GAME hosts official midnight launch of Call of Duty: Ghosts

November 1st, 2013, 22:49 Posted By: wraggster

GAME Stratford will be opening its doors at midnight on Monday 4^th November, ahead of the launch of the highly anticipated Call of Duty: Ghosts on Tuesday 5^thNovember.

To meet the massive demand, GAME across the country will be opening more than 300 stores at midnight on Monday 4^th November. Call of Duty fans will get the chance to be first in the queue to experience the long awaited next instalment of the biggest entertainment franchise in the world.

Those fortunate enough to make it down to GAME Stratford at Westfield for the midnight launch will also be in with the chance of meeting the legendary Tina Palacios, Senior Community Manager at Infinity Ward and avid COD gamer.

As well as this, customers planning to attend the GAME Stratford midnight launch are encouraged to get down to the store from 6pm to be in with a chance to win ‘money can’t buy’ entry into the Activision launch party happening at Indigo, 02. Customers at the store will be given raffle tickets upon arrival, with four lucky winners being drawn from the queue at 6:30pm, 7:30pm and again at 8:30pm and transported straight to the launch event where they will also be gifted with a copy of Call of Duty: Ghosts GAME Exclusive Free Fall Edition.

The franchise that has defined a generation of gaming is set to raise the bar once again with the all-new Call of Duty®: Ghosts. Published by Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard (Nasdaq:ATVI), and developed by Infinity Ward, the studio that created the originalCall of Duty and the seminal Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® series, Call of Duty: Ghosts ushers in the next generation of the franchise. The new title delivers a riveting all-new gameplay experience built on an entirely new story, setting and cast of characters, all powered by a new, next generation Call of Duty engine that redefines the series for the next generation.

As well as reimagining the single-player mode, Call of Duty: Ghosts has upgraded multiplayer mode in the biggest redevelopment since Modern Warfare. Players can now customise their soldier with up to 9,000 combinations and also experience seven new multiplayer modes such as Cranked, Search & Rescue and Blitz.

Charlotte Knight, Category Director at GAME, says: “The excitement around Call of Duty is always huge and the new Call of Duty: Ghosts is no exception. Our midnight launch at GAME will be a great chance for fans of the game to come down and experience the buzz. Our GAME Exclusive Free Fall edition has already been really popular and for those wanting the chance to play multi-player on an exclusive map, the Free Fall edition is for you!”

Call of Duty: Ghosts will be released on Xbox 360®, PlayStation®3, Nintendo® Wii U, PC, and next-generation platforms, from 5th November.

For the latest information on Call of Duty: Ghosts midnight store launches, visit <gp_link type="http" loc="//www.game.co.uk">www.game.co.uk</gp_link>. Call of Duty: Ghosts is also available for pre-order in store and on the GAME website.

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Socal punk legends blink-182 to close out blizzcon 2013

November 1st, 2013, 22:28 Posted By: wraggster

Thousands of gamers are about to come to a party and celebrate all the big things (and all the small things too) . . . and maybe even fall in love with a gnome at a rock show when legendary Southern California punk rock trio Blink-182 headlines the closing concert at Blizzard Entertainment’s sold-out BlizzCon^® gaming convention, taking place November 8–9 at the Anaheim Convention Center.
Acclaimed worldwide for their influential and groundbreaking pop-punk sound, Blink-182 has achieved massive critical and commercial success, with over 35 million albums sold. Their third album, Enema of the State, went quintuple platinum and catapulted the band into superstardom.
Unfortunately for fans of Blink-182’s “What’s My Age Again?” video, Anaheim city ordinances strictly forbid the band from running naked through the streets around the convention center. BlizzCon attendees are kindly asked to adhere to the same policy.
“After two days of hard work watching games and playing games and talking about games, we can’t think of a better way to kick back and relax than to have your face melted by Blink-182,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “We’re thrilled to have such an awesome band helping us bring BlizzCon to an epic conclusion.”
“Nothing beats touring and playing in front of a live crowd,” said Tom DeLonge, Blink-182 guitarist and vocalist. “Our roots are in Southern California, so playing at BlizzCon will be like having a show in our own backyard—only with a couple thousand more orcs and elves in loincloths and bikini armor.”
BlizzCon is a celebration of the global player communities surrounding Blizzard Entertainment’s Warcraft^®, Diablo^®, and StarCraft^® game universes. The show will have an array of activities, including discussion panels, competitive and casual tournaments, contests, hands-on playtime with current and upcoming Blizzard Entertainment games, and more.
While tickets to the convention are no longer available, viewers at home can join the excitement by ordering a BlizzCon Virtual Ticket, which offers comprehensive live coverage of both days of the event, including Blink-182’s performance, via multi-channel HD Internet stream for £24.99.
With multiple games in development, Blizzard Entertainment has numerous positions currently available—visit <gp_link type="http" loc="//jobs.blizzard.com">http://jobs.blizzard.com</gp_link> for more information and to learn how to apply. As BlizzCon draws closer, further details about the show will be announced at <gp_link type="http" loc="//www.blizzcon.com">www.blizzcon.com</gp_link>.

