Cut Warhammer Content to Return

SEPT. 18, 2008 • Some of the substantial content that was cut from Warhammer Online to smooth progress to a fall release date will return later in the form of free updates from EA’s Mythic Entertainment. There were consumer worries that the deleted content would be added only as a paid expansion.  The substantial cuts.....

Music Games Good For Labels

SEPT. 16, 2008 • In an indirect response to music industry complaints that it doesn’t receive enough compensation from popular games such as Guitar Hero, Activision Blizzard presented Universal Music Group president Zach Horowitz to an analyst meeting. Horowitz said music tracks used in Guitar Hero saw a two or threefold in sales. As example, My Name is Jonas from Weezer’s 1994 album, saw a sales increase 10 times after it appeared in Guitar Hero III. .....

EA Cancels Take-Two Talks

SEPT. 14, 2008 • With the fall selling season fast approaching, Electronic Arts announced that it was breaking off takeover talks with Take-Two after careful consideration of the latter’s management presentation and due-diligence materials. Impact: The soap opera appears to final.....

Capcom Looking Outside Japan

SEPT. 12, 2008 • In a shareholder financial report, Capcom chief executive Kenzo Tsujimoto outlined goals of expanding the publisher’s business in global markets. To that end, Tsujimoto said Capcom would not be entertaining acquisitions or mergers in Japan, yet would be aggressively pursue acquisitions and partnerships worldwide. As of March 2008, the company said 53 percent of its game sales came from Japan, with North America accounting for 28 percent, and Europe 19 percent. Driving.....

Blizzard Buys FreeStyleGames

SEPT. 12, 2008 • To bolster its music-themed product, Activision Blizzard acquires U.K.-based FreeStyleGames. The latter is already localizing downloadable content for the Guitar Hero franchise, and is creating a new unannounced title in the music game genre. Impact: Th.....

Jack Loses Distribution

SEPT. 9, 2008 • Take-Two Interactive announced it would immediately outsource its Jack of All Games distribution through Ditan Distribution LLC. Ditan takes on warehousing and shipping functions from Jack of All Games, with the latter now focused upon purchasing sales and service. Impact: The.....

Ensemble Studios To Be Shuttered

SEPT. 9, 2008 • Age of Empires creator Ensemble Studios will be shuttered after completing Halo Wars. The studio was acquired by Microsoft Game Studios in 2001. Microsoft said the decision was a fiscally-based to drive profits, with no bearing on the quality of Ensemble’s work. Ensemble principals were said to be moving on to create a new studio, and had agreed to provide ongoing support for Halo Wars. Last year, Microsoft shut down FASA, and supported a split with Bungie Studios......

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