Update For All Forza Fans! Ready... Set... GO! "Forza Motorsport 2" downloadable content now available on Xbox Live Marketplace LONDON 21st September, 2007 — Microsoft Game Studios today announced 10 brand new racers and muscle cars in a downloadable car pack for “Forza Motorsport 2,” which will be available on Xbox LIVE Marketplace this weekend.
To get fans warmed up, we’re offering a rally inspired hot little European hatch the 2007 SEAT Leon Cupra as a FREE download to bolster the already extensive collection of “Forza” racers. For 400 Microsoft points, Forza fans can own the track taking laps in 10 great vehicles including a race ready turbo diesel (the Audi R10) and a low performance class inline 4 that’s an absolute tuner’s dream (the Honda Civic Si Coupe). Show your muscle with an American classic, the 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T or turn it up another notch behind the wheel of the 415 horsepower, 8,400 rpm 2007 Porsche GT3 RS.
For a full list of available cars, please see below: 2007 SEAT Leon Cupra (FREE DOWNLOAD) 2006 Audi R10 (#8 Audi Sport Team Joest) Prototype 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T Hemi 2006 Dodge Challenger Concept 2006 Honda Civic Si Coupe 2007 Honda Civic Type-R 1967 Lamborghini Miura P400 2006 Lamborghini Miura Concept 2007 Porsche 911 GT3 RS (997) 2007 Saturn Sky Red Line 2007 SEAT Leon Supercup
For more information and new screen shots of some of the more notable vehicles in this car pack, be sure to cruise over to forzamotorsport.net
Location: BAFTA, David Lean room, 195 Piccadilly Date: Tuesday October 23rd Time: 9.30am - 6.00pm
‘Working With Games’ is an event designed to explore the potential for working partnerships across the games TV. Film and Advertising industries, and help create new opportunities.
Games are rapidly becoming a mass media because generations of people are now familiar with gaming across a wide variety of platforms.
Film, TV, and Advertising industries are looking to the potential of using games to extend brands and reach target audiences.
Game Developers and publishers are seeking new ways of exploiting their technology and expertise to deliver real-time interactive experiences to mass-market audiences.
This event is designed to bring together parties from these different media. It will offer unprecedented networking opportunities.
The objectives of the event are to:
1.Highlight case studies through presentations and discussions. 2.Stimulate further thinking and discussion in this area 3.Create business opportunities across these sectors. 4.Provide a structured networking opportunities for games developers to meet TV, Film and Advertising practitioners
The event will feature a number of presentations and panel sessions which will explore examples of actual and potential of cross media content across games and TV, Film and Advertising.
Fred Hasson, CEO of Tiga commented: "London Games Festival is a key opportunity in informing people how important and exciting this sector is to the UK economy and our event will break new ground by bridging the gap between the UK's talented developers and media professionals in TV Film and Advertising."
Supporting organisations: Pact, Bafta, Regional media networks; Semn –(Digital Horizons); EM-Media, NWDA, Game Horizon, Game Republic, Games Eden, Creative London
There will be no registration fee charged for Tiga, Pact, Bafta and London based companies. £150 for non members.
Places limited to 150 in total. Tea/coffee during breaks and Lunch will be provided. A networking bar will also operate from 5.30-6.30.
Contact details of attendees with profiles, and opportunities to express preferences for contact building will be offered as part of the service.
Check out www.londongamesfestival.com for the latest news and information about all of the events taking place this year.
For further information on London Games Festival please contact Simon Watts (Cake) on 020 7307 3100 or Duncan Best (London Games Festival) on 020 7534 0584.
Plus gongs for Gears of War, Blue Dragon and Pokemon
Japan's Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association has announced Wii Sports and Monster Hunter 2: Portable 2nd have won its yearly Grand Awards.
The Best Sales Award has gone to Nintendo's Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl, for racking up over 4.9 million sales in Japan, with total worldwide sales as of July 2007 at over 10 million units.
The Global Award for Japanese Product goes to Capcom's Dead Rising, and Epic's Gears of War picked up the Global Award for Foreign Product.
Microsoft's Blue Dragon picked up the Award for Excellence and the Special Award went to two titles – Namco Bandai's 360 title The Idolm@ster and Sega's Love and Berry: Dress Up and Dance for the DS.
Codemasters has confirmed to GamesIndustry.biz it has pulled a major advertising campaign for the PlayStation 3 version of Colin McRae: DIRT.
The publisher has cancelled the TV campaign as a sign of respect following McRae's death last weekend.
