EA have released the first, of what i assume to be many, Blog post regarding the new FIFA 10. In the Blog, they discuss the changes they are making to the FIFA series over last years game, whilst discussing how they listened to critisism about FIFA 09, what some exploits where and what is being done about it in FIFA 10. the gameplay as a whole is going to be refined, whilst they discuss how the game will innovate in cool ways.
They mention that there are more features yet to be announced in the game, that will be unvieled throughout June, July and August.
Blog Post
Blog - 1
David Rutter, Line Producer
FIFA 10 X360 & PS3
By now you should have heard a fair amount about what’s in store for FIFA 10. I’ll cover them again here shortly – but we’ve a lot more coming soon too. Throughout the end of June I’ll be visiting London, Paris, Munich, Madrid, Milan, Warsaw and Moscow to get our game in front of more journalists and unveil a number of additional new features we have deliberately not mentioned yet. And during 19th to 23rd August we’ll be proudly showing the game at the Gamescom in Cologne with some more new features.
Anyway, back to the here and now.
We’re really proud of FIFA 09. Quality wise the game was up there, but being football and football game fanatics we’re never satisfied. So with FIFA 10 we wanted to address 3 key things.
1-Refine our gameplay
2-Respond to feedback from our Fans
3-Innovate in some really cool ways.
About 70% of our effort went on the first 2 items, whilst the remaining 30% was spent on the very cool new innovations we have already revealed and others that we will be revealing in the coming months.
Taking each in turn
Refining our Game
When we look at FIFA 09 the overall quality of the gameplay is good. We’ve been building our ‘Next Gen’ gameplay for three years, and we have managed to address most of our fundamentals to a really satisfactory level. However there were still some frustrations – and we wanted to address them. Week in and week out when we watch real football games we see things that help us to identify how real football players behave, and express themselves on the pitch. With this in mind we focused on a heap of things this year, namely:
Urgency: We wanted to replicate the degrees of urgency on the pitch. When players aren’t involved in immediate ‘action’ they’re more relaxed. As play gets closer they become more alert and responsive to what’s going on around them. So in FIFA 10 this year you’ll see a lot of different motions being used dependent on the state of the play, and the ‘threat’ of the situation. We’ve also worked on new Face Ball logic, to ensure that players are correctly following the play and better prepared to react to the situation. This work even moves into players getting out of the way of teammates passes and shots, and players throwing themselves at the ball with effort – things like diving headers, sliding shots, falling clearances etc.
Trapping: Trapping is how the player gets into a position to control the ball, and how they control it. This year we wanted to get away from inappropriate ‘earliest’ trapping, where a player might move to a position where they would get the ball to touch them as soon as possible, to an ‘easiest’ trapping system, where players move to a position to get the ball under control as easily as possible. Essentially we gave the players more intelligence and awareness of where the most ‘natural’ trapping position is. The net result – a more responsive ball control mechanic to get the ball on the ground, and under control.
Positioning: This year we wanted to ensure that players had more awareness of where their teammates were. A new system call ‘Position Priority’ makes sure that Defensive Midfielders cover at the back if a Centre back has gone up for a corner – and they won’t leave their post until it’s safe for them to do so. Similarly in attack supporting players make more elaborate runs, analyzing space more effectively to curve, stay onside and create space for passes.
Passing: Yet again there was a lot of ‘threat’ analysis work going on. Passing players now have a greater understanding of the space ahead of teammates to make through balls more effective.
Shooting: We really wanted to improve the way the ball moves this year. So we created a tool that enables us to create a context sensitive shooting mechanic. What this means is we can tune the error on shots based on the situation. Factors during a shot like the ball, foot and movement of both now will have the correct effect on the ball and lead to some really cool looking shots.
Defending: We worked not just on the positioning as mentioned above, but also on the slide and standing tackles, and momentum on both. For slide tackling, good players now slide further, so you’ll have more reach. They also have better targeting – so you’ll generally go for the ball rather than the player. Obviously with more reach, you’ve got to time them better, otherwise you’ll be picking yourself up, as the attacker is bearing down on goal. The standing tackle, which was very powerful in 09, is now less forgiving. Defenders will use more momentum in these tackles, so again, if you miss time – you’ll be committed to the wrong direction.
Keepers: Lots of improvements here. We’ve looked at interception logic – calm and collected in low threat situations, through to punches under pressure. Again, lots of urgency work too. The keepers are now far more aggressive coming off their line, but if caught off their line they can scramble back to scoop the ball out of danger. We also worked on the goalies momentum to ensure his saves are realistic.
There’s a heap more too – and I’m sure in upcoming blogs by Creative Director Gary Paterson and gameplay producer Aaron McHardy they’ll be discussing these, and much more, in lots of detail.
Responding to Feedback:
So as I’m writing this we’re nearing the 300 millionth game of FIFA. What a number. And what a lot of feedback. For me feedback has taken 2 forms.
1 – Frustrations
2 – Requests
and I’ll take each in turn…
Frustrations: I’m on the forums a lot, posting and reading. There are a lot of people who love the game, and there are a lot of people who discover, report or exploit things in our game that they’re unhappy with. So, we really want to make the people who have legitimate gripes happy, and the exploiters play fair. Some of the things we’re changing are:
1.Stopping lofted through balls leading to 1 on 1 with the keeper.
2.Preventing goals being scored from kick off
3.Improving shooting so you don’t hit the woodwork so much
4.Making our movement animations look better
5.Working to make offsides less frequent and the advantage rule more intelligent
6.Starting to remove scripted graphical sequences and adding quick free kicks.
We’ve done a lot more too – but this should give you a sense of how much we are actually listening to the frustrations people are telling us about.
