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Tuesday, October 14th, 2008fresh from Capcom:
Archive for October 14th, 2008
Monster Hunter Freedom Unite comes to North America
Tuesday, October 14th, 2008TOKYO, Japan and SAN MATEO, Calif. — Oct. 9, 2008 Capcom®, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, today confirmed that Japanese multi-platinum selling Monster Hunter Portable 2G will be coming to North American gamers as Monster Hunter Freedom Unite. Since its release in Japan earlier this year, the game has sold over 2.4 million copies, making it one of the most successful games on the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system. To date the Monster Hunter series has sold over 7.8 million units worldwide. This phenomenon will be made available to North American gamers in the spring of 2009.
The epic Monster Hunter action/role-playing game series is the leading PSP system franchise in Japan, and has quickly become the fastest-selling third party portable game on the platform. Monster Hunters can prepare for incredible adventures with more than 2000 armor sets, 1500 weapons and 475 missions to choose from.
With 500 hours of gameplay and previously unreleased monsters, weapons and missions, Monster Hunter Freedom Unite is set to be the biggest game of the series so far. Players can experience the social gaming phenomenon that’s gripping Japan, by adventuring with up to three friends for thrilling multiplayer hunting parties. Throughout the strategic gameplay experience, players are rewarded for their combat maneuvers and tactics, encouraging players to seek out more experienced Monster Hunters and team up with in order to benefit from their experience.
New to Monster Hunter Freedom Unite is the fully customizable AI “felyne” companion who will accompany players on quests and gather extra resources and can be shared and traded with other players. Also new to Monster Hunter Freedom Unite is the improved “Media Install Option,” which gives players the ability to save portions of the game from UMD to Memory Stick, resulting in much faster load times as well as improved PSP system battery life. Fans of the series will be pleased to hear that they can transfer their character and data from Monster Hunter Freedom 2 over to the new game.
For more information on Monster Hunter Freedom Unite and other Capcom titles, check out Capcom’s official site at www.capcom.com
Nyxx and Noxx Return to Trickster Online Revolution
Tuesday, October 14th, 2008Give Your Friends a Scare with Exclusive In-Game PetsIRVINE, Calif. – Oct. 14, 2008
Ntreev USA, Inc. today announced the return of the Hallow Twins, Nyxx and Noxx, to Trickster Online Revolution, a massively multiplayer online role-playing game. Just in time for Halloween, these spooky in-game pets are available for a limited time to level 60 and level 150 Tricksters. The wildly popular, yet elusive twins were created specifically by Ntreev USA, and are equipped with their respective Nyxx and Noxx Boxxes containing weapons and items designed with a ghoulish theme. Nyxx and Noxx are only on sale until October 22nd, so complete your Halloween look now before they become ghostly memories!
For more details, please visit http://trickster.ntreev.net/.
About Trickster Online Revolution
Trickster Online Revolution is a free-to-play, full-featured MMORPG that appeals to casual and hard-core MMO gamers alike. It follows a group of adventurers trying to solve the mystery set forth by eccentric billionaire Don Cavalier and thus earn his immense fortune. The environment features bright, anime-styled 2D graphics and a vast, epic landscape. Players can completely choose how they want to play the game, from simply exploring the environment and interacting with friends to fighting monsters and other players in an attempt to reach an impressive level 400. The game also features unique and exciting mini-games which allow players to gain special items and experience without battling enemies. With no limit to the number of users, players can interact with people from all over the world while chasing the Cavalier fortune!
Ntreev USA Announces Come Back Event for Grand Chase
Tuesday, October 14th, 2008Warriors Will Receive In-Game Items for Returning to the Game
IRVINE, Calif. – Oct. 14, 2008
Ntreev USA, Inc. today invited lost warriors to rejoin the battle to defeat Kaze’aze during the Grand ChaseCome Back Event. Throughout the week of October 14th-28th, players who have not logged on to play Grand Chase since September 1st, 2008 can log in to receive weapons for each of the game’s characters. In addition, returning players who log for more than 180 minutes of playtime will receive potions, neon signs and a Returning Warrior Ticket. Players holding a Returning Warrior ticket will have a chance to receive free points and Gacha Coins.
Grand Chase is an online action brawler set in a medieval fantasy world. It follows the story of a few brave young knights who join a group of nobles known as the “Grand Chase” to defeat an evil usurper to the thrown, a villainess known as Kaze’aze. Grand Chase combines traditional side-scrolling dungeon crawling with intense, skill-based player vs. player (PvP) matches.
