Video Game bigger than Major Movie

If you think Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has had a major impact on just the video game industry, you may need to adjust your expectations.

According to Activision Blizzard, the game's publisher, Modern Warfare 2 has set records across the entire entertainment industry.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is the "biggest entertainment launch in history," Activision said in a statement. In its first five days of availability, the game set a worldwide record with about $550 million in sales, according to internal Activision figures. It's impressive. But more impressive is the list of launches that it beat out.

In the first five days of availability, Modern Warfare 2 has eclipsed the largest worldwide box-office opening, held by "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," which tallied $394 million over its first five days. It also beat "The Dark Knight," which holds the U.S. box-office record with $203.8 million in first five-day sales. The game also narrowly trumped Grand Theft Auto IV, which captured $500 million in sales in its first five days of availability. The game's success also translated to major numbers on Xbox Live. Activision reported that "more than 5.2 million multiplayer hours were logged playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 on the first day alone." On November 10, 2.2 million unique gamers played on Xbox Live, setting a new one-day record for the online-gaming platform.

Haynes Iphone App

Haynes, publisher of the famous Haynes Owners Workshop Manuals for cars and motorcycles, and leading publisher of general practical books has released the first Haynes iPhone App under a licensing agreement with technology company, Gourmet Pixel.

The Haynes App will be as intuitive and simple to use as the classic Haynes repair manual, featuring step-by-step guides with images and text, 30 easy-to-access automotive categories and an overview to learn the basics of how a car works and operates. It will also include videos so users can watch exactly how each task is completed by a Haynes engineer.

In addition there will be a ‘My Garage’ section to help with all those annoying tasks, including: service reminders, MOT, Insurance and tax renewal dates. The Haynes App will also include the ultimate ‘To Do List’, so the user can easily prioritise jobs. From weekly checks, to winter driving, the Haynes App will be full of comprehensive Haynes information and more topics will be added in the future.

Under the Agreement, Gourmet Pixel will work closely with Haynes to exploit various opportunities for the full range of Haynes content, both Gourmet Pixel and Haynes will be looking for significant sales on this evolving platform.

Playing Games Is Healthy

Encouraging children to use interactive computer games such as the Nintendo Wii will become part of a public health drive to tackle rising rates of obesity in the young.
In a pilot project in the East Midlands, gaming systems were given to overweight children to encourage them to take more exercise. Highlighting the scheme in his annual report, Sir Liam Donaldson, the Chief Medical Officer, said that video gaming was a key cause of obesity in children and young adults. He said that stopping children playing video games was impractical, so researchers and public health strategists were looking at ways to use them to improve health instead.
Researchers found that playing dynamic, interactive games instead of sedentary ones could increase the number of calories burnt by 42 per cent. If children engaged in active play for 60 minutes a day over a year, they would burn approximately 7½lb of body fat.
The research group includes representatives from GameCity, a street-level programme of activity that celebrates video games and interactive entertainment, Nottingham Trent University, the Department of Health, and clinicians from Nottingham University Hospital.
The first study of 15 children – 14 boys and one girl – showed that the heart rate could be raised and sustained at moderate to vigorous intensities during active game play.
Researchers concluded that highly interactive games could be a way for children to do the recommended amount of physical activity at home. The minimum amount is at least half an hour of vigorous exercise three times a week.
The second phase of the study is using gaming systems as an intervention strategy to encourage physical activity. Gaming consoles are being provided to 20 members of a support group for overweight and obese children. The researchers said that with many of the children finding it difficult to exercise because of their weight, games that could be played in the safety of the child’s own home offered a possible solution.
Like many regions of Britain, obesity has risen sharply in the East Midlands, particularly among boys. The proportion of boys who are obese increased from 0.9 per cent in 1995 to 17.3 per cent in 2006, while in girls it rose from 12 per cent to 14.7 per cent in the same period.
Sir Liam said that the second phase of the study was expected to be completed in the next few months.
“The findings will be used to develop a strategy to encourage behavioural change in children and promote involvement in physical activity,” he added.
Times Online Mar 09

More than half of parents view video games as a ‘great social experience’, says survey

