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Tetsuya Nomura-Designed FINAL FANTASY XIII Limited Edition Faceplates to Also be Released

In celebration of the launch of one of the most highly anticipated games of 2010 and the debut of the FINAL FANTASY series onto the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Square Enix, Inc. and Microsoft have announced the FINAL FANTASY XIII Special Edition Bundle.

Fans looking to purchase a “next generation” console will note that this Special Edition is not only an amazing value, but also the only console outside of Japan to be bundled with the game. The bundle includes a 250GB Hard Drive engraved with the FINAL FANTASY XIII name, two Wireless Controllers, exclusive downloadable avatar items and a Standard Edition copy of FINAL FANTASY XIII.

Additionally, Square Enix’s famed character designer, Tetsuya Nomura, has created an exclusive FINAL FANTASY XIII Limited Edition Faceplate that will be available promotionally in very limited numbers. Players can immerse themselves in the complete FINAL FANTASY XIII experience this March.

WHEN/WHERE: The FINAL FANTASY XIII Special Edition Bundle is available for pre-order now and in-stores beginning March 9, 2010, while supplies last.

The FINAL FANTASY XIII Limited Edition Faceplate will be available promotionally in fixed, limited quantities at select retailers in North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

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

OFFICIAL WEBSITES:

FINAL FANTASY XIII information: http://finalfantasyxiii.com.

FINAL FANTASY XIII Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/FinalFantasyXIII.

FINAL FANTASY XIII Twitter: http://twitter.com/OfficialFFXIII.

Partnership with World-Renowned Fantasy Videogame Includes Visibility Throughout the Game and at NBA All-Star Jam Session presented by adidas

NEW YORK, Feb. 8, 2010 – The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Square Enix Inc. (Square Enix) today announced a promotional partnership that will make FINAL FANTASY® XIII – the latest in the world-renowned action-packed role-playing videogame series that has shipped more than 92 million units – the presenting partner of the 2010 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game.

As the presenting partner of the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, FINAL FANTASY XIII will have prominent exposure throughout Center Court at NBA All-Star Jam Session presented by adidas, where the game will be played. The role-playing videogame, which features futuristic characters and gameplay, will receive significant presence during the broadcast on ESPN, which will televise the NBA All-Star event for the sixth consecutive year. There will also be a dedicated FINAL FANTASY XIII area at NBA All-Star Jam Session where fans will be able to preview the videogame, which will be available for both PlayStation®3 and the Xbox 360® on March 9, 2010.

“FINAL FANTASY XIII ,the next evolution in videogame entertainment, will appeal to first time players and series fans alike,” said John Yamamoto, President and CEO of Square Enix, Inc., “We are delighted to be the presenting partner at the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game and give fans a chance to experience the most highly anticipated game of the year before it launches on March 9.”

“FINAL FANTASY is a storied brand in the videogame category and this partnership will bring an exciting new element to this year’s NBA All-Star Celebrity Game,” said Mark Tatum, NBA Executive Vice President of Marketing Partnerships. “A good portion of our fanbase overlaps with the young, videogame-playing audience, so it is a natural fit for us to partner with a leading franchise like FINAL FANTASY around one of our marquee All-Star events.”

The 2010 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game presented by FINAL FANTASY XIII will tip off on Friday, Feb. 12 at 7:00 p.m. EST/ 6:00 p.m. CST from NBA All-Star Jam Session presented by adidas inside the Dallas Convention Center. This year’s celebrity participants will include a cast of players from film, TV, and music who will be outfitted in retro 1986 NBA All-Star uniforms paying tribute to NBA All-Star 1986 in Dallas. The game will also feature former NBA players and current WNBA players.

FINAL FANTASY XIII marks the dawning of a new era for the celebrated franchise, bringing the series to multiple high-definition consoles simultaneously for the first time in its history. The series is defined by a constant evolution, offering nothing less than the finest creative vision, graphical quality and gameplay system of its generation with every installment, and FINAL FANTASY XIII will be no exception to its legacy.

