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

From Batman to The Beatles, 2009 has been a big year for video game licences – but now more publishers than ever are looking to go the other way and licence out their own IP. Christopher Dring takes a closer look… Harmonix’s The Beatles: Rock Band is the perfect example …

Ahead of next week’s global PSPgo launch, Sony has revealed that all those who buy the machine will be entitled to three free full-game downloads from the PSP PlayStation Store. The plan is what Sony in June referred to as it’s ‘solution’ to those who wished to upgrade to the …

Developers looking to build PSP Minis can get a licensing discount for The Vicious Engine

Having named a number of the industry’s big players who are currently hard at work on Natal-centric titles, Microsoft has also provided a platform for some of the publishing world’s most important execs to heap praise on its new technology. Project Natal could fundamentally change the way players experience sports …

With Sony wooing attendees at the Tokyo Game Show with a working demonstration of Capcom’s motion-controlled Resident Evil 5, Microsoft has also highlighted a number of key partners currently developing titles for its motion-sensing camera Natal. The list of publishers actively working” on Natal titles includes Activision Blizzard, Bethesda Softworks, …

Ubisoft has delayed Assassin’s Creed 2 on PC until the first quarter of 2010. The publisher made the announcement on its twitter feed, and the firm stated that the delay was so the development team can create ‘the best quality game to you.’ Assassin’s Creed 2 is scheduled to arrive …

Future Fable releases may employ motion control, says Microsoft Game Studios

Hopes that Sony’s long-awaited next-gen racer Gran Turismo 5 would arrive at retail in time for Christmas appear to have been scuppered by the news that it will be released in Japan in March 2010. An earlier release in either North America or Europe is not yet completely out of …

Ubisoft has announced that Splinter Cell Conviction will hit US shelves on February 23rd. A UK and Europe release date has yet to be confirmed, although it is likely to be February 26th. The game joins a raft of major releases in February next year, including BioShock 2 and Aliens …

As has been rumoured, SCE UK has confirmed that a brand new 250GB variant of its Slim PS3 is heading to retail with a number of bundles based on some of the console’s most popular software releases. Arriving on October 1st, the initial offering will include any two of Sony’s …