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

40 jobs lost at Activision-owned studio

Five years on from its formation and with just one game to show for it, EA has confirmed that its collaborative partnership with Hollywood movie director Steven Spielberg has been cancelled. The pair has until recently still thought to be working on the secretive Project LMNO. However, speaking to Gamasutra …

What does the Foursquare mobile app mean for developers?

Publisher Sega has admitted that it has in the past been over-enthusiastic with its forecasting, resulting the perception that its titles have failed to deliver as expected. Speaking to MCV in his first interview since becoming European boss, Jurgen Post admitted that the misjudgement has caused some in the trade …

Platform holder Microsoft has finally announced a firm date for the European launch of its Windows Phone 7 platform – October 21st. The news comes from an ongoing press conference, into which none other Apple-evangelist Stephen Fry has just been welcomed. Cast aside those doubts you had about Microsoft being …

Nintendo wants Wii Party to join its best-selling brethren Sports, Fit and Play as one of the format’s biggest successes. The platform holder claims its newest title, released last Friday, has all the traits of a successful game. The title allows up to four players to compete in mini-games across …

Special packs of eggs will be a key promotional tool for Warner Bros’ upcoming Super Scribblenauts. Yep, eggs. The publisher has teamed up with Stonegate Eggs to create special branded cartons of Intelligent Eating Eggs, bearing artwork from the upcoming Nintendo DS sequel. This means lead character Maxwell and his …

The new Your Shape will be supported by a 1.2m campaign when the Kinect game launches next month. Advertisements for Your Shape: Fitness Evolved will run from November to January online, on TV and in print, in a bid to attract a mainstream audience. The title will be backed by advertorials …

Grainger Games will open up to five more stores this year after unveiling its 40th outlet three months early. The retailer has launched 17 stores in the past six months, and the firm’s sales director Phil Moore says Grainger’s operations team has the capability to open three shops a week. …

Developer Visceral Games has announced that North American customers who pre-order Dead Space 2 will be entitled to download digital-only prequel Dead Space Ignition for free.Announced in July and set for release on October 13th, Ignition will otherwise cost $5 on PSN or 400 MSP on Xbox Live. EA will …