Open-world action thriller video game PROTOTYPE

No conspiracy here…we promise… Activision confirme that the long-awaited open-world action thriller video game PROTOTYPE will ship in European territories on June 5 and to North American retailers on June 9, arriving in stores shortly thereafter.

Watch the trailer here...

Fans of the infamous Alex Mercer should also be sure to check out the newly updated official game website located at www.prototypegame.com to gain access and view newly added game information and content, including the first half of PROTOTYPE’s must-see intro cinematic.

PROTOTYPE lets gamers feel the power of being the ultimate shape-shifting weapon. You are the PROTOTYPE: Alex Mercer – a genetically mutated man without memory, armed with amazing shape-shifting abilities, hunting to discover what created you and determined to make those responsible pay. As Alex, gamers tear through a densely populated contemporary New York City moving with Parkour-style fluidity, consuming anybody that gets in their way…assuming their physical form, memories and abilities. Fueled by a three-way war between Alex, the Blackwatch (military) and a viral outbreak known as the Infected, players venture into a deep, dark conspiracy 40 years in the making!

PROTOTYPE is currently rated “RP” (Rating Pending) by the BBFC with an expected “18” rating and will be available for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Games for Windows and PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system.

CID cut scene 10 - The Final Battle

CID faces up to what is going to be the toughest task of all… D-Troit! He’s done so well to beat all of D-Troit’s bad guys and get to the final Battle! Now it’s all in his own hands.

If CID is strong enough he will be able to overcome the terrible enemy, save MIA and prove that Good will always win over Evil. If CID loses, D-Troit will get his hands on the ESS technology and take over the world!

To say there is a lot resting on this battle is an understatement!



GO CID!!

About CID The Dummy
A star is born and he's made to last. CID THE DUMMY makes his debut in Oxygen Games’ all-new action platformer. CID THE DUMMY is sure to grab you with its enjoyable, fun gameplay, featuring a totally original character with charisma and lots of moves. CID has many different fighting styles with which to battle enemies, from unarmed combat to weapons like the Bazooka that can freeze, hit and burn.

• Interact as only a crash impact dummy can. Climb walls, swing on ropes, burn obstacles, destroy exploding barrels, use lifters, bounce on springs and with a neat head butt destroy walls all in stunningly realized environments. Game environment interaction is the most important part of the gameplay.
• CID's world is swarming with a host of fearfully fun enemies like the Dumper, Cursed Dummy and the bizarre Failed Experiment.
• Apart from fighting enemies, the player will enjoy solving puzzles, avoiding traps and using acrobatic skills to get out of dangerous situations!

CID The Dummy will be released on Wii, Playstation 2, PSP System, and PC.

We Will Rock You and Guitar Hero World Tour join forces

The critically acclaimed and longest-running musical at London’s prestigious Dominion Theatre, We Will Rock You - based on the music of Queen - has partnered with Activision Guitar Hero World Tour to offer patrons the ultimate night of rock.

Before and after select performances of the hit musical, which embarks on its first UK tour this month, people will be able to rock with Guitar Hero World Tour to three of Queen’s hit tracks, “C-Lebrity,” “Fat Bottom Girls” and “We Are The Champions,” as well as the entire 86-song on-disc set list, with prizes awarded to the best virtual performers. The game will also be featured at regional We Will Rock You preview and launch events, where members of the cast can mingle with press and VIPs.

“We’re thrilled to have Guitar Hero World Tour hitting the road with the extremely popular musical, We Will Rock You,” says Ian McClellan, Senior Brand Manager, Red Octane. “As one of the driving forces in music and video games today, Guitar Hero® is the perfect offering which enables fans to experience Queen’s, plus a bevy of other rock ‘n’ roll giant’s, music in an all new way.”

We Will Rock You played at the Palace Theatre, Manchester between 21st March and 26th March; and will run at the Sunderland Empire between 10th June and 27th June; the Birmingham Hippodrome 1st July and 5th September; the Bristol Hippodrome between 16th September to 31st October; and the Edinburgh Playhouse between 4th November and 9th January 2010. Please see regional box offices for ticket availability.

Guitar Hero World Tour transforms music gaming by expanding Guitar Hero’s signature guitar gameplay into a cooperative band experience that combines the most advanced wireless controllers with new revolutionary online* and offline gameplay modes including Band Career and 8-player “Battle of the Bands,” which allows two full bands to compete head-to-head online. The game features a slick newly redesigned guitar controller, drum kit controller and a wired microphone, as well as an innovative Music Studio music creator that lets players compose, record, edit and share their own rock ‘n’ roll anthems. Music creators are also able to share their recordings with their friends online through GHTunesSM where other gamers can download and play an endless supply of unique creations.

Guitar Hero World Tour is now available for Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, the Wii home video game system from Nintendo and the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system. The game is rated 12+ by the BBFC.

The Beatles entire catalogue on Rock Band video game this September

Apple Corps Ltd. and EMI Music are delighted to announce the release of the original Beatles catalogue, which has been digitally re-mastered for the first time, for worldwide CD release on Wednesday, September 9, 2009 (9-9-09), the same date as the release of the widely anticipated “The Beatles: Rock Band” video game.

Each of the CDs is packaged with replicated original UK album art, including expanded booklets containing original and newly written liner notes and rare photos. For a limited period, each CD will also be embedded with a brief documentary film about the album. On the same date, two new Beatles boxed CD collections will also be released.

The albums have been re-mastered by a dedicated team of engineers at EMI’s Abbey Road Studios in London over a four year period utilising state of the art recording technology alongside vintage studio equipment, carefully maintaining the authenticity and integrity of the original analogue recordings. The result of this painstaking process is the highest fidelity the catalogue has seen since its original release.

