MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
Pundits will have you believe the next generation of games hardware won’t arrive until 2013 or later. However last week, at 12.01am on September 22nd, a fifth home gaming format was activated: cloud gaming service OnLive. At its most basic form this one needs no hardware, no discs, no physical …
Read More »UK CHARTS: FIFA 12 smashes FIFA 11 records
EA’s FIFA 12 has shot to the top of the UKIE Gfk Chart-Track All Formats Top 40 this week in an impressive way. The game enjoyed the third strongest launch week ever for a multi-platform release in the UK. It also outstripped FIFA 11’s week one performance by 18 per …
Read More »UK Software Sales Monitor: Market jumps to £27.7m
The UK games retail market generated 27.7m last week, a 136 per cent rise week-on-week and the second highest number this year. Over 900,000 software units were sold last week, up 75 per cent over the seven days before. It’s amazing what two games can do.The market was driven largely …
Read More »Games market steps up a Gear
Christmas came early for UK retail last week: physical game sales rose to its highest point since the first week of the year. UK stores generated 27.7m from game sales for the seven days ending September 24th, 136 per cent up over the week before. Renewed market momentum came thanks …
Read More »Future to sell US operations?
Media powerhouse Future has in its latest pre-close trading update hinted that a sale of its US operations could be a possibility. The company predicts a six per cent drop in revenue for the year ending September 30th. The UK business, which has already reduced its headcount by ten per …
Read More »Blockbuster adds games to Unlimited rental memberships
The UK arm of rental chain Blockbuster has announced that as of today members of its Unlimited Rental Plan can now rent games at no additional charge. The company’s website has already been updated to include games on its online rental selection page alongside movies. Unlimited Rental Plans start at …
Read More »Apple staff told to cancel October holidays
Claims have emerged that staff members of UK Apple stores have been told to cancel any holiday booked for the first two weeks of October. Such claims have been made and passed without event before, but it just so happens that early October has already been fingered as the launch …
Read More »GAME and Gamestation announce midnight openings for FIFA 12
A total of 243 GAME and 165 Gamestation stores will open their doors just before midnight on Thursday September 29th in anticipation of FIFA 12’s release. GAME’s Oxford Street store is hosting the UK’s official midnight launch, with the first customer to buy the game receiving a new LG 3D …
Read More »Star Wars Old Republic finally gets 2011 release date
Talk about by the skin of its teeth. BioWare has ended a year of speculation by finally announcing a final release date for MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic. And true to its word, it has made its self-imposed 2011 deadline. Just. The game will be released in North America …
Read More »Six-month Kinect roadshow revealed
Microsoft has outlined dates for a six-month Kinect tour which will visit UK shopping centres, Disney on Ice shows and The Clothes Show. The ‘Your Kinect Experience Tour’ kicks off in late September and will run to March. Consumers will be able to play several upcoming games compatible with the …
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