Gamer/Law Weekly Newsletter, 15 – 19 February 2010

• Atari revenues down: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/atari-announces-revenue-decline
• VentureBeat article on kids/toy companies and games: http://games.venturebeat.com/2010/02/17/online-firms-and-toy-companies-clash-over-kids-virtual-worlds/
  (Interesting commentary on Disney’s aspirations)
  

• Interesting E&Y analysis on virtual goods and accounting: http://abovethecrowd.com/2010/02/08/virtual-goods-accounting-and-the-power-of-the-rental-model/ 
• GMG to expand virtual currency sales to UK (apparently, high street chain WH Smith will sell their virtual currency cards): http://worldsinmotion.biz/2010/02/gmg_expands_virtual_currency_o.php 
• Paypal to integrate with Facebook: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/02/18/paypal_on_facebook/ (This has obvious implications for making the sale of virtual goods easier through Facebook)

• PWC overview of tax break system in Canada: http://www.pwc.com/ca/en/entertainment-media/film-video-tax-incentives-canada.jhtml

• Statistics on virtual worlds accounts: http://www.kzero.co.uk/blog/?p=3943
  (Interesting stuff – apparently there are now 803m virtual world accounts, of which the greatest age range is 10-15 years olds at 392m.  There are only 39m accounts for 25+ year olds.)

• Survey on social gamers: http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2010/02/social-gaming-survey/ and http://www.wfxg.com/Global/story.asp?S=11997515
  (This article contains some really interesting statistics about social gaming, the fastest growing games sector.  Example: the average social gamer is a 43 year old woman.)

• Forbes article on social games companies and virtual goods: http://www.forbes.com/2010/02/17/farmville-facebook-zynga-technology-business-intelligence-virtual-goods.html

• Pieces: on Zynga (also contains some useful intel on fast-growing Indian games market):
  – Zynga opens Indian studio: http://www.edge-online.com/news/zynga-opens-indian-studio and http://www.develop-online.net/news/33931/Special-report-Zyngas-fearsome-expansion-enters-India
  – GI.biz piece on Zynga’s strategy: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/metrics-the-key-to-successful-social-game-design-zynga
  – Zynga could be worth $3bn on a IPO: http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2010/02/15/daily56.html

• Interview with President of Disney’s Interactive Media Group: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/wadsworth-interactive-entertainment-has-never-been-so-robust
  (again, more evidence Disney wants to move more into games and VWs in particular)

• Sky says games industry (and everyone else) is behind its 3D TV project: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/sky-everyone-is-behind-3
  (So add a forthcoming 3D games revolution to the Natal, social gaming, GAAS revolutions…?)

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