Archive for October 21st, 2008

NDoors lands Taiwanese publishing deal for Atlantica Online

Tuesday, October 21st, 2008

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – Oct. 21, 2008 – Atlantica Online developer NDOORS has signed a publishing deal with Taiwan’s leading publisher, Gamania.

With its strategic, turn-based gameplay and real-world backdrop, Atlantica has become one of the top MMORPGs in Korea. The title is enjoyed by more than one million gamers there.

Gamania CEO Albert Ryu is confident that Atlantica will have the same effect on those in Taiwan.

“Gamers will feel a rush of excitement playing Atlantica with its breathtaking turn-based battles,” said Ryu. “There’s something familiar about the action that triggers something in the brain, but also presents strategic battles in a new and fresh way.”

“We are excited to bring Atlantica to Taiwan through Gamania,” said Cho Seong Won, CEO, NDOORS Corp. “With its years of service know-how and experience, and a track record of numerous successes. We look forward to working closely with Gamania to do the same with Atlantica.”

Titles Gamania has successfully brought to Taiwan include Lineage, Maple Story and Kart Rider.

Atlantica is the latest in a line of successful titles from producer Kim Tae Gon. He is responsible for hits like Seven Years War, Merchant Prince and Time N Tales. Atlantica launched last January in Korea, and signed a publishing deal with leading Chinese publisher, The9 in April. That was followed by its July launch in North America through NDOORS Interactive Inc. and in Japan through Nexon Japan. Now with Gamania, Atlantica will be leaving its mark in four of the major gaming markets.

PENNY ARCADE GAME LAUNCH AND PRICING CONFIRMED FOR PLAYSTATION®3 SYSTEM

Tuesday, October 21st, 2008
“Episode One” To Slide onto PLAYSTATION®Network October 23

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Oct. 21, 2008 - Anxious fans and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system owners, the wait is almost over! Hothead today announced that its well-received Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode One will arrive on the PLAYSTATION®Network for download on October 23 in North America (other regions to follow shortly thereafter).

The PLAYSTATION Network version of Episode One features newly-implemented PLAYSTATION 3 system features such as trophies, score ranking and background music (BGM) support and will sell at $14.99 USD, representing a greater value to gamers than ever before. In celebration of this long-awaited moment, the Windows®, Mac® and Linux® versions of Episode One currently available on the Greenhouse digital distribution service (www.playgreenhouse.com) will be immediately and permanently reduced to sell at a comparable price.

“We’re so excited to finally be able to get this version into gamers’ hands,” said Vlad Ceraldi, “that we wanted to extend the same value and opportunity to anyone else who hasn’t had a chance yet to play Episode One. Other platforms and digital distribution services can make their own decision regarding pricing, of course, but we’re recommending under $15 for this and all episodes going forward. Episode Two will be coming to PLAYSTATION Network before Christmas and we are really happy how it turned out.”

Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode One has been rated “M” for Mature by the Electronic Software Ratings Board for all platforms.

“PlayStation”, “PLAYSTATION” and “PS” Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The PLAYSTATION Network Logo is a service mark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

About Hothead Games: Hothead Games is an independent game developer and publisher based in Vancouver, Canada. The company is committed to creating top quality games for the experienced gamer. Hothead is best known for its RPG-adventure game series, On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, based on the widely popular Penny Arcade online comic strip. Hothead self-publishes its titles with a focus on offering accessible game play and episodic content through digital distribution. Visitwww.hotheadgames.com for more information.

The Independent Game Magazine has Launched!

Tuesday, October 21st, 2008
The Indie Game Magazine is a magazine focused solely on the indie game community and features indie game reviews, previews, and other indie related news.

October 22, 2008 – Indie Game Magazine is an independently owned, developer-centric, video game magazine. It focuses exclusively on Indie Games and our first issue is available today! In our first issue, we review World of Goo, Kudos 2, Braid, Castle Crashers, Professor Fizzwizzle and more. If you live in the US, you can purchase a physical copy of the magazine that will be mailed to you for only $7.00 (that includes shipping!). If you live outside of the US, you can order a digital copy to be emailed to you from our website.

