Gamers

DirecTV to Launch International Championship Gaming Series

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 9, 2007 - 10:32am.

Las Vegas - Satellite TV provider DirecTV on Tuesday announced plans to launch the Championship Gaming Series (CGS), an international video gaming league that will broadcast to over 100 million homes beginning in the spring of 2007.

Major League Gaming Inks New Deals With Pro Gamers

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on December 18, 2006 - 1:35pm.

New York - Major League Gaming, a professional video game league, said on Monday that it has signed a $1 million contract with Team Carbon, which recently won the league's national four-man "Halo 2" title. The company also signed $25,000 deals with three members of Team Str8 Rippin; MLG signed the team's captain to a similar deal in June.

Nintendo Cautions Safety With Wii Remote After Broken TV Reports

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on December 7, 2006 - 3:48pm.

San Francisco - Nintendo has cautioned owners of its new Wii video game console to keep their hands dry and a tight grip on the device's motion-sensing controller, after reports that some have lost grip and damaged nearby televisions and other objects when the controller went flying, Reuters reported.

State of the Industry: Video Games

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 10, 2006 - 12:45pm.

[Coverage from the 2006 LA Games Conference]
Three analysts present key research at Digital Media Wire's LA Games Conference
Online Console Games

John Broady, CNET Networks' director of business intelligence, looked at trends in the online console gaming market, which is set to kick off in earnest this month, as for the first time, the market offers three consoles that can connect to broadband and a multitude of online features.

[NOTE: To download and view Broady's PowerPoint presentation click here.]

Nielsen Recalls Game Report; Will Evaluate "Active Gamer" Definition

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 8, 2006 - 1:36pm.

Los Angeles - Ratings firm Nielsen Entertainment announced on Wednesday that it is reevaluating a custom research study on "active video gamers" its Nielsen Interactive division released last month, adding that its market-size data and definition of "active gamer" are under review.

Report: 56% of 117 Million U.S. Active Gamers Play Online; 64% are Women

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 5, 2006 - 3:34pm.

Los Angeles - A new report estimates that there are 117 million active games (defined as those who play upwards of five hours per week) in the U.S., more than half of whom (56%) play online games. Of all online gamers, the report from Nielsen Entertainment found that 64% are women. While teenagers still comprise the largest share of online gamers (40%), Nielsen found that 8%, or nearly 15 million active gamers, are 45 or older.

Study: 35% of U.S. Parents Are Gamers; Majority Object to Govt. Restrictions

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 26, 2006 - 8:54am.

Washington - Thirty-five percent of American parents say they play computer and video games, according to a national survey conducted by Peter D. Hart Research Associates on behalf of the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), a video game industry trade group. Of these gamer parents, 80% said they play video games with their kids, and 66% said they feel playing games has brought their families closer together. The study found that 36% of gamer parents introduced their children to games, while 23% began playing after their children did; the typical gamer parent is 37 years old. The survey also found that 85% of voting parents (both gamers and non-gamers) said that parents -- as opposed to government, retailers or game publishers -- should take the most responsibility in monitoring the games their kids play. Sixty percent said the government should not regulate game sales to protect minors from violent or sexual content. "This research suggests that proposals to regulate video games may backfire with American voters who, unlike some elected officials, appear to fully understand that they should control the entertainment that comes into their homes," said ESA president Doug Lowenstein.

Report: Console and Handheld Online Gamers to Number 30 Million by 2009

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 3, 2006 - 8:10am.

Scottsdale, Ariz. - Video game consoles and handheld game devices are greatly expanding the market for online gaming, according to a report from market research firm In-Stat. Gamers who play online via their Microsoft Xbox, Nintendo DS or other console numbered 3.4 million in 2004, and are expected to reach 30 million by 2009. In-Stat predicts Microsoft's Xbox Live online game service will see just under 50% annual subscriber growth between 2004 and 2009. For its part, Nintendo has eschewed online gaming for its GameCube, but has launched a network of Wi-Fi hotspots worldwide in connection with its free online game service for the Nintendo DS handheld. Meanwhile, Sony, which currently offers free online play through the PlayStation 2, is expected to have a big impact on subscriber growth and revenues over the next few years with the release of the PlayStation 3; it's unclear whether Sony will continue to offer online gaming for free with the new console, or try to generate revenue with a subscription service.

Yahoo Sues Xfire Over Patent on Gamer Chat Application

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on February 7, 2005 - 3:08am.

Sunnyvale, Calif. -- Web portal Yahoo has sued video game technology developer Xfire for patent infringement of technology that allows gamers to instant message one another and connect for online gameplay, GameSpot.com reported. The patent for Yahoo's GameProwler application was granted to Yahoo employees Brian Gottlieb and Chris Kirmse in March 2004; Kirmse now serves as Xfire's vice president of engineering. Menlo Park, Calif.-based Xfire says it now counts 1 million registered users for its gamer chat application, for which it is also currently seeking a patent. Yahoo is seeking an injunction against the distribution of Xfire's product, as well as unspecified damages.

tags: Yahoo | Xfire | Gamers | Chat Application |

Intel Pentium 4 Chip Targets High-End Gamers

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 3, 2003 - 8:49am.

Santa Clara, Calif. -- Chipmaker Intel on Monday announced the release of its Pentium 4 processor, which the company says is geared for high-end gamers. Intel said the new chip sports faster frame rates and higher-level detail rendering to enhance PC gaming. "Designed with the gaming and enthusiast communities in mind, the new Intel Pentium 4 processor Extreme Edition supporting HT Technology unleashes the performance needed to conquer the most demanding games and applications," said Bill Siu, vice president and general manager of Intel's desktop platforms group. "We have added an on-die two-megabyte Level 3 cache, which delivers a more realistic gaming experience when combined with Intel HT Technology."

tags: Intel | Gamers | High-End | Pentium 4 |

Activision Title to Let Gamers Run Their Own Hollywood Movie Studio

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 4, 2003 - 1:52am.

Santa Monica, Calif.) Game developer Activision announced on Tuesday that it has signed an agreement with U.K.-based game designer Peter Molyneux for the worldwide rights to his current project, tentatively titled "The Movies." Currently in development at Molyneux's Lionhead Studios, "The Movies" will give players the chance to run their own Hollywood movie studio from the silent days of the 1920s, through the advent of new technologies into the present and beyond. Players will "select scripts, directors, sets and movie stars before shooting the action and watching their finished movie on opening night." The game will be released for PC and all major console platforms in 2004. http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/030304/latu056_1.html

tags: Movies | Activision | Hollywood | Gamers |