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The second expansion in the acclaimed Strategic Command 2 grand strategy series, Patton Drives East has just been released for sale! It is only available from http://www.battlefront.com/, starting at $25, and not sold in stores.

Available in three delivery formats (Download, Mail Delivery and joint Download+Mail Delivery), Patton Drives East explores the “what ifs” of a post WWII conflict between the Allies and USSR as well as including various hypothetical revisions of classic WWII campaigns.

• What if the Western Allies and the Soviet Union went to war after defeating the Axis?
• Could America liberate a Europe subjugated by the Axis?
• What if the Western Allies had accepted a su rrender from Germany and together they would fight against the USSR?

Order the Download or Download+Mail version and you can download the game today and be playing within minutes! The Mail Delivery version should begin shipping out from our warehouse in about 1-2 weeks.

If you would to check out the game before purchasing, the official demo is also available at:
http://www.battlefront-store.com:8080//index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=177&Itemid=229
SC2: Patton Drives East is an expansion to the original Strategic Command 2 Blitzkrieg grand strategy wargame and requires the Battlefront.com version of the game to be installed and licensed in order to play.

Critically acclaimed baseball franchise gets ready for another season of great family fun

New York, NY, and El Segundo, CA – May 8, 2008 – 2K Sports, the sports publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), and Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc., today announced the next iteration of the wildly popular baseball franchise, MLB® Power Pros 2008, scheduled to be available for Wii™ home video game system from Nintendo and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system this July, as well as Nintendo DS™ later this fall. As the highest-rated and top-selling baseball title in Japan, MLB Power Pros was available in North America for the first time last year. Its comedic visual appeal of miniature Major League Baseball player models has attracted a dedicated following through its easy-to-use controls and addictively fun gameplay experience.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Konami again, and with the Baseball™ season now in full swing, we’re proud to offer our fans a refreshingly smart and exciting baseball game that is easily accessible for all ages,” said Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K. “Baseball enthusiasts will appreciate the variety of newly added features, intuitive game modes and improved overall feel, and we look forward to hitting one out of the park this season with MLB Power Pros 2008.”

With over ten different exciting game modes including the traditional Practice, Exhibition, League and Home Run Challenge modes, MLB Power Pros 2008 will bring fans closer to the action than ever before. Gamers also get the opportunity to act as general manager and control the destiny of their own franchise in Season mode, or engage in entertaining role-playing story modes such as Success and MLB® Life modes. As general manager, gamers can trade, sign free agents, coordinate practice schedules, purchase new equipment, call up and send down players from the Minor Leagues™, along with other management options to bring in fans, win playoff games and eventually, earn the title of World Series™ champion.

In Success mode, fans can participate in a story-based career of rising players in the Double-A Minor League system trying to improve their baseball skills and make an impression on baseball scouts while also having to balance various situations in their personal lives. Through a variety of amusing training and game challenges, players who complete Success mode will also be able to take their created player files into MLB Life as well, or also play as either an existing Major League Baseball® player in Dream Mode, or start as a rookie in Major League Career mode. As a new feature in MLB Power Pros 2008, MLB Life is another story-based mode that will allow fans the possibility to simulate the exciting life and experience of being a Major League Baseball player over the course of a 20-year career. While continuing to play in games through the regular baseball season, players will also participate in a number of realistic situations such as signing contracts, purchasing houses and cars, making charitable donations, building up relationships with friends and teammates, picking up hobbies and much more.

With easy, pick-up-and-play hitting and pitching controls, along with intuitive Wii functionality, other new features in MLB Power Pros 2008 include support of 40-man rosters, change of ball speed, adjustment of defensive shifts, along with a real-time bullpen check functionality for substituting pitchers. MLB Power Pros 2008 will also support the option for players to import their Wii-based characters, Miis™, from their Wii or Wii Remote™ to become part of the exciting action!

