Second Korean Closed Beta Testing for Huxley

WEBZEN, a leading global online entertainment company, today announced the Korean schedule for the second stage of Huxley closed beta testing (CBT).

The second stage of testing for the highly-anticipated twitch-action massively multiplayer online first-person shooting (MMOFPS) game will take place from Dec. 13-17, 2007, in Korea. Registration for new local testers will begin in November, though gamers who took part in the first CBT will be able to participate as well.

Huxley received favorable marks as a dynamically original hyper-FPS game from gamers and media representatives who took part in the first CBT in September. The second CBT will primarily evaluate Huxley’s FPS elements through updated core battle play, as well as the complementary system stability elements.

“We’re highlighting the FPS elements in the first and second closed beta tests, and will roll out the much-anticipated MMO elements in later stages of testing,” said Nam-Ju Kim, chief executive officer, WEBZEN Inc. “I’m confident that this unique blend of MMO and twitch-action FPS game design in Huxley will have a dynamic and positive effect on the online gaming market.”

More information about Huxley’s Korean closed beta testing will be available shortly at www.huxley.co.kr.

Six Star WarsTM Movies for the First Time in LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga

The Award-Winning Videogame Brings Families Together Again, This Time on Even More Next-Generation Consoles

LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga takes players to the most beautiful LEGO galaxy ever assembled with high-definition graphics on the PLAYSTATION 3 system and Xbox 360. And with both consoles’ online capabilities, families spread across the world can unite to rebuild a galaxy in pieces with cooperative two-player, drop-in/drop-out gameplay. Meanwhile, the unique Wii and Nintendo DS control schemes result in the most interactive LEGO Star Wars gaming experience yet.

For more information on LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga, please visit www.legostarwarssaga.com.

Windows Media:
Mid: http://ukpress.waytoblue.com/media/video/legostarwars_trailer_330k.asx
High: http://ukpress.waytoblue.com/media/video/legostarwars_trailer_850k.asx

Real Media:
Mid: http://ukpress.waytoblue.com/media/video/legostarwars_trailer_330k.ram
High: http://ukpress.waytoblue.com/media/video/legostarwars_trailer_850k.ram
Extra: http://ukpress.waytoblue.com/media/video/legostarwars_trailer_1500k.ram

Quicktime:
Mid: http://ukpress.waytoblue.com/media/video/legostarwars_trailer_330k_meta.mov
High:
http://ukpress.waytoblue.com/media/video/legostarwars_trailer_850k_meta.mov
Extra:
http://ukpress.waytoblue.com/media/video/legostarwars_trailer_1500k_meta.mov

Cheggers' Commuter Cast - podcasts

To celebrate the release of Cheggers Party Quiz on PC, PlayStation®2 and WiiTM, TV icon Keith Chegwin launches his first ever series of Podcasts
Thursday 8th November/... Keith Chegwin today announced that he is launching a series of six exclusive podcasts to tie-in with the release of his first video game, Cheggers Party Quiz. The loveable TV showman will be cheering up commuters with anecdotes on life, video gaming and his colourful career, all delivered in his own inimitable style.

Cheggers Party Quiz successfully launched last week on PC and PlayStation®2, with families up and down the country pitting their wits against one another to see who knows as much as Cheggers when it comes to the worlds of film, TV and music.

The first Cheggers podcast is released on 14th November and will feature cheeky chat recorded at Keith Chegwin’s recording studio HQ. Then an all-new Cheggers podcast will be released each week up until Christmas. The podcasts will be available to download from iTunes and the Oxygen website; and can be listened to on portable MP3 players and iPods on the way to work, or even through your home PC.

Keith Chegwin, podcaster and virtual star of Cheggers Party Quiz, says:
“It’s Cheggers here, coming to you almost live from my recording studio. With the winter drawing in, I’ve come up with the perfect solution to brightening up your early morning commute... me! Well, me in my first ever podcast that is.”

With a broadcast career that spans five decades, Keith Chegwin rose to prominence in the mid-1970s with presenting slots on Multi-Coloured Swap Shop and Saturday Superstore, as well as hosting classic TV game shows like Cheggers Plays Pop. More recently, Cheggers has appeared in Ricky Gervais’ critically-acclaimed Extras comedy show and has a regular outdoor segment on GMTV.

Cheggers Party Quiz is on sale now on PC and PlayStation®2, with the Wii version due for release in December.

