New action-adventure series The Secret Saturdays video game out soon

First Games Based on the Hit Action-Adventure Television Series Scheduled for Q4 2009

D3Publisher (D3P), a publisher and developer of interactive entertainment software, together with its parent D3, Inc., today announced a worldwide publishing agreement with Turner CN Enterprises, the global licensing and merchandising arm of Turner Broadcasting EMEA, for videogames based on the new action-adventure series The Secret Saturdays. The first game based on The Secret Saturdays is scheduled to be released across EMEA for console and handheld systems in Q4 2009 .

“The Secret Saturdays franchise provides everything videogame fans look for, from an exciting cast of heroes they can portray, to fantastic creatures with special abilities they can use, to the most dastardly villain for them to defeat,” said Yoji Takenaka, president and chief executive officer, North America and Europe, D3P. “Turner CN Enterprises has proven to be an unparalleled partner for us in turning wonderful television universes into playable experiences for fans, and we are thrilled to be working with them once again to reach the gamer community.”

From secret artifacts to unexplained creatures, the adventure never ends for The Secret Saturdays. This family of cryptozoologists is on a mission to find and protect the weirdest and wildest cryptids before the bad guys get in on the action. They travel from ancient temples to bottomless caves in search of the legendary Kur stone because only The Saturdays can save the world from the evil plans of V.V. Argost! The Secret Saturdays television series will premier in the UK on Cartoon Network in June with roll-out across EMEA throughout 2009.

“We have achieved great success with D3Publisher with the Ben 10 interactive franchise and look forward to partnering with them again on The Secret Saturdays,” said Alan Fenwick, vice president of Turner CN Enterprises. “D3 will be a significant aspect of the licensing programme we’re set to roll out in 2009/2010 for this key Cartoon Network property.”

MTV Games and Paramount Pictures Take STAR TREK and Rock Band Where No Man Has Gone Before

First-of-its-Kind Promotion to Rock Fans During Month Lead-Up to the Film's Release on May 8, 2009

MTV Games and Harmonix’s Rock Band are joining forces with Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Entertainment to celebrate the May 8th theatrical release of the film STAR TREK from director/producer J.J. Abrams. The first-of-its-kind collaboration will fuse together the massive cultural followings of both STAR TREK and the video game phenomenon Rock Band to engage fans with free music, an in-game battle of the bands, and futuristic avatar creation contest.

Beginning today, fans can register for a 15-day sweepstakes that will give away 500 free Rock Band Music Store downloads each day from April 7th through April 21st for the Xbox LIVE Marketplace for Xbox 360 and PlayStation Store for PlayStation3.

And if that’s not enough – fans will want to fire up Rock Band 2’s online Battle of the Bands mode to participate in the STAR TREK Ultimate Battle. Bands of three to four players can battle the Rock Band galaxy. The band with the highest score will win a STAR TREK hometown movie screening for their band and their friends. Additionally, twenty randomly selected players will win an awesome STAR TREK/Rock Band prize pack equipped with STAR TREK and Rock Band gear. The Battle of the Bands component will begin on April 20th and run through April 27th.

The Rock Band and STAR TREK promotion will culminate when the first-ever avatar creation contest launches on April 27th. Fans will be asked to create a futuristic avatar in-game and export it to RockBand.com for the community and Harmonix team to judge the winner. The Duke of Gravity will ultimately decide which avatar has what it takes to rock with the Enterprise crew. The winner will be chosen on May 11th and win "The Future is Now" prize pack including the top of the line Rock Band game accessories.

The Hardy Boys - The Hidden Theft video game on Nintendo Wii

A thrilling ride of adventure, mystery and cliff-hanging suspense, perfect for children of all ages!

JoWooD Productions and XPEC Entertainment are pleased to announce the successful PC adventure “The Hardy Boys: The Hidden Theft” is in development for Nintendo Wii.

Players will face challenging puzzles and exciting dialogues embedded in a thrilling story, which is especially suitable for children! In The Hardy Boys: The Hidden Theft, the vault at Spencer Mansion is robbed, and the Bayport Police call on the Hardy Boys to help tie-up some loose ends, but they soon find themselves in the middle of a major criminal investigation that takes them on an adventure all over Bayport, and even into New York City. But the pieces don’t add up, and Frank and Joe find themselves embroiled in a drama of sinister proportions.

After their release on the PC, The Hardy Boys were able to obtain official awards including the “Ultimate Games Award 2008”, which focuses on pedagogical valuable games.

