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

Global president of 2K Games Christoph Hartmann believes that UK retail is the best in the world at creating an ‘event’ for key new products – but its impatience is putting it in danger of losing out to digital distribution. Speaking exclusively to MCV, Hartmann, whose label has had great …

Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Games is creeping towards two million sales in the UK – and is still flying out of stores over a year after it was released. Sega has even recently given the title an outside shot at Christmas No.1, after it appeared in TV ads …

AMERICAN PERIPHERALS distributor dreamGEAR is sizing up the UK and is set to bring a new line of products to European shores. DreamGEAR, recognised as one of the top 300 fastest growing US firms by Entrepreneur Magazine, provides video game and MP3 accessories. The firm already holds strong relationships with …

Super budget publisher GrabIt has launched its second wave of exclusive Tesco games based on hugely popular Cartoon Network properties. Released under the names Candy Capers, Power Pack, Toon Tastic and Fun Factory, each pack features 19 games plus six bonus cartoons, and includes leading franchises such as Ben 10, …

2008 has been a really mixed year for all of us. What have been your highlights – and what has not been so great?It started off with an amazing first half – with over 50 per cent increase in Group sales and 80 per cent growth online. We saw phenomenal …

While a late sales surge drove EA’s FIFA 09 to claim the Christmas 2008 games No.1 last week, the title has been usurped by Call of Duty: World at War which is once again the UK’s number one title. The Activision Blizzard FPS returns to the top, although EA still …

Specialist retailer still ‘under-represented’ in key cities following 250th store opening High Street chain Gamestation has told MCV it is actively seeking new sites following the opening of its 250th store. The firm opened its latest outlet in Meadowhall in Sheffield last week, and sales director Steve Cunningham feels Gamestation …

With 2008 drawing to a close, MCV looks back at the news that defined the last 12 months in the games industry. In Q3 the games industry continued to buck the worsening economic climate, Microsoft ‘fessed up to its RROD problems, Square Enix shocked the world with big Final Fantasy …

The UK’s largest independent games retailer, CHIPS, has re-launched its ecommerce website with the product offering expanded to include DVDs, CDs and books. The site, which also boasts a new design, no longer features pre-owned stock or mobile phone downloads. And CHIPS’ joint MD Don McCabe hopes that the new …

Publisher D3P has told MCV that Ben 10 will be a leading force this Christmas, following news that Ben 10: Protector of Earth for DS, PS2, Wii and PSP has sold over 2.5 million copies worldwide. The Cartoon Network-owned property has already been a huge global hit, with two movies …