The Only Game In The Village

Yorkshire firms collaborate to create video game version of smash-hit TV series Little Britain. Whatevah!

Video games developers from the Yorkshire region have collaborated to create a video game version of Little Britain – one of the most successful comedy programmes in recent times.

Little Britain: The Video Game is the brainchild of Leeds-based Gamerholix, who not only masterminded the initial concept, but also designed and produced the game, outsourcing the developmental duties to Sheffield-based Gamesauce.

Gamerholix specializes in the design and development of original games and games based on licensed properties. Managing Director Elliot Gay, who has 25 years games design and production experience, is also Chairman of Game Republic – a regional alliance of high-tech companies operating in the computer and video games business.



Gamerholix and Gamesauce, both founder members of Game Republic, are not the only companies who have contributed to this cross-developed project, however and it was very much a case of “Computer says yes” for two other members of Game Republic, as well. Wakefield-based Pit Stop Productions were approached to write the music and record the voices of the show’s actual stars: Matt Lucas, David Walliams and Tom Baker; while Bradford-based Four Door Lemon created the sound engine for the game.

Charles Cecil, the celebrated game developer and Managing Director of York-based Revolution Software also helped direct the development of the game that sees players reacquaint themselves with a slew of favorite characters such as such as Lou and Andy, Dafydd Thomas, Vicky Pollard, Marjorie Dawes, Emily and Florence, Mr. Mann, Judy & Maggie and Letty. Instantly recognizable, the game’s characters have all been lovingly modeled and hand animated to match their real-life counterparts.

Little Britain: The Video Game is a fun collection of mini-games presented in the style of an episode from the TV show. To win, players must work their way through a series of specially created sketches that feature plenty of scripted input from Matt Lucas and David Walliams themselves, until the credits roll at the end. As you’d expect, Tom Baker narrates throughout so fans of the series can enjoy a truly authentic Little Britain experience.

“This is the first in what we hope will be a long line of commercially successful games using our new business model,” said Elliot Gay, Managing Director of Gamerholix. “After winning the contract to develop the title, Gamerholix led and coordinated an initiative to involve as much regional talent as possible. And, in outsourcing much of the work to Yorkshire-based companies such as Gamesauce (development), Pit Stop Productions (music and voice recording), Four Door Lemon (sound engine) and Revolution Software (consultancy), we hope to raise industry awareness of the Game Republic brand, as well.”

Bryan Reynolds, Managing Director of Gamesauce added: “Being such a well loved and high profile franchise, the Gamesauce team were delighted to be chosen to develop the multiformat Little Britain game. We're now looking forward to using the robust and proven technology on further titles in the coming year.”

Little Britain: The Video Game is published on Mastertronic’s Blast! label – the leading video game company aimed exclusively at the younger children's market – and goes on sale for PlayStation2 and PC on 2nd February, priced £19.99, with the PlayStationPortable (PSP) following shortly afterwards in Spring.

TOM CLANCY'S SPLINTER CELL DOUBLE AGENT

Mathieu Hector, PS3 producer at Ubisoft Annecy

1. What are the main changes between the Xbox 360 version of SCDA and the PS3 version? Both for the single player and the multiplayer.

The PlayStation 3 version of SCDA is based on the Next-Gen design of the game, which has already been released on Xbox 360 and PC. However, this version features significant improvements and exclusive content.

The Multiplayer features an additional new spy character (a spy girl), 2 extra maps based on completely new environments and a new set of coop. challenges.

Moreover, the additional time allowed us to increase the polish of both parts of the game.

Overall, the improved accessibility, the multiplayer exclusive content and the motion sensor support are the advantages that make the PS3 version the ultimate version of Splinter Cell: Double Agent.


PS3 Questions and Answers

2. Is SCDA using the Sixaxis feature that makes PlayStation 3 unique?

The SIXAXIS sensor has been implemented in both part of the game as well.

In the Single Player mode, we were free to experiment various designs for the motion sensor implementation. It is used from time to time to operate various gadgets like picking doors or hacking security systems, or for Sam’s special moves like swimming or paragliding.

In the Multiplayer mode, the player controls the Drone with the tilt function.

We implemented the SIXAXIS control when it was fun to play or adding value to the game play experience.

3. What was the big reason to implement a hot female multiplayer skin?

Having a female playable character in the game is something we wanted to have since we started working on Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow!

On Double Agent, this idea was still present, but we didn’t have the chance to implement it on time for the first versions. Therefore, when we started working on the PS3 specific content, the spy girl was on top of our list.

We really liked the idea because it really embraces the fact that the spy should be cat-like, very nimble. And for players like me, it’s always more pleasant to follow the acrobatics of a female character, supple and elegant, than those of a born-to-kill-guy!

4. And last, but not least, the PlayStation network has a different setup than Microsofts Xbox Live. Can we expect the same fluid play on Ubisoft’s own servers?

The title uses a network middleware solution already successfully used on PC and PS2. The PlayStation Network Platform provides all the required services to match the Xbox live quality. The online part of the game has been on beta test since November 2006 on PS3 and we are 100% confident to provide a quality online experience.

5. Is there anything else you would like to share with gamers about SCDA for PS3?

Yes, we are very happy with the multiplayer’s extra content we developed specifically for the PS3 version. Rather than just more of the same, the NSA training centre and Kinshasa multiplayer maps are really different than the original multiplayer maps. Those maps have been produced with Ubisoft Milan, Italy, the studio which previously worked on the PS2 Multiplayer maps and we hope the PS3 players will enjoy playing them just as much as we did.

Midway Confirms Theory Is A Fact; BlackSite: Area 51 Is Coming Summer 2007

Reality and Science Fiction Clash in Innovative First Person Shooter for Next Generation Systems and P

Midway Games Inc. a leading interactive entertainment industry publisher and developer, today announced BlackSite™: Area 51, an action packed, first person shooter experience which pits gamers against alien enemy forces using the infamous U.S. government landmark, Area 51, and the surrounding areas as the battlefield backdrop. BlackSite: Area 51 is currently in development for the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and for the PC.



Developed by Midway Studios - Austin, BlackSite: Area 51 is a next-generation game that will redefine the first person shooter (FPS) genre. While other FPS titles claim to feature
“action-packed, highly realistic gameplay,” BlackSite: Area 51 takes next-gen gaming to an all-new level integrating cutting edge technology, game design and story writing to create the ultimate entertainment experience. The player’s modern-day emotions and fears are driven into a world charged with grave responsibility affecting lives hanging in the balance and eventually finding himself torn between his professional orders and his own ethical standards. In the end, only the actions of the player and his squad can shape the outcome of BlackSite: Area 51 during this potentially pivotal moment in history.



“BlackSite: Area 51 gives players the opportunity to experience next-generation, first person shooter action in one of the world’s most intriguing and mysterious environments,” said Denise Fulton, studio head, Midway Studios - Austin. “Gamers will be instantly immersed in the game’s seamless storyline, set in the desert and small towns surrounding Area 51 that feature highly detailed environments that transform themselves into awesome battlefields. Without question, BlackSite: Area 51 will raise the bar in the next generation FPS genre with its stunning visuals, life-like squad interactions and its multitude of online multiplayer modes.”





About BlackSite: Area 51
Featuring a powerful single-player campaign, along with multiple online multiplayer modes, BlackSite: Area 51 delivers vicious combat action, next generation graphics and A.I., and a plethora of powerful weapons and vehicles. Set in present day, players take the role of a decorated military veteran charged by the government to lead a squadron of “secret soldiers,” each with his/her own specialty skill set, into the Rachel, Nevada area to fight off the invasion of unidentified enemy races.

