MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
Microsoft’s Natal will thoroughly outpace Sony’s Motion Controller when the pair are released later this year – that’s the prediction of industry analyst Michael Pachter. Speaking to PS3Centre.net, Pachter reckons that the Xbox 360 attachment could sell anywhere between five and ten times the number of the PS3 device. I …
Read More »How Activision missed out on The Sims
In a meeting at Maxis’ offices where the exec was considering a possible acquisition of the studio, Activision boss Bobby Kotick was offered the chance to preview the latest secretive creation of Sim-series mastermind Will Wright. However, as Sim City 2000 was too much of a mess”, as Kotick described …
Read More »Games turn kids into sex objects
Video games have been blamed for turning children into sex objects”, a leading psychologist has claimed. TV’s Dr Linda Papadopoulos criticised games with sexual content and web browser fashion game Miss Bimbo, where girls compete to accumulate boob jobs in order to marry a billionaire”. The London Metropolitan University’s clinical …
Read More »Ubisoft: Impact of piracy measures will be "limited"
The contentious copy-protection method that will require all Ubisoft PC titles to be constantly connected to the web is crucial for fighting piracy, the publisher says. The new ‘online platform’, as the publisher describes it, will be introduced with the release of Assassin’s Creed II and Silent Hunter 5 on …
Read More »Games key in new HMV superstore
WHsmith’s loss could be HMV’s gain: the entertainment specialist has launched a new superstore concept this week. A new outlet in Newcastle features HMV’s games, movie and music ranges, an array of books from sister retailer Waterstones, plus concessions. Games claim 20 per cent of the entertainment section – with …
Read More »Leona has allowed us to reach out
It was once a genre that was the reserve of obsessives and teenage boys, but the RPG is now mainstream – and Square Enix believes that its promotional tie-in with UK pop star Leona Lewis will allow the upcoming Final Fantasy XIII to reach an even wider demographic. Leona Lewis …
Read More »Grow Up Australia wins widespread support
The deadline for submissions in the ongoing debate around mature and violent video games in Australia is this Sunday – and campaign group Grow Up Australia says it already has 16,055 submissions to present to the government. Of those, the body says that nearly all are in favour of the …
Read More »Charity Golf day sold out
One of the most popular events in the UK games industry’s annual events calendar, the GamesAid Third Annual Charity Golf and Spa Day, has sold out. The event, which takes place on May 27th, is already on target to smash the 32,024 raised at last year’s event. Attendees include Microsoft, …
Read More »Uncharted 2 sells 3.5m
It was the critics’ hit of 2009 and now Sony’s Uncharted 2: Among Thieves has cemented its position as a commercial sensation as well. Naughty Dog’s PS3-exclusive action outing has now sold 3.5m copies worldwide, making it the fastest selling first party title on Sony’s console. The news comes off …
Read More »Cut-price Natal predicted
Echoing previous predictions by MCV, US games analyst Michael Pachter has predicted that Microsoft’s Natal will retail for between $50-$80 when it goes on sale worldwide this Christmas. MCV revealed last November that Microsoft is intending to sell Natal for under 50 in the UK, with some sources predicted that …
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