Ys Online – 2nd closed beta announcement! In Spanish, French and German

* Now available in four languages
* Brand new features accessible
* No character wipe for 1st closed beta players
* Sign up for the beta at the official site

The Ys world will re-open its doors on May the 26th. And for the first time in Europe, Ys Online will be completely available in three more languages – Spanish, French and German – besides English.

This new phase will also have brand new functionalities, such as:

PvP. For first time in Ys you will enjoy a fully featured PvP system, with a points system to punish merciless players called the Villain Points.

Enchanting. You will be able to enchant weapons, armours or accessories that will glow in a fantastic luminous and colourful way your efforts.

Crafting. Almost everything will be able to be crafted in the lands of Ys Online! So it gives a real chance to everyone to have access to all the items available in game.

More quests, due to the level cap raise and new Quest Cards placed in.

If you want to enjoy this amazing game, you can apply now for a Beta Key on the Ys Online Official Website.

Ys - Call Of Solum

Call of Solum is an MMORPG based on the famous Ys series, created for the Japanese company Falcom. Since its first title for 8 bits, already turned into a classic, several manga series, OAVs and even novels have been stemmed. This time, Falcom and CJ Internet are joining to present Ys - Call of Solum, the new title of the series turned into an online videogame that follows the anime style, so characteristic in the entire saga.

Ys - Call of Solum arrives in Europe thanks to of Key To Play.
With Man of Wings’ ascent to the sky, chaos reigned in the continent of Eresia. The central region known as Europe was divided into two enemy realms: Romun, dominating the centre and south of the region and Etruria, in the north.
After one hundred years of constant battles all over the continent, several kingdoms fell, one after the other, against the fearful monsters emerging from the chaos. This way, 12 soldiers of different races, Eresians, Kimoans and Afrocans, joined Grey the hero, to defeat the monsters and establish a new empire under the name of Romun all over the continent.

Key To Play

Key To Play is a new online videogame portal of different genres, created in 2008 with the aim of bringing great international titles to the European market. With several offices in Europe and Asia, Key To Play is offering offers online players a large network of support and development possibilities. All this with one goal: to be able to give the best quality and playability.

Currently, the titles are launched in 4 languages simultaneously, English, French, German and Spanish, to offer more convenience to the players.

Key To Play has committed, up to now, to two titles, Priston Tale 2: The Second Enigma and Ys Online - Call of Solum.

The Party Started With It's My Birthday, Exclusively For Nintendo Wii Just Add Kids & Cake!'

It’s My Birthday, an innovative game exclusively for the Nintendo Wii home video game system from Nintendo, that will bring back the traditional birthday party to living rooms across the nation this June. It’s My Birthday gives savvy mums and dads a complete “Party-in-a-Box” to throw the best next-generation birthday party for their kids, including themed games, invitations, banners, colouring sheets and a birthday crown – blue for boys, pink for girls!

“Getting older is about to become a lot more fun!” said Steve Lux, vice president of business development for 2K Play. “With It’s My Birthday, we deliver the ultimate home birthday party experience – from new twists on classic games to customized themes. We’re excited to give kids the gift of great memories and offer parents meaningful value.”

Up to 12 party goers can join in the festivities as they whack, roll, splash, pop, scribble, climb, jump, and shimmy their way through more than 20 birthday games, including Pin The Tail On The Donkey, Sack Race, Musical Chairs and Cake Stacker. The birthday boy or girl can also choose from ten party theme rooms to set the scene for an unforgettable bash, from “Pirates,” complete with sword and treasure chest, to “Princess,” with a royal castle, a fancy crown and unicorn. When it’s time to break for cake, a lively rendition of the traditional “Happy Birthday” song will play for everyone to sing along in karaoke-style, with a virtual cake on screen.
It’s My Birthday was developed by 2K’s Cat Daddy Games studio, the creators of the highly successful Carnival Games franchise, which has sold over four million copies to date. It’s My Birthday will be available at retailers nationwide in June 2009 for the suggested retail price of £19.99 and is rated 3+ by PEGI.

Wonder Pets! Save the Animals video game on Nintendo DS out now.

