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THE HEAVYWEIGHTS OF THE FIGHTING WORLD COLLIDE AS CAPCOM ANNOUNCES STREET FIGHTER X TEKKEN

Christopher — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 19:32:43 +0000

London, UK – July 24 – Capcom, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games today announced that Street Fighter X Tekken is in development for the PlayStation^®3 computer entertainment system and the Xbox 360^TM video game and entertainment system from Microsoft^®. The title will make history as fighters from these two bastions of the fighting genre come together for the very first time.

Utilising the same technology that powered Street Fighter^TM IV & Super Street Fighter^TM IV, Tekken^TM characters such as Kazuya Mishima and Nina Williams will make the transition into the Street Fighter^TM universe having been re-imagined using the much loved art style of these seminal titles; while retaining their unique characteristics and signature moves as they go head to head with classic brawlers from the Street Fighter franchise in what promises to be the ultimate match up.

As in Street Fighter IV, gameplay will feature fully realised 3D character models battling for domination in both new and familiar highly detailed 2D environments that are brought to life with engaging animations. In addition to modes such as Versus and Training that will feature new enhancements to make the fighting experience more in-depth and enjoyable, Street Fighter X Tekken will include Tag Team combat where players select two fighters to deliver knockout assist attacks and special combos.

The announcement, which took place at Comic-Con in San Diego in front of thousands of Street Fighter fans, was made by the Producer of Street Fighter X Tekken, Yoshinori Ono, and Tekken series Director, Katsuhiro Harada. Commenting on the origins of this project Yoshinori Ono said: “This is history we’re making. Two fighting games that have rivalled each other are finally standing on the same stage. This isn’t just a showdown between Tekken and Street Fighter, but a decisive battle for Capcom and Namco Bandai Games. So I’m going to give it my all.”

EA CONTINUES TO EXPAND THE SPINE-TINGLING DEAD SPACE UNIVERSE WITH AN ANIMATED FEATURE AND GRAPHIC NOVEL

Christopher — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 10:34:25 +0000

‘Dead Space Aftermath’ and ‘Dead Space Salvage’ Populate the Fiction with New Characters, New Secrets

Guildford, UK– July 23, 2010 – Today at the International Comic-Con 2010, Visceral GamesTM, an Electronic Arts Inc. studio, will announce two all-new products in the Dead SpaceTM franchise; Dead Space Aftermath and Dead Space Salvage. These two brand extensions will be revealed during a panel discussion entitled, “Building a Horror Entertainment Franchise: Dead Space 2” featuring Dead Space Producer Rich Briggs, Dead Space Salvage Artist Christopher Shy, Dead Space Martyr Writer Brian Evenson, Dead Space Aftermath Actor Christopher Judge and Dead Space 2 Actor Gunner Wright. Dead Space Aftermath is an animated feature that explains what happened during the first-responder mission to Aegis VII. Dead Space Salvage is a graphic novel that tells the story of a rogue group of miners who come across the dilapidated USG Ishimura. Aftermath and Salvage will be available in winter 2010, as part of the pre-launch campaign for Dead Space 2, winner of 17 awards at the Electronic Entertainment Expo including ‘Best Action/Adventure Game’ from top media outlets including Game Informer, GameSpot, GameSpy and Machinima.com.

“It is tremendously inspiring to see Dead Space continually expand to more media. It has always been our goal to experience the universe through multiple lenses and our vision is being realized. The Dead Space world is living, breathing, and terrifying. We couldn’t be more excited about these new offerings,” said Steve Papoutsis, Executive Producer of the Dead Space franchise.

The animated feature, Dead Space Aftermath centers on the Aegis VII disaster and explores how the Government sends an unwitting crew of people to get exposed to Marker shards. The Government is secretly trying to produce a viable “Marker blueprint” carrier, no matter the costs. Dead Space Aftermath is being developed by Starz/Film Roman and will be available in January 2011.

The graphic novel Dead Space Salvage tells the story of the Magpies, who discover an abandoned mining ship, the USG Ishimura. Their once-fortunate luck turns into a catastrophe as they realize they’re in the middle of a living nightmare. Not only is the Government racing to claim the Ishimura, but the necromorphs are also reanimating across the ship. Dead Space Salvage will feature the unique visual style of fantasy and sci-fi artist, Christopher Shy. Dead Space Salvage is being published by IDW and will be available in December 2010.

