Bohemia's next hit ARMA II arrives on Steam in June 2009

Bohemia Interactive, creators of award winning military simulator games Operation Flashpoint and ArmA: Combat Operations and Valve Corporation, a developer of leading-edge technologies and software, announced today one of the most anticipated PC Game of 2009, ARMA II, is available for pre-purchase worldwide via Steam®, Valve’s leading platform for digital content distribution and management.

Bohemia Interactive once invented the genre of realistic military sand-box games and it aims now to re-define that genre with its upcoming game ARMA II, the ultimate military simulator, powered by the 3rd generation of their original Real Virtuality engine that's also used to train soldiers in numerous countries from Australia to the United States.

ARMA II will offer the ultimate realistic combat simulation experience in a modern day setting. With unprecedented freedom of movement, actions and tactics, the game will allow players to immerse themselves in battle as never seen before.

“Steam is one of the world's leading digital content distributors, allowing us to offer ARMA II to millions of their customers online” said Marek Spanel, CEO of Bohemia Interactive. “Bohemia Interactive is creating genre defining PC games and being in a position to work with one of the best digital content distributors in the business, as well as utilizing all of the superb features that Steam offers is very gratifying to us as a developer.“

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Hearts of Iron E3 Q&A with Johan Anderrson - Several new Hearts of Iron III features are revealed at E3

Producer Johan Andersson Answers Gamers' Questions Regarding the Upcoming Strategy Title

Paradox Interactive today released a unique Q&A session from E3 for the upcoming grand strategy title Hearts of Iron III, releasing later this year.

Paradox fans were given the opportunity to submit questions to Johan Anderrson, lead Producer on Hearts of Iron 3, on the Paradox forums. Although there wasn’t time to answer all of them due to the sheer volume received, Johan managed to answer the core questions that most Hearts of Iron fans are dying to know.





Several new Hearts of Iron III features are revealed in the E3 presentation including:

Historical Events & Decisions

Completely new information about deployment

Unit control together with automation

Details on the new Logistics system
Hearts of Iron III is now in the beta stage of development. Over the last few months, the team has been stabilizing the foundations of the AI, tightening up the rules and mechanics of the game, along with implementing brand new artwork and interface features. The third installment in the critically acclaimed World War II strategy series, Hearts of Iron III will feature a plethora of brand new features to satisfy veteran and novice players alike, including a huge game map with more than 14,000 land and sea provinces. Hearts of Iron III is scheduled for release during the latter half of 2009.

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Tennis Elbow 2009 v1.0b released for Windows PC & Mac OSX free download

Tennis Elbow just got hotter, can you take the heat?

Tennis Elbow comes back with a big update, including a lot of new features and gameplay tweaks.

Tennis Elbow 2009 is a tennis simulation with an easy and intuitive learning curve, but with exceptional gameplay depth.

In this tennis game, you’ll have to show all your tactical skills, use an iron mind and quick reflexes, as well as a sharp eye to guess the ball trajectories, all of this to choose your next strike wisely.

To beat your opponent, you have the choice between all the possible strikes on a real court, from the safe strike to the acceleration, including the drop shot and the topspin lob.

This tennis simulation is designed for all tennis lovers, whether gamepad mashers or keyboard novices, because of its numerous difficulty levels. In addition, a visual help system will assist you in aiming the ball and positioning your player. You can turn this option on and off whenever it suits you.

TE2009 features one of the most complete World Tour ever made in a tennis video game. With 3000 players evolving other 35 years, competing in 300 tournaments each year, from the low rank tournament qualifications to the top level event finals, both in singles and doubles competition, you’ll feel like diving in a real professional tennis player’s career.

Since its initial release at the end of last year, the game got even more realistic: you can now make gestures at the end of the point like applauding a good shot of your opponent, throwing your racket, apologizing for a lucky strike or pimping your fist. You can also now choose between different strike styles for your service, forehand and backhand.

There are as well many gameplay tweaks & tunings to offer you an even more enjoyable and realistic tennis simulation.

