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Ubisoft connects with Sony Pictures and New Regency for Watch Dogs Movie

DNEY, AUSTRALIA – August 21, 2013 – At the Sony Computer Entertainment press conference at Gamescom, Ubisoft® has announced that its film and television division, Ubisoft Motion Pictures, is collaborating with Sony Pictures Entertainment and New Regency on development of a feature film based on Watch Dogs™, Ubisoft’s highly anticipated open-world action-adventure video game. Ubisoft and Sony also showed a first look at the exclusive Watch Dogs gameplay that will be available for PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system this holiday.

“Since both Sony and Ubisoft have movie and video game branches, this deal creates exceptional opportunities for us to merge the realms of the story-based cinematic experience with the interaction of the video game,” said Jean-Julien Baronnet, chief executive officer, Ubisoft Motion Pictures. “In addition, Sony Pictures and New Regency have deep production expertise and are letting us maintain a strong creative voice in the film’s development. Together, we’re confident we can deliver a movie that builds upon the excitement that the game is already generating.”

Commenting on the announcement, Hannah Minghella, president of Production for Columbia Pictures, said, “The themes and open gameplay of ‘Watch Dogs’ lends itself perfectly to the big screen. The game has intense action and adventure, but the story focuses on information and the control of information, which we think will lead to an exciting thriller. It has tremendous potential as a motion picture and we’re thrilled to have the opportunity to work closely with Ubisoft’s internal creative team on the development of the project.”

Watch Dogs centres on Aiden Pearce, a brilliant hacker bent on revenge and inflicting his own brand of justice after a violent family tragedy. Using all of his skills, Pearce hacks into Chicago’s Central Operating System (ctOS), which controls the city’s infrastructure, including security cameras, traffic lights, and public transportation, as well as databases containing key information on the city’s residents. In the game, Pearce turns the entire city of Chicago into his ultimate weapon. The game received many awards at E3 2012, including Best of Show from GamingExcellence and three awards (Biggest Surprise, Best New Franchise and Best PC Game) from IGN. The game also won GameSpot’s People’s Choice Most Exciting Game of E3 2013.

The project will be overseen at Ubisoft by Ubisoft Motion Pictures. At Columbia, Minghella and Sam Dickerman will oversee development while Alexandra Milchan and Andrew Calof will work on the forthcoming film for New Regency.

 
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MOGA™ Mobile Gaming System now on sale in Australia

The critically acclaimed MOGA Pocket controller, which is revolutionising the mobile gaming experience, is now officially on sale in Australia. The innovative MOGA system is the go-to gadget for mobile gamers, transforming existing Android smartphones or tablets into portable cross-platform mobile gaming systems – making clumsy and uncomfortable gaming on phone screens a thing of the past.

The MOGA Pocket has been an ongoing favourite within the US and UK markets since its recent launch, receiving rave reviews from media and consumers alike. A similar wave of success is expected down under, with an extremely positive reaction to the device’s debut at PAX Aus 2013 in Melbourne earlier this year. MOGA Pocket will start retailing across the nation from today, selling online and in store at EB Games.

The game-changing MOGA Pocket controller features dual analogue sticks, shoulder triggers, and four action buttons, and connects wirelessly via Bluetooth™, transforming consumers’ existing smartphones and tablets into precision gaming systems – with no extra hardware required. Using the MOGA Arm™ to secure your smartphone, MOGA Pocket gamers benefit from a uniquely slim and sleek ergonomic design that maximises portability, whilst also minimising wrist fatigue during gaming sessions. Perfect for the gamer-on-the-go, the MOGA Pocket looks set to be a big winner with commuters with its discreet, compact design.

“After much anticipation, we’re excited to be introducing the MOGA Pocket to the Australian market and paving the way for quality mobile gaming controllers,” commented Eric Bensussen, President of PowerA, the makers of MOGA. “We genuinely believe the MOGA Pocket represents a game changer in the sector, providing consumers with a portable gaming experience which is currently lacking in the market place. If the success we’ve experienced in the US and UK markets is anything to go by, we think that it will be very well received in the Australian market. ”

The MOGA Pocket benefits from an extensive library of games that can be accessed via the free, downloadable MOGA Pivot™ app. All a user has to do is download the app from Google Play to their tablet or smartphone to reap the rewards of over 125 MOGA Enhanced game titles, including big-hitters such as Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Real Soccer 2013, PACMAN® by Namco, and many more. The Pivot™ app is constantly updating, providing MOGA users with an extensive collection of new games every month.

