Major League Gaming Collaborates With Ubisoft On Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2

Major League Gaming Collaborates With Ubisoft On Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2

Unprecedented relationship underscores rising prominence of league and competitive gaming

Today Major League Gaming (MLG), the professional videogame league, announced its collaboration with Ubisoft, one of the world's largest video game publishers, on the development of the highly anticipated Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2.

The new Rainbow Six title features an "MLG Map" that pays homage to the MLG Pro Circuit, depicting an MLG event at the Las Vegas Convention Center. MLG and Ubisoft collaborated on the development of the map, which was designed with competitive gaming in mind.

The collaboration reflects the rising importance of both MLG and competitive multiplayer gaming in live and online environments. With millions of gamers playing at its live competitions and on its websites, MLG is now recognized by players and publishers as a leading authority on competitive play, and its rules and game settings have become the de facto standard for competition around the world.

"We were thrilled that Ubisoft chose MLG to collaborate on the development of a map specially designed for competitive gamers," said Matthew Bromberg, President and CEO of Major League Gaming. "Rainbow Six was a terrific addition to our Pro Circuit last year, and we can't wait to turn our millions of Pro Circuit, online and TV fans onto this new game."

"Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas transformed the way gamers play online multiplayer games in the current generation of hardware," said Tony Key, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Ubisoft. "The Rainbow Six franchise has been a leader in the world of online multiplayer video games since 1998, and we are proud to have worked with MLG on Vegas 2."

MLG will support the overall effort by including Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 in its 2008 Pro Circuit, including a special release event for the game in April. The multi-city MLG Pro Circuit, which will be covered by ESPN.com, kicks off April 11, 2008 at the Meadowlands Expo Center outside of New York City.

To learn more about Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2, please visit http://www.rainbowsixgame.com.

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 ships in March 2008 for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system and PC.

Pirates of the Caribbean and Desperate Housewives Games Available for Digital Download on Metaboli

Pirates of the Caribbean and Desperate Housewives Games Available for Digital Download on Metaboli

Metaboli, Europe’s leading games download platform to Distribute Disney Interactive Studios’ PC Titles in United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy

This month, Metaboli made available its first two Disney Interactive Studios PC titles Pirates of The Caribbean and Desperate Housewives. The next highly-anticipated new release will be Turok – from the company’s Touchstone label – this spring

All titles will be added to both of Metaboli’s cutting edge digital distribution services: Games-on-Demand subscription and Download-to-Own purchase, accessible through Metaboli’s own Websites and across a network of more than 50 white-label distribution partners sites, including Europe’s leading broadband ISPs (Virgin Media, Orange, T-Online and Telecom Italia) and major retailers (GAME, Fnac, Saturn...).

Pierre Forest, Metaboli’s VP Content, comments “Our goal is to bring high-quality gaming experiences like Pirates of the Caribbean and Desperate Housewives to Internet audiences across Europe. Gamers can expect the same level of service from us that they have come to expect from Disney.”

Metaboli will also be powering a Turok Download-to-Own mini-site, enabling promotion of the title directly to internet audiences across Europe. The site will offer a pre-load functionality, allowing consumers to download the file in advance, ready to play immediately the very minute it is released.

About Metaboli

Metaboli is Europe’s leading games download platform. Metaboli is also the only platform in the world offering the possibility to download hundreds of video games for a monthly subscription, or the single game purchase. These offers are available on www.metaboli.com (Games on Demand subscription) and www.gamesplanet.com (Buy and Download), as well as through the white label portals of its 50 European distribution partners. Thanks to its distribution network, Metaboli is the only digital content distributor (present on all of Europe’s four largest Internet Service Providers (ISP): Orange, T-Online, Virgin Media and Telecom Italia. With distribution agreements with the most renowned video games publishers, Metaboli offers the most complete content offer available in Europe, regularly enriched with new titles. A pioneer in the digital distribution of video games, Metaboli has experienced annual growth of over 100% since 2004 with over 100 000 monthly paying subscribers and more than 10 000 games sold per month at the end of 2007.

