MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
With Sony and EA recently unveiling bold new moves to counter what publishers see as the threat posed by the pre-owned market, Nintendo has refused to rule out taking similar measures with its own products. Recent and upcoming EA releases Mass Effect 2 and Battlefield: Bad Company 2 will use …
Read More »Now Sony joins pre-owned offensive
Echoing the controversial measures announced by Ubisoft last month, Sony has revealed that users of SOCOM: US Navy SEALs Fireteam Bravo 3 will need to register their game online before they are able to access the multiplayer component of the title. UMD copies will use a redeemable code while the …
Read More »EA continues pre-owned assault
Following the model laid down by Mass Effect 2’s Cerberus Network, EA has confirmed that the upcoming Battlefield: Bad Company 2 will also penalise those who buy it second hand. Anyone who buys a new copy of the title will find inside a code that can be used to access …
Read More »Pre-orders soar for Battlefield BC2
Hype for Battlefield: Bad Company 2 has reached an all-time high, with EA reporting huge pre-orders for the shooter. The game is the sequel to the 2008 multiplayer hit and will arrive on March 5th on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC. It’s also the first Battlefield title since last year’s …
Read More »Zavvi.com in new street date row
The Hut Group-owned online retailer Zavvi.com has once again been accused of deliberately selling games early with listings for BioShock 2 on its eBay portal stating that game is now in stock and despatching”. Zavvi.com was caught up in a similar storm last year when some customers who had pre-ordered …
Read More »Metroid Prime Trilogy discontinued
Most consumers take the term ‘Limited Edition’ with a pinch of salt nowadays, but Nintendo has confirmed that its Limited Edition Metroid Prime Trilogy on Wii is exactly that. Unfortunately, Metroid Prime Trilogy is no longer being shipped,” a Nintendo rep told blog Coffee With Games. You may be able …
Read More »Retailers slash £50 off Xbox 360
With the clock ticking on the rapid approach to Christmas retailers are stepping up their efforts to capture as much consumer spend as they can before the festive spend dries up – and Xbox 360 hardware is the latest to get the discount treatment. Both GAME and HMV are currently …
Read More »Just Cause 2 pre-order rewards revealed
Square Enix Europe has confirmed that all those who pre-order the upcoming Just Cause 2 will receive and exclusive limited edition version of the game. Along with the exclusive packaging, Just Cause 2 LE includes what is being called the Black Market Chaos Pack which brings with it five downloadable …
Read More »Chancellor silent on gaming tax breaks
The UK government has again rejected calls for tax breaks in the game development sector. Making what was clearly a coarse pre-budget speech for tough times, Chancellor Alistair Darling declared that his budget is one that would "secure the [economy’s] recovery and promote long-term growth." But Darling’s pre-budget speech – …
Read More »Riccitiello compares piracy to pre-owned
John Riccitiello has stated that the emerging force that is post-release downloadable content is the key tool in battling both the pre-owned market and piracy. The consumer seems to really like this idea that there is extra stuff,” Riccitiello told Nightly Business Report. The consumer wants more, and when you …
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