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

Starbreeze studio Overkill has irked players once again with the addition of new gameplay-boosting microtransactions to Payday 2. Destructoid reports that the game’s latest update has added ‘Team Boosts’ which grants cash and XP boosts for players. The effect is increased when more players on a team are using it. …

The former gaming editor for online outlet Digital Spy, Matthew Reynolds, has moved to No Man’s Sky studio Hello Games. He has joined the developer as its communications manager, handling press, PR and marketing. Reynolds joined Digital Spy in 2008 as a reporter, before his promotion to gaming editor in …

For all the criticism the Xbox One has received, it is evident that Microsoft is willing to listen to the fans and change its hardware to reflect what players want. From ditching its digital-only strategy to removing Kinect from the package, Xbox has responded to the demands of its fans. …

Publishing label Excalibur is considerably cutting back on its simulation business as it invests more into its own IP. The firm is well-known for its sim games, such as Euro Truck Simulator, but it has faced challenges from self-published rivals. The simulation market for us has dried up and we’ve …

Microsoft’s first-party controller revenue has shot up by two-thirds during 2015, according to GfK Chart-Track. The news follows the release of the premium Xbox One Elite Controller, which launched in late October for 120 and quickly sold out across the US and UK. Microsoft has said stock will remain in …

This week, Microsoft is updating its Xbox One with a user interface and backwards compibility functionality, and has recently launched its new Elite range. MCV sits down with UK marketing boss Harvey Eagle to talk about these additions to the Xbox One, and what the firm’s expectations are for this …

Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick says the publisher will continue to launch multiple triple-A boxed games a year, despite the rapid growth of its digital business. For its second financial quarter, Take-Two revealed that 39 per cent of its revenue comes from digital content – primarily driven by Grand Theft Auto …

A market dedicated to selling retro games and merchandise takes place this weekend, and the organisers expect it to give a huge boost to retailers. London Gaming Market is set for Sunday, November 15th at the Royal National Hotel in Russell Square, London, and will return on April 3rd, 2016, …

Call of Duty, Fallout and Star Wars Battlefront must deliver if UK games retail is to turn around a difficult 2015. According to GfK Chart-Track data, physical UK game sales are down 8.5 per cent so far this year. October was a particular disappointment, with sales slumping 24 per cent …

The long-awaited arrival of the Master Chief on Xbox One has helped the console achieve a rare monthly win in the US. November has become the second month of 2015 (the other being April) that Xbox One has outsold PS4 in the region. It did so thanks to an 81 …