SYDNEY, Australia – June 27, 2012 – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) announced today that EA SPORTS™ is offering its most extensive global pre-order* incentive that will offer exclusive FIFA Editions that contain a retailer specific selection of EA Sports Football Club branded merchandise, FIFA Ultimate Team Packs, EA SPORTS Football Club benefits, and an exclusive adidas™ All-Star Team featuring Barcelona and Argentina superstar Lionel Messi to fans who pre-order FIFA 13 on PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system. FIFA 13 will be available in stores September 27, 2012 in Australia and September 28, 2012 in New Zealand.

Each of the pre-order incentives unveiled today offer a game-changing experience to help fans kick-start their season. The pre-order incentives are:

FIFA 13 Collector’s Edition Pre-order
Pre-order the FIFA 13 Collector’s Edition from EB Games in Australia and New Zealand and receive EA Sports Football Club full size football, boot bag, cap, star metal pack, flag, FIFA Ultimate Team gold packs*, EA Sports Football Club benefits* & adidas™ All-Star team*.

FIFA 13 Fanatics Edition Pre-order
Pre-order the FIFA 13 Fanatics Edition from JB HI-FI in Australia and New Zealand and receive EA Sports Football Club official mini size 3 football, scarf, cap & FIFA Ultimate Team gold packs*.

FIFA 13 EA Sports Football Club Edition Pre-order
Pre-order FIFA 13 EA Sports Football Club Edition from EB Games in Australia and New Zealand and receive a Star Metal Pack, FIFA Ultimate Team gold packs*, EA Sports Football Club benefits* & adidas™ All-Star team*.

FIFA 13 Ultimate Team Edition Pre-order
Pre-order the FIFA 13 Ultimate Team Edition from JB HI-FI in Australia and New Zealand and Mighty Ape in New Zealand and receive FIFA Ultimate Team gold packs*.

*FIFA Ultimate Team Gold Packs
Receive one per week for 24 weeks—to help build an ultimate team of football superstars. FIFA Ultimate Team brings the massive FIFA online community together with fans building, managing and competing with their ultimate football team from the world’s best players in FIFA 13 . Each gold pack is a mix of 12 items, including players, contracts, stadiums, managers, staff, fitness, healing, balls, kits, and badges. Gold Packs consist of players rated 75+ in-game, and include one rare item, such as enhanced player attributes, longer contracts, and the most coveted players.

*EA SPORTS Football Club benefits
Receive 10,000 EA SPORTS Football Club Credits to redeem against in-game items such as special celebrations, Virtual Pro attribute boosts, extra matches in Head-to-Head Seasons mode, and more from the new EA SPORTS Football Club Catalogue to kick-start the season. EA SPORTS Football Club is the heartbeat of FIFA 13—play to earn XP & Credits, build your level and unlock new items in the catalogue. EA SPORTS Football Club delivers a live service all season connecting players to the real-world sport with fresh, new content based on real-world football events. Support your favourite club, and connect and compete with friends.

* adidas™ All-Star Team
Receive the exclusive adidas All-Star Team comprised of 23 of the world’s top players, such as Lionel Messi, Karim Benzema and many others. The exclusive squad will feature special adidas kits that can be used in Online Pro Clubs.

FIFA 13 captures all the drama and unpredictability of real-world football. The game creates a true battle for possession across the entire pitch, delivers freedom and creativity in attack, and connects fans to the heartbeat of the sport—and to each other—through EA SPORTS Football Club. FIFA 13 features five breakthrough gameplay innovations which revolutionize artificial intelligence, dribbling, ball control and physical play, as well as engaging online features and live services. This year marks the largest and deepest game in FIFA history and elevates the role of the franchise as Football’s Social Network, where fans connect, compete and share with millions of others around the world.

FIFA 13 will be available for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system with PlayStation Move support, Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system with Kinect™, PlayStation®Vita handheld entertainment system, Wii™, PC, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Nintendo 3DS™, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, iPhone®, iPad®, iPod® touch, Android, and other mobile platforms. The game has not yet been rated.

Join more than nine million fans in the EA SPORTS football community at http://www.facebook.com/easportsfifa or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/easportsfifa.

