“LinkedIn has lost $100 million since Microsoft acquisition closed” plus 29 more VentureBeat |
- LinkedIn has lost $100 million since Microsoft acquisition closed
- Xbox revenues down 3%, but digital transactions reach $1 billion
- Google parent Alphabet stock slips 3% after earnings miss
- Microsoft reports $26.1 billion in Q2 2017 revenue: Azure up 93%, but Phone down 81% and Surface down 2%
- Data center and Internet of Things chips drive Intel Q4 revenues to $16.4 billion
- Nintendo ad shows off Switch’s killer feature: It works in the bathroom
- Classic games Myst and Riven to debut on Android
- AWS Marketplace now offers desktop apps for Amazon WorkSpaces
- Mass Effect: Andromeda’s marketing campaign amps up with a trailer that teases the story
- This is the Samsung Galaxy S8, launching March 29
- Winter is coming for marketing technology
- How Grand Theft Auto leader Leslie Benzies conceived Everywhere after rocky Rockstar departure
- Grand Theft Auto V veteran Leslie Benzies forms studio to make open-world game Everywhere
- Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is Obsidian’s first stab at crowdfunding on Fig
- 2016 saw $30.3 billion in gaming mergers, acquisitions, and investments
- Twitter Explore launches to show trends, Moments, and live videos in one place
- Dauntless’s Owlbear-like Shrike is an homage to a classic D&D beast
- Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom is Bandai Namco’s latest console series to join the PC ranks
- Google Maps for Android now predicts how busy the parking is at your destination
- Chrome 56 arrives with warning for HTTP password and credit card webpages, faster page reloading
- Digital game sales grew 10% in December while retail sales crashed
- WWE teams up with Scopely for new puzzle RPG, WWE Champions
- LendingRobot launches automated hedge fund secured by blockchain tech
- Square Enix is making a Marvel Avengers game with Tomb Raider and Deus Ex developers
- Synthetic DNA could be the next tech breakthrough
- Blueprint Reality launches tactile Awaken VR puzzle game on HTC Vive
- Spreadshirt Sees over 40% Growth in Smartphone Orders
- Alphabet’s health-tech company Verily gets $800 million from Singapore investment firm Temasek
- Global TV Site Viki Gets Social With Rave
- DailyMotion to be banned in Russia for copyright infringements
| LinkedIn has lost $100 million since Microsoft acquisition closed Posted: 26 Jan 2017 01:59 PM PST  As Microsoft ($MSFT) reported its second quarter earnings on Thursday, the company shared that its newly-acquired subsidary LinkedIn generated $228 million in revenue towards its bottom line, but also lost $100 million in net income. Microsoft said it generated a total of $26.1 billion in revenue for the quarter, so LinkedIn’s share is less than 1 percent. And in the bigger picture, the $228 million should not be assessed as either good or bad since it hasn’t been a part of Microsoft for a full quarter — the deal to acquire the professional social networking company only closed recently. Should you be curious, though, in Q2 2016, LinkedIn reported it generated $933 million in revenue, with an earnings per share of $1.13. It also had a net loss of $118 million. In Microsoft’s filing, LinkedIn was relegated to the productivity and business processes section, which in total brought in $7.4 billion for the quarter, a 10 percent annual increase. And since it’s now a subsidiary, LinkedIn is no longer listing its member numbers. In its final quarter as an independent entity, it said membership grew 18 percent to 467 million. Microsoft completed its LinkedIn purchase in December, having received approval from regulators in the U.S., Canada, Brazil, South Africa, and the European Commission. However, in order to do so, concessions had to be made, including for the next 5 years, giving LinkedIn competitors continued access to Office Add-in and promotional opportunities in the Office store, not entering into agreements with PC manufacturers to pre-install a Windows LinkedIn application or tile favoring the social network on an exclusive basis, and more. Earlier that summer, Microsoft announced its intention to acquire LinkedIn, much to the chagrin of Salesforce chief executive Marc Benioff. Salesforce had been in the running to purchase the professional social network and after being outbid, Benioff submitted a request to the European Union and regulators asking that extra scrutiny be paid to the deal. Next quarter will be worth paying attention to in order to see if LinkedIn can continue to churn out results similar to its past life as a public company. From LinkedIn Learning to the launch of a redesigned desktop app, the company appears to be putting effort towards finding ways to improve member engagement — 106 million frequent the social network monthly. LinkedIn may be moving forward with its scheduled product roadmap, but it’s likely that integrations are planned with Microsoft. However, will members respond kindly to these actions? |
| Xbox revenues down 3%, but digital transactions reach $1 billion Posted: 26 Jan 2017 01:33 PM PST  Microsoft’s gaming division isn’t making as much money as the price of an Xbox One continues to fall, but the company is seeing growth in software, digital sales, and other sectors. Xbox revenues reached $3.595 billion for the company’s fiscal Q2 2017, which is down 3 percent year-over-year. The company specifically noted that lower Xbox console pricing and lower console volume drove that decrease. Part of that is this is the first holiday season that the company did not have new Xbox 360 hardware sales. Microsoft and Sony are also both facing a saturated market of core gamers who have already spent money on hardware and are now spending more on games. But gaming under Microsoft is still growing. The company saw a surge in spending on games, and more consumers are shifting to purchasing their software on digital storefronts. “Xbox software and services revenue grew 18 percent with digital transactions reaching $1 billion this quarter from continued adoption of digital distribution and a strong game lineup,” reads a note from Microsoft to investors. The company also revealed that it now has 55 million active Xbox Live users. “Xbox Live monthly active users grew 15 percent to a record 55 million, with growth across Xbox One, Windows 10, and mobile platforms,” reads the company’s notes. Finally, Microsoft noted that its Xbox One supply is shifting from the 2013 model to the updated Xbox One S, which sells for a slightly higher price. That shift will continue throughout the year before getting mixed up once again when the company launches the Xbox One Scorpio, a far more powerful update to the console, this holiday. |
| Google parent Alphabet stock slips 3% after earnings miss Posted: 26 Jan 2017 01:19 PM PST  Alphabet brought in $26.06 billion in revenue and $9.36 earnings per share in the fourth quarter, according to the company’s latest earnings report. That’s a bit more revenue than analysts expected the Google parent to scrape up (about $25.22 billion), but less on earnings ($9.67 per share). Alphabet’s stock took a tumble after the miss. Here are some numbers worth watching from the report.
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| Posted: 26 Jan 2017 01:16 PM PST  Microsoft today reported earnings for its second fiscal quarter of 2017, including revenue of $26.1 billion, net income of $6.5 billion, and earnings per share of $0.83. In Q2 2016, Microsoft saw $25.7 billion in revenue, net income of $6.3 billion, and earnings per share of $0.78. Analysts had expected Microsoft to earn $25.3 billion in revenue and earnings per share of $0.79. In short, the company beat expectations as well as results in the last year’s quarter. The company’s stock was up 0.93 percent in regular trading, but was relatively flat in after-hours trading (likely due to the poor results for devices). Microsoft said it returned $6.5 billion to shareholders in the form of share repurchases and dividends during the quarter. “Our customers are seeing greater value and opportunity as we partner with them through their digital transformation,” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said in a statement. “Accelerating advancements in AI across our platforms and services will provide further opportunity to drive growth in the Microsoft Cloud.” Microsoft’s earnings results are broken into three operating groups. Let’s dive into the details. More Personal ComputingThis segment, which includes results for Windows licensing and devices (Surface, phones, and Xbox), declined 5 percent to $11.8 billion. Windows OEM revenue increased 5 percent. Breaking that down further, Pro revenue was up 6 percent and non-Pro revenue was up 5 percent. Surface revenue decreased 2 percent, from $1.35 billion in Q2 2016 to $1.32 billion in Q2 2017. The Surface Pro 4 and the Surface Book continue to chug along, but releasing the Surface Book i7 unsurprisingly didn’t move the needle as much as a Pro 5 and a Book 2 would have. Phone revenue declined 81 percent. We continue to see the effects of Microsoft’s employee cuts and Nadella’s plan to focus on fewer devices. Advertising revenue from search, excluding traffic acquisition costs, grew 10 percent. Microsoft has previously attributed this to Windows 10, which includes tighter Bing integration. Gaming revenue declined 3 percent. This isn’t surprising given that many are waiting for Project Scorpio. Intelligent CloudThis segment, which includes results from server products and services (including Windows Server and Azure), grew 8 percent to $6.9 billion. Server products and cloud services revenue grew 12 percent. But the big highlight as always was Azure revenue, which grew 93 percent, and usage of Azure compute, which more than doubled year over year once again. Two quarters ago, Microsoft’s commercial cloud business exceeded a $10.0 billion annual run rate. The company is still projecting this number to hit $20 billion by 2018. Productivity and Business ProcessesThis segment, which includes results from Office and Office 365 (commercial and consumer customers), grew 10 percent to $7.4 billion. Office 365 has now added less than 1 million subscribers for three quarters in a row. In Q2, another 0.9 million subscribers were added to hit 24.9 million. Office commercial products and cloud services revenue grew 5 percent, with Office 365 revenue up 47 percent. The company’s subscription revenue stream continues to deliver, much like it did when Office was a traditional software business. Microsoft also broke out revenue from LinkedIn, which it acquired for $26.2 billion last month. The social network contributed $228 million in revenue and decreased EPS by $0.01 for the period beginning on December 8, 2016. This was a strong quarter for Microsoft, but investors clearly want to see more from the company’s devices. 2017 will see a lot of focus on new Surface and Xbox products, while Phone remains a big question mark. |
