Sony Computer Entertainment Europe commissioned Scandinavian computer game developer Unique Development Studios (UDS) to develop arcade-style PlayStation game based on World Rally Championship (WRC) license. Norrkoping, Sweden-based UDS said game -- whose title wasn’t announced -- is scheduled to ship worldwide by end of 2002. Game maker said “exact order value may not be disclosed but is of significant value and will contribute substantially to UDS’s turnover for 2001.” Previous games from UDS included Sno- Cross Championship Racing and World’s Scariest Police Chases. UDS said Sony deal came “just weeks after UDS received its largest order ever, from German publisher CDV, for an action adventure game.”
Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) plans to buy 19% stake in Japanese game maker Square as part of Yen 14.9 billion ($124.4 million) deal. Sony, which currently holds no stake in Square, will buy 11.2 million newSquare shares at $11 each. Deal, expected to close Oct. 26, would make SCE 2nd-largest shareholder in Square. Companies plan to collaborate on online games as well as titles for Sony’s PlayStation 2.
Jakks Pacific secured $50 million line of credit from consortium of banks led by Bank of America. New bank line will be used by Malibu, Cal., game and toy maker for future acquisitions and working capital, it said. Jakks COO Stephen Berman said: “The new bank line, in addition to our current available cash and marketable securities, provides us with greater resources to continue to execute on our business strategies.” Jakks participates in joint venture with game maker THQ that has worldwide rights to publish and market World Wrestling Federation videogames.
Frustrated by reluctance of high-tech industry chiefs to testify at upcoming hearing on copy protection and digital rights management standards, Sen. Hollings (D-N.C.) has told 3 trade associations he expected them to help him obtain witnesses.
Toys “R” Us revised guidance for its 3rd quarter ending Nov. 3, saying results would fall below previous expectations largely because of Sept. 11 terrorist attacks combined with what CEO John Eyler called “an extremely challenging economic environment.”
Handspring unveiled device that combines organizer, cellular phone and Web browser, stealing march in race to integrate wireless technology with handheld PC.
“Spatializer PCE” (for phase-correction equalization) is name of new Spatializer Audio Labs technology being licensed to CE companies that’s said to enhance quality of spoken-word audio and music through ordinary set of TV, home theater or PC speakers. PCE algorithm is available on Texas Instruments C55x DSP chips and analog implementation is under development, Spatializer said. Company said algorithm had low processing requirements so it could be “readily run” on most existing DSPs or RISC processors.
Stacey Sujishi, Namco Hometek senior mktg. mgr., promoted to mktg. dir., replacing Mike Fischer, who joined Sega of America… Cang Tran, ex-Hitachi Semiconductor of America, joins Oak Technology as vp-ASIC technology, Optical Storage Group… Timothy Donahue, Nextel pres.-CEO, elected to Kodak board… Former PolyGram Pres. Alain Levy joins EMI Group in London as CEO of its recorded music operations and is elected an EMI dir… AOL Time Warner Co-COO Robert Pittman to give CES keynote Jan. 10, 8:30 a.m., Las Vegas Hilton Theater.
FCC’s new DTV Task Force should make cable role in transition its top priority, CEA Pres. Gary Shapiro said. CEA said critical DTV issues include cable interoperability, competitive retail market for cable set-tops, HDTV programming. CEA projected consumer investment in DTV products would reach $5 billion by year end, and said sales of DTV sets and monitors would top one million units by end of year, 2 million by end of 2002.