For more information about Cheggers Party Quiz, go to
www.oxygengames.net

Dora the Explorer and Go, Diego, Go! titles now available on Nintendo DS

New Dora and Diego video games mark the Nintendo DS debut of characters from top-rated Nick Jr. TV shows

2K Play, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, and Nickelodeon today announced that Dora the Explorer: Dora Saves the Mermaids™ and Go, Diego, Go!: Safari Rescue are now available exclusively for the Nintendo DS. As the first titles to be released under the recent preschool-focused game publishing agreement between the companies, the games feature Nick Jr.’s popular Dora and Diego characters and include voiceover talent from the TV shows. The releases mark the debut of both series on the popular Nintendo DS system.

By tapping into the creative technology of the Nintendo DS, both games showcase new ways to play handheld titles. In Dora the Explorer: Dora Saves the Mermaids, examples of enhanced interactivity include using the stylus for cleaning garbage off the beach and counting seashells, while the microphone is used to call dolphins to assist Dora. In Go, Diego Go!: Safari Rescue, players use the stylus to tap on a magic drum and drag obstacles out of Diego’s way, while using the microphone to call out to animals and blowing into it to propel a hot air balloon up the mountainside.

“We’ve created an entirely new interactive experience for these iconic Nick Jr. brands,” said Steve Lux, Vice President of New Business Development for 2K Play. “By combining the character voices that kids know and love with engaging gameplay, we’ve taken full advantage of Nintendo DS capabilities.”

Both games are part of Nick Jr. events, which include television premieres and DVD releases, plus themed toy lines and a broad array of promotional support. In Dora the Explorer: Dora Saves the Mermaids, Dora and her sidekick, Boots, need help bringing a Magic Crown back to Marianna the Mermaid. Players travel over land and sea to save her kingdom from pollution dumped by a mean Octopus as Dora magically becomes a mermaid herself. In Go, Diego Go!: Safari Rescue, Diego and friends encounter giraffes with short necks, zebras with no stripes, tiny hippos, and elephants turned into rocks after an evil Magician mixed up the African animals.

The Dora the Explorer: Dora Saves the Mermaids and Go, Diego, Go!: Safari Rescue games were tested by children and moms for age-appropriateness, fun-factor and quality. To communicate this benefit, the packaging and advertising features a “Kid-Tested” seal.

“We worked closely with our partners at 2K Play to ensure these games completely captured the interactive appeal of both Dora the Explorer and Go, Diego, Go!,” said Shaul Olmert, Vice President/Digital Media products for Nickelodeon and MTVN Kids and Family Group. “We’re excited that these games are arriving in stores in time for the holiday season.”

Dora the Explorer: Dora Saves the Mermaids and Go, Diego, Go!: Safari Rescue are both available now for the Nintendo DS for a suggested retail price of $29.99. They were developed by Black Lantern Studios and are rated E for Everyone. For more information, please visit www.2kgames.com/2kplay.

Two Worlds Demo Available on Xbox Live + Title Update Coming

I wanted to let you know that SouthPeak Games will be releasing a playable demo of their massive free-roaming RPG adventure - Two Worlds - tomorrow (Thursday) on Xbox LIVE (for download). (www.2-worlds.com)

The demo offers a huge portion of Two Worlds’ expansive single-player map to explore, complete with numerous quests to solve and wandering monsters to battle.

Also, based on feedback received from players, a free title update will be coming soon addressing issues some players have experienced. Here are some of the improvements players can expect:

Both platforms (PC and Xbox 360)

- Horse steering has been improved

- Character development curve not as steep over level 25

- HP regeneration slower for max values above 2000

- Death strike skill - executable by strike button while in sneak mode

- Critical hit skill fixed

- Damage is now allowed over 32000

- There is a cap on damage and armor at 99999

- Necromancer spells have been balanced

- Magical boosters - effect restricted to 5 boosters

- Stacking potions with different statistics - fixed

- Objects stacking - objects can't be stacked up if result has higher level requirements than current player level

- Equipment Class cap on 50

- When killing in towns - after you leave the town and go back guards will ask you to pay instead of immediately attacking you

- NPC's in towns don't resurrect

- Tweaked hi- level monster balance

- Wing Membrane ingredient added to Helllord

- Dragons strike not breakable by player hit

- Bomb traps attached to some chests and wardrobes

- Balanced number of lock picks in chests and wardrobes

- Walking under water and not dying has been fixed

- Inaccessible Cave north of Ashos has been fixed

- Multiplayer Lag issues have been improved

- Multiplayer too many skill points generated due to combat stats has been fixed

- Friendly fire disabled in RPG mode (players cannot damage each other)

