James Bond 007: Blood Stone Delivers Intrigue and Explosive Third-Person Action for the Xbox 360®, PlayStation®3 System, Windows PC and Nintendo DS™ This Holiday Season

Sydney, AUSTRALIA. July 17th 2010 – Award winning artist Joss Stone is set to debut as the newest Bond girl in Activision Publishing, Inc.’s (Nasdaq: ATVI) James Bond 007: Blood Stone, an original Bond experience from legendary screenwriter Bruce Feirstein. In addition to stepping into a leading role, Grammy and BRIT Award winner Joss Stone will create original music for the game, luring players into an explosive third-person action adventure where they will unravel an international conspiracy across exotic locales. Players will experience full-throttle, behind-the-wheel action on land and sea while using the most high tech gadgetry known to James Bond 007, the world’s most skilled secret agent.

“James Bond 007: Blood Stone captures the cinematic intensity of a Bond film by immersing players in an intriguing conspiracy that will require them to think and act like James Bond,” said David Pokress, Head of Marketing for Licensed Properties, Activision Publishing. “In addition, the game will feature a diverse array of multi-player modes and debut strategic objective-based gameplay that will allow Xbox 360, PS3™ and PC players to battle as teams of spies and mercenaries through authentic Bond locales.”

James Bond 007: Blood Stone features the likeness and voice talent of Daniel Craig, Joss Stone and Judi Dench and features an epic, original story developed by legendary screenwriter Bruce Feirstein. Players can engage in cover-based firefights, lethal hand-to-hand combat and speed their way through explosive adrenaline-fueled driving sequences as they embark on a global chase leading to action on land and sea through Athens, Istanbul, Monaco and Bangkok. Gamers can also feel what it is like to be a 00 agent, as they take the battle online in several robust 16-person multi-player modes that require skill, teamwork and strategy as players compete in matches that will have spies battling mercenaries.

Joss Stone provides an original musical track to the game titled, “I’ll Take it All” written and performed by her and Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics. The song will be featured exclusively in James Bond 007: Blood Stone.

The James Bond 007: Blood Stone video game is being developed by critically acclaimed developer Bizarre Creations for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, and Windows PC under license from EON Productions Ltd and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM). Additionally, an original Nintendo DS™ game is being developed from the ground up by n-Space. For more information about the game, visit www.007.com.

James Bond 007: Blood Stone Delivers Intrigue and Explosive Third-Person Action for the Xbox 360®, PlayStation®3 System, Windows PC and Nintendo DS™ This Holiday Season

Sydney, AUSTRALIA. July 17^th 2010 – Award winning artist Joss Stone is set to debut as the newest Bond girl in Activision Publishing, Inc.’s (Nasdaq: ATVI) James Bond 007: Blood Stone, an original Bond experience from legendary screenwriter  Bruce Feirstein.  In addition to stepping into a leading role, Grammy and BRIT Award winner Joss Stone will create original music for the game, luring players into an explosive third-person action adventure where they will unravel an international conspiracy across exotic locales. Players will experience full-throttle, behind-the-wheel action on land and sea while using the most high tech gadgetry known to James Bond 007, the world’s most skilled secret agent.  

“James Bond 007: Blood Stone captures the cinematic intensity of a Bond film by immersing players in an intriguing conspiracy that will require them to think and act like James Bond,” said David Pokress, Head of Marketing for Licensed Properties, Activision Publishing.  “In addition, the game will feature a diverse array of multi-player modes and debut strategic objective-based gameplay that will allow Xbox 360, PS3™ and PC players to battle as teams of spies and mercenaries through authentic Bond locales.” 

James Bond 007: Blood Stone features the likeness and voice talent of Daniel Craig, Joss Stone and Judi Dench and features an epic, original story developed by legendary screenwriter Bruce Feirstein.  Players can engage in cover-based firefights, lethal hand-to-hand combat and speed their way through explosive adrenaline-fueled driving sequences as they embark on a global chase leading to action on land and sea through Athens, Istanbul, Monaco and Bangkok.  Gamers can also feel what it is like to be a 00 agent, as they take the battle online in several robust 16-person multi-player modes that require skill, teamwork and strategy as players compete in matches that will have spies battling mercenaries. 

Joss Stone provides an original musical track to the game titled, “I’ll Take it All” written and performed by her and Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics.  The song will be featured exclusively in James Bond 007: Blood Stone. 

