Retailer Target Releases Mobile Games

FEB. 28, 2014 • Through the end of this year Target Corp. plans on releasing six free-to-play mobile game titles. The content is fun and accessible, strictly promotional in design, and available for only a limited time. The retailer has released its first two titles this year in partnership with brand partners. Snack Bowl was launched in January to coincide with the Super Bowl. Players earn points by keeping their friends well fed with snacks. Brands participati.....

Dota 2 Officially Launches

DEC. 18, 2013 • Access to Dota 2 is now open to all players. Last July Valve ended the Dota 2 beta and officially launched the game – sort of. The virtual gates to the game servers were not thrown wide open. Instead, Valve launched with a gatekeeping system. Players had to register on a Launch Queue from which Valve would approve batches of registrants to access Dota 2. The reasons given were to better evaluate server capacity, add players into the game in a m.....

Wal-Mart’s Gadgets to Gift Cards

AUG. 19, 2013 • Wal-Mart has put into place a new wide-ranging electronic device buy back program called Gadgets to Gift Cards. The categories of electronics hardware included are numerous – everything from smartphones, MP3 players, game consoles, computers, car stereos and cameras are included. The retailer is also making payments to consumers very swiftly. After a customer enters the type and condition of their device online and agrees to the price to be pa.....

Sega Digital Games Drive Growth

AUG. 1, 2013 • Digitally delivered games are accounting for a larger portion of revenue at Sega Sammy Holdings Inc. For the first quarter ending June 30, the Sega digital games segment grew 60.8% to ¥8.2 billion ($82 million) compared to the same period last year. What’s more, Sega brought in more in digital sales than its packaged titles, which accounted for ¥7.6 billion ($76 million). Leading the upswing in digital games was Phantasy Star Online 2 that.....

GAME’s Xbox Concept Store

JULY 22, 2013 • At the end of June research firm GfK Chart-Track reported that the Xbox 360 had overtaken the Nintendo Wii as the United Kingdom’s best selling console at 8.4 million units. Now retailer GAME has opened an exclusive Xbox concept store in the Shoreditch district of London. The location is close to the area called Silicon Roundabout where many new digital creative businesses have set up shop. Both GAME and Microsoft describe the endeavor as a.....

Xbox Live Real Money Beta Worries

JULY 10, 2013 • Microsoft Corp.’s beta test in the United Kingdom of the new real money transaction system for Xbox Live is raising some consumer alarms. Users in the test are reporting that games converted from Microsoft Points to real money are costing more.  The point values are being converted into pounds in real time  however, the conversion ends up costing consumers more for the same points value than was charged previously. For example, a game tha.....