MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
One of the UK’s leading retail execs has claimed that the vast pre-owned video games market is vital to the sale of new release titles. HMV’s UK & Ireland CEO and MD Simon Fox adds that while he understands the militant position some publishers have adopted toward the pre-owned market, …
Read More »Super-indies still going strong
Not all independent retailers are struggling, with Grainger Games and Alworths opening new stores this week. Grainger Games will open its 40th store today (Friday, October 1st) in Liverpool. The new outlet can be found in the City Centre on Lord Street, and the opening day is being attended by …
Read More »Small stores pushed out by VAT rise
Independent retailers say they will struggle to stock new games when the VAT rise comes into effect next year. The already troubled indie sector says it will have to fight harder against High Street chains and supermarkets in order to break even or make a profit from the latest releases. …
Read More »Livingstone urges survey support
Eidos life president Ian Livingstone has made an appeal for developers to contribute towards an ambitious talent survey that hopes to show the UK Government the value of the national games industry as an employer. The survey has been conceived to help to inform an independent review into how to …
Read More »Sega sparks into life this Q4
Sega expects to emerge from its period of new release slumber by scoring four chart hits ahead of Christmas. Things have been pretty quiet since the success of AVP, Sonic Racing and Napoleon in the spring, giving new Euro boss Jurgen Post a chance to settle in and size up …
Read More »Rare: Kinect will go beyond casual games
Kinect’s launch line-up provides no foretoken to the wild ideas that the peripheral will provide in the future, a tech executive at Rare believes. Nick Burton admitted that Kinect’s software launch line-up has an understandable air of predictability – with its sports and family titles – but insisted the tech …
Read More »OPINION: GAME’s digital defence
GAME has both the most envied and reviled position in the UK games industry. As the ward of the two goliath High Street games brands, it isn’t just at the coalface of games retail – it is the coalface. When a new console arrives and the industry takes off, GAME …
Read More »GAME: Digital threat is ‘overblown’
Ian Shepherd has warned that the switch to online content and digital distribution will come much slower than the pundits claim. But, nevertheless, the new CEO of GAME said the retail giant is preparing itself for the digital era by evolving into a ‘multi-channel’ brand. The market is down 17 …
Read More »Gadget Show Live targets UK gamers
The 2011 Gadget Show Live will feature a gaming hall twice as big as last year’s event. Several key games firms and pro gamers will attend the consumer electronics event at Birmingham’s NEC from Tuesday, April 12th to Sunday, April 17th. Event director for The Gadget Show Live 2011 Matt …
Read More »Only 6% of console owners download games
A new report from American stats body NPD has thrown more doubt over the current market importance of digital games retail – specifically in the console market. NPD reports that in a three-month period just six per cent of console owners downloaded content to their console. On PC and Mac …
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