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

Namco Bandai’s US arm is planning to lay off up to 90 of its staff. These job losses have been attributed to the company’s recent restructuring in which it combined its online game and mobile businesses to form single division, according to VentureBeat. The layoffs were confirmed by Namco’s vice …

Yves Guillemot – Ubisoft, CEO The new [motion sensing] machines are very good because they provide a chance for more people to play. Nintendo showed that it could make lots of money and also serve lots of customers, so now everybody wants that part of the cake.So that’s what we …

The first DLC pack for Microsoft shooter Crackdown 2 will be available to download on Xbox Live later this month. ‘Deluge’ features a new four player co-op mode where users are pitted against increasingly challenging waves of enemies in Pacific City. There is also a ‘Capture the Orb’ mode which …

David Miller has left Namco Bandai Partners to join up-and-coming online gaming firm Samvo. He takes up the role of marketing executive and will be responsible for driving communications about Samvo’s online gambling platform. While the firm is popular in Asia, this appointment is part of its strategy to raise …

Moshi Monsters predicts merchandise sales surge

Ubishop customers will find a special edition glove bundled in with their Wii copy of Michael Jackson: The Experience. The garment is a replica of the familiar glove that the late King of Pop wore during some of his most famoust performances. It is exclusive to Ubisoft’s online store and …

Bethesda believes Fallout: New Vegas has a long shelf life ahead of it, just like its predecessor. Fallout 3 became a chart regular for almost a year thanks to a string of DLC. and Bethesda hopes to do the same with New Vegas. We believe that through a combination of …

Ed Vaizey to offer update as conference ends month-long festival

Culture Minister Ed Vaizey will reiterate Government support for the games industry later this week. In front of a full house at BAFTA’s Princess Anne Theatre, Vaizey will use the London Games Conference to discuss the crucial areas of future revenue and skills creation. He will also formally close this …

At first glance Kudo Tsunoda looks like an aloof gaming rockstar. The hair. Those sunglasses. Expensive casual dress that belies his senior role at Microsoft. A career softography littered with hits like Fight Night and Gears of War. He’s even graced the cover of Wired. Yet appearances can be deceiving. …