Tim Schafer Talks ‘Brutal Legend’

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GamePro’s Dave Rudden has an interview with Tim Schafer, the creative mind behind EA’s Brutal Legend.   The title s blend of open-world action and real-time strategy based on a heavy metal music premise, and girded by celebrity involvement and a massive soundtrack of licensed music, made it somewhat of a marketing enigma.  That distinction has killed many a videogame.  Given that, and not unlike Schafer s previous games, “Brutal Legend” had its share of hardcore fanatics and ho-hum detractors.  Before seeing light of day, Brutal Legend changed hands between publishers when Activision bought the game s original rights owner Vivendi and shelved the project.  That prompted Schafer to sign a deal with EA, and as a result face a breach of contract lawsuit that it eventually settled with Activision.

With the title out, Rudden talks to Schafer about whether the game has met his expectations, both in terms of critical reception and sales.  He also draws a couple of tidbits about the game s marketing, including challenges with positioning its RTS component and foregoing licensed music in the TV spot.

Read the interview at GamePro.

Microsoft Of Mobile

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Writing for NY Times, Jenna Wortham says the clearest sign that the iPhone has become a centerpiece for Apple just might be the 24-foot monument of 20,000 LED lights at the company’s headquarters.  Each time someone purchases an app for their iPhone through the App Store, the corresponding icon on the LED wall lights up.  Wortham looks at how Apple s success with the iPhone has changed peoples’ perception of what a smart phone should be.  The tectonic shift hasn t just been to the mobile device landscape, it has taken hold of Apple as it begins to sense an opportunity to become the Microsoft of mobile.  All it has to do is fend off a sudden onslaught by critics of its app approval policies, not to mention fierce competitors geared up to take a bite out of iPhone’s dominance.

Read the article at NY Times.

Shack News Video Game Release List 12/6-12/12

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Shack News lists this week s releases for PC, Xbox 360, Sony s PS2, PS3 and PSP, and Nintendo s Wii and DS.

The pickings are bare, as they should be this time of the year.  EA is exposing The Saboteur, coming to PS3, Xbox 360 and PC.  Konami has Silent Hill: Shattered Memories for Wii.  It’s a critically well-received M-rated game based on strong IP, so it could be another performance tracker for publishers wondering about the Wii’s adult audience woes.  Nintendo DS owners should be giddy about Zelda: Spirit Tracks.   Final mention goes to Codemasters Dirt 2 for PC, which had a mysterious delay described as too boring to explain by the game makers.

Check out the full list at Shack News {link no linger active}.

Growth For China Online Game Market

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Researcher Analysis International is forecasting significant growth in China s online game market, reports Reuters.  The firm has predicted revenues in the category to reach $10.7 billion over the next three years on growing internet penetration.  Analysys says current internet penetration in the country is at 27 percent, compared to more than 70 percent in South Korea and Japan.  It forecasts expansion of internet service will push the number of online gamers in China from 69 million currently to 230 million people by 2012, growing revenues by an average of 41 percent annually.  Reuters cites growing government oversight as the category grows as a risk to foreign online game operations in China.

Read more at Reuters.

Spike TV Reaches For Halo

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Spike TV has managed to firm up yet another high-profile game exclusive for its upcoming 2009 Video Game Awards airing December 12.  As reported in QJ.net, Spike GameTrailers TV host Geoff Keighley has pulled the veil off of a planned exclusive first peek at Bungie s “Halo Reach.”  Keighley dropped the news while speaking on a podcast with Xbox Live personality Major Nelson.  Answering to Twitter rumors that what Spike was going to show would be CG, he promised that the first glimpse is going to be in-game footage.

Read more at QJ.net.

Grand Theft Auto IP Has Peaked, Says Analyst

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Broadpoint AmTech analyst Ben Schachter suggests that Take-Two s flagship franchise Grand Theft Auto has reached saturation point with gamers.  As reported in Industry Gamers, Schachter points to the underperformance of GTA titles and downloadable content released this year for Xbox live, Sony PSP and Nintendo DS, despite being quality fare that was well-promoted and competitively priced.  He says that lower than expected performance coupled with the growing competition of open-world action games going forward doesn t bode well for Take-Two.  Schachter also labeled as a “bombshell” guidance by Take-Two that it will not be profitable in 2010 despite high-profile games from key franchise Bioshock, Max Payne, Red Dead and Mafia.

