Battlefield - bad Company PlayStaion 3 and Xbox 360 coming in June

SPECIAL GOLD EDITION OFFERS FANS EXCLUSIVE CONTENT AT LAUNCH

Prepare for the gold rush! This summer, the blockbuster action event of the season will not be in theatres. EA DICE, a studio of Electronic Arts today announced that Battlefield: Bad Company will ship to retail outlets on June 23. Action fans and gamers worldwide will get their chance to join the ‘B’ company on exciting, sometimes irreverent, missions that take them through deserts, cities and mountain terrain to capture the spoils of war. Players will experience the tactical, destructive power in the deep single player campaign or go online for intense multiplayer action that only the Battlefield team can deliver.

For a limited time only, gamers will be able to purchase the Gold Edition of Battlefield: Bad Company. The Gold Edition pack features exclusive content with behind-the-scenes action and strategy videos giving Battlefield: Bad Company players tricks and tips on how to own the battlefield. The Gold Edition also gives gamers early access to five unique weapons that players can take into battle. These weapons can also be unlocked after the launch of the game by ranking up to the highest level in multiplayer mode.

“Players can forget about using walls as cover as we’ve fundamentally changed the way to play shooters offline and online through the use of tactical destruction,” says Karl-Magnus Troedsson, Senior Producer for Battlefield: Bad Company. “Players will get the chance to reap the spoils of war this summer as they annihilate the enemy and search for gold in the dark, character-driven, single player storyline while returning Battlefield fans will love the intense and vehicle heavy multiplayer.”

Naruto - Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2 - The Phantom Fortress a New Era Of Handheld Fighting

'Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2 - The Phantom Fortress' Brings New Era Of Handheld Fighting To Europe

Superior Hand Held Fighting Experience with Massive Adventure Coming to Europe in July 2008 for PSP (PlayStationPortable) System

Atari today announced the forthcoming European release of NAMCO BANDAI Games’ Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2: The Phantom Fortress for PSP (PlayStation Portable). The title utilizes the battle system of the PlayStation 2 Ultimate Ninja series, adding an exclusive storyline, full-blown battles with brand new jutsu and animation, and wireless multiplayer action to create a whole new Naruto adventure for PSP. Set in the Naruto universe popularised by the anime TV show currently on air across Europe, Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2: The Phantom Fortress is scheduled for release in July 2008.

A mysterious flying fortress has descended onto the Hidden Leaf Village. In the role of Naruto, the player must enter the fortress, uncover the hidden plot and unlock characters on the way up the 100 floors of the Phantom Fortress to ultimately defeat the enemy and unveil the explosive ending. Create teams of powerful ninja to aid you on your quest from over 20 of the most popular characters from the animated series, each with their unique Jutsu, combos and Special Techniques. The Secret Technique is a new battle system different to the special moves seen in previous Ultimate Ninja series which allows for faster, more explosive and intense action sequences unlike any other currently available on portable games. You can also power up your favourite characters to give you a winning edge in battle.



While staying faithful to the hugely popular anime, Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2: The Phantom Fortress boasts a completely new original adventure, plus co-op gameplay and multiplayer action. A choice of six thrilling gameplay modes ensures plenty of ninja ass-kicking battles. The deep single player MUGENJO Mode is filled with dramatic events, exciting movies and intriguing dialogue which let the player enjoy the story to the full. Other fun modes include the Naruto Points Mode for obtaining and viewing unlockable items and Wireless Battle Mode for challenging friends anytime, anywhere using the WLAN feature of PSP in six types of intense two-player battles using different team combinations.

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2: The Phantom Fortress for PSP is published by NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe SAS, distributed in Europe by Atari, and scheduled for European release in July 2008.

Penguins Mania 1.0, a simulator of a penguin

Meet The Penguins!

Total Gameplay Studio announces Penguins Mania 1.0, a simulator of a penguin life based on figure-clicking action. You are to look after penguins helping them to create a tribe. You'll also make friends with some nice pets and enjoy a compelling storyline.