The collection comprises all 12 Beatles albums in stereo, with track listings and artwork as originally released in the UK, and 'Magical Mystery Tour,' which became part of The Beatles’ core catalogue when the CDs were first released in 1987. In addition, the collections 'Past Masters Vol. I and II' are now combined as one title, for a total of 14 titles over 16 discs. This will mark the first time that the first four Beatles albums will be available in stereo in their entirety on compact disc. These 14 albums, along with a DVD collection of the documentaries, will also be available for purchase together in a stereo boxed set.

Within each CD’s new packaging, booklets include detailed historical notes along with informative recording notes. With the exception of the 'Past Masters' set, newly produced mini-documentaries on the making of each album, directed by Bob Smeaton, are included as QuickTime files on each album. The documentaries contain archival footage, rare photographs and never-before-heard studio chat from The Beatles, offering a unique and very personal insight into the studio atmosphere.

A second boxed set has been created with the collector in mind. 'The Beatles in Mono' gathers together, in one place, all of the Beatles recordings that were mixed for a mono release. It will contain 10 of the albums with their original mono mixes, plus two further discs of mono masters (covering similar ground to the stereo tracks on 'Past Masters'). As an added bonus, the mono “Help!” and “Rubber Soul” discs also include the original 1965 stereo mixes, which have not been previously released on CD. These albums will be packaged in mini-vinyl CD replicas of the original sleeves with all original inserts and label designs retained.

Discussions regarding the digital distribution of the catalogue will continue.


The Stereo Albums (available individually and collected in a stereo boxed set)
The stereo albums have been remastered by Guy Massey, Steve Rooke, Sam Okell with Paul Hicks and Sean Magee
All CD packages contain original vinyl artwork and liner notes
Extensive archival photos
Additional historical notes by Kevin Howlett and Mike Heatley
Additional recording notes by Allan Rouse and Kevin Howlett
= CD includes QuickTime mini-doc about the album
Please Please Me* (CD debut in stereo)
With The Beatles* (CD debut in stereo)
A Hard Day's Night* (CD debut in stereo)
Beatles For Sale* (CD debut in stereo)
Help!*
Rubber Soul*
Revolver*
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band* (also includes 1987 notes, updated, and new intro by Paul McCartney)
Magical Mystery Tour*
The Beatles*
Yellow Submarine* (also includes original US liner notes)
Abbey Road*
Let It Be*
Past Masters (contains new liner notes written by Kevin Howlett)

‘The Beatles in Mono’ (boxed set only)
The mono albums have been remastered by Paul Hicks, Sean Magee with Guy Massey and Steve Rooke
Presented together in box with an essay written by Kevin Howlett
+ = mono mix CD debut
Please Please Me
With The Beatles
A Hard Day's Night
Beatles For Sale
Help! (CD also includes original 1965 stereo mix)+
Rubber Soul (CD also include original 1965 stereo mix)+
Revolver+
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band+
Magical Mystery Tour+
The Beatles+
Mono Masters





Re-mastering the Beatles catalogue

The re-mastering process commenced with an extensive period conducting tests before finally copying the analogue master tapes into the digital medium. When this was completed, the transfer was achieved using a Pro Tools workstation operating at 24 bit 192 kHz resolution via a Prism A-D converter. Transferring was a lengthy procedure done a track at a time. Although EMI tape does not suffer the oxide loss associated with some later analogue tapes, there was nevertheless a slight build up of dust, which was removed from the tape machine heads between each title.

From the onset, considerable thought was given to what audio restorative processes were going to be allowed. It was agreed that electrical clicks, microphone vocal pops, excessive sibilance and bad edits should be improved where possible, so long as it didn’t impact on the original integrity of the songs.

In addition, de-noising technology, which is often associated with re-mastering, was to be used, but subtly and sparingly. Eventually, less than five of the 525 minutes of Beatles music was subjected to this process. Finally, as is common with today’s music, overall limiting - to increase the volume level of the CD - has been used, but on the stereo versions only. However, it was unanimously agreed that because of the importance of The Beatles’ music, limiting would be used moderately, so as to retain the original dynamics of the recordings.

When all of the albums had been transferred, each song was then listened to several times to locate any of the agreed imperfections. These were then addressed by Guy Massey, working with Audio Restoration engineer Simon Gibson.

Mastering could now take place, once the earliest vinyl pressings, along with the existing CDs, were loaded into Pro Tools, thus allowing comparisons to be made with the original master tapes during the equalization process. When an album had been completed, it was auditioned the next day in studio three – a room familiar to the engineers, as all of the recent Beatles mixing projects had taken place in there – and any further alteration of EQ could be addressed back in the mastering room. Following the initial satisfaction of Guy and Steve, Allan Rouse and Mike Heatley then checked each new re-master in yet another location and offered any further suggestions. This continued until all 13 albums were completed to the team’s satisfaction.


New Notes/Documentaries Team

Kevin Howlett (Historical and Recording Notes)
Kevin Howlett’s career as an award-winning radio producer spans three decades. His music programmes for the BBC have included many documentaries about The Beatles, including 'The Beeb's Lost Beatles Tapes.' He received a Grammy nomination for his involvement with The Beatles’ album 'Live At The BBC' and, in 2003, produced the 'Fly On The Wall' bonus disc for 'Let It Be… Naked.'

Mike Heatley (Historical Notes)
Mike entered the music business via HMV Record Stores in 1970, transferring to EMI Records' International Division three years later. He eventually headed up that division in the early Eighties before joining the company's newly created Strategic Marketing Division in 1984. In 1988, he returned to International, where he undertook a number of catalogue marketing roles until he retired in December 2008.

