Sony and The Jace Hall Show bring the epic tale of EverQuest to life in documentary!

Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) and The Jace Hall Show are pleased to announce the creation of the epic documentary based on the monumental entertainment property, EverQuest. EverCracked! The Phenomenon of EverQuest chronicles the trials and tribulations leading to the development, launch and success of the hit massively multiplayer online game which celebrated its tenth anniversary in March 2009. The full-length film will debut at the 2009 Fan Faire in Las Vegas, NV on June 26. The film’s trailer is available for download online at: www.soepress.com.

“When we began mapping out ideas for EverQuest, we never anticipated it would endure to create such a powerful cultural impact over the next decade and beyond,” said John Smedley, president of Sony Online Entertainment. “As part of the continued 10th anniversary celebration, this film does a fantastic job at revealing the story behind the game and how the team created a franchise that forever changed the landscape of online entertainment.”

EverCracked! celebrates EverQuest’s legacy by taking a look at the past, present and future of the franchise. The film, hosted by veteran video game developer and personality Jace Hall, includes never-before-seen footage and interviews with industry moguls and longtime players. EverCracked! details the events, products, personalities and art that graced the world of Norrath over the years, with many tongue-in-cheek moments that befit EverQuest’s own sense of fun and humor.

“EverQuest was such an influential title; many people don’t realize just how daunting of a task it was to create,” said Jace Hall, President of HD Films. “With this documentary we were able to tell the epic story of the game and the people behind it while incorporating the light-hearted signature of the Jace Hall Show.”

In addition to the film’s premier screening, SOE will host numerous EverQuest 10th Anniversary activities throughout Fan Faire in Las Vegas, NV from June 25-28. Online registration is open now. Please visit http://www.soefanfaire.com for more information.

To download the trailer visit http://www.soepress.com.

'Go Go Cosmo Cops!' announced for Nintendo DS!

Namco Bandai Games Europe today exclusively announced Go Go Cosmo Cops! for Nintendo DS. A brand new action title loaded with platforming mayhem and original gameplay, Go Go Cosmo Cops! heads to Europe and the PAL regions this September 2009.

Suba Games to launch Ace Online: Episode 3.2 this week!

Wicked Interactive Ltd.(www.wickedinteractiveltd.com) announce the upcoming release of ACE Online Episode 3.2, a patch to the current Episode 3 -War of Pandea, that offers all new content including a new Nation War System, a revamped game interface, new maps, an all-new slot machine and new cash shops items. The game can be downloaded at http://ace.subagames.com/download.aspx.

"We are excited to launch this new update for ACE Online," said Garvin Yeung, CEO of Wicked Interactive LTD. "Episode 3.2 offers several updates throughout many different areas of the game and we think players will be thrilled with the new content."

Nation War System Updated
The mothership war system has been completely revamped. No longer will motherships be summoned based on nation points, instead they will be scheduled at a specific times decided by the nation leaders. In addition, Outpost Wars occur more frequently and are now activated concurrently of each other. Also, rewards earned within the war system are now totally performance-based. The better a player performs in combat, the better their reward.

Revamped Interface and New Maps
The game interface has been streamlined in many areas making it more efficient. In addition, two new maps have been added to the game, Coronado and Castle Corona. The Outpost Castle Corona and its battle map Coronado have been added to the middle of the Pandea map chain, specifically at the map, Sunshine Born.

All-New Slot Machine and Expanded Cash Item Shop A slot machine has been added to the game to provide more prizes to players. Players simply purchase tokens and insert them into the slot machine to win various prizes. Some of these prizes include new Gear armor, S-type recovery kits, and even some cash shop items. In addition, the ACE Online Cash Shop has been expanded to include the sale of buff items that remain on a player's character for an extended period of time and will stay active until it's time expires. The cash shop has also been expanded to accommodate the slot machine and all related items.

ACE Online is part of the Suba Games library of free MMOs.
http://www.subagames.com

X3 Terran Conflict Update 2.1 and UPLINK Competitions and tutorial videos

Egosoft announces the X3: Terran Conflict 2.1 Update:

A Treasure Hunt Mission and Much More!

X3: Terran Conflict 2.1 is now available! In this update we see the addition of a community-developed mission, written by Ketraar. This mission is called Treasure Hunt and will have you chasing your tail around the X-Universe looking for the next clue to lead you to what is arguably the ultimate prize. Speaking to Ketraar regarding the development of the mission, he said, "The Mission Director is a great tool and as an X-veteran, I wanted to bring a little nostalgia to TC through a mission. With Xenon_Slayer on hand to provide some guidance on the tricker parts of the mission's development, the process of making it was both educational and fun and I hope that gamers will find it as fun to play."