MLB Power Pros 2008, developed by Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc., is not yet rated by the ESRB, and will be available for Wii and the PlayStation 2 system this July, as well as Nintendo DS later this fall.

Eugene, OR, May 8, 2008 – Torque for Wii, GarageGames’ game engine for the Wii, has been selected by Sabarasa and Ubisoft for their exclusive WiiWare launch title. Protöthea is a 3D top-down vertical scrolling shooter game that puts players in complete control of a last-generation spaceship via the Wii Remote and Nunchuk. The easy-to-play game offers a new take on a classic game style while mixing genres and utilizing the full capabilities of the Wii system, from graphics to controls.

“With Torque for Wii we were able to transfer our experience with a solid and reliable engine we already worked with to a totally new platform with ease, ” said Xavier Amado, Lead Programmer on Protöthea. “Torque’s engine features and toolset really sped up our development and allowed us to focus on and tune Protöthea’s gameplay.”

Protöthea is the first Torque for Wii game to go gold on WiiWare. First unveiled at the Nintendo Developer Conference in June 2007, Torque for Wii features extensible Wii Remote support, Wii optimized skinned mesh rendering, compressed texture, interior support, and hardware blending for terrain textures. Developers will also find a powerful WYSIWYG tool chain for designers, scripting language support, a comprehensive Lot Check compliance component, and Wii graphics and audio abstraction layers.

“Working with Sabarasa from a very early stage to further optimize Torque for Wii has been a huge benefit for the engine technology.” said Brett Seyler, VP Business Development at GarageGames. “Protöthea represents the kind of game we want to empower developers to make with Torque. Getting the game in that WiiWare launch window is a big achievement for Sabarasa and Ubisoft.”

GarageGames provides Torque for Wii licensing for developers with no term limits on development and a zero-royalty, flat-fee structure. Heavily discounted license pricing is available for games targeting the WiiWare downloadable service, versus those aiming for disc-based retail delivery. GarageGames claims more than a dozen titles in development for the Wii using Torque.

For more information regarding the Torque for Wii license, please contact GarageGames at 541-345-3040 or licensing@garagegames.com.

Inflation Blues Got You Down?

How About a Free Social Cup Of Casual Gaming?

NY, NY, May 8, 2008 – Cafe.com, the social gaming site that offers casual gamers a place to Play, Win, Meet and have fun, is proving itself to be recession-proof in these challenging times with an always free-to-play strategy that continues to defy the U.S. economy. While the cost for real-world goods, like gasoline, bread, pasta, milk and other essentials continue to rise, Cafe’s single- and multi-player casual games, provide hours of free family-friendly entertainment.

CEO Roman Nouzareth points to the viral nature of Cafe.com’s social networking platform that has helped fuel its rapid growth since its launch last month. The site offers close to 50 quality free online games with easy ways for members to invite their friends, importing contacts from email and social networks. New members in turn, invite their friends, and so on. And, according to Mr. Nouzareth, they’re not attracting the typical male-dominated action shoot-em-up youth market. “Our demographics mirror the larger casual gaming sector, with a highly-educated, decidedly female skew and an average median age of 35,” explained Nouzareth.

”Our formula is quality online games + social networking + free = success,” continued Nouzareth. “It’s like opening a bagel store, serving free bagels and coffee, and encouraging the patrons to socialize with one another. A true win-win for everyone,” he added.

With its new games web site, Cafe.com hopes to make micro-transactions and rich-media advertising the standard business model for online gaming moving forward. And the company is putting it’s money where it’s mouth is, literally, by giving away 10,000 CafeCoins to each new member as our way to combat the economic blues.

In fact, Cafe.com’s internal economy, based on its CafeCoins, is thriving within the social gaming community, as members are spending their virtual coins on everything from special powers within games, called “game boosts,” to new clothing and accessories for their 3D MiniMe personas. Who says you can’t buy a personality? In Cafe.com, you can even spend your coins on emotive expressions, athletic movements and other virtual personality enhancements for your MiniMe to really stand out in a crowd.

