Village Gamer

Social game developer Zynga Inc. is suffering from a 53% plunge in user engagement in just under three years due largely to its focus on the declining simulation game market, says research produced by social game analytics company dystillr Inc. An analysis of Zynga conducted by the Halifax-based company shows that Zynga players interacted with one of that company’s games an average of 9.8 times per month in November 2009. From that peak, the number has decreased to 4.6 times as of October 2012. Read the rest of this entry »

Air Canada has launched a contest to help name its new low-cost leisure airline that will begin service in 2013. The carrier is asking customers and travel agents to visit Air Canada’s Facebook page to submit their suggestions. Entrants become eligible to win one of three Air Canada Vacations gift certificates each valued at $1,500 towards a holiday package vacation courtesy of Air Canada Vacations.  Winners will be selected from among the entries selected by Air Canada as most closely reflecting the new leisure carrier. The contest kicks off today and runs until October 21, 2012. Visit the Air Canada Facebook pagefor instructions to enter and contest details. Read the rest of this entry »

Vancouver indie developer Dingo Games has announced the studio’s new game, Clumsy Cat. In this iOS game you’ll control a cat wreaking havoc on a house. The cat’s owners will only be gone for a few minutes, so you’ll have to do as much damage as possible before they get back. How much destruction can one cat really do? Read the rest of this entry »

Route1 Inc. has announced that the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario has designated the Company as a Privacy by Design (PbD) Ambassador for its commitment to secure remote access and identity management, evidenced in the development and success of the MobiKEY. A security and identity management company, Route1 customers include both government and military organizations in the U.S. and Canada, as well as private sector businesses such as law firms, healthcare facilities and financial institutions. Read the rest of this entry »

If you go down to the woods today… actually, don’t go down to the woods there’s no internet connection there so you won’t be able to download Behaviour Interactive’s Naughty Bear Panic in Paradise for Xbox LIVE® Arcade for the Xbox 360® and PlayStation®Network. Not only can you join Naughty on his quest to wipe out all 36 bears on his hit list from today but you can also get your paws on the first two pieces of downloadable content as well. Relive your favourite 70’s horror moments with the Paradise Island Chainsaw Massacre set containing the Bearface mask, costume and chainsaw weapon complete with a unique ultra-kill for 240 Microsoft points or $2.99. Read the rest of this entry »

In this morning’s wee hours Vblank Entertainment sent out a notice stating the studio’s long-anticipated arcade action driving title Retro City Rampage is now available on Steam for PC as well as on the PS Vita and PlayStation 3 in North America. The game will be available on EU PlayStation later this month, and will be on WiiWare and XBLA later this year. You can also purchase the game directly from the Retro City Rampage site, which will give you both a DRM-free copy as well as a Steam copy. Purchasing through the PlayStation network for either the PS3 or Vita will give you a free copy for the other device. Read the rest of this entry »

Long-time Funcom designer Joel Bylos recently stepped into the position as Game Director for the company’s recently released modern-day massively multiplayer game ‘The Secret World’, and today the newly appointed lead released his first letter on the state of the game to the press and the community. In the letter, Mr. Bylos reflects on the game’s initial reception and what the team wanted to achieve before he goes into both short-term and long-term plans for the game. Read the rest of this entry »

Vancouver Animation School, a leading Canadian educational institution offering entry level and advanced programs for the animation, film and game industries, announced a new program that bridges the gap between virtual learning and hand-on practice. The new Vanas Labs program reverses the online classroom model, providing students with a convenient online classroom experience partnered with on-site hands-on workshops where they can perfect their craft.

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Combining the passion for music with the power of the Internet, MyMusic.com, the online destination for all things music, has announced the launch of its new service. Rather than endlessly searching multiple sites across the Web for bits of content, music lovers now have one place where all the greatest content is delivered to them. MyMusic gives people a fresh way to express their music personalities. Read the rest of this entry »

Going Loud Studios has announced the first downloadable campaign for “DLC Quest“, winner of Official Xbox Magazine’s Xbox Indie Game of the Year 2011. The new campaign, “Live Freemium or Die”, is being developed to sweeten the deal in the bid to win a spot in the top 10 on Steam Greenlight. No gimmicks or kitten threats – just new content. Read the rest of this entry »