Turbine, Inc. and Codemasters Online announced the details of the fifth content update for subscribers to The Lord of the Rings Online™: Shadows of Angmar™. Book 13: Doom of the Last-king continues the epic story of The Lord of the Rings Online, adds an entire new region to the world of Middle-earth, a new Monster Play class and the introduction of the hobby system. Book 13: Doom of the Last-king is available now to subscribers of The Lord of the Rings Online in North America and Europe.
“The Lord of the Rings Online has grown dramatically in scale, content and the size of our community in its first year of operation,” said Jim Crowley, president and CEO of Turbine, Inc. “We’ve received a very positive response from players about the new region of Forochel and the long-awaited addition of fishing that adds an entirely new level of fun and enjoyment to the game. It’s been an incredible first year and we are hard at work finishing up Book 14 slated for release this summer. All of us are very excited for our journey this fall into the Mines of Moria.”
"We have seen a huge increase in overall players over the last few months as more people than ever move to Middle-earth", said David Solari Vice President of Codemasters Online. "After a fantastic first year we look forward to continued momentum as more and more people try this incredible game".
NEW FEATURES:
New Region – In the far, frozen north of Eriador lies Forochel, a land unlike any other in Middle-earth. This new region lets players see the ocean for the first time and introduces several new temperature based landscape effects. Players will need to be mindful of the cold due to a new damage type – frost. Frost will slowly damage their character until they find a source of warmth in the form of shelter or a campfire.
New Faction – Beneath the brooding skies of Forochel dwell the hardy tribes known as the Lossoth. Suspicious of outsiders, they have long warred against other folk – especially the Guaredain, bloodthirsty wolf-loving barbarians in league with the forces of Angmar. Players can earn favor with the Lossoth by helping them in the struggle against their ancient enemy in this latest addition to The Lord of the Rings Online’s (LOTRO) reputation system. Lossoth reputation rewards include unique armor sets, weapons, a new mount, housing decorations, and class specific items
Introducing the Defiler — The first new class for Monster Players debuts in Book 13. The Defiler is a healer that will round out any War Band in their quest to dominate the Ettenmoors. The Defiler uses new healing skills such as Fertile Slime and Fungal Bloom to aid its party in battle and has a host of new Debuff skills including Curse of the Lethargic Heart to defeat their enemies.
The Hobby System — The player hobby system is introduced in Book 13. Fishing is the first hobby being introduced in LOTRO. From the Midgewater Marshes to the Shores of Evendim, players will find fishing to be a relaxing, entertaining and beneficial pastime. Players can earn deeds and traits as they improve their fishing prowess and captured fish can be used to cook in recipes or be mounted as trophies in a player’s house.
The Epic Continues! — At Elrond’s urging, players venture into the frozen wastes of the north to continue Laerdan’s search for the remnants of the ring Narchuil. Aided by the Snowmen of Forochel, players will uncover the fate of an ancestor of Aragorn and strive to thwart the terrible aims of Angmar.
Over 100 New Quests — The story continues for players as they aid the Fellowship and encounter new adventures in Middle-earth.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Grand Theft Auto IV - UK's day one sales record broken with 609,000 copies shifted in 24 hours
Grand Theft Auto IV has broken all previous records – selling an estimated 609,000 units
ELSPA, the Entertainment Leisure Software Publishers’ Association, today reports that day one sales of Rockstar Games’ hugely anticipated Grand Theft Auto IV for Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 have comfortably eclipsed the previous record set by GTA: San Andreas in 2004. Tuesday 29th April sell through for Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 reached 609,000 units - comfortably beating the previous record: GTA: San Andreas for PS2, which sold 501,000 units on Friday 29th October, 2004.
“The scale of GTA’s day one sales are phenomenal and reflect a vibrant market which continues to grow. Gamers are from all age groups and demographics with estimates putting the total number of people in the UK who enjoy games at over 20 million,” said ELSPA managing director, Mike Rawlinson.
All-time No1
Initial Day 1 'GTA: San Andreas' PS2 was Friday 29th October, 2004 at 501K units.
GTA IV combined PS3/360 (All formats record)
Initial Day 1 sales are estimated at 609K units for Tuesday 29th April which is a new record.
Xbox 360
Microsoft's 'Halo 3' launched on Wed 26th Sep07 and the day 1 sales were 266K units.
The new 24 hour record is 'GTA IV' which on initial estimates recorded 335K units on Day 1, Tuesday 29th April.
PS3
The previous record has been well and truly eclipsed. This was set recently by Sony's 'Gran Turismo 5: Prologue' launched on Friday 28th March with Day 1 sales of 80K.
