Kamis, 18 April 2013

The 10 Best free games - The Independent

The 10 Best free games - The Independent

An epic sci-fi shoot 'em up with a similar aesthetic to Halo. The massively multiplayer game has you scrambling around a dystopian landscape fighting for territory.

planetside2.eu

2. Mr Smoozles Goes Nutso

Based on the online comic Mr Smoozles, this was the first indie game released by the award- winning writer and developer Steve Ince. It was originally a paid-for game, but Ince decided to release it for free in 2011.

juniper-games.com

3. Slender

Terrifying stuff. This is one of those games that are just so eerily quiet you'd jump if someone came into the room while you were playing it. The artful indie horror game involves wandering around a forest collecting pages armed only with a flashlight, while avoiding the "Slender Man" who is perpetually chasing you through the fog.

parsceproductions.net

4. Wonderputt

There are a ton of brain-numbing golf games on the web, but none as beautiful as this one.It is colourful, clean and creative. You should play it to appreciate the graphic design as much as the game itself.

dampgnat.com/wonderputt

5. Bumperball

Available online as well as for iPad, this is a fun arcade sports game that combines bumper cars with football. Possibly one for the retro game geeks out there.

bumperball.com

6. Yeti Sports

The super addictive Yeti sports collection is a true Olympiad of online mini-games, which can also be downloaded as apps. Highlights include Albatross Overload and Scrat Jump. Almost all of them involve throwing a penguin as far as you can.

yetisports.org

7. Numpty Physics

If only learning science at school could have been this fun. Use crayons to solve puzzles on a piece of paper and experiment with your drawings that come to life according the rules of physics.

numptyphisics.garage.maemo.org

8. Drifting Afternoon

One of many tranquil online games by designer Ferry Halim. In this one you are a joyous cat bounding through a field with pastel-coloured bubbles floating overhead. All you have to do is jump on the bubbles. It is as blissful as it is relaxing, five minutes of playtime is like therapy.

ferryhalim.com

9. Flow

Hypnotically immersive, this simple, yet multi-award winning game is the result of one student's academic game design thesis.

interactive.usc. edu/projects/cloud/flowing

10. Rebuild 2

Put down that baseball bat, this is not your usual zombie massacre arcade game. Instead, this strategy game is set in the aftermath and you need to survive with the resources you have, scope out new buildings to protect your population and avoid further attacks from the dreaded flesh eaters. It's for the thinkers, not the shooters.

armorgames.com


Source Article from http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/features/the-10-best-free-games-8577462.html
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Future EU PlayStation Plus Free Games Discussed, Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD ... - PlayStation LifeStyle (blog)

Future EU PlayStation Plus Free Games Discussed, Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD ... - PlayStation LifeStyle (blog)

April 17, 2013 Written by Jason Dunning

finalfantasyxhdscreenshot2

The European PlayStation Plus free games for next month were detailed earlier today, but knowing what is happening in May just isn’t enough. Many people peppered Chris Howe, PlayStation Store and PS+ Content Manager at SCEE, with questions, and he answered quite a few of them, giving insight into the near future of PS+ for Europe:

  • LEGO games “are on the radar,” news “possibly in a couple of months time”
  • Due to Disgaea 3 not being available “in quite a few territories,” it won’t appear in the Instant Game Collection any time soon
  • “Dishonored is not available in quite a few territories at present so unless we can find a solution to that and the publisher wishes to participate in Plus we won’t be getting it anytime soon”
  • Ninja Gaiden Sigma+ is a possibility, though “there is a little rating issue to resolve around it”
  • No plans for Tales of Graces f or Atelier Ayesha: The Alchemist of Dusk
  • They will “be looking to update the PS3 long term titles soon but at the moment I can’t say anything I am afraid.” They are referring to games like inFamous 2, LittleBigPlanet 2, and MotorStorm, which have been free for a while now
  • Grand Theft Auto discounts are lined up for the future (likely something similar to what North America is seeing), though they haven’t finalized the details yet
  • When Chris was asked if there’s any chance Demon’s Souls would be added to the IGC, he replied with, “Maybe….”
  • Someone suggested that, because of Iron Man 3 hitting theatres soon, it would be fun to see a Marvel sale on the PSN. Chris responded by saying, “Marvel is a difficult one as there are a lot of stakeholders to take into consideration which makes discounts and contracts difficult to negotiate but we will see what we can do”

Separate from PS+, a comment did mention the fact that the Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster on PS3 popped up on the Sony Entertainment Network Online Store, though it is without a price, carries a release date of April 17th, which clearly isn’t true, and doesn’t show up on the physical PS Store. What this news does point to is that the Remaster might be coming to the PSN, but we’ll have to wait for word from Square Enix before we can tell for sure.

What do you hope to see from PlayStation Plus in the future? Let us know in the comments below.


Source Article from http://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2013/04/17/future-eu-playstation-plus-free-games-discussed-final-fantasy-xx-2-hd-remaster-pops-up-on-eu-psn-online-store/
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May 2013 European PlayStation Plus Free Games Include Hitman: Absolution ... - PlayStation LifeStyle (blog)

May 2013 European PlayStation Plus Free Games Include Hitman: Absolution ... - PlayStation LifeStyle (blog)

April 17, 2013 Written by Jason Dunning

hitmanabsolutionscreenshot2

The games joining Hitman: Absolution this May in the European PlayStation Plus Instant Game Collection have been revealed, with two more PlayStation 3 titles and two PS Vita titles being added.

