popcap
Latest
Popcap's Bookworm now available on mobile phones
Good news for word nerds: Popcap's Scrabble-esque casual game Bookworm is now available for mobile phones in the UK and US. Boring Thanksgiving gatherings can now be ameliorated with hours of word-forming fun on your cellphone, while your Aunt tells her "funny story" for the umpteenth time.Previously only available on PC, Mac, and Blackberries, the new Bookworm Mobile incorporates control schemes specifically tailored to the limitations of cellphone interfaces. The game also now references the Oxford English Dictionary, and can recognize nearly 140,000 words. T-Mobile will be providing the title in the UK, and all major mobile carriers in the US carry the game.Apologies in advance for the impending and/or relapsed addictions. Bookworm was bad enough when it was tethered to PCs. Now that it's portable, the dependency is only going to get worse.
PopCap Games' games are headed to retail
Today, PopCap Games announced that they'll be bringing some of their Xbox Live Arcade hits to retail stores November 15th with the release of PopCap Arcade Volume 1. This first Arcade volume will include XBLA games Bejeweled 2, AstroPop, Feeding Frenzy and Zuma and retail for $29.95 on the 360, a savings of $10 if purchased separately via the XBLA.The move by PopCap to bring their XBLA games to retail is smart and almost a no-brainer especially for those who want to get a taste of the Arcade at a discounted price or for those who aren't connected to Live and want their Arcade fix. To be honest, we aren't sure why Microsoft has given up on their Unplugged series and maybe, just maybe, if PopCap makes a habit of releasing their Arcade games to retail it'll spur Microsoft into action. Good move PopCap, good move.
PopCap games casually stroll onto PS2 and Xbox 360 retail shelves
PopCap Games, who you may know from a multitude of casual titles, will soon release two "greatest hits" compilations at retail for PS2 and Xbox 360. PopCap Arcade Volume 1 will be for Xbox 360 and feature Bejeweled 2, AstroPop, Feeding Frenzy and Zuma at a retail price of $30. The PS2 version, PopCap Hits Volume 1, has Bejeweled 2 and AstroPop for $20.The Xbox bundle will save you $10 off of buying those four games from Xbox Live Arcade. For PS2 owners retail is the only way to purchase those titles and $10 is the normal cost for each on XBLA. And before any wise guys get smart, the answer is: No, there was absolutely nothing in the press release about Wii compilations.
Peggle gets free online version, but still no Mac love (for now)
Popcap Games have just announced a free, web-based version of their pachinko-inspired, unicorn imbued casual hit Peggle. Despite being played in a browser, the web version of Peggle still requires players to download an executable file and install a plugin before use, making the online game just as PC-exclusive as the (other) downloadable version.Still, that doesn't rule out all hope for the perpetually-deprived Mac gamers of the world. Some insider news reveals that Popcap is currently working on Mac versions of several of their PC-only titles, including Peggle. No word on whether these will be Universal Binary releases, or just Intel-only, but several are expected for release in the upcoming months. Until then, PC users can still enjoy both the full version of Peggle, and the new free online version, which features scoretracking and randomly-generated levels. Hooray for them.
Study: One in four white collar workers game at work
Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a job like ours that lets -- nay, encourages -- you to play games while on the job. That doesn't seem to stop many white collar workers, though, according to a recent study commissioned by casual game maker PopCap.The study, conducted by Information Solutions Group, found that 24 percent of white collar workers played games while on the job. More surprising (or perhaps less, depending on how cynical you are) a full 35 percent of the senior executives surveyed said they gamed at work. Of those who played at work, 53 percent said they did so at least once a day and 14 percent admitted they played during business meetings or conference calls. The overwhelming majority of work gamers said they did it to "feel more relaxed and less stressed out."Before you go decrying the death of the American work ethic, realize that the survey was conducted on 2,842 random visitors to Popcap.com, a group likely to be playing games anyway. The results might also be skewed because the overwhelming majority (72 percent) of respondents were female, and, as we all know, women make up a majority of casual gamers. Still, take comfort the next time you sneak in a quick game of coffee break Tetris. You're not alone.
