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

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 …

Supermarket chain Sainsbury’s fired the first shot in a 2009 hardware price war this week by cutting the cost of the Wii by 20 to just 159.97. The offer comes as part of the supermarket’s new ‘Entertainment Blitz’ promotion, which also includes a number of cut-price Wii games, plus offers …

Has a long working week left you hungry for a new challenge? Is a move to a new studio or relocation in warmer climes a tempting proposition? With numerous vacancy postings on the MCV jobs board, there’s never been a better time to think about moving on to pastures new. …

Meet The Panel David Tyler,Head of Marketing,Activision Blizzard Activision’s upcoming movie-line up includes Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (June), Monsters Vs. Aliens (April) and Xmen Origins: Wolverine (May). The firm is also set to launch other titles in the James Bond franchise, following last year’s successful Quantum of Solace release. …

There are plenty of opportunities listed on the jobs board this week

Valve boss Gabe Newell revealed at the DICE Summit earlier this week that following his firm’s 50 per cent price cut to zombie FPS Left 4 Dead last weekend, sales of the game jumped an incredible 3000 per cent. Sales were so strong that they actually eclipsed those seen in …

Having leaked the news via its MySpace page last December, Sony has officially confirmed the existence of brand new Wireless SingStar microphones, adding that they will be released to UK retail on March 20th. In addition, PS3 users will also be able to take advantage of a brand new voice-only …