News
9 CommentsReport: the top 1 percent accounts for nearly 33 percent of total spent on 'non-arcade' mobile games
By Dave Tach on May 24, 2013 05.24.13
The top 1 percent of monetizers account for 32.68 percent of money spent in "non-arcade" mobile games, according to a report from Playnomics (PDF link).
The company's analysis defines "non-arcade" games as those "designed and intended for longer term play experiences often featuring levels, campaigns and collectables." Playnomics studied more than 1.7 million players, observing spending patters over a three-month period. According to the report, the spending habits represent a "power law distribution," similar to the "whales" who spend disproportionate amounts of money over time in casinos. Playnomics expects 20 percent of monetizers to account for 80 percent of revenue.
Playnomics seeks to find out how and why people play games, and you can learn more about the company by reading o...
News
4 CommentsFightback, Ninja Theory's first mobile game, coming to iOS and Android this summer
By Samit Sarkar on May 24, 2013 05.24.13
Fightback, the first mobile game from Enslaved: Odyssey to the West and DmC: Devil May Cry developer Ninja Theory, will be released on iOS and Android this summer, publisher EA Chillingo announced today.
"Ninja Theory has always strived for the highest production values and that absolutely remains the case in this exciting new space," said Dominic Matthews, product manager at the Cambridge, U.K.-based independent studio.
The free-to-play title is an action game with touch-based combat and an '80s vibe. From the single screenshot released alongside the game's announcement, it appears to focus heavily on time-limited levels in which players attempt to rack up high scores to attain different levels of completion.
Ninja Theory will demo Fightback at E3 next month.
News
13 CommentsUnity supporting Linux-based platform Tizen
By Jenna Pitcher on May 24, 2013 05.24.13
Unity Technologies, the company behind the Unity multi-platform game engine, will provide support for Tizen, the Linux-based open source mobile operating system.
The deployment tools will allow Unity's community of developers to create games for Tizen-operated smartphones and tablets, and publish them to the Tizen Store later this year.
"Unity and Tizen have a lot in common in that they both aim to make the creation and the deployment of games and other apps as easy as possible for developers," Unity Technologies CEO David Helgason said in a statement.
According to The Verge, Samsung is expected to launch multiple Tizen phones later this year, along with a high-end Tizen smartphone due in September.
Earlier this week, Unity Technologies announced that it will provide indie...
News
18 CommentsPhoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy HD hits iOS May 30
By Dave Tach on May 23, 2013 05.23.13
Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney Trilogy HD, the iOS version of the first three games in the investigative series, will arrive on iOS next Thursday, May 30, according to a post on Capcom Unity.
The first two cases of the first game will be free. Players who enjoy the courtroom drama can then unlock the full first game for $5.99. The next two installments will be available for $6.99 each, and you'll also be able to buy the trilogy for $16.99.
Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney Trilogy HD has also been "fully optimized for iOS," with retina display graphics and social features like the "Everyone Object" mode, which "allows players to share dissatisfaction with everyday life, Phoenix-style."
Today's announcement overrules an April announcement that the game had been delayed until July. The next...
News
0 CommentsDeNA bringing free-to-play G.I. Joe and Dungeons & Dragons games to mobile this year
By Dave Tach on May 23, 2013 05.23.13
DeNA will bring two new free-to-play games to mobile devices and tablets "later this year" based on G.I. Joe and Dungeons & Dragons, according to a press release from DeNA.
In G.I. Joe: Battleground, players will assemble teams of G.I. Joe heroes and Cobra villains to battle. The Dungeons & Dragons game, Arena of War, is a role-playing game set in the Forgotten Realms where players will hunt on quests, level characters and participate in "in-game events and massive multiplayer competitions."
"Dungeons & Dragons and G.I. Joe are legendary IPs that have permeated popular culture," said Clive Downie, CEO for DeNA West. "Both properties offer our development teams unique opportunities to create fun, interactive entertainment experiences that we believe will appeal to the franchises'...
News
3 CommentsPoker Night 2 goes mobile, available now on iOS
By Dave Tach on May 23, 2013 05.23.13
Poker Night 2, Telltale Games' poker simulator starring a cast of characters from video games and cartoons, is now available on iOS, according to the developer.
The mobile version, which Telltale teased in April on Twitter, retails for $4.99 in the iOS App Store. It includes the same card players as the Windows PC, Mac, Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network versions that are also available. Those include characters from Sam and Max, Claptrap from the Borderlands series, Ash from Evil Dead and Brock Samson from The Venture Bros. GLaDOS from the Portal series remains the dealer.
