Game industry business news

Douglas on… Rebranding "We basically took a brand that’s been on the High Street for 30 years – one of the strongest brands in the UK and the world – and changed it overnight. Of course we had our concerns that putting up Zavvi signs may have put people off. …

Having just passed the 9 million milestone in November, MMO giant Blizzard has now announced that its global phenomenon World of Warcraft has accrued over 10 million users worldwide. Of those users, 2 million are based in Europe, 2.5 million in North America and 5.5 million in Asia. Blizzard CEO …

NPD Group figures confirm that the franchise as a whole has raked in a cool $1 billion in North America alone. Since its initial release in 2005, the Guitar Hero franchise has sold in excess of 14 million units in North America alone, according to The NPD Group. In ten …

Japanese sales for Nintendo’s Wii have broken through the five million barrier, reports MCV’s exclusive media partner Enterbrain . The research company announced that, as of January 20th, the console has sold an estimated 5,019,337 units in just over one year. Also revealed in the data were approximate sales figures …

UK publisher SCi has seen plenty of ups and downs over the last few years – from successfully fighting off US giant Elevation Partners in 2005 to last week’s managerial clear-out. With a comprehensive knowledge of the publishers’ history and circumstances, Lovell offers unparallelled insight into SCi’s successes and struggles …

In April 2005, the games industry was gripped by a David-and-Goliath battle with Eidos as the prize. In the red corner stood Elevation Partners, the investment fund led by John Riccitiello, who had secured the backing of Eidos’s management for a takeover. Mike McGarvey and his team were unpopular with …

Are you getting enough? A quick scan of MCV’s guide to what you should be earning will tell you whether you’re getting paid your dues – or whether you should have a serious chat with the boss. And why not have a peek at the MCV jobs board if you’re …

The Australian games market has mirrored the strong growth seen in other global territories, with 2007 boasting sales of AUD 1.3 billion – a 43.6 per cent increase compared to 2006, according to IGN . 15.4 million games were sold throughout the year, with a third of these being sold …

Every year, after your New Year’s resolutions have been broken and the new gym memberships have been successfully neglected, the recruitment industry welcomes hoards of people like you looking to better themselves. Unhappy with your overbearing boss? Sick of doing the same tedious tasks over and over again? Appalled at …

nDreams, the development studio and digital publisher formed by former SCi and Eidos face Patrick O’Luanaigh, has appointed the current head of planning at advertising giant M&C Saatchi Matt Willifer as non executive director. Willifer will play a part in the formation and expansion of new nDreams division Brandplay, which …