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

Virtual world platform to offer voice services

New studio seeks to address work/life balance

Vivendi is planning to raise around $1.4 billion in a US bond issue, to assist its acquisitions of Activision and French telecoms company Neuf Cegetel. The French media giant – and parent of Vivendi Games Universal – said it will raise the $1.4 billion through the issue of five- and …

The BBFC passed Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto IV uncut in the UK this week – but the body’s website has revealed the title contains a multitude of risqu sexual references. Not only can players pick up prostitutes, but also ‘portray’ masturbation, fellatio and intercourse in the ‘18′-rated title. The BBFC’s …

Though many of the release dates to emerge from last month’s Play.com Live have proven unreliable, the date hinted for Lego Indiana Jones has been confirmed – with the title is due for release in Europe on June 6th. As per usual, the game will ship in North America on …

Developer's latest project 'made no revenue'

Emergent's tech to help online giant prototype new concepts

It didn’t take long for The Telegraph to follow The Daily Mail’s lead in taking potshots at the video games industry this morning. And now fellow national newspaper The Times has got in on the act, in perhaps the most explicit manner yet – as columnist Giles Whittell admits ‘I …

The Daily Telegraph has published a new opinion piece that criticises recommendations contained in the Byron Review – entitled: ‘There is a majority against video games, and it is moral’ . The article, written by Jenny McCartney, suggests there is a problem with the sort of games that are being …

A study by Middlesex University has found that gamers that indulge in violence in MMO titles like World Of Warcraft [pictured] are more likely to feel relaxed and less angry after they have played. Jane Barnett and her colleagues will present their results presented at the British Psychological Society’s Annual …