We’ve handpicked some of the most exciting design talent coming out of the region and showcased it to the rest of the world via our wallpaper creator app, Granimator™. From Stina Persson’s ethereal jungle scenes to Diftype’s stark graphic formations, each artist’s pack follows a very different style and mood. All the artists, however, draw from a traditional, hand crafted style and root the collection in the very essence of Nordic design where the traditional meets the modern.

The Nordic Collection artists are: Clara Terne, Karin Rönmark, Martin Nicolausson, Stina Persson, Tyra von Zweigbergk, Niklas Lundberg aka Difftype and Kristina Gordon aka YapYap.

Download Granimator™ for free HERE

The partnership will enable us to work on narratives whilst evolving the Whale Trail brand, with a digital picture book planned for release in October 2012. This will be followed by further publishing opportunities both in digital and physical formats throughout 2013.

Whale Trail was all about creating something that brings joy to users throughout the world. Penguin genuinely and passionately share our enthusiasm for developing the brand further, and the coming together of the traditional publishing powerhouse and our first game IP, is a match made in heaven. The ingredients are now ready to be mixed together to make something truly mind-blowing and this is just the beginning.

Eric Huang, Publishing Director, Media & Entertainment Group, said, ‘I discovered Whale Trail from Gruff Rhys’ music video.  When I downloaded the app, I was hooked. There’s something so fresh and cool about the art direction.’

We’ve always felt that the workplace should feel like home: when you walk through the office doors, it should feel as though you’ve just stepped into your front room. At ustwo™, we’ve consciously created a space that blurs the boundaries between work and home life. Our aim is for our staff to feel more excited about the Sunday evening before work than a Friday night in the pub – it would mean that they’re doing something they love, not something they’re always trying to escape. After all, home is where the heart is and we’ve personally built the studio from the heart up.

Over the years, thanks to our success, we’ve been able to invest more in our staff. For example, we make sure we buy laptops over desktops so no one’s ever stuck to their desks – something that wasn’t possible in the early days. We’ve also moved into a bigger studio with numerous break out areas, meeting rooms and an open plan kitchen with a barista grade coffee machine at the centre of it all. When you spend at least nine hours a day in a studio, it’s essential that everyone’s needs are met.

In creating our studio space, we also wanted to challenge the standard boss-employee relationship: in our opinion, having a physical divide between bosses and staff will only lead to an emotional divide. We’ve never ever considered ourselves as bosses – we certainly don’t want anyone to treat us like that. In our view, all of us at the studio share one goal, so we prefer to sit among the team as other pieces of the puzzle.

Sign up and read the full article and watch the video HERE

Willow the Whale has leapt high into the rainbow sky to escape the clutches of the evil Baron Von Barry. Press and hold the screen to make Willow soar high above the clouds and let go for him to swoop down low to avoid the angry Thunder Bros.

With two game modes and Scoreloop worldwide leaderboards, Whale Trail is one of the most intense and addictive games, which will keep you coming back for more. Choose from the surreal endless Classic Mode or unlock stars in 32 bite-size Challenge Levels.

mills™ aka CHIEF WONKA says, ‘ This time we’ve chosen a market where it’s thought by devs that premium and apps do not blend and where free is expected…the Android Market. It’s the ultimate challenge and one we’re pumped for.’

Download Whale Trail HERE

ustwo™ has designed and developed the game, originally available on iPhone and Android devices, to allow users to play using either a TV remote or any Android mobile phone.

Gameplay is simple, with the player navigating the DOT™ around the screen to collect life giving Blue Balls, while avoiding deathly Pink Pyramids. DOT™ for TV offers multiplayer functionality allowing up to four players to battle it out in their living room, in the ultimate game of survival.

sinx, co-founder of ustwo™ says, ‘This partnership with Sony has been really exciting – it’s the first time we’ve created a game specifically for a TV interface and it’s been amazing to see DOT™ come to life on the big screen.’

The ustwo™ studio has worked with Sony globally for over a decade across a broad range of home entertainment and mobile products.

Check out Dot™ TV HERE

BUT, taking strength from the fans’ support and love for Willow, we decided to make the best even better and PIVOT 180°™.

ustwo™ are proud to announce the new, improved and updated Whale Trail where Willow’s adventures are now even more awesome! Featuring 32 challenge levels to test your flying skills, Hyper-Boost power ups, 9 brand new achievements and much more. Can you ride Willow through the storm?

Visit Willow’s Facebook and Twitter pages and say hi.

Take a look at the new levels HERE

Download Whale Trail HERE

Their collection will be launched at this year’s ‘adventures in motion festival’ – one of the most highly regarded and innovative events in the audio-visual calendar.

onedotzero is a leading commissioner and promoter of moving image, digital and interactive arts in the UK.

Book tickets for the ‘onedotzero_adventures in motion festival’ at London’s BFI, 23-27 November 2011, HERE

‘New Tech, New Stories – the Pioneers of Digital Publishing’, provides a unique insight into the future of the book, throwing light on ways new technology has shifted narrative from page to screen.

From social reading initiatives to immersive experiences, ustwo™ interviewed Faber & Faber, Random House, Hachette, writer James Bridle, journalist and author Naomi Alderman, and many more.

Download PAPERCUT HERE

This beautiful, endless and colourful runner is a simple one touch gaming experience, designed to make the App Store a better place. The game features an exclusive soundtrack by Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animals fame.

The aim of Whale Trail is to keep Willow the Whale flying high in the sky, collecting floating Blubbles to feed his rainbow coloured trail, dodging the angry Thunder Bros and avoiding the evil Barry Von Barry.

PAPERCUT transforms simple prose into an interactive, multi-sensory reading experience. Written content is presented in short passages and relevant video, animation, image sequences and sound are triggered in relation to the narrative.

To celebrate the launch ustwo™, in collaboration with Shortfire Press, has invited three leading British authors to showcase the platform − novelist and non-fiction writer Richard Beard, award winning Nadifa Mohamed and poet and illustrator Laura Dockrill.

Download the app HERE