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

A successful Christmas for Xbox 360 hardware and software saw Microsoft’s Entertainment and Devices division post record sales of $4.24bn for the Christmas quarter. That’s a 15 per cent year-on-year increase over 2010. The division registered a profit of $530m, which represents an annual decline of 28 per cent. 8.2m …

The digital world may be riding high following the high-profile global protests against SOPA and PIPA, but in the real world authorities have just claimed one of the largest piracy scalps. Late last night the US government shut down Megaupload, a site that allows users to host large files and …

The rumours were true – Capcom last night lifted the lid on Resident Evil 6. And consumers only have a short wait to get their hands on it, with a release date of November 20th on Xbox 360 and PS3 and a release on PC slightly later down the line. …

'No one really wants to live in Palo Alto', says Wikipedia founder

Love Skyrim but think it could do with an injection of cuteness? By gosh, you’re in luck. An update for the latest Elder Scrolls title, as spotted by Eurogamer, is currently available on SkyrimNexus. Once installed players will find that the fearsome dragons that once tormented the land of Skyrim …

Move to allow clients to focus on separate products and services to different markets

2K Games has lifted the lid on an alternative way to play upcoming shooter BioShock Infinite that it hopes will ensure the game sells to the hardcore audience. Called 1999 Mode, the publisher says it requires substantial commitment and skill development” and that it is designed for gamers who long …

Schoolboy Conner Haines inviting cancer patients to request ideas for future titles

Real money invested into in-game virtual currency irredeemable and not transferable to other titles

Online retailer Play.com is considering the introduction of a payment-on-delivery offer for its customers. The service is commonplace in Japan, and the site’s new Japanese owners Rakuten are keen to make Play.com the first to offer it in the UK. The idea is to attract customers who are uneasy about …