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THE STORY BEHIND THE BASEBALL LEGEND- “42” OUT ON AUGUST 14

Watch the true story of an American legend when “42” arrives onto Blu-ray™, DVD and video-on-demand on August 14th from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and Legendary Pictures. “42” is currently available to download from iTunes in an unprecedented direct-to-digital debut in over 80 countries. Starring Harrison Ford and Chadwick Boseman as two men who changed baseball forever, “42” follows the legendary Brooklyn Dodgers GM Branch Rickey and the great Jackie Robinson as they take a stand against racism and baseball’s infamous colour line.

Directed by Academy® Award winner Brian Helgeland (“L.A. Confidential”), “42” also stars Nicole Beharie as Jackie’s beloved wife Rachel Robinson; Christopher Meloni as Leo Durocher; Andre Holland as Wendell Smith; Lucas Black as Pee Wee Reese; and Hamish Linklater as Ralph Branca.

SYNOPSIS

Hero is a word we hear often in sports, but heroism is not always about achievements on the field of play. “42” tells the story of two men – the great Jackie Robinson and legendary Brooklyn Dodgers GM Branch Rickey – whose brave stand against prejudice forever changed the world by changing the game of baseball.

In 1946, Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford) put himself at the forefront of history when he signed Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman) to the team, breaking Major League Baseball’s infamous colour line. But the deal also put both Robinson and Rickey in the firing line of the public, the press and even other players. Facing unabashed racism from every side, Robinson was forced to demonstrate tremendous courage and restraint by not reacting in kind, knowing that any incident could destroy his and Rickey’s hopes. Instead, Number 42 let his talent on the field do the talking – ultimately winning over fans and his teammates, silencing his critics, and paving the way for others to follow.

 
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Ratchet & Clank™ Blast Back on to the Scene in Brand New Adventure Game for PlayStation®3

Sydney, 12 July, 2013 – Sony Computer Entertainment Australia (SCE Aust.) today announced the galactic new title in the much loved Ratchet & Clank series, Ratchet & Clank™ Nexus. Following on from the story of Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time™, Ratchet & Clank Nexus is a story-driven platform adventure with humour and heart, featuring outrageously upgraded weapons, extreme planet hopping and brand new worlds begging to be explored.  

First appearing in November 2002, the Ratchet & Clank franchise has been a massive success, quickly becoming one of the most popular Sony Computer Entertainment titles of all time, with the games having gone on to sell 26 million copies worldwide.

This astronomical new title marks a true return to form for the celebrated series by developer Insomniac Games, and might just give a clue to help finally solve the mystery of Ratchet’s origins. After one of the most infamous manhunts in galactic history results in the capture of Vendra and Neftin Prog, Ratchet & Clank offer to escort the dangerous criminals to the Vartax Detention Center. After a daring orbital jailbreak at the forgotten edge of the galaxy, Ratchet & Clank find themselves lost in an abandoned sector. There, in the depths of space, they uncover an inter-dimensional event that threatens the universe—and forces Ratchet to decide what’s really important!

Ratchet & Clank Nexus bridges the classic Ratchet & Clank experience with the exciting next step in the wildly popular franchise through brand new gameplay elements, heroic story-driven adventure, irreverent humour, and a familiar cast of characters. But don’t get too comfortable, new locations, weapons, gadgets and enemies will keep you on your toes in this out-of-this-world gaming experience. Space is dangerous again!

 
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Sold out PAX Australia videogame festival begins in one week!

Friday 12 July, 2013 – The first international Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) will begin in Australia next week from the 19th to 21st of July. The show completely sold out of tickets in March of this year and features a robust expo hall, console, PC, and tabletop gaming, two nights of game themed concerts, and over 60 panels and presentations.

