Is This “The Last Console Generation”? And Nine Other Questions for Sony’s Jack Tretton.

The CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America talks about the launch of the PlayStation 4 and how it stacks up to competitors — both in the living room and in gamers’ pockets.

Voices

Angry Birds Maker Loses Another Top Executive

Rovio Entertainment Ltd., the maker of the wildly popular Angry Birds mobile game franchise, has lost another top-level executive to the burgeoning Helsinki, Finland, mobile gaming startup scene.

On Chrome Web Store, Real Games Mix With Mario Knockoffs

It’s-a-not-me, Mario! Mamma mia.
mario knockoff

News Byte

Rovio Chairman Invests in HTML5 Startup Goo Technologies

Rovio chairman and angel investor Kaj Hed has invested an undisclosed amount in Goo Technologies, a startup focused on high-end game graphics for HTML5. Hed owns 70 percent of Rovio, but his private investment firm Moor is legally separate from the Angry Birds studio, where his son Mikael Hed is the CEO. Goo Technologies is about a year and a half old, and focuses on high-quality graphics for cross-platform games, made possible via HTML5 and WebGL. Demos of its work are available here.

Google Play Had More App Downloads in Q2 Than iOS, but the Money Is Still on Apple’s Side

Downloads! Monetization! And a viral video of cartoon characters being horribly, hilariously killed.

Rovio’s Next Big Game? Angry Birds Star Wars, Redux.

May the birds be with you?

Put on Your Game Face: Everyplay Adds Face-Recording to Its Mobile Gamecasting Tool Kit

A clever marriage of gamecasting technology with phones’ front-facing cameras.

Voices

Rovio Shifts from Angry Birds to Lonely Vikings

Rovio has a new offering in its digital toy box that could signal a new direction a company fighting to etch out a broader identity.

Outfit7 Says Its Talking Friends Apps Have Been Downloaded More Than One Billion Times

Also: Talking Tom & co. have a TV show (and maybe a movie) on the way.

Top Angry Birds Exec Flies the Coop