MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
As the games industry looks on in bewilderment at the ping pong litigations firing back and forth between Gibson, Activision and Harmonix regarding a 1999 Gibson patent for technology to simulate a musical performance, those involved in the musical instrument trade shrug and ask ‘what’s new?’ Gibson relishes a good …
Read More »Gibson to sue games retailers
Gibson Guitar has filed infringement lawsuits against five large retailers, including US giants Target and Wal-Mart, according to MMR news. Software developer Harmonix and publisher Electronic Arts are also being sued in a separate lawsuit, with both relating to ‘popular guitar simulation games and their alleged infringement of Gibson’s 1999 …
Read More »Atari Inc. appoints new CEO
North American publisher Atari Inc has appointed Jim Wilson as its new CEO. Wilson joins from Sony BMG’s home entertainment business, Sony Wonder. He has previously held posts as president of Universal Interactive and as EVP/general manager of Worldwide Studios for Vivendi Universal Games. Wilson replaces Curtis G. Solsvig III, …
Read More »UK CHARTS: GT5 Prologue claims pole position
Whilst the release of the ‘full’ game is seemingly still some way off, Sony’s taste of things to come Gran Turismo 5 Prologue has shot straight to top spot in the ChartTrack All Formats Top 40. It follows the pattern set by previous GT ‘taster’ GT4 Prologue, which shot to …
Read More »EA committed to smartphones
BlackBerry, Windows Mobile and Symbian development not stopped by iPhone
Read More »Ubisoft raises annual sales target to 920m
Ubisoft has raised its sales guidance for fiscal 2007 – 2008 to €920 million – up from its previous forecast of €875 million, announced in January. The new target comes off the back of better-than-expected software sales, particularly for Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas 2 – which has already sold …
Read More »PlayStation store gets revamp
Those who’d noticed the recent ad on PSN won’t be surprised to hear that Sony has officially confirmed that its PlayStation Store is to receive a visual and structural makeover later this month. Feeding on the weighty response from users of the service, the main changes will be to the …
Read More »NORWAY: GameStop snaps up 49 stores
Nordic gamers will have 49 new GameStop stores to peruse after today’s acquisition deal for Norwegian chain Free Record. All Free Record outlest will be re-branded as GameStop, bringing the US retailer’s store count in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland up to 160. The transaction is ecpected to close in …
Read More »The Sims 3 targets ‘real’ gamers
EA’s The Sims Studio is looking to lure traditional gamers to the next installment in the franchise, The Sims 3, with more ‘goal-orientated’ gameplay. Speaking exclusively to MCV, the division’s creative director Rod Humble also revealed that his MMO background would help the franchise move away from its simulation past. …
Read More »FRANCHISE FOCUS – The Sims
If EA’s all-conquering franchise The Sims was a musician, it would be someone like James Blunt or Natasha Bedingfield – impossibly successful, but constantly subjected to critical disdain. In the past, The Sims has been derided as a game for non-gamers. However, if you’re interested in games, then The Sims …
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