Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Snowblind Studios today announce The Lord of the Rings: War in the North, the anticipated new video game based on the revered The Lord of the Rings novels and films, will launch in Australia on November 2, 2011 for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Games for Windows. The game’s Collector’s Edition, featuring behind-the-scenes looks at the game development, a specially crafted art book, digital download content and more, will launch the same day.

The Lord of the Rings: War in the North, transports players to unknown lands, as yet unexplored in film, as they journey to the Northern lands of Middle-earth. Intertwining the characters and storyline of the novel and films, the game takes place in parallel with the well-known Ring Bearer’s quest, but in the equally harsh and contested lands to the North, as the battle for Middle-earth’s survival rages.

Developed by Snowblind Studios, The Lord of the Rings: War in the North is an Action RPG featuring a unique 3-player co-op system. Gamers must battle, explore and journey together, balancing their strengths and weakness as a cohesive Fellowship of Human, Elf and Dwarf, or falter and perish in their journey. In every aspect of the game – combat, exploration, healing, even loot gathering – the Fellowship plays a vital role.

The war for Middle-earth begins 2.11.11

More Information Revealed On Two Characters, Gunther And Karl, Official Launch To Follow Shortly After Open Beta Wraps Up 

Seoul, Korea, August 2, 2011 – Joymax, a leading online game developer and publisher, announced today that its upcoming World War II game, Karma Online: Prisoners of the Dead, has launched its open beta test which runs through Tuesday, August 16^th. Additionally, Joymax has revealed information on two new characters, Gunther and Karl, who are now playable in the open beta. The launch of Karma Online will follow shortly after the open beta testing ends. To participate in the testing, or learn more about the game, players can visit http://www.joymax.com/karma/

 “Karma Online’s popularity has continued to grow in recent months, and we are so excited for the continued momentum and interest in our game,” said Joymax CEO, Nam-chul Kim. “We are very confident with the stability we have seen during the beta phase and with the official launch of the cash shop following soon after the open beta testing ends, we are looking forward to players experiencing a seamless gaming experience.”

Besides ten new maps in the open beta, two new characters Gunther and Karl, are now available to players who have not yet been able to play as them until now. Gunther, the son of an officer of the German army, has been sent by his father to the glider flying club which would form a regiment of fallschirmjager, also known as ‘parachute hunters’ later in time. His unit, known as SS Fallschirmjager, is one of the elite troops in the German army, where he is the best in his unit. Gunther’s facial expressions and gestures show his pride as a member SS Fallschirmjager, where it has managed to outperform others. However, as the skies over the Reich become the turf of Allied aircraft, he was transferred to the eastern front, though this time, without the parachute.

A descendant of one of the prominent noble houses of old Germany, Karl voluntarily joined the army and graduated from military academy with excellent records. His holier-than-thou attitude is hardly noticeable in his speech, but he believes deep in his heart the superiority of the Arians and is a perfectionist to the bone. Although less experienced than his peers, this dark horse has already made an impressive debut on the eastern front. Many expect that his career in the military will eventually bring him to the top echelons. Karl’s looks may be deceiving – he may appear a thin man with a face that resembles that of a hawk, but he packs more muscle than one might expect.

Developed in conjunction with Dragonfly, and published by Joymax, KARMA Online: Prisoners of the Dead is the newest installment in the KARMA Online series, the top online first-person shooter series in Korea. Players go back in time to World War II, where they must choose to side with the Axis or Allied powers and join the fight for global victory – with a zombie twist.  In this virtual and historical simulation, players will be up against enemy troops as well as hundreds of the walking dead from the remains of the catastrophic battle. KARMA Online: Prisoners of the Dead will be available in English, German, Spanish and Turkish.

To become a fan of Karma Online: Prisoners of the Dead, players can visit http://www.facebook.com/#!/KarmaPOD    or http://twitter.com/karmapod   and http://www.youtube.com/user/KarmaPOD

Ronald Frederick Madigan speaks out on the usage of prescription drug treatment for mental health issues in his autobiography and self-help guide, “The Suicide Hour”

ADELAIDE, Australia (MMD Newswire) August 1, 2011 – – In “The Suicide Hour” (ISBN 1456491881), Ronald Frederick Madigan discusses how he went from a troubled childhood and adulthood to on top of the world and in control of his life. Written for those afflicted with mental health issues as well as their healthcare providers and families, Madigan speaks out on the controversial topics of suicide and prescription drug remedies.

Madigan begins his work with his own personal story of growing up as a child with little or no interaction with other people. As a result, he was riddled with insecurity that began to take over his life even after childhood. He went through three dysfunctional marriages and addictions to valium and sex before finally reaching rock bottom. At that point, he knew he had a serious decision: live or die.

After establishing a close relationship with God, Madigan believed that it was his duty to spread the truth about suicide. From what he’s learned in his own experiences, he has come to the conclusion that psychiatrists have got it wrong. He believes that readers will learn the real reason why people commit suicide after reading his story and research. Madigan hopes that he can raise awareness about the ineffective methods psychiatrists are using with children as suicide rates continue to increase.

