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

EDUCATION WEEK: Industry stars offer hints and tips on landing your first game dev job

Xbox 360 owners will be able to get their hands on higher quality first party headphones later this year. A new deal between Microsoft and Mad Catz will see a range of officially licensed headsets brought to market in time for Christmas this year. The products will be labelled with …

Calibur 11 has entered the games market with a unique line of console shells. The new accessories firm has lifted the lid on its first products: special 3D cases for the Xbox 360, such as the Fallout-style MLG Vault (pictured) which was created with the help of Major League Gaming. …

Publisher 505 Games has lifted the lid on an inarguably unique new Kinect title – Michael Phelps: Push the Limit. In development exclusively for Xbox 360 and Kinect, 505 Games describes it as "one of the most realistic and intense sports simulation video games ever" and "the first controller-free swimming …

Ultimate Team, a free-to-play downloadable addition to EA’s FIFA 11, is to get a significant functionality update on Xbox 360 and PS3, the publisher has announced. Since its launch, Ultimate Team has served more than 65m game sessions with 171m trades being made and 275bn coins spent in the auction …

UK publisher Funbox Media has teamed up with accessories firm Imp Gaming to produce Combo Packs for Wii. Each product combines one of Funbox’s Wii titles with an appropriate Imp peripheral, such as steering wheels and fishing rod controllers. Titles in the deal include Chicken Blaster, Speed, Wild West Shootout …

Publisher says 22% of workforce is now 'based in low cost areas'

Sniper Ghost Warrior publisher City Interactive is fast establishing its UK operation. The firm is searching for developers, marketers and sales executives, as well as a new UK distributor, to expand its business in Europe. It has opened a London development studio in December led by Black and Bodycount designer Stuart …

It’s coming up to three years for the Warner UK games team. Are you happy with the progress so far? We always strive to do better, which is why Warner Bros. is one of the largest entertainment companies in the world, and to maintain that position you need to continually …

A Game Distribution is a big supporter of the open distribution model, which allows multiple firms to distribute the same product. Operations director Adam Harris says this drives competition and provides a wider and better choice for consumers. Open distribution naturally develops competition, which in its own right sparks innovation …