gamezplay

Thursday, October 16, 2008

PES 2009 adds new club and national side to football video game

Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH has confirmed a number of additional licenced elements for its forthcoming PES 2009 title. Due for release on October 16th for PLAYSTATION 3, Xbox 360 and PC-DVD, the new game will benefit from the inclusion of some of the world’s biggest club and national sides.

Following the recent announcement of Konami’s four-year agreement to feature UEFA’s Champions League competition in the game, the publisher has also added a strong selection of other licensed teams for use in the game. The Dutch Eredivisie and French Ligue 1 will both be represented in their entirety, with full kits, player rosters and affiliated elements. Likewise, key clubs such as FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, FC Porto, Liverpool and Manchester United, will also be resplendent in their official livery. Other additions include the likes of Zenit St. Petersbourg and Brondby IF, amongst others. Konami has also added a number of new national sides to PES 2009, with Northern Ireland amongst those added to the International rosters of respected teams like Netherlands, England and Italy.

The publisher has also included several new stadia in the new game, with faithfully recreated versions of the Stade de France, Stadio Olimpico di Torino and the new Wembley Stadium included for the first time. These new agreements confirm Konami’s commitment to constantly adding new licences to the PES series.

PES 2009 will be released for PLAYSTATION 3, Xbox 360, PC-DVD and mobile phones on 17th October, followed by versions for PlayStation 2 on 30th October, and for PSP (PlayStation Portable) on 6th November and for Wii in 2009.

Saints Row 2 video game released

Saints Row 2 brings true freedom to open-world gaming. Players can play as who they want, how they want, and with whomever they want in this sequel to the much acclaimed and tremendously successful Saints Row. Set years after the original, the player finds himself in a Stilwater both familiar and strange and challenged with bringing the Saints back as the rightful kings of Stilwater and bringing vengeance to those who wronged him.

Features

Limitless Customization – Play as fully customizable characters that are male, female or something in between.
Vehicles can be visually customized as well as performance tuned. - Cribs and even gangs all have an amazing degree of detailed customization options.
Multiplayer – Co-op full story campaign has seamless integration (for example one player drives while the other shoots).
Competitive MP pushes the boundaries of immersion in a living Stillwater environment fully populated with police, innocent bystanders and rival gangs.
Killer Combat and Awesome Vehicles – Planes, helicopters, motorcycles, boats and cars can be piloted and used as weapons. On the ground new combat options include melee, fine aim, and human shield.
Freedom to Explore – More missions, activities, diversions, races, weapons, vehicles, cribs, city districts, and interiors than ever before. Over 40 story missions with additional bonus missions take place in a transformed Stilwater that is over 50% larger than before.

Tony Hawk video game with Skateboard say Activision

Activision is expected to ship a skateboard peripheral alongside the next Tony Hawk titles, due for release in 2009.

That's according to analyst Doug Creutz of Cowan and Company, who believes the addition of new products will help the series improve sales after a year away from the market.

"We believe that the extra year of development time and the opportunity for consumers to shake off franchise fatigue could contribute to better unit sales than the franchise has enjoyed in recent years," wrote Creutz in his latest note to investors.

"We also view it as highly likely that the game will include some sort of skateboard peripheral with all SKUs when it ships, given the massive success (and higher price points and profitability) of Activision Blizzard's Guitar Hero franchise."

Peripherals have enjoyed a resurgence in recent years, with the high price of games such as Guitar Hero, Rock Band and Wii Fit seemingly no problem for consumers looking for pick-up-and-play gaming experiences.

Source: GamesIndustry

Are Warhammer video game players returning to World of Warcraft?

While a number of World of Warcraft users dropped the widely popular MMO to play EA's recently released Warhammer Online, more than half of those gamers have already returned to Blizzard's market-leader.

That's according to COO Paul Sams, who said the pattern of players leaving and then returning to Warcraft follows that of any major MMO release.

"We've certainly had some of that happen, which is the same thing we experienced with Age of Conan and each time an MMO has come out we've seen some amount of reduction of use," he said in an exclusive interview published today.

Read the full post here on Games Industry site...

Rock Band 2 video game price on PS3 PS2 and Nintendo Wii

Rock Band 2 for the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system will be available on October 19, 2008. In addition, Rock Band 2 for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system and the Nintendo Wii home videogame console from Nintendo will ship in December 2008.

In addition, the Rock Band 2 Special Edition Bundle for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft will also be available on retail shelves October 19, 2008.

