Google’s first indie gaming festival comes to San Francisco this fall
Indie game developers, Google wants to hear from you. The company has just announced the first Google Play Indie Games Festival, and you can submit your game for consideration now. The festival, which will take place Sept. 24th in San Francisco, will highlight 30 upcoming and recent games that will be available in the Google Play Store to Android users, with prizes going to the top submissions.
“Google Play is the largest store for digital content; 65 billion apps and games were downloaded over the past year,” says Google’s Jamil Moledina, a strategic lead for Play Games. “It’s an immense platform that we have, and along with that is an opportunity to better support the indie games community.”
In this case, that support looks like better “discoverability” for indie game developers, something that’s an issue for just about anyone publishing apps on Google Play. There’s well over a million apps in the store at this point, and standing out in this crowd is incredibly difficult — especially when you’re competing with high-profile, prolific developers like Glu, EA, Gameloft and others.
The Indie Games Festival won’t solve that, but it’s another way for Google to try and highlight entertaining and unique games. Moledina said the reach of Google Play makes the company want to make the store diverse as possible. There’s a place for the mass-market, free-to-play games like Candy Crush, but there’s plenty of room to serve gamers who want more unconventional or in-depth experiences as well.
That’s where this human element of picking out the cream of the crop for the Indie Games Festival comes in. “It’s incumbent on us to help people find games that are not only ones that they would naturally be interested in,” Moledina says, “but also to highlight from a human tastemaking point of view what’s truly standout now.” With the amount of content available in the Google Play Store, human curation is a must. There’s already an “indie corner” in the store, and it goes without saying that the 30 finalist games will be highlighted as well.
As to how those 30 finalists will be picked, Moledina says it comes down to fun and innovation. “Ultimately, we’re looking for fun games that have truly innovative and artistic elements,” he says. On the innovation side, Google is expecting to see a lot of indie developers take advantage of the company’s augmented-reality and virtual-reality games to craft new experiences. “These are areas that are really important trends for everyone, but specifically for indie developers,” Moledina says. “They have a natural agility and focus that can help them jump into areas like VR and AR.”
Games must have been released in 2016 or be published by the end of the year. And they need to come from studios or publishers with fewer than 15 full-time employees; no public companies allowed. Moledina admits the guidelines are a bit arbitrary, but Google needed to draw a line somewhere.
Lastly, the festival is open only to developers in North America — at least this time. “We’re starting with North America,” Moledina says, “but we could [hold festivals] in other regions to focus on local developers who are more comfortable pitching in their own language and can highlight games that make sense for their countries.”
Submissions are open from now until Aug. 14th, at which time Google plans to quickly narrow the field, to allow the 30 contenders as much time to prep for the September event as possible. Come Sept. 24th, those 30 games will be shown off, with consumers and developers alike getting a chance to put them all through the wringer.
Attendees will have the chance to vote on their favorites, and developers for the top 15 games will have a chance to formally pitch their games to a panel of judges. Seven semifinalists will come out of that group and all will win a prize; three of them will take the top honors. Google says prizes will include Tango devices, I/O 2017 tickets and ad support for their creations on Google’s networks. If you’re a developer and want to get a chance to show off your game in San Francisco this fall, you have a month to get it in. And if you just want to attend and see what’s on display, Google should have more details on the festival itself in the coming weeks.
Nintendo’s Classic Mini is a tiny NES with 30 games
That dusty old NES in your attic might be rife with nostalgic memories, but it’s a pain to drag out of its box whenever you get the hankering for a rousing game of Super Mario Bros. 3. Nintendo totally gets it, as well as the fact that you might want something a little more convenient to enjoy your classic games. Enter the Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition, a mini replica of the original console.
The diminutive version of one of the most influential home video game consoles of all time will launch with over 30 NES titles preloaded, including Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy and Metroid. The mix also includes some surprising choices such as StarTropics, but it’s a well-rounded sampling of the best the system has to offer.
The full list includes Balloon Fight, Bubble Bobble, Castlevania, Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest, Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr., Double Dragon II: The Revenge, Dr. Mario, Excitebike, Final Fantasy, Galaga, Ghosts’ N Ghoblins, Gradius, Ice Climber, Kid Icarus, Kirby’s Adventure, Mario Bros., Mega Man 2, Metroid, Ninja Gaiden, Pac-Man, Punch-Out!! Featuring Mr. Dream, StarTropics, SUPER C, Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 2, Super Mario Bros. 3, Tecmo Bowl, The Legend of Zelda and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link.