The recent catastrophic quake that has caused devastating amounts of damage on the island nation of Haiti has touched lives in all corners of the globe, some nearly as deeply as those within the disaster area itself. Throughout this tragedy, people worldwide have displayed an enormous outpouring of generosity through their contributions to the relief effort.
 
As communities all over the world band together to assist in aiding the victims of this catastrophe, our community, whose past contributions have fed the homeless, provided education, and helped the environment, will also be doing our part.
 
For the next month we will be making available a “Help Haiti” bundle that will be available for 4 of our games; Fiesta, Secret of the Solstice, Wind Slayer, and Project Powder. All bundles will be available between January 15th until January 31st, each with a donation amount of $5. 100% of the proceeds from the sale of these bundles will be donated to Yele Haiti, a relief organization founded by Haitian-born musician Wyclef Jean, whose mission is to provide humanitarian aid and assistance to Haiti.
 
Along with providing our community with an exclusive item release, know that you’ll also be helping the lives of real people who need your aid.
 
  You can locate each bundle in their respective stores through the links below:
 
Fiesta Help Haiti Bundle
Secret of the Solstice Help Haiti Bundle
Wind Slayer Help Haiti Bundle

http://solstice.outspark.com/news/view/?id=zbn.9887

Capcom’s legendary lost project, Dark Void Zero, is now available to download on DSiWare. The never-before-released game straight from the Capcom vault is hitting one day before its next-generation sequel, Dark Void, arrives on store shelves for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.   Before you get your hands on the new high-flying adventure, check out Dark Void Zero and see where it all began for 500 points on DSiWare.  

To commemorate Dark Void’s humble origins, Capcom commissioned the recreation of the original 8-bit classic, now re-titled “Dark Void Zero”, on the DSi platform. Players take on the role of Rusty, the first human born in the Void.  With the aid of Nikola Tesla and his trusty jetpack, Rusty embarks on a quest to prevent the evil alien race, “the Watchers”, and their minions from taking over Earth in this retro 2-D action-adventure.   The game also features an authentic 8-bit soundtrack by famed composer Bear McCreary, the man behind the music of Dark Void and Battlestar Galactica!
Dark Void Zero is available to download today for 500 points on DSiWare and will be coming soon for iPhone and PC!   Dark Void Zero was developed by Other Ocean Interactive

“A Gladiator does not fear death. He embraces it.”

Artificial Life, Inc (http://www.artificial-life.com) and Starz Digital Media, today announced the launch of the official mobile game for the Starz Entertainment TV series “Spartacus: Blood and Sand”, which premieres on Jan. 22, 2010. The Artificial Life game, for the iPhone and iPod touch platform, will retail at USD 4.99 on the Apple App Store. This is the second iPhone game collaboration between Artificial Life and Starz Media following PANDORUM, the official movie mobile game first released in September 2009.

Based on the new original series “Spartacus: Blood and Sand” produced by Starz Media, the game takes players into the world of gladiators where blood and brutality bring honor. Players embark on a journey of intense battles and fight for the freedom and survival of the Thracian hero. Characters, weapons and locations are realistically modeled after items and events from the original TV series along with special scenes produced by Starz Media that are featured in the game. The game offers various game modes to cater to different playing styles: Story Mode, Quick Fight, Challenge Mode, and Head-to-Head Mode.

Game Features include:

Ÿ Intense fights against combatants armed with various weapons and fighting styles;

Ÿ Realistic 3D characters, settings, and weapons based on the TV series;

Ÿ Numerous attack and defense combos;

Ÿ A variety of customizable fight conditions including: characters, locations, levels of difficulty, time settings, and more;

Ÿ Unlockable characters;

Ÿ Official trailer and cut scenes of the show available in-game;

Ÿ Head-to-Head multiplayer battles via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth;

Ÿ Connection to Facebook and Twitter to share updates and to compete with friends.

For more details about “Spartacus: Blood and Sand”, please visit: http://www.botme.com. The game is now live on the Apple App Store and is available for purchase at: http://itunes.com/app/spartacusbloodandsand

“‘With Spartacus: Blood and Sand’ enjoying its place as the most highly anticipated original series in the history of Starz, the timing could not be be better for this mobile game to come to market, said Marc DeBevoise, senior vice president, digital media, business development and strategy for Starz Media, and the lead executive for Starz Digital Media. “The look of this series is like nothing else that has ever been seen on television and the mobile game translates the excitement and passion of the show.”

