Namco Bandai Website goes International

Leading video games publisher and developer NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe (NBGE) today announced the release of the multi-language version of its official website www.namcobandaigames.eu.

The website is now available in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish. The website contains the latest corporate and product information with official announcements added in the future as they come. Other features include exclusive downloadable contents, online surveys and many more.

For more information about NAMCO BANDAI Games, its products and services, visit www.namcobandaigames.eu

Hard Rock Casino video game - open for business

After a slight hiccup earlier this month, Oxygen Games is overjoyed to announce that Hard Rock Casino for the PlayStation 2 entertainment system will definitely be in shops from tomorrow, 30th November.

With action spanning across multiple casino environments, all of the casinos and games are presented in true 3D with multiple camera angles showing off the gaming floor, as well as presenting the action in a television broadcast style.

Players may test their talents with more than 20 different casino games, including:
• Table Games: BlackJack, Roulette, Craps, Baccarat, Casino War, Pai Gow Poker, Fortune Pai Gow Poker, Big Raise Hold'Em and Let It Ride
• Slot Machines: Multi-Win Slots, Traditional Slots, Progressive Slots, Video Poker, Video Keno and Video Slots
• Poker Room: No Limit Texas Hold'em, Limit Texas Hold'em, 7 Card Stud, 5 Card Draw and Omaha
• Race and Sports betting, where bets can be placed on real time sports playing on overhead screens. These include: Football, Hockey, Basketball and Horse Racing

Game Modes include:
• Adventure Mode - Create a character and explore the Hard Rock Casino. As the player progresses through different games, s/he is presented with a series of goals and challenges that must be completed in order to advance and unlock more casinos
• QuickPlay - Randomly generates a character to play and allows the player to select any of the unlocked casinos to play in. Any of the casino games may be played for fun or for practise
• Tournaments – These are set up in a heat format so that the player often has to finish in the top three to advance to the next round. Some heats are time-based; players with the most money at the end of the time limit will advance. Other heats are based on a number of rounds or hands

In addition, sophisticated tutorials are available, giving give basic instructions, winning strategies and Hard Rock insider tips for each game.

Experience high stakes areas, invitation-only tournaments, and many unlockable upgrades for your character with Hard Rock Casino, for PlayStation®2 – in store from Friday, November 30th.

World Championship Poker 2 video game released

Following the unprecedented success of its World Championship Poker title for PC, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, Oxygen Games™ has great pleasure in confirming that its sequel - World Championship Poker 2: All In, for Xbox 360™ videogame and entertainment system from Microsoft, will be in the shops from tomorrow – November 30th.

Boasting an extensive feature set and designed specifically to make full use of the capabilities of the Xbox 360™, this Next-Gen title features even more varieties of poker, plus multi-table online tournaments and intuitive AI. In addition, the game includes extra personalities, more game environments and Xbox®Live compatibility with webcam support**.

Features:
• 14 poker variants including: Texas Hold'em, Five-Card Stud, Deuce-to-Seven, Triple Draw, Razz
• In-game tutorials for each variant
• Games may be played on or offline
• Create unique avatars to represent yourself through your career
• Likenesses, play styles and signature personality traits of six of the world’s best professional poker players, all with enhanced and dynamic personality traits
• Webcam support**
• Enhanced AI and character animations
• Hone skills with Scenario Play
• Multi-table online tournaments
• Mixed games
• Switchable third/first-person TV modes
• Poker rule customisation
• Reputation system
• All-new gaming environments
• Continuous career mode, simulating the career choices of your emerging poker pro
• Dynamic bluff and tell system - expanded to include player versus player interactions

World Championship Poker 2: All In also makes excellent use of Xbox®Live Leaderboards and Xbox®LiveVision, giving players the ability the see their opponents as they play.**

The talent :
• Howard Lederer
• Annie Duke
• Robert Williamson III
• Marcel Luske
• Thomas Bihl
• Erin Ness
• Commentary by Matt Savage, the world's foremost poker tournament director