Also featured in this update is a much-awaited performance upgrade, which streamlines graphics rendering to produce better frame-rates and a generally smoother gameplay. This patch will also bring further improvements to Tractor Beam towing, the Universe Trader, a number of scripts and the 'mine minerals' command. For those of you who like to keep things ticking along while you do other things, this update also brings a new 'run in background' option, so you can chat to friends or surf the Egosoft forums while your factories churn out wares!



If you're using this option, you may want to park your ship somewhere safe before you alt-tab out of the game - you could end up in an asteroid or 400km from the sector's centre! The update also adds a number of new Mission Director variables and attributes, in addition to a couple of script commands. There will also be more info available about marines in menus, as well as more ship information available in shipyard and HQ menus.



As well as adding in new content and features, we've also fixed some of those annoying little bugs. Some graphical and turret configuration issues have been fixed. The patrol and defend sector commands have also been fixed. Additionally the rear turret compatibility of the Springblossom has been reverted to its pre-2.0 configuration.

X3TC UPLINK Competitions

Stats Mean Prizes!

Now that you have had a chance to get used to the fact that you can save your game stats and upload them to the Egosoft servers and then see the results of your exploits both in league tables and in your personal profile, we think it's time to ratchet up the competition slightly - with a competition!

On a weekly basis we will invite you to upload your stats to a special UPLINK area, so that our panel of judges can determine if you have met the victory conditions for that week's competition. The criteria for each week's round could be anything from "the most stations destroyed" and "the most jumpdrive energy used" to "the most sectors found" during the competition period. We will tell you, of course, what the gameplay and victory conditions will be and also what prize you'll be playing for.

You will be given a gamestart to use (so you can assume you'll have to start a new clean game) and a goal to reach by the stated deadline. Important note: members of EGOSOFT staff and players of games with the **MODIFIED** tag in the player states will not be permitted to enter this competition.

The Hunter, Stcks and Stones outdoor adventure - Online TV and The Good Time Boys Radio Show

Emote Games, publisher of innovative online video game ‘The Hunter’, today announces a promotional partnership with Sticks and Stones Outdoor Adventures.

The collaboration between The Hunter and Sticks and Stones offers fans of the game and devotees of Sticks and Stones the opportunity to become members of an exclusive Hunting group, giving members the ability to play, compete, connect and share information in a dedicated group environment.

The partnership will also see The Hunter video game advertised weekly on both Sticks and Stones TV, aired on the Sportsman Channel, the radio show ‘The Goodtime Boys Radio Show’, and covered in the Sticks and Stones Outdoors monthly magazine. Further initiatives will continue throughout the year.

Sticks and Stones Outdoor Adventures is a multi Media program including magazine, television, internet and radio, that aims to bring people together through outdoor adventures and hobbies. Hosting the TV show is Country Music Legend and outdoorsman, John Michael Montgomery, famed not only for his award winning country music but his lifelong hunting skills.

The Hunter combines realistic hunting action, ranging from tracking, spotting and harvesting a variety of animals, with a social space where players can post information about themselves, receive awards, compete against each other and see scores; all as part of larger social networking community. This online presence allows the game to continually develop, with regular updates and the release of new features such as hunts, gear, new species, maps and habitats, making the game truly reflective of the ever changing hunting world.

“This is a very new and innovative partnership we have with The Hunter”, said Mark Miller, Founder of Sticks and Stones Outdoors. “It benefits both our audiences and drives our devotees to The Hunter and fans of the Hunter can discover Sticks and Stones”. “The dedicated group means that fans of the show will be able to hunt from the convenience of their home and connect with other hunters to share advice and information”. “The game is very realistic and follows true hunting ethics. I look forward to meeting fans of The Hunter and joining the group to compete against our listeners and readers.”

The recent launch of The Hunter has already proven a tremendous success with over half a million visitor’s already making theHunter one of the world’s most popular hunting destinations.

“We are delighted to be working closely with Sticks and Stones Outdoor Adventures,” said Morgan O’Rahilly, CEO of Emote Games. “I would like to welcome all of Sticks and Stones fans into the game and look forward to seeing who tops the scoreboards.”

The Hunter is a free to play hunting simulation game that offers amazing real life quality never before seen in a hunting game. Sign up now at www.thehunter.

U.S. Army announced PC game America's Army 3 (AA3) will be available Steam

The U.S. Army today announced its soon-to-be-released PC game America's Army 3 (AA3) will be available on Steam, a leading platform for the delivery and management of PC games and digital content with over 20 million accounts worldwide. Customers downloading AA3 through Steam will also get the benefits of Steamworks features such as auto-updating, Steam Achievements, and Steam Cloud. Additionally, AA3 is now available for preloading on Steam so players can be ready to go the moment AA3 is launched on June 17, 2009.

