Archive for August 16th, 2008

Hudson Releases New Trailer and Screens for My Aquarium for WiiWare

Saturday, August 16th, 2008
August 12, 2008 – Hudson Entertainment, today released a new teaser trailer and screens for My Aquarium to WiiWare™ on the Wii™. My Aquarium is an all-new, original IP for digital download on WiiWare, providing a virtual aquarium for people of all ages to create a captivating and relaxing atmosphere in front of the Wii. No need for a real aquarium – the fish tank in My Aquarium can be customized with different backgrounds, gravel styles, decorations, plant life, and of course, fish!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_Kmqc94QL8]

In My Aquarium, Wii owners can choose the fish that will live in their aquarium and what decorations they’ll get to enjoy. Choose the glass color, lighting, background design, style of gravel, rocks, or plant life for the world the fish will inhabit, and mix and match different fish in up to 6 individual aquariums. Owner can even send aquariums to friends using WiiConnect24™ if they also have My Aquarium.

Other features of My Aquarium include:
• A wide selection of colorful fish – Choose from 40 different types of
fish, from clownfish to jellyfish. Both freshwater and saltwater fish can cohabit just fine. If you want to feed your fish, you can choose from a variety of food. You can even interact with your fish and keep a watchful eye on your favorite. Learn more about your fish in the Fish Database.
• Interacts with the Forecast Channel – Tank conditions change depending
on the weather in your area!
• Focused on Fun –You can simply relax and enjoy the fish. Don’t worry
about water temperatures or other special knowledge needed for a real aquarium. My Aquarium requires only your imagination.

For more information on Hudson Entertainment, please visit http://www.hudsonent.com/.

Street Gears Approved for Release in China

Saturday, August 16th, 2008
Street Gears Approved for Release in China

Tokyo, Japan – August 6, 2008 – Gala Inc. today announced that Chinese publisher CDC Games Limited has received approval from the Chinese government to publish Street Gears, an online game developed by nFlavor Corp., a consolidated subsidiary of Gala Inc.


1. Overview of Street Gears

Street Gears is a massively multiplayer online inline skating racing game. The game offers exhilarating races in which you need to use every trick in your arsenal to prevail against your friends and enemies, but that’s not all; building your character by choosing skills from a skill tree and obtaining gear, trading with other players, and tackling the many quests are among the wide variety of activities offered.

2. Operation in China

In China, there is a government-mandated screening process for imported online games. While this allows for the introduction of high-quality online games from around the world, it also means that games which do not fit Chinese culture or have inappropriate content are severely restricted.

Street Gears has now passed this screening, and will go into open beta testing in October.


3. Future Efforts

The Gala Group will continue to strive to expand its online businesses in order to provide superior games to users around the world.

Disclaimer: This summarized translation is provided for convenience only. In the event of any discrepancy with the Japanese original, the original shall prevail.

Pirates of the Caribbean free weekend

Saturday, August 16th, 2008
Free Preview Weekend for Pirates of the Caribbean Online

From August 15th through August 18th (12 PM PT), Disney Online will host a Free Preview Weekend for Pirates of the Caribbean Online which will include:

FREE Unlimited Access to the Caribbean – As the Spaniard Garcia de Avaricia and Frenchman Pierre le Porc fight for control of their territories, the battle in the Caribbean rages on! Eager for new recruits to join the fight, the French and Spanish Pirate “Lords” have decreed that for a limited time, free Unlimited Access be granted to all Basic Access Pirates! (After August 18th, accounts that were upgraded for free will revert back to Basic Access status).

50% discount on Customizable items for Unlimited Access Players – To reward Pirates that are already Members of the Unlimited Access crew, a 50% discount on customizable items will be available at all Clothing Tailors, Barbershops, Tattoo Parlors, and Jewelry Shops will be offered during this time.

To participate in the Free Preview Weekend, players can download the game as well as additional information at www.PiratesOnline.com.

Fallen Earth enters Alpha testing phase

Saturday, August 16th, 2008

CARY, NC – August 12, 2008 - Post apocalyptic MMOG Fallen Earth announced today it will officially begin Alpha testing on Thursday, August 14, 2008. The test is scheduled to run through early 2009, immediately followed by Beta testing to begin in 1Q09.

Fallen Earth Project Manager Colin Dwan said, “During the Alpha test phase, testers will be focused into specific towns so we can have miniature stress tests each week. They will be able to experience all of our game systems including missions, combat, crafting, scavenging, economy, and vehicles. We are extremely excited to move from general content creation to game balance and bug fixing.”

