A federal judge in the US has thrown out a case brought by former NFL star Jim Brown against Electronic Arts, following his claim that the publisher’s Madden games used his image illegally. But according to Bloomberg News, Brown – along with another former player, Herb Adderley – has now requested a brief be filed for a class action suit against EA. In addition, another former player, Sam Keller, has filed a suit against the publisher, claiming that EA profited from what he alleges was a “violation of his rights of publicity”. Read more…

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Judge dismisses Madden lawsuit against EA

Sony Online Entertainment’s Free Realms has taken the children’s MMO scene by storm, notching up huge numbers of players within weeks of launching. But protecting children online is an increasingly important topic, and following this morning’s announcement that the game would integrate NetModerator, GamesIndustry.biz spoke to the software’s developer to find out more about the issues. Here, Crisp Thinking’s founder and CEO Adam Hildreth explains the concerns and how NetModerator works to address them. Read more…

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Defender of the Realms

The introduction of an 18+ age rating for videogames in Australia is looking unlikely as South Australian attorney-general Michael Atkinson continues to oppose such a move. It’s an issue that has recently been brought to the forefront after the country’s ratings board refused to classify Left 4 Dead 2, effectively banning its release. However, it won’t happen unless all of the country’s attorney-generals consent to a new rating – and keeping violent games out of the hands of minors is an issue Atkinson feels strongly about, reports news.com.au. Read more…

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Australian attorney-general refuses to back 18+ game rating

Research has shown the testosterone levels of gamers playing competitive games increase when they beat a stranger, but decrease when they beat a friend; a finding which suggests that games can produce the same biological effect as real warfare. In general, it’s thought to be advantageous for people to release excessive testosterone when engaged in combat with strangers, as its affect on aggression can offer an advantage. However, when competing against friends or family it doesn’t make sense for the body to produce excessive amounts of the hormone, so levels remain low. Read more…

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Research shows gamers are more aggressive to strangers

Norwegian developer Funcom has announced that it plans to cut 20 per cent of its workforce in order to cut costs, with the axe falling heaviest in its home country. The company, which created the Age of Conan MMO, will now have to delay the release of its next project, The Secret World, by several months as it reshuffles its pack, reports E24. Funcom, which currently employs around 300 staff worldwide, is attempting to shift the bulk of its workforce to Canada to take advantage of a 37.5 per cent salary reimbursement from the state of Quebec, and with salaries generally lower there the company could stand to cut around half of its wage bill. Read more…

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Funcom to cut 20% of workforce

Vodafone has struck a deal with Apple to sell the iPhone in the UK – a deal which follows just one day behind Orange’s announcement of a similar agreement. The gaining of the iPhone for both network operators comes as 02’s exclusivity period with the handset, which has been in place since 2007, draws to an end. “Vodafone and Apple today confirmed that they have reached agreement to bring iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS to the UK and Ireland in early 2010,” said a brief statement on the deal. Read more…

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Vodafone secures iPhone deal for UK

Early Bird registration for this year’s Casual Games Forum is to end on October 5. Until the cut-off date, passes will be available at the price of GBP 295, a price which will subsequently rise to GBP 345 following the end of the discount period. The Casual Games Forum, which will take place in London on October 29, is a conference especially targeted at casual games developers. Confirmed speakers include Finbade chairman John Chasey and industry consultant Nicholas Lovell, while panel discussions will debate the issues of iPhone killer apps and the current state of the industry. Read more…

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Casual Games Forum Early Bird registration to end shortly

US online publisher True Games has announced that it is to open a new studio in Austin, Texas, which will create the company’s third, as-yet-unnamed, micro-transaction title. The game is a newly-created IP and will follow on from the publisher’s first two games – Warrior Epic, launched in the Spring this year, and the Petroglyph-developed Mytheon, which is preparing for launch now. “We are thrilled to announce the formation of our new development studio,” said Bob Drobish, co-founder and CEO of True Games Interactive. “This new studio will allow us to have more direct control and involvement in the development process of our games which is critical when you are developing new IP.” Read more…

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True Games opens new Austin studio

Microsoft Game Studios has announced the availability of Fable II in episodic format, with its release on Xbox Live today. The game, originally released to critical acclaim and strong sales late last year, will be available for download, with the first chapter being offered for free. Fable II: Game Episodes will see the Lionhead-developed game split into five sections in all, and each one will be fully compatible with the others released. The first episode weighs in a 1.79GB, with additional episodes downloadable from within the game itself. Read more…

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Microsoft releases Fable II episodes

GameHorizon, the team behind the influential annual event in Newcastle, is to host a new event in London on October 28, called Best of British. The one-day conference will feature a mix of talks aimed at the various issues surrounding the games industry in the UK, and will feature a host of key British developers as speakers and panellists. That line-up includes Revolution MD Charles Cecil, Kuju CEO Ian Baverstock, Splash Damage MD Paul Wedgewood and Introversion MD Mark Morris – the latter of whom will talk through the influences for forthcoming Darwinia+ and feature an exclusive first play-through of the game. Read more…

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GameHorizon announces Best of British event