Game industry business news

Microsoft has confirmed to CVG that all of the UK pre-orders for the Legendary Edition of Halo 3 have already been snapped up. The package includes the game, two bonus DVDs – featuring documentaries and remastered cinematic scenes from Halo and Halo 2 – a collection of Halo 3 storyboard …

Zavvi Entertainment Group, headed up by existing Virgin Megastores MD Simon Douglas and finance director Steve Peckham, will operate all of the existing 125 UK and Irish stores and its online operation. Zavvi will continue to be supplied by EUK, the company’s primary supplier. All UK stores will be re-branded …

The deal covers weekly and monthly UK games data compiled by ChartTrack on behalf of ELSPA. The new arrangements mean that MCV has secured publishing rights for the Top 40 weekly all formats chart across both its online and print portfolio. MCV will also carry the Top 10 weekly single …

ITV executive chairman Michael Grade has hit out at video games for existing in a ‘moral vacuum’ compared to television drama. According to Broadcast magazine, Grade said that TV could take the moral high ground over games because it enjoyed the ‘framework of a dramatic narrative’. Grade was responding directly …

Having continued to evolve throughout its 23-year history, Gem’s new logo is an indication that the ambitious company has raised its game once again, says managing director Chris Peacock. The logo is only an indicator of the changes that are taking place,” he told MCV. It was important that we …

Chief executive of Electronic Arts John Riccitiello has told some of the most powerful luminaries in television that games are no more violent a media than TV programmes. Speaking in a presentation to the Royal Television Society’s Cambridge Convention, Riccitiello said video games were ‘unfairly demonised’ in the press for …

XNA boss says Microsoft has shown leadership in letting players use game properties in free projects

From October 26th, fans of the mega-selling football franchise will be able to snap up the new version of Pro Evolution Soccer on PS3, Xbox 360, PC, PS2 and mobile, while the PSP and DS versions are to follow in November. The recently revealed Wii version has yet to be …

The administrator of ChoicesUK has confirmed that Blockbuster has bought out 59 of the troubled retailer’s outlets. PricewaterhouseCoopers has revealed that the stores will be rebranded under the Blockbuster name. The sale will secure employment for approximately 450 employees across the UK. However, 80 ChoicesUK stores remain without a buyer …

The Finalists have been announced and invites are on their way to the press. Now the rest of the industry gets the chance to buy tickets to the first ever Games Media Awards on October 11th at London’s Soho Revue bar. With categories across specialist and mainstream outlets, in print …