Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Funcom - New Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures Update Announced. Gangs of Tarantia Launching - Press Release

Funcom have announced the 5th update for Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures is called Gangs of Tarantia.
This update brings to the game the Tarantia Commons district, new storylines, more enemies and rewards. The update also brings some radical changes to how the game is played and experienced. for example, items now have a more profound impact on your characters powers, making them even more valuable. also guild cities will see more activity, PvP minigames now give the player experience, and you can now buy social pets like dogs, cats and snakes.




Press Release

DURHAM, N.C. --(Business Wire)-- Jun 24, 2009 Funcom is proud to announce the launch of Update 5 – ‘Gangs of Tarantia’ on the 'Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures' live servers. Players can now look forward to exploring a whole new area, the Tarantia Commons district, complete with a spectacular new storyline, more enemies to defeat, and more rewards to be had. This is the fifth installment in a series of updates that is delivering new and improved content to the game’s playerbase. ‘Age of Conan’ has seen a slew of updates since launching last year, adding countless hours of more content and new features to the game.

“The team has poured a lot of dedication and hard work into making this update a reality,” says Funcom game director Craig Morrison. “Not only are we adding a massive new area to the game where level seventy players can find hours of more entertainment, we have also made significant changes to core systems in the game that will hopefully make the game experience more fun and a lot more rewarding!”

Besides adding a wealth of new content, the update also introduces fundamental changes to how the game is played and experienced. Players will now find that items within the game and their associated statistics has changed radically, making items have a more profound impact on your character's powers. This will make equipment even more valuable, and the process of obtaining new weapons and armor through quests and adventure even more rewarding. The update should make a significant impact on how gamers play 'Age of Conan' and how they now experience the gameplay with their characters.

The update also introduces a vast number of other changes and additions. For instance, guild cities will now see an increased activity as guards and merchants now walk the streets, bringing life to the settlement. Also, players can now gain PvP (player vs. player) experience from doing PvP mini-games, and even purchase social pets such as snakes, dogs, and cats. For more information on all the improvements the update has to offer, please visit the 'Age of Conan'community website.

Launching in May last year ‘Age of Conan’ quickly became a smash hit in retail, shipping over 1.2 million copies around the world. In North America, the most prominent online gaming market in the west, ‘Age of Conan’ became the third best-selling PC title of the year only beaten by ‘Spore’ and ‘World of Warcraft’. In the weeks after launch ‘Age of Conan’ simultaneously topped the charts in 17 countries, and the game received critical acclaim from gaming press across the globe. ‘Age of Conan’ is now available in English, French, German, Spanish, Russian and Polish, and is being prepared for launch in Korea as well.

For more information and how to buy ‘Age of Conan’ please visit www.ageofconan.com

ABOUT FUNCOM - Funcom is an independent developer and publisher of online games for PC, consoles and mobile platforms. Funcom has provided outstanding entertainment since 1993 and continues to expand its track-record of more than twenty released games. Recent titles include 'The Longest Journey', 'Anarchy Online' and 'Dreamfall: The Longest Journey'. For corporate information please visit www.funcom.com. For information about Funcom games visithttp://www.anarchyonline.com www.dreamfall.com, www.darkdaysarecoming.com or www.ageofconan.com. Funcom is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker FUNCOM.

ABOUT CONAN PROPERTIES INTERNATIONAL - Conan Properties International LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Paradox Entertainment Inc., controls rights to Conan, many associated characters and the Hyborian world, as created by Robert E. Howard and various rights expanded upon by many acclaimed authors and artists. Many consider Conan the world's best-known fantasy character. For more information about Conan Properties International LLC, visit www.conan.com. For information about Paradox Entertainment Inc., visit www.paradox-entertainment.com.

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.


Glu Mobile - Modern Warfare 2 Announced for Mobile Platforms - Press Release



Glu Mobile have announced that, in partnership with Activision, they are bringing Modern Warfare 2 to Mobiles. it is set for a Q4 2009 release on phones and carriers that support Android, Blackberry, BREW, J2ME and Windows Mobile.

Press Release

SAN MATEO, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- Jun 24, 2009 Glu Mobile Inc. (Nasdaq:GLUU), a leading global publisher of mobile games, today announced plans to release a Modern Warfare 2 mobile game, published as part of the company’s expanded partnership with Activision Publishing, Inc. The mobile title will be available in Q4 2009 and will be published worldwide for carriers and application stores that support Android, Blackberry, BREW, J2ME and Windows Mobile.

