THE BUSINESS OF VIDEO GAMES

ISSUE 805 FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 19TH 2014

THE BUSINESS OF VIDEO GAMES

ISSUE 805 FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 19TH 2014

THE HANDHELD 1989 - 201425 YEARS AFTER THE GAME BOY,

WHAT LIES AHEAD FOR PORTABLE CONSOLES?

HYRULE WARRIORS

ZELDA COLLIDES WITH DYNASTY WARRIORS. WE ‘LINK’ UP WITH NINTENDO TO TALK ABOUT THE TITLE

GAMES RETAIL 2020WE REVEAL THE 12 THINGS WE DISCOVERED AT OUR NEWEST GAMES CONFERENCE

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PAGE 06

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CHEAT SHEET

04September 19th 2014 www.mcvuk.com

THE WEEK IN VIDEO GAM

It’s been a diffi cult few months for consumer games journalists.They’ve found themselves

facing what feels like never-ending accusations of corruption. YouTubers like Total Biscuit are proudly declaring that they hold ‘more power and infl uence then any games journalist’.

And this week Destiny launched and broke all records for a new IP launch, all without the need of reviews. Activision scored huge levels of hype from the game without the need for the press; it did it via a well-timed summer beta.

In fact, when MCV asked Activision UK MD Roy Stackhouse if he was excited to see reviews, he dismissed them.

“I’m more excited, to be honest, about the consumers getting it,” he told us. “There’s something like 3m people on social media and Destiny fan sites that already feel like they’re part of this family. And when that translates into people actually playing the game, you will see this word of mouth. I think that is what will drive sales.”

But critics do matter. Destiny’s reviews have been, on the whole, okay. It has a 76 on Metacritic. But it’s also scored a number of 6/10 scores from prominent websites. The consensus is that the game is lacking a certain something. And that will refl ect what some of the gamers will be thinking, too.

I actually feel a bit sorry for Destiny, and Watch Dogs and Titanfall before it. New IPs don’t normally launch with the level of expectation and hype that these games have had. New IPs

are rarely perfect; developers are trying new things, and some will work, while others won’t. It tends to be the sequel where they nail it. We saw that with Mass Eff ect, Uncharted and Assassin’s Creed. Good fi rst games with masterful sequels.

But the pressure was on Destiny (and Watch Dogs) to be astonishing from the outset. The number of midnight openings these games received, the number of units they sold... these are the things you would expect from the latest game in a long-running sequel.

How many of these millions will feel disappointed by what they’ve brought? How many will line up to buy Destiny 2?

I’ve always felt that new brands ought to be nurtured and grown over time. Call of Duty and GTA didn’t become the size they are today overnight. They weren’t launched with the level of unobtainable expectation that Watch Dogs or Destiny has been.

Critics may not have impacted the launch of Destiny this year. But it will be interesting to see if the mixed reviews have in anyway damaged the franchise’s ‘10-year’ ambitions.Chris.Dring@intentmedia.co.uk

THE EDITOR

New IPs don’t normally launch with the level of expec-tation and hype that Destiny, Watch Dogs and Titanfall have.

DESTINY BREAKS RECORD. BUT FOR HOW LONG?

Market DataThe games market spikes by almost 300 per cent thanks to the record-breaking release of Destiny last week

Week EndingAugust 30th

Week EndingSeptember 7th

Week EndingSeptember 14th

£30m

£15m

£0m

£7.6m260,998

£27m653,827 units

£7.26m279,197

YouTube star Ali A will host a new eSports channel ahead of London event

CHEAT SHEET

05www.mcvuk.com September 19th 2014

Entertainment giant Endemol will launch a video games-dedicated YouTube channel

this month.The fi rm’s ‘global premium

channel network’ Endemol Beyond will launch Legends of Gaming, a UK eSports channel that will be fronted by YouTube star Ali A.

The channel will see up-and-coming and established YouTube personalities battle it out across various games in diff erent genres to become the ‘ultimate gamer’.

But what’s more, Endemol has teamed up with Upper Street Events - the team behind The Gadget Show Live – to host a massive new video games event in London next year, which includes an expo designed to attract 40,000 consumers.

Legends of Gaming Live will take place between September 3rd and September 6th 2015 at Alexandra Palace.

“Legends of Gaming Live will be an extraordinary show, off ering the glitz and glamour of a huge consumer event alongside a dedicated trade and press day and allowing developers and publishers to create enormous excitement in the vital run-up to Christmas,” said Upper Street Events’ Katie Ventresca. “We’re not launching from a standing start: Endemol’s ambitious Legends of Gaming channel will galvanise both casual and hardcore audiences, off ering almost 12 months of continual promotion across multiple YouTuber subscription bases

ahead of the live event. We’ve seen the incredible rise of in power and infl uence of both the YouTubers and their viewers – we’ll be bringing both together in a way in which the industry is demanding.

“The event will have an unprecedented reach. The halls will be buzzing with fans and gamers. However, our partnership with Endemol will extend Legends of Gaming Live far beyond Alexandra Palace, London or even the UK. As an integrated part of the wider channel, the show will put our YouTubers, attendees and games on a global platform just as the industry enters its busiest period.”

Rival event EGX is expected to move to Birmingham NEC next year.

DOWNMetro Redux plummets 11 spaces, from

third to 14th, as its sales halve

TOP ONLINE STORIES THIS WEEKOur biggest stories for the week ending Sep 16th

1 EA’s Gibeau: iPhone 6 on par with next-gen consoles

2 Nvidia to launch GTX 900 series next month

3 Roberts: There’s ‘potential’ for Star Citizen on PS4 and Xbox One

4 GAME acquires GameStop’s Spanish stores

5 OPINION: Next-gen Grand Theft Auto V sends shivers down spines of November rivals

MES

ENDEMOL TO LAUNCH ‘LEGENDS OF GAMING’ YOUTUBE CHANNEL AND LIVE LONDON EXPO

UP Borderlands

Collection sales explode by

1,000 per cent due to price cuts

UK RETAIL TOP 10

DESTINY ACTIVISION12 The Sims 4 EA

3 Watch Dogs Ubisoft

4 Call of Duty: Ghosts Activision Blizzard

5 The Last of Us: Remastered Sony

6 Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition Microsoft

7 NHL 15 EA

8 Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare EA

9 Minecraft: PlayStation 3 Edition Sony

10 Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Revolution Bandai Namco

BAYONETTA 2 INC BAYONETTA 1 (WII U) NINTENDO

PRE-ORDER TOP 10

12 FIFA 15 (PS4) EA

3 FIFA 15 Ultimate Team Edition (XO) EA

4 FIFA 15 Ultimate Team Edition (PS4) EA

5 FIFA 15 (XO) EA

6 Hyrule Warriors (Wii U) Nintendo

7 Super Smash Bros (3DS) Nintendo

8 Forza Horizon 2 Day One Edition (XO) Microsoft

9 Halo: The Master Chief Collection Inc Halo 5 Beta (XO) Microsoft

10 Xbox One + FIFA 15 Bundle (XO) Microsoft

SPOSORED BY

06September 19th 2014

Calling any area of the games industry ‘dead’ is something that invariably comes back to

haunt the person that said it.Nintendo in the early 2000s?

Dead. PC gaming? Dead. Console gaming? Dying. All statements that were proven unequivocally wrong in the fullness of time.

And yet when presented with the figures, it’s hard to see a way back from the handheld games console. Here are some startling facts for you. In the UK, the PSP (released in 2005) sold significantly more units in its first four months on sale than Vita has managed to sell in its entire lifetime so far.

Last Christmas, Nintendo proudly announced UK sales of 2m for its 3DS family of products. By the same point in the DS’ lifecycle, that console had shifted over 5m units (GfK Chart-Track figures).

According to research firm GameTrack, handheld consoles were the least played machines during Q2 this year (25m players across UK, France, Germany and Spain), putting it behind tablets (28m), consoles (47m), smartphones (44m) and PC (64m).

And Kantar Worldpanel data found that since the launch of PS4 and Xbox One, handheld game sales have dropped 27 per cent.

You can see why then, when MCV met up with PlayStation CEO Andrew House at Gamescom, we felt it was a legitimate question to ask whether the firm would ever release another portable console once Vita’s lifecycle has ended.

“I can’t talk about future hardware plans for a whole variety of reasons,” he said dismissively.

SMART RIVALS The reason for this severe decline is not a secret. Smartphones and tablets have simply dominated the market, with their multi-functional capabilities and cheap games proving a major issue for Nintendo and Sony.

Both companies are toying with the smartphone markets themselves. Nintendo is working on iOS and Android titles to support its ‘bigger’ 3DS and Wii U games, while The Pokémon Company (which is part-owned by Nintendo) is releasing a Pokémon Trading Card video game on tablets later this year.

And next month Sony will release Run Sackboy! Run! a free-to-play game for Vita and smartphones.

Yet Sony and Nintendo are not simply software houses. They are platform holders that curate content and command a loyal audience. It’s difficult to see how they can hold that same role on mobile platforms. Sony might be able to achieve some success on tablets via its streaming service PlayStation Now, but there’s no guarantee. In fact, PlayStation has already tried to be a third party ‘platform’ for Android devices via PlayStation Mobile. An initiative that has failed.

HANDHELD GAMING’S BATTLE TO HOLD ON

The popularity of portable games consoles has declined drastically over the last five years as smartphones and tablets take control of the market. But does that mean we’ll

never see another DS, Game Boy or Vita? Christopher Dring reports

ARE HANDHELDS DEAD?

www.mcvuk.com September 19th 2014

PORTABLE HIGHS“It’s proved to be challenging to

try and carve out a space within a pre-existing ecosystem, namely Android, and create a sense of curation and differentiation around that,” says House.

“We noticed that a huge proportion of people developing on PS Mobile were principally doing it to get on Vita. That led us to realise that we should focus our efforts on people who are already achieving some degree of success in mobile, and whose next interest is developing for a different, more dedicated gaming device.”

LONG LIVE THE PORTABLEHouse’s last observation there is an interesting one. He says that developers are looking to take their successful mobile games to

dedicated handhelds. But if tablets and smartphones are killing the traditional portable console, then why should creators be interesting in releasing games on them?

We asked a few studios.“Both 3DS and Vita offer a

unique focus on how gamers play on the move, providing an experience that is currently at odds with smartphone gaming, which is still dominated by more casual and free-to-play titles,” says Jason Perkins, the MD of developer Curve which has created a large number of Vita titles.

“The App Store has some amazing games as well as some excellent ports, but it also has big issues with discoverability, cloning, microtransactions and the overall business model of waiting around to be featured or paying a premium for ‘user acquisition’.”

James Marsden, founder of FuturLab, which has developed

Velocity 2X for Vita agrees: “Vita and 3DS provide experiences that can’t be found on mobile; one geared toward highly-engaged players who are far more discerning about quality and value.”

So the dedicated handheld audience is different to the smartphone one. Those people that bought a Game Boy to keep kids occupied on a long car journey have now moved over to smartphones. But dedicated gamers that want to play more ‘core’ titles on the commute, or even as a second screen in the home, are still interested.

It’s backed-up by Kantar’s data. The firm has found that the primary reason for the decline for the first eight months of this year (compared with the same period in 2013) has been due to a drop in people buying handheld games for others, namely children. The number of people buying games for themselves remains robust.

“18 months ago, the main question mark surrounding the Vita was how it would stack up against mobiles and tablets, and whether it had a real reason to be,” says Brjann Sigurgeirsson, CEO of Image and Form, which developed SteamWorld Dig for 3DS and Vita.