Featured Sessions and Events

  • Opening keynote by Ron Gilbert, creator of iconic      LucasArts adventure games such as Maniac Mansion and Monkey Island.
  • Q&A sessions with Penny Arcade founders      Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik.
  • Exclusive Rooster Teeth presentation featuring Burnie      Burns, Gus Sorola, and Jack Pattillo from Red vs Blue and Achievement      Hunter.
  • International developers such as BioWare and Gearbox      Software flying from across the world to discuss the past and future of      their respective franchises with their Australian fanbase.
  • Microsoft showcasing the XBOX ONE for the first time in      Australia during a series of live stage presentations.
  • The Omegathon, where 24 random people compete for a      trip to PAX PRIME in Seattle, WA in a series of games over the course of 3      days until the final battle in the main theatre on Sunday night.

Concerts

  • MC Frontalot – The founder of Nerdcore Hip-Hop [USA]
  • The Protomen – Mega Man inspired rock opera band [USA]
  • The Minibosses – International gaming music coverband      [USA]
  • 7bitHero – Unique digital upbeat chiptune/rock band      [Brisbane, AUS]
  • SoundBytes – A selection of the best chiptune artists      in Australia [Melbourne, AUS]

International Publishers

  • Ubisoft is bringing a number of international      developers, and will feature demonstrations and playable versions of games      such as Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag, Watch Dogs, Splinter Cell      Blacklist, Flashback, Just Dance 2014, Rayman Legends, and much more.
  • The Might & Magic: Duel of Champions ‘Road to      Paris’ tournament will see one champion win a trip to the finals at Paris      Game Week.
  • Nintendo will host their Pokemon Video Game Australian      National Championships, where winners can win a trip to the World Championships      in Vancouver, Canada. For those bringing their Nintendo 3DS to the show      for streetpassing and gaming, the publisher will be offering exclusive      downloads at the show.
  • RIOT Games will be hosting the first ever Australian      League of Legends tournament, the Oceanic Season 3 finals. The top four      teams are not only competing for $40,000 in prize money, but the chance to      compete at the 2013 League of Legends World Championships.
  • Wargaming will host a massive World of Tanks booth,      with live demonstrations and a full sized tank.
  • SEGA Creative Assembly will be giving a first look at      their upcoming Total War: Rome II.
  • Visit the Plants vs Zombies 2 cafe to get hands on with      the game.
  • Other playable unreleased titles announced include      Saints Row IV, Dynasty Warriors 8, Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z, Castlevania 2:      Lords of Shadow, and upcoming Nintendo WiiU games.

Local Developers

  • See the PAX Aus Indie Showcase, a selection of six of      the best independent Australian developed games including: Antichamber,      Black Annex, InFlux, DUET, Fractured Soul, and MacGuffin’s Curse.
  • The ANZ Indie Pavillion will feature 28 of the most      exciting Australian developers showcasing their new and soon to be      released titles.
  • Halfbrick Studios, developers of Fruit Ninja, will, for      the first time,reveal their new unreleased title.
  • Individual booths for local developers such as      Disparity Games, Canvas Interactive, Con Artist Games, League of Geeks,      The Binary Mill, Kactus Games, Current Circus, Stirfire Studio, Jigxor,      Epiphany Games, Defiant Development, and Surprise Attack.

Other Featured Areas

  • The Tabletop Area, sponsored by Magic: The Gathering,      features freeplay, tournaments, and exhibitors for board games, card      games, miniatures and more. In addition to structured events, Wizards of      the Coast will be featuring Magic: The Gathering “Learn to Play” sessions,      exclusive collectables, and a chance to win a trip to any PAX next year!
  • The PC Area will have hundreds of high-end Intel PCs      with over 25 pre-installed titles available for freeplay and tournaments.
  • Recreate the living room gaming experience with over      100 consoles in the Console Freeplay and Tournament areas and a library of      500 titles to choose and play from.
  • For the first time in Australia, play the acclaimed      Johann Sebastian Joust.
  • Get hands on with the new Virtual Reality headset – the      Oculus Rift.
  • Over 100 exhibitors showcasing their products and      content.

PAX Australia will be the largest gaming festival to be held in Australia, and completely sold out of tickets back in March this year. Held at the Melbourne Showgrounds from 19-21 July, 2013, the show is being run by ReedPOP in conjunction with Penny Arcade.

