Author Archives: Chris Morris

Xbox Live goes dark

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(Note: I do not choose the headlines on Daily Variety stories.)

Two years ago, Microsoft announced plans to compete against television programmers on their own turf. On Thursday, the company conceded the first round to the networks.

After two successful seasons, the Microsoft has cancelled “1 vs. 100,” an online adaptation of the Endemol-created NBC gameshow. The game was the centerpiece of an experiment called Xbox Live Primetime — a scheduled series of interactive games that represented the videogame industry’s first serious foray into turf dominated by TV. It was a hit, too, setting a Guinness World Record for the most simultaneous contestants in a gameshow at 114,000.

Read more at Daily Variety

Video Game Sales Plunge Again in June

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Analysts and industry observers were expecting June’s video game sales numbers to be pretty awful. Unfortunately, they were right.

Software sales tumbled 15 percent last month to $531.3 million, according to The NPD Group, which tracks retail sales of video games. A surge in hardware sales, spurred by temporary price cuts to the Xbox 360, salvaged the industry’s overall total, though it was still six percent lower than last year.

Read more at CNBC.com

Hardware’s up, but game sales plunge in June

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June was another crummy month for video game sales – just like pretty much every other month this year. But, on the upside, a clearance sale on existing Xbox 360 hardware bumped hardware sales into positive territory. 

Total sales for the industry came in at $1.1 billion, 6 percent behind last year’s pace, according to The NPD Group. Software sales, which are the number most people pay the closest attention to, were down 15 percent though, while hardware sales increased 5 percent.

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog

Microsoft’s great experiment ends

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When Microsoft announced plans to bring the TV game show “1 vs. 100” to the gaming space two years ago, a lot of people rolled their eyes and groaned a little bit. Not me. I thought it was one of the company’s most interesting announcements of that particular E3. 

The game was the centerpiece of an experiment called Xbox Live Primetime – a scheduled series of interactive games that represented the video game industry’s first serious foray into the turf dominated by TV. It was a hit, even setting a Guinness World Record for the most simultaneous contestants in a game show – 114,000. Now it’s dead.

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog

Video Game Sales Set to Plunge Once More

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Despite the fact that 2010 has been front-loaded with a plethora of critically acclaimed titles, this is turning out to be an awful year for the video game industry. And it’s likely to get even worse Thursday afternoon.

The NPD Group, which tracks video game retail sales, will release the June numbers roughly two hours after the market closes. Analysts are bracing for the worst – expecting a drop of anywhere from 8 to 15 percent from a year ago.

Read more at CNBC.com

Apple to address iPhone 4 issues Friday

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The iPhone launch might have been the biggest in Apple’s history, but it has also been marred by numerous complaints about the device’s antenna. Now, Apple appears ready to discuss consumer concerns and perhaps announce what it plans to do to address those issues. 

The Cupertino-based company will hold a press conference Friday at 10am. It has declined to give details about who will speak or what will be addressed.

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog

Ad veteran joins Activision

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Activision Blizzard, the gaming industry’s largest publisher, has hired a high profile advertising and marketing veteran as CEO of its Activision Publishing arm.

Eric Hirshberg, who had served as CEO and chief creative officer of advertising and marketing agency Deutsch/LA, will join the company effective Sept. 7. He assumes the position from Mike Griffith, who was promoted to vice chairman of Activision Blizzard earlier this year.

Read more at Daily Variety

New Activision Publishing CEO may have best resume of all time

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Today’s appointment of Eric Hirshberg as CEO of Activision Publishing rounds out a nine-month search by the company and will fill the hole left by the promotion of Mike Griffith earlier this year. 

Activision’s excited about the move for a number of reasons, but gamers should be excited because Eric Hirshberg might have the coolest freakin’ resume of all time.

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog

Google gaga for gaming

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Google, which has been a looming threat in the gaming world, appears to be edging closer to becoming a major player in online games.

The search giant has invested at least $100 million in social gaming company Zynga, the developer of some of the biggest games on Facebook, including “FarmVille” and “Mafia Wars,” to help launch Google Games, which is expected later this year.

Read more at Daily Variety

Epic Mickey gets a comic book

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Disney’s reintroduction of Mickey Mouse to the video game world is expanding into other mediums.

Beyond the work he is doing on “Epic Mickey,” developer Warren Spector is working on a comic book adaptation of the Wasteland world where the game is set. Comic and sci-fi superstar Peter David is assisting on the book (and likely doing most of the writing).

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog