Latest News from nycgameindustry.com

NYC-Based Developers "2D Engine" Release Game On Steam

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Local game engine developers "2D Engine" have released their game "Chains" on Valve Software's Steam content-delivery system. The game is built upon their home-grown, fully Lua-scriptable 2D game engine called "AGen".

Nintendo World Store Scribblenauts Launch

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Got plans this weekend? If not, you might want to consider heading down to the Nintendo World Store to celebrate the launch of the already-critically-acclaimed DS game Scribblenauts.

Video Games Live in NJ

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Video Games Live - a captivating world-wide concert featuring orchestral music from some of today's most talented contemporary composers for visual media is going to be performing right across the Hudson!

Details after the jump...

NYU Game Center Speaker: Noah Wardrip-Fruin

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Noah Wardrip-Fruin, a prominent game scholar with a particular interest in the intersection of fiction and play, will be speaking at the NYU Game Center on September 17th.

NY Gaming March 2009 Meetup

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Looks like there is a new Meetup group in town. Heard about this one a little late, it's happening tomorrow. A few people look to be attending. Info after the jump.

The "Quest To Learn" Starts Next Month

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0600

The Quest to Learn school launches next month and will be the first school in the U.S. to feature a public school curriculum revolving entirely around game-inspired learning.

Nicholas Kristof Gives Keynote at Games for Change Festival

Thu, 28 May 2009 00:00:00 -0600

New York Times Columnist and Pulitzer Prize winning author Nicholas D. Kristof kicked off day two of the Games For Change festival in New York with an insightful keynote discussing the unique power of social impact games.

Game On: The Video Game and Music Revolution

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Meet the world's best video game musicians, composers, and industry leaders at this special multimedia panel discussion and demo exploring the phenomenon of video game music.

NY Games Conference 2008

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0700

A few months back Digital Media Wire hosted the first ever NY Games Conference at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in Manhattan. For those that were unable to attend the show (including nycgameindustry.com which was still under construction), Drew Sikora over at GameDev.net has a lengthy write up that provides a nicely detailed rundown of the proceedings.

Click here to check it out.

EA Presents At Advertising Week

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Electronic Arts gave a presentation on the advantages of advertising within video games as part of the Advertising Week industry conference. Titled "EA: It's Your Move. Get in the Game," company executives joined former New York Giant and current Today Show correspondent Tiki Barber at the Times Center to excite advertising executives about how effective games are in engaging consumers with brands.

Take-Two Releases Q1 2009 Financial Results

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0600

New York based Take-Two Interactive announced today its financial results for Q1 2009, ending January 31. The company's Q1 net revenue was up a modest $16.4M over Q1 2008's $240.4M. Its net loss for the quarter was $50.4 million.

Blip Festival 2009

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0600

The world's premier Chiptunes related festival returns to New York for it's fourth year! The four-day event promises to showcase tons of musicians and visual artists representing the best in low-res cutting edge.

CampFu Surpasses 100,000 Players Worldwide

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Rebel Monkey, a Manhattan-based entertainment company best known for CampFu, a browser-based Casual MMO community, announced that the site has reached in excess of 100,000 registered players since its late February 2009 launch, demonstrating swift growth and market traction.

Update: Event RSS Feed

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Just a quick update to let everyone know that we now have an RSS feed specifically for events. You can find and subscribe to it at the bottom of the home page.

NY Comic Con 2009

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0700

New York Comic Con is the East Coast's biggest and most exciting popular culture convention. The show floor plays host to the latest and greatest in comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, toys, movies, and television.

Advertising Week 2009

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Advertising Week is North America's premier gathering of cutting edge communications leaders. The week is a hybrid of thought leadership and special event programming; uniting clients, creatives, media and inspiring figures.

Dreamcast: It's Still Thinking

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Ten years ago today, arguably the greatest console ever manufactured was released to the North American public. The Dreamcast was a pioneer in many respects and ultimately paved the way for many of the features we now take for granted.

Cluster Fun

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Here's a great article from Jason Della Rocca that talks about the phenomenon of game industry clusters. The article sheds some light on the subject of clustering, and how governments, game developers and universities can use it to their advantage.

Area/Code Featured On Science Channel

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Local developer Area/Code was recently featured on the Science Channel's popular new series PopSci's "Future of" which tackles fascinating topics such as Superhumans, Adventure, and appropriately enough, Play.

2K Play To Publish Two New Exclusive Titles

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0600

2009 Penny Arcade Expo attendees will be the first to experience 2K Play's entertaining and beautiful offerings - The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom and Axel & Pixel.

Come on in and check it out!

Columbia Professor Argues for Alternative Format Theses

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0600

In a recent op-ed for the New York Times, Mark C. Taylor, the chairman of the religion department at Columbia, calls for a change in university practices. One way, he argues, would be to accept disserations in alternative formats, such as video games...

Free Burgers For Playtesters

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Sometimes the best way to a gamers’ heart (or their opinion) is through their stomach... at least that's what Arkadium is trying to prove with the company's latest promotion.

Muse Launches $10,000 Indie Game Challenge

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Is this the summer for indie competitions or what? Muse Games have just announced their own game creation challenge in the form of “Immunity”, a $10,000 Unity 3D-based indie game development contest.

