Today's Gamasutra round-up includes news of Cash Money Chaos for the PSP, Walt Disney Company's Buena Vista Games' climbing Q3 revenues offset by higher costs, and Bizarre Creations finally cracking down on Grid Wars and other Geometry Wars clones, as well as the latest GameSetWatch posts, product news, and Gamasutra job postings.
- Sony Online Entertainment today announced Cash Money Chaos for the PSP for release in the first quarter 2007. The game will feature top-down arcade style gameplay where players will collect cash, prizes and weapons while attacking waves of opponents. Cash Money Chaos will also take full advantage of the PSP system’s network capabilities, delivering both local and internet games for up to eight players. “Cash Money Chaos is an action-packed, arcade-style shooter that explodes a new genre onto the PSP,” said Chris Sturr, Senior Global Brand Manager, Sony Online Entertainment. “CMC will have players scratching their heads, asking themselves if they really just saw – and shot – what they think they did. Of course, taking your hands off the controls to scratch your head may be detrimental to surviving the next wave of killer gorillas or demented clowns.”
- The Walt Disney Company today reported its earnings for the third quarter ended July 1, 2006, during which it reported net income for the period to be up 12 percent from the previous year's period. In particular, revenues from Buena Vista Games, the video game arm of The Walt Disney Company, also increased due to higher sales of self-published titles. However, this increase was offset by higher costs relating to goods sold, product development spending on both current and future titles, and marketing costs. Altogether, the company's consumer products division (which also includes other elements) saw revenues for the quarter climb 6 percent to $445 million and segment operating income increased 69 percent to $105 million, led by strong performance of merchandise related to Cars and Pirates of the Caribbean.
- A post on The2bears weblog has drawn attention to a cease & desist letter that was apparently sent to Mark Incitti, creator of the downloadable Geometry Wars clone for the PC, Grid Wars. The letter states: “We’re beginning to feel the effects of the Geometry Wars clones on our sales via Microsoft now and are beginning a process to begin to more robustly protect our copyright and intellectual property. Therefore, I’d like to ask you in an amicable fashion to stop infringing our IP and pull the game ‘Grid Wars’ from the internet for download. I hope you understand and are able to do this without us having to take further steps.” Incitti has removed the game from his website.
- Also updated today: Product news concerning the release of SilverLining 1.06, as well as the latest Gamasutra job postings, featuring openings from Electronic Arts Tiburon, Groove Games, High Moon Studios, Kush Games, LucasArts, NCsoft, and Spacetime Studios.
