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fastcompany:

Here are 2013’s 10 Most Innovative Companies In Gaming:

1. Rovio

The maker of Angry Birds is #1 for making apps the new source for big entertainment franchises.

2. Tencent Games

For leveraging its online distribution network and moving into content.

3. Activision

For elevating physical and digital play with its Skylanders series. Spyro’s Adventure and its sequel, Giants, feature dozens of chip-embedded action figures that interact with whatever happens on the screen, whether it’s a TV, computer, or handheld.

4. Microsoft

For revolutionizing home entertainment. Microsoft has assembled a digital living room. The system connects Windows, Xbox, and Kinect via SmartGlass, a free app that debuted last fall, which turns a portable device into a remote control and second screen.

5. Nintendo

For making the controller just as crucial to the gaming experience as the console and the Wii U.

6. Ouya

For electrifying gamers with a hackable console that features both a compelling design and an affordable device.

7. Telltale Games

For creating affordable appointment gaming. With The Walking Dead, Telltale has given gamers a way to play that’s amenable to busy schedules and with minimal upfront buy-in.

8. Valve

For pushing gaming into the hands of everyone. In 2012, it released its Source Filmmaker moviemaking tool to gamers for free, enabling just about anybody to produce Pixar-quality animation.

9. Imangi Studios

For pivoting into a freemium phenomenon. When sales started to slump (it was originally a 99-cent download), they made the game free to play and reaped about five times as much revenue.

10. Kabam

For turning hardcore gamers into a gold mine. Kabam puts out games that are long, complex, and appeal to players who are willing to devote lots of time to them…

[Image: Flickr user WastedButReady]