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

Trepidation” would accurately describe my state of mind as I prepared to head out to the Games Convention in Leipzig. The town’s charms are conspicuously lacking (unless you’re mad-keen on Absinthe), and I was booked into a hotel (which turned out to resemble a Gothic Travel Tavern, although even Alan …

Develop reports that the much-rumoured closure of FASA Studio, one of Microsoft’s first-party studios, has been confirmed Whispers of the studio’s demise had been circulating since shortly before the release of Shadowrun, a game panned by critics for being a full-price game without a singleplayer component. Fans of the Shadowrun …

Bioshock tops the charts down under once again this week, successfully fighting off a strong challenge from new entry The Sims 2: Bon Voyage, which debuts at two. Elsewhere, Nintendo continues to rack up the sales, scoring four top ten hits, while South Peak’s Two Worlds storms the top ten …

XNA boss confirms plans for â??distribution mediumâ?? allowing public game sharing

In under a year Microsoft's XNA platform has gone from strength to strength, and with full Xbox Live support in version 2.0, it's clear that this is just the beginning. Develop caught up with XNA head Chris Satchell to discover what the future holds for Microsoft's inclusive development initiative...

Half of Shadowrun developer re-employed at MGS

Microsoft has unveiled details of its TV advertising campaign for Halo 3 – as well as a teaser of what fans can expect. According to the publisher, the promotional clips will bring the game’s ‘epic battles to life in the style of a museum diorama”’. The ad hits UK TV …

Series of exclusive articles looking at game engines available to read online now

â??Itâ??s sad to see developer suing developer,â?? says David Braben

The rise in popularity of casual gaming has led executives at GameStop, the leading US games retailer, to adjust its in store and marketing strategies. The changes are designed to better attract and accommodate those outside hardcore gaming circles. One of the first key implementations will be the addition two …