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

Midway CEO Matt Booty confirmed that a sequel to popular DS casual game Touchmaster will be released on the format in the autumn. Not many details were given about the game, but it is likely to continue in the same vein as its predecessor, which contained 23 classic mini-games including …

Midwayhas unveiled details of its upcoming GTA-like free roaming game This Is Vegas at its Gamers’ Day in Las Vegas. Developed by Surreal – the studio behind The Suffering – the title is built around four main activities: fighting, gambling, racing and partying. Surreal boss Alan Patmore showed off the …

Midway has confirmed reports from earlier in the week by officially announcing Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe at its Gamers’ Day in Las Vegas. Executive Producer Ed Boon revealed that both Batman and Superman would be involved in the new title, and promised more news at E3. Boon also unveiled …

Midway has announced it is to release a follow-up to its successful Wiimini-game collection Game Party. The company’s CEO Matt Booty unveiled the games at the publisher’s Gamers’ Day in Las Vegas. The first Game Party title was a big success on Wii -enjoying a stint inthe UK’s All Formats …

45-strong California-based Underground Developments will close at the end of May; staff offered jobs at other Activision studios

NPD data shows that the US video games market was worth $1.7 billion in March – a jump of 57 per cent on February’s data. The jump was thanks largely to 721,000 sales of Wii hardware, as well as consumers snapping up 2.7 million units of Super Smash Bros Brawl. …

Sci Entertainment will cost a potential suitor $100m – and NBC Universal is close to securing a deal for just that sort of money. That’s according to a Financial Times report, which said NBC – which itself its part-owned by Vivendi – is ‘close to finalising’ the deal. The newspaper …

Shigeru Miyamoto has rubbished claims that Nintendo has ‘forgotten’ about the core gamer with releases such as Wii Fit. Speaking to 1Up, the legendary developer said that Nintendo’s recent release slate contains many examples where the platform holder has catered for the tastes of traditional gamers. He said: Smash Bros, …

Having charmed the industry with her thoroughly modern views on gaming, it was clear that Byron was keen to stress gaming’s positive associations. But cut to three weeks later, she’s drawing vague and potentially damaging comparisons between gaming and drug addiction. If you didn’t see Am I Normal? – a …

GRAND PRIX AWARD:NINTENDO David Yarnton, Nintendo: It’s truly overwhelming to be awarded the Grand Prix for a third time. It is without doubt our industry’s most prestigious award and we are very grateful to be recognised in such a great way. We must thank all our friends at retail and …