America's Army 3 is the only action game that delivers an authentic and entertaining Army experience by reflecting the training, technology, actions and career advancement of a Soldier within an exciting free game experience. America's Army 3 players will be able to download the game for free on Steam (www.americasarmy.com/steam), as well as from partners listed on the America's Army website (www.americasarmy.com).

AA3 has more authentic military elements including training, technology, weapons, and audio than any other military game. Built on Epic's Unreal Engine 3, AA3 delivers stunningly realistic environments, lighting effects, animations, and team-based experiences so that America's Army players can experience how the Army has strength like no other in a game like no other.

The teen-rated game will be constantly updated to include new features and missions and to highlight new technologies being incorporated in today's Army.

"We are very excited to work with Valve to distribute AA3 on Steam as it gives us access to great distribution technology as well as a tremendous user base," said Marsha Berry, the Army Senior Executive Producer for the America's Army program. "Additionally, we have incorporated Steamworks features such as Achievements and Steam Cloud to create a richer experience for Steam users. Our relationship with Steam will broaden our reach to a new community and it offers our current players a great new way to get the America's Army game and keep it updated. Players will also be able to download AA3 using the America's Army Deploy Client from the Deploy network of providers listed on the America's Army download site."

AA3 highlights different aspects of the Army from Army Values and the Warrior Ethos to Army career opportunities and lifestyles both on and off duty. Through their in-game characters, AA3 players will be able to experience how Soldiers train, live, and advance in the Army. AA3 players will also experience different types of technologies and equipment used by the Army's high-tech Soldiers. Players are bound by Rules of Engagement (ROE) and gain experience as they navigate challenges in team-based, multiplayer, force-on-force operations. In the game, as in the Army, accomplishing missions requires teamwork and adherence to the seven Army Core Values. In the game, a player's actions and demonstrated Army values will have consequences that are integral to success in gameplay and will affect a player's career progression.

AA3 players will have customizable persistent characters that advance in their virtual careers by completing specialized training and accomplishing missions. The character's career progresses much as it would in the Army. After completing basic combat training players go to advanced training to increase their in-game skill level and progress in their Army career. This specialized training allows players to unlock new abilities and gear, and to customize the gear they carry as well as their equipment loadout. As players advance, they will be able to cross-train and develop many different occupational specialties available in today's Army. Highly-trained players will be much sought after due to the capabilities they bring to multiplayer missions.

Initially, the core of the gameplay focuses on an Infantry Soldier (11B). Players can select from a variety of roles that the 11B performs such as Advanced Rifleman, Automatic Rifleman, Squad Designated Marksman and Grenadier. The first additional Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) players can explore is 68W Health Care Specialist (Combat Medic) which will be added this fall. Players who complete advanced individual training modules can take on new MOS roles that will affect gameplay.

Dragonica video game goes on public release as Open Beta launches

Gala Networks Europe, operator of the gPotato.eu free-to-play MMORPG portal is proud to announce the public release of Dragonica as it enters Open Beta across Europe today. Developed by Barunson Interactive, Dragonica is a free arcade style 3D side-scrolling MMORPG for PC, and is available to download play for free with a gPotato.eu account in English, French and German.

After a successful Closed Beta Test during May and positive coverage in the games media, players across Europe will be able to experience Dragonica’s vibrant world of Dragotaka playing as one of four character classes in their mission to defeat the evil Dragon Lord Elga and return peace to the land. With a level cap rised to level 60, and two job changes, players will be able to experience up to twenty distinct character classes which evolve from the four base character classes on their desktop, notebook and netbook computers.

From today European players can download and play Dragonica for free, for life, experiencing classic combo-based combat, ten player PvP multiplayer modes, a wide variety of Guild, Trade and Community features and participate in fifty player battlegrounds in the game’s 25v25 Guild Emporia Wars.

Dragonica features fully localised text, audio and cinematic videos, combined with a community of thousands of players from every corner of Europe. The gPotato Europe team will also be running a variety of in-game events to welcome and entertain players.

To play Dragonica, simply sign up for a free gPotato.eu account at the official European website at http://dragonica.gpotato.eu and download the game client from http://en.dragonica.gpotato.eu/Downloads/Client.aspx. Players who already have the Closed Beta client on their machines will automatically receive a patch to their version.

14-year-old sets three Guitar hero World records...

14-year-old sets three new Guitar Hero records - Danny “Phenom” Johnson

Three months after beating the record for the Highest Score in Guitar Hero III, Danny “Phenom” Johnson set three new gaming Guinness World Records on Guitar Hero at the Book Expo America tradeshow on Saturday, May 30th.

Danny, known for his impeccable manners and modest disposition - attributes which his father says come from his tight knit family who accompany him everywhere - has been eager to break additional Guinness World Records ever since tasting record breaking victory in February.

