Combining a Four-Core CPU and a Discrete Class Direct X(R)11-Capable GPU on a Single Chip, AMD Enables More Than Half a Teraflop of Compute Power

Sydney, Australia: 30 June 2011

What:
AMD today announced availability for the AMD Fusion A-Series Accelerated Processing Unit (APU) A8-3850 and A6-3650 desktop processors. The AMD A8-3850 and A6-3650 desktop processors will enable a high-performance experience for desktop users, including brilliant HD graphics, supercomputer-like performance, and incredibly fast application speeds.

Both the AMD A8-3850 and A6-3650 desktop processors combine four x86 CPU cores with powerful DirectX®11-capable discrete-level graphics, and up to 400 Radeon™ cores along with dedicated HD video processing on a single chip. Only AMD Fusion APUs offer true AMD Dual Graphics, with up to 120 percent visual performance boost*, when paired with select AMD Radeon™ HD 6000 Series graphics cards. Consumers can achieve supercomputer-like performance of more than 500 gigaflops compute capacity and enjoy rapid content transfers via USB 3.0.

All A-Series processors are powered by AMD VISION Engine Software, which is composed of AMD Catalyst™ graphics driver, AMD OpenCL driver and the AMD VISION Engine Control Center. With this suite of software, users get regular updates designed to improve system performance and stability, and can add new software enhancements.

With a suggested retail price of US $135, the AMD A8-3850 desktop processor operates at 2.9GHz (CPU) and 600MHz (GPU) with 400 Radeon™ Cores, 4MB of L2 cache and a TDP of 100W.

The AMD A6-3650 desktop processor has clock speeds of 2.6GHz (CPU) and 443MHz (GPU) with 320 Radeon™ Cores, 4MB of L2 cache and a TDP of 100W. The suggested retail price of the AMD A6-3650 desktop processor is US $115.

Why:
In an increasingly digital and visually oriented world, consumers demand more responsive multitasking, vivid graphics, lifelike games, lag-free videos, and ultimate multimedia performance. AMD A8-3850 and A6-3650 desktop processors enable these visually stunning end-user experiences.

When:
FM1 motherboards for the A-Series APUs are available now from leading original design manufacturers (ODMs), including ASUS, ASRock, Biostar, ECS, Foxconn (Hong Hai Precision), Gigabyte, Jetway, MSI and Sapphire.

AMD A8-3850 and A6-3650 desktop processors are scheduled to be available for purchase through system builders and at major online retailers, including Amazon, CyberPower Inc., iBuyPower, Newegg and TigerDirect beginning July 3, 2011. Additional processors are scheduled to be available later this year.

Who:
AMD A8-3850 and A6-3650 desktop processors, and the corresponding FM1 motherboards, were created with desktop consumers and gamers in mind.

Dead on Arrival – Developer Diaries, get hands on with playable dev builds!

We will be releasing several Developer Diaries over the next couple of weeks so you can all get your hands on the progression of the game from the start of development to the release version.

We hope you enjoy getting your hands dirty and trying out each build over the last 4 months first hand

Please LIKE US on Facebook so you can get updates to this and many more things planned for Dead on Arrival (DOA).

First Developer Diary and Playable Build can be found here:
http://www.deadonarrivalgame.com/developerdiaries/1/

Dead on Arrival – Survival Shooter coming to iOS and Android

FEATURES

Face paced action survival shooter
Survive massive waves of zombies!
Purchase loads of weapons to defend yourself with
Border up doors to keep some of the zombies out for a short moment
Unlock rooms to move the fight into, each room holds a different weapon to purchase.
Look for the random box which holds the most powerful guns! Doesn’t mean you will always get them though.
Massive hospital level to explore and defence yourself
Tutorial level to help explain the gameplay while also giving you access to explore the power of each gun
Full 3D action and gore theme set in high detailed graphics perfect for mobile!
Coming Soon to iPad / iPhone and Android!

WEBSITE: http://www.deadonarrivalgame.com/
VIDEO – TEASER: http://youtu.be/94ZZKr-WrvI
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dead-on-Arrival/237752539588242?sk=wall (LIKE US!)
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/n3vgames

Leading interactive entertainment specialists QV Software are thrilled to announce that Deep Silver and Techland’s much anticipated open world zombie-fest Dead Island has been rated by the Australian Classification Board as MA 15+.

