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

The UK video games market weekly value has dropped just one per cent following last week’s heat wave. According to MCV calculations, based on today’s Gfk-ChartTrack/ELSPA weekly report, 20.1 million for the weekend ending July 4th. Unit sales dipped two per cent to 836,461. Game sales are typically low during …

Publisher Codemasters has confirmed that the PC version of upcoming racer Colin McRae: Dirt 2 has been delayed from its initial September release date until some time in December – though the reward will be the integration of DirectX 11. DirectX 11, the latest iteration of Microsoft’s PC gaming SDK, …

Bleszinski suggests merging classic controls with Natal features

Users of Valve’s Steam network currently have the opportunity to snap up a huge compendium of 2K Games’ PC titles in a bundle that offers over 100 off the usual combined RRP. Dubbed 2K Huge, the download includes big hitting titles such as BioShock, Civilization IV, Freedom Force, Prey, Railroad …

Epic's design director talks Natal, Nintendo, Levine and Gears

Ubisoft says the launch of its new UPlay service represents a significant shift in the way the publisher brings its content to consumers. Announced at E3, UPlay is a new in-game service that will appear across several of Ubisoft’s key future titles, providing content and community aspects to gamers online. …

Publisher Activision hopes to be part of the new playground sensation Bakugan with its upcoming video game tie-in. Entitled Bakugan: Battle Brawlers, the game is based both on the Spin Master-developed card game and Nelvana Enterprises’ cartoon series, and features a story mode with a plot devised by the TV …

Whilst the North American beta continues to impress on the other side of the Atlantic, Microsoft has announced that the UK version of Xbox Live multiplayer quiz show 1 vs 100 will be released in the UK on July 10th. The game, which was initially due to be released alongside …

Majesco has signed a deal with HarperCollins subsidiary William Morrow to create a game based on the bestselling book series The Daring Book For Girls. The title will reach Wii and Nintendo DS later this year and lets players ‘virtually experience activities straight from the popular book’. The full story …

The video game tie-in of popular Warhammer board game Blood Bowl will arrive in the UK this September. Published by Focus Home Interactive and developed by Cyanide Games, Blood Bowl is a violent mix of Warhammer fantasy and American Football, and will be released on Xbox 360, PC, PSP and …