GameStop positions itself to survive in a growing digital age 4
by Chris Morris [01.29.13]
In an industry where sales are increasingly going digital, GameStop is at a crossroads. Gamasutra talks to Brad Schliesser, director of digital content for the retailer, about what happens next.
Console/PC, Business/Marketing, Exclusive

---

Interview: What Vigil's core team is up to at its new Crytek home 15
by Kris Graft [01.28.13]
Crytek has long had plans to open a U.S. branch, but the opportunity to do that never really presented itself in such an appealing way as it did when Vigil's talent was up for grabs.
Console/PC, Business/Marketing, Exclusive, Recruitment

---

Wipeout vets start new life outside of racing genre 4
by Kris Graft [01.28.13]
Four key leaders from shuttered Wipeout developer Sony Liverpool turned down opportunities to join larger studios, instead starting the independent studio Sawfly. Here's a quick introduction...
Indie, Business/Marketing, Exclusive

---

Q&A: Crytek owns Homefront - so now what? 13
by Kris Graft [01.28.13]
It's not often that a studio, deep in development of a game for a publisher, has the opportunity to buy the franchise outright. But this month, Crytek found itself in that unique position.
Console/PC, Business/Marketing, Exclusive

---

Clash of Clans' 5 keys to success 9
by Mike Rose [01.28.13]
With Supercell now raking in more than $1 million a day, Gamasutra talks to Clash of Clans product lead Lasse Louhento about what makes the casual strategy game so popular.
Smartphone/Tablet, Design, Business/Marketing, Exclusive

---

Could The Room's success predict a new trend? 9
by Leigh Alexander [01.25.13]
Leigh Alexander looks at Fireproof Studios' iPad hit The Room in the context of a legacy of "escape the room" puzzle titles -- and finds massive opportunity for an under-explored iOS genre.
Smartphone/Tablet, Design, Exclusive

---

Road to the IGF: Lucky Frame's Bad Hotel  
by Christian Nutt [01.25.13]
As part of Gamasutra's Road to the IGF series, Lucky Frame's Yann Seznec shares insights into the music-and-building mobile game Bad Hotel, which has been nominated for an audio award.
Smartphone/Tablet, Indie, Audio, Design, Exclusive, Video, IGF

---

Why they're playing: Hundreds 2
by Leigh Alexander [01.24.13]
In the latest edition of Gamasutra's "Why They're Playing" design analysis, Leigh Alexander looks at Semi Secret Software's Hundreds, a fascinating blend of the inscrutable with the simple.
Smartphone/Tablet, Indie, Programming, Art, Design, Exclusive

---

Video: Will Wright remembers his first game, Raid on Bungeling Bay 12
by GDC Vault Staff [01.24.13]
He may be known today as the creator of SimCity, The Sims and Spore, but Will Wright's career began with a fondly remembered helicopter arcade game for computer publisher Broderbund.
Console/PC, Programming, Design, Exclusive, Video, GDC

---

MMO devs will lose the fight against content churn, says SOE's Smedley 29
by Chris Morris [01.24.13]
"The days when companies can make content [generation] the number one strategy, in the kinds of games we make, are over, because we can't win the war," says SOE CEO John Smedley. So what are the other options?
Console/PC, Business/Marketing, Exclusive

---

With THQ's demise, plenty of questions remain 15
by Chris Morris [01.23.13]
With today's news that many of THQ's major franchises and studios have been sold off, a lot of questions have been answered, but not all of them. Why was Vigil ignored? What's next for Jason Rubin?
Console/PC, Business/Marketing, Exclusive

---

Road to the IGF: Colin and Sarah Northway's Incredipede  
by Mike Rose [01.23.13]
As part of Gamasutra's Road to the IGF series, Colin Northway discusses how the idea for Incredipede came about, and how the game's Greenlight debacle actually benefited the game in the end.
Console/PC, Indie, Business/Marketing, Exclusive, IGF

---

Super Hexagon: An example of why you shouldn't ignore Android 16
by Mike Rose [01.23.13]
Terry Cavanagh launched Super Hexagon on iOS several months ago, and this week the Android version was finally released. To his surprise, it is selling far better than the iOS version.
Smartphone/Tablet, Indie, Business/Marketing, Exclusive

---

Modifying player behavior in League of Legends using positive reinforcement 34
by Jamie Madigan [01.23.13]
What does a developer do when its players have a reputation for being insufferable jerks? It hires a team of psychologists to tackle complex behavior modification problems with one of the oldest tricks in the book.
Console/PC, Design, Exclusive

---

The mysterious Quake-inspired game from the dev behind Dustforce 2
by Mike Rose [01.22.13]
Hitbox's next game is Spire -- a quest to scale a towering structure that is different every time you tackle it. Designer Woodley Nye talks about making the FPS "mysterious and unpredictable."
Indie, Art, Design, Exclusive

---

U.S. retail software in 2012: What you need to know 23
by Matt Matthews [01.22.13]
2012 was a pivotal year for the video game industry -- so how did all of these changes effect retail software sales in the U.S.? Gamasutra analyst Matt Matthews offers this thorough breakdown to find an answer.
Console/PC, Business/Marketing, Exclusive

---

Five approaches to 'good' violence in games 44
by Leigh Alexander [01.22.13]
"Violence in games" isn't a single issue: Leigh Alexander looks at five design choices that make violence work and feel meaningful, at a time when meaning is important to the diialogue around games.
Console/PC, Social/Online, Smartphone/Tablet, Indie, Design, Exclusive

---

Road to the IGF: Santa Ragione's MirrorMoon  
by Mike Rose [01.21.13]
As part of Gamasutra's Road to the IGF series, Santa Ragione's Pietro Righi Riva discusses where the idea for MirrorMoon came from, and why game jams are so important to indie studios.
Console/PC, Indie, Design, Business/Marketing, Exclusive, IGF

---

Do video games have a future at CES? 3
by Chris Morris [01.18.13]
After a few days of reflection, Gamasutra editor-at-large Chris Morris looks back on this month's CES. Maybe video games can make a home here after all...
Console/PC, Business/Marketing, Exclusive

---

Opinion: Yes, we need more research, and the industry should support it 98
by Cheryl K. Olson [01.18.13]
Researcher Cheryl Olson -- co-author of the popular book Grand Theft Childhood and an attendee at last week's meeting with Vice President Biden -- argues that further research could help the industry's PR problem.
Console/PC, Social/Online, Smartphone/Tablet, Indie, Serious, Business/Marketing, Exclusive

---