During his career he worked with many of EMI's major artists, including Pink Floyd, Queen, Kate Bush and Iron Maiden. However, during the last 30 years he has formed a particularly strong relationship with Apple, and has been closely involved in the origination and promotion of the Beatles catalogue, besides solo releases from John, Paul, George and Ringo.


Bob Smeaton (Director, Mini-Documentaries)
Bob Smeaton was series director and writer on the Grammy award winning 'Beatles Anthology' TV series which aired in the UK and the USA in 1995. In 1998 he received his second Grammy for his ‘Jimi Hendrix: Band of Gypsys’ documentary. In 2004 he gained his first feature film credit, as director on the feature documentary ‘Festival Express.' He subsequently went on to direct documentaries on many of the world's biggest music acts including The Who, Pink Floyd, The Doors, Elton John, Nirvana and the Spice Girls.

Julian Caiden (Editor, Mini-Documentaries)
Julian has worked with Bob Smeaton on numerous music documentaries including 'Jimi Hendrix: Band of Gypsys' and the 'Classic Albums' series, featuring The Who, Pink Floyd, The Doors, Elton John and Nirvana among others. He has worked on documentary profiles from Richard Pryor to Dr. John to Sir Ian McKellen, Herbie Hancock and Damien Hirst and on live music shows including the New York Dolls and Club Tropicana.

The Abbey Road Team

Allan Rouse (Project Coordinator)
Allan joined EMI straight from school in 1971 at their Manchester Square head office, working as an assistant engineer in the demo studio. During this time he frequently worked with Norman (Hurricane) Smith, The Beatles’ first recording engineer.

In 1991, he had his first involvement with The Beatles, copy¬ing all of their master tapes (mono, stereo, 4-track and 8-track) to digital tape as a safety backup. This was followed by four years working with Sir George Martin as assistant and project coordinator on the TV documentary 'The Making of Sgt. Pepper's' and the CDs 'Live at the BBC' and 'The Anthol¬ogy.'

In 1997, MGM/UA were preparing to reissue the film 'Yellow Submarine' and, with the permission of Apple, asked that all of The Beatles’ music be mixed for the film in 5.1 surround and stereo. Allan requested the services of Abbey Road’s senior engineer Peter Cobbin and assistant Guy Massey and, along with them, produced the new mixes.

Two years later, he proposed an experimental stereo and surround mix of John Lennon's song 'Imagine' engineered by Peter Cobbin. Following lengthy consultations with Yoko Ono, the album 'Imagine' was re-mixed in stereo and the Grammy award-winning film 'Gimme Some Truth' in surround and new stereo. This led to a further five of John’s albums being re-mastered with new stereo mixes and the DVD release of 'Lennon Legend' being re-mixed in 5.1 surround and new stereo.

Further projects followed, including The Beatles ‘Anthol¬ogy', 'The First US Visit' and ‘Help’ DVD and the albums ‘Let It Be…Naked’ and ‘Love’ along with George Harrison’s 'Concert for Bangladesh' DVD and album.

For a number of years now, Allan has worked exclusively on Beatles and related projects.

Guy Massey (Recording Engineer)
Guy joined Abbey Road in 1994, and five years later assisted on the surround remix for The Beatles film 'Yellow Submarine.' This led to The Beatles’ 'Anthology' DVD and later, along with Paul Hicks and Allan Rouse, they mixed and produced 'Let It Be… Naked.' In 2004 he left the studios to become freelance and has engineered The Divine Comedy: 'Victory for the Comic Muse,' Air Traffic: 'Fractured Life,' James Dean Bradfield: 'The Great Western' and Stephen Fretwell’s 'Magpie,' co-producing the last two. Since leaving, Guy is still a vital member of the team, and has been the senior engineer for the re-mastering project and was responsible for surround and new stereo mixes for the DVD release of 'Help!'

Steve Rooke (Mastering Engineer)
Steve joined Abbey Road in 1983 and is now the studio’s senior mastering engineer. He has been involved on all The Beatles’ projects since 1999. He has also been responsible for mastering releases by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr.

Paul Hicks (Recording Engineer)
Paul started at Abbey Road in 1994, and his first involvement with The Beatles was assisting engineer Geoff Emerick on the Anthology albums. This was followed by 'Yellow Submarine Songtrack,' 'Anthology' DVD and 'Let It Be… Naked.' Like Guy Massey, he has also become a freelance engineer and since leaving the studios he has been responsible for the surround mixing of Paul McCartney’s DVD 'The McCartney Years' and The Beatles' 'Love.' Paul has been in charge of the mono re-masters.

Sean Magee (Mastering Engineer)
Sean began working at Abbey Road in 1995 with a diploma in sound engineering. With a wealth of knowledge in analog and digital mastering, he has worked alongside Paul Hicks on the mono re-masters.

Sam Okell (Recording Engineer)
Sam’s first job as a member of the team was in 2006, assisting Paul Hicks on Paul McCartney’s DVD 'The McCartney Years,' and during that same year he was responsible for the re-mastering of George Harrison’s 'Living In The Material World' CD along with Steve Rooke. This led to him restoring the soundtrack to the Beatles film 'Help!' in surround and stereo, in addition to assisting Guy Massey with the song remixes.

Sam has re-mastered 'With The Beatles' and 'Let It Be.'

Simon Gibson (Audio Restoration Engineer)
Simon joined Abbey Road in 1990. He has progressed from mastering mostly classical recordings to include a much wider range of music, including pop and rock, with his specialized role as an audio restoration engineer. Apart from the re-mastering project, his other work includes George Harrison’s 'Living In The Material World,' John Lennon’s 'Lennon Legend,' The Beatles’ 'Love' and the 'Help!' DVD soundtrack.

