Sydney, AUSTRALIA – September 29th, 2010 – Marvel’s famous web-slinger is back in action and on store shelves in Spider-Man™: Shattered Dimensions from Activision Publishing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI).  Activision development studio Beenox has created a unique, immersive experience allowing fans to play as four distinct versions of Spider-Man in four unique worlds – Amazing, Noir, 2099 and Ultimate – in a race to save their universes against the villainous machinations of Mysterio, Carnage, Deadpool, Vulture, Kraven and more.  

“The team at Beenox is giving fans an incredibly diverse Spider-Man™ video game experience,” said David Pokress, Head of Marketing for Licensed Properties, Activision Publishing, Inc. “Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions casts players in an epic action adventure where they battle in four different worlds, rife with classic villains re-interpreted within each world, offering a rich variety of gameplay and striking art styles in one unique storyline.”

Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions transports players to a variety of locations, from lush jungles and sand quarries to a futuristic NYC, and allows them to use unique gameplay styles for each Spider-Man, including stealth moves in Noir, gliding maneuvers in 2099, black-suited tendril attacks in Ultimate, and innovative web combat in Amazing.

Penned by acclaimed Marvel comic book writer Dan Slott, the story takes players on a mission to restore the magical energy of the Tablet of Order and Chaos, which has been shattered and scattered across parallel universes. Gamers are challenged to battle fan-favourite villains such as the lethal Kraven and a custom, never-before-seen Noir version of Hammerhead, in a quest to restore the fabric of reality. 

Each of the actors voicing Spider-Man in the game has portrayed the web-slinger in previous Spider-Man animated television series.  Neil Patrick Harris (Amazing Spider-Man) voiced the wall-crawler in “Spider-Man: The New Animated Series” in 2003; Josh Keaton (Ultimate Spider-Man) was the voice of Spider-Man in “The Spectacular Spider-Man” from 2008-2009; Dan Gilvezan (Spider-Man 2099) starred in “Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends” from 1981-1983; and Christopher Daniel Barnes (Spider-Man Noir) voiced the iconic Super Hero™ in “Spider-Man,” the 1994 series.

Additionally, legendary Spider-Man co-creator and comic book icon Stan Lee will guide players through the storyline of Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions as the game’s narrator, and Emmy Award-winning composer Jim Dooley has created an original orchestral score for the game.

Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions is rated “M” for Violence by the Australian Classification Board and is available now on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Wii™ and soon to be available on Windows PC, all developed by Beenox.  A Nintendo DS™ version, developed by Griptonite, is also now available and features a side-scrolling adventure full of unique villains, such as the first-ever appearance of Calypso Noir and two other boss characters created exclusively for this version.

Please contact me for any further information or assets. Press kit assets are available for download at www.activision.com/presscenter.  For more information or to join the Hero HQ VIP community, visit www.SpiderManDimensions.com.

About Marvel Entertainment

Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of over 5,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years.  Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing.  For more information visit www.marvel.com. 

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products.

Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, South Korea, China and the region of Taiwan. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activision.com.

Gamers to Experience the Largest Guitar Hero® Set List to Date
 
Sydney, AUSTRALIA – September 29, 2010 – Join the quest to save rock, as Activision Publishing, Inc.’s (Nasdaq: ATVI) highly-anticipated Guitar Hero®: Warriors of Rock hits store shelves nationwide today.  Featuring the largest on-disc set-list ever in a Guitar Hero® game, Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock’s furious finger-fretting rock music collection is headlined by some of the largest bands in rock and includes original tracks, re-records and bands making their Guitar Hero debut.  With the all-new, rock inspired guitar controller, gamers will embark on an epic journey from the halls of punk music to the lava fields of rock treachery in the first ever Guitar Hero story-driven Quest Mode narrated by KISS front man Gene Simmons.  Additionally, challenge hungry achievement junkies will find the game’s all-new Quickplay+ up to par as they strive to master the 13 star challenges packed into every one of the 90+ on-disc songs as well as every song in their Guitar Hero music library. 

“Guitar Hero:  Warriors of Rock delivers the ultimate rock fantasy – from the all-new guitar controller, the epic Quest Mode and the incredible soundtrack, this game gives fans what they love and expect from Guitar Hero,” said David Haddad, Chief Operating Officer, Guitar Hero.  “The innovative features and rewards combined with the biggest Guitar Hero on-disc set list ever, make Warriors of Rock the best Guitar Hero experience to date.”