Dead Island will be released for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC globally on September 9, 2011. For more information please visit www.deadislandgame.com

Disney Publishing Worldwide Launches

Disney Comics App for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch

Over 80 Years of Disney Comics Are Now Available to Readers Digitally,

Including Mickey Mouse, Cinderella, Cars 2 and More

Fans can Tweet the Release Using the #DisneyComics Hashtag

WHITE PLAINS, NY/SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – Disney Publishing Worldwide announced its new Disney Comics App for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch is now available on the App Store. Disney Comics gives readers instant access to one of the most extensive collections of comics, short stories and graphic novels ever created, ranging from classic adventures starring Mickey Mouse to brand new comics from Toy Story and Cars 2. 

The launch collection includes more than 50 comics for readers of all ages and features Disney classic characters like Donald Duck; Disney-Pixar comics featuring Toy Story’s Buzz and Woody; Disney Channel-inspired content including High School Musical; and feature film-based comics based on Tron: Legacy and Tangled.  Disney Publishing will release two new titles each week following the launch.

The Disney Comics App will launch in the U.S. and will also be available on the App Store in over 80 countries across the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia.  Additional markets will launch Disney Comics later this year. 

“Comics are a tremendous part of our heritage and we see great potential and interest in bringing our extensive catalogue of Disney Comics to mobile devices,” said Russell Hampton, President, Disney Publishing Worldwide. “We create over 25,000 original comic pages each year and it’s critical that we deliver this content to our readers around the world. We have over 1 billion Disney comic readers today, and our Disney Comics App will further broaden that audience.”

The Disney Comics App offers a new, director-style reading experience; readers can choose portrait or landscape mode, automatic or manual smart panelling, and can view double spreads. Disney Comics also enables readers to preview comics before making a purchase, share their stories with Facebook friends, and save all content to their iPad, iPhone or iPod touch for offline reading. An added feature lets readers receive automatic updates when stories relating to a favourite Disney character become available. 

The Disney Comics App is available for free from the App Store on iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch, or at www.itunes.com/appstore.  Individual stories are $.99 and themed bundles are available for $3.99 through In-App Purchase.

For more information, visit www.disney.com/disneycomics and www.facebook.com/DisneyDigitalBooks, or follow @DisneyDigiBooks on Twitter.

Disney Publishing Worldwide (DPW) is the world’s largest publisher of children’s books and magazines, with over 250 million children’s books and over 400 million children’s magazines sold each year. Disney Publishing Worldwide consists of an extensive worldwide licensing structure as well as vertically integrated publishing imprints including Disney Book Group in the U.S., Disney Libri in Italy and Disney Libros in Spain. DPW publishes a range of children’s magazines globally including Topolino, Le Journal de Mickey, and Donald Duck, as well as family titles in the U.S. which include Disney FamilyFun and Phineas and Ferb. Disney English is DPW’s English language learning business which includes Disney English schools in China and a worldwide retail licensing program. DPW’s digital products include bestselling eBook titles as well as original apps. Headquartered in White Plains, NY, Disney Publishing Worldwide publishes books, magazines, and digital products in 85 countries in 75 languages. For more information visit www.disneypublishing.com.

As more personal, business and government activities occur online, greater protection is required to secure data and identity. 

Melbourne, 30 June 2011 — The Australian Government’s newly introduced Cybercrime Legislation is a strong acknowledgement at the highest level of the need for a concerted global effort to reduce the impact of online crime, says AVG (AU/NZ) Pty Ltd, the distributor of the award-winning AVG anti-virus and Internet security software in Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific. 

The legislation strengthens local cyber security laws and enhances Australia’s ability to combat domestic and international cyber crime.

Lloyd Borrett, Security Evangelist at AVG (AU/NZ), said: “The Government’s timely initiative will be a great influence on the awareness levels and changes to personal and business attitudes required in Australia regarding cyber security. We commend Attorney General Robert McClelland for taking action and devising a plan to help keep this country secure from online dangers.

“Unfortunately, people don’t realise how prevalent and insidious viruses, Trojans, identity theft and scams are. McClelland cites the latest figures from Australia’s Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) which, in the last six months alone, has alerted Australian businesses to more than 250,000 pieces of stolen information.”

The Government’s Cybercrime Legislation Amendment Bill 2011 makes three key changes to assist Australian Government agencies in their investigations into cyber crime:

• It sets the framework to enable Australia’s accession to the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime – the only binding international treaty on cyber crime – which provides greater access to information stored overseas
• Carriers and ISPs can be requested to retain customer data
• The scope of existing Commonwealth computer offences has been extended.

