childrens games
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New App Store Kids categories target specific age groups
What a time to be a kid! Apple now has a much revised "Games for Kids" section in the App Store, split into sub-categories by age. The little tykes have their own "Ages 5 & Under" section, while those special flowers in the "Ages 6-8" demographic get apps more appropriate to their schoolgoing sensibilities. And "Ages 9-11" pre-teens even get get their more impressive category. It makes a lot of sense for Apple to pay special attention to the youngest consumers. A 2014 survey by youth and family research firm Smarty Pants showed that iPad is the top brand recognized by kids aged 6-12. Of course, it's still very important to parents to keep in mind that in-app purchases by their precious spawn can run up bills, and Apple definitely wants to avoid lawsuits from childrens purchases run amok. The "Parents' Guide to iTunes," "About In-App Purchases," and "About Kids Apps and Games" pages are perfect for parents who want to know what they're getting into when they toss the iPad to the kids.
Gazillion Entertainment's Jason Robar speaks on making MMOs for kids
We all know that creating an MMORPG is a daunting task. But what is it like trying to create an MMORPG for kids? Jason Robar, vice president and general manager of Gazillion Entertainment, sat down with Gamasutra recently to answer that very question. Robar states that the principal priority when creating a kids' MMO -- such as the studio's Super Hero Squad Online -- is the safety of the game's younger players. He also elaborates on the difficulties of making a game that's fun to kids and still interesting to parents who log in with their children. For the full interview, just click on through the link below.
Disney Interactive shows overall loss, Club Penguin gains profits
Disney ventured into the world of casual MMOs for kids back in 2005 with Virtual Magic Kingdom. While VMK is no more, the Disney staff responsible for those MMOs are no doubt patting themselves on the back this week for making that leap. Disney released its Q1 2010 earnings earlier this week, and Disney Interactive Media -- a division that covers console, handheld, and PC/online games -- reported profits down 29%. The standout in these numbers was MMO Club Penguin, which saw "strong growth in paid subscription contributing to better results," according to SVP and CFO Jay Rasulo. This follows the trend toward casual games as of late, and is serving to help steer Disney away from high end console games. Disney CEO Bob Iger says "we're going to continue to make games for the high end, we'll be very, very judicious in how many and which ones we choose."
