Making ‘indie’ video games gets trickier as industry evolves
December 7, 2022 GMTVideo game developer Ben Esposito’s first big break was a quirky game called Donut County starring a raccoon who dropped small objects and then entire neighborhoods into an ever-growing hole in the ground.
New this week: Will Smith, ‘Pinocchio’ and ‘George & Tammy’
December 5, 2022 GMTHere’s a collection curated by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists of what’s arriving on TV, streaming services and music and video game platforms this week.
MOVIES
— Will Smith’s comeback campaign is in full swing thanks to the new Antoine Fuqua movie “Emancipation,” which begins streaming on Apple TV+ on Friday.
New this week: ‘Riches,’ Robert Downey Sr. and BTS’ RM
November 28, 2022 GMTHere’s a collection curated by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists of what’s arriving on TV, streaming services and music and video game platforms this week.
New this week: Lizzo, ‘Criminal Minds’ and ‘The Woman King’
November 25, 2022 GMTHere’s a collection curated by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists of what’s arriving on TV, streaming services and music and video game platforms this week.
MOVIES
— When the Mars Rover Opportunity, nicknamed Oppy, launched in 2003, it was only supposed to last 90 sols (or Mars days).
Battle over the iPhone app store spills into appeals court
November 15, 2022 GMTSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Apple and the company behind the popular video game Fortnite squared off Monday before three federal appellate judges who will render the next decision in a high-stakes battle over whether Apple created an illegal monopoly via its exclusive control of its iPhone app store.
New this week: ‘Spirited,’ Pokémon, ‘Nope’ and ‘Slumberland’
November 14, 2022 GMTHere’s a collection curated by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists of what’s arriving on TV, streaming services and music and video game platforms this week.
MOVIES
— In “Nope,” Jordan Peele has once again made a rarity in Hollywood: a wholly original film that was also a box-office hit.
Nintendo counting on forays beyond video games to boost fans
November 9, 2022 GMTTOKYO (AP) — Nintendo hopes to leverage a new Super Mario movie, various merchandising and theme parks to draw more people into playing its video games, President Shuntaro Furukawa said Wednesday.
Nintendo content, including Donkey Kong and Pokemon, has drawn fans over more than four decades, with parents and grandparents now playing games with children.
EU’s Call of Duty: Probe Microsoft-Activision Blizzard deal
November 8, 2022 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union has launched an investigation into Microsoft’s planned takeover of video game giant Activision Blizzard, fearing the $69 billion deal would distort fair competition to popular titles like Call of Duty.
New this week: Bruce Springsteen, ‘The Big Brunch’ and Sonic
November 7, 2022 GMTHere’s a collection curated by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists of what’s arriving on TV, streaming services and music and video game platforms this week.
MOVIES
— Did you follow all the “Don’t Worry Darling” fuss and forget to watch the film behind it all?
New this week: Radcliffe gets weird, ‘Causeway’ and Phoenix
November 4, 2022 GMTHere’s a collection curated by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists of what’s arriving on TV, streaming services and music and video game platforms this week.
MOVIES
— Elvis, Elton John and Freddie Mercury have all gotten the biopic treatment.
Chastain’s video game-inspired ride puts more eyes on NASCAR
November 3, 2022 GMTPHOENIX (AP) — Ross Chastain's video game-inspired ride along the wall at Martinsville carried him across the finish line, into the NASCAR championship finale and around the world.
Japan entertainment maker Sony ups forecasts as profits grow
November 1, 2022 GMTTOKYO (AP) — Sony said Tuesday its quarterly profit through September rose 24% on healthy demand for its music and movies, prompting the Japanese entertainment and electronics giant to raise its annual sales and profit forecasts.
Column: Chastain rides the wall into NASCAR’s title race
October 31, 2022 GMTThere's been an internal battle raging inside Ross Chastain as he's clawed his way into NASCAR's championship finale.
He's an eighth-generation watermelon farmer from Florida who was never supposed to make it to the top level of stock car racing.
Bell wins, Chastain rides the wall to earn title race spots
October 30, 2022 GMTRoss Chastain's aggressive style hasn’t made a lot of friends in NASCAR’s top series. Now, he'll be contending for a championship because of that approach.
Call of Duty’s latest battle is between Microsoft and Sony
October 27, 2022 GMTHunting down your enemies on the bustling streets of Amsterdam, along the U.S.-Mexico border or in a Middle Eastern fishing village is just part of the intense action in the latest Call of Duty video game.
