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Public Votes and Puts Record-Setting Gaming Franchises Halo, Call of Duty and The Legend of Zelda at the Top of the List

Guinness World Records, the global authority on record-breaking achievements, today announced the all-time Top 50 Videogame Series as voted on by the readers. After receiving more than 13,000 votes, it was Halo, Call of Duty and The Legend of Zelda that were left standing at the top of the chart. The list currently featured in the Guinness World Records 2010 Gamer’s Edition notes the best all-around series including all titles and spin-offs, serving as a snapshot of the biggest names in gaming today.

Landing in first place is Microsoft’s flagship franchise Halo – the “Best-Selling First-Person Shooter (FPS) Franchise Ever”. According to the Gamer’s Edition, “Featuring an iconic character, excellent level design, perfect controls and unparalleled multiplayer options, the series sets the bar at near-unattainable heights.”

Call of Duty and The Legend of Zelda claimed the second and third spots, respectively. Call of Duty – the most successful entertainment launch of all-time – boasts beautifully balanced gameplay with jaw-dropping set pieces and extensive multiplayer options. The Legend of Zelda is credited for providing players of all skill levels addictive and immersive gameplay, while also featuring one of gaming’s most recognizable heroes – Link.

“We decided to take a different approach with this list than we did in the previous edition,” said Guinness World Records Gaming Editor Gaz Deaves. “Instead of asking developers, industry insiders and journalists to rank their favorite titles, we approached a different kind of expert: the players themselves! We are confident that this ‘top 50′ more accurately reflects the tastes of the average gamer and not just the critics.”

The subsequent spots, in ranking order, are Guitar Hero (#4), Metal Gear (#5), Super Mario Bros. (#6), World of Warcraft (#7), Gears of War (#8), Super Smash Bros. (#9), Grand Theft Auto (#10), Pokémon (# 11), Resident Evil (#12). Fallout (#13), Half-Life (#14), Sonic the Hedgehog (#15), Counter-Strike (#16), Runescape (#17), FIFA (#18), Kingdom Hearts (#19), Final Fantasy (#20), Pac-Man (#21), Madden NFL (#22), The Sims (#23), Tomb Raider (#24), WWE Smackdown Vs. RAW (#25), Rock Band (#26), LIttleBigPlanet (#27), Saints Row (#28), The Elder Scrolls (#29), (#30), God of WarGoldenEye 007 (#31), Bioshock (#32), KillZone (#33), Skate (#34), Left 4 Dead (#35), Need for Speed (#36), Chrono Trigger (#37), Gran Turismo (#38), StarCraft (#39), Ratchet & Clank (#40), Pong (#41), Tom Clancy’s (# 42), Star Wars: Battlefront (#43), Battlefield (#44), Diablo (#45), Lego Batman (#46), Mario Kart (#47), Burnout (#48), Crash Bandicoot (#49) and Pro Evolution Soccer (#50).

To determine this list, the Guinness World Records Gamer’s Edition website hosted a poll between January and August 2009.

The Guinness World Records 2010 Gamer’s Edition book is the go-to tome for all things video games, from records to trivia to interviews with industry bigwigs and more. The book is available now for $14.95. For more information, please visit the website at http://gamers.guinnessworldrecords.com/.

Steam exclusive digital deluxe edition and pre-order bonus item announced.

2K Games and Valve today announced an agreement to power all PC versions of the highly anticipated Sid Meier’s Civilization V with many of Steamworks’ features and offer a special Digital Deluxe Edition via Steam. In addition, customers who pre-order the regular or Digital Deluxe editions of Sid Meier’s Civilization V on Steam will be rewarded with a free map pack when the game launches in fall 2010.

Sid Meier’s Civilization V players will enjoy the benefits of the Steamworks’ features included in all PC versions such as auto-updating, Steam Achievements, downloadable content, multiplayer matchmaking and more.

Sid Meier’s Civilization V Digital Deluxe Edition will expand players’ conquests with the new Babylonian civilization and their ruler, Nebuchadnezzar II (c. 630 – c. 561 B.C.). As King of Babylon, gamers will be able to expand their empire with advanced Babylonian Bowmen to rightfully earn the title of Nebuchadnezzar the Great. Sid Meier’s Civilization V Digital Deluxe Edition will also include an in-depth “Behind the Scenes at Firaxis with Civilization V” video feature, as well as the game’s epic soundtrack.

