Denuo - denuology.com

Did you know yesterday was a national holiday? Yesterday, work was shunned and responsibilities shuttled to the backburners because of Blizzard’s release of Starcraft 2. The game’s release has been long-anticipated by gamers, but also by the industry in general. In the face of a downturn in retail game sales, as well as the shift toward social gaming and other, industry-shaping trends, Starcraft 2 embodies a lot of the changes the gaming industry is seeing. From digital distribution to pro gaming, Starcraft 2 may be the prime example of a shifting games industry.

Plus, it is so awesome.

This past week, my little sister and I headed West on a roadtrip; the final destination was one very familiar to us as we’ve been visiting cousins and uncles and aunts there since we were born but for most others, you’d have a hard time finding it on a map. And so apparently did Google via my iPhone.

FarmVille has long been the focal point for social gaming, what with its millions of users, socially-relevant gameplay, and showcasing the gaming potential in Facebook. However, its recent foray into branded experiences in and around the game have introduced a whole new level of possibilities on the virtual farm, something that General Mills‘ organic food brand, Cascadian Farm, saw as a perfect fit for promoting their products.

Denuo was brought on board to help Cascadian Farm extend the already awesome idea to put organic crops into the game outward into both the Farmville community and Cascadian Farm’s community. Since both communities were made up of dedicated, passionate, and extremely vocal folks, the challenge was bringing these two groups together without alienating either side.

We considered the changing gaming space and how folks are playing with each other these days and, using three key things we know about gaming culture, built a couple of ways to mix the groups together to equally enjoy this unique experience.

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This week, our digital culture experts turn their eyes toward the demands of the famous, whether its the curiosity of people when it comes to celebrity tour riders or newer celebrities like the double-rainbow guy asking what could be better than a full-on, complete rainbow. Also, catalog living, avoiding your friends via location-based apps, the secrets of popular music exposed by the Axis of Awesome, and Youtube as a historical film archive. All contained in this blockbuster, 50% bonus-filled edition of Reflecteur!

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We approached E3 2010 like a kid approaches Christmas Day, tearing into the cornucopia of gaming goodness, grinning ear to ear at what surprises lay within. After the fun and spectacle abated, we caught our breath and took a good look at how this show set the table for further growth within the gaming industry.

With analysts quick to pronounce gaming on the decline, E3 came roaring out in defiance of this speculation, showcasing the “something for everyone” attitude gaming has taken in the face of new gamers. Social games, accessible games, motion-controlled games, and downloadable games all had their day in the sun next to the usual slate of blockbuster titles, each vying for attention on a diverse showfloor. Between Nintendo’s 3DS, Microsoft’s Kinect, and Sony’s Move, each company had new tech to reintroduce gamers to their platforms, while also turning to classic franchises to reinvigorate a gamer base anxious for the next big thing.