Game industry business news

As has become tradition, Nintendo will tonight be the final platform holder to take to the E3 stage in LA and wow the world with its latest hardware and software. We can be fairly sure what the agenda will be – Wii U, Wii U and perhaps some Wii U. …

In the fifth of a series of features answering the biggest questions about the industry’s future, Christopher Dring shatters the myths behind the shrinking children’s sector Is the kids games market dead?NO During the PS2’s era, licensed kids games were the hottest properties. And with the likes of Finding Nemo …

The European version of Sony’s PlayStation Plus Instant Game Collection has been detailed by SCEE. As revealed at Sony’s E3 presentation last night, PS+ has been revamped with a significant amount of extra content on offer to those who sing up to Sony’s annual 40 subscription service. As of tomorrow …

EA now looks likely to announcement a Wii U version of Mass Effect at Nintendo’s E3 press event that kicks off at 5pm tonight. The German language Mass Effect Facebook page has this afternoon told fans to keep an eye on Nintendo’s event. EA boss John Riccitiello has previously pledged …

The Entertainment Software Association has threatened to abandon Los Angeles for next year’s E3 if its concerns regarding ongoing construction of the LA Convention Centre are not addressed. A warning was issued by the ESA last year when it hesitated in renewing its Convention Center contract beyond 2012 due to …

The latest issue of MCV – our 104-page E3 extravaganza – is available to download right now. You can view it online or download it to your iPad. This edition also features trailers, which you won’t get in your print copy. What’s in this week’s issue? Well we have an …

Nintendo has done little to douse the fires of speculation by describing the speculative report of a new 3DS as… speculative. MCV yesterday reported that Japanese news outlet Nikkei believes that the platform holder will tonight unveil a redesigned 3DS with a bigger screen. It adds that the machine will …

THQ laid off the entire staff of its San Diego office today. Reports surfaced ontwittereariler this evening, claiming the layoffs were timed to coincide with press coverage of the E3 conference taking place in L.A. this week. THQ has taken massive hits financially in recent years, and has closed several …

LucasArts has shown off the first ever gameplay video of its gritty sci-fi action title Star Wars 1313. In it we see a mix of both traditional cover and shoot third person gameplay, as well as an Uncharted-style climbing section in which the player must escape an exploding spaceship. Note …

Nordic Games will publish Painkiller: Hell & Damnation, a sequel to popular 2004 shooter Painkiller. Nordic Games has promised Hell & Damnation will recreate "the sensations and hardcore gameplay of the original Painkiller", according to VG247. The publisher’s business and product development officer Reinhard Pollice said: "We’re proud of the …