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Competitive video gaming community comes together to broadcast competition live online, leveraging all-new features designed specifically for gamers.

Justin.tv today launched TwitchTV, the largest competitive video gaming broadcast network in the world. TwitchTV is dedicated to supporting, entertaining and inspiring the e-sports community. Leveraging the live video streaming infrastructure pioneered by the team at Justin.tv, TwitchTV features the highest quality competitions on all games and platforms, with the top gamers, the biggest tournaments, and the best commentary.

“This is just the start of what we want to build,” said Emmett Shear, co-founder and CTO of Justin.tv, and general manager of TwitchTV. “We designed this site to support the e-sports community. Since everyone on the team is a gamer, it’s a site made by e-sports fans, for e-sports fans.”

E-sports, another name for competitive video gaming, is a global phenomenon built around real-time strategy games, first person shooters, fighting games, and other games requiring high-level skill and strategy. E-sports has developed an entire professional ecosystem complete with celebrity players, major sponsors and an adoring fan-base. TwitchTV has forged partnerships with the world’s top e-sports personalities and organizations – the best professional gamers, biggest tournaments, and most prestigious leagues – to bring fans the most compelling e-sports video content anywhere in the world.

“TwitchTV wouldn’t exist today if it wasn’t for our community,” said Kevin Lin, COO of Justin.tv and VP of business development for TwitchTV. “The community’s input has been instrumental in developing the new site’s features and functionality, and their support has been overwhelming. Because of our relationships in the pro gamer community, we’ve been able to improve our platform and build tools that allow them to develop as professionals.”

TwitchTV created an innovative partner program in which gamers and tournaments share in the advertising revenue generated on their video streams. TwitchTV is also beta-testing other revenue generators for its partners including pay-per-view and subscription-based programs in which viewers gain access to exclusive content, or gain premium-level benefits such as ad-free viewing.

“TwitchTV is a major initiative for us here at Justin.tv,” said Michael Seibel, CEO of Justin.tv. “The community that coalesced around live competitive gaming content is clearly very passionate and growing quickly. We’re excited to support that community with a home of their own. We hope the functionality and content featured on TwitchTV will help take the entire e-sports ecosystem to the next level.”

TwitchTV currently generates 3.2 million unique visits per month, 4.5 hours of video viewed per person per month, and more than 45 million total video views per month. TwitchTV is launching at this year’s E3, the world’s largest video game expo. The new site is also partnering with GameSpot to stream over 90 hours of E3 content from the show floor, including all major press conferences.

The live video stream from E3 can be seen here: http://twitchtv.com/gamespote3live.

About TwitchTV
TwitchTV is the largest competitive video gaming broadcast network in the world. Dedicated to supporting, entertaining and inspiring the e-sports community, TwitchTV features the highest quality competitions on all games and platforms, with the top gamers, the biggest tournaments, and the best commentary. TwitchTV leverages the live video streaming platform and infrastructure pioneered by Justin.tv. Learn more at http://twitchtv.com.

About Justin.tv
Justin.tv is the Web’s largest live video community. Headquartered in San Francisco, Justin.tv is funded by Alsop Louie Partners, Tim Draper and Y Combinator. Learn more at http://www.justin.tv.

It’s a busy week, but also a busy one for the Gamers News Dad…I am on vacation. I have a big news dump for today and will do as much as I can tomorrow morning. I will be leaving for a big trip, and coming back for Sunday, when, while all the other sites are sleeping, I will bring all the news I can to the (admittedly small) masses!

-e

Gordon Van Dyke to Lead Development on Paradox’s Online Titles and New IP

Paradox Interactive announced today that Gordon Van Dyke, former DICE (Digital Illusions Creative Entertainment) Battlefield Franchise Producer, has joined the production team at Paradox Interactive AB as a Senior Producer. Van Dyke will be charged with leading the production of the online titles and developing new IP.

“Gordon brings a great amount of experience from working on the Battlefield series and Visceral. We are thrilled to welcome him to Paradox. Over the past couple of years we have been one of the fastest growing companies in the industry and Gordon will play a key role in our continued growth,” said Fredrik Wester, CEO of Paradox Interactive.

“I’m very excited to join the production team here at Paradox. Some really fortunate events led me to this amazing opportunity to work on projects that really speak to my inner gamer. I know it’s going to be an incredible journey and can’t wait to start right away on inspiring projects like Salem, Gettysburg: Armored Warfare, and Project Postman,” Gordon Van Dyke commented.

Happy Thanksgiving to those of you who celebrate. We, here at the gamersnewsbits staff are at home celebrating with family and friends, and hope you have a great, game-filled weekend! Happy Black Friday and Cyber Monday too!

Leading Game Studio Adds New 3D Flash Technology to Its Development Platform; Zombie Tycoon “Molehill” Demo Revealed at Adobe Max 2010

Frima Studio, a leading and award-winning multiplatform game developer based in Quebec, revealed that it has been selected to participate in the pre-release of Adobe’s new 3D Flash technology, “Molehill”. Announced this week at Adobe’s annual Max 2010 conference, “Molehill” is a new set of low-level, GPU-accelerated 3D APIs that will enable advanced 3D experiences through the Adobe® Flash® platform runtimes while providing advanced 3D and 3D engine developers the flexibility to leverage GPU hardware acceleration for significant performance gains.