RRP: $59.00
Stockist: EB Games

For more information please visit MOGAanywhere.com and get the latest news at www.Facebook.com/MOGAanywhere or Twitter.com/MOGAanywhere.

 
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WAR THUNDER TAKES FLIGHT ON PLAYSTATION®4 AS ONE OF THE LAUNCH TITLES

Developer and Publisher Gaijin Entertainment announced that their hit franchise and military MMO game War Thunder will be a PlayStation 4 launch title. War Thunder is a state-of-the-art next generation MMO combat game that combines unparalleled online gameplay experiences that places PS4™ fans into action filled, highly explosive World War II aerial battles or mobilized over terrain using ground forces.

Every visitor of Gamescom 2013 expo can try the demo-version of War Thunder for PS4 in Hall 7, Booth C10 in the Entertainment area of the Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany, from August 21-25th

War Thunder for PS4 provides gamers with exclusive content, rich gameplay with cutting-edge next-gen graphics and dramatic realism, stunning lifelike dynamics of real-time flight, breathtaking precision in details, intelligent personalization and deeply integrated robust social capabilities. And Gaijin Entertainment is especially proud to announce that there will be cross-platform multiplayer battles between PS4 and PC users.

“The age old battle between who rocks more, console or computer gamers, now has arena for it to take place. War Thunder for the PlayStation 4 is cross-platform compatible allowing for computer and console fans to battle it out for gaming supremacy. Just think of it, more than hundred planes, tanks and ships – all fighting on the same map. We look forward to seeing our 3 million plus online community take to the skies, or prowl on the ground to do battle in War Thunder accompanied by PS4 users,” said Anton Yudintsev, CEO, Gaijin Entertainment.

War Thunder for PS4 will have more than 300 historically accurate WWII military vehicles available at launch and fans can expect hundreds more to join fierce battles as updates are made to the game simultaneously with PC version.

A plethora of different game modes includes co-op, single and massive multiplayer battles playable in scalable realism settings. The power of PS4 also allows Gaijin to include such features as improved head-tracking system made possible by PlayStation®Eye camera and smart and easy options to record, stream and share homemade gameplay videos.

Anyone will be able to download War Thunder from PlayStation®Store for free and play it without any restrictions. In addition, owners of PlayStation®Plus subscription will get some bonus content, and some exclusive content will be provided for all PS4 owners.

War Thunder for the PS4 is the exciting continuation of the brand. Each iteration of War Thunder is unique and takes full technical advantage of its platform. Over 3 million players already know the enjoyment of raining down aerial destruction via the PC-version of War Thunder and this fan base continues exponential growth with the recent release on Steam digital distribution platform.

War Thunder is currently in open beta for PC, going into beta for Mac OS, and in development for Oculus Rift virtual reality system. Download War Thunder for free from the official website and join in a heated battle to dominate the skies at http://warthunder.com.

 
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ACTIVISION ANNOUNCES CALL OF DUTY®: GHOSTS PLAYSTATION UPGRADE FOR A SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE OF JUST $10

Sydney, Australia – August 21, 2013 – Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard (Nasdaq: ATVI), today announced further details surrounding Call of Duty®: Ghosts’ participation in Sony’s PS3 to PS4 upgrade program. The upgrade program is completely optional and allows consumers who purchase Call of Duty: Ghosts on PlayStation® 3 to upgrade to the PlayStation® 4 version of the game for a limited time at a suggested retail price of only $10 (including Australia and New Zealand), €10, or £10 depending on territory. More details will be shared in the weeks to come.

“Today we’re announcing that anyone who buys Call of Duty: Ghosts for the PS3 will be able to upgrade to Call of Duty: Ghosts for the PS4 for a limited time at a suggested retail price of just 10 dollars, 10 euros or 10 pounds,” said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing, Inc.

Published by Activision Publishing, Inc. and developed by Infinity Ward, Call of Duty: Ghosts will release on Xbox 360 game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, PC and Wii U™ on November 5. The title will also release on the Xbox One, the all-in one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, and PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system later this year. Call of Duty: Ghosts is not yet rated by the ACB. For more information, please visit www.callofduty.com/ghosts, www.facebook.com/CODGhosts, or follow on Twitter @InfinityWard @CallofDuty_ANZ

 
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XCOM®: Enemy Within Expands Alien Invasion on 14/11/13

Check the announcement trailer at http://youtu.be/WRy5xGHO1y4

Sydney, Australia – 21st August 2013 – 2K and Firaxis Games announced today that XCOM®: Enemy Within, the expanded experience of the Game of the Year* award-winning strategy title XCOM: Enemy Unknown, will be available in North America on November 12, 2013 and in Australia and New Zealand on November 14, 2013 for Windows PC, Xbox 360 games and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Mac® (distributed by Feral Interactive).