Fish'em All! Nintendo WiiWare arcade game with real coin-op flavour!

Coming soon on WiiWare!

Fish'em All!, an arcade game with real coin-op flavour!

Abylight is pleased to announce the next release of "Fish'em All" for WiiWare.


Hold on tight to your Wii Remote and fish 'em all!

Alone or with your friends, you will have a great time catching these little fish... they're crazy!
Beat your own high scores, take on challenges and solve fun puzzles in a range of amazing stages full of colour and fantasy.
Watch out for the dragon, the ninja rat and the sumo toad!

Do you think it looks easy?

This arcade game will bring all the excitement of the great classics to your Wii console.

Available soon on WiiWare!

Features:
Nine colourful scenarios.
Three game modes: Arcade, Challenge, Fishtris.
One or two players.

Arcade

Can you beat the high score?

Play a game in Arcade mode to see how long you can last.
Catch as many fish as you can within the time limit.
Watch the fish meter. The more points you score catching fish, the faster it will fill up.
Each time you manage to fill a whole fish on the meter, you will receive extra time.
If you manage to fill them all, you will advance to the next stage.

Challenge

Complete the challenges to unlock stages. You can then select any unlocked stage to play in two player mode.
Each challenge sets you a target. Note how many fish of each colour you need to catch.
Sometimes, it will tell you which items you need to avoid or set a time limit.

Fishtris

Even more difficult!

Every time you catch a fish, it will fall into the tube. If the tube fills up, the game will end.
To keep playing, match three or more fish of the same colour to make them disappear.
When you match three or more fish of the same colour, the fish meter will fill slightly.
When you manage to fill a whole fish on the meter, you will receive extra time.
If you manage to fill them all, you will advance to the next stage. If things get tough, try and catch the anglerfish.
It will eat all the fish in the tube.

Silent Scope iPhone and iPod Touch video game

Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. announced today that Silent Scope is coming soon to the iPhone and iPod touch.

Based on the popular arcade game originally released in 1999, players take on the role of the world's top sniper and must defeat terrorists to save the American First Family, including the President of the United States, who have been abducted by terrorists in Chicago.

"With the release of Silent Scope on the iPhone and iPod touch, we're substantiating our commitment to developing quality content that takes our top franchise titles and turns them into an on-the-go gaming experience," said Anthony Borquez, Vice President of Konami Mobile and Online. "Silent Scope allows players to conceal their firearms and perfect their sharpshooting skills wherever they go."

Designed to take full advantage of Apple's innovative Multi-Touch user interface, Silent Scope will feature tap-to-shoot game controls. In this rail shooter, players can choose from different gameplay modes, including Arcade Mode and Training Mode. Inexperienced marksmen can practice precision shooting in the Training Mode, while veteran snipers can go straight to the Arcade Mode featuring up to three stages of gameplay: Story, Shooting Range and Time Attack. The Arcade Mode also allows players to change the game settings to Difficulty, Player Life and Branch Select.

Silent Scope is coming soon and will be available for download from the Apple App Store on iPhone and iPod touch.

Noir Online Fantasy World video game introduction

It’s grown out of fantasy world which is the mainstream of MMORPG in current days and claims to stand for reality with characteristic materials. Family oriented systems are one of the main features of Noir Online that enhance interests in aspect of community.



Based on Shanghai in China where the chaotic era of big changes to modern times, hard-core action in a never-seen whole new world of mix of east and west. Realistic 3D graphic grown out of fantasy and objects of reality is described accurately after years of historical research.

According to its concept of a world of Mafia and fights to conquer the city, main targets are users over 18 years old and higher.

Noir Online is an action MMORPG, aimed to conquer the city through scrambles for reigning regions, set in imaginary city of Blue-Shanghai in China, 1930.

From the very beginning of planning, it is made not a fantasy but a reality based, and 4 years of historical research made this possible, which sets the game apart from other MMOGs.

Intense battles alongside subjects of integrity and betrayal in the world of Mafia are also exciting aspects of Noir.

Furthermore, watching their family grows through the variety of battles on the base of realm unit, family unit, individual unit and others on a bigger scale keep users interested and allow all members to stay deep involved in the family and get inspired regardless of levels or realms.

Special features:
1) Items – The power of Unity, Strengthening System, Enchant System etc...

2) Battle System – Instance Battle, Fast Action, Rage Gauge Skill, Sworn brother combo.

3) Family System – Family is the same as ‘guild’ in other games, and a kind of organization existing only in the world of ‘Noir’. You can be deep involved in family by taking as many battles as possible, or you can remain in your family just as member for social reasons like making friends.

4) Stock Trading System – This unique system of Noir Online provides additional amusements for users. You can be part of this in-game stock market by selling and buying stocks just like in real world. It would be wise to keep conservation on stock news, if you intend to make good profits from stock market! Come join us right now!!!

5) The Wanted System – This is what enables you to ask for the wanted man and put the money on his head. A hunter is rewarded with pre-selected prize when the wanted man gets killed.



System Requirements:
Required
CPU Pentium 4.3.0
RAM 512M
VGA GeForce 6600
DirectX 9.0C

Minimum
CPU Pentium III 800 MHz
RAM 256M
VGA GeForce 5200
DirectX 9.0C

PC video game Digimon RPG

Digimon RPG is the first digimon MMORPG game based on original ‘Digimon’, which is a sensational animation worldwide.
Since the service started in 10th of March, 2003, Korea, it has been recording 20% of sales boost with 3 millions of subscribers and 5000 of CCU. About 352 different kinds of Digimon characters are added to the Digimon Tamers, which were made under strict supervision of BANDAI. Those Digimons are also in favor with the fans of original Digimon animation.

