Tuesday, June 9, 2009
EA - The Sims 3 Sells 1.4 Million In It's First Week in USA - Press Release
Press Release
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- Jun 09, 2009 Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) today announced that the hotly anticipated The Sims™ 3, stormed retail shelves starting June 2nd and sold thru more than 1.4 million PC/Mac units within the first week making it the best-selling PC launch in EA’s history. Fan intensity is evidenced through the more than 7 million downloads of player created content including: Sims, houses, stories and more. The Sims 3, also available for download from the Apple App Store for iPhone™ and iPod® touch, shot up to #1 paid app position on launch day and has maintained that spot since launch.
“With more than a dozen press awards, strong reviewer scores and positive feedback from The Sims community, we are thrilled with the success of The Sims 3 launch and the early sales indicate that we have another hit on our hands,” said Rod Humble, Head of the EA Play Label. “The volume of items created with The Sims 3 and downloaded online is a testament to how passionate The Sims players are. It’s their world now, we can’t wait to see everything players create and share.”
“The Sims 3 for the iPhone and iPod touch soared to the number one Top Paid App position in the U.S. Apple App Store in just 18 hours of its launch and reached the number one Top Paid App position in 37 countries worldwide within two days of launch, making it EA Mobile's 3rd game launched at $9.99 to reach the number one Top Paid App position,” said Adam Sussman, VP Worldwide Publishing for EA Mobile™. “The game's sales success along with its strong critical acclaim demonstrates that The Sims 3 mobile experience is a worldwide hit with our customers.”
In The Sims 3 on PC/Mac you can create lifelike Sims with a unique personality and take them anywhere in the neighborhood. The powerful Create-a-Sim tool allows you to create Sims that are more realistic than ever. Select from dozens of personality traits such as brave, artistic, kleptomaniac, clumsy, paranoid and romantic. With Create-a-Sim, you can create a limitless number of truly unique Sims. The Sims 3 allows for infinite possibilities to design the interior and exterior of your Sims’ surroundings using the Create-a-style feature. Additionally, you can enjoy the challenge of short-term and long-term goals and then reap the rewards! Based on personality traits, skills and career choices, your Sims have short and long term Wishes that provide constant fun challenges and so many things to do and achieve. You have the ultimate freedom to choose whether to fulfill their destiny, giving them lifetime happiness and rewards or not! Register your copy of The Sims 3 for PC and Mac at www.TheSims3.com to enjoy the robust online and community features unique to your game including an all-new town called Riverview that you can download for no additional charge once you register*. You will also gain access to 1,000 SimPoints to purchase items from The Sims 3 Store to customize your Sims’ appearance and houses in all-new ways. Be the director of your Sims’ movies by capturing clips during your gameplay, visiting the official site, and editing the soundtrack, story, and transitions, then share it with the world. See what you can create with The Sims 3.
For more information about The Sims 3, please visit www.TheSims3.com. Developed by The Sims Studio, The Sims 3 is rated T for Teen by the ESRB, PEGI 12+, and USK 0. The game is available now for purchase at retail and digitally athttp://eastore.ea.com/store/ea/ContentTheme/pbPage.the_sims3/ThemeID.718200. The Sims 3 is available globally from Apple’s App Store on iPhone and iPod touch, or at www.itunes.com/appstore/. The game also is available for purchase, globally, from wireless carriers for feature phones. For information on carrier availability and pricing for all EA Mobile games, please visit www.eamobile.com. To download artwork, please visit www.info.ea.com.
* INTERNET CONNECTION required. See product pack or digital distribution rules for details.
About The Sims
The Sims franchise celebrates an impressive over 100 million units sold since its launch in February 2000. Now translated into 22 different languages and available in 60 different countries, The Sims quickly has become a universal gaming and cultural phenomenon. For the latest information about The Sims and to check out the new The Sims 3 official website to see what the players are creating, visit www.TheSims3.com.
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EATM, EA SPORTSTM, EA MobileTM and POGOTM. In fiscal 2009, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $4.2 billion and had 31 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.
EA, EA SPORTS, EA Mobile, POGO, and The Sims are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Mac, iPhone, and iPod touch are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
EA - GI Joe Screenshots for Xbox 360 and Nintendo DS
EA - Dantes Inferno Pictures and Information - Press Release
The game is based on Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy, a Poem considered to be one of the worlds greatest pieces of literature. this game is coming out on the PS3, Xbox 360 and PSP and is expected to come out in 2010. Jut like the poem, the game takes you through the Nine Circles Of Hell, each with it's own distinct envoirnments, enemies and story. To help the player, Dante is able to take controll of various beasts or use his Scythe and Holy Cross to defeat hells Minions.
The PSP version will have the same fast responsive gameplay and 9 levels of the consoles versions, whilst the console versions will run at 60 frams per second.
Press Release
Andare all’Inferno. Translation: Go to Hell.
EA’s Dante’s Inferno will take gamers to the western world’s most definitive view of the afterlife as created in the 13th century by the Italian poet Dante Alighieri in part one of his epic classic, “The Divine Comedy.” The game is shipping in 2010 for the PLAYSTATION 3, Xbox 360 and the PSP.
EA’s Dante’s Inferno tells an adapted story that focuses on delivering a blockbuster 3rd person action game experience while bringing Alighieri’s depiction of Hell to the medium. Players assume the role of Dante, who descends into Hell after returning home to find his beloved Beatrice murdered, with Lucifer seducing her soul into the underworld. Dante sets out on a rescue mission to save Beatrice, but he soon realizes he is also in Hell to face his own demons and ultimately to redeem himself.
Players will take Dante through nine unique circles of Hell as mapped out and described by Alighieri: limbo, lust, gluttony, greed, anger, heresy, violence, fraud and treachery. Each circle will showcase its own distinct look, with demons, monsters, damned and geography that are crafted straight from the poem’s vivid descriptions.
To take down the demons of Hell, Dante is outfitted with two primary weapons: the Scythe he takes from Death and the Holy Cross given to him by Beatrice, which has spiritual powers that will help Dante collect souls and spells from the creatures he defeats on his journey. The game also features a deep upgrade system so gamers can customize their abilities to their specific gameplay style, something they’ll need as Dante comes face to face with Hell’s fiercest beasts and bosses. If successful, Dante will be able to tame certain beasts, exacting their will and turning Hell’s punishments back on itself.
Built on the same technology as the award-winning Dead Space™, Dante’s Inferno will deliver a fast, fluid and responsive combat experience running at 60 frames per second, a must-have for the action adventure genre. The game is being built by Visceral Games™, with the same attention to polish the studio has become known for with Dead Space.
An Epic Adaptation of a Classic – Based on part one of Dante Alighieri’s classic poem “The Divine Comedy,” Dante’s Inferno is a 3rd person action adventure game that takes Dante on an epic journey through Hell as he seeks to rescue the soul of his beloved Beatrice.
The Nine Circles of Hell – Just like the poem, players will descend through Dante’s unique nine circles of Hell: limbo, lust, gluttony, greed, anger, heresy, violence, fraud and treachery. Each circle features distinct environments, enemies and story elements befitting the sins committed by their inhabitants.
Control the Beasts of Hell – Dante’s Inferno features large scale beasts and bosses, some of which Dante will be able to fully tame, utilizing them to throw back Hell’s wrath to its minions.
Fast, Addictive, Responsive Combat – Dante fights through the nine circles armed with Death’s Scythe and Beatrice’s Holy Cross, with magic powers and a deep, customizable upgrade system helping the player take full advantage of a fast and fluid gameplay experience that will never run at lower than 60 frames per second.
Bring Hell With You Wherever You Go – Dante’s Inferno gives PSP owners the same level of fast, responsive gameplay through all nine detailed and unique circles of hell the team is aiming to achieve on the consoles.
Visceral Games Stamp of Approval – From the award-winning studio that created the critically-acclaimed Dead Space, Dante’s Inferno will receive the same relentless focus on quality and polish Visceral Games has become known for.