Casual games bridge generation gap, report finds
Popcap Games -- makers of casual hits like Bejeweled, Peggle, and Bookworm Adventures -- have published the results of a recent survey on families and casual gaming. According to the press release, a staggering 92% of the adults surveyed believe that casual gaming gives them common ground to relate to their children and grandchildren.Other stats reinforce the correlation between gaming and education, with 47% of parents noticing that playing casual games increased their child's aptitude in various categories (Hooked on Bookworm worked for me!).Stat lovers can view the entire press release after the break.[Via GameSpot]
PopCap's Bejeweled free on iPhone
PopCap Games released a free web-based version of Bejeweled for Apple's iPhone, available via the Safari browser. Take note, this is not a downloadable game, thanks to Apple's insistence on web-based third party apps, so the game actually plays inside the phone's browser. GameDaily spoke with PopCap's Greg Canessa about the project and details of the web-based format here. We've seen what World of Warcraft looks like on the iPhone – and there are already a good deal of web-based iPhone games out there – but Bejeweled is arguably the first polished iPhone-"native" game out there. With the handheld's accelerometer and multi-touch display, we'd love to see what sort of games developers could develop using an actual SDK. Until then, we'll settle for web-based Bejeweled (which you can test out using Safari by going here).
PopCap talks casual game design, XBLA
A few years ago, if someone used the phrase "casual games," you probably would have imagined someone playing darts or shuffleboard in a newly smoke-free bar somewhere. Only recently, aided by Nintendo's DS and Wii juggernauts and download services like Xbox Live Arcade, have casual games become serious business. Everyone and their dog is stumbling over themselves to create casual games. EA, Eidos, Ubisoft: everyone is doing it. Of course, PopCap has been doing it for a while now. Gamesindustry.biz recently sat down to talk with Jason Kapalka, chief creative officer for PopCap games.Speaking to the success of casual games, Kapalka notes that PopCap enjoys nearly a 20% conversion rate on Xbox Live Arcade titles. That's 1 in 5 people who decide to buy a PopCap game -- Heavy Weapon, for example -- after playing the trial version. This is compared to less than 10% rates for the PC and mobile markets. So, yes, casual games can certainly mean big bucks for a smart company.
Five things Apple can do to bring gamers back
Apple is releasing games for the iPod. EA and id show up at the WWDC keynote. And the rumors say Nintendo may team with Apple for the iPhone. All signs point to an Apple that seriously wants to reenter the gaming market, an arena that has been dominated by PCs and consoles for quite some time. But exactly how can they do it?They're doing some of the right things already, and we can expect them to do more in the future. But here's five suggestions (or predictions, if you will) about what Apple can do to attract gamers back to the Cult of Mac.1) Put (even more) games on iTunes. Steam is a nice digital distribution system, and Xbox Live Arcade is a better one. But no one has done digital distribution like Apple has with iTunes-- first music, and now movies and television shows. What they need to do is add games to the software, and even go so far as to create a kind of "iTunes Arcade," where you can buy games for your iPod, your iPhone, your Mac or MacBook, and even your Apple TV. And I'm not talking dinky downloads like Lost-- I'm talking EA's Madden, Need for Speed, and even Battlefield 2142. Run patches and updates through there as well (EA's Link might not like that, but it hasn't been successful enough that they wouldn't consider joining iTunes if asked), use CoverFlow as a cool browsing and launching interface, and you've got the key not only to a solid revenue system, but also a promotion and distribution channel.
PopCap gives Bejeweled away free for Mother's Day
For that cheapskate in all of us, PopCap has announced that they will be giving away free copies of their mega-hit Bejeweled Deluxe -- as a Mother's Day gift for your maternal caretaker, of course. Beginning tomorrow, May 9, and continuing through May 23, existing and new subscribers to their newsletter will receive a registration code via email for a full retail copy of Bejeweled Deluxe. The offer must be redeemed before May 30. If your mother already has Bejeweled or, on the other end of the spectrum, has never figured out how to use a mouse, then consider this a gift for yourself. For most countries, Mother's Day is coming up this Sunday (May 13), so if not this, you better of think of something to give.