“We were still amazed at the versatility of smartphones: all the things they could do, the range of games we could download at a very small cost. And on top of everything you could use it to call or text someone. It was natural for me, as a self-proclaimed advocate for versatility, to think that handhelds would have a really hard time.

“But the gaming audience thought differently. With price cuts, feature upgrades and more diverse content, Nintendo and Sony have given their handhelds a second wind.”

NEW ROLESSo there is still an audience for portable gaming. But is it large enough? 3DS has sold 50m consoles, and that’s certainly not a number to turn your nose up at. And according to Andrew House, Vita is a profitably business for Sony.

Yet if these products are destined to be niche devices, is it really worth the investment and effort?

1989/1990 – GAME BOYArriving in Japan and the US in 1989 (and a year later in Europe), the Game Boy launched with Tetris and became one of the biggest selling consoles of all time, shifting just short of 120m units.

1996/1999 – POKÉMONThe original Red and Blue game took Japan by storm in 1996, but didn’t launch over here until after the Game Boy Color. It remains one of the biggest handheld franchises, and the first games sold 24m units.

1998 – SNAKENokia included a game in its Nokia 6110 mobile phone. Snake was its name and it was played by millions.

2001 – GAME BOY ADVANCENintendo’s first major hardware revision for the Game Boy went on to sell 81.5m consoles.

2004/2005 – NINTENDO DSSony had a handheld on the way with top-end visuals and big-name games. Nintendo’s reaction? An under-powered dual screen machine. Critics dismissed it. But it was neck-and-neck with PSP by the end of the year.

2004/2005 – PLAYSTATION PORTABLEGame Gear, NGage, Neo Geo. There are many examples of consoles that took on Nintendo and failed. But the PSP succeeded, becoming the fastest selling console ever when it arrived in the UK and selling 80m units worldwide.

2006 – BRAIN TRAININGThis game launched alongside the DS Lite and the console’s sales dramatically outstripped the PSP. Brain Training sold almost 20m units and helped the DS become the UK’s best-selling console and shift 154m units globally.

2007 – IPHONEApple launched a touch screen smartphone that would let consumers play games on it. But the NGage proved that people don’t want to game on their mobile phones...right?

2009 – ANGRY BIRDSWrong. A new icon in smartphone gaming is born.

Handhelds provide experiences that can’t be found on mobile –ones geared towards players after quality.

James Marsden, FuturLab

ARE HANDHELDS DEAD?

07

“Dedicated handhelds serve a particular market today, but a small one when compared to mobile,” says Mel Kirk, VP of publisher at Zen Studios, which has made games for handhelds and mobile.

“Handhelds have become a core gamer product, for those who like tactile feedback, namely buttons and deeper experiences. Is there a future for these devices? It is looking less likely as we continue the trend towards touchscreens, lower financial overheads, not to mention the huge consumer base using mobiles and tablets.

“As a person who grew up with a Game Boy and every handheld available, it’d be weird to have a world without a dedicated handheld market, so I hope Sony, Nintendo, or even Nvidia and its Shield devices can figure something out that will appeal to a large audience.”

But other developers do believe there are things Nintendo and Sony can do to rescue the handheld.

“It’s naive to think that mobile gaming won’t change the way we approach handhelds,” says Perkins.

“Typically handhelds like the PSP or the early days of the Vita were all about ‘console experiences in your hand’, with prices to match, but now we’re seeing indie titles and smaller games take more prominence. To survive, pure gaming devices will need to find a niche beyond simply ‘having buttons’, which is why we’re seeing handheld systems like the 2DS designed with a younger audience in mind who you might not trust with a £500 smartphone.”

Sigurgeirsson continues: “Future handheld games will work across platforms with seamless integration between handhelds and ‘mother consoles’.

“We’ve been discussing ‘companion apps’, but there may be incentives to create ‘companion games’ for handhelds that will support the main games that can be played on the mother console.

“Cross-buy [which lets gamers buy one copy of a specific game and access it across multiple PlayStation platforms] will be standard. Getting a game for the

Wii U will render a cross-buy benefit for 3DS users that want the game. Sony has the edge there right now, since the Vita and PS4 hardware are so similar.”

THE FUTURE?Sigurgeirsson’s comment is an interesting one. If, as the data suggests, the gamers playing portable consoles are of the more ‘hardcore’ variety, having these devices sync up with the home console is a sensible concept.

And let’s be honest, the ability to make a game for PS4 or Wii U and have them playable on Vita or 3DS, will be an attractive proposition to developers.

It’s also not a difficult thing to imagine. Nintendo merged its handheld and home console R&D divisions last year, and there are already multiple games that can be played across all PlayStation products – Vita, PS3 and PS4.

So perhaps there is still a role for the dedicated handheld console after all. It just might be different to the one it has played since the Game Boy arrived 25 years ago.

Marsden concludes: “Two years ago you couldn’t look online without smashing your face against a ‘consoles are dead’ headline, and now the PS4 is breaking records.

“Anyone that claims to know what’s coming is either delusional or their rent depends on it.”

In the future, handhelds might be a companion device for home consoles

(Above left to right) PlayStation’s House, FuturLab’s Marsden, Zen Studio’s Kirk, Image and Form’s Sigurgeirsson and Curve’s Perkins

Future handheld games will work across platforms with seamless integration with ‘mother consoles’.

Brjann Sigurgeirsson, Image and Form

September 19th 2014 www.mcvuk.com08

ARE HANDHELDS DEAD?

CAMPAIGN OF THE WEEKTHIS WEEK: FIFA 15

[INFO]Released: September 26th

Publisher: EA

Developer: EA Canada

Distributor: CentreSoft

Contact:0121 625 3388

THE CAMPAIGN IN THEIR OWN WORDS To push the latest in its blockbuster FIFA franchise, EA is employing an intensive multi-channel campaign.

Video content has long been a big part of the campaign, and videos providing some insight into the upcoming sports title have been appearing regularly on the title’s YouTube channel. These have been showing off new aspects of the game, such as new celebrations and improved agility and control gameplay features.

The publisher has also been making the most of its licensing agreement with football organisation FIFA by showing off behind the scenes video content of player head scans. This is in addition to interviews with football stars about what they

are most looking forwards to in FIFA 15.

Over on social media, individual football clubs such as Liverpool FC and Manchester City have been tweeting links to trailers for the game.

Ads are also appearing on TV. The ‘Feel the Game’ TV creative features famous players including Lionel Messi ‘feeling’ their gameplay in FIFA 15 thanks to the title’s improved emotional systems.

Online, FIFA 15 is being promoted with a ‘fluid search’ engine optimisation campaign.

EA is also teaming up with Microsoft to off er consumers Xbox One bundles with FIFA 15, and the game will also be appearing in ads for the console.

JAMES SALMONProduct Manager, EA Sports

FIFA 15 is a truly 365 day-a-year franchise. As well

as the traditional package good, FIFA Ultimate Team off ers retailers the opportunity to continue to drive sales of digital wallet top-ups by aligning with key FUT promotions such as Team of The Week and Team of The Year.

Having all 20 Barclays Premier League stadiums and head scans of over 200 Barclays Premier League players gives the game true authenticity and looks visually brilliant.

Additionally, improvements in gameplay features such as agility and control feel like a big step forward.

I’m also pleased to see friendly seasons introduced in FUT; although this will no-doubt conclusively prove I’m the worst FIFA player in EA’s Guildford offi ce.

MARKETING NEWS Sega and Vue Cinemas are to release a documentary examining the success of the Football Manager series

SEGA | The Football Manager publisher has teamed up with Vue Cinemas to show a documentary focusing on the cultural impact and success of the football management simulation series.

An Alternative Reality: The Football Manager Documentary will debut on October 7th, and is to be shown in at least 26 Vue cinemas across the UK.

“The documentary isn’t our story – it’s the story of the people who escape to the alternative reality of

being a football manager, and the effect this has had on their lives,” explained Sports Interactive studio director Miles Jacobson. “It’s also the story of how a computer game made by football fans has become a part of the world it set out to replicate.

“But the documentary is not just for people who play – it’s also for people who’ve ever wondered why others spend so much time escaping into this world.”

www.mcvuk.com September 19th 201409

MARKETING

September 19th 2014 www.mcvuk.com10

MARKET MOVES

EXERTIS GEM | UK GM DARREN HOUGHTON has left the distribution giant after 13 years.

Houghton has started his own company called Houghton 5 Consultancy, which is aiming to grow businesses in the UK.

“I’ve had some amazing experiences and have progressed so much both personally and professionally that maybe it was about time that I looked to do something new,” Houghton said.

“I really want to find an opportunity that excites me and something that I can get stuck into again, from either a consultancy perspective by helping companies on certain

business development projects, to supporting brands looking to break into the UK, or possibly jumping back into a full time role.”

TESTRONIC | ANN HURLEY has joined the QA and localisation firm as head of games

business development. Hurley comes to Testronic

with 25 years of experience, having worked for the likes of Infogrammes and Eidos. Most recently she held the role of business development director at Culture Translate.

“It’s fantastic having such an experienced sales person on board here at Testronic to complement the marketing

strategy,” said Testronic director of marketing STUART RICE.

“I have no doubt that Ann will prove to be an invaluable asset to the sales and marketing team and I look forward to growing our client base with her over the coming months.”

EA | Former Starbucks marketing man CHRIS BRUZZO has joined EA as

chief marketing officer. At the coffee giant Bruzzo

was in charge of digital and loyalty programmes. Prior to that he held a role at retail giant Amazon.

“Chris is a proven brand visionary who has held

leadership positions at two of the most dynamic brands in the world – most recently driving the digital transformation at Starbucks and, prior to that, as an executive at Amazon,” said EA CEO ANDREW WILSON. “He was the architect of the Starbucks digital experience, building award-winning loyalty and personalisation programs. Chris also led the growth of record-setting Facebook and Twitter programs, and the My Starbucks Idea online community program. He has tremendous passion for building deeper connections for brands with their customers, and I know Chris will lead us to connect with all of you in new and inspiring ways.”

EXERTIS GEM’S UK GENERAL MANAGER DEPARTSIndustry vet starts own company Hurley joins Testronic Starbucks marketing man moves to EA

APPOINTMENTS

MOJANG | The Minecraft studio has been bought by Microsoft. The deal is worth $2.5bn, and will result in the the departure of Mojang’s three founders, Markus Persson, Carl Manneh and Jakob Porser. “Change is scary, and this is a big change for all of us. It’s going to be good though. Everything is going to be OK,” a Mojang statement said. “Please remember that the future of Minecraft and you – the community – are extremely important to everyone involved. If you take one thing away from this post, let it be that.

ZENIMAX ONLINE STUDIOS |The Elder Scrolls Online developer has been hit with a number of layoffs.

According to Bethesda VP of PR and marketing Pete

Hines, this is due to a lack of requirement for customer service staff six months after the game was released on PC.

POPCAP | John Vechey is leaving casual games firm PopCap after 15 years of service, its parent company EA has announced.

He has left to work for environmental non-profit organization Grist.org

2K GAMES | Video games writer Walt Williams has announced he’s left 2K Games after nine years.

In his time at the firm he has worked on the likes of Spec Ops: The Line, The Darkness II, Bioshock 2 and upcoming title Evolve.

On Twitter the writer noted that he’s leaving triple-A titles, in order to “try something new”.