To find out more: www.metaboli.com and www.gamesplanet.com

Tycoon Series: Circus Empire The first 3D Circus simulation game ever!!

A New Addition To The Tycoon Series!

GSP is delighted to add Circus Empire to its hugely successful Tycoon Series: Circus Empire


The first 3D Circus simulation game ever!!

The circus is in town. Come see the greatest show around! Gasp and Gape at the flying trapeze and the acrobats, laugh at the clowns and marvel at the brave lion tamer!

Start the journey today and enjoy the ride of a lifetime running the greatest circus in the world!

Key Features:
• Talented performers – More than 70 performers from trapeze artists to clowns, tightrope walkers to bears and from lions and dolphinsto jugglers… you name it, Circus Empires got it!
• Performances in exciting 3D – See all our popular stars of the great show around in realistic 3D action.
You’ll be amazed at just how much fun you can have running your own circus.
• Hundreds of Performances – From hand balancing acts to motorcycling inside the rope of death, there are hundreds of performance moves which allow your circus shows to be customised in an almost
unlimited number of ways.
• Follow the story – As you build your circus act, follow the story campaign as your circus tours across America, Asia and Europe. Bringing joy and excitement to thousands of spectators.
• Detailed simulation.

Circus Empire is priced at £9.99 and is available to buy now from PC World, Amazon.co.uk, GAME and from GSP’s secure on-line shop at www.avanquest.co.uk.

Starters Orders 3 for the PC released

Strategic Designs Ltd., announces the release of Starters Orders 3 for the PC.

Starters Orders 3 is the latest game in the highly acclaimed ‘Starters Orders’ horse racing management games series. Featuring realistic renditions of world wide famous races and a highly realistic racing season spanning the UK, US and Australia, the Starters Orders games are considered world leaders in the horse racing sim game market. Now for the first time ever in a computer game Starters Orders 3 will feature realistic National Hunt and Hurdle races in it’s UK calendar. Train your horses for the marathon Aintree Grand Nation or target the Cheltenham Gold Cup or any of the hundreds of realistic feature races contained in the game (also including hundreds of flat races). You can even take the reins on ride your own horses to victory! Starters Orders 3 is the sequel to Starters Orders 2 and John McCriricks Starters Orders and is expected April 08.

Starters Orders 3 features:

• Own, train, breed, bet on, race and ride your own race horses!
  
• New graphics, improved GUI and race commentary.
  
• The most realistic and accurate races ever depicted in a computer game. Tactically accurate including realistic jumping, blocking and jockey animations. Horses can be disqualified, hampered, pulled up, brought down or even fall.
  
• Realistic form cards with up to 5 game years worth of form cards stored.
  
• Accurate and detailed game world with realistic race calendar and realistic feature races throughout the UK, US and Australia.
  
• Dynamic never ending game world. Play season after season.
  
• Accurate race types including handicaps, group races, claimers, sellers, novice chases, juvenile hurdles etc.
  
• Thousands of horses with new 2yo horses joining every game season and older horses retiring.
  
• Over 60 UK (flat and jumps) racecourses. Over 60 US racecourses and 15 Australian/Nz racecourses. Race in the Breeders cup, the Epsom Derby, the Melbourne cup and hundreds more!
  
• Over 100 UK, 100 US and 100 Australian computer controlled trainers to compete against.
  
• Detailed race cards. Just like the real thing.
  
• Full-integrated help for every screen means anyone can play!
  
• Accurate betting with realistic and changing odds.
  
• Export your horses and compete against other trainers horses in online leagues.
  
• Distribution strategy
  

Starters Orders 3 will be available online from http://www.startersorders.com this April – a free demo will also be available for download. The game is expected to retail for £24.99 UK sterling or equivalent in US or Australian dollars.