Requests: The second part of responding is requests. This year we’re proud to announce that we’re including a Practice Mode within FIFA 10. Using the Back/Select button from the 1 on 1 arena, you’ll be able to bring up a menu enabling you to choose to play a practice match or set pieces. You can change the number of players on each side, and a little blog exclusive here – it’s multiplayer too. Only locally though – you can’t have your online friends join your practice match. But 5 v 5 outfield players, on a full size pitch is now a reality
Innovations
This year we really wanted to change the way the game played. One of the big things we wanted to do was firstly change the player control mechanic, but also to give people more freedom to express themselves realistically on the ball. We’ve managed to do this in 3 ways this year:
1. 360 Degree Dribbling
2.Skilled Dribbling
3.Freedom in Physical Play.
360 Degree Dribbling:
Believe it or not the players in FIFA 09 could only move in 8 directions. Up/Down, Left/Right and Diagonals. You might not have noticed it, but at times this led to a feeling of frustration in the way players dribbled and turned with the ball. 360 Degree dribbling totally frees you from those 8 directional constraints. It’s the first time ever in a football game. Literally a super fluid way to move with the ball. We’ve introduced a larger area of ‘control’ in front of the players, wider dribble touches and a much more responsive and accurate pad reading system to allow you to go wherever you want. With practice it’s even possible to switch the ball from one foot to the other.
Skilled Dribbling
In addition to the 360 system above we wanted to give skilled dribblers the ability to rapidly move the ball laterally. Imagine you’re down near the corner flag and are being pressed by a defender. By pressing the top left bumper you can take rapid, high fidelity touches of the ball to jink left and right to throw defenders momentum. It’s also useful in other areas of the pitch. I like to think of it as a more accessible skill move.
Freedom in Physical Play:
With the wider dribble touches we added a new collision sharing system. In combination with the increased area of possession you’re looking at ‘overlapping’ areas of control. A true fight for possession when you’re shoulder to shoulder. It’s more varied, and when the players are evenly matched, can lead to some great extended and less predictable physical interactions on the pitch.
It’s not just all about gameplay though.
Manager Mode:
We’re fully aware on the team that Manager mode is HUGELY popular. Outside 1 v CPU and 1v1 play it’s the most played gamemode in the game. Using our ‘responding to feedback’ tag line, we just couldn’t ignore the volume of requests coming in to address a number of areas in this mode. We’ve improved 50 major components to Manager mode in the following areas:
1.Match Realism
2.Transfers
3.Player Development
4.Football Atmosphere
Match Realism:
We’ve totally reworked our simulation engine. Results for Sim’d games are now generated minute by minute and are based on individual team strengths and weaknesses - down to the level of individual players, defensive, midfield and attacking lines, and formation. From the simulations we run here – we’re really happy with the realism of the results we’re generating, and our league tables look pretty believable too
Authentic Transfers:
In 09 we were guilty of using financial clout as the main decider for transfer success. This year there’s more decision points. Whilst money is still very important, career prospects and squad opportunity also play an important role in the success of a player’s decision. You’ll also have much more intelligent AI competing against you.
Player Developments:
We wanted to make sure that players developed believably for FIFA 10 – so we’ve invested heavily in making intelligent player growth curves based on a number of factors. These physical, mental and technical curves effect how well a player will develop, as well as where the developing player is based and how we’ll they’re performing.
Football Atmosphere:
The world of football is constantly changing, at a high and low level, and we wanted to inject some much needed authenticity here. You’ll see AI rotating squads based on match performance, have real-time transfer updates on a week by week basis and summaries of what’s going on in your football world.
The Future:
We’re looking at Manager mode as a multiyear investment for us. It’s going to take us a little while to get to a Manager mode that matches the quality of our on pitch gameplay – but we’re really committed to pulling this off
In Closing:
As I mentioned that’s about all I can talk about at the moment – and I know the guys here will be doing more in-depth blogs concerning their ‘features’ as the weeks and months go by. We’ll also be releasing more info on what’s going on regarding our other ‘unannounced features’ over the coming weeks too.
I’m looking forward to reading the feedback from this ‘blog’ and hope that you’re as excited about hearing this stuff, as we are making it
Cheers
D
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Majesco - Financial Results Show a Second Quarter Rise Of Over 60% to $20.5M - Press Release
Majesco have announced second Quarter profits of over 60% ($20.5M) for 2009, whereas in 2008 it was only $12.8M.
They achieved this by sticking to their plan of releasing games that are family friendly and casual. in 2009, 33 titles are expected to be released, 18 DS and 14 Wii.
Majesco have raised the expected profit from $75-$80M to $80-$85M.
Press Release
EDISON, N.J. - June 15, 2009 -- Majesco Entertainment Company (NASDAQ: COOL), an innovative provider of video games for the mass market, today reported financial results for the second quarter and six months ended April 30, 2009.
For the second quarter ended April 30, 2009, Majesco's net revenues increased 60.8 percent to $20.5 million versus $12.8 million in the same period a year ago. During this same period, the Company reported an operating loss of $0.6 million, compared to a $0.3 million loss in the second quarter of 2008. Non-GAAP operating income was $0.5 million versus non-GAAP operating income of $0.2 million in 2008. Net loss for the quarter was $1.7 million versus a net loss of $0.3 million in 2008. On a non-GAAP basis, net income for the quarter was $0.3 million compared to non-GAAP net income of $0.1 million last year.
The Company's basic and diluted net loss per share for the quarter ended April 30, 2009 was $0.06 compared to a net loss per basic and diluted share of $0.01 in the same period last year. Non-GAAP basic and diluted net income per share was $0.01 compared to $0.0 last year.
For the six months ended April 30, 2009, the Company's net revenues increased 69.8 percent to $53.4 million versus the year ago period. During this same period, the Company reported operating income of $3.1 million compared to operating income of $2.1 million in the same 2008 period. Non-GAAP operating income for the six month period was $5.3 million compared to $2.9 million for the comparable 2008 period. Net income through the first six months of fiscal 2009 was $2.5 million versus net income of $2.4 million in the comparable 2008 period. Non-GAAP net income was $4.5 million for the first six months of fiscal 2009 compared to $2.6 million in the same 2008 period.