AROUND THE INDUSTRY

EDITORIAL CONTACTS

Publisher: Michael FrenchMichael.French@intentmedia.co.uk

Group Sales Manager: Alex.BoucherAlex.Boucher@intentmedia.co.uk

Account Manager: Conor TallonConor.Tallon@intentmedia.co.uk

Production Manager: Alice SanzAlice.Sanz@intentmedia.co.uk

Designer: Sam RichwoodSam.Richwood@intentmedia.co.uk

Special Projects: Lisa CarterLisa.Carter@intentmedia.co.uk

Head of Operations: Stuart Moody Stuart.Moody@intentmedia.co.uk

Circulation: Lianne DaveyLianne.Davey@intentmedia.co.uk

Finance Manager: Michael Canham Michael.Canham@intentmedia.co.uk

Head of Design and Production:Kelly SambridgeKelly.Sambridge@intentmedia.co.uk

US CorrespondentErik JohnsonErik.Johnson@intentmedia.co.uk

THE RETAIL ADVISORY BOARD

www.mcvuk.com September 19th 2014 11

EDITORIAL CONTACTS

MCV has an exclusive media partnership with Famitsu – Japan’s leading video

games analyst and news source

ISSN: 1469-4832

Copyright 2014

Please address all enquiries to:Intent Media, MCV, Saxon House, 6a St. Andrew Street, Hertford, SG14 1JA.

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Intent Media specialises in trade-dedicated print and digital publishing for entertainment and leisure markets. As well as MCV, Intent publishes Develop, PCR, ToyNews, Music Week, MI Pro, Audio Pro International and BikeBiz. It also has two online-only brands: Mobile Entertainment, dedicated to the growing mass market smartphone sector, and Licensing.biz, for everyone in the global licensing industry. It also runs a number of events including the MCV Industry Excellence Awards, the London Games Conference and the Games Media Awards.

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WE ARE PLAYING...I’ve been playing Hyrule Warriors. It’s actually pretty good. If you like hitting lots of things with a sword.Christopher Dring, EditorChris.Dring@intentmedia.co.uk

There’s been a lot of Minecraft this week, loads of Desert Golf, a spot of Car Mechanic Simulator 2014 and, yes, Dark Souls II.Ben Parfi tt, Associate EditorBen.Parfi tt@intentmedia.co.uk

What else but Destiny? It’s fun as ever to shoot aliens, but the space gibberish spouted by cyber-Dinklage is a letdown.Matt Jarvis, Staff WriterMatt.Jarvis@intentmedia.co.uk

MCV takes soundings from its Retail Advisory Board on the biggest issues in the industry. The current members are...

Charlotte Knight GAME

Steve Moore Simply Games

Jon Hayes Tesco

Ketu Patel Amazon

Sarah Jasper The Hut

Phil Moore Grainger Games

Igor Cipolletta ShopTo

Dermot Stapleton Get Games

Niall Lawlor GameStop

Gerry Berkley HMV

David Firth Shop Direct

Don McCabe CHIPS

Gurdeep Hunjan Sainsbury’s

Steve Thomas Xbite

Simon Urquhart Dixons Retail

Robert Lindsay Games Centre

Stephen Staley Gameseek

Robert Hennessy John Lewis

Paul Sulyok Green Man Gaming

James Cooke Argos

I’m persevering with Dark Souls. Currently fi ghting a giant wolf wielding a massive sword. How very video game. Alex Calvin, Staff WriterAlex Calvin@intentmedia.co.uk

DATA ANALYSIS

September 19th 2014 www.mcvuk.com12

Watch Dogs is deposed as the fastest selling new IP in history this week

THIS week’s No.1 should come as little surprise to anyone. The blockbuster new IP from ACTIVISION BLIZZARD shoots straight to the top spot. Not only this, it is now the biggest new IP launch ever. That record was last broken earlier this year by Watch Dogs. Destiny beats the week one sales of UBISOFT’s tech-tinged title by 7.5 per cent.

83 per cent of Destiny’s sales this week were for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One; 46 per cent of that fi gured was for PS4, while 36 were for Xbox One. The lead here for PlayStation 4 will be due to the black and white console bundles which

were on off er, as well as a higher install base for that console. Activision marketing the game as a PS4 title also helped, with exclusive DLC and early access to the game’s beta pushing pre-orders. Roughly one in fi ve UK PlayStation 4 owners bought Destiny. Meanwhile in the Steam charts, two editions of Skyrim are in the Top Ten this week. This is due to a sale on BETHESDA titles over the weekend. Kingdoms of Amalur also charts, due to a promotion. Over on Xbox Live, the Xbox 360 edition of new MICROSOFT property Minecraft retakes the top spot, knocking Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD down to seventh.

TW LW TITLE FORMAT PUBLISHER 02 01 THE SIMS 4 PC EA03 02 WATCH DOGS PS4, XO, PS3, 360, PC Ubisoft04 06 CALL OF DUTY: GHOSTS PS4, XO, PS3, 360, PC Activision Blizzard05 04 THE LAST OF US: REMASTERED PS4 Sony06 07 MINECRAFT: XBOX 360 EDITION 360 Microsoft 07 NEW NHL 15 PS4, XO, PS3, 360 EA08 08 PLANTS VS ZOMBIES: GARDEN WARFARE PS4, XO, PS3, 360 EA09 09 MINECRAFT: PLAYSTATION 3 EDITION PS3 Sony10 NEW NARUTO ULTIMATE NINJA STORM REV PS3, 360 Bandai Namco11 10 GRAND THEFT AUTO V PS3, 360 Rockstar12 12 THE LEGO MOVIE VIDEOGAME PS4, XO, Wii U, PS3, 360, 3DS, Vita, PC Warner Bros13 05 DIABLO III ROS ULTIMATE EVIL EDN PS4, XO, PS3, 360 Activision Blizzard14 03 METRO REDUX PS4, XO, PS3, 360 Deep Silver15 13 TITANFALL XO, 360, PC EA16 15 TOMODACHI LIFE 3DS Nintendo17 NEW INFAMOUS: FIRST LIGHT PS4 Sony18 11 MADDEN NFL 15 PS4, XO, PS3, 360 EA19 17 TERRARIA PS3, 360, PC 505 Games/Merge20 19 SNIPER ELITE 3 PS4, XO, PS3, 360, PC 505 Games21 14 WOLFENSTEIN: THE NEW ORDER PS4, XO, PS3, 360, PC Bethesda22 16 LEGO MARVEL SUPER HEROES PS4, XO, Wii U, PS3, 360, 3DS, Vita, PC Warner Bros23 18 ASSASSIN’S CREED IV: BLACK FLAG PS4, XO, Wii U, PS3, 360, PC Ubisoft24 RE THE BORDERLANDS COLLECTION PS3, 360 2K Games25 20 BATTLEFIELD 4 PS4, XO, PS3, 360, PC EA26 26 SKATE 3 PS3, 360 EA27 23 FROZEN: OLAF’S QUEST 3DS, DS GPS/Avanquest28 24 MARIO KART 8 Wii U Nintendo29 RE THE ELDER SCROLLS V: SKYRIM: LE PS3, 360, PC Bethesda30 28 RAYMAN LEGENDS PS4, XO, Wii U, PS3, 360, Vita, PC Ubisoft31 22 FIFA 14 PS4, XO, PS3, 360, Wii, 3DS, Vita, PSP, PC, PS2 EA32 27 LEGO THE HOBBIT PS4, XO, Wii U, PS3, 360, 3DS, Vita, PC Warner Bros33 25 THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 PS4, XO, Wii U, PS3, 360, PC Activision Blizzard34 30 DISNEY INFINITY Wii U, PS3, 360, Wii, 3DS Disney35 33 SKYLANDERS: SWAP FORCE PS4, XO, Wii U, PS3, 360, Wii Activision Blizzard36 32 NEED FOR SPEED: RIVALS PS4, XO, PS3, 360, PC EA37 RE TOMB RAIDER: DEFINITIVE EDITION PS4, XO Square Enix38 RE MARIO KART 7 3DS Nintendo39 39 RESIDENT EVIL 6 PS3, 360, PC Capcom40 21 FORZA MOTORSPORT 5 XO Activision

TOP 40 UK RETAIL01 DESTINY ACTIVISION

FORMATS: PS4, XO, PS3, 360 DEVELOPER: BUNGIE

TW LW TITLE PUBLISHER 02 02 Counter-Strike: GO Valve 03 01 Dead Rising 3: Apocalypse Edition Microsoft 04 03 DayZ Bohemia Interactive 05 RE Skyrim Bethesda 06 NEW Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (P) Warner Bros 07 RE Kingdoms of Amalur: Collection 38 Studios/EA 08 RE Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Bandai Namco 09 NEW Sid Meier’s Civilization: Beyond Earth 2K Games 10 NEW The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth (P) Nicalis Inc

01 SKYRIM: LEGENDARY EDITION PUBLISHER: BETHESDA DEVELOPER: BETHESDA

Week ending September 13th Week ending September 13th

TOP 10 STEAM CHARTS

DATA & RESEARCHSource

Games and Charts compiled by GfK Chart-Track

PRESENTS5 SECOND FACTS

PDP design & manufacture the Energizer branded charging Doc for

PlayStation 4

europesales@pdp.comwww.pdp.com

Read and remember these stats so you can sound clever at the next Monday morning meeting...

$500mActivison says it has

sold $500m worth of Destiny units into stores

worldwide in its first 24 hours

6mFacepunch Studio’s Garry’s Mod has sold 6m copies.

The game launched in 2004, but 3m of its sales have been in the last year

$2.5bnMojang confirmed its

acquisition by Microsoft for the price of $2.5bn –

$0.5bn more than Facebook paid for Oculus

550Phones 4u has

entered administration, immediately closing all 550 of its stores and

ceasing trading

TW LW TITLE FORMAT PUBLISHER 02 NEW DESTINY XO Activison Blizzard03 NEW DESTINY 360 Activison Blizzard04 NEW DESTINY PS3 Activison Blizzard05 01 THE SIMS 4 PC EA06 02 THE LAST OF US REMASTERED PS4 Sony07 03 MINECRAFT: XBOX 360 EDITION 360 Microsoft08 06 WATCH DOGS PS4 Ubisoft09 04 MINECRAFT: PLAYSTATION 3 360 Sony10 13 CALL OF DUTY: GHOSTS PS4 Activison Blizzard11 07 TOMODACHI LIFE 3DS Nintendo12 NEW INFAMOUS: FIRST LIGHT PS4 Sony13 NEW NHL 15 PS4 EA14 19 WATCH DOGS 360 Ubisoft15 08 GRAND THEFT AUTO V 360 Rockstar16 NEW NARUTO ULTIMATE NINJA STORM REV PS3 Bandai Namco17 11 TITANFALL XO EA18 24 WATCH DOGS PS3 Ubisoft19 16 PLANTS VS ZOMBIES: GARDEN WARFARE 360 EA20 18 CALL OF DUTY: GHOSTS XO Activison Blizzard

TOP 20 INDIVIDUAL FORMAT

01 DESTINY ACTIVISON BLIZZARD

FORMAT: PS4 DEVELOPER: BUNGIE

TW LW TITLE PUBLISHER 02 03 APOCZ Sick Kreations03 04 TERRARIA: XBOX 360 EDITION 505 Games04 NEW MAGIC 2015 Wizards of the Coast05 06 CASTLEMINER Z DigitalDNA06 08 WHITE NOISE ONLINE Milkstone Studios07 01 TONY HAWK’S PRO SKATER HD RoboModo08 10 AVATAR WARFARE Raoghard09 07 THE WALKING DEAD: SEASON TWO Telltale10 RE TRIALS EVOLUTION Ubisoft

