BOMBERMAN LAND soon on Wii, Nintendo DS, and Sony PSP (PlayStationPortable)

Hudson Entertainment's Award-Winning Bomb Maker To Hit Retail Shelves January 29, 2008 for $29.99

Hudson Entertainment, the North American publishing arm of Hudson Soft, today announced BOMBERMAN LAND for the Wii and PSP (PlayStationPortable) system, and BOMBERMAN LAND Touch! 2 for the Nintendo DS have gone to gold master. Published by Hudson and distributed in North America by Konami Digital Entertainment Inc., all three versions are planned to ship on January 29, 2008 for a SRP of $29.99 each.

BOMBERMAN LAND brings an exciting single player campaign element to the Bomberman property while holding true to the multiplayer mode that has made it so popular in the past. The series introduces a multitude of mini-games, many of which can be played in multiplayer mode. The PSP and Wii versions feature 50 mini-games. While the Wii version is full of interactive games that utilize the Wii Remote in various ways, the Nintendo DS version features over 40 types of mini-games that are played with the Stylus. In addition, the BOMBERMAN LAND series features a robust single-player Story Mode, where players can explore a fantasy land and solve quests and puzzles with the ultimate goal of restoring peace and tranquility to the beleaguered Bomberman world.

Best of all, players will find the classic multiplayer Bomberman experience that gamers know and love on each platform. The PSP and Nintendo DS versions allow for shared play locally and up to 4 players globally. The Wii version features 6 different "Battle Modes" with 20 maps each for the ultimate party.

Microsoft Xbox 360 sales top 17.5 million

Christmas 2007 was a blockbuster season for the gaming industry, and Xbox 360 has hands-down emerged as the industry leader. Consumers spent more holiday dollars on the Xbox 360 total gaming experience: a great variety of consoles, the best games and a unique online community with Xbox LIVE.

Here are some breaking sales figures:

• Microsoft has sold more than 17.7 million Xbox 360 consoles worldwide


• Microsoft has sold more than 8.1 million copies of “Halo 3” since its launch on September 26 2007


• “Mass Effect” reached 1.6 million units sold, in just six weeks since it went on sale on November 20 2007


• Consumers spend more on Xbox software and accessories, with a record-high software attach rate of 6.9, according to NPD

Microsoft is proud of the contributions Xbox 360 is making to the gaming industry, and looks forward to an even more successful 2008.

Warner Brothers defect to Sony Blu-ray High Definition from HD-DVD

WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT TO RELEASE ITS HIGH-DEFINITION DVD TITLES EXCLUSIVELY IN THE BLU-RAY DISC FORMAT BEGINNING LATER THIS YEAR Decision Made in Response to Strong Consumer Preference for Format
(January 4, 2008 - Burbank, CA) - In response to consumer demand, Warner Bros. Entertainment will release its high-definition DVD titles exclusively in the Blu-ray disc format beginning later this year, it was announced today by Barry Meyer, Chairman & CEO, Warner Bros. and Kevin Tsujihara, President, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group.

"Warner Bros.' move to exclusively release in the Blu-ray disc format is a strategic decision focused on the long term and the most direct way to give consumers what they want," said Meyer. "The window of opportunity for high-definition DVD could be missed if format confusion continues to linger. We believe that exclusively distributing in Blu-ray will further the potential for mass market success and ultimately benefit retailers, producers, and most importantly, consumers."

Warner Home Video will continue to release its titles in standard DVD format and Blu-ray. After a short window following their standard DVD and Blu-ray releases, all new titles will continue to be released in HD DVD until the end of May 2008.

"Warner Bros. has produced in both high-definition formats in an effort to provide consumer choice, foster mainstream adoption and drive down hardware prices," said Jeff Bewkes, President and Chief Executive Officer, Time Warner Inc., the parent company of Warner Bros. Entertainment. "Today's decision by Warner Bros. to distribute in a single format comes at the right time and is the best decision both for consumers and Time Warner."

