EA Announce A Demo For Need For Speed Hot Pursuit Comes Out On 26th October

EA have announced that a demo for Need For Speed Hot Pursuit is coming out on 26th October on Xbox 360 and 27th October on the PS3. In the Demo there are 2 different parts. the first part of the demo is where you play as a cop in the Dark Horse Hot Pursuit event, speeding through the coastal highway and mountainous ridges of Seacrest County. the second part of the demo unlocks when you add a friend to your Need For Speed Friends list. The second event will unlock called Roadster’s Reborn, where gamers can compete as racers to set the best times.

EA have also announced that When you download and play the demo, you will also earn 500 bounty award points in the full retail version of the game for both Cop and Racer careers. The demo ends on the 9th November.

Press Release

GUILDFORD, UK – October 25, 2010 – Criterion Games, a studio of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced a demo for Need for SpeedTM Hot Pursuit. This demo will give gamers early access to this holiday’s hottest action racing title. Starting October 26 for a limited time*, players can experience the intensity of friendly competition, using Need for Speed’s revolutionary social network, Autolog. This new in-game technology makes personalized recommendations to gamers based on what their friends have been playing. Autolog is a brilliantly simple feature that challenges each player to set the best race time amongst their friends. Play alone and reign supreme against the game’s AI or invite just one friend to join, and unlock a second track in the demo. Playing with friends or frenemies, players kick off an addictive competitive loop where the compulsion to be the best and earn bragging rights is irresistible.

Need for Speed Hot Pursuit ships on November 19th, 2010 and is already earning accolades from critics worldwide for pioneering a new innovation within the racing category. “Need for Speed Hot Pursuit could redefine online racing forever,” stated GamesRadar in their summer preview of the game. In Europe, Eurogamer noted that, “Friends, data and photos continuously stream into view, all offering new gameplay opportunities and challenges.”

“Need for Speed Hot Pursuit is blowing the roof off social competition and bringing excitement back to the racing genre,” says Matt Webster, Producer at Criterion Games. “We’re putting players and their friends at the heart of the gameplay experience by automatically tracking and comparing each person’s performances. This demo will give gamers a snapshot of Need for Speed Autolog and how we’re amping up the energy of intense pursuits, competitive racing and online connected play – nothing is more powerful than beating your friends.”

In the Need for Speed Hot Pursuit demo, players will be able to chase as a cop in the Dark Horse Hot Pursuit event, speeding through the coastal highway and mountainous ridges of Seacrest County. At the heart of the demo is a social network called Autolog that tracks cop and racer performances while playing solo and uses those statistics to generate fierce competition between friends. Once players add a friend to their Need for Speed friends list, the second event will unlock called Roadster’s Reborn, where gamers can compete as racers to set the best times. When they download and play the demo they will also earn 500 bounty award points in the full game for both Cop and Racer careers**. Accruing bounty will allow players to unlock events and exotic cars and progress through their careers in the full game.

The Need for Speed Hot Pursuit demo will be available for download October 26 on Xbox LIVETM Marketplace worldwide and the PlayStation®Network in the UK on October 27 on the PlayStation Network. The retail game will be available on November 19th in the UK on the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and PC. The Limited Edition can be pre-ordered now on all platforms to gain exclusive content at no extra cost, with participating retailers worldwide (while supplies last). Need for Speed Hot Pursuit will also be available on the WiiTM and is being developed by Exient.***

For more of the latest news and information on Need for Speed Hot Pursuit, please visit http://www.needforspeed.com or become a fan on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/needforspeed and follow us on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/needforspeed.
Demo ends on November 9, 2010

**Use of Bounty Point from the demo requires full game and use of the same EA Account used to play the demo.
*** Autolog not available on the Wii

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 2010, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.7 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million units. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.co.uk.

EA, EA SPORTS, EA Mobile, POGO and Need for Speed are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. The names, designs, and logos of all products are the property of their respective owners and used by permission. Microsoft and Xbox 360 are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. "PlayStation" are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Wii is a trademark of Nintendo. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Nintendo Announce 65.3 Million Wii Remote Controllers Have Been Sold In The USA

Nintendo have announced that there are over 65.3 Million Wii Remote Controllers sold in the USA. this works out to nearly 46,000 Wii Remotes sold each day since the launch of the Wii in the USA in November 2006. Nintendo have provided a breakdown of the remotes sold:

• 30.41 million included with the Wii hardware
• 12.92 million sold with  Wii Play™
• 18.56 million white versions sold separately
• 2.44 million black versions sold separately
• 467,500 pink versions sold separately
• 465,200 blue versions sold separately

Nintendo also reveal that 52.9 Million Nunchuck controllers have been sold in the USA.

Press Release

REDMOND, Wash., Oct. 25, 2010 – Every day since the  Wii™ system launched in November 2006, Nintendo has sold an average of 46,000 Wii Remote™ controllers in the United States. That's a lot of people playing – and a lot of people playing together. Nintendo's motion-controlled video games continue to create new players every day. People play Wii to try new experiences not available on other systems, including games like  Wii Sports Resort™, Super Mario Galaxy™ 2 and  Metroid™: Other M. Wii makes games more active, but it also makes them more social. Moms and dads play with their kids, and even grandma and grandpa join in.

Perhaps the best evidence of how Wii continues to expand the world of video games to new audiences is the total number of Wii Remote controllers that have sold. In the United States alone, more than 65.3 million Wii Remote controllers have sold through to consumers. This demonstrates that Wii owners like to play and they like to play together. They're not the stereotypical gamers playing alone in their parents' basement.

How much is 65.3 million Wii Remote controllers? That's enough for every man, woman and child living in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Diego, Dallas, San Jose, Detroit and San Francisco, and enough still remains for every resident of Florida, Ohio, Virginia and North Dakota.

Here's the breakdown of the number of Wii Remote controllers sold in the United States through the end of September and where they came from, according to the independent NPD Group:
30.41 million included with the Wii hardware
12.92 million sold with  Wii Play™
18.56 million white versions sold separately
2.44 million black versions sold separately
467,500 pink versions sold separately
465,200 blue versions sold separately
The NPD Group also reports that Nintendo has sold an additional 52.9 million Nunchuk™ controllers in the United States through the end of September.

Wii continues to represent the best value for players as well. The current Wii hardware is available at a suggested retail price of $199.99. That includes:
Wii hardware
Wii Sports™
Wii Sports Resort™
A Wii Remote controller
A Wii MotionPlus™ accessory
A Nunchuk™ controller
Access* to hundreds of downloadable games, including new games like  World of Goo and classic games from the NES™, Super NES™ and Nintendo 64™ eras
Access* to a variety of entertainment and informational channels, including the Nintendo® Channel, which provides information about current and upcoming Wii and Nintendo DS™ games
Access* to streaming Netflix** movies
Starting Nov. 7, the new Wii Remote™ Plus controller replaces the iconic Wii Remote controller. The Wii Remote Plus controller has built-in Wii MotionPlus™ functionality and offers players precision motion controls all in one unit. It becomes the new standard Wii controller, and will be available starting Nov. 7 in all Wii hardware packages and bundles, as well as sold separately at a suggested retail price of $39.99.

As the holiday shopping season approaches, shoppers will have dozens of excuses to pick up a Nintendo controller of their own and start playing. Some exclusive games for the Wii console include the already-available  Samurai Warriors™ 3,  Wii Party™ and  Kirby's Epic Yarn™. Upcoming games include  PokéPark™ Wii: Pikachu's Adventure, which launches Nov. 1; FlingSmash™, which launches Nov. 7; and  Donkey Kong Country™ Returns, which launches Nov. 21. Third-party Wii games include now-available games like  New Carnival Games® from 2K Play,  NBA JAM from EA Sports and  Just Dance® 2 from Ubisoft, plus upcoming games like Sonic Colors™ from SEGA on Nov. 16 and  Disney Epic Mickey from Disney Interactive Studios on Nov. 30.

Remember that Wii features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit  http://wii.com.

*Broadband Internet connection required. **Netflix streaming requires Netflix unlimited membership and broadband Internet connection.

About Nintendo:  The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii™ home console and Nintendo DS™ family of portable systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold more than 3.4 billion video games and more than 565 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi™ and Nintendo DSi XL™, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™ and Nintendo GameCube™ systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario™, Donkey Kong™, Metroid™, Zelda™ and Pokémon™. 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, please visit the company's website at  http://www.nintendo.com.

Hit X Podcast: All The News From QTE Gamers From The Weekend Of Saturday 23rd And Sunday 24th October

This is all the news from Friday 22nd October.

You can subscribe to the Hit X: The News Recapping Podcast on iTunes and if you do or are already a subscriber, it would be very helpful for me if you can rate and review the podcast.