Kognito Creates At-Risk

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Kognito, in partnership with the Mental Health Association of New York, created a social game called At-Risk which trains faculty and staff on how to identify, talk to, and refer students experiencing mental distress. In the game you identify students and engage in virtual conversations with them to decide whether or not to make a referral to the university counseling center.

Agora Games Acquired By MLG

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0600

NYC-based Major League Gaming today announced that it has acquired Troy, NY-based Agora Games. Known for both its technical expertise and elegant product development, Agora has built some of the leading video game community applications in the industry.

NYCGI Facebook Group Announcement

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Just a quick update to let everyone know that we now have a dedicated Facebook group you can join.

Click through for link...

New York Scraps Planned DLC Tax

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0600

New York has scrapped a plan to impose taxes on Internet downloads (including video game content), clothing over $100 and non-diet sodas, a move that had been aimed at closing a $14 billion state budget deficit.

Boston GameLoop 2009 Preview

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Over the weekend a couple of the nycgameindustry.com crew made our way to Boston for their annual GameLoop unconference. We plan on doing a full featured rundown of the event next month, but in the meantime we wanted to give everyone a brief overview of what we took away.

NY Gaming September 2009 Meetup

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Right on the heels of a super fun Drink Night comes the monthly New York gaming Meetup. If you can, feel free to swing on by and catch some demos and drinks on September 15th.

Cellufun Enjoying Success on BlackBerry App World

Mon, 04 May 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Cellufun is thrilled with the incredible success they are having among BlackBerry smartphone users. Seeing as how Cellufun is one of the top game applications on BlackBerry App World, it's really no big surprise.

Audiobrain Signs On For Vancouver Olympics

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Announced on August 20th, Audiobrain will be responsible for the management of the music systems as well as music support for NBC Networks, nbcolympics.com and on-demand; both onsite in Vancouver and at 30 Rock in New York.

Smash Worx Shares Video Of Latest Project

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Smash Worx, a relatively new game development studio here in New York, has released a series of videos showing off their current project, Propaganda Lander.

Click through to check them out.

IGDA Holiday Party 2008

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The IGDA NYC Holiday Party is most definitely the place to get in the spirit. Beer, wine and dozens of metric tons of booze stand begging to be quaffed. The jukebox is jacked with MP3’s. Buck Hunter, pinball and pool are ready for battle. Early guests will receive a free drink ticket. Stragglers will have to battle it out for their freebies, because we'll have a few contests. Bring your game faces!

IGDA Drink Night: Sept. 1st

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0600

It's that time again. Let's kick off September with an IGDA drink night!

Click through for details...

Interview With GameX Show Producer

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0600

The first annual GameX Industry Summit is coming up next month and it's looking to be quite an event. We took a moment to sit down and chat with the summit’s show producer Mike Worth about why you should take notice.

Anime + Manga + Video Game Art Exhibition at Japan Society

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0600

KRAZY! The Delirious World of Anime + Manga + Video Games, New York's first major art exhibition about anime, manga, and video games, runs from March 13 - June 14, 2009, at the Japan Society. Here you can watch anime films, find life-size characters from manga and anime, and hang out with Mario and Pac-Man. Plus, it's free on Fridays from 6-9 PM.

Learn more about the Cosplay Party after the jump!

Arkadium Acquires Gamelab.com

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Casual game company builds on momentum of industry growth and partners with Eric Zimmerman to offer gaming workshops to local developers.

Outplay 2009: Game Creation Tournament

Wed, 06 May 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Outplay 2009, the 2nd ever Outdoor Game Creation Tournament, is a celebration of fun and creativity. The vision behind this free tournament is to let the public experience the thrilling process of game creation.

2BeeGames Extends Indie Contest Deadline

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Independent developers in New York and around the world have two weeks left for a chance at $10,000. 2BeeGames recently extended the deadline to October 15th as a way to encourage more entries.

Massive Partners With Blizzard

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Massive Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Microsoft Corp. and a leading network for video game advertising, and Blizzard Entertainment Inc., a premier developer and publisher of entertainment software, announced today a multi-year deal that names Massive as the exclusive advertising service provider for Blizzard Entertainment®’s Web sites and Battle.net® online game service in the U.S., Canada, Europe, South Korea and Australia.

NY Gaming October 2009 Meetup

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0600

This month’s NY Gaming Meetup is on Tuesday. Members from the industry and enthusiasts are all welcome to join in on the demo and networking session. Visit NY Gaming at Meetup.com to sign up and reserve your spot. A short description of the demos are below.

Local Dev Contributes To Game Coding Book

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Local game developer James Clarendon of Red Fly NY has contributed a chapter to Mike McShaffry's "Game Coding Complete: 3rd Edition". In it, James discusses integrating LUA scripting as part of a core data-driven architecture.

NY Games Conference - Mobile Gaming

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Last week we got to attend the high profile NY Games conference! One of the main topics of the conference was the mobile gaming revolution. Following the success of the iPhone, could the once humble communication device change mobile gaming as we know it? Is there boatloads of money to be made in iPhone apps? Find out after the jump!

Mako Looking To Share Office Space

Thu, 07 May 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Mako Games has some beautiful office space in Tribeca and wants to share it with you! Mako is looking for likeminded companies/individuals for desk space sublets. Read on for more info.

