MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
A glut of Q4 blockbusters rescued the UK games market from the ten-year low it hit over the summer.
Smash hits like Modern Warfare 3, FIFA 12, Battlefield 3, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and more kept retailers busy, while consumer events GAMEfest and Eurogamer Expo drew in thousands of gaming fans and families.
Meanwhile, trailers teasing the future delights of Grand Theft Auto V, The Last of Us and Fortnite prepared the industry for what is shaping up to be a busy 2012.
SEPTEMBER
NOTABLE RELEASE
FIFA 12 – EA’s venerable footy franchise hit its 19th iteration, but showed no sign of age, introducing new tackling and animations which transformed the game.
IN THE NEWS
- Intent Media launches MCV Pacific
- Game-streaming service OnLive arrives in the UK
- Asda relaunches its entertainment site with plans for game downloads
- Nintendo releases Metallic Red 3DS
- GAMEfest attracts 30,000 visitors, Eurogamer Expo draws in 35,000
- GAME and HMV open new concept stores in Westfield Stratford City at the Olympic Village
- Star Wars: The Old Republic is finally confirmed for a 2011 release, due in December
- Big Brother moves to Channel 5. We still don’t watch it.
OCTOBER
NOTABLE RELEASE
Battlefield 3 – EA’s major bid to reclaim the FPS market may not have toppled Activision’s Call of Duty, but significantly grew its publisher’s market share.
IN THE NEWS
- Colin Campbell is named Games Media Legend at 2012 GMAs; Edge, Eurogamer, IGN and VideoGamer also take home prizes
- Warner Bros adopts Online Pass system by locking second-hand users out of Batman: Arkham City’s Catwoman content
- iPhone 4S lands on shelves ten days after its unveiling
- Research shows that half of the UK’s population plays video games
- EA Sports smashes its own records, with FIFA 12 selling 1m copies in the UK in one week
- MCV reveals publishers are spending 165m on Christmas marketing
- Apple founder Steve Jobs passes away
NOVEMBER
NOTABLE RELEASE
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 – Activision once again rewrote entertainment retail records. The game generated $1bn worldwide in just 16 days.
IN THE NEWS
- Modern Warfare 3 and Skyrim contribute to the UK games market’s biggest week ever, with retailers taking 121m in seven days
- The Government announces it will close the Channel Islands’ VAT loophole in April 2012
- Microsoft’s Xbox brand turns ten years old
- Angry Birds makes its retail debut as downloads reach half a billion
- Best Buy pulls out of the UK market
- Rockstar releases the first trailer for Grand Theft Auto V
- Kennedy Space Center launches Mars rover Curiosity, the most elaborate Martian exploration vehicle to date
DECEMBER
NOTABLE RELEASE
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – While the game actually debuted in November, its sales have soared this month – thanks in no small part to its recent (and arguably premature) price cut.
IN THE NEWS
- MCV’s Annual Retail Survey reveals that 80 per cent of retailers are confident about their business in 2012
- First details emerge of MCV Industry Excellence Awards 2012
- Minecraft creator Notch steps away from the hit indie game
- Spike TV Video Game Awards reveal trailers for new IPs The Last of Us from Naughty Dog and Epic Games’ Fortnite
- Shigeru Miyamoto suggests he is stepping back from his current role but Nintendo reassures the industry that he is not retiring
- GAME prepares digital gifts this Christmas
- Girl band Little Mix wins The X Factor 2011
