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Shin Megami Tensei IV – Now Available

IRVINE, Calif. – July 16, 2013 – A decade after the release of the last true game in the fabled Shin Megami Tensei series, the fourth iteration is now available to purchase in stores and on the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo 3DS. Available exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS system, Shin Megami Tensei IV puts players in the role of a Samurai, a protector of the Eastern Kingdom of Mikado. For a limited time, the first printing of the game will include the Limited Edition Box Set, which includes the game, collectible slipcase, 176-page Strategy & Design Book and Shin Megami Tensei Music Collection CD. Both digital and retail versions of the game will cost $49.99.

As a newly appointed Samurai in Shin Megami Tensei IV, players will struggle with factions that have nefarious designs on the world as they defend their home kingdom from a growing army of demons. Decisions players make throughout the course of the story will have lasting repercussions, as the fate of the world hangs in the balance.

The game’s release on July 16 also marks the beginning of the registration period for the $30 eShop credit promotion in conjunction with Nintendo’s hit turn-based strategy game, Fire Emblem Awakening. Players in the U.S. and Canada who purchase and register both games on their free Club Nintendo account will receive a code that they can redeem for a $30 credit in their Nintendo eShop account for Nintendo 3DS. Both retail and digital purchases of either game are eligible for the offer, as long as both games are registered to the same Club Nintendo account by August 31, 2013. Specific details on the promotion can be found on the Club Nintendo website: http://club2.nintendo.com/30/.

Finally, a variety of in-game items will be available as Add-On Content (AOC) at launch:

  • Three custom      looks will be available for the protagonist to alter his look by changing      hairstyles. These AOC items will be permanently free for anyone to      download.
  • There will be a      beneficial armor item free for the first month. The White Samurai Apparel      offers a little bonus to stats in the early stages of the game, and will      help players new to the franchise keep the upper hand. The armor will be      available for free for the first month after launch. After the first      month, the price of the armor set will revert to $0.99 permanently.
  • There will also      be a map pack available at launch to help players gain more experience. Suitable      for the early stages of the game, the AOC will help players gain extra      experience to boost their characters’ stats, as well as granting a      collectible demon, exclusive to the AOC. The map pack will be $1.99 at      launch.

Shin Megami Tensei IV is rated M for Mature by the ESRB. More details are available on the official website at http://www.atlus.com/smt4.

 
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Dishonored: The Brigmore Witches Release Date Announced

Bethesda is pleased to announce that Dishonored: The Brigmore Witches, the final add-on pack for the critically-acclaimed first-person action game developed by Arkane Studios, will be available worldwide on August 13, 2013 (PS3 in Europe, Australia and New Zealand on August 14) for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC for AUD $14.45 or 800 Microsoft Points.

In The Brigmore Witches, continue your journey as the legendary assassin, Daud, and bring his twisted narrative that began with The Knife of Dunwall to a close. After discovering the identity and intentions of Delilah, the leader of the Brigmore Witch coven, you set out to disrupt her from completing a powerful ritual that will spell your doom. Having already been betrayed by your lieutenant, Billie Lurk, you must rely on feuding gang factions – the Dead Eels and the Hatters – to negotiate your way through previously unseen districts of Dunwall en route to Delilah’s stronghold.  Regardless of the way you reach your destination, one thing is for certain – you will finally answer for your treacherous actions and fall before the mercy, or punishment, of the Royal Bodyguard and Assassin, Corvo Attano. Additionally, your power, weapon and item upgrades, Chaos level, and player actions from The Knife of Dunwall will carry over via a compatible save file option.

For more information on Dishonored or The Brigmore Witches please visit www.Dishonored.com.

