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

Debut title set for 2011 launch

Online gaming firm Bigpoint is bringing some of its most popular titles to iPhone, iPad and Android devices in the first half of this year. Those games include Farmerama and Zoomumba, which both regularly attract more than one million concurrent players online. Bigpoint will also launch a new game, Toon …

EA will shut down the online servers for 31 of its titles over the next few weeks, it has been confirmed. Affected titles include Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09, FIFA 09, The Sims Carnival, Madden 09 and Madden 10 on PSP and FIFA Street 3. Also due for the chop …

Toy giant Mattel has renewed its deal with THQ which will see a range of games based on its franchises hit shelves. THQ has already published games based on these properties such as Barbie: Groom and Glam Pups and Hot Wheels: Track Attack which arrived late last year. The new …

Starting with iPhone, iPad and Android

Rumours that Activision-owned developer Raven Software is working on DLC for Call of Duty: Black Ops have resurfaced thanks to a recent job ad. Last May it was reported that Raven, whose most recent release was the commercially disappointing Singularity, was working both on an announced James Bond game and …

Emergent and InstantAction â??fell prey to the problem of focusâ?? says Trinigy boss

Following yesterday’s news that the keys to PS3’s most secrets cupboards have been published online, hackers have now released the tools needed to run a custom firmware version on the PS3. Kotaku reports that, for the time being, the exploit itself does not allow the running of either homebrew code …

Ubisoft has confirmed that it has removed its divisive DRM mechanic from some of its biggest PC titles. Reports emerged yesterday that consumers are now able to play Assassin’s Creed II and Splinter Cell: Conviction without a constant internet connection authenticating the games with the publisher’s servers. However, Ubisoft won’t …

A candid insiderâ??s view from Trinigy general manger Felix Roeken