MELBOURNE, Australia. – (September 19th, 2008) PURE, the award-winning action sports video game, shipped today on console and will be available at all major retailers on October 2nd.  PURE will be available for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Windows based-PC. 

Developed by Black Rock Studio, Disney Interactive Studios’ award-winning development studio in Brighton, England, PURE delivers heart-pounding racing experiences unique to the genre by taking players over the edge with massive jumps and spectacular airborne tricks.  PURE is set in seven real locations all over the globe and features more than 35 multiple-route tracks and 70 unbelievable tricks. 

“Black Rock Studio has delivered a game that goes beyond the off-road genre,” said Craig Relyea, senior vice president of global marketing, Disney Interactive Studios.  “With vertigo-inducing jumps, off-the-wall tricks and stunning graphics that make the scenic locations truly awe-inspiring, PURE has created a unique category that will thrill a wide audience.”

PURE was selected as the Best Racing Game of E3 2008 by the Game Critics Awards, the most prestigious awards for the annual E3 Media & Business Summit. 

“At Black Rock Studio, we’re big fans of both arcade racing games and action sports so this seemed like the perfect combination,” said Jason Avent, Game Director, Black Rock Studio.  “PURE is a game that should excite players and we’re looking forward to seeing their responses.”

PURE features 16-player contests, against either A.I. opponents in single-player or other players via online multiplayer.  The single-player modes of PURE are Race (trick-based races to the finish line), Freestyle (points-based) or Sprint (short intense tracks).  Online mode features the same modes plus Freeride, which lets players roam freely and face-off online with their friends to see who can pull the biggest trick, combo, or fastest lap.

PURE will be available for the PLAYSTATION 3 system, Xbox 360 and Windows-based PC version will be available. 

For more information, log on to www.purevideogame.com.

About Disney Interactive Studios

Disney Interactive Studios is the interactive entertainment affiliate of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS). Disney Interactive Studios self publishes and distributes a broad portfolio of multi-platform video games and interactive entertainment worldwide. The company also licenses properties and works directly with other interactive game publishers to bring products for all ages to market. Disney Interactive Studios is based in Glendale, California, and has five internal game development studios around the world including Avalanche Software, Fall Line Studio, Propaganda Games, Black Rock Studio and Junction Point Studios.  For more information, log on to http://www.disneyinteractivestudios.com.

Singapore/Espoo, Finland – Nokia and Capcom have announced the release of Resident Evil
Degeneration on N-Gage later this year. With gameplay optimised for N-Gage, including two separate
play modes, plus multiple mission types, Resident Evil Degeneration is a cutting edge title that
illustrates the unique capabilities of the N-Gage platform.

The game, partly based on the upcoming full length CG motion picture of the same name in Japan,
focuses on the release of a deadly virus by a terrorist at a US airport and follows series’ favourites Leon
Kennedy and Claire Redfield, as they attempt to destroy the virus and prevent it from being dispersed
across the country. Resident Evil Degeneration is the first full length CG motion picture from the
Resident Evil series, widely considered to be the benchmark of the survival horror video game genre.
“We’re thrilled to bring another major franchise to our N-Gage platform,” said Gregg Sauter, Director of
Third Party Publishing, Nokia. “For many years, Capcom has been entertaining people around the
world with exceptional gaming experiences and we’re delighted that they have decided to release
one of their most popular franchises on N-Gage. Resident Evil Degeneration will serve as an exciting
new chapter for fans of the series and deliver a unique gaming experience they will not be able to
achieve anywhere else.”

“The release of Resident Evil Degeneration illustrates our dedication to N-Gage,” said Takeshi Tezuka,
general manager of Capcom’s Mobile Division. “We believe that the platform is an excellent home for
some of our most famous franchises and our dedication to quality and creative thinking has seen us
create a unique game with stunning visuals and in depth game play, never before seen on the
mobile.”

