Variety:

Warner Bros. Entertainment has conjured up the Harry Potter Global Franchise Development team, based in both London and Burbank, to “develop and execute a high-level strategic vision for the Harry Potter brand and its ancillary businesses,” Warner Bros. said Wednesday.

We’ve seen similar strategies with the Lord of the Rings (Middle-earth Enterprises) and Star Wars (Lucasfilm Story Group) franchises. I am all for unified canon management and more Harry Potter. Seems like great news for a potential Harry Potter MMO…

Polygon:

Warner Bros. Entertainment is not currently commenting on any involvement the team might have with future Harry Potter video games.

Time:

Hollywood’s woman problem is well-documented: researchers at San Diego State University found that women made up just 15% of protagonists, 29% of major characters and 30% of all speaking characters in movies last year.

Still better than the video game industry, but not far off. Also, I am slacking on my follow-up to the E3 2013 Genre/Gender Breakdown.

Great read on connecting from Wiseman.

Rosalind Wiseman, Anti-Defamation League:

Young people who game know our bias and the ignorance this bias comes from. It’s this reactivity about games that can make it much more difficult for us to develop strong relationships with young people. It’s also undeniable that gaming is an essential part of many students’ lives. We have an obligation to know about this incredibly diverse world so we can effectively help children and teens navigate it with informed, constructive guidance.

John Gruber, Daring Fireball:

It’s almost impossible to overstate just how big a deal Minecraft is for my son and his friends.

The popularity and power of Minecraft continues to amaze me. Players tend to remain glued to the game/simulation for hours on end, not just playing but creating, experimenting, collaborating, sharing and learning.

Here’s a relink to Polygon’s piece on how the United Nations is utilizing Minecraft.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5f8BvmZC_Y

To celebrate the addition of same-sex marriages in Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, the Rough Trade Gaming Community took to the streets of Eorzea in the inaugural FFXIV Pixel Pride parade.

J. Bryan Lowder, Slate:

I must say, having watched both the real thing [Pride Parade in New York City] back in June and now this, the Rough Trade parade seemed—pixilation aside—the more joyous of the two.