A podcast is available on iTunes from:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=328547861

A RSS Feed from Podbean:
http://qtegamers.podbean.com/feed

And on qtegamers.blogspot.com:
http://qtegamers.blogspot.com/search/label/Audio Re-Cap

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The Re-Cap: News From QTE Gamers From The Weekend Of Saturday 23rd And Sunday 24th October

• QTE Blog: The Re-Cap: News From QTE Gamers From Friday 22nd October http://ht.ly/19B6x3
• QTE Blog: Hit X Podcast: All The News From QTE Gamers From Friday 22nd October http://ht.ly/19B886
• PC: Interplay say there is a team of 90 people working Fallout MMOG, on course for 2012 release. http://ht.ly/2Y4qz
• Bizzare Creations reveal there is no plan to release a demo for James Bond: Blood Stone http://ht.ly/2Y4rh
• 360: Microsoft's Phil Spencer says Kinect pre-order numbers are good, retail seem excited, working hard to fill orders http://ht.ly/2Y4Ai
• PC: Super Meat Boy could have Minecraft's "Mr. Minecraft" as a playable character http://ht.ly/2Y4Cs
• Black Rock Studios, Split/Second devs, have admitted that they are working on a new unannounced arcade racer for PS3/360 http://ht.ly/2Y4D4
• QTE Blog: Sony Online Entertainment Announce 4 New Voice Cast Members For DC Universe Online http://ht.ly/19BbGi
• Microsoft have confirmed Massive Incorporated will shut down by the end of the year http://ht.ly/2Y4E6
• PC: Blizzard announce 2 new high level leagues are coming to StarCraft 2 Multiplayer + watch replays http://ht.ly/2YlB1
• PC: Blizzard reveal “Waves and waves of new features” are coming to StarCraft II, all will be free http://ht.ly/2YlBv
• PC: Blizzard announce every Classic dungeon in World Of Warcraft will be revamped, Uldaman and Maraudon will be easier http://ht.ly/2YlCd
• PS3: Sony's Michael Denny says PS3 exclusive devs are pushing the PS3 to its full potential, says exciting times ahead http://ht.ly/2YlD9
• Square Enix say they have a 10 year plan for the Deus Ex franchise http://ht.ly/2YlDQ
• 360 version of Fallout New Vegas reportedly now updated, similar patch to PC. PS3 patch out in EU, coming else where http://ht.ly/2YlEq
• QTE Blog: What Have You Played This Week? http://ht.ly/19C6P5
• QTE Blog: QTE Tweets Of The Week http://ht.ly/19Casm

QTE Tweets Of The Week

This top 10 shows the most clicked tweets from my News in brief Twitter stream. IceBreaker news finally dropped out of the top 10 after spending a couple of weeks at number 1. its great to see my Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 Review getting a lot of attention this week. News about a Fallout: New Vegas coming in at number 1 is not a surprise as there was a lot of attention on the bugs/issues in the game over the last week.

10 QTE Blog: The Re-Cap: News From QTE Gamers From Friday 15th October http://ht.ly/19tM5g

9 QTE Blog: Hit X Podcast: All The News From QTE Gamers From Friday 15th October http://ht.ly/19tPdP

8 Platinum Games have issue with GameInformer Vanquish review, say the game is longer than 4 hours long http://ht.ly/2V9iH

7 PC: Square Enix announce the free trial period for Final Fantasy XIV has been extended another 30 days http://ht.ly/2UuxN

6 360: Its reported Microsoft have updated Kinect Software so players can now play the games sitting down http://ht.ly/2UuAa

5 The Back to the Future Blu-ray set will give people a free copy of the first Telltale Back To The Future Game http://ht.ly/2UuAY

4 Team behind Final Fantasy XIII admit focus test results came back too late to be used in the game, Linearity was an issue http://ht.ly/2V9pJ

3 QTE Blog: Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 Review - 9.0 http://ht.ly/19uAsF

2 360 version of Fallout New Vegas reportedly now updated, similar patch to PC. PS3 patch out in EU, coming else where http://ht.ly/2YlEq

1 PC: Patch for Fallout New Vegas has gone live, will be downloaded as automatic update, fixes quest and scripting issues http://ht.ly/2X4Qo

What Have You Played This Week?

I had hoped to get in more gaming time this week than I have. I personally had a busy end of the week and weekend and next week is looking just as busy. Fingers crossed i'll find the time to get some decent gaming in.

Pokèmon Heart Gold – DS – I won the Sun Stone and evolved my Gloom into a Bellossom and got to the next city, but i've not gone much further than the Burnt Tower

??? - Beta - ??? - I only got a couple of games in, but all I can say is this beta is very impressive and I look forward to playing more...sorry but I can't say anything else.

Football Manager 2010 – PC – I finally got back into the game and played a couple of months. I'm coming up to December and thankfully results have been good so Havant & Waterlooville are currently in the top 6.

Naruto: Broken Bonds – Xbox 360 – I also managed to get some hours into the game i'm currently renting. Its fun, but after playing Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 its really starting to show its age.

