Eidos unleashes a heavyweight Christmas mobile line-up

Original titles, old favourites and hot new franchises form basis of Eidos' holiday mobile push

Eidos Interactive, one of the world’s leading publishers of video games, has highlighted its determination to dominate the mobile phone sector with a strong line-up of bespoke titles for which will arrive before Christmas 2007*.

Released via its dedicated New Media division, Eidos is serving up a mix of original titles, classics from yesteryear and licensed properties including:

• Pandemonium: Originally a PSone title developed by Crystal Dynamics (Tomb Raider: Legend), Pandemonium is a breath-taking platform game set across sweeping, colourful vistas where players take control of Nikki and Fargus; a wizard-in-training with quick reflexes, and a slightly deranged jester with an even more deranged puppet sidekick called Sid. The player is charged with collecting gems and avoiding the enemy hordes as a sweeping camera tracks his every move. Pandemonium is identical to the PSone original in every respect, and is a true statement of intent for the quality Eidos New Media is aiming to deliver to mobile phones.
  
  
  
• Sola Rola: An original title, Sola Rola is a fun mixture of puzzle and action elements in which users control two blobby heroes – Wiz and Waz – as they attempt to save the universe by manipulating shapes. Spanning 25 stages, Sola Rola is crammed with puzzles and uses a unique physics system in which objects and characters can be scaled, tilted and used to solve the increasingly difficult puzzles on offer.
  
  
  
• Championship Manager 2008: Released to coincide with the PC version of the game, the mobile version of Championship Manager 2008 is a fully featured game of what is rightly regarded as the pioneer of football management titles. Developed by the award-winning Dundee based Dynamo Games, the mobile game features all the tactical acumen and logistics of the PC title, with a simple to navigate menu system and 2D match overlay specifically designed for handsets.
  
  
• Kane and Lynch mobile: Inspired by IO Interactive’s highly anticipated title; players can experience 38 adrenaline filled levels through 5 gripping scenarios. The mobile version of Kane and Lynch takes the gritty essence of IO's new blockbuster title and combines it with innovative design to create a unique game for mobile handsets.
  
  
• Tomb Raider: Anniversary Edition: To celebrate ten years of gaming’s most famous archaeologist, Lara Croft will star in a new adventure taking in familiar locations from her past. Inspired by the first three Tomb Raider mobile phone games, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider Anniversary faithfully preserves the elements which made the original mobile games some of the best available on the mobile platform. Taut, and fast-paced, this is a perfect tribute to one of gaming’s true legends and the first title to come from new British Developer, FinBlade.

“The mobile sector is on the cusp at the moment and we are responding to market demands with a strong line-up that more than meets current consumer and operator demands,” said Simon Protheroe, New Media and IT Director at Eidos. “We believe that Eidos Mobile has an incredible bespoke range of titles for mobile gamers, we’re looking to attract new consumers to the genre by raising the quality of the end offering – this Christmas has never been a better time to buy your first mobile phone game.”

For full details of Eidos New Media’s mobile phone titles and release dates, please visit http://www.eidosinteractive.co.uk/ for more information.

My Sims Capsule Collection

Just released in the UK - My Sims is the latest launch from EA within The Sims franchise – created especially for Wii and Nintendo DS the game delivers all the creativity and personal expression expected from The Sims but developed in a kitsch new world.

To celebrate its launch MySims has commissioned 4 of the UK’s hottest fashion designers to create a dual purpose capsule collection based on the core attributes of the game – Self Expression, Customisation, Creativity and Collectability.

Much like the world of fashion My Sims takes you into a world where personal style is everything and personalising your world is your right!

Each item works to enhance the My Sims Wii or DS experience BUT also brings the MySims world into your world. Strictly limited edition and available from 8th Oct at www.TheSims2.co.uk/mysims with all profits going to Great Ormand Street
Giles Deacon – Eek Wii-mote/Bag talisman – based on Giles’ signature avatar Eek will come with special My Sims elements designed to stimulate the mind or just act as good luck. RRP £35
Cassette Playa – Stuck on My Sims – Cassette Playa puts a unique twist on the MySims world with a series of vinyl and foil artworks rooted in customisation – give your DS that My Sims make-over or simply customise your phone, laptop, nails or notebook. RRP £15
House of Holland – My Sims Pouch Tee – designed for DS on the go, with a seamed in DS pouch/pocket – this limited edition tee bears the cult signature of Henry Holland’s irreverent take on life – with the slogan ‘Life Begins With MySims’. RRP £40
Tatty Divine – My Sims Sushi Bag – designed to perfectly carry your Wii mote on the go, Tatty Divine’s exclusive bag takes design inspiration from MySim’s sushi chef, and features hundreds of glittering Swarovski crystals. RRP £150
Bright, colourful, inventive & intuitive, these cool accessories are an insiders must have!

