Search This Blog

Sunday, September 30, 2007

Emulators forcing video-game manufacturers to play along


Why are old video games popular again? In a word: emulators.



An emulator is software that mimics a video-game experience on a personal computer. Some major emulator companies, like Connectix and Bleem, charged for their software and access to multiple games.

But many emulators are "freeware" - free downloads developed by anonymous computer geeks who were ticked off that their old games could not be played whenever the video-game manufacturers introduced a new console, according to James Conley, professor with the Center for Research in Technology and Innovation at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management.

Video-game manufacturers didn't like emulators and have waged court battles similar to the ones that gave the music industry a public-relations black eye when they sued college kids for sharing songs online.

But the game companies release a new game system, on average, every five years. If old games won't work on the new system, firms run the risk of regularly making their best customers unhappy. And if those customers already own a game in an obsolete format, it's dicey to go after them if they find a way to continue enjoying the game in another format for their own private use.

Conley wrote an influential white paper in 2004 called "Use of a Game Over: Emulation and the Video Game Industry." Three years later, the Big Three (Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft) have adopted many of his suggestions.

He says the courts regularly ruled in favor of the emulator firms because the manufacturers relied on copyright to protect their games instead of patents and intellectual-property rights.

Also, the emulators did a nifty - and perfectly legal - tap dance around the coding and the copyrights because they focused on how the games functioned, he said.

Conley even presented his findings to Sony in 2004.

"My suggestion to them was, 'Why don't we embrace it and see how we can't make this a positive thing as opposed to viewing it as a legal morass,'" he said.

So Sony now manufactures PlayStations that allow "backward compatibility," which means old games work on the new system. Sony and Microsoft also bought pieces of Connectix. And Nintendo and Microsoft are now making many extra millions by making retro, or classic, games available as downloads.

"It was low-hanging fruit," Conley said. "There was all this money sitting around. People want these games; you don't have to convince them that they're good games. It just makes economic sense to take this intellectual property and use it to try and eliminate the competition."

It also softened the industry's PR reputation by showing consumers that it was responsive to public demand for classic games, Conley added.

Although Nintendo spokeswoman Beth Llewellyn still calls emulators "the greatest threat to our industry," a bigger threat would appear to be bootleg games. Llewellyn says law enforcement agencies have seized 100,000 counterfeit Wii games since January alone.

Source: Content agenda

Week recap: PS3 decline; Xbox 360 Halo 3 sales; Wii lead


Highlights



Sales for Sony Corp.'s Playstation 3 decreased in the latest Japan retail data. The PS3 ranked as the No. 5 best-selling hardware in the sales period.

A news item this week claimed that the 40GB PS3 SKU will be manufactured by Taiwan-based FoxConn. Sony has not yet announced a 40GB version of the latest Playstation.

Sales for the Xbox 360 incurred a minor sales gain in the latest Japan retail data. The Xbox successor still ranked below most other video game hardware offerings.

Additionally, Halo 3 logged more than 1.3 million players in the first 24 hours of release. The Xbox Live network this month reached seven million members worldwide.

Halo 3 sales this week fell out of the top 20 at Amazon Japan. The title was released in the region on Sept. 27.

Microsoft this week announced a price cut for select Xbox Live titles for a limited time. Discounted titles include Bankshot Billiards and Frogger.

Wii regained a 2-to-1 sales lead over the PS3 in the latest Japan retail tally. Additionally, Wii ranked three titles in the top 10 game sales for the week.

Sales for Wii increased in the latest retail data from Ebay. The Wii held the No. 1 rank as the Most Popular video game hardware at the auction website.

Konami this week released Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party to the Wii. The latest entry utilizes new motion-sensitive controls and traditional mat-based gameplay.

Nintendo this week released a new wave of Wii Virtual Console titles. New offerings include Kirby’s Avalanche and Streets of Rage 3.

Full review at Punch Jump

Don't Play Halo 3, Live It With a Real Warthog

I know. You were probably pretty disappointed when you were lining up at midnight the other day, anxious to get your hands on the Halo 3 Legendary Edition. Sure, the new first person shooter on the Xbox 360 is pretty hot and all the cool kids are playing it online with your friends, but it was that Master Chief helmet that captivated your interest. And then you found out that you couldn't wear it.



If you're a real Halo fan, you don't want to only play the game with a themed Xbox 360 controller. You want to recreate it in real life and now you can with a life-sized Halo Warthog vehicle. Created by the team at WETA, the working Warthog even has a replica machine gun mounted out back for when you want to go hunting for some nasty bad guys.

Play safe out there! This thing doesn't shoot blanks.

'Halo 3' does Microsoft proud - but will it be enough?


On Tuesday, the software maker released the first-person shoot-'em-up "Halo 3" for its Xbox 360 video game console. At stores in Indiana, like other parts of the country, gamers lined up Monday night, waiting to be the first to get their hands on the game at midnight.

Microsoft said it had 1.7 million pre-orders for "Halo 3" in the U.S. alone, although it didn't release actual sales figures. Still, the video game was expected to pull in more than $150 million in sales in 24 hours.
What's the big deal?

Well, there's Master Chief, the game's armor-clad, enigmatic superhero beating back angry aliens. The storyline is awesome. And so are the graphics - actually more so this time around because this is the first game in the "Halo" trilogy designed for high-definition televisions.

The video game also, arguably, makes the best use of Microsoft's service for online game play, Xbox Live.
With all that going for "Halo 3," too bad the launch wasn't flawless.
Hours after the launch, reports surfaced that a "small fraction" of the game discs were scratched. Microsoft blamed the packaging on the $69.99 limited-edition version of "Halo 3." It comes in a tin with a making-of-the-game documentary and behind-the-scenes features.

The scratches didn't seem to affect game play. With Microsoft's replacement program, customers can fill out a form and send in their scratched limited-edition disks for a free exchange through the end of December.
A regular copy of the game costs $59.99 and a "legendary" version, which comes with a replica of the helmet worn by Master Chief, costs $129.99.

But for all the popularity of "Halo 3," I seriously doubt it's going to be enough to convince casual gamers to pick up an Xbox 360 and let Microsoft take back the lead from Nintendo in terms of sales.

In August, according to Vgchartz.com, the Nintendo Wii passed the Xbox 360 in sales to consumers, not shipments to retailers. This is true even though the Wii was released in November 2006, a year after the Xbox 360

New award for video game writing


The Writers Guild has created an award for videogame writing with the inaugural trophy to be presented at the Writers Guild Awards on February 9 2008.
Guild said the kudo's been spearheaded by its New Media Caucus "to encourage storytelling excellence in videogames, to improve the status of writers, and to begin to encourage uniform standards."

"Videogames are written and many are written very well,". "By recognizing the skill and craft of videogame writing, the Writers Guild intend to raise the profile of these writers so that they can get WGA contracts and benefits for this work. We aim, we shoot, we score."

Qualifications require that the games must have been released between Dec. 1. 2006 and Nov. 30. Submission deadline is Nov. 21 with separate credit for writing (such as written by, story by, writer, story designer).

The guild also noted that there's no limit on the number of credited writers on a particular game but pointed out that credits not specifically tied to videogame writing would not be accepted ( lead designer, designed by, produced by). It also said writers of source material are not eligible.

