MCV855 November 6th

THE BUSINESS OF VIDEO GAMES ISSUE 855 FRIDAY NOVEMBER 6TH 2015

PLAYSTATION IN PARIS THE BUSINESS OF VIDEO GAMES ISSUE 855 FRIDAY NOVEMBER 6TH 2015

EUROPEAN BOSS JIM RYAN ON PS4’S UNUSUAL LINE-UP P08

Bleak Friday Consumers holding off for Black Friday deals O 32% of gamers dislike event

85 per cent of gamers are aware of Black Friday

by Christopher Dring ALMOST a quarter of PS4, Xbox One and Wii U owners are waiting for a Black Friday bonanza before buying games.

That data is courtesy of Ipsos Mori’s GameTrack research, conducted on behalf of MCV. The figures showed that - across all types of gamers - 16 per cent say they’re waiting for Black Friday discounting to pick up this Christmas’ biggest blockbusters.

13 per cent of gamers say they will buy consoles and/or games on that day, instead of at other times.

The figures show how the sales event has had a fundamental impact on the way consumers are buying

Over 24 per cent of new console owners are waiting for Black Friday to buy games.

products at Christmas. 85 per cent of gamers are aware of Black Friday, GameTrack figures show.

Yet, despite its impact on their buying habits, 32 per cent of those surveyed said they actively dislike the idea of the sales event.

Black Friday is historically a US promotion, and launched in the UK as part of an Amazon campaign five years ago. Last year it took off in a major way when multiple other retailers started their own activity.

Black Friday this year takes place on November 27th.

GAME boss Martyn Gibbs told MCV last month how he expects this year’s event to be even bigger than 2014 and, despite the

damage it is doing to video game margins, views it as a way to attract new customers.

“It’s not about just one day for us,” said Gibbs. “It’s about the opportunity of recruiting tens of thousands of new customers into our ecosystem.”

In more positive news, 11 per cent of gamers familiar with Black Friday said that they would likely end up buying more games and consoles as a result of the discounting.

These figures were part of research conducted by Ipsos Mori, which spoke to 1,899 consumers across the UK – including 1,501 who identify themselves as gamers. For a more detailed look at the figures, check out next week’s MCV.

PLUS HTC’S VIVE VR HEADSET TOMB RAIDER CLIMBS ONTO XBOX ONE

NEWS

UKIE details how to boost UK games industry by £1bn

PS4 and Xbox One account for two thirds of physical games market

by Matthew Jarvis

GAMES trade body UKIE has laid out a list of Government recommendations that would boost the industry by £1bn by 2020.

The report – ‘a blueprint for growth’ – was unveiled at a high-level Parliament event on Tuesday this week.

Independently created

by Olsberg SPI on behalf of UKIE, the report is based on consultations with senior industry and Government leaders.

As well as detailing the history of the industry and its business models, the report identifies market failures that the UK sector faces and lists a series of recommendations that – if followed – would contribute another £1bn annually to the British economy in five years’ time.

Recommendations include support for regional growth and exports, methods to attract and retain talent, UK and EU funding to recognise the games market alongside other creative industries, creating the best tax environment and to promote games’ cultural impact.

The full report can be found on the UKIE website: http://ukie. org.uk/blueprint.

UKIE CEO Dr Jo Twist said: “The Government already recognises that the games sector can help meet their ambitions for increasing prosperity in the regions and doubling UK exports, and the report outlines how this can be achieved.

“This can only be achieved by working in partnership with industry, looking globally but acting locally to maximise the potential of the UK sector in a digitally-connected global marketplace.”

November 6th 2015

SALES of brand new PS3 and Xbox 360 games have dropped yearon-year as the latest generation of consoles see a greater number of exclusive releases.

PS4 and Xbox One comprised two thirds of the mint boxed games market for the 12 weeks ending September 27th, according to retail tracker Kantar Worldpanel – a growth of a fifth from their 55 per cent share the same time last year.

“Xbox One is driving the increase in these sales,” Fiona Keenan, strategic insight director at Kantar Worldpanel, told MCV. “It has increased its share from 21 per cent to 30 per cent this year, compared with PlayStation 4’s increase from 34 per cent to 37 per cent.

“The jump is down to Xbox broadening its game repertoire. Last year it focused on big-name titles like Destiny and FIFA 15, with the top five Xbox One games accounting for 71 per cent of all spend.

“This year, the top five makes up exactly half of sales, with FIFA 16

The greater number of PS4 and Xbox One games has led to mint sales growth, says Kantar’s Keenan

Xbox One has increased its share of the mint boxed market from 21 per cent to 30 per cent.

Fiona Keenan, Kantar Worldpanel

surrounded by other successful titles such as F1 2015, Mad Max, Batman: Arkham Knight and Metal Gear Solid V.” Despite the growth of PS4 and Xbox One, the games market as a whole was down year-on-year over the last quarter, due to the launch of Destiny during the period in 2014.

However, Kantar estimates that, without the presence of Destiny last year, the sector would be up 14 per cent annually in 2015.

ShopTo plots further digital console expansion Microsoft and Nintendo – to be able to offer the whole range of their products for customers.

We are working hard to make all of them available, in order to make our offer thorough and complete.”

Skucha says that the push into digital is less about growing revenue, and instead about offering increased variety.

“For us, digital is more just to complete the full shopping experience instead of building major revenue. It’s going to be substantial, but it won’t overtake physical anytime soon.”

ONLINE retailer ShopTo is now selling PS4 download codes.

The firm is offering codes for PlayStation Plus subscriptions, DLC, wallet top-ups and full games. It is eyeing the Xbox and Nintendo markets, too.

“We have PlayStation, plus a few other things that will launch in the coming weeks and months,” said Rafal Skucha, marketing and IT director. “We’re not going to leave Sony on its own – we’re also planning with other major firms.

“We are working closely with all the major publishers – Sony,

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www.mcvuk.com

NEWS

Shooter audience switching to PlayStation 4, says Sony

by Matthew Jarvis XBOX may be enjoying its Halo sales success, but shooter fans are actually switching to PlayStation 4, Sony says.

PlayStation has secured thirdparty partnerships with a number of big shooter franchises this year, including Destiny and Call of Duty: Black Ops III, as well as upcoming blockbuster Star Wars Battlefront.

The company has created special edition consoles for all three games and PS4 has been featured in the TV advertising. That includes the recent live-action Star Wars Battlefront TV spot.

“This generation, the shooter audience is tending to switch over to PS4, so we’ve got high expectations for Star

THE EDITOR

Wars Battlefront around both launch and into next year,” said PlayStation group marketing manager Lauren Bradley “When we first saw [the Battlefront TV ad] I think everyone in the office suddenly had something in their eye. It really pulls on the heart strings and celebrates nostalgia, which aligns well with PlayStation’s 20th anniversary.

“One of the most favourited comments on our Facebook post was ‘the nostalgia is strong with this one’. Star Wars is so important to so many of us, those who love it often have that one friend they grew up watching it with so its a good way to get the local co-op message across.”

PLAYSTATION GOES SURREAL IN PARIS

W

e missed PlayStation at Gamescom.

Those unusual, esoteric games that have come to define PlayStation’s press conferences were all but absent in Cologne.

Sony didn’t attend Gamescom because of the close proximity between that show and E3. It didn’t have enough new stuff to warrant two press conferences within a matter of weeks.

Instead it shifted its European showcase to Paris Games Week – and the wait to see Sony’s European line-up was worth it.

The conference may have lacked the energy of previous PlayStation events, but the content on show was excellent.

Then there was the talent on stage: David Cage (Heavy Rain), Michel Ancel (Rayman), Katsuhiro Harada (Tekken), Yoshinori Ono (Street Fighter), Kazunori Yamauchi (Gran Turismo), Mark Healey (LittleBigPlanet)... it was up there with the big E3 conferences.

It was interesting to see how some of the more unusual games are progressing. Wild and No Man’s Sky looked more like triple-A efforts than the niche projects they started life as.

Those two games, coupled with Media Molecule’s Dreams and Quantic Dream’s Detroit, may seem like a lot of risky projects, but they are exactly what the industry needs if it ever hopes to attract a wider audience.

It was a brave showing from Sony and a solid presentation that should get PS4 owners optimistic about the year ahead.

Although, after battling the French crowds at the expo hall,

Battlefront’s TV advert pulls on the heart strings, says PlayStation’s Bradley

SPONSORED BY

PRE-ORDER TOP 10

1

CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS III (PS4)

2

Fallout 4 (PS4)

3

Call of Duty: Black Ops III (XO)

4

Fallout 4 + Fallout 3 (XO)

Bethesda

5

Rise of the Tomb Raider (XO)

Microsoft

6

Star Wars Battlefront (PS4)

7

Need for Speed (PS4)

8

Call of Duty: Black Ops III – Hardened Edition (XO)

Activision Blizzard

9

Call of Duty: Black Ops III – Hardened Edition (PS4)

Activision Blizzard

10

Star Wars Battlefront (XO)

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ACTIVISION BLIZZARD

Bethesda Activision Blizzard

EA EA

EA

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This year’s Black Friday is complicated by the lateness of Q4’s big releases. we do hope PlayStation returns to Gamescom next year.

BLACK FRIDAY BLUES Last year, Black Friday took us by surprise. This was a new sales event and consumer awareness around it was relatively low.

That’s not the case this year.

85 per cent of UK gamers know that Black Friday is coming, and a good proportion of those are planning their shopping around that November 27th date.

This year’s event is complicated by the lateness of Q4’s big releases. Star Wars Battlefront will have only been out a week, while Halo, Call of Duty, Tomb Raider and Fallout will have been on shelves a matter of weeks. Will retailers really discount those?

(Rainbow Six, Just Cause and Xenoblade Chronicles cannily avoid the sales madness by launching a week later.)