Almost two-thirds of parents believe video games provide a great social experience, while more than half think gaming helps to bring their family together, according to a new study from Microsoft. Eighty per cent of the parents it surveyed said that video games were a vital component in a “balanced blend” of modern and traditional home entertainment.
Microsoft’s survey, which questioned over 2,500 parents in the UK, France, Germany, Italy and the United States, along with 1,000 British children, gauged attitudes on a host of issues surrounding video games. It’s the second consecutive year that Microsoft, which makes the Xbox 360 games console, has commissioned the study.
The research revealed that 81 per cent of British children play video games at least once a week, with more than three-quarters playing against other gamers online. One third of parents admitted to knowing little about who their child was playing against online, and 42 per cent expressed concern that online gaming was pitting their child against older gamers. However, only five per cent of children surveyed said they had encountered a worrying or frightening experience while playing online.
Microsoft’s Play Smart, Play Safe study found that in the last 12 months, parents had become more aware of the parental safety controls built in to modern video games consoles to restrict access to specific content and age rated games. Seventy-three per cent of parents said they know of the controls, up from 60 per cent last year. TELEGRAPH MAR 09

US videogames market 2008

NPD Group analyst Anita Frazier, 2009 DICE Summit: As of 2008, 58 percent of the U.S. population aged 13 and over plays video games. "Amongst every dollar spent on entertainment, video games have the most share," said Frazier, and this translates to 27 percent of each entertainment dollar spent in 2008.One area which NPD has been having trouble with is digital downloads, but they did reveal some information. "PC game sales at retail have declined by over 50 percent in the last seven years," she said, but NPD does track subscriptions, which showed them that PC gaming is at least twice what retail shows.Though Frazier reminded us that this was a very rough estimate, NPD guesses that the total content picture for the game industry, including PC and console, might include non-retail sales of $2.3 billion overall, and retail sales of $11.7 billion."Online gaming has increased two percentage points from last year," she added, and within the console space, she revealed that of "the top three systems used for online play, it’s the Xbox 360, followed by the Wii, followed by the PS3. Last year, the PS2 was in the second spot."As a point of triumph for the industry, Frazier revealed new data that just arrived in her inbox last night. "The number of people gaming this year has increased to 61 percent [of the U.S. population]," she said. "The industry has gained an additional six million gamers over the last year.""About half of unit sales are for kids 17 and under," she added. "The retail market is very dominated by young people." The audience is 72 percent male, but women control "about half the spending in video games," says Frazier, reminding us that casual and more family-oriented games are spurring industry growth.

Gamasutra Feb 09

Vidgame software sales see double-digit spike in 2008

While taking a slide in Japan, US and UK video game sales are up according to the latest data released in the Top Global Markets integrated monthly report derived from The NPD Group, GfK Chart-Track Limited and Enterbrain POS data. The three market research firms have combined their vidgame software unit sales data for the world's three largest gaming markets. The resulting report shows unit sales across the three regions were up by 11% in 2008, totaling 409.9 million units. The overall number, however, doesn't reflect the fact that unit sales were up by 15% and 26% in the US and the UK, respectively, while Japanese sales were down by 13%, largely as a result of the decline in portable and console software sales in the country. The PS2 software market in Japan saw a 46% decrease in unit sales in 2008 - even sales for the popular Nintendo DS were down, though new-gen consoles (PS3, Wii and Xbox 360) saw positive year-over-year growth. Meanwhile, the UK experienced the largest aggregate and category growth, with console software sales enjoying a 38% increase and portable software sales increasing by 6%. State-side, console software sales spiked 22% with portable software sales moving up by 2%. Kid games are also topping the charts, as the report found that three of Nintendo's family-friendly titles in 2008, Mario Kart Wii, Wii Fit and Super Smash Bros: Brawl were in the top five games of 2008. KIDSCREEN FEB 09