| Data center and Internet of Things chips drive Intel Q4 revenues to $16.4 billion Posted: 26 Jan 2017 01:11 PM PST  Intel reported fourth-quarter earnings that were mixed, missing its target on earnings per share but beating estimates for revenues. The results were driven by revenues from desktop and laptop computer chips, data center chips, and the Internet of Things. Analysts had expected Intel to report earnings per share of 75 cents on revenue of $15.8 billion for the fourth quarter. For the full year, they were expected earnings per share of $2.67 on revenue of $58.9 billion. Q4 earnings came in at $3.6 billion, or 73 a share, on revenue of $16.4 billion. A year ago, earnings per share were 74 cents, with revenue at $14.9 billion. Intel stock is up 2 percent to $38.32 a share in after-hours trading. During the quarter, Intel shipped more of its code-named Kaby Lake processors for computer makers who launched the system at CES 2017, the big tech trade show in Las Vegas in the first week of January. “The fourth quarter was a terrific finish to a record-setting and transformative year for Intel,” said Brian Krzanich, Intel CEO, in a statement. “In 2016, we took important steps to accelerate our strategy and refocus our resources while also launching exciting new products, successfully integrating Altera, and investing in growth opportunities.” Net income for the year was $10.3 billion, while overall revenue for the year was $59.4 billion. A year ago, net income was $11.3 billion on revenue of $55.4 billion. Intel’s most profitable segment is the data center group that sells chips for servers, the computers that process transactions in huge data centers. Data Center Group revenue was $4.7 billion in Q4, up 8 percent. Internet of Things revenue was $726 million, up 16 percent. Client computing revenue was $9.1 billion, up 4 percent. Non-volatile memory revenue was $816 million, up 25 percent. Intel Security Group revenue was $550 million, up 7 percent. And programmable solutions were $420 million, with no comparison to the year before because of the 2016 Altera acquisition. Intel faces threats from multiple competitors. It has largely lost the mobile processor battle to Qualcomm, whose Snapdragon processors are used in almost all mobile smartphones and tablets. Nvidia is increasingly competitive in the data center and connected cars with its artificial intelligence chips. And Advanced Micro Devices has touted its Zen architecture for desktops, laptops, and servers coming this year. Those are big challenges that Intel faces in a multi-front war. But it is still benefiting from trends such as demand for the Internet of Things, or making everyday objects smart and connected. Devices such as internet-connected cars, refrigerators, thermostats, and pet collars will represent a huge opportunity that could grow into the billions of units over time. For the first quarter of 2017, Intel forecasts revenue of $14.8 billion and gross margin percentage of 62 percent. Full-year capital spending for 2017 will be $12 billion, while R&D spending will likely be $20.5 billion.  Above: Intel Kaby Lake processor Image Credit: Intel |
| Nintendo ad shows off Switch’s killer feature: It works in the bathroom Posted: 26 Jan 2017 12:05 PM PST  When you gotta go, you gotta go. But now, you can take Mario Kart with you. Nintendo released a new 30-second TV spot for the upcoming Switch hybrid home/handheld console and its Mario Kart 8 Deluxe racer, and the commercial showed the game working perfectly even when the player was sitting on the throne taking a No. 2. It’s clear that the publisher understands this is one of the best features of the Switch system, and it is highlighting it as part of the leadup to the console’s March 3 launch. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe launches April 28. Here’s the opening scene of the advertisement, which you can watch in full above:  Above: You can work on getting three-stars in 200cc while you’re working out that Taco Bell dinner. Live Mas! Image Credit: Nintendo Now, the Switch is obviously not the first Nintendo device with Mario Kart to work on the pot, but it’s definitely the most capable and modern to do so. The 3DS, which had the excellent Mario Kart 7, worked just fine wherever you wanted to play it, but Mario Kart 8 on the Wii U was an improvement with its HD visuals and downloadable add-ons. And the Wii U gamepad certainly meant that you could play that game in more parts of your home than on a typical home console, but my Wii U gamepad did not work in my bathroom. The wireless range for the video on the gamepad was just short enough that the device actually only worked when I was sitting in my living room with my TV. I couldn’t use it upstairs, on the porch, or while quietly contemplating life in my bathroom. So, for me, the Switch is a major upgrade compared to the Wii U. And I don’t care if Nintendo flags my Switch, I’m going to play some online matches in the bathroom. |
| Classic games Myst and Riven to debut on Android Posted: 26 Jan 2017 12:00 PM PST  Myst was one the first great CD-ROM games when it came out in 1993, and its sequel, Riven, was also visually stunning when it came out in 1997. 24 years after the first title came out, those games are heading to mobile devices running Android. Spokane, Wash.-based Cyan is announcing today it has teamed with Saskatoon, Canada-based Noodlecake Studios to bring the classic adventure puzzle titles to Google Play and Amazon. RealMyst (a real-time 3D version that debuted in 2000) is available for download today for $7, and Riven will be coming out soon. It’s another example of how mobile games can bring back memories for parents and get a new generation to learn about classic video games. “We’re thrilled to be partnering with Noodlecake Studios on introducing a new generation of mobile gamers to Myst and Riven,” said Rand Miller, CEO of Cyan, in a statement. Noodlecake previously made Super Stickman Golf 3. “Getting to work with Cyan on realMyst is about as surreal as the game itself,” said Ryan Holowaty, chief operating officer at Noodlecake Studios, in a statement. “Myst was such a huge part of our gaming histories that never in our wildest dreams did we ever think our small studio in the middle of nowhere Canada would work on such a storied franchise. Rand and Robyn’s work has had a huge influence on us and we’re excited for our fans to discover this magical game.” Myst made its debut in 1993 to critical and popular acclaim and went on to become the best-selling game of the last millennium. Riven followed in 1997 with much fanfare led by former Apple chief Steve Jobs, who showcased the game as one that pushed the edge of the most advanced graphics technology at Apple. RealMyst debuted on iOS in 2009 and Riven came out in 2012 on iOS, respectively. RealMyst for Android features vast exploration of strange deserted landscapes with forests to meander, trees to gaze up into, rippling fountains to relax next to, and thunderstorms to seek shelter from. You can spin round a panoramic tour of a throne room all while trying to decipher a series of maddening books that will unlock alternate planes of reality. |
| AWS Marketplace now offers desktop apps for Amazon WorkSpaces Posted: 26 Jan 2017 11:56 AM PST  Public cloud market leader Amazon Web Services today announced an interesting enhancement to its AWS Marketplace. It’s now possible to buy subscriptions for full desktop apps that you or people inside your organization can use through the Amazon WorkSpaces virtual desktop service. Historically, the AWS Marketplace has been a destination for open source software and services for installation on top of raw cloud computing resources like AWS’ EC2 virtual machine (VM) instances. AWS recently started letting organizations offer application programming interfaces (APIs) managed through its Amazon API Gateway inside of the AWS Marketplace. Now AWS is going even further. “AWS Marketplace for Desktop Apps enables customers to discover and subscribe to Microsoft Windows-based applications using the familiar AWS Marketplace website, without having to first log in to the Amazon WorkSpaces console,” AWS said in a blog post. The new section of the AWS Marketplace is live now, with apps ranging from Microsoft Project Professional 2013 to WinZip. Open source apps like Atom and Notepad++ are also available. Microsoft itself has been in the process of integrating Citrix virtual desktop software into its Azure public cloud. The Google public cloud does not currently offer a virtual desktop service. |
