BioWare and Green Ronin to Publish Dragon Age Pen & Paper Role-Playing Game

Leading video game developer BioWare, a division of Electronic Arts, today announced that Green Ronin Publishing will launch a pen and paper role-playing game (RPG) based on the highly anticipated video game, Dragon Age: Origins.

The pen and paper game extends the Dragon Age universe, making it more accessible to passionate RPG fans looking for another way to experience the epic fantasy world of Thedas.

"We’re delighted to be working with Green Ronin to explore more of the Dragon Age universe through a pen and paper role-playing game. We’re excited to deliver Dragon Age’s unique dark, heroic fantasy to our audience in a brand new way - a perfect complement to the landmark game we’re launching on PC, Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 this fall," said Dr. Ray Muzyka, General Manager and CEO, BioWare and General Manager and Vice President, EA. "Our development teams craft rich, deep worlds, and this is an excellent way to expand the franchise."

"Dragon Age: Origins has been described as the spiritual successor to BioWare’s Baldur’s Gate™, one of the most highly-acclaimed fantasy computer RPGs in the world, so when BioWare approached us to do a pen and paper version, we had to say ‘yes!’," said Green Ronin President Chris Pramas. "With our work on Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, Black Company, and Thieves’ World, dark fantasy is in our blood and Dragon Age: Origins is the best in its class. An opportunity to collaborate with BioWare on Dragon Age: Origins was not to be missed."

The Dragon Age pen and paper RPG will be available at card shops, book and comic retailers in summer 2009. The first release will be a boxed set -- perfect for new and experienced role-players alike. Green Ronin plans to release additional boxed sets and supplemental books, expanding the Dragon Age world even further.

Dragon Age: Origins from BioWare invites players to create their own heroes and join the fight against the darkspawn in a world of violence, lust and betrayal. The game will feature deep character customization, challenging decisions, and a wealth of gritty, mature plots that, combined with the BioWare heritage, make it one of the most highly-anticipated releases of 2009. Dragon Age: Origins is scheduled to release this fall on the Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment system, PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system and PC.

Wonderland Online: New Version 4 Released

Wonderland Online is very proud to announce that the new Version 4.0 has been released on May 5th. Over the past few months the entire team focused on perfecting the new system and testing the game. The new version is now available to download from http://wl.igg.com.

Together with the version 4.0, the new server—Sagittarius has been released on the same day as well. To celebrate these two events and give something back to our players for their continuous support, the officials will be holding a series of events.

This new version brings many exhilarating features:

The Cursed Palace Quest
This is probably the most highly anticipated aspect of the new version. The Cursed Palace was inspired by the 12 constellations and they are represented by the many powerful palace guardians hiding in every corner of the palace, just waiting for a brave player to try to beat them.

New Maps
Players can now visit the plains of Africa, play with animals and maybe even go on safari. Additionally, the mysterious Mediterranean provides for a brand new territory for players to discover.

Instance System
15 instances are added, including Sea Animals, Mali’s Attack, Emperor Alexander, etc.

Training Island
When battling in this area, the system will restore players 100 HP and 50 SP automatically after each round. This has never been done in any place in Wonderland Online but it is here now.

Brilliant New Equipment
In the new version, there are many new pieces of top equipment that not only cut deep, but look good doing it. One of the best equipment sets is the special elemental suit.

Precursors' Gli - Nature untouched game on PC and Xbox 360

The planet Gli is perhaps the most preserved biodiversity region in Precursors Galaxy.

It boasts of many water bodies, deep dense forests, rare flora and fauna and the feathery local inhabitants that can be quite dangerous if you relax your vigilance!
Use gamezplay in your google game search...

Official Website for Cursed Mountain video game launched

Survival horror game set in the Himalayas is designed exclusively for Nintendo Wii

The opening of the official website for the survival horror game Cursed Mountain, an exclusive title for Nintendo Wii, at http://cursedmountain.deepsilver.com.

The diary kept by main character Eric Simmons offers more details about his quest to find his missing brother and more information about the mythical background of the Himalayas. Postcards and photographs lets visitors get a glimpse of the hazards that Eric encounters on the mountain, and a radio offers an audio impressions of his adventures.

