WHAT EVERY GIRL WANTS, A HORSE OF HER OWN! HORSE LIFE FOR NINTENDO DS

The dreams of many young girls have been granted as D3Publisher of America, today announced that Horse Life, an original game exclusively for the Nintendo DS, has shipped to retail. Horse Life immerses players in the equestrian world by putting a horse right inside of their DS. Available for $29.95 MSRP, players must use the touch screen and microphone to keep their horse happy and fit by feeding them, cleaning their stall and riding them. Most importantly, players will put their training to the test by participating in national and international competitions to earn prestige and money to become a great champion.

“We are very pleased to be able to bring the joy of owning a horse to the Nintendo DS gamer with Horse Life. The game recreates the experience of owning a horse with exciting game play and the best graphics of any horse game available,” said Kim Motika, vice president of sales and operations, D3PA. “We know players will fall in love with Horse Life as soon as they pick it up, and we hope to fulfill many wishes this holiday season by offering the horse that so many have wanted but never gotten.”

Players will have the ability to choose from three horse breeds, French Saddle, English Thoroughbred and Thoroughbred Arabian that they can customize by choosing the name and coat color. Once players begin their training they can visit the Gear Shop to purchase over 80 different items such as clothing, saddles or food and treats for their horse. As players complete levels of competition, they will unlock the ultimate prize, a secret horse breed!

Horse Life developed by Neko Entertainment and is rated “E” (Everyone) by the ESRB.

NEXT-GEN FEATURES FOR NiGHTS: JOURNEY OF DREAMS

SEGA of America, Inc. today announced that NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams for the Wii video game console will come complete with a variety of next-gen features that tap into the system’s hardware including “Weather Channel” support, a Wii-first! This feature enables the game’s “My Dream” area, a customizable sand-box environment that allows gamers to capture, raise, and even combine the inhabitants (A-Life) from the world of Nightopia, to generate real-time weather effects specific to the territory players previously registered with on the Wii. For example, if the current weather forecast is clear and sunny in the players’ resident territory, the “My Dream” environment will be clear and sunny as well. The game will also feature an online-enabled two-player mode allowing gamers to race and battle against one another via Wi-Fi connection at launch on December 18, 2007.

Unlike any other game available today, NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams will deliver the feeling of flight through the innovative Wii control system. With the help of Persona masks, players will glide, spiral and loop through a variety of mystical dream worlds packed with action and adventure as they dive and blast through rings, gather orbs and come up against fantastic and unforgettable boss battles. Anchored by a storyline about courage, hope and inspiration, NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams is the most unique and experience on the Wii.

NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams unfolds in Nightopia, the spectacular dream world of two young characters, Helen and Will. Struggling to overcome the every day challenges of growing up, these two 12-year-olds find their real life experiences spilling over into their dreams. As Helen and Will fall into a deep sleep, they are greeted by NiGHTS, a fantasy jester, who leads them to explore the rich and vibrant land of Nightopia. Along the way, NiGHTS helps the youngsters bravely face their fears by finding inventive ways to confront, outpace, and outwit foes - such as the villainous Nightmarens. Through the freedom of flight, execution of stunning acrobatic moves and tapping into special abilities, gamers can overcome obstacles and restore peace to Nightopia.

What is A-LIFE: A-LIFE are creatures living in the world of dreams. There are 3 types of A-LIFE: "Nightopians" who reside in Nightopia, "Nightmarens" from the world of Nightmare, and "Mepians" who are a mix of the two creatures. A-LIFE live freely in the world of Nightopia and they multiply, learn, and evolve as they transform with generational changes.

What is "My Dream": "My Dream" is a customizable "sandbox" environment where players raise their A-LIFE creatures. By using NiGHTS’ ability to para-loop in the single-player game, the A-LIFE creatures can be captured and transferred to a player’s My Dream space. The My Dream world evolves dramatically depending on how the player nurtures the A-LIFE activities and the various objects that the player drops into the environment, creating a truly personal experience.

For new assets, full details on Persona masks, game trailers, and more!, please visit http://segapr.segaamerica.com

IBM video game teaches business and computer skills

There are no wizards, monsters or swords in IBM's new video game, but Big Blue hopes students of information technology will find Innov8 much more rewarding than a weekend devoted to World of Warcraft.

Innov8 is an interactive, three-dimensional educational game designed to teach graduate students a combination of business and IT skills.

Armonk-based IBM Corp. is offering it free, starting today, to more than 2,000 universities around the world.

While Innov8 might look and play like a traditional video game, its goal is much weightier: making dry lessons taught in books come alive in a medium that is familiar to nearly every college student.