For more information, please visit the Grand Chase website: http://grandchase.ntreev.net/ .
NARUTO™: Path of the Ninja™ 2 for Nintendo DS™ Teams Up for Retail Stores
Tuesday, October 14th, 2008The Latest NARUTO Role-Playing Game Ships to Retail
LOS ANGELES – Oct. 14, 2008
TOMY Corporation and D3Publisher, publishers of interactive entertainment software, have announced that NARUTO: Path of the Ninja 2 for Nintendo DS™ has shipped to stores and will be in retail outlets across North America. Based on the hit animated series by VIZ Media, Path of the Ninja 2 has players leading a hand-picked squad of Hidden Leaf Village’s best fighters against a group of rogue ninja in the only NARUTO role-playing franchise available in the U.S.
“We put a lot of work into making Path of the Ninja 2 a worthy sequel to its predecessor,” said Mark Shinohara, executive vice president and chief operating officer at TOMY Corporation. “There are more characters, more attacks, and an improved battle system, so it should appeal to anyone who likes RPGs, not just NARUTO fans.”
With an expanded character roster of 30 ninja, all-new Squad Leader and Ninja Tag systems, and improved combat that uses the Touch Screen to unleash devastating melee and jutsu attacks, Path of the Ninja 2 offers more features than ever for new and seasoned fighters alike. Once they’ve conquered the storyline, the Wi-Fi multiplayer feature will even offer aspiring ninja the chance to take on challengers from around the world. NARUTO: Path of the Ninja 2 is scheduled to ship to retail stores on October 14th, and is rated “E10+” (everyone 10 and older).
For more information on NARUTO, please visit www.naruto.com. For more information on NARUTO: Path of the Ninja 2, please visit Naruto.Tomy-usa.com.
Corrected: Empire Interactive and PlayFirst Announce Worldwide Publishing Partnership
Tuesday, October 14th, 2008Empire Interactive Appointed As Worldwide Publisher for Handheld Adaptations of Award-Winning PlayFirst Titles
AUSTIN, Texas – Oct. 14, 2008
Empire Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of Silverstar Holdings (NASDAQ: SSTR), today announced a new development and publishing partnership with PlayFirst, Inc. The long-term agreement gives Empire Interactive exclusive, global rights as the developer and publisher for the console installments of several of PlayFirst’s well-known titles. Already in development are Diner Dash®: Flo on the Go™, Wedding Dash®,Dream Chronicles® and Chocolatier® for Nintendo DS™, all of which are expected to ship in 2009.
“The popularity of and strong fan-base for PlayFirst’s games in addition to Empire’s dedication to growing players’ game options made it an obvious match for the partnership,” said Karim Farghaly, vice president of sales, Empire Interactive Inc. “This agreement will enable us to present console players with a growing selection of fun, premium casual games.”
PlayFirst is known for creating quality, award winning games such as Diner Dash®: Hometown Hero™, named “Best Time Management Game of 2007” in the 2008 Zeebys Awards. Console versions of the Diner Dash series are already in development by Empire Interactive. PlayFirst also took home Zeeby awards for Chocolatier, voted “Best Strategy Game for 2007” and Dream Chronicles, named “Best Hidden Object & Adventure Game of 2007.”
“At PlayFirst, we pride ourselves on publishing top quality games and delivering them everywhere consumers want to play,” said Rich Roberts, vice president of sales and business development, PlayFirst. “Our partnership with Empire Interactive will allow us to reach DS owners looking for revitalized gaming options.”
For more information please visit www.us.empireinteractive.com.
Sam & Max Season One for Wii now shipping to retail in North America
Tuesday, October 14th, 2008Canine shamus and “rabbity-thing” sidekick will hit Europe in November
SAN RAFAEL, CA, October 14, 2008 — For the first time in twenty years of patrolling the sticky New York City streets in comic books, video games, and a Saturday morning cartoon, this week marks the first appearance of Sam & Max (also known as the Freelance Police) on a gaming console. Telltale and The Adventure Company are pleased to announce that the irreverent dog and rabbit crime-fighting team are descending into living rooms with the release of Sam & Max Season One for WiiTM, which is now shipping to retail stores across North America. Distribution in Europe will follow in November.
Sam & Max Season One is modeled after a television series. Each of the six game episodes on the disc has a self-contained storyline that feeds into an overarching season-wide arc, with comedic sensibilities akin to popular animated series such as The Family Guy and The Simpsons. The games play like interactive sit-coms, with the player collecting clues, interrogating a bizarre supporting cast of characters, and ultimately unraveling the overarching hypnosis conspiracy that spans the six episodes.
