News

Boom in music video games helps sales
January 5, 2009
(From CTV.ca) Although labels get some royalties from the play-along games' makers, they are often bypassed on image and likeness licensing deals, which the bands control and which account for a rising proportion of musicians' income.

Meanwhile, the Recording Industry Association of America pegged its U.S. members' sales at $10.4 billion in 2007, down 11.8 per cent from the year before and with a further drop expected for 2008. Full Story



More2Girls launches interactive magazine
January 5, 2009
Toronto, Ontario (PRWEB) December 29, 2008 -- This January More2Girls Inc is launching an interactive magazine for Teen girls that is delivered in the form of a desktop application. This is a new delivery model for magazine subscriptions; one that other publications are likely to follow. To view a demonstration on how it works, go to http://www.more2girls.org/how-it-works.

Stave Off Cyber Threats
January 5, 2009

Theft, hackers, security breaches, plagiarism and piracy issues are just a few of the plethora of cyber risks that could be a direct threat to your corporate image.  While insurance coverage is a necessity to stave off these risks, you must have a risk management strategy in place to complement your insurance program.

IQ-I Insurance can assist your company in developing a complete cyber risk management action plan.  In addition, the team has many of the resources to properly advise your company and provide professional contacts to handle your situation expediently.
 
For more information please contact:  
Colette Hustwick 416.234.6389 coletteh@jdimi.com  
or Ian Morris 416.234.6382 ianm@jdimi.com



The CIAIC’s 2008 Canadian Interactive Industry Profile Survey is now Available!
December 23, 2008

Help strengthen the Canadian Interactive Media Industry by completing the 2008 Canadian Interactive Industry Profile Questionnaire!
 
The Canadian Interactive Alliance/L’Alliance interactive canadienne (CIAIC) is looking to build a complete profile of Canada’s  interactive media industry, including all companies in Canada that work in or service the interactive media industry, either completely or partially.

Click on this link to begin the survey.

The 2008 Canadian Interactive Industry Profile (CIIP) will assist the CIAIC in strengthening the Canadian interactive industry by increasing investment and partnering opportunities and improving the business climate for interactive media. Since the interactive industry is not routinely tracked by government agencies such as Statistics Canada, it is up to the industry to produce a comprehensive economic and operational profile to present to relevant decision makers.



VC Firm Cites Opportunities in Media, Communications
December 19, 2008
(From Mediacastermagazine) The economic downturn will slow growth and innovation in many areas but will create attractive investment opportunities in the communications and media sectors in the new year. Full Story

OOH gaming comes to Dundas Square
December 18, 2008

(From Media In Canada) Canada's first interactive video game promotion is coming to Toronto's Dundas Square through Toronto-based Outdoor Broadcast Network (OBN). Full Story



IO connects students with future opportunities through the Talent Speakers Series
December 12, 2008
The Talent Speaker Series will bring games industry professionals into classrooms across Ontario. This program is part of the ongoing GameON (GO) series and will be tailored to different areas of the game industry: GO Games, a broad overview of the video game industry, GO Design, focusing on video game design, and GO Code, examining video game programming.   The purpose of the Talent Speaker Series is to provide students of video game development an opportunity to connect with professionals currently working in the industry. The Talent Speaker Series is an exciting program that will introduce students to unique opportunities that exist with some of the most dynamic video game companies in Ontario.

November video game sales near $3-billion (U.S.)
December 12, 2008

From The Globe and Mail - NEW YORK — Americans may be cutting back on holiday shopping, but they are still buying video games – nearly $3-billion (U.S.) worth in November, according to data from market researcher NPD Group.

U.S. retail sales of video game hardware, software and accessories jumped 10 per cent last month from a year ago to $2.91-bllion, boosted by strong sales of Nintendo Co.'s Wii, Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox 360 along with the alien shooter game Gears of War 2. (Full Story)



RIM to acquire Chalk Media for $23M
December 12, 2008
(From The Toronto Star) WATERLOO–Research In Motion Ltd. has lined up an agreement to acquire Chalk Media Corp. (TSXV:CKM) for $23.1 million in cash.

