Free download content for Fight Night Round 4 release date

Free New Game Content Coming by Early August; Button Controls Included In Additional Summer Update

Electronic Arts announce its initial Downloadable Content (DLC) plan for Fight Night Round 4. Recently named the Game Critic Awards “Best Sports Game of E3 2009”, Fight Night Round 4 has been winning over reviewers since its release on June 23rd.

The first DLC pack, which will be available for free to both Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 users by early August, will include a new training gym, new gameplay sliders, as well as a host of new equipment that can be used for outfitting boxers. Xbox 360 users will also receive an exclusive alternate version of Sugar Ray Leonard in their first DLC pack, courtesy of Pizza Hut.

EA SPORTS will also be releasing a free downloadable game update by early September that will allow gamers to use face buttons on the Xbox 360 and PS3 game controllers to throw punches, hooks, uppercuts and haymakers.

“The depth and variety of new content we have planned this summer is going to make one of the most critically acclaimed games on the market even better,” said senior producer, Dean Richards. “Among the new content in development, our new button control scheme will give fans a choice for how they want to throw punches in the game.

We strongly believe that the refined Total Punch Control is the most intuitive way to throw punches in Fight Night Round 4, but we also want fans of the franchise to have an option.”

Madden NFL team and player ratings season preview

If you’re a Madden NFL fan, the season can’t come too soon. 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.

Each week, we’ll breakdown the overall team rating and each player’s individual ratings, for a specific division – one team per day. 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 2008 NFL division winners, season MVP, and more.

This week, we focus on the NFC North. To view the overall team ratings for the Bears, Packers, Lions, and Vikings, as well as download the complete team roster ratings, visit the official Madden NFL 10 website below:

• Madden NFL 10 Season Preview

Age of Conan celebrates one year of massive improvements, former players invited to come back and play for FREE!

Players can log back in for free and experience a new and improved Conan. A year of massive improvements have made Age of Conan better than ever. New website live that explains how the game has improved since launch.

Funcom is proud to announce the launch of the first re-evaluation campaign for its best-selling MMO ‘Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures’. Anyone with a previously active account can now reactivate and play for two weeks – completely free of charge and with no strings attached. With the slew of massive updates and improvements done to the game since launch, Funcom is eager to let players experience what the press have already dubbed “the second coming of Conan”.

The list of additions, changes and improvements are many, and a new website that aims to inform press and gamers everywhere about how ‘Age of Conan’ has improved since launch is now live.

The new re-evaluation website can be found here.
http://www.ageofconan.com/updates

“For anyone with an inactive account who ever thought about giving it another try, this is your chance,” says Morten Larssen, Vice-President of Sales and Marketing at Funcom. “After the hugely successful launch last year we immediately started working on updates that would make the game better and provide more content for players, and that is what we have been doing this past year. With the most recent update just out the door, this is the time to ask players to come back and see the results!”

The re-evaluation offer is valid from July 8th to July 22nd and is available to anyone with a closed account in good standing. Reactivating at any time within this period will open for two weeks of free play – regardless of when you choose to act within that time period. There are no costs associated with this offer or any subscription obligations. It is also important to note that the free trial campaign will temporarily be closed to ensure the best play environment for all returning players.

Since launching last year ‘Age of Conan’ has been lovingly improved by a dedicated development team who has launched several major updates to the game. These updates have all added a wealth of new content such as the massive outdoor area of the giants known as Ymir’s Pass, the huge dungeon Xibaluku, and the vast new cityscape of Tarantia Commons among others. All of these areas have added countless hours of adventure through new quests, enemies, and rewards. New features have also been implemented such as an extensive player vs. player notoriety system that allows players to become murderers and hunt each other down for exclusive rewards, improved DirectX 10 graphics technology that allows for some spectacular visuals, and a massive revitalization of the core role-playing system.

“It has been quite a journey for the entire team getting to where we are today,” says Game Director on ‘Age of Conan’ Craig Morrison. “I think that players have always seen the great potential in ‘Age of Conan’ and we have put a lot of effort into realizing that potential. The game has improved tremendously since launch and we look forward to having players come back and seeing the changes for themselves!”

