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For any of the 50 million app downloaders who’ve racked their brains or thwapped their thumbs on an iPad or iPhone touch screen full of digital jewels, PopCap Games–or at least its runaway hit, Bejeweled–will ring a bell. The company recently expanded its operations into social gaming with the acquisition of ZipZapGames. Now it’s signed a deal with Amazon to make its first two Android-compatible games in the U.S. market exclusively available through the Amazon Appstore–not the official Google app market or any other Android app clearing house.

Chuzzle will arrive in the appstore for a two-week period exclusivity starting May 17th, and Plants vs. Zombies will be joining it later this month. In an extra boost for PopCap, and one that’ll swing a bright spotlight onto Amazon’s Android code house, the games will be free for the first day of their availability–then $2.99 after that. In its press release, PopCap mentions its senior director of global product Giordano Contestabile’s remarks on using Amazon: “We’ll significantly extend the reach of our top franchises to legions of new mobile customers,” and Amazon’s category leader Aaron Rubenson is noted as saying “PopCap is a brand synonymous with great mobile apps.”

But there’s a far more interesting story here: Amazon is really trying to make its Android app store the one major go-to location for apps on Google’s smartphone platform, with its curated approach that’s highly reminiscent of Apple’s stance on its own path-breaking App Store. In fact, Apple defends against alternative marketplaces popping up for its iOS devices, whereas Google does not–which has opened up the space for Amazon, which neither designs Android code nor sells an Android phone or tablet.

And there you get to the crux of it all. By signing up companies like PopCap with such clever deals, Amazon is building up the powers of its Android appstore and, sure, earning some income. But it could be really all about building a footprint for its rumored up-coming tablet.

Article source: http://www.fastcompany.com/1753671/amazons-android-march-popcap-games-signs-an-exclusive-deal

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Continue reading »]]> At this year’s Tokyo Game Show, executives from Square Enix, Capcom, and Namco Bandai engaged in a roundtable discussion about Japan’s diminished role in the gaming industry. As a result, the publisher and many of its fellow Japanese outfits are putting a greater emphasis on the West, both in selling and developing their games there.

Square Enix recently set up a development studio in Los Angeles. Capcom is “actively pursuing friendly acquisitions and partnerships” with foreign outfits, and developing games like Dead Rising and Lost Planet with a more Western audience in mind. And today Namco Bandai established Surge, a new publishing label “dedicated to providing cutting-edge, genre-defining games that are targeted at satiating the appetite of western gamers.” Surge will produce games across a variety of genres and platforms.

The first game to carry the Surge label will be Afro Samurai, scheduled for release on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 January 27. Based on the animated series of the same name, Afro Samurai features the voice of Samuel L. Jackson and a hip-hop-influenced soundtrack composed by The RZA.

Continue reading »]]> NEW YORK (Reuters) – Take-Two Interactive Software Inc, until recently an acquisition target of bigger rival Electronic Arts Inc, plans to remain an independent company, the makers of the popular “Grand Theft Auto” series said on Thursday.

Take-Two said the decision followed detailed discussions with “various interested parties” over the last five months.

Take-Two repeatedly said that it was weighing its options while talking with other potential suitors, although it has never named any other interested parties.

“Take-Two’s Board of Directors has determined that it is in the best interests of stockholders to conclude its review of strategic alternatives and to continue operating and building Take-Two as an independent company,” the company said.

In September, EA pulled away from an offer to buy Take-Two after pursuing the company for more than six months. They had been in private talks after EA dropped its hostile bid, worth roughly $2 billion, which the “GTA” publisher had rejected as inadequate.

Analysts have cautioned that by losing out on the wider distribution and cash reserve that Electronic Arts offered, Take-Two faces declining near-term sales and risks losing key employees — namely Sam and Dan Houser, the Rockstar North executives seen as the driving force behind GTA. Both of their contracts expire early next year.

But Take-Two Chairman Strauss Zelnick on Thursday reiterated that the company, whose roster of hit games also includes “Bioshock” and the 2K Sports series, is solid.

“We are strongly positioned creatively, financially and competitively to benefit from the opportunities we see in the fastest growing segment of the entertainment industry,” he said is a statement.

Take-Two shares declined 6 percent to $14.98 on Thursday afternoon, and have dropped more than 38 percent over the last six months, a decline which Cowen & Co analyst Doug Creutz said presented a chance to buy at a bargain price.

“The official end of the strategic review process marks the return of management’s full attention to the business of running a video game company,” he said in a note to clients. “In our opinion, current share levels present investors with a compelling opportunity to get back into Take-Two shares …”

Take-Two Interactive to remain independent (Reuters) by Reuters: Yahoo! Tech

Continue reading »]]> Yahoo! Games is the section of the Yahoo! website in which Yahoo! users can play games either with other users or by themselves. The games on the website are typically Java applets or quick Flash games, but there are others which require a download. Many of the games that require a download contain TryMedia Adware (According to McAfee SiteAdvisor). Yahoo! Games also includes Yahoo! Video Games, which provides news, previews and reviews of currently available or upcoming First Party games–and Yahoo! Games on Demand–which provides free demos and full-size downloads of full PC games for a charge.

Yahoo! Games has a large user base playing various kinds of games, such as card games, board games, fantasy sports, emulated arcade games, and word games.

The site also features an “All Star” system for users, in which a user can pay to get an All Star username. All Star users are able to get extra privileges on Yahoo! Games sites such as disabling pop-up ads. All Star users do not have playable games without downloading.

Yahoo! Games was built on Yahoo!’s acquisition of ClassicGames.com (previously known as SpringerSpan Games after the programmer’s Springer Spaniel) in 1997. The current Yahoo! Video Games section of the site was formerly known as Games Domain, from back when Yahoo! acquired the website in 2003. As of April 03rd 2007 Yahoo! Games holds 416 games, most of which were developed externally.

More Information:

• Commercial? Yes
• Type of site Games
• Registration Optional
• Owner Yahoo!
• Created by Yahoo!
• Current status Active
• Website:
  • Yahoo! Games
  • Yahoo! Video Games
  • Yahoo! Quick Play
  • Four Second Fury

Continue reading »]]> Electronic Arts will not make a proposal to acquire rival Take Two-Interactive Software, the company said Sunday.

“After careful consideration, including a management presentation and review of other due diligence materials provided by (Take-Two), EA has decided not to make a proposal to acquire Take-Two and has terminated discussions with Take-Two,” EA said in a statement.

Electronic Arts first made a $2 billion, $26 per share offer for Take-Two in February. When the Grand Theft Auto maker’s management rejected the offer, EA turned hostile, buying up as many shares as it could for the offer price. EA continued to extend the tender offer, but withdrew it last month, entering into private talks with Take-Two.

Take-Two issued a quick response to EA’s announcement, saying in part that the company remains “actively engaged in discussions with other parties in the context of our formal process to consider strategic alternatives” — in other words, that it is still considering potential suitors.

Take-Two’s stock price jumped considerably following the EA offer, but has been on a steady decline since then. It should be interesting to see if it drops all the way back down to February levels (around $17) when the markets open Monday.

EA, Take Two End Acquisition Talks | Game | Life from Wired.com