GearGrinder action arcade racing video game packshot and new screenshots

Headup Games, a recently founded and independently financed publishing company for core PC titles located near Cologne in Germany reveals the final pack shot and new screen shots for GearGrinder, a bone crashing action/arcade racing-game, to be released September 17th 2009.

Buckle up and enjoy fully motorized mayhem with GearGrinder, the new incarnation of an underrepresented genre of arcade racing action. Take full control of your powerful truck, mounted with the most devastating weapons available, malicious mines and more nifty gadgets, and complete over 45 versatile and thrilling missions, leaving a trail of devastation wherever you go. Need something extra? Just transform your vehicle from combat to racing mode, deploy your jet engine and smile at your opponents while they watch your rear light disappear in the distance.
With destructible race environments ranging from shabby industrial circuits and cramped city tracks to the most gorgeous countryside, multiplayer modes for up to 8 players (LAN) and a thrilling story about a lot of money, hunger for power, corruption and friendship, GearGrinder will trigger the surge of adrenalin every man needs at regular intervals…

GearGrinder is scheduled for release September 17th 2009.

Hollywood Veteran Screenwriter Chris Morgan Joins Red Eagle Games as Story Director for Games Based on The Wheel of Time Series

Red Eagle Games announced today that film industry veteran Chris Morgan has been engaged by Red Eagle Games as Story Director for the company's forthcoming video games derived from the rich assortment of characters and storylines from Robert Jordan's beloved fantasy book series, The Wheel of Time.

Based in Los Angeles, Morgan has worked in the film industry for nearly a decade. His films have grossed nearly one billion dollars in worldwide box-office receipts. Morgan's screenwriting credits include Cellular, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Wanted and Fast and Furious. In addition to his involvement with Red Eagle Games, Morgan is currently working on the big-screen adaptation of video game Gears of War, the next installment in the Fast and Furious franchise, and samurai action movie 47 Ronin.

In addition, Morgan will be joining veteran Electronic Arts Executive Tom Frisina; Barry Hirsch, a leader in the field of entertainment law; entertainment consumer products marketing and branding expert Peter Dang; Keith Boesky, founder and principal of video game consultancy Boesky & Company; and IBM Serious Games Program Manager Phaedra Boinodiris on the Red Eagle Games Advisory Council. Red Eagle Games has carefully assembled the Council to complement and support the Red Eagle Games management team's skills and backgrounds, and the council members represent decades of experience in new media, entertainment and technology.

"As a massive fan of The Wheel of Time series, and a lifelong gamer, I jumped at the chance to be part of the Red Eagle Games team," Morgan said. "The world that Robert Jordan created is so rich, the characters and storylines so varied and inventive, that I feel like a kid in a candy store. It's really a dream opportunity for me."

Along with the Universal Pictures feature film, to be produced by Red Eagle Entertainment executives Rick Selvage and Larry Mondragon, a line of stand-alone Wheel of Time games is in the works for all major videogame platforms, including consoles, personal computers, handheld systems and wireless devices, to be distributed by Electronic Arts. In addition, Red Eagle Games intends to launch and operate a massively multiplayer online role-playing game encompassing the themes, characters and world of The Wheel of Time novels.

The details of Jordan's meticulously crafted series have captivated readers since 1990, when The Eye of the World, the first book in the series, was published. Eleven additional books, including one prequel, have since been added to the series and have consistently appeared on the New York Times Bestseller List with the last four of his novels in the series debuting at No. 1. Jordan passed away in 2007 at the age of 58, but his publisher, Tor Books, recently announced that a final trilogy of novels will bring his epic series to its long-awaited climax. The next installment in the series, entitled The Gathering Storm, is expected to be published in November of 2009 by Tor Books. This novel is being finished by fantasy writer Brandon Sanderson using notes, audio recordings and draft materials left with Jordan's wife and editor, Harriet Rigney.

Jordan's wildly popular books have been translated into 24 languages, and have sold about 44 million copies worldwide. According to Tor Books, the publisher of The Wheel of Time novels, there are about 65,000 The Wheel of Time fan Web sites as a part of a vast global on-line fan community.

About Red Eagle Games
Based in Southern California, Red Eagle Games is a new video game studio initially undertaking the transformation of Jordan's literary masterpiece "The Wheel of Time" into high-quality interactive gaming products for the personal computer, game consoles, mobile and wireless devices, and online play. Red Eagle Games was founded by Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Rick Selvage and Chief Operating Officer Larry Mondragon, who are also producing a live-action motion picture for Universal Pictures based upon The Wheel of Time.