The new Guinness World Records set included the Longest Note Streak on Guitar Hero, with a score of 3,722 and 100% on the track “Through the Fire and the Flames” during which he also beat his previously held record for the Highest Score For a Single Track on Guitar Hero III (XBOX 360) with a score of 985,206.

In addition, Danny set a new record for the Highest Score on Guitar Hero: Metallica (Activision, 2009) with a score of 1,009,056 while playing the track 'Mercyful Fate' on PS3 with Dreamgear’s Warbeast guitar.

“I don’t think there is anything that can stop this kid, his talents are infinite” his father and manager, Scott Johnson said at the event. “Danny’s motto is that there will always be somebody better which drives him to keep improving his abilities.”

A great gift for Father’s Day, the Guinness World Records Gamer’s Edition 2009 contains a comprehensive guide to gaming, featuring the latest gaming records, the history behind gaming, and interviews with key figures in the industry.

Bakugan Nintendo Wii video game Fact sheet

A young man named Rikku dreams of joining in the Bakugan Battles despite not owning a single Bakugan of his own. One day, his dream comes true.

Rikku gets his first taste of what a battle is like when his friend Dan lends him Drago, a Bakugan with immense arena experience. Completely swept up in the intensity of the Bakugan Battles after his first taste, it is with a heavy heart that Rikku returns Drago to Dan. However, on his way home after the most exciting day of his life, Rikku comes across a never-before-seen Bakugan named Leonidas.

Leonidas confides to Rikku that he has mysteriously found himself in this unfamiliar world, and agrees to stay with Rikku for a while until he can sort things out. Now armed with his own unique Bakugan, Rikku is ready to enter his first tournament and change both Leonidas’ and his own life forever.

GAME OVERVIEW

Bakugan: Battle Brawlers is the first video game based on the smash hit Bakugan toys, card game and anime show. In it, players start off as an untrained Bakugan Brawler and must fight their way to the top of the heap. Combining the drama and story of the cartoon series with the skill and strategy of the card game, players will become completely immersed in this unique title. Throw Bakugan cards onto the battlefield, and then try to carefully shoot your Bakugan balls onto the cards to unleash their monstrous powers. When two Bakugans stand on the same card, they transform into gigantic creatures and fight to the finish!

Features:

• Major Brand Popularity: Bakugan was the best selling toy for boys this past holiday season, and won three Toy of the Year awards at February’s Toy Fair convention, including Toy of the Year. Bakugan toys are currently selling at a rate of 4 Bakugan Balls per second in North America, and there are over 55 million Bakugan Balls in homes across the world.
• Deep Storyline: Take part in an epic and unique story penned by the writers of the anime series specifically for the video game.
• Unique Battle Arenas: Choose from a variety of arenas to battle in, each with its own shape, size, traps and features.
• Create Your Own Bakugan Brawler: Make your avatar that you play as throughout the game, or play as your favorite character from the anime series.
• New Bakugan: Collect up to 40 Bakugan and hundreds of cards, some of which have never been seen before!
• Multiplayer: Face off in custom matches where players can adjust the arena, characters, and even the rules themselves.

Name: Bakugan
Publisher: Activision
Developer: NOW Productions
Platform: Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2
Release Date: Fall 2009

Bracken Tor to Explore The Time Of Tooth And Claw sequel to archaeology adventure indie-hit, Barrow Hill

Shadow Tor Studios announce the production of their second horror/adventure, Bracken Tor: The Time of Tooth And Claw. To coincide with the announcement, the British game development studio has also launched the official website, which features four brand new screenshots, from the title, as well as details of the plot and the real-life inspiration behind the game.

"More and more hikers, park rangers and explorers are seeing unexplainable creatures, in the landscape. No-one knows where they come from, why they are here and where they go. For unlike sightings of big cats, and others carnivores, the lesser known moorland beasts seem to vanish, into thin air, after they have been sighted" says game author, Matt Clark, "I've often found wild animals, ripped to ribbons, in the forests of Cornwall, and seen inexplicable scratch marks on standing stones and other ancient monuments.
Bracken Tor will explore several possible theories behind the strange occurrences".

...moorland beasts seem to vanish, into thin air...

About the game:

• Explore the desolate moorland, searching for evidence.
• Travel back in time, to The Bronze Age, to learn its secrets.
• A complete interactive world; brought to life on your PC.
• Environmental sounds and weather to heighten the experience.
• An unnerving and eerie soundtrack, to chill the blood.
• Experience virtual archaeology, and uncover the past.
• Survive beast attacks using items close at hand. Defend yourself!
• Glean clues from newspaper articles and local radio broadcasts.
• Solve a bloody murder through investigation and detection.