About Cursed Mountain:
Set in the late 1980s, gamers will take on the role of a fearless mountaineer as he climbs into the Himalayas on a quest to find his lost brother. As he ascends the mountain, he encounters an ancient curse: the souls of the people who died in that region are stuck in limbo, caught in the Shadow World. Villagers, pilgrims, mountaineers and Buddhist monks – dead but not yet reincarnated – are all that is left on the mountain.

Terrible visions will disorient him, and ghosts and demons block his path. But the question remains – is his brother still alive?

Cursed Mountain is set to be released in 2009.

Penguins & Friends - Hey! That's my Fish! available for WiiWare

Gammick Entertainment is pleased to present the expected version for WiiWare from the famous boardgame “Hey! That’s my Fish!”. Only penguins are invited in this party, so hurry up and choose your favourite ones…And don’t let anyone to snatch the fishes from you!

A good strategy is the most important thing to feed your hungry penguins. The objective is to get the ice floes that have more fishes before someone get them before you. Only the smartest one will turn into the real fishing King!

Between 1 and 4 players can play “Penguins & Friends” at the same time – providing they can handle the polar cold. The board is made up of ice blocks that have a set number of fish (1, 2 or 3) under them. The ice blocks are hexagonal and form a structure like a beehive. The starting position of the ice blocks can change, creating different game boards.

Game modes

-Mission mode: This mode is for a single player who faces off against penguins controlled by the CPU. There are 3 types of missions to choose from. Each of them is made up of 5 boards and there are three different difficulty levels (easy, normal and difficult). One board must be beaten before moving on to the next one, and the player will come across boards with different sizes, shapes and box distributions. What’s more, as the player advances, the penguins become more intelligent, making the different challenges harder and harder.

-Free fish mode: 2 to 4 players can participate in this multiplayer mode, although they don’t all have to be human. The game lets you choose the total number of players and decide how many of them are controlled by the CPU if you want more participants. The number of penguins controlled by the CPU will be automatically configured according to the number of human players chosen. In any case, the players must choose the board that they want to battle on. All of the boards that can be found in Mission Mode are available here. The number of penguins per player is automatically assigned according to the board chosen and the number of players that are going to participate in the game.

Smiley World Island Challenge video game on Nintendo Wii & Nintendo DS

Join Smiley and friends for the adventure of a lifetime. Marooned on a desert island, you must participate in various challenges to overcome the dangers and perils of the island while collecting rewards and treasure.

Explore the island and meet the natives (some friendly and some not so friendly) who may help or hinder you as you progress through the many games of skill, logic and reactions. Action, adventure, danger, mystery, exploration and discovery are all on the menu when you play the Island Challenge.

• Play 14 action packed arcade style games that vary from games of skill and reactions to full-on side scrolling platform sections.

• High replay value is provided by achieving High-Scores to earn all the Bronze, Silver and Gold medals and ultimately win the Smiley Trophy.

• Play the Island Challenge on your own or compete against friends in a 2 to 4 player party.

• Go head-to-head in the exciting and highly competitive 2-player Duel mode.

• Collect Smiley Coins and use them to pay tolls that will unlock secret routes and access to the platform games filled with treasure.

Bruce Grannec from France crowned FIFA Interactive World Champion 2009

Bruce Grannec from France won the FIFA Interactive World Cup 2009 Grand Final in Barcelona and thus became the FIFA Interactive World Champion 2009. The world’s 32 best virtual footballers came face to face on May 2nd at Port Olympic in Barcelona, Spain to compete in the Grand Final as another incredibly exciting virtual football season came to an end.

Following a day of extreme skill and tactics on EA SPORTS FIFA09 on PLAYSTATION 3, Bruce Grannec beat the charismatic Mexican Ruben Zerecero 3:1 in a typically enthralling final in front of a packed crowd next to the beach at Port Olympic. In addition to being crowned FIWC09 Champion, the 22 year old Frenchman also received USD 20,000 and an all new KIA Soul car. He will also receive his FIFA Diploma at the next FIFA World Player Gala, where he will rub shoulders with the best real-life footballers in the world. "I am very proud of this victory", said a delighted Bruce Grannec after the final he deservedly won. "It pays back hours and hours of practice which prepared me to compete on such a big stage. It proves that, if you work hard, you will have success."