TOP 10 XBOX LIVE (UK)01 MINECRAFT: XBOX 360 EDITION MICROSOFT

DEVELOPER: MOJANG

TW TITLE PUBLISHER 02 Football Manager Handheld Edition Sega 03 Theory Test UK 2014 Focus Multimedia 04 Flightradar24 Pro Flightradar24 AB 05 Fantasy Premier League All Apped Up 06 Terraria 505 Games 07 The Chase Barnstorm Games 08 Tipping Point Barnstorm Games 09 The Room Fireproof Games 10 Poweramp Full Max MP

TOP 10 GOOGLE PLAY CHARTS

TW TITLE DEVELOPER 02 Football Manager Handheld 2014 Sega 03 Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse Disney 04 Tipping Point Barnstorm Games 05 LEGO The Lord of the Rings Warner Bros 06 Terraria 505 Games 07 Flightradar24 Pro Flightradar24 AB 08 The Chase Barnstorm Games 09 Jake’s Treasure Trek Disney 10 Valiant Hearts: The Great War Ubisoft

TOP 10 IPAD PAID CHARTS

01

01

01

MINECRAFT – POCKET EDITIONDEVELOPER: MOJANG

7 MINUTE WORKOUT CHALLENGE DEVELOPER: FITNESS GUIDE

MINECRAFT – POCKET EDITIONDEVELOPER: MOJANG

TW TITLE DEVELOPER 02 Football Manager Handheld 2014 Sega 03 Fantasy Premier League 2014/15 Premier League 04 Minecraft– Pocket Edition Mojang 05 Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse Disney 06 Heads Up! Warner Bros 07 Tipping Point Barnstorm Games 08 Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock Northcube AB 09 Flightradar24 Pro Flightradar24 AB 10 The Official DSVA Theory Test TSO

TOP 10 IPHONE PAID CHARTS

Week ending September 7th

Week ending September 13th

Week ending September 7th

Week ending September 14th Correct as of September 15th

www.mcvuk.com September 19th 2014 13

DATA ANALYSISSource

1. Boxed games really are not going anywhere

In a talk filled with data, Chart-Track director Dorian Bloch said that the UK physical games market is still very much alive and growing. In fact, he predicted the UK boxed market will be worth £1.758bn next year, and that will rise again to £1.978bn in 2016. In total, Bloch says that from the launch of Wii U in 2012 to the end of 2016, the UK boxed games market will be worth £5.8bn.

“These are just conservative figures,” he added. “I am not factoring in things like Oculus Rift and the launch of Virtual Reality.”

2. And the big really are getting bigger

It may be good news for the boxed market, but for smaller retailers and smaller games, the boxed sector is becoming less viable.

Bloch revealed that last year the Top 10 boxed Video Games accounted for 36 per cent of all games sold, the highest figure yet. This year that number already sits at 31 per cent, and that’s before the likes of FIFA, Call of Duty, Assassin’s Creed and GTA have launched.

By comparison, in 2008 only 18 per cent of sales came from the Top Ten best-selling games.

In addition, during 2013, 82 per cent of game sales came from the Top Six retailers (which includes GAME and Amazon). This year that figure is currently even higher, with 83 per cent of all games sold coming from the six biggest stores. Back in 2008, that number was just 74 per cent. It’s bad news for any store that isn’t amongst those six super-retailers.

3. PC will reign supremePC was a dominant topic at

Games Retail 2020. Eva Hunyadi of research firm Juniper Research said that, come 2019, PC will be the most lucrative platform, ahead of smartphones and consoles.

Green Man Gaming’s Darren Cairns then delivered a strong speech on why PC gaming is the future of the games industry. He stated that PC gaming hardware will be worth $23bn by 2017, and that, according to DFC, the global PC games market will hit $26bn by the end of the year. He also estimated that there are over 711m PC gamers in the world.

“The transition from physical to digital elongates the product life cycle and you can sell to a large global audience with a large catalogue,” said Cairns.

4. But handhelds are doomedFor all the joy of PC, it was

bleak news for the portable.

Foreshadowing our cover story this week, Juniper’s Hunyadi said that handheld gaming has struggled to attract new players, and will account for less than two per cent of the market by 2019.

5. New consoles may arrive sooner than we think

One final prediction from Juniper was that we may see a new Xbox or PlayStation as early as 2019.

Hunyadi said that platform holders will have to be more reactive to challenges from cheaper boxes such as Amazon’s Fire TV.

6. Minecraft books are ridiculously popular

Book publisher Egmont revealed that its best-selling Minecraft book has now sold 1m in the UK.

The firm said it is official Minecraft titles that are proving most popular, with the best-selling unofficial book – Minecraft

for Dummies – only selling 20,000 units.

“Book and magazine publishers have been slow off the mark with merchandise,” admitted Egmont’s Emma Cairn-Smith. “It was just Moshi for a while, and we thought that was it, but then it was Skylanders and Minecraft. If you look at where kids are choosing to spend their time, they are moving away from the TV. They’ve moved to tablets and to other gaming devices. So we have moved our publishing attention to that whole genre.

“Parents like it. Getting them off the screen and into books is seen as a good thing.”

7. Gamer clothing is cool, and people will even pre-order it

Video game clothing firm Insert Coin took part in the same merchandise discussion, and stated that gamer clothing has become ‘cool’.

“Wearing gaming clothing no longer has [negative] stigma attached to it,” said owner and creative director Jon Rhodes.

He added that gamers will even pre-order gaming clobber, and stated that players are willing to spend on games merchandise throughout the year – not just at Christmas.

“People want these things irrespective of the time,” he said. “We can sell a beanie in the summer. They see a character in a game wear it and they want it.”

8. 29 per cent of gamers like to buy from a physical shop

For all the talk about the rise in digital, 29 per cent of IGN’s audience still prefer to buy games from a brick and mortar shop.

THE 12 THINGS WE LEARNED FROM GAMES RETAIL 2020

Earlier this week MCV held its first ever Games Retail 2020 conference at BAFTA – a day-long event looking at the future of selling video games. Here are the 12 things we discovered

Chart-Track revealed the true state of games retail this week

16September 19th 2014 www.mcvuk.com

GAMES RETAIL 2020

Book and magazine publishers have been slow off the mark with merchandise.

Emma Cairn-Smith, Egmont

The firm’s Adam Hopkinson and Chris Shepperson asked 1,612 users where they like to buy their games. 29 per cent opt for in-store and 39 per cent prefer online, while 32 per cent have no preference. In terms of the most popular destinations, for the High Street it was GAME (with 71 per cent of the ‘shop’ vote) and for online it was Amazon (with 52 per cent of the ‘online’ vote).

9. 68 per cent of people who click ‘buy now’ online do

not end up buying the productAnd that is even worse on mobile, with 97 per cent of people who click ‘buy now’ not actually acquiring the product.

Powa CEO Dan Wagner revealed these stats as he showcased the firm’s PowaTag technology, which lets users acquire content via an app, without the need to put in card and address details every time. Gamers can even do it in the real world: they can see a QR code on an advert, scan it with their app and it’s already bought and on its way to their homes.

“Out of the 100 people that hit that ‘buy now’ button, only 32 people

actually end up buying the product,” he said. “It’s four pages of pain. Four pages of drudgery. We have to enter our name, address, billing address, payment details, check points... people say the reason people drop-out is because of pre-purchase anxiety or they see the shipping charges. But that’s not true – it’s because they can’t fill in the forms.”

10. Twitter can be the ultimate sales assistant

Twitter’s Samir Bhana took to the stage to discuss the role the social network can play in selling games. He told attendees that Twitter is huge on mobile; it has 15m UK users and 80 per cent of them use mobile. He added that 61 per cent of all Twitter users unlock their phones primarily to play games.

He revealed Twitter’s ‘card’ system, which lets retailers obtain more clicks. Some cards even let publishers sell apps directly via Twitter. He then gave a sneak peak of the ‘buy’ button that is currently being tested at the firm. The ‘buy’ button will let users buy games directly through the social network without even leaving the site.

11. Peer-to-peer recommendation is the

best way to discover contentThe discovery issue in the world of digital games is not going away, agreed a panel dedicated to the sale of digital titles. GamesGrabr boss Tony Pearce believes the best-way to get games out there is to encourage others to recommend games to one another, and that retail should facilitate more ways to encourage this, pointing to the influence YouTubers have on game sales. “User recommendations are crucial in digital discovery,” he said.

12. PC pricing is an issue that can be solved

One of the big challenges of the PC remains cheap games and ‘the race to the bottom’ on price, admitted Green Man Gaming’s Darren Cairns. But there is a way of lowering the price in a positive way, said Sega’s James Schall. Schall told attendees that the firm cut the price of Rome: Total War to just 99c in the US before the arrival of Rome II; “People thought we would harm sales of Rome II. But the opposite happened; the conversion rate was fantastic.”

www.mcvuk.com September 19th 2014

GAMES RETAIL 2020

17

Hyrule Warriors is a love letter to the millions of Zelda fans yearning for a different take on their favourite franchise.

Chandra Nair, Nintendo UK

Hyrule Warriors came as something of a surprise when it was

announced in a Nintendo Direct last December.

Prior to that video, many of us had our fingers crossed for a Wii U Zelda title, but this wasn’t quite what we were expecting.

What was announced was a crossover title, combining elements from Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda series with components from Koei Tecmo’s Warriors IP.

“Hyrule Warriors is an unadulterated love letter to the millions of The Legend of Zelda fans who are yearning for a slightly different take on their

favourite franchise,” says Nintendo UK marketing manager Chandra Nair.

“Combining Dynasty Warriors-style action gameplay with the Legend of Zelda universe might have once seemed like the most unlikely pairing but actually the end result is so well integrated you’ll wonder why it wasn’t done sooner.

He continues: “For Warriors fans the draw is obvious; yet more hack and slash action but this time set in one of the most beloved video game universes of all time. For Zelda fans this game is akin to slowly opening their very own glowing chest of trinkets and treasures.”

As Nair says, Hyrule Warriors features a variety of characters, music and weapons from the popular series.

“Not only is it yet another opportunity to whip out the Master Sword; it’s also a chance to do things that you often dreamed of but never thought possible. You can now play as 13 characters plucked from key moments in the franchise’s epic timeline. Whether it’s the simultaneously sinister and cheeky, Wolf Link-riding Midna from Twilight Princess, the dance-master Goron leader Darunia from Ocarina of Time or Fi from Skyward Sword, each character brings

THE ULTIMATE WARRIORThe next Zelda game on the schedule is just a little bit different. But why is it missing The Legend of Zelda prefix? And is it just Dynasty Warriors with a Zelda skin? Alex Calvin speaks to Nintendo UK

marketing manager Chandra Nair to find out more

HYRULE WARRIORS

Release Date: September 19th Formats: Wii U Publisher: Nintendo Developer: Omega Force/Team Ninja

THE BIG GAME HYRULE WARRIORS

September 19th 2014 www.mcvuk.com18

a completely different set of moves, summons and nuances to the impending melee.

“It’s not just the character line-up and boss encounters though. It’s the music, the audio cues, the subtle (and not so subtle) references to magical Hylian moments gone by, the heart-achingly familiar locales and the playful but delicate nature with which the development team have handled every valued asset. Franchise head-honcho Eiji Aonuma’s involvement is obvious in every drop.” IT’S IN THE NAME Indeed, Hyrule Warriors has much in common with the Zelda games such as

characters, items and parts of the world.

But one thing it is lacking is The Legend of Zelda prefix.