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Unleash angry birdstm star wars for home and handheld gaming systems

November 1st, 2013, 20:58 Posted By: wraggster

Rovio Entertainment Ltd. and Lucasfilm Ltd., in association with Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), today launched Angry Birds™ Star Wars® for home and hand-held video game systems. Based on Rovio’s wildly popular, action-strategy mobile game, Angry Birds Star Wars brings the interstellar struggle between the ragtag Rebel Birds and dastardly Imperial Pigs to new audiences on the Xbox 360® games and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and PlayStation®Vita handheld entertainment system, Nintendo's Wii™ and Wii U™ systems and the Nintendo 3DS™ handheld system. Angry Birds Star Wars is also planned to launch on Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, and Sony’s PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system on 22^nd November.

“Angry Birds Star Wars brings together fans from multiple generations and across two widely loved fictional worlds” noted Jami Laes, Executive Vice President of Games at Rovio Entertainment. “The success of Angry Birds Star Wars is a testament to the versatility of these iconic franchises. As a company we want to be wherever the fans are, so we are thrilled to be partnering with Activision to bring this one-of-a-kind experience to console and handheld gaming fans.”

Angry Birds Star Wars marries the fantastic spirit, legendary characters and classic imagery of Star Wars™ with the accessibly engaging design and energetic gameplay of Angry Birds™, thrusting players into a captivating, light-hearted adventure saga, featuring inventive challenges, tantalizing Force powers and a wealth of familiar faces and places. Twenty exclusive, newly created levels join the over 200 stages already available from the original mobile release of Angry Birds Star Wars. This latest version brings the flock to the fight with the introduction of cooperative and competitive multiplayer modes, letting players team up or square off for high scores and galactic bragging rights. Moreover, this expansive edition exploits the unique capabilities of each game system to deliver a distinctive experience tailored specifically to each platform, including sharp and colourful, high-definition visuals (on HD-compatible devices), achievements and trophies, leader boards, voice command support through Kinect for Xbox 360 and touch-screen controls on Wii U, Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation®Vita system.

The next-generation versions of Angry Birds Star Wars maintain these core features while introducing new play and interface elements exclusive to each system. The PlayStation®4 system’s adaptation makes full use of the DualShock 4 controller’s touchpad to offer precision, touch-screen handling, paired with full support for PlayStation®Move in both single-player and local multiplayer modes. Players can also easily record and share their accomplishments with the world with the PlayStation®4 system’s automatic screenshot and video capture options. Angry Birds Star Wars on Xbox One also allows for automatic video capture and online sharing, while adding all the benefits of the system’s improved Kinect for Xbox One functionality, affording intuitive gesture and motion controls, as well as voice command support. The Xbox One iteration of Angry Birds Star Wars also includes unique, timed challenges that deliver fresh trials for players well after the game’s launch.

