Mobile games revenues are poised to grow by 275 percent by 2012 in North America, but poor marketing of mobile titles could hamper growth, according to Juniper Research.
UK-based Juniper research said in a study abstract that North American mobile games revenues would grow to $3 billion from $800 million in the next five years, thanks to improvements in user interface, “all-you-can-eat” data packages and the introduction of free trial periods for subscription-based games.
“This ‘try before you buy’ strategy not only makes the customer more comfortable about purchasing a particular title: it also makes him or her more familiar with mobile gameplay per se and will provide further encouragement for the consumer to seek out additional titles in the future,” said report author Dr. Windsor Holden in a statement.
Around 18 million Americans currently download or rent mobile games at least once per year, the report said.
While mobile games are becoming easier to peruse though and buy, the study suggests that not enough is being done to market mobile games, which could hinder growth.
Holden suggested that the mobile games market could expand the current demographic by introducing more “lifestyle” games.
The study said that over the next five years, advances in mobile gaming technology and game presentation would justify higher prices for mobile titles in the coming years.
Ads will find their way into more mobile games as well, with the proportion of ad-funded mobile game downloads reaching 30 percent by 2012.
Despite its fast growth, Juniper said revenues from the North American mobile gaming market will still lag behind those Asia and Western Europe over the next five years.
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare has garnered critical acclaim, securing more than 18 perfect score reviews and over 40 combined Editors' Choice and Game of the Year awards in the U.S. alone. The game has been nominated for 10 prestigious Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences awards, including Game of the Year. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare also currently is the #1 Xbox 360(TM) title on Xbox Live, based on unique users, according to majornelson.com.
"We're very excited about this achievement especially given so many competitive titles this year," said Will Kassoy, senior vice president, global brand management, Activision Publishing, Inc. "Consumer and critics agree that Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is one of the best games ever created and further establishes Call of Duty as one of the premier brands in the industry. This ground-breaking game and franchise continue to establish new standards by which all other action games will be judged."
Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products. Founded in 1979, Activision posted net revenues of $1.5 billion for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2007.
Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, the Netherlands, Australia, Japan and South Korea. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company's World Wide Web site, which is located at activision.com.
Stand-alone instruments to go on sale early next month, could this bring about a four way verses mode?
Since the title's November release, consumers have only been able to buy the game bundled with mic, drums, and guitar. Or the standalone game.
That limitation has prevented all but the most creative gamers from forming a full band, or going guitar-on-guitar in verses mode.
That all changes February 12 and April 1 when publisher MTV Games puts individual instrument peripherals in stores.
The Rock Band Drum Kit for the Xbox 360, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 2 go on sale February 12 for $79.99. On April 1, the Rock Band Wireless Fender Stratocaster Guitar Controller for all consoles will go for $59.99.
"The release of standalone instruments allows Rock Band musicians to enjoy the full Rock Band experience, including drum, microphone and guitar head-to-head modes, creating a whole new level of competitive fun," Harmonix co-founder Alex Rigopulos said in his statement.
The sale of standalone peripherals also lets consumers that are unable to fork over the $169.99 for the full bundle jump in on some Rock Band action.
The game, created by the makers of the the early Guitar Hero titles, has been a big seller for MTV Games and distributor Electronic Arts. The combined versions of Rock Band (for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 2) have sold 1.1 million units through December.
Following the controversial Fox News report on Mass Effect, enraged fans armed with rudimentary photoshop skills have been taking out their frustration on the Amazon entry of Cooper Lawrence's book
The Cult of Perfection. Lawrence took part in the debate, criticising the game for its depiction of sexual situations; the pundit revealed during the course of the broadcast that she hadn't played it.
Gamers have since used the 'Customer Image' function of Amazon to comment on Lawrence's contribution to this now-fabled piece of television journalism. One image shows a photo of Spike TV games expert Geoff Keighley - who provided a brief pro Mass Effect angle to the segment - with the words, "Hooray for Geoff Keighley. He owned you, Cooper Lawrence!". Hardly the words of a genius but we get the point.
The most damning indictment of Lawrence, however, comes from the 430 reviews of her book, which has an average review rating of one star out of five. Although many have clearly been submitted in response to the Fox News piece, a majority appear genuine.