More information here

Saturday, September 29, 2007

PSP GAME DOWNLOADS ARE FOR EVERYONE


The PSP or Playstation Portable is the premier portable gaming device that's been marketed for a few years. Some of the features that makes the PSP such a popular and enduring gadget is its ability to download PSP games and software. From places like PSP Blender for a membership fee, you can download to your heart's content. In addition to the commercial games and movies sold online and in stores, today there are so many websites dedicated to the PSP where you can download free PSP games all day and all night.

There are three types of downloads when it comes to the PSP: Free PSP game downloads, Membership and Pay-As-You-Go downloads and the one-time fee with unlimited access and download type. One of the most searched for terms in search engines is "Free PSP Game Downloads" proving that it is a very popular pastime and the availability of so many sites attests to the popularity of the PSP.

Here are a few points to keep in mind when looking for Free PSP Game Downloads.

While there are many websites where you can find free PSP game downloads, there are some cautions to adhere to in order to avoid copyright infringement, downloading more than just games and movies including spyware and viruses, and a host of other problems that can crop up if you connect with an illegal site. It's easy to find sites offering free PSP game downloads. Just Google it and you will see pages and pages of links to free PSP game files, free movies and videos, plus wallpapers and themes for your PSP console.

The next type of site offers nearly free PSP game downloads. It's the membership site or pay per download site where, for a monthly fee or pay as you download, you have access to an unlimited number of downloads from their large library of movies, games and wallpapers. While this is not the greatest, and with the pay-as-you-go model can prove a bit pricey, it is an option and is better than most free sites.

One of the best is to stick with the reputable companies which allow access for a one-time fee. After you pay, you can download as much as you like. In a way this is nearly free PSP game downloads in that you have paid for access, but for the rest of the time the site is available, you can log in and download free games, movies, wallpapers and whatever else is offered.

Microsoft Xbox 360 to come with Free games?


Microsoft Xbox 360 to come with Free games?



Microsoft Corp. plans to bundle free games with its Xbox 360 game consoles in the coming months, images found on a web-site Microsoft “uses to market its products” reveal. The intention, if it exists, will help Microsoft to grab numerous hardcore/standard gamers with the Xbox 360, however, there will still be hardly any rivals for Nintendo Wii from Microsoft.

The world’s largest maker of software will bundle Forza Motorsport 2 and Marvel Ultimate Alliance titles with its Xbox 360 premium and elite versions, providing more value at already lowered price, reports Kotaku web-site. Free games will also allow Microsoft to once again boost sales of its Xbox 360 among those interested in racing and action games.

Nevertheless, adding free games to the game consoles that are priced at $349 and $449 will only attract attention of those gamers, who are already very familiar with video games in general. Therefore, those games will hardly attract attention of casual gamers, who buy Nintendo Wii with free Wii Sports game for $249 and can enjoy it right out of the box.

Executives at Microsoft recently acknowledged that the company needs to attract casual gamers to the Xbox 360 platform to compete against Nintendo Wii. However, since then the company did not take any measures to realize this commitment.

Microsoft Xbox 360 console is based around microprocessor developed by IBM, high-definition visual processing unit designed by ATI Technologies, I/O controller engineered by SiS and some other key components. The gaming machine provides a broad set of multimedia capabilities in addition to games. The game console also features an HD DVD drive that should be acquired separately.

Halo 3 Overwhelmed Xbox Live


If you've experienced trouble with Xbox Live the past few days, start shaking your fist at everyone playing Halo 3, because it's basically their fault.

The surge of activity on Live and Xbox.com that occurred after the game's release resulted in frozen screens, or simply being shut out of Live. Microsoft admits there was a bit of a hiccup, but says everything's fine now:
Xbox Live and Xbox.com experienced minor issues as a result of increased activity due to the launch of Halo 3.

The issues were quickly resolved and both Xbox Live and Xbox.com are now working fine.

The larger problem may have been dealt with, some are still experiencing freeze ups on Live as recently as yesterday afternoon.

The price of success...

Enter the Fury Challenge video game contest

It's time to unleash your Fury

Enter into a world of merciless combat and blood thirsty competition. Go all out for the win and enjoy the unrivalled challenge of facing human opponents.

Commencing Friday 28th September, Codemasters Online would like to invite you to participate in the Fury Challenge. This one of a kind open BETA competition has over £500,000 of prizes on offer, including; Logitech Keyboards, Nvidia Graphics Cards, IGN Subscriptions, Retail Vouchers, Dell Hardware plus a host of others!
The ultimate online persistent PvP event has arrived.

Fury takes the best competitive PvP combat elements of online role-playing games and blends them with the adrenaline-fueled, fast-pace action of a first person shooter. Fury is a new breed of PvP gaming.

Starting this Friday, September 28th, you have the opportunity to team up with over 500,000 other players from around the world and win real world prizes in the largest prize pool ever in MMO history!

In order to compete in the Fury Challenge, simply visit
www.furychallenge.com to download your key and create your account.

For more information on Fury please visit www.unleashthefury.com.

AMD and SAPPHIRE to Showcase HD Gaming Innovation at the World Cyber Games


Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) today announced SAPPHIRE Technology, the official graphics supplier for the World Cyber Games (WCG) Grand Final, will exclusively supply graphics cards based on the ATI Radeon HD 2000 series from AMD for the competition. As the official WCG supplier of GPUs, AMD will co-host a demonstration area with SAPPHIRE to showcase exciting next-generation platform technology for the gaming community. The WCG 2007 event is scheduled to take place in Seattle, WA from October 3-7.

The Sapphire HD 2600 X2 DUAL, also to be featured at booth #10, delivers an incredible combination of DirectX(R) 10 gaming and stunning visual effects for a premium Windows Vista(R) experience. Packing two Sapphire HD 2600 XT graphics processors on one PCI-Express card, the Sapphire HD 2600 X2 DUAL can drive up to four Dual-link DVI displays or a single display in CrossFire(TM) mode with considerably enhanced performance, and includes 1GB of GDDR3 memory on board with 800MHz clock speeds.

"As official suppliers for the WCG 2007, AMD is collaborating with SAPPHIRE to present a world-class gaming platform experience for competitive and casual gamers," said Godfrey Cheng, director of platform marketing and gaming, AMD Graphics Products Group. "The World Cyber Games is the pinnacle of competitive PC gaming and a perfect venue to demonstrate how ATI Radeon(TM) HD 2000 series graphics with CrossFire push the boundaries of visual realism."

"The Sapphire HD 2600 XT brings a compelling mix of graphics quality and performance to the Grand Final 2007," said Adrian Thompson, vice president of Marketing, SAPPHIRE Technology. "It is just one of the great SAPPHIRE products based on the ATI Radeon(TM) HD 2000 series that brings wide choice to gamers in a range of state-of-the-art products that now extends from top-to-bottom."


The World Cyber Games is the world's first "Cyber Game Festival", designed to foster community participation in the e-Sports culture. The best gamers around the world gather in different cities to share the excitement and fun of the game tournaments. This year's Grand Final will feature more than 700 gamers from 70 countries.

"The WCG tournament has evolved into one of the most celebrated gaming festivals in the world," said Hyoung Seok Kim, CEO of International Cyber Marketing, WCG. "With industry-leading DirectX(R) 10 graphics processors such as the Sapphire HD 2600 XT, finalists are given the opportunity to compete at a high level on a world stage. We are pleased to have AMD and SAPPHIRE among the great technology partners that support the rapidly expanding e-Sports entertainment culture."

Qualified participants with access to the event passport are eligible to participate in a contest to win a Sapphire HD 2600 XT. Other ATI Radeon(TM) and SAPPHIRE branded prizes will also be available for giveaway to interested participants at the show.