RIM also said Thursday it is lending the Vancouver-based mobile-media software maker $2.2 million to provide working capital until the deal is completed. (Full Story)



Ontario’s Entertainment and Creative Cluster Partnerships Fund invests $3.3 million in Ontario’s cultural industries
December 11, 2008
The Hon. Aileen Carroll, Minister of Culture, announced the investment of $3.3 million from Ontario’s Entertainment and Creative Cluster Partnerships Fund in 16 innovative initiatives. The recipients and their projects were announced at a news conference held on November 26, 2008 at the Ontario Trade & Investment Centre.

Re-inventing the TV business
December 9, 2008

(From the Globe and Mail) In a corner of the office Jeffrey Elliott and Raja Khanna share at GlassBox Television sits the one thing on which they just can't agree: a set of aging, brown corduroy couches. The two entrepreneurs, who teamed up this summer as co-CEOs of the upstart broadcasting company, are in sync on the big issues—how the TV business is in a profound state of flux as broadcasters either embrace or fortify themselves against the Internet; how teenagers who've abandoned TV for the Web can be lured back with the right content; and how, in the wake of massive industry consolidation, a small, independent channel can still wedge itself in among the networks. Full Story



DISTIL Interactive named one of 10 New Media Companies to Watch
December 8, 2008
December 8th 2008, Ottawa Canada: IDC Canada has released a new study naming DISTIL Interactive as one of the ten emerging new media companies in Canada. Companies that make this annual roster typically exhibit category leadership and rapid adoption by the marketplace. DISTIL, which began operations with a staff of two in 2005 and now has over 25 employees, the majority in Ottawa, uses digital gaming technology and methods to build corporate learning environments.


Big Blue Bubble Releases Hockey Allstar Shootout on WiiWare
December 8, 2008
LONDON, ON – December 8, 2008 – Big Blue Bubble is proud to announce that Hockey Allstar Shootout was released today on WiiWare™! The release of Hockey Allstar Shootout marks the first hockey game on the platform and is destined to become an instant fan favorite amongst sports enthusiasts and casual gamers alike.

Nintendo Wii, DS sales strong despite economy
December 8, 2008

(From The Globe and Mail)

KYOTO, Japan — Nintendo Co. Ltd. said sales of its Wii game console more than doubled during the Thanksgiving holiday week in the United States, defying the sweeping retail gloom in the wake of a global economic crisis. President Satoru Iwata's comments come as a rare bright spot at a time when companies around the world are cutting production and lowering their outlooks amid the global downturn. Full Story



The Elan Awards extends submissions deadline
December 8, 2008
VANCOUVER December 3, 2008 – The 3rd Annual ELAN Awards announced the extension of their submission deadline today due to an unprecedented response from the industries they award. Top titles from Video Games, Animation and Visual Effects from all around the world are expected to enter the global award show.

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Gamasutra News

One Degree

IO Events

Interactive Ontario Annual General Meeting
Jan 22, 2009
The Gladstone Hotel
iNTERACT
Jan 22, 2009
The Gladstone Hotel
iLunch 7.04 – The Digital Pangaea
Jan 23, 2009
The Gladstone Hotel

Canadian Events

Game Design Expo 2009
Feb 07 - 08 2009
Vancouver
ELAN Awards 2009
Feb 28, 2009
Vancouver

International Events

BETT 2009
Jan 14 - 17 2009
Olympia, London
Canada Stand @ MIDEM
Jan 17 - 21 2009
Le Palais, Cannes, France
MIDEM
Jan 18 - 21 2009
Cannes, France
The 6th Annual Mobile Games Forum 2009
Jan 21 - 22 2009
United Kingdom
GDC
Mar 23, 2009 - Dec 27, 2008
San Francisco
Game Connection at GDC 2009
Mar 24 - 26 2009
San Francisco