Game industry business news

Ubisoft has begun the second phase of its nationwide Imagine sampling tour, promoting its best-selling range of games for girls in the run up to Christmas. The publisher will be demonstrating the newest additions to the series, such as Detective Adventures and Party Planner, as well as Just Dance at …

In the latest edition of NoJ’s Iwata Asks series, Nintendo president Saturo Iwata has listed a number of names for the firm considered for its recently unveiled DSi XL. According to a translation on Andriasang, the list of possible monikers that Nintendo conjured up included ‘DSi Comfort’, ‘DSi Executive’, ‘DSi …

The Japanese arm of PlayStation platform holder Sony has spoken openly about the possibility of introducing a monthly charge to use some aspects of the currently free PlayStation Network service. Servers and the like have running costs, and we would face difficulties if our business depended solely on the sell-and-forget …

Publisher Ubisoft has detailed the contents of its Limited Collector’s Edition version of the upcoming Splinter Cell Conviction, which is due for release on Xbox 360 and PC on February 26th. Included in the bundle is a SteelBook case, official soundtrack and, most impressively, a Sam Fisher statue. In-game wise …

The Australian government has at last opened up the debate on whether or not its classification system should be restructured to accommodate adult or mature video games. The strict Australian classification system has been in the news again recently thanks to its decision to ban Rebellion’s Aliens vs Predator – …

Square Enix â??must tap intoâ?? enormous browser game market, says CEO Yoichi Wada

Square Enix President reveals the extent in which he wants to invest in Xbox Live

UK publisher Mamba Games has named its software selection for the first half of 2010, and it’s cult indie PC hit Machinarium – which will be released at retail on March 5th – that catches the eye. Other titles in the selection include Memento Mori (February 12th) and 15 Days …

The mastermind behind Nintendo’s recent Zelda games has revealed that development on the new Wii version of the series is well underway” – and that he is hopeful of being able to show the game off at E3 next year. Speaking in the January issue of Official Nintendo Magazine, Eiji …

Nintendo has announced that it will launch blue and pink, or his ‘n’ hers, coloured Wii motes in North America on February 14th – which for those of you who haven’t twigged, is Valentines day. The iconology of the clear plastic sheath that houses each device is probably not deliberate, …