Also the BuPP, the “Federal Office for the Positive Assessment of Computer and Console Games”, situated at the Austrian Federal Ministry of Economy, Family and Youth, loves the game and awarded a recommendation to The Hardy Boys. “A recommendation of the BuPP stands for: it is most likely that children will have fun playing the game and parents have no reason to be worried but can furthermore trust that their children will benefit beyond the fun from playing. The Hardy Boys fulfill these criteria!”, states Herbert Rosenstingl, head of the BuPP.

About The Hardy Boys
With over 100 million copies of their beloved books in print, America’s original crime scene investigators, Frank and Joe Hardy, are riding a wave of classic retro popularity combined with a whole new attitude. Since 1928, Simon & Schuster and Grosset & Dunlap have published The Hardy Boys classic editions, currently selling over 1 million copies annually. The new contemporary series Hardy Boys: Undercover Brothers, featuring the boys as spies for American Teens Against Crime launched in 2005, with an additional Super Mystery published every summer.


Facts:
Platform: Wii
Genre: Adventure
AgeRating: PEGI 7+

Wheelman - Cyclone Gunning part Two Gameply Movie

Wheelman is an upcoming action game that is being developed alongside the forthcoming Vin Diesel movie.

Micro Blu-ray diskcs announced by Sony - UMD Blu Ray...

Sony's not one to rest on its laurels. Blu-ray has been on the market for a couple of years, and although it's in this stagnant economy it needs to get us all on to the next consumer electronics device.

So, today the Japanese giant has announced exclusively to CNET UK its new format - microBD.

The discs are very similar in structure to Blu-ray discs, but they are the same size as the company's UMD gaming format. Like both Blu-ray and UMD, the microBD discs are multi-layered. The new format also uses the same ISO structure as Blu-ray, which should simplify the mastering process for microBD movies.

microBD discs are read by a 375nm laser, which is slightly shorter in wavelength than the 405nm laser in Blu-ray players. This new laser assembly means that quite substantial amounts of data can be written to a disc that's considerably smaller than a Blu-ray. In fact, although the discs are less than half the physical size of Blu-ray media, they can hold up to 75GB of data on two layers. A theoretically possible, but untested, third layer could take capacity to 100GB.

Read full post on Cnet here...

Call of Duty - World at War Map Pack exceeds one million downloads in a weekend...

Armies of Call of Duty fans have heeded the call and responded with more than one million downloads of the Call of Duty - World at War Map Pack 1 from Activision and developer Treyarch, during its first weekend of availability (March 19-22) on Xbox LIVE and the PlayStation Network.

“I’m proud that the team at Treyarch delivered an experience that so many people are enjoying,” said Mark Lamia, Studio Head for Treyarch. “We’re excited that the success of Call of Duty: World at War Map Pack 1 will continue to drive the popularity of the game’s Nazi Zombie mode, competitive multiplayer and chart-breaking success online.”

“The success of Call of Duty: World at War Map Pack 1 speaks to Treyarch and Activision’s ability to provide fans with quality content during a time when people want to get the most out of their Call of Duty experience,” said Maria Stipp, Activision’s Executive Vice President and General Manager of Owned Properties.

The map pack contains four maps (Nightfire, Station, Knee Deep and Verrückt) and is available on Xbox LIVE® Marketplace for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft for 800 Microsoft Points and on the PlayStation Store for the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system for $9.99. Call of Duty: World at War is rated “M” (Mature) by the ESRB for Intense Violence, Strong Language, Blood and Gore.

FUEL 70 vehicle line-up in new HD video game trailer...

Showcasing FUEL’s wide ranging on and off-road vehicle line up, including its Cars, Bikes, SUVs, Trucks, Quads and ‘Specials’ classes, Codemasters today launched the new ‘Vehicles’ FUEL gameplay video, now available to view and download from www.fuel-game.com.



FUEL’s 70 strong, garage tuned vehicles, each designed to perform differently according to the terrain, are perfect to race and explore the unique and diverse 5,000 square mile gameworld. The full range of vehicle classes is showcased in the video, demonstrating how the broad line-up gives players the freedom and scope to choose how they navigate the challenging environment to take the chequered flag.

