Rob Fahey (Page 119)

Console giant Nintendo is considering the purchase of more stock in Bandai, one of the biggest holders of valuable media IP in Japan - although there are currently no plans for a complete buyout, according to Nintendo president Satoru Iwata.

Employees of publisher Interplay have been allowed to return to work by the Californian authorities after the troubled company secured workers' compensation insurance for them - but parent company Titus has declared bankruptcy in France.

Viacom chief exec Sumner Redstone may well be planning to take publisher Midway private in the near future, it has emerged, with the media magnate taking advice on his options once his stake goes past 80 per cent.

<b>Live from London:</b> Microsoft corporate VP Peter Moore has called on platform competitors Sony and Nintendo to follow the XNA model by providing an easy to use software development platform for their console hardware.

<b>Live from London:</b> Nintendo Europe managing director David Gosen has strongly criticised Microsoft for attempting to drive the industry to a hardware transition too early, and also attacked the games media for its focus on the next generation.

Speaking at the ELSPA Games Summit in London, game market analyst Nick Parker has warned of an imminent "explosion" in the second hand games market in Europe, which could damage publisher revenues.

Publisher Take Two Interactive has announced that it made a significant loss in the second quarter, and dropped fiscal guidance for the rest of the year - although a new deal to co-publish Sega's sports range could bring the figures up once more.

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe president David Reeves has branded media reports that the PlayStation 2 has reached its sales peak as "bullshit," stating that the console still has 50 per cent of its hardware sales to come.

<b>Live from London:</b> The second annual ELSPA Games Summit is taking place in London, with a strong focus on the importance of broadening the appeal of the industry as early speakers discussed the key future role of online, mobile and innovative games.

Recent moves by Electronic Arts, designed to consolidate more of the company's US development efforts in its headquarters in California's Redwood Shores, have led to some 117 job losses, according to a recent regulatory filing from the publisher.

Movie tie-in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban topped the UK software charts again this week, extending its lead with an 81 per cent climb in sales, while publisher EA also took the number two and three places in the ranking.

Media giant Viacom has considered purchasing leading publisher Electronic Arts, but decided that such a buyout would be unfeasible due to the high price tag attached to the company - believed to be around $20 billion.

Embattled publisher Interplay has had its headquarters in California shut down by state authorities, after it emerged that the company failed to pay employees last month, and has no workers' compensation insurance.

Publisher Midway has announced that its current chairman, Neil Nicastro, will be resigning from the role immediately after its forthcoming annual shareholder's meeting, with a successor to be announced soon afterwards.

A new scheme being championed by Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment boss Jason Hall would see publishers whose games are reviewed poorly being penalised by higher royalty payments to the license holder.

Microsoft is looking at a ten-year strategy for success in Japan for its Xbox platform, key Xbox executive Peter Moore has told the official Xbox Japan website, with new strategies for the market set to be announced in six to nine months.

Televisions featuring Sony's Cell networked processor will be on the market by 2006, according to Sony CEO Nobuyuki Idei, who suggested that the next-generation TVs could offer functionality similar to a personal computer.

British technology firm Imagination is preparing to deliver a new arcade system to Sega at the start of next year, according to the company's financial statements, which will be based on the firm's next-generation graphics system.