WebWars - Play Your Game Whilst Surfing The Internet, All In One Browser - Press Release
Player VS Environment will be the first game to use this new platform, which is a fantasy book style game focused around collecting, and is expected to be out in July.
Press Release
AUSTIN, Texas --(Business Wire)-- Jun 09, 2009 WebWars, the innovator in layered reality gaming, today emerged from stealth mode with a new approach to digital entertainment. Led by CEO Cindy Armstrong, WebWars will develop new game titles based on its unique technology platform, where the Web browser itself becomes integral to successful gameplay, via an easily installed toolbar.
Layered reality gaming (LRG) turns the Internet itself into a game, allowing users to play while they surf the Web, browsing news, entertainment and sports sites, among others. This increases engagement and adds depth to gameplay, while allowing players to multi-task on the Web. The first game built on the WebWars platform will be a Player vs Environment offering focused around collecting, with a fantasy look and feel. Beta testing for this game will open in July.
“The online games development model has been broken for some time, and we see the WebWars platform as a transformational offering in terms of how these games are created,” said Cindy Armstrong, CEO of WebWars. “By making the Web browser itself into a fundamental component of the game, we are able to deliver rewarding gameplay while still offering gamers flexibility in how and when they play. Layered reality gaming is the ideal form of entertainment for many players because it removes the barriers between the game they enjoy playing and the Web sites they enjoy visiting. This allows them to experience the Web in a brand new way.”
Game studios have traditionally been hampered by protracted development processes and the need to create complex, custom technical systems in order to build just one successful game. However, the WebWars development approach is based on a number of easily extendable games ‘modules,’ which provide flexible building blocks for any type of online game development. These modules are ‘event-driven,’ and can be easily customized and re-used in other games, making it easy to build in features that players would naturally gravitate toward.
Using high quality Flash, the WebWars modular design process enables interchangeable themes, gameplay mechanics (such as Player vs Environment, or Player vs Player) and standard games components (social networking, chat features, billing etc), in order to roll out new games on a much more aggressive development timeline.
Through this platform, WebWars is simplifying the online game development model by leveraging existing open source technology within a re-usable modular game system developed by the company. Through this system of game and entertainment components, WebWars is able to pick and choose from a variety of features for its future title development, drastically reducing time-to-market and costs. The modules are also backwards compatible, enabling WebWars to upgrade existing games with future developments, in order to extend a successful franchise.
“The business model on which WebWars is built has significant opportunity in today’s gaming market. WebWars has found an approach that addresses current consumer playing needs and style, while the platform extends the longevity of the game by adapting to changing gamer sentiments,” said Michael Pachter, managing director of research at Wedbush Morgan Securities. “The US market is ready for this type of gaming and the international potential, especially in Asia, is even greater.”
The management team includes Cindy Armstrong as CEO and Mike Heisley as chairman of the board. Armstrong has more than 20 years of experience in online entertainment and was most recently the CEO of WEBZEN America. Mike Heisley, founder of The Heico Companies, LLC and majority owner of the Memphis Grizzlies, is also a key investor.
“I recognized both the immediate and long-term opportunities with WebWars, and was compelled by the clear-sighted business vision that a games industry veteran like Cindy brings,” said Mike Heisley, chairman of the board at WebWars. “The WebWars proposition is built for the mass market, yet doesn’t sacrifice the fundamentals of innovative, exacting games development. In this way, it appealed to all my best instincts as a business man and as an avid entertainment fan.”
About WebWars
WebWars, the innovator in layered reality online gaming and entertainment, is changing the way users engage with online entertainment by removing the barriers between Web gaming and Web sites. Pioneering modular online game development, WebWars can easily create new features and titles through their unique technology platform. Founded in 2008, WebWars is privately held and based in Austin, TX. For more information, please visit www.webwars.com.
Namco - Brain Exercise with Dr. Kawashima Released Today On iPhone/iPod Touch - Press Release
The game features global leaderboards and you can compare with friends on Facebook. the Facebook version offers a Lite version for people to try the game for free.
