The Verge reports: “Activision and Tencent have announced Call of Duty: Mobile, a free-to-play version of the first-person shooter that’s coming to iOS and Android later this year, via Polygon. The game is set to offer a greatest hits tour of the franchise’s most popular multiplayer modes, including Search and Destroy and Free-For-All as well as maps like Nuketown and Crash.”
Venture Beat reports: “Netflix, the world’s dominant streaming service, will not make its TV shows and movies available through Apple’s upcoming video offering, Netflix Chief Executive Reed Hastings said on Monday. Apple is expected to unveil a television and video service at an event on March 25, a move that will amp up competition for Netflix and others that deliver entertainment programing online.”
Tech Crunch reports: “Angry Birds: Isle of Pigs took the scenic route to the iPhone. Rovio began flirting with augmented reality on the Magic Leap of all places, releasing First Person Slingshot for the headset last year. Last month, Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs hit Steam for the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift.”
The Verge reports: “HP’s newest Windows Mixed Reality headset is called the Reverb, and it sports impressive 2160 x 2160 resolution optics, inside-out tracking, and a lightweight design. The device, announced today, will come in two variations: a consumer model costing $599 and an enterprise Pro version, which comes with a separate 0.6-meter cable and a fabric face mask, for $649.”
Deadline Hollywood reports: “Viacom has closed a deal to sell a raft of Awesomeness content globally after the U.S. media giant acquired the youth-skewing brand last year. It has also sold a number of titles to a German SVOD service run by RTL. Viacom International Studios has finalized a deal to represent 18 series and eight films globally.”
Tech Crunch reports: “It’s not as if the internet needed another cautionary tale about backing up data, but for many artists, this news is heartbreaking nonetheless. Myspace has issued a tersely worded message noting that a huge amount of user-uploaded music has been lost during a server migration.”
Variety reports: “Although Netflix and the Cannes Film Festival continue quietly to negotiate a potential settlement to their differences, the streaming giant will be absent from the Croisette again this year with no film in or out of competition, Variety has learned. In any case, it does not have a festival-ready film to present, sources said. ”
The Verge reports: “Studios that are working on content for Apple’s forthcoming streaming service are reportedly experiencing a culture clash in their dealings with the Cupertino-based company, according to The New York Times. Apple is said to be too controlling when it comes to the portrayal of Apple products such as iPhones and MacBooks in the shows while being uncommunicative when it comes to basic details like release dates and marketing plans.”
Variety reports: “NBCUniversal and Sky PLC will offer joint packages of advertising services, a new effort to monetize the European satellite broadcaster, which was purchased by parent Comcast Corp. for $39 billion last year. Advertisers will be able to reach customers in sundry international markets as well as the United States, using inventory across NBCU and Sky TV and digital venues.”
Venture Beat reports: “Epic Games has awarded $500,000 in awards to the final recipients of Unreal Dev Grants, a $5 million fund supporting developers working with Unreal Engine 4 (UE4). Recipients come from a variety of industries, including games, film, augmented reality, virtual reality, mixed reality, education, and more.”