"With consideration to and in agreement with McRae's family, there was a stop put on the TV ads that were planned to run on Sky channels at the weekend and through this week," said a spokesperson for Codemasters.
"All media owners contacted were understanding and cooperative," said the company
Codemasters released a statement earlier in the week, paying tribute to the "inspirational" McRae, who has worked closely with the firm on multiple racing games.
Sony has acquired MotorStorm developer Evolution Studios along with Pursuit Force subsidiary Bigbig Studios.
And GamesIndustry.biz can reveal that co-founders of Evolution Studios, Martin Kenwright and Ian Hetherington are to leave the company, with managing director Mick Hocking taking on the role of group studio director responsible for Evolution Studios, Bigbig Studio and Sony's Liverpool Studio.
"Our strategy with our studios is to create the best games by working with the best talent," said Michael Denny, vice president of SCE Worldwide Studios, speaking exclusively to GamesIndustry.biz.
"We've enjoyed a highly productive and commercially successful relationship with Evolution and Bigbig and now there's a great opportunity in bringing them into part of the family to share further in terms of technology, production methodology and creative goals to make the experiences that these teams are creating even better."
Denny said that both development studios would be free to manage their day-to-day output, and there were no intentions to make changes to the current workforce.
"Worldwide Studio Europe management will be involved in the strategic planning and financial management of the studio but day-to-day operations will continue largely unchanged.
"We want to protect and enhance our investment in Evolution Studios and Bigbig, and have no plans to reduce the overall number of staff in either studio," he said.
Evolution was established in 1999 and has worked on five versions of World Rally Championship for Sony's PlayStation 2. It's most recent title, MotorStorm, has been one of the biggest-selling games for the PlayStation 3.
As well as content expansions for the off-road racer, Evolution is also working on the next instalment of MotorStorm for release on Blu-ray disc in 2008.
Bigbig Studios, based in Leamington Spa, was founded in 2001, and developed the 800,000-selling Pursuit Force for the PSP. It is also working on a sequel, Pursuit Force: Extreme Justice, due for release this year on PSP and on PS2 in early 2008.
The acquisitions bring the total number of development studios in the SCE Worldwide Studios group to 15, with over 2,500 employees.
Thompson satisfied that Halo 3 release was "genuine mistake," but warns other retailers
Microsoft will not penalise Argos for releasing a small number of Halo 3 final boxed copies to the public a week before the official release.
Neil Thompson, senior regional director for the UK and Ireland at Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices division, has told GamesIndustry.biz he is satisfied that the occurrence was not malicious, and that it was a genuine mistake which the retailer has gone to great lengths to prevent from happening again.
"From what I understand of it, it was an honest and genuine mistake. I'm disappointed that it happened because of the turmoil it creates, but I totally understand that in every organisation sometimes it's tough to manage every particular aspect of your supply chain and everything, to the nth degree, so that something won't go wrong at some point."
"I don't think there was any malice on the part of Argos at all, it was just an honest mistake. Argos reacted incredibly quickly to the mistake, they issued us with a detailed summation of why the mistake happened - mistakes like that, we have to be somewhat flexible."
He added that he was pleased other retailers hadn't used the slip as an opportunity to break the street date themselves, and warned that any company doing so intentionally could expect Microsoft to withdraw its support.
"I'm happy at the moment that nobody has used that as an excuse to go and do silly things. We've been very clear with retailers that if they do choose to go down that path, then a lot of the support that we've given them, in marketing and things like that - that has an impact on it."
"We're pretty forceful in our approach to these things, because we want it to be a fair market for all."
Halo 3 is set to launch next Wednesday in the UK in a blaze of publicity, with hype levels rivalling the biggest of box office premieres, but Thompson isn't concerned that too much hype could be an issue.
"Everyone will talk about the money, and stuff like that, because that's a headline-grabbing idea - that gaming is potentially going to be the biggest entertainment event that hits this country this year."
"If you over-hype something that doesn't deliver on the promise, then you run the risk of a backlash and that can work against you. I honestly don't believe that's the case with Halo 3."
Thompson spoke to GamesIndustry.biz at a press event in which Microsoft was rounding up its Christmas line-up, and the full interview will be published next week.
Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) today announced that it would release DUALSHOCK 3 Wireless Controller, a new controller for PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3) incorporating a rumble feature, in Japan in November as a separately sold accessory. It inherits the basic design and functionality of the popular PlayStation controller, while keeping the high-precision, high response motion sensitive six-axis sensing system. Introduction to North American and European markets is expected in spring 2008.
