Avatar photoSteven Savage

Convention idea: Minicons

by

The roundup of convention ideas is here.

I'd like to talk about another way to put professionally-oriented events in your conventions.

Try a Minicon.  Not the small robots from the Transformers series (there's a geek ref), but running smaller conventions INSIDE another convention.

A Minicon, in short, involves

Read more

News of the Day 11/17/2009

by

Quick note today was a rumor-heavy day about many things. A lot were unverified so I held off posting them.

Career:
How a blogger turned a blog into a job after going viral.


Publishing:
How Wireless E-readers stack up. For your drooling/research pleasure. Remember when we didn't have so many to compare . . .

Heads up on the startup, former Rodale Books VP Cindy Ratzlaff is starting an e-book and video publishing company called Supreme Social Media. Sounds like they're starting small, focusing on social media, and building up slowly. Ratzlaff has a LOT of publishing experience. and the other partners are equal. Watch this one to see what they do, there's a lot of brainpower and experience that could give you models to emulate (or a potential publisher or employer). The company is here.

Social Media:
It's official. Facebook will integrate with PS3. Sounds like it integrates with game trophies and more – which is neat with the appropriate opt-out options and soforth. Facebook and Netflix and more? Good move for Sony. It also is another example of how one can cleverly integrate social media beyond allowing posting (remember when that was called Lifestreaming before it became normal?).

Not to be outdone, there's new social tech for the XBox, including Zune (which may steal a bit of Netflix's thunder). OK Wii, where are you in all of this . . .

Social App company Rock You raises Another $50 million. OK they've got cash, a good name, and are located in Redwood shores (where everyone apparently is). What are you waiting for, job seekers?

Technology:
Some developers apparently fed up with the App Store – I'm not sure how widespread this is, but talk of discontent certainly is. I do think the issue of customer relations is an important one. Will Apple adapt, or will this leave them vulnerable?

Video Games:
EA is merging Pandemic into it's LA Branch as well as getting a high-powered new hire. A bit more news to keep you up on the latest traumas in gaming . . .

Funcom took a big hit in sales in Q3 – They have hope for their upcoming releases, but it's not pretty.

For you marketing and gaming geeks. Those expensive collectors editions? They pay off. Something to consider if you're in – or want to be in – the gaming industry.

– Steven Savage

A company from spare parts?

by

Electronic arts cuts staff and onboards an expensively-purchased social media company.

Gamestop goes for DLC and talks about building the company by acquisition.

Mergers, acquisitions, outsourcing has all made me wonder this:

  • There is a lot of common technology (databases, Office docs, etc.)
  • The internet and these technologies let companies collaborate and combine efforts faster.
  • It's a tough economic time.
  • Companies want to change and move fast, and building new divisions is hard.

So I've wondered if what we're going to see in the future is an outburst of Frankencompanies, pieced together from the acquired parts of other companies, merged-in studios, and mass-hired consultants.

Read more