BioWare to Unleash Dragon Age: Origins 2009 Summer Tour - with video

Leading video game developer BioWare will bring Dragon Age: Origins to the San Diego Comic-Con, GamesCom, Gen Con, Fan Expo Canada and Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) over the course of summer 2009. This summer consumer show tour gives fans the chance to experience the game’s dark and gritty world of violence, lust and betrayal first-hand, before it hits stores this fall on the Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment system, PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system and PC.

Dragon Age: Origins promises gamers an epic adventure as a Grey Warden where they set on a course to defeat the Archdemon in a dark, stunning world. Dragon Age: Origins offers an engrossing story, unprecedented player choice, and bone-crushing, visceral combat, making it one of the most highly-anticipated releases of 2009.



“Dragon Age: Origins is the biggest, most ambitious BioWare game to date, and we will be delivering that great experience simultaneously on Xbox 360, PS3, and PC,” said Dr. Ray Muzyka, CEO and co-founder of BioWare and General Manager and Vice President, Electronic Arts. “Whether you’re a PC or console gamer, Dragon Age: Origins reinvents the fantasy experience, combining a great story with raw emotion and brutal action. We’re excited to share it with gamers before it ships this fall.”

Gamers can begin to follow the trail of blood this summer and can get their own hands on Dragon Age: Origins at the summer’s five biggest public game and entertainment events:

* San Diego Comic-Con, one of the world’s largest comic book, science fiction and fantasy conventions of its kind, on July 22-26 in San Diego, California.
* Gen-Con, one of the longest running and best attended gaming conventions in the world on August 13-16 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
* GamesCom, Europe’s biggest game convention on August 19-23 in Cologne, Germany.
* Fan Expo Canada, one of the country’s largest comic, anime, science fiction, horror and gaming events on August 28-30 in Toronto, Canada.
* PAX, a three-day game festival for tabletop and video gamers on September 4-6 in Seattle, Washington.

In Dragon Age: Origins, players take on the role of a Grey Warden, one of the last of an ancient order of guardians. Now, as an evil blight threatens to destroy all life, it is up to players to unite the shattered lands and slay the corrupted dragon known as the Archdemon. To restore peace, players must make ruthless decisions and be willing to sacrifice their friends and loved ones for the greater good of mankind.

Dragon Age: Origins is scheduled to release this fall on the Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION 3 console and PC.

Spinal Tap four pack and Evanescence three pack comes to the Rock Band Music Store starting June 16

Harmonix and MTV Games today announced that a four pack of tracks from icon rock stars Spinal Tap, along with a three pack from Evanescence, will be added to the Rock Band Music Store of downloadable content next week for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system.

Three of the four Spinal Tap tracks (“Back from the Dead,” Rock ‘n’ Roll Nightmare” and “Warmer Than Hell”) come from the band’s new album Back From The Dead (The Label Industry Records/A2M) also being released on June 16.

The fourth track in the new ROCK BAND package will be “Saucy Jack,” a song St. Hubbins wrote about the life of Jack the Ripper, which was previously only available on the band’s website. Back From The Dead features new versions of the band’s classic hits and six newly recorded songs plus an hour-long DVD. The DVD is a track by track video commentary by members David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel and Derek Smalls.

“Tap has always gone where the audience is,” said Smalls. “We hope this time the audience reciprocates. Whatever that means.”

Best known as “England’s Loudest Heavy Metal Band, Spinal Tap was forever immortalized in the 1984 classic film “This Is Spinal Tap,” which the group immediately labeled a “hatchet job” and “character assassination.” Since that time, the film has been added to The Library of Congress' National Film Registry’s list of 25 American cinematic works selected for historical preservation - called a ‘culturally significant’ work. Besides their new album, Spinal Tap will be reuniting for their ‘One Night Only World Tour’ when they play London’s Wembley Arena on June 30.

Grammy Award-winning rockers Evanescence also make their Rock Band debut next week with a three pack of the band’s greatest hits. “Bring Me to Life,” from the band’s 2004 multi-platinum debut album, Fallen, “Call Me When You’re Sober” and “Weight of the World,” from 2006’s The Open Door, will all be available in the Rock Band Music Store beginning June 16.

