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Microsoft announces plans to acquire Activision Blizzard for a whopping $68.7 billion
Potentially placing Microsoft as the third-largest gaming company behind Sony and Tencent
At this point, it's no secret that Activision Blizzard has been entangled in a seemingly never-ending series of trouble, ranging from a state lawsuit derived from employee misconduct and abuses to the CEO hiding the number of firings as part of the fallout of the company's widespread misconduct. And this doesn't even touch upon Blizzard's screw-ups, like the cringe-worthy announcement for Diablo Immortal (still not out four years later) or the absolute failure of Warcraft III: Reforged. This is where Microsoft sweeps in with a buyout offer for Activision Blizzard, and it's a whopping $68.7 billion all-cash offer, outclassing Microsoft's purchase of ZeniMax Media by almost 60 billion (to put things into perspective). So far, it sounds like the acquisition will go through, which will make Microsoft the third-largest gaming company behind Sony and Tencent.
Crash Bandicoot: On the Run is available on Android a day early
And it's filled with in-app purchases
It would appear that two Crash Bandicoot fans (Jump Button and Motwera) have uncovered an upcoming mobile Crash Bandicoot game through a Facebook search. Currently, there is a survey available for the supposed Crash Bandicoot Mobile title on StoreMaven (a mobile growth website) that mentions the game isn't available yet while simultaneously asking for input to improve the game's development. So while the existence of Crash Bandicoot Mobile has yet to be confirmed by King, the recent leak from Jump Button and Motwera looks pretty convincing.
You might know Activision Blizzard as the mega-publisher behind huge franchises like World of Warcraft and Call of Duty. And you might know King as the mobile publisher behind Candy Crush Saga, the Bejeweled clone that's inexplicably become one of the most popular casual games on the planet. In a few months the two companies will be one and the same: Activision Blizzard has announced its intention to acquire King for a staggering $5.9 billion.
One of the more inflammatory stories in the world of gaming over the last few months has been the rise of casual game publisher King and its emphatic defense of its "Candy Crush Saga" intellectual property. After applying for trademarks on the terms "Candy" and "Saga" for video game and clothing applications, King opposed the trademark application of the PC Viking-themed RPG The Banner Saga.
King has been making headlines lately thanks to trademark claims that are, frankly, insane. But it looks like the creators of Candy Crush Saga are doing something right: the Wall Street Journal reports that the company is filing for an initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange, preparing to sell as much as $500 million in initial stock.
Quick, what's the most hated company in mobile gaming today? If you answered EA, Zynga, or Gamevil, well, you might be right. But the answer I was looking for was "King," creator of Candy Crush Saga and two of the most ridiculous copyright stories in recent memory. After the company trademarked the word "Candy" in all applications for video games and apparel, a few cheeky developers decided to risk the wrath of King's lawyers and release candy-themed apps on iOS and Android. Intern Saga: Trademark Lawyer takes a (slightly) more subtle approach to its parody.
Candy Crush Saga has three words in the title, but game developer King only got a trademark approved for the first one. That doesn't mean, however, that the second two are fair game. It turns out a few weeks ago King filed a Notice of Opposition with the USPTO regarding someone else's trademark request. The application in question was for The Banner Saga, a turn-based PC RPG. King objects because it includes the word 'saga.' Yes, seriously.
The US Patent and Trademark Office, in its infinite and infallible wisdom, has opted to approve a trademark filing from King, the developer of the wildly popular game Candy Crush Saga. King was seeking a trademark on the word 'candy' in the context of games and clothing (for some reason), and it appears the attorney who examined the request thought King had a sufficiently strong case, so here we are.
[New Game] Kingdoms & Lords Arrives On Android, Is Half-Sim, Half-Strategy, All Medieval Action
Apparently simventure is quickly becoming its own genre. Today's latest entry into this crossover category is Kingdoms & Lords from Gameloft, which
Apparently simventure is quickly becoming its own genre. Today's latest entry into this crossover category is Kingdoms & Lords from Gameloft, which has finally hit release after being announced back in June. Part of the game will take place in a simulated kingdom (spoilers, I know). You'll spend your time managing your economy "on a daily basis", as the description on the Play Store is quick to point out. Hopefully this won't be the Farmville-ian style where, if you cease to play for a few hours, your kingdom dies. After all, plants may need watering, but these peasants ought to be able to fend for themselves.