Rare contest to reward top Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts creations with in-game immortality

Twycross, Outskirts of Nowhere - Attention builders, racers, pilots and boat captains! One month after its worldwide release, “Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts” has flown, driven and sailed off store shelves and the response from the fan community has been overwhelming. Every day, the “Banjo-Kazooie” Showroom is flooded with new screenshots and blueprints of fan’s custom creations, so today Rare announced a contest to recognize the top seven user generated contraptions created in “Banjo- Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts.”

Key members of the “Banjo” development team will be poring over the in-game photos uploaded to the web in a quest to track down the seven very best player-built contraptions. The reward? In-game immortality. The seven winners will experience bragging rights galore when their designs are integrated into the game for other “Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts” players to experience.

Additional details around the contest can be found on the official Web site at http://www.rare.co.uk/company/news_bkcomp.html

Once the team has made its selections, the contraptions’ creators will be contacted via their Gamertags and asked to send Rare their blueprints.
Contest Details:

· To upload a screenshot of your creation to the official contest Web site:
Press Start to access the Pause menu, select Photos and Replays, and then select Take Photo. Use the left and right sticks to position the camera, and then press A to take the picture. (Photo mode is available during single-player games or while watching replays.)

Select Photos and Replays from the main menu in “Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts”

Select Open Photo Album, then My Photos
Highlight a photo you wish to upload and press the Y button to upload it to banjo-kazooie.com
The deadline for entries is Jan. 4, 2009, 12 midnight PST. This gives players the whole holiday to be creative
Anyone with a copy of “Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts” and an Xbox LIVE account can enter.

Participants can enter as many contraptions and submit as many photos as they’d like; just remember that the cream always rises to the top.

Be creative! The Rare Judges are hard to impress and the creations that have already been posted to the web are outstanding, so competition is sure to be fierce Be careful! Contraptions that infringe on copyrighted material cannot be considered in this contest The exact specifics of the reward will be shared in due time, so contestants should get busy, get creative, and get building!

For additional information on “Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts,” visit http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/splash/b/bknutsandbolts/ or http://www.rareware.com/home.html.

Smile for the camera! It’s time to create the perfect Outspark holiday greeting card!

From now until December 16th, players are invited to get creative and design their very own Outspark holiday greeting card. Simply use one of the festive images of the Outspark GMs provided by Outspark and your favorite image editor and start spreading the holiday cheer.

Seven winners determined by the Outspark community will each receive a real life copy of the card they design signed by the Outspark staff!

Additional information and contest rules are available at the Outspark website.

Related Links:
Outspark Portal: http://www.outspark.com.
Snapshot with Santa Announcement: http://fiesta.outspark.com/news/?view=news&document_srl=3235
Snapshot with Santa Entires/Forums: http://www.outspark.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=219

Paris, December 8, 2008 – Before the release of Still Life 2, Microïds and GameCo launch a machinima contest. The producer of the Still Life series and the Still Life 2 developer allow Still Life fans to design a 30 seconds trailer thanks to exclusive elements from the game under development at GameCo studios.

To enter the competition, you just need to register to stilllife2-trailer@microids.com.

You will then be given access to exclusive Still Life 2 material: animations, ingame videos, musics, screenshots… You will simply have to post your work* before January 10, 2009.

The winner will be announced on January 15 by a jury composed of Microïds and GameCo representatives, and his/her trailer will be posted on the official website: www.stilllife-game.com.

The winner’s name will furthermore be added to the game credits.

*The trailer needs to be 45 seconds maximum. It will not exceed 30Mb. Recommended formats are .MOV, AVI, MPEG4 or WMV.
Do not forget that PCs and Mac usually have pre-installed softwares for video creation (Windows Movie Maker for PCs, Imovie for Mac).

Finalists in indie game development contest revealed!

NEW YORK—December 9th, 2008— You are caught amidst a post-apocalyptic world, suddenly you realize that strange monsters lurk in the shadows, and then you become struck with a feeling of vertigo. Why?

