MCV: Home Stream

GREE global growth continues with open beta for dev tools

Wed, 23 May 2012 18:31:00 +0100

GREE continues its outreach to new developer partners: an open beta for its mobile social gaming platform SDK has today launched.

With a focus on helping developers take advantage of free-to-play game development - which GREE has mastered in its Japanese homeland - the API features 'social viral tools' to snare high-engagement players, "drive installs and decrease cost per acquisition".
Features include invite, request and share plus leaderboards and achievements, all in a bid to help studios build games with a strong player community.

GREE wants to launch 60 titles using the SDK by September 2012.

The SDK is available now - more details at http://developer.gree.net/en.

“The GREE platform has been built with the goal of creating a worldwide developer and player community,” says Ethan Fassett, Senior Vice President of Product.

“We believe the GREE platform offers developers the tools to deliver unique and customized games to an engaged, global player base. We are looking forward to seeing the adoption of these new mobile-social features and helping innovate the mobile games space.”

GREE has been laser-focused on growing its international business, most recently buying North American mobile game developer Funzio.

Ubisoft confirms E3 line-up, streaming press conference

Wed, 23 May 2012 17:35:00 +0100

Ubisoft has announced its games line-up and press conference plans for E3 2012.

The publisher’s press conference will take place at 3 PM PDT on June 4th, and will feature trailers and gameplay demonstrations of new Nintendo Wii U and digital titles. It also promises to include special guests and surprise announcements.

The invite-only presentation will be streamed on YouTube, and exclusive backstage videos plus free content will also be available on Ubisoft’s player experience enhancement site uplay.com/e3.

The company is inviting gamers to ask questions to teams on its online service during the press event as well. The ‘best’ questions will be selected by a guest host and asked live during the press event.

Ubisoft also confirmed their floor presence at the show, with attendees encouraged to visit booth #1023 in the South Hall of the LA Convention Center to see/play titles such as Assassin’s Creed III, Rayman Legends, Far Cry 3, Rocksmith, and ‘many more.’

“This year’s E3 promises to be one of our biggest and best yet,” said Founder and CEO of Ubisoft Yves Guillemot. “We’re showcasing the strongest, most competitive collection of core titles we’ve had in years, innovative new games for new platforms and a broad lineup that has something for everyone.”

Inside Xbox team ready video return

Wed, 23 May 2012 15:48:00 +0100

The team behind the scrapped Inside Xbox series have vowed a return to our screens with the formation of a new production company.

The Games Media Award winning Inside Xbox was cancelled by Microsoft in Europe earlier this month after the platform holder decided to retreat from first party video production.

Now co-host Dan Maher has announced that he and his two former colleagues Ashley Denton and Gareth Wild are to form a new production company.

The process of forming the firm is ongoing, but it is currently going under the name of Explosive Alan Productions.

PREVIEW: MCM Expo London

Wed, 23 May 2012 15:28:00 +0100

The MCM Expos are among Britain’s biggest entertainment showcases and the London one is the flagship event.

The expo celebrates the worlds of movies, manga, comics, TV – and, of course, video games. Over the years, gaming’s presence at MCM has grown, with more and more publishers signing up to exhibit their latest titles.

The first London MCM Expo of 2012 will be held next weekend, once again held at the ExCeL centre. While the October show tends to be bigger, there is still a plethora of gaming delights for attendees to check out.

MCM proudly reports it will be hosting various UK premieres, including first playable copies of hotly anticipated hits like Aliens: Colonial Marines and Lollipop Chainsaw, and a first look at Jagex’s Transformers MMO.

Throw in competitions such as a Dead or Alive 5 tournament, developer interviews on the GameSpot stage and the usual abundance of cosplayers – plus special guests from popular TV series and films – and it will be a weekend to remember.

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

Date: Friday, May 25th – Sunday, May 27th
Venue: ExCeL, London
Expected attendees: 60,000+

www.mcmexpo.com

Dealer/Table Enquiries: 0844 448 7600
Exhibitor/Sponsorship Enquiries: 01327 878550
Next London?show: Friday, October 26th – Sunday, October 28th

Capcom

Dragon’s Dogma storms onto shelves the day MCM Expo opens (Friday, May 25th) and Capcom will celebrating with playable demos. The publisher will also be giving consumers the chance to try out its Kinect-controlled mech-battler Steel Battalion: Heavy Armour.