Funcom is also running a major give-away in cooperation with Eurogamer.net and MMORPG.com this week. Each site are giving away one thousand full copies of ‘Age of Conan’ each – including 30 days of free playtime – so head on over if you want to secure a free passage into the savage world of Conan!

Launching in May last year ‘Age of Conan’ quickly became a smash hit in retail, shipping over 1.2 million copies around the world. In North America, the most prominent online gaming market in the west, ‘Age of Conan’ became the third best-selling PC title of the year only beaten by ‘Spore’ and ‘World of Warcraft’. In the weeks after launch ‘Age of Conan’ simultaneously topped the charts in 17 countries, and the game received critical acclaim from gaming press across the globe. ‘Age of Conan’ is now available in English, French, German, Spanish, Russian and Polish localized versions, and is being prepared for launch in Korea as well.

World of Kung Fu video game update 1.0.52 - New Features and Quests

A new version 1.0.52 of World of Kung Fu will be released this summer. World of Kung Fu is a free-to-play MMORPG featuring splendid Kung Fu skills, beautiful scenic graphics and stories founded on the ancient Chinese Kung Fu moral values of justice and heroism. It opens a portal to explore a world of martial arts for players from all corners of the land.

Version 1.0.52 has been expected by players in World of Kung Fu for a long time since it brings many new features, including breaking the level cap (Level 120), two new maps waiting to be explored, relating quests added and Guarding Pet system launched.

The level 100 - level 120 quests will lead the challengers to explore the new maps and face new monsters dwelling there. The two new maps are Qingyuan and Graveyard of Howling Wind. Qingyuan, now haunted by thousands of undead warriors, is waiting for heroes around level 110 to protect the border of Liang from being invaded. Graveyard of Howling Wind is a place where top level players face their challenges. The stories taking their place are all inspired by mythology of ancient China.

Guarding pets, the most expected feature of version 1.0.52, finally mark their debut. Players will no longer fight alone. Not like the looting pets, guarding pets can grow up and help the players out in fighting, and its extraordinary attributes can also enhance player's capability. Meanwhile, quests about guarding pets will be activated. Pet Feeder will offer different quests to help you raise the strongest and unique pet with ease and fun!

Transform cards have been always popular in World of Kung Ku. More transform cards, including "Undead Corpse" and "Skeleton Warrior” will be added in this version. If you know something about Chinese ancient tales, you will be greatly delighted to transfer yourself to “Chang Er” and “Hou Yi”, who are the Fairy of the Moon and the Hero who shoot the spare 8 Suns for people, according to ancient Chinese tales.

With these innovative features, there will be more fascinating contents for every type of players in World of Kung Fu. And players can get fresh experience and have fun! More detailed information about the many new features and enhancements can be found on the World of Kung Fu website: http://www.worldofkungfu.com.

Colin McRae DiRT 2 PC video game delayed for Direct X 11 upgrade

Multi-threading, hardware tessellation and Shader Model 5.0 to turbocharge off-road racer powers new levels of visual realism with DirectX 11 software engineering expertise

Codemasters announced that the Games For Windows LIVE edition of Colin McRae: DiRT 2, the thrilling and stylish sequel to the award-winning off-road racer, will support the wealth of new performance enhancing features that will be available in DirectX 11.

With DirectX 11 hardware expected to ship in the second half of 2009, and DirectX 11 coming to home computers with the release of Microsoft Windows 7 on October 22, 2009, Codemasters also announced that the Games For Windows LIVE edition of Colin McRae: DiRT 2 will benefit from an extended development program to take advantage of DirectX 11 and is now scheduled to be published in December 2009.

“While the console editions of Colin McRae: DiRT 2 will retain their September ship date, we believe that the DirectX 11 feature set is too compelling to ignore, especially considering how much more it can add to the visual experience for PC gamers,” said Bryan Marshall, chief technical officer, Codemasters. “As a leader in digital racing entertainment, we are staying ahead of the pack by immediately taking advantage of key new technologies such as hardware tessellation, multi-threading and Shader Model 5.0 to deliver the most realistic, immersive and exhilarating racing experiences in the business. The fusion of DirectX 11 with Codemasters’ EGO™ Engine will raise the technical bar considerably in the racing genre.”