The Escapist examines PopCap's 'new' casual gaming initiative
The latest issue of gaming culture magazine The Escapist is out. Featured this week is a look at PopCap's success in the casual gaming business. Their latest hit, Bookworm Adventures Deluxe, broke the bank with an 30 month development period and a budget of over $700,000. It was a massive venture into unexplored casual gaming territory that has paid of quite well.When most people think about casual games the word "clone" springs to mind. If you've played Bejeweled, you've also played Zoo Keeper, Jewel Quest, Magic Lanterns, and Paris Hilton's Diamond Quest. Very little sets these games apart, yet the business continues to explode as companies release clones on a regular basis. Bookworm Adventures was a radically new idea, but according to PopCap they're just following their philosophy of "trying different things rather than milking a formula to death".A number innovative puzzle ideas have trickled from PopCap's studios over the last few years, but they're not as clone-free as they would like to appear. With this timid step into the realm of genre hybrids, will casual game developers earn some much-needed respect? Or is it just another game idea to "borrow"?
Nuns get hooked on game therapy
PopCap has sent along word of the tragic downfall of the pious retirees at St. Mary of the Pines in Chatawa, Mississippi. A seemingly innocent copy of Bookworm burrowed its way into the souls of the elder sisters, clouding their prayers with garbled language and burning blocks. Then Bookworm led to harder addictions, like Bejeweled and Chuzzle; and now "games have become a regular -- and important -- part of daily life at St. Mary of the Pines." Blasphemy!But seriously, for a culture that's become dependent on drugs to deal with the suffering associated with aging (and just about everything else), the prospect of casual gaming being used as practical therapy is refreshing news. We just wish someone other than a casual game distributor was spreading the word.
Apple TV to play games, too?
Back last September when Apple introduced the "iTV" alongside games for the iPod, we had to wonder to ourselves whether Apple would use iTunes and their new casual games relationships to make the device we now know as the Apple TV something of a competitor for Xbox Live Arcade. While there's no way of knowing whether Apple will again dive into living room gaming (remember the Pippin?) short of swiping their 12-month roadmap, we do find it rather interesting that casual games company PopCap (the studio that supplies titles such as Bejeweled and Zuma oh so many platforms -- including the iPod) might have slipped on some Apple TV plans. Greg Canessa, Xbox Live Arcade executive that recently jumped ship to PopCap, told Wired the following about his new job: "It will be about taking the stable of franchises and games out of PopCap's studio and adapting, customizing it for different platforms -- adding multiplayer, new play modes, HD, customizing the user interface and display for Zune, iPod, Apple TV, Nintendo DS, PSP." You might think that maybe the Apple TV part was an erroneous slip, but he did mention adding HD support, and none of the other subjects for ports he listed play games in HD -- you do the math. What we really want to know, though, is how they plan to get us to game with the impossibly minimal Apple remote bundled with the Apple TV.[Thanks, Joe]
Xbox Live Arcade GM quits, joins PopCap
Soon to be former Xbox Live Arcade general manager, Greg Canessa joins casual game maker PopCap as newly minted vice president of video game platforms. Canessa's tenure at PopCap officially begins next week. No longer confined to Xbox 360, Canessa will help spread PopCap's products to a variety of platforms, including mobile phones, iPods, in-flight entertainment systems, slot machine adaptations -- even scratch-off lottery tickets.As GM of XBLA, Canessa formed a close relationship with PopCap. Microsoft's downloadable games service has been host to six of PopCap's games over the past 24 months, including recently released tank shooter Heavy Weapon. Microsoft has not yet revealed who will take Canessa's place as GM. Update: Bryan Trussel has been promoted to director of platform game services and will oversee Xbox Live Arcade in addition to other Microsoft Casual Games platforms, including MSN Games and Windows Live Messenger Games. Trussel was most recently the group manager for expanding platforms in the Microsoft Casual Games group, helping to develop and implement the original Xbox Live Arcade product.[Via press release]
Heavy Weapon co-op is a blast
Okay, we just finished a Live co-op survival session on Heavy Weapon. In short, Heavy Weapon co-op is fluid, fast, and a hell of a lot of fun. This is great news considering the recent co-op woes of Assault Heroes. Like any survival game, it starts off slow enough, but soon it escalates to the point of sheer insanity. There are so many things happening on screen that it's impossible to keep track of them all. The air is filled with a solid cloud of bullets, missiles, lasers, aircraft, and general mayhem. And it's 'effing awesome. Some will no doubt deride Heavy Weapon for its simplicity, but we praise it for the same reason (and we dig its retro sensibilities). Oh, and if you like earning achievements, survival co-op offers plenty of them. You could easily earn six in one session. Surviving for twelve minutes is tough, but it's made much easier with three buddies (though to be fair we only made it just past thirteen on our first try). For those of you who have Heavy Weapon, give online co-op a try. It's sure to bring back plenty of arcade memories (hopefully memories without the creepy guy who played way too much Galaga).[Thanks to DaKing240 for the invite]
Heavy Weapon impressions: really explodey
digg_url = 'http://www.digg.com/gaming_news/Heavy_Weapon_impressions_really_explodey_Xbox_Live_Arcade'; We played through the trial version of Heavy Weapon and so far, we're liking what we see. The trial version gives you access to a handful of levels and three of the game's six upgradeable weapons. The game is straight up action, beginning with the hair metal "Atomic Tank" theme song at the title screen. Live Arcade vets will be in comfortable territory: the left stick moves, the right stick shoots, and the right trigger sets off the all powerful nuke. Your tank rolls on the ground and basically shoots anything that moves, including both air and ground targets. Enemies have a range of different weapons which all require different tactics to destroy or evade. People familiar with Metal Slug should feel right at home.
