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

Antitrust authority green lights publisherâ??s $860 million developer purchase

Publisher to use Epicâ??s engine for unannounced title

Revered PC franchise Homeworld has made the jump to THQ, following the US publisher’s move to secure the rights to the series. Next-Gen reports that the deal follows in the footsteps of THQ’s 2004 purchase of Homeworld and Homeworld 2 developer Relic, a studio that has since worked on Company …

Following last month’s news that leading global publisher Electronic Arts had swooped for development duo BioWare and Pandemic, it has been announced that US antitrust regulators have cleared the purchase. The Associated Press reports that the $860 million deal for parent company VG Holding Corp was included on a list …

MCV readers can look forward to reading about blockbuster release bottlenecks, possible price slashing at retail and broken street dates during the next two months as the build-up to the ‘gifting period’ (a phrase that has always struck me as having vaguely filthy connotations) truly begins. Veterans of the industry …

Spanish publisher and distributor Friendware is to further push its operation into Europe – focusing on the UK. The firm will spearhead the push with Euroleague Basketball Manager for the PC. The game, which will be release in Spain this Christmas, is intended for a January/February release across the rest …

German publisher Frogster Interactive Pictures is gearing up to bolster its presence in the UK market, leading the charge with its forthcoming MMO title Spellborn. The firm will be looking to duplicate the heavy marketing drive it has scheduled for Germany here in the UK, and will be looking to …

The industry’s just about had time to get over its biggest hangover of the year – but Future is already planning the biggest Golden Joysticks of all time for 2008. The publishing house has called 2007’s event ‘the best Joysticks ever’, with a record number of votes and attendance levels …

US publisher Activision has reported a net revenue increase of 69 per cent for the fiscal quarter ending September 30th compared to the same period last year, with figures hitting $317.7, up from $188.2 in 2006. Income for the period reached $700,000, compared to a net loss of $24.3 million …

Part two of our interview with Bungie's audio director published today