“After spending nearly 15 years of my life on valium, I feel that there has to be a better way to deal with mental suffering,” Madigan says.

Above all else, the author hopes that his work will increase suicide awareness. He strongly believes that if healthcare providers as well as society are further educated on mental health, the world will be better equipped to help those contemplating suicide. Madigan uses his personal story to instill a sense of hope in readers dealing with their own personal battles. He hopes that his work shows those suffering that there is help available, outside of prescription drugs, and that life can improve like it did for him.

“The Suicide Hour” is available for sale online at Amazon.com and other channels.

About the Author:
With writing as a passion for the past 10 years, Ronald Frederick Madigan has written three novels. He was a life insurance salesman before running a ballroom dancing business. His work, “The Suicide Hour,” takes a look at his own life, from when he was raised as a child with little interaction and a lot of insecurity to his life as an adult, working his way through three dysfunctional marriages and a drug addiction.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – August 2, 2011 – DICE, an Electronic Arts Inc. studio (NASDAQ: ERTS), today announced the publication of a novel based on Battlefield 3™, one of the most highly anticipated games of 2011. Battlefield 3: The Russian novel is written by the highly decorated ex-SAS operator and best-selling author of Bravo Two Zero, Andy McNab, with co-author Peter Grimsdale.

This past weekend during the EVO world fighting finals in Las Vegas, Street Fighter X Tekken producer Yoshinori Ono revealed some short teaser videos hinting at more characters that will be featured in the game. These are now available for you to share with your readers.

Street Fighter X Tekken delivers the ultimate tag team match up featuring iconic characters from each franchise, and one of the most robust character line ups in fighting game history. With the addition of new gameplay mechanics, the acclaimed fighting engine from Street Fighter IV has been refined to suit the needs of both Street Fighter and Tekken players alike. Street Fighter X Tekken is headed to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2012, with more details on the PlayStation Vita version in the future.

Update Introduces PvP Rifts, Cross-Shard LFG, And A New 10-Player Raid Sliver

Set to hit live servers soon, RIFT™ 1.4: Legacy of the Fallen unleashes a tide of Abyssal and Aelfwar fury, as the cults reel from the loss of their dragon gods, Akylios and Greenscale. Fanatical cultists are scouring Telara for the essence of their fallen masters, hoping to revive the dragons. If Ascended heroes cannot halt the cults’ insidious plans, theepic struggle to slay the Blood Storm will have been for naught.

Legacy of the Fallen includes new content and gameplay improvements for players of all levels with an epic world-spanning quest, 10-person raid Sliver, and a riftchase that pits players against the Planes of Water and Life. The recently-added Looking for Group system gets cross-shard functionality, PvP becomes even more interesting with the addition of open-world PvP Rifts, and an alternate Warfront mission will escalate tensions between the two player factions.

Killer Heroine with a Chainsaw Fights to Stop Zombie Take Over in Suda51’s Latest Masterpiece for PS3 and Xbox 360.

Sydney, Australia. – August 1, 2011 – Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and KADOKAWA GAMES today announce a new partnership to bring Lollipop Chainsaw to gamers around the world in 2012 on the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment will be publishing the game outside of all Asian territories.

Lollipop Chainsaw is an all-new third person action game being developed by GRASSHOPPER MANUFACTURE, led by celebrated game maker Goichi Suda (aka Suda51) and featuring the musical compositions of the renowned Akira Yamoaka. In addition to these two talented individuals, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has tapped Hollywood director/writer, James Gunn (Super, Slither, Dawn of the Dead, Tromeo and Juliet) to bring his cult humour and edgy storytelling to Lollipop Chainsaw.

Harvest Moon: Grand Bazaar, The KING OF FIGHTERS XIII, DoDonPachi Resurrection, Rune Factory 3 And Cradle of Rome 2 All Coming This Year 

Sydney, Australia, August 1 2011 – Leading independent videogame publisher Rising Star Games todayunveiled an all-star line-up of titles for the final six months of 2011. 

The latter half of the year will cement the firm’s reputation as a publisher that delivers what its fans want. Catering for five different genres, Rising Star Games’ line-up includes some of the best loved franchises in their respective categories, all of which have been high on gamers’ wish lists.

Martin Defries, managing director, Rising Star Games said, “We have a reputation for publishing games that fans want and the final half of this year is no different. We’re releasing some of the biggest titles we’ve ever had the pleasure of handling, including THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIII and DoDonPachi Resurrection, as well as the next instalment of our flagship series, Harvest Moon. It’s an incredibly exciting period for us and we’re delighted to be working on such distinguished titles at the top of their genres.”

In release order:

Harvest Moon: Grand Bazaar – Neverland/MMV

The mother of all farming games and top farming brand on the DS returns with all new features, pets and crops. Harvest Moon: Grand Bazaar has all the classic gaming features of the series and great additions including windmills to let you combine ingredients to make goods to sell at the Bazaar, a new jump movement that enables players to jump up hills and over streams, the horse race festival returns and you can own multiple pets to help work your farm.  Players can use the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection to help their friends with farming, shop at theirbazaar, or go fishing in their streams.