Supercharged road bikes tear up the asphalt, dirt bikes and scramblers career off-road and roadsters burn rubber on twisty mountain roads. Meanwhile, customised quad bikes perform stunts at breakneck speeds, buggies and SUVs charge across beautifully rugged terrain and, from the ‘Special’ class of vehicles, a dragster speeds across the iconic Utah salt-plains and a hovercraft breaks free of the constraints of terra firma.

Coming this May, FUEL is the ultimate racing sandbox and the bulging roster of vehicles with their accessible, arcade handling delivers a compelling experience for racing fans everywhere. The 70+ strong career mode races and hundreds of extra challenges offer countless hours of high-octane thrills and route editor, which ships with the game, provides almost limitless opportunities for players to create their own fuel-filled races. The FUEL experience is extended yet further online as up to 16 players are able to go head-to-head or explore the entire map in free roam.

With a full day/night cycle and dynamic weather effects including snowstorms, thunderstorms, blizzards, rainstorms and tornados, FUEL is set to revolutionise open world multi-terrain racing when it launches this May for the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Games For Windows LIVE

Godfather 2 upgrade all New Weapons Characters and Maps to download

All-New Weapons, Character and Maps to Help Players Strengthen Their Family and Build Their Empire Offline and Online

Electronic Arts and Paramount Digital Entertainment announce that The Godfather II videogame will be releasing premium upgrade packs* to provide players with level-four weapons, an additional crew member equipped with four unique specialties, and two new multiplayer maps that will make their family stronger as they fight to become the most powerful mob syndicate in America.

In addition, these upgrades will help as players take their advanced crew members online and compete to be the Don of Dons on the leaderboards. Players can experience all the premium upgrades for The Godfather II two weeks after launch worldwide on Xbox LIVE Marketplace and the PLAYSTATION Store on April 23, 2009.



The complete list of upgrade packs includes:

• The Pentangeli Map Pack: Download for the all-new Cuba multiplayer map and the Junkyard multiplayer map.

• $6.75 / 540 points

• Level 4 Weapons Bundle: Download this collection to receive the Modern Dillinger, the .700 Magnum Impact, the Herzstopper, the MG-S1 Sniper Wolfe, and the Street Sweeper.
• $4.00 / 320 points

• Jack of All Trades: Download Jimmy Lira – the Jack of All Trades to have this character in your family. Jimmy Lira starts out with the arsonist, engineer, medic, and safecracker specialties and comes equipped with a level 2 machine gun – the MP38.
• $4.00 / 320 points

• The Corleone Bundle (All of the above): Download the multiplayer map pack, the level 4 Weapons Bundle, and the Jack of All Trades (Jimmy Lira) crew member.
• $10.00 / 800 points

As a Don in the Corleone family, The Godfather II allows players to carve out their own story of deception, betrayal, and conquest in a 1960’s organized crime world. With these new upgrades, players will have more options when building and investing in their family, managing their businesses, and sending their crew into battle – all of which is done through the revolutionary Don’s View. The Don’s View is a 3D representation of the player's criminal empire; it allows them to coordinate their strategy, plan hits on rival made men, attack enemy rackets, and much more. By letting players call the shots, The Godfather II delivers the ultimate organized crime experience.

Developed at the EA Redwood Shores studio, The Godfather II will be coming to the Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment system, PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, and PC. Players who pre-order The Godfather II at participating retailers worldwide will receive an exclusive crew member, named Tommy Cipolla, to hire into their family. The Godfather II has been rated M for Mature by the ESRB and 18+ for PEGI.

* Requires INTERNET CONNECTION, The Godfather II for the Xbox 360 or PLAYSTATION 3 and Xbox LIVE gold or silver membership OR PLAYSTATION Network account.

Madden NFL 10 video game out in US August 14

Paint on the eye black and lace up the cleats, Electronic Arts announce that Madden NFL 10 will be available in North American retail stores on Friday, August 14. The storied football franchise ushers in a new era with advancements that bring the NFL fan everything they see on Sundays, minus the grass stains.

On-field authenticity and emotion is taken to another level in Madden NFL 10. With more control over the outcome of the play than ever before, players can drag defenders towards the first down marker, fight for a fumble at the bottom of the pile, and avoid the rush by stepping up into the pocket. Utilizing an all-new animation technology, Madden NFL 10 ensures that the Fight For Every Yard doesn’t end until the whistle blows.

“The Tiburon team couldn’t be more excited about Madden NFL 10.” said Phil Frazier, Senior Producer. “With online innovation that will connect Madden fans together like never before, an immersive broadcast presentation that captures the suspense and emotion of the NFL, and the most authentic gameplay to date, Madden NFL 10 will be the pinnacle in the award-winning franchise.”

