Halo Wars demo passes the 2million downloads mark

The demo version of Ensemble Studios' Halo Wars has reached 2 million downloads in its first week.

Achieving double platinum status immediately after its release, the title is one of the most popular Xbox 360 demos since the console's launch.

Microsoft also revealed that January 2009 saw more new Xbox Live newcomers than any other month, attributing this to the system's sales boost over Christmas. The company also announced that Fallout 3 downloadable content Project Anchorage was in high demand during this time period.

Halo Wars is due for release in Europe on February 27 and North America on March 3.

Rygar - The Battle of Argus Nintendo Wii exclusive

Classic action-adventurer returns to the home console with new play mechanics, techniques and game modes.

Let loose your inner gladiator and swing into action as Rising Star Games announces the return of the legendary warrior in Rygar: The Battle of Argus, exclusively for the Nintendo Wii.
Featuring updated gameplay mechanics with the legendary Diskarmour shield as well as new techniques, enemies and game modes, this latest version brings the classic action-adventure gameplay back to gaming purists. Rygar: The Battle of Argus is set to swing back into action throughout PAL territories in June 2009.

In Rygar: The Battle of Argus, intuitive use of the Wii Remote™ allows players to effectively control the powerful weapon to destroy enemies and manoeuvre on, around, over and under obstacles. Players will challenge themselves in the all-new Gladiator Mode by rapidly swinging and slashing their way through non-stop waves of foes.


Key features:

• Innovative gameplay mechanics - the legendary Diskarmour shield can be used for attack, defence or transportation
• Not the same Rygar - conquer new enemies, techniques and game modes
• Gladiator Mode - play the new Gladiator Mode specially equipped for the versatile swinging movement of the Wii Remote
• Action packed adventure - this action-adventure title spans various unique zones and requires vanquishing multiple enemies and puzzle solving
• Intense combo attacks - multiple Diskarmour weapons are available to be found and upgraded with elemental power-ups such as fire, ice and lightening. Engage the enemy with over 40 different devastating combo attacks

New race tracks unlocked in Moto Racer DS online plus worldwide ranking

Nine race tracks are now available in the online Worldwide Ranking System. Players can compare their times on new tracks in Grand Prix mode; Granite Valley, Eternal Sunset and Gasworth Castle. The Motocross and Freestyle modes now offer racers the chance to compare times on the Hula Whoops, Mud Arena and Sky Runner circuits.

In Moto Racer DS’ unique online Worldwide Ranking System, players can enter their scores to measure their times against others around the world. Will you be the best? Visit www.MotoRacer-TheGame.com to find out.

Do you think you’re the fastest? Absolutely unbeatable? Have you beaten the AI on Expert difficult mode and want to take on the ultimate challenge? If the answer is yes, then try and beat the best riders in the world by accessing Moto Racer DS’ exclusive Online Worldwide Ranking System at: http://www.motoracer-thegame.com/en/worldwide-ranking/

Once on the Worldwide Ranking site, Moto Racer DS fans can register to create a rider profile and enter their Moto Racer DS code. The code can be found after a time trial race has been completed. Return to the main menu, select single player mode and then the mode that has just been raced in. Next, select time trial and the mode just completed to display a code for entry on the Worldwide Ranking website.

Profiles can be regularly updated with best times, as players try to beat their own personal record and compare or challenge other scores from all over the world. Players can also check out the Moto Racer DS forum to compare their skills with others.

Fast facts:
Publisher: Nobilis
UK Distributor: Ascaron Entertainment
Web: www.motoracer-thegame.com
Developer: Artefacts Studio
Release date: 3rd April 2009
PEGI: 3+
Format: Nintendo DS
Genre: Racing

World of Battles free PC strategy game

Frogwares is pleased to unveil several new images from World of Battles, their free, massively multiplayer strategy game, currently in open beta (accessible on the official website). In these images, you will see the Dwarves and the Undead, two of the nine races from the game, preparing for an upcoming battle.

In the medieval universe of World of Battles, nine races fight a terrible war for world domination. Choose your side, recruit, train and equip units in order to create a powerful army able to face opposing armies created by other players.

Take part in huge battles in order to establish yourself as a warlord and progress in the online World of Battles’, ranks. Players will be free to connect for quick play and to participate in one of the many official tournaments of World of Battles.