“Infinity Ward’s Modern Warfare 2 is one of the most anticipated entertainment properties of the year and the Glu team is excited to develop a mobile game for this blockbuster title for fans of the Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare franchise,” said Jill Braff, senior vice president, global publishing, Glu Mobile.

For more information, go to www.glu.com. For live updates, follow Glu on Twitter at www.twitter.com/glumobile or become a Glu Mobile fan on Facebook.
About Glu Mobile

Glu (NASDAQ:GLUU) is a leading global publisher of mobile games. Its portfolio of top-rated games includes original titles Glyder, Bonsai Blast, Super K.O. Boxing!, Stranded and Brain Genius, and titles based on major brands from partners including Atari, Activision, Konami, Harrah's, Hasbro, Warner Bros., Microsoft, PlayFirst, PopCap Games, SEGA and Sony. Founded in 2001, Glu is based in San Mateo, Calif. and has offices in London, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Poland, Russia, China, Brazil, Chile, Canada and Mexico. Consumers can find high-quality, fresh entertainment created exclusively for their mobile phones wherever they see the 'g' character logo or at www.glu.com.

Cautions Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements, including statements related to the anticipated launch date of theModern Warfare® 2 mobile game. These forward-looking statements are subject to material risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Investors should consider important risk factors, which include: the risk that Glu may not launch the mobile game as scheduled; the risk that any or all of the mobile games launched by Glu from the Activision partnership may not be accepted by consumers as expected; and other risks detailed under the caption “Risk Factors” in Glu’s most recent report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 11, 2009. Glu is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any obligation, to update or alter its forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

GLU MOBILE, GLU, BONSAI BLAST, SUPER K.O. BOXING!, STRANDED, BRAIN GENIUS and the 'g' character logo are trademarks of Glu Mobile Inc.


© 2009 Activision Publishing, Inc. Activision, Call of Duty and Modern Warfare are registered trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. The ratings icon is a registered trademark of the Entertainment Software Association. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners.

Re-Cap of Yesterdays News (oldest to newest)




Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Namco Bandai - We Cheer 2 Song List Announced -Press Release

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Namco Bandai have released the tracks in their upcoming game, We Cheer 2. in total there are 30 songs in the game the game, With music from bands like the Black Eyed Peas, Fall Out Boy, Lady GaGa, Paramore, and plenty more. In the game you are cheerleaders and have to cheer to each track using the Wiimotes as Virtual PomPoms.
We Cheer 2 is set for a fall 2009 release and a MSRP of $39.99


Press Release

SANTA CLARA, Calif., (June 23, 2009) – Leading video games publisher and developer NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. today announced the full song list for We Cheer™2, exclusively for Wii™. The brand new line-up of 30 rockin’ songs will get players energized and ready to cheer. We Cheer 2 heightens the realistic, competitive cheerleading experience by immersing players in a nationwide cheerleading championship setting. Utilizing the Wii Remotes™ as virtual pom-poms, players follow on-screen prompts for choreographed routines that utilize a full range of arm and body movements.
The full song list for We Cheer 2 includes:
· “Get Ready For This” – 2 Unlimited
· “Mickey” – Toni Basil
· “Pump It (Clean Version)” – Black Eyed Peas
· “Run It Back Again” – Corbin Bleu
· “Song 2” – Blur
· “Tubthumping” – Chumbawumba
· “GNO (Girls Night Out)” – Miley Cyrus
· “Real Wild Child” – Everlife
· “Beat It (Feat. John Mayer)” – Fall Out Boy
· “Glamorous (Clean Version)” – Fergie
· “Imani Coppola” – Get Down With This
· “Tell Me Something I Don’t Know” – Selena Gomez
· “Homecoming” – Hey Monday
· “Let’s Dance” – Vanessa Hudgens
· “Just Dance” – Lady GaGa
· “Girlfriend” – Avril Lavigne
· “La La Land” – Demi Lovato
· “Leavin’ (Radio Edit Remix)” – Jesse McCartney
· “Closer” – Ne-Yo
· “Whoa” – Paramore
· “Higher Ground” – Red Hot Chili Peppers
· “Pon de Replay” – Rihanna
· “Walk This Way” – Run DMC
· “Push It” – Salt N Pepa
· “All Star” – Smash Mouth
· “The Power” – Snap!
· “So Bring It On” – The Cheetah Girls
· “Doing It Right” – The Go! Team
· “Popular” – The Veronicas
· “Headstrong” – Ashley Tisdale

