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EA’s Engine Roar with Shift 2 Unleashed
Critically Acclaimed Simulation Series Returns, Now Even Faster and More Connected
Australia — The race to #1 heats up! Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) today announced SHIFT 2 UNLEASHED™, the next entry in the blockbuster Need for Speed simulation series. The original SHIFT game was released in September 2009 and has sold through close to five million copies globally. Its success was propelled by the revolutionary true driver’s experience — a game design that was heralded by critics as more visceral, more physical and more intense than any other title in the sim category. Capturing the physicality and brutality of racing at 200mph has been the leading area of innovation by the award-winning development team at Slightly Mad Studios. SHIFT 2 UNLEASHED builds on the true drivers experience by introducing the driver’s battle, an even more authentic and primal feeling of power and speed which elevates the fundamental competitive race into a struggle for supremacy against other drivers and even the track itself. In SHIFT 2 UNLEASHED, players’ hands sweat and ache as they clutch onto the controller, their pulse races from the break-neck speeds experienced through the first-person cockpit view. Launching in Autumn 2011, SHIFT 2 UNLEASHED pushes the envelope with the most authentic and intense racing experience in the genre. The world debut trailer of SHIFT 2 UNLEASHED was revealed today as bonus content for the action racing Need for Speed title, Need for Speed Hot Pursuit.
“SHIFT 2 UNLEASHED is redefining immersive racing by blending the rush of tearing up the track at unbelievable speeds with the emotional experience of competitive battle,” said Marcus Nilsson, Executive Producer, SHIFT 2 UNLEASHED. “We are also working closely with real-world performance drivers to ensure that SHIFT 2 UNLEASHED captures their experience and becomes the benchmark in authentic racing action.”
SHIFT 2 UNLEASHED features an all-new rendering engine with a massive graphics overhaul that puts the player in the heart of the racing action. With an innovative helmet camera view simulating the physical experience of driving at 200mph, the thrilling experience of night racing and authentic degradation of tracks and cars, this is tomorrow’s sim for today’s adrenaline fueled racer. SHIFT 2 UNLEASHED also incorporates the next generation of Need for Speed Autolog – the groundbreaking network that connects friends for epic head-to-head races and compares player stats for the ultimate social racing competition.
Developed by the award-winning Slightly Mad Studios, SHIFT 2 UNLEASHED will be available on the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and PC. For more information on Need for Speed, visit http://www.needforspeed.com or become a fan on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/needforspeed and follow us on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/needforspeed.
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EATM, EA SPORTSTM, EA MobileTM and POGOTM. In fiscal 2010, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.7 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million units. EA’s homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA’s products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.
EA, EA SPORTS, EA Mobile, POGO, Need for Speed and SHIFT 2 UNLEASHED are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. The names, designs, and logos of all products are the property of their respective owners and used by permission. Microsoft and Xbox 360 are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. “PlayStation” are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Get the all the DiRT® on rally and see the first gameplay footage with the debut DiRT 3™developer diary video
Gameplay footage revealed, rally content unveiled and fans questions answered in the first in a series of Q&A developer diaries
SYDNEY, Australia – 17th November, 2010 – Today Codemasters® in partnership with NAMCO BANDAI Partners Australia New Zealand is proud to release the first in a series of DiRT® 3™ Q&A developer diaries for the highly-anticipated, critically acclaimed sequel to 2009’s million-plus seller, Colin McRae™: DiRT 2 (metacritic:87). The developer diary features the first gameplay footage, taken from early pre-alpha code, and dishes all the dirt on the biggest, most content rich racer ever to roar out of Codemasters Studios. The video is now playing at www.facebook.com/dirt3game.
Viewers are taken behind the scenes of DiRT 3, as key development talent introduce the game, answer questions from fans and hone their real-world driving skills by racing Escort Mk IIs around the forests of Wales at the Phil Price Rally School. The developer diary also reveals the first DiRT 3 gameplay footage, showing the iconic Audi Sport Quattro Rallye tearing through a forest stage at the new Finland rally location.
