SYDNEY, 16^TH May 2013 – Sony Computer Entertainment Australia (SCE Aust.) has today announced the June line-up for PlayStation®Plus (PS Plus) subscribers including hit title Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, as well as two excellent new catalogue releases Demon’s Souls and ICO and Shadow of the Colossus HD Collection. These brand new additions will be available to download from May 30^th.

Immerse yourself in the ancient world of Amalur and its 10,000 years of magical history in the action-packed tale Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, created by acclaimed New York Times bestselling author R.A. Salvatore. Take destiny into your own hands as you combat your way through this vast and vibrant world as envisioned by the visionary creator of Spawn and much-admired artist, Todd McFarlane.

In Demon’s Souls you are summoned by a mysterious maiden as the last hope for humanity to take on a mighty demon horde that has taken over the kingdom of Boletaria, after a terrible curse was mistakenly unleashed by King Allant the XII whilst in search of greater powers. Prepare for a battle that has so far defeated all other realm champions as you set out on this epic journey to save the Kingdom from a fate worse than death.

ICO and Shadow of the Colossus HD Collection brings two exciting worlds to PS Plus ready for fans to explore. Adopt the role of ICO, a young boy who finds himself imprisoned by the people of his village inside the walls of a menacing castle before joining forces with a young girl named Yorda as she attempts to escape in ICO. Take on the role of a young man named Wander in Shadow of the Colossus as you journey through an enchanted land, battling 16 enormous beasts known as the Colossi in order to restore the life of a girl named Mono, whose soul is trapped in this haunting world.

For gamers on-the-go, grab your PlayStation®Vita (PS Vita) and transport yourself to lush forests in the cartoon-quality action title Rayman Origins. Alternatively, weave through airborne mazes as you avoid falling coconuts in Coconut Dodge HD, both available on PS Plus from 6^th June.

PS Plus provides subscribers with access to top-rated games* on PS3 and PS Vita, extending the service to two platforms for a single price of AUD$69.95 for a one-year subscription. Additionally, 90 day subscriptions are also available at AUD$19.95 giving users access to the same fantastic titles and great PlayStation®Store discounts.

PS Plus subscribers receive an array of exclusive features, including 2GB cloud storage (1G for PS3 & 1G for PS Vita ) for game saves which will be welcomed by subscribers keen to take advantage of the Instant Game Collection. Automatic updates and beta access, as well as a huge collection of exclusive dynamic themes and PlayStation®Network avatars, makes PS Plus the place to be in 2013.

*Top-rated is based on a meta-critic rating of 70+

ASUS Unveils Full Range of Z87 Motherboards

ASUS, ROG, TUF, and WS boards based on the Intel® Z87 chipset cater to diverse needs, from daily computing and productivity to extreme gaming

Taipei, Taiwan (16 May, 2013) — ASUS today announced a complete lineup of motherboards built around the high-end Intel® Z87 chipset for 4th Generation Intel® Core™ processors. The new motherboards feature exclusive technologies that make the most of Z87 capabilities, with offerings from ASUS, Republic of Gamers (ROG), The Ultimate Force (TUF), and WS (workstation) series providing the best user experiences, performance, stability, and upgrade options.

“ASUS possesses the best research and development expertise, and as always we are confident that we offer our customers the finest quality with these new motherboards. We’re including a variety of media-praised exclusive features with each model, and are proud to announce that we have the most comprehensive Z87 motherboard launch lineup, all available simultaneously”, commented Jackie Hsu, Corporate Vice President and General Manager of Worldwide Sales, ASUS Open Platform Business Group.

Completely redesigned ASUS Series motherboards

ASUS-branded motherboards present a new premium gold color scheme, symbolizing an insistence on delivering the highest standards of innovation, performance, and reliability. Multiple offerings cover a wide range of customer segments, led by the high-end Z87-DELUXE, which delivers the most features and advanced connectivity. The Z87-A is aimed at more mainstream builds, while retaining exclusive ASUS features and fully tapping Z87 performance. Additional models positioned in between these are the Z87-PRO and Z87-PLUS. The Z87I-DELUXE brings Z87 to mini-ITX, while the Z87 WS meets the requirements of workstation applications, including professional design and content creation.

