Wednesday, May 27, 2009

New Zero Punctuation - Duke Nukem Forever

This week the focus for Zero Puncuation is Duke Nukem Forever. But Wait, that game is not out... Watch and laugh as we're taken aboard a very special rant.

Ubisoft - Reports Show a 14% increase in Sales - Press Release

Ubisoft have released some financial reports. the main thing to take away from it is that sales are up 14%

Press Release

UBISOFT® REPORTS FULL-YEAR 2008-09 RESULTS

  • Sales up 14%
  • Current operating income : 12.2% of sales (14.3% in 2007-08)
  • Net income excluding non-recurring items and before stock-based compensation: €84.7 million (€80.6 million in 2007-08)
  • Net income: €68.8 million (€109.8 million in 2007-08)
  • Net cash: €154.2 million (€149.5 million in 2007-08)
  • 2009-10 targets confirmed

Contact

Investor relations
Jean-Benoît Roquette
Head of Investor Relations
+ 33 1 48 18 52 39
Jean-benoit.roquette@ubisoft.com

Disclaimer

This statement may contain estimated financial data, information on future projects and transactions and future business results/performance. Such forward-looking data are provided for estimation purposes only. They are subject to market risks and uncertainties and may vary significantly compared with the actual results that will be published. The estimated financial data have been presented to the Board of Directors and have not been audited by the Statutory Auditors. (Additional information is specified in the most recent Ubisoft Registration Document filed on July 25, 2008 with the French Financial Markets Authority (l'Autorité des marchés financiers)).

© 2008 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Assassin’s Creed, Ubisoft, Ubi.com, and the Ubisoft logo are trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the U.S. and/or other countries. Rainbow Six, Red Storm and Red Storm logo are trademarks of Red Storm Entertainment in the U.S. and/or other countries. Red Storm Entertainment, Inc. is a Ubisoft Entertainment company.
© 2008 Nintendo. Nintendo DS is a trademark of Nintendo.

About Ubisoft

Ubisoft is a leading producer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment products worldwide and has grown considerably through a strong and diversified line-up of products and partnerships. Ubisoft is present in 28 countries and has sales in more than 55 countries around the globe. It is committed to delivering high-quality, cutting-edge video game titles to consumers. For the 2008-09 fiscal year Ubisoft generated sales of €1,058 million. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoftgroup.com.

Microsoft - Lips Number 1 HIts Announced, Screenshots, Video and Box Shots - Press Release


Coming October 2009 is Lips Number 1 Hits. this collections features a diverse collection of chart topping tunes.





Press Release

The World's Newest Singing Sensation, "LipsTM: Number One Hits," Takes the Stage this Holiday 2009

From Coldplay to Culture Club to MC Hammer, the second title in the "Lips" franchise offers a diverse collection of global chart-topping tunes

Grab your friends and family and warm up those vocal chords! It’s time to transform your next get-together into a memory-making musical affair with “Lips: Number One Hits.” Combined with the original “Lips” game, “Lips: Number One Hits” sets the stage for the ultimate singing party with a new collection of global chart-topping songs to satisfy even the choosiest of performers. So regardless if your preferred stage is an amphitheatre, or just your living room, everyone will love the latest from Xbox 360’s exclusive singing franchise.

Hitting store shelves in October 2009, “Lips: Number One Hits” features popular tracks spanning diverse genres and generations that have graced the No. 1 position on major global charts. These top tunes include:

• “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay
• “Disturbia” by Rihanna
• “U Can’t Touch This,” by MC Hammer
• “More Than Words,” by Extreme
• “Apologize” by Timbaland featuring OneRepublic
• “Karma Chameleon” by Culture Club
• “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” by Marvin Gaye
• “Oh, Pretty Woman” by Roy Orbison
• “Ready, Set, Go!” by Tokio Hotel
• And many more yet to be announced!