The new 24 hour record is 'GTA IV' which on initial estimates recorded 274K units on Day 1, Tuesday 29th April.
ELSPA, the Entertainment Leisure Software Publishers’ Association, today reports that day one sales of Rockstar Games’ hugely anticipated Grand Theft Auto IV for Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 have comfortably eclipsed the previous record set by GTA: San Andreas in 2004. Tuesday 29th April sell through for Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 reached 609,000 units - comfortably beating the previous record: GTA: San Andreas for PS2, which sold 501,000 units on Friday 29th October, 2004.
“The scale of GTA’s day one sales are phenomenal and reflect a vibrant market which continues to grow. Gamers are from all age groups and demographics with estimates putting the total number of people in the UK who enjoy games at over 20 million,” said ELSPA managing director, Mike Rawlinson.
All-time No1
Initial Day 1 'GTA: San Andreas' PS2 was Friday 29th October, 2004 at 501K units.
GTA IV combined PS3/360 (All formats record)
Initial Day 1 sales are estimated at 609K units for Tuesday 29th April which is a new record.
Xbox 360
Microsoft's 'Halo 3' launched on Wed 26th Sep07 and the day 1 sales were 266K units.
The new 24 hour record is 'GTA IV' which on initial estimates recorded 335K units on Day 1, Tuesday 29th April.
PS3
The previous record has been well and truly eclipsed. This was set recently by Sony's 'Gran Turismo 5: Prologue' launched on Friday 28th March with Day 1 sales of 80K.
The new 24 hour record is 'GTA IV' which on initial estimates recorded 274K units on Day 1, Tuesday 29th April.
FINAL FANTASY XI 2008 Edition Released In May
Includes Wings of the Goddess expansion
Square Enix Ltd., the publisher of Square Enix interactive entertainment products in Europe and other PAL territories, today announces the forthcoming release of FINAL FANTASY XI 2008 Edition, available from 23rd May.
FINAL FANTASY XI takes you into the world of Vana'diel during the aftermath of a great war, as you answer a desperate call to defend your people. In this first ever cross-platform massively multiplayer online game, you'll unite with other warriors as they save their world from utter destruction.
The brand-new 2008 Edition available for both Windows and Xbox 360 contains all four expansion packs, Rise of the Zilart, Chains of Promathia, Treasures of Aht Urghan and the latest expansion pack Wings of the Goddess.
John Yamamoto, president and chief executive officer of Square Enix Ltd. comments, "The world of FINAL FANTASY XI continues to grow with both new content and new players. FINAL FANTASY XI 2008 Edition allows interested players to join the adventure with the bonus of all the expansion pack content. I hope many more players enjoy and experience the exciting world of Vana'diel and all that FINAL FANTASY XI has to offer."
About WINGS OF THE GODDESS
About FINAL FANTASY XI
FINAL FANTASY XI was originally released on May 2002. In October 2003 the title was released in North America and the European release followed in September 2004.
FINAL FANTASY XI is the first MMORPG capable of simultaneous multiplayer action across three different platforms, allowing players worldwide to combine forces on Windows, PlayStation®2 (North America and Japan only) and Xbox 360.
FINAL FANTASY XI players from all over the world can unite in one gaming universe in a community of more than 500,000 players, and 1.7 million characters.
March 2007 saw the introduction of the French and German language versions of FINAL FANTASY XI creating an influx of new players. Those already playing will tell you this has added to a vibrant multi-cultural online community.
FINAL FANTASY XI is the first ever MMORPG for Microsoft's Xbox 360.
Square Enix Ltd., the publisher of Square Enix interactive entertainment products in Europe and other PAL territories, today announces the forthcoming release of FINAL FANTASY XI 2008 Edition, available from 23rd May.
FINAL FANTASY XI takes you into the world of Vana'diel during the aftermath of a great war, as you answer a desperate call to defend your people. In this first ever cross-platform massively multiplayer online game, you'll unite with other warriors as they save their world from utter destruction.
The brand-new 2008 Edition available for both Windows and Xbox 360 contains all four expansion packs, Rise of the Zilart, Chains of Promathia, Treasures of Aht Urghan and the latest expansion pack Wings of the Goddess.
John Yamamoto, president and chief executive officer of Square Enix Ltd. comments, "The world of FINAL FANTASY XI continues to grow with both new content and new players. FINAL FANTASY XI 2008 Edition allows interested players to join the adventure with the bonus of all the expansion pack content. I hope many more players enjoy and experience the exciting world of Vana'diel and all that FINAL FANTASY XI has to offer."