BioWare announced today that the Mass Effect™ 3: Extended Cut, a piece of downloadable content available at no additional charge* that expands upon the ending to the Mass Effect trilogy, is available today. Featuring new cinematic sequences and epilogue scenes, the Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut gives fans seeking further clarity into the final events of Mass Effect 3 deeper insights into how their personal journey concludes. To experience the Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut, fans will need to download the DLC and load their last autosave point in the game before the final mission on Earth. The Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut is available for download now on XboxLIVE® in Australia and on Origin™ for PC. On July 4, PlayStation® 3 users in Australia will be able to experience the Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut by downloading the DLC through the PlayStation® Network.

“With the Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut we are delivering what so many fans have asked for – more answers, more clarity, and a more definitive resolution to their Mass Effect 3 experience,” said Casey Hudson, Executive Producer of the Mass Effect series. “The team is excited for players to experience this final statement on the conclusion to the Mass Effect trilogy.”

The Mass Effect franchise is one of the most highly decorated series in the history of games, having earned over 250 awards from critics around the world. Mass Effect 3 launched in March to universal critical acclaim, receiving over 90 perfect scores.  For more information on Mass Effect 3 and the Extended Cut, please visit http://masseffect.bioware.com/language/en_AU/?url=/.

MELBOURNE, 27 June 2012 — AVG (AU/NZ) Pty Ltd, distributor of AVG Technologies’ award-winning AVG Internet and mobile security software in Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific, warns that many small- to medium-size businesses (SMBs) are still easy targets for cybercriminals.

The recent Australian Business Assessment of Computer Use Security (ABACUS) survey from the Australian Institute of Criminology confirms the high proportion of SMBs that are continuing to take unnecessary risks with their business security. For example, less than 1 in 10 SMBs were found to be automatically updating their computers.

As the inexorable drift towards the mass use of mobile technology in the workplace becomes manifest, combined with SMBs failing to employ the most basic protections, small businesses are leaving themselves vulnerable.

Australia’s smaller organisations are embracing technologies that facilitate mobile working, and yet are not fully alert to the additional risks to business security. For example, businesses are readily adopting social networking as a promotional opportunity to engage with customers, but further precautions such as web link scanning are required to protect against associated online threats.

Michael McKinnon, Security Advisor at AVG (AU/NZ), said: “If you are the owner of a small or growing business, chances are you think you are too small for cybercriminals to be interested in you.  But you are well advised to think again.  With many cybercriminals using automated scanning tools, unless you protect yourself they’ll eventually find you.”

From his perspective, McKinnon knows that SMBs remain focused on traditional IT vulnerabilities like e-mail and web viruses and tend to be more concerned about losing access to files and replacing hardware. But the dangers also lie in security breaches. These are the costlier risk in terms of lost sales and revenue opportunities. According to the AVG SMB Market Landscape Report 2011, the average cost of a security breach is US$6,370. “Without safeguarding against emerging trends such as information theft and social engineering, SMBs are leaving themselves wide open to the cybercriminals,” he said.

AVG (AU/NZ)’s guidance is to treat Internet security the same way as corporate governance and brand protection. McKinnon says: “This is a boardroom issue, not simply a technology debate.

“No company should be operating without stringent online safety precautions in place, particularly when affordable, effective measures are readily available to them. Having full featured, automatically updated, always on anti-virus and Internet security software running across all company computers and employees’ mobile devices is a must for business continuity.”

The trend is for executives and staff to access e-mail and other proprietary data from more than one device. The risks of not securing them properly are very real. If malware on a mobile device is allowed to remain undetected by users, criminals can gain access to confidential corporate data.  The cost in terms of time and expense associated with cleaning these up is often substantial. A report by Computer Economics defines the ‘direct’ costs of malware infections as:

• Labour costs involved in      analysing, repairing and cleaning infected systems
• Loss of user productivity
• Loss of revenue due to loss      or degraded performance of system
• Other costs directly      incurred as the result of a malware attack

Just as business owners lock their doors to keep out burglars, the same should apply to the online world.  To bring the shutters down on cybercriminals, SMBs should:

1.      Keep protection updated for all computers and mobile computing devices – including USB memory sticks, memory cards, portable hard drives, MP3 players, cameras, smartphones and tablets – that are brought in or taken home by staff, contractors, clients and visitors.

