German online publisher Bigpoint is growing significantly in an expanding market, striking big-name deals with SyFy, Universal and Playboy, and at the same time making itself more attractive to independent developers through its self-publishing operation DevLounge.

Industry.biz recently sat down with CEO Heiko Hubertz to catch up with the company and to find out how it can protecting its interests in the web space, why it’s approaching console developers for acquisition, and where it sees further growth in the next two years.

<a href="http://www.industry.biz/articles/2010-09-01-bigpoint-s-heiko-hubertz-interview”>
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While social game companies are over-valued, online publisher Bigpoint is eyeing traditional console makers for acquisition as they represent better value and are struggling in their own market.

Speaking to Industry.biz today, CEO Heiko Hubertz said that deals like Disney’s $763 million buyout of Playdom are “crazy” and he doesn’t expect valuations to drop to realistic levels for at least another year.

“There are many companies that have paid crazy valuations, just look at the Disney and Playdom acquisition, that was a crazy valuation from my point of view,” said Hubertz.

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German AI middleware developer Xaitment has secured €2.4 million (£1.98 m) in investment funding, largely from the Triangle Venture Capital Group, with co-investment from ERP Startfonds.

The company, which produces out-of-the-box AI solutions to game developers, will use the money to continue its business expansion, as well as improving the five development tools which it currently offers to market.

“AI middleware is an exciting topic of discussion in game development circles and has the most potential for growth. Xaitment’s AI solutions bring the time and cost saving percentages that game developers need in this extremely competitive field of gaming,” said Xaitment CEO Andreas Gerber.

<a href="http://www.industry.biz/articles/2010-08-31-xaitment-secures-extra-development-funding”>
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Game Connection Europe 2010 has been confirmed as taking place in Lyon on 16 to 18 November. In addition, four brand new events have been confirmed for the conference.

Firstly, there’s Game Connection Selected Projects. This event is focused on rewarding exciting innovations and exhibitions of skill within the industry, giving twenty carefully chosen companies the chance to show off their talents to Game Connection attendees. Applications for Selected Projects are online now.

A second event, Game Connection Invest, is similar, but will allow more established companies the chance to pitch to investors for funding. Applications for companies looking for investment are open until 5 October.

<a href="http://www.industry.biz/articles/2010-08-31-game-connection-europe-returns-in-lyon”>
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SPIL has announced that it has launched mobile versions of its network of websites with the implementation of HTML5 – a new open standard with CEO Peter Driessen expects to be “very popular” for anybody wanting to play its on the move.

“We of course don’t have a crystal ball, but we can say we think this will be very popular with gamers,” he told Industry.biz. “First of all we know people are using their mobile phones for more than just email and calling – they want to use them for gaming as well.

“Already we’ve seen close to 1 million people try to access our sites from a mobile device, so now that we have these sites up and running we expect it to be very popular.”

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Recent Disney acquisition Playdom is to release four titles in Russia, Eastern Europe and CIS territories, following a partnership with publisher i-Jet Media.

Few Western social gaming developers have explored Russia and its neighbours as yet, in part because Facebook boasts just one million users there.

By contrast, local social network Vkontakte enjoys around 75 million users.

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Technology firm AMD has announced it is to retire the venerable ATI brand from its range of gaming graphics cards and chips.

AMD acquired ATI, which created a best-selling range of PC and Mac 3D cards as well as providing the graphics processing for the Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii, in 2006.

The 25 year old company will no longer be identified on AMD’s graphics cards as of the 6000 series Radeon boards, due later this year.

<a href="http://www.industry.biz/articles/2010-08-31-amd-to-kill-off-ati-name”>
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Mafia II has topped the UK all-format charts on its week of release, despite seeing review scores which ranged from 94 to 40 per cent.

2K’s open world mob story shot straight in at number one, according to the figures released by Chart-Track, knocking last week’s first place game, Kane & Lynch 2, down into second place.

Despite this initial sales success, outspoken analyst Michael Pachter had earlier claimed that Mafia II is “unlikely to achieve profitability” because of its half-decade development time.

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We’ve PAXed our bags, called a PAXidriver, and we’re ready to down several six-PAX of boozey drinks! So… what we’re trying to say is… WE’RE GOING TO PAX THIS WEEKEND. And know what we want to do the most? Meet YOU, of course, both at our panel, and during a live, boozey recording of our stupid podcast, <a href="http://www.radar.com/f/talk-radar-compendinarium/a-2008102193948574019″>TalkRadar. So if you plan to be at gaming’s foremost celebratory celebration, then cure our crippling loneliness and come hang out with us…

Details inside! …