In the game, you will discover a unique system for customizing your units and soldiers. You'll be able to personalize the appearance of each one of your soldiers with a very high level of detail. Before launching into your first battles, you'll need to prepare your troops, because if you don't, your army will surely take a beating.



Once you're ready to fight, gameplay switches to real time strategy mode. Take command of your armies and show everyone who's the greatest warlord in the war-torn battlefields of World of Battles. You can also join friends to confront other clans in titanic guild wars in which tactics and teamwork will be essential to become the most powerful army of all.

World of Battles is free and accessible to all in order to allow everyone to share an intense online gaming experience. World of Battles has higher technical ambitions than other current free internet games and a significant development budget. The game will be supported through additional services and micro-transactions which will allow players to buy customizations for troops and units.

World of Battles is currently being developed by Frogwares studio. It will be available online for free in June 2009.

Chaotic video game based on the popular card game

Chaotic, a video game based on the popular trading card game and animated television series. Chaotic is scheduled for release on Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system in fall 2009.

The Chaotic video game combines action, role playing and turn-based strategy gameplay elements for an epic adventure in Perim, the stunning Chaotic world. Players adventure through vibrant, fully-realized 3D environments and interact with various characters from the best-selling trading card game and hit animated series. Players will build and manage their own army of Chaotic creatures while fighting enemies, collecting battlegear and unlocking new mugic (magic) spells and attacks. The Chaotic video game features dramatic tactical battles, a variety of captivating gameplay modes, as well as powerful upgrades and valuable unlockables.

“Chaotic was the first trading card franchise specifically designed to connect competition with online interaction, so it’s a natural fit for the property to evolve into videogames,” said Alfred R. Kahn, Chairman and CEO, 4Kids Entertainment. “Fans are eagerly anticipating the opportunity to take their battles to the next level… and now a Chaotic video game is on the horizon.”

“Chaotic has quickly earned its place among the top trading card games on the market,” said David Oxford, Activision Publishing. “We’re excited to create a fresh experience which will appeal to video game fans and Chaotic enthusiasts alike.”

“The Chaotic brand is inherently well-suited for video games because of its one-of-a-kind creature art, compelling storylines and imaginative environments,” said Bryan C. Gannon, CEO, Chaotic USA Entertainment Group. “We’re confident these core elements and a world class publisher such as Activision will result in a phenomenal game.”

About 4Kids Entertainment
With U.S. headquarters in New York City, regional offices for its trading card business in San Diego, California and international offices in London, 4Kids Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: KDE) is a global organization devoted to the creation, development, production, broadcasting, distribution, licensing and manufacturing of children's entertainment products.

Through its subsidiaries, 4Kids produces animated television series and films, distributes 4Kids' produced or licensed animated television series for the domestic and international television and home video markets, licenses merchandising rights worldwide to 4Kids' owned or represented properties, operates Web sites to support 4Kids' owned or represented properties, and produces and markets collectible trading card games. Additionally, the Company programs and sells the national advertising time in "TheCW4Kids" five-hour Saturday morning children's block on The CW television network.

Bonus for loyal Runes of Magic players

Frogster giving away Goodies worth 500,000 Euros

Berlin, February 13th 2009: According to tradition lovers make gifts on Valentine's day. Following that tradition, Frogster presents all loyal Runes of Magic players with Diamonds and items worth 500,000 Euros. Players will receive 50 Diamonds on every server they have at least one level 10 character. This special currency can be spent on all the items available in the game's own Item Shop. To make this more attractive Frogster lowered the prices of several top-selling items for the weekend, saving their players up to 66% per item.

For the duration of this special offer, a permanent horse is available for 150 Diamonds instead of the usual 299 Diamonds. More extremely popular items like the Skill-Reset Stones and the Group-Experience Potion are also on the list. To add some icing on the cake, every character receives an item that will reset the negative effects the avatars have to suffer when they are defeated in battle.

Players, whose characters have not yet reached level 10 will have enough time to do so. All accounts meeting the requirement before Saturday, February 14th 2009 at 2pm (GMT) / 15:00 (CET) will receive this gift. Please find further information during the afternoon on www.runesofmagic.com.

Runes of Magic started the open beta with an English and a German version in the middle of December 2008. All interested players can now download the online-role playing game and enter into the fantasy world after creating an account for free on www.runesofmagic.com.