Sony offers cut-price PlayStation

A cut price PlayStation 3 (PS3) with a smaller hard drive and no backwards compatibility with previous consoles goes on sale later this month.
The £299 PS3 has a 40-gigabyte hard disk and will be released in Europe, Middle East, Australia and New Zealand.

Sony has also slashed the price of the 60GB model from £425 to £349, as it hopes to ignite sales.

0ore from BBC

Halo maker parts from Microsoft

Bungie, the developer of the hugely popular Halo series, is to part company with owner Microsoft.
In a statement, the two firms said they would "forge a new long-term partnership" based around new games.

The move will surprise many in the games industry, despite rumours about a split in recent weeks.

Bungie is now a privately held company in which Microsoft holds a minority stake. Recent release Halo 3 made $300m (£150m) in its first week on sale.

More from BBC

Donkey Kong Barrel Blast

Format: Wii
Launch Date: 10/08/07
ESRB: E (Everyone): Mild Cartoon Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes
Game Type: Racing
Players: 1-4
Developer: Paon

Game Information

KEY INFORMATION

Race to victory with the DK Crew! Donkey Kong and friends have located high-powered barrel rockets, and now the battle for king of the jungle is on.

Donkey Kong is Back! One of Nintendo's most popular characters, Donkey Kong, is back with all of his friends … and a few enemies as well. Diddy Kong, Dixie Kong, King K. Rool and the whole gang appear as playable characters in this fast-paced racing adventure.

Shake, Rattle, and Roll! Simple Wii controls make racing a snap. Shake the Wii Remote and Nunchuk to accelerate, then shake one or the other to turn. Press a single button or shake the controller to jump, attack or use items.

Rocket to Victory! Target enemies with a Pineapple Cannon, skillfully chain together Wild Moves or use the Wii Remote to blast out of a Style Barrel. Multiple game-play modes, 16 awesome courses and a rollicking four-player multiplayer game will keep players coming back for more.

How to progress through the game:

• Grand Prix: Race solo in 12 different cups across a variety of courses and difficulty levels.
  
  
• Time Trial: Pick the course and try to set a new record. Players can even save their best times in the form of ghost data.
  Practice: Race across any track without the pressure of time limits or other racers.
  
  
• Candy's Challenges: Help out Candy Kong by taking on 32 unique challenges, such as grabbing 1,000 bananas, beating a course in a certain time or staying in first place wire-to-wire.
  
  
• Cranky's Flight School: Learn how to play from Cranky Kong himself.
  
  
• Multiplayer: Players take on up to three friends in a high-flying free-for-all as they bash, smash and rocket their way to victory. Multiplayer is not a separate mode; players can simply choose to play the other modes with additional people.
  
  
• Characters: Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Dixie Kong, Lanky Kong, Tiny Kong, Funky Kong, Wrinkly Kong, Cranky Kong, Kritter, Kopter, Klump, King K. Rool, Kludge, Kalypso, Kip and Kass.

Special powers/weapons/moves/features:

• Wild Moves: Each course is littered with bananas. If players grab 50 of them, they can perform a Wild Move by pushing down on the control stick and then releasing it. Wild Moves propel racers forward at an insane rate of speed for a short period of time – they also allow them to run over enemies, other racers and most obstacles. Skilled players can extend the lives of their Wild Moves by hitting objects to create combos.
  
  
• Style Barrels: If players fly into a red Style Barrel, it will fire them high over the course. While in flight, an animation of the Wii Remote will appear on-screen and ask players to shake it in a certain direction. Each time players do so successfully, the rider will pose and get showered with bananas!

* Items: There are 15 crazy items that players can use – everything from offensive weapons like Backward Barrels and Pineapple Launchers to helpful power-ups like Banana Fairies and Crystal Coconuts. Using items effectively can turn the tide of a race.