For $59.99, you’ll get the preloaded games, an HDMI cable, an AC adapter and one NES Classic Controller, which obviously looks exactly like the ones you’re used to.
The system launches this November 11th for $59.99 across North America and the UK. However, it is interesting to note that the UK edition will not launch with its own AC adapter, which is included with the North American edition.
Source: Nintendo (BusinessWire
Valve distances itself from ‘Counter-Strike’ gambling sites
Last week the internet was buzzing with news that a few popular YouTube gaming personalities were involved in ethically shady business ventures. No, different ones from this week. What happened was Tom “Syndicate” Cassell and Trevor “TmarTn” Martin own the website CS:GO Lotto, which deals in gambling with randomly-dropped skins that change the appearance, but not function of weapons and other items in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. The cosmetic items come in crates, and those crates are unlocked with real money. So, those unlocked-for-cash skins become currency for betting on lotteries and casino-style games.
If that weren’t sketchy enough, Cassell and Martin were promoting CS:GO Lotto on their YouTube channels without disclosing the fact that they owned the site. In an effort to distance itself from the controversy Valve (CS: GO’s publisher and developer) has recently stated that it has zero affiliation with any third-party skin gambling services. As Game Informer notes, these skins can go for thousands of dollars — something that Gabe Newell (above) and Co. apparently don’t see a penny of.
“We’d like to clarify that we have no business relationships with any of these sites. We have never received any revenue from them. And Steam does not have a system for turning in-game items into real world currency,” a post on Steam says. The third-party sites work by essentially creating Steam accounts, having users link their accounts to the service and then, the sites trade items internally. That’s forbidden by Steam’s terms of service, according to Ars Technica.
Cassell was also recently involved with the controversy surrounding Machinima and paid, positive videos about the Xbox One as well. Last month, an amended complaint was filed against Cassell, Martin and Valve for allowing an illegal online gambling market to crop up surrounding in-game items.
Via: Ars Technica
Source: Steam
‘Pokémon Go’ is now available in the UK
Pokéfans in Britain, rejoice. Pokémon Go, the AR video game that lets you catch colourful critters with your smartphone, is now available in the UK version of the App Store and Google Play. That means you no longer have to fiddle about with APKs or store regions to start your own adventure.
The app is already a huge success — both in its official launch markets and beyond — as trainers young and old try to build out their personal collections. It’s a fun, if shallow (and slightly unreliable) game that encourages people to go outside and explore their surroundings. But be warned, as the app can lead you into a whole host of strange locations — and crafty crooks have figured out how to use the game as bait for muggings. Unlike the regions of Kanto and Hoenn, Great Britain can be a dangerous place — so stay safe and keep your wits about you.
Source: Pokemon Go (iOS), (Android)
Blizzard has had enough of rude ‘World of Warcraft’ players
Blizzard wants to put a stop to inappropriate behavior in World of Warcraft. The company is rolling out a new silence penalty that will limit abusive players from engaging with the game in a few major ways.
Players who are reported multiple times under the spam or abusive chat categories will receive an account-wide penalty following an investigation. During this silence players won’t be able to talk in Instance Chats or global channels, send in-game mails, party or game invitations and more.
However, the guilty party will still be able to share quests, whispers to friends, create parties or raids, and talk in global channels with a moderator present. The first time a player is silenced, their chat will be restricted for 24 hours. This will continue to double with every subsequent silence, with no upper limit. Meaning, those with multiple penalties won’t be able to chat for quite a while.
Anyone can use the game’s in-game report tool to identify potentially abusive players. The new feature will make its debut alongside the game’s sixth expansion Legion, set to be released in late August. Legion will add the Demon Hunter hero class and a new continent called the Broken Isles, among other updates.
Source: Battle.net
Gamble on your smartphone in MGM’s Vegas casinos
If you wanted an even more convenient way to gamble while strolling the floors of casinos, MGM Resorts has the answer. Today, they announced a new mobile platform that lets users bet money on classic games so long as they’re within the confines of the company’s Las Vegas locations.