Rising Star

The publisher will be catering for its avid fans by giving them hands-on time with upcoming Cave-developed retro shooter Akai Katana and PS3 RPG Rune Factory Oceans. Rising Star will also use the show to re-promote Xbox 360 beat ‘em up King of Fighters XIII and its BIT.TRIP compilations for Wii and 3DS.

Jagex

The UK MMO firm makes its MCM debut with demos of the latest build of fantasy title Runescape. The Expo will also have the first public showing of Jagex’s upcoming online title Transformers Universe. Attendees will be among the first in the UK to reserve their character name and pledge their allegiance to either the Autobots or Decepticons.

Tecmo Koei

The star of Tecmo Koei’s booth will be console fighter Dead Or Alive 5. Not only will there be playable demos, but the publisher will also be holding a DOA tournament with plenty of prizes up for grabs. Gamers will also be able to sample Warriors Orochi 3 and Ninja Gaiden 3.

Warner Bros

Demos stands will show off both zombie-maiming action game Lollipop Chainsaw and accessible superhero platformers LEGO Batman 2: DC Superheroes, the hotly-anticipated sequel to the best-selling LEGO game to date. Lollipop Chainsaw will also draw in the crowds with a squad of zombie cheerleaders.

WATCH OUT FOR… Nintendo will be on hand to show off a variety of 3DS and Wii titles as part of its annual Nintendo Unleashed sampling tour... Square Enix will also give gamers a taste of some of its biggest upcoming games... Finally, GameSpot will interview the developers behind Aliens: Colonial Marines, The Old Republic, LEGO?Batman 2, Steel Battalion, Dragon’s Dogma and more.

Finalists unveiled for Develop Awards 2012

Wed, 23 May 2012 15:20:00 +0100

The 2012 Develop Industry Excellence Awards boasts the most diverse array of finalists yet.

Ninety-six companies, ranging from one-man outfits to development teams of over 200 people, are in the running for key accolades that reward outstanding work done by games studios in Europe over the last 12 months.

Big names in the running include Rocksteady Studios, Bigpoint, Mind Candy, EA DICE and Ubisoft, plus new studios such as Big Bit, Bossa Studios, Toxic Games and We R Interactive. There are nominations alike for for commercial juggernauts such as Driver, Magic: The Gathering and Minecraft, plus acclaimed original games such as Dear Esther, Monstermind, and Where is My Heart?.

The full list of finalists can be found below.

Winners will be awarded on stage at a gala ceremony on the evening of Wednesday, July 11th hosted at the Hilton Metropole Hotel, Brighton.

To book your tickets, contact Kathryn.Humphrey@intentmedia.co.uk or call her on 01992 535 645.

“After a month of careful painstaking deliberation by the Develop team, no corner of the business has been left unturned,” said Develop editor-in-chief Michael French.

“Finalists hail from across the UK and continental Europe, and come from every major games category, from core console and PC games to mobile, social, browser and free-to-play.

“Our shortlist shows that, as power continues to shift in the games development sector, new nimble online and indie developers are standing toe-to-toe with their big budget console brothers. We’re looking forward to seeing who our jury picks as the ultimate winners in these hotly contested awards.”

Now, a jury of over 100 games development executives will vote for the winners ahead of the July ceremony. Judges will be named after the event in the August issue of Develop’s monthly print magazine.

The Develop Industry Excellence Awards 2012 is sponsored by Crytek (Platinum Partner), Deep Silver (Platinum Partner), Amiqus (Gold Partner), Rare (Gold Partner), Supermassive Games (Gold Partner), Testronic Labs (Gold Partner), UKIE (Gold Partner), Game Connection (Category Partner – Studios), OPM Jobs (Table Gift Partner), Nova Scotia Business (Drinks Reception Partner), and Zattikka (Event Partner).