To find out what they are and when they’re arriving, see them all below:

Entering:

  • Hitman: Absolution â€" May 1st
  • Catherine â€" May 1st
  • Malicious â€" May 1st
  • Sine Mora (PS Vita) â€" May 8th
  • Velocity Ultra â€" May 15th

Leaving:

  • Okami HD â€" May 1st
  • F1 Race Stars â€" May 1st
  • Quantum Conundrum â€" May 1st
  • Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward â€" May 8th
  • Thomas Was Alone â€" May 22nd

While undated at the moment, May will also bring PlayStation Plus discounts of 60% to Back to the Future, Beyond Good and Evil, and Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath HD (PS3 only at the moment).

Which free game are you most excited for? Let us know in the comments below.

[Source]

Essential Reading:


Source Article from http://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2013/04/17/may-2013-european-playstation-plus-free-games-include/
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iPad 'free' games: parents must know their controls on their devices, says ... - Telegraph.co.uk

iPad 'free' games: parents must know their controls on their devices, says ... - Telegraph.co.uk

Figures suggest that eight out of 10 of the most popular games are now free to install but raise revenue through paid-for extras, with single purchases ranging from a few pence to more than £70.

But the OFT claim that children are particularly vulnerable to the trend as they increasingly access the internet without parental supervision.

Earlier this year, a five-year-old boy racked up a bill of £1,700 playing a “free” game on an iPad.

Cavendish Elithorn, OFT senior director for goods and consumer, said: “We are concerned that children and their parents could be subject to unfair pressure to purchase when they are playing games they thought were free, but which can actually run up substantial costs.

“The OFT is not seeking to ban in-game purchases, but the games industry must ensure it is complying with the relevant regulations so that children are protected. We are speaking to the industry and will take enforcement action if necessary.”

According to officials, the OFT will investigate how companies providing free web or app-based games market their products to children.

Parents and consumer groups will be asked to contact the watchdog with information about “potentially misleading or commercially aggressive practices” in relation to these games.


Source Article from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/apps/9990095/iPad-free-games-parents-must-know-their-controls-on-their-devices-says-Office-of-Fair-Trading.html
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Selasa, 16 April 2013

Giveaway — Guild Wars 2 free weekend preview keys - PC Gamer Magazine

Giveaway â€" Guild Wars 2 free weekend preview keys - PC Gamer Magazine

Guild Wars 2

If you haven’t dipped your toe into the world of Tyria yet, here’s your chance to try it without having to pay the usual toe-dipping toll. We’ve got 10,000 codes to give away that will give you access to Guild Wars 2 at no charge from Friday the 19th until Monday the 21st. Read on to find out how to claim one!

Your quest is to head over to the form on our Facebook page to get your code, enter it at https://register.guildwars2.com, and download the trial client. That’s all! Your copy will become playable Friday at 12:01 a.m. Pacific time, and shuts off at 11:59 p.m. next Monday.

If you’re wondering whether you’d get your click-some-links-and-free-up-some-hard-drive-space-worth, you can refer back to our Guild Wars 2 review, and an editorial I wrote about why I like ArenaNet’s PvP.


Source Article from http://www.pcgamer.com/2013/04/15/guild-wars-2-trial-key-giveaway/
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World of Tanks dev could bring free-to-play games to PS4, currently experimenting - VG247

World of Tanks dev could bring free-to-play games to PS4, currently experimenting - VG247

Tue, Apr 16, 2013 | 08:25 BST


Source Article from http://www.vg247.com/2013/04/16/world-of-tanks-dev-could-bring-free-to-play-games-to-ps4-currently-experimenting/
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iPad 'free' games: parents must know their controls on their devices, says ... - Telegraph.co.uk

iPad 'free' games: parents must know their controls on their devices, says ... - Telegraph.co.uk

Figures suggest that eight out of 10 of the most popular games are now free to install but raise revenue through paid-for extras, with single purchases ranging from a few pence to more than £70.

But the OFT claim that children are particularly vulnerable to the trend as they increasingly access the internet without parental supervision.

Earlier this year, a five-year-old boy racked up a bill of £1,700 playing a “free” game on an iPad.

Cavendish Elithorn, OFT senior director for goods and consumer, said: “We are concerned that children and their parents could be subject to unfair pressure to purchase when they are playing games they thought were free, but which can actually run up substantial costs.

“The OFT is not seeking to ban in-game purchases, but the games industry must ensure it is complying with the relevant regulations so that children are protected. We are speaking to the industry and will take enforcement action if necessary.”

According to officials, the OFT will investigate how companies providing free web or app-based games market their products to children.

Parents and consumer groups will be asked to contact the watchdog with information about “potentially misleading or commercially aggressive practices” in relation to these games.


Source Article from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/apps/9990095/iPad-free-games-parents-must-know-their-controls-on-their-devices-says-Office-of-Fair-Trading.html
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Wintry weather greets Canada Summer Games committee - Winnipeg Free Press

Wintry weather greets Canada Summer Games committee - Winnipeg Free Press

Canada Summer Games Bid Committee Chair Mariette Mulaire thanks 150 students from École Taché for their performance of 'O Canada.' The committee is touring the city, taking a look at the various sports and special events facilities. The site for the 2017 Canada Games could fall to Winnipeg.

