LucasArts release the Force on the Wii - Spring 2008

Star Wars The Force Unleashed Coming to Nintendo's Platform with Exclusive Duel Mode

LucasArts today revealed that Star Wars: The Force Unleashed™ will come to the Wii™ home videogame system from Nintendo next spring, offering owners the unique chance to live out their Jedi fantasies by wielding the Wii Remote™ as a lightsaber while using the Nunchuk™ controller to torment foes with their Force™ powers.

The Force Unleashed casts players as Darth Vader's "Secret Apprentice" and promises to unveil new revelations about the Star Wars galaxy. The game's expansive story is set during the largely unexplored era between Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. In it, players will assist the iconic villain in his quest to rid the universe of Jedi - and face decisions that could change the course of their destiny.

The Wii version, in development by Krome Studios, will also add an exclusive duel mode in which players can compete head-to-head with their friends to determine the ultimate Jedi Master.

"The Wii is a great platform for The Force Unleashed, because the console's motion-oriented controllers really bring the game to life," said Jim Ward, President of LucasArts. "We've worked hard to make the Wii version of the game unique in order to truly let you unleash the Force."

More About Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

The Force Unleashed is the first next-generation game developed internally at LucasArts, and will be available on the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system.

As its name implies, The Force Unleashed completely re-imagines the scope and scale of the Force by taking full advantage of newly developed technologies that will be seen and experienced for the first time: Digital Molecular Matter, by Pixelux Entertainment, and euphoria by NaturalMotion Ltd.

"The combination of our great story, memorable characters, and the revolutionary new technology that we're introducing will deliver something Star Wars fans have never seen before, in addition to attracting newcomers to gaming, something that is very important to us," added Ward.

LucasArts and developer Krome Studios are creating an equally enthralling version of The Force Unleashed on the Wii, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, and n-Space, Inc., is developing a version for the Nintendo DS™. All will feature the same storyline, with opportunities to unleash the Force in devastating new ways.

Working with Lucas Licensing, LucasArts is preparing an unprecedented promotional effort around the launch of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, encompassing a full line of toys and game-based action figures from Hasbro, as well as a full publishing program from Dark Horse, Del Rey and Palace Press.

More information about the game can be found at the official website, www.theforceunleashed.com, which will continue to release details throughout the year.

Battle Gear Counter-Strike

3-Month Weekly Competition Offering Over $3,500 in Player Product Prizes at 50+ iGames Centers across US and Canada

Product Sponsors Include BFG®, Razer™, Antec®, Patriot Memory and Abit

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA, September 19, 2007—iGames, the world’s leading game center organization, today announced the Battle Gear Counter-Strike™ Source Fall Game Night, a 3-month weekly ladder with special events to be held at 50+ iGames member centers across the United States and Canada, with over $3,500 in player prizes in the balance from top gear sponsors BFG®, Razer™, Antec®, Patriot Memory and Abit.

Format:

• The program will run every Wednesday evening from Sept 12 through Dec 12 from 7 PM to 10 PM EST.

• The event will be a team-based 5-v-5 Ladder facilitated over IRC complete with Match History and Standings tracked on a dedicated iGames Mini-Site.

• A special night of events will occur on Wednesday, October 17 for a Mid-Season Break. Additional details will be posted at a later date on the event Mini-Site.

• In total 8 teams will advance to the playoffs which will run November 28 to December 12.

Prizes:

Each player (five per team) on a winning placing team at the conclusion of playoffs will win the following respective prizes:

1st Place Team
+ BFG 6800 GTS OC 256MB PCIe video card

2nd Place
+ Razer Tarantula gaming keyboard
+ Razer DeathAdder gaming mouse

3rd Place
+ Antec Nine Hundred computer case

4th Place
+ Patriot Extreme Performance (EP) Low Latency PC2-6400 2GB memory kit

5th Place
+ Abit IL9 Pro motherboard

For registration and rules, along with the event schedule and complete list of participating iGames center, visit www.igames.org or contact the iGames events team at events@igames.org.

