Game industry business news

Mercury Games and Atari UK are to join forces to distribute and market the three titles this autumn. "Atari are pleased to be partnering Mercury Games,” said MD of Atari UK and Nordic Jeremy Wigmore. It has an exciting and varied product line up and we are looking forward to …

Casual games firm PopCap has completed what it says is the largest-ever worldwide survey of casual computer game players – with the results revealing, amongst other things, that 70 per cent of ‘family gamers’ say casual games provide educational benefits to their children. A number of benefits were cited by …

PC game publisher and distributor Paradox Interactive has taken on two ex-Atari executives as it ramps up its sales, marketing and distribution operations, reported Next Generation . Reena Miranda was previously director of product acquisition and third party at the publisher, while Martin Sirc was managing director at Atari Nordic. …

It’s natural to look upon the past fondly. We do it all the time, convinced that TV, crime rates and international political stability of the past is preferable than the dreary present we are faced with. Everyone who played video games years ago can also be guilty of this – …

The Leipziger Messe has named this year’s ‘Best of GC’, with an even spread of publishers given accolades by the show’s jury. The winners are as follows: PC: Crysis (EA)Xbox: BioShock (Take 2)PSP: God of War: Chains of Olympus (SCE)PS2: Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 (Konami)PS3: Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 (Konami)Wii: …

Remember back when the games industry was seen as the awkward cousin of the film industry, equivalent to the geeky nerd who no-one wanted to dance with at the school disco? Fast forward to today, and how things have changed. Returning from the Siggraph Convention in San Diego, (the world’s …

Publisher Activision will release a new Shrek game called Shrek: Ogres and Dronkeys for the DS for Christmas, reported Next Generation . The title will be based on characters introduced in Shrek The Third, namely Dronkeys (the offspring of a donkey and a dragon) and Shrek and Fiona’s ogre children. …

With a general election looming, David Cameron has found a new ‘enemy of society’ to rally against: violent video games. The Tory leader has set out a new long-term plan to tackle anti-social behaviour – including potential curbs on interactive entertainment. According to the Press Association, the strategy will form …

Scott Guthrie has been named executive vice president for North and South America and Ian Curran has stepped up to become international executive vice president in a newly-announced re-organisation of THQ’s top brass. The moves come as executive vice president of worldwide publishing Kelly Flock steps down for personal reasons. …

Japanese developer and publisher supporting new Nokia platform