Tag Archives: CNBC

Businesses That Cater to Extreme Adrenaline Junkies

Posted on by

For some people, the ideal vacation consists of sitting by the pool – or on the beach – with a fruity drink in hand and not a care in the world. For a certain segment of the population, however, that’s the definition of hell.

Adrenaline junkies live on the edge — and often like to lean over it. And these days, there are plenty of businesses willing to court them. But while bungie jumping and sky diving might have scratched that itch a few years ago, today’s thrill seekers have a variety of options.

Read more at CNBC.com

‘I Want to Draw a Cat for You’ and Other Start-up Successes

Posted on by

We’ve all had that moment when we hear a business idea and kick ourselves for not thinking of it first. Those are the start-ups that no one’s surprised to see succeed — and then get bought by Google.

Every now and then, though, a company comes along that confounds us — or maybe makes us laugh. A lot of those fail, due to the sheer lunacy of their premise. But when one of those companies succeeds, it’s hard not to be impressed.

Read more at CNBC.com

Can Zynga Be Saved?

Posted on by

To say the last two weeks have been unkind to Zynga is a bit of an understatement. The company’s stock has plunged roughly 45 percent. It reported an earnings shortfall. Guidance was reduced. And it found itself on the receiving end of a lawsuit from one of the videogame industry’s biggest publishers.

The hits just keep on coming for a company that not long ago was the poster child for the next big thing in gaming. More bad news for Zynga could be on the way.

Read more at CNBC.com

Businesses That Will Let You Blow Stuff Up

Posted on by

If you’re in West Point, Kentucky in April or October, it could get a little loud. Actually, check that… it could get very loud.

Those are the months of the Machine Gun Shoot at the Knob Creek Gun Range — and up to 15,000 people converge on the small town (population: 1,100) to fire automatic weapons — or just watch others do so. A select few, though, get to blow things up.

Read more at CNBC.com

Will the Wii U Push Nintendo Back Into Profitability?

Posted on by

When Nintendo reported a $533 million annual loss in late April, it was the first time in the company’s 30-year history as a publicly traded company that it had fallen into the red.

Even though the loss was expected at that point, it was a mark of shame for Nintendo — and investors battered the stock. Now, as the company’s next generation console system prepares to launch later this year and the handheld 3DS device starts to get its legs under it, it’s hoping to get back to black. But not everyone’s convinced it will manage to do so.

Read more at CNBC.com

Crowd-Funded Game System Hopes to Take on Microsoft, Sony

Posted on by

As Nintendo prepares to launch its latest videogame console this holiday season – and Microsoft and Sony continue to prep theirs for an expected 2013 launch – a new competitor for the living room is threatening to steal their thunder.

Ouya – an upstart technology firm with some big industry names behind it – is bypassing traditional financing methods and relying on crowd funding to raise capital. And gamers can’t seem to hand over their money fast enough.

Read more at CNBC.com

The Most Anticipated Videogames of 2013

Posted on by

With retail brick-and-mortar sales of new video games down 30 percent year to date, few analysts — and even fewer investors — have much faith that things will rebound into positive territory this year.

Even with heavyweights like “Halo 4” and “Call of Duty: Black Ops II” hitting stores this holiday season — and the launch of a new Nintendo console system — the hole seems too big to escape. But when it comes to 2013, things are a bit more optimistic.

Read more at CNBC.com

Pushing Graphic Limits: Videogames, the Next Generation

Posted on by

Nintendo and Sony took pains to avoid mentioning their next-generation console systems at this year’s E3 videogame conference. But their publishing partners had plenty to say.

While no independent publishers were willing to come out and call the graphically-intense games they had on display “next generation,” many quietly confirmed that they were showcasing what consumers can expect to see when the Xbox 720 and PlayStation 4 finally hit the market in late 2013.

Read more at CNBC.com

The 10 Hottest Videogames of 2012

Posted on by

The videogame industry might have lost some of its retail strength, but come the holiday season, games still regularly top people’s gift lists.

There’s no better place to get a look at what’s coming down the road than E3 – but too often, the games that get the bulk of the spotlight won’t be out until the following year (or two, or sometimes three). Selecting a “best of show” game is a fool’s mission, given the number of titles on display and the limited time to see them all. But it is possible to get a better sense of which games will connect with players.

Read more at CNBC.com