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Tuesday, August 18, 2009

X Games Star Ken Block Wants To Take You For a Spin... and a 100ft Jump at Silverstone


Ken Block, multi medal-winning Subaru Rally Team USA driver, X Games competitor and stunt driving sensation, will headline Trax 2009 [www.traxshows.co.uk], running Sunday 6th September at Silverstone, with his ‘DiRT 2 Ken Block Jump Jam’ and perform a spectacular 100ft in-car jump to mark the forthcoming launch of Colin McRae: DiRT 2, the sequel to the hit racing videogame.

What’s more, visitors to Trax 2009 will have the chance to win a seat as Ken Block’s co-driver by proving their digital off-road driving skills in a special Colin McRae: DiRT 2 ‘Last Man Standing’ multiplayer challenge, to be held in the DiRT 2 Pit Stop Area. The 'Last Man Standing' race-off will be won by the first across the line after an 8-player race.

For the game’s best players, the prize is a ride along with Ken Block on a specially created extreme driving route around Silverstone’s off track areas. The lucky few winners will be well advised to wear two sets of underwear as Block pulls 360s, handbrake turns and donuts before finishing with his trademark adrenaline-inducing 100ft jump over a dirt kicker. A limited number of places are reserved for media interested in running a competition for their readers in the run-up to the Trax event.

Ken Block, who currently holds the world record for jumping 171ft in a rally car and has given his expertise to design some of the tracks in the game, commented: “It’s all about the physics, so I know it can be done! 100ft is nothing – we do it at the X Games all the time – and I can’t wait to give some lucky thrillseekers the same feeling of riding the air in a roaring rally car.”

X Games team-mate of the late Colin McRae, Block is at the forefront of a new breed of pro drivers, competing as Subaru Rally Team USA Driver #43 in the Rally America National Championship and the world-famous X Games. He has also gained notoriety for his mind-blowing stunts in his Subaru WRX STI.

“I’ve been involved with Codemasters and Colin McRae: DiRT 2 for quite a while and serve as a consultant for the game in addition to featuring in it,” said Block. “It’s been a real pleasure and an honour to be part of the production team – Colin McRae was a huge inspiration to me personally. Actually driving my own car in the game, I was amazed at how dynamic the setup is and how much it performs like the real thing. I hope that Colin McRae: DiRT 2 similarly inspires the thousands of kids who dream of being the fastest, greatest, rally driver out there.”

Colin McRae: DiRT 2 is set to take racing games to a new level with thrilling new race types, striking locations, big event atmosphere and a peerless line-up of super-charged speed machines, each selected to deliver spectacular, fast paced racing. Taking players on an exhilarating World Tour, Colin McRae: DiRT 2 will deliver over 100 stunning events, including aggressive, multi-vehicle races and intense solo challenges, set in the most diverse and demanding real-world environments. From the muddy tracks of the Malaysian rainforest to spectator-packed stadiums in London and Los Angeles, racers will compete in contemporary off-road race disciplines covering Rallycross, Trailblazer, Raid, Landrush, and Rally.

Complete with full head-to-head competitive online play, Colin McRae: DiRT 2 will be available from leading game stores from September 11th for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system, Wii, Nintendo DS and PSP (PlayStation Portable) system.

Media are also invited to experience the thrill of riding alongside Block at a special media event on Friday 4th September - please get in touch using the contact details below.

Time Gentlemen, Please! Zombie Cow Studios outrageous sequel to free award winning video game Ben There, Dan That! has become an internet cult hit

zombie cow video game screenMore classic point-and-click adventure games on the way

‘Time Gentlemen, Please!’, Zombie Cow Studios’ outrageous sequel to the award-winning ‘Ben There, Dan That!’, has fast become a cult hit all over the internet, with a whopping Metacritic score of 89, and a PCZone Classic Award (90%) under its belt.

Zombie Cow Studios is now proud to announce there’s likely to be more from the haphazard geeks Dan and Ben: “Time Gentlemen, Please! has been so well-received. We’ve currently got a higher Metacritic score than both the Monkey Island Special Edition and the Tales of Monkey Island’s first episode, which are both properly amazing, so really it makes sense to be looking into continuing the franchise...”

Talking to RockPaperShotgun, Zombie Cow Studios’ Dan Marshall today confirmed there are more adventures in the works. “Instead of writing a whole new adventure, I’m currently hard at work making an ‘Episodes Engine’, which is being custom-built from the ground up (whatever that means, it sounds right) to make writing new adventures [for Dan and Ben] much much easier.”