Just as pilots use flight simulators to learn to fly airplanes, students of information technology management can benefit from simulations of business problems, said Sandy Carter, vice president of IBM's Service Oriented Architecture and WebSphere strategy, channels and marketing.

"You get 80 percent greater retention when someone does a task versus reading about it. The concept is to get students to experience the task in a fun way," said Carter, a Chappaqua resident who works at IBM's Somers campus.

A student playing Innov8 enters the game as a character named Logan, who gets an assignment to solve a business problem from her company's chief executive officer.

The first scenario involves improving operations at a call center, where workers are taking too long to solve problems and have poor documentation.

Logan meets other characters along the way, including a chief information officer named Sam, a business analyst named Stavros and a call center veteran with a gruff personality named Stella.

"The fun part is you are a character," Carter said. "You have to find clues as you would in real life. You have to talk to the other characters. You click on a video and learn about how to do things. You can click on posters and the posters come alive. You can run upstairs and discover certain rooms and find out things about the company itself," she said.

The idea for Innov8 was born out of a sort of real-life simulation: IBM's yearly business-case challenge that pits students from two colleges against each other.

In January, Carter asked students from Duke University and the University of North Carolina to figure out how to develop skills that combine business and technology know-how.

Forty of the 44 teams competing came back with the idea of using a video game.

Carter recruited several of the students, and in May IBM said it was developing Innov8. Big Blue enrolled more than 30 colleges in a pilot program, including Pace University.

Jim Lawler, an associate professor of information systems at Pace, said he plans to use Innov8 in a spring class on global program and project management.

"It's called a game, but I call it a tool," Lawler said. "There's a lot of intelligence behind it."

Lawler has been playing with the game for about a month and has found it easy to use, a key concern because he didn't want learning the game to detract from learning the coursework.

"When I first learned about this tool, I was skeptical about it. The question was how long it will take me to learn it and how long it will take to teach my students. But I mastered it in a day," he said.

Lawler, a teacher for 25 years who remembers courses that were taught entirely for mainframe computers, said the video game would appeal to today's generation.

"Almost all these students were brought up with this metaphor. It brings the course into the 21st century," he said. "Enrollment is lower in computer science and information systems nationally. This is what schools have to do, integrate these kind of games and tools."

Fuad A. Mahmood, a graduate student at Brandeis International Business School in Waltham, Mass., has been testing Innov8 for about a week.

Mahmood, a player of popular games such as Command & Conquer and Age of Empires, said the interface was very familiar.

"It was very entertaining and educational at the same time," he said. "It's very much like a conventional game. The only difference is you are running a company."

He said the call center scenario was realistic and challenging.

"Information was coming in real time, and I had to manage labor in terms of high skills and low skills and manage work outsourced to partner call centers," Mahmood said.

Preeta M. Banerjee, assistant professor of strategy at Brandeis, said students could gain practical experience without actually being on the job.

"They are learning in a low-risk environment. There is even a simulated teleconference with people around the world, which gives them a good sense of what a meeting like that might be," she said.

More corporations and especially the U.S. government are starting to see the potential of games to teach serious subjects, said David Rejeski, director of the Serious Games Initiative at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C.

People used to think the idea of "serious games" was an oxymoron, Rejeski said, but there is increasing awareness of the potential for games to become teaching tools.

The Apply Group, a high-tech consulting firm, predicts that one in five of the Global Fortune 500 will adopt gaming for learning by 2012.

"The thing about games that's really nice is you can fail softly. The military became interested in this a long time ago because failure (in war) means death," Rejeski said.

Even Santa Claus Needs Help Picking Good Video Games

A majority of kids expect at least some disappointment when they unwrap video game gifts this holiday season, a new nationwide survey of 8-17 year-olds reveals. Sixty percent of those surveyed for the 2007 Game Crazy Holiday Gift Tracker anticipate getting a game they do not want, getting a game for the wrong system, or not getting any or all of the games on their holiday wish list. Their expectations come from experience. According to the survey, nearly half of all kids (49 percent) said they were disappointed with a video game-related gift they received last year.

“We went straight to the source to find out what kids want and what their expectations are this holiday season,” said Wes Sand, Senior Vice President at Game Crazy, the second-largest specialty game retailer in the country. “We knew video games and game systems would again be popular items on holiday wish lists, but we were surprised at how little confidence tweens and teens have in their parents’ and grandparents’ ability to pick the right gifts.”

Santa Claus fared only marginally better. Forty-five percent and 44 percent of those surveyed anticipate getting an unwanted game from a parent or grandparent, respectively, while 37 percent expect one to come as a gift from Santa Claus.