To Preview our first issue of the magazine visit:
http://magcloud.com/browse/Magazine/4423

Indie Game Magazine’s Website:
http://www.indiegamemag.com

HaptX Team and Novint Release Mod For Crysis

Tuesday, October 21st, 2008
HaptX Team and Novint Release Mod For Crysis

Stockholm, Sweden October 21, 2008

The HaptX Team and Novint are pleased to announce the new Mod for Crysis, which makes Crysis compatible with the multi-awarded Falcon game controller. The Falcon game controller allows the player to feel complex recoils, explosions, weight of objects, enemy fire, and much more, making the Mod for Crysis one of the most exciting games for the Falcon this fall.

With the release of the Crysis Mod, the HaptX Team introduces new action packed Falcon gameplay. Besides feeling weapon recoils and explosions, the gamer can feel acceleration and centrifugal forces when driving vehicles, making the game come to life in a radically new and more exciting way. The HaptX Team has also focused on making the game environment in Crysis become more alive through resistance when swimming in water or feeling the impact when hitting the ground after a high jump.

The gamer’s best friend in Crysis is the Nano Suit which protects the gamer. When playing the HaptX Mod, the different Nano Suit modes will affect the strength and intensity of the forces generated by the Falcon. When in Maximum Strength mode, the Falcon will adjust the strength of the forces accordingly, making you feel stronger when lifting objects, less recoils from your weapons and even less impact from enemy fire.

The Crysis HaptX Mod will be released on October 24, 2008.

ABANDON INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT DETAILS BATTLING MODE IN FREAKY CREATURES

Tuesday, October 21st, 2008

New Screenshots Reveal Creature Battles in Upcoming MMO Game

MALIBU, Calif. – October 20, 2008 - Abandon Interactive Entertainment today released new screenshots demonstrating the turn-based battle mode in its upcoming online creature building and battling game, Freaky Creatures. Hitting shelves in early 2009, Freaky Creatures combines the best of collectible action figures, trading card games, MMOs and virtual worlds.

The screenshots show an array of creatures using various parts and powers while in battle mode. As players create their creatures, they can choose from a multitude of powers, defenses and weapons that work in conjunction with each other to increase their chances of winning battles.

Upon winning battles, players receive a random part from their opponent, which can be used in future battles and help them gain experience. Winning players also receive Creature Credits, which can be used to buy more parts, powers and objects for the creature’s lair. Players also gain more health and can upgrade their creature’s base stats, potentially fixing weaknesses or emphasizing strengths in battle.

Freaky Creatures is an upcoming MMO game on a reusable USB flash drive that comes bundled with two collectable action figures. Players take their action figures online and build their own ultimate, customizable creature and battle against friends. Players can socialize and interact with the Freaky Creatures universe by building their own teams, posting leader boards and stats and playing mini-games. Starter packs will be available in early 2009 for $19.99.

Thumbslap.com – a new website to enrich your online gaming experience

Tuesday, October 21st, 2008
Thumbslap.com is a free video game portal dedicated to providing a quick and easy way to find players of games such as Halo 3 on Xbox 360TM and arrange gaming events online.


LONDON. – 20 October, 2008
 – Supporting all platforms, including Xbox 360™, PLAYSTATION®3, Nintendo Wii™ and PC.

With interest in online video gaming growing, both casual players and hardened veteran are searching online for quick and easy ways to organise games.

“I was frustrated with all the phone calls, texts and emails needed to arrange a game of Halo 3 with friends,” says Chris Mahon, avid online gamer and developer of Thumbslap.com, “I thought it would be great to have a way to get your friends together for a game; Thumbslap makes it really easy to do this.”

Whether it is Mario Kart on the Nintendo Wii™ or Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare on the Xbox 360 ™, at Thumbslap.com, gamers can find co-op team-mates or multiplayer opponents. They simply choose when to play and invite gamers who own the game.