Next venue for 'Guitar Hero III': PCs, Macs


Aspyr Media announced a partnership with Activision and RedOctane to bring Guitar Hero III to two more platforms: the PC and Mac.

While Tony Hawk studio Neversoft handles the console versions of Guitar Hero III, Aspyr will be independently developing and producing the two new editions of the game. However, the two new platforms will feature an experience similar to that described in GameSpot's coverage of the console versions, including more than 70 songs in its set list, as well as online multiplayer modes.

Belying its humble roots as a Kentia Hall diamond at the 2005 Electronic Entertainment Expo, the Guitar Hero franchise has grown to become a pop-culture juggernaut.

That's in part due to the ever-growing reach of the game, which expanded onto the Xbox 360 with Guitar Hero II. For the third iteration in the series, RedOctane and Activision have already planned on doubling the number of platforms the series will appear on, with versions for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2 and Wii having already been announced. (A Nintendo DS Guitar Hero game is also planned.)

GameSpot had an opportunity to speak with Chance Copeland, associate producer for Aspyr Media, at this year's Austin Game Developers Conference to get more details on Guitar Hero III for the PC and Mac. Rated T for Teen, these versions will be available this fall.

Currently, the music-game genre has very little representation on the PC and Mac platforms, and we think it's past time someone blew that wide open with a powerful franchise like Guitar Hero. Another concept we're trying to transmit to gamers is the idea of "Guitar Hero on the go." Take your laptop with you in the car or on an airplane, put on your headphones, and rock all you want using one of our keyboard configurations for the game. Consoles just aren't travel-friendly the way a good laptop is.

And I'd also like to point out that more and more people are integrating PCs into their primary entertainment system, so playing Guitar Hero III PC in your living room isn't hard to imagine.

Wii controller strap


Play tennis, bowling and other Wii games at full strength without fear of the dreaded fling.

Following on the heels of New York Fashion Week, Atlantic's GameKeeper has unveiled a fashion accessory at DigitalLife 2007 that doubles as a safety device.

The Wii Strap for the Wii controller fastens through the controller loop and onto your wrist with Velcro. But the thick band also looks as if it might double as a wristband. They'll be available this November in sets of blue and black or pink and green for $9.99.

Sorry, fellow WristStrong fans, Atlantic's bands don't have a cause other than protecting your flattie.

Still, it's never too early to start thinking about stocking stuffers for the gamer in your life.

Source: CNet

Images: Atlantic

Finding the art in gaming


A gaming conference taking place at The University of Western Ontario is not an eyebrow raiser.
Western’s Department of Computer Science has been exploring serious gaming for a few years now.

The real news about Playing The Gallery: The Art of Games is that it comes to campus via the McIntosh Gallery.

“It’s a serious investigation of the creative side of the internet as seen through gaming, computer games, video games on the internet and what the implications are for society,” he says.

The conference combines presentations by worldwide leaders, such as Spiegel with workshops focusing on critical social and technical issues that underline the art of games.

“Of particular focus in Playing the Gallery will be the technology-driven environments for co-creative expression, such as online social communities,” says Gustafson.

The conference has raised quite a bit of interest from the gaming world, prompting a former Visual Arts grad to sponsor $100-conference scholarships to cover registration fees for 25 students. “Dan Miller of the Investors Group wanted to make it a learning experience for students who were interested in the topics,” Kennedy says. “For example we’ve got a medical student who’s coming because he’s interested in video games and their effect on physical well being.” There are still some scholarships available for students.

More information on the conference can be found at Playing the gallery.

Astronaut's Son Buys $30M Space Ticket



The son of a retired astronaut is about to follow his father into orbit, after buying a $30 million ticket for a seat on a Russian rocket.

Richard Garriott, who made his fortune in computer games, is scheduled to blast off aboard a Soyuz rocket from Kazakhstan in October 2008 on a one-week trip to the international space station.

Garriott is 46 and lives in a medieval-style mansion in Austin, Texas, complete with its own dungeon and secret passages. The house is modeled after the setting of his "Ultima" video games.

Richard Garriott, a University of Texas dropout, developed the "Ultima" series, a computer game franchise, and with his brother, Robert, founded Origin Systems, a computer game developer and publisher. He also co-founded the North American arm of NCsoft, an online game developer and publisher. His newest game, "Tabula Rasa", is due out in October.

More from AP

Orchestrated games come to London


A BIZZARE concept is about to hit London.

The Philharmonia Orchestra accompanied by the London Chorus choir is going to perform the backing tracks taken from leading computer games.

The vent has been labelled Video Games Live and coincides with the opening of the London Games festival.
The INQ could understand somebody wanting to hear the score from Halo 3, perhaps, but Space Invaders and Pong? It appears to us to be a cunning ploy to hype up Xbox 360 titles before Christmas.

The event is being held at the Royal Festival Hall and is described as "an explosive one-of-a-kind entertainment experience." Wasn't that the same venue where the Mageek famously booed an Apricot sponsored event?
Anyway, if you're at a real loose end on 22nd October 2007, you'd better get yourself a ticket. There will, of course, be the chance to see and play games before and after the music has kicked off. And you can get to meet Tommy Tallarico and Jack Wall

Prices range from£19.50 to £32.50 and are available from the South Bank box office.

Source: Inquirer

This is part of the London Games festival - see earlier post

Friday, September 28, 2007

Wii Virtual Console releases


Hanabi Festival Finishes Off With A Big Bang!



As the “Hanabi Festival” on the Virtual Console draws to a close, Nintendo is having a blast releasing a pair of action packed games which have previously never been released in Europe: Sin And Punishment and Gradius™ III.

First on the list this week is Sin And Punishment, the classic Nintendo 64 3D third-person shooter game, developed by Treasure Co. Ltd. Originally released in 2000, this non-stop action title will see you assuming the role of a young resistance fighter facing an onslaught of bio-genetic monsters called Ruffians. These monsters, originally bred to boost dwindling food stocks on Earth, have turned against their creators and are trying to take over! In order to save the planet players must battle their way across land, sea and skies collecting energy, time and point bonuses as they go. A cool head and a strong trigger finger are essential to defeating the hordes of enemies that stand between our hero and victory! To enable players to better enjoy this cult Japanese classic, some in-game text has been translated into English, especially for this Hanabi Festival release. Sin And Punishment can be yours to download now for 1200 Wii Points.

Next, buckle up and prepare for battle in Konami’s much-loved 1990 side-scrolling shooter Gradius™ III. Players seize control of their Vic Viper Starfighter and take on the armadas of the Bacterion Empire. With ten levels to fight through, players will have their work cut out for them! With a variety of different weapons at your disposal you can mix and match lasers, missiles and shields to create customised set-ups giving you a fighting chance. This Super Nintendo Entertainment System version, originally released in the U.S., comes to Europe for the first time and is available now for 900 Wii Points.

If you want to try something a little magical, then Legend of Hero Tonma is this week’s non “Hanabi Festival” offering. In this platform shooter, players assume the role of Tonma, a trainee magician who must rescue a princess from prison, using magic spells to battle giant bosses and work their way through seven stages riddled with treasure chests and unusual power-ups! Legend of Hero Tonma is available now for 600 Wii Points.

For those of you who haven’t yet got your hands on the epic Super Mario Bros.™: The Lost Levels™, it will only be available on Virtual Console up to and including 30th September 2007. So make sure you don’t miss out and download it now!