And if, say, Joe Bloggs is holding off from buying Fallout 4 on the off chance it’s in the Black Friday sales, what will he do if it isn’t? Will he buy it at full price?

Or pick up a different game that has been discounted?

Love it or loathe it, Black Friday isn’t going anywhere. So how the industry manages that weekend is going to prove crucial during the all-important Chrismas run-in. cdring@nbmedia.com

November 6th 2015

D I S C O V E R

T H E

L E G E N D

P R E - O R D E R

N O W

W I T H I N

PLAYSTATION IN PARIS

Where the Wild things are PlayStation took to Paris to show the world just what it’s letting its creators get up to – which, by the looks of it, is whatever they want. Christopher Dring talks risk-taking with European PlayStation boss Jim Ryan

P

layStation’s Paris Games Week press conference felt almost like a reaction to the current blockbuster games season.

As Halo, Fallout, Assassin’s Creed, Call of Duty, Star Wars, Tomb Raider and all those other juggernaut brands battled it out for show-floor supremacy, Sony’s 90-minute conference was full of whimsy, small scale indie titles and ambitious, risky new IP. “For the future health of the industry, you have to have this stuff,” says Jim Ryan, PlayStation’s European president, talking to MCV the next morning.

Of course, there were some big guns on stage – Call of Duty and Star Wars Battlefront both received shout-outs. There were big franchise announcements, too, not least the reveal of Gran Turismo Sport.

November 6th 2015

But those weren’t the best bits of the show. What caught Twitter’s attention was Wild, a quirky open-world game from Rayman creator Michel Ancel that involves controlling animals, and Dreams, the latest piece of creation tech from those masterminds at Media Molecule. Detroit: Become Human, the new interactive movie from Heavy Rain creator Quantic Dream, was also unveiled.

“There is a grave threat, with budgets getting bigger and risks getting greater, that we as an industry default into conservatism, with endless recycled annual iterations,” warns Ryan. “For me, one of the really good things about the show last night was that there was a breadth of different stuff that doesn’t fall into that category – whether it is Detroit, Wild or Dreams.”

There is a grave threat that we as an industry default into conservatism, with endless recycled annual iterations.

Jim Ryan, PlayStation

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DEFYING EXPLANATION The problem for PlayStation – or, at least, its marketing team – is how to promote these games to the masses. Many of them defy explanation – even the on-stage demos weren’t enough, and it wasn’t until MCV went behind closed doors that we could really grasp the potential. These titles do not fit into neat marketing boxes; if you want an elevator pitch for Dreams, you best hope the lift breaks down.

“How you communicate these games is a high-class problem,” Ryan agrees. “We have intelligent, professional people who are thinking about that now. I am not at all afraid of that challenge.

“It’s so necessary to have this stuff. In some ways, it is easier to market something new and fresh, rather than communicating

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PLAYSTATION IN PARIS

Dreams is the new make-ityourself game from LittleBigPlanet creator Media Molecule

a game that is another iteration of something that has been published for many years. Dreams became a lot clearer [at the conference] than it was with what was shown briefly at E3. That process and clarity will accelerate as time passes.”

The big months are still to come, but 2015 has thus far been a huge success for PlayStation 4.

All the more impressive when you consider that there wasn’t a whole lot in terms of big Sony exclusives this year, minus Bloodborne, the most notable of exceptions.

As Xbox launches major games like Halo 5 and Rise of the Tomb Raider this month, Sony can only really push the third-party angle.

That won’t be the case next year.

‘2016’ was uttered more times than practically any other word during the PlayStation press conference.

Uncharted 4, PlayStation VR, Street Fighter V, No Man’s Sky, The Last Guardian, GT Sport, Horizon: Zero Dawn... Sony’s exclusive lineup for the next 12 months is one of the strongest in years.

“I am very excited about it,” says Ryan. “There is a nice spread throughout the year, as well.

Hopefully, we will not see quite as much clutter around October and November time. The line-up of games that have been announced for the first calendar quarter is just great – not least with Uncharted, but The Division, Far Cry, Mirror’s Edge, Street Fighter, Battleborn... then when you get into Q2 you have No Man’s Sky. It is going to be a great year.”

With a lighter schedule in 2015, Sony has been its marketing weight behind its third-party

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partners – games such as Call of Duty, Destiny, Disney Infinity and Battlefront. Xbox, meanwhile, with its stronger slate of exclusives, has dialled back its third-party deals.

There were a couple of thirdparty announcements at Paris Games Week (PS4 will receive special treatment from Battleborn and Tekken 7), but with 2016 looking so busy for PlayStation, should we expect Sony to scale back its exclusivity agreements?

“No,” retorts Ryan. “We are going to be strong with games that we have developed and we will publish, but third-party partnerships will continue to be important to us. The days of a platform holder working in isolation are long-gone. It is a connected ecosystem and relationships with publishers operate on many levels – they will certainly continue to be really important in 2016.”

WE’LL ALWAYS HAVE PARIS What did Sony announce at Paris Games Week? Let us tell you.

Quantic Dream is back Heavy Rain creator David Cage and his company Quantic Dream showed off Detroit: Become Human, a new sci-fi, story-driven interactive movie featuring the lead character from the studio’s Kara tech demo.

Gran Turismo is coming to PS4 Sony’s acclaimed racing franchise is headed to PS4 in the form of GT Sport. The beta is out next year and will feature VR support.

No Man’s Sky is out June 2016 Technically a delay (it was due this year), although it’s good news that this eagerly anticipated space exploration game has a date.

Street Fighter V is set for Feb Unfortunately spoiled before the show, Street Fighter creator Yoshinori Ono announced that the fifth main game in the series will launch on February 16th.

THE RISE OF PLAYSTATION PS4’s control over Europe has only grown stronger in the past 12 months. It’s still too soon to declare Sony the outright winner of this console generation, but it is going to take something major to change that outcome.

With its growing dominance, it would have been easy for PlayStation to play it safe. To tell Guerrilla Games to make a new Killzone, and not some Western Monster Hunter-style game with robot dinosaurs. It could have insisted that Media Molecule build LittleBigPlanet 4, not its latest piece of create-your-own eclecticism.

The fact that it hasn’t done that is a very, very good thing.

Tekken 7 is headed to VR...

Interrupting Ono-san on stage was friend and rival Katsuhiro Harada. The Tekken creator announced that Tekken 7 will receive some PlayStation exclusive content and will even make use of PlayStation VR. ...and so is Until Dawn.

Continuing the trend of virtual reality horror games, Until Dawn is getting a semi-sequel called Rush of Blood, also set for PlayStation VR.

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DriveClub Bikes is already out Available as both DLC and a standalone game, DriveClub Bikes was announced and released simultaneously. We’ll never tire of that trick.

Sony still loves new IP, with Boundless, Vector and Matterfall detailed In quick-fire announcements, Sony unveiled Boundless – a Minecraft-like game with portals. Music artists Avicii are making their own rhythm action title called Vector, while Stardust and Resogun makers Housemarque has a new IP coming called Matterfall.

Crytek’s dinosaur game is coming to PlayStation VR Robinson: The Journey is luscious looking dinosaur game, with an added floating robot – because we all love those.

Crytek’s founder unveiled the title for PlayStation VR. Oh, and Wild, Dreams, Ratchet & Clank, Uncharted 4, Horizon: Zero Dawn and Rigs are looking very good There were a slew of games on show at Paris Games Week that we at least knew existed, and their updated trailers impressed fans once again. Our personal favourites were Wild and Dreams, while Uncharted 4’s multiplayer is nearing completion, with an open beta starting next month.

November 6th 2015

PLAYSTATION VR

Sony’s VR gamble Christopher Dring asks European boss Jim Ryan about the plans for PlayStation VR

There were a lot of announcements about PlayStation VR at Paris Games Week – but what about a price and date?

We have said that it will be the first half of 2016, and we are still saying that. As for the rest, nothing else to add at this time.

IHS predicts that you’ll sell 1.5m VR headsets and generate $500m by the end of 2016. Is that what you expect?

No idea. Sorry, that’s not... it’s really a very different undertaking for us, this. There are many, many things that we have to do that we have never had to confront before with PlayStation VR. Trying to assess the size of the market in the early days is not at all trivial. It’s a sort of nebulous statement, but we take huge comfort from the fact that every time you see someone try this thing, every time they take their headset off, they say: ‘Wow, that was great.’ We are hugely encouraged by that. But are we at the stage of putting numbers on it and quoting them publically? No. You tried to get across PlayStation VR on stage at your conference, but it’s a hard thing to get across without actually playing it.

In an ideal world, you would give everyone in the audience a VR headset so you can demo the games correctly. It is hard to get it across on a stage like that. But what we wanted to do was to demonstrate developer engagement – some really good progress has been made with some of these games. It was great to be able to make the announcement about Crytek coming on-board and announce Tekken 7 – which, with VR, is a very intriguing progress.

November 6th 2015

PlayStation VR is due out for PS4 early next year

What’s your current view on the headache issues, the high prices, the fact people might feel ridiculous wearing one of these helmets, and all of those barriers to entry that are often cited with VR? All of these things are things we are obviously looking at very, very carefully before we launch.

You can do all the research in the world, but until it’s actually out there, there are many things that just can’t be fully evaluated.

For VR to succeed, we need the big hardware makers to really push it. But with no certainty around its performance, you’ll also feel compelled to be cautious.

What can we expect from Sony?

The fact that it got so much time on the stage last week was an indication of our confidence. We now have a pretty considerable track record of launching new hardware products and this won’t suffer from lack of attention, I can say that.

For VR to move out of the core gaming space and into a broader audience, non-game experiences have to be absolutely key.

Jim Ryan, PlayStation

How will your launch investment compare to, say, a

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console launch? Or is this more akin to PlayStation Move and launches like that?