Rock Band 2 Shipping and Pricing Information:

October 19, 2008

Rock Band 2 Special Edition Bundle (Xbox 360 and PS3) $189.99
Rock Band 2 Standalone Software (S3 system) $59.99
Rock Band 2 Standalone Drums (PS3 and PlayStation 2) $89.99
Rock Band 2 Standalone Guitar (PS3 and PlayStation 2) $69.99

December 2008

Rock Band 2 Standalone Software (PlayStation 2) $49.99
Rock Band 2 Standalone Software (Nintendo Wii) $49.99
Rock Band 2 Standalone Drums (Nintendo Wii) $89.99
Rock Band 2 Standalone Guitar (Nintendo Wii) $69.99
Rock Band 2 Special Edition Bundle (Nintendo Wii) $189.99

Rock Band 2 for Wii, developed by Pi Studios under the direction of Harmonix, will be fully featured with online modes including World Tour and Battle of the Bands, an innovative character creator, weekly downloadable content and more! With more than 100 songs [1] on the Rock Band 2 Wii soundtrack and an additional 30 downloadable tracks [2] available for purchase at launch, Rock Band 2 Wii owners will have access to the most impressive music catalogue for a music-based videogame on the console. In addition, fans can expect a roll-out of the current downloadable content offering every week until the entire back catalogue is available.

In addition, Rock Band 2 owners (Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION 3 system and Wii) will have the ability to export their in-game band avatars to RockBand.com to use as profile images as well as order custom Rock Band merchandise including apparel and figurines.

Rock Band 2 for Xbox 360 was released on September 14, 2008, and has received numerous editor’s choice awards and a combined metacritic score of 93. Rock Band 2 has revolutionized music gaming with the ability to export most of the songs from the original Rock Band disc [3], Online World Tour, daily Battle-Of-The-Bands Tournaments, Auto-Calibration to eliminate TV lag, wireless drums, quieter, velocity sensitive drum heads, support for up to three cymbals (sold separately), No Fail Mode, and a real Drum Trainer.

Rock Band 2 features the largest music catalogue of any music-based videogame to date including over 100 songs [4] on the Rock Band 2 soundtrack with an unrivaled blend of classic and new artists including AC/DC, Guns N’ Roses, Bob Dylan, Pearl Jam, Motörhead and more! With the addition of complete and immediate backwards compatibility for songs purchased from Rock Band’s ever-expanding online music store and the ability to export most songs from the original Rock Band disc, the Rock Band music library will feature more than 500 songs [5] by year’s end.

All Rock Band posts on gamezplay.org here...

The Rock Band online music store recently surpassed 21 million paid downloads since the game’s launch in late November 2007.

Nikopol - Secrets of Immortals PC video game annoucement

Today leading video game publisher Lighthouse Interactive announced that they have acquired the Scandinavian and UK publishing rights for the critically acclaimed Adventure game Nikopol: Secrets of the Immortals (PC). Developed by White Birds Productions, Nikopol is an adaptation of the famed Nikopol Trilogy graphic novel series and feature film Immortal, created by esteemed graphic novelist Enki Bilal. The game immerses players into a tale of a man who is confronted by a perilous world of political intrigue while in search of his father. Nikopol: Secrets of the Immortals is scheduled for release in November 2008.

“We are honoured to be working with Benoît Sokal’s White Birds Productions,” said Steve Wall, V.P. Business Development. “Nikopol has received rave reviews and we are proud to be bringing this exceptional gaming experience to fans across the United Kingdom and Scandinavia.”

Benoit Sokal is a venerated graphic novelist and one of the four founding associates of White Birds Productions. Sokal is also the creator behind award-winning Adventure games Amerzone, Sinking Island, and Syberia I & II.

It is the year 2023 in Paris, France – now ruled by a power-hungry dictator, it is a place where the fascist rich and the abandoned poor are separated by both a literal and figurative wall. As our hero Nikopol, you must thwart a dark conspiracy as one of the leaders plot to take control of Paris and its people, but the story takes a sharp twist. You receive shocking news that your father, Alcide Nikopol, an astronaut sent into orbital exile many decades ago, may be alive and hidden in the city's underground. At the same time an eerie and mysterious pyramid appears floating above the city and is said to be inhabited by powerful Egyptian gods; among them Horus, god of the sky. Your journey will be entangled with political intrigue as you are caught between two worlds… one of anarchy and one of immortality.

FEATURES

· A thrilling challenge set in a rich futuristic universe inspired by famed graphic novelist Enki Bilal
· As Nikopol, you must use cunning and logic to protect yourself from the Immortals' plans and thwart a dark conspiracy
· Interact with a cast of unique characters set in 6 different game environments
· Visually stunning graphics married with immersive gameplay

Mortal Kombat v DC Universe video game special cover creation

Video detailing the creation of the DC Comics special video cover for the video game.

