Sydney, AUSTRALIA –  17, 2012 — Ubisoft® announced that its real-time board game title Assassin’s Creed® Recollection for iPad, is now available for a very limited time on the App Store, for free.

Assassin’s Creed Recollection, designed and optimised to take full advantage of the large display and Multi-Touch interface of iPad, allows players to live an entirely new experience in the world of Assassin’s Creed. Fans of the franchise are able to compete in political battles in a real-time board game, with key characters and locations from the original console game franchise. They can also discover and amass a wide variety of artwork created for the Assassin’s Creed games.

Players can expect an eight to ten-hour narrative experience with 20 story missions, which takes players on an intriguing journey from Barcelona to Constantinople. For those who want to take the experience online, they can challenge their friends and other players from around the world in intense real-time battles with Game Center, where their strategies and abilities will truly be put to the test.

The Assassin’s Creed Recollection App is available from the App Store on iPad or at: http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/assassins-creed-recollection/id454682093?mt=8

For more information, head to: www.assassinscreed.com/ios/recollection

BIOWARE AND RAZER UNVEIL MASS EFFECT 3 PRODUCT LINE

Razer enhances your competitive advantage in Mass Effect 3 on the PC and Xbox 360 with official licensed peripheral and gear collection

Sydney, Australia – February 17th, 2012 – Award-winning developer BioWare, a label of Electronic Arts Inc., along with Razer, the world leader in high performance gaming hardware, reveal peripherals and gear created for the highly anticipated Action RPG Mass Effect™ 3.

Fans of the Mass Effect series can arm themselves for the all-out galactic war with the Razer Mass Effect 3 Edition peripheral line, which includes a Razer Imperator gaming mouse, Razer Vespula dual-sided gaming mouse mat, Razer BlackWidow Ultimate gaming keyboard, Razer Onza Tournament Edition Xbox 360® controller and Razer Chimaera Xbox 360 gaming headset. The cutting-edge peripherals will give fans of the series a competitive advantage in the epic battle to save the galaxy from the ancient alien race known only as the Reapers.

“BioWare is pulling out all the stops for Mass Effect 3 to ensure it’s the best and boldest game in the series,” said Robert ‘RazerGuy’ Krakoff, President, Razer USA. “With our official line of peripherals and gear for Mass Effect 3, we’re giving fans the best gaming weaponry and hardware to meet the challenge head on – and come out victorious.”

“With Mass Effect 3, we’re delivering a truly epic experience for both the existing fans and newcomers into the series,” said David Silverman, Marketing Director for BioWare. “Mass Effect 3 is an all-out Galactic war, and partnering with Razer gives us an opportunity to raise the stakes even higher and provide gamers with a product line that will certainly help them take Earth back on March 6.”

Fans can also receive gear to protect and safeguard peripherals and gadgets from the intensity of the intergalactic warfare in Mass Effect 3. The Razer Mass Effect 3 Edition gear line includes a sleek, hard protection case customised for the iPhone 4/4S, and a rugged N7 messenger bag for ample storage. Both the Mass Effect 3 peripherals and gear line are emblazoned with Mass Effect’s iconic N7 design, bestowed only to the highest-ranking soldiers of the Systems Alliance military, worn by Commander Shepard on his armor. The Mass Effect 3 peripherals are now available for pre-order from Razerstore.

For more information, head to www.razerzone.com/me3.

Mass Effect 3 arrives on the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and PC in North America on March 6, 2012 and in Europe on March 9, 2012, and is available for pre-order now at participating retailers. Fans who pre-order have the opportunity to arm themselves with cutting-edge in-game weapons and armor to prepare for the all-out galactic war. For more information on Mass Effect 3, please visit http://www.masseffect.com, follow the game on Twitter at www.twitter.com/masseffect or “like” the game on Facebook at www.facebook.com/masseffect.

About the Mass Effect 3 Razer Imperator Ergonomic Gaming Mouse

Mass Effect 3 drops players into an all-out galactic war where the Reapers have taken Earth, and only you as Commander Shepard can take back Earth and prevent the entire galaxy from complete annihilation. Use the Razer Imperator Mass Effect 3 Edition gaming mouse as your tech-blade, an extension of your arm, and with its 6400dpi 4G Dual Sensor System to dispatch the ruthless enemies before they end humanity’s existence.