"A two-format landscape has led to consumer confusion and indifference toward high definition, which has kept the technology from reaching mass adoption and becoming the important revenue stream that it can be for the industry," said Tsujihara. "Consumers have clearly chosen Blu-ray, and we believe that recognizing this preference is the right step in making this great home entertainment experience accessible to the widest possible audience. Warner Bros. has worked very closely with the Toshiba Corporation in promoting high definition media and we have enormous respect for their efforts. We look forward to working with them on other projects in the future."

Nintendo DS iPhone Redesign? What do you think?

Gizmodo special

Gizmodo reader Phil Nolan, a profesional 3D modeler and animator, got inspired by our Nintendo DS 2 mock-up and wish list and sent us his cool version of this dreamed-up third iteration of the Nintendo DS. It looks so yummy inside that I want to get it out for a date:



As you can see, he took the original design and added a whole lot of the iPhone and the PSP. Looks quite good to me, even while it still has some unresolved issues, like the hinge, which can't be like the MacBook because it will block the shoulder buttons. Still, a very doable, even slimmer form factor than the Lite which can perfectly fit all the not-so-crazy features we thought could make it to the next revision of the Nintendo portable console.

And before the anti-Apple camp gets up in arms, let's not forget that the original DS got redesigned with a clear inspiration on the Apple's all-white, all-shiny, all-simplicity iPod design. People didn't think the same could be done with the original DS and look what happened with the Lite.



Some more thoughts from the "buts" that people claimed about the first 2D mock-up:

"But the screen on top should be the same size"
Not necessarily. For compatibility, you can play original DS games letterboxed. Even new games could retain exactly the same format and keep backward compatibility if you want. The top wide-screen, however, could be used very well in most games. But specially, for media playback.

"But the it should be a totally new concept. Nintendo broke the rules and will do it again in the next generation"
That may be true, but the True Next Generation is years away. It took decades for Nintendo to change the paradigm of the original Gameboy to the Nintendo DS. Until the latter arrived, the first went through many iterations, each adding more things: smaller package, more power, color, backlighting, etc.

They milked the cow until it was dead. Then, they reinvented themselves with the DS. The next DS will be an evolution of power and features, not of basic concepts. It works great now, it sells like crazy, so you don't need to change it dramatically just yet. Nintendo just needs to keep the distance with the PSP and that will be it.

"But it will be too expensive to make"
Like I said in the original mock-up article, given the sinking prices of current components thanks to the proliferation of smartphones like the iPhone or multimedia players, a DS 2 with shaved corners, better screens and built-in multimedia playback will be very doable in 2008. Granted, it may not take this shape, but it will happen sooner than later.

"But it doesn't have Advance cart compatibility"
With downloadable games coming to the DS and dirty-cheap Flash RAM prices, the next version of the DS will probably have Virtual Console emulation, just like the Wii. Why deal with hardware when you can have it all in software?

Source: Gizmodo

Hellgate: London v0.6 Singleplayer PC video game Patch

According to legend, when the ravens depart the Tower of London, it will crumble to rubble and disaster will befall England. As man became more dependent on science, believing only in what he could define or create, ancient knowledge and rituals were lost to the antiquity of time.

This patch fixing various items, quests, bugs and more.

The Settlers - Rise of an Empire PC video game patch 1.3 download

RTS fans were treated to a detailed strategy fest ate last September by Blue Byte and Ubisoft when the two released The Settlers: Rise of an Empire for the PC. Now they're back with patch 1.3 which kills off bugs and adds some very nice, small features. Here they are:

Additional Features

• Map Editor Do/Undo tool performance improved.


• Quest trees in the Map Editor are exportable to GraphViz.

Added support for cliff “snapping“ in the Map Editor

• The Map Editor updates terrain blocking when placing/removing cliffs.


• Several quest system improvements.

Bug Fixes for Game

• Fixed a problem on 7000 series nVidia graphic cards where the game would cause a blue screen under very rare circumstances.


• Game no longer crashes upon entering LAN/online mode if no network connection is available.


• Building decals should now always be visible.


