Memories of Timor Leste at the Immigration Museum

A new exhibition that celebrates an East Timorese ritual devoted to remembering those who have departed will go on view at the Immigration Museum from 19 September 2010 to 10 April 2011.

Honouring our Ancestors: Remembering Timor Leste explores Se Matebian, a ritual that takes place each year on 2 November or All Souls Day. This significant ritual honours East Timorese ancestors and brings to mind all those who died during the battle for independence from Indonesian rule from 1975 to 1999. Honouring our Ancestors looks at how the East Timorese community in Australia continues to practise this ritual today.

Se Matebian means ‘to whom this soul belongs’. The ritual involves offerings of food for departed family and friends and prayers for their protection and guidance followed by feasting. In Timor Leste, All Souls Day celebrations also include processions to Mount Matebian which has been regarded as a resting place for souls for countless generations.

“Se Matebian is a happy celebration”, said Filomena Freitas. “We are filled with joy and burdens are lifted. We sit and eat knowing that our ancestors’ souls are near us”.

Honouring our Ancestors: Remembering Timor Leste also features personal stories and reflections from Australia’s East Timorese community. Objects in the exhibition include a silver breast plate and head piece worn by elders during ceremonial peace, a silver jewellery box with an ancestral worship home on top, jewellery associated with ancestors, timber statues representing ancestors, hand woven baskets and East Timorese fabrics.

“By showing objects that are highly significant to cultural survival for the East Timorese, the exhibition honours the importance of rituals and the vital role of cultural maintenance in times of tragedy,” says Padmini Sebastian, Immigration Museum Manager.

In 1975, after Indonesia invaded Timor Leste following the withdrawal of Portuguese colonial control, thousands of East Timorese fled overseas. Over the next decade the Timor Leste born community in Victoria increased from 367 in 1976 to over 2,784 in 1986. Thousands more came to Australia as refugees following the referendum for independence in 1999, which sparked violence in Timor Leste. Victoria has the highest number of East Timorese immigrants in Australia, with over 5,000 in total.

The Immigration Museum, through its Community Exhibitions, provides a forum for a community’s shared voices to tell their migration story. Community exhibitions are created by communities themselves with support from the Museum. The Community Gallery has been open for over 10 years, and has hosted more than 50 Community Exhibitions.

Honouring our Ancestors: Remembering Timor Leste
Immigration Museum
19 September 2010 to 10 April 2011
Adults $8, Children and Concession FREE

Immigration Museum, 400 Flinders Street, Melbourne. Admission: Adults $8, Children and Concession FREE.
Open daily 10.00am to 5.00pm. Phone 13 11 02 or visit museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum

Sports Interactive Confirm Football Manager 2011 Release This Year  

Thursday 12^th August 2010 – Sports Interactive & SEGA® Europe Ltd. today announced that Football Manager™ 2011 for PC and Apple Macintosh, and Football Manager Handheld™ 2011 for Sony PlayStation® Portable will be released before Christmas 2010. FM2011 will feature more new features than ever before, including real-time contract negotiation, a revamped training system and a number of match engine improvements, Football Manager 2011 will once again raise the bar for football management games.

Football Manager 2011 is the latest iteration of the award-winning Football Manager series. Selling in excess of 6 Million copies worldwide, Football Manager has been enjoying rapid growth in Australia and New Zealand markets over recent years as football becomes more and more popular.

Football Manager 2011 will be more polished than ever this year, and Sports Interactive will again set a new standard for the genre by adding a host of new features. For the first time ever, aspiring managers can now negotiate contracts with players in real time. And by working with a multitude of real-life football agents, Sports Interactive gained an insight as to how these negotiations can be made as realistic as possible in-game. Prepare to meet different types of agents in your contract talks; each with their own personality so will therefore need a different approach.

“At Sports Interactive, we always strive to give the end-user the best experience possible,” said Miles Jacobson, Studio Director at Sports Interactive. “The training system for example has always been the best we thought it could be, until now. We’ve found a way to make it even better!”

With the implementation of the most intuitive training system in the series history, there is a new “match preparation” area of training so that managers can give their team specific areas to focus on in the lead up to a match. There are also more basic training schedules for players, and 14 different individual skill areas that you can focus your players on.

Interaction with players, staff and the board have gone to a whole new level, with a host of new boardroom and backroom requests, a new player interaction module that allows the manager to have private conversations with players, as well as public conversations regarding players at other clubs.

