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

Just Cause and Mad Max developer Avalanche Studios has laid off a number of employees at its New York and Stockholm offices. In a statement toGame Informer, a spokesperson said 12 employees had been let go at its US branch. A similar number were also let go at its Sweden …

New data from Kantar Worldpanel indicates that the market share of GAME, HMV and Argos has increased on the year before. The firm’s new research – for the 12 weeks ending September 27th 2015 – shows that HMV was the strongest performer, with its share of the entertainment retail market …

There are certain things that signal that Christmas is on its way – the clocks going back, Strictly and X-Factor hitting our screens, the onslaught of DFS ads… and the opening of the lobbying period for the MCV Awards. The UK games industry’s most prestigious awards return on Thursday, March …

Poland is fast becoming the keystone of Eastern European games development. According to a 2014 report by B2B event organiser Digital Dragons, 60 per cent of Polish internet users play games. Of these, 35 per cent play on PC, while just one in ten opt for consoles. 28 per cent …

MCV’s vital guide to key UK games agencies and services will return next month, and deadline for entries is this week. Now simply called the Directory, this is an interactive website and printed book that will featurethe best names in Quality Assurance, Localisation, Public Relations, Creative Agencies, Payment Methods, Recruitment, …

The controversy surrounding games unfit for release continues to rage, as some of 2015’s biggest hitters repeat the woes of last year’s buggy and broken titles. MCV asks QA and localisation experts at Universally Speaking, Testology, La Marque Rose, Testronic and Keywords about what needs to be done The new …

But publisher back in profit

12 staff let go at New York studio; similar number made redundant in Stockholm

California the country's biggest games hub with the most companies and industry-related courses

Before 2013, Tomb Raider had arguably found itself with one foot in the grave. A single digital spin-off – Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, which omitted the Tomb Raider name – filled the five-year gap between 2008’s Tomb Raider: Underworld and Crystal Dynamics’ self-titled reboot of the series. …