Penguins Mania starts off with a sudden flee of a penguin tribe. The reason why they moved from their snug place is vague but they rushed so quickly that they left behind two eggs. These two newly-hatched penguins become the first characters that need your help. Your mission is to protect them from various hazards and give them food, so that after growing up they can hatch more eggs and repopulate the penguin colony. Along with restoration of the tribe, you will gradually reveal the story of your predecessors and know what they feared so much. All actions in the game are performed with clicks, so you can control all that's going with the mouse only.

Keeping penguins safe and sound may seem quite an easy task, but it is actually a very serious challenge. Penguins are very sensitive and if they don't eat for a while they die, so you have to catch fish and make sure they get one whenever they're hungry. But making them satisfied is only part of the job as penguins are exposed to many threats. Wild animals as well as cunning poachers may harm cute penguins and you mustn't let it happen by clicking on the appeared foes several times to scare them away. When penguins are okay and not hungry, they drop the so-called 'happy tokens' resembling gold coins that can be spent on hatching new penguins that will bring you more coins. In order to succeed, you must reach a certain number of gold coins.

Penguins Mania is divided into levels. Each following level needs more coins to collect, allows hatching new kind of penguin and opposes more serious enemies. To safeguard the colony, you can spend coins on acquiring new pet friends. Choosing out of 12 charming pets, you receive bonuses, for example, the dog guards penguins, the dolphin catches fishes, etc. Besides, there's a way to unlock a special kind of penguin, by clicking the right combination on the magic fish you collect. All the features turn the game into a diversified arcade puzzle where you have to use your wits, balancing between gold collecting, penguin protection and solving fish puzzles.

Penguins Mania offers an intriguing opportunity to follow the life of cute penguins from the moment they hatched till they become leaders of the colony. And there are trophies you can collect achieving different goals. What's more, there is the second game mode where you breed penguins in real-time for profit. In both modes the game is a great challenge for your reaction and attentiveness.

Pricing and Availability

Penguins Mania runs under all versions of Microsoft Windows and costs $19.50 (USD) for a single-user license. Licensed customers are entitled to the fully-functional version of the product, free technical support and free upgrades.

Bethesda Softworks Announces Fallout 3 Collector's Edition

Bethesda Softworks Announces Fallout 3 Collector's Edition

Fallout 3 Collector's Edition to be Available Worldwide

Bethesda Softworks, a ZeniMax Media company, officially announced today that it will release a special Fallout 3 collector’s edition worldwide for Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Games for Windows, and PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system. The limited collector’s edition is available for pre-order through participating retailers.



This premium Fallout 3 package, presented in a customized, metal Vault-Tec lunch box, includes the highly-anticipated game, a collectible 5” Vault-Tec Vault Boy Bobblehead, ‘The Art of Fallout 3’ hardcover book, featuring never-before-seen concept art and commentary from Bethesda Game Studios artists, and ‘The Making of Fallout 3’ DVD that includes an inside look at Bethesda Game Studios and the team behind the game.

“We’re very excited about this collector’s edition and believe it truly offers gamers an amazing mix of unique items from the Fallout universe, combined with a great behind-the-scenes look at what goes into developing such an immense title,” said Vlatko Andonov, president of Bethesda Softworks.

Fallout 3 features one of the most realized game worlds ever created. Create any kind of character you want and explore the open wastes of post-apocalyptic Washington, D.C. Every minute is a fight for survival as you encounter Super Mutants, Ghouls, Raiders, and other dangers of the Wasteland.

Currently under development at Bethesda Game Studios – creators of award winning The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, the 2006 Game of the Year – Fallout 3 is one of the most anticipated games of 2008 and is slated for release this Fall on Xbox 360, Games for Windows, and PLAYSTATION 3 system.

Commando - Steel Disaster on Nintendo DS

Commando: Steel Disaster Commando: Steel Disaster Release Date Slippage

Video games publisher Lexicon Entertainment today announce that the release date of Commando: Steel Disaster will be delayed until May 30th 2008.