With the introduction of Microsoft Windows 7, DirectX 11 will be made available both as part of the operating system and as a downloadable update to Windows Vista. Codemasters intends to immediately take advantage of DirectX 11 features that add to the realism of the racing environment. Hardware tessellation will further improve the appearance of water and other surfaces as well as crowd animations.

The shader performance of Shader Model 5.0 (SM 5.0) will aid in creating an even richer 3D experience, enhancing key image quality parameters such as depth of field, ambient occlusion and shadows. These DirectX 11 features, and many others, will add the horsepower needed to improve performance.

“We expect Codemasters’ early move to DirectX 11 to place them in a leadership position in developing the next generation of PC games and simulations,” said Rick Bergman, senior vice president, AMD Products Group. “To aid in transitioning to DirectX 11, AMD is providing Codemasters with access to our software engineering expertise in DirectX 11 technologies such as tessellation and shader modelling. DirectX 11 has all of the ingredients needed to take PC gaming to a new level of realism by giving developers tools to effectively utilize the multi-CPU, multi-GPU systems now available to players.”

Colin McRae: DiRT 2 is being turbocharged for Games For Windows LIVE supporting DirectX 11 and is set to ship this December. Editions for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, Wii, Nintendo DS and PSP (PlayStation Portable) system are scheduled to launch in September.

Heracles Chariot Racing video game for Nintendo WiiWare

Unleash the Power of the Gods in Ancient Greece in Neko's New Chariot Racer.

Neko Entertainment an independent premier video game developer and publisher announced today the upcoming release of Heracles Chariot Racing on WiiWare, a racer that will drive players new and old to distraction.

Featuring ten circuits in five mythological fantasy settings, players take control of one of eight gods or legendary creatures from Heracles to Poseidon as they race to become Champion Charioteer. Heracles Chariot Racing will be released on July 6th on WiiWare, first in the Americas, then later in Europe.

“We are excited to announce the upcoming release of Heracles Chariot Racing for WiiWare”, said Laurent Lichnewsky, Managing Director of Neko Entertainment, “With its blisterning fast racing action, mytholigical tracks and enemies, split screen multiplayer modes, Heracles Chariot Racing is destined to become a WiiWare classic for players, both young and old”.

In Heracles Chariot Racing our hero Heracles has to undertake a challenge that none before him have survived – a chariot racing tournament. To win a series of sacred trophies and be crowned Champion Charioteer our hero has to race across mythological kingdoms against some of the most feared monsters in existence. The objectives are simple, survive the battles and race against some of the most fearsome and inventive foes in Greek mythology. Select a character and let fate, skill and ability decide the outcome!

Heracles Chariot Racing is an exciting journey into a mystical and colourful word of danger spiced with excitement, awesome weapons laced with humour. Featuring Championship, Single Player, Time Trial, Battle and intense 2 to 4 split screen multiplayer modes, players are the master of their own destinies, but with the divine actions of Gods they will require both skill and an element of luck to be crowned champions. Featuring 3 racing cups across 10 courses based on mythological fantasy settings including Nemean Lion, Realm of Hades, The Augean Stables, Stymphalian Lake and Mount Olympus, players select a character and race it out using fantasy weaponry including Zeus lightning rods, tridents, fireballs and more against their opponents.

Operation Flashpoint Dragon Rising video game trailer released

Witness the ruthless precision of the US Special Forces and feel the fear of impending battle in the stunning new Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising ‘Fear and Anticipation’ gameplay trailer, released today.

In the video a squad of US Special forces take advantage of the low light of dawn to covertly assault a Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) checkpoint. A convoy passes by as the squad move silently through the undergrowth, approaching their targets. Turning the situation hot, key guard positions are eliminated but the PLA are soon alerted to the Special Forces presence. With air and vehicle support in place, and superior numbers, PLA troops pursue and surround the Special Forces squad. What began as a covert insertion is about to turn into a fearsome, bloody flashpoint…



In Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising gamers play the decisive role in defusing a military flashpoint between two global superpowers that threatens the entire world. Players take the role of US Marines and Special Forces operatives dispatched to take back the oil-rich Russian island of Skira from an invading force of Chinese PLA.

