Game industry business news

The will-they-won’t-they saga surrounding THQ’s publishing of ex-Vivendi property 50 Cent: Blood On The Sand has come to an end: after the BBFC classified the title for the publisher. Rumours first circulated that THQ had bought the rights to the Swordfish Studios-developed game earlier this week, when the firm’s name …

Ahead of tomorrow’s release of Pro Evolution Soccer 2009, publisher Konami has confirmed that the game is to receive periodic squad updates going forwards – with the first set to arrive some time in early November. The first patch will offer updates to four Spanish sides (Athletico Madrid, Sevilla, Racing …

Microsoft has announced that the next title to join its offering on the Xbox Live Originals service will be Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. The original Xbox and PS2 title appeared in 2005, and was the third 3D outing for the GTA franchise. Building on the success of predecessor …

Organisers of next year’s Gamescom have confirmed that the Cologne-based even will boast a games development conference. The inaugural conference takes place in September 2009, and comes as many of the participating publishers from the Leipzig trade and retail conference look to create a new event in better-located part of …

Microsoft’s Xbox Live boss has told MCV that Xbox 360 definitely has the power to handle” Metal Gear Solid 4 – and talked of his admiration for Kojima-san’s masterpiece”. John Schappert, the firm’s corporate vice-president of Live, Software and Services, said that he would love to see the game come …

While the Disney of old might prompt images of Mickey Mouse and charming early movies like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the modern, colossally powerful corporation has undoubtedly moved on. Family-friendly entertainment remains at its core, of course – but in 2008, the likes of Zac Efron, Vanessa Hugdens …

fbFund awards company's Social Arcade game-creation tool

Hot on the heels of the FIFA ’09 price battle , Asda has slashed the price of Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 to just 27 on Xbox 360 and PS3. The supermarket chain is also giving copies of the PS3 version away with every PlayStation 3 console bought. Elsewhere, Blockbuster has …

Former GCDC chief Frank Sliwka to organise dev part of new Cologne show

Community Games to release alongside NXE on November 19th