Activision rides accessorisation wave
Activision Blizzard may have the biggest selling game of all time at launch on its hands with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, but the performance of two other key franchises is under scrutiny.
Tony Hawk: Ride, was released today , with a new skateboard accessory. It follows the October 27 launch of DJ Hero, an extension of the Guitar Hero franchise, using model turntables rather than instruments. Continue reading "Activision rides accessorisation wave"
Social gaming hits Xbox and the aquarium
Apologies for our second post of the day on social gaming, but the news just keeps on coming in this hot area for the industry.
In fact, the arrival of Twitter and Facebook on the Xbox today is not social gaming in the strictest sense, and the emergence from stealth mode of social game developer CrowdStar is unlikely to frighten Zynga (newly financed as we reported earlier), but both events are worthy of note. Continue reading "Social gaming hits Xbox and the aquarium"
Zynga raises $15m, continues social gaming momentum
Zynga, the largest social gaming company, has raised an additional $15m in funding, in yet another sign that this nascent industry has quickly become big business in the Valley.
The San Francisco company, which operates games on Facebook, MySpace, and Apple devices, has attracted nearly 200m monthly users to its games. Continue reading "Zynga raises $15m, continues social gaming momentum"
Linden Lab’s work-Second Life balance
The Second Life virtual world has suffered the reality of company firewalls in its attempts to break into the corporate world.
But not for much longer. Second Life Enterprise, announced on Wednesday, is a version of the virtual world for business, packaged as an appliance that can be plugged easily into a corporate network.
This behind-the-firewall product should give a second enterprise life to Second Life, satisfying the reservations of businesses who feel the consumer-driven open world does not have enough security, controls and content for their needs. Continue reading "Linden Lab’s work-Second Life balance"
Nvidia cloud graphics offer reality check
Nvidia today launched a “GPU computing in the cloud” service that will allow designers to manipulate and check photo-realistic environments in a fraction of the normal time it takes on a PC workstation.
The graphics chipmaker is combining “iray” rendering technology, from its mental images acquisition, with its high-end Tesla chips in a new RealityServer platform. It expects cloud computing providers to offer services based on the platform to designers of cars, aircraft, clothes, homes and office buildings. Continue reading "Nvidia cloud graphics offer reality check"
Beatles beat Guitar Hero, PS3 finally hits No 1
The Beatles: Rock Band outsold Guitar Hero 5 in September in the US, while Sony’s PS3 console beat its rivals’ sales figures for the first time, according to the latest figures from the NPD research firm.
The “Battle of the Bands” was a key focus as the two titles were released at the same time, but both were outsold by the latest release in the Halo franchise - Halo 3: ODST - and Madden NFL 10. Continue reading "Beatles beat Guitar Hero, PS3 finally hits No 1"
EA takes the money and runs with iPhone 3.0
A battle of the bands is coming to the iPhone. No sign of Guitar Hero yet, but Electronic Arts showed off Rock Band for the iPhone and iPod touch this week at the CTIA show in San Diego.
That will put it in competition with the hugely successful Tap Tap Revenge from Tapulous, a similar rhythm game that has brought out special editions for musicians such as Coldplay, Lady Gaga and Nine Inch Nails. Continue reading "EA takes the money and runs with iPhone 3.0"
Wii sales get price-cut boost - Nintendo chief
Nintendo’s US chief says the $50 price cut for the Wii has given the console a significant sales lift.
Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo president in the US, told the FT in an interview that the price reduction was part of a strategy to boost holiday season sales, coupling it with Sunday’s launch of its Wii Fit Plus title. Continue reading "Wii sales get price-cut boost - Nintendo chief"
PSPgo faces iPhone, Android, Windows rivals
Sony’s launch of the PSPgo and its Minis store today will inevitably invoke comparisons with Apple’s iPod touch and the App Store.
But Sony and Nintendo’s handheld consoles will also be competing with forthcoming Android-based smartphones, where the next version of the Google OS will focus on improving 3D gaming performance, as well as from new Windows Mobile devices.
Leading iPhone game publisher Gameloft has 11 titles ready for the launch next week of Skymarket, the Windows Mobile “App Store”. An interview after the jump with Gonzague de Vallois, Gameloft’s head of publishing, on the challenge facing Sony and Nintendo. Continue reading "PSPgo faces iPhone, Android, Windows rivals"
AT&T, next-gen developers move to OnLive
The major video game publishers have switched development of next-generation games from consoles to the OnLive platform of internet-based gaming, according to the service’s founder.
Steve Perlman, (pictured) OnLive chief executive, said his service was also gaining considerable attention from investors, as he announced a major funding round led by AT&T Media Holdings. Continue reading "AT&T, next-gen developers move to OnLive"
David Gelles, Joseph Menn, Chris Nuttall and Richard Waters in the FT's San Francisco bureau upload their views - plus tech insights from writers in New York, London and Tokyo
FT Techblog's comments
Richard Waters has headed the FT's San Francisco bureau since 2002 and covers Google and Microsoft, among other things. A former New York bureau chief for the FT, he is intrigued by Silicon Valley's unique financial and business culture, and is looking forward to covering his second Tech Bust.
Chris Nuttall has been online and messing around with computers for more than 20 years and since 2004 has reported from the FT's San Francisco bureau on semiconductors, video games, consumer electronics and all things interwebby.
David Gelles, a California native, has been hanging around and reporting on Silicon Valley for several years. He joined the FT's San Francisco bureau in 2008 and writes about social networking, clean tech and artificial intelligence.
Maija Palmer has been writing about technology for the FT since 1999 and is facinated by cybercrime, privacy and all the other issues of the information society. Based in London, she covers European tech companies and hopes that they won't all get acquired by American rivals.
Joseph Menn writes about tech security and privacy, digital media, and the computer industry from the San Francisco bureau. He spent a decade covering tech for the Los Angeles Times and therefore remembers the days when pre-revenue dot-coms handed out free bottles of champagne at their launch parties.
Robin Harding is the FT's technology correspondent in Tokyo, following the fortunes of Japan's videogame, semiconductor and consumer electronics companies. Before that, he was an FT editorial writer in London, having previously worked for various banks and asset managers.
Robin Kwong is the FT's Taipei correspondent and writes about the companies that manufacture the vast majority of the world's computers and gadgets. He is interested in the intricacies of the technology supply chain and how China is increasingly changing the tech landscape.
Tim Bradshaw is the FT's digital media correspondent. Based in London, he has covered start-ups such as Twitter and Spotify, as well as the online ambitions of more established media companies, such as the BBC iPlayer. He also covers the advertising, marketing and video-game industries. Tim has been writing about technology, business and finance since 2003.
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