Hour Of Victory Approaches; Midway Announces A New World-War II Experience Exclusively For Xbox 360

Midway Games a leading interactive entertainment industry publisher and developer, today announced that Hour of Victory™, a new cinematic, first person shooter experience set in World War II, is currently in development exclusively for the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and is expected to be available this summer.

Built using the powerful Unreal Engine 3.0, Hour of Victory combines authentic details from historic World War II battles and adds in frenetic and cinematic gameplay. Gamers are able to play each level in the style they choose, whether as a covert operative, specializing in stealth and sabotage; a British commando proficient in the guns-blazing frontal assault; or an Army ranger who excels in sniping and demolitions. Players will also be able to take control of any vehicle on the battlefield as they sharpen their skills to impact the key battles from the European and North African Theaters.


First Person Shooter Places Gamers In Pivotal Role As One of Three Expert Operatives in Cinematic Battles Across Europe and North Africa

“Hour of Victory is an entirely new World War II experience designed exclusively for the Xbox 360 that will place players in a pivotal role during key battles using the gameplay style they choose,” said Matt Booty, senior vice president, worldwide studios, Midway. “Using the powerful Unreal Engine 3.0 we’re able to create exciting, cinematic moments that allow players to feel like a hero, not just another cog in the war machine.”

About Hour of Victory
Hour of Victory, scheduled to be available exclusively for Xbox 360 in Summer 2007, allows you to play a key role in the pivotal and cinematic battles from the European and North African theaters of World War II, using the skills and gameplay style you choose. Built with Unreal Engine 3.0, Hour of Victory allows you to sneak into enemy territory as a covert operative, storm the gates as a British commando, or snipe from afar as an Army ranger – each character’s unique attributes will be needed for the fulfillment of the overall objective. Only with all these skill working closely together will you be able to say that you helped define the Hour of Victory.

Now you can play games on your iPod

Your iPod blasts music, shows vacation photos and plays movies. It now does something else that seems an entertainment no-brainer: It runs video games.

It was only a matter of time before Apple's ubiquitous digital media player would have the ability to keep us just as occupied with simple games like "Tetris" as it does pumping out the Killers. And with the latest generation of iPods' ability to run video comes the option to download games off iTunes and play away.



Video-game giant Electronic Arts is on the cutting edge of creating games for the iPod, and, after checking out its offerings, we are impressed with its initial batch of titles that can be played on fifth-generation machines (don't bother if you have an older version).

The classic puzzle game "Tetris" looks much better than the monochrome original did for the Game Boy all those years ago, thanks to bright colors and decent sound effects. And like the other iPod games, you control those tiny blocks the same way you search for songs: with the circular scroll pad and middle button.
"Mini Golf" is a fun little romp in a colorful miniature golf course that features obstacles including creatures that have an appetite for golf balls. The exotic music on this one is a particularly nice surprise.

And "EA Mahjong" brings the classic tiles to life on the iPod's screen without being too hard to see.

EA also just released Sudoku and Solitaire titles to keep you equally occupied. The games cost $4.99 each and can be downloaded at the iTunes store (go to www.apple.com/itunes/store/ and look for "iPod Games" in the upper left-hand corner).

These don't have the depth of play that you'd find in titles for dedicated game systems such as a PlayStation Portable or Nintendo DS, but that's not the goal here. These titles, rather, are for the person who wants to squeeze in a little play time here and there, and to that extent, they — and the medium they're played on — are a great fit.

"Star Trek: Legacy" boldly goes ... eh, whatever

Proof positive that Nintendo has a lock on heavy-duty whimsy, "WarioWare: Smooth Moves" for Wii pretty much exemplifies what Wii is all about. Like "WarioWare" titles before it, "Smooth Moves" is a collection of "microgames," some 200 of them, actually, each using the system's crafty Wii-mote in totally exclusive ways: tilting, swinging, stabbing, swatting, balancing, mashing and manhandling the thing like no other controller ought to be handled. With it, you invoke in-game activities like sawing logs, thumb wrestling, picking noses (seriously), pumping iron, shaving and cranking.



It's a testament to the Wii-mote's wide-ranging motion-sensitive sensibilities, if nothing else -- also a fine example of its minute-motion precision, with most activities easily actuated within a forearm's radius of your starting position. If you ever snap your wriststrap and send the Wii-mote flying off to shatter the chandelier, that pretty much makes you a clumsy oaf and has nothing to do with the hardware. You probably shouldn't be handling power tools or small children, either.

In spite of the game's obvious content abundance, on the whole, it's too short because each game, delivered in thematic clusters, lasts but a couple of seconds. That doesn't exactly add up to hours of fresh gameplay.

Similarly, "Smooth Moves" sports only a token two-player mode (played from a single Wii-mote plus the nunchuk attachment for the second player, or by passing the Wii-mote around like a hot potato), which is short-lived, anticlimactic, offline only and feels completely like an ad hoc afterthought, though the game clearly begs for more "Wii Sports" -- or "Mario Party"-like interactivity with at least two players, ideally more, right out of the box.

Tales of Destiny 2

Or watch it here

Shady O'Grady's Rising Star Simulates the Ups and Downs of the Music Business

Build Your Band, Write the Songs, and Score That Elusive Recording Contract

Gilligames, an independent developer and publisher of PC games, today announced their upcoming musical simulation/role-playing game, “Shady O’Grady’sTM Rising Star” for Windows PC’s. Rising Star captures the struggles and successes of up and coming musicians, as they work to recruit band members, gain popularity locally and throughout America, and ultimately, get the lucrative recording contract of their dreams. Shady O’Grady’sTM Rising Star will be available in early March 2007 for $29 (download) or $36 (CD-ROM). A downloadable demo will be available in February 2007 at www.gilligames.com.



Once you’ve created and practiced enough songs, you’ll need to visit all the small bars in the area to see if you can find a gig. Whether you are opening for a better known band, or competing against other up and comers in a battle of the bands, you’ll have to prove it all night as you build your performance to a satisfying conclusion and leave your audience feelin’ alright and partying like its 1999. Give your fans a reason to believe and they’ll keep coming back to see you all day and all of the night. But if you end up getting out of control during your performance, you might over do it during your symphony of destruction and end up in the local hospital – alive, but dazed and confused.



Other Rising Star features include:
RPG-style experience/leveling system, with six assignable skills: Songwriting, Playing, Stage Presence, Production, Repair, and Business.

Make band decisions based on your musicians' Inspiration, Health, Happiness, and Ego levels.

Dynamic musician attitude system - recruit compatible musicians, and kick out egotistical musicians living in their own private Idaho that no longer get along. Unhappy and uninspired musicians may quit on their own.

Over 800 different types of equipment, including real brands with images supplied by American Musical Supply (www.americanmusical.com) to let your band rock on.

Over 120 cities to roam and conquer each randomly generated and presented in 3D for exploring.

Thousands of locations: Homes, bars, theaters, stadiums, clothing stores, music stores, studios, hotels & motels, manager offices, parks, cemeteries, and hospitals are all useful aspects of the game, providing lots of things to do.

Customize your band's appearance with thousands of combinations of hairstyles, hats, glasses, shirts, pants, pants, and wrist/hand wear. Live out your rock and roll fantasy.

Earn money doing odd-jobs to survive while trying to earn a reputation for your new band.

Customize your van's appearance with over 50 different paint jobs.

Success depends on decision making, not twitch skills.

Trash hotels & motels with the advanced physics engine. Go ahead and throw that lamp at the TV and see what happens.

A living world of working bands, spread over the continental USA

Built-in tutorial to help beginners understand the wealth of information and options.

Soundtrack of original music from real independent bands.

Map editor, allowing you to add, delete, or modify existing cities.

Equipment editor, allowing you to add, delete or modify existing equipment & supplies.

Easy to add your own content, or share content with other players.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl (PC)

A packshot and contents pic for the 'Radiation Pack' special edition.

