Atari launch Highly-Addictive Tactical-Action-Puzzler Downstream Panic!

Atari, one of the world's most recognized brands and a third-party video game publisher and distributor, today announced that the tactical-action-puzzler Downstream Panic! for the PSP (PlayStation Portable) system has shipped to retailers across North America. The fish-out-of-water adventure challenges gamers to play the role of a sea-creature preservationist out to save the world's fish after a stunning cyclone has blasted them into the Earth's atmosphere. Using a slate of more than eight types of innovative tools like fans, bombs, trees, harpoons and freezers, players must help their fishy friends to safety on their Earthbound descent. But there are some nasty obstacles and treacherous predators that are also vying for the players' scaly amigos. Downstream Panic! is rated E10+ and is available for the PSP system at the suggested retail price of $29.95.

"We think gamers can't help but fall for Downstream Panic!" said Donny Clay, Producer, Atari, Inc. "The game combines action, tactics and puzzle elements with an incredibly colorful and fun style. Once gamers give this game a try, we think they'll be saying 'oh my cod!' But seriously, we think kids and adults alike should give the game a try just for the halibut."

Developed by Eko Software, Downstream Panic! offers more than 80 levels in five bright and colorful environments. Three different game modes (adventure, free play and survival) mix up the challenge. With more than 10 hours of standard gameplay as well as 10 new Paradise-themed maps available as downloadable content, Downstream Panic! promises to keep gamers reeling for months and months.

For full details on Downstream Panic! please see the game's official website at www.downstreampanic.com. For more information on Atari and its entire product line-up please visit www.atari.com.

GAMECOCK MEDIA GROUP SUPPORTS ROCK THE VOTE WITH COCKTHEVOTE.US!

Fired up and ready to go! Today video game publisher, Gamecock Media Group, announced the launch of CockTheVote.us, a site aimed at video gamers to promote voter registration using its special brand of animalistic political humor.

“Gamecock wants YOU to vote in the human American presidential election,” said Mike Wilson, Gamecock Media Group’s Grand Champeen and CEO. “And, perhaps more importantly, to check out Hail to the Chimp’s candidates and get involved in the first ever presidential election for the new animal republic!”

Gamecock has been on the campaign trail adding some humor to the intensity of the election process and hoping to inspire the vote in the process. With a cast of furry animal candidates from its upcoming politically charged party game, Hail to the Chimp, Gamecock has partied with Rock the Vote at the Iowa Caucus, and, most recently, visited with the University of South Carolina and their newspaper, The Daily Gamecock, at the South Carolina Primary.

Mike continued, “Our original intent was to join the campaign trail with Hail to the Chimp to provide much-needed comic relief from the election season. And, now that Colbert’s not running, we thought we’d better focus our attention on those who are. However, our meeting with Rock the Vote inspired us to use our gaming muscle to energize people in the election process. Thus was born, CockTheVote.us.”

CockTheVote.us will include an embedded widget where gamers can register to vote. The site will also feature campaign trail video clips and images of Hail to the Chimp’s giant, furry-costumed animal candidates – from Crackers the monkey to Hedwig the polar bear. Woodchuck Chumley, Hail to the Chimp’s animal kingdom woodchuck newscaster, will be on assignment, and even a cock-masked Gamecock or two will make an appearance.

Created by Wideload Games, Hail to the Chimp is a fast-paced party game that delivers exciting gameplay, lush interactive environments, and a comic look at politics. It is a bare-knuckled fight to win the crown of President of the animals. The Hail to the Chimp ballot now boasts ten candidates, each with their own personality, platforms and style. Just like any political race, mud is being slung, names are being named, alliances are being made and broken, and the candidates are clawing up the ladder to reach that golden seat.

The story of Hail to the Chimp is delivered through a metaphor of the election process. The ten candidates in the game have their own back stories, and there are rivalries between the candidates and opportunities to team up and make alliances. It's all there - the flawed electoral system, the political back-stabbing, the self-possessed newscasters and pundits, fundraising with the fat cats, hostile debates and even the inane political ads.

Hail to the Chimp features a wide variety of arenas as well as myriad goal oriented match types. The title is scheduled for release in late May 2008 for next-gen consoles.

http://www.cockthevote.us/

THQ'S WWE SMACKDOWN v RAW 2008 INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT at HMV

The bell has rung and bodies are flying, but who will be the last gamer standing in THQ’s WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 International Tournament, presented by HMV. Starting Saturday, February 9, the top 32 teams from each participating region – North America, the United Kingdom and Europe – will begin battle in a virtual ring for the ultimate prize of two highly coveted floor tickets to WrestleMania 24 on March 30, 2008 in Orlando, Florida, USA.

Online gamers worldwide still have until February 8 to register to take part in the action and become the next virtual WWE Superstars. Complete registration details are available at www.gamebattles.com/svr.