KEN GIGLIOTTI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Enlarge Image

Canada Summer Games Bid Committee Chair Mariette Mulaire thanks 150 students from École Taché for their performance of 'O Canada.' The committee is touring the city, taking a look at the various sports and special events facilities. The site for the 2017 Canada Games could fall to Winnipeg.

The flurries in the air was "snow big deal" for Winnipeg's bid committee for the 2017 Canada Summer Games.

It was all about summer today as Winnipeg hopes to host the multi-sport games and has submitted a bid to bring the event, which will feature 20 different sports and about 5,000 youth athletes from across Canada, to the Manitoba capital in the summer of 2017.

Amid the snow flurries in the air today, the local bid committee was a flurry of activity escorting the nine-member Canada Games Evaluation Commmittee around Winnipeg to show off its sports and cultural facilities.

A bit of imagination was needed as a spring snow storm covered anything that was trying to be green with a blanket of the white stuff.

"We know the warm sunshine will come from the personalities (in Manitoba), not the weather," said Wayne Carew, the Canada Games Council Bid Evaluation Committee Chair.

Carew, who is from Prince Edward Island, noted the 2017 event will be the 50th Canada Games.

"My role as chairman of the Bid Evaluation Committee is to take back a recommendation to our board, which will meet April 25-26, (as to) do the facilities throughout the community meet the national sports hosting guidelines," he said.

The group toured the city with numerous stops which included a brief press conference at The Forks following a ceremonial drum performance by Four Directions Drummers and École Taché where bilingual students sang O Canada.

Jeff Hnatiuk, Sport Manitoba CEO and president, said Winnipeg’s written bid was submitted on April 5.

"It would be a wonderful opportunity for our Manitoba athletes to compet on a national stage right here at home," Hnatiuk said, noting the bid includes upgrades to the track at the University of Manitoba Stadium and the Pan Am Pool.

"Winnipeg would be one of the largest centres to be considered for the Canada Games."

Brandon previously hosted the 1997 Canada Summer Games and the 1979 Winter Games.

The 2013 Canada Summer Games will be held Aug. 2-17 at Sherbrooke, Que., while the 2015 Canada Winter Games are set for Prince George, B.c.

Winnipeg does not have any competition for the 2017 Summer Games at this time but needs to impress the committee to earn the host rights.

Carew said the Canada Games is the largest sporting event in Canada and a major stepping stone for future elite athletes.

"You’re going to be welcoming over 5,000 athletes from across the country and that’s going to represent over 800 communities from across the nation, from coast to coast to coast. Manitobans will get a first-hand look at the next future Olympians and professional sports athletes."

He said the 2012 London Olympic Games, half of Canada’s Olympians and 47 per cent of the medal winners were former Canada Games athletes.

"It does bring Canadians together."

In a statement, Mayor Sam Katz stated the projected economic impact of the 2017 Canada Summer Games would be expected to rival that of Halifax’s 2011 Canada Winter Games, where there was an impact in excess of $100 million.

ashley.prest@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPAshleyPrest

 


Source Article from http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/Wintry-weather-greets-Canada-Summer-Games-committee-203060151.html
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Office of Fair Trading Investigates Free-to-Play Games - Gameranx.com - Gameranx

Office of Fair Trading Investigates Free-to-Play Games - Gameranx.com - Gameranx

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) in the UK is investigating free-to-play games, specifically “whether children are being unfairly pressured or encouraged to pay for additional content” in such games. The announcement comes after a series of high-profile cases in the media of children who've spent hundreds or thousands of pounds â€" in most cases apparently without realising they were even doing so â€" on in-app purchases.

Under the Consumer Protection (from Unfair Trading) Regulations 2008, “direct exhortations” to children â€" i.e. strongly encouraging them to make a purchase, or do something that will make them need to make a purchase, or ask an adult to make a purchase for them â€" is unlawful. OFT Senior Director for Goods and Consumer Cavendish Elithorn said that the organisation isn't trying to ban in-app purchases but does want to make sure they're being used lawfully:

“We are concerned that children and their parents could be subject to unfair pressure to purchase when they are playing games they thought were free, but which can actually run up substantial costs.

The OFT is not seeking to ban in-game purchases, but the games industry must ensure it is complying with the relevant regulations so that children are protected. We are speaking to the industry and will take enforcement action if necessary.”

The OFT has written to companies that offer these games, and wants to talk to parents and consumer groups too about whether they've seen any “potentially misleading or commercially aggressive practices” around these games.

Do you think that in-app purchases as they currently stand are unlawful? Would you change them or get rid of them altogether?


Source Article from http://www.gameranx.com/updates/id/14016/article/office-of-fair-trading-investigates-free-to-play-games/
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Senin, 15 April 2013

iPad 'free' games: parents must know their controls on their devices, says ... - Telegraph.co.uk

iPad 'free' games: parents must know their controls on their devices, says ... - Telegraph.co.uk

Figures suggest that eight out of 10 of the most popular games are now free to install but raise revenue through paid-for extras, with single purchases ranging from a few pence to more than £70.

But the OFT claim that children are particularly vulnerable to the trend as they increasingly access the internet without parental supervision.

Earlier this year, a five-year-old boy racked up a bill of £1,700 playing a “free” game on an iPad.

