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

Data from research and analysis firm Nielsen claims that North America gamers spent more time playing Sony’s PS2 than any other console in 2008. The stats show that the PS2 accounted for 31.7 per cent of the US’ total game time. Microsoft’s Xbox 360 claimed the second spot with 17.2 …

Future Publishing’s preliminary annual results made for pretty special reading last month – complete with a year-on-year profits rise and a ten per cent reduction in debt. But how did CEO Stevie Spring and her team manage it? And, more to the point, how has her company managed to rebuff …

Microsoft could be considering a plan for ‘substantial redundancies’, reports The Independent . Citing rumours on Silicon Valley website Fudzilla, the paper suggests that the software giant may look to cut between 10 and 17 per cent of its workforce – possibly affecting up to 15,000 jobs worldwide – and …

The latest numbers from controversial stat-crunchers VG Chartz are claiming that Wii Sports has surpassed Nintendo’s own 1985 NES title Super Mario Bros to become the best selling video game of all time. To read the full story, click here to visit MCV’s sister site CasualGaming.biz.

'At least' ten per cent of jobs could go, say sources

Last month Blitz went to Hollywood to demo what it believes was a world-first â?? a game demo running in real 3D on a 3D TV, driven by an Xbox 360.

New figures from the British Video Association show that hi-def disc format Blu-ray enjoyed a bumper Christmas in the UK, with sales climbing significantly compared to the same period last year. The BVA claims that 1.5 million Blu-ray movies were sold in the UK in December – a number that’s …

Archangel Ventures to fund titles, as opposed to companies.

Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group is to inherit stores from troubled retailer Zavvi – suggesting Virgin Megastores could return to the High Street 16 months after it left UK retail. Zavvi administrator Ernst & Young has told MCV that Branson still holds the leases on seven Zavvi outlets. Zavvi was …

Head of Lionhead Studios Peter Molyneux has said that 2009’s gaes slate is looking a bit dry” – and predicted that economic pressures will see the price of new releases tumble. Writing for the BBC, Molyneux says: ‘Next year, well, it’s all looking a bit dry. All the triple A …