With the addition of new games never seen before in Europe released over the “Hanabi Festival”, Virtual Console offers users the ultimate retro gaming experience. This weeks titles join the list of 141 classic titles already available for Virtual Console in Europe.

London Games Festival 2007


The London Games Festival, a celebration of games and interactive entertainment taking place during late October 2007.

The Festival will feature a series of diverse events in different venues for different audiences. Whether you’re a gamer, a parent needing advice on games, someone working in the industry, or someone wanting to find out more about how games work and where the future of entertainment will take us, this is a festival for you.

World's Biggest Online Open Beta Event Commences!


Codemasters Online challenge European MMO gamers to unleash their Fury as game goes Gold!



Codemasters Online today announces the FURY Challenge* officially kicks off in Europe on September 28th. Running over two consecutive weekends (28th Sept – 30th Sept and 5th Oct – 7th Oct) the FURY Challenge is one of the most anticipated open Beta campaigns in history with over $1 million of prizes up for grabs.

The FURY Challenge awards prizes to the top performing players and clans over the course of each weekend with hundreds of prizes available to competing players of all levels.

“Codemasters Online are extremely proud to be part of this exciting event with over $1 million dollars of prizes available to players throughout Europe. We welcome players from across Europe to join us in one of the largest open BETA events ever seen“, says Adam McGowan, Product marketing Manager, Codemasters Online.

Set for release in October on PC, FURY is a unique persistent online action RPG giving players an unrivalled fast paced player vs player experience. For more information on FURY visit www.unleashthefury.com

Spain chart topper - Heavenly Sword


Top ten includes titles on six different platforms



The PlayStation 3's new flagship title, Heavenly Sword, was top of the Spanish software chart for sales in the week ending September 23.

The data, compiled by Media-Control GfK Interational demonstrated a far wider variety of platforms represented than we've seen in the past, with each of the top five games on a different system.

The full chart is as follows:

1. Heavenly Sword (PS3)

2. WWE Smackdown! Vs. Raw 2007 Platinum (PS2)

3. Super Paper Mario (Wii)

4. The Sims 2: Bon Voyage (PC)

5. Dr Kawashima's More Brain Training (DS)

6. Pro Evolution Soccer 6 Platinum (PS2)

7. Pokemon Diamond (DS)

8. Colin McRae: Dirt (PS3)

9. WWE Smackdown! Vs. Raw 2007 Platinum (PSP)

10. Dr Kawashima's Brain Training (DS)


Digg!

That Halo Effect Halo3 takes over the media


Microsoft's media strategy drives Bungie's latest into the headlines.



There's almost a sense of festival around the launch of Bungie's long-awaited Xbox 360 iteration of the Halo franchise. We won't see official sales figures for the UK (or, indeed, most other territories) until next week, but Microsoft's Shane Kim already seems on the verge of exploding with joy over $170 million first day sales in the USA, with various retailers also being rolled out to express how ecstatic they are over the figures.

Suffice it to say, then, that Halo 3 has done really rather well - critically, it has scored over 90% from almost every specialist publication in the Western world, and commercially, it seems certain that its launch day is the biggest ever recorded by a videogame.

Consequentially, it may well be the biggest launch day for any media product in history - although the caveat here is that this applies only to the dollar figure. Halo 3's comparisons with other videogame products are eminently valid, but the success of the game in comparison with products in other mediums is inflated by the high price-tag of videogames.

Bring it back to actual unit sales, or the basic number of people who engage with the product on day one, and the figures don't hold up. It's wonderful that so many people are willing to go out and pay a large amount of money for a great game - but while back-slapping is certainly in order, let's not kid ourselves that this represents a "mass-market" phenomenon on the same scale as a huge movie or music release.

This is where the Halo message gets slightly confused. The game sits on a peculiar middle ground between Microsoft's two key ambitions for the Xbox platform. On one hand, the game itself is quite clearly a hardcore gamer's dream - wonderfully polished, crafted and presented it may be, but at heart it is still a heavily multiplayer focused first-person shooter where you play a space marine taking on an alien invasion. For the core audience of Xbox 360 owners, there couldn't be a finer product.

On the other hand, the "media event" status which Microsoft has carefully crafted for Halo 3 speaks volumes about the firm's desperation to break out to a more mainstream audience. Months of forward planning by the company's PR and marketing divisions has seen Halo 3 being widely reported upon in the mainstream press, with television, radio and newspaper reports focusing on launch events around the world.

In London and elsewhere, launch parties were arranged with a coterie of "celebrities" for the tabloid papers to take pictures of. The queues outside retailers were the subject of news reports, and major news outlets cast the net far and wide to try and find anyone who could explain something about the game on air. My own Halo 3 launch day started at 5am with an interview on the BBC's World Business Report - which ended with the rather bemused presenter asking earnestly (and, frankly, somewhat hopefully) whether videogames were "just a fad".

That, in a nutshell, is where the cracks start to show in the Halo 3 phenomenon. This is not a game for the mass market; it's not the kind of game that will encourage casual players or non-gamers to engage with the Xbox 360 or even with gaming in general. In fact, fantastic though it may be, it's not even really a game that will appeal to anyone who doesn't specifically enjoy the first-person shooter genre.

It is annoying, certainly, the much of the mass media has approached the launch of such an anticipated game with a "look at the crazy gamers!" tone in its coverage. It is frustrating to see features on the London launch which focus on the fact that Pharrell Williams looked "bored" rather than on the excitement of the gamers who turned up, referring to them only in condescending terms.

However, it's not surprising to see this reaction. Unlike last year's media frenzy around the Wii, the Halo 3 launch isn't something that can be easily expressed to the non-gamers who cover this subject for the mass media. The Wii is a genuinely mass-appeal product, simply because its appeal can be summed up in simple anecdotes that easily sell the features of the system to a wide audience. Halo 3, however, is a gamers' game; a refinement of a genre whose appeal is almost exclusively to existing players.

We fully understand Microsoft's desire to push the Xbox 360 into the mainstream - after all, this very column has been advocating for years the idea that the firm needs to broaden its appeal if the 360 is to break out of the market segment which the original Xbox carved. However, Halo 3 is the wrong product for the job. It is a game which will bring core gamers more firmly onto Microsoft's side than ever, but whose vast public exposure risks painting the 360 further into the "hardcore only need apply" corner.

What Microsoft needs is not more widespread exposure for an established, core gamer franchise like Halo 3. It needs a wider range of gaming experiences to engage with a wider audience - the kind of breadth and depth of software library which ultimately drove the PlayStation 2 to its immense sales in the last generation. On a positive note, we're seeing mounting evidence that this kind of software is on the way - but it remains to be seen how Microsoft plans to inform the public of this fact. Much will hinge on its ability to project a PR message effectively beyond its core audience.

In the meanwhile, none of this should detract from the undoubted enjoyment that hundreds of thousands of gamers will be experiencing this week from Halo 3. Whatever about the mixed media response or the Xbox 360's place in the market, the game itself is a triumph for Bungie, for Microsoft and for the core gaming public.

Anecdotally, we've never seen so many of our friends on Xbox Live at the same time, and all playing the same game (bar the occasional weird refusenik, of course). Gamers' enthusiasm for the franchise may leave the mainstream media cold - but that won't stop us from taking great pleasure in Finishing the Fight.


Digg!

PSP tops Japan hardware charts


Slim and Lite sales drive new surge in take-up; others remain static



While the release of the PSP Slim and Lite in Japan has reignited hardware sales of the console, numbers for other platforms dropped further, according to the latest retail data from Media Create.