Games will 'eclipse' other media

Video games are poised to "eclipse" all other forms of entertainment, according to games studio boss Mike Griffith. The Activision chief made the bold call during a keynote speech at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. He said video games were prospering as interest in almost every other category of entertainment declines. Mr Griffith said social gaming, more interactivity and better technology would help gaming dominate the entertainment landscape in future. He said: "Movies, recorded music and TV - these are all stagnating or contracting entertainment sectors." He quoted US market statistics which showed that between 2003 and 2007 sales of movie tickets fell by 6%; the number of hours of TV watched dropped by 6%, sales of recorded music slumped 12% and purchases of DVDs remained flat. Over the same four-year period, said Mr Griffith, the video game industry grew by 40%. "Video games are poised to eclipse all other forms of entertainment in the decade ahead," he said. The success of Guitar Hero, said Mr Griffith, showed how influential gaming had become on many other entertainment sectors. He quoted Nielsen SoundScan data which showed that artists whose music featured on Guitar HEro had seen a rise in download sales of 15-843%. The game had proved so popular that some bands, such as Metallica and Aerosmith, were bringing out a version of the game that only features their music. "Music has a history of evolving through technology and we are at the beginning of the latest chapter in that story," he said. Technology, community and interactivity were the three factors that would help the video game industry become the driving force in entertainment, said Mr Griffith. The powerful processors in consoles such as the PS3 and Xbox 360 meant that games were getting ever more realistic and immersive, he said. "Games are no longer pre-set trips through linear mazes," said Mr Griffith. "They are becoming a legitimate story-telling medium that rivals feature films." He cited the video game of the latest James Bond film Quantum of Solace (QoS) as an example of how games were taking over. "The moviegoer is passive whereas the gamer is active and part of the game itself," he said, adding that anyone who played QoS would spend more than 50 hours in the company of James Bond compared to only 106 minutes if they watched the movie. The communities growing up around titles such as Guitar Hero World Tour also showed how entertainment was changing, he said. Owners of the game had created 141,000 tracks of their own using its in-built mixing studio and uploaded them to the Guitar Hero community site, which now has more than 600,000 members, he said.
More interactive controllers such as the guitars and drums in Guitar Hero and the Wiimote on Nintendo's gaming console were also helping encourage more people to take up gaming, said Mr Griffiths. "Those new controllers are encouraging new ways to become more socially active in gaming," he said. "They are bringing in a whole new group of consumers that have never before been involved in gaming." He concluded: "The one thing that is for sure is entertainment is changed forever with gaming." BBC JAN 09

Game industry finally notices girls

Design & baby-sitting video games target a growing market
Stereotypes aside, the booming video game industry is becoming less male-oriented. With the release of Nintendo DS and Wii, "we're starting to see a much higher influx of female gamers," said Rich Valiquette, director of development for Tornado Studios in Tulsa. And major publishers are starting to take notice. Tornado Studios is a new company based off an old one called 2015, which produced popular games like "Men of Valor" and "Medal of Honor: Allied Assault," Valiquette said. Now, they're working on a game that's geared largely toward girls. He couldn't give more details than that, but it's expected to come out this year. A recent study showed that game usage among girls jumped from 50 percent in 2006 to 57 percent in 2008, said Ann Hamilton, a senior brand manager with game publisher Ubisoft. The forum for girls has doubled in the past two years, so they're playing even more now. Everyone is, after peeking at the figures. With more than 3.6 million combined systems sold in November, Wii and Nintendo DS set new hardware sales records, according to the independent NPD Group, which tracks video game sales in the United States. The Wii console sold more than 2 million in November, a new all-time record for a non-December month. And the Nintendo DS system sold more than 1.56 million in November, which is now the second-highest total for a non-December month in history. In total, the Wii console has sold 15.4 million in the United States since it launched in November 2006, and Nintendo DS has sold nearly 24.6 million in the United States since it launched in November 2004.
"What's driving the Wii sales is the use of Wii by women, girls and families," Hamilton said. "It's a really female-driven platform." Ubisoft — whose popular titles include "Assassin's Creed," "Brothers in Arms" and "Prince of Persia" — has two lines of video games for girls, Hamilton said — Imagine and Ener-G. The 16 titles from Imagine allow girls to role-play in real-life activities, including fashion, interior design, baby-sitting, even acting. Ener-G was launched most recently as the first-ever sports line in video games for girls. "Girls wanted sports games to play, as well," such as gymnastics and horseback riding, Hamilton said. Ubisoft has a cheerleading game coming out in February and a figure-skating game in March, both on Nintendo DS. These interactive games are great for self-expression and creativity among girls, Hamilton said. Like with Imagine's "Fashion Designer New York," girls can create clothes (from picking necklines and lengths of sleeves to what color the garment will be), as well as accessorize the outfits, choose models to wear them and show their designs in a fashion show. Such games are great for socialization, too. "Video games kind of have this reputation for being a solo activity," Hamilton said, but 65 percent of children playing them are doing so with others. Companies doing the best job of reaching this growing market are those that realize girls are a key part of the gaming community, Valiquette said. TULSA WORLD JAN 09

