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

Google is buying social games developer Slide in a $182m deal to be announced on Friday, according to a source at news site TechCrunch. The move comes as part of the search engine site’s ongoing attempts to set up a social games strategy capable of rivaling Facebook. Google has previously …

Konami’s latest quarterly financials report a massive 244.7 per cent year-on-year jump in net income to YEN 1,265m compared to the 93.5 per cent dip it suffered in the same period the year before. Operating income shot 187.9 per cent to YEN 2,879m though net revenue fell five per cent …

The boss of indie online retailer ShopTo has told MCV that when stacked up against rival offerings from Sony and Nintendo, Kinect actually represents good value – but it’s a different story when it comes to the single-player hardcore gamer. If you compare the cost of Kinect to a full …

The price of Kinect has always been a crucial issue. When the device was first unveiled last year, everyone from retailers and publishers to the all-important consumers began to wonder how much this ambitious technology would cost – especially as Microsoft began positioning it as akin to a new console …

Pre-orders for Fallout: New Vegas have already surpassed those of Fallout 3. That’s according to the game’s publisher Bethesda, which is confident that the new RPG will top the success of its best-selling predecessor. Fallout 3 was released to critical and commercial acclaim in October 2008, and quickly outsold all …

MTV owner Viacom’s operating income for the quarter ending June 30th 2010 climbed 35 per cent to $794m Revenues were relatively flat year-on-year, up from $3.299bn last year to $3.301bn. Net earning jumped 51 per cent to $418m. For the six months ending June 30th operating income climbed 29 per …

Sony’s PS3 could be set to receive another online boost via the support of another major UK TV broadcaster, according to reports. Channel 4 has reportedly already held talks with Sony over the possible introduction of its IPTV service 4oD on the PS3. Negotiations are said to be ongoing, with …

New application promises to help indies overcome distribution challenge

Ignition Entertainment parent firm decrys possibility of console gaming in home country

It may still be a long way off, but at least we’ve now got a name for Warner Interactive’s follow-up to last year’s surprise hit Batman: Arkham Asylum – it’s called Batman: Arkham City. Developed by Rocksteady Studios, Batman: Arkham City builds upon the intense, atmospheric foundation of Batman: Arkham …