Atlus has finally confirmed a release date for the long anticipated Dragon’s Crown: August 6 in the U.S. Check out this trailer of the nigh finished version of the game, showing off the impressive visuals designed to replicate storybook illustrations.
The Hybrid Games showing off the C-Max Hybrid vs. the Prius was apparently such a big hit they’re teasing more videos. Jerry Lambert’s comic timing remains sharp as always.
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Dead Island Riptide is out now, and Deep Silver is supporting the game with a fairly extensive advertising campaign. Check out this TV spot which is running in and around shows and channels targeting the hardcore demographic and read this [a]list interview with Deep Silver.
Nintendo has announced that they will be changing the nature of the company’s traditional pre-E3 press conference. There will instead be smaller events focusing on software, a closed hands-on experience event for the press and also one for American distributors, and online events like Nintendo Direct for the Japanese audience.
“As video game fans are looking for information about games, it seems that they are less interested in sales figures that investors and analysts on the other hand attach much greater importance to, and distribution partners are looking for information on how we are going to market our products in the immediate future,” said Nintendo CEO Saotru Iwata. “Given that we now have an established method such as Nintendo Direct, we feel that we will be able to deliver our messages more appropriately and effectively by doing so individually based on the various needs of different groups of people.”
Source: Nintendo.co.jp
The International Data Corporation believes that the number of paying customers on smartphone and tablet platforms will surpass those of portable gaming consoles in 2013; dedicated handheld gaming devices will still lead in average revenue per user. The company also expects 3DS and PS Vita bundles to continue to fall at an average rate of 7 percent year-over-year through 2017.
“Android remains quite fragmented but the platform is on its way to becoming a massively popular gaming platform in Asia/Pacific in particular,” said IDC research manager Lewis Ward. “In order for Nintendo’s and Sony’s gaming-optimized handhelds to remain ahead of smartphones and tablets on key metrics such as ARPU, these companies and their game card developer and publisher partners will have to redouble their efforts in a number of respects.”
“Digital distribution has reached an inflection point in mobile and portable gaming, and future success will largely boil down to finding a unique balance of freemium business model excellence and that ability to deliver compelling social experiences,” Ward added.
Bonuses have been announced for players that pre-order Soul Sacrifice. The PS Vita game will release on April 30.
Those that pre-order the game will gain access to in-game bonuses taking the form of two unique costumes and three unique magic items: Spirits Flamepike, Spirits Fulgurwood and Spirits Blightstone. As an interesting addition, players will also gain an option to use the original Japanese voice-over work in game.
Microsoft has announced that they will reveal information about their third Xbox console on May 21. The event will take place on the Xbox Campus in Redmond, Washington at 1 p.m. ET.
“On Tuesday May 21, we’ll mark the beginning of a new generation of games, TV and entertainment. On that day, we’ll be holding a special press event on the Xbox campus and we invite you to join us via the live global stream that will be available on Xbox.com, Xbox Live and broadcast on Spike TV if you are in the U.S. or Canada,” wrote Larry “Major Nelson” Hryb. “On that day, we’ll share our vision for Xbox, and give you a real taste of the future. Then, 19 days later at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles, we’ll continue the conversation and showcase our full lineup of blockbuster games.”
Source: MajorNelson.com
According to Dr. Serkan Toto, GungHo’s stock grew 15 percent in a single day, putting its market cap at around $9 billion. This was spurred by the English version of Puzzle & Dragons on Android and the announcements of a DS version of the game and a new mobile spin-off titled Puzzle & Dragons Challenge.
The Japanese market analyst notes that GungHo’s net worth is now greater than DeNA at $4.3 billion, GREE at $3 billion and Zynga at $2.6 billion. The popular Puzzle & Dragons has over 12 million users and generates between $62-86 million per month.
“With $9 billion, GungHo’s market cap exceeds that of national airline ANA, Daihatsu, Mitsubishi Motors, Sanyo Electric, NEC, or Sharp: that’s what one successful smartphone game (a potential new billion dollar franchise) can trigger on the Japanese market,” writes Toto.
Source: SerkanToto.com
AnyoneGame has raised $1 million in funding for Just Sing It. The company’s debut project has been downloaded 80,000 times in its first two weeks, hitting number one in the App Store’s music category, resulting in 500,000 sessions.
The investors in the fledgling developer include Tribeca Venture Partners, Lerer Ventures, m8 Capital and Eniac Ventures. AnyoneGame will use the resources to further develop the product and is likely to rebrand the entire company as “Just Sing It” down the road.
Source: TechCrunch
Microsoft have announced that they are launching a new app for the Xbox 360 to order directly from Pizza Hut. This will grant full access to Pizza Huts’ menu, including pizza, pasta, breadsticks and wings, with Facebook integration and compatibility with Kinect.
“We’re always looking at ways to give our audience more of what they’re interested in,” said Xbox’s Larry Hryb. “If you look at our audience, they love pizza. I mean, who doesn’t It has international appeal, and Pizza Hut is a recognized brand that matches up well with the Xbox brand.”
Source: Polygon.com
