Media | Page 54 of 1254

Zynga Talks About The Ever-Growing Strength Of ‘FarmVille’

August 30, 2016, 04:24PM

There is almost no brand as recognizable as FarmVille when it comes to social gaming. The original game launched on Facebook in 2009 and quickly became the most popular game on social networking site, with emphasis on engaging with friends in order to grow virtual crops and raising livestock.

The series has come a long way since then, and its newest addition—FarmVille: Tropic Escape—launched last week for mobile devices. In it, players go on a tropical getaway and enjoy the island vibe with tropical foods, adorable animals, fun excursions and their own beachside inn and tiki bar.

Nicole Opas, general manager leading the FarmVille: Tropic Escape team and executive producer for mobile and social games at Zynga, talks to [a]listdaily about the latest FarmVille adventure. Furthermore, having worked at Zynga for five years, Opas discusses the enduring strength of the FarmVille brand.

**What is FarmVille: Tropic Escape about?**

FarmVille: Tropic Escape is a completely new FarmVille game set in a tropical-themed world where players run a dynamic and fun beachside inn. Escaping to their own personal oasis, players journey through the island completing story-based quests, exploring uncharted areas and uncovering rare items along the way. With lovable new characters and companions, players can bask in paradise year-round as they create the most desirable tropical destination for VIP guests, all while discovering the mysteries of the island.

**In what ways does Tropic Escape differ from previous FarmVille games?**

FarmVille: Tropic Escape is a fresh, modern twist on the beloved world of FarmVille. When we set out to create a new experience for our players, the idea of escape and vacation really resonated with our team. In talking to our players about their ideal vacation, the overwhelming response was that they envision a tropical destination as their perfect getaway. We researched everything from the best restaurants in Hawaii to exotic island animals to make the game feel as realistic and authentic to an island vacation experience as possible.

In addition to building on the FarmVille legacy and taking players to a new destination, FarmVille: Tropic Escape brings new mechanics to the FarmVille franchise like the opportunity to earn daily rewards and in-game advantages by completing mini-games and enhanced social features.

**Many mobile games are designed for short experiences. Does FarmVille: Tropic Escape follow that trend?**

Our approach to design is player-first, where we imagine the different ways people play, when they play, and what they want to achieve in both short and long sessions. We designed FarmVille: Tropic Escape to be a game that you can pick up and play for just a few minutes of fun or for longer sessions. For example, a player can hop into the game, collect all the crafts and crops they had been producing and set up their next goals, which is a very satisfying short session. Or, they can spend more time strategically thinking about how they become the Top Resort on the weekly leaderboard and help their in-game friends, which turns into a longer experience. We also know that people play FarmVille games for years and years, so we’ve designed a game that’s rich in storylines and experiences to delight our players over months and years.

**How has the FarmVille series evolved since 2009?**

At Zynga, we create games that are social at heart. We’ve had that focus since the first FarmVille game in 2009 and that remains a focus through this new addition to the FarmVille franchise. The way players want to be social has evolved and changed with the mobile landscape, and we’ve adapted to players wanting different ways to connect with their friends.

In web versions of FarmVille, we focused on players sending gifts and parts to each other to progress. On mobile, we’ve made the social interactions less about asking for items and more about playing together. We have these fun Beach Clubs in FarmVille: Tropic Escape where players can chat with friends, trade, send their guests to other islands and help friends achieve goals together.

**How does a game like FarmVille: Tropic Escape stand out in an increasingly crowded mobile market?**

FarmVille: Tropic Escape has exciting new gameplay that our players are really enjoying, like the mini-games, the brand-new characters, and storylines of mystery and romance—in addition to improvements to the interaction in core play like farming and crafting. We invite players to a modern-day island that makes them feel as though they’re leaving their hectic everyday life for the island life. We’ve been able to achieve this with eye-popping visuals, sounds and a level of authenticity that makes it feel like you can slip away to your own escape. We want our players to feel as if they are truly carrying a tropical vacation in their pocket.

**What would you say is FarmVille‘s most enduring quality that keeps fans coming back?**

FarmVille put social games on the map and proved just how mainstream games could become. Since 2009, FarmVille games have been installed more than 700 million times, and that’s a testament to FarmVille as a truly mass market entertainment experience with appeal that crosses geographies and generations. From pioneering social to giving players high quality, engaging gameplay, there are a number of reasons why FarmVille fans continue to love our games.

But one of the biggest factors is the connections that our players make with one another in FarmVille games. Whether it’s reuniting family members to introducing them to the love of their life in-game, FarmVille has helped players form incredible connections with people around the world. At Zynga, our mission is to connect the world through games, and FarmVille truly embodies that spirit and focus.

Tetris Online Exec Discusses The Power Of The Puzzle Brand After 32 Years

BY John Gaudiosi

August 30, 2016, 01:13PM

Tetris has continued to evolve over the decades. The classic game that helped Nintendo sell the original Game Boy has a brand new iteration, Tetris Battle Drop, available now for Apple iPads and playable on Facebook from The Tetris Company. That’s in addition to new games published by Ubisoft and Electronic Arts across various platforms. There’s even a sci-fi feature film franchise in development from producer Larry Kasanoff (Mortal Kombat) based on Tetris.

Casey Pelkey, vice president of marketing at Tetris Online, Inc., talks about the newest game and explains what has kept this franchise at the forefront of gamers’ minds all these years in this exclusive interview.