- Resurrect spell on players has been disabled

- Experience points for killing players has been removed

- Disarming skill disabled against other players

- Freezing/stopping spells disabled against other players

- Multiplayer RPG quests given to all, reward splitter between players

- Team assault - main monuments 50 times stronger

- Barbarian - berserk skill in PvP reduced to 5

- Chest and wardrobe lock levels improved in multiplayer

PC specific:

- Issue of moving money between servers has been fixed

- Maps D2,E4,F4, Multiplayer Tharbakin - missing triangles or flying objects have been fixed

- Enter opens console in single player

- Horse steering - stopping horse by back key changed

- Cloning character when logging on new WarNet server is fixed

- Boosters disappearing in Arena modes

- Atmosoheric fog for multiplayer towns added

- Chat over open dialogs possible (by F11 chat dialog)

- All PVP arenas unlocked from beginning

Xbox 360 specific:

- Improved single player framerate

- Interface - repeat changes selection left stick hold added

- Game HDD cache cleaning possibility - RB + A + B during game launch

- Achievements for 5 elements is fixed

- Map interface improvements - only one open quest at the time, quests selection box better visibility, hero location on map better visibility, quest name on tooltip

- Hit info fonts larger

- “BACK – Show Instruction” text disappears

- Double saving multiplayer characters to protect character lost from power-off or hard-locks

- Interface - no controls after "server refused connection" is fixed

- Doubling gold in multiplayer is fixed

- Doubling objects in multiplayer is fixed

Panzer Tactics DS Invades Stores!

10TACLE STUDIOS AG and Conspiracy Entertainment are pleased to announce that "Panzer Tactics DS" - the first authentic turn-based WWII strategy title for the Nintendo DS™ - has shipped to North American retail stores today. "Panzer Tactics DS" challenges players to show their skills in both on- and offline (local DS wireless and Nintendo Wi-Fi) strategic turn-based play through 30 historically based missions while utilizing more than 150 realistically modeled units from the era. For more information on "Panzer Tactics DS", please visit http://www.panzertactics.com.

Previously released developer diary videos, along with an electronic press kit containing screenshots, gameplay videos and game information is available at:
http://www.calico-media.com/ptds

Story

1939: The world stands on the brink of one of the greatest armed conflicts in the history of mankind: the Second World War. Players assume command of the most powerful armies of the time: The German Wehrmacht, the Soviet Army or the Allied Forces. Experience the demanding strategic level of the conflict n three historically based campaigns for the first time ever on a handheld platform.

Features

Three exciting single-player campaigns on the side of the German Wehrmacht, the Soviet Army or the Allied Forces
30 nerve-wracking, historical missions, including undercover missions behind enemy lines
Over 150 different marine, land and air units as well as 20 different special attacks
30 heroic officers who provide their units additional motivation
Exceptional depth of play and complex computer opponent behavior make the game playable again and again
Multiplayer mode for up to 4 players on 10 different multiplayer maps (LAN, Nintendo Wi-Fi-Connection, Hot Seat mode)
Online ranking table
Playable using Nintendo DS Touchpen, buttons or a combination of both
Optional bonus mission goals to unlock additional missions and tactical optimizations
Wide variety of combat animations for all units and a wide range of special effects for explosion and weather depiction

BLADESTORM: THE HUNDRED YEARS' WAR AVAILABLE NOW

Lead an Army of Medieval Mercenaries in KOEI's Latest Action Game for Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3

KOEI, recognized worldwide as the premier brand of strategy and action games, today announced that BLADESTORM™: The Hundred Years’ War is available beginning November 7th at retailers throughout North America. The game is available for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system.

A free single player demo of BLADESTORM: The Hundred Years’ War is available now on Xbox LIVE® Marketplace for the Xbox 360 and on the PLAYSTATION Network. Set amidst a war-torn 14th century France, the demo delivers a taste of the action game’s incredible battles where players will take direct command of entire military units.

About BLADESTORM: The Hundred Years’ War
In the 14th century a quarrel over English succession to the French throne escalated into what history would call the Hundred Years’ War. This ongoing war had exhausted the standing armies of both sides and there was a growing dependence on mercenary soldiers.

Taking the role of a mercenary soldier, players must contract their services to the English or French; with the ultimate goal of achieving glorious fame and fortune. Those who establish a reputation as a formidable warrior and leader of men, will amass a valuable war chest and lure hardened warriors to their employ.

As arrows rain from above, knights charge on horseback, and cannoniers fire volleys at heavy infantry, armies will collide in unprecedented scale. Players will be immersed in ferocious battles where an innovative action style enables them to defeat countless numbers of soldiers with one cleverly chosen attack command. Outwit your opponents and overwhelm the enemy with dominating force to be the last one standing when the dust settles on one of history’s greatest conflicts.