CDs Purchases Down, Video Games Help Sales

Sales of physical CDs continued to decline in the third quarter while digital download sales saw a small uptick, according to data from NPD Group. Artists who participated in music-based video games, meanwhile, also saw a bump in album sales.
The number of CDs sold during the third quarter dropped 19 percent from the same period last year, leading to a 2 percent decline in overall music sales.
About 34 percent of teenagers abandoned CDs, while 36 percent of buyers aged 26 to 35 did the same. CD sales only saw about a 10 percent decline among those 36 and older.
Digital downloads from online stores like iTunes and AmazonMP3, however, were up about 2 percent from last year, while legal music download volumes increased 29 percent during the quarter. About 15 percent of Internet users get their music from online music stores, NPD said.
"Alternative distribution deals in mobile and social networking are important ways for the music industry to fill the gap left by the decline in traditional revenue streams," said Russ Crupnick, NPD's entertainment industry analyst.
The popularity of music-based video games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band helped increase album sales for the artists featured in the games. About 22 percent of overall music buyers and 35 percent of those who are younger than 35 said they play these games and were inspired to purchase the music after playing.
"Year-to-date through November, the music and dance genre was the best- selling genre in video games, representing 16 percent of total software sales for the year," NPD video games analyst Anita Frazier said in a statement.
"Even though gaming competes with music for the consumer's entertainment wallet share, music-related games are evolving into an important source for music discovery that can have positive revenue implications for the recording industry," Crupnick said.
PC Mag Dec 08