“We’ve been very careful not to mislead people with Hyrule Warriors. The Legend of Zelda is a very powerful set of words that brings with it a certain set of expectations and presumptions,” Nair explains.

“Hyrule Warriors is not a traditional Legend of Zelda game we all know and love.

“It’s a Warriors game, set in the Legend of Zelda universe, developed in partnership with the Warriors teams and overseen by Mr Zelda himself, Eiji Aonuma. The name reflects that and it’s always been something we’re very conscious of.”

The Warriors series, while having sold millions of copies around the world, is certainly not as popular in the West as Zelda is.

Is this something that Nintendo is perhaps concerned about in marketing the game?

“There’s no doubt that the Warriors franchise is more established in Eastern territories and that’s mainly down to the fact that many games in the series have been roughly based on the Records Of The Three Kingdoms texts,” Nair says.

“It’s all about context though. The Warriors genre is a blank canvas in many ways and as long as the subject matter is relevant to you I

We’ve been careful not to mislead people. The Legend of Zelda is a very powerful set of words that brings with it expectations.

Chandra Nair, Nintendo UK

www.mcvuk.com September 19th 2014

HYRULE WARRIORS THE BIG GAME

19

think any action fan can take pleasure from it. And The Legend of Zelda brand is relevant to a huge number of people.”

Nair also insists that Hyrule Warriors is more than just a Zelda skin applied to the regular Warriors games.

“This is a Nintendo game and it’s being overseen by Aonuma himself,” says Nair. “Those facts should instill confidence that this won’t just be a re-skinned game. The Legend of Zelda is at the very core of this game and it permeates the experience on every level.”

THE TIME IS NOW Going into the end of the year, Hyrule Warriors is part of a strong line-up for Nintendo’s troubled Wii U, and part of the

platform holder’s #TheTimeisNow campaign to push the console. Is this seemingly niche crossover title really going to be system seller for the Wii U?

“Based on anecdotal evidence: to an extent, yes,” explains Nair.

“Hyrule Warriors is part of a push for the Wii U right now. Along with Bayonetta 2, Mario Kart 8, Captain Toad’s Treasure Trackers, Super Smash Bros, and all the great games that have already come out on Wii U, many people are now realising that there are many great reasons to own a Wii U.”

He concludes: “There are horses for courses and Hyrule Warriors is absolutely one of our stable providers. It gives people yet another reason to join the party.”

The Warriors genre is a blank canvas and as long as the subject matter is relevant people can take pleasure from it.

Chandra Nair, Nintendo UK

Nair says that Hyrule Warriors will help sell Wii

HYRULE WARRIORS is bursting with content, but one thing the game is lacking is online multiplayer.

The title comes with an exclusively offline multiplayer co-operative component whereby players can use the Wii U GamePad or the Wii Remote or Wii U Pro controller to team up.

But why has Nintendo opted to go for offline-only multiplayer modes? And why does it place value in local multiplayer?

“Nintendo has always been about local multiplayer,” marketing manager Chandra Nair says.

“It’s the big smile-inducer, for us. In recent years Nintendo has also become very good at the online experience too but local multiplayer is where the real connection between people lies. There’s nothing quite like sitting with other people in a room playing Mario Kart 8. Hyrule Warriors is the same. It’s full of moments that really need to be shared. Imagine two Legend of Zelda fans sitting together, enjoying together, sharing together.”

PLAYING WITH FRIENDS

September 19th 2014 www.mcvuk.comJ20

THE BIG GAME HYRULE WARRIORS

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It’s been a good few years for Nordic Games Group.

In 2012 it purchased the Scandanavian branch of troubled retail brand GAME, and it started 2013 by buying a slew of high-profile IP from now-defunct publisher THQ. This included some big IP, such as Darksiders, Red Faction and the MX vs ATV racing franchise.

The firm has has adopted a smaller and lower key approach for these games. Rather than having a handful of billion dollar franchises, Nordic has a slew of smaller properties.

“Darksiders is a top product. THQ spent $50m making Darksiders 2,” says Nordic Game Group owner Lars Wingefors. “We can produce a product of the same quality but for a lower cost. $50m is ridiculous, I can’t afford that.

“Many of our IPs will only generate $50k a year, but it’s still money. Sure, it’s amounts that EA and the big guys wouldn’t care about, but now we have hundreds of IPs, and in a few years we’ll have a few hundred more. It will add up to something much bigger.” RACING EXCITEMENT And Wingefors is confident with the franchises he owns. According to him, anticipation is high for the upcoming MX vs ATV Supercross.

“I know how big demand is for motocross games – they have been the most highly-prized pre-owned games,” he says. “When an IP has demand, there’s a fanbase. Now we’re bringing back the guys who made all the MX games, they are making a great game and

consumers are excited for it. Retail is picking it up. We started a Facebook page for the game at the start of the summer, and we already have 100,000 fans who really care about the game.

“I’m really surprised by the community of MX. I would say it’s the strongest of the IP we own, the most active community out there.

“It’s something we can turn into an annual release. It was a very nice business for THQ. They sold one or two million copies each year. I’m happy if we could just sell a few hundred thousand.”

Nordic didn’t stop with just buying some of THQ’s IP – it also bought its name.

“The THQ deal was the best I ever made,” Wingefors says. “I spent $5m from my own bank account. It was a lot of money for me, but we got the money back very quickly.”

SELLING GAMES Wingefors and the Nordic Game Group also own the Scandinavian branch of GAME, having bought the company for only £1.

But the strategy that Wingefors has employed to help the firm survive has been rather different to the digital and event focused approach taken by GAME UK CEO Martyn Gibbs.

“I have increased physical products in store,” says Wingefors. “I think you should do things that are relevant to brick and mortar stores. We increased the back catalogue of physical games. When I took over GAME we had 1,500 titles. We now have six or seven thousand titles per store.

“GAME in the UK is much better at selling digital content than we are. It’s much better at doing exclusive content deals with big publishers.”

He concludes: “In the long term, GAME would be better owned by GAME UK or GameStop.

“We probably need international owners who have the synergies. I have

no idea whether either are interested in buying it.”

PUBLISHING BIG IP FOR LESS

Nordic Games Group has bought a slew of THQ IP, the publisher’s name as well as the Scandavian branch of GAME. Alex Calvin speaks to the company’s

boss Lars Wingefors

MX vs ATV is just one of the many THQ IPs now owned by Nordic Games

September 19th 2014 www.mcvuk.com

INTERVIEW NORDIC GAMES

24

There were so many announcements during PlayStation’s E3 2014 media

briefing that it’s hard to remember them all.

One that was unexpected – but perhaps not entirely unsurprising – was a sizzle reel trailer for a number of indie games by publisher Devolver Digital.

Sony has been very active within the indie sphere, and it was a big deal for Devolver to appear on its stage at such a high profile event.

But at that particular point in time, the team at Devolver was not in the room. Instead, they were in a car park across the road of the E3 showfloor.

“We were across the street in the parking lot when it happened,” Devolver’s code enforcement officer Graeme Struthers tells MCV. “That’s what we could afford. We can’t afford to be inside at E3; it’s too expensive.

“I had so many friends in the UK tweeting me, not even necessarily people who are involved in games, who just couldn’t believe it happened. We were still a little bit stunned it actually did happen. It just took things to another level. There was a massive hype balloon around E3 and we were lucky enough to get some of the helium.“

RISING STARSDevolver is certainly a brand on the rise. The company is only five years old and is staffed by a mere six people, but it has already been behind multiple blockbuster indie hits, such as Hotline Miami and Luftrausers. And until recently, Struthers and the other UK-based employee Andrew

Parsons held second jobs to pay the rent.

“We had our fifth birthday in June, but the first three years we were all doing other things,” Struthers says. “We weren’t earning any money from Devolver. We were trying to get off the ground. Last year myself and Andrew were earning enough to effectively go full time.”

Naturally, Struthers places this success firmly on the video games that Devolver has produced – and the firm’s considered approach.

“All of our games have helped us grow,” he says. “We have to be absolutely certain that when we sign a project that we actually have the money to commit to it, and everything that comes with funding a game, such as taking them to shows and QA and localisation.

“We had to be certain that that money is available. We were super cautious making sure we didn’t overdo our

overheads, didn’t incur costs and then hope that we were going to be successful. We needed to be absolutely certain, so we were very, very conservative.“

INDIE FUTUREObviously Devolver has benefitted from the recent indie boom – and Struthers says there’s more to come.

“If you imagine in the future with PS4, there might only be hundreds of games,” he states. “There are fewer and fewer active publishers; your Activisions, EAs and Ubisofts aren’t releasing dozens of games – they are doing fewer, better, bigger and more immersive games. I wonder if perhaps the indie movement is a reaction to that.

“Those platforms want to see more games being released, so

that’s important. Small nimble teams making indie games fit that opportunity really well.

“It’s great that both Sony and Microsoft have embraced that. That’s to their credit. They’ve made it easier for indie games to get out there.“

Video games aren’t all that Devolver handles. It opened a film division, Devolver Digital Films, which has been

producing and publishing movies from the indie scene.

Will we eventually see a Hotline Miami film?

“Films and games are entirely different,” says Struthers. “What we do have in common are small, under-funded groups of people.

“Six people can’t make these films. We’re good at what we are

doing, and I don’t think we’ll be deviating from that.”

DEVOLVE OR DIE

Devolver Digital is a brand on the rise, publishing an abundance of popular indie titles and even appearing on PlayStation’s E3 stage. Alex Calvin catches up with one sixth

of the publisher, Graeme Struthers

DEVOLVER DIGITAL INDIE INTERVIEW

www.mcvuk.com September 19th 2014 25

September 19th 2014 www.mcvuk.com26

MARKETPLACE

What video game merchandise do you stock, and what brands are most successful?The fi rst thing that comes to mind is Minecraft. Minecraft is huge for us. Ever since we started getting it in, it’s been continuously in demand. And that’s in no way abating. The four construction books they put out are just ridiculous in terms of sales.

With video games merchandise it largely depends on the IP; Valve and Assassin’s Creed stuff are things we

give a dedicated space to because they are continuously popular.

Why have those particular brands been so successful?It might have a lot to do with the engagement of the narrative and the detail in the characters and story. Assassin’s Creed and the universe Valve has built around Portal and Half-Life are very story-rich and Minecraft is emergent gameplay – people creating their own stories.

What do you expect to be big this year?We’ve got some Assassin’s Creed: Unity stuff coming in, and we’re going to try with some Destiny stuff . We got bits and bobs coming in, but with actual merchandise, the publishers need to look at the success of the game before committing to making fi gures. The problem is there’s normally a long time, about six to eight months, before you actually start to see a decent selection.

