Sony’s ambitious plans to drive network-based content will be pitched to the games industry in two keynote speeches at the London Games Developer Conference and the London Games Summit.Sony Worldwide Studio VPs Jamie Macdonald (also head of London Studio and Sony Cambridge, and interviewed in the latest issue of Develop, available here) and Michael Denny [...]

The BBC has signed an agreement with Microsoft to explore ways of developing its digital services.The non-exclusive memorandum of understanding sets out a framework for joint projects between the two organisations. This includes plans for next-generation web 2.0 and ways to share online content in the future.BBC director general Mark Thompson said there had [...]

Government Videos Distributed Through YouTube:Another major institution has realized the value of video sharing sites like YouTube, as the U.S. government has started to distribute some of its anti-drug material through the cultural phenomenon, in hopes that its repurposed content will reach new audiences and be shared throughout YouTube.The content, which consists of a vareity [...]

EA making games for next-gen Nokia handsets:Electronic Arts has thrown its development weight behind Nokia’s new mobile games platform, and has a number of new games in the works for the service’s 2007 launch.

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts has announced that this year’s BAFTA awards, which will take place on 5th October at London’s Roundhouse, will be presented by Vernon Kay and filmed by E4 for a one-hour special that will air after the event.
The BAFTAs are increasingly establishing themselves as the industry’s leading awards [...]

via gamesindutry.biz
Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson has praised the Xbox 360 as a new medium for storytelling, as he announced a mammoth ongoing collaboration with Microsoft.
Jackson and his team at Wingnut Studios, in partnership with Microsoft Game Studios, is set to co-write, co-design and co-produce an original chapter of the Halo franchise with [...]

via Gamesindustry
Buena Vista Games is to acquire UK development team Climax Racing, becoming the publishers third internal studio alongside Avalanche Software and Propaganda Games.
Climax Racing, known for its best-selling franchises MotoGP and ATV Offroad Fury, will work on what the publisher describes as triple-A racing titles for the next-generation of games consoles.
“The acquisition of Climax [...]

MTV have just spent $175 million on Harmonix, a small developer with 2 games and 6 patents under their belt.
Jon Jordan at gamasutra writes:
“Apparently, I appear to be the only person in the world who’s flabbergasted. I mean $175 million for a small independent developer. That’s $25 million more than Francisco Partners has promised [...]

Rockstar goes noire:Rockstar has officially announced its latest project, L.A. Noire, an interactive detective story developed by Australian codeshop, Team Bondi. Set in the late forties, it’s an attempt to capture the look and spirit of the Film Noire genre.

Eidos’ parent SCi Entertainment has posted a healthy set of financials for the year. Image Sales were up to 180 million UK pounds ($340 million), a ten-fold increase on 2005’s figures. The UK outfit also turned around a small loss to post profits of $56 million.
The firm’s major earners have been Tomb Raider Legend (3 [...]