Activision Blizzard, Bandai Namco, EA and Xbox One X headline this week’s MCV

In this issue, we talk to Bandai Namco’s European VP of marketing and digital about his strategy for the old continent. Fresh off the success of Little Nightmares and a brand-new partnership with Dontnod, the publisher is now putting European games at the forefront, with the aim to become a global powerhouse and end up “somewhere between Nintendo and Disney.”

We also talk to Activision Blizzard’s consumer products group CEO Tim Kilpin about the unique strength of the company’s franchises and the new division’s ambitious plans for them, including the Call of Duty movie and Overwatch’s esports expansion.

Elsewhere, EA’s country manager for UK and Ireland Shaun Campbell tells us about the wider issues challenging the UK games industry, from Brexit to loot crates.

We also take a closer look at the Xbox One X’s launch, and wonder: in the ‘engagement’ era, is Microsoft’s new console just what the industry ordered?

Meanwhile in Japan, the market is shrinking, according to the presidents of NIS America and Nihon Falcom. So what can developers do to ensure the future of their business? We discuss the issue with NIS’ Takuro Yamashita and Falcom’s Toshihiro Kondo.

The latest digital edition can be read here for free

The full contents of this week’s issue are below:

• OPINION: Exient’s product lead Dan Bergin-Holly discusses the controversy on microtransactions in multiplayer games
• OPINION: Escape Studios’ head of games Simon Fenton on how to bring gaming into schools
• BANDAI NAMCO: Doubling down on Europe – how Bandai Namco is putting European games at the core of its publishing strategy
• ACTIVISION BLIZZARD: We talk to Activision Blizzard about the almost limitless opportunities to build franchises around its biggest titles
• EA TALKS EU: We talk to EA about the wider issues challenging the UK games industry
• XBOX ONE X: In the ‘engagement’ era, is the Xbox One X what the industry ordered?
• SAVING THE JRPG: NIS America and Nihon Falcom presidents discuss the Japanese market and how games firms in the country need to “look outward” to keep growing
• SONY DADC: DADC is diversifying and has chosen a Brit to head up its latest division. We talk to Chris Spearing about the company’s enviable reach
• UIG: Stefan Berger, head of business development at UIG, tells MCV about the state of the simulation genre, the company’s shift to consoles and its distribution partnership with publisher Toplitz
• PLUS! FIFA 18 tops the October monthly charts, L.A. Noire and Star Wars Battlefront II headline the big game releases of the week, and more