Angry Birds Star Wars is available now for Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360, PlayStation®3 system, PlayStation®Vita system, and Nintendo 3DS. The PlayStation®4 system and Xbox One versions will be available on 22^ndNovember.

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Sonic misses the mark in Japan

November 1st, 2013, 01:59 Posted By: wraggster

Lost World sells less than 5,000 units on 3DS in first week, Wii U version fails to chart
Pokemon held strong at the top of the Japanese software chart last week, while another icon of gaming, Sonic the Hedgehog, languished at the opposite end.
Despite favourable scores in Famitsu - 36 for the Wii U version, 34 for 3DS - Sega's Sonic: Lost World struggled to rouse much excitement in Japan. Both versions of the game were released on Thursday October 24, but the 3DS version sold less than 5,000 units before the end of the weekend, leaving it at a lowly 18th place in the charts. The Wii U version, meanwhile, didn't make the top 20 at all.
Indeed, it was a busy week for new releases in Japan, and Sonic was outpaced by five releases without the same sort of brand recognition. The highest new release was Konami's Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu 2013 on PlayStation 3, which sold almost 84,000 units to finish in second place. However, both the PSP and PS Vita versions sold well enough to place sixth and seventh.
Elsewhere, Grand Theft Auto V continued to perform even three weeks after its release, selling another 50,000 to leave its lifetime sales just shy of 500,000 units.
The software chart is below, with lifetime sales in parentheses:

• 1. [3DS] Pokemon X and Y (Nintendo, 10/12/13) - 229,402 (2,569,124)
• 2. [PS3] Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu 2013 (Konami, 10/24/13) - 83,883 (New)
• 3. [PS3] BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma (Arc System Works, 10/24/13) - 72,464(New)
• 4. [3DS] Monster Hunter 4 (Capcom, 09/14/13) - 68,160 (2,825,377)
• 5. [PS3] Grand Theft Auto V (Rockstar Games, 10/10/13) - 50,286 (498,600)
• 6. [PSP] Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu 2013 (Konami, 10/24/13) - 36,002 (New)
• 7. [PSV] Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu 2013 (Konami, 10/24/13) - 24,331 (New)
• 8. [3DS] Sentouchu Densetsu no Shinobi to Survival Battle (Namco Bandai, 10/17/13) - 17,009 (61,574)
• 9. [PSP] Kamigami no Asobi (Broccolu, 10/24/13) - 12,078 (New)
• 10. [PSP] Diabolik Lovers More, Blood (Idea Factory, 10/24/13) - 10,481 (New)
• 11. [PSV] DanganRonpa 1&2 Reload (Spike Chunsoft, 10/10/13) - 10,459 (96,162)
• 12. [PS3] Samurai Warriors 2 with Xtreme Legends & Empires HD Version (Tecmo Koei, 10/24/13) - 6,900 (New)
• 13. [PS3] FIFA 14 (EA, 10/17/13) - 6,085 (32,056)
• 14. [3DS] Animal Crossing: New Leaf (Nintendo, 11/08/12) - 5,552 (3,450,853)
• 15. [3DS] Tomodachi Collection: New Life (Nintendo, 04/18/13) - 5,518 (1,479,615)
• 16. [PS3] Sakatsuku Pro Soccer Club wo Tsukurou (Sega, 10/10/13) - 5,241 (90,756)
• 17. [PS3] Tales of Symphonia Chronicles (Namco Bandai, 10/10/13) - 5,186 (93,636)
• 18. [3DS] Sonic: Lost World (Sega, 10/24/13) - 4,919 (New)
• 19. [3DS] Disney Magic Castle: My Happy Life (Namco Bandai, 08/01/13) - 4,869 (301,047)
• 20. [PS3] Beyond: Two Souls (SCE, 10/17/13) - 4,602 (27,083)

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Is wearable tech too expensive, or is it just that no one cares?