Fallen Earth is a post-apocalyptic massively multiplayer online game that mixes first person shooter and role playing game style mechanics. The game is set in 2156, one hundred years after the world is brought low by a plague known as Shiva that killed 99% of the population. The game takes place in and around the Grand Canyon, one of the few habitable places left on Earth, which makes it a place many are willing to kill to control. Our world is one where mankind teeters on the edge of extinction, clinging to the bones of the old world while trying to recover their lost secrets. It’s a world of scavengers and desperation. The players are those who choose to rise above the hardships of this new world and work toward a better world, or decide the old world was corrupt and all signs of it must be erased completely.

Gamers who are a GameSpot subscriber can apply for the free Alpha test at http://www.gamespot.com/event/codes/fallen-earth/. Gamers who are not GameSpot subscribers can go to http://www.gamespot.com/signup/index.php and sign up for free. Participants will be chosen based on qualifying criteria, applicant numbers, and testing schedules. If accepted into the Alpha test, gamers will receive a key code and can download the file immediately.

Fallen Earth, being developed using the Icarus Studios Tools Suite platform, will be showcased in the Icarus Studios booth 307 at the Virtual Worlds Expo in Los Angeles, CA, September 3-4, 2008 and in booth 316 at the Austin Game Developer Conference Expo, September 16-17, 2008.

For more information, players can visit www.fallenearth.com.

Intergi’s Video Game & Entertainment Advertising Network Continues to Grow with Addition of Four New Partners

Saturday, August 16th, 2008
Targeted Ad Network Expands to More Than 700 Websites Offering a Reach of 9 Billion Monthly Impressions

DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla.- (August 12, 2008) -Intergi (www.intergi.com), a leading video game and entertainment site representation company and advertising network, today announced four new exclusive representation deals with a collection of high profile, web-based portals targeting the gaming and entertainment communities. The new sites – QJ.net. Evil Avatar, Fpsbanana.com and NSider2.com – each offer three key tenets Intergi looks for in growing its network: the ability to deliver targeted content, an established community of gaming and entertainment enthusiasts and the opportunity for media buyers and planners to achieve billions of impressions. The four new sites include:

QJ.net - (www.qj.net) Known as the QuickJump network, QJ.net offers an online portal to all things video gaming and entertainment, with aggregated content that allows visitors access to reviews and updates on news within the video games, film and entertainment industries.

Evil Avatar – (www.evilavatar.com) An aggregate site for gaming enthusiasts and developers, offering daily gaming news “with attitude.” The site features headline news, community threads and previews of all that is current in today’s world of video gaming.

Fpsbanana.com – (www.fpsbanana.com) FPSBanana is the largest website on the Internet tailored specifically to online First Person Shooter (FPS/Action) game customization for gamers and game designers.

Nsider2.com – (www.nsider2.com) Nintendo Insider Forum, offering an online community dedicated to Nintendo entertainment content. The member-based site features bulletin boards, YouTube clips and game reviews.

“Today, online advertising is all about being able to deliver targeted messaging that truly hits the consumer, where, when and how they want,” said Jayson Dubin, president of Intergi. “By adding QJ.net, Evil Avatar, Fpsbanana.com and nSider2.com, we increase our ability to offer direct access to millions of gamers who are spending more of their time online. Any advertiser today looking to connect with anyone who is passionate about gaming and entertainment need look no further than the Intergi network, which is now over 700 websites strong!”

Currently securing an additional round of funding, Intergi has spent the last year investing seed capital to further build out its web-based technologies to deliver more targeted impressions, bolster its sales force and integrate more publishers into its network. Other representation partners include Wizards of the Coast, gamerDNA, K2 Networks and more.

Intergi is a leading online gaming and entertainment advertising network and representation company offering broad and unparalleled access to the $25 billion gaming industry. Offering reach capabilitie of over 9 billion page views and 160 million unique visitors each month, Intergi offers targeted advertising placements – site specific, channel-wide and run-of-network – through more than 700 specialized gaming and entertainment categories including massively multiplayer online (MMO) and first person shooter (FPS) genres. Intergi’s global market allows advertisers and publishers to connect from different parts of the world and access a more robust and viable gaming enthusiast. Based in Deerfield Beach, Florida, the company was launched in May 2007 by a team of seasoned gaming industry veterans. For more information, visit www.intergi.com.

Southern Methodist University and The Center for American and International Law To Hold International Summit on the Law and Business of Video Games

Saturday, August 16th, 2008
Richard Garriott of NC Soft, Dr. Peter Raad of The Guildhall at SMU to Serve as Co-chairs of Event

DALLAS, TX – August 12, 2008 – The Guildhall at SMU, the SMU Dedman School of Law and The Center for American and International Law have announced plans to hold Game::Business::Law, an international summit on the law and business of video games January 14-15, 2009.