Official European Halo 3 Tournament Sponsored By Samsung TV

Prepare for Battle in The Official European Halo 3 Tournament Sponsored By Samsung TV
Gamers challenged to compete against the rest of Europe and win amazing prizes sponsored by Samsung TV

Microsoft today announced the Official European Halo 3 Tournament Sponsored By Samsung TV as a chance for Xbox 360™ gamers from various countries across Europe to show their Halo 3 skills and be rewarded with some amazing prizes, including exclusive Halo 3 artwork, the new Samsung Crystal Design 40” Series 6 FHD TV and a brand new Xbox 360 Elite.

From today, all gamers need to do to sign up is head to the Xbox LIVE Dashboard, click on The Official Halo 3 European Tournament Sponsored By Samsung adverts, and download the exclusive free GamerPic.

Once gamers are registered, open play runs from 18th to 30the March. Entrants will need to perform on the three game modes that make up The Official European Halo 3 Tournament sponsored by Samsung TV Xbox LIVE Playlist – Slayer, King of the Hill and Oddball.

At the end of open play, the top ranked player from each European country will be crowned Halo 3 National Champion and will be rewarded with a piece of exclusive framed Halo artwork. They will also qualify for the European Final, where the top ranked players from across Europe will clash in a one-off Xbox LIVE match to decide who is truly legendary.

For more information and terms and conditions please visit www.Xbox.com/Halo3Tournament from 25th February 2008.

T.W.T.P.B a stylized shoot 'em up with tons of action and strategic elements has just been updated with a Free demo, screen shots and video

T.W.T.P.B a stylized shoot 'em up with tons of action and strategic elements has just been updated with a new demo, new screen shots and a gameplay video.

Spell of Play Studios announce a new demo download to the shoot 'em up game T.W.T.P.B. This time there is a whole new first level and a new boss in addition to some massive game play changes.

The game features intense boss fights, special abilities and strategic thinking as well as the frantic action of a shooter. Video gamers and shooter fans can grab a copy of game's pre-release demo and experience couple of minutes of gameplay.

The game is developed iteratively and gamers are encouraged to supply their comments and suggestions throughout the development. New releases are published once every fourteen days, and detailed development information is available at the Spell of Play community.

About Spell of Play Studios:

Spell of Play Studios is an independent developer based in Sweden.

Links:

T.W.T.P.B web page with demo download, screen shots and video:
www.spellofplay.com/games/twtpb
Spell of Play Studios web site:
www.spellofplay.com

About Spell of Play Studios
www.spellofplay.com/about

Digital Storm LAN Unleashed On Vancouver

KillaNet Technology Ltd. today announced the date and location for this year's Digital Storm LAN tournament. After a one year hiatus, the 48 hour gaming event returns to Vancouver this summer. Digital Storm takes over the Croatian Cultural Centre's main auditorium on Friday, August 1st and runs straight through to Sunday afternoon on August 3rd. Reserved tickets for the 350 seat tournament go on sale March 10th and will be available through Digital Storm's official website (www.digitalstormlan.com) for $45.00 CAD each.

There will be many team-oriented and individual tournaments to participate in, as well as the official World Cyber Games regional qualifying events for those who want to compete in the WCG Canada Nationals for a spot on Team Canada. There will even be the chance for gamers to show which of them is RockBand worthy. With dual big-screen projection, no performance will go unnoticed. Rumour has it that there was an inter-studio challenge issued at The Elans after-party by one Vancouver game developer to another for a head to head Team Fortress 2 match. Is it true? We wish we could tell you for sure, but like everyone else, we'll have to see where the rumour leads.

Digital Storm 2006 was touted as "a very good time" and 2008 will not be any different. We are a gaming event for the gaming community, providing a safe and secure venue for gamers of all skill levels to get together, compete and have a great time. With any such event, sponsors are most welcome and will receive extensive marketing acknowledgement in return for their sponsorship. Digital Storm has sponsorship opportunities available from lanyards for the gamers' passes to team tournament prizes. Full details of what Digital Storm will provide in return for swag and products are listed on the website at www.digitalstormlan.com.

