Gamersnewsbits.com

It’s out. A new choice. A pretty cool browser. Yes, it’s real early beta, but i’m doing my best to break it. So far active x sites have issues, but it’s the same as in Firefox. Shockwave seems to be built in, which is nice. I’m posting this from here. I’ll try a game-related one as well in a minute. 

On another note, IE 8 beta is pretty nice. It’s definately incompatable with some sites, but the InPrivate feature sounds cool, and would be useful for going places that you don’t want to leave tracks from. The colored tabs work well, and it highlights the domain when you surf addresses. I dont know what the feature is called, but it has something similar to Firefox’s “awesome bar” that predictively types in addresses. 

Chrome also has the predictive typing and highlights the domain when surfing. It also, when a new tab is opened, displays your favorite places to surf….which might be a bad thing for some people :)

That’s all I have, i’m at work, and don’t have the time to explore fully. Geeks, it’s here!

-e

58,500

SEATTLE – September 2, 2008 - “Yeah.”

About Penny Arcade Expo: The Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) gaming festival is a three-day celebration of games and gamer culture. The annual convention includes an exhibition floor filled with playable builds of upcoming tabletop, console, and computer games; a conference program of game industry speakers; music concerts; freeplay areas; industry parties; an independent games showcase; game tournaments and more. Since its inception in 2004 the show has nearly doubled in size year-over-year, growing from 4,500 attendees to 58,500 in 2008, making it the largest gaming festival in North America. For more information visit www.pennyarcadeexpo.com.

About Penny Arcade: Equal parts online comic and commentary, Penny Arcade (www.penny-arcade.com) keeps its finger on the pulse of the gaming industry, prompting conversation and controversy alike from community members and industry experts. What started as a hobby in 1998 for Jerry “Tycho” Holkins and Mike “Gabe” Krahulik has grown into an online phenomenon serving 70 million page views a month to millions of readers worldwide. In addition to the comic strip and PAX gaming festival (www.pennyarcadeexpo.com), Penny Arcade has expanded its reach to include a growing line of merchandise, a video game and management of Child’s Play (www.childsplaycharity.org), a gamer-driven charity for children that spans the globe.

holy….

If you don’t know what 58,500 is and dont’ want to read the “about” section, that’s the attendance figure for this year’s PAX 2008. This little expo has grown from 4000 attendees in 2004 to 58,500 this year, and has become big enough that the gaming companies have now followed the comic geeks to this “alternative” to expos. I would like to attend next year, and if the stars align right, I just may be there.

San Francisco, California – September 2, 2008 – Love throwing a few back with your friends while playing quarters, but hate dealing with cleaning up spills? Tired of getting kicked out of bars because an errant quarter bounce hits some muscle-bound jerk and you get your ass kicked? Publisher X has the perfect solution – download its newest game, Beer Bounce, for your Apple iPhone and iPod touch!

Just like quarters, Beer Bounce lets players try their luck at bouncing a quarter into a glass of beer. If you miss, you’re not only forced to take a healthy swig, but you’ll also be subjected to some quality, insulting and hilarious trash talk. Miss too many shots and the game gets more difficult as the screen starts to weave and blur – just like your first keg party that you remember so well (or don’t).

Beer Bounce is available now on iTunes for about half as much as a domestic bottle of beer will set you back in most bars nowadays. Download it and see how much fun quarters can be when you don’t have to clean up after yourself! Use your iPhone or iPod touch to challenge your friends anytime, anywhere. You even have the option of choosing from several international coins!

*Publisher X is not responsible for any embarrassing or potentially incriminating drunk dialing players may undertake as a result of being iNebriated from playing Beer Bounce on their iPhone.*

For more about Beer Bounce and Publisher X, stumble, crawl or drag yourself on over to www.publisherx.com

Video shows first ingame scenes from the Stone Age MMO

Berlin, 2nd September 2008: Welcome to the time machine. Frogster will announce the start of the closed-beta for the German version of StoneAge 2 soon. Registered player will then successively have the chance to jump into the Manga-esque primeval world. Together with friends and their loyal pets they will explore a Neandertalian realm stretched over several continents. In the course of their adventures they will encounter long forgotten creatures, mysterious dinosaurs and fierce boss opponents on the surface of the earth and in deep caves. To bridge the time until the launch of the beta phases, Frogster has published a first trailer video today showing first in-game scenes of the original online role-playing game. The video is available for download in two different formats (MPG 82,6 MB / WMV 35,2 MB) on the official website: www.stoneage2.de/video/StoneAge2Trailer.mpg / www.stoneage2.de/video/StoneAge2Trailer.wmv. Interested players can register right away for the beta test: http://www.stoneage2.de/user.php?action=register.