Sales of the PSP, which in the figures isn't divided into individual SKU, hit nearly 280,000 in the week ending September 23 - that's up from 95,000 the previous week, and far more than normal chart-topper, Nintendo DS, on just over 70,000.

In fact most of the other platforms dipped once again as, with the PSP aside, hardware numbers continued to tail off.

The PlayStation 3 dropped by 18 per cent on the previous week, while sales for the PlayStation 2 dipped by 13 per cent, the DS by 12 per cent, and the Wii 5 per cent.

The only console to buck the trend, other than the PSP, was the Xbox 360, which saw sales jump by over a third - although that only represented a increase of about 400 additional consoles, to a total of 1687.

The hardware sales list in full:

1. PlayStation Portable: 277,794

2. Nintendo DS: 70,523

3. Nintendo Wii: 24,992

4. PlayStation 2: 11,373

5. PlayStation 3: 10,732

6. Xbox 360: 1687

7. Game Boy Advance: 382

8. Nintendo GameCube: 15


Digg!

Final Fantasy VII No1 in Japan


New entries make up half of the latest sales top ten



Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII has remained at the top of the Japanese software sales chart for a second consecutive week, despite pressure from new entries which include a new Metal Gear Solid title.

Portable Ops Plus, an expansion to the original PlayStation Portable title sold 93,000 units in its first week of release, according to data from Media Create, while Crisis Core racked up another 109,000 in the week ending September 23.

Pokemon titles took third and fourth places, while four other new entries, including Super Mario Strikers and Samurai Warriors: Katana also made the new top ten, with Nintendo platforms accounting for seven titles, and Sony platforms for three.

The full top ten is as follows:



01. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (PSP)

02. Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus (PSP)

03. Pokemon Fushigi no Dungeon: Toki no Tankentai (DS)

04. Pokemon Fushigi no Dungeon: Yami no Tankentai (DS)

05. Katekyoo Hitman Reborn!! DS Flame Rumble Kaien Ring Soudatsuen! (DS)

06. Super Mario Strikers (Wii)

07. Kiniro no Corda 2 Anchor (PS2)

08. Mario Party 8 (Wii)

09. Samurai Warriors: Katana (Wii)

10. Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles - Ring of Fates (DS)

Source: games Industry


Digg!

Halo 3 reviews


Here’s what some of the top gaming sites said.

IGN.com: 9.5/10



The campaign, which is very good, is Halo 3's weakest point. It doesn't capture the cavalier spirit of the original Halo, but you'll still have fun playing through it. There's no first-person shooter on 360 that can equal Halo 3's blend of cinematic action, adrenaline-pumping shootouts, and male- (and female)-bonding gameplay. Look beyond the gameplay and you have a rich feature set unlike anything ever delivered in a videogame. The Forge and the replay functionality raise the bar for console shooters so high, it may never be surpassed this generation. There will be plenty of aspects for fans to nitpick, but it's hard to argue against Halo 3 as the most complete game available on any console.

GamePro.com: 5/5



Anyway you slice it, Halo 3 more than lives up to the high expectations set by gamers everywhere. It's solid gameplay, immense replayability, online functionality and incredible production values will ensure its place in video game history, and it is, without a doubt, a satisfying and fulfilling close to the beloved trilogy[?].

Gamespot.com: 9.5/10



On the surface, Halo 3 is every bit the sequel you would expect it to be, in that it delivers meaningful upgrades to both the story-driven and competitive sides of the package. However, it's the addition of the Forge level editor and the saved films that give the game an even longer set of legs, legs that will probably keep you running at full speed until Bungie figures out where, exactly, to go from here.

Eurogamer.net: 10/10



And yet, hype machine aside, cutting through the crap about console wars and the like, what we find in Halo 3 is quite simply this - the best game yet in one of the best FPS franchises of the era. Better than either of its predecessors, Halo 3 still can't quite escape the category of flawed masterpiece - but this time around, the flaws are so minor that even the most churlish of reviewers would be hard pressed to mark the game down.

Computer And Videogames: 9.7/10



Halo knows what it does best and it's done it. If you're one of those that is physically sick when even the world Halo is mentioned, we feel a little sorry for you. Don't cut off your nose to spite your face, as ours mums would say. You're genuinely going to miss out on an incredible gaming experience that offers many different ways to play it, alone with your mates, or against the global community.


Digg!

Steve Jobs Immortalised in Lego


You really have to be wearing your geek credentials on your forehead to seriously think about buying this but here goes.

PodBrix, which has made a name customising Lego, has just announced the Young Woz and Jobs Playset. Like a Young Indiana Jones for Apple fanatics, this Limited Edition set aims to recreate in Lego the early days of Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs before everything went to hell in a hand basket. The blurb says:

“Hand created by Tomi, each playset contains a young version of Jobs and Woz immortalised in minifig form. The backdrop set features a desk with custom made computer, circuit board based project in progress, and a 2001 style calendar marking a fateful date. The reverse of the backdrop displays the limited edition unit number and is signed by Tomi.”

Source: Gizmondo


Digg!

Halo 3 really breaking records?


Microsoft has hailed the £84m that Xbox 360 game Halo 3 made in the first 24 hours it was being sold as a record for an entertainment product.

Industry watchers are wary of declaring this as the start of a new era for computer and video games because many other sectors of the industry are larger.



More from BBC


Digg!

Halo 3 launch video




Digg!

Thursday, September 27, 2007

Halo 3 Registers Biggest Day In US Entertainment History With $170 Million In Sales


Microsoft today announced that the Xbox 360 exclusive game “Halo 3” has officially become the biggest entertainment launch in history, garnering an estimated $170 million in sales in the United States alone in the first 24 hours. The Xbox 360 title beat previous records set by blockbuster theatrical releases like “Spider-man 3” and novels such as “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.”

“Halo 3” is the conclusion to the epic trilogy and picks up where “Halo 2” left off, answering questions around the fates of the beloved protagonist Master Chief and his artificial intelligence sidekick Cortana as they struggle to save humankind from destruction at the hands of the alien coalition known as the Covenant. In addition to the rich storyline, “Halo 3” continues the franchise’s grand tradition of delivering innovative online multiplayer experiences via Xbox LIVE, the world’s largest social network on TV.

“Halo 3 has become a pop-culture phenomenon,” said Neil Thomson, Senior Regional Director, Entertainment and Devices Division, Microsoft UK. “Not only is “Halo 3” setting sales records, it’s also redefining entertainment. Within the first 24 hours alone, we’ve seen more than a million Xbox LIVE members worldwide come online to play Halo 3 – that makes September 25 the most active Xbox LIVE gaming day in history.”

Retailers have also expressed their excitement about the launch of “Halo 3.”

Bob McKenzie, Senior Vice President of Merchandising for GameStop Corp commented that, “With consumer demand for Halo 3 and related products, we expect it to be the biggest video game title generator in GameStop's history."

“The initial demand we’ve seen for ‘Halo 3’ has been astounding, and the game is on track to become the number one gaming title of all time. ‘Halo 3’ is a genuine entertainment phenomenon and our customers have responded very enthusiastically to the release,” said Jill Hamburger, vice president of movies and games at Best Buy.

Developed by Bungie Studios, the “Halo” franchise is exclusive to the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system and optimized for the Xbox LIVE® online entertainment network. The more than 7 million Xbox LIVE users will get a continually evolving gaming experience with “Halo 3.” Its online multiplayer and cooperative gameplay for Xbox LIVE Gold users, the much-talked-about Saved Films feature that enables players to capture and save their favorite moments on their hard drives, and Forge, an innovative map editor that enables infinite customization options are just some of the new features to experience.

