Gamersnewsbits.com

Square Enix, Inc., the publisher of SQUARE ENIX interactive entertainment products in North America revealed a new selection of FINAL FANTASY XIII items for PlayStation Home today.

Players can now personalize their avatar with Lightning, Snow, Sazh and Vanille costume sets, as well as add some flair to their personal space with various items, such as an airship figure and Lightning’s gunblade figure.

For more information on the items available, visit www.playstation.com. PlayStation Home is the 3D, online, social gaming service from PlayStation Network. It’s the place to meet friends, play games online, watch videos, attend exclusive events and chat with other fans. As long as the user has a PlayStation Network account and access to PlayStation Store, PlayStation Home can be downloaded for free.

Story

Cocoon — a utopia in the sky. Its inhabitants believed their world a paradise. Under the Sanctum’s rule, Cocoon had long known peace and prosperity.

Mankind was blessed by its protectors, the benevolent fal’Cie, and believed that tranquil days would continue forever. Their tranquility was shattered with the discovery of one hostile fal’Cie. The moment that fal’Cie from Pulse — the feared and detested lowerworld — awoke from its slumber, peace on Cocoon came to an end. Fal’Cie curse humans, turning them into magic-wielding servants. They become l’Cie — chosen of the fal’Cie. Those branded with the mark of a l’Cie carry the burden of either fulfilling their Focus or facing a fate harsher than death itself.

A prayer for redemption.

A wish to protect the world.

A promise to challenge destiny.

After thirteen days of fates intertwined, the battle begins.

Features

· Take Part in a Gaming Experience that Sets New Standards – The first in the series developed for a simultaneous release on multiple high-definition consoles, FINAL FANTASY XIII pushes new boundaries in cinematic presentation, sound and gameplay.

· Experience the Unity of Speed and Strategy with the Ultimate Active Time Battle system – The familiar system has evolved, granting players the freedom of executing numerous commands in a single turn with the multi-slot ATB gauge. Whether inputting singular commands in each slot for consecutive attacks, or expending multiple slots at once to activate a devastating blow, it’s up to the players to respond effectively to the battle conditions at hand.

· Adapt to the Ever-Changing Tide of Battle with Paradigms – A brand-new game mechanic enabling players to assign roles to their party members at any time during battle, shifting between combat paradigms. Consisting of various combinations of the game’s six roles, ranging from Commando, the offensive specialist, to Medic, the quintessential healer, paradigms allow players to respond and adapt instantly to any given situation to turn the tide and seize victory.

· Witness the Battle Scene Transform with an All-New Summon System – Introducing Gestalt Mode, a powerful dimension of the summon system that elevates the action to a whole new level. In Gestalt Mode, characters and their transformed Eidolons fight as one, dealing massive damage to enemies through simple button commands.

· Delve into an Emotional Experience – An immersive storyline connects players to an intriguing cast of characters. Will they have the strength to confront their cursed fates, or will destiny prevail over all that they believe in?

· A Brand-New Song for an International Audience – Multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter Leona Lewis has come on board with Square Enix to provide her new song, “My Hands,” for the North American and European versions

Activision has provided new goodies for you today in the form of never-before-seen screens from the DS version of Activision’s Wipeout: The Game. Wipeout: The Game is based on ABC’s hit TV reality show, Wipeout.

Sam & Max’s 3rd Season Debut Climbs the Charts on PlayStation 3, iPad and PC

Sam & Max: the Devil’s Playhouse, the new epic 5 game comedy saga from Telltale Games Inc. is dominating the sales charts on multiple digital channels. Launched earlier this month The Devil’s Playhouse and its premiere episode The Penal Zone currently ranks in the top 10 sales charts in the iPad App Store and Steam, and the game is among the top 20 most downloaded titles on the PlayStation Store.

“This is the strongest debut for the dog and bunny detective to date – and for Telltale,” said Telltale CEO, Dan Connors. “PC and PlayStation 3 audiences have responded extremely well to the game, and we’re happy to bring our brand of storytelling to the new iPad audience, a community that is hungry for quality game content. The game is also the top seller by far right now at the TelltaleGames.com store.”