Because it is so different and unique, I am really hesitant of drawing any parallels with anything that has gone in the past. Because of the nature of the entertainment experience, the way you take something like this to market is going to be quite different.

The experiential aspect of marketing will be much more pronounced than anything we have ever done before. If you go back to the comment I made about when people take the headset off, I don’t think I’ve seen a single person that hasn’t gone: ‘Wow’. The more people you get doing that, the more you get telling their friends about it and getting their friends to buy it. You can then get yourself into a virtuous circle of a nice snowball effect. That could be quite powerful.

You showed The Walk demo on stage (a VR interactive piece of marketing for the recent highwire movie). How important will non-games be in driving VR amongst the masses?

First of all, this is a space where the classical distinction between ‘game’ and ‘non-game’ is probably likely to become somewhat irrelevant.

You could argue that that ‘The Walk’ thing is an interactive experience... so does that make it a game? You don’t use a DualShock controller, but it is an interactive experience.

I think this distinction that we’ve had in the past, with VR it’s going to become a blurred picture.

To the extent that VR moves out of the core gaming space and into a broader audience, that sort of experience has to be absolutely key.

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Thursday, November 19th

Congress Centre, London

THE CHANGING FACE OF VIDEO GAMES MARKETING BUILDING ENGAGEMENT & REACH The London Games Conference is the perfect way to promote your company or products directly to leading executives within the European games industry. The London Games Conference is an all-day event and includes five hours of content conference within the Main Lecture Theatre plus networking sessions and exhibition opportunities throughout the day.

Schedule 2.15pm: registration + coffee 3pm: Start 4.30pm: Coffee break (30 min) 5pm: Resume 7pm: Conference ends 7–9pm: Networking buffet Sponsorship packages still available, please contact: Conor Tallon on 01992 535 646 or ctallon@nbmedia.com

BOOK YOUR PLACE NOW Full-day conference Starts 2.00pm Tickets Still Available Discounts for UKIE, TIGA and Game Republic members

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CHEAT SHEET

UP & DOWN

Market Data A new Halo release caused software revenue to shoot up 71 per cent last week

£30m £15m

ASSASSIN’S Creed Syndicate falls to No.3 with sales only dropping 39 per cent

£26.2m 716,741 units

£30m £15m

£10.1m 307,453 units

Week Ending October 17th

£15.3m 434,162 units

Week Ending October 24th

AHEAD OF Black Ops III’s launch, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare rises ten places to No.15

Week Ending October 31st

EVENT CALENDAR

INTERFACE : November 12th

INSOMNIA56: December 11th

POCKET GAMER CONNECTS: January 13th

November 6th 2015

NOVEMBER 2015

DECEMBER 2015

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INTERFACE St Mary’s Church, near Baker Street, London, UK Thursday, November 12th Q B2B content marketplace for games pitching Q Visit www.interface.events for more details

MCV AND DEVELOP CHRISTMAS PARTY, IN ASSOCIATION WITH GAMESAID Sway Bar, Holborn, London Thursday, December 3rd Q Celebrate the festive season with your industry colleagues – from retailers to developers, media to distributors Q Entire industry invited, tickets cost just £10

APPS WORLD ExCel, London Wednesday November 18th – Thursday November 19th Q Developers, leading brands, start-ups and investors will be gathering for the seventh year of Apps World Q Two day event featuring over 300 speakers and 11 conferences LONDON GAMES CONFERENCE 2015 Congress Centre, 28 Great Russell Street, UK Thursday, November 19th Q LGC returns – this year with a focus on video as a platform for promoting and selling games Q Speakers include Twitter, Axis Animations, OP Talent, IHS Technology, Keymailer and Family Gamer TV

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INSOMNIA 56 The NEC, Birmingham, UK Friday, December 11th - Monday, December 14th Q Pro-gaming event moves to Birmingham’s NEC for the first time Q Features LAN gaming areas, Q&A sessions, eSports tournaments and an exhibition hall

JANUARY 2016 ..................................................................................

POCKET GAMER CONNECTS 2015 The Brewery Wednesday, January 13th – Thursday, January 14th Q Pocket Gamer’s two day conference includes over 120 speakers

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CHEAT SHEET

PRESENTS

5 SECOND FACTS

THE NEWS IN 140 CHARACTERS The Tweets you might have missed in the last seven days

Your shortcut to sounding clever in the pub, we take you around the industry in under 30 seconds

PLAYSTATION HOLDS PARIS GAMES WEEK CONFERENCE

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Sony’s media briefing at Paris Games Week saw a few big announcements. Heavy Rain dev David Cage is back with Detroit: Become Human, while a new Gran Turismo game, Sport, was revealed.

And PlayStation finally announced a release date for the huge sci-fi title, No Man’s Sky.

Mirror’s Edge Catalyst has been delayed by three months, EA has announced. The title will now be coming out on May 24th

5m

@Starfox118 PlayStation conference looked pretty good then. Nothing absolutely Earth shattering, but still some welcome announcements.

@MaxScoville Glad No Man’s Sky drops in June, I usually don’t do much in June. It’s a pretty low-key month for the gaming industry. ...Fuckers.

Max Scoville, IGN Tuesday, October 27th

Vaughn Highfield, Alphr Tuesday, October 27th

NINTENDO REVEALS FIRST MOBILE GAME

ACTIVISION BLIZZARD TO BUY KING FOR $5.9BN

Nintendo’s first foray into the world of mobile with DeNA is going to be free-to-play title Miitomo. The title is essentially a messaging app, with users communicating with their Miis.

Call of Duty firm Activision Blizzard has announced it will buy the mobile behemoth behind Candy Crush Saga, King.com, for $5.9 billion. The deal will be finalised in spring 2016.

@VG_Dave I guess you could say Nintendo’s first mobile game will be...

Mii-to-Play.

@AlysiaJudge Activision has bought King for $5.9bn - that’s either the largest accidental in-app purchase EVER or it has a plan...

David Scammell, Videogamer Thursday, October 29th

Alysia Judge, App Spy Tuesday, November 3rd

@SvendJoscelyne Nintendo’s smartphone game is Miitomo, a mobile Tomodachi Collection type thing.

Seems suited to mobile devices and fun.

Svend Joscelyne, Ziff Davis Thursday, October 29th

@tomphillipsEG Disney got Star Wars for a billion less than Activision has paid for Candy Crush developer King.

Tom Phillips, Eurogamer Tuesday, November 3rd

Konami has revealed that Metal Gear Solid V has shipped five million units since its launch in September

50 Over 50 titles are currently coming to PlayStation VR, including Ark: Survival Evolved and Tekken

50% Week One sales of Halo 5 were 50 per cent higher than the Week One sales of Halo: The Master Chief Collection

1m The League of Legends World Championships opener had one million concurrent Twitch viewers ANKA Headset - PDP Design and manufacture the Officially licensed Microsoft – fully Wireless Headset for Xbox ONE

europesales@pdp.com

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GAMESAID THIS WEEK SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST ..................

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PLAY YOUR PART BECOME A MEMBER AMBASSADOR TRUSTEE WWW.GAMESAID.ORG

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Developer HotGen is going the extra mile for GamesAid by taking part in the Mens Health Survival of the Fittest on November 21st. If you think completing a 5km run through a 20-obstacle course is worth donating to, visit www. justgiving.com/HotGen-Ltd

MCV AND DEVELOP CHRISTMAS PARTY ..................

To celebrate the year, MCV and Develop is bringing together the games industry for our Christmas Party at London’s Sway Bar. Admission costs £10, with all money made from tickets being donated to GamesAid.

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GAMES ON SONG 2015 ..................

Hark, the herald angels sing: Games on Song is back.

The games industry Christmas choir will perform at St Stephen’s Church in London on December 16th.

Stay up-to-date and get involved at www.facebook .com/GamesOnSong

November 6th 2015

MARKET MOVES

APPOINTMENTS

Ubisoft boosts UK marketing team Place and Martin join publisher O Gamer Network PR departs O Morris leaves Audiomotion after 17 years UBISOFT | The publisher has taken on a new group marketing manager.

CHRIS PLACE (top), joins from his role as business director at media agency Maxus, leading the Jeep, Alfa Romeo and Royal British Legion accounts.

“It’s a privilege and pleasure to have joined Ubisoft at such an exciting time, and I’m looking forward to a busy Q4,” said Place.

He will be joined by CHRIS MARTIN (above), who joins as digital marketing analyst.

Prior to Ubisoft, Martin worked at TV broadcaster Discovery

November 6th 2015

Stephens joined the Brighton-based media firm in January of this year.

Prior to this role he was senior PR manager at MMO publisher NCSoft. He joined that company in 2010 as PR manager before he was promoted in September 2013.

He was also a QA technician for both EA and Jagex.

At Gamer Network he is credited with establishing the firm’s EGX event in its new home of NEC Birmingham. He is leaving for new opportunities.

“I would like to thank Craig for all his hard work and effort over the last year and wish him well for the future,” Gamer Network COO SIMON MAXWELL told MCV.

Communications, where he was media management co-ordinator for over a year.

Martin will collate, analyse and report on data related to marketing performance of Ubisoft’s brands, with the aim to create tactics to boost the publisher’s marketing efficiency.

“This is a great opportunity to make a difference in an industry I’ve always been incredibly invested in,” Martin told MCV. GAMER NETWORK | Marketing and PR manager CRAIG STEPHENS has departed Eurogamer parent company Gamer Network.

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“Both EGX and EGX Rezzed are now perfectly set-up for continued success and expansion”.

AUDIOMOTION | MD MICK MORRIS has departed after 17 years at the major motioncapture firm.

Morris joined Audiomotion aged 24 in 1998.

He is yet to announce his next move, but said he would seek “a fresh and new challenge”.