For further information visit www.paxaustralia.com.au, follow PAX Australia updates via official Twitter and Facebook, or download the Official PAX Aus 2013 mobile app.

 
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Kalypso and AFA Interactive bring DARK out of the shadows.

Kalypso Media is proud to announce DARK is coming to Australia in early 2013 in line with it’s global release. An exciting third-person stealth-action game for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and for Windows PC, DARK — developed by RealmForge, creators of the award-winning Dungeons — puts players in the role of a vampire out to discover the secrets of the mysterious global GeoForge Corporation. By making the most of powerful vampire skills, stealth and lethal combat abilities, players will engage and destroy their enemies, while moving silently through a stylized futuristic cityscape. The treacherous techno universe of DARK is rendered in gorgeous cel-shaded graphics with gameplay that tests the players’ ability to master both stealth and combat.

DARK is a stealth action game with RPG elements that lets you slip into the role of the ultimate killer… a vampire. Stalk enemies from the shadows, then use your powerful vampire abilities to attack and quietly dispose of them! The exciting story of DARK immerses you in to a world full of blood and darkness in which the hunter can become the hunted at any time. As you unravel the mystery behind the omnipresent and powerful global conglomerate, Geoforge, you must continually improve your character by developing powerful skills to aid you in remaining unobserved, or silence those unfortunate enough to take too keen an interest in you.

Features of DARK:

  • Stealth      and action combine as players walk the world in darkness and silence,      attacking their unsuspecting foes with supernatural fury.
  • Use      powerful vampire abilities and hard-hitting melee attacks to defeat      dangerous enemies — turn into a puff of smoke and disappear, or close in      on your foes in an instant!
  • Powerful      and intelligently controlled AI enemies mix the fantastic with the      real-world. Battle police and elite special forces along with ghouls and      other vampires.
  • Castles,      museums, skyscrapers, nightclubs and more are rendered in stunning 3D      cel-shaded graphics, beckoning the player to explore — but beware,      powerful enemies hide everywhere.
  • RPG      elements mix with a compelling story – players will build up their skills      through successful evasion and combat, while advancing the story through      conversations with NPCs.
 
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GOODWOOD HILL CLIMB TO FEATURE IN GRAN TURISMO®6

Festival of Speed to feature GT6™ demo with all-new Hill Climb track 

Sydney, 12 July 2013: Goodwood’s renowned 1.86km Hill Climb, centre piece of the British stately home’s annual Festival of Speed, has been announced as a new track to feature on the forthcoming Gran Turismo®6 for  PlayStation®3 (PS3™).  Polyphony Digital Inc., creators of PlayStation®’s best-selling Gran Turismo® franchise, recently announced a deal to partner the Goodwood Festival of Speed (11-14 July). A new GT6™ demo will now give some of the expected 185,000-plus spectators their chance to challenge Nick Heidfeld’s 1999 41.6s course record set in a Formula 1 car. The demo will include a range of stunningly recreated cars to race up the virtual version of ‘the Hill’.

The Goodwood Festival of Speed has an enviable international reputation as a celebration of all things automotive and motor sport. The annual event, held at the family home of the Earl of March, features an array of cars that spans from the beginnings of the automotive industry at the end of 19th century to the very latest cars proudly displayed by the manufacturers. The range and scope of the event is mirrored by Polyphony Digital’s aspirations for ‘The Real Driving Simulator’.

“I have always been a huge admirer of the Festival of Speed and what Lord March has achieved,” explains Polyphony Digital President and legendary creator of Gran Turismo, Kazunori Yamauchi. “I love the incredible range of cars on display – from the priceless, rare and exotic, to the latest family hatchback and full on racing cars – I love the challenge of the Hill Climb and the rally stage. Goodwood represents every type of motoring and motor sport which very much mirrors what we aim to achieve with Gran Turismo and so it is very special that we have forged this partnership. There will be no better feedback than that provided by the Goodwood fans to tell me if we are heading in the right direction with Gran Turismo 6!”