Madden NFL 10 on the Wii™ introduces a unique, genre-defining art style that will raise the bar for sports games on the console. Completely redesigned and built from the ground up, Madden NFL 10 epitomizes what fun looks like on the Wii and will deliver a social, dynamic experience for the entire living room.

Madden NFL 10 will kick off the season with the Madden NFL 10 Draft Experience hosted exclusively at maddennfl.easports.com on Saturday, April 25th. The innovative website will feature a live, streaming draft analysis show produced right from Madden headquarters in Orlando, Florida. The show will feature several interactive elements, including live call-ins from NFL athletes, on-site correspondents from New York City, and the chance for Madden fans to phone in with comments and questions. As players are drafted, their official Madden NFL 10 ratings will be released and discussed live. The website will also feature dynamic polls, social networking feeds, photos from the NFL Draft, and live blogs from the Madden NFL 10 player ratings team. The Madden NFL Draft Experience is a fully interactive destination for NFL and Madden fans alike.

The countdown to the Madden NFL 10 cover announcement begins today with the launch of maddennfl.easports.com and the There Can Only Be One campaign. Each week, check back to the Madden NFL 10 website as candidates that capture the essence of Fight for Every Yard are introduced. See who is in the running for the most coveted cover in sports video games, leading up to the Madden NFL 10 cover unveil on Friday, April 24th.

The award-winning Madden NFL franchise will be available on the Xbox 360 video game system from Microsoft, PlayStation 2 and PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment systems, Nintendo Wii, PSP (PlayStation Portable) handheld entertainment system and is rated RP by the ESRB.

Madden NFL 10 is developed in Orlando, Florida by the EA Tiburon studio, which also produces NCAA Football, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR and NASCAR Kart Racing.

Guitar Hero Sponsors Sonisphere Festivals headlined by Metallica

Guitar Hero Metallica to be Playable at SONISPHERE Festivals and Select Metallica Concert Venues In Advance Of Its Release In Europe

Activision announce its sponsorship of this year’s European Sonisphere Festivals, which are headlined by Metallica, and will be taking place in Holland, Germany, Spain, Sweden and Finland, before finishing off the season with a two day festival in the UK.
At the six festivals and a host of Metallica’s European gigs, fans itching to get a taste of Guitar Hero Metallica will have the opportunity to hone their skills and shred, drum and wail on a demo of the band’s highly-anticipated game before the European release in May 2009.

“Guitar Hero Metallica offers fans a unique opportunity to live out their dreams of stardom playing as one of the greatest bands of all time to a set list of over 45 explosive rock and metal tracks,” says Siân Evans, European marketing manager, RedOctane. “To be able to play as Metallica and experience their intensity and musical skill in a video game and then watch them perform live, will be an awesomely, unique event for any music fan.”

Fans attending Metallica’s European tour dates will have the chance to win exclusive tickets to the Sonisphere Festivals and get their hands on signed Guitar Hero Metallica merchandise. Each tour date will also include Guitar Hero Metallica pre-show events where fans will have the opportunity to rock on specially made Guitar Hero® stages. At some of the concert venues, there will also be a variety of free limited-edition Guitar Hero Metallica prizes up for grabs, as well as after-parties featuring live DJs, on-stage guitar duel challenges for prizes and celebrity face-offs. A lucky handful of skilled players and performers will be able to win the chance to play the game on the Sonisphere Festival main stage in front of tens of thousands of fans and two fans from each country will win the ultimate prize, a chance to meet Metallica.



“Ride the Lightning” with musical icons Metallica and 21 other rockin’ acts in an all new Guitar Hero experience – Guitar Hero Metallica. Enter the world of Lars Ulrich, James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo and experience the intensity and skill of one of the greatest bands of all time. Shred on the guitar controller, rip on the drum kit controller and wail on the mic to a set list featuring over 45 explosive hits from Metallica’s illustrious career and a wide variety of other legendary artists personally selected by the band, such as Bob Seger, Alice In Chains, System of A Down, Foo Fighters and Queen. Fans will be able to rock as Metallica while performing in venues reminiscent of the band’s epic album covers, themes from their music and real world locales.

Guitar Hero Metallica is developed by Neversoft Entertainment for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system. The Wii home video game system from Nintendo and the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system versions are developed by Budcat. The game is rated 12+ by the BBFC.