Because Paradox Interactive and Gameplayer have revealed the finalists of their indie game development competition, SUT2008. The jury now goes to work at their computers, and the result will be presented at the end of January 2009. The winning game will be published online through GamersGate.

The finalists are:

1. Boingo by Black Drop Studios

Bounce around in a surreal atmosphere as monsters lurk in the shadows. This action-puzzle adventure might seem peaceful on the surface, but quick decisions are vital when danger is threatening from all angles.

Download the demo here: http://gameplayer.se/files/00/10/sut2008/boingo.zip

2. Flipside of the Divine by The Flipotechs

This three-dimensional action puzzle features an environment inspired by Incan culture. Move across dizzying heights as you jump your way through the adventure. Try not to let vertigo get to you, as it is a long way down.

Download the demo here: http://gameplayer.se/files/00/10/sut2008/flipside.zip

3. A Wikiped’s Story by Mjao

Point-and-click adventure games may seem fairly standard, but A Wikiped’s Story actually invites two people to sit down side-by-side and explore this strange, post-apocalyptic world.

Download the demo here: http://gameplayer.se/files/00/10/sut2008/wikiped_story.zip

About Paradox Interactive

Since 1999, Paradox Interactive has been a leading developer and publisher of PC-based strategy games. World-renowned for its strategy stable, the company holds a particularly strong presence in the United States and Europe. Its steadily-growing portfolio includes original titles such as the critically acclaimed Europa Universalis and Hearts of Iron franchises, as well as the best published titles like Penumbra: Black Plague, Supreme Ruler 2020, and the greatly-anticipated Majesty 2 – The Fantasy Kingdom Sim.

Read more: http://www.paradoxplaza.com

About Gameplayer.se

Gameplayer.se, founded in 2004 and based in Skövde, Sweden, is a leading nordic gaming site. Over the years Gameplayer.se has grown considerably through a strong supply of text and video content. Publication highlights include Gameplayer TV and Spelfredag. Gameplayer.se also provide the Egmont magazine “The Official Guiness World of Records Magazine” with gaming content each month.

Read more: http://www.gameplayer.se

About GamersGate

GamersGate is a leading digital distribution platform, providing ready gaming experiences for gamers worldwide – anytime, anywhere. Viewed as a strong contender in the digital download arena, GamersGate continues to redefine the download industry. Future strategies include the launch of several additional services, and the further aggressive expansion of its product portfolio, from a wide range of internationally recognized publishers. http://www.gamersgate.com

On the heels of the Intel® Core™ i7 Processor launch, Intel and Ubisoft have joined forces for a worldwide contest for PC gamers. Each day from December 1-30, 2008, 50 sweepstakes entrants will win a copy of Far Cry 2 for Windows optimized for Core™ i7 processors. Using Havok physics to create a dynamic and realistic gaming experience, in-game cloud formations follow atmospheric rules, tree branches break by the strength of the wind and fire spreads across brush in the wind’s direction. Additionally, one participant daily will be awarded an Intel® Core™ i7 Processor Extreme Edition, Intel’s fastest chip that delivers massive gaming, video editing and multi-tasking performance.

Enter the contest and read complete contest details here: http://intelcorei7.ubi.com/

The sixth annual VGAs will bring together megastars from the worlds of video games, Hollywood, music, sports and more to celebrate the outstanding achievements within the video game industry over the past year on Sunday, December 14 in Culver City, CA.

To upload your video for consideration, please visit:http://www.spike.com/group/spore/landingpage. A panel of judges, including Spore creator Will Wright, will select the best Spore film short!

For official rules please, visithttp://www.spike.com/group/spore/rules.

The MGC is an annual game development contest exclusively for college students. The 2nd annual MGC has broadened its reach beyond New England schools to include colleges from the United States and Canada. Teams of one to three students are invited to submit an original video game featuring the 38 Studios’ fun-loving mascot Munch and his evil alter ego, Mean Munch. Submissions must include a DVD or CD-ROM of the executable game, installation instructions, source code, build scripts, and a completed entry form.