"FIFA recognises the best in football, today we are recognising the best virtual football players", said FIFA Executive Committee member Chuck Blazer. "I was pleased to see the passion and the outstanding technical skills shown by the 32 competitors, who made their way to the final out of an incredible number of more than 500.000 online participants. The sun, the side events and the beautiful location made this Grand Final a fantastic FIFA football event."

The Grand Final provided players with the opportunity to perform on the biggest stage of their lives in front of 8,000 spectators, who enjoyed the entertainment that the world’s largest football gaming tournament provides.

"Congratulations to Bruce who managed to become the FIWC 09 World Champion out of over 500,000 qualifiers which is an amazing achievement," said Matt Bilbey, Vice President International Marketing, EA SPORTS. "With the fantastic increase in the number of participants, the FIWC 09 was a great success for everybody involved. We’re looking forward to expanding the tournament in the upcoming years, especially with the FIFA World Cup 2010 happening next year in South Africa."

"The finals in Barcelona have been a fitting finale, for what has been a truly remarkable competition", said Darren Carter, Vice President Consumer Marketing, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. "We offer our warmest congratulations to this year’s winner Bruce Grannec, who by coming out on top over half a million competitors, showed great skill and an unbreakable determination along the way. These are the characteristics that make the FIFA Interactive World Cup so special and we look forward to continuing our association with this wonderful competition next year."

Other entertainment on display included an exclusive performance by football trickster John Farnworth and a demonstration of komball (a freestyle football show), while spectators were also able to take part in the mini beach soccer tournament that was being run by Spain’s beach soccer star and FIFA Beach Soccer World Player 2008 Ramiro Amarelle. The gaming and entertainment lounges remained busy throughout the day as the public enjoyed experiencing EA SPORTS’s latest gaming titles and PlayStation’s latest next-generation entertainment products.

After seven months of qualification with over 500,000 players having competed in the online qualification and with 19 live qualifier events having been held at locations around the globe, including New Zealand, South Africa, Denmark, Brazil and India, the Grand Final marked the end of the fifth and most successful FIFA Interactive World Cup to date.
For more information on the FIFA Interactive World Cup, including a list of the 32 finalists, please go to www.FIFA.com/fiwc

War Plan Pacific New Patch Adds Brand New Play Mode!

If you are one of the many War Plan Pacific players suffering from PBEM dysfunction, that dreaded affliction in which the desire to play opponents via email cannot be realized, it is time to rejoice and end the suffering! KE Studios, developer of the hit title, has just made available version 1.0.3 of War Plan Pacific which includes a brand new way to play the game against others: PBEM!

PBEM (Play By E-Mail) allows games to be played out at your leisure, without the need for syncing up a time to sit down and play with your opponent. War Plan Pacific was already the perfect strategic wargame for the gamer on the go, and now with the additional PBEM support it becomes even more busy gamer friendly! Just be warned, while the 1.0.3 patch cures players of PBEM dysfunction it does increase the likelihood of prolonged usage of War Plan Pacific, which if lasting for more than four hours at a time can lead to angry spouses, sleeping on the couch, and missed social events. But really don't worry, because it's well worth it.

It should be noted that to accommodate PBEM play certain gameplay elements have been modified when playing by PBEM. They include a modification to reaction movement and setting aggressiveness for groups arriving at their destinations since combat on the battle board is handled entirely by the computer. Complete details on how PBEM works and the changes can be found in the accompanying patch documentation.

Besides adding PBEM play to War Plan Pacific the version 1.0.3 patch also includes the following content:
• Support now for 1680x1050 and 1440x900 screen resolutions.
• Fixed bug in which a couple of light cruisers could prevent raids from hitting a base no matter how powerful the attacking force.
• Fixed bug in which invasions did not happen if the defender chose air.
• Fixed bug in which the Allies sometimes did not get adequate amphibious groups.
• Added a .wpp extension for saved games. Now players can simply double-click on a saved game to immediately launch the game. Additionally, one can drag and drop the file onto a War Plan Pacific desktop shortcut.