Runes of Magic – a world full of wizardry and adventure
With an extensive range of features Runes of Magic prepares to redefine the standard of free2play MMO games. Runes of Magic conveys an absorbing story through more than 1.000 quests embedded in an atmospheric fantasy setting. Players can choose between six main classes and combined with a secondary class they present 30 individual combinations of character classes over all. All characters possess unique skills with impressive combo attacks and can use mounts like war horses and more. A particularly attractive feature for guilds and players is the possibility to arrange their own virtual homes with individual furnishing. Thanks to an extensive crafting and reputation system, thrilling PVP, as well as demanding dungeons and boss-monsters, no wishes remain unsatisfied. The Taiwanese developer Runewaker has developed Runes of Magic according to western MMO standards within a time frame of three years. The studio will provide new challenges for players every three to four months with free add-ons and updates. MMO fans can find more information, pictures and videos on the official website www.runesofmagic.com.

Features
- Free2play: no monthly fees, free download
- Extensive dual class system (six primary and secondary classes)
- Versatile spell- and attack-combinations
- Enthralling background story
- More than 1.000 quests and quest series on launch
- No zone boundaries thanks to seamless architecture
- Dungeons: Instanced and tile based as well as persistent
- Individually developable skills and spells
- Armour sets with special bonuses
- Dynamic item system with hundreds of runes for upgrading
- Optional PvP system with arena battles and guild wars
- Ranking system with player-ranking lists
- Multitude of unique mounts
- Epic crafting system with the chance to improve existing items
- Personalization of player houses through individual furnishing
- Reputation system
- Customisable user interface with the option to use Add-Ons
- Map and radar system to find dealers, resources and quests easily
- In-game auction houses for trading items
- Teleport-Runes for instant travel
- Mouse and keyboard controls for movement
- Regular updates with new content
- Cross-server fights in three-server-battle in development
- Guild houses in special zones in development

Adventurequest Worlds video game storyline

The main storyline for its browser-based MMORPG AdventureQuest Worlds which currently has 3.4 million gamer accounts. The browser-based MMO game is signing over 150,000 new accounts every week.

The main storyline revolves around an epic battle between Good and Evil where the good King Alteon will face the Doom Knight Sepulchure in a one-on-one duel to decide the fate of the world. Millions of AdventureQuest Worlds players – and those new to the game – will find more details on www.aq.com.

In addition to the main storyline being introduced, players can acquire in-game items celebrating Friday the 13th and Valentine’s Day, and enjoy new pets, maps, and storyline quests. Artix also introduced a refreshed user interface with new features that make it easier for gamers to play the game.

The Artix team has also created a new cutscene with over two minutes of action which rivals the animated short “Artix vs. the Undead.”

For the millions of AdventureQuest Worlds players, Sepulchure's flying Fortress drenches Castle Swordhaven in the Darkness of its shadow, the end is heartbeats away. You will be there as the final battle between Good and Evil takes place. The good King Alteon will face the Doom Knight Sepulchure in a one-on-one duel to decide the fate of our world.

AdventureQuest Worlds provides players with exciting adventures battling armies of monsters in real-time combat and enjoying new weekly quests alongside thousands of other real players. Players can customize their characters with armors, capes, helms, and custom-crafted weapons from the Blacksmith’s Shop at any level. Players have the freedom to change among different character classes at any time, and can level-up all of the classes to the max to unlock new skills and specialty shops along the way.

Players can visit www.aq.com to sign up for an account and play online for free. No downloads are required.

Artix offers three other RPG titles AdventureQuest, MechQuest, and DragonFable, has enjoyed a high success rate in the past five years with over 60 million accounts created for their games. Player can get more information about MechQuest at www.mechquest.com, DragonFable at www.dragonfable.com, and AdventureQuest at www.battleon.com.

Viva Media reveals exciting details on Grand Ages Rome

Create your character, build up your wealth, and use it!

GRAND AGES: ROME offers players the ability to pick their own character and gender from one of five prominent Roman families - Aemilii, Valerii, Lucii, Flavii, or Julii. Selecting a family is an important choice - take care to read the family descriptions carefully. Families have differing traits, which in turn affect their strengths and weaknesses. You will be prompted to create or select a new character when starting a new campaign, free build map, or multiplayer game.

Your character will develop over time, gaining personal wealth and talent points, which can be used to improve their military and city building abilities, as well as providing initial resources for missions. In other words, use it or lose it!

You can use any previously created character for a free build or multiplayer mission, while in the campaign mode only the missions that the selected character has reached or completed will be available.

The game will release in the United States in to major retail locations on March 17, 2009