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

Hitman’s hybrid marketing-development tricks like this won’t happen often, but is sure to raise some eyebrows, says Michael French Do game announcements still wow you? I’m probably not alone in feeling a bit lackadaisical about the announcement of Game X or Sequel Y, sometimes a year or more before anyone …

Square Enix thinks its new Hitman: Absolution pre-order deal can help the game become one of 2012’s top five game releases Today the publisher unveiled Sniper Challenge, a download available from Tuesday to those who pre order the game, which launches on November 20th. The clever digital game trick is …

Retail is in for a busy November, with Square Enix confirming its Hitman: Absolution will arrive in the midst of the Q4 boom time for games. The latest game in the acclaimed series is due on November 20th. It is yet another game due on a Tuesday. Already this year …

Gamers will get to play the new Hitman: Absolution as soon as next week thanks to a digital spin-off available to those who pre-order the game. Called Hitman: Sniper Challenge, the digital bonus has been built from scratch by developer IO Interactive. The download gives sets players the challenge of …

iPad title removed from App Store for re-development

Eelusion to develop location-based social game for iOS

Hardware sales down across the board

Hirai stresses the importance of third-party studio partnerships

1.8m. That’s how many PlayStation Vita units has been sold by Sony worldwide as of March 31st 2012. Vita was launched on Dec 17th in Japan and Feb 22nd in Europe and the US. Sony describes the numbers as a good start”. Indeed, quarterly sales of 1.8m seems relatively competitive …

Retailers that sell games rated 12 or over to younger children could be jailed. The decision comes as part of today’s new Government process to have the pan-European PEGI ratings become law. It will add further power to the PEGI ratings, which are being made the sole classification for video …