Two years after the launch of the 3D Match Engine, players will see a number of improvements implemented for this year’s release. With over 100 new animations added, as well as more player emotions, new player models, new stadiums, pitch textures, improved lighting, floodlit night matches, more goal celebrations and lots of other extras which improve what was already the best match simulation on the market.

The other new features announced today include a revamped media module, which will keep the managers better up to date with events going on in their football world, as well as being more customisable than ever before, and the most requested feature that the Sports Interactive community have asked for in the last few years, dynamic league reputation, which makes for an even more realistic model of the footballing world.

Further new features will be announced via Twitter (@si_games), Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/officialfootballmanager), a series of blogs and the popular Football Manager Podcast in the months leading up to the game’s release. With more new features than anyone could ever fit in a press release, Football Manager will retain its position as the most realistic, most played, annually best selling, and highest reviewed football management simulation in the world.

Football Manager Handheld 2011 will also be available for release this year on PSP, including improvements in the tactics screen, a completely new skin, the updated database and improved match graphics.

For further information please go to www.sigames.com or www.footballmanager.com.

About Sports Interactive Ltd.:

Sports Interactive (SI) is the world’s leading developer of football management simulations through its Football Manager series of games Founded in 1994 and based in the Old Street area of London, SI has a full-time staff of 60 and employs services of more than 1,500 part-time researchers across the globe, alongside over 100 offsite beta testers. The company’s games have enjoyed an unparalleled history of commercial and critical success, with ten of its creations among the UK’s Top 20 fastest-selling PC games of all time, and 5 in the UK’s top 20 best selling PC games of all time. Sports Interactive became a wholly owned subsidiary of SEGA in 2006. Further information on the company and its games is available from the SI website, www.sigames.com.

About SEGA® Europe Ltd.:

SEGA® Europe Ltd. is the European Distribution arm of Tokyo, Japan-based SEGA® Corporation, and a worldwide leader in interactive entertainment both inside and outside the home. The company develops and distributes interactive entertainment software products for a variety of hardware platforms including PC, wireless devices, and those manufactured by Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. SEGA Europe’s web site is located at www.sega.com.

MELBOURNE, Thursday, 12 August 2010: The most widely-acclaimed Australian film of the year, ANIMAL KINGDOM will make its highly-anticipated debut on DVD ($39.95rrp) and Blu-Ray ($44.95rrp) on October 13th, 2010.

ANIMAL KINGDOM is a showcase for modern Australian cinema on DVD & Blu-Ray – with stunning video transfers and immersive audio to compliment the film’s revelatory performances, plus a host of special features and bonus material that will take viewers deep into the painstaking creative process behind the film that has captivated both critics and cinema goers alike.

A powerful crime drama set in Melbourne’s underworld, ANIMAL KINGDOM features a mesmerizing ensemble cast of Australian performers that will demand repeat viewings in years to come. Witness the phenomenal Jacki Weaver with her show-stealing, sinister turn as ‘Smurf’ – a career best, surely set to return a slew of awards and to define the role of the matriarch in the crime genre forever.

Ben Mendelsohn also delivers a strong, terrifying performance as the wayward ‘Pope’, whilst newcomer James Frecheville is skilful to the very last frame, bringing an understated and subtle portrayal to the role of ‘J’. Sullivan Stapleton’s earnest portrayal of the skittish Craig also showcases a natural talent that has the actor already destined for bigger things. Meanwhile, Luke Ford’s role as the family’s soul-searching ‘mummy’s boy’, Guy Pearce’s intense, world-weary Det. Sen. Sergeant Leckie and Joel Edgerton’s cautious family friend round out a one-of-a-kind supporting cast.

Winner of the prestigious World Cinema Jury Prize at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, ANIMAL KINGDOM premiered on June 3rd, and now in its tenth week, has taken in $4.8 million at the Australian box-office.

NETGEAR N600 Wireless Dual Band USB Adapter lets consumers wirelessly connect their HDTV to the Internet with the push of a button

SYDNEY, Australia – August 12, 2010 – NETGEAR®, Inc. (NASDAQGM: NTGR), a worldwide provider of technologically innovative networking solutions for homes, businesses and service providers, today announced that Panasonic (NYSE: PC), a global leader in 3D and high definition television technology, has selected NETGEAR as the only third-party brand to support its VIERA® line of TVs, commencing with its NETGEAR N600 Wireless Dual Band USB Adapter (WNDA3100). Together, NETGEAR and Panasonic are enabling consumers to access and stream online content to their TVs, and create the ultimate, connected entertainment experience.