The Company's basic and diluted earnings per share for the six months ended April 30, 2009 and the six months ended April 30, 2008 was $0.09. The Company's non-GAAP basic and diluted earnings per share for the six months ended April 30, 2009 was $0.16 compared to $0.09 in the comparable 2008 period.
Jesse Sutton, Chief Executive Officer of Majesco, said, "We delivered another impressive quarter as we continued to successfully execute on our business plan and capitalize on the strength of the family friendly, casual game market. Our revenue growth was driven by the continued strength of Jillian Michaels' Fitness Ultimatum 2009 and our Cooking Mamafranchise. During the quarter we launched Gardening Mama, our first brand extension of the Mama franchise, which delivered a solid performance and demonstrated the power of the Mama brand and its ability to extend beyond cooking. As expected, profitability in the quarter was dampened by our strategic marketing campaigns as we made investments to support the growth of our franchises and most promising titles. We believe the benefits of these investments will continue beyond the first half of 2009 and help drive future growth. Despite these investments, for the first six months of fiscal 2009 we delivered improved operating and net income on both a GAAP and non-GAAP basis. For the first six months, our non-GAAP operating income grew $2.4 million or 83 percent to $5.3 million, while our non-GAAP net income reached $4.5 million, an increase of $1.9 million or 75 percent.
"As a result of our success to date this year, and the strength of our release schedule for the rest of the fiscal year we have increased our revenue guidance for fiscal 2009 to $80 to $85 million. We remain focused on prudently managing our costs and are committed to delivering profitable growth. We have a proven strategy, are executing operationally and believe we have the right team in place to continue creating value for our shareholders over the long-term."
Financial Highlights
-- Second quarter 2009 net revenues for the U.S. were $20.3 million, an increase of $8.9 million or 78 percent compared to the same quarter last year. Second quarter 2009 international sales were $0.3 million, a decline of $1.1 million or 81 percent compared to the same period of 2008.
-- For the six months year-to-date, net revenues for the U.S. were $52.0 million, an increase of $22.2 million or 74 percent compared to the same period last year. International sales for the same period declined $0.3 million or 17 percent compared to the same period last year.
-- Net Sales for the Wii increased $7.5 million, or 235 percent, to $10.7 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2009. DS sales for the same period increased 3 percent, from $9.0 million to $9.3 million.
-- For the six months year-to-date, Wii sales increased $24.8 million, or 359 percent, to $31.7 million. DS sales for the same period declined 12 percent from $23.2 million to $20.5 million.
-- The second quarter of 2009 also includes $1.0 million in advertising expense (included in selling and marketing) in support of the Company's strategic marketing initiatives and a loss on impairment of development costs of $0.3 million (included in general and administrative) due to cancellation of titles in development.
-- The six months ended April 30, 2009 also includes $2.3 million in advertising expense (included in selling and marketing) in support of the Company's strategic marketing initiatives and a loss on impairment of development costs of $0.3 million (included in general and administrative) due to cancellation of titles in development.
Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and Non-GAAP Metrics
To facilitate a comparison between the three and six months ended April 30, 2009 and 2008, the Company has presented both GAAP and Non-GAAP financial results. GAAP financial measures, including operating income, net income, and basic and diluted earnings per share, have been adjusted to report certain Non-GAAP financial measures.
These Non-GAAP financial measures exclude the following items from the Company's unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations:
Expenses related to non-cash compensation
Net proceeds from sale of income tax net operating loss carryforwards
Settlement charges related to the settlement of class action litigation
Change in fair value of warrants
Expenses for the California studio which will be closed in the third quarter fiscal 2009
These Non-GAAP measures are provided to enhance investors' overall understanding of the Company's current financial performance and the Company's prospects for the future. These measures should be considered in addition to results prepared in accordance with GAAP, but should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, GAAP results.
For more information on these Non-GAAP financial measures, please see the tables in this release captioned "Reconciliation of GAAP and Non-GAAP Financial Measures" which includes a reconciliation of the Non-GAAP to the GAAP results.
Announced Product Line-up
Third Quarter 2009 ending July 31, 2009:
All of the following titles have been or are expected to be released in North America during the Company's third quarter:
-- Go Play Lumberjacks for Wii is the first game in Majesco's recently announced Go Playline of motion-based, family friendly Wii titles that lets players use the Wii Remote to chop, climb, saw and logroll to victory in 5 entertaining events that include support for the Wii Balance Board accessory.
-- Go Play Circus Star for Wii is the second game in Majesco's recently announced Go Playline that includes a full collection of all-time favorite circus attractions. Featuring support for the Wii Balance Board accessory, the game lets players wow the crowd with death-defying stunts, animal tricks and sleight of hand in 15 different events.
-- Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian for Wii/DS/360/PC follows the storyline of Twentieth Century Fox's highly anticipated theatrical release of the same name which debuted in theaters May 22nd. Featuring the voice and likeness of the film's star, Ben Stiller, the game brings the movie experience directly into the home with all of the excitement and humor from the feature film.
-- Drama Queens for DS tasks players with juggling their love life, career and friendships as they compete in a popularity contest set within a virtual 3D board game.
-- Math Blaster in the Prime Adventure for DS is inspired by the original hit PC game from Knowledge Adventure that makes learning fun by combining a variety of adventure-based learning games with challenging mathematic puzzles and the unique capabilities of Nintendo DS.
-- Rollin' Rascals for DS is an addictive puzzler that challenges players to roll adorable pets around obstacles and into identical pairs to clear them from the game board.
-- Powerbike for DS is an intense motorcycle racer that features death-defying stunts, intense police chases and competitive multiplayer modes.
-- Ultimate Game Room for DS is a compilation of 3 classic recreational sports-Pool, Darts and Bowling-that lets players compete against friends on the go.
-- Puffins Island Adventure for DS lets players experience life as part of a Puffin flock as they fly, dive, swim, explore and start a family in this fun and educational experience focused on one of nature's more unusual and endearing sea birds.
-- Marker Man Adventures for DS is a unique game based on drawing and physics challenges in which players maneuver the charming stick figure, Marker Man, through a myriad of scrolling world puzzles in his attempt to find his best friend, Doodles.