Chris Allcroft, President of Publishing for Lexicon Entertainment explained the delay of the release “Unfortunately due to a busy period, manufacturing times are longer than anticipated and therefore we have had to slip the release date. We understand that there is a lot of demand for this product and we are working closely with Nintendo and our distributors to ensure the quickest turnaround of delivery possible”

As for the plot, you play as the heroic Storm who must put an end to an evil organisation called Rattlesnake. Of course, you get to do this with a range of heavy weaponry and Lexicon assures us there are plenty of different weapons and pick-ups - each with its own attack method and power. Plus, some guns can be used to find secret items.

Shoot, jump, throw and roll into action as you battle though each of the five missions and the two extra hidden mission. Each mission has various beautifully crafted environments all culminating in an epic boss fight.

Mow down wave after wave of animated enemy and use the various vehicles to destroy the enemy's gun ships and tanks in this extreme test of any gamers skill.

• Highly stylized graphics with slick animations
• Get behind the wheel of various vehicles
• Complex boss battles and 20 different types of enemy
• Pick up 10 different types of weaponry
• Destructible terrain and weather conditions
• Discover hidden missions and find the data disks

The most advanced graphical capabilities on the Nintendo Wii

High Voltage Software Provides Technical Innovation for the Nintendo Wii

High Voltage Software unveiled their latest gaming engine, Quantum3, which boasts the most advanced graphical capabilities on the Nintendo Wii.

Hoffman Estates, IL - April 19, 2008 - According to The Financial Times, the Nintendo Wii has become the sales leader of its generation. In fact, the system is so popular that even now it can be hard trying to purchase one. Yet, such success still doesn’t change the fact that it is lagging behind in software that pushes the system's hardware capabilities, especially in terms of its graphics and overall gaming technology.

High Voltage Software, a prominent video game developer, strives to change this trend by creating Nintendo Wii games that look like Xbox 360 or PS3 titles. It is one of the few developers able to accomplish such a feat, since others tend to concentrate more on the system’s unique style of gameplay.

"We think it's a real shame that publishers and developers aren't taking advantage of the technical possibilities of the Wii platform. Most Wii games don't even look as good as the later day PS2 titles and that's a real slap in the face to consumers. We believe that third-party developers need to step up to the plate and deliver. The Wii platform is capable of a lot more than what consumers have seen so far. We're hoping to raise a new bar." Noted Kerry Ganofsky, company CEO, in a recent IGN exclusive.

The proprietary engine used by High Voltage is called Quantum3, one of the most powerful in the industry. The culmination of 15 years development experience, the Quantum3 brings forth carefully architected game creation technology. For High Voltage Software this translates into quicker prototyping and easier content development.

For gamers Quantum3 means a better Wii experience. One can especially see the differences graphically. Through Quantum3, Wii games have better dynamic bump mapping, light effects, glossing and other visual improvements. And the reason why this is so is because Quantum3 uses a 16 TEV stage material pipeline that can blend up to 8 separate texture sources.

Quantum3 also uses advanced processing techniques to make gameplay smoother. Examples of some of these techniques include seamless resource streaming, projected shadows, morphing and much more. This is good news for fans of the Wii.

Several games have already used earlier iterations of the Quantum engine. These include The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, Ben 10: Protector of Earth and Harvey Birdman – Attorney at Law. High Voltage plans on releasing 5 Wii projects in the near future which will take advantage of the Quantum3 engine.

Record breaking games sales

Games Industry Applauds Latest Record Breaking Sales Figures; Government Urged To Offer Further Support

Trade body ELSPA welcomes Q1 games sales but implores Government to lend greater support for one of the UK's most successful industries

Following the announcement that the UK video games market hit a new all-time high for its first quarter results, ELSPA (the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association) has called on Government to significantly increase its support for one of the UK's most successful entertainment industries. The figures, released in a report just published by analysts ChartTrack on behalf of ELSPA, which monitors the UK games industry’s retail sales by providing official statistics on its business, revealed that retailers have turned over £418.4million across all software for the period 30th December to 29th March, with 17.89million units sold. Video games and home office software were up a third in value compared to last year’s figures of £317million market value and unit sales 15.62million.

