Mike Olsen joins Glu Mobile, GREE on skating to where the puck is going, and Konami's big profits in Q3 FY17
Sometimes the Hot Five can take you by complete surprise, with an article topping the chart that you never could have predicted would reach such lofty heights on an otherwise busy week.
And yet, last week's most read article was our article on Konami's Q3 FY17 financials, which showed that the studio had made profits of $182 million in the nine months ending December 31st 2016 and hit 25 million downloads for its game Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links.
Second on the list is our interview with GREE on how it's making like Wayne Gretzky and "skating to where the puck is going to be" with its next games.
Glu, fantasy and acquisitions
Third up, EA Capital Games' Mike Olsen joins Glu Mobile as its new Senior VP of Studios having been the Creative Director on EA's biggest mobile game, Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes.
And finally, we talk to Nordeus about why its gone from football to fantasy with its upcoming second game Spellsouls, and Take-Two Interactive acquires Spanish mobile developer Social Point for $250 million.
Click the link below to find out more about the stories that caught our reader's attention during the last week.
#5: Take-Two acquires Spanish mobile developer Social Point for $250 million
More Info
Take-Two acquires Spanish mobile developer Social Point for $250 million »While it's not exactly Supercell money, Take-Two's acquisition of Spanish developer Social Point is definitely an interesting move.
The publisher paid $250 million for the developer, with $175 million in cash and the rest in shares, in order to diversify its portfolio into the mobile market.
Social Point is best known for its games like World Chef and Dragon City, and it's managed to stay profitable since 2013, so it's not a bad investment either way.
And it looks like the team will stay exactly as it is, with senior management still intact and the studio operating under its own name.
#4: Why Nordeus is swapping football for fantasy with mobile MOBA/CCG Spellsouls
More Info
Why Nordeus is swapping football for fantasy with mobile MOBA/CCG Spellsouls »Nordeus isn't abandoning Top Eleven any time soon, but it is taking a radically new direction for its next game, Spellsouls.
But why has it decided to make this huge change to a totally different genre? We quizzed Chief Creative Officer Milan Jovović to find out more.
"We have spent a lot of time in dialogue with current players of competitive games in this space, and the feedback we get overwhelmingly points to the fact that we have created something that meets their needs and offers the depth and polish not seen in a number of games in the market," he told us.
#3: Glu Mobile appoints ex-EA Capital Games GM Mike Olsen as its new Senior VP of Studios
More Info
Glu Mobile appoints ex-EA Capital Games GM Mike Olsen as its new Senior VP of Studios »Big things are happening at Glu Mobile - not least the departure of Niccolo de Masi as its CEO to be replaced by Nick Earl.
And now its recruiting more senior staff, with ex-EA Capital Games GM Mike Olsen joining as its new Senior VP of Studios.
Olsen's credits include EA's major performer Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes and other titles like The Godfather and Knockout Kings, so he has some serious pedigree behind him.
"It’s under the guidance of experienced and fearless creative leaders that I believe Glu will deliver best-in-class entertainment products in 2017 and beyond," said CEO Nick Earl on the hiring.
#2: GREE on learning from Machine Zone and skating to where the puck is going
More Info
GREE on learning from Machine Zone and skating to where the puck is going »One of the main problems with the mobile games market is that it moves so quickly that it's often hard to tell what the next big trend will actually be.
So when GREE starts quoting Wayne Gretzky and saying that its going to "skate to where the puck is going to be", it's to be hoped that it knows where the puck will be.
But GREE's Senior Vice President, Business & Corporate Development Shanti Bergel seems optimistic, stating that the developer has been studying the industry intently to decide where it's going, even if it may not look that way at first.
“Similar to when Game of War launched, when people were a little unsure exactly why decisions were made in that game the way they were, but if you were a student of Chinese MMOs - as the CEO of that company is - you saw the fingerprints all over it," he said.
#1: Konami profits up to $182 million as Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links surpasses 25 million downloads
More Info
Konami profits up to $182 million as Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links surpasses 25 million downloads »Konami made the decision to shift its business from console games to mobile back in 2015, and if recent figures are anything to go by, it's probably made the right move.
In its latest financials it's posted profits of $182 million, a whopping 229.8% increase year-on-year, for the nine months ending December 31st 2016.
Helping to push this figure is the recently released Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links, which has also surpassed an impressive 25 million downloads since first launching.
But its other franchises are still bringing in the dough, too. Jikkyou Pawafuru Puroyakyu continued to bolster sales, as did spin-off football title Jikkyou Powerful Soccer.