Digimon & Animation
Digimons are created by representative Japanese toy company ‘Bandai’ based on Hongo Akiyoshi’s draft. It is also made for TV animation series brought to kids by one of the legendary Japanese broad casts TOEI and no doubtfully being loved worldwide.

Special Features:
1) Broad user’s class – Digimon characters are already well known through game, animation and toys worldwide. It brings beneficial effect to Digimon RPG. Various kinds of ‘Digimon’ animation series are shown on TV, and people who watched those have high interests in Digimon RPG.

2) Advantage of Game Play – Digimon RPG has own unique turn-play system so it lets everyone feel easy and fun. Turn-play system gives fair opportunity to both of offense and defense by simply clicking the mouse, which has an easy accessibility so that young people find it easy to focus on playing.

3) A variety of Character – Since 2003, Digimon RPG service has added about 352 different kinds of Digimon characters. Digimon RPG has a lot more characters compared with other games. Furthermore, there will be added 1000 or more different kinds of Digimons continuously. Content with many characters is one of the strong points at playing this game.

System Requirements:
Required Minimum
CPU Pentium 4 (1.3 GHz)
RAM 256 MB
VGA Video memory 16MB
OS Window 98 / XP / 2000
ETC Direct X 8.1, over 1G hard disk

Minimum
CPU Pentium 3 (400 MHz)
RAM 128 MB
VGA Video memory 8MB
OS Window 98
ETC Direct X 8.1, over 1G hard disk

Rock Band Unplugged video game on PSP

Rock Band Unplugged to utilize the first fully-featured in-game store for downloadable content on the PSP system

Rock Band Unplugged exclusively for the PSP (PlayStation Portable) system. The game will be available in North America and Europe beginning June 9, 2009, with software retailing for £29.99 in the United Kingdom.

“Rock Band Unplugged reinvents band gameplay while staying true to the authentic feel of the Rock Band console games,” said Bob Picunko, Senior Vice President of Electronic Games for MTV Games. “Harmonix delivers innovation with every game they develop and we are excited to continue our long-list of industry firsts with the Rock Band in-game wireless music store on the PSP system.”

Rock Band Unplugged creates a full band experience in the palm of your hand by combining traditional beat match gameplay with key elements from both Rock Band and Rock Band 2, such as overdrive and chords. Your hands are the “peripherals” in Rock Band Unplugged, allowing you to take direct control of the lead/bass guitars, drums and vocals. In addition, players can expect a rich Rock Band experience with fully functional modes like World Tour, Band Survival and Warm Up and a robust character creator for full customization.

Rock Band Unplugged will feature over 40 master-recordings including nine exclusive new songs that will debut on the PSP system before being offered as downloadable content for console versions of Rock Band. Plus, Rock Band Unplugged will include the first fully-featured in-game store for downloadable content on the PSP system in the North American and European markets, leveraging the PSP system’s wireless capabilities. The in-game store will be powered by PlayStation®Network, and players will be able to use their existing PlayStation Network account to purchase tracks, similar to the Rock Band console experience. PSP system owners will also have the option of purchasing tracks via PlayStation®Store on the PC.

The following tracks will launch exclusively through Rock Band Unplugged on the PSP system for a limited time before becoming downloadable content for the other platforms:

• 3 Doors Down - "Kryptonite"
• AFI - "Miss Murder"
• Alice in Chains - "Would?"
• Audioslave - "Gasoline"
• Black Tide - "Show Me the Way"
• Blink 182 - "What's My Age Again"
• Freezepop - "Less Talk More Rokk"
• Jackson 5 - "ABC"
• Tenacious D - "Rock Your Socks"

Rock Band is the ultimate platform for music fans and gamers to interact with music like never before. The game challenges players to put together a band and tour for fame and fortune – all while learning to master lead/bass guitar, drums and vocals. Featuring the most master recordings of any music game ever by the world’s biggest rock artists, Rock Band includes tracks that span every genre of rock ranging from alternative and classic rock, to heavy metal and punk.

Rock Band Unplugged is developed by Harmonix in partnership with Backbone Entertainment, a Foundation 9 Entertainment studio, and based on the award-winning Rock Band series of games.

Easter Event in Leading Free-to-Play MMORPG Silkroad Online

Players Hunt for Easter Eggs and Earn Extra EXP Throughout the Holiday Celebration

the launch of an Easter celebration in fantasy MMORPG Silkroad Online. From April 8 through April 28, players will receive extra EXP and have the opportunity to win valuable in-game items by collecting rare Easter eggs.

Players can hunt and slay monsters in Silkroad Online for a chance to receive randomly-dropped eggs, which may be traded in for reward items including Grade-B Devil's Spirits, Berserker Regeneration Potions, Alchemic Stones, and Subscription Cards. In addition, players will receive 20 percent bonus experience throughout the Easter event.

To find out more about the Silkroad Online Easter event, visit the official website at www.joymax.com/silkroad.

About Silkroad Online
Silkroad Online is a massively multiplayer online RPG that puts the player deep into historical fantasy, joining the Chinese and European civilizations along the Silk Road trade route. Traveling across Jangan, from China to Constantinople, players can make their fortunes as merchants, prey on the rich as thieves, or be protection-for-hire as hunters. The most recent expansion, Legend III Roc Mountain, added new territory, quests, weapons, and an increased level cap for adventurers. With over 18 million registered users and 170,000 concurrent players worldwide, the triangular conflict of Silkroad Online has never been more exciting. More information about Silkroad Online is available at www.joymax.com/silkroad.