The War Plan Pacific version 1.0.3 patch can be downloaded directly from the official product page at Shrapnel Games.

To find PBEM opponents please visit the official forum.

War Plan Pacific was developed by KE Studios and is published by Shrapnel Games, home to many independent games of distinction. It is available for Windows at only $39.95 as either a physical product shipped to your door or as a digital download. The download version is on sale now thru May 12th as part of our Download Days Sale Event. There is a demo that provides a nice introduction to the full game available at the product page, and you can check out a video of War Plan Pacific in action on You Tube.

Since being released in December of 2008 War Plan Pacific has gone on to become one of the most acclaimed wargames of recent release. Out of Eight, Flash of Steel, Gameshark, IGN, Wargamer, Armchair General, Cyberstratge, and Mike Kreuzer have all praised War Plan Pacific's elegant gameplay and accessibility. The designer, John Hawkins, has also been a featured guest on the premier strategy podcast, Three Moves Ahead. You can listen to his episode here.

War Plan Pacific features the entire war in the Pacific from 1941 until 1945, but playable in a single session. With multiple victory conditions and three starting scenarios players will find the game highly addictive as they search for their own elusive decisive battle to win the war. Scenarios can be edited and new ones created using nothing more than a text editor, although graphics are hard coded (sorry, no War Plan Atlantic mods).

Download game and patch here...

Wallace and Gromit - The Last resort video game on PC from today

The Last Resort, the latest of four monthly Wallace & Gromit games that open up the world of West Wallaby Street like never before. "The Last Resort" is available today for PC from www.telltalegames.com as part of the Wallace & Gromit's Grand Adventures series. The games will also be coming soon to Xbox LIVE Arcade.

Telltale's Wallace & Gromit games are like interactive films, with humorous storylines and creative characters conceived in collaboration with Aardman's award-winning team. In the new episode, Wallace and Gromit's Blackpool holiday is rained out, so the enterprising inventor and his clever dog bring the beach to their basement with the construction of West Wallaby Waterworld, a makeshift resort complete with sun, sand, and Wallace's homemade boardwalk attractions. Keeping their guests satisfied turns out to be tricky business, particularly after one is thumped on the head by an unknown assailant. Everyone is a suspect! Now Wallace and Gromit must work together to finger the culprit, with a little help from Wallace's latest invention: the Deductomatic.

Customers can purchase the Wallace & Gromit's Grand Adventures series from www.telltalegames.com, and the first two episodes, Fright of the Bumblebees and The Last Resort, will be delivered digitally with their checkout. The full series purchase from Telltale also includes the Wallace & Gromit's Grand Adventures Collector's DVD, containing the four games plus bonus content for just the cost of shipping shortly after the finale episode. The third and fourth Wallace & Gromit's Grand Adventures episodes will release for PC in June and July.

Wallace & Gromit's Grand Adventures launched in March to rave reviews, with Yahoo! Games UK calling the premiere episode "Wallace and Gromit's finest and best looking video game outing to date." IGN awarded the episode with its coveted Editor's Choice Award, saying, "Telltale nails the look and feel of a Wallace & Gromit short film."

The four-episode Wallace & Gromit's Grand Adventures series sells for $34.95 (approx £24). To purchase the game, visit http://www.telltalegames.com/wallaceandgromit.

About Wallace & Gromit

Wallace
An endearing and affable inventor. Ever enthusiastic, Wallace's hair-brained, over-ambitious, yet well intentioned ideas consistently get him and his faithful hound into trouble. A definite penchant for cheese and crackers, not to mention fashionable knitwear!

Gromit
Wallace's long-suffering loyal pooch. Gromit cares greatly for Wallace even though he's often railroaded into his master’s mad-cap plans. Though cultured and sensitive, preferring order and the quiet life, Gromit displays amazing courage and heroism when it comes to getting his master out of self-made scrapes. Always showing astonishing initiative, Gromit is definitely the intelligent one of the pair.

First Wii Gun Designed with Built-in Remote and Repositioned A and B Buttons

Penguin United has announced that it will launch the CrossFire Remote Pistol for Nintendo Wii at this year's E3 in Los Angeles.