In the land before time – StoneAge 2
Primeval spirits, mythical beings and dinosaurs once roamed the lovingly animated world of StoneAge 2. But since the mysterious disappearance of the mighty dinosaurs, aggressive and evil creatures have taken over the world. Hunting, gathering and defending their soil now dominate the everyday life of the Manga characters. Players fan out from their individual housing to look for food and resources. Fortunately for them, the pets stand by their sides with their unique fighting and healing talents. Players will attentively take care of their virtual companions. With good upbringing and training some might even be used as mounts. Hobby Neanderthals can choose from almost 200 pets and even create their own unique creature as a loyal escort. Before StoneAge 2, the Japanese developing studio DigiPark had already successfully operated its predecessor in China, Korea and Japan with almost 10 millions of players. You can find further information and pictures on www.stoneage2.de.

Features of StoneAge 2

• Free online role-playing game
• Turn-based fights
• 12 different main characters
• Sophisticated and extensive pet system: almost 200 pets to choose from, which can communicate with their owners via e-mail
• Pets can be used as mounts
• Breeding of your own Pets
• Housing system with furnishing and possible relocation
• Guild system with guild events and guild housing
• PvP and tournament system (PVP duells)
• Battles against boss characters
• Weather system with impact on the world
• Item crafting: create your own equipment
• Egg laying function: Pets can father offspring
• Integrated item shop
• In-game chat and blog system

In-Game Model of Vocalist and Lead Guitarist, Billy Corgan, and ‘Today’ from Four Times-Platinum Album Siamese Dream To Rock On-Disc at Launch

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Sept 02, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ — The Smashing Pumpkins, one of rock’s defining and most acclaimed bands who’ve sold over 30 million albums, is coming to Activision Publishing, Inc.’s (Nasdaq: ATVI) Guitar Hero(R) World Tour in a ground-breaking way as the band will debut their new single “G.L.O.W.” exclusively in the game. This marks the first time a band has recorded a new song exclusively for the franchise which will be released afterwards, giving Guitar Hero(R) fans exclusive access to Smashing Pumpkins music before anyone else. The new track, bundled with two other rocking Smashing Pumpkins hits, “1979″ and “The Everlasting Gaze,” will be available post-launch of the game as a three-song downloaded content pack.

Additionally, on-disc with the release of Guitar Hero World Tour this fall, The Smashing Pumpkins’ singer, songwriter and lead guitarist Billy Corgan will appear as an in-game character and will bring with him “Today,” the band’s smash hit from their pivotal and four-times platinum 1993 album Siamese Dream. “Today” is one of the band’s many hits that have defined the alternative music era and continue to resonate on modern rock radio, influencing a whole new generation. Players will be able to experience the unique alternative rocker’s likeness in-game as he sings and shreds on guitar, or play as the revered rock star throughout their vocal and axe careers.

When the house lights go down this fall, a new generation of guitarists, drummers and fearless frontmen will come together and rock with Guitar Hero World Tour. The latest installment in the #1 best-selling video game franchise of 2007, 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 for the first time ever. The game features a slick newly redesigned guitar controller, drum kit controller and a 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 will also be able to share their recordings with their friends online through GHTunes(SM) where other gamers can download and play an endless supply of unique creations.

Guitar Hero World Tour is being developed by Neversoft Entertainment for the Xbox 360(R) video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION(R)3 computer entertainment system. The Wii(TM) version is being developed by Vicarious Visions. The PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system version is being developed by Budcat. The game is rated “T” for Teen by the ESRB. For more information on Guitar Hero World Tour, please visit www.guitarhero.com.

Submissions Judged By Natsume, 20 Winners Will Receive Harvest Moon 10th Anniversary Prize Packages

Burlingame, Calif., September 2, 2008 – Natsume, a worldwide developer and publisher of family-oriented video games, announced today that in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the award-winning Harvest Moon franchise, the company is holding a Harvest Moon Drawing Contest.

Over the years, a variety a different characters and animals have appeared in the many Harvest Moon installments; now it’s time for the fans to show Natsume who their favorite characters and animals are! To participate in the in the Harvest Moon 10th Anniversary Drawing Contest, participants must draw a picture of their favorite Harvest Moon character and their favorite Harvest Moon animal. Submissions must be received by Natsume no later than Friday, October, 17, 2008.

All drawings will be judged by the staff at Natsume, and the 20 best entries will be selected.  The 20 selected winners of the Drawing Contest will receive a Harvest Moon 10th Anniversary prize package that includes: 10th Anniversary DS Lite Kit, official Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility Strategy Guide, official Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness Strategy Guide, 10th Anniversary plush Harvest Moon Cow, 10th Anniversary plush Harvest Moon Chicken, and additional goodies!

