11th Round KO Ends Back and Forth Bout

Sydney, Australia. – Friday, May 1st, 2009 – Manny Pacquiao’s will win his highly anticipated May 2nd bout against Ricky Hatton with a convincing 11th round knockout, according to the official EA SPORTS™ simulation conducted using Fight Night Round 4. Available July 2nd, 2009, for the Xbox 360® video game system from Microsoft and the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, Fight Night Round 4 is the latest entry in the critically acclaimed boxing series from Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS).

 According to the simulation, an aggressive attempt by Hatton to limit Pacquiao’s movement early on was unsuccessful. Pacquiao’s used his speed and control of the ring to take advantage of Hatton’s aggression, picking his punches and keeping out of range. The tide turned in Hatton’s favor in Round 4 when he found some success trapping Pacquiao in the corner. With little room to work with, Pacquiao was forced to trade blows on Hatton’s terms. This relentless exchange proved to be too much for Pacquiao who went down to a powerful left hook at the end of Round 6.  The later rounds saw the revival of the quick moving Pacquiao, who outpaced and out boxed Hatton yet again. Lightning fast left jabs wreaked havoc on Hatton through Rounds 7, 8 and 9 before a commanding right hand brought him to the mat in Round 10. Badly hurt and looking sluggish, Hatton was unable to beat the count after falling to another deadly right hook from Pacquiao in Round 11.

Round by Round Scoring:

 
 1
 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8
 9
 10
 11
 12
 Totals
 
Ricky Hatton
 9
 9
 9
 10
 10
 10
 9
 9
 9
 8
  –
 
 92
 
Manny Pacquiao
 10
 10
 10
 9
 9
 8
 10
 10
 10
 10
  –
 
 96
 

The simulation was conducted using Fight Night Round 4’s all-new AI (Artificial Intelligence) system. Dubbed R.E.A.L (Record, Evaluate, Adapt, Learn) AI by the development team, the system re-creates each fighter’s ring strategies in the game based on their real life counterparts. Built with adaptive logic, the system triggers fighters to change their tactics based on their success, or failure, throughout the course of a bout.

One of the most anticipated video games of 2009, Fight Night Round 4 features unique boxer styles and an all new physics based engine that creates one-of-a-kind bouts between over 45 licensed boxers, including Hatton and Pacquiao. Fans will have the chance to recreate this May 2nd bout with the Fight Night Round 4 Demo, which is scheduled for release in late-May.

This game has been rated M by the OFLC. For more information, log onto http://fightnight.easports.com. Media can find images of the cover, screenshots and video at http://info.ea.com.

Overlord™ II release date set for July 3 with the Minion horde madder and badder than ever before – see them in the new video at www.overlordgame.com

– Friday, 1st May 2009 – Evil may have a new face but he’s brought along some old friends. Hailed as the true stars of the original Overlord, the Minions will return in Overlord™ II, today confirmed for release on July 3 for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft®, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Games For Windows®. Ahead of release, gamers can see the maniacal Minions in malevolent motion in the new ‘Minion Maximus’ gameplay video, now available from www.overlordgame.com. 

In Overlord II the Minions return stronger, smarter, deadlier (and funnier) and are ready to fight in epic battles that will see them squaring up to the Legions of a new enemy – the Glorious Empire. Their horde mentality is as wild and outrageous as ever and their loyalty to their Overlord has not changed – they’ll do anything and everything that’s commanded of them (and then a bit more) to aid their masters’ quest to destroy or dominate the land.

During the Overlord’s onslaught, the savage pack will gleefully destroy the towns of the Empire and decide the fate of their denizens. Given the right instruction, they’ll even gather voluptuous mistresses for the Overlord and infiltrate the very heart of the Glorious Empire’s army badly (but passably) disguised as diminutive soldiers.

Delivering a whole new level of Minion control, players can equip the Overlord’s devoted brown, green and red Minions with mounts, unique and deadly creatures ready to raise hell. Forming the Minion Cavalry division, brown Minions can ride and control packs of vicious wolves (“Aw, lovelies wolfies”). On wolf-back, the Minions can be swept into attacks and knock enemies off their feet through sheer force and then bite and gore opponents in lupine finishing moves.