At the moment, you can only compete against fellow guests in bingo, slots and video poker, but other games are being developed. The platform, easyPLAY Mobile Tournaments, was developed by mobile gaming company oneLIVE inc and works on smartphones, tablets and laptops. Heck, MGM has even loaded it into interactive tables if you left your device in your room or don’t want to burn battery.
EasyPLAY is open to gamblers 21 and over and only works while connected to a participating location’s WiFi network. Obviously they’re deploying it in their Grand resort, but the other eight locations include MGM-owned Las Vegas luminaries like the Bellagio, Mandalay, Luxor and New York-New York. If you’re staying in one of those and don’t want to leave the pool to challenge the no-armed bandit, this mobile platform is the gateway to lazy gambling.
Via: Ars Technica
Source: MGM Resorts International
Twitch study shows how it helps boost game sales
Some people lose the desire to play the games they watch on Twitch. But according to research conducted by one of the company’s science team members, those who feel the opposite are plenty enough to boost sales and retention rates. The study, authored by Danny Hernandez, says Hearthstone’s success after it exploded on Twitch “raised the line of inquiry” he was only able to explore recently after getting the data he needed. Hernandez listed a few examples to illustrate his point, including Tom Clancy’s The Division. He believes the website was responsible for around 18 percent of its sales.
Hernandez determined that Steam-connected viewers are more likely to buy a game within 24 hours of watching a stream. In addition, the study found that current players of, say, games like DOTA are five percent more likely to show up in their second week of playing if they watched streams during their first week. “[M]oving retention even a single percent is crazy hard,” Hernandez wrote, so five percent is big news.
The paper lists a couple of advice for developers, as well. It says the best way to take advantage of Twitch is to build your community before launch and to think of novel ways to engage your audience. Indie sporting management sim Punch Club, for instance, garnered 1.2 million views from the developers’ pre-launch Let’s Play stream on the Twitch plays Punch Club channel. Its creators only released the game after the people in chat finished the whole thing. As a result, 2.8 percent of Steam-connected viewers snatched the title. The study also says that engaging mid-tier influencers — or those who average 33 to 3,333 viewers every broadcast — is the best way to reach buyers. They’re 13 times more effective than big streamers, and Hernandez credits them with 46 percent of Twitch-related sales.
We’re sure some of you would prefer reading a study by a non-biased, third party researcher instead, but this paper will still give you a glimpse of Twitch’s internal data. Read it here.
Source: Twitch
UK children’s charity says ‘Pokemon Go’ needs more safety features
Pokémon Go’s biggest strength is that it’s tied to the real world. Players are encouraged to explore their surroundings in order to capture new Pokémon and build out their Pokédex. But unlike the fantasy worlds of Kanto and Johto, planet Earth can be a dangerous place, especially for younger players. In the week since its launch, users have been encouraged to visit some inadvisable places, like a Hells Angels clubhouse. Crooks have also used the lure feature, which attracts Pokemon, to pull in players and rob them for real. They’re rare, but nevertheless alarming cases.
The NSPCC, a charity campaigning for child protection in the UK, has written to the app’s developer, Niantic, asking for a safety overhaul. Peter Wanless, chief executive for the NSPCC, says the app “appears susceptible to being hijacked by users who wish to harm other players.” He points to a number of high-profile news reports, including one that suggests Pokémon Go players have been led to a sex shop in Plymouth, England.
Technically, the app isn’t available in the UK, although countless players have side-stepped the problem by changing their app store location or downloading an Android APK. Before it officially crosses the pond, Wanless says Niantic should be looking at the game and changing how it plays.
“Given Pokémon’s already massive popularity with children, the NSPCC is concerned that basic safety standards appear to have been overlooked. I urge you to urgently reassess your app and its security and safety features. We all have a responsibility to ensure that children are protected and as creators of a game with substantive reach, you have a weighty responsibility to protect your young users.”
Specifically, the NSPCC wants “security and reporting functions” inside the app. It stops short of explaining just how these would operate — but it’s safe to assume that users, parents included, would be able to flag specific areas that they deem inappropriate. Niantic would then review them and, if it agreed with the report, delist the location or tag it as dangerous.
