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New Microsoft CEO To Be Chosen Early 2014

MicrosoftCEO 18 Dec

One of Microsoft’s board of directors, John W. Thompson has revealed in a post on the Microsoft blog that the company’s hunt for a new CEO is in its final stages. The successor to Steve Ballmer is expected to be chosen in early 2014.

“After defining our criteria, we initially cast a wide net across a number of different industries and skill sets. We identified over 100 possible candidates, talked with several dozen, and then focused our energy intensely on a group of about 20 individuals, all extremely impressive in their own right,” Thompson wrote, in part. “As you would expect, as this group has narrowed, we’ve done deeper research and investigation, including with the full Board. We’re moving ahead well, and I expect we’ll complete our work in the early part of 2014.”

Reports from early November suggested Microsoft had narrowed its CEO candidate list to around five people. The candidates include Ford CEO Alan Mulally, former Nokia CEO Stephen Elop, Skype CEO Tony Bates and EVP of Microsoft’s cloud and enterprise Satya Nadella. Ballmer announced in August that he would retire within 12 months, not long after Don Mattrick departed Microsoft for the CEO position at Zynga.

(via VG247)

Disney Announces ‘Star Wars: Attack Squadrons’

StarWarsAttackSquadrons 18 Dec

Disney has announced a free-to-play online Star Wars game called Star Wars: Attack Squadrons.

The space combat game features player-versus-player battles, including a free for all 16 player deathmatch, team dogfights and a base defense mode. Players will be able to customize and upgrade their ships which include the X-Wing and TIE Fighter. New ships and items are set to come out every month.

Area 52 Games is developing Star Wars: Attack Squadrons. The Washington-based studio has a primary focus on PC and mobile game development.

(via Polygon)

Nordic Games Partners With Uber Entertainment

PlanetaryAnnihilation 17 Dec

Publisher Nordic Games will partner with Uber Entertainment to bring Planetary Annihilation to retail, according to a press release.

“Nordic Games and Uber Entertainment were going to announce one of those taxi startups, but sending suited Scandinavians around the world to deliver new games turned out to be WAY too expensive,” the press release reads, in part. “Who knew! Instead, the two gaming giants are announcing an exciting partnership to bring the retail version of Planetary Annihilation to market, as well as a non-exclusive partnership to handle the online release.”

During THQ’s auction earlier this year, Nordic Games acquired several properties including Darksiders, Titan Quest, Red Faction and MX vs ATV. It also purchased the rights to Double Fine’s Costume Quest and Stacking, however those rights are now back with Double Fine and the two companies have a deal which will see retail versions of Psychonauts, Costume Quest and Stacking in North America and Europe in 2014.

(via Joystiq)