The added rumble feature, combined with the highly realistic motion sensitive six-axis sensing system, takes gamers deeper into the world of interactivity, delivering a more intuitive, realistic and immersive game play experience. The new controller will also benefit PS3 content creators, by giving them the ability to further expand their creative imagination. PS3 titles that are already in the market may become compatible with the rumble feature through software update.
With DUALSHOCK 3 and the attractive lineup of PS3 titles incorporating the rumble feature, SCEI will introduce more new ways of enjoyment that can only be found on PS3, and will further redefine the world of entertainment.
LIST OF PLAYSTATION 3 TITLES COMPATIBLE WITH DUALSHOCK 3 IN JAPAN As of September 20th, 2007 (in alphabetical order of company name) Title Name Developer/Publisher Vampire Rain -Altered Species- AQ INTERACTIVE Inc. BIOHAZARD® 5 CAPCOM CO.,LTD. Devil May Cry® 4 CAPCOM CO.,LTD. Dark Sector D3 PUBLISHER Inc. Burnout Paradise ELECTRONIC ARTS K.K. FIFA franchise (title name TBD) ELECTRONIC ARTS K.K. BUMPY TROT2 IREM SOFTWARE ENGINEERING INC. Dynasty Warriors 6 KOEI Co., Ltd. Fatal Inertia KOEI Co., Ltd. GI JOCKEY 4 2007 KOEI Co., Ltd. METAL GEAR ONLINE Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd. METAL GEAR SOLID 4 GUNS OF THE PATRIOTS Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd. IMABIKISOU SEGA CORPORATION Blast Factor (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment echochrome Sony Computer Entertainment Folklore (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment FORMULA ONE CHAMPIONSHIP EDITION (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment Go! Sports Ski (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment Heavenly Sword (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment MotorStorm (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction Sony Computer Entertainment Resistance: Fall of Men (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment Super Stardust HD (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment TOY HOME Sony Computer Entertainment Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune Sony Computer Entertainment Warhawk (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment
LIST OF PLAYSTATION®3 TITLES COMPATIBLE WITH DUALSHOCK®3 IN NORTH AMERICA AND EUROPE *2 As of September 20th, 2007 (in alphabetical order of company name) Title Name Developer/Publisher The Darkness 2K Games Enemy Territory: Quake Wars Activision Soldier of Fortune Activision BIOHAZARD® 5 CAPCOM Devil May Cry® 4 CAPCOM N-Cube Creat Studios Warbit Creat Studios Dark Sector D3 PUBLISHER Turok Disney Interactive Highlander Eidos Kane & Lynch: Dead Men Eidos Burnout Paradise ELECTRONIC ARTS FIFA franchise (title name TBD) ELECTRONIC ARTS Legendary: The Box Gamecock To End All Wars Ghostlight RAGE id Software WarDevil – Unleash the Beast Within Ignition Entertainment Dynasty Warriors 6 KOEI Fatal Inertia KOEI METAL GEAR SOLID 4 GUNS OF THE PATRIOTS Konami Blacksite: Area 51 Midway TNA Wrestling Midway Unreal Tournament 3 Midway Wheelman Midway Cops (codename, title name TBD) Pyro Planet One (codename, title name TBD) Pyro Heroes over Europe Red Mile Entertainment Condemned 2 SEGA Iron Man SEGA The Club SEGA The Crucible SEGA The Incredible Hulk SEGA Blast Factor (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment echochrome Sony Computer Entertainment Elefunk Sony Computer Entertainment Folklore (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment FORMULA ONE CHAMPIONSHIP EDITION (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment Go! Sports Ski (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment Heavenly Sword (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment High Velocity Bowling Sony Computer Entertainment MLB 08: The Show Sony Computer Entertainment MotorStorm (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment NBA 08 (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment PAIN Sony Computer Entertainment Rat Race Sony Computer Entertainment Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction Sony Computer Entertainment Resistance: Fall of Man (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment Snakeball Sony Computer Entertainment SOCOM: Confrontation Sony Computer Entertainment Super Stardust HD (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment TOY HOME Sony Computer Entertainment Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune Sony Computer Entertainment Warhawk (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment WipEout HD Sony Computer Entertainment GirpShift Sony Online Entertainment NBA 2K8 Take Two Sports Destroy All Humans 3 THQ Stuntman Ignition THQ Assassin’s Creed UbiSoft BEOWULF UbiSoft HAZE UbiSoft Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 (*1) UbiSoft Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas (*1) UbiSoft Prototype Vivendi Games The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena Vivendi Games *1 Users will be able to enjoy the rumble feature through software update. *2 Actual titles to be released may vary among countries and regions.