MCV chats with Ben Stevenson-Hall, assistant manager of the Cambridge branch of Forbidden Planet, about which video game properties have proved most successful for the merchandise specialist

SHELF LIFE

TOP 10 PRE-ORDERS

PRE-ORDER CHARTS

1. BAYONETTA 2 INC BAYONETTA 1Nintendo, Wii U

2. FIFA 15EA .............................................................................PS4

3. FIFA 15 Ultimate Team EditionEA ................................................................................XO

4. FIFA 15 Ultimate Team EditionEA .............................................................................PS4

5. FIFA 15EA ................................................................................XO 6. Hyrule WarriorsNintendo ............................................................. Wii U 7. Super Smash BrosNintendo ............................................................... 3DS

8. Forza Horizon 2 Day One EditionMicrosoft ..................................................................XO

9. Halo: The Master Chief Collection Inc Halo 5 BetaMicrosoft ..................................................................XO

10. Xbox One + FIFA 15 BundleMicrosoft ............................................................... XO

PRICE CHECK: DIGITAL

ON

LINE

HOTLINE MIAMIDevolver Digital,

PC (Digital)

FTL: FASTER THAN LIGHT

Subset Games, PC (Digital)

DON’T STARVEKlei Entertainment,

PC (Digital)THE BANNER SAGAStoic, PC (Digital)

N/A N/A £14.99 £11.99

£6.99 £6.99 £14.99 £10.99

£5.99 £5.99 £12.99 £9.29

£6.95 N/A £14.99 N/A

£6.49 £5.99 £14.99 £9.49

UPLOADINGThe latest digital releases coming

to market

STRONGHOLD CRUSDER 2

Firefl y’s castle-building RTS returns to PC screens

The nautical sim casts off for PC following an Early Access period

The platformer will be unleashed on PS4, Xbox One and PC

EUROPEAN SHIP SIMULATOR FENIX RAGE

OUT: OCTOBER 3RDOUT: SEPTEMBER 23RD OUT: AUTUMN

Video game merchandising is very new and the publishers and manufacturers are still testing the water.

Ben Stevenson-Hall, Forbidden Planet

www.mcvuk.com September 19th 2014 27

MARKETPLACE

But I understand, because they don’t want to take the risk.

Do you hold any events in store?We don’t do midnight launches, because we don’t sell the game and the stuff comes in over weeks. It doesn’t all come in at once. So it’s impossible to have a single release point or event for it. I’m not against the idea, and it could be a lot of fun, but at this point video game merchandising is very new and the publishers

and manufacturers are still testing the water.

Which product categories are most popular?Apparel continuously sees interest; Adventure Time hats and T-shirts are two of our biggest merchandise areas at the moment. Statues always do well. Pop vinyl is a huge thing for us at the moment, too. They’ve got the licence for everything and they’re putting out vinyls for everything.

WANT TO FEATURE YOUR OUTLET IN MCV?Contact Alex.Calvin@intentmedia.co.uk or call 01992 515 303

Forbidden Planet Cambridge28 - 30 Burleigh Street,Cambridge,CB1 1DG

Phone: 01223 301 666Website: forbiddenplanet.comTwitter: @forbiddenplanet

INCOMING There’s something for everyone out this week, with kids game Disney Infi nity, PC strategy title Wasteland 2 and two simulators hitting shelves

TITLE FORMAT GENRE PUBLISHER TELEPHONE DISTRIBUTOR

September 19th

Construction Simulator PC Simulation Excalibur 01869 338 833 Contact Sales

Hyrule Warriors Wii U Action Nintendo 01753 483 700 Open

Meridian – New World PC Strategy Merge Games 01215 069 590 Advantage

Wasteland 2 PC Strategy Deep Silver 01256 385 200 Koch Media

Disney Infi nity: Marvel Super Heroes (2.0 Edition) PS4/XO/Wii U/PS3/360/PC Kids Disney Interactive 0121 625 3388 CentreSoft

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call 3DS Rhythm Square Enix 0121 625 3388 CentreSoft

Train Simulator 2015 PC Simulation Dovetail Games 01869 338 833 Contact Sales

September 26th

Ar Nosurge: Ode to an Unborn Star PS3 RPG Koei Tecmo 01462 476 130 Open

Fairy Fencer F PS3 RPG NIS America 020 8664 3485 Open

Fantasy Life 3DS RPG Nintendo 01753 483 700 Open

FIFA 14 PS4/XO/PS3/360/PC Sports EA 0121 625 3388 CentreSoft

Violetta: Rhythm & Music Wii/3DS/DS Strategy Bandai Namco 01215 069 590 Advantage

October 3rd

European Ship Simulator PC Simulation Excalibur 01869 338 833 Contact Sales

Forza Horizon 2 XO Racing Microsoft 01279 822 800 Exertis Gem

Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor PS4/XO/PS3/360/PC Action Warner Bros 0121 625 3388 CentreSoft

Natural Doctrine PS4/PS3/Vita JRPG NIS America 020 8664 3485 Open

Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures 2 Wii U/PS3/360/3DS Action Bandai Namco 01215 069 590 Advantage

Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments PS4/XO/PS3/360/PC Adventure Focus Home 01889 570 156 Open

Super Smash Bros 3DS Nintendo Nintendo 01753 483 700 Open

October 7th

Alien Isolation PS4/XO/PS3/360/PC Survival horor Sega 0121 625 3388 CentreSoft

NBA Live 15 PS4/XO Sports EA 0121 625 3388 CentreSoft

MX vs ATV Supercross PS3/360 Racing Nordic Games 01256 391 209 Open

September 19th 2014 www.mcvuk.com28

DISNEY INFINITY

The original Disney Infi nity has sold over three million Starter Pack units.

GAMES retail is about to head to Infinity and beyond.

September 19th marks the UK release of the next title in the Disney’s toys-to-life brand, Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes (2.0 Edition).

The original Disney Infinity has sold over three million Starter Packs since its release in mid-August last year and broke into the Top Ten best-selling games of 2013 for North America, according to the NPD Group.

Disney has invested more than $100 million into the development of Infinity, which allows players to place themed figurines on the Infinity Base and transfer the characters and skills into the game.

The concept lends itself to the advantage of retailers; with many precious figures to protect based on highly recognisable brands,

while Infinity accessories and merchandise present an

ideal opportunity for retailers looking

TURTLE BEACH DISNEY INFINITY MARVEL HEADSET

This headset can provide players with a more immersive experience while playing Disney Infi nity 2.0 on PS4, Wii U, Xbox 360 and PC. The product comes with an adjustable, around-the-ear design for comfort during long periods of play.

SRP: £59.99Distributor: Turtle BeachContact: 0191 230 6650

Disney’s hit toys-to-life franchise returns on September 19th with the might of the Marvel universe behind it. Matthew Jarvis checks out the latest accessories for the game

POWER DISC CAPSULE

This case can hold up to 22 Power Discs, and provides easy access via a slide-out tray.

SRP: £9.99Distributor: Exertis GemContact: 01279 822 822

TECH ZONE

Store and protect up to six Infi nity Figures, 36 Power Discs and the Infi nity Reader with this zipped case.

SRP: £14.99Distributor: CentreSoftContact: 0121 625 3388

POWER DISC PORTFOLIO

A collector’s dream, this portfolio holds 40 Power Discs and includes perforated cards to show which discs are still available.

SRP: £9.99Distributor: Exertis GemContact: 01279 822 822

DISNEY INFINITY

www.mcvuk.com September 19th 201429

DISNEY INFINITYSponsored by

gamingmerchandise uk

to capture more spend from parents with eager kids.

The latest edition of the game boosts this desirability by adding characters and assets from the Disney-owned Marvel comic book franchise. This includes Marvel’s Avengers Assemble and Iron Man 3 movies, which are currently the third and sixth highest grossing films of all time respectively. These join Disney’s own film Frozen, which is the fifth highest-grossing movie to date.

There’s also this year’s summer blockbuster Guardians of the Galaxy, which grossed over $586 million (£363m) – making it Marvel’s biggest new cinematic IP so far, surpassing the original Iron Man.

Clearly then, there’s a huge opportunity to be had with Infinity 2.0 – one that Disney itself expects to continue to deliver in the future.

“We’ve set the stage for Infinity to be an enduring video game platform,” said James Pitaro, president of Disney Interactive.

DISNEY INFINITY: MARVEL SUPER HEROES: PRIMA OFFICIAL GAME GUIDE

For those needing a little bit of guidance, this offi cial game guide can advise players on how to beat every mission and fi nd every collectable. Information on every recognisable character is also included. Every print copy of the guide includes a code for the mobile-friendly eGuide companion.

SRP: £14.99Distributor: Gaming Merchandise UKContact: hello@gamingmerchandiseuk.com

PLAY ZONE

This protective travel case features a fold-out play mat and spaces for fi gures for Infi nity action on the go.

SRP: £29.99Distributor: Exertis GemContact: 01279 822 822

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY PLAYSET

Players can take control of three of the characters from the latest Marvel fi lm thanks to this playset pack.

SRP: £34.99Distributor: CentreSoftContact: 0121 625 3388

ARMOUR BAG

Players can keep the Infi nity Base, over 12 Power Discs and up to 18 Infi nity fi gures safe in this bag equipped with a hard outer shell.

SRP: £19.99Distributor: CentreSoftContact: 0121 625 3388

30

XBOX ACCESSORIES

September 19th 2014 www.mcvuk.com

As retail gears up for the first full Q4 for the new generation of consoles, Microsoft has an array of new accessories it’s looking to push this Christmas. MCV takes a look at the special edition controllers, console

add-ons and must-have peripherals consumers will be seeking

XBOX ONE ACCESSORIES

StandardRRP: £44.99 Release: Out now

Camouflage M90 EditionRRP: £49.99Release: October 1st

COD: Advanced Warfare Edition RRP: £54.99 Release: October 28th

Distributor: Exertis Gem Contact: 01279 822 822

XBOX ONE WIRELESS CONTROLLER

Obviously an essential accessory for anyone playing on Microsoft’s latest hardware, the Xbox One Wireless Controller includes over 40 innovations from the Xbox 360 controller.

These include the new impulse triggers, where the trigger buttons have vibration motors that react to what is happening in certain titles.

Not only this, but the analogue sticks have been revamped to allow for better grip and accuracy. The D-pad has also been redesigned.

Xbox has produced two new versions of its gamepad. The first is for the launch of Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, and comes with a chrome D-pad and Xbox button. There is also a camo-themed controller, which comes with metallic additions, too.

XBOX ONE STEREO HEADSET

When playing online it is more or less essential to have a gaming headset so that gamers can communicate while competing together in fast-paced titles.

The official stereo headset for Xbox One features over-the-ear speakers that make for a comfortable fit over long gaming sessions.

It also comes with a uni-directional microphone that allows for clear voice capture. This can be lifted out of the way when it’s not in use. Gamers can also adjust the volume without their hands leaving their controller thanks to integrated volume controls.

It will be available in a Swedish-camo edition from October 1st.

StandardRRP: £59.99Release: Out now

Camouflage M90 EditionRRP: £69.99Release: October 1st

Distributor: Exertis Gem Contact: 01279 822 822

www.mcvuk.com September 19th 2014 31

XBOX ACCESSORIES

PLAY AND CHARGE KIT

The Xbox One controller might have benefitted from multiple improvements, but it is still powered by AA batteries. To resolve this, Microsoft has produced the Play and Charge kit, which includes a rechargeable battery.

The battery can be charged in under four hours – it can be charged both when the Xbox One is on or in standby.

RRP: £19.99Released: Out NowDistributor: Exertis GemContact: 01279 822 822

XBOX ONE DIGITAL TV TUNER

The Digital TV Tuner launches next month in the UK, and lets Xbox One owners to connect their console to digital terrestrial TV, such as Freeview channels.

The gadget comes with OneGuide, which allows users to locate and plan what they want to watch.

Fans can also snap TV to the side of the screen, with the additional ability to pause and fast-foward playback.

RRP: £24.99Released: October 21stDistributor: Exertis GemContact: 01279 822 822

XBOX ONE STEREO HEADSET ADAPTER

This gadget is included with the Xbox One Stereo Headset, and allows fans to connect that headset to the console. It also allows gamers to connect any headset they have to the Xbox One, providing integrated volume, mute and other controls.

