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MCV 24/09/10 7 NEWS
Microsoft wants to lead PC games market revolution
Platform holder admits it ‘needs to step up’ on PC Fable III, Flight and Age of Empires represent investment in sector MS will experiment with business models
by Christopher Dring
MICROSOFT has hit back at criticism that it isn’t doing enough to support PC gamers. The platform holder says it should be its job to offer leadership in the sector, and will step up with three market- leading PC titles: Fable III, Age
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“Other companies should look to Microsoft for leadership, but I’m not sure they do. It is our job to lead the way on PC. And in some ways we are doing that and in other ways we are not. So we need to step up. “We are putting some real investment and big IPs behind
It is our job to lead the way on PC. In some ways we are doing that and in others we are not. We need to step up. Dave Luehmann, Microsoft
of Empires Online and Microsoft Flight. “There’s been a fair bit of criticism aimed at Microsoft that we were spending a lot of our focus on console, and we need to be putting resources behind PC as well,” Microsoft Games Studios’ general manager Dave Luehmann told MCV in an interview.
Free DJ Hero to accelerate series’ growth
the Windows platform. We’ve spoken of the first three, Fable III, Age of Empires Online and Microsoft Flight. However we are not going to stop there.” All of these games make use of Microsoft’s Games for Windows – Live service which is the PC equivalent of Xbox Live. Luehmann says it is Microsoft’s job to experiment
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LONDON GAMES CONFERENCE has gained another two sponsors in the form of Multiplay and AGI. The firms are Gold Sponsors of the UK’s premier games conference, this year entitled London Games Conference: Survival And Profit In A Changing Industry.
Multiplay is a leading service provider for the industry and organiser of long-running i-Series and M Festival LAN events. “Multiplay is delighted to be sponsoring the London Games
Conference, which enables us to support the UK’s creative industries in these challenging times,” said operations director Stewart Fletcher.
Packaging and creative firm AGI is also sponsoring LGC.
“We’re putting real investment behind PC with Fable III (left) and Age of Empires (below),” says Dave Luehmann
with new business models to help inspire other
publishers and developers worldwide. “I think it is the responsibility
of first parties to push the business models in to new
directions. We will test some ideas – some will work and some won’t,” added Luehmann. Microsoft: 0870 601 0100
ACTIVISION is determined to make DJ Hero 2 a major seller, and is giving away the original game in order to do so. Peter Royea, the man in charge of the Hero brand, says the music sequel is his No.1 priority this Christmas. Last year’s DJ Hero sold over 1.5 million units, but is a long way from matching the success enjoyed by Guitar Hero. The company says giving away the original title with every party or turntable bundle shows Activision’s
determination to make it a hit. “This is a real statement of intent from DJ Hero that we really do want to bring the party home in 2010,” he said. Activision: 020 3060 1000
Multiplay latest to sponsor LGC 2010 LAN event organiser Multiplay will sponsor LGC as well as AGI
The firm’s head of global creative services Bernie Bingham said: “AGI is very
pleased to be given the opportunity to sponsor the London Games Conference.”
Multiplay and AGI join key supporters InComm, Virgin Gaming and The Hut, with IGN UK as Platinum Sponsor. The conference will take place on Thursday, November 4th at BAFTA, 195 Piccadilly. It comprises a three-hour conference, dinner and drinks. The event is expected to sell out. Contact Jodie.Holdway@
intentmedia.co.uk to book your place. For information about sponsorship
opportunities, please contact
Rob.Baker@intentmedia.co.uk.
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