Heavy Weapon drops a bomb on XBLA
Heavy Weapon, the side scrolling, blast-tastic shooter, is now available for download on Xbox Live Arcade. Another throwback arcade shooter, Heavy Weapon places a, ahem, heavy emphasis on shooting everything that moves. The XBLA version is enhanced over its PC counterpart (which you can try here) in that it allows for up to four players to play simultaneously and includes a new co-op mode. Everyone likes co-op. If you're stuck at work or otherwise indisposed, we've downloaded the game and will post our impressions later today. In the meantime, you can try out the stripped down web version for free. If you can, try out the XBLA version and tell us what you think.
Heavy Weapon next week on Xbox Live Arcade
Here's a thought: maybe there's a clever strategy behind tomorrow's Xbox Live Arcade release. With most gamers preoccupied with the new Gears of War maps, it's the perfect time to re-release Ms. Pac-Man (remember, this was Xbox Arcade's launch title). With the overused classic out of the way, and the Gears maps thoroughly romped, next week, we'll be ready for a major XBLA release. Enter: PopCap's Heavy Weapon.Xbox 360 Fanboy has confirmed rumors that Heavy Weapon is scheduled for release on January 17 for 800 points. Sure, there's already a free stripped-down browser-based version out there (right here), but the deluxe PC version retails for $20. If you're down for another tank shooter -- this one's side-scrolling -- the XBLA Heavy Weapon is the version to own; plus it supports Live co-op. Hoorah!
Confirmed: Heavy Weapon nukes XBLA next week [update 1]
Update: Our buddy, Mike, from the Xbox Domain has confirmed this rumor. Heavy Weapon is scheduled to hit XBLA on January 17. Thanks, Tom, for sending this in.Coming from Xbox 360 Fanboy reader, DaKing240, is the rumor that Heavy Weapon will be hitting Xbox Live Arcade next week. Of course, our first thought is that Heavy Weapon is not, with very few exceptions, Worms. Still, Heavy Weapon is a great game, and we're sure it will only be made better by the inclusion of Live co-op. DaKing240 claims to have official confirmation of the title from the developer itself, so it seems like a safe bet. Not only that, but Heavy Weapon was supposed to come out during the holidays last year, so it makes sense that it would be ready to go now. If you haven't tried Heavy Weapon, we'd highly recommend you play the web version or grab the trial demo. And remember, before you complain about a high price tag on the XBLA version (we expect 800 points at least), rejoice in the fact that you won't have to pay the PC price: $19.95.
Casual games are serious business
The Associated Press describes the state of casual games, giving an overview of the business side of the industry. The story quotes research group DFC Intelligence, putting the annual revenue of these games at nearly a billion dollars -- and that number doesn't even include casual games on "handheld devices."With all of that money in play, the casual games segment is beginning to look like a microcosm of the whole games industry; even casual games are becoming sequel- and hit-driven titles. The article says PopCap took two-and-a-half years and $700,000 to develop a sequel to Bookworm Adventures, while just a few years ago, three developers could create a game for $100,000 in less than six months.We hope that the casual market balances cash-cow sequels with new game types. We action-puzzle fans can only play Tetris -- or Bookworm Adventures -- so many times.