For details on sponsorship and partner opportunities contactAlex.Boucher@intentmedia.co.uk or call him on 01992 535 647

DEVELOP INDUSTRY EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2012: THE FINALISTS

CATEGORY: CREATIVITY

NEW IP
Brink (Splash Damage)
Dear Esther (Thechineseroom)
Frozen Synapse (Mode 7 Games)
Monstermind (Bossa Studios)
My Horse (NaturalMotion Games)
Zombies, Run! (Six to Start)

USE OF A LICENCE
Batman: Arkham City (Rocksteady Studios)
Battlestar Galactica Online (Bigpoint/Artplant)
LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 (TT Games)
LEGO Life of George (LEGO Group Denmark)
Magic: The Gathering – Duels of the Planeswalkers (Stainless Games)
Peppa Pig (Strawdog Studios)
Team Hot Wheels Apptivity (Big Bit)
Who Wants to be a Millionaire? (Doublesix Games)

USE OF NARRATIVE
Batman: Arkham City (Rocksteady Studios)
Dear Esther (Thechineseroom)
Driver: San Francisco (Ubisoft Reflections)
Misfits: Community Service (Mobile Pie)
Where is My Heart? (Die Gute Fabrik)
Zombies, Run! (Six to Start)

VISUAL ARTS
Batman: Arkham City (Rocksteady Studios)
Battlefield 3 (EA Dice)
Dear Esther (Thechineseroom)
Rayman Origins (Ubsioft Montpellier)
Trine 2 (Frozenbyte)
Wonderputt (Damp Gnat)

AUDIO ACCOMPLISHMENT
Battlefield 3 (EA Dice)
Batman: Arkham City (Rocksteady Studios)
Beat Sneak Beat (Simogo)
Driver: San Francisco (Ubisoft Reflections)
Okabu (Hand Circus)
Total War: Fall of the Samurai (The Creative Assembly)
Zombies, Run! (Six to Start)

PUBLISHING HERO
Connect2Media
Indie City
Indie Fund
SCEE Xdev
Steam
Thumbstar

USE OF ONLINE
Aurora (nDreams)
Eve Online (CCP)
Monstermind (Bossa Studios)
Minecraft 360 (4J Studios/Mojang Specifications)
PlayStation Home (SCE)
Trials Evolution (Red Lynx)
World of Tanks (Wargaming.net)

VISUAL OUTSOURCER
Atomhawk Design
Axis Animation
Cubic Motion
Dimensional Imaging
Imagination Studios
RealtimeUK
TrioViz

AUDIO OUTSOURCER
Nimrod Productions
Outsource Media UK
Richard Jacques Studios
Side
The Audio Guys
Wave Studios

SERVICES
Audiomotion
LocalizeDirect
Pinewood Studios
Testronic Labs
Universally Speaking
VMC Game Labs

TOOLS PROVIDER
Autodesk
Epic Games
Firelight Technologies
Hansoft
Havok
NaturalMotion
RAD Game Tools
Unity Technologies
Xaitment

ENGINE
BigWorld Client (BigWorld Technology)
CryEngine 3 (Crytek)
Havok Vision Engine (Havok)
HeroEngine (Simultroncs)
Marmalade (Ideaworks 3D)
Unity 3.5 (Unity Technologies)
Unreal Engine 3 (Epic Games)

RECRUITER
Aardvark Swift
Amiqus
Avatar Games
Datascope Recruitment
OPM Jobs
MPG Universal

MICRO STUDIO
Thechineseroom
Dakko Dakko
Mobile Pie
ShortRound Games
Six to Start
Rodeo Games
Tanukii Studios/Room 4 Games

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Mind Candy
Zattikka
Playground Games
NaturalMotion Games
Stainless Games
Rovio Entertainment
nDreams
Wargaming.net

INDEPENDENT STUDIO
Blitz Games Studios
Bossa Studios
CCP
Crytek
Frontier Developments
Mediatonic
Preloaded
Rovio Entertainment

IN-HOUSE STUDIO
The Creative Assembly
EA Dice
Rare
Red Lynx
Rocksteady Studios
TT Games
Ubisoft Montpelier
Bigpoint Hamburg

SPECIAL AWARDS

DEVELOPMENT LEGEND
As previously announced, the winner of this award in 2012 is David Perry, who will attend the gala ceremony to collect the honour.

GRAND PRIX
Our final prize is the ultimate accolade, decided solely by the Develop team and awarded to the European games studio that has made the biggest impact on the business in the last 12 months.