In addition to the all new licensed soundtrack, We Cheer 2 raises the bar with more options than ever before including challenging new dance moves, new stages and gameplay modes, and limitless customization options for a huge roster of both female and male characters. With its simple yet addictive gameplay, players will lose themselves in the music and moves as they perfect the routines and earn top spot as captain of the squad.
We Cheer 2 for Wii will launch Fall 2009 with an MSRP of $39.99. For more information, please visit www.namcobandaigames.com.

About NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc.
NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc., is a leading interactive entertainment software publisher and developer based in Santa Clara,CA. The company is a part of the NAMCO BANDAI group of companies known for creating and publishing many of the industry's top video game franchises including the PAC-MAN®, SOULCALIBUR®, Naruto™ and Tekken® brands. For more information about NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc., and our products log onto www.namcobandaigames.com.

We Cheer™ 2 & © 2008 2009 NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc.
Wii and the Wii logo are trademarks of Nintendo. © 2006 Nintendo.
Press Release © 2009 NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc.


EA - Screenshots And Information About Hogwarts in the Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince Game


EA Have released screenshots for Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince showcasing Hogwarts. in thier newest Editorial feature on the game, they highlight how it would take the player nearly 2 hours to walk around Hogwarts. due to the size of this, the game uses Nearly Headless Nick to help the player find their way if they get lost.

Wii Screenshots


PS3/360 Screenshots


Editorial feature for the videogame #2

Hogwarts, warts and all.

The videogame of Harry Potter And The Half-Blood PrinceTM is your chance to explore Hogwarts like never before. For the first time ever, you’re free to explore every inch of the castle and its grounds, and look at it from every angle. It’s takes some exploring, too - it will take you nearly two hours to walk all the way round all those familiar turrets and courtyards. It’s not always easy to physically recreate a magical environment, full of moving staircases, rooms that are only there when you need them and secret entrances, but the team behind the game have worked direct with the designers of the movies, sharing blueprints and ideas. Thanks to their efforts the game provides a more complete recreation of Hogwarts than has ever been achieved before, and you’ll finally be able to discover how everything fits together. If it all sounds a bit daunting, don’t worry. Harry’s ghostly friend, Nearly Headless Nick, is always only a button press away, ready to guide you to your next destination. His footsteps will lead the way to keep you on the right track, but if you’re more in the mood to go your own way, he’s just as happy to help you plan your own routes through the castle.

Developed by EA Bright Light in Guildford, England - the team behind the worldwide success of the Harry Potter library of games - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is scheduled for release in the UK on the 3rd July 09 for the Wii™, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, Nintendo DS™, Windows PC and mobile devices.

GameStop - Tuesdays Family Night In Announced, Fun Affordable Family Gaming - Press Release

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In Response to the Survey GameStop did, GameStop have announced a new initiative that will run from June until September. Titled Tuesdays Family Night In, it offers discounts and chances to win free dinners. other incentives include a 20% bonus on trade-in credit that can be applied to Family Night In Games, and $3 off coupons for Baskin Robbins, whilst coupons last.
Gamestop have also launched a New Site, www.gamestop.com/familynightin , to promote the offer, but also educate families on the ESRB, ways to stretch budgets, and how to make nights in inexpensive.

Press Release

GRAPEVINE, Texas --(Business Wire)-- Jun 23, 2009 GameStop (NYSE: GME) today proclaimed summer Tuesdays as Family Night In to help families create fun and affordable in-home gatherings. The world’s largest video game and entertainment software retailer is rolling out special summer offers, discounts and chances to win free dinners while helping families strengthen their bond and extend their budgets.

This commitment recognizes that most families are looking for smart ways to stretch their entertainment dollars while increasing their fun. According to a Harris survey conducted for the retailer, 92 percent of families will be trying to maximize their dollars, with 4 in 5 cutting back on expensive summer leisure activities. Instead the majority (62 percent) will be choosing simple indulgences like eating ice cream or sharing family dinner together (42 percent) while one in three parents expect to play video games with their kids.

