MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
Major HMV stores that were originally due to be closed have been saved, MCV can confirm. That includes outlets in Manchester and Edinburgh. Originally HMV was going to close all its stores in Scotland’s capital, but now there will still be three stores, including its flagship outlet in Princes Street. …
Read More »140 HMV stores saved in £50m deal
Hilco UK will acquire HMV in a 50m deal. Sky News is reporting that a deal has been agreed for the entertainment giant, with 140 stores and 2,500 staff saved. An official announcement could be made as early as tomorrow morning. Earlier today it was announced that some HMV outlets, …
Read More »Asda’s Locke joins Amazon as games boss
Asda Direct’s trading director Frazer Locke has joined Amazon as its new head of games. According to sources close to the retailer, Locke is taking the role previously held by Amazon veteran Graham Chambers, who left the firm in September last year. Chambers had spent five years at Amazon before …
Read More »Wii U sales rebound in the UK
Wii U sales are up by almost 125 per cent last week, retail sources have told MCV. The rise in sales was due to the launch of Monster Hunter 3: Ultimate, plus HMV cutting the price of the Premium console by 140. Monster Hunter accounted for almost half of the …
Read More »Jade Raymond’s Splinter Sell
It may have sold 22m units across the world, but Ubisoft feels Splinter Cell should be doing even better. And so it’s tasked one of the masterminds behind Assassin’s Creed to lead a revolution for the spy franchise.MCV speaks to Jade Raymond… One of my first jobs in the games …
Read More »Read about Jade Raymond’s Splinter Cell dream in the latest MCV
This latest MCV–which isnow available to view online– features an interview with Ubisoft’s Jade Raymond on the future of Splinter Cell. We also reveal retail’s thoughts on pre-owned blocking and Battlefield 4, and we take a retrospective look-back at 30 years of System 3. The issue also features our new-look …
Read More »Asda secures exclusive Skylanders toy
A new Skylander figurine hits shelves next week, and it’s exclusive to Asda. The smash hit toy/video game brand – which accounted for almost a quarter of the entire accessories market last year – has been a major earner for retailers since its debut in October 2011. The new Skylander …
Read More »Retail hails Battlefield 4 reveal, as Q4 war heats up
Retailers are braced for a blockbuster end to 2013 now that Battlefield 4 has joined the fray. Leading specialists and supermarkets have told MCV that they have huge expectations for the new shooter, following the long-tail success of Battlefield 3. The original title shifted well over 1.5m units in the …
Read More »ShopTo market share up 45%
Online indie ShopTo has seen its software market share leap in 2012. The firm says that, according to Chart-Track figures, its market share increased 45 per cent last year. ShopTo has already claimed significant wins this year, securing 31 per cent of the sales of Ni No Kuni Collector’s Edition, …
Read More »Is ‘free’ the future of console games?
It seems inevitable that free-to-play will play a big part in the next generation of consoles. Last year Xbox launched Happy Wars, its first freemium game. And that game now boasts a player base of over 2m. PS4 allows for free-to-play titles and even Nintendo is eyeing micro-transactions for Wii …
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