Esports video games hold vast betting potential, experts say
October 18, 2022 GMTATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — Competitive video games hold vast economic potential in the U.S. and worldwide, particularly once gambling companies figure out how to interest players and spectators in betting on them, participants in an industry conference said Tuesday.
Microsoft’s $69B Activision deal faces in-depth UK inquiry
September 15, 2022 GMTLONDON (AP) — Microsoft's $69 billion deal to buy video game company Activision Blizzard faces an in-depth antitrust investigation in Britain after the tech company refused to offer proposals to ease competition concerns.
Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard deal gets global scrutiny
September 1, 2022 GMTMicrosoft’s plan to buy video game giant Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion could have major effects on the gaming industry, transforming the Xbox maker into something like a Netflix for video games by giving it control of many more popular titles.
Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard deal faces more UK scrutiny
September 1, 2022 GMTLONDON (AP) — Microsoft’s plan to buy video game company Activision Blizzard faced a potential setback Thursday after British antitrust regulators demanded concessions from both companies to ease competition concerns about the blockbuster deal.
Boredom, loneliness plague Ukrainian youth near front line
August 15, 2022 GMTSLOVIANSK, Ukraine (AP) — Anastasiia Aleksandrova doesn’t even look up from her phone when the thunder of nearby artillery booms through the modest home the 12-year-old shares with her grandparents on the outskirts of Sloviansk in eastern Ukraine.
‘Stray’: How a virtual orange tabby is helping real cats
August 4, 2022 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — The virtual cat hero from the new video game sensation “Stray” doesn't just wind along rusted pipes, leap over unidentified sludge and decode clues in a seemingly abandoned city. The daring orange tabby is helping real world cats as well.
Nintendo’s profit rises despite shortages of computer chips
August 3, 2022 GMTTOKYO (AP) — Nintendo’s profit in the April-June quarter rose 28% from a year earlier on healthy demand for its games, although its console sales were dented by a shortage of semiconductors.
The Japanese video game maker behind the Super Mario and Pokemon franchises said Wednesday its profit in the last quarter totaled 118.9 billion yen ($895 million), up from 92.7 billion yen in the same period in 2021.
Sony sees profit rise despite waning interest in video games
July 29, 2022 GMTTOKYO (AP) — Sony’s profit edged up 3% in the last quarter, weathering production setbacks from COVID-19 lockdowns in Shanghai and a trend away from video gaming as pandemic restrictions eased elsewhere.
Cardinals say QB Kyler Murray focused on football
July 26, 2022 GMTLITCHFIELD PARK, Ariz. (AP) — Kyler Murray has made it no secret he enjoys video games, including the popular “Call of Duty” franchise.
Tight end Zach Ertz said the franchise quarterback also knows he has a duty to study his playbook.
Abe impersonated ‘Super Mario’ to promote Tokyo Olympics
July 9, 2022 GMTTOKYO (AP) — Despite his prominence as Japan’s longest serving prime minister, Shinzo Abe may have enjoyed his biggest moment at the closing ceremony of the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics before 70,000 at the city’s renown Maracana stadium.
Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi on cover of NBA 2K23 WNBA edition
July 6, 2022 GMTSue Bird and Diana Taurasi have been linked for more than two decades, playing together at UConn and then helping the U.S. Olympic women's basketball team win five gold medals.
Now the basketball greats will appear on the cover of the NBA 2K23 WNBA edition video game that will be released on Sept.
Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard bid faces UK antitrust probe
July 6, 2022 GMTLONDON (AP) — Microsoft's acquisition of game publisher Activision Blizzard faces antitrust scrutiny in the U.K., where competition regulators said Wednesday they've opened an initial inquiry into the $69 billion deal.
NFL partners with Mythical Games for blockchain-enabled game
May 25, 2022 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — The NFL and NFL Players Association are partnering with Mythical Games for the first blockchain-enabled NFL video game.
The game — which will be called NFL Rivals — is slated to launch early next year.
Video game workers create first union at big U.S. game maker
May 23, 2022 GMTMILWAUKEE (AP) — Video game workers at a division of game publisher Activision Blizzard have voted to unionize, creating the first labor union at a large U.S. video game company.
A count of ballots on Monday revealed the results of the election affecting a small group of Wisconsin-based quality assurance testers at Activision Blizzard’s Raven Software, which develops the popular Call of Duty game franchise.
FIFA takes on EA Sports video game in soccer’s new rivalry
May 12, 2022 GMTLONDON (AP) — The name “FIFA” can bring to mind images of the World Cup and soccer’s greatest players, like Pele, Zinedine Zidane or Lionel Messi.