For the best gaming experience, the minimum system requirements are: a 1.2 GHz CPU with 512 MB RAM, and a 64MB 3D video card.

Download a free demo version of Tennis Elbow 2009 from: www.managames.com/tennis
The online mode is freely available to everybody.
The full version of Tennis Elbow 2009 is priced at USD24.95 / EUR19, and is available both for Windows and Mac OSX.

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First DS Game Based on All-New NARUTO Shippuden Storyline Comes Ninja-Packed with Non-Stop Action From Hit Animated Series

TOMY Corporation today announced today that NARUTO Shippuden: Ninja Council 4 has shipped to retail stores nationwide exclusively for Nintendo DS. The latest installment to the popular Ninja Council series of videogames, NARUTO Shippuden: Ninja Council 4 introduces players to action-packed ninja adventures with wireless multiplayer battles for up to four players. Based on the enormously successful animated series from VIZ Media, NARUTO Shippuden: Ninja Council 4 is the first DS game to feature the NARUTO Shippuden story arc in North America, allowing fans to play as Naruto and his friends in the next generation of the series.

"NARUTO Shippuden: Ninja Council 4 drives the series in a new direction by taking the classic features of the Ninja Council series, mixing in new, updated characters and intense battles, and creating an all-inclusive NARUTO title that gamers are sure to appreciate," said Laura Yoshioka, director of consumer software at TOMY Corporation. "The integration of these classic and new features combined with the all new storyline exclusive for Nintendo DS creates an immersive Naruto experience unlike any other."

Set two and a half years after the events of the classic NARUTO series, Naruto returns to the Hidden Leaf Village only to find out about the threat posed by the mysterious Akatsuki organization. Gamers follow an older and more powerful Naruto and his friends on the quest to rescue Gaara from the sinister organization in all-new, action-packed adventures. As the storyline advances and unfolds, players are able to choose their allies and form a three-man squad with special jutsu techniques to ward off looming danger. Aspiring ninja can also track down enemies through several tough platform levels and explore previously unreachable areas. Dedicated franchise fans and new NARUTO fans alike can experience fierce ninja battles by utilizing the DS touch screen to unleash their unique jutsu attacks.

NARUTO Shippuden: Ninja Council 4 is rated E10+ and is available on Nintendo DS for an MSRP of $29.99.

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Disney Fairies video game series will launch this October

Disney Interactive Studios today announced Disney Fairies: Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure for Nintendo DS. The game will launch in North America the same day as the all-new Blu-ray and DVD release from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment and connects with the Disney Fairies Pixie Hollow virtual world from Disney Online in new ways. Disney Fairies: Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure follows last year’s successful debut of the Disney Fairies franchise on Nintendo DS.

"Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure allows fans to once again play as one of the most enduring characters in Disney history, in the beautiful world of Pixie Hollow,” said Craig Relyea, senior vice president of global marketing, Disney Interactive Studios. “Fans can play through memorable scenes from the film, let their imaginations run wild when creating and customizing their very own Fairies and experience new levels of integration with the Pixie Hollow virtual world."

Disney Fairies: Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure expands on the forthcoming movie in which the Disney Fairies prepare for the Autumn Revelry, where Tinker Bell has been selected to create the prestigious Fall Scepter that can rejuvenate the Pixie Dust tree. When good friend Terence offers to help, Tinker Bell’s stubbornness and temper get the best of her, causing her to shatter her creation - the scepter’s fragile moonstone and her friendship with Terence. To make things right, Tinker Bell must now embark on a perilous quest to north of Never Land and find the Mirror of Incanta, which will grant her one wish.

In the game, players have a choice of roles. They can create and customize up to five of their very own Fairies, and help prepare for the Autumn Revelry by participating in a series of mini-games, quests and puzzles. Players can collect a variety of items, such as snowflakes, sunflower seeds and spider silk, to create clothing, accessories and items to decorate their home. Fans can also engage in exciting movie-based game play as Tinker Bell to find the lost treasure north of Never Land.

