Pearl Research and its sister site Redline is pleased to be a media supporter of “Casual Connect Asia 2012 “. The Casual Games Association, the international trade organization of the casual games industry, announced that Casual Connect Asia 2012, the world’s largest mass market games conference series, will take place 22 – 24 May 2012 in Singapore. To register, please visit http://asia.casualconnect.org/registration.html

Venture capital investors are increasing their focus on ventures in China and India, according to Ernst & Young's Global Venture Capital insights and trends report 2011. Currently, only about 20% of VC firms in Brazil, India, Israel and the UK invest outside their home countries. However, a majority of VC firms in Canada (69%)v and the U.S. (49%) invest internationally.

DeNA, a Japanese Mobile social gaming platform operator, and The Walt Disney Company (Japan) have announced today that the companies have agreed to bring mobile social games through DeNA Group’s Mobage social gaming platform. The two companies launched their first jointly developed social game, Disney Party, on March 28 on the Mobage network in Japan, which currently serves over 35 million in the country. DeNA and Disney plan to launch their second title, Disney Fantasy Quest, on April 2, and the third title based on Marvel Comics characters this summer in Japan.

NetEase said that the 3D turn-based Game “Chuang Shi Xi You” will be stopped on March 19, 2013. On the official website of “Chuang Shi Xi You”, NetEase explained that this adjustment was due to changing business conditions.

Blizzard Entertainment, part of Activision, and NetEase.com said that they will continue their existing cooperation on Blizzard Entertainment's World of Warcraft in mainland China. The new license will continue for an additional three years following the expiration of the current license agreement. In addition to World of Warcraft, Blizzard Entertainment and NetEase's existing partnership covers Blizzard Entertainment's Warcraft III and StarCraft II, as well as the Battle.net gaming platform. Financial details were not disclosed of this new agreement.

Youku Inc. (NYSE: YOKU) and Tudou Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: TUDO) said today that they have signed a definitive agreement for Tudou to combine with Youku in a 100% stock-for-stock transaction valued at $1 billion.

Qihoo 360 will launch a PC Version of Rovio's "Angry Birds Space" on its 360 Desktop staring on March 22, 2012. A mobile version will also be offered on Qihoo 360's mobile platform thereafter.

In San Francisco, where the games industry is attending GDC, Bethesda's fantasy title, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, garnered "Game of the Year". It was not just major studios that won, but an indie developer Supergiant Games, took home a prize for "Best Debut" and "Best Downloadable Game".

Tudou, a Internet video company in China, said it has reached 227 million monthly unique visitors in December 2011. In addition, monthly unique visitors including multiple users accessing from home, office, Internet cafes and from outside of China, have exceeded 300 million unique visitors in December 2011.

Pearl Research's January 2012 newsletter features a quick profile of Nexon. Nexon is known for free-to-play online games, selling more than 600 million in-game items annually. The prices of virtual items range from $0.50 - $5.00 each in the US and JPY 60-650 ($0.78 - $8.48) in Japan. Nexon employs 3,500 people and generated $857 million in revenues in 2010 with net profit of $265 million.