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

Sony is busy working on a PlayStation-branded phone, according to company insiders. Marketing Week reports that the phone will incorporate elements of the PlayStation Portable (PSP) and could hit the shelves in time for Christmas 2009. MW quotes ‘sources in Japan and Korea’ which say Sony is working on converting …

Oft-rumored device in development, say insiders

SCEE's Tom Jones to discuss art pipeline at six venues across Europe

Sony has revealed that it is backing a ten-year plan for its PSP console – with networking playing a key role in its futute. The firm believes that it needs to ‘revitalise’ the development community to get behind creating games for PSP in order to make it fulfil its potential. …

The march of Ubisoft across the globe continues apace – the French publisher has today announced plans to open a studio in Brazil, the 20th of its studios around the world. Based in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the new development team Ubisoft’s first studio in South America. The studio will open …

GAME has responded to the Which? sting that revealed the retailer’s Harrow, Middlesex store sold an 18-rated game to a 15-year old girl. As reported on MCV earlier today, the consumer watchdog’s investigation revealed that Woolworths and Maplin stores in the area also sold the underage girl adult video games. …

What’s the basis of this suspicion? Well, one argument is that good stories simply can’t exist in video games, because their interactive nature goes against the linearity of plots in other mediums. Others claim that real gamers aren’t interested in their avatar’s journey—only in how many assailants they can kill. …

Firm's first South American studio, in Sao Paulo, will boast 'unique set of fresh talent' says studio head Burgess-Quémard

EA Sports will push its own peripherals into the market in the next 12 months – and announcements may even be ready in time for E3 in July. That’s according to EA Sports exec producer and VP David McCarthy. Speaking at Paris GDC today, McCarthy was asked by an attendee …

UK-based distributor Pinnacle Software is expanding its business to offer development teams a ‘third way’ to get their products to market – and removing the need for a traditional publisher. In tandem with its traditional business as a supplier, Pinnacle now offers studios funding, as well as marketing and manufacturing …