“It will be very strange when Mick finally departs,” said Brian Mitchell, Audiomotion operations director. “He has been the popular front man for what now feels like a very, very long time.”

www.mcvuk.com

THE BIG GAME RISE OF THE TOMB RAIDER

RISE OF THE TOMB RAIDER

Comeback queen 2013’s Tomb Raider reboot marked a high point for the long-running adventure series. Now, Lara Croft returns in Rise of the Tomb Raider – with some major changes. Lead designer Michael Brinker tells Matthew Jarvis about going back to basics and making the platform leap to Xbox One

Release Date: November 13th Formats: Xbox One, 360 Publisher: Square Enix/Microsoft Developer: Crystal Dynamics

November 6th 2015

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RISE OF THE TOMB RAIDER THE BIG GAME

“WE’RE bringing the tombs back to Tomb Raider.”

It’s a phrase that Crystal Dynamics lead designer Michael Brinker repeats multiple times while discussing upcoming adventure title Rise of the Tomb Raider.

It’s an intriguing statement, for a number of reasons. Firstly, 2013’s self-titled Tomb Raider reboot built its success on a completely new foundation for the series. That game focused more on survival than the exploration of old. It gathered praise for its move away from the series’ well-worn tropes.

Secondly, well, that game actually did include tombs, in the form of optional side missions – although, those sections were far and few between.

Brinker explains that Rise of the Tomb Raider will re-introduce

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to drop all of its predecessor’s major revisions to the formula in favour of puzzles and crypts.

The 2013 reboot brought the sphere of influence full circle, as it adopted stronger platforming and action gameplay akin to titles like Uncharted – which themselves had borrowed from the original Tomb Raider games in the first place.

Gunplay and melee combat will make a return in this year’s game – albeit with some big alterations.

“It’s not just about tombs,” Brinker reinforces. “If you look at the core of our action combat experience, you don’t have to Michael Brinker, Crystal Dynamics go in all guns blazing; it’s got a heavy stealth component to it.

You look at how we’ve pushed her character as being smart and resourceful, and how she is really looking at survival

some of Lara Croft’s traditional habits. These will be combined with the modern aspects that helped 2013’s Tomb Raider become the best-selling entry in the series to date.

“There’s a lot of history; it’s a 20-year brand,” he observes. “If you look at what the franchise is, what’s it’s going to be and what it is now, puzzles and the core element of tomb raiding is super important. So we really focused on that this time.

“We are looking at ancient deadly spaces, at being large and epic, and making sure that Lara’s really searching and uncovering those ancient mysteries. She’s coming to be that quintessential tomb raider, so to speak.”

If you look at the Tomb Raider franchise, puzzles and the core element of tomb raiding are super important. We really focused on that.

TOMB TO BREATHE Make no mistake, however: Rise of the Tomb Raider isn’t about

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November 6th 2015

THE BIG GAME RISE OF THE TOMB RAIDER

Rise of the Tomb Raider’s world will include more optional missions and tombs

systems such as using elements in the world to craft items and gear and all that.”

Following in the silent footsteps of this year’s successful stealth games like Metal Gear Solid V and ahead of next year’s Hitman and Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, Rise of the Tomb Raider incorporates completely new stealth mechanics. Lara can take cover in bushes, distract enemies, eliminate threats quietly with a bow and arrow or even avoid combat completely by climbing trees and making her escape.

RAIDER REVELATIONS As well as continuing to shake up Tomb Raider’s gameplay, Rise of the Tomb Raider will also serve as a direct sequel to 2013’s reboot in terms of story and character development.

November 6th 2015

Mirror’s Edge and Thief writer Rhianna Pratchett returns to pen Lara’s new journey, having helmed the script for the previous game.

Reviewers and players praised the 2013 Tomb Raider’s gritty take on Lara’s experiences, with the heroine killing a human for the first time and surviving in harsh environments. Her resourcefulness comes into play once again in this year’s follow-up, with a new dynamic weather system and day-to-night cycle presenting environmental challenges. The ability to craft new items and upgrades returns; Lara can hunt and gather from the flora and fauna in the world to create improved survival gear.

But Lara won’t be braving the world alone; new characters she encounters throughout the game will offer optional missions and extra titbits of story.

What we’re trying to do is have our world come alive.

Michael Brinker, Crystal Dynamics

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“What we’re trying to do is have our world come alive,” explains Brinker. “Part of that and making Lara be resourceful is having her not only rely on the inanimate objects but the people that are there, and making those people feel realistic.

“The Remnant, the faction in the game, are a key component to Lara uncovering and figuring out ancient mysteries as well. She is going to go through some motions to help them so that she can further her quest as well. So you get to know them through these new missions that we have.”

WHAT’S IN THE XBOX? It may be coming to PS4 and PC next year, but Rise of the Tomb Raider is a Microsoft property first and foremost.

Alongside Halo 5: Guardians, it’s leading the charge in Microsoft’s

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RISE OF THE TOMB RAIDER THE BIG GAME

BRINGING TOMBS TO LIFE

first-party line-up for Xbox One this Christmas.

“Our partnership with Microsoft has been fantastic; they’ve been super helpful and we’ve been able to focus on that one platform and bring that experience to our fans – I think we’ve really done that,” says Brinker on the collaboration.

The game is also headed to Xbox 360, a move that – despite the older machine’s still sizeable install base – may raise eyebrows two years into the new generation of consoles. It also has incited forum discussions over the platform split’s effect on development. Could a 360 version harm the Xbox One release? Brinker allays such fears.

“We’re looking at making the best possible Tomb Raider experience on Xbox One so, if you look at what we have for our fan base and what we want, we want everyone to

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experience that as much as possible,” he explains.

“We are really focusing on Xbox One. I don’t think that there’s a good way of saying that there’s compromise on Xbox 360. Coming to both platforms is more about wanting to be able to have as many people play as possible.

Having the partnership with Microsoft has allowed us to do that.”

Brinker closes by placing his confidence in the new era of Tomb Raider, as Rise of the Tomb Raider looks set to prove 2013’s reboot wasn’t a singular success story.

“We’ve done an awful lot with what we have, and I’m super proud of the game we have,” he enthuses. “I’m sure that it’ll be a good success in the market. We’ve put a really good title together.”

RISE OF THE TOMB RAIDER is exclusive to Xbox One and Xbox 360 until 2016.

Michael Brinker, lead designer at studio Crystal Dynamics, says that the concentration on Microsoft’s machines has allowed the team to push the technological power of the game.

“In the Syrian level, there’s a nice vista when you first arrive, with sunlight coming through and shadows and soft shadowing on the walls,” he recalls.

“We have a global illumination solution called PBR (physically-based rendering), and that allows us to do several different things. We’ve got a

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lot of beautiful soft shadowing, then sub-surface scattering on Lara’s skin so the light reflects correctly. Then we have her hair simulation and morph targeting with facial expressions and movement for animation, too.

“All of that is possible when you focus on a platform like this, and the power of what the Xbox One gives you, really pushes the boundaries of fidelity.

“I was at [American games show] PAX and people were walking by looking at the game.

Their jaws would drop and they’d be like ‘oh my god, this looks amazing’. That’s because we’ve been able to focus on the one platform.”

November 6th 2015

INTERVIEW J.B. MCREE, HTC

Virtually ready: Can HTC steal a lead on Oculus?

HTC’s Vive VR headset – developed in collaboration with games giant Valve – is out in a matter of weeks. But can it really compete with Oculus’ billions and PlayStation’s massive audience?

Christopher Dring asks HTC’s VR senior product marketing manager, J.B. McRee

M

CV has played with a whole host of virtual reality products this year, all of them filled with promise, but we’ve not quite experienced anything as good as HTC’s Vive.

Created between Valve and HTC, Vive boasts tech that enables players to move in real life, and for that movement to be reflected in-game (see How does it work?).

VR-induced headaches, HTC says, are a thing of the past. This is the most immersive VR experience yet.

Yet, for all the fun we had, it’s easy to see where Vive’s challenges lie.

MCV tried the device in a large blank space, there was no table to stub our toes on, no cat to get under our feet, and even in this blank space we found ourselves tangled up in the headset’s wires.

To get the most out of Vive, you’ll need plenty of room. And space is not something everyone has.

“We have looked at this issue,” says senior product marketing manager J.B. McRee. “You can rest comfortably knowing that you don’t have to use it as room scale... you can use this as a seated experience. You can use it standing, you can use room scale with the size of two Yoga mats, and it can expand all the way out to 15 by 15 feet... which is the limitation of the cable length coming off of the computer.

“Of course, the most compelling experience is to have a large space so that people can walk around. There’s this term ‘presence’ in VR - that feeling of immersion that means you forget where you are. The floor space is a multiplier to that feeling, because it makes

November 6th 2015

Job Simulator was the first SteamVR game to be announced

you feel even more part of the experience. Position-tracked controllers designed specifically for VR [included with Vive] is also a presence multiplier... the combination of the floor space and the controller definitely make the experience much more immersive.”

HTC brings its awardwinning design. Valve has its developer relationships and its large community.

That combination is exciting.

BEATING OCULUS The combination of Valve and HTC is potent, but it’s going to have a real fight on its hands to take on some of its bigger rivals. PlayStation VR has a potential audience of 30m PS4 owners, whereas Oculus Rift boasts Facebook’s billions of dollars.

“HTC has been looking at many different things outside of phones for a very long time, and VR has been a big part of that” says McRee, answering our question on how it hopes to compete.

“And Valve has been working on VR for a very long time, about three years now, so they were building what was setting itself up to be the

J.B. McRee, HTC

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GAMING PROWESS MCV went hands-on with a number of VR projects for Vive, including shipwreck experience Under The Sea, a demo based on Portal, a zombie shooter called Arizona Sunshine and, our favourite, Job Simulator.

