Category Archives: Games

Special Report: ‘The Car Industry – A Difficult New World’ (The Economist)

Special reports: A difficult new world

The Economist – Special Reports (April 22, 2023): Everything about carmaking is changing at once. The industry must reinvent itself to keep pace, says Simon Wright

Everything about carmaking is changing at once

The car industry

The industry must reinvent itself to keep pace, says Simon Wright

Electrification

The future lies with electric vehicles

The car industry is electrifying rapidly and irrevocably

Special Report: Insert Coin – The Rise Of Video Gaming

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The Economist – Special Reports (March 25, 2023)

Ready, player four billion: the rise of video games

As video games move from teenage distraction to universal pastime they are following the path of other mass media, says Tom Wainwright

Battles over streaming break out for video games

Streaming subscriptions have revolutionised music and television. What will they do to games?

Analysis: Rise Of Sports Betting In The U.S. (CNBC)

Sports betting in the U.S. is booming. During the 2021 NFL season an estimated 45 million Americans are expected to wager at least $12 billion. Since a 2018 Supreme Court ruling, sports betting is now legal in more than 30 states.

A flood of new customers eager for risk and excitement has made DraftKings one of the nation’s biggest sportsbooks. In the third quarter of 2021 DraftKings revenue rose 60% from the year prior to $213 million. During that same period with mobile betting launching in several states the number of its monthly unique paying customers rose 31% to 1.3 million.

And the online sports betting and gaming industry in the U.S. is just starting to grow. As of 2021 only 4% of gross gaming revenue in the U.S. was generated online compared with 45% in a more mature market like the UK. The online sports betting market in the U.S. is expected to be worth nearly $40 billion by 2033. So what does the future look like for legal sports betting in America and what challenges lie ahead for sports betting providers like BetMGM, FanDuel and DraftKings?

Games: The Scandinavian Zen Of The “Townscaper” Video “Toy” App (CityLab)

BLOOMBERG CITYLAB (JULY 23, 2020) – Users say they enjoy Townscaper’s calm ambiance, with no background music apart from the occasional plips and plops of material falling into the digital ocean, and they derive particular pleasure from the simple mechanics of the game — left click: you build something, right click: you destroy it.

Townscaper gameplay

When Oskar Stalberg announced the release of Townscaper a few weeks ago, he made a point of calling it a “toy” rather than a video game — because it has no goal apart from the sheer enjoyment and satisfaction you get from seeing a pretty town rising from the sea as you click.

Townscaper Website

Even though Stalberg had figured people would enjoy his creation, he hadn’t predicted the following it would gain among both designers and game developers — and what they would create with it. So far, the $5.99 game has been met with overwhelmingly positive reviews (more than 2,600 versus 35 negative ones).

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Art Of Gaming: Designer Alexandra Llewellyn’s “Beautifully Original” Backgammon Sets

Launched in 2010, Alexandra Llewellyn is known for creating original and Alexandra Llewellyn Backgammon Collectionbeautifully handcrafted backgammon sets, luxury games and bespoke furniture. Her designs are both games and objets d’art.

The seed was sown when Alexandra played a game of backgammon in Cairo as a child. Her opponent was ten times her age and although they had nothing in common, they were able to communicate through their shared love of the game.

Alexandra Llewellyn Backgammon Collection

Seen in some of the most exclusive locations, Alexandra’s timeless designs are played all over the world. Her creations are owned and commissioned by Royalty and VIPs including Richard Branson, Sony Music, Elle Macpherson and American Vogue.

Alexandra Llewellyn Profile
Alexandra Llewellyn

A collection of Alexandra’s signature handmade games are available online including some of her collaborations with icons such as Terry O’Neil, Alice Temperley and the estate of Milton H. Green. For the ultimate bespoke gift, Alexandra will work with you, guiding you through ideas and memories to create a one-of-a-kind  specially commissioned game.

I am forever inspired by how games bring us together and the conversations that ensue. Time is now our greatest luxury and games create a space in which we can enjoy time with our loved ones” says Alexandra.

Alexandra’s work has been published and talked about in publications such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, How to Spend It, Robb Report, Harper Bazaar, AD, Time Luxx, Telegraph Luxury, Tatler, Country& Town House, and Homes and Gardens.

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