Mobile video slow

"This year, for the first time, consumers will buy more video-enabled smartphones than TVs.
According to forecaster Research and Markets, sales of such devices will tip 300 million in 2008, which trounces the expected sales of tellies.And since there’s been a global financial meltdown since then (which should affect sales of plasmas far more than handsets) the difference could be even more marked.So will families be gathering around their LG Secrets to watch American Idol? No, of course they won’t. Don’t be stupid. But the point is that they could if they wanted. Why? Because handsets are big, screens are bright and, most important of all, data tariffs that make such high bandwidth activity tenable are breaking out all over the place. It’s these underlying factors that make the market watchers so excited about the future of mobile video.To pluck one of many forecasts out of the air, MultiMedia Intelligence says revenue from the sector will soar from $3.5 billion in 2008 to $15 billion by 2012.Every week seems to bring with it a dramatic new service launch. In the last few months, for example, Paramount and Motorola launched a service offering users access to full streamed or downloaded movies.At around the same time France-based Actimagine gave broadcasters and second tier operators an easy route to the mobile video market with Mobiclip, a storefront that lets users stream or download DVD-quality video via sideload, wi-fi or 3G. Weeks later Nokia confirmed that its flagship N96 would not only link to a made-for-purpose mobile TV channel, but also run BBC’s iPlayer video replay app.The latter is fascinating. BBC iPlayer has been wildly successful on the wired web, with more than 20 million programmes watched through the service in August alone. This has put huge pressure on broadband networks and caused some tension between the Beeb and ISPs.What kind of aggro could a mobile iPlayer be storing up? Jeremy Flynn, a former Vodafone exec now heading up the video-calling specialist D2See, has a view. He believes the limits on data allowances will ensure that the billshock issue doesn’t go away – and that this will inhibit the market.He says: “The fundamental hindrance to growth surrounds the actual and perceived cost of data. Most data plans allow at least 200Mb of data per month, and that’s about three hours of IP streamed data. That’s okay for video usage, but the cost of exceeding the bundle can be very high. On Vodafone UK’s prepaid tariff, you get charged £1 for up to 15Mb in a day, but the run-on rate is £2/Mb. So while watching 15 minutes of video would cost £1 in data charges, watching 30 minutes would cost £31 in data charges. Then there are contractual issues – T-Mobile reserves the right to block off-portal video streaming, and on Orange contracts it’s specifically excluded from the plan.”These issues are clearly still holding the market back. Matthew Feldman, CEO of Versaly, which runs the video aggregator Vmbc.tv, says: “Although I see the number of mobile video services and destinations increasing, our average number of views per service has been flat. As with any content, its all about marketing and promotion. Many video services have too much content and less than optimal navigation. Thus, only the featured or top video programming get all the views. We don’t see a big different between branded and unbranded, provided they are featured/promoted equally.”Most insiders would agree with Feldman. In the UK, Saffron Digital, which runs video on demand services for T-Mobile and Vodafone and is powering the Motorola/Paramount store, is witnessing steady growth – into the tens of thousands on the most popular clips. But it too recognises the need for promotion.CEO Shashi Fernando says: “I look at the made-for-mobile content available and I think some of it is genuinely fantastic. But it’s never been properly marketed to consumers. I still believe that the biggest demographic among mobile video watchers is people in the industry. They’re the ones watching. Still, by spreading the word this group can reach millions.”Fernando is not alone in believing that the Apple iPhone/App Store is transforming the mindset of everyone that uses it – and focusing the minds of everyone else. He adds: “Motorola, for example, is being brave and wise to take on Apple with its own store. It had to put a marker in the sand.”Damian Mulcock, CEO of video services specialist Mobix, agrees that Apple is raising the game. “The iPhone has gone a long way towards creating greater awareness amongst consumers of mobile media services. The industry needs to learn from this and make propositions that focus on value and not jargon,” he says. Still, not everyone is of the opinion that video is just for the future. At MTV, the current numbers are truly impressive, with the broadcaster reporting nine million streams in the US in August, up from five million in January.Greg Clayman, EVP of digital distribution and business development at MTV Networks, has no doubt that the simplicity of the operator offer is what lies behind this success.He says: “We don’t really have pay-per-download over here. You sign up for a simple subscription for VOD clips (as well as other mobile services) and pay one price for all you can view. That’s what VCast on Verizon and CV on AT&T are. And it’s working wonders for adoption.”MTV’s success has been achieved on the back of paid-for clips (albeit within a subscription) but the company is now set to explore ad-funded video too, with the US Air Force already signed up to provide pre-roll ads on made-for-mobile series The How To Show.Many believe this model will provide the bulk of video revenues to the business in years to come, even though there are still doubts about the level of demographic targeting possible and the quality of metrics returned to advertisers. These factors seem to have done for provider Rhythm New Media in the UK despite high profile deals with 3.Still, others are tackling the issue head on. Users who subscribe to services delivered by Velti's enhanced Mobile Marketing Platform (MMP) are asked to provide personal data the first time they sign up. This information, combined with carrier and network characteristics provided by Vantrix, is used to target consumers with more relevant material. Of course, there’s more to video on mobile than the downloading/ streaming of short clips. Take video ringtones, for example. The ringtone remains the foundation of the entire mobile content biz, so its video successor represents an intriguing proposition. Israeli firm Vringo is trying to make it work, but developing the concept around user generated rather than commercial content.Andrew Perlman, Vringo’s SVP of content and community, says: “The ringtone is still the most consumed form of mobile content… and now sophisticated users are using their own clips and inserting them as ringtones.” ME Nov 08

Games 'to outsell' music, video

UK sales of games will outstrip music and video for the first time in 2008, says a report from Verdict Research. A huge shift in consumer attitudes has turned video games into the UK's most popular form of entertainment, say the retail analysts. It predicts spending on games software and hardware will rise by 42% to £4.64bn in 2008, with sales on music and video at £4.46bn. In the last five years the video games market has more than doubled in value, while music sales have stagnated. The good news for game makers in the report was balanced by grim tidings for high street retailers. "The music and video market is not just suffering from a slowing of growth but a massive transfer of spend to online," says Malcolm Pinkerton of Verdict Research. It is online sales of CDs and DVDs that have grown rapidly, rather than digital downloads, which still only account for around 4% of music and video sales. In contrast, video games spending has enjoyed explosive growth, with the launch of major new titles such as Grand Theft Auto IV and FIFA 08, and the Nintendo Wii continuing to broaden the appeal of games. High street music retailers are diversifying as sales of CDs continue to fall. Pinkerton says firms such as HMV and Zavvi are changing store layouts: "They're cutting back on space in music and re-allocating it to more lucrative areas such as MP3 players, books, clothing and video games." BBC Nov 08

