Good sign for Casual games, and no surprise that other areas of the company are struggling, they are involved in music via rhapsody and media via various arms including the famous real player. Fact is Apple and others are doing a better job. A smart move to turn things around would be to leverage their position in games and offer some slick cross platform tie ins to the games. People who buy games buy music make things easy for them.....
Come on your in a great position USE IT!
RealNetworks today announced its third-quarter fiscal results for the period ended September 30. Overall revenue grew five percent to $152 million, but the company did experience a net loss of $4.5 million. From a game industry perspective, Real's sales boost was largely attributable to its games division, which grew 19 percent to post revenue of $34.2 million.
Regarding its casual games, the company noted that 'growth was primarily driven by revenue from our acquisition of Trymedia in the second quarter of this year, and continued strength in subscription revenue.' Real added that it continues to believe that 'the casual games category is a strong and vibrant business with great growth potential, and we remain very optimistic about the future of our games business.'"
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
The metaverse Tour
Ok I'm going to use this as an introduction to various reports over the coming weeks on Virtual worlds and MMO's. I think its a nice video that proves a point.
The reports will cover predicted success and failures and why, the numbers to date and the need to for the industry to work more closely together before history repeat's itself and a whole bunch of money is just flushed down the drain.........
Also its an attempt to to bring a start to a group that is focused on open source API's for browser based games, virtual worlds and MMO's allowing brands, games developers, organizations, charities, record companies, film and TV studios etc.... to pick 1 or multiple virtual worlds and work with a developer and plug into that virtual world.
I'll be getting together with some people and setting up a Linked-in group as a starter.
Great News OPEN ID
"Your Gmail Account is Now An OpenID
from TechCrunch by Erick Schonfeld
You may not know it, but you probably have an OpenID. If you have a Yahoo account, you have an OpenID. If you have a Windows Live account, you will soon have an OpenID. And today, if you have a Google e-mail account, you can also start using your Gmail address as an OpenID.
By joining the OpenID movement, Google completes the trifecta and adds all of its Gmail users to the hundreds of millions of Yahoo and Windows Live accounts that can also be used as a single login for any Website that accepts OpenID. While Google is more than happy to become an issuer of OpenIDs, what is not so clear is whether it will accept other OpenIDs for people who want to up for Google services."
from TechCrunch by Erick Schonfeld
You may not know it, but you probably have an OpenID. If you have a Yahoo account, you have an OpenID. If you have a Windows Live account, you will soon have an OpenID. And today, if you have a Google e-mail account, you can also start using your Gmail address as an OpenID.
By joining the OpenID movement, Google completes the trifecta and adds all of its Gmail users to the hundreds of millions of Yahoo and Windows Live accounts that can also be used as a single login for any Website that accepts OpenID. While Google is more than happy to become an issuer of OpenIDs, what is not so clear is whether it will accept other OpenIDs for people who want to up for Google services."
Cooking Dash tops the charts
Cooking dash is topping the charts across the major casual portals.
with the Jewell quest franchise making the top 10 in across the major portals.
So no surprises in the casual genera! Time management and Match 3
Watch this space that new twist game that will soon be there.
Question is what is the next big genera for Casual games?
Blended, freeform casual, creative casual....or have we got stuck
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Bejeweled Twist play it now!
Well last nights launch started very flat with a slide show of facts and figures I nearly switched of the broadcast. Not the greatest introduction but then finally the show started and watching with me was a marketing expert with 10 years experience. I loved the effort they had gone to with the launch and the potential for a really well executed marketing stunt, however the show tried to be funny but dragged it heels. Saying that though I have to realize that I was watching a web broadcast and not a professional camera team. So of course it actually could have been a lot better in real life.
The best bit and worth the wait was the video and game demo. On the plus side full marks for effort with the production its a great way to a lunch a new game. But clearly they are great game designers and not great marketeers or TV show producers. But then casual games have never really needed good marketing to date. But you have to start somewhere and so the bar is raised.
The new game looked amazing and I was wondering how it was going to feel will it actually be that different.
Having just played the game it really is genius as its so simple what they have done. The crucial thing is you can always make a move and you start to plan a head I loved the experience, the power ups are fun and I can see the fans really going for it and new players being attracted. I love POPCAP for not trying to do too much with the game engine they have given the fans what they wanted. If you love match 3 then its the next level.
And It made me smile as I actually designed a match 3 game 2 years ago using a very similar twist mechanic.
Well done POP CAP team no need for the Kaching machine this time its success is inevitable.
The best bit and worth the wait was the video and game demo. On the plus side full marks for effort with the production its a great way to a lunch a new game. But clearly they are great game designers and not great marketeers or TV show producers. But then casual games have never really needed good marketing to date. But you have to start somewhere and so the bar is raised.
The new game looked amazing and I was wondering how it was going to feel will it actually be that different.
Having just played the game it really is genius as its so simple what they have done. The crucial thing is you can always make a move and you start to plan a head I loved the experience, the power ups are fun and I can see the fans really going for it and new players being attracted. I love POPCAP for not trying to do too much with the game engine they have given the fans what they wanted. If you love match 3 then its the next level.
And It made me smile as I actually designed a match 3 game 2 years ago using a very similar twist mechanic.
Well done POP CAP team no need for the Kaching machine this time its success is inevitable.
Monday, October 27, 2008
The Joy of JOYity: Bringing “Massive Multiplayer Trans-Reality” Games To Android Phones
The Joy of JOYity: Bringing “Massive Multiplayer Trans-Reality” Games To Android Phones: "What makes a great Android app? One that melds the virtual world with the real world in a fun or informative way. One app that does that in an impressive fashion is called JOYity and it comes from Zelfi, a German mobile gaming startup. JOYity uses the GPS in the Android phone to let you play games and go on adventures based on your location in the real world.
JOYity is a gaming platform in its own right. When you download the app you can play one of three games (YouCatch, Roads of San Francisco, City Race Munich) or design your own. In Roads of San Francisco, for instance, you have to go around the city picking up clues. When you get to a destination, a text or picture message tells you where to go next. It is a Scavenger Hunt with a story line. You can also design your own Scavenger Hunt games and play them with large groups of people."
Mear morsels - make sure you swallow!
If you want to read any of the full stories Google the text u lazy B's
Disney Pixie Hollow released
Jagex maker of Runescape launches casual website Fun Orb
Zomg gets over 120,000 applications for the Closed Beta
Fuel industries to launch virtual world from their all girl arcade portal
Game Station warns retail is very crowded (OMG really) just go into any store that sells games.
EA shouting about the significance of online. Of course online represents a large opportunity as it allows MASS market access to games (casual games has the greatest potential)
Best Of I-phone FingerGaming is Equilibrio, Villagers, and Topple
Activision confirms DJ hero (it was only a matter of time) soon it will be producer hero, Dead painting Star and "impressionist fever" the game where you can take off the president, your fav sports star and comedian.
Disney Pixie Hollow released
Jagex maker of Runescape launches casual website Fun Orb
Zomg gets over 120,000 applications for the Closed Beta
Fuel industries to launch virtual world from their all girl arcade portal
Game Station warns retail is very crowded (OMG really) just go into any store that sells games.
EA shouting about the significance of online. Of course online represents a large opportunity as it allows MASS market access to games (casual games has the greatest potential)
Best Of I-phone FingerGaming is Equilibrio, Villagers, and Topple
Activision confirms DJ hero (it was only a matter of time) soon it will be producer hero, Dead painting Star and "impressionist fever" the game where you can take off the president, your fav sports star and comedian.
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