IPhone Verizon Announcement Expected January 11

BY

Reports are that the iPhone is coming to Verizon. A source familiar with the situation says that an announcement for Verizon on January 11 will be for an iPhone.

AT&T has had exclusive use of the iPhone since it was first introduced in June 2007. Despite the success that Apple has had with this arrangement, diversification will probably help them grow their business faster.

“It’s a big boost for Apple,” said Tim Ghriskey, chief investment officer of New York-based Solaris Asset Management. “It opens up a huge uninstalled base for them in this country.”

This is a major negative for AT&T if its true, but Sprint and T-Mobile are also losers with a Verizon iPhone. “This is the worst case scenario for the other carriers,” said Roger Entner of Recon Analytics. “When Verizon comes out with the iPhone, there’s only one carrier in the U.S. that will gain customers, and that’s Verizon.”

Source: Wall Street Journal

WildTangent Launches New Ad Platform

BY

WildTangent has rolled out a new scalable brand-integration solution. This will allow advertisers to insert virtual images or replications of their products within social games in a way easier than most social media hubs.

The first partner with this WildTangent dynamic ad program is Clorox, providing users with a free Scoop Away litter box within the Facebook game Happy Pets. Users can also receive a free litter box by watching a Scoop Away video as part of WildTangent’s BrandBoost platform.

I want to be where our customers are and they are playing social games in big numbers, said Clorox associate marketing manager Scott Iason. Games like [Zynga s] FarmVille are huge games, but they are extremely expensive and they take a considerable amount of resources, creative and financial. This allows us to be integrated in games in an organic fashion, and it s not obtrusive to the consumer experience. Rather, it gets people engaged on a deeper level than display ads.

Source: AdWeek

Green Hornet Busts Up Mafia Wars

BY

Zynga has unveiled a series of Green Hornet themed gear that will be available in Mafia Wars. The partnership with Sony Pictures Entertainment marks the first movie tie-in for the social video game.

The Batmobile has nothing on this!

In an event lasting between now and the film’s launch on January 14, players will have a chance to pick up seven different Green Hornet-themed items, including the gas gun, Kato’s mask, a motorcycle, and a Hornet crest. Those that collect all of the items receive Black Beauty, Green Hornet’s tricked out crime-fighting car.

Mac App Store Gets 1 Million Downloads

BY

Apple has announced that over a million apps have been downloaded from the Mac App Store during the first 24 hours. The over 1,000 apps include more than a few games.

We re amazed at the incredible response the Mac App Store is getting, said Steve Jobs, Apple s CEO. Developers have done a great job bringing apps to the store and users are loving how easy and fun the Mac App Store is.

Nintendo Will Beat Apple ‘With Great Content’ Says Reggie

BY

While Nintendo has long been the dominant player in the portable gaming space, Apple is challenging that with a variety of cheap and free games. However, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime has an answer for what can beat Apple’s offerings.

You win with great content, said Fils-Aime. We re fortunate to have franchises like Mario, like Zelda, like Donkey Kong. All of these great franchises really motivate consumers to buy the software, and what they re looking for is that in-depth great experience and that s what we offer.

Source: MSNBC

Lord Of The Rings Online Revenue Skyrockets On F2P

BY

According to Turbine, the free-to-play model for Lord of the Rings Online has tripled the game’s revenue. Along with that, activity and game population have also increased since the September relaunch.

“We are super-pleased with how so many of our players have responded fantastically . . . the world feels alive and vibrant, said executive producer Kate Paiz. “This really echoes a lot of what we’ve seen throughout the entertainment industry in general. It’s really about letting players make their choices about how they play.”

Source: Develop

NBA 2K11 Sponsoring ESPN Basketball Broadcasts

BY

2K Sports has announced that it is the official sponsor of ESPN s live 2011 NBA coverage in the United Kingdom and Ireland. This will make NBA 2K11 prominently featured in ESPN s live telecasts.

This marks a huge leap forward in the awareness of our NBA 2K franchise, said Jason Argent, vice president of marketing at 2K Sports. Year after year, our NBA 2K titles have grown in popularity, and this exciting new partnership with ESPN will help raise awareness for our game even further. NBA 2K11 has captured the imagination of NBA fans across the globe, and our NBA 2K franchise will continue to break new ground as the premier NBA interactive entertainment experience.

NBA basketball is a popular part of the ESPN schedule and a growing global sports franchise, added Alan Fagan, director advertising sales, ESPN EMEA. Our agreement with 2K Sports reflects that top-flight advertisers recognize the opportunity ESPN presents to connect with loyal fans. Through our unparalleled coverage of global sporting events across all media and devices, we have a passion for serving fans and advertisers that delivers great value and runs to the core of everything we do.