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

IN PICTURES:If ever a console had guaranteed seller” written all over it, it’s this. Microsoft has lifted the lid on a quite spectacular Star Wars themed Xbox 360 console that will be launched alongside the much-hyped Star Was Kinect game later this year. The console itself is styled on charismatic …

Microsoft’s Entertainment and Devices Division has recorded jumps in revenue for both the last quarter and the full year as a whole. Q4 2011 revenue climbed 30 per cent year-on-year to $1.49bn, with annual revenue increasing 45 per cent. Profit reached $32m. Xbox Live revenue was up, as were sales …

After a false start today with an R18+ rating not reaching consensus for a national introduction, it seems it will be passed at a federal level and integrated state by state. Minister for Home Affairs Brendan O’Connor called the decision an "historic agreement" after the Standing Committee of Attorneys-General (SCAG) …

MCV’s 2010 expos on the frustrations retailers had with Valve’s Steam service was one of our most talked about stories last year. And it turns out that was just the tip of the iceberg.It’s no surprise to hear EA wants its own stake in downloads.Using a tentpole release for the …

Saints Row: The Third is on course to become THQ’s most pre-ordered title ever, the publisher has told MCV. Strong interest in the game has been driven largely by the Professor Genki pre-order campaign.Paying homage to madcap Japanese game shows, the Professor Genki’s Hyper Ordinary Pre-Order Pack gives users access …

At the Standing Committee of Attorneys-General (SCAG) meeting today, one abstaining vote on the introduction of an R18+ rating has stalled the issue yet again. The New South Wales Attorney-General Greg Smith had earlier this week confirmed his intention not to vote for the introduction of the rating as he …

The BBC’s series of downloadable Doctor Who games will return in October, starting with The Gunpowder Plot. As with the original four episodes, released last year, the new wave of Adventure Games will be free to download via the BBC website and will star Matt Smith as the Doctor and …

Nintendo has registered trademarks for a range of Wii U video games and peripherals, continuing some of the original Wii’s biggest brands. While none of the trademarks may come as a surprise, it does suggest that Nintendo will offer a similar line-up to that of its current console. It is …

The Develop Awards and a charity poker tournament raised 6,380 for GamesAid at Develop in Brighton this week. Last night’s Develop Awards raised 2,080 and you can still donate now by clicking here. A special envelope was placed on each table at the sell-out event, and guests were encouraged to …

Two factors are dovetailing to create growth in the pre-teen gaming market.Firstly, there is the traditional migration down the demographic that comes about as a generation of hardware enters its second, third and fourth years. Secondly, the popularity of the Wii plus the Move and Kinect peripherals mean that games …