Epic Games says Google paid phone and game makers to avoid $1-billion app store hit

"Fortnite" developer Epic Games on Thursday unsealed details about contracts it alleges Alphabet Inc's Google signed with phone makers and other top video game companies to avoid losing $1.1 billion in annual app store profit.

Epic in 2018 launched "Fortnite" through its website and a partnership with handset maker Samsung Electronics Co , bypassing Google's Play Store, which charges developers fees of up to 30 perecnt of their sales.

Google feared other companies copying Epic and blocked that possibility by erecting unlawful hurdles, Epic alleged in an antitrust lawsuit filed against Google last year.

Google said the lawsuit remains baseless and mischaracterizes business conversations. A trial has not been scheduled.

Among new details a judge ordered be unredacted, Google in 2019 estimated up to $6 billion in Play revenue and $1.1 billion in profit would be at risk in 2022 alone if Epic's approach spread and alternative stores found success, according to the lawsuit.

But Google avoided the feared hit.

In 2019, it launched "Premier Device Program" to pay phone makers to ensure the Play Store's exclusivity and limit the appeal of partnerships similar to what Epic had reached with Samsung, according to the newly released details.

Premier partners received 12 percent of Google's search revenues from their phones, compared with 8 percent traditionally, according to the filing. Some partners, including LG Electronics Inc and Lenovo Group's Motorola, also received 3 percent to 6 percent of Google "Play spend."

Separately, Google in 2019 as part of an effort dubbed "Project Hug" approved spending "hundreds of millions of dollars" on over 20 top developers in marketing and other benefits to keep them on the Play Store, according to the details. The "vast majority" accepted Google's offer by December 2020.

According to the lawsuit, Google internally called the new deals a success in stopping a "contagion" of developers sidestepping the Play Store. 

-reuters-

Epic Games asks court to force Apple to reinstall Fortnite

SAN FRANCISCO, United States - Epic Games is trying to convince a California court to reinstate Fortnite on the Apple App Store pending legal proceedings, arguing that doing so is in the "public interest," court documents show.

If not, the game could suffer "irreparable harm," the company's lawyers said in a new lawsuit delivered Friday.

The gambit comes amid a battle over whether Apple's tight control over the App Store, and its 30 percent cut of revenue, counts as monopolistic behavior.

Apple pulled Fortnite from its online mobile apps marketplace on Aug. 13 after Epic released an update that dodges revenue sharing with the iPhone maker.

Last month a US court rejected Epic's bid to have Fortnite reinstated on the App Store, saying its eviction by Apple was a "self-inflicted wound."

"Over 116 million registered users have accessed Fortnite through iOS — more than any other platform," Epic says in the new complaint.

"By eliminating many of these players from Fortnite, and blocking Fortnite's ability to access over a billion iOS users, Apple is irreparably harming Epic's chances," it continues.

Daily active users have dropped by more than 60 percent since Fortnite was removed, it says, while Epic's reputation has also taken a hit.

"Epic may never see these users again," the lawsuit says.

But it did not back down from its fight against Apple, stating that the tech giant "is a monopolist."

Due to the legal row, Fortnite fans using iPhones or other Apple products no longer have access to the latest game updates, including the new season released at the end of August.

Apple does not allow users of its popular devices to download apps from anywhere but its App Store.

Agence France-Presse

Digital video game spending hits record high under virus lockdown

SAN FRANCISCO - Spending on digital video games hit a record high $10 billion in March as people stuck at home under coronavirus lockdowns turned to gaming, market tracker SuperData reported on Thursday.

Money spent on major console games leapt to $1.5 billion in March from $883 million in February, while spending on games played on high-performance personal computers climbed 56 percent to $567 million in the same comparison.

Console and PC games tend to be popular in Europe and North America where restrictions on going out were ramped up in March due to the pandemic.

"Individuals are turning to games as a reliable entertainment option during the COVID-19 crisis and are using online multiplayer to keep in touch with others," SuperData said in a blog post.

Overall revenue from digital video games for the month was up 11 percent year-on-year, according to the industry tracker.

Nintendo sold 5 million copies of its family friendly "Animal Crossing: New Horizons" in March, setting a sales record for the most units of a digital console game sold in a single month, SuperData said.

The closing of real-world stores due to the pandemic was cited as a factor in gamers purchasing more titles as digital downloads.

Spending rose 15 percent on mobile games, a lot of them played on smartphones, reaching $5.7 billion in March, SuperData reported.

Among other leading titles, "Pokemon Go" saw revenue for the mobile game grow 18 percent in March after maker Niantic modified features to make it easier to play without needing to be out and about, according to SuperData.

