Glu has made a pretty fantastic name for themselves in the world of mobile games in recent years, so it's only fitting that they've purchased the makers of a pretty fantastic franchise. The company announced today that they've acquired PlayFirst, makers of the Diner Dash series (and its subsequent spinoffs like Cooking Dash, Hotel Dash and Wedding Dash).While unexpected, I suppose the purchase isn't entirely surprising. While they first found success among casual PC gamers, PlayFirst made the move to mobile-first back in 2012 when they suspended development of desktop games. As a mobile-focused company with a notable brand, I suppose it was only a matter of time until somebody made them an offer they couldn't refuse.Specifically, that offer was 3 million shares of GLUU common stock (currently trading at $4 a share, so… approx. $12 million) and "the assumption of up to $3.55 million net negative balance sheet" according to today's investor report.
You know who's had a spotty record in the world of video games? Bond. James Bond. GoldenEye was a genre-defining success back in 1997, but everything that's come before and after has been sort of… meh. Having said that, everyone's favorite super spy has yet to try his hand at the most popular platforms of today: smartphones and tablets - which seems ironic, considering the iPhone seems like a gadget that only a 70s-era Bond film could have predicted.But that's about to change courtesy of free-to-play mobile powerhouse Glu. Expected to launch in summer 2015 (that's not a typo), their untitled Bond project will be "inspired by the franchise's rich history, themes, characters, and narrative," or so says a press release.In other words, they're keeping mum on the details.Still, Glu has a pretty stellar track record in the world of free-to-play. Not only do they deliver games that frequently appeal to the action-oriented gamer, but they do it with plenty of visual style and flair. Details or no details, this one seems like one to watch.
For the average young adult who has left home for the first time to take in some post-secondary schooling, the solemn halls of a college or university can feel like they're charged with magic. There is no magic, though: only hormones, sweat, and the perpetually dazed look of sleep-deprived young adults. However, Enchant U for iOS and Google Play is a college simulation game that does in fact add a touch of magic to the air. Just a touch. It's like attending a passive-aggressive Hogwarts.