Judging/Winners:
A panel of 38 Studios judges will review submissions based on Originality, Graphics and Artistry, Technical Achievement, Degree of Finished Product, and Fun Factor. Last year’s winner was a game called “Munch’s Vacation,” designed by three students from Becker College in Worcester, Massachusetts. Complete MGC 2 contest rules and last year’s winning designs can be found at:http://www.38studios.com/MGC

Deadline: 
Final hard-copy submissions must be received by March 2, 2009. 38 Studios will choose the winning design on or before April 30, 2009.

Prizes:
The top-three teams will be awarded thousands of dollars in prizes. Each member of the first-place team receives $1,500; second-place team members each receive $1,000; members of the team finishing third each receive $500.

PARIS, France. December 1, 2008 - Monte Cristo is launching an exciting “Advent Calendar” contest for their upcoming next-generation city-building title, CITIES XL™ today. In this new contest, you need only visit the official CITIES XL™ Web site atwww.citiesxl.com to play! By registering for the CITIES XL™ community, you’ll be able to enter the contest, and keep up with the latest happenings in the world of CITIES XL™.

From December 1 to December 24, 2008, members of the CITIES XL™ community will be able to accumulate points in the contest, and earn chances to win numerous prizes, such as a 32GB iPod Touch, “City Life” games and “CITIES XL” bags. Participants will be able to invite friends to join the game and increase their chances in the final drawing. A daily instant win contest will also be held.

Don’t wait! Come join the game at www.citiesxl.com!

CITIES XL™ allows gamers to develop cities on realistic 3D maps using an incredible collection of unique structures and monuments based on American, Asian and European-influenced architectural styles. The maps feature a variety of environments: mountains, hills, canyons, beaches and islands, all set in different climates from tropical to desert, Mediterranean to temperate. Players must create the right combinations of social services, leisure activities, special events and other job opportunities within their cities in order to feed, clothe, employ and entertain their citizens. Be it planning and building a new zoo, public park, residential neighborhood or transit system - there’s always a fresh and exciting challenge for would-be city managers and mayors in CITIES XL™.

The game’s online features and services will allow players to create interconnected cities on virtual and persistent planets. Mayors can share and trade with one another, specialize their economy and team up with befriended cities to create sprawling metropolises. Life on the planet will be punctuated by events and competitions - a concert held in one town may, for example, be attended by visitors from other areas who can also enjoy a walk around the city to admire the urban creations of multiple players. By combining a fantastic single-player game with the social and multiplayer aspects of an MMO, CITIES XL™ will shape the future of the genre by offering more variety, bigger cities and multiple gameplay layers.

For more information about CITIES XL™, which will ship in 2009, please join the continuously growing community at www.citiesxl.com

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Nov 18, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ –

Troops stationed overseas will test their skills today in one of this year’s hottest new video games from Activision, Call of Duty(R): World at War. Pro vs. GI Joe, the USO, and the Cleveland Browns are teaming up with Activision Publishing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) for a series of online matches featuring the newest installment of the blockbuster Call of Duty(R) series against numerous troops stationed at Camp Virginia in Kuwait. Participating troops will also link-up via webcam and members of their families will be on-hand to share in the moment. For more information on today’s event, please visit http://www.provsgijoe.org.
Developed by Treyarch, Call of Duty: World at War is rated “M” (Mature) by the ESRB for Intense Violence, Strong Language, Blood and Gore and is available now on Xbox 360(TM) and PLAYSTATION(R)3 computer entertainment system, the Windows(R) PC and the Nintendo(R) Wii(TM). Call of Duty: World at War is also available for the Nintendo DS(TM), developed by n-Space, the title is rated “T” (Teen) for Blood and Violence. For more information, please visit http://www.callofduty.com.