“We’re looking at doing shorter, cheaper, standalone jabs of entertainment – possibly just an hour or so’s gameplay to slot into that gap you’ve got on a weekday evening, the same sort of length as an episode of something on TV... We’ve come up with an amazing opener – something that’s a bit of a refreshing departure from the other games, but still slots in nicely with the idea of Dan and Ben being old-school adventurers, always getting themselves into scrapes. The really exciting thing for me about doing shorter games is that we can do much more interesting things in terms of puzzles, settings, complexity and mechanics."

With its bizarre, madcap sense of humour, superb design and laugh-out-loud script, ‘Time Gentlemen, Please!’ has taken the point-and-click genre by storm, with extremely positive press likening it to the classic adventures we all remember from our youths, dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century for an enlightened, more sweary and grown-up market.

‘Time Gentlemen, Please!’ is the successor to ‘Ben There, Dan That!’ which was voted Best Freeware Adventure Game of 2008 by both the critics and readers of JayIsGames.com. The plot follows haphazard geeks Dan and Ben as they saunter through time trying to put a stop to an alternate-universe Hitler and his army of cloned Nazi dinosaurs.

"...excellent scripting, consistent, cartoony design and delight in overtly, overly referential absurdity...even the Telltale titles are clunky and formulaic compared to the anarchistic invention of games like this... 9/10” Eurogamer.net

“It's one of the most outrageous games I've ever played and for that alone I love it. – 90% (Classic Award)” PCZone

“Funnier than any game in years, and delightfully rude. Point-and-click adventuring done right for a change. 87%” PCGamer

“Indie Pick of the Week… fans of the genre won't want to miss it… full of British wit, adult language … and the esoteric puzzles we all know and love.” – IGN.com, and 'Best of 2009' feature

"Incredibly British, with a mix of witty banter, silly animations and hilarious facial expressions... not only the best adventure game I've played in a very long time - it is one of the best adventure games I've played. Ever." IndieGames.com

"...a playground for just about every type of humor that is likely to get you ousted from civil society... The writing is simply wonderful… bigger, better, harder, and raunchier than the original by a mile. 4.9/5” Jay Is Games.com

‘Time Gentlemen, Please!’ is available for purchase at the preposterously low price of £2.99/ $5ish from www.zombie-cow.com/tgp. Ben There, Dan That! remains gloriously free from www.zombie-cow.com/btdt

MTV Games and Harmonix Reveal All But One Track Featured In The Beatles: Rock Band

MTV Games and Harmonix reveale 19 more of the 45 on-disc tracks that will be featured in The Beatles -Rock Band - leaving all, but one song a mystery. A gameplay trailer featuring ten of the 19 newly announced songs can be viewed by visiting www.thebeatlesrockband.com.

The newly announced 19 songs represent a cross-section of hits and favorites that span The Beatles’ storied career from “A Hard Day’s Night” and “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” to “Ticket to Ride” and “Something,” bringing the total number of announced songs to 44.

The Beatles: Rock Band 19 New Songs Revealed With Featured Venues:
• “Boys” / Cavern Club
• “A Hard Day’s Night” / Ed Sullivan Theater
• “I’m Looking Through You” / Shea Stadium
• “If I Needed Someone” / Shea Stadium
• “Ticket to Ride” / Shea Stadium
• “Drive My Car” / Budokan
• “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” / Abbey Road Dreamscape
• “Getting Better” / Abbey Road Dreamscape
• “Good Morning” / Abbey Road Dreamscape
• “Hello, Goodbye” / Abbey Road Dreamscape
• “Hey Bulldog” / Abbey Road Dreamscape
• “Dear Prudence” / Abbey Road Dreamscape
• “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” / Abbey Road Dreamscape
• “Helter Skelter” / Abbey Road Dreamscape
• “Something” / Abbey Road Dreamscape
• “Come Together” / Abbey Road Dreamscape
• “Don’t Let Me Down” / Rooftop Concert
• “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” / Rooftop Concert
• “I Me Mine” / Rooftop Concert

The Beatles: Rock Band allows fans to pick up the guitar, bass, mic or drums to experience The Beatles’ extraordinary catalogue of music through gameplay that takes players on a journey through the legacy and evolution of the band’s legendary career. From the early touring days in 1963 Liverpool to the immortal, final performance on the Apple Corps rooftop, fans can follow in The Fab Four’s footsteps as they traverse the globe during the height of Beatlemania.