BAFTA NEEDS YOUR VOTE!

The British Academy and PC World Invite Gamers To Vote For Best Game

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) in association with headline sponsor PC World today invites the public to vote for their favourite game in the PC World Gamers’ Award at this year’s British Academy Video Games Awards.

The inaugural PC World Gamers’ Award, at BAFTA’s 2007 Video Games Awards, is the only game to be voted for by the public at this year’s ceremony which takes place on Tuesday 23 October at Battersea Evolution in Battersea Park, London. Gamers can vote for the award at www.obsessedwithgames.co.uk. The list of finalists is as follows:

• DR KAWASHIMA'S BRAIN TRAINING (DS) (Nintendo/Nintendo)
  
• FIFA 07 (PS2) (EA Canada/Electronic Arts)
  
• FOOTBALL MANAGER 2007 (PC) (Sports Interactive/SEGA)
  
• GEARS OF WAR (Xbox 360) (Epic Games/Microsoft)
  
• GRAND THEFT AUTO: VICE CITY STORIES (PSP) (Rockstar Leeds/Take Two)
  
• RESISTANCE: FALL OF MAN (PS3) (Insomniac/Sony Computer Entertainment Europe)
  
• WII PLAY (Wii) (Nintendo/Nintendo)
  

Hilary Bevan Jones, Chairman of the Academy said “The great thing about the PC World Gamers’ Award shortlist is that it reflects the real diversity of games being played by the public, and I am sure everyone will look forward to tuning in to watch the ceremony on Nov 4 at 11pm on E4 to see which one is victorious.”

Prizes include 4 pairs of tickets to the Awards show, a day at EA’s development studios, a PS3, an Xbox 360, a DS lite, the top 10 chart games and 3 Pyramat wireless gaming chairs.

The BAFTA Awards ceremony will reward the individuals behind the very best in artistic, creative and technical innovation in video games.

Chris McShane, Head of Trading, PC World said “We are extremely proud to be once again associated with these great awards, and this year as headline sponsor. Working within the gaming industry is extremely exciting and this year’s awards will show the best of the industry’s talent – may the best games win”.

This year’s nominations show the real breadth of today’s video games’ appeal to both sexes and all ages, exemplified by the fact that the forty three different games nominated are rated 3+, 7, 12, 15, 16 & 18. This year’s categories have been fine-tuned to encapsulate the ingredients which contribute to making the video game one of the most exciting and engaging moving image art forms of today’s popular culture. The Academy will recognise excellence in Artistic Achievement, Technical Achievement, Gameplay, Innovation, Original Score, Use of Audio, and Story and Character as well as achievements in the genres of Action & Adventure, Casual, Multiplayer, Sports, Strategy & Simulation plus Best Game.

This year’s Awards will also include a new BAFTA Ones To Watch Award in association with Dare to be Digital.
A full list of all nominations can be found at www.bafta.org/games

Stream Music, Movies And Digital Photos From PC To Wii

X-OOM MEDIA CENTRE FOR Wii PROMISES ALL ROUND ENTERTAINMENT

X-OOM Media Centre for Wii will turn your Nintendo Wii into your own multimedia centre allowing you to watch movies, listen to music and view digital photos by streaming files directly from your PC onto the Wii using Wi-Fi.

X-OOM Software, a leading publisher of digital media software for mobile devices, will be releasing X-OOM Media Centre for Wii in November 2007.

WATCH MOVIES

Rather than watching your favourite movie clips & downloads on PC, simply use X-OOM Media Centre for Wii to direct all your files straight into your living room and watch in comfort at your television using the Nintendo Wii.

LISTEN TO MUSIC

With its clear, accessible structure, the X-OOM Media Centre for Wii is an easy way to view the hundreds of multimedia files stored on your PC, meaning you can access and play your favourite music simply and easily through your TV.

VIEW DIGITAL PHOTOS

Showcase your latest photographs live on TV in your lounge. Use the Wii’s wireless remote control to browse and select your favourite files on PC to show friends & family at Christmas or family gatherings.

Due to the Nintendo Wii’s built-in Wi-Fi connection, there is no need to rely on cumbersome memory cards, CDs or cables in order to transfer data from one system to another. The software allows you to transfer all of your media files at the click of a button, giving you the option to store movies, music and photographs on your PC but access them in your living room.