The James Bond 007: Blood Stone video game is being developed by critically acclaimed developer Bizarre Creations for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, and Windows PC under license from EON Productions Ltd and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM). Additionally, an original Nintendo DS™ game is being developed from the ground up by n-Space.  For more information about the game, visit www.007.com.

About Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., through its operating subsidiaries, is actively engaged in the worldwide production and distribution of motion pictures, television programming, home video, interactive media, music and licensed merchandise.  The company owns the world’s largest library of modern films, comprising around 4,100 titles.  Operating units include Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc., United Artists Films Inc., Ventanazul, MGM Television Entertainment Inc., MGM Networks Inc., MGM Domestic Networks LLC, MGM Distribution Co, MGM International Television Distribution In, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Home Entertainment LLC, MGM ON STAGE, MGM Music, MGM Worldwide Digital Media, MGM Consumer Products and MGM Interactive.  In addition, MGM has ownership interests in international TV channels reaching nearly 120 countries.  MGM ownership is as follows:  Providence Equity Partners (29%), TPG (21%), Sony Corporation of America (20%), Comcast (20%), DLJ Merchant Banking Partners (7%) and Quadrangle Group (3%).  For more information, visit www.mgm.com.

About EON Productions/Danjaq, LLC

EON Productions have produced twenty two James Bond films since 1962.  In 1995, Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli took over the 007 franchise from Albert R ‘Cubby’ Broccoli and are responsible for producing some of the most successful James Bond films ever, including CASINO ROYALE and more recently QUANTUM OF SOLACE.  The James Bond franchise is the longest running in film history.  EON Productions and Danjaq LLC are affiliate companies and control all worldwide merchandising for James Bond.

About Bizarre Creations

Bizarre Creations is a video game developer based in Liverpool, England.  Established in 1994, the company is famed for such high profile franchises as Blur, Formula 1, Fur Fighters, Geometry Wars, The Club, and the Metropolis Street Racer and Project Gotham Racing series.  With 200+ staff working out of a custom-built development studio, the company now simultaneously develops several next-gen projects across various platforms. They can be found online at www.bizarrecreations.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.  

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Publishing’s expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Activision Publishing generally uses words such as “outlook,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “might,” “remains,” “to be,” “plans,” “believes,” “may,” “expects,” “intends,” “anticipates,” “estimate,” future,” “plan,” “positioned,” “potential,” “project,” “remain,” “scheduled,” “set to,” “subject to,” “upcoming” and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause Activision Publishing’s actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include, but are not limited to, sales levels of Activision Publishing’s titles, shifts in consumer spending trends, the impact of the current macroeconomic environment, the seasonal and cyclical nature of the interactive game market, Activision Publishing’s ability to predict consumer preferences among competing hardware platforms, declines in software pricing, product returns and price protection, product delays, retail acceptance of Activision Publishing’s products, adoption rate and availability of new hardware (including peripherals) and related software, industry competition including from used games and other forms of entertainment, litigation risks and associated costs, rapid changes in technology, industry standards, business models including online and used games, and consumer preferences, including interest in specific genres such as music, first-person action and massively multiplayer online games, protection of proprietary rights, maintenance of relationships with key personnel, customers, licensees, licensors, vendors, and third-party developers, including the ability to attract, retain and develop key personnel and developers that can create high quality “hit” titles, counterparty risks relating to customers, licensees, licensors and manufacturers, domestic and international economic, financial and political conditions and policies, foreign exchange rates and tax rates, and the identification of suitable future acquisition opportunities and potential challenges associated with geographic expansion, and the other factors identified in the risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Activision Publishing and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Activision Publishing nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Activision Publishing or Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.

A Full HD monitor with Trace Free II Technology for an Ultra-smooth 3D Experience

Today marks the launch of the ASUS VG236H—a new 23” Full HD 1080p display that boasts market-leading NVIDIA® 3D Vision™ and Trace Free II technologies. It features a 2ms (grey-to-grey) response time and a double-speed 120Hz refresh rate to deliver ultra-smooth 3D visuals in Full HD.

An Immersive Stereoscopic 3D Experience with NVIDIA® 3D Vision™ Technology
The 23” VG236H Full HD 120Hz monitor takes users into a 3D movie and gaming world. Through the use of market-leading NVIDIA® 3D Vision™ technology*, the VG236H takes advantage of active shutter glasses, alternate-frame sequencing and 120Hz refresh rate to deliver the action at 120fps.

There is no shortage of games either, there are currently hundreds of NVIDIA® 3D Vision™-compatible PC game titles** available on the market.