Red Minions ride fire salamanders, which become living flamethrowers that shoot fireballs as a primary attack. Green Minions can mount giant spiders, enabling them to climb walls to get to places where no other Minion can get. Meanwhile, the blue Minions, the more ethereal and Zen-like of the tribes, wouldn’t be seen dead on a creature’s back; but they will keep their eyes on their Minion pals and, should they take a tumble or get injured, they’ll dash to the rescue and make use of their unique healing powers.

“The Minions are the stars of the show and we’ve brought them back with bigger personalities and with more abilities than before,” said Lennart Sas, Creative Director, Triumph Studios. “Hilariously supercharged, the Minions can tear down scenery and destroy buildings, ride mounts and operate powerful siege weapons in massive battles with the Empire. They became hugely popular from the first game, so we’re upping their profile, abilities and unique characteristics.”

Prepare to put the Minions into action in Overlord II – the game that puts the laughter into slaughter – coming July 3 for the PLAYSTATION®3 system, Xbox 360 and Games For Windows. Get an introduction to the new Overlord and his improved Minions with gameplay videos, now available from www.overlordgame.com

For more information on Atari’s entire product line up visit www.atari.com.au and log on to the Atari Trade Site for all box shots, demos, trailers and online screenshots.

– The Dashing Prince and His Cousins Venture to Australia this Spring Exclusively on PLAYSTATION 3 –

CERGY-PONTOISE, FRANCE – 30 April 2009 – NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe S.A.S today announces the return of everyone’s favourite Prince in Katamari Forever for the PLAYSTATION®3 video game and entertainment system, coming to Australia this Spring 2009.  Featuring the largest collection of stages, modes, songs, and cousins to date, remixed classic Katamari Damacy tunes, a brand-new storyline, multiple new visual effects and 1080p graphics, Katamari Forever is the ultimate Katamari experience.

Staying true to the eccentric Katamari universe and its unique gameplay, players in Katamari Forever will use the Prince’s Katamari to roll up everyday objects.  The more objects the Prince rolls up, the larger his Katamari becomes, allowing him to roll up even bigger items.  In Katamari Forever the Prince faces his toughest challenge yet with more weird and wonderful Katamari to roll up than ever before.

A terrible event has occurred causing the stars to disappear from the night sky and the King of All Cosmos to fall into a coma.  The Prince must use his finely tuned Katamari rolling skills once more to re-create the absent celestial bodies, save his royal father and restore order to the Cosmos.  Thumb tacks, sushi, cats, people, skyscrapers, ocean liners and continents – nothing is safe as the Prince makes his way through the largest variety of stages ever in a single Katamari game. 

New graphical styles give Katamari Forever a certain “je ne sais quoi” that all new Katamari games possess.  The Wood style uses warm sepia tones to give stages a wooden feel while Comic creates thick black outlines on every object, filled in with deep, rich colours.  There are various styles to choose from, so make sure to try them all out and find your favourite for a totally new way to experience the world of Katamari. 

In addition to all these great new features, Katamari Forever will also contain local cooperative and competitive multiplayer modes.  Choose your favourite cousin and play together or take on friends and family in heated competition.  Who will become the Katamari champion?

For more information on Katamari Forever, please visit www.namcobandaigames.eu.

For more information on Atari’s entire product line up visit www.atari.com.au and log on to the Atari Trade Site for all box shots, demos, trailers and online screenshots.

– Sequel to Top Selling Family Trainer Series Brings More Dynamic Fun Exclusively to Wii This Spring –

CERGY-PONTOISE, FRANCE – 30 April 2009 – NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe S.A.S today announced that Family Trainer: Extreme Challenge is coming to Australia exclusively for Wii™ this Spring. Once again, the motion sensing Wii Remote™ is partnered with an original custom mat controller to provide a total body gaming experience in an extreme sports setting. Now anyone can be an extreme sports star in the comfort of their own home.

