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Ngmoco acquires iPhone game dev Freeverse
Despite a still-wavering economy (and industry-wide layoffs), Neil Young's ngmoco has just bought up large Brooklyn-based iPhone game developer Freeverse. Gamasutra talked to both ngmoco and Freeverse, who (expectedly) had nothing but sugary kisses to throw at each other. "We've been thinking about how to accelerate our strategic growth though acquisitions of companies and intellectual property, and Freeverse was really at the top of our list," said Neil Young. Meanwhile, vice president of Freeverse Colin Lynch Smith described the relationship between his company and Young's as "like the perfect dating situation." Now things are really steaming up! The ngmoco head further describes his company's goal in the purchase as, "to acquire the companies we think have the right blend of talent and DNA and intellectual property we think will work well in the freemium space," echoing comments he made recently on why Rolando 3 never got to roll around on our iPhones. With plans to reach out to developers with the Plus+ SDK (the company's social networking service) in the coming weeks and an outwardly aggressive strategy to pursue the free-to-play market, ngmoco certainly has plenty on its plate in 2010.
Rolando 3 canceled, but the franchise lives on
After the not-exactly-phenomenal commercial reception of Rolando 2, iPhone developer ngmoco decided to swap to a free-to-play model for all its future titles. It's a model which led to the development of the extremely competent iPhone shooter Eliminate, but the new business model also led to the unfortunate death of the third installment in the Rolando franchise. The developer's co-founder, Neil Young, explained to IGN, "we said to ourselves, 'Look. If we can't make the game free-to-play, we're not going to release it.' And Rolando 3 as it was envisioned at that time was not a free-to-play product." However, don't think you've seen the end of the Loco Roco-esque platformer. Young later confirmed that "at the appropriate moment we'll deliver a new Rolando experience that takes full advantage of everything we've learned from the free-to-play world." Sounds like we'll eventually get a new Rolando and, better yet, it won't cost us any Rolandough.
Rolando 2 gets a website, regular info updates
Rolando creator Simon Oliver must be a busy man. Aside from the two currently in-development Rolando sequels -- Rolando 2: Quest for the Golden Orchid coming in June and Rolando 3 in November -- the developer is also posting regular updates to publisher ngmoco's new Rolando 2 website. Promising new character and environment reveals as well as tours of "exciting new gameplay" on the site, we imagine Rolando fans like us might make this a stop on their daily stroll down internet street. Though we can glean little from what's currently on the site, it seems Rolando 2 players will be encountering a tropical island theme when the game arrives on iPhone this summer. The prospect of that thrills us just as much as it does you -- does that mean we get to take a boat?!
GDC09: Rolando sequel, sequel to Rolando sequel announced
LocoRoco-esque phone tilt-em-up news now, with developer ngmoco efficiently announcing two sequels to the iPhone's beloved Rolando. You know you've made it big when you become a trilogy -- complete with subtitles!According to IGN, Rolando 2: The Quest for the Golden Orchid will arrive sometime in June, followed by the currently unsubtitled Rolando 3 in November. The news echoes comments made earlier by the game's creator, Simon Oliver, who modestly promised "more activity on the Rolando front" for the remainder of the year. Aside from the pair of follow-ups, ngmoco also plans to release a pack of 20 new levels for the original game.If you're unfamiliar with all this Rolando business, check out our review of the game that got the ball rolling on the rolling ball game.
