http://www.casualgaming.biz/ casualgaming.biz Latest News en-uk Copyright 2010, Intent Media http://www.casualgaming.biz/news/30351/Russian-social-gaming-market-worth-130m-by-years-end Russian-Lithuanian casual firm Realore Studios has predicted that by the end of 2010 the Russian market for social gaming apps is to reach $130m. Furthermore, Vkontakte - Russia's answer to Facebook - collected about two thirds of total social gaming revenues in Russia in the first half of 2010. http://www.casualgaming.biz/news/30351/Russian-social-gaming-market-worth-130m-by-years-end http://www.casualgaming.biz/news/30350/Disney-swoops-on-Playdom-with-7632m The deal will further heat up one of the hottest tech sectors, coming a few months after EA scooped up one of its other giants, Playfish. Playdom is barely two years old, and has become a huge draw with titles such as Mobster on MySpace, where the game competition is thinner than Facebook. http://www.casualgaming.biz/news/30350/Disney-swoops-on-Playdom-with-7632m http://www.casualgaming.biz/news/30349/Nintendos-income-tumbles Slowing demand for the DS and the strength of the Japanese YEN have lead to a punishing quarter for platform holder Nintendo. For the quarter ending June 30th operating income fell by a considerable 42.2 per cent year-on-year to YEN 40.4bn. Sales dropped by 25.6 per cent to YEN 188.6bn. http://www.casualgaming.biz/news/30349/Nintendos-income-tumbles http://www.casualgaming.biz/news/30348/Controversy-as-Zynga-abolishes-Street-Racer The unyielding level of authority Zynga has over its paying customers was exposed this week, as fans of social network game Street Racing continue to protest an unexplained decision to abolish the game. http://www.casualgaming.biz/news/30348/Controversy-as-Zynga-abolishes-Street-Racer http://www.casualgaming.biz/news/30347/Playlogic-applies-for-bankruptcy Dutch publisher and developer Playlogic has finally filed for bankruptcy after a torrid year that has seen it slip deeper and deeper into trouble. The firm admitted as long ago as August 2009 that its long-term prospects were looking shaky, stating that its “circumstances raise uncertainties about the company's ability to continue as a going concern”. http://www.casualgaming.biz/news/30347/Playlogic-applies-for-bankruptcy http://www.casualgaming.biz/news/30346/Roblox-welcomes-1m-regular-users Free online building game Roblox now boasts over one million active monthly users on its user-generated website. The building game was conceived to enable youngsters to work together to conceptualise, create and design their own utopia. http://www.casualgaming.biz/news/30346/Roblox-welcomes-1m-regular-users http://www.casualgaming.biz/news/30345/Vodafone-launches-150k-mobile-web-start-up-challenge Vodafone has launched Mobile Clicks 2010, a competition to identify and develop innovative mobile internet start-ups. Now in its third year, Mobile Clicks 2010 will run across three European markets - Netherlands, Portugal and UK - and is open to any start-up with a great idea for a mobile site, service or app. http://www.casualgaming.biz/news/30345/Vodafone-launches-150k-mobile-web-start-up-challenge http://www.casualgaming.biz/news/30344/GameStop-bags-Kongregate In what can only be described as a hugely significant move, video games retailer GameStop has acquired leading online Flash games portal Kongregate. The website boasts in the region of 10m users and is one of the most important players in the increasingly significant casual games sector. http://www.casualgaming.biz/news/30344/GameStop-bags-Kongregate http://www.casualgaming.biz/news/30342/The-ME-iPhone-app-is-here The ME iPhone app, sponsored by Qualcomm, distills the contents of the ME website and reproduces it in a richer and more flexible fashion than a mobile browsing session. http://www.casualgaming.biz/news/30342/The-ME-iPhone-app-is-here http://www.casualgaming.biz/news/30341/Miniclip-confirms-ongoing-recruitment-drive Miniclip has confirmed that it is hiring staff for every area of its business. The comment comes after CasualGaming noticed a high number of vacancy postings at the hugely successful company's website. http://www.casualgaming.biz/news/30341/Miniclip-confirms-ongoing-recruitment-drive