More than 10,000 retailers in the US hosted Midnight Madness events to celebrate the launch of this third installment in the billion-dollar franchise. In New York, Seattle, Miami and Los Angeles, Microsoft and retail partners hosted marquee launch events that featured contests and appearances by local celebrities and professional athletes who are fanatical about the “Halo” franchise, including Ludacris and Zac Efron and Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates.

More than 1.7 million copies of “Halo 3” were preordered in the United States before a single store opened its doors at midnight, Sept. 25, making this the fasting pre-selling game in history, surpassing the previous record-setting pre-sales of “Halo 2.” Well beyond just a U.S. phenomenon, the launch of “Halo 3” was a worldwide celebration that released in 37 countries and available in 17 languages.

Vivendi Games Mobile's The Legend of Spyro


The Eternal Night Wins Best Mobile Game Award at French Video Game Festival



Vivendi Games Mobile, a division of Vivendi Games, today announced that the mobile game The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night was awarded the Best Mobile Video Game Award at the second annual Video Game Festival, in Montreuil, France. The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night game will be available on mobile phones worldwide in November.

The Spyro video game franchise to date has sold more than 15 million units globally and continues to be a big hit among both mobile and traditional console gamers. The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night console and handheld versions published by Sierra Entertainment will be available in October.

“We are extremely excited and honored that our game, The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night was awarded the coveted Best Mobile Game Award by the Video Game Festival,” said Paul Maglione, president of Vivendi Games Mobile. “The Spyro franchise is a classic franchise that is truly loved by both kids and adults alike and we are thrilled to once again bring the mighty purple dragon to mobile phones around the world.”

The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night mobile game gives players the chance to guide Spyro through 13 graphically stunning levels, specially adapted for mobile phones. The mission is to collect the four elemental powers that will enable Spyro to halt the resurrection of the Dark Master. As Spyro’s powers are gradually unlocked, players will uncover the mysteries of the bizarre universe and the many enemies that populate it.

Summary
Title: The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night (mobile version)
Genre: Action / Adventure
Worldwide release for mobile: November
Developer: The Mighty Troglodytes
Publisher: Vivendi Games Mobile

Experience the Melee of Modern Warfare with Delta Force


The Sequel to Black Hawk Down Puts Players in Europe Back on the Front Lines



Vivendi Games Mobile, a division of Vivendi Games, today announced the launch of Delta Force, the newest title based on the popular NovaLogic Delta Force Black Hawk Down: Team Sabre TM franchise. Delta Force equips players with full firepower as they face off against enemies in assault mode and take control of the U.S. Army’s elite anti-terrorist unit. Delta Force is now available on mobile phones throughout Europe.

Inspired by the iconic Ridley Scott movie Black Hawk Down, Delta Force features stunning graphics and impressive realistic weather effects. Gameplay mechanics are infiltration-oriented and players use state-of-the-art artillery, including rifles, machine guns and grenade launchers, positioning them for total annihilation. In addition to being able to strategically select from a team of diverse characters, each with their own special abilities, players can drive ground vehicles and pilot a helicopter for car chase, sniper and radio hacking missions that will have them ducking for cover.

“Delta Force has enough action and excitement to entertain players for hours as they experience undercover missions and dangerous attacks with some of the most advanced graphics and special effects available in mobile games today,” said Paul Maglione, president of Vivendi Games Mobile.

Delta Force allows users to choose between three characters to eliminate a terrorist organization trying to hijack the communication satellites: the trooper, the engineer or the sniper. Mini games challenge players to seek out informers, break enemy codes and track down terrorists in an armored car while avoiding sniper fire, dodging land mines and protecting civilians. The first installment in the franchise, Delta Force Black Hawk Down: Team Sabre received impressive feedback and reviews from the industry. Pocketgamer.com awarded Delta Force Black Hawk Down: Team Sabre the Bronze Award and said “overall a solidly put together game in the covert espionage mould which is fun to play and has good lastability.”

Jericho playable demo goes live.



It's blood, sweat and fears as the Clive Barker's Jericho playable demo goes live.



Battle demonic foes from the Crusades time slice with Church, Black and Delgado.

Prepare to confront evil and then blast its face off as Codemasters announces the release of the Clive Barker's Jericho™ playable demo.

The demo is now available from Xbox LIVE Marketplace for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft® and the Games for Windows demo available from www.codemasters.co.uk In Europe and PAL territories, the demo will be available for the PLAYSTATION3 computer entertainment system on October 4th from PLAYSTATION Network*.

Clive Barker's Jericho dispatches players to the Middle-Eastern city of Al-Khali. Controlling the Jericho squad, a team skilled in both conventional and paranormal warfare, players fight through different time periods from the city's history on a gruelling journey to unravel the legend of the First Born, God's first aborted creation of man and source of ultimate evil.

Thrusting gamers into the heart of this unique horror FPS, the demo is taken from the time of the Crusades in Al-Khali's past. A vicious attack has divided the squad, with one half presumed lost. As the demo opens, players join Sergeant Billie Church, Lieutenant Abigail Black and Sergeant Frank Delgado in the blood-drenched sewers and catacombs of a fortress.

Playing as Captain Devin Ross, the fallen squad leader who as a spirit is able to possess and heal individual members of the team, players must take advantage of Church, Black and Delgado's paranormal talents.

Delgado, a pyromancer and heavy weapons expert, can unleash a parasitic flame spirit to incinerate nearby enemies and wields a 7.62 calibre Minigun.

Church, a blood scribe, casts powerful wards, enchantments and banishments through the ritual of drawing her own blood. She also comes equipped with a customised Nodachi for ruthless melee attacks.

Black possesses astonishing telekentic powers, which lets her guide bullets fired from her customised XM-110 sniper rifle with pinpoint accuracy through multiple targets.

Only by combining the unique squad abilities of this paranormal fighting force can gamers survive this hellish nightmare and come closer to the truth.

Right from the off, players face a vicious onslaught from an army of grotesque crusader warriors. These twisted and tormented enemies, whose armour is fused with their rotting flesh and limbs replaced with axes and swords, are powerful, shocking realisations of monsters from the mind of Clive Barker.

I LOVE Puppies! - I LOVE Kittens!


I LOVE Puppies!



Fun Adventures, Fascinating Puzzles, and Fast Action Games all with Adorable Puppies!

Sharon, MA, September 27th, 2007 – Tri Synergy, Inc. (www.trisynergy.com) is happy to announce that they will be bringing dog lovers everywhere some great arcade action with I LOVE Puppies!

In I LOVE Puppies!, anyone who can’t resist the adorable temptation of playing with new-born puppies can help bring them love and affection to be playful and happy. Just like a good mama dog, you can also teach them lessons they need to learn with fun and exciting puppy training programs.

Features of I LOVE Puppies! include:
Teach cute puppies lessons they need to learn with 8 Puppy Training Programs
Take good care of your puppy and keep him/her safe, happy and healthy with 6 Great Puppy Exercises
Play with your puppy with Fun Games
Earn a treasure chest of Rewards

I LOVE Puppies! will be available at Amazon.com, Gamestop, MicroCenter, J&R Computerworld, Trisynergy.com, and retailers nationwide in late September 2007.

I LOVE Kittens!



In I LOVE Kittens!, all cat lovers can help precious kittens who need love and affection to be playful and happy. Just like a good mother cat, you can also teach them lessons they need to learn with fun and exciting kitten training programs.