“Kids are extremely passionate about video games and game systems, and find it amusing when adults don’t know their Wii from their Xbox,” said Leah Ingram, a gift-giving expert and mother of 10- and 12-year-old daughters. “They say they’ll do the darndest things to get a game they want.”

Nearly one-third of kids polled said they would teach a sibling how to play a game, listen to their parents’ favorite radio station in the car, or do two months of household chores if it meant getting the right game as a gift.

“If you don’t shop for games often and are time-crunched during the holidays, it can be easy to pick a gift in a hurry that either disappoints or that you later wonder, ‘Did I buy the right game?’” Ingram said.

Cracking the Game-Buying Code

To help parents, grandparents and other gift givers this holiday season, Ingram and the video game experts at Game Crazy offer several tips for choosing great video game gifts.

First and foremost, ask. Since buying gifts blindly from a wish list can be risky, if you ask first, there’s a very good chance kids know what they want and can steer you in the right gift-buying direction.
Know your recipient and align their interests with game content. “Great gifts are highly personal,” Ingram said, “so buy video games that involve the recipient’s other hobbies or interests. If your child or grandchild likes music, consider a game such as Guitar Hero III or Rock Band. If they’re into sports, Madden 08 or Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground may be fun for them.”
Learn about and use the video game ratings system. Three in five kids (62 percent) say they expect to ask for a video game this holiday that they know is rated above their age level. “Just like movies have ratings, so too do video games,” explained Patricia Vance, president of the Entertainment Software Rating Board, which assigns game ratings. The letter ratings on the front of the package suggest age-appropriateness and content descriptors on the back give some detail about the game’s content. “The important thing is to know what’s in the game and to use that information to determine whether or not it’s one you consider age-appropriate for the child to whom you’re giving it,” Vance said. Parental controls that are available on the newer game consoles also operate on the basis of ESRB ratings, and help parents make sure that the games their kids are playing are ones that carry ratings they deem suitable.
Match the game content with the player’s skill level. More than 30 percent of kids expect a parent or grandparent to buy them a game that is too advanced for them. For younger children, consider if the child has the fine-motor skills and comprehension to succeed at the game. If not, they may become frustrated quickly. For older kids, consider whether the content is challenging enough.
Buy the game for the right system. Nearly 30 percent of kids polled in the Game Crazy survey said they expect to get a game they want this holiday, but it will be for the wrong system.
Make sure you can get involved in the fun. “My daughters are sometimes frustrated when they get a great game that they’d like to play together, only to discover that it’s a game for one player only,” Ingram said. “As a family, we try to buy games that allow for four players so we can have family time together playing video games.”
To help parents and grandparents prevent disappointment during the holidays, Game Crazy has created a free “Parent’s Guide to Game Buying” brochure that contains these and other helpful tips for purchasing video game titles and systems. The brochure is available at all Game Crazy retail locations or can be downloaded from their respective Web sites.

Game Crazy has also produced a video game wish list that is available at www.gamecrazy.com. Kids can complete it online and email it to a parent or grandparent or print it and fill it out by hand. The wish list also indicates each video game’s rating.

Hot Games and Systems for the Holidays

In addition to asking kids about their expectations for receiving video games and related gifts this holiday season, the 2007 Game Crazy Holiday Gift Tracker also asked what games and systems they want most. Eighty percent of the kids surveyed plan to ask for video game titles, while 59 percent intend to ask for a game console and another 22 percent intend to ask for a handheld system. Eleven percent of respondents plan to ask for both.

The Nintendo Wii, Sony PS3 and Microsoft Xbox 360 top the list of most-wanted gaming systems among all 8-17 year olds. Guitar Hero III, Mario Party DS, Super Mario Galaxy, My Sims and Halo 3 are expected to be among this year’s hottest-selling titles.

SURVEY METHODOLOGY

The 2007 Game Crazy Holiday Gift Tracker survey was conducted online August 17-20, 2007 by Weekly Reader Research. One thousand U.S. male and female participants, ages 8-17, were recruited from Weekly Reader Research’s INSIDERS survey research community. Random sampling procedures were employed to ensure the respondents accurately reflect the nation’s 42.7 million 8-17 year olds in terms of age, race/ethnicity, gender and census region. The margin of error is +/- 3.2 percent at the 95 percent confidence interval.

Ubisoft acquires Japanese video game developer Digital Kids

With the world of capitalism falling to bits around our ears, it appears that no one has told Ubisoft to save its money for the inevitable sub-prime bust-up. Oh, no, our cheeky French pals have only gone and forked out for a specialist Nintendo developer.

