YouTube Reportedly Closing In On Subscription Service

Reports are that YouTube will soon be rolling out a subscription service. The new model is reported to offer channels for as little as $1.99 a month for content that includes TV shows and films.

These subscription options will be offered by cable and satellite channels that usually rely on a dual revenue stream model. These channels are looking to YouTube subscription services to generate revenue from both older shows and new programming.

Source: VanityFair.com

Watch_Dogs Euro Special Editions Outlined

Ubisoft has rolled out the selection of Collector’s Editions for Watch_Dogs in Europe. This will include a Dedsec Edition, the Vigilante Edition, the Uplay Exclusive Edition and the Special Edition.

Dedsec Edition has a a figurine of player character Aiden Pearce, a steelbook and collector box, artbook and soundtrack, four augmented reality collectible cards and three badges, as well as a map of the game’s Chicago with three additional single player missions provided as digital content in the Palace Pack, Signature Shot, and the Breakthrough Pack.

The Vigilante Edition has a collector box, Aiden’s cap and mask, the game’s soundtrack and the Palace Pack mission while the the Uplay Exclusive Edition comes with the steelbook and the three single player missions mentioned above. Finally, the Special Edition comes with the Breakthrough pack.

This Week’s [a]list Jobs – May 8

[a]list daily is now your source for the hottest job openings for senior management and marketing in games, entertainment and social media. Check here every Wednesday for the latest openings. To see last week’s [a]list jobs click here.

Here are this week’s [a]list jobs:

  • Theatrical Marketing Twentieth Century Fox Film, Sr. Social Media Manager (Greater Los Angeles Area)
  • Sony Pictures Entertainment, Manager of Commercial Strategy (Greater Los Angeles Area)
  • Aeria Games & Entertainment, Sr. Marketing Associate (San Francisco Bay Area)
  • Google, Product Marketing Manager, Chrome and Apps (San Francisco Bay Area)

 

FEATURED JOBS:

 

Ayzenberg Group, one of the largest independent ad firms on the West Coast, is hiring. We’re currently looking to fill these positions: Creative Lead: Visual Design, Game Capture Artist, Lead Web/UI Software Engineer and more. Check out our Careers page to apply.

Rayman Legends – Mariachi Madness

Rayman Legends is as colorful a game, and this trailer demonstrates the smoothness of the action is and how vibrant the animation is. Of particular note is the soundtrack, which combines mariachi instruments with a familiar song from pop culture.

Precursor Games Launches Crowdfunded Effort For Shadow Of The Eternals

Precursor Games officially announced a crowdfunded effort to support their new project Shadow of the Eternals. The studio has nine employees, seven of which worked at Silicon Knights, and they’re hoping to launch the “Pilot Episode” of Shadow of the Eternals in Q3 2014 for Wii U and PC.

“Precursor Games intends to leave no stone unturned in order to create an unparalleled experience for gamers,” said Paul Caporicci, CEO of Precursor Games. “We have a talented team, incredible technology with CryEngine and a new business model where we directly integrate the fan base into the development process, allowing for new possibilities and game direction. We are very excited to see where this new direction leads.”

Precursor Games is seeking $1.5 million for Shadow of the Eternals. The reward tiers and payments, which are set up like Kickstarter but are using the WordPress crowdfunding plugin IgnitionDeck, offer everything from a $5 option to a $10,000 option.

Source: PrecursorGames.com

Microsoft Sells 60 Million Windows 8 Licenses

Microsoft chief marketing officer and chief financial officer Tami Reller announced that Windows 8 has sold over 60 million licenses between upgrade licenses and new licenses sold with new PCs or Windows tablets. The Windows Store has also seen more than 250 million app downloads since launch.

A major update for Windows 8 called Windows Blue is also planned for later in 2013. “Windows Blue is a codename for an update that will be available later this year, building on the bold vision set forward with Windows 8 to deliver the next generation of tablets and PCs,” said Reller. “It will deliver the latest new innovations across an increasingly broad array of form factors of all sizes, display, battery life and performance, while creating new opportunities for our ecosystem. It will provide more options for businesses, and give consumers more options for work and play. The Windows Blue update is also an opportunity for us to respond to the customer feedback that we’ve been closely listening to since the launch of Windows 8 and Windows RT.”

Source: Blogs.Windows.com

Star Wars Games Coming From Electronic Arts

The Walt Disney Company and Electronic Arts have announced a new multi-year exclusive licensing agreement for both development and publishing of new games based on Star Wars characters and storylines. EA will focus on core games, while Disney will retain certain rights to develop new titles within the mobile, social, tablet and online game categories.

“This agreement demonstrates our commitment to creating quality game experiences that drive the popularity of the Star Wars franchise for years to come,” said John Pleasants, Co-President of Disney Interactive. “Collaborating with one of the world’s premier game developers will allow us to bring an amazing portfolio of new Star Wars titles to our fans around the world.”

“Every developer dreams of creating games for the Star Wars universe,” said EA Labels President Frank Gibeau. “Three of our top studios will fulfill that dream, crafting epic adventures for Star Wars fans. DICE and Visceral will produce new games, joining the BioWare team which continues to develop for the Star Wars franchise. The new experiences we create may borrow from films, but the games will be entirely original with all new stories and gameplay.”