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

UK developer making a Wii/PSP and also 360/PS3 title for Japanese publisher

60 more staff will join 50 developers already at the Japanese firm's Asian studio

Why does the games industry pump money into licensed games instead of creating new IP? Adam Roberts: Investing in an already successful brand, franchise or licence is a way for publishers to attempt to minimise their risk, but as you know there is no such thing as a guarantee of …

What would you say is the better use of a licence – games based directly on the movie or one based on the film’s universe but not its narrative? Lee Kirton: Having worked with a number of licences over the years it’s obvious that what’s key is full studio support. …

We speak to a new indie outfit dedicated to (yes, thatâ??s right) Mega Drive games

While the vast majority of studios are focused on the current generation of consoles, a team of unpaid developers which hail from around the world have been toiling away making a cartridge-based RPG for an obsolete Sega console.

Leading publishers have told MCV that their movie tie-ins are enjoyed by fans of the films, no matter what the Metacritic rating may be. 2009 is a congested year for movie-licensed IP, with a wealth of new games based on top upcoming films such as G.I. Joe, Transformers, Terminator: Salvation, …

GamesTM publisher Imagine has today launched new consumer gaming site NowGamer . Described by the firm as a ‘supersite’ with ‘cutting edge technology and proven content’ drawn from a stable of print publications such as Retro Gamer, X360 and Play as well as GamesTM, it’s the first of a planned …

The UK mass media is today using video games as a hook in a major story about a murder case in Manchester. BBC News, Radio 1, Radio 4, commercial radio, The Daily Mirror and more have called Shane Boyd – today convicted of the murder of Conor Black – the …

UK publisher Codemasters has lifted the lid on its 2009 software lineup, which shows a heavy emphasis on racing, as well as a new MMO offering and three new instalments to the Overlord series. Next-gen racer DiRT 2 is spreading its wings onto a number of new formats, with the …