Publishing

Leading casual games vendor PopCap has struck a deal with Sony Online Entertainment that will see five of its leading titles released on the firm’s PlayStation Network for use on PS3. MCV’s sister site CasualGaming.biz has all the details – click here and you’ll be there.

SALES TEAM Who is eligible for this award?Any UK-based sales team or specialist sales force, including in-house staff and outsourced service companies. How is this award won?MCV will take soundings from the industry and consider any direct lobbying from retailers, suppliers or general readers before announcing a set of Finalists …

Sony has posted some grim numbers for its gaming division for the three months ending December 31st 2008 that show falling sales for all three of its current PlayStation consoles. Sales at its games division hit YEN 393.8bn, down 32.2 per cent on the same period in 2007. Unit sales …

VALUE/TRENDS 2008 Market Value (2007 in brackets)UK – 4.03bn (3.40bn) year-on-year +18.5% USA – 14.89bn (12.51bn) year-on-year +19%Japan – 4.55bn (5.37bn) year-on-year -15% These numbers show that the USA remains by far the single largest video games market in the world, bettering the value of the UK and Japanese markets …

Windows and Xbox 360 platform holder Microsoft has announced that former Entertainment and Devices Division general manager Ron Pessner is to become the new boss of Games for Windows. The appointment, reported by Gamasutra, follows the news last week that former boss Chris Early has left the firm. Also heading …

According to the latest issue of Famitsu , Capcom is well underway on multi-platform sequels to Lost Planet and Dead Rising. In an interview translated by Kotaku, Capcom veteran Keiji Inafune said: We’re finally putting out new Dead Rising and Lost Planet games! As a main principle we’re thinking about …

Japanese publisher Capcom has blamed Sony for the ongoing failure to release acclaimed title Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix on the European arm of the PlayStation Network. Joystiq claims that a PR rep from Capcom’s UK office has stated that despite two submissions, SCEE has twice denied the title …

Following speculation that Microsoft could be looking to ditch its MP3 player Zune following a severe drop in sales, the platform holder has told MCV that it is committed to its digital music brand. A spokesperson for the firm told MCV: Zune now has over three million devices, and more …

Pure developer provides frank retrospective on life after independence

Clearly the rumour won’t go away until the day a new machine is finally announced, but again overnight talk has emerged of alleged details of Sony’s PSP 2 – and again, sources at Sony have completely denied them. IGN states that several credible sources” have told it that PSP 2 …