Analyst Note

GREETINGS FROM THE ANALYSTS AT DFC INTELLIGENCE December 2, 2015 SAN DIEGO, CALIF. – For a limited time through December 31st, your firm can lock in some of the biggest discounts on research packages from one of the most respected market research companies in th.....

Microsoft Pulls A Wii U With Xbox One

JUNE 20, 2016 • The biggest E3 surprise of 2016 was clearly Microsoft Corp. announcing a new console system for release in holiday 2017. It was no surprise that Microsoft was working on something like what is now officially known as Project Scorpio. Rumors about such new hardware are always floating in the air and are what drive excitement in the game category. The surprise was that Microsoft ann.....

Sony Confirms Upgraded PlayStaion 4

JUNE 10, 2016 • Sony Interactive Ent. (SIE) president and global chief executive Andrew House has confirmed that a more powerful PlayStation 4 is currently under development. The disclosure came in an interview with the Financial Times. The upgraded PS4 will feature an enhanced graphics capability, support for 4K ultra high definition resoluti.....

New AMD GPU Clears Up Polaris Strategy

JUNE 7, 2016 • Last week at the Computex Taipei show in Taiwan, Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. introduced its first 14nm Polaris GPU, the Radeon RX 480. Arriving at retail on June 29 in $199 4GB and $229 8GB models, the RX 480 is the first salvo in AMD’s “water drop” strategy that seeks to boost market share by selling high performance GPUs in greater numbers at lower prices. The high-performance comparison in this case is to last year’s 28.....

Mad Catz Cuts Harmonix Ties

JUNE 6, 2016 • After realizing less than expected revenue from its Rock Band 4 co-publishing deal with Harmonix Music Systems Inc., Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. has finalized an exit agreement and will clear out remaining Rock Band 4 peripheral inventory by September 9. In a financial conference call, chief executive Karen McGinnis explained that the game sold well when launched last October but consumer demand was significantly lower than expected. To try and bui.....

Xbox One Now $50 Off

JUNE 1, 2016 • Just as it dropped $50 off the price of an Xbox One bundled with selected titles during promotions during the holidays and last March, Microsoft Corp. has done so once again, “for a limited time.” The move puts 500GB Xbox One bundles at $299, with the 1TB models going for $319. Titles in the promotion include: Gears of War: Ultimate Edition Bundle, Name Your Game Bundle, Quantum Break Bundle, Rainbow Six Siege Bundle, Rise of the Tomb .....

Vivendi Controls 50 Percent of Gameloft

MAY 31, 2016 • Vivendi SA now controls more than 50% of mobile game publisher Gameloft SE based on results announced by French regulator AMF that 28.2 million Gameloft shares were tendered to Vivendi’s €8 per share tender offer – equaling 61.7% of share capital and 55.6% of voting rights. Until these results, Vivendi held 29.5% of Gameloft stock, and last week got the support of hedge fund Amber Capital, which owns 14.6%. The hostile takeover began in Febr.....

PlayStation 4 Tops 40 Million Sold

MAY 27, 2016 • As of May 22 the PlayStation 4 sales have reached 40 million units worldwide since November 2013. That total is up from the 35.9 million tally announced last January by Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (SIE), formerly known as Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. For the 2014 fiscal year Sony said 18.8 million P.....