Farmyard Party video game coming soon on Nintendo Wii

Data Design Interactive - a successful video games publisher and games developer - today announced their forthcoming family sporting events game ‘Farmyard Party’ has gone gold and will be released on their dedicated Nintendo Wii label Popcorn Arcade.

Farmyard Party brings farmyard fun to the Nintendo Wii. The game has eight sporting events which are divided into four categories: all-round, speed, power, and skill. Game modes include party modes themed around event styles, single event fun and some hilarious bonus games.

The game play revolves around using a combination of the Wii Remote and Nunchuk in various ways to complete each event. The events require a combination of speed, timing and more than a little sweat!

Alongside the challenges of beating the game records and those of your friends, there are a number of new characters, bonus games and a development gallery for players to enjoy.
Based on the cornerstones of sportsmanship and competitiveness of the fun and crazy games, Farmyard Party is an ideal choice for family friendly fun this Easter. Farmyard Party provides an entertaining multiplayer experience (4 player mode), with colourful graphics and physically demanding gameplay.

Product Information
Release date: Q2 2009
Genre: Sports / Party
No. of players: Up to 4 players
Platform: Nintendo Wii
Developer: Data Design Interactive
Publisher: Data Design Interactive

Ghostbusters video game gadgets and gear

Ghostbusters - Tools of the trade

Since Ghostbusters Wii follows the storyline written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, a specific stockpile of gadgets and devices are required to match the dialog and story elements. The default Ghostbusters gear (proton pack, trap and PKE meter) were a no-brainer, but some of the newer, cool gadgets developed by Terminal Reality and Dan Aykroyd for the Xbox360/PS3 version weren’t specifically tailored for the Wii. Therefore, we decided to focus on the Wii's one-of-a-kind controller that offers more natural-feeling control options not only through a few simple, well-placed motion-based gestures but also by aiming directly into the game with an on-screen targeting reticule.



Standard equipment
Of course we couldn't make a Ghostbusters game without the most basic tools in the paranormal investigators toolset. Anyone who has seen the movies will recognize the proton beam, the default tool for any Ghostbuster. Its signature orange and blue lightning spills uncontainable from the tip of the Neutrona Wand and destroys just about everything it hits. Against ghosts, it weakens their spectral energy. Once the ghost's energy is exhausted, the beam wraps around it like a lasso, giving the player a chance to wrangle the ghost into a trap.

An upgrade to the original proton packs comes in the form of the boson dart, a super de-polarized burst of boson particles that overcharges the beam briefly, sending a miniature sun along the length of the beam to destroy anything it touches. It can drain a ghost's energy in one or two shots, but it overheats the pack very quickly. It should be used with caution. (But it usually isn't.)



The ghost trap hasn't changed much since it was last seen in the movies. It still performs its intended function admirably. Any time a weakened ghost is dragged above it, it automatically triggers, opening its tiny gate and emitting a ghost-pulling cone of energy that can suck any ghost into its mysterious core.

Every Ghostbuster is equipped with the standard PKE Meter and Ecto-Goggles (also called Para-Goggles). The distinctive handheld ghost-sensing device alerts the player when ghosts are near and can be used to track ghosts. The Goggles are a separate view mode, giving the player a first-person perspective through his avatar's eyes into the ghost world beyond. Ectoplasmic residue and other details, hints and clues are visible only through the lenses of this paranormal tracking device.

"He slimed me"
The player's upgraded prototype proton pack has a slime-launching mode that not only harms negatively-charged enemies but also coats targeted objects with positively-charged slime. He can then "wrangle" the goo-splattered object in much the same way ghosts are wrangled. This gives the player a certain level of control over the environment in ways that don't involve just running and gunning. Using the Wii's pointer, the player can manipulate elements in the world to solve complex puzzles that challenge the mind as well as the reflexes. Adding to this mechanic, the player can also fire a boson dart into a wrangled object to launch it like a missile across the environment, so the player can expect some challenging dual-stage puzzles which require him to not only find and acquire a critical object but also line up a shot like a billiards ball to plug his wrangled object into a distant socket.

The secondary mode of the slime blower traps an ever-expanding gob of positive slime at the nozzle of the modified proton wand. The player fills that wobbling lump of slime as much as he can before releasing it as a slime mine. One well-placed slime mine can splatter an entire area with positive slime, washing away any traces of the negative black slime that protects certain enemies.

Hold still
Another new device Egon invents during the course of the game is the Stasis Beam which allows the player to immobilize specters. When swarmed by ghosts, the player can lock all of the ghosts in place temporarily while he deals with one specific threat at a time. The stasis beam's effect is short-lived, so players must cautiously juggle the tasks of keeping some ghosts immobilized while trapping others.

If the player is feeling overwhelmed by swarming wisps or other small, non-trappable monsters, he should activate the secondary mode of the stasis beam: the Shock Blast. Not only does this concentrated pulse of stasis energy blast ghosts back, it deals tremendous damage to any nearby monsters or the highly destructible environment. Simple wisps pop like balloons when caught in the blast radius of this tool, and it also eliminates the small objects (furniture, appliances and the like) that phantoms will otherwise possess and use as weapons against the player.

Ready to roll
Equipped with all of this gear, the player is ready to take on any supernatural challenge thrown at him. The PKE meter and Ecto-Goggles lead him to the ghosts. His proton beam and other tools weaken and stun the ghosts. His trap finally locks the ghosts away for good. It's simple in concept, but utilizing the right tools at the right time in the worst of conditions is more than challenging enough to keep the player's pulse racing. It's a good thing he's not going in alone!