Watch it here on gamezplay.org YouTube videos...

Pre school Nintendo DS video games - I Did it Mum! 2 and I Did it Mum! Picture Book

A new range of Nintendo DS titles that introduce interactive ways to learn while having fun. Aimed at pre-school children, these educational titles can be played by parents alongside their little ones or adults can leave kids to play alone, safe in the knowledge they’re improving their reading, spelling and number skills.

The I Did it Mum! brand was a runaway success when it first launched on Nintendo DS last November and this year the series is back with all-new mini-games and challenges to keep young ones entertained. What’s more, I Did it Mum! 2 will be joined by I Did it Mum! Picture Book; an interactive story book that’s full of fun activities.

I Did it Mum! 2 comes in two different versions: Boy and Girl. Alongside 13 fresh mini-games, each version includes five exclusive games that will specifically appeal to either gender. So, girls will be counting flowers, while boys get to grips with speeding motor cars.

Both versions will help pre-school children to develop vital skills, including counting and reading, thanks to fun bursts of gameplay featuring charming characters and colourful graphics.

Meanwhile, I Did it Mum! Picture Book is a new spin-off of the popular series featuring eight different delightful stories based on classic European and Asian fairy tales. As well as offering youngsters the opportunity to improve their reading, Picture Book also contains interactive drawings for players to colour in and fun mini games to keep inquisitive minds busy. Finally, for parents who want to read the stories to their children, there’s an option to turn off the in-game narration; perfect for a spot of bedtime storytelling.

“There’s a definite gap in the market for titles aimed at a pre-schoolers, particularly on Nintendo DS,” said Rowan Tafler, Global Brand Manager, 505 Games. “The popularity of the original I Did it Mum! shows that parents are looking for games to entertain and educate their children, so we fully expect I Did it Mum! 2 and I Did it Mum! Picture Book to build on its fantastic success.”

I Did it Mum! 2 Boy and Girl versions, alongside I Did it Mum! Picture Book, are released exclusively for Nintendo DS in Europe on November 7th.

I DID IT MUM! 2 KEY FEATURES

· 18 different mini-games
· Five exclusive boy or girl-themed mini-games in each version
· New pet companion: cat, dog or chick
· Up to six birthday or memorable dates can be added to a special diary
· Fully controlled with the touch screen

I DID IT MUM! PICTURE BOOK KEY FEATURES

· Eight picture books with traditional stories
· Bonus mini-games
· Narration can be muted so parents can read to their children
· Interactive illustrations to stimulate and excite children’s curiosity

Tom Clancy's Endwar video game demo released on Xbox live

Kicking off the countdown to the game’s release, Ubisoft announced today that a playable demo of Tom Clancy’s EndWar for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft is now available to consumers. The demo, exclusively available for Xbox 360, is free and offered for download on Xbox LIVE Marketplace for Xbox 360.

The demo features both single-player and multiplayer gameplay.

The single-player portion of the demo is part of the “Prelude to War” campaign, serving as a tutorial for players. The multiplayer portion contains one mode, Conquest, and one map, La Mancha, Spain. The multiplayer demo contains one-versus-one functionality and includes full match-making capabilities.

Tom Clancy’s EndWar will ship in EMEA territories on November 4, 2008 for Xbox 360 and the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system.

Barack Obama buys advertising for Xbox video games

Barack Obama, flush with cash and ramping up his advertising in the final weeks before the November 4 election, is making U.S. political history by placing the first presidential campaign ads in online video games.

The Democratic Illinois senator is using the Internet ads, featured in 18 games through Microsoft Corp's Xbox Live service, to promote his online voter registration and early balloting drive in 10 battleground states, a campaign spokesman said on Wednesday.

Unprecedented in U.S. presidential politics, the video game buy is targeted mainly at young adult males who are difficult to reach through more traditional campaign advertising.

"The 18-to-34-year-old male is the mainstream demographic for the hard-core video gamer," said Van Baker, an analyst for Gartner Inc., a technology market research firm in San Jose, California. "They're hard to get to because they don't watch much TV and they don't read a lot, so it's a good venue to get that segment."

The ads appear in games as banners or billboards with an image of Obama, the slogan "Early voting has begun," and a reference to his VoteForChange.com Web site. The site allows users to register online to vote, obtain absentee voter information and find a polling location.

Polls consistently have given Obama, 47, an edge over Republican rival John McCain, 72, among younger voters.

Far from turning his back on more conventional media, however, Obama's campaign last week said he planned to make a prime-time pitch to voters October 29 in a 30-minute ad slated to run on two broadcast networks, CBS and NBC.

More from Reuters here...

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Thursday, October 16, 2008