Cavendish Elithorn, OFT senior director for goods and consumer, said: “We are concerned that children and their parents could be subject to unfair pressure to purchase when they are playing games they thought were free, but which can actually run up substantial costs.

“The OFT is not seeking to ban in-game purchases, but the games industry must ensure it is complying with the relevant regulations so that children are protected. We are speaking to the industry and will take enforcement action if necessary.”

According to officials, the OFT will investigate how companies providing free web or app-based games market their products to children.

Parents and consumer groups will be asked to contact the watchdog with information about “potentially misleading or commercially aggressive practices” in relation to these games.


Source Article from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/apps/9990095/iPad-free-games-parents-must-know-their-controls-on-their-devices-says-Office-of-Fair-Trading.html
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Kids running up bills on 'free games'? As usual, parents want the state to ... - Telegraph.co.uk (blog)

Kids running up bills on 'free games'? As usual, parents want the state to ... - Telegraph.co.uk (blog)

The Office of Fair Trading has launched an investigation into "free" internet and app-based games amid fears children are being ripped off.

The Office of Fair Trading has launched an investigation into "free" internet and app-based games amid fears children are being ripped off

There's a big furore being kicked up by a small group of parents who have been stupid enough to let their kids run up huge bills downloading paid for extras on free games. I have literally no sympathy with these people.

One family, interviewed by the BBC, said they gave their seven-year-old son the password to spend more money, and get this â€" he spent loads of money! Seventeen hundred quid, to be exact. If they gave him a seventeen hundred quid and left him in a toy shop, there's a strong chance they'd come back and find he'd bought a massive radio-controlled car or something. There wasn't even a problem, as Apple had refunded the family the money. Sounds like exemplary customer service to me.

Equally, another aggrieved mum told the woeful tale of how her nine-year-old daughter had memorised her password, and used it to buy a £70 unicorn for a virtual zoo. I'm sorry, but if your child has the nous to memorise a password, she also should have the intelligence to know right from wrong. Another of her complaints was that "a unicorn shouldn't cost £70". Obviously this woman hasn't been shopping for toys recently; at Christmas this year, I dropped over £100 on an ugly plastic Monster High-branded dolls house.

Frankly, I'd much rather have bought my niece and nephew virtual unicorns to ride. But of course, in mummy's eyes, little Jessica wasn't just a grasping, cunning little unicorn thief, she was a poor darling who had been abused by evil big corporations. These parents have now successfully lobbied the Office of Fair trading, who are launching a consultation.<

The OFT don't have the power to ban games, all they can do is ask for a voluntary code of conduct. What will happen, as always with this sort of thing, is people who play by the rules will be penalised, and the unscrupulous people who are trying to rip off children won't sign up.

I recently spoke to Paul Wedgewood, founder of a British company called Splash Damage, that makes free-to-play games. Their best selling title, Rad Soldiers, has gone to number one in 96 countries, without a penny being sent on marketing. It's a fun cartoony game, and I certainly enjoy it.

I asked Paul about the development of free-to-play games, and the concerns people have around them. While he acknowledged people's fears were real, he put a different spin on the whole market of free gaming for me:

I grew up on a council estate â€" when I was a kid, I couldn't afford games, and if I could afford one, it had to be really good. We try to be as ethical as possible with our games. We wanted something that was great, that could be played well by putting in time and little money; something that's completely free from the start.

A lot of free to play games are over-monetised; that's partly because lots of them are developed in the far east, where people have a different view of how you should succeed at gaming. In the West, we tend to see that the person with the most skill should win, not the person with the most money.

That made me think about the future of gaming; the free-to-play gamer is a different person from the thirty something queuing up to buy a triple-A title like StarCraft 2 or Bioshock: Infinite. No-one is surprised to pay a fortune for a triple-A game â€" after all, you are playing it on a machine costing several hundred pounds. Back in the 80s, games were cheap, and accessible to most people. As prices have ramped up, more and more people have been frozen out.

The free to play gamer doesn't have a lot of cash â€" they're often playing on a cheap smartphone or a borrowed tablet. That doesn't always mean kids â€" it often means living in the developing world. Part of the reason we are seeing such a huge gaming boom on smartphones is because that gaming culture â€" where everyone plays on their smartphone â€" is coming over from Asia.

It struck me that great British gaming firms like Splash Damage are already bending over backwards to get into this market ethically. And the more regulatory hoops they have to jump through, the more of the market will be left to predatory foreign developers.

So, free to play isn't something sinister â€" it's a gaming model that's unfamiliar, but one that works, and makes gaming more accessible. Parents who take the time to understand their child's hobbies, rather than just parking the kid on the sofa with a game to keep them quiet, will see it pay dividends. People who scream for the state to parent for them shouldn't be listened to.

The answer, as ever, is good parenting, not government regulation.

Read more by Willard Foxton on Telegraph Blogs
Follow Telegraph Blogs on Twitter


Source Article from http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/technology/willardfoxton2/100009019/kids-running-up-bills-on-free-games-as-usual-parents-want-the-state-to-take-responsibility-for-their-children/
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Minggu, 14 April 2013

iPad 'free' games: parents must know their controls on their devices, says ... - Telegraph.co.uk

iPad 'free' games: parents must know their controls on their devices, says ... - Telegraph.co.uk

Figures suggest that eight out of 10 of the most popular games are now free to install but raise revenue through paid-for extras, with single purchases ranging from a few pence to more than £70.