Game at a glance:
• Single Player mode: Quick Play, Career and Scenario
• Multiplayer mode: Rank, Player Match, and Quick Play. Any of these may be Tournament games
• 1-8 Players (Non-Tournament) and 1-16 Players (Tournament)
• Six new themed poker environments in which to host the action, with multi-table online tournament capabilities
• Choose where you want to play: Casino locations, with 8 player tables, have a dealer; pad locations, with 6 player tables, allow the player to deal
• Choose the total number of players at the table - up to 200 people competing at any one time in a tournament!
• New set of venues opened for play each week, with different game types available to enter; tournaments, invitationals, side games and private games.
• Four private pads to upgrade to. Each in turn may be upgraded with new furniture and prizes, which are viewable by other players when you host online games!
• Buy items for your pad from the Pawn shop…or sell them back. Even take out a loan; however, failure to pay it back will result in your items being repossessed
• Unlockable additional pre-defined gameplay scenarios as you advance through your career

Want to play with the big boys? Reserve your seat at the high stakes tables now! World Championship Poker 2: All In, for Xbox 360™, will be in the shops from November 30th.

** Requires Xbox®LiveVision and appropriate hardware to be installed on players’ consoles

Blu-ray format dominating in Europe

HD 300 and Bond - Casino Royale top titles

The Blu-ray format is outselling rival HD DVD in Europe, accounting for 73 per cent of all HD movies sold.

According to the Blu-ray Disc Association European Promotions Committee, sales recently broke the 1 million barrier. That's not counting PlayStation 3 games, which adds another 20 million units to Blu-ray disc production for sale in Europe.

HD DVD was developed by Toshiba, while Sony backs the Blu-ray standard. Microsoft's Xbox 360 offers an add-on HD DVD movie player; Blu-ray disc playback is standard in every model of Sony's PS3.

Of the high definition movie discs bought by consumers so far this year in Europe, 73 per cent were in the Blu-ray Disc format and 27 per cent were HD DVD, according to sales data provided by Media Control Gfk International.

The Blu-ray Disc Association said the best-selling titles in the Blu-ray format were 300, Casino Royale, Spider-Man 3 and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.

In the US, Blu-ray disc movies had outsold HD DVD movies by almost two-to-one during the first nine months of 2007 according to Home Media Research.

Heroes producer signs for Games Developer Conference 2008

Radical Entertainment also join February event

Heroes producer Jesse Alexander is the latest creative to sign for next year's Game Developers Conference.

Alexander, who worked on the Alias and Apocalypse videogames before working on the hit TV series, will discuss working within a team on serialised content.

Also joining the GDC line-up are Eric Holmes and Tim Bennison of Radical Entertainment to discuss their new original IP Prototype.

The Game Developers Conference takes place February 18 – 22, in San Francisco.

Source: Games Industry

Guitar Hero video game tops Swedish charts

All four SKUs in top ten

Activision's Guitar Hero III has shot to the top of the Swedish multiformat charts, with all four SKUs in the top ten.

Other new entries in the top twenty are Microsoft's 360 exclusive Mass Effect at three and EA's Need for Speed Pro Street at number 11.

Super Mario Galaxy is the best-selling game on the Wii, while Nintendo favourites The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass and New Super Mario Bros are at one and two in the DS charts, respectively.

Electronic Arts holds the top three spots in the PC charts, with Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Crysis and Need for Speed Pro Street.

The full charts for the Swedish market follow:

Multiformat

1. Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock (PS2)

2. Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock (360)

3. Mass Effect (360)

4. Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)

5. Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock (Wii)

6. Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock (PS3)

7. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (PC)

8. Assassins Creed (360)

9. Singstar Svenska hits Schlager (PS2)

10. Assassins Creed (PS3)

11. Need for Speed Prostreet (PS2)

12. Need for Speed Prostreet (PS3)

13. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (360)

