Game On!

MTV Presents: STACKED Poker Television Special to Air on MTV2 on June 2nd and on MTV on June 3rd

New York, NY – May 31st, 2006 – Myelin Media, LLC, a publisher of interactive entertainment software, today announced that their Texas Hold ‘Em game, STACKED™ with Daniel Negreanu, has shipped to retail outlets throughout North America. A breakthrough Texas Hold ‘Em video game, STACKED steps to the table with a powerful hand of groundbreaking artificial intelligence, massive online multi-table tournaments and involvement from seven of the most celebrated professional poker players in the modern history of the game. Rated T for Teen by the ESRB, STACKED is available for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Xbox® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and the PC, and carries a suggested retail price of $29.99. In addition, MTV will be airing a half-hour special premiering on Friday, June 2nd at 9 PM on MTV2 and Saturday, June 3rd at 9 PM on MTV entitled, MTV Presents: STACKED Poker, to support the release of the highly anticipated title.

“STACKED is the perfect way for a beginner to learn poker,” said Negreanu. “It won’t disappoint the advanced players either, especially when they have to face off against me!”

“STACKED brings the excitement and strategy of professional poker into your home,” said Ken Woo, producer at Myelin Media. “Whether playing alone against the game’s realistic learning AI or online against real world opponents, you will feel the same exhilaration with every big bet, bluff and victory as if you were at the final table of a high stakes tournament.”

“MTV Games was formed with the vision of creating and promoting original video game IP and unique gaming experiences that encapsulate the passions and interests of the MTV audience,” said Jeff Yapp, EVP, Program Enterprises. “STACKED represents the first true MTV Games 360° initiative by delivering a video game experience, television special and an online component with the Stacked Masters multi-table tournaments."

About MTV Presents: STACKED Poker
MTV Presents: STACKED Poker is a half hour special premiering on Friday, June 2nd at 9 PM on MTV2 and Saturday, June 3rd at 9 PM on MTV. The program gets inside the breakout phenomenon of professional poker and highlights the launch of STACKED™ with Daniel Negreanu. Negreanu stars in this half-hour special with his unique brand of strategy, intuition and charisma. Shot on location at The Aladdin Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, MTV Presents: STACKED Poker takes viewers through an explanation of the video game, STACKED, an introductory game of poker with Negreanu, then he faces a group of college age competition, competes against some of the world’s top ranked poker players and ends the show by sitting down at a table with special celebrity guests, Ryan Cabrera and Benji from Good Charlotte, to pass on some of his poker expertise. Throughout, Daniel will occasionally “freeze frame” and address the audience with his unparalleled insights into poker strategy, player tells and insider tips.

The special also kicks off a once in a lifetime opportunity for MTV viewers. The STACKED Masters Tournament is a series of STACKED Multi-Table Tournaments, to be played live online. Four players who meet certain eligibility criteria may be cast to participate in the MTV STACKED Masters Showdown Special. Participants in the special will be flown to Las Vegas, where they will face off against Daniel Negreanu at the final table, for a chance to prove their poker prowess against the best in the business.

About STACKED
The premiere Texas Hold ‘Em video game, STACKED utilizes an advanced learning artificial intelligence system that devises new strategies for victory as it learns more about each player’s individual style of play. As the player progresses through the game, the AI will become more sophisticated, as it builds a profile of weaknesses and attempts to exploit them, helping the player to learn and become a better overall player. As they progress through the game’s career mode, players will encounter seven of poker’s most decorated pro players: Josh Arieh, Jennifer Harman, Erick Lindgren, Juan Carlos Mortensen, Evelyn Ng, David Williams and Daniel Negreanu himself, each with a custom AI bot that matches their real-world play style. Players can access the game’s Poker School mode at any time to learn from nearly an hour of video tips and strategies from Daniel Negreanu, covering all aspects of the game from basic rules to advanced guidance for tournament victory.

STACKED lets players compete online against the best players in the world in a unique multi-table tournament system known as STACKED Masters Sanctioned tournaments will be regularly announced through the game’s official web site, and players with the necessary online ranking can participate to go head-to-head against hundreds of the game’s best players in a ladder based tournament system and seize their place in the STACKED Hall of Fame. Players can also choose to create their own custom online tournaments as well as smaller individual games with friends.

For more information about STACKED with Daniel Negreanu, please visit
stacked.mtv.com.

Posted by Matt Sarrel at 8:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BioShock looked great at E3! I loved it. The water effects were mesmerizing.

New York, NY – May 30, 2006 – 2K, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. announced today that BioShock has received multiple nominations in the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) Game Critics Awards and to date has won 17 E3 awards including a sweep of Best of Show awards from IGN, GameSpot, and GameSpy. BioShock is an innovative shooter in development at Irrational Games, a wholly owned 2K studio. BioShock will be available for next generation systems in 2007.

“We are very pleased with the overwhelming enthusiasm BioShock received at E3,” said Christoph Hartmann, President, 2K. “Irrational Games is at the forefront of defining next generation gaming with BioShock. Set in a rich underwater utopia gone horribly wrong, BioShock features emergent gameplay driven by player choice which seamlessly integrates RPG, adventure, and shooter elements.”

Awards:

E3 Game Critics - Winner to be announced

Nominated: Best of Show

Nominated: Best Original Game

Nominated: Best Console Game

Nominated: Best Action/Adventure Game

GameSpot

Winner: Best of Show

Winner: Best Xbox 360™ Game

Winner: Best Action Adventure Game

IGN

Winner: Best Game in Show

Winner: Best RPG (Xbox 360)

Winner: Best RPG (Overall)

IGN (cont.)

Winner: Best Artistic Design (Xbox 360)

Winner: Best Artistic Design (Overall)

Winner: Console Game of Show (Xbox 360)

Winner: Console Game of Show (Overall)

GameSpy

Winner: Best of Show (Overall)

Winner: Game of Show (PC)

GamesRadar

Winner: Best of E3 (Xbox 360)

Team Xbox

Winner: Best Sound

DailyGame

Winner: Best of Show (FPS)

CV Games

Winner: Game of the Show

Winner: Best of Show (Xbox 360)

Playboy.com

Selected as one of the top 5 best of show

Scripps Howard Syndicate

Selected as one of 10 notable games

About Take-Two Interactive Software

Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is an integrated global developer, marketer, distributor and publisher of interactive entertainment software games and accessories for the PC, PlayStation® game console, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) system, Xbox® and Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment systems from Microsoft, Nintendo GameCube™, Nintendo DS™ and Game Boy® Advance. The Company publishes and develops products through its wholly owned labels Rockstar Games, 2K and 2K Sports, and Global Star Software; and distributes products in North America through its Jack of All Games subsidiary. Take-Two also manufactures and markets video game accessories in Europe, North America and the Asia Pacific region through its Joytech subsidiary. The Company maintains sales and marketing offices in Cincinnati, New York, Toronto, London, Paris, Munich, Madrid, Milan, Sydney, Breda (Netherlands), Auckland, Shanghai and Tokyo. Take-Two's common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol TTWO. For more corporate and product information please visit our website at www.take2games.com.

All trademarks and copyrights contained herein are the property of their respective holders.

Posted by Matt Sarrel at 5:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

REDMOND, Wash., May 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Starting in June, Nintendo will begin branding its more casual Nintendo DS(TM) titles under the new Touch Generations label. The Touch Generations brand will include titles that anyone can pick up and play, even with little or no experience with video games. It represents one of the many ways that Nintendo is making it easy for new demographics of people to be introduced to video games. Three new games, including a second brain-training game, will be added to the Touch Generations category in June.
"We remain committed to turning video games into an inclusive mass medium that everyone can enjoy," says George Harrison, Nintendo of America's senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications. "Touch Generations will help novices and newcomers identify the fun and uniquely engaging experiences that are available only on Nintendo DS." These current and upcoming games will be identified by a distinctive logo, and will help non-gamers and casual gamers quickly identify which games might be appropriate for them. Touch Generations will be one element of Nintendo's multimillion-dollar campaign to get more and more people interested in video games.
The first seven titles in the Touch Generations brand include the following upcoming games:

* Big Brain Academy(TM) (launches June 5): The second title in the brain-training series tests players in five areas: thinking, memorization, computation, analysis and identification.

* Magnetica(TM) (launches June 5): A simple puzzle game challenges players to connect and eliminate like-colored marbles before they reach the goal.

* Sudoku Gridmaster (launches June 26): This version of the wildly popular puzzle grid features more than 400 sudoku puzzles, all of which were hand-picked by the original creators of sudoku.

Touch Generations also will include the following already-released titles:

* Brain Age(TM): Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day (launched April 17): More than 5 million people around the world test their brains daily in areas like math, counting, reading and memorization. Many purchasers include older people who had never previously played a video game.

