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

SPECIAL REPORT: Rising budgets, new studios and surprise deals have brought 2006 to a tremendous close for Western games production – $600m was invested in European and North American studios over the last 12 months, taking the year’s spending past the $1bn mark.

Warner Bros' big money deal with Eidos-owner SCi will help the UK publisher expand its development base, with expansion into China and Canada plus new acquisitions, a priority.

Llamasoft founder Jeff Minter will open GDC's Casual Games Summit as keynote speaker, organiser CMP has announced.

Burger King's range of value meal video games, developed by a team at UK's Blitz Games, have sold over two million units in the US.

Develop Award winner Natural Motion wants to inspire students to think about next-generation games development thanks to its Academic Partner Progam which offers animation tools at cut prices to educators.

US start-up Riot Games has been boosted with a $1.5m investment that will help production of the team's first game.

Hot on the heels of Double Fusion's announced expansion, rival IGA has confirmed a partnership with Valve for advertising in Counter-Strike - and the two claim it's one of the industry's biggest in-game ad deals yet.

In-game ad firm Double Fusion has gained $26 million in a financing round that includes Time Warner as a strategic investor – and now the company plans to grow its operation internationally.

Nikitova has grown its European business further with the opening of a London office.

It seems the episodic version of SiN has been abandoned after just one instalment following a recent shake up at developer Ritual.