The Convention covers crimes committed via the Internet and other computer networks, dealing particularly with computer-related fraud, child pornography and violations of network security. To date, more than 40 nations have either signed or become a party to the Convention, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Japan and South Africa. 100 nations are also using the Convention as the basis to strengthen their legislation to combat the threat of cyber crime.

“Given the global scale of cyber crime it’s vitally important that law enforcement agencies can cooperate easily across state and international boundaries in the pursuit of the bad guys,” said Borrett. “Some of the recent cyber busts of cyber criminals overseas have been a direct result of information sharing by law enforcement agencies in many countries which is now possible because of the Convention on Cybercrime. It’s fantastic that Australian law enforcement agencies will soon be able to take their place as a significant contributor towards these vital global efforts.

“With this recognition of the increasing impact of cyber crime, more people will be made aware of the need to subscribe to current, always-on Internet and anti-virus protection,” Borrett concluded.

Keep in touch with AVG (AU/NZ)

• For breaking news, follow AVG (AU/NZ) on Twitter at www.twitter.com/avgau
• Join our Facebook community at www.facebook.com/avgaunz

KONAMI’s legendary amphibian returns for all-new Nintendo 3DS adventure

30 June 2011:  Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH will celebrate the 30^th anniversary of its veteran Frogger character, with an all-new adventure for Nintendo 3DS. Frogger 3D thus marks a return to the classic street-crossing roots of the series – but with a 3D twist.

Frogger 3D is scheduled for a Spring release, and boasts all-new graphics, novel level design, and new friends to help guide Frogger to safety. The new game offers six new worlds to explore over 60 uniquely challenging stages. In Frogger 3D, Frogger ventures from the streets and sidewalks of his hometown to new and exotic locations including New York, the Far East, and even other dimensions.

The game’s single-player option charges players with dashing, jumping and ducking past life-threatening hazards. By teaming up with some of Frogger’s friends, players can also destroy obstacles, absorb damage or illuminate dark spaces as they progress through the game. Players can also show off their skills within the game’s Forever’ mode Street Pass battles where the aim is to avoid becoming road-kill, while a competitive slant is added within four-player matches. 

First introduced in 1981, KONAMI initially developed the game for arcade game machines, before expanding on to a host of home formats. The game is widely considered a classic and noted for both its novel gameplay and theme.
                                                                          
Frogger 3D will be released for Nintendo 3DS in late 2011.

KONAMI details the eagerly awaited METAL GEAR SOLID HD Collection 

30 June 2011: Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH has announced it is to revisit Hideo Kojima’s seminal METAL GEAR SOLID series with a special HD remastered collection for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.

The METAL GEAR SOLID HD Collection will be released in November, and will comprise HD remastered versions of METAL GEAR SOLID 2: SONS OF LIBERTY, METAL GEAR SOLID 3: SNAKE EATER, and METAL GEAR SOLID: PEACE WALKER. It will mark the first time these legendary titles have been released for these formats, and will act as a stunning introduction to one of the most enduring video game series of all time.

METAL GEAR mastermind and series creator Hideo Kojima is overseeing the updates for each title. The METAL GEAR SOLID HD Collection will be released on Blu-Ray disc for PlayStation 3 and across two DVDs for Xbox 360. In addition to the enhanced, high-definition visuals, all titles in the collection will support trophies and achievements, marking another first in the series!

METAL GEAR SOLID 3: SNAKE EATER opens the set, with series hero Snake entering a Soviet jungle where intelligence reports a vital scientist is being held captive. Set in the 60s of the Cold War, SNAKE EATER sees Snake using his stealth abilities in a whole new locale – under the cover of the jungle foliage where various camo fatigues can be used to sneak into areas undiscovered. The riveting plot then reveals a familiar face from Snake’s past at its centre.

METAL GEAR SOLID: PEACE WALKER takes place a decade later and details the operations of Big Boss in Costa Rica. The year is 1974, and Costa Rica has been overrun by an organization of highly-trained mercenaries. Working with a squad of neutral troops, Snake soon uncovers a CIA plot, and becomes embroiled in a mission to thwart a nuclear threat. The timeline then moves on to METAL GEAR SOLID 2: SONS OF LIBERTY, which is set in modern times and marks Raiden’s first appearance in the series.