* Nintendogs(TM) (launched Aug. 22, 2005): The hugely popular puppy simulation and communication program lets users pet their pups using the touch screen and teach them commands using the microphone.

* Tetris(R) DS (launched March 20): Nintendo's greatest characters team up with one of the most popular puzzle games of all time.

* True Swing Golf (launched Jan. 23): In this realistic golf game, players simply slide the stylus across the touch screen to strike the ball and send it flying.

Touch Generations titles can be enjoyed by hard-core gamers and beginners alike, as evidenced by the positive reviews the gaming media have given to many of these titles. But as Nintendo adds new titles to the Touch Generations category, the two groups will be able to come together and identify their common ground.

The worldwide innovator in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Nintendo DS(TM), Game Boy(R) Advance and Nintendo GameCube(TM) systems, and upcoming Wii(TM) console. Since 1983, Nintendo has sold more than 2 billion video games and more than 360 million hardware units globally, and has created industry icons like Mario(TM), Donkey Kong(R), Metroid(R), Zelda(TM) and Pokemon(R). A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo's operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, visit the company's Web site at www.nintendo.com.

Posted by Matt Sarrel at 11:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In this PC CD-ROM game the notorious serial killer “The Phoenix” is back and the authorities need your help to catch him once and for all. Using an innovative blend of Windows® gameplay and the Internet, the player will explore key cities in Europe and North America. They will receive actual emails from virtual characters, scour real and fictitious websites, analyze video excerpts, photos, soundtracks, and piece together evidence to break the Phoenix’s embedded codes. From the creators of MISSING: Since January.

Click here to view the trailer.

Posted by Matt Sarrel at 3:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

AN FRANCISCO May 25, 2006 Ubisoft, one of the world's largest video game publishers, today proudly reveals the first details, screenshots, and artwork on the multiplayer modes of Dark Messiah of Might and Magic®.

Up to 32 players can battle in the revolutionary Crusade mode, which will allow players to gain experience and acquire new equipment across dynamic online campaigns. Enlist with the humans or the undead and choose among five complementary character classes and more than 60 skills. Wage epic online battles, sprawling over multiple zones, from the dark Necromancer's lair at Nar-Heresh to the man-made splendor of Stonehelm.

Dark Messiah of Might and Magic multiplayer will also feature the classic deathmatch and team deathmatch modes, in which players will have the opportunity to quickly jump into the game for instant action.

The multiplayer modes of Dark Messiah of Might and Magic are developed by Kuju Entertainment and the full game is scheduled for release on PC worldwide in September 2006.

For more information on Dark Messiah of Might and Magic, please visit
http://www.mightandmagic.com/us/darkmessiah/teaser/.

© 2005 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Might and Magic, Dark Messiah, Ubisoft, and the Ubisoft logo are trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the U.S. and/or other countries. Developed by Arkane Studios and Floodgate Entertainment. Valve, Half-Life, and Source are tradermarks or registered trademarks of Valve Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.

Posted by Matt Sarrel at 5:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today, Ubisoft announces the availability of the AND 1 Streetball Exclusive Mixtape, produced by DJ Green Lantern, the world renown hip-hop DJ who won an unprecedented three Mixtape Awards in 2005 . The 30-minute mix is currently available for listening and downloading exclusively at Rhapsody®, the award-winning online music service from RealNetworks®.

For a for free stream at Rhapsody, follow this link:
http://www.rhapsody.com/djgreenlantern/and1streetballtheofficialvideogamemixtape.

For a free download, follow this link:
http://musicstore.real.com/music_store/album?artistid=793981&albumid=1243999

The exclusive mixtape is a creatively seamless blend of all 13 exclusive tracks from the official AND 1 Streetball Videogame Soundtrack. Also available at retail stores, DJ Green Lantern's AND 1 Streetball Exclusive Mixtape will be a free gift with purchase of the AND 1 Streetball videogame for the PlayStation’2 computer entertainment system and the Xbox video game system from Microsoft. AND 1 Streetball will be available in retail stores on June 7 for a suggest price of $39.99.

DJ Green Lantern, In the Game
In addition to showcasing the brashest and most innovative streetball moves ever invented, Ubisoft's AND 1® Streetball is the first videogame to feature the likeness and motion-captured essence of a DJ. Known best for putting out the hottest mixtapes in the streets, DJ Green Lantern (A.K.A "The Evil Genius") is the official DJ of the AND 1 Streetball videogame. In the game, DJ Green Lantern will be prominently positioned at half-court. He will host each streetball game, mixing and scratching various exclusive tracks. Additionally, DJ Green Lantern's voice also been captured and integrated into the game "The Evil Genius" will call out players, introduce songs, and pump up the crowd. As an added bonus, DJ Green Lantern is an unlockable player, taking his game from the wheels of steel to hard concrete.

Posted by Matt Sarrel at 3:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

San Francisco, CA May 25, 2006 Today Ubisoft, one of the world's leading video game publishers, announced that its AND 1® Streetball Videogame Soundtrack will feature all original and exclusive tracks from hip hop's hottest rap artists from across the nation. The lineup is a who's who of hip-hop talent ranging from New York's veteran Kool G Rap to Oakland's up-and-comer Turf Talk. The complete videogame soundtrack is available as a gift with purchase of AND 1 Streetball for the PlayStation’2 computer entertainment system and the Xbox video game system from Microsoft. AND 1 Streetball will be available in retail stores on June 7 for a suggest price of $39.99.

"What I do and what the streetballers do are the same thing," says rap artist Freeway, who grew up on the same gritty Philadelphia streets as AND1 streetball legend, Aaron "AO" Owens. "We both need to be creative and original to get recognized."

Hip hop and Streetball go hand in hand. Both performances are based on originality and dynamic showmanship. To compliment AND 1 Streetball's showcase of the most talented streetballers from every region, the game's soundtrack will also showcase the most talented hip-hop artists from every region. The AND 1 Streetball Videogame Soundtrack features a loaded and customizable library of exclusive tracks from various hip-hop genres, including Dirty South Crunk, West Coast Hyphy, and East Coast. Each court will have its own sound and flavor players can choose which courts they want to play and which tracks they want to hear.

Zvi Edelman, the exclusive soundtrack's producer, traveled the U.S. recording brand-spanking-new tracks to accompany the regional courts in the game.

1. Clipse ft. DMP: VA Streetz
2. Smitty: Set the City on Fire
3. Bun B & the Middle Fingaz: Hard in the Paint
4. San Quinn: Take Money, Make Money
5. Stat Quo: What's Next
6. Freeway: Stand Up
7. Rhymefest: Coming for You
8. Turf Talk: Put Up or Shut Up
9. BG: We
10. Devin the Dude: Give It and Go
11. Peedi Crakk: It Don't Stop
12. Ray Cash: E-Room
13. Kool G Rap ft. Hammerz & Scram Jones: This is How We Do NYC

About AND 1:
Founded in 1993, AND 1 makes basketball footwear and apparel for players with serious game. The company that first made its mark in the apparel industry with a line of “in your face” trash talk tee shirts now offers a complete product line for basketball players, including performance shoes, shorts, tees, sleeveless tees, pants, team uniforms, licensed collegiate gear and accessories. Brand revenues have grown from $1 million in 1993 to $175 million in 2003. AND 1 footwear and apparel is sold in more than 130 territories around the world and worn by the New Zealand, Slovenian, Puerto Rican and Turkish national basketball teams in addition to more than 100 NBA endorsers including two-time NBA All-Stars Stephon Marbury (New York Knicks), Ben Wallace (Detroit Pistons) and star of the AND 1 Mix Tape®, Volume One, Rafer Alston (Toronto Raptors) as well as Jason “White Chocolate” Williams (Memphis Grizzlies). For more information, visit www.and1.com.

About Black Ops:
Black Ops Entertainment was founded in 1994 to create cutting-edge sports and action/adventure videogames for the Sony Playstation. Founded by a group of MIT alumni, including John Botti, Jose Villeta, Alan Lasky and Will Botti, Black Ops grew over the years and shipped such PlayStation® hits as “Tomorrow Never Dies,” and “The World is Not Enough,” selling over 5 million units combined. Black Ops has created such PlayStation 2 titles as “Knockout Kings” and “Street Hoops,” which sold nearly one million units. In addition Black Ops received the AAIS Award in 2000 for “Best Console Sports Game,” for Knockout Kings 2000. Black Ops has completed over 18 titles, and is currently working on “AND 1 Streetball” with Ubisoft, employing much of the same key team that was instrumental in creating the million-unit franchise, “Street Hoops.”