Wonder Pets! Save The Animals is now available in shops and online stores across the UK. A perfect companion to the international hit pre-school TV show from Nickelodeon, fans of the series can join Linny The Guinea Pig, Turtle Tuck and Ming-Ming Duckling on their latest adventures, learning along the way - and having a whole lot of fun while they do it!

Designed specifically for pre-school children, Wonder Pets! teaches an appreciation of teamwork and promotes exploration of language through its unique operatic script. What’s gonna work? Team work!

Wonder Pets! Save The Animals is available for Nintendo DS from all good videogame stockists, RRP £19.99.

Bolt your doors Dead Frontier Zombies are out to get you...

Barricade your windows, the zombie virus is real and spreading fast! Jagged Blade Games is proud to announce the open beta of their free to play zombie horror MMORPG, Dead Frontier.

"The game has been in development and various stages of testing for the past 2 years. We're now at a point where we believe the game is ready to be enjoyed by a wider audience," said Lead Developer, Neil Yates. "I'm excited to see what gamers will make of a true horror MMORPG, it's a pretty unique concept."

Dead Frontier combines 3rd person survival horror action with more traditional role-playing elements to create a totally unique MMO experience. Players will need to have their wits about them as they struggle for survival in the decaying, zombie infested city of Fairview. Will you stay in the relative safety of the last remaining human outpost, or attempt to create your own hideout in the depths of the city? The choice is yours.

Dead Frontier plays exclusively in your browser and requires no extra downloads of any kind. What's more the registration requires only a few seconds so you'll be playing in no time!

Unique survival horror gameplay. Unlike other MMOs, survival is a high priority. Food, ammunition and medical supplies are rare so there’s a lot more to staying alive than just defeating monsters. What’s more the game is hard, you’ll need keep on your toes if you want to do well. Despite being purely 2D, we believe Dead Frontier is one of the most scary and atmospheric games available.

100% player driven economy. There isn’t a single NPC vendor in Dead Frontier, everything is either bought from, or sold to other real players. The net result is a realistic, but highly unstable post apocalyptic economy. This opens up a lot of new interesting trade centric gameplay.

Create your own hideout. In Dead Frontier you can choose to live in the last remaining human outpost, or barricade an abandoned building deep within the dangerous inner city. Surviving away from civilization is hard, but the potential rewards are great.

Global events. At certain times during the day the main human outpost will be attacked by hordes of undead. Up to 3000 players will need to work together in order to fight off the horde and protect the innocent civilians in the outpost.

Explore a huge deserted city. Fairview is a massive metropolis spanning several miles. Loot from a huge array of realistic buildings, from office complexes to restaurants and supermarkets.

Choice of either single player or multiplayer. In order to give Dead Frontier a true horror feeling we decided to implement a single player version of the game when you venture into the dangerous zones. This gives you a feeling of isolation which adds to the eerie atmosphere. It also means you’re not forced to interact with other players if you don’t feel like it.


Future Features:
Currently Dead Frontier is still in beta and several planned features are missing. These include:

Extensive avatar customization system
Missions
Clan System
More enemies
More locations

Begin your survival horror experience now by visiting: www.deadfrontier.com

Stalin v Martians only $7.99 during the weekend of May 9-10

Celebrate the (Russian) Victory Day with Mezmer Games and Get Your Hands on the Incredelicious Arcade RTS Title for only $7.99 from May 9-10.

Mezmer Games has today announced that the arcade RTS game Stalin vs. Martians will be sold for a special discounted price of $7.99 during the weekend of May 9-10. This limited time offering celebrates the Victory Day (the Russian victory day, what else?) that took place on May 9th, 1945.

The game is available on all major digital download portals worldwide and the price will return to its regular price on May 11th.

Stalin vs. Martians is a spectacular real-time strategy game developed by an alliance of three independent studios: Black Wing Foundation, Dreamlore and N-Game. The game was released on April 29th and took the mainstream gaming press by storm:

If these reports are not convincing enough, the only way to properly determine the truth is to play the game and experience a close encounter of the third kind for yourself. Stalin vs. Martians is an intense experience and the memories will haunt you for a long time after.

Microsoft buy Xbox developer BigPark Exclusive Xbox game in development...