The positive consumer demand has been equaled by the media’s critical acclaim:

UGO.com: “Latest Sam & Max is best yet … Telltale at the top of their game.”

PlayStationLifeStyle: “It is one of the best titles on PSN yet, greatly surpassing many of the titles which are available.”

Kotaku: “How could I not recommend Sam and Max?”

PCWorld.com/Macworld.com: “This is a deep, fun, and thoroughly enjoyable game…”

Leading media sites, including GamePro, Kotaku, Destructoid, and TIME Magazine’s tech blog Techland have all included The Penal Zone as one of the “Top Must-Have iPad Games.”

The second episode of Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse, called The Tomb of Sammun-Mak, releases next month.

For more information please visit http://www.samandmaxgames.com/thedevilsplayhouse

Cover Selection Marks First in Series of Initiatives Enabling

Madden NFL Fans to Shape Franchise

Electronic Arts Inc. announced today that New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees has been chosen by fans to be featured on the cover of Madden NFL 11, set to hit retail shelves on Tuesday, August 10. The Madden NFL 11 cover announcement is the result of a first-ever online consumer vote, powered by the Doritos “Change the Game” program, which empowered fans to select the highly-debated cover athlete. The partnership between EA SPORTS™ and the Doritos brand represents the first in a series of initiatives this year which allow fans to help shape the future of the franchise.

Doritos “Change the Game” allowed fans to submit their vote online, with Drew Brees winning over Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen and Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne.

“The Madden NFL franchise holds a special place in popular culture and the cover is a coveted position for players all over the league,” said New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees. “I’m honored to be the first cover athlete chosen by Madden NFL fans and it’s a great way to cap off an amazing year for the Saints and the city of New Orleans.”

From February 4 – March 15, fans logged on to www.doritoschangethegame.com to vote daily for one of the three nominees. Voters were also entered into a drawing for a chance to win a trip to the 2010 NFL Draft. During the voting period, former NFL all-stars and Madden NFL cover legends Eddie George, Marshall Faulk and Shaun Alexander were featured on limited-edition Nacho Cheese and Cool Ranch Doritos bags to inspire fans to vote for the next Madden NFL cover athlete.

“Drew’s exceptional performance during the regular season and in Super Bowl XLIV resonated with voters and helped cement his position as the fans’ choice to grace the cover of Madden NFL 11,” said Todd Sitrin, Group Vice President, EA SPORTS Global Marketing. “Giving fans the power to select this year’s Madden NFL cover underscores our commitment to connecting with our fans and giving them opportunities to influence the game.”

“Doritos is always looking for unprecedented opportunities to provide our fans access to the things they are most passionate about, and we are thrilled we were able to partner with EA SPORTS to give consumers complete control over this highly anticipated gaming moment,” said Rudy Wilson, vice president, marketing, Frito Lay.

Drew Brees was named Super Bowl XLIV MVP after leading the New Orleans Saints to their first ever Super Bowl title. Following a career threatening injury during his last season with the San Diego Chargers, Brees joined the New Orleans Saints in 2005, less than a year after Hurricane Katrina. Since then, Brees has helped rebuild the city and the football team, through his successes on the field and contributions to the community off the field.

Brees’s decorated NFL career has included four Pro Bowl selections, three All Pro selections, three NFC Offensive Player of the Year awards, the Associated Press 2008 NFL Offensive Player of the Year and the Pro Football Weekly 2004 Comeback Player of the Year. Off the field, Brees has been a champion as well through his charity – the Brees Dream Foundation – and his work in the New Orleans, San Diego and West Lafayette/Purdue, Ind. communities, which have provided over $4,500,000 to charitable causes and academic institutions.

Beyond the cover athlete selection, the franchise has also recently introduced two new initiatives that further enable fans to influence Madden NFL 11. From March 31 – April 26, fans have had the ability to vote on three match-ups through the Madden NFL website and determine which teams would be featured in the Madden NFL 11 game demo: a Super Bowl rematch, or a replay of one of the Conference Championship games. During the 2010 NFL Draft, fans will have the opportunity to influence rookie player ratings in Madden NFL 11 via online votes on the Madden NFL website.