November 1st, 2013, 00:43 Posted By: wraggster

Only six per cent of the general population own a wearable device.
Gadgets such as Google Glass, and Samsung’s Galaxy Gear have really caught our eye recently, however apparently not enough to make us whack out our wallets, according to GfK.
The research showed that up to 50 per cent are aware of these products, along with the Sony Smartwatch, Nike Fuelband, Pebble and Fitbit - particularly amongst men and the under 45s.
However ownership of wearable tech is pretty low, with only six per cent of the general public, and only slightly higher for 16-24 year olds at seven per cent being a techy fashionista.
It's not as though no one gives a toss about the new technology. Six in ten of 16-24 year olds find the idea of a smartwatch appealing, and four in ten Google Glass.
However with the Google Glass being priced at between £400 and £600, this could be too expensive for those who may prove to be its biggest market.
Smartwatches in general are priced at around £150 to £200, which - although cheaper - could still prove to be a little too dear for what is currently an inessential device – despite the awesome commercials advertising the products such as the Galaxy Gear.
Johanna Martin of GfK, said: “To get the market moving manufacturers need to communicate tangible lifestyle benefits and offer a sleek design – but even then, any wearable tech device will only succeed if the price is right.”

http://www.mobile-ent.biz/index.php/...e-cares/022722

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Undead Action Hero Battles Brain-Stealing Aliens in Comical New Mobile Title

November 1st, 2013, 00:34 Posted By: wraggster

In a comical new twist on the zombie genre, The Incredible Corpse from Eyes Wide Games, the creators of The Walking Dead Social Game: Chronicles, pits an undead secret agent against alien invaders stealing human brains. This stealth action game for iOS and Android devices will launch at the end of November.

Aliens have invaded and taken all of Earth's brains. What the interstellar invaders didn’t count on was zombies and, more importantly, Earth’s most unlikely hero, the Incredible Corpse. He's on a mission to get the brains back and he’s ready to kick alien ass.

A level-based game that incorporates stealth, action and puzzle gameplay features, The Incredible Corpse travels to locations around the world, tasked with recovering brains, putting a beat down on aliens and blowing up the invaders’ bases. Of course, he gets to snack along the way, but this corpse is more interested in saving humanity than eating them (for now). Players will use the game's touch and draw controls to help the action hero sneak into alien bases, past traps and onto unsuspecting enemies en-route to the human brains.

Gamers that want to help support development of more features in the game can review Eyes Wide Games’ Kickstarter.

Eyes Wide Games’ developers used their experience working on CSI: Crime City, The Walking Dead Social Game: Chronicles and other major brand name titles to come up with a fresh approach to an established genre.

“Everyone at Eyes Wide Games is a pop culture geek and the idea of combining some of our favorite genres: zombies, super heroes, secret agents, aliens and The King was just so deliciously ridiculous an idea that we knew we had to make this game,” Stephen Griffin, CEO, Eyes Wide Games, explains. “Once gamers try The Incredible Corpse, they will want to be super dead too."

Eyes Wide Games plans to release Chapter 1 for free. Chapters 2 – 6 will be available for purchase at $4.99 during launch. Every few months the company will release several new chapters for sale.

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MCM London Comic Con Smashes Attendance Record With 88,000 Visitors

November 1st, 2013, 00:11 Posted By: wraggster

The UK's biggest comic con got even bigger last weekend, with MCM London Comic Con bringing a record-breaking 88,000 visitors through the doors of ExCel London.

"The latest London Comic Con smashed the show's previous high of 76,000 attendees back in May," commented MCM co-organiser Paul Miley. "The picture looks even better when you compare attendance at this October's event to the same show last year, which saw just over 70,000 visitors - itself a record at the time."

Expanding from 25,000 m2 to 34,000 m2 and spreading across both sides of ExCel for the first time, MCM London Comic Con played host to a wide range of activities over the weekend, from the largest Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Series in Europe to the biggest gathering of comic book creators in the UK to the finals of the EuroCosplay Championship 2013, which featured more than 40 top cosplayers from no fewer than 26 countries.

Running from Friday 25 to Sunday 27 October, Britain's biggest popular culture event also welcomed special guests from a host of movies, TV series and sci-fi shows, including Lost Girl; Game of Thrones; Primeval; Haven; Warehouse 13; By Any Means; Under The Dome; Young Dracula; Torchwood; Red Dwarf and anime studio WIT.

