MapleStory Europe unleashes new MMORPG quests for 2008

Brand new character jobs and a huge new map to explore as Nexon's popular and free to play MMORPG, MapleStory Europe, gets set for an action-packed 2008.

Hugely popular and free to play MMORPG, MapleStory Europe, is set to start 2008 with a bang, courtesy of an explosion of amazing new content. As part of its ongoing expansion of MapleStory Europe, world-leading online game development company NEXON Europe is pleased to announce the introduction of an extensive new play area based on the city of Singapore, as well as the highly anticipated launch of the game’s third-tier of job advancement.

Arriving on January 17th, MapleStory Europe’s Singapore map is a lavish new area for players to explore, filled with memorable new characters, exciting new quests to complete and fearsome new monsters to battle. Based on the breathtaking Southeast Asian city of the same name, MapleStory Europe’s version of Singapore features both a modern, urban business district as well as a more laid-back quayside to explore. To access the new map players must find Irene the Ticket Usher in Kerning City and buy a plane ticket from her. This sends players direct to MapleStory Europe’s Singapore airport, where all the latest MapleStory action begins, via a ‘unique’ private jet flight that’s sure to raise a smile.

Following the addition of the Singapore map, February sees the launch of the third tier of job advancements in MapleStory Europe. Characters who have reached level 70 or beyond will now be able to choose a brand new job for their character based on their previous profession. There are ten new third tier jobs in all, including White Knight, Priest, Ranger and Chief Bandit, and over 65 new skills to master, ranging from devastating physical attacks such as Armour Crash, to powerful monster summoning spells.

“2008 promises to be a huge year for MapleStory Europe as we continue its rapid expansion,” said Calvin Yoo, Director of International Business Development at NEXON Europe. “We’re adding a huge amount of exciting and entertaining new content to the game with the introduction of the Singapore map, not to mention the launch of the third job tier in MapleStory Europe following the huge amount of demand we’ve had for it from high-level players. Committed and new players alike can be certain of many happy hours of MapleStory Europe fun now, throughout the rest 2008 and beyond.”

MapleStory originally launched in South Korea in April 2003 and quickly went on to become one of the most successful online games of all time, with over 76million registered accounts across the world. MapleStory Europe, which launched in May 2007, is the latest iteration of the completely free to play franchise, and offers gamers in Europe the chance to play MapleStory in five different languages – English, French, German, Spanish and Dutch.

For further information on MapleStory Europe, and to sign-up to the game please visit www.mapleeurope.com.

Ninja Combat To Nintendo DS In NARUTO: Ninja Destiny

Chakra-filled Battles Explode onto Two Screens with Innovative New Gameplay

TOMY Corporation and D3Publisher of America, Inc. (D3PA), publishers of interactive entertainment software, today announced the upcoming release of NARUTOTM: Ninja Destiny, the first-ever head-to-head 3D NARUTO fighting game for the Nintendo DSTM handheld system. Based on VIZ Media's hit animated TV series NARUTO, NARUTO: Ninja Destiny will pit characters from the hit NARUTO series against each other in high-energy combat. Players will use both screens for innovative, unique gameplay featuring trademark ninja moves and the cinematic special techniques of the NARUTO world. NARUTO: Ninja Destiny is scheduled to ship in February 2008.

"We've listened to the fans and made a slew of improvements to the Japanese original, including a much faster frame rate, additional characters, and never-before-seen content," said Laura Yoshioka, director, consumer software of TOMY Corporation. "Through the innovative use of the dual displays and touch screens, NARUTO: Ninja Destiny will bring the series' iconic battles to players in a way that is only possible on the DS."

Players will soon be able to take their ninja battles on the road with NARUTO: Ninja Destiny, the first 3D head-to-head NARUTO fighter for the Nintendo DS. Any aspiring ninja can unleash powerful jutsu and take advantage of items to brawl his way to victory against 16 different characters. Dual-screen combat will allow fierce battles to unfold on the top screen while power ups can be strategically unleashed on the touch screen for fast, frenetic action. Core fighting game fans and casual gamers alike will find plenty to enjoy, thanks to a combo move system that is both intuitive to pick-up and challenging to master. Featuring scenes, characters, and storylines from up to the 140th episode of the hit animated television series currently airing on Cartoon Network, NARUTO: Ninja Destiny offers an intense single-player story and versus mode, along with wireless multiplayer combat.

For more information on NARUTO please visit www.naruto.com. For more information on NARUTO: Ninja Destiny, please visit www.NarutoNintendoGames.com.

Imagine Poker 3 Texas Hold 'Em Poker game

Candywriter announces the release of Imagine Poker 3, an offline Texas Hold 'Em Poker game. Imagine Poker allows players to pit their wits against 20 infamous characters from history, mythology, and legend, including Cleopatra, Robin Hood, Abraham Lincoln, Dracula, Marie Antoinette, the Grim Reaper, and many more. The game features fully animated opponents and an adaptive artificial intelligence engine.