Upcoming Nintendo Wii game Swords & Soldiers in Frankfurt

Swords & Soldiers will be shown off at the Nintendo of Europe WiiWare Media Summit held on the 7th and 8th of April 2009 at the NOE headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany.

Swords & Soldiers is a fresh sidescrolling real-time strategy game, in many ways a first for Nintendo's Wii system. In the game, three unique factions battle for the powers of the gods. Each faction has his own completely unique units and spells allowing for lots of strategies and variety. They can battle it out in their own campaigns, totalling 30 levels of single player goodness. After those there are 3 highscore based challenge modes, allowing for almost infinite replayability. Attaining 20 hours of playtime should be pretty easy, playing alone.



With friends, however, and that number could easily become a whole lot bigger. In the splitscreen multiplayer mode, players can choose their factions and duke it out on one of the 9 multiplayer maps.

Any attending members of the press are very welcome to check out the game.

RooGoo Twisted Towers video game on Nintendo Wii New Bosses, New Modes and More Revealed for SouthPeak Games' Upcoming Puzzle Game

Roogoo Twisted Towers, the upcoming fast-paced puzzle game for Nintendo Wii. The video showcases exclusive Wii features, including boss fights and mini-games.



Based on the critically acclaimed Roogoo on Xbox LIVE Arcade for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Roogoo Twisted Towers is an all-new adventure for the loveable Roogoos in their battle against the evil Meemoos. Using the motion-sensitive Wii Remote™ players spin platforms, catch butterflies, battle fierce enemies and even skydive in their quest to save the planet Roo.

Interactive backgrounds and new gameplay twists build upon the addictive action found in the original. Up to four players can play together in the new co-op mode or go head-to-head in a race to complete a range of challenging stages.

Alongside the Wii version, SouthPeak Games is also launching Roogoo Attack! for Nintendo DS. Both are scheduled for release this summer in Europe.

Gods War Online: Open Beta Starts on April 9th

The official team of GodsWar Online is proud to announce the launch of the Open Beta test at 10:00am April 9th EDT (GMT-4).

Over the past few months, they have been busy updating GodsWar Online constantly, from version 1.0.188 to the latest version 1.0.202, and working hard to tackle the various problems that popped up as well as adjusting the games balance and environment.

For the Open Beta they will be using version 1.0.203. The latest version features a brand-new pet system and their Easter event. In the meantime, a new server, as well as all the celebratory events that go with it, will be released.

In addition, the developers are continuing to improve the game with new functions and new systems, such as the upcoming Constellation System.

CAMON HERO, a highly anticipated online Card Collection MMORPG

HanbitSoft Inc. announced today that CAMON HERO, a highly anticipated online Card Collection MMORPG developed by T3, introduced its Card Book System yesterday, which will bring the true excitement of collecting cards.

Card Book is a place where players can store their cards. However it also brings excitement of competing others with its unique Card Book Points for rank and rare items.

Gamers can put 100 cards in one Card Book in one season, and they will be given points according to their collection. By collection, it means the number and rarity the collected cards have. The rank will be set by the Card Book Points. Ranking gets updated every 4:00am, so gamers will be able to see how they did last night, and how their ranking improved. Players can also see the Card Books of other players, and compete with strategy. After season is over, the one player who ranked in first place will be awarded with various rare items, and those who completed the Card Book with 100 cards will be given other compensations.

Players can also purchase unique items with the Card Book Points. Those items are also introduced in recent update. Players will meet with swimsuit items for both male and female characters, various Solider Cards that you cannot find with game-play.

Sam & Max Surfin' the Highway 20th Anniversary Edition Nominated for an Eisner Award

The Eisner Award Committee announced today that 20th Anniversary Edition of Sam & Max Surfin' the Highway has been recognized as a nominee in the Best Graphic Album—Reprint category. First published in 1995, Surfin' the Highway is the complete collection of Steve Purcell's Sam & Max comics, starring a sarcastic and sharp-witted crime-fighting team known as the Freelance Police. After nearly a decade out of print, Purcell and Telltale, the developer and publisher of the acclaimed Sam & Max game series, reissued the highly sought-after compilation in 2008.

The Eisner-nominated Surfin' the Highway is available from Telltale's website (http://www.telltalegames.com) in trade paperback and limited edition hardcover versions. The 20th Anniversary Edition reprint includes all of the content from the original collection plus 25 new pages of rare and previously unpublished Sam & Max artwork, for a total of 197 pages.

"Working on this new edition of Surfin' the Highway with Telltale was one of those great projects where everyone wanted the same thing, the best version of the book we could make," says Sam & Max creator Steve Purcell. "Telltale put tons of care into every aspect of this project—a book made for the original fans, as well as the unwitting new recruits."

Telltale is celebrating the Eisner nomination with three specially-priced Surfin' the Highway bundles:

• Surfin' the Highway Paperback Special: For $29.95, get the Surfin' the Highway trade paperback plus a Collector's DVD containing the most recent 5-episode "season" of Sam & Max games for PC (a $25 savings)
• Surfin' the Highway Hardcover Special: For $59.95, get the limited-edition hardcover plus the Collectors' DVD versions of both Sam & Max game seasons (a $55 savings)
• Surfin' the Highway Celebration Special: For $99.95, get the Surfin' the Highway limited-edition hardcover plus the Collector's DVD and soundtrack CDs for both game seasons, the Sam & Max Freelance Police Animated Series 3-DVD set, and a Sam & Max t-shirt and hat (a $110 savings)

Sam and Max, Purcell's dog and rabbity-thing detectives, got their start in comics in 1987. They have appeared in several formats over the years, including a graphic adventure game, Sam & Max Hit the Road, in 1993; an award-winning animated series in 1998; and an online web comic in 2006, for which Purcell was awarded an Eisner Award for Best Digital Comic. Eleven episodes have been released so far in Telltale's Sam & Max game series, which has won numerous awards and has sold over 500,000 episodes to date. Telltale's Sam & Max games are available now on PC and Nintendo Wii, and are coming soon to Xbox LIVE Arcade.

