Game industry business news

Another Japanese firm is looking to Europe in a bid to grow its sales. Zen United, a new consortium representing developers from Asia have signed a co-publishing deal with UK logistics firm PQube to bring a number of Japanese games to the European market. The initial line-up covers anime-styled titles, …

One of the highest-profile names in the free-to-play browser-based games market, Quake Live, is to turn its back on the in-game advertising model after its lead developer admitted that its returns to date have been limited. As a result, developer id has now admitted that it intends to turn to …

Company files patent for an application that detects player sounds and expressions

Realtime Worlds has confirmed there will be no subscription fees for APB. An FAQ on the game’s official website states: The actual price for the game itself is still under discussion. We can confirm that APB will not require a monthly subscription.” VG247 reports that the studio’s founder Dave Jones …

Hive Entertainment has signed a deal with Together Plus to distribute its range of Nintendo toys and stationary into the UK market. Products in Together Plus’ range includes a Mario Bros. chess set, Mario Kart and Mario Galaxy branded stationary as well as mugs, figures and key rings. We are …

It’s as you were at the top of the ELSPA GfK-ChartTrack All Formats Top 40 this week as Codemasters’ Ashes Cricket 2009 and Nintendo pair Wii Sports Resort and Wii Fit remain in first, second and third positions for the second week running. The only new entry in the Top …

Eidos life president asserts that the IP remains â??IO Interactiveâ??s babyâ??

Up-and-coming publisher Nordic Games will be unveiling new Wii title We Sing at Gamescom. The game is the first in the singing genre to feature four microphones simultaneously, and will be shown to trade and press for the first time at the Cologne games event. We Sing will be Nordic …

Some of the UK’s largest retailers face a potentially damaging Government crackdown on the sale of VAT-free entertainment goods shipped through the Channel Islands. Online divisions of HMV, Tesco, WH Smith, Asda, Argos, Amazon, Play.com and Woolworths.co.uk currently dodge millions of pounds of tax on CDs, DVDs and games that …

Microsoft has revealed its mammoth marketing plans for upcoming Xbox 360 blockbuster, Halo 3: ODST. The Bungie-developed FPS is due to hit shelves on September 22nd and – as Microsoft’s biggest release of the year – the platform holder plans to support the title right up until Christmas and throughout …