Major League Gaming is producing the WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 International Tournament. Throughout February, top competitors will advance through online brackets, with the four top players in each region moving on to participate in regional finals in early March.

A United Kingdom finalist, a European finalist and two North American finalists will then compete head-to-head at the grand finale, scheduled to occur during the 6th Annual THQ Superstar Challenge on March 27, 2008 at the House of Blues in Orlando. At the event, finalists will have the opportunity to not only play live against one another in front of a capacity crowd, but will also share the spotlight with top WWE Superstars in attendance. The grand prize winner will receive two floor tickets to WrestleMania 24, while each finalist will receive two stadium tickets to the event.

CAPCOM'S DEVIL MAY CRY 4 STORMS RETAIL

Capcom, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, today announced that the highly anticipated Devil May Cry 4 for Sony Computer Entertainment’s PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3) and the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft has begun shipping to retail. Devil May Cry 4 is rated M for Mature by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) and is available as both standard edition ($59.99 MSRP) and a special Collector’s Edition package ($79.99 MSRP).

From the producer of the original Devil May Cry and Resident Evil 4 comes the next installment in the hugely successful stylized action series that has so far achieved global sales of nearly seven million units. Devil May Cry 4 immerses gamers in a gothic supernatural world, where a new protagonist, Nero, clashes with Dante, the featured character in the previous Devil May Cry games. As Nero, players will unleash incredible attacks and non-stop combos using a unique new gameplay mechanic, his powerful “Devil Bringer” arm. Fans of Dante won’t be disappointed as he too will be playable during the course of the game.

With the advanced graphical capabilities of the next-gen systems, high definition visuals and intricate detail come to life as players explore new and exotic locales. Dynamic action and undeniable style combine with unprecedented fighting options and a gripping story to produce the incomparable experience that only a Devil May Cry game can deliver.

A special 2 hour Devil May Cry: The Animated Series anime disc will be packed into the Collector’s Edition of the game, included in the metal Steelbook case, and will include the first four episodes of the 12 episode anime series. Inside the case will be a second bonus DVD alongside the game that users can slip into their computers, Xbox 360 or PLAYSTATION 3. The bonus DVD will contain a “making of” feature on the game, music from the Devil May Cry 4 soundtrack, a digital art book with images and sketches from the development team, wallpapers, icons and screen savers.

Devil May Cry 4 includes the following features:
• From the producer of the original Devil May Cry and Resident Evil 4
• 2 playable characters – take control of both Nero & Dante
• High-definition 720p visuals moving at 60 frames per second
• Blend of familiar and new: newcomer Nero clashes with veteran Dante plus appearances from Trish, Lady and others from the DMC series
• Exceed System allows Nero to easily charge up his sword with a throttle effect, revving up to three levels with powerful and varied attack options
• Deep combo system rewards stylish dispatching of enemies
• Unique "Devil Bringer" arm opens up a range of never seen before combo options
• Distinct set of weaponry and moves for Nero and Dante
• New active style change system for Dante allows him to switch styles and weapons on the fly, producing crazy combo possibilities
• Numerous new characters and environments
• Signature blend of guns and swordplay

Devil May Cry 4 Collector’s Edition contains the following extras:
• Volume 1 of ADV Film’s Devil May Cry: The Animated Series on DVD, including four complete episodes of the anime (a retail value of $29.99)
• Unique Steelbook metal case
• Bonus DVD
• Making of Devil May Cry 4
• Music from the soundtrack
• Digital artbook
• PC content (screen savers, wallpapers, icons)

FUTURE US MAKES EQUITY INVESTMENT INTO GAMES SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANY N4G

Future US, the leading publisher of cutting-edge special interest magazines and websites, has made an equity investment into leading games news social media company N4G (http://www.n4g.com/) for an undisclosed sum, it was announced today by Future US publishing director Simon Whitcombe.

The N4G network will join Future US’ GamesRadar network of sites that includes GamesRadar, FileRadar.net, Gloob.tv, OXMOnline and the soon to be re-launched PCGamer.com.

Flagship destination N4G that functions much like digg.com yet focused on video game news. Users submit links to video game articles around the net, which increase in “degrees” depending on their relative popularity. is a social media-driven news site that covers the videogame and computer game industries 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Their active community of video game enthusiasts have made N4G one of the most up-to-date and visited game news sites on the web. N4G is owned and operated by Vegard and Håvard Aure.

N4G received 3.65 million visits in January 2008, with 17.8 million page views and nearly a million unique visitors.

“N4G provides an important news content aggregation element to the GamesRadar Network as well as excellent social media functionality,” explains Whitcombe. “It expands our offerings not only to our huge consumer base of gamers, but also to our growing roster of advertisers.”

