casino— into one casual title. The game is currently only available on Facebook and is expected to come to Zynga.com at some point in the future, although no launch date for that version has been announced yet.
Tune in tomorrow for our review of Zynga Elite Slots.
Intel closes out 2012 with $53.3 billion in revenue
Intel closes out 2012 with $53.3 billion in revenue: The PC market may be down, but the PC chip maker is not out
EVE's February 12th patch adding dueling mechanic
EVE's February 12th patch adding dueling mechanic:
Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, PvP, News items, Sandbox
Consensual dueling may not be the kind of battle that springs to mind when discussing EVE Online's harden-the-funk-up PvP ethos, but CCP is nonetheless adding the feature as part of its Retribution 1.1 patch.
The company calls it a "much requested" feature and says that while it's possible to duel now with a "slightly awkward method of can-flipping," the new mechanic will streamline the process. The update is scheduled for February 12th, and you can read the fine print at the official EVE Online website.
In other New Eden news, CCP has officially stated that "loitering in completed incursion sites with the intent of preventing further continuation of the incursion is now considered an exploit."
EVE's February 12th patch adding dueling mechanic originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Jan 2013 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, PvP, News items, Sandbox
The company calls it a "much requested" feature and says that while it's possible to duel now with a "slightly awkward method of can-flipping," the new mechanic will streamline the process. The update is scheduled for February 12th, and you can read the fine print at the official EVE Online website.
In other New Eden news, CCP has officially stated that "loitering in completed incursion sites with the intent of preventing further continuation of the incursion is now considered an exploit."
EVE's February 12th patch adding dueling mechanic originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Jan 2013 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
- Source: Announcement
Final Fantasy: All the Bravest is $46 of In-App Purchases Looking for a Game
Final Fantasy: All the Bravest is $46 of In-App Purchases Looking for a Game:
If you're looking for a mildly interactive trip through the history of the Final Fantasy franchise and don't mind shelling out a little more than $50 for the complete experience, Final Fantasy: All the Bravest might be a justifiable purchase. If you're just in it for the gameplay you can save a lot of time and money by pulling up this video and rubbing your monitor. More »
Crytek opens Istanbul office
Crytek opens Istanbul office:
Crysis company opens eighth worldwide studio in Turkish capital city; will support free-to-play endeavors.
Crytek has expanded its operations. The Crysis company today announced the opening of Crytek Istanbul, the developer's eighth outfit worldwide.
Crytek also has offices in Frankfurt, Germany; Kiev, Ukraine; Budapest, Hungary; Sofia, Bulgaria; Seoul, South Korea; Nottingham, United Kingdom; and Shanghai, China.
Crytek Istanbul will support the growth of Crytek's free-to-play initiatives and will focus on the Warface and Gface brands. In addition, the new company will oversee the expansion of the CryEngine business in Turkey and in the Middle East and North Africa regions.
The new Crytek office in Istanbul currently does not have any job openings posted to its careers page.
Crytek's expansion into Istanbul is a homecoming of sorts for the company, as founders and brothers Avni, Cevat, and Faruk Yerli are from Turkey.
Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
Crysis company opens eighth worldwide studio in Turkish capital city; will support free-to-play endeavors.
Crytek has expanded its operations. The Crysis company today announced the opening of Crytek Istanbul, the developer's eighth outfit worldwide.
Crytek also has offices in Frankfurt, Germany; Kiev, Ukraine; Budapest, Hungary; Sofia, Bulgaria; Seoul, South Korea; Nottingham, United Kingdom; and Shanghai, China.
Crytek Istanbul will support the growth of Crytek's free-to-play initiatives and will focus on the Warface and Gface brands. In addition, the new company will oversee the expansion of the CryEngine business in Turkey and in the Middle East and North Africa regions.
The new Crytek office in Istanbul currently does not have any job openings posted to its careers page.
Crytek's expansion into Istanbul is a homecoming of sorts for the company, as founders and brothers Avni, Cevat, and Faruk Yerli are from Turkey.
Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
"Crytek opens Istanbul office" was posted by Eddie Makuch on Thu, 17 Jan 2013 07:25:48 -0800
Krono Currency Now Available for EverQuest | Ten Ton Hammer
Krono Currency Now Available for EverQuest | Ten Ton Hammer:
Sony Online Entertainment’s new Krono currency option is now available for EverQuest players to buy, sell and trade.
Sony Online Entertainment’s new Krono currency option is now available for EverQuest players to buy, sell and trade.
Deepworld: Almost Alone In this World
Deepworld: Almost Alone In this World:
DeepWorld is a sandbox title from Bytebin that brings familiar features to players in a stark, post-apocalyptic world. We've been playing a lot of DeepWorld lately and offer our official review. See what we've got to say before diving into the comments with your thoughts.
Vanguard removes class, race, coin, and housing restrictions for F2P today
Vanguard removes class, race, coin, and housing restrictions for F2P today:
Filed under: Fantasy, Business models, Classes, Vanguard, Free-to-play, Races, Dev Diaries, Housing
One thing that really dissuades players from trying out or returning to a game after a free-to-play conversion is a large set of restrictions. And unfortunately, that is exactly what Vanguard: Saga of Heroes had -- restrictions on race, restrictions on class, even restrictions on owning a house. But now, all of that has changed.
In his most recent producer's letter, Harvey Burgess outlined some pretty big improvements coming to the recently reinvigorated fantasy game; even better, the changes go live in today's update! All players can now roll any class and any race they desire, whether they are freemium or paid members. Everyone can also participate in Vanguard's expansive housing system, and anyone -- regardless of pay level -- can form guilds. Even the two plat coin limit has been removed. As a bonus, previously earned veteran rewards have also returned!
With these changes (and more) hitting the F2P model, what will make subscribing worthwhile? How about discounts on various in-game fees, increased XP and faction gains, and even the ability to purchase an additional housing plot for starters! A full listing of the new F2P model can be viewed on the official site.
Vanguard removes class, race, coin, and housing restrictions for F2P today originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Jan 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Filed under: Fantasy, Business models, Classes, Vanguard, Free-to-play, Races, Dev Diaries, Housing
In his most recent producer's letter, Harvey Burgess outlined some pretty big improvements coming to the recently reinvigorated fantasy game; even better, the changes go live in today's update! All players can now roll any class and any race they desire, whether they are freemium or paid members. Everyone can also participate in Vanguard's expansive housing system, and anyone -- regardless of pay level -- can form guilds. Even the two plat coin limit has been removed. As a bonus, previously earned veteran rewards have also returned!
With these changes (and more) hitting the F2P model, what will make subscribing worthwhile? How about discounts on various in-game fees, increased XP and faction gains, and even the ability to purchase an additional housing plot for starters! A full listing of the new F2P model can be viewed on the official site.
Vanguard removes class, race, coin, and housing restrictions for F2P today originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Jan 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
- Source: Producer's letter, Game update summary
- Via: Twitter
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