Square Enix Ltd., the publisher of Square Enix® interactive entertainment products in Europe and other PAL territories, today announced that WINGS OF THE GODDESS™, the fourth expansion pack for FINAL FANTASY® XI, a successful massively multi-player online role-playing game (MMORPG), will receive a simultaneous worldwide release on Thursday 22nd November.
FINAL FANTASY XI was originally released on May 2002 in Japan with three expansion packs Rise of the Zilart™, Chains of Promathia™ and Treasures of Aht Urhgan™ following in recent years. In October 2003 the title was released in North America and the European release followed in September 2004. This year has also seen the introduction of the FINAL FANTASY XI Starter Pack, the ideal inexpensive introduction into the MMORPG genre. Now more than 500,000 subscribers are enjoying Vana’diel®, the world of FINAL FANTASY XI. With the release of the fourth expansion pack for Windows® and Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system, the world of Vana’diel will be an even livelier place to visit, expanding the community even further.
About WINGS OF THE GODDESS
There was once a war that shook the very foundations of Vana'diel.
It was a dark and dreadful age. The lives of many were lost. The futures of many were destroyed. The joys of many were extinguished.
However, there are those from that age who remember...
They remember the hope that burned in the darkness. The companions that banded together. The heroes that strove onwards. The rivals that joined forces.
And now history is reborn, as we return to that age of strife...
During Tokyo Game Show 2007, Square Enix (Booth 3-S1) will debut an all-new trailer that unveils the new locations, beastmen and adventures coming up in WINGS OF THE GODDESS. This special trailer also marks the worldwide debut of an all-new job class, expanding adventurers’ possibilities in new and exciting ways.
FINAL FANTASY XI: WINGS OF THE GODDESS for Windows will be released 22nd November 2007. Price: to be announced. As an expansion pack players will need to own an original version of FINAL FANTASY XI for Windows, sold separately.
FINAL FANTASY XI for Xbox 360 will be released on the same day as the Windows version. Price: to be announced. As an expansion pack players will need to own an original version of FINAL FANTASY XI for Xbox 360, sold separately.
About FINAL FANTASY XI
FINAL FANTASY XI takes you into the aftermath of a great war, as you answer a desperate call to defend your people. In this first ever cross-platform massively multiplayer online game, you'll unite with other heroes as you attempt to save the world from utter destruction. The adventure continues in multiple expansion packs: Rise of the Zilart, Chains of Promathia and Treasures of Aht Urhgan and the forthcoming Wings of the Goddess, which will be available in November 2007. More…
FINAL FANTASY XI is the first MMORPG capable of simultaneous multiplayer action across three different platforms, allowing players worldwide to combine forces on Windows, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system (North America and Japan only) and Xbox 360.
FINAL FANTASY XI players from all over the world can unite in one gaming universe in a community of more than 500,000 players, and 1.7 million characters.
March 2007 saw the introduction of the French and German language versions of FINAL FANTASY XI creating an influx of new players. Those already playing will tell you this has added to a vibrant multi-cultural online community.
FINAL FANTASY XI is the first ever MMORPG for Microsoft’s Xbox 360.
For more information about FINAL FANTASY XI, please visit www.playonline.com.
Portable, Visual Headset and Multi-Media Center Delivers Immersive Viewing Experience for Gaming, Movie Watching and Internet Use
The HEADPLAY Personal Cinema System is Available Now at www.headplay.com
Santa Monica, CA (September 20, 2007) Headplay, Inc., a Los Angeles-based visual entertainment and technology company, announced today the launch of the HEADPLAY Personal Cinema System, now available for purchase online at http://www.headplay.com. Re-defining the portable media device category, the HEADPLAY Personal Cinema System is a visual headset and multi-media center that provides an immersive, visually stunning cinematic viewing experience for both game and movie enthusiasts, a no-compromises mobile entertainment experience.
Combining a revolutionary design with proprietary, high-performance optical technologies, the HEADPLAY Personal Cinema System offers an innovative, mobile, personal viewing experience not currently available in the market. Connecting directly to game consoles, DVD players, select iPods, Mac and PCs, the Personal Cinema System provides near-universal compatibility with hardware platforms worldwide and is capable of reading stored media using compact flash card or USB memory stick formats. Additionally, the HEADPLAY Personal Cinema System delivers true stereoscopic 3D viewing of 3D game and movie content.