About Capcom
Capcom is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment for game consoles, PCs, handheld and wireless devices. Founded in 1983, the company has created hundreds of games, including best-selling franchises “Resident Evil,” “Street Fighter,” “Mega Man” and “Devil May Cry.” Capcom maintains operations in the U.S., U.K., Germany, France, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Korea, with corporate headquarters located in Osaka, Japan. More information about Capcom can be found on the company web site, www.capcom.com

About N-Gage
N-Gage is a made-for-mobile games service available in compatible Nokia Nseries and other S60 3rd Edition devices from Nokia. N-Gage makes it easy to find, try, buy, play and manage high-quality mobile games as well as connect to friends and other players in the N-Gage Arena, Nokia’s mobile gaming community. Nokia is working with the world’s leading publishers to deliver a broad portfolio of games. www.n-gage.com

About Nokia
Nokia is the world leader in mobility, driving the transformation and growth of the converging Internet and communications industries. We make a wide range of mobile devices with services and software that enable people to experience music, navigation, video, television, imaging, games, business mobility and more. Developing and growing our offering of consumer Internet services, as well as our enterprise solutions and software, is a key area of focus. We also provide equipment, solutions and services for communications networks through Nokia Siemens Networks.

UK – September 19th 2008 – 10 am UK – Codemasters today announced the forthcoming release of the first downloadable content pack for Race Driver: GRID™, the summer’s hit game that made racing exciting again, with the reveal of the ‘8 Ball’ pack coming this autumn for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft® and the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system.

Enhancing the award-winning Race Driver: GRID, the premium 8 Ball pack is set to feature eight thrilling new cars to race and two new online events to compete in. Each vehicle is beautifully realised and was carefully selected as a thoroughbred racing car with a unique personality to deliver a stunning race experience.

‘8 Ball’ DLC Pack Cars:

• McLaren F1 GTR – The McLaren F1 GTR wrote itself into the history books as the only GT car to ever win Le Mans and is considered one of the finest examples of automotive engineering in history.
• TVR Cerbera Speed 12 – The TVR 12 smashes past 60 MPH in just under 3 seconds. Production models were planned, but they were considered too powerful to sell to the general public.
• Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X – For over a decade the Evo has been billed as a supercar slayer – now the Evo-X in GRID lets you unleash its sledgehammer aggression in the Pro-Tuned class.
• Honda S2000 – This roadster is heavily modified for drifting and has become a cult-favourite thanks to its award winning engine.
• Nissan GT-R (S-G2008) – The production model was Top Gear’s Supercar of the Year 2007. Now one of the world’s hottest cars makes its debut in Race Driver: GRID in its fully tuned racing spec.
• VW Nardo – This powerful concept car made real from VW uses its 600BHP engine to rocket to 60MPH in 3.1 seconds.
• Pontiac Firebird Trans AM – The 1971 racing edition of this true American legend is a worthy addition to GRID’s exclusive group of muscle cars.
• Volvo C30 – Adding to Race Driver: GRID’s touring car roster comes the C30, Volvo’s agile, cutting edge hot-hatch straight from the STCC grid.

All eight cars will be available to drive in the game’s ‘Race Day’ mode and online races. In addition to the cars, the pack will make two new multiplayer events available, set on existing circuits from across Race Driver: GRID’s three continents and to test drivers to their very limit online. On Xbox 360, the pack will also feature four new Achievements worth a total of 100 points to earn from four new competitive challenges:

• Jack Of All Trades – Win an online race in each of the 8 Ball pack cars – 25pts.
• Drift Master – Achieve a 99x combo in the Honda S2000 – 25pts.
• Gas Guzzler – Clock up over 250 miles in your favourite 8 Ball pack car– 25pts.
• Clean Passing – Win a clean race in an 8 Ball Pack car from last position – 25pts.

With pricing for the pack to be confirmed at launch, the ‘8 Ball’ content will be available from PLAYSTATION®Network for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox LIVE® Marketplace for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft®. Details of downloadable content for the Games for Windows® edition of Race Driver: GRID will be announced shortly.

Further content is expected to be released for the game, including a V8 Supercars featuring the BF Ford and Holden VE cars and the Bathurst circuit, later this year. Players will be able to race the V8 Supercars on circuits including the mighty Mount Panorama and both the BF and VE V8 Supercars will include liveries from the top racing teams. Each downloadable pack will require players to have a full copy of Race Driver: GRID on the appropriate format in order to experience the additional content. For all the latest information and videos, be sure to visit www.racedrivergrid.com

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 18 September 2008 – m.Net Corporation, Australia’s leading full-service mobile marketing company, has created a national solution for Fitness First, Australia’s largest chain of health clubs, which gives members mobile access to information about their nearest gym and class times.