ASUS delivers Dual Intelligent Processors 4 with 4-Way Optimization, integrating features that enhance the ways customers control their PC. The TPU performance tuning chip, EPU energy consumption manager, DIGI+ Power Control, and Fan Xpert 2 can all be activated with one click of the mouse to ensure real-time performance optimization, better energy efficiency, precise digital power control, and detailed case fan management for reduced noise and improved cooling. When users are away from the PC, the design intelligently shifts to Away Mode, allowing customers to download and stream content or backup data with minimal power draw. Exclusive 4-Way Optimization fully readies PCs for better gaming, entertainment, productivity, and all other uses.

Serving gamers and overclockers with Z87 performance

ROG now offers the all-new MAXIMUS VI HERO motherboard, tailored to hardcore gamers who want to experience the world-famous ROG brand at a more accessible price point. It is accompanied by the MAXIMUS VI GENE micro-ATX gaming motherboard, with the two delivering SupremeFX audio to rival up to 115dB SNR discrete sound cards in power and clarity, and the Sonic Radar on-screen overlay, which shows the location and direction of in-game sound sources for greater success in competitive gaming. MAXIMUS VI GENE further ships with mPCIe Combo II for more data transfer and networking options, with support for new NGFF SSD connectivity.

The flagship MAXIMUS VI EXTREME motherboard brings the ROG tradition of setting world overclocking records to Z87. It retails bundled with OC Panel, a real-time overclocking and system monitoring console that can be placed in a 5.25” drive bay or used externally. When outside the case, OC Panel offers more detailed overclocking in Extreme Mode. MAXIMUS VI EXTREME also supports high speed DDR3 memory at over 3GHz.

Enhanced cooling and endurance with DIY flexibility

The TUF SABERTOOTH Z87 motherboard was shown together with GRYPHON Z87, the first micro-ATX TUF motherboard. Both deliver rigorously-tested TUF cooling and durability even under the most demanding usage conditions. TUF motherboards use high-durability components such as Japan-made 10K Black Metallic capacitors, which support 20% greater extreme temperature tolerance and five times the lifespan of generic capacitors.

TUF-specific features include Thermal Armor motherboard covers, which have been revamped with an airflow-boosting flow valve design on SABERTOOTH Z87, while TUF Fortifier backplates reinforce motherboards against bending and bowing, ensuring longer-lasting PCs. Dust Defender adds special enclosures that protect expansion slots and connectors against debris accumulation, also promoting greater system longevity.

All the above are standard on SABERTOOTH Z87, while GRYPHON Z87 provides customers the flexibility of the optional GRYPHON ARMOR KIT (sold separately), which upgrades it using Thermal Armor, TUF Fortifier, and Dust Defender.

Best quality assured from day one

All ASUS, ROG, TUF, and WS Z87 motherboards launch following a strict validation process that guarantees the best quality and compatibility in the industry. ASUS tests each motherboard with literally hundreds of memory, expansion card, and external device combinations from nearly every brand and vendor on the market. Motherboards also pass the most demanding stress testing process in the industry, verifying their stability, reliability, and longevity.

“ASUS-branded motherboards keep evolving and always offer the gold standard in quality, performance, and durability. The new gold color scheme symbolizes this and our insistence on delivering the highest degree of innovation and reliability. ASUS motherboards are fully-featured and present an attractive visual style for great system building experiences”, said Jackie Hsu, Corporate Vice President and General Manager of Worldwide Sales, ASUS Open Platform Business Group.

Elegant color choice makes component matching easier

For nearly a quarter of a century, ASUS has been leading in motherboard design and development while maintaining close ties to the global PC DIY community. Accommodating system builder needs, the gold treatment on new motherboards promotes great-looking PC interiors with a two-tone color palette that works well with the primarily black designs of PC cases.

Form and function with more efficient gear-shaped heatsinks

The gold-imbued heatsinks on new ASUS Z87 motherboards use forms inspired by the gears of handcrafted luxury timepieces. Multi-faceted and multi-tiered, the new heatsinks have bigger surface areas for better heat dissipation and improved cooling, and use fine-threaded polished metal that gives the gold theme a deep luster. ASUS Z87 motherboards are as visually pleasing as they are industry-leading in stability, reliability, and exclusive features.

AVAILABILITY & PRICING

ASUS, ROG, TUF, and WS Z87 motherboards will be available from mid-2013. Pricing and availability for specific models may vary.