But the OFT claim that children are particularly vulnerable to the trend as they increasingly access the internet without parental supervision.

Earlier this year, a five-year-old boy racked up a bill of £1,700 playing a “free” game on an iPad.

Cavendish Elithorn, OFT senior director for goods and consumer, said: “We are concerned that children and their parents could be subject to unfair pressure to purchase when they are playing games they thought were free, but which can actually run up substantial costs.

“The OFT is not seeking to ban in-game purchases, but the games industry must ensure it is complying with the relevant regulations so that children are protected. We are speaking to the industry and will take enforcement action if necessary.”

According to officials, the OFT will investigate how companies providing free web or app-based games market their products to children.

Parents and consumer groups will be asked to contact the watchdog with information about “potentially misleading or commercially aggressive practices” in relation to these games.


Source Article from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/apps/9990095/iPad-free-games-parents-must-know-their-controls-on-their-devices-says-Office-of-Fair-Trading.html
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Kids running up bills on 'free games'? As usual, parents want the state to ... - Telegraph.co.uk (blog)

Kids running up bills on 'free games'? As usual, parents want the state to ... - Telegraph.co.uk (blog)

The Office of Fair Trading has launched an investigation into "free" internet and app-based games amid fears children are being ripped off.

The Office of Fair Trading has launched an investigation into "free" internet and app-based games amid fears children are being ripped off

There's a big furore being kicked up by a small group of parents who have been stupid enough to let their kids run up huge bills downloading paid for extras on free games. I have literally no sympathy with these people.

One family, interviewed by the BBC, said they gave their seven-year-old son the password to spend more money, and get this â€" he spent loads of money! Seventeen hundred quid, to be exact. If they gave him a seventeen hundred quid and left him in a toy shop, there's a strong chance they'd come back and find he'd bought a massive radio-controlled car or something. There wasn't even a problem, as Apple had refunded the family the money. Sounds like exemplary customer service to me.

Equally, another aggrieved mum told the woeful tale of how her nine-year-old daughter had memorised her password, and used it to buy a £70 unicorn for a virtual zoo. I'm sorry, but if your child has the nous to memorise a password, she also should have the intelligence to know right from wrong. Another of her complaints was that "a unicorn shouldn't cost £70". Obviously this woman hasn't been shopping for toys recently; at Christmas this year, I dropped over £100 on an ugly plastic Monster High-branded dolls house.

Frankly, I'd much rather have bought my niece and nephew virtual unicorns to ride. But of course, in mummy's eyes, little Jessica wasn't just a grasping, cunning little unicorn thief, she was a poor darling who had been abused by evil big corporations. These parents have now successfully lobbied the Office of Fair trading, who are launching a consultation.<

The OFT don't have the power to ban games, all they can do is ask for a voluntary code of conduct. What will happen, as always with this sort of thing, is people who play by the rules will be penalised, and the unscrupulous people who are trying to rip off children won't sign up.

I recently spoke to Paul Wedgewood, founder of a British company called Splash Damage, that makes free-to-play games. Their best selling title, Rad Soldiers, has gone to number one in 96 countries, without a penny being sent on marketing. It's a fun cartoony game, and I certainly enjoy it.

I asked Paul about the development of free-to-play games, and the concerns people have around them. While he acknowledged people's fears were real, he put a different spin on the whole market of free gaming for me:

I grew up on a council estate â€" when I was a kid, I couldn't afford games, and if I could afford one, it had to be really good. We try to be as ethical as possible with our games. We wanted something that was great, that could be played well by putting in time and little money; something that's completely free from the start.

A lot of free to play games are over-monetised; that's partly because lots of them are developed in the far east, where people have a different view of how you should succeed at gaming. In the West, we tend to see that the person with the most skill should win, not the person with the most money.

That made me think about the future of gaming; the free-to-play gamer is a different person from the thirty something queuing up to buy a triple-A title like StarCraft 2 or Bioshock: Infinite. No-one is surprised to pay a fortune for a triple-A game â€" after all, you are playing it on a machine costing several hundred pounds. Back in the 80s, games were cheap, and accessible to most people. As prices have ramped up, more and more people have been frozen out.

The free to play gamer doesn't have a lot of cash â€" they're often playing on a cheap smartphone or a borrowed tablet. That doesn't always mean kids â€" it often means living in the developing world. Part of the reason we are seeing such a huge gaming boom on smartphones is because that gaming culture â€" where everyone plays on their smartphone â€" is coming over from Asia.

It struck me that great British gaming firms like Splash Damage are already bending over backwards to get into this market ethically. And the more regulatory hoops they have to jump through, the more of the market will be left to predatory foreign developers.

So, free to play isn't something sinister â€" it's a gaming model that's unfamiliar, but one that works, and makes gaming more accessible. Parents who take the time to understand their child's hobbies, rather than just parking the kid on the sofa with a game to keep them quiet, will see it pay dividends. People who scream for the state to parent for them shouldn't be listened to.

The answer, as ever, is good parenting, not government regulation.