Nintendo again proved to be the biggest winner by securing 37 per cent of all unit sales for Wii and DS games with the PC and Xbox 360 notching up third and fourth place respectively. Sega’s Mario and Sonic at the Olympics sold the most units over first quarter period.

The interactive entertainment industry has already financially exceeded such well-established entertainment industries as film box office, television and music and is rapidly closing in on home DVD sales. As has been the case for several years, prospects for the UK development and publishing sector are tougher now than ever, lacking as they do the sort of tax breaks and other financial incentives afforded to their counterparts in countries such as France and Canada (and offered for film production in the UK).

Paul Jackson, Director General of ELSPA, said: "We are thrilled to see the industry continue to grow at such a rapid rate and video game sales continuing to rise. This period has seen more innovative and family-friendly titles doing well and it is clear that consumers of all ages have been lining up to buy them. But this only paints one side of the picture, however.

“The UK continues to blaze a trail in terms of creativity yet over the last few years it is becoming apparent that some talent is being lured away by more attractive prospects overseas. As it stands, the UK is already down to fourth place from third as the world’s creative centre for games. It is time the Government recognised the massive financial contribution we make to the UK economy, especially when compared to the film, TV and music industries today. We call for a level playing field in terms of incentive and support. We would like to see a pledge from the Government that encourages investment in our development studios and talent at home.”

Midway Unveils Mortal Kombat v DC Universe

Worlds Collide As Midway Unveils Mortal Kombat v DC Universe

A Pair of Billion-Dollar Franchises Collide as MK Warriors Battle DC Superheroes for the First Time Ever

Midway Games, a leading interactive entertainment software publisher and developer, today announced Mortal Kombat v DC Universe, licensed by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. When a cataclysmic force merges conquerors from two universes, conflict is inevitable. Kombat forces friends to fight, worlds to collide, and unlikely alliances to be forged. In order to save all they know, the heroes and villains of Mortal Kombat must wage war against the combined might of the DC Universe (DCU). How can either side prevail when rage blinds them to the dark threat poised to destroy them all?

For the first time ever Scorpion, Sub Zero and the warriors from Midway's billion-dollar fighting franchise face off against Batman, Superman and other iconic and powerful DC Super Heroes, featuring signature attacks for both sides and a unique and intertwining storyline, written as a collaboration between the Mortal Kombat creative team and top comic scribes Jimmy Palmiotti (Painkiller Jane, Marvel Nights, Jonah Hex, 21 Down) and Justin Gray (Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight, JLA Classified, Punisher Red X-Mas, The Resistance) MK v DCU is slated to ship for the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft in Fall 2008.

"It is a truly unique and extremely exciting effort to be teaming up with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Comics for the first Mortal Kombat game on next generation platforms," said Ed Boon, co-creator and executive producer for Mortal Kombat at Midway Amusement Games. "The DC Universe characters are some of the most popular and enduring characters in the world. By combining them with the Mortal Kombat mythology, all new gameplay modes and features, plus a completely unique storyline crafted by top comic writers, players will now be able to answer the question: what would happen if Batman fought Sub Zero?"

"Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe will provide a wide audience of fans and gamers match-ups of their favorite characters in battles like they've never experienced before," said Scott Johnson, Vice President, Business Development for Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. "Midway's new Mortal Kombat gameplay paired with DC Comics' popular characters will offer players a multitude of combat options and incredible face offs."

"For the first time, players will be able to go toe to toe with DC and MK characters in both arena and story mode," said John Nee, Senior Vice President, Business Development for DC Comics. "We've worked very closely with Midway to bring an authentic DCU flavor to their Kombat and the result features our characters like they've never been seen before."


