MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
Why was now the right time to drop the price of your hardware? Xbox 360 is a now a real mass market entertainment proposition. Through this price point, we can reach and introduce a much broader array of consumers to hi-def gaming. We had to hit and surpass key milestones …
Read More »Retail rakes it in after 360 cut
Retail has hailed Microsoft’s mission to hit the mainstream after dropping its entry-level SKU to under 160 – and stores have seen sales rocket following the cut. MCVUK.com revealed this week (via ChartTrack figures) that the console enjoyed a 36 per cent rise in sales after three days at its …
Read More »BBFC to get the axe after Manhunt madness?
Manhunt 2 has finally been cleared for release – but its convoluted journey to retail has exposed the inherent problems with the current games classification system, say commentators. In the last week, MCVUK.com revealed that the BBFC was forced to green-light the title for release after the Video Appeals Committee …
Read More »EA’s Take Two bid the most hostile in history
Leading financial observers are agreed: the video games industry has never seen an M&A move anywhere near as aggressive as Electronic Arts’ hostile bid for Take Two. The fascinating story of EA CEO John Riccitiello’s one man mission to secure the acquisition took a further turn this week, as it …
Read More »Guitar Hero: On Tour announced for DS
IGN has the scoop on the long rumoured but never confirmed DS version of Activision’s Guitar Hero – and reports that the game is due out later this year. The title, named Guitar Hero: On Tour, is being developed by Vicarious Visions, the studio behind certain versions of Activision’s Tony …
Read More »GameStop: Wii shortages to continue for at least six months
Following the publication of its latest financial statement , GameStop COO Dan DeMatteo has stated in an investor call that he anticipates supplies of Nintendo’s Wii won’t meet demand for the next two quarters at least”. He did, however, say that supplies of both Microsoft’s Xbox 360, which Microsoft recently …
Read More »LucasArts: Most games dont take advantage of next-gen hardware
US developer LucasArts has said that whilst many studios are pushing the visual envelope, few are genuinely taking advantage of the power offered by the Xbox 360 and PS3. Speaking to CVG, a spokesperson for the developer stated: "To put it simply, Fracture is one of the few games that …
Read More »How to market your game
HALO 3 Head of Gaming and Entertainment, Entertainment and Devices Division at Microsoft UK, Stephen McGill, explains why the Halo 3 launch was such a success: There’s no doubt that our ground-breaking marketing campaign was a pivotal driver to the success of Halo 3. Expectations amongst consumers were extremely high, …
Read More »PS3 manufacturer wins Xbox 360 contract
Business technology site Digitimes is reporting that Asustek owned manufacturing firms Pegatron and Unihan have struck a deal with Microsoft to produce around 500,000 Xbox 360 consoles a month from its bases in China. Both bases are also OEM producers of Sony’s PS3. The news comes after Microsoft blamed its …
Read More »New Steel PS3 heading to Japan
Seemingly not content enough with the release of both Ceramic White and Satin Silver versions the PS3, Japanese weekly games magazine Famitsu reports that a new Steel version of Sony’s machine will arrive in conjunction of the release of Konami’s Metal Gear Solid 4. The game, which will be released …
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