**What were your goals heading into Tetris Battle Drop on Facebook?**

Our primary goal with Tetris Battle Drop on Facebook was to expand our audience by offering a new type of play control using the mouse instead of the keyboard. You can count on one hand the number of games on Facebook that require a keyboard to play. Despite that hurdle, we managed to attract over 50 million users into our Tetris Battle game. User retention has always been more favorable for the younger audience. We learned over time it had less to do with the competitive nature of the game, and more to do with the play control options. Throughout the years, we’ve developed and tested many different ways to play with the mouse, but none of them worked well. Last year, The Tetris Company approached us for feedback on new mouse controls they developed. After the first game played, we were completely hooked.

What differentiates this mobile tablet game from that iteration?

Although both games share the same design, we were able to leverage the processing power of the iPad to deliver a richer experience. Transitioning from a mouse to touch was easier than from keyboard to mouse, but there are some noticeable differences. The biggest difference is how the ghost displays below a falling Tetrimino. The ghost represents where the falling Tetrimino is going to land when you drop it. On the Facebook version, the ghost displays wherever the cursor is. However, when playing on a tablet, you need to first touch the screen to make the ghost appear. Lifting your finger will then cause the Tetrimino to instantly drop into place—it’s surprisingly intuitive.

Is there any cross-platform play?

Yes, but most of the cross-platform benefits are happening behind-the-scenes. Users on the iPad are currently playing against users from the Facebook version of the game. We had to do this to ensure there’s always someone ready to play against, 24/7. As the iPad audience grows, direct competition from other players on tablet devices will become more standard. Beyond that, we plan to migrate many of the features from the tablet version of the game back into the Facebook version. When that happens, we can also allow users to share their progress between both platforms.

What’s the rollout plan for this game beyond Facebook and iPad?

Before jumping into more platforms, our design team is working on new features we believe will help attract and retain more users. Our next big update for the iPad version, which we hope to release within the next month or two, will allow for two users to play head-to-head using the same device. Playing against another person online is incredibly fun, but playing face-to-face with a friend or family member is downright awesome. Initial user testing of this upcoming feature has everyone here very excited about the future of the game.

**What do you feel separates Tetris from other games out there?**

Many games come and go, but the Tetris game never gets old—it’s timeless. I have just as much fun today playing Tetris on my iPad as I did on my Nintendo Game Boy when it first launched. No other game has come close to having that same lasting effect on me. Sometimes it’s best to not question why—just keep enjoying it while you can!

**How has the proliferation of tablets and smartphones impacted the success of the Tetris franchise?**

The breadth of gaming platforms has been a huge opportunity for Tetris. If a device plays games, you’ll likely find an official Tetris game on it. Electronic Arts has experienced tremendous success with smartphones and tablets, leading to over 500 million mobile Tetris downloads.

What do new platforms such as Apple TV and Android TV open up for the Tetris brand?

Tetris is now available on Amazon Fire TV, Roku devices, and Samsung Smart TVs, where it has been downloaded by millions of users. Apple TV and Android TV are both interesting platforms. The Tetris Company is currently exploring these opportunities.

**What’s the challenge of coming up with fresh Tetris games today?**

After 32 remarkable years, we’re still coming up with new ways to play the Tetris game. We’ve certainly benefited from new platforms, which have opened up new ways to play—from gameplay mechanics to online connectivity. The game will always remain true to its core gameplay elements, but there are infinite ways to expand upon that.

How does the company handle multiple games across multiple publishers?

Hundreds of millions of Tetris games have been sold for more than 50 platforms. We’ve been working with multiple developers, publishers and licensees around the world for many years. We love having the opportunity to work with so many talented and creative people and companies globally.

**What’s been the strength of the Tetris brand over the decades?**

Tetris is one of the leading and most iconic video game brands and franchises in the world. People have an inherent desire to create order out of chaos, and Tetris satisfies that on a very basic level. Every Tetris game remains true to that core game play element. For 32 years, hundreds of millions of players of all ages and cultures have come to share a common bond through their love of Tetris.

**How has Tetris opened up new opportunities for in-game branding with companies such as Progressive and Toyota Corolla in Tetris Blitz?**

Tetris is an iconic brand with broad appeal and huge awareness. Companies look for that in promotional partners. If it’s the right fit for the Tetris brand, we’ll explore those opportunities.

What are the challenges of bringing video games to the movie screen?

The challenge is coming up with a compelling story. While we can’t share any details yet, we are excited about the story being developed for the Tetris-based movie and will share details as soon as we can.

**What happens when a big movie like Pixels, which featured Tetris, doesn’t find a box office audience?**

It was fun to be a part of Pixels, but Tetris just had a small cameo at the end of the film. We hope the hundreds of millions of Tetris fans out there will want to see the Tetris movie.

**How are you approaching the Tetris movie?**

Our new movie is a Chinese co-production. We’re very excited about the project, and we’ll keep you updated as details are unveiled.

Players Can Now Stream Blizzard Gameplay To Facebook

BY H.B. Duran

August 26, 2016, 03:00PM

Watching live video on Facebook will now include Blizzard Games such as Overwatch, Hearthstone, Diablo III, StarCraft II and World of Warcraft. Blizzard Streaming is now live in the Americas, Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, allowing players using Blizzard’s Battle.net client to stream gameplay to Facebook with the click of a button. Friends can subscribe to feeds and get notified when new streams are available.