In Dead Space 2, engineer Isaac Clarke battles his own dementia while fighting to save himself and dominate the relentless necromorph onslaughts. Players will see Isaac fight bigger, scarier and more epic battles that will keep them on the edge of their seats. Dead Space 2 will be available on January 28th 2011 on the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system and the PC. This product has not yet been rated by ESRB or PEGI. For additional information and news, visit www.deadspacegame.com, follow us on twitter www.twitter.com/isaacclarke or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/deadspace.

LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE! EA TO REDEFINE THE SPORTS GAMING EXPERIENCE WITH FIGHT NIGHT CHAMPION

Christopher — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 21:40:09 +0000

GUILDFORD, UK., – 20th July 2010 – Electronic Arts Inc. (Nasdaq: ERTS) announced today that EA SPORTS^TM is developing the latest iteration of the long-running Fight Night franchise, entitled Fight Night Champion, at EA Canada in Vancouver. Fight Night Champion will set a new standard in sports videogames by delivering the most dynamic simulation fighting experience to date, pushing visual boundaries and redefining the single player journey for the category.

“The EA SPORTS Fight Night franchise has consistently delivered one of the best sports experiences with each iteration”, said Andrew Wilson, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Development, EA SPORTS. “EA SPORTS Fight Night Round 4 was a genre defining game, and led the way as the industry transitioned to physics-based sports games. EA SPORTS Fight Night Champion will again forge new ground and deliver a sports experience unlike anything seen in the genre to date.”

Fight Night Champion will break the mold of what is expected in a single-player sports game. Players will be introduced to an entirely new way to step between the ropes and experience the drama, emotion, excitement and tragedy of world championship boxing.

Featuring a refined physics-based animation system that incorporates improved locomotion, punching and stamina mechanics, Fight Night Champion will enable users to move, attack and dodge with the speed and power of the best champions, contenders and pretenders in the world of boxing. In addition, an all-new control scheme, dubbed Full Spectrum Punch Control, will deliver the most realistic punching system ever seen in a simulation fighting game, while still delivering an accessible experience that will make Fight Night Champion the most user-friendly title in the franchise’s history.

Fight Night Champion will set a new standard for visual presentation with the most realistic boxer-likeness to date, fluid animations and damage that truly conveys the brutality of the sport of boxing.

Fight Night Champion will be available for the Xbox 360^TM videogame and entertainment system system and the PlayStation^®3 computer entertainment system and ships to retailers in 2011. The game has not yet been rated by the ESRB or PEGI.

EA SPORTS is one of the leading sports entertainment brands in the world, with top-selling videogame franchises, award-winning interactive technology, global videogame competitions and breakthrough digital experiences. EA SPORTS delivers personal access to the emotion of sports through industry-leading sports simulation videogames, including Madden NFL football, FIFA Soccer, NHL^® hockey, NBA ELITE basketball, NCAA^® Football and NCAA Basketball, Fight Night boxing, EA SPORTS MMA, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR^® golf and EA SPORTS Active.

For more information about EA SPORTS, including news, video, blogs, forums and game apps, please visit www.easports.co.uk to connect, share and compete.

THE SIMS GET THE PARTY STARTED IN EA’S NEW EXPANSION PACK TO MASSIVELY POPULAR THE SIMS 3

Christopher — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 21:21:22 +0000

The Sims 3 Late Night Expansion Pack Gives Players VIP Treatment In A Dynamic Urban Setting Filled with High Rise Homes, Parties, Celebrities, Bars…and Even Vampires!

GUILDFORD, UK., July 20, 2010 – The Sims players will soon have a reason to stay out late on the town! The EA Play Label of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced The Sims^TM 3 Late Night Expansion pack* is in development and will hit store shelves worldwide this fall. The newest expansion to The Sims 3, the best-selling PC game of 2009**, The Sims 3 Late Night gives players all-access and lets them loose on a vibrant, active downtown scene where they’ll rub elbows with celebrities at the hottest parties, hit the local bar after work, tour the scene with their Sims’ band, kick back in a plush hot tub, and discover what’s lurking as the lights go out and adventure begins after dark.

“The community has been very vocal about unleashing their Sims in more interesting and unpredictable social situations,” said Scott Evans, General Manager of The Sims Studio at EA. “The Sims 3 Late Night is full of ways to approach a rich, new life beyond a Sims’ normal day, such as schmoozing with celebrities on the rooftop of a skyscraper, wooing the crowd with your Sim’s band, or being the best bartender in town at the hottest new lounge.”