With over 550 downloadable and importable songs available at launch, the Guitar Hero music library provides gamers with hundreds of hours of additional, upgraded content that utilise all of the new features from Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock.  Additionally, Soundgarden and Guitar Hero fans alike can purchase the full Telephantasm album as downloadable content playable in Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock starting today.

In Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, join with friends on an epic journey to save rock.  Featuring an impressive 90+ track set list and a host of all-new gameplay features, living room legends and their friends can strum, drum and wail in the most immersive music videogame experience to date.  Delivering a rock music collection that focuses on guitar shredding hits from bands such as Black Sabbath, Slipknot and Megadeth and larger-than-life band anthems from Queen, Muse and KISS, players can unleash more rewards and unlockable content than ever before in Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock’s Quest Mode and Quickplay+. Virtual rock stars can also deliver the ultimate smack talk to opponents with the built-in Hero Feed, which brings bragging rights to the game by allowing players to challenge and track their friends’ accomplishments, whether the friend is online or offline.   Returning this year, the critically acclaimed Party Play allows gamers to jump in and out of gameplay seamlessly while challenge mode invites up to four players local and eight players online to compete in a series of gameplay competitions to prove who rules the stage. 

Available now, Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock was developed by Neversoft Entertainment for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and by Vicarious Visions for the Wii™ system from Nintendo.  For more information about Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, downloadable content and disc imports, please visit GuitarHero.com, facebook.com/guitarhero and twitter.com/guitarhero.

Activision Broadcast Media Center
Members of the media can visit Activision Publishing’s Broadcast Media Center to download broadcast quality video, web-ready video and high-resolution images.  Broadcast Media Center:  http://www.activisionvideo.com/

About Activision Publishing, Inc.
Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products.

Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, South Korea, China and the region of Taiwan. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activision.com.

Kids Will Rule the Skies in this Action Flight Adventure Game Inspired by the Upcoming Animated 3D Feature Film  

SYDNEY, Australia – September 29, 2010 – Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment today announces the launch of Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole – The Videogame, based on the upcoming 3D fantasy family adventure film from Warner Bros. Pictures, in association with Village Roadshow Pictures, which opens in theatres nationwide on September 30. The game is now available for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, Wii™ and Nintendo DS™.

In Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole – The Videogame, players take on the role of a young owl eager to earn the right to be called a Guardian, a sworn protector of the owl kingdoms.  Armed with steely battle-claws, kids can take the fight against evil to the air with in-flight melee combat never before experienced in a videogame.  Set in the visually stunning world of Ga’Hoole, players can soar free above a vast and varied world, with locations both adapted directly from the film and pulled from the lore of the book series.

Based on the film directed by Zack Snyder and the bestselling book series Guardians of Ga’Hoole by author Kathryn Lasky, Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole – The Videogame allows kids of varying skill levels to customize and control their owl on a thrilling journey across mythic terrains.  Younger players can easily master flying with the easy pick-up-and-play controls, while older players will enjoy the deeper combat systems that allow for advanced fighting combos and battle techniques.

Legends of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole – The Videogame, was developed for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii™ by Krome Studios and for Nintendo DS™ by Tantalus Media.  The game is rated G and available at major retailers on Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION 3 for a S.R.P. of $69.95 and Wii and Nintendo DS for a S.R.P. of $49.95.

U23D: The IMAX 3D Experience

U23D returns to the southern hemisphere’s largest 3D screen for a limited time from 7 October! Get yourself pumped for the U2 360º tour by watching them in IMAX 3D first! U23D is the ultimate movie concert, putting you within the pulsing energy of a live U2 stadium concert. With a giant screen IMAX 3D image and 15,000 watts of digital surround sound, you will be immersed in a theatrical experience unlike any concert film that has come before! Shot in South America during the ‘Vertigo’ tour, U23D continues the band’s use of technology to create exceptional multisensory experiences.
Date: 7 October, 2010

Cost: $22.50 adults, $18.50 concession, $16.50 child, $68.00 family (2 adults & 2 children) 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1: The IMAX 3D Experience

Experience Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 in IMAX 3D on the world’s third largest screen at IMAX Melbourne Museum! The highly anticipated seventh and final adventure in the Harry Potter film series will be told in two full-length parts. Part 1 begins as Harry, Ron and Hermione set out on their perilous mission to track down and destroy the secret to Voldemort’s immortality and destruction—the Horcruxes. On their own, without the guidance of their professors or the protection of Professor Dumbledore, the three friends must now rely on one another more than ever. But there are dark forces in their midst that threaten to tear them apart.
Release Date: 18 November, 2010

Tickets: $24.00 adults, $19.50 concession, $17.50 child, $72.00 family (2 adults & 2 children)