| Mass Effect: Andromeda’s marketing campaign amps up with a trailer that teases the story Posted: 26 Jan 2017 11:30 AM PST  The next Mass Effect is coming out in less than a month, and Electronic Arts is finally showing fans more about what will happen in the game. Mass Effect: Andromeda launches March 21 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, and publisher EA is shifting into a promotional mode with a new cinematic trailer that details the story of the sci-fi role-playing epic. The clip, which you can watch above, begins with a crew of an intergalactic lifeboat arriving at a potentially habitable planet in the Andromeda galaxy. The ship does not have the resources to continue searching for a new home, so they get to work investigating the mysterious world. Naturally, a new race does not take kindly to these immigrants from the Milky Way, and this appears to set up the central conflict in BioWare’s Mass Effect: Andromeda. This is only the third full trailer that EA has released for Mass Effect. The publisher previously launched a “cinematic reveal” on November 7, but that only gave fans a small glimpse at some of the characters. EA also published a gameplay trailer that showed off some of the RPG’s action components. But BioWare games typically place a heavy emphasis on narrative, setting, and characters, and that’s what many fans of the original Mass Effect trilogy want to see from Andromeda. Up until this point, however, those elements haven’t taken a central role in the marketing. But with today’s video is finally showing players the dynamics of the command crew, the characteristics of those heroes, and the foundation of their relationships with one another. If this Mass Effect game is going to successfully follow up one of the most beloved franchises from the last generation of consoles, it’ll have to nail all of that and more. |
| This is the Samsung Galaxy S8, launching March 29 Posted: 26 Jan 2017 11:01 AM PST  EXCLUSIVE: Samsung is preparing to unveil a pair of Galaxy S8 smartphones significantly different from past models, according to someone familiar with the company’s plans. Because they lack the traditional navigation buttons found on handsets in this line’s first seven years, they will both feature displays even larger than Samsung’s traditionally oversized second-half flagship, the Galaxy Note. Primary componentsThe two models, with 5.8- and 6.2-inch QHD Super AMOLED screens that cover 83 percent of their front panels, were first detailed by The Guardian. Because of their unusual size, their aspect ratio — at 18.5:9 — deviates slightly from the industry-standard 16:9. As The Guardian noted, both models sport Samsung’s “edge” display, which curves downward on both sides of the handset. While the Android Nougat-powered phones may include different systems-on-chip depending on sales region — Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 in some and Samsung Exynos in others — all will have processors made using 10-nanometer fabrication methods. Performance-wise, this is said to make them 11 percent faster than the Galaxy S7 overall, with 23 percent faster graphics processing, but still 20 percent more energy efficient. That improved power consumption will be critical, because despite the vastly increased display sizes, battery capacity is said to be a relatively conservative 3000mAh and 3500mAh for the 5.8-inch and 6.2-inch designs, respectively. And while internally the 4GB of RAM remains unchanged from the past few models, 64GB is the new baseline when it comes to internal storage (supplemented by a 256GB-capable microSD slot). Charging is accomplished via a USB-C port, which is located on the bottom of the handsets next to — as Samsung will no doubt highlight in its presentation — an Apple-scorned 3.5-millimeter jack. Imaging and biometricsMoving on to imaging, neither the main 12-megapixel rear camera nor the front-facing 8-megapixel selfie camera, both of whose lenses possess f1.7 focal ratios, will see resolution improvements compared to the Galaxy S7 — but that doesn’t mean nothing has changed. [Update: the S7 models only have a 5MP selfie cam, so 8MP is indeed an improvement.] The main camera allegedly possesses a new visual search functionality, with icons appearing on screen that allow the user to indicate the type of search to be performed (OCR-enabled web search on photographed text, for instance, or a shopping-site search for products of interest). And alongside the selfie cam is another sensor to endow the S8 with the same iris-scanning capability that debuted in the ill-fated Galaxy Note7. With no Home button to house the fingerprint sensor, it has been moved around back — as is standard on phones from many other manufacturers — but its placement next to the rear camera lens (as opposed to underneath) may prove to be problematic for some users. Additional featuresAs The Guardian noted, one value-added feature is the ability to connect the handsets to a monitor for a desktop view of Android that can be controlled via keyboard and mouse, like Microsoft Continuum, called Samsung DeX — though it requires an optional, HDMI-equipped dock. Another is Samsung’s version of the Google Assistant (and Apple’s Siri), known as Bixby. It’s said to be able to handle more complex commands than its competitors, such as multi-part instructions, and is launched by a dedicated button on the side of the devices. Lastly, the pressure-sensitive input technology known as force touch is finally coming to the Galaxy brand, with the lower part of the display supposedly capable of distinguishing between different types of screen presses. Apple first included a similar technology on 2015’s iPhone 6s and 6s Plus. Launch detailsFor the past several years, Samsung has launched the latest Galaxy S model just prior to the start of Mobile World Congress, in Barcelona, Spain at the end of February. This year’s first Unpacked event, however, will take place nearly a month later, on March 29, and will occur in New York City instead. Following the painful Note7 recall and eventual cancellation, Samsung is taking extra time to test the critical models, as it hinted at in a public autopsy of the doomed phablet earlier this week. Another difference between this year and last: the price. In Europe, the two Galaxy S8 models will each cost €100 more than last year's models — the 5.8-inch model will retail for €799 and the 6.2-inch model at €899. Both go on sale April 21. |
| Winter is coming for marketing technology Posted: 26 Jan 2017 10:20 AM PST  GUEST: For the past few years, marketers have been buying a growing number of point solutions to fulfill their needs. Look no further than the number of martech startups that have emerged for confirmation. In 2012, there were just 350 marketing technology companies. Today, there are nearly 4,000. But that's about to change. Next year, there will be a massive consolidation across both adtech and martech. We saw hints of this last year, with $6.5 billion in martech mergers and acquistions (M&A) in the first half of 2016 alone. The rise of APIs allows companies to integrate their datasets more easily, naturally paving the way for more M&A activity. Companies are growing tired of relying on so many vendors to fulfill their advertising and marketing needs. The average marketing stack has around 17 siloed, underused applications. At the same time, with so many martech companies to choose from, it has become increasingly difficult to stand out, making it harder for startups to break away from their competitors. We're also hitting a time of economic uncertainty. No one is sure how President Trump will impact the economy. Lowering corporate taxes, one of Trump's campaign promises, could spur tech companies to repatriate their cash and invest in acquisitions. While many have predicted a consolidation for a few years, the funding environment has been favorable. Martech startups raised $134 billion from 2010 to 2015, allowing many to emerge and others to stay afloat. Since then, VC funding has reached a two-year low. Investors are taking a more cautious approach and prioritizing sustainable growth. In 2017, dozens of martech startups unable to raise their next round will face a daunting prospect: sell to a competitor, go out of business, or take a private equity buyout. So, who's buying? The acquirersThe largest players in digital advertising — Google, Facebook, Microsoft, and Verizon/AOL — are prime candidates to scoop up martech companies next year. They have the cash to spend and see the benefits of integrating technologies they don't yet own. Traditional media companies will also be on the lookout for M&A opportunities. While companies like Disney, Viacom, and Time Inc. have been spending heavily on content, they're now turning to technology to maximize their content investments. Disney's accelerator is investing in a number of companies that help marketers and advertisers increase viewer engagement. Advertising agencies are another contender. They've realized that — at least from a business perspective — they need to infuse their creativity with technology. Agencies will acquire martech companies in order to attract new business and retain their current clients. The agency universe is also grappling with a new competitor: consulting firms. The Accentures and PwCs of the world have the ear of the C-suite, and the sophistication to tackle complex technology challenges that advertisers and marketers are grappling with today. Ad agencies can still leverage their creative expertise but will be looking to make acquisitions to better compete with those consulting giants. Who's getting acquiredContent companies will find a suitor in publishers as they adapt to the mobile-first world. Verizon and Hearst, for example, jointly acquired digital publisher Complex Media in 2016. NBCUniversal doubled down on their BuzzFeed investment this year. Media companies will continue to invest in the most relevant content channels for their audiences. Data and analytics companies will continue playing a large role in martech M&A, as they did in 2016. Of the many data platforms on the market, only the best will survive the funding crunch. The cream of the crop will get acquired, as companies look for ways to improve and innovate on the customer journey. Finally, measurement companies will be on the trading block. This is already happening, as ComScore acquired Rentrak earlier this year. Measurement solutions that focus on user engagement will be particularly appealing to potential buyers. 2017 will be a pivotal year for martech. The abundance of industry funding has led to a proliferation of startups that might not offer enough differentiation. Plenty of companies will survive the coming shakeup. Whether they remain independent is an entirely different question.