About PRO VS. GI JOE:
Pro vs. GI Joe is changing the way our military men and women are connecting to the home front. Pro vs. GI Joe is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that sets up real-time video game competitions between professional athletes in the states and troops stationed all over the world via the internet. Working with AirTran Airways, Pro vs. GI Joe transports the troops’ families to the gaming venue so that they may reunite via web cam with their loved ones serving overseas. Founded in June 2007 and based in Fairfax, Va, Pro vs. GI Joe aims to boost the morale of our military men and women in truly unique and exciting ways. Pro vs. GI Joe is a charitable organization that relies on the generosity of the American people as well as businesses and corporations to support its program. For more information, please visit http://www.provsgijoe.org or contact Addie Zinone addie@prosvsgijoes.org.

About USO
The USO is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to support the troops by providing morale, welfare and recreation-type services to our men and women in uniform. The original intent of Congress — and enduring style of USO delivery — is to represent the American people by extending a touch of home to the military. The USO currently operates more than 130 centers worldwide, including ten mobile canteens located in the continental United States and overseas. Overseas centers are located in Germany, Italy, the United Arab Emirates, Japan, Qatar, Korea, Iraq, Afghanistan, Guam, and Kuwait. Service members and their families visit USO centers more than 5.3 million times each year. The USO is the way the American public supports the troops

With T-Pain, Tenacious D, All American Rejects, Kerli, and Hinder

Be Expressive, Be Social, Be Entertained

Launching November 19th 2008, NXE (New Xbox Experience) connects you effortlessly to friends, family and the world’s largest online entertainment center, allowing you to play games, watch movies, and share moments on the couch or around the world. To help kick-off NXE, Estonian breakout pop-star Kerli, hip-hop superstar T-Pain, rockers All American Rejects and Hinder, as well as Jack Black’s brainchild, Tenacious D will participate in the fully interactive Game With Fame sessions. Game With Fame connects artists with fans through their favorite games and allows each artist to play fans directly

Allowing optimum expressivity, NXE boasts customized avatars, virtual party hosting, as well as remote capabilities. Promoting shared entertainment experiences NXE features Party Video and LIVE Party/Photo applications, allowing users to directly video chat, instant message and send photos. As a one-stop shop for all entertainment needs, NXE puts a plethora of interactive entertainment options at your fingertips! Users can utilize NXE Overview Video, which highlights a broad variety of available gaming options, view over 10,000 feature films via Netflix, as well as view all of the above options through the only gaming console to provide HD and standard-definition resolution.

Find out more about NXE here: http://www.xbox.com/en-US/live/nxe

Dates and session info is as follows:

Kerli - November 20th in Los Angeles city from 2PM-4PM PST playing new Bond 007 game (Quantum of Solace).
GAMERTAG: KerliGWF
LINK: http://www.xbox.com/en-US/community/calendar/gamewithfame/2008/1120-kerli.htm

Tenacious D - November 20th from 5:30PM to 7:30PM on-site @ Tonight Show in Los Angeles playing Rock Band 2 game. GAMERTAG: TenaciousD GWF (space between TenaciousD and GWF)
LINK: http://www.xbox.com/en-US/community/calendar/gamewithfame/2008/1110-tenaciousd.htm

Hinder - November 24th playing Guitar Hero World Tour from 3PM-5PM (Central Time) in Starkville, MS. GAMERTAG: Hinder GWF (**space between Hinder & GWF)
LINK: http://www.xbox.com/en-US/community/calendar/gamewithfame/2008/1124-hinder.htm
All American Rejects - November 24th in NYC from 6 to 8pm (EST) playing Frogger and Rock Band 2. GAMERTAG: AAR GWF (space between AAR and GWF)
LINK: http://www.xbox.com/en-US/live/artist/rock/allamericanrejects.htm

T-Pain - November 28th in Chicago, time TBD playing Rock Band 2. GAMERTAG: T Pain GWF (**space between T and Pain and GWF)