The video reveals the huge amount of rally content to feature in the game, with the discipline accounting for 60% of its extensive career mode. DiRT 3’s exhaustive car list includes the current 2010 WRC Cars, the Ford Focus RS WRC and Citroen C4 WRC, and, for the first time in a videogame, will introduce the 2011 Ford Fiesta RS WRC. In addition to the cars competing at the highest level of contemporary Rally, the extensive car list will star over 50 licensed off-road vehicles spanning 50 years of the sport, including classic racers like the Lancia Super Delta HF Integrale and the Mini Cooper S 1275. With rally stages set across three continents, including the addition of all-new locations Finland, Kenya and Michigan, players will learn to master the conditions on tarmac, gravel and snow in dry and wet conditions for the most authentic rally experience.
The Developer Q&A: Part 1 – Rally is the first in a planned series, each of which will focus on a different area of the game. Fans can submit questions for inclusion in future videos and keep up to date with the latest news, screens and videos straight from the studio by visiting www.facebook.com/dirt3game and http://www.twitter.com/dirt3game.
Coming Q2 2011, DiRT 3 will boast more cars, more locations, more routes and more events than any other game in the series. With more than double the track content of 2009’s hit, players will enjoy a career as an elite professional driver, competing in off-road racing events on the intense, weather-beaten rally stages of Europe, Africa and the US and pushing car control to the limit in all-new Gymkhana inspired showpiece challenges.
Set to raise the bar for authentic and accessible off-road racing again, DiRT 3 is now in development at Codemasters Studios for a 2011 release for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft®, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and PC Games For Windows® LIVE.
Golden Sun: Dark Dawn on Nintendo DS
Nintendo announces that Golden Sun™: Dark Dawn will be available on Nintendo DS® from 2 December 2010! This will be the first game in the renowned Golden Sun™ video game series released specifically for Nintendo DS.
Offering a planet-sized world of adventure to explore and conquer, Golden Sun: Dark Dawn puts the raw power of the elements in players hands. Each of the games playable characters is capable of carrying Djinn, spirits that imbue their owner with unique and powerful abilities.
Players can collect more than 70 unique Djinn, granting them the ability to summon mighty deities who unleash devastating attacks that fill both Nintendo DS screens. Djinn powers can also be used to navigate puzzling dungeons and overworld environments that will have players flinging fireballs to burn away obstacles, freezing water to raise platforms, or summoning whirlwinds to create bridges out of floating objects.
Taking place 30 years after the events of Golden Sun and Golden Sun: The Lost Age for the Game Boy™ Advance system, Golden Sun: Dark Dawn introduces a new generation of heroes that are struggling to survive in a radically changed world. What begins as a simple journey to rescue a lost friend turns into a dramatic quest to save the land from catastrophe as players are drawn into a world full of magical energy.
The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings – Release date confirmed
– More hot news on the title coming November 18th during CD Projekt’s Spring conference! –
SYDNEY, Australia, – November 17th 2010 – The speculation comes to an end! CD Projekt RED today confirmed the release date of the one of the most acclaimed RPG titles of 2011. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings is targeted for a release on May 17, 2011. Release dates in specific territories may vary, and will be confirmed closer to the date.
“We’ve decided to move the launch date back a few weeks to afford us more time to polish the game,” said Adam Badowski, project lead at CD Projekt RED. “Of course, we know that players would like to get the game as soon as possible, so we hope that they will forgive us! We strongly believe that the extra time spent polishing the title will be well worth the wait.”
There’s more hot news to come during CD Projekt’s Spring conference, which will take place on November 19th. Most importantly, there will be more detailed information about the approaching worldwide launch of the title, as well as the Collector’s Edition of The Witcher 2. Moreover, CD Projekt RED will present pre-order information from all around the world.
And there won’t be a lack of controversial topics! The developers will explain their philosophy with regards to DRM implementation in their titles. We’ll know how the studio’s words translate into facts and how it will impact The Witcher 2.
The conference will be transmitted online both for media representatives and players. In order to get the online accreditation, all media representatives are asked to contact tom@thewitcher.com and marcin.marzecki@cdprojektred.com. The transmission itself will start for both journalists and gamers on November the 19th on 7:00 AEDT (on www.thewitcher.com and facebook.com/thewitcher)
New Payment Methods
AUSTRALIA, 17.11.2010 – After the successful launch of Runes of Magic in Australia last month, there has an overwhelming positive response from the Australian and New Zealand gamers enjoying the locally hosted ROM servers and support we are providing. We opened the Diamond Store a short while long ago and many ROM gamers are happy with using the Credit Card payment service we provide. As of today, Credit Cards are just one way to purchase Diamonds. We are happy to announce the New payment methods for Runes of Magic Australia have arrived with the integration of PayPal now complete. It enables those players without a credit card to take advantage of the many items available in the Diamond Store. PayPal allows the direct transfer of funds from your personal bank account to pay for goods and items without the need of a credit or debit card.
