MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
Gamers will get to play the new Hitman: Absolution as soon as next week thanks to a digital spin-off available to those who pre-order the game. Called Hitman: Sniper Challenge, the digital bonus has been built from scratch by developer IO Interactive. The download gives sets players the challenge of …
Read More »Hitman: Absolution release date confirmed for November 20th
Retail is in for a busy November, with Square Enix confirming its Hitman: Absolution will arrive in the midst of the Q4 boom time for games. The latest game in the acclaimed series is due on November 20th. It is yet another game due on a Tuesday. Already this year …
Read More »Hitman targets Top 5 with surprise pre-order attack
Square Enix thinks its new Hitman: Absolution pre-order deal can help the game become one of 2012’s top five game releases Today the publisher unveiled Sniper Challenge, a download available from Tuesday to those who pre order the game, which launches on November 20th. The clever digital game trick is …
Read More »UK Government making age-12 rating legally enforceable for video games
Retailers that sell games rated 12 or over to younger children could be jailed. The decision comes as part of today’s new Government process to have the pan-European PEGI ratings become law. It will add further power to the PEGI ratings, which are being made the sole classification for video …
Read More »End in sight for dual ratings as Parliament starts PEGI plan
After a drawn out saga, the Government today began the Parliamentary process to have the PEGI ratings for video games become the de facto classification in the UK. The dual-ratings system that has seen responsibilities shared with the BBFC and its iconic symbols seen on DVD, video and film will …
Read More »OPINION: Nintendo’s digital strategy shows it’s still box clever
Where Nintendo leads, others often follow. Sure, the finer points of Virtual Boy, N64 and 3DS pulled in directions others didn’t want to go. But they are exceptions to the rule. Broadly, when the Kyoto HQ’s bright ideas cause the market to jump, everyone jumps. Platform games, motion control, shoulder …
Read More »ANALYSIS: Nintendo reinvents the download
Nintendo has caved to the online revolution, and will soon offer simultaneous digital/physical releases. But its download plan could also change the way video games are sold, says Michael French Too little, too late? It’s very easy to consider Nintendo’s sudden declaration to ‘significantly expand its digital business’ during its …
Read More »LEGO Lord of the Rings video game confirmed by new toy sets
Warner Bros will release a widely-expected LEGO Lord of the Rings game. Packaging for LEGO’s new line of LOTR toys, inspired by the three Peter Jackson movies based on the books, reveals the title is on the way. Earlier in the year we predicted that the new line of toys …
Read More »Black Ops II could breach Infinity Ward contract
Treyarch’s next game in the Call of Duty franchise could be in breach of a studio agreement signed in 2008 by both Activision and Infinity Ward executives. Black Ops II is the first original Call of Duty game developed by Treyarch that plays out modern-day and futuristic scenes, yet a …
Read More »Habbo: Online firms fighting short atten…
Pay attention. One of the most popular online ‘teen hangouts’ says digital games need to fight harder to battle brief attention spans. The man in charge of Habbo says that the migration of games to the web is inevitable, but makes fighting for consumers’ time more difficult. 10 years ago, …
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