NEWSWORTHY
Business / Tech Jun 2, 2018
Apple set to debut phone-to-phone augmented reality, sources say
Apple Inc. will in the coming week debut tools to let two iPhone users share augmented reality while limiting the personal data sent to its servers, two people familiar with the matter said. Augmented reality (AR) allows viewers to see virtual structures superimposed on their ...
Lifestyle Jan 27, 2018
Game on! Japan's live-action games offer players a fleeting escape from reality
by Masami Ito
A group of surly guards inspect a line of inmates on death row standing in front of a prison. One by one, the inmates are led inside and locked inside their cells as they await their execution. "You better not try to escape," the warden growls ...
Business / Tech Oct 24, 2017
Game makers deploy deep-learning AI algorithms to keep players coming back for more
by Pavel Alpeyev and Yuji Nakamura
In today's game industry, titles like "Clash Royale" and "Pokemon Go" are free for most people to enjoy because there's a small number of players who pay for extras, like special weapons or more lives. Game developers have to strike a delicate balance in ...
Business / Tech Oct 19, 2017
Newest version of self-taught, 'superhuman' AI now even smarter: makers
The updated version of the computer that stunned humanity by beating the best mortal players at a strategy board game requiring intuition has become even smarter, its makers said Wednesday. Even more startling, the new version of AlphaGo is entirely self-taught — a major step ...
National Oct 5, 2017
Christian newspaper taps manga and games in bid to nurture young fans, flock
by Maya Kaneko
Smartphone games, manga and cosplay events might seem incompatible with the solemn practice of religion, but a Christian newspaper in Japan is deploying such secular entertainment in an attempt to draw new followers to the faith. Christ Newspaper (Kirisuto Shimbun) is aiming to attract young ...
National / Science & Health | A MATTER OF HEALTH Sep 27, 2017
Role-playing video game helps fight against depression for counselor-shy Japanese
by Tomoko Otake
It's a role-playing video game that, like many of its kind, allows users to choose and customize their own avatars, including a hairstyle and clothing. Set in a medieval fantasy world, users build up power as their characters travel across "provinces," overcoming obstacles and ...
Business / Corporate Sep 7, 2017
Pokemon chief hints at big plans for augmented reality smartphone game
by Yuji Nakamura
It's been more than a year since "Pokemon Go" took the world by storm, getting people to wander outside and look for virtual monsters with their smartphones. The game became a social phenomenon, with adults and children gathering in parks and public areas to train ...
Business Aug 18, 2017
Blasts from the past: Japan's gaming classics get a retro revival
by Naomi Schanen
Nothing sells like nostalgia. Renewed interest in vintage Japanese video games is drawing buyers to the country's online markets and retro gaming shops. While enthusiasts have collected old titles for years, even casual gamers are now snapping up cartridges and CDs, as well as gaming ...
National / Science & Health Aug 11, 2017
Chimpanzees trained to master rock, paper, scissors by Kyoto University researchers
by Tomoko Otake
Chimpanzees can learn the rules of the rock, paper, scissors game through training, matching the intellectual ability of children 4 years old or older, researchers at Kyoto University have found. In a study that could shed light on the evolution of intellectual abilities in animals, ...
Business / Corporate Jul 26, 2017
Nintendo returns to profit in April-June quarter fueled by strong Switch sales
Nintendo Co. said Wednesday it posted a group net profit of ¥21.26 billion ($190 million) for the three-month period that ended in June, a turnaround from a ¥24.53 billion loss a year earlier, on the back of solid sales of its Switch game console ...
Business / Corporate Jul 19, 2017
Yahoo Japan's new gaming platform turns the browser into a console
Yahoo Japan Corp., operator of the nation's second-most popular website, has announced a new web-based gaming platform called Game Plus. The new service, which started Tuesday in Japan with 39 games, offers titles through cloud streaming and those built on HTML5. Yahoo Japan is partnering ...