Logitech to Discontinue Console Gaming Products

Logitech to Discontinue Console Gaming Products, Harmony Remotes - IGN: "Logitech reported on its less-than stellar financials for Q3 of Fiscal Year 2013 this morning, naming a few product lines within the company set for deletion by the end of the year. Namely, Logitech will step away from its Harmony universal remotes and long-term commitment to console gaming peripherals."


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20 Great Android Tablet Games

20 Great Games for Your Android Tablet : Big Games in a Small Package: "Big Games in a Small Package A few weeks ago, we took a look at some awesome games for Android devices in general. Today, we're taking a peek at a few more Android games, but these are titles that work better on the tablet form factor due to the bigger screen real estate, interface, or just straight up technical hardware wizardry. Check out these 20 games for Android tablets."


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Games in the next 12 months

What Games Are: Playing In Interesting Times
TechCrunch
Given how social has stalled, mobile seems packed to the gills, tablet is increasing and cloud gaming went bust it's hard to be confident about where games will go in the next 12 months. As the proverb goes, we seem to be living in interesting times ...

TechCrunch

GameSci: What Makes A Mobile Game Great? | Popular Science
Two big games dropped for iOS Wednesday night: Temple Run 2 and Final Fantasy: All The Bravest. On my bus ride to work yesterday morning.
www.popsci.com/.../gamesci-i-will-never-play-good-game-my...

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Kabam acquires Vancouver studio Exploding Barrel Games

Kabam acquires Vancouver studio Exploding Barrel Games | VentureBeat: "Kabam made a successful transition beyond Facebook in the past year, and now it is expanding again. The San Francisco free-to-play game company is acquiring Exploding Barrel Games, a 35-person development startup in Vancouver, Canada. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. As free-to-play social and mobile games become higher quality, Kabam has set its sights on matching the quality of console games, said Kevin Chou (pictured left), the chief executive of Kabam, in an interview with GamesBeat. And Exploding Barrel Games is full of people like Scott Blackwood (pictured right), the studio’s president, who worked at companies like Electronic Arts for years building franchises such as Need for Speed. Most recently, Exploding Barrel worked on Margaritaville, a critically acclaimed Facebook game published by THQ. But THQ has struggled, filing for bankruptcy in December, and it is no longer focused on social games. That created an opportunity for Kabam, which has doubled down on its free-to-play game studios with multiple acquisitions. With the addition of Exploding Barrel, Kabam will have more than 600 employees."


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Apple: gaming apps different than books or songs

Apple: ‘Want to criticize religion? Write a book’ — don’t make a game | VentureBeat: "Apple doesn’t believe video games can tackle important subjects. At least, that’s how the submission guidelines for developers on the App Store make it sound. If you haven’t read the document before, it’s actually very interesting. The whole thing comes across in very conversational language, not the typical lawyer-speak that often permeates these kinds of policy statements, which is why many people believe that Steve Jobs dictated it himself. One section of the guidelines resonated with me as a gamer:

We view apps different than books or songs, which we do not curate. If you want to criticize a religion, write a book. If you want to describe sex, write a book or a song, or create a medical app. It can get complicated, but we have decided to not allow certain kinds of content in the App Store.

. . .  “I think [Apple has] the wrong attitude about games, but ultimately [this] is game developers’ fault, not Apple’s,” Braid developer Jonathan Blow told GamesBeat. “Apple is treating games as shallow commercial entertainment experiences because they have been taught by game developers that that is what games are.”
Read more at http://venturebeat.com/2013/01/15/apple-want-to-criticize-religion-write-a-book-dont-make-a-game/#IpkXqSRO0uWhAkhJ.99


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Nevada Bill Would Allow for Interstate Gaming Compacts

New Nevada Bill Would Allow for Interstate Gaming Compacts | Ifrah Law - Hands-on Counsel, Gloves-off Litigation - JDSupra: " . . . The possibility of gaming compacts became a reality after the DOJ released an opinion in December 2011stating that the Wire Act applies only to sports betting. This opinion by DOJ eased fears among state lawmakers that money involved in online gaming could not be sent across state lines without incurring a violation of federal law. With that hurdle removed, the possibility of states entering into online gaming compacts became a reality. Thus far two states, Delaware and Nevada, have enacted laws legalizing intrastate online gaming. Last month, the New Jersey state legislature passed a law legalizing online gaming and the bill is currently waiting for action to be taken on it by Gov. Chris Christie. Other states have publicly stated that they will consider online gaming legislation in sessions this year. One potential problem with interstate gaming compacts is the potential for a hodgepodge of different laws and regulations for players and operators. States that lack experience in regulating gambling activities may look to the states that do have such experience, like Nevada and New Jersey, to regulate for them as an alternative to establishing their own regulations for online gaming. Thus far, Nevada is the only state to implement regulations governing online poker. Nevada may want something in return for helping regulate gaming activities in other states, and it is not clear from the bill what that may be. Compacts like this have the potential to entrust a significant amount of power in a state agency, such as the Nevada Gaming Commission, and it is unclear whether it would be in the best interests of players and operators for that to occur. The concern over one state agency having so much power may serve as an impetus for states that do not currently have regulatory bodies for gaming to decide to establish them. . . "