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| How Grand Theft Auto leader Leslie Benzies conceived Everywhere after rocky Rockstar departure Posted: 26 Jan 2017 10:02 AM PST  Leslie Benzies was one of the leads on Grand Theft Auto V and one of the custodians of the Grand Theft Auto franchise for years. But after the game shipped in 2013, Benzies got in a dispute with Sam Houser, one of the cofounders of Rockstar Games, a label of Take-Two Interactive. Now Benzies, the former president of Rockstar North, has formed his own studio to make a game with the working title of Everywhere. Benzies is still in litigation with Rockstar Games, so he couldn’t talk about that. But he disclosed his inspiration for Everywhere and what the team is trying to do. Benzies agreed to do an email Q&A with GamesBeat. His partner, Matthew Smith, is also a Grand Theft Auto veteran and former Rockstar North developer, and he chimed in as well. Here’s an edited transcript of our conversation.  Above: Leslie Benzies is making Everywhere. Image Credit: Leslie Benzies GamesBeat: What are you doing? Leslie Benzies: We're making a video game. The working title is Everywhere. It's ambitious and different from anything I've worked on before. GamesBeat: Where are you based? Benzies: We have offices in Edinburgh and Los Angeles, and we'll announce a new location soon. To develop all of the different components of the game, we'll need to work with exceptional people all over the world. GamesBeat: How many are on your team now? Benzies: A few months ago, I was joined by a couple of brilliant game minds who are now heading up our Edinburgh studio. Shortly after they came we began taking on more people. We have about 30 now, and we're actively hiring. GamesBeat: Can you tell us what the game is about? Benzies: Everywhere has a lot of traditional game mechanics but we're going for something more that draws inspiration from, well, everywhere. Players are getting smarter and require more from their games, and we want players to have the real freedom to live in our worlds in the ways they want to. We're aiming to offer a huge variety of game modes and styles that not only tell our stories but also enable players to live in the identities and adventures they most want to explore. Matthew Smith: We'll be keeping the actual story and overall setting to ourselves for now. But more broadly the game is about giving the player an enormous amount of freedom, with enough possibilities and just enough constraints to keep you constantly entertained and at the same time feel like you're actively shaping the world around you, and living in a genuinely alternate reality. Games can often give either so much freedom and openness that you quickly get bored, or so much heavily-scripted content that you're very aware you're seeing the exact same content as everyone else, with just the illusion of free will. It's a very hard problem—but we're going to face it head-on and try to make an engaging experience that feels incredibly real. GamesBeat: What is your target platform? PlayStation 4 and Xbox One? PC? Mobile? Benzies: To begin with, Everywhere will run on consoles and PC. And you'll be able to engage with the game through other means, too. GamesBeat: Why did you leave Rockstar? Benzies: As you know, litigation is pending and I cannot really talk about it. I'm looking forward to it being resolved. GamesBeat: Why did you want to start a new game project? Benzies: Building great games with great people is exciting. And now we have the tools and technology to create pretty much whatever we can imagine. Using Amazon's Lumberyard is really helping us to push beyond the boundaries of what's been done to discover what's possible. Smith: The potential of gaming is just so huge—it's easy to look at how photorealistic graphics are becoming, and imagine we're somehow getting close to the end-point of games, and I couldn't disagree more, I think we're just at the beginning. I try to imagine what the world will look like in 30, 40 years, what could make it a better place, and I can't think of an area of technology with more potential than what we currently call “games.” GamesBeat: What inspired you? Benzies: What's inspiring me most is our world. I'm constantly seeing things and thinking, oh, this has to be in our game. The lines between reality and simulation are becoming blurry and blurring them more inspires us. Smith: Open worlds like the original 1980s Elite, or The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time, first opened my eyes to how 'real' a world you could build in a videogame—how powerful it was to be transported to an alternate reality—albeit ones with that didn't have much in common with ours. Years of working on the massively more realistic Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption only reinforced that, and when I look at how far the industry has come, I find it inspiring to think where we can go next.  Above: Leslie Benzies and Dan Houser accepting an award. Image Credit: DICE GamesBeat: What do you want to accomplish with the game? Benzies: Since we're living in simulation anyway, as proven by the documentary The Matrix, we thought we'd add another layer to the experience. We are in the very early days of gaming, and there are some developers who are taking risks and really pushing the medium forward – we hope to be pioneers.  Above: Colin Entwistle, Matthew Smith, and Leslie Benzies are making Everywhere. Image Credit: Leslie Benzies Matthew Smith, Smith: First and foremost, we need to make a game that people find entertaining enough to choose over the myriad of other options competing for their time. We have huge ambitions for what we can build—but today people have an almost endless supply of high-quality entertainment available on demand—and we're under no illusions that it will be easy to compete with that. We need to make a game that a lot of people find immediately fun and engaging—and then take it from there. GamesBeat: Are you competing in the same genre as Rockstar? Benzies: We're competing with everything for people's attention. GamesBeat: What is your view of the state of the game industry? Benzies: The games industry has never been in such a strong position as it is today. Platforms will always come and go but the key details are the number of players and their engagement—or even better, players feeling good when they play—and that's continually growing. At some point in the future, gaming will encompass every form of entertainment, and all of us in the industry are lucky to be a part of it. Smith: I think like a lot of industries it's changing more quickly than ever, and that's naturally unnerving for people. But overall I look at the games I played in 2016 and I don't recall a better year in terms of quality. My biggest takeaway is a bright one—for a great many industries and products, it's debatable if they'll even exist in anything like their current form in 10 years—but I have zero doubt that games will be even more widespread and influential than they are now. GamesBeat: Does that affect some of the choices you’re making in your new project? Benzies: It affects every choice we make. Smith: It emphasizes the need for flexibility and adaptability. We have a ten-year plan for Everywhere, but things change so fast there's no point pretending you know exactly what you need to be making in six months even. So we're building a game that can adapt and morph as its players and the world around them change. |
| Grand Theft Auto V veteran Leslie Benzies forms studio to make open-world game Everywhere Posted: 26 Jan 2017 10:01 AM PST  Confirming leaks, Grand Theft Auto veteran Leslie Benzies told GamesBeat he has formed a new studio in Edinburgh, Scotland, and Los Angeles to build a next-generation game called Everywhere. The former Rockstar North developer is working with former Grand Theft Auto leaders Colin Entwistle and Matthew Smith. Above: Colin Entwistle, Matthew Smith, and Leslie Benzies are making Everywhere. Image Credit: Leslie Benzies The company hasn’t gotten an official name yet, but Everywhere promises to be a massive open world where you can do … virtually anything. I would probably bet that Benzie’s team will try to outdo Grand Theft Auto, and that’s going to be good for gamers. But in an email interview, Benzies said that Everywhere will be unlike anything he’s ever done before. “Everywhere has a lot of traditional game mechanics but we're going for something more that draws inspiration from, well, everywhere,” Benzies said. “Players are getting smarter and require more from their games, and we want players to have the real freedom to live in our worlds in the ways they want to. We're aiming to offer a huge variety of game modes and styles that not only tell our stories but also enable players to live in the identities and adventures they most want to explore.” Benzies and his team will use the Amazon’s Lumberyard game engine to make Everywhere. Benzies was the former president of Rockstar North, the studio in Edinburgh, Scotland, which makes the Grand Theft Auto games. Benzies worked with Rockstar Games leaders Sam and Dan Houser to create Rockstar’s signature games as part of a label for Take-Two Interactive. But Benzies got in a dispute with Sam Houser after Grand Theft Auto V shipped in 2013. He claimed that the company owed him $150 million in royalties that it had never paid him, and Rockstar filed a countersuit that claimed Benzies was in breach of contract. That litigation is still pending. Now he has teamed up with former Rockstar colleagues to make Everywhere, a new game that is inspired by the desire “to have the real freedom to live in our worlds in the ways they want to,” Benzies said in an email interview with GamesBeat. News of the company leaked after Benzies’ team filed registration papers in Scotland, but few of the details were divulged until now. Benzies worked on games such as Grand Theft Auto III, GTA IV, GTA V, GTA Online, and Red Dead Redemption. Above: Leslie Benzies is making Everywhere. Image Credit: Leslie Benzies "I am proud to have been part of past advancements in gaming," said Benzies, "but I am even more excited about what we have in store for the future. The working title of this new game is Everywhere and the vision is long term, with the capacity to develop and grow forever. Our goal is to create a platform where players can be entertained, and also entertain others while blurring the lines between reality, and a simulated world." The deal is a coup for Amazon, which launched Lumberyard a year ago under a license from Crytek, the maker of the CryEngine. Lumberyard is free, and it is integrated deeply with paid services such as Amazon Web Services. It also includes Amazon Gamelift and Twitch integrations. "Amazon's technologies and cloud services provide us the power and flexibility to create a new type of game that was never before possible for today's massive gaming communities," Benzies said. Additionally, "Lumberyard's client and cloud features free us up to focus on the innovative, creative elements of our game.” "Leslie is a visionary who pushes what's possible in interactive entertainment, and we're honored that he and his team have chosen Amazon Lumberyard as the foundation for 'Everywhere,'" said Eric Schenk, the general manager for Amazon Lumberyard, in a statement. "We're obsessed with giving developers the tools they need to bring their most ambitious projects to life, and based on feedback from creative leaders like Leslie, we've made more than 1,700 updates to the engine in the last year alone. We can't wait to see what his team creates." The team has about 30 people already, and it is hiring. In an email comment, Smith said, “The potential of gaming is just so huge—it's easy to look at how photorealistic graphics are becoming, and imagine we're somehow getting close to the end-point of games, and I couldn't disagree more, I think we're just at the beginning. I try to imagine what the world will look like in 30, 40 years, what could make it a better place, and I can't think of an area of technology with more potential than what we currently call ‘games.'” |
| Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is Obsidian’s first stab at crowdfunding on Fig Posted: 26 Jan 2017 10:00 AM PST  Pillars of Eternity is getting a sequel — and just like the first time, fans can help bankroll its production. Or in this case, earn a piece of it. Obsidian Entertainment will crowdfund Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire on Fig, a rival to Kickstarter and Indiegogo where those who make pledges can also snag equity in the project. It will release on PC, Mac, and Linux, and the role-playing game studio is setting a campaign goal of $1.1 million … and if it hits $2.25 million, it’ll issue equity to backers. The first Pillars of Eternity was one of the first big video game projects on Kickstarter, raising $3,986,929 in 2012 (it’s still the No. 2 RPG project and No. 4 game in its history). Fig seems like a natural choice for any Obsidian project, since chief executive officer Feargus Urquhart is one of the platform’s partners (along with Double Fine’s Tim Shafer and Inxile’s Brian Fargo). But Urquhart notes that the RPG studio has other reasons for choosing this Kickstarter alternative for the Pillars of Eternity sequel. “There are a lot of reasons we are going with Fig, but they really come down to us wanting to build up our ability to get games financed differently and to let our fans share in the success of the games if they want to invest,” he said over email. “Many developers, including Obsidian, have had few options in the ways to get their games funded. Our hope is that with Fig, we can grow a group of investors who trust us and will help us realize even bigger games in the future.” Pillars of Eternity II returns to the world of Eora, heading to the Deadfire Archipelago (a new region we don’t know anything about yet). It’ll have a similar sort of smart-looking art and tactical combat. From some of the images, you could get a Lovecraft vibe — those tentacles belong to some monster in the main image, I’d bet, and that fish being in the statue below sure looks like something that would fit into a Cthulhu story. The biggest change from the original is that Deadfire will have a five-character adventuring party. The original had six players, and Obsidian’s 2016 RPG Tyranny had four. How did the designers decide that five is the magic number? “We’ve been playing with a five-character party for most of development and really like how encounters work with that size,” Urquhart said. I can see how this came about — six characters can be cumbersome, while four can seem … limiting. Five enables for you to cover every major RPG role — tank, damage-dealer, ranged, magic, and healing — while still giving the player room to experiment with character builds. The studio said you’re be playing out the story of the characters fighting “for their souls as they hunt down a god.” Pillars also had a different approach to armor than other RPGs, one that sounds more Star Trek than D&D. The original Pillars was my No. 2 game of 2015, and I gave it a 95/100 in my review.  Above: That statue looks like it was sculpted right out of Lovecraft. Image Credit: Obsidian Entertainment "We are so thankful to our fans, who believed in us and made the original Pillars a huge crowdfunding success. For the sequel, we have turned to Fig for our fan-funding needs because we not only wanted our fans to help shape Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire, but to financially share in its potential as well," said Urquhart in a canned statement. "Pillars of Eternity set the standard for quality among fan-funded games by not only delivering an amazing game, but also making good on everything we promised to our backers. Our goal for Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is to improve on what fans loved about the original while adding features our fans want to see, truly living cities, more freedom to explore the open world, and pushing what we do best at Obsidian — letting players define and play the role they want to play.” Disclaimer: I backed the original Pillars of Eternity on Kickstarter in 2012 before I joined GamesBeat. |
| 2016 saw $30.3 billion in gaming mergers, acquisitions, and investments Posted: 26 Jan 2017 09:31 AM PST  2016 saw plenty of money moving around in the game industry. Tech mergers and acquisitions adviser Digi-Capital released its Games Report 2017, which revealed that $30.3 billion in game industry deals happened in 2016. This includes $28.4 billion of games mergers and acquisitions. This is a new record, up 77 percent from the previous record year in 2014. The $1.9 billion in games investment was the second-highest ever for a year. As you can see in the chart above, most of the $28.4 billion in games mergers and acquisitions happened in the mobile world. According to Digi-Capital, mobile app revenues (not only games) were up 40 percent last year thanks to growth in China. Among the $1.9 billion spent on game investments, most of that went toward new researching and developing new technologies. The average game deal cost $300 million in 2016, but some companies spent much more. Tencent’s acquisition of Clash of Clans developer Supercell cost that company $8.6 billion, while Activision Blizzard spent $5.9 billion on its deal to buy Candy Crush Saga developer King (that deal closed in 2016). Things look bright for the future of the industry thanks to the growth of mobile and virtual reality. “From here it looks like games could grow well beyond the $117 billion revenue we're anticipating for 2017, potentially topping $170 billion by 2021,” Digi-Capital noted in a press release sent to GamesBeat. “Markets at this scale and maturity are ripe for consolidation, so don't be surprised if a few more big deals happen this year. And while it's always possible the market might not deliver such big numbers, mobile, VR and AR look set to keep things interesting.” |
| Twitter Explore launches to show trends, Moments, and live videos in one place Posted: 26 Jan 2017 09:00 AM PST  Twitter is reorganizing its mobile app, replacing the Moments button with a new section called Explore that will streamline the overall user experience. But don’t worry, because Moments has been bundled into Explore, along with the latest trending tweets, search, and live videos — all right at your fingertips. This new version of Twitter is rolling out now, initially to those on iOS, and then to Android in the "coming weeks." Explore was revealed last October when the company acknowledged it was testing an alternative navigation within its app. It was noteworthy because it meant Moments would no longer occupy a prestigious position. Instead, the feature that curates the best tweets around events has been relegated to the new catch-all section. As Mashable once noted, before Moments launched there was a Discover tab, but it only showed accounts and tweets users might be interested in. But today, there are enough things going on in Twitter that a new section and title was in order. Back in 2015, Twitter chief executive Jack Dorsey said that one of the areas of focus under his watch included "simplifying our services." Explore is part of the effort to do so. Within this section, you’ll find Moments; the latest trends, such as popular tweets and trending topics; and some of the best live videos on Twitter. The company plans on using this area to show important broadcasts, including those from partners it has deals with, that could be something like the next Thursday Night Football game by the NFL, a show from Bloomberg, and more. Twitter said that this is only the beginning. Besides the issues around harassment and user safety, the service has struggled to help users find value and better understand the Twitter experience. The current navigation helps address the latter, because having a home button is rather self-explanatory, as are notifications, messages, and so on. Everything else about Twitter can be bundled into the Explore section, so you’ll know how to find more interesting people to follow and see what everyone is talking about, along with video coverage around live events. Twitter acknowledges that it hasn’t always been easy to find what’s happening on the service, but this is a step toward eliminating the problem. |
| Dauntless’s Owlbear-like Shrike is an homage to a classic D&D beast Posted: 26 Jan 2017 09:00 AM PST  PREVIEW: I geeked out when I saw the Shrike. Sure, I didn’t let Jesse Houston and Nick Clifford see all of my excitement when the beast appeared. I was checking out Dauntless, the upcoming free-to-play online action-role-playing game from Phoenix Labs. It’s a co-op game that should hit later this year. Houston is one of the studio’s three cofounders, and Clifford runs marketing efforts for the Vancouver-based company. Dauntless has been in development for a little more than two years. Nearly all the team members, Houston said, have long histories in game development. Houston’s work includes Rainbow Six and Splinter Cell at Ubisoft, Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3 and EA BioWare, and League of Legends at Riot, and other studio vets worked at Blizzard. While this may be Phoenix Labs’ rookie effort, its game designers, artists, coders, and programmers have all shipped games. It’s something Houston and his fellow founders — Sean Bender and Robin Mayne — looked for when staffing up the new company. Dauntless is an action-RPG much in the vein of Monster Hunter. Your characters don’t have classes; weapons determine your play styles. You craft gear from resources you find around the Shattered Isles, along with the best pieces of behemoths that you slay. These Isles are facing a terrible threat from these beasts, and the player characters (Slayers) are the ones setting out to kill them. Making cool swords and armor out of their carcasses is a fringe benefit. As we transitioned to talking about Dauntless, the Shrike shambled into the clearing. From the picture I saw before the mission started, I thought we were going to fight an avian monster. The behemoth’s cutout didn’t show much below its shoulders. I even thought the arms were wings. Turns out, the beast has legs, too. And it looks just like one of Dungeons & Dragons’ most iconic monsters — the Owlbear. Part bear and part owl, the Owlbear has been part of D&D since 1975’s Greyhawk supplement (remember, the role-playing game debuted in 1974). The creature is beloved by generations of gamers, and it turns out that Phoenix Labs has its own soft spot for D&D‘s menagerie of monsters. “Anecdotal story about D&D. [Dauntless’s] code-name was Archon, because everything we do at the studio is named after different monsters from the D&D 5th Edition [Monster] Manual,” Houston said with a laugh. “We just use it for naming conventions. The website is Basilisk, and the telemetry service is Chimera.” I asked why they chose this for the naming convention, and Houston said, “It’s a little less sexist than hurricane-female names, and we’re a bunch of nerds.” Dauntless’s lead designer also hosts a Twitch stream each Monday with other Vancouver-based game developers for D&D, and Houston has played for much of his life. |
| Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom is Bandai Namco’s latest console series to join the PC ranks Posted: 26 Jan 2017 08:40 AM PST  PC gamers are also going to get to play one of the year’s most anticipated Japanese role-playing games. Bandai Namco announced today that Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom is coming out on PC. Before today, the PlayStation 4 was its only platform. Ni No Kuni II is releasing at an unknown date later this year. The original has sold more than 1.7 million copies worldwide, and expanding to the PC platform can bring in new fans for the franchise — as other studios have learned in recent years as they bring their Japanese RPGs to Steam. The first Ni No Kuni is a PlayStation 3 exclusive that came out in the U.S. in 2013. It combines classic role-playing game mechanics like monster-collecting and strategy-based battles with an aesthetic inspired by Studio Ghibli, the Japanese animation studio behind hits like Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro. Studio Ghibli also produced animated cutscenes for the game. Studio Ghibli itself isn’t working on Ni No Kuni II, but a former animator from the studio, Yoshiyuki Momose, is part of the game’s team. Joe Hisaishi, the composer responsible for many iconic scores from Studio Ghibli movies and who worked on the first Ni No Kuni’s soundtrack, is returning to make music for the sequel. Bandai Namco is no stranger to releasing RPGs on Steam. It just so happened to have released Tales of Berseria on PC today. Its predecessor, Tales of Zestiria, came out on PC in 2015. “In the world of Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom, players enter the kingdom of Ding Dong Dell, where cats, mice, and humans once lived in harmony,” Bandai Namco detailed in a press release sent to GamesBeat. “After a treacherous coup, Evan, the young boy king of Ding Dong Dell is banished from his kingdom. Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom recounts the story of this deposed king and his journey to build his own kingdom and unite the entire world.” |
| Google Maps for Android now predicts how busy the parking is at your destination Posted: 26 Jan 2017 08:36 AM PST  Google Maps already helps you navigate your way from A-to-M-to-Z, guiding you with time estimates and re-routing based on current traffic conditions. Now, it’s about to help you circumvent the limited parking problem too. Launching initially in 25 U.S. metro areas, Google Maps for Android will now use historical parking data to estimate how likely you’ll be to find a parking space at your destination. The feature first reared its head a couple of weeks back in a beta build of the app, and now it’s ready for prime time. You’ll see a little parking icon at the bottom of the map that will indicate whether you can expect to make several circuits around the block before finding a space.  Above: Google Maps: Parking The feature is currently open to metro areas in San Francisco, Seattle, Miami, Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York City, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Diego, St. Louis, Tampa, Washington, DC, Cleveland, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Houston, Phoenix, Portland, and Sacramento. In terms of how a user may use this data, well, it may encourage them to leave the house earlier to find a space, or they could go by public transport instead. Or they could stay at home and watch Netflix. Google garners the data in a similar way as to how they obtain data for its Popular Times feature in Google Search and Maps: by aggregating anonymized data from Android users who have “Location History” activated on their device. |
| Chrome 56 arrives with warning for HTTP password and credit card webpages, faster page reloading Posted: 26 Jan 2017 08:00 AM PST  Google has launched Chrome 56 for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android. Among the additions is a new warning for websites that collect passwords or credit card numbers but don’t use HTTPS; improvements to performance and efficiency of page reloading; and a ton of features for developers. You can update to the latest version now using the browser’s built-in silent updater, or download it directly from google.com/chrome. Chrome is arguably more than a browser: With over 1 billion users, it’s a major platform that web developers have to consider. In fact, with Chrome’s regular additions and changes, developers have to keep up to ensure they are taking advantage of everything available. Chrome 56 marks HTTP pages that collect passwords or credit cards as “Not Secure” in the address bar. Until now, Chrome only used a green “Secure” label to indicate when a website is using HTTPS and a neutral icon when a website is not using HTTPS.
