Following the official announcement from Activision for the new racing title Blur, the reveal trailer has now been released. Watch the trailer here and see how Bizarre Creations illuminates the streets with a lightning-fast blur.
For more information visit www.blurgame.com
REYKJAVIK, Iceland–CCP, one of the world’s leading independent game developers and creator of the critically acclaimed massively multiplayer online game (MMO) EVE Online, has been recognized for its remarkable year-over-year growth by being ranked on the Media Momentum’s Larger Companies List 2009 and receiving a Media Momentum Award. The Media Momentum Awards honor the hottest and fastest growing digital media companies in Europe as judged by European digital media industry luminaries.
The industry recognition follows EVE Online’s subscriber base topping 300,000 as the game celebrated its sixth anniversary on May 6, 2009. To support continued in-game growth and creative development of EVE Online, CCP is also increasing its headcount, recruiting top industry talent for about 60 positions over the course of 2009.
CCP’s CEO, Hilmar Petursson, accepted the company’s Media Momentum Award for “Vision and Future Growth Potential” and attended an invitation-only awards dinner on May 13, 2009 in London. Said Petursson: “CCP is honored to receive this award as it validates our earliest plans of the future for EVE Online—a true virtual society that has a real sense of history and intrigue between players. We feel fortunate to have experienced dynamic growth both in our products and as a company and hope to use that energy to propel them further.”
About EVE Online
Set tens of thousands of years in the future, EVE Online is a breathtaking journey to the stars, to an immersive experience filled with adventure, riches, danger and glory. With over a quarter of a million subscribers worldwide inhabiting the same virtual universe, EVE features a vast player-run economy where your greatest asset is the starship, designed to accommodate your specific needs, skills and ambitions. EVE offers professions ranging from commodities trader to mercenary, industrial entrepreneur to pirate, mining engineer to battle fleet commander or any combination of these and much more. From brokering business deals to waging war, you will have access to a diverse array of sophisticated tools and interfaces to forge your own destiny in EVE. Learn more and sign up for a free trial at www.eveonline.com.
Definition of Subscribers
EVE Online subscribers include individuals who have paid a subscription fee or have an active electronic time code (ETC) to play EVE Online, as well as those who have purchased the game and are within their free month of access. The above definition excludes all players under free promotional subscriptions, expired or cancelled subscriptions and expired ETCs.
About CCP
CCP is widely recognized as an industry-leading pioneer of the single-server persistent universe architecture as the developer and publisher of EVE Online, the critically-acclaimed, science fiction-based massively multiplayer online game (MMOG). Utilizing a cross-discipline approach combining cutting-edge technology and artistic excellence, CCP is dedicated to providing vibrant, compelling products that transcend the boundaries of conventional MMOGs and facilitate social networking through virtual worlds. Privately held and founded in Reykjavik, Iceland in 1997, CCP’s international reach now spans the globe with offices in Atlanta and Shanghai as well as a base of operations in London. More information about CCP is available at the company’s website, www.ccpgames.com.
Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings is almost here. Find out how you can use your environment to play the game how you want to play here in the new Hot-set trailer.
Perth, Western Australia — May 21, 2009 — Last month GameRanger, the
PC multiplayer online gaming service, was officially recommended as a
solution for the game, Demigod. Now GameRanger asks users which
multiplayer games should be supported next.
The launch of Stardock’s multiplayer-centric game Demigod suffered
major scaling and connectivity issues. GameRanger quickly responded
with networking support for Demigod, giving Stardock some breathing
room to work on the issues. Stardock president, Brad Wardell, said: “I
have fallen in love with a new program called GameRanger.”
GameRanger already provides online support for over 500 games, but
there are many more that still suffer from the network problems that
GameRanger solves. Survey questions aiming to address this will be
presented to users when they next log in to the service.
“If people are having connection issues, or merely just wanting an
easier way to meet up and play friends, here’s their chance to speak
up about which games matter the most to them,” said Scott Kevill,
president of GameRanger Technologies.
Network connectivity has long been an issue with multiplayer games,
especially strategy games, and has worsened over the years with more
widespread use of routers and firewalls in the home. These are complex
challenges that have been tackled with only limited success by game
developers and other multiplayer middleware providers.
Chris Latour, BattleGoat Studios game designer, said: “GameRanger has
provided us with far more connectivity than we originally had for
Supreme Ruler 2010 and 2020.”
GameRanger takes the pressure off game developers by eliminating the
network connection problems and their associated tech support
nightmares, so they can focus their energy on making great games.