“Spartacus is an iconic hero who has been recreated on many platforms. We are happy to work with Starz Media once again to transform their upcoming TV series, ‘Spartacus: Blood and Sand’, into a thrilling experience for iPhone gamers. We would like to thank our partner, Starz Media, for their kind support throughout the production process. We hope to thrill gamers with its sharp graphics and full-on action-packed battles!” said Eberhard Schoneburg, CEO of Artificial Life, Inc.

Win outstanding prizes, including a Divinity II console skin featuring your own artwork!

cdv Software Entertainment USA is pleased to announce the Divinity II – Ego Draconis Game Art Contest! Fans of the heroes, creatures and landscapes that fill the world of Rivellon will now have the chance to prove their artistic skills. Basing their art on game assets provided at www.honorofrivellon.com, aspiring dragon slayers must forge works of epic beauty in competition for a host of rare treasures. Contestant submissions will be judged on their creativity, relevance to Divinity II– Ego Draconis and presentation quality.

Prize packages for the Divinity II – Ego Draconis Game Art Challenge include an Xbox 360 with an incredible console skin featuring the winner’s actual artwork, a themed controller, controller skins, in-game bonuses and more! For all the details on the Divinity II – Ego Draconis Game Art Challenge, please visit www.honorofrivellon.com.

The sequel to the critically acclaimed action-RPG Divine Divinity, Divinity II – Ego Draconis transports players back to the wide-open, war-torn world of Rivellon where they will battle the forces of evil not just as a human warrior, but also as a powerful Dragon Knight! Developed by Larian Studios, Divinity II boasts a robust fantasy adventure of more than 60 hours, teeming with massive dungeons and outdoor spaces to explore. It offers deep on-the-ground and aerial combat, and a mystery to unravel that could reveal hidden truths and revive forgotten evils, altering the face of Rivellon forever!

For more information about Divinity II – Ego Draconis, which is rated “M” for “Mature” by the ESRB, please visit www.cdvus.com or www.divinity2.com.

Fallen Earth Announces Enhancements to Gameplay Graphics, Improves Environmental and Landscape Elements.

Fallen Earth, LLC today announced the inclusion of several wilderness graphics enhancements, specifically to the elements of scrub—including grass and shrubs—terrain and fog. Sharpening and blending textures, colors and lighting, the new and improved details enhance the look and feel of the Fallen Earth post-apocalyptic environment and heighten player immersion.

“The environment in Fallen Earth adds so much to the players’ experience,” said Chris Deavellar, art director for Fallen Earth. “We want to capture the mood of the post-apocalyptic world and the improvements certainly enhance the appearance and atmosphere of the game.”

The new, full scrub enhances several environmental aspects, sharpening textures and adding more detail with improvements to the resolution and quality of the previous scrub. With the new enhancements, players who view the landscape in first-person character mode will notice more volume within the brush and grass than before.

Additionally, players will see improvements on terrain as detail textures have been blended to enhance the appearance of the landscape and color maps have also been re-worked in order to provide a smoother blend between shades and augment color variation.

Leaving no environmental element untouched, developers have also incorporated distinctive cloud movement and have further taken a look at fog effects. Improvements on the existing fog equation now enable fog to build up more gradually, distance-wise, to players, creating a more realistic and layered appearance.

“Our team did a wonderful job on the enhancements and we’re sure players will notice the improvements,” said Deavellar.

Here’s a sample of what’s going to be showing at Capcom’s booth:

Dark Void – Gameplay footage and a handful of jet pack-a-licious screens showcasing some sweet tech for the PC version of the game. The PC version will also be shown at CES showcasing some of NVIDIA’s incredible new technology for the ultimate Dark Void experience. New features will include NVIDIA®’s GeForce® 3D Vision technology (wireless 3D Vision glasses sold separately) and amazing physics effects that are accelerated on GeForce GPUs using NVIDIA’s PhysX technology. GPU-accelerated PhysX particle systems and turbulence effects are used extensively for weapons and debris effects. Additionally, the game’s PhysX turbulence feature – an industry first – enhances the player’s jetpack and disintegrator gun effects to create a far more immersive experience.