“The NETGEAR and Panasonic partnership will enable consumers to connect their home entertainment devices and move their online experiences and content into the living room” said Brad Little, Director for Consumer Channels, NETGEAR. “The NETGEAR Wireless Dual Band USB Adapter when partnered with the NETGEAR Wireless N Dual Band Gigabit Router (WNDR3700) can deliver the speed, bandwidth and reliability needed for video streaming. This coupled with Panasonic’s leadership and innovation, makes it possible for any consumer to access some of their favourite online experiences through the TV.”

Delivering incredible speed and Wi-Fi® range for consumers’ home networks, the NETGEAR N600 Wireless Dual Band USB Adapter also features NETGEAR’s Push ‘N’ Connect technology which allows consumers to connect their Panasonic VIERA TV and wireless router with the push of a button and wirelessly stream Internet content to the TV with the VIERA Cast™ IPTV technology. VIERA Cast, which requires no additional equipment or set up, allows consumers to enjoy online content through an easy-to-use web interface that’s built into the TV. Web programming includes:

* YouTube: Access millions of videos with a single VIERA remote control operation.
* Picasa photo sharing service: View Picasa web albums, stream photos in a slideshow, or post photos on the Internet.
* Additional programs: VIERA Cast also features real-time weather forecasts and stock information.

“As the line between the TV and the PC continues to blur, we’re seeing a steep uptake in the number of consumers that are connecting their TVs to the Internet in order to create a more immersive entertainment experience in the home,” said Henry Hauser, Vice President, Display Group, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. “We are dedicated to delivering the best entertainment experience possible and the NETGEAR adapter technology enables us to do just that with our Panasonic VIERA televisions and the VIERA Cast IPTV technology.”

Marked by a “Compatible with Panasonic” sticker, the NETGEAR N600 Wireless Dual Band USB Adapter, which has an MSRP of AU$119.00, is available now for Panasonic television models worldwide. The NETGEAR Wireless N Dual Band Gigabit Router has an MSRP of AU$279.00.

For more information, please visit: www.netgear.com/wifitv

About NETGEAR, Inc.
NETGEAR (NASDAQGM: NTGR) designs innovative, branded technology solutions that address the specific networking, storage, and security needs of Small- to Medium-sized Businesses (SMBs) and home users. The company offers an end-to-end networking product portfolio to enable users to share Internet access, peripherals, files, multimedia content, and applications among multiple computers and other Internet-enabled devices. Products are built on a variety of proven technologies such as wireless, Ethernet and powerline, with a focus on reliability and ease-of-use. NETGEAR products are sold in over 27,000 retail locations around the globe, and via more than 36,000 value-added resellers. The company’s headquarters are in San Jose, Calif., with additional offices in 25 countries. NETGEAR is an ENERGY STAR® partner. More information is available at http://www.NETGEAR.com or by calling (408) 907-8000. Connect with NETGEAR at http://twitter.com/NETGEAR and http://www.facebook.com/NETGEAR.

©2010 NETGEAR, Inc. NETGEAR and the NETGEAR logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of NETGEAR, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Wi-Fi is a trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. Other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Information is subject to change without notice. All rights reserved.

Note: Maximum wireless signal rate derived from IEEE Standard 802.11 specifications. Actual data throughput will vary from maximum signal rates stipulated. Network conditions and environmental factors, including volume of network traffic, building materials and construction, and network overhead, lower actual data throughput rate.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 for NETGEAR, Inc.:
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Specifically, statements concerning NETGEAR’s business and the expected performance characteristics, specifications, reliability, market acceptance, market growth, specific uses, user feedback and market position of NETGEAR’s products and technology are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Safe Harbor. These statements are based on management’s current expectations and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, the following: the actual price, performance and ease of use of NETGEAR’s products may not meet the price, performance and ease of use requirements of customers; product performance may be adversely affected by real world operating conditions; failure of products may under certain circumstances cause permanent loss of end user data; new viruses or Internet threats may develop that challenge the effectiveness of security features in NETGEAR’s products; the ability of NETGEAR to market and sell its products and technology; the impact and pricing of competing products; and the introduction of alternative technological solutions. Further information on potential risk factors that could affect NETGEAR and its business are detailed in the Company’s periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, those risks and uncertainties listed in the section entitled “Part II – Item 1A. Risk Factors,” pages 36 through 52, in the Company’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal second quarter ended June 27, 2010, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 5, 2010. NETGEAR undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

About Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company
Based in Secaucus, N.J., Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company (PCEC), a market and technology leader in High Definition television, is a Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC) and the hub of Panasonic’s U.S. marketing, sales, service and R&D operations. Panasonic is pledged to practice prudent, sustainable use of the earth’s natural resources and protect our environment through the company’s Eco Ideas programs. Information about Panasonic products is available at www.panasonic.com. Additional company information for journalists is available at www.panasonic.com/pressroom.

