Amazon's Double-Helix Acquisition Hints At Gaming Console

Nerval's Lobster writes "A more prominent role in video-game development could prove the latest territory on Amazon's 'attempt to conquer' list. Yes, there's already Amazon Game Studios, which produces smaller games such as Air Patriots (a tower-defense title), but that evidently wasn't enough — Amazon has acquired Double Helix, most notably the developer behind Killer Instinct and other big-action games for PCs and consoles. Amazon confirmed the deal to multiple media outlets, suggesting that it would use Double Helix's developers and intellectual property 'as part of our ongoing commitment to build innovative games for customers.' Why would Amazon want to bulk out its game-creation abilities? Rumors have floated for the past couple weeks (hat tip to Gamespot) that the company is hard at work on an Android-based gaming console that will retail for below $300. Over the past year, it's also hired gaming luminaries such as Halo author Eric Nylund, which it probably wouldn't have done without something big — or at least interesting — in the works. Amazon would doubtlessly position such a device (if it actually becomes a reality) as the low-cost alternative to Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4. But even the cheapest console won't sell without some killer games to attract customers — and that's where Double Helix might come in. ... With Nintendo flagging, there's potentially an opening for a third console ecosystem to take hold."

Comments

I can't think of how to tie this into Beta

[TheNastyInThePasty]

So here we go: BETA SUCKS!

Re:I can't think of how to tie this into Beta

[TWiTfan]

Speaking of Amazon, has anyone seen that new Amazon show "Betas"?

Re:I am Slashdot

[GoodNewsJimDotCom]

They want to do DIGG route. It is all a corporate exec's perverted fantasy,"Look at how many people watch our content. Imagine how much ad revenue we'd get if we replaced all the content with 100% advertising." They don't realize if they lose all their users, they'll have no more revenue.

Oh, so that explains it.

[moogla]

I was wondering why they were trying so hard to make this site an unusable mess.

Re:Dice have already written off Slashdot

[evilRhino]

I sure am glad these conglomerates are in the position to buy out these companies and make them more successful by using proven business tactics. Let's give them another round of tax-cuts for creating jobs!

Re:I'm switching to Lynx.

[Somebody Is Using My]

There are NO "beta addicts"

The community has universally spoken against the new look. I have not seen one post that has been in favor of it. In over twenty years of being on the Internet, that is a first for me.

The only people who seem interested in the beta seem to be the people at Dice pushing it down at us. There are numerous speculations as to why this is (an earnest belief it improves the site, somebody's reputation on the line, or an attempt to orient the brand at a new demographic). Dice's continued silence on the matter is quite telling, however; it is obvious they are not concerned with what the community thinks about the matter.

At the moment, I am still coming back to Slashdot because the circus and uproar about the beta is just too much fun to miss out on, but like many here I expect that - barring a reversal of intent on Dice's behalf - I eventually will migrate to some other website.

Already some suggestions have been made:

Ars Technica
Alt Slashdot (currently in development)
Subreddit /r/Slashdot
kuro5hin

I am on the lookout for more.

Re:Beta Sucks

[aardvarkjoe]

People hated the 2006 redesign, too, and yet they are still here. Why would they acknowledge a problem that by all past indication will disappear within a couple of weeks/months?

The classic interface continued to be available. That's what I've been using. The big difference now is that they want to remove the old interface.