Price: US$79.99

Availability:

Razerzone.com – Pre-Order Now

Worldwide – March 2012

Product features:

• 6400dpi 4G Dual Sensor System
• Rubberised contoured thumb grip for added control
• Ergonomic right-handed design
• Adjustable side buttons
• Razer Synapse Onboard Memory
• Up to 200 inches per second* /50g acceleration
• Seven independently programmable Hyperesponse buttons
• On-the-Fly Sensitivity adjustment
• Zero-acoustic Ultraslick mouse feet
• Approx. size in mm; 123(l) x 71(w) x 42(h)

Mass Effect 3 Razer Imperator Images

Black background

White background

About the Mass Effect 3 Razer BlackWidow Ultimate Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

The Razer BlackWidow Mass Effect 3 Edition gaming keyboard is a state-of-the-art weapon with its full-fledged heavy-duty mechanical key infrastructure. When it delivers crisp, tactile feedback and faster keystroke actuation, this revolutionary, fully backlit gaming keyboard helps Commander Shepard get the mission done with razor-sharp efficiency.

Price: US$139.99

Availability:

Razerzone.com – Pre-Order Now

Worldwide – March 2012

Product Features:

• Full mechanical keys with 50g actuation force
• Individually backlit keys with 5 levels of lighting
• 1000Hz Ultrapolling / 1ms response time
• Programmable keys with on-the-fly macro recording
• Gaming mode option for deactivation of the Windows key
• 10 customisable software profiles with on-the-fly switching
• 5 additional macro keys
• Gaming optimised key matrix for minimised ghosting
• Multi-media controls
• Braided cable
• Audio-out / Mic-in jacks
• USB-pass through
• Approx. size in mm: 475(L) x 171(W) x 30(H)
• Weight 1.5kg

Mass Effect 3 Razer BlackWidow Ultimate Images

Black Background

White Background

About the Mass Effect 3 Razer Vespula Dual-Sided Gaming Mouse Mat

In Mass Effect 3, Commander Shepard and his team will face their greatest challenge yet – the Reapers. The Razer Vespula dual-sided gaming mouse mat is the perfect way to ensure that you’re prepared for each battle. Get neck-breaking acceleration under your mouse with the SPEED side to hit the enemies before they can react, or deliver precise headshots with the measured movement of the CONTROL side. Exclusively designed in pitch-black finish with the iconic N7 logo and stripes displayed on Shepard’s Armor, the Razer Vespula Mass Effect 3 Edition readies both you and your mouse for the war to take Earth back.

Price: US$34.99

Availability:

Razerzone.com – Pre-Order Now

Worldwide – March 2012

Product features:

• Non-slip, anti-reflective, abrasion-resistant hard coat
• SPEED surface for faster mouse movements
• CONTROL surface for precise mouse movements
• Comes with a gel-filled wrist rest
• Approximate Size : 320 mm (Length) x 260 mm (Width) x 20 mm (Height)
• Approximate Weight: 332 g

Mass Effect 3 Razer Vespula images

Black background

White background

About the Mass Effect 3 Onza Tournament Edition Xbox 360 Gaming Controller

The Onza TE Mass Effect 3 Edition provides enhanced combat effectiveness through adjustable resistance on both analog sticks and the addition of two fully programmable multi-function buttons. Quickly fire biotics from the extra shoulder buttons to disable enemies, and use analog sticks calibrated to your preferred tension. An improved D-pad, Hyperesponse buttons, and a 15-foot lightweight braided cable, round out this perfect weapon for Mass Effect 3 on the Xbox 360 and PC.

Price: US$59.99

Availability:

Razerzone.com – Pre-Order Now

Worldwide – March 2012

Product features:

• 2 Adjustable resistance analog sticks
• 2 Multi-Function Buttons (MFB)
• 4 backlit Hyperesponse action buttons
• Precision D-Pad
• Non-slip rubber surface
• Quick release USB connector
• 15 foot, lightweight, braided fibre cable
• Approx. size in mm: 109(L) x 154(W) x 60.5(H)

Mass Effect 3 Razer Onza Tournament Edition images

Black background

White background

About the Mass Effect 3 Razer Chimaera Xbox 360 5.1 Wireless Gaming Headset

Whether tuning into the immersive sounds of the various exotic in-game locales featured in Mass Effect 3, or to get the one-up on enemies through audio cues and pinpoint positional audio, The Razer Chimaera 5.1 Mass Effect 3 Edition gaming headset takes you into the game full throttle by way of your ears. As you hear the Reapers closing in all around you, be ready to take the fight to them.