System Requirements:

OS: Windows XP(SP2/SP3) or Vista
CPU: Pentium II or equivalent. (Pentium® IV or equivalent recommended.)
RAM: 512 MB RAM. (1 GB RAM Recommended.) GRAPHICS CARD & MONITOR: 128 MB DirectX 9.0C Compatible 3D accelerated video card, supporting 32bit (true color) colour depth at 1024x768.
Sound: 16-bit DirectX 9.0C Sound Card.
Additional: Mouse, Speakers, DVD-Rom Drive.

Darkest Hour mod released on Steam for Red Orchestra

Tripwire Interactive is happy to announce the release Darkest Hour: Europe 1944-45, the latest total conversion mod for Red Orchestra: Ostfront to be released on Steam. Darkest Hour is free to all those who own Red Orchestra and can be simply downloaded and installed through Steam. Darkest Hour finally brings the Americans to Red Orchestra, focusing on the beaches of Normandy, Operation Market-Garden, the Battle of the Bulge and on into the Reich.

Featuring airborne parachute drops and late war German and Allied tanks Darkest Hour brings an all new style of gameplay to Red Orchestra. A trailer is available on Steam along with screenshots and other information on the Mod’s Steam page. Now you can play as American, British or Canadian troops, with a huge range of additional features:

• More than 20 new infantry weapons, such as the ever-distinctive Garand, M1 Carbine, .30-cal, Bren, FG42, Thomson and the Enfield rifles
• American Bazooka, British PIAT and German Panzerschreck to go tank-hunting with
• New infantry features, including Airborne drops onto the battlefield, bullet suppression and supersonic cracks, plus a new radioman class for calling in artillery strikes
• Over a dozen new crewable vehicles including the King Tiger and JagdPanther for the Germans, countered with multiple types of Sherman in 75mm, 76mm and 17-pounder versions, plus the Cromwell, M10 Wolverine and Achilles
• 11 new maps, including:
- Juno Beach – Canadians storming the beaches in classic D-Day action
- Carentan – the US 101st Airborne assaults the town shortly after D-Day
- Brecourt – 101st Airborne attempt to put a key German artillery battery out of commission behind the beaches
- Ginkel Heath – British paras drop into a hotly-contested LZ at the start of Operation Market-Garden
- Wacht-am-Rhein – sweeping tank combat during the Battle of the Bulge, including the fearsome King Tiger
- Stoumont – American infantry and armor try and hold back the SS PanzerGrenadiers in the streets of the Ardennes town

So whether it is the Normandy campaign, para-jumping onto the dropzones around Arnhem or the bitter fighting in the Battle of the Bulge, new and old players alike will get a chance to see why RO remains a classic. Now with the opportunity to re-play those battles RO-style, courtesy of Darkest Hour: Europe 1944-45! For more information on the mod (and to see the trailer) head for the Steam page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/1280/.

And, just to ensure that everyone gets a chance to see Red Orchestra on the Western Front, we are dropping the price of RO on Steam to $4.99 right through until the end of the weekend (Sunday 14th June).

For the full details and history of the mod, head for their own web page: http://www.darkesthourgame.com

NOMBZ - Headshot zombie blast iPhone, iPod touch video game

PowerUp Studios proudly announces the release of NOMBZ: HEADSHOT! for the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch, available now through the Apple App Store.

Check it out in iTunes here.

The Night of a Million Billion Zombies virus spreads to the iPhone as a 3D tap 'n' shoot action game that challenges you to defend against mobs of zombies, all hungry for your delicious human brains!

Choose your weapon and battle for survival against different types of zombies in a variety of settings, including city, suburbs, mall... and a secret setting!

Fight! Survive! Escape!

We hope you enjoy the zombie apocalypse!

Make a fortune with this iPhone game

First iPhone Business Stimulation Game A Business Tycoon Arrives on the App Store

SherylApps announced the launch of its new business strategy game, A Business Tycoon, now available in the app store for an introductory price of $1.99. The title is the first investment-based business stimulation game in the app store that allows users to test their business savvy.

A Business Tycoon is simple to understand: the gamer’s sole motive is to maximize profits generated through buying and selling assets with the help of price charts and other tools.

The game offers users hundreds of assets to choose from across varying price ranges. Prospective tycoons start with initial capital of $10 million – and with the app’s endless gameplay, they’ll soon find themselves addicted.

The game becomes even more interesting with the introduction of share trading– but the real highlights of the game are its luxury and mate sections that reward users for their successful ventures. These exclusive rewards can be unlocked one by one – only the most successful entrepreneurs will reap the benefits.

“Eight months of obsession and labor has gone into the planning and development of this game, and we believe that it will live up to the expectations of strategy game lovers everywhere,” said Ankur Gupta, founder of SherylApps. “Creating an addicting experience was our main priority since the idea of A Business Tycoon hit our minds. And with the kind of reviews the game is receiving for the lite version we believe we have fulfilled our goal.”