That's right, for an undisclosed sum, Raving Rabbids and Assassin's Creed publishers, Ubisoft, has forked purchased or acquired (we know that there is a apparently a difference in finance land) Japanese creators of Hamsterz - among other DS and Wii games - Digital Kids.

DK currently employs 20 people in its Nagoya and Osaka, Japan, offices, and has already worked closely with Ubisoft on Petz. So, for the first time in a long time we have Europe buying into Japan. Not for Ubisoft the long, slow development and training required to build up a team of Wii and DS devs... and why the hell should it when it's one of the biggest publishers in the galaxy.

We now wait for the deal to close as it meanders its way through both the European Union and Japanese tax authorities - a game in itself we're sure. Will the French maestro have slammed a vast sum of money to prove that it can? Or will it be savvy and cost-conscious to prove that it's a sensible company and not raving at all?

Microsoft Sells ESPN Video on Xbox 360

Microsoft Corp. has added college basketball and other ESPN programming to the growing lineup of video content available for download to its Xbox 360 video game console.

Microsoft and ESPN said people can purchase complete NCAA basketball and football games, the X Games sports competitions and programs like ESPN's "Madden Nation," which chronicles a competition of "Madden NFL" video game players, from the Xbox Live Web site.

Xbox 360 users can buy commercial-free standard-definition versions of select NCAA games for $3, and high-definition versions for $4.50, within 48 hours of the game's conclusion. ESPN TV shows, like the other TV content on the Xbox Live download site, cost $2 for standard-definition and $3 for high-def versions.

As part of the agreement, ESPN is considering ways to incorporate the Xbox Live online gaming community into its telecasts. ESPN spokesman Paul Melvin said there are no firm plans for how this will be done.

The companies did not disclose financial terms of the deal when it was announced late Sunday.

Ross Honey, a senior director of the media and entertainment group at Microsoft, said action and horror movies are popular genres for the Xbox Live audience, as are "edgier" animated TV shows like "South Park."

"At the end of the day, most of our consumers are young males," Honey said. "You have a perfect match here."
ESPN already delivers live, streaming sports footage to customers of certain broadband Internet providers.

"Delivering content through Xbox 360 is another way that we can connect fans with the sports they have such passion for," said Matt Murphy, senior vice president of digital video distribution for Disney and ESPN Media Networks. ESPN is owned by The Walt Disney Co.

Source: AP

Sony launch Deep Red PSP in Japan

Two SKUs on sale December 13

Sony Computer Entertainment Japan is to introduce a new Deep Red PSP model to the region.

Coming in two different SKUs, the Deep Red Value pack will go on sale for JPY 22,800 (EUR 136) with the Deep Red Seg Pack retailing for JPY 29,800 (EUR 178).

The Value Pack includes the PSP, a pouch, hand strap, cloth and 32MB Memory Stick Duo, while the Seg pack will include the PSP, Seg TV tuner, strap, cloth, stand and 1GB Memory Stick Pro Duo.

Both units will go on sale December 13 in Japan.

New Playstation 2 design

Sony today announced the $99 Playstation 2:
Sony Computer Entertainment Japan (SCEJ), a division of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) responsible for business operations in Japan, today announced a newly designed PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system (SCPH-90000), which will become available in Japan on November 22nd, 2007 at a recommended retail price of 16,000 yen (including tax). The newly designed PlayStation 2 will come in three color variations of “Charcoal Black”, “Ceramic White” and “Satin Silver”. Vertical Stand for PlayStation 2 will also become available on November 22nd, 2007 in the same three colors at a recommended retail price of 1,500 yen (including tax).
While inheriting the functions of the current PlayStation 2, the internal design architecture of the new system has been completely overhauled, resulting lighter in weight. The newly designed PlayStation 2 will have a built-in AC adapter, further improving users’ convenience to enjoy various entertainment contents anywhere at home.

In the 8th year from its launch in 2000, PlayStation 2 continues to be strongly supported by a wide demographic of users around the world. Reaching the remarkable milestone of 120 millionth sales in shorter period than the original PlayStation did, the world of PlayStation 2 further expands as more new and attractive software titles are to be released this coming holiday season and beyond.

Sony confirms new PS2 in Europe for New Year

Lighter model with internal power supply

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has confirmed to GamesIndustry.biz that it will be introducing a new model PlayStation 2 to the market in the new year.

Already scheduled for release in Japan later this month, the new model comes with an integrated power supply and is lighter due to revised internal architecture.

The redesigned unit will come in three colours – Charcoal Black, Ceramic White and Satin Silver, with matching vertical stands sold separately.

