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Report: World Video Game Market Poised to Grow to $18.5 Billion in 2003

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 12, 2003 - 6:03am.
London -- The world market for video game and edutainment/reference software will grow to $18.5 billion this year, up from $16.9 billion in 2002, according to a report from market research firm Screen Digest that was commissioned by the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA). Screen Digest predicts that total global video game console sales will reach 32 million this year, up from 30 million in 2002, and leisure software sales will grow from 508 million units in 2002 to 548 million this year. The report cites the U.K. as the largest game market in Europe and the third largest market in the world, after the U.S. and Japan. Total U.K. leisure software sales grew in 2002 to reach $1.7 billion.
tags: Reports | Video Game | Poised |

MTV, Motorola Sign Three-Year, $75 Million Mobile Marketing Pact

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 12, 2003 - 6:03am.
Hanover, Germany -- Cell phone maker Motorola announced on Wednesday a three-year, $75 million marketing alliance with Viacom's MTV cable TV network. The deal will include the pre-loading of MTV content onto Motorola handsets, including ringtones, games and images in markets outside North America. The companies will jointly develop MTV wireless menu interfaces to be included in handset menu navigation areas, containing links to embedded or over-the-air downloadable MTV content on artists, programming segments, music and concert information, and special promotions. MTV will also promote Motorola's MotoMixer technology, which lets users create unique ringtones through mobile and online mixing.
tags: Deals | Mobile | MTV | Motorola |

Video Game Industry Argues Against St. Louis Ban on Sales to Minors

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 12, 2003 - 6:02am.
St. Louis -- Lawyers for a video game industry trade group asked a federal court on Wednesday to overturn a lower court's ruling upholding a St. Louis County ordinance banning the sale of violent video games to minors, Reuters reported. The Interactive Digital Software Association (IDSA) argued before the U.S. Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals that the ordinance is unconstitutional, and that video games are artwork that deserves First Amendment protections. Meanwhile, citing a scientific report saying that children exposed to violent acts such as those in some video games tend to become more violent themselves, Michael Shuman, associate county counsel for St. Louis, argued for the ban to remain intact. The video game industry has already instituted a ratings system that is used to inform parents on the content of games they buy for their children.
tags: Minors | Video Game | Argues | St. Louis |

ABC News Launches 24-Hour Paid Online Video Feed Service

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 12, 2003 - 5:28am.
New York -- ABCNews.com on Wednesday announced the launch of a subscription-based, 24-hour online video news feed service that will offer raw footage of press conferences from the White House and State Department, various speeches and episodes of programs including "Nightline," "20/20" and "World News Tonight." The ABC News Live service will be offered only to subscribers to ABC News on Demand, which costs $4.95 per month, or else will be available through RealNetworks' $9.95 per month RealOne SuperPass subscription package. http://www.abcnews.com
tags: Internet | Video | ABC | Feed Service |

Webcasting Firm Loudeye Announces Resignation of New Chairman, CEO

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 12, 2003 - 5:27am.
Seattle -- Loudeye Technologies, a provider of webcasting and digital audio song sample services, announced on Wednesday the departure of its chairman and CEO, who themselves were just announced as the company's new top executives on Feb. 4.. Leaving are CEO Phil Gioia, a principal with Regent Pacific Management -- a firm Loudye had retained to explore strategic alternatives, with which the company ended business with effective today -- and chairman Chad Waite, a general partner of OVP Venture Partners. The departing executives replaced John Baker, who resigned as chairman and CEO. Seattle-based Loudeye named Jeff Cavins as its new president and CEO, and Anthony Bay, a three-year board member, as its new chairman. Most recently, Cavins served as a senior vice president for Exodus Communications, a managed hosting and interactive Web services company.
tags: Loudeye | CEO | Resignation | Chairman | Webcasting |