BizSpots: MumboJumbo, Epic, Ascaron, Wham-O

MumboJumbo sinks in Hot Lava
Casual game publisher and developer MumboJumbo announced today that it has acquired Russia-based developer Hot Lava. Terms of the deal were undisclosed, but MumboJumbo did reveal that it had appointed former Hot Lava CEO Matt Lichtenwalter to vice president of product development. In the past, the two companies had worked together on Hot Lava's 7 Wonders line of casual puzzle games for the Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable, and PC. Hot Lava is MumboJumbo's second acquisition of the year. In January, the Texas-based publisher acquired Ritual Entertainment, the studio behind the SiN franchise.

Virtual Heroes diagnoses Unreal Engine 3
Epic Games picked up yet another licensee for its Unreal Engine 3 today, and it isn't for the standard first-person shooter fare. Virtual Heroes has announced it will be using the development engine to develop serious games and advanced learning technologies. In addition to integrating Unreal Engine 3 into its Advance Learning Technology development platform, Virtual Heroes revealed its first project using the development tool will be for a medical education and training program titled HumanSim, which seeks to create a photorealistic human model. The technology will also be used to develop training products for gaming consoles and the PC.

Dell is Sacred to Ascaron
Ascaron Entertainment announced earlier this week that it would be partnering with PC manufacturer Dell in developing its latest action role-playing game Sacred 2: Fallen Angel. According to the developer, the uniform hardware base will help the development team with quality optimization. Long considered the office worker's PC maker, Dell has in the past year undergone a significant shift to raise its street cred in the gaming sector, having bought high-end PC maker Alienware in March 2006 and released its ultra-high performance portable XPS line in April 2006.

Wham-O isn't Fog-gy about motion-sensing controls
Getting an agent isn't just Hollywood business these days. Wham-O--known better as the maker of the Frisbee, Hula Hoop, Hacky Sack, and Slip N' Slide line of toys--announced this week that it had signed on Fog Studios to represent its rights in the gaming industry via a multiyear agreement between the firms. According to Fog CEO Ed Dille, the impetus behind the deal stemmed from the rising importance of motion-sensing controls in this latest generation of consoles. "The technology and timing are perfect to create some great games with lasting appeal. Now, when the weather isn't cooperating, you can bring classic Wham-O fun indoors."