Archive for June 23rd, 2008

EA’s quest to train your brain

Monday, June 23rd, 2008
EA ANNOUNCES NINTENDO DS GAMES BASED ON AMERICA’S #1 EDUCATIONAL BESTSELLER BRAIN QUEST®

Top Curriculum-Based Quiz Series Offers New Way for Kids to Learn and Play on the Go

LOS ANGELES, Calif., June 23, 2008 – The Casual Entertainment label of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced plans to bring America’s #1 educational bestseller*, Brain Quest®, to the Nintendo DS™ handheld system, just in time for back-to-school this September. In partnership with the New York based Workman Publishing Company, Inc., EA will release two Brain Quest games centered on the curriculum-based series that has sold more than 28 million copies**: one for third and fourth graders, and another for fifth and sixth graders.

“Brain Quest is EA Casual Entertainment’s first educational game and we are thrilled to bring this beloved brand into the videogame space,” said Robert Nashak, VP of Casual Studios, EA Casual Entertainment. “By adapting the series to the DS, we are able to reach today’s tech savvy children and provide them with an educational experience that is interactive, engaging, and fun.”

Staying true to the curriculum-based card deck series, the Brain Quest video games are loaded with over 6,000 unique questions in each game, developed specifically for the third/fourth and fifth/sixth grade levels and can keep kids entertained whether in the car, at home, or while waiting for the school bus. The game’s Brain Mode provides quick to the fun action that enables kids to jump right in, immersing themselves in fast-paced quiz games, as they answer questions on their favorite subjects: English, history, math, science, and geography. Brain Quest adds another element to the fun—a Quest Mode where players follow a light story that pits them against successively more difficult challenges in each category. The game’s Multiplayer Mode allows players to challenge their friends and siblings or play cooperatively, so kids of all ages can get in on the action and enjoy the brain-twisting fun!

Throughout the game, players who answer questions correctly score points to redeem collectibles that can be unlocked by winning achievements. These collectibles can then be used to customize up to six scenes in the game.

The popular Brain Quest card decks, on which the games are based, are a phenomenon. “Brain Quest is a brand recognized by teachers, trusted by parents, and adored by kids,” said Janet Harris, Brain Quest® Publisher, Workman Publishing Company, Inc. “We are very pleased that Brain Quest will now be able to educate and entertain children through another medium, as a video game.”

Both Brain Quest games will be available September 2008 in North America and have a U.S. MSRP of $29.99. The games have not yet been rated by the ESRB. For more information or assets, visit http://www.info.ea.com.

Call of Duty: World at War

Monday, June 23rd, 2008
CALL OF DUTY®: WORLD AT WAR ENLISTS FOR NEW BATTLES

Expanding Its Theater of Operations to the Pacific, Latest Title in Hit Franchise Poised to Re-Define the WWII Experience

Santa Monica, CA – June 23, 2008 – Leave your packs and bring extra ammo, Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) and Treyarch, announced today that they will be taking Call of Duty players deep into the South Pacific and European theaters this fall for Call of Duty: World at War™, a gritty fight that will pit players against enemies that know no surrender and show no mercy. Utilizing the Call of Duty 4®: Modern Warfare engine, Call of Duty: World at War throws out the rulebook of war to transform WWII combat through a new enemy, new tactics and an uncensored experience of the climatic battles that gripped a generation. As U.S. Marines and Russian soldiers, players will employ new features like cooperative gameplay, and weapons such as the flamethrower in the most chaotic and cinematically intense experience to date.

“With Call of Duty: World at War, we’re re-defining what it means to play a WWII game,” said Mark Lamia, Studio Head for Treyarch. “We’re excited to give players a host of new enemies that employ entirely new tactics, as well as new, groundbreaking tools – like co-op and the flamethrower – to succeed in the epic fight.”

Call of Duty: World at War introduces co-operative play, bringing fresh meaning to the “No One Fights Alone” mantra with up to four-players online for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC, or two-player local split-screen on consoles. Nintendo Wii will also support a unique co-op mode for two players. For the first time ever players will experience harrowing single-player missions together for greater camaraderie and tactical execution. The co-op campaign allows players to rank up and unlock perks in competitive multiplayer by completing challenges and earning experience points, adding continuous re-playability and team-based gameplay. Whether playing competitively or cooperatively – if players are online with Call of Duty: World at War – they will always gain experience points. Based on a player’s experience rank and rank of the player’s friends, Call of Duty: World at War will scale dynamically to provide a deeper level of challenge.