Combined with the power of the motion-sensitive LED wireless microphones, which are compatible with the top third-party music games releasing this fall, “Lips: Number One Hits” should let even the shiest closet singers grab a mic and strut their stuff with friends and family.

“Lips: Number One Hits” and the original “Lips” game combine to create the ultimate singing party, with more songs to keep the fun rocking all night long. But for singers with an insatiable appetite for variety, both the Xbox LIVE Marketplace and the in-game Get Music Store feature a vast library of tunes that can be downloaded for both titles. New tracks of all genres and artist-specific songs packs are added regularly each week, so personal catalogs can keep growing and growing. “Lips,” combined with the power of Xbox LIVE, makes Xbox 360 the best destination for music game fans.

“Lips,” Xbox 360’s first exclusive singing party game from iNiS, launched November 2008. The second title, “Lips: Number One Hits,” launches this October 2009. More information on “Lips” is available at
http://lips.xbox.com.

# # #

For Lips Number One Hit go to:
http://edelmanadmin.psni.com/public/Lips/

For more information, press only:
Nik Thakkar / 020 3047 4087 /
nik_thakkar@jcpr.com
Georgina Edwards / 020 3047 4057 /
georgina_edwards@jcpr.com

About Xbox 360
Xbox 360 is a superior video game and entertainment system delivering the best games, unique entertainment features and a unified online gaming network that revolve around gamers. Xbox 360 has a portfolio of more than 300 games in nearly 40 countries. More information can be found online at
http://www.xbox.com/xbox360.

About Xbox LIVE
Xbox LIVE connects more than 17 million members across 26 countries to each other and the entertainment they love. Home of more entertainment from one remote than can be found from any device connected to the television, Xbox LIVE is also a unified online social network bringing friends together, no matter where they are — in the living room or across the world. More information and Xbox LIVE membership can be found online at
http://www.xbox.com/en-us/live.

About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Sony Online Entertainment - Free Realms Now Has Over 2 Million Players - Press Release

Sony Online Entertainment have announced that Free Realms now has over 2 Million Players. They also announce the demographics for these users, with 75% of those registered being under the age of 17. 46% are under 13 years old. 1/3 of players are female.

To mark this achievement, players will receive a party pack bundle, of in game items, to help celebrate.


Press Release

SAN DIEGO, CALIF. – May 27, 2009 – Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) today announced that more than two million unique users have registered for Free Realms™ (www.FreeRealms.com), the free-to-play, family-friendly online video game that launched on April 28, 2009. With 75% of its registrants under age 17 and 46% under 13, Free Realms has managed to hit home with young players. In honor of this milestone, all current players will receive a “party pack” bundle of in-game items to help celebrate!

“In less than a month,
Free Realms has captivated a core player base of tween and teen gamers, while also strongly resonating with MMO gamers,” said John Smedley, president of Sony Online Entertainment. “We wanted to create a game to play with our families and are excited to have hit the mark with our intended audience.”

Notably one of the fastest-growing online worlds,
Free Realms has established a favorable position with the female demographic as well; nearly a third of the players are female.
In
Free Realms, players are free to do or be anything: Fight like a ninja, cook a tasty meal, raise a pet, battle goblins, set out on epic quests or connect with friends through a safe, social networking site. Also available is the Free Realms Trading Card Game: a full-featured trading card game, playable both digitally within the Free Realms online game and offline via physical card decks sold wherever you buy trading cards. In the virtual marketplace, the Trading Card Game (TCG) packs are a sales leader, as are pets, weapons, health potions and crazy clothes like a funky Hawaiian shirt!

To support the initial release and launch of
Free Realms, nearly one million Station Cash™ game cards were made available across five major retail chains. Free Realms players can pop into their local Best Buy, Blockbuster, Rite Aid, 7-Eleven or Target to purchase Station Cash™ cards, which are used to redeem Station Cash and buy virtual goodies or upgrade to a Membership status in the game.