Phil Harrison on developing Game third Age Games

Sony Executive Phil Harrison on the Possibilities Of Connected Communities In 2007 Game Developers Conference.

Phil Harrison, President, Worldwide Studios, Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE), will return to the Game Developers Conference (GDC) to present the keynote, “Game 3.0: Developing and Creating for the Third Age of Video Games.” Complementing the “Take Control” theme of GDC 2007, Harrison’s talk aims to enable developers to make the most of the countless opportunities made available by the new era of connectivity. GDC, CMP Technology’s annual conference dedicated to the art, science and business of games, takes place March 5-9, 2007 at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco.

In his talk, Harrison will explore the seemingly infinite entertainment, creative, and commercial opportunities presented by the massively connected communities of players and developers. He will enlighten attendees as to what “always on” can mean for both the game development industry and consumer, as well as what some of the innovative products and services are that will help content developers define and shape the meaning of Game 3.0. The SCE Worldwide Studios head will also demonstrate some exclusive insights into the company’s development of products and services that will help define future growth in the video game market.

“Each console cycle gives platforms the chance to reinvent the experiences they enable developers to provide to gamers,” said Jamil Moledina, Executive Director of the Game Developers Conference. “Phil Harrison is uniquely positioned to apply both his prescient creative abilities and his command of a globe-spanning network of leading development teams — to bring the entire developer community in on the giant leap forward of the PLAYSTATION®3.”

Phil Harrison has been immersed in the creativity, technology and business of game development for over 20 years. In September 2005, Sony Computer Entertainment unified its regional product development operations under a global structure, Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios, and appointed Harrison to serve as President of the new organization. Working closely with the talented studios in Japan, Europe, North America and Polyphony Digital, Inc., Harrison is responsible for setting the global product strategy and managing development operations of 14 studios in 5 countries. He is a corporate executive and representative director of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc, and Executive Vice President of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. Since joining Sony in 1992, Harrison has held executive management positions in Europe and North America — where he served as Vice President, 3rd Party Relations and Research and Development for SCEA from 1996 to 2000. He has been a core member of the teams that successfully launched all of the PlayStation family of hardware formats and innovative software that have helped expand the market for interactive entertainment worldwide.

Phil Harrison’s keynote, “Game 3.0: Developing and Creating for the Third Age of Video Games,” will take place from 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. in the Esplanade Room of the Moscone Center’s South Hall on Wednesday, March 7.

More than 12,500 game industry professionals will convene during GDC, the world’s largest games industry-only event dedicated to the advancement of resources, tools and technologies used to create interactive entertainment. The GDC features more than 300 lectures, panels, tutorials and round-table discussions on a comprehensive selection of game development topics taught by leading industry experts.

New from Xing Interactive: Dragon-X - Gold Quest for PC

Dutch publishers Xing Interactive are pleased to announce a new PC game called "Dragon-X: Gold Quest". This is a frantic platform game featuring a little Dragon who is out to gather as much gold as possible. Why? Well that's what Dragons do... They gather gold and guard it against greedy knights in shining armour. 7 different worlds and many bonus levels will make this game a great family friendly challenge for all ages. Initially the game is available in Dutch and English languages but it is designed for easy localisation.

Nintendo DS Tops 10 Million In The Americas; Nearly 9 Sell Every Minute

Nintendo DS™ continues to achieve milestone after milestone. As the fastest-selling video game system in the world, Nintendo DS now is in the hands of more than 10 million consumers in the Americas. Since launching in November 2004, nearly nine Nintendo DS or DS Lite portable game systems have sold – EVERY 60 SECONDS.

"More than 5 million people joined the ranks as Nintendo DS owners in America last year alone," says Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. "And right now, they're all saying the same thing—'give me more!' Fortunately, no matter your taste or experience in gaming, that's exactly what we're supplying in the months to come."



Following a year in which Nintendo DS taught the world to play in new ways, the planet's most popular video game device will school the cash-fisted buyers in the early months of 2007. Before March ends, Nintendo will send Diddy Kong® racing, obscure Wario™ in a series of disguises, challenge you to pimp your robo and lure the most daring into the dimmest room at Hotel Dusk™. In all, 20 new DS games will launch in the United States in the first three months of 2007. The full list by launch month:

January
Hotel Dusk: Room 215 - Nintendo
Arthur & the Invisibles - Atari
Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney Justice for All - Capcom
Fossil League DTC - D3Publisher

February
Diddy Kong Racing DS - Nintendo
Lunar Knights - Konami
F24 Stealth Fighter - Majesco
Disney's Kim Possible: Global Gemini - Buena Vista
Meteos: Disney Magic - Buena Vista
Winning Eleven Pro Evolution Soccer 2007 - Konami
Izuna: Legend of the Unemployed Ninja - Atlus

March
Wario: Master of Disguise - Nintendo
Custom Robo Arena - Nintendo
Disney's Herbie: Rescue Rally - Buena Vista
Disney's Meet the Robinsons - Buena Vista
Spectrobes - Buena Vista
Steel Horizon - Konami
Cake Mania - Majesco
Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords - D3Publisher
TMNT (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) - Ubisoft

Fasten Your Seatbelt And Prepare For The Flight Of Your Life!

WING ISLAND LAUNCHES ACROSS EUROPE ON WII

Get ready to take to the skies with the ultimate aerial adventure! Wing Island will allow you and your friends to hone your flying techniques as you soar through the clouds as an ace biplane pilot, performing death-defying stunts and exciting tricks along the way with ease. Wing Island soars across Europe on Wii on 23rd March 2007. Wing Island is published by Hudson and distributed by Nintendo.

As the first flying game for the dynamic Wii Console, Wing Island is like no other flying game out there. Using the Wii’s ground-breaking motion sensitive controls, players can feel as if they really are flying their plane. The use of the Wii Remote allows players to achieve maximum precision whilst flying, combined with a more realistic feel. By simply tilting the controller left or right, you can turn the plane in the desired direction by angling the remote up or down gamers can easily change height. Quick turns can be easily achieved by waving the remote’s tip to the left or the right. Acceleration and breaking is equally simple to control with quick bursts of speed controlled by quickly thrusting the remote forward or backward, whilst more steady speed is achieved by pressing up or down on the D-pad. Not only is this a simple and intuitive way to control the game but it also brings an all-new level of fun and excitement to the game, regardless of your previous gaming experience, as your movements control the plane.




In the main Story mode, gamers progress by completing each mission and unlocking new locations. The game’s single player missions set the player a number of fun tasks to test their flying skills ranging from food drops to extinguishing forest fires and taking photos of assigned objects. Players earn different ratings for each mission based on time, accuracy and damage to the planes. This in turn influences points, bonus points, and money awarded for each of the 27 missions. Earning money in turn allows players the opportunity to tune and repair their plane and even buy one of seven completely new planes. During each mission the player has the opportunity to fly solo or in a formation of five dependent upon which mission they are involved in, therefore enabling the player to experience the best of both flight methods.

‘Wing Island’ is centred around three different, exotic cartoon islands inhabited by wacky cartoon animals who will help players complete the tasks they are set. The first island is the smallest and houses ‘Wing Inc’, where the first few missions take place. The second location becomes available after completion of the initial missions and presents more challenging terrain across which to navigate. The third and final island has a large city built on it and is by far the most challenging to navigate across.



If the idea of completing missions doesn’t appeal to you then select Free Mode where you can fly freely around the islands in the game without constraints of time. At any point in the mission players can also try and break their own records to show off to their friends in the Single Player Competitive Mode. There are three options in this mode: score attack, where players must pop balloons by ramming them with a spike on the plane, time attack where they must race through numbered gates and also Plane Tail which allows you to pop balloons tied to your opponent,

If a bit of extra competition is what you’re looking for why not go head to head against a friend to prove yourself a flying ace, or perfect your skills by taking on Wii in Two Player Mode. As in Single Player Competitive Mode, this mode also contains score attack and time, as well as Plane Tail.

