Tagged With: Game

Pawtucket, Rhode Island-based Hasbro has filed a federal trademark lawsuit against cereal maker Kellogg Co., claiming a promotional FINDING NEMO game on boxes of Frosted Flakes copies Hasbro's MEMORY card game. The cereal boxes featured 16 cards picturing eight characters with instructions advising children to cut out the cards, lay them face down and flip them over trying to make pairs of the same character. Hasbro's MEMORY, which was trademarked in 1967, features the same rules. In addition, Hasbro is currently selling its own FINDING NEMO version of the game, which it has licensing approval with NEMO owners Walt Disney Co. and Pixar Animation. The toy maker is seeking a recall and impoundment of all Frosted Flakes boxes containing the game, in addition to unspecified damages.

Discreet, a division of Autodesk, Inc. will be at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles May 1416, 2003 to showcase its 3D animation, modeling, character design, rendering and game modification software and integrated partner software demonstrations. Discreet will also share educational "how to" sessions in its private suite, regarding rapid game development for PC, PlayStation, Xbox, GameCube, and mobile games, the focus of the convention this year. The mobile games burgeoning market is predicted to reach more than $2 billion by 2004 and $7 billion by 2008 (Strategy Analytics, Inc. 2003 report). Discreet will also illustrate how its software is an effective bridge between Hollywood visual effects for motion pictures and the video game market, with market share in both industries.

Reckitt Benckiser Inc., a leader in household products, recently announced a $22 million national marketing campaign featuring THE JETSONS cartoon characters, to support the launch of the company's new Electrasol Gelpacs an innovative breakthrough in automatic dishwashing detergent. The campaign highlights "Dishwashing made for the 21st Century" with a game featuring Rosie the robotic maid and THE JETSONS family. Promotion marketing agency EastWest Creative developed, designed and is executing promotional support for the game including print advertising, on-pack communications, point-of-sale, direct mail and fulfillment.

The premise of the game is that life in the 21st century is catching up to THE JETSONS' maid, Rosie especially dishwashing. When the Electrosol Gelpacs prove you don't need a robot to get dishes that sparkle, Rosie feels that she is no longer useful and runs away. Consumers help THE JETSONS find Rosie and win "Astro-nomical" prizes in the Electrasol Gelpacs "Find Rosie and Win" instant win game.

Retro Studios of Austin, Texas was at the top of its game, winning Game of the Year and Excellence in Level of Design for its METROID PRIME, as well as Rookie Studio of the year honors March 6, 2003, at the 3rd annual Game Developers Choice Awards during the 2003 Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Jose, California. The Oscar-equivalent in the gaming world, the Choice Awards are true peer recognition honors, as all nominees and recipients are voted on free of charge, by professional game developers around the world.

The recipients will be announced at a ceremony on March 6, 2003, during the Game Developers Conference (GDC), March 4-8 in San Jose, Calif. Produced by the Gama Network, the GDC is the largest annual event exclusively for game development professionals. Nominations were free and open to all professional game developers, regardless of membership or affiliation, so that nominees reflect the international development community's opinions.

Discreet's free gaming software gmax, which is based on Discreet's 3D modeling, animation and rendering software 3ds max, has already been embraced by the gaming community, with over 350,000 game "modders" using the free software to expand their favorite games with new characters, levels of interactivity and animated objects. Now developers are realizing the value of creating gmax ready games and Microsoft's latest, IMPOSSIBLE CREATURES, is currently available.

Video game publisher Agetec, Inc. has announced COLOR QUEST as the next addition to their "Designer Series" of games. Created by TAITO, the game will be available in early May 2003, exclusively for Sony PlayStation 2. COLOR QUEST is a 3D adventure game that offers a graphics tool that allows players the ability to fully render and animate their own cast of characters. These characters are interactive within the game and become integral parts of the player's success in completing the adventure.