About Ubisoft
Ubisoft is a leading producer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment products worldwide and has grown considerably through its strong and diversified lineup of products and partnerships. Ubisoft has offices in 21 countries and sales in more than 50 countries around the globe. It is committed to delivering high-quality, cutting-edge video game titles to consumers. Ubisoft generated revenue of 547 million Euros for the 2004-2005 fiscal year, an increase of 3 percent over the previous fiscal year at constant exchange rates. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoftgroup.com.

Posted by Matt Sarrel at 2:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Myelin Media LLC, a publisher of interactive entertainment software, today announced that their Texas Hold ‘Em game, STACKED™ with Daniel Negreanu, has gone gold for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Xbox® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and the PC. The most advanced poker simulation ever created, STACKED boasts an exclusive learning artificial intelligence solution, involvement from seven of poker’s most successful and charismatic players, as well as support for massive sanctioned online tournaments.

The first poker video game to capture the strategy and excitement of the game that has taken the world by storm, STACKED has exclusive license to the university-developed Poki AI system to deliver a remarkably advanced single-player experience. A learning system, Poki observes how each player approaches the game, devising and implementing new strategies for victory and encouraging the player to vary their style of play. Also, featuring seven of the world’s most successful poker pros, players will have the opportunity to go head-to-head against Josh Arieh, Jennifer Harman, Erick Lindgren, Juan Carlos Mortensen, Evelyn Ng and David Williams, each with a custom AI style that matches their real-world play style.

Further, STACKED takes Texas Hold ‘Em online like never before with MTV STACKED Masters, a breakthrough online system that lets players host large scale tournaments and single game tables with a group of friends. Sanctioned tournaments will be regularly announced on the game’s official web site, letting top ranked players compete in a multi-table ladder structure with hundreds of other players for a shot at poker immortality in the MTV STACKED Masters Hall of Fame.

STACKED is rated T for Teen by the ESRB and will be available on May 30th at a suggested retail price of $29.99. For more information about STACKED with Daniel Negreanu, please visit stacked.mtv.com.

Posted by Matt Sarrel at 7:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

REDMOND, Wash., May 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Following its overwhelming debut at E3 2006, Nintendo today announced the current fiscal year unit shipment forecast for its new home game system, Wii(TM). Nintendo also confirmed that the price of the Wii system, which incorporates unique freehand control, will not exceed $250 in America, or 25,000 yen in Japan. The company plans to ship 6 million systems to retailers around the world between its launch in the fourth quarter of 2006 and the end of its fiscal year on March 31, 2007.
The projections are part of a full-year financial forecast that sees growth of 18 percent in sales globally, based on anticipated continuing strong demand for the Nintendo DS(TM) portable game system, as well as a successful launch for Wii.

The company also said it expects to sell 17 million Wii games in the period. Exact launch dates, identification of the launch library of titles and details on the unique Virtual Console aspect of Wii will be announced soon.

Posted by Matt Sarrel at 7:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Revenge can be yours today, because Rogue Trooper is now exploding onto the store shelves of retailers near you! This sci-fi third-person action shooter based off of the popular comic book series from 2000AD lets you take control of Rogue Trooper, the last of the Genetic Infantrymen, as he sets out on a path of destruction to deal some payback to those responsible for the massacre of his race. Using the skills and abilities of his fallen comrades Bagman, Helm, and Gunnar, whose bio-chips allow them to take a new life in his equipment, Rogue must rely on a mixture of stealth, strategy, and pure destruction to take on full platoons of soldiers and inch his way closer to that sweet, sweet revenge.

Bagman is ready to repurpose enemy gear to make weapon upgrades, or unleash a devastating barrage of micro-mines. Gunnar is ready to act as a turret, great for setting up traps for groups of enemies. Helm is ready to use his hacking skills to gain access to restricted areas, or act as a Holodecoy, useful for a great distraction. Rogue Trooper is more than ready, and is itching for his chance to unleash a fury of destruction down on those who have made him suffer.

Don’t keep him waiting. Pick up a copy of the game today as Rogue Trooper is now on store shelves throughout North America for the PS2, Xbox and PC!

Posted by Matt Sarrel at 10:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., May 23, 2006 – Electronic Arts (Nasdaq: ERTS) and the Jeep ® brand announced today that they have signed a deal that will give gamers a chance to experience Jeep vehicles in Medal of Honor Airborne™ as they were found in World War II. The classic Willys-Overland Jeep will appear for extended, action-packed sequences in several missions of Medal of Honor Airborne.

Medal of Honor Airborne is the newest installment from EA’s critically-acclaimed Medal of Honor™ franchise which was credited with pioneering the First-Person Shooter (FPS) WWII genre when it debuted in 1999, and is the best selling WWII FPS franchise of all time. By fully controlling the airdrop from the very first step through landing, Medal of Honor Airborne adds a new dimension of player choice by letting the player decide where every mission begins and how it plays out. Building on the key tenets of the franchise including historical accuracy, research, and authenticity, for the first time Medal of Honor Airborne will include fully player-drivable vehicles, including the Willys Jeep.

Jeep played an integral role in the war effort as an indispensable tool in tracking the enemy, exchanging information and moving troops. Over 350,000 Willys Jeep vehicles were built and used during WWII, and at one point the assembly line was pushing out one vehicle every 90 seconds. When driving a Willys Jeep in Medal of Honor Airborne, the player can choose to use it as a mode of transportation, or as a mobile attack platform taking full advantage of a variety of mounted weapons. Authentic to their use in WWII, the Willys Jeep will be able to access more areas than the other drivable vehicles featured in Medal of Honor Airborne, because of Jeep vehicle’s superior four-wheel drive off-road capabilities.

"Video games are quickly becoming the medium of choice for a new generation of consumers and Chrysler Group has been at the forefront of this exciting revolution," said Jay Kuhnie, Director - Jeep Communications, Chrysler Group. "By teaming with Electronic Arts and Medal of Honor Airborne, Jeep is celebrating its history while helping to take this medium to its next level."

“The Medal of Honor Airborne experience begins with unprecedented freedom of approach from the air. With the addition of the Willys Jeep, that freedom continues on the ground, on road and off, and in combat scenarios of all types." explained Patrick Gilmore, VP and Executive Producer at EALA. “This is the first time in any Medal of Honor game that a player will have the ability to drive a Willys Jeep, and we’re very excited to see this new addition increase the fun and intensity of the gameplay.”

As the first game in the Medal of Honor series to be released on next generation platforms,

Medal of Honor Airborne is being developed under the EA™ brand for the PlayStation®3 and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment systems, Xbox 360™ videogame system from Microsoft, and Windows PC. Developed by EA Los Angeles (EALA), Medal of Honor Airborne has not yet been rated by the ESRB. For more information on Medal of Honor Airborne and the Medal of Honor franchise, please visit: www.moh.ea.com.

Posted by Matt Sarrel at 8:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

New York (May 23, 2006) – It’s time to cut the crap and see what life is like beyond the toilet bowl as Codemasters announced today the signing of the cult character brand The Turds for its casual gaming portfolio.

In an exclusive deal with Pacemaker UK, the characters’ creators, The Turds will star in a series of free-to-play web games developed by Pilot Interactive. The games will be featured on a dedicated Turds gaming site, accessible via Funsta.com, Codemasters’ international casual gaming online portal, and a network of partner gaming sites.

The first, Donkey Pong And The Adventures Of Rimdiana Jones, is now live at www.funsta.com/turds. The Turds are a collection of roguish comedic characters born from the best of toilet humour. The Turds satirise known characters from film, entertainment and sport, such as The Bogfather, Freddy Pooger, The Turdinator, Wayne Pooney, and characters from history, including Shat the Ripper, Brave Fart, and, of course, Adolf Sh*tler. Pacemaker UK’s range of The Turds figurines, posters, and soft toys has fast established a multi-million business with a loyal fan base that has been extended internationally.

“We were looking for the next big thing to come along for the web gaming initiative and, after a good sit down, eventually The Turds just came out,” said Nick Pili, Codemasters’ director of casual gaming. “The Turds is an ever-growing phenomenon that has a massive cult status and we’re thrilled to be able to take them online with the web games.”

You can play with your very own Turds right now online at www.funsta.com/turds in the first web game: Donkey Pong And The Adventures Of Rimdiana Jones.

Donkey Pong And The Adventures Of Rimdiana Jones sees popular action hero, Rimdiana Jones, and agent Marilyn Muckroe, on a search for the legendary fartifact, the Lost Arse. However, disaster strikes: Marilyn is captured by giant ape-sh*t, Donkey Pong, and is to be sacrificed to a mysterious giant turd, worshipped by the lost Pongo Tribe.

Can Rimdy get his gal back and find his Lost Arse? To rescue Marilyn Muckroe, help Rimdy jump, run, climb and smash his way to the top of each increasingly difficult level. Watch out for those evil Islanders and pray your nostrils don’t catch a blood curdling wiff of the mighty Pong!