2.      Ensure backups are occurring automatically and plan for reducing disaster recovery restoration times.

3.      Promote strong password management, with passwords that are not easy to guess, are as long as possible, and which preferably include a combination of upper and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols.

4.      As a first line of defence in social networking activity, use AVG’s ‘scan before you click’ LinkScanner technology, embedded in its anti-virus and Internet security solutions, to ensure shared links and files are checked and safe.

5.      Ensure staff always log out of every application or social networking site, and always use the highest rather than default security settings.

6.      Provide staff with written security guidelines to keep them and your business network safe. Don’t assume that all your staff are tech savvy.

7.      Enforce this robust internal policy with regular security audits.

8.      If you need to provide visitors with Internet access, invest in networking equipment that provides a DMZ “De-Militarised Zone” that will give your visitors restricted access so they can’t infect your systems, install software or log into your files.

References:

Australian Business Assessment of Computer Use Security (ABACUS)

Australian Institute of Criminology

For the series of informative security tips, how-to and fact sheets see: www.avg.com.au/resources/security-tips/. For video tips from AVG (AU/NZ), see: www.youtube.com/user/avgaunz

Keep in touch with AVG (AU/NZ)

• For breaking news, follow      AVG (AU/NZ) on Twitter at twitter.com/avgaunz
• Join our Facebook community      at www.facebook.com/avgaunz
• For security trends,      analysis, follow the AVG (AU/NZ) blog at resources.avg.com.au

The Game Critics 2012 E3 Award winners have been announced, with The Last of Us taking home a whopping 5, which include ‘Best of Show’, ‘Best Original Game’, ‘Best Console Game’ and ‘Best Action/Adventure Game’!  In addition, Sound Shapes was awarded the ‘Best Handheld/Mobile Game’ and Unfinished Swan walked away with ‘Best Downloadable Game’.

Sony Computer Entertainment Australia would like to take this moment to congratulate all 2012 Game Critics E3 Awards nominees and resulting winners.

We have also included some video links to our award winning games, which you can find below:

The Last of Us

• Gameplay
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXkFX6JRkeI&feature=plcp
• Interview      with Jacob Minkoff, Naughty Dog
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZqvBqIeclY&feature=plcp
• Interview      with voice actors Troy Baker (Joel) and Ashley Johnson (Ellie):  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceduy6GRZVw&feature=plcp

The Unfinished Swan

• Teaser      Trailer:  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4riClKyvT_4&feature=plcp
• Interview      with Ian Dallas, Giant Sparrow:  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoyyV9YpnqY&feature=plcp

To see a full list of the winners, see below:
http://gamecriticsawards.com/winners.html

Activision and Marvel’s Latest Spider-Man Video Game Brings Everyone’s Favorite Web-Slinger Home to a Free-Roaming New York City 

Sydney, Australia – June 27, 2012 – If your spider-senses are tinglin’, it’s because The Amazing Spider-Man™ video game has web-slung its way onto retail store shelves today in Australia.  From Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI), and Marvel Entertainment, The Amazing Spider-Man video game serves as an epilogue story to this summer’s upcoming blockbuster feature film, heralding Spidey’s return to a free-roaming Manhattan as players take the role of a young Peter Parker discovering his newfound powers and Super Hero responsibilities. The Amazing Spider-Man video game is available on the Xbox 360^® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation^®3 computer entertainment system, the Wii™ system from Nintendo, Nintendo 3DS™ and Nintendo DS™ handheld systems.

“Dee Brown and his team at Beenox have completely revamped The Amazing Spider-Man’s proprietary game engine to deliver a fresh, innovative gameplay experience for the fans,” said David Oxford, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Activision Publishing, Inc.  “With the adrenaline rush from just swinging through the city and the new zoomed-in camera angle opening up a whole new perspective in realistic detail, The Amazing Spider-Man allows gamers to BE Spider-Man like never before.”

Go beyond Sony Picture Entertainment’s Columbia Pictures’ feature film and find out what happens next in The Amazing Spider-Man video game.  Set against an original story crafted by Hollywood writer Seamus Kevin Fahey (Spartacus: Vengeance, Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, Battlestar Galactica) that picks up immediately after the events of the movie, The Amazing Spider-Man video game delivers a brand-new, immersive and cinematic adventure allowing fans to truly harness the power of your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.  Players will experience numerous choices in navigation and combat with the debut of the innovative Web Rush gameplay mechanic, pushing Spider-Man’s abilities to the limit against classic Marvel villains that are re-imagined exclusively for the game, such as Scorpion, Felicia Hardy, Rhino, Iguana and more.