GameRanger runs on Windows XP or later, and is available as a free
download from http://www.GameRanger.com
About GameRanger
GameRanger is the longest running multiplayer online gaming service,
having originally opened to Mac gaming in 1999. In November 2008,
GameRanger expanded to PC gaming with full lobby support for over 500
games — significantly more than any other multiplayer service — and
is rapidly becoming the preferred choice of gamers for playing their
friends online. GameRanger Technologies is located in Perth, Western
Australia.
ACE Team is releasing a post launch Zeno Clash trailer to celebrate the announcement of ACE Team’s next project; Zeno Clash 2. The studio has begun planning the next game of the series which will continue the adventures of Ghat, who will struggle against new and old conflicts. Father Mother, the mysterious Golem and new characters will be making an appearance in the next title. The story will be set after the events that take place in the first game. ACE Team wants the next installment to be much larger in scope, so the new game will feature open ended gameplay with large explorable environments and RPG elements. The unique melee combat system that made the first game a success will also be expanded to feature even more brutal and engaging gameplay.
In addition to the announcement of this news we’d like to send word that a new update for Zeno Clash is being released today. The most noticeable changes are the inclusion of Health and Time counters in the Challenge Mode and Italian subtitles are now supported. ACE Team is still hard at work developing additional free DLC for Zeno Clash which will be released during the following weeks.
To access the Zeno Clash Final trailer please download the video from this location:
YouTube version:
Activision’s Newest Brand Marries Intense Wheel-to-Wheel Racing Action with Spectacular Power-Ups and Real-World Cars and Locations
Sydney, Australia – May 20, 2009 – Activision Publishing (Nasdaq: ATVI) is set to revolutionise the racing genre with the debut of Bizarre Creations’ newest project, Blur™ — the ultimate wheel-to-wheel racing action experience.
The game drops players into heart-pumping, electrified racing action with 20 cars on a track all targeting the finish line and battling each other as they trade paint and collect intense power-ups, including the ability to blast other cars out of the way with huge bursts of energy, boost their speed, and more.
While controlling photo realistic cars, gamers can use offensive and defensive attacks as they battle for the lead and careen through real-world track locations ranging from L.A. and San Francisco to the streets of Hackney, UK and the treacherous roads of Barcelona, Spain.
“We did our homework and saw a huge opportunity to move beyond traditional racers and create a game completely focused on making racing ‘fun’ again,” said Martyn Chudley, Creative Director, Bizarre Creations. “Blur delivers a new style of racing experience for all gamers, regardless of their experience, skill or genre preferences. Everything the player does, both in their cars and with their cars, is a dramatic adrenaline rush; it’s a real blast!”
“We know that racing can be fun for everyone, and we are excited to enter this genre with a game that keeps players in the pack and combines fun with intense racing battles,” said Maria Stipp, EVP and GM of Owned Properties, Activision Publishing. “Bizarre Creations is one of the most creative studios in the industry with a rich heritage of top-rated racing games and we are excited to partner with them on Blur, which is set to break the mould of traditional racing games.”
Beyond the action-packed racing filled with fast curves, sneaky alternate routes, hair-raising jumps and fully realised damage models that provide for spectacular crashes, Blur’s narrative is presented through Bizarre’s innovative new community-based interface, reaching far beyond the game itself. This unique story-driving social network evolves dynamically as players compete in different races, make new friends, rivals and fans, and connect with other racers both in-game and in real life.
Looking beyond Blur’s single player story, gamers can engage in competitive and team-based multiplayer races with up to 20 players online, or on a single console via 4-player split-screen. Bizarre is especially excited to introduce Blur’s original social gaming experience – Custom Groups, where anyone can create unique multiplayer modes based on their favourite ways to play the game. These new modes are immediately shared through Blur’s social network, expanding the game in ways that are only limited by the gaming community’s creativity.
Blur is planned for release this spring for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, and the PC, and is not yet rated by the Classification Board.
For more information on Blur, please visit the official game web site located at: www.blurthegame.com.
About Bizarre Creations
Bizarre Creations is a video game developer based in Liverpool, England. Established in 1994, the company is famed for such high profile franchises as Formula 1, Fur Fighters, Geometry Wars, The Club, and the Project Gotham Racing series. With 200+ staff working out of a custom-built development studio, the company now simultaneously develops several next-gen projects across various platforms. They can be found online at www.bizarrecreations.com.
About Activision Publishing, Inc.
Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products.