Tatsunoko VS. Capcom – Gameplay video, screens and art featuring the newly revealed secret character Yatterman-2! As Yatterman’s female counterpart, Yatterman-2 is bringing all sorts of pain to the party, including a giant robotic pelican.

Super Street Fighter IV – Check out the brand-new trailer detailing selectable Ultra combos, new costumes and rival battles along with new gameplay video and screens.

Lost Planet 2 – Vital Suits, City Pirates and Akrid X! New screens from Episode 2 of Lost Planet 2 will debut for the first time at the show.

MotoGP 09/10 – Push your limits with new screens from Laguna Seca Raceway, one of the two North American tracks featured in MotoGP 09/10

Final Fight: Double Impact – Check out the new art piece from famed Udon artist Alvin Lee.

Halo Legends takes popular universe into new realm with animated short films

All-new CG & traditional Anime shorts add new chapters to renowned video game franchise;

Seven new stories available on Blu-ray & DVD from Warner Home Video on Feb. 9, 2010

Go deeper into the Halo universe than ever before with Halo Legends, an all-new, CG and traditional anime PG-13 experience that presents enthralling new stories from one of the world’s most popular video game franchises. Produced by 343 Industries, a part of Microsoft Game Studios, the exciting tales-beyond-the-games will be distributed February 9, 2010 by Warner Home Video as a Special Edition 2-disc version on DVD and Blu-Ray™ for $29.98 (SRP) and $34.99 (SRP), respectively, as well as single disc DVD for $19.98 (SRP). The chapters will also be available On Demand and Digital Download.

Halo Legends is a seven-story anthology – told across eight spectacular episodes – that explores the origin and historical events of the Halo universe and its intriguing characters. Halo Legends has been created in the same breakthrough format as The Animatrix and Batman Gotham Knight with each individual episode imagined by a cutting-edge, renowned Japanese anime director/animator, including Shinji Aramaki, Mamoru Oshii, Hideki Futamura, Tomoki Kyoda and Yasushi Muraki. The stories are inspired and produced by the creative minds of 343 Industries, including Halo franchise development director Frank O’Connor and managing editor Kevin Grace.

The individual episodes fall within Halo’s 26th Century mythology as the battle between humanity and aliens rages on in an attempt to protect Earth and mankind’s expansive number of space colonies. The dramatic, action-packed stories feature characters and locales familiar to Halo fans, and episodes range in length between 10 and 17 minutes – resulting in nearly two hours of animated adventures.

The episodes are animated by some of the world’s most respected studios and directors in anime today. The studios range from Production I.G. (Ghost in the Shell, Batman Gotham Knight), Bones (Cowboy Bebop, Fell Metal Alchemist) and Toei Animation (Dragonball Z, Digimon) to Studio 4oC (The Animatrix, Batman Gotham Knight) and Casio Entertainment. The stellar roster of animation talent on Halo Legends is highlighted by creative supervisors Shinji Aramaki (Appleseed) and Mamoru Oshii (Ghost in the Shell); directors Shinji Aramaki (Appleseed), Hideki Futamura (The Animatrix), Daisuke Nishio (Dragonball Z), Hiroshi Yamazaki (Karas), Toshiyuki Kanno (Black Lagoon), Koichi Mashimo (Blade of the Immortal) and Koji Sawai (Patlabor); directors/action designers Tomoki Kyoda (Eureka Seven, Evangelion 1.0) and Yasushi Muraki (Macross Plus, Vampire Hunter D); and writer Dai Sato (Cowboy Bebop).

Halo is a centerpiece in the world of video games, selling more than 27 million units to a devoted legion of fans – including the latest hit Halo 3:ODST. The Halo franchise has driven more than $1 billion in revenue from its award winning Xbox games, New York Times best-selling novels and comics and a wide variety of other merchandise.

