Bounty Bay Online expansion Beyond the Horizon with South America and six new cities

The largest ever expansion for Bounty Bay Online is set to launch in the fourth quarter of 2009 under the name of ‘Beyond the Horizon’. Right from first glance the add-on will integrate a significant geographical expansion of the historical explorer and sailor world. With South America, experienced players will receive a completely new continent as a destination for their voyages of exploration.

Six new port cities ranging across the western coasts of South and North America serve as focus points for a vibrant trade with the new world. For the first time ocean adventurers will have the opportunity to sail right around the whole world in ‘Beyond the Horizon’ using the Cape Horn route.

Passing by the village-like ‘Magellan Supply Station’ on the tip of South America, players will be able to arrive at San Diego. Those who venture further up north will discover the Mayan capital of Salinas to be an important hub of the expansion. The tropical metropolis represents the showplace for a high level quest line which leads player groups past snakes, Maya guardians and other dangerous creatures in a jungle-draped Mayan instance with some valuable treasures. Following Salinas players reach the scenic Cruz in Middle America as well as San Francisco, the first glamorous and sophisticated city on America’s west coast – each city featuring its own trading port. In the far north players who aren’t too shy of the cold can discover the snowy Seward and its off-shore icebergs on the Alaskan coast.

Frogster is going to publish the expansion ‘Beyond the Horizon’ with its many new features in both German and English language versions. A little later French players of Bounty Bay Online will also be able to check out the new content, such as five new character classes, the active pet system, new instances, new PvP arenas and tournaments, new ranking system and new mini-games. In keeping with its predecessors, ‘Beyond the Horizon’ will be available free of charge.

About Bounty Bay Online
With Bounty Bay Online players enter the Age of Discoveries from the 15th to the 17th century. MMO fans are able to choose an online career as a merchant, sailor, fisherman, pirate or adventurer and make their fortune at land and on the seven seas. Alone or with a guild of players, many adventures and gripping quests lie on their way. Thousands of ancient discoveries on all continents like the pyramids of Gizah or the Chinese Wall are waiting to be explored. After exciting PvP combat at land and on the seas, strong guilds can take control of colonies and cities and decide upon their destiny. Bounty Bay Online features a unique trade system based on supply and demand. In April 2008 Frogster has started a free-to-play server with an integrated item shop as an alternative to the subscription model, so that new sailors can now roam the Seven Seas without any fixed costs. More information is available on www.bountybayonline.com.

Features

• Hundreds of authentic ship models
• Land and sea combat
• More than 60 realistic towns and harbours.
• Guilds can conquer towns and decide upon their taxes and tariffs
• Free add-on „Storm Island“ with new items, new features and new regions included
• Free Colony Add-on released in January 2009

East India Company - Pirate Bay video game contest and New Patch - DLC

Paradox Interactive and Nitro Games has launched an all-new contest to reward players of the popular DLC East India Company: Pirate Bay. Based on the naval strategy title's in-game reward system (which offers points to sea dwellers as they progress in the game and climb up its ladder system), the two week event will call on players to challenge themselves to gain as many points as possible in the Pirate Bay campaign.

At the end of these two weeks, the top three players who have managed to gather the most pirate points and top the ladder will receive a $100 Gift Certificate on GamersGate for any Paradox titles released on the platform prior to September 13.

The contest will start on Monday August 31st at 3pm CET/9am EST and end on September 13 at 6pm CET/12 noon EST.

In order to be eligible to compete in the contest, players must download Pirate Bay Patch 1 (1.06). To access the patch, press the "Check for Updates" button on the in-game "Options" menu.

To view current contest standings and for other information related to East India Company, please visit www.eic-game.com.