HTTPS is a more secure version of the HTTP protocol used on the internet to connect users to websites. Secure connections are widely considered a necessary measure to decrease the risk of users being vulnerable to content injection (which can result in eavesdropping, man-in-the-middle attacks, and other data modification). The move follows similar actions by Mozilla, which released Firefox 51 earlier this week. Both browser makers plan to mark all HTTP sites as non-secure in the future, with the long-term goal of getting the whole web onto HTTPS. Google also wants to eventually change the HTTP security indicator to the red triangle that Chrome currently uses for broken HTTPS:
Next, Chrome has received improvements for page reloading, which requires checking with the web server if cached resources are still usable (called validation). This typically results in hundreds of network requests per page issued to dozens of domains, and can be particularly taxing on mobile devices. Reloads are now 28 percent faster and result in 60 percent less validation requests. This improvement was made in part because Facebook got in touch with data showing that Chrome was sending validation requests at three times the rate of other browsers. Page reloading was originally designed in times when broken pages were common, though now users typically use the feature when content seems stale. To improve the latter use case, Chrome now only validates the main resource and continues with a regular page load, maximizing the reuse of cached resources, which results in lower latency, power consumption, and data usage. Chrome 56 also adds support for the Web Bluetooth API on Android, Chrome OS, and Mac. This lets sites connect to Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) devices such as printers and LED displays with just a few lines of JavaScript. For more details, check out the Chrome team’s samples and demos on GitHub. Lastly, Chrome now supports the CSS position: sticky. This element is relatively positioned, but becomes fixed after the user reaches a certain scroll position. This is meant to solve the headache of listening to scroll events and switching an element’s position from relative to fixed at a specified threshold, which often resulted in small visual jumps. Other developer features in this release include:
Chrome 56 also implements 51 security fixes, of which Google chose to highlight the following:
Google thus spent at least $54,337 in bug bounties for this release — the number is lowballed, given all the rewards that have yet to be decided. As always, the security fixes alone should be enough incentive for you to upgrade. Google releases a new version of its browser every six weeks or so. Chrome 57 will arrive in early March. |
| Digital game sales grew 10% in December while retail sales crashed Posted: 26 Jan 2017 08:00 AM PST  Worldwide digital game games sales in December 2016 grew to $7.6 billion, up 10 percent from December 2015, according to market researcher SuperData Research. By contrast, retail game sales in certain parts of the world hit their worst levels in two decades. In the U.S., retail game sales fell 16 percent during the month of December, which is normally the strongest time of the year for game sales. Digital sales of console games were above $1 billion for the first time, up 16 percent from a year ago. Game downloads were up 21 percent. Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare was the No. 1 game in December 2016, but sales of that game were 23 percent lower than sales of last year’s Call of Duty: Black Ops III in December 2015. Infinite Warfare sales were up only 6 percent from Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare in 2014. But the decline in raw numbers of units was offset by a rise in deluxe edition sales, as Activision sold a deluxe edition for a higher price with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered. Another much-talked about game, Nintendo’s Super Mario Run, failed to break into the top 10 of mobile games in terms of revenues in December. That signals an uphill battle for that premium-priced mobile title, SuperData said. Grand Theft Auto V ended the year on a strong note. GTA V Online may have had its busiest quarter yet in terms of significant downloadable content (DLC) updates. The Import/Export update in December was particularly well received and led to a 36 percent month-over-month increase in additional content spending. Monthly active users in December were also the highest they’ve been in all of 2016.  Above: Super Mario Run is mammothly popular on iOS. Image Credit: Nintendo With Super Mario Run, Nintendo shows it still doesn’t get the modern market, SuperData said. Super Mario Run may have collected a third of Pokemon Go’s total downloads, but Mario made less than a fifth of Pokemon’s total revenue when comparing launch months. The exclusivity to the iOS platform (until March) contributed to a truncated launch. However, the combination of a relatively large $10 full game price tag in a largely free-to-play ecosystem, and no plans for microtransactions, indicates that Nintendo doesn’t know what it’s doing, SuperData said. In the US, this shift toward digital has fundamentally changed the games landscape, evidenced in the dour outlook for retailers like GameStop, whose stock price has fallen 28 percent from its highest point in 2016. Globally, the total digital market grew 10 percent, in which almost every individual segment saw year-over-year growth. The mobile segment continues to lead the market in terms of total digital revenue, increasing 11 percent, to its highest point ever. Free-to-play games continue to grow year-over-year, rising 7 percent, on the backs of League of Legends, Crossfire, and Dungeon Fighter Online. Top selling digital titles by category, December 2016 PC Console Mobile |
| WWE teams up with Scopely for new puzzle RPG, WWE Champions Posted: 26 Jan 2017 08:00 AM PST  Who needs a chokeslam or a clothesline when you can match blocks of the same color? Mobile developer Scopely announced today that it has launched WWE Champions for iOS and Android. WWE Champions is a puzzle role-playing game that has players create a team of WWE wrestlers from a pool 100 stars. You can then compete against other players in single matches or tag-team bouts. This isn’t the first WWE game to try it to succeed in the $36 billion mobile games business. 2K published the digital card game WWE Supercard in 2014. At its height in August 2014, it was the No. 17 ranked game in the U.S. Apple App Store, according to App Annie. RPG puzzle games have seen success on mobile before, notably with Marvel Puzzle Quest. At its height in October 2013, it was (coincidentally also) the No. 17 ranked game in the U.S. Apple App Store, according to App Annie. "WWE is constantly looking for new ways to engage our passionate fan base," said Casey Collins, WWE executive vice president of consumer products, in a press release sent to GamesBeat. "Scopely's roster of successful and authentic branded game experiences made them the perfect partner to help bring in new WWE fans by creating a mobile experience that will appeal to consumers around the world." Scopely is no stranger to license games, having also created The Walking Dead: Road to Survival. That RPG is the No. 363 ranked game in the U.S. Apple App Store, according to App Annie. |
| LendingRobot launches automated hedge fund secured by blockchain tech Posted: 26 Jan 2017 08:00 AM PST  Bots are taking over — we all know that — and one of the latest sectors to succumb to the trend is fintech. LendingRobot, a robo-advisor for peer-to-peer (P2P) lending, announced today the launch of LendingRobot Series, an automated hedge fund designed as an alternative to fixed income investments. The new fund uses machine learning to provide predictable returns and blockchain technology to offer transparency on performance. The Seattle-based startup has 6,500 clients, who are accredited investors looking to invest in consumer, small business, or real-estate loans diversified across multiple peer lending origination platforms. Starting today, investors will be able to use both LendingRobot Classic, which is the robo-advisor designed for P2P lending, and LendingRobot Series, a hedge fund that invests and diversifies investors’ money across four lending marketplaces — Lending Club, Prosper, Funding Circle, and Lending Home. The fund factors in the various time horizons and risk tolerance of investors (i.e. short-term aggressive, short-term conservative, long-term aggressive, and long-term conservative), which give the algorithm the inputs it needs to create the right investment mix. In addition, LendingRobot Series’ use of blockchain provides a high degree of transparency to investors. Every week, the hedge fund will publish a detailed ledger of its holdings, down to the value of individual payments made to each note. Each weekly ledger will receive a “hash code” signature and be notarized in Ethereum's blockchain to ensure the data is tamper-proof. "All investors would be well served by diversifying into multiple marketplaces, but that process is tedious, complicated, and requires a high degree of domain expertise to accomplish correctly,” said chief executive Emmanuel Marot in a statement. “That's why we've created LendingRobot Series, to provide investors that understand the value of investing in alternative lending with the confidence that comes from intelligent automation, easy liquidity, and complete transparency." While hedge funds typically charge management fees of 2 percent, plus 20 percent of performance (although those rates are falling), LendingRobot Series charges 1 percent of assets under management and caps fund expenses at 0.59 percent. It does not charge any additional performance fees. LendingRobot Classic has received more than 4 million investment orders so far and currently has over $120 million in assets under management. It claims to have a net annual return of 9.2 percent. Competitors include Betterment and Wealthfront. The startup was founded in 2012 and has raised $3.7 million to date. It currently has seven employees. |
| Square Enix is making a Marvel Avengers game with Tomb Raider and Deus Ex developers Posted: 26 Jan 2017 07:23 AM PST  Square Enix is assembling some of its biggest developers for a game based on a franchise you may have heard of. Marvel announced today that it is partnering with Square Enix to create a new game based on The Avengers, the comic book company’s premier super hero team. Square Enix’s Crystal Dynamics (the developer behind the Tomb Raider franchise) and Eidos Montreal (the team in charge of Deus Ex) are working on the licensed project. This is part of a new multigame partnership between Square Enix and Marvel. We don’t know much about the game, including when The Avengers will come out, what platforms it will release for, or even what kind of game it will be. However, Marvel did reveal a teaser video for the project, which you can watch below.
