5) Rovio shocks parents with high prices
Angry Birds has always been a huge hit among kids. This makes Rovio’s decision to turn the next installment, Angry Birds Go, into a payment-heavy game filled with in-app purchases a major concern to many parents. The most shocking part is the store sells pixel carts used in the racing game for upwards of 50USD each. The cost is even higher if you want the proper equipment for it.
Cell phones are often connected to a credit card and parents are now afraid that their kids might purchase these expensive items in a moment when the parents aren’t looking.
4) League player sentenced to 10 years in prison
Justin Carter, the 19-year-old League of Legends player that was jailed in the late summer last year, is now facing 10 years imprisonment. After a loosing streak, Carter made verbal threats to his opponents and later put threats on Facebook, saying he would shoot up a school and eat the hearts of the victims.
Although an anonymous donor has posted the Texas gamer’s bail of half a million dollars, the teenager still faces the better part of a decade in prison.
3) Shia LaBeouf ends his short career
After a plagiarism mess made by Transformers star Shia LeBeouf, where his debut in film producing was shown to lift dialogue straight from one of Daniel Clowes’ graphic novels, LeBeouf now decides to retire. The star has made several apologies for his behaviour on Twitter, however all of these have also been found to be ripped from others. Among others, LeBeouf cited Kanye West, Gucci Mane and Lena Dunham as his apology resources.
To make matters worse, LeBeouf posted story boards for an upcoming film he was planning which were straight out copies of panels from another of Clowes’ novels.
The star eventually fell when he stated that he will now withdraw completely from the limelight.
2) Science finds the key to selling out
Computer science proffesor Yejin Choi has discovered a computer algorithm that can predict literary success with an astounding 84% accuracy. After analyzing over 800 novels, Choi managed to work out a system to turn literary style into a quantifiable number. Choi and his team applied this formula to other novels and discovered that it works… most of the time. The algorithm managed to spot 7 out of last year’s 10 best selling novels.
High ranking authors and publishers aren’t as convinced about the formula, as many still feel that the key to success cannot be formulated with computers.
1) Dap-Kings beat sales… and cancer!
Soul band Dap-Kings has had a rather successful career and finished their last tour just a few months ago. Just as the group was preparing to release their fifth album, “Give The People What They Want,” singer Sharon Jones was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
The release and the upcoming European tour got postponed as the 57-year-old singer went under the knife. On New Years Eve came good news: Jones’ last chemo treatment had successfully eradicated all traces of cancer in her body. Jones and Dap-Kings have decided to jump right into the game again and both the album release and the tour are coming up this spring.