In East India Company, players will enjoy building the World’s most powerful trading empire and engaging in vigorous battles in both single player and multiplayer modes, all within a breathtaking cinematic game environment.
Players will fight, manage and rule nations from Europe to the Far East with eight nationalities to choose from: British, Dutch, French, Danish, Portuguese, Swedish, Spanish and Holy Roman Empire.
Starting modestly, you will build your fleet, establish connections to far away countries, and keep the rivaling nations at bay. Choose from a wide array of ship classes, including a variety of transport and military vessels. Create diverse fleets and assign each of them specific trading routes. Control and upgrade well situated ports as you form your strategy for domination.
Conflicts and wars are inevitable. When hostile fleets engage each other, the spectacular naval battles are fought from a real-time tactical level. Devastating broadsides are fired with a deafening roar and cannon balls tear through enemy ships and their crew. For greater tactical depth, command your ship and give independent orders to each of your fleets. Fight against the other European powers to create a trading empire that will rule above all others in this groundbreaking strategy war game!
Features

- Spectacular cinematic and epic naval battles.
-Two Command Modes: Give orders to all your ships in RTS mode or take the helm of a single ship in Direct Command-mode.
- Unique combination of war and trading.
- State of the art diplomacy AI.
- Eight playable nations: England, France, Holland, Portugal, Denmark, Sweden, Spain
and the Holy Roman Empire.
- Over 10 realistic ship types; from small sloops and cutters to the East Indiaman and warships.
- Realistic yet fast-paced naval combat
- Hire fleet commanders who will gain new skills and increase the abilities of your fleets
- Take over ports and protect your shipping routes to create the largest trading empire.


Multiplayer (Internet or LAN)
• Supports up to 8 simultaneous players.
• Player statistics tracked on the EIC game server.
• Several game modes for with single and team approach.
• Raise your ranking by thwarting your opponents.
• Head-to-head missions are a true test of strategic skill.

System requirements

* Windows XP
* 1,6 GHz Intel Pentium processor or equivalent AMD Athlon processor
* 1 GB (2 GB recommended for Windows Vista)
* 128 MB DirectX 9.0c compatible or better video card with pixelshader 2.0
* 4X PC DVD-ROM
* DirectX 9.0c compatible sound card
* Available Hard Disk Space: Approx. 6 GB
* DirectX: 9.0c
* Other: 3-button Mouse, Keyboard and Speakers.
Internet connection for multiplayer.

Shattered Horizon PC video game - Fact Sheet

Shattered Horizon is a multi player first-person shooter with unique freedom of movement and realistic zero gravity combat.




Design principles

* The real space setting of Shattered Horizon offers gameplay, tactics and freedom of movement that cannot be found in any other shooter.
* Simple and intuitive controls let you take full advantage of the distinctive zero gravity environment.
* A sci-fi game you can believe in. Shattered Horizon uses real-world technology and physics as the basis for a fun and accessible game.
* Astonishing visuals combined with functional art design immerse you in the cold reality of combat in space.

Game Description

25 Word Limit
Shattered Horizon is a multiplayer first-person shooter game with unique freedom of movement and realistic zero gravity combat.

50 Word Limit
Shattered Horizon is a multiplayer first-person shooter where players fight in zero gravity surrounded by rocky debris
from a huge explosion on the Moon. With simple and intuitive controls players have complete freedom of movement
to create gameplay and tactics impossible in games constrained by gravity.

100 Word Limit
Shattered Horizon is a multiplayer first-person shooter where players fight in zero gravity surrounded by the broken remains of orbital infrastructure and billions of tons of rocky debris thrown into orbit by a huge explosion on the Moon. With simple and intuitive controls players have complete freedom of movement, making full use of the distinctive environment to control the battle. Shattered Horizon rewards players with gameplay and tactics impossible in games constrained by gravity.
Stunning lighting effects and zero gravity physics give the look and feel of real space, bringing to life an extraordinary and epic vision of the future.

Background Story

25 Word Limit
When a catastrophic accident on the Moon fills near-Earth space with debris, the survivors must fight or face deathin the cold of space.

50 Word Limit
Man is back on the Moon but greed soon leads to a catastrophic accident, when an explosion fills near-Earth space with debris. Survivors on the Moon are forced into conflict with those trapped on the battered International Space Station. Control of limited supplies means the difference between survival and death.

100 Word Limit
Man is back on the Moon and the companies that took him there are reaping huge profits. Their greed soon leads to the largest mining accident in history, when an explosion throws billions of tons of rocky debris into near-Earth space. Fragments of the Moon settle around the Earth and become known as the Arc. With Earth surrounded by debris there's little chance of rescue or return. Survivors on the Moon are forced into conflict with those trapped on the battered International Space Station. Control of the Arc means the difference between survival and death in the cold of space.

Shattered Horizon beta
In late August a limited number of gamers will be taking part in a technical beta for Shattered Horizon. At Gamescom, Futuremark Games Studio revealed the first details of what gamers could expect.