Following up on its wildly successful predecessor, Family Trainer: Extreme Challenge lets players engage in more than a dozen extreme activities, from wakeboarding to rock climbing and base jumping, all designed to keep players’ pulses pounding and hearts pumping.  Now with even more intense pick-up and play activities, gaming exercise aficionados can enjoy a full-body workout that immerses them in adrenaline-pumping extreme sporting events while avoiding the broken bones.

Family Trainer: Extreme Challenge reintroduces the Family Trainer mat, a durable eight button peripheral that lets players control the on-screen action with their hands and feet when used in conjunction with a Wii Remote. Combining the exclusive mat controller with a Wii Remote not only provides active and fun gameplay but also an experience that burns calories. With competitive and multiplayer challenges for up to two players and the ability to play as your personalized Miis™, Family Trainer: Extreme Challenge will ensure that everyone gets to share in the fun.

For more information on Family Trainer: Extreme Challenge, visit www.namcobandaigames.eu.

For more information on Atari’s entire product line up visit www.atari.com.au and log on to the Atari Trade Site for all box shots, demos, trailers and online screenshots.

– Leading Fighting Game Franchise Vies for Global Domination on Three Platforms with Uncompromising Quality and Fierce Explosive Brawls –

CERGY-PONTOISE, FRANCE – 30 April 2009 – It’s the year of the Iron Fist as NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe S.A.S today announced plans to deliver the perfect fighting trifecta with the addition of TEKKEN™ 6 for PSP® (PlayStation®Portable). Already a highly anticipated title for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, the PSP version will be the quintessential companion for players who want to hone their fighting skills on-the-go. Unbridled vengeance will be served worldwide this Spring when each version of the game delivers pulse-pounding, edge-of-your-seat action with bone-jarring punches and gut-wrenching grapples.

Spanning a 14 year legacy, TEKKEN is among the most popular and well-known gaming brands in the world with the entire franchise selling more than 33 million units to date. A new King of Iron Fist Tournament is about to begin, complete with intense gameplay modes as well as new features and environments. 

A must-have for TEKKEN aficionados, TEKKEN 6 sees the return of many familiar faces as well as new characters to create the largest line-up the series has ever seen.  With a growing roster of fighters, each equipped with their own deadly techniques, martial art moves, and attack combinations, TEKKEN 6 will be the best “King of Iron Fist Tournament” yet.  Adding to the already rich gaming experience, a deeper character customization feature will only enhance the incredible fighting intensity as players go mano-y-mano.

Optimized for the PSP system, TEKKEN 6 will not only contain all the explosive action of its home console brethren but also feature additional stages, content, items, and an ad-hoc multiplayer mode. Fighting amongst friends is encouraged as players can battle wirelessly against each other using original or fan favourite characters.  Rounding out its list of impressive features is the return of the “Ghost” Infrastructure mode, which allows players to upload their “ghost” character data and download others’ from the Internet onto their PSP. When players have reached the height of their TEKKEN fighting skills, they will be able to see how they stack up against others through the game’s network support.

For more information on TEKKEN 6, please visit: www.tekken.com or www.namcobandaigames.eu

For more information on Atari’s entire product line up visit www.atari.com.au and log on to the Atari Trade Site for all box shots, demos, trailers and online screenshots.

Sword-and-Gun Action Fighting Title to Return for Christmas 2009 

AUSTRALIA – APRIL 30, 2009 – Today Ubisoft® announced Red Steel®2, exclusively on Wii™ system from Nintendo. Red Steel remains one of the most successful Wii titles and the only brand created specifically for the launch of the platform. Red Steel 2 is being developed by Ubisoft Paris and will be available for Christmas 2009. 

Red Steel 2 returns with an artistic style and flair created just for Wii. Set in a desert-bound, high-tech metropolis, Red Steel 2 is a revolution in the action-fighting genre, taking full advantage of the capabilities of the Wii MotionPlus™ accessory. Your movements are faithfully replicated on-screen, putting the emphasis on swinging, shooting and fun!  With the ability of the Wii MotionPlus to sense the strength of a swing, you will literally be able to make an impact on your adversaries through power and precision. 