Interestingly, one reader criticises the writer for using a provocative image of herself on the cover. At the close of his review he states, "Image means a lot Mrs. Lawrence, and you are damaging the youth of America."
Manhunt 2 Moves to allow a 'dark and violent' adult video computer game to go on sale in the UK were blocked by a High Court judge who ordered that the matter be reconsidered.
The British Board of Film Censors (BBFC) refused to give Manhunt 2 a classification in case it fell into the hands of children.
Last month the Video Appeals Committee (VAC) lifted the ban when it allowed an appeal by US publishers, Rockstar Games Inc.
In a 4-3 majority decision, VAC ruled the videogame was 'unlikely' to cause harm to adults or children and gave it an 18 certificate.
But today (Thursday) a High Court judge in London ruled that VAC's decision was fatally flawed by 'a clear error of law' when it came to the test for assessing the question of harm.
Mr Justice Mitting said the committee must reconsider its decision in the light of his judgment.
NAMCO BANDAI Games Reveals New Ace Combat® 6: Fires of Liberation™ Downloadable Content
NAMCO BANDAI Games today revealed information and assets for the six new plane variants for Ace Combat® 6: Fires of Liberation™ that will be available for download from the Xbox LIVE® Marketplace on Thursday, January 31. Featuring classic squadron themes from previous entries in the Ace Combat series and several original designs, these new plane updates let players experience their favorite aircraft online and in the game’s single player campaign with a new look and enhanced capabilities.
Typhoon – UPEO Emblem (Free): Charged with quelling military uprisings around the world, the members of the legendary UPEO Squadron were the heroes of Ace Combat 3. Outstanding turning and stability help this plane weave through the battlefield and pick off enemies, making up for its slightly diminished arsenal.
CFA-44 Nosferatu – Prototype (200 Microsoft Points): Armed with an Electromagnetic Launcher (EML), this variation of the Nosferatu places great emphasis on aircraft stability to ensure a high rate of accuracy at all distances. The raw combat power and enhanced accuracy of the EML helps make up for the plane’s dogfighting shortcomings.
Tornado GR4 – Raging Shark (200 Microsoft Points): One of the most recognizable and feared designs in the sky, the Raging Shark version of the Tornado GR4 is a powerhouse in battle, with huge increases in firepower and defense coming at the expense of speed.
F-14D Super Tomcat – Razgriz (200 Microsoft Points): Known as both champions and demons, the Razgriz Squadron possessed an incredible drive to achieve victory, making them the unquestioned heroes of Ace Combat 5. Like the original Razgriz, this plane has extremely high durability ratings to ensure that all squad members survive each operation.
Su-33 Flanker – Yellow Squadron (200 Microsoft Points): One of the most iconic opponents from Ace Combat 4, the Yellow Squadron stood as the pride of Erusea, with the charismatic Yellow 13 leading five hand-picked wingmen. This plane stands as a tribute to their fearless nature, with incredible maneuverability at the cost of limited armor.
Su-47 Berkut – The Idolmaster Miki-EX (400 Microsoft Points): Customized by Miki Hoshi of the hit Idolmaster series, hundreds of hours of tuning have transformed this plane into a superstar. While its stability is less than ideal, Miki’s careful touch has helped this plane realize its hidden potential in battle.
For more information on Ace Combat 6 including achievements, screenshots, trailers, news and forum discussions please check out the Xbox 360 Games Database from the link below.
Puppet House creeps onto Xbox Series, PS5, and PC in 2024 Puppet House, an unsettling horror survival game from Gaming Factory (@GamingFactorySA) creeps onto Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC (Steam) soon! Take on the role a photographer with a penchant..
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“This ‘try before you buy’ strategy not only makes the customer more comfortable about purchasing a particular title: it also makes him or her more familiar with mobile gameplay per se and will provide further encouragement for the consumer to seek out additional titles in the future,” said report author Dr. Windsor Holden in a statement.
Gamers have since used the 'Customer Image' function of Amazon to comment on Lawrence's contribution to this now-fabled piece of television journalism. One image shows a photo of 
Last month the Video Appeals Committee (VAC) lifted the ban when it allowed an appeal by US publishers, Rockstar Games Inc.