To help fulfill those desires, GameStop is extending a special value offer and a Family Fun sweepstakes to consumers who make their purchases on Summer Tuesdays from June 23-Sept. 1. GameStop’s Family Night In summer fun incentives include:
A 20-percent bonus trade-in credit on summer Tuesdays. Families looking to trade in older games will receive extra currency that can be applied to selectFamily Night In titles;
A Family Night In sweepstakes that celebrates 100 nights of summer by awarding 100 families a free dinner. Ten families each week will be awarded a $25 gift card redeemable at a food purveyor or restaurant of their choice, a Baskin-Robbins® Brownie a la Mode® ice cream cake for dessert and four TWIX® Caramel Cookie Bars; and
To help make Family Night In even sweeter, coupons for $3 off any Baskin-Robbins® cake purchase of $15 or more will be given to all GameStop customers making purchases on summer Tuesdays (while supplies last) and to those who enter the Family Night In sweepstakes online.

“Family Night In is a terrific way for families to share fun, quality time together,” explained Hillary Mendelsohn, a well-known author, shopping guru and mother of two whose family already holds its own weekly gaming nights. “As a mom, I love the fact that playing video games brings us together, lets us learn from one another and just laugh and laugh. As a smart shopper, I appreciate GameStop for responding to the times by making gaming more affordable.”

“In our house, we have three generations who love to play games,” said Paul Raines, Chief Operating Officer for GameStop. “Gaming is a family tradition that helps us stay connected and have fun together even in the midst of everyone’s busy lives. We hope Family Night In will help bring families closer together, while allowing them to save money and have fun at the same time.”
The company is also launching a special web site, www.gamestop.com/familynightin, offering fun tips and pointers for families to consult in enhancing their ownFamily Night In gatherings, such as:
A list of hot new and pre-owned family-friendly titles (rated “E”, “E10” and “T”) including NASCAR Kart Racing, Up!, Guitar Hero Smash Hits and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2010;
A guide to the Entertainment Software Ratings Board’s (ESRB) rating symbols and content descriptors to help parents make informed decisions about which games are appropriate for their own kids;
Ways families can stretch budgets without sacrificing fun by taking advantage of GameStop’s trade-in program to buy new titles or other items using older games as currency; and
Ideas for how to make Family Night In fun, creative and inexpensive.
For additional information about GameStop’s Family Night In please visit www.gamestop.com/familynightin.
The Harris Interactive Omnibus poll was conducted online from May 14 through May 18, 2009, among 639 parents/legal guardians of a child/children under the age of 18 living in their home.

About GameStop Corp.
Headquartered in Grapevine, TX, GameStop Corp., a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company, is the world's largest video game and entertainment software retailer. The company operates 6,244 retail stores in 17 countries worldwide. The company also operates an e-commerce site, GameStop.com, and publishes Game Informer(R) magazine, a leading multi-platform video game publication. GameStop Corp. sells new and used video game software, hardware and accessories for video game systems from Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft. In addition, the company sells PC entertainment software, related accessories and other merchandise. General information on GameStop Corp. can be obtained at the company's corporate website: http://www.gamestopcorp.com.


About Baskin-Robbins
Named the top ice cream and frozen dessert franchise in the United States by Entrepreneur magazine’s 29th annual Franchise 500® ranking, Baskin-Robbins is the world’s largest chain of ice cream specialty shops. Baskin-Robbins creates and markets innovative, premium ice cream, specialty frozen desserts and beverages, providing quality and value to consumers at more than 6,000 retail shops in 35 countries. Baskin-Robbins was founded by two ice cream enthusiasts whose passion led to the creation of more than 1,000 ice cream flavors and a wide variety of delicious treats. Headquartered in Canton, Mass., Baskin-Robbins is part of the Dunkin’ Brands, Inc. family of companies. For further information, visit www.baskinrobbins.com.

About Mars Snackfood US
Mars Snackfood US is the United States snack operations of Mars, Incorporated. Mars, Incorporated is a private, family-owned company founded in 1911 and employing 70,000 associates at 250 sites, including 151 factories, in 67 countries worldwide. Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, U.S.A., Mars, Incorporated is one of the world’s largest food companies, generating global revenues of more than $30 billion annually and operating in six business segments: Chocolate, Petcare, Wrigley, Food, Drinks, and Symbioscience. These segments produce some of the world’s leading brands: Chocolate – M&M’S®, SNICKERS®, DOVE®, GALAXY®, MARS®, MILKY WAY® and TWIX®; Petcare – PEDIGREE®, WHISKAS®, SHEBA®, CESAR® and ROYAL CANIN®; Wrigley – ORBIT®, EXTRA®, STARBURST®, DOUBLEMINT® and SKITTLES®; Food – UNCLE BEN’S®, DOLMIO®, EBLY®, MASTERFOODS® and SEEDS OF CHANGE®; Drinks – KLIX® and FLAVIA®; Symbioscience – WISDOM PANELTM MX, SERAMIS®, and COCOAPROTM. For more information, please visit www.mars.com.