They were all enjoyable experiences (as was the 3D painting demo), but could any of them potentially be Vive’s killer app?

“I see things on a weekly basis that blow my mind when I think about their potential,” says marketing boss J.B. McRee. “Sometimes it’s not exactly what that application is, but it is an opportunity for that experience transforming into something else.

“People ask: ‘Is HTC trying to drive things in a certain direction?’. No-one is the expert right now. It is in its infancy, nobody knows what those big things are going to be. Our goal is to work in partnership with Valve to give developers the tools they need to create their vision, without giving them much direction.”

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J.B. MCREE, HTC INTERVIEW

most compelling VR experience possible. They just didn’t really know how to build it, they were buying parts off of eBay. So when we checked in with Valve and see this, we were blown away. HTC brings award-winning design and global distribution and the ability to take something and miniaturise it.

Valve has its developer relationships and its large community. That combination is exciting.”

One advantage HTC and Valve also has is its early launch. A short number of Vive headsets will be out before Christmas, beating both Oculus and PlayStation VR to market. The hope is not just to attract consumers, but also to give developers a chance to get to grips with the device faster.

Ultimately, however, HTC is keeping its expectations in check. McRee acknowledges that everyone has ‘a different understanding and indication of how big they think VR will be,’ but says it isn’t expecting immediate

results. The early adopters, he says, will be affluent gamers and tech enthusiasts. This won’t win over the mass market overnight.

“But it will be huge and grow really quickly. By 2020 it is going to be massive,” he says. “I think about the opportunities for education and training – it is just mind-blowing where it is going to go.”

It is important that the first VR units that come out are very, very compelling. It is a burden on our shoulders to do that.

PREMIUM POWER Also, don’t expect Vive to be a cutprice offering once it launches. The tech that allows for the tracking, the special controller inputs – plus the headset – will likely make this one of the pricier VR devices. Yet McRee isn’t concerned, and says it’s important to deliver a high-end experience, not just for the good of HTC and Valve, but the entire VR industry.

“We haven’t revealed the price yet, but we are definitely focused on the most premium experience and highest performance, and we will not sacrifice quality of

J.B. McRee, HTC

performance for accessibility,” he insists. “We are not going to cut corners. It is important for the whole market that the first VR units that come out are very, very compelling. It is a burden on our shoulders to do that.”

People will also be watching Vive closely to see how it overcomes the perceived ‘barriers’ that face VR. Not just with the aforementioned price issues, but also the social challenges of playing a game with a large piece of technology strapped to your face.

“We hear things like that quite a bit,” says McRee. “Wearing this in public is one thing. But in the privacy of your home, and you get the excitement of doing something really cool... the value this will bring to people’s lives will allow them to quickly get over the fact they are wearing something.”

The truth is nobody knows just how well VR will perform. The launch of Vive will be a useful barometer for the entire market.

HOW DOES IT WORK? THE Vive separates itself from PlayStation, Samsung and Oculus’ headsets by allowing gamers to actually move around. Step forward in real life, and you’ll step forward in the game.

This is made possible via a new piece of tech called Lighthouse from Half-life creators Valve. Two boxes (or ‘base stations’) are placed around the room that can track movement and put the player fully in the virtual world. Most of the games MCV played only allowed for basic movement – you don’t need acres of space to play this – but it certainly added another layer of immersion to the technology.

Vive also comes with two controllers that gamers grip in their hands, allowing for one-to-one response.

These two elements have combined to create one of the most realistic VR experiences on the market.

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November 6th 2015

XXX XXX INTERVIEW STAR WARS BATTLEFRONT

The Force is strong with this one With less than a month before Star Wars Battlefront blasts into retail, Matthew Jarvis catches up with EA’s Alice Brandvik to see how the publisher plans to make the titantic brand even bigger

W

ho would’ve thought, five years ago, that a new Star Wars title would be one of the most anticipated games of 2015?

Yet, here we are, with Star Wars Battlefront set to be one of – if not the – biggest titles of Christmas. Gamer anticipation has unsurprisingly been building to boiling point since its reveal at last year’s E3.

“There’s a fantastic level of excitement for Battlefront,” says Alice Brandvik, senior product marketing manager for Battlefront at EA. “The team at [developer] DICE are genuine Star Wars fans and their love of the brand is evident in their faithful recreation of the universe.”

DICE found its success with the Battlefield series, so it’s tempting to see Battlefront as simply a Star Warsflavoured extension to that franchise.

But the two titles offer plenty of differences, and Brandvik is confident the changes will attract a greater number of mainstream players.

“DICE’s pedigree with shooter titles is well known and, whilst there will be some cross-over with core FPS fans, the Star Wars subject matter obviously opens this game up to a much broader audience,” she explains.

BETA-FRONT If the words ‘Star Wars’ haven’t already convinced you Battlefront will be a hit, take a look at the numbers.

EA launched a beta peek of the title last month, which ended up being the publisher’s biggest to date. The interest drove ‘very strong’ pre-orders for the game, and led the publisher to increase its sales expectations for the title to 13 million units this year.

“We’ve had some great opportunities to get the game into people’s hands before launch, winning Game of the Show at EGX and having over 9.5 million people

November 6th 2015

play the beta worldwide,” comments Brandvik. “The feedback we’ve had has been great, and we’re seeing real excitement for the game’s launch.”

BATTLE PLAN Of course, Battlefront isn’t the only Star Wars property returning to screens this winter. There’s the longawaited seventh episode of the film series, The Force Awakens, set for release in mid-December – plus the new Star Wars additions to games like Disney Infinity.

As part of the marketing wave surrounding the brand, EA has partnered with Sony to offer consumers a special PS4 branded with Darth Vader. (See ‘PlayStation Padawans’).

That’s just the start of its prerelease campaign for the IP. “Battlefront is a key priority for us this year and, as such, we have a triple-A launch campaign planned,” reveals Brandvik.

“We’re partnering closely with Sony, Disney and Lucasfilm across the campaign to make sure we’re an integral part of the Star Wars universe for both gamers and film fans alike.”

Battlefront will be an integral part of the Star Wars universe for gamers and film fans alike.

Alice Brandvik, EA

PLAYSTATION PADAWANS EA is working alongside PlayStation to promote Battlefront, with a number of perks.

Chief among these is a Darth Vaderbranded PS4 bundle, including a copy of Battlefront and four digital classic titles.

Sony has also launched a nostalgic TV advert, featuring Star Wars ships.

“We are partnered with EA on every element of the campaign,” says PlayStation group marketing manager Lauren Bradley. “Since E3, we’ve worked together supporting regular asset drops, joint stands at events like Gamescom and EGX, and this will continue.”

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She adds: “Reception from fans and stores to the Vader console has been great. This Christmas will no doubt bring a whole new generation of padawans into the Star Wars universe, making the galaxy’s most powerful console an awesome Christmas gift for such a broad audience.”

Sony’s investment will expand beyond the launch of movie The Force Awakens, too.

“The film release gives us an unique opportunity to see a second wave of sales,” explains Bradley. “This generation, the shooter audience is tending to switch over to PS4, so we’ve got high expectations for both launch and into next year.”

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STREET FIGHTER V INTERVIEW

Fighting talk The first core Street Fighter title in eight years, Street Fighter V, is preparing to do battle on PS4 and PC next year. But has the gap given younger fighting games the chance to take down the veteran champ? Matthew Jarvis speaks to Capcom brand manager Brian Ayers

I

t may not seem like it, but it’s been nearly a decade since the last numbered Street Fighter game.

That’s right: Street Fighter IV came out in 2008. Of course, you might not have noticed the time passing, given the release of Super Street Fighter IV in 2010, Street Fighter X Tekken in 2012 and Ultra Street Fighter IV in 2014 – to name but three.

Such updates and spin-offs are all fervently received by fans of Capcom’s seminal fighting series, but nothing compares to the excitement around a completely new revision.

Next year’s Street Fighter V could prove to be the franchise’s biggest reinvention yet, as it opens up the close-knit community to a new generation of players.

“The ambitions with Street Fighter V were to make the game approachable and accessible again, but also to make everything with the characters feel a lot more individual and bring out more chances for people to find the right competitor that suits them,” explains Brian Ayers, EMEA brand manager at Capcom.

To help promote the new game as an entry point for series newcomers, Street Fighter V will build on its predecessors’ popularity as titles played at a professional level.

“We really hope that Street Fighter V can bring in a newer, younger audience,” Ayers continues.

“Perhaps more of an eSports audience, as well. Street Fighter is actually one of the first eSports titles out there, but it’s relatively underground compared to the likes of Dota 2 and League of Legends.”

ALL FOR ONE One major change with Street Fighter V is its release plan.

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Street Fighter V will be an evolving service

Unlike its predecessors, the title will not have an ‘Ultra’ or ‘Super’ re-release a couple of years after its launch. Instead, the base game will be expanded and enhanced as gameplay is tweaked, characters are added and features expanded.

This will help with its growth as an eSport; minor alterations between versions can make a huge difference for professional competitors, so ensuring everyone has the same edition of the game ensures everyone is on a level playing field.

It also means that those left puzzled by the fluctuations between multiple different Street Fighter SKUs in the past need worry no more – there’s only one choice.

“We’re not free-to-play, in as much as you will still have to buy that core game, but Street Fighter V will essentially be the only disc you’ll ever need to buy,” explains Ayers.

“You won’t get Super Street Fighter

We hope that Street Fighter V can bring in a newer, younger audience.

Brian Ayers, Capcom

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V or Ultra Street Fighter V. It will just be that core release, which will hopefully make it more accessible so people aren’t questioning which version they have to buy.”

Although it will be sold as a retail product, Street Fighter V will also include micro-transactions. The model will allow players to purchase new characters as they are added to the game – by spending real money or earning currency by playing.