NYU Game Center Lecture Series: Clint Hocking

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Clint Hocking, pioneering game designer whose work explores new directions for blending narrative and gameplay is coming to talk at The NYU Game Center.

Successfully Launched

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Today was a big day and we’re happy to announce that the launch of nycgameindustry.com wasn’t a huge catastrophe, so high-fives to that! Actually the experience was quite the opposite. We’re especially glad everyone’s initial reaction to the site has been positive and we can’t wait to get things really rockin’ and-rollin’ around here!

IGDA Pecha Kucha Night Oct. 27th

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0600

It’s time for another Pecha Kucha night! Here's the deal - some space has become available at Parsons on October 27th and we want to put it to good use. The last Pecha Kucha event went over extremely well, so much so, that we figure it's about time we did it again.

Future Trend: More Games for Madison Avenue

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0600

In "Five Trends to Watch in the Multi-Billion Dollar Games Industry," published in the March issue of the Consumer Electronics Association's Vision Magazine, co-authors Joakim Baage and Ned Sherman predict that marketers will increasingly use social networks, virtual worlds, and games to reach would-be consumers.

Continued after the jump...

Spark Plug Games Announced As Featured Game Developer

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0600

GameX in Philadelphia announced Spark Plug Games as one of the latest featured game developers to participate in the quickly-growing games convention. Spark Plug Games will be presenting their newest line-up of online and console games for the casual player at GameX.

Come inside for the details...

The Authorship Conflict

Wed, 06 May 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Gamasutra has posted an interesting opinion piece regarding the recent Warren Spector talk at NYU. In it, the question of what the designer’s objective should be regarding user experience is explored.

Calling All Gamers - NYCgaming.org is Live!

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0600

The wait is over! NYCgaming.org has opened its doors to all NYC gamers. This is the place to test your mettle against other players throughout the city.

Jump in and check it out.

Adventure Game Roundtable

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Bytejacker, a locally produced online review show, recently aired an episode focused on indie adventure games. One of the guests was Dave Gilbert of New York based Wadjet Eye Games. The episode features some cool insight into the minds of adventure game developers and there's some interesting advice about breaking into game design sprinkled throughout.

Catch the video after the jump...

NY Anime Festival 2009 Recap

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Last month culminated in two incredible events that we're just starting to recover from. First up we have a quick rundown of the 2009 NY Anime Festival.

NYC's Cafe.com Closed For Business

Sun, 22 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0700

CafeMom Partners With Arkadium

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0600

While back-to-school season traditionally marks the time when moms share the common stresses of homework, after school activities, nutrition and illness, this year it also marks a time for games. CafeMom announced today that it has partnered with Arkadium, a game solutions developer, to launch a new games area on its site.

I-CON 28

Sat, 07 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0700

I-CON, the annual science fiction and fantasy convention is returning for its 28th year. The show will feature guests from film and television as well as play host to talks from both digital and analog game developers.

Plants vs. Zombies Invade NYC Halloween Parade

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0600

NYC's biggest Halloween event is about to get an influx of rotting flesh and fauna, courtesy of PopCap games...will you be among them?

LaidOffCamp Comes to NYC

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0600

LaidOffCamp, which was put together by volunteers, is coming to New York City. If you are unemployed or nontraditionally employed as a freelancer, entrepreneur, or in a start-up in digital media, advertising, publishing, technology or financial service, think about participating in this two-day ad-hoc gathering.

More details after the jump!

Muse Games Offers Free Beer, Pizza And Guns Of Icarus Giveaway At “Game Night”

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Held on the first Wednesday of every month and hosted by local developer Muse Games, Game Night is a way for NYC enthusiasts to get together over PC, console, card or board gaming. Throw free food and beer (IDs checked) in the mix and you've got yourself a party.

THE LUDIC CENTURY

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Arkadium Brings Free Workshops To Local Developers

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0600

The resources available to local video game developers is about to expand. In 2010, local casual and advergame developer Arkadium will sponsor a workshop series designed to cover game design's best practices, tips and tricks.

Emerald City Released

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0700

PlayFirst, Inc., the award-winning entertainment company that created casual game hits Diner Dash®, Chocolatier® and Dream Chronicles®, has announced the release of Emerald City Confidential(TM). This noir-inspired adventure game lets fans explore the shadowy underbelly of the Emerald City as Petra, a down-on-her-luck private investigator.

Game Audio Highlighted At Upcoming AES NY Convention

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Game Audio is well represented via ten sessions over four days at the Audio Engineering Society New York 2009 Conference this weekend at the Javits Center in Manhattan.

NYC Councilor Urges Sex Game Boycott

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Anti-violence advocates are taking a stand against a video game in which players stalk and rape a mother and her two daughters. The New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault called on all video game distributors in the U.S. to refrain from selling the title.

Game Audio Network Guild "NYC G.A.N.G. Hang" After AES

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0600

After the first day of the AES convention this Friday, the East Coast G.A.N.G. game audio contingency will be swarming down upon the Shalel Lounge in Manhattan at 8PM. The first 20 G.A.N.G. members who arrive will receive a free drink courtesy of Sumthing Else Music Works.

Not Just a Waste of Time

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0600

The New York Times recently published an article about Large Animal Game's testing program. The company finds their testers via Craigslist and opts to pays them $25 dollars per 45 minute session...

