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

GAME has issued its annual post-Christmas trading update this morning – and it looks like the UK retailer bore the brunt of the local market’s dip in sales. Sales for the five weeks ending January 9th were down by 12.1 per cent across the whole group, while group like-for-like sales …

Electronic Arts this evening announced it is down-grading projections for both full year revenues and trading during the Christmas season. The firm has lowered its yearly guidance from $3.6bn-$3.9bn down to $3.6bn-$3.675bn. CEO John Riccitiello blamed two factors for the drop: a "soft December for EA and packaged good sector …

Comments made by EA’s CEO in this evening’s investors conference call suggests Star Wars: The Old Republic will be released in Spring 2011. During the call – which discussed the firm’s decision to reduce its projected revenues for FY2010 – John Riccitiello said the firm’s next ‘major MMO’ is making …

New research suggests development budgets are soaring dangerously fast

Microsoft’s Major Nelson has announced that this week’s Xbox Live Arcade release will be Croteam’s frivolous first person shooter Serious Sam HD. Priced at 1200 Microsoft Points (10.20), the game will be available to download this Wednesday (January 13th). The game was released on PC late last year. The Serious …

SCEE has confirmed via the PlayStation blog that it will release a beta version of anticipated PS3 title ModNation Racers on January 22nd. However, the beta is limited to just the first 100,000 PS3 owners who log into the PlayStation Store on Thursday January 21st and click on the download. …

While Canada represents only 2 per cent of global workforce reductions

New research also tallies â??record number of studio closuresâ??

Latest update adds shelving and enhanced offline working

Ahead of the release of DS pair Pokemon HeartGold and Pokemon SoulSilver in North America on March 14th, it has been revealed that both games will come bundled with a bonus accessory – the Pokewalker. Kotaku reports that branded pedometer offers more than simply a step recorder – it can …