Developer Eden Games Focused On Delivering Best In Genre Online Racing  

SYDNEY, Australia – August 12, 2010 – Atari Europe, one of the world’s most recognized publishers and producers of interactive entertainment, along with developer Eden Games, announced today that Test Drive Unlimited 2 will now make its way onto European retail shelves in early 2011.The new release date will provide the developers with additional time to fully enhance the connected console multi-player experience for consumers and deliver the ultimate blend of exhilarating open world racing and a luxurious, fast-lane lifestyle.

“To date, Test Drive Unlimited 2 has generated great media buzz and incredible excitement amongst gamers and fans of the franchise,” said Nour Polloni, Senior Producer at Eden Games. ”By moving the title’s release date to early 2011, we will be able to further advance the game and take into account consumer feedback to help ensure that we deliver the ultimate online lifestyle racing experience to date.”

Atari and Eden Games will also be shifting the Beta scheduling to coincide with the new launch and will reward those already signed up with an exclusive in-game item. Eden will confirm a new date for the Beta in the coming weeks that will roll out in several phases rewarding the most loyal fans and Test Drive communities with exclusive access to one of the most highly-anticipated racers of 2011.

Nominated as a Best of E3 in the Racing Game category by GameCritics, GameSpot, GameTrailers among others, Test Drive Unlimited 2 offers gamers the opportunity to race the world’s most coveted cars and live the ultimate luxury lifestyle.  Players will experience the high life and travel to the Mediterranean hotspot, Ibiza, as well as re-visit the paradise island of Oahu where they can race on and off-road across thousands of miles of exotic locales, simultaneously building their fortune and eventually living the life of the ultra-rich.

In addition to racing, lifestyle cruising and customizing your character, players can participate in one of the largest and most comprehensive social multiplayer driving experiences through the creation of powerful clubs comprised of friend networks that players create and grow as they earn their way up the social strata of TDU2.

Thursday, 12th August 2010 – After opening just over four months ago, the world’s first dedicated console video game cocktail bar is expanding to open up venues in Melbourne, Sydney, and Internationally. Originally opening in Brisbane, Australia in March 2010, the Mana Bar features all the latest video game consoles playable alongside an extensive selection of unique cocktails, craft beers and premium spirits. It has been both a critical and commercial success, and due to a heavy public demand the creators have decided to expand.

By making the venue accessible to a general audience while still being credible to your more discerning gamers, the Mana Bar has successfully broken all expectations as well as stigmas about the kind of people that play games.

“What we’ve seen is the opposite of so many people’s expectations” says owner Guy ‘Yug’ Blomberg. “Having casual multiplayer games actually gets our patrons socialising with each other more than any other bar or club I’ve been to.”
Thanks to a successful online social media presence as well as national and international recognition, the demand for a Mana Bar in other cities has been loud among the communities.

“The Mana Bar’s Sydney and Melbourne will be open before the end of the year, and expanding into the rest of Australia will follow very shortly after. We are currently in discussions with other passionate entrepreneurs around the world who want a Mana Bar in their countries as well.”

“It’s exceptionally exciting, and we’re amazingly humbled that so many people have enjoyed our idea as much as we have!”

Guy ‘Yug’ Blomberg
Director / Marketing / Events
Australia’s FIRST Video Game Bar

Wargaming.net® is glad to announce the release a new explosive gameplay trailer for its one-and-only Panzer MMO game World of Tanks and invites everyone to join the closed beta test.

The trailer showcases the whole new class of combat vehicles available in the game – tank destroyers – pointing out both their strengths and weaknesses. The video touches upon tactics and strategies the players driving these monstrous tank-crackers can use to contribute to their side’s win.

Tank destroyers play a crucial part in World of Tanks team-based gameplay. Efficient usage of their enormous firepower and long shooting range supported by smart positioning on the battlefield is the factor that decides the final outcome of almost every fight.