RRP: £19.99Released: Out NowDistributor: Exertis GemContact: 01279 822 822

TO LIST YOUR COMPANY HERE AND ONLINE EVERY WEEK PLEASE CONTACT CONOR.TALLON@INTENTMEDIA.CO.UK OR CALL 01992 535647

DIEGO MANCA MURATel: +44 (0) 2032909246 (UK) +39 328 2730697 (Italy)www.diegomancamura.com

........................................................................................................

PRESSXTRA.NET(Part of the Indigo Pearl Group)Tel: 0208 964 4545http://PressXtra.net

........................................................................................................

PERFORMANCE DESIGNED PRODUCTS LTDTel: 01628 509047www.pdp.com

........................................................................................................

INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION

GAMING ACCESSORIES & MERCHANDISE

CREATIVE & PROMOTIONAL STUDIO DIVATel: 0117 214 0404www.studiodiva.co.uk........................................................................................................

BRIDGE MEDIA GROUPTel: 020 3283 8466www.bridgemediagroup.com........................................................................................................

FLUIDTel: +44 (0)121 212 0121www.fl uidesign.co.uk........................................................................................................

GAME ROOMTel: +44 (0) 20 7729 3033www.gameroom-agency.com........................................................................................................

BY FRONTROOM

CLD DISTRIBUTIONTel: +32 81 83 02 02www.cld.be........................................................................................................

GAMING MERCHANDISE UK LIMITEDTel: +44 207 269 7900www.gamingmechandiseuk.com

........................................................................................................

SOUNDING SWEET LTDTel: +44 (0) 1789 297453www.soundingsweet.com........................................................................................................

STUDIO CO2Tel: +44 (0)1483 414 415www.studioco2.com........................................................................................................

SUPERHEROTel: +4020 3031 6180www.superheroscreen.com........................................................................................................

THE AUDIO GUYS LIMITEDTel: +44 (0) 1934 710024www.theaudioguys.co.uk

........................................................................................................

ÜBERTel: +44 (0)114 278 7100www.uberagency.com

........................................................................................................

CLICK ENTERTAINMENT LIMITEDTel: +44 203 137 3781www.click-entertainment.com

........................................................................................................

Wholesaler and distributor of video games, consoles and accessories

DEAD GOOD MEDIATel: +44 (0)7780 600 728www.deadgoodmedia.com........................................................................................................

KENNEDY MONKTel: 020 7636 9142www.kennedymonk.com........................................................................................................ MANUFACTURING

OK MEDIA LTDTel: 02076886789www.okmedia.biz........................................................................................................

KEYWORDS STUDIOS GROUPTel: +353 1 902 2730www.keywordsstudios.com

........................................................................................................

U

LOCALISATION, QA & TESTING

LOCALSOFTTel: +34 952 028 080www.localsoftgames.com........................................................................................................

POLE TO WIN EUROPE LTDTel: +44 (0) 20 8607 7900www.poletowineurope.com

........................................................................................................

Localization Services

UNIVERSALLY SPEAKINGTel: +44 (0) 1480210621www.usspeaking.com

........................................................................................................

VMCTel: +44 (0)1753 849 700 (UK)www.vmc.com........................................................................................................

MONETISATION & PAYMENT

MILLENNIAL MEDIATel: +44 (0) 207 151 3320www.millennialmedia.com........................................................................................................

KEY CONTACTS:James Glover, Creative Directorjames@fl uidesign.co.uk

Neil Roddis, Operations Directorneil@fl uidesign.co.uk

Andrew Bowyer, Digital Directorandrew@fl uidesign.co.uk

ADDRESS:Fluid Studios12 Tenby StreetBirminghamB1 3AJ

FLUID is an award-winning creative agency launched in 1995 which off ers innovative and engaging creative for some of the largest entertainment brands in the world.

Fluid is not only our name, but also our branding philosophy. We embrace the changing media landscape with a fl exible, reactive approach enabled by a rich pool of outstanding talent from a wide range of artistic disciplines. At every stage of the creative process we guarantee fl exible, comprehensive creative solutions that bear testament to the breadth of our experience and versatility of style.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS COMPANY AND MANY MORE ONLINE NOW AT:

COMPANY PROFILE / FLUID

THE ESSENTIAL GUIDETO INTERACTIVEENTERTAINMENTAGENCIES AND SERVICE COMPANIES

AMIQUSTel: 01925 839700www.amiqus.com........................................................................................................

RECRUITMENT

MEDIA & MARKETING

LIS WELSH SEARCH & SELECTION LTDTel: +44 (0) 7968 114812www.liswelsh.com

........................................................................................................

SPECIALMOVE CONSULTANCY LTDTel: +44 (0) 141 530 4555www.specialmove.com

........................................................................................................

WAYFORWARD RECRUITMENT LIMITEDTel: 020 7734 4664 (London) 0117 966 6038 (Bristol)www.way-forward.com ........................................................................................................

CURSE, INC.Tel: +1 415 856 0056www.curseinc.com........................................................................................................

IGNTel: 0203 701 5682www.ign.com........................................................................................................

DIRECTORY

September 19th 2014 www.mcvuk.com34

CREATIVE Fink ................................................................. info@fi nkcreative.com

DISC REPAIR Total Disc Repair ..................................+44 (0) 1202 489500

DISTRIBUTION Click Entertainment ............................ +44 (0) 203 137 3781

Creative Distribution ......................+44 (0) 20 8664 3456

Curveball Leisure ................................... +44 (0) 1792 652521

Enarxis Dynamic Media ............................. +302 1090 11900

Sony DADC ............................................ +44 (0) 207 462 6200

GAMING ACCESSORIES L3I............................................................................+ (0)1923 471 020

Venom ............................................................... +44 (0)1763 284181

MCV DIRECTORY KEY CONTACTS

RATES £70 per two column box (100mm x 75mm). To run weekly for a minimum of 1 year. Please phone for other size and/or position requirements.

TOTAL DISC REPAIR DISC REPAIR

Tel: +44 (0) 1202 489500 Web: www.totaldiscrepair.co.uk

DIRECTORY

www.mcvuk.com September 19th 201435

ENQUIRIES

CONOR TALLONTel: 01992 535647Conor.Tallon@intentmedia.co.uk

SONY DADC DISTRIBUTION

Tel: +44 207 462 6200games@sonydadc.com

www.sonydadc.com

Empowering your creative business

Tel: +44 (0) 207 462 6200 Web: www.sonydadc.com

CLICK ENTERTAINMENT DISTRIBUTION

Tel: +44 (0)203 137 3781 email: sales@click-entertainment.com

FINK CREATIVE

Artworking Mastertronic Brand Identity Ukie Localisation Rising Star Games Advertising BBFC Website Design Deep Silver Exhibition Bethesda Illustration Appynation Digital Media IntentMedia Charity GamesAid Banners & Takeovers Konami Packaging Design Just Flight

Email: info@fi nkcreative.com Web: www.fi nkcreative.com

CREATIVE DISTRIBUTION DISTRIBUTION

Tel: +44 (0) 208 6643456 Web: www.creativedistribution.co.uk

CURVEBALL LEISURE DISTRIBUTION

Tel: +44 (0) 1792 652521 Web: www.curveball-leisure.com

ENARXIS DYNAMIC MEDIA DISTRIBUTION

Tel: +302 1090 11900 Web: www.enarxis.eu

DIRECTORY

September 19th 2014 www.mcvuk.com36

L3I GAMING ACCESSORIES

Tel: + (0)1923 471 020 Web: www.logic3.com

VENOM GAMING ACCESSORIES

w w w . v e n o m u k . c o m

@VenomGamingUK

Venom UK Gaming

SERIOUS ABOUT GAMING

SERIOUS ABOUT ACCESSORIES

Rechargeable Battery Pack

“ ”, “PlayStation” and “DUALSHOCK” are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Also, “ ” is a trademark of the same company. All rights reserved.

New officially licensedproduct coming soon

Fully recharges the DUALSHOCK®4 wireless controller for up to 20 hours of gameplay.

Sleek, contemporary design fits securely to the DUALSHOCK®4 wireless controller.

Web:www.venomuk.com

Phone:+44 (0)1763 284181

Email:darren.scott@venomuk.comsam.phipps@venomuk.comtom.hodge@venomuk.com

Tel: +44 (0)1763 284181 Web: www.venomuk.com

WANT TO ADVERTISE IN OUR DIRECTORY?

ADVERTISE WITH US

CALL CONOR TALLON ON 01992 535647 OR EMAIL HIM AT CONOR.TALLON@INTENTMEDIA.CO.UK

37www.mcvuk.com September 19th 2014

INSIDER’S GUIDE

Tell us about your company.I Fight Bears is an ultra-sexy micro-development studio based in North London. Founded in 2012 by Nicoll Hunt, I Fight Bears focuses on delivering original, offbeat games for a wide variety of platforms. What is your biggest success to date?Last year’s Fist of Awesome has been a huge success. The time-travelling lumberjack-‘em-up launched last year on iOS, Android and Ouya to rapturous response from the press and public alike. Fist of Awesome is one of very few games to be praised on Gay Star News for its LGBT-friendly storyline. What projects do you currently have in the works?Nicoll recently made Accelerunner with Alan Zucconi of 0rbitalis and Still Time fame. A hyper-realistic sports party game, Accelerunner will be playable at a number of high profile games events over the next few months.

I Fight Bears’ official game number two is in development but remains a closely guarded secret. What are the biggest challenges you face?I Fight Bears has an official employee count of one. Although this keeps the salary pot at a manageable level, it does mean that Nicoll is usually running around doing three or four

different people’s jobs at the same time. This even extends to answering journalists’ questions in the third person. How did you choose your company name?Before Nicoll became a heavily-bearded indie game dev superstar, he was a gigging solo musician in Dundee. After discovering you could get more free beer if he were in a band, Nicoll called himself I Fight Bears and alluded to venue owners that he was in fact four separate people.

MCV talks to nature battler Nicoll Hunt about his one-man development studio I Fight Bears

Specialism: DevelopmentLocation: LondonFounding Date: June 19th 2012

Contact:T: @nicollhuntW: www.ifightbears.co.ukE: nicoll@ifightbears.co.uk

INSIDER’S GUIDE

THIS MONTH’S DIRECTORY SPOTLIGHT:

I FIGHT BEARS

Epic Games .................................................. www.epicgames.com/careers

To be included in the Develop Directory (which appears every month in Develop and now every week in MCV) contact alex.boucher@intentmedia.co.uk

WWW.DEVELOP-ONLINE.NET

Develop is the only dedicated publication for the UK and European games development community. It reaches over 8,500 subscribers every month.

DIRECTORY WHO?

MATTHEW.JARVIS@INTENTMEDIA.CO.UK OR CALL 01992 515 303

FOR GREAT ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES, CONTACT ALEX BOUCHERALEX.BOUCHER@INTENTMEDIA.CO.UK

PLEASE CONTACTWANT TO FEATURE YOUR COMPANY IN INSIDER’S GUIDE?

Nicoll is usually running around doing three or four different people’s jobs at the same time.

Nicoll Hunt, I Fight Bears

Sponsored by

Wholesaler and distributor of video games, consoles and accessories

September 19th 2014 www.mcvuk.com38

AS one of the fastest growing video game markets in the world, Mexico is seeing increased investment from firms hoping to break into a largely untapped territory.

Newzoo estimates that there are 16 million active gamers in Mexico. Gamers’ preferences and spending behaviour are similar to those in nearby North America; approximately 57 per cent of gamers pay money for titles.