Along with the integration of PayPal, American Express has also been implemented into the payment options. For those of you who prefer dealing in hard currency, Runes of Magic game cards are available in 4 EB stores in South East Queensland and one store in New Zealand. You can purchase a ROM game card from the following stores:
SE Queensland
Garden City
Toombul
Chermside Store 1
Chermside Store 2
New Zealand
Manukau
Runes of Magic – A world full of magic and adventure
Runes of Magic has redefined the standard for free-to-play MMORPGs with its wide range of features. The online role-play game is based on an exciting, multi-layered story, driven by more than 2,800 quests set in the atmospheric fantasy world of Taborea which spreads over two continents. Players choose one of eight classes which they can combine with a secondary class. Each class combination has individually assigned elite skills. Runes of Magic offers two races to choose between, the elves and the humans, which can be customized using the wide selection of available physical characteristics. A large range of furniture and other functional items lets players furnish and customise their own virtual homes. In guilds, groups of players can construct their own guild castles which may then be expanded with additional buildings and powerful siege engines allowing them to go head-to-head in absorbing guild wars. Thanks to comprehensive crafting and rankin! g systems, gripping player vs. player features such as arenas and open battlefields, flexible and extensive customization of the user interface, a selection of demanding dungeons and many other features ‘Runes of Magic’ has something for everyone. So far Runes of Magic has attracted over 5 million registered users making it one of the most popular and successful free-to-play MMORPGs on the market.
Runes of Magic Features
Dual class system with eight classes and unique elite skills
Individual furnishing of player housing and guild castles
Gripping player-versus-player duels in arenas and on the battlefield
Guilds can set themselves against each other in formidable guild wars
In-depth story experienced through above 2,800 quests laced with epic quest-lines
Easy travel using portals and a wide range of mounts
Challenging boss-combat in dangerous and extensive dungeons with up to 36 players
Dual difficulty levels in the most challenging dungeons
Entertaining mini-games for single players and guilds alike
Dynamic crafting and customization of items
Versatile role play elements including a marriage system
Regular comprehensive free updates with new game content
www.runesofmagic.com.au
About N3V Games PTY LTD
Australia’s Biggest Independent Game Publisher!
The golden sandy beaches and rolling surf of Australia’s Gold Coast houses Australia’s biggest independent video game publisher, N3V Games!
N3V Games has built Rock Solid partnerships with industry heavyweights like Nintendo and Sony as well as a myriad of top notch game developers and publishers including 1C Company, Akella, CDV, DTP, EA, Endgame Studios, Focus, Frogster, Frozenbyte, GFI, Half Brick, Hot Head, Idea, JoWooD, Just-A-Game, Koch, Kylotonn, Lexis Numerique, Lighthouse, Merscom, Monte Cristo, Nobilis, Noviy Disk, Paradox, Playlogic, PQube, Real, Stardock, Techland and Timetrip just to name a few.
For Indie Developers, working with publishers can sometimes leave you banging your head against a brick wall. You’re too busy making games to be dealing with IP ownership, marketing, contracts and dealing with 10 different producers, marketing, QA, biz dev and accounting people. N3V Games guarantees you speedy feedback when evaluating your product and will handle all publishing aspects when signing your title so you can focus on doing what you do best, making knockout games! Website: www.n3vgames.com
About Runewaker Entertainment Ltd.
Runewaker Entertainment was founded in August of 2004, with headquarters located in Taichung, Taiwan. The founding members were all very experienced in the field and decided to come together to pursue their dream. Currently Runewaker employs over 100 highly skilled programmers, designers and artists and is constantly expanding. Runewaker specializes in making massively multiplayer online role playing games (MMORPG). The company has built their own engine from scratch which rivals some of the best available on the market. Runewaker is constantly producing more content for Runes of Magic. Website: www.runewaker.com
Frogster – We take you to a new world!
