Mario Kart tour firm crashes out, Rovio's Heini Kaihu on being a studio head, and Ketchapp taps Prince of Persia for mobile
Ketchapp is one of the hottest mobile games publishers in the business, so it's no wonder Ubisoft acquired it.
The former is now tapping the latter's portfolio of classic IP, with the launch of new mobile title Prince of Persia: Escape. The move appears to have gone down well and proved intriguing for the industry, as it's our most-read story of the week.
In second was our interview with the head of Rovio's puzzle studio, Heini Kaihu, as part of our regular Jobs in Games series.
Karts, Survival, Switch
Our third most-read story of the week is the news that Nintendo has shut down the services of a Japanese touring company, which had been using life-sized Mario Kart vehicles and costumes to guide people around Tokyo.
Lastly, Chinese publisher NetEase's mobile battle royale game Rules of Survival has bagged $75 million, while Nintendo is working on a new Switch model reportedly set for release in 2019.
#5: New and improved Nintendo Switch in the works for 2019
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New and improved Nintendo Switch in the works for 2019 »The Nintendo Switch has given the console giant the boost it needed after the failure of the Wii U.
It’s quickly selling millions and already outsold its predecessor, and now Nintendo is aiming to keep up momentum with the development of a new model.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the new Switch will have an improved LCD screen as it looks to make the device brighter, thinner and more energy efficient.
The report claims the new model is set to be released sometime in 2019.
#4: NetEase’s PUBG-like Rules of Survival bags $75 million
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NetEase’s PUBG-like Rules of Survival bags $75 million »NetEase’s early jump into the mobile battle royale space has proven hugely lucrative for the Chinese publisher.
It beat both Playerunknown’s Battlegrounds and Fortnite to the punch, and its titles Rules of Survival and Knives Out are making millions.
According to Sensor Tower, the former has made $75 million worldwide since its November 2017 launch.
In September alone, Rules of Survival was said to have grossed $4.5 million worldwide and racked up 1.2 million installs.
#3: Nintendo successfully sues Tokyo’s unofficial Mario Kart tours for $89,000
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Nintendo successfully sues Tokyo’s unofficial Mario Kart tours for $89,000 »It boggles the mind how many people utilise famous IP without permission for their own means. Particularly if it’s for profit.
The law caught up with MariMobility in Japan, after it was sued by Nintendo for hosting Mario Kart-themed street tours in Tokyo using life-size Mario Kart vehicles and costumes.
The company was ordered to pay $89,000 and told to stop using Nintendo’s IP.
“In order to protect our valued intellectual property that we have built up over many years of effort, we will continue to take necessary measures against infringement of intellectual property including our brand," read a statement from the Nintendo.
#2: Jobs in Games: Rovio's Heini Kaihu on how to get a job as head of studio
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Jobs in Games: Rovio's Heini Kaihu on how to get a job as head of studio »Our regular Jobs in Games articles aim to offer insight into the people behind the games and exactly how they got their job.
For the latest interview, we caught up with the head of Rovio’s puzzle studio, Heini Kaihu, about how she got the top role and what the day-to-day entails. She had many words of wisdom, including her thoughts on some misconceptions around the sector.
“I think the one misconception I encounter fairly often, is the idea that you can only succeed if you were into games before you knew how to walk and talk,” said Kaihu.
“While passion for games and deep understanding of the industry is a big part of the job, it is not impossible to succeed with a different path to the industry. Games have become mainstream entertainment and the more diverse a group of people we have in the industry creating the experiences, the better.
#1: Ketchapp brings Ubisoft’s Prince of Persia IP to mobile
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Ketchapp brings Ubisoft’s Prince of Persia IP to mobile »Ketchapp is one of the biggest casual games publishers on mobile, spearheading the hyper-casual charge over the last couple of years.
Ubisoft saw lots of potential in the company to expand its own mobile business and acquired the firm back in 2016.
While it has typically used original IP, Ketchapp is now tapping Ubisoft’s portfolio of hot gaming IP with the launch of Prince of Persia: Escape on mobile.
The platformer marks the first time the publisher has based a game on a franchise from its parent company.