Proceeds from this year's event will go towards opening the digital media education centre for youth which KillaNet has been attempting to open for the past four years. We believe we have found a way past all of the roadblocks which have been put up by our Township's licensing staff who keep insisting that we are nothing more than arcade, and hope to be open by the end of 2008. We are also looking to double Digital Storm's size in 2009 with a complete video game community experience for our attendees - Vancouver style.

Combat Mission: Shock Force v1.07 Demo Released

Today we are happy to release the newly updated Combat Mission: Shock Force demo (v1.07). This demo features many fixes, user interface updates and performance improvements over the original demo, plus it includes a third (and brand new) playable scenario. Since this demo is based on the most current v1.07 game code, you also get access to the new pop-up unit command panel, customized hotkey functionality, the new high fidelity spotting model and hundreds of other AI behavior improvements, combat tweaks and game enhancements!

This demo includes two scenarios which can be played as either US or Syrian, plus a third scenario, "Demo Training" which was designed as a tutorial to be played from the US perspective. Both Real-Time and Turn-Based gameplay are available and all multiplayer modes are active (TCP-IP, PBEM, Hotseat) and y ou can even access and play with the full Game Editor (save function disabled). The demo also includes the original full 196 page game manual in pdf format.

If you are new to Shock Force, or if you looked at it before and wanted to wait to see how it played once it matured a bit, then this is the demo for you. We feel it truly displays the ingenious gameplay, innovative design and most importantly, the FUN that has always been the hallmark of the Combat Mission games.

Download the Combat Mission Shock Force v1.07 Demo Here

The Combat Mission: Shock Force Demo includes:

• Newly updated version demo (v1.07) with many fixes and UI updates and performance improvements
  
• Includes two scenarios which can be played as either US or Syrian
  
• Includes a third scenario, "Demo Training" which was designed to only be played from the US perspective
  
• All multiplayer modes are active (TCP-IP, PBEM, Hotseat)
  
• You can access and play with the full Game Editor (save function disabled)
  
• The full 196 page game manual (pdf format)
  

DEMO SCENARIO INFO:

• Demo Training, a small training scenario designed to familiarize new players to Combat Mission before engaging in "real" combat. (Blue play only)
  
• Smashing Steel: A Syrian mechanized force heads south as an American Stryker and tank force heads north. (Battle begins before dawn in the dark, but as time progresses and the sun rises, visibility and lighting will increase)
  

* Going to Town: Stryker infantry mix it up with the Syrian forces as they enter a small town.

Microsoft Dumps HD DVD Drive for Xbox 360 No Blu-Ray as users move to download HD?

Microsoft Dumps HD DVD Drive for Xbox 360
Still, the company hasn't confirmed support for Blu-ray in its game console, noting growth of downloads.

Microsoft will stop making external HD DVD drives for its Xbox 360 game console, but won't say whether it will offer a Blu-ray Disc drive instead.

The company will continue to provide warranty and product support for existing HD DVD players, it said.

The Xbox 360 has a standard DVD drive built in: support for high-definition content came only with an add-on. Sony's Playstation 3 console, however, has a Blu-ray Disc drive built in, which helped grow support for the rival high-definition format.

Microsoft's announcement comes barely a week after HD DVD's main backer, Toshiba, said it will stop making the drives in the face of declining support for its high-definition format from retailers and studios. HD DVD's other supporters included Microsoft, Intel, HP and Universal Studios. Blu-ray also had the support of Panasonic and Samsung.

Warner Bros., which initially supported HD DVD, said early this year it would switch to Blu-ray Disc, a decision widely seen as a mortal blow to the format. Retailer Wal-Mart also recently said it would no longer sell HD DVDs.

Initially, Microsoft said Toshiba's announcement would have no effect on its Xbox plans.

A Microsoft spokesperson said Monday morning that the company is taking the long-term view that support for specific high-definition drives is less important as people increasingly look to download movies and content from the Internet.