“Micro-transactions have become mainstream in Asia, where S. Korean multi-player games like Kart Rider and Chinese gaming portal QQ have reaped tremendous returns. With CafeCoins, members can purchase special powers and other in- and around-game virtual items that make Cafe.com one of the first social gaming sites in the U.S. to adopt a micro-transactional business model and it’s catching on in a big way with gamers of all skill levels,” Nouzareth noted.

‘Conquest’ Grants Players Freedom to Fight Epic ‘Rings’ Battles Any Way Desired

LOS ANGELES, Calif., May 8, 2008 – Pandemic™ Studios, an award-winning developer of blockbuster video games, is proud to announce the development of The Lord of the Rings: Conquest™ for the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, PC and Nintendo DS™ platforms. Pandemic Studios is a division of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS).

In a partnership with New Line Cinema, The Lord of the Rings: Conquest is an action-packed game created by the same Pandemic Studios team behind the best-selling Star Wars Battlefront™ and Star Wars Battlefront™ II titles. Set in “The Lord of the Rings” universe of J.R.R. Tolkien as depicted by the Academy Award®-winning films, players will finally fight the entirety of these epic battles any way they want. In addition to crusading as the heroic forces of good, for the first time ever in a ‘The Lord of the Rings’ action title they’ll conquer Middle-earth while playing as the legions of Sauron’s evil army, including Cave-trolls, Oliphaunts, the Balrog and Sauron himself. The game is set for a global release in fall 2008.

“Our Pandemic Studios creative teams have years of expertise bringing giant battlefields to life,” says Andrew Goldman, Pandemic Studios co-founder and general manager. “We’ve always wanted to harness our experience in a fantasy universe with warriors, archers, mages and castle sieges. Of course, there is truly no better fantasy world to recreate than the enormity of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ realm.”

“We’ll freely admit that we’re rabid fans of The Lord of the Rings fantasy,” says Josh Resnick, co-founder and general manager at Pandemic Studios. “Our experience creating massive, rich, action-packed games means that The Lord of the Rings: Conquest will give fans exactly what they want: full control of the blade, bow and magic to fight its epic battles any way they want – even if they choose to play from the evil side.”

“We are thrilled to be working with Pandemic Studios on this game,” commented David Imhoff, Senior EVP of Worldwide Licensing & Merchandising for New Line Cinema. “They bring not only their incredible technical and creative abilities but also a great passion for The Lord of the Rings.”

The world premiere of game footage and the first trailer for The Lord of the Rings: Conquest will premiere exclusively on Spike TV’s GameTrailers TV with Geoff Keighley on Friday, June 20.

This announcement reveals the third blockbuster video game project in the works at Pandemic Studios’ Los Angeles-based headquarters alongside the upcoming Mercenaries 2: World in Flames™ and Saboteur™, both in development for the Xbox 360™, PLAYSTATION®3 and PC platforms. For more information on The Lord of the Rings: Conquest, please visit: http://www.pandemicstudios.com/conquest.

AQ Interactive Set to Release Vampire Rain: Altered Species on the PlayStation^®3

May 8, 2008 – Tokyo, Japan – AQ Interactive announced today that it will bring Vampire Rain: Altered Species to the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system. The exciting stealth action game will be developed by industry veteran Artoon, which has developed such blockbuster titles as Blue Dragon, Blinx: The Time Sweeper, Yoshi’s Island DS and many more.

“We are very excited to bring Vampire Rain: Altered Species to the PlayStation®3,” said Artoon President Naoto Ōshima. “The incredible power of the PS3, will allow us to give gamers a fully immersive experience. This will include: 5.1 channel audio, over 50 hours of gameplay, extra bonus levels, a lot of completely revamped animations, character interactions and much more.”