The Berlin based Frogster Interactive Pictures AG, listed on the stock exchange, has focused on the growth sector of massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) at an early stage already. The company licenses, markets and operates its virtual worlds for millions of players in Europe, Asia and North America. In Europe its subsidiary Frogster Online Gaming GmbH is taking care of the operating business of the Frogster group. Founded in 2006 and based in Seoul, the Korean joint venture Frogster Asia Co. Ltd. markets and operates virtual worlds in Asia. Frogster America Inc., based in San Francisco, was founded in January of 2009 and markets and operates MMO games in North America. At their offices in Berlin, Seoul and San Francisco, the Frogster group employs more than 200 staff members in the fields of game development, licensing, IT, web design and web development, product management, marketing, PR, web publishing, community management, customer supp! ort, hosting, sales, billing and finance/administration. In the year 2008, Frogster won the “Landmark in the Land of Ideas”, a competition under the patronage of the German President. Additional information is available at: www.frogster.de
BETHESDA SOFTWORKS REVEALS DETAILS FOR FIRST FALLOUT®: NEW VEGAS™ DOWNLOADABLE CONTENT
‘Dead Money’ Available December 21st Exclusively on Xbox LIVE
Sydney, Australia – November 18, 2010 – Bethesda Softworks®, a ZeniMax® Media company, today announced that Dead Money, the first downloadable content for Fallout®: New Vegas™, will be available exclusively on Xbox LIVE® for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft beginning December 21st, 2010.
“We’re pleased to give fans a chance to expand their experience in Fallout: New Vegas this December with Dead Money,” said Pete Hines, VP of PR and Marketing for Bethesda Softworks. “The release of Dead Money illustrates our commitment to creating entertaining add-on content for players to enjoy in already massive games like Fallout: New Vegas.”
As the victim of a raw deal you must work alongside three other captured wastelanders to recover the legendary treasure of the Sierra Madre Casino. In Dead Money, your life hangs in the balance as you face new terrain, foes, and choices. It is up to you how you play your cards in the quest to survive.
Fallout: New Vegas, the follow-up to Fallout 3 – the 2008 Game of the Year – brings this beloved franchise to a location only Fallout could do justice: Vegas. Fallout: New Vegas takes all the action, humour and post-apocalyptic grime and grit of this legendary series, and raises the stakes.
Reviews of Fallout: New Vegas have called the game as “an utterly essential purchase” (MSN UK) and as “addictively, rambunctiously fun” (Entertainment Weekly). The Associated Press awarded it a 4 out of 4 stars and said “Bottom Line: It’s a Blast”, while GameSpy gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars and called Fallout: New Vegas “one of the best games of the year.”
Published by Bethesda Softworks and developed at Obsidian Entertainment, Dead Money will be available for 800 Microsoft points.
For more information on Fallout: New Vegas, including the game’s downloadable content, please visit http://fallout.bethsoft.com.
“Daily App Dream” Content Portal Announced, Supporting FREE Games On All iOS Platforms!
Do YOU Want The Best Games & App Titles At Zero Cost?
Daily App Dream is a new games and app portal of content offering free app dreams come true for consumers and developers alike! Launching in December this incredible content portal helps developers enhance the discoverability of their titles by running limited-time free promotions of high-quality games and apps covering all iOS platforms, and offers consumers a chance to experience those products first-hand.
Daily App Dream is conceived by renowned independent games developer Assyria Game Studios and offers to consumers a way of getting the latest and greatest iOS content for a limited time at no cost! Unlike “free” (light) versions of software already available in the App Store, the Daily App Dream portal offers to everyone the luxury of trying out full games traditionally only available as paid products. To consumers, Daily App Dream is a Christmas present: hand-picked, top quality games and apps available as a free download! And Christmas comes early to independent games and app developers too – because unlike similar portals and services, Daily App Dream is wholly operated on an advertising revenue basis allowing developers with AAA content, but limited PR & Marketing budget, to get their titles exposed to every consumer interested in trying out high-quality games and apps! Daily App Dream is truly what its name implies, a way for developers and consumers to have dreams come true on a daily basis!
When Daily App Dream opens its doors in December, there will be no less than 21 games going FREE in the opening week (3 games per day). Further announcements will be made disclosing the launch titles, and among the initial batch of products, there is at least one #1 paid game available on opening day at no charge! In addition to being a content portal for games and app products of the highest quality, Daily App Dream also has a Facebook application (http://apps.facebook.com/dailyappdream), and a soon-to-be-launched Apple iPhone™ and & Apple iPod touch® app. The Daily App Dream (app) is really awesome as it allows consumers to read reviews of games and apps from within the app itself!
