At the beginning of 2009, Goodgame Studios had 10 employees and was about to start developing its first game. Today, it is one of the fastest growing companies in Germany’s crowded free-to-play development scene, with more than 28 million registered users across a portfolio of 9 browser-based social games.
When I visited the company’s Hamburg office recently, co-founders Kai and Christian Wawrzinek – both doctors, the former in law, the latter in dentistry – were preparing to welcome a crop of new employees that would send Goodgame’s headcount past 160. I’m told that, by the end of next year, that number will reach 250.
In this exclusive interview, Kai and Christian Wawrzinek discuss their unconventional route to game development, the decision to develop social games outside of Facebook, the value of recruiting from outside the games industry, and why start-ups need to focus their efforts to achieve success.
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Source: GamesIndustry.biz – News
The experiences of a young woman in Texas have highlighted security issues for Microsoft’s Xbox Live service, after her account was hacked and points purchased on it sold to the highest bidder.
Susan T shared her story on a blog which documented her correspondence with both Microsoft and someone who had bought the points fraudulently purchased with her account.
She became aware of the problem on January 2 when she received purchase confirmations from Microsoft for 10,000 points and the Family Gold Pack, as well as an email to say the points had been successfully transferred. She had been charged $ 214.97, and immediately contacted Microsoft’s Xbox Phone Support Team, who blocked her account.
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Source: GamesIndustry.biz – News
EA Bright Light, the Guildford studio best known for its work on the Harry Potter franchise, closed late last year.
It was last October that EA confirmed that the studio had entered a formal consultation process, and Develop has reported that period has officially ended and the studio is closed.
Speaking in October, EA’s Tiffany Steckler clarified the consultation situation for GamesIndustry.biz.
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Source: GamesIndustry.biz – News
TransGaming Inc has acquired Oberon Media’s interactive TV and connected TV divisions.
Toronto-based TransGaming is already a leading player in the emerging Smart TV market. The Oberon acquisition includes distribution agreements with leading Smart TV manufacturers, and a number of cable, satellite and iTV service providers.
The deal includes Oberon Media’s entire games catalogue, which has more than 100 titles. After the acquisition is closed on January 6, TransGaming’s GameTree TV service will reach over 50 million households.
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Source: GamesIndustry.biz – News
TV and game streaming firm Roku is launching a wireless device that turns a normal television into a Smart TV without the need for a set-top box.
The device is equivalent in size to a USB flash drive, and contains a Wi-Fi processor, internal memory and the software necessary to stream Roku’s entertainment content.
The Roku Streaming Stick is compatible with MHL-enabled HDMI ports, it requires no cables or external power, and will provide the 400 channels currently available through Roku’s set-top boxes.
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Source: GamesIndustry.biz – News
Sony has cut the price of its PlayStation branded Tablet S by $ 100 in the US.
The move comes only three months after the hardware launched, with the 32GB model now selling for $ 500 instead of $ 600, and the 16GB SKU down from $ 500 to $ 400.
The Android 3.0 powered device features a 9.4 inch touch screen and Nvidia Tegra 2 graphics chip. It is able to download and play games from the PlayStation Store with support from the PlayStation Suite SDK, also used for PlayStation Vita, Xperia Play and other Android devices.
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Source: GamesIndustry.biz – News
Blitz Game Studios owned site IndieCity.com is halfway to its latest Developer Challenge target, asking developers to submit 100 games to the site’s store.
If the target is reached by December 31 then the revenue structure offered to developers submitting titles will change, rising to 90 per cent for games with integrated achievements, or 80 per cent without.
“Once this tier of Challenge is complete, the next level will open up allowing developers to earn 95 per cent of their games’ revenue from 250 games on the Store.”
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Source: GamesIndustry.biz – News
Eurogamer and Gaikai have partnered to provide free game streaming of AAA titles like Crysis 2 and FIFA 12.
“Gaikai’s goal is to put the best games in the world at the fingertips of the best gamers in the world,” says David Perry, Gaikai CEO.
“Eurogamer has an incredibly passionate audience and we expect they will make great use of our instant gaming technology.”
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Source: GamesIndustry.biz – News