Version 3 features a revamped 3D interface, four new characters, two dealers, six new rooms to play in, and optimization for Windows Vista and Mac OS 10.5 Leopard.

Imagine Poker allows users to set up a tournament with any rules they like and then try to defeat all 20 characters in order to win! Imagine Poker tracks detailed statistics across all games and ranks players in a Leaderboard.

Embedded within Imagine Poker is Candywriter's Poker Ghost software that provides detailed mathematical analysis of a poker hand at any given time.

"This game truly has something for everyone, and can be appreciated by players at any level." - MacPokerTools.com

Imagine Poker 3 runs flawlessly on Windows XP, Vista, and Mac OS X. It requires 52 MB of disk space.

A free trial of Imagine Poker 3 is available at:

http://www.candywriter.com/imaginepoker.html

The software can be unlocked for $19.95.

Pacific Storm: Allies Goes Gold

Pacific Storm: Allies, the latest title in the Pacific Storm series of WWII Pacific Theater of war titles from Buka and cdv Software Entertainment USA, has gone gold today. The game, which puts players in the roles of fighter jocks, ship captains and master strategists with its unique combination of strategy and action-based gameplay, is set for a retail release in late January. For more information about Pacific Storm: Allies, please visit the new official site at http://pacificstorm.cdvus.com.

Pacific Storm: Allies is the latest title in the Pacific Storm series of WWII Pacific theater games which combine real-time strategy, resource management and exciting, in-your-face combat action. In Pacific Storm: Allies, players jump into the thick of battle, playing as the United States, Japan, and a new playable nation - the United Kingdom. Allied nations, including the Netherlands, Germany and Russia, offer a new level of diplomacy and resource management to the game. An updated graphics engine brings to life new aircraft, naval ships and landscapes, showcasing them in lush, vivid detail.

As with the original Pacific Storm, Allies offers something for everyone - armchair admirals can take command of massive fleets from a sweeping strategic perspective, while the action fan can jump into the cockpit to battle it out in the skies, or man deck guns to turn enemy ships into smoking hulks.

Free to play MMORPG - CABAL Episode II - The War Begins

Games-Masters.com today announced that the second major expansion to the European version of CABAL Online, the widely acclaimed free-to-play massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), will be available for free download this January. Episode 2 - The War Begins, signals the beginning of the next chapter in CABALs development, unveiling a host of new features and content updates, which are set to re-affirm CABAL Onlines position as one of the best free-to-play games on the market.

Based in the turbulent world of Nevareth, a land devastated by the effects of war and mythical evil forces, Episode 2 sees the continuation of the CABAL Online story, as players find themselves at the centre of an epic battle for political supremacy. With the discovery of Tierra Gloriosa, a land vital in the struggle for the dominance of Nevareth, the battle between the Capella and Proycon forces enters a new and decisive stage, with the history of the realm firmly in players hands. Through a daily two hour battle, in the region of Tierra Gloriosa, players from each nation will need to display the skills of courage, leadership, organisation and determination, in order to defeat their fellow players and win the national war. With only one nation able to leave the battlefield victorious, the rivalry is set to reach fever pitch, as the winning faction claims not only supremacy, but also those all important rewards which follow it.

"These developments have long been sought after by the CABAL community, with Tierra Gloriosa finally providing a war system which makes player versus player combat not only fun and rewarding, but also meaningful" said Thorsten Schauer, Director of Games-Masters.com. "This expansion promises to offer our best free update to-date, providing not only new features but also many new and exciting challenges."

Alongside the new war system, Episode 2 will introduce new maps, monsters, six new skills and an increase to the level cap, creating brand new challenges and opportunities for the citizens of CABAL. Adding to the already huge amount of free content, the new update will provide:

= New War System: Tierra Glorisosa - In this new region of CABAL Online, players from the two nations will engage in battle in the new war system. With towers to capture, quests to complete and most importantly enemies to kill, only one nation can emerge victorious. The new system will allow up to two hundred players from each faction to face each other in the war map. Players will fight daily for a period of two hours, receiving points for kills and completing tasks, with the team with the most points winning the honours. Prizes include both rewards for the winning nation, in the form of increased experience for members of the nation, and personal rewards for those who participate.

= Increased Level Cap - For those players uninterested by the player-versus player battles, new challenges lay ahead as the cap is increased by twenty levels to 170.

= New regions: Pontus Ferrum - Through the dangerous portal players will be able to enter the new realm of Pontus Ferrum, a land full of dangerous and deadly foes. Only for the bravest and strongest of souls.

= Brand new quests - A large number of new quests and storylines for users to engage themselves in.