Tron Legacy: The IMAX 3D Experience

Tron Legacy is set for an IMAX 3D release at IMAX Melbourne Museum from 16 December, 2010. The intense high-tech 3D adventure starring Jeff Bridges, is set in a digital world that’s unlike anything ever captured on the big screen.  Sam Flynn (Hedlund), the tech-savvy 27-year-old son of Kevin Flynn (Bridges), looks into his father’s disappearance and finds himself pulled into the digital world of Tron where his father has been living for 25 years. Along with Kevin’s loyal confidant Quorra (Wilde), father and son embark on a life-and-death journey of escape across a visually-stunning cyber universe that has become far more advanced and exceedingly dangerous.

Release Date: 16 December, 2010

Tickets: $24.00 adults, $19.50 concession, $17.50 child, $72.00 family (2 adults & 2 children)

IMAX Melbourne Museum, Rathdowne Street, Carlton.  Films screen daily from 10.00am. For session times visit www.imaxmelbourne.com.au or call 03 9663 5454

Undoubtedly the greatest Christmas tale of them all, Charles Dickens’ classic A CHRISTMAS CAROL, comes to exceptional life when this multi-sensory, groundbreaking 3D motion picture event is released to Disney Blu-ray ^TM Value pack and DVD, 24 November 2010!   

Set in a harsh and unforgiving nineteenth century London winter, comedy legend JIM CARREY stars as not only Ebenezer Scrooge – the wretched old miser too busy counting his money to care for the spirit of Christmas – but also as the Ghost of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come.  

Another miserable Christmas Eve starts for Scrooge with a visit from his cheery nephew Fred (COLIN FIRTH) and an invitation to Christmas dinner. This does little to change Scrooge’s contempt for the holiday, and when his long-suffering employee Bob Cratchit (GARY OLDMAN) requests the day off to be with his family, it is almost all too much!

That night, alone in his mansion, Scrooge is visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past; the first of three visits this night. The first spirit takes Scrooge on a journey to past Christmas’s that have helped create the man he is today. Scrooge painfully witnesses his own neglect as a boy, the death of his loving sister: Fred’s mother Fran (ROBIN WRIGHT PENN), and the disintegration of his relationship to the love of his life due to his obsession with money.

Managing to rid himself of this spirit, he is soon visited by the next in the form of the Ghost of Christmas Present. This time, Scrooge is shown what it is to not only embrace the Christmas spirit, but the joy that Christmas brings to the people in his life. He witnesses Fred making jokes at his expense during the Christmas dinner he should be at, and the poor plight of the Cratchit family.  Scrooge cannot ignore the troubles of Cratchit’s young son Tiny Tim, who regardless of his condition and little time left, is full of the Christmas spirit.

The final spirit to visit Scrooge is the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come: a spirit intent on delivering insight to Scrooge about the Christmas he can expect because of his greed. Scrooge is terrified by the disrespect and lack of care he receives from the people near to him. He is also saddened to learn of Tiny Tim’s death and observes the Cratchit family mourning on Christmas Day.

As Scrooge begs for a second chance, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come forces him into his grave and on a journey into hell.

Will Scrooge manage to turn his life around? Can this eye-opening journey have him face up to a new path and see Scrooge embrace Christmas with a passion for its true meaning?

Directed and written for the screen by Academy Award® winning filmmaker ROBERT ZEMECKIS (Beowulf and The Polar Express) a master of 3D animation, A CHRISTMAS CAROL also stars BOB HOSKINS and CARY ELWE`S.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL on Disney Blu-ray and DVD is a must-own for any family, with the spirit of Christmas living on in the fabulous bonus features, including deleted scenes, a ‘Capturing Dickens’ featurette and more.

Don’t miss the chance to celebrate the spirit of Christmas with the fabulous A CHRISTMAS CAROL released 24 November 2010 on Disney Blu-ray™ Value Pack and DVD*.

* Value pack contains a Blu-ray Disc plus a DVD copy of the film in a single package.

Available to own: 24 November 2010

Rated: PG

Running time:  92 minutes (DVD)/ Blu-ray TBC 

To provide consumers with unprecedented quality, value and portability of their favourite Disney movies, in 2008 WDSHE pioneered the Value Pack – a Blu-ray Disc^TM plus a DVD copy of the film in a single package.

29 September 2010, Australia – The highly anticipated EA SPORTS MMA demo is now available for Australian mixed martial arts fans to download for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3! 
 