Gambling and Social Games Continue to Unite: Caesars Interactive Entertainment has acquired Buffalo Studios LLC | Pillsbury Social Media, Entertainment & Technology Team - JDSupra: "Bingo Blitz business represents a unique opportunity for Caesars Interactive Entertainment to add to our portfolio of social and mobile game assets and to grow our market share across all interactive platforms," said Mitch Garber, Chief Executive Officer for Caesars Interactive Entertainment. This acquisition comes on the heels of CIE's acquisition of Playtika and its vow to be Number 1 in the space. According to its website, CIE is actively pursuing further expansion and acquisitions to build upon its capabilities and product portfolio. The intersection of gambling and social games remains a growing area as the legislation to permit real money gambling in the U.S. crawls along at a snail's pace.


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Apple Bans Newsgames On The iPhone

Apple Has, Sadly, Banned Newsgames On The iPhone - Forbes: "a very strange decision by Apple. I know that what gets onto an iPhone is strictly controlled by the company, they decide and only they decide what can be sold or even distributed for free through the App Store. And short of jailbreaking there’s no other way of getting an app onto an iPhone. But I still think this is a bad idea:"


Xbox 720/ Durango Rumors: Microsoft IllumiRoom Makes Video Games Come Out Of The TV (See It Here) : News : Gamenguide: "Microsoft unveiled a new technology that turns the entire room into an extension of the television screen. The new tech is called IllumiRoom and it was showcased during Samsung's keynote address at the Consumer Electronics Show. According to Microsoft's description of the technology on its webpage, as reported by IGN, the IllumiRoom uses Kinect and a projector "to blur the lines between on-screen content and the environment we live in allowing us to combine our virtual and physical worlds." According to the article, Microsoft's says IllumiRoom "augments the area surrounding a television screen with projected visualizations to enhance the traditional living room entertainment experience" and "can change the appearance of the room, induce apparent motion, extend the field of view, and enable entirely new game experiences." Kinect captures the geometry of a room and adapts projected visuals "in real-time without any need to custom pre-process the graphics." Read more at http://www.gamenguide.com/articles/4766/20130110/xbox-720-durango-rumors-microsoft-illumiroom-makes-video-game-pop-out-the-screen.htm#pTkgG2eiAPiE8ErC.99


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Game Developer Ideas for 2013

Hey, Game Developers: Please Steal These Ideas In 2013: "Whether it's a quick save option, fast travel, the ability to skip cutscenes, or something totally random but life-saving, some games in 2012 have experimented with what seem to be really small ideas, but contribute to an overall greater experience. They may not have been the creators of these ideas, but they've got the right idea in incorporating them. We've already taken a look at what games released in 2012 offered the best controls. Now let's look at last year's games a little more closely, because sometimes its the smallest things that count the most. So it's time to celebrate the best little ideas, and hope that game developers in 2013 make a note of them. . . . "


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Great games for your new smartphone or tablet

Great games for your new smartphone, tablet: "Snag a new smartphone or tablet for the holidays? Welcome aboard! Both devices provide tons of hours of entertainment between streaming TV shows and movies, and millions of apps. Of course, there's also a wide selection of games to choose from. Need help picking games? Here are some choices: Angry Birds Star Wars (Android, iOS, Windows 8): The physics-based puzzle game combines two hot properties into one package. Players use the touchscreen to fling powered-up birds at pigs stealing their eggs, all behind popular Star Wars backdrops such as Tatooine and the Death Star. Expect perks such as Luke Skywalker's lightsaber and Obi Wan Kenobi's Jedi force powers at your disposal. Infinity Blade II (iOS): The role-playing game stars a knight dueling in a series of one-on-one encounters. The graphics are gorgeous, while the search for new swords, shields, armor and magic abilities grows increasingly addictive. It's a great choice for mobile players preferring a more core gaming experience. Flight! (iOS): The premise seems really . . . . "


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Zynga Shuts Down Games To Cut Costs

Game Over: Zynga Shuts Down PetVille And 10 Other Titles To Cut Costs | TechCrunch: "Executing the cost-reduction plan CEO Mark Pincus announced in November, Zynga has shut down, pulled from the app stores, or stopped accepting new players to 11 games, with some turning off today. The gaming giant will reallocate resources to more successful titles as well as creating new ones. Along with layoffs, the shutdowns are part of the hard road to recovery for Zynga. The San Francisco-based company had overextended itself. During its heyday on Facebook it built dozens of games, then aggressively launched mobile games as smartphones gained popularity. It didn’t seem like a problem when the company was preparing for a big IPO."