Click through for more info.

Large Animal Talks Creative Direction For Social Games

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Large Animal art director Brad MacDonald was recently featured in an insightful Gamasutra write-up covering the company’s approach to creative direction and social games.

Hello NYC!

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0700

NYC Game Dev Growing Despite Economy

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0700

One of our readers sent in a link to an article discussing the growth of the New York game development community despite the widespread global economic slowdown.

Large Animal Launches Twivia

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0700

New York based Large Animal Games have launched their first ever game for the uber-popular online social networking channel Twitter.

James Paul Gee: Games and 21st Century Learning

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0600

This talk will deal with how video games can organize deep conceptual understanding, as well as a variety of 21st Century skills not often on offer in our schools today.

Blip Festival 2008

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Archaic game and home computer hardware is recast into the unlikely role of musical instrument and motion graphics workstation in the BLIP FESTIVAL 2008, a four-day event showcasing nearly 40 musicians and visual artists occupying the international low-res cutting edge.

Meet N' Drink February 21st

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0700

nycgameindustry.com is having its first ever Meet n' Drink! Come on out and socialize with fellow developers while enjoying a few drinks and some great conversation. Oh, and be sure to bring plenty of quarters cause we'll be at the one and only Barcade in Brooklyn!

Update: Barcade is graciously providing everyone who shows up to this event Happy Hour drink prices all night as well as NYCGI reserved seating!

Sande Chen Starts "Game Design Aspect of the Month"

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Local game designer Sande Chen has launched a new blog called Game Design Aspect of the Month. Each month, various game designers and other professionals in the industry analyze a game design issue, study past examples, highlight elegant solutions, or present new ways of handling or thinking about the issue. For more information, go to: http://gamedesignaspect.blogspot.com

GameLab One-Day Office Sale

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0600

GameLab is having an one-day office sale on Wednesday, April 29 from 10 AM to 6 PM at Gamelab's office space, 19 West 24th street, between 5th and 6th avenues, on the 12th floor. Come for great deals on furniture, computer equipment, games, and much more!

Video Games: Cracking the Code

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0700

With 30 gaming companies here in New York, the city is fast becoming a major hub for designers, developers and writers of this multi-billion dollar industry. Hear how you can parlay your skills, talents and passion for games into a career.

Narrative Games with Nick Fortugno

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Are video games an empty entertainment or an emergent art form? If games are a form of fiction, where are its great works of emotional power? Nick Fortugno, co-founder of Rebel Monkey, looks at the state of meaningful narrative and drama in digital games and explores the strange new aesthetic possibilities that games offer.

THQ Bankruptcy Chances At 50/50 Says Analyst

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0700

THQ has a 50/50 chance of declaring bankruptcy, according to new comments made by Janco Partners analyst Michael Hickey. What might this mean for THQ owned and operated New York based developer Kaos Studios?

Local Dev Contributes to Game Writing Book

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Local developer Sande Chen recently contributed to the IGDA Writer's SIG penned “Writing for Video Game Genres: From FPS to RPG.” This book delivers practical advice from seasoned veterans on the special challenges of writing for different game genres.

PC Magazine Shuttered

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Stop the presses… literally. The New York Times is reporting that Ziff Davis Media is going to be ending print publications of PC Magazine and is gearing up to take the title strictly online.

Update 2/17/09

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0700

So it's been a while since the last update and the team has been pretty busy behind the scenes. There are actually a couple of new and useful features we'd like to quickly point out.

Update 3/6/09

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Great news everybody, the nycgameindustry.com Zazzle store is finally open and ready for business. Check it out in the sidebar to the left, and while you’re there be sure to grab yourself a stylish t-shirt or hoodie to rock at the next upcoming industry event!

Action Video Game Playing as a Learning Tool

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Although the adult brain is far from being fixed, the types of experience that promote learning and brain plasticity in adulthood are still poorly understood. This talk with Daphne Bavelier will explore how the very act of playing action video games appears to lead to widespread enhancements in visual skills in young adults.

Update 12/5/08

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0700

We've started the process of incorporating community feedback and have made a few updates to the site. There is obviously a lot left to do, and we really appreciate all the awesome comments and suggestions you guys send our way.

More details after the jump…

Creatives Make New York City Recession-Resistant

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0700

In an essay for The Atlantic Online, Richard Florida argues that New York City may not be as badly affected by the recession as other cities. Although Wall Street layoffs are in the news, only 8% of jobs in NYC are in the financial sector. Rather, NYC is home to artists, fashion designers, musicians, film directors, and other creatives.

Read an excerpt after the jump!

Developers Needed For Paid Focus Group

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Professional mobile game developers are needed for an upcoming focus group. If you're interested in making a little extra scratch for a couple hours of you're time, read on!

Games For Learning Institute Summit

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Join us the day before the start of the 6th Annual Games for Change Conference for a day of discussion and networking with educational game designers, developers, evaluators and users as we consider the current landscape of games for learning and fuse new collaborations to empirically develop design patterns for effective educational games.

Take-Two: Sales Good So Far

Sat, 06 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Black Friday sales for the video games industry were probably better than expected, but that's no guarantee of strong sales for the rest of the holiday season, Take Two Interactive Software Inc Chief Executive Strauss Zelnick said on Thursday.