Vampire Rain: Altered Species is an intense game that takes place during a dreary night in a suburban, west coast city in the US. For some time now, mankind has been battling the ferocious and terrifying Nightwalkers, a race of superhuman vampires who crave human blood. People have been disappearing at night; the lucky ones are found dead, but those less fortunate are reborn as Nightwalkers, and are bound by instinct to forcefully recruit unwitting victims into the Nightwalker army. Gamers take the role of John Lloyd, a member of a US special government unit created to defeat the Nightwalkers, and the only human to ever survive a physical encounter with them.

Aside from featuring a blood-chilling, story driven single player campaign, Vampire Rain: Altered Species will also feature a robust multiplayer mode.

Fully Charge Your Wii Workout With Nyko’s Energy Pak – Coming Soon

Rechargeable Battery Solution for Wii Balance Board Eliminates the Need for Wasteful Batteries
LOS ANGELES, California – May 8, 2008 – Nyko Technologies®, the premier game console peripherals manufacturer, today announced that it will soon release the Energy Pak for the Wii Balance Board™, a peripheral packaged with the forthcoming title Wii Fit™. The rechargeable battery solution is expected to hit stores on May 19th.

The Energy Pak installs conveniently on the underside of the Balance Board and features a unique AC Port Relocator that allows users to easily play with the board and charge the battery simultaneously, without ever having to remove the Pak or turn the Balance Board over. An easy-to-read LED charge light indicates the charge status of the battery, letting the user know when it is time to recharge, and when the charging cycle is complete. The Energy Pak can be quickly charged with the included, detachable AC adaptor, and provides up to 20 hours of playtime per charge.

“It is difficult enough trying to keep up with a regular fitness program without the hassle of swapping out alkaline or other rechargeable batteries,” said Chris Arbogast, Director of Marketing at Nyko Technologies. “Like all of our charging solutions, the Energy Pak is as easy to use as it is functional. Users will be able to recharge the Wii Balance Board while in use or in between gaming sessions, all without ever needing to flip the board over to switch out battery packs.”

Nyko’s Energy Pak for the Wii Balance Board is expected in stores on May 19th for the suggested retail price of $19.99. Please visit www.nyko.com for more information.

First-Ever The Naked Brothers Band Video Game Puts Kids on Nationwide Concert Tour Where They Play Instruments, Control the Stage Shows and Create Music Videos

AGOURA HILLS, Calif. – May 5, 2008 – THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) today announced its upcoming portfolio of video games based on the company’s long-standing relationship with Nickelodeon. THQ’s longstanding partnership with Nickelodeon has resulted in sales of more than $1 billion and accounted for more than 50 million units worldwide.

This year’s feature titles include the video game debut of The Naked Brothers Band. The Naked Brothers Band: The Video Game (working title) is based on the highly rated TV show that follows the lives of a kids’ rock band fronted by real-life brothers Nat and Alex Wolff. In addition, SpongeBob SquarePants will take on a new creative form this year in Drawn to Life™: SpongeBob SquarePants Edition. Based on last year’s top selling Drawn to Life™ video game for Nintendo DS™, the game will allow players to draw their own characters and populate the world of Bikini Bottom with their own creativity. The 2008 portfolio will also include new games based on leading Nickelodeon TV shows Tak and the Power of Juju, Avatar: The Last Airbender and Back At The Barnyard. Nickelodeon fans can also look forward to a new installment of the popular Nicktoons.

“With the enormous popularity of Wii™ and DS coupled with our exceptionally diverse portfolio of Nickelodeon-based games, THQ continues to lead in family entertainment,” said Jim Huntley, director, global brand management, THQ. “Featuring new forms of gameplay such as the music-based The Naked Brothers Band and the drawing-based Drawn to Life: SpongeBob SquarePants Edition, we expect our upcoming titles to offer completely new ways for families to play together.”

“Gaming is one of the primary activities of our audience, whether it’s online or on the console,” said Steve Youngwood, Executive Vice President, Digital Media for Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids and Family. “THQ’s interactive video games based on our hit shows have continued to help Nickelodeon maintain its position as a leader in gaming entertainment for the family, and we look forward to the addition of these new releases to our library.”