PetVille – Shut down December 30th
Mafia Wars 2 - Shut down December 30th
FishVille – Shut down December 5th
Vampire Wars – Shut down December 5th
Treasure Isle – Shut down December 5th
Indiana Jones Adventure World – Closed to new players, shuts down January 14th
Mafia Wars Shakedown – Pulled from app stores
Forestville – Pulled from app stores
Montopia – Shut down December 21st
Mojitomo – Pulled from app stores
Word Scramble Challenge – Pulled from app stores


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The Worldwide Events For Indie Game Developers

What Are The Worldwide Events For Indie Game Developers? - Forbes: "Conferences – Events – Talks IndieCade in Los Angeles is a place for indie developers and indie game developer students to showoff their game in Culverson, CA. This event is a blast to go to because a lot of non-digital and experimental games are on the games floor. Also talks are done for press at IndieCade. IGF – International Games Festival – This is the award show at the GDC usually where they show off games on the indie-floor space, and the indies finalist game space. Afterwards, they do the award show afterwards showing off that year’s best games coupled with the video game awards show for AAA games where the pioneers of this industry speak such as Waren Spector, Cliff Blizinski, and so on. IGF Website Entry – If you pay the fee or are waived the fee, you can submit your game for the judges. This is a great place to get PR for your game simply by having it showcased on the IGF website, TigSource, IndieGames, DIYGames, Indie Game Mag, KillScreen, The Venus Patrol, etc. GDC – Game Developers Conference “Main One – . . . ."


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Google+ Communities for Gamers

Google+ Communities for Merchants - 'Net Features - Website Magazine: "Merchants tend to put the majority of their social resources into sites like Facebook or Twitter, but it might be time to shift some of that social focus to Google+. This is because having a profile on Google’s emerging social network makes a brand more visible in the search results. In fact, a study from digital marketing and analytics provider Fathom reveals that only 24 percent of the brands on Millward Brown's 2012 BrandZ list actually triggered a Knowledge Graph entry w hen searched for on Google, and the information for 92 percent of those entries came directly from Google+." Who should leverage Communities? While any type of Web worker can create a Community, merchants might be the biggest beneficiaries of this new feature. . . .But before you create your first Community, take some time to get inspired by the examples below: . . . . Call of Duty The Call of Duty Community has more than 1,200 members and features three different types of discussions. It is a good place for gamers to connect with each other away from the television screen, as well as ask questions about the game or give out tips for success."


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Next generation video games

Here's a first look at the next generation of video games - Gainesville Classic Game | Examiner.com: "What we have here is a little project showed off just last night (12/9) at the 2012 Game Developer's Session by Czech gaming company Warhorse Studios. The demonstration isn't in English and it's not the best quality video (why someone didn't think to screengrab the entire thing is beyond me) but it's easy to see just how technology such as this could benefit the gaming scene as a whole when PC rigs become even more powerful and the inevitable and likely insurmountable (at least for the first couple years after launch) PS4 and new Xbox are released. The game is running on a modified version of CryEngine 3 and is described as "historical RPG" and by the looks of things is striving for the utmost in terms of realism. If I had to throw in my two cents, I'd say we're looking at a Witcher 2 type deal without much in terms of monsters. . . ."


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Adobe Cloud Gaming Development Tool

Adobe Releases Cloud Gaming Development Tool | DevOpsANGLE: "Adobe announced the release of their first Game Developer Tools in their Adobe Creative Cloud service that will allow developers and publishers to access a powerful set or resources in one location.

“Adobe’s Game Developer Tools are designed to streamline the game development process from creation to deployment, and help game publishers and developers reach the broadest possible audience worldwide – over 1.3 billion connected Windows and Mac PCs and over 500 million smartphones and tablets – 20 times the reach of the bestselling Xbox 360 gaming console,” Emmy Huang of Adobe wrote in their announcement.

The Game Developer Tools include Adobe Scout, Adobe Gaming SDK, Adobe Flash C++ Compiler, and the Adobe Professional Flash C56. A lot of developers who got the pre-release are already raving about Adobe Scout which is “an advanced next-generation profiling tool that uncovers granular internal information in ActionScript-based mobile and browser content to unlock significant performance optimization opportunities,” which means, the tool helps games run faster. . . . " Read full article here.


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