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Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Mortal Kombat - Midway cut 25 percent of staff

Midway Games, the video-game maker sold this month by Sumner Redstone, will eliminate 25 percent of its work force and suspend development of some titles to scale back expenses as the company works to repay creditors.

Midway, based in Chicago, will have severance costs of about $1.6 million for 180 workers and will close its Austin, Texas, studio, according to a regulatory filing today. The suspended games were planned for release in 2010 or 2011 and hadn’t been announced publicly, according to a Midway statement.

Redstone announced on Dec. 1 the sale of his 87 percent stake in the maker of the “Mortal Kombat” video games for $100,000. Following that move, Midway said owners of $150 million of its debt may demand repayment. The company said today it will have about $20 million in costs related to the accelerated repurchase of its 6 percent and 7.25 percent notes.

“Midway has cash issues, has debt to repay in January, and has to conserve its cash as much as possible,” Michael Pachter, a Los Angeles-based analyst for Wedbush Morgan Securities, said in an e-mail. “These steps should have been expected, however unfortunate.

Midway rose 3 cents, or 16 percent, to 22 cents at 4:01 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. It has fallen 92 percent this year.

Redstone, 85, is chairman of CBS Corp. and Viacom Inc. A drop in their shares this year triggered debt covenants at the family holding company, National Amusements Inc., that forced him to sell $233 million in nonvoting stock of the New York- based media companies.

The sale of Midway will give National Amusements tax losses of more than $800 million, a person familiar with the matter said at the time. A portion of those losses can be used to offset taxable income in the future, the person said.

Source: Bloomberg

Grand Theft Auto IV patch needs patched...

After the release of the long awaited patch for Grand Theft Auto IV was released to fix a number of bugs, Rockstar have admitted that the patch has caused other problems.

The patch has caused problems with controllers (mouse, keyboard and Xbox windows controllers).

Rockstar have posted this on their forum here...

Damnation the video game - Fact Sheet

Billed as a ‘shooter gone vertical’ and visually inspired by iconic elements of American history, these massive streaming landscapes will form the battlegrounds for a post-industrial conflict between humanity and an unstoppable arms dealer hell-bent on total world domination.

Players will be able to choose their own paths and navigate the world by performing daredevil feats on the edge of human ability. However, players aren’t the only ones with mind-blowing acrobatic skills; intelligent enemies will give chase and engage players in frantic gun fights and attacks that can come from any direction – in Damnation’s world there’s no safe place to hide.

With up to three hours of actual gameplay stretching out in front of them per level, players will need more than just muscle power to get across each level safely. Damnation will offer players a selection of awe-inspiring vehicles, from motorbikes capable of launching across seemingly infinite chasms, to huge, armour-piercing marvels that will induce mayhem with every huge shell.

The high action will be supported with an epic and in-depth story which, while focusing on the exploits of the hero character Rourke, is truly an ensemble piece. Players will meet and become involved in intricate story plots that reveal much more than the obvious.

In addition to the single player experience, Damnation comes complete with a unique set of multiplayer options that take full advantage of the game’s expansive levels.

Evolving the shooter genre with its unique and exhilarating combination of fluid action and combat, Damnation will feature huge, open environments, frenetic combat, daredevil acrobatics and high-octane vehicle-based stunts. Presenting players with an intense test of reflexes, quick thinking and rapid-fire conflict, Damnation will feature vast, breathtaking landscapes, each covering miles of distance and thousands of vertical feet.

Billed as a ‘shooter gone vertical’ and visually inspired by iconic elements of American history, these massive streaming landscapes will form the battlegrounds for a post-industrial conflict between humanity and an unstoppable arms dealer hell-bent on total world domination.

Players will be able to choose their own paths and navigate the world by performing daredevil feats on the edge of human ability. However, players aren’t the only ones with mind-blowing acrobatic skills; intelligent enemies will give chase and engage players in frantic gun fights and attacks that can come from any direction – in Damnation’s world there’s no safe place to hide.

With up to three hours of actual gameplay stretching out in front of them per level, players will need more than just muscle power to get across each level safely. Damnation will offer players a selection of awe-inspiring vehicles, from motorbikes capable of launching across seemingly infinite chasms, to huge, armour-piercing marvels that will induce mayhem with every huge shell.

The high action will be supported with an epic and in-depth story which, while focusing on the exploits of the hero character Rourke, is truly an ensemble piece. Players will meet and become involved in intricate story plots that reveal much more than the obvious.

In addition to the single player experience, Damnation comes complete with a unique set of multiplayer options that take full advantage of the game’s expansive levels.

Runes of Magic - Taborea population exceeds 100,000 in first day

The start of Runes of Magic’s open beta phase exceeded all expectations of publisher Frogster significantly. Over 100,000 characters were created in the first hours and are now populating the world of Taborea. Technically the start went smooth despite the heavy rush of players. Due to the high number of players, Frogster opened an additional game world on Monday afternoon. The international community now is spread over seven servers – even though Runes of Magic is only in the early stages of the open beta phase.