“Operating a Ferdinand or SU-152 is like safari hunting, “says Nick Katselapov, producer of World of Tanks.” Everything is under control as long as your targets stay at long range and nothing will stop you from picking off a tiger or panther. But as soon as the “kitties” approach your positions there’s hardly a way to survive.”

Join the beta at: http://game.worldoftanks.com/registration/cbt/

For more information on World of Tanks, visit http://www.worldoftanks.com/.

About World of Tanks

World of Tanks is the first and only team-based massively multiplayer online action game dedicated to armored warfare. Throw yourself into the epic tank battles of World War II with other steel cowboys all over the world. Your arsenal includes more than 150 armored vehicles from America, Germany, and the Soviet Union, carefully detailed with historical accuracy.

A flexible system of authentic vehicle upgrade and development allows you to try any of the vehicles and weapons in the game. Whether you prefer to exhaust your foes with fast and maneuverable light tanks, make deep breaches in enemy lines with all-purpose medium tanks, use the force of giant tanks to eliminate opposing armored forces, or become a heavy sniper with long-range howitzers, each unit type has its own advantages and can be extremely effective when operated by a true tank ace.

But being a great tank commander alone isn’t enough to win! In World of Tanks, it’s all about teamwork. Victory is achieved by combining your combat skills with those of the other members of your team, each playing their own role on the battlefield. Just add your favorite strategy to build your own iron empire and manifest the indisputable authority of the tank! Feel the TANK POWER!

Key Features:

· Action-packed 15-vs-15 PvP Tank battles

· Mixture of Action, Strategy, Simulation and MMORPG genres

· 150 Vehicles, thousands of upgrades

· Unprecedented global Clan Wars

About Wargaming.net®

Wargaming.net® is an award-winning strategy game specialist, incorporated in the UK. Its 140-strong development team is located in Minsk, Belarus. Since 1998, the company has shipped 13 titles, including acclaimed Massive Assault series, Order of War RTS published by Square Enix, and three add-ons for Blitzkrieg II. Wargaming.net’s Operation Bagration RTS was awarded the Best Strategy Game of 2008 at Russian Game Developers Conference (KRI). At KRI 2009 and 2010 Wargaming.net® was named The Best Developer Company from ex-USSR. At KRI 2010 World of Tanks won “Best MMO” prize. Official web site: www.wargaming.net

What’s your job at Obsidian?

I’m the Lead Programmer for Fallout:New Vegas. That means that I work with the programming team to design the technical implementation of the game. That can mean that I sit down with Josh and a programmer and make sure that what he sets out to code will meet what is requested by the design team. I also provide technical assistance to the team when they need it. It’s a more social job than most people might think but I get plenty of time to sit down and code my own features.

When did you know you wanted to get into programming?

Strangely, I always thought I’d ‘grow up’ to be an author when I was in high school where I was more into traditionally creative outlets. I even managed to squeeze out a few creative writing awards and left for college to be an English major. After my freshmen year, when I had already switched to Physics for a major, I was offered a programming internship and took it. 10 bucks an hour back in the day meant I could afford a lot of frozen pizzas in college. I really got into the problem solving aspect of programming and it just kind of went from there. Video game programming, more so than my days as a more traditional programmer, is really very wild, wild west in its nature. You often encounter problems you never thought you’d need to solve, and then you solve them.

What’s your favorite part of your job? Least favorite part?

I love being part of the game development process, be it solving a problem or helping to design a system. The collaborative effort can’t be appreciated until you see the final game that emerges from the chaos and the long hours. Sitting down and hearing someone at a press junket tell you that they think a system you worked on is cool, without you hinting that it’s your system, is pretty rewarding. Mostly, though, I love figuring stuff out. That can mean resolving a bug or just identifying how we are going to get system X into the game.

My least favorite part is leaving ideas and features on the table. You never have the time you think you will, but it’s ok, even if it isn’t fun. A close second would be the hours I spend away from my terrific wife and wonderful kids (Achievement: Spousal Approval). Obsidian is pretty flexible with the way we work, so it helps quite a bit to get to see the offspring during non-sleeping hours.

How did you get involved in the game industry?

I modded Quake 3. A lot. And I tried to do things that were out of the ordinary, such as turning Quake 3 into a deathmatch based RPG. I impressed someone enough to finally get a job doing PlayStation 2 development.

Do you have any tips for breaking in?