The 220km2 island becomes the ultimate open-world battlefield as players are empowered to make their own choices, deploy their own tactics and fight war on their own terms. Objectives are set – how they are accomplished is always up to the player who has the full resources of the US Marine Corps at their disposal and the ability to attack from any direction. Intelligent squad and enemy AI, based on authentic military tactics, react in real-time to situations as they unfold to ensure that no two games will ever play out the same.

Players will become immersed in a stunningly realistic conflict with unprecedented levels of detail, freedom and authenticity. Every decision counts, every action has a consequence and every bullet can kill as Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising recreates the lethality, tension and adrenaline of real war like never before.

Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising will set the new standard for sandbox shooters when it arrives this autumn for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system and Games For Windows.

1 v 100 hit TV show comes to Xbox LIVE

Star in the hit TV game show from the comfort of your living room and win fantastic real-world prizes

Xbox® today announced the beta test of the hotly-anticipated TV quiz show 1 vs 100 will come to Xbox LIVE™ in the UK on July 10th delivering the first truly interactive game show experience straight to the living room.

1 vs 100 LIVE will be a regularly scheduled show that puts players on the largest interactive game show stage in the world - Xbox LIVE. Players can be chosen as “The One”, “The Mob” or “The Crowd”, be entertained by a host and compete against thousands of other Xbox LIVE members[1], as they race to become the ultimate 1 vs 100 champion.

1 vs 100 is the latest innovative interactive experience to come to Xbox LIVE – the free to connect online service that delivers an ever expanding world of entertainment spanning HD movies, music and games, and connecting you to your friends wherever they are.

A variety of general knowledge questions which are constantly updated and supplied by a team of trivia experts will test “The One” against “The Mob”, with the opportunity to win some fantastic prizes[2].

1 vs 100 is the blockbuster TV game show created by leading global producer Endemol. The show is a worldwide prime time hit having been sold to broadcasters in sixty nine countries.

Stephen McGill, Director, Entertainment and Devices Division, Microsoft Ld, said, ‘Xbox is delighted to team up with Endemol to bring the hit TV game show 1 vs 100 to the Xbox LIVE platform and deliver the first truly interactive game show experience. We believe consumers will really enjoy being able to take part in a real live game show, where they can have fun challenging friends, family and other LIVE members, whilst having the chance to win some really great prizes.’

Adam Valkin, Global Head of Media and New Business at Endemol Group said, ‘Endemol is very excited to be working with Xbox LIVE to bring the global hit TV game show 1 vs 100 to a new audience. We’re also delighted that Microsoft has chosen a flagship Endemol format to launch its groundbreaking new platform, which takes interactivity and social gaming to a new level.’

Street Gears, the free cel shaded inline skating MMO, gets its second major update this July

The "G-Project" expansion bringing new race, tuning system and improved UI to the skating MMORPG

Street Gears, the free-to-play cel shaded inline skating game, will see its second major content update at the end of July. Launched in March 2009, it is available free to European players on the gPotato.eu portal.

The brand new expansion will see the addition of a new track, a brand new tuning system and tuning shop, as well as a variety of other system and content updates and fixes.

Street Gears allows players to become riders, racers who live to experience freedom and wild experiences. With the July update, players will now be able to discover Grunville, a brand new track that will be available to all riders with a novice license.

Grunville has a fascinating back-story. About thirty years ago, a young Dr. Brown was part of a secret research program, and caused what would later become known as the Grunville Incident. While the program itself was a success, it was ultimately responsible for the downfall of civilisation as we know it. Researchers have recently discovered a series of secret log entries by Dr. Brown covering his time developing the tuning system, which also covered the problems he had with the Nitro Subsystems.