Moondust
Moondust is an oxygen-rich fragment of Moon rock where MMC miners have set up a mining facility. This is a risky venture, as the Arc's rotation brings it right under the ISA's nose. The MMC has little choice: with most of Moon's oxygen farms destroyed, they are literally fighting for air. Moondust is designed to be accessible to new players. It features a lot of indoor spaces, corridors and caverns. There are man-made structures which give a natural sense of “up” even though there’s no gravity. Combat tends to be close range and sudden.

Flipside
The remains of Hadley Science Station now orbit the Moon. The station contains stockpiles of high-purity nuclear fuel that could sustain the conflict for years. Determined to cut the MMC's fuel supply, the ISA launches a mission to confiscate the supplies or destroy them. In Flipside players fight on both sides of a broken disc of Moon rock, moving between the two through cracks and fractures in the level. As players move from one side to the other, up becomes down. Teams must control both sides to win.

ISS
A meteoroid impact has severed the International Space Station nearly in two. MMC troops seize the opportunity to raid the crippled and understaffed station. A skeleton crew of ISA astronauts must hold out against the attack. ISS is the most open of the three beta levels. The long axis of the station provides clear direction for the players. In this level players can make full use of zero gravity resulting in fast paced tactical play.

Players
The beta will support 32 players simultaneously.

Game Modes

Battle
In Battle two teams compete to capture control points and dominate the map. Teams must defend their own control points while attacking the enemy’s.

Assault
Assault is a turn-based control point capture game. Teams take turns attacking and defending. Control points cannot be recaptured by the defending team once lost. The attacking team must capture all control points in order to win the round.

Skirmish
Skirmish is a team deathmatch game mode. At the end of the round, the final score determines the winning team.

Weapons
In space it is impractical for an astronaut to have a large amount of weapons and equipment. With too much gear something is bound to float away. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvUhFwNxEqU
For that reason each player in Shattered Horizon carries a single multifunctional assault rifle. Using this weapon, the player is equipped for every type of combat scenario: up-close melee attacks, medium range fire fights and accurate long range combat.

Tactical Grenades
Grenades are fired with the rifle’s under-slung launcher. In zero gravity, grenades have special properties: they fly straight and true, with no drop to limit the range. Players can also ricochet grenades off surfaces to attack beyond their line of sight.

All the grenades in Shattered Horizon are non-lethal. Rather than provide cheap one-shot kills, they are designed to support team tactics and enhance the zero gravity experience.

ICE
The ICE grenade releases a fine cloud of water particles which flash freeze in the vacuum of space. The ice crystals block both sight and radar. This grenade can be used to provide cover, block lines of sight or disorient enemies caught in the cloud.

EMP
The EMP grenade disables an astronaut’s suit electronics. When a player is caught in an EMP blast their HUD crashes, taking away their radar and audio simulation. Their rocket pack also becomes less responsive, inhibiting movement until the suit’s OS reboots.

MPR
The MPR grenade’s blast pushes away astronauts and floating objects. Players can use the MPR grenade to dislodge defenders from their cover, or protect themselves from charging enemies by knocking them back.


Genre
Multiplayer first-person shooter
Tactical shooter (gameplay involves teams capturing control points)
Science fiction shooter (set in near-Earth space 40 years from now)

Platforms
Windows Vista, Windows 7 - DirectX 10 graphics card required

Developer
Futuremark Games Studio

Game Engine and Technology
In-house DirectX10 engine using PhysX and optimized for multi-core PCs.
Shattered Horizon carries the NVIDIA “The Way It’s Meant To Be Played” seal.

Rating
The game has not yet been rated by ESRB, PEGI or other rating bodies.

Release date
Ready for release holiday 2009 (dependent on this summer’s technical beta)

Rapala we love fish the first fishing game made specially for the Nintendo Wii

A Whole New Species of Fishing Game!

Activision announce a brand new entry in its Rapala fishing franchise, Rapala - We Fish for Nintendo Wii. Slated for release on September 29, Rapala: We Fish is the first fishing title developed specifically for Nintendo Wii, featuring over-the-top fun and action-packed fishing.

The game is packaged with the Rapala fishing rod and reel peripheral, letting players cast it, crank it and set the hook!