Priceless classics, new and old pure racers, the latest supercars and an array of other different, rare, innovative or simply quirky cars are piloted up the Hill by an exclusive group of top drivers and invited guests. With the iconic Goodwood Hill Climb now gloriously recreated in full Gran Turismo detail, the legions of GT players around the world will have their chance to experience the excitement and honour that has been reserved for only a handful of top drivers, with the added bonus of having the huge range of cars that will be available on Gran Turismo 6 from launch to choose from.

Festival-goers will also be able to race or cruise up the Hill Climb on special demo version of Gran Turismo 6 installed on PlayStation ‘race pods’ at The Goodwood Road Racing Club, The Family Area and Goodwood Hotel. Nissan and Alfa Romeo will make the GT6 demo available on their stands while Mercedes-Benz, Ford and Nissan also have pods on their Moving Motor Show displays. For those that are inspired by all of the racing drivers on display at Goodwood, Nissan, PlayStation’s partner in the innovative GT Academy programme, will be running a ‘wildcard’ competition on its Moving Motor Show display for a chance to reach this year’s GT Academy UK National Final.

The addition of the Hill Climb to the hugely popular Gran Turismo is an exciting prospect for Goodwood Festival of Speed founder The Earl of March: “I am very excited to welcome Polyphony Digital Inc to Goodwood, and I feel proud and honoured that the Festival of Speed has been chosen to showcase Gran Turismo 6 globally, as I cannot think of a more fitting gaming partner for this celebration of motor sport and car culture, especially in this, our 20th anniversary year.  I am particularly looking forward to driving the Hill Climb on Gran Turismo 6, although I suspect I may have to tear my children away from playing it for me to get a look in!”

Click HERE to see the Gran Turismo 6 Goodwood 2013 Trailer.

Gran Turismo 6 will be released later this year. For more information about the award winning gaming series visit: www.gran-turismo.com. For more information about Goodwood Festival of Speed, visit www.goodwood.com

 

 
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New Seagate Enterprise Hard Disk Drives Deliver High-Capacity, Big Power Savings

CUPERTINO, Calif. — July 10, 2013 — Seagate Technology plc (NASDAQ:STX), a world leader in storage solutions, today unveiled two new enterprise-class hard disk drives (HDD) optimized for emerging cloud infrastructures and large scale data centers— the Seagate® Terascale™ HDD and the Seagate® Enterprise Performance 10K HDD v7. Ideal for system builders, the Terascale HDD and Enterprise Performance 10K HDD v7 provide high-capacity storage in low-power configurations making them perfect for efficiently and affordably storing the ever-growing amount of unstructured data typically stored in the cloud.

“Over the next eight years, the capacity shipped into the cloud will double and by 2020 personal and enterprise clouds will account for greater than 60 percent of the total storage capacity shipped. With this huge shift of capacity to the cloud, storage providers will need to deploy more storage quickly all while increasing capacity and lowering energy costs,” said Scott Horn, Seagate vice president of marketing. “Engineered with this mind, these new drives deliver on all fronts providing high capacity-to-power ratios and ensuring consistent performance at an affordable cost— making them an ideal solution for the cloud.”

Seagate Terascale HDD— High-Capacity Meets Big Power Savings
Delivering the highest capacity HDD (4TB) available in a 3.5-inch enterprise-class SATA HDD, the Terascale HDD provides data centers with the maximum storage scalability they need to meet demands in low workload, 24×7 replicated environments. An affordable enterprise platform for storing exabytes of unstructured data in the cloud, the drive is Seagate’s lowest $/GB enterprise HDD for use in scalable multi-drive systems.

The Terascale HDD lowers costs by operating at one of the lowest enterprise HDD power consumption available— as low as 4.8Watts— reducing ongoing energy and cooling costs for multi-drive large scale operations. As a result, the drive lowers total cost of ownership while providing unparalleled enterprise-class reliability.

Equipped with Seagate’s own Instant Secure Erase (ISE) technology, the Terascale HDD saves money and time by reducing drive erasure times from hours to milliseconds providing quick, safe and easy drive disposal or repurposing. It also features a low-cost 6Gb/s SATA interface for easy integration with lower cost SATA infrastructures.