Free Realms is rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and up with content descriptors of Crude Humor and Fantasy Violence. To play Free Realms, visit: http://www.FreeRealms.com.
Press assets:
http://www.soepress.com/product.asp?s=72

About Sony Online Entertainment

Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) is a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games, with hundreds of thousands of subscribers around the globe. SOE creates, develops and provides compelling entertainment for the personal computer, online, game console and wireless markets. Known for its blockbuster franchises and hit titles including
EverQuest®, EverQuest® II, Champions of Norrath®, Untold Legends™, and PlanetSide®, as well as for developing Star Wars Galaxies™, SOE continues to redefine the business of online gaming and the creation of active player communities while introducing new genres on various entertainment platforms. Headquartered in San Diego, CA, with additional development studios in Austin, TX; Seattle, WA; Denver, CO; Tucson, AZ and Taiwan, SOE has an array of cutting-edge games in development.


Taito - 6 Classic Taito games are heading to Nintendo Platforms - Press Release

Taito announce Space Invaders Extreme 2 for the DS, as well as Space Bust-a-Move. These are set for July and fall 2009 respectivly.
Taito have announced Bubble Bobble Plus!, Bust-A-Move Plus!, Rainbow Islands Towering Adventures, and Arkanoid Plus! All for WiiWare. All are set for a release from now till The Summer

Press Release.

LOS ANGELES (May 26, 2009) — TAITO Corporation (TAITO®), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd., announced today that it is bringing six addictively fun, classic titles to Nintendo's WiiWare™ service and Nintendo DS™ in the coming months. These all-new sequels and revamps of fan-favorites will provide endless fun for the entire family this summer and beyond.

Launching first is BUBBLE BOBBLE Plus! for WiiWare, now available for download. The hit arcade game BUBBLE BOBBLE® has been adapted for home and handheld consoles alike since its 1986 release, but now for the first time the game offers a four-person multiplayer mode and a global ranking system with BUBBLE BOBBLE Plus!.

In addition, TAITO will be releasing BUST-A-MOVE® Plus!, Rainbow Islands™: Towering Adventure! ™ and ARKANOID® Plus! for WiiWare. With a total of 135 all-new stages and a two-person multiplayer mode, BUST-A-MOVE Plus! provides non-stop bubble-popping entertainment, while Rainbow Islands: Towering Adventure! invites players to continue the adventures of Bubby and Bobby as they use Rainbow Magic to climb the tower through exciting new vertical stages. ARKANOID Plus! is the newest addition to the ARKANOID legacy and more addictive than ever before. An old-school classic with a new and colorful twist, players can even test their ARKANOID Plus! mastery against others via the two-player battle and co-op modes.

TAITO will also be offering two new releases for Nintendo DS: SPACE BUST-A-MOVE and Space Invaders Extreme™ 2. SPACE BUST-A-MOVE is a new adventure for iconic heroes Bub and Bob, who battle intergalactic bosses in order to save the galaxy. The game offers improved graphics, customization options, intense multiplayer competition and mini-games for an exhilarating puzzle-solving experience. Also set in outer space, Space Invaders Extreme 2 is a follow-up to the hugely popular SPACE INVADERS EXTREME released last year. A must-have follow-up for arcade fans everywhere, Space Invaders Extreme 2 offers an enhanced battle system, a challenging new time attack mode and an expanded gameplay progression that goes beyond Fever Time to SUPER FEVER TIME!

Please see below for product details:
WiiWare Releases

BUBBLE BOBBLE Plus!
Platform: Wii™
Genre: Action
ESRB: E (Everyone)
Launch Date: Available Now

Twin Bubble Dragons Bub and Bob reunite to journey through the Cave of Monsters to rescue their girlfriends. Push and burst bubbles while avoiding enemies in order to solve the mystery hidden in each round and defeat the final boss!

The official website can be found at http://na.square-enix.com/bbp/.