XCOM: Enemy Within takes the incredible experience from XCOM: Enemy Unknown and adds an array of new abilities, upgrades, and weapons to combat new enemy threats. The expansion also provides players with all-new maps, tactical and strategic gameplay, and multiplayer content. There is no better way to experience XCOM than with the massive amount of new content added in XCOM: Enemy Within. Fans will experience an additional three to four playthroughs on average before encountering all of the new material included in XCOM: Enemy Within, providing nearly limitless replayability.

“The incredible critical and consumer response to XCOM: Enemy Unknown inspired us to offer new content that would deepen the strong bond that has been created for our XCOM brand,” said Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K. “Firaxis Games is renowned for delivering massive, highly immersive PC expansions in the Civilization series, and XCOM: Enemy Within builds on that lineage and expands the experience for console gamers as well.”

“We promised gamers that we would deliver the same Enemy Unknown experience on both PC and console last fall, and we’re doing it again with Enemy Within,” said Ananda Gupta, lead designer at Firaxis Games. “The Commander Edition of XCOM: Enemy Within expands the already amazing XCOM experience for our console fans who are looking forward to even more of the game they love. It’s also a great point of entry for new fans just joining the XCOM fight.”

XCOM: Enemy Within vastly improves upon the experience of XCOM: Enemy Unknown with an incredible amount of new content. On PC** and Mac**, XCOM: Enemy Within features additional content that can be enjoyed with previously purchased copies of XCOM: Enemy Unknown. XCOM: Enemy Within will also be available on Xbox 360 and PS3™ system as the XCOM: Enemy Within – Commander Edition** – a standalone pack that expands the XCOM: Enemy Unknown experience featuring the new XCOM: Enemy Within content and the add-on content that was previously released for XCOM: Enemy Unknown, including the Elite Soldier Pack and Slingshot Content Pack.

Key features for XCOM: Enemy Within will include:

· New Soldier Abilities: Research a new alien technology to advance the capabilities of operatives:
o Gene Mods: Construct the Genetics Lab to physically enhance operatives’ abilities, including augmentations to the chest, brain, eyes, skin and legs.
o MECs: Build the Cybernetics Lab to enable the construction of the new Mechanized Exoskeletal Cybersuit, or MEC. The new MEC Trooper class has specialized abilities and each suit can be upgraded with new weapons including the flamethrower, grenade launcher and more.

· New Weapons and Equipment: Give operatives an extra tactical edge with new projects from the engineering team in the Foundry;

· New Enemy Threats: Adopt new tactics to counter the threats from a host of new enemies, including the Mechtoid;

· New Strategic Resource: A valuable new alien resource, known as Meld, has been discovered. Secure it on the battlefield and use it carefully back at base to unlock new research and upgrades;

· New Tactical Challenges and Maps: Face new tactical challenges, on nearly 50% more maps;

· New Multiplayer Maps, Units and Abilities: Create custom squad from a wider array of options and dominate opponents in intense, one-on-one, turn-based matches.

XCOM: Enemy Within is rated MA15+ in Australia and R13 in New Zealand. It will be available in North America on November 12, 2013 and in Australia and New Zealand on November 14, 2013. XCOM: Enemy Within will be available for Windows PC and Mac for $49.95, and will be available for Xbox 360 and PS3™ system for $69.95 as the XCOM: Enemy Within – Commander Edition. For more information on XCOM: Enemy Within, become a fan on Facebook, follow 2K on Twitter and visit the official web site at http://www.xcom.com.

*XCOM: Enemy Unknown was named Game of the Year 2012 by the following outlets: GameTrailers, GiantBomb, Kotaku, and MTV Multiplayer.

**XCOM: Enemy Within for PC and Mac requires XCOM: Enemy Unknown to play. XCOM: Enemy Within – Commander Edition is a standalone expanded experience that includes all XCOM: Enemy Unknown content and two add-on content packs: the Elite Soldier Pack the Slingshot Content Pack. XCOM: Enemy Within – Commander Edition does not require XCOM: Enemy Unknown to play.

Firaxis Games is a 2K studio. 2K is a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO

 
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World of Tanks: Xbox 360 Edition Thunders into Beta

August 21, 2013 — Wargaming, the leading free-to-play MMO developer and publisher, today announced that beta servers are now live for its highly anticipated World of Tanks: Xbox 360 Edition in North America, Canada and Europe.