Gamers who pre-order any version of Sid Meier’s Civilization V from Steam will receive the downloadable bonus content, Cradle of Civilization Map Pack: Mesopotamia, for free when the game is available. The map pack will let players experience the traditional Western and Middle Eastern “Cradle of Civilization.” The pack will include the Fertile Crescent with the Nile River valley to the west and extending east down the Tigris and Euphrates river valleys to the Persian Gulf. Leaders will be able to explore new terrain, cultures and conquests.

For those who can’t wait for the immersive experience of Sid Meier’s Civilization V, 2K Games is proud to offer a Steam-wide sale on all previous Civilization titles for a limited time beginning today.

Sid Meier’s Civilization V is not yet rated by the ESRB. For more information on Sid Meier’s Civilization V, please visit www.civilization5.com.

ZEN Studios’ upcoming arcade golfing multiplayer game Planet MiniGolf continues to show off the rich game features and detailed customization options that will leave you anxiously awaiting launch! This all-new features trailer shows off the unique and different environments and how to navigate your way through Planet MiniGolf.

Planet MiniGolf’s features trailer takes players through each different Planet MiniGolf environment and course. Locations are varied, such as the abandoned pirate ship of Buccaneer’s Hideout, or the frosty and chilly Polar Station course, where your golf ball will be affected by the slippery ice and frigid weather. The Ancient Valley environment will put players in the precarious position of trying to get a hole in one off of the ancient Mayan ruins and pyramids, and in the SoHo England area, gamers will be surrounded by upbeat techno music and try to avoid bogeys in the middle of the city. This trailer also shows off the scoreboard system, the flags which players can choose the country of their choice to represent, the multiplayer modes and replay options, where you can replay your shot and upload it to YouTube.

Atomic Games, a developer of simulations for US military and intelligence agencies and a pioneer in military action games, launches the official Breach website today at: www.breachgame.com

Background information

Breach is a first-person multiplayer shooter that literally blows the floor out from under conventional military shooters. Breach introduces new kinds of destruction that haven’t been seen in any other game, unveils an Active Cover System which allows players to take advantage of any cover as it is ripped apart, and adds in unique, true-to-life spy gadgets which all changes the very nature of multiplayer combat.

Breach uses Atomic’s innovative Hydrogen™ Engine to give players inventive ways to use destruction so they can stun, manipulate, and eliminate their opponents with a new toolbox of tactics. For the first time, virtual warriors can punch holes through floors to get the drop on enemies below, breach both interior and exterior walls, crush enemy fighters by collapsing ceilings and balconies, and even shoot away individual bricks to create “shooter’s holes.” Breach is the first game to mix Atomic’s ground-breaking Active Cover System, which lets players attach instantly to cover, quickly pop in and out of cover, and peak and blind-fire from behind cover, with an environment in which virtually anything that can be used for cover can also be destroyed. As walls get eaten away from bullets and explosions, characters will be able to use the new openings to return fire without leaving the protection of remaining cover.

Breach will be downloaded through the Xbox LIVE® Arcade for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. On this platform, Breach offers the kinds of innovation and features expected in a full packaged game. Breach will be available this Summer and it does not yet have a rating by the ESRB.

Tales of Pirates II: Closed Beta Officially Opens Tonight

Tonight IGG will launch the Tales of Pirates II closed beta. While the 3D adventure MMORPG is technically entering the closed beta testing phase, anyone is free visit the game’s official site and sign up to participate. All characters created during the closed beta will be preserved so players can keep using them once the game has been officially released.

To kick off the closed beta test, IGG will host a series of events in which players can win fabulous prizes. Event details can be found at

http://forum.top.igg.com/viewthread.php?tid=147295&page=1&extra=page%3D1 .

The closed beta version of Tales of Pirates II features a ton of new content, including the Arena, the unique Rear Fairy pets, high-level Mazes and other great features. Being a pirate has never been so much fun!

During the closed beta, players will have opportunities to play alongside members of the ToP II team and offer feedback. The developers are looking forward to using players’ suggestions and bug reports to help them improve the game.

About Tales of Pirates II

Tales of Pirates II is a new adventure game set in the age of the Vikings. It’s a time of great discoveries and also great brutality. Roam the vast oceans of northern Europe and engage in intense battles, using technological superiority and magical powers to determine who will claim mastery over the seas. Visit http://top2.igg.com to see screenshots, learn about game features, and get in on the forum discussions about this exciting new game.

