Gamenews Weekly
Production Pages
14 June 2005 Gamenews Weekly: Production Pages - games in development in Australia. To get the next issue, and lots more, subscribe to Gamenews Weekly today!

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In the Press
Infogrames Surpasses Enter the Matrix Pre-release Order Expectations
The Financial Times reports that pre-release orders of Infogrames' Enter the Martix game have hit the 3.5 million mark, 1 million more than expected by the company, sending shares 7% higher. Further, the FT reports "Infogrames said third-quarter net revenues rose 31.4 per cent to EUR143.1m, as hit titles launched during the period, including Unreal II: The Awakening and Master of Orion 3, helped drive European and US sales up 34 and 70 per cent respectively." For the full article, click here. By Tim Richards [30 April 2003]

In the Press
Independent Game Supported By Australia Council Causes "Rudduck Fury"
The Age reports today that a "a computer game in which players try to escape from Australian detention centres has received $25,000 in federal funding." The game is reportedly titled Escape from Woomera and received funding of $25,000 from the Australia Council's New Media Art program. The Age reports the funding decision has been slammed by the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, with the Minister reportedly saying "The decision reflects poorly upon the Australia Council and its judgement, that the organisation should lend its name to the promotion of unlawful behaviour." The Age has a screenshot for the game on line (here) which shows a realistic 3D environment. Although the Age article reports that the grant recipient prefers to remain anonymous, the Australia Council's online records show that a $25,000 grant was awarded to a Victorian project for the "research and creative development of a 3D, PC-based interactive narrative" which appears to be the project in question (grant list here). In recent years the grantee has apparently been involved in generating discussion of the need to support independent game development as a cultural investment, discussing how Australia can "foster an independent game development scene comparable to the independent film making scene in Australia" at a recent Octapod 'This is Not Art" conference (link). The Escape from Woomera project will certainly create further discussion, one way or the other, however it is interesting to see game technology used in this way to provide a "cultural message". By Tim Richards [30 April 2003]

Jobs
What does it take to enter the game industry?
Brisbane based Pandemic Studios Pty Ltd has two entry level openings for a new original project for PS2 and Xbox. They require a Game Designer (Entry Level Position), someone with a "keen interest in console game design" with a good technical background and able to work within a team, and a Programmer (Entry Level Position) to create "the technology that underlies great console games". Opportunities to enter the industry Australian game do not come up all too often and if you think you meet the position requirements (set out below) then email Pandemic Studios at jobs@pandemicstudios.com.au and according to Christie Peterson, Pandemic Studio's Office Manager in Fortitude Valley, they'll be in touch! Best of Luck - Tim Richards [29 April 2003].

In the Press
Enter The Matrix on Schedule; Infogrames Shares Rise 51%
Further to our report below concerning pressure on Infogrames founder and CEO Bruno Bonnell, the Australian Finanacial Review reports that Infogrames' shares "soared $US1.13, or 51per cent, to $US3.33 on the Nasdaq in the US on Monday" following a company announcement that the Enter the Matrix game will be released on 15 May, in line with the film. For the article, click here. [23 April 2003]

Gamenews.com.au Newsletter
Mobile Games: In-Fusio Developer Zone - mini case study
Since launching their Developer Zone in September 2002, French mobile game platform company IN-FUSIO admits it is only working with 11 premium developers despite attracting an active community of over 3500 members. IN-FUSIO was formed in August 1998 to create mobile games for mass-market mobile phones. Since launch the company has created proprietary mobile phone software called ExEn, first released embedded in Phillips mobile phones in 2001 and now in a range of mass-produced mobile phones in Europe. Since inviting third party developers …. [for the full article subscribe to the GameNews.com.au email newsletter - email us here info@gamenews.com.au] [23 April 2003].

Government Inquiry
Have Your Say: House of Representatives Seeks Submissions for Game Industry Inquiry
The Federal Government House of Representatives' Standing Committee on Communications, Information Technology and the Arts will run an "Inquiry into the future opportunities for Australia's film, animation, special effects and electronic games industries". Amongst other things, an Inquiry is a fact finding event aimed at gaining opinion and evidence from people, companies, and stakeholder within and without the relevant industries. While the inquiry will look at a number of industries, this is a great opportunity for the game industry, and those affected by the success of the industry, to put forward constructive information and ideas to inform government. Submissions will normally be made public on a Government website, and people interested in making a submission must keep in mind what the Inquiry is actually looking at. You can find out what the Inquiry is actually looking at by reading about the Terms of reference of the Inquiry (here). In my view this is a sign that the Federal government knows that it doesn't know enough about the game industry. And I believe that it is important for all concerned about the game industry to make a submission, even if it is short submission. Submissions will be received up until 30 May 2003. To encourage Australians to make a submission GameNews.com.au (editor Tim Richards) will happily review and provide feedback on any draft written submissions that gamers and stakeholders in the game industry make wish to submit to the Inquiry. To take up or discuss this just contact Tim at info@gamenews.com.au. By Tim Richards [16 April 2003]

In the Press
Xbox to come down in price in Europe
The Financial Times reports that Microsoft "will on Thursday [yesterday] raise the stakes in the games console market when it announces plans to cut prices for its Xbox machine in Europe." The price drop will put pressure on GameCube maker Nintendo, which has already announced a sales downgrade, and Playstation 2 make Sony Computer Entertainment. The Financial Times reports that "the Xbox will be available in continental Europe for EUR199, down from EUR249, and in the UK at £129, down from £159." For the article, click here.