Videogames reduce childhood obesity

One of the evils that's been blamed for contributing toward obesity in children - video games - is now being used to promote physical activity. It's called exergaming, video games that spur children (as well as their parents) to use all their limbs rather than only their thumbs. "When we talk about obesity, we often talk about the fast-food industry," said Laurette Dube, organizer of the 2008 McGill Health Challenge Think Tank. "But that's only one side of the equation - the energy-in side. We also have to look at the energy-out side, and that's why it's very important to look at ways in which we can reduce kids' inactive time and increase their share of time that gets them moving." Linda Carson, a professor of physical education West Virginia University, acknowledged that exergaming, popularized by such games as Dance Dance Revolution and Nintendo's Wii Sports, is controversial. "There are some folks who feel that by promoting physical activity through the use of video games, children are being socially isolated or not encouraged to go outside and play," Carson said. "There are some opponents who say that it takes away from traditional physical education exercise." But Carson argued that exergaming is a "wholesome" activity that is free of the violence that plagues so many of today's video games. With the Wii console, for example, children can simulate snowboarding and many other sports in a safe manner. Carson and her colleagues have just completed a study showing that obese and overweight children who play exergames don't gain weight and improve their physiological function. In her study, Carson created two groups of overweight children. The first group spent 12 weeks with a variety of exergames. The second group continued with their regular routine. After the 12 weeks were up, the researchers discovered that the children in the second group gained weight. But the children in the exergaming group maintained their weight, while improving their aerobic ability and endothelial capacity (how well the arteries respond to blood flow.) What's more, some children in the exergaming group expressed for the first time an interest and confidence in trying out for some outdoor sports, Carson said. "I think exergaming needs to be recognized as an exciting alternative to traditional physical education," she added. "There is a lot of value to children having physical activity options in their home and even at school." © Montreal Gazette November 2008

Study shoes videogaamers have richer, better lives

So often seen as the exclusive haunt of hormonal and reclusive teenagers, videogames could well be seen in a whole new light after new studies revealed that games players have great family interaction, enjoy better social lives, and even make more money than those who avoid the popular pastime.
The findings of the studies, one emanating from Canada and one from America, fly in the face of typical stereotypes portraying gamers as overweight teenage couch potatoes leading a largely sedentary lifestyle while wholly devoted to their console of choice.
Some of the statistics unearthed by the Entertainment Software Association of Canada study suggest that one in two Canadians is a gamer and has actively played a software title within the last month, while half of the country’s game-playing demographic is female, over 80 percent indulge in a world of videogames for around 7.1 hours per week, and the average age of a Canadian gamer is actually 40.
“Family gaming is becoming a big part of Canadian families’ pastime. Mom, dad and the kids are all playing together,” enthused Nicole Helsburg, spokeswoman for the Entertainment Software Association of Canada. “Those who grew up playing games have taken that into their adult lives and are now embracing that as a way to spend time with their kids.”
Similarly, an American study conducted by Ipsos MediaCT on behalf of leading videogame Web site IGN concluded that some 55 percent of those polled were married, while 48 percent had children, and 57 percent of parents played videogames on a regular basis with the children, reports the Ottawa Citizen.
And, when separated from the game pad and/or keyboard, the American study found that young and single gamers are considerably more socially active than those who do not game. Specifically, unattached gamers players are twice as likely to be dating, are almost 10 percent more likely to be spending time with their friends, and 11 percent more inclined to partake in sporting activities.
Perhaps surprisingly given gaming preconceptions, the American study discovered that regular videogames players also matched those who do not game when it comes to the time per week they spend with their heads in a good book.
From a professional standpoint, the study also revealed that the average income of a U.S. household closely associated with videogame entertainment is around $79,000 USD, while households without videogame access make approximately $55,000 USD.
According to Adam Wright, director of research for Ipsos MediaCT, its study “underscores the fact that gaming has become a mainstream medium in this country that appeals to people from all walks of life.”
The Entertainment Software Association of Canada study was conducted across 652 Canadian adults and 100 children aged between six and 13. The two-stage IGN study covered both online and single-player respondents and was spread across more than 3,000 American citizens.