Video game legend and future astronaut Richard Garriott of NC Soft and Dr. Peter Raad of The Guildhall at SMU will serve as co-chairs of the event.
“Cutting-edge effects and great storytelling aren’t enough,” says Dr. Peter Raad, executive director of The Guildhall at SMU. “Successful studios and developers know that gaming is a business … very big business. The legal issues are enormous for this industry and we are delighted to host this global event.”

The summit will bring together global game industry leaders, investors, developers, publishers, and lawyers for two days to explore the latest trends in the games industry. Game::Business::Law will provide practical approaches for achieving success in the evolving marketplace of digital games.

“Digital gaming is one of the world’s fastest growth industries, creating new investment opportunities, social paradigms, business models, and a host of legal issues,” says Xuan-Thao Nguyen, professor of law at SMU Dedman School of Law.

“Games take the law and finance where it has never been,” agrees David McCombs, a partner at Haynes and Boone. “It’s not just hardware and software. Gaming businesses need to juggle the demands of user-generated content, free speech, online ownership, and new business opportunities.”

The global gaming industry will jump from $41.9 billion in 2007 to $68.3 billion in 2012. The annual growth rate of 10 percent would best all other media sectors except for online advertising and access, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Global Entertainment and Media Outlook: 2008-2012.

Last year, overall U.S. industry sales (which include not only software, but also accessories and hardware) were $18 billion, a new record, according to the NPD Group. NPD analyst Anita Frazier said this month that the U.S. is on track for sales in the $21-$23 billion range in 2008.

Industry Advisory Council members for the event include Dr. Amit Basu, Cox School of Business; Steve Nix, Id Software; Joseph Olin, Academy of Interactive Arts and Science; Patrick Pugh, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and David Riley, NPD Group.

More about Game:: Business::Law can be seen on the summit website at www.game-business-law.com.

Shot Online Season 2 is live

Saturday, August 16th, 2008
The Popular MMO Golf Simulation Game’s Season 2 update  is now available

San Jose, Calif. (August 12, 2008) – San Jose-based online game publisher, Gamescampus.com (www.gamescampus.com, run by OnNet USA), announced today that Shot-Online Season 2, an update to the popular Shot-Online MMO golf simulation game (http://shotonline.gamescampus.com/) has officially gone live.

Shot-Online Season 2 includes many significant enhancements over the original Shot-Online release, offering players new characters, courses, modes and more. Shot-Online players will meet the newest golfer on the course, Camilla, a 26-year-old Brazilian who tees off for the first time in Season 2. Also included in Season 2 is the addition of a new course, ‘Pearl Green Island’, that looks like a resort island in the tropics and has a difficulty level between that of the Cadeiger and Rufus Arena. For a full list of the new features visit www.shotonline.gamescampus.com.

The addition of a four-player ‘Las Vegas Game Mode’ has been included in Season 2 of Shot-Online where the highest and lowest level team members are paired together then changed up after every team match according to their score on the previous hole. A new ‘Worldwide Arena’ has also been added where all Shot-Online Season 2 players will now be able to record their scores of the World Championship and check their ranking for the tournament.

Season 2 also offers a new ‘My Course Ranking’ which allows players to check their ranking among all the players around the world. An updated Messenger will also help players manage the friend list, guild member list and graduate fellows list all in one form. New upgrades have also been made to have been added, including high quality BGM’s for the new course. Players will also enjoy the enhanced Chat Window, enabling them to choose and set up regular chats, guild chats, private messages and tips. And the new Caddy System will provide help and record player scores.

“We set out to create the most entertaining online golf experience possible with Shot-Online and the game has a loyal following,” said David Chang, Executive Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for Gamescampus.com. “With Season 2 we have made enhancements that our players have told us would make their experience even more enjoyable. We know that players will love the new characters, courses and modes and more.”

For a complete list of the game’s new features, please visit www.shotonline.gamescampus.com.

For more information about Gamescampus.com or Shot-Online Season 2, please visit www.gamescampus.com .

Audio Factory

Saturday, August 16th, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Audio Factory, a new incubator funded audio technology company is currently planning to revolutionise the way that Wav SFX are created and implemented in PC and console computer games.

Audio Factory is currently developing a creative online software facility using library/foley Wav sources that:

1. Can cut Wav sound effects development time by up to 80%, freeing up resources to work on more audio projects.

2. Incorporates a system which computes the interaction of the various sound sources present in the game environment.

Result: a more context relative and ‘live’ sounding audio and game experience.

To quote Develop Magazine July 2008:
“One of the most novel approaches to audio for years…”

Audio Factory will have a PC game-based audio technology demonstration for evaluation in late September.