“We’ve partnered with Rapala to develop a new type of fishing game that focuses on arcade style family fun for the Wii™,” said David Oxford, Activision Publishing. “Combining responsive controls with an action-packed, humorous direction, we have created a fishing game that’s unlike anything out there.”

Rapala: We Fish takes a “pick up and play”, comical approach to fishing. Featuring five different game modes, including co-op tournaments, 4 player split-screen and multiplayer modes, players can choose from five hilarious characters or play as their favorite Mii™. Players travel to eight locations around the world and compete in 24 tournament events. Battle over 50 wacky fish species, including enormous Legendary Lunkers, with the Rapala rod and reel peripheral for side-splitting fun!

In a unique twist, the fish themselves feature zany personalities and hilarious facial expressions that will make players chuckle as they race each other to be the first to catch them. Winning a tournament requires more than just fishing – you must race your boat in arcade-style competitions with power-ups and turbo speed boosts. But hurry - if a competitor knocks the fish out of your boat before you get to the safe harbor, you lose your prized catch!

“We love Activision’s fresh, colorful approach to Rapala: We Fish,” said Kelly Brockpahler, Rapala. “It doesn’t matter if you are a fisherman in real life, this game lets players of all ages and abilities have a ‘laugh out loud’ good time!”

Tale of Tales release first glimpse of heroine in upcoming title Fatale

Beheading of John the Baptist

Three months into production, Tale of Tales are ready to show the first visuals of their upcoming release, tentatively entitled "Fatale".

The pictures display Salome, the biblical princess who demanded the head of John the Baptist as a reward for dancing for King Herod.

Undisclosed so far, Salome was designed, modelled and textured for the project by leading game artist Takayoshi Sato, of Silent Hill fame.

"We've always admired Mr Sato's work," admit "Fatale" designers Auriea Harvey and Michael Samyn. "In fact, if it wasn't for his masterful work in Silent Hill 1 and 2, we would probably never have started making videogames. Takayoshi Sato designs characters the way a novelist describes them or a sculptor carves them: their personality is expressed in their appearance and they are covered with very recognizable details.

He does not design superheroes or puppets, but real people, people you want to know, people you want to be close to. The style we are aiming for with "Fatale" is more naturalistic than anything we have made so far. But we want to retain the magical quality and openness to interpretation that is characteristic of our work. Takayoshi is one of the few designers in the world capable of pulling this off. We asked him. And he said yes. We couldn't be happier!"

The character of Salome is complex because "Fatale" is designed to evoke all possible interpretations of her legend simultaneously. Salome is at once the mighty princess who mercilessly seduces men to their downfall and an innocent child on the brink of womanhood who is manipulated by the grown-ups that surround her. But she is also just a girl, a teenager who falls in love with the wrong man at the wrong time. She gets a first taste of the sweetness and the bitterness that we all know so well. And then there's the Salome created by Oscar Wilde: a mad woman, lurking in the shadows of our souls, a selfish, passionate, wilful creature who will stop at nothing to get what she wants.

Sato's Salome is all of these women. She's not a classic beauty. But very pretty nonetheless. She doesn't wear lot of clothing after having danced away her veils. But her nakedness feels natural in the cool night breeze. The abundance of jewellery on her body is at once arrogant and innocent. She's attractive but there is nothing obscene about her. Her sensuality is that of a virgin. Her skin is telling us that our touch will corrupt her. She challenges us. She confuses us.

Takayoshi Sato joins the ranks of previous Tale of Tales collaborators Laura Raines Smith (animation), Gerry De Mol (music), Jarboe and Kris Force (music, voice and sound) and contemporary dancer Elénore Valere Lachky who reinterpreted the Dance of the Seven Veils especially for "Fatale".

Tale of Tales is a small independent studio based in Belgium, founded by new media artists Auriea Harvey and Michael Samyn. Other projects include "The Endless Forest", "The Graveyard" and "The Path". Production of "Fatale" is supported by Flanders Audiovisual Fund and Villanella.
"Fatale" is scheduled to be released on October 5th 2009.

Card set 5 arrives for Alteil - 60 all new cards new file types and abilities!

Set 5 is here! An all new card set expansion based around theme Files.

New cards make all kinds of theme Files possible using cards from previous sets, while new File types can be created just with Set 5 Cards!