Jump right into a match via “Fight Now” to experience the intensity of MMA in two weight classes: heavyweight and middleweight. Fans can take control of current STRIKEFORCE heavyweight champion, Alistair Overeem, or utilise the brute strength of former professional wrestler, Bobby Lashley. The two middleweights featured in the demo are predominantly Jiu-Jitsu fighters – the top ranked Jake Shields, as well as the always entertaining Jason “Mayhem” Miller.
 
For the “Fight Now” experience, step into the STRIKEFORCE cage at the HP Pavilion and test your mettle across four different skill levels. Learn the ropes via the “MMA 101” interactive tutorial that pits rivals Shields vs. Miller in a ring at the Horizon Center of Japan.  EA SPORTS MMA is the only game that allows you to travel the globe and experience different fighting environments, rule sets, and training locations. 
 
By sharing the demo with friends, fans can unlock “Classic” Randy Couture as a playable character in the full version of the game. Additional information outlining the exclusive EA SPORTS Live Broadcast mode, as well as other modes like Career, Fight Card, Create-A-Fighter (featuring Photo Game Face), Fighter Share and Online Belt Rank are detailed in the demo.
 
EA SPORTS MMA will feature the most authentic, intense and broad mixed martial arts experience to date – complete with a vast array of top fighters and fighting styles from around the world. EA SPORTS MMA will be available on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in Australia from 21 October, 2010.
 
For more information visit www.easportsmma.com or follow the game on Twitter at www.twitter.com/easportsmma and Facebook at www.facebook.com/easportsmma.

To view the Online demo trailer, please follow the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyWyv4I41Ng

Fierce Ninja Action is ready to be Unleashed 

SYDNEY, Australia – 29 September  2010 – Leading video game publisher NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe S.A.S., today announced that NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 has gone gold for the Xbox 360^® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation^®3 computer entertainment system.  Based on the popular NARUTO SHIPPUDEN animated series, the game offers a brand new online mode, an evolved Character Support system and gripping storyline to deliver a nail-biting experience. NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 is scheduled to be released throughout Australasia on October 15, 2010.

Developed by CyberConnect2, NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 brings the anime series to life with rich content and engaging gameplay. While there are two sides to every story, NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 has three. Encompassing the NARUTO SHIPPUDEN story arc, players will live the adventure through the eyes of Naruto, Sasuke and Jiraiya. In addition to these fan-favourite ninjas, the game will include more than 40 playable warriors for more intense epic battles. As an added bonus, Lars Alexandersson, of TEKKEN 6 fame, will appear as an unlockable guest character. Bringing his explosive signature moves to the game’s versus mode, Lars will also appear in his TEKKEN 6 costume designed by NARUTO creator Masashi Kishimoto.

Faithfully recreating the anime universe, players will not only be able to travel through the stomping grounds of Hidden Leaf Village, but also Tenchi Bridge, Orochimaru’s Hideout, and now Mount Myoboku. Additionally for the first time in the Ultimate Ninja series, online versus play will be available to let budding ninja flex their jutsu muscle and take on the world. Featuring an evolved Support Character system, players must strategically recruit the correct allies to help unleash bigger and more explosive Team Ultimate Jutsu upon enemies who stand in the way.

Naruto is the #1 best-selling manga in many parts of the world, with the hit anime TV series currently broadcast worldwide to massive audiences.  Since 2003 NAMCO BANDAI Games has been the leading company selling video games based on the Naruto license.

For more information about NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe and its entire line up of games please visit www.namcobandaigames.eu.

Join the ninja Community on www.facebook.com/Narutogames to get more information about Naruto Videogames from Namco Bandai Games.

“How d’you like them Apples?” – Naughty Bear 

Gold Coast, Australia – 28 September 2010 – Following the worldwide success of Naughty Bear for the home console systems, 505 Games and developer Artificial Mind and Movement (A2M) today announced the release of an Apple iPhone/iPod^® Touch game featuring everyone’s favourite omni-present and, let’s face it, omni-moody bear.

“In the last six months Naughty Bear has captured the imagination of a very wide fan-base and very quickly become an icon within the gaming world and a beacon for the disenfranchised and the disgruntled everywhere,” said Tim Woodley, Head of Global Brand Management, 505 Games. “With the launch of the iPhone version, Naughty Bear fans can finally, and quite literally, take matters into their own hands.”

“We knew that Naughty Bear was perfect for on-the-go gaming and put a lot of time into refining the experience to reflect the new format, controls and objectives,” said David Osborne, creative director at Artificial Mind and Movement.

