FINAL FANTASY XI: WINGS OF THE GODDESS Release Date Announced

Square Enix Ltd., the publisher of Square Enix® interactive entertainment products in Europe and other PAL territories, today announced that WINGS OF THE GODDESS™, the fourth expansion pack for FINAL FANTASY® XI, a successful massively multi-player online role-playing game (MMORPG), will receive a simultaneous worldwide release on Thursday 22nd November.

FINAL FANTASY XI was originally released on May 2002 in Japan with three expansion packs Rise of the Zilart™, Chains of Promathia™ and Treasures of Aht Urhgan™ following in recent years. In October 2003 the title was released in North America and the European release followed in September 2004. This year has also seen the introduction of the FINAL FANTASY XI Starter Pack, the ideal inexpensive introduction into the MMORPG genre. Now more than 500,000 subscribers are enjoying Vana’diel®, the world of FINAL FANTASY XI. With the release of the fourth expansion pack for Windows® and Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system, the world of Vana’diel will be an even livelier place to visit, expanding the community even further.

About WINGS OF THE GODDESS

There was once a war that shook the very foundations of Vana'diel.

It was a dark and dreadful age.
The lives of many were lost.
The futures of many were destroyed.
The joys of many were extinguished.

However, there are those from that age who remember...

They remember the hope that burned in the darkness.
The companions that banded together.
The heroes that strove onwards.
The rivals that joined forces.

And now history is reborn, as we return to that age of strife...

During Tokyo Game Show 2007, Square Enix (Booth 3-S1) will debut an all-new trailer that unveils the new locations, beastmen and adventures coming up in WINGS OF THE GODDESS. This special trailer also marks the worldwide debut of an all-new job class, expanding adventurers’ possibilities in new and exciting ways.

FINAL FANTASY XI: WINGS OF THE GODDESS for Windows will be released 22nd November 2007. Price: to be announced. As an expansion pack players will need to own an original version of FINAL FANTASY XI for Windows, sold separately.

FINAL FANTASY XI for Xbox 360 will be released on the same day as the Windows version. Price: to be announced. As an expansion pack players will need to own an original version of FINAL FANTASY XI for Xbox 360, sold separately.

About FINAL FANTASY XI

FINAL FANTASY XI takes you into the aftermath of a great war, as you answer a desperate call to defend your people. In this first ever cross-platform massively multiplayer online game, you'll unite with other heroes as you attempt to save the world from utter destruction. The adventure continues in multiple expansion packs: Rise of the Zilart, Chains of Promathia and Treasures of Aht Urhgan and the forthcoming Wings of the Goddess, which will be available in November 2007.
More…

FINAL FANTASY XI is the first MMORPG capable of simultaneous multiplayer action across three different platforms, allowing players worldwide to combine forces on Windows, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system (North America and Japan only) and Xbox 360.

FINAL FANTASY XI players from all over the world can unite in one gaming universe in a community of more than 500,000 players, and 1.7 million characters.

March 2007 saw the introduction of the French and German language versions of FINAL FANTASY XI creating an influx of new players. Those already playing will tell you this has added to a vibrant multi-cultural online community.

FINAL FANTASY XI is the first ever MMORPG for Microsoft’s Xbox 360.

For more information about FINAL FANTASY XI, please visit www.playonline.com.

HEADPLAY Personal Cinema System

Portable, Visual Headset and Multi-Media Center Delivers Immersive Viewing Experience for Gaming, Movie Watching and Internet Use

The HEADPLAY Personal Cinema System is Available Now at www.headplay.com

Santa Monica, CA (September 20, 2007) Headplay, Inc., a Los Angeles-based visual entertainment and technology company, announced today the launch of the HEADPLAY Personal Cinema System, now available for purchase online at http://www.headplay.com. Re-defining the portable media device category, the HEADPLAY Personal Cinema System is a visual headset and multi-media center that provides an immersive, visually stunning cinematic viewing experience for both game and movie enthusiasts, a no-compromises mobile entertainment experience.