"It is wonderful to have so many attendees and companies like Nintendo, E4, Warner Bros., Syfy, Namco Bandai, Manga Entertainment and Konami supporting our show," said MCM co-organiser Bryan Cooney. "London Comic Con continues to grow year-on-year in terms of attendance, floor space and content, making the show an ever more attractive prospect for fans and exhibitors alike, and we'll be returning in May with an even bigger event."

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Virtual giving for real-world change

October 31st, 2013, 23:41 Posted By: wraggster

Launching today, the Well of Goodwill will offer RuneScape players across the world the chance to gift some of their in-game wealth to charity. Players will be able to donate in game items, gold or even RuneScape Bonds into the Well. For every 10 million gold pieces gifted by the community, Jagex will donate $1 to a number of charitable causes including GamesAid, Willow, SpecialEffect, Action for Kids and the Internet Watch Foundation.

“At Jagex, we have always been passionate about our charity work,” commented Riaan Hodgson, Chief Operating Officer at Jagex. “As a company, we regularly raise funds and donate thousands of pounds to charities each year. However, we have been keen to create an innovative way to involve our community for some time, and hopefully as a result, scale the effectiveness and reach of our charitable giving efforts. With the Well of Goodwill, we believe we have created a perfect system to allow our players to support worthy charities through their in-game efforts without affecting their own real-world pockets.”

A real-time totaliser, showing the total donations and featuring top donors can be viewed on the RuneScape website,<gp_link type="http" loc="//www.runescape.com/charity">http://www.runescape.com/charity</gp_link>.

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A ‘hybrid’ classic RPG, with a modern touch: Lords of Xulima

October 31st, 2013, 23:31 Posted By: wraggster

Indie European studio ‘Numantian Games’ is pleased to announce the next development stage of their ambitious Single-player RPG, which is now up on Kickstarter to reach as many genre fans as possible:

<gp_link type="http" loc="//www.kickstarter.com/projects/1446315704/lords-of-xulima-an-epic-story-of-gods-and-humans">http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1446315704/lords-of-xulima-an-epic-story-of-gods-and-humans</gp_link>

Picture a Role-Playing Game which combines much of what made the genre so timeless; a cross between the non-linear, strategic PC classics and the challenging, story-driven Japanese RPGs. Add mature fantasy lore and original combat/gameplay concepts to the mix, then blend it all together into a modern interface. In a nutshell, you’ll have Lords of Xulima. Guided by an odd dream, the player and his 5 companions set for an uncharted, mythical continent. The designers behind the game are excited to give gamers the opportunity to have a hand in how things play out, both when playing this RPG and during its development. After raising 120% of the first fundraiser’s goal, Numantian Games has launched a Kickstarter campaign in the hopes of gaining even more support, to help make LoX as great as it can be.

“The game was originally inspired by over a decade of fascination for Role-Playing Games” says game director Jesús Arribas . “We want to capture what made those RPG classics so memorable, while offering something new at the same time.”

It should come as no surprise, then, that Lords of Xulima is heavily influenced by titles which once set new standards or boundaries for the genre. Elements from many classic western and eastern franchises (including Japanese RPGs and ‘Rogue-likes’) a re present in this epic adventure.

A custom-made engine supports the isometric, detailed 2D backgrounds and 3D animations; a welcome modern touch to the familiar exploration and turn-based combat views. Craftsmanship and care are also invested in making the lore, weather effects and soundtrack contribute to the immersion as much as possible. On the interface side, navigating through your skills, equipment choices and other menus will be as simple and concise as possible, due to balanced item and class ability usage playing an essential role in the player’s success.

Lords of Xulima is one large chapter of a grand, envisioned saga . It will be available in English and Spanish for PC, MAC & Linux. RPG fans who share the creators’ enthusiasm will be able to contribute to adding more content, art and polish to the game by visiting the Lords of Xulima Kickstarter page. Steam Greenlight votes will also go a long way, as LoX is currently in the top 25 queue.