-- Escape the Museum for Wii traps players in the National Museum of History after a devastating earthquake. Players search the museum for survivors and priceless archeological artifacts by completing 12 different hunt and find areas and 25 action-packed adventure scenes.
-- Hot and Cold: A 3D Hidden Object Adventure for DSiWare is inspired by the classic children's game in which players use temperature cues to indicate proximity to an item. Players will search through 50 multi-room levels using the Hot and Cold Meter as a guide for discovering hundreds of items with real world physics.
Fourth Quarter 2009 Ending October 31, 2009:
To date, the Company has announced the following titles that are expected to be released during its fiscal fourth quarter 2009:
-- Go Play City Sports for Wii is the third game in Majesco's new Go Play line. This compilation of urban sports lets players compete against the best neighborhood athletes in six classic games, including stickball, kickball, handball, rooftop hockey, shootout soccer and jump rope. The game also features four player gameplay and support for the Wii Balance Board accessory.
-- My Hero: Firefighter for DS is part of Majesco's new aspirational line of My Hero adventure games that lets players experience firsthand the heroic acts of the role models they look up to. Players use the stylus as a fire hose, ladder and ax as they complete 13 varied missions relating to fire emergencies and courageous rescues.
-- My Hero: Astronaut for DS is the first astronaut game available and also part of Majesco's new aspirational line of My Hero adventure games. On an expedition to Mars, players will pilot a Space Rover, Space Shuttle, and Lunar Lander as they blast off through over 40 different missions that include landing on a space station, repairing satellites, destroying meteors and more.
-- Our House: Party! for Wii turns the Wii Remote into the ultimate home renovation tool that lets up to four players compete party style to build their own personalized trophy home that they can then share with friends via WiiConnect24.
-- Our House for DS is a companion game to the Wii version. The title lets players work as contractors and then use their work-for-hire earnings to design, build and decorate their own personalized home.
-- A Boy and His Blob for Wii is IGN's Best of E3 runner-up in the Wii Platformer category. The game is a rebirth of the NES classic that expands upon the original platform adventure and features groundbreaking hand drawn and painted animation technology. By feeding the blob jelly beans, players can activate his special abilities to transform him into tools that help the pair solve puzzles, defeat monsters and escape danger.
First Quarter Fiscal 2010 Ending January 31, 2010
To date, the Company has announced the following titles that are expected to be released during its fiscal first quarter 2010, which includes the holiday sales period:
-- Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2010 for Wii and Jillian Michaels Pocket Trainer 2010 for DS feature the celebrity fitness trainer, life coach, and star of the popular television series The Biggest Loser as she leads players through high-intensity, one-on-one workouts while providing direct feedback and motivation to help players reach their personal fitness goals.
-- My Hero: Doctor for DS is part of Majesco's new aspirational line of My Hero adventure games. As a doctor's apprentice, players will manage 10 major medical emergencies by utilizing the microphone and stylus as an all-in-one medical tool.
-- Dawn of Heroes for DS is a tactical role playing game that combines classic RPG concepts-including character development, epic combat, quests and puzzles-with a humorous style.
-- Flip's Twisted World for Wii, a Gamespot E3 '09 Editor's Choice award finalist, is a unique puzzle platformer that stars Flip, a magician's apprentice who mistakenly gets sucked into a cubed world where up and down are only a matter of perspective. Players will help Flip escape his cube prison by rotating the environment 90 degrees in any direction with a simple twist of the Wii Remote.
Fiscal 2009 Outlook
The Company increased its outlook for fiscal 2009 full year net revenue to $80 to $85 million from its previous outlook provided on March 11, 2009 of full year net revenue of $75 to $80 million. The Company expects non-GAAP earnings per share to be between $0.10 and $0.14 for the fiscal 2009 full year. The guidance reflects both the success of the first half of fiscal 2009, and the costs of the investments it is making to support and extend the Cooking Mamafranchise and to build out the new Go Play brand. The Company's guidance assumes the release of approximately 33 titles in 2009 including 18 DS and 14 Wii. The Company's results are also impacted by seasonality from the December holiday period and variability based on release schedules.
They achieved this by sticking to their plan of releasing games that are family friendly and casual. in 2009, 33 titles are expected to be released, 18 DS and 14 Wii.
Majesco have raised the expected profit from $75-$80M to $80-$85M.
Press Release
EDISON, N.J. - June 15, 2009 -- Majesco Entertainment Company (NASDAQ: COOL), an innovative provider of video games for the mass market, today reported financial results for the second quarter and six months ended April 30, 2009.
For the second quarter ended April 30, 2009, Majesco's net revenues increased 60.8 percent to $20.5 million versus $12.8 million in the same period a year ago. During this same period, the Company reported an operating loss of $0.6 million, compared to a $0.3 million loss in the second quarter of 2008. Non-GAAP operating income was $0.5 million versus non-GAAP operating income of $0.2 million in 2008. Net loss for the quarter was $1.7 million versus a net loss of $0.3 million in 2008. On a non-GAAP basis, net income for the quarter was $0.3 million compared to non-GAAP net income of $0.1 million last year.
The Company's basic and diluted net loss per share for the quarter ended April 30, 2009 was $0.06 compared to a net loss per basic and diluted share of $0.01 in the same period last year. Non-GAAP basic and diluted net income per share was $0.01 compared to $0.0 last year.
For the six months ended April 30, 2009, the Company's net revenues increased 69.8 percent to $53.4 million versus the year ago period. During this same period, the Company reported operating income of $3.1 million compared to operating income of $2.1 million in the same 2008 period. Non-GAAP operating income for the six month period was $5.3 million compared to $2.9 million for the comparable 2008 period. Net income through the first six months of fiscal 2009 was $2.5 million versus net income of $2.4 million in the comparable 2008 period. Non-GAAP net income was $4.5 million for the first six months of fiscal 2009 compared to $2.6 million in the same 2008 period.
