|
 News
Week
of November 27- December 3, 2000
[Friday,
December 31, 2000]
Game
Technical Seminars
The Game Technical Seminars are coming soon. Chris Hecker and Jeff Lander
are teaming up to present in-depth seminars focusing on graphics and physics
over two days. This year's graphics seminar will explore geometry and
the mathematics of geometry processing while the physics session will
examine continuum dynamics. Both seminars will take place in San Francisco,
with the graphics seminar happening on February 1-2 and the physics lectures
taking place on January 30-31. Early registration ends on December 8.
More information is available at the Technical
Seminar's website.
PC Data's Top Ten PC Games
Roller Coaster Tycoon continues to dominate the PC game charts
in a way that would make Who Wants to be a Millionaire proud, with
two entries on PC Data's top ten list for the week of November 12-18.
1. MP Roller Coaster Tycoon Hasbro Interactive
2. Barbie Pet Rescue Mattel Interactive
3. The Sims Electronic Arts
4. Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 Electronic Arts
5. The Sims Livin Large Expansion Pack Electronic Arts
6. Loopy Landscapes Expansion Pack Hasbro
7. Delta Force Land Warrior Nova Logic
8. Who Wants To Be A Millionaire 2nd Edition Disney
9. Half-Life Counter Strike Expansion Pack Havas Interactive
10. Hoyle Casino 2001 Havas Interactive
[Thursday,
November 30, 2000]
Acclaim
Decline
Acclaim Entertainment is posting a loss for the year 2000. For the fiscal
year ended August 31, Acclaim managed revenues of just $188.6 million
for a net loss of $131.7 million. In contrast, the company reached revenues
of $431 million and net earnings of $36 million in the previous year.
Acclaim is blaming the decline on flat Nintendo 64 game sales, which had
been Acclaim's main focus, as well as delay in the introduction of new
titles. Though the Acclaim's operating expenses have been negatively impacted
by researchs cost related to next-generation consoles, the company believes
that the new platforms will return Acclaim profitability as early as next
quarter. "Fiscal 2000 was a difficult, transition year for Acclaim,"
said and company spokesperson, "we anticipate a profitable first
quarter and based on the plan that we have put in place, expect fiscal
2001 as a whole to be a turnaround year."
Game
Gems Two
The search is on for game programming gems. The original Game Programming
Gems has sold more than 15,000 copies in just four months, and its
creators are looking for material to include in the sequel. The book will
include sections on programming techniques, mathematics, AI and graphics.
Game Programming Gems 2 is planned for release at Siggraph 2001,
but submissions are due by December 25 at the Game
Programming Gems website.
Infogrames
snags Dragon Ball Z
Infogrames has reached an agreement with Funimation Production to develop
a line of games based on the Dragon Ball Z property. Infogrames is planning
a series on games, on multiple platforms, based on the license, but has
not named any release dates or additional details. "Infogrames was
the clear choice for publishing the next series of Dragon Ball Z games,''
said Funimation's Gen Fukunaga, "Their expertise in taking well-known
licenses and bringing them to life, while representing their true integrity
of the storyline and characters, will surely please our Dragon Ball Z
fans."
[Wednesday,
November 29, 2000]
Codie
Awards
The finalists for the annual Codie Awards have been announced. The Codie
Awards, handed out by the Software and Information Industry Association,
seek to honor excellence in a broad range of software categories. Nominees
in the game industry include Crimson Skies for Best Action, Adventure
or Arcade Game and Red Alert 2 for Best Strategy or Simulation
Game. The Codie Awards ceremony will be held on March 21 in San Diego.
[Tuesday,
November 28, 2000]
Eidos
Results
Losses are mounting at Eidos. The company is reporting a $116.4 million
loss for the six months ended September 30, a figure that more than doubles
the losses reported by Eidos for the same period one year ago. Much of
the company's poor performance can be attributed to a $51 million write-off
related to online game retailer Express.com. "Although sales of products
launched in the half year were in line with expectations, the sell through
during the period of titles released in the previous financial year was
significantly lower than we had previously anticipated," said Eidos
Chairman Ian Livingstone.
Hook
Exits
Brian Hook is leaving Verant. Hook, formerly with 3dfx and id, had been
working on next-generation graphics technologies for Verant Interactive.
Although the departure was amicable, Hook did reveal in an interview with
Voodoo Extreme
that Verant had become too corporate for his tastes. Hook plans to take
some time off from the game business before returning to open his own
studio sometime in 2001.
[Monday,
November 27, 2000]
Pivotal
Investment
SCi is cementing its relationship with Pivotal Games. An agreement between
the two companies has SCi buying a ten percent stake in Pivotal, formerly
known as Pumpkin Studios. The agreement also gives SCi access to Pivotal's
technology and development team. The first titles under the new arrangement
will be a Gulf War action game and a title based on The Great Escape.
Heavy
Metal Artist Joins Westwood
Beau Anderson is moving to Westwood Studios. Anderson, lead artist on
Ritual Entertainment's Heavy Metal FAKK 2, will join Westwood to
work on Renegade. "I wanted to take a second to publicly thank
my friends at Ritual for a great ride," said Anderson in a .plan
file update, "I'm very excited to get to work on Renegade.
There is some fantastic stuff going on over there, and I can't wait to
get my hands dirty in it."
New
Kid Co Q3
New Kid Co International is reporting a profitable third quarter. The
publisher of children's videogames saw revenues for the third quarter
increase to $6.4 million from last year's third quarter result of $1.9
million, a jump of 242 percent. Net income crept up to $800,000 from a
loss of $500,000 in the same period one year ago. "We expect increases
in revenues and profitability for the fourth quarter in excess of those
experienced in both the previous quarter and in the seasonally more comparable
fourth quarter of fiscal 1999," said CEO Henry Kaplan.
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