“Blizzard Streaming is accessible in the top-right corner of the Blizzard Client,” Blizzard noted in the press release. “Once you’ve updated your Blizzard Client on PC, simply click the stream button, use Facebook Login to allow permission for Blizzard to post to Facebook, and you can stream your gameplay! Mac support for Blizzard Streaming is coming soon.”

As of July, Battle.net users could login to the service using their Facebook account in order to “pave the way for new social functionality in Blizzard games.” The partnership between Blizzard and Facebook helped solidify the social network as a serious livestreaming contender. With over eight billion videos viewed on Facebook every day, the site is prime real estate for the growing eSports market. Facebook knows this and is planning accordingly. In June, the company hired former pro League of Legends player and eSports superstar, Stephen “Snoopeh” Ellis, as the company’s new eSports strategic partnerships manager.

Facebook has been hard at work securing partnerships to create a go-to source for video game content, such as Activision Blizzard to broadcast eSports competitions and Unity to publish games directly to the social network. “For developers who hadn’t considered Facebook or PC as a target platform, or want to expand their existing platforms, the ability to unlock additional business opportunities by going cross-platform onto a new PC gaming platform offers a huge upside with very little effort,” a Unity spokesperson told [a]listdaily about the partnership. “It’s exciting to think they will now have the chance to participate in the Facebook platform, an ecosystem that paid out over $2.5 billion to just web-game developers in 2015 alone.”

Blizzard has been at the forefront of eSports, livestreaming and pop culture for years, from Starcraft competitions to the infamous “Leeroy Jenkins” incident in World of Warcraft and being featured on episodes of South Park. There are countless stories of gamers making friends and finding love through Blizzard games, and the company embraces the community it has created.

“Blizzard games are best when played with friends, so it’s important to us to provide our players with features and services that make it easy and fun to share their experiences with each other,” said Gio Hunt, executive vice president of corporate operations at Blizzard Entertainment in a statement. “We’re working closely with Facebook on this integration for Overwatch, as well as our other games, and we look forward to sharing further details on our plans as development progresses.”

The integration of Facebook is just in time for World of Warcraft‘s new Legion expansion, which releases on August 30. As of July, Overwatch remains among the top five games for both physical and digital sales.

Citi Exec Discusses The Promise Of Virtual Reality Today

BY John Gaudiosi

August 26, 2016, 04:00AM

When pop rock band DNCE performs live at Rockefeller Plaza today as part of the Citi Concert Series on NBC’s Today morning show, fans will be able to experience the music live at home via Google Cardboard VR headsets. In addition to the livestreamed performance, IM360 is working with Citi to deliver exclusive 360-degree video content featuring DNCE for VR fans to engage with.

This VR experience is part of a larger effort through the Citi Concert Series on Today to bring fans access beyond attendance. The series, which kicked off in October 2015 as part of a new multi-year deal between Citi and NBC, provides year-round opportunities for millions of viewers to connect with their favorite musicians through a multitude of platforms and puts fans at the center of the experience.

Jennifer Breithaupt, managing director of media, advertising and global entertainment at Citi, said through Citi’s entertainment program Private Pass, which offers credit and debit card members access to thousands of events annually, is consistently striving to bring fans closer to the artists they love.

“As technology evolves—especially in the VR space—it’s allowing us to push the boundaries of the very meaning of access beyond attendance,” Breithaupt told [a]listdaily. With virtual reality poised for significant growth, Breithaupt said Citi wanted to get ahead and see how it could test the technology to bring the concert experience to consumers at home.

“VR could be an ideal vehicle to deliver on one of our key objectives of providing ‘access beyond attendance,’” Breithaupt said. “Through our partnership with NBC and our sponsorship of the Citi Concert Series on Today, we found a lot of synergy and opportunity to work with a fun and willing band and had the right platform to distribute and share the experience with the masses.”

In what’s becoming a crowded 360-degree livestreaming space, Breithaupt said NBC and Citi explored various vendors and felt that IM360’s capabilities were the best fit for this project. Citi is distributing 7,000 DNCE-branded Google Cardboard headsets to Citi card members and NBC fan pass subscribers in advance of the concert. They’ll also be providing 3,000 headsets to attendees at Rockefeller Plaza on the day of the performance.

DNCE will perform three songs on the Citi Concert Series on Today that will be livestreamed on TODAY.com/VRCONCERT and mobile phones. For iPhone users, they can watch the stream on the IM360 app. In addition, the concert will be aired on NBC’s Today show for anyone to watch. The online stream is also accessible and viewable in 360 without the Google Cardboard headset.

“360 viewing is not quite as immersive, but still allows users to look around and see the show from different angles,” Breithaupt said. “Follow-up content will be available on TODAY.com, similar to all other concerts we have done in the past.”

DNCE’s “Mind Blown” is featured in the new ad campaign for Citi’s Double Cash credit card. Breithaupt said the branding for this 360-degree content is part of a more holistic campaign for this product. “With more hyper-connected consumers interacting with brands via digital and social channels, it’s imperative that any unified campaign include a full spectrum of media channels,” Breithaupt said. “With VR, we’re able to further engage consumers in an innovative, exciting, and exhilarating channel.”