Driven to Perform in the Most Intense Action Scenes
The ASUS-exclusive Trace Free II Technology combines a 120Hz refresh rate with a 2ms (grey-to-grey) response time to yield smooth, clear visuals.

The double speed 120Hz refresh rate beats conventional 60Hz monitors hands down and is capable of delivering frame rates at 120fps. The ultra-fast 2ms response time effectively eliminates ghosting and tracers to ensure a smooth gaming and movie experience.

Optimised with Ultra-vivid Colours
ASUS Color Shine Technology and 400 nits ultra-brightness ensures users enjoy brilliant and vibrant colours in 3D. Color Shine Technology uses multiple colour film coats instead of a single film layer to ensure an exceptionally smooth panel that reduces the diffusion of light. This improves image clarity while at the same time enriching colour density and saturation.

ASUS Splendid™ Video Intelligence Technology optimises colour fidelity with five pre-set modes (gaming, theatre, night view, scenery and standard). In gaming mode, it automatically lightens up dark, hard-to-see areas while leaving well-lit ones untouched to help gamers locate enemies lurking in dark corners without washing out the colours of the entire scene.

Ergonomically-designed for Viewing Comfort
To ensure user comfort even after prolonged periods of viewing, the VG236H is easily adjustable to cater to almost any viewing angle. It can swivel 150-degrees, height adjustments of 100mm, as well as tilt-angle adjustments.

The entertainment possibilities with the VG236H are endless, it features YPbPr and HDMI ports as well as Dual-link DVI ports for 3D playback. It comes with a built-in cable management feature that helps conceal wires for clutter-free desktops.

*For NVIDIA® 3D Vision™ system requirements, please visit http://www.nvidia.com/object/3d-vision-requirements.html
**For a list of supported games, please visit http://www.nvidia.com/object/3d-vision-3d-games.html

Specifications

• Specifications are subject to change without prior notice. Please visit www.asus.com for up-to-date information.  
• Product availability may vary by region.  
• All brand and product names mentioned are trademarks of their respective companies.

###

About ASUS
ASUS, the world’s top 3 consumer notebook vendor and the maker of the world’s best selling and most award winning motherboards, is a leading enterprise in the new digital era. ASUS designs and manufactures products that perfectly meet the needs of today’s digital home, office and person, with a broad portfolio that includes motherboards, graphics cards, displays, desktop PCs, notebooks, netbooks, servers, multimedia, wireless solutions, networking devices and mobile phones. Driven by innovation and committed to quality, ASUS won 3,268 awards in 2009, and is widely credited with revolutionising the PC industry with the Eee PC™. With a global staff of more than ten thousand people and a world-class R&D team of 3,000 engineers, the company’s revenue for 2009 was US$7.5 billion. ASUS has been listed in BusinessWeek’s InfoTech 100 for 12 years.

The Legends and Killers Pack for Red Dead Redemption – coming next month simultaneously for PlayStation Network (AUD$15.95) and Xbox LIVE (800 Microsoft Points) – features 9 new Multiplayer map locations and 8 new Multiplayer characters from Red Dead Revolver, along with the new Tomahawk projectile weapon and more. 

Here are the very first screens from the Legends and Killers Pack.  You can also check them out in HD at the new DLC section of the Red Dead Redemption website, which also includes information about all the upcoming Red Dead Redemption downloadable content.

Hull, UK/ Youda Games are proud to announce the worldwide release of Governor of Poker 2, the anticipated sequel to 2008’s unique, award winning Governor of Poker – the world’s only casual poker game.

Youda Games have finally unleashed Governor of Poker 2, packed with a full tilt of exciting features. This is both a Wild West and poker game like no other, challenging players to conquer cities, meet and defeat colourful opponents, take on challenges and prove once and for all that this Governor is not be trifled with – all while learning and using the core principles of Texas Hold ‘Em, one of the world’s most popular and fastest growing games.

The first and only casual poker game suitable for the whole family, 2008’s Governor of Poker wowed the critics and was a huge commercial success, winning the recognition of “Best Online Game” at the Dutch Game Awards. The 2009 iPhone version was also a smash hit, securing the coveted #1 spot on the Apple App charts.

Governor of Poker 2 picks up where the original ended, only this time a new Dallas government has entered the Wild West and put a ban on all poker games. What’s worse..you have lost your coveted “Governor of Poker” crown because of it! It’s up to you to fight the ban and convince the minister of the Texas gambling committee that poker is all about skills.