The CrossFire is the first and only available gun for Wii that has the remote already integrated into the guns design. Additionally, the A and B buttons, and D-Pad have been repositioned for easy access and functionality.

Product Highlights:

• Self-contained remote gun – does not require inserting Wii remote into gun “shell”
• Designed to create a true gun experience
• A-Button repositioned for thumb access while holding pistol
• B-Button repositioned for trigger finger access
• D-Pad repositioned for immediate thumb access
• Works as regular remote for non-shooter games
• Enhanced Vibration function
• Built-in Speaker enhances audio experience

“The CrossFire pistol will change the way shooting games are enjoyed on the Wii platform,” emphasized Richard Huang, Penguin United’s President. “Previous gun designs are bulky and just don’t work very well. The CrossFire will offer gamers all the benefits of the normal Wii remote as well as providing a true “gun” experience.

*The CrossFire will be on display, and available for review, at E3 June 2nd – 4th at the Penguin United Booth No.3029, South Hall.

Red Orchestra: Heroes of Stalingrad, the sequel to the hit PC title Red Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45

Tripwire Interactive announce Red Orchestra: Heroes of Stalingrad, the sequel to the hit PC title Red Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45, winner of multiple awards: Voodoo Extreme’s FPS and MP Game of the Year 2006, Wargamer’s Best Action Game 2006, IGN Editor’s Choice and many more.

Heroes of Stalingrad will take the Red Orchestra franchise into the next generation of gaming. Cutting edge graphics and audio built on Unreal Engine 3, inventive features and streamlined realism will deliver an unrivalled WWII experience. Focusing on the Battle of Stalingrad and the surrounding operations, both German and Russian, from July 1942 to February 1943 the game allows the player to experience one of the most brutal battles in all of human history. For the first time ever in a first person shooter gamers will be able to experience WWII from the Axis side in a German single player campaign. As always with the Red Orchestra franchise, we will aim to deliver unrivalled accuracy and attention to detail, along with gritty, vicious combat in multi-player, co-op and solo modes. Again, we have listened to the fans and have designed a whole set of new features to make the game more accessible and easy to get into – all while delivering the tactical shooter realism fans of the original game loved.

There is more information available in the June 2009 issue of PC Gamer both in the UK and US, which will be on the news stands in May. The Heroes of Stalingrad forums are also now open – head to www.HeroesofStalingrad.com for the teaser website and access to the forums. We will be releasing more information about the game over the next weeks and months, so keep checking back! Tripwire Interactive are taking the time to get the game right, so the release date will remain “when it is ready” for the time being.

Burnout Paradise Cops and Robbers is Sixth DLC pack

With the release of Cops and Robbers, there are now a mind-boggling 6 AMAZING Burnout Paradise collections loaded with fun new experiences for you to download. Have you tried them all?

Cops and Robbers
This pack includes a brand new online game mode and 33 new Cop Cars to use Online AND Offline.
In Cops and Robbers, you pick your allegiance and then help your team recover the stolen gold and deliver it safely to your base.

They always say that crime doesn't pay. Now you can find out!

Boost Specials
Think you know Boost? Think again...these are the ultimate Boost vehicles.

The Hawker Mech gives its driver access to all three Boost types! Switchable Boost technology gives you Speed, Stunt or Aggression boost at the press of a button. Now you've got the right boost type for whatever situation you find yourself in. The Hawker Mech is the

The Carson Extreme Hot Rod; quite simply the fastest and most insane car Criterion Games have ever produced. The new ‘Locked' Boost system is a one-way street - once you hit the Boost button it's on for good. Hang on for one heck of a ride!

Toy Vehicles
Bring all the fun of the toybox to Paradise City!

These adorable vehicles pack a mighty punch. Each vehicle has its own toy horn note, so get together online and see if you can make sweet, sweet Burnout music! Get the whole Collection or any individual car from the in-game Burnout Store.

Legendary Cars
"I believe I can fly. I believe I can touch the sky! I think about the 88 Special every night and day! Retract my wheels and fly away!"

And that's just for starters!