EA Sports and FIFA end partnership, both eye new video games
May 10, 2022 GMTZURICH (AP) — Electronic Arts will stop making its hugely successful FIFA video game in its current name, marking a split in one of soccer’s most successful and lucrative partnerships after the sides failed to strike a new licensing deal.
Sony’s profit surges on healthy film, game, music growth
May 10, 2022 GMTTOKYO (AP) — Sony’s fiscal fourth quarter surged 67% to 111.1 billion yen ($852.7 million) from the previous year, as the Japanese entertainment and electronics company racked up profits in video game and movie divisions.
Nintendo’s profit dips slightly as Switch console sales slow
May 10, 2022 GMTTOKYO (AP) — Nintendo’s profit for the fiscal year ended in March was little changed from the previous year, edging down 0.6% to 477.7 billion yen ($3.7 billion), the Japanese video game maker behind the Super Mario and Pokemon franchises said Tuesday.
Ms. Pac-Man clears path to World Video Game Hall of Fame
May 5, 2022 GMTROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) — More than 40 years after blazing a trail for female video game characters, Ms. Pac-Man was inducted Thursday into the World Video Game Hall of Fame, along with Dance Dance Revolution, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Sid Meier's Civilization.
Video game workers at Call of Duty maker OK’d for union vote
April 23, 2022 GMTMINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A small group of Wisconsin-based video game workers can vote to form what could be the first union at a major U.S. video game publisher, a labor board official ruled.
A regional director of the National Labor Relations Board on Friday ordered a May election for quality assurance workers at Activision Blizzard's Raven Software, which develops the popular Call of Duty game franchise.
China’s long-awaited resumption of video game licence approvals may be too late for some smaller studios
April 20, 2022 GMTThe long-awaited resumption of video game licence approvals in China after nearly nine months of suspension might have arrived too late for some, with some smaller studios struggling to survive, according to a Chinese media report.
State lawyer alleges Newsom interfered in Activision lawsuit
April 15, 2022 GMTSACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A lawyer for California's civil rights agency has resigned over what she alleged were undue attempts by Gov. Gavin Newsom and his office to interfere in a state lawsuit against video game giant Activision Blizzard.
California state lawyer suing Activision Blizzard is fired
April 14, 2022 GMTSACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A top civil rights lawyer for California was fired while working on a discrimination case against video game giant Activision Blizzard and her colleague quit in protest Wednesday, a whistleblower attorney said.
London firm taking bets on esports launches in New Jersey
April 4, 2022 GMTATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey's first company to take bets on competitive video games said it planned to begin full operations Monday, having completed a trial period for state regulators.
Esports Entertainment Group was approved Friday to end a testing period of “soft play” while New Jersey regulators evaluated its product.
GameStop is surging again on first stock split in 15 years
April 1, 2022 GMTShares of GameStop surged Friday after the video game retailer announced that it would attempt its first stock split in 15 years.
The Grapevine, Texas, company said in a regulatory filing late Thursday that it wants to increase its share count to 1 billion, from 300 million, so it can implement a stock split in the form of a dividend.
Candy Crush Saga among finalists for Video Game Hall of Fame
March 17, 2022 GMTROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) — Candy Crush Saga and Words with Friends, video games that helped make gamers out of anyone with a smartphone, are up for inclusion in the World Video Game Hall of Fame, hall officials said Thursday as they announced a total of 12 finalists.
Tom Holland’s latest adventure ‘Uncharted’ tops box office
February 20, 2022 GMTTom Holland might be without his Spider-Man suit in “Uncharted,” but his latest action-adventure is still doing good business at the North American box office.
The video game adaptation starring Holland and Mark Wahlberg is on its way to earning $51 million over the long Presidents Day weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday.
Arsenal at top of list for Turner, not just for alphabet
February 17, 2022 GMTMatt Turner’s first interest in Arsenal was as simple as A-B-C.
“Both of my older sisters, they played for a club called the Pascack Arsenal,” he recalled of the youth team in New Jersey. “And when I was getting into soccer after the 2010 World Cup, it just — when I’m on FIFA, I’m looking at the first team in the Premier League is Arsenal, and I said, ‘Oh, that kind of makes sense.'”
ATHLETES ON: Killing time when not competing
February 16, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — Football, video games and dress-up are some of the ways athletes at the Beijing Olympics are keeping busy when they're not competing.
As part of the strict COVID-19 protocols, athletes and others at the Games can only move between select sites, Keeping them in that “bubble” is supposed to prevent the virus from getting in or out in the local population.