Combining a revolutionary design with proprietary, high-performance optical technologies, the HEADPLAY Personal Cinema System offers an innovative, mobile, personal viewing experience not currently available in the market. Connecting directly to game consoles, DVD players, select iPods, Mac and PCs, the Personal Cinema System provides near-universal compatibility with hardware platforms worldwide and is capable of reading stored media using compact flash card or USB memory stick formats. Additionally, the HEADPLAY Personal Cinema System delivers true stereoscopic 3D viewing of 3D game and movie content.

“We believe the HEADPLAY Personal Cinema System will dramatically impact the way consumers experience personal entertainment,” said Glen Ward, Co-CEO of HEADPLAY, Inc. “Offering an unparalleled cinematic viewing experience, the system allows gamers and movie watchers alike to enjoy their content of choice – including new generation 3D content – anytime, anywhere.”

Coinciding with its official launch, the Personal Cinema System will be available for hands-on trial by consumers at Digital Life 2007 in New York, September 27-30. HEADPLAY's unprecedented technology was first recognized at the prestigious DEMOfall 2006 conference in San Diego, followed by the unveiling of the product's final design to the public at the 2007 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

The unique capabilities of the HEADPLAY Personal Cinema System are currently on display as part of the Midnight Gaming Championship (MGC), presented by McDonalds. HEADPLAY, powered by nVIDIA, is giving gamers the chance to compete in GTR2 FIA GT Racing Game published by Viva Media, the first ever 3-D racing competition. HEADPLAY joins MGC partners 1Up Network, Iplay, Coke Zero, GameznFlix, 2K Sports, Ubisoft , Nintendo, Konami and Spike TV to deliver 52 gaming events in 19 cities across the U.S. through mid-September. Additionally, consumers can enjoy the immersive HEADPLAY experience at Global Gaming League events from coast to coast.

Created in consultation with world-renowned industrial design firm IDEO, the Personal Cinema System has been specifically engineered for comfort and extended use. The Personal Cinema System is comprised of three major components: the Visor, the Liberator and the Navigator.

The Visor
The Visor, or headset, is worn by the user and displays a virtual 52-inch screen, providing an immersive, movie theatre-like experience. The Visor has been designed to provide the ultimate in style and comfort for extended wear and viewing. It also allows for the simultaneous use of a game controller or keyboard. Incorporating amazing optical technologies, the Visor will support various resolution levels up to 1024 X 768. HEADPLAY's patented technology delivers separate but identical images to each eye via a single LCoS micro-display, thereby helping to eliminate eye-strain.

The Liberator
The Liberator is both the brains and the heart of the Personal Cinema System. It accepts a composite video, component video and S-video signal in the formats of NTSC and PAL. The Liberator runs the software for managing the system and allows for reading and displaying content through its Compact Flash slot or two USB host ports. It enjoys universal connectivity, making it compatible with virtually any device that has video out, including video game consoles, DVD players, PCs, and portable media players. Just plug and play, with no special drivers required.

The Navigator
The Navigator is a connected remote control that allows the user to select and control content and screen settings. It also serves as the connection point for the Personal Cinema System's high-performance, noise-suppression ear-buds or a listening device of your choice.

The HEADPLAY Personal Cinema System for $499, and the HEADPLAY Personal Cinema System with internal, rechargeable battery for $549, are now available at http://www.headplay.com. Additional accessories are also available.

Headplay, Inc. is a subsidiary of Headplay International Inc, a visual entertainment and technology company with operations in Los Angeles, California, U.S.A., Calgary, Alberta, Canada and Beijing, China. HEADPLAY is dedicated to developing new and visionary products for the consumer electronics market.

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Raging Tiger and Invincible Dragon Return

Classic fighting trilogy coming to PlayStation 2

SNK Playmore and Ignition Entertainment are pleased to announce the European release of the Art of Fighting Anthology for PlayStation®2.

Originally released in 1992, Art of Fighting was the first title in the NEOGEO ‘100 Mega Shock’ series, and set new standards within the fighting genre. With the introduction of the then new Spirit Gauge, Super Special Moves, use of the ‘zoom in/zoom out’ function and battle damage to the characters faces, the AOF series soon built a solid fan base which is still going strong today.