Quest to Learn Opening Fall 2009

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0700

New 6th-12th grade school will use design and game-like learning as pathways to creativity, college and career readiness.

IGA Worldwide Considers Buyout

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0600

IGA Worldwide, a company that inserts ads into video games, is struggling with the recession. The New York company is trying to close a new round of funding, but it has also put itself up for sale.

Demo Night IX: Call For Demos

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0600

It's back! Demo Night returns on May 28th. The Ninth in the Demo Night series promises to be better than ever, as local game companies give the IGDA community an inside look into their development process.

Info about participating after the jump...

Update 1/4/09

Sun, 04 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0700

And we’re back. We hope everyone had a happy holidays and an exciting New Year celebration. It’s now time to kick things into high gear for 2009!

Rebel Monkey Announces Monkey Wrench Gaming Platform

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0600

New York City-based game company, Rebel Monkey, announced the Monkey Wrench platform, a real-time multiplayer gaming platform, today. Monkey Wrench was created for CampFu, Rebel Monkey's casual MMO, but will eventually be available to other developers.

Kuma Announces Somali Showdown

Thu, 07 May 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Kuma Games has announced Somali Showdown: Pirates on the High Seas, a PC multiplayer action game that puts players in the middle of a pirate attack on a commercial cargo ship.

6th Annual Games for Change Festival

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Games for Change is happy to announce the 2009 Sixth Annual Games for Change Festival to be held in New York City!

Kaos Studios Expanding in NYC

Sun, 05 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0600

After their recent success with Frontlines: Fuel of War, it appears as though NYC-based Kaos Studios (a division of publisher THQ) will soon be "ramping up staff as it moves into full development on an unannounced project." Game developers: time to bust out those resumes and portfolios if you're looking to be a part of what could potentially be the next Frontlines! Details after the jump.

Requirements Virtualization

Mon, 11 May 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Do I even ask who will update the game design manual? Where is Doug Church when you need him.

NY Games Conference 2009

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Mark your calendars, the NY Games Conference is set to return! Join Games Industry Leaders - including leading video game publishers and developers, carriers, portals, technology companies, advertising execs, venture capitalists, lawyers, analysts and many more for this exciting two day event.

GameX Industry Summit

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0600

The Games & Media Expo (a.k.a. "GameX" for its extreme factor) announced the unveiling of its very own game industry side conference, The GameX Industry Summit. Co-situated with The Games & Media Expo, at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center*, GameX Industry Summit is presented by NBC with help from the IGDA chapters in New York, New Jersey, Baltimore and Philadelphia.

Play the game of Life

Fri, 22 May 2009 00:00:00 -0600

If anybody remembers the old Milton Bradley jingle for their game called "The Game of Life," there is a great line that is impossible to get out of your head once you've heard it. The refrain goes like this; "You will learn about the game of life, when you play the game of life." Now repeat that to yourself 15 times in less than 30 seconds and you will have experienced the entire commercial. But what if you design a video game around that jingle and base it on your own life, will a fresh perspective on things help you to the next level?

Engage! Expo 2009

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Engage! Expo (formerly the Virtual Worlds Conference) is the event for kid, youth and young adult brands, media, entertainment and agencies to meet and learn how to combine their existing online efforts with the unparalleled engagement opportunities, new revenue streams of the 3D Web and Virtual Worlds.

Experts Say Tech & Video Games Are NYC's Future

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0600

The New York Post's @work section spoke with a few local experts on the future of NYC's economy. Two highlighted its video-game industry and the possibility for a new Silicon Alley.

4mm Games Announces Formation

Thu, 21 May 2009 00:00:00 -0600

We've known about them since 2007, however today 4mm Games finally decided to officially announce its formation...

Details after the jump.

Ziff Sells 1UP, Discontinues EGM

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Looking to conserve its resources for its PC Mag Digital business, New York based Ziff Davis Media has sold off the 1UP Digital Network, its collection of video game sites, to Hearst Corp., which will fold it into the UGO Entertainment division.

IGC East 2009

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Game Path LLC is excited to bring the Independent Game Conference, now in its 4th year, to the East Coast! If you're interested in attending, be sure to register using the special nycgameindustry.com discount code and save yourself some cash!

More details after the jump...

GameX Industry Summit Features Harmonix Keynote Speaker

Tue, 26 May 2009 00:00:00 -0600

The GameX Industry Summit announced its first confirmed keynote speaker, Chris Foster of Harmonix Music Systems, creators of game phenomenon Rock Band.

NY State Considers DLC Tax

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Downloadable content for games, music, movies and more will come with a local and state sales tax in the state of New York if a proposed state budget is passed.

NYU Game Center Lecture Series: Warren Spector

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Warren Spector, influential game designer presently working with Disney Interactive will be on hand to discuss dialogue and conversation in games. The format will be open and the audience is encouraged to join what is bound to be a lively discussion.

Digital Downtown - NYC 2009

Tue, 26 May 2009 00:00:00 -0600

The CE Innovators are meeting in New York at CEA Line Shows to showcase what’s new, cool and happening before a powerful gathering of media, analysts, trade and technology thought leaders.