It was this system that caused Dr. Brown and his team to leave the Grunville area, and they had to spend over two years of hard work to re-establish their original research. Their persistence paid off as they eventually managed to create a standardised version of tuned skates, and the Tuning Shop was born. Players will now have the chance to tune their skates, allowing them to run faster, be more agile and do more stunts than they could have ever imagined.

To play Street Gears free in either French or German, simply register for your free gPotato.eu account at gpotao, download Street Gears and enter the cel shaded world of Park Town to explore all the new content that the game features. Check out the official Street Gears website at http://sg.gpotato.eu for more information.

About Street Gears

Street Gears is a free in-line skating MMORPG with an urban and manga universe, published in its French and German versions by Gala Networks Europe Ltd. In the Park Town city, Street Gears players embody riders, inline skaters and thrill seekers fans who live only for freedom. Races, challenges and mini-games are the day-to-day of these riders, in this atypical free MMORPG!
For further information, don't hesitate to visit the official Street Gears website.

Spoils Demon's Souls for PlayStation 3 Pre-order Box set exclusive edition release in US October 7th

If you can only buy one version of Demon's Souls, make it one of these two...

Atlus revealed that Demon's Souls, a groundbreaking action RPG experience for PlayStation 3 system, is to become the newest entry in the Atlus Spoils fan appreciation program. In addition to the standard version of the game, which now features new North-American exclusive box art, there will also be a deluxe edition. For less than it costs to import the game, fans will receive a 150+ page strategy guide (only available as part of this deluxe version, not for sale anywhere else) and a collectible outer slipcase, in addition to the game itself.

Moreover, fans who pre-order either version will receive a free bonus art book with designs and concept sketches from the world of Demon's Souls (only at participating retailers, while supplies last).

"Atlus Spoils is all about giving back to our fans and thanking them for their support, and we're excited to be able to do something very special for Demon's Souls," stated Tim Pivnicny, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Atlus. "On October 6th, PLAYSTATION 3 system owners will be treated to the definitive release of what many consider to be the most innovative action RPG in recent memory. With both the standard and deluxe versions of the game accompanied by irresistible North American exclusives, like a special pre-order bonus art book, we hope this is an offer patient Demon's Souls fans will be hard-pressed to resist."

Demon's Souls for PLAYSTATION 3 system is scheduled for North American release on October 6, 2009. The standard version will retail with an MSRP of $59.99, and the deluxe edition with an MSRP of $69.99. Pre-orders for the deluxe edition are scheduled to begin on Wednesday, July 8th.

About Demon's Souls
King Allant the XII, the last king of Boletaria, searched tirelessly to expand his might. The Nexus, a great ice shrine nestled in the mountains, bestowed the power of the souls onto him, bringing prosperity to his kingdom. Still unsated, he returned again to the Nexus, where he foolishly awakened the Old One from its eternal slumber. This long forgotten evil, now wrought upon Boletaria, plunged the realm into darkness and fog. A mighty demon horde poured into the kingdom, devouring the souls of men.

Champions from other realms learned of Boletaria's fate and sought to deliver the kingdom from evil; none would return from the cursed land. Called upon by a mysterious maiden in black, you go forth, the last hope for humanity in a place lost to demons and darkness...

Key Features

* Ultimate hardcore RPG challenge - In this brutal land, death is inevitable, but not final. Combining the best features of an action game and RPG, you'll slice, smash, shoot, and ensorcel some of the most horrible, vicious enemies ever encountered. Are you strong enough to face the impossible and win?
* Groundbreaking online capabilities - Network features go far beyond any previous RPG, allowing players to leave hints for each other, replay death scenes, cooperatively revive dead players, or invade another player's game to wreak havoc. Not merely an add-on feature, multiplayer options are vast, and uniquely focused on changing and intensifying the single player experience.
* Freeform and flexible - The open-ended structure of the game means that there is no single path, but rather a wealth of options. Set your own pace and progress as you like. Build exactly the character you want by creating a detailed avatar, nurturing the right stats, and customizing your skills and equipment.
* You act, the world reacts - The World Tendency system changes the aggressiveness of monsters and the rewards for killing them based on players' actions. Different events and NPCs may be triggered, as well.