First look and pre-order for inaugural Puzzle Agent pilot now online at http://www.puzzleagent.com

Telltale Games, the leading independent digital publisher and developer of episodic interactive entertainment, announced today the creation of their new Pilot Program. With this program, Telltale can bring creative and innovative ideas to market more quickly through game “pilots,” similar to the entertainment industry’s television pilots. Through this program Telltale’s internal studios will explore new video game concepts, content and play patterns to complement the publisher’s current episodic projects. Successful pilots will be considered for migration to the company’s highly successful episodic gaming model.

“The Pilot Program is an excellent way to expand the boundaries of interactive entertainment and gaming by bringing audiences unique and interesting content they might not see otherwise,” said Telltale CEO, Dan Connors. “Our internal teams are filled with incredibly talented and creative people, and the Pilot Program will foster the exploration of ideas that will help us evolve Telltale’s product offerings.”

The first title in Telltale’s Pilot Program is Puzzle Agent. The title combines accessible Professor Layton-inspired puzzling with generous doses of Nordic folklore, enigmatic gnomes, and dark David Lynch and Coen brothers sensibilities. Puzzle Agent releases in June on PC, Apple Macintosh, iPhone/iPod touch, iPad and Nintendo Wii.

Telltale is creating Puzzle Agent in partnership with Graham Annable, the company’s first art director at the time of its founding. Players take on the role of Nelson Tethers, the lead (and only) agent in the US Department of Puzzle Investigation, sent on a rare field assignment to Scoggins, Minnesota to investigate why output at the town’s eraser factory has come to a screeching halt. The title combines brainteasers that include mazes, puzzles, logic and riddles, intertwined with an engrossing, twisted mystery story – all presented with Graham’s unique narrative and visual sensibilities and the distinctive Telltale style.

“It’s been great re-uniting with Telltale,” comments Annable. “It’s amazing to see how they’ve faithfully captured my art style and mood in the game. Working with the team to bring Nelson Tethers and Puzzle Agent to life has been amazing. Combining the original story and characters with one of my favorite gameplay styles is like a dream come true.”

Puzzle Agent pre-orders for PC and Mac are now available at http://www.puzzleagent.com for $9.95. All who pre-order will receive a coupon for 50% off any products in the Telltale Games store, including merchandise like Graham Annable’s new Book of Grickle from Dark Horse Comics, the full season of Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse, and more. Full pre-order details are available on the Puzzle Agent website. Purchase options for additional platforms will be available in the near future.

DLC pack coming soon

For the first time ever, fight as the darkspawn in BioWare’s Dragon Age: Origins. In the new downloadable content pack, Dragon Age: Origins Darkspawn Chronicles, players have the chance to experience life on the dark side, playing as the corrupted army of the Blight, are enslaved to the will of the Archdemon. In North America, Darkspawn Chronicles will be available for the Xbox 360 videogame system for 400 Microsoft points and PC for 400 BioWare points on May 18th, and on PlayStation Network for $4.99, with its launch date to be announced later.

The Darkspawn Chronicles offers players a look at an alternate history in the Dragon Age universe. Darkspawn Chronicles begins as your character dies during the Joining ceremony, and the Grey Wardens now march under Alistair’s command. As a hurlock vanguard, you alone hold the power to make thralls of their fellow darkspawn and drive them into the heat of battle as Denerim burns! This adventure gives you command of genlocks, hurlocks, shrieks, and even the mighty ogres.

Key features include:

o Imagine a world without heroes, where the greatest among you never became a Grey Warden

o Play through the Fall of Denerim from the perspective of the darkspawn

o Complete the module and unlock an epic darkspawn item for use in Dragon Age: Origins and Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening

o Use the “Enthrall” ability – recruit any darkspawn you encounter into your party

Dragon Age Origins won over 30 “Best of 2009” awards, was named “RPG of the Year” by Game Informer, G4 and SpikeTV and was hailed by The New York Times as “…perhaps the best electronic game made yet.”

EA announces ‘Medal of Honor’returns to battle on October 12, 2010

Electronic Arts Inc. today announced that the legendary first-person shooter Medal of Honor is ready for another tour of duty. The highly-anticipated modern shooter will launch on October 12, 2010 in North America (Oct. 15 in EU). The ship date will be announced at 6am PST/9am EST today via an emotionally charged trailer entitled “Leave A Message”. The trailer shows a U.S. Army Ranger platoon heading into combat aboard a helicopter. The chaos and uncertainty of the mission is belied by the reassuring voice of one of the Rangers as he reaches out to his family back home. Today’s provocative trailer is the latest in a series of trailers portraying the poignant experiences of today’s soldier. To view the trailer, visit medalofhonor.com.