In order to qualify, all drawings must include the following:
1.    At least one character from any of the Harvest Moon games over the past 10 years.
2.    At least one animal from any of the Harvest Moon games over the past 10 years.
3.    The size of your drawing should NOT be bigger than 8.5 x 11 inches (letter size paper).
4.    On the back of the drawing, participants should include their name (first and last), age, and mailing address.  For those who do not want their real name posted if they win, please be sure to include a nickname. (For winners who do not include a nickname, only their first names will be posted.)
5.    Entries should be sent to:

Attn: Harvest Moon 10th Anniversary Drawing Contest
Natsume Inc.
1818 Gilbreth Road, Suite 229
Burlingame, CA 94010

6.    All entries must be postmarked by or before October 17th, 2008.

The winners of the Harvest Moon 10th Anniversary Drawing Contest will be posted on Natsume’s website on October 31st, 2008!

Please note:
.    Any submissions that do not meet the requirements will be automatically disqualified.
.    Only one submission per participant.
.    No submissions via e-mail.

For more information on the Harvest Moon Drawing Contest, please visit www.natsume.com or http://www.clevercomm.com/Natsume/.

Hudson Entertainment’s My Aquarium for WiiWare now ready for download

Time For Gamers To Sit Back, Relax & Enjoy A Virtual Aquarium With The Entire Family

REDWOOD CITY, CA – September 2, 2008 – Hudson Entertainment, the North American publishing arm of Hudson Soft, today announced My Aquarium for WiiWare on the Wii is now available for digital download.

My Aquarium is an all-new, original IP for WiiWare that brings the relaxation of an aquarium to players using the Wii. It’s the perfect form of entertainment for those who would love to own fish, but don’t have room, money or time to maintain a real fish tank. My Aquarium will bring a peaceful and soothing environment into households with a Wii, and will leave behind a maintenance-free aquatic experience. Have to go away for a while? No worries- you don’t need to ask a friend to feed the fish for you. In fact, you might even find a brand new fish when you come back!

“My Aquarium is the perfect game to bring families together, offering a unique, calming experience and endless hours of amusement and relaxation,” said Sabine Duvall, Vice President of Product Development at Hudson Entertainment. “Players can simply relax and enjoy the fish, without worrying about maintenance, like feeding and cleaning, that comes with a real aquarium.”

In My Aquarium, Wii owners can customize their aquarium to suit their own personal tastes. Players can decide exactly which fish they want to live in their aquarium and what decorations they’ll get to enjoy. In addition, users can also choose the glass color, lighting, background design, style of floor, rocks, and plant life for the world the fish will inhabit.  Players can also mix and match different fish in up to six individual aquariums. Aquariums can even be shared with friends using WiiConnect24 if they also have My Aquarium.

One of the most unique features of My Aquarium is that it interacts with the Wii’s Forecast Channel, providing an amazingly realistic aquatic experience.  My Aquarium actually enables players’ tank conditions to change depending on the actual weather in their area!

My Aquarium includes a wide selection of colorful fish and a realistic aquatic experience for the entire family to enjoy. There are 50 different types of fish to choose, and the more gamers play, the more fish they’ll get! Players can select from three different types of food when feeding their fish, and the fish can even be interacted with. Aquarium owners can learn more about their fish in My Aquarium’s Fish Database.

The Entertainment Software Rating Board has rated My Aquarium E for Everybody.

Latest issue of free digital MMORPG magazine includes 14 pages dedicated to new World of Warcraft expansion. Includes exclusive videos, details and wallpapers.

GamerZines.com, the portal for free digital magazines for gamers, today announces the publication of MMOZine Issue 6. The issue includes a massive hands-on preview of Wrath of the Lich King, including 8 exclusive videos, a virtual tour of Valiance Keep, 6 exclusive World of Warcraft desktop backgrounds, an exclusive interview with Blizzard and an introductory tutorial to the new Wrath of the Lich King expansion.

“Wrath of the Lich King is without doubt going to be the event of the year for MMO gamers,” says Dan Hutchinson, Editorial Director for GamerZines.com. “This issue of MMOZine has everything people could want to know about the expansion and includes some explosive revelations from Blizzard themselves.”

The magazine also includes an exclusive preview for Aion: The Tower of Eternity with new screens and details, plus a scoop on the just announced Blade and Soul, the oriental martial arts MMO from NCsoft.

All GamerZines.com magazines including MMOZine are professionally written and produced by a team of games journalists and publishers with decades of experience in the magazine industry. The portal offers free monthly magazines for various games platforms in interactive PDF format. All the magazines are enhanced with rich media and extensive video of the games in action.

Readers do not need to register to download the magazines, which are all completely free. All that is required to view the magazines is Adobe Reader version 6 or above on Windows or Mac, and a broadband internet connection.

Gamers can download this issue of MMOZine for free now from http://www.gamerzines.com/