The Anthology contains Art of Fighting, Art of Fighting 2 and the first appearance of Art of Fighting 3: The Path of the Warrior away from the original NEOGEO platform. The success of these titles has seen many of its characters cross over into SNK’s other major fighting franchise King of Fighters.

‘Upon its release Art of Fighting raised the bar in the fighting genre with the inclusion of many new features that are today now commonplace.’ says Peter Rollinson, Product Manager, Ignition Entertainment ‘with all three games included; this will be a valuable package for any fighting game fan’.


Key Features:
Arcade Perfect conversions
All 3 games on 1 action packed disc
Total of 33 characters, each with their own unique fighting styles
Colour Edit mode – Customise your favourite character

Art of Fighting Anthology for the PlayStation®2 is scheduled for release Winter ‘07.

For further information please visit: www.ignitionent.com/aof

190 Gamestations to open at midnight for Halo 3

High Street retailer Gamestation is supporting the launch of Halo 3 next week by opening over 190 stores at midnight.

And the company's leading stores in Edinburgh and Birmingham will allow consumers who have pre-ordered the game to play head-to-head against one another via Xbox Live link-up.

"This game will be huge and Gamestation's midnight openings are not to be missed," commented Colin Betteridge, area manager of Gamestation.

"Our customers will have the chance to be amongst the first to get their hands on this final chapter of the Halo story."

The majority of Gamestation stores will be opening shortly before midnight on Tuesday, ahead of the official launch on Wednesday September 26.

Microsoft is offering three versions of Halo 3 for sale. The standard edition, the Halo 3 Collector's Edition and the Halo 3 Legendary Edition.

Halo 3 on sale before release date

Catalogue retailer Argos has begun selling Microsoft's highly-anticipated Halo 3, a week before the official release.

The news comes from the forums of Eurogamer.net, where users have been posting pictures of boxed copies of the game, along with receipts.

Argos' online store shows which locations currently have the game in stock, and users are able to order a copy of the game with collection dates of "Wed 19 September – Thu 20th September."

Both Microsoft and Argos were unavailable to comment at the time of writing.

UPDATE: Argos has issued a statement clarifying that it does not endorse breaking street dates.

"We are aware that a genuine administrative error has resulted in a small number of cases where Halo 3 has already been sold. We are currently ensuring that there are no further sales of this product in-store until the official release date, Wednesday 26 September. We have already taken steps to ensure that Halo 3 is unavailable on the Argos web site for reservation or purchase until the correct date."

"We accept that this incident falls short of the usual high standards we aim to achieve and operate within and we will be taking steps to ensure this doesn’t happen in the future."

LucasArts release the Force on the Wii - Spring 2008

Star Wars The Force Unleashed Coming to Nintendo's Platform with Exclusive Duel Mode

LucasArts today revealed that Star Wars: The Force Unleashed™ will come to the Wii™ home videogame system from Nintendo next spring, offering owners the unique chance to live out their Jedi fantasies by wielding the Wii Remote™ as a lightsaber while using the Nunchuk™ controller to torment foes with their Force™ powers.

The Force Unleashed casts players as Darth Vader's "Secret Apprentice" and promises to unveil new revelations about the Star Wars galaxy. The game's expansive story is set during the largely unexplored era between Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. In it, players will assist the iconic villain in his quest to rid the universe of Jedi - and face decisions that could change the course of their destiny.

The Wii version, in development by Krome Studios, will also add an exclusive duel mode in which players can compete head-to-head with their friends to determine the ultimate Jedi Master.

"The Wii is a great platform for The Force Unleashed, because the console's motion-oriented controllers really bring the game to life," said Jim Ward, President of LucasArts. "We've worked hard to make the Wii version of the game unique in order to truly let you unleash the Force."

More About Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

The Force Unleashed is the first next-generation game developed internally at LucasArts, and will be available on the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system.

As its name implies, The Force Unleashed completely re-imagines the scope and scale of the Force by taking full advantage of newly developed technologies that will be seen and experienced for the first time: Digital Molecular Matter, by Pixelux Entertainment, and euphoria by NaturalMotion Ltd.