Make games. You can talk about how much you love games, and believe me, most of us will talk right back at you about it. The real key to getting your foot lodged firmly in the door is to show that you also love making games as much as playing them. There is no shortage of tools and SDKs available to the general public. Getting your hands on those and becoming an expert at using them and doing creative things is the best way to show you want to make games. We have hired some of the best modders in the various toolset communities to work at Obsidian.

To date, what’s been the highlight of your career?

Getting to work with ! I think the real highlight was getting to work at Black Isle. It helped me develop into the game developer I am today. I got to work with a lot of great people, many of whom moved on to Obsidian. Working at Black Isle, I was able to finally develop RPGs and work in an office that oozed video game developer. You’d see giant props of shipped games all over, but you’d also see coffee machines that you’d swear predated the construction of the pyramids. It was the first place I worked that felt like ‘we make video games and we love doing it.’ That all spilled over to Obsidian, except our coffee machine is really nice.

What’s your all-time favorite game?

I love video games, so this is akin to asking which is my favorite kid. I really did love the original Fallout. I remember how unique it was at the time and it was one of the first games where I remember talking to the developers online in the Interplay forums. So, yeah, this project worked out rather well for me.

What games are you looking forward to?

I love RPGs and I love console shooters. Fallout: New Vegas would top my list, but that’s the easy answer. I’m looking forward to pretty much anything Bioware and Bethesda put out for the RPG fixin’ side of me. I’ve loved Battlefield: Bad Company 2, and can’t wait for the next Medal of Honor as it will be using the same multiplayer engine. Halo: Reach is something that will get some playtime and once I’m done with my current backlog, Red Dead Redemption needs to get spinning in my 360. In short: lots of stuff.

Worst job you’ve ever had?

Working at the Cookie Factory at Woodfield Mall outside Chicago. Our managers worked ‘real jobs’ during our shifts, leaving us pretty much leaderless. The pay was terrible and the hours stunk for a high school kid.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

These days I play video games during my spare time and spend as much time as I can with family doing the bevy of cool stuff you can experience in Southern California. It’s not uncommon to see me and the posse toting around Disneyland or the Wild Animal Park or Seaworld. You’d think I’d have any semblance of color to my skin with the amount of time I spend outside on the weekends, but the long weekday hours in the office restore my pigment to its proper, management-approved pasty paleness.

Anything else you’d like to share?

New Vegas has been a development dream come true. I actually moved to California, determined to break into video games, largely based off of my experience playing Fallout and talking to developers on the Interplay forums.

Open to All Players, No Character Wipes!
Santa Clara, CA – August 12th, 2010 – ChangYou.com (US) Inc., proudly announces that on August 16th, the Zentia Early Access Beta will be open to the gaming community worldwide. The MMORPG gaming community will have full access to the game with no Beta Key required. In addition, accounts and characters created in the Zentia Early Access Beta will transfer over to Open Beta in early Q4, 2010.

“Our goal is to bring the ´Fun´ back into the MMORPG gaming community. With Zentia, we´ve successfully accomplished this by offering unique features like multi-passenger mounts, humorous content, in-depth social leveling system and a competitive PvP gameplay for both casual and hardcore gamers,” says Susan Revelt, Senior Producer of Zentia. “The world of Zentia is so vast that even our product team hasn´t uncovered all of its secrets.”

Zentia is developed by Pixel Soft and proudly presented by ChangYou.com(US). ChangYou´s latest Free-2-Play MMORPG, Zentia is a beautifully rendered 3D game. It is designed with a mix of charm, light-hearted animation, and humorous content. Its imaginative story quirky style keeps the audience engaged. Choose from any of twenty-two characters with 8 different class systems as well as numerous crafting skills. The extensive pet-capture system helps provide a distinctive gameplay experience. Fight for pride through battlegrounds and arenas. Players can enter battle with combat mounts; some of which can hold up to ten players.

The Zentia Early Access Beta will allow players to extensively explore the game, discover new features, and work together to unlock the secret of the Heavenly Test. All characters and accounts created in the Zentia Early Access Beta will transfer over to Open Beta.

Features

22 unique characters with 8 different class systems
Jail System – Jail time for attacking peaceful players
Heavenly Test – Social leveling system
Competitive PvP, PvE, Battlegrounds, and Arenas
Numerous monsters to capture for pets or multi-person mounts
Various crafting skills
Exciting quests, quizzes and daily events at every level