The game will cost in the UK £3.99, for Europe €4.99, and in the US $5.99
Press Release
SAN JOSE, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- Jun 09, 2009 Fans of Apple’s iconic iPhone® and iPod touch are now able to use their favorite gadgets to mentally roll back the years thanks to Namco Bandai Networks Europe. The mobile gaming leader has today launched Brain Exercise™ with Dr. Kawashima, world-renowned neuroscientist and founding father of the brain training gaming genre. The game, which is published by Namco Networks America Inc, is specifically developed to take full advantage of the iPhone platform, is available to download from the App Store immediately and introduces a range of challenging games, scientifically proven to test and improve the performance of different areas of the brain.
Barry O’Neill, President, Namco Bandai Networks Europe commented, “It’s not often that Apple aficionados have to play catch-up but the 27 million users of Dr. Kawashima’s various brain training platforms are testament to the rise of this genre of casual gaming. We look forward to seeing how iPhone users rank against others who are already using Dr. Kawashima’s approved brain training games on the move.”
Namco Bandai has also simplified the process allowing Apple users to get their brain training fix. iPhone users can upload their brain age to the Global leaderboard and compete with the best brains in the world. They can also compare test scores with friends on Facebook, tracking their progress against the people who really matter. The Facebook application also offers a free “light” version of the game to let Facebook addicts test their mental muscle before embarking on their mobile training program.
The puzzles and games featured in Brain Exercise have all been officially tested by Dr. Kawashima at Japan’s distinguished Tohoku University to certify their brain-enhancing credentials. Users can test their brain age and track the progress of their daily training regime through a calendar. Over time, gamers can improve brain age and unlock new games as rewards for completing different stages. A full Sudoku game with bonus levels has also been included to help raise a mental sweat.
Brain Exercise has also ensured that brain training is no longer a solo sport. A new challenge mode allows up to four players to pit their neurons against each other by playing on one device.
EA - Army Of Two The 40th Day Pictures
Re-Cap of Yesterdays News (oldest to newest)
UK Games chart, Sims 3 no.1, Red faction Guerrilla, UFC 2009, EA Sports Active and Wii Fit are top 5. http://tinyurl.com/n6zdwx
PS3: Media Molecule has teased more about this weeks ICO DLC Pack by showing Sackboy Ico and Yorda. http://tinyurl.com/ny6to9
360: LastFM service looked at more closely. browse artists, tracks & custom playlists. share via party radio. http://tinyurl.com/lax4j6
QTE Blog: EA - Fight Night Round 4 - 14 New Screenshots Featuring Gatti, Morrison and Barrera. http://tinyurl.com/mu8g3d
PS3: Next Singstar Store Update will feature 26 new tracks and two song packs. http://tinyurl.com/lyrpwz
iPhone: ESA say that iPhone games should be rated, can't rate all of them. currently no games are rated. http://tinyurl.com/mxdocl
QTE Blog: EA - Collaberation Between Pixie Lott And Sims 3 Announced - Press Release http://tinyurl.com/mmttou
Apple keynote live blogged by Engadget can be found here http://tinyurl.com/pqdrbm . Possible iPhone announcements and iMac and more.
Apple have announced new versions of the iPhone, Mac Book, Macbook Pro and Mackbook Air. http://tinyurl.com/3k496u
PS3: Transformers Revenge Of The Fallen will have merchandise in Home, only by a treasure hunt! http://tinyurl.com/mkw5sh
PS3:Batman Arkham Asylum is rumored, by Playstation Nation podcast,to have digital PSP comics that will flesh out the game. said at 1.13.58
PSP: Sony have said there won't be trophies on the PSP because the system is not secure enough. http://tinyurl.com/nv7pu8
QTE Blog: Sony - Review of Trash Panic On PS3/PSN. 6.5 Score. http://tinyurl.com/n8g67x
PSP: Resident Evil is hinted as a complete departure from other games in the series. created with PSPgo in mind. http://tinyurl.com/n5xpcr
360: Comparison pic's of N64 Perfect Dark and 360 Version show more has been done to it than just upscaling. http://tinyurl.com/mefs2b
iPhone: Full rundown of iPhone 3GS specs can be found at the link. http://tinyurl.com/mpfwp5