"The combination of our great story, memorable characters, and the revolutionary new technology that we're introducing will deliver something Star Wars fans have never seen before, in addition to attracting newcomers to gaming, something that is very important to us," added Ward.

LucasArts and developer Krome Studios are creating an equally enthralling version of The Force Unleashed on the Wii, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, and n-Space, Inc., is developing a version for the Nintendo DS™. All will feature the same storyline, with opportunities to unleash the Force in devastating new ways.

Working with Lucas Licensing, LucasArts is preparing an unprecedented promotional effort around the launch of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, encompassing a full line of toys and game-based action figures from Hasbro, as well as a full publishing program from Dark Horse, Del Rey and Palace Press.

More information about the game can be found at the official website, www.theforceunleashed.com, which will continue to release details throughout the year.

Battle Gear Counter-Strike

3-Month Weekly Competition Offering Over $3,500 in Player Product Prizes at 50+ iGames Centers across US and Canada

Product Sponsors Include BFG®, Razer™, Antec®, Patriot Memory and Abit

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA, September 19, 2007—iGames, the world’s leading game center organization, today announced the Battle Gear Counter-Strike™ Source Fall Game Night, a 3-month weekly ladder with special events to be held at 50+ iGames member centers across the United States and Canada, with over $3,500 in player prizes in the balance from top gear sponsors BFG®, Razer™, Antec®, Patriot Memory and Abit.

Format:

• The program will run every Wednesday evening from Sept 12 through Dec 12 from 7 PM to 10 PM EST.

• The event will be a team-based 5-v-5 Ladder facilitated over IRC complete with Match History and Standings tracked on a dedicated iGames Mini-Site.

• A special night of events will occur on Wednesday, October 17 for a Mid-Season Break. Additional details will be posted at a later date on the event Mini-Site.

• In total 8 teams will advance to the playoffs which will run November 28 to December 12.

Prizes:

Each player (five per team) on a winning placing team at the conclusion of playoffs will win the following respective prizes:

1st Place Team
+ BFG 6800 GTS OC 256MB PCIe video card

2nd Place
+ Razer Tarantula gaming keyboard
+ Razer DeathAdder gaming mouse

3rd Place
+ Antec Nine Hundred computer case

4th Place
+ Patriot Extreme Performance (EP) Low Latency PC2-6400 2GB memory kit

5th Place
+ Abit IL9 Pro motherboard

For registration and rules, along with the event schedule and complete list of participating iGames center, visit www.igames.org or contact the iGames events team at events@igames.org.

Bomberman Live

Hudson Entertainment, the North American publishing arm for Hudson Soft, today announced that they have partnered with Destructoid.com, one of the top video game entertainment news sites, in Bomb-Up Pack 2, the second add-on pack for the Bomberman LIVE game on Xbox LIVE® Arcade. This new add-on pack will star Destructoid’s mascot as a playable character, as well as feature over a dozen additions, including ten characters, two levels, two leader boards, and a brand new game mode. Bomb-Up Pack 2 is expected to launch on September 26 and will cost 250 Microsoft Points ($3.13).

“We continue to see great success with Bomberman Live, and are committed to bringing fresh new content through add-on packs for the game,” said John Greiner, President and CEO of Hudson Entertainment. “Hudson is always pushing the creative envelope, and featuring a major gaming website in a game, a first for the industry, is a fun way to demonstrate our dedication to the community.”

“Not only is it an honor to have Destructoid represented in Bomberman Live, but it may also be the first time an online community has been immortalized in a popular gaming franchise,” said Niero Gonzalez, Creator of Destructoid.com. “We’re grateful that Hudson has extended our brand in this unique way, and invite all gamers to wreak havoc as the infamous Mr. Destructoid.”