New-generation Xbox and PlayStation consoles along with games tailored for the hardware are expected to launch by the end of this year.

Microsoft has unveiled a name and look for its new gaming console, the Xbox Series X.

Meanwhile, Sony is readying a powerful PlayStation 5 for market.


Consoles face a potential threat from the advent of cloud gaming, however.

Google early this month made its Stadia online video game service free to provide an escape for those hunkered down at home because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Launched late last year, Stadia is crafted to let people access console-quality games as easily as they do email on an array of internet-linked devices.

"Keeping social distance is vital, but staying home for long periods can be difficult and feel isolating," Stadia vide president Phil Harrison said in an online post.

"Video games can be a valuable way to socialize with friends and family when you're stuck at home."

Google is offering free access to Stadia for two months. 

Agence France-Presse

Google enters battle for cloud gaming market

SAN FRANCISCO -- Ever-expanding Google becomes a gaming company Tuesday with the launch of its Stadia cloud service that lets people play console-quality video games on a web browser or smartphone.

The internet giant hopes to break into the growing $135-billion global video game industry with cloud technology that could broaden audiences attracted by rich new features.

But analysts say Stadia's outlook is uncertain as it faces rivals such as PlayStation Now in an emerging and highly-competitive market.

Stadia plays into a trend in which content -- ranging from blockbuster films to work projects -- lives in the cloud and is accessible from any device.

"All of these new services are merely pointing out that we don't need sophisticated hardware in the home to access entertainment," said Wedbush Securities equity research managing director Michael Pachter.

Google last month sold out of "Founder's Edition" kits, which are priced at $129.

Each kit contains a Stadia controller and a pendant-shaped Chromecast Ultra wireless connection device that plugs into television sets.

Stadia games are playable using Google Chrome web browser software on computers.

It also works with Google-made Pixel smartphones from the second-generation onward, and on televisions.

Stadia Pro subscriptions, priced at $10 a month in the US, will be available in 14 countries in North America and Europe.

ALL IN THE GAME

But analysts say Stadia could wind up as another "bet" that Google walks away from if it fails to live up to expectations.

"Stadia will live or die by its content," said Ovum senior analyst George Jijiashvili. "The announced 12 launch titles are underwhelming."

Subscribers will be able to buy games that will be hosted at Google data-centers, but some free games will be available to subscribers, starting with "Destiny 2: The Collection." 

Stadia on smartphones will work with WiFi connections rather than rely on mobile telecom services.

Being able to play without lags or interruptions is paramount to gamers, and flawed internet connections could cause frustration. Internet speed will also determine how rich in-game graphics can be.

Some promised features such as integration with YouTube will not be in place at launch.

"Stadia appears to be rushed out the door before fully ready and, worryingly, Google is risking falling short on its promises," Jijiashvili said. "These shortcomings however would be easily overlooked if Google can deliver a very reliable and high-quality game streaming service."

Google appears committed to doing just that, according to Ubisoft senior vice president of partnerships Chris Early.

The French video game giant has been working with Google and its games are among titles coming to the service.

"From what I have seen, their plans are too deep; they are too good, and they are too invested," Early said. "They are not calling it quits any time soon."

He expects a long launch period during which Google will beef up Stadia.

"If there is a one-day problem at launch, it isn't the end of the world; it isn't even close," he said, stressing the potential for Stadia to let people play without investing in consoles.

But Pachter questioned whether subscriptions were the right approach.

"The right model is pay as you go or pay for the game and play unlimited without a subscription," Pachter said. "Amazon will try one of those and will win the streaming wars."

Amazon has game studios but no online game service.

BATTLE BREWING

US technology veteran Microsoft has been testing a Project xCloud online game platform.

"Next year, we'll bring Project xCloud to Windows PCs, and are collaborating with a broad set of partners to make game streaming available on other devices as well," Microsoft corporate vice president Kareem Choudhry said in an online post.

Sony Interactive Entertainment last month slashed the price of its PlayStation Now cloud video game service by about half in the US to $10 monthly.

Japan-based Sony also boosted the library of games that PlayStation Now users can access through its consoles or on personal computers powered by Windows software.

Sony and Microsoft are also poised to release new-generation video game consoles next year.

"While we expect dedicated consoles to eventually lose relevance in the face of cloud gaming services, there's no guarantee that it will be Google's service –- rather than Sony and Microsoft's -– that catalyzes this trend," said Ovum senior analyst Matthew Bailey.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Call of Duty Mobile smashes records with 100M downloads in 1st week

The mobile version of videogame franchise "Call of Duty" racked up 100 million downloads in its first week, industry site Sensor Tower said on Tuesday, dwarfing the debuts of previous smashes including "Fortnite" and "PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds" (PUBG).