“The Amazing Spider-Man video game is the ultimate fan tribute to Spider-Man and Manhattan,” said Andreea Enache-Thune, SVP, Games & Digital Distribution, Marvel Entertainment.  “We’re thrilled with all of the content and collectibles Activision and Beenox have packed into the game’s free-roaming Manhattan setting, and we can’t wait for fans to web-swing around the city and start saving the world.” 

The Amazing Spider-Man video game also features fan-favorite talent, including Evil Dead and Burn Notice’s Bruce Campbell taking the role of an “extreme action” reporter who provides death-defying challenges that only Spider-Man can accomplish.

Developed by Beenox for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 system, Wii and Nintendo 3DS, The Amazing Spider-Man is rated M by The Australian Classification Board for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 and PG for Wii and 3DS .  The Nintendo 3DS edition features several unique mini-games that use its touch-screen abilities, including the exclusive Vigilante Mode using StreetPass™.  The Nintendo DS version of the game was created by developer Other Ocean, is rated PG by The Australian Classification Board, and follows the exact same storyline in an entirely different platforming adventure.

For more information on The Amazing Spider-Man video game, please go to http://www.TheAmazingSpiderManGame.com, and be sure to check out the game’s Facebook page at http://www.Facebook.com/TheAmazingSpiderManGame.

Pre-order to Receive Two Additional DLC Packs Free 

Melbourne, VIC. June 22, 2012 – THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) today announced that all PC and Xbox 360 Darksiders^® II Limited Edition pre-orders placed via shopTHQ Australia will receive an additional two downloadable content drops as well as an exclusive set of in-game armor and free shipping.

The Darksiders^® II Season Pass will entitle customers who pre-order the game via shopTHQ Australia to download the 2^nd and 3^rd DLC packs when they become available at no cost. All pre-orders will also automatically be upgraded to the Limited Edition version of the game which includes the first DLC drop, Argul’s Tomb. These DLC packs will include significant new single player content. The first drop, Argul’s Tomb will become available roughly one month after the game ships.

On top of the DLC content packs users who pre-order via shopTHQ Australia will also receive a code to unlock the exclusive Maker’s Armor and Scythe set. Featuring upgraded stats and a unique design this will help players make a start on Death’s quest. 

While the Season Pass is not available for PlayStation 3 in Australia, shopTHQ will be offering the Limited Edition of Darksiders II on PS3, bundled with Saints Row 2 at no extra charge. The PC download version also includes post-apocalyptic shooter Metro 2033 at no extra charge.

In addition to this, small quantities of the game will available on all formats with the addition of a life-sized replica Death Mask and display stand. 

Jim Huntley, Vice President of Global Brand Marketing commented: “We are excited to be able to reward customers who pre-order the game via shopTHQ with these great incentives. Not only will they get a unique armor set at launch, but they will also get significant free content for months to come. And while the Season Pass is not available on PlayStation 3 in Australia, we think PS3 owners will enjoy the opportunity to play another THQ title in Saints Row 2 at no extra cost.”

All DLC content packs will ship post launch and are new content not originally intended for the main game.

Darksiders II follows the exploits of DEATH, one of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, in an action-packed tale that runs parallel to the events in the original Darksiders game. This epic journey propels DEATH through various light and dark realms as he tries to redeem his brother WAR, the horseman blamed for prematurely starting the Apocalypse in Darksiders.

To pre-order the game, go to shop.THQ.com.

Darksiders II is scheduled to be available for console and PC in August 2012, and a WiiU version is scheduled for release in the launch window. For more information check www.Darksiders.com .

– NAMCO BANDAI PARTNERS announces new strategic agency partnership –

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – 27^th June 2012 – NAMCO BANDAI Partners and Bohemia Group today announced they will partner on the distributor’s upcoming titles across the business including Square Enix, Namco Bandai and Codemasters titles. The Sydney agency will take the lead on NBP’s Australian business and in signing this deal, Bohemia will bring their communications strategy expertise to some of the most well-known videogame franchises in the industry including Tomb Raider, Hitman, Tekken and Formula 1.

