Author Archive
Bradshaw aims for bullseye with phone games
August 31st, 2004 by Arjan Olsder Posted in People | No Comments »
Digital Bridges founder and all-round technology guru Kevin Bradshaw hopes his new company can persuade us to take on friends at darts or pool on our mobiles.
Technology guru Kevin Bradshaw has kept a low profile over the past year. He has been more likely to be found in Princeton, New Jersey, than his home town of Burntisland, Fife. And while his name has been linked to several new companies in Scotland, the 34-year-old has lurked behind the scenes as an “investor” or “adviser”.
The founder and former chief executive of Scottish mobile entertainment company Digital Bridges, however, will be making far more appearances on this side of the Atlantic when he helps launch ground-breaking technology for the UK games sector later this year. More …
Ziff Davids: Habits of a Portable Gamer
August 30th, 2004 by Arjan Olsder Posted in Research & Stats | 1 Comment »
According to the study, nearly 70% of video gamers own a cell phone and 50% of these individuals play games on their mobile devices:
– More than a quarter (27%) of gamers, and fully 42% of core gamers (gamers who bought at least three games in the previous two months, or who bought at least two games but played 15 or more hours per week) are more likely to purchase a portable gaming system within the next year
– 18% purchased games for their cell phones
– Spend 17 minutes per gaming session and 4.4 hours per week
– Spent an average of $19 dollars in the last 60 days on games for their cell phone
Gamers don’t use cell phones to play video games for the following reasons:
– 50% cite screen size, cost and the difficulty of playing games on a small device
– Over 85% of gamers refer to picture quality
– 75% mention improper game controls
More broadly, the 2004 study indicates that a significant proportion of video game purchasing now happens online, with video gamers reporting that they buy about 12% of their games online. Used game sales are even stronger, as nearly 70% of gamers reported buying used games, including 16% through online auctions. More …
IPO: Umbuck Entertainment jumped on its debut on the Australian Stock Exchange
August 30th, 2004 by Arjan Olsder Posted in Companies & M&A | No Comments »
Jumbuck, which has former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett on its board, debuted at 27 cents compared to the issue price of the shares of 20 cents each. It was spun off from parent company Q, which raised $1.65 million in a prospectus offer. More …
Verizon Wireless and Sorrent Launch First Wireless Multiplayer 5-Card Draw Poker Game
August 27th, 2004 by Arjan Olsder Posted in Games | No Comments »
Verizon Wireless’ Get It Now(R) Customers Can Increase Their Stack Against Real Opponents in 5-Card Draw Poker
Verizon Wireless, the nation’s leading wireless service provider, and Sorrent Inc., a leading creator and global publisher of mobile entertainment, today announced the availability of 5-Card Draw Poker on Verizon Wireless’ Get It Now service. Following the growing poker trend, 5-Card Draw Poker is North America’s first multiplayer draw poker game for wireless phones, allowing Verizon Wireless Get It Now customers to wirelessly join tables of up to four players. More …
Mforma Acquires Blue Beck
August 27th, 2004 by Arjan Olsder Posted in Companies & M&A | No Comments »
MFORMA has acquired Blue Beck, one of the industry’s most technically-advanced and successful mobile games developers. Founded in 2001, Blue Beck has for the last three years been at the forefront of computer and mobile games development, creating top titles for leading console and mobile game makers Electronic Arts, THQ, Jamdat, and MFORMA, and building an impressive catalog of content, which includes some of the industry’s most compelling titles. Blue Beck has become a wholly-owned subsidiary of MFORMA with all employees remaining and continuing to operate from Blue Beck’s Manchester location. More …
Build Your Dream Team With X-Men(TM) Legends for the N-Gage Platform
August 26th, 2004 by Arjan Olsder Posted in Games | No Comments »
Nokia today announced that X-Men(TM) Legends, the first 3D action-RPG based on the popular Marvel characters, the X-Men, will be released for the N-Gage platform under agreement with Activision (Nasdaq:ATVI – News). X-Men Legends challenges players to create, customize and control their favorite X-Men Super Heroes in teams of four in their ongoing battle to protect humanity from the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and other Marvel Super Villains. More …
SkyZone Entertainment Announces Multiple Title Deal with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Inc.
August 26th, 2004 by Arjan Olsder Posted in Games | No Comments »
SkyZone Entertainment, a leading wireless media and entertainment company and a division of SK USA, Inc., announces its licensing agreements with MGM Interactive, a unit of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Inc. MGM’s Rocky Boxing(TM), Pink Panther Freeze Tag(TM), Stargate SG-1(TM), and Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London(TM) will join SkyZone’s portfolio of premium branded mobile games.
The licensed titles will be available from distribution channels including mobile network carriers and interactive broadcasters. Some of the licensed properties include:
Rocky Boxing puts the excitement of the ring at your fingertips anytime. Beginning with grueling training sessions in the famous meat locker, this interactive game simulates the exciting and heart-stopping Rocky Heavyweight Championship bouts from Apollo Creed and Clubber Lang to Ivan Drago. More …
iFone Granted Exclusive Rights To ‘Lemmings’ Game Franchise On Wireless Devices
August 26th, 2004 by Arjan Olsder Posted in Games | No Comments »
Classic action-puzzle game coming to wireless devices
iFone, the wireless entertainment publisher, has signed a multi-year agreement with Psygnosis, a Sony Computer Entertainment company, for rights to the best-selling Lemmings game franchise. This agreement grants iFone exclusive wireless rights to Lemmings in Europe and North America, with the first Lemmings wireless games scheduled for Christmas 2004.
‘Lemmings’ is one of the world’s most successful games franchises, having sold over 10 million copies since its launch in 1990. The memorable lemmings characters of the game are small, green-haired beings that mindlessly walk en masse into any danger in their path. The first Lemmings game broke new ground in gameplay, winning multiple maximum review scores in games magazines. More …
Strategy Analytics: Carrier Retail Channels Control $8 Billion Mobile Game Opportunity
August 25th, 2004 by Arjan Olsder Posted in Research & Stats | No Comments »
Mobile entertainment publishers are clearly back in vogue as the number of Java and BREW capable handsets rises from 186 million units this year to over 1 billion units in 2009. Senior Analyst, Nitesh Patel, notes, “We are beginning to see carriers and games companies announce greater levels of usage of these handsets for downloading games. For example, in the five months leading up to May 2004, Verizon Wireless customers have downloaded more than 12 million games.”
Strategy Analytics expects that active users of downloadable games will grow from 32 million this year to reach 220 million in 2009. Patel adds, “Confidence in the sector is beginning to increase significantly. The past four months has seen a flow of private finance into the coffers of leading mobile games distributors, the likes of which has not been seen since the halcyon days of the late 1990’s.” More … More … (2) More … (3)
Disclaimer:Arjan Olsder is the Vice President of Pixalon Studios. Opinions expressed on this publication do not have to represent those of Pixalon Studios. |
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