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

Californian digital payment and micro-transaction firm PlaySpan has secured $16.8 million in series B funding, bringing the total investment in the firm to $24 million. The funding has come from a number of venture capitalist firms including Easton Capital Group, Menlo Ventures, Novel TMT Ventures and STIC. PlaySpan says it …

American digital micro-transaction firm gets backing of assorted venture capitalists

It’s the season to be jolly and retail is celebrating by baring its teeth and slashing prices on games hardware – and Asda is leading the way with a 23 discount on Nintendo’s Wii. Making good on its pledge to offer customers sizable savings in the run up to Christmas, …

Recent developments, from the paring down of local offices for some publishers to consolidation at a higher level, have proven otherwise. We speculated a few weeks ago that studio cutbacks at EA and THQ could just be those companies’ own realignments. But with developers across the world chopping staff numbers …

US based independent developer adopts Hansoftâ??s production management toolset

Sony has confirmed that forthcoming PlayStation 3 title SOCOM: Confrontation will be available in UK and the rest of Europe early next year, despite retail indications that the game will be available before Christmas. The much anticipated third person shooter will feature 32 online multiplayer and will be bundled with …

Develop chats to MD Colin Anderson and internal development manager Gary Penn

Award-winning Scots studio Denki carved out a unique niche with its early entry into interactive TV development, but now it's having another sniff around DS and PSP, as well as looking at iPhone. MD Colin Anderson and internal development manager cum industry legend Gary Penn answer our questions...

A new listing on the website of US games retailer GameStop suggests that Rockstar is to release a boxed retail version of the upcoming Xbox 360 downloadable content pack entitled Lost and Damned. The entry claims the bundle will contain a two-sided poster and Xbox Live Marketplace card that contains …

Microsoft has told MCV that its 360 marketing will get ‘louder and louder’ over the next month, culminating in a partnership with MySpace and Channel 4 to host a special prime-time music show airing on TV at Christmas. Xbox Presents Campfire Sessions will be supported by the social networking site …