“As a trusted Seagate Cloud Builder Alliance partner, we have worked closely with the company to consistently develop innovative enterprise storage solutions with high value— and this new Terascale HDD continues in this tradition,” said Wally Liaw, vice president of sales, international, Supermicro. “With this new drive, we are able to deploy innovative, cost-effective storage that scales and has low-power, reducing our total cost of ownership. In fact, our SSG-6047R-E1R72L supports up to 72 of these Seagate Terascale drives delivering unprecedented drive density and capacity.”

Key features of the Seagate Terascale HDD include:

  • High-Capacity— highest capacity HDD (4TB)      available in a 3.5-inch enterprise-class SATA HDD enabling scalable,      high-capacity storage in 24×7 environments.
  • Ultra-low Power Consumption— among the lowest operating      power in the industry for 3.5-inch enterprise HDD, delivering reduced      energy and cooling costs.
  • Value— Lowest $/GB for affordable      storage for 24×7 multi-drive replicated environments.
  • High Vibration Tolerance— improves drive performance      for consistent, best-in-class enterprise system reliability.
  • Interface Optimization— 6Gb/s SATA interface for easy      system integration and optimized burst performance.
  • Easy Drive Disposal or      Repurposing—      ISE feature at no additional cost.

For more information on the Seagate Terascale HDD please visit www.seagate.com/www/terascale.

 
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Call of Duty®: Black Ops II Vengeance DLC Pack Coming to PlayStation®3 and Windows PC on August 2

Sydney, Australia – July 11, 2013 – Beginning Aug. 2, Vengeance can belong to PlayStation®3 and Windows PC players when Activision and award-winning developer Treyarch makes its third epic Downloadable Content (DLC) Pack for the record-breaking Call of Duty®: Black Ops II available. Vengeance takes players to exotic locations around the globe and also serves up a new chapter to the Zombies experience with “Buried,” where the undead residents of an abandoned subterranean Old West mining town have come back to claim their home.

Call of Duty: Black Ops II Vengeance delivers four new, diverse multiplayer maps:

  • Cove: The stage is set for all-out conflict on this small, forgotten island in the middle of the Indian Ocean, with players battling it out amongst the wreckage of a jet that crash-landed during a smuggling operation gone wrong.
  • Detour: A destroyed suspension bridge, high above an East Coast waterway, packed with scattered vehicles, exposed iron and collapsed pavement where the head-to-head action will play out on multiple levels.
  • Rush: Get ready for fast, close-quarters engagements in this paintball course turned full-combat arena, giving players new opportunities and challenges to use the cover to their advantage.
  • Uplink:  In this re-imagined adaptation of the fan-favourite multiplayer map “Summit” from the original Call of Duty®: Black Ops, players clash deep in the rain-soaked jungles of Myanmar, high atop a hi-tech mountain facility.

Treyarch continues to expand the Zombies story world in imaginative, mind-tripping ways with “Buried.”  Once players meet up with the four survivors of Tranzit, they’ll begin to encounter the undead residents of an abandoned underground Old West mining town.  A healthy arsenal of equipment and weapons will be at players’ disposal, but with one very special addition – something so powerful it will also appear in all other Call of Duty: Black Ops II Zombies maps (with the purchase of Vengeance DLC) –  the Ray Gun Mark II.

Call of Duty: Black Ops II Vengeance DLC Pack is available for RRP $20.95 or for download by season pass holders. Call of Duty: Black Ops II game (sold separately) is required to play this Map Pack.

 
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Deep Silver unveil the ‘Faction Pack’ DLC for Metro: Last Light and reveal future DLC details

Sydney, July 10, 2013 – Deep Silver today announced that the ‘Faction Pack’ – the first piece of DLC for 4A Games’ critically acclaimed Metro: Last Light – is set for worldwide release on Steam and Xbox LIVE® online entertainment network from Microsoft on July 16th, and will hit the PlayStation Network on July 17th in Australia and New Zealand.

