Game industry business news

Revenues generated by Sony’s PSP handheld appear to be grinding to a halt as consumers save their pennies for the new Slim & Lite version of the console. According to ChartTrack statistics, last week was the worst sales period for the handheld since launch. Sony blamed the slowdown on anticipation …

The Japanese video games market was up 22.5 per cent year on year in August, as Nintendo leads the charge with huge sales figures for Mario Party 8, DS and Wii – the latter of which outsold the PS3 by a margin of three to one. The majority if the …

A television psychologist best known for her work on BBC TV’s The House Of Tiny Tearaways is to spearhead the Government’s review of the availability of violent video games. Dr. Tanya Byron will talk to both parents and the interactive entertainment industry before reporting her findings to the Department for …

GameBrains says deal will help studio expand from boutique status to 'development powerhouse'

German studio's Asian studio working with MTV on new 'entertainment channel'

Nintendo UK has hired The Red Consultancy as its new exclusive third-party PR agency. As predicted by MCV last week, Red will replace nine-year partner Cake Media, which handled the hugely successful launches of Wii, DS and DS Lite. Red takes up the reins of the Nintendo account with immediate …

Budget software offers UK retailers more secure, reliable sell through than expensive new releases – and wins out when it comes to margin, too. That’s the view of leading value publisher Mastertronic, which has revealed why it believes so many retailers choose to stock its Sold Out and PC Gamer …

Car manufacturer Renault has launched its first in-game marketing campaign in the UK, across Xbox Live. The programme will form part of a multi-million pound push for the firm’s new The move represents the biggest ever investment in Microsoft Digital Advertising Solutions’ in-game advertising offering. Renault Twingo branding will appear …

German specialist trade magazine IGM (International Games Magazine) and UK based interactive entertainment weekly MCV have announced their continued editorial partnership. With MCV UK we had managed to win over our absolute dream partner in 2006,” said IGM-editor Marius Hopp. In the print and online sector in the English-speaking world, …

The Department of Culture, Media and Sport – which will be at the forefront of Gordon Brown’s proposed review of children’s access to adult video games – has outlined its intentions to re-examine the way in which adult rated video games fall into the hands of children. Talking exclusively to …