Your mission will take you across 19 saloon-filled cities and 27 poker-playing locations, coming face-to-face with a huge variety of smart, funny characters in poker tournaments. You can now learn how to best judge their moves, thanks to all-new player emotions; including steamy, nervous and on fire!

You’ll travel the in-game world using train, river casino boat or stage coach, even indulging in a game while on the move. Taking advantage of each city will reap huge rewards, from getting loans from the local banks, to securing special locations like oilfields and mines. You can even purchase new, outlandish hats to gain entry to different tournaments – or arrange your very own poker tournaments for others to join.

Professional and non-poker players alike will find a full house of reasons to enjoy Governor of Poker 2, thanks to a slick poker-tutorial, renewed poker engine and intuitive opponent AI.
The game is 100% casual, meaning younger and non-professional players can learn how to play without the worry of losing real money at a table, while professionals will feel compelled to play until the end, sharpening their skills and ability to read whether they should see a round of Hold ‘Em to the final river card.

Governor of Poker 2 offers:

A whole new Wild West story
19 cities and 27 poker locations to play
Large tournaments with up to 120 players in lots of new places
A renewed poker engine
More variety in opponents
A poker tutorial
Dozens of new hats to show off
Options to organize your own tournaments
Lots of new achievements and awards
Unique interactive wallpaper (Windows) and downloadable theme music
An exciting challenge to reclaim the title of Governor
The premium version of Governor of Poker 2 is available now, just $19.95 from the official Youda Games website – http://www.youdagames.com

Governor of Poker 2 is also available on major game portals: Boonty, iWin and Shockwave; and will be available across all gaming websites, such as Gamehouse, Miniclip and Addicitinggames next week with an online version.

From next month, you will also be able to purchase a basic version for $9.95, which comes without the unique wallpapers and downloadable theme music, and features shorter gameplay than the premium release.

About Youdagames/I Sioux Game Productions
I Sioux Game Productions, based in The Netherlands, has been developing games, since 2002. All games are published under the Youdagames brand, which has become a well known brand in the international casual games industry now.

The games are published on the own game portal www.youdagames.com. The portfolio now consists of 18 download games in total. All games are developed on a high quality standard with an original game play and high-end 3D design.

With a total of 7 download games and one iPhone game (Governor of Poker) released in 2009, already a couple of download games, a couple of iPhone games and two Nintendo DS titles (Youda Farmer/Youda Safari) in development for 2010, Youdagames is becoming an important player in the global casual games market.

Gamers Invited to Take a First Look at a Twisted FairyTale!

Santa Clara, CA – July 15, 2010 – ChangYou.com (US) Inc., proudly announced the Closed Beta for their flagship game, Zentia, today. Zentia is a new 3D free-to-play fairytale MMORPG with a delightfully twisted sense of humor. The Zentia Closed Beta begins today, July 15th at 4pm (PDT) and lasts through the beginning of August 2010.

“I’m very excited about Zentia entering Closed Beta today and am looking forward to everyone getting a chance to get in on all the fun,”says Zentia’s Community Manager, Katie Simpson. “The community, too, awaits the date with great anticipation – we have all been ‘camping out’ at the Zentia forum campsites and sharing our anticipation of what is soon to come.”

Developed by Pixel Soft, Zentia is full of unique features, countless treasures to unlock and hours of captivating gameplay. Players can choose from twenty-two character archetypes and try out any of eight class systems. A unique feature of Zentia is the ability for characters to enter battle with combat mounts that can hold up to 10 passengers in both PVE (Player vs Environment) and PVP (Player vs Player). The game’s extensive pet-capture system and in depth social level features promise to provide a deliciously distinctive game play experience.

Zentia Closed Beta keys are available from a variety of partner sites that can be found on the Zentia official site at: ZentiaTheGame.com. Zentia is available in English worldwide.

Zentia Media Kit FTP:

ftp://69.42.124.156/

Username: media22

Password: 5tKZcP2DG

Visit ZentiaTheGame.com for more information on Zentia and Closed Beta Keys.

Follow us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Zentiathegame

ChangYou.com (US) Inc. is a subsidiary of ChangYou.com, Ltd. (NASDAQ: CYOU), one of the top three online gaming developers and operators in China. Interpreted into English, “Chang You” means “Playing games brings happiness “; a fitting name for what was originally Sohu.com’s MMORPG business unit. In December 2007, ChangYou blossomed into an independent company and was subsequently listing on the NASDAQ Global Select Market in April of 2009. ChangYou.com runs many of the most popular MMORPGs in China, and has recently launched three free-to-play MMORPGs in the United States: Dragon Oath, Blade Wars, and Zentia.

