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Sometimes we don't find what we are looking for. So why should this time be any different? Sorry for not being really helpful, but let's try it again.
Here’s our weekly round-up of the top stories on Giga Gamez from last week.
PC gaming to end up more like console gaming? Alex takes a look at the new bootable games.
The PS3 is selling faster than the 360 did comparably. Does it make a difference?
Blake takes a look at why next gen games are $60. More
Giga Gamez tries to keep you guys up to date on what’s happening in the market, and, as always, we’re happy to hear suggestions on new stocks to include.
Notes for the day: One of the main things that we’ll want to keep in mind as we enter next week is that the Take-Two shareholders meeting is next week, and that can mean a new board for the publisher and possible sale. Glu Mobile recently had an IPO and it threatens to drop EA stock prices due to competition in the mobile market. However, on the other end, EA, Activision and THQ started there coverage by A.G. Edwards with a status of buy, so expect their stocks to rise.
Giga Gamez Stock Index: 619.86 (UP 1.29)
Another day, another round of venture funding. At least that’s what it feels like if you follow the mobile world. Today’s featured company, according to Digital Media Wire, Pulse Mobile, has raised another $7 million for their second round of funding. Pulse Mobile is a company dedicated to user-generated content for different entertainment products, such as the ability to model a 3D character from a 2D image. What’s the next step for Pulse now that they have this new capital? Further functionality and an expanded network. More
When you purchase something in the real world, you pay tax on it. That’s the way it goes. However, what happens in virtual worlds? Sometimes people use real money, such as in Second Life, to purchase virtual goods and services someone else created. In other situations, though often against the company’s will, game items or currency are sold outside the confines of the game system. Now, when we talk about this kind of thing, it’s easy to imagine that the items we’re referrring to add up to small change, but some people make over $20,000 a year in virtual worlds, a few much more, and they aren’t taxed. At least not in the States… for now.
The U.S. is currently looking into taxing virtual economies, whereas in other countries, like Australia, taxing has already begun. The Swedish government opened up a virtual embassy in Second Life and is planning to tax the virtual world income of its citizens. China is already worried that virtual currency is destroying their real world currency. The whole thing is a confusing mess, but a paper highlighted by Terra Nova looks at precisely this situation, and tries to make sense of how virtual tax could work. More
According to Mobile Industry, Gameloft, mobile gaming developer, has signed a deal with Airtel to provide its games to the Indian public. Airtel, India’s largest mobile phone provider, has over 30 million subscribers and they can now offer Gameloft’s Desperate Housewives, Might and Magic and Lost to those users. This makes Gameloft an even more attractive investment. More
300 started out as a comic book by the acclaimed Frank Miller (Sin City, The Dark Knight Returns), and has recently turned into a hit action movie based upon the Spartans’ last stand at Thermopylae. Of course, when there’s a popular movie, especially a violent one, there’s also going to be a game. The good people at Warner Bros. are always happy to step right in and cash in on that craze, but what does this mean for the fans? More
Player X, a mobile media company, and Sky, UK based entertainment company, have partnered to produce Carol Vorderman’s Mind Aerobics. That may not be all that interesting on its own, but, according to Mobile Industry, the fact that the company has allotted a six-figure marketing budget to the game may be a touch more intriguing. So, what is Mind Aerobics and why exactly should anyone care enough about it to spend that much money? More
Giga Gamez tries to keep you guys up to date on what’s happening in the market, and, as always, we’re happy to hear suggestions on new stocks to include.
Notes for the day: Today saw a rise in NVidia’s stock after Goldman Sachs upgraded the company from neutral to buy, due to a 23% drop in price since the start of the year. The drop in price made the stock much more attractive and a better investment. Electronic Arts stock improved by over a dollar today as well, finishing at 50.66 a share.
Giga Gamez Stock Index: 618.57 (UP 13.95)
According to Mobile Industry, Japanese mobile phone service provider, KDDI, has signed a deal with Namco to bring its collection of titles to the United States. KDDI, which has a fairly sizable catalog of games available in Japan, covering multiple genres, doesn’t have a presence in the U.S. at all. Namco will be partnered with KDDI in an attempt to give them leverage in the American market. Will the company’s titles, which are popular in Japan, be able to make a splash in the West? Namco and KDDI certainly hope so. More
How do you make a game viral? Gamasutra, gaming industry business website, has published a new article today on five ways to market a game more, er, virally. Jon Radoff, creator of Space Empire Elite, gives a few pointers on how to gain a following and continue to grow that following after inception. In these tips, there’s a glimpse of how, if successfully marketed, a small, unknown game can become a hit. More
Sometimes we don't find what we are looking for. So why should this time be any different? Sorry for not being really helpful, but let's try it again.