Kiip to sponsor ME's Monetising Mobile event

Wed, 23 May 2012 15:17:00 +0100

On board as Drinks Reception Partner for the conference on rich media mobile advertising in July.

'Monetising Mobile: The Rich Media Future of Mobile Advertising' takes place at One Wimpole Street, London, on July 12th.

The event will offer an unmissable insight into the exciting new ad formats that are moving the market beyond static display banners.

Kiip is the US firm pioneering 'real rewards for virtual achievements' giving users physical and digital rewards at the moment they make a breakthrough in their play.

It already has 300-plus developer supporters across games, fitness and other apps and an client base including Disney, Pepsi, P&G, American Apparel, Sony Music and many others.

The firm will sponsor the drinks reception at the ME event. And Eamonn Carey, EMEA director of Kiip, will be there to showcase the firm's platform.

He said: "I'm very pleased to support Monetising Mobile. Brands are extremely interested in finding ad formats that change the way consumers engage with their ads.

"That's what we promise. So this is event is a great fit for us. I look forward to checking out all the other innovative ideas, and sharing a drink afterwards – on us, of course."

Monetising Mobile's other speakers include:

* Dan Rosen, CEO EMEA, Joule
* Jonathan Abraham, Industry Head (Mobile), Google
* Amit Kotecha, Senior Mobile & Networks Manager, IAB
* Aneesh Karve, Product Manager, Amobee
* Mark Slade, CEO, 4th Screen
* Christopher Kahler, Qriously (TBC)
* Ben Williams, Business Development, Sprout Europe
* James Connelly, CEO, Fetch Media
* Jason Cooper, Simplytics

Monetising Mobile events focus on commercial ideas in an afternoon/evening event that combines discussion with networking.

Each conference comprises three hours of short keynotes, expert panel sessions, demos and case studies running from 4.30pm to 8pm, followed by a networking buffet from 8.00pm to 11.30pm.

So if you want to get your company in front of an audience of brands, agencies and publishers, please email katy.phillips@intentmedia.co.uk for more details.

There's more information on venue, line-up, accomodation, tickets and more at the Monetising Mobile site.

GAMEfest is cancelled... but retailer hints at 2013 return

Wed, 23 May 2012 15:11:00 +0100

Retailer GAME has officially confirmed the cancellation of GAMEfest 2012.

However, it has also hinted at a return to the consumer expo in 2013.

The event had previously been confirmed last year upon the closure of the first ever GAMEfest. However, after a hugely traumatic start to 2012 that saw GAME first enter and subsequently exit administration – albeit with the loss of 2,300 jobs.

“I'm afraid GAMEfest won't be happening this year but we do have some cool things in the works,” the company said via Twitter, before adding. “By the way - this doesn't mean it won't happen next year. *wink*”

GameStop has just moment ago announced its own consumer retail show in the US.

GameStop announces inaugural GameStop EXPO 2012

Wed, 23 May 2012 14:37:00 +0100

The US is getting a brand new consumer games expo.

Retailer GameStop has announced that it will hold the GameStop EXPO 2012 in San Antonio, Texas on August 29^th. It’s the first event of its kind that the company has hosted.

In fact, it’s copying the model laid down bay GAME last year by running the show as an extension of its annual conference.

The event will be open to members of its GameStop PowerUp Rewards consumer loyalty programme.

It will be held at the 200,000 square foot Gonzalez Centre. General admission will cost $35, though VIP passes – which include four panel sessions, access to the VIP gaming lounge and fast track VIP queues – will cost $100.

Gamers are able to purchase tickets with their in-store credit as well as via credit card.

UK retailer GAME had previously indicated that it would host a second GAMEfest this year, though this now seems increasingly unlikely owing to its turbulent start to the year and buyout at the hands of OpCapita.

Diablo III is the fastest selling PC game of all time

Wed, 23 May 2012 14:21:00 +0100

Blizzard has announced that Diablo III is the fastest selling PC game of all time, shifting 3.5m copies worldwide in its first 24 hours.

An additional 1.2m copies were distributed to owners of the World of Warcraft Annual Pass, taking the total day one userbase to 4.7m.

By the end of its first week on sale the total number of sales had grown to a staggering 6.3m units.