Similar to last year’s release of Disney Fairies: Tinker Bell, the player experience expands beyond the DS game into the online world of Pixie Hollow. For the first time, players can upload an original customized Fairy avatar from the DS to the virtual world, where more than 16 million Fairies have been created to date. Once a Fairy has been uploaded from their DS game, players will gain access to an exclusive online quest, and when completed will unlock a special item both in the online world of Pixie Hollow and in the DS game.

Players can also transfer various gatherables collected in the DS game to PixieHollow.com, which can then be integrated into pre-existing online inventories. The link between the two platforms is further strengthened with the ability for fans to receive up-to-date news and polls from the online world on their DS. The synergy between the two platforms translates into a unique experience only Disney can provide to fans around the world.

Also included in Disney Fairies: Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure is DGamer, the online community exclusive to Disney gamers on Nintendo DS, allowing players to connect with others and unlock additional items in their DS game.

Developed by Hyde, Disney Fairies:Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure will be available this fall for Nintendo DS.

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House M.D. video game for PC and Nintendo DS and Murder, She Wrote video game for the PC

Video games based on the popular television drama series House M.D. and the classic TV mystery series Murder, She Wrote.

Legacy is transforming the successful medical mystery series House M.D., into a compelling game for both the PC and Nintendo DS where players make life and death decisions in the role of their favorite physicians from Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. In the game, players will take turns stepping into the shoes of the skillful staff of the Diagnostic Medicine department which includes Dr. Taub, Dr. Hadley (AKA Thirteen) and, of course, the maverick medical genius himself, Dr. Gregory House.

Players are part of the diagnostic team that attempts to diagnose and treat a variety of patients with complex illnesses. The game consists of five unique cases that represent the rare and fascinating types of maladies that viewers have come to expect from the popular medical drama.

Murder, She Wrote will be adapted as a light adventure, hidden object game on the PC that evokes the feel and themes of the long-running television series. The game, which features five all-new mysteries, takes place primarily in the quaint New England town of Cabot Cove, Maine. Each case follows acclaimed crime novelist Jessica Fletcher, a sharp-eyed senior citizen with a nose for clues, as she unravels a series of puzzling murders. Each mystery is a standalone story with its own clues and beautiful locations ranging from Maine to Vermont to England. Helping Jessica solve the crimes will be other well-loved characters from the show, including Dr. Seth Hazlitt and Sherriff Mort Metzger.

“Legacy’s success in developing television franchises such as NBC’s Law & Order as games gives us confidence that they will again deliver engaging interactive experiences to fans of House M.D. and Murder, She Wrote,” said Bill Kispert, vice president and general manager, interactive, Universal Pictures Digital Platforms Group.

“Given the dynamism in the casual gaming sector and robust online distribution channels, we believe the timing is ideal to bring well-known TV franchises to videogames,” said Ariella Lehrer, President and CEO of Legacy Interactive.

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SmallWorlds Opens the Gates of Its Virtual World to hi5's Community of 60 Million Users

Leading Social Entertainment Community Gains Access to New Engaging Virtual World

SmallWorlds, a new generation of 3D virtual world that integrates seamlessly with the rest of the web, today announced the unveiling of their engaging virtual world within the hi5 social entertainment community. With this launch, 60 million monthly unique hi5 visitors can directly access the virtual world through the hi5 Games channel to participate in the SmallWorlds experience. While inside SmallWorlds, hi5 members can create their own avatar, explore the community, customize their pet, decorate their own room with furniture, music and videos – even create their own experiences to share with others through SmallWorlds’ unique Interactibles framework.

"Through this partnership, we are able to provide the hi5 community with valuable, entertaining content and a seamless experience when purchasing premium items in SmallWorlds using their hi5 Coins," said Ted Tagami, Vice President of Business Development for SmallWorlds. "We anticipate this partnership to be greatly beneficial for both parties."

With the integration of SmallWorlds into hi5, members now have immediate access to the virtual world through the hi5 Games channel and can enjoy creating and playing in competitions, games, quests and missions. In addition, hi5 members will be able to spend their hi5 Coins in SmallWorlds to purchase premium items such as rare monthly collectibles, upgrades for their room and enhancements for their avatar.