Madden NFL 11 will redefine videogame football for both veteran and rookie players by providing a Simpler, Quicker and Deeper experience:

· Simpler: Call plays like an NFL coach with ease using an all-new play-calling system, GameFlow, which executes an authentic, situational game plan for you.

· Quicker: The new play-calling system will enable players to spend more time on the field and less in the playbook – completing games in half of the time.

· Deeper: Madden NFL 11 is feature-rich, with improved animations and control options, enhanced online functionality, and new broadcast and audio presentation that delivers the NFL experience fans have come to expect.

Madden NFL 11 will be available on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3 , Wii, and PSP (PlayStation Portable). Madden NFL 11 will also be available for download globally on mobile platforms including iPod touch and iPhone and feature phones.

Madden NFL 11 is developed in Orlando, Florida by the EA Tiburon studio, which also produces NCAA Football, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR, and EA SPORTS MMA.

For more information about Madden NFL 11 please visit maddenNFL.easports.com.

Consumers should also check in regularly at www.doritoschangethegame.com for details on what’s to come from Doritos and Madden NFL 11.

Lead and Gold: Gangs of the Wild West, the team based third person shooter, was released via Steam on April 8, 2010. In celebration of its launch, the development team at Fatshark developed two promotions to share with the Lead and Gold community, “Kill the Fatshark” and “The Fastest Gun on Steam.”

After a full week of competition, Paradox Interactive reported that roughly 1.5% of the community have managed to kill a “Fatshark” and unlocked this unique achievement. While the one week promotion has ended, players are encouraged to keep their eyes open for any future Fatshark sightings and claim their respected bragging rights.

“I’ve never had so much fun being killed,” said Martin Wahlund, CEO of Fatshark. “We are glad to see so many players participating.”

Steam player “Trenk” is wanted dead or alive. Currently the #1 player on the leaderboards, “Trenk” is the fastest gun on Steam. Each week, the highest scorer on Steam’s avatar is placed in a “Wanted” poster located on the wall in one of the maps. If Trenk maintains his/her #1 position, Fatshark will up his/her bounty.

“The Steam release has not only been a great success, but the promotions have added a whole new level of excitement. We are looking forward to the upcoming PlayStation release” said Mattias Lilja, Producer at Paradox Interactive.

For more information on the game, join the Lead & Gold Facebook fan page, visit www.leadandgold.com, www.fatshark.se/leadandgold/ or follow the game on Twitter @leadandgold

A New Legend Begins In The Online Action MMO Brawler With All-New Missions, Items, Dungeons And More

Ntreev USA, announced today it will launch an all-new update, Season 3, for its online action-adventure MMO brawler, Grand Chase. Season 3 will feature numerous updates including complete overhauls for Missions, Items and User Interface plus brand new Dungeons and Lands.

This new season will be released in two acts; Act 1 launching this month and Act 2 launching in May. Player can visit

http://grandchase.ntreev.net to download the game.

“Season 3 breathes new life into the game and we are elated to bring all of these completely new and exciting updates to Grand Chase,” said Chris Lee, CEO at Ntreev USA. The net result of all the new features and content is a more immersive gaming experience for all of our players.”

New Lands to Explore

Season 3 will launch with two new lands for Grand Chase players to explore. Alcubra, the land that was hidden beyond the Silver Land, will now be the next stop after Silver land. This new land is a large desert with a single fertile area of forests. Alcubra will look familiar to players already acquainted with Egyptian mythology but with a distinct Grand Chase twist. The all-new dungeons located in Alcubra are the Goblin Work Site, Underpass of Lost Hope, Kungji Village, and Sands of Illusion. These new dungeons will show off an incredible array of dungeon types ranging from barren deserts to the lush forests of Alcubra’s fertile region. For players at the top end, the new war-torn land of Archimedia will now be available. The Grand Chase knights know nothing of the land where Dwarves and Elves vie for control and are mistaken for Elven Spies and immediately attacked upon arrival! The new dungeon located in Archimedia is Hammer’s Reach, the outlying Dwarven base.

