THQ Announces World Wrestling Entertainment Superstars Triple H and Shawn Michaels on the WWE Smackdown v Raw 2009

THQ Inc. and JAKKS Pacific, Inc. today announced that World Wrestling Entertainment Superstars Triple H and Shawn Michaels will be featured on the cover of WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009. The accolade marks an unprecedented fifth time that fan-favorite Triple H has appeared on a cover for the leading fighting videogame franchise, while storied veteran Michaels will make his cover debut.

“Triple H and Shawn Michaels have made headlines over the years when they unite as the infamous ‘D-Generation X’ tag team in WWE programming,” said Cory Ledesma, senior creative manager, THQ. “We selected them for the cover as a means to celebrate the unprecedented level of tag team functionality we will deliver in WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009. Our tag team matches will allow players to experience the true task of working together, and our new Road to WrestleMania Mode will feature the franchise's first co-op tag team storyline."

About WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009

WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 upholds the franchise’s commitment to delivering the definitive videogame simulation of live WWE programming. The Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION 3 system, PlayStation 2 system and PSP system versions of the game will unleash a brand new tag team experience, allowing players to build momentum and attributes, eliminate opponents with high impact double teams and finishers, as well as get the “hot tag” for the win. The franchise’s renowned creation system offers a brand new Create-A-Finisher option, while a new Road to WrestleMania Mode paves the way to WWE’s biggest event of the year and lets players experience co-op storylines for the first time. WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 also extends the virtual WWE gameplay experience with robust online capabilities, including the highly anticipated debut of downloadable content.

WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 for Wii builds upon its inaugural offering by significantly expanding its match type options, giving players more ways to enjoy the platform’s unique pick-up-and-play experience. The game also takes full combat sports entertainment to the next level by giving players more Superstar control with interactive entrances and victory scenes. WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 for Wii will also include a wide variety of new weapons, the debut of online gameplay and much more.

WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 for Nintendo DS returns with new gameplay controls that utilize the stylus and D-pad to deliver a compelling handheld fighting game experience. The redesigned Season Mode takes a role-playing approach, allowing players to interact with Superstars, upgrade their abilities and complete missions on a quest toward legendary goals. In addition, a larger Superstar roster, new match types and the inclusion of Create-A-Superstar will provide players with a variety of intriguing options to enhance gameplay.

More information about WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 can be found at www.smackdownvsraw.com and www.thq.com.

Open Beta of Stone Age 2 Ready for North American Release

Aeria Games is proud to announce the open beta of the highly anticipated free-2-play massive-multiplayer RPG, Stone Age 2.

Set in the prehistoric ages, Stone Age 2 brings a mixture of dinosaurs of unimaginable heights and invisible spirits who help humans roam altered terrains such as dungeons and arid desserts.

Catch cute dinosaur pals and raise them to be battle masters and fight primeval threats alongside friendly allies. Duel against other players and creatures by building up your team with a combination of over 200 dinosaur species – each with unique personalities and special abilities. Enter your dinosaur pals into battle tournaments or just ride them around town.

For a limited time, new players will have the ability to snatch up the following items, absolutely free, just for checking out the wonderful world of Stone Age 2.

• One Small Shell Axe - Arm yourself for adventure with this free weapon that'll see you through many days of hard fighting!

• Ten Fruit of Perception - Each Fruit of Perception doubles the Experience you receive from battles for two hours - what a sweet snack!

• Five Wizard's Feed Soups - Each cup of this mystical broth raises the Loyalty and Mood of one Pal straight to 100! Perfect for quickly turning a wild Pal into a trusted companion!

• Five Dinosaur Cookies - Because dinosaurs ate cookies too; it's just that none of them fossilized so we have no record. You might want to try one of these when your endurance is low.

• One Fresh Milk - because cookies with no milk would simply be ... barbarian of us.

One addition to open beta is a new tournament structure that will be available for all weight classes and they will run 24 hours a day seven days a week and feature instant prize distribution after each tournament has been completed.

For more information on closed beta for Stone Age 2, please visit http://stoneage2.aeriagames.com.

Wizard101 School of Fire Magic Assets Now Available

Magic in Wizard101

There are six main schools of magic and a meta-school that modifies the use of the other six. The three external schools are Fire, Ice, and Storms, and they relate to the ancient Titans that ruled the world in the Days Before (dragons, giants, and tritons). There are three internal schools, Myth, Life, and Death, which encompass the internal powers of the mind, body, and spirit. The school of Balance blends all of these. Each of the six major schools exhibits a feel and philosophy, in rhythm with its own nature. In addition, each of the three inner schools dwells in the midst of two outer schools, drawing some small part of themselves from those framing forces.

Outer Schools

The spells of the outer or external schools focus their energies on somehow requiring other beings to serve you or do your bidding. Each school has its own particular method of doing such, but each one needs minion creatures to be effective.

School of Fire (Passion)

"If the Mind is like a candle, the Heart is like the sun."
Fire is passion, the bright, burning flame of raw emotion sweeping over everything in a relentless embrace. Those who follow the Fire Art, known as Pyromancers, are tempestuous, quick to anger, and deeply immersed in whatever drives them at the moment. They discover that it is necessary to walk a fine line with fire; having great passion and enthusiasm for one's loves in life is good, but watch out, lest that passion burn you up and consume you, leaving you nothing but a charred husk of your former self. Pyromancers use Incantations to dominate and coerce fire creatures to do their bidding. The Fire Arts trace their origins back to the fierce Fire Dragons, the race of Titans that ruled the land in the Days Before.