Read more by Willard Foxton on Telegraph Blogs
Follow Telegraph Blogs on Twitter


Source Article from http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/technology/willardfoxton2/100009019/kids-running-up-bills-on-free-games-as-usual-parents-want-the-state-to-take-responsibility-for-their-children/
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Buying A 3DSXL? Nintendo's Offering Free Games - MTV.com (blog)

Buying A 3DSXL? Nintendo's Offering Free Games - MTV.com (blog)

professor-layton-and-the-miracle-mask

Through the end of April, Nintendo is sweetening the deal on the 3DSXL if you buy and register one along with a copy of either "Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon" or "Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity." Picking up one of those titles and registering the whole shebang with Club Nintendo will entitle you to a free download of one of five 3DS titles:

  • Super Mario 3D Land
  • Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask
  • Art Academy: Lessons for Everyone!
  • Star Fox 64 3D
  • Freakyforms Deluxe: Your Creations, Alive!

From the official release:

REDMOND, Wash., April 10, 2013 - Nintendo is offering a special promotion for people who buy both a Nintendo 3DS XL system and either Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon or Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity. Anyone who registers a Nintendo 3DS XL system and either Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity or Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon with Club Nintendo between March 21 and April 30 will receive a code to download one of five Nintendo 3DS games for free: Super Mario 3D Land, Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask, Art Academy: Lessons for Everyone!, Star Fox 64 3D or Freakyforms Deluxe: Your Creations, Alive! For more information about Nintendo 3DS, visit http://www.nintendo.com/3ds.

Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon for Nintendo 3DS is the well-received sequel to the original fan-favorite Luigi's Mansion. The game kicked off the Year of Luigi and follows Mario's timid brother as he captures ghosts, solves puzzles and collects treasure in multiple haunted mansions. Up to four players who each have their own systems and copies of the game can also play together in the game's new local and online multiplayer modes. Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon is available in retail stores and in the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo 3DS. For more information about Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, visit http://luigismansion.nintendo.com/.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity is the next entry in the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series, and the first for Nintendo 3DS. In the game, players can become one of five Pokémon and journey through dungeons that change each time a player enters, while also battling and interacting with other Pokémon. Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity takes full advantage of the features of Nintendo 3DS, with wireless multiplayer for up to four players who each have their own systems and copies of the game, StreetPass functionality and special portals that lead to additional Mystery Dungeons that can be accessed by using the Nintendo 3DS camera.Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity is available in retail stores, and the full game and demo version are both available in the Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS. For more information about Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity, visit http://www.pokemon.com/MysteryDungeon.

[Source: GoNintendo]

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Source Article from http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2013/04/10/buying-a-3dsxl-nintendos-offering-free-games/
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Free-to-play games being investigated by UK government - Android Community

Free-to-play games being investigated by UK government - Android Community

Most of us have heard those horror stories about free-to-play games. They usually involve a parent handing a tablet or smartphone to a child with some free games installed. From here the child takes over and proceeds to run up a large bill on in-app purchases. This seems to be a popular strategy, and in fact it was one that was recently adopted with EA’s release of Real Racing 3.

real-racing-3-game

Staying on the topic of Real Racing 3 for a moment, a representative from EA noted that the in-app opponents are a “vocal minority.” Anyway, while these games seem to be generally accepted by those doing the playing, it looks like The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) in London is going to be doing some investigating. They will be looking to see if these games are pressuring the users into making in-app purchases. Or more specifically, how these in-app purchases apply to children.

The OFT has said that they are looking into whether these “games include ‘direct exhortations’ to children.” Basically, that is to say, whether they present a “strong encouragement to make a purchase, or to do something that will necessitate making a purchase, or to persuade their parents or other adults to make a purchase for them.” They key here, the OFT also made it clear they are not trying to ban games with in-app purchase.

Instead they are more concerned with how they are presented to children. At this point they are making an effort to make sure the games industry is doing what they need to comply with the relevant regulations so that children are protected. So far nothing will be changing and at the moment, the OFT is speaking with the industry and has plans to “take enforcement action if necessary.”

[via CVG]


Source Article from http://androidcommunity.com/free-to-play-games-being-investigated-by-uk-government-20130412/
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Sabtu, 13 April 2013

'Free' web games under investigation over exorbitant charges - Irish Independent

'Free' web games under investigation over exorbitant charges - Irish Independent

The OFT is investigating hidden costs in so-called 'free' web and app-based games for children

Josie Clarke â€" 12 April 2013

So-called "free" web and app-based games for children are under investigation following concerns that users can run up substantial costs.

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Britain's Office of Fair Trading (OFT) said it was investigating whether children were being unfairly pressured or encouraged to pay for content in free games, such as upgraded membership or virtual currency in forms including coins, gems or fruit.

Typically, players can access only certain areas of these games for free and must pay for higher levels or features. The OFT has written to companies who offer such games asking them for information on how they market to children and is asking parents and consumer groups for information about potentially misleading or commercially aggressive practices.

The OFT's investigation will look into whether these games include "direct exhortations" to children, or strong encouragement to make a purchase, to do something that will require making a purchase, or to persuade their parents or other adults to make a purchase for them.

It will also consider whether the full cost of some of these games is made clear when th ey are downloaded or accessed, potentially leading children and parents to make decisions they may not have made if prices were more transparent at the start of the process.

OFT senior director for goods and consumer, Cavendish Elithorn, said: "We are concerned that children and their parents could be subject to unfair pressure to purchase when they are playing games they thought were free, but which can actually run up substantial costs. The OFT is not seeking to ban in-game purchases, but the games industry must ensure it is complying with the relevant regulations so that children are protected."

