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

Publisher contradicts analyst doom-mongering

THQ has poured cold water on weekend speculation that it had closed down production on games due for 2014. Yesterday, a US analyst claimed on Twitter that the firm had canned its ’14 slate, ditched its long in the making Games Workshop MMO, relinquished control of Disney kids’ games licences, …

Develop profiles some of the industry's most fascinating time wasters

In MCV’s latest rundown of the industry’s hottest vacancies and latest personnel news, Tecmo Koei exec Will Curley heads to Reef Entertainment and Microsoft hires Sega’s Ben Payne. Former Tecmo Koei exec moves to Reef UK publisher Reef Entertainment has hired Will Curley as its new general manager. He will …

Games and consoles TV advertising focused heavily on the broader family market in the week leading up to Christmas, as demonstrated by these Top Ten campaigns. Sony’s PlayStation 3 was the most viewed campaign. However, Nintendo’s Wii Fit Plus achieved the most views per spot, highlighting a more harder hitting …

The music-centred New York Music office of Future Publishing has been acquired by NewBay Media. The division posted a loss of 3.8m in the year ending September 30th 2011. NewBay operates dozens of websites, magazines and events. That leaves the media giant with just its games-focused San Francisco operation on …

Ukraine studio GSC Game World is fighting on after alleged financial troubles and widespread reports that the studio had almost certainly closed. The firm is seeking immediate cash to drive its current project to competition. "We are still in the process of seeking funding to back up the project," GSC …

Kristian Segerstrale, the co-founder of London studio Playfish, has been appointed to a senior role at Electronic Arts, as another key executive quits to join Zynga. Taking on the task as EVP of digital, Segerstrale will assemble his own team to define and manage the business side of the EA …

Games design agency Hide&Seek provide key insight into the next twelve months

PS3 grew its UK market share in 2011, but Sony’s flagship console still sits in the shadow of Xbox 360. In his first ever interview as Sony’s UK and Ireland VP, Fergal Gara tells MCV how he’s going to revitalise PlayStation in 2012. SCEE President Jim Ryan told MCV in …