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

It's been a busy week for casual games news, and it's not letting up - Xbox Live Arcade boss Greg Canessa is to leave Microsoft and join Bejwelled developer PopCap, to help build that company's focus on non-PC platforms.

German studio Crytek is hoping to start licensing out its next-gen games tech CryENGINE2 once the software has been shown publically for the first time at GDC this March.

Internal development has been halted at EA's Japan office, according to reports on internet today. UPDATE: EA has confimed the closure, but says development still continues in the region via EA Partners.

Starting today, Micrsosft Casual Games will start sharing in-game advertising revenue with developer creating web-based casual games titles hosted on the MSN Games portal.

Our month-long series of profiles charting some of the biggest, most interesting, and influential studios in the UK and Europe rolls on. Today's target: Venom Games...

PopCap and the IGDA have masterminded an important deal between key downloadable casual games studios that sees sales data shared across the industry for the first time.

Sony Online Entertainment, developer and publisher of MMOs including EverQuest, has released a white paper revealing that it's software handled $1.87m in virtual item sales last year.

Finnish studio Remedy has offered a glimpse into the production of its Microsoft-exclusive game Alan Wake, revealing that just 30 people are working on the 360 and Vista title.

Warner Bros Interactive has seen through some key changes to its senior personnel, as Monolith CEO Samantha Ryan steps up to become SVP of development and production, replacing former boss Jason Hall who is leaving to focus on his own company.

Continuing our month-long series of profiles charting some of the biggest, most interesting, and influential studios in the UK and Europe, today we look at Stainless Games...