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

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,” …

Activision has tonight confirmed that Tony Hawk: RIDE will only launch in three countries this year – the USA, UK and Germany. Due to production demands of the bundled skateboard controller (pictured) the firm said as part of its quarterly finances report that the title will launch elsewhere during 2010. …

Activision has said its share of the European software market grew to over 10 per cent in the last financial quarter. In a report which also saw revenues surpass $1bn, the firm said it had grown share in Europe by 2.8 points to 10.5 per cent for the quarter, as …

Activision made over $1bn in revenues during the June financial quarter, the firm reported this evening. Results for the second quarter 2009 saw GAAP net revenues at $1.038bn. Non-GAAP net revenues were $801 million. It was the fourth consecutive quarter that the publisher has posted consecutively increasing revenues. Despite beefing …