Now that another successful year in the video game world has nearly come to a close, it's time we start looking ahead to 2014 and all of the potential the future can bring. So many big things have already happened in gaming throughout the course of 2013, so what could possibly be next for gaming staples like microtransactions and cross-platform experiences? While Gamezebo's predictions for 2014 are already on the way, we thought we'd get a real expert in the field to weigh in with some of his own predictions before then, and to let us gamers know just what might be in store for 2014. To that end, I recently had a chance to speak with Kenny Rosenblatt, the CEO of hugely successful game development studio Arkadium, and to find out just how he thinks the next year of gaming is going to pan out.For starters, Rosenblatt predicts that there will continue to be consolidations throughout the gaming industry in the forms of mergers and acquisitions, although nothing too crazy like we saw in the days back when Facebook gaming was really taking off. And while we're on that subject, he also feels that Facebook gaming will continue to stick around in 2014, although developers won't have big success unless they go cross-platform with a mobile release. But regardless of Facebook or mobile, Rosenblatt still predicts that casual games in general will begin to have similar marketing campaigns as some of today's biggest console game franchises like Assassin's Creed or Call of Duty, with big investments in both TV and print ads."According to Rosenblatt, a revamp of the Apple "Top Charts" is likely in order for 2014, specifically with the "Top Grossing Chart" either being heavily changed or removed altogether. The reason for this, Rosenblatt asserts, is that paid games are no longer on this list as they were in the days before the free-to-play model became cemented in the industry. And furthermore, in what could likely be a game-changing move in the mobile games business, Rosenblatt also thinks that one of the big players like Apple or Google will reduce the 30% fee or tax from game purchases on their respective platforms.
We get more emails that you can imagine here at Gamezebo, so it takes something really unique to stand out and grab our attention. And by unique, I mean "clearly ripping off a classic Nintendo formula, but hey, we'll take it!"If you've had a hankerin' for Smash Bros. style fun on your mobile device, Appsolute Games is hoping to scratch that itch. Fright Fight is expected to hit iPhone, iPad and Android in January 2014, with a soft launch in New Zealand right around the corner in the first week of December. The game is set to offer cross-platform play for up to four players, be they random strangers or BFFs (best fightin' friends).The developers are promising a theme that mixes horror, fantasy, and steampunk -- and the Yeti with the golden glove in the trailer seems to support this nicely. We'll be keepin' an eye on this one, if only because Nintendo hasn't given any sort of a firm date on Super Smash Bros. for the 3DS.
We've been gushing over the speedy Boson X for a few solid months now (while subsequently pulling our hair out trying to top our latest high score), and for pretty good reason: the game is the next in line of must-play impossible twitch-reflex challenges akin to Super Hexagon. Well now Android users can finally have the chance to see what all the fuss is about, as Boson X has sped its way onto the Google platform today.In Boson X, players are tasked with running through a rotating vortex of a game world that's bursting with dizzying colors and deadly jumps at every step of the way. The game is fast, furious, and most importantly, just all-around mobile fun."Boson X can be downloaded on the Google Play Marketplace right now for $1.99, after which you can then proceed to throw your Android device against the wall once you get a taste of the game's addictively blistering difficulty. You've been warned!
Land ho, fellow pirate-assassins! Ubisoft has announced a brand new Assassin's Creed game today that will be coming exclusively to mobile devices next week. As someone who's personally played through every main game in the Assassin's Creed series (and who is currently enjoying this year's Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag to no foreseeable end), I'm more than a little excited to see what Ubisoft is able to do with their huge blockbuster franchise on the mobile platform.Keeping up with the prevalent pirate theme of AC IV, the aptly named Assassin's Creed Pirates on mobile will let players take control of a young and aspiring pirate captain named Alonzo Batilla, as they set sail through the Caribbean during the Golden Age of Piracy. The gameplay itself looks to take many of the same core mechanics that fans of the console series will recognize, such as managing their crew, upgrading their ship, and taking part in massive naval battles that play out in real-time."And of course, what kind of Assassin's Creed game would it be without lots of encounters with the Assassins and the Templars along the way? Well everything we've seen from the debut gameplay trailer so far makes it seem like Ubisoft's upcoming mobile adventure has captured the naval components of AC IV perfectly, right down to the firing mechanics and the breathtaking 3D graphics of the ships themselves and the crashing waves.Assassin's Creed Pirates will be coming to higher-end iOS and Android mobile devices on December 5, 2013, and will set you back a handful of doubloons (or more accurately, $4.99).