14. Crysis (PC)

15. High School Musical: Sing It! (PS2)

16. Need for Speed Prostreet (360)

17. Need for Speed Prostreet (PC)

18. Unreal Tournament 3 (PC)

19. World of Warcraft (PC)

20. The Sims 2 Tonårsprylar (PC)



PC

1. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

2. Crysis

3. Need for Speed Prostreet

4. Unreal Tournament 3

5. World of Warcraft

6. The Sims 2 Tonårsprylar

7. En riktig jul - Julkalendern 2007

8. World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade

9. Counter-Strike 1: Anthology

10. The Sims 2 Jorden Runt

PlayStation 2

1. Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock

2. Singstar Svenska hits Schlager

3. Need for Speed Prostreet

4. High School Musical: Sing It!

5. Buzz: The Hollywood Quiz

6. Singstar Svenska hits

7. FIFA 08

8. Buzz: The Mega Quiz

9. The Simpsons

10. GTA San Andreas


PlayStation 3

1. Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock

2. Assassins Creed

3. Need for Speed Prostreet

4. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

5. Ratchet & Clank Tools of Destruction

6. FIFA 08

7. NHL 08

8. Rainbow Six Vegas

9. Lego Star Wars 1 & 2 The Complete Saga

10. Pro Evolution Soccer 2008


Xbox 360

1. Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock

2. Mass Effect

3. Assassins Creed

4. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

5. Need for Speed Prostreet

6. Halo 3

7. Ace Combat 6 Fires of Liberation

8. NHL 08

9. Gears of War

10. FIFA 08


Wii

1. Super Mario Galaxy

2. Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock

3. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
4. Rayman Raving Rabbids

5. Legend of Zelda: The Twilight Princess

6. Metroid Prime 3 Corruption

7. The Simpsons

8. Rayman Raving Rabbids 2

9. Table Tennis

10. Lego Star Wars 1 & 2 The Complete Saga


Nintendo DS

1. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

2. New Super Mario Bros

3. Mario Party DS

4. Lego Star Wars 1 & 2 The Complete Saga

5. Pokémon Diamond

6. Bilar

7. Pokémon Pearl

8. Mario Kart DS

9. The Incredibles: Rise of the Underminer

10. Nintendogs: Dalmatian & Friends


PSP

1. Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters

2. Silent Hill Origins

3. The Simpsons

4. Tekken Dark Resurrection

5. FIFA 08

6. GTA Vice City Stories

7. Daxter

8. Need for Speed Underground Rivals

9. Crash of the Titans

10. Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions

Virtual Games Console sales generate $33 million

Wii download service becomes lucrative business model

Nintendo has said that the Virtual Console service for Wii has so far generated JPY 3.5 billion (USD 33 million / EUR 22.3 million) for the company.

Shinji Hatano, licensing director for Nintendo, revealed the figure during a recent press conference to mark a collaboration with NTT for broadband internet access for the home console, reports IGN.

According to Nintendo, 7.8 million items have been downloaded over the service, which offers old games from Nintendo and other publisher's back catalogues, priced between EUR 5 and EUR 10.

Dragon Quest video game No1 in top ten that shifts almost 1.5 million units in a week

As nine new entries hit the Japanese software chart, the game-buying public snapped up 1.44 million new titles that made up just the top ten last week.

According to data from Media Create for the sales week ending November 25 Dragon Quest IV saw one of the biggest releases of the year, selling 597,000 copies in its first week and going straight in at number one.

The latest Winning Eleven title from Konami took second and third places for the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3 respectively - the former outsold the latter by two to one, although the install base of the PS3 is of course still much smaller at this point.

Other notable new entries to make the top ten included Final Fantasy XI: Wings of the Goddess for the PlayStation 2 - only making fifth place with 68,000 units - and Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games in sixth.

Mario Party DS was the only survivor from last week's top ten - it held steady in fourth position.

The Xbox 360 editions of Winning Eleven and Final Fantasy XI both made the top 30, in 18th and 26th positions respectively.

The full top ten is as follows:

1. Dragon Quest IV (DS)
2. World Soccer Winning Eleven 2008 (PS2)
3. World Soccer Winning Eleven 2008 (PS3)
4. Mario Party DS (DS)
5. Final Fantasy XI: Wings of the Goddess (PS2)
6. Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games (Wii)
7. Dinosaur King: The Seven Fragments (DS)
8. Mega Man Star Force 2: Berserk × Shinobi (DS)
9. Mega Man Star Force 2: Berserk × Dinosaur (DS)
10. Pachinko Assassin III: Iron Pachi-Chonmage 13 (PS2)

FANTASY WARS - video game update

PREPARATIONS UNDERWAY FOR DEADLY BATTLES AND VICIOUS TERRITORIAL STRUGGLE

Tensions ripple throughout the land of Eolia as human and orc armies prepare to clash in a ferocious battle for precious territory. Unresolved internal struggles have erupted into an unavoidable war of impending death and destruction.