Section 8 PC Beta Blasting into Europe from August 10 sign up now

SouthPeak Games is pleased to announce the European PC beta for its upcoming sci-fi shooter Section 8 will launch on August 10. Wannabe recruits for the 8th Armoured Infantry can register their interest at www.joinsection8.com before preparing themselves to burn into multi player matches from 15,000 ft above the battlefield.

The draft process for the beta has limited spaces, so those who want to take part in huge multiplayer matches – thanks to the game’s dedicated servers – should sign up as soon as possible. The recently re-launched JoinSection8.com also contains vital intel about the game and is the place to stay active within the Section 8 community.

Developed by TimeGate Studios and heading to PC and the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft this September, Section 8 evolves many of the tried-and-tested elements of multi player shooters. Players can burn into the map anywhere they want, change their character’s stats with in-depth customisation options, alter the flow of multi player matches by completing dynamic missions and even call in their own vehicles or weapons turrets.

NewU Fitness First Personal Trainer video game on Nintendo Wii

NewU Fitness First Personal Trainer isn’t just about fitness; it also contains a comprehensive, user friendly healthy eating program designed by the nutritional experts of well known TV show and book range You Are What You Eat.

Interest in wellness and nutrition is ever growing and today more than ever as people lead busier lives; it’s even more important to eat well. NewU Fitness First Personal Trainer considers well-being as a perfect balance between physical exercise and a healthy eating, the latter having been designed by the experts at You Are What You Eat.

NewU Fitness First Personal Trainer has 138 recipes, which equates to 20 weeks of different meals. These customised nutrition plans, combined with the right amount of exercise, can lead you to a better and happier lifestyle. NewU Fitness First Personal Trainer even caters for those with special nutritional requirements. For example if you are a vegetarian then in the profile set up, simply unselect the meat groups.

For each of the five meals (breakfast, snack, lunch, dinner & desert) you can choose from two different options and upon selecting one of them you will then have displayed all the ingredients and preparation steps. You can even set the meal selections for the entire week.
Moreover, setting again your profile in the NewU website, you can have access to the recipes and to other useful functions connected with your nutritional plan.

“Creating NewU Fitness First Personal Trainer we have thought about an easy and fair approach, instead of a demeaning or an un-motivating one. You won’t be asked for your weight or size and you will never find references to calories but you will have the guidelines to take control of your eating and enjoy the rewards of a healthier and happier life” says Carina Norris, journalist, MSc (Dist) Public Health Nutrition and contributor for the best seller You Are What You Eat.

Carina has provided her experience on nutrition and healthy lifestyle to create customized nutritional plans which added to a suitable exercise plan may lead to a real benefit and stimulate a newer and more positive way of life.

Ultimate video game for friends and family – Squeeballs Party out October 2009

Revolutionary game for all the family - Squeeballs Party – will launch in October 2009 for the Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS and Apple App Store.

The Squeeballs are 12 small, cuddly toy characters that are manufactured on a remote and secret island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. As part of the requirements, before they can be sold to children around the world, Squeeballs must be fully put to the test…to the point of destruction! You can blow up, cook, slice, bat, bowl, shoot and skim the Squeeballs through over 170 mini-game challenges.

“Squeeballs Party is unlike any other game out there,” said Harry Holmwood, VP, Software Development and Publishing of PDP Ltd. “The graphics and visual elements are incredibly realistic, and controlling the game through motion control really puts users at the heart of the action. Squeeballs Party will keep friends and family entertained throughout Christmas!”

On the Wii, Squeeballs Party can be played in head-to-head challenges with two players or in party mode for up to four competitors. On the Nintendo DS, players can choose to play on their own, or compete head-to-head against others with another Nintendo DS. The Nintendo DS game will also come bundled with an exclusive stylus, making the gameplay more interactive and engaging.

As an added bonus for Christmas, the Nintendo Wii games will come bundled with a soft plush Squeeballs toy featuring the most popular characters in the game.

Pricing

Nintendo Wii: RRP of £29.99
Nintendo DS: RRP of £24.99 (bundled with character stylus)
Apple App Store: TBC

The games will be available nationwide in October 2009 from all major retailers.

WHEELSPIN Futuristic Racing Game Developed by UK-Based Awesome Play Boosts Onto Nintendo Wii

ZeniMax to publish WHEELSPIN a futuristic racing game developed by Archer Maclean’s studio, Awesome Play, for Nintendo Wii. Due out in autumn 2009, WHEELSPIN is a high-energy racing, high-impact game spread across a wide range of inter-planetary tracks and features three engaging modes as well as robust multiplayer options.