Call of Duty: World at War is in development for the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, Nintendo® Wii™ and Games for Windows® PC. The title is scheduled for release this fall and has not yet been rated.

For more information and exclusive updates about Call of Duty: World at War, visit www.callofduty.com

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDZfD6cgQPU]

NCSoft to use new middleware for MMOs

Monday, June 23rd, 2008
NCsoft Utilizes Allegorithmic’s ProFX for PC and PS3 MMO Game Development

Procedural Texturing Middleware Selected for Efficient Approach to Creating High-quality Textures

CLERMONT-FERRAND, France — June 23, 2008 — Adding yet another prominent game developer to its client list, Allegorithmic today announced that its procedural texturing middleware, ProFX 2.6, will be integrated by NCsoft® Europe and its development teams. ProFX was selected for its ability to quickly produce extremely small texture files – dramatically reducing downloading times and greatly improving the gamers’ overall experience. NCsoft Corporation (KSE:036570.KS), the world’s leading developer and publisher of online games is well known for titles such as Guild Wars®, City of Heroes® / City of Villains® and its most successful and longest running title, Lineage® II: The Chaotic Throne, which has reached over 17 million players worldwide. NCsoft plans to utilize ProFX on PC and PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) platforms.

“The Allegorithmic team has been excellent to work with, very responsive to our specific game and platform needs,” commented Jay Scott, head of product development for NCsoft Europe. “The reduced footprint that ProFX affords us will give users a better game experience by vastly decreasing client size and reducing update download times.”

ProFX 2.6 is the only middleware that allows game developers to professionally render high-quality procedural textures. ProFX 2.6 procedural texture files are very small in size – typically 500 to 2,000 times smaller – making them ideal for use in massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs), virtual communities, casual and downloadable games.

“NCsoft is the number one company in the world for online gaming,” said Dr Sébastien Deguy, Allegorithmic’s president and founder. “They continually push the envelope with new content, strategies and innovative technology. NCsoft immediately recognized that ProFX was the right technology to take their games and content to the next level and have truly embraced it. I admire them for their forward thinking and I’m extremely proud to have them as a client.”

Infusio obtains capital for development

Monday, June 23rd, 2008
In-Fusio Secures Funding from Occam Capital

Company to Expand Its Development; Enter into New Markets

Bordeaux, France and Los Angeles, California Jun 23, 2008 In-Fusio, a leading international digital entertainment company, today announced it has secured financing from French IT Expansion Capital Fund, Occam Capital. The funding will allow In-Fusio to expand its European, North American, and Asia-based offices and increase its worldwide development capabilities.

“The digital entertainment market faces ever renewed challenges, both in terms of technology and new delivery platforms, “stated Norman Evangelista, CEO In-Fusio North America. “We are gratified that Occam Capital has validated our strategy and supports us as an investor.”
In-Fusio recently unveiled their new Get Smart Mobile Game based on the summer blockbuster, Get Smart, launching in June-July 2008.

Battlefield: Bad Company

Monday, June 23rd, 2008
THE BLOCKBUSTER ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCE OF THE SUMMER HAS ARRIVED!

BATTLEFIELD: BAD COMPANY SHIPS TO RETAIL STORES TODAY

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – June 23, 2008 – The gold rush is here! EA Digital Illusions CE AB (DICE), a studio of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced that its highly anticipated summer release, Battlefield: Bad Company™ has shipped to retail stores. The game will land on retail shelves on June 25 in North America and June 27 in Europe. Launching on PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360™ videogame and entertainment system, players will join the ‘B’ Company, a wayward band of soldiers more interested in the pursuit of gold and personal financial gain than following the rules.

Battlefield: Bad Company delivers a deep single-player campaign loaded with dark humor, intense combat and deafening destruction. Players take on the role of Preston Marlowe, a young soldier whose antics land him in the division with the highest mortality rate alongside other troublemakers Sarge, Haggard and Sweetwater. Players will tackle harsh terrain and fierce enemies with their squad of renegade soldiers as they search for an elusive treasure using dozens of vehicles, weapons and deadly toys all at their disposal for explosive experimentation.

Gamers can also jump online for some intense multiplayer action as players become either an attacker or defender in the Gold Rush multiplayer mode as they protect or destroy crates that hold precious gold and their ticket home. As gamers embark on their quest for financial freedom, they’ll experience the same classic Battlefield gameplay including access to numerous vehicles, weapons and open maps as well as the new tactical destruction that only Battlefield: Bad Company can deliver. The popular Conquest mode made famous by the Battlefield franchise will be offered as a free download* later this summer.