Officers - World War II real-time strategy gamers with warfare on a previously unseen scale

Officers provides World War II real-time strategy gamers with warfare on a previously unseen scale. Formidable battles are possible, with more than 1,500 units fighting simultaneously across up to 10 square miles of battlefield.

You command the US combat units; your aim is to smash the Germans’ western front. In multiplayer mode, you can also command Russian or German troops.

Historical battles such as Operations Overlord, Millennium and Cobra will put your tactical abilities to the test, as you have skillfully to combine infantry, tank, artillery and air troops.

Speed and power will only lead to victory if you extend your troops’ supply lines and capture enemy emplacements and depots. Strategically beneficial high-ground and the varied landscape can be used to your advantage. Thanks to an advanced map editor, you can recreate other historical battles or design your own.

• Historically correct battles, beginning with the Normandy landings
• Infantry can barricade and entrench in houses, trenches etc.
• Up to 1,500 units simultaneously in one sector
• Multiplayer mode for up to 8 players involving Allied, German and Russian troops
• More than 70 different unit types (Infantry, light vehicles, tanks, artillery, air troops, navy)
• Map Editor to design scenarios and missions in either single or multiplayer mode
• Elaborate winter and summer scenarios
• Surroundings completely destructible
• Sophisticated resource management
• Taking of enemy emplacements with house-to-house combat in an urban environment
• Realistic change between day and night
• Combined artillery, infantry and air-force operations

Officers: World War II will be available from 15th May 2009 at a RRP of £24.99

Cabinet Secretary plays Dundee computer game in Shanghai to mark new university partnership

A computer game developed in Dundee was played in Shanghai by Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning to mark the launch of a new partnership between Abertay University and Shanghai University.

Fiona Hyslop MSP was presiding over the signing of a memorandum of understanding that will see Shanghai’s acclaimed College of Digital Arts become the first international partner of Abertay’s recently-designated Scottish Centre of Excellence for Computer Games Education.

The agreement was signed by Professor Bernard King CBE, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Abertay University, and Professor Zhou Zhe Wei, Executive Vice-President of Shanghai University.

The new partnership will promote groundbreaking research collaborations between the two universities and provide opportunities for staff and student exchanges between the two centres, both of which enjoy strong links with their local creative industries.

The game played by Ms Hyslop at today’s event exemplifies the connections between Abertay and the Scottish computer games industry. Entitled ‘Flock’, it is the highly anticipated first release from Dundee-based games company Proper Games Ltd and was designed by employees who are Abertay graduates.

Professor Bernard King CBE, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Abertay University said: “We are delighted to sign this new agreement with Shanghai University intended to facilitate the College of Digital Arts becoming one of only two Chinese international partners of our Centre of Excellence for Computer Games Education.

He added: “As universities we share a commitment to excellence in education, and to supporting a vibrant and dynamic industry sector that is becoming an increasingly important component of our two countries’ respective economies. Through this exciting new partnership, our institutions will be able to strengthen and broaden the impact we each can make in terms of supporting economic growth.”

Globally, the computer games and interactive entertainment industry is expected to grow from US$ 47 billion today to US$ 68 billion in 2011.

Abertay was the first university in the world to offer undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses in computer games technology, more than 10 years ago. Today, it holds two out of only five accreditations granted by Skillset, the UK’s sector Skills Council for the creative industries, and is the only university to be accredited for both computer games technology and computer arts courses.

Earlier this year, the Scottish Government announced a £3 million funding package for Abertay to develop its Scottish Centre of Excellence for computer games education – the UK’s first ever university level centre to promote research and teaching in this area.

Cabinet Secretary Fiona Hsylop said: “Helping to position Scotland at the forefront of new technologies is key to ensuring we keep pace with global industries.

“Abertay University already has a formidable reputation as the UK’s leading university in computer games and creative arts and this collaboration with Shanghai University – one of China’s leading research institutions – can only increase its standing.

“The partnership will help students broaden their learning and equip them for a competitive workplace, which is crucial in these tough economic times. This is another fantastic example of Scotland and China working together to improve the lives of all our people.”

The new College of Digital Arts at Shanghai University is already attracting many high calibre candidates and staff and works closely with a large business incubator and technology park established adjacent to the College by the local government. It has significant links with the film and digital media industry in China.

Nintendo halve production costs of Wii console but no price drop for consumers...

If Koya Tabata, of respected financial institution Credit Suisse, is to be believed, the production cost of the Wii has nearly halved since the console launched.

According to the Financial Times, Tabata told investors in a recent note that the cost of making a Wii has dropped by 45% since it was first released back in late 2006.
The FT goes on to report that this gives Nintendo the scope to cut the price of the Wii should it need to stimulate sales. What he does not analyse, however, is whether this cut in cost is due to short term currency fluctuations or solid parts and manufacturing pricing.

That would be nice, wouldn't it? The FT's right, of course. Nintendo does have the scope to cut the price of the Wii. Whether that 45% figure is accurate or not, the cost of manufacturing the Wii will have dropped since launch. However, the message from the upper echelons of Nintendo management suggests a price cut is unlikely.

Read full post here on Spong...