For more information, videos and screenshots on CABAL Online: Episode 2, visit the official CABAL Europe website at www.cabalonline.com

DRAGON QUEST MONSTERS on Nintendo DS March 14th

Square Enix Ltd., the publisher of Square Enix® interactive entertainment products in Europe and other PAL territories, today announces that DRAGON QUEST MONSTERS: Joker will be available across all PAL territories from 14th March 2008 exclusively on the Nintendo DS system.

Have you got what it takes to fight your way to the top with a team of the meanest monsters? DRAGON QUEST MONSTERS: Joker provides the ultimate monster-hunting challenge with over 200 marauding monsters to collect and battle. Train your team to be the best by mastering countless spells and abilities, and crush all who stand in your way. You can also synthesise amazing new monsters that can develop rare new abilities.

DRAGON QUEST MONSTERS: Joker is not just about battling though. There’s a colourful 3D world full of treasures and surprises to explore. On your travels you’ll meet a cast of quirky characters that can help you make it to the top. There’s fun to be had in multiplayer and online use too. Challenge your friends and their monster teams with DS Wireless Communication, or compete against players from North America and PAL territories in the Wildcard World Cup, via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

John Yamamoto, president and chief executive officer of Square Enix Ltd. comments, “After the great success of DRAGON QUEST since we introduced the series to Europe, I am extremely happy that we are now giving fans the opportunity to enjoy DRAGON QUEST MONSTERS: Joker on the Nintendo DS. This is another stylish entry in the DRAGON QUEST series that will bring enjoyment to anybody that plays it.”

About DRAGON QUEST MONSTERS: Joker

Story

Welcome to Green Bays, a cluster of mysterious islands that sparkle like jewels in the shimmering ocean! But travellers beware!

The islands are not as peaceful as they seem, for they teem with a multitude of monsters both great and small. Green Bays is also home to the famous Monster Scout Challenge. This renowned contest, held once every few years, determines who will be crowned the world’s greatest scout. The challenge is organised by the Monster Scout Organisation, whose headquarters are located on Domus Isle, which lies at the centre of the archipelago.

Now a new challenge is about to begin, and the crème de la crème of the scouting world are converging on the islands…
It is time for you to begin your quest to become the greatest monster scout in Green Bays, and in history!

Features
Collect over 200 monsters to create the ultimate team
Train your monster squad to be the strongest by mastering countless spells, abilities, and more. The combinations are almost endless
Synthesise amazing new species of monsters that inherit the best abilities of their parents and perhaps some rare new skills too
Battle other teams of monsters to see who is the best
Explore a stunning 3D world filled with monsters, treasures and surprises. Graphics use the same techniques as seen in DRAGON QUEST: The Journey of the Cursed King
Challenge friends and their monster teams via DS Wireless Communication
Compare your team and compete against players from North America and PAL territories in the Wildcard World Cup, available via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection
The DRAGON QUEST “big three” – comprising series creator Yuji Horii, legendary manga artist Akira Toriyama, and renowned composer Koichi Sugiyama – come together once again to create an unforgettable gaming experience

Codename: Panzers – Cold War Promotion on PC

Together with developer Stormregion, 10TACLE STUDIOS AG will be taking the successful real-time strategy series “Codename: Panzers” to the next stage in March of this year. In addition to distributor Electronic Arts, headset specialist Sennheiser Communications joins the team behind the successful marketing start. The international cooperation includes a comprehensive marketing campaign. This includes both support in the form of hardware and contest prizes for LAN parties and trade fairs and reciprocal marketing support in advertisements, manuals, posters and product information.

10TACLE STUDIOS AG Senior Product Manager Stephan Pietsch describes the advantages offered by the cooperation: “In Sennheiser Communications we have found a great marketing partner for our new hit strategy game – a partner whose high-quality products further accentuate the outstanding quality of “Codename: Panzers – Cold War”, particularly where on-site presentations are concerned.”

Sennheiser Communications, Head of Sales & Marketing Communications, Guido Karbautzki adds: „The truly impressive presentation of the highly-detailed world and the overpowering sound backdrop in “Codename: Panzers – Cold War” convinced us that our cooperation is based on a giant in the genre which will further underline our strong and long lasting involvement in the gaming community.“

“Codename: Panzers – Cold War” is the continuation of the well-known real-time strategy series. The newest episode in the series uses cutting-edge technology and a wide range of innovative gaming elements as it takes players into a fictitious conflict which could have changed the fate of the “Free World” forever – a conflict which demands the utmost of the best strategists around!

STORY
Berlin, April 1949 – Although the Second World War found its bloody end just a few short years ago the spectre of a deadly new conflict between the East and West block countries looms on the horizon. The Soviet Block is in revolt against the Western Allies’ claims to power in Europe and relies thereby primarily upon their newfound military strength. One small spark is all it would take to launch the terrible war machines of two of the most powerful armies in the world!