Harvest Moon: Grand Bazaar is out on Nintendo DS in September 2011.

Rune Factory 3: A Fantasy Harvest Moon – Marvelous Entertainment

Rune Factory 3: A Fantasy Harvest Moon continues the proud tradition of its predecessors by offering a combination of Harvest Moon farming mechanics and RPG action, all wrapped in an engrossing storyline. Players can train monsters while farming, fishing and gathering, and friendly villagers will join them in battle. The new online multiplayer mode allows up to three players to combine forces, conquer dungeons, and compare their accomplishments.

Rune Factory 3: A Fantasy Harvest Moon is out on Nintendo DS in September 2011.

Cradle of Rome 2 – Cerasus Media

Puzzle adventure title Cradle of Rome 2 follows in the footsteps of its best-selling predecessor by offering addictive gameplay for a casual audience, perfect for DS owners of all ages and lifestyles. Swap tiles to match three or more identical tiles to build beautiful houses and magnificent palaces as you develop your small settlement into a flourishingempire.

Cradle of Rome 2 is out on Nintendo DS in October 2011.

THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIII – SNK PLAYMORE

THE KING OF FIGHTERS is the flagship series of legendary fighting game publisher – developer SNK PLAYMORE. The series is a dream festival of SNK’s 2D fightingseries, and a household name in the genre. THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIII features fighters from the entire history of the series and concludes the Ash Saga storyline. Hugely improved features include global online play with optimised net code. There are now also over 30 characters to choose from, and fan favourite Mai returns. Vast improvements have been made to gameplay as well; with new NEO MAX super special moves, faster gameplay, and refined visuals & in-game camera (perspective).

THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIII is out on Xbox 360 and PS3 in October 2011.

DoDonPachi Resurrection – CAVE

The fourth game in the DonPachi series, from legendary shoot-em-up creator CAVE. DoDonPachi Resurrection takes the DonPachi Corps back into the action. Players will have the task of fighting hundreds of enemieswhile dodging thousands of bullets in this renowned bullet hell title. Dash from enemy to enemy to string together long combos which send your score into the stratosphere! DoDonPachi Resurrection is converted directly from the Arcade version for the Xbox 360 in full HD resolution. The Xbox 360 release will be a deluxe edition featuringthree different modes of gameplay and the game’s soundtrack. The Black Label arrange mode will be available to download as DLC on the day of release.  This is Rising Star Games’s second CAVE shoot-em-up of this year, following the hugely popular Deathsmiles.

DoDonPachi Resurrection is out on Xbox 360 in November 2011.

Each release will be supported by tailored marketing campaigns, with an emphasis placed on continuing the community interaction and speaking directly to fan bases. For breaking news, follow Rising Star Games via Twitter and Facebook.

Harvest Moon: Grand Bazaar, Rune Factory 3, Cradle of Rome 2, The King of Fighters XIII and DoDonPachi Resurrection will all be released in 2011 courtesy of Rising Star Games.

www.risingstargames.com

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1 August 2011, Australia

Nintendo announces that critically acclaimed RPG, Xenoblade Chronicles, will be available on Wii from 1 September 2011. In Australia and New Zealand, the first production of the game will be packaged with a limited edition ‘Special Soundtrack’ CD.

The soundtrack CD features 12 original tracks written specifically for Xenoblade Chronicles. This limited edition can be pre-ordered now from selected retailers.

Xenoblade Chronicles takes you to the stunning lands of Bionis and Mechonis. The landscapes are vast, offering more than 100 hours of immersive gameplay. Whatever you see in the distance can be reached giving you real freedom to explore and plot your way around quests. Combat is in real time, and you are free to roam the seamless universe without having to endure random encounters, making Xenoblade Chronicles a real departure from traditional RPGs. 

Xenoblade Chronicles brings to life a universe where two titans – Bionis and Mechonis collide in a war that knows no end. As the aeons pass, the lifeless bodies of the titans remain and life soon evolves on each world. The two main races, the Mechon (a race of robots) and the Homs (humans) are locked in battle for control of the world. You join the battle for Bionis to repel the invasion of the terrifying mechanical army and uncover the secrets of a mystical sword called the Monado.

For more information visit: http://gamesites.nintendo.com.au/xenoblade-chronicles

Everton Midfielder Tim Cahill To Appear On Cover Of FIFA 12 In Australia and New Zealand alongside Rooney and Kaká

SYDNEY, Australia – August 1st, 2011 – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) today revealed an iconic lineup of international football stars that will help launch EA SPORTS™ FIFA 12, winner of 20 “Best Sports Game of E3” awards, including the prestigious E3 Game Critics award.*

Headlining the group of footballers is Everton Midfielder Tim Cahill, Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney and Real Madrid’s Kaká, who will be joined by stars Philippe Mexès in France, Gerard Piqué in Spain, Giampaolo Pazzini in Italy, Mats Hummels in Germany, Jack Wilshere in United Kingdom and many others all over the world to launch FIFA 12 on September 29 in Australia and September 30 New Zealand. The football stars will grace the cover of FIFA 12 packaging, be integrated into marketing and advertising campaigns, and utilized in social media activities around the world.