Kickstarter
<gp_link type="http" loc="//www.kickstarter.com/projects/1446315704/lords-of-xulima-an-epic-story-of-gods-and-humans">http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1446315704/lords-of-xulima-an-epic-story-of-gods-and-humans</gp_link>

Game website
<gp_link type="http" loc="//www.lordsofxulima.com">www.lordsofxulima.com</gp_link>

Steam Greenlight
<gp_link type="http" loc="//steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=128219358">http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=128219358</gp_link>

Visual Engine demo

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Ultra Street Fighter 4 arrives April 2014, says Japanese arcade

October 31st, 2013, 00:32 Posted By: wraggster

<center style='font: 14px/22px "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-transform: none; text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: normal; word-spacing: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;'></center>Capcom's next iteration of Street Fighter 4 will make its debut in April of next year, assuming the claims of a Japanese arcade are to be believed.

Located in the Kagoshima prefecture, Amusement Game Liberty is a largely typical Japanese arcade - not the sort of place in the habit of breaking gaming news. Yet, a recent tweet from the arcade claims that it will feature Ultra Street Fighter 4 as soon as April 2014. The tweet also notes that Capcom is charging arcade operators ¥30 (about $0.31) per play, which will likely force Amusement Game Liberty to charge players ¥100 (about $1) for each game.

There is still no word on when Ultra Street Fighter 4 might see American shores, nor any official sources willing to corroborate the arcade's tweet. We contacted Capcom for more, and were told that the company was currently unwilling to attach a solid release date to the fighter.

http://www.joystiq.com/2013/10/30/ul...apanese-arcad/

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Oculus Rift is heading to Android

October 31st, 2013, 00:29 Posted By: wraggster

Oculus Rift creator Palmer Luckey has issued a correction on Reddit stating that there'd be only version of the Oculus Rift that would support both PC and Android, not two different versions as VentureBeat reported."It would be WAY better to have one headset that can work from the PC and from the Android device," clarified Luckey. "That is the plan. This article is wrong."ORIGINAL STORY: VR headset Oculus Rift is heading to Android, Oculus has announced.As reported by VentureBeat, the VR company's CEO Brendan Iribe revealed the upcoming Android version during his keynote at the GamesBeat 2013 video game conference.The Android version will be lighter and rely on the mobile device's processor.Oculus hasn't noted any plans for an iOS version. According to the VentureBeat report, Oculus finds the iOS platform "problematic."The company is aiming to launch the Android version of the Rift as close to the PC version as possible, ideally simultaneously. This is expected to happen sometime next year.
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...ing-to-android

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Console revenues to grow 29% by 2017

October 30th, 2013, 23:59 Posted By: wraggster

Report finds Xbox One, PS4 will draw 61% of revenues from packaged goods, predicts "blood bath" for control of living room
John Riccitiello isn't the only one expecting a console comeback. DFC Intelligence and Live Gamer today released a new report projecting significant growth in the worldwide console market through 2017, thanks largely to the forthcoming Xbox One and PlayStation 4. The firms expect console software revenues to jump from $18.5 billion this year to $24 billion in 2017, a jump of more than 29 percent.
The report also expects an increase in the amount of game revenue drawn from digital sources instead of packaged software, although "the high-end of the market" will still be made up mostly of offline purchases. By 2017, 36 percent of Xbox One and PS4 revenue is projected to come from digital offerings, with 61 percent still accounted for by physical goods. The remaining 3 percent of revenue will be advertising. (Additional digital revenue from offerings like video or music content was not considered.)
Despite the growth, the report still raised a few challenges for the console market. Consoles will need to fight with mobile devices for users' time, PC gaming will still draw more money overall, and Sony and Microsoft will be facing more than just each other in the race to offer a do-it-all set-top box.
"The battle for digital delivery in the living room could turn into a blood bath with no clear winners," said DFC Intelligence CEO David Cole. "The challenge for content providers will be how to best monetize their product for any given platform or market."