For more on the game, be sure to check out Polygon's Poker Night 2 review and read our interview with the developers about how Telltale brought the familiar cast of characters to the table.
News
2 Comments5 images
Zynga launches action RPG Battlestone on iOS worldwide, Android 'coming soon'
By Samit Sarkar on May 23, 2013 05.23.13
Battlestone, the first action RPG from Zynga and the next step in its foray into mobile games, is now available worldwide on iOS for free, the publisher announced today.
An Android version is "coming soon" to Google Play, according to Zynga.
Battlestone was developed by November Software, a studio based in the San Francisco Bay Area that Zynga quietly acquired last spring. November previously worked on games such as LucasArts' Star Wars: The Force Unleashed franchise, which is why Zynga put the studio to work on the "mid-core" title Battlestone. Zynga launched the game in select markets, including India, earlier this year.
The action RPG offers simple touch-based controls like swiping for attacks and selecting multiple targets for combos. That applies both to Battlestone's...
News
5 CommentsGameStop total sales down 6.8 percent, mobile sales increase 290 percent
By Alexa Ray Corriea on May 23, 2013 05.23.13
Video game retailer GameStop posted sales of $1.87 billion, down 6.8 percent from last year's earnings of $2 billion during the same period, according the company's recent financial report for the first quarter of fiscal year 2013.
Mobile sales increased 290 percent to $46.8 million, while new software sales decreased 3.8 percent and new hardware sales fell 30.6 percent. Sales of pre-owned goods also dropped 7.5 percent. Consolidated sales in stores decreased 6.7 percent since last year, and the company cited "late stage effects of the current console cycle" as the major factor affecting its topline sales.
Net earnings for the first quarter ending May 4, 2013 were $54.6 million, a decrease from the company's last quarter earnings of $72.5 million.
"GameStop's continuing margin...
News
6 CommentsWarhammer Quest launches to iOS on May 30
By Emily Gera on May 23, 2013 05.23.13
Turn-based iOS title Warhammer Quest is coming to mobile devices on May 30, developer Rodeo Games told Eurogamer.
The studio's upcoming title is based on the table-top Warhammer spin-off from 1995 and features top-down strategy gameplay, allowing the player to control a group of four warriors. Warhammer Quest supports iOS 6 and above and allows multiple cloud saves across iPhone 3GS, iPad 2 and iPod Touch 4 or above devices.
Warhammer Quest will be available for $4.99 from the App Store.
News
2 CommentsClandestine: Anomaly devs announce PS Vita support for ARG on Kickstarter
By Dave Tach on May 22, 2013 05.22.13
Clandestine: Anomaly, ZenFri's augmented reality game currently seeking funds on Kickstarter, is in development for PlayStation Vita, the developers announced today on the game's Kickstarter blog.
The developers describe the game on Kickstarter as a "reality expansion pack" that will use portable devices to augment reality with the game. You play as yourself in Clandestine: Anomaly, "an epic, story driven game that you play in your own neighborhood." The game was originally in development for iOS and Android devices.
Earlier this year, Sony announced that the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita and PlayStation Mobile would support the Unity engine. Early this month, Sony announced that it would waive the publisher license fee for PlayStation Mobile this summer. The...
News
4 CommentsDog Sled Saga is as much about racing as it is dog husbandry
By Megan Farokhmanesh on May 22, 2013 05.22.13
In Dog Sled Saga, a Kickstarted game for desktop and mobile devices, there are two things you should remember. A well-fed dog is a fast dog. A fast dog is a happy dog.
The pixilated brainchild of Dan FitzGerald and Lisa Bromiel, Dog Sled Saga is a mix of racing, reputation building and pet management. Players step into the boots of a musher climbing the racing ranks with the help of his or her dog sled team. But the concept behind the game is less about the sport itself, FitzGerald said, and more about the interaction with your pets.
"I would boil it down to the non-verbal pet relationship," FitzGerald said. "It is absolutely about getting familiar with an animal that can't talk to you. There won't be a lot of pop-ups that tell you about your dog, but there will be signs — [this...
News
4 CommentsSony launches No Heroes Allowed-themed puzzle game on PS Vita and Android
By Kevin Gifford on May 22, 2013 05.22.13
A game even less likely to attract Western gamers' attention the day after the big Xbox One reveal: A new puzzle game released by Sony Computer Entertainment themed after the Yusha no kuse ni namaikida franchise, most recently released in the States under the title No Heroes Allowed!