SherylApps has also announced a unique and unusual contest starting today where the first user to successfully unlock all available luxuries will be awarded an acre of land on planet Mars. The user is required to email the screenshot of the all the luxuries unlocked to contest [at] sherylapps.com.

The final price point for A Business Tycoon will be $2.99, but the game is being launched at an introductory price of $1.99. The reduced price will be valid for the first 15 days, offering a lot more value and entertainment than comparable strategy games available on the app store.

A Business Tycoon Features include:
-Virtually unlimited gameplay
-Hundreds of assets to trade in
-Best in class graphics and sounds
-Option to issue and buyback company’s shares
-In game rankings
-Games are saved when receiving a call, logging out, or shutting down the system
-6 beautiful & powerful ladies to unlock
-12 most exceptional luxuries to buy

Dungeons & Dragons online Eberron Unlimited - Unlimited Free Play

Free Digital Upgrade Introduces Unlimited Free Play and Raises Level Cap; Beta Begins Today

Turbine announced the start of the Beta program for Dungeons & Dragons Online: Eberron Unlimited (DDO Unlimited), a free digital upgrade for Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach. DDO Unlimited will raise the level cap and add major new content, as well as make the game free to play for everyone.

The new DDO Unlimited delivers heart-pounding game play featuring the industry’s best combat system, a massive world with state-of-the-art graphics and gameplay, and a rich set of features that until now could only be found only in premium subscription-based MMOs.

Launching later this summer, DDO Unlimited will introduce an innovative new pricing model that allows players to download and play for free, purchasing adventure packs, items, and account services a la carte from the new DDO Store, or to subscribe to get unlimited access to all of the game’s content. Players interested in getting a sneak peak of the new DDO Unlimited can sign up for a chance to participate in the Beta program at http://www.ddo.com.

“Our team has spent years crafting DDO Unlimited into a powerhouse experience featuring cutting-edge graphics, a kick-ass combat system, high level content, and cutting-edge social tools. Today marks a major milestone as we prepare to launch the world’s most exciting free MMO,” said Kate Paiz, Senior Producer.

“Turbine is blazing a new trail with an innovative new pricing structure that will deliver a new era of choice for the growing market of online gamers, and we are very excited to invite players to work with us in the DDO Unlimited Beta program as we redefine how people play and pay for MMOs,” added Fernando Paiz, Executive Producer.

DDO Unlimited delivers the best combat of any MMO and the most heart-pounding action this side of a keyboard, plus a lot more!
Brand New Content & Features – DDO Unlimited will deliver a new class, increase the level cap, introduce new adventure packs including a new 12-player raid, major combat improvements and more!
The Fiercest Combat – DDO Unlimited features an extraordinary and heart stopping combat experience that requires players to fully engage in the battle by relying on their wits and reflexes in real time. No more clicking skills and watching the action from the sideline.
Mind-blowing Visuals – Explore a vast and dangerous online world that features the most advanced graphics in the industry and is stuffed with the legendary monsters, glorious treasures, devious traps, mind-bending puzzles and endless adventures from the world’s best known RPG.
Full-featured MMO – Experience sophisticated systems found only in the best games including auctions, arena death matches (Player versus Player), NPC hirelings, gambling, crafting, and powerful social tools for finding a group, forming a guild or planning an epic raid!
Easier Than Ever! – DDO Unlimited gets you playing in minutes instead of hours, using new proprietary Turbine technology. Creating a new character is incredibly simple with guides and templates that speed you through the process. Features an all-new new player experience that gives gamers their first taste of excitement quickly while teaching them how to play solo or with a group of fellow adventurers.

The Sims 3 celebrate the biggest launch in Sims history

Electronic Arts announce that the hotly anticipated The Sims 3, stormed retail shelves starting June 2nd and sold thru more than 1.4 million PC/Mac units within the first week making it the best-selling PC launch in EA’s history. Fan intensity is evidenced through the more than 7 million downloads of player created content including: Sims, houses, stories and more. The Sims 3, also available for download from the Apple App Store for iPhone and iPod touch, shot up to #1 paid app position on launch day and has maintained that spot since launch.

“With more than a dozen press awards, strong reviewer scores and positive feedback from The Sims community, we are thrilled with the success of The Sims 3 launch and the early sales indicate that we have another hit on our hands,” said Rod Humble, Head of the EA Play Label. “The volume of items created with The Sims 3 and downloaded online is a testament to how passionate The Sims players are. It’s their world now, we can’t wait to see everything players create and share.”