Blizzard adds that these numbers exclude users playing in Korean Internet game rooms, where Diablo III has become the top played game, grabbing a market share of 39 per cent.

“We’re definitely thrilled that so many people around the world were excited to pick up their copy of Diablo III and jump in the moment it went live,” Blizzard CEO and cofounder Mike Morhaime stated.

“We also regret that our preparations were not enough to ensure everyone had a seamless experience when they did so. I want to reaffirm our commitment to make sure the millions of Diablo III players out there have a great experience with the game moving forward, and I also want to thank them for their ongoing support.”

Diablo III was released on May 15^th, but only got to No.2 in the UK charts – highlighting the growing need for digital sales to be taken into account in the weekly UK charts.

ANALYSIS: The pre-owned market

Wed, 23 May 2012 13:37:00 +0100

Before March this year, GAME and Gamestation were by far the UK’s biggest pre-owned game retailers.

Second-hand goods even made up a third of the group’s total revenues last year.

Yet this dominant force in used games has fallen. 277 of its shops have closed. So where do these customers go now?

There are of course other High Street chains, online stores, supermarkets and independent retailers all aiming to take a greater slice of the pre-owned pie.

“The indies have a fantastic chance to win back customers,” says Complete Epos Solutions’ Chris Ratcliff, which offers retailers a Game Guide till system.

“A slimmed down GAME is welcome as it leaves some space for the indies to fill. And pre-owned will always be important to games retailers as it is the only way to actually make money.

“An old boxed game will always have a used value – whether it’s £1 to over £100 for PSone’s Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.”

Simon Mitchell from Eclipse Home Entertainment adds: “Since GAME closed some stores, we saw a massive flood of second-hand games.We’ve had to limit the amount of games we buy from customers.”

SUPER MARKET

Another option for customers wanting to trade-in is the supermarkets. However, these grocers can present a frustrating experience. It’s not unusual for a customer to spend 20 minutes going through the complex procedure. Gamers may be required to use the voucher at a separate till. Some branches won’t accept games, let alone niche titles.

On the flip side, there are some great deals to be had.

“Indies should never underestimate the supermarkets,” adds Ratcliff. “I am not ashamed to say that I have tried to contact Tesco and interest them in a ‘proper’ games management system, but I assume they are comfortable with what they have, and are happy to have lots of used games on their shelves for a higher price than new versions.”

It certainly won’t be easy for non-games specialists to prosper in the space. Argos pulled out of the pre-owned games market last year after its trial ‘did not meet business expectations’.

Konami UK general manager Pete Stone says: “Frankly, I don’t think the multiples have the infrastructure to do particularly well with pre-owned. If anyone is likely to benefit with pre-owned from GAME’s [store closures], it will probably be indies.”

Another option for consumers is to use online retailers like Amazon, but the need to post off games will be a deterrent for many.

FIGHTING PRE-OWNED

But does any of this matter? Are the days of pre-owned sales numbered? Although they might not admit it, publishers have been battling the used market for some time with one-time codes, which allow buyers of new releases to access online content for free. Pre-owned versions require the user to pay around £10 for a code.

And the situation could become more extreme, if the rumoured anti-pre-owned tech is incorporated?into next generation platforms.

Some developers have praised such ideas, but there are those who strongly oppose them – including SCEA’s CEO Jack Tretton.

But until those consoles are announced, the steady demand for pre-owned games will continue.

“The chances are that demand [for pre-owned] will broadly remain constant, particularly when you consider the ongoing economic outlook,” says HMV’s head of technology and games Ewan Pinder.

“For gamers where disposable income is tight, pre-owned is likely to be a realistic way for them to experience as many great new games as possible.”

Blockbuster’s UK commercial director Gerry Butler adds:?“The first thing you need to look at is does the consumer want it? And the answer is unequivocally yes. Trade-in helps the sale of new product, because not everyone can afford £40 for each new video game.

“Trade-in, in the right environment, increases the sale of new products. But economically the margins are tight for everybody.

“That’s why there are less game shops on the High Street than three years ago.”

New service turns indies into digital retailers

Wed, 23 May 2012 13:29:00 +0100

Think the digital market is only open to the big players? Think again.

Ztorm has launched a new white label service that will allow any independent retailer to set up its own downloads store online.

