Pokémon Go is a phenomena. What matters, though, is what it says about Nintendo and the way it might approach mobile going forward. Plus, what makes a good product, and why the augmented reality hype is both overblown yet justified.
A Word on Tesla, Follow-up: The Big Picture, Tencent Acquires Supercell
Tesla offering to buy Solar City is why corporate governance matters. Then, a follow-up to yesterday’s piece on TV and why there is something much bigger going on, and why Tencent bought Supercell
CES 2016, Augmented vs Virtual Reality, The Resilience of Video Games
I continue to think that CES is getting more interesting, thanks to the maturation of the smartphone. Then, the differences between augmented and virtual reality, and how that explains the resilience of video games.
Activision Blizzard Buys King Digital, EA and the Disruption Narrative, Apple TV Gaming
Activision Blizzard is buying King, the makers of Candy Crush Saga; the mobile games maker is probably worth more to a company like Activision Blizzard than they are by themselves. Plus, both EA and Activision Blizzard beat earnings expectations — does that mean the gaming disruption narrative is wrong?
Daily Update: Nintendo to Build Smartphone Games
Good morning, There I was, working merrily on my promised Twitter/Meerkat piece, when truly shocking news came down the pipe. I got rather distracted by an event that perhaps isn’t that important big picture, but sure means a lot to the little boy in me. On to the update: Nintendo to Build Smartphone Games OneSubscribe […]
Daily Update: Bandcamp, Tencent Earnings, Twitter’s Analyst Day, plus a Stratechery Announcement
Good morning, A few quick bits of housekeeping: First off, I’ve heard from enough people that they really don’t want to get articles in their email. I’m going to have a think about the best way to proceed Secondly, I’m going to put a brief note up on Stratechery later today announcing some of theSubscribe […]
Daily Update: Japan and the Distinction Between Consoles and Mobile Gaming, Gaming in China and Asia, Xbox China Launch Delayed
Good morning, Until a few months ago gaming in general was a bit of a blind spot for me, and I think was hardly alone in that among technology observers. Still, it always bothered me that, for example, Apple spent so much time on gaming in their keynotes, yet I simply spaced out. So, asSubscribe […]
Microsoft’s Good (and Potentially Great) Minecraft Acquisition
It’s difficult to overstate what a big deal Minecraft is. It’s the third best-selling game of all time behind Tetris and Wii Sports, and unlike the latter especially, it is a remarkably sticky experience: the vast majority of customers (over 90 percent on PC, according to Microsoft) sign in every single month. Were Microsoft to […]
Daily Update: What Consoles Say About iPads, Uber Opens API, The Samsung Nook
Good morning, Yesterday I wrote about my changing view on consoles in a piece called Games and Good Enough. As most of you may recall, last June I argued that consoles would soon be disrupted. Now I’ve changed my mind; I suspect that consoles will in fact safely own the high end of the gamingSubscribe […]
Games and Good Enough
Two months ago I wrote How Apple TV Might Disrupt Microsoft and Sony. Then, about a month later, I went and bought a Wii U. And, a month after that, I bought a 3DS. And now I’m writing another article about gaming, and I think I’ve changed my mind. Still, it’s always dangerous to write […]