About WINGS OF THE GODDESS
- New Combat Features:
- An all-new "Allied Campaign" system will allow players to take part in large-scale battles and explore new special dungeons
- New Areas:
- New settings further expand the vast world of Vana'diel
- Mog House Guests:
- Players will be able to invite their friends to their Mog Houses, showing their personalised furniture and special items. It is a new way to talk about past adventures and future plans in an entirely customised setting.
- New Jobs: Dancer and Scholar
- New Monsters
About FINAL FANTASY XI
FINAL FANTASY XI was originally released on May 2002. In October 2003 the title was released in North America and the European release followed in September 2004.
FINAL FANTASY XI is the first MMORPG capable of simultaneous multiplayer action across three different platforms, allowing players worldwide to combine forces on Windows, PlayStation®2 (North America and Japan only) and Xbox 360.
FINAL FANTASY XI players from all over the world can unite in one gaming universe in a community of more than 500,000 players, and 1.7 million characters.
March 2007 saw the introduction of the French and German language versions of FINAL FANTASY XI creating an influx of new players. Those already playing will tell you this has added to a vibrant multi-cultural online community.
FINAL FANTASY XI is the first ever MMORPG for Microsoft's Xbox 360.
GUITAR HERO AIR GUITAR ROCKERTM AT 2008 CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW
Jada Toys, Inc. unveiled today at the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the Guitar Hero Air Guitar Rocker, an innovative electronic toy based on Activision, Inc.’s (Nasdaq: ATVI) blockbuster video game franchise, Guitar Hero®. With this new toy, consumers are able to unlock their inner rock star anywhere and jam to five famous tracks, as well as five original Air Guitar Rocker™ freestyle riffs. Available in stores in March 2008 for a suggested retail price of $29.99, the Guitar Hero Air Guitar Rocker will be on hand for demonstrations at CES in the Jada Toys, Inc. booth # 72349 at the Sands Hotel Convention Center.
“Jada has a stellar reputation of delivering high quality, trend-setting toys,” said Charles Huang, vice president of business development at Activision/RedOctane. “The Air Guitar Rocker is a unique product that captures the attitude of the Guitar Hero franchise perfectly, allowing rock fans and air guitar enthusiasts the opportunity to jam at will to some of the greatest guitar riffs of all-time.”
The Guitar Hero Air Guitar Rocker features patented technology which includes guitar pics and a rockin’ belt buckle that, when connected to a wearable, mini-amplifier, allows run-of-the-mill rock fans to transform into legendary guitarists. With an air guitar in hand, the user waves the pic over the belt buckle to determine the tempo of the song. The product comes with an Air Cartridge™ that features 10 guitar riffs, ranging in skill level from 1-5, including “Iron Man,” “Smoke on the Water,” “Ace of Spades,” “You Really Got Me,” “More Than a Feeling,” and five original Air Guitar Rocker freestyle riffs. Users are encouraged to listen to the demo tracks, then try to master the riffs on their own. The product can also be connected to external speakers to really rock the house!
“Jada’s motto is ‘Keeping It Real’ and we’re confident we did just that with the Guitar Hero Air Guitar Rocker,” said Jack Li, chief executive officer of Jada Toys, Inc. “Our innovative product pays homage to the great Guitar Hero brand by extending the fantasy of being a rock star to an exciting new format.”
The Guitar Hero Air Guitar Rocker will be available at retailers nationwide in March for a suggested retail price of $29.99. In the months following launch, Jada will introduce new buckles and new Air Cartridges, featuring more legendary heavy metal and new 80’s rock riff assortments.
“Jada has a stellar reputation of delivering high quality, trend-setting toys,” said Charles Huang, vice president of business development at Activision/RedOctane. “The Air Guitar Rocker is a unique product that captures the attitude of the Guitar Hero franchise perfectly, allowing rock fans and air guitar enthusiasts the opportunity to jam at will to some of the greatest guitar riffs of all-time.”
The Guitar Hero Air Guitar Rocker features patented technology which includes guitar pics and a rockin’ belt buckle that, when connected to a wearable, mini-amplifier, allows run-of-the-mill rock fans to transform into legendary guitarists. With an air guitar in hand, the user waves the pic over the belt buckle to determine the tempo of the song. The product comes with an Air Cartridge™ that features 10 guitar riffs, ranging in skill level from 1-5, including “Iron Man,” “Smoke on the Water,” “Ace of Spades,” “You Really Got Me,” “More Than a Feeling,” and five original Air Guitar Rocker freestyle riffs. Users are encouraged to listen to the demo tracks, then try to master the riffs on their own. The product can also be connected to external speakers to really rock the house!
