MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry

When it launched in August 2013, Microsoft’s ID@Xbox initiative marked a bold commitment to independent development by the platform holder. Three years on, what’s next for the programme?

The Oculus Rift’s price advantage over rival HTC Vive has just taken a big hit. As spotted by Engadget, the upcoming Oculus Touch controllers – which are Oculus’s equivalent to the controllers included with the HTC Vive at launch – have been given a whopping 190 RRP in the UK. …

Rick Gibson discusses the promising results of a new study into the UK development scene and reveals the effect Brexit could have on finding funding

The chief executive of the Pokemon Company has become the first senior industry figure to openly discuss the hybrid design of Nintendo NX. The NX is trying to change the concept of what it means to be a home console device or a hand-held device,” Tsunekazu Ishihara told The Wall …

We thought the games industry had moved past the sort of opulent, decadent E3 events like the one Bethesda put on this year. The publisher – one year on from its 2015 press conference held in the same venue as the Oscars – threw a massive event in Los Angeles …

Its week one physical sales may have been lower, but Konami believes that the quality of PES 2017 will turn things around for its famous football franchise. The firm told MCV that it is on a mission to change perceptions about the series, which for a period had fallen behind …

PlayStation has bolstered its UK marketing team with Jon Edwards joining as UK product manager. Edwards is an experienced marketing exec, having worked as brand and communications manager on Metal Gear Solid V and Pro Evolution Soccer. At Sony, he will be working initially on Gran Turismo Sport, Horizon Zero …

Former Develop, CVG and GameSpot editor Rob Crossley has joined Creative England as its new head of games. Creative England is the organisation that supports and invests money into small and start-up studios across England. It has worked with the likes of Microsoft and PlayStation in supporting games and teams. …

Battle.net, the long-term identity of Blizzard’s online gaming network, is to drop the name. Blizzard’s many titles have for two decades used Battle.net for player registration and online connectivity, but the developer has now said that while nothing technical is changing, the name itself is being retired. We’re going to …

Retail buyers are banking on FIFA and Xbox One S to revitalise a struggling physical games market. Last week’s major releases – including the new PS4 and PES 2017 – failed to rejuvenate the sector after a summer of low sales. No Man’s Sky was a bright spot in a …