MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
PC specialist Excalibur has hit out at leading publishers over their lack of support for retail in the digital marketplace. The firm – whose titles include Farming Simulator 2011, Bus Driver and Dive to the Titanic – believes publishers should work more closely with High Street retailers to develop new …
Read More »PC market impossible for smaller publishers
French publisher Focus Home Interactive has declared it ‘impossible’ for smaller publishers to sell PC titles at UK retail. The firm is best known for a number of niche PC hits, including the Cities XL series – a gaming franchise that has been forced to depend on digital distribution this …
Read More »Pre-owned stand off is ridiculous
Publishers and retailers must get together and figure out a way of working together to tackle the dual problem of pre-owned and digital retail, Codemasters CEO Rod Cousens has stated. Pre-owned is regarded by a threat by publishers as they don’t see any returns from sales of used games – …
Read More »Asda: Publishers understand need for pre-owned
Andrew Thompson, the head of games at supermarket Asda, has told MCV that increasing competition in the games sector forced it to adopt a pre-owned games strategy. Tesco, Argos and Best Buy all let customers trade in against anything in store. And he adds that publisher’s do understand the retailer’s …
Read More »OPINION: The problem with new IP
It’s been a great year for new games franchises. In fact, last month was one of the most promising with the release of both Enslaved and Vanquish. But both failed to set the chart on fire – Enslaved flashed into the top 10 for one week, Vanquish didn’t even make …
Read More »Crytek wants new TimeSplitters
In a move that will delight the series’ many followers, Crytek has confirmed that it is putting in the groundwork to try and get a new entry in the TimeSplitters franchise off the ground. The studio, which was formerly known as Free Radical and was the original creator of the …
Read More »Nintendo promises closer 3rd party ties
The impressive E3 software line-up for 3DS proved that Nintendo’s new platform is one that publishers clearly believe in – and Saturo Iwata has pledged to ensure that remains the case. The Nintendo president has repeatedly had to reassure third party publishers about the market viability of non-Nintendo titles on …
Read More »Pre-owned games suffer legal threat
A fresh question mark hangs over the viability of the pre-owned software market this morning after a ruling in the US Court of Appeal upheld a developer’s right to prevent the resale of its software. Gamasutra reports that Autodesk has successfully won a case in which defendant Timothy Vernor had …
Read More »Team 17 breaks ties with publishers
Team 17 has turned its back on third-party publishers in favour of digital distribution. The UK-based studio is returning to its publishing roots by increasing the number of downloadable games it produces – at least 15 SKUs in 2010 alone. The company has only released two boxed games over the …
Read More »THQ: Pre-owned games cheat publishers
Publisher THQ is fast becoming the leading voice in the industry’s apparent tirade against pre-owned software, and its latest outburst is the most aggressive yet. Speaking to CVG, THQ’s WWE creative director Cory Ledesma admitted: I don’t think we really care whether used game buyers are upset because new game …
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