Bomberman Live

Hudson Entertainment, the North American publishing arm for Hudson Soft, today announced that they have partnered with Destructoid.com, one of the top video game entertainment news sites, in Bomb-Up Pack 2, the second add-on pack for the Bomberman LIVE game on Xbox LIVE® Arcade. This new add-on pack will star Destructoid’s mascot as a playable character, as well as feature over a dozen additions, including ten characters, two levels, two leader boards, and a brand new game mode. Bomb-Up Pack 2 is expected to launch on September 26 and will cost 250 Microsoft Points ($3.13).

“We continue to see great success with Bomberman Live, and are committed to bringing fresh new content through add-on packs for the game,” said John Greiner, President and CEO of Hudson Entertainment. “Hudson is always pushing the creative envelope, and featuring a major gaming website in a game, a first for the industry, is a fun way to demonstrate our dedication to the community.”

“Not only is it an honor to have Destructoid represented in Bomberman Live, but it may also be the first time an online community has been immortalized in a popular gaming franchise,” said Niero Gonzalez, Creator of Destructoid.com. “We’re grateful that Hudson has extended our brand in this unique way, and invite all gamers to wreak havoc as the infamous Mr. Destructoid.”

This Bomberman LIVE add-on pack will add the following features:
The Destructoid Mascot – The iconic, robotic mascot makes his way into the game, complete with his trademark helmet and white suit. Players can dress up their Bomberman as the robot and bomb away with the impunity of a blogger.
Ten New Characters – In addition to Destructoid, other new characters include “Bomberella” the cavewoman and “El Bombito” the matador, resulting in countless new ways for players to customize their in-game Bomberman.
Two Additional Levels – New arenas include “Medieval Times,” a level in which bombs and sorcery collide, and the hypersonic “Full Tilt.” racetrack
One New Game Mode – “Bomb Shelters” will allow players to hide from explosions in a small, fireproof building.
Two New Leaderboards – Dominate the competition on two new ranking systems on the Xbox LIVE® network. The new leaderboards will track performance on both a weekly and an all-time basis for the speed circle gimmicks on the new “Full Tilt” map.
About Bomberman
Originally launched in the US in 1987, the game captured gamers’ hearts with its simple yet challenging gameplay. With over 60 iterations on nearly all major consoles since then, and over 10 million units sold, winning accolades as the best multiplayer game of all time, this classic game has stood the test of time. The overall design appeals to gamers of all ages, and to both men and women. The game is simple enough: from a top-down perspective, you compete against other players in a grid-like arena. Your only weapon is a bomb, which you can drop to clear out obstacles or to knock out your opponents. Players can pick up upgrades, which become available when they clear obstacles, to increase their chances of winning. The game is fun, yet frantic, and brings out the most competitive spirit in all of us! The new Bomberman Live game has garnered numerous awards, is currently a top seller on the Xbox LIVE® Arcade platform.

The Sims 2 Teen Style Stuff Fact Sheet

Give your teen Sims everything they need to express their unique style with The Sims 2 Teen Style Stuff! Now your teen Sims can show some attitude with all-new, unique furniture, decor items, fashions and more with three distinct themes - "Goth", "Thrasher" and "Socialite". Give your Sims a new phone, stereo, TV and other gadgets to keep them up to date and in touch with their friends. Make sure your Sims are always sporting the latest teen fashions including track suits, designer jeans, and yoga outfits. Let your young Sims express themselves in ways only teenagers can!

