DIGITAL SPECIAL ISSUE: GAMING

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Digital Special Issue: Gaming

July 11, 2010

Gaming has come of age. Joystick-obsessed guys who once hunkered down in basements for hours and dominated the medium now have guests. Women and kids are latching onto smartphones and other devices to play. Whether families -- armed with Wii remote controls-bond bowling the night away or consumers on the go play individual or social networking games, the medium is reaching new audiences and heights. Marketers are tapping into the zeitgeist that people like to play and that their lives are more fun when a little competition is involved. Read Full Article

Beyond Breakout

July 11, 2010

Whether you're fighting to be Foursquare mayor of your favorite coffee shop or searching posters for hidden QR codes to reveal hints about a new movie, it's clear that businesses have more ways than ever to engage their fans and make day-to-day life more fun. For advertisers and the brands they market, the potential is virtually limitless. Yet a surprising number of companies are sitting on the sidelines of real-world gaming. Read Full Article

Eyes on the Prize

July 11, 2010

The combination of digital tracking technology that collects huge amounts of data with social media platforms for broadcasting minutiae has spawned a cottage industry of applications that promise a dizzying array of options for tracking and comparing daily activities. These applications, if widely adopted, could hold the key for marketers looking for new ways to influence consumer behavior. Read Full Article

Gaming Tree

July 11, 2010

Socially conscious games -- as well as educational ones that raise social issues -- have increasingly been making headlines. Games that blend play with advocacy and learning clearly have gotten users' attention. But do they have the power to effect serious social change in the long run and actually have a broad impact on how people act? Those at the heart of the movement, of course, say absolutely. Read Full Article

The Real Deal

July 11, 2010

The camera opens on a young man making his way down a steel corridor. A melancholy piano track plays as we see tight shots of his somber face cut with past scenes of his training and space travels. He reaches a room at the end of the hall and straps himself into a menacing medical device that turns him into a Spartan III super soldier. The character, Carter-A259, is the star of a live-action video that promotes Halo: Reach. Read Full Article

Madden NFL 11: The Ad Game

July 11, 2010

When Madden NFL 11 is released Aug. 10, it'll be greeted like a long-awaited summer blockbuster, with retailers staying open late and fevered players lining up to buy it at midnight. A month before Madden NFL 11 ships, it seems we've reached a line in the sand: a controversy has erupted in the blogosphere over how much in-game advertising is too much-in a game, let's not forget, that is essentially an ad for the NFL itself. Read Full Article

Everyone and Their Mother's a Gamer

July 11, 2010

Facebook didn't set out to be the No. 1 gaming platform on the Web, and Apple didn't plan on games driving the lion's share of its app revenue, but both have happened, bringing gaming out from the basement to the main attraction in entertainment. Ask the commuters around you, or have the flight attendant ask your travelling companions if they are gamers. You'll get a lot of noes. Ask if they've rocked out to The Beatles: Rock Band and you'll get resounding yeses. Read Full Article

Who Influences Gamers?

July 11, 2010

As one who has been covering games and the gaming industry for 12 years, I have come to know the core audience -- the hard-core gamer who spends 15+ hours per week playing and purchases upwards of eight games annually -- someone like me. As one who has made a point of evangelizing this new medium past that core base, it has always been a challenge to parse the degree of influence. Read Full Article