Whether you play in Solo, Race, or Battle Mode, you will find yourself racing around unpredictable race tracks at exhilarating speeds of up to 650kph! While Solo mode challenges you to beat times to unlock stages, discover short cuts, and find secret spanners dotted throughout the levels, Race mode throws you into a frenzied race against seven other cars across tracks that twist, turn, and launch cars through the stratosphere. Battle mode is an all out test of aggression versus mobility as you use an arsenal of weapons at your disposal in an all-against-all battle.

WHEELSPIN also features impressive split-screen multiplayer Race and Battle modes that allows for up to eight players to compete concurrently. The game supports a combination of Nintendo Wii Remote, Classic Controllers, Nunchuk, Nintendo GameCube controllers, and force feedback racing wheels.

“WHEELSPIN is a frantically fast-paced game which pushes the Nintendo Wii to its maximum capabilities. With nothing but your own reactions and the tilt of the Nintendo Nintendo Wii Remote between you and victory, this game is a truly thrilling experience”, said Sean Brennan, Managing Director, ZeniMax Europe Ltd. “Archer Maclean and Awesome Play have delivered a great game which we believe gamers will relish the chance to get to grips with. WHEELSPIN makes great use of the controllers supported by the Nintendo Wii and players will find that there’s the perfect control set up for their individual gaming styles”.

"WHEELSPIN was designed exclusively for the Nintendo Wii - with the intention of pushing the hardware further than any other Nintendo Wii racing game to date. You have to see the graphics moving to believe its coming out of a Nintendo Wii - the visuals rush past smoothly at 60 FPS all in widescreen 480P mode", said Archer Maclean, Managing Director of Awesome Play. "We are very pleased to be working with Sean and his team at Bethesda, many of whom have been involved with my previous titles going back 20 years".

WHEELSPIN will be released for Nintendo Wii across Europe in autumn 2009.

Galaxy Online video game to get 3D Projector Support, and new Audio

When it comes to graphics and audio in Galaxy Online (http://go.igg.com), good just isn’t good enough. The development team has been working hard to improve the graphical and audio effects in the game. In fact, players can look forward to new background music and 3D projector support in the future.

Recently, the Galaxy Online dev team has been running demonstrations featuring more diverse audio effects, including new background music. Soon players will be able to evaluate them and offer feedback on what they’d like to hear in the game. The team will take players’ suggestions into account when deciding on the final audio improvements.

The big news from the graphics side of the development team is that they’re now working with ViewSonic’s latest PJD-series video projectors to improve Galaxy Online’s graphics. If the idea of immersing yourself in an all-out space battle with an affordable hi-res projector sounds intense, wait until you see it with your own 3D-spectacled eyes. When these astonishing new graphics and kicking new sounds finally go live, Galaxy Online will take you out of your chair and into a universe of fun.

Deca Sports Nintendo Wii video game price cut in US price drops to under $20

To commemorate the ongoing popularity of DECA SPORTS and the upcoming release of DECA SPORTS 2, Hudson Entertainment, the North American publishing arm of HUDSON SOFT, has lowered the game’s retail price from $29.99 to $19.99. With 2 million units shipped to date, gamers around the world have been enjoying the fun and exciting games in DECA SPORTS for Nintendo Wii.

“We’re so grateful to the millions of gamers who have enjoyed DECA SPORTS in the past year,” said Dai Kudo, Director of Consumer Products at Hudson Entertainment. “By reducing the price, we are inviting all Wii players to experience the diverse games in DECA SPORTS and get pumped for 10 more exciting games coming soon in DECA SPORTS 2.”

DECA SPORTS offers 10 complete sporting events that get players active in the living room while providing entertainment for hours. With activities such as Soccer, Beach Volleyball, Supercross, Kart Racing, Basketball and Snowboard Cross, as well as atypical sports games such as Badminton, Figure Skating, Curling and Archery, DECA SPORTS offers more than the average sports game. Designed with intuitive controls for the Wii Remote and the Nunchuk, DECA SPORTS also includes advanced gameplay options for power spikes, curls and mid air tricks. Each sport supports both single player and multiplayer modes with up to 4 players and in several events, co-op on the same team. The Locker Room feature even allows players to keep track of their medals and trophies. DECA SPORTS has been rated E (Everyone) by the ESRB.

Tornado Outbreak new action adventure game launching soon on Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 video game

Characters include Zephyr, the unlikely hero, Nimbus, the squad leader and the sinister boss Omegaton

Konami revealed new details and character descriptions from Tornado Outbreak, the new action adventure game launching this fall on Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system.





