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

Online retailer Ebuyer.com is considering opening its first shops on the High Street. The electrical etailer has amassed four million registered customers and 250 employees since launching in 1999. Today it operates from a 280,000 sq ft warehouse facility in Howden, and hopes to expand upon this in the future. …

New Need for Speed game shelved as studio shifts focus to Visceral-led Battlefield title

The next-gen reworking of last year’s hit Lara Croft title has debuted at No.1 in the UKIE GfK Chart-Track All Formats Top 40. Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition is a re-release of last year’s hit, which itself grabbed the fourth biggest week one sales of 2013. Claims online say that the …

Not much change on Steam’s top selling products chart this week, with DayZ and Rust yet again out ahead of the pack. The two Early Access offerings have entered their third consecutive month finishing in the top two spots, and neither have shown any sign of slowing down. Starbound – …

The Guildford, Surrey branch of the recently rebranded EA Gothenburg studio has suffered an unspecified number of layoffs, and development of an unannounced Need for Speed title has reportedly been shelved. Polygon cites multiple sources who claim EA let go of contractors at the UK office of the studio now …

Ouya has released an upgraded version of its Android-powered console, now available to purchase in North America. The updated hardware comes in a new matte black finish and boasts double the storage of the original 8GB Ouya – as well as a refined controller, improved WiFi, and the latest firmware …

Mobile developer could be set to shut down after less than two years

Activision is in discussions over the future of UK Call of Duty mobile developer The Blast Furnace. That’s the careful wording from the global games publisher, which has begun an employee consultation process with the developer’s 47 staff. The Blast Furnace is best known for creating last year’s smartphone title …

Saturo Iwata has hinted that even greater reforms could be on the way for Nintendo than first thought. Speaking to The Nikkei, the Nintendo president expanded on his guidance issued earlier this week, saying that the company would even consider mergers and acquisitions as a viable strategy to stabilise the …

Our series of profiles of leading games service and creative firms continues with House of Trix. House of Trix Sector: Creative & Promotional ServicesAddress: Primrose Studios, Primrose Road, Clitheroe, Lancashire, BB7 1BT, UKPhone number: 01200 420888 Key contacts:Chris Trickett – chris@houseoftrix.com Website:www.houseoftrix.comEmail:hello@houseoftrix.comTwitter:@houseoftrix A dedicated graphic design agency for the entertainment …