Activision Publishing maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, the Netherlands and Australia. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activision.com.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Publishing’s expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Activision Publishing generally uses words such as “outlook,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “might,” “remains,” “to be,” “plans,” “believes,” “may,” “expects,” “intends,” “anticipates,” “estimate,” future,” “plan,” “positioned,” “potential,” “project,” “remain,” “scheduled,” “set to,” “subject to,” “upcoming” and similar expressions to help identify forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause Activision Publishing’s actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include, but are not limited to, sales levels of Activision Publishing’s titles, shifts in consumer spending trends, the impact of the current macroeconomic environment, the seasonal and cyclical nature of the interactive game market, Activision Publishing’s ability to predict consumer preferences among competing hardware platforms (including next-generation hardware), declines in software pricing, product returns and price protection, product delays, retail acceptance of Activision Publishing’s products, adoption rate and availability of new hardware and related software, industry competition, rapid changes in technology and industry standards, protection of proprietary rights, litigation against Activision Publishing, maintenance of relationships with key personnel, customers, vendors and third-party developers, domestic and international economic, financial and political conditions and policies, foreign exchange rates, integration of recent acquisitions and the identification of suitable future acquisition opportunities, Activision Blizzard’s success in integrating the operations of Activision Publishing and Vivendi Games in a timely manner, or at all, and the combined company’s ability to realize the anticipated benefits and synergies of the transaction to the extent, or in the timeframe, anticipated, and the other factors identified in Activision Blizzard’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Activision Publishing and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Activision Publishing nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Activision Publishing or Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.
AUSTRALIA, May 20, 2009 – Ubisoft® announced the launch in Australia of Classic Word Games, the publisher’s second game created specifically for the new Nintendo DSi™. Following My Cooking Coach, Ubisoft reaffirms its commitment to be the leading independent developer for Nintendo’s new handheld console. Classic Word Games is a collection of both original and classic brain-stimulating word games that will be released worldwide in July 2009 for the Nintendo DSTM and the Nintendo DSiTM. Thanks to the extended processor power and the larger available memory, the Nintendo DSiTM version of Classic Word Games allows the player to create an infinite number of crossword grids.
Energise your brain with words
Classic Word Games is a fun and challenging way to refresh and enrich vocabulary. An average person knows approximately 20,000 word families but only uses 2,000 of them regularly. Those 2,000 are considered as a part of their ACTIVE vocabulary, the rest is referred to as PASSIVE vocabulary.
Including no less than 15 different challenges to stimulate the player’s language knowledge and keep the brain fresh and responsive, some of the games are well-known classics, such as Hangman or Crosswords, while others are brand new concepts especially developed by Ubisoft in collaboration with writers and learning experts.
The extensive tracking system measures the progression of the player in relation to the number of words mastered while also adapting to the player’s level, guaranteeing that the difficulty of the mini-games is always optimised for highest benefit to the player. Classic Word Games includes several multiplayer modes to challenge friends and family.
Exclusive DSi features for even more fun
Classic Word Games for Nintendo DSiTM includes exclusive features that take the gameplay experience to the next level. Players will have the possibility to create an unlimited number of Crossword grids (20 grids are available on the Nintendo DS version). The Nintendo DSiTM version also includes six unlockable themes to customise the outlook of the game, while the Nintendo DS version includes four.
Thanks to its richness and its unique customisation features, Classic Word Games is the game of choice for all word lovers.
This 4-disc limited edition will include the following extras:
§ Bonus music CD, “STAR OCEAN SOUND BEST COLLECTION” featuring around 60mins of specially
selected music from across the STAR OCEAN series.
§ The game will be on three DVDs = 40-100hrs of gameplay.
§ Mini strategy guide, 32 pages in length – containing initial
walkthrough information and hints/tips. Full colour.
§ 5x anime style character artwork cards printed litho style.
§ All extras to be contained in a special gatefold packaging, comprising a bespoke ‘digistack’ box to hold
the four discs.
SINGAPORE – 19 May 2009 – Creative Technology Ltd., today announced an
exciting new addition to its award-winning Creative AurvanaÒ family of
designer earphones and headphones – the Creative Aurvana Air earphones.
Combining premium comfort fit with exceptional audio performance, the
elegant Creative Aurvana Air is an avant-garde acoustic masterpiece. It is
a winner for product design in Entertainment Technology at the prestigious
German-based “red dot award: product design 2009”, which recognises
outstanding product designs for their innovation, functionality and quality
standards.
Crafted with precision, the Creative Aurvana Air’s EaseFitä ear-hook design
provides listeners with superior comfort over long hours of extended use.
Its lightweight Flexniumä ear-hook leverages on Nickel-Titanium alloy
(Shape Memory Metal) for a flexible and robust design while an inert
coating renders it safe on sensitive ears. A soft rubber tip completes the
design for a comfortable fit. This precise design is well complemented by
the Creative Aurvana Air’s luxurious champagne-gold finishing and polished
metal accent that lends an air of timeless sophistication.
(Note: more in attached release)
Pricing and Availability
The Creative Aurvana Air will be available at the online store at
au.creative.com in Australia from mid May 2009 onwards at the suggested
retail price of A$299.95.
For more information about the Creative Aurvana Air, please visit
www.creative-aurvana.com.