Did you manage to play more games than I have over the week, or do you have any comments on my experiences or questions about the games i've played? If you do, feel free to add them in the comments section.

Sony Online Entertainment Announce 4 New Voice Cast Members For DC Universe Online

Sony Online Entertainment have announced 4 new voice actors in DC Universe Online. Wil Wheaton, known for Star Trek: The Next Generation, is voicing Robin. Arleen Sorkin will voice Harley Quinn, reprising her role from Batman: The Animated Series. Corey Burton will voice Brainiac, and Dwight Schultz voices The Flash.

Press Release

SAN DIEGO, Calif. – October 22, 2010 – Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) announced today that four new actors have been added to an already impressive cast of voice talent for DC UniverseTM Online (DCUO).    The new cast additions include Arleen Sorkin (Batman: The Animated Series), Wil Wheaton (Star Trek: The Next Generation), Corey Burton (Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Batman: The Brave and the Bold) and Dwight Schultz (The A-Team, Star Trek: The Next Generation).

“The addition of these actors to our existing cast reaffirms our commitment to gamers to deliver the most fun and authentic DC Universe experience possible,” said Sony Online Entertainment executive producer John Blakely.  “They’re all experienced and talented performers and we’re excited for players to hear their work when they encounter them in the game.”

In addition to her career achievements as an actress, television host, writer and producer, Arleen Sorkin will again reprise her role as the Joker’s off-kilter girlfriend/henchman Harley Quinn, considered by many to be the most popular villainess onBatman: The Animated Series.

Wil Wheaton lends his skills to DCUO voicing Robin, the Boy Wonder.  As author, blogger and champion of geek culture, his successful acting career began in 1986 with acclaimed roles inStand By Me and Toy Soldiers.  Recently he’s appeared on Criminal Minds, NUMB3RSand Batman: The Brave and the Bold as the voice of Ted Kord, the Silver Age Blue Beetle.

Joining the cast as the voice of Brainiac, Corey Burton began his voice-acting career over 35 years ago, studying the craft of radio drama with the legendary Daws Butler, the voice of Yogi Bear.  As one of the last authentically old school “voice men” in America, the San Fernando Valley native has voiced sound alikes and original characters for hundreds of entertainment and educational productions.

With forty years of acting experience to his credit, Dwight Schultz voices The Flash in DCUO.  Schultz is best known for his portrayals of ‘Howlin’ Mad Murdock’ from Stephen J. Canell’s The A-Team and ‘Reg Barclay’ from Star Trek: The Next Generation.  His voice credits include many popular videogames, TV and film animation projects such as Vampire Hunter D, Princess Mononoke, The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, and most recently, chef ‘Mung Daal’ from the hit cartoon series Chowder.

-more-

In DC Universe Online, players will be thrust headlong into an action-packed multiplayer online world based on the heroes, villains and landmarks of the DC Universe. In the game, players step into the role of the next legendary superhero or villain and are given the choice to save or conquer the universe online. Along the way, players will be fighting alongside or against iconic DC characters as well as other players for the fate of the DC Universe.

DC Universe Online is scheduled to ship early 2011 for both the PC and the PLAYSTATION® 3 Computer Entertainment System at an anticipated retail price of $49.99 (PC) and $59.99 (console).   DCUO is rated “T” (for Teen) by the ESRB, with Mild Blood, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, and Violence.  For more information, check out the product website at www.dcuniverseonline.com.

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 LegendsTM, PlanetSide®, and Star Wars Galaxies, as well as the recent kids’ phenomenon Free RealmsTM, 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 inSan Diego, CA, with additional development studios in Austin, TX, Seattle, WA, Denver, CO, and Tucson, AZ, SOE has an array of cutting-edge games in development across various platforms and genres for audiences of all ages.

SOE, the SOE logo, EverQuest, Champions of Norrath and PlanetSide are registered trademarks and Untold Legends andFree Realms are trademarks of Sony Online Entertainment LLC. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.

About Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, a division of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group, is a premier worldwide publisher, developer, licensor and distributor of entertainment content for the interactive space across all current and future platforms, including console, handheld and PC-based gaming for both internal and third party game titles.

About DC Entertainment
DC Entertainment, home to such iconic DC Comics properties as Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash, MAD Magazine, and Fables, is the creative division charged with strategically integrating across Warner Bros. and Time Warner.  DC Entertainment works in concert with many key Warner Bros. divisions to unleash its superheroic characters across all media, including but not limited to film, television, consumer products, home entertainment, and interactive games. Publishing over 1,000 comic books, graphic novels and magazines each year, DC Comics is the largest English-language publisher of comics in the world.