Hand-Picked Roster of World-Renowned Musicians Featured in the Game’s Exclusive Mixes Highlight the Biggest Names in Pop, Dance and Hip Hop Music

Tracks from Eminem, Lady Gaga, Daft Punk, The Chemical Brothers, Rihanna and More Included

Sydney, AUSTRALIA. 16th July 2010– When the party starts this October, budding beat chemists, singing sensations and all of their friends will fire up two turntable controllers and a microphone and experience hits from the biggest names in music as they’ve never heard them before in Activision Publishing Inc.’s (Nasdaq: ATVI) DJ Hero® 2. Taking the soundtrack to “the most innovative and immersive music experience of 2009”* and recipient of over 20 “Best Music Game” awards to the next level, DJ Hero 2 spins together tracks from over 100 of the biggest artists from around the world – who have combined U.S. full albums sales alone in excess of 375 million** – creating an all-new, unparalleled music experience. Featuring the hottest hits from artists such as Lady Gaga, B.o.B., Pitbull, Deadmau5, Iyaz, David Guetta, and Rihanna and classic anthems from legendary artists including Eminem, Daft Punk, Dr. Dre, The Chemical Brothers, Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder and LL Cool J, the DJ Hero 2 soundtrack mixes the perfect blend of pop, dance and hip hop music.

“With DJ Hero 2, we wanted to create the ultimate party experience of 2010, and that meant not only revamping and adding social and multiplayer game modes, including full microphone support, and all-new levels of creative freedom, but also mixing and mashing hits from over 100 of the biggest and most popular artists on the planet,” said Dan Neil, Music Director, FreeStyleGames. “We can’t wait to drop details on which of these artists’ hottest tracks, as well as how we’ve mixed them together exclusively for the game, later this year.”

“With the success of DJ Hero and overwhelming response to its soundtrack, we are excited to be working even more closely with our label partners, including Interscope Geffen A&M, on DJ Hero 2 to hand-pick the best music from the most recognizable artists in the world,” said Tim Riley, Vice President of Music Affairs, Activision.

“We’re excited to bring the hottest hits from our biggest artists to DJ Hero 2 including Eminem, Lady Gaga, Soulja Boy, 50 Cent, M.I.A., Timbaland, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and many more,” said Steve Berman, Vice Chairman, Interscope Geffen A&M. “The blockbuster lineup of music we’ve contributed, when mixed by world renowned DJs exclusively for the game, will help deliver one of the best soundtracks in all of entertainment.”

With the highly skilled DJ’s and music producers at FreeStyleGames – joined by Deadmau5, David Guetta and a crew of world renowned mixologists – dropping the beats, everyone will have a chance to experience the following artists’ music in an all-new way:

· 2Pac

· 50 Cent

· Adamski

· Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force

· Armand Van Helden

· A-Trak

· B.o.B.

· Basement Jaxx

· BlakRoc

· Bobby Womack

· Bruno Mars

· Busta Rhymes

· Calvin Harris

· Chamillionaire

· Chic

· Chris Willis

· Clinton Sparks

· Colby O’Donis

· Daft Punk

· Damian Marley

· David Guetta

· Deadmau5

· Deee-Lite

· Dillinja

· Diplo

· Dizzee Rascal

· DJ Shadow

· Donna Summer

· Dr. Dre

· Drake

· Edwin Starr

· Eminem

· Estelle

· Flo Rida

· Gorillaz

· Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five

· Harold Faltermeyer

· House Of Pain

· Iyaz

· Jackson 5

· Janet Jackson

· Justice

· Kanye West

· Kaskade

· Kelis

· Keri Hilson

· Kid Cudi

· Kool & The Gang

· Lady Gaga

· Lil Jon

· Lil Wayne

· LL Cool J

· M.I.A.

· M|A|R|R|S

· Major Lazer

· Malcolm McLaren

· Mase

· Melle Mel & Duke Bootee

· Metallica

· Missy Elliott

· Mos Def

· MSTRKRFT

· N.O.R.E.

· Nas

· Nate Dogg

· Naughty By Nature

· Nelly

· New Boyz

· New Order

· Newcleus

· Nightcrawlers

· Orbital

· Pharoahe Monch

· Pirate Soundsystem

· Pitbull

· Puff Daddy

· Pussycat Dolls

· Rihanna

· Robin S.