Martin Lewis, the founder of MoneySavingExpert.com, said it was "disappointing" that apps aimed at children have been allowed to charge "ridiculous amounts" for extra features. He pointed to one game, My Little Pony, which he said charged users £69 for some in-app purchases.

Mr Lewis said: "When games such as My Little Pony, which are obviously targeted at young children, bait kids with £69 purchases of a 'mountain of gems', something is going wrong in the system. As always, an OFT investigation, even if it does advise action, will take time. So the most important message meanwhile is to protect yourself."

MoneySavingExpert.com said case studies reported on its forum included a seven-year-old who racked up a £69.99 bill on the College Girl app, a parent who was unaware their five-year-old had spent £65 on in-app purchases and a child who spent £80 on the Tiny Pets app.

Which? executive director Richard Lloyd said: "It's far too easy for children to run up huge bills on phone apps when most default settings allow 'in-app purchases' without asking for a confirmation or password. If your child has run up a huge bill without your knowledge, contact the app store or manufacturer as you may be eligible for a refund."


Source Article from http://www.independent.ie/business/technology/free-web-games-under-investigation-over-exorbitant-charges-29191789.html
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iPad 'free' games: parents must know their controls on their devices, says ... - Telegraph.co.uk

iPad 'free' games: parents must know their controls on their devices, says ... - Telegraph.co.uk

Figures suggest that eight out of 10 of the most popular games are now free to install but raise revenue through paid-for extras, with single purchases ranging from a few pence to more than £70.

But the OFT claim that children are particularly vulnerable to the trend as they increasingly access the internet without parental supervision.

Earlier this year, a five-year-old boy racked up a bill of £1,700 playing a “free” game on an iPad.

Cavendish Elithorn, OFT senior director for goods and consumer, said: “We are concerned that children and their parents could be subject to unfair pressure to purchase when they are playing games they thought were free, but which can actually run up substantial costs.

“The OFT is not seeking to ban in-game purchases, but the games industry must ensure it is complying with the relevant regulations so that children are protected. We are speaking to the industry and will take enforcement action if necessary.”

According to officials, the OFT will investigate how companies providing free web or app-based games market their products to children.

Parents and consumer groups will be asked to contact the watchdog with information about “potentially misleading or commercially aggressive practices” in relation to these games.


Source Article from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/apps/9990095/iPad-free-games-parents-must-know-their-controls-on-their-devices-says-Office-of-Fair-Trading.html
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Kids running up bills on 'free games'? As usual, parents want the state to ... - Telegraph.co.uk (blog)

Kids running up bills on 'free games'? As usual, parents want the state to ... - Telegraph.co.uk (blog)

The Office of Fair Trading has launched an investigation into "free" internet and app-based games amid fears children are being ripped off.

The Office of Fair Trading has launched an investigation into "free" internet and app-based games amid fears children are being ripped off

There's a big furore being kicked up by a small group of parents who have been stupid enough to let their kids run up huge bills downloading paid for extras on free games. I have literally no sympathy with these people.

One family, interviewed by the BBC, said they gave their seven-year-old son the password to spend more money, and get this â€" he spent loads of money! Seventeen hundred quid, to be exact. If they gave him a seventeen hundred quid and left him in a toy shop, there's a strong chance they'd come back and find he'd bought a massive radio-controlled car or something. There wasn't even a problem, as Apple had refunded the family the money. Sounds like exemplary customer service to me.

Equally, another aggrieved mum told the woeful tale of how her nine-year-old daughter had memorised her password, and used it to buy a £70 unicorn for a virtual zoo. I'm sorry, but if your child has the nous to memorise a password, she also should have the intelligence to know right from wrong. Another of her complaints was that "a unicorn shouldn't cost £70". Obviously this woman hasn't been shopping for toys recently; at Christmas this year, I dropped over £100 on an ugly plastic Monster High-branded dolls house.

Frankly, I'd much rather have bought my niece and nephew virtual unicorns to ride. But of course, in mummy's eyes, little Jessica wasn't just a grasping, cunning little unicorn thief, she was a poor darling who had been abused by evil big corporations. These parents have now successfully lobbied the Office of Fair trading, who are launching a consultation.<

The OFT don't have the power to ban games, all they can do is ask for a voluntary code of conduct. What will happen, as always with this sort of thing, is people who play by the rules will be penalised, and the unscrupulous people who are trying to rip off children won't sign up.

I recently spoke to Paul Wedgewood, founder of a British company called Splash Damage, that makes free-to-play games. Their best selling title, Rad Soldiers, has gone to number one in 96 countries, without a penny being sent on marketing. It's a fun cartoony game, and I certainly enjoy it.

I asked Paul about the development of free-to-play games, and the concerns people have around them. While he acknowledged people's fears were real, he put a different spin on the whole market of free gaming for me:

I grew up on a council estate â€" when I was a kid, I couldn't afford games, and if I could afford one, it had to be really good. We try to be as ethical as possible with our games. We wanted something that was great, that could be played well by putting in time and little money; something that's completely free from the start.

A lot of free to play games are over-monetised; that's partly because lots of them are developed in the far east, where people have a different view of how you should succeed at gaming. In the West, we tend to see that the person with the most skill should win, not the person with the most money.

