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LGC: 40% of the industry’s underprepared for digital distribution
According to discussions set to take place during this month’s London Games Conference, with digital distribution “poised to outstrip traditional retail sales within three years,” 40 percent of the...
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EA purchases Playfish for $300 million
EA has bought social games firm Playfish for $300 million. It was bought with $275 million in cash, and $25 million in a equity retention arrangement. They will operate under the EA Interactive...
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Report – EA makes staff cuts in some studios
According to a report by Kotaku, EA has cut loose a fair bit of it’s staff today from some of it’s studios. It comes as the publisher today bought social games firm Playfish for $300 million. The...
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EA: It’s “no coincidence” that PlayFish purchase coincided with lay-offs
EA recently let a bunch of people go. You may have heard about it. Hell, in all likelihood, you may even be one of those people, considering how many heads rolled off the chopping block. However,...
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Playfish working on social game based on well known EA brand
Speaking with the WSJ, Playfish president Kristian Segerstrale has said it’s working on a new social game based on a well known EA brand. It’s the first time Playfish has mentioned projects since...
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EA: Madden sales up 5% YoY, IP going to Facebook
EA said overnight that it had America’s bestselling August game in Madden 11, with year-on-year sales up 5 percent across all formats. Issuing a deluge of Madden-based win-facts, the publisher added...
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DeMartini exits EA Partners, Neider assumes GM role
Former EA Partners head David DeMartini has passed the torch on, as the label expands to enfold both Angry Birds publisher Chillingo and casual portal PlayFish. Taking the stage at EA’s GDC...
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PlayFish to close three games
PlayFish is to close three of its social-network titles, citing unsustainable performance – despite attracting a total of 59,000 average daily users. Inside Social Games reports Pirates Ahoy, Poker...
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PlayFish games to use Facebook credits from July
EA’s social gaming arm, PlayFish, will shortly drop its platform currency in favour of Facebook credits. Develop reports the change brings PlayFish in-line with new Facebook policy against alternate...
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GDC Europe 2011: Mortal Kombat, Playdom and Playfish talks announced
The GDC Europe 2011 schedule has been expanded with newly announced presentations. On the art side, GameSetWatch reports NetherRealm Studios’ cinematic director Dominic Cianciolo will give a talk...
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EA’s The Sims Social goes live with more than 4.8 million MAUs
EA has announced The Sims Social as gone live after a public beta period, and already after only a week, the game has 4,859,046 monthly average users. Created by The Sims Studio and Playfish for...
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The Sims Social nearing 30 million MAUs
The Sims Social maintains its lead as the fastest growing game on Facebook, approaching a significant milestone. Gamasutra‘s regular check up on the Facebook gaming scene has The Sims Social brushing...
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EA pleased with Online Pass, Sims Social
Recent EA Digital initiatives – the Online Pass system and The Sims Social – have been successful for the mega-publisher. “The revenues we derive from [Online Pass sales] haven’t been dramatic. I’d say...
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Report – The Sims Social biting Zynga player base
A study suggests Playfish’s Facebook phenomenon The Sims Social is taking a slice of Zynga’s pie. Raptr‘s report on player behaviour noted that The Sims Social is evoking very similar patterns to Zynga...
View ArticlePlayfish EU GM quits for venture capitalist firm
Playfish’s European GM John Earner has quit his role and left the company, according to reports. Earner, who was VP of product management when EA took over PlayFish in 2009, is said by Tech Crunch to...
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Former Playfish boss to head King.com London studio
Playfish development director Catharina Lavers Mallet has farewelled EA for a rival gig in social gaming. Develop reports King.com has invested in a brand new London studio, and expects to employ...
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EA to shutter The Sims Social and other Facebook games
The Sims Social, SimCity Social and Pet Society are all facing the chop, developer and publisher EA has confirmed. The company intends to close down all three games due to slumping player activity....
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EA lay-offs strike mobile teams in UK, India – report
Although EA still isn’t keen to comment, it has made layoffs at at least one and probably two studios, with talk of a wider restructuring across its mobile and social divisions. Develop cites an...
View ArticleRovio snags former Playfish executive
One-time Playfish vice president of global studios Jami Laes has taken up a new role at Angry Birds developer Rovio. GamesIndustry reports Laes has been appointed executive vice president of games,...
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Former Playfish boss feels next-gen consoles are “a distraction” from largest...
Former Playfish CEO Kristian Segerstrale believes the noise surrounding next-gen consoles is distracting publishers from “the fastest growing parts of the game industry.” Speaking in an op-ed for...
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