The site, which went live in early September, was developed with the dual purpose of providing a valuable new service to members while creating a targeted advertising platform for car manufacturer, Hyundai, to promote its 2009 Tucson SUV.

m.Net was awarded the contract by Fitness First’s media supplier, Active Media Group, which operates the gym’s in-house TV service, publishes its national magazine, and manages its advertising, sampling campaigns, Internet and more.

“From our first meeting with m.Net it was apparent they had the capability to deliver what we were looking for and they definitely did,” said Active Media’s CEO, Michael Ryan. “They were extremely professional to deal with and not only delivered a solution that is convenient, quick and very easy to use, but they did it on time and within budget.”

This innovative service means Fitness First members can use their mobile phone to find out the locations, opening hours and complete timetables of any of the chain’s 85 health clubs around Australia.

“Many members live within range of several Fitness First centres and like to know when their favourite instructors are working. The m.Net solution gives them all the information they need to plan their fitness around their lifestyle,” he said.

The idea for the mobile service was first proposed by advertising agency, Initiative. Communication Strategist, Uma Sekar and Media Planner/buyer, Camilla Baker developed the concept as part of an integrated promotional strategy for Hyundai’s 2009 Tucson SUV.

“The Tucson is a compact SUV that is generally more relevant to younger urban people whose lives revolve around social adventure,” Sekar explained.

“This market leads very active, busy lives that incorporate going to the gym and catching up with friends. They use their mobile phones to maintain their diary and keep track of everything, so it made sense to partner with Fitness First to provide a downloadable timetable solution,” she said.

The strategy struck a chord with Hyundai’s Senior Manager, Marketing Communication, Alex Pinsuti, who recognised the opportunity not only to reach a different part of the buying audience, but to create a strong association with the health club environment.

“By having the 2009 Tucson appearing on the mobiles of Fitness First’s customers, the m.Net solution is a new but important investment of Hyundai’s media branding strategy. It lets us put ourselves into the Fitness First environment and say that this is what we’re about,” Pinsuti said.

“By advertising on the mobile site, we can show a very targeted market our brand and product promise. It’s about piquing their interest so they take the opportunity to go online and find out more.”

Pinsuti said Hyundai has purchased exclusive advertising rights to the Fitness First mobile site for eight weeks, and will closely monitor the results of the promotion to quantify responses.

m.Net Chief Marketing Officer, Scott Johnson, said the WAP solution is a great example of a complementary mobile experience that not only adds value for Fitness First members, but which also provides a very targeted advertising opportunity.

“This is where mobile technology really comes into its own, creating a positive experience for customers while enabling advertisers to get right into the hands of 400,000 Fitness First clients.

“m.Net’s experience and proven reputation makes us the logical choice to deliver these solutions to forward-thinking companies wanting to leverage new technology trends to impact their market,” he said.

About Fitness First
Fitness First is Australia’s largest health club and gym operator with 85 clubs and over 400,000 members. Since its initial launch in the UK in 1993, Fitness First has grown to encompass over 500 gyms in 15 countries and is the largest health club group in the world. Its commitment is to make fitness affordable to everybody; to build health clubs of the highest quality that are accessible to all.

About Hyundai
Established in 1967, the Hyundai Automotive Group is the world’s fifth largest and fastest growing major automotive manufacturer. Hyundai Motor Company Australia Pty Ltd (HMCA) was established on October 1st, 2003 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company. The award-winning range of Hyundai vehicles continues to set segment and industry benchmarks in value, quality and safety, with innovations such as ESP Stability Program and Australia’s first five-year warranty with unlimited kilometres.

2008 marks Hyundai Motor Company Australia’s entrance into the Light Commercial Vehicle market in Australia. For more information visit: www.hyundai.com.au

In Call of Duty: World at War see how a little team work and a lot of exit wounds can go a long way with the latest trailer released demonstrating 4 player co-operative gameplay. You can watch the trailer here otherwise let me know if you would like a copy (High definition and Standard definition available). 

Call of Duty: World at War thrusts players into the ruthless and gritty chaos of WWII combat like never seen before, and challenges them to band together to survive the most harrowing and climactic battles of WWII that led to the demise of the Axis powers on the European and South Pacific fronts.

