This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
Media Partner


THE MARKET FOR COMPUTER AND VIDEO GAMES


MCV presents a bumper-sized 96-page issue to coincide with this year’s Gamescom in Cologne, featuring an exhaustive preview of the show and more...


GAMESCOM SPECIAL EVENT PREVIEWpage 51


Issue 600 Friday August 13 2010 £3.25


Deal brokered for PC download chart


Publishers unite for digital sales data  UK studios urged to join in  Chart could launch in November


Nintendo piracy victory can win back DS sceptics


Battle against R4 copier cards strengthens handheld platform ahead of 3DS launch


by Christopher Dring


THE HIGH COURT ruling that confirmed DS R4 piracy cards are illegal will get developers excited about the DS again.


Last month, a UK specialist IP court helped solidify the case


“It is important to Nintendo – but also for the developers. Hopefully it will give them the encouragement and confidence to continue to develop the best games for Nintendo platforms.” Piracy has been a significant problem on DS over recent years. Back in February, Take-


by Michael French


IT’S BEEN a long time coming, but the UK will finally get a games download chart later this year, MCV can reveal. ELSPA has been hard at work behind the scenes over the last 12 months convincing publishers to share data and bring clarity to the scope of PC downloads. Firms large and small have backed the effort – Ubisoft, THQ, Square Enix, Sega, Midas, Mastertronic and Kalypso are all on board. MCV understands it’s only a matter of time until their contemporaries go public with full support, too. Sam Collins, ELSPA’s new commercial manager commented: “It is great to be working with members to build a report which will not only deliver member value, but one which will help the industry realise its potential in an increasingly connected digital economy.”


As with the retail reports,


Chart-Track will be responsible for tallying the figures. But unlike the traditional


Chart-Track reports, the download chart will combine data that comes direct from publishers, not retailers. All stakeholders have


pledged to supply all sales data. Yes, even the numbers from popular sources like US developer Valve’s leading download service Steam. The





finer details – with a target launch for November. It’s a canny move for ELSPA. The organisation is poised to unveil its new UKIE identity and remit in September. ELSPA is also keen to get the many independent developers that publish directly to consumers via the web supporting the chart. Chairman Andy Payne explained: “I am calling for other members to join the


We’re building a report that will help the industry realise its potential in an increasingly connected digital economy. Sam Collins, ELSPA


site has otherwise been reluctant to align itself with any effort to share information directly. The chart will be a global first. No other territory has a similar combined list. An ELSPA working group is currently hammering out the


group as soon as they can and not miss out in helping to form and shape this important development for all of us. “We are in the process of reaching out to TIGA and their membership and hope to have more on that very soon.”





against the cards, encouraging some rogue retailers to confess to being guilty of IP theft. The platform holder hopes this will deliver renewed confidence in the handheld amongst developers and publishers that scaled down work on the platform as piracy became widespread. “To get this judgement from a UK specialist IP civil court is an important step in the right direction,” Nintendo’s European anti-piracy counsel Neil Boyd told MCV.


Chinatown Wars suffered from DS piracy, but things should be better on 3DS, says Nintendo


Two CEO Ben Feder blamed weak sales of GTA: Chinatown Wars on the R4.


Boyd also said the ruling will help protect the upcoming 3DS when it launches.


“Only time will tell if the 3DS will be hacked,” he added. “But in terms of security, and preventing people getting around those security measures, I think this case gives us a good, solid legal foundation. What comes ahead of us is pure speculation, but it gives us a good basis for future security threats.”


PERSONNEL 66 RETAIL BIZ 67 NEW RELEASES 76 HIGH STREET 78 CHARTS 80


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96
Produced with Yudu - www.yudu.com