Game industry business news

RETAIL BIZ: Metal Gear tops PSP charts

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker has debuted at No.1 in the PSP charts this week. The Konami stealth action game put an end to 2010 FIFA World Cup’s seven-week stint in the top spot and is the first PSP title to reach No.1 since April. 2010 FIFA World Cup, ModNation …

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MS reveals Xbox Live Family Pack

Ever been frustrated by the fact that while dad can play online on Xbox Live thanks to his Gold membership, the kids can’t do the same on the very same machine when logged in under their profile? Fret no more. Microsoft has revealed what it is calling the Xbox Live …

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BPI targets Google in file-sharing drive

In the latest move in its quest to defeat the never-ending legion of internet copyright offenders, the British Phonographic Institute has made an official request to Google to remove a number of links to leading file-sharing sites. Those included in the demands include Megaupload, 4shared.com, Zippyshare, and MediaFire. The moves …

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Namco convinced of 3D potential

Namco Bandai has five games in development for 3DS and is convinced that 2010 will be the year of 3D, according to a statement form the publisher. Handheld 3D versions of Ridge Racer, Pac-Man & Galaga, Dragon Ball Z, Gundam and Super Robot are all in the works, though it …

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ELSPA reeling from games tax U-turn

UK publisher association ELSPA has understandably aired its disappointment at the Cob-LibDem government’s withdrawal of tax breaks for games production. But the organisation has said the move should only make the industry more determined to take advantage of policies and schemes that will support its businesses. In statement ELSPA general …

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VAT rising to 20%

Shortly after confirming that it is to do away with tax breaks for the UK video games industry, Chancellor George Osborne has confirmed that Value Added Tax will rise to 20 per cent from January 4th 2011. Though there’s a good chance that the ticket price of video games on …

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Game tax breaks scrapped

The new UK coalition Government WILL NOT implement tax breaks for games production Chancellor George Osborne confirmed today. As part of his Emergency Budget, Osborne said that subsidies for developers first proposed by the previous Labour government in April will not come into force. He described the suggestion as ‘poorly …

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Vaizey to talk tax breaks at Develop Conference?

Ed Vaizey is to make what may be his first appearance at a games industry event since he became Minister for Culture at the formation of the current coalition Government. The Minister has been confirmed to be speaking at the Develop Conference on the morning of Wednesday, July 14th, immediately …

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GAME discounts Xbox 360

Though Microsoft is yet to offer any official word on a UK discount to current Xbox 360 stock to mirror the move it has already made in North America, High Street retailer GAME has cut the price on some of its Xbox offerings ahead of the official launch of the …

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