The Fabulous Life Of The Socialite

Design a bedroom fit for a princess with a luxurious bed complete with drapery crown and a classy vanity table.
A delicately carved wardrobe is perfect for your Socialite teen to keep her designer jeans and other stylish accessories.
Young girl Sims can lounge around in chic pajamas that put a cute cami and pants with matching fuzzy slippers.
Get The Extreme Sport Lifestyle

Deck out your Sims's roo with a skateboard and surfboard wall sculpture to reflect their edge yet laidback lifestyle.
Give them khaki cargo shorts and other chill clothes that are perfect for lounging.
The Dark World Of The Goth

Transform your Goth Sim's room into a reflection of their dark soul with gloomy furnishings like a black and red armoire and plush, velvet chairs.
Fill their wardrobe with dark and rebellious attire including buckles, belts and heavy boots for him and leather, tattoos and fishnets for her.

PSP Slim and Lite remodel a "head in the sand" move

The UMD is a dead format that's a waste of money, time, and investment according to David Perry.

Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, the Shiny founder and operator of GameConsultants.com revealed what he would do if he were in charge of PlayStation Portable development.

"They really need to restart the PSP programme in my book. They really need to bring out the PSP 3.0 and start again and try to get a lot of units out by reducing the manufacturing costs, by taking out all the motors and drives and stuff they have in there."

"That will make it even more sexy-looking, because it will be thinner again when they get all that junk out. Then, hopefully, the platform will actually get enough interest so that people will make a game specifically for it," Perry said.

He referred to the recent PSP Slim and Lite remodel as a "head in the sand" move.

As for what current PSP owners will do with their UMDs if Sony turns to a download-only handheld, Perry said that it would be fairly trivial to include software to validate that a user owns a certain game, much like iTunes. With authentication, users should be allowed to download digital versions of UMD games they already own.

When questioned as to why Sony hadn't already done this, Perry responded: "The truth is, the stores will not carry PSPs unless they feel they are going to get a piece of the action on the back end. And Sony has not come up with an innovative business model that can support that concept."

But with the industry moving in the direction of digital downloads, Sony needs to come up with a shared revenue system eventually.

"Maybe its an even slightly better deal because there is no cost of goods, and shipping, insurance, and warehousing is all out the window...so maybe the store gets a little bit more. And they get more of their shelf space back, which is their most valuable asset."

Source: Games Industry

Pokémon Trades Span The Globe

They invaded. They evolved. And now they'll be traded - across oceans, and without regard for national borders or native tongue.

Nintendo today announces the Pokémon GTS (Global Trade Station) Web site goes online worldwide Sept. 15 and will be a great resource for Pokémon fans interested in learning more about trading their favorite characters.

The Global Trade Station already allows the trade of millions of Pokémon between trainers worldwide. Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl are the fastest-selling games in the history of the series, with worldwide sales in excess of 10 million games. Players use their Nintendo DS portable game systems to link wirelessly to Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, allowing them to scan which Pokémon are available from different nations and offer to trade with other players.

The new Pokémon Global Trade Station Web site, www.pokemon-gts.net, can be reached via any Internet-connected computer. The site will let users see which Pokémon are the most popular to trade, provide statistics about the number of trades completed and allow them to bookmark their favorite Pokémon. The site will operate in seven different languages and inform users about the nation they're "visiting" electronically. Visitors can even listen to audio files to learn how to say "hello" and "thank you" in select countries languages.

"Pokémon is now truly global in nature," says George Harrison, Nintendo of America's senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications. "A Pokémon Trainer from Chicago can be traveling in Sydney and trade one of their Pokémon with another owner in Helsinki."

Pokémon USA, Inc., a subsidiary of The Pokémon Company in Japan, manages the property outside of Asia which includes licensing, marketing, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, an animated TV series, home entertainment, the official Pokémon Web site and an online retail center www.pokemoncenter.com. Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 for play on Nintendo's Game Boy and has since evolved into a global cultural phenomenon. Pokémon was introduced in North America in September 1998 and today is one of the most popular toy and entertainment properties in the world. For more information, visit www.pokemon.com.

The worldwide innovator in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, Game Boy Advance and Nintendo GameCube systems. Since 1983, Nintendo has sold nearly 2.4 billion video games and more than 420 million hardware units globally, and has created industry icons like Mario, Donkey Kong, Metroid, Zelda and Pokémon. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo's operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, visit the company's Web site at www.nintendo.com.