The 2008 Nickelodeon portfolio is scheduled for release in Fall 2008 across multiple game systems, including the Wii™ video game console, the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and Nintendo DS. For more information on THQ’s Nickelodeon titles and the rest of THQ’s family product lineup, please visit www.playthq.com.

The 2008 THQ Nickelodeon videogame lineup includes:

• The Naked Brothers Band: The Videogame (working title) – Based on the highly popular Nickelodeon TV show of the same name, this music-based video game allows players to live the superstar life of The Naked Brothers Band. Playing as the band, players will embark on a nationwide tour where they can experience all aspects of being in the band: singing, playing multiple instruments, controlling stage effects like lighting and pyrotechnics and even creating live concert videos. Featuring 25 of The Naked Brothers Band’s greatest hits, The Naked Brothers Band is scheduled for release on the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, Wii and Nintendo DS.
• Drawn to Life: SpongeBob SquarePants Edition – Players will experience SpongeBob SquarePants like never before by using the unique drawing mechanic perfected in last year’s innovative Nintendo DS title, Drawn to Life, to draw their own character and populate the world of Bikini Bottom. Using the Nintendo DS stylus, players will create their own hero, defeat DoodleBob’s rogue drawings, and rescue SpongeBob and his friends. Drawn to Life: SpongeBob SquarePants Edition is scheduled for release on Nintendo DS.
• Avatar – The Last Airbender: Into the Inferno – Players will play as Aang and friends in this action-packed video game based on the final season of the highly acclaimed TV series. New gameplay features will allow players to interact with characters from the TV show while performing thrilling martial arts moves with enhanced Wii Remote™ controls in order to defeat the Fire Nation. Avatar – The Last Airbender: Into the Inferno is scheduled for release on the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, Wii and Nintendo DS.
• SpongeBob SquarePants featuring Nicktoons: Globs of Doom – SpongeBob SquarePants featuring Nicktoons: Globs of Doom is an action-packed adventure featuring 10 playable characters from some of the most popular Nickelodeon TV shows, as well as numerous iconic locations such as Retroville, Amity Park and Bikini Bottom. Players will play cooperatively as both heroes and villains while utilizing special gadgets in order to defeat the Morphoids. SpongeBob SquarePants featuring Nicktoons: Globs of Doom is scheduled for release on the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, Wii and Nintendo DS.
• Tak and the Guardians of Gross – Tak and the Guardians of Gross follows the shaman’s apprentice as he visits the Spoiled Shrine and accidentally removes a strange crystal that explodes and releases the four giant Grosstrosities. Using all new “parkour” style of gameplay, players will be running on walls, sliding down poles, and swinging on vines to navigate action-packed levels. Tak and the Guardians of Gross is scheduled for release on the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system and on Wii. In addition, Tak Mojo Mistake is scheduled for release on Nintendo DS.
• Back at the Barnyard: Slop Bucket Games (working title) – The popular Nickelodeon series stampedes its way onto Nintendo DS for the first time. Players will compete in the first annual Slop Bucket Games – a series of wacky, fun, sporting events and reinvented classic arcade games with barnyard motifs. Back at the Barnyard is scheduled for release on Nintendo DS only.

NINTENDO LAUNCHES WIIWARE: AN OPEN PLAYGROUND FOR CREATIVITY

Downloadable Game Service Delivers Developers’ New Ideas Directly to Consumers
REDMOND, Wash., May 12, 2008 – Nintendo’s Wii™ console has already changed the way people play games. Now its new WiiWare™ service decisively tears down limitations for how developers create games – and the way people receive them.

Starting today, Wii owners with an Internet connection can download new, creative games from a wide range of developers, from large publishers to indie shops. By reducing the barriers that make console game development prohibitively expensive, WiiWare showcases original ideas in the most democratic environment in industry history, connecting the people who make games more directly with the people who play them.