• Fixed a bug on campaign map 4 (Narfang) where Hakim would not reach the castle and hence the final quest could not be completed.

Bug Fixes for Map Editor

• A selection problem with certain types of stones & trees has been fixed.


• Some fixes for wall gate, map rotation, water level, and brush tools.


• Map Editor files are now removed when uninstalling the game.


• Fixed bug where entities were invisible yet cast shadows.


• Fixed several issues related to Do/Undo.


• Added snapping points for harbour wall.


• Map sound points are now properly stored.


• Fixed some issues related to localization.


• Several minor fixes related to tool usability.

Patch available here... http://thesettlers.uk.ubi.com/news.php



From: pc.qj.net

Nintendo DS full game downloads NOT coming after all

Just 2 days ago it was reported that full DS games would be made downloadable thanks to the wifi comparabilities of the Wii. Well it turns out that was a mistake made by The New York Times and, like the Japanese version of the same channel, only DS demos will be available to download.

From Nintendo: "An article about the Nintendo DS video game system in the Dec. 31 Business Day section of the New York Times incorrectly referred to future capabilities of the device. The statement that complete Nintendo DS games will eventually be able to be downloaded into the device via a wireless connection with the company's Wii game console is incorrect.

Users can download games to play on Wii, and, in the future, the Nintendo DS will be able to receive demo versions of some DS games from Wii, but not the entire game. The demo will be erased once the Nintendo DS is turned off."

Source: Nintencast

Race Driver: Create & Race Wins Best Nintendo DS Racing Game Of 2007

Glasgow, United Kingdom - Firebrand Games developed Nintendo DS hit, Race Driver: Create & Race, published by Codemasters, today was awarded Best DS Driving/Racing game of 2007 in the IGN annual awards.

The critically acclaimed racing title beat off stiff competition from Need For Speed ProStreet, Diddy Kong Racing and Juiced 2:Hot Import Nights to be crowned Best Driving/Racing Game of 2007 for hugely successful Nintendo DS handheld gaming platform.

Firebrand CEO, Mark Greenshields, said "We are extremely confident in our racing game engine and we're sure that the features that we crammed into Race Driver: Create & Race would set the title as one of the best of 2007. We're very proud to receive this award from IGN and it's of great credit to our Scottish Team that they developed the IGN rated Best DS Racing Game of 2007."



The IGN Best of 2007 website stated, "Race Driver: Create and Race brought a console level experience to the handheld market. The game is a fun arcade-style racing game that boasts an impressive amount of features, both online and off. The customizing features add a creative element not seen in other racers and the production value is some of the best we've seen. Race Driver shows just how polished a third-party game can be, and other racers may have a hard time competing".


Launched in September 2007, Race Driver: Create & Race gives players control over 20 of the fastest racing cards on the planet and unleashes them on 30 of the most-exciting official race circuits. What really sets Race Driver: Create & Race aside is the unique and intuitive track designer which gives players a chance to design and share their very own race tracks using the Nintendo DS stylus. The game also was recognised as a runner-up in the IGN 2007 Best Graphics technology and Best Online Multi-Player game categories.

For more information on the game, check out www.codemasters.com/createandrace

World's First Quad Screen Race Simulator The VRX MACH 4

VRX Industries Ltd., a premier designer, developer, and manufacture of home & corporate entertainment products, today announced the launch of the ultimate, home-entertainment race simulator: the "VRX MACH 4" for this holiday season. The VRX MACH 4 is a masterpiece of cutting edge technology combined with an ascetically-stunning design. The VRX MACH 4 is powered by four Xbox 360's, outputting 4 Teraflops of power, which drive the 3 Sharp Aquos LCD's; the fourth Xbox 360 powers a 7" LCD rear view mirror which elevates the virtual racing experience to a new level of realism.