Razer Battlefield 2 Fall Game Night

3-Month Weekly Competition Offering Over $5,000 in RazerTM Player Product Prizes at 50+ iGames Centers across US and Canada

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA, September 18, 2007—iGames, the world’s leading game center organization, today announced the Razer™ Battlefield 2™ Fall Game Night, a 3-month weekly ladder with special events to be held at 50+ iGames member centers across the United States and Canada, with an arsenal of products worth over $5,000 in player prizes courtesy of Razer.

Schedule:
The program will run every Tuesday evening from Sept 11 through Dec 11 from 7 PM to 10 PM EST.
• September 11 to November 13 - Preseason and Regular Season
>From 7 PM to 10 PM Eastern Time there will be a team-based 6 vs. 6 Ladder facilitated over IRC complete with Match History and Standings tracked on a dedicated iGames Mini-Site.
• October 16 – Mid-Season Break
A special night of events will occur on Tuesday, October 16 for a Mid-Season Break. Additional details will be posted at a later date on the event Mini-Site.
• November 27 to December 11 - Playoffs
The top 8 teams from Ladder play will advance to a double-elimination playoff bracket which will determine the final placement of all teams.

Prizes
OVER $5,000 WORTH OF RAZER PRODUCT PRIZES!
Each player (six per team) on a winning placing team at the conclusion of playoffs will win the following respective prizes:

1st Place Team
Prizes per Team Member
+ Razer Barracuda HP-1™ Gaming Audio Card
+ Razer Barracuda HP-1 Gaming Headphones
+ Razer Tarantula™ keyboard
+ Razer DeathAdder™ mouse
+ Razer Mantis™ mousepad

2nd Place
Prizes per Team Member
+ Razer Tarantula keyboard
+ Razer DeathAdder mouse
+ Razer Mantis mousepad

3rd Place
Prizes per Team Member
+ Razer Tarantula keyboard

4th Place
Prizes per Team Member
+ Razer DeathAdder mouse

5th & 6th Place
Prizes per Team Member
+ Razer Mantis mousepad

For registration and rules, along with the event schedule and complete list of participating iGames center, visit www.igames.org or contact the iGames events team at events@igames.org.

Snood Blaster

Developed by THQ studio Universomo, Snood Blaster takes the hugely popular Snood brand, originally available for PC and Mac, and adapts it to the mobile platform with some remarkable enhancements.

The heart of Snood Blaster is the simple, yet immensely addictive puzzle game. Clear the level by shooting colourful Snoods to the rows of Snood above, matching three or more of the same colour to remove them from the playing field. Under this very approachable and easy to pick up basic premise lie huge possibilities for clever moves, large combos and big scores.

The basic puzzle gameplay is further spiced up by the total of seven different game modes that all challenge the player in different ways.

On top of the smooth, polished gameplay Snood Blaster adds a completely new level of playing: a meta game called House of Snoods. It puts all the player's actions and achievements in context, creating completely new reasons to spend more time with the game and explore everything it has to offer. It also adds a new kind of long-term planning to the game, binding several levels and game modes together.

The gaming experience is completed by a crisp, colourful graphics that make the Snoods look better than ever before, and catchy background music!

Key Features

· Familiar, addicting gameplay of Snood with fine-tuned controls carefully adapted for mobile devices.

· New meta game House of Snoods that adds new kind of longevity and context into the game, binding a string of levels and different game modes together.

· Seven different game modes: two familiar from previous Snood games and five completely new ones.

· A graphical overhaul, creating a new, polished and stylized look for the Snoods.

· Flexible saving and loading options to allow saving and continuing the game whenever there is need.

Atari UK Signs Exclusive 'RACE 07'

Atari UK is today thrilled to officially announce the signing of an agreement with SimBin Development Team AB for the exclusive distribution rights in the United Kingdom of the highly anticipated upcoming PC racing title RACE 07.