“We are very excited about our newly formed partnership with Future US,” said Vegard Aure. ”This gives us a chance to grow our capabilities and traffic for what we feel is one of the web's premiere social spots for gamers.”

N4G members can participate in forum discussions, bookmark news story links, get access to the pending news area and news tips section which lets them read the news before it goes live on the main site and post comments in video form. Members collect N4G Credits which can be used to bid on games and other items in the N4G Marketplace.

STAINLESS GAMES ANNOUNCES FREE UPDATE FOR CRYSTAL QUEST ON XBLA

Leading UK video game developer Stainless Games today announces the release of a free update for purchasers of its hit downloadable game on Xbox Live Arcade, Crystal QuestTM. The update will be available on the service from 6th Feb 2008.

Originating back in the 1980’s as the first colour game on the Apple Macintosh, Crystal Quest is one of the industry’s most enduring casual arcade games – appearing on many platforms over the years as diverse as Nintendo GBA, Windows Vista and Mobile. Most recently Crystal Quest was released in a new version specifically adapted for the revolutionary Novint Falcon controller.

“As one of the most prolific developers on Xbox Live Arcade, we felt that we wanted to show our commitment to continued support of both the XBLA community as well as one of our most treasured original IP’s” said Patrick Buckland, CEO for Stainless Games. “So when we came up with a new gameplay mode for CQ, we wanted to find a way to get it to existing XBLA consumers as soon as possible.”

The update adds a new twist to the game through score multipliers, which put more emphasis on the speed and skill of the player. It also features other minor fixes, including a new demo mode for people who haven’t yet tried the game.

“We’re also hoping that a new crop of X360 owners will now be prompted to give Crystal Quest a try,” continued Shaun Smith, Creative Director. “We really think that we’ve made a great 400 point title even better.”

“This update will allow players to get even higher scores,” added Ben Gunstone, Production Director at Stainless Games. “So we’ll be retiring the existing leaderboards as of today and starting new ones on the 6th Feb……but you will still be able to access the old leaderboards for the sake of digital posterity!”

To get the update, existing players will simply need to fire up their copy of Crystal Quest and the game will download and install the update. New customers will automatically receive the updated version.

NEW FUTURISTIC GAMING MOUSE DELIVERS CYBORG PERFORMANCE

Saitek, a leading designer and manufacturer of consumer electronic products for PC and gaming, has announced the launch of its new Cyborg Mouse. The high end laser mouse is designed specifically for gaming and aimed at serious gamers who play intensely for long periods at a time.

The Cyborg Mouse has a unique switch-activated motor that moves the rear shell back and forth, expanding or contracting the mouse to fit any user’s hand. This not only increases control but will also prevent tiredness during long periods of game play. Mouse length can be adjusted using either a software control panel installed with the drivers, or by holding the mode button on the Cyborg mouse down and then pushing the mouse’s d-pad into position.

As well as adjustable length, the Cyborg mouse also features a scroll wheel with adjustable detent force. The scroll force selector switch has three positions and sets the sensitivity of weapon selection from low to high to suit the gamer’s preferences.

Other controls include a 4-way low profile hat switch plus 7 buttons. Controls are programmable using Saitek’s SST programming software which, with the 3 stage mode button, effectively gives a total of 24 programmable commands to customise any gaming experience. The SST software saves chosen settings as game-specific profiles.

The 3-stage mode switch also allows the user to change mouse sensitivity to help with their aim. Adjustable from 400 dpi up to 3200 dpi, the Cyborg mouse’s new anti-deceleration laser technology ensures reliable movement tracking, even at higher speeds.

With a grey and black, sleek, futuristic design, the Cyborg Mouse ensures gamers can play their favourite games with control, precision and high speed, and in complete comfort, no matter how long the gaming session.

The Cyborg Range

Saitek’s new Cyborg range is designed specifically for serious gamers who demand the best equipment and includes the Cyborg 5.1 Headset, Cyborg Command Unit, Cyborg Rumble Pad, and the Cyborg Keyboard. Enthusiastic gamers will play intensely for long periods of time and need peripherals that offer outstanding comfort and durability.

Cyborg competition

For a chance of winning a Cyborg Mouse and other Cyborg accessories visit www.pimp-my-orc.com. To be in with a chance of winning Saitek prizes and a copy of Fantasy Wars, a turn based battle strategy game from Ascaron, download an orc head from the site and try creating your own orc-celebrity!

GET GAMING WITH PREDICTIONS FROM THE WEASEL

Video gaming guru Matt Cuttle is gearing up for 2008 with his new podcast, Games Weasel, available exclusively to download from broadband entertainment network BTPodShow. Matt, who has already taken Games Weasel to No1 in the iTunes UK store gaming chart, now presents his predictions for five games which will be big news in 2008.