The three regions will also see the introduction of new US and German tier VII and VIII heavy tanks, bringing even more firepower to the fight.

“From our early technical beta testing we’ve seen tremendous numbers of players get into the game and experience first-hand what’s made World of Tanks such a global phenomenon,” said Denny Thorley, General Manager at Wargaming West in Chicago. “We’re extremely thankful for their input on how the game is coming along and can’t wait to get even more players from North America, Canada, and Europe into the game.”

Fans in North America, Canada and Europe can sign up for access to the game at www.worldoftanks.com/xbox. Wargaming will be releasing access tokens to registrants on a weekly basis. Beat release dates for other regions will be announced soon.

 
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EA AND DICE REVEAL BATTLEFIELD 4 PREMIUM

Sydney, Australia. – Aug. 21, 2013 – DICE, an Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) studio, today announced Battlefield 4™ Premium, an exclusive membership for Battlefield™ fans that provides a wealth of new content to keep the action going all year long. Battlefield 4 Premium members will receive five themed digital expansion packs: Battlefield 4 China Rising, Battlefield 4 Second Assault, Battlefield 4 Naval Strike, Battlefield 4 Dragon’s Teeth and Battlefield 4 Final Stand; and will also be granted two-weeks early access* to each. With Battlefield 4 Premium, DICE will serve up weekly content and unique personalization options so players can dominate the battlefield in style.

 
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The Walking Dead: Season One including 400 Days DLC Available Today on PlayStation Vita

Trailer Link

Fellow survivors,

Antsy to get your hands on The Walking Dead for PS Vita? The wait is over! Look out for PS Vita versions of all five episodes of The Walking Dead Season One, PLUS the critically-acclaimed 400 Days DLC episode, in the PlayStation Store TODAY – The bundle will also be available!

This version is an awesome way to experience The Walking Dead, whether you’re dipping your toe into the water for the first time, or looking to catch up on any episodes you might have missed. Even if you’ve already played through the whole season on PS3, there’s an additional set of Trophies for playing the series on PS Vita. We’ve even added some special features just for PS Vita: you can play with analog controls and face buttons, or get a little more intimate with the interaction by switching to touchscreen only.

Remember, fans of the series should keep those save files, because Season Two is expected to hit PS Vita later this year as well. Hope you’re ready for the portable undead onslaught!

 
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EA TO ADD STORY-DRIVEN CAMPAIGN MISSIONS TO COMMAND & CONQUER

Sydney, Australia. – Aug. 21, 2013 – Welcome back, General. Today at gamescom, the world’s largest trade fair and event for interactive games and entertainment, Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) announced that episodic, story-driven Campaign Missions are in development for Command & Conquer™ and will be available early next year. The next installment of the award-winning real-time strategy franchise from Victory Games will launch in 2013 as a free* live service, with an emphasis on continually adding new content to the game, such as Campaign Missions, based on fan feedback. Players can sign up now for a chance to access the Command & Conquer closed beta** at www.commandandconquer.com.

 
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gamescom 2013: Get an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of ESL’s StarCraft II stage

Cologne, 19. August 2013 – One of the biggest games in eSports is opening its doors (or rather: curtains) to the press at this year’s Gamescom. Spanning across the three of the five Gamescom days (23.08-25.08), StarCraft II®: Heart of the Swarm® (Real Time Strategy Game from premier game developer Blizzard Entertainment) is within touching distance of crowning its Season 2 WCS World Champion, who will take home a piece of the $150,000 prize pool. Competition is sure to be fierce as the victor of Season One, Shin Hyung ‘InnoVation’ Lee, advances forward in the hopes of securing back-to-back Season Final Championships. Kyeong Deok ‘Duckdeok‘ Kim, hailed as the best player in the European scene after having won the Season 2 Regional Finals, is looking to cause an upset alongside former WarCraft III player Manuel ‘Grubby’ Schenkhuizen, who has yet to prove himself within the StarCraft II scene despite massive WarCraft III success.

Amongst the exciting games that await all those who attend Gamescom, visitors from the press will this year also have the opportunity to enjoy an exclusive behind-the-scenes guided tour with WCS Product Manager at Turtle Entertainment GmbH, James Lampkin. All areas of the Starcraft II WCS stage (located in Hall 8) will be explored, with those curious about WCS production able to ask questions of the film crew and of course Lampkin himself. Additionally, as the world’s best StarCraft II players are on location, interviews with select players can also be arranged for those who would like an insider’s perspective on the fascinating world of eSports.

 
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