business
EA filed an ‘Engagement Optimized Matchmaking’ patent in 2016
Remember Activision's rather skeezy matchmaking patent from last year? That one was pretty straightforward in how it worked, if unpleasant: You buy something from...
Gaming industry roundup: SWBG2’s poor sales, Gambling Commission, slot machines, and parody games
Don't agree that lockboxes, lootboxes, and gambleboxes were the biggest story of the year? We've collected so many news tidbits just on that over...
The Soapbox: Evaluating gaming monetization through the lens of Nintendo’s mobile history
Bloggers and journalists throughout the online gaming industry have been talking about monetization a lot lately. It's not just lockbox/gachapon scandals, or their relationship...
EA lockbox debacle wipes out billions in stock as SuperData forecasts regulation
It looks as though the rebels may have defeated the empire -- or at least struck a mighty blow to give the latter pause.
CNBC...
Massively Overthinking: Are modern games too cheap?
This week's Massively Overthinking topic is a submission from reader and commenter camelotcrusade, who takes the industry's current fight over monetization in a different...
EA drops the costs of heroes – and reward payouts – in Star Wars: Battlefront II by 75%
Don't be too proud of the barrier to entry you've constructed; the ability to make in-game unlocks incredibly expensive is insignificant next to the...
CCP Games ceases VR development, closes two studios – no negative impact on EVE Online
Icelandic business website mbl.is has just reported that EVE Online developer CCP Games is planning to close two of its offices and cease all...
Activision secures patent for software to trick you into buying cash shop stuff, seriously
Hey, gang, this is absolutely wonderful. Activision has filed and been granted a patent for software designed to push you into buying cash shop...
Stephan Frost’s Nexon project gains former Amazon gameplay engineer
The handrubbing intrigue over Stephan Frost's mysterious project at Nexon ramped up this week with the announcement of another member that has signed up...
No, exploitative gacha mechanics are not a good idea for western devs
We've been talking about exploitative gacha games and related business models on Massively OP for a long time, most recently and notably in depth earlier...
Secret World Legends outlines how its free-to-play model allows you to unlock things without cash
The good news for Secret World Legends players is that you won't need to pay money for the game. You won't even need to...
Ashes of Creation’s Steven Sharif on his business history, $30M funding goal, and PvP
As I put this piece together Thursday morning, Ashes of Creation's Kickstarter has far exceeded its $750,000 goal, surging along toward stretch goals with...
Crowfall reaches a funding stretch goal and aims for one last target
Back in November, Crowfall studio ArtCraft joined Indiegogo's fledgling equity crowdfunding platform, which makes use of brand-new laws that allow non-accredited investors to invest in...
Game companies launch countermeasures against striking voice actor union with website
A coalition of companies targeted by the voice actor strike ongoing since earlier this month have created a website to argue their point of...
Daybreak is cutting out game cards
If you're a big fan of buying game cards for Daybreak's various online offerings, you should go snap them up now before they're gone....
Pokemon Go has dropped 79% of its players, but it’s still making money
The number of people playing Pokémon Go has declined by 79% since its peak, according to market analysis firm Slice Intelligence. That's a pretty...
The Daily Grind: Do low-budget imported MMOs have a place in the current market?
The sad news about Asta and ELOA's upcoming closure prompted a musing from longtime commenter GreaterDivinity regarding the import-run-close model that has long been...
Mighty Quest for Epic Loot gets execution date
The decision has been made and the order passed down from on high: Mighty Quest for Epic Loot is to be executed on October...
The Daily Grind: How long does an MMO have before it’s considered a success or failure?
Watching the latest news about Pokémon Go brought to mind something I still like to say about the MMO industry: It's a marathon, not...
Pokemon Go’s popularity appears to be waning
The mobile ARG powerhouse of Pokémon Go appears to be losing players, and not just drivers who hit people due to focusing on the...