 

 
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BitMonster’s new game: Gunner Z

 
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EA LAUNCHES VAST LINE OF “OFFICIAL” BATTLEFIELD PRODUCTS

Sydney, Australia – July 16, 2013 – The Battlefield™ brand continues to demonstrate explosive growth as DICE, an Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) studio, today announced a full slate of unique Battlefield-branded products for fans to enjoy. In anticipation of the Battlefield 4™ launch on October 31, DICE has hand- selected strategic licensing partners that will bring the beloved Battlefield brand to new retail sectors and new demographics this holiday. These category leaders give gamers a chance to engage with the Battlefield brand in new ways and further develop the profile of Battlefield in pop culture.

With a range of Battlefield 4 items, players will be able to create a deeper connection with this award-winning title.  Licensed products include a Battlefield 4 novel written by esteemed author Peter Grimsdale that provides backstory about the game’s heroic squad, a high-end art book that dives deeper into the imagery of Battlefield 4 and a range of Battlefield 4 gaming peripherals to help you feel the intensity of the battlefield. The full list of products in the officially licensed Battlefield 4 collection are:

1. Orion Publishing Group Battlefield 4 novel written by Peter Grimsdale
2. Titan Books Battlefield 4 art book in Standard and Limited Editions
3. Razer performance PC gaming peripherals and accessories, including mice, keyboards, headsets, messengers bags, and iPhone® cases
4. PDP performance Xbox 360 and PS3 controllers
5. Qpad premium PC mouse mats
6. Jinx clothing apparel and accessories including t-shirts, hoodies, hats, key chains and dog tags
7. Prima Games Standard and Collection Edition strategy guides
8. Cook & Becker Battlefield 4 artwork
9. Walls360 Battlefield 4 wall graphics
10. BigBen Interactive mobile device and tablet cases

Winner of more than 20 critic awards at E3 2013 including Best of Show from GameSpot.com, Battlefield 4 offers players a glimpse into the future of interactive entertainment. Powered by the advanced technology of DICE’s proprietary Frostbite™ 3 engine, Battlefield 4 will deliver a new era of first-person action, from a cinematic single player experience with dramatic, Hollywood acting performances to a multiplayer offering that will usher in the next generation of online warfare. Battlefield 4 multiplayer introduces key innovations including Levolution, where a dynamic environment reacts to the player’s every move to ensure no two games will ever be the same. Players will also see the return of Commander Mode, a tug-of-war between two opposing players with a birds-eye view of the battlefield as they provide critical intelligence and powerful assets to their troops below. Battlefield 4 multiplayer will also feature epic 64-player battles running at a smooth 60 frames-per-second on Xbox One®, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PlayStation®4 and PC.

Battlefield 4 will be available October 31 for the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and PC. Battlefield 4 will also be available for Xbox One® and the PlayStation 4.

To find out more about Battlefield 4 please visit <gp_link type=”http” loc=”//www.battlefield.com/au”>http://www.battlefield.com/au. To join the conversation on Battlefield 4, please visit <gp_link type=”http” loc=”//www.facebook.com/battlefield”>http://www.facebook.com/battlefield, follow us on Twitter® at <gp_link type=”http” loc=”//www.twitter.com/battlefield”>www.twitter.com/battlefield and #BF4, or sign up for the official Battlefield newsletter at <gp_link type=”http” loc=”//www.battlefield.com”>www.battlefield.com.

 
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Universal Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is releasing Snitch, available on DVD and Blu-ray from September 12th, 2013.

Delivering an explosive performance as a desperate father whose every move could be his last, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (Fast & The Furious, G.I Joe: Retaliation) stars in Snitch – a film inspired by true events.

A story of consequences, redemption and justice, Snitch unearths the bond between and a father and son, and the lengths that a man will go to in order to protect his family.

Leading an all-star cast including Academy Award® winner Susan Sarandon (Thelma & Louise, Arbitrage), Barry Pepper (Saving Private Ryan) and Jon Bernthal (The Walking Dead), and directed by Ric Roman Waugh (Total Recall), Snitch is a fast-paced thriller not to miss.