Microsoft announce its intent to acquire BigPark Inc., an interactive online gaming company based in Vancouver, British Columbia.

BigPark was founded in 2007 by a group of industry veterans who led the creation and growth of two hugely successful software companies, Distinctive Software Inc. and Electronic Arts Canada. BigPark's founding team is composed of business leaders with over 80 years of collective experience in the video game industry, having produced or overseen blockbuster franchises including "Need for Speed," "FIFA Soccer," "NBA Street" and "SSX."

The acquisition will bring BigPark's talented developers into Microsoft Game Studios, where the team will continue development on an exclusive Xbox 360 game. Over the past year, Microsoft and BigPark have worked closely on this project, providing Microsoft with a clear view into the caliber of talent and innovation at BigPark.

"We are delighted by the opportunity to welcome the BigPark team into Microsoft Game Studios," said Phil Spencer, general manager, Microsoft Game Studios. "The team is composed of some of the most experienced and creative minds working in the industry today. The combination of the BigPark and Microsoft Game Studios talent pools will be an accelerant for growth and innovation. We believe BigPark has tremendous potential to create new properties and innovative gaming experiences for our platforms, one of which we're looking forward to showcasing at the E3 Expo in June."

BigPark CEO and co-founder Hanno Lemke, who will report to Spencer post-acquisition, formerly served in executive and development positions with Electronic Arts and Distinctive Software Inc., where he produced or oversaw hit games such as "NHL Hockey," "Need for Speed" and "Skate."

"Given our shared passion for breaking new ground in the online space and producing best-in-class gaming experiences, our partnership with Microsoft over the last year has been a natural fit, which we've thoroughly enjoyed," Lemke said.

"This opportunity provides us with access to the unparalleled talent, resources and exciting innovation taking place within Microsoft," said Wil Mozell, studio president and co-founder of BigPark. "We're looking forward to being part of the Microsoft Game Studios team, where we believe we can successfully contribute to shaping key Microsoft initiatives through fresh and engaging consumer experiences."

BigPark was founded by Wil Mozell, Erik Kiss, Hanno Lemke and Don Mattrick before Mattrick assumed the role of senior vice president of the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. Mattrick's role as an investor in BigPark was fully disclosed to Microsoft before he joined the company, and his ongoing involvement as chairman of BigPark was approved pursuant to the Microsoft Standards of Business Conduct.

Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 10 video game adds Live Tournaments

Prove yourself against the best players in the world through the all-new EA SPORTS Live Tournaments online mode for Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 10. EA SPORTS Live Tournaments consists of three categories: daily, weekly and Play the Pros tournaments.

Gamers can jump into a new tournament each day, play 18 holes and see if their round stays atop of the leaderboard, or play in a weekly tournament and post scores from four rounds that span over an entire week of play. Play the Pros is an extension of the daily and weekly tournament systems, but instead of a gamer-submitted leaderboard, players will be posting their scores against the real life scores of PGA TOUR golfers during an actual professional event. EA SPORTS Live Tournaments is available on Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION 3 and Wii versions of the game.

Anthony Kim and Rocco Mediate Join the Field – In addition to EA SPORTS Live Tournaments, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 10 welcomes new golfers Anthony Kim and Rocco Mediate to the franchise. Kim, one of the PGA TOUR’s young rising stars, won two tournaments last season including Tiger Woods’ own AT&T National. Veteran player Mediate battled Woods nearly shot-for-shot in last year’s historical playoff round of the U.S. Open. Both players are featured in all versions of the game alongside a robust roster of pro golfers such as, Luke Donald, Jim Furyk, Natalie Gulbis, Rory McIlroy, Vijay Singh, just to name a few.

Test Your Skills on Great Tournament Courses - Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 10 on Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 bring to life the beauty and realism of six new courses: Bethpage Black – site of the 2009 U.S. Open, Hazeltine, Oakmont, Pinehurst, Torrey Pines and Turnberry. On the Wii, Banff Springs, Bethpage Black, Hazeltine, Oakmont, Pinehurst, Torrey Pines and Turnberry make their debut.