Harness the power of a raging tornado as you tear through open environments, chewing up the landscape and spitting out everything in your path. Tornado Outbreaks revolutionary new game mechanic puts some of the Earth's most powerful elements in your hands. The characters you will play and do battle with include:

Zephyr: Zephyr, leader of the Wind Warriors, possesses the power of wind and the ability to transform himself into a raging, column of air that can level anything in his path. He worked to create atmosphere on lifeless planets but a chance meeting with a strange being named Omegaton changed the game. Zephyr's mission dictates that he helps those in need but meeting this purposefully deceptive anti-hero will challenge all that he knows. His strength, wits and abilities will be put to the test as a cosmic battle for supremacy lands on Earth. No one is safe.

Nimbus: Once the fearless leader of the Wind Warriors, he is now the wise leader second in command. Nimbus stands strong beside his protégé Zephyr passing on the knowledge and abilities he's learned over the years. Nimbus also possesses an innate ability for mechanical know how which is invaluable to the existence of his team. His ability to calibrate and decipher the L.O.A.D STARR which provides cloud cover on Earth and allows his sidekick Zephyr to possess his destructive abilities are vital to their mission.

Wind Warriors: They are the unnamed, fearless and elite squad that stands proudly behind their leaders Nimbus and Zephyr. The Wind Warriors sole purpose is to lend support to whatever mission the leaders deem necessary. Later in the story the Wind Warriors become an integral tool in the ultimate defeat and destruction of their earthbound nemesis Omegaton. Without the Wind Warriors Zephyr and Nimbus would be nearly defenseless.

Water Whirls: Zephyr born from wind, calls upon all forces of nature to accomplish his Earthly duties. Seemingly delicate to the point of being fragile, Water Whirls are calm, tranquil creatures. The Water Whirls donate their ability to traverse large areas quickly and smash objects like a tidal wave. Only through the Elemental forces working together is there any hope of capturing the Fire Fliers and restoring balance to save the Earth.

Fire Fliers: Wreaking havoc on two worlds might make the Fire Fliers seem evil by nature but maybe they're just misunderstood. They are mischievous little buggers with no capacity to understand the consequences of their actions. To them the incursion of Earth is nothing more than an endless game of hide and seek, but their actions on Earth cause more chaos and challenges for our unlikely hero than he'd hope for. Fire Fliers posses important powers which is why Zephyr needs to find them, collect them and ultimately destroy them.

Omegaton: Once the greatest hero of his universe, until his enemies joined forces and exiled him to another universe. Omegaton has been slowly dying after being stripped of his orbs of power and without them his fate is sealed to a cosmic grave. Dispersed somewhere on Earth, the Wind Warriors lead by Zephyr have been tasked to help find his sources of power through Omegaton's deceptive coercion. The story will reveal that all that's known about Omegaton may not be true and his mission is not what it seems.

Developed by Loose Cannon Studios, Tornado Outbreak lands September 15th 2009 for Wii, Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3

Need for Speed Nitro video game trailer - on Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS

Customise your car, take corners at 150 mph, and own your opponents. Need for Speed Nitro delivers the fun and exhilaration of high-speed racing with deep and challenging gamezplay, where racing skills are not the only way to victory. Master advanced techniques such as building up boost by taking risks on the road, then use it at the right moment to take the lead. But don’t forget about the cops, who will do everything they can to disrupt the race. However you choose to race, never count on victory until you’ve crossed the finish line.

FEATURES

Impose Your Style—When you’re in first place, the walls of the city become covered with your graphic style. Now everyone knows that you’re the one leading the pack.

Pick Your Ride—The style and spirit of the game are rooted in car culture, with 30 classic and modern licensed cars including muscles, exotics, tuners, and more. Plus, race on 15 tracks featuring traffic, jumps, canyons, and events.

Battle to the Finish Line—Increase other racers’ heat levels to sick the cops on them, manage car damage to maintain maximum speed, and build up nitro with skilled driving to take the lead. The race is never over until you cross the finish line!

Extreme Customization—Trick out your car’s appearance using an incredibly deep yet intuitive customization system unlike anything seen on the Nintendo Wii. Never before in a Need for Speed game have you had this much control over the look of your ride.

Coop World Tour Campaign—Take part in illegal street races across five cities to unlock new cars, parts, tracks, and challenges. Up to three players can also join you to play cooperatively.

Nitro-Charged Multiplayer—Up to four players can take part in intense races across nine race modes: Race, Team Race, Own It!, Eliminator, Traffic Run, Drag Race, Speed Cameras Challenge, Drift Challenge, and Time Attack Challenge.

Expect to be playing NITRO in Fall 2009. It will be available on Nintendo Wii and the Nintendo DS.