Be a rider of the night or a good ole boy jumping bridges to the sound of a cool horn? Or behold the awesomeness of a converted ambulance and fight the power of the paranormal? If the answer to any of these questions is yes then you NEED the Legendary Car pack is the choice for you.


Party Pack
If you've got some friends coming round and need something to make you laugh, whoop and cry together, then what more could you ask for than the Burnout Paradise Party Pack.

8 players can play using just one controller, and the minigames are a great showcase for all the different vehicles in the game. Have you driven them all yet?


Time Savers Pack
Want to drive the GT Concept but don't have the time to get that elusive Burnout License?


The Time Savers Pack is a quick and easy way of getting your hands all the cars in the game. Great for those busy players out there that want it all right here right now.

All of these packs are available right now from the in-game Burnout Store.

Over 100 million user created creatures in SPORE universe

What do beaked coralfish, whimsical snow globes and intricate atom models all have in common? They are all pieces of content created by players of the critically-acclaimed video game, Spore. Today, Maxis, an Electronic Arts studio, announced that since launching the Spore Creature Creator in June 2008, Spore fans have created and uploaded 100 Million creations – an average of more than 307,000 daily – on the Sporepedia at www.spore.com, the Spore library of user-generated content.

The 100 Million represents a variety of uploaded creations including 31,017,761 Spore creatures – more than 19 times the number of known species on Earth. The creator of the 100 millionth creation may receive a NVIDIA GeForce 9800GT graphics card, Spore and the upcoming expansion pack Spore Galactic Adventures (Official Rules: http://www.spore.com/comm/contests/contestrules/hundredmillionrules). The 100 Millionth creation and the entire collection of player-generated content can be seen at the Sporepedia.

Spore is widely recognized as one of the first games to make user-generated content the central focus and let player creativity drive much of the humor and whimsy of the entertainment experience. Players’ signature creations are the beating heart of the Spore franchise. Though user-generated content is common in social networking sites, the Spore series has pioneered how this content is made, used and shared in video games. In the upcoming Spore Galactic Adventures, players will be able to take their customized content to the next level as they create their own Space Captain and use the Adventure Creator to create missions to play and share with other Spore players through the Sporepedia.

“This is a staggering milestone to have met in less than one year from the launch of Spore Creature Creator,” said Lucy Bradshaw, VP and General Manager at Maxis. “We continue to be astounded by the outrageous creations and incredible creativity that Spore players have poured into the Sporepedia, from lifelike animals to fantastical creatures and futuristic spaceships. We can’t wait to see the ingenuity our players reveal through the missions they create in Spore Galactic Adventures!”

In the coming months, the Spore franchise will introduce new games; Spore Galactic Adventures for PC and Mac, Spore Hero for Nintendo Wii and Spore Hero Arena for Nintendo DS. Spore Galactic Adventures, available June 23, is a highly-customizable expansion pack for Spore, adding a tremendous amount of variety and fun to the Space game. Players can beam down to planets for the first time ever, play Maxis-created Adventures and easily create customized missions. Available in fall 2009, Spore Hero, exclusive to the Wii and Spore Hero Arena for the Nintendo DS, catapult players into the role of a fully-customized hero creature fighting to save its planet.

To learn more about Spore or to download a free trial of the Spore Creature Creator, please visit www.spore.com. For screen shots or press materials about Spore, please visit http://info.ea.com.

BattleForge PC video game mini trailer

New RTS Game Explodes with Booster Packs and Other In-Game Content Available for Just a Few Dollars

Phenomic, an Electronic Arts real-time strategy (RTS) game BattleForge game servers now live, players will storm the battlefield and enter a fantasy world where they will use virtual trading cards to build the perfect army and lay waste to their foes.

The new Real-Time Strategy game, BattleForge gives players the ability to customize their play experience by adding new units to their collection for as little as 250 BattleForge Points (available for $2.50). This flexible model unlocks the power of the game by allowing players to buy as much or as little of these additional in-game resources as they wish.

BattleForge comes prepped and ready with four ready-made faction decks based on the four elements in the game – Fire, Frost, Nature and Shadow and 3000 BattleForge points. The BattleForge Points allow players to buy an additional 12 booster packs bringing the box total to 160 cards.

