Citing “trusted sources,” IGN is reporting that Microsoft will soon make free-to-play games available through Xbox Live.
By doing so, gamers can play the games for free, but will purchase virtual content (currency, weapons, clothes, etc) just like in popular Facebook games like MafiaWars and CityVille.
The industry has seen an expansion into F2P, with big publishers like EA even trying the model on shooters like Battlefield Play4Free.
That game is still in beta.
For now this is still rumor, but we will keep you updated.
Result for: publishers
Apple has announced the start of a subscription service which will be available to all publishers of content-based apps sold though the iOS App Store.
The service was first introduced with the release of “The Daily,” a collaboration between News Corp and Apple available on the iPad.
Publishers can now sell subscriptions to publications weekly, monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly, bi-yearly or yearly.
Apple takes its customary 30 percent from all app and content sales made through iTunes.
Says CEO Steve Jobs (via PR):
Our philosophy is simple—when Apple brings a new subscriber to the app, Apple earns a 30 percent share; when the publisher brings an existing or new subscriber to the app, the publisher keeps 100 percent and Apple earns nothing. All we require is that, if a publisher is making a subscription offer outside of the app, the same (or better) offer be made inside the app, so that customers can easily subscribe with one-click right in the app. We believe that this innovative subscription service will provide publishers with a brand new opportunity to expand digital access to their content onto the iPad, iPod touch and iPhone, delighting both new and existing subscribers.
Result for: publishers
Barnes & Noble has introduced the new Nook Color e-reader this week, hoping to gain an advantage over the rival Amazon Kindle in the quickly growing e-reader market.
The Nook Color will use an IPS LCD screen, the same type of display used by the Apple iPad.
Barnes & Noble’s new Nook Color will be 7-inches, run Android 2.1, and have eight-hour battery life per charge. Current Nooks and Kindles (using e-ink displays) have battery lives as long as two weeks per charge.
The display will have 1024×600 resolution with 16 million colors.
Additionally, the device has Wi-Fi (but lacks 3G), 8GB of internal storage and a microSD slot.
The Nook Color will also launch with deals with magazine publishers, a strong advantage over black-and-white e-readers.
Available at Best Buy, Wal-Mart and online starting November 19th, the e-reader will cost $250.