PUBG, Fortnite and Electronic Arts' "Apex Legends" scored 26.3 million, 22.5 million and 25 million respectively in their first week of release.

"This is by far the largest mobile game launch in history in terms of the player base that's been built in the first week," said Randy Nelson, head of mobile insights at Sensor Tower.

"Call of Duty: Mobile" was launched by its publisher Activision Blizzard Inc on Oct. 1 and Sensor Tower said the numbers reflected worldwide unique downloads across Apple's App Store and Google Play in the period since.

The smash hit is a "first-person-shooter game" that allows gamers to portray elite soldiers hunting down targets in different parts of the world.

The game's console-based editions have enjoyed a loyal following but the meteoric rise of free-to-play online games have forced companies to adapt and develop their games for the smaller screen.

"Call of Duty" was developed for mobile by Chinese internet giant Tencent Holdings Ltd, which also has a stake in PUBG's Bluehole and Fortnite's Epic Games and is credited with popularizing the battle-royale format, where dozens of online players battle each other to death.

The United States was mobile edition's main draw, with 17% of the downloads in its launch week, followed by India, where PUBG has a strong foothold. Tencent is yet to launch the game in China.

Activision, which will launch the next console edition of "Call of Duty" on Oct. 25, has labeled 2019 a "transition year".

The company said in May it would cut 800 jobs and invest heavily to develop its key game franchises "Call of Duty", "Candy Crush", "Overwatch", "Warcraft", "Hearthstone" and "Diablo".

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Google takes on Apple Arcade with mobile game service

SAN FRANCISCO - Google on Monday unveiled a subscription service for games and apps on Android-powered mobile devices in a direct challenge to Apple Arcade.

Google Play Pass promised access to hundreds of "awesome" games free of ads or hawked virtual wares at the same $4.99 monthly subscription price as that of the Arcade service Apple launched last week for iOS devices.

"The Play Pass collection spans hundreds of titles, from games that help you unwind to apps that power productivity," Google product manager Austin Shoemaker said in an online post.

"Play Pass is coming to Android devices in the US this week, and we'll be bringing it to additional countries soon."

Some of the game titles included in the launch will be Terraria, Monument Valley, Risk and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.

It will also include apps such as Accuweather which are free of in-app purchases, upfront payments or advertising.

Google said it will add new games and apps to the service each month. The internet giant also enticed people with a temporary offer to let them subscribe at a reduced price for the first year.

"Play Pass helps encourage people to try new experiences they would not have otherwise," said Maria Sayans, chief executive of Monument Valley maker Ustwo games.

Play Pass was announced just days after the launch of Apple Arcade, which rides a trend of video games played by subscribers instead of purchased as downloads or disks.

Apple Arcade offers unlimited access for a flat monthly price to more than 100 exclusive games uninterrupted by ads or the hawking of virtual goods.

Arcade, and now Play Pass, fit into a subscription model that is gaining traction, according to analysts.

gc/rl

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Nintendo shares jump on Super Mario app for iPhones

TOKYO - Nintendo shares surged more than five percent on Wednesday after the game giant said it would release a Super Mario app for iPhones next month.

The stock price rose as much as 5.5 percent to 26,215 yen before closing the morning session on the Tokyo Stock Exchange up 4.38 percent at 25,950 yen.

Shares in Nintendo, creator of the Pokemon franchise, have been on a tear since the July release of Pokemon Go -- making the company more valuable than Sony at one stage.

The stock has gained more than 50 percent this year on the phenomenal success of the mobile app for iOS and Android developed by San Francisco-based Niantic.

Kyoto-based Nintendo said it would release Super Mario Run worldwide for Apple's iPhone and iPad on December 15.

Customers can download it from the App Store for free to try some limited elements of the game.

An optional one-time payment, which will be $9.99 in the United States, grants unlimited access, the company said.

Neil Campling, an analyst at Northern Trust Capital Markets, hailed the company's approach of enticing gamers in the same way as other mobile game successes as "a great strategy".

"To set a low incentive and then a low total cost when engaged could set Nintendo on a differentiated path, which ultimately could be a game changer," Campling said.

Super Mario Run will also be introduced for Android-based devices at a later date.

Nintendo is also to release a new game console early next year.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

How to become a game developer

The advancements in cellphones over the past decade have led to a huge market for apps especially mobile games. This TWT Report gives us a glimpse of the game development industry and what it takes to become a game developer. - ANC, The World Tonight, May 27, 2015

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com