Mobile games market consolidation

"Analysis of the UK's ELSPA mobile games chart shows the increasing power of the Big Three publishers - EA Mobile, Gameloft and Glu - and the utter dominance of branded mobile games.The number of games charting in the ELSPA Top 10 hasn't changed much over the years: in 2005 45 games charted, compared to 44 in 2006 and 2007. However, pretty much everything else has.For example, in 2005, 42 per cent of the games that appeared in ELSPA's monthly Top 10 list were own-IP titles. In 2006, this plummeted to 11 per cent, and then 9% in 2007.Meanwhile, in 2005 eight publishers had more than three games appear in the chart: Iomo (7), Digital Bridges (6), Mforma (6), Gameloft (5), Sumea (5), Macrospace (4), iFone (3) and Jamdat (3).By 2007, the top three charting publishers were EA Mobile (12), Glu Mobile (9) and Gameloft (7). Those three publishers accounted for 63.6 per cent of the games that charted last year. All this, remember, is based on sales across all the UK's mobile operators.Is that a bad thing? Your view largely depends on how big a publisher you are (or working with). However, the brand to own-IP ratio is more troubling, since it indicates that the hit-driven mobile games industry isn't having many hits with its own IP.Although based purely on UK sales, our research is also a stark reminder of the problems facing mid-tier publishers when it comes to driving on-deck sales.In 2005, Mforma and Sumea had six and five charting titles respectively. In 2007, by now rebranded as Hands-On Mobile and Digital Chocolate, neither company had a single game appear in the ELSPA chart." Pocket Gamer

Jetix Europe & Wildbrain debut series online

"Jetix Europe will team up with Wildbrain on a new short-form series that will premiere on its website across Europe in early 2009. Wildbrain's Team Smitereen will be the first new short-form series that Jetix will debut in Europe as an exclusive premiere on its websites. Users across Europe will be able to access the new content with new eps being regularly updated on the Jetix sites in Germany, the UK, Spain, Italy, France, Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Hungary and Poland. The slapstick tween comedy was created by The Dan Clark Company and will debut exclusively on the new look Jetix websites beginning early 2009." Kidscreen October 2008

Real world bust means virtual world boom

"Worldwide, economies are slowing and consumers are worried sick about their future.
Despite all the doom and gloom, one tiny sector is offering a glimmer of hope: virtual worlds. Companies such as Gaia Interactive and Habbo are expecting a boost as consumers reduce spending on real-world goods and luxuries and console themselves with so-called virtual goods--digital copies of products that can cost just pennies, allowing users to indulge their materialistic fantasies without spending much.
"As the 'real world' gets worse, virtual worlds get better," Gaia Chief Executive Craig Sherman told Forbes.com in an e-mail. "As things get worse, people spend more time at movies or spend more time on a site like Gaia Online, which provides a relatively inexpensive respite from the offline world." Gaia, which targets U.S. teens and twenty-somethings, had more than 7 million unique visitors in September.
Teen-focused virtual world Habbo boasts a similar outlook. While there is some concern the down economy will reduce the site's ad sales, 85% of Habbo's revenue is derived from virtual goods transactions. The site's 2.5 million U.S. users spend an average of $18 a month, and the average time spent on the site has doubled to 40 minutes per session in the past year, says Executive Vice President Teemu Huuhtanen. He expects the number of unique users--currently 10 million globally--to grow as the site introduces new services and activities.
Kid-focused virtual worlds like Club Penguin and Neopets have boomed over the past two years, becoming an attractive investment niche for large media companies. These sites provide a way for kids to interact with a media property--say, Nickelodeon's legion of characters--in an environment that is cheaper on a per hour basis than seeing the latest flick in the theaters.
EVE Online, a science fiction-themed massively multiplayer game, is going gangbusters. The subscription-based virtual world has gone from 220,000 users to nearly a quarter of a million since the beginning of the year. EVE's on-staff economist Eyjo Gudmundsson expects the game's growth to continue over the next six months--particularly as people look for more inexpensive forms of entertainment. The basic EVE subscription cost is $14.95 per month.
Gudmundsson cautions, though, that virtual worlds that are directly linked to the real world may fall victim to some real-world economic frustrations.
Indeed, the number of registered and active users of Second Life, a virtual world that simulates real-world experiences, have flattened out, says Parks Associates analyst Michael Cai. But this might not be a reaction to the economy; it could be due to consumers shifting to other virtual worlds. Cai predicts that corporations will start using Second Life or custom 3D virtual worlds to hold meetings and cut travel costs." FORBES October 2008