“We at Turds central believe that the nation needs to look at life beyond the bowl and see the beauty of their Turds,” says Luke Smith of Pacemaker UK, one of the creators of The Turds. “There’s one in all of us and the launch of web games gives everyone a chance to play with The Turds.”

Donkey Pong And The Adventures Of Rimdiana Jones is now available to play the dedicated The Turds site online at www.funsta.com/turds.

About Codemasters
Codemasters is a global interactive entertainment company with offices in the U.S., England, France, Spain, Holland and Germany. Founded in the UK in 1986, Codemasters develops and publishes award-winning software for the PC, current and future-generation video game consoles and online gaming platforms. Codemasters’ dominant gaming brands include ToCA Race Driver, Colin McRae Rally, Operation Flashpoint, Micro Machines v4 and the company is currently developing and introducing original gaming properties for next-generation systems. Additional information about Codemasters and its products can be found at www.codemasters.com.

Posted by Matt Sarrel at 8:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN FRANCISCO May 23, 2006 Ubisoft, one of the world's largest video game publishers, today proudly announces that Heroes of Might and Magic® V for PC has released and will be arriving at North American retailers this week.

"Today we celebrate the return of the beloved Might and Magic franchise with Heroes of Might and Magic V, enhanced and revamped but stillholding true to the values of the series that its loyal fans love and demand," said Tony Key, vice president of marketing at Ubisoft. "Ubisoft is proud to bring the series into a new realm of PC gaming with an all-new 3D universe and innovative new features such as the Dynamic Battle System."

In the renowned Might & Magic universe, demon swarms spread chaos over the land in a relentless assault. The fate of the world is at stake and heroes from a variety of legendary factions must stand up and defend their causes. Live their fate, lead their forces to victory and unveil the secret goal of the demon lords. Players have the ability to become strategy gaming legends by raising unique hero characters, assembling armies and defeating enemies using the brand-new dynamic battle system both offline and online.

Key Features of Heroes of Might and Magic V include:
• Cutting-edge visual technology: For the first time, experience the world of Might & Magic in a full, breathtaking 3D animated world supported by a consistent and modern graphic style.

• A more mature & consistent fantasy universe: Includes all the features that made the series successful in a completely revamped and more mature universe – with six unique factions and over 80 different creatures and 40 spells.

• Complete strategy experience and RPG gameplay: During six campaigns and more than 30 missions, explore and conquer territories, manage your cities, recruit armies and raise and upgrade your heroes through a user-friendly yet deep turn-based system.

• Complete scalable turn-based battle system for challenging and tactical combat: Discover the combat system that made the Heroes series successful or experience the brand-new dynamic battle system that transforms a chessboard into a lively battlefield.

• Competitive, addictive, and intense multiplayer mode: Play five different online modes, including the new Ghost Mode via hot seat, LAN or the Internet.

Developed by a seasoned team at Nival Interactive (Blitzkrieg, Silent Storm, Etherlords), Heroes of Might and Magic V® is available in both a standard and a limited edition and ships with a rating of T (Teen).

For more information on Heroes of Might and Magic® V, please visit the official web site at www.mightandmagic.com.

Heroes of Might & Magic® V © 2006 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Heroes, Might and Magic, Heroes of Might and Magic, Ubisoft, and the Ubisoft logo are trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the U.S. and/or other countries. Developed by Nival Interactive.

Posted by Matt Sarrel at 5:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

His entire race has been set up and massacred by a traitor. As the last survivor of the Genetic Infantrymen, Rogue Trooper isn’t very happy about the situation, so he sets out on a mission for destruction to make those responsible suffer. But before Rogue can bring the vengeance, he must take the first step on his mission for pain and that step happens today as Rogue Trooper ships to stores all across North America! And what better way to see our mean, blue, one-man wrecking machine off to the store shelves than to celebrate his journey by releasing a ton of new assets... 5 new renders, 10 new screenshots and the last trailer to be exact! The wait is over, and tomorrow revenge can be yours when Rogue Trooper hits the store shelves in North America for the PS2, Xbox and PC!

Posted by Matt Sarrel at 5:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 23, 2006 (BELLEVUE, WA) – ArenaNet®, developer of the award-winning online roleplaying game Guild Wars®, and NCsoft® Corporation, the world’s leading developer and publisher of online computer games, announce today that the studio’s latest release, Guild Wars Factions™, is now the top PC game in North America and Europe. NPD’s weekly sales report showed Guild Wars Factions as the number-one-selling PC game for the weeks beginning April 23, 2006 and April 30, 2006.

“When Guild Wars was launched one year ago, it amazed the gaming world," said Robert Garriott, CEO of NCsoft North America. "Free online game play, stunning graphics, in depth PvP and PvE—impossible they said. Guild Wars Factions proves that ArenaNet is the world leader, not just in great online games, but in building unique business models aimed for the future of online gaming.”

Guild Wars Factions was one of the year’s most anticipated releases, and in its first two weeks out of the gate has wowed fans, press, and retail alike. Guild Wars Factions is topping the sales charts in Europe and North America, and the media is raving about the game.

“4.5 stars out of 5 stars!” – GameSpy

“. . . weaves together solo, cooperative, and competitive content in a way that is undeniably impressive.” – GameSpot.com

“Not only does ArenaNet give fans more of what they want, but they do it in an extraordinary manner.” – Amped IGO

"The popularity of MMOGs is on the rise and quickly becoming one of the strongest performing genres on the PC platform. From 2004 to 2005, usage of MMOGs grew nearly 29 percent, and that combined with the significant increase of sales at retail for these products illustrates the growing importance of this genre," said Anita Frazier, industry analyst, The NPD Group.

Developed by fledgling award-winning studio ArenaNet, Guild Wars Factions is the follow-up to the company’s debut release Guild Wars (April 2005). Guild Wars revolutionized online gaming, and the industry has been anxiously awaiting the release of Guild Wars Factions.

Guild Wars Factions takes place on the Asian-inspired continent of Cantha, where players create a character from eight distinct professions—including the newly created Assassin and Ritualist—and join an epic quest that pits two warring factions, the Luxons and the Kurzicks, against an ancient evil, and against each other. As players become embroiled in this brutal war of conquest, new missions provide both roleplaying fans and competitive PvP players the opportunity to help determine the fate of Cantha.

Guild Wars Factions is rated T for Teen. For more information, please visit www.guildwars.com

About ArenaNet
ArenaNet, located in Bellevue, Washington, is a wholly owned subsidiary of NCsoft Corporation. ArenaNet has built a state-of-the-art, interactive game network and develops premier multiplayer online games for dedicated game players. ArenaNet’s titles, Guild Wars and Guild Wars Factions, are global online roleplaying games that allow gamers to play with anyone, anytime, and anywhere in the world. More information about ArenaNet can be found at www.arena.net.

About NCsoft Corporation

NCsoft North America is headquartered in Austin, Texas and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Korea-based NCsoft Corporation. NCsoft, with its own development and publishing offices in Texas and California, also works with other NCsoft subsidiaries and third party developers throughout North America to develop and publish innovative online entertainment software products. The company has successfully launched multiple online titles in the last three years and continues to support its AAA franchises that include Lineage®/Lineage II, City of Heroes®/City of Villains™, Guild Wars®/Guild Wars Factions™ and Auto Assault®. More information about NCsoft can be found at http://www.plaync.com.

Posted by Matt Sarrel at 5:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

New York, NY – May 23, 2006 - Rockstar Games, the world-renowned publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), is pleased to announce that Rockstar Games presents Table Tennis for the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft is now available at retail stores in North America with a MSRP of $39.99.

Developed by Rockstar San Diego, Rockstar Games presents Table Tennis is a perfectly focused, addictive experience that features 11 playable characters from around the world, over 15 international arenas and supports up to 8 player tournaments via Xbox Live.

“Rockstar’s title is intense, fast and engaging” and “comes closer to replicating the feel of the real-life sport than maybe any sports game in history,” said IGN.com, while TeamXbox.com named it “Sports Game of the Show” at E3 2006.

Rockstar Games presents Table Tennis is rated “E" for Everyone. The title will reach European retail shelves on May 26th, 2006 for a price of €39.99, and £29.99 in the UK.

About Take-Two Interactive Software

Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is an integrated global developer, marketer, distributor and publisher of interactive entertainment software games and accessories for the PC, PlayStation® game console, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) system, Xbox® and Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment systems from Microsoft, Nintendo GameCube™, Nintendo DS™ and Game Boy® Advance. The Company publishes and develops products through its wholly owned labels Rockstar Games, 2K and 2K Sports, and Global Star Software; and distributes products in North America through its Jack of All Games subsidiary. Take-Two also manufactures and markets video game accessories in Europe, North America and the Asia Pacific region through its Joytech subsidiary. The Company maintains sales and marketing offices in Cincinnati, New York, Toronto, London, Paris, Munich, Madrid, Milan, Sydney, Breda (Netherlands), Auckland, Shanghai and Tokyo. Take-Two's common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol TTWO. For more corporate and product information please visit our website at www.take2games.com.