For the first time in a music videogame, The Beatles: Rock Band introduces three-part vocal harmonies to gameplay, allowing players to revel in the unparalleled vocal stylings of The Beatles.

As previously announced, the entire Abbey Road album will be available for future download purchase. In addition, “All You Need Is Love” will be released Sept.9, 2009, exclusively through Xbox LIVE for a limited time as a downloadable song for The Beatles: Rock Band, with all Apple Corps Ltd, MTV Games, Harmonix and Microsoft proceeds benefitting Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).

In conjunction with the release of the entire, original, digitally re-mastered Beatles CD catalogue, The Beatles: Rock Band will be available Sept. 9, 2009, simultaneously worldwide in North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and other territories for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system from Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI), and the Nintendo Wi
i system from Nintendo. The game will be compatible with all Rock Band instrument controllers, as well as most Guitar Hero and other authorized third-party music video game peripherals and microphones.

North American and European fans who pre-order any version of the The Beatles: Rock Band at a participating retailer will be given an access code to officially join the Pre-Order Club. After entry of the code, consumers will gain access to breaking news and exclusive behind-the-scenes elements. For a list of participating retailers or to learn more about The Beatles: Rock Band Pre-Order Club, please visit www.thebeatlesrockband.com/preorderclub/.

The Beatles: Rock Band marks the first time that Apple Corps, along with EMI Music, Harrisongs Ltd, and Sony/ATV Music Publishing, has agreed to present The Beatles music in an interactive video game format. The Beatles: Rock Band will be published by MTV Games and developed by Harmonix, the world’s premier music video game company and creators of the best-selling Rock Band. Electronic Arts will serve as distribution partner for the game. In addition, Giles Martin, co-producer of The Beatles innovative LOVE album project, is providing his expertise and serving as Music Producer for this groundbreaking Beatles project.

For more information on The Beatles: Rock Band, as well as art and video assets, please visit http://www.thebeatlesrockband.com/press.

Sign your favourite Footballers Or Club with Championship Manager 2009


Eidos Interactive is set to revolutionise its Championship Manager franchise tomorrow by offering a downloadable PC version of its new football management game to fans on a ‘pay what you want’ model allowing you to own the full game from as little as a penny.
At a time when the cost of transfers in football have reached record levels, with players fetching hundreds of millions of pounds between them and ticket prices at a premium, Championship Manager is opening the door for every football fan in the country to try the latest, highly improved new version of the game for the price they want to pay*.

“This is the best Championship Manager the studio has ever made and we want as many people as possible to try the full new game,” said Championship Manager General Manager Roy Meredith.

In an unprecedented move for the video games industry, Eidos will offer the downloadable version of the famous game franchise on a ‘pay what you want’ model. This is the first time an initiative like this has been tried in the videogames market and echoes a similar initiative in 2008 by rock band Radiohead with the launch of their album ‘In Rainbows’.
Championship Manager 2010 will become the first football title available for the 2009/10 season and the ‘pay what you want’ promotion will run until midnight on September 10 – from which point users will be able to download their game purchase directly from www.champmanstore.com. All fans need to pay is a £2.50 transaction fee plus any additional amount of their choice, starting from just a PENNY.
The Championship Manager franchise is one of the most successful game series of all time and played every season by fans and professionals alike. Former Celtic boss Gordon Strachan even used the franchise to check out players he was interested in buying.

In development for more than two years, Championship Manager 2010 lets anybody become a Rafa Benitez, Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti or Harry Redknapp or any other manager from multiple leagues worldwide, delving deep inside the football world and taking on responsibility for buying players, setting wages and deciding on tactics.
The latest Championship Manager 2010 game is the most realistic yet, using a global scouting network of over 300 people to update the player databases and taking advice from professionals such as former Premier League and world cup referee Graham Poll and ex-West Ham legend Mervyn Day.

New features include a host of unique technology including a bespoke 3D match engine with over 500 individual player animations, a set-piece creator giving users the chance to make their own free-kicks and corners, scouting networks to find new talent in countries around the world and practice matches to help select the perfect team or trial new stars.
Championship Manager 2010 will also feature a completely new gameplay innovation in CM Season Live - which is updated every month with real player data and information for the 2009/10 football season. CM Season Live is additional downloadable content, available at just £5 for 6 updates, including all the latest statistics, scores, competition standings, player transfers, player stats, bookings and major injuries plus much more from the 10 leading countries in Europe and can be downloaded directly to the game throughout the season. CM Season Live is available to order online now and will also be available for free with the purchase of the special edition boxed copy of the game, available for a limited time only.

