The rivalry between Activision Blizzard and Electronic Arts came into focus this week as both companies reported their quarterly results, revealing their latest thinking on strategic priorities and the differences in their execution. It brings to mind a topic I …
With a month to go before this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo video game trade show (E3), rumors are surfacing about next-generation console announcements. We’re not likely to hear much about what sort of features they’ll have for a while with …
When you’re tracking a hot trend or market, it’s always good to keep track of where the smart betting is happening. Follow the money. Follow the people.
I attempted to do that this week at the crowded Global iGaming Summit …
Editor's Pick
Too often, I flit from one conference to another like a wayward butterfly, trying to catch up with all the news. But the Game Developers Conference is one of my favorite events of the year because it places such a …
It’s no secret that 2012 will be a year full of acquisitions in the game industry. Last year, investments grew 96 percent to $2 billion, while the value of acquisitions grew 160 percent to $3.4 billion, according to game-centric investment …
We’ve unveiled our first speakers and other details for our fourth annual game conference, GamesBeat 2012. Our roster of speakers includes Will Wright, creator of blockbuster video games from Sim City to The Sims and Spore. Wright is now the …
Pop icons like Britney Spears or Hannah Montana inevitably grow out of being role models for young girls, and then send jolts of alarm through parents as the divas engage in more, uh, adult-like activities. Better to create a rock …
With games like Uncharted 3: Drake’s Fortune sweeping us off our feet this holiday season, gamers are getting spoiled by video game “set pieces.” These are the crazy, over-the-top, movie-like action scenes that make your jaw drop. Like when Nathan …
The holidays came early for a lot of gamers in November, with releases ranging from Uncharted 3: Drake’s Fortune to Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 and the Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.
Starting Friday, everybody else will start piling …
For almost four years, we’ve been building out GamesBeat as VentureBeat’s game channel. We have held three annual GamesBeat conferences where the movers and shakers of the industry talk about the latest trends in games. Now we’re expanding to build …
Steve Jobs never liked video games, particularly the violent ones. Years ago, when id Software’s John Carmack demonstrated a cool shooting game during one of Jobs’ keynotes, Jobs wouldn’t allow him to show any blood on the big screen.
That …
Editor's Pick
EDITOR’S NOTE: Each week, VentureBeat’s Dean Takahashi writes a column on videogames called The DeanBeat, while executive editor Dylan Tweney is writing a technology and business column called Dylan’s Desk. They are available to newsletter subscribers a whole day before …
Mainstream consumers may be drawn to the iPhone 4S because of its Siri personal assistant. But gamers will want to pick up the iPhone 4S for its ability to play games. The new smartphone from Apple has the ability to …
EDITOR’S NOTE: Each week, I’m writing a column on business and technology called The DeanBeat, while executive editor Dylan Tweney is writing a column on business and technology called Dylan’s Desk. They are available to newsletter subscribers a whole day …
Editor's Pick
NOTE: Each week, I’m writing a column on videogames called The DeanBeat that’s available to newsletter subscribers a day before it appears on the VentureBeat website. This week, my column was co-written with Matthew Lynley.
The fall blockbuster video game …
EDITOR’S NOTE: Welcome to VentureBeat’s new newsletters. Each week, I’m writing a column on an aspect of gaming world that GamesBeat covers. My colleague Dylan Tweney is writing a column on technology and business called Dylan’s Desk. Together, these columns …
Welcome to the front lines of gaming. I’ve been covering the game industry on a day-to-day basis for about 15 years, mainly by immersing myself in the environment. I play games and I interview people in the game industry daily. …
