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

Publisher admits the genre is failing to captivate the market, though has plans to change fortunes

Nintendo announced that Wii Sports Resort has sold more than 500,000 units in the United States. The platform holder’s first MotionPlus-compatible title passed this milestone within its first two weeks of release, having hit shelves on July 25th. Through Monday we sold one copy of Wii Sports Resort roughly every …

The huge global success that was Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots was always going to be tough act to follow – and so it has proved for publisher Konami with year-on-year revenues steeply down for the quarter ending June 30th 2009. In total sales dipped by 45 …

Play.com has revealed an exclusive collectors pack for Ubisoft’s upcoming Assassin’s Creed 2. Entitled the Black Edition, the set features a copy of the game, unique packaging, three in-game bonus quests (entitled Palazzo Medici, Santa Maria Del Frari and Arsenal Shipyard Warehouse), a conspiracy book (featuring game art, story and …

The ghost of unprofitable Christmas past will hit consumers this Q4 – as retailers keep software prices high and publishers shunt more triple-A titles than ever to next year. A swathe of massive games – including 2K’s Bioshock 2 and Ubisoft’s Splinter Cell: Conviction – have had their release dates …

Publisher fails to replicate its strong 2008 performance, sales down 45%

Is the iconic gaming character set to fade into obscurity?

Revenues climb to $1bn, profits hit $195m

In its Q2 earnings announcement this evening Activision CEO Bobby Kotick said that the firm’s Christmas line-up was its strongest ever. While some titles had postponements confirmed, revenue for the last quarter surpassed $1bn, and Activision made it clear ti thinks the trend will continue through the year given its …

Activision has confirmed in its quarterly financials today that Blizzard’s PC title StarCraft II will launch next year. Its arrival will coincide with the revamped Battle.net, Blizzard’s new social networking site for StarCraft and World of WarCraft player. Our mission is to develop games that deliver an epic entertainment experience,” …