The battle for the Holy Realm reaches a new level with the arrival of smarter command model Magic Dolls, who cut through the enemy forces.

Then the army of the Shrine Knights arrive, rallying to the cause of Folrart. Caught in between, Rivera realizes her destiny of the Beast King and releases her true power! But the great battle shakes the walls of the Holy Realm shrine, awakening something beyond the gate. The final gate guardian appears in a nimbus of light that envelops the battlefield. Will anything remain when the smoke clears?

• 60 new cards! 15 in each Sphere of influence, including new Characters, Units and Grimoires!
• Set 5 Packs and Set 5 Boxes are available in the Shop, at the same price as Set 1, 2, 3 and 4 Packs and Boxes.
• Set 5 Cards are available in the Card Lottery.
• Set 5 Cards are available in Treasure Battles, and for Level Up Cards.
• Enough cards to play all new file types with only set 5 cards! Help each other out with Shrine Knights, exploit your troops with Magic Doll Command Units, control the field with Ice magic and live forever with the Undead!
• New Status abilities let you break the rules, with skill effects that were not possible in earlier sets!
• Bestow Traits on your allies, gain extra Skills when Counters are triggered, and enjoy immunity to Grimores and Soul Skills!
• Classic play styles get new options, with more ways to change Battletime, get bonuses for Grimoires used, and more options for Solar Kingdom, Mermaids and Crest.
• Art by Rei (Code Geass Manga), Masaki Hirooka (Culdcept Saga, Sonic and the Secret Rings), Kazuno Yuikawa (Aquarian Age, Ragnarok Online), and many more!

Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning Launches Assault on Penny Arcade Expo 2009 Sep 4th – 6th free trial link

Mythic Entertainment, will be descending upon Penny Arcade Expo 2009 from September 4th – 6th to meet fans and showcase the latest and greatest new content and updates to WAR. Located at the Washington State Convention & Trade Center in Seattle, Washington, the event will provide the opportunity for local players to hang out in the WAR Lounge and speak with members of the development team about WAR’s one year anniversary and the latest and deadliest Live Event players have ever seen: The Wild Hunt!

Where: Washington State Convention & Trade Center
Seattle, WA 98101-2350
EA / Mythic Booth No 332

When: Friday, September 4th – Sunday, September 6th

Don’t miss Mythic Entertainment’s Executive Producer, Jeff Hickman, discussing Game Design 101 during his Penny Arcade Expo panel session on Friday, September 4th from 10:30am - 11:30am in the Unicorn Theatre. Joined by other industry vets, Jeff and the panel will re-examine the basics of game design and explore what it means to design in today’s videogame industry.

Fans who visit the Warhammer Online booth will walk away with a limited-edition Empire Cherub t-shirt (while supplies last), exciting WAR giveaways, and valuable in-game items:

• Razored Skinning Knife – Sharp as a harlot’s tongue and twice as dangerous.
• Shroud of Imrathepis - Linens taken from the burial shroud of Prince Imrathepis, protecting its owner from harm by regenerating minor wounds and injuries.
• Chompin’ Teef - Exclusive Steel Jaw customization option for Orc Choppas.
• Snorri's Spikes - Exclusive Spike Mohawk customization option for Dwarf Slayers.

For more information about Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning at Penny Arcade Expo 2009, visit http://herald.warhammeronline.com/eventcalendar/.

Based on the popular tabletop war game from Games Workshop, Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning features revolutionary Realm vs. Realm conflict that will provide players with an engaging battleground for years to come. Available now for PC, WAR will be available on Mac in the fall of 2009. WAR is rated “T” for Teen by the ESRB. For more information about the game and to download the 10-day free trial, visit www.warhammeronline.com.

Record of Agarest War video game arrives on PlayStation Network soon

Aksys Games, announce the first epic SRPG for PlayStation Network, Record of Agarest War. In this game developed by Compiled Heart, RED Entertainment, and Idea Factory, SRPG fanatics will finally be able to play a game worthy of the genre. Sporting over one hundred hours of gameplay, Record of Agarest War invites players into a gorgeous, expansive world of hope and despair. Players will wage war against the evil forces of darkness, take a bride - actually, several brides - and extend their lineage through five generations!