Review: Tom Holland in the video game adaptation ‘Uncharted’
February 15, 2022 GMTGoonies never say die, and neither do some of their storylines.
“Uncharted," a new movie based on the PlayStation video game, cribs heavily from adventures like “The Goonies” and its holy grail, “Indiana Jones." It's the kind of movie that wears its influences proudly on its sleeve to perhaps enlarge itself by those associations.
Nearly $86K in questionable spending found in ISU office
February 10, 2022 GMTANAMOSA, Iowa (AP) — A state audit has found nearly $86,000 in questionable spending of public money in the Iowa State University Extension Office in Jones County, including thousands spent for personal travel, alcohol, groceries and a video game console.
University of Arizona archive devoted to video games study
February 6, 2022 GMTTUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — When it comes to games, Ken McAllister and Judd Ruggill don’t play around.
The two University of Arizona humanities professors have spent the past two decades quietly assembling what is probably the world’s largest archive devoted to the study of video games and game culture.
Japanese game maker Nintendo’s profits hurt by chips crunch
February 3, 2022 GMTTOKYO (AP) — Nintendo’s profit for the nine months through December slipped 2.5%, as shortages of computer chips hurt production, the Japanese video game maker behind the Super Mario and Pokemon franchises said Thursday.
Spider-Man lifts profit at Japanese electronics maker Sony
February 2, 2022 GMTTOKYO (AP) — Sony’s profit for the quarter through December edged up 11% on healthy sales from its film division, including the new Spider-Man movie, the Japanese electronics and entertainment company said Wednesday.
Sony’s PlayStation buys Bungie, game studio with Xbox ties
January 31, 2022 GMTBELLEVUE, Wash. (AP) — PlayStation-maker Sony is escalating its competition with Xbox-maker Microsoft by buying the video game studio behind one of Xbox's hit games.
Sony Interactive Entertainment said Monday it would spend $3.6 billion to buy Bungie Inc., an independent game publisher based in Bellevue, Washington.
NJ approves company to take bets on competitive video games
January 24, 2022 GMTATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey has approved its first company to take bets on competitive video games, a fast-growing activity known as esports that is popular with young people around the world, officials said Monday.
Rey Mysterio flying high as cover star for WWE 2K22
January 20, 2022 GMTRey Mysterio used to fight with his young son for bragging rights when they played wrestling video games together.
The WWE high-flying superstar has plenty to boast about now — he's on the cover of the WWE 2K22 video game set for a March 11 release.
EXPLAINER: Microsoft’s Activision buy could shake up gaming
January 19, 2022 GMTMicrosoft stunned the gaming industry when it announced this week it would buy game publisher Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion, a deal that would immediately make it a larger video-game company than Nintendo.
Microsoft buys game maker Activision Blizzard for about $70B
January 19, 2022 GMTMicrosoft is paying the enormous sum of nearly $70 billion for Activision Blizzard, the maker of Candy Crush and Call of Duty, a deal that would immediately make it a larger video-game company than Nintendo while raising questions about the deal’s possible anti-competitive effects.
Netflix upping US, Canada prices with competition growing
January 14, 2022 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — Netflix is raising prices for its video streaming customers in the U.S. and Canada, less than a year and a half since its last price increase, as competition from other streaming services increases.
AP Explains: Streaming of German synagogue attack on Twitch
October 10, 2019 GMTSEATTLE (AP) — The attacker who killed two people in a shooting at a German synagogue livestreamed the assault on Twitch, a video service owned by Amazon.
AP Explains: Meet Twitch, Amazon’s live-streaming video site
October 9, 2019 GMTSEATTLE (AP) — The attacker who killed two people in a shooting at a German synagogue live-streamed the assault on Twitch, a video service owned by Amazon.
‘Pong,’ ‘Tetris’ make Video Game Hall of Fame’s first class
June 4, 2015 GMTROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) — The first inductees into the new World Video Game Hall of Fame include "Pong," the game that introduced millions to electronic play, "Doom," which triggered a debate over the role of games and violence in society, and "Super Mario Bros.," whose mustachioed hero has migrated to everything from fruit snacks to sneakers.
‘Minecraft’ most streamed video game in YouTube’s history
May 13, 2015 GMTLOS ANGELES (AP) — "Minecraft" has built a big reputation on YouTube.
The video streaming service announced Wednesday that content featuring the virtual brick-building video game has been watched more than any other interactive title in the 10 years since YouTube launched.