Posted by Matt Sarrel at 4:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SAN FRANCISCO MAY 22, 2006 Today Ubisoft, one of the world's largest video game publishers, announced a long-term worldwide licensing agreement with Touchstone Television to develop and publish a video game based on the Emmy Award-winning television series "Lost." Developed by Ubisoft's award-winning Montreall studio and scheduled to hit retail shelves worldwide in 2007, the game will be offered for home and portable consoles as well as PCs.

"We are delighted to work with Bryan Burk, one of the biggest producers in Hollywood and with Touchstone Television," said Yves Guillemot, chief executive officer of Ubisoft. "That they have chosen us for the adaptation of the cult series "Lost" is the best homage that a producer can make to the creativity of Ubisoft."

"This deal is another example of how truly powerful the "Lost" brand is," said Bruce Gersh, senior vice president, business development, ABC Entertainment and Touchstone Television. "We are excited to work together with Ubisoft to create a gaming experience that will allow fans to further immerse themselves into the mysteries and intrigues of the series."

"The creative appeal of"˜Lost" transcends borders with its character driven stories and addictive mysterious mythology," said Julia Franz, executive vice president, Touchstone Television. "It's not enough for fans worldwide to just watch 'Lost,' the game is a wonderful opportunity to organically extend this creative phenomenon into an interactive consumer experience."

"Many of us on "Lost" have been hardcore gamers for years and the chance to work with Ubisoft, a company behind some of our favorite titles, has excited us to no end," said "Lost" executive producer Bryan Burk. "With the ability to tell new interactive stories within the "Lost" universe, we're giddy to be developing a game that, once completed, will be as engaging and fun to play as it is to create."

J.J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof co-created "Lost" and also serve as executive producers, along with Bryan Burk, Jack Bender and Carlton Cuse. "Lost," which is filmed entirely on location in Hawaii, is from Touchstone Television.

About "˜Lost"
After Oceanic Air flight 815 tore apart in mid-air and crashed on a seemingly deserted Pacific island, its survivors were forced to find inner strength they never knew they had in order to survive. The band of friends, family, enemies and strangers has become reluctant heroes who must work together against the cruel weather and harsh terrain if they want to stay alive. Danger and mystery loom behind every corner on the island, and those they thought could be trusted may turn against them. Even heroes have secrets.

"Lost" stars Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Mr. Eko, Naveen Andrews as Sayid, Emilie de Ravin Caire as Claire, Matthew Fox as Jack, Jorge Garcia as Hurley, Josh Holloway as Sawyer, Daniel Dae Kim as Jin, Yunjin Kim as Sun, Evangeline Lilly as Kate, Dominic Monaghan as Charlie, Terry O'Quinn as Locke, Harold Perrineau as Michael, Michelle Rodriguez as Ana Lucia and Cynthia Watros as Libby.

"Lost" is the fastest-selling TV series in Buena Vista
International Television's (BVITV) history, having been licensed in over 210 territories worldwide. Across countries such as Australia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Singapore, Sweden, the UK and Russia, "˜Lost" has consistently been No. 1 in its timeslot. In the UK, "Lost" delivered Channel 4's biggest-ever audience for a U.S. series launch, and on Seven Australia it was consistently one of the top two series on the network and held the second-biggest premiere in Australia's television history. The series has been a Top 3 U.S. series on free TV channels in every international territory it has aired.

About Touchstone Television
Touchstone Television has established itself as one of Hollywood's leading production companies, supplying critically acclaimed, quality entertainment to the broadcast and cable television industry. The studio's 14 new and returning scripted series on broadcast television in the 2006-07 season include the international franchise phenomenons "Lost", "Desperate Housewives" and "Grey's Anatomy."

About Ubisoft
Ubisoft is a leading producer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment products worldwide and has grown considerably through its strong and diversified lineup of products and partnerships. Ubisoft has offices in 21 countries and sales in more than 50 countries around the globe. It is committed to delivering high-quality, cutting-edge video game titles to consumers. Ubisoft generated revenue of 547 million Euros for the 2004-2005 fiscal year, an increase of 3 percent over the previous fiscal year at constant exchange rates. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoftgroup.com.

Posted by Matt Sarrel at 7:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This demo lets you play the first mission of Hitman: Blood Money, teaching you the basics of what it takes to enter the world of high-stakes contract killing. Your mission is to eliminate the man known as “The Swing King,” who has been located at an old broken down amusement park now functioning as a drug lab. Though your objective is clear, it is up to you to determine the best way to perform the execution.

The latest installment of the popular Hitman franchise, Hitman: Blood Money, features enhanced artificial intelligence, a massive arsenal of upgradeable weaponry, as well as the new Blood Money system which allows characters in future missions to react to Agent 47 based upon how much his presence was noticed in the past. Hitman: Blood Money is set to ship May 30th, but you don’t have to wait to find out if you have what it takes to control the world’s deadliest assassin... download the demo now at www.hbmdemo.com and prepare to make a killing!

Hitman: Blood Money is set to ship May 30th in North America for the Xbox360, PS2, Xbox and PC!

Posted by Matt Sarrel at 7:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I met with Wizards of the Coast on Thursday morning and they revealed to me a new version of Magic Online due to go live in the third quarter of 2006. Essentially, they give away the software for free (and there's no subscription fee) and you then sell you content as you go. There's new content released every 3 months. People collect and trade digital objects (like cards). There's a significant market on Ebay. There are 6 million paper (or real card) players and 250,000 electronic players. There are 400 million digital objects in the Magic Online universe and they host 2 million games per month.

The client is a gathering place for players. It allows access to the store. You build a card deck. There's tech support in the chat rooms. There are gameplay rooms where you go to play against other players. There's a spectator mode so you can watch other players compete. Graphics have been updated to DirectX 9. AI has been improved.

Posted by Matt Sarrel at 1:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

On Thursday morning I met with Ben Sawyer of the Serious Games Initiative/Games for Health project. It's a grassroots effort with foundation funding to look at using games for things other than entertainment such as training, education, excercise, therapy. Something like lessons learned from developing games and how to make a better interface for a business application would also fit in here too.

They just held their annual conference on Tuesday. I couldn't go because of all the press conferences. They're planning another conference for October 2006 in Washington DC.

There's a possiblity that I may start blogging for them. We'll see how that develops.

Some of the games I looked at were:

Pulse!!, a game for first responder training
Personal Investigator - an experiment in child psychology
Incident Commander - emergency response from the eye of the mayor. A train derails and spills chlorine gas.
Peacemaker - participate in Arab and Israeli peace talks
Cold Stone Creamery management training game - learn how to run a Cold Stone Creamery
Cisco Binary Game - teaches binary to network engineers so they can decipher network masks
Remission - fight cancer from the inside out

Posted by Matt Sarrel at 11:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I met with Scott Rubin, VP of Sales and Marketing for Namco Networks America as my last meeting on Wednesday. This is the first year that Namco Networks has had it's own booth. And it was a huge booth for a mobile games publisher. Scott told me of Namco Networks' success in the past year with the rapid uptake in casual gaming and how their classic arcade games lend themselves very well to the mobile format. Popular titles include Galaga, Pac Man and Ms. Pac Man.

Scott also told me about original Namco Networks titles such as Snoopy and the Red Baron, Dilbert Cubicle Chaos, and Scene it? the number 1 board game in the world. For those of you who don't know about it, like me, it's a tv and movie trivia game. All of these games are network enabled meaning that you can download additional content and they support multi player.

There's currently a Super Pac Man sweepstakes running on Sprint where you can win a Pac Man branded VW Beetle. My pictures didn't come out so good so I can't show it to you.

They also made a joint announcement with Sprint and Motricity that they're going to collect micropayments within games. It's a pretty cool idea. You have the basic payment for the game and then a micropayment for some additional functionality. For example, Galaga is $2.99 a month and then for $0.25 you can unlock a second ship to play with.

Posted by Matt Sarrel at 10:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I have to admit that I didn't know much about Razer prior to our meeting Robert Karkoff (president) told me the whole story.

Razer was founded eight years ago and makes PC gaming products. Gamers are passionate about their equipment and Razer makes equipment for that high end market. They make high resolution gaming mice. Most, almost all, mice are 8-bit. Razer made the a 16-bit mouse in 2004. Most mice are 400 dpi; Razer mice are 1600 dpi or 2000 dpi. Razer believes that mice should be measure in inches per second because it is a more accurate measure of the type of performance required by high end gamers. The Diamondback runs at 90 ips and a human can move at about 72 ips. Everything Razer makes is a pure hardware solution. They actively seek feedback and validation from professional gamers with each product they bring to market.