Features of I LOVE Kittens! include:
Teach cute kittens lessons they need to learn with 8 Kitten Training Programs
Take good care of your Kitten and keep him/her safe, happy and healthy with 6 Great Kitten Exercises
Play with your kitten with Fun Games
Earn a treasure chest of Rewards

I LOVE Kittens! will be available at Amazon.com, Gamestop, MicroCenter, J&R Computerworld, Trisynergy.com, and retailers nationwide in late September 2007.

WAP Chess - Free Multiplayer Mobile Chess Game



Cellufun's Free Multiplayer Mobile Chess Game that Matches Gamers' Skill Levels To Similarly Skilled Opponents Around the World



WAP Chess offers award-winning artificial multiplayer and artificial intelligence play with unique human opponent matching algorithm, while supporting real-time play on most mobile devices including Apple's iPhone


Today, Cellufun Inc, one of the world’s largest mobile entertainment communities launched WAP Chess, a free, multiplayer chess game supporting real-time play on more than 600 handsets, including Apple’s iPhone.

Cellufun’s mobile Chess caters to both amateur and expert game players alike. Amateurs will find numerous human opponents, matched to their skill level by Cellufun’s human opponent matching algorithm; a challenging local server called AI, which beat both Chessmaster and Karpov Mobile Chess in a QuicklyBored.com review; and a hint engine and a tutorial mode that can help improve play. Experts will also appreciate Cellufun’s opponent matching algorithm, full timed-play implementation, ELO ratings and AI, the powerful server side that will challenge even the highest-rated players.

“Mobile chess players should be able to play any one at any time on any phone, and Cellufun has created a game to deliver that,” says Arthur Goikhman, Cellufun’s CEO. “Our free mobile chess game offers fantastic game play, but the game really shines when you’re playing other people. Our unique full WAP chess implementation allows for support of our QuickPlay Technology, as well as dynamic image maps which work on everything from the iPhone to the Nokia Series 40.”

Legacy Interactive's Zoo Vet: Endangered Animals



Zoo Vet: Endangered Animals, the latest in Real Life Games® from Legacy Interactive®, will arrive in time for the Holidays, first at retail (October 2007) and then in a special downloadable version available at www.legacygames.com. Vivendi Games will distribute the title at retail in North America.

This interactive exploration of veterinary medicine is the follow-up to 2005’s Zoo Vet, which earned the Parent’s Choice Seal of Approval, sold more than 250,000 copies and inspired the Washington Times to note: “Zoo Vet provides the perfect balance of learning, interaction in real-life situations and honing logic skills to make it one of the best animal-care simulations on the market.”

“We’re proud to announce that a portion of the proceeds from sales of Zoo Vet: Endangered Animals will benefit the African Wildlife Foundation, which supplied some incredible content, including more than 80 gorgeous photos for the Andrew’s Album feature of the game,” says Legacy Interactive CEO Ariella Lehrer. The leading international conservation organization focused solely on Africa, the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) has played a major role in ensuring the continued existence of some of Africa’s most rare and treasured species. “We are very happy to be associated with Zoo Vet: Endangered Animals and Legacy Interactive,” notes AWF CEO Patrick Bergin. “Zoo Vet: Endangered Animals will provide important support for our work to protect Africa’s imperiled wildlife. Ariella and her team also have done a marvelous job of incorporating content into the game that will educate and hopefully inspire consumers to become more involved in conserving wildlife in Africa, and throughout the world.”

Andrew’s Album – in which players hunt for the missing photos zookeeper Andrew took during his recent trip to Africa – is one of several mini-games enhancing the diagnosis and treatment of the 20 animals populating the Zoo Vet: Endangered Animals world. The virtual practice of veterinary medicine affords players the opportunity to perform surgery, administer medicine and carry out other treatment procedures using a variety of realistic medical tools. Helpful hints are available from the friendly zoo staff so that players of all levels are able to succeed.

“One of my favorite parts of the game is helping the eagle with the broken wing,” notes producer Don Marshall, who also oversaw production of Legacy Interactive’s popular game Pet Pals: Animal Doctor. “You have to carefully use a scalpel on the eagle’s wing, examine the broken bone, set it using a pin and then close up the incision so the bird can fly again.” Thirty gameplay scenarios – starring a lion, an elephant, a polar bear, an otter, a tortoise, a zebra and a crocodile that has ingested pennies tossed into his enclosure, among other animals – were contributed by veterinarians practicing throughout the world.

In addition to the 30 unique medical cases and Andrew’s Album expedition, Zoo Vet: Endangered Animals boasts beautifully rendered, photorealistic 3D modeling of its patients, as well as the ability to visit and interact with the animals in their zoo enclosures. Moreover, would-be veterinarians can settle in at the zoo’s office computer to investigate conservation issues, actual video footage of at-risk species in Africa, and information about the education and skills required to pursue a career as a vet. The animal action is rounded out by a memory game, a trivia test, a word search and a jigsaw puzzle.

Since 2001, when Legacy Interactive launched the “aspiring vet” genre with the introduction of “Vet Emergency,” the company has established a reputation for respecting the intelligence of its audience and in so doing, providing both children and adults with compelling educational experiences that emphasize learning through activity. Nowhere is this better demonstrated than on the Legacy Games’ website, where a fan of Zoo Vet revealed, “I always wanted to be a vet, and now I can!”

Seven Seas Sudoku Debuts at WorldWinner.com



WorldWinner's Original Strategy Game Provides a Twist on the Popular Puzzle Pastime



Ahoy, matey! Sudoku fans can now walk the plank and hit the high seas with the latest addition to WorldWinner’s games portfolio. The company today announced the launch of Seven Seas Sudoku, an online cash competition version of the popular puzzle game with a pirate-themed twist. WorldWinner is a subsidiary of FUN Technologies Inc. (TSX:FUN) (AIM:FUN) and the leading provider of online game competitions for cash and prizes.

Seven Seas Sudoku is already proving to be a popular puzzler on WorldWinner; more than 12,000 games have been played in the initial days since its launch.

“WorldWinner created Seven Seas Sudoku in response to player demand for an interactive cash competition version of Sudoku, one the world’s most popular puzzle games,” said Peter Blacklow, president of WorldWinner. “Creating engaging online versions of popular offline favorites, such as SCRABBLE and Sudoku, is a key component of WorldWinner’s strategy to introduce a new audience of board and puzzle game fans to online cash competitions.”

Conceptualized and developed by WorldWinner, Seven Seas Sudoku is based on the universal rules of Sudoku. Players compete against one another by filling a 9x9 game board with numbered coins during each five-minute game. Participants accumulate points – booty for their treasure chests – by correctly completing a row, column or 3x3 square. If the clock runs out before players complete the entire game board, all empty squares are filled with Jolly Roger icons, resulting in scoring penalties. The player with the most loot in his or her treasure chest at the end of the game wins. Fill ‘er up, Captain!

Seven Seas Sudoku is available to players exclusively on WorldWinner.com and its partner sites, including AOL Games, GSN, MSN Games and Pogo.com.