Tracks:

Evanescence “Bring Me to Life”
Evanescence “Call Me When You’re Sober”
Evanescence “Weight of the World”
Spinal Tap “Back from the Dead”
Spinal Tap “Rock ‘n’ Roll Nightmare”
Spinal Tap “Saucy Jack”
Spinal Tap “Warmer Than Hell”

(All tracks are original master recordings)

These tracks will be available for purchase as part of the “Spinal Tap Pack” and the “Evanescence Pack” or as individual tracks for Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 systems.


Release Date: Tuesday, June 16, 2009
(Xbox LIVE Marketplace for Xbox 360®)
Thursday, June 18, 2009
(PlayStation Store)

Locations: Xbox LIVE Marketplace for Xbox 360
PlayStation Network

My Sims Racing video game races to Nintendo Wii and DS

Kick It Into High Gear and Go Head-To-Head With Family and Friends on the Wii and Nintendo DS

It’s time to rev up the engines and race into an all-new adventure with the MySims! The EA Play Label of Electronic Arts announce that MySims Racing for the Wii and Nintendo DS zooms into retail outlets next week. The latest title in the popular MySims franchise starts players as wannabe speedsters and after working their way up the ranks, it is time for them to burn rubber against the toughest MySims rival racers on the trickiest tracks in Speedville.



The excitement never stops as the more successful the player is on the track, the more they will be able to customise their kart and trick it out with new engines and bodies. Designed specifically from the ground up for the Nintendo platforms, MySims Racing offers something for everyone who wants to live life in the fast lane.

“The MySims have had many adventures and conquered many challenges, but for the first time we find them behind the wheels of their own customized vehicles,” said Tim LeTourneau, General Manager of the MySims Franchise. “MySims Racing combines the fun and quirky MySims spirit our fans love with fast-paced action-packed arcade racing. We can’t wait for players to take this game for a spin.”

MySims Racing for the Wii
Race to the finish line in MySims Racing! Face a variety of tricky MySim opponents on a huge variety of exotic tracks! Take on up to three friends in intense multiplayer racing. During the race, find awesome power-ups such as the heat-seeking watermelon or a bubble dropper that can help racers wreck their competition. There are nearly endless customisation options so that the kart reflects your high-gear personality. Swap bodies, change paint jobs and add tons of accessories. Not only can you change the look of their kart, you can also improve power, acceleration and handling by mixing and matching engines, suspension and steering components.

MySims Racing for the Nintendo DS
Race on the go! MySims Racing for the Nintendo DS allows you and up to three of your friends to race using local wireless or Nintendo Wi-Fi connection.

MySims Racing was developed in conjunction with partners at The Sims Studio and Artificial Mind & Movement, is rated 3+ by PEGI, and has an RRP of £34.99 for the Wii version and £29.99 for the Nintendo DS.

Roogoo Twisted Towers World Fact Sheet - Learn All About the Islands, Underwater and Whale Environments

It's Time to Learn All About the Islands, Underwater and Whale Environments in Roogoo Twisted Towers for Wii.

Environment 4: Islands
After players trudge their way out of the world of Ice, they will soon find themselves trapped in the mysterious and alluring region of Roo known as the Islands. Keep a lookout because those pesky butterflies have returned to do whatever it takes to keep players from completing their tasks!

The Islands are filled with plenty of opportunities for players to show those nasty Meemoos that they won’t back down from a challenge that easily. Meteors will be falling faster than ever as they come rushing down towards the Islands in groups of one, three, or even ten blocks. The challenges won’t stop there – Meemoos will be traveling by hot air balloons, skydiving by the dozens while tossing bombs, and blocking those magical meteors’ paths in an attempt to stop Roogoo from achieving his goal.

Players will also find themselves with a new meteor shape, the pink heart, for several of the regions. The heart can also be found in the aerial lightning arena, where Meemoos have taken control of several fighter jets and are ruthlessly dropping missiles in an attempt to take Roogoo down once and for all.