BLADESTORM: The Hundred Years’ War delivers stunning visuals in 720p HDTV and in game Dolby® Digital audio. This game is rated “T” (Teen- Alcohol Reference, Mild Language, and Violence) by the ESRB. BLADESTORM: The Hundred Years’ War is developed by KOEI’s award-winning internal team, Omega Force. Press can find (watermark-free) assets at gamespress.com.

For the latest on BLADESTORM: The Hundred Years’ War visit www.koei.com/bladestorm.

PAL Nintendo Wii available now! Cheaper than UK price

Just bought a Nintendo Wii from Amazon Germany for less than the UK price - including courier delivery!

Arrived today - perfect, just replace the plug on the power supply.

Sets up as a UK model and within minutes it works with all European games.

This was after 'Game' confirmed they choose who to sell their stock to - refusing to take an order from me, but telling me that they had a delivery but they all had been reserved.

Wrote to head office and they confirmed the manager can do what he wants with Wii sales.

Won't be going to Game again! After spending hundreds of pounds with them in the past.

Well pleased - DHL delivery and all for £176.08 (Euro 252,80). Remember as Germany is in the European union and you pay local tax no additional payment is required for delivery to UK address.

Nintendo promises to tackle software bottleneck

Reassures publishers that titles will hit selves in time for holiday season

Nintendo has said it is tackling a production bottleneck to ensure third-parties are able to get software on shelves in time for the busy holiday season.

Earlier this month publisher Midway said that it was struggling to get product to shelves as a result of relentless demand on Nintendo for the Wii and its software.

But Reggie Fils-Aime, president of Nintendo of America, has stated that the issue is only short-term, and that it's working to ease the crush as publishers move to take advantage of the Wii's success.

"As every publisher talks about shifting over to Wii it's creating this crush of production right now at our factories for software," said Fils-Aime, talking at a BMO Capital Markets conference.

"What we've done is to ramp that capacity up and work with the publishers to ensure that their best titles get into the marketplace and [they] have a productive holiday. This is a very short-term situation that is effectively going to be resolved in a course of three week's time," he stated.

During the same conference, Fils-Aime said that he was not worried by suggestions that Sony and Microsoft could enter the same market as Nintendo – by developing casual titles and a relatively cheap peripheral that could copy the Wii's interface.

"The challenge that our competitors have is significant. They've gone down the path with very expensive machines where they lose money on the hardware on every unit they sell. They've gone down a path that makes it challenging for third-party developers to create content," commented Fils-Aime.

"So our competitors have put themselves in quite a box. How they get out of it is a challenge – creating casual content for those systems won't work. Not only because the ease of play won't be there but the consumer won't be there.

"I don't think a consumer paying USD 600 for a Sony system, software and accessories is the same consumer who wants to play a more casual type of product. So they have a significant strategic conundrum, and one that won't be easy to resolve," he added.

PLAYSTATION 3 System Software Update Allows PSP to Turn PS3 On and Off from Internet

Ability to customise XMB and add personalised playlists for both music and photos also enabled

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) announced today the availability of the latest version of the PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3) system software. Version 2.00 features the ability to turn a PS3 system on and off remotely, using a PSP (PlayStation Portable) system via the Remote Play1 function, allowing for a truly mobile partnership between the two systems.

Building on the success and potential of the Remote Play functionality, Version 2.00 will cement the partnership between PS3 and PSP and create a truly global experience. With the ability to turn your PS3 on and off from Wi-fi connection, there is now the opportunity to listen to the music, look at the photos and watch the videos saved on the PS3 Hard Disk Drive, anywhere in the world.

To further enhance the PS3 offering, Version 2.00 allows for the creation of personalised playlists in both the music and photo sections. This simple to use function gives users an opportunity to create unlimited music playlists for all occasions, as well as sharing favourite photos in glorious high definition.

Continuing with the idea of a personalised PS3, Version 2.00 allows for customisation of the XMB (XrossMediaBar) menu screen. Change the colour and brightness with the greatest of ease or have something completely different by setting a custom theme. With the potential for new backgrounds to become available on PLAYSTATION Network in the future, Version 2.00 truly opens up a whole raft of options.

A host of other enhancements includes the addition of an Information Board on XMB to keep people up to date on the latest PlayStation® news, the inclusion of a new PLAYSTATION Network category and logo for easier navigation and Trend Micro Web Security, a free2, state of the art internet security system, designed to give parents peace of mind.