Item and Equipment Update

A wide range of changes have been implemented to make gear selection and upgrading easier for all players. The most exciting update to equipment and items is a stat normalization for all equipment. All items will have a set number of stat points that are based on item level which will give players the ability to adjust their equipment more carefully and compare different sets of items more accurately. Item grades will also be easy to identify using new colored item text.

In addition to stat normalization, all-new stats have been added to many pieces of equipment. Equipment will be able to grant players exciting new bonuses like life steal, HP/MP regeneration, and XP increases. These stats will allow for further customization of outfits and give players more choice when it comes to selecting equipment for different situations.

Players will also be able to customize their item stats in two new ways. All items will have a number of points allotted to them that can be reassigned by the players. This allows players to further tweak their equipment to their specific tastes. The other way players can customize their equipment is through the all new Monster Cards. These new Cards can be placed within sockets on the armor. Each Monster Card will be based on a monster from Grand Chase and give a specific bonus to the piece of equipment in which it is placed.

Use Interface Improvements

The user interface of Grand Chase has undergone a massive face lift making the world map more cohesive and giving players access to more information to help them get the best gameplay experience possible. Players will now be greeted with a large map showing all of the lands of Grand Chase. This revised world map gives the world of Grand Chase a feeling of grand vastness. Additionally, the all new and improved dungeon UI will now allow players to see their current progress through the dungeon along with items collected, experience gained and quest objectives. Thanks to this new UI, players will now be able to run dungeons more efficiently and maximize their experience.

All-new Missions and Reward System

Season 3 is Grand Chase’s most comprehensive update. The missions have received a complete overhaul and each mission players receive while leveling their characters has been updated. Missions will now feature more engaging stories and better defined objectives. These missions will send players back to dungeons and provide a cohesive, overarching story for players to follow while rewarding players who are interested in leveling up faster and collecting quest rewards.

All new missions will have a scaling reward system. Season 3 introduces a scaling XP reward system that will give bigger XP rewards to players that complete missions at lower levels. As players level higher, the XP reward will be scaled back to encourage players to do missions earlier. In addition to mission improvements, players will now be given visual cues in dungeons and on the world map to indicate the next dungeon they need to visit. Visual cues inside of dungeons will show players which monsters they need to kill in order to complete their missions.

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 throne, a villainess known as Kaze’aze. Grand Chase combines traditional side-scrolling dungeon crawling with intense, skill-based player vs. player (PvP) matches.

Visit http://grandchase.ntreev.net for more information.

Over 80 New Missions Now Available

First Planet Company, announced today 80 new missions were added to the Planet Calypso world in its 2010.2 release. These missions give current players a more story driven experience and allow new players to get used to the planet in a more structured way.

As players make their way through the missions they will find an array of challenges for every level. Many of the missions are hunting challenges arranged by the Calypso Firearms Association to raise awareness of different weapon issues (i.e. safety, control, etc.). These are spread out all over Eudoria and can take a long time to complete earning their victors a hefty skill reward. The biggest of the missions though are centered near the Cyclops volcano near Fort Troy, and in particular the activity of the robots. From a naïve scientist that wants to communicate with the robots on peaceful terms to the corporation Genesis Star that wants to exploit the robots, colonists must discover the secrets of Robots. Missions will vary from hunting missions to exploration and infiltration and puzzle solving. While colonists can still play the game any way they wish to, including not following the missions at all, the risks and rewards make for a fun and compelling new experience.

First Planet Company is the developer and publisher of Planet Calypso, the largest real economy Massively Multiplayer Online Game in the world. Players have the ability to participate in a unique virtual world with no monthly subscription costs. Instead, its innovative real money economy uses a virtual currency which has a fixed exchange rate with the US dollar. This allows players to deposit and withdraw real funds for their adventures on Calypso or in the real world. It is also the first MMORPG to use CryTek’s stunning CryENGINE 2 for amazing graphics and physics. Planet Calypso is the oldest planet in the Entropia Universe and is free to download at the games website, www.planetcalypso.com