“The team has great depth and years of combined experience in the interactive gaming space. We look forward to working with Bohemia Group on innovative and creative strategic PR and Media campaigns across our titles, said Namco Bandai Partners, Sales & Marketing Director Mark Gilbert.’’

Founder and Managing Partner at Bohemia, Brett Dawson said,  “We are very excited by the opportunity to work alongside Namco to marry strategic thinking with PR, digital and media execution.’’

The first media campaigns under this new agreement will be Square Enix’s ‘Sleeping Dogs’ & ‘Hitman: Absolution’, Namco’s ‘Tekken Tag Tournament 2’ as well as additional titles shipping in 2012.

Operating in 50 countries, NAMCO BANDAI Partners is one of the world’s strongest and most comprehensive video game retail distribution networks.

Bohemia is part of STW Group, Australia’s leading marketing content and communications services group.

In cinemas for One Night Only! Thursday 26 July

TICKETS ON SALE NOW 

Sharmill Films and BY Experience in association with CBS Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Media Distribution present this one night event celebrating the legendary series with fan favourite episodes, never-before-seen content and more in select cinemas across Australia on Thursday 26 July. Tickets are on sale now!

This special event will precede the Blu-ray release of “Star Trek: The Next Generation – The First Season” on sale 1 August.

Painstakingly retransferred from the original source material during its ongoing multimillion dollar restoration, this special anniversary event celebrating the debut of “Star Trek: The Next Generation – The First Season” Blu-ray on 1 August will feature two of the most popular episodes from the restored first season, “Where No One Has Gone Before” (Ep. 106) and “Datalore” (Ep. 114). The episodes were handpicked by well-known “Star Trek” experts and restoration consultants, Mike and Denise Okuda, who chose “Where No One Has Gone Before” for its beautiful space imagery and the Data-centric “Datalore” because the character played by Brent Spiner has long been a fan favourite.

In addition to the two episodes, which will be introduced by the Okudas, fans will also be among the first to get a glimpse of the brand-new special features including interviews with the team behind the restoration as they discuss the process and countless man-hours dedicated to the upgrade of “The Next Generation.”

The evening will conclude with an extended preview of the Season 2 Blu-ray. Tickets for “Star Trek: The Next Generation 25^th Anniversary Event” are now on sale at participating cinema box offices. 

PARTICIPATING CINEMAS ACROSS AUSTRALIA:

CELEBRATING ITS 25^th ANNIVERSARY, THE LEGENDARY SERIES MAKES ITS FULL-SEASON BLU-RAY™ DEBUT

The Blu-ray release features New High-Definition Transfer With Staggering Before/After Results, Boasts Exclusive Special Features Including Never-Before-Seen Archival Footage, Gag Reel And More!

The enduringly popular sci-fi favourite STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION – THE FIRST SEASON makes its Blu-ray debut on 1^st August from Paramount Home Media Distribution.  Celebrating its 25^th anniversary in 2012, the beloved series continues to enthrall fans with its exciting and socially relevant tales of space exploration in the 24^th century.

STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION – THE FIRST SEASON has been retransferred from original film elements to produce stunning high-definition images, including amazing visual effects that have been painstakingly recreated from the source material, creating before/after results that fans will love.  The six-disc Blu-ray set also features 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and a wealth of exclusive bonus material, such as archival footage, a gag reel, and an inside look at taking The Next Generation to the next level of high-definition.  Featuring the analysis of selected crew members and behind-the-scenes interviews, the new material also includes an in-depth look into The Origin of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Boasting one of the most endearing ensemble casts in television history, STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION took fans on the remarkable continuing voyages of the Starship Enterprise with Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), Commander William T. Riker (Jonathan Frakes), Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton), Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis), Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner), Lieutenant Worf (Michael Dorn), Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) and Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton).

Gods of Gaming in Melbourne to open Game Masters exhibition

The Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) today launched the hotly anticipated Melbourne Winter Masterpieces exhibition, Game Masters, a highly interactive videogame exhibition showing until October 2012.  

International stars of the gaming industry Tim Schafer (Psychonauts, Brütal Legend) and Warren Spector (Deus Ex, Disney’s Epic Mickey) launched the exhibition alongside Melbourne game developer Rob Murray (Flight Control, Real Racing).

