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

In a revealing interview with The Times, Rockstar North’s president Leslie Benzies (pictured) has compared the GTA series to Elvis Presley – saying that both have been targeted by a section of society which is unnerved by progress”. In his first ever newspaper interview, Benzies also claimed that Rockstar’s Manhunt …

Nintendo’s Wii Fit has shot straight to the top of the ChartTrack/ELSPA All Formats chart in its first week – becoming the sixth fastest-selling UK release of all time. The fitness game, which was launched on Friday, was bought by roughly one in 10 Wii console owners in its first …

Canadian developer SilverBirch has announced plans to buy Netherlands-based publisher Lighthouse in a deal worth around CAD $4m (close to 2m). In an official announcement the deal, Silverbirch described the move as the "first step in SilverBirch’s stated strategy of building an integrated video game company. The acquisition will improve …

Chinese online game operator The9 has acquired a minority stake in Korean developer G10 in exchange for an investment of approximately $38 million. G10 is best known for Audition, a hugely popular online title in Korea and China. The9 owns the licence for titles such as World Of Warcraft and …

GAME is to open 260 stores across the UK and Ireland at midnight tonight for the launch of GTA IV. In addition, these stores will re-open their doors at 7.00am – and will be joined by every one of GAME’s 414 UK stores. GAME is advising customers that only those …

Nintendo development legend Shigeru Miyamoto has said that spending too long playing a video game is not good” – and encouraged his consumers to get outside. Speaking in an interview with The Times, Miyamoto said that he makes sure his own children get out in the sunshine as well as …

Chinese WoW operator grabs share of Korean developer for $38 million

Deal worth CAD$4m to help build an 'integrated video game company'

Austrian publisher puts out public call for a studio to work on existing owned property

'I ask if theyâ??ve ever played the game. Invariably they havenâ??t,' says Benzies