Bonus tip! For the people who have their Nintendo DS, they will be able to conquer the meteors in a lightning-fast round of falling meteors.



Environment 5: Underwater
After escaping the allure of the mysterious Islands, players will come across a new, exciting adventure – conquering the vastly undiscovered Underwater environment.

Although players will have successfully fended off those troublesome butterflies, a new creature, the stingray, will come out to hassle players. Players will have to keep a firm watch on their treasure chests and blocks to guide them around the stingrays and away from nasty Meemoo pirates, all while keeping their eyes glued on those tricky platforms! Several of the platforms that players will encounter throughout the sea will be rotating at a lightning fast rate, knocking treasure chests and blocks into the deepest part of the sea. Players will also need to be prepared to get their hands dirty as they’ll find themselves drilling through platforms to get their blocks to their ultimate destination.

At the end of the level, players will have to face off with a kraken, the brutal, notorious master of the sea. Defeating the kraken won’t be easy as players will quickly discover. Quick maneuvering past the kraken’s flailing tentacles is needed to avoid the blocks being flung into the bottomless blue abyss. Once players have steered their blocks to the bottom platform, they’ll then need to skillfully smack the kraken them.

Environment 6: Whale
Players go on an emotional roller coaster ride ranging from euphoric delight (discovering that they’ve broken away from the dangers of the perilous sea with all their limbs intact) to a sad realization that they have, instead, been swallowed by an enormous Whale.

Players soon learn that the inside of the Whale has been littered with everything it’s consumed including an overwhelming amount of obese fish and evil Meemoos. Those wretched fish and Meemoos will find ways to clutter your screen, hassle your blocks, and obstruct your view.

The Whale’s appetite, seemingly insatiable, has also managed to swallow a large fleet of Meemoo ships, leaving players to battle, maneuver, and destroy villainous Meemoos. Accelerated platforms will bring players an additional challenge, but nothing the skilled player won’t be able to handle.

Briefly escaping The Whale to find some fresh air, a giant blimp must be taken down but millions of missiles and Meemoos will do everything they can to keep players from succeeding.

Ubisoft games for digital download

Individual Ubisoft titles will be available to purchase digitally for the first time

Metaboli announce that Ubisoft titles will be available via download-to-own for the first time. The deal, which comes into effect on 12th June, will be available to customers in EMEA through www.gamesplanet.com and in the U.S. through www.gametap.com. Metaboli has a longstanding relationship with Ubisoft, with numerous titles currently available through Metaboli’s subscription-based services.

“Metaboli currently has 47 Ubisoft titles in its catalogue, which have proven particularly popular with our users. Several games including Assassin’s Creed, Raving Rabbits, Prince of Persia, Far Cry, Brothers in Arms, Rainbow Six and the Splinter Cell series have performed consistently well across our subscription platform,” comments Pierre Forest, VP Content at Metaboli. “These games will undoubtedly achieve the same success through our download-to-own model, especially as they will now be distributed in the U.S. market following our acquisition of GameTap.”

In addition, Ubisoft will provide its own download-to-own service through its digital store, UBIshop. Metaboli’s white-label Digital Tycoon technology will be used to power UBIshop as well as individual e-stores dedicated to specific titles. Initially this will include:
• PC Brothers in Arms – Hell’s Highway
• CSI: NY
• Far Cry 2
• Grey’s Anatomy
• Prince of Persia
• Shaun White Snowboarding
• Tom Clancy’s EndWar
• Tom Clancy’s HAWX
• World in Conflict – Complete

Chillingo and Gimka Entertainment Launch Defender Chronicles In Apple's App Store

Chillingo, the leading iPhone publisher and US-based development studio Gimka Entertainment have launched their tower defense game – Defender Chronicles in Apple’s App Store. This app takes gamers back to the glory days of epic battles, desperate princesses, artifacts hunting and marvelous fantasy on the iPhone and iPod touch.

Defender Chronicles - Legend of the Desert King presents a unique blend of role-playing adventure and tower defense, seen from a fresh side-view perspective. The game tells the story of the kingdom of Athelia, currently under siege by an army of orcs and the undead. You must install berserkers, rangers, halfings, mages, warriors, and archers along the streets and paths through the kingdom to stop those advancing monsters. Every so often, you must work hard to bring down a massive boss monster, such as an ogre or golem.

