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5th March 2015

Find Waldo Now In The First Social Waldo And Friends Mobile Game From Ludia

LudiaGreetings, globetrotter! Ludia Inc. and DreamWorks Animation have announced the launch of the all-new hidden object adventure, Waldo & Friends exclusively on the App Store. Will you be the first to find Waldo as he travels across the wondrous worlds made famous by the classic books? Join the search and find out! Read the rest of this entry »

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3rd March 2015

Ubisoft And Amblyotech Create The First Therapeutic Video Game Based On Method For Amblyopia Treatment

ubisoft canadaUbisoft Montreal and Atlanta-based Amblyotech Inc. announced their collaboration on the development of Dig Rush, the first video game based on a patented method exclusively used for the treatment of Amblyopia, also known as “lazy eye.” Using inventions initially patented by Drs. Robert Hess, Benjamin Thompson, Behzad Mansouri, Jeremy Cooperstock, Long To and Jeff Blum at McGill University, and subsequently licensed to Amblyotech, Ubisoft is applying gameplay principles to create an entertaining method that can improve patients’ engagement and experience during Amblyopia therapy. This new video game offers the potential of long-lasting treatment for this condition. Read the rest of this entry »

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26th February 2015

Behaviour Interactive Introduces Home: Boov Pop! For iOS

behaviour interactiveEmerging mobile publisher Behaviour Interactive is excited to announce the release of their new title: HOME: Boov Pop!, the official puzzle game based on DreamWorks Animation’s 3D comedy adventure HOME. This free-to-play casual game offers a new twist to the puzzle genre, by adding a gravity-based design combined with out of this world 3D graphics to create a unique gaming experience! Play as Oh, Tip and Captain Smek as they battle their intergalactic enemy across three stunning settings: Paris, Asia and Florida. Connect power bubbles for epic chain reactions and use each character’s special ability to maximise your score! Read the rest of this entry »

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19th February 2015

Experience Kirby’s Most Clay-Ful Adventure Yet In Kirby And The Rainbow Curse

Nintendo CanadaFrom having Kirby ride on hamsters to turning him into yarn, Kirby games have always experimented with inventive visual styles and unique game play. Launching for the Wii U console on February 20, the visually striking new adventure Kirby and the Rainbow Curse finds players controlling Kirby exclusively using the touch screen on the Wii U GamePad controller in a world made of clay. By drawing lines on the touch screen with the stylus, the player creates Rainbow Ropes that will help Kirby navigate obstacles and defeat enemies. Three friends can hop in and out at any time using Wii Remote controllers to play as Waddle Dees and assist Kirby, and players can even use compatible amiibo figures once a day, per stage, to power up Kirby with special abilities. Read the rest of this entry »

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29th January 2015

Victoria’s KANO/APPS Discusses User Acquisition

KANO/APPS  is a Victoria BC mobile and social game developer that has been very successful with game distribution on Facebook and is on the verge of launching a new game for iOS distribution. Go2mobi interviews KANO/APPS CEO Tim Teh for Village Gamer.

Tell Us about KANO/APPS

KANO/APPS focusing on mid-core to hardcore RPGers, KANO/APPs develops free-to-play strategy games. Mob Wars: La Cosa Nostra is one of our more popular games.

Our smaller, niche audience provides more focused opportunities for in-game monetization. Since we’re free-to-play, about 95% of monetization occurs through in-app purchases, such as vanity items & power-ups.

We develop strategy games rather than “casual games.” Our users invest a lot of time into playing the games, and so, with the popularity of tablets and other screens, it makes sense to launch a mobile version of our game. Mobile gives us the opportunity to provide more engagement for our users.

We’re getting ready to launch a game called Free Rider HD on mobile for iOS.

Free Rider HD is the sequel to one of the most played online games of all time with over 500 million plays and +1 million player drawn tracks.

 

We are doing the development work, while Ira provides the intellectual property (IP). For game developers a great strategy is to partner with someone with established, compelling IP. Of course, for startups this can be risky depending on the IP partner because there may be revenue expectations, and it can be tough to determine how successful your game will be.

What has been the biggest change since you started making games?

In the past it was challenging and expensive to develop games for different platforms. The challenge at the time was we could not respond quickly to user needs in order to optimize acquisition and monetization.

However, now with better devices and utilizing HTML5, it’s easy to update quickly across multiple platforms.

How do you acquire new users?

For desktop we typically work with partners such an online games hosting websites that help us to publish our games and worry about distribution so that we can focus on game development.

We started out on desktop at the dawn of Facebook. We have experienced a ton of success working with several desktop portals including Kongregate and Armor Games.

