Read the September issue of MCV online now! Featuring Bandai Namco, Ubisoft, Xbox, Wargaming, Gearbox and much more

Summer is officially over, even though the weather seems not to have read the memo, and MCV returns from its annual German excursion for our September issue – you can read it for free here.

We returned from Gamescom with dictaphones packed full of comment and insight, to keep you informed in these crucial months in the run-up to Christmas. This month’s issue is headlined by Bandai Namco Europe’s Hervé Hoerdt, who tells us why Europe is ‘the future of the group’ and expands on plans for Little Nightmares 2 and the innovative Tori.

We also talk to Ubisoft’s Alain Corre about the company’s new lease of life, with new IPs and new platforms to explore. Xbox’s Aaron Greenberg clarifies the platform-holders first party position and explains why it’s bringing its X019 event to London later this year.

Also in the UK, Wargaming is making its first title built from the ground up by western developers for western audiences, which is all going rather well (bar a studio-destroying fire in Guildford). Gearbox explains how it created smash-hit Borderlands 3 without breaking the series’ formula.

Koch Media CEO Klemens Kundratitz explains the thinking behind its latest round of acquisitions and how it retains a strategy of local representation in an increasingly globalised industry. Plus we have the Ukie UK Game of the Show from Gamescom in the shape of Denki’s Autonauts.

Elsewhere, we take a look behind the scenes at the development of Ape Out. Developer Gabe Cuzzillo speaks on its unusual art style, the role of dynamic music in the game and how QWOP-developer Bennett Foddy ended up joining him in making the game.

Plus there’s all our usual recruitment news and advice, events from around the industry, market data, development regulars and our Final Boss, which this month is Wired Production’s Leo Zullo.

The latest digital edition can be read here for free (and is embedded below) and here are the full contents of this month’s issue: