Meet golfers from around the world at "Shot Online"

Shot Online, a 3-D golf game, developed and served by OnNet (CEO: Seongju HONG, www.onnet.co.kr), has been chosen as an official game of GNGWC 2008 (Game and Game World Championship 2008) which will be hosted by KIPA and sponsored by KT Corporation.

This year will mark the 3rd GNGWC. A total of 6 countries, including Brazil and Singapore newly added this year, will be holding local contests with the final match being held in Korea in November. 'Shot Online', an official game of the first year GNGWC 2006, has been very attractive to world wide gamers. Now for the 3rd year of GNGWC, 'Shot Online' is expecting more gamers to enjoy it.

Gamers will feel like they are playing a real golf game on the field with Shot Online, as it has been developed as a full 3D game. Jaesun KIM, a director of OnNet said "our goal when developing the Shot Online was keeping the game within the basic rules of golf, and we are still working to achieve this goal", showing the intention for Shot Online as a realistic golf game.

Shot Online is being served on the global market through a U.S. branch, while also being served in Japan, Germany, Hong Kong and Taiwan through various partners. Shot Online is planned to be served in 8 different languages within this year.

We visited OnNet and talked to Jaesun KIM, a director of the company, about Shot Online which was chosen as an official game of GNGWC 2008.

▲ Briefly what is Shot Online?
The difference of Shot Online from other existing golf games is that its background is like the most realistic golf field. The basic engine was built by a developer whose major at university was physics, so that the game environment is more realistic and effective. Furthermore, the game is based on Turn method which reflects various communities, such as communication between users or activities using the plaza, etc. In fact, users of Shot Online have built and operated communities for a long time.

▲ It is said that 'difficulty' was applied to the Shot Online to give more interests to the users. Can you explain it more?
Yes. The first users of Shot Online often feel that the game is tough. In particular, compared to other golf games, the difficulty of putts at Shot Online is very high. We initially thought that the game should be easy and finished quickly in the beginning stages of developing the game. However, we focused on our goal that we would make the most realistic golf game. As a result, we were able to bring more satisfaction and excitement to the gamers who have been enjoying the game longer. We are putting our efforts into describing even the condition change or feelings of a character, rather than to simply build just a game.

▲ Why do you think world wide gamers are interested in Shot Online?
Shot Online is currently being served in Korean, Japanese, English, German, Cantonese, and Taiwanese, and planned for expansion into Chinese, Spanish and French. Thus, we can check the user’s tendency in each country, and realized that users in different countries tend to have certain similarities. Most users of Shot Online are older and they enjoy the game while chatting at the same time. We believe that golf is not limited to a certain culture, but appeals with interest and familiarity in any country.

▲ What has been the benefit by being chosen as an official game of GNGWC for 3 consecutive years?
In fact, Shot Online has extended its business to other countries through overseas marketing sponsored by KIPA. Shot Online has been commercialized through that and users formed communities through that gradually. In the meantime, it was chosen as an official game of GNGWC, and as such, the new users and the access have more than doubled. Specifically, we opened its service in Germany last year around the period of GNGWC, which made it a bigger success. To open branches in other countries became easier too. Many users of Shot Online believe that it's the game which world wide users enjoy together. GNGWC, which makes opportunities to meet other people from other countries, is very helpful for overseas marketing.

▲ Have there been any special users of Shot Online in your memory?
First of all, the first and second winners of the local contest in Germany last year became a couple through the Shot Online. In addition, a real professional golfer participated in the local contests. There was the Japanese winner of the first year, who visited Korea to see the final match in the following year with his own money. Furthermore, some guilds printed their characters in specific outfits/clothes which made the contests more interesting to see.

▲ How are you preparing for GNGWC this year?
The European local preliminary contests will start on August 1st, and the local final contests will be held in sequence, starting from Germany on August 22nd, upon the KIPA schedule. This year there are a total of 6 countries who will run the local contests including Brazil and Singapore, which are new additions this year. Sometimes, it happens that winners of online preliminary contests are not able to join the offline contests due to the local circumstances. We will fully support them to ensure that they are able to participate in the local contests as well as the final match in Korea. Also, we are planning for various events through the GNGWC website this year. We will also keep world wide users posted as to the contest status live, so as to ensure them enjoy GNGWC together.

▲ Any final comments for world wide users who are preparing for GNGWC 2008?
We are happy for Shot Online users to gather and play it at GNGWC again this year. We put our full efforts into the preparations of such. We hope the gamers will enjoy their play fully, in hopes of them becoming the best player of Shot Online at GNGWC 2008. We will see you in Korea soon. Thank you!

.... Shot Online has a realistic description and it's relaxing to play while enjoying communication. but you never can lose your tension at Shot Online.... We hope that it will be updated continuously to keep it's original basics...

Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise Release Date and New Details Revealed

Roarios and Tigermisus and Fizzlybears, OH MY! Microsoft today announced that “Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise” will be released and on store shelves by 5th September.

With more than 30 additional new piñata species, expanded co-op options and multiple gameplay modes, “Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise” offers limitless fun for every animal-lover in the family.

Piñata Island has gotten bigger too! Now players can explore wild areas outside of the garden where they will need to bait and retrieve exotic piñata species who won’t venture into the garden on their own.

Put on your mittens and snow shoes as you brave the cold of the Pinartic where you’ll find piñatas that prefer cooler temperatures and the occasional blizzard, like Pengums and Polollybears. Or you can shed the layers and head to the sands of the Dessert Desert, where Camellos and Jameleons bask in the arid sun.

All of these new exotic piñatas will not venture into your garden willingly, so you’ll need to bait and retrieve them yourself. But you can make them feel at home right away by adding patches of snow or sand to your garden, similar to how you add grass and water.

Available exclusively on Xbox 360, “Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise” reinvigorates a colourful and engaging gaming experience. Now with full cooperative gameplay modes and various approachable difficulty settings, the “Viva Piñata” franchise opens its doors even wider with a new game that provides hours of fun for gamers of all ages, fans of the animated series and animal lovers alike.

Guitar Hero: On Tour Sets Activision North American Retail Sales Record

Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) today announced Guitar Hero: On Tour has sold in excess of 300,000 units in North America in the first seven days since its launch, making it the largest North American launch for the Nintendo DS in the company's history by more than a factor of eight. In addition, Guitar Hero: On Tour's performance ranks it as one of Activision's top 5 best-selling launches of any title on any platform in the company's history.

Guitar Hero: On Tour brings the popular Guitar Hero franchise to the handheld platforms for the first time delivering a unique gaming experience and challenging handheld gamers to prove their skills on the most diverse set list of master tracks ever offered in a Guitar Hero game.

"Guitar Hero is one of the most successful entertainment properties and continues to push the boundaries of innovation with Guitar Hero: On Tour," said Mike Griffith, President and Chief Executive Officer, Activision Publishing, Inc. "The game's breakthrough peripheral brings the Guitar Hero experience to the 41 million DS users in North America and Europe, where they can play anywhere, anytime."

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products. Founded in 1979, Activision posted net revenues of $2.9 billion for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008.

Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, the Netherlands, Australia, Japan and South Korea. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company's website, www.activision.com.

RAVEN SQUAD TO BREAK THE RTS MOLD ON XBOX 360 AND WINDOWS PC THIS FALL

SouthPeak Games today announced that it will distribute Raven Squad: Operation Hidden Dagger for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows PC this Autumn. Published by Evolved Games, Raven Squad is set in the near future. The game is a unique blending of real-time strategy and first-person shooter genres.

Developed by Atomic Motion, Raven Squad puts players in control of two groups of mercenary squads who crash land behind enemy lines in the Amazonian jungles. It will require tactical planning and a liberal amount of brute force to escape to safety. Each of the eight squad members possesses distinctive skills and weaponry that the player will have to use wisely to progress through the game's story driven objectives. Raven Squad sets itself apart by allowing players to switch freely between real-time strategy and first-person shooter gameplay. Only by mastering both of these modes of play, and becoming adept at switching between the two, will players make it out of the jungle alive.

"Raven Squad combines two extremely popular genres into a single robust experience where either gameplay mode could stand on its own merits," said Melanie Mroz, CEO of SouthPeak Games. "Atomic Motion is creating something that's visually compelling and building new boundaries in what a military title can accomplish. Fans of both RTS and FPS games are going to love it, as will anyone who enjoys intense, action titles."

To find out more about Raven Squad please visit www.southpeakgames.eu

Rev your engines and get into gear!

Viva Media and SimBin Studios AB announced today that the in-game video trailer for GTR Evolution has been released.
In the second half of August 2008 GTR Evolution will take GT and WTCC Extreme cars to Nordschleife, the holy grail of racing also known as “the Green Hell”.

Check out the hot video trailer and some cool screenshots at:
www.gtr-evolution.com

About GTR Evolution for PC

GTR Evolution contains 5 new classes of the finest cars with a total of 30 new models to race. In the GT classes players can experience legendary cars like the Corvette C6R, Aston Martin DBR9, BMW M3 GTR, Koenigsegg CCGT and Spyker GT2R.
Even more exciting are the all-new WTCC Extreme cars. These are pumped up fictional WTCC car designs developed by SimBin in cooperation with the FIA WTCC, and are exclusive to GTR Evolution.

The racing thrills continue with the Production Car Class featuring the street versions of the Audi R8, Dodge Viper SRT/10, Koenigsegg CCX and Gumpert Apollo. Overall, GTR Evolution offers 49 unique cars in 12 classes with more than 500 variations as well as 19 tracks in over 40 different layouts including the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife.

Features

In-Game File sharing to up- and download setups or ghost files while being in the game.

Race-line in Time-Trial is a feature inspired by the Race-line in GTR2 but features more options. There are distinctive brake-markers to indicate braking points, the game can now show two Race-lines simultaneously. These Race-lines including their ghost-files and setups can be up- or downloaded in-game as well.

Upgraded Replay system with the possibility to not only save the full replay after the race but also the instant replays that can be viewed during the race.

Nationality indicator for the player-profile will now be equipped with a flag and a country indicator following the player throughout the game.

Game modes

Championship functionality for full integration of the GT cars to run an endurance championship as well as a touring car championship. This functionality is also added to the Custom Championship, allowing the player to mix in the GT cars and WTCC Extreme cars with the other content.

GTR Evolution is distributed by Viva Media in the US.

Intel Supports GC Developers Conference for the Sixth Time

GC Developers Conference (GCDC) announced today that Intel will be platinum sponsor of this year's event, sharing a main sponsorship with Nokia. Intel will deliver several sessions as part of the conference agenda, and will have a presence in the exhibition area. The company has supported GCDC, Europe's leading developer conference, since its start in 2003. The conference takes place in Leipzig, Germany, on August 18-20, 2008.

"GCDC 2008 is a remarkable opportunity to highlight Intel's resources and technologies for developers", said Elliot Garbus, Vice President and General Manager of the Visual Computing Software Division at Intel. "Intel is committed to supporting innovation in the worldwide game developer community."

"Intel has continued its commitment to our superb program for the sixth year in a row, helping to make GCDC a must-attend event for the games industry in Europe and around the world," said Frank Sliwka, project director of GCDC.

GCDC 2008 will offer opportunities to interact with industry leaders like Intel Corporation and Nokia. GCDC is Europe's leading international conference for game development and the business of games. The conference is expected to attract even more professionals from the field than last year. For more information about GCDC please visit: http://www.gcdc.eu.

GCDC 2007 Retrospective

In 2007, GCDC was attended by 940 conference participants from 37 countries. Among the speakers were Bob Bates (USA, Legendary Game Designer and Writer), Julian Eggebrecht (USA, Factor 5), Tim Schafer (USA, Double Fine), Bruce Shelley (USA, Ensemble Studios), and Brian Sullivan (USA, Iron Lore Entertainment). GC Developers Conference has established itself internationally and today it is not only the most important event for game development in Europe, but also one of the most important conferences for the industry worldwide.

About Intel

Intel (NASDAQ: INTC), the world leader in silicon innovation, develops technologies, products and initiatives to continually advance how people work and live. Additional information about Intel is available at: http://www.intel.com/pressroom and http://blogs.intel.com.

JoWooD Productions announces another branded Adventure title „The Lost Files of Sherlock Holmes", set to release at the end of July 2008.

JoWooD Productions expands its branded product portfolio of adventure game titles with the addition of "The lost Files of Sherlock Holmes“ to their lineup. Made famous by a legacy of popular movies, television shows and novels, the Sherlock Holmes name is synonomous with delivering exceptional investigative storytelling and thrilling adventures.

JoWood‘s "The Adventure Company“ publishing label, aims to acquire and publish strong licences and brands for their lineup of quality adventure games. Current and top selling licenses include Sam & Max, Agatha Christie, Hardy Boys and now Sherlock Holmes.

Another top brand coming later this year is "Hardy Boys“. Based upon the top-selling children books series (with more than 100 millions copies sold), The Adventure Company will bring a series of adaptions to the PC and Wii over the next few years, providing great entertainment to all fans of Frank and Joe Hardy. Featuring celebrity voice talent Jesse McCartney and Cody Linley who lend their voices and likenesses to Frank and Joe Hardy, respectively.

In addition to these titles, adaptions for console systems are already in the product pipeline. The successful release of Agatha Christie Wii and the coming releases in Fall 2008 are proving the professional and successful implementation of announced strategic measures.

About Sherlock Holmes:

Sherlock Holmes and his asssistant Dr. Watson solve their cases with intuition and ice-cold logic combined. Each case presents challenging riddles that have to be solved: hidden objects, Sudoku puzzles, memory games and puzzles throughoutdemand both skill and investigative talent. Be a witness of Sherlock Holmes` thrilling investigation at famous locations like Big Ben or the Royal Theatre and experience hours of exciting gameplay as you tackle nine lost cases...

SPACE INVADERS EXTREME AND ARKANOID DS ON SALE TOMORROW

Square Enix Ltd., the publisher of Square Enix interactive entertainment products in Europe and other PAL territories, announces the return of two legendary TAITO games, ARKANOID DS for the Nintendo DS handheld system and SPACE INVADERS EXTREME for the Nintendo DS handheld system and the PSP (PlayStation Portable) system, will be available across Europe from tomorrow.

30 years after the original SPACE INVADERS ignited an entire entertainment medium and founded a gaming generation; players can now prepare to play the most extreme embodiment of the game ever created.

SPACE INVADERS EXTREME combines the captivating essence of the original game with a stunning alliance of futuristic graphic design and cutting-edge audio. The gameplay experience has been developed to maximise on the consoles’ abilities, offering players a whole new range of amazing features including a vast array of new power-ups, DS Wireless Communications and Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

ARKANOID DS updates the classic block-busting gameplay of the 1986 original, with the Vaus vessel, balls and bricks all still intact. Different modes of play provide unique challenges including Clear with 140 levels to complete and Quest mode that sets different rules for clearing each round. Points won in the game can be used to customize the game further, with new backgrounds, blocks and sound effects waiting to be unlocked.

John Yamamoto, president and chief executive officer of Square Enix Ltd. comments, “Both ARKANOID and SPACE INVADERS transcend different generations and gaming abilities, they are as loved for the gameplay experience as they are for their iconic status. With the launch of SPACE INVADERS EXTREME and ARKANOID DS we can offer existing fans the chance to enjoy the next level of gameplay, while offering a new audience the chance to experience these classics in a contemporary way.”