(* - subject to a £2.50 transaction fee and minimum payment of one pence)

High praise for Edinburgh Interactive 2009 from leading games industry luminaries!

As Edinburgh Interactive drew to a close last Friday, some of the industry’s key decision makers in video games and interactive entertainment, who attended and participated in the Festival, have been quick to offer high praise for Edinburgh Interactive this year and hail it as a triumphant success for the seventh year running.

Speakers;
Peter Moore, President of EA Sports:
“The Edinburgh Interactive Conference was both thought-provoking and informative. It was a pleasure spending the day with the delegates, as well as the gamers who came along to the interactive exhibit area. Overall it was a great experience and I look forward to lending further support to this wonderful event in the future.”

Ian Livingstone, Life President of Eidos:
“Edinburgh Interactive was a great success because not only did it celebrate games as an art form, it discussed the brave new world of the whole industry. Video games, MMOs, browser games, social network games were all examined from a future perspective by senior industry executives including Peter Moore and Kristian Segerstrale. I don't believe anybody left Edinburgh Interactive without feeling inspired.”

Kristian Segerstrale, CEO & Co-founder of Playfish:
"Inspirational two days with an impressive lineup of speakers and great open debate about some of the most pressing issues about where the industry is heading. Highly recommended!"

Osma Ahvenlampi, Chief Technology Officer of Sulake, publisher of Habbo Hotel:
“The passion to move the industry forwards, rather than delve on past achievements could be felt in the atmosphere of Edinburgh Interactive. Whether your focus is on AAA titles or games of the online kind, large or small, this is an entertainment format forever reinventing itself, and the conference clearly reflects that.”

Ray Maguire, Managing Director of Sony Computer Entertainment UK:
"As always, egos were set aside for some serious discussions on the future of our industry. A great mix of speakers and subjects ensured lively debates which carry on well into the night at various Edinburgh's festival venues."

Ian Kelso, President & CEO of Interactive Ontario Industry Association:
"Edinburgh Interactive was a terrific opportunity for us to meet some of the most creative companies in the UK and tell them about the exciting things that are happening in Ontario. Of course Edinburgh is truly a magnificent city and it was a real plus to be able to enjoy the amazing energy of the greater Edinburgh Festival."

Sean Dromgoole, CEO of Some Research:
“Edinburgh this year really hit its stride. The sessions that stick in my mind were; an eviscerating presentation by Peter Moore recounting how he had restarted EA Sports – without ever slowing down; Kristian Segestrale’s vision of games as a service rather than a product inside social networks and beyond; Kieron O Reilly’s machine gun delivery of how to service communities. I really enjoyed taking part in the debate with Ian Livingstone and Kristian and Peter and Ray Maguire and the shouting and cheering suggested that the audience got in to it as well. The whole event was stitched together by Chris Deering’s mellifluous chairmanship and BHPR’s impeccable event organisation.”

Simon Guild, Chairman of Bigpoint Games:
“Edinburgh Interactive was a great forum to hear and share ideas with a wide range of senior people from the industry.”

Martin Owen, CEO of Smalti:
"A pleasure to be with optimistic people who are passionate about games. A wonderful mix – from young developers to industry seniors – and all happy to talk to each other!”

Rob Seaver, Co-founder and CEO of Vivox:
“The festival was an excellent opportunity to learn about key changes taking place in the game industry, and the challenges and opportunities that we face, from some of the top people in the industry. Informative sessions, lively debate, and a crowd of industry and media heavyweights combined for a great event.”

Nathan Vella, Co-founder & President of Capy Games:
“The Edinburgh Interactive Festival 2009 was a great success for Capy and everyone else in attendance. It effectively combined super-informative talks & industry discussion with great opportunities for us to meet with the awesome UK-based press.”

Kieran O’Neill, Co-founder and Managing Director of Playfire:
“It was my first visit to Edinburgh Interactive this year, and I am well and truly converted into a regular. The intimacy with such an amazing group of people is unlike any other game industry conference I've been to. A highly enjoyable two days!”

Mike Bennett, CEO & Creative Director of Oil:
"Edinburgh interactive festival is the rarest of beasts; major industry players speaking and interacting at an intimate conference, sharing ideas and inspiration. I couldn't recommend it enough."