The Company's basic and diluted earnings per share for the six months ended April 30, 2009 and the six months ended April 30, 2008 was $0.09. The Company's non-GAAP basic and diluted earnings per share for the six months ended April 30, 2009 was $0.16 compared to $0.09 in the comparable 2008 period.
Jesse Sutton, Chief Executive Officer of Majesco, said, "We delivered another impressive quarter as we continued to successfully execute on our business plan and capitalize on the strength of the family friendly, casual game market. Our revenue growth was driven by the continued strength of Jillian Michaels' Fitness Ultimatum 2009 and our Cooking Mamafranchise. During the quarter we launched Gardening Mama, our first brand extension of the Mama franchise, which delivered a solid performance and demonstrated the power of the Mama brand and its ability to extend beyond cooking. As expected, profitability in the quarter was dampened by our strategic marketing campaigns as we made investments to support the growth of our franchises and most promising titles. We believe the benefits of these investments will continue beyond the first half of 2009 and help drive future growth. Despite these investments, for the first six months of fiscal 2009 we delivered improved operating and net income on both a GAAP and non-GAAP basis. For the first six months, our non-GAAP operating income grew $2.4 million or 83 percent to $5.3 million, while our non-GAAP net income reached $4.5 million, an increase of $1.9 million or 75 percent.
"As a result of our success to date this year, and the strength of our release schedule for the rest of the fiscal year we have increased our revenue guidance for fiscal 2009 to $80 to $85 million. We remain focused on prudently managing our costs and are committed to delivering profitable growth. We have a proven strategy, are executing operationally and believe we have the right team in place to continue creating value for our shareholders over the long-term."
Financial Highlights
-- Second quarter 2009 net revenues for the U.S. were $20.3 million, an increase of $8.9 million or 78 percent compared to the same quarter last year. Second quarter 2009 international sales were $0.3 million, a decline of $1.1 million or 81 percent compared to the same period of 2008.
-- For the six months year-to-date, net revenues for the U.S. were $52.0 million, an increase of $22.2 million or 74 percent compared to the same period last year. International sales for the same period declined $0.3 million or 17 percent compared to the same period last year.
-- Net Sales for the Wii increased $7.5 million, or 235 percent, to $10.7 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2009. DS sales for the same period increased 3 percent, from $9.0 million to $9.3 million.
-- For the six months year-to-date, Wii sales increased $24.8 million, or 359 percent, to $31.7 million. DS sales for the same period declined 12 percent from $23.2 million to $20.5 million.
-- The second quarter of 2009 also includes $1.0 million in advertising expense (included in selling and marketing) in support of the Company's strategic marketing initiatives and a loss on impairment of development costs of $0.3 million (included in general and administrative) due to cancellation of titles in development.
-- The six months ended April 30, 2009 also includes $2.3 million in advertising expense (included in selling and marketing) in support of the Company's strategic marketing initiatives and a loss on impairment of development costs of $0.3 million (included in general and administrative) due to cancellation of titles in development.
Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and Non-GAAP Metrics
To facilitate a comparison between the three and six months ended April 30, 2009 and 2008, the Company has presented both GAAP and Non-GAAP financial results. GAAP financial measures, including operating income, net income, and basic and diluted earnings per share, have been adjusted to report certain Non-GAAP financial measures.
These Non-GAAP financial measures exclude the following items from the Company's unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations:
Expenses related to non-cash compensation
Net proceeds from sale of income tax net operating loss carryforwards
Settlement charges related to the settlement of class action litigation
Change in fair value of warrants
Expenses for the California studio which will be closed in the third quarter fiscal 2009
These Non-GAAP measures are provided to enhance investors' overall understanding of the Company's current financial performance and the Company's prospects for the future. These measures should be considered in addition to results prepared in accordance with GAAP, but should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, GAAP results.
For more information on these Non-GAAP financial measures, please see the tables in this release captioned "Reconciliation of GAAP and Non-GAAP Financial Measures" which includes a reconciliation of the Non-GAAP to the GAAP results.
Announced Product Line-up
Third Quarter 2009 ending July 31, 2009:
All of the following titles have been or are expected to be released in North America during the Company's third quarter:
-- Go Play Lumberjacks for Wii is the first game in Majesco's recently announced Go Playline of motion-based, family friendly Wii titles that lets players use the Wii Remote to chop, climb, saw and logroll to victory in 5 entertaining events that include support for the Wii Balance Board accessory.
-- Go Play Circus Star for Wii is the second game in Majesco's recently announced Go Playline that includes a full collection of all-time favorite circus attractions. Featuring support for the Wii Balance Board accessory, the game lets players wow the crowd with death-defying stunts, animal tricks and sleight of hand in 15 different events.
-- Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian for Wii/DS/360/PC follows the storyline of Twentieth Century Fox's highly anticipated theatrical release of the same name which debuted in theaters May 22nd. Featuring the voice and likeness of the film's star, Ben Stiller, the game brings the movie experience directly into the home with all of the excitement and humor from the feature film.
-- Drama Queens for DS tasks players with juggling their love life, career and friendships as they compete in a popularity contest set within a virtual 3D board game.
-- Math Blaster in the Prime Adventure for DS is inspired by the original hit PC game from Knowledge Adventure that makes learning fun by combining a variety of adventure-based learning games with challenging mathematic puzzles and the unique capabilities of Nintendo DS.
-- Rollin' Rascals for DS is an addictive puzzler that challenges players to roll adorable pets around obstacles and into identical pairs to clear them from the game board.
-- Powerbike for DS is an intense motorcycle racer that features death-defying stunts, intense police chases and competitive multiplayer modes.
-- Ultimate Game Room for DS is a compilation of 3 classic recreational sports-Pool, Darts and Bowling-that lets players compete against friends on the go.
-- Puffins Island Adventure for DS lets players experience life as part of a Puffin flock as they fly, dive, swim, explore and start a family in this fun and educational experience focused on one of nature's more unusual and endearing sea birds.