Price: US$209.99

Availability:

Razerzone.com – March 2012

Worldwide – March 2012

Product features:

• Wireless Headset
• Circumaural Design with 50mm Driver Units
• Volume & Microphone Control Buttons on the Headset
• 3 Preset EQ
• Detachable 2.5mm Microphone Cable
• Dimensions: 200mm(W) x 204mm(H) x 88mm(D)
• Inner Ear Cup Diameter: 55 mm
• Approximate Weight (including batteries): 369 g

Headphones

• Radio Frequency: 5.8GHz
• Dolby® Headphone / Dolby Pro Logic® II / Dolby Digital
• Wireless Range: 33ft / 10m
• Frequency Response: 20 – 20,000 Hz
• Impedance: 32O at 1kHz
• Sensitivity (@1kHz, 1V/Pa): 105dB +/- 2dB
• Drivers: 50 mm, with Neodymium Magnets
• Batteries: 2 AAA Batteries (Up to 8 Hours Battery Life)
• Charging Time: 3 Hours

Microphone

• Frequency Response: 130 – 10,000 Hz
• Sensitivity (@1kHz, 1V/Pa): -42 ± 2dB
• Signal-to-Noise Ratio: >55 dB
• Pick-up Pattern: Uni-directional

Hardware Requirements

Xbox 360®

• Available Optical Port PC

• RCA to 3.5mm Cable*
• Available 3.5mm Headphone Jack
• Available 3.5mm Microphone Jack

* RCA to 3.5mm cable required and sold separately

Mass Effect 3 Razer Chimaera 5.1 images

Black background

White background

About the Mass Effect 3 iPhone 4 Protection Case by Razer

With a hard-shell design inspired by Commander Shepard’s iconic N7 Onyx Armor and complete with segmented protection plates, your iPhone 4 is getting the best protection to take on every intense firefight, battle and hard knock Mass Effect 3 and your life can throw at it.

Price: US$24.99

Availability:

Razerzone.com – March 2012

Worldwide – March 2012

Product features:

• Heavy duty silicone protection for your iPhone 4 from the elements
• Rubberised finish for better grip
• Mass Effect 3 inspired design

Mass Effect 3 iPhone 4 Protection Case images

Black and white background

About the Mass Effect 3 Razer Messenger Bag

Constructed with tear-resistant, weather-proof heavy-duty 1680D ballistic nylon, the Mass Effect 3 Razer Messenger bag gives your gaming laptop and gear total protection from intergalactic warfare.

Price: US$79.99

Availability:

Razerzone.com – March 2012

Worldwide – March 2012

Product features:

• Armoured with a tear-resistant, weather-proof heavy duty 1680D ballistic nylon outer shell
• Water-resistant TPU inner lining for added durability
• Single shoulder sling design for added mobility
• Built in compartments for up to 15″ laptops, gaming peripherals and portable gaming devices.
• Durable inner lining protects electronic devices and provides ample shock absorbency while on the road

Mass Effect 3 Razer Messenger Bag images

Black and white background

CryENGINE® powered Arena FPS scheduled to debut on Xbox LIVE Arcade on February 29^th for 800 Microsoft Points 

Melbourne, VIC. Feb. 17, 2012– THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) and Machinima today announced that Nexuiz is scheduled to launch on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft (via Xbox LIVE®) on February 29^th for 800 Microsoft Points as part of Microsoft’s ‘House Party’ season of Xbox LIVE Arcade titles.

Nexuiz will also appear on PlayStation 3 and PC later this spring.

Developed by Denver-based IllFonic and powered by CryENGINE®3, Nexuiz re-invents classic, fast-paced arena FPS gameplay for the modern console audience with the addition of Dynamic Mutators – game-changing power ups that can turn the tide of battle in an instant.

These Dynamic Mutators are featured in the latest Nexuiz trailer, released today on http://youtube.com/NexuizShooter .

For more information on Nexuiz, ‘Like’ us at http://Facebook.com/NexuizShooter , follow us at http://Twitter.com/NexuizShooter or visit the official website at http://Nexuiz.com .