Forrester predicts that demand for VR headsets will reach 52 million units by 2020. Breithaupt said that as VR begins to have more mainstream appeal, this aligns more and more with Citi’s target audience. “With this content, we are connecting to the message of the Double Cash campaign of ‘meaning what we say,'” Breithaupt said. “With a VR stream and headset experience, we are saying ‘everyone is in the front row’ and we mean it. By giving fans a ‘front row’ seat to the DNCE show in Rockefeller Plaza, it’s an experience that, we hope, will create brand affinity and loyalty and heighten perception of Citi as a brand that means what we say.”

Outside of this VR activation, the credit card company recently launched a new ad campaign for Citi Double Cash that Breithaupt said positions the card as straightforward, honest and means what it says: double means double.

“Through this campaign that encompasses out-of-home, digital and social, we are showing that choosing a credit card doesn’t need to be a complicated experience; with Citi Double Cash, our card means what it says and enables card members to earn cash back twice on every purchase,” Breithaupt said.

Breithaupt believes VR technology will continue to become more accessible to more consumers, and ultimately offer more ways for the consumer to engage with the content.

“Maybe they’ll be able to click over to buy a band’s merchandise (with their Citi card of course) while they’re in the experience, similar to being at a show and being able to purchase related items,” Breithaupt said.

Why Lenovo Is Making Portable, Powerful, Gaming PCs

BY Steven Wong

August 25, 2016, 01:28PM

The world of PC gaming is steadily changing, leaving the confines of desks with large computer systems behind. Almost half of PC gamers are playing at locations other than a desk. PC maker, Lenovo, recognizes that this shift is coming at the same time virtual reality technology is set to take off. In response, the company revealed two new gaming systems—the IdeaCentre Y710 Cube and AIO (All-In-One) Y910—at Gamescom this year. Both computers are designed with high portability in mind but don’t sacrifice performance. In fact, they come in versions that can power high-end VR headsets such as the Oculus Rift or HTC Vive, making portable solutions for virtual reality experiences possible.

Lenovo’s Y710 Cube is a small-form system that has a built-in carrying handle, can be hooked up to 4K display, and is the first PC to support Microsoft’s new Xbox Wireless platform, which can support up to 8 wireless devices (such as Xbox One controllers) at once without additional adapters. Meanwhile, the AIO Y910 includes a 27-inch QHD monitor, two 5W Harman Kardon speakers with 7.1-channel Dolby Audio, and a depth-sensing Intel RealSense 3D Camera, so gamers can interact using hand gestures and facial expressions.

Will Fu, director of gaming business at Lenovo’s PC and smart device business group, spoke to [a]listdaily about how the two compact, yet powerful, gaming systems cater to the changing PC gaming audience.

According to Lenovo’s 2015 global research study, based on 1800 respondents in Germany, the US and mainland China, about 47 percent of PC gamers are playing beyond the confines of a desk. About 53 percent still game at a desk, so it’s still the most popular location, but 28 percent prefer to play from the couch. “With almost a third of gamers heading to the living room to game, we felt the IdeaCentre Y710 Cube (that supports up to eight Xbox One controllers simultaneously) was a great alternative to traditional mid-tower gaming PCs for gaming sessions with friends,” Fu said.

When asked how else the PC gaming audience has changed, Fu responded: “PCs are increasingly relevant today, driven by societal and technological trends including the emergence of video game streaming, virtual reality and augmented reality as a means of enhancing and expanding interactive entertainment. Despite intense competition in PC gaming, we see strong opportunity to innovate in the gaming sector now.

“From the desk to couch, to even in bed, each player has distinct preferences in how and where they game. So we built the IdeaCentre Y710 Cube and IdeaCentre AIO Y910 as unique form factors that save on space for home, yet are portable enough to be carried to the office or a friend’s house. These are great gaming PCs for serious players who want top-of-the-line performance without sacrificing design, space or portability.”

With the emphasis on portability, we asked how the two systems fit in with Lenovo’s high-end gaming notebooks. “The all-in-one portable desktop can form and fit conveniently in places where a bulkier PC can’t,” said Fu. “Built entirely within a 27-inch Quad High Definition (2560×1440) borderless display, it cuts down on the sprawling hardware and cables that clutter traditional towers—without cutting down on game performance. However, having a PC with a streamlined, space-saving chassis can be a huge asset when moving your rig between rooms or transporting it. This need led us to craft many of our newest PCs—including the IdeaCentre Y700, IdeaCentre Y710 Cube with a comfortable carrying handle, IdeaCentre AIO Y910 and IdeaPad Y910—for quick and easy mobility and setup anywhere around the house and beyond.”

How do the systems fit in with Lenovo’s less portable gaming PCs? “We’re committed to providing gamers with the best performance in unique, space-saving form factors,” Fu explained. “Our two new systems also have a distinctive designer look and the capacity to take a player effortlessly from workday to gameplay, all on one device.

“For example, the new easy-to-carry, VR-ready IdeaCentre Y710 Cube PC lets you take your highest settings virtually anywhere, from the living room to the bedroom. The slim, compact, VR-ready IdeaCentre AIO Y910 desktop gives demanding players the most powerful gaming experiences in a size that fits nearly any battle station. Meanwhile, our premium VR-ready IdeaCentre Y900 and Y700 desktops also offer a wide range of choice in a sleek, edgy design for busy gamers who demand hassle-free performance with Windows 10 and powerful Intel processors, but want the option to upgrade in the future.”