The Copperhead has a 1ms latency, which is just about nothing. The mouse is completely portable. It has memory to store settings so you can take it with you, plug it in, and have all your settings right there. The mouse can receive firmware updates. It was the first 2000 dpi laser sensor mouse.

They're coming out with a keyboard named Tarantula in August 2006. It's the "first true gaming keyboard", low latency (1ms) and anti-ghosting so you can press as many keys as you want at once. It's completely programmable and has macro keys on each side. There are 5 profiles to store your programming; Razer will host a website to upload and download profiles. It's washable and has replaceable keys. There's a dock for peripherals across the top of it and Razer says that a lamp and a webcam are on the way. It will sell for $99.99.

Any day now Razer is coming out with the Barracuda, an 8 channel sound card/headphone combo for $299. It provides excellent positional audio which helps when someone is sneaking up behind you. Each channel can be adjusted separately. It's 24 bit 96 Hz sound. The drivers have been totally stripped down. Razer believes that this card is faster, more accurate, and cheaper than competitors because they've eliminated all the extra functionality that gamers don't need, ie MIDI. The headphones are very comfortable and do not block out room noise.

Posted by Matt Sarrel at 9:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

New York, NY – May 19, 2006 – 2K, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), announced today The Da Vinci Code™ video game is now available at retail stores worldwide. Developed by The Collective, a division of Foundation 9 Entertainment, the video game is available for PC, Xbox® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system.

The Da Vinci Code™ video game is based on the highly anticipated film from Columbia pictures, which is based on Dan Brown’s critically acclaimed, best-selling novel. In the game, players seek to “unlock the code” as they struggle to unravel a 2,000 year old mystery.

“The Da Vinci Code™ video game expands upon the plot in the film and book, allowing gamers to experience new adventures and solve new puzzles,” said Christoph Hartmann, President, 2K. “The game takes players beyond anything they have seen or read.”

An adventure and puzzle game with action elements, the video game features new plot twists and clues. In a race against time, players must try to stay one step ahead of an ominous, covert society that will stop at nothing to protect a secret locked away for centuries. The video game combines stealth, adventure, combat and puzzle-solving elements to create the ultimate adventure.

Key Features:

* Expands upon The Da Vinci Code universe by giving the player new experiences and locations not visited in the film or the book.

* Guide Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu on their quest to solve a bizarre murder-mystery and uncover the ultimate treasure protected by an ancient secret society.

* A unique blend of puzzle-solving, stealth, combat and exploration.

* Explore detailed environments and discover hidden clues in world famous locations such as The Louvre, Westminster Abbey, Saint-Sulpice and more.

* Players must solve a wide variety of challenging physical and intellectual puzzles that will ultimately lead them to the resting ground of the Holy Grail.

* Charles Cecil, designer of the critically acclaimed title Broken Sword aided in the game design.

* Featuring an incredibly moving and haunting sound track, from acclaimed composer Winifred Philips.

From director Ron Howard, producer Brian Grazer and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman, the Oscar®-winning team of A Beautiful Mind and producer John Calley (the Oscar®-nominated The Remains of the Day), comes the film version of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code, one of the most popular and talked about novels of our time, with a cast headed by two-time Academy Award® winner Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Sir Ian McKellen, Alfred Molina, Jürgen Prochnow, Paul Bettany and Jean Reno.

Produced by Grazer and Calley, The Da Vinci Code involves a thrilling murder investigation that unearths a secret that could change the course of history.

Doubleday has completed its 104th printing of the Dan Brown novel which will bring the total number of hardcover copies in print in North America to an unprecedented 12 million. It is the record-setting adult fiction hardcover bestseller, with 161 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list, 55 of them at #1. In addition, 5 million paperback copies for North America were printed and released in the U.S. market March 28th. The novel currently has 57 million copies in print worldwide in all formats.

The Da Vinci Code™ is rated T for Teen and is now available at retail stores worldwide.

For more information, please visit http://www.thedavincicodegame.com.

About Sony Pictures Consumer Products
Sony Pictures Consumer Products (SPCP), a Division of Columbia TriStar Consumer Marketing (CTCM), is based in Los Angeles and handles the merchandising and branding efforts for some of the most recognized properties in film and television.

Columbia TriStar Consumer Marketing is a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE). SPE is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America (SCA), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; digital content creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in 67 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sonypictures.com.

About The Collective

Part of Foundation 9 Entertainment (www.F9E.com), the largest independent game developer in North America, The Collective is a leading developer of console video games, and known for groundbreaking third-person action adventure games. The Collective is based in Newport Beach, CA and can be found on the web at: www.collectivestudios.com.

The Collective, along with Backbone Entertainment, Pipeworks, ImaginEngine, and Digital Eclipse make up Foundation 9 Entertainment. The company's studios have developed more than 300 titles, including more than 40 in 2005 alone. Foundation 9 Entertainment employs more than 350 employees, and has offices in Los Angeles, Newport Beach, Emeryville, Vancouver, Boston, Eugene, Charlottetown and Honolulu. For more information on Foundation 9 Entertainment, please visit: www.F9E.com.

About Take-Two Interactive Software

Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is an integrated global developer, marketer, distributor and publisher of interactive entertainment software games and accessories for the PC, PlayStation® game console, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) system, Xbox® and Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment systems from Microsoft, Nintendo GameCube™, Nintendo DS™ and Game Boy® Advance. The Company publishes and develops products through its wholly owned labels Rockstar Games, 2K and 2K Sports, and Global Star Software; and distributes products in North America through its Jack of All Games subsidiary. Take-Two also manufactures and markets video game accessories in Europe, North America and the Asia Pacific region through its Joytech subsidiary. The Company maintains sales and marketing offices in Cincinnati, New York, Toronto, London, Paris, Munich, Madrid, Milan, Sydney, Breda (Netherlands), Auckland, Shanghai and Tokyo. Take-Two's common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol TTWO. For more corporate and product information please visit our website at www.take2games.com.

Posted by Matt Sarrel at 7:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

For some reason there were a lot of cars at this year's E3. Some Ferarris and Lamborghinis. They were beautiful.

If you'd like to view the slideshow click here.

It's always been a dream of mine to drive something that fast.

Posted by Matt Sarrel at 6:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here are a bunch of photos from walking around E3. There are some shots of the Nintendo Wii, then a bunch of me walking around, then some skateboarding and biking in the half pipe.

If you'd like to view the slideshow click here.

It's a lot of fun to walk around.

Posted by Matt Sarrel at 3:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I had a good time over at SEGA with Jenny. Overall, they've got an impressive bunch of games.

Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz - This is a Wii launch title and I'm looking forward to it. Playing is a good demonstration of how the Wii controller can be used. Imagine that you are holding the puzzle tray in your hand. Tilt the controller the way that you would tilt the puzzle tray to move the monkey the way you want. It makes the game very cool. There are 50+ mini games and 50+ puzzle trays. Some of the mini games have creative ways of using the controller. For example, in the hammer throw you twirl the controller and release the button to throw the hammer.

Sonic Wild Fire (working title) - This is another Wii launch title. Sonic falls asleep reading the Arabian Nights and journeys into that world. It was fun to control him running through the game using the controller, tilting it to turn, flicking it up to jump. I got pulled out in the middle of this demo so I don't have much more. I also don't have a screen shot for this one.

Midieval II Total War - This is a PC only title due to ship in November 2006. It's being developed by a 40 person Australian team. There are 21 factions, 17 of which are playable. They doubled the resolution at which the graphics engine runs. They replaced the battle engine. Troops are now individuals that move and think independently within the context of their orders. You can upgrade the troops and see the difference in how they battle. There's a vegetation system that makes for great looking trees and bushes. The environment has strategic value so you can use it to win battles by trapping the enemy. The battle was something to see. Troops look around for their next opponent, corpses stack up in pools of blood. You can fight in the Crusades where there's a whole aspect to the game of managing the relationship with the Pope.

Sonic The Hedgehog - This is for PS3 and Xbox 360 and it ships in Fall 2006. It's the fifteenth anniversary of Sonic. There's a real sense of speed. Graphics looked very good. Enemy AI has been upped so battles are more entertaining. It's not as linear as earlier versions. It's not a fully open 3D world either but at least now you have some choices. There's a new character called Silver who has telekinetic powers. It's fun to battle using him and throw enemies at each other.

Virtua Fighter 5 - This top notch fighting game is for PS3 and will ship in the first quarter of 2007. Everyone moves so fluidly and gracefully. Vanessa is back. That's all I care about. There are 3 new characters.

