MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
The four-year wait for a sequel to the critically and commercially successful Final Fantasy XII is over at last with today marking the arrival of Square Enix’s Final Fantasy XIII at retail across the globe. The Final Fantasy brand remains one of the most important in gaming, with a loyal …
Read More »Media Molecule acquired by Sony
Sony Computer Entertainment has acquired LittleBigPlanet developer Media Molecule for an undisclosed sum. The multi-award-winning Guildford-based outfit was bought by Sony in a strategic move to continue to secure excellence in game development for current and future PlayStation platforms. The full story is on Develop.
Read More »Best Buy to open fourth store in Aintree
Retail giant Best Buy has announced plans to open its fourth outlet in the UK in Aintree, near Liverpool. It will open four branches in spring this year, which will showcase the latest technologies such as games, consoles and other computer electronics. The Aintree store will be situated at London …
Read More »Warner acquires dev Rocksteady
Growing video games publisher Warner Bros Interactive has acquired a majority stake in London-based developer Rocksteady Studios. The move comes after the tremendous success enjoyed by Rocksteady’s 2009 release Batman: Arkham Asylum. The deal is the latest in Warner’s ongoing strategy to strengthen its internal development capacity. In 2007 it …
Read More »Kotick thought MMOs were silly
Mind-boggling” – that’s the word Activision boss Bobby Kotick used to describe how he felt about the $7m acquisition of Blizzards by Davidson & Associates in 1994. The exec couldn’t believe the ludicrous amount of money Blizzard had been sold for” at the time. Eight years down the line Kotick …
Read More »EA eying mobile dev IronMonkey?
EA has acquired Australian mobile game developer IronMonkey Studios, reports allege. A story from news site Tsumea cited reliable sources” insisting that EA has acquired the Melbourne-based outfit, though no details were reported. Develop has the full story.
Read More »Sony extends PSPgo promotion
SCEE has announced that it has extended its free game promotion for new owners of the digital-only PSPgo. Originally set to expire on January 10th, the deal will now run until January 31st and allows those who buy a new machine the chance to download one of either Gran Turismo, …
Read More »Best Buy opens UK website
Best Buy has launched a UK website ahead of its move in to the British market, scheduled for this spring. The website is highly consumer focused and includes a large number of buying guides, technology advice and articles. Best Buy is expected to open the first of its UK premises …
Read More »GameStop buys into Jolt
Global High Street video games retailer GameStop has acquired a stake in Irish online games network Jolt.co.uk in a move that it hopes will better position it for the future and the rise of digitally distributed content. Jolt will allow us to test digital distribution,” Gamestop’s executive VP of merchandising …
Read More »Moore questions Guitar Hero strategy
Despite the vested interest his own company has in the music sector thanks to the Rock Band franchise, EA Sports boss Peter Moore has stated that the genre will face tough challenges ahead. If you look at the ability of the industry to sustain the big box mentality — Guitar …
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