MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
The next update to Sony’s PS3 digital TV peripheral PlayTV will be a premium download from PSN and not a free firmware upgrade. Later this year a host of new features will be added to the PVR device including social networking platform Chat TV, a seven-day programme guide, new listings …
Read More »MAG gets pay-monthly DLC
Publisher Sony has taken the interesting step of offering players the chance to purchase a small piece of extra functionality in online shooter MAG in return for paying a monthly fee. As of yesterday, players are now able to purchase additional character slots for the game that allow them to …
Read More »Online fees for COD rubbished
Despite suggestions to the contrary, it looks as if Activision has absolutely no plans to introduce additional fees for the online multiplayer component of Call of Duty. Speaking on his blog FourZeroTwo, Infinity Ward’s creative strategist Robert Bowling issued the following blanket statement: To be clear: There is not, and …
Read More »Only 2/3 of gamers pay to play
30 per cent of today’s gamers never pay for the games they play – that’s the claim of a new report by tracking firm Newzoo. Whether it’s the 59p iPhone app revolution or the host of free Flash games available online, a full-time gaming habit is certainly potential cheaper today …
Read More »How much did MS pay for GTA IV?
Peter Moore’s dramatic revelation at 2006’s E3 conference that Grand Theft Auto IV was to be released on Xbox 360 at the same time as it hit PS3 was a real blow to Sony’s PlayStation 3 and a shot in the arm for the still young Xbox 360. But aside …
Read More »Rebellion accused of layoff pay dodging
UK developer Rebellion faces accusations of denying several staff their wages and redundancy pay. Numerous sources have told Develop that the remaining Rebellion Derby staff – some of which had worked at the group for nearly two decades – were made to clear their desks and go home on garden …
Read More »Viacom seeking Rock Band refund
With falling sales of Rock Band blamed for a three per cent year-on-year decline in sales for Harmonix owner Viacom, the company has said that it wants a partial refund of bonuses paid to the developer in 2008. Viacom enjoyed strong profits of $694m for the quarter ending December 31st, …
Read More »Pay-to-Play debuts on PSN
With new games business models very much at the forefront of people’s attentions right now, an experiment by Sony of Japan could lead to a brand new payment model rolling onto the PlayStation Network. A new version of Yen Gomibako, which was recently released under the title Trash Panic on …
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