Massive expansion pack for the critically acclaimed game features new gameplay scenarios, strategies, and the return of religion and espionage

Sydney, Australia – February 17, 2012 – 2K Games announced today that Sid Meier’s Civilization® V: Gods & Kings, the first expansion pack for the award winning Civilization V, is being developed for Windows-based PC. Developed by Firaxis Games, Sid Meier’s Civilization V: Gods & Kings introduces new gameplay content, enhancing the Civilization V experience and providing even more ways for players to achieve world domination. The Gods & Kings expansion pack spans the breadth of human civilization, taking players from founding the first Pantheon of the Gods and spreading religion across the world, to deploying spies in enemy cities to steal information and technology.

Sid Meier’s Civilization V: Gods & Kings is not yet rated by the OFLC and will be available for Windows PC in late Autumn 2012. For more information on Sid Meier’s Civilization V: Gods & Kings, please visit www.civilization.com.

I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU WORLD RECORD HOLDERS

21,879 marriages took place in Rift™ on Valentine’s Day, setting the Guinness World Record® title for most in-game marriages in 24 hours

Trion Worlds, the leading publisher and developer of premium games for the connected era, announced today that players of the massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), Rift™, set the world record for the most in-game marriages in a 24-hour period. Officially recorded for the Guinness World Records Gamer’s Edition®, 21,879 marriages were confirmed between 9am PST, Feb. 14 and 9am PST, Feb. 15.

Guinness World Records will log the marriages and the record will be considered for inclusion in the 2013 edition of the Guinness World Records Gamer’s Edition. All participating players will receive the unique in-game title “The Avowed,” and hopefully snapped some wedding images to share with their children.

“Establishing this record was a monumental achievement for our development team and community of passionate players, and I couldn’t be more proud,” said Scott Hartsman, Executive Producer on Rift and Trion’s CCO. “Ascended Weddings were a great way to lift the veil on Rift’s new ‘Gatherings’ feature, social experiences that bring players together in new and interesting ways. We look forward to expanding this great new gameplay element in the always-evolving world of Telara.”

Gaz Deaves, Gaming Editor for Guinness World Records, said “It’s great to see the seeds of love blooming in virtual worlds, and particularly impressive to see so many gamers getting together to say their vows for one event like this. The evidence submitted was of a very high standard and we even witnessed some of the ceremonies ourselves, so this achievement will definitely be considered for the next Guinness World Records Gamer’s Edition.”

Rift introduced the in-game marriage feature with its latest content release, “Carnival of the Ascended,” the seventh major update introduced by Trion since Rift launched in March 2011. Rift has seen more than one million activations since launch, and Trion has revealed that the title broke 100 million dollars in revenue in under a year. Also launched with the Carnival of the Ascended update was Rift Lite, which enables anyone with a Trion account to access Rift with no time or cost restrictions up to level 20. Play for free at www.riftgame.com/RiftLite.

Indie Stealth-Action Puzzler Kicks Off Microsoft’s House Party Promo

SYDNEY, Australia – February 16, 2012 – Independent game developer Trapdoor and EA Partners, a division of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) today announced that the sci-fi stealth-action puzzler, Warp™, is now available for download on Xbox LIVE Arcade for 800 Microsoft Points. Warp was praised by IGN.com as being, “fun and as dark as you want it to be,” and is the first title to kick off Microsoft’s third-annual Xbox LIVE Arcade ‘House Party’ for Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment system, a line-up of this season’s best downloadable games coming to Xbox LIVE Arcade.

