02.07.2009

<p> The sale of Midway Games to Warner Bros. has been approved by a court in the US, with the deal expected to be completed within ten days. </p> <p> Warner had put in a USD 33 million offer for the ailing publisher, and emerged as the only bidder for the company and a majority of its assets. </p> <p> "We had a court hearing yesterday and the end result of that is the sale was approved and the closing will occur within the next 10 days," said a spokesperson for the company to Joystiq. </p> <p> <a href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/midway-sale-approved-10-days-until-completion"> Read more... </a> </p>

<p> Take-Two and Rockstar are expected to release two brand new downloadable episodes for Grand Theft Auto IV in fiscal 2010, and release GTA V the following financial year. </p> <p> That's according to analyst Todd Mitchell, who told GamesIndustry.biz that following the release of Xbox 360 exclusives The Lost and the Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony, two all-new episodes are due  possibly across both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 platforms. </p> <p> "I would expect that there would be two more pieces of downloadable content for GTA IV, that's what has been indicated to me, although formats are unsure. It's been indicated to me to me that would be the case," said Mitchell, of Kaufman Bros. Equity Research. </p> <p> <a href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/two-new-gta-iv-dlc-episodes-due-next-year-analyst"> Read more... </a> </p>

<p> 2K Sports has shifted two million units worldwide of its most recent NBA title, NBA 2K9, according to sales figures released by the publisher today. </p> <p> 2K9, the most recent title in the 2K basketball series, was released onto PS3, Xbox 360 and PS2 platforms in October last year. A sequel - NBA 2K10 - had already been announced for multiple platforms, including Wii, later this year, but 2K also announced today the release of NBA 2K10: Anniversary Edition for PS3 and Xbox 360. </p> <p> The limited edition title will be restricted to 30,000 copies and is to come in special packaging with exclusive in-game items, a special commemorative video celebrating ten years of NBA 2K and access to a special VIP 'Gold Room' over Xbox Live and PlayStation Network. It will be released, alongside NBA 2K10, in North America in the autumn </p> <p> <a href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/nba-2k9-reaches-2-million-sales-worldwide"> Read more... </a> </p>

<p> Zynga's online title Mafia Wars is being played by over four million users every day, claims the company. </p> <p> The game is playable over Facebook, Tagged, Yahoo and Myspace, and has most recently been ported to the iPhone as a free App. </p> <p> "Mafia Wars is on its way to becoming a cult classic," commented Bill Mooney, executive producer of MMO Studios at Zynga. </p> <p> <a href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/four-million-play-mafia-wars-daily"> Read more... </a> </p>

<p> Nintendo is sponsoring Five's Britain's Best Brain  a new quiz show for UK TV. </p> <p> The company will benefit from sponsorship credits around the show in an advertiser-funded programming deal, brokered by Tiger Aspect Productions and Mediaedge:cia (MEC). </p> <p> "WeÂre really excited to be working with Tiger Aspect, GroupM and Five on this ambitious new show and stepping into the realm of AFP for the first time," said James Honeywell, senior product manager for Nintendo. </p> <p> <a href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/nintendo-sponsors-new-five-quiz-show"> Read more... </a> </p>

<p> An authority on the trade in virtual items and currencies has discredited claims earlier this week that the Chinese government had banned gold farming. </p> <p> On his ICTs for Development blog, Professor Richard Heeks of Manchester University interprets the move as an attempt to restrict the use of virtual currencies - used widely in Chinese internet portals - to buy real goods and services, particularly gambling. In fact, that's the opposite of gold trading, which is the use of real currency to buy virtual goods and services. </p> <p> "This is a government restriction on the use of the quasi-Paypal-like currencies (mainly QQ coins) that are used extensively in China to pay for virtual game stuff. As announced they can now only be used to pay for virtual stuff, and you can't buy real things with them as game companies were allowing to happen, nor can you gamble," said Heeks. </p> <p> <a href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/reports-of-chinas-gold-farming-ban-misinterpreted"> Read more... </a> </p>