Posted by Matt Sarrel at 5:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Test Drive Unlimited - The entire game takes place on the island of Oahu. There are over 100 licensed vehicles and 1000 miles of road. It's all pretty much online races. There can be up to 8 player online races. You can drive around randomly exploring. When you encounter another player you can challenge him to a race. Then you lay out the course on the map and start racing. The world can have up to 1000 players on the same server so you probably won't have to race the same person twice, unless you want to. There will be online racing clubs to join. This game ships in September 2006 for PS2, PSP, PC, and Xbox 360.

Hotpxl - This game consists of 200 Warioware style mini games for the PSP. It's being designed by Jonathan Choquel, an expert on global youth culture. Jonathan runs his own blog www.streetsmartcoolcat.com. It's a series of five second games where the player only has to push "x" and the directional buttons so it's easy to get the hang of it. There's a music/video player built in to the game so you can access your media directly from within the game. There's a PC Tool that you can use to manage your media and download more mini games.

Posted by Matt Sarrel at 4:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Xbox Live, the first and only unified online games and entertainment network, is now the world’s largest platform for high-definition on-demand content, surpassing 24 million downloads following the launch of Xbox 360 on November 22, 2006.

For the full week of E3 – the biggest video game industry event of the year - Xbox 360 gamers around the world were invited to jump in to Xbox Live through “E3: Bringing It Home,” and receive a full week’s Gold membership for free, courtesy of Verizon in the US and adidas in Europe.

Over 1.5 million gamers connected to Xbox Live last week, downloading exclusive content direct from the show floor, including the latest high-definition game demos and trailers, such as Halo 3, Gears of War and Fable 2; game add-on content, such as Map Packs from Call of Duty ®2 and additional quests from The Elder Scrolls® IV: Oblivion™, movie trailers and music videos, such as “Nacho Libre” and “Over My Head” (The Fray) along with celebrity Game with Fame multiplayer sessions with Dave Navarro (Panic Channel), Method Man and Jenny McCarthy.

Xbox Live members downloaded over 5 million pieces of gaming and entertainment content during the 7 days of E3: Bringing It Home, consuming more than 600 Terabytes of data, shattering all previous records for the network. At the same time, traffic on Xbox.com doubled during the week, driving more than 6 million unique users to the site as well.

“Only Xbox Live could bring E3 home in high definition for consumers around the world,” said Peter Moore, corporate vice president of the Interactive Entertainment Business in the Entertainment and Devices Division at Microsoft. “The sheer volume of downloads during E3 week was simply staggering. To put it in perspective, all the printed material in the U.S. Library of Congress is estimated to be about 20 terabytes, and Xbox Live delivered 30 times that amount in just 7 days. While others talk about online entertainment in the console space, we are delivering it in glorious high-definition to the millions of members we have across 24 countries. “

The eagerly anticipated Halo 3 high-definition trailer proved to be the most popular download of the week:

Top 10 downloads during E3: Bringing It Home:

1. Halo 3 Game Trailer (Microsoft Game Studios)
2. Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Free Playable Demo (Capcom)
3. Test Drive® Unlimited Free Playable Demo (Atari)
4. MotoGP™ '06 Free Playable Demo (THQ)
5. X-Men™: The Last Stand Pack (20th Century Fox)
6. Gears of War GameTrailer (Microsoft Game Studios)
7. Call of Duty ®2: Skirmish Map Pack (Activision)
8. Spiderman™ 3 Game Trailer (Activision)
9. Fable 2 Trailer (Microsoft Game Studios)
10. Uno® Xbox Live Arcade Game (Microsoft Game Studios)

About Xbox Live

Xbox Live is the first and only unified online entertainment network seamlessly integrated throughout the entire console experience, making it easy for people to find the friends, games and entertainment they want from the moment they power on their Xbox 360 system. Xbox Live connects millions of members across 24 countries to enjoy hundreds of multiplayer games, downloadable games via Xbox Live Arcade, free and premium playable game demos, music videos, and movie trailers, as well as new game levels, characters and vehicles for all their favorite retail games. More information can be found online at http://www.xbox.com/en-us/live.

Posted by Matt Sarrel at 4:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES – (May 18, 2006) – GameTap, the first-of-its-kind broadband entertainment network from Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS, Inc.) today announced the winners of its first annual “E3 2006 GameTap Picks” awards. While scouring the vast Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) show floor at the Los Angeles Convention Center from May 10th – May 12th, GameTap created its nominee list. And now, after careful deliberation, GameTap editors have selected the best of the best in 20 categories.

And the winners are…

* Best Adventure Game: Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (GC/Wii) – Nintendo/Nintendo
* Best Action Game: Assassin’s Creed (PS3) – Ubisoft/Ubisoft Montreal
* Best Platform Game: Super Mario Galaxy (Wii) – Nintendo/Nintendo
* Best Shooter: Prey (Xbox 360/PC) – 2K Games/3D Realms – Human Head
* Best Fighting Game: Yakuza (PS2) – SEGA/Amusement Vision
* Best Strategy Game: Warhammer Mark of Chaos (PC) – Namco Bandai/Black Hole Entertainment – Cinegi Productions
* Best Simulation Game: Spore (PC) – EA/Maxis
* Best Puzzle Game: Capcom Puzzle World (PSP) – Capcom/Capcom
* Best Role-Playing Game: TIE! Justice League Heroes (multiplatform) – Warner Bros. International/Snowblind Studios
* Best Role-Playing Game: TIE! Marvel Ultimate Alliance (multiplatform) – Activision/Raven Software
* Best Racing Game: Full Auto 2: Battlelines (PS3) – SEGA/Pseudo Interactive
* Best Sports Game: Wii Sports (Wii) – Nintendo/Nintendo
* Best Kids/Family Game: LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy (multiplatform) – LucasArts/Traveler’s Tales
* Best MMO: Huxley (Xbox 360/PC) – Webzen/Webzen
* Best Portable: New Super Mario Bros. (DS) – Nintendo/Nintendo
* Best Game We Want To Play NOW: Guitar Hero II (PS2) – RedOctane/Harmonix
* Best Overall: Spore (PC) – EA/Maxis
* Best Surprise: Wii controller - Nintendo
* Best Announcement: Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii) – Nintendo/Nintendo
* Best Booth: Webzen
* Best Swag: Slime keychain – Square Enix

“We launched GameTap as a hub for the videogame lifestyle, and our GameTap TV area as the premier video-on-demand engine to serve that audience, so covering E3’s hottest games was a natural fit,” said Ricardo Sanchez, GameTap’s vice president of content. “GameTap is the largest broadband entertainment site when it comes to on-demand games and videos, and as the leading destination for games after they leave the retail channel, we expect the best games of today to be on GameTap tomorrow.”

To view footage, screenshots and information about the award winning games, visit www.gametap.com to subscribe to the GameTap network. $9.95 allows all-you-can-play-and-watch access to GameTap’s record-setting catalogue of more than 500 games and 300 videos. Go now to www.gametap.com and get your two week free trial.

Posted by Matt Sarrel at 10:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW YORK, May 17, 2006 – In the first of a series of major initiatives that will shatter barriers to fun on the Internet in a unique way, Verizon has teamed with Valve® to create the FiOS Grand Tournament, an online PC game tournament of unprecedented scope. The FiOS Grand Tournament will end with one skillful player winning $100,000 – one of the largest prizes ever for a single winner of a tournament of this kind.

“By providing super-fast broadband connections for both downloading and uploading, Verizon FiOS Internet service creates great home entertainment experiences by shattering the limits we’ve come to accept – limits such as speed and bandwidth that get in the way of fun,” said Brian Angiolet, director of marketing for Verizon FiOS. “What better way to demonstrate that than by creating unprecedented online experiences – like the FiOS Grand Tournament – that rely heavily on broadband connectivity and speed to maximize fun.”

Adds Doug Lombardi, Director of Marketing for Valve: “Verizon FiOS Internet is an ideal solution for Steam customers looking to push the limits of their online gaming experience.”

In coming weeks, Verizon will launch a series of additional initiatives that will enable consumers to experience the Internet without limitations – something only Verizon FiOS can offer. These will include Verizon FiOS experiences in video games, fashion and live events.

The FiOS Grand Tournament will bring together the best in class of the interactive entertainment sector. Valve, creator of best-selling PC game franchises Half-Life and Counter Striketm will provide tournament entrants free access to its new, highly acclaimed Half-Life 2: Deathmatch PC game for the tournament beginning May 17.

Beyond demonstrating the advantages of the speed and enormous download and upload capacity of Verizon FiOS Internet service, Half-Life 2: Deathmatch will showcase the ease of Steam, Valve’s direct platform for digital content delivery.