"We are dedicated to fostering social engagement for our global audience. By integrating a highly interactive virtual environment like SmallWorlds into hi5, we are providing our audience with another medium for fun and engaging social experiences," said Anil Dharni, Vice President of Products at hi5. "With the seamless integration of our virtual currency into SmallWorlds, our community will also enjoy being able to purchase items within the virtual world using their hi5 Coins."

hi5 recently announced their social entertainment strategy of seamlessly integrating interactive content from key OpenSocial partners into their infrastructure, which is continued through this partnership with SmallWorlds. The SmallWorlds virtual world will be deeply integrated into the hi5 API, providing greater access for SmallWorlds to the hi5 audience and to revenue-sharing opportunities. SmallWorlds and hi5 will share revenue generated through the SmallWorlds virtual world.

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Tom and Jerry television characters video game

A massively multiplayer online game (MMOG) based on the iconic Tom and Jerry television characters is set to launch in the second quarter of 2010, the MMOG will open the door to the world of the eponymous cat and mouse duo.

Players will create and control their own cat and mouse characters in the wacky cartoon world where they will embark on quests, customize their cat and mouse avatars, engage in classic Tom and Jerry antics in both ‘Player versus Environment' (PvE) and ‘Player versus Player' (PvP) modes, and interact with other players using a variety of social tools.

The Tom and Jerry MMOG is being developed by Typhoon Games, the developer behind Hello Kitty Online and Ben 10 Omniverse. The MMOG is built on the Unity game engine, which makes the game compatible for both PC and Mac platforms when it launches in Asian markets in 2010.

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Volvo - The Game Free to All Users download it now

GamersGate, a premier digital distribution service for PC games, announce that Volvo - The Game, a downloadable PC racing title based on the new Volvo S60 Concept, is now available to all GamersGate users free of charge. Volvo – The Game was designed by SimBin Studios, an award winning Swedish developer know for its high caliber PC racing titles including, STC – The Game and GTR Revolution.

“Volvo – The Game is an incredibly entertaining racing sim – to offer it for nothing is quite impressive,” Said Theo Bergquist, CEO of GamersGate. “GamersGate only offers the highest quality content to its users and we feel that hosting Volvo – The Game on our portal is a clear indication of its quality.”

Volvo – The Game allows players to get behind the wheel of an exclusive GamersGate skinned car, as well as a variety of Volvo models including, the new Volvo S60 Concept, the Volvo C30, the STCC Volvo S60, the Volvo S40, the Volvo 850, and the classic Volvo 240 Turbo Group A. Players can take these new Volvo cars through two courses, Gothenburg Eco Drive Arena in Göteborg, Sweden, and Chayaka outside Kiev, Ukraine – the first time ever that this course has been featured in a racing game.

For more information, or to download Volvo – The Game, please visit: www.gamersgate.com.

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Tintin - The Secret of the Unicorn video game of the movie

Today Paramount Digital Entertainment and Ubisoft announced the development of a video game based on the upcoming film “Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn.” The video game is expected to launch simultaneously with the highly anticipated film adaptation of one of the world’s most well-known and beloved literary series. “Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn” will be released in the US on December 23, 2011 and internationally in late October and early November 2011.

The film, distributed by Paramount Pictures and Sony Pictures Entertainment, utilizes state-of-the-art, next-generation performance capture. Ubisoft’s Montpellier studio will work with director and producer Steven Spielberg, producers Peter Jackson and Kathleen Kennedy, to develop a unique and thrilling game that is closely tied to the upcoming motion picture.

"We look forward to working with Ubisoft and the filmmakers to create exciting new interactive adventures for Tintin,” said Thomas Lesinski, President, Paramount Digital Entertainment. “The upcoming video game will reintroduce Tintin to a whole new generation of gamers.”

“We’re incredibly excited to have the opportunity to work on the Tintin game,” said Christian Salomon, Vice President of Worldwide Licensing at Ubisoft. “We’re honored to bring one of the world’s most iconic comic characters to life in this new title.”

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