BUST-A-MOVE Plus!
Platform: Wii
Genre: Puzzle
ESRB: E (Everyone)
Launch Date: Summer 2009

Enjoy brilliant graphics and dazzling animations in BUST-A-MOVE Plus! Play in either Puzzle Mode or Battle Mode and experience the exhilaration of shooting and eliminating shimmering bubbles through 135 all-new levels that span six distinctly different planetary environments. Download a total of 270 additional levels from BUST-A-MOVE 2, Super BUST-A-MOVE and BUST-A-MOVE 3.

Rainbow Islands: Towering Adventure!
Platform: Wii
Genre: Action/Adventure
ESRB: E (Everyone)
Launch Date: June 15, 2009

A sequel to the instant classic from the 80s, Rainbow Islands: Towering Adventure! is a much-awaited update for the 21st century. Help brothers Bubby and Bobby use their Rainbow Magic to scale the tower and have Holly's Comet grant their wishes!

The official website can be found at http://www.rainbowislandsadventure.com/

ARKANOID Plus!
Platform: Wii
Genre: Arcade Puzzle
ESRB: Not Yet Rated
Launch Date: Summer 2009

A simple game that's anything but boring, players must use the VAUS to break all the walls on each level while preventing the Energy Ball from falling. Clearing all the levels without missing the Energy Ball is easier said than done! Now with single and multiplayer modes, ARKANOID Plus! offers hours of engrossing gameplay.

Nintendo DS Releases

SPACE BUST-A-MOVE
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Puzzle
ESRB: E (Everyone)
Ship Date: July 28, 2009

The smash-hit classic arcade game goes where no bubble has gone before in SPACE BUST-A-MOVE.Journey alongside twin brothers Bub and Bob, travelling to distant planets collecting Cosmo Bubbles in order to stop the evil Devilin from taking over the galaxy.

The official website can be found at http://www.spacebustamove.com/.


SPACE INVADERS EXTREME 2
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Arcade Shooter
ESRB: Not Yet Rated
Ship Date: Fall 2009

Shoot, attack and stave off the assault by defeating all the Invaders on the screen. After annihilating a battalion of Invaders and defeating the Boss, players move on to the next stage. But it's "Game Over" if players lose all of their stock cannons!

About TAITO Corporation
TAITO Corporation (TAITO) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. With headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, TAITO operates core businesses such as game arcade operations, coin-operated game machines, and mobile phone content services. A seminal part of gaming history, TAITO caused a worldwide sensation with its arcade legend, SPACE INVADERS®, and developed such fan favorites as EXIT™ and ARKANOID®. Today, TAITO continues to thrill game lovers of all generations by offering both classic and new family-oriented titles on the latest gaming platforms. TAITO delivers a wide range of entertainment experiences with the goal of providing consumers with fresh surprises and new discoveries. More information on TAITO can be found on the Internet at
http://www.taito.com.

About Square Enix Co., Ltd. and Square Enix, Inc.

Square Enix Co., Ltd. (Square Enix), with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, develops, publishes and distributes entertainment content including interactive entertainment software and publications in Asia, North America and Europe. Square Enix brings two of Japan's best-selling franchises – FINAL FANTASY®, which has sold over 85 million units worldwide, and DRAGON QUEST®, which has sold over 47 million units worldwide – under one roof. Square Enix is one of the most influential providers of digital entertainment content in the world and continues to push the boundaries of creativity and innovation.

Square Enix, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Co., Ltd. with offices in Los Angeles, California. It handles operations in North America, including development, localization, marketing and publishing of Square Enix titles. More information on Square Enix can be found on the Internet at http://www.square-enix.com.

© TAITO CORPORATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
SPACE INVADERS, SPACE INVADERS EXTREME, the SPACE INVADERS EXTREME 2 logo, BUBBLE BOBBLE, the BUBBLE BOBBLE PLUS! Logo, the SPACE BUST-A-MOVE logo, ARKANOID, the ARKANOID PLUS! Logo, EXIT, BUST-A-MOVE, the BUST-A-MOVE PLUS! Logo, RAINBOW ISLANDS, RAINBOW ISLANDS TOWERING ADVENTURES, the RAINBOW ISLANDS TOWERING ADVENTURES logo, TAITO and the TAITO logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of TAITO Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. DRAGON QUEST, FINAL FANTASY and SQUARE ENIX are registered trademarks of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. in the United States and/or other countries. Wii, Nintendo DS and WiiWare are trademarks of Nintendo. WiiWare is available only through the Wii console.