“The Sims 3 for the iPhone and iPod touch soared to the number one Top Paid App position in the U.S. Apple App Store in just 18 hours of its launch and reached the number one Top Paid App position in 37 countries worldwide within two days of launch, making it EA Mobile's 3rd game launched at $9.99 to reach the number one Top Paid App position,” said Adam Sussman, VP Worldwide Publishing for EA Mobile™. “The game's sales success along with its strong critical acclaim demonstrates that The Sims 3 mobile experience is a worldwide hit with our customers.”

In The Sims 3 on PC/Mac you can create lifelike Sims with a unique personality and take them anywhere in the neighborhood. The powerful Create-a-Sim tool allows you to create Sims that are more realistic than ever. Select from dozens of personality traits such as brave, artistic, kleptomaniac, clumsy, paranoid and romantic. With Create-a-Sim, you can create a limitless number of truly unique Sims. The Sims 3 allows for infinite possibilities to design the interior and exterior of your Sims’ surroundings using the Create-a-style feature. Additionally, you can enjoy the challenge of short-term and long-term goals and then reap the rewards! Based on personality traits, skills and career choices, your Sims have short and long term Wishes that provide constant fun challenges and so many things to do and achieve. You have the ultimate freedom to choose whether to fulfill their destiny, giving them lifetime happiness and rewards or not! Register your copy of The Sims 3 for PC and Mac at www.TheSims3.com to enjoy the robust online and community features unique to your game including an all-new town called Riverview that you can download for no additional charge once you register*. You will also gain access to 1,000 SimPoints to purchase items from The Sims 3 Store to customize your Sims’ appearance and houses in all-new ways. Be the director of your Sims’ movies by capturing clips during your gameplay, visiting the official site, and editing the soundtrack, story, and transitions, then share it with the world. See what you can create with The Sims 3.

Cities XL beta - last day to join

10 June 2009. Monte Cristo, developer and publisher of CITIES XL, has announced that registrations for the game’s closed beta must be in by the end of Wednesday June 10, 2009, around 7pm UK time (BST). Gamers interested in testing the game and offering input into the development of Monte Cristo’s next-generation city builder/MMO should sign up today at http://jointhebeta.citiesxl.com.

“We’ve had a great response to our call for beta players so far,” said Jerome Gastaldi, CEO of Monte Cristo, “But we can squeeze just a few more people in to test this game in the last crucial months before it’s released. CITIES XL offers something different and refreshing in the world of MMOs and we already know that its appeal reaches way beyond the hardcore gamer.”

The closed beta programme for CITIES XL will begin shortly, when successful registrants will be able to begin playing a fully-featured version of the game.

About CITIES XL
CITIES XL enables gamers to develop cities on realistic 3D maps, which feature a variety of environments from mountain ranges to beaches and islands. The cities you will build are based on American, Asian and European-influenced architectural styles. You must create the right combinations of job opportunities, social services, leisure activities, and special events within your cities in order to keep your citizens occupied and happy. Whether you’re planning and building a new zoo, public park, residential neighbourhood or transit system, there's always a fresh and exciting challenge for would-be city managers and mayors in CITIES XL.

300,000 player Xbox video online game on the cards...

Microsoft have advertised for developers to help create a new backend game system that can support up to 300,000 player games...

Read the advert here...

“We are building an extremely high performance system to extend console games to the server in new was; creating a completely new set of web services to support dynamic programming information of games and scheduling data.”

The engineer will be responsible for “building a backend capable of hosting a 300,000 player game in real-time with real money on the line (anti-cheating, etc).”

Amazing Assassin's Creed 2 images and HD video...

Ubisoft's E3 press kit only included one screen for the mighty Assassin's Creed 2. But CVG asked around and finally got hold of a few more. And we think you'll agree that it's looking a bit tasty.

See all the images and video here on CVG ...

Global Agenda - Agents v Elves video game project Community-driven project brings humor to a timeless debate

Hi-Rez Studios, the developers of Global Agenda, today recognized the Agents vs. Elves project, an on-line community-driven initiative designed to settle once and for all a question as old as the massive, multi-player online (MMO) gaming genre itself: "How would a fantasy elf fair against a super agent in a futuristic sci-fi world?"

Agents vs. Elves is better known amongst its burgeoning contributor base as the "No Elves! Movement." Artists and writers are volunteering their own work for inclusion on the project's Facebook page. Details and a teaser trailer are available at http://www.agentsvselves.com.

"The debate of how a fantasy elf would fair in a futuristic sci-fi world is nearly as old and epic as the never-ending conflict between pirates and ninjas," said Todd Harris, Executive Producer of Global Agenda. "I see the Community embracing this Elven challenge in the same way that David attacked Goliath - head on, in full view of the enemy, with nothing but a strong knowledge of the foe's weakspot and advanced weapons technology."

Media and fans may download the NO ELVES! Evangelism and Media kit from the Agents vs. Elves website. This kit contains the materials required for prospective Global Agenda agents to spread the No Elves! movement, including a variety of art and video assets.