WNYC: Get Some Game Interview

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Back in May, WNYC public radio interviewed Tara Colton, deputy director of the Center for an Urban Future regarding a report she authored entitled, “Getting in the Game”.

Click through to listen to the podcast…

Less Intelligence More Games

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Welcome to the first episode of Podscape on nycgameindustry.com! Podscape is a new ongoing comic chronicling the adventures of a group of indie game developers in New York City. Podscape will update weekly in the News section, so make sure to come back often to see the latest installment.

Business Sim

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Sometimes it just takes a little push from the strangest of sources to get the game ideas rolling.

Business Sim Part Deux

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0600

At what stage in the software development lifecycle does just "roll with it" fall under?

Kaos Studios Reveals New FPS "Homefront"

Wed, 27 May 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Kaos Studios announced today the title of the next FPS they're developing under publisher THQ. Titled "Homefront," the story is being penned by Apocalypse Now and Red Dawn scribe John Mulius and is set ten years after the economic collapse of the United States. Think that's a little close to home? Wait till you hear about the suburban battlegrounds Homefront promises to let you wage war under...

XS Games Teams With 3 Doors Down

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Videogame publisher XS Games and 3 Doors Down have teamed up for PopStar Guitar, the all-new music-rhythm video game for pop music fans.

Bangolia Rocks Out on Parallax's Dark Star

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Are "interactive rock space operas" the hot new genre for NYC's gaming talent? Bangolia's Chris Peterson talks about the recent audio treatment they provided for Dark Star, the upcoming videogame / movie from Parallax, including mixing some sounds you wouldn't expect from your standard space romp. See the video after the jump!

Blackwell: "On the Town"

Tue, 26 May 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Wadjet Eye Games has optioned a series of short Flash cartoons in anticipation of the next Blackwell release. The animated shorts feature series mainstays Rosa Blackwell and Joey Malone.

Click through to see the first one!

Fünde Razor '08

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Fünde Razor is back for a fourth year — and this time they've added a new city! San Francisco joins the annual Child's Play events in Denver and New York City.

Game Festival 2009

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Rensselaer’s School of Humanities and Social Sciences celebrated the addition of the Game Studies Minor by hosting a GameFest Symposium and Exhibition in 2004. Now an annual event, the symposium showcases computer games designed by more than 20 student teams, in addition to lectures by prominent game design practitioners, and a daylong workshop on game design.

NYC Listed Among Cities With Most Tech Jobs

Thu, 21 May 2009 00:00:00 -0600

PC World recently crunched some numbers and determined that New York City and Washington D.C. are among the areas with the most tech jobs available.

NYU Launches Gaming Degree

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0700

NYU announced Tuesday that it has launched the NYU Game Center, which will offer long-term undergraduate and graduate degrees in the research, design and development of digital games. NYU will become the first New York City college to offer a degree in video games.

Iron Man Game Trailer Audio By Bangolia

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0600

How do you construct the audio for a video trailer overnight using an iconic theme song with no session musicians handy? Well I guess you might ask the guys at Bangolia since that’s exactly what they pulled off last year.

Video interview after the jump.

Kickoff Summer With NYCC at Dave and Buster's!

Mon, 18 May 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Summer is almost here and what better way to start it off than with food, booze, games and prizes! The New York Comic Con is taking over Dave and Buster's in Times Square, Wednesday, May 20th from 5:30pm-9:30pm.

Update 12/14/08

Sun, 14 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Just a quick note about some updates we’ve been making to the site. A number of exciting features are being worked on behind the scenes and you’ll soon begin to see slight modifications and additions to the site as we continue to move forward.

How Games Mean

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Games are becoming more and more ambitious, influential and important. They are expanding their reach to a broader, mainstream audience and becoming more sophisticated technically and creatively. As a result, there’s a lot of interest among designers, critics, gamers, and the public at large in the question of whether, and how, games can be meaningful.

MTV Partners With Bruckheimer To Make Games

Thu, 14 May 2009 00:00:00 -0600

In 2007, Jerry Bruckheimer announced plans to develop video games via a partnership with MTV Games. Since then, details about the venture have been minimal.

Global Game Jam '09

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Are you an aspiring game designer? Or a seasoned professional? If you're either, join designers from around the world during Columbia University's 1st Annual Global Game Jam!

Girls in Tech Relaunch Party

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0600

The NYC chapter of Girls in Tech has relaunched with a new Managing Director and organizing team. Our goal is the enrich the experience of women in technology in the New York metro area, helping them to make connections, learn valuable career and life skills, and, above all, have FUN with other like-minded women in the thriving New York tech community. (Pssst...this event is co-ed. Gents are welcome too!)

Gamelab Shuttering Its Doors?

Tue, 12 May 2009 00:00:00 -0600

While not officially out of business, after recently shuttering its New York office, there are signs that it might be "Game Over" for one of NYC's most successful and recognized developers.

Vogster Entertainment's CrimeCraft Approaches

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0700

NYC-area based Vogster Entertainment has just launched a website (www.crimecraft.com) for their big PWNS (Persistent World Next-gen Shooter) CrimeCraft alongside a nationwide press tour to promote the title. IGN coverage has hit with more previews expected to follow this week. See the trailer at IGN!