Fu also discussed the significance of having the Y710 be the first gaming PC to support the Xbox Wireless platform. “When we set out to create the IdeaCentre Y710 Cube, we really wanted to push the limits of what people expect a gaming PC to be. One of the biggest opportunities we saw was with console gamers. By leveraging the new Xbox Wireless platform, we offer console gamers the chance to seamlessly transfer from a console gaming experience to high-performance PC gaming experience while keeping console control over their gameplay.”

However, Lenovo isn’t the only one to recognize the changing needs of PC gamers. Other PC makers are “future-proofing” their gaming systems with adapters such as the Alienware Graphics Amplifier and the Razer Core, which both allow full-sized graphics cards such as the powerful Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 to be installed onto compact computers as secondary video cards. When asked whether Lenovo considered a similar direction, Fu said: “In our mission to create the most immersive gaming experiences, we certainly don’t rule out exploring future-proofing features too.”

With Lenovo offering more portable solutions for virtual reality, we asked Fu his thoughts on how the technology would impact PC gaming. “I believe VR has massive potential to make an impact on PC gaming, as gamers continue to seek more real and authentic experiences,” he said. “More developers are beginning to create better looking and more sophisticated games, which is why we’re seeing VR getting off the ground. As a result of this, PC hardware has to get ready for substantive VR gaming too. That’s why Lenovo is working to bring these intense and authentic experiences to gamers with our latest IdeaCentre Y710 Cube and IdeaCentre AIO Y910.

“The biggest challenge VR needs to overcome right now is accessibility. Although a lot of PCs can play today’s top gaming releases, they’re not necessarily able to handle the next generation of VR entertainment. We’re working to change that in partnership with Oculus to design, test, and optimize our top-of-the-line Y series gaming PCs to meet the technical standards Oculus recommends. This helps ensure that gamers can experience VR’s greatest capabilities at the high quality they demand.”

‘Muhammad Ali: Puzzle King’ Steps Into Mobile Gaming Arena

BY Steven Wong

August 24, 2016, 10:00AM

There’s a new champion entering the mobile gaming arena, and its name is Muhammad Ali: Puzzle King. Developed by Cosi Games, the studio behind Pele: Soccer Legend, Puzzle King is the official mobile game inspired by the boxing legend. In this match-3 game, players throw punches by connecting three or more gems. The more gems in a combination, the harder Ali hits.

The mobile game also pays tribute to The Greatest by recounting moments that defined his life and career, ranging from his childhood in Louisville, Kentucky to his three championship titles and post-boxing career. A portion of the first month’s proceeds from the game will be donated to the Muhammad Ali Center, which was founded by the Ali family to preserve and share the boxer’s legacy and ideals.

The goal of Cosi Games is to “create the next wave of celebrity-focused mobile games built with world class quality and delightful gameplay,” and it is certainly looking to capture players’ imaginations with an official Muhammad Ali mobile game. Joshua Blitz, co-founder and CEO of Cosi Games, spoke to [a]listdaily about creating a match-3 game based on the boxing legend, and how Muhammad Ali: Puzzle King will enable players to float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.

Joshua Blitz, co-founder and CEO of Cosi Games

**How does Muhammad Ali: Puzzle King stand out from other match-3 puzzle games?**

For starters, the gameplay is a lot of fun. Even if this were a straight-up match-3 game and had nothing to do with Muhammad Ali or boxing, it would still be fun. But what makes it truly stand out is the unique blend of match-3 puzzles and boxing action, where players can string together a long line of same-colored boxing gloves and then immediately witness the impact of their move by watching how strong their punch is. Players can even customize their own beautiful 3D Muhammad Ali avatar with a wide range of cool gloves, shorts and boots. And of course, for any fans of the boxing legend, or people who simply want to learn more about him, they will appreciate the attention to detail we spent when capturing his life and boxing career.

Why was Ali the inspiration?

We at Cosi are big sports fans and huge Muhammad Ali fans. We had built a game for the soccer legend Pele, and when we were looking for our next project, Ali was one of the few sports celebrities at the very top of our list. We admire him so much, not just for his amazing career and achievements inside the ring, but for his achievements outside the ring as a philanthropist and humanitarian as well.

In what ways does the game pay tribute to his life?

We were fortunate enough to work with Muhammad Ali’s team on this project and even the legend himself before he passed away. One way the game pays tribute to his life is that the levels mirror his career arc, so that players start in the gyms of Louisville, where he started his career, then after they’ve trained and fought some preliminary fights, they move on to Rome, where Ali made his mark by winning Olympic gold, and so on. In between levels, players are also shown great images, quotes and facts from throughout his career.

What stages of his life does the game include?

In the first five levels of the game, players are taken through the first five fights of Ali’s professional career, with each level culminating in a major bout. As we mentioned, players begin in Louisville before going to fight in Rome, with the subsequent levels taking them to Ali’s big fights against Archie Moore in Los Angeles, Charlie Powell in Pittsburgh, and then the really big one against Sonny Liston in Miami Beach. Altogether there are 150 levels, with bronze, silver and gold modes totaling 450 different challenges, and we will be expanding the game soon with more fights and more stages.

Why develop a match-3 game instead of a more straightforward boxing game?

We wanted the game to appeal to everyone, and match-3 games have perhaps the widest appeal of anything in the app stores. Once we came up with the idea of tying the puzzles into the boxing action, we knew that that was the direction we wanted to go.

