MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry

US start-up Riot Games has been boosted with a $1.5m investment that will help production of the team's first game.

Hot on the heels of Double Fusion's announced expansion, rival IGA has confirmed a partnership with Valve for advertising in Counter-Strike - and the two claim it's one of the industry's biggest in-game ad deals yet.

In-game ad firm Double Fusion has gained $26 million in a financing round that includes Time Warner as a strategic investor – and now the company plans to grow its operation internationally.

Nikitova has grown its European business further with the opening of a London office.

It seems the episodic version of SiN has been abandoned after just one instalment following a recent shake up at developer Ritual.

It’s existed for barely a month, but Namco Bandai Games Europe has revealed to Develop sister magazine MCV that it already has an eye on setting up a new European development studio – and branching out into ‘western’ genres.

Leamington Spa-based Blitz has recieved two awards in as many weeks, with co-founder and CEO Philip Oliver named Best Industry Player by Tiga this week, and the company being given a Special Achievement Award by Warwick Council.

A German investment group has made a £4.4m offer to buy developer Kuju.

The CEO of Havok has said the company is considering adding other complementary tech firms to its stable as the physics and animation firm looks to grow.

Certain Affinity in Austin, US has today opened, revealing that it has scored a hot deal as its first project, producing Halo 2 multiplayer maps that will be exclusively released for Xbox 360.