"This is one of those titles where morbid curiosity really hits you once see some screenshots," states Michael Manzanares, Associate Producer, Aksys Games.
"Instead of being nothing but cheesecake, Record of Agarest War turns out to have some length and girth to it. Color us surprised."

Record of Agarest War Prologue
In the void before time flowed and space existed, the twelve gods were. Gods of light and darkness, they came together to create the world of Agarest, a perfect and divine paradise. The gods created life, bringing forth animals and plants by the thousands-among them the intelligent races, such as elves and humans.

But even paradise cannot last forever, and in time, war darkened the skies of Agarest. Not a simple war between mortals, easily ended by divine intervention, but a war that split the gods themselves. Armies such as the world had never seen before, and would never see again, clashed in the skies of Agarest, across its surface, and even in the caverns that wound their way through its interior.

As is the way in war, many died on both sides, gods and mortals alike, and the war left Agarest broken, blackened, and dead. The gods wept for their paradise, and in a final act of creation, sacrificed themselves to bring life back to its charred and twisted surface.

That was many thousands of years ago, and although the gods are long dead, the withering darkness that began and fueled their war is not. Imprisoned for millennia, its bonds have begun to weaken, and as they do, a shadow once again spreads across the surface of the world.

Born into this world perched unknowingly on the brink of the apocalypse, a young man by the name of Leonhardt and his descendants are the last, best hope for Agarest. Their journey will span generations and continents as they strive to once again bring peace to their beleaguered world, even as the cost of their own souls.

Record of Agarest War Key Features:

• Soul Breed System
Tired of just living through one lifetime in typical RPG titles? Then witness the Soul Breed system! Choose a bride at the end of your adventure and give birth to the hero of the next generation!

• Collaborative Attacks!
Position your forces on the battlefield and wait for the right moment to string together massive combo attacks using multiple party members-both in melee and at range!

• Epic SRPG with Ginormous Game Time!
Record of Agarest War spans over 100 hours of gameplay, not including side/bonus missions!

• Link Gauge System
The fate of Agarest is in your hands as the Link Gauge tracks your actions and alters the future world based on how you play! Will you get the blonde girl or the red-head?! YOU JUST DON'T KNOW!

Record of Agarest War has not yet been rated by the ESRB.

Oscar De La Hoya and Klitschko Brothers download for Fight Night Round 4 video game

Donaire
Electronic Arts announce that its first downloadable boxer pack for Fight Night Round 4 is now available on the PLAYSTATION Network and Xbox LIVE Marketplace. Featuring Oscar De La Hoya, Vitali Klitschko, Wladimir Klitschko, and alternate versions of George Foreman and James Toney, the downloadable boxer pack retails for 400 Microsoft points and $4.99 on Xbox LIVE Marketplace and the PLAYSTATION Network, respectively.



Named the Game Critic Awards “Best Sports Game of E3 2009” and having sold over a million units in its first month*, Fight Night Round 4 has been winning over reviewers and fans since its release on June 23rd.

In addition to the boxer pack, EA SPORTS™ announced that a free downloadable game update that enables players to use the face buttons on the Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 controllers to throw punches is also available now. A new demo featuring the button controls will be available to all Xbox LIVE and the PLAYSTATION Network users by early September. The 10 round demo will feature Mike Tyson, Muhammad Ali, Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton as playable boxers.

Designed with a revolutionary physics-based gamezplay engine, Fight Night Round 4 replicates the sweet science to an unprecedented degree of realism. Witness gloves grazing off an opponent as he dodges at the last second, or watch as a vicious uppercut rips through the block of a boxer who turtles for too long. With realistic physics, no fight is ever the same in Fight Night Round 4

Fight Night Round 4 is currently available for the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360 video game system from Microsoft. This game has been rated T for Teen by the ESRB, and 16+ by PEGI.

Rock Band latest - Talking heads, Tom Petty, Billy Idol, Franz Ferdinand, and Fleetwood Mac tracks added Guns N' Roses

Harmonix and MTV Games announce that a five pack of songs from new wave rockers Talking Heads, as well as singles from Avenged Sevenfold, The Jam, Oasis and Rage Against the Machine will be available in the Rock Band Music Store of downloadable content next week for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system.
Additional tracks from Tom Petty, Billy Idol, Fleetwood Mac and Judas Priest will be available in the Nintendo Wii Rock Band Music Store bringing the number of downloadable tracks for Wii to 647, and tracks from Guns N’ Roses and Franz Ferdinand will be available for download for Rock Band Unplugged on PSP (PlayStation Portable) system.

