MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
The farcical legal fracas between 3D Realms and Gearbox has taken another twist. It was revealed last month that Gearbox is suing 3D Realms following the latter’s confirmation that it intends to release a new Duke Nukem title. Gearbox says that the IP transferred into its ownership when it bought …
Read More »New IP Flockers announced by Team17
The Worms maker revealed it’s working on the new brand during today’s PlayStation Open Day. Team17 MD Debbie Bestwick unveiled the Steampunk-themed Flockers at the Sony event in Leamington Spa. An official announcement from the studio is expected next week. It follows the studio’s admission last year that it hadn’t …
Read More »Duke Nukem sparks fresh court battle between Gearbox and 3D Realms
Gearbox is suing 3D Realms over its decision to announce a new Duke Nukem game. The IP was acquired by Gearbox in 2010 as part of the deal that saw Randy Pitchford’s studio rescue the game from its unprecedented stint of development hell. However, Kotaku reports that 3D Realms earlier …
Read More »King’s Candy trademark filing "makes complete sense"
The decision to trademark the Candy name is a perfectly logical one, a UK lawyer has argued. Publisher King has come in for a heap of criticism following its move to protect its Candy Crush Saga brand, but Marks & Clerk trademark attorney Aidan Clarke says that it would have …
Read More »King accused of Candy Crush Saga IP theft
In a dramatic twist to the Candy Crush Saga saga, an indie dev has accused King of stealing the idea for its IP in the first place. CVG reports that Albert Ransom, the creator of 2010 title CandySwipe, has been told by authorities that he may have to cancel the …
Read More »Nintendo wasn’t concerned by Flappy Bird’s pipes
Much of the criticism aimed at now-defunct smartphone title Flappy Bird concerned allegations of IP infringement. Some quarters of the press and development community criticised the game’s creator Dong Nguyen for his use of a green pipe design that quite clearly references Nintendo’s Mario platform series. However, Nintendo spokesperson Yasuhiro …
Read More »Cliffy B: Gears of War ‘couldn’t be in better hands’
Former Epic developer and Gears of War designer Cliff Bleszinski has celebrated yesterday’s sale of the Gears of War IP to Microsoft. He also believes Rod Fergusson, another former Epic man who has also made the jump to Microsoft, is the right man for the brand’s new lease of life. …
Read More »Microsoft acquires Gears of War IP from Epic
Gears of War is and forever will be a Microsoft-only IP. That’s because the Xbox platform holder has acquired the rights to existing and future games in the series from Epic. The Gears of War game will be a Microsoft Studios product developed by Black Tusk Studios. Furthermore, former Epic …
Read More »Star Wars 1313 trademark abandoned by Disney
Disney has opted against renewing the Star Wars 1313 trademark. The game, once in development at the now defunct LucasArts, was not only one of the as-of-then unannounced next-gen’s poster boys but was also the galaxy’s best hope for a Star Wars game that finally fulfilled the IPs destiny. However, …
Read More »Pachter calls for Nintendo to go third party
Nintendo needs to bring its rich slate of IP to rival platforms, US analyst Michael Pachter has said. The call to go third party comes following today’s significant sales forecast revisions from the platform holder and the insistence from president Saturo Iwata that he will not resign. The Wii U …
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