“We believe the HEADPLAY Personal Cinema System will dramatically impact the way consumers experience personal entertainment,” said Glen Ward, Co-CEO of HEADPLAY, Inc. “Offering an unparalleled cinematic viewing experience, the system allows gamers and movie watchers alike to enjoy their content of choice – including new generation 3D content – anytime, anywhere.”
Coinciding with its official launch, the Personal Cinema System will be available for hands-on trial by consumers at Digital Life 2007 in New York, September 27-30. HEADPLAY's unprecedented technology was first recognized at the prestigious DEMOfall 2006 conference in San Diego, followed by the unveiling of the product's final design to the public at the 2007 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
The unique capabilities of the HEADPLAY Personal Cinema System are currently on display as part of the Midnight Gaming Championship (MGC), presented by McDonalds. HEADPLAY, powered by nVIDIA, is giving gamers the chance to compete in GTR2 FIA GT Racing Game published by Viva Media, the first ever 3-D racing competition. HEADPLAY joins MGC partners 1Up Network, Iplay, Coke Zero, GameznFlix, 2K Sports, Ubisoft , Nintendo, Konami and Spike TV to deliver 52 gaming events in 19 cities across the U.S. through mid-September. Additionally, consumers can enjoy the immersive HEADPLAY experience at Global Gaming League events from coast to coast.
Created in consultation with world-renowned industrial design firm IDEO, the Personal Cinema System has been specifically engineered for comfort and extended use. The Personal Cinema System is comprised of three major components: the Visor, the Liberator and the Navigator.
The Visor The Visor, or headset, is worn by the user and displays a virtual 52-inch screen, providing an immersive, movie theatre-like experience. The Visor has been designed to provide the ultimate in style and comfort for extended wear and viewing. It also allows for the simultaneous use of a game controller or keyboard. Incorporating amazing optical technologies, the Visor will support various resolution levels up to 1024 X 768. HEADPLAY's patented technology delivers separate but identical images to each eye via a single LCoS micro-display, thereby helping to eliminate eye-strain.
The Liberator The Liberator is both the brains and the heart of the Personal Cinema System. It accepts a composite video, component video and S-video signal in the formats of NTSC and PAL. The Liberator runs the software for managing the system and allows for reading and displaying content through its Compact Flash slot or two USB host ports. It enjoys universal connectivity, making it compatible with virtually any device that has video out, including video game consoles, DVD players, PCs, and portable media players. Just plug and play, with no special drivers required.
The Navigator The Navigator is a connected remote control that allows the user to select and control content and screen settings. It also serves as the connection point for the Personal Cinema System's high-performance, noise-suppression ear-buds or a listening device of your choice.
The HEADPLAY Personal Cinema System for $499, and the HEADPLAY Personal Cinema System with internal, rechargeable battery for $549, are now available at http://www.headplay.com. Additional accessories are also available.
Headplay, Inc. is a subsidiary of Headplay International Inc, a visual entertainment and technology company with operations in Los Angeles, California, U.S.A., Calgary, Alberta, Canada and Beijing, China. HEADPLAY is dedicated to developing new and visionary products for the consumer electronics market.
SNK Playmore and Ignition Entertainment are pleased to announce the European release of the Art of Fighting Anthology for PlayStation®2.
Originally released in 1992, Art of Fighting was the first title in the NEOGEO ‘100 Mega Shock’ series, and set new standards within the fighting genre. With the introduction of the then new Spirit Gauge, Super Special Moves, use of the ‘zoom in/zoom out’ function and battle damage to the characters faces, the AOF series soon built a solid fan base which is still going strong today.
The Anthology contains Art of Fighting, Art of Fighting 2 and the first appearance of Art of Fighting 3: The Path of the Warrior away from the original NEOGEO platform. The success of these titles has seen many of its characters cross over into SNK’s other major fighting franchise King of Fighters.
‘Upon its release Art of Fighting raised the bar in the fighting genre with the inclusion of many new features that are today now commonplace.’ says Peter Rollinson, Product Manager, Ignition Entertainment ‘with all three games included; this will be a valuable package for any fighting game fan’.
Key Features: Arcade Perfect conversions All 3 games on 1 action packed disc Total of 33 characters, each with their own unique fighting styles Colour Edit mode – Customise your favourite character
Art of Fighting Anthology for the PlayStation®2 is scheduled for release Winter ‘07.
For further information please visit: www.ignitionent.com/aof
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