Goochicoo boosts web presence

'Two new media experts have joined The Backland Studio to strengthen the web presence of its baby brand Goochicoo.Anna Farmery, one of the UK's top bloggers and new media experts, will consult on the web presence and search engine rankings for the brand's website, www.goochicoo.com.In addition, Matt Kenyon arrives from advertising agency Attik and is regarded as something of a web design guru among his peers."This is a major coup for Goochicoo, our internal new media strategy 'Have you clicked yet?' couldn't have got a better start than the recruitment of two top class social media experts," said Ged and Kaely Backland, owners of the Goochicoo brand. The ambitious target for the campaign is to ensure the Goochicoo community appears on the first page of search results when the word 'baby' is typed into a search engine. The company believes that this is attainable within one year.Rob Corney, MD of Bulldog Licensing which represents the brand, added: "Building a strong online presence will further boost the ever growing Goochicoo community. The Backland Studio has put together a world class team, which will produce world class results." ' Licensing.biz Sept 08

Ecommerce works

' HOLLY TUCKER and Sophie Cornish are struggling to cope with the rapid growth of Notonthehighstreet.com, the business they set up two years ago. Sales are up 350% on last year and are predicted to reach £3.5m this year.
Despite gloomy predictions for the economy, Tucker and Cornish don’t plan to stop there. They have just secured £1m from a private investor for further expansion.
The online boom is helping many other small retailers and suppliers to flourish in the downturn. Online shopping grew 38% year on year in the first six months of this year, says IMRG, a trade body for online retailers. This is in stark contrast to the trend of falling high-street sales, which declined 3.9% in June, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics.
In fact there is evidence that as consumers are squeezed by the soaring cost of petrol, energy and food they are searching for the keenest prices, something that is easier to do on the web, according to Michael Petevinos of Cap Gemini, which tracks online retailing.
As internet shopping enters the mainstream it offers a powerful advantage for small, nimble players. “Setting up online gives you a much greater reach for your products and at much lower cost,” said Petevinos. “It has completely changed the proposition for many smaller retailers and suppliers.”
The future looks bright. Online spending now represents 17% of consumer spending, and web shopping is expected to account for 30%-50% in the next five years.
Smaller players with the right strategies are already benefiting, according to David Smith of IMRG.
“It is often the smaller retailers with niche products or with interesting retail propositions that seem to be having success. There will be a lot of opportunities for smaller players to profit if they can manage their start-up costs, get their supply chains right and work closely with their customers.”
Notonthehighstreet sources good-quality clothes, gifts and homewares from small producers who could never survive with their own retail outlets or by dealing with the big chains, said Tucker.
“We provide an opportunity for thousands of independent suppliers to sell their products,” she said. “Sites like ours are acting as a kind of shop window for the long tail of the internet.” ' Sunday Times, July 2008

UK Views Most Videos Online

"UK audiences are the largest consumers of online video, watching more than 3.1bn videos in April, according to data from measurement company ComScore. It found 27.4m UK users watched an average of 127.7 videos each, putting the UK ahead of the US, Canada, France and Germany. YouTube continues to dominate the space. Of all online video watched in April, 48.2% (1.53bn videos) were on YouTube." New Media Age, July 2008

Shhhheepz

'Launched at the 2006 Brand Licensing by Cathy Nolan, Shhhheepz is aimed at three to five year-olds and features three sheep named Lili, Blaine and Mouton which appear only in children’s dreams, helping them conquer their fears and accomplish their dreams while fending off nightmarish wolf Awoof.The mission of the property is simple; to enable children to use their own problem solving skills to handle difficult situations. Shhhheepz is available for licensing in the publishing, stationery, gift wrap and apparel categories.Earlier this month saw the launch of a new website (MAKE LINK LIVE), which enables pre-schoolers to test their memory, match shapes and learn words, created by Nolan and Stephanie Preston from Fireboar LLP. “The internet is a great way to build brand awareness and develop its audience base. Instead of board games, families are playing online games together more than ever,” says Nolan. “Online virtual play is now the new play pattern.” ' Licensing.biz, July 2008