NYC Game Industry Linkedin Group

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0600

If you haven't already, we'd like to invite everyone to join the official NYC Game Industry Linkedin Group! There are already a large number of local professionals in the group, and it’s just another great way for those of you who are new to the scene (or might not have known the group existed) to network with your peers.

Just follow the link to join-up: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=931537

Demo Night IX

Fri, 15 May 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Demo Night makes its triumphant return on May 28th! The ninth in the Demo Night series promises to be better than ever, as local game companies give the IGDA community an inside look into their development process.

Digital Music Forum 2009: East

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0700

This one is for all you Game Audio gurus. The Digital Music Forum, now in it's 9th year, is the leading event focused on the intersection of technology and music. Join an elite group of over 500 music industry insiders for two days of high level discussions, news breaking announcements and unrivaled networking in the Big Apple.

State Of Play VI

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0600

New York Law School’s State of Play Conference will convene in New York to examine the past, present and future of virtual worlds.

Adventure Quest Goes To Brooklyn

Sat, 16 May 2009 00:00:00 -0600

This summer The Brick Theater in Brooklyn will debut Adventure Quest – a play built around PC adventure gaming of the 80s and early 90s.

SXSW Networking Party

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Local Team Wins Ultimate Rock Band Tourney

Sat, 16 May 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Four bands went head-to-head this weekend at the finale of Harrah's Operating Company, Inc.'s and MTV Games' landmark Total Rock, Total Rewards Rock Band Competition at Showboat Casino in Atlantic City. The finalists - chosen from the nearly 600 Rock Band bands from across the country that entered the competition - rocked their way through an edge-of-your-seat finale when The Gurnkillers triumphed over 2nd place band, FA/KE, by only three points.

NY Bill to Prohibit Sales of Racist Games to Minors

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0700

New York assemblyman, Keith L.T. Wright, submitted a new legislative proposal which aims to prohibit the sale of video games containing negative racial stereotypes and/or actions toward a specific group of persons to minors.

IGDA Drink Night: April 21st

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0600

GDC is over and things have calmed down. Now it’s time to kick it back into gear with another drink night!

More info after the jump...

Bees Shut Down Local Gamestop

Wed, 27 May 2009 00:00:00 -0600

New York City Gamestops may be used to dealing with swarms of passionate customers, but for one local Gamestop in Union Square, last Saturday was beyond anything they'd imagined.

Drink Night January 28th

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Blackwell Convergence Trailer

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0600

NYC based Wadjet Eye Games has released a youtube trailer for its upcoming game, The Blackwell Convergence.

View it after the jump.

Local Game Writer Profiled on G4 Canada

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0700

G4C 2009 Call for Proposals

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0700

If you are interested in submitting a speaking proposal for the 2009 Games for Change Festival taking place May 27 - 29 at Parsons the New School for Design in NYC, they are now accepting applications.

Details after the jump...

Emerald City Confidential Preview

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Local indie developer Dave Gilbert, owner of Wadjet Eye Games, was interviewed by Bytejacker recently about his upcoming game, Emerald City Confidential, published by Playfirst. See scenes from the game in the video after the jump!

Audio Article Written by Local Developers

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Mike Worth and Dan Carter (of newly formed Game Music Inc.) recently penned an article for GameCareerGuide.com entitled “Adaptive Audio: A Beginner's Guide to Making Sounds for Video Games.”

Click through for more details!

Independent Retailer to Start Publishing Games

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0700

VideoGamesNewYork, one of the cities biggest (and best) video game retailers may be stepping into the independent publishing scene.

Follow the link to find out more...

Results From Global Game Jam 2009

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Global Game Jam 2009 has come and gone, and in its wake lies a plethora of incredibly innovative and unique games. The two New York based Game Jam sites (Columbia and NYU respectively) were each host to over half a dozen teams.

Links to the games after the jump...

Rebel Monkey Reveals CampFu

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0700

New York based developer Rebel Monkey has finally released details regarding their first project to the folks over at Gamezebo. The game, titled "CampFu", features team-based co-operative gameplay that encourages community rather than competition.

More info after the jump!

National Computer Camp Scholarship

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0600

WomenGamers.Com and National Computer Camp (NCC) are once again offering a scholarship valued at $985 to a female student (age 8-18) for one week. The National Computer Camp is America's original computer camp with locations in Connecticut, Georgia, New York, and Ohio. Applications are due by May15th, 2009.

For more information, go to http://www.womengamers.com/scholarships/

NYU Game Center Lecture Series: Marc LeBlanc

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Marc “Mahk” LeBlanc, creator of the MDA framework, a powerful conceptual approach to game design will be at NYU to discuss game development with attendees.

Update 4/15/09

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Update time! So, beyond fixing bugs that seem to crop up entirely out of the blue, the team has been busy working on additional feature content, working towards strategic partnerships with other organizations, and attempting to stay up to date with all the events that are going on… which there are many.

NYU Game Center Lecture Series: Salen & Zimmerman

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Katie Salen & Eric Zimmerman, co-authors of a book on game design entitled Rules of Play, will be appearing in person to discuss game design and academics with those in attendance.

NY Gaming May 2009 Meetup

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0600

The Meetup.com guys have another gathering coming up in May. They're promising nothing but drinks, demos, and awesome people all night long...

Cellufun Appoints New CEO

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Cellufun, the mobile virtual community known as "The World's Mobile Playground," announced the appointment of Neil Edwards as chief executive officer.

