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

Games publisher Activision – which is set to become a huge force in games once its merger with Vivendi Games is complete – has launched a new publishing label specifically for the Nintendo Wii. Called Wee 1st, Activision said the move was designed to grow its portfolio of Wii games …

Microsoft has given a fresh lick of paint to its official home for Xbox 360 online – Xbox.com . The site contains much the same info as before, covering current titles, upcoming games, Xbox Live, hardware, forums and support. There’s also a dedicated E3 page, fronted by Xbox Live guru …

Alongside talk of a new motion-sensing Xbox 360 joypad, another near certainty for E3 appears to be an announcement from Nintendo of a Wii version of its hugely popular Animal Crossing series. VG247 reports that the personal blog of Nintendo Official Magazine staffer Tom East carried a post stating that: …

Sony DADC has acquired Entertainment Network Scandinavia. The move strengthens Sony DADC’s position in in the Nordic region, with ENS boasting a 16,000 square metre distribution centre which ships over 30m units each year. Acquiring ENS also further expands Sony DADC’s entertainment service offering in Scandinavia, which cover everything from …

A Microsoft exec has seemingly confirmed that the firm is intending to announce some sort of motion sensing accessory for the console at next week’s E3. Talk of a Wii-like controller for Xbox 360 has been gaining momentum for a few weeks now, with many industry bods believing Microsoft is …

Google has launched a rival to the likes of PS3 Home and Second Life in the shape of Lively – a new 3D virtual world. Players use Avatars and interact virtually with others, and can create their own 3D ‘rooms’ , which they can then decorate. Users can also stream …

Brighton-based social and music game studio to establish sister team in UK capital

Peripheral specialist Mad Catz has secured a license from Ubisoft to produce and distribute Petz accessories in North America. There are seven different Petz games on store shelves, with two more scheduled for release before the end of the year. There’s currently no news on if these new accessories will …

A ‘violent’ UK TV ad for Rockstar’s Bully: Scholarship Edition has escaped a ban, despite 31 complaints from offended viewers. Complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority – which included grievances from those who had suffered from bullying – said the ad ‘glorified, trivialised and encouraged bullying and violence’. According to …

Next-gen has reported that EA cannot acquire Take Two until August 21st due to a Federal Trade Commission request for more information related to the proposed $2 billion deal. EA has agreed to comply with the FTC’s demands, having previously set a decision deadline for Take Two of July 18th. …