Halo Legends – 2 Disc Special Edition version will have several hours of incredible bonus features, including:

The Making of Halo Legends – An introduction to Halo Legends followed by a making-of segment for each episode.

Halo: Gaming Evolved – Explaining the Halo phenomenon from its inception as an Xbox video game to a present day entertainment franchise.

Audio Commentary with directors Frank O’Connor and Joseph Chou

Widescreen (1.78:1)

Halo Legends Blu-Ray versions will be loaded with bonus materials, including all the great extras from the 2-disc Special Edition as well as Halo: The Story so Far, an overview of the Halo universe up until the end of Halo 3

“Halo Legends offers fans stunning, new creative visions of the popular video game’s expansive universe, providing added depth and perspective to these beloved characters and thrilling environments,” said Halo franchise development director Frank O’Connor. “Halo Legends is a perfect complement to the game’s growing canon of ancillary entertainment options.”

“Warner Home Video is proud to partner with Microsoft to bring this video game phenomenon to fans in an altogether different entertainment medium,” said Amit Desai, WHV Vice President of Family, Animation & Partner Brands Marketing. “The great storytelling, memorable characters and truly astounding CG/Anime make Halo Legends a must-have for the fans.”

SouthPeak Interactive Corporation and Deep Silver, Inc., a Koch Media Company, today announced that they will team up to bring next generation videogames from Deep Silver to North America. Deep Silver is the games label of the Koch Media Group, which is one of the largest publishers and distributor of videogames and DVD movies for European markets.

“We are pleased to partner with such a well-respected and established company as Koch Media/Deep Silver and excited to join with their experienced leadership team,” said Melanie Mroz, CEO of SouthPeak. “This strategic alliance gives us access to a great product line-up on all current generation platforms.”

“SouthPeak instantly brings a great deal of market expertise in North America to our organization,” said Geoff Mulligan, COO of Deep Silver. “Their team has a strong understanding of the product lifecycle including game development, marketing and retail placement. Most importantly, this alliance allows us to leverage their well established US publishing and distribution platform.”

Under the agreement, SouthPeak will become the exclusive partner for Deep Silver in the Americas. As partial compensation for entering into this strategic alliance, Koch Media/Deep Silver will receive a minority stake in SouthPeak Corp.

About Deep Silver

Deep Silver develops and distributes interactive games for all platforms. The Deep Silver label means to captivate all gamers who have a passion for thrilling gameplay in exciting game worlds. Deep Silver works with its partners to achieve a maximum of success while maintaining the highest possible quality, always focusing on what the customer desires. Deep Silver products are designed to equally appeal to pros and beginners, children and adults. Deep Silver has published more than 80 games since 2003. Deep Silver’s own production company in Vienna opened in 2007. For more information please visit www.deepsilver.com

About Koch Media

Koch Media is a leading producer and distributor of digital entertainment products (software, games and movies on DVD). The company’s own publishing activities, marketing and distribution extend throughout Europe and the USA. It has also formed strategic alliances and distribution relationships with numerous software and games manufacturers: Avid Technology, Blade Interactive, Braingame, Capcom, Cyberlink, Dofus, DTP Entertainment, Focus Home Interactive, G-Data, Kaspersky Labs, Magix, Mindscape, Nero, Paradox Entertainment, Playlogic, RTL Interactive, Square Enix, System 3 etc. Headquartered in Planegg near Munich/Germany, Koch Media owns branches in Germany, England, France, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, the Nordics, Benelux and the USA. www.kochmedia.com

About SouthPeak Interactive Corporation

SouthPeak Interactive Corporation develops and publishes interactive entertainment software for all current hardware platforms including: PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, PSP®go system, Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system, Wii™, Nintendo DS™, Nintendo DSi™ and PC. SouthPeak’s games cover all major genres including action/adventure, role playing, racing, puzzle strategy, fighting and combat. SouthPeak’s products are sold in retail outlets in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia. SouthPeak is headquartered in Midlothian, Virginia, and has offices in Grapevine, Texas and Leicester, England.