Yu-Nama: The Puzzle, as it's called, is a basic kind of color-match game with a twist. You're tapping blocks on the screen to dig them up and allow space for monster blocks to fall downward. Slide them around to match up colors and create monster hordes to fend off the would-be heroes invading your territory. Beat 'em all, and it's on to the next level. Simple.
The game's available now on PlayStation Mobile across the world, and you can get it for both the PlayStation Vita and Android systems for only 600...
News
2 CommentsLeisure Suit Larry: Reloaded delayed until June
By Emily Gera on May 22, 2013 05.22.13
The launch of Kickstarter-funded retro remake Leisure Suit Larry: Reloaded is being delayed until late June, developer Replay Games announced.
According to an official statement issued by Replay (via CinemaBlend), the game's original May 31 release date is being pushed back to allow for "additional polishing."
"Larry Laffer is one picky guy and he won't stop preening himself until every hair looks pristine," reads the statement "In order to show Larry as the true Casanova he is, and provide the best possible Leisure Suit Larry experience for fans, Replay Games has decided to hold off the launch of Leisure Suit Larry: Reloaded until late June for additional polishing."
Replay founder Paul Trowe took to the official website to explain the decision to ultimately delay, adding that bugs...
News
5 CommentsLevel-5 to release upgraded, online-enhanced version of Fantasy Life
By Kevin Gifford on May 22, 2013 05.22.13
In this week's issue of Famitsu magazine, Level-5 announced that they're set to release an upgraded version of Fantasy Life, the RPG/exploration/goof-around-and-fish-all-day game they released for the Nintendo 3DS in Japan late last year.
Called Fantasy Life Link!, the upgrade mostly focuses on boosting the game's online feature set. Up to four people can now play co-op over the Internet once they exchange Friend Codes, and there's also a new Link Mode that, when you're online, lets you exchange messages with friends and keep tabs on their progress through the game. This will be accompanied by a new website launching alongside Link! that's set to feature forums, stats, and screenshot albums. In addition, Level-5 showed off a new island that will be available for exploration in Link!,...
Mobile Watch List
6 CommentsMobile Watch List - Gravity Guy 2, Trucker Parking Simulator, Can Knockdown 3
By Russ Frushtick on May 21, 2013 05.21.13
Gravity Guy 2 (iOS, Windows Phone 8)
Everyone's favorite Gravity Guy returns! This time, instead of flipping gravity, you're raising platforms to propel yourself across gaps. Even though it sounds duller than the original, it's actually a good deal more engaging.
Trucker Parking Simulator (iOS)
Have you ever wanted to park a truck? Probably not. It sounds really scary. But there's nothing scary about trying to park a truck in a video game, because the worst that can happen is you end up having to restart a level. And damn if I don't find virtual truck parking really satisfying. Call the Teamsters union!
Can Knockdown 3 (iOS, Android)
Finally a game that lets you take down the efforts of carnies the world over! Best can physics I've ever seen.
News
5 CommentsUnity offering free publishing tools for iOS and Android to indie devs
By Alexa Ray Corriea on May 21, 2013 05.21.13
Unity Technologies will grant indie developers free publishing tools for the development of iOS and Android games, the company announced today.
Beginning today, indie developers will have access to Unity's basic mobile tools and will be able to publish their games and apps for iOS and Android via the build menu. Publishing services for Blackberry and Windows Phone 8 will also be added in the future, and will be included in the deal without additional cost. The Unity license to publish on mobile platforms cost $800 before today's decision to release them for free.
"We were able to make Unity free for the web and for desktop computers a while ago, but have been dreaming of doing the same for mobile for what seems like forever," Unity CEO David Helgason said in a statement. "Mobile games...
News
3 CommentsEve Online studio is 'learning' its way into mobile games development, says Lander
By Emily Gera on May 21, 2013 05.21.13
Eve Online developer CCP is turning its focus to mobile development with plans to bring an app for the niche MMO to mobile platforms by next year; however, former executive producer Jon Lander told Touch Arcade it is still learning how to become a mobile development studio.
Speaking to Touch Arcade, Lander described his vision of small teams and quick turnaround times for prototypes of new ideas.
"We have an amazing opportunity to work with a persistent, sandbox world. Oh my God, just imagine some of the best mobile games out there ...," he said. The company has yet to announce what mobile concepts they may bring to life.
This follows his recent transition from CCP producer to head of the company's emerging mobile strategy. According to Lander, the company is not "a mobile...
