Tag Archives: CNBC

E3: Scenes From the Video Game Circus

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The scenes from e3video-game industry’s annual E3 trade show is much like a carnival. And to get a true sense of the barely controlled chaos, you need to look past the game booths and crowded show floor.

This year, Nintendo offered people who were unable to attend the show (which is the vast majority of the gaming population) the opportunity to play demos of the unreleased games at more than 100 Best Buy locations around the country. That gave fans a bite of the smorgasbord.

E3 is a constantly moving, nearly organic being. Capturing all of the show’s eccentricities is impossible, but here are a few snapshots of the industry’s annual party-trade show.

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Sony Gets a Corporate Reboot at E3 Gaming Show

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The e3-ps4PlayStation 4 represents more than just the next generation of gaming for Sony. It could be the flag bearer for the next generation of the 67-year-old company itself.

Sony CEO Kaz Hirai (who formerly ran the PlayStation division) has made it clear that he sees the console as one of the tentpole units that will lead the company back to prosperity. And early indications are that it plans to do that by changing the closed gate philosophy Sony has clung to for so long.

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Wargaming: The Biggest Game Publisher You’ve Never Heard Of

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Ask world of tanksa gamer—or an investor—in the U.S. to name the largest video game publishers and you’ll probably get a list of the usual suspects.

Certainly, companies such as Activision, Electronic Arts, Take-Two Interactive Software and Ubisoft are worthy of mention, but odds are the name Wargaming.net isn’t on anyone’s list.

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‘Call of Duty’ May Be Facing Its Biggest Battle

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In COD ghoststhe videogame world, there is no bigger behemoth than “Call of Duty.”

For the past four years, the franchise has dominated the sales charts, outselling every other game. Last year’s “Black Ops II” grossed over $500 million in just 24 hours, topping $1 billion within 15 days—and is on track to be the best-selling entry in the 10-year-old franchise’s history.

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Did Microsoft Blow the Xbox One Pricing?

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Microsoft xbox onespent over an hour and a half showcasing the Xbox One and the many games that will launch with the new console—but only one moment made the entire crowd gasp.

Phil Spencer, general manager of Microsoft Game Studios, announced Monday that Microsoft’s next generation console would be available in November—at a price of $499. And almost immediately, the air went out of the room.

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2013’s Best Selling Games—So Far

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While bestselling gamesvideo game sales totals have been anyone’s guess for the past few years, the rankings on the video game industry’s sales charts have been fairly predictable.

Megafranchises like “Call of Duty” and “Assassin’s Creed” have been at or near the top—with family friendly “Just Dance” not too far behind when the final rankings come in. And the midyear check typically doesn’t show a lot of divergence from that pattern.

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EA Launches 11 New Games at E3 — but None for Nintendo

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Electronic eaArts showed off 11 games at its annual pre-E3 press conference – but none, it appears, will appear on the Nintendo Wii U.

Reflecting the focus of this year’s show, EA instead spotlighted titles for the new consoles from Microsoft and Sony, showcasing a pair of new graphics engines that are meant to showcase the graphical advances of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

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Tapping China’s Gaming Gold Mine

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The china gamingU.S. is the profit center of the video game industry, and has been for years. But if trends continue, China might be taking that title before too long.

China represents a huge opportunity for U.S. publishers, which are quickly exploring ways to monetize the country’s growing appetite for gaming. Meanwhile, some of the biggest firms in China are eyeing the U.S. market.

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Hot Video Games of 2013 That Are Bucking the Down Trend

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Although bucking video gamesbrick-and-mortar video game sales are down 14 percent year to date, a few titles have managed to stand apart from the trend, capturing players’ imagination and cash—even when they’re part of a 10-year-old franchise.

“Call of Duty: Black Ops II,” which got off to a stellar start out of the gate hasn’t lost much momentum. Catalog sales of the title have been much higher than 2011’s “Modern Warfare 3.” Plus, downloadable content sales have been strong enough to offset Activision’s lost revenue from declining “World of Warcraft” subscriptions.

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