The exhibition showcases the work of leading local and international videogame designers with over 125 playable games from the arcade era through to the latest console and mobile game technology.

Over 30 game designers who have made a significant and ongoing impact in the field are profiled throughout the exhibition, including well-known international, independent and Australian game designers. The designers’ work is explored through a combination of rare concept artwork, newly commissioned interviews and playable games.

The exhibition is presented in three sections. The first, ‘Arcade Heroes’, spotlights pioneering designers from the arcade era, including Masanobu End? (JPN, Xevious, 1982), T?ru Iwatani (JPN, Pac-Man, 1980), Eugene Jarvis (USA, Defender, 1980), Konami (JPN, Scramble, 1981), Ed Logg (USA, Asteroids, 1979), Tomohiro Nishikado (JPN, Space Invaders, 1978), Taito (JPN, Elevator Action, 1983), Tim Skelly (USA, Rip-Off, 1980) and Dave Theurer (USA, Missile Command, 1980).

Leading contemporary designers featured in the second section, ‘Game Changers’, include Blizzard Entertainment (USA, World of Warcraft, 2004), Paulina Bozek (UK/CAN, SingStar, 2004), Hideo Kojima (JPN, METAL GEAR SOLID, 1998), Tetsuya Mizuguchi (JPN, Child of Eden, 2011), Peter Molyneux OBE (UK, Populous, 1989, Dungeon Keeper series, Fable series), Yuji Naka and the Sonic Team (JPN, Sonic the Hedgehog, 1991), Nintendo (JPN, Super Mario Bros, 1985, The Legend of Zelda, 1986), Alex Rigopulos and Eran Egozy (USA, Rock Band, 2007), Tim Schafer (USA, Psychonauts, 2005), Warren Spector (USA, Disney’s Epic Mickey, 2010), Yu Suzuki (JPN, Hang On, 1983), TT Games (UK, LEGO Star Wars: The Videogame, 2005), Fumito Ueda (JPN, ICO, 2001) and Will Wright (USA, SimCity, 1989).

A major component of the show will be an exploration of independent game designers in the third and final chapter of the exhibition called ‘Indies’. Artists such as Jonathan Blow (USA, Braid, 2008), Capy (CAN, Critter Crunch, 2008), Eric Chahi (FR, Another World, 1991), Jakub Dvorský (CZ, Machinarium, 2009), Firemint (AUS, Flight Control, 2009), Halfbrick (AUS, Fruit Ninja, 2010), Introversion (UK, Darwinia, 2005), Masaya Matsuura (JPN, PaRappa the Rapper, 1996), Markus Persson (SW, Minecraft, 2011), Rovio (FIN, Angry Birds, 2009), Erik Svedäng (SW, Blueberry Garden, 2010), thatgamecompany (USA, flower, 2009) and The Behemoth (USA, Alien Hominid HD, 2002) are profiled in this section.

The exhibition features unique experiences such as an immersive 3D version of Tetsuya Mizuguchi’s acclaimed Child of Eden (2011) and a spectacular multiplayer dance stage for a large-scale version of Dance Central 2 (2011). A selection of classic arcade games from the 1970s and 80s acquired especially for the exhibition are playable in their original form.

The Game Masters exhibition is accompanied by a series of public, film and education programs, appealing to people of all ages and abilities, from the budding game developer to smart phone users, from children to the ‘original’ gamers. More information on these programs can be found on the ACMI website.

ACMI has also developed a digital program concurrent to the exhibition, incorporating a video conferencing program, a suite of online resources including a bespoke website, an eBook (RRP $17.50 at the iBookstore, Game Masters hardcopy available in the ACMI Store RRP $24.95, both published by Hardie Grant) and a newly commissioned mobile game, Game Masters: The Game (free to download from the App Store and Google Play).

As a major contribution to 21st Century moving image practice and entertainment, videogames have been celebrated by ACMI in exhibitions, films and public programs. Game Masters is the much anticipated follow up to ACMI’s successful 2008 Game On exhibition which explored the history of videogames and videogame genres from the 1960s to the present day.

Curated by ACMI’s Conrad Bodman and Emma McRae, Game Masters is a Melbourne Winter Masterpieces initiative and will open at ACMI on 28 June and run through to 28 October 2012. For more information, please visit acmi.net.au