“We’ve announced that the vast majority of our post-release content you’ll be able to unlock for free,” says Ayers. “I say for free – there is an investment, but it’s tiny. It’s a very varied range of content because we’ve mapped out for the first time a proper schedule of post-support.

“People who want to just pick it all up can do so, but then you can earn in-game currency – Fight Money – and grind out those characters instead.

November 6th 2015

INTERVIEW STREET FIGHTER V

“You might be younger and not have as much money, but might be time-rich, so to speak. It’ll be really interesting to see how that performs.

“Moving to a service-based platform means we can be a lot more reactive to balancing; we don’t have to wait for another disc version.

We’ll be making sure we have a dedicated balancing timeframe.

“It also allows us to react to fan feedback – maybe if we don’t get something quite right or if fans want to see more of something else. Capcom has a pretty good reputation for listening to fans, and we can continue that and be a lot more reactive.”

NO CONTEST Street Fighter V will be consoleexclusive to PS4 when it arrives next February, with a PC version landing simultaneously. Players on each platform will be able to fight each against each other, thanks to cross-platform compatibility.

PS4 gamers were granted a sneak peek of the game earlier this year in the form of several beta tests. These were plagued with several connectivity issues – but Ayers is positive about the effect locking to a single console will have on the finished game.

“It means we can work an awful lot closer with Sony,” he explains. “We are a bigger priority to them. Sony is great to work with, especially on beta support. We had our first beta recently with mixed results – it started slowly, we had to shut it down and roll it out again. A lot of that learning came from Sony. You wouldn’t necessarily get that if you were multi-platform.

“What it allows us to do is try something really new and exciting, which is the cross-play functionality.

Because PC is essentially an open platform with its own audience and its own characteristics, it’s really exciting to be doing that. It’s a big act to follow up on, so we’ve got to back it up.

“The end result will be worth it; we’ll be able to learn things that previously maybe we didn’t, in terms of seeing if PC gamers have a certain style compared to PS4 players. You might even be able to look at a match and tell that it’s a PC player – even though they’re using the same controllers, as you wouldn’t want to play Street

November 6th 2015

Fighter on a keyboard. You might see those little nuances come out.”

FIGHTING THROUGH THE AGES Brian Ayers, EMEA brand manager at Capcom for Street Fighter V, looks at how the fighting game genre has evolved since the first Street Fighter launched back in 1987

A NEW SET OF MOVES In an industry full of passionately vocal fans, Street Fighter still stands out as having one of the most dedicated audiences around.

That makes the introduction of new characters and gameplay mechanics a delicate task, as developer Dimps balances the need to push the brand forward with retaining fanfavourite elements that have been series staples for over 25 years.

(See ’Fighting Through the Ages’.)

“The long time that Street Fighter has been around makes innovation tricky but, at the same time, it allows you to build some foundations and fundamentals,” observes Ayers.

“You have a long history of the game having a certain quality that always makes it feel like Street Fighter. You can tweak a lot of elements to it, and probably go quite far away from the core sometimes – Street Fighter III in particular was a very, very technical fighter, but it still had that Street Fighter element to it.

“It’s a certain je ne sais quoi quality. As long as that feel is there, you can take liberties in certain ways. As long as you’re always able to do a fireball, then I think we’ll be okay.”

With Street Fighter V set to rock the fighting game genre for players old new and old in February next year, Ayers is confident the right changes are being made to juggle its significant legacy with a modern approach to games releases.

“Previous Street Fighter games could feel a bit prohibitive, so it’s very much at the forefront of our minds to make Street Fighter V more approachable and accessible,” he reiterates. “Not just the game, but the business model, too.”

“IN terms of how it’s changed, there’s a lot more of it.

“Capcom with Street Fighter was quite lucky in as much as Street Fighter II, in particular, hit at just the right time, blew the competition away and really raised the bar – not only for its own franchise, but also setting a new standard.

“You don’t have that kind of luxury in the fighting game scene today because there is an awful lot out there and an awful lot of it is really good.

“What’s really exciting about the fighting game genre, and certainly the community, is there’s a real approachability in terms of the way people are with each other. There’s a quite

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friendly rivalry that you maybe don’t get with other genre competitors. That includes Tekken or Mortal Kombat fans giving Street Fighter a go, and then vice-versa. You get these fantastic situations where you see [Mortal Kombat character] Scorpion cosplayers demoing Street Fighter at EGX and stuff.

“That goes right up to the top, to Yoshinori Ono, our Street Fighter V studio head, being really good friends with Katsuhiro Harada, who looks after the Tekken series. That results in things happening that you could’ve never imagined before, such as Street Fighter X Tekken.”

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INTERVIEW KOCH MEDIA

Koch Media on Kickstarter, indie retail and offering the best of both worlds Craig McNicol, Northern Europe MD, and Paul Nicholls, sales and marketing director for Northern Europe, discuss Koch Media’s big changes during the last year, reveal the benefits of being both a publisher and distributor, and detail its brand new Superindie offering for smaller retailers What have Koch Media’s headline achievements been during 2015?

Craig McNicol, Northern Europe MD: 2015 has been a busy year for Koch Media. We have continued to strengthen our relationships with existing publishing partners and have signed distribution partnerships with Sega and Square Enix.

We released 11 titles so far this year, all of

Koch’s McNicol sees the firm’s campaigns as key to its games’ success

November 6th 2015

You scaled back your film division to focus on home entertainment, and then announced plans to move into TV with David Attenborough’s Great Barrier Reef. Why you have made these moves?

McNicol: At our heart we are an entertainment distributor, with an entrepreneurial drive to take opportunities that the market allows.

which received creative and successful campaigns.

One of our proudest achievements of 2015 may come as a surprise; thanks to our UK strategy and total games marketing approach, Farming Simulator has continued to go from strength-to-strength and delivered exceptional sell-through results.

You’ve signed distribution deals for Kickstarted titles such as Wasteland 2, Divinity: Original Sin and Mighty No. 9. What has working with crowdfunded titles been like?

Paul Nicholls, sales and marketing director for Northern Europe: Kickstarter is not the reason that we decided to distribute or publish these titles; these are all great products from independent developers that just happen to be funded through Kickstarter.

Koch Media looks for interesting products and these independent developers were looking for distribution.

They chose Koch Media as we can give them the best coverage across Europe, with bespoke campaigns managed by teams that are nimble enough to deal with all of their needs.

One unique benefit that Kickstarter affords us is a contribution to pre-awareness with consumers, which is always a benefit.

There has been a seismic shift in the services publishers require from their distribution partners.

Paul Nicholls, Koch Media

Whilst it’s true that the competitiveness of the cinema industry in the UK has led us to have a strategy review, we have seen a burgeoning opportunity for us to step up our efforts in the TV-led home entertainment category.

Koch has continued its close work with the UK’s independent retail sector in 2015. Why is indie retail so valuable for you?

Nicholls: The independent retail sector is constantly evolving.

We now have an exciting mix of online, market place and the more traditional High Street stores.

We have looked at and listened closely to independent retailers. We see creative, diverse, entertainment entrepreneurs who strive for a point of difference to keep them competitive.

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All of these qualities appeal to the ethos of Koch Media and, in order to consistently understand and deliver on the requirements of independent retailers, Koch Media, as a supportive distributor, has recognised the need to evolve our management of these important accounts.

As such, we have created Superindie, a suite of services that recognises the diverse mix of operations within the independent sector and the individual needs they have to remain competitive.

You recently restructured the company, including relocating some staff to your Reading HQ. Could you talk about the move?

Nicholls: Our entire UK operation is now located in our new HQ in Theale, Reading. We moved in at the beginning of October and are now well settled.

Our reasons for relocating were twofold and probably the reasons that most companies relocate: the lease for our office in London was up and our games team based in Basingstoke had almost outgrown the office, so we took the opportunity to move all of the teams into one place.

You signed a deal with Square Enix to manage the sales and distribution of its titles in the UK. What are your expectations for the partnership going forwards?

McNicol: The market is changing with the fast growth of digital and is more generally an increasingly disruptive environment in which entertainment companies have to compete with gamers’ spare time.

With this as a backdrop, content owners are making long-term

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KOCH MEDIA INTERVIEW

decisions on how they deploy their internal resources. Because of our close relationship, we have been able to react swiftly to what Square Enix has asked of us.

What’s the latest news from your operations in the rest of Europe?

McNicol: As with the UK, our European business is thriving.

Our key strength lies within our teams in our European offices; we have experienced, creative and passionate staff who care deeply about the products they work on. This applies not only to our European offices, but also to our international and US teams.

What are the greatest challenges facing the distribution sector?

Nicholls: In the last year there has been a seismic shift in the services publishers require from their distribution partners; in a changing market with changing structures,

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What are your plans for 2016?

McNicol: We have an amazing year ahead of us with standout new releases and a rich back catalogue from both our own catalogue and from our distribution partners.

We aim to deliver our trademark creative campaigns for every new release: Deus Ex, Homefront, Total War Warhammer and Hitman.

We will continue to evolve Superindie to ensure that our distribution business remains as relevant to the independent retail sector as it is now.

publishers require their distributors to take a more core publishing role in their supply chain.

In addition to warehousing and logistics, the priority is delivering sales to the full market by implementing highly creative trade marketing, marketing and PR campaigns, driving sales from pre-order to launch and maximising sales over the full life cycle of the product.

This needs to be intrinsically linked with publishers’ marketing campaigns by driving all asset beats and activity through our retail channels to maximise exposure and sales.

This desire for a publishing approach fits perfectly with Koch Media, as we are both distributor and publisher – with a proven track record in both.

We are seeing this challenge manifest itself into opportunity through our partnerships with Sega and Square Enix, who see the advantages in this approach.