X-OOM Media Centre for Wii will also provide access to 1000s of Web TV channels and radio stations.

Network connection through WLAN or LAN. Supports MP3, WMA, OGG, DivX, XviD, MPEG 2, MPEG 4, WMV, JPG, BMP.

Codemasters signs licence for Wii, DS games

Templar's 14 million-selling books to come to Nintendo formats

Codemasters has signed with Templar Publishing to produce games based on its best-selling Ology books.

The UK publisher will create titles based on the 14 million-selling series, with Dragonology, Wizardology and Pirateology the first three titles confirmed for the Nintendo Wii and DS.

"Extending Codemasters' reach in the family entertainment category, this alliance with Templar further demonstrates the continued growth and diversification of our portfolio," said Barry Jafrato, senior vice president of brand at Codemasters.

The Wii titles will be focused on action gaming, while the DS counterparts are to include more exploration gameplay. Dragonology will be the first title released, due in the second half of 2008.

"The Ology book brand is a powerful contemporary franchise and we always seek to work with high calibre creative partners," commented Richard Scrivener, commercial and operations director at Templar Publishing.

"Right from the outset, we were impressed by the combination of Codemasters' passion for the product and their global reach," he said.

Sony to cut chip production costs

Joint venture with Infineon will help stem department losses

Sony has announced a partnership with Infineon Technologies for future production of DRAM chips, which should have an impact on the semiconductor unit's fortunes.

The division, which also makes processors for the PlayStation 3, posted a JPY 10 billion (USD 86 million) loss last year according to a report on Bloomberg.

The deal will take the form of a Tokyo-based joint venture and will work initially on chips for consumer electronics goods, such as cameras and mobile phones.

The move follows not long after rumours that Sony is planning to sell the production line for the PS3's Cell processor to Toshiba, and comes at a point at which the company is under increasing pressure to announce a price cut in Europe for the flagship console.

Stressed? Try a Computer Game

Playing computer games to de-stress yourself? Sounds counterintuitive to me. But then again, I get stressed just playing FreeCell. So what do you make of this?

According to Dr. Kathleen Hall and the Stress Institute, playing a game for five minutes can be just the thing you need to lower your blood pressure and get your body into a more Zen state. Dr. Hall, a stress expert, is working with Pogo, a casual gaming site that's aimed primarily at women. Pogo, which offers both a free site (Pogo) and a paid subscription-based site (Club Pogo.com) with a focus on multiplayer play, combines casino games, word games, puzzlers, and other easy-to-learn games with the power of community. "Women," says Beatrice Spaine, vice-president of Pogo marketing, "love to chat and bond while they play."

Hall, who Martha Stewart called the Queen of Stress, advises that games like the ones on Pogo.com can work wonders, increasing brain health and staving off depression, anxiety, and disease. At a recent Pogo event, Hall said that older women in particular could benefit by playing games that keep their brains fit. She told stories of triumph about women who thought of themselves as overweight, suffered from depression, had substance abuse and self-image problems, and more. They all believed Club Pogo contributed to their personal solutions.

Together, Hall and Pogo are launching "Take 5 To Play," a campaign to encourage women everywhere to pick up their mice and start playing games like Pogo's hits Poppit! and Word Whomp. As part of the campaign, you'll find Hall on the Pogo web site answering questions about stress that are posed to her by the players.

Pogo's not alone in the casual gaming space by a long shot. The casual category has been identified as the fastest-growing part of the gaming industry. Each has a different twist, though. Bonus.com is relaunching this month as a place for Gen X families to play together. It will combine family social networking activities with casual gaming and entertainment. PopCap, creators of popular casual games like Bejeweled and Zuma, want you to download their games and play casually by yourself, minus the social networking. What they all have in common is a belief in "better living through gaming."

I've said it before—I don't play computer games in my spare time (probably because I'm on the computer so much of my non-spare time). The thought of relaxing in front of my computer is right up there with relaxing in front of my dentist. For me, equating games with de-stressing is like Ponce de Leon equating Florida's waters with everlasting youth, but then again, maybe not. The number of casual gamers is just too high.

Maybe there is something to this notion of gaming to help you distress that I'm missing.

Set me right if I'm wrong. Does gaming help you cope with stress?

Source: Yahoo Tech