Microsoft's Xbox Live Marketplace lets people download content to their Xbox or PC from major studios such as Paramount Studios and Warner Bros., with recent titles such as "Ocean's Thirteen."

That movie, which costs US$39.26 to download from the site, lets a user keep one copy on their PC and one copy on their mobile device. The movie is encoded in Microsoft's Windows Media Player format.

Source: PC World

Game-Ad Boom Looms as Sony Opens Up PlayStation 3

Sony is opening up its in-game advertising platform -- likely providing a boost to the already-burgeoning $400 million in-game-ad market and sparking a battle among the three key players who sell these ads.

The maker of the PlayStation3 system will offer an open platform, meaning in-game-ad-serving companies Double Fusion, IGA and Google-owned AdScape all will be able to sell ads in games that run on PS3, according to people familiar with Sony's plans. The three companies will strike deals with the major game publishers creating PS3 games, such as Electronic Arts, Activision and Ubisoft. Increasingly, those who score the plum publisher deals will turn out to be the winners in the competitive and fast-growing space.

"It'll come down to games and who has the largest catalog of games," said one person familiar with Sony's plans, but who did not have authorization to speak about it publicly.

In-house sales team
Sony is just starting to sell in-game ads and has its own PlayStation Network sales force to sell dynamic ads in Sony-produced games, such as the forthcoming "Pain" title. A Sony spokesman said the company doesn't comment on unannounced initiatives or products.

The decision will ramp up the competition for prime publisher inventory in a battle not unlike that in the greater internet space. There is no internet-ad-serving company that has a lock on web ads; however, ad networks (and their portal owners) duke it out for the right to sell those ads on publisher websites. During the past couple of months, Yahoo has expanded the network of newspaper sites on which it sells ads, Microsoft has inked deals with Viacom and Dow Jones sites, and Google has re-signed The New York Times' website as an ad-network partner.

While the ad-serving companies might have hoped for an exclusive contract to sell ads in PS3 games, analysts said that a more competitive model could benefit marketers and the in-game market in general. "Making things open only makes things better for marketers or people who want to place ads because they aren't the mercy of a given network," said James Belcher, a longtime video-game writer and senior writer at eMarketer. He said the market is already hypercompetitive. "Everyone's playing around with the best model -- how to charge, what gamers will and will not put up with."

According to eMarketer data, video-game advertising is a $400 million category this year and is expected to grow during the next five years at a compound annual growth rate of nearly 23%.

'Baked in'
Dynamic in-game advertising refers to ads that are changed in and out of games post-development, from interactive placements to signage to sponsorships. Video-game advertising also includes ads that are "baked in" to games -- meaning they are integral part of the game's development and cannot be switched out once they're created -- and ads that run on the console communities, such as XBox Live and the Sony Home network, which is in private beta.

Dynamic ads are considered less risky than baked-in integrations because they don't require a marketer to speculate whether a game will be a hit. Marketers can wait, see how a game performs and then buy ads in it -- much like buying "scatter" TV inventory.

Sony's open platform is a clear departure from how things are done on Microsoft's Xbox, whose exclusive model means all dynamic in-game ads must be brokered through Massive, a company the software giant acquired in May 2006. That acquisition essentially closed off the opportunity for other in-game ad brokers to sell inventory in games that run on its Xbox and Xbox 360 consoles -- and it elevated the bet they are placing on Sony.

Of course, one potential complication of an open philosophy is that, at least initially, Sony's decision will make in-game advertising harder to buy, as an advertiser could have to buy through as many as three different parties to place ads in a single game -- Massive for the title's Xbox version, another for dynamic ads in the version that runs on Sony's PS3 and a third for baked-in product placement in the game.

Sony signed a deal with Nielsen over the summer to measure in-game advertising. In October, it hired Darlene Kindler, a veteran of the video-game business who was most recently at AdScape, to oversee its in-game advertising efforts.

Source: AdAge