Despite rumours, the new unit will not be any cheaper in Japan than the current model, retailing for JPY 16,000, and it looks likely the same business model will apply in the European market.

Last month Sony celebrated the seventh birthday of the 120 million-selling console, revealing that more than a billion units of software had been sold for the machine since it launched in 2000.

The PlayStation 2 currently has a recommended retail price of GBP 94.99 / EUR 129.99 in Europe.
With the newly designed PlayStation 2, together with the lineup of forthcoming new game titles, SCEJ will continue to expand the market and create a new world of computer entertainment.

The new model of PS2 will be the same price as the existing model and will be available in the SCEE territories in early 2008. Specific launch dates to be announced at a future date.

WWE SMACKDOWN V RAW 2008 KICKS OFF

Multi-million Dollar Effort for Pre-eminent Fighting Video Game Franchise

THQ and JAKKS Pacific, today announced that the WWE SmackDown v Raw 2008 global marketing campaign, aimed at highlighting the franchise’s debut on the Wii home video game system, the Nintendo DS and the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, will kick off tonight on Monday Night RAW. The campaign is a multifaceted, multi-million dollar global marketing effort to support the biggest SmackDown vs. Raw launch in the franchise’s nine year history. WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 is scheduled for simultaneous release on the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION 3 system, PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, PSP (PlayStation Portable) system, the Wii and Nintendo DS, plus wireless devices, on November 9, 2007 across Europe, Australia and New Zealand; and on November 13, 2007 across North America.

“The exciting and frenetic atmosphere of Monday Night RAW provides the perfect stage from which to launch our WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 global marketing campaign,” said Bob Aniello, senior vice president, worldwide marketing, THQ. “This comprehensive worldwide effort will show fans how their love of wrestling can find intense new outlets through this year’s SmackDown vs. Raw debut on Wii, Nintendo DS and the PLAYSTATION 3 system. Each platform provides unique fighting experiences that will bring fans closer than ever to their favorite Superstars.”

“The WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 global marketing campaign is the most comprehensive effort to date for the SmackDown vs. Raw franchise,” said Nelo Lucich, vice president of interactive, JAKKS Pacific. “We are excited by the unique game play delivered across an impressive seven systems and look forward to the upcoming launch of this year’s game.”

The cross platform marketing strategy for WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 also includes:
• A global TV campaign in eight different countries, including advertising, broadcast and event sponsorships
• Print advertising in consumer publications and holiday buyer guides, including a Nintendo-specific campaign
• A comprehensive online campaign including advertising, a demo campaign via Xbox Live® Marketplace for the Xbox 360, as well as the annual roster reveal and daily Superstar profiles campaign on IGN
• A worldwide gaming tournament where top SmackDown vs. Raw gamers will win the opportunity to compete at the 6th Annual THQ Superstar Challenge in Orlando, FL, which kicks off WrestleMania® 24 weekend
• First-ever launch event for the franchise at Toys”R”Us Times Square, including an appearance and autograph signing by WWE Superstar Rey Mysterio®
• Retailer-specific promotions including Superstar appearances, exclusive gift with purchase opportunities, co-marketing with WWE DVD and more
• Wireless promotions through major carriers

More information about WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 can be found at www.smackdownvsraw.com and www.thq.com.

Actress Kristen Bell Featured in Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed

Provides Likeness and Voice Acting for Lead Character in Highly Anticipated Video Game

Today Ubisoft announces that Hollywood actress Kristen Bell will appear in Ubisoft’s highly anticipated video game, Assassin’s Creed. Kristen Bell will play a key character in Assassin’s Creed, whose mysterious role is an important part of the game’s intricate storyline.

“It was crucial to find an actress who could convey the emotional range and talent needed to play this key character in the Assassin’s universe,” said Jade Raymond, producer for Assassin’s Creed. “Kristen Bell is a remarkable actress who was able to bring her character to life in a dynamic way that I don’t think anyone else could have done properly. Her professionalism and dynamic personality were a perfect fit for this project.”

“I was a big video gamer growing up, so working on Assassin’s Creed is my chance to be a part of video game history,” said Kristen Bell. “It’s something completely different than what I’ve done before, so it’s cool I get to branch out and try another entertainment medium. I was attracted to this project because of the intelligent storyline and the character I play. Plus I admire the artistry of the graphics of video games. I look forward to seeing what my character will look like and I can’t wait to play the game and see if I can beat it!”

Assassin’s Creed will be available in North America in November for the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system and the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, with an MSRP of $59.99 and the Limited Edition priced at $69.99 – Assassin’s Creed is rated “M” for Mature by the ESRB. For more information, please visit http://www.assassinscreed.com.