MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
With the backing of Activision, Disney, EA, Microsoft, Namco Bandai, Sony, Take-Two and Ubisoft, ISFE says its new pan-Euro data is the industry’s best. The Interactive Software Federation of Europe unveiled GameTrack at a breakfast briefing in London this week, attended by key publisher representatives including EA’s Europe chief Jens …
Read More »Sony: Consumers more likely to buy if a game is both digital AND boxed
Platform holder Sony claims the growing appetite for digital content is helping grow the sales of ‘full console’ games. The format-holder releases some games on PSN and at retail on the same day to make them as accessible as possible”. The world is changing at a rapid rate and the …
Read More »UPDATE: i-Globe enters liquidation
Derby-based video games accessory manufacturer I-Globe has entered liquidation. The firm was best known as once being the exclusive accessories supplier to High Street chain Blockbuster, though has had little exposure at UK retail for some time. It’s website has been taken down. There has been no activity on its …
Read More »OPINION: A moment in chart history
When the trade clicked open its Monday morning UKIE charts update this week, the big story was the data that wasn’t listed. Max Payne may be a worthy No.1. But with a three day headstart and a passionately connected PC audience Blizzard’s DiabloIII was undoubtedly the ‘real’ No.1 thanks to …
Read More »Busy summer will give games retail the cold shoulder
It’s not just a lack of games that will hurt the market this summer – retailers fear the upcoming Jubilee, Euros and Olympics will keep customers away from the High Street. The Entertainment Retailer’s Association told MCV?that these events, combined with a lack of content, could make June and July …
Read More »ANALYSIS: The pre-owned market
Before March this year, GAME and Gamestation were by far the UK’s biggest pre-owned game retailers. Second-hand goods even made up a third of the group’s total revenues last year. Yet this dominant force in used games has fallen. 277 of its shops have closed. So where do these customers …
Read More »Disc demand dwindles, duplicators dying out
Manufacturers predict a steady decline in the use of game discs as digital gains a tighter grip on the market. The firms responsible for duplicating physical games report that a number of their competitors are on the verge of going out of business. We believe the European market for replication …
Read More »FEATURE: Gunning for GAME
A battle is being fought on the High Street. GAME has closed 277 stores and its major rivals are scrambling to win its customers. Supermarkets and online giants are hoping to capitalise. Tesco’s bold ‘Home of Gaming’ press ad set out its belief last month that it has the specialist …
Read More »Simply Games sales soar by 200 per cent
Software sales at internet retailer Simply Games have trebled during the past 12 months. Sales are up 198 per cent over last year, and 400 per cent over two years ago. Our expansion over the past 12 months has been quite phenomenal,” Simply Games MD Neil Muspratt told MCV. We …
Read More »CD Projekt: The truth is DRM does not work
In a no-holds barred interview amidst Diablo III’s ‘always-on DRM’ storm, the developer of The Witcher 2 has blasted the use of digital rights management. Let me dispel the myth about DRM protectinganything. The truth is it does not work. It’s as simple as that,” CD Projekt CEO Marcin Iwinski …
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