“Jada’s motto is ‘Keeping It Real’ and we’re confident we did just that with the Guitar Hero Air Guitar Rocker,” said Jack Li, chief executive officer of Jada Toys, Inc. “Our innovative product pays homage to the great Guitar Hero brand by extending the fantasy of being a rock star to an exciting new format.”
The Guitar Hero Air Guitar Rocker will be available at retailers nationwide in March for a suggested retail price of $29.99. In the months following launch, Jada will introduce new buckles and new Air Cartridges, featuring more legendary heavy metal and new 80’s rock riff assortments.
Rollin' Rascals - an Addictive New Pet Puzzler For Nintendo DS
Round up the lost residents of Kololo Kingdom and return them home in Rollin' Rascals, a puzzle game for Nintendo DS™ announced today by Majesco Entertainment Company (NASDAQ: COOL), an innovative provider of video games for the mass market. Developed by Hoget, Rollin' Rascals challenges players to reunite matching pairs of adorable critters-from pandas to puppies to pigs-by rolling them around obstacles and into each other to clear the game board of pets before time runs out.
"Rollin' Rascals is as charming as it is addictive; just a few rolls around the game board is enough to hook you on this easy-to-play little puzzler that gamers of all ages will enjoy," said Gui Karyo, Executive Vice President of Operations, Majesco.
The animals of Kololo Kingdom have been kidnapped and the only person who can bring them home is you! Featuring endearing round friends with a surprising amount of things to say, Rollin' Rascals wins players over with multiple difficulty levels across four modes of nonstop puzzle play: Attack, Challenge, Battle and the bonus Kololohouse mode that lets players create their own custom critter dwelling. Players can earn currency in both Challenge and Attack modes, which they can then use to shop for furniture and goods in Kololohouse mode. More competitive gamers can go head-to-head with a friend in the intense Battle mode and be the first to send all of their cuddly creatures home!
Rollin' Rascals is expected to ship this July for $19.99.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Fatal Inertia EX Coming To PLAYSTATION 3 In May 2008
KOEI, recognized worldwide as the premier brand of strategy and action games, today announced that Fatal Inertia EX will be available at the end of May 2008 exclusively on PLAYSTATION Network, and only for PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system.
“We’re really excited about what we’ve accomplished with Fatal Inertia EX,” said Mike Bond, lead game designer for Fatal Inertia EX. “Gamers will be amazed by all of the improvements we’ve made. Fatal Inertia EX is a faster, more visually-captivating experience packed with new content not found in the original.”
Fatal Inertia EX features a never-before-seen environment exclusive to the PLAYSTATION 3 system. Situated amidst scorching desert dunes, the Fatal Inertia Proving Grounds is a mecca for aspiring flight jocks driven to prepare themselves for the mental and physical punishment of low-altitude combat maneuvering. Along with offering a restructured training curriculum, the Proving Grounds are also home to the game’s eight new tracks.
A re-tuned flight model improves handling and achieves higher speeds than previously seen. Flight controls take advantage of the DUALSHOCK 3 wireless controller and give the optional use of SIXAXIS motion sensing technology. The game’s newly-added “Master” level Quick Races will push the fastest men and women to their limit.
Fatal Inertia EX delivers heightened visuals which include new weather effects, significant scenery enhancements, and an overhauled garage for racecraft customization. Spread across 59 courses in seven exotic high-definition environments including lush rainforests, massive glacier fields, and canyons of razor-sharp rock, the beauty of Fatal Inertia EX could easily mask the harrowing thrills in this high-speed contest of champions.
JoWooD/DreamCatcher Announce Drivers Ed Portable
DreamCatcher Games and JoWooD Productions, leading worldwide publishers and distributors of interactive entertainment software, today announced the development of Drivers Ed Portable for the Nintendo DS system. The game will allow teens worldwide to prepare for the written portion of their driver’s licence examination, customized to the country, state or province in which they live.
“Nintendo DS is proving to be an exceptional platform for delivering all types of content, not just traditional games,” says Brian Gladman, Global Product Marketing Manager at DreamCatcher. “Everyone needs to study for their driving test, and we’re confident lots of teens will enjoy having a fun way to study the material on a platform they are comfortable with.”
Drivers Ed Portable will feature two modes: Test and Train. Test mode will include sample tests for the written part of the driver’s license examination for all 50 US states, 13 Canadian provinces and territories, as well as Spain, Italy, France, Germany and the United Kingdom. User progress will be tracked, so the player will know where they need to improve their study in order to be successful in their actual test. Train mode will include three fun and educational mini-games targeted to new drivers.
Drivers Ed Portable will be available for Fall 2008.