“All too often we see examples of companies simply not doing enough to protect children – their safety is an afterthought,” he presses. “This cannot go on – children live in a digital age, it is a standard feature of their lives. Therefore, their welfare must be a standard consideration when developing products that companies know children will use.”
The NSPCC says it would be happy to work with Niantic and The Pokémon Company before the app is released in the UK. We’ve asked both companies to comment on the letter and will publish their responses.
Pokemon Go’s mental health benefits are real
Dr. John Grohol is an expert in technology’s impact on human behavior and mental health, and for the past 20 years he’s studied how people operate online. He’s the founder of mental health network Psych Central, and he knows all about the latest tools aimed at helping people deal with anxiety, depression and a host of other issues.
And Dr. Grohol has never seen anything like Pokemon Go.
“In terms of the phenomena of people expressing the benefits of playing the game to their real-world mental health status, I think that’s very unique and it’s the first time I’ve ever seen anything like that,” he says.
#PokemonGO has honestly helped so much with my depression and anxiety I’m actually talking to people and being active I love this so much
— JENNY DEATH (@cybergoth1997) July 11, 2016
Srsly though, I haven’t felt this comfortable leaving the house in years. #PokemonGO is helping with my anxiety & depression & it’s amazing.
— Neil (d’class) Tyson (@TheBabyWitch) July 11, 2016
Twitter is flooded with stories about Pokemon Go’s impact on players’ anxiety and depression, with thousands of people lauding the game for getting them out of the house and making it easier to interact with friends and strangers alike. These simple acts are crucial milestones for anyone struggling with depression, Dr. Grohol says.
“The challenge has always been, if you’re depressed, your motivation level is nonexistent,” he explains. “So, you want to go out and get some fresh air, or even take a shower, and it can be a very difficult thing to even comprehend, much less do. I think the impact of something like this, this game, can really be beneficial.”
#PokemonGO has changed me so much for the better in only a week. Dealing with BPD, depression& anxiety it has helped me get out of the house
— Lara (@38Violetqueen) July 11, 2016
Real talk – as someone with anxiety/depression, the fact that I’ve spent most of this weekend outside with friends is unreal. #PokemonGo
— HiRez David (@uglycatlady) July 10, 2016
This isn’t hippie nonsense: Research demonstrating the positive effects of exercise on people’s moods goes back at least 20 years, Dr. Grohol says.
“The research is really, really clear on this, that the more you exercise, the more it would help decrease feelings of depression,” he says. “It actually works as an anti-depressant and it has a really, pretty strong effect. It’s probably one of the most beneficial things a person with depression can do, especially if they’re not accessing other types of treatments, such as psychotherapy or medication.”
Plus, walking around isn’t good only for mental issues — it can also help people lose weight, stay in shape and build overall healthier bodies. In this case, what’s good for the body is also good for the mind.
Yooo I lost 7 pounds playing #PokemonGO!!! Plus it’s helping me with my anxiety a little bit which is awesome af ☺️☺️☺️ #gottacatchemall
— ¯_(ツ)_/¯ (@Queen_Bologna) July 12, 2016
Roughly 43.8 million adults in the United States experience mental illness every year, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. That’s one in five adults. The video game community is a magnet for people living with untreated anxiety, depression and other mental illnesses, says suicide prevention organization Take This. The industry itself is volatile, and it attracts particularly creative and highly educated people — factors that can contribute to a perfect storm of untreated mental illnesses.
Russ Pitts, co-founder of Take This, says that hundreds of clinicians and advisers have told him the same thing over the years: Generally, the more educated or technically sophisticated a person is, the less likely he or she is to seek help for mental issues.
“The sense is that because it’s a mental issue and they’re highly skilled in mental areas, they can think their way out of it,” Pitts says. “And a lot of people try that, and it doesn’t work.”
Here’s where Pokemon Go can help. It isn’t presented as a tool to help treat anxiety or depression; instead, it’s a game that happens to cultivate healthy behaviors.
Pokemon Go has got me up and moving and meeting new people.