Players can use BattleForge Points to purchase new cards in booster packs. Booster packs contain eight cards – 5 common, 2 un-common, 1 rare or ultra rare, all for just 250 BattleForge points. This dynamic system allows players to customize their RTS experience with content that can be purchased at their own discretion.

Players can also use BattleForge Points to bid on or buyout cards from other players in the online auction house, or players can auction their own cards to gain more BattleForge points. Alternatively, players can directly trade cards in a unique direct-trade option. With no subscription fees, regular free content and feature updates like new maps and game modes, players have the freedom and flexibility to buy additional content online fully customizing their experience.

While additional cards add diversity to a player’s deck, it takes skill to make each deck stronger. Through victory in scenarios and ranked Player vs. Player (PvP) matches, players can earn card upgrades and gold. As each players’ skill grows, their forces will level up with them.

“The team is so excited that players will be able to enjoy the action as much as we have. The Open Beta was very successful and we can’t wait to see how the players immerse themselves into the world of BattleForge,” stated Creative Director, Volker Wertich. “The scale of BattleForge allows the player to experience a diversity which has never existed in RTS games before, as we probably offer many more units than traditional strategy games. There is an exceptional RTS experience in every BattleForge box. From there we let players decide what to invest or trade, but victory is determined by skill,”

BattleForge ships today in North America and on March 26th in Europe. BattleForge will be available for the PC at a retail price of $49.99. There is no subscription fee. For more information, visit www.battleforge.com.

Phenomic, an Electronic Arts studio, announced a new competitive pricing strategy on the real-time strategy (RTS) game BattleForge™ that will allow gamers to enter the magical realm at the reduced price of $29.99. The new pricing is effective immediately in North America. Additionally, gamers can check out the BattleForge demo on BattleForge.com.

BattleForge comes with four ready-made faction decks based on the four elements in the game – Fire, Frost, Nature and Shadow and 3000 BattleForge points. The BattleForge Points allow players to buy an additional 12 booster packs bringing the box total to 160 cards. Players can use BattleForge Points to purchase new cards in booster packs. Booster packs contain eight cards – 5 common, 2 un-common, 1 rare or ultra rare, all for just 250 BattleForge points. This dynamic system allows players to customize their RTS experience with content that can be purchased at their own discretion.

In the demo, players start with a random faction deck and have limited access to maps. Players will have access to sparring ground player versus player (PvP) battles as well as player versus environment (PvE) maps. Players will then be able to upgrade to the full product in-game.

“BattleForge is a specialized RTS which has so much more to offer to the players whether they are straight up RTS fans or collectible card gamers. The battles are becoming more epic as the players' skills are advancing,” said Producer Michael Krach, “There has never been a better time to get into the action on BattleForge.”

BattleForge is available for the PC at a retail price of $29.99. There is no subscription fee.

Wii Fit keeps the wolves from the door in UK games chart

ChartTrack weekly charts

Week ending 2 May 2009
1 WII FIT NINTENDO 1
2 X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE ACTIVISION -
3 FIFA 09 EA SPORTS 4
4 WII PLAY NINTENDO 8
5 RESIDENT EVIL 5 CAPCOM 5
6 MARIO KART WII NINTENDO 7
7 THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK: DARK ATHENA ATARI 2
8 THE GODFATHER II EA GAMES 3
9 PROFESSOR LAYTON AND THE CURIOUS VILLAGE NINTENDO 6
10 CALL OF DUTY: WORLD AT WAR ACTIVISION 9
11 STREET FIGHTER IV CAPCOM -
12 MARIO & SONIC AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES SEGA 11
13 CARNIVAL: FUNFAIR GAMES 2KPLAY 10
14 MY FITNESS COACH GAMES FOR EVERYONE 14
15 KILLZONE 2 SONY COMPUTER ENT. -
16 DR KAWASHIMA'S BRAIN TRAINING NINTENDO 12
17 CALL OF DUTY 4: MODERN WARFARE ACTIVISION 16
18 GUITAR HERO: WORLD TOUR REDOCTANE 13
19 BEN 10: ALIEN FORCE D3P 19
20 WSC REAL 09: WORLD SNOOKER CHAMPIONSHIP BLADE SPORTS -