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

Entertainment retailer HMV has confirmed that it will be opening 70 of its largest stores at midnight on the evening of Monday September 13th for fans wishing to buy Halo: Reach the very moment it goes on sale. It joins GAME and Gamestation in trying to make the most of …

Jedward could star in a 250,000 marketing campaign for Nintendo this Christmas. The Sun is reporting that the Wii and DS manufacturer has hired the X Factor novelty act to appear in TV ads and posters that will promote Nintendo’s games in the run-up to the Yuletide season. A source …

Halo: Reach is being backed by an enormous campaign – with Microsoft pumping 60 per cent more money into it than Halo 3. MCV grills Microsoft UK’s director of entertainment and devices Stephen McGill about the wide-reaching marketing plans. So, is Halo: Reach going to be bigger than Halo 3? …

Rumour and allegations return for the Facebook game giant

Industry body urges government to reconsider tax breaks

Catalogue retailer Argos has posted a five per cent year-on-year dip in sales to 924m in its fiscal quarter ending August 28th. Argos owner Home Retail Group said this was due to less demand for video games and furniture. A statement read: Video gaming and large ticket home-related areas such …

Relax, Halo: Reach will spark the games industry back into life after months of slow sales. That’s according to Microsoft’s general manager for the Entertainment and Devices Division, UK and Ireland, Neil Thompson. He told MCV that the industry is going through a change, and the arrival of Halo: Reach …

GAME at London’s Westfield Shopping Centre will host a special launch event for Halo: Reach. Two ‘real-life’ Spartans (from the game’s ‘Noble Team’) will be at the event while huge Halo: Reach murals are currently being painted along the side of Westfield’s Eat Street. Six lucky people can also win …

Professional game developers â??don't want their quality Apps to be surrounded by amateur hourâ??

A strong multiplayer offering is all publishers need to discourage consumers from trading in their games. That’s according to Treyarch studio head Mark Lamia, who believes Black Ops’ multiplayer is an ideal alternative to the one-time download codes other publishers have introduced in an attempt to dissuade pre-owned sales. Speaking …