Australia, 18 February, 2011 –

Nintendo announces strong sales results for 2010.

GfK Retail and Technology Australia confirm that Nintendo DS® (inclusive of Nintendo DS, Nintendo DS® Lite, Nintendo DSi™ and Nintendo DSi™ XL) claimed the title of highest selling console in 2010, selling through more than 520,000* units. This marks the fifth year running that Nintendo DS has achieved this title, doing so from 2006 – 2010. In December 2010, Nintendo DS also achieved the title of the biggest selling video game console of all time in Australia, having sold through more than three million units.

Wii™ also achieved some major milestones in 2010. In November, Wii surpassed life to date sell through of two million units in Australia. This milestone was achieved in 47 months and establishes Wii as the fastest selling home console in Australia. Previously Nintendo DS® held this record, selling through two million units in 52 months. Wii was also the highest selling home console for 2010, selling through more than 420,000 units.

* All sell through and market share information courtesy of GfK Retail and Technology Australia

Auction will benefit indigenous education

Media Release: 18 February 2011

Nintendo has commissioned four of the country’s most highly regarded indigenous artists to paint inspired artworks on eight Wii™ consoles to benefit the indigenous education programme and charity Shalom Gamarada.

The Wii consoles will be auctioned exclusively online via eBay; to bid visit http://stores.ebay.com.au/inDemand-Causes/wii.

All money raised will be donated to the Shalom Gamarada Scholarship Programme. This scholarship programme aims to encourage indigenous students to complete their university education by providing financial support and has succeeded in making a significant impact in lowering the drop-out rate within the indigenous community.

The Wii artwork consoles will be auctioned in custom built acrylic display cases and will be non-playable to ensure the preservation of the artwork. The winning bidders however will also receive a separate, playable, Wii Console (SRP $299.95).

“Having these important artists create these pieces for Wii will not only raise much needed funds for indigenous education, it will also open new doors by raising awareness to people who would not normally be familiar with the work we do at Shalom Gamarada,” commented Jenny Hillman, Curator of Shalom Gamarada Ngiyana Yana.

To view the trailer:  http://videos.uk.ubi.com/index.php?video=zdzilh5b 

Sydney Australia – February 18^th, 2011 – Ubisoft announced today the release of a new downloadable content (DLC) for Assassin’s Creed^® Brotherhood for the Xbox 360^® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the PlayStation^®3 computer entertainment system. This new DLC called “The Da Vinci Disappearance” will be available for download beginning of March 2011 on XBOX LIVE^® and on the PlayStation^®Network. The DLC will be made available for 800 Microsoft points.

The Da Vinci Disappearance will include both single-player and multiplayer content for Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood. After the fall of the Borgias in Rome, Leonardo Da Vinci is kidnapped by the Hermeticists, an underground cult dedicated to transforming mankind. Ezio will embark on a relentless quest to recover stolen paintings in order to find Leo before it is too late, discovering two new locations and two new gameplay features along the way.

The multiplayer addition is the biggest expansion to the award-winning multiplayer yet, including one new map, four new characters and two new game modes. The new multiplayer map, Alhambra, is a lush environment set in Spain’s Albaicin of Granada and provides multileveled indoor and outdoor areas perfect for predators to lurk in the dense crowd for unsuspecting targets.  The four new characters will undoubtedly be a huge hit with Assassin’s Creed fans, consisting of the Dama Rossa, the Knight, the Marquis and the Pariah. The two new gameplay modes, Escort and Assassinate, will provide a whole new gameplay experience for Brotherhood players.  In Escort mode, two teams of four players compete in this team-based mode where each team must protect their VIP target or assassinate the other team’s VIP target. In Assassinate mode six to eight players are pitted against each other deathmatch style in one ten minute round. 

For updates on Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood, please visit the game’s official Web site at http://assassinscreed.uk.ubi.com/brotherhood/, via Twitter @AssassinsCreed and Facebook at facebook.com/assassinscreed.

Assassin’s Creed Project Legacy is available on Facebook at: http://apps.facebook.com/projectlegacy

More info on Assassin’s Creed Ascendance, the animated short can also be found at the official website.

18 February 2011, Australia & New Zealand – The time has come for PC gamers to take their best shot in Crysis 2 multiplayer. Available for download at http://crysis.ea.com and other partner sites on March 1, the Crysis 2 multiplayer demo includes two stunning maps, two adrenaline-filled modes, and hours of multiplayer action. In the demo, PC gamers will master the game’s signature Nanosuit, which allows them to be strong, be invisible, be fast and become the ultimate weapon.

Players will compete in six vs. six matches set against a war-torn Manhattan in two maps: “Skyline”, set on top of the rooftops and interiors of skyscrapers, and “Pier 17”, an open environment with limited cover. The demo also features two modes: “Team Instant Action” pits two teams against each other as they kill as many opponents as possible to win the round and “Crash Site,” where players will battle for control of alien drop pods, earning points by guarding their pods and keeping enemies at bay.

