Paul Loughrey (Page 12)

Significantly expanding the range of content available through Xbox Live and creating a unique cross-marketing initiative, Microsoft and Paramount Pictures announce the new Xbox Movie Showcase service.

Having recently signed an exclusive development deal with multi-platform publisher Electronic Arts, German developer Crytek has made some rather surprising comments regarding the focus for its latest game.

Organisers of the MI6: Marketing Interactive conference have announced the list of confirmed speakers for the new event, which will take place alongside the inaugural Senet Awards for game marketing.

The board of directors of both the Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association and the Video Software Dealers Association have jointly announced plans to merge into a singular, unified trade body.

Now that Microsoft has finally managed to iron out its production issues for the next-generation console, the Redmond giant appears to be stepping up a gear, ramping up the orders for Xbox 360 chips from its Taiwan-based partners.

Software publisher Cenega has announced that it has severed its ties with developer Tanhauser Gate, and that development on the PC and Xbox title The Roots has been cancelled.

To celebrate the launch of a series of online tournaments for its Xbox 360 racer, Bizarre Creations has announced the imminent launch of two downloadable content packs on Microsoft's Xbox Live Marketplace.

The top spot in the all format charts goes to everyone's favourite heroine this week, as <i>Tomb Raider: Legend</i> significantly outsells <i>The Godfather</i>, pushing EA's mob adventure back into second place.

Software publisher and developer Square Enix has announced a new partnership with electronics giant Matsushita, the two companies working on a hardware/software platform to simplify and speed up multi-device content development.

Speaking at the Xbox 360 press conference in Tokyo, Microsoft Japan's Xbox division manager Takashi Sensui declared that 2006 will be "the stepping stone" to Microsoft's inevitable success in the region, spearheaded by the Xbox 360.

Hirokazu Hamamura, CEO of Famitsu publishers Enterbrain, has offered and appraisal of the hardware and software market in 2005, and given some indication of the shape of the market in 2006, as the next generation console transition completes.

Bethesda Softworks has confirmed that an update for its hugely acclaimed RPG title, Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is currently being tested, and will be released shortly for both PC and Xbox 360 versions of the game.

Organisers of the ASG conference taking place this May have announced an extension to the event and confirmed two further keynote speeches from industry professionals in the serious games sector.

RedOctane has announced the appointment of former Sony President and hugely respected games industry veteran Chris Deering, who joins the company's board of directors as one of the non-executive directors.

CMP Game Group, organisers of the Game Developers Conference, has announced a new series of events that focus on specific areas of the interactive entertainment industry, beginning with the Game Advertising Summit in June.

Developers ArenaNet and MMO publisher NCsoft have announced the date and location for the grand finale of the Guild Wars Factions Championship Series, which will take place at Europe's largest videogame convention in Leipzig later this year.

GameShadow has announced a new partnership with software publisher Eidos Interactive, which will see the company's automatic update and patch service for PC games included with Eidos' entire spring portfolio.

French publisher Ubisoft has announced the development of a new game in its Rayman series, a franchise which has shifted sixteen million units worldwide over the past ten years.

Ritual Entertainment and Valve have announced that the first episode of SiN will gain a retail presence in North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand as part of a new distribution agreement with Electronic Arts.

British publisher Zoo Digital has announced an internal restructuring of the company, resulting in a change in name and an exit from the traditional games publishing business in favour of interactive DVD titles.

Bethesda Softworks has announced the forthcoming release of extra game content for its highly acclaimed RPG title, Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, which stormed into the top of the all-formats sales chart upon its release.

UK independent developer Introversion Software has announced a new North American retail distribution deal for its multi-award winning PC title, Darwinia.

In an effort to accelerate the growth of episodic digital entertainment, Telltale has announced a new aggressive price-point for its Bone series of adventure games, designed to compete with sales of DVDs and other entertainment media.

Australia's Department of Industry and Resources, in partnership with the school of IT at Murdoch University in Perth, has announced preliminary details of the Joint International Conference on CyberGames and Interactive Entertainment expo.

Whilst they may be the last of the three to launch a next-generation console, Sony is stepping in front of the competition with its pre-E3 press event, which will take place ahead of both Microsoft and Nintendo.