Frima Studio has produced numerous demo videos utilizing the new “Molehill” technology, the first of which was presented by Adobe Flash Player Engineer, Sebastian Marketsmueller, at Max 2010. To view the demo video which uses Frima’s highly popular Zombie Tycoon game, please visit: http://www.zombietycoon.com/MolehillTechDemo.html

“This opens up endless possibilities to creating the next generation in-browser entertainment, where the visual quality is equivalent to console and mobile platforms like iPhone and Wii,” said Steve Couture, CEO at Frima Studio. “Adobe has called upon the expertise of Frima and we are proud to work in partnership with them on this launch. This opportunity poises Frima to continue strengthening its position as a leading-edge Flash developer. ”

Frima is adapting and improving its existent technology platform to support all the new features and possibilities included in this new 3D Flash technology. Utilizing the revolutionary “Molehill” technology, Frima is now able to create in Flash a wide variety of atmospheres like static and dynamic lighting, shadows, fog, and mirror effects. Additionally, “Molehill” delivers the ability to create, add texture and animate hundreds of avatars simultaneously without losing performance as well as generate advanced special effects never before seen in a Flash game, like explosions, rain, and particle systems.

As one of the chosen pre-release participants, Frima is directly collaborating with Adobe on the structure, performance, optimization and design of the upcoming API. Adobe plans to extend “Molehill” to the rest of the development community in the first half of 2011.

For more information on Frima Studio and their development capabilities, please visit www.frimastudio.com

New Site Goes Live in Time to Coincide with E3 and Launch of RetroN 3 Game System

Hyperkin, a rapidly growing developer of video game accessories, has announced the launch of its new web site that includes a dedicated portal designed to simplify the product ordering process for all its resell partners. The new site (www.hyperkin.com) provides easy navigation and immediate access to Hyperkin’s entire catalog of video game peripherals.

Hyperkin’s new web site, which includes the company’s new slogan “Live Well. Play Well.” has launched in time for the video game industries annual 2010 E3 trade event in Los Angeles June 15-17 and follows the recent announcement of the RetroN 3 that consolidates Nintendo™, Super Nintendo™ and SEGA™ Genesis together in a single wireless console.

“Hyperkin’s mission is to provide the video game industry and consumers with a product line that offers new and exciting ideas, sturdy and dependable product construction, attractive packaging and price points that are reasonable to the end-user and profitable for each partner within the supply channel,” stated Steven Mar, Hyperkin’s Marketing Director. “The new web site is the next step in our company’s rapidly developing presence in the industry.”

Notable Features of the New Web Site Include:

· Simple Navigation

· Access to Hyperkin’s Entire Product Catalog

· A Dedicated Web Portal for Resellers to Place Orders Any Time

· Same Day Order Fulfillment

· Drop shipping to Individual Locations

· OEM Manufacturing

· Personalized Service Every Step of the Way

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/.

Dead Space: Martyr

Edgar Award finalist and Horror Sensation Brian Evenson to write epic novel.

Tor Books, an imprint of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC—the largest publisher of science fiction in the world—and Visceral Games, a studio of Electronic Arts Inc., today announced Dead Space: Martyr (A Tor Trade Paperback; $14.99; July 2010), the first novel based on the award-winning Dead Space videogame franchise. Dead Space: Martyr delves into the back story of the fiction including the history of the Church of Unitology, the discovery of the enigmatic “Black Marker” and the mysteries behind an alien artefact of unknown power. Dead Space: Martyr will be available in July 2010 at select retailers worldwide.

When geophysicist Michael Altman learns of a mysterious signal emitting from deep within the Chicxulub crater, he cannot resist the lure of an undiscovered artefact. He soon learns that being in close proximity to the artefact causes strange occurrences – visions of the dead, vivid dreams, and violent murders. Altman’s experience with the alien artefact leads to this crucial first chapter in the Dead Space saga.

“One of the most compelling storytelling aspects of Dead Space has been the Church of Unitology: its origins, power, and role in Dead Space,” says Tor editor, Eric Raab. “Writer B.K. Evenson gets into the terrifying aspects of mob mentality like no other writer today. This isn’t only a great story within the Dead Space universe; it’s a great novel on its own.”

“The Dead Space world is incredibly vast and rich — expanding its fiction into a novel lets us share parts of the story that just can’t fit into videogames,” said Steve Papoutsis, Executive Producer of Dead Space 2. “We hope Dead Space: Martyr will be the first of many books to let fans dive deeply into Dead Space’s secrets and immersive lore.”

B. K. Evenson is the award-winning author of Last Days, voted best horror novel of 2009 by the American Library Association and The Open Curtain, a 2006 Edgar Award finalist and Time Out New York best book of the year.

Originally launched in 2008, Dead Space quickly became one of EA’s top rated wholly-owned intellectual properties. With close to 100 industry awards and an average critic score of 89*, Dead Space became a hit with horror and videogame fans worldwide. In 2009, EA launched Dead Space Extraction, a prequel to the original game and will continue to expand the fiction with its stunning sequel, Dead Space 2.

Check out the article here at NetworkWorld: http://cli.gs/JXRND0

Being an AT&T user for over 10 years, I sure hope they follow suit. I would love to lower my bill, and it’s almost time for me to get an iPhone….

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.