Gamasutra News

Modern Warfare 2 Infinity Ward's 'Most Successful PC Version' Yet

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:50:00 -0500

Despite the online furor surrounding the PC version of Infinity Ward's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, creative strategist Robert Bowling says the PC SKU is selling better than its predecessor did at launch, "making it the most successful PC version" the studio has done yet. "PC is the smallest percentage in terms of how much sold on each platform but that hardly means anything other than the PC is just the smallest market," Bowling ...

Offerpal Sets New Ad Standards As Facebook Bans Offer Providers

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:56:00 -0500

Offerpal Media, an ad provider for social apps and games, announced a new set of standards for its controversial lead generation offers, just as Facebook bans other providers like Tatto Media for their questionable ads. The company's ads consist of special offers featured alongside free social games such as FarmVille, inviting users to fill out online surveys and sign up for subscriptions in exchange for virtual currency (as opposed to paying for the in-game currency ...

Class-Action Suit Filed Against Zynga, Facebook Over Offer-Based Ads

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:57:00 -0500

Sacramento-based law firm Kershaw, Cutter & Ratinoff (KCR) filed a class-action suit against Facebook developer Zynga, seeking upwards of $5 million in damages due to allegedly misleading lead generation ads featured in the latter's games. The Cost Per Action (CPA) advertisements in question allow users to earn virtual currency for social games like FarmVille and Mafia Wars by completing surveys, taking quizzes, or signing up for trial offers. Some ads are for legit companies like ...

Gameloft Scales Back Android Game Development

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:25:00 -0500

French mobile publisher Gameloft (Hero Of Sparta) says it's scaling back its investment in development for Google's Android platform -- and that, dissatisfied with Android's weak application store, other developers are following suit. "We have significantly cut our investment in Android platform, just like... many others," Gameloft finance director Alexandre de Rochefort said at an investor conference, as reported by Reuters. Android's app store is "not as neatly done as on the iPhone," De Rochefort ...

UK Gov't Intelligence Agency To Advertise On Xbox Live

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:51:00 -0500

MI5 and MI6-linked UK government intelligence organization GCHQ hopes to attract new recruits by reaching out to them with an Xbox Live advertising campaign. According to a report in the UK Guardian, the organization's six-week ad campaign aims at the 18 to 34 demographic. It draws parallels between skills and experience required in gameplay -- like "quick thinking, problem solving and team work" -- and those required to work with GCHQ. Ads will run on ...

Video Game Watchdog National Institute On Media And The Family Shutting Down

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:51:00 -0500

The National Institute on Media and the Family -- the non-profit group behind the sometimes controversial MediaWise Video Game Report Card -- is shutting down after 14 years of operation. The group, a frequent critic of the games industry, said it made the decision to close down in conjunction with Fairview Health Services, NIMF's founding sponsor. The Minneapolis, Minn.-based institute said its board is in talks with local and national non-profits that may continue NIMF's ...

The Art History of Games Symposium Announced

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:54:00 -0500

The Art History of Games, a three-day Atlanta-based public symposium investigating games as an art form, has announced its February 2010 event. Organized by Georgia Tech Digital Media and SCAD Atlanta, the event will take place February 4-6 at Atlanta's Woodruff Arts Center. Along with several talks and Q& A sessions, The Art History of Games will premiere three commissioned games from Jason Rohrer (Passage), Tales of Tales (The Path), and Eric Zimmerman (Gamelab co-founder ...

New Tech, Design Details Of Project Natal To Emerge At Gamefest In February

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:24:00 -0500

Microsoft this week said the latest technology and design details for its upcoming 3D camera solution Project Natal will emerge at Microsoft's annual Gamefest on February 10 and 11, 2010 in Seattle. The Gamefest conference is targeted at video game industry professionals and media interested in learning more are developing games on Microsoft-owned platforms such as Xbox 360. The Project Natal technical track will teach attendees how to approach development for the new control solution. ...

BioShock, Far Cry 2's O'Connor: Beware 'Serviceable, Not Great' Approaches To Integrating Game Writers

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:12:00 -0500

Veteran video game writer Susan O'Connor (Far Cry 2, BioShock, Gears Of War) has been involved in many games that, in both commercial success and narrative, have become some of the industry's top projects. In our latest Gamasutra feature, she shares her perspective on how writing in games can be improved, and how developers and writers can work more effectively together. One key, in O'Connor's view, is that the writer and developer must begin working ...

PSP, PS3 Lead Weekly Japanese Sales Charts

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:16:00 -0500

Sony pulled off a two-pronged victory in Japan this week, as the PSP and PlayStation 3 captured the one and two sales spots, respectively, topping the typical weekly dominator, Nintendo DSi. Sony's PSP handheld sold 38,770 units for the week ended November 15, Japanese tracking firm Media Create said Friday. Its home console counterpart, PS3, secured a close second place with 38,498. During the prior week, PS3 outsold all other hardware with 48,925 sold during ...