MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
Traditional PR and marketing, competition with rivals, and boxed product – all of these things face extinction when digital downloads take hold. That’s according to a panel of online games experts grilled by industry veteran Phil Harrison at this evening’s London Games Conference. Playfish’s Kristian Segerstrale, Mark Gerhard from Jagex …
Read More »LGC 09: UK PC chart to include download sales from 2010
ChartTrack director Dorian Bloch has this evening revealed that the firm will start including PC download sales in its charts from the start of 2010. "From the start of next year, whoever is ready to contribute data, be they publisher or digital distributor will be able to come on board …
Read More »LGC 09: Will downloads be worth more than retail after 2014?
The games industry will see a major tipping point towards digital distribution – and finally experience its ‘the iTunes moment – by 2014, according to analyst Nick Parker. Referencing reams of data, and an industry survey which grilled key execs on the future of digital downloads, he said that serious …
Read More »James Camerons Avatar The Game dated
Publisher Ubisoft has dated James Cameron’s Avatar on Xbox 360, Wii, PS3, PC and DS for December 4th in the UK. The game will appear on PSP a week later on December 11th. James Cameron’s Avatar The Game is a fully 3D title based on the upcoming movie, which has …
Read More »Online retail braced for postal nightmare
Games retail has drawn up contingency plans ahead of strike action by Royal Mail staff, MCV can reveal. Disruption to delivery services has been affecting parts of the UK already, which has forced online specialists including Play, Amazon, Gameseek, ShopTo, SimplyGames, The Hut and Zoombits to source rival postal firms. …
Read More »HMV targeting former Zavvi stores
Entertainment retailer HMV has confirmed that it’s upcoming temporary Christmas stores will target locations now vacated thanks to the demise of Zavvi and Woolworths. The idea is to bring a viable entertainment offer to towns that are currently short on options, according to GigNews. HMV chief exec Simon Fox said …
Read More »NPD: Gaming finally on the up
After what seems like a prolonged period of decline in the North American video games market, the latest numbers from sales tracker NPD show that the sector enjoyed year-on-year growth in September. In fact, September 2009 was the second biggest September the NPD has ever recorded, beaten only by September …
Read More »First Microsoft store opens this week
Microsoft will open the first of its branded retail stores next Thursday, October 22nd, according to the Wall Street Journal. The date is in line with the release of its next operating system, Windows 7. The site, in Scottsdale, Arizona, is expected to showcase PCs and mobile phones running Microsoft …
Read More »Mass Effect 2 dated
Publisher EA will release BioWare’s much-anticipated sci-fi RPG sequel Mass Effect 2 on Xbox 360 and PC on January 29th in the UK. The game’s pre-order bonuses have also been outlined and will include in-game items such special armour and weapons. Retailers who have signed up to the incentive schemes …
Read More »Nintendo announces Wii Pokémon game
Nintendo of Japan has announced it will release a new Pokmon game for Wii in the form of Pokpark. The game puts players in the paws of Pikachu as they wander around a Pokmon-themed amusement park, interacting with other Pokmon and competing in a variety of mini-games, according to CVG. …
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