Le Mans Circuits to Debut in Forza Motorsport 3

This weekend in Le Mans, Sarthe, France, the world’s best drivers and their finely tuned race cars will compete in the oldest and most prestigious endurance race in the world, at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

To celebrate the 77th 24 Hours of Le Mans, Xbox 360 has partnered with Peugeot Sport to host a press event at the Le Mans circuit together with Peugeot Sport’s top driver, Stéphane Sarrazin.



The event, held in Peugeot Sport’s Hospitality at Le Raccordement announces the debut of the famed Le Mans Le Sarthe and Bugatti circuits as well as a new multi-class racing mode, all to be included in “Forza Motorsport 3”, when the game launches exclusively on Xbox 360 in October. A consultant to developer Turn 10 on the re-creation of the track for Forza Motorsport 3, Stéphane took some laps on the in-game version of LeMans with press prior to joining his Peugeot 908 teammates to prepare for Saturday’s race.

In the true spirit of motorsport, no “Forza Motorsport 3” experience is complete without the inclusion of the finely tuned and highly engineered racing machines designed by the world’s most prestigious racing teams. To that end, Xbox 360 also announces at Le Mans the first set of more than 100 race cars that will be featured in the game. For the first time in Forza Motorsport history, fans will be able to get into the cockpit of some of the world’s most famous race cars including the Peugeot Sport 908, the Audi FSI Champion Racing R8 and the Ferrari MOMO Doran Racing F333 SP. With the best graphics and most realistically performing cars in gaming, “Forza Motorsport 3’ will let racing fans worldwide live out their love of motorsport like never before.

In the U.S. this weekend, Xbox 360 and Audi North America invite motorsport fans and media to the Audi Forum New York City for a host of activities celebrating Le Mans. Among them, Xbox 360 and Audi North America are hosting the AXF-24 Audi-Forza Challenge where nine of North America’s top “Forza” drivers as determined by rankings on Xbox LIVE will compete in a simulated 24-hour endurance competition complete with regular pit stops to refuel and replenish as that challenge themselves and each other on the just debuted Le Mans Le Sarthe circuit in "Forza Motorsport 3." The competition runs concurrent to the actual race in France with gamers being split into three teams of three drivers, just like Le Mans racing teams then compete to win an all-expenses paid trip for them and a guest to the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans race hosted by Audi. Other activities for media and guests include taking their own turns on Lemans in the Forza Motorsport 3 racing pod, witness pit stop demonstrations featuring the real-world Audi R8 and R10 Le Mans race cars as well as view a live broadcast of the race from France. For more info or to register to attend the events taking place at the Audi Forum New York in Manhattan, visit http://audiexp.com/axf24.html

With unparalleled physics, stunning graphics and more competition and variety than any game before, “Forza Motorsport 3” captures the thrill of Le Mans and brings it from the track to your living room this October. For more information or to download in-game screen shots and video showcasing some of the hottest race cars on the Le Mans in the game, visit http://forza.xbox.com, or http://edelmanadmin.psni.com/public/Forza%20Motorsport%203/

Among the more than 100 race cars in “Forza Motorsport 3” announced today:

Manufacturer
Model

Audi
No 2 Audi Sport North America R10 TDI

Audi
No 2 FSI Champion Racing R8

Bentley
No 7 Team Bentley Speed 8

BMW
No 15 BMW Motorsport V12 LMR

Cadillac
No 6 Team Cadillac Northstar LMP-02

Ferrari
No 30 MOMO Doran Racing F333 SP

Peugeot
No 8 Peugeot Sport 908

Peugeot
No 3 Peugeot Talbot Sport 905 EVO 1C

Porsche
No 17 Racing Porsche AG 962c

Toyota
No 3 Toyota Motorsports GT-ONE TS020

Audi
No 8 Audi Sport Team Joest Audi R10 TDI

Ferrari
No 12 Risi Competizione F333 SP

It's my birthday! video game Nintendo Wii exclusive

It’s My Birthday! launches today, exclusively on the Nintendo Wii system from Nintendo across Europe, Australia and New Zealand. It’s My Birthday! offers everything parents need to get the party started in a single box, including invitations, banners, colouring sheets and a special crown for the all-important birthday boy or girl!