The ‘Faction Pack’ includes three original single player missions, each casting the player as a different specialist from the warring Factions. Returning to some classic locations from Metro 2033, these missions feature new weapons, the return of a truly terrifying mutant foe, and offer three distinct gameplay challenges…

·         As a Special Detachment Sniper of the Redline, players must infiltrate a heavily guarded Reich Outpost at night, under the cover of a deadly radioactive storm…

·         … before defending the Frontline as a Reich ‘Heavy’, armed with some of the most devastating weaponry found in the Metro.

·         Lastly, players take the role of a Polis Ranger in training, tasked with exploring the vast Library complex for artifacts and relics. Salvage can be exchanged for ammunition, filters and hazard suits allowing ever deeper exploration into the Library. Rangers are advised to light torches and leave a trail of lights so they can find their way back to the base before their precious oxygen runs out…

The Faction Pack will cost just $4.99 / 400 MSP, and is the first of four DLC packs to be included in the Metro: Last Light Season Pass, which at $14.99 / 1200 MSP offers a discount over buying the packs separately, and also includes an additional exclusive weapon, the bzats.

Deep Silver also revealed additional details on the content of the future DLC packs.

·         The ‘Tower Pack’ presents a unique experience for seasoned Metro gunslingers – a challenge based game mode, with online Leaderboard support, as players fight their way up the combat simulator known as The Tower

·         The ‘Developer Pack’ boasts a fully stocked Shooting Gallery, the AI Arena and Metro Museum…  And a bonus solo mission – The Spiders’ Nest – offers some new tools for dealing with an infestation of the skittering Spider mutants

·         Lastly the Chronicles Pack will feature original single player missions that cast the player as three of the game’s standout characters – Pavel, Khan and Anna – and explore their side-stories away from Artyom’s adventure

For more information on the Faction Pack, head over to EnterTheMetro.com for the first in a series of Developer DLC blog posts.

 
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VIDEO: Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag – Pirate Gameplay Experience

 
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Oz Comic-Con Announces Dates for 2014 – Oz Comic-Con Announces Dates for 2014 –

2014, sure to become known by pop culture enthusiasts as the year of Oz Comic-Con, with five massive shows set to transform the Australian convention landscape. A celebration of all things geeky-cool, Oz Comic-Con just wrapped up its 2013 tour this past weekend, with over 33,000 people coming along to experience pop culture paradise in Melbourne. With a new and larger venue, a thriving vendor marketplace and appearances by celebrity guests including William Shatner, Shannen Doherty, Cary Elwes and Ron Perlman, Oz Comic-Con gave fans what they wanted and more.

Making its debut in 2012 in Adelaide and Melbourne, with numbers reaching almost 35,000, the 2013 Oz Comic-Con tour added a visit to Perth on March 9 and 10 to the roster. Perth responded with over 27,000 people turning up for a weekend of fun and festivity. Over 25,000 attendees followed the week after in Adelaide, and with the past weekend in Melbourne proving to be a huge success, it certainly shows a thirst for these events that reaches Australia-wide.

In 2014, Oz Comic-Con is set to get bigger and better, with dates for returns to Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne locked in. Not stopping there, Oz Comic-Con is determined to deliver the same level of entertainment to more and more Australians next year, adding stops in Sydney and Brisbane to the tour – to the delight of fans in both cities.

The 2014 Oz Comic-Con dates are:

* Perth, WA – March 29 and 30 at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre

* Adelaide, SA – April 5 and 6 at the Adelaide Showground

* Melbourne, VIC – July 5 and 6 at the Royal Exhibition Building

* Brisbane, QLD – September 6 and 7 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre

* Sydney, NSW – September 13 and 14 at the Sydney Exhibition Centre at Glebe Island

As in the past, highlights of Oz Comic-Con will include special celebrity guests, exclusive film and anime screenings, a huge range of exhibitors and retailers, chances to meet local and international comic book artists, gaming demonstrations and cosplay competitions, along with an entertaining and welcoming atmosphere for aficionados, first-timers and families alike. For further information please visit www.ozcomiccon.com.

 
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