Monster Hunter video game and PSP 3000 bundle

To celebrate the launch of Monster Hunter Freedom Unite on June 26th Capcom has united with Sony to create the ultimate PSP bundle for players across Europe*

The bundle includes the new Mystic Silver PSP-3000, Monster Hunter branded PSP carry-pouch, screen wipe and branded skin which fits right over the PSP along with a copy of Monster Hunter Freedom Unite.

Japan’s most successful PSP title, Monster Hunter Portable 2G, is heading to Europe this coming Spring. Renamed Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, this latest installment in the epic Monster Hunter series delivers over 500 hours of gameplay spanning some 400 missions. Add in previously unreleased monsters, weapons and missions and you have the biggest Monster Hunter game to date.

Using the Ad-Hoc connection players can adventure with up to three friends for a savaging multiplayer hunting party. From devising the strategy to executing the attack, players will need to work together in order to hunt down the ferocious beasts and progress through the wide range of quests on offer. Players will be rewarded for their use of deep fighting combat systems, encouraging them to seek out the more experienced hunters and team up in order to learn from their experience.

Even in single player mode Hunters won’t be alone thanks to the introduction of the new AI Felyne feature. Accompanying players on quests your furry ally will helping them battle monsters and gather extra resources.

Features:

• The biggest Monster Hunter title to date with over 500 hours of gameplay
• Huge variety of character customisations including 1500 weapons and 2000 armour sets
• Players can form a team of up to 4 players through Ad-Hoc play and experience the multiplayer social gaming phenomenon
• Media Install option where players can save the game to a memory stick, allowing the game to load from the memory stick and UMD simultaneously for faster loading times
• AI Felyne companion who will accompany players on quests and gather extra resources. With the ‘felyne casting’ feature players can share their companions with other players, transferring data using the PSP’s sleep mode.
• Fans of the series can transfer their data from Monster Hunter Freedom 2

The Last Chariots of The Gods PC video game

Up and coming videogame publisher Iceberg Interactive today announced that it has acquired the worldwide publishing rights to the point-and-click adventure game for the PC, The Last Chariots of the Gods, from Austrian based developer Homegrown games. Based on the concepts from the bestselling novel “Chariots of the Gods” by Erich von Däniken, and other Paleo-SETI theories, players will be immersed in a world of ancient legends and modern day conspiracy. The ultimate question; Are we alone in the universe will be answered in Q4-2009 when the game will be released.

Erik Schreuder, CEO of Iceberg Interactive said: ”Many people are familiar with the books by Erich von Däniken about whether the ancient gods were actually powerful aliens visiting our planet. We are thrilled to publish a great adventure game based on these fascinating theories.”

Johann Ertl, CEO of Homegrown Games added: "We are very excited about the chance to cooperate with Iceberg Interactive, as both our companies share the belief that the needs and wishes of players should be the most important focus for game development and publishing. We believe that Iceberg Interactive puts the same heart and soul into publishing games as we do in developing them."

Product description:
The Last Chariots of the Gods is a gripping point & click adventure that takes players into a dark world of ancient legends and present day conspiracy. Players take on the role of archaeology student Marcus Bauer, who is given a task by his late granduncle to prove his strange theories that the "Vimanas" described in ancient India Sanskrit were actually spaceships from an alien society. Being a skeptic, Marcus however soon discovers that there is more behind the ancient legends than archaeology cares to know or will admit. Following clues and rumours, he soon uncovers secrets that were hidden from mankind − secrets that would turn everything we think we know upside down. As he unravels the truth, those who would like to keep it buried close in. He gets the feeling that someone or something is working against him − a feeling that turns into fear and desperation as he discovers that we may not be alone and maybe never were.

Key features:
• Inspired by the work of the Archaeology, Astronautics and SETI Research Association (AAS) and the parascience "Paläo-SETI" heavily influenced by authors like Erich von Däniken (best known for "Chariots of the Gods?)”
• Over 40 exotic locations, and more that 30 engaging characters to interact with
• Thrilling & unique storyline as players take on role of Archaeologist Marcus Bauer in an “Indiana Jones meets Erich von Däniken" scenario
• Beautiful graphics featuring state-of-the-art images, rendering & lightening,
including vRay technology
• Innovative Environment Manipulation(IEM): a feature that allows players to alter the entire environment (daytime, lighting, humidity, wind) of a scene to solve certain puzzles.
• 3rd person point of view with 1st person view for indoor locations
• Intuitive interface allowing immersing and engaging gameplay.
• Sophisticated NPC AI means that in-game characters act and respond in a realistic manner.
• All in-game technical devices function like in real life; mobile phones, text messaging, including playable mini-games on in-game pc’s
• Dynamic soundtrack featuring acclaimed composer Kai Rosenkranz