NEWS
GAMING NEWS AND DEVELOPMENTS
Blockchain gaming: separating signal from the noise
Several commercial game engines can be, and are often used to test news technologies. But how will blockchain affect the gaming space, for example? The key problem is digital scarcity; very few people will want to play a game in which there aren't plenty of resources for everyone. To see a real-life example, check out CryptoKitties, a game in which players collect and breed digital cats.
Mathew and Shawna Russell run an arcade business in their garage
The couple started to rent out their 'Short Circuit Arcade' in central Alberta a few years ago. The garage is the home for 86 vintage games, including highly acclaimed titles such as Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Popeye. Mathew Russell, an electrical engineer, is constantly purchasing and repairing old arcade games, and the plan is to grow his collection to 120 arcade games.
Cloud streaming services will shake the video game industry
Do you remember those huge lines of customers who were eagerly awaiting the release of a highly anticipated game title in front of GameStop? I don't, but I can imagine the excitement. Broadband Internet has changed things, allowing people to download games straight from their makers' servers. And now, several developers are moving into the cloud-based game streaming territory.
Indie game business: now 15,000 times harder
Back in the day, it was much easier to earn a decent living as an indie developer. I am thinking at games such as Limbo, with its simplistic art and yet rich atmosphere, which has sold millions of copies, for example. Or Braid, with its hand-drawn artwork, strange music and a never seen before time control mechanism. Today it's much harder for indies to compete with huge game development studios, though.
The secrets behind Fortnite's success
Katia Moskvitch has written an article which discusses the business secrets behind Fornite's huge success. According to her, the key factor is the fact that the game is 100% free. It encourages people to play together and share their experiences, and is available on most platforms, giving Fortnite a broad reach. Epic makes money by having people buy battle passes, which help them get various items and skills.
Shigeru Miyamoto has a word of advice for today's industry
The legendary game designer, who is the father of the Zelda, Donkey Kong and Super Mario series, has asked the industry players to stop nickel-and-diming their customers. Truth be told, the free-to-play model has frustrated lots of people of all ages, who are unable to play a game beyond a certain stage because they lack the needed level, skills, virtual coins, and so on.
Sony announces a $100 mini version of the original PlayStation
The Japanese electronics manufacturer will soon release a remake of its PlayStation console. It comes with 20 built-in games, includes two controllers, and has a MSRP of $100. If you like Final Fantasy VII, Tekken 3, Ridge Racer Type 4, Resident Evil, Metal Gear Solid, Destruction Derby or Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee as much as I do, you owe it to yourself to purchase one of these!
Google's Play Store games infected with nasty malware
The company has recently removed several driving simulators from its store. So, if you've installed Truck Cargo Simulator, Extreme Car Driving Racing, City Traffic Moto Racing, Moto Cross Extreme Racing, Hyper Car Driving Simulator, Extreme Car Driving City, Firefighter - Fire Truck Simulator, Car Driving Simulator, Extreme Sport Car Driving, SUV 4x4 Driving Simulator, Luxury Car Parking, Luxury Cars SUV Traffic or SUV City Climb Parking, it's time to clean up your phone.
'Gaming disorder' is now a mental health condition
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently added 'gaming disorder' to its 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). According to WHO, the disease is characterized by impaired control over gaming and an increased priority that's given to gaming in comparison with other interests and daily activities, despite the negative consequences that arise from adopting this behavior.
Game developers aren't happy with Google's and Apple's fees
Tim Sweeney chose to release Fortnite for Android outside Google's Play Store, because he didn't want to pay the standard 30% app store fee. And while the Android O.S. allows people to install apps from third-party stores (though they risk infecting their phones by doing so) Apple's iOS doesn't provide the same flexibility. Several game making studios have decided to go public with their concerns.