During 2012, games revenue for developers of video game systems and titles reached Mex$ 14,194 million (£0.67m). The revenue accounts for almost a quarter (22 per cent) of the Central and South American games market, with Brazil contributing 34 per cent and Argentina making up 14 per cent.

On average, Mexican gamers spend 10 per cent more money on digital games than the rest of Central and South America.

The region’s entire digital games market is expected to pass the £0.62bn revenue mark by the end of 2014.

According to Government institute ProMexico, the Mexican video game industry registered an average annual increase of 18.7 per cent between 2004 and 2010. This growth means that the market

approximately doubles in size every four years, making the territory a popular destination for expanding firms.

“Time and money spent on games in Mexico is much more in line with Western

countries than other so-called ‘emerging’ markets, such as Brazil and Russia,” stated Peter Warman, CEO and co-founder of research firm Newzoo. “Together with the fast-rising internet penetration, Mexico will certainly show strong growth. Good news for the local Mexican games industry as well as Western and Asian companies seeking expansion.”

The Mexican digital games

market is expected to pass the $1 billion revenue mark by the

end of 2014.

FACTFILE MEXICO

FACTFILE: MEXICOPopulation: 118,395,054Capital City: Mexico CityCurrency: Peso (Mex$)GDP (Per Capita): $10,767

KEY RETAILERSCamelot Games, Gamer’s Paradise, Gamerush, Mixup, Sanborns, Blockbuster Mexico, Coppel, JJGames, JVL Gaming KEY DISTRIBUTORSGamexpress

TOP DEVELOPERSKaxan Games, Larva Game Studios, Anemona Studio, Artefacto, Neggi Studio

PUBLISHERS IN THE REGIONActivision, EA, Microsoft, Sony, Square Enix, Ubisoft

INTERNATIONAL

MEANWHILE IN... IRELAND

DIGIT Game Studios has recently released the most expensive game in Ireland’s history.

The game development studio is the fi rm behind Kings of the Realm, an online fantasy strategy game for iOS and Android.

Publishing the title is Kabam, backed by global retail site Alibaba and tech giants Intel and Google. The latter fi rm featured the game as one of its three top picks on the Android Play Store, alongside mobile juggernauts Angry Birds and Candy Crush Saga.

Investment for the title was raised via venture capital funding, generating over €3.5 million

(£2.82m). Kabam was recently named as one of the 20 fastest-growing companies in the US by fi nance analyst Deloitte.

Richard Barnwell, CEO of Digit, outlined the company’s plan to compete

against fellow fantasy mobile game Game of War, which currently generates $1 million (£0.62m) a day in revenue.

A development studio has launched the nation’s biggest-budget game to date, following an investment of €3.5 million

www.mcvuk.com September 19th 2014

MEXICO FACTFILE

39

INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION

POLAND

TECHLAND SP. Z O.O.ul. Jana Szczyrki 12, 54-426 Wroclaw, PolandEmail: business@techland.plWeb: www.techland.pl Phone: +48 71 354 46 10Fax: +48 71 354 46 10

TO ADVERTISE IN THIS SECTION PLEASE CONTACT CONOR.TALLON@INTENTMEDIA.CO.UK

MCV WORLDWIDE

GLOBAL DISTRIBUTORSIF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR NEW PARTNERS OVERSEAS,

THEN LOOK NO FURTHER

SWEDEN

GAME OUTLET EUROPE ABPO Box 5083, S-650 05 Karlstad, SwedenSales dept: ali.manzuri@gameoutlet.seSales dept: andreas.lindberg@gameoutlet.sePurchase dept: hamed.manzuri@gameoutlet.sePurchase dept: david.nilsson@gameoutlet.seWeb: www.gameoutlet.se

AUSTRALIAAFA Interactive, Bluemouth Interactive, Five Star Games, Mindscape, Namco Bandai Partners, Turn Left DistributionBENELUXCLD Distribution, Koch Media, Gameworld Distribution B.V.CANADAE One, Importel, Just4Games, Solutions 2 Go, VidéoglobeCYPRUSAccess, Gibareio, Zilos, Nortec MultimediaCZECH REPUBLICCenega, Conquest, Comgad, Playman, ABC DataDENMARKBergsala, Elpa, Impulse, Koch Media, Nordisk Film Interactive, Nordic Game Supply, PAN VisionFRANCEBig Ben, Innelec, Koch Media, SDO, SodifaGREECEZegatron, CD Media, Namco Bandai Partners, IGE, Nortec, Enarxis, BeaconHUNGARYCNG.hu/Cenega Hungary, CTC Trading, Magnew, PlayON, StadlbauerICELANDSena, Myndform, Samfilm, OrmssonINDONESIAMaxsoft, Uptron, Technosolution IRELANDMSE Group, BaumexJAPANAjioka, Happinet, JesnetNORWAYBergsala, Game Outlet, Koch Media, Nordic Game Supply, Nordisk Film, Pan VisionPOLANDCD Projekt, Cenega, Galapagos, LEMPORTUGALEcoplay, Infocapital, Koch Media, Namco BandaiROMANIABest DistributionSERBIAComTrade, Computerland/Iris Mega, Extreme CCSPAINDigital Bros, Koch Media, Namco Bandai Partners, NobilisSWEDENBergsala, Koch Media, Namco Bandai, Nordic Game Supply, PAN Vision, Wendros, Ztorm (digital)UAERed Entertainment Distribution, Pluto Games (LS2 Pluto), Viva Entertainment, Gameplay Entertainment, Geekay Distribution

UAE

ALESAYI UNITED COMPANYVideo Games Distributor in the Middle East, P.O BOX 16999 Jebel Ali Free Zone Dubai U.A.E.Tel: 00971 4 883 5960Fax: 00971 4 883 5175Email: marketing@alesayi.ae U.A.E. Website: www.alesayi.ae Group Website: www.alesayi.com

NORDIC

WENDROS AB SWEDEN, NORWAY, DENMARK & FINLANDJakobsdalsvägen 1712653 HägerstenSwedenPhone: +46 8 51942500Fax: +46 8 7466790Email:HM@wendros.seLM@wendros.seWeb: www.wendros.se

BELGIUM

CLD DISTRIBUTIONRue du Grand Champs 14 , B 5380 Fernelmont BelgiumTel: +32 81 83 02 02Fax: +32 81 83 02 09Email: infos@cld.beWeb: www.cld.be home of www.dragonwar.eu & www.mawashi.eu

NETHERLANDS

SOEDESCO B.V.Koddeweg 13, 3194 DH RotterdamThe NetherlandsTel: +31 104722462Fax: +31 104722893Email: info@soedesco.comWeb: www.soedesco.com

IRAN

DC GAMES GROUPNo.9, Hemmatian St.,Takestan St., SattarkhanTehran, IranTel: +98-912-1014090 +98-21-44228670Email: Bahizad@Doostan-Co.comWeb: www.Doostan-Co.com

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GREECE

ENARXIS DYNAMIC MEDIA LTD.68 llia lliou Street117 44, Neos Kosmos, Athens, GreeceTel: +30 210 9011900Fax: +30 210 9028700Email: sales@enarxis.eu

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www.mcvuk.com September 19th 201441

OFF THE RECORD

Marvel is everywhere at the moment – on comic book shelves, cinema screens and, of course, in video games. The most recent outing for the revenue-churning comic book characters arrives on September 19th, courtesy of Disney Infi nity 2.0.

Ahead of the launch, Londoners have reported sightings of a large and angry green male, wearing only tattered trousers, lifting up Tower Bridge. This is in addition to a man wearing iron armour and a shield-wielding patriot wearing red, white and blue.

If you see these characters, please make sure you contact the authorities immediately.

OFF THE RECORD This week Destiny launches in spectacular fashion and The Hulk is on the loose in London to promote Disney Infi nity

TO INFINITY

@garrynewman Garry’s Mod sold its 6,000,000th copy last night :-)

Garry Newman, FacepunchThursday September 11th

@LukePlunkett So far, v disappointed with Destiny. $500 million and all those years and we get... Halo skirmish mode? With loot?

Luke Plunkett, KotakuThursday September 11th

@futterish At this point, if Nintendo is holding the release date of Smash Wii U to not mute 3DS sales, I have to believe they don’t know the audience.

Michael Futter, Game InformerSunday September 14th

@paulruk Microsoft are such idiots. Minecraft is available on their own store for $19.99. and they paid $2.5bn.

Paul Rayment, DubitMonday September 15th

@NeilGortz I now have 2.5 billion reasons to hurry up and fi nish my game GortzBlox.

Neil Gorton, CapcomMonday September 15th

@VG_Dave Impressed with how Destiny servers have held up so far. Seen very few reports of any issues.

David Scammell, VideogamerTuesday September 9th

@HollieBToday We hit 1 million #PS4 sales in the UK. Exciting!

Hollie Bennett, PlayStation AccessTuesday September 9th

@Kezamacdonald Dinklage’s sarcasm in Destiny is withering. “Hey, Guardian, go scan those cracks.” Uh... OK *Scans cracks* “Nice scan, Guardian.”

Keza MacDonald, Kotaku UKThursday September 11th

@cliff ski If anyone wants to buy Positech for $2 billion, make me an off er. I’d build a huge wind farm with that money. :D

Cliff Harris, indie games developer,Thursday September 11th

@ultrabrilliant If Destiny cost $500 million to make, surely we’re close to the fi rst $1 billion game project? What a time to be alive.

Andy Kelly, PC GamerThursday September 11th

THE WEEK IN 140 CHARACTERSThe Tweets you might have missed in the last seven days

OFF THE RECORD

September 19th 2014 www.mcvuk.com42

Activision launched Destiny in style last week with a star-studded event at London’s OXO Tower.

In attendance were glittering celebs such as Sony’s Michael Pattison and Rich Keen, Eurogamer’s Martin Robinson and Activision’s Roy Stackhouse.

There were also a few nobodies in the room, such as Professor Green, The Vamps and Sophie Ellis-Bextor, whoever they are.

We remember Sophie, of course, because the last time she attended a games event (the Call of Duty: Black Ops launch party) she tweeted “In a room full of gamers. I feel so alone”. She didn’t look quite so lonely this time, as she battled to talk with friends over the noise of the SHOUTcasters who yelled live commentary of Destiny gameplay. Which was something we all appreciated.

AMONG THE STARS

Zak Smart @bananablitzer

Hopefully not a lot. Can imagine them charging for mods and adding blocks with ‘Bing’ all over them though.

Caleb Briles @CTB_777

Reminds me of how poorly Microsoft treats it’s number 1 platform: PC. Who in their right mind likes exclusives, anyway?

HAPPY FRIDAY! TELL US, WHAT DOES MICROSOFT’S

$2.5BN ACQUISITION OF MINECRAFT STUDIO

MOJANG MEAN FOR THE SERIES? #GMGASKS

#GMGASKS

Pecet @pecet

I don’t care really. I used to love Minecraft when it was in beta and played like a year non-stop after that.

Multi@9bitsofmusic

Less kids, hopefully. It

scrap Minecraft Realms and give us something good.

BoxFanMenace@BoxFanMenace

Well, it makes me uneasy. Microsoft is not a company I trust. I fear they would make changes that screw gamers.

Biffa2001@biffa2001

It’s likely more worrying for YouTuber’s who’ve built careers with Minecraft videos. Will it still be possible?

DualCore1 @DualC0RE1

It means it’s downhill from here.

Luke@lkhrs

Nothing. It’s already dead.

C-Bag @SeeBag

A real dev team that will

assed features.

PridedLlama @purdy1981

Mojang has seemed a bit directionless after Minecraft, good leadership could be just what they need.