Archive for December, 2008

1. ImageMetrics raises $6.5 million despite the credit crunch

   December 17, 2008

   Facial animation middleware provider ImageMetrics has closed a $6.5 million funding round led by Saffron Hill Ventures, according to TechCrunch. Great new for the guys, but also good news for people who want to see the cost of high-quality facial animation come down. Have a look at the Emily Project to see the kind of [...]

   Go to the post

   Posted in: Finance

   Tagged with: imagemetrics, investment, middleware, saffron hill ventures

   No Comments

2. Dodge the Shoe – George W gets a flash game

   December 16, 2008

   Shame it’s not very good. T-Enterprise have been incredibly quick of the mark making a Flash game based on the Iraqi reporter who threw a shoe at George W. Bush. (if you haven’t seen the clip, it’s embedded below.)

   Go to the post

   Posted in: Sandbox

   Tagged with: casual games, george w. bush, humour, politics, satire, t-Enterprise

   No Comments

3. A pivotal moment in browser-based games

   December 16, 2008

   I’m sorry to bang out about Unity, I really am. But back when I was a callow youth, I remember a moment when I thought the computer game business would change forever. It was an ECTS in 1996. I saw Ridge Racer on the PSOne. Lush graphics, fast framerates, it looked like you were actually [...]

   Go to the post

   Posted in: Featured, Opinion

   Tagged with: browser games, browsers, digital distribution, middleware, online games, starred, unity

   No Comments

4. Atari, Cryptic and a browser-based MMO?

   December 15, 2008

   OK, I admit that this is wild speculation. Last week (sorry for the delay, I’ve been busy), Atari announced that it had acquired Cryptic Studios. Cryptic have been successful in designing MMOs. They developed City of Heroes/Villains for NCSoft. They are working on Champions Online for Take 2 to be released in 2009 and Star Trek [...]

   Go to the post

   Posted in: Sandbox

   Tagged with: atari, browsers, cryptic, m&a, massively multiplayer, mmo

   No Comments

5. Factor 5 reported to have laid off 37 staff

   December 14, 2008

   According to a report in Edge, developer Factor 5 has made 37 staff redundant. The redundancies represent half the staff, leaving 38 employees still working at the San Rafael, California company. Factor 5 has developed a long line of Rogue Squadron games. Its recent difficulties are believed to be related to the collapse of Brash [...]

   Go to the post

   Posted in: Game Over Zone

   Tagged with: factor 5, job loss tracker, layoffs, redundancies

   No Comments

6. Midway cuts a further 180 jobs

   December 12, 2008

   Midway has cut 180 jobs, representing 25% of global headcount. The company will close its Austin development studio and make redundancies in Chicago, San Diego and Austin. The layoffs follow a headcount reduction of 90 in August 2008 when Midway scaled back its Austin studio. Added to the GameOverZone.

   Go to the post

   Posted in: Game Over Zone

   Tagged with: job loss tracker, midway, redundancies

   No Comments

7. Entertainment UK to close

   December 12, 2008

   Entertainment UK (usually known as EUK) is no longer being seeking buyers as a going concern and will be closed, according to administrators Deloitte. 700 staff have been made redundant immediately, with 375 staff retained. The decision follows the collapse of Woolworths, parent of EUK. Added to the Job Loss Tracker.

   Go to the post

   Posted in: Game Over Zone

   Tagged with: closures, euk, job loss tracker, layoffs, redundancies, woolworths

   No Comments