In the past few hours Frogster also noted a significant increase in registration numbers. Out of the total number of 220,000 registrations, more than 20,000 Accounts were created on Monday alone and immediately entered the game world: more than 2 million quests were completed in over 200,000 hours of combined playing time in the game world of Taborea. These numbers underline the relevance of quests and immersive background story in the MMORPG developed by Runewaker Entertainment.

"We will systematically analyse the feedback of the high number of players in the coming weeks and use it to give Runes of Magic the final polish for the official release in the first quarter of 2009," welcomed Daniel Ullrich, Director of Product Management, the active participation of the players. The beta is now open to all interested players and the game can be downloaded free of charge after a short registration on www.runesofmagic.com.

SACRED 2 Fallen Angel: Content update including beta version of SACRED 2 network

extensive content update, including the beta version of the long-desired SACRED 2 network, for the popular action RPG. The holiday update (620 MB) will be published on December 17, 2008.

The update is packed with new features such as new armour, a brand new snow region, a whopping 20 new opponents and spectacular new weapons. In addition, a completely new series of quests guarantees tons of gaming fun and provides a special set of armour specifically designed to get you into the festive spirit. Naturally, many game details were improved as well, making for an even better gaming experience.

The first beta version of the SACRED 2 network includes an extensive ladder and highscore ranking system allowing you to compare your own performance to that of other community members. You can even win ranks and orders, and legendary characters are immortalized in a Heroes' Cemetery and a Hall of Fame. You can also use the social network to create your own profile then contact other users, make new friends, or arrange some multiplayer sessions.

Tincat, the flexible multiplayer engine from Arvato Systems, makes it possible to export all information belonging to a game character to the SACRED 2 network, and view it there. This allows players to compare character and guild information, and to view multiple highscore lists, making for additional long-term motivation.

Thanks to the SACRED 2 auto-update feature, the holiday update will be automatically installed when the game is launched. You can also download the patch via a specially created landing page.

New Content:

A new area for exploration, including an underground portion
New “snowy landscape” textures and objects
New sounds for the snowy landscape
Roughly 20 new creatures
New NPC’s
A new quest chain
A new armor set for each character
New armor items and weapons
Fixes (a detailed list is available at www.sacred2.com)
Game server creation bugs have been fixed in both single- and multiplayer play
Some Combat Arts for all characters have been adjusted or re-balanced
Visual issues (such as UI elements not fading out properly) have been fixed
Miscellaneous sound and graphical fixes in various environments and situations

The ASCARON team is looking forward to feedback from the community and wishes everyone happy holidays and a wonderful year 2009.

To download the software, please visit: http://update.sacred2.com.

Another explosive World to discover in Big Bang Mini! Nintendo DS video game

NAIROBI: The hot African plains set the theme for the Nairobi World's special weapon and enemies.

While you receive the Fireball Shot that can be charged and released by holding the stylus down on the touch screen, the enemies also release dangerous beams of light when killed. Be careful not to stay too long in the beams, and to watch out for the fireball's ricochet when progressing through the levels.

Because of the yellow beams, killing too many enemies can leave you without a safe place to keep your ship – take your time. Blue enemies do not fire back after being killed. Use the Homing Missile frequently to avoid missed shots.

Permanent Upgrade: Fireball Shot: By holding the stylus to the touch screen in one spot, you can power up the Fireball Shot. This shot fires three fireballs into the air, but the shots will ricochet around the screen and can come back to hit your ship.

X-Blades Collector's Bundle with Statue and Artbook

TopWare Entertainment continues its tradition of high-class collector editions with its current title, “X-Blades”. The “Collector's Bundles” for all platforms will be on the market at the same time as the standard versions - on the 14th of January 2009. Highlights in the boxes are a 22 cm. hand-painted statue of the heroine Ayumi and a top-class artbook depicting the game.
There's also a soundtrack CD, a double-theme poster and a strategy guide. If you purchase the PC version, you'll even get an extra bonus - a mousepad. Language-wise, TopWare has also done the game proud - it's been fully localized in English, French, Italian, German and Russian - and there are sub-titles in Hungarian, Polish, Czech and Spanish which can be combined in any way with the speech recordings.

ZUXXEZ CEO Alexandra Constandache: “We've already had excellent fan reaction to our high-quality collector's editions for games like “Earth 2160” and “Two Worlds” - and the most important thing for us is to ensure that our customers continue to get real value for their money. Giving away a cheap map with a game and then calling it a “Special Edition” is not the way we do things here at Zuxxez. That's why we're relying on really special extras once again - with “X-Blades”.

Metal Gear Solid, Silent Hill and Frogger iPhone games coming...

Three of Konami's most popular games to Apple’s iPhone and iPod Touch platforms, including an all-new version of Metal Gear Solid.