The game features 5 hand-drawn battlegrounds sporting the side-view perspective that will allow you to zoom in on the action. Each defender has its own unique ability. You can choose from 5 different game modes as well, including campaign, freestyle (random), extended, classic, and classic extended. The game features 7 original music soundtracks, spatial sound effects, and a variety of voice-acting.

"Defender Chronicles lends itself perfectly to the iPhone." said Chris Byatte, co-Founder and director of Chillingo. "It's easy to learn, quick to play, and immensely addicting."

“We are delighted to be working with Chillingo to take Defender Chronicles to market. Their marketing experience will help maximize the chances for Defender Chronicles' to be a commercial succes” said Petrus Santoso, CEO of Gimka Entertainment.

Defender Chronicles is available for the launch price of US$2.99 from Apple's App Store on iPhone and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore. The price will increase to US4.99 after the first week.

Red Faction video games left around London - help yourself

A car filled with over 100 copies of a brand new video game was left in busy central London areas yesterday, with passers-by encouraged to 'smash and grab' in order to celebrate the launch of Red Faction Guerrilla on the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system and get their hands on one of the first copies of the game for free.

During the day, footage captured hundreds of passers-by picking up the sledgehammer left chained next to the vehicle in Covent Garden, London, and smashing their way to success and grabbing a copy of Red Faction Guerrilla, a new destruction-based game released by THQ on Friday 5th June.

Simon Watts, PR Manager, UK & Europe for THQ, said: "Because Red Faction Guerrilla features the world's most realistic destruction engine, we thought that it would make for an interesting experiment to find out how many people, going about their everyday business, would stop in a busy city street to work out some stress by smashing their way into a car to earn a copy of the brand new game."

Set 50 years after the climactic events of the original Red Faction, Red Faction: Guerrilla allows players to take the role of an insurgent fighter with the newly re-established Red Faction movement as they battle for liberation from the oppressive Earth Defense Force.
Red Faction: Guerrilla re-defines the limits of destruction-based game-play with a huge open-world, fast-paced guerrilla-style combat, and true physics-based destruction.
Features:

• Open World Guerrilla Warfare - You decide who, when, where and how to battle. Utilize guerrilla tactics, improvised weaponry, and modified vehicles to lead insurgent attacks on EDF targets. Launch attacks based on your own gameplay style, take on missions in any order you choose, or engage in destructive activities to weaken the EDF's grip on Mars
• Strategic Destruction - Use destruction to your tactical advantage, setting ambushes or chain reaction explosions to attack enemy strongholds and permanently modify the game environment. Leverage fully-dynamic physics-based destruction to improvise on the fly: blow holes in a wall or floor to set an ambush or escape, take out a staircase to stop your pursuers, or drive vehicles through blown out walls
• Evolving undefined then tear through the fully destructible open-world environments swarming with EDF forces, Red Faction resistance fighters, and the downtrodden settlers caught in the cross-fire
• Multiplayer Combat - There is no place to hide when you put your guerrilla warfare skills to the test in a variety of highly destructive multiplayer combat modes

Information on the rest of THQ's line-up of titles is also available at www.thq.com.

Sony Online Entertainment Brings PopCap's Heavy Weapon to the PlayStation Network

Mount an assault on the enemy like never before with Heavy Weapon on the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system! Heavy Weapon combines the action and strategy of a classic arcade shooter with the fun factor of a more causal genre that all players can enjoy.


ABOUT HEAVY WEAPON: Heavy Weapon includes 19 exciting stages and challenging level bosses. Players launch their mission as an Atomic Tank, collect power-ups from friends and engage the enemy! Mission mode allows players to follow the storyline to the unlockable Boss Blitz mode where they can battle every boss in the game! The Survival mode features a nonstop onslaught of enemies to see which players can outlast the rest and achieve the best time!