-- Marker Man Adventures for DS is a unique game based on drawing and physics challenges in which players maneuver the charming stick figure, Marker Man, through a myriad of scrolling world puzzles in his attempt to find his best friend, Doodles.
-- Escape the Museum for Wii traps players in the National Museum of History after a devastating earthquake. Players search the museum for survivors and priceless archeological artifacts by completing 12 different hunt and find areas and 25 action-packed adventure scenes.
-- Hot and Cold: A 3D Hidden Object Adventure for DSiWare is inspired by the classic children's game in which players use temperature cues to indicate proximity to an item. Players will search through 50 multi-room levels using the Hot and Cold Meter as a guide for discovering hundreds of items with real world physics.
Fourth Quarter 2009 Ending October 31, 2009:
To date, the Company has announced the following titles that are expected to be released during its fiscal fourth quarter 2009:
-- Go Play City Sports for Wii is the third game in Majesco's new Go Play line. This compilation of urban sports lets players compete against the best neighborhood athletes in six classic games, including stickball, kickball, handball, rooftop hockey, shootout soccer and jump rope. The game also features four player gameplay and support for the Wii Balance Board accessory.
-- My Hero: Firefighter for DS is part of Majesco's new aspirational line of My Hero adventure games that lets players experience firsthand the heroic acts of the role models they look up to. Players use the stylus as a fire hose, ladder and ax as they complete 13 varied missions relating to fire emergencies and courageous rescues.
-- My Hero: Astronaut for DS is the first astronaut game available and also part of Majesco's new aspirational line of My Hero adventure games. On an expedition to Mars, players will pilot a Space Rover, Space Shuttle, and Lunar Lander as they blast off through over 40 different missions that include landing on a space station, repairing satellites, destroying meteors and more.
-- Our House: Party! for Wii turns the Wii Remote into the ultimate home renovation tool that lets up to four players compete party style to build their own personalized trophy home that they can then share with friends via WiiConnect24.
-- Our House for DS is a companion game to the Wii version. The title lets players work as contractors and then use their work-for-hire earnings to design, build and decorate their own personalized home.
-- A Boy and His Blob for Wii is IGN's Best of E3 runner-up in the Wii Platformer category. The game is a rebirth of the NES classic that expands upon the original platform adventure and features groundbreaking hand drawn and painted animation technology. By feeding the blob jelly beans, players can activate his special abilities to transform him into tools that help the pair solve puzzles, defeat monsters and escape danger.
First Quarter Fiscal 2010 Ending January 31, 2010
To date, the Company has announced the following titles that are expected to be released during its fiscal first quarter 2010, which includes the holiday sales period:
-- Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2010 for Wii and Jillian Michaels Pocket Trainer 2010 for DS feature the celebrity fitness trainer, life coach, and star of the popular television series The Biggest Loser as she leads players through high-intensity, one-on-one workouts while providing direct feedback and motivation to help players reach their personal fitness goals.
-- My Hero: Doctor for DS is part of Majesco's new aspirational line of My Hero adventure games. As a doctor's apprentice, players will manage 10 major medical emergencies by utilizing the microphone and stylus as an all-in-one medical tool.
-- Dawn of Heroes for DS is a tactical role playing game that combines classic RPG concepts-including character development, epic combat, quests and puzzles-with a humorous style.
-- Flip's Twisted World for Wii, a Gamespot E3 '09 Editor's Choice award finalist, is a unique puzzle platformer that stars Flip, a magician's apprentice who mistakenly gets sucked into a cubed world where up and down are only a matter of perspective. Players will help Flip escape his cube prison by rotating the environment 90 degrees in any direction with a simple twist of the Wii Remote.
Fiscal 2009 Outlook
The Company increased its outlook for fiscal 2009 full year net revenue to $80 to $85 million from its previous outlook provided on March 11, 2009 of full year net revenue of $75 to $80 million. The Company expects non-GAAP earnings per share to be between $0.10 and $0.14 for the fiscal 2009 full year. The guidance reflects both the success of the first half of fiscal 2009, and the costs of the investments it is making to support and extend the Cooking Mamafranchise and to build out the new Go Play brand. The Company's guidance assumes the release of approximately 33 titles in 2009 including 18 DS and 14 Wii. The Company's results are also impacted by seasonality from the December holiday period and variability based on release schedules.
