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

Following the news that Microsoft is to shed some 5,000 jobs in the next 18 months, with 1,400 of them happening immediately, sources are claiming that its Xbox division could be a potential victim of the culls. ZDnet is reporting that Microsoft is directly targeting its Entertainment and Devices Division, …

The unfortunate job-cutting spree in the games industry seems to be continuing today with news that EA studio Black Box has, after weeks of speculation , lost 200 members of its staff. MCV’s development-orientated sister-site Developmag.com has the full story – click here to head over there.

The world’s leading game companies are reeling on the stock exchange in the wake of the recent spat of financial reports, with French publisher Ubisoft suffering particularly badly. Following yesterday’s Q3 report, Ubisoft’s stock price has since dropped by 23.5 per cent on the Paris exchange, most likely as a …

Criterion and Bright Light unaffected by publisher's cut-backs, say insiders

EA-owned developer of Need for Speed and Skate 2 sees over half its headcount let go

Along with its financial results and confirmation of a new outing for Assassin’s Creed, Ubisoft has also confirmed that its next-gen sandbox shooter Far Cry has now sold 2.9m copies worldwide. In addition, Shaun White Snowboarding has sold 2.3m copies and can claim the crown of being the second best-selling …

As part of yesterday’s positive financial filing from Ubisoft , it was confirmed that the much-rumoured Assassin’s Creed 2 is in development and will be out before the end of the publisher’s financial year – or more likely – in time for Christmas. Along with the new Altair title, it …

Rockpool team shut down and around 14 staff made redundant

Cologne’s Gamescom trade event will host a meeting between ‘around a dozen’ member associations from the Interactive Software Federation of Europe (ISFE) next month. The members will get together in Cologne’s trade fair centre on February 9th and 10th for their first meeting in 2009. Olaf Wolters, Managing Director of …

Martin Good, the senior vice president of Australian distributor THQ Asia Pacific, has told MCV that has firm is ready to make the most of any opportunities that arise in the region as a result of the turmoil caused by the recent troubles at Red Ant. Red Ant was placed …