This Bomberman LIVE add-on pack will add the following features:
The Destructoid Mascot – The iconic, robotic mascot makes his way into the game, complete with his trademark helmet and white suit. Players can dress up their Bomberman as the robot and bomb away with the impunity of a blogger.
Ten New Characters – In addition to Destructoid, other new characters include “Bomberella” the cavewoman and “El Bombito” the matador, resulting in countless new ways for players to customize their in-game Bomberman.
Two Additional Levels – New arenas include “Medieval Times,” a level in which bombs and sorcery collide, and the hypersonic “Full Tilt.” racetrack
One New Game Mode – “Bomb Shelters” will allow players to hide from explosions in a small, fireproof building.
Two New Leaderboards – Dominate the competition on two new ranking systems on the Xbox LIVE® network. The new leaderboards will track performance on both a weekly and an all-time basis for the speed circle gimmicks on the new “Full Tilt” map.
About Bomberman
Originally launched in the US in 1987, the game captured gamers’ hearts with its simple yet challenging gameplay. With over 60 iterations on nearly all major consoles since then, and over 10 million units sold, winning accolades as the best multiplayer game of all time, this classic game has stood the test of time. The overall design appeals to gamers of all ages, and to both men and women. The game is simple enough: from a top-down perspective, you compete against other players in a grid-like arena. Your only weapon is a bomb, which you can drop to clear out obstacles or to knock out your opponents. Players can pick up upgrades, which become available when they clear obstacles, to increase their chances of winning. The game is fun, yet frantic, and brings out the most competitive spirit in all of us! The new Bomberman Live game has garnered numerous awards, is currently a top seller on the Xbox LIVE® Arcade platform.

The Sims 2 Teen Style Stuff Fact Sheet

Give your teen Sims everything they need to express their unique style with The Sims 2 Teen Style Stuff! Now your teen Sims can show some attitude with all-new, unique furniture, decor items, fashions and more with three distinct themes - "Goth", "Thrasher" and "Socialite". Give your Sims a new phone, stereo, TV and other gadgets to keep them up to date and in touch with their friends. Make sure your Sims are always sporting the latest teen fashions including track suits, designer jeans, and yoga outfits. Let your young Sims express themselves in ways only teenagers can!

The Fabulous Life Of The Socialite

Design a bedroom fit for a princess with a luxurious bed complete with drapery crown and a classy vanity table.
A delicately carved wardrobe is perfect for your Socialite teen to keep her designer jeans and other stylish accessories.
Young girl Sims can lounge around in chic pajamas that put a cute cami and pants with matching fuzzy slippers.
Get The Extreme Sport Lifestyle

Deck out your Sims's roo with a skateboard and surfboard wall sculpture to reflect their edge yet laidback lifestyle.
Give them khaki cargo shorts and other chill clothes that are perfect for lounging.
The Dark World Of The Goth

Transform your Goth Sim's room into a reflection of their dark soul with gloomy furnishings like a black and red armoire and plush, velvet chairs.
Fill their wardrobe with dark and rebellious attire including buckles, belts and heavy boots for him and leather, tattoos and fishnets for her.

PSP Slim and Lite remodel a "head in the sand" move

The UMD is a dead format that's a waste of money, time, and investment according to David Perry.

Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, the Shiny founder and operator of GameConsultants.com revealed what he would do if he were in charge of PlayStation Portable development.

"They really need to restart the PSP programme in my book. They really need to bring out the PSP 3.0 and start again and try to get a lot of units out by reducing the manufacturing costs, by taking out all the motors and drives and stuff they have in there."

"That will make it even more sexy-looking, because it will be thinner again when they get all that junk out. Then, hopefully, the platform will actually get enough interest so that people will make a game specifically for it," Perry said.

He referred to the recent PSP Slim and Lite remodel as a "head in the sand" move.

As for what current PSP owners will do with their UMDs if Sony turns to a download-only handheld, Perry said that it would be fairly trivial to include software to validate that a user owns a certain game, much like iTunes. With authentication, users should be allowed to download digital versions of UMD games they already own.

When questioned as to why Sony hadn't already done this, Perry responded: "The truth is, the stores will not carry PSPs unless they feel they are going to get a piece of the action on the back end. And Sony has not come up with an innovative business model that can support that concept."

But with the industry moving in the direction of digital downloads, Sony needs to come up with a shared revenue system eventually.

"Maybe its an even slightly better deal because there is no cost of goods, and shipping, insurance, and warehousing is all out the window...so maybe the store gets a little bit more. And they get more of their shelf space back, which is their most valuable asset."

Source: Games Industry