Archive for January, 2009

1. 100 jobs go at Fox Interactive Media

   January 27, 2009

   TechCrunch reports that 100 jobs are going at Fox Interactive Media, the web arm of News Corp. So far, it looks as if the business units affected are Photobucket, MySpace, Scout Media, Rotten Tomatoes, and corporate, leaving IGN and GameSpy scot-free.

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   Posted in: Game Over Zone

   Tagged with: fox interactive media, layoffs, news corp., redundancies

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2. The PC is dead, long live the netbook

   January 27, 2009

   The New York Times reports today on the phenomenon of netbooks, and how it risks destroying the established IT order. Netbooks are ultra-low-cost laptops with small screens, open source software and limited processors. As a result, they make substantial use of cloud computing, with much of the processing power happening on web servers like those [...]

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   Posted in: Analysis, Featured

   Tagged with: hardware, Nexon, starred

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3. “Stories in games are typically not good, right?” – Braid designer on Themes vs Gameplay

   January 27, 2009

   In an interview with Gamesutra, Jonathan Blow – Braid designer and general soapbox hero – spends a lot of time discussing the communication of artistic themes through gameplay, and the narrative / gameplay dichotomy. It’s a great read, pages three and four in particular. Despite my reactionary headline (bums on seats, people), I’m a (generally) [...]

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   Posted in: Featured, Opinion

   Tagged with: flowery, guest post, indie, jonathan blow, writing

   3 Comments

4. GAME/GameStation set to lose 80 jobs

   January 27, 2009

   GAME is likely to lose 80 jobs as it rationalises its head offices after the acquisition of GameStation, according to MCV. “A consultation process affecting up to 80 roles has now begun”. In my experience, those 80 people should start looking for new jobs now, so I’ve put them in the GameOverzone.

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   Posted in: Game Over Zone

   Tagged with: game group, gamestation, job loss tracker, redundancies, retailing

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5. Philips cuts 6,000 jobs

   January 27, 2009

   More troubles in the technology sector as Philips has announced plans to reduce headcount by 6,000 by the end of 2009, according to MCV. Philips reduced its exposure to speculative ventures in October last year when it spun five business out of its incubator venturing program into a fund managed by Prime Technology Ventures. One of [...]

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   Posted in: Game Over Zone

   Tagged with: ambx, job loss tracker, phillips, prime technology ventures, redundancies

   2 Comments

6. Future bucks trend as online advertising sales rise

   January 27, 2009

   Future Publishing saw online advertising rise 25% in the fourth quarter of 2008, while the whole market grew by only 48% (Source: Pubmatic. NB predominantly US data). Future’s revenues grew by 1%, saved almost entirely by the increase in web advertising as print advertising fell by 4% and circulation revenues fell 2%. Games is Future’s [...]

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   Posted in: Sales

   Tagged with: future publishing, magazines, online advertising, results

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7. Intel announces 6,000 job losses

   January 26, 2009

   6,000 jobs are to go at Intel, according to MCV. The redundancies will affect facilities in Malaysia, the Philippines and two in the US (in Oregon and California.) Added to the GameOverZone.

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   Posted in: Game Over Zone

   Tagged with: chips, cpus, gpus, hardware, intel, job loss tracker, manufacturing, redundancies

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