Developers interested in being part of this exiting service are welcomed to submit their titles for evaluation and book a campaign by visiting www.dailyappdream.com/Developers.html. Consumers interested in receiving daily promotions and (daily) FREE games and apps should sign up immediately by visiting www.dailyappdream.com and submit their contact information!
ASUS Offers the Best Combination of Ultra Slim Design and Supercharged Performance with New U Series Notebooks
Sydney, Australia, 16 November 2010 — ASUS today announced the latest models in its award winning U Series of notebooks, the U31 and U41. Continuing in the footsteps of their predecessors, the U31 and U41 models are equipped with the latest Intel® Core™ i5 processors, and remain stylish and lightweight. Enhanced with Super Hybrid Engine technology for up to a 15% performance increase* and an NVIDIA® processor* which supports DirectX©11, they are designed less than an inch thick for maximum portability without compromising on power.
Supercharged Performance
U31 and U41 notebooks are powered by Intel® Core™ i5 processors and further boosted by ASUS’ Super Hybrid Engine (SHE) technology. Extra processing power is just one click away with Extra Performance Boost mode, which overclocks the CPU for a performance increase of up to 15%*. For graphics power, the notebooks sport an NVIDIA® GeForce® GPU, which supports DirectX© 11 for an enhanced multimedia experience.
Extended Battery Life
The U31 and U41 feature two incredible energy-optimising technologies that work in unison to help extend battery life to over 10 hours*. Super Hybrid Engine works to intelligently reduce notebook power consumption when performing less demanding tasks, while NVIDIA® Optimus™ technology auto-switches between the dedicated GeForce GT415M graphics and the integrated GPU to meet the demands of graphics being rendered, ensuring that battery power is not wasted.
Ultra Slim Design
The U31 and U41 series notebooks feature an elegant design that measures less than an inch thick and is light weight for maximum portability, without sacrificing performance. Brandishing an eye catching brushed aluminum LCD lid and a choice of black or silver finishes, the U31 and U41 are rugged enough to handle daily trips to the office, yet slip easily into a bag or briefcase for easy transportation.
*Product performance and battery life will vary depending on usage and model.
Melbourne Museum and Scienceworks win Victorian Tourism Awards
Melbourne Museum and Scienceworks win Victorian Tourism Awards
Museum Victoria venues Melbourne Museum and Scienceworks have both been recognised for their significant contribution to Victorian tourism at the RACV 2010 Victorian Tourism Awards.
Melbourne Museum received top honours at last night’s award ceremony with the Melbourne Airport Award for Major Tourist Attraction, while Scienceworks received the Herald Sun Award for Tourist Attraction.
Both Melbourne Museum and Scienceworks will now compete on a national level when they represent Victoria in the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards to be held in Perth in March 2011.
“The last financial year has been one of landmark achievements for Melbourne Museum and Scienceworks, and these awards have been very well deserved,” said Dr Patrick Greene, CEO, Museum Victoria.
“Melbourne Museum is going from strength to strength with a winning mix: free entry for children and concessions and a year-round program of exhibitions and activities for people of all ages.”
“The same is true of Scienceworks, providing an environment for children and families to experience science as a source of excitement and adventure.”
Both museums celebrated a successful and record-breaking 2009-10 financial year, with Melbourne Museum recording an impressive 1,077 773 visitors and Scienceworks receiving 538,000 visitors – the highest recorded visitation numbers for both museums.
Since opening at the Carlton Gardens precinct on 21 October 2000, the Melbourne Museum has welcomed more than 7.5 million people through its doors, while Scienceworks has greeted 6.3 million visitors since opening to the public in 1992.
“The year’s record visitation for Scienceworks reflects the enormous popularity of Star Wars: Where Science Meets the Imagination, an international exhibition which was presented at only two museums in Australia” said Dr Greene.
“Melbourne Museum’s innovative permanent exhibitions combined with internationally acclaimed travelling exhibitions such as A Day in Pompeii and this year’s Titanic: The Artefact Exhibition has made it the country’s most popular museum.”
The Victorian Tourism Awards recognises and rewards organisations that contribute excellence, innovation and commitment to the Victorian tourism industry.
For further public information on Museum Victoria, phone 13 11 02 or visit museumvictoria.com.au