Will any of Ali’s famous quotes be included?

Absolutely! The game includes practically all of his famous quotes.

Will there be any brand integration?

Yes, we have worked closely with the Estate of Muhammad Ali to integrate Ali’s brand image tightly into the game. We’ll also be conducting a lot of competitions in which we will give away prizes signed by Muhammad Ali himself. Also, 50 percent of the game’s first month of proceeds will be donated to the Muhammad Ali Center, a multicultural center, founded by the Ali family, that is dedicated to preserving and sharing Ali’s legacy and ideals.

How ‘Deus Ex GO’ Augments The Game Franchise

BY Steven Wong

August 23, 2016, 04:03PM

Today marks the launch of Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, a cyberpunk sci-fi thriller that deals with issues of cybernetic augmentation and its potential impacts on society—topics that were discussed in detail at the Human by Design conference, presented by Square Enix and CNN’s Courageous studio. However, even with all the attention on Mankind Divided, we shouldn’t overlook the launch was a different kind of Deus Ex experience. Last week saw the release of Deus Ex GO, a puzzle game based in the Deus Ex universe designed for mobile devices.

The series started in 2014 with Hitman GO, developed by Square Enix Montreal. It was then followed by Lara Croft GO, which released last year and became a critical success, and the studio won the Apple Design Award for the game. Deus Ex GO builds on that success by offering a puzzle experience where players are free to use cybernetic augmentations and stealth to progress. Furthermore, the mobile game helps to promote the launch of Mankind Divided.

Nicolas Bertrand-Verge, marketing content and community manager, Square Enix Montreal

Nicolas Bertrand-Verge, marketing content and community manager at Square Enix Montreal, spoke to [a]listdaily about the series and how Deus Ex GO ties in with Mankind Divided, developed by Eidos Montreal.

We asked about the studio’s roots, starting with the inspiration to develop Hitman GO. “The studio was founded back in 2012 to develop a completely new AAA Hitman game,” said Bertrand-Verge. “After a year of pre-conception, the studio’s mandate was shifted to mobile. Since so much research on the Hitman universe had been done, the studio decided they would focus on Agent 47 for their first products. The studio divided up into teams and pitched different concepts on how to do a Hitman mobile game, and the unique, turn-based—almost board-game approach—of Hitman GO caught the attention of everyone at the studio.”

Bertrand-Verge also discussed how Square Enix Montreal selected games for the “GO” treatment.

“After Hitman GO, it really felt like we could explore the same GO gameplay with other titles. The Square Enix portfolio is extremely vast, complete with legendary franchises and very interesting new additions. Lara Croft was a very emotional choice for us. Lara is such an iconic character, and it seemed like we could explore different elements, mostly verticality. Deus Ex was also an easy pick—Montreal is now the new home of Deus Ex with our close friends at Eidos Montreal developing the last two titles and on a fundamental level, the base mechanics like stealth, augments and hacking we’re almost begging to be transposed to a GO game.”

Deus Ex GO is “a turn-based puzzle infiltration game set in a stylized interpretation of the Deus Ex Universe,” according to Bertrand-Verge. Players take the role of Adam Jensen, who is also the main character in Mankind Divided. They use hacking, combat and augmentations to uncover the truth behind a terrorist plot. “The game is very much in the continuation of the [GO] games that came before it, but offers some of the most challenging puzzles we’ve ever created. We’re also bringing a level creator feature sometime after release that will allow players to create their own puzzles and share them with their friends.”

As for how the mobile game ties in with Mankind Divided, Bertrand-Verge explains that “Deus Ex GO’s story takes place right before Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, so you’ll get to be introduced to some of the cast before the console release. That said, if you’re a newcomer to the game, the story is very much self-contained, and you won’t need prior knowledge of the franchise to appreciate it. We’re also excited about the fact that by playing Deus Ex GO and completing a few challenges, you’re able to unlock Praxis Kits, which are basically upgrade points, in the Xbox One and PC versions of Deus Ex: Mankind Divided.”

Given the recognizable brand name of the Deus Ex franchise and the success of previous GO games, we asked Bertrand-Verge to describe the challenges of promoting a new game onto the crowded mobile games market. “The challenges we face in terms of marketing are pretty much the same that we’ve had to face for all Square Enix Montreal’s games,” he said. “Since we’re working with well-known gaming franchises, we need to make sure and communicate to our hardcore fans as well as the very casual App Store crowd. Everyone has to find something they like in what we’re doing. We also have very short and intense campaigns. We announced Deus Ex GO in June, and the game came out in August. Time is limited and becomes very precious, and all this happens as the developers are closing out the game since we have very short development cycles.”

Bertrand-Verge also shared what he thought fans loved most about the GO games that made them such a success.

“I believe the power of the GO games is how they invoke the feeling of playing the classic games from their franchises even if the actual gameplay is miles away from the original games. It’s nostalgia, but presented in a completely new gaming experience. They harken back to games of the past while feeling new and fresh.”

Polyphony Digital Founder Explains How ‘Gran Turismo Sport’ Was Designed For ESports

BY John Gaudiosi

August 23, 2016, 01:57PM

There’s a reason Sony’s November 15 release, Gran Turismo Sport, isn’t called Gran Turismo 7, according to Polyphony Digital founder and president Kazunori Yamauchi.