It’s My Birthday! provides a unique and entertaining way to host a child’s birthday celebration, offering state-of-the-art party games that can be enjoyed by up to 12 children at a time on the Wii™. By modernising classics like Pin The Tail On The Donkey, Sack Race, Musical Chairs and 19 other traditional birthday games, it’s the perfect way to host a memorable and fun birthday party – without breaking the bank. The birthday boy or girl can also choose from ten party theme rooms for an unforgettable experience, from “Pirates,” complete with sword and treasure chest, to “Princess,” with a royal castle and magical unicorn.

“It’s My Birthday! is a fantastic alternative to expensive organised events,” says Neil Ralley, General Manager, 2K International. “Providing all the fun of a traditional birthday party, it’s a great way to entertain your child and their friends without the huge expense of hiring an entertainer or booking a venue. This £19.99 game can act as the centrepiece to any child’s birthday, offering superb value during these tough economic times. Of course, it’s not just a case of sitting children in front of a screen – thanks to the unique motion-sensing capabilities of the Wii™, children will be actively taking part in digital recreations of classic party games that are brilliantly designed and hugely entertaining".

When it’s time for the cake, the game breaks into ‘Happy Birthday,’ complete with on-screen lyrics to encourage everyone at the party to give a rousing rendition. It’s My Birthday! can be used over and over again, and still offers fun for the entire family even after the candles go out. In addition, 2K Play will offer the ability to print-out additional invitations for free on their website after the originals have been used.

It’s My Birthday! was developed by 2K’s Cat Daddy Games studio, the creators of the highly successful Carnival: Funfair Games franchise, which has sold over four million copies to date worldwide. It’s My Birthday! will be available on June 19 exclusively on the Nintendo Wii system from Nintendo for the suggested retail price of £19.99, and is rated 3+ by ELSPA.

Diamonds for all, with Runes of Magic on PC!

Publisher Frogster is giving away diamonds (the in-game currency of Runes of Magic) to its active players! Each player will receive a credit of 20 diamonds for their Runes of Magic account, per server on which they have a character with a minimum level 10 character. In addition when buying diamonds at the normal price players will receive up to 900 more diamonds than usual until Saturday 17:00.x

What’s more, as of today there are two new mounts available in the Item Shop: Wild Lions and Night Lions. These majestic creatures are ready and willing to carry their riders swiftly and safely through the dangerous worlds of Taborea.

The Ruby Shop has also been fully open from yesterday. This is where exclusive items can be redeemed which in turn can only be found here. Payments are made using the rubies which are transferred to the Ruby account after each exchange for items in diamonds in the Item Shop.

Further information about the mounts, the diamond offers and the Ruby shop is available at: www.runesofmagic.com

Runes of Magic – a world full of wizardry and adventure
Runes of Magic was commercially released on 19 March 2009. All interested fantasy fans can continue to download the online role playing game for free at www.runesofmagic.com and can plunge into the game world after a short registration process.

With an extensive range of features Runes of Magic prepares to redefine the standard of free to play massively online role playing games. Runes of Magic conveys an absorbing story through more than 1.600 quests embedded in an atmospheric fantasy world. Players can choose between six main classes and combined with a secondary class they present 30 individual combinations of character classes over all. All characters possess unique skills with impressive combo attacks and can use mounts like war horses and more. A particularly attractive feature for guilds and players is the possibility to arrange their own virtual homes with individual furnishing. Thanks to an extensive crafting and reputation system, thrilling PvP, as well as demanding dungeons and boss-monsters, no wishes remain unsatisfied. The Taiwanese developer Runewaker has developed Runes of Magic according to western MMO standards within a time frame of three years. The studio will provide new challenges for players every four to five months with free add-ons and updates. MMO fans can find more information, pictures and videos on the official website www.runesofmagic.com.