Perfect Shots During Practice Round - A new Practice Round feature is available to gamers on the Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 platforms. Similar to the way a PGA TOUR player practices, gamers will be able to walk the course prior to a tournament and practice playing from any spot. After practicing their shot-making skills, players can fine tune their golf sticks through Club Tuner directly from this mode.
Get an in-depth look at EA SPORTS Live Tournaments, new courses and golfers and Practice Round at www.info.ea.com.

First Details Of The BioShock 2 Multiplayer Experience

2K Games, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, announce that it has signed a partnership with Digital Extremes to develop the multiplayer experience for BioShock 2. Under this partnership, Digital Extremes is working closely with the creative team at 2K Marin to develop a new and substantial element that enhances the lore and fiction of the BioShock universe.

“The fans asked for a multiplayer experience and we answered,” said Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K. “With Digital Extremes delivering a multiplayer experience for BioShock 2 that features all of the things that make BioShock unique, we’re holding ourselves to a high standard so that we can deliver the depth and variety that fans of the BioShock universe demand.”

Multiplayer in BioShock 2 provides a rich prequel experience that expands the origins of the BioShock fiction. Set during the fall of Rapture, players assume the role of a Plasmid test subject for Sinclair Solutions, a premier provider of Plasmids and Tonics in the underwater city of Rapture that was first explored in the original BioShock. Players will need to use all the elements of the BioShock toolset to survive as the full depth of the BioShock experience is refined and transformed into a unique multiplayer experience that can only be found in Rapture.





Key features:

• Evolution of the genetically enhanced shooter – Earn experience points during gameplay to earn access to new Weapons, Plasmids and Tonics that can be used to create hundreds of different combinations, allowing players to develop a unique character that caters to their playing style.

• Extend the Rapture fiction – Players will step into the shoes of Rapture citizens and learn more about the fall of Rapture as they progress through the experience.

• See Rapture before the fall – Experience Rapture before it was reclaimed by the ocean and engage in combat over iconic environments in locations such as Kashmir Restaurant and Mercury Suites, all of which have been reworked from the ground up to deliver a fast-paced multiplayer experience.

• FPS veterans add their touch to the multiplayer experience – Digital Extremes brings more than 10 years of first person shooter experience including development of award-winning entries in the Unreal and Unreal Tournament franchise.

Developer of Duke Nukem and Wolfenstein - 3D Realms goes bust

Veteran games developer 3D Realms has closed down because of a lack of funds.
Founded in 1987, the firm popularised the concept of shareware gaming and published the seminal Duke Nukem and Wolfenstein 3D first-person shooters.

The company was working on a follow-up title, Duke Nukem Forever, which after being in development for 12 years has become the object of industry derision.

Publisher Take-Two says it will no longer fund development of the game but retains rights to the title.
"We can confirm that our relationship with 3D Realms for Duke Nukem Forever was a publishing arrangement, which did not include ongoing funds for development of the title," said Take-Two's Alan Lewis in a statement.

Read full post on the BBC here...

Applications open for Ultima Online - Stygian Abyss Beta Test

Mythic Entertainment, an Electronic Arts announce that it is now accepting applications for the Ultima Online - Stygian Abyss closed beta test at http://www.uoherald.com/beta. Beta testers for Stygian Abyss, the upcoming expansion to one of the longest-running MMORPGs in history, will have the chance to experience the playable Gargoyle race before anyone else.

The closed beta, set to begin later this month, has a limited number of available spots for eligible applicants. Closed beta testers must be current Ultima Online subscribers and will be selected based on computer system specs, previous testing experience, community involvement and other criteria.

To apply for the closed beta, please visit http://www.uoherald.com/beta.

Ultima Online: Stygian Abyss expansion requires the original Ultima Online game to play and will be available in the Summer of 2009 via digital distribution only. To find out more information about the Gargoyle race, skills and land.

About Ultima Online

Released in September 1997, Ultima Online is one of the longest-running games in MMORPG history. The first widely successful graphical online role-playing game, Ultima Online has thrived for over a decade, with legions of devoted followers around the world. Fans of the game continue to experience an epic storyline set in an ever-growing world of magic and fantasy. Ultima Online has spawned seven expansions and dozens of content updates, making it one of the deepest, largest MMORPGs ever created.