For more details contact:
www.audiofactorysound.com

Memento Mori: Six endings are waiting for the investigative duo – depending on the player’s choices

Saturday, August 16th, 2008
Hamburg, 2008-08-12 – The forthcoming Mystery-Adventure Memento Mori features no less than six different endings. And the player’s decisions alone determine which of the six possible fates the two investigators will meet in the end. The Russian policewoman Lara and the French ex-art counterfeiter Max investigate a mysterious art robbery in Saint Petersburg in Memento Mori.

The ending of Memento Mori depends on how the player tackles crucial tasks: There are several so-called key scenes for the two playable characters Lara and Max. They are spread across the entire game and allow for a number of different solutions. This means that the key scenes are hidden e.g. in puzzles or dialogues.

For example, Lara must prove she is a thoroughbred policewoman who thinks things through before she acts, even in dramatic situations. Even moral decisions such as unfriendly answers can have an effect on the game’s ultimate ending.

“Therefore, the player can’t make wrong decisions” insists Paul Guillaumon, the producer of Memento Mori from the publisher dtp entertainment. You will progress no matter how you solve the key scene puzzles. But the game evaluates all decisions in background. It then determines from the results which one of the six dramatic endings will be shown. “This way we can motivate all those who are curious to see the other endings to replay the game”, adds Paul Guillaumon. And he promises: “The six endings are vastly different with respect to Max and Lara’s future.”

The exact details of the grand finale cannot be predicted right up to the end thanks to the key scene technique. The entire fate of both main characters ultimately depends on the player´s previous decisions. Their life and their future depend on it because one thing is for sure: The Secret Order of “Ikuinen nukkuja” (engl. “The Eternal Sleeper”) is even capable of murder. For centuries, the members have been protecting a small number of valuable works of art that were painted in the face of death.

The alarm system in the famous Saint Petersburg Eremitage Museum was sabotaged during the latest coup. The perpetrator then switched a priceless work for a copy. Police Captain Sergej Vasilievic Ostankovic puts Larisa “Lara” Ivanova Svetlova, expert for art thefts, on the case undercover. At the same time, he has the means to force the ex-art counterfeiter Maxime “Max” Durand to help out. Together they have to track down the culprits. Their investigations take them on an exciting journey across Europe. But Max and Lara do not yet realise which powers they are really facing.

dtp entertainment will release Memento Mori in autumn 2008.

Features

System:
-3rd-person Point&Click Adventure
PC
-Two playable characters (Max and Lara) Publisher
-Mystery-thriller story about a secret order, dtp entertainment
art thefts and the Angel of Death
-Six different endings Developer:
-Rendered cut scenes Centauri Production/
-3D Environment and inventory Cinemax
-Dynamic camera

EA Introduces Henry Hatsworth for DS (working title)

Saturday, August 16th, 2008
The Ultimate Fun, Quirky Game That Intertwines Platform and Puzzle Genres
Guildford, UK August 12, 2008 – Love puzzle games, but also love an adventure? Now you can have both in one game. The Casual Entertainment Label of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) today announces Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure an exclusive Nintendo DS™ adventure-puzzle game that adds a new element of fun by combining the action of an adventure game with the challenge of a puzzle game all in one.

“We are excited to bring an indie-inspired new intellectual property to the EA Casual Entertainment Label with Henry Hatsworth that fuses together two styles of gameplay utilizing the two Nintendo DS screens like never before,” said Robert Nashak, VP of EA Casual Studios. “The innovative elements of the game have the potential to appeal to both Nintendo enthusiasts and more casual Nintendo DS players.”

Meet Henry Hatsworth, a quirky, light-hearted character who players will guide on their journey through a new style of gaming adventure on their Nintendo DS. In this two-in-one adventure, players will explore five exotic worlds, fight a variety of opponents, and venture through more than 30 levels, including nearly a dozen hidden levels while taking on outrageous world-ending bosses. The separate worlds on the two Nintendo DS screens have a cause and effect inter-relationship, and players choose when to switch between conquering the action-platform realm and mastering the increasingly challenging puzzle world. A wide variety of power-ups will help Hatsworth in both of these worlds. Players will complete puzzle combinations and defeat puzzle enemies in order to gain power ups, health, and energy to supercharge Hatsworth in his adventure.

“Henry Hatsworth is an incredibly unique game,” said Scott Walker, Henry Hatsworth Executive Producer. “It’s a deep, challenging, and humorous game that you won’t want to put down.”

Developed by a team at EA Tiburon in the EA Casual Entertainment Label, Henry Hatsworth is scheduled to be available worldwide early 2009.