EA’s Quest to train your brain

Monday, June 23rd, 2008
EA ANNOUNCES NINTENDO DS GAMES BASED ON AMERICA’S #1 EDUCATIONAL BESTSELLER BRAIN QUEST®

Top Curriculum-Based Quiz Series Offers New Way for Kids to Learn and Play on the Go

LOS ANGELES, Calif., June 23, 2008 – The Casual Entertainment label of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced plans to bring America’s #1 educational bestseller*, Brain Quest®, to the Nintendo DS™ handheld system, just in time for back-to-school this September. In partnership with the New York based Workman Publishing Company, Inc., EA will release two Brain Quest games centered on the curriculum-based series that has sold more than 28 million copies**: one for third and fourth graders, and another for fifth and sixth graders.

“Brain Quest is EA Casual Entertainment’s first educational game and we are thrilled to bring this beloved brand into the videogame space,” said Robert Nashak, VP of Casual Studios, EA Casual Entertainment. “By adapting the series to the DS, we are able to reach today’s tech savvy children and provide them with an educational experience that is interactive, engaging, and fun.”

Staying true to the curriculum-based card deck series, the Brain Quest video games are loaded with over 6,000 unique questions in each game, developed specifically for the third/fourth and fifth/sixth grade levels and can keep kids entertained whether in the car, at home, or while waiting for the school bus. The game’s Brain Mode provides quick to the fun action that enables kids to jump right in, immersing themselves in fast-paced quiz games, as they answer questions on their favorite subjects: English, history, math, science, and geography. Brain Quest adds another element to the fun—a Quest Mode where players follow a light story that pits them against successively more difficult challenges in each category. The game’s Multiplayer Mode allows players to challenge their friends and siblings or play cooperatively, so kids of all ages can get in on the action and enjoy the brain-twisting fun!

Throughout the game, players who answer questions correctly score points to redeem collectibles that can be unlocked by winning achievements. These collectibles can then be used to customize up to six scenes in the game.

The popular Brain Quest card decks, on which the games are based, are a phenomenon. “Brain Quest is a brand recognized by teachers, trusted by parents, and adored by kids,” said Janet Harris, Brain Quest® Publisher, Workman Publishing Company, Inc. “We are very pleased that Brain Quest will now be able to educate and entertain children through another medium, as a video game.”

Both Brain Quest games will be available September 2008 in North America and have a U.S. MSRP of $29.99. The games have not yet been rated by the ESRB. For more information or assets, visit http://www.info.ea.com.

OGPlanet summer event schedule

Monday, June 23rd, 2008
OGPlanet Summer Events Update

El Segundo, CA- Jun 23, 2008 OGPlanet, an innovative provider of free-to-play online games, is keeping players on their toes this summer with a special events in its massively multiplayer online games.

The Cabal Online Experience Extravaganza, which continues through June 25, lets players in the action role-playing game increase their characters’ levels and skills with unprecedented speed. Beginning at 3 p.m. Pacific time Monday through Thursday players receive 25 percent more skill experience than normal, and beginning at 8 p.m. Pacific time experience points gain the 25-percent bonus.

Friday through Saturday, Cabal Online players get an even larger boost, with a 50 percent increase to skill experience from 3 p.m. on, an additional 25 percent experience point bonus beginning at 8 p.m., and increased drop rates during the Experience Extravaganza hours. Meanwhile, in Rumble Fighter, OGPlanet’s MMO brawler, players are facing off in the Bare-Knuckle Brawl. Sixty-four Rumble Fighter players, who earned their spots in the Bare-Knuckle Brawl by participating in an in-game scavenger hunt, are now competing without benefit of Exocore power-ups to determine once and for all who the most skilled brawler is. The Bare-Knuckle Brawl tournament will culminate in a final championship on June 28.

More information about these and other summer OGPlanet events can be found at http://ogplanet.com/news/events.asp.

About Rumble Fighter
One of the most unique fighting games around, Rumble Fighter allows up to 8 players to battle it out online in simultaneous melee action. Featuring an advanced combo attack skill system with multitudes of real fighting styles to choose from, Rumble Fighter allows players to build the fighter they’ve always wanted to be.

About Cabal Online
In CABAL ONLINE, players are called upon to protect the people of Nevareth from an evil entity known as CABAL. Centuries ago, the evil CABAL all but destroyed Nevareth, but the land was saved and rebuilt by seven great masters wielding the ancient abilities of Force Power. Nearly a thousand years later, CABAL has returned, and it is up to players to master the intricacies of the Force Power and use them to save Nevareth.