The super-exciting ‘Wing Island’ flies into stores across Europe on Wii on the 23rd March 2007 at an estimated retail price of around 49 Euros (approximately £34 in the UK). The Wii console is available across Europe priced at 249 Euros (approximately £179).

Xploder PS3 HD Movie Player and Media Manager

Xploder PS3 HD Movie Player and Media Manager available in the PAL territories of Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Australasia on release day.

It's official - Xploder PS3 HD Movie Player and Media Manager hits Europe on 23rd March!

Further to the successful North American launch of Xploder’s PS3 Cheat Save and Media Management solution, the company has announced that the PAL version of the product will be available at launch.



It’s well documented that the PlayStation 3 is not only a powerful next-gen gaming console; it incorporates a myriad of multimedia functions that have been included to place the console at the heart of the user’s home entertainment system.

And for those gamers who wish to exploit the capabilities of their new PS3 system, Xploder has created the ultimate media management application - as well as providing access to the latest PS3 cheat saves, the Xploder HD Movie Player and Media Manager provides users with a comprehensive range of software tools to enable the conversion, transfer and management of their entire media collections.

MOVIES
At the recent CES show in Las Vegas, delegates were astounded by the superior HD 720p and 1080p resolutions of the High Definition movies that had been converted by Xploder software for PlayStation 3 playback. Xploder automatically converts movie files to the AVC (.MP4) format for PS3 playback. It is compatible with the majority of movie file formats, including DVD (VOB)*, MKV, Xvid, DivX, MPEG 1, M1P, MPEG 2, TS, M2P, WMV, ASF, MP4 and AVI.

MUSIC
The conversion of music to MP3 and transfer via the easy-to-use ‘iTunes style’ desktop interface could not be any more simple! Convert your CD collection, along with MP3, AAC and WMA files, and you can even transfer music straight from your iTunes music library.

CHEATSAVES
If you want to get ahead of the game, you need access to the #1 Cheats Database - the software allows you to download exclusive PS3 cheat saves from www.xploder.net. North American users had instant access at launch to PS3 cheat saves for the latest games including Call of Duty 3, Ridge Racer and Resistance: Fall of Man, and with over 30 titles announced for European launch, Xploder.net is THE place to download PS3 and PSP cheat saves for the hottest games.

IMAGES
Manage your photo and image gallery for viewing on PS3 and PSP. Preview thumbnail images via the desktop interface and simply copy them across to your portable memory device. Compatible with JPG, BMP, GIF, PNG and TIF formats.

All this functionality will be available for just £19.99 from high street retailers or from the Xploder store.
In addition the all-new Xploder download service means that you can get your hands on this market-leading software app for only £14.99.

*Non copy-protected DVDs only.

Virtual Console Shifts Up A Gear With One Of Nintendo's Best Racing Games Of All Time

Racing fans are in for an extra special treat today as Mario Kart 64, one of the greatest games in the hugely popular Mario Kart series, is available to download to Wii’s Virtual Console *. Featuring tense racing action for up to four players, Mario Kart 64 is the ultimate trip down nostalgia lane for you and your friends for the small sum of 1000 Wii Points.



As if this great game wasn’t reason enough to join the 1.4 million Wii users connected to the internet around the globe, Friday will see the launch of the first version** of the News Channel, for free, across Europe. Once downloaded the News Channel provides instant on demand news from around the world at the press of a button.

This Friday will also see the release of Soldier Blade from Turbografx (PC Engine), which will join over 40 classic titles already available for the Virtual Console. Since launch a staggering 1.5 million games have been downloaded worldwide from the service.

Virtua Fighter 5 Official Site Launch

SEGA Europe Ltd. are pleased to announce the launch of the official website for Virtua Fighter 5, the hotly anticipated fighting game for the PlayStation3 computer entertainment system. Virtua Fighter offers a range of content for both fans of the highly acclaimed series and gamers new to Virtua Fighter.



Virtua Fighter includes a range of material covering everything from a game information section describing all the aspects of Virtua Fighter 5 to a detailed character section explaining everything there is to know about fighters old and new. An extensive media section allows visitors to view a selection of movies and screenshots, going great lengths to prove the undeniable beauty of Virtua Fighter 5 and also includes a variety of wallpapers and icons for fans to download.




Visitors wanting to brush up on their Virtua Fighter knowledge can browse through the history section of the site to get the inside information on the critically acclaimed and much loved game, helping to make Virtua Fighter the perfect site for fans of what is hotly tipped to be the world’s greatest fighting game.

For more information on Virtua Fighter 5 please visit Virtua Fighter

wii news channel launches in US

News At Your Fingertips: AP And Nintendo Launch Wii News Channel Across Americas

As the options for news multiply, Nintendo is putting a simple solution for straight news right in the palm of your hand-in the form of the Wii Remote™. The News Channel, free to Wii™ owners, will debut on the console's Wii Menu beginning tomorrow, Saturday, Jan. 27. Using the international resources of the Associated Press, the News Channel gives you key stories in multiple categories from across the country and around the world.

"What Wii has done for video gaming, we hope it will also accomplish for news," says Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. "Just by pointing at your TV screen, you become your own interactive editor, instantly accessing the latest headline stories, whether they originate in Kansas City or Kyoto."



"The Associated Press is always looking for innovative ways to expand its audience for news and information," said Jane Seagrave, vice president and director of AP's digital division. "The Wii News Channel extends our global reach even further, on yet another platform, offering our news to people who otherwise might not see it."

The simple user interface allows Wii owners to spin a virtual globe and point to the location of a news event using the Wii Remote. Stories will be listed under headings including Business, Sports, Arts/Entertainment, Technology and Science/Health to allow users to quickly access information in the order they want. At any given time, dozens of stories might be available for each category. In the global view, stories can be grouped by region instead of category. Icons show which stories have been read, which stories are text-only and which ones come with news photos. Because Wii caters to all different ages, the interface allows users to change the size of the text. By using the "always-on" system functionality of WiiConnect24™, stories will be updated frequently, even while owners are sleeping.

BLAST! Signs up Charlotte's Web

BLAST! SIGNS UP CHARLOTTE'S WEB, THE CHILDREN'S FILM OF THE YEAR

Blast! Entertainment Limited part of the Mastertronic Group of Companies continues to raise the bar by signing up the major movie license Charlotte's Web for PlayStation 2.

Publishers Weekly lists the book as the best-selling children's paperback of all time, selling more than 45 million copies and has been translated into 23 languages. Aside from its paperback sales, Charlotte's Web is 78th on the all-time hardback list. Bringing this all time classic to life on PS2 is Atomic Planet Entertainment Limited (APE) a video games developer based in the North of England, consisting of a management team that has over 70 years of industry experience.



The hugely anticipated film is due for release in UK cinemas in February, it's a live-action/photo real CG animated feature adaptation of E.B. White's "Charlotte's Web" starring Dakota Fanning as Fern. Heading up the all star cast is Julia Roberts lending her vocals in the lead role of Charlotte A. Cavatica, a spider and heroine of the book who goes out of her way to save Wilbur the pig's life by weaving miraculous words into her webs.

Also providing voices are Oprah Winfrey as Gussy the barn's maternal yet irreverent goose; John Cleese as Samuel the sheep; Steve Buscemi as the barn's sardonic Rat Templeton. Cedric The Entertainer will play opposite Oprah as the other Goose - Golly. Reba McEntire and Kathy Bates will voice the barn's ironic cows; Betsy and Bitsy and Thomas Haden Church will voice Brooks, one of two dimwitted crows opposite Andre Benjamin (Andre 3000) as Elwyn the other crow.



