forexi.org
Opening Comment 06.04 (source: Daily FX)
News: Super Mario Galaxy 2 shines in Japanese chart
Super Mario Galaxy 2 has entered the Japanese sales chart at number one, outpacing the debut of its immediate predecessor by 90,000 units. With 339,901 units sold in its first week Super Mario Galaxy 2 has become the fastest-selling 3D Super Mario game on any format.
However, the game still trails significantly behind the 2D iterations in the series, with New Super Mario Bros. Wii selling 935,000 units in its first week in Japan. Super Mario Galaxy went on to sell 1 million units in Japan, whereas New Super Mario Bros. Wii is currently on 3.86 million.
Although a busy week for new releases most of the other new titles are unique to the Japanese market, with the latest Super Robot Wars OG Saga tactics game on Nintendo DS entering at number two with 80,764 units sold.
News: Matsuura unveils latest One Big Game
The latest title from Martin de Ronde's One Big Game charity organisation has been announced - WINtA (War Is Not the Answer) - a music rhythm game for the iPad and iPhone platforms.
The game is a collaboration between NanaOn-Sha's Masaya Matsuura and Dutch developer Triangle Studios, and was demonstrated on-stage in a keynote session at this year's NLGD Festival of Games event taking place in Utrecht.
Price points and release dates haven't yet been announced, but a significant amount of sales revenue will go to a selection of children's charities.
News: Bigpoint signs with Universal for The Mummy IP
German browser games specialist Bigpoint has acquired the license to Universal Pictures' The Mummy, with plans for an online MMOG to launch later this year.
The company is currently pursuing licensed content in order to expand its reach outside of Europe, having recently also signed a deal to produce a game based on Battlestar Galactica.
"We are excited to adapt this popular film franchise for the global online games market," said Heiko Hubertz, CEO and founder of Bigpoint. "By leveraging our mastery of browser-based games technology and Universal Pictures popular entertainment property, Bigpoint is quickly becoming one of the leading publishers of licensed games."
Trade Idea: AUD/USD – Stand aside
Despite yesterday’s brief retreat to 0.8365, as the Australian dollar has rebounded, suggesting a test of resistance at 0.8552 is likely, however, break there is needed to bring stronger retracement in 2nd wave b for gain to 0.8600.
Majors Daily Forecast 4 June 2010
Article: Festival of Games 2010 Coverage
Editorial: Feedback Loop
For better or worse, platforms such as the iPhone and Facebook are changing the way we develop, publish and even think about videogames. Despite heavy skepticism only a handful of years ago, most industry executives' eyes now light up when you mention these emerging platforms and new business models.
Not all of them, of course, actually know how to leverage this new potential, and some of the businesses they helm will be dragged under in the coming years by a failure to adapt to the new realities of the market. Capitalism, like evolution, isn't always simply a matter of survival of the fittest; the ability to adapt rapidly to changing circumstances is the true key to long-term success.
In all of the talk about how new platforms are changing the business of games, however, we often lose sight of what may be an even more important issue - the way in which these platforms are actually changing games themselves. Any gamer can tell you that Facebook games are very different beasts from their console counterparts, or that iPhone games are slowly evolving a rule-book of their own which is quite distinct from those of previous titles. What's less immediately apparent is how some of that thinking is feeding back into more traditional gaming platforms, and introducing sweeping changes to how games are developed.