Features include:

• PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system trophies.
• Action-packed game modes!
• 6 secret upgradeable weapons!
• 19 missions with nukes, mega lasers, and more!
• Unlockable Boss Blitz bonus game mode!
• Enhanced sound effects and original score!
• Amazing enemy landscapes and graphics!

WHEN: Beginning today, Heavy Weapon is available for purchase from the PlayStation Store for $9.99 (plus applicable taxes).

For more information on Heavy Weapon, log in to www.station.com.

Sony Online Entertainment Brings PopCap's Heavy Weapon to the PlayStation Network

Mount an assault on the enemy like never before with Heavy Weapon on the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system! Heavy Weapon combines the action and strategy of a classic arcade shooter with the fun factor of a more causal genre that all players can enjoy.


ABOUT HEAVY WEAPON: Heavy Weapon includes 19 exciting stages and challenging level bosses. Players launch their mission as an Atomic Tank, collect power-ups from friends and engage the enemy! Mission mode allows players to follow the storyline to the unlockable Boss Blitz mode where they can battle every boss in the game! The Survival mode features a nonstop onslaught of enemies to see which players can outlast the rest and achieve the best time!

Features include:

• PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system trophies.
• Action-packed game modes!
• 6 secret upgradeable weapons!
• 19 missions with nukes, mega lasers, and more!
• Unlockable Boss Blitz bonus game mode!
• Enhanced sound effects and original score!
• Amazing enemy landscapes and graphics!

WHEN: Beginning today, Heavy Weapon is available for purchase from the PlayStation Store for $9.99 (plus applicable taxes).

For more information on Heavy Weapon, log in to www.station.com.

Overlord II Playable demo unleash the Minion Horde on PlayStation and PC

Overlord II playable demo now available on the PlayStation Store & PC!
Gamers can now step into the delightfully despotic shoes of the new Overlord and take full control of a horde of vicious, malicious but ultimately lovable Minions, as Codemasters today announced that the Overlord II playable demo is now available on the PlayStation Store for the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system and PC; the PC demo is now available to download from www.overlordgame.com/gb/try.

The accompanying Overlord II gameplay video explains how the new Overlord grows up in his dark Netherworld domain with the help of Minion Keeper Gnarl and his slavish and loyal Minion subjects. Raised by Gnarl and the Minions, the “Overlad” grows into the mighty Overlord as the Glorious Empire cements its hold on the world above. Players will get to witness the might of the Glorious Empire and get a glimpse of all-new enemies like the magic-detecting Sentinels and the huge, magic-eating Eradicators.

In the Overlord II demo, players step into the big spiky boots of a new Overlord whose sights are firmly set on becoming the king of chaos, the bringer of evil and the master of Minions. As the demo opens the Overlord, aided and abetted by a team of brown fighter Minions, emerges from his underground lair into the ice caves only to discover a Yeti frozen in a block of ice. The Minions can, in their inimitably violent way, 'defrost' him and then give chase as he knuckles out into the snowy wastes of the Hunting Grounds, near the town of Nordberg.

Then it's time to put the Minions to work, harvesting valuable life-force from the indigenous fauna. Minions will happily lock onto anything in the vicinity - including fluffy seal pups ('Well,' argue the Minions, 'the smelly furballs are eating all the lovely fishies'). There are also Nordburgian Hunters and hippy, peace-loving elves to contend with but, as ever, the Minions aren't fussy who they attack for their master.

To speed their progress, Minions can befriend a pack of wolves and ride them through the snowy landscape like a Minion Cavalry. The wolf-mounted Minion is an altogether tougher force, more deadly and more agile - wolves have their own attack moves and will knock enemies off their feet through sheer force, biting and goring opponents into submission.

Discover why being evil has never been so much fun with the Overlord II playable demo now available from the PlayStation® Store for the Playstation®3 computer entertainment system and PC ahead the full game's launch on June 26th†. The demo is also available for Xbox® 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft from Xbox LIVE Marketplace [http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-GB/games/media/66acd000-77fe-1000-9115-d802434D0809]. To download the PC demo and see the new Overlord II gameplay video, command your Minions to go to www.overlordgame.com.