Charlotte's Web on PlayStation 2 combines all the major characters of the story and places them in the players control. This is a quick and simple game to get into that is perfect for children. Varied gameplay will include exploration and problem solving and the player with have to explore the farm to live through the infamous Charlotte's Web story.

Sean Brennan, Blast! Entertainment, commented "Signing Charlott'e Web is a major coup for us and we'll be maximising the massive publicity that will surround the film launch. This release firmly places Blast! on the map as the leading value PS2 publisher across Europe and we plan to announce further high profile signings throughout 2007."

Charlotte's Web will be released on PS2 in March 2007 throughout Europe with an RRP of £9.99/€14.95, the Blast! range represents excellent value especially for kids and families with characters you know and love.

New hardware boosts Oz game sales

New hardware releases helped the Australian games industry reach a sales high of AUD $925 million (EUR 562m) in 2006.

Total game sales were up 7 per cent in 2006, with hardware rising 18 per cent and accounting for AUS $329 million in sales (EUR 200m), according to data released by GfK Australia.

Software sales amounted to AUD $596 million, a rise of just one per cent, but actual software units sold dropped to 12.5 million, compared to 12.6 million in the previous year.

Between October and December 2006, the DS sold 151,922 units, while the PlayStation 2 managed 122,639 consoles sold. The PSP sold 55,850 units in the same period.


Industry expects to break AUD $1bn sales in 2007


Since the Nintendo Wii launched December 7, it has sold a total of 51,744 units, while the Xbox 360 has sold 45,036 units in the final three months of the year.

The Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia believes that the industry will continue to grow this year.

"2007 will be a considerable year for hardware sales and the Australian interactive games industry will comfortably exceed the AUS $1 billion mark," offered Chris Hanlon, CEO of the IEAA.

Sega teams with Kuju for new PSP project

Puzzle game Crush due for summer release

Sega has teamed up with Kuju Brighton to develop new title Crush for the PSP.

The game is due for release this summer, and promises a gameplay mechanic whereby players are able to change the environment from 3D to 2D, in order to solve puzzles.



"Crush introduces a fascinating new gameplay perspective on the PSP that encourages players to stretch their imagination in a whole new way," said Scott Steinberg, VP of marketing for Sega of America.

"The spatial concept of the crushing mechanic is something truly unique that encourages users to think back and forth between 3D and 2D objects and environments to engage different parts of their brain, and see beyond what is literally in front them."

EA collects Pogo titles for DS release

Pogo Island to feature five casual gaming favourites

Electronic Arts is to repackage five of the most popular titles from casual gaming site Pogo.com for release on the Nintendo DS.

Word Whomp, Poppit, Phlinx, Tri-Peaks Solitaire and Squelchies will feature in the package, due for release this March.



"Million of people have been captivated by these simple, yet addictive casual games," said Kevin Chorney, producer for Pogo Island.

"We're so excited to finally bring the online experience to players on the go," he added.

EA bought Pogo.com in 2001, and the site currently enjoys an average of 2.6 million users per day.

No 20gig PS3 for Europe

Europeans who fancy getting their hands on the 20GB model of the PS3 will also be disappointed, since Sony has decided not to launch the cheaper version of the console in this market - not initially, at least.

The company says it'll continue to monitor demand for the 20GB version, of course, and claims that it's only going with the 60GB version as the sole offering because that's what retail has told them to do.



Whether that's entirely true or not (we've spoken to several retailers who seem bitterly disappointed at the decision to launch a single SKU and not offer a lower priced proposition), it's obvious where the decision has its basis.

Sony are no doubt mindful of the fiasco at the launch of the Xbox 360, when Microsoft chose to ship a large number of crippled Core systems as part of it day one allocation - leaving frustrated consumers who wanted the premium system stuck with buying a Core, and then battling over short stocks of the hard drive add-on.

Wii Lineup For First Quarter

Wii Lineup For First Quarter 2007 Expands Nintendo's Global Phenomenon

Fans Will Find Dozens of New and Classic Games Everyone Can Play

After watching everyone from gamers to grandmas fall under the spell of ground-breaking Wii™ games during the holidays, Nintendo fulfills its promise to continue the flow of fun for veteran and new gamers alike. Nintendo's first-quarter lineup is filled with new games that expand the breadth and depth of the Wii library and build on the kind of fun that has made Wii such a smash hit. The first three months of the year are filled with games for everyone, from sure-fire favorites like Wii Play™ to SSX ™Blur and The Godfather® Blackhand Edition from EA and a new Prince of Persia® Rival Swords game from Ubisoft. Fans can enjoy the classic Nintendo franchises such as The Legend of Zelda®: A Link to the Past® and the upcoming Mario Kart 64™ for the Wii Shop Channel. And on Jan. 27, the News Channel goes live with global coverage provided by the Associated Press.

"Our tremendous worldwide launch shows people, from experienced players to non-players, are hungry for the kinds of entertainment only Wii provides," says Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. "Wii hardware production continues full bore, and every week we're delivering more incredible content to further expand the experience."

Casual game players who recently discovered or rediscovered the thrills of video games through games like Wii Sports™ and WarioWare™: Smooth Moves will be glad to know Wii Play, a collection of nine new games in the Wii Sports style, will be available Feb. 14. Wii Play includes games like Billiards, Fishing and Shooting Range, a target-practice game in the style of Nintendo's classic Duck Hunt™. Wii Play comes packaged with a Wii Remote™ to highlight the fun multiplayer aspects of Wii, and to provide an incredible value.



Veteran gamers who spent countless hours playing through The Legend of Zelda®: Twilight Princess will find new challenges by entering worlds populated by everyone from Tiger Woods to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, thanks to a deep list of new offerings from third-party publishers.

Beyond the current library of 34 new Wii titles, the schedule for upcoming Wii releases includes:

• Feb. 14 Wii Play with Wii Remote Nintendo


• March 27 Disney's Meet the Robinsons Buena Vista


• March Bust-A-Move Bash Majesco


• March Prince of Persia Rival Swords Ubisoft


• March TMNT (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) Ubisoft


• March Bionicle Heroes Eidos


• March Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII Ubisoft


• Q1 Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 EA


• Q1 SSX Blur EA


• Q1 The Godfather Blackhand Edition EA


• Q1 Medal of Honor Vanguard EA


• Q1 Sonic and the Secret Rings Sega

But new titles don't begin to describe the array of game action available on Wii. With yesterday's Virtual Console release of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past from the NES®, the library of downloadable Wii titles grows to 42. Also, next week will see the addition of an all-time favorite, Mario Kart 64. Nintendo will continue to make weekly announcements to update Wii owners about upcoming releases.

New kind of puzzle game, The Incredible Machine,

Vivendi Games Mobile announces the forthcoming launch of a new kind of puzzle game, The Incredible Machine, in April 2007.

Inventors welcome: the weirder, the better!

Based on Sierra’s franchise with 5 games released between 1993 and 2001, Vivendi Games Mobile has developed the mobile version of this mythic game where ingenuity is the master key to success.



With 60 problems to solve and another 20 as bonuses, the game develops and will challenge your inventor -side for many hours.

As the user, you are the assistant of Professor TIM. You have to choose carefully from 34 objects to design and assemble your own contraptions which will undoubtedly have working pulleys, levers, belts, motors, balloons and more. Your ultimate goal? Generate a chain reaction which will make your contraptions work.

Each of your creations will be rated by Professor TIM. Get a good or excellent rating in order to unlock new mechanisms as bonuses (up to 20); new backgrounds for the game and new original music to be played while you are solving your next challenge.