Developed by Crytek UK, Crytek’s specialist multiplayer studio, Crysis 2 multiplayer features six gameplay modes and 12 maps set in iconic locations across New York City. Throughout the multiplayer campaign, players earn up to 50 ranks and a variety of different upgrades to their weapons and their Nanosuit. Gamers who pre-order Crysis 2 today will receive an automatic upgrade to the Crysis 2 Limited Edition, available while supplies last.  This special edition includes four must-have in-game unlocks for the ultimate multiplayer experience, including:

• Bonus XP – Players will jump into multiplayer battles with an edge by starting with enough experience points to gain early access to all preset class load-outs.
• SCAR Hologram Decoy – This special attachment to the SCAR will project a hologram image of the player, allowing them to confuse their opponents with the decoy.
• SCAR Weapon Skin – This digital camouflage skin will allow players to add a personalised touch to one of the more popular assault rifles in the game.
• Platinum Dog Tag – This special one-of-a-kind dog tag is one of over 250 that will be collectible in Crysis 2 multiplayer, helping to separate you from the rest of the field.
  

Celebrated by press worldwide, Crysis 2 has been named by CNN, GameSpot, Game Informer, PlayStation: The Official Magazine, PC Gamer and IGN as one of the most anticipated games of 2011. The game arrives on Xbox 360 computer and videogame system, PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system and PC on March 24 in Australia and March 25 in New Zealand. The PC version of Crysis 2 multiplayer will also support dedicated servers, a must-have for PC gamers.  For a list of partners, please visit Crytek’s community hub, where gamers can also discuss the demo and provide feedback to the Crytek team, http://www.mycrysis.com.

Today, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Rocksteady Studios unleashed four new screens from Batman: Arkham City, showcasing the amazing visuals and dark foreboding setting that has made it one of the most hotly anticipated games of the year.

Developed by Rocksteady Studios, Batman: Arkham City builds upon the intense, atmospheric foundation of Batman: Arkham Asylum, sending players soaring into Arkham City, the new maximum security “home” for all of Gotham City’s thugs, gangsters and insane criminal masterminds. Set inside the heavily fortified walls of a sprawling district in the heart of Gotham City, this highly anticipated sequel introduces a brand-new story that draws together a new all-star cast of classic characters and murderous villains from the Batman universe, as well as a vast range of new and enhanced gameplay features to deliver the ultimate experience as the Dark Knight.

Batman: Arkham City will be available for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Games for Windows PC and the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system in the Australian spring of 2011.

Today Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment today released a new trailer for LEGO® Ninjago: The Video Game, available Australian autumn 2011.

LEGO® Ninjago: The Video Game is exclusive for the Nintendo DS and complements the recently released LEGO Ninjago construction sets. The game introduces gamers to the powerful, tornado-fueled art of Spinjitzu – a fighting technique where the player uses turbulent spinning to overcome adversaries in one fell swoop.

Enter a world where Ninjas face-off against evil Skeletons Forces to recover powerful Ninja weapons in order to restore harmony to the Earth. Along the way, gamers will encounter dragons, warriors and larger than life battles as they build an armies and deploy troops on exciting missions. Who’s up for the battle?

In LEGO® Ninjago: The Video Game, Nintendo DS players will build an army and use Ninja fighting skills to overcome sinister Skeleton adversaries in the ultimate 1-2 player strategy action adventure. The game is published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, developed by Hellbent Games and produced by TT Games.

Mortal Kombat is the most brutal instalment of the landmark fighting game to date for release on the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft in 2011.  The game is being developed by the newly re-named NetherRealm Studios, led by Mortal Kombat creator and creative director Ed Boon.

Sydney, 17 February 2011 – Acronis, a leading provider of easy-to-use backup, recovery and security solutions for physical, virtual and cloud environments, today announced the appointment of Karl Sice as General Manager – Pacific with responsibilities for overseeing business directions and go-to-market strategies, as well as maintaining Acronis’ strong presence in the SMB marketplace across Australia, New Zealand and the regional island nations.

Sice has an outstanding track record of success in regional sales management and professional services roles in high growth organisations such as Gartner, Sun, American Express and Dell, working in Australia, the USA and Asia.

Karl Sice said: “I have joined at a very exciting time in Acronis’ expansion in the region. We have a highly effective local team and a dynamic channel network. I am looking forward to working with them as we step up to the untapped potentials at the higher end of the corporate market and government and public sectors.”

Businesses of all sizes are now operating in an increasingly complex hybrid IT world encompassing physical, virtual and cloud environments. While virtualisation and cloud are enabling cost-effective business development, they are adding another level of complexity to backup and recovery. Sice sees Acronis’ ability to offer a single, integrated solution to backup and disaster recovery as a compelling story for its channel and customers.

In announcing Karl Sice’s appointment, Bill Taylor-Mountford, President APAC for Acronis, said: “The business in ANZ is vibrant and the opportunity is real. Karl’s profile and achievements are a perfect fit for our business direction. Under his guidance, Acronis will consolidate our leadership position with SMBs across the Pacific and seize upstream opportunities.”

About Acronis

Acronis is a leading provider of easy-to-use backup, recovery and security solutions for physical, virtual and cloud environments. Its patented disk imaging technology enables corporations, SMBs and consumers to protect their digital assets. With Acronis’ disaster recovery, deployment and migration software, users protect their digital information, maintain business continuity and reduce downtime. Acronis software is sold in more than 90 countries and available in 14 languages. For additional information, please visit www.acronis.com.au. Follow Acronis on Twitter: http://twitter.com/acronis