Game industry business news

Stats from sales analyst NPD have shown that the Canadian video games market suffered a like-for-like fall in sales in Q1 – the first time the territory has shown an annual dip since figures began in 2002. Edge reports that retail sales of hardware and software fell by 8.5 per …

Games industry analyst Michael Pachter has boldly stated that the current crop of games consoles may represent the end of the generational cycle we have become accustomed to – with the exception of the long-rumoured hi-def Wii. We do not expect a ‘new’ console in 2010, other than the long-rumoured …

It seems nothing is able to challenge Wii Fit at the top of the ELSPA GfK-ChartTrack All Formats Top 40 with Activision Blizzard’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine failing to stop Nintendo’s title making it five weeks on the trot at the top. By debuting in second spot Wolverine did, however, successfully …

A Thomson Reuters poll has revealed that analysts expect EA will later today post sales of some $631.9 million. The surveyed group are also expecting a loss of 43 cents per share on those sales figures. Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter, in a note to investors, was upbeat about EA’s …

Expect more of this sort of thing as E3 nears. Last week it was the PS3 that was preparing for a motion-sensing E3 reveal, and now it appears that Xbox 360 is being connected with the same rumour. Engadget claims to have received ‘a tip’ from an insider connected to …

Following the slow decline in manufacturing and the sudden decline of financial services, the government has identified the creative industries as the future saviour of Britain. It is estimated that within five years we will be living in a video-centric world where most information and entertainment will be available on …

Cevat Yerli, the CEO of German games developer Crytek, has admitted that he hopes the recent prosecution of the four owners of BotTorrrent site Pirate Bay could mark a ‘mental shift’ in the way people consume media. I was really happy [at the ruling], to be honest,” Yerli told MCV’s …

EA Redwood Shores name ditched to emphasise focus on 'developing best-in-breed action games'

EA Sports may be turning its back on boxed PC releases, but rival publisher Capcom has announced that it will be releasing both boxed and digital versions of some of its biggest titles on PC this year. The headline title is next-gen hit Resident Evil 5, which will be released …

Publisher Namco Bandai is to release a second instalment to its Family Trainer franchise on Wii this autumn in the UK. Family Trainer: Extreme Challenge will again utilise both the WiiMote and Namco’s own Family Trainer Mat and will boast activities such as wakeboarding, rock climbing and base jumping. The …