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THE MARKET FOR COMPUTER AND VIDEO GAMES
Issue 529 Friday March 20 2009 £3.25
25 YEARS
04 Wii trade surprise Retail responds to news of the cost price rise for Nintendo’s home console
08 ‘New Woolworths’ debuts
International Media Partner
Former director plans to open 300strong chain, with games a priority
15 Creative Peak South Peak details its plans for new IP and expansion in the UK and Europe
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GEM One of the UK’s leading distributors celebrates its silver jubilee. We take a look back at its history – and what it’s planning for the next 25…
EVERY BUYER EVERY BRANCH EVERY INDIE EVERY WEEK
INCORPORATING
Industry still has an image problem, admits Sony boss Games must build on success of BAFTAs and Paddington Academy role, says Ray Maguire by Stuart Dinsey SONY Computer Entertainment’s UK boss Ray Maguire believes the games industry must work harder to change negative perceptions. Writing exclusively for MCV, Maguire has reflected on the recent Department of Health advert which targeted gaming as a dangerously sedentary pursuit.
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image of this industry has hardly changed at all. These days our products address a much wider marketplace. But what strategy do we really have when it comes to good news? This is a crucial question for all of us and very much for our trade body ELSPA.” Maguire believes that the industry has many positives to promote, such as this week’s
The industry has changed more in the past five years than the previous 15. But the public’s view has hardly shifted. Ray Maguire, SCE UK
He says that rather than being outraged, the industry must accept a large number of people hold a downbeat view of gaming: “The industry has changed more in the past five years than it did in the previous 15, but the public’s
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formal opening of the Paddington Academy, cofunded with the Government. “We have put £2.2m into the Academy, which effectively got the Government to build it. “We have also shown at the BAFTAs that we are a grown-up
Pannell to join Ubisoft
RAY OF LIGHT: SCE UK MD says industry must fight negative views
industry focused on art and creativity. We have many positive messages, such as commercial significance to the UK economy, widening links with education and products that encourage social skills, even fitness. But we are not getting the message across well enough.” Maguire hopes that the industry’s trade body ELSPA
can help to co-ordinate positive messaging about the industry going forward. “We must reach out to the public and the media with our positive actions. And we must get closer to the Government, assisting them with their tasks and becoming partners.” Read the full piece by Ray Maguire on page 12
‘We’ll widen the gap,’ says GAME by Michael French LEADING SPECIALIST retailer GAME plans to stay ahead of other chains by chasing exclusive deals with publishers and finding other new ways to attract consumers. That’s according to new COO Terry Scicluna, who this week outlined to MCV his “compelling vision for our stores, staff and suppliers” that will ensure both the GAME
and Gamestation chains maintain their leading position. Scicluna said: “GAME and GameStation provide great service – but we’re a specialist, we should always provide that. So how do we make sure there is clear blue water between us and our competitors?” The answer, he said, lies in a number of initiatives, including own brand titles and securing timed exclusives – and possibly even working with developers.
GAME’s COO Scicluna says the chain will stay ahead of its rivals
“One of our pillars is ‘Only at GAME’ or ‘Only at Gamestation’ and we want to develop that. Our research says it is really trusted,” he said. “We’re working through a whole number of options at the moment. I’ve set the team off on a mission to find out what we can do to differentiate us – it’s a great opportunity, and speaking to developers as well could be an option that we would look at for the future.”
UBISOFT’S search for a new UK marketing director is over: the publisher has confirmed to MCV that it has hired Microsoft man Murray Pannell for the job. The impressive swoop ends a six-year stint for Pannell (pictured) at Microsoft, where he was group product manager for Xbox 360 and Games for Windows. Prior to his time at Microsoft, Pannell worked at EA as a part of the publisher’s European marketing team. He joins Chertsey-based Ubisoft as marketing director on April 27th, replacing Jon Rosenblatt – who was appointed European marketing boss for EA Sports at the end last year. “I’m delighted to welcome Murray to the UK team as our new marketing director,” said Rob Cooper, Ubisoft’s UK MD. “He has a wealth of marketing experience and is a popular and well respected industry figure. “With an amazing range of both franchised titles and brand new games planned for the coming months, we’re expecting another successful year and I know Murray has all the experience and drive to bring these products to market in a major way.”
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