A startup called Zeebo Inc. is betting that people in emerging markets want to play good video games just as much as people in the U.S., Western Europe and Japan do.
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[Source: Video Games News]
At the Nintendo Developer Conference in London this past week the company laid out its plans to vigorously support non-game applications and encouraged third-party developers to create them.
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[Source: Video Games News]
The videogame industry in February showed again its ability to be recession proof.
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[Source: Video Games News]
March 20, 2009 - You know those free demos and the downloadable content that you nab so care-free to try out new games and extend your current titles? It’s costing publishers a decent bit of cash every time someone downloads this stuff on the PlayStation Network.
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[Source: Video Games News]
German retailer Galeria Kaufhof is pulling violent films and games from its store shelves, starting in April, in the wake of last week’s tragic school shootings at Albertville Secondary School.
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[Source: Video Games News]
In addition to selling a dominant 1.3 million video game systems last month , Nintendo announced that sales of Wii Play have surpassed 10 million in the US alone since the game first went on sale in February 2007.
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[Source: Video Games News]
Surviving over a decade for a games franchise, with a few missteps along the way, is an impressive enough achievement . Capcom’s Resident Evil 5 (R18) only had to stick to its proven formula, dress it in new next-gen graphics and…
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[Source: New Zealand Herald - Games]
Entropia has regularly mixed real and virtual finances. Online game Entropia Universe has been granted a licence to be a bank.
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[Source: Video Games News]
NEW YORK - The video game industry is holding up, but the gloom of the recession will be on the minds of thousands of people at this week’s Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, a key event for video game insiders looking to…
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[Source: New Zealand Herald - Games]
Don’t Snack - Distract!
A PopCap.co.uk pilot study that set out to assess if casual gaming could aid weight loss has revealed that casual gaming could be an effective tool in the fight against obesity by helping dieters control their cravings.
The trial, conducted in January 2009, was hampered by some participants not finishing the trial but for those who did complete the trial, playing PopCap’s Bejeweled Twist to distract from snack attacks had 100% success in beating cravings and lifting mood. PopCap.co.uk is so encouraged by the initial findings that the company has committed to conducting further research into the positive health benefits of casual gaming later in the year.
Leading UK dietician, Nigel Denby, who conducted the research, commented: “While trial results were scientifically inconclusive due to a low number of participants completing the month-long programme, there were some interesting findings. For those who finished the trial, we saw that on all occasions Bejeweled Twist was used, it prevented eating due to a craving, with participants reporting forgetting about their cravings whilst playing the game.”
“In addition to forgetting about cravings, these respondents also reported that their mood improved or changed following gameplay. Mood is a major cravings trigger for many dieters, with stress at work, anger, or sadness commonly reported as flashpoints. Distraction is a well established method to help people overcome stress related food cravings.”
Trial participant, Debbie Hodgson (39), London, who had never played computer games before participating in the trial, said: “My cravings have noticeably reduced since I started this trial and I lost 7 lbs over 4 weeks.”
PopCap.co.uk spokesperson Cathy Orr added: “We have so many customers with full case studies who tell us that they use our games as part of their weight management so I had pretty high hopes for a scientific result. That said, there are some interesting learnings - for instance that they found casual gaming more compelling a distraction than watching TV! I suppose that’s because it’s natural to sit in front of the TV with snacks, but try topping your highest Bejeweled Twist score while fumbling with a bag of crisps!
Results In Brief
Grace Fellows (59), Clitheroe, played computer games 2-3 times a month prior to the trial: “It wouldn’t have occurred to me to use a casual game to fight cravings. It’s a great idea and really easy to do. I am trying to lose weight before m y 60th birthday and have lost over a stone since the trial started.”
Susan Conway (55), London, had never played computer games before participating in the trial: “When I started the trial I didn’t think I would stick with it but playing the game was really good and helped with my cravings.”
Notes
Source: PopCap Games International
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[Source: Daily Games News]