Read more at Industry Gamers {link no longer active}.

Target Opens Holiday Quick Shop Stores

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US retail giant Target has opened temporary storefronts in major cities carrying popular items for quick shopping on the go, reports Ad Age.  The stores, called Target-to-Go, are being launched in New York, San Francisco and Washington D.C. from Dec. 11-13.  In stock will be about 50 of the most popular products for holiday shoppers, ranging in price from under a dollar for items such as Christmas ornaments to high-priced electronics.  Ad Age says Sony PSPs are among products being stocked.  Target is using Twitter to promote the stores, with each storefront running its own Twitter feed to inform people about their location and items for sale.

Read more at Ad Age {link no longer active}.

Original WOW Screenwriter Drops Hints

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Screenwriter Gary Whitta has hinted to where the upcoming film based on Blizzard s massively profitable game franchise World of Warcraft may not be going.  As reported in 1up, Whitta was brought on board to write the screenplay for the film before Blizzard landed big-name Hollywood talent in Spiderman director Sam Raimi.  Whitta said that he penned three drafts for a script with a story following all of the game s major races and locations, and with plenty of Easter Eggs for fans of the franchise.  He said Raimi s vision differed from his and that the director wanted to tell a completely different story.  Raimi hired Saving Private Ryan screenwriter Robert Rodat once he signed on the project.  Whitta added that he s sure Raimi and Rodat will be true to the IP and still make a film that’s incredible.

Read more at 1up {link no linger active}.

Ad Age Viral Video Chart For Week Of Nov. 23

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Ad Age lists the top ten viral videos for the week of November 23.

A new entry this week muscles to the top, becoming the second largest number one debut on Ad Age’s chart.  More than three million people watched Muscle Milk’s Sexy Pilgrim, a crazy concoction thick on innuendo for both sexes, since its Thanksgiving launch.  Ad Age says the video was helped along by viral marketer Sharethrough and video site Metacafe.

For videogames, Activision’s viral for Tony Hawk: Ride with Tillman the board riding bulldog charged up the list this week to number two, with more than 2 million views.  Microsoft’s Natal video is still hanging on at number nine.  Lingerers aren’t unusual on the list, but they seem to be marked by fairly compelling content say creepy babies, or Ken Block risking lives and limbs in his drifting video for DC Shoes.  A little insight from Ad Age or Visible Measures seems forthcoming to understand just how Microsoft’s long-form advert featuring a too cool for earth family has drawn somewhere upwards of ten million views.  It could be the outstanding product promise.

Other new entries include a nifty animated video for Orbit gum, Plane Stupid’s graphic video tying airplane emissions to dead polar bears, and a viral launch for Frito-Lay’s Woman’s World campaign.

Ad Age’s chart includes number of views for the week and percentage change in views for videos that stayed on the chart.  The list is compiled by Visible Measures.

Check out the full list and watch the videos at Ad Age {link no longer active}.

Hum Bugs For Christmas

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Innovation First has taken Bandai’s line of mechanical toys called Hexbugs and given them a unique and intriguing campaign targeting scientifically inclined youth.  Hexbugs are insectile robotic toys that react to obstacles, light and sound.  They re simple little toys that Innovation First has elevated to educational products using science lab-inspired branding.  The branding goes beyond logo and trade dress, with peripheral products such as play arenas sold as habitats and the Hexbug Specimen Case pushing kids to collect the whole line.  Innovation First has even launched programs promoting selling their products to raise money for schools.  It’s an ingeniously thought-out and executed campaign, one that’s making the stocking-stuffer suited toys hot holiday items.

The effort for the latest toy in the line, called Hexbug Nano, channels that inspired branding into a unique video and digital campaign.  The video is set up as an observation of Nanos in action, where their simple movements are presented as actual instinctive and even sentient behavior.  For its digital component, the campaign directs those who buy the toys to an online destination designed to turn them into Hexbug collectors.  Visitors are “initiated” into a scientific society ancient in its roots and dedicated to advancement.  The site also has online games to play that are positioned as challenges testing the player’s science acumen.

You can check out the video and access the web site at Creativity-Online.