The design and development of the VRX MACH 4 Prototype began in the fall of 2006. "Our goal is to eclipse the success of the VRX PRO (launched with the original Forza Motorsport)," said Robert Stanners, President, VRX Industries Ltd. "With the success of Forza Motorsport 2, we are confident to surpass all expectations. VRX is committed to total excellence in developing the Ultimate Race Simulator by being the world's first to combine a total of 4 LCD's which completely immerses the driver in the virtual race environment. VRX Industries goal is to give drivers the true and complete sense and feeling of speed; taking the sensation further beyond the tactile feedback system of the Buttkicker and Bose Acoustimass 10 sound system by adding a Virtual Wind System powered by 2 dual Honeywell Fans."; another innovation 1st by VRX.

Specifications:
· 4 Microsoft Xbox 360's
· 4 Copy's Forza Motorsport 2
· Xbox 360 Wireless Networking Adapter
· Microsoft Force Feedback Steering wheel
· 3 Sharp Aquos 37" LC-D62U 1080p HD LCD displays
· Adjustable rear view Power Acoustik (PTM 750) 7" LCD display
· Bose Acoustimass 10 series surround sound system with subwoofer
· Harmon Kardon AVR-144 Surround Sound receiver
· 1500 Watt Tactile Vibration Feedback System
· 1900 Watt Tactile Power Amplifier
· Virtual Wind System powered by 2 dual Honeywell fans with chrome shroud
· 1" CNC machined polished aluminum foot assembly that connects to the front of the VRX
· Universal triple screen aluminum mounting bracket that accepts LCD displays from 20" to 40"
· Adjustable aluminum and tinted acrylic component shelves
· On board power bar and unique wire way system conceals cables
· Polished chrome chassis with powder coated wheel mount and pedal mount
· CNC billet aluminum Speaker Mounts and Seat Wing
· Front and rear non-slip aluminum vibration dampeners
· 3M automotive chrome trim concealed edges
· Italian Sparco Monza racing seat (choice of Red/Black or Black/Silver)
· Sparco automotive seat slider
· Suspension seat base
· 3/D epoxy coated graphics
· Velcro and machined rubber grip blocks "prevents wheel and pedal movement"
· 10" diagonal and 8" horizontal wheel adjustments
· Polished Aluminum Speaker Mounts
· LED Lighting effects
· Beverage Containment System

Games website: http://www.virtualracerx.com

Requiem: Bloodymare PC video game Delivers Intense Experience for Mature Gamers

Gravity Interactive Unleashes A Nightmare Of Violence And Death Into The MMO World

Requiem: Bloodymare Delivers Intense Experience for Mature Gamers

Gravity Interactive, developer and publisher of a wide variety of online games including both casual and hardcore MMOs, is bringing the bloody horror of Requiem: Bloodymare to the United States in early 2008. The title introduces a world where the misuse of science and magic has warped the natural world into a twisted vision of death.

Set in the world of Ethegia, players take on the role of the Temperions, beings created through genetic engineering and arcane rites to engage in bloody combat with the walking nightmares stalking the land.

Using the Havok engine, Requiem: Bloodymare brings to life a visually stunning realm where fallout from generations of scientific and mystical warfare has polluted the natural world and given birth to horribly mutated monsters. The battles between players and these grotesque creatures are rendered with intense sequences of bloody and gory graphics.

“We’ve dedicated more than four years of intense development to be sure Requiem: Bloodymare really brings something unique in the MMO market.” Peter Kang, CEO, Gravity Interactive, said. “We very consciously decided when we started the project that we wanted to diversify our offering to include much more than the cute, anime inspired gameplay of our previous hits. Requiem isn’t a game for kids; this is for mature players that are looking for hardcore content that conjures up their deepest nightmares and fears.”

Requiem: Bloodymare also brings several game mechanics that set it apart from the rest of the MMO market. The time of day will be an extremely important factor for players under the Nightmare System with incredibly powerful creatures awakening to terrorize the world at night. To defeat these challenges players will be able to draw upon the DNA System and the Beast Possession System. Players will use genetic engineering to modify their DNA to obtain characteristics and abilities nature never intended. The mystic arts will enable players to possess and transform into different bestial beings with extraordinary abilities.

More information about the Requiem: Bloodymare can be found at http://www.playrequiem.com.