Re-Cap of Yesterdays News (oldest to newest)
UK Game Charts, Sims 3 top, Prototype, Red Faction, Wii Fit, and UFC 2009 are top 5. http://tinyurl.com/nh3kf4
DSi: New pokemon screens show map, pokedex, pre-order bonus, pokewalk, team rocket and your rival. http://tinyurl.com/mjcp6u
QTE Blog: Re-Cap of The Weekends News (oldest to newest) http://tinyurl.com/nz8vhh
QTE Blog: Sega - Wacky World Of Sports Screens http://tinyurl.com/nx4qgd
ID thought 3D Realms cancellation of Duke Nukem Forever was some Internet joke. http://tinyurl.com/lccrfr
QTE Blog: EA - Need For Speed Shift Driver Profiles Detailed - Press Release http://tinyurl.com/m2jn6a
PS3: Pre-Paid PSN Cards have been spotted in Canada. http://tinyurl.com/koorxj
Bionic Commando sold only 27.000 units during it's first two weeks on sale, 19th may release, in USA. http://tinyurl.com/muqza8
PS3: Comet Crash is getting patched to 1.01. brings video record, country flags and other small changes. http://tinyurl.com/marufa
Wii: Ubisoft have announced that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Smash Up is out on 25th September in UK. http://tinyurl.com/mazdd6
360: In the 1 VS 100 Beta, "Season Pass" was in the menu's. it's content couldn't be downloaded. http://tinyurl.com/nocftb
Burnout Paradise DLC, Big Surf Island, allows player to unlockToy versions of the legendary cars. http://tinyurl.com/knzoch
PSP: There are no plans for a portable Uncharted game. http://tinyurl.com/lzea4f
QTE Blog: jOG - Study Shows using jOG for a hour can give the user their recommended steps to be health.. http://tinyurl.com/krzz8n
Kojima calls MGS Peace Walker his MGS 5. MGS Rising is a different kind of action game. http://tinyurl.com/mphhbm
Aliens Colonial Marines won't be out this year. the rumored DS version has been confirmed. http://tinyurl.com/lnn2sh
A survey has been spotted for Call Of Duty. it talks about monetizing it, similar to MMO, for many features. http://tinyurl.com/ly394c
Some people are accusing Fallout 3 Dev's of Plagiarizing a book called The Penultimate Truth by Philip Dicks. http://tinyurl.com/mkauze
PS3:New Echochrome patch coming June 18th. brining PlaystationEye/Youtube uploader support, DTS support, and more http://tinyurl.com/m4opzl
PC: Verizon has announced that it'll offer, for $9.99 a month, 1.400 PC games for download via it's broadband. http://tinyurl.com/lvzkny
iPhone: Peggle sale brings Peggle game sales in the three days to nearly sales of the last 3 weeks. http://tinyurl.com/m95fs3
Wii: Super Monkey Ball Step & Roll has been patented. would use Wii Balance board. No official confirmation. http://tinyurl.com/mp3f2f
360: Lawsuit against Apogee/3DRealms mentions a 360 port of Duke Nukem Forever. Take Two wanted a 360 Port. http://tinyurl.com/mwmqrh
Wii: light blue Wiimote +Motion Plus and nunchuk announced for 5.000 who register Wii Sports Resort in japan. http://tinyurl.com/n9cqhr
Monday, June 15, 2009
jOG - Study Shows using jOG for a hour can give the user their recommended steps to be healthy - Press Release
A Study by John Moores University, Liverpool, has shown that by using the jOG peripheral for the Wii for a hour is enough for the user to get the governments recommended steps to keep healthy.
The device hooks to your belt, whilst the Nunchuk and Wiimote connect into it. it measures the steps you take and moves the characters on screen to your steps. it works with many current Wii games.
Press Release
LONDON --(Business Wire)-- Jun 15, 2009 The study by John Moores University in Liverpool revealed that one hour using jOG to play a typical Wii game involves taking 6,000-10,000 steps. 10,000 steps is the number the government recommends adults take each day to stay healthy. jOG more than tripled energy expenditure, and increased heart rate by 40% compared to seated game play, in the young adults who participated in the tests.
Launched earlier this year, the jOG is an add-on controller for the Wii that detects body motion. When the player takes a step, so does the game character on screen. Players become immersed in the game and are compelled to take light exercise. The jOG works with many existing Wii games and is a small device connected between the Nunchuk and Wii Remote that clips onto the player’s belt or waistband.
Information about this revolutionary new Wii controller is available at www.jog2play.com. There is also a competition to win a jOG, plus a Wii console and five games, which is open until 27th July. Visitors to the website will also be able to see the jOG in action as members of the public can upload clips of themselves using the jOG.
Already widely acclaimed, the jOG has been named the Gadget Show’s number one product from the UK Toy Fair 2009. It has also been rated ‘Essential Gadget’ by The Sun and featured on Jo Whiley’s show on BBC Radio 1.
Brendan Ludden, Managing Director of NCG said: “We’re really proud that we’ve achieved what we set out to do – to produce a unique accessory that adds to the sense of immersion as you play your favourite games, that is great fun and contributes to your daily recommended exercise.”
The jOG is currently available through online retailers www.amazon.co.uk, www.firebox.com, www.iwantoneofthose.com, www.prezzybox.com, www.play.com andwww.game.co.uk. It is also available through these high street retailers: Argos, Smyths Toy Superstores, Toys R Us, WHSmith and Asda.
The device hooks to your belt, whilst the Nunchuk and Wiimote connect into it. it measures the steps you take and moves the characters on screen to your steps. it works with many current Wii games.
Press Release
LONDON --(Business Wire)-- Jun 15, 2009 The study by John Moores University in Liverpool revealed that one hour using jOG to play a typical Wii game involves taking 6,000-10,000 steps. 10,000 steps is the number the government recommends adults take each day to stay healthy. jOG more than tripled energy expenditure, and increased heart rate by 40% compared to seated game play, in the young adults who participated in the tests.
Launched earlier this year, the jOG is an add-on controller for the Wii that detects body motion. When the player takes a step, so does the game character on screen. Players become immersed in the game and are compelled to take light exercise. The jOG works with many existing Wii games and is a small device connected between the Nunchuk and Wii Remote that clips onto the player’s belt or waistband.
Information about this revolutionary new Wii controller is available at www.jog2play.com. There is also a competition to win a jOG, plus a Wii console and five games, which is open until 27th July. Visitors to the website will also be able to see the jOG in action as members of the public can upload clips of themselves using the jOG.
Already widely acclaimed, the jOG has been named the Gadget Show’s number one product from the UK Toy Fair 2009. It has also been rated ‘Essential Gadget’ by The Sun and featured on Jo Whiley’s show on BBC Radio 1.
Brendan Ludden, Managing Director of NCG said: “We’re really proud that we’ve achieved what we set out to do – to produce a unique accessory that adds to the sense of immersion as you play your favourite games, that is great fun and contributes to your daily recommended exercise.”
The jOG is currently available through online retailers www.amazon.co.uk, www.firebox.com, www.iwantoneofthose.com, www.prezzybox.com, www.play.com andwww.game.co.uk. It is also available through these high street retailers: Argos, Smyths Toy Superstores, Toys R Us, WHSmith and Asda.
EA - Need For Speed Shift Driver Profiles Detailed - Press Release
EA have released information regarding driver profiles in their upcoming game Need For Speed Shift.
The Driver Profile runs through the single player and multiplayer games that is unique to each player as it's based on the way the player plays the game. It measures the players driving personality, basically their driving style, the players success, whether they go for wins or positions, and the badges earned, these relate to "achievements" that can be obtained during a race.
The Driver Profile then creates rivalries, challenges and customisation options relevant to the player alone.
