MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
A new report has dispelled rumours that Microsoft will be laying off a significant portion of its workforce, claiming the company has other cost cutting measures in mind. Following rumours that Microsoft was considering dismissing thousands of employees, CNBC reports that the company will be reducing its outgoings through attrition …
Read More »Empty shops to reach record levels
The worsening conditions on the UK High Street could lead to a record number of vacant retail outlets by the end of the year, analyst Experian has predicted. Ongoing retail administrations, disposals and rationalisations are expected to see the vacancy rate climb from its current seven per cent to ten …
Read More »PETA praises Fable II
PETA, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, has named Lionhead’s Xbox 360 RPG Fable II in its 6th Annual Proggy Awards, naming it the year’s most animal-friendly video game”. The organisation said of the game: Fable 2 is a vegetarian’s dream come true. Why? In this virtual fight …
Read More »JAPAN: 360 to get Resi 5 bundle
Platform holder Microsoft has announced that the upcoming release of Capcom’s Resident Evil 5 will be accompanied by an Xbox 360 hardware bundle including the game in Japan. The Xbox 360 Biohazard 5 Pack (as the series is known in the region) will include the console, a 60GB hard drive, …
Read More »Sony: PS3 sales up 130%
Following SCEE president’s David Reeves upbeat forecast of the year ahead for PlayStation , fellow executives have praised the achievements of the business in the last 12 months and predicted a bumper year ahead for PS3. SCEA vice president Ian Jackson stated: We’ve had a solid holiday season and have …
Read More »Reeves: Profit is a specific pressure for PlayStation business
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe president David Reeves has stated that Sony’s PlayStation division is on target to alleviate” the specific pressure” it has come under for failing to post a profit since the launch of PS3. In an upbeat forecast for the year ahead on the UK PlayStation site, Reeves …
Read More »JAPAN: Year-on-year market decline predicted
Ahead of the release of its official figures next week, Famitsu publisher Enterbrain is predicting a significant decline in the value of the Japanese video games market in 2008. Enterbrain states that in 2007 the market was worth YEN 687.95 billion, whereas it expects the 2008 figure to be around …
Read More »360 console sales reach 28 million units worldwide
Microsoft has claimed that it has sold 28 million units of its Xbox 360, increasing the format’s lead over the PlayStation 3 to more than eight million consoles. The platform holder has also reported huge growth to its Xbox Live service, which now boasts 17 million active members. Online consumer …
Read More »UK CHARTS: FIFA nutmegs Call of Duty
Mirroring the early 2008 chart success of EA’s FIFA 08, the publisher’s latest take on the beautiful game is starting 2009 on the front foot having pipped Call of Duty: World at War for the second time at the top of the ELSPA Gfk-ChartTrack All Formats Top 40. FIFA 09 …
Read More »Partnertrans opens new Slough office
New location for expanding localisation specialists
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