This is a big win for Square Enix, as Marvel is one of the most popular entertainment brands in the world. 2012’s The Avengers film earned more than $1.5 billion worldwide, making it the fifth highest-grossing movie of all time worldwide. Marvel been one of Disney’s most important franchises since the media giant bought the entertainment company in 2009 for $4 billion. Outside of The Avengers, which includes the likes of Captain American, Iron Man, and Thor, Marvel is behind famous super heroes and teams like Spider-Man, the X-Men, and the Fantastic Four. Other video game companies are also working on licensed Marvel games, notably developer Insomniac’s PlayStation 4 exclusive Spider-Man project and Capcom’s fighter Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite. This new deal could also have an impact on one of Square-Enix’s most anticipated games, Kingdom Hearts III. The Kingdom Hearts series combines Square Enix’s Final Fantasy characters with recognizable faces and locations from Disney movies. However, that has not included anything from Marvel so far. Fans have wondered if Kingdom Hearts III — which is coming out for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One with no set release date — could feature levels based on the famous super heroes. This new deal could help make that possible. |
| Synthetic DNA could be the next tech breakthrough Posted: 26 Jan 2017 07:16 AM PST  Until recently, creating silk has been the exclusive domain of silkworms and some spiders, as well as the occasional superhero. Today, though, inside the laboratories of Bolt Threads in Emeryville, Calif., fermentation tanks use yeast, sugar — and some DNA code borrowed from spiders — to form a material that is then spun into fibers the way traditional silk, rayon, and polyester is made. The result, the company says, is fabric that is stronger than steel, stretchier than spandex, and softer than silk. “This is a new era of materials,” says Dan Widmaier, Bolt’s CEO. Most textiles today are made from petroleum-based polyester, which is harmful to the environment when disposed of. By contrast, Bolt’s fabric will be biodegradable, the company says. As Widmaier puts it, the new material “has massive potential to change the world for the better.” This month Bolt will undertake a make-or-break challenge: expanding its lab-size process into a commercial-scale operation for three customers, including the apparel company Patagonia. (Eventually, Bolt hopes to produce its own branded clothing.) If the company succeeds, the development will be a key marker for the emerging field called synthetic biology. Bolt is only one startup using such technologies, which let scientists reengineer the genetics of living organisms to make products ranging from food sweeteners to “leather” to woodlike composites. Investors have taken note. Last year synthetic biology companies nabbed $1 billion from investors, including tech names like Peter Thiel, Eric Schmidt, Marc Andreessen, Max Levchin, and Jerry Yang. That’s double the amount from 2014, according to SynBioBeta, a consulting firm that tracks the industry. There’s a reason the Silicon Valley stars are drawn to synthetic biology. DNA, made up of four nucleotide molecules in a sequence, is a code that can be edited and written — not unlike software. The commercialization of DNA sequencing (the reading of an organism's code) and synthesis (the writing of that code) has accelerated since the mapping of the human genome was completed in 2003. In the past few years new robotics, computational biology, and gene-editing and gene-synthesis technologies have emerged to make synthetic biology efficient and cost-effective. The highly touted Crispr tool, for instance, can snip DNA sequences and insert desired features, while technology from startup Twist Bioscience speeds up gene synthesis by miniaturizing the chemical reaction on silicon. Costs are also falling fast. “We’re decoding biology,” says Bryan Johnson, partner in the OS Fund and a vocal proponent of the field. “Life itself is becoming programmable.” Believers like Johnson offer audacious predictions. One day, they say, we’ll be able to grow tissue, cars, and houses using DNA, energy, and sunlight. Computers might be assembled out of brain cells. Of course, more than a dollop of caution is in order. One need look back only a few years for a sobering reminder. In 2008 some startups promised to use synthetic biology to produce biofuels from pond scum. But microorganisms behaved differently in factory settings, it turned out, than in labs. When oil prices fell, several of the startups failed. This time synthetic biology companies are focusing on materials — proponents assert they have higher margins and fewer market fluctuations than fuels — and specialty chemicals. Today the industry believes it has better tools for editing, measuring results, and automating the way chemicals and microorganisms are produced in large quantities. A flurry of innovation is underway. In Boston, Ginkgo Bioworks churns out organisms used for new perfume fragrances and food sweeteners, using DNA code from hard-to-grow plants and extinct flowers. Says CEO and cofounder Jason Kelly: “Things have really accelerated in just the past two years.” Fueled by $154 million from investors, Ginkgo recently opened its second “foundry,” an 18,000-square-foot factory stocked with fermentation tanks, mass spectrometers, software, robots, and traditional bench biology tools to design, build, and test DNA. Kelly says Ginkgo can cut the costs of production of these fragrances and flavors by 50% to 90%, offer customers entirely new scents for their products by mixing and matching DNA letters — and the company can do it without the environmental costs.Take rose oil, for instance, which is used for perfumes. The plant is hard to grow, produces very little oil per plant, and is increasingly in short supply. Ginkgo’s executives request the gene code for the oil from an outside provider. Within two to six weeks, they receive a vial with a liquid DNA sample by mail. They test it, then rearrange the DNA letters and request more samples until they come up with a unique-smelling oil that could be reproduced synthetically for half the cost of traditional oils. In the past nine months, Ginkgo says, it has landed 10 new customers who placed orders for dozens of new organisms. In Germany, a Bolt competitor called AMSilk is working to develop another spider-based fiber called biosteel for high-performance, biodegradable shoes. In Brooklyn, Modern Meadow, backed by $53 million from investors, creates “leather” using engineered cells rather than animal skins. A company called Ecovative, based in Green Island, N.Y., is “growing” living room tables, acoustical panels, and packaging. Ecovative takes a fiber made from wood or plants, chops it up, adds mycelium (the root system in mushrooms), and lets the mycelium grow through and around the fibers. Ecovative takes that composite and uses standard presses to shape it, creating a solid surface that looks laminated. Says Ecovative CEO Eben Bayer: “I like to think of it as a new kind of wood, and you can’t get a more sustainable piece of furniture on the planet.” The Department of Defense awarded Ecovative a preliminary contract to develop “programmable materials” to grow temporary living structures for the military that are sustainable and reduce waste. Now the synbio manufacturers have to achieve what many biofuel startups could not: transferring what works in a lab to large-scale commercial operations. “Production can be fickle and can be hard to control in a vat the size of a bus,” says Mark Bünger, who follows the sector at Lux Research. Widmaier says making that leap to commercial production has been far more difficult for his company than establishing the complex technology to make spider silk from DNA. This month, when Bolt flips the switch on its 11,000-square-foot factory, it will draw on the expertise of more than two dozen Ph.D. scientists, many of whom will bring lessons learned from the biofuel bust. “Now,” Widmaier says, “the real challenge begins.” A version of this article appears in the February 1, 2017 issue of Fortune with the headline “The Rise of Synthetic DNA.” This story originally appeared on Fortune.com. Copyright 2017 |
| Blueprint Reality launches tactile Awaken VR puzzle game on HTC Vive Posted: 26 Jan 2017 07:00 AM PST  Blueprint Reality has launched a virtual reality physics puzzle game called Awaken on Steam Early Access for the HTC Vive and Oculus Touch. The Vancouver, Canada-based company has launched the game as part of an effort to create more original content on VR platforms, which are expected to generate $25 billion in revenue by 2021, according to tech advisor Digi-Capital. It’s a tactile title where you use your hands to solve problems. The game comes from a startup that was founded by veterans of Roadhouse Interactive, a mobile game company that unexpectedly shut down last September. “We call this a kinetic puzzle game,” said Tarnie Williams, CEO of Blueprint Reality, during an interview with GamesBeat at the recent VRX event in San Francisco.  Above: Awaken debuts today on Steam Early Access on the HTC Vive and Oculus Touch. Image Credit: Blueprint Reality I saw a demo of the game, which had interesting 3D puzzles. I had to direct light beams in particular directions by manipulating objects in the colorful VR world. If I got the light beams to go in the right places, I solved the puzzle and move on to the next puzzle. I had to rotate the world and move around in 3D in order to see the puzzle solutions. The game is also in development for the Sony PlayStation VR headset for the PlayStation 4. In Awaken, the player is an architect of light, solving a series of puzzles to evolve fantastic worlds with player interaction. Players solve each world individually, edit existing worlds and create new ones; then they can share these with friends and other players as challenges. Set in vibrant worlds with a dramatic art style, Awaken provides a mesmerizing visual and aural experience only available in VR. "We are very excited to launch Awaken, a visually stunning puzzle game and dynamic music experience," said Williams. "We set out to make a VR title with approachable, engaging gameplay and a universe that sets a powerful yet meditative tone." In Awaken, the player represents a new beginning. Players must awaken the universe, for it has too long been shrouded in darkness. Throughout the game, players must unlock and use their powers to guide the pulse of light and, as they harness the energy, awaken the Guardians. Together with the Guardians, players can push back the darkness and once again bathe the universe in light, and then life. Ultimately, five different worlds will be available for players to explore, with each world providing 30 different puzzles or levels. The Early Access game includes all 30 of the puzzles for World 1, as well as the in-game level builder where players can create an unlimited amount of new levels using any and all of the puzzle pieces from World 1. A content update, at no additional charge, is planned within a month of release for World 2 and its puzzles, as well as an in-game content curation and sharing system.  Above: You solve physics puzzles with your hands in Awaken. Image Credit: Blueprint Reality Blueprint Reality is also running a contest for users to build and submit their most creative puzzles for consideration for inclusion in the game. With the level creation tools in Awaken, players can craft their own challenges and share the puzzle files with their friends and the community. The contest begins today and runs through February 16, 2017. Entries will be judged on fun, creativity, and beauty, and players who create the winning puzzles have the potential to win NVidia GeForce GTX 1080, 1070, and 1060 graphics cards, and will have their levels featured and highlighted in-game to the community when the social sharing system launches. The title costs $30, and Blueprint Reality is offering a 15 percent discount for the first week. |