The Gem-owned firm’s new API-plugin for popular blog platform Wordpress makes it easy to advertise and sell download codes or full clients.

All product information, such as activation keys, can be either stored on Ztorm’s servers or handled on the indie’s blog.

Indies can even run price promotions or highlight featured products on their site. Customers can then make their purchases in just a few clicks.

The software integrates with WooCommerce, a free plugin that enables online transactions through WordPress. Ztorm hopes to make it compatible with other e-commerce plugins.

“We can offer both a full package deal complete with game hosting and DRM services, as well as enabling you to sell your own Steam product,” Ztorm CEO Anders Emblad told MCV.

“We have priced our part of the service as low as possible to give anyone the incentive to start selling their own products and take ownership of the consumer, pricing and promotions.

“This is a cost effective way to offer a self-publishing solution, a product-centred e-commerce solution that you could set up quickly with free base tools that are easy to manage.

Startup fees begin at €200. A demo store and information is available at ztorm.com/wpshowcase.

Gem brings streaming platfrom Roku to UK

Wed, 23 May 2012 13:26:00 +0100

Roku, a leading TV and games streaming company, has joined forces with Gem for its UK debut.

Gem will bring the US firm’s platforms to the High Street, starting with two models: the Roku LT and the Roku 2 XS.

Both devices stream content straight to users’ TV screens without the need for a PC. The 2 XS model also supports games including Angry Birds, Pac-Man Championship Edition and Galaga.

All Roku models grant access to thousands of movies and TV shows from Netflix and Crackle, as well as up to 100 UK channels.

Gem’s purchasing director Anthony Haworth told MCV: “At Gem we’re always working to bring new revenue streams to our partners and Roku offers diversification for our gaming customers without moving too far away from their core business.

“£49.99 for the Roku 2 LT which has over 100 channels, most of which are free, is an excellent offer for consumers.”

Disc demand dwindles, duplicators dying out

Wed, 23 May 2012 13:09:00 +0100

Manufacturers predict a steady decline in the use of game discs as digital gains a tighter grip on the market.

The firms responsible for duplicating physical games report that a number of their competitors are on the verge of going out of business.

“We believe the European market for replication will shrink by about 10 to 15 per cent per year as more and more games, audiobooks, DVD and so on are being distributed digitally rather than physically,” said Doron Garfunkel, UK commercial director at OK Media.

“More pressing plants will get into financial difficulty and will have to close.”

The firms that hope to survive are seeking new sources of revenue, such as music and film distribution.

While they say there will always be a need for physical product, many argue that the disc’s role will change.

CD Writer’s Nic Ranshaw said: “Manufacturing will become increasingly specialised and niche, with physical product being used to build brand awareness and generate a buzz on the streets with the publication of limited collector’s editions that sell for premium.”

Uncharted duo get digital PSN release

Wed, 23 May 2012 12:59:00 +0100

Sony is to release both Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Game of the Year Edition as downloads on PSN.

Crucially, the prices of each have not yet been divulged. The first game was released way back in late 2007 and the sequel in 2009.

Both can routinely be found for £10 or less on the High Street, so it will be interesting to see if Sony chooses to be competitive or instead tries to charge a premium for the convenience of having both games instantly accessible from the XMD.

Indeed, in the press blurb Sony does say that “you can have two of Drake’s most epic adventures waiting on your PS3′s XMB, available at the tap of a button”.

Far Cry 3: Insane Edition detailed

Wed, 23 May 2012 11:32:00 +0100

Ubisoft has revealed an Insane Edition of highly-anticipated Far Cry 3.

The SKU contains a 12cm Vaas Wahine – the game’s chief mentalist – bobble head and a hints and tips guide.

There’s also a ton of digital content as well, as detailed here:

· Monkey Business - Discover Hurk, a new memorable character and quest giver, and his four unique missions (1 hour additional gameplay)

· The Lost Expeditions -Two suspenseful action packed missions totaling over 40 minutes of additional gameplay and an exclusive weapon (The Japanese gun)

· The Hunter Pack – The M700 hunting rifle and its three collector’s skins.

· The Warrior Pack - A handcrafted dagger and two exclusive tribal tattoos.

· The Predator Pack - Four exclusive rare predators and a multiplayer bow.