“This is a title we could have called Gran Turismo 7; it has that many features included,” Yamauchi said during a private demo behind closed doors at Sony’s E3 booth. “The reason we called it ‘Sport’ is because our major challenge was to implement the eSports elements into the game.”

Yamauchi said the game’s “sport” mode is the future of motorsport as imagined by Gran Turismo. Polyphony Digital has teamed up with FIA (Federation Internationale de Automobile) to debut the Gran Turismo Championships. The PlayStation 4 game includes two different eSports offerings: the Nations Cup and the Manufactures Cup. The Nations Cup is like the World Cup of racing with country-vs.-country competition—pitting drivers in mano-a-mano race—while the Manufacturer Fan Cup is fan-focused and based around car brands such as Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, Nissan, Mazda and Ford.

“With GT Academy, we try to find the single fastest player in the world, but you end up with one winner and the rest of world has lost, and that’s something we want to avoid with Gran Turismo Sport,” Yamauchi said. “It’s always fun to participate in sports and watch top players in the world compete. That’s what we’re trying to achieve here. Everyone from children to the elderly can participate and enjoy the competition. We want to produce lots of winners every month and provide a small sense of accomplishment to everyone, which is the allure of sports in the first place.”

The Nations Cup will track points rankings by region, and the top racers will compete in regional finals in the US, Europe and Japan for the chance to go to the world championship. The Manufacturers Fan Cup will have the top players from each region forming a three-man team with a brand like Toyota and proceed to the finals. There will be a representative team for each manufacturer featured in the game competing in the finals.

https://youtu.be/HNiQC83icV8

Yamauchi said the new advanced matchmaking system has been designed to enable fair, clean, races online. There are two indexes evaluating players: driver class, which tracks speed and how well one does in races, and sportsmanship points, which tracks manners and behavior on the track. Each score effects the driver rating.

“If sportsmanship is down from driving rough, it’ll end up that you’re only matched with similar drivers who race rough on the track,” Yamauchi said. “Clean racers will be matched with clean racers.” He also added that if you want everyone to be involved in the “sport” aspect of the new Gran Turismo, you need a rating system that’s fair and visible to everyone.

The video game championship will occur as part of the FIA World Final and FIA Ceremony, an annual live event where all country and manufacturer representatives gather for real-world car racing. Gamers will be awarded alongside real drivers.

Sony and Polyphony Digital offered a preview of what this live competition will look like at the official unveiling of the new game in London on May 19-20. During the FIA Gran Turismo Championships Pre-Season Test, 32 GT players from Europe, Japan, and the US competed for virtual racing glory.

Polyphony Digital is also partnering with FIA on a real-world FIA Gran Turismo Digital License, which gamers can earn by completing all campaign modes with silver or better results and undertaking an in-game racing etiquette program. Twenty-two countries have agreed to participate in this program (but not the US), which will award a real racing license to gamers. Yamauchi has his own FIA racing license, having earned it the old-fashioned way: by racing real cars on real tracks.

Yamauchi headed to the FIA conference in Torino after E3 in the hopes of expanding the motorsport licensing program.

“By the time of launch, and as years go on, I believe more countries will announce participation in this program,” Yamauchi said.

Expanding its focus on the manufacturers behind the cars featured in the game, Polyphony Digital is debuting Brand Central in Gran Turismo 6.

“Instead of the car dealership from past games, Brand Central is a place where boys discover cars for the first time,” Yamauchi said. “When I was in my second year of junior high I walked into a BMW dealer to pick up a catalog and my heart was racing. We want to recreate that experience of discovering cars for the first time.” Car enthusiasts will be able to further explore vehicles with a Channel section that features videos. And there’s a Museum, which Yamauchi said will give depth and color to automotive history.

“The Museum is reborn with this game,” Yamauchi said. “We’ll give automotive history as well as the history of art, music, literature and society alongside the introduction of automobiles. The player will get a feel for the history of automobiles and the history of the world at that time.”

5 Brands That Successfully Use Augmented Reality

BY H.B. Duran

August 22, 2016, 03:18PM

Augmented reality (AR) is a combination of real life and a super-imposed image or animation, using the camera on a mobile device or special headgear. Although the use of this technology has been around for several years now, the idea has reached worldwide recognition thanks to the hit mobile game Pokémon GO.

The overnight success of this title has inspired other brands to explore the medium for themselves, and investors are more than happy to join in. Venture capital fund Super Ventures was recently formed to exclusively support AR technologies. The Venture Reality Fund was formed to invest in both AR and VR. In fact, VR/AR M&A advisor, Digi-Capital conducted research that suggests the AR market will be worth $90 billion annually in 2020, compared to a much smaller $30 million for VR.

Visualizing products and ideas could be easier than ever in the near future, bringing science fiction to life through mixed reality. In the meantime, here are some examples of brands who are already using augmented reality in a successful way.

L’Oreal

Beauty brand L’Oreal uses an AR mobile app that launched in March. The “Style My Hair” app allows customers to virtually try hairstyles and hair colors before they visit a salon. Style My Hair, available on US Android and iOS devices, allows potential customers to explore new looks and share them on social; it was downloaded nearly 500,000 times in the immediate weeks after the launch. As for cosmetics, L’Oreal’s Makeup Genius virtual makeup app and the My UV Patch skin sensor app launched at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this year. Makeup Genius now has 6.3 million downloads.

