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

Microsoft is fostering new relationships with developers in a bid to bring free-to-play gaming to Xbox, Develop understands. Several sources connected to the matter say Microsoft is, behind the scenes, calling on developers to discuss possible free-to-play game deals. This will be games that can either be monetised by in-game …

This week we stay focused on both the US and the UK

Barely a day has gone by this month without the words "hack" or "breach" appearing in headlines. And we want to know what effect that has had on the trust people place in digital download platforms and other online gaming services. You can take part by clicking here. Having reported …

Cowen & Company’s Doug Creutz has predicted that EA will slip drop a place in the casual and social games market within the next few weeks, with German company Wooga overtaking it in terms of active monthly users. "EA’s user base continues to decline," a note to investors claims. "Over …

Just over two weeks remain to submit your game prototype

Develop sources: Microsoft is preparing microtransaction system

Ubisoft was crowned quiz champions at the MCV/Xbox 360 Pub Quiz in Holborn last night. The great and the good of the UK games industry took part, with IGN and Microsoft coming close to Ubisoft’s total of 56. There was also a host of spot prizes for each of the …

You’ve been in business for almost 25 years – what has been key to your success?The ongoing support of publishers and distributors – without them we wouldn’t be where we are today. We started out selling Atari, Amiga, Spectrum and Commodore systems, the early home computer formats. We soon began …

Continuing its experiments with early digital releases, Sony has made Infamous 2 available to download via PSN. The game only landed on shelves two weeks ago, but now PS3 owners can avoid the trip to the shops and download a digital version straight to their console, according to the PlayStation …

IGN Entertainment’s US-based editorial team has been downsized, with at least four members laid off. The site’s ‘expanded audience’ editor-in-chief Dana Jongewaard confirmed on Facebook that she has left the firm, while writer Nicole Tanner posted on Twitter that she has been laid off today. Gamasutra reports that GameSpy’s editor-in-chief …