Far Cry 3 will be released in the UK on September 7^th.

Mind Candy and Gree team up for Moshi Monsters on smartphone

Wed, 23 May 2012 11:10:00 +0100

London media group Mind Candy has struck a deal that allows mobile giant Gree to co-develop and operate a smartphone edition of the Moshi monsters games.

The joint venture is expected to deliver two new Moshi Monsters mobile games in the final months of 2012.

Financial details were not disclosed.

Future Moshi Monsters mobile games will hosted on the Gree Platform, a vast mobile network which incorporates OpenFeint social networking technologies.

And in what could be a significant opportunity for both parties, it has been agreed that the Moshi Monsters game will be localised for English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean and Mandarin.

“Our fans love tablets and smartphones so we’re really excited to take our much loved characters and stories to these new platforms,” said Mind Candy CEO Michael Acton Smith.

Gree’s business is under significant pressure across Asia following a landmark decision to better regulate the practice of selling virtual items.

In May, Japan state officials implemented a ban certain microtransaction techniques in social games, in a move that plunged Gree’s share price into free-fall.

Story originally published on Develop

VIDEO: New Marvel Heroes MMO revealed

Wed, 23 May 2012 10:55:00 +0100

A new MMO called Marvel Heroes has been announced by Gazillion Entertainment.

Powered by Unreal Engine 3, the game features a roster of recognisable super chaps and chapesses including Spider-Man, Iron Man, Captain America, Deadpool and Dr Doom.

“Capturing the distinctive moments of such revered fiction within a game environment is no small task, and it’s critical to use the very best tools and technology to deliver the production values fans expect,” said Joe Kreiner, the North American licensing manager for Unreal Engine creators Epic Games.

“Having grown up with Marvel’s iconic heroes and villains, we’re really honoured to help Gazillion and Secret Identity achieve their creative vision and quality bar for the game.”

There’s no release date as of yet, but a debut trailer can be seen below:

Sine Mora gunning onto Vita and PS3?

Wed, 23 May 2012 10:40:00 +0100

Digital Reality Software looks as if it may be bringing indie 2D side-scrolling shmup to PlayStation Vita and PS3.

CVG reports that the Australian Classification Board has listed "DR Vita Working Title" and "DR PS3 Working Title", both from Digital Reality Software.

Of course, these could be two entirely different games, but note that Sine Mora was initially planned for a PSN release before becoming an Xbox Live Arcade exclusive.

It’s unlikely that the title would receive a retail release and will probably released – if at all – via the PlayStation Network.

Dead Island GOTY Edition out in June

Wed, 23 May 2012 10:28:00 +0100

Publisher Deep Silver has announced a Game of the Year Edition of zombie hit Dead Island.

It will be released on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC on June 6^th in the UK and Europe. Amazingly, that’s over two weeks before the SKU hits North America on June 26^th.

As well as the full game, the GOTY Edition also includes all of the post-release DLC – Bloodbath Arena and Ryder White. It also includes a weapon blueprint for The Ripper.

The first game was one of the surprise hits of 2011, with Deep Silver saying that it has sold over 3m units, topping the UK charts in the process.

ShopTo.net's Pre-Order Chart

Wed, 23 May 2012 09:45:00 +0100

1 Halo 4 All Platforms
2 Tales of Graces F All Platforms
3 Metal Gear Solid HD Collection All Platforms
4 FIFA 13 All Platforms
5 Hitman: Absolution All Platforms
6 Gravity Rush All Platforms
7 Hitman: Absolution All Platforms
8 Call of Duty: Black Ops II All Platforms
9 Borderlands 2 All Platforms
10 FIFA 13 All Platforms
11 Hitman: Absolution All Platforms

Modern Warfare 2 was nearly handed to Treyarch

Wed, 23 May 2012 09:43:00 +0100

Development duties on worldwide hit Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 were nearly taken from Infinity Ward and handed to Treyarch.

That’s due to the extent of the tension between Activision and then Infinity Ward bosses Jason West and Vince Zampella, more details of which have been revealed by fresh court revelations.

Having mentioned a “proposal” sent to the pair, Activision’s EVP of studios Dave Stohl said that “we should also discuss what the plan B is going to look like – there could be a ton of risk getting Modern Warfare 2 done depending on how the team takes it”.