“Medal of Honor is an authentic look into today’s war. Inspired by real people and real events, the game puts players in the boots of today’s warrior — from the infantry ground pounder to the Tier 1 Operator,” said Greg Goodrich, Executive Producer of Medal of Honor. “We are proud of this piece because it offers a glimpse into the game we’re creating, while also showing the mindset of these warriors.”

Medal of Honor leaves the WWII theatre for the first time in its 11-year history and enters the modern day setting of war-torn Afghanistan seen through the lens of a small band of fictional characters. As well, players will be introduced to the Tier 1 Operator, an elite warrior and relatively unknown instrument of the U.S. Military that operates under the National Command Authority, taking on missions no one else can handle.

The Medal of Honor single-player campaign is being developed by Electronic Arts in Los Angeles who has been working closely with Tier 1 Operators from the U.S. Special Operations Community to create the most authentic modern war experience possible. To compliment the single-player experience, EALA has enlisted the multiplayer expertise of EA Digital Illusions CE AB. Together these studios are poised to reset the franchise for a new generation this fall.

Follow the game on twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/medalofhonor. Become a fan on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/medalofhonor. For additional information, visit www.medalofhonor.com.

Pokémon and Nintendo Offer Special Pokéwalker Route Distribution for a Limited Time

The Pokémon Company International and Nintendo of America Inc. will distribute the Winner’s Path Route for the Pokéwalker™ accessory via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service. Beginning Thursday, May 6 through Friday, June 25, players of Pokémon HeartGold or Pokémon SoulSilver Versions who have wireless broadband Internet access will have the opportunity to unlock a new Route, which gives them a chance to discover extraordinary Pokémon and rare items particularly useful to the competitive Pokémon Trainer.

Pokémon fans who earn enough Watts on the Winner’s Path Route might discover a Munchlax that knows Selfdestruct, and useful items such as the Focus Sash and Choice Band. They may even find a Magikarp™ that learns the move Bounce when it evolves into Gyarados™. All Pokémon captured in the Pokéwalker will be holding useful items that are difficult to attain during normal gameplay.

This unique distribution event is only available for a short time and may provide players with the edge needed to outplay their opponents during the 2010 Pokémon Video Game Championships. For more information about championship events or Pokéwalker distribution, players should visit www.pokemon.com.

About the Pokéwalker

The Pokéwalker accessory is a small device that lets players take their favorite Pokémon with them wherever they go. Players can transfer a Pokémon to the Pokéwalker and then simply walk around in real life. By walking, players earn Watts that can be used to encounter and catch wild Pokémon, or search for hidden items. The Pokémon in the Pokéwalker will gain Experience Points as the player walks, and can even go up one level when they are transferred back into the game.

Expansion Pack Announced

/GameBlast/,1C Company and Elite Games Team, announced the development of Star Wolves 3: Ashes of Victory, a stand-alone expansion for the third game in the Star Wolves saga. This original large-scale scenario, closely tied with the first part of the intergalactic epic, allows players to influence the ongoing events and experience multiple endings. Free roaming, free mission selection, free team forming – the world of Star Wolves waits for its heroes.

The last years of the Old Empire were soaked in corruption, piracy and the bloody conflicts which led to its demise. The so-long-awaited peace and order never returned to the Outer Worlds. The New Empire withstood heavy losses in the decisive battles of the Civil War and was forced to retreat to the Phoenix Sector. The clan feud cut the Triad Corporation into two irreconcilable camps. The attempt of an inner coup bled InoCo to near death. The entire systems fell under the control of pirates, and the allies of the former Emperor Ezar, who are trying to enforce terror and chaos in the worlds that would not obey them. The confrontation between various fractions escalates day by day, and a single spark is enough to set the Universe ablaze again.

Key features

· Improved graphics with carefully preserved esthetics of the original game

· Large-scale scenario which covers more than 110 stellar systems

· Thoroughly re-worked tactical and role-playing systems

· New protagonists and NPCs, plus well-known ones from the previous games

· New factions, ships, weapons and equipment