SEGA Unveils Details For Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Games


SEGA Europe Ltd and SEGA of America, Inc., today revealed details of the exciting blockbuster title, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games™. Published by SEGA across Europe and North America, and published by Nintendo in the Japanese market, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games is licensed through a worldwide partnership with International Sports Multimedia (ISM), the exclusive interactive entertainment software licensee of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

This exciting new game for the Wii™ video game system Wii™ and Nintendo DS™ system is packed with all-new interactive features and includes 20 authentic Olympic events – played out in stylised Olympic venues. Using the Wii Remote™ and Nunchuck™ control system, players can have an unparalleled interactive experience and compete using one of 16 characters – 8 from the world of Mario and 8 from the world of Sonic. The Wii controls are created specifically to replicate the actions that offer the best results for each event which include:

Fencing – Individual epée
Archery
Shooting – Skeet
Gymnastics - Trampoline
Gymnastics - Vault
Field - High Jump
Field - Pole Vault
Field - Long Jump
Field - Triple Jump
Field – Javelin Throw
Field - Hammer Throw
Rowing – Single Sculls
Table Tennis - Singles
Aquatics – 100m Freestyle
Aquatics – 4x100m Freestyle
Track – 110m and 400m Hurdles
Track – 4x100m Relay
Track –100m and 400m

The interactive Wii controls include actions like swinging the Wii Remote™ to simulate hammer throw, notching the Nunchuk to shoot arrows, and replicating swimming strokes. Players can also discover the best way to win a game by experimenting with different movements to discover secret boosts to propel them towards a win.

With four playing styles to choose from, players can decide their game strategy: all-around, technical, speed, and power - for example: Mario and Amy (All-around), Peach and Tails (Technical), Sonic and Yoshi (Speed), and Knuckles and Bowser (Power). Players will be able to choose and try out, in both single and multiplayer mode, each event individually with Single Match mode (where players can choose their event and play until they score top marks). They can also compete for the highest overall score in a series of events in Circuit mode (where players can either create their own circuit by choosing the individual events, choose a pre-determined circuit, or randomly generate a circuit). Gamers looking for extra tests of their athletic abilities can choose the single-player Mission mode and earn top marks on challenges made for only the toughest athlete. Additionally, gamers can learn about the history of the Olympic Games through trivia, quizzes, and mini-games and unlock all-new facts and figures from past Olympic Games in the Gallery.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games will be in-stores across Europe on November 23, 2007 for Wii, and Q1 2008 for the Nintendo DS.

Open Season - Under a tenner


Action packed adventure for less than a tenner!



September 2007 – If you go down to the shops today, you’re in for a big surprise! Open SeasonTM the video game is here – and thanks to Focus Multimedia it will only cost you £9.99!

Play as Boog and Elliot in this outrageous game based on the hit movie from Sony Pictures Animation. Team up with all your favourite characters to put Timberline Forest back under nature’s control!

The tale of Boog, a domesticated bear who’s befriended by the lovable yet crazy one-horned mule deer Elliot, captured hearts far and wide. The twosome are thrown into the woods just as hunting season is about to begin, and left to fend for themselves! Now, thanks to Focus Multimedia, fans can help them get back to civilization!

The game provides hours of fun for young and old, while useful tutorials guide you through the hilarious activities in the graphically stunning world of Timberline. Before long, you’ll be hooked!

Craig Johnson, managing director of Focus Multimedia, commented: “I’m delighted to be adding another high quality title from Ubisoft and Sony Pictures Consumer Products to the Focus range. Open Season is a film that is enjoyed by the whole family, and since the game mirrors the film’s plot so closely, I’m sure Open Season™ is destined to be a sure-fire hit.”

Open Season™ is available now for a suggested retail price of £9.99 including VAT, from all good retail outlets of PC software. This product can also be purchased direct from www.focusmm.co.uk.

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six! - £9.99


Fans of the Tom Clancy franchise, take note! Focus Multimedia and Ubisoft have teamed up once more to release Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Lockdown.

The title will join Focus’ Essential range of PC software, retailing at just £9.99.

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Lockdown® opens as Team Rainbow, the world’s premier counter-terrorist unit, is called on to fight a deadly bioterrorism threat. The crisis takes Rainbow into new territory and new situations, as for the first time the hunter becomes the hunted.

New features include an enhanced tactical experience, deadlier enemies and hostages that must be rescued and kept safe.

Developers have also added some all-new multiplayer features, including a reward system, a "Free-for-All" game type, the return of three classic maps, and much, much more!

Also amongst the new additions to this latest game:
• New Equipment
• Laser Trip Mines, virus grenades and C-4 explosives add new options to the multiplayer arsenal
• New Weapons and Attachments
• 20 new weapons – 42 overall
• Six brand new weapons never used before in a Rainbow Six game
• Customize your weapon to suit your style of play: Silencers, scopes, red-dot sights, hi-cap magazines

Craig Johnson, managing director of Focus Multimedia, commented: “The Tom Clancy range of titles has earned a sterling reputation amongst gamers for its unerring eye for detail and focus on quality. Rainbow Six Lockdown is no exception. With a wealth of additional features and new multiplayer mode, fans of the series will enjoy a brand new challenge.”

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Lockdown® is available now for a suggested retail price of £9.99 including VAT, and can be purchased from all good retail outlets of PC software. This product, and the rest of Focus Multimedia’s range, is available to purchase direct from www.focusmm.co.uk.

FIFA Soccer 08 Kicks Off at iGames


Exclusive Launch Party, Showcase, at Select iGames Member Centers Across North America to Celebrate Release of Blockbuster Sports Title

One-Day Launch Party, October 13; Two-Week Showcase, October 15-28



WHAT:
Leading game center organization iGames will host a series of special events to celebrate the release of EA SPORTS™ FIFA Soccer 08, the latest installment of the blockbuster sports title.

WHEN:
The first event will be a one-day launch party, Saturday, October 13, followed by an expanded showcase, October 15-28, allowing FIFA Soccer 08 fans one free hour over the eagerly anticipated game.

WHERE:*
• Launch Party: Select iGames member centers across the United States and Canada.
• Showcase: Select additional iGames member centers.

(*) Note: This is a multiplatform launch, with centers hosting separate events for the PC, Xbox 360 and the Wii. For more details on which platform is being supported in your area, visit: www.igames.org.

ABOUT THE GAME:
EA SPORTS FIFA Soccer 08 will create a football experience that matches the complexity, finesse and beauty of the real-world game. FIFA Soccer 08 features a new, organic building-block system that enables you to combine tricks and skill moves together to recreate signature moves from the real-world superstars or define your own style of play. You can even capture video of your best moves and goals in-game and upload to the FIFA Soccer 08 website to show off your style and celebrate your glory with friends across the globe. In addition, FIFA Soccer 08 features a true next-generation ball-striking engine that re-creates the drama and unpredictable nature of shooting, and the inclusion of 576 licensed teams, 30 leagues, and more than 15,000 players.

FIFA Soccer 08, developed by EA Canada in Vancouver, B.C., will be available in the US October 9, for the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Wii™, Nintendo DS™, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, PC and mobile. FIFA Soccer 08 is rated “E” (Everyone) by the ESRB. For more information, visit: http://www.FIFA08.ea.com/us/.

What exactly is a next generation game?



The term next-generation is used a lot in the video games industry but what does it actually mean? How are developers taking advantage of new gaming hardware and what are the challenges and next steps for the industry?
With each new iteration of games console hardware comes the promise of revolutionary game experiences.

When the Xbox 360 launched in November 2005, the then boss Peter Moore said: "Xbox 360 will deliver mind-blowing experiences."

Ahead of the launch of the PlayStation 3 (PS3) Sony gushed: "Gamers will literally be able to dive into the realistic world seen in large screen movies and experience the excitement in real-time."

More from the BBC