NEWSWORTHY
Japan to make unauthorized downloads of all copyrighted work illegal
Steps will be taken to make it illegal to download without the permission of copyright holders all works including manga, computer games, books and other writings after a government panel adopted the policy Wednesday. In a report to the Cultural Affairs Agency, the panel called ...
'Pokemon Go' maker Niantic is seeking a $3.9 billion valuation: source
Niantic Inc., the company behind the popular mobile game "Pokemon Go," is looking to catch a $3.9 billion valuation, according to a person familiar with the matter. The San Francisco-based company is planning to raise at least $200 million in a round led by venture ...
Taiwan grandpa catches 'em all playing 'Pokemon Go' on 15 phones
Chen San-yuan turns heads as he cycles through a suburb of Taipei, Taiwan's capital. The reason why? Attached to the front of his bicycle are 15 mobile phones which Chen, 70, uses to simultaneously play the augmented-reality game "Pokemon Go." The smartphone-based game requires players to "catch" ...
Defining the Heisei Era: When Japanese games went global
The Japan Times presents the fifth installment of a monthly 12-part series that looks back at the leading issues of the past three decades.
'Super Mario' creator says gaming industry should put steady subscriptions ahead of in-game charges
The legendary video game designer who created "Super Mario" and "Donkey Kong" has a word of advice for today's industry: Stop nickel-and-diming users. Shigeru Miyamoto, 65, said Nintendo Co. is exploring different ways of charging people for games, shunning the free-to-play model, which has become ...
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 ...
Game on! Japan's live-action games offer players a fleeting escape from reality
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 ...
Game makers deploy deep-learning AI algorithms to keep players coming back for more
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 ...
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 ...
Christian newspaper taps manga and games in bid to nurture young fans, flock
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 ...
Role-playing video game helps fight against depression for counselor-shy Japanese
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 ...