Re-Cap of Yesterdays News (oldest to newest)

Taito - Cooking Mama and Super Puzzle Bobble coming to Nokia's Ovi Platform - Press Release

Taito, Via Square Enix, have announced that Super Puzzle Bobble and Cooking Mama will be coming to Nokia's Ovi Platform. Both games will cost $5.99 and are released today.


Press Release
LOS ANGELES (May 26, 2009) — TAITO Corporation (TAITO®), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd., announced that action puzzle title Super Puzzle Bobble® and cooking action game Cooking Mama® will be available today at the launch of Nokia's mobile phone software sales channel by Ovi®.

TAITO has been working with Nokia in connection with mobile phone content distribution programs since the earliest channels launched in 2002, and the launch date release of Super Puzzle Bobble and Cooking Mama by way of Ovi is the latest example of TAITO's long-standing support.

Popular since its initial arcade release in 1994, home console editions of the Puzzle Bobble series have shipped more than a million units worldwide. While the game's mechanics are simple—link three or more identical bubbles to clear them from the screen—a great degree of skill and strategy (banking shots off walls, erasing several bubbles at once, etc.) is required to gain a truly high score. It is this depth that is the secret of Puzzle Bobble's enduring appeal. Super Puzzle Bobble for Ovi includes both a 50-level Round Mode and the potentially endless, random-bubble generating Challenge Mode, allowing players to choose their play style according to their preferences.

Hit cooking action game Cooking Mama allows players to chop, fry, boil and otherwise enjoy the fun of food preparation through a variety of mini-games. Featuring realistic sound effects and ingredients that change in appearance as they are prepared, Cooking Mama provides a satisfying culinary experience. The game includes a "Main Meals mode", where players complete a series of linked mini-games in an effort to complete a full dish, and a "Training mode" that allows players to practice individual mini-games. Cooking Mama boasts 5 main recipes composed and 19 different mini-games.

Super Puzzle Bobble and Cooking Mama are the first of a number of Ovi games planned by TAITO.

About Super Puzzle Bobble

Publisher:

TAITO Corporation

Genre:

Game (Puzzle)

Price:

US$5.99

Region:

Ovi distribution territories including Europe and the USA

Release Date:

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Copyright:

© TAITO CORP.1994,2009


About Cooking Mama

Publisher:

TAITO Corporation

Genre:

Game (Action)

Price:

US$5.99

Region:

Ovi distribution territories including Europe and the USA

Release Date:

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Copyright:

© 2006, 2009 Cooking Mama Limited


© TAITO CORP.2006,2009


Ovi Store Homepage URL:
http://store.ovi.com

About TAITO Corporation
TAITO Corporation (TAITO) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. With headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, TAITO operates core businesses such as game arcade operations, coin-operated game machines, and mobile phone content services. A seminal part of gaming history, TAITO caused a worldwide sensation with its arcade legend, SPACE INVADERS®, and developed such fan favorites as EXIT™ and ARKANOID®. Today, TAITO continues to thrill game lovers of all generations by offering both classic and new family-oriented titles on the latest gaming platforms. TAITO delivers a wide range of entertainment experiences with the goal of providing consumers with fresh surprises and new discoveries. More information on TAITO can be found on the Internet at
http://www.taito.com.

ARKANOID, EXIT, SPACE INVADERS, PUZZLE BOBBLE, TAITO and the TAITO logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of TAITO Corp in the United States and/or other countries. SQUARE ENIX is a registered trademark or trademark of Square Enix Holdings Co. Ltd., in the United States and/or other countries. Ovi is a registered trademark of Nokia Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.