Techvibes Technology News

Ecobuddies brings ecology and safe surfing to MMOGs

Posted by Rob Lewis on Mon, November 17, 2008 11:44 AM · Filed under Vancouver , Venture Capital , Start-up , Gaming , Social Media · No Comments

Ecobuddies is a Massive Multiplayer Onlne Game based on an ecological theme that hopes to reach a goal of a $500 million valuation (based on the companies already on the market, like Club Penguin and NeoPets).

Ecobuddies aims to fill a niche in the MMOG space, since there are very few games aimed at young children. The site will be "safe, secure and sanitized," so that parents can introduce the site to their children with no worry of inappropriate content (the intended demographic is 5 to 12 year olds). The site will also be ad-free, instead using micro-payments to generate revenue.

Ecobuddies is also the only MMOG to combine green themes and eco systems within a virtual world, such as characters driving in electric cars and using windmills in their virtual houses.

The website is currently in the testing phase, with the revenue stage about to begin.

 
Company:
EcoBuddies Interactive Ltd.
Website:
http://www.ecobuddies.com
Location:
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

EcoBuddies Interactive Ltd. is a Vancouver-based company that recently launched its same-named website at www.ecobuddies.com. Ecobuddies’ goal is... [more]

 

Big Fish in a Big Pond

Posted by Rob Lewis on Fri, November 14, 2008 10:37 AM · Filed under Vancouver , Gaming · No Comments

While this is hardly news to anyone in our building, the Vancouver Sun's Marke Andrews wrote today about Seattle's Big Fish Games opening a Vancouver studio. Their new Yaletown digs are one floor down in 1122 Mainland and currently have just four employees - but has room for almost 50. That's a good thing considering their growth trajectory.

Since beginning in 2002 with one employee -- founder Paul Thelen -- the company has had revenue growth of between 100 and 220 per cent per annum. Big Fish Games reported revenues of $8.6 million in 2005, $24.1 million in 2006 and $50.8 million in 2007, and employee numbers have grown from 35 to 310.

Management strategically choose Vancouver as a way to attract people from the city's "strong game development talent cluster" and they expect the local studio to grow to about 25 to 30 employees by summer. It looks like they were even more strategic with their office choice. Their windows face EA's new Yaletown space - look out for guerilla-style 'It's after 5pm, why are you still working? BigFish.com' recruiting signs soon.

 
Company:
Electronic Arts Canada
Website:
http://www.ea.com
Location:
Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada

Want to be part of the Next Generation of games development? EA is the leading developer for next gen games and looking for passionate gamers who... [more]

 
 
Company:
Big Fish Games, Inc.
Website:
http://bigfishgames.com/
Location:
Seattle, Washington, United States

Big Fish Games is a global leader and innovator in the online games industry, producing and delivering the world's best games and game experiences.... [more]

 

Belt tightening in Vancouver Gaming Industry

Posted by Rob Lewis on Mon, November 3, 2008 10:12 PM · Filed under Vancouver , Gaming · No Comments

The gaming industry has proven to be pretty resilient to economic downturns, especially around this time of the year when holiday shopping kicks in and the latest game titles are stacked under the Christmas tree.

Maybe not in 2008. Vancouver's Electronic Arts (EA) announced last week that they're laying off 6% of their workforce (approx. 600 employees) thanks to lowered financial projections. But wait, EA claims this round of job cuts are unrelated to the economic downturn but instead were part of the company's recent cost-cutting measures. Not sure if that makes the news better or worse.

Borrowing an analogy from the commercial real estate industry, EA is the anchor tenant of the Vancouver gaming community - if they move out, the whole mall could fail. This kind of cost-cutting and short term caution likely doesn't bode well for EA's future of producing brand new IP either. Let's hope last week's news doesn't cause a ripple effect amongst Vancouver smaller shops.

Image credit: Frank Caron of ars technica.

 
Company:
Electronic Arts Canada
Website:
http://www.ea.com
Location:
Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada

Want to be part of the Next Generation of games development? EA is the leading developer for next gen games and looking for passionate gamers who... [more]

 

Hot Jazz...Cool Tech: Tech Lounge 2008

Posted by Kevin Dahl on Fri, October 31, 2008 9:43 AM · Filed under Calgary , Wireless , Web 2.0 , Events , Start-up , Associations , Gaming , Social Media , Web Development , SEO , Digital Media , Government , CleanTech · No Comments

Tech LoungeCalgary Technologies 9th Annual Tech Showcase packed the house last night at the Alastair Ross Technology Centre (ARTC). This year’s event highlighted over 40 local Technology Companies, and proves that even during turbulent global economic times, Calgary’s technology sector is diverse, growing, and always up for a party!

This year’s Tech Showcase had a new attraction – Pitch Corner. Six exciting companies took centre stage to show off who they are, what they do, and why it’s cool. Each company had 7 minutes to deliver their presentations, which included demos, graphics, prototypes, bells, whistles, and even some PowerPoint. Democamp Calgary’s fabulous Sarah Blue MC’d the Pitch Corner, and helped presenters keep their cool amid some interesting technical challenges.