Players will be able to take their Sims into the bustling urban setting where they’ll be able to become a local celebrity, member of a music band, mixologist, director, and more. To gain entrance into the most elite clubs in town, players need to keep their attitude in check otherwise they’ll be given the cold shoulder by tough bouncers or find another way onto the list. If chilling is the player’s forte, their Sims can lounge at a chic club or dive bar or if they like to live on the edge, they can discover the secret of becoming a vampire. Whether embarking on a new career, painting the town red, or throwing a party on the rooftop of a penthouse, it’s always up to the player to tell their unique stories with The Sims 3. What will happen when the lights go out and Sims get all access?
For more information about The Sims 3 Late Night or The Sims 3, please visit www.TheSims3.com. Developed by The Sims Studio, The Sims 3 Late Night for PC/Mac has not yet been rated by PEGI. Join more than one million The Sims fans on Facebook by visiting the official fansite page for The Sims 3 at http://www.facebook.com/TheSims3. To download artwork, please visit www.electronicarts.co.uk/press.

*Requires The Sims 3 for PC/MAC to play.
**In North America and Europe according to NPD data, Chart-track UK, Gfk France, Gfk Spain, Gfk-MCC Germany and EA internal estimate.

ATARI’S ICONIC HAUNTED HOUSE LIVES AGAIN!

Christopher — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 21:50:19 +0000

Original Atari Favorite Re-Imagined for a New Generation; Scares its Way to Wii, Xbox LIVE and Windows PC Download in Time for Halloween 2010

Lyon, France – July 14, 2010 – Enter the Haunted House, if you dare. Atari’s classic groundbreaking game has returned with more chills, cool new unlockables and plenty of spooky new enemies. The terrifying fun that lies within Graves Mansion is back as Atari, one of the world’s most recognized publishers and producers of interactive entertainment, scares up its legendary classic, Haunted House – re-imagined for a new generation of gamers in celebration of the title’s 30th anniversary. Haunted House will take control of Wii^®, Xbox LIVE^® Arcade for the Xbox 360^® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and Windows PC Download this fall, with suspense filled challenges, new chilling environments and more frightful enemies than ever before.

Haunted House pays homage to the classic favorite as players fight for their lives in Graves Mansion as the grandchildren of the original character that disappeared without a trace in the evil mansion over 30 years ago. Chased by pesky poltergeists, haunted by scary skeletons and exhausted from battles with creepy creatures, players are in a goosebump-educing fight to explore the dark and creepy depths of Graves Mansion in search of the four lost pieces of the magical urn. The player’s goal is to reassemble the urn and defend their family’s legacy with the aid of mystical tomes, powerful light sources and multiple keys.

“The glowing eyes and mysterious urn of Haunted House still resonates with gamers who made the original franchise a blockbuster hit,” says Jim Wilson, President of Atari. “Atari looks forward to introducing a new generation of gamers to the fun and suspense of Graves Mansion and bringing families together with the magic that is Haunted House.”

The pick up-and-play arcade-style adventure allows players to jump right in and begin battling for their family’s legacy and explore the dark and mysterious levels. An eerie, 3D rich environment of towers, basements and catacombs draws players into the haunted world and cursed story. Find hidden treasures, solve puzzles, fight bosses, and navigate through the spooky mansion and multiple levels on the way to a showdown with Zachary Graves.

For more information, please log onto www.atari.com or www.atarihauntedhouse.com

KONAMI ANNOUNCES THE CAGES: PRO-STYLE BATTING PRACTICE FOR WIITM NOW AVAILABLE

Christopher — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 21:37:55 +0000

Various Mini-Games Surrounding a Baseball Pitching Simulator, Compatible with Wii Motion Plus^TM, Now Available in Retail Stores Nationwide

El Segundo, Calif. – July 6, 2010 – Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. today announced The Cages: Pro-Style Batting Practice for Wii^TM is now available in retail stores nationwide. The Cages: Pro-Style Batting Practice is a fun-filled batting cage simulator that lets players test their inner slugger by swinging against numerous pitches from a virtual pitching machine across numerous mini-games.

With The Cages: Pro-Style Batting Practice, players will take the motion controls of the Wii to a new level as their hand/eye coordination is tested by hitting against real-life simulations of 19 of some of baseball’s most difficult pitches. From the slider, to curveball and the fast ball, players will feel like their standing in the middle of their favorite baseball park! An intuitive learning curve keeps players primed for the next challenge by showing players side and top down views to show exactly where they made contact with the pitch to help for areas of improvement. Players can snap on the Wii Motion Plus^TM to make for an even more authentic experience and add greater depth perception. Take the individuality further by giving your batter real-world physics such as weight, height, stance and more to test how unique physical composition can shape ball trajectory.

