Game industry business news

GAME’s sales have rocketed by a mighty 89.1 per cent in 2007 – and CEO Lisa Morgan says there’s more to come before the year is out. Like-for-like sales soared 44.1 per cent in the same period – the 45 weeks ending December 8th. We’re really pleased with the performance …

In a year that has seen GAME swoop for Gamestation, Activision snap up Bizarre and Warner acquire Traveller’s Tales, we’ve all had plenty to talk about. But last week’s Activision Blizzard deal topped the lot in every respect. In a single flex of its financial muscle, Vivendi has created a …

Shares in Ubisoft have rocketed with a 132 per cent increase since the beginning of the year, reflecting a hugely successful period for the firm with top-selling new IP and a strong casual games offering. The publisher attributes much of this success to early positioning on next gen consoles, while …

Sony’s PlayStation president Kaz Hirai has said that his company is on track to sell 11 million PS3 consoles by the end of its financial year, and that software will be the main focus for the firm going forwards. Sony has previously stated that the PS3’s integrated hi-def Blu-Ray drive …

MCV has teamed up with Play.com to offer free tickets to the retailer’s huge games-focused expo at Wembley next year, which will boast an exclusive trade area. Every MCV reader will be able to relax in a behind-closed-doors area at Play.com Live – and enjoy gratis VIP treatment. MCV will …

505 Games has ended a hugely successful year by signing up a major content deal with Russian powerhouse 1C. The agreement means that 505 Games and 1C’s Western European team will co-publish a new range of PC titles under the 1C Company brand, with over a dozen planned for 2008. …

Games revenues will overtake cash generated by music at retail by the end of the year, according to Screen Digest. With interactive entertainment continuing its spectacular rise to prominence, demand for Nintendo hardware repeatedly hitting the headlines and the multi-billion dollar Activision Blizzard deal shocking the financial world, the games …

After just a year on the market, Nintendo’s all-conquering Wii console has probably by now already passed the lifetime sales total of its dad, the GameCube, according to data from Famitsu publisher Enterbrain. Japanese sales of the new machine at the end of last month had reached 4,025,356 – more …

According to data from Enterbrain, the publisher of Japanese games bible Famitsu, after a strong few weeks on the Japanese market, PS3 has outsold its rival Wii in Japan for the month of November, with sales of Sony’s machine hitting 183,217 – 24,000 higher than Nintendo’s product. The November market …

Rockstar is still celebrating its successful appeal to get Manhunt 2 classified – but the British Board of Film Classification has warned that it may go to the most powerful judiciary in the country to ensure the game never hits High Street shelves. The Video Appeals Committee upheld Rockstar’s plea …