Solid Snake and Otacon receive intel that a new kind of METAL GEAR vehicle is being transported across the Hudson River. Snake infiltrates the tanker, which is then seized by a group of Russian mercenaries lead by Revolver Ocelot. Two years pass, and a new terrorist faction calling themselves The Sons of Liberty have taken over the Big Shell base.  New Fox Hound operative, Raiden, is sent to investigate. 

“The METAL GEAR SOLID games have been a huge success, and the METAL GEAR SOLID HD Collection is a stunning way to celebrate this most inventive and entertaining series,” explained Martin Schneider, General Manager for Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH. “Every aspect of the three games has been updated to ensure they look as fresh on their new host formats as they did when first released. Stealth fans should be prepared…  November will mark the return of one of gaming and KONAMI’s most iconic series.”

The M ETAL GEAR SOLID HD Collection will be released for PlayStation®3 and Xbox 360® in November.

Immerse yourself in the 3D world of Hideo Kojima’s jungle epic                                                                         
                       
30 June 2011: Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH has revealed the full name of its first METAL GEAR SOLID title for Nintendo 3DS™. METAL GEAR SOLID: SNAKE EATER 3D is a reworked update of the best-selling PlayStation®2 title, and brings that game’s stunning jungle setting to vibrant life using the handheld’s glasses-free 3D imaging system.

METAL GEAR SOLID: SNAKE EATER 3D is set in the 60s during the Cold War, and sees series hero Snake infiltrating the Russian jungle to bring back a scientist being held captive against his will. Starting on the outskirts of a military base, the player must use Snake’s stealth skills along with the foliage and shade that the jungle offers as cover to infiltrate unseen. As the game progresses, old faces make unwelcome appearances and a series of terrifying boss characters must be defeated before leading up to a dramatic twist that brings Snake face to face with a key figure from his past…

The new game springs to life in stunning 3D, with the jungle genuinely enveloping the player as they work their way through the lush setting. The game also takes full advantage of the split-screen format, enabling easier access to Snake’s inventory, which is now located below the main action. The game also supports gyro synchronization, for special actions that will draw players further into the world of MGS and for which more detail will follow shortly.

Concealing one’s self and sneaking up on guards is central to METAL GEAR SOLID: SNAKE EATER 3D, but the 3D elements make key boss battles and exploration all the more riveting. When Snake crawls along the ground, the game utilises a first-person view in which the foliage can be seen brushing past as he moves forwards. Similarly, the many creatures that inhabit the locale are not merely visual enhancements but affect gameplay and will attack if Snake is not wary. However, in a unique departure for the series, these can also be killed and stored as rations, highlighting how Snake must also overcome his surroundings while undercover on his mission…

Another addition to METAL GEAR SOLID : SNAKE EATER 3D is an all-new camouflage photography system. Within the game, Snake can alter his ensemble to match and blend in with his immediate environment and the possibilities can range from brick-coloured fatigues within buildings, to the classic camouflage khakis of the jungle. Users can now take a picture of anything, however, the extent of its effectiveness will vary depending on how well your pictures blend with Snake’s environment!  

METAL GEAR SOLID : SNAKE EATER 3D will be released for Nintendo 3DS this Summer.

PES 2012 shows its form at E3

KONAMI reveals further additions to gameplay at Los Angeles Expo 

30 June 2011:  Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH has outlined new, key advances to PES 2012 at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles. The publisher revealed a trailer to showcase vital new elements to the game, which will be released in Spring 2011 for PlayStation®3, Xbox 360®, Windows PC, Wii, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) and PlayStation®2, and which is the only video game to feature the exclusive use of the official UEFA Champions League^TM and UEFA Europa League^TM competitions licence.  

PES 2012 continues KONAMI’s determination to listen to its fanbase and make key improvements to the aspects the audience demands. Thus, the focus for PES 2012 is to ensure the highest level of playability, challenge and realism for the game, whilst also improving the level of control offered to users. Fundamental changes to all areas of its AI have been made following user feedback. Similarly, teamwork is central to how the game moves and feels, enabling fans to replicate anything they would see in a real match.

The trailer reveals how the new additions benefit the PES experience:

• Active AI – PES 2012 strives to recreate the movement and team ethic of real football, and Active AI plays a vital role in this. Players will no longer flock to a ball, but will make intelligent runs to create space and draw markers, while others will make themselves available, instigate runs, and visibly call for the ball. In the box, support players will make diagonal decoy runs, full backs will overlap on the wings and midfielders will provide support from behind the ball. The new Active AI routines ensure the flow of a match is more natural, with specific routines for both attack and defence. Hold-up play implemented last year has been improved for easier control with more effectiveness. Defending as a unit plays a key role, and players now hold a tight line, check on the distance between each other, track back as a unit, and fill in for each other. As individuals they also make better decisions to close space, block and tackle.