Press Release
Guildford, UK – June 15, 2009 – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced details on the exclusive driver profile system in Need for Speed™ SHIFT. Driver profile is the ultimate extension of the true driver’s experience. Extending through the single player career and online multiplayer modes, driver profile gives each player a unique game experience based on the way each player drives on the track. This exclusive driver profile system pushes the entire racing genre forward.
Driver profile is a tailor-made career mode based on four key game play components:
1. Personality - a player’s driving style determines whether they are an aggressive or precise driver.
2. Success - as in every race, the ultimate goal is to finish at the top of the podium.
3. Profile points - every car passed, every corner mastered, every opponent taken out generates profile points.
4. Badges - these unique icons bring individuality and style to each player’s driver profile, as each player races and completes top achievements.
As a player’s driver profile develops through the course of the game, it creates rivalries, triggers specific challenges and even unlocks vehicles and customization options. Need for Speed SHIFT’s multiple reward systems keeps players in each race regardless of their position.
“The new driver profile feature in Need for Speed SHIFT gives players full control of how they progress through game,” said Patrick Soderlund, Senior Vice President of EA Games Europe. “In SHIFT, how you drive is who you are behind the wheel.”
Need for Speed SHIFT is being developed by Slightly Mad Studios in collaboration with Black Box and Patrick Soderlund. Slightly Mad Studios includes developers and designers that worked on the critically acclaimed games GT Legends and GTR 2. The PSP® (PlayStation® Portable) version is being developed by EA’s Bright Light studio.
Need for Speed SHIFT is scheduled for release in the UK on September 18 on the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system, PC and PSP® system. More information can be found atwww.eagames.co.uk/shift or follow us on Twitter at NeedforSpeed. Press can download assets at www.eagames.co.uk/press
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTSTM, EATM, EA SPORTS Freestyle TM and POGOTM. In fiscal 2009, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $4.2 billion and had 31 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com
EA, EA SPORTS, EA Mobile, POGO and Need for Speed are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.
The Driver Profile runs through the single player and multiplayer games that is unique to each player as it's based on the way the player plays the game. It measures the players driving personality, basically their driving style, the players success, whether they go for wins or positions, and the badges earned, these relate to "achievements" that can be obtained during a race.
The Driver Profile then creates rivalries, challenges and customisation options relevant to the player alone.
Press Release
Guildford, UK – June 15, 2009 – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced details on the exclusive driver profile system in Need for Speed™ SHIFT. Driver profile is the ultimate extension of the true driver’s experience. Extending through the single player career and online multiplayer modes, driver profile gives each player a unique game experience based on the way each player drives on the track. This exclusive driver profile system pushes the entire racing genre forward.
Driver profile is a tailor-made career mode based on four key game play components:
1. Personality - a player’s driving style determines whether they are an aggressive or precise driver.
2. Success - as in every race, the ultimate goal is to finish at the top of the podium.
3. Profile points - every car passed, every corner mastered, every opponent taken out generates profile points.
4. Badges - these unique icons bring individuality and style to each player’s driver profile, as each player races and completes top achievements.
As a player’s driver profile develops through the course of the game, it creates rivalries, triggers specific challenges and even unlocks vehicles and customization options. Need for Speed SHIFT’s multiple reward systems keeps players in each race regardless of their position.
“The new driver profile feature in Need for Speed SHIFT gives players full control of how they progress through game,” said Patrick Soderlund, Senior Vice President of EA Games Europe. “In SHIFT, how you drive is who you are behind the wheel.”
Need for Speed SHIFT is being developed by Slightly Mad Studios in collaboration with Black Box and Patrick Soderlund. Slightly Mad Studios includes developers and designers that worked on the critically acclaimed games GT Legends and GTR 2. The PSP® (PlayStation® Portable) version is being developed by EA’s Bright Light studio.
Need for Speed SHIFT is scheduled for release in the UK on September 18 on the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system, PC and PSP® system. More information can be found atwww.eagames.co.uk/shift or follow us on Twitter at NeedforSpeed. Press can download assets at www.eagames.co.uk/press
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTSTM, EATM, EA SPORTS Freestyle TM and POGOTM. In fiscal 2009, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $4.2 billion and had 31 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com
EA, EA SPORTS, EA Mobile, POGO and Need for Speed are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.
Sega - Wacky World Of Sports Screens
Sega have released screens for Wacky World Of Sports, showing wacky racing, wacky tuna tossing and wacky ironing.
Re-Cap of The Weekends News (oldest to newest)
DSi: a Picture of all of pokemon's Pixels characters, buildings, pokemon and more together in one "poster" http://tinyurl.com/ndwmtr
PSPgo: it's rumored at Games Con Sony will announce a PSPgo shop. games/apps cost $2-$6, be under 100mb + more. http://tinyurl.com/nhhddv
Metal Gear Solid Rising will not use the MGS 4 engine. a new one is being built, will look better than MGS 4. http://tinyurl.com/neqgob
Criterion has said that nobody's maxed out the 360/PS3, those who say it have just ran out of ideas. http://tinyurl.com/lclk9v
Analysts predict that by the end of 2009, modern Warfare 2 will have shipped over 11 million units. http://tinyurl.com/kor4sb
Wii: Capcom have not denied that there could be a Street Fighter IV game. core elements possible. http://bit.ly/w0VFy
PC: Ghostbusters requires Internet connection to authenticate the game, doesn't use the Internet again at all. http://tinyurl.com/lfrzlc
Obsidian, Fallout New Vegas dev's, are working on a forth game. currently unannounced, it uses their own engine. http://tinyurl.com/kuvlcx
DSi: The ESRb has a listing for Gauntlet, published by Majesco. the game had been canceled by backbone. http://tinyurl.com/lbd8sy
QTE Blog: What Have You Played This Week? http://tinyurl.com/mndv4l
PS3: Final Fantasy Tactics has been rated by the ESRb. most likely PS1 Classic. http://tinyurl.com/mx3vn3
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