In order to improve your skill or impress your friends; you can re-watch the workings of mechanisms you have invented.

Two game modes are offered to the user:

Classic:
Get the best results for your problem -solving skills in order to get to the next level and unlock new challenges, backgrounds and music.

Free:
Train or entertain your friends in the free mode. You can play as you wish with the mechanisms you have already unlocked in classic mode.

Final Fantasy XII Cosplay Contest

Square Enix Ltd., the publisher of Square Enix® interactive entertainment products in Europe and other PAL territories, today announces an exclusive Cosplay competition to celebrate the launch of its forthcoming FINAL FANTASY XII.

If you think you have what it takes to be an official Square Enix Cosplayer, you are invited to enter the official FINAL FANTASY XII Cosplay competition. Three Grand Prize Winners will win a two night trip to London to showcase their FINAL FANTASY XII costumes on stage at the official launch event in central London, and will also receive a FINAL FANTASY goodie bag.



Be sure to start cutting and sewing immediately as entry to the competition closes on 11th February 2007, 11:59 p.m. If you think you have what it takes to be an official Square Enix Cosplayer, send an email with three photos of you in your FINAL FANTASY XII costume to the dedicated email address – found at Square-enix. Before entering please read the Official Contest Rules for entry details and eligibility requirements.

Any other Final Fantasy Cosplayers wanting to showcase their costumes from previous Final Fantasy adventures are welcome to join the celebrations at the launch event, but are not eligible to enter the above competition. A number of goodies and giveaways will be available at the launch – full event details will follow shortly.

FINAL FANTASY XII will be available from 23rd February 2007, exclusively on the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system.

WoW Level 70 in 2 days!

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Mortal Kombat Armageddon (Wii) with Ed Boon

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Publishers wary of creating Nintendo wii titles

Perception of poor third-party performance sees big names hold back

Big publishers have been wary of creating new titles for the Nintendo Wii due to the perception that first-party titles are better supported than third-party games, says Brian Dreyer, business development manager for Frontline Studios.

The trepidation of companies to support the console and its motion sensitive controller has left a gap in the market that independent studios have been wise to exploit, claims Dreyer.



"Nintendo hardware is traditionally seen as great for first-party titles, but not so much for third-party games," said Dreyer, speaking exclusively to GamesIndustry.biz

"That fact really scares a lot of publishers and frankly we've seen a lot of publishers take that wait-and-see attitude with the Wii," commented Dreyer. "Rightly or wrongly, publishers are more frustrated with that than independent developers are."

While publishers such as Ubisoft and Sega have supported the Wii since launch, others, such as Capcom, are yet to get boxed product to market.

Frontline is currently working with Digital Amigos and Nibris on the Wii project Sadness. For the developer, the attraction of working on Nintendo hardware is the innovative elements of the console that provide a different approach to game development.

"It's the marketing warfare," said Dreyer. "Nintendo is the challenger, it's the underdog and it has to be coming to market with something that is completely different."

"Gamers are yawning at these supposedly great-looking games on other systems. With the Wii, we're back to the fundamentals, the nuts and bolts of any videogames experience, which simply means it has to be fun,"

PlayStation 3 launch details to be revealed at midnight

Price, date and software line-up to be unveiled tonight

The full launch details for the PlayStation 3 in Europe are due to be revealed tonight at midnight.




It is widely expected the console will launch on March 23, with a price of £425 in the UK.

The 20GB model of Sony's new home console is not expected to be available during the European launch window.

The console should retail for EUR 599 in most other European territories, except Ireland, where consumers will be asked to pay EUR 629.99.

The line up of software available during the launch window should also be revealed, and is expected to include titles such as Evolution Studios' Motorstorm and Insomniac's Resistance: Fall of Man.

It's official - Wii use can cause weight loss

Video gamers who'd rather battle virtual villains than fight the flab can take heart. Use of the new Nintendo Wii can lead to weight loss.

After six weeks and 21 hours of total game play on Nintendo Co. Ltd.'s new game console, Philadelphia resident Mickey DeLorenzo is nine pounds (4 kgs) lighter and making a splash with his new svelte self.




"I'm on my 15 minutes here," he joked, referring to the famous Andy Warhol quote about 15 minutes of fame, in a telephone interview with Reuters on Friday.

Reuters Pictures

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DeLorenzo, 25, came up with the idea for his experiment after he and his fiancée ended up breathless and glistening with sweat after virtually pummeling each other in the "Wii Sports" boxing game.

"On the fly, as I was typing my blog posts, I set up a daily regimen and went at it 100 percent," said DeLorenzo, who tipped the scales at 181 pounds -- where he's been for the last couple years -- when he started the experiment on December 3.

He ate as usual and didn't deprive himself during the holidays. The only thing that changed was the addition of daily, 30-minute sessions of Wii tennis, bowling, boxing or baseball.

PS3 is harder to cost reduce

But Japanese retailers reportedly slash price

SCEA boss Jack Tretton has warned that it will be hard to cut the cost of PS3 as the machine is so expensive to make - but according to reports, some Japanese retailers have already slashed 20% the RRP.

When asked in an interview with US magazine Game Informer whether PS3 price cuts be "as soon or as drastic" as they were for PS2 Tretton replied, "No... There's a heck of a lot more under the hood and it costs us more money to make it."




But although he conceded it will be "a lot more difficult to cost reduce" PS3, Tretton said that consumers will still be willing to pay the asking price.

"I think the consumers that get their hands on a PlayStation 3 clearly see the value and not only want to buy one for $599, in some instances they're willing to pay ridiculous prices to buy one on eBay," he concluded.

However, reports suggest that demand for the hardware is already slowing in Japan. According to Media Create figures the PS3 suffered its worst sales week so far earlier this month, and now there are claims that some retailers are drastically cutting the price of PlayStation 3.

As reported on Akibablog.net and partially translated by Kotaku, some shops are said to be reducing the price for the 20GB model from YEN 49,980 (EUR 315) to YEN 39,980 (EUR 253) - a drop of 20 per cent.

But market watchers PS3 wasn't the only console to experience a post-Christmas sales slump - Media Create's figures revealed that the numbers for Nintendo Wii and Xbox 360 were also down during the same period.

Companies warned of Chinese outsourcing pitfalls

A new report from Pearl Research has highlighted pitfalls in Chinese outsourcing, as the region's videogame market is set to exceed US $1.3 billion (EUR 1bn) in 2008.

Outsourcing and development in the region will continue to grow, but the report warns that costs are not as cheap as some companies believe, with travel, training and project management eroding savings made in areas such as low labour costs.

Other challenges presented by outsourcing development in the region include concerns over product quality, protection of intellectual property and competition for skilled employees.

However, Pearl Research notes that as as the market matures, so will the long-term quality of output.

The report also notes that online casual gaming will make up 30 per cent of the Chinese games market in 2008, while the most popular Chinese MMORPGs can generate US $80 million (EUR 61.6m) annually.

Miyamoto to speak at Game Developers Conference

First keynote since 1999 from Nintendo's senior MD

Shigeru Miyamoto, the acclaimed game developer behind titles such as Super Mario Bros. and Legend of Zelda, will keynote the Game Developers Conference 2007.

In his first keynote since 1999, the developer will reveal the creative process behind his work on highly-regarded software as well as his thoughts on new Nintendo hardware, in a session entitled, 'A Creative Vision'.



"The Game Developers Conference is a place for developers to learn from one another, and I think it is safe to say that every member of the community has at one time or another fantasised about having Shigeru Miyamoto as a mentor and teacher," said Jamil Moledina, executive director of the GDC.

"By guiding us through his creative vision with a keynote at this year's GDC, Miyamoto is allowing all attendees this incomparable privilege."

The Game Developers Conference tales place March 5 - 9 in San Francisco. Discount for early registration for the event closes January 31.

