American sales tracker NPD has told MCV that it wants to introduce the globe’s first digital download chart. The move would help quash ‘misinformation’ about the games market, according to the data monitor’s director of corporate marketing David Riley. Leading publishers and trade body ELSPA last month told MCV that …
Read More »Kotick turns $50 into $500
With increasing development costs putting upwards pressure on new releases to maximise their sales potential, Activision Blizzard boss Bobby Kotick has explained that modern releases can now make ten time the revenue that they used to. In the last cycle of videogames you spent $50 on a game, played it …
Read More »Roland Rat sniffs out games deal
Publishers are being urged to take a chance on a Roland Rat game, after a US IP agency snapped up the rights to the classic 1980s television character. The Sharpe Company announced it had acquired the licence for the fluffy presenter last month, with a review to relaunching him as …
Read More »Comet recruits new games boss
Electronics retail chain Comet has hired Azeem Sadiq as its category buyer for gaming. Although new to the games industry, Sadiq has eight years of retail experience, having held various buying roles for House of Fraser, MFI and online retailer CSN. He replaces Debbie O’Neill, who moved from the games …
Read More »England demands games centre
The FA has sent its list of requirements to the South African base that will be housing the England football team during next summer’s World Cup – and chief amongst the demands in a luxury video games centre. The room is set to be kitted out with Wiis and PS3s, …
Read More »US: Toys R Us backs pre-owned
Having embarked on a low-profile pre-owned video games trial in a couple” of its North American outlets earlier this year, Toys R Us is to press ahead with plans to introduce pre-owned games trading at all of its North American stores. Variety reports that Toys R Us claims to accept …
Read More »Zune touts gaming credentials
Ever since the Zune was first announced the industry has patiently awaited Microsoft’s move to position the device as a games machine – and that could be about to arrive at last if a new promo video is anything to go by. Gizmodo spotted an inclusion in the machine’s latest …
Read More »Slight dip for UK software market
The UK software market has dipped just slightly in terms of software this week. According to MCV calculations based on this week’s Gfk-ChartTrack/ELSPA data, the UK software market was worth 17.8m for the week ending September 4th. Overall the market has held relatively steady, with consumers buying software to accompany …
Read More »NPD: Music genre down 46%
Though the signs are that the world is slowly pulling out of recession, punters are seemingly still proving reluctant to shell out the high cost demanded of modern rhythm action games – leading to ongoing year-on-year sales slumps for the genre. With the introduction of Beatles: Rock Band and Guitar …
Read More »NPD: August shows 16% decline
Sales analyst NPD has revealed that the North American video games market suffered yet another monthly decline in August – its sixth in as many months – though there are signs that the drops are abating. The market’s total value hit $908.72m throughout the month – 16 per cent down …
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