I think it's pretty safe to assume that I'm not the only one out there who gets a little bit tired by the time that Friday afternoon rolls around. My eyes start feeling heavy, my bed starts looking more and more inviting, and the keys on my keyboard all start to blur together. But I've never been that much of a coffee drinker: nope, the only things I need to snap me wide awake are some awesome new sales and freebie deals in gaming!So quit all of your yawning and get ready to jump straight to attention, because we've managed to find some of the best gaming deals around that are sure to keep you fully awake until the weekend is here. After all, who needs coffee or energy drinks when you have epic deals on some of our favorite iOS games around, or fantastic indie bundles that just keep on adding more and more games to their already amazing offers?"I bet you couldn't fall asleep now if you tried! So if you find yourself up all night and suffering from insomnia (sorry, my bad), then why don't you fill your time by letting us know of any great gaming deals we may have missed down in the replies!
It's a great big world out there, and game development is happening in all of it. What's more, game makers want to sell their games to every player out there from Hoboken to Hong Kong.With that in mind, we've asked our friends at Laohu.com to share some of the top stories coming out of China this week. Based in Beijing, the fine folks at Laohu have their finger on the pulse of Chinese gaming in a way that a western website never could - and they've been so gracious as to share their insights with the Gamezebo audience.
Ubisoft has announced this morning that their highly anticipated new platform-runner game Rayman Fiesta Run will be released for both iOS and Android devices on November 7, 2013. Alongside this exciting announcement, Ubisoft has also released an exclusive new developer diary video, to give everyone some extra insight as to the kind of thought and dedication that has gone into making the upcoming mobile title.A direct sequel to 2012's wonderfully received Rayman Jungle Run, Rayman Fiesta Run will mark a return to the pitch-perfect one-touch controls that find Rayman platforming his way through a number of colorful stages inspired by the console and PC game, Rayman Origins. This time around, Rayman's adventure will take him to a fiery new world full of dancing maracas, hot pepper disco balls, and enemy piñatas! Players will also have the chance to engage in some epic boss fights for the first time, as well as compare their high scores with their friends in 75 brand new levels.Rayman Jungle Run was personally one of my favorite mobile releases in all of 2012, and so I for one couldn't be more excited about the release of Rayman Fiesta Run in the next few weeks. Who else is going to be doing some platforming with me across all of fiesta land come early November? Let us know in the replies!
After countless game delays, a soft-launch in China at the end of the summer, and rumors that Apple paid PopCap a nice chunk of change to keep the game an iOS exclusive for its initial launch window, Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time is finally available for download worldwide on Android devices today. Insert "it's about time" related joke here.The free-to-play sequel to PopCap's smash hit flower-defense game finds everyone's favorite zombies traveling through a number of different time periods, and puts a few new spins on the traditional gameplay, like giving your plants powerful Plant Food or activating a number of touch-based super moves when you really find yourself up to your neck in the undead. And of course, all of the brainz you could possibly ask for."Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time can be downloaded for free on your Android device right now via the Google Play Marketplace.
Let's be honest, there's very little chance Mario Party will ever be available to download from the App Store or Google Play. Hell will freeze over before Nintendo releases its popular mini-game-packed party favourite on mobile devices. Luckily, though, there are plenty of similar time-wasters on Apple and Google's digital stores to sink your teeth into, such as Codigames' King of Party, which pits you against other players from around the world.Your aim is to outmanoeuvre, outperform, and generally outclass your opponents across six increasingly difficult and unique mini-games that see you lift, balance, and skate your way to gaming supremacy.Mario Party isn't the only game to have influenced King of Party."King of Party is inspired by various games and mechanics. We've always liked the games that you can enjoy with friends and family, so we made King of Party for anyone who wants to enjoy it, regardless of the type of mobile device," Francisco Jose Martinez Gomez, Codigames' CEO, said.
Another day, another gaming studio that's trimming the fat to move ahead with its latest business strategies. This time around, mobile developer TinyCo has announced that they will be laying off a handful of their employees to tighten up the reins as they forge ahead for their company's future. TinyCo found early success in the mobile games space around 2010 and 2011, with their hit simulation titles Tiny Chef and Tiny Monsters.Tech Crunch is reporting that TinyCo will be laying off 27 employees in total across their offices in San Francisco and Argentina. In a statement on the layoffs, TinyCo CEO Suleman Ali has said: "We've moved 10 steps forward on executing a specific strategy around how we build games and what games we build. To execute this strategy, we decided to consolidate game development out of our SF office and reduce our staff." Specific details about this new strategy and why it is resulting in the loss of so many employees have yet to be revealed, although Ali promises that additional news about a new game launch will be coming up in the near future."Despite receiving $18 million in funding from Andreessen Horowitz back in 2011 for the funding of mobile game development, will early studios like TinyCo still be able to exist in today's fast-paced mobile game world alongside the likes of current gaming juggernauts such as Supercell, King, and Kabam? Tech Crunch notes that other successful mobile game developers in 2011 such as Pocket Gems and Storm8 have not been able to continue that same level of success today that they once held in the earlier days of mobile gaming.There is no word yet on whether or not TinyCo has plans to help relocate the 27 employees to other parts of the industry.
Angry Birds has become synonymous with mobile gaming. With numerous games, a few spinoffs, and a countless number of licensed merchandise, it's easy to see how big and influential the series has become. But is Angry Birds a great brand? There are many ways to try to answer that question, but former Electronic Arts CEO John Riccitiello argues that the brand power of mobile games is still a far cry from other entertainment and gaming brands.Speaking at last week's Gaming Insiders Summit in San Francisco, Riccitiello took a look at all sorts of brands and compared them to mobile gaming in order to answer a simple question: Do any great mobile game brands exist, and can they? Riccitiello kicked off his presentation by giving a definition of a brand. It boiled down to three things: consistent values among each new product; benefit of the doubt from the consumer; and being the preferred choice among similar products. These points ultimately boil down to creating a line of trust between the consumer and company, a win-win situation for all involved."Riccitiello had explained how he's been frequently told that great entertainment brands can't exist. Referencing both Star Wars and HBO, he quickly shot down that idea. Instead, he narrowed in on gaming and compared one of video game's recent successes to two of entertainment's powerhouses. Grand Theft Auto V earned about $800 million in its first day. Riccitiello compared that to the final Harry Potter movie, which raked in about half that. He also compared it to the Super Bowl, which he said—in terms of ad revenue, ticket sales, and local business—earned less than $800 million this year.
This week, GungHo Online Entertainment has announced a second batch of cross-promotional content that is set to blend the world of GungHo's smash mobile hit Puzzle & Dragons with Supercell's equally successful Clash of Clans. The first collaboration between these two companies occurred earlier this summer, which saw a special dungeon and exclusive Clash of Clans monsters being incorporated into the Puzzle & Dragons game.Well this time around, Puzzle & Dragons players will now have access to yet another Clash of Clans-themed dungeon, which features four different difficulty levels, and culminates in an epic battle against The Crimson Dragon. Other unique monster types to be found in the limited crossover event include the Barbarian, Healer, Goblin, Archer, and the P.E.K.K.A. unit. Furthermore, each new character is said to have its own special attack, and a unique evolution that is dependent upon certain Puzzle & Dragons elemental orbs."The latest collaboration between Puzzle & Dragons and Clash of Clans is available right now in-game, and will run through October 27, 2013. Will you be taking a look this week to see how two of the most successful mobile game franchises are going to be working together once again? Be sure to let us know in the replies!