Sometimes it can be a little frustrating to be an Android user when it comes to getting new games, as the iOS platform often seems to get all of the best games, or at the very least, gets them a whole lot sooner than us dedicated and patient Android users. But now all of that patience is being rewarded this week, as the latest internet gaming deals bring us two exciting new bundles that are specifically geared towards Android devices!That's right, Android users will now be able to indulge in the wonderful Humble Mobile Bundle 3 for Android, which even features the platform debuts of Ridiculous Fishing and Swordigo. And in addition to that, you'll also be able to browse a brand new website that promises to specialize in Android-focused bundles, with their very first one up for the picking right now. But not to worry: there are also still plenty of deals swirling around for our iOS and PC/Mac friends as well. Everyone wins!Found any other good gaming deals for Android or any other platform that we may have missed in our search this week? Be a pal and let us know about them down in the replies!"
Advancements in technology are getting pretty scary these days, and I think it's safe to say that we're only a few short years away from being able to have our very own robot butler named Robo Jeeves. But for the time being, we have products like Google Glass to keep us fascinated with the complex digital world as it accentuates our actual lives more and more. And now, we even have a brand new word game to take us one step closer to becoming a full-fledged gaming Tom Cruise from Minority Report.Glu Mobile has pulled back the curtains on a new game called Spellista at the Google Glass Hackathon event in San Francisco this week, which will be the company's very first game developed exclusively for Google Glass. Described as an "interactive word puzzle game," Spellista challenges players to solve word scramble puzzles in nine different environments, through use of the innovative Glass technologies like the gyroscope, accelerometer, camera, and voice recognition capabilities. By using hands-free head controls, it almost goes without saying that Spellista is already shaping up to be one of the most immersive and high-tech word games in all of existence."But the overt coolness of the new Google Glass game doesn't even end there! Players will also be able to create and share their very own Spellista levels with their friends wherever they go by using Glu Mobile's own "Glass-to-Glass sharing" feature, which makes further use of the hardware's camera and voice commands. In speaking about the innovative new gaming project that was developed as part of the GDK beta program for Google Glass, Glu Mobile CEO Niccolo de Masi had this to say: "Spellista represents a major shift in interactive digital content and we are proud to support Google as a Glass beta partner."You can see a screenshot of how Spellista will coordinate with your real-world surroundings right within this page, but in order to get the full experience, you'll want to get out your Google Glass and give it a go yourself! For those of you who own the latest innovative technology, Spellista can be downloaded by going through Google Glass right over here.
When OpenFeint founder Jason Citron started a new games company called Hammer & Chisel in 2012, many fans have been eagerly looking forward to the exciting projects that were sure to come. Well today Citron has announced that he has received a whopping $8.2 million in funding to go towards Hammer & Chisel as they toil away on their upcoming MOBA mobile game, Fates Forever.But the really interesting thing about this news is that a piece of the $8.2 million funding is coming from none other than Benchmark Capital Partner Mitch Lasky. Now if that name sounds a bit familiar to you, that's because Lasky was also the number one investor in Riot Games, the studio behind a little game called League of Legends. In addition to the substantial investment, Lasky will also be joining the board of directors at Hammer & Chisel, as Citron and company forge ahead with their new game.Fates Forever, the new game in question, is looking to take the AAA hardcore MOBA experience made famous by games like League of Legends and redefine it in a tablet-only atmosphere. Citron is looking to reinterpret the traditional mouse and keyboard control strokes into simple touchscreen gestures that will be both familiar and easily accessible to mobile users. Well one thing's for sure after watching the debut gameplay trailer of Fates Forever in action: this is certainly not your typical casual tablet game right here, and it looks like that $8.2 million is going to be put to good use.
Get your superhero tights and cape out of the closet, because the popular turn-based and RPG hybrid Facebook game Marvel: Avengers Alliance is coming to Android today! Everything from the Facebook and online versions of the game will be making a return here in the mobile Android release, including over 60 action-packed missions, 25 fan-favorite Marvel Super Heroes, and an ongoing storyline with regular updates and special live events.In the game, players assume the role of a newly-recruited S.H.I.E.L.D. agent has they help keep the Marvel Universe safe from oncoming attacks in the wake of the disastrous "Pulse" event. And if you've never had a chance to experience Marvel: Avengers Alliance for yourself yet, let me hit you with some knowledge: the game not only scored a perfect 5-star review from us at Gamezebo, but it also earned our Facebook Game of the Year Award in 2012. Needless to say, this is one game you'll want to be playing."The free-to-play Marvel: Avengers Alliance is available for download right now on the Google Play Marketplace. Will you be checking it out this week and saving the world from imminent Super Villain danger?