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Activision hires Team 17 founder to start new UK mobile studio
While EA has been bullish as all get out on its mobile and iOS properties, we haven't seen the other big dog in game publishing, Activision, act on the same impulses, despite a few hits with the Call of Duty Zombies games. But here's a first indication that Bobby Kotick and company do have a mobile strategy: They've hired former Team 17 (of Worms fame) Martyn Brown to put together a mobile studio in the UK. There's no word on the studio's name yet, or what they're going to be working on (though presumably, it'll be iOS titles at least, with other mobile platforms on tap in the future). The move is being seen as a vote of confidence by Activision for UK game development, especially since in the past few years that company hasn't been very friendly to its UK game studios, closing them down left and right. I'm very curious to see how this works out -- hopefully, Activision has realized along with EA that iOS development is one of the best parts of the game industry to be in right now.
Statistics shocker: nine million Brits say they've never been online, seven million claim they don't know what a 'boffin' is
Nine million British citizens -- many of them senior citizens -- have never been online, according to a recent study conducted by the Office for National Statistics in London. Several factors increase the likelihood that one doesn't regularly log on to the web, they say, including a lack of education, low income, widowhood, and advanced age. While 38 million British citizens now regularly use the internet, the rest -- nearly 19 percent -- remain offline, missing out on the ability to purchase tons of awesome stuff at "discounted" prices, check out their class reunions on Facebook, flame on Engadget, and Tweet suggestive pics at Chace Crawford. Just kidding: the internet is a wonderland and we can't wait to get those 'silver surfers' in on the action.