Anthony Waller, Partner of Olswang:
"Olswang LLP is delighted to have spoken at and participated in the Edinburgh Interactive Festival 2009. Edinburgh Interactive is an excellent opportunity to hear from leading industry players seeking to push the boundaries of games and offers its delegates a window into the future of the industry."

Event organisers;
Chris Deering, Chairman of Edinburgh Interactive Festival:
"The Edinburgh Interactive 2009 Conference was our best ever. The all-volunteer content committee pulled together an amazing group of sessions to stimulate our thinking about where the games industry is headed. Delegates came from all over the world including India and China. Peter Moore's opening session on retaging EA Sports into a 24/7/365 Service Business was especially inspiring, as were the analyses by the CEOs of Habbo Hotel, Playfish, Big Point, Vivox, Endemol UK and Playfire.
Ray Maguire won a conference award for Little Big Planet on PS3 and Sony's new EyePet was also screened, as were a whole range of new Wii and 360 games.
As always, the ambiance of Edinburgh at Festival time is contagious for stimulating lateral thinking, and attendees related that they were all fired up with ideas as the conference drew to a close on Friday afternoon"


Fred Hasson, one of the founders of Edinburgh Interactive:
“This is the festival’s 7th year, and it continues to offer a unique, affordable, and intimate setting for all sections of the industry, interested parties and the public to come together, to interact and face the future.”

Peter Moore, President of EA Sports opened Edinburgh Interactive with his keynote ‘The Challenge of Reinventing the Iconic Sports Brand Game’. It proved very popular, providing an honest account of how EA SPORTS have revolutionised their outlook – as well as their output – to avoid collapse. Moore then outlined key areas in which the company has focused on improving and expanding the brand, capturing the core audience and captivating the masses.

The Edinburgh Interactive Conference went on to deliver a lively schedule of conference sessions featuring guest speakers including Sean Dromgoole of Some Research, Peter Cowley, Managing Director of Digital Media for Endemol, Kristian Segerstrale, CEO & Co-founder of Playfish among many others.

The Conference ran around the two day free-to-play consumer area and some public screening sessions. Both of these parts drew in a massive public footfall and the publishers involved enjoyed high praise from the consumers for the events.

One consumer, who attended the event, said: “There was loads of things to see and I got to play some great games, the screening room was so packed – I almost had to fight to get in! I will definitely be coming to this next year.”

The festival, which this year celebrated its seventh anniversary, exists to showcase the continued popularity, growth and influence of video games, exploring their cultural impact and look at the future of interactive content.

Little Big Planet PlayStation 3 video game Game of the Year Edition with tons of new stuff including Modnation access- with video

Little Big Planet PlayStation 3 video game Game of the Year Edition boxThe Little Big planet Game of the Year Edition at $59.99 will include loads of extras including 18 exclusive levels hand built by extraordinary Little Big Planet community. Plus seven packs, including the Metal Gear Solid pack this sold for up to $30. Plus, you’ll get access to the Modnation Racers beta – the latest in Sony’s Play.

Watch the video...

New PlayStation 3 Dead Nations video game announced

In an accidental leak in a GamesCom schedule Dead Nations has been listed as a PlayStation 3 video game release.

It probably won't surprise you to learn that hot exclusive titles like God of War III, Heavy Rain, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, MAG, Gran Turismo PSP and ModNation Racers will be in attendance.

We'll have to wait until tomorrow to find out what the game is all about.

The Mystery of Whiterock Castle video game also to be released for Xbox LIVE Arcade

whiterock_castle_video game castle front viewHidden object video game, The Mystery of Whiterock Castle, will be released for Xbox LIVE Arcade. Developed by Keen Games in Frankfurt, Germany, The Mystery of Whiterock Castle sends players of all ages on an extraordinary medieval adventure. Already set to launch on WiiWare in summer 2009, the game, which is suitable for children of all ages, will soon also become available worldwide via Xbox LIVE Marketplace.

The Mystery of Whiterock Castle is the story of a young squire who is searching for his dearest playmate, a princess who has mysteriously vanished from the royal chambers. Fans of hidden object puzzles take on the role of the young squire and delve into lavishly detailed and hand-drawn 3D scenes, armed with a sword and a magnifying glass as they explore many chambers and dismal dungeons. The Mystery of Whiterock Castle has been designed to be deliberately simple and easy to learn, especially for young gamers. Playing together, against each other, or even alone, players must find and collect hidden items in ten different scenarios. The items are generated and positioned within the levels randomly. Secret hiding places, various multiplayer modes and high-score lists make the game entertaining for the whole family, placing The Mystery of Whiterock Castle as a leader in one of the most popular genres in casual games market.