GameStop - Survey Shows Families Are Going To Watch Their Budgets This Summer, But Still Spend Time Together - Press Release

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GameStop have done a survey to look at what people are spending on entertainment during Summer 2009. they conclude that whilst families watch their budgets, families do plan to spend time together doing activities together.


Press Release

GameStop Survey Shows Families’ Plan to be Smart Spenders On Entertainment for Summer 2009
As Parents Seek to Stretch Entertainment Budget, Simple Family Pleasures Will Dominate Summer
GRAPEVINE, Texas --(Business Wire)-- Jun 23, 2009 Although many families plan to continue watching their budgets this summer, family fun still remains a top priority, according to a survey commissioned by GameStop (NYSE: GME), the world’s largest retailer of video games and systems, and conducted by Harris Interactive®. Four in five American families are planning to scale back on summer leisure activities, but parents confirmed that quality time together will play a major role in their decisions on how to wisely spend their dollars.

For example, the vast majority of parents who are planning to cut back on costly leisure activities this summer are planning to do something else instead. This includes turning to simple indulgences like eating ice cream together (62 percent) or sharing meals at home together (47 percent), and one in three (34 percent) expect to play video games together with their kids. Some of the leisure activities those families expect to scale back this summer include:
eating out (66 percent)
trips to theme parks or other attractions (46 percent)
small vacations (43 percent)
going to the movies (38 percent)
Parents who plan to do something else instead say popular and less expensive alternatives will include:
going to free community events (63 percent)
day trips (51 percent)
playing video games together (34 percent)
hiking/biking (31 percent)
For budget-conscious families (e.g., trying to stretch their dollar), the majority (87 percent) are taking advantage of coupons; two in three (64 percent) are shopping only during sales and one in four (25 percent) are looking to stores’ trade-in programs where they can save on new, used or refurbished goods.

“Quality family time does not need to be accompanied by a high price tag,” said Hillary Mendelsohn, Founder and President of thepurplebook: The Definitive Guide to Exceptional Online Shopping. “As a smart shopper and a mom, I appreciate GameStop’s trade-in program, which lets families convert old games into currency to be used for purchasing new titles. Not only does it help make the most of a family’s entertainment budget, but it also helps teach kids important lessons about managing money and making it go farther.” In fact, in 2008, GameStop returned millions of dollars to consumers that were used for obtaining new and pre-owned titles and hardware systems.

“We appreciate that American families are taking a close look at their spending this summer, and are pleased that GameStop is able to be a budget-friendly destination for entertainment that is as economical as it is fun,” said Paul Raines, Chief Operating Officer for GameStop.
Just in time for summer, GameStop is launching its Family Night In program, which is designed to help families maximize their entertainment budgets with special summer value offers and other incentives to customers who make their purchases on summer Tuesdays from June 23 to September 1. Visitwww.gamestop.com/familynightin for more details.

About GameStop Corp.
Headquartered in Grapevine, TX, GameStop Corp., a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company, is the world's largest video game and entertainment software retailer. The company operates 6,244 retail stores in 17 countries worldwide. The company also operates an e-commerce site, GameStop.com, and publishes Game Informer(R) magazine, a leading multi-platform video game publication. GameStop Corp. sells new and used video game software, hardware and accessories for video game systems from Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft. In addition, the company sells PC entertainment software, related accessories and other merchandise. General information on GameStop Corp. can be obtained at the company's corporate website: http://www.gamestopcorp.com.

About The Survey
The survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of GameStop Corp. between May 14 and May 18, 2009 among 2,416 adults ages 18 and older, of whom, 639 are the parent/legal guardian of a child/children living at home with them under the age of 18. Results were weighted as needed to reflect the composition of the U.S. population of adults aged 18+ using targets for region, age within gender, education, household income, race/ethnicity, and propensity to be online. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey results and methodology please contact zrivera@maloneyfox.com.