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

Digital earnings make up 34 per cent of total revenue

A German court has ruled in Valve’s favour in a case hoping to force it to permit the sale of pre-owned Steam codes. It’s the second time a consumer rights group has failed to force Steam’s hand following a European Court of Justice ruling in 2012 that ruled consumers have …

A response to Ghosts’ luke-warm reviews and sales declines? Or a reaction to the increased development needs of next-gen? Either way, Activision has changed it business model for the Call of Duty series by shifting the brand to a three-year development cycle. There will still be a new Call of …

PC GAMING WEEK: The companies building this year’s major Steam Machines have hit back at critics over their high pricing. The Steam Machines are designed to take PC gaming into the living room, putting them in direct competition with the likes of Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo. However, even at their …

EA claims 'rate this app' prompt designed to gather feedback on how it can improve the title

Sega has lifted the curtain on a brand new look for iconic mascot Sonic the Hedgehog. The makeover comes as the publisher reveals new cartoon Sonic Boom, which is also to receive an associated game (a prequel, no less) on Wii U and 3DS. Interesting it’s being developed by US …

Activision Blizzard has announced better-than-expected earnings for its past quarter, reporting $1.5bn in revenue. Overall for last year, earnings were down slightly from $4.85bn in GAAP net revenue to $4.58bn – though the publisher still earned the top spot in console and handheld publishing in both North America and Europe. …

Activision has announced the Skylanders series has grossed more than $2bn worldwide. The publisher revealed the milestone during its annual investor call, adding that the figure is current as of December 31st – the end of Activison’s previous quarter. The series surpassed $1.5bn in retail sales as of August 2013, …

Diablo III has sold a lifetime total of 15m units, Activision Blizzard has revealed. The announcement came during the publisher’s annual earnings call this week. The game had moved 14m as of November—meaning it’s racked up another million copies sold between then and now. The steady numbers this far out …

The Xbox 360 version of Titanfall has suffered a slight delay, publisher EA has announced. EA’s executive vice president Patrick Sderlund confirmed on the firm’s website that the 360 version will arrive two weeks after the game’s original launch on Xbox One and Windows PC. "[It gives Xbox 360 developer …