<p> Microsoft has responded to concerns over a recent announcement it would be bringing Silverlight adverts to its Live service, saying the adverts won't interfere with the gaming experience for users. </p> <p> Xbox Live's Larry Hryb posted on his Major Nelson blog about the move, reassuring gamers that Microsoft intends to enhance the service with its adverts, not interfere with it. . "IÂve seen quite a bit of discussion today about how we're bringing Silverlight ads to LIVE in the future," he said. </p> <p> "I need to let you know that you donÂt need to worry about a huge influx of ads across the dashboard. One of our core principles is to enhance, not interfere with the gaming experience, and we work directly with our partners to only deliver experiences that are relevant to the Live community." </p> <p> <a href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/microsoft-adverts-wont-interfere-with-xbox-live-experience"> Read more... </a> </p>

<p> A court case in which Microsoft is accused of patent infringement with its Xbox Live service may soon reach a conclusion. Reports predict the hardware manufacturer could be on the verge of following suit with Sony - sued by the same people over its PSN service - and settling out of court. </p> <p> The two claimants, Peter Hochstein and Jeffrey Tenenbaum, claim both Sony and Microsoft have infringed a patent they filed back in 1994 for "communicating live while playing the same videogame in separate locations". </p> <p> The case was brought against the hardware makers in 2004 and, in April of this year, Sony settled with the pair out of court for an undisclosed sum. </p> <p> <a href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/microsoft-sued-over-xbox-live"> Read more... </a> </p>

<p> Sales for specialist retailer GAME were down 9.1 per cent in the first half of the year, with like-for-like sales dropping 15.4 per cent. </p> <p> The results were in line with expectations said the company, compared to the same period last year which included blockbuster releases such as Grand Theft Auto IV, Mario Kart and Wii Fit. </p> <p> Sales for the UK and Ireland business were down 12.4 per cent, with like-for-likes down 15.8 per cent, while the International business saw a marginal decrease of 1.1 per cent and a like-for-like drop of 14.4 per cent. </p> <p> <a href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/game-sales-down-in-first-half-of-2009"> Read more... </a> </p>

<p> The installed base of consoles in the UK has reached 24.2 million units in the UK, according to data from GfK Chart-Track. </p> <p> As of June 27, 2009, the Wii has sold 5.4 million units, 2.3 million up on the 3.1 million units sold by June 28, 2008. </p> <p> Sales of Microsoft's Xbox 360 grew from 2.2 million units to 3.9 million, an increase of 1.7 million units in the 12 month period. </p> <p> <a href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/uk-console-installed-based-tops-24m"> Read more... </a> </p>

<p> THQ has filed a lawsuit against Jakks Pacific accusing its WWE partner of extending the official WWE contract without its permission. </p> <p> Jakks confirmed its intention on Wednesday to renew the WWE game licence, extending the contract for another five years to December 31, 2014. </p> <p> However, Gamesutra reports the move has angered THQ which says the toy maker wasn't authorised to make the decision on behalf of both companies. THQ now says it is under no obligation from the contract. The publisher also disputes a term of the current contract that disallows it from publishing any wrestling videogames for at least a year after the termination of its deal with WWE. </p> <p> <a href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/thq-files-lawsuit-on-jakks-pacific-for-extending-wwe-contract"> Read more... </a> </p>

<p> The current generation of games consoles could struggle to deliver the types of game experiences the majority of gamers want and end up as niche products within a couple of years, according to Playfish chief executive Kristian Segerstrale. </p> <p> As the demand for social games distributed via Facebook and other social networking sites grows, he predicts that incompatible, prohibitively expensive games consoles could fail to compete with the more accessible and connected experiences online services can deliver. </p> <p> Speaking in an exclusive interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Segerstrale said: "I think that games consoles - while they might be an important part of the industry now - might become niche in the next couple of years. It's not at all clear if it even makes sense to deliver this type of gaming on a home console." </p> <p> <a href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/consoles-could-soon-become-niche-products-playfish"> Read more... </a> </p>

Kristian Segerstrale is perhaps one of social gaming's most persuasive advocates. Playfish, the company he co-founded just 18 months ago and oversees from his chief executive role, already ranks among the world's largest social games companies having just celebrated its 100 millionth game download. Speaking exclusively to GamesIndustry.biz, Segerstrale talks about his involvement with this year's Develop conference, his thoughts on what needs to happen with the App Store next and why he thinks games consoles could become a niche product in the next few years. <p> <a href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/playfishs-kristian-segerstrale"> Read more... </a> </p>

