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Facebook accused of lying about video stats error for over a year
Facebook is guilty of lying to advertisers, according to a new lawsuit. Back in 2016, online marketing agency Crowd Siren sued the social network for inflating its metrics -- now it claims Facebook knew as early as 2015 that it was over-reporting figures. The marketing agency has also thrown in fraud claims and a request for punitive damages in an amended complaint, filed this week.
Latest IDC wearable numbers show Xiaomi's continued surge
While there was no change in the top two spots for the Q3 2015 IDC wearable numbers, Xiaomi made a staggering jump. In terms of market share, Fitbit is still in the top spot with a 22 percent market share and 4.7 million units shipped in the quarter. The company's numbers were padded by the fact that a number employers are giving their workers Fitbit devices, including Target's order of 335,000. Apple remains at number two, where it debuted in Q2. Cupertino shipped 3.9 million units, aided by both the release of WatchOS 2 and its gadgets going on sale in more locales.
YouTube gamers are getting their own 'Minecraft'-inspired figures
If you head down to your local toy store today, you'll likely find that the shelves are dominated by video game packs and figurines. Franchises like Minecraft, Disney Infinity and Skylanders mostly dominate proceedings, but their popularity also encourages rivals to cash in on the latest craze. One such toy maker believes that fusing YouTube and Minecraft could be the answer, so it's created a new range of "Tube Heroes" toys that immortalize some of the video service's most popular gamers as Minecraft-like figures and plushies.
People love Nintendo's plastic Amiibo figures: 'nearly' 2.6 million sold
Nintendo has announced that sales of its Amiibo figures are "nearly double" that of Super Smash Bros. game sales on the Wii U. (Nintendo sold 1.3 million copies of the title in the tail end of 2014, and so math tells us that figure sales float around the 2.6 million mark, which is pretty incredible.) Last month, Nintendo stated that figure sales were roughly equal to the game sales, meaning people apparently buying more figures now. Nintendo stated that some figures have already been discontinued, much to eBay profiteers' delight. Naturally, a little bit of rarity can help give sales a lift.
Nintendo of Europe to keep 'regular supply' of Amiibos
Nintendo of Europe plans on replenishing its sold-out Amiibo stock following word that some of the figurines will be discontinued. The publisher told GameSpot that its "supplies of Amiibo are currently available in the European market." The statement runs slightly counter to that of Nintendo of America yesterday, which acknowledged that "due to shelf space constraints, other figures likely will not return to the market once they have sold through their initial shipment." "We are continually aiming to always have a regular supply of Amiibo brought into the marketplace and there are many waves of Amiibo to come," Nintendo of Europe added. The concerns began with a tweet from Canadian retailer VideoGamesPlus, which said that Nintendo discontinued the Marth, Wii Fit Trainer and Animal Crossing Villager Amiibo toys. Nintendo of Europe noted the popularity of the figures, adding that "it's always possible that a few retailers may have sold out." Regardless, we'll always have our ass-kicking, borderline-sentient Mario Amiibo to toy with. [Image: Nintendo]
Walmart and Amazon list more Amiibo figures for December 14
We already knew that Amiibo figures for Captain Falcon, Diddy Kong, Little Mac, Luigi, Pit and Zelda would be worming their way into our hearts and onto our shelves sometime in December, but Amazon and Walmart seem to have narrowed that window down to a single day: December 14. When browsing Walmart's website, a release date of 12/14/2014 can be seen next to each of the aforementioned figures, ditto for Amazon. And it's not just online listings - the official Walmart Twitter account has also seemingly confirmed the date. "Yes, the release date for Captain Falcon Amiibo is set for December 14," the "Walmart Elves" tweeted to a prospective Amiibo purchaser after he inquired if the date was official. Of course, numbers on the internet and even Santa's helpers can be wrong from time to time, but it probably wouldn't hurt to stake out your spot in line if there's a particular figure you need to add to your collection. [Image: Nintendo]
Shroud of the Avatar preps for Steam launch
On November 24th, Shroud of the Avatar will be launching on Steam's Early Access service. Backers of the game should already have their Steam keys. Once the game is launched, the development team wants to keep the game's servers on at all times, leading to the current state of the game. In this round of testing, contrary to past tests, players can this time access the game servers according to the game's most recent development update. The newsletter also highlights the ominous Tower of the Shuttered Eye, a rather unpleasant place that will be added to the game with the next major patch scheduled for release on November 20th. There's also a post-mortem on the launch of the game's most recent test patch, which saw a big increase in numbers over previous events. Take a look at the full update for a clearer picture of how the game is doing and what's just around the corner.