On the morning of April 8th a tragic accident with far-reaching consequences occurs in the skies over Berlin, and before the sun sets the ground beneath the German capital once again shakes to the pounding roar of tank guns!


Further Informations:
www.10tacle.com
www.panzers-coldwar.org
www.senncom.com

Beautiful Katamari or Microsoft Xbox 360 launched in Europe

Atari Announces the Forthcoming European Release of the Latest in NAMCO BANDAI Games' Much-Loved Katamari Series, Rolling Out in HD and Online for the First Time

Atari today announced the forthcoming European release of Beautiful Katamari for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. The latest instalment in the brilliantly eccentric and critically adored Katamari series will trundle its way into Europe with a full Katamari quota of delicious high-definition graphics, an original ear-massaging soundtrack, and all-new online multiplayer features. Players old and new will be able to enjoy a very different kind of ‘roll-playing’ experience when the game hits European shelves in February 2008.

Beautiful Katamari sees the pint-sized Prince and his cousins take on a new high-rolling adventure to save the Katamari universe once again after the King of All Cosmos has a very un-royal and unfortunate accident… As usual, the King of All Cosmos demands that his son, the Prince, rolls anything and everything up into massive clumps to set things right, bringing harmony once again to the Katamari Cosmos.

Staying true to the wonderful oddball style the series is known for, the 720p graphics gleam with a new coat of high-definition paint as the Prince is tasked with rolling up increasingly weird objects in unexpected new environments. To keep his son motivated, the King of All Cosmos lays down another killer original soundtrack that will have players wiggling to the rhythm as they roll through the ludicrous yet lovable world of Beautiful Katamari.

One is a lonely number, but mercifully Beautiful Katamari comes loaded with multiplayer options, including co-op and battle modes offline and an online mode via Xbox Live online game service allowing up to four players to battle it out rolling the biggest clump of junk. For even more online merrymaking, multiple leaderboards track worldwide statistics and a range of suitably Katamari-style downloadable content will be available to help players roll in style.

2007 sees 16% growth in video game sales

GAMES SALES CONTINUE ON THE UP

2007 interactive software sales staggering increase on last year's figures

The UK interactive entertainment software market hit a new all time high in 2007, according to ELSPA (Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association) as it reveals annual performance figures today, courtesy of Chart-Track.

2007 was an unprecedented year for the industry with a staggering growth in sales, the industry saw a 16% increase on units sold from the previous year taking the total to a whopping 75.9 million units sold. These record sales of interactive entertainment software across all formats totalled £1.72 billion, an increase of over 26% per cent over 2006’s record figures.

Paul Jackson, Director General of ELSPA, said: " We are thrilled to see the industry growing and software sales continuing to rise. This is a real testament to the industry, the creativity and the talent we have in the UK. There is, however, a chance to forget many of the problems the UK development sector faces with the pressure from the threat of international competition. We need to ensure that the UK creativity is able to continue to flourish and feed this demand, these figures should act as a reminder to us of the scale of our amazing industry and how we need to continue to work towards a healthier situation for one of the UK most lucrative creative industries.”

2007 was the biggest year ever for handheld systems with the Nintendo DS software actually ranked at No1 in terms of units sold and Sony’s PSP ranked at No5 in units and No6 by value. The entire console hand-held sector broke previous records and claimed nearly a third of the entire software units market, up 45% and just over one-quarter of the entire software market by value, up by 28%.

The biggest static console format in terms of value generation was Microsoft’s Xbox 360, followed by Sony’s PS2 (down from top spot in 2006), followed by Nintendo’s Wii and Sony’s PS3. However, in terms of units sold the order changes to PS2 (but No2 overall behind DS, the first time it has not been the biggest format since 2003), followed by Xbox 360, Wii and PS3.


The top ten games for 2007:

1 FIFA 08 EA Sport
2 Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training Nintendo
3 Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Activision
4 Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 Konami
5 More Brain Training from Dr Kawashima Nintendo
6 Halo 3 Mircosoft
7 The Simpsons Game EA Games
8 Wii Play Nintendo
9 Assassin’s Creed Ubisoft
10 WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2008 THQ

Angels Online: Totem Skirmish

Today the team of Angels Online (ao.igg.com) over at IGG would like to announce that the long-awaited Totem Skirmish will be released on Jan.10th. During the first month of Open Beta Test, the players in Angels Online have been working hard to increase their characters strengths strong enough, and now it is the time for they to fight for Glory.

Skirmish Duration:
PVP Period: everyday
Boss Challenging Period: 20:00~22:00 EST (GMT-5) everyday

Skirmish Rules
1. There are only two scenes (lvl 21-40 and lvl 41-60), and Guilds should join the battle according to their factions and level.

2. Players can attack any players from opposing factions.

3. During 20:00~22:00 EST (GMT-5), everyday, players can obtain the Riddle Pieces; which can be used to exchange for the Angel League Certificates.

4. If you do not enter the Battle between the allotted times then you will only be eligible for PVP fights with no special Bosses. Collection players can collect the Riddle Pieces all the time, but you’d better collect them as soon as possible.

5. 200 Riddle Pieces can be exchanged for 1 Angel League Certificate.

6. After the battle, Michael will select the 3 guilds who obtained the most Riddle Pieces from each faction (12 guilds in total) to be the winners. They will become the proud owners of the Totems and territory from the first round Totem Battle.

Skirmish Process
1. Lvl 20+ players in each main city need to talk with Sentinel Angel so as to enter PVP maps.
2. Players can play PVP in this map. Fighting players can obtain Riddle Pieces through attacking monsters or boss, and production players can obtain riddle pieces by collecting.
3. Collect Riddle Pieces and exchange Riddle Pieces for Angel League Certificates.
For more info visit the official site at:
http://ao.igg.com/news/news.php?aid=449

Iron Grip: Warlord Video Game for PC

Your country is being invaded by a massive army. This army doesn't care how many casualties it takes, because for every soldier that falls, five more take its place. You fight well, but even your own countrymen are turning against you, and defecting to the enemy. You are forced back to the city-states - immense fortresses that are immediately besieged by the enemy. Each rush must be repelled, each rush more violent and dangerous than the next. There is only one ending to this battle: you cannot survive, but you can force the enemy to commit an atrocity. An atrocity so total that they will lose all support, an atrocity so total that all your countrymen will be outraged and rise up, an atrocity so total that even the enemy soldiers will hate themselves as they move through the rubble that was your last stand.

This is the setting of Iron Grip: Warlord, the first commercial game from Isotx. You play as one of the savagely independent Atelia warriors of Warlord Sahrab's army. Atelia has been invaded by the Confederation, a vast and ruthless army that has prepared the way for its invasion by sending in missionaries to convert the Atelians to the Fahrong cause. Atelia is rich in resources, and both the Confederation - led by the powerful Fahrong nation - and the Rahmos Protectorate know that Atelia would be a key conquest in their power struggles. Atelia itself is a fractured, anarchic country, with divided loyalties. It was Warlord Sahrab who realized that this large scale invasion cannot be resisted until the whole of Atelia unites, and so he engages in this deadly guerrilla warfare, designed to provoke the Confederation into bombarding entire cities.

As a Warlord, you must use all of your skill to defend the city against the Confederate attacks. In an innovative blend of RTS and FPS gameplay, you will employ urban guerrilla tactics to fight off the hordes. You must protect your city at all costs, by building defense structures, setting traps, and taking the enemy on yourself.

Based on the Quake 3 engine, this project is the latest offering in the Iron Grip Universe. Team Lead and Designer Vincent van Geel states that:

"This game is all about casual fun: low system requirements, small filesize, and cool gameplay. We've taken the popular "Art of Defense" genre, and put a whole new spin on it."

The game itself will be available to purchase from the Warlord's website , and through CrosuS. It will be released early February. Meanwhile you can see concept artwork, background stories, download wallpaper and explore the Universe at http://www.igwarlord.com.

First Graphical Online Role-Playing Game for Mac and PC

The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) honored Stormfront Studios at the 59th Annual Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards ceremony for creating Neverwinter Nights, the first graphical Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG). The Emmy event was held at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) on January 7 in Las Vegas.

Don Daglow, who led the design of Neverwinter Nights, accepted the award for Stormfront and its publishers, AOL and Wizards of the Coast. "These games are not just entertainment," Daglow said. "They build new kinds of communities and create deep people-to-people relationships. They influence people's lives in the same way as great books, inspiring movies and iconic television shows, and we're grateful to the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for this honor."

Also honored at the ceremony for developing this new genre of entertainment were Sony Online Entertainment for Everquest, and Blizzard Entertainment for World of Warcraft.

Among the presenters at the evening ceremony were Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), legendary astronaut Buzz Aldrin, and Peter Price, president and CEO of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

The Technology & Engineering Awards honor excellence in advances in the use, creativity and adaptation of technology that enhances or improves the consumer experience with media across multiple platforms.

Stormfront began development on Neverwinter Nights in 1989, and the game was offered on AOL from 1991-97. Its success inspired the creation of a series of hit computer games of the same name from BioWare.

Pinball game - Dream Pinball 3D for PC Nintendo DS and Wii

Cutting Edge Pinball Videogame to Make North American Debut on PC, Wii and Nintendo DS in Spring 2008

SouthPeak Games today announced Dream Pinball 3D is coming to PC, Wii and the Nintendo DS in Spring 2008. Developed by veteran studio Topware, this superb pinball simulator creates an authentic pinball experience with refined controls that capitalize on the unique qualities each platform.

“Everyone loves pinball. It is an unusual kind of entertainment in that it bridges hardcore and casual gamers, while translating very well to videogames,” said Melanie Mroz, CEO of SouthPeak Games. “We are going to give the medium the respect it deserves.”

Dream Pinball 3D boasts six table themes, several different ball options, multi-ball power-ups and the most intense visuals and ball physics a pinball game has ever seen. The Wii version utilizes the Wii Remote and motion sensor capability to enhance gameplay. The Nintendo DS version includes intuitive touch screen control options and clear 3D graphics. The PC version offers pristine visuals and precise flipper controls with the mouse. With this many options to choose from, Dream Pinball 3D will bring out the pinball wizard in everyone!

Wireless Nunchuck For Nintendo Wii Named A Finalist In CNET's Best of CES Awards

Online Voting Open to the Public for People's Voice Award at www.cnet.com/best-of-ces

Nyko announced today that the editors at CNET (www.cnet.com) have selected its Wireless Nunchuck as a finalist in this year's "Best of CES" awards in the gaming category. The device, which attaches to the Wii Remote via a small wireless dongle for complete cordless freedom, will be available in the first quarter of 2008 for a suggested price of $29.99.

The Best of CES Awards, which are produced and judged by CNET, will recognize the hottest products at the 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show in ten categories, plus a "Best in Show" and "People's Voice" award selected by the CNET online audience. CNET editors received and reviewed thousands of entries. Winners will be announced on Wednesday, January 9 at 2:00 p.m. live on the CNET Stage in the South Hall upper lobby, second floor.

Using a dongle that attaches to the bottom of the Wii Remote, the Wireless Nunchuck features full accelerometer support for motion-based gameplay, and is compatible with all games that require the Nunchuck controller attachment. The Nunchuck's ergonomic design is perfect for both left and right-handed players. Two AAA Batteries (included) provide up to 30 hours of gameplay.

"We are extremely excited to see a product as innovative as Nyko's Wireless Nunchuck for Wii amongst the finalists in CNET's Best of CES Awards," said Chris Arbogast, Director of Marketing at Nyko Technologies. "The nomination of a product that we believe will create the ultimate in wireless gaming for Wii players is a testament to how hard we strive to continuously improve the playing experience."

As a finalist for a Best of CES Award, the Wireless Nunchuck for Wii is also eligible to win a People's Voice Award. Readers at home actively following CNET's in-depth CES 2008 coverage - from videos to editorial reports from the show floor - can participate by voting for their favorite product at www.cnet.com/best-of-ces. Voting is open to the public from Tuesday, January 8th and closes at noon Pacific Time on Wednesday, January 9th.

The ten categories include digital photo and video; car tech and GPS; cell phones and smart phones; computers and hardware; emerging technologies; gaming; home audio; home video; MP3 and portable video players; and televisions. A video of the winners and finalists showcasing their technologies can be found at www.cnet.com/ces.

Star Wars characters to appear in Soulcalibur IV

NAMCO BANDAI Games and LucasArts Announce Landmark Partnership

Swords and Lightsabers will be drawn as NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. and LucasArts today announced that iconic Star Wars characters will appear in Soulcalibur IV for the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. As part of this monumental collaboration, the Sith Lord Darth Vader will appear as a guest character in the PLAYSTATION 3 system version of the title, and Jedi Master Yoda will be available for the Xbox 360. Delivering a robust offering of new gameplay modes and enhanced features, Soulcalibur IV will raise the bar of excellence for all next-generation fighting games when it is released in Summer 2008.

“It is quite rare that two publishers of this caliber are able to collaborate on this level to create a top notch entertainment experience for next-generation platforms.” said Makoto Iwai, executive vice president and COO at NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. “In the entertainment industry, LucasArts possesses some of the most recognizable characters and franchises in the world. We’re thrilled to integrate their historic characters into one of our most treasured brands”

“We’re very excited to work with NAMCO BANDAI and be a part of their efforts to take Soulcalibur to the next level,” said Kevin Kurtz, director of marketing at LucasArts. “Adding our iconic Star Wars characters to NAMCO BANDAI’s great game franchise is a match made in heaven, and we think Darth Vader and Yoda will be formidable opponents in the game.”

In Soulcalibur IV, the epic struggle between the spirit sword, Soul Calibur, and the cursed sword, Soul Edge, continues with revelations about this ongoing story as fighters from across the galaxy seek the powerful swords for their own goals and to face the ultimate judgment. Propelling the franchise into the next-generation, Soulcalibur IV flexes its graphical muscles to shows its visual brilliance with a new look for both allies and enemies.

Shown in true high-definition graphics, Soulcalibur IV offers an entirely new battle system that promises to revolutionize the fighting game genre. Featuring an expanded customization mode, Soulcalibur IV allows players to personalize a character to look and perform as they desire. Also, for the first time in the franchise, customized characters or original favorites can be taken online to challenge others for the top spot of this timeless series. Developed by Project Soul, the legendary team behind Soul Blade® and Soulcalibur® I-III, Soulcalibur IV is set to reinvent the brand and reintroduce the fighting genre to new and existing fans alike.

For more information about Soulcalibur IV, please visit http://www.namcobandaigames.com.

MLB 08 THE SHOWTM For PLAYSTATION 3, PlayStation 2 And PSP (PlayStationPortable)

Phillies Record-Setting Slugger Joins Impressive List of MLB Greats to Grace the Cover of the Critically Acclaimed Baseball Franchise

Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. (SCEA) announced today the signing of Philadelphia Phillies All-Star first basemen Ryan Howard as the cover athlete for the MLB 08 THE SHOW, due to hit stores in early 2008 as the only officially-licensed first party baseball game exclusively for PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3), PlayStation 2 and PSP (PlayStationPortable).

Known for his prolific power and ability to drive in runs, Howard is just the second player in Major League Baseball™ history to win the Rookie of the Year honors and a Most Valuable Player award in successive seasons. During his 2006 MVP season, Howard led the Major Leagues in home runs (58), which broke the record for most home runs in a sophomore season set in 1947 by Ralph Kiner (51), won the All-Star Game Home Run Derby with a total of 23 blasts, and was the 2006 National League Hank Aaron Award recipient, the award given to the top hitter in each league.

Last season, while helping lead the Phillies to the 2007 National League Division Series™ against the Colorado Rockies™ by muscling out 47 home runs and driving in 136 runs, Howard became the fastest player in MLB® history to hit 100 home runs. The record-breaking accomplishment was achieved in only 325 games, 60 less than the 385 games that Ralph Kiner needed to hit his first 100 home runs from 1946 to 1948.

“Ryan Howard’s personality and work ethic exemplify what our baseball franchise is all about and we are thrilled he has chosen to represent MLB 08 THE SHOW,” said Scott Steinberg, vice president, product marketing, SCEA. “Howard has worked hard to establish himself as one of the most exciting players in the game and we look forward to him continuing the tradition of MLB THE SHOW athletes having amazing years while being featured on the cover of our game.”

MLB 08 THE SHOW marks Howard’s first cover for a baseball game, an accolade that continues to be a desired status symbol for professional athletes. The Phillies first basemen joins an elite team of MLB cover athletes and spokespeople, including New York Mets™ third baseman David Wright, Boston Red Sox™ designated hitter David Oritz, Angels™ outfielder Vladimir Guerrero, and a host of other MLB greats.

Already widely considered the most realistic and authentic baseball franchise available, MLB 08 THE SHOW looks to build upon its critical acclaim and deliver the perfect blend of new innovative features and unique gameplay opportunities. To deliver the closest experience possible, next to actually trying to make it in the Majors™, MLB 08 THE SHOW features a more immersive Road to The Show mode. As gamers attempt to make a starting line up in the Big Leagues, playing both offense and defense from a custom-created player’s perspective, a more robust dynamic goal system and a new career advancement system will help determine when a player is eligible for a promotion.

As the only first party baseball game officially-licensed by Major League Baseball Properties Inc. (MLBP), Major League Baseball Advanced Media (MLBAM) and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA), MLB 08 THE SHOW features more than 3,000 individual player animations, including personalized stances, pitching animations, individual swings, batting rituals and motion captures from MLB players. Additionally, the franchise adds to the realism by including Umpire Personalities combined with Interactive Hot and Cold Zones and Player-scaled Strike Zones, Release Point Pitching combined with Adaptive Pitching Intelligence (API) and the Pitch Command System (PCS), and the most comprehensive commentary ever produced for a sports title, featuring the three-man booth of Rex Hudler, Matt Vasgerian and Dave Campbell.

Providing players with some additional performance incentives, the MLB franchise introduces the new Progressive Batting Performance feature, which will both reward players for superior performance and penalize them for hitting slumps while under user control. Adding to an already robust online feature set, which includes customizable Online League Play with up to 30 teams, scrolling MLB Score Ticker and more, MLB 08 THE SHOW introduces SCOUT (SportsConnect Online User Tracking), which allows gamers to set and store their game preferences on the MLB server, and then enables the system to look for a Quick Match with opponents that fit similar competitive criteria.

Bomberman Land Web Site Is Live for Nintendo Wii DS and Sony PSP

The Official Bomberman Land website has gone live and can be found at:

http://hudsonent.com/bml/

The Official Bomberman Land Site is your one-stop-shop for everthing Bomberman Land.

Check out the screen shots for all three platforms and get ready for the fun you'll have playing. Scan the game descriptions and become one of the first Bomberman Land experts.

Watch the trailers for a sneak peek at each platform's exciting game play. By then your fingers will be tingling with excitement, so we've got just the thing... try your hand at one of the fun flash games based on Bomberman Land DS Touch 2!! We'll also keep you posted with the latest news on all three games!