Verizon offers FiOS high-speed broadband service over its new, advanced fiber optic network in parts of 16 states – a network that brings the power of fiber all the way to the home. With maximum download connections of up to 30 megabits-per-second (Mbps), and upload connections of up to 5 Mbps, FiOS provides gamers with the speed they need to compete. Although users of any Internet service can play in the tournament, finalists will face off live on the Verizon FiOS Internet service, experiencing its breakthrough speed, capacity and fun.

About Verizon FiOS Grand Tournament

Managed by the Cyberathlete Amateur League (CAL), the FiOS Grand Tournament officially starts May 17 when players can begin downloading Half-Life 2: Deathmatch from Valve’s Steam service located at www.steamgames.com. Players will then be able to register at www.fiosgrand.com and begin practicing until June 15.

Tournament play will begin on June 15 and the top 64 players will be ranked according to the CAL’s official ladder ranking system, until only eight players remain. Those eight players will then face-off in a dramatic head-to-head tournament that culminates with one winner fragging their way to the $100,000 prize.

More information about the tournament and its rules will be available online at www.fiosgrand.com.

About Verizon

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), a Dow 30 company, is a leader in delivering broadband and other communication innovations to wireline and wireless customers. Verizon operates America’s most reliable wireless network, serving 53 million customers nationwide; one of the most expansive wholly-owned global IP networks; and one of the nation’s premier wireline networks, serving mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. Based in New York, Verizon has a diverse workforce of more than 250,000 and generates annual consolidated operating revenues of approximately $90 billion. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

About Valve

Valve is an entertainment software and technology company founded in 1996 and based in Bellevue, Washington. The company's portfolio of entertainment properties includes Half-Life®, Counter-Strike™, Day of Defeat®, and Team Fortress®. Valve’s catalog of products accounts for over 20 million retail units sold worldwide, and over 80% of the PC online action market. In addition, Valve is a developer of leading-edge technologies, such as the SourceTM game engine and Steam, a broadband platform for the delivery and management of digital content. For more information, please visit www.valvesoftware.com.

About Half-Life 2

Half-Life 2 has been named Game of the Year by over 35 publications and sold over 4 million retail units worldwide. Powered by Source™, Half-Life 2 features the most sophisticated in-game characters ever witnessed, advanced AI, stunning graphics and physical gameplay. For more information, please visit www.half-life2.com.

About CPL and CAL

The Cyberathlete Professional League® (CPL) is the most recognized name in professional computer game competitions. Launched in 1997, the CPL is also the world’s first professional video games league. For more information visit www.thecpl.com.

The Cyberathlete Amateur League (CAL) is the CPL's online division, has 400,000 registered members and hosts year-round online tournaments. For more information visit www.caleague.com.

Posted by Matt Sarrel at 9:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Rogue Trooper, the intense sci-fi third-person action shooter has officially GONE GOLD and is ready to ship to the store shelves on May 23rd! The new game based on the comic book series from 2000AD puts you in the combat boots of a betrayed Genetic Infantryman who is hell-bent on revenge. Your comrades have been set up and brutally massacred, and now it’s up to Rogue to make those responsible pay. Vastly outnumbered, Rogue must use his surroundings to his advantage, and rely on the skills of his fallen comrades Gunnar, Bagman and Helm whose bio-chips have allowed them to take a new life in Rogue’s equipment.

Revenge is only a week away, so get ready for some intense action when Rogue Trooper ships May 23rd for the PS2, Xbox and PC in North America!

Posted by Matt Sarrel at 8:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Santa Monica, CA – May 16, 2006 – Inspired by Marvel Entertainment’s legendary Super Hero franchise and serving as a prelude to the upcoming Twentieth Century Fox and Marvel Studios’ feature film “X-Men: The Last Stand,” Activision, Inc.’s (Nasdaq: ATVI) X-Men: The Official Game premieres today at retail outlets nationwide. The game catapults players into an original storyline that allows them to command the distinct powers of Wolverine, Nightcrawler and Iceman as they battle classic Brotherhood villains including Sabretooth, Lady Deathstrike and Multiple Man and traverse unique environments that showcase each character’s abilities while embarking on an epic quest to save mutant-kind.

X-Men: The Official Game is the first Super Hero game for the Xbox™ 360 video game system from Microsoft and is available for a suggested retail price of $59.99. The PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox™ video game system from Microsoft and the Nintendo® GameCube™ versions are available for a suggested retail price of $39.99. The PC, Nintendo DS™ and Game Boy® Advance versions are available for a suggested retail price of $29.99. The console and PC games have been rated “T” (“Teen” – violence) and the handheld games have been rated “E-10+” (“Everyone 10 and older” – fantasy violence) by the ESRB.

“In X-Men: The Official Game, players will experience the events leading up to the ‘X-Men: The Last Stand’ feature film,” said Will Kassoy, vice president of global brand management, Activision, Inc. “Co-written by Zak Penn, the screenwriter of the film, and legendary comic book writer Chris Claremont, and featuring the voice talent of Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Shawn Ashmore and Alan Cumming, the game truly enables players to become a part of the X-Men movie universe .”

For the first time, X-Men: The Official Game lets players truly experience the powers of three popular Super Heroes from the X-Men movie universe by allowing them to take on the roles of Wolverine, Nightcrawler and Iceman as they wield and upgrade their signature powers and maneuver through unique environments designed to showcase their Super Hero abilities. Assisted by other X-Men characters including Storm and Colossus, players will use an advanced control scheme to master and control the characters as they unleash Wolverine’s combat rage, experience Nightcrawler’s acrobatics and teleportation powers and glide through the air on Iceman’s ice slide.

For more information on X-Men: The Official Game, please visit http://www.x-mengame.com.

BradyGames' X-Men: The Official Game Official Strategy Guide is available at electronics, book, and software retailers nationwide, and online at http://www.bradygames.com.

About Marvel Entertainment, Inc.

With a library of over 5,000 characters, Marvel Entertainment, Inc. is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies. Marvel's operations are focused on utilizing its character franchises in licensing, entertainment, publishing and toys. Areas of emphasis include feature films, DVD/home video, consumer products, video games, action figures and role-playing toys, television and promotions. Rooted in the creative success of over sixty years of comic book publishing, Marvel's strategy is to leverage its character franchises in a growing array of opportunities around the world. More information about Marvel can be found at www.marvel.com.

About Activision, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products. Founded in 1979, Activision posted net revenues of $1.47 billion for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2006.

Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Australia, Scandinavia, Spain and the Netherlands. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company's World Wide Web site, which is located at www.activision.com.

Posted by Matt Sarrel at 8:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

San Francisco – May 15, 2006 – Today Ubisoft, one of the world's largest video game publishers, announces Storm of War: Battle of Britain, to come in November 2006 for PCs worldwide. Storm of War: Battle of Britain is the first instalment in the new Storm of War franchise from award-winning developer Maddox Games. Ubisoft and Maddox games previously collaborated on the acclaimed IL-2 Sturmovik and Pacific Fighters games.

In Storm of War: Battle of Britain, players will take to the skies during the famous Battle of Britain. Using classic World War II planes, the game offers a variety of historical missions through solo campaigns or online combat and cooperation. Storm of War: Battle of Britain includes a new 3D engine and damage model technology, enabling genre newcomers to enjoy a smooth ride thanks to a state-of-the-art flight simulator and scalable gameplay

"The Maddox series of flight simulators became instant references of the genre and we know that PC gamers are eagerly awaiting the next occasion to ride the skies," said Tony Kee, vice president of marketing for North America at Ubisoft. "Storm of War: Battle of Britain guarantees a thrilling ride; it is the genuine heir to flight simulator hall-of-famer IL-2."

"We've invested our time and talent to create new technology so players will be stunned by the quality of Storm of War: Battle of Britain," said Oleg Maddox, creator of the acclaimed IL-2 series. "Our collaboration with Ubisoft has been very fruitful and we're sure that gamers will be excited to join the "proud few" in this recreation of an important battle of the Second World War."

Storm of War © 2006 1C Company. All Rights Reserved. Developed by 1C:Maddox Games. Published and distributed by Ubisoft Entertainment. Storm of War, Ubisoft, Ubi.com, and the Ubisoft logo are trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in US and/or other countries. Pacific Fighters© 2004 1C Company. All Rights Reserved. Developed by 1C:Maddox Games and Ilya Shevchenko.

About Ubisoft
Ubisoft is a leading producer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment products worldwide and has grown considerably through its strong and diversified lineup of products and partnerships. Ubisoft has offices in 21 countries and sales in more than 50 countries around the globe. It is committed to delivering high-quality, cutting-edge video
game titles to consumers. Ubisoft generated revenue of 547 million Euros for the 2005–2006 fiscal year. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoftgroup.com.

Posted by Matt Sarrel at 8:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)