Dragon Quest IX lifts Square Enix stock

Square Enix saw its Tokyo stock rating upgraded by Cosmo Securities, which lifted the Japanese based videogame maker to "neutral plus" from the "neutral" rating it has maintained since November 26.

The shares rose JPY 60 (USD 0.57), or 1.9 per cent, to close at JPY 3210 (USD 30.7) on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and much of the improvement is being put down to the performance of the company's Dragon Quest IX DS title, which sold 5 million units and will produce JPY 20 billion (USD 190 million) in revenue, Cosmo Securities analyst Takashi Oka reported. "It's not surprising Dragon Quest IX for the portable console sold twice as many units as a version for stationary game machines,'' Oka wrote, according to Bloomberg. The Cosmo Securities report also claimed that the company's net income for the year ending in March 2009 will almost double to JPY 17.4 billion (USD 166.9 million), 45 per cent higher than the company's target of JPY 12 billion (USD 115.1 million).

This comes after the company recently reported a profit of JPY 9.2 billion (USD 88.5 million) for fiscal year 2007, a 20.9 per cent fall from the previous year.

Source: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/

2K Games And Bethesda Softworks Announce BioShock & The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Bundle Now Available

2K Games and Bethesda Softworks, a ZeniMax Media company, announce that the BioShock & The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Bundle is now available in shops across the UK for a suggested retail price of £29.99 for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and £19.99 for Windows PC.

Creating a value-rich package, the BioShock & The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Bundle combines 2006 Game of the Year winner The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion with 2007 Game of the Year winner BioShock - two games with a combined bounty of more than 80 Game of the Year awards from the industry’s top publications. In addition to having achieved critical success and Platinum Hits status, both games rank among the bestselling titles on Xbox 360.

BioShock is the genetically enhanced shooter that weaves intricate storytelling with an intense and exciting journey through a decaying underwater Art Deco utopia gone mad. Caught between powerful forces and hunted down by mutated citizens, gamers are not only armed with a complete arsenal from simple revolvers to chemical throwers, but are forced to genetically modify their own DNA to use themselves as a deadly weapon.

Taking the world by storm in 2006, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion set a new benchmark for role-playing experiences for current generation gaming. Lush visuals, expansive worlds and limitless character customization combine with unprecedented levels of player freedom and NPC interaction to form one of the most successful and critically acclaimed games ever created.

The BioShock & The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Bundle is rated M by the ESRB. For more information on BioShock please visit www.bioshockgame.com. For more information on Oblivion please visit www.elderscrolls.com.

Hudson Entertainment brings Wii owners face to face with spirits of the dead in 'Calling'

Hudson Entertainment will bring players face to face with death as they roam an alternate existence in an attempt to survive Calling. The adventure horror title is set to be published by Hudson Entertainment, the North and South American publishing arm of HUDSON SOFT, and will be exclusive to Nintendo Wii in 2010.

“Players will be asked to use their wits and senses to survive the world of Calling,” said Mike Pepe, Director of Marketing of Hudson Entertainment. “It is a game that revolves around real people and real emotions – no chain saws or suits of armor. The game is traditional survival horror at its finest.”

In Calling, players begin by visiting a mysterious “Black Page” website with a simple number counter. Some say it is a bridge to something sinister; the counter indicating the number of people who have died after visiting the page. It is said that people who have visited the site and witness a certain event are drawn into a mysterious space compiled of the memories of the dead - the space between life and death. Someone or something is drawing the living there for a reason, and it is up to the player to discover the horrifying truth. In order to do so, players will use various equipment including flash lights, phones, and other items to navigate and escape the Calling.

Throughout the game players will visit various parts of the Calling world. Memories of houses, schools, hospitals and more bring players closer to either an escape or an untimely death. Players will solve puzzles, search and interact with objects, and ultimately try to avoid the inhabitance of this alternative existance.

For more information on Calling, as well as other titles from Hudson Entertainment, please visit www.hudsonent.com.

Yoga for the Wii system to Feature International Model Anja Rubik!

JoWooD Productions and DreamCatcher Games are pleased to announce that top model Anja Rubik will be featured in their upcoming Wii title Yoga (http://anjarubik.com). A very enthusiastic yoga practitioner, Anja will not only grace the cover, but also accompanies players during numerous relaxing Yoga exercises, providing player motivation throughout the game. Anja Rubik is considered one of the upcoming stars of the model scene and is ranked among the top 15 international supermodels.

“We’ve invested a lot in creating a fun and authentic Yoga title for Wii suitable for everyone. Regardless of your age or gender, anyone who is interested in learning more about this ancient Indian philosophy will love this game.” says Markus Reutner, Marketing manager JoWooD Productions. “Anja Rubik embodies the spirit of Yoga and thus is the perfect guide to increase motivation and promote the practice of this peaceful fitness regime.”

Yoga for the Wii system offers an entirely new fitness and lifestyle experience. It enriches your living room with this ancient art and you can strengthen your body, mind and spirit while training at home. Thanks to the combination of state of the art graphics and the Wii Balance Board™ accessory, this game leads to a brand new fitness-gaming experience.

About Yoga for the Wii system:

Anja Rubik and a 3D animated Yoga guru guide you through the most important parts of the game and offer useful information on both the individual exercises and the philosophical basis behind yoga. Yoga encourages the player to take steps to improve his or her own health and to restore and maintain their own state of well-being. The game supports a wide range of body positions, and the Balance Board provides the player with immediate feedback. The yoga guru guides you through poses in a gentle introduction into this fascinating world.

It's simple for you to develop your own, customised yoga exercise plan and monitor your progress!

Yoga is designed to stand out from the considerable range of “fitness games“ out there and shows a new, modern way to provide more body awareness and relaxation.

Does your work-out really need to be faster, most exhausting and harder? Slow your day down, allow your body and mind to relax – with Yoga for the Wii system.

Anja Rubik & Yoga

Anja Rubik is an ambitious yoga fan and practices this ancient philosophy to provide balance in her stressful everyday life as a model. She is convinced that it is the best way to control thought and breathing processes, and is enthusiastic about the new opportunity to practice yoga in the comfort of your own home while receiving feedback from a yoga guru. We're proud to have found Anja as the perfect advocate for our Wii game Yoga.

Yoga provides a completely new experience in the realm of fitness and lifestyle! JoWooD offers a tried and tested way of training the body and mind in the form of Yoga, all in the comfort of your living room! The combination of excellent graphics and the use of the Wii Balance Board offers a gaming experience never before seen!

Yoga encourages the Wii player to relax after a hard day!

Yoga supports the Wii Balance Board!

So You Think You Can (Virtually) Dance? Then Prove it During the Audition Online Video Dance Competition!

Redbana US Corp. is calling all Audition Online players to prove they have the real life dance skills to back up those they demonstrate virtually in the hit online PC rhythm game during the official Audition Video Dance Competition! Throughout July, users can create and submit 90 second videos showcasing their personal brand of creativity and uniqueness by dressing the part, demonstrating “mad skillz” and – most importantly – having fun!

Video submissions will be accepted until July 31st at midnight, with winners announced the following week. In addition to Redbana Cash that can be used to buy virtual items like clothes and accessories, the first place winner will receive an iPod Shuffle engraved with their in-game moniker.

Official contest rules and submission instructions can be found here: http://forums.redbana.com/showthread.php?t=5763

No Audition account? No problem. New users can sign up for a FREE account at http://audition.redbanaus.com