The publisher will release Metal Gear Solid Touch, Silent Hill: The Escape and Frogger for the Apple unit in early 2009, with each game specifically designed to make full use of the iPhone’s unique touch screen capabilities.

Metal Gear Solid Touch focuses on action elements of Hideo Kojima’s classic stealth series, and will see series veteran Solid Snake embark on an all-new mission.

Using locations and characters introduced in Konami’s Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Metal Gear Solid Touch initially offers eight action-packed stages, with more to be added at a later date.

The new title gives the player control via the Apple systems’ touch panel, and also allows users to pan in and out of the action.

Replay value is also enhanced via bonuses such as wallpapers and images that are attained by completing key elements within the game.

Similarly, Silent Hill: The Escape brings the doom-laden streets of the series’ titular town to iPhone in an first-person action title boasting new strains of macabre adversaries and a dark, brooding atmosphere.

The evergreen Frogger also heads to iPhone in a pixel-perfect conversion of the classic arcade game.

A new generation of gamers can experience the classic 80s coin-op as they steer the little amphibian across a busy street and danger-filled river as he attempts to make it to his lily-pad home in a newly revamped version.

“These are Konami’s first wave of titles for the exciting new devices, and allow us to bring new elements to portable gaming.

We welcome the iPhone and iPod Touch to our product line-up and look forward to these initial games,”

commented Florian Stronk, Head of Mobile Business Department at Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH.

Xbox dinosaur dash game on Xbox Live

Hungry dinosaur chases Doritos trucks, truck drivers defend their cargo

With the release of Doritos Dash of Destruction today on Xbox LIVE Arcade, NinjaBee has unleashed a terrifying Tyrannosaurus Rex onto the streets of major cities throughout the world. Luckily, the dinosaur is only after one thing: Doritos tortilla chips. Unfortunately, due to his long, obtrusive tail and his intense desire to get said chips, he has been leaving a trail of destruction in his wake.

NinjaBee, the studio who developed the Xbox LIVE Arcade game that features the towering menace, has issued a weak apology for the dinosaur’s behavior.

“We’re really sorry for the destruction the dinosaur is causing, and for all the Doritos truck drivers who have been, uh, consumed,” said Steve Taylor, President of NinjaBee. “But really, it wasn’t our fault. We were just developing the game. The real person you should blame is Mike [Borland]. He created the monster here!”

Taylor is of course referring to Mike Borland, the creator of the game. In June 2007, Doritos, in partnership with Microsoft Games, launched the Unlock Xbox Challenge. Borland’s game idea, Doritos Dash of Destruction, was chosen through popular vote to be developed and put on Xbox LIVE Arcade. Experienced Xbox LIVE Arcade developer NinjaBee was chosen as the studio to develop the game and worked with Borland to bring his game idea to life.

Doritos Dash of Destruction features fun and fast-paced racing elements in both single and local multiplayer gameplay. Players can blast their way through the city as a hungry Tyrannosaurus Rex as they chase a speeding Delivery Truck full of tasty Doritos. Or, they can zoom in and out of the T-Rex’s path of destruction as a powerful Delivery Truck in search of its Doritos drop-off points. For even more racing madness, Chaos mode lets up to four players outrun and outsmart each other as the T-Rex or the Truck. In Zen mode, you are what you eat; eat the Truck to become the Truck! Both Zen and Chaos modes are local multiplayer only. Dash of Destruction is rated “E” For Everyone and can be downloaded directly from Xbox LIVE Arcade free of charge worldwide.

SPORE contest winner announced

More Than 50 Million Creations Made Since September Launch

Maxis is pleased to announce the winning creation in the Spore Holiday Contest 2008! Created by Spore fan Gryphon57, “And to All a Good Night” (pictured above), is a winter-y neighborhood vignette with brightly-lit, snow-covered houses, tall fir trees and a sled – all of which were made in the Spore “Building Creator.” With more than 5,000 entries, three runner-up creations were also chosen, including “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa,” “Christmas Morning at the Claus" and “December 26th.” Check out the runner-up creations below and in the Sporepedia at www.spore.com.

These holiday creations make up just some of the now more than 50 million Spore spaceships, vehicles, creatures, ships and buildings that have been created and uploaded on Sporepedia. Since the release of Spore in September, gamers and creative folks alike have been drawn to the game’s easy-to-use customization tools that allow players to create, play and share with their friends.

"Fifty million creations made is an incredible milestone that we couldn’t have achieved without our fans and community," said Lucy Bradshaw, executive producer of Spore. "It’s so great to see hard core fans and casual players embracing the game’s easy-to-use tools to re-create some of the most nostalgic holiday scenes of the season. Fans have shown such tremendous imagination and creativity – we can't wait to see the next 50 million!"

Interested in creating your own creature or holiday scene? Download a free version of the Spore Creature Creator at the newly-designed www.spore.com. Happy creating!

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Wednesday, December 17, 2008