Miyamoto's keynote will take place at the GDC on Thursday March 8, in the Moscone Centre.

European DS sales top 10million

Nintendo's handheld breaks more records

Nintendo of Europe has announced that 10 million DS units have now been sold across the continent, making it the fastest and best-selling handheld in history.

The DS launched here in March 2005, and was followed by the redesigned DS Lite in June last year. It was one of the most popular products for European consumers at Christmas, with 1.7 million units sold during December alone.



"This landmark figure of 10 million Nintendo DS gamers cements the console's position as undisputed leader of the handheld market, bringing gaming to a whole new audience - something that was unimaginable a few years ago," said European marketing director Laurent Fischer.

"The DS is now helping to shape the whole market with sales of the Nintendo DS console and games being the main drivers behind recent market growth all across Europe."

The original DS is priced at EUR 130 / £89, while the DS Lite retails for EUR 150 / £99. Forthcoming titles for the handheld include Mario Slam Basketball, Star Fox Command and Final Fantasy III.

EA predicts software price cut

Ryan Jones, general manager of Electronic Arts Australia, has said that he believes the console cycle transition phase is now at an end - and that game prices are set to fall as a result.

Jones said, "I think it's safe to say that we're just about done with transition.

"Retail will show strong growth with the investment of GAME into the market, and it bodes well for the future having two strong specialists in the market as they tend to hold pricing and discount less to drive sales," he continued.




"On that point though, we do see next-gen pricing drifting down to AU $99 [EUR 60] by the end of the calendar year for all premium new releases." At present, full price Xbox 360 games retail for AU $120 (EUR 73) in Australia - the same price PS3 titles are expected to cost when the console launches there. Wii games sell for AU $100.

"We've had very successful next-gen launches in 360 and Wii, and with PS3 launching in March its initial success has become less significant," Jones said.

"Longer term it's hard to say who will win the console war out of the three hardware platforms but three strong platforms is certainly better than one strong, one average and one failure.

According to Jones the Nintendo DS is still enjoying strong growth, which he believes will make the handheld "a strong bet" for third-party publishers.

"We might see Nintendo's dominance on their own platforms challenged for the first time," he added.

"The challenges will be maximising the retail opportunities with so many different platforms in the market and limited growth in retail real estate in the medium term."

Rumor: Mario Galaxy Pushed Back Metroid Coming in April

The word around Nintendo is that promises of Mario Galaxy in the spring are not going to be kept. Although, the New Metroid for Wii will be coming sometime between April and June. He also told me that Metroid will be the first Wii game to be playable over the internet. When. The lack of Wi-Fi games so far has been due to developers not making use of it.

Wii laptop in action

Wii laptop created by Ben Heckendorn



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Playstation 3 Capacity

How much capacity on a BluRay disc?



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Google Plays Video Games

It appears that Google will be buying AdScape Media which delivers ads so that they can be viewed within video games. Google has already announced plans for brokering ads into newspapers and radio using the targeting capacity it has developed for search engine text advertising.



Google's moves into video games and other media could be viewed as a plan to fashion a larger footprint in the media buying market. But, its is also probably an unspoken acknowledgment that the Internet text advertising business is not longer growing as fast as it was a year ago.

Google's expansion may actually be masking a contraction.

PS3 unsold all over the USA

Over Christmas and New Year anecdotal reports from North America suggesting that the PS3 is languishing unsold on shelves across the continent.



This, at least, should extinguish some of the doubts about the European launch date - after all, those reports were largely based on the assumption that Sony wouldn't be able to divert enough stock from the USA to satisfy a decent European launch by March.

This medicine is more bitter than the ailment it cures, and uncertainty over the prospects for PS3 is unsurprisingly high as a result.

More FREE mobile gamez

Greystripe Signs Six New Mobile Game Publishers to its AdWRAP Advertising Network
Distributing Free Games to Consumers through AdWRAP and GameJump.com

AdWRAP network, offer 400 free games

Greystripe has started the New Year off to a fast start, welcoming six new publishers and tons of new games to its growing portfolio of free, ad-supported mobile games available to consumers worldwide through GameJump.com and the AdWRAP Catalog Program partners.

“We are excited to distribute our games through GameJump and its partner portals such as myGamma,” said Jacob Møller, founder and CEO of Kiloo. “We believe in the model of ad-supported mobile games, which Greystripe is proving out via its developer-less integration and worldwide distribution.”



Publishers Kiloo, Mobility Zone, JavArt, LunaGames, Soul Biz Entertainment and Cheeky have signed deals to distribute their titles through Greystripe’s ad-supported mobile games portal and Greystripe’s catalog distribution program. These new partnerships help bring consumers a selection of over 400 games, all completely free and accessible through GameJump.com, the GameJump WAP portal (gjmp.tw), casual gaming site ProGamesNetwork.com, and the BuzzCity mobile social network myGamma.com. The new games include:

• 27 games from Kiloo, including the Hugo™ series: Hugo Black Diamond Fever, Hugo Follow the Monkey, Hugo Ice Cave, Hugo and Fernando, Hugo Cannon Cruise, Hugo Earthquake, Hugo Evil Mirror, and Hugo Goes Fishing
• 28 games from Mobility Zone, including Tomb Raider Slots, Supermoto Extreme, 2006 World Soccer, Mars Mission, Pyramid Ryder, and Euroleague Basketball JavArt’s Squeegeex, Crazy 4 Monkey, and Pinocchio
• LunaGames’ Jumbo’s SuDoKu, 3D Golf xPro, and Air Traffic Controller Classic
• Soul Biz Entertainment’s 360 Speed and Flower Combo
• Cheeky’s Blobbit Dash and Grid Runner



The popularity of Greystripe’s ad-supported mobile games portal is attracting many of the highest quality publishers and creating a tipping point effect in the mobile games industry. With more than 2 million game downloads to date, Greystripe’s network offers a successful new way for publishers to generate revenue and distribute games worldwide. The success of Greystripe’s network has quickly proven the ad-supported games distribution model to be highly viral, benefiting consumers, publishers, and advertisers alike.

“Our goal at Greystripe is to help our publisher partners increase distribution of their mobile games,” said Michael Chang, CEO of Greystripe. “Through AdWRAP Catalog partnerships with casual gaming sites and mobile communities, Greystripe is able to provide the widest possible distribution on the Internet and the mobile web.”

3 New Lumines Live! Downloads Next Week

Only on Xbox Live Arcade - Special Prices

Good things come in threes, and next week’s Arcade Wednesday release is no exception to that rule. Three new packages of Lumines Live! content will be available for download on Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360™ beginning Wednesday, 24th January at 09.00 GMT. Two of the add-on packs will be available at special promotional prices, and one of them will be free to Xbox Box Live Gold Members for a limited time!

In case you’ve been living under a rock, “Lumines Live!” combines puzzles, music and video entertainment to create an addictively-fun gameplay experience that looks and sounds as good as it plays. Play several different single player modes, battle friends online over Xbox Live, create your own skins playlist in the all-new Skin Edit Mode, and experience new ways to play via exclusive downloadable content to enhance and extend the gameplay experience.

Here’s what will be available to download for Lumines Live!:

Heavenly Star Skin
Cost: For a limited time only, free for Xbox Live Gold members from 24th January – 21st February, 2007.
(Price after 21st February 2007: 150 MS Points)
Performed by a new group called Genki Rockets and produced by Q Entertainment’s own Tetsuya Mizuguchi, the song's catchy and uplifting tune combined with equally striking video has caught the attention of many gamers and was recently nominated Best Song at the 2006 Spike TV Video Game Awards. Gamers can enjoy the music video in stunning HD and 5.1 surround sound as they play their way through the falling blocks.