For more information about SPACE INVADERS EXTREME and ARKANOID DS please visit the official websites at http://www.spaceinvaders-game.co.uk and http://www.arkanoid-game.co.uk

SPACE INVADERS EXTREME features

•Futuristic, techno-inspired graphic design takes SPACE INVADERS to new heights
•Interactive, totally immersive sound scheme where sound effects are synchronised to match the beats of the music
•Wide range of amazing new power-ups

Additional Nintendo DS version features

•Play a friend with Nintendo DS Wireless Play
•Challenge other players with Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection
•High-Score table supported by Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection
•Share the multiplayer fun from a single cart with DS Download Play

Additional PSP version features

•Play against another player via ad hoc mode
•Widescreen 16x9 support
•Soundtrack provided by critically acclaimed musicians and DJ’s including SUGIURUMN, WALL FIVE, DJ Aki, ATOM™ & •MASAKI SAKAMOTO and ALTZ

ARKANOID DS features

•Over 140 levels to complete in Clear Mode, Quest mode adds extra challenge with different rules for each level
•Customize your game by exchanging points earned for new design features such as new backgrounds, Vaus vessels, blocks and sound effects
•Power-up items carefully selected from the ARKANOID series plus exciting new Power-up items: Barriers, Warp and Vanish
•Compete against friends with 2 and 4-player DS Wireless Communications
•Share the multiplayer fun from a single cart with DS Download Play
•High-Score table supported by Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection

MAJESCO ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES 'MARKER MAN ADVENTURES' FOR NINTENDO DS

Majesco Entertainment Company (NASDAQ: COOL), an innovative provider of video games for the mass market, today announced Marker Man Adventures for Nintendo DS. Developed by Glyphic Entertainment, this unique game based on drawing and physics challenges players to maneuver the charming stick figure, Marker Man, through 150 scrolling world puzzles in his attempt to find his best friend, Doodle Dog.

Players use the Touch Screen and stylus to draw geometric shapes—including lines, circles, boxes, triangles and pivot points—to create simple machines that help Marker Man advance through levels from point A to point B. Gamers use logic and can collect power-ups to help solve intricate themed puzzles set in underwater, outer space and ice environments, among others. Three difficulty modes and hidden areas within each level present unique surprises throughout Marker Man’s quest to reunite with Doodle Dog.

Marker Man Adventures for Nintendo DS is expected to release in PAL territories in early 2009. For additional information about Majesco’s exciting line of products, please visit www.majescoentertainment.com and www.majescoeurope.com.

Vivendi Games Mobile Brings The Bourne Conspiracy to Mobile Phones

Vivendi Games Mobile, a division of Vivendi Games, today announced the launch of Robert Ludlum’s The Bourne Conspiracy on mobile phones throughout Europe. The mobile game allows players to become Jason Bourne – experiencing the action as both the hunter and hunted, playing as both trained CIA assassin and marked government agent on the run.

The mobile experience features the signature Bourne-style action taking players deeper than ever before into the world of action and espionage. With a seamless blend of hand-to-hand combat, gunplay, dramatic escapes and driving, players will experience an adventure on their mobile phones like never before.

“Fans of the movies, novels or anyone familiar with the relentless action synonymous with Jason Bourne now have the chance to become Bourne on their mobile phones,” said Paul Maglione, president of Vivendi Games Mobile. “The Bourne Conspiracy for mobile takes action-adventure mobile games to the next level as players experience a mix of exciting gameplay including driving, rappelling, parkouring and much more.”
The game features a fully interactive environment allowing players to strategically use floors, doors, walls, and other features to take cover and wreak havoc on foes. With seven unique environments including Zurich (Switzerland), Vilnius (Lithuania), Marseille and Paris (France), players will challenge enemies in an all out battle as a highly trained CIA assassin.

Players have the ability to engage in hand-to-hand combat, access a variety of different weapons, disarm enemies and pick up ordinary objects as weapons and use them defensively. Players will also help Bourne escape intense chases by driving throughout the streets of Paris.

The Bourne Conspiracy is also available for console from Sierra Entertainment.