For more information on Call of Duty: World at War visit www.callofduty.com

TOKYO, September 18, 2008 – Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) today announced that it would release Life with PlayStation® for PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3®) today, September 18, 2008, worldwide simultaneously. Life with PlayStation is a new lifestyle service that offers users a new visual and interactive way to use their PS3 to access news and information from around the world, only possible on the PS3’s feature-rich platform.

As the initial content, LIVE CHANNEL will be released for Life with PlayStation. Through network connected PS3, it delivers worldwide news and information centering on two themes, “place” and “time” on a world map interface. Some of the live content includes; cloud imagery (provided by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Space Science and Engineering Center), along with weather information (provided by The Weather Channel), news headlines (provided by Google News™), and live camera images (partially provided by The Earth Television Network) of nearly 60 cities around the globe. Through LIVE CHANNEL, PS3 users will be able to enjoy worldwide news and live information free of charge. In additionto LIVE CHANNEL, Life with PlayStation will continually deliver a wide variety of interactive content and channels to living rooms through the network connected PS3s to further enhance the world of entertainment made possible by PS3.

PS3 users can easily join Life with PlayStation by simply clicking the Folding@home *1 icon on the network column of the XMB™ (XrossMediaBar) that will update to Life with PlayStation.

With the latest update, Folding@home will support more advanced simulation of protein fold, and will also support unique Folding@home ranking system, which enable users to see where they stand among the worldwide contributors based on their level of contribution.

SCE will vigorously promote the expansion of the world of PS3 by introducing new services that will open up new possibilities and enjoyment in interactive entertainment.

SYDNEY, Australia. –September 16, 2008 – Symantec Corp. (Nasdaq: SYMC) today announced an agreement to distribute Norton Internet Security on all Lenovo IdeaPad  laptops worldwide, in multiple languages.  The award-winning Norton Internet Security software will be offered as a full-featured, 90-day subscription, at no extra charge.

Norton Internet Security is a comprehensive security solution that runs quietly in the background to detect and block today’s complex online threats.  Norton Internet Security provides layers of security, including browser protection, anti-spyware and identity protection– all working together to keep consumers safe when they buy, bank, or browse online.  In addition, Symantec is providing the security solution used in the IdeaPad’s OneKey  recovery feature, which enables customers to easily recover data in the event of a crash..

“Symantec is pleased to offer Norton Internet Security via Lenovo’s widely-acclaimed IdeaPad laptops,” said Erin Hintz, vice president of worldwide consumer marketing, Symantec.  “With its expanded channel and expanded portfolio, Lenovo is committed to delivering consumer PCs that are versatile, functional, and now equipped with the world’s leading security.”

“With rising threats and increasing concerns about online safety, we are pleased to have Norton protecting our customers,” said Craig Merrigan, vice president, worldwide consumer marketing, Lenovo.  “By pre-installing Norton’s security solutions on all of our IdeaPads, we will offer our customers a trusted, world-class security solution to help protect their laptop, their data, and their identity– giving them peace of mind.”

An overprotective father, daughter entering adulthood, pet pig, young genius and the road all feature in one of the funniest releases of the year – COLLEGE ROAD TRIP on Disney DVD from 17 December 2008.

MARTIN LAWRENCE (Wild Hogs, and Big Momma’s House I and II) is Chief James Porter, a loving father wanting the world for his daughter as long as it’s close to home. But opportunity knocks and when it looks as though Melanie (RAVEN-SYMONE) is set to enrol in nearby Northwestern University, she gets a last-minute chance for an interview at Georgetown University – her dream come true.

Unable to bear the thought of Melanie going on a road trip to the interview with her two best friends Nancy (BRENDA SONG) and Katie (MARGO HARSMAN), Chief takes matters into his own hands and creates a road trip of his own.

Hilarity ensues as the trip goes from bad to worse. Chief’s young son Trey (ESHAYA DRAPER) and his pet pig are discovered among the luggage, and father and daughter go head-to-head in a battle of wills, creating a family comedy that will have you ducking for cover.    

Just when things are at boiling point, the family teams up with another father-daughter travelling duo, Doug (comedy legend DONNY OSMOND) and daughter Wendy (MOLLY EPHRAIM). Their enthusiasm and good cheer drives Chief and Melanie even closer to breaking point as they get closer to their destination.