Rock Band DLC Additions for Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 System
Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Talking Heads add an additional five downloadable tracks to Rock Band, joining the already available “Psycho Killer.” The five-pack spans a good deal of Talking Heads’ career, including “Take Me to the River” from the band’s second album, More Songs About Buildings and Food; “Crosseyed & Painless” and “Once in a Lifetime” from the band’s fourth studio album, Remain in Light; “Girlfriend is Better” from the band’s fifth album, Speaking in Tongues; and “And She Was” from the band’s sixth album, Little Creatures. Additionally, singles from Avenged Sevenfold, The Jam, Oasis and Rage Against the Machine will be available in the Rock Band Music Store next week.

Tracks available on Xbox 360 (Sept. 1) and PLAYSTATION 3 system (Sept. 3):

• Avenged Sevenfold – “Bat Country”
• The Jam – “A Town Called Malice”
• The Jam – “Going Underground”
• Oasis – “Supersonic” (Live)
• Rage Against the Machine – “Guerilla Radio”
• Talking Heads – “And She Was”
• Talking Heads – “Crosseyed & Painless”
• Talking Heads – “Girlfriend is Better”
• Talking Heads – “Once in a Lifetime”
• Talking Heads – “Take Me to the River”

(All tracks are original master recordings)

These tracks will be available for purchase as Talking Heads Pack 01 and as individual tracks on Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 system.

Price: $1.99 USD, £.99 UK, €1.49 EU (160 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) per track
$8.49 USD, £5.25 UK, €6.59 EU (680 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) for Talking Heads Pack 01

Wii Additions
American rocker Tom Petty breaks onto Rock Band for Wii next week with two of his biggest solo hits, “I Won’t Back Down” and “Runnin’ Down a Dream,” both from his 5x platinum 1989 album, Full Moon Fever. This was Petty’s first solo album, after parting with The Heartbreakers; it reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200. Classic rockers Fleetwood Mac and English rocker Billy Idol return to Rock Band, as well as Australian rockers Jet with, “She’s a Genius,” from the band’s new album, Shaka Rock, which hit shelves Aug. 25. Back-catalog tracks from Judas Priest and The Pretenders will also be available in the Wii Rock Band Music Store next week. These tracks come from the catalog of Rock Band music already released to owners of Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 system. With the addition of these tracks, there are now more than 647 tracks in the Wii Rock Band Music Store.

Additional tracks available for Wii (Aug. 25):

• Billy Idol – “Mony Mony”
• Billy Idol – “Rebel Yell”
• Fleetwood Mac – “Don’t Stop”
• Fleetwood Mac – “World Turning”
• Jet – “She’s a Genius”
• Tom Petty – “I Won’t Back Down”
• Tom Petty – “Runnin’ Down a Dream”
• Bare Naked Ladies – “Hanukkah Blessings” *
• Billy Squier – “Christmas is the Time” *
• Judas Priest – “(Take These) Chains”
• Judas Priest – “Bloodstone”
• Judas Priest – “Devil’s Child”
• Judas Priest – “Fever”
• Judas Priest – “Pain & Pleasure”
• Judas Priest – “Riding on the Wind”
• Judas Priest – “Screaming for Vengeance”
• Judas Priest – “The Hellion/Electric Eye”
• Judas Priest – “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’”
• Nikko – “Break My Heart” *
• Nikko – “Don’t Tell Me” *
• Pretenders – “Blue Christmas” *
• Pretenders – “Precious”

Price: $2.00 USD (200 Wii Points) per track
*Denotes $1.00 (100 Wii Points) per track

Rock Band Unplugged Tracks for PSP®System

Rock Band Unplugged fans will enjoy the addition of Franz Ferdinand’s “Lucid Dreams” and Guns N’ Roses’ “Riad N’ The Bedouins” to the 35 tracks already available via the Rock Band Unplugged in-game music store for the PSP system.

Tracks available for Rock Band Unplugged (Sept. 3):

• Franz Ferdinand – “Lucid Dreams”
• Guns N’ Roses – “Riad N’ The Bedouins”

Price: $1.99, £.99 UK, €1.49 EU per track on the PSP system.