The Cages: Pro-Style Batting Practice is also crafted with teamwork and fitness in mind! Team up with up to four friends to battle for supremacy in a homerun challenge! The in-game tools track your cardiovascular progress including how many calories have been burned while taking on pitches.

The Cages: Pro-Style Batting Practice is rated ‘E’ for Everyone by the ESRB and priced at SRP of $29.99. Available for Wii exclusively, The Cages Pro-Style Batting Practice is available in retail stores nationwide. For an all-new trailer, screenshots and additional information, please visit www.konami.com/thecages

Stanley Cup Champion Jonathan Toews the new face of EA Sports NHL 11

Christopher — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 22:37:00 +0000

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – June 21, 2010 – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) today revealed that 22-year-old Jonathan Toews of the Chicago Blackhawks will be the new face of the NHL^® 11 videogame from EA SPORTS^TM. With last year’s title featuring Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane, NHL 11 marks the first time that EA SPORTS has put back to back players from the same team on the cover of the NHL franchise. Jonathan Toews’ image will be on the front of all packaging when NHL 11 is available in North American retail stores this September.

Celebrating its 20th Anniversary with NHL 11, the EA SPORTS NHL^® franchise has won 22 Sports Game of the Year awards over the past three years and is poised to raise the bar yet again. With a revolutionary real-time physics engine that brings an unprecedented amount of realism to the franchise, gameplay innovations like broken sticks and a revamped face-off system, as well as the addition of the Canadian Hockey League, NHL 11 is set to be the most complete hockey videogame ever created

After being selected third overall in the 2006-07 entry draft by the Chicago Blackhawks, Toews has emerged as one of the most skilled centers in the NHL after just two seasons. After helping lead team Canada to a gold medal win during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Toews locked up the Conn Smythe, given to the most valuable player in the NHL playoffs, after playing a crucial role in leading the Chicago Blackhawks to their first Stanley Cup championship since 1961.Toews is currently the youngest captain in the NHL, and has registered more than 65 points in each of his first two seasons.

“I am really excited to be on the cover of NHL 11,” said Toews. “It’s been an amazing year for me and the team, and it’s nice to end it by being a part of a game I played growing up. The NHL games have always been great, so it’s an honor for me to be a part of the EA SPORTS family.”

“Jonathan Toews is one of the best centers in the NHL today,” said Jordan Edelstein, Vice-President of Marketing for EA SPORTS. “He is a great ambassador for the sport of hockey and his impact on the sport this year is undeniable. It’s great to have him in the EA SPORTS family.”

NHL 11 will be available for the PLAYSTATION^®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360^® video game and entertainment system with an MSRP of $59.99. It is developed by EA Canada in Burnaby, B.C. The game has not yet been rated by the ESRB or PEGI.

burda:ic Reveals Plans for the Beta Stress Test of LOCO – Land of Chaos Online

Christopher — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 10:00:17 +0000

LOCO Closed Beta Test Ending Today, Beta Stress Test to Take Place in July

MUNICH – June 10, 2010

burda:ic, a leading publisher of online games worldwide, today announced plans for the Beta Stress Test of action MMO LOCO – Land of Chaos Online. The Closed Beta Test, which ends today, gave players a chance to try out 12 characters from the game’s extensive roster, three maps, and two unique gameplay modes. The Beta Stress Test will bring even more chaos to alaplaya.com when it goes live this July.

“The Closed Beta was a great success,” said Achim Kaspers, Managing Director of burda:ic. “We gathered a lot of valuable information about LOCO over the last two weeks, and hope all the players who participated enjoyed fighting in the Land of Chaos!”

Users who took part in the Closed Beta will automatically be eligible to join the Stress Test. Registration will also be open to all new users who want to join the war between the Army of Hell and the Forces of Nature during the Stress Test.

More details about the Beta Stress Test, including registration information, can be found at http://loco.en.alaplaya.net/closedbeta

Grammy Nominated Recording Artist “Drake” Joins the Cast of Biggest Game of 2011 in “Gears of War 3”

Christopher — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 10:00:35 +0000

The new face of hip-hop (with debut album –“Thank Me Later” out June 14th) brings Jace Stratton to life in the final chapter of the blockbuster “Gears of War” trilogy.

LONDON – 11th June 2010 - The fastest rising superstar in today’s hip-hop music scene is teaming up with Microsoft Game Studios and Epic Games to lend his voice to the biggest blockbuster game of 2011, “Gears of War 3,” only on Xbox 360. Set to release his much-anticipated debut album, “Thank Me Later,” on June 14, Grammy-nominated recording artist Drake is voicing Jace Stratton, a new playable character in the upcoming finale to one of the most celebrated sagas in video games.