Nicholls praises Kickstarter as a way to build consumer awareness ahead of a title’s release

31

November 6th 2015

MARKETPLACE Sponsored by

SHELF LIFE Level Up Games’ Alex Bowness reveals why retro has been attracting Canterbury students, why he only sells weird products online and how come Sega Mega Drive games are proving bigger than PS4 and Xbox One How has business been?

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can square this wholly at the modern retailers. The more that Nintendo keeps putting onto its Wii U eShop, the more people are remembering the things that they used to play.

factor. Canterbury is not a big city, so having all the universities around here has really helped.

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Recently – not just with students, but with everyone – Sega Mega Drives, Super Nintendos and N64s have really had a big resurgence. So have Dreamcasts.

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With the Nintendo stuff, and any of the retro bits and pieces, you

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MARKETPLACE

Level Up Games 22 Burgate, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 2HG

a portal for the Facebook group.

The social media curve is a lot more immediate and we can post announcements of new stock and people will then contact us for prices. It’s much more interesting to have a dialogue with consumers, and a lot of our customers really appreciate the fact that we actually talk to them about what they’re buying.

What have you got planned over the next 12 months?

Phone: 01227 785 002 Website: levelup-games.co.uk Facebook: /levelupgamescanterbury

We’ve been streamlining a little to try and make more space for more of the retro. We’re going to be rebranded and re-merchandising in order to push the retro stuff going out. We’ve been doing this over the last year with Sega merchandise. The Master System and Mega Drive section is four times the size of the PS3, PS4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One areas combined. It tells you a lot about what people are wanting to buy.

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WANT TO FEATURE YOUR OUTLET IN MCV? Contact acalvin@nbmedia.com or call 01992 515 303

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33

November 6th 2015

CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS III

CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS III The world’s biggest shooter returns to paint games retail Black. Matthew Jarvis checks out the best merchandise going

THE creator of Call of Duty’s Black Ops sub-series is coming to PS4 and Xbox One for the first time.

Treyarch has taken three years since 2012’s Black Ops II to create its successor, this week’s Black Ops III. It has quite the legacy to live up to. At the time of its release, Black Ops II achieved the biggest retail release of a game ever.

The title grossed over half a billion dollars and sold more than 7.5 million units in the US alone.

At the time of its release, Black Ops II achieved the biggest entertainment launch ever recorded.

It maintained its record for the largest entertainment launch day recorded until the release of Grand Theft Auto V the following year.

Black Ops II even surpassed the impressive release day records set by Infinity Ward’s defining Call of Duty series, Modern Warfare. that game is the second-bestselling Call of Duty of all time with over 24 million units sold, behind Modern Warfare 3 and the first Black Ops.

SKULL ZIPPER HOODIE Call of Duty fans can keep warm in this hoodie, emblazoned with the Black Ops III logo. A zipper runs down the centre of the top. The back of the apparel features a large imposing skull – the ideal way to intimate rival multiplayer teams. Or make gamers’ dogs jump.

SRP: £34.99 Manufacturer: Bioworld Europe Distributor: Gaming Merchandise UK Contact: hello@gamingmerchandiseuk.com

BADGE PACK

A40 TR MOD KIT

SKULL PRINT BEANIE

Unlike grenades, these pins are the kind gamers will want to get their hands on. Six assorted designs are included.

Decorated with official Black Ops III artwork, this pack allows Call of Duty fans to customise their Astro Gaming A40 headset.

Macabre skull outlines pattern this cosy headwear. Great for covert missions in Siberia – or just lazing on the sofa at home.

SRP: £2.99 Manufacturer: GB Eye Distributor: GB Eye Contact: 0114 276 7454

SRP: TBC Manufacturer: Astro Gaming Distributor: Lime Distribution Contact: 01622 845 161

SRP: £14.99 Manufacturer: Bioworld Europe Distributor: Gaming Merchandise UK Contact: hello@gamingmerchandiseuk.com

November 6th 2015

34

www.mcvuk.com

CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS III

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The extra year of development on Black Ops III has allowed Treyarch to utilise more of the PS4 and Xbox One systems – the studio says the game has been completely overhauled from the technical foundation of the first two Black Ops titles.

That’s not the only big change for Call of Duty this year; after years of Xbox partnership, the franchise has now turned to the blue side with a co-marketing deal with PlayStation.

As well as letting players experience the title’s DLC earlier than their Xbox counterparts, Sony has also launched a branded 1TB PS4 console SKU which is decked out in orange and black and includes a copy of the game.

This year’s Call of Duty promises to be another recordbreaking launch for the franchise, and fans will be clamouring to get their hands on Black Ops III merchandise around the game’s launch.

SKULL LOGO BACKPACK Various compartments comprise this dual-strap bag, adorned in Black Ops III’s orange and black colour scheme and decorated with the skull logo for the title. Players looking to take their console to a friend’s house for a multiplayer match (or those just looking for street cred at school) would be wise to invest.

SRP: £34.99 Manufacturer: Bioworld Europe Distributor: Gaming Merchandise UK Contact: hello@gamingmerchandiseuk.com

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Four glasses make up this Black Ops IIIthemed pack. With just four shots, gamers should certainly hope they stay accurate.

Those that escape the undead hordes of Black Ops III’s bonus game mode can proudly display their feat with this keyring.

Designed to help players quick on the trigger increase their speed and accuracy, these sticks attack to the Xbox One pad.

SRP: £7.99 Manufacturer: GB Eye Distributor: GB Eye Contact: 0114 276 7454

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35

November 6th 2015

HOT PRODUCTS

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HOT PRODUCTS MCV takes a look at the best accessories heading to UK retail. This week, we rock out with the Guitar Hero Live controller and game on the go thanks to a new Apple iOS pad

GUITAR HERO LIVE STANDALONE GUITAR CONTROLLER GUITAR HERO’S iconic multicoloured controller of the past has been revamped for a new generation of the Activision music rhythm title.

The single row of five buttons has been replaced by two rows of three buttons. This allows gamers to pull off more complex chord shapes and finger movements while jamming, offering a more realistic playing experience.

The two rows are textured differently, making it easier for players to pull off the correct finger movements without getting confused.

Those who mastered the past Guitar Hero controller will find a new level of challenge in the redesigned instrument. However, newcomers will conversely find it easier to learn, thanks to the ability to restrict playing to a single row of buttons.

Not everything has changed: the popular strum bar of old has returned, accompanied by the

whammy bar for expert soloists to maximise their score. Pro players can pull off Guitar Hero Live’s new Hero Powers by tilting the axe upwards, or by using the new Hero Power button.

As well as this, a button dedicated to the new Guitar Hero TV mode lets players jump into the continuously streaming gameplay mode whenever they want.

The Guitar Hero Live Guitar Controller is available for PS4, Xbox One, Wii U, PS3 and Xbox 360, and connects wirelessly via Bluetooth.

In addition, the instrument will be made compatible with the mobile versions of the game in a future update.

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November 6th 2015

AS Apple TV gears up to become a gaming presence in the Living Room, Logic3 has launched a new controller compatible with iOS devices including the Apple TV, iPad and iPhone.

The Logic3 PXN Speedy connects wirelessly via Bluetooth and will work with any device from the iPhone 5 or iPad 4 onwards that has a Lightning connection port. It is MFi-certified, meaning that Apple has approved the peripheral for use with its products.

Any game from the Apple App Store that supports controller input can be played with the Speedy. Up to four pads can be hooked up to one device for multiplayer titles.

Taking design inspiration from the popular Xbox 360 controller, the

36

pad features staggered analogue sticks, an elevated circular D-pad and large ABXY face buttons on its front, plus back bumpers and triggers.

Included with the Speedy is an iPhone holder, which can be attached to the peripheral to turn the system into a handheld games console. The holder fits any iPhone, but will not stretch to hold an iPad Mini – separate iPad stands for that purpose are available separately.

The Speedy is powered by an internal rechargeable battery which can be charged using a micro USB cable, one of which is included.

The controller has an integrated sleep mode to conserve battery life, but will last up to 25 hours on a single charge.

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INSIDER’S GUIDE

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WHO? Specialism: Market intelligence Location: 12 Wellesley Crescent, Twickenham, TW2 5RT, UK

Develop is the only dedicated publication for the UK and European games development community. It reaches over 300,000 subscribers every month.

Chris Stanton-Jones, owner of Catapult Business Solutions, talks about leaving Sony to go it alone

FOR GREAT ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES, CONTACT CHARLOTTE NANGLE CNANGLE@NBMEDIA.COM

Tell us about your company.

After a long and enjoyable career at Sony, I left in 2008 to set up on my own as a consultant. I’m part market analyst, part sales and distribution advisor and part outsourced sales manager to games companies large and small. I do many things and cover most of the world, but I tend to specialise in the interesting and dynamic emerging markets: Russia, Middle East, India, Latin America, Asia and so on. This was my area whilst at Sony; I was VP for distributor or export territories.

THIS MONTH’S DIRECTORY SPOTLIGHT: MHT TV GAME................................................................. gerry@mhtgame.com

What successes have you seen recently?

Longevity. I am just starting my eighth self-employed year, yet I hear that the average life of a consultant before they head back to the safety of the corporate world is only one or two years. I am also proud of the fact that I have completed consultancy or market intel work for almost all of the top 15 console software publishers, and many of the top accessory companies, too.

What are you working on?

I am writing games market updates covering boxed and digital sectors for Russia and Turkey. There are interesting and challenging times for both these territories right now. I am also representing an up-and-coming publisher called Soedesco, helping them to find distribution partners in Europe and the emerging territories.

To be included in the Develop Directory (which appears every month in Develop and now every week in MCV) contact cnangle@nbmedia.com

On the console software side, the Middle East is just on fire at the moment.