As promised, today we present part 2 of this week’s Asked & Answered session, with even more of your questions taken from the Newswire comments, Twitter replies, Facebook messages and emails to our Mouthoff inquiry inbox… If you missed it earlier, you can find a link to our previous official responses to questions about Max Payne 3, Grand Theft Auto V and more right here.
“I’ve waited nearly 10 years for this. Will Max Payne 3 feature any driving this time around? I know you guys avoided it so it doesn’t seem like a version of a Grand Theft Auto game but since Max is 10 years in and established as its own, will you add that in?” – Dymez510 “Max is there more in-depth hand-to-hand combat with interaction of environment?” – zell92i75
As we’ve stated in the past, we’re working very hard to ensure that we’re being faithful and true to the heritage of Max Payne – and the heart and soul of Max Payne gameplay has always been as a pure shooter. Apart from some pretty cool melee kills that can be triggered when in close quarters with an enemy (check out the very end of the latest Design and Technology video for an exemplary pistol-whipping), we have no intention of betraying that to introduce driving/racing or brawling elements. Just get ready for some of the most cutting-edge, advanced and insane shooting gameplay you’ve ever experienced. If you want driving, we do make some other games. This game is all about story driven gun play.
“With the trend of video games becoming ‘easier’ to complete to cater to the casual market in the hope of everybody completing the game, can we expect a challenging hardcore Max Payne game? I remember from previous Max Payne games, there being tough levels with intense shoot-outs. Can we expect the same with MP3?” – ILikeVideo-Games
Yes – while we’re not going to go into too much detail about the specifics of it just yet, we can answer that there will indeed be varying optional difficulty levels for players to play through the single-player story with – so that the game can be a challenging, satisfying and fun experience for players of all skill levels, and special rewards for completing on harder difficulty levels – we will have more details soon.
“Thanks for answering my Max Payne 3 question! Ok… I know I’m making a stupid request but… somehow, in Max Payne 3, could you please put some producers and writers commentaries? I wanna know everything you got inspired with, how you did it and why you did it. Some fans would appreciate this idea too!” – received via Mouthoff
Not a stupid request at all! Although we most likely won’t be including development chronicles or commentaries within the game itself, if for no other reason than we rarely have much spare room on our game discs, we’d definitely recommend you pay close attention to some of the content online that will continue to hit in the lead-up to game release – including our behind-the-scenes Research posts and Rockstar Recommends series here at the Rockstar Newswire, the continuing Design and Technology Series of videos, and exclusive interviews we’re giving with gaming sites discussing the development of Max Payne 3.
“@rockstargames Wow, I have a lot of questions. Are you going to be divulging the full list of classic characters for Max Payne 3’s Special Edition?” – DrDeanDarko (via Twitter)
Yes, we will be confirming the full list of characters in Max Payne 3 Special Edition’s Classic Character Multiplayer Pack soon.
“R* are you planning to make DLCs for mp3 in the future ? I’m looking forward to this game, because Max Payne 1 and 2 are one of the greatest games and game experiences for me 😀 this game will be awesome !!!!! :D” – Maxx-Paiin
Thank you. It’s great to see hardcore Max Payne fans such as yourself getting excited for the game’s release – as we’ve said before, we’re working very hard to ensure a faithful but still fresh and new Max Payne title for you all. As for future looking downloadable content, it’s a bit early yet for us to confirm exactly what shape Max Payne 3 DLC might take as we’re still in the planning stages for that, but yes we do plan to support Max Payne 3 with content post-release to properly extend the game experience for fans.
“Okay, question time! Will we see the nifty TV shows from the previous two in Max Payne 3?” – ABoyandHisX
Very possibly…
“In footage of the game, we see Max in both São Paulo and back in New York City. Are the New York city parts solely at the beginning of the game, or are they perhaps a part of flashback missions throughout the story?” – received via Mouthoff
We don’t want to give too much away about the game’s narrative structure, but the game is about Max coming to terms with his experience in São Paulo and the events that took him there, so they are spread throughout the game, like memories triggered by events in São Paulo.
“Any news about Max Payne on iOS?” – avbros
Yes – following the release of Grand Theft Auto III for iOS (and Android devices) late last year, the original Max Payne will be our next release for mobile devices. We will have an official announcement soon confirming the release date, but you can expect it to finally be released sometime in the next couple months.
“Rockstar, if I may ask, what is the relationship like between you and Remedy?” – received via Mouthoff
Remedy are great long-time friends of ours – they may be an external development studio not part of the internal Rockstar system, but we’ve always loved what they create, and their passion for games, and feel a certain kinship in that they are a studio not afraid of creating original and unique story-driven game experiences very different from the norm. We admire and respect all game makers who stick to their guns and make interesting and original games, and in particular ones like Remedy that we’ve had the pleasure to work with ourselves and know to be good guys as well. As creators of the Max Payne series, we’ve been honored to have them directly involved with us in the making of Max Payne 3 and at the same time, it’s been a thrill to be in the loop along the way seeing what they’re up to with Alan Wake and the new American Nightmare release coming out. If you’ve never checked that game out, we definitely recommend having a look.
“Are there any hopes of us getting a Bully 2? I loved the original and it’s been, what, 5 years? Please make another one.” – siim2200 “Hey, and Bully 2? It’s Real? Please make Bully 2! The world needs a Bully 2” – Julio Cësar (via Facebook)
We absolutely love that over 5 years later, we’re still seeing so much enthusiasm for Bully – all we can say is to see the answer from Monday’s Asked & Answered about L.A. Noire! We really love Bully ourselves and may also make a sequel at some point.