WiiWare frees developers from the traditional constraints of video game development. WiiWare lets developers experiment with big ideas and small budgets to the benefit of players everywhere. Newer, smaller teams now have an outlet for their creative ideas. The constantly growing WiiWare library will have a regular flow of unique video gaming experiences consumers might not otherwise have access to.

“WiiWare is to the video game industry what independent films are to Hollywood,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “WiiWare lets developers experiment with new ideas and experiences. Combined with our collection of classic Virtual Console games, Wii provides one-stop shopping for the greatest games of the past – and the future.”

WiiWare games are easy to download. Just go to the WiiWare section of the Wii Shop Channel, find the game you want, redeem Wii Points™ and start the download. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. New games, at various Wii Point values, will be added to WiiWare on Mondays. The newly launched Nintendo Channel on Wii will let people view videos of and read information about WiiWare games and other Nintendo products. Users also can see player opinions to help them decide what to play next.

Today, the inaugural lineup of WiiWare games is just a taste of things to come:

FINAL FANTASY® CRYSTAL CHRONICLES®: My Life as a King™ (Square Enix, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone – Mild Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes, 1,500 Wii Points): FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: My Life as a King takes a legendary franchise and launches it into the realm of simulation gaming. Players are challenged to rebuild a kingdom, leading its young king on a path of discovery through an adventure bristling with mystery and intrigue.

LostWinds™ (Frontier Development, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone – Mild Fantasy Violence, 1,000 Wii Points): A fresh, enchanting platform adventure that puts the power of the wind in the palm of your hand – from raging tornados to the gentlest breeze. You’ll wield your Wii Remote™ controller to power Toku’s jumps and glides, suspend and smash enemies, meet friends and solve puzzles using LostWinds’ novel, intuitive and playful control system.

Defend your Castle™ (XGen Studios, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone – Cartoon Violence, 500 Wii Points): Defend your Castle takes place on a grassy plain surrounded by invaders. You are the commander of your castle, and it is your duty to fling the invading enemies sky-high, watching them plummet to their demise. As you progress, add powerful spells and upgrades to your arsenal for repelling the attacks. How long can you hold them off?

Pop™ (Nnooo, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 700 Wii Points): Pop bubbles to score points and stop the timer from running out. Pop can be enjoyed by anyone – casual gamers can simply play to pop bubbles and keep the game moving, whereas advanced players will need to pick their shots rapidly and accurately and generate combos to maximize their score.

V.I.P. Casino: Blackjack™ (High Voltage Software®, Inc., 1-4 players, Rated T for Teen – Simulated Gambling, 700 Wii Points): V.I.P. Casino: Blackjack re-creates the casino experience, with fully animated players and a realistic Las Vegas dealer. Single players can increase their bankrolls, while multiple players can engage in a head-to-head mini-blackjack tournament.

TV Show King (Gameloft, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 1,000 Wii Points): TV Show King transforms your living room into a real TV quiz show studio where you’ll face the challenge of answering more than 3,000 questions across six different categories. Compete against family and friends and use your Wii Remote controller in original ways to make it to the finals to see who can win the greatest amount of cash in one final, deciding duel.

For more information about WiiWare, visit WiiWare.com. Remember that Wii features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other Wii features, visit Wii.com.

Deca Sports (Wii) by Hudsonsoft
We Ski (Wii) Namco Bandai
Assault Heroes 2 (X360) (online) by Sierra
Rocketmen: It Came from Your Uranus (PS3, X360) by Capcom
Drone Tactics (DS) by Atlus

Art of Murder: FBI Confidential (PC)
Crimes of War (PC)
Roogoo (PC) by SouthPeak
Terrorist Takedown 2 Navy Seals (PC)
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (DS, PS2, PS3,Wii, X360, PC) by Disney 
Top Trumps: Doctor Who (DS, PS2, PC) by Eidos