Read on for details...

Best Job Ever: Game Designer

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0600

So what's the best job ever? Well, some might say (and we tend to agree) that being a Game Designer ranks fairly high on the list. Dice has a great video interview up with one of New York's own; Ramiro Corbetta over at Powerhead Games.

Click through to view...

Freeverse on List of Top Paid iTunes Apps Ever

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Freeverse has announced that they have 2 of the Top Paid Apps of All Time, both within the Top Ten! This announcement marks the achievement of 3 million units of Freeverse titles distributed and enjoyed on the App Store.

NCIS features Forterra Systems technology

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Watch CBS's popular NCIS series on Tuesday, April 28 at 8:00 pm! The number-one rated show will feature advanced technology from Forterra Systems, which has offices in New York City, London, San Mateo, and Orlando. The Lockheed Martin IS&GS's Mirror Worlds system uses the Forterra OLIVE virtual worlds platform and will play a key role in the show's plot.

Screenshot from the show after the jump!

4mm Games Announces Def Jam Rapstar

Fri, 29 May 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Newly formed 4mm Games has announced its first title: Def Jam Rapstar, a karaoke Singstar-like game which caters to the hip-hop consumer base and allows players to get in touch with their inner MC.

Read on for more info!

10 Games Made In 10 Hours

Fri, 29 May 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Mark Cooke, a programmer who has worked on various titles such as Grim Fandango, Conan and Zombie Apocalypse ( to name a few), embarked on an interesting project. He took up a challenege to create 10 games in 10 hours! Sound crazy?

Check out how he did after the jump!

IGDA Drink Night: June 17th

Sat, 30 May 2009 00:00:00 -0600

It's that time again! Drink Night returns on June 17th. Come on down and join us for a round of drinks and some great conversation!

News Events Inspire Video Games

Sat, 30 May 2009 00:00:00 -0600

CNN has a great article up about the recent phenomenon of creating and publishing games based on current events. Kuma Games and Cellufun in particular, are just two of a handful of companies developing small web and mobile games with themes ripped straight from the world’s headlines.

Margaret Wallace Video Interview

Sun, 31 May 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Margaret Wallace, CEO and Co-founder of Rebel Monkey, recently sat down with fatfoogoo to discuss the inspiration behind Campfu, microtransactions, youth oriented virtual worlds, and more!

NYCC June Happy Hour

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Were you at the New York Comic Con Fan Happy Hour at Dave and Busters last month? If you weren't, you missed out! They had a blast hanging out with fans, raffling off prizes and handing out Terminator Salvation swag...in fact, they had such a great time, they're going to do it again!

Homefront E3 Trailer

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0600

E3 is going on in L.A. this week and THQ is there promoting various games in their line-up. Most notably, they have shown a teaser for Kaos Studio’s most recent work in progress, Homefront.

Help The Gurn Killers Win A VMA

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0600

If you haven't been keeping up - local Rock Band group The Gurn Killers took home the national title at Harrah's Casino/MTV Rock Band competition a couple of weeks ago. Thanks in no small part to a lot of organization and the timeless power of men dressed in women's clothing, they're now storming the country as a professional fake band. They even have a music video!

NY Gaming June 2009 Meetup

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0600

It looks like one of the New York Gaming Meetup groups is convening again this month. Head on down and join them for demos, drinks, and conversation!

Blackwell Convergence Gameplay Footage

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Wadjet Eye Games has just released a new gameplay trailer for their upcoming adventure game, Blackwell Convergence.

Local Dev Releases 2nd Edition Game Design Book

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Local game developer Roger Pedersen has recently completed the second edition of his book, Game Design Foundations. The book covers everything from the documentation and pitch phase to the principles behind game mechanics, game balancing, and game tiers.

Gameloft Files Trademark Suit Against ‘Naked Cowboy’

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Gameloft, Europe’s largest maker of games for mobile phones, sued Robert Burck, the New York street performer known as the “Naked Cowboy,” to halt claims that its New York Nights game infringes Burck’s trademark.

Large Animal Demos Game Using O3D Tech At Google I/O

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Local independent game developer and publisher Large Animal Games participated in the Developer Sandbox at the Google I/O conference in San Francisco on May 27-28th, showcasing a game demo called "Infinite Journey" that was built utilizing Google's O3D technology. Large Animal plans to integrate the technology with social networks.

Experimental Game Video Gets 100,000 YouTube Views

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Local independent game developer Scott Anderson, partnering with Scott Swink of Flashbang Studios fame, released a video of their experimental game project Shadow Physics that has garnered over 100,000 viewings on YouTube.

Come Out & Play Festival 2009

Sat, 06 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Come Out & Play will transform New York City into a playground once again! The annual festival runs this summer during the weekend of June 12-14. The Tank, a wonderful non-profit arts space, plays host and serves as the events central headquarters.

More info after the jump!

Jonathan Blow: NYU Game Center Podcast

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0600

For the past few months the NYU Game Center has been running an informative collection of educational lectures by professionals throughout our industry. Fortunately, for those who may have missed them, the center has decided to release the talks individually in podcast form. First up is Jonathan Blow, creator of indie game sensation Braid. Click through to listen!

Warren Spector: NYU Game Center Podcast