Edna & Harvey: The Breakout - Official Website Launched
Edna & Harvey, stars of the upcoming point & click extravaganza Edna & Harvey: The Breakout, have broken loose and are now conquering the web via their new online home at http://edna.daedalic.de/?lang=en. Fans of zany adventure game exploits will find all news and information on the 2D comic adventure from Daedalic Entertainment, as well as screenshots, wallpapers, videos, audios samples and much more.
In Edna & Harvey: The Breakout, Edna wakes up in the padded cell of an insane asylum with no memory of her past or how she ended up there. Only one thing is for certain: She has been wrongfully imprisoned and will have to escape! After all, she feels entirely sane – and her speaking stuffed toy bunny Harvey wholeheartedly agrees. Together they undertake a daring breakout attempt, meeting up with numerous oddball inmates, like the Man in the Bee’s Costume or Siamese twins Hoti and Moti. But Dr. Marcel, the sinister head of the institute, will do everything in his power to stop Edna. What evil scheme is afoot? Slowly Edna begins to regain her memories of the past…
Edna & Harvey: The Breakout is a point & click adventure game in the vein of the genre’s classics. Backgrounds and characters are completely 2D and drawn by hand by a real person in the game’s unique cartoon style. The game’s characters range from odd to genuinely crazy – twisted humor guaranteed! Thanks to challenging puzzles, extensive dialogues and more than 120 screens, gamers can look forward to an extraordinarily long gameplay experience.
Edna & Harvey: The Breakout is set to be released in Germany, Austria and Switzerland in May 2008 with additional territories to follow.
Future boosts events roster with PC Gamer Showdown
Future, the UK’s leading games media company, today announced its latest live games event, PC Gamer Showdown – a brand-new LAN tournament, bringing together the UK’s best PC gamers to compete for big cash prizes!
The UK’s bestselling PC games magazine launches PC Gamer Showdown on Thursday, 1st May, with registration open at the website, http://www.pcgamershowdown.com. Gamers can enter the online leagues and play games, including Counter-Strike, Team Fortress 2 and many more to be announced through the summer months.
The website also offers gamers the chance to buy tickets to take part in the live finals, which round off PC Gamer Showdown, against those who have qualified through the summer-long online series. The exciting event, powered by LAN experts Multiplay, takes place at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire on the weekend of September 27th and 28th , where more than 500 gamers will come together to battle it out on well-known LAN favourites to walk off with a slice of PC Gamer’s cold hard cash. More information is available at http://www.pcgamershowdown.com.
PC Gamer Showdown will also bring together many of the PC games industry’s biggest hitters, thanks to 1500 sq metres of exhibition space, offering publishers the chance to exhibit their forthcoming games, and retailers to sell computer hardware and other goods.
The PC Gamer Showdown tournament marks a further step in the development of Future’s multi-platform games media portfolio – across print, online and live events, which now attracts more than 6.5m dedicated gamers a month.
Ross Atherton, Editor of PC Gamer, said:
“There’s no better way to connect with our readers than organising an event where they can play their favourite games on a high-speed network, win huge cash prizes, meet us and each other, and generally have an awesome time doing what they love.”
Publisher of PC Gamer, Richard Keith added:
“Future wants PC Gamer Showdown to become the UK’s ultimate LAN tournament – a three month online search to find our greatest PC gamers, with a fantastic live event to round it all off and crown the UK’s best. Thanks to the strength and reach of Future’s games media portfolio, we can communicate this to a vast audience of gamers. The event is quickly taking shape, thanks to the support of Multiplay. There are some fantastic online and event sponsorship opportunities for the industry to get involved with the LAN tournament everyone will be talking about.”
For more information about PC Gamer Showdown, please visit – http://www.pcgamershowdown.com
Capcom Entertainment joins GamersGate
GamersGate, a leading PC digital download portal, announced today that Capcom Entertainment will be making some of its upcoming games available for digital download on the platform.
The initial titles planned for release include the swashbuckling RTS game Plunder, action title Bionic Commando - Rearmed and a wide selection of other PC titles in the Capcom Entertainment portfolio.
"The upcoming Capcom Entertainment titles are a perfect fit for our target group and a welcome addition to our growing portfolio, said Susana Meza, Director of Marketing on GamersGate. "We are very happy to introduce such a well-reputed publisher to our increasingly popular service"
"Capcom Entertainment is putting a lot of emphasis behind creating exciting, quality games for the digital space," said Christian Svensson, vice president, business development, Capcom Entertainment, Inc. "GamersGate provides an excellent platform for enabling our core customers to have direct, immediate access to some of our best, freshest PC content."
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