News
7 CommentsPeter Molyneux's 22cans partners with DeNA to publish Godus
By Tracey Lien on May 20, 2013 05.20.13
Mobile game developer, publisher and service provider DeNA will publish 22Cans' Godus on Android, iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch devices, the company announced today.
Developed by Peter Molyneux's independent studio, Godus is a god game-style mobile title that is the spiritual successor to Molyneux's Populous. 22cans turned to crowdfunding platform Kickstarter last year to ask for £450,000 to develop the game. The Kickstarter campaign describes Godus as blending "the power, growth and scope of Populous with the detailed construction and multiplayer excitement of Dungeon Keeper and the intuitive interface and technical innovation of Black and White." The Kickstarter campaign closed at £526,563.
Godus is coming to Windows PC, Mac and mobile devices, and DeNA will be responsible for...
Video
4 CommentsAustralian Bureau of Statistics releases a free strategy game that uses real census data
By Jenna Pitcher on May 20, 2013 05.20.13
The Australian Bureau of Statistics released, Run That Town, a free iOS strategy game using real 2011 census data.
The game grants players with leadership of any Australian neighborhood they wish. Players then use the real census data of the neighborhood's zip code to develop the area and influence residents. The game features hundreds of development projects — such as pools, stadiums, casinos, theme parks — and allows players to poll "residents" before beginning construction.
If residents are angry overall with leadership decisions, then the player can be chased out of town by an angry mob, where popular leaders are given ticker tape parades.
The Australian Census is conducted Australian-wide every five years, with the last census carried out on Aug. 9, 2011. The census captures...
News
12 CommentsAmerican McGee's new Oz game revealed as OZombie
By Jenna Pitcher on May 19, 2013 05.19.13
American McGee's Spicy Horse studio's new title based on The Wizard of Oz is titled OZombie, according to its official Facebook page.
Spicy Horse first revealed The Wizard of Oz-based game earlier this month, with the studio stating that "This is not, in any way, shape or form the title from 2004," referring to the game cancelled by Atari in 2004.
OZombie will feature Dorothy, Toto, Lion, TinMan and Scarecrow as a brain-loving bad guy. The game will be a cross-platform title for tablets, Windows PC, Mac and Linux, and will be based on the Oz series, which consists of 14 episodes.
A Kickstarter campaign for the title is underway and Spicy Horse currently has a second Kickstarter campaign for Alice: Otherlands. Which title gets developed depends if Alice license holder Electronic Arts...
News
5 CommentsTemple Run 2 update adds a dangerous new course, more chances to earn loot
By Alexa Ray Corriea on May 17, 2013 05.17.13
The latest update for endless runner Temple Run 2 adds a new level fraught with peril and more chances for players to earn in-game loot, developer Imangi Studios announced today.
The new landscape, The Narrows, is a maze of obstacles. Players will have to dodge spinning saw blades, speed across a crumbling path, jump the seemingly bottomless pits scattered across the pathway and keep their eyes peeled for sudden sharp turns.
Players can also take advantage of new opportunities to earn free coins and gems for use in the game. More information is under the "Free Stuff" menu.
Sonic the Hedgehog, Nintendo, The Last of Us, CounterSpy: Speed Run
By Alexa Ray Corriea on May 17, 2013 05.17.13
Nintendo announced a partnership with Sega to publish the next three Sonic the Hedgehog games exclusively for Nintendo's platforms — one title of which is still unannounced. New Super Luigi U will be released digitally and as a physical standalone at retail this summer. Nintendo will bring playable demos of its unreleased titles to more than 100 Best Buy stores during the week of E3. We went hands-on with Naughty Dog's The Last of Us and Dynamighty's CounterSpy.
Sega and Nintendo partnership spans three Sonic games, one unannounced
Sonic: Lost World coming exclusively to Nintendo Wii U and 3DS
Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games coming to Wii U
New Super Luigi U coming to eShop June 20, standalone at retail Aug. 25
Nintendo bringing playable, unreleased Wii U...
Active Discussions
Revolurt's Eastern Game Report: 5/27 Edition
in Polynauts by Revolurt
Out of curiosity, who enjoyed BL1 more than BL2?
in Borderlands 2 by AngryFacing
Comics! Cartoons! Anime! Crisis Vol. 2, No. 14: GET CRAZY WAY!
in Off-topic by chaosbirdomaid
Why the Xbox One is anti-consumer, and the One console to destroy us all.
in Xbox One by dmelow7
Polygon Daily: Off Topic Dinovision (Mon 27/5)
in Off-topic by PaddyStardust