Sam & Max Season One has been critically acclaimed and has won numerous awards, including Adventure Game of the Year from IGN, GameSpy, and PC Gamer. The series is known for its rich engaging environments and cinematic camerawork, which have been enhanced by widescreen support which has been added to Sam & Max Season One for Wii. Enhancements to the game’s point and click interface and the in-game tutorial makes the Wii version easily accessible even to more casual audiences.
Sam & Max Season One for Wii is rated Teen by the ESRB and retails for $29.99 (US). The title can be found in major North American retail stores including GameStop, Fred Meyer, Hollywood Video, Hastings, and Micro Center, and online at Gamestop.com, Amazon.com, and Telltalegames.com. Additional details about European availability will be announced soon.
To learn more about Sam & Max Season One for Wii and view the trailer and screenshots, please visit the official website: http://www.samandmaxgame.com/wii
About Sam & Max
Sam is a six-foot dog in a baggy suit sporting a trombone-sized .44 hand-cannon. Max is a three foot “rabbity thing” with a saw blade grin and the impulsive nature of the average piranha. Together they patrol the sticky streets of a fantastical New York City, righting wrongs, pummeling perps, and ridding the urban landscape of the shifty legions of “self-propelled gutter trash” that litter their streets. Sam & Max have appeared in comics, video games, an animated TV series recently reissued on DVD, and an Eisner award-winning webcomic.
About Telltale, Inc.
Telltale is pioneering new forms of interactive entertainment, building upon strong foundations in both traditional and new media. Founded in 2004 by industry veterans with decades of experience, the company has quickly become the leading online episodic gaming publisher and developer, delivering award-winning interactive experiences that emphasize engaging stories, strong characters, and rich worlds. Telltale is establishing a regular, ongoing schedule of online episodic series, across all major gaming and entertainment platforms and channels.
Telltale’s games include Strong Bad’s Cool Game for Attractive People, the first episodic series for WiiWareTM based on the Homestarrunner.com web cartoons, and a new Wallace & Gromit game series. Telltale has also created games based on television’s popular CSI program, in partnership with Ubisoft, and on Jeff Smith’s epic Bone graphic novels.
About DreamCatcher Inc.
DreamCatcher Inc. is a leading worldwide publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment software. DreamCatcher Interactive is owned by JoWooD Productions, an Austrian based video game publisher traded on the Vienna stock exchange. Established in 1996, the company markets its products under two popular labels: DreamCatcher Games, featuring the critically-acclaimed, bestselling game Painkiller; and The Adventure Company, the number one brand for PC adventure game sales worldwide including award winning titles such as Syberia and Agatha Christie: And Then There Were None.
DreamCatcher products include titles for Windows® as well as leading hardware platforms — the Xbox 360TM, PlayStation® 3, Nintendo DSTM and WiiTM. DreamCatcher is located in Toronto, Canada. Visit www.dreamcatchergames.com for more information.
Europa Universalis III: Complete Ships to Retail
Tuesday, October 14th, 2008Grand Strategy Collection Conquers North America
NEW YORK – Oct. 14, 2008
To fulfill your quest for global domination, Paradox Interactive today shipped Europa Universalis III: Complete to retailers across North America. The collection contains the award-winning Europa Universalis III grand strategy game along with the Napoleon’s Ambition and In Nomine expansion packs.
The collection, available for the first time as a retail package, features customizable nation building, co-operative multiplayer capabilities, and highly detailed and interactive cities that are unique to each of the hundreds of cultures in the game. The game is set to take over European shelves on October 17th.
Europa Universalis III: Complete includes expansion pack content that extends the playable timeline to encompass historical periods ranging from the Byzantine Empire, The Hundred Years’ War, and the French Revolution, as well as advanced mission options and trading systems. New gameplay features like rebel uprisings, influential religious figures, and the ability to conquer Europe and overthrow the Holy Roman Empire add new layers of strategy to the game.
For more information, please visit www.europauniversalis3.com.
Gamescampus prepaid cards now available at Target stores
Tuesday, October 14th, 2008Players Can Now Buy “Campus Cash” In More Than 1,600 Target Locations
San Jose, Calif.–October 14, 2008–San Jose-based online game publisher, GamesCampus (www.gamescampus.com, run by OnNet USA), announced today a partnership with GMG Entertainment that brings GamesCampus’ Prepaid Cards to Target stores across the nation. Available in denominations of $10 and $25, the Campus Cash Prepaid Cards are currently available at more than 1,600 Target locations.