Monstrous orc leader, Ugraum Grableg, paces his kingdom, roaring at Besargar to organise the orc army into the strongest and deadliest force in the land. The orcs show no fear as they sharpen their weapons, practice their battle formations, and prepare to tear humans limb from limb, satisfying their taste for flesh.

In Derenhalle, brave Derrick Pfeil summons his gallant human troops for what will be the war to end all wars. As they polish their armour and hone their carefully chosen weapons, wagers are placed on which blade will spill the most orc blood. The courageous and noble humans are more than ready to confront the terrifying enemy that awaits them. What the humans lack in physical size and strength, Pfeil knows they will make up in cunning and speed.

The clatter of armour, the clash or swords, and the spine tingling war cries echo throughout the land of Eolia. Battle is about to commence.

Take cover.

Fantasy Wars is a turn based battle strategy game for PC from Ascaron Entertainment. Undertake campaigns and missions as either the humans or orcs (later unlocking the elf army). Complete set objectives to claim victory in your mission and defeat the opposing enemy. The faster you complete your goals, the higher your skill in commanding an army.

www.fantasywars-thegame.com

Fast facts:

Publisher: Ascaron Entertainment / Nobilis

Web: www.Ascaron.com

Developer: Ino’Co / 1C

Release date: February 2008

PEGI: 12+

Format: PC

Genre: Turn-based Strategy

Race Driver: GRID rom the creators of Video games - Colin McRae: DiRT and Race Driver

Race Driver: GRIDTM confirmed as official title for intense new racing experience coming mid 2008 from the creators of Colin McRae: DiRTTM and Race DriverTM series.

Codemasters® today announced Race Driver: GRID™ as the full and official title for the game introduced under the working title of Race Driver One. Race Driver: GRID is the new racing experience from Codemasters Studios, creators of Colin McRae: DiRT™ and the Race Driver™ series, and is set to deliver a step-change in the racing genre.

Coming mid 2008, Race Driver: GRID is set to capture every moment from the starting grid to the chequered flag and concentrate those moments into an intense and dramatic race experience. Race Driver: GRID is being developed for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft®, the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Games for Windows®.

"Race Driver: GRID is all about the race." said Gavin Raeburn, Executive Producer at Codemasters Studios. "The next iteration of our DiRT engine combined with a decade of experience in developing driving games enables us to put the player at the centre of the action like never before. Damage, packed grids, intelligent opposition and unprecedented race day atmosphere will combine to deliver an experience like no other.

Says Ralph Fulton, Chief Game Designer. "GRID focuses on everything that happens between the start grid and the chequered flag: the drama, the rivalries, the aggression and the crashes. This is not a game about collecting cars or spending all of your time in the front-end tuning suspension settings or designing liveries. We want to make racing exciting again."

Race Driver: GRID will take players to beautifully realised and dramatic race locations over three continents to compete in an unprecedented variety of racing events. Packed with the most powerful race cars – new and classic, circuit and drift – players will compete to conquer the most prestigious official race tracks and championships and then go beyond to compete in challenging city-based competitions, through to road events and urban street races.

In Europe, race gamers will compete on the greatest official tracks in prestige Marques including Aston Martin, Koenigsegg and Pagani.

Iconic cities across the U.S. – including San Francisco, Washington DC and Detroit and each with their own atmosphere and events – play hosts to diverse street races. Here, high-performance V8 muscle cars set the pace in aggressive closely fought pack competitions.

In the Far East, Japanese racing culture sets the tone where night races, including Drift racing, take drivers through neon illuminated cities and to outlying mountain roads. There is also the opportunity to compete in races that operate on the fringes of legality in the back streets and industrial areas of Yokohama.

Race Driver: GRID is coming mid 2008 for the Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION 3 system and Games for Windows. To register for future driver briefings and get a place on the grid, be sure to visit www.codemasters.co.uk/grid