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

HMV has started selling a range of Minecraft fan fiction. The Battle for the Nether and Invasion of the Overworld from the Gameknight999 Adventureseries by Mark Cheverton were first stocked by the retailer in October after they were published in September. And they were amongst the Minecraft products that helped …

Online games store Hitari has opened a new brand called Hitari Technology. The site – HitariTech.co.uk – is dedicated to PC components, software, tablets, and launches with a catalogue of 62,000 products. The firm aims to be stocking 1m items within twelve months, and will continue to sign up new …

The teams behind MCV and Develop are hosting a brand new event in May for developers to showcase their games, find investors and pitch ideas. Interface takes place on May 14th in central London and will bring together developers, publishers, platform holders, investors and funding experts. Interface will connect indies, …

Interface features private pitch meetings and an interactive content marketplace

Development has been halted on PS4 title Close Castles. Its creator, Asher Vollmer, is best known for making hit mobile title Threes. Close Castles is currently on hold. I am working on a new mobile game now,” he said on Twitter. I designed myself into a corner. I need to …

Nintendo says that the launch of Monster Hunter 4 could be the moment the Japanese smash hit franchise finally cracks the West. Monster Hunter is regularly amongst Japan’s best-selling games, shifting millions of units with each new release. But has yet to catch on in the same way in Europe …

Casual Connect is once again upon us, so we investigate how so many studios create simple games that keep people playing

Former THQ exec Jon Rooke is moving to Sega’s European HQ as its European marketing director. Rooke takes the new role following a stint at Sega-owned developer Creative Assembly, where he worked as global brand director for survival horror title Alien Isolation. Rooke is an industry marketing veteran, having spent …

EE has been acquired by fellow telecom giant BT in a deal worth 12.5bn. Talks were revealed to have taken place back in November, and last month the pair stated that a deal looked likely. As part of the agreement both Orange and Deutsche Telekom will sell their stake in …

The producer for Dead or Alive has told MCV that controversy over the series’ approach to female representation may be the result of a cultural clash. Asked whether the growing discussion over female representation in the games industry had raised questions during development about the game’s approach to female characters …