That made me think about the future of gaming; the free-to-play gamer is a different person from the thirty something queuing up to buy a triple-A title like StarCraft 2 or Bioshock: Infinite. No-one is surprised to pay a fortune for a triple-A game â€" after all, you are playing it on a machine costing several hundred pounds. Back in the 80s, games were cheap, and accessible to most people. As prices have ramped up, more and more people have been frozen out.

The free to play gamer doesn't have a lot of cash â€" they're often playing on a cheap smartphone or a borrowed tablet. That doesn't always mean kids â€" it often means living in the developing world. Part of the reason we are seeing such a huge gaming boom on smartphones is because that gaming culture â€" where everyone plays on their smartphone â€" is coming over from Asia.

It struck me that great British gaming firms like Splash Damage are already bending over backwards to get into this market ethically. And the more regulatory hoops they have to jump through, the more of the market will be left to predatory foreign developers.

So, free to play isn't something sinister â€" it's a gaming model that's unfamiliar, but one that works, and makes gaming more accessible. Parents who take the time to understand their child's hobbies, rather than just parking the kid on the sofa with a game to keep them quiet, will see it pay dividends. People who scream for the state to parent for them shouldn't be listened to.

The answer, as ever, is good parenting, not government regulation.

Read more by Willard Foxton on Telegraph Blogs
Follow Telegraph Blogs on Twitter


Source Article from http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/technology/willardfoxton2/100009019/kids-running-up-bills-on-free-games-as-usual-parents-want-the-state-to-take-responsibility-for-their-children/
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Watchdog investigating whether free app games target children for commercial ... - Raw Story

Watchdog investigating whether free app games target children for commercial ... - Raw Story

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["Two Brothers Playing On Tablet, Indoor" on Shutterstock]

A watchdog has launched an investigation into whether children face “unfair pressure” to spend money on apparently free web and app-based games, it said Friday.

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is asking parents to get in touch with any examples of possible “commercially aggressive” practices which encourage children to buy virtual currency like coins, gems or fruit, or upgraded membership.

It is unlawful to make a “direct exhortation” to children to make a purchase or persuade their parents to do so under consumer protection regulations.

“We are concerned that children and their parents could be subject to unfair pressure to purchase when they are playing games they thought were free, but which can actually run up substantial costs,” said Cavendish Elthorne, the OFT’s senior director for goods and consumer.

“The OFT is not seeking to ban in-game purchases, but the games industry must ensure it is complying with the relevant regulations so that children are protected.

“We are speaking to the industry and will take enforcement action if necessary.”

["Two Brothers Playing On Tablet, Indoor" on Shutterstock]

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Source Article from http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/04/12/watchdog-investigating-whether-free-app-games-target-children-for-commercial-gains/
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Free Games and Sales: Fruit Ninja, Stellar Impact and more! - Gamezebo

Free Games and Sales: Fruit Ninja, Stellar Impact and more! - Gamezebo

Bundles bundles bundles!  If I were to sum up this weekend’s game deals in a single word, I think we all know what that would be: superfluous!  err… I mean… bundles!

A game jam bundle for charity, a sci-fi bundle for strategy fans, a new Indie Royale bundle â€" SO MANY BUNDLES. And if bundles aren’t your thing, there are some great deals on iOS games this weekend.  For example: who doesn’t want to grab Fruit Ninja for free?  Or Tiki Towers 2?

If we missed any great deals, don’t forget to let us know in the comments below!

 

newsnews

iOS Game Deals

Fruit Ninja â€" FREE (review)
Fruit Ninja HD â€" FREE (review)
Fetch - $3.99 (review)
Lili - $0.99 (review)
Nightmerica â€" FREE (review)
EPOCH â€" FREE (review)
Bad Air Day â€" FREE (review)
Tiki Towers 2 â€" FREE (review)
The Blocks Cometh â€" FREE (review)

 

newsnews

Shiny Loot: Sci-Fi Real Time Strategy Bundle (FRIDAY ONLY)

Pay $6.44 and get the following games;

Stellar Impact (review)
Sentinel 3: Homeworld
Blue Libra
Unstoppable Gorg (review)
Direct Hit

 

newsnews

Brunel Charity Game Jam Bundle

Pay what you want to get 12 games made during a 30 hours game jam in Lond on, with all proceeds going to the charity Child’s Play;

Medieval Retrieval
LawnRunner
Zen
Origins of Simon
level.break
St. George and the Dragon
Time Keepers
Wave Slice
Chenetics
Go to Bed
Mutiny on the Pie Chaser
Protector of the Sea

 

newsnews

Indie Royale â€" The Spring Sun Bundle

Pay more than the average price and get;

Knytt Underground
The Real Texas
Monday Night Combat
SATAZIUS
Gentrieve 2

 

newsnews

Bundle Stars Bundle #6: Catnip

Pay more than the average price and get;

Pushcat
Metal Drift
Wasteland Angel
Obulis
Nikopol (review)
Chains
Post Mortem (review)
Avencast: Rise of the Mage
Scratches (review)
unannounced bonus game

 

newsnews

Other Game Deals

60% off Interplay games (GOG.com)
Farming Simulator 2013 - $13.99 (50% off, Steam)
8-Bit Night - $2.49 (50% off, Desura)
Revenge of Roger Rogue - $1.49 (50% off, Desura)

Read more: Sales


Source Article from http://www.gamezebo.com/news/2013/04/12/free-games-and-sales-fruit-ninja-stellar-impact-and-more
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