Games Weasel’s Top Games for 2008

Grand Theft Auto 4
Metal Gear Solid 4
Condemned 2
Devil May Cry 4
Super Smash Bro’s Brawl

Matt is no stranger to the games industry, having presented, written and directed for a broad range of shows ranging from ‘Gamers’ and ‘The Daily Quiz’ to Sky One daytime show ‘Gamezville’.

Matt’s latest project Games Weasel http://gamesweasel.btpodshow.com/ is available to download exclusively on BTPodShow, the broadband-entertainment network, which features the latest in games news, reviews, interviews and gossip for consoles, portables and PC Gaming.

BTPodShow founder Adam Curry said: “Matt Cuttle makes the perfect games guru for BTPodShow, and we’re excited to be welcoming Games Weasel to the network.”

Matt Cuttle comments: “I have always had a passion for video gaming and it’s great to be able to share it with a wider audience via Games Weasel. Hopefully the show will be enjoyed by gamers young and old alike!”

Games Weasel is just one of the shows available on BTPodShow; the online-entertainment network that allows users to play, collect, share and create millions of hours of programming, videos and music.

Ghost in the Sheet PC Video Game goes Online

Merscom announced today it is the online publisher of Ghost in the Sheet, the popular adventure game developed by CBE and published at retail by Tri-Synergy. Released over the weekend on a major casual game portal, Ghost in the Sheet has already risen to number 7; this follows on Merscom's success with Blood Ties, which reached number one on multiple portals and remains in the top-5 on many major casual game sites.

Ghost in the Sheet is a comedy adventure game of supernatural proportions. Players become a ghost and master their new paranormal skills to unravel the secrets of their life-after-death adventure. Mystery, intrigue, comedy and adventure await, with humorous and entertaining minigames integrated into the gameplay.

Unique features include:

• High-resolution graphics with detailed animations to immerse players
  
• A RPG-like skill learning system: as players progress through the game, they learn new paranormal skills that are vital for future adventures
  
• Skills range from the conventional paranormal Telekinesis to obscure skills like Scary Sound
  
• Nonlinear gameplay that allows players to freely roam the factor while solving a variety of puzzles in any order
  
• Music and sound design are seamlessly integrated into the game
  
• No dying, mazes, slider puzzles, or timed sequences that can needlessly frustrate
  
• NPCs who reveal hints and provide intriguing back-story
  
• Comic style cutscenes to supplement the plot
  

Ghost in the Sheet can currently be downloaded at http://www.bigfishgames.com/download-games/2732/ghost-in-the-sheet/index.html

"Building on the momentum of Blood Ties, Ghost in the Sheet is another example of giving the casual game market what it is craving", explained Lloyd Melnick, Chief Customer Officer at Merscom, "We have spoken very intimately with the major casual game portals and they have told us clearly these are the top of games our customers crave. Casual gamers are looking beyond Match-3 puzzle games and Ghost in the Sheet is a fantastic adventure game that gives casual players the depth of gameplay long expected by traditional gamers."

Emote Games To Unveil Social Gaming Technology At GDC

Emote Games a specialist production company founded by industry veterans Morgan O'Rahilly and Dave Rose to fund and produce cross-platform, interactive entertainment and to exploit emergent digital channels, will demonstrate its pioneering technology platform to select partners at the forthcoming Game Developers Conference in San Francisco.

Emote Game's technologies extend and socially enable brands or games, creating richer experiences for its users. This multi-device technology allows single or multi-player game clients to deliver countless benefits, such as keeping users connected for longer, higher production values, richer game play and brand extensions to new game formats, helping to retain and monetise existing communities of users. The platform offers users the convenience of game access anywhere through a familiar interface. Its core social functions provide users with convenient ways to manage their game and as a result maximise their game time.

Emote's architecture supports partner content and seamless integration to any external game engine, facilitating access to the game anywhere and granting the power of community to the user wherever they choose to play. Our technology and content approach also embeds game-play within the communities we build, allowing every user to be a participant and not constrained by the limitations of the game or its format, as a result extending game-play in compelling new directions.

The emote technologies harness the power of social networking and cross-platform access enabling users to stay connected to the brand for longer periods, said Morgan O'Rahilly, Emote Games founder and CEO, " as a result this opens the door vast opportunities including greater brand awareness, broader marketing and distribution possibilities, and expanded revenue opportunities"

Established to work with media companies and brand holders, Emote Games and the emote platforms offer a unique extension and value proposition for your existing brands and forthcoming games.

About Emote Games Limited

Emote Games Ltd is a specialist production company established to fund and produce cross-platform, interactive entertainment and to exploit emerging digital channels across all formats. Well capitalised, with an experienced management team and access to both creative talent and major IP owners, Emote brings to the games industry a new production based business model, one that's more transparent with respect to IP ownership
and return. www.emotegames.co.uk