What do you think is the key mobile advertising for game developers?

For user acquisition on mobile a tool that can identify users by demographic and by OS would be important. We’re looking for relatively affluent, English-speaking users on iOS. So a tool that provides that degree of precision would be important.

Tim Teh is CEO of KANO/APPS has launched a number of new titles in 2014, and will launch even more in 2014. Check out the amazing trailers for some of their games here.

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Mobile Advertising Insights for Game Developers

Mobile advertising provides an additional tool to drive user acquisition.

With mobile advertising, there are tactics and strategies that optimize and dramatically lower the cost of acquisition. An approach for a developer like KANO/APPS might look like the following:

  • Create initial modest test campaigns targeted at iOS users in their target countries.
  • Target one at related games and APPS likely to be played by folks who would like their new game.
  • Target another campaign targeted at people frequenting mobile sites with related content.
  • Run the campaigns for a short while, gathering enough data to provide insights.
  • Look at performance by iOS version, iOS device, region, app placements, site placements and other factors.
  • Taking the just the highest performing pockets from the targets noted above, create new campaigns targeting just those pockets. For instance, there may be specific iOS versions and devices that dramatically outperform others, or there may be specific targeted APPS that work very well.
  • Get to work on optimizing those campaigns and scaling them up further as performance dictates.

Go2mobi is a Mobile Audience Targeting Platform and used by many different kinds of performance based advertisers, brands, and agencies around the world. The company is based in Victoria, BC.

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14th January 2015

New Nintendo 3DS XL Launches In Canada February 13th

Nintendo CanadaDuring a Nintendo Direct presentation earlier today, Nintendo announced that the new Nintendo 3DS XL system will launch in Canada on February 13 at a suggested retail price of $229.99. New Nintendo 3DS XL offers a number of new enhancements designed to offer the smoothest and most engrossing portable gaming possible. New Nintendo 3DS XL features a wider range of controls with the addition of a C Stick and ZL/ZR buttons, super-stable 3D via face-tracking technology and built-in NFC functionality that allows for communication with amiibo figures. Read the rest of this entry »

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posted in Action Adventure, Card Games, Everyone, Everyone 10+, Fighting, Mobile, National News, New Releases, Party, Peripherals, Platform, Puzzle, RPG - MMORPG, Shooters, Simulations, Sports, Teen, Upcoming Releases By: | Print This Post Print This Post

8th January 2015

Chariot Steers Onto The Nintendo Wii U

frima studioFrima Studio has announced that couch co-op platformer Chariot is now available on Nintendo’s Wii U System, after first launching on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Steam in Fall 2014. In Chariot, a princess and her fiancé traverse the royal catacombs in search of a final resting place worthy of His Majesty. Players must use their wits and teamwork as they venture through stunning environments and discover new challenges at every turn. Read the rest of this entry »

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9th December 2014

Diametric Games Would Like You To Get Gas

diametricFor everyone who enjoys platformers, Diametric Games Inc. would like to let you know about GAS, their mobile game that stands out from the rest as it is the only game in the genre that engages the player with resource management, not only the “learnt it playing Super Mario” familiar gameplay.  Because of the combination of slapstick humour, classic gaming style, and serious game design GAS will bring a new way to look at the platformer while not screwing up the pure enjoyment of the game. Read the rest of this entry »

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3rd December 2014

Captain Toad And Toadette Are Ready For Adventure In Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker

Nintendo CanadaThe underdog hero Captain Toad needs help! He and Toadette will do anything for treasure. The two intrepid explorers tackle near-insurmountable obstacles like smoldering volcanoes, rickety mine carts, haunted houses and even fire-breathing dragons. Talk about perseverance! In the Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker game, launching exclusively for the Wii U console on December 5, players must muster their own courage to help Captain Toad and Toadette tackle maze-like levels full of tricks, traps and enemies. Read the rest of this entry »

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21st November 2014

Unleash New Evolutions In Pokémon Omega Ruby And Pokémon Alpha Sapphire

Nintendo CanadaSoaring high in the skies on the back of a majestic Pokémon, discovering the mysterious origins of Mega Evolution and releasing the primal powers of Legendary Pokémon. These are only a few of the new franchise features that players can experience for the first time in Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire, both launching exclusively for the portable Nintendo 3DS video game system on November 21. With new Mega Evolutions of favourite Pokémon characters, new areas to explore and new ways to travel, fans who fell in love with the original Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphire games will feel like they are embarking on their adventure through the Hoenn region for the first time. Read the rest of this entry »

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