 
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Online safety assessments welcomed by 86 percent of UK parents to sharpen their IT knowledge, reveals AVG Technologies

Melbourne, 16 July 2013AVG Technologies has launched the findings of its UK research report with Plymouth University entitled “Parents, Schools and the Digital Divide”. As parents struggle to keep pace with technology, 86 percent agree an online safety assessment would identify knowledge gaps and enable parents to better educate children about staying safe online.

The findings of the report with 2,000 UK parents reinforces the importance placed on online safety with more than half (52 percent) of all parents making school selection decisions based in part on a school’s ability to teach online safety. Of that number, more than one in ten (13 percent) said online safety credentials would be “the” deciding factor if selecting a new school now.

Tony Anscombe, AVG’s senior security evangelist, comments: “Despite their confidence, our research shows that parents clearly need help to stay ahead of how children are using the Internet. We’re calling on the government and forward-thinking schools to support our recommendation and develop an easy to use assessment for parents, effectively extending e-safety training to parents. Just as parents agree to an Internet usage policy with a child’s school, parents should be tasked with truly understanding what they’re signing up to and how their children are actually using the internet, both at home and in the school.”

Online safety education – whose responsibility is it?

·        Reinforcing the importance placed on e-safety, an overwhelming number of parents (95 percent) agree with online safety education being mandatory in schools and nearly nine out of ten (89 percent) agree that the government needs to do more when it comes to teaching children right from wrong when it comes to safe use of the Internet

·         Despite this, nearly two-thirds (66 percent) of parents are adamant that the ultimate responsibility for online safety education falls to them

·        And while 92 percent of all parents are confident about their own ability to teach online safety, AVG’s study exposes a widening gap between ‘perceived’  and ‘actual’ knowledge, reinforcing the value of a simple assessment for parents to help bridge this gap

Perception versus reality

·        More than half (56 percent) of parents with children in primary and secondary school, and 42 percent of parents with teenagers, have not had a discussion with children about sexual online adult content despite evidence that the majority of 14 year old boys and many teenagers have accessed this content

·         One in ten parents of teenagers who haven’t discussed sexual adult content online believe their child is “too young” for the conversation, whilst nearly a quarter (23 percent) simply “haven’t got around to it”

·         When it comes to other online threats, nine out of ten (89 percent) of all parents with children in primary and secondary school believe their child has not been involved in cyberbullying or sexting (as either the perpetrator or victim)

·         For teenagers specifically, 86 percent of parents are not aware of their teenager having experienced this issue, despite evidence highlighting these as the most frequent Internet issues for children

·         This evidence suggests parents’ staggering confidence in their own IT knowledge is misplaced, with many still in the dark when it comes to how to educate their children on staying safe online

Anscombe comments further: “We know parents take responsibility of online safety seriously; half of us base school selection on this and we’re asking the government to do more to support teachers and parents. Yet we’re not living up to the standards we’re setting by avoiding conversations about exposure to explicit adult content, privacy or other Internet-related threats. It comes as no surprise then that nearly 90 percent of parents aren’t aware of whether their child has been exposed to cyberbullying or sexting – two of the most common Internet risks facing children. We believe asking parents to sign up to a simple online safety assessment when completing a school’s Internet usage policy would give parents the starting point they need to further improve their own IT knowledge.

“With a good understanding of the threats facing children, parents can make informed decisions about the right safety technologies and settings to put in place. Complementing this with age-appropriate guidance and safety rules will ensure children can use the Internet safely and freely,” concluded Anscombe.
Andy Phippen, professor of social responsibility at Plymouth University comments: “Safe Internet use should be top of mind for all parents; sexting, cyberbullying, exposure to explicit content and other Internet-related issues are only on the increase. To protect our children from these dangers both parents and schools need to continually work to stay ahead of how children use the Internet and of the relevant guidance we need to provide. An online safety assessment could give parents an indication of their strengths and weaknesses and working in partnership with the school, they could identify areas they need to brush up on, accessing helpful advice and learning materials.”