Naughty Bear for the iPhone delivers an all-new way to take control of the vengeful title role and once again wreak havoc on every stuffing-filled foe that crosses your path. With a unique control system tailored specifically for the iPhone and iPod Touch’s touchscreen inputs and a top-down viewpoint, the camera zooms in for up-close-and-not-so-personable signature kill moves which have become the trademark of our hapless bear.

Following the already established formula of the console versions, the game features a vast array of weapons, objects and scare tactics for gamers to employ to maim, bash and slash their island cohabitants in the quest for ever-important Naughty Points, earned by exacting sweet revenge against any stuffed animal brave—or stupid—enough to cross Naughty’s path. 

Naughty Bear is available now for Apple’s iPhone & iPod Touch through the App Store for $3.99 AUD.

New Professional-Grade Tablet Delivers Unmatched Power and Web Performance

September 27, 2010 – BlackBerry DEVCON 2010, San Francisco, CA  – Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today redefined the possibilities for mobile computing with the unveiling of its new professional-grade BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet and BlackBerry® Tablet OS.

Perfect for either large organizations or an “army of one”, the BlackBerry PlayBook is designed to give users what they want, including uncompromised web browsing, true multitasking and high performance multimedia, while also providing advanced security features, out-of-the-box enterprise support and a breakthrough development platform for IT departments and developers. The incredibly powerful and innovative BlackBerry PlayBook is truly a game-changing product in the growing tablet marketplace.

“RIM set out to engineer the best professional-grade tablet in the industry with cutting-edge hardware features and one of the world’s most robust and flexible operating systems,” said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO at Research In Motion. “The BlackBerry PlayBook solidly hits the mark with industry leading power, true multitasking, uncompromised web browsing and high performance multimedia.”

Logitech Surround Sound Speakers Z506 Deliver Immersive Sound for Music, Movies, Games 

SYDNEY, Aust. — 28 September, 2010 — To give you big, 5.1 sound for your music, movies and games, today Logitech (SIX: LOGN) (NASDAQ: LOGI) unveiled the next-generation Logitech® Surround Sound Speakers Z506. Giving you the flexibility to set up your system the way you want, Logitech’s newest speaker set lets you connect nearly any entertainment device, including a laptop, plasma or LCD TV, mobile phone, PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™), Xbox 360®, Wii®, iPod®, iPad®, iPhone® or even a DVD player.

The Z506 is Logitech’s latest edition to its Z Series range of speakers and compliments its existing audio portfolio of iPod® speaker docks, laptop speakers, Ultimate Ears earphones, headsets, gaming headsets and laptop stands with speakers.

“We designed the Logitech Z506 Speakers so you can set them up the way you want to in any room of your home,” said Mark Schneider, vice president and general manager of Logitech’s audio business unit. “The Logitech Z506 speakers can support nearly any home-entertainment design, letting you quickly connect to a game console, plasma/LCD TV or DVD player using an RCA connection. Or connect to a laptop, or a digital music player using the 3.5mm input. Now, immersing yourself in surround sound is simple.”

To make the Logitech Surround Sound Speakers Z506 easy to setup, all of the cables are colour coded and the system includes an accessory cable for sound cards and music players. Or, for gamers, you can connect the Z506 speakers directly to the game console’s existing RCA cable. Plus, the Z506 Speakers support two devices connected simultaneously — for example, a game console and a digital music player.

Featuring 3D Stereo surround sound, the Z506 speakers can convert two-channel stereo into an immersive surround sound experience — enveloping you in the action of your favourite movies or delivering a competitive advantage in games in which you need to hear the enemy sneaking up behind you.

Offering 75 watts (RMS) of power, these surround sound speakers will fill the room with sound — and even rattle a few windows. The ported, down-firing subwoofer delivers deep bass that brings your music, movies and games to life. Plus, you’re in command with the dedicated bass control, letting you dial the bass up or down for as much (or little) boom as you want. And when you don’t want to disturb anyone in the house, the Logitech Surround Sound Speakers Z506 include a headphone jack for private listening.

Pricing and Availability

The Logitech Surround Sound Speakers Z506 have an RRP of $149.95 and are available now in Australia from major electrical retailers including www.logitechshop.com.au, Dick Smith, Officeworks, JB HiFi, Big W, Harvey Norman, The Good Guys, Myer, WOW and Bing Lee

The Z506 speakers are also available from distributors Ingram Micro, Scholastic Australia, Altech and Fluidtek IT.

The full range of Logitech speaker systems can be found at http://www.logitech.com/en-au/speakers-audio/home-pc-speakers.

For a video overview of the Logitech Surround Sound Speakers Z506 please visit: http://bit.ly/Logitech_Z506_speakers.