• Jostling – Physicality is a key component in PES 2012, with player strength one of their key individual attributes, and having a vital effect on how they can use their strength to win the ball in a one-on-one situation. Players now fall depending on how they are challenged, with more realistic animations used to show the challenges between two jostling players.

• Graphics – Several aspects of the game have enjoyed a huge overhaul. Player facial expression is now much richer and the lighting effects are more natural, while new cameras show off the huge variety of pitch-side movement, with more detail on and around the game than ever before.

• Off The Ball Control – Equally key to opening up PES 2012 is the ability to highlight any player at any time. A new system has been implemented, allowing users to switch players with ease. In defence, the right stick is now used to select any outfield player, while set pieces are also enhanced through its use. Goal kicks, corners, free kicks and throw-ins now let the user quickly take control of any player off the ball, enabling clever runs which create space for an attack.

• Referee AI – Referees are also crucial to general game flow and their AI has been greatly enhanced to ensure fewer interruptions to play. Decisions are improved, and advantage is played much more regularly in offside and free kick scenarios. As such, refs will only intervene when truly necessary, but they will show cards if necessary once play has broken down.

• Pass Support – Accessed through the new personal player settings, Pass Support allows users to determine the level of AI assistance when passing the ball. Players can opt for one of five settings from full support, right up to full veteran setting which switches off all assistance so that the direction, weight and speed of every pass is at their disposal.

“We are really pleased to implement so many improvements within the areas that our fans wanted changed,” commented Jon Murphy, European PES Team Leader at Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH.  “PES 2012 is about matching real football, whilst ensuring an unrivalled gameplay experience. The trailer highlights many of the innovations we have added, and, more importantly, how they benefit the game.  There’s plenty more to come, but for now we look forward to seeing how fans react.”

KONAMI will be detailing further key enhancements to PES 2012 in the coming months.

PES 2012 will be released for PlayStation®3, Xbox 360, PC-DVD, Wii, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) and PlayStation 2 in Spring 2011.

Three times the scares as KONAMI unveils Silent Hill plans                                                                                             

30 June 2011: Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH used E3 to showcase its ambitious plans for the ever-popular Silent Hill series. The publisher used the LA event to show Silent Hill Downpour’s all-new 3D elements, while also detailing The Silent Hill HD Collection and a new horror-adventure entitled Silent Hill: Book of Memories for Sony’s new PlayStation Vita handheld system.

The Silent Hill series remains one of the most fascinating and entertaining stories in video game history. KONAMI is committed to creating new chills based on the doom-laden town, and the three new titles celebrate the past, present and future of the franchise. Silent Hill Downpour follows a convict called Murphy Pendleton, whose transport to a secure facility is interrupted by a crash on the edge of the town. Wandering into Silent Hill, Pendleton explores new areas unseen in the Silent Hill series, including the town’s defunct transport tunnels.

Silent Hill: Downpour was playable for the first time at E3 on both PlayStation®3 and Xbox360®, and KONAMI showcased the game’s newly-announced 3D functionality. This marks the series’ first foray into 3D and will also allow the players to become truly immersed in the game’s familiar mist-shrouded streets. KONAMI has also confirmed that platinum-selling rock band KORN have created a track especially for the game’s soundtrack, which is perfectly coupled with Dan Licht’s eerie score.

KONAMI is also celebrating the previous Silent Hill range, with the release of The Silent Hill HD Collection for PlayStation®3, which brings the acclaimed Silent Hill 2 and Silent Hill 3 bang up to date, with all new enhancements and high-definition graphics. The games have been completely reworked, with all-new voice talent, and the addition of PlayStation®Network Trophies. The Silent Hill HD Collection will be released in Q4.
                                                                       
Silent Hill: Book of Memories is the first KONAMI title to be confirmed for the forthcoming PlayStation Vita portable device, and is also the first ever multi-player Silent Hill title. The game will feature an all-new scenario and soundtrack, and links past and present events in the series in one game. Working with a friend, players are left stranded in Silent Hill, where they must work together in order to escape the town and its inhuman denizens.

Silent Hil: Downpour will be released for PlayStation^®3 and Xbox 360^®, Silent Hill HD Collection for PlayStation^® both will release late 2011.  No release date has been set for Silent Hill: Book of Memories at this point.