About the research:

The quantitative research with a sample size of 2,014 parents was commissioned by AVG Technologies and conducted by research agency Vision Critical. Parents with children aged from 2-18 were asked to complete an online survey with the sample randomly selected from the online community Springboard UK, which is a community of 70,000 British adults who participate in online surveys and discussions. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

To ensure accurate representation of parents with children across different ages, an even number of parents with children in the following age ranges were asked to fill in the survey: 2-3 years old, 4-7 years old, 8-11 years old, 12-14 years old, 15-18 years old. In cases where parents had more than one child, parents were asked to provide the age of their oldest child and to fill in the survey with this child in mind.  To complement the quantitative research findings, Andy Phippen, professor of social responsibility at Plymouth University, conducted ten in-depth interviews from the 28th June – 3rd July 2013. The interviews were held via telephone with parents of children within all of the different age ranges represented in the interviews.

 
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[New Video] Injustice: Gods Among Us- Martian Manhunter Confirmed As Next DLC

 
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World’s most advanced screen shields and intelligent impact phone cases now available in Australia

Tech21 products provide unparalleled protection for smartphones and tablets

AUSTRALIA – July 16th 2013: Tech21, the leading provider of intelligent impact protection cases and screen shields, announced its products are now available in Australia in Vodafone, Apple and Harvey Norman stores.

Tech21 is the only brand to offer Impactology™ products that provide unrivalled protection for mobile devices thanks to intelligent design featuring innovative materials like D3O® impact protection and BASF polymer, which is also used in bullet-proof glass.

“Today’s consumer carries more computing power in his or her pocket than the Apollo 11 needed to land on the moon.  Having all this incredible technology in portable formats means that we have to rethink how we protect it – the protective cases and screens have to be as powerful as the technology they are designed to cover,” said Jason Roberts, CEO of Tech21.  “Our goal is for Tech21 be the benchmark brand for intelligent impact protection combining ingenious protective materials with innovative designs.”

A range of Tech21 cases are now available for iPhone 4, iPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy S3, Samsung  Galaxy S4, Samsung Galaxy Note II, Xperia Z and HTC One.  Pricing starts from $29.99.  The Impact Shield screen protector is available for iPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy 4 and HTC One and has an RRP of $29.95.

Tech21’s intelligent impact protection cases use D3O®, the orange impact protection material.  In everyday use, its molecules flow freely but upon shock or impact they lock together, absorbing and dispersing the impact force. D3O® Impact material has been adopted worldwide by the military for its power in impact protection on the battlefield and is also used in other high impact areas such as sportswear.

The BASF polymer is used as a protection interlayer of the Impact Shield screen shields.  It is integrated within a smart multi-layer system which includes a hard top layer to disperse impacts, a middle layer with BulletShield™ featuring the BASF polymer which is also used in bulletproof glass, and a final soft layer which also absorbs impact.  Overall this reduces the force by up to 80 percent, lessoning the threat of screen breakage.

To find out what makes Impactology™ different, watch the latest video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rRs4dheImE

 
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Critically-Acclaimed Fighting Game Series Returns with Ultra Street Fighter IV

Over the weekend at EVO 2013, Capcom officially announced that the most popular fighting game franchise in history is returning, better and badder than ever with Ultra Street Fighter IV for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC. Continuing the tradition of excellence the Street Fighter IV series is known for, five new characters and six new stages have been added for even more fighting mayhem, with rebalanced gameplay and original modes topping off this ultimate offering.

In Ultra Street Fighter IV, Poison, Hugo, Elena, Rolento and a secret all-new playable character join the fight, complete with all new animations and their own unique play styles, bringing the current roster count to a massive 44 characters. Six new battle environments (including Pitstop 109, Cosmic Elevator, Half Pipe and more) provide a thrilling and colorful backdrop to the action. Direct fan feedback was gathered on all of Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition’s original 39 characters and core system mechanics in order to achieve the most balanced Street Fighter ever. Further details on the exciting new modes and gameplay features will be announced in the coming months.