In the finale to one of gaming’s most recognizable sagas, Epic has added four player cooperative campaign gameplay, allowing them to bring characters from the extended “Gears” universe to life.

“Jace is a central character in the comic books, so he was an obvious choice as a character we wanted to bring into the third game,” said Epic Executive Producer Rod Fergusson. “When we began casting for the role, ‘So Far Gone’ had just released and Drake’s combination of heart and grit was just what we were looking for. Rather than search for somebody who sounded like him, it was clear that we should approach him directly… fortunately he turned out to be a huge fan.”

“When Epic came to me with the role, I couldn’t pass it up,” said Drake. “They’ve created an amazing character in Jace, and I’m looking forward to my tour in Delta Squad.”

Developed by acclaimed studio Epic Games and published by Microsoft Game Studios, “Gears of War 3” launches worldwide in April 2011, only on Xbox 360. The “Gears of War” series is one of the most popular franchises in Xbox history, having sold more than 12 million copies worldwide and spawning New York Times best-selling novels, an upcoming film and more.

Drake’s debut album, ‘Thank Me Later,’ arrives in stores in the UK on June 14 from Aspire/ Young Money/ Cash Money/ Universal Motown.

For images of Jace Stratton and Drake, FOR MEDIA ONLY, please visit: http://edelmanadmin.psni.com/public/Gears%20of%20War%203/

Landit Bandit to touch-down on the PlayStation 3 this June.

Christopher — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 13:21:35 +0000

Hull, UK / Swedish-based bohemian independent games developer, The Bearded Ladies, are set to land their casual-helicopter-adventure-game, Landit Bandit on the PlayStation 3 Network on June 23rd.

Stand back. Stand well back, as much in admiration as out of fear, as the rotating blades of casual-helicopter-adventure game, Landit Bandit are coming to the PlayStation 3 Network. Just don’t expect a smooth landing.

Play the role of Marley, a laid-back islander that’s had a peaceful life turned upside down with the explosive arrival of Lander, an unscrupulous art dealer. Help Lander fly his way back to The Big City by navigating a wooden helicopter, constructed out of the complete collection of Da-vinci paintings, across 6 gorgeous, 3D in-game worlds. Each game world is unique and comes with a new skillset to learn, which will ensure refreshing gameplay and keep players gripped to their PlayStation 3 controllers.

With Landit Bandit, gamers can expect a retro-chic looking 3D experience smothered in humour. Whilst borrowing mechanics from classic titles of a bygone gaming era, Landit Bandit is a stratosphere above its competition with an intuitive “moonlander” control mechanism and gentle learning curve that will appeal to a wide audience.

Players will not only be challenged by the physics of the natural environment: gravity, wind, water and trees, but also by curious non-playing characters. But with risk comes reward. So expect upgrades to your helicopter based on masterful performance.

Landit Bandit is packed with a cargo bay full of game modes, such as: a rich single player campaign; a split screen co-op campaign with a twist – Lander is an art thief after all; and a split screen duel mode – players will slug it out in a ferocious taxi service race complete with special island-themed weapons. It’s even possible to compete with your friends and foes online by posting scores to a Global leaderboard.

Haraldur Thormundsson, one of the well-groomed Bearded Ladies, is punching the skies with joy at the prospect of the June 23rd release in Europe, “We’re so excited at the prospect of touching our baby down on the PlayStation 3. Its been a hair-raising journey, but one that we’ve used to fine-tune the principles of making a fun game. I look forward to Landit Bandit making a spectacular entrance. But shhhhh, don’t mention that I haven’t got a pilots licence”.

David Skarin, another beautiful member of The Bearded Ladies, added, “Not many independent developers can claim to have created their own genre like we have with our retro-advanced-casual-physics-based-chopper-game. We’re confident gamers will have fun taking risks in the skies and chuckle at the near misses and explosive collisions promised in the likes of the duel mode”.

You can learn about the creation of Landit Bandit and the colourful team behind it from their first developer diary: http://bit.ly/landitbanditdevdiary1

Or, you can download the first developer diary here: http://landitbandit.com/DevDiaries01.mp4

Landit Bandit will arrive on the European PlayStation 3 Network on June 23rd priced at 12.99 Euros. Much Less than a budget airline flight, but the skies the limit in terms of seat-of-the-pants exhilaration and genuine fun.

The North American gaming community should expect a July release for the PlayStation 3 Network.