Features
• Free to play: no monthly fees, free download
• Extensive dual class system (six primary and secondary classes)
• Versatile spell- and attack-combinations
• Enthralling background story
• More than 1.600 quests and quest series
• No zone boundaries thanks to seamless architecture
• Dungeons: Instanced and tile based as well as persistent
• Individually developable skills and spells
• Armour sets with special bonuses
• Dynamic item system with hundreds of runes for upgrading
• Optional PvP system with arena battles
• Ranking system with player-ranking lists
• Multitude of unique mounts
• Epic crafting system with the chance to improve existing items
• Personalization of player houses through individual furnishing
• Reputation system
• Customisable user interface with the option to use Add-Ons
• Map and radar system to find dealers, resources and quests easily
• In-game auction houses for trading items
• Teleport-Runes for instant travel
• Mouse and keyboard controls for movement
• Regular updates with new content
• Guild castles in special zones
• Cross-server fights in three-server-battle and guild wars in development

Facts
Title: Runes of Magic
Genre: Fantasy-MMORPG
Platform: Windows-PC
Publisher: Frogster Online Gaming
Developer: Runewaker Entertainment Ltd.
Release: 19 March 2009
PEGI: 12+

Cocoto Platform Jumper now on WiiWare!

Neko Entertainment, an independent game developer, are proud to announce that their latest title, Cocoto Platform Jumper, is now available on the Nintendo Wii through the Wii Shop Channel, priced at 700 points.

Leading free-to-play online gangster game announces latest new features!

Omerta Game Ltd, publisher of Omerta, the Mafia-themed MMORPG (massively multiplayer role playing game) has announced the latest batch of new features to be released in the hotly-awaited new version release Omerta 3 (O3)

Omerta Game Ltd is releasing information about the new features on a weekly basis, until now these have been a closely-guarded secret. The all-new version of the web's hottest Mafia-themed game has been in development for two years, but is now only weeks away from launch.

Omerta is free-to-play, can be played with any web-browser.

The game is about crime, power and Mafia family connections. Omerta players try to climb to the top of the gangster underworld by racketeering, racing stolen cars, smuggling contraband and banding together with other players to form powerful, crime-controlling families.

The Mafia families fight turf-wars with each other, the Feds and Police for control of cities based in The United States and Sicily of the 1930s.

Omerta 3 introduces several new features which are designed to make the Mafia-family part of the game more fun and more challenging. The first of these new features is called 'city spots'.

City spots

“City spots are mostly businesses like Bars, Restaurants, Car lots, etc. Players of the new version of Omerta will be able to own these. But keeping them will be a challenge as other gangsters can raid, driving by with armed friends or setting explosives off, to try to take the City spot object away. If one family keeps possession of the city spot object, intact and profitable after 23 hours, then all members of that Mafia family benefit from significant in-game rewards” explains Otto Adang, Product Manager and Lead Designer of Omerta 3.

"Spot objects and raids are closely linked," says Otto Adang. "First of all, you can never simply buy a spot. The only way to gain ownership is to raid it with a partner. Once you have become the owner, your task will be to keep it protected from rival families. They will all be trying to raid you because the spot will give benefits to all your fellow family members, every day, unless they rob enough of your profit to prevent that. A family that is based in the same city as yours could even steal your spot through raiding."

Raids

The biggest change announced is the all-new feature of raids. In Omerta 3 players will be able to get together in pairs and try to raid the city spot object of another family, to try to prevent that family from enjoying the advantages of having that city spot object. “Raids are an exciting new feature which will make sure that there are even more inter-family wars and chaos than before” said Adang.

Player power

Spot objects and raiding are only open to members of one of the many player-created families in Omerta. The aim is to provide players, with an interesting game feature that will create strong family bonds and intense inter-family rivalries. It will reward players who have many loyal friends in their family and have a talent for organization.