Presenters included:

Also new this year, the soothing sounds of Jazz! As you sipped a glass of chewy Shiraz, or in my case a cold Traditional Ale, the Rick Climans Jazz Trio could be heard above the noise of the 400+ attendees. There were some great networking opportunities (Calgary’s Mayor, Dave Bronconnier, even made an appearance!) and I’m sure there are many people scrambling this morning to follow up on the contacts made last night!

[read more]
 
Company:
Calgary Technologies Inc.
Website:
http://www.calgarytechnologies.com
Location:
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Calgary Technologies Inc. (CTI) works with entrepreneurs to help them accelerate the success of their technology company, and looks for... [more]

 
 
Company:
Tynt, Inc.
Website:
http://www.tynt.com
Location:
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Share the web as YOU see it! You can add notes, drop speech bubbles, place stickers and more on top of any web page and share your Tynt with... [more]

 
 
Company:
Psyko Audio Labs Inc.
Website:
http://www.psykoaudio.com/
Location:
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Psyko Audio Labs is developing headphones for computer and console gamers. The technology delivers highly accurate directional audio so that you... [more]

 
 
Company:
Ph03nix New Media Inc.
Website:
http://ph03nixnewmedia.com
Location:
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Our goal is to inspire the world to learn. But that inspiration must start with you. Be inspired. And let that inspiration flow through everything... [more]

 

EA plans layoffs as sales slow

Posted by Rob Lewis on Thu, October 30, 2008 3:21 PM · Filed under Vancouver , Gaming , Layoffs · 1 Comment

Today Electronic Arts cuts its full-year profit forecast due to a delay in the latest Harry Potter video game and its stock fell 14 percent. They also announced that they plan to cut about 6 percent of their workforce in response to slowing sales. The company said it would save about $50 million annually from the cost cutting action.

EA's ranks are currently 9,671 employees strong and there was no indication as to which business areas would be trimmed.

 
Company:
Electronic Arts Canada
Website:
http://www.ea.com
Location:
Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada

Want to be part of the Next Generation of games development? EA is the leading developer for next gen games and looking for passionate gamers who... [more]

 

GameON Finance 2.0: Public vs Private Funds In The Gaming Industry

Posted by Varun Mathur on Thu, October 30, 2008 9:22 AM · Filed under Toronto , Events , Gaming · No Comments

This panel featured a discussion on where / how to get financing for your gaming start-up.

Panelists:

  • Pierre LeLann, Co-CEO, Tribal Nova
  • Jenna Seguin, Loan Officer, Aver Media
  • Robert Shoniker, Principal, Courage Capital
  • Marc Jackson, Managing Partner, Video Game Finance Inc.

Key points:

  • Robert mentioned that there used to be a government organization called "Innovation Ontario" which invested a seed amount of $500k in tech companies in the province. That is how RIM got funded in its initial days. He said there is a need for a government fund which would seek to invest $20 - $30 million in the digital media industry, which should be matched by private funds.
  • Pierre suggested it might be a good idea to get the publisher involved early, as potential new contracts for more games can help in the growth of your gaming start-up.
  • Jenna talked about the digital media tax credits available to companies operating in that space. She mentioned that there is a high level of predictability in the tax credit system since it has been around long enough. She also advised companies pitching to financiers like herself to come prepared (have their cash flow, financing documents, etc in order).

Overall, the advice for gaming start-ups seemed to be to seek initial funding from friends/family, seek out government funding options like the tax credits and IRAP and seek strategic partners/publishers to get off the ground.

GameON Finance 2.0 Concludes After An Exciting Day

Posted by Varun Mathur on Thu, October 30, 2008 9:31 AM · Filed under Toronto , Events , Gaming · No Comments

GameON Finance 2.0 conference wrapped up in Toronto yesterday. It brought together 100+ people from the gaming industry: entrepreneurs, investors, professional service providers and industry leaders. It was held at the swanky Grand Ballroom of 1 King West in downtown Toronto.

The full day of panel discussions and presentations explored topics such as gaming companies business models, financing options for gaming start-ups, angel investment in Canada and economic motivations behind games based on different forms of intellectual property. Networking options for the delegates included 1-on-1 10 minute sessions with other delegates, including some of the speakers. Check out the follow-up posts from some of the sessions I attended.

Overall a fun, informative and useful event, especially for those in the gaming industry. Kudos to Interactive Ontario for putting it together. Their next event would be in March '09 - Interactive Content Exchange (ICE) at the Carlu in Toronto.

