MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
Much like the big Hollywood movies, triple-A games have become all about the opening weekend. Sales and marketing experts are focusing their efforts on those first few days. Midnight launches – our version of a film premiere – are becoming increasingly extravagant. We’ve had tanks driving down Oxford Street and …
Read More »What’s Out Today? w/e December 2nd, 2011
Nintendo kicks off this month’s new releases with the 3DS debut of its ever-popular Mario Kart series. Mario Kart 7 introduces customisable vehicles, hang gliding and underwater races to the franchise, as well as making use of the handheld’s unique functionality such as 3D effects and Spot Pass. Meanwhile, new …
Read More »Ubi: Digital is home for new IP
Forget competing with big boxed blockbusters at retail – Ubisoft says the best way to release new IP is through digital platforms. The publisher has over ten download-only games in the works – and a number of them are new properties. They include action title Shoot Many Robots, strategy game …
Read More »BP: We could step in if games retail fails
An unlikely outlet says it can fill the void left by failing video game stores. BP – yes, the petrol station – says it is ‘uniquely placed’ to exploit any decline on the High Street. It follows the firm’s success with the Modern Warfare 3 launch, with over 300 BP …
Read More »Xbox 360 enjoys biggest week ever
Microsoft has recorded its best weekly sales in the history of the Xbox brand, selling just under 1m units in seven days. More than 960,000 Xbox 360 units were sold in the US during the week of Black Friday (week ending Friday, November 25th), according to Larry "Major Nelson" Hyrb. …
Read More »Battlefield 3 sales top 8 million
Electronic Arts has announced sales of its blockbuster first-person shooter have surpassed the eight million milestone. The figure was confirmed by the publisher’s CFO Eric Brown during this week’s Baird Technology Conference in San Fransisco, according to Game Informer. Previously, EA touted first week sales of five million units worldwide …
Read More »GameStop reveals Vita memory card pricing
We’re yet to hear what Sony’s official pricing strategy for its new PlayStation Vita memory cards will be in the UK, but if the US and Japanese pricing is anything to go by they’re not going to be cheap. US retailer GameStop (as reported by the similarly titles consumer games …
Read More »UK online retail set for £13.5bn Xmas boom
It may be tough times on the High Street, but online retailers are expecting their most successful Xmas yet. IMRG and Kelkoo both estimate 13.5bn will be spent in the UK online during the next four weeks, up 14 per cent over 2010.And consumers will be spending earlier than ever …
Read More »Games retailers back eBay store
Online auction giant eBay is hitting the High Street this week with the support of at least two games retailers. Both Zavvi and Comet will have a presence at eBay’s temporary Christmas Boutique store in London’s West End from Thursday, December 1st to Monday, December 5th.Customers will be able to …
Read More »5th Cell CEO: $60 boxed game model is broken
The boss of successful independent developer 5th Cell has in no uncertain terms said that the full-price boxed retail model is no longer fit for purpose in the modern games industry. The $60 boxed game is a broken model,” CEO and creative director Jeremiah Slaczka told GameInformer. It was always …
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