Nintendo discusses cheaper Amiibo figures, trading cards
Future iterations of Nintendo's Amiibo figure line will include cards, the company revealed during last week's investor Q&A. Nintendo President Satoru Iwata and longtime designer and producer Shigeru Miyamoto discussed the company's near-field communications initiatives, Miyamoto stressing that Amiibo "can take forms other than figures." Miyamoto offered Amiibo-style cards as an example, hypothesizing a game that would require players to pass "several cards over the NFC reader/writer" in the Wii U Game Pad. "I cannot discuss any of the details today, but Amiibo has the potential to propose new ways to play card games," Miyamoto said. The designer also brought up Animal Crossing as an example of a brand that could receive Amiibo compatibility in the future. Miyamoto noted that Nintendo plans on launching "smaller and even more affordable Amiibo figures in the future." The first set of Amiibo figures, available for pre-order now, will launch on November 21 alongside Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. All of the initial Amiibo figures will be compatible with Hyrule Warriors, and Nintendo just confirmed that Amiibo support will arrive in Mario Kart 8 soon. [Image: Nintendo]
Warcraft reaches max level in adorableness with Funko toys
Funko's Pop! Vinyl series of collectibles is recruiting heroes, villains and creatures alike for its second run of figures based on Blizzard's Warcraft universe, Toy News International reports. The series will include three standard, 3.75-inch tall figures: the Horde's former warchief, Thrall (as he appears in Warcraft 3), leader of the Forsaken, Sylvanas, and one of those lovable, gargling fish-men, a murloc. There will also be a "Super Sized" Deathwing figure, which stands at 6 inches tall and looks ... well, a heck of a lot less intimidating than when he shattered Azeroth's landscapes. The Pop! Games: World of Warcraft Series 2 figures will release in November. Thrall, Sylvanas and the murloc will cost $10, while Deathwing will sell for $16. [Image: Funko]
Super Smash Bros. Wii U Amiibo figures up for pre-order
Nintendo's Amiibo figures are now available to pre-order at various retailers. There are 18 total figures that players can pre-purchase through Target, GameStop, Amazon, Best Buy and Walmart, each tied to Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. Most of the figures are listed for release on November 21 as previously announced, the same day that Super Smash Bros. will launch for Nintendo's home console. Certain figures are paired with a December 31 launch date however, which may be a placeholder. Those figures are Zelda, Captain Falcon, Diddy Kong, Little Mac, Luigi and Pit, though release date listings may vary. Walmart is also offering a Super Smash Bros. bundle, which includes a copy of the Wii U game in addition to Link, Pikachu and Mario Amiibo figures for $100. The collectible Amiibo figures were revealed at E3 2014 in June, and given a price of $12.99 each two months later. Head past the break to see the full list of figures that are up for pre-order. [Image: Nintendo]
LEGO Minifigures Online rolls out a mythological update
With a month or so to go before LEGO Minifigures Online fully launches, the game has brought forth its biggest update yet. So what does it contain? Nothing less than the new Mythology World, which also brings an increase in the level cap to 25 along with its new areas and monsters. The area also continues the main story if that's more of your thing. Aside from the new area, the Series 11 minifigures have been added to the game, along with the first batch of cash shop figures that includes the Yeti, the Mountain Climber, and the Pretzel Girl. Players can also find their friends more easily with the addition of a friend code, and the loot system has been overhauled to allow players a chance to build minifigures from loot. Check out the full set of update notes for more detail and get building in the game if it's just what you've been waiting for.
Kingdom Hearts dev's Batman comes from a canceled project
Whether you love it or loathe it, the Batman Play Arts statue dreamed up by Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts designer Tetsuya Nomura is a curious beast. After revealing the very dark knight yesterday, Nomura told Siliconera the design goes far back in time to a "game-related" project that was eventually canceled. It goes so far back, Nomura said, that it began before Kingdom Hearts was even conceived. So if you're seeing a bit of keyblade armor in there, that's because the canceled project went on to influence the Disney series and its armor design, and not the other way round.
Final Fantasy's Tetsuya Nomura envisions a new Batman
Square Enix unveiled a new Play Arts Kai statue that provides a glimpse of what a Batman game might look like in the hands of Tetsuya Nomura. The figure is one of a new Batman line dreamed up by the Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts designer, and it's on display at the San Diego Comic Con, which kicks off today. The word that springs to mind for us is sharp, literally. The cape looks sharp, the horn-like ears look sharp, the additional claw things look sharp - generally the caped crusader looks dangerous to even touch. The most surprising aspect? We can only see the one belt. Check out a larger shot of the very dark knight below the break. If you prefer your Batmen more 8-bit and purpley-blue (who doesn't?), take a gander here.
