Round-Up: Weak T2 Quarter?, Octagon Expansion, Meston & Atlus

Today's round-up includes news on analyst disappointment over Take-Two's holiday results, an expansion for game-related firm Octagon Entertainment, and a Working Designs veteran signing up with Atlus, as well as the latest product news and Gamasutra job postings. - Michael Pachter, analyst for Wedbush Morgan Securities, has issued an investor's memo saying that Take-Two Interactive is expected to report revenues of $286 million, the low side of the company's previous $286-$291 million estimate, for the financial quarter, according to a GameSpot report. "As industry sales continue to be challenging," said Pachter, "we expect Take-Two to lower fiscal year '06 and Q1 '06 guidance." More information, and possibly lowered guidance, will be revealed when Take-Two CEO Paul Eibeler conducts a conference call with analysts on Thursday. - U.S.-based Octagon Entertainment, previously a go-between for clients seeking video games and development contractors, has opened its own in-house development division. Octagon will continue to serve media companies seeking casual games or advergames for their own purposes, but rather than subcontract out development, some work will now be done by the company itself. Heading up the new unit will be Marc Racine, formerly of Vicious Cycle, and Paul Potera, formerly of Ubisoft. "By setting up a development services unit and bringing Marc and Paul to the team," said Octagon president Kirk Owen, "we can now capitalize on other great development opportunities and still realize our mission of delivering quality games on-time and on-budget." - Zach Meston, former localization editor during Working Designs' heyday and freelance game writer, has joined Atlus USA as Assistant Marketing Manager to Gail Salamanca, the niche game publisher's marketing manager. Meston has spent 15 years in the gaming industry, and is most known for his quirky, pop-culture-filled localization style on games such as Lunar: The Silver Star. - Also updated today: product news including AI firm Kynogon's new round of funding, plus the latest Gamasutra job postings from companies including Blizzard Entertainment, Blue Fang Games, Buzz Monkey Software, Cryptic Studios, Datascope Recruitment, Disney Buena Vista Games, Imaginengine, Incredible Technologies, Iron Lore Entertainment, Midway Games, Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc, Surreal Software, Vicarious Visions, Volition, and WildTangent.