Whatever the ‘proposal’ was, it lead Stohl to add: "Treyarch taking it over now is also an option but scary given the tight timeline."

The documents also mention a time when West and Zampella had told Activision that they may not be able to deliver a live MW2 gameplay demo for Microsoft’s 2010 press conference.

"Microsoft will go ballistic over this and the deal is seriously risked," former Activision publishing president Mike Griffith wrote, adding that when he called up the pair to discuss the situation “they hung up” on him.

Boss Bobby Kotick replied “if they really did I would change their locks and lock them out of their building” to which Griffith replied "as soon as I get that gold master..."

West and Zampella were eventually escorted from the IW offices and fired in March 2010. And Activision weren’t oblivious to how the press would react.

"Is everyone ready for the big, negative PR story this is going to turn into if we kick them out? It's freaking me out a little," Stohl added.

Siri - Apple's agent of corporate espionage?

Wed, 23 May 2012 09:23:00 +0100

Remember all those ‘hilarious’ questions you’ve asked Siri over the last few months? Apple certainly does – it’s listened to them all.

Apple’s iPhone Software license Agreement reveals that: “When you use Siri or Dictation, the things you say will be recorded and sent to Apple in order to convert what you say into text.”

So not only does Apple know all too well that you’ve been asking about the most reliable Swedish penis enlargement techniques, it also knows about any questions you may have posed that are work related.

Including those which hint at secret or yet-to-be-announced projects, potentially at least.

Wired reports that technology giant IBM has cottoned onto this and as a result has banned employees from using Siri in the workplace.

Indeed, the American Civil Liberties Union has already issued a warning about Siri, saying that it could potentially be collecting very personal data from iPhone owners.

VIDEO: SOE reveals new free-to-play FPS Bullet Run

Wed, 23 May 2012 08:42:00 +0100

Sony Online Entertainment has unveiled Bullet Run, a new free-to-play multiplayer FPS heading to PC this summer.

Like all of the cool kids, it’s set in “the near future” and sees players competing in a Running Man style reality TV show that places as much emphasis on style as it does on killing.

As you’d expect in any online title, customisation plays a big part, with players free to stress test the levels of absurdity that they can apply to their avatars.

Up to 20 players are supported across six arenas with two game modes available at launch – Team Death Match and Domination. The free download will be supported by microtransactions.

“While our games portfolio continues to grow across many different genres of online gaming, the addition of Bullet Run brings an entirely new level of entertainment to the gameplay experience for both the free-to-play community and fans of first-person shooters,” SOE’s executive director of business development and corporate strategy reckons.

“The game promises a high energy persistent combat experience that few FPS games have obtained, while also lowering the barriers of entry for more casual players looking for a unique gaming experience.”

Here’s the debut trailer:

Judge recommends Xbox 360 ban in US

Wed, 23 May 2012 08:25:00 +0100

Microsoft’s patent dispute with Motorola just got significantly more serious with the threat of a US ban on the console.

The legal tussle between the pair saw the Xbox 360 console blocked from distribution in Germany earlier this month.

Now Judge David Shaw of the International Trade Commission has recommended that the machine should no longer be imported into the US and all sales of unsold stock to be blocked.

In addition, Shaw thinks Microsoft should be a levy of seven per cent of the value of each unsold console remaining in the country.

"Enforcing intellectual property rights outweighs any potential economic impact on video game console buyers," he added.

Microsoft then argued that such a move would be unfair as it would limit the options available to the consumer, though Shaw argued that Sony and Nintendo could handle any extra demand.

If the ITC commissioners agree with Shaw then the recommendation will be presented to none other than US President Barack Obama, who (along with a small army of advisors) will have the final say.

NBA 2K13 dated for October

Wed, 23 May 2012 08:15:00 +0100

Take-Two has announced an October 2nd release date for NBA 2K13.

The company revealed, as part of their financial report released yesterday, that the game will launch on Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PSP, and PC.

Take-Two also mentioned in the report that NBA 2K12 had shipped 5m units to date.

2K Sports has yet to reveal any official details about the latest offering for the NBA-licensed franchise, but the October launch is in line with previous titles in the series.