Website: http://www.ogplanet.com

Fighter Pilot 2 for Flight Simulator 2004 and X

Monday, June 23rd, 2008
FIGHTER PILOT 2 for FS 2004 and FSX

PRESS RELEASE

Published by: First Class Simulations Ltd
Territories: UK, Germany and Scandinavia
Street date:4th July 2008.

The might of the world’s most sophisticated military is now in the hands of Flight Sim pilots in Fighter Pilot 2, developed by Abacus Publishing Inc., and published by First Class Simulations Ltd.

If it’s air superiority you are looking for, then take a look at some of these features:
- Multiple liveries from several different nations
- Accurate flight characteristics – Highly detailed exterior and interiors – Fully-animated models – 3-D panel with a wide range of animation – User-friendly Heads-up Displays

Aircraft included in this package are:

  • Eagle VC – “For air superiority in combat seat yourself in the cockpit of the all weather tactical F-15 EagleTM”
  • Raptor02 – “The F-22 RaptorTM with afterburner effects, has multiple capabilities and uses stealth technology.”
  • Growler2D – “The EA-18G GrowlerTM is a carrier based electronic attack (EA) aircraft due for deployment in 2009.”
  • Tomcat01 – “The virtual cockpit featured in the F-14 Tomcat will help you perform precise strike missions”
  • Falcon02 – “A dog-fighter known to its pilots as the “Viper”, the F-16 Fighting FalconTM numbers over 4000 in the Western military.”

In stores from early July 2008.

Nintendo DS will get Hotel Giant

Monday, June 23rd, 2008

HOTEL GIANT
“Hotel Giant”TM is a huge success since 2002, with more than 1 million units sold all over the world! 6 years after the launch of the first edition, Hotel GiantTM is still among the top 10 sales of several countries (France, Spain, United Kingdom…)!!!

- Q4 2008 -
Be the first to discover the 5-star series!

Enter the challenging tourism industry and test your skills by building, designing and managing the luxurious hotels in the world! As guests go about their lives, follow their behaviour, moods, activities, and find out exactly what they like and dislike about your hospitality.

WATCH THEM LIVE WHENEVER YOU WANT!

“We have received a lot of positive feedback since the release of the original Hotel Giant. The feedback has been very helpful to us in designing Hotel Giant 2 to meet the fans’ expectations. Hotel Giant 2 has improvements in every aspect of the game and offers a great deal of new content and features. It is a sequel that is well worth waiting for” Declares Trevor Chan – CEO of Enlight Software Ltd.

About the game
Genre: Management / Lifesim
Platform: PC
Publisher: Nobilis
Developer: Enlight Software / www.enlight.com
Release date: Q4 2008

Hotel Giant DS™

For the first time ever, an exciting adaptation on the Nintendo DS™.
A full stylus gameplay and an intuitive navigation dedicated to the Nintendo DS!

About the game

Genre: Management / Lifesim
Platform: Nintendo DS
Publisher: Nobilis
Release date: Q4 2008

Wisconsin’s tax break for video game companies turns heads across the pon

Monday, June 23rd, 2008
Government and industry must respond to Wisconsin’s tax break for games development

Tiga said today that Wisconsin’s introduction of games development tax breaks highlights the need for both UK games developers and the UK Government to raise their game in competing for business.

Richard Wilson, CEO of Tiga, said:

“Just as developers compete to win contracts and create the best games so governments compete to attract businesses to their jurisdictions. Wisconsin’s introduction of 25 per cent tax credits for film, TV and qualifying games studios demonstrates yet again the intensity of competition between governments to attract games and other media businesses to their territories. Many games developers in the UK will question why the UK Government will not give similar support to the industry here.

“The UK games development industry continues to be a leader of the pack, but we cannot afford to rest on our laurels. Games developers in the UK must continue to improve their creativity and productivity in order to enhance their competitive edge.

“The Government must play its part too. The UK video game developers support 10,000 highly skilled jobs, generate revenue for the Treasury and make a positive contribution to our balance of payments. If the Government wants to perpetuate this success story then it must establish a more favourable tax environment, increase the supply of skilled graduates without sacrificing quality and keep the regulatory costs on business relatively low. Otherwise, investment and expansion in the games industry will flow to those countries whose governments provide a more favourable climate for games businesses.”