Nintendo's Amiibo figurines explained, smashing retail this holiday season
Nintendo issued a trailer explaining the Amiibo figures it revealed during its E3 2014 livestream today. In the first Amiibo-compatible game, Super Smash Bros., players set the figures on their Wii U to bring their respective characters into the game to do battle with both other figures and human opponents. With each battle, the figures level up their attack, speed and defense powers. Players will also be able to customize their figure's special powers over time. The first series of roughly ten NFC figures will debut with the Wii U version of Super Smash Bros. this holiday season. Among the games Nintendo confirmed Amiibo compatibility with are Mario Kart 8, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, Mario Party 10 and Yoshi's Wooly World, with more to come. The company is also planning a NFC reader/writer device for 3DS, scheduled to arrive in 2015. [Image: Nintendo]
Super Smash Bros. gets NFC figures, Mii support
Super Smash Bros. on Wii U will include support for NFC (near-field communication) figurines called "Amiibo," as Nintendo demonstrated during its E3 2014 livestream today. Additionally, players will be able to bring their Mii characters into battle, lending their likeness to their fights. Mii fighters are divided into three classes: Mii gunner, Mii brawler and Mii sword-fighter. They will also get to pick four special moves among 12 different options. As for the NFC figures, the Skylanders-esque physical toys will summon characters to the battlefield and enhance your fighter. Nintendo noted that Amiibo will interact with multiple games, including the previously-released Mario Kart 8. [Image: Nintendo]
Apple's WWDC 2014 in numbers: 40 million on Mavericks, 800 million iOS devices and billions of apps
Charts, graphs and stats: These are the things Apple keynotes are made of, and today's WWDC 2014 kickoff was no different. CEO Tim Cook took to the stage this morning at the Moscone Center in San Francisco armed with enough numerical ammunition to put your best boardroom PowerPoint Keynote to shame. Cook kicked things off boasting that over 40 million copies of OS X Mavericks have been installed and more than 50 percent of the install base is working on its latest OS. He went on to point out that while PC sales continued to slip (down 5 percent, according to Cook), Apple's computer sales are growing.
Prodigy blends tabletop and PC gaming, clears funding in 3 days
Fan of games like the Skylanders series and Disney Infinity, but hoping for something a bit less cartoony? Or maybe you just really need some new 60mm scale figures for your tabletop warchest? Prodigy from Hanakai Studio might be able to help you out. The game, which combines small-form figures with an electronic board and PC, was successfully funded on Kickstarter today, reaching its $100,000 goal in fewer than three days. Prodigy takes place in a darker world than similar games, and is squarely focused on turn-based squad battles. Players place the figure of their choice onto a grid-like surface, which registers the character and displays it onscreen. You attack by placing a card onto the surface, or combine cards for special attacks or abilities. A piercing attack, for example, is activated when a player lays down an Attack and Focus card. You can see the game in action by checking out the pitch video above, or checking out the Prodigy Kickstarter page. Hanakai has not announced any stretch goals for the funding campaign, but there are still plenty of higher reward tiers available. Got a spare $5,000 lying around? You can design your own character to be placed into the game. For $10,000, you can design the character, help conceptualize its figure, and meet the development team in Paris. Ah, Paris. The city of Sorcerer Kings. Prodigy is expected to finish development by the end of 2015. [Image: Hanakai Studio]
Prepare for Titanfall figures from Threezero
Designer toy manufacturer Threezero has acquired the rights to produce figures based on Titanfall's towering automatons in 1/12 and 1/6 scale. The first figure to be introduced will be the 1/12 scale Atlas, which is about 20 inches tall and comes with a pilot. Threezero has released a teaser image of the figure, which you can see uncropped after the break. The price for the Atlas will likely be nothing to shrug at (get it?): Threezero's 1/12 scale Fullmetal Ghost figure, which is of comparable size and likely similar quality, costs $320. Just tell yourself - and your wallet - that at least it's cheaper than the real thing. [Image: Threezero]
Psychonauts figurines now up for grabs at Double Fine's store
If your friends came home from PAX Prime with an armful of Psychonauts figures and didn't give you a single one (the jerks), Double Fine has put the full set of ten up for sale at its online store, marking the first time the collection has been available to the public at large. Featured characters include Whispering Rock campers Razputin, Lili, and Dogen, along with agents Sasha Nein, Milla Vodello, Coach Oleander, and Ford Cruller. The set also features Boyd Cooper, Dr. Loboto, and Sheegor (with bonus Mr. Pokeylope in tow). Double Fine is selling blind-packaged figures at $7 a pop, or you can purchase the complete set for $70.
Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon hits 500K in sales
Ubisoft's standalone and neon-loving throwback, Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, has surpassed 500,000 total units sold on XBLA, PSN and PC, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot told GamesIndustry International. While Guillemot neglected to break down how Blood Dragon's sales were spread by platform, he did specifically call out boosted Far Cry 3 sales on PC as a result of Blood Dragon's favorable reception. Blood Dragon's critical and commercial success as a companion product is something that Ubisoft will investigate, Guillemot said, so it's possible that Ubisoft may try and use this formula again in the future. Watch Dogs: Pound Puppies, yes?
