Sep 2
UK studio Blitz has confirmed it will build “full motion control functionality” into its BlitzTech middleware engine.
The SDK now includes features designed to work with both Microsoft’s Kinect and Sony’ s Move.
The new tech was created over the last year, for forthcoming Blitz titles Yoostar2 and The Biggest Loser: Ultimate Workout.
<a href="http://www.industry.biz/articles/2010-09-02-blitz-middleware-to-include-kinect-and-move-support”>
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Sep 2
Sony has confirmed that Qriocity, a new cloud-based, subscription model music and video streaming service, will be launching on a several hardware devices later this year in Europe.
Video on demand via Qriocity has been available in the US since April, but this year will see the launch of new music streaming service Music Unlimited.
The service has been announced for PS3s, Bravia televisions, Blu-ray systems and VAIO computers at launch, but will be coming to more Sony hardware in future.
<a href="http://www.industry.biz/articles/2010-09-02-cloud-based-streaming-service-coming-to-european-sony-devices”>
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Sep 2
Micropayment firm ATLAS Interactive has appointed a new Chief Operations Officer.
Andreas Pritzlaff has been promoted after two years working in Mobile Solutions at the German firm, and will now head up business operations including product management, purchasing, business development and customer care.
Said Marco Priewe, Managing Director of ATLAS, “Mr. Pritzlaff has in the past two years contributed significantly to the development of Mobile Solutions and has several years of experience in the telecommunications industry. I am pleased that our management team consisting of Andreas Syska-Funk and I could expand further with Mr. Pritzlaff, an important member.”
<a href="http://www.industry.biz/articles/2010-09-01-new-coo-for-atlas-interactive”>
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Sep 2
Activision Blizzard’s parent company, French media conglomerate Vivendi, has today increased its profit predictions for 2010 – despite recording a dip in second-quarter profits of 3.7 per cent to 669 million (£552.6m) from 695 million (£574m) last year.
Vivendi did not hesitate to point out that the increase in predicted profits was due to an unexpectedly good performance from Activision Blizzard’s properties, in which it owns a 52 per cent controlling stake. The drop in second quarter profits was ascribed to fewer music releases from Vivendi’s major artists such as Eminem and Lady Gaga.
Last month, the company’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 became the UK’s best selling game of all time.
<a href="http://www.industry.biz/articles/2010-09-01-vivendi-buoyant-on-2010-profit-projections”>
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Sep 2
Electronic Arts has accused Edge ‘ notoriously litigious boss Tim Langdell of “fraudulent misrepresentations”, as it battles against his claim that EA title Mirror’s Edge infringes his trademark of the word ‘edge.’
The publisher has filed a counter-suit against Langdell, claiming his failure to release any involving the contested trademark for some years constitutes deception of the US patent office.
EA is demanding that Langdell’s trademarks are wiped out something that a number of smaller developers who have suffered the former IGDA board member’s threatened legal wrath would no doubt welcome.
<a href="http://www.industry.biz/articles/2010-09-01-ea-files-counter-claim-against-fraudulent-tim-langdell”>
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Sep 2
An open source alternative to the PSJailbreak hack called PSGroove has been made available this morning, with the features intended for piracy removed.
The homebrew code must be downloaded to a AT90USB or variant before being installed, part of a USB development kit available for as little as £25.
In addition, the new hack doesn’t feature the code in the commercial variant which causes a PlayStation 3 to lock up if the dongle is removed once the hack is installed.
<a href="http://www.industry.biz/articles/2010-09-01-homebrew-alternative-playstation-3-hack-released”>
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Sep 2
Mobile publisher Gameloft has announced its financial results for the first half of its fiscal year to June 30, 2010, noting an 11 per cent increase in overall sales compared to the same time frame last year to 66.6 million.
Those results helped the company achieve a 5.3 million profit, more than doubling last year’s total of 2.2 million – and the publisher expects the continued sales of smartphones to help it sustain that growth.
One of the main reasons for the improvement was an 82 per cent growth in revenue from Apple’s App Store, while the company also cited “efficient cost control” as a contributing factor.
<a href="http://www.industry.biz/articles/2010-09-01-gameloft-revenues-up-11-percent-on-strong-app-store-showing”>
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Sep 2
Xbox’s Larry Hryb (aka Major Nelson) has confirmed rumours of a new model of Xbox 360 controller, citing the main improvement as a new D-pad which transforms from a directional controller to a single button when rotated 90 degrees.
The post on Hryb’s blog details all of the new features of the controller, including a matte grey finish and all grey buttons.
The new dual-function D-pad is believed to be a response to a long-standing user issue with accuracy, especially in the light of which require precise directional control from the D-pad, such as Street Fighter IV.
<a href="http://www.industry.biz/articles/2010-09-01-new-xbox-360-controller-model-confirmed”>
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Sep 2
Electronic Arts has revealed that its internal estimates make this year’s edition of Madden NFL the best-selling game for August in the US, across all platforms.
The publisher announced that sales of the game were up 5 per cent year-on-year, with the release of the Ultimate Team mode at launch propelling digital revenue up by 200 per cent.
“Madden NFL 11 is the number one selling game in August, and the game has created enormous enthusiasm in the online community,” said Peter Moore, president of EA Sports. “Each day on consoles, fans are playing as many online as the equivalent of 750 full NFL seasons.”
<a href="http://www.industry.biz/articles/2010-09-01-ea-reports-madden-sales-improvement”>
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Sep 2
Beleaguered firm Interplay is to step back into the publishing business. It yesterday announced its new Discovery program, intended to offer “great new at great new prices” from small developers worldwide.
Interplay shut down active business in 2004, but was kept alive as a corporate entity solely as a result of selling the Fallout license to Bethesda in 2007.
However, it retained rights to publish its own Fallout MMO were certain funding and deadline conditions met. In January this year, the publisher confirmed Masthead Studios is working on the MMO, codenamed Project V13 but it must release it in 2011 or the rights default to the Bethesda.
<a href="http://www.industry.biz/articles/2010-09-01-interplay-returns-to-publishing”>
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