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

Publisher looking to expand influence outside Japan

WarCry is reporting that San Francisco-based Perpetual Entertainment, now known as P2, has ceased work on the Star Trek Online project. To read the story in full, head over the MCV sister-site Develop.

In a quarterly earnings call, Majesco CEO Jesse Sutton has shed some light on the plan for the publisher’s new internal studio – including that the eventual aim is for the studio to contribute 10 to 15 per cent of the publisher’s output. For the full story, head over to …

Following’s Gordon Brown’s comments to The Sun this week, ELSPA has been in dialogue with the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform – and has been told that despite the tabloid’s spin on the story, Brown’s opinion on games has not changed. We were obviously concerned by the Prime …

Square Enix is preparing a renewed push in Western territories this year – and has admitted that it would consider acquiring a European studio. Speaking exclusively to MCV, the president and CEO of Square’s European and US divisions John Yamamoto said the firm was focusing on how to better seduce …

Russian publishing powerhouse-cum-specialist-retailer 1C has told the likes of GAME and Gamestation to forget about a move into the Russian market. 1C’s international sales boss Nikolay Baryshnikov admitted that it would not be impossible” for a UK specialist to make it in the territory, but told MCV that tax impediments …

Ubisoft has confirmed that the DS version of its successful console outing, dubbed Assassin’s Creed: Altair’s Chronicles, will hit European retail next month. The game boasts a fully interactive 3D world and all four cities featured in the Xbox 360 and PS3 version. "The success of Assassin’s Creed worldwide has …

The news that intergalactic fan-favourites Darth Vader and Yoda are to appear in Soul Calibur IV may have been wholly unexpected, but the game’s director Katsutoshi Sasaki has said that the it’s a move designed simply to please the fans. Speaking to Gametrailers, he stated: "The thing that I want …

Firm to refocus on Perpetual Platform support and casual games

Maryland-based developer Big Huge Games has been acquired by THQ for an undisclosed price. The studio, which made a name for itself in the strategy genre with games like Rise of Nations and Xbox Live Arcade’s Catan, is currently working on a role-playing game helmed by Elder Scrolls creator Ken …