With hundreds of gamers already using the site you can be assured to be in good company. You can find others who enjoy playing the same games as you, discuss tactics, and arrange that inevitable rematch with the guy who got you last time with that “lucky shot” in Grand Theft Auto IV.

“I use it to arrange games of Warhawk on the PLAYSTATION®3 with friends,” says Pratik, a Thumbslap.com user, “You just say when you want to play and invite others to join in. It’s as simple as that.”
Meeting other gamers has never been easier.

Hands-on Mobile, Inc. unveils beta of the hands-on mobile developer Networkt

Tuesday, October 21st, 2008

Hands-On Mobile Also Announces Application Discovery Portal, mixtT, Coming to Handset Decks

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – October 21, 2008-Hands-On Mobile, Inc., the world’s leading developer of connected games and applications, today announced the availability of the beta version for its Hands-On Mobile Developer NetworkT (HDN). The new developer network will provide a one-step mobilization solution for developers to build, distribute, and monetize rich mobile applications across most major mobile device platforms and operating systems. Starting today, developers can register at http://developer.handson.com.

“Our HDN platform will change the rapidly evolving yet fragmented mobile landscape by enabling a whole new generation to build and monetize rich applications across leading carriers and handsets in order to reach vast audiences,” said David White, CEO of Hands-On Mobile. “We are providing developers and content owners the same tools we use to develop some of the most advanced applications on the market today. Through an open publishing system similar to the Web, we are solving the content discoverability problems that typically limit developers’ abilities to reach their audiences.”

While it requires only simple server-side XML development to create rich mobile applications, HDN is both powerful and flexible enough to serve the needs of both large media companies and individual developers seeking to quickly develop, publish and deploy next generation mobile applications across multiple carriers and handsets. Since applications developed on HDN work on hundreds of handsets ranging from low-end feature phones to high-end smartphones, HDN creates extensive mobile revenue streams for developers and media companies alike.

Built upon years of experience in producing high-end connected games and applications, Hands-On Mobile employed HDN technology to develop popular applications for partners including, NASCAR Sprint Cup MobileT and NFL Mobile LiveT. HDN makes creating rich mobile experiences as simple as developing and deploying Web applications, and further supports the consumer experience by allowing developers to constantly update applications after launch.

Hands-On Mobile will also release mixtT in the coming weeks – a new intuitive application discovery and on-deck distribution channel for HDN developers. Through mixt, mobile users are able to organize and aggregate their favorite mobile services and social networking applications, as well as discover a vibrant marketplace of exciting new content from developers.

“The mixt distribution channel helps HDN developers reach a mobile audience that is constantly searching for new and exciting content,” said Michael Temkin, CTO and EVP of operations, Hands-On Mobile. “In addition to offering consumers an opportunity to discover and organize new applications, we are providing distribution for developers. This is often the biggest challenge to overcome in the development process.”

New content from HDN will be published into the mixt directory, giving consumers the ability to personalize their experiences with the most up-to-date applications from the mobile world. Developers have the ability to reach a vast mobile audience and promote their content virally through widgets, SMS messages and the mixt Web site. Popular applications currently featured on mixt include: mixtLocalT powered by Yelp®, Associated Press®, and Weather Underground®.

Meridian4 and exosyphen Have All of Their Ones and Zeros Lined Up

Tuesday, October 21st, 2008
Montreal, Quebec, Canada – October 21, 2008 – Meridian4 (http://www.meridian4.com) is thrilled to announce that they have signed an agreement with exosyphen to help digitally distribute their Hacker series of titles through numerous online sites across the net.

“We are excited to have the opportunity of working with Meridian4 in making our games reach a larger audience and be able to offer them through high quality distribution channels and partners” says Robert Muresan, Technical Director at exosyphen studios

“We have been talking with exosyphen for quite some time about the Hacker series. We were and are very impressed by the games and when the opportunity to help them with online distribution came up, we jumped at the chance.” said Andy Sher, CEO at Meridian4, “We are excited to bring these unique titles to a much larger audience.”