Owners of Super Street Fighter IV or Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition will be able to download the title as a digital upgrade. User who purchase the retail or full download version of the game will receive all previous costume DLC released for the series, making this the definitive version of Street Fighter IV to check out!

Ultra Street Fighter IV is scheduled for release on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC in Australia, Europe and North America in Early 2014.

 
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MICHAEL BAY AND PARAMOUNT PICTURES ANNOUNCE THE CASTING OF CHINESE ENTERTAINER HAN GENG IN ‘TRANSFORMERS 4’

HOLLYWOOD, CA – (July 14, 2013) – Michael Bay and Paramount Pictures jointly announced today that Chinese entertainer Han Geng has been cast in “TRANSFORMERS 4.” Among Asia’s top stars, Han Geng has conquered the worlds of music, television and feature film to become one of the most influential entertainers in China.

He joins Mark Wahlberg, Stanley Tucci, Kelsey Grammer, Jack Reynor, Nicola Peltz, Sophia Myles, TJ Miller and Chinese actress Li Bingbing in the fourth installment in the hit series of movies based on the best-selling Hasbro toyline. Paramount Pictures will release the film on June 27th, 2014.

“Han Geng has been a sensation in China and we are happy to have him in our movie,” said Michael Bay.

Making his debut in 2005 as a member of the hugely popular group Super Junior, Han Geng later turned to a solo career, releasing his first album “Geng Xin”in 2010, which went on to sell over a million copies. His most recent album “Hope in the Darkness” was released in 2012 and has earned Han Geng a number of hit singles.

Han Geng has appeared on both the big and small screen, with roles that have shown his range as an actor. In 2008, Han Geng appeared in CCTV’s “Stage of Youth,” a 12-episode drama that drew incredible ratings. Among his big screen roles, he had a cameo appearance in the 2010 feature film “The Founding Party,” along with other A-list Chinese celebrities and later that year had his first starring role on the silver screen in the action movie “My Kingdom”. The multi-hyphen entertainer has subsequently starred in the films “Beginning Of The Great Revival,” and “The First President.” His most recent starring role was in “So Young”, a major box office hit in China, having earned more the $115 million (over 700 million yuan) since its release in May of 2013.

Han Geng has extraordinary popularity on the internet in China.  When his albums or films are released his name and movies typically top the charts as the “most searched” and accumulate the most hits. “TRANSFORMERS 4” marks Han Geng’s debut in an English language production.

Paramount, China Movie Channel and Jiaflix Enterprises announced this past April a Cooperation Agreement regarding the production of “TRANSFORMERS 4” in China. Under the agreement, China Movie Channel, under the State Administration of Press, Publications, Radio, Film and Television (SAPPRT), will cooperate with Paramount in broad-based support of the production of the film in China.

“TRANSFORMERS 4” is expected to be released in China on or about June 27, 2014. The parties are working in cooperation on a number of other areas related to “TRANSFORMERS 4”, including the selection of filming sites within China, and theatrical promotion. This agreement represents the first time that China Movie Channel will work with a western studio in the production of a major motion picture.

Shooting in multiple locations in the U.S. and China throughout the summer, the film is directed by Bay and re-unites the filmmaking team from the hit franchise, including producers Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Don Murphy & Tom DeSanto and Ian Bryce; and executive producers Steven Spielberg, Bay, Brian Goldner and Mark Vahradian. “TRANSFORMERS 4” is written by Ehren Kruger, based on Hasbro’s Transformers™ Action Figures.

The third, and most recent installment of the franchise, “TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON,” is the fifth highest global grossing film of all time with $1.124 billion dollars of worldwide box office success.  The “TRANSFORMERS” movies are among the most popular films ever released in China, and Michael Bay is among the most popular directors with Chinese audiences. “TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON,” released theatrically in 2011, grossed $165 million in China and more than $1.1 billion worldwide.