“Atari is obviously very pleased to bring the latest offering from SimBin. They have a history of delivering top quality games in this very popular genre and RACE07 is no exception, backed up with significant marketing and sponsorship backing from both Eurosport and WTCC”, says Jeremy Wigmore, Managing Director-Atari UK Ltd & Atari Nordic AB.

“We are looking forward to working with Atari once again,” said Henrik Roos, CEO, SimBin. “Atari and SimBin have a legacy of success together with previous titles and we are looking forward to join forces with the team again”, continued Roos.

RACE 07 can be found in all good retailers from 12 October.

Demo download and official website: www.race-game.org/race07

About RACE 07

RACE 07 - The Official WTCC Game features the full FIA WTCC season of 2007 including all cars and tracks, as well as several new support classes and tracks from all over the world. The game also features the full WTCC season of 2006 which was included in the game’s predecessor RACE – The WTCC Game, released in 2006 on PC. For the first time ever SimBin is also presenting single seated action with Formula cars. Race with the incredibly fast Formula 3000, Formula BMW and also the Radical sports car models SR3 and SR4.

To support these new race classes the player will be offered the choice between one- or two-race-format. The highly detailed damage system is also adapted to give the Formula cars the vulnerability they have in real life.

All in all RACE 07 features more than 300 cars in 9 different classes on 32 real life racing tracks and city circuits from all over the world.

Features

•The full 2007 and 2006 seasons of the WTCC, plus the historic WTCC ’87 class, Formula 3000, Formula BMW, the Mini Cooper Challenge, and more.

•Intense “single seated” action: Open race cars feature realistic helmet views with visor dynamics so real players will see every speck of raceway debris.

•32 different real-life tracks from all over the world, including unique city tracks.

•Online rankings and leader boards.

•Human-like AI opponents that behave as natural race cars, trying to force the driver to make errors.

•Enhanced community appeal, with community driver names, customized skins and league-support.

Pharrell Williams launches Halo 3 in the UK

Music icon flies to London to host a video game launch party like never before

US music superstar Pharrell Williams will fly to the UK next week to host a very special party for the launch of Halo 3, Microsoft reveals today.

As anticipation for the game reaches fever pitch, the music icon and self-confessed gaming fanatic will head to London’s BFI IMAX cinema on September 25 to host the ‘Halo 3 Premiere’ which will see him taking on members of the public at the game, and other major celebrities around Europe via Xbox LIVE.

The red carpet affair, which will be attended by VIPs, celebrities and lucky competition winners is just one of a number of similar events happening around Europe as the world’s biggest ever video game is released to the masses. The premiere events, which are taking place in London, Paris, Madrid, Amsterdam and Milan, will be linked via Xbox LIVE as the stars in each country take on each other for this one-off night where gaming meets partying. For consumers and competition winners, it provides a chance to be amongst the very first to see the game, experience content never seen before and play the most hotly anticipated game ever against their celebrity idols.

Following the London Premiere, at midnight, more than 1,000 retail stores across the UK will throw open their doors giving eager fans the chance to be amongst the first to get their hands on the third installment of the legendary series.

The "Halo" franchise is among the biggest worldwide entertainment properties in history and continues to change the way we think about interactive entertainment.

"Halo" is more than just a video game - it's a truly unique entertainment phenomenon and an experience that has expanded beyond games, into bestselling novels, comics, merchandise and more, and captured the attention of millions of fans including gamers, musicians, celebrities, athletes, and even storytelling visionaries like Peter Jackson. First week revenue of the game is set to outstrip major Hollywood blockbusters like Spiderman 3 or the Harry Potter franchise.

Pre orders for “Halo 3” have soared past 1.25 million globally as the world holds its breath and awaits the launch of the title in Europe on September 26th 2007. Microsoft also revealed that production of the game disc itself has reached 81 per second as it gears up for what is expected to be the biggest entertainment launch in history.