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

Ubisoft has released a physical starter pack for its browser-based game and popular girls’ property Imagine Online. This launched in France last week but will arrive in the UK and the rest of Europe next year. It is priced at €14.99 and includes one-month diamond membership for the browser-based free-to-play …

An accessory that lets PSP owners view games in 3D is available to order online. RealView Innovations’ V-Screen clips onto the PSP and provides greater depth and richer environments than standard 2D”. It is priced at 19.99 and is available to order from AntiGrav. E-tailers such as Ladz.biz and Electrolounge …

Staff and more head to the studio that made its name with Worms

Vita owners will be able to pick up a copy of Plants vs Zombies when the Sony handheld launches on February 22nd. Sony revealed the news in a Tweet earlier which said: Surprise! Plants vs Zombies is coming to PS Vita. Thanks @popcap @SonyOnline.” The tower defence strategy titlejoins other …

UK consumers will be able to go hands-on with PlayStation Vita games such as Uncharted: Golden Abyss before the handheld launches. Sony is bringing ‘Vita Rooms’ to UK cities such as Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham and London in January and February 2012. The first event will kick off on Friday, January …

Star Wars enthusiasts have been invited to GAME’s flagship Oxford Street branch for a special launch event. The retailer will celebrate the release of EA and BioWare’s Star Wars: The Old Republic tomorrow evening. While the game doesn’t officially go live until December 20th, GAME has told MCV it will …

Retail expert and "Queen of Shops" Mary Portas has devised 28 recommendations for the government to rescue struggling High Streets. These were published in the Government-commissioned Portas Review, a project that studied the future of UK High Streets and was published online today. Here are the Review’s recommendations in full: …

Celebrity retail expert Mary Portas – also known as the Queen of Shops – has released her Government-commissioned review into the future of the High Street. Portas began this project in May and has been looking into why High Street retailers are struggling and how this can be countered, insisting …

EA has switched on its servers for PC MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic two days ahead of its retail release. Customers who pre-ordered the game through the publisher’s online Origin download service have been able to access it from 12pm midday today. The Old Republic arrives in UK stores …

Storefront meets milestone less than a year after launch