“Red Steel was a unique opportunity for Ubisoft to work in tandem with Nintendo to create a title exclusively for the launch of the Wii console,” said John Parkes, EMEA marketing director at Ubisoft. “Red Steel 2 is another milestone for the company as it is the first Ubisoft title with full Wii MotionPlus integration.” 

Just as Red Steel broke ground as the only third-party brand created for the launch of the Wii, Red Steel 2 will be the must-have game for Christmas 2009 for those who wish to stretch their own capacities and fully experience a game that was built from the ground up to take advantage of the Wii MotionPlus.

For more information on Red Steel 2, please visit www.redsteel2.com.

About Ubisoft

Ubisoft is a leading producer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment products worldwide and has grown considerably through a strong and diversified line-up of products and partnerships. Ubisoft is present in 28 countries and has sales in more than 55 countries around the globe. It is committed to delivering high-quality, cutting-edge video game titles to consumers. For the 2008-09 fiscal year Ubisoft generated sales of €1.058 billion. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoftgroup.com.

© 2009 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Red Steel, Ubisoft and the Ubisoft logo are trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the U.S. and/or other countries.

Wii and Wii MotionPlus are trademarks of Nintendo.

Free Tracks from Ferret Music and Metal Blade Records Also Rock the Guitar Hero Downloadable Set List 

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – April 30, 2009 – Metal mavens, pop stars and global invaders can rejoice this May with three new downloadable Track Packs coming to Activision Publishing, Inc.’s (Nasdaq: ATVI) Guitar Hero® World Tour.  The eclectic downloadable set list opens with free music from Ferret Music and Metal Blade Records, followed by pop anthems from P!nk, Angels & Airwaves and OneRepublic, rounded out with three smash hits from Europe.

On May 7th, virtual rock stars will take the stage with three free tracks in the Ferret/Metal Blade Track Pack.  Fans can download The Devil Wears Prada’s “Dez Moines” two days after the launch of their newest album, With Roots Above and Branches Below.  Joining “Dez Moines” are “On Broken Glass,” off Chimaira’s April release, Infection and “Grave of Opportunity” from Unearth’s 2008 album, The March.

Coming to Guitar Hero World Tour on May 14th, the Pop Rock Track Pack features P!nk’s #1 hit single “So What,” which landed her a GRAMMY® nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.  Having reached the peak position in various charts globally and risen to the top-10 in countless others, OneRepublic’s “Stop and Stare” joins “Everything’s Magic,” the first single from Angels & Airwaves’ most recent album, I-Empire, to complete the Track Pack.

On May 21st, Guitar Hero World Tour’s global music library will continue to grow with three additional tracks from some of Europe’s greatest bands.  The fifth European Track Pack sees Swedish Metal band In Flames make their return to Guitar Hero with “Disconnected” from their 2008 album, A Sense of Purpose.  Alongside In Flames is French rock band Housse de Racket with “Oh Yeah!” and Cody ChesnuTT’s “Look Good in Leather,” popularized through various commercials in the UK and Germany.

The Pop Rock and fifth European Track Packs will be available on Xbox LIVE® Marketplace for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft for 440 Microsoft Points and on the PlayStation®Store for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system for $9.95. All songs in the Track Packs will be released as downloadable singles for Xbox 360 for 160 Microsoft Points, PLAYSTATION 3 system for $3.45 and Wii™ for 200 Wii Points each.  The Ferret/Metal Blade Track Pack will be available on Xbox LIVE Marketplace for Xbox 360 and PlayStation Store and as downloadable singles for Wii at no cost.

Guitar Hero World Tour transforms music gaming by expanding Guitar Hero’s signature guitar gameplay into a cooperative band experience that combines the most advanced wireless controllers with new revolutionary online* and offline gameplay modes including Band Career and 8-player “Battle of the Bands,” which allows two full bands to compete head-to-head online.  The game features a slick newly redesigned guitar controller, drum kit controller and a wired microphone, as well as an innovative Music Studio music creator that lets players compose, record, edit and share their own rock ‘n’ roll anthems.  Music creators are also able to share their recordings with their friends online through GHTunesSM where other gamers can download and play an endless supply of unique creations.