PC video game Imperium Romanum: Trailer published

Kalypso Media Group are today please to publish the first trailer of the upcoming strategy blockbuster "Imperium Romanum".

Defend yourself against Barbarians attacking your settlement, watch the Chariot race in Circus Maximus within the spectacular empire building strategy game, the sequel to the successful "Glory of the Roman Empire" which sold over 1 million units throughout Europe,

The success of your fortune settlement lies very much in your own hands…..

As governor of a Roman province you have to build up and to expand the town, face barbarian attacks, you will be judged by the sophistication of your technical skills.

The 80Mb .wmv trailer is 640*480 pixels and approximately 2 minutes.

Download from here... http://www.gamershell.com/download_22713.shtml

Imperium Romanum, will be published by in February/March 2008 at a price of £29,99. The title will be released by the Kalypso Group worldwide, excluding Spain and Italy. Imperium Romanum is already considered to be one of the top PC-strategy games of the first quarter of next year.

CYBERATHLETE PROFESSIONAL LEAGUE Announces the $300,000 CPL World Tour Grand Finals in London, UK

The Cyberathlete Professional League (CPL), a pioneer in professional video gaming competitions, announces that Gamerbase, one of the world’s most advanced gaming centers, will play host to the $300,000 CPL World Tour Grand Finals here, February 27 and 28, 2008. Featuring the largest prize offering for any professional video game tournament ever held in the UK, the event is co-sponsored by video game publisher Sierra Entertainment and in association with CPL United Kingdom.

The CPL also announced the addition of a 2007 CPL World Tour London qualifying stop, with a $40,000 prize pool, January 30, 2008, also at a state-of-the-art 80 PC LAN gaming center located within the Trocadero at Piccadilly Circus in the heart of London. Winners will be eligible to enter the World Tour Finals. Registration details for the new qualifier will be announced beginning December 10 at www.cplworldtour.com.

The 2007 CPL World Tour is a grassroots competition that has attracted a large pool of the world’s top amateur players, shining a spotlight on the next generation of professional video game sports stars. Earlier CPL World Tour qualifying events were held in Italy, Sweden and the U.S.

The Tour features two critically acclaimed titles from Sierra Entertainment:
F.E.A.R. ™ (First Encounter Assault Recon), originally released in the fall of 2005, was heralded by PC Gamer as the “Best Action Game of the Year” for its combination of stylized first-person action combat and supernatural suspense. The Finals will feature the Xbox 360™ multiplayer edition introduced last year, giving players the opportunity to compete in paranormal frenetic multiplayer action that has become the signature of the F.E.A.R. franchise.

World in Conflict™, which launched in September, is the next-generation of action strategy games. World in Conflict has received numerous editors’ choice awards from
game critics worldwide. The game breaks new ground in multiplayer gameplay by being among the first strategy games to introducing player roles to its intense team-based combat. Showcasing the Windows PC version, the intense World War 3 title has been played all year on the CPL World Tour.
“The CPL held its first international qualifier in the UK almost nine years ago and we are excited to return with the largest ever tournament in the UK,” said Angel Munoz, founder and president, CPL. “We will continue with our commitment to bringing large tournaments to the UK and Europe on a regular basis, and other events will be announced shortly for this region.”

“The culmination of a worldwide gaming tournament in London again demonstrates that the UK is at the heart of the European games scene,” said Dominic Mulroy, Managing Partner of CPL United Kingdom. “This event will be a launch pad for a new series of e-sports tournaments across the UK and Europe from 2008 onwards.”

The tournament will be held both at Gamerbase and at The CC Club, a large and popular bar and club, located next door to Gamerbase and right in the heart of London's West End. In addition to the competition, a special VIP Party will be held at the night club where Dallas-based rock band Superstring is scheduled to perform live.

Fireglow Games announces release dates for Stranger in North America

Stranger is an RPG blended with the best elements of RTS.

An innovative and never seen before magical system allows to select one's strategy and tactics in the course of a battle and thus giving an adequate answer to an enemy's turn - you will be surprised by its simplicity and variety at the same time.

Hiring, training and control over squads of infantry and archers - you will take part in clarification of the eternal question of what more is important - might and weapon or cunning and magic.

There are three heroes - different from each other, each one with own personality and preferences in combat and magic. What will happen when they assemble in a single squad?

Colourful universe of Stranger inhabited not only with hundreds of types of monsters but also with intelligent tribes, which can either be your allies or enemies.

All of this is "Stranger" - 2 worlds, 3 destinies.

Features:

• RPG blended with some of the best RTS elements
• 3 main heroes and many units to choose from
• Over 100 different monsters
• Unique and flexible magic system
• Great variety of items and gear
• More than 30 hours of single player campaign
• Multiplayer with up to 8 players
• Level design enables distinctive tactical options