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...ercent-by-2017

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EA confirms FIFA World Cup 2014 game

October 30th, 2013, 22:18 Posted By: wraggster

It will come as no surprise that EA is planning an officially licensed World Cup 2014 video game.
The confirmation came from EA’s CEO Andrew Wilson in last night’s investor call, as transcribed by Seeking Alpha.
“In the last two weeks, you've also seen several announcements about our product slate for the remainder of this year and into FY '15. We are refining our focus on our biggest brands and great new IP in development, including The Sims 4, EA Sports UFC, FIFA World Cup and Dragon Age: Inquisition.”
A physical release is not guaranteed, however. In 2012 EA chose not to release its UEFA Euro 2012 game physically and instead provided it as premium DLC for FIFA 12.
However, Wilson told MCV earlier this year that the experiment wasn’t the success it had hoped for, stating: "It was a little ahead of its time quite frankly.
“We didn’t get the take up that we thought we would at that moment in time, although things picked up later when we lowered the price. We may have got the value proposition a little off.”

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/ea-co...4-game/0123489

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Tokyo Game Show, and why Japan isn’t ready for next-gen home consoles

October 30th, 2013, 22:06 Posted By: wraggster

September’s Tokyo Game Show offered the first chance for Japanese players to get their hands on next-gen hardware as well as a larger selection of mobile and social games than has ever filled the Makuhari Messe before. It was a show packed with evidence of handheld gaming usurping home consoles in the region, and of new niches opening up.“The venue has got bigger this year, but at the same time the number of publishers not attending has also increased,” said Toshihiro Nagoshi of Sega’s Yakuza Studio. Konami and Level-5 were absent from the main floor, as were many western publishers; Tecmo Koei’s booth bafflingly showed nothing but a gallery celebrating its ancient wargame Nobunaga’s Ambition. And Capcom’s release of Monster Hunter 4 just days before TGS meant there was no obvious must-play game of the show.“However, the attendance is very good, and it feels like a carnival, so I think it’s OK to have simple booths that don’t require much outlay,” Nagoshi said, noting what would turn out to be a record 270,197 attendees. “But I do believe that the future of consoles will be decided with this generation, so if we don’t make the effort to whip up interest, we could lose out.”

http://www.edge-online.com/features/...home-consoles/

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Police Use James-Bond-Style GPS Bullet

October 30th, 2013, 21:54 Posted By: wraggster

The BBC reports that police in the U.S. are now using 'GPS bullets,' a device they can shoot at fleeing vehicles in order to track them. They're designed to make high-speed chases safer. The pursuing police car presses a button, a lid pops open, and a GPS bullet is fired which becomes attached to the fleeing car. The car can then be tracked from a distance in real-time without the need for a high-speed pursuit.

http://tech.slashdot.org/story/13/10...yle-gps-bullet

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Drive With Google Glass: Get a Ticket

October 30th, 2013, 21:52 Posted By: wraggster

Engadget reports 'California is technology's spiritual home in the US, where Teslas roam free, and Google Glass is already a social norm. Well, unless you're a member of the San Diego law enforcement that is — as one unlucky driver just found out. That commuter was Cecilia Abadie, and she's (rather fittingly) taken to Google+ after being given a ticket for drivingwhile wearing her Explorer Edition.'"

http://hardware.slashdot.org/story/1...s-get-a-ticket

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Day of the dead voted best horror film for game development

October 30th, 2013, 21:28 Posted By: wraggster

DAY OF THE DEAD is the horror film most gamers would like to see made into a mobile or console game, according to a survey by 100% Indie.

The virus outbreak zombie film was selected by over half of respondents in the survey (52%), who felt George Romero’s 1985 original horror would be best suited to a game. It was followed by HALLOWEEN, which gathered 27% of the votes. NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET was voted for by 12% of respondents.

100% Indie, which helps indie game developers bring their games to market, has worked on a number of horror and zombie games and carried out the research through an online poll supplemented by qualitative consumer research, to celebrate Halloween.