About MK v DCU

For the first time ever Scorpion, Sub-Zero and the Mortal Kombat warriors battle with Batman, Superman and other popular DC Universe Super Heroes. Choose your side and challenge your opponents with a new fighting system including Freefall Kombat and Klose Kombat along with dynamic multi-tiered environments. Plus, pick your favorite character from MK or DCU and pursue a fighting adventure in the new single player mode with an intertwined storyline and two unique perspectives.

In development at Midway Amusement Games in Chicago, Mortal Kombat v DC Universe is not yet rated by PEGI or ESRB.

Unreal Tournament 3 coming to Xbox 360 this Summer

Midway And Epic Games Announce Unreal Tournament 3 Coming To Xbox 360 This Summer

Award-Winning and Top-Selling Epic Franchise Brings New Characters and Content to Xbox 360

Midway Games, a leading interactive entertainment software publisher and developer, and world renowned developer Epic Games Inc., today announced that the highly anticipated and award-winning, first-person shooter Unreal Tournament 3 is scheduled to ship for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft in Summer 2008. Utilizing Epic's world class Unreal Engine 3, Unreal Tournament 3 will feature two new characters, five new expansive maps and split screen capability, all exclusive to Xbox 360. Unreal Tournament 3 has already shipped more than one million units worldwide for the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system and Windows PC.

"We're very excited to be bringing Unreal Tournament 3 to Xbox 360," said Mark Rein, vice president, Epic Games. "Whether playing against our fantastic AI 'bots' or playing online with friends over Xbox LIVE, UT3 is a great fast-paced game with spectacular environments, weaponry and vehicles. Its comprehensive multiplayer offerings are truly going to shine on Xbox LIVE."

"We are extremely happy to expect to put Unreal Tournament 3 in the hands of Xbox 360 owners this summer," said Mona Hamilton, vice president of marketing, Midway Home Entertainment. "The PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system and PC versions have shipped over a million units worldwide thus far, and soon Xbox 360 owners will be able to experience FPS action at its best with Unreal Tournament 3, complete with new characters, new maps and split screen capability."

Unreal Tournament 3 is currently available worldwide for the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system and Windows-based PC.

Majesty 2 – The Fantasy Kingdom Sim announced

- A legend returns...

Globally renowned publisher Paradox Interactive, is proud to announce that, having acquired the license for the much loved Majesty brand, will be releasing a long hoped for sequel in 2009.

Majesty 2 – The Fantasy Kingdom Sim will focus on reinventing many aspects of the original game, updating the franchise for the 21st Century. A key element that will permeate the game is the charm and humor of the original Majesty.

"This is by far the biggest release from Paradox to date and it is sure to become one of the most anticipated titles of 2009", said Fredrik Wester, Executive Vice President for Paradox Interactive. "Our aim is to release a fantastic game that not only encourages existing fans to renew their passion for the series, but also to reach out to the broader gaming community that has grown so much since the original was released", he continued.

"It's the height of any developers dream to work with such a cherished Triple A franchise with so many fans worldwide and such a unique position in the gaming industry", said Alexey Kozyrev, CEO 1C:Ino-Co. "As a team we have reached the level of skills and acknowledgement in the international arena to be worthy of such a task."

Majesty 2 – The Fantasy Kindom Sim is scheduled for release during Q1 2009 for the PC platform.

About Majesty 2 – The Fantasy Kingdom Sim

Majesty the game has sold millions of copies worldwide and made true believers out of a whole generation of RTS gamers. Paradox Interactive and 1C:Ino-Co studios are now teaming up for the sequel in this beloved series and promises to take the wishes of existing and future fans into consideration.

Majesty 2 – The Fantasy Kingdom Sim will follow closely in the footsteps of the original game as well as bringing all key elements up to date. The charm and humor that made fans out millions of gamers worldwide will remain at the core of the title along with the indirect control aspect of the game.