About Wizard101

Wizard101 is an elaborate 3D virtual world in which magic and sorcery come to life as players embark on a quest that involves a massive cast of good, evil and frequently silly characters. Designed to fill the void between online play sites for the very young and Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) games with mature ratings, Wizard101 puts players in the fantasy role of a Wizard apprentice at the Ravenwood School of Magical Arts.
For additional details go to www.wizard101.com.

In development: "Perimeter 2: New Earth"

Four years after release of the critically acclaimed RTS “Perimeter” the developers are ready to announce a sequel of the game.

Hundreds years of traveling through time and space are over, but not the actual story. The fate of humanity that has been forced to leave dying Earth and flee to the deadly worlds of the Psychosphere is once again in your hands.

The Exodus, lead by the wise Spirits has been searching for the New Earth. The Harkback has lost faith in Spirits, throw off their rule and decided to head back for the Old Earth, not believing its death. They refused to believe in death of their planet. Both sides took the final step on their way, but the chain has enclosed and mortal enemies entered the same planet face to face.

What has caused the great Chain of Worlds to form a circle? Where has the dream about a new home led people? Are Exodus and Harkback controlling their own fate or are they just mere tools in somebody’s hands? What are the true origins and intention of the Empire? All these and more new secrets of the “Perimeter” Universe will be revealed in the series of games which are currently in development by KDV Games studio.

The first game of the series will be released under the title “Perimeter 2: New Earth”.

“Perimeter 2” is a game for fans of the strategy genre, who appreciated the ideas of territorial gameplay, introduced in the original “Perimeter” game. Territorial warfare, confrontation of the main elements will become the basis of gameplay in sequel.

“Perimeter 2” is a strategy for the fans of the “Perimeter” Universe, who are willing and ready to know the truth about the fate of Exodus, Harkback and Empire, as well as other forces affecting the course of events in the Universe.

“Perimeter 2” is a project for progressive gamers, searching for fresh ideas and new experience in the RTS genre. The game will introduce new energy gathering and utilization technologies and unit transformation mechanisms. New gameplay elements include excavation in search of mysterious psy-crystals and many more. The game also includes an original RPG system and unusual story-telling methods.

“Perimeter 2” series are developed using the updated VistaGame Engine technology, expanding gameplay possibilities and overall interactivity of gaming environment.
Visit the game’s website at http://perimeter2.kdvgames.com for more information, screenshots and videos.

The first Perimeter 2 gameplay video is already available at: http://perimeter2.kdlab.com/eng/upload/Perimeter2_eng_trayler_july.avi

Deep Silver and GSC Game World release box shot for S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky

GSC Game World, computer games developer, its publishing subdivision GSC World Pub-lishing and Deep Silver, the games label of Koch Media, a leading producer and distributor of digital entertainment products, today announce the official box shot for S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky, the long-awaited prelude to S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky is a survival FPS game for PC based on a 'what-if' scenario of the second Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident. The game is created as a warning to mankind against mindless play with technologies. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky is the official prequel to the renowned S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game by the Ukraine-based GSC Game World studio. The game is set in 2011and brings forth the events to have preceded the third cam-paign of Strelok to the Zone center. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky introduces an alternative look onto the events of the original game and offers the player to try himself out as a mercenary s.t.a.l.k.e.r. in search of his own path in the world of S.T.A.L.K.E.R.

Official game site: www.stalker-game.com

Bungie Day

Bungie celebrates fans and rewards players with a new free multiplayer map, gamer pics, dashboard theme, and Legendary Map Pack price drop

July 7, or 7/7, has long been heralded as “Bungie Day” among “Halo” players and fans of the renowned developer. This year, Bungie is celebrating this day with the release of new multiplayer map Cold Storage, as well as new gamer pics and a Bungie Day Xbox 360 dashboard theme, all for free on Xbox LIVE Marketplace. The “Halo 3” Legendary Map Pack will also drop in price to 600 Microsoft points in honor of the occasion.

The tradition of Bungie Day was born in part due to the significance the number 7 has played in all of Bungie’s games over the years, including the “Halo” series (7 Halo rings, Master Chief is Spartan 117, etc.), and each year the developer makes a point to use this date to treat fans to something special – usually new content, a free download or other surprise.

This year marks the best “Bungie Day” yet, as eight million plus “Halo 3” players can now download Cold Storage, a free new multiplayer map inspired by the original map Chill Out found in “Halo: Combat Evolved.” The Cold Storage facility was once a vibrant, active research center on Installation 05. An accidental contamination resulted in an unforeseen outbreak, which compromised the Forerunner center. Now, emptied and silent, watched only by a local caretaker, the abandoned structure serves as a reminder of how something as powerful as science is ultimately beholden to nature.

In addition to the new map, players will be able to download 7 exclusive new gamerpics and a Bungie Day dashboard theme for free on Xbox LIVE Marketplace. Fans will need to be sure they download these on 7/7, because they will be available for one day only.

Sony Ericsson selects GlobalFun as official content acquisition partner

GlobalFun, a Publisher and Developer of premium mobile games has today announced that GlobalFun will be one of two main official content acquisition partners for the Play Now Arena and Fun & Downloads services run by Sony Ericsson.

The deal follows 5 years of close cooperation between the companies.

“We have since the beginning of our business aimed to provide our customers, of which Sony Ericsson is a highly valued one, with high quality premium content. This appointment serves for us as a proof that our strategy on content acquisition and account management has been and still is the correct one” commented Bertil Krumnack, EVP Sales & Business Development GlobalFun.

Marcus Johansson, CEO of GlobalFun added “The trust that Sony Ericsson is showing us by appointing us as one of two content acquisition partners is very flattering. We will do our very best to exceed the expectations in this area and to continue to grow our mutual business”.