“These Prepaid Cards are a welcome addition to our payment options and offer our young, under-banked segment of players a good way to enhance their gaming experience through the purchase of in-game virtual items.
We know there’s a huge pent-up demand for a cash-based prepaid payment option amongst these players, and we are happy to be able to finally give them what they’ve been asking for!” said Jay Winship, Vice President of Business Development at GamesCampus.
“Partnering with one of the largest retailers in the country assures our players that they can easily obtain their Campus Cash and all the benefits that come with it,” said David Chang, Executive Vice President of Marketing and Business Development at GamesCampus.
GamesCampus’ Campus Cash is a virtual currency used throughout all the company’s Free-To-Play games on the GamesCampus game portal (www.gamescampus.com). GamesCampus games include: Asda Story, Shot Online, Manga Fighter, Xiah Rebirth and more. To enhance the user gameplay experience in these games, players can purchase premium in-game items via micro-transactions. Because credit cards, cash and checks are not always a convenient solution for these micro-transactions, GamesCampus has introduced the GamesCampus Prepaid Game Cards.
In celebration of the launch of Campus Cash cards at Target from now through October 31, GamesCampus is offering bonus Campus Cash for every redeemed $10 and $25 GamesCampus Prepaid Card. Players who redeem the $10 card will receive an extra $2 and those who redeem the $25 card will receive an extra $5 in Campus cash. Players can also expect to see exciting events and promotions around the GamesCampus Prepaid Game Card that will reward the portal’s most loyal players. For more information about GamesCampus and its products visit www.gamescampus.com.
Gears of War 2 fans worldwide preparing for the countdown to launch
Tuesday, October 14th, 2008Sequel surpasses original game’s pre-sales
“Gears of War 2,” the blockbuster sequel to the fastest-selling game of 2006, recently surpassed the total pre-sale orders of the original “Gears of War” and is poised to become the must-have video game this holiday season. With “Gears of War 2” now just 24 days away, there is plenty to look forward to when the game launches on November 7th.
Fans should mark their calendars to participate in the following upcoming launch activities:
Fans should mark their calendars to participate in the following upcoming launch activities:
- Midnight Mayhem Events
Over 20,000 retail stores worldwide will have “Gears of War 2” on sale at 12:01 a.m. on November 7th as part of the Midnight Mayhem launch program. Everyone who purchases a copy of “Gears of War 2” at participating retailers during Midnight Mayhem will receive an Xbox LIVE token for an exclusive in-game gold-plated Hammerburst Assault Rifle for use in multiplayer gameplay. - Xbox LIVE Weekend, Nov. 7-10
Xbox LIVE has lined-up special programming for fans, including a “Game with Fame” where Xbox LIVE members can take on the “Gears of War 2” development team at Epic Games and win prizes. Visit www.GearsofWar.com in the coming weeks for details on how to participate.
Additionally, Microsoft and Epic Games are offering exclusive Xbox LIVE content as a special gift to fans, including:
- Flashback Map Pack and Xbox LIVE Gold Trial Membership
Everyone who purchases a copy of “Gears of War 2” will receive an Xbox LIVE token to download the Flashback Map Pack for FREE. The Flashback Map Pack will be available immediately at launch, and consists of five popular maps from the original “Gears of War,” including: Canals, Gridlock, Mansion, Subway and Tyro Station. Each map has been specially updated with new graphics for “Gears of War 2.” In addition, every copy of “Gears of War 2” will include a code for a 48-hour Xbox LIVE Gold membership.
- Gold-Plated Lancer Rifle
For gamers looking to distinguish themselves online in multiplayer matches, an Xbox LIVE token to unlock an in-game gold-plated version of the iconic Lancer Assault Rifle will be included in the Limited Edition of “Gears of War 2.”
- Get Started with Gamerscore
The game’s developers will provide helpful gameplay hints and insights in a series of exclusive video interviews with the Gamerscore team available to Xbox LIVE GOLD members on November 7th.
“Gears of War 2” blends a best-in-class third-person shooter with unsurpassed high-definition visuals, all layered on top of an engaging story of survival, loss and retribution. “Gears of War 2” is rated “M” for Mature by the ESRB and will be available exclusively on Xbox 360 with an M.S.R.P of $59.99 for the Standard Edition and $69.99 for the Limited Edition on November 7th worldwide.
For more information about the events and promotions happening in your area, and for the latest updates on “Gears of War 2” visit www.GearsOfWar.com.