| Spreadshirt Sees over 40% Growth in Smartphone Orders Posted: 26 Jan 2017 06:37 AM PST  PRESS RELEASE: Platform Sets Pace for Best in Class Mobile Experience for Sellers and Customers BOSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–January 26, 2017– Spreadshirt, the e-commerce platform for spreading ideas on something tangible, today confirms skyrocketing mobile traffic and sales numbers. As compared to the prior year, Spreadshirt experienced over 40% growth in smartphone orders in 2016. This increase reinforces the company’s plans to continue their steep investments in their mobile strategy and broaden the focus on enhancing and developing new mobile tools. Spreadshirt is a recognized leader in mobile strategy; often taking top industry awards for providing an unsurpassed experience for its five million monthly mobile visitors. “We know that half of Spreadshirt website visitors come from mobile phones or tablets, and we see strong sales growth in both the U.S. and EU from mobile. Our investments in improving our mobile experience have been affirmed and it strengthens our commitment to make this a top priority in 2017 as well,” said Spreadshirt CEO Phil Rooke. “There is no mobile-first strategy – mobile is the strategy.” Globally, Spreadshirt has experienced a record 34% of orders placed via mobile devices. Other notable data points from the U.S. market include:
In recognition of the importance of the mobile experience for selling partners, Spreadshirt has created unique tools specifically designed to help them drive sales and to improve the shopping experience for customers, including the following:
The Spreadshirt grand plan in 2017 is to focus on the U.S. business and scaling the partner business on the company’s mission to become a $1B entity publishing any idea on anything in under 60 seconds. A best in class mobile strategy is a key component to eclipsing the competition. About Spreadshirt Founded in 2002, Spreadshirt is active in 18 markets, available in 12 languages, and operates five global production sites. In 2015, Spreadshirt hit global revenue of approximately $105 million, printed more than 3.6 million items, and shipped to 180 countries. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170126005161/en/ Kel & Partners |
| Alphabet’s health-tech company Verily gets $800 million from Singapore investment firm Temasek Posted: 26 Jan 2017 06:36 AM PST  Alphabet’s life science arm, Verily Life Sciences (“Verily”), has announced that it has received an $800 million investment from Singapore-based investment firm Temasek. Formerly known as Google Life Sciences, Verily once constituted part of Google X, Alphabet’s stealth R&D division, but it rebranded as Verily in 2015 as a completely independent Alphabet company. In a nutshell, Verily is all about building technology to “better understand health,” as well as preventing and managing diseases. Back in September, Verily partnered with French drugmaker Sanofi to create a $500 million joint venture to combat diabetes through combining devices with services. "The company [Sanofi] will leverage Verily's experience in miniaturized electronics, analytics, and consumer software development, with Sanofi's clinical expertise and experience in bringing innovative treatments to people living with diabetes," the announcement stated at the time. Another recent example to emerge from Verily is the Liftware Level, a spoon that helps people with impaired movement feed themselves independently. Founded in 1974, Temasek is an investment company that claims to have a $180 billion portfolio across telecommunications, media & technology, transportation, real estate, and, crucially, life sciences — among other sectors. By plowing $800 million into Verily, Temasek hopes to help commercialize a range of healthcare products globally. Most of the funds will be made available imminently, with the remainder scheduled for later in 2017. “Temasek has a history of thoughtful and enduring capital investments, including in life sciences and healthcare, and this commitment to a long-term collaboration with Verily is a meaningful affirmation of our strategy," explained Andrew Conrad, CEO of Verily, in a press release. "With a substantial network and insights into the economies in Asia, Temasek will provide valuable guidance as we look to ex-US markets with our development partners.” In return for its investment, Temasek says it will receive a “minority stake” in Verily, and it will also nominate a director to Verily’s board. Life sciences has emerged as a key sector for investment in recent times. Back in September, Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan, through their company “The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative,” announced a new $3 billion program to cure, prevent, or manage “all diseases” within their children’s lifetime. Alphabet has another health-focused subsidiary besides Verily — Calico was founded in 2013 by Google and Arthur D. Levinson, as an R&D biotech company that focuses on extending human life. |
| Global TV Site Viki Gets Social With Rave Posted: 26 Jan 2017 06:35 AM PST PRESS RELEASE: Watch Viki videos together in sync with friends on Rave WATERLOO, Ontario–(BUSINESS WIRE)–January 26, 2017– Global TV site Viki has teamed up with social viewing app Rave to enable its millions of fans to watch TV and movies with friends. Users will be able to text and talk on Rave while watching Viki videos. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170126005205/en/
Rave enables iOS and Android users to enjoy Viki videos together with friends.(Photo: Business Wire) Viki provides content in over 200 languages, breaking language barriers for its global community of users. Viki’s next step is overcoming distance challenges by partnering with Rave, enabling users to watch together socially. “Creating an enriched experience for fans has always been a focus for Viki,” said Tammy H. Nam, CEO of Viki. “Rave’s seamless ability to allow fans to communicate in real time is an excellent fit for our community who love to share Viki content.” Rave is an iOS and Android app enabling users to watch videos together from YouTube, Vimeo, Reddit, Dropbox, Google Drive, and now Viki. Rave’s millisecond-precise playback synchronization enables users to sync their phones into impromptu speaker systems. Now, Rave and Viki have combined technology and entertainment to offer a dynamic social experience. “We’re very excited to see people from around the world enjoy Viki’s global video catalogue together,” says Rave cofounder Michael Pazaratz. Rave, based in Waterloo, Ontario, allows users to watch in private sessions, or to connect to people from all around the world. “We believe who you’re watching with is just as important as what you’re watching,” says Pazaratz. Rave is available for free on the App Store and Google Play. To learn more about Viki, please visit Viki.com. About Rave About Viki
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170126005205/en/ For more information: |
| DailyMotion to be banned in Russia for copyright infringements Posted: 26 Jan 2017 06:16 AM PST  DailyMotion, a New York-headquartered video sharing platform and a property of the French group Vivendi, is likely to be banned in Russia, following a ruling by a Moscow court. The video hosting site was sued by TV channel Pyatnitsa, a property of Gazprom Media, for providing access to copyrighted content without consent. Pyatnitsa’s claim refers to content from the popular TV shows “Revizorro,” “Magazzino” and “Patsanki,” the Gazprom Media press office specified in an exchange with East-West Digital News. Last year, “Pyatnitsa continuously [but unsuccessfully] tried to reach the DailyMotion administration via all possible means — contacting the company’s headquarters and getting in touch with their country manager,” according to the Russian group’s press office. After “a number of attempts,” Pyatnitsa filed its complaint with the court in May 2016. This initial filing was related to videos from the “Magazzino” shows, which DailyMotion deleted after the court ruling. But another dispute kicked off in August 2016, when Pyatnitsa identified episodes of its new show “Patsanki” on the video sharing platform. “Again, the channel used all possible means to contact DailyMotion, but never received any response,” the Gazprom Media press office told EWDN. On December 2, 2016, based on these charges, a Moscow court ordered that access to DailyMotion be blocked in Russia. DailyMotion did not appeal the decision, according to Gazprom Media. As a consequence, the court has ordered Roskomnadzor, the telecom regulator, to block access to the site from Russian territory. DailyMotion did not answer EWDN’s press enquiry. The Russian copyright battlefield“Like our Russian and foreign colleagues, we are protecting the rights related to our TV shows using available legal means,” the Gazprom Media press office noted. Illustrating this point, the group said that, in 2015, TNT, another of its properties, reached an amicable resolution in a dispute with YouTube. The case was related to TNT’s shows “Fizruk” and “Chernobyl. Zona Otchuzhdeniya,” which had been uploaded to the video platform. “YouTube provided TNT with the necessary technical means to identify and withdraw the videos that involved copyright infringements,” the press office said. Russia strengthened its anti-piracy legislation in 2013. In July 2016, Roskomnadzor reached a cooperation agreement with the Motion Picture Association of America in the field of copyrights and their protection. In early January 2017, the regulator blocked access to Kinogb.net, following a legal claim of copyright infringement brought by Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Recently, Roskomnadzor also blocked access to LinkedIn, but for entirely different reasons. The US professional social network had not complied with Russia’s legislation on personal data, which requires that Russian users’ data be stored on servers physically located on Russian territory. This post first appeared on East-West Digital News, an international resource about innovation in Eastern Europe. |
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