Thank you, Nintendo/Niantic, for giving me a great anti-depression tool. ❤
— Josh the Seal (@ManectricMan) July 12, 2016
“It helps a person not even think of it as helping their mood because it’s not targeted toward their mood. It’s a game,” Dr. Grohol says. “Because of the way that they’ve created the gaming dynamics, they’ve actually created a very strong reinforcement for people to go out and become more active.”
But, for all of its achievements, Pokemon Go has limits. It may be a wonderful motivator for players to leave their houses, get some light exercise and meet new people, but it isn’t a substitute for professional treatment, Dr. Grohol says.
“I wouldn’t recommend people look at this sort of game or any video game as an opportunity to treat a serious mood disorder, such as chronic depression, solely with a video game,” he says. “I think it’s a great adjunct to other kinds of treatment, such as psychotherapy and medication, but it should not be the sole treatment that person is using to try and help their depressed mood.”
Whether/not #PokemonGO ends up being the cure 4everything from depression 2 obesity, fact remains it’s getting me out the house &off Twitter
— L.D. Lapinski (@ldlapinski) July 12, 2016
#PokemonGo has already been a better treatment for my depression than anything my doctor prescribed or therapist recommended
— Jesseanne Pope (@gleefullyhello) July 11, 2016
Pokemon Go can be an introduction to self-care, but it’s not a cure. It’s not even fool-proof as a video game — server outages have plagued Pokemon Go since its launch in early July, and the game doesn’t extend to some remote regions across the country. If someone is using Pokemon Go as a healthy-habit motivator and the game simply doesn’t load one day, that can be a crushing blow. Similarly, someone who already feels isolated won’t receive help from seeing their Pokemon trainer surrounded by miles of nothing, not even a stray Rattata.
just trying to play #PokemonGo but I live to far away from the road to find ANYTHING…
Depression hit hard tonight pic.twitter.com/5Zyy0JHppp— ramona flowers (@OJMPlemons) July 8, 2016
Pokemon Go is not a panacea for anxiety or depression in general, but for a lot of people it’s a stepping stone toward healthier habits and positive self-care. It isn’t perfect, but there’s no perfect solution for anxiety, depression or any other mental illness. Players who have benefited from playing Pokemon Go can use this opportunity to take their treatment to the next level, Dr. Grohol says.
“If this is what it takes to help you get a treatment or consider a treatment, by all means, this can be an excellent first step,” he says. “But it shouldn’t be a last step.”
I’ve made so many new friends with #PokemonGO, it’s helped my social anxiety, and I’m actually getting out. This is more than just a game.
— Brandon Evans (@Brandon21Evans) July 11, 2016
‘Pokémon Go’ sponsored locations to let brands in on the fun
While you’re trying to catch ’em all with Pokémon Go, the developers are figuring out how to make (more) money from the white hot augmented reality (AR) game. Along with the existing in-app purchases from “PokéCoins,” developer Niantic says it will use sponsored locations as another way to cash in, according to the Financial Times. “There is a second component to our business model at Niantic, which is this concept of sponsored locations,” Chief Executive John Hanke told the FT.
Sponsorships make a lot of sense for Pokémon Go, because retailers are already paying to set Pokéstop “lures” to draw players. Also, Niantic is familiar with the concept thanks to its other AR game, Ingress. With that app, sponsors like Duane Reade pharmacies in the US and Vodafone in Germany pay to turn their locations into “portals,” drawing extra foot traffic. With Pokemon Go, advertisers would be charged for every customer visiting a store, as confirmed by the app.
In just a week, Pokémon Go has become the most downloaded and top-grossing app on Android and iOS in the US, and has 21 million active (and I do mean active) daily users as of yesterday. It’s not clear how much money the app is actually generating, though some analysts think it could make a $1 billion a year if it can keep up its current momentum.
Niantic is an independent company, but is funded by both Nintendo and Google parent Alphabet. Pokémon Go, meanwhile was jointly developed by Niantic and the Pokémon company, which is 32 percent owned by Nintendo. The success of the game has increased Nintendo’s value by billions of dollars in just two weeks.
Niantic has promised to release more information “in the future” about any Pokémon Go sponsorship deals. As with Ingress, it will no doubt introduce them carefully so as not turn off players. Businesses will need to be equally careful, as the game has drawn mobs of users to various locations, sometimes for the good and sometimes the not-so-good.
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