Austin startup video game studio has high-minded concepts
Can a video game be more than just a game? Can it also get you thinking about larger trends affecting the world?
That’s what the team at White Whale Games is banking on.
The startup studio, which consists of four people working in a Central Austin duplex, is hard at work on a new iPhone/iPad game, “God of Blades,” that’s due out soon.
Personalized Media Communications, LLC (PMC) has filed a patent suit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas against Zynga, Inc. (Zynga) NASDAQ: ZNGA, the largest social game developer, for infringement of four of PMC’s patents.
The complaint alleges that Zynga’s social-networking games, such as Words with Friends, CityVille and FarmVille, use PMC’s patented technology. PMC is demanding a jury trial, as well as enhanced damages and attorneys’ fees because of deliberate willfulness on the part of Zynga. The four patents named in the suit, United States Patent Nos. 7,797,717, 7,908,638, 7,734,251 and 7,860,131, cover the use of control and information signals embedded in electronic media content to generate output for display that is personalized and relevant to a user.
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Spacetime Studios’ Games Reach 100 Million Play Sessions
Austin-based Spacetime Studios‘ mobile MMOs Pocket Legends and Star Legends: The Blackstar Chronicles have been played more than 100 million times. Spacetime players spend about twice the number of hours playing Legends titles than the average gamer spends across all mobile games each month.
Users with iPhones play games for 14.7 hours per month while Android users play around 9.3 hours per month according to Nielsen research. The average Spacetime player spends 25.2 hours per month playing Legends titles alone.
“MMO games by their nature are more engaging and involved than most genres, but making that work in the mobile world is very delicate balancing act,” said Cinco Barnes, Chief Vision Officer and co-founder, Spacetime Studios. “With each launch of a Legends title we make it our mission to innovate and it has become the largest, most successful mobile MMO franchise in the world.”
Warren Spector to receive Lifetime Achievement Award at GDCAs
Deus Ex game director and producer, and Disney Epic Mickey creator Warren Spector will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 12th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards (GDCAs) for his contributions to the art and science of games. The Game Developers Choice Awards, held at GDC yearly, are the leading peer-based video game industry awards celebrating the industry's top games and developers. Warren is based out of Austin. More here.
Star Wars: The Old Republic: 2 Mill Copies Sold, 1.7 Mill Active Subs
Just six weeks after launching Star Wars: The Old Republic, BioWare, a Label of Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:EA) says the game has has sold over 2 million copies, with a thriving base of over 1.7 million active subscribers, as gamers around the world have immersed themselves in the story-driven, online Star Wars universe from BioWare and LucasArts. Helping drive The Old Republic’s early success has been the quality and reliability of the game’s service, with servers being available for more than 99.5% of the time outside of scheduled maintenance. BioWare has also delivered on the promise of continually adding new content by releasing Rise of the Rakghouls, which added new, higher level group content, less than 30 days after launch. The next game update, featuring even more content, new game systems and additional guild features, is scheduled to be released in Spring 2012.
6waves Lolapps acquires Dallas-based Escalation Studios
Dallas-based Escalation Studios, a developer of mobile games, has been acquired by 6waves Lolapps, a social games firm based in San Francisco. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. 6waves said that Escalation’s co-founders, Tom Mustaine and Marc Tardiff, have become Design Directors at the company. Co-founder Shawn Green becomes Director of Engineering.
via texastechpulse.com – High technology and deal news for Texas – venture capital.
Spacetime Studios to Recruit at SXSW Tech Career Expo
Spacetime Studios will recruit and showcase job openings at the SXSW Tech Career Expo taking place March 9-10, 2012 at the Austin Music Hall. Open, free, to the more than 20,000 tech professionals worldwide participating in SXSW Interactive as well as regional job seekers, Tech Career Expo is an unmatched opportunity for employers to recruit top talent from across the nation and around the world – in one central location. Likewise, talented professionals can easily connect with the best tech jobs and career opportunities – all in one centralized location at SXSW.
EA unveils new offices in North Austin
As video game publisher Electronic Arts debuted its newest Austin expansion on Monday, company officials said their local staff has grown to 600 people, beginning to make good on their vow to bring new jobs to town.EA officials unveiled their new digs in an office park just east of Parmer Lane near Anderson Mill Road in North Austin. This will be home to the customer support division.
Certain Affinity Adds 20 People In 2011
The Statesman covered Certain Affinity in article on Christmas day. The company has certainly carved out a niche in the industry, building in-game environments known as “maps” for franchises like “Halo” and “Call of Duty.” That kind of well-received work on high-profile games has given the company a good reputation — invaluable in the gaming industry. In recent years, Certain Affinity has branched out into working on other franchises, such as “Left 4 Dead,” and creating its own games. And the more-than 60-employee company has grown, adding about 20 people in 2011.
Zynga Goes Public
There was nothing virtual about the market’s reception to Zynga’s newly minted shares. They landed with a real thud. After months of anticipation, the social-gaming pioneer famous for its online virtual worlds like FarmVille offered its stock (ticker: ZNGA) to the public Friday for $10 a share. The shares closed at a disappointing $9.50 that afternoon. The IPO gives the San Francisco firm a market cap of about $9 billion, which includes unexercised options and warrants, much less than the $20 billion discussed earlier this year.
Zynga has studios in Austin and Dallas.
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- Austin startup video game studio has high-minded concepts
- Personalized Media Communications Filed Patent Suit Against Zynga in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- Spacetime Studios’ Games Reach 100 Million Play Sessions
- Warren Spector to receive Lifetime Achievement Award at GDCAs
- Star Wars: The Old Republic: 2 Mill Copies Sold, 1.7 Mill Active Subs
- 6waves Lolapps acquires Dallas-based Escalation Studios
- Spacetime Studios to Recruit at SXSW Tech Career Expo
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