“We also moved back to an earlier family system, from before Omerta 2.1 (2004). Now each family will have a fixed-size headquarters. This effects how many city spot objects each family can own.” added Adang. “This is player power in action as many of our long-established players have been crying out for a return to the old system of family headquarters.”

Defence.

But life won't be all easy for gangsters on a raid; “City spot object owners will try their best to defend each object with increased protection. They can invest their money earned by each object in protection, or choose to keep it” commented Adang.

The actual launch date of Omerta 3 is still to be announced, but players have the opportunity to pre-register at http://www.omerta3.com

We will award all players that pre-register for Omerta 3 with bonus items when the new version is launched. These bonus items will give players a kick-start on their journey to become the #1 Mafioso.

Omerta can be played in 29 different languages.

About Omerta:
Omerta – www.barafranca.com – began in 2003 as an amateur project, in a bedroom in Groningen, the Netherlands.

Omerta Game Ltd was founded in 2004 to manage and further develop Omerta. It now boasts a full-time staff of 18 people in four countries and a network of over 200 volunteers, spread out across the whole globe.

Omerta is free to play. The only requirements are a modest PC with an internet connection.

Omerta is available in 29 languages, all of which are updated for the forthcoming launch of Omerta 3. Regional (single-language) versions are available in Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Portuguese/Brazilian, Turkish and the 'Nordic' languages (Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and Finnish).

Apart from the International version, the Dutch, Turkish and Portuguese versions are the biggest versions.

Already more than 3.5 MILLION people have played Omerta!

Omerta players like to spend time chatting with their friends on Omerta's own IRC server. There are typically 4000 people or more logged into this.

Omerta boasts typically more than 70,000 players logging in every day to chat, race cars and kill each other, all in the name of fun!

NFC South team and player ratings revealed in Madden NFL 10 Season preview!

Madden NFL fans, start your season early with an in depth look at the teams of the NFL. Who will be the powerhouse teams this year? What players have improved? What players have seen better days? See how your favorite team and players will fair – according to the Madden NFL 10 Season Preview.

We continue our look at each team’s overall rating and individual player ratings with a focus on the NFC South division. In addition to the player ratings, a wealth of team-specific assets will be made available, for both the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii versions of Madden NFL 10.

Everything culminates on August 3rd, where Madden NFL 10 will predict the 2009 NFL division winners, season MVP, and more.

To view the overall team ratings for the Falcons, Buccaneers, Panthers and Saints, as well as download the complete team roster ratings, visit the official Madden NFL 10 website below:

• Madden NFL 10 Season Preview

Meet Max the virtual guide dog on Second Life for PC!

Online virtual world Second Life now has its own virtual guide dog available to help blind and partially sighted people – meet German Shepherd Max.

Max revolutionises how people with a visual impairment navigate the global community and can even read signs, using text to speech technology.

The cyber pooch is keyboard controlled, rather than having to use a mouse. It simulates the experience of the ‘real world’, listening to sound and other helpful messages to find its bearings; so being unable to see the screen isn’t a problem.

Max makes it easy for visually impaired users to log on. And he’s a problem solver; designed to help people with sight loss navigate by finding any object (including other avatars (online character) and taking the blind person’s avatar to a virtual meeting.

He gives constant feedback about the immediate surrounding area, so like a real guide dog, he helps visually impaired users avoid crashing into other people and objects. He assists them in navigating the virtual world, reading messages and information with text to speech technology... even a real guide dog can’t do that!

Bridget Warr, chief executive of Guide Dogs said: “This is a significant technological development, meaning blind and partially sighted people now have greater mobility and enhanced vision in the virtual world. Max is one clever dog, opening up new opportunities for those with sight loss.”

Max is free to use, and will be launched on June 20th with a ‘Vision Quest’, designed to help participants experience what it’s like to work with a guide dog and to write stories about those experiences.

Second Life is an ideal place for blind and partially sighted people to explore social networks, take classes, start businesses, and experience a wide range of languages and cultures. Second Life also offers access to vast range of audio content, including live music performances, presentations by speakers, and educational forums.