VS CPU Pack
Cost: For a limited time only, 100 MS Points starting 24th January – 21st February 2007. (Price after 21st February 2007: 300 MS Points)
Show off your skills by challenging the CPU. This new game pack also includes a stylish skin and character designs that match the theme of each of the stages. A special bonus skin is waiting for you at the very end of the challenge.



Puzzle/Mission Pack
Cost: For a limited time only, 100 MS Points starting 24th January – 21st February 2007. (Price after 21st February 2007: 300 MS Points)
“Lumines Live!” is not just about dropping blocks. In Puzzle Mode, you must try to create a certain shape by using the blocks. In Mission Mode, you will be given a mission to clear all blocks within a specified amount of moves. With an additional 90 puzzles to solve and 40 missions to clear, you won’t want to miss this Pack. (The first 10 puzzles and missions are included in the Standard Edition; by purchasing the Pack, the total number is 100 puzzles and 50 missions)

Battlefield 2142 - Booster pack

Battlefield 2142: Northern strike booster pack brings futuristic close-quarter combat to PCs in March 2007

All-New Maps, Vehicles, Unlocks and more for Battlefield 2142

Battlefield 2142: Northern Strike drops gamers deep into a desperate conflict for control of Earth’s last scraps of inhabitable land following the onset of a cataclysmic new ice age. The Pan-Asian Coalition (PAC) has secretly moved into mainland Europe, using abandoned urban areas to establish new strongholds in a last-ditch push for superiority. The European Union must quickly mobilize north to dislodge PAC forces from a series of urban strongholds and regain the upper hand.



Battlefield 2142: Northern Strike features three new maps, including the infamous WWII battle scene at the Bridge at Remagen, an Alpine Titan docking harbour in Port Bavaria and a claustrophobic showdown in the Liberation of Leipzig. The booster pack also features new vehicles including the EU’s heavily armed IFV Goliath and the PAC’s hovering light IFV Hachimoto in addition to new unlocks, new badges and ribbons, new gameplay and more.
“Our number one goal with Battlefield 2142: Northern Strike was to give fans more of the close-quarters combat, increased persistence and new toys they’ve been asking for,” said Kristoffer Bergqvist, the booster pack’s producer. “We’ve also added gameplay enhancements including two brand new vehicle types in an asymmetrical set-up. Furthermore, we’re introducing the Titan game mode available into an urban setting and will debut the intensified Conquest Assault Lines game mode.”

*Requires full version of Battlefield 2142 to play.

If you want to play online, get an Xbox

Microsoft chairman Bill Gates has declared that the strategy for Xbox 360 is "working perfectly", questioning Sony and Nintendo's next-gen console offerings.

Gates observed that the original Xbox was "20 per cent better" than its rivals.

However, he continued, "It didn't matter. We were a year late, didn't have the best games. We had this bigger box. We did have online. We didn't switch positions on that."

But as for the strategy for Xbox 360, "It's working perfectly. We wanted to be the guy with the small box that costs less. We wanted to have the most games. We wanted to play to our software strength, and tools and online.



"We wanted to swap positions with Sony. We wanted to not be a year late, not be a big box, not be a more expensive box. How are we doing on that?"

According to Gates, Nintendo "clearly did some things right" in the past - such as building a close relationship with UK studio Rare. ("In my household, everybody plays Viva Piñata," Gates revealed.)

But he questioned Nintendo's strategy for the Wii, saying, "Look at the resolution you get with a controlled experience like that. Say to yourself, how in terms of using a game for a long period of time, what kind of accuracy and capability do you want?

"Look at the classic Nintendo positioning. Look at the graphics. Look at Nintendo's execution in terms of online capability... If you want to play online, get an Xbox. We're not standing still.

"Look at what you saw today connecting up the world to the Windows PC. Do you expect Nintendo to rev up a team to create cross-device gaming and tool kits to develop those things? Not very likely."

Gates also criticised Sony and the way the PlayStation 3's processors have been developed. "They were going to have the Cell be the video processor. But they didn't know what they were doing... They turned to Nvidia at the last minute, but Nvidia can't do embedded DRAM.

"Go look at the bandwidth problems... They took their year and burned it by not having a decent CPU strategy and then turning to Nvidia at the last minute. It's a very unusual thing. Those processors are isolated from each other."

Gates went on to say that he doesn't believe any of the first batch of PS3 games will look better than Halo 3, and questioned whether the option to create games at 1080p gives Sony's console a great advantage, stating, "Go ask the game developers."

A round-up of all of the latest Gamez news

THQ has signed an agreement with the Ultimate Fighting Championship to create a series of games, with the deal lasting until 2011. The publisher has the rights to produce games for all consoles, PC and handheld systems.

Lego Star Wars developer TT Games and publisher Eidos will release Bionicle Heroes for the Wii this Easter. The title is the first Lego Bionicle release for Nintendo's new home console.

Capcom has revealed the recently released Lost Planet: Extreme Condition has shipped one million units worldwide. The Xbox 360 title is the second to reach the target, following Dead Rising's success earlier in the year.

Ubisoft plans to target the younger gaming market with the release of Cosmic Family on the Wii. The point and click interactive adventure is due for release mid-2007.




Two titles from Koei will miss the launch of the PlayStation 3 in Europe. Bladestorm and Fatal Inertia are now scheduled for release this summer.

Namco Bandai will be bringing the DS title QuickSpot to North America. The game is due for release in the spring, and is an updated take on 'spot the difference' puzzles, utilising the DS touch screen and multiplayer features.

The publisher has also lined up Tamagotchi Party On! for the Wii, also due for release in the spring.

Atari will release War Front: Turning Point in the UK this March. The game is an alternative reality RTS for the PC, from developer 10tacle Studios.

Electronic Arts is to release a new line of story driven games in The Sims franchise. The first, The Sims Life Stories is due this spring, with Pet Stories and Castaway Stories due by the end of the year.

Nintendo DS title Mario Vs Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis is due for release across Europe on March 9.

Post-Christmas blues as next-gen consoles suffer drop in sales

Next-generation consoles have suffered a slow week of sales in Japan, with the PlayStation 3 recording its worst figures since release.

The PS3 sold 25,531 units for the week ending January 14.

Nintendo Wii sales were estimated at 93,708 units, the second worst week since it sold just over 85,000 units immediately after launch.



The news wasn't impressive for Microsoft either, with the Xbox 360 managing just over 9,000 units sold in the same period.

Sony recently announced it has shipped over a million units of the PS3 to Japanese retailers.

Looking at sales data for software, Wii Sports is the number one title in the region, selling over 61,000 units. Resistance: Fall of Man is the highest ranking PS3 title in the charts at number 40, while there are no Xbox 360 games in the top fifty at all.

HMV is PS3 launch partner

Sony is due to announce full details of the European PS3 launch and price point next week - that the 60GB model will hit the shops on March 23, priced at £425.

HMV will be Sony's official launch partner, with a special midnight event set to take place at their Oxford Street store.

HMV are currently discussing a range of possible options. I can't say right now whether this will include an official launch event, as such, but it's certainly the case that more and more publishers and games companies are approaching HMV following the success of a number of major launches over the last few years."



Most recently, HMV hosted the launch event for World of Warcraft expansion pack The Burning Crusade, which took place on Monday night. According to Ellis, "The midnight launch attracted a staggering 1500 fans, making it by far the biggest event of its kind ever staged by our Oxford Circus store."

HMV was also Nintendo's official partner for the launch of the Wii in December, and was previously chosen by Sony as its partner for the PSP launch in September 2005.

WoW Burning Crusade First lvl 70

Video on the first lvl 70: Gawell (Mage, Millenium on Archimonde EuFr)



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Sega Rally (PC PS3 X360)

First three screenshots...