Guitar Hero World Tour is now available for Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, the Wii home video game system from Nintendo and the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system.  The game is rated “T” for Teen by the ESRB.  For more information on Guitar Hero World Tour, please visit worldtour.guitarhero.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.

Konami reveals first Yu-Gi-Oh!™ title for Nintendo format as racing title based on new 5D’s series revs up…

Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH has announced its first Yu-Gi-Oh!™ title for Wii. Entitled Yu-Gi-Oh!™ 5D’s Wheelie Breakers, the game will be released in September.

The Wii™ game uses characters and situations from the new Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s series, which takes place in the future and revolved around the adventures of Yusei Fudo, the hottest duelist in Neo Domino City.

Based on the ‘Turbo Duels’ in the Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s animated series, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s Wheelie Breakers introduces players to a fast-paced twist on the racing genre. Yusei and Jack duel in a new motorsport called ‘Wheelie Breakers’ that combines card dueling with duel wheel racing. As they race around the track in their Duel Runner motorcycles, players call upon monsters from their decks to battle their opponents and prevent them from finishing the race. These cards can then be rearranged between races as strategies to unseat the rival players are developed. Using achievement points which players receive based on their race results, they can purchase new cards and add them to their decks providing upgrades.

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s Wheelie Breakers takes full advantage of the Wii’s control system as players use the Wii Remote™ for both competitive card dueling and Duel Runner racing. Users can also use the Nunchuk during races, allowing for split-second manoeuvers including, acceleration, steering and recovery. A wide selection of gameplay modes are also offered including Story Mode, Grand Prix Mode, and Competition Multiplayer Mode with up to four players competing via a split screen system.

As has become traditional with Konami’s Yu-Gi-Oh! titles, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s Wheelie Breakers will be released with three official Trading Cards inside the box. For more information on Atari’s entire product line up visit www.atari.com.au and log on to the Atari Trade Site for all box shots, demos, trailers and online screenshots.

30 April 2009

World Health Organisation prepares to raise threat level; www.firstaidstore.com.au sees record sales, stock shortage

BRISBANE, Australia, April 30, 2009 – A Milton-based online First Aid retailer (www.firstaidstore.com.au), has this week seen record sales as demand for Swine Flu risk reduction kits escalate and warns stocks are already in short supply.

Despite Swine Flu not officially at Pandemic levels, demand for World Health Organisation compliant N95 masks, hand sanitizer and surgical gloves has skyrocketed with a record number of orders placed online.

FirstAidStore.com.au, run by a division of Australian Stock Exchange listed Manaccom Corporation Limited (MNL), has taken an order for Swine Flu protection equipment about every ten minutes today, outstripping all previous records.

“We’ve never seen anything like this before; we’ll have to upgrade our servers if this keeps up,” said James Mackay, division manager at Manaccom.  “Individuals and companies from all over Australia are stocking up now in anticipation of stock shortage – and as demand surges the whole country could run out of stock of risk reduction supplies.”

A Swine Flu emergency kit contains masks, a hand sanitizer and gloves and sells for about $64.  The masks are N95 compliant masks as recommended by the WHO.  The kit is small enough to fit in onboard luggage to suit travellers.
 

About FirstAidStore.com.au

FirstAidStore.com.au is a Brisbane-based online retailer, specialising in the supply of First Aid Kits and Equipment. FirstAidStore.com.au ships stock around Australia. FirstAidStore.com.au is run by a division of Manaccom Corporation Limited.

About Manaccom

Manaccom Corporation Ltd, a publicly listed company (ASX: MNL), was established when Jumbo Corporation Limited a leading developer of e-commerce and online retailing technologies and Manaccom Pty Ltd merged in 2007.  Manaccom has an involvement with both the distribution of software to retailers around Australia and a network of online stores including FirstAidStore.com.au.