N3twork Wants to Reshape Online Discussions Around Interests

It’s all about the hashtag.
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How Japan Is Winning in Mobile Games

Better than any other country, Japan’s mobile game makers have cracked the revenue code despite having few world-wide megahits. The secret: an industry that is constantly experimenting with new ways to master the psychology of mobile payments.

Zynga Names Clive Downie as New COO

A new exec with a past in social and mobile gaming.

News Byte

DeNA West Promotes CFO Shintaro Asako to CEO as Clive Downie Resigns

Clive Downie has stepped down as CEO of DeNA West, according to a company press release. He will be replaced by current CFO Shintaro Asako. Downie assumed the leadership role nearly a year ago, after the resignation of Ngmoco founder Neil Young. DeNA, a social-mobile company based in Japan, acquired Ngmoco in 2010 in an attempt to make inroads with Western gamer audiences, but it has yet to find the same level of success that it has enjoyed in Japan.

Q&A: The Drowning’s Creator Ben Cousins on Making a Console-Like FPS Viable on Mobile

Death, guns, mayhem and Japanese free-to-play mechanics.

Ngmoco Team Reunites for N3twork to Restructure the Web With $12M From Kleiner Perkins

The company wants to reorganize the Web around interests. What does that mean? We’ll see!

Schadenfreude With Friends: Zynga’s Rivals Explain Why They’re Not Also in Trouble

A few thoughts from the execs at some of Zynga’s top challengers.

News Byte

Social Games Company DeNA Names New Ngmoco CEO

Clive Downie, former VP of marketing at Electronic Arts, has been named CEO of mobile gaming company Ngmoco, parent company DeNA announced on Friday. Founder and former CEO Neil Young will continue to serve on DeNA’s board of directors while he moves on to his “next adventure” with co-founder Bob Stevenson.

Nexon Buys Gloops for $486 Million in Cash to Push Into Mobile Gaming

So far, Nexon has only dipped its toe into mobile and Facebook games. That should change.

Voices

Looking East to Predict the Next Billion-Dollar Mobile Company

The next U.S.-based billion-dollar mobile company will be one that can build on a successful Eastern concept by putting a Western spin on it.