The Mystery of Whiterock Castle will be available to download from Xbox LIVE Marketplace in summer 2009.

Yoga for the Nintendo Wii new interactive game experience

yoga nintendo wii video game girl in lotus positionAustrian video game publisher JoWooD Productions Software AG will present an all new and innovative console game at the “GamesCom” in Cologne, Germany. With “Yoga” for Nintendo Wii, JoWooD introduces a very new way to have an interactive gaming experience that leads to more body awareness and relaxation.

In November 2009 (estimated release date is November 2009) JoWooD Productions Software AG will release “Yoga” for Nintendo Wii. A team of 35 people worked for 16 months to prepare a very new fitness and lifestyle experience. This game will be presented at Europe’s biggest computer gaming trade fair, the “GamesCom”. Thanks to the Balance Board accessory, the player will receive direct feedback about his or her actions.

“Yoga for Wii is a high-quality game and was designed for all those who are interested in learning more about this ancient Indian philosophy and who want to get their body in shape and their mind balanced,” says Markus Reutner, Marketing Manager at JoWooD.

Anja Rubik (international Top 5 model) will be featured in “Yoga”. She guides the player, along with an interactive Yoga guru, through the game and supports the player by providing handy hints. As a dedicated Yoga practitioner, Anja shares her motivation and some insights on the Yoga philosophy. On the basis of your modifiable Yoga training schedule, you can check your progress in becoming a guru on your own!

“Yoga for Wii targets Yoga practitioners and those following a healthy lifestyle as well as Wii owners. The fact that Nintendo Wii system is available in millions of households sets up a great base to build on” adds Markus Reutner. “Besides Austria, Germany and Switzerland, Italy, Spain, France, UK and North America are the target markets.” More information about “Yoga” is available at www.yoga-game.com. “Kobza Integra PR” is responsible for the international coordination of all marketing and pr efforts.

Previous Nintendo Wii Yoga post on gamezplay...

Silent Hunter 5 video game joins best-selling submarine series dive into cinematic battles with strong enemy warships across the Atlantic and Mediterr

silent hunter 5 video game submarine with ships in background sinkingUbisoft announces the fifth iteration of the highly acclaimed submarine simulation series with Silent Hunter 5. Developed by Ubisoft Romania, Silent Hunter 5 is the next installment of the best-selling submarine series of all-time and will be available for the PC in early 2010.

Silent Hunter 5 ventures into uncharted territory and takes players behind the periscope of a German U-boat to take on the Allied Forces in famous battles across the vast Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. For the first time in the history of the series, players can live the life of a submarine captain from a first-person view and lead a crew in a critical campaign.

Silent Hunter is the most award-winning submarine series of all time, with nearly 1.5 million copies sold worldwide. The previous release in the franchise, Silent Hunter: Wolves of the Pacific, made a lasting solid impact on the franchise’s growing fan base after it was released to worldwide critical acclaim, including being named 2007’s “Simulation Game of the Year” by PC Gamer.

Silent Hunter® 5 key features:

• VIEW AS A CAPTAIN: Walk through highly detailed submarines in the new first-person view and access every part of your U-boat.

• BECOME A REAL LEADER: Interact with your crew, watch them perform their daily jobs and experience the tension and fear inside the U-boat through the new advanced order system.

• WAR STRATEGIES: Choose your own strategy and select your targets with a new objective-driven, dynamic campaign.

• ENEMY REACTIONS: Open new locations, upgrades and resupply possibilities, while the Allied ships adjust dynamically to your approach. Your actions will directly impact the evolution of the campaign.

• NEW USER INTERFACE: Prowl the waters with a brand-new user interface. Now, every beginner can successfully command a sub while remaining free of confusion. In expert mode, experienced players will be provided all the necessary information and controls to command the sub completely on their own.

• CINEMATIC EXPERIENCE: Experience the most realistic and immersive Silent Hunter ever created. Improved environment graphics create a powerful level of immersion as you operate authentic, highly detailed U-boats and fight against surface ships.

Silent Hunter 5 is scheduled for release in early 2010.