The company found that Frankenstein’s Monster is seen by most people as the most classic horror monster - Mary Shelley’s 195-year old unfortunate protagonist was chosen by over 70% of respondents as the best classic monster in a horror book or film.

The award for the best horror game franchise, meanwhile, went to DEAD SPACE, which just pipped SILENT HILL as the most popular series of horror titles.
And the best modern day horror villain? Freddy Krueger and Pinhead battle it out for top spot, each receiving 30% of the votes collected. Which would make quite a game in itself.

“Zombies, monsters, villains and vampires provide rich content for gaming and have done for many years,” says Chris Byatte of 100% Indie. “Since ZOMBIE ZOMBIE was released back in 1984, they seem to have captured the imagination of gamers. We’ve seen a great number of monster and zombie games come through the 100% Indie initiative since we started in March - and hope to continue to do so!”

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Apple’s first generation ipod voted most iconic gadget of all time

October 30th, 2013, 21:21 Posted By: wraggster

Apple’s first generation iPod has been voted the most iconic gadget of all time by a survey of 3,900 gadget fans commissioned by Gadget Show Live @ Christmas, which opens at Earls Court on Friday. The iPod, launched in 2001) tops a list of the ten most stylish gadgets ever; a list that also includes two phones, a camera, a watch, a fan and an orange juicer.

The oldest gadget to make the top ten is the Polaroid camera (10^th place), which had everyone shaking their snaps vigorously and watching in delight as the image appeared. The youngest is Nike’s Fuel Band, which may be only two years old but still managed to rank second place.

Music is also well represented. In addition to the iPod, Sony’s Walkman takes 6^th place. The Walkman launched in 1980, changing the way listen to music on the move and paving the way for the iPod’s birth two decades later.

The 10 most iconic gadgets of all time:

1. 2001 Apple iPod
2. 2011 Nike FuelBand
3. 2004 Bang & Olufsen Beocom 2 ‘banana’ phone
4. 1998 Apple iMac G3
5. 2004 Motorola Razr V3
6. 1980 Sony Walkman
7. 2009 Dyson Air Multiplier
8. 1983 Casio G-Shock DW-5000C
9. 1990 Alessi Salif mini citrus squeezer
10. 1967 Polaroid camera

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Jagex to Live Stream RuneFest for Free!

October 30th, 2013, 20:51 Posted By: wraggster

This Saturday, hundreds of RuneScape players will descend upon London's Tobacco Dock for RuneFest 3.

Tickets for the big day are now completely sold out. If you're not coming, though, don’t take it too hard - for the first time, everyone gets to enjoy a little bit of RuneFest, thanks to RuneFest LIVE.

Yes, we’ve been working our socks off to bring RuneFest to the world in a live stream so that even if you can’t make it RuneFest, you can still soak up the atmosphere from the comfort of your sofa.

RuneFest LIVE kicks off from 11am GMT (see here for help converting the time) from our Twitch channel or from RuneFest.com. You can even grab the iOS or Android Twitch app and watch on the move!

There’ll be competitions, interviews and plenty of opportunity for you to really get involved in the day’s events. So, whether you’ve a question, are determined to win stuff are just want to say “hi”, give us a shout by tweeting us @runefest with the hashtag #RuneFest3.

The video announcement can be viewed here:

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Google Glass redesign gets pictured, plays nice with a mono earbud

October 30th, 2013, 00:46 Posted By: wraggster

Just yesterday, Google revealed that Glass Explorers will soon be able to to swap out their current hardware for a new version, which will work with future shades and prescription frames. Although Page and Co. didn't divulge just what the next iteration of its wearable will look like, it's only taken a day for them to show us the new kit. The most -- and potentially only -- visible change is the addition of a mono earbud sporting the Glass logo, which appears to connect via the device's micro-USB port. Mountain View's kept mum on what other revisions its made, but with the hardware scheduled to arrive in the hands of beta testers shortly, more details can't be far off.

http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/29/g...n-mono-earbud/

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