See http://www.tvwsp.com/questing/visionquests.html for details.

Battle of the Brits! The best computer gamers in Britain compete for £30,000!

The second season of the Electronic Sports League in UK, the ESL Pro Series, reaches its conclusion with Finals in London. The UK's best gamers in the disciplines Counter-Strike: Source, Call of Duty 4, Quake 3 and Trackmania Nations Forever will compete on Saturday the 4th of July 2009 for the championship title and a total prize money of £30,000. The event takes place at the Congress Centre in the heart of London's West End.

Twelve Counter-Strike: Source teams, Twelve Call of Duty 4 teams and twelve players each in the disciplines Trackmania Nations Forever and Quake 3 have been competing for the past four months to decide who is the best team in electronic sports (eSports) in the UK. The finals will be the proving ground to determine the next British eSports champions.

"We are proud to be able to announce the second ESL Pro Series Finals in UK", says Ibrahim Mazari (34), spokesperson of the league operator Turtle Entertainment. "The success of the second season lets us look forward to establish more professional eSports in the UK."

The show will feature live commentary and interviews and the breaks in between the matches will be sweetened with onsite entertainment, numerous raffles and give-aways by the ESL and its partners such as Intel®. The finals will be broadcasted live by the IPTV channel ESL TV available at: http://tv.esl.eu

More information regarding the ESL Pro Series UK Season 2 Finals is available at: http://www.esl.eu/uk/pro-series/news/71696/UK-Pro-Series-finals-announced/

General information about the ESL and eSports: www.esl.eu/uk & www.turtle-entertainment.com

Freesky Online Looking to Release Palm Pre App Version on PC!

Freesky Online (http://fo.igg.com) is an online strategy game featuring RPG and SLG that will soon have you looking for any excuse to check your cell phone. That’s right, the Freesky development team is planning to bring this great game to a Palm Pre near you!

A few months ago the FO dev team was working on a transplant that would allow Freesky to be played on the Apple iPhone 3G, using their touch screen tech. Controls were being specifically designed for players to be able to build their Empire’s, attack enemies and manage their armies simply by touching the screen of their phone. All this changed when the smart phone company that started it all jumped in the mix with the release of their new handset, the Palm Pre. The Pre featured a Web Operating System that would be ideally suited for the Freesky app, and had the stylish appearance, and performance that would rival the vaunted iPhone. The FO dev team is excited about the prospect of working with Palm and their new phone to develop an app for it.

Although the Apps aren’t near completion yet, both phones offer outstanding platforms to support Freesky, and the dev team will compare the two companies’ SDK and smartphone systems to select the one more suitable for a transplant. Soon you may have your whole empire in the Palm of your hand!

Killing Floor Grindhouse Custom Map Making Competition with $20,000-worth of prizes

Tripwire Interactive announces the "Killing Floor Grindhouse" Custom Map Making Competition with $20,000-worth of prizes. Tripwire are partnering with Nvidia and Logitech to bring you a truly spectacular mapping contest for the zombie-slaughtering co-op hit that is Killing Floor. We put the game out at a recession-friendly price, there have already been hundreds of custom maps created, so here is the Tripwire economic stimulus package to follow up: the headline prize will be an awesome $10,000 for the Grand Prize winner.

The contest will run in two Waves. Wave 1 completes July 31, 2009, with a First Prize of $5,000 for the winner, while the runners-up will get prizes including Nvidia graphics cards and Logitech goodies. Wave 2 is the Big One, completing September 18, 2009. The Grand Prize will be $10,000. Yes, a full Ten Thousand Dollars for the winning entry! There will be more Nvidia graphics cards and Logitech goodies for runners-up in Wave 2.

To find out more about the contest (including the rules), visit the web page: http://www.killingfloorthegame.com/map-making-competition/.

Killing Floor is currently available on Steam and will soon be available in stores across the world.