What are the biggest trends affecting you right now?

On the console software side, the Middle East is just on fire at the moment with most publishers now seriously looking at Arabic localisation. On the digital side, territories like Russia, Turkey and Poland continue to grow.

Mobile gaming is going to feature particularly prominently here; at last, the lower income masses in these high population countries can now easily access and afford to get into gaming.

How did you choose your name?

Chris at Catapult has a ring to it, doesn’t it? Plus, I try to ‘catapult’ my clients’ revenues – cringe.

WANT TO FEATURE YOUR COMPANY IN INSIDER’S GUIDE? PLEASE CONTACT MJARVIS@NBMEDIA.COM OR CALL 01992 515 303

WWW.DEVELOP-ONLINE.NET www.mcvuk.com

Contact: W: catapultbusiness.co.uk E: chris@catapultbusiness.co.uk P: 0208 898 4594 S: chrisstanton2

41

November 6th 2015

FACTFILE UKRAINE Sponsored by

INTERNATIONAL FACTFILE: UKRAINE Population: 44,429,471 Capital City: Kiev Currency: Hryvnia GDP (Per Capita): $2,199 KEY RETAILERS GameStop TOP DISTRIBUTORS 1C-SoftClub

TOP DEVELOPERS 4A Games, GSC Gameworld, Ubisoft Kiev, Room 8 Studio, Frogwares, Vostok Games PUBLISHERS IN THE REGION Ubisoft, EA, Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo, Black Wing Foundation

THE Ukrainian games market is one of the smallest in Eastern Europe, despite being home to a number of games firms that have struck it big on the global stage.

According to market research firm SuperData, digital games revenue last year totalled $68 million (£44.3m) in Ukraine, comprising just three per cent of the $2.2 billion (£1.4bn) Eastern European industry. The only country smaller in the territory is Belarus, which contributed two per cent.

Players in the region play titles for the third-longest period of any Eastern European country, enjoying games for 82 days on average – almost two weeks longer than Russia’s 70 days. It is perhaps unsurprising given the country’s low average monthly salary of UAH 4,299 (£122.32) (State Statistics Service of Ukraine) that players spend the least of any Eastern European region

on extra content in games, investing $59.11 (£38.54) per title and $2.91 (£1.90) per microtransaction on average (SuperData).

Analyst outlet Euromonitor reports that in the console space, Sony leads the market.

The launch of PS4 last February helped the platform holder to claim 15 per cent of the market value share overall. In terms of home console hardware, Sony occupied 43 per cent of the sector last year.

Arguably, the nation’s bestknown developer is 4A Games, which created post-apocalyptic shooter Metro 2033 and its sequel, Metro: Last Light. However, the Ukrainian studio uprooted from its Kiev office early last year and relocated to Malta.

Another of Ukraine’s major development outlets – STALKER creator GSC Gameworld – re-opened its doors last December, having closed in 2011.

Ukraine is the secondsmallest market for digital games in Eastern Europe.

November 6th 2015

42

www.mcvuk.com

UKRAINE FACTFILE

MEANWHILE IN... TAIWAN The Asian country has begun efforts to become the sixth country to recognise competitive gaming as a sport PROFESSIONAL gaming could be classified as an ‘indoor sport’ in Taiwan, if talks that started last month come to fruition.

The country’s Department of Economic Development and the Taiwan eSports League submitted an appeal to the Ministry for Education to open discussions over the recognition of eSports.

If successful, the proposal, spearheaded by economic development commissioner Lin Chungchieh and TeSL chairman Huangbo Hong, would allow eSports ventures to secure government funding under the sports administration.

www.mcvuk.com

43

The move would make Taiwan the sixth global territory to recognise eSports as a sport, joining South Korea, China and the US, among others.

The designation allows expedited athlete visas for overseas competitions.

Taiwan is a hot region for eSports – even Taipei’s mayor, Ko Wenje, is a passionate fan and posts videos of his League of Legends gameplay online.

November 6th 2015

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UAE

DC GAMES GROUP No.9, Hemmatian St., Takestan St., Sattarkhan Tehran, Iran Tel: +98-912-1014090 +98-21-44228670 Email: Bahizad@Doostan-Co.com Web: www.Doostan-Co.com

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

NORDIC

WORLDWIDE

WENDROS AB SWEDEN, NORWAY, DENMARK & FINLAND Jakobsdalsvägen 17 12653 Hägersten Sweden Phone: +46 8 51942500 Fax: +46 8 7466790 Email: HM@wendros.se LM@wendros.se Web: www.wendros.se

CLICK ENTERTAINMENT LIMITED Email: info@click-entertainment.com Web: www.click-entertainment.com Phone: +44 (0)203 137 3781

MCV WORLDWIDE Editorial: + 61 (0)424 967 263 Leigh.Harris@mcvpacific.com

Advertising: + 61 (0)417 084821 Joel.Vandaal@mcvpacific.com

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MORE DISTRIBUTORS AUSTRALIA AFA Interactive, Bluemouth Interactive, Five Star Games, Mindscape, Namco Bandai Partners, Turn Left Distribution BENELUX CLD Distribution, Koch Media, Gameworld Distribution B.V. CANADA E One, Importel, Just4Games, Solutions 2 Go, Vidéoglobe CYPRUS Access, Gibareio, Zilos, Nortec Multimedia CZECH REPUBLIC Cenega, Conquest, Comgad, Playman, ABC Data DENMARK Bergsala, Elpa, Impulse, Koch Media, Nordisk Film Interactive, Nordic Game Supply, PAN Vision FRANCE Big Ben, Innelec, Koch Media, SDO, Sodifa GREECE Zegatron, CD Media, Namco Bandai Partners, IGE, Nortec, Enarxis, Beacon HUNGARY CNG.hu/Cenega Hungary, CTC Trading, Magnew, PlayON, Stadlbauer ICELAND Sena, Myndform, Samfilm, Ormsson INDONESIA Maxsoft, Uptron, Technosolution IRELAND MSE Group, Baumex JAPAN Ajioka, Happinet, Jesnet NORWAY Bergsala, Game Outlet, Koch Media, Nordic Game Supply, Nordisk Film, Pan Vision POLAND CD Projekt, Cenega, Galapagos, LEM PORTUGAL Ecoplay, Infocapital, Koch Media, Namco Bandai ROMANIA Best Distribution SERBIA ComTrade, Computerland/Iris Mega, Extreme CC SPAIN Digital Bros, Koch Media, Namco Bandai Partners, Nobilis SWEDEN Bergsala, Koch Media, Namco Bandai, Nordic Game Supply, PAN Vision, Wendros, Ztorm (digital) UAE Red Entertainment Distribution, Pluto Games (LS2 Pluto), Viva Entertainment, Gameplay Entertainment, Geekay Distribution

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OFF THE RECORD

OFF THE RECORD This week, the Golden Joysticks celebrate the most popular games in the business and Halo’s launch campaign blasts off CITY ‘STICKERS The Golden Joysticks returned to the London O2 Arena, hosted by writer Danny Wallace – although you probably know him better as the voice from Thomas Was Alone and Assassin’s Creed.

The Witcher III and GTA V swept the categories, with a touching tribute to late Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata, too.

Of course, there was plenty of booze – not least, Fallout beer and port from Wargaming.

Plus, entertainment in the form of old-timey band The Bombshell Belles.

Next time, we hope to remember some more of it.

HALO IN THE HEAD Microsoft went all-out for its biggest first-party launch of the year.

As well as causing chaos by crashing a banshee from Halo 5 near The O2 Arena in the early morning, the platform holder held a big evening party at the Roundhouse in Camden, hosted by journalist and broadcaster Julia Hardy and Xbox’s Graeme Boyd.

It also involved a heated match of Halo 5 between eSports and YouTube celebrities, which was ‘shoutcasted’. Whatever that is.

TEAMING WITH POTENTIAL Alongside the launch of Halo 5, Microsoft also created a new online system to help players find friends for their multiplayer team.

‘Squadvertiser’ adverts will be displayed around the world, from Brazil to the UK, on billboards, websites, magazines and social media.

The trick to attracting pro players is to have a great clan name.

Didn’t you know MCV stands for ‘Master Chief Vacancy’?

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November 6th 2015

OFF THE RECORD I love horror games. :D My favourite of all time is the awesome Doom 3.

Alien Isolation. Unlike Amnesia, the thing actively hunts and doesn’t lose track of you when you cover your H\HV VKRWV ¿ UHG

unnamed @xicofcp There is something about getting scared that makes you want more.

My favourite is Dungeon Nightmares 2.

No clue why I play ‘cause they always scare me. Dead Space is my favourite. Currently going through The Evil Within.

THIS HALLOWEEN WE WANT TO KNOW: WHY DO YOU PLAY HORROR GAMES & WHAT ARE YOUR FAVES? #GMGASKS

Mike G. @Gx3RComics I like horror games because they’re simultaneously less and more scary than horror movies. (Which I only very rarely enjoy...)

Ash Swoon @Ashryne Nothing does immersion like a good horror game.

Dead Space 2 is one of my favs.

Michael Foti @FichaelMoti

Simon @simondrawsstuff Even though Amnesia is the scariest I’ve played until now, Silent Hill 2 is my favourite. Disturbing, more than creepy.

Method @mr_meth0d

I’d rather watch others play horror games, instead.

But one I’ve played myself recently and love very much is The Last Door.

It’s an underrated classic, but Clive Barker’s Undying.

It had some really creative and creepy concepts that stuck with me.

DOORFIGHTER #GRRU¿ JKWHU

C. Aquino #GHVJDVWDGD Outlast. Played 10 minutes, screamed in actual terror, frightened my dog, uninstalled and sat in VLOHQFH 7HUUL¿ F

DN #BGRXEOHQHJDWLYH

Travis Souders @travissouders

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