But a safe passage to Georgetown University is no longer what’s at stake as father and daughter discover how important they are to each other, and that it’s time for Chief to let go and allow his daughter to discover her own road to adulthood.
 
Directed by ROGER KUMBLE (Cruel Intentions, The Sweetest Things), COLLEGE ROAD TRIP is a riotous journey of mishaps and self-discovery for a father who doesn’t want to let go and a daughter who needs to make her own way in the world.

Including hilarious bonus features of deleted scenes, alternative endings and alternative openings, don’t miss COLLEGE ROAD TRIP, a must-see family comedy hit this summer!

Available to own on Disney DVD: 17 Dec 2008
Rated: TBC
Running time:  80 min

COLLEGE ROAD TRIP is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.  A division of Walt Disney Studios (US), Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment is the worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Walt Disney, Touchstone, Hollywood Pictures and Buena Vista DVD releases.  Buena Vista is the Australian sell-through market leader and has been a recognised world video / DVD industry leader for over a decade

Be the man every woman wants and every man wants to be with James Bond: Quantum of Solace the video game. Watch the documentary that shows how this highly anticipated movie has been developed into one of the must have games of the season together with the successful Casino Royale.  

The documentary can be viewed here otherwise let me know if you would like a copy. 

For more information on the game please visit http://www.007thevideogame.com/

Overview

Online games are a lucrative business – for game developers, players, and cybercrooks.  Revenues for virtual worlds topped $1.1 billion in 2006 and are expected to triple by 2009, and as such, online games have become a prime target for cybercriminals looking to exploit vulnerabilities for money-making gains.

McAfee’s Avert Labs researcher Dr. Igor Muttik delved into the virtual worlds and detail the security challenges in a new whitepaper titled “Securing Virtual Worlds Against Real Attacks – The Challenges of Online Game Development.”

Cybercrooks use virtual worlds to exchange funds achieved through their other criminal activities, they still passwords, data and virtual goods from online users – often without getting caught.

McAfee reveals specific threats within virtual worlds, costs of vulnerabilities on the black market, and details how game developers can keep games safe for their users:

• Money laundering: The in-game economies of virtual worlds have been hijacked in many cases by cybercriminals attempting to hide their profits through the exchange of virtual currencies
• Economic value: As virtual items become rarer or more difficult to achieve, their inherent time value creates a fiscal worth in the game’s currency and real life
• User created content: A user-created code in Second Life caused a virtual terrorist attack
• Unforeseen consequences of in-game events: A virtual illness created for World of Warcraft wiped out entire servers of users when a flaw in its design allowed the disease to spread throughout low-level players
• Scripting holes: Sloppy scripting allows viruses to achieve persistency, auto-execution, and propagation
• Messaging spam: The internal messaging services of most online games have often been leveraged for spam by malicious users
• Phishing: One example is a spam campaign related to W32/Nuwar (also known as Stormworm) The bad guys created a web page offering “free” games. Links to it were widely spammed, but clicking anywhere on this web page led visitors to malware. Perhaps worst spamming runs were related to W32/Nuwar (also known as Stormworm), used a gaming theme.
• Data-Stealing Trojans:  In a typical attack, data-stealing programs record user IDs and passwords along with the IP addresses or the names of the servers they use. This is done with a keylogger, which records all keystrokes. In more sophisticated attacks, the web forms are captured, as are mouse movements and even screenshots. The attacker can log into the compromised account and retrieve anything of value. Typically, when a gaming account is compromised, attackers will convert the objects they steal from online gamers into virtual currency—and then convert the virtual currency into real money.

The exponentially growing economy and population of virtual worlds can open the door into a new, flexible age of interaction online, both socially and visually.

Select Quotes from the Whitepaper

“Without security, these virtual communities will fail to realize their full potential.”
 – Dr. Igor Muttik

“We urge game developers to build the basic security foundation from the very beginning. As we know, bolting security onto an existing product is a far-from-perfect approach.”
– Dr. Igor Muttik

“Most of the attacks that we have witnessed in real life will surface in virtual worlds unless the environment is built with security in mind.”
– Dr. Igor Muttik

“It is possible to make most attacks in virtual life impossible or uneconomical. There are no good reasons why virtual characters should suffer from the same troubles—spam, phishing, adware, spyware, Trojans, viruses, worms, and other malware—that currently plague our real day-to-day lives.”
– Dr. Igor Muttik