<p> Social gaming company Playfish today celebrated 100 million installed games, just 18 months after it was founded. </p> <p> The company has released seven titles in total, which include Pet Society, Geo Challenge and Bowling Buddies, each designed to be playable by friends over social networking sites like Facebook and Bebo and on internet connected devices like the iPhone. </p> <p> "When we founded Playfish, our goal was to change the way the world plays games by creating experiences that are social and connected between friends," said Playfish CEO Kristian Segerstrale. "Reaching 100 million installs in such a short time is clear proof of social gamingÂs popularity and how loyal, enthusiastic and deeply engaged the Playfish community is." </p> <p> <a href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/playfish-celebrates-100-million-game-installs-in-18-months"> Read more... </a> </p>

<p> UK retailer ShopTo has told our sister site Eurogamer.net that Activision has tagged DJ Hero with a suggested retail price of GBP 107.99. </p> <p> The retailer will actually be pricing the game and peripheral for GBP 94.85, although that's still a significant mark-up on Activision's Guitar Hero title in the UK, which launched for GBP 70 with peripheral. </p> <p> DJ Hero will only cost US consumers USD 120, according to GameStop - which translates to around GBP 73. </p> <p> <a href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/activision-tags-dj-hero-with-GBP108-rrp"> Read more... </a> </p>

<p> Dave Perry has released the first footage of his games-on-demand service Gaikai running a number of games including EVE Online, Spore and World of Warcraft. </p> <p> Already shown behind close doors at E3 this year to the publishing community and select press, Perry is promising the service will run on everyday net connections, stating "we designed this for the real internet". </p> <p> "We don't claim to have 5000 pages of patents, we didn't take seven years, and we do not claim to have invented one millisecond encryption and custom chips. As you can see, we don't need them, and so our costs will be much less," said Perry on his website. </p> <p> <a href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/perry-demos-first-public-showing-of-games-on-demand-service"> Read more... </a> </p>

<p> Industry veteran Ian Livingstone has warned that 2009 will be an all or nothing year for publishers, as new releases either climb high in the charts or completely sink at retail. </p> <p> Speaking exclusively to GamesIndustry.biz, the life president of Eidos said that publishers are pumping more money into developing and marketing bankable franchises, leaving smaller titles choked on store shelves. </p> <p> "A lot of titles have already hit the shelves and there is a deluge planned for Christmas, but I think 2009 will be remembered as the year of 'roast duck or no dinner'," he said in an interview published today. "Big ticket titles continue to sell well but many of the smaller titles will probably disappoint their owners." </p> <p> <a href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/livingstone-its-all-or-nothing-for-new-releases-in-2009"> Read more... </a> </p>

Eidos life president Ian Livingstone was once again the host of the GameHorizon conference this year, and shortly before the end of the event GamesIndustry.biz caught up with him to find out his thoughts on how it had gone, and what he thought the main learning points had been. <p> <a href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/eidos-ian-livingstone"> Read more... </a> </p>

<p> The Pirate Bay intends to pay users for letting their computers host content as part of a worldwide peer-to-peer network. </p> <p> That's the plan of Global Gaming Factory, the company which intends to acquire the notorious website and legitimise its business. </p> <p> "To compete with free file-sharing, you have to beat it," said CEO of GGF Hans Pandeya, speaking to the LA Times. "What's better than zero? Well, that's paying somebody USD 1." </p> <p> <a href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/new-pirate-bay-will-pay-users-for-hosting"> Read more... </a> </p>

<p> Xbox Live advertisers will soon be able to create interactive campaigns for multiple Microsoft formats, as the company plans to bring Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) specifications for rich media technologies - including its own Silverlight software - to services within the year. </p> <p> The move will enable companies to build advertising campaigns for four different formats - desktop, television, mobile phone and Microsoft's touch platform Surface - meaning advertisers can spend less time re-purposing campaigns across multiple platforms. </p> <p> "We are just starting to scratch the surface of what's possible," Sean Alexander, director at Microsoft's advertising business group told MediaPost. "As a marketeer, your job is to build an emotional connection with the brand, no matter the platform." </p> <p> <a href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/microsoft-to-bring-interactive-ads-to-xbox-live"> Read more... </a> </p>