'Battle for 'Cedar Point' AR Experience — ‘Battle for ‘Cedar Point’ AR Experience

Cedar Point Theme Park

Cedar Point, located in Sandusky, Ohio and known as “The Roller Coaster Capital of the World,” recognized the tremendous potential of AR technology and updated its app with The Battle for Cedar Point experience. With it, attendees can join different roller coaster-themed clans to compete with each other by scanning different areas of the park with their smartphones, such as signs and special T-shirts, for an AR experience. The technology essentially turns the theme park into one gigantic video game. At the end of the day, members of the winning clan can purchase a special pin to commemorate their victory.

Epson

You probably know them as a major printer manufacturer, but you probably didn’t know that Epson is on its way to becoming a giant in augmented reality. From the DJI Phantom 4 Camera Drone to Moverio BT 300 smart glasses that double as a projector, Epson isn’t “your father’s printer company.”

“It’s a question everybody asks. They go, ‘Epson … Aren’t you guys a printer company?’ And it’s a very valid question,” Michael Leyva, product manager at the Long Beach, California-based Epson America told [a]listdaily. “What most people don’t know is that Epson is more of an overall technology company. Our parent company in Seiko Epson Corporation in Japan makes a lot of different products that nobody sees, like internal components that we license to other companies, like the original iPhone screens, or motion sensors for the Nintendo Wii. A lot of people have no idea that there are Epson parts in there helping drive technology.”

petes-dragon-2 — ‘Dragon Spotting’ allows viewers to hunt for Elliot in their own homes.

Disney

The Walt Disney company has always been at the forefront of emerging technology, from creating the first full-length animated film to featuring animatronics and holograms on their park rides. To promote their latest film Pete’s Dragon, Disney launched a website that encourages viewers to download the mobile game Dragon Spotting. The app challenges users to locate Elliot the dragon using their mobile devices around prompted locations, such as behind a couch, or under a table.

Crayola

Disney has also partnered with Crayola to bring its characters life through coloring books with the Crayola Alive brand. As illustrated by the demonstration below, colored images are transformed when viewed through a tablet’s camera and downloaded application. Other Crayola Alive brands include Barbie and Skylanders.

HuffPost RYOT Exec Explains The Power Of Virtual Reality Storytelling

BY John Gaudiosi

August 22, 2016, 03:08PM

The Rio 2016 Olympics is officially in the history books, but there are more than just the achievements of Olympians Michael Phelps, Simone Biles and Usain Bolt to reminisce about. HuffPost RYOT set up a pop-up shop in Brazil through a partnership with Samsung during the Olympics to develop original 360-degree content at the Rio Creator’s Lab.

That content, which covers topics ranging from the rainforest to the political climate in the country, is available on Samsung’s Gear VR headset as well as on Facebook 360, YouTube 360 and the RYOT and HuffPost apps and websites.

“Olympic coverage has leaned to the extremes, either glossing over the issues of poverty and infrastructure whole or exaggerating safety issues,” Molly Swenson, chief marketing officer of HuffPost RYOT, told [a]listdaily. “We sought out to find the truer character of this city that lies somewhere in between. Using 360 allows us to share that narrative.”

In this collaboration, Swenson said Samsung enabled the creators and the content rather than sponsoring or branding the content directly. Swenson said the filmmakers relied primarily on the Samsung Gear360, the GoPro 7-camera 360Hero rig and the Google Jump camera in capturing content in Rio.

The Lab released six 360 films during the Olympics and will have 10-to-15 more coming out afterward. Swenson said there will be dozens more pieces of ancillary content, as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvBxZ70A-Ak

“We chose stories based upon their potential to stimulate our audience visually, intellectually and culturally,” Swenson said. “We reached out to the most interesting journalists, artists, and researchers in Rio and asked them what stories were essential and not being covered. It’s less about positive stories versus negative stories, and more about stories told from the perspective of the actual people who live in the city, and will keep living there long after the games have ended.”

Swenson said Brazil is a country in the midst of political turmoil, and the citizens are overcome by insecurity and restlessness. They rely on their common bond as Brasileiros, as Cariocas, to find that sense of strength and community through their cultural traditions.

“The government has built walls to hide the less-fortunate from Olympic attendees,” Swenson said. “We hope these stories break down those very walls, educating the viewer of both the problem they represent and the beautiful things happening behind them.”

When they did focus on the Summer Games, the angles the 360-degree content took were much different than the Samsung-produced 360 Olympics coverage.

“Rio is one of the most geographically stunning places in the world, so much of our outdoor coverage features those aspects,” Swenson said. “We are more focused on the community than the competitors. For instance, our film that featured the Congolese refugee judo fighter focuses on the Caritas Refugee Center and the celebration of other Congolese expats in Rio.”

Swenson said partnering with Samsung in Rio allowed for 360-degree stories to be shared during the event, as well as after.

“Speed is a currency in both the humanitarianism and journalism which is at our roots,” Swenson said. “Your ability to be effective in these spaces depends in part on how fast you can act, so we are trying to crack quick-turnaround VR content, as in 24 hours or less. We’ve done this throughout the presidential primaries, the RNC/DNC and now at the Olympics.”

RYOT launched in 2012 as an “immersive media company linking content to action” and it was acquired by Verizon’s The Huffington Post in April 2016. Swenson said the acquisition has given RYOT the opportunity to achieve impact at scale in a completely new and dynamic way.