The first title; Hacker Evolution will start to appear online in the coming weeks. For more information visit www.meridian4.com/games/

BBC licenses Greentube´s Mountainbike Challenge 08

Tuesday, October 21st, 2008
CBBC joining Greentube´s media-partner network of high quality free download games

BBC, one of the world´s leading TV-broadcasters and well-known in the industry for its proven interactive competence, has signed a license-deal with Vienna-based Greentube AG, to adapt one of its high quality free download games for the UK public service audience.

Based on an existing games engine that delivers multi player down hill racing which is financed through in-game advertising, the BBC Children’s department has adapted this to support their olympic programming and promote their own shows in the dynamic banners.

The “Mountainbike Challenge 08″ presented as the flagship-game of the “Sports Village” section has attracted numerous CBBC visitors since the launch in early August 2008.

The game-season will commence until the end of October 2008.

Eberhard Dürrschmid, CEO of Greentube: “We are very proud of the BBC joining our network of global partners for our high quality games. This is another proof of concept for us and honours the work we are doing and the constant improvement of concepts and games we are living for. We have been developing into a major player for casual online- and download multiplayer games within the past 5 years.”

Greentube´s series of free download sports games is attracting more than 7 million global players and is still on its way to expansion, as new games will be added to the existing portfolio within the next 12 months and a series of new media-partners is going to license the new season of “Ski Challenge”, starting in December 2008.

Rhiannon: Curse of the Four Branches Declared ‘Gold’ for European Territories Plus Screenshots Released

Tuesday, October 21st, 2008
Haarlem, The Netherlands – October 21, 2008 –Today leading video game publisher Lighthouse Interactive and developer Arberth Studios, proudly announced that the European version of Rhiannon: Curse of the Four Branches (PC) has achieved gold master status. This mythological Adventure game is based on the gripping tales of the Mabinogion, a collection of eleven prose stories from medieval Welsh manuscripts. Rhiannon is deep rooted in Celtic mythology and follows the present day haunting of a lonely teenage girl named Rhiannon, as she unwillingly enters a world filled with supernatural phenomena, magic, and legend. Six screenshots accompany this press release. Download them at:www.lighthouse-interactive.com

Lighthouse Interactive is part of SilverBirch Inc.’s (SVB:TSXV) video game division.

GAME SUMMARY

Rhiannon: Curse of the Four Branches is set on the Celtic fringes of Britain; a place where myth and magic spill into reality, threatening the sanity of a teenage girl named Rhiannon Sullivan. An ancient battle for revenge engulfs Ty Pryderi, the remote Welsh farmstead Rhiannon now calls home. She begins to hear unexplained noises, see disturbing visions, and experience other chilling paranormal phenomena. There is an ancient evil lurking in the walls of Ty Pryderi that holds a terrible connection to a timeless struggle between man and magic fabled in the Mabinogion Legends. Her parents take Rhiannon away, leaving Ty Pryderi to your watch and exploration, but their absence can only postpone the inevitability of revenge and death. Unless you can stop it!

FEATURES

• Set in present day, the plot draws from ancient Welsh myths and legends
• Explore the haunted Welsh farmstead, from the imposing house, to its extensive grounds and buildings
• First-person, point-and-click with approximately 20 to 30 hours of largely non-linear gameplay
• Involved, multi-threaded plot
• Features classic themes such as: magic, paranormal phenomena and technology
• Interact with a comprehensive inventory of nearly 200 items
• 1024×768 full-screen graphics
• Engaging and unusual challenges, mostly plot and inventory-driven
• A haunting musical score will send chills up your spine
• Solid chapter structure to the compelling and ultimately uplifting story


For more information on Rhiannon: Curse of the Four Branches, visit the official website atwww.arberthstudios.com and www.lighthouse-interactive.com to keep up with the latest breaking news.