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

$100 prize pool bonus in 2010 for highest-grossing Flash games

Though it remains the daddy of the current console market, sales of Nintendo’s Wii are showing year-on-year declines across the board – and the company’s manufacturing partners are now feeling the full effect. Nikkei reports, courtesy of Kotaku, that manufacturing pair Mitsumi and Hosiden are set to suffer a year-on-year …

Publisher THQ has signed an extension to its partnership with animation studio Dreamworks that will see three new titles released over the next two years. Alongside the previously announced MegaMind, THQ will now also publish Kung Fu Panda: The KaBoom of Doom, Puss in Boots and The Penguins of Madagascar, …

MysticGDâ??s animation tech said to be central to Ubisoftâ??s Your Shape project

In the wake of EA’s long-expected purchase of social network gaming specialist Playfish earlier this month, boss John Riccitiello has predicted that emerging online-based gaming models will overtake traditional console gaming to become the dominant force by next year. When people think of games they traditionally think of the Xbox, …

Changes to the cost of in-game items in EA’s online-only free-to-play shooter Battlefield Heroes have been met poorly by the title’s community, with claims that it is now almost impossible to compete with rival players without spending real-world cash on the game. Anyone is able to download the free Battlefield …

Developers need to benefit from first-hand sales more, says Eidos life president

â??A monsterâ?? at Sony was born after Nintendoâ??s Yamauchi severed ties

German publisher CDV has won its High Court battle against SouthPeak – over a claim that the firm failed to supply it four games from subsidiary Gamecock early enough for a Christmas 2008 release. CDV and Gamecock entered into a distribution agreement in early 2008 for seven Gamecock titles, including …

UK retailers have secured exclusive pre-order packs for Sega’s upcoming new IP, Bayonetta. As revealed on Sega’s blog, Play.com is stocking the Climax Edition, which includes a copy of the game, a limited edition box, artbook and a soundtrack CD. Meanwhile, GAME.co.uk is offering a replica gun that’s used in …