Industry News
Evolution Games Have Closed Its Doors
CEO of Evolution Games, Justin Green has confirmed that Evolution Games has closed its doors.
Opinion: GameNews.com.au would be interested in taking comments on this issue for possible publishing on GameNews.com.au - send any comments to Tim Richards. [9 April 2003]

In the Press
Nintendo Lowers Earnings Forecast
The Australian IT reports that Nintendo "has lowered its earnings forecast for the recently ended fiscal year, citing slower-than-expected sales of its GameCube console." It appears sales earnings forecasts for the past financial year ending March 2003 have been cut about 16%. For the article click here [external site]. [8 April 2003]

Industry News
Evolution Games No-More?
Sumea.com.au, through information provided on its online forums, has reported that Queensland based Evolution Games has just gone under. There are unconfirmed comments from industry focussing on the recent arrival of Evolution Games multinational publisher US-based THQ to Brisbane and its attempts to staff a local THQ game development studio by mid-march, coinciding with Evolution Games calling it quits. THQ previously announced in June 2001it had set up shop in Melbourne, following favourable moves by the Victorian government to encourage THQ to set up its regional Asia-Pacific headquarters in Victoria [for the THQ press release, click here; for the Victorian government press release, click here]. At the time the Victorian government announced that THQ would invest $10 million in the local industry. However, THQ announced a similar move in March in Queensland, with newspapers reporting early March that the company would set up a regional headquarters in Brisbane, following discussions with the Queensland government [see article for the Age, click here]. Opinion: If the reports of Evolution Games closing its doors are true, then this is important news for the industry as it is very unexpected. Only two weeks ago the CEO Justin Green was in good form, commenting to GameNews.com.au editor Tim Richards that the studios most recent title, Rocket Power:Beach Bandits, published by THQ, continued to show very strong sales. If the move by THQ to Queensland has brought about a change in circumstances for Evolution Games, this needs to be explored by the industry. If the change has been negative, then questions must be raised as to how robust the Australian game development industry actually is in the face of overseas interests taking a broader foothold in the local industry, and what else must be done to prepare the Australian game industry for further international success? By Tim Richards [6 April 2003]

In the Press
Huge Interview With GDAA President in The Australian Newspaper
Caitlin Fitzsimmons of the Australian IT provides a must-read interview this week, the subject being Game Developers Association of Australia President Mr Adam Lancman. The preface for the interview captures the relevance of the game industry by stating "computer games rival movies for command of our entertainment dollar and, in Australia, games exports top $100 million." For the article, click here [external site]. [6 April 2003].

In the Press
Online games
As a prelude to the onslaught of console online games, a recent article from Live takes a look at an enduring way of playing online games, in the role playing genre. For the article, click here [external site]. [6 April 2003]

In the Press
Infogrames Founder Under Pressure
The Financial Times reports that "Bruno Bonnell, chief executive of Infogrames, has dismissed calls to step down from the company he founded and says he is "convinced" Europe's largest computer games developer will find a way out of its current debt crisis." Infogrames must repay around US$371 million in convertible bonds by July next year and July 2005, a substantial amount of debt that continues to dog the company's share price. Mr Bonnell founded France based Infogrames in 1983, and comments in the FT article that the company will have a hit soon with the release of the 'Enter the Matrix' game. However commentators continue to be concerned that Enter the Matrix may need to sell 5 to 6 million copies for Infogrames to see a return on its investment in Shiny Entertainment, the company with the Matrix game licence which Infogrames bought last year for around US$47 million. For the article, click here [external site]. [2 April 2003]

Report
Parallel Importation Update
Further to our report last week on proposed parallel importation laws for software, the Senate passed the Bill containing the laws Thursday 27th March, although with amendments. To view the amended Bill, click here [external site]. The Bill will now go back to House of Representatives for consideration of the Senate's amendments. By Tim Richards [31 March 2003]

Report
Parallel Importation of Computer Software Update
The Australian government is currently seeking to pass the Copyright Amendment (Parallel Importation) Bill 2002 through the Senate, a proposed law to allow the importation of software from overseas, so called 'parallel importation'. While the newspapers reported this morning that the Bill was expected to be passed by the Senate today, the Bill was not actually debated (and not passed). If made into law, it will allow software to be imported into Australia that has been legally manufactured in its country of origin, removing any ability for copyright holders in Australia to enforce exclusive rights to sell the software in Australia. Some commentators believe the retail cost of computer games could decrease, due to increased competition in the local market, as current copyright holders compete with parallel importers. The flip side of the argument put by other commentators is that if the market becomes too competitive, some providers will exit and the benefits of competition will evaporate. For an overview of industry views of parallel importation of software, see the Australian It article here [external site]. To go direct to a copy of the text of the Bill, click here [external site]. To visit the Senate website, click here [external site]. By Tim Richards [26 March 2003]

In the Press
Online Games Update
The Australian IT recently reported on current game industry activity in the area of online games, commenting that "online gaming is slowly but surely growing as a phenomenon, taking a larger slice of the games pie and moving into console territory." For the article, click here [external site]. An earlier article in the Australian IT discussed Sony's recent move to team up with IBM and US based Butterfly.net "to develop network services using grid computing to connect thousands of PlayStation 2 users simultaneously." For the article, click here [external site].[18 March 2003] [GameNews.com.au comment: for Australian endeavours in this area see www.bigworldgames.com, a world leading massive multiplayer online game engine which last year won an Asia Pacific Information and Communications Technology Award]

In the Press
Interactive Entertainment Association Lobbies Canberra
The Australian IT reports that the Interactive Entertainment Association set up a games room at Canberra's Parliament House 5 March, to present their case concerning the Copyright Amendment Bill 2000 to Federal politicians and staff. The Australian IT reports that the IEA are concerned with new arrangements in the Bill "for the parallel importation of software" which "could lead to increased piracy and damage Australia's strict games classification systems, the industry believes." For the article, click here [external site]. [12 March 2003]