GameON Finance 2.0: Key Gaming Industry Trends And Market Overview

Posted by Varun Mathur on Thu, October 30, 2008 8:53 AM · Filed under Toronto , Events , Gaming · No Comments

Presentation: Key Gaming Industry Trends and Market Overview

Presenter: Wanda Meloni, President & Senior Technology Analyst, DFC Intelligence

Key points:

  • Gaming is a $47 billion global market.
    • Console gaming alone is estimated to be $27 billion in size.
    • PC online games is a $6.5 billion industry. Projected to be $13 billion by 2012.
    • Online MMOGs is a $3.5 billion industry.
    • Casual gaming is a $1.5 billion industry.
  • Nintendo doing better than expected while PS3 not expected to break-even. Sony can't hold on to its 67% marketshare (with PS2) and will eventually come down to about 50% marketshare.
  • World of Warcraft is an incredibly popular and successful MMORPG. Earned $600 million in revenue in '08, with 11 million users. Sells for $50 retail + $15/month.
  • BigFish, a casual gaming company, earned $100 million in '08 revenue. Business model orginally was to offer free, ad-supported games but moving on to digital distribution / 'try-before-you-buy' and subscription.
  • Casual games
    • team size: 25
    • cost: $75k - $300k
    • time: 6 months
  • AAA games
    • team size: about 100
    • cost: $15 - $30 million
    • time: 2-3 yrs
  • MMOGs
    • team size: starts at 100 - 450
    • cost: $15 - $25 million + $500k annual cost for servicing users
    • time: 3-5 yrs
  • Regional perspective
    • North America - strong diversity; sports, action, first person games more popular
    • Europe - more cost conscious, similar to North American gaming market otherwise
    • Japan - console based
    • Korea/China - MMOGs are more popular.
  • Canada's gaming development industry
    • Montreal - 80+ game companies including EA and Ubisoft affiliate studios
    • Vancouver - 100+ game companies, strong affiliate studios.

GameON Finance 2.0: In The Company Of Angels

Posted by Varun Mathur on Thu, October 30, 2008 9:26 AM · Filed under Toronto , Events , Gaming · No Comments

This panel featured a discussion on angel funding for gaming start-ups in Canada.

Moderator: Nathon Gunn, CEO, Bitcasters

Panelists:

  • Julian Spillane, CEO, Frozen North Productions
  • Scott Simpson, Founder, Bitheads
  • Daniel Mothersill, President, National Angel Organization

Key points:

  • 'Angels' are high net-worth individuals who seek to invest their own after-tax dollars in start-up companies which interest them and provide mentorship as well.
  • Angelinvestor.ca has listings of various angel groups in Canada. But the best way to find and connect with angels is through referrals - normally by lawyers, accountants, other professional service folks who are connected to them. Angels operate collaboratively in most cases.
  • $3.5 billion invested by angels in Canada in '08 (compared to about $20 billion of angel funding in the US).
  • Angel investing in Canada is fairly new - not much existed until several years ago.
  • Angels invest in people / teams. Rarely interested in project-based financing.
  • Key steps before contacting angels: build your team, form your company and gather a team of advisers.
  • Validating your business as much as you can (eg by building a prototype) only improves your chances of getting funded.

PopCap puts a Twist on their classic

Posted by Rob Lewis on Mon, October 27, 2008 10:21 PM · Filed under Seattle , Gaming · No Comments

This evening at a gala celebration in downtown Seattle, PopCap Games introduced their newest title Bejeweled Twist. Their first new Bejeweled title in almost fours years, Bejeweled Twist puts a completely new spin on the top-selling puzzle game that PopCap pioneered eight years ago. For those of you unfamiliar with the Bejeweled franchise, it is the most popular casual game of the 21st century with more than 350 million copies downloaded and over 25 million units sold.

John Cook of TechFlash interviewed PopCap co-founder Jason Kapalka in advance of tonight's release at the Experience Musci Project in Seattle and got the inside scoop.

Bejeweled Twist removes the barriers of traditional match-3 games. Instead of swapping adjacent jewels to make a set, players rotate an entire 2x2 block of gems clockwise in an effort to create a line of three or more gems of the same type. Further, in Bejeweled Twist players don't have to make a match with every move – instead they can freely rotate gems anywhere on the board, allowing far greater liberty of movement and vastly increased strategic freedom to plan combinations, cascades and chains.

Bejeweled Twist is available now for PC via online download at www.popcap.com, with online partners such as MSN Games, RealArcade, Zylom, WildTangent ORB, Telstra and STEAM offering the game on November 18th. On that same date, Bejeweled Twist will arrive on shelves at leading North American retail chains including Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Amazon.com and Target carrying a North American retail price of US$19.99.

PopCap Games was founded in 2000 by John Vechey, Brian Fiete, and Jason Kapalka, who learned their trade working for Internet game companies like Flipside and pogo.com. As the Internet boom was busting, the three decided to stake their futures on creating good-lookin', simple games that folks could play on the Web and PopCap Games was born. PopCap is currently 180 employees strong.

[read more]
 
Company:
PopCap Games
Website:
http://www.popcap.com
Location:
Seattle, Washington, United States

It all started in 2000 with John Vechey, Brian Fiete, and Jason Kapalka, who learned their trade working for Internet game companies like Flipside... [more]

 
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