MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
The president of Square Enix – the increasingly Western-facing Japan-headquartered publishing empire – has refuted the widely held view that the Japanese game industry is in decline. Yoichi Wada is thought to be the first high-profile industry executive that’s publicly spoken in defence of the Japanese industry. If you look …
Read More »Chancellor silent on gaming tax breaks
The UK government has again rejected calls for tax breaks in the game development sector. Making what was clearly a coarse pre-budget speech for tough times, Chancellor Alistair Darling declared that his budget is one that would "secure the [economy’s] recovery and promote long-term growth." But Darling’s pre-budget speech – …
Read More »More Natal details revealed in Feb
Microsoft has today confirmed it will reveal more details about its Project Natal 360 peripheral to developers at its Gamefest conferences this February. The news follows our reports the firm is currently touring studios to spur Natal support and hiring developers to make new first-party games for the new peripheral. …
Read More »Job losses detailed at EA studios
A total of seven EA-owned studios are alleged to be hit by the publisher’s mass-layoff operations. Pandemic, EALA, Maxis, Rupture Studios, Mythic, Tiburon and Black Box are all thought to be downsized as EA looks to shed 900 developers from its global workforce. EA has declined to comment on where …
Read More »500 publishing jobs go at EA
Electronic Arts has revealed that the vast majority of its global staff cuts will be made in its own development studios. Some 900 EA developers across numerous studios will be laid off, compared to the 500 cuts in publishing and 100 in corporate affairs. The total staff cuts are expected …
Read More »Square Enix axing Japanese staff?
In what is fast appearing as the game industry’s largest ever mass-migration from East to West, mega-publisher Square Enix is rumoured to be reducing as many as 300 staff from its native base in Japan. The rumours, first reported by Kotaku, come as Square Enix continues to pour its sizable …
Read More »Wolfenstein dev suffers job losses
Layoffs have been administered to some of the development force responsible for Activision’s new Wolfenstein game. Though the game’s principal developer – the US-based Raven Software – remains unscathed from the new round of layoffs, staff at UK-based outfit Endrant Studios have been handed their notice. Speaking to Develop, a …
Read More »Warner resurrecting This Is Vegas
After admitting yesterday that it has plans for former Midway pair Mortal Kombat and SpyHunter, Warner Interactive has named a third IP that will be heading to retail under its new stewardship. Only yesterday talk was circulating that Warner had pulled the plug on This Is Vegas, but the publisher …
Read More »Mortal Kombat team gets Warner rebrand
Warner Bros’ newly-purchased Midway studios are emerging as their reformed, restructured and rebranded selves, according to reports. Job profiles of apparent employees from WB Games” have been found dotted around the professional networking site LinkedIn, with Midway’s Chicago studio – responsible for developing Mortal Kombat games – being named on …
Read More »MS allegedly establishes Halo studio
Rumours are beginning to intensify that Microsoft’s Halo studio has established itself as 343 Industries”. Last year Microsoft Game Studios hired high-profile talent to its internal Halo studio, snapping up the likes of former MGS4 assistant producer Ryan Payton and Bungie’s Frank O’Connor. The studio hasn’t established its own name …
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