· RZA

· Salt N Pepa

· Sam Cooke

· Sam Sparro

· Sean Paul

· Skibadee

· Sneaky Sound System

· Snoop Dogg

· Snow

· Soulja Boy Tell Em

· Sparfunk & D-Code

· Static Major

· Stevie Wonder

· Talib Kweli

· The Chemical Brothers

· The Crystal Method

· The Egg

· The Notorious B.I.G.

· The Prodigy

· Tiësto

· Tiga

· Timbaland

· Tweet

· Walter Murphy

· Warren G

· Wayne Smith

· Will.I.Am

· Yeah Yeah Yeahs

· Young Jeezy

The ultimate mixer of music and friends, DJ Hero 2 will deliver the definitive way for players to come together and party with a host of new multiplayer modes – including DJ Battles that pit DJ against DJ in mixes produced specifically for battle gameplay – and invite vocalists into the spotlight with integrated on-screen singing and rapping of lyrics and rhymes while bringing the party to life with jump-in/jump-out Party Play gameplay. Featuring the biggest dance, pop and hip-hop hits by the hottest artists everyone knows and loves remixed by world-class DJ’s in an all-new way, the game’s soundtrack delivers over 80 unique creations only available in DJ Hero 2. Further immersing players into the music, the game offers a heightened level of creative input and allows everyone to add their own touch, directly impacting the beats they’re spinning with freestyle scratching, crossfading and sampling. The game will also feature an all-new career-based Empire Mode where players start out as an up-and-coming DJ on the road to becoming the head of a major entertainment empire, all of which is founded solely on their success as a DJ.

Dropping this fall, DJ Hero 2 will invite a wave of new digital disc jockeys to the turntables as the game will be available as a Party Bundle which will include a copy of the game, two turntable controllers and a microphone, offering the ultimate “party-in-a-box.” Gamers who experienced the #1 new videogame intellectual property of 2009 can pick up DJ Hero 2 as a Turntable Bundle featuring one turntable controller and a copy of the game or as standalone software. The game is in development by FreeStyleGames for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION®3 and the Wii™ system from Nintendo. The game is rated “PG” (Mild themes, sexual references and coarse language) by the Australian Classification Board. For more information about DJ Hero 2, please visit www.djhero.com, www.facebook.com/djhero and www.twitter.com/djhero.

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.

Introducing the Ranger Class in Guild Wars 2

The ranger is a jack-of-all-trades and a master of them all as well, relying on his keen eye, steady hand, or the power of nature itself.  A master of ranged combat, the ranger is capable of striking unwitting foes from a distance with his bow. With a stable of pets at his command, a ranger can adapt to his opponents’ strengths and weaknesses.

A ranger is accompanied by his loyal animal pet  companion that he bonds with. Although a ranger can have up to three pets at his call, generally speaking, only one pet can be active at any time…….

BitDefender releases results of global malware and spam report for first-half 2010

Paypal and eBay accounts phished, whilst medicine and pharma spam flooded inboxes

SYDNEY & AUCKLAND – July 16, 2010 – BitDefender® has today released its global malware and spam report for the first half of 2010. The report saw a startling amount of phishing messages that purported to be from Paypal (53 percent) and eBay (16 percent) of all phishing messages sent worldwide.

Meanwhile, spam messages have been dominated by pharma and medical spam (66 percent). Evaluating the malware exploits in the first of the year, Trojan.AutorunINF.Gen – a piece of malware that exploits the Windows autorun feature on removable media and drives – accounted for 11 percent of all malware infections worldwide and was the most prevalent.

Phishing trends in first half of 2010

Financial institutions were cyber-criminals’ preferred targets, constituting more than 70 percent of global phishing messages. Social networks also came under heavy fire, as user profiles became a rich source for hackers to mine personal information from in order to spearhead further phishing attacks. For the first half of 2010, phishers focused on impersonating PayPal and eBay. HSBC bank ranked third, whilst Facebook phishing messages ranked fourth.

Spam trends in first half of 2010

The FIFA World Cup™ and the floods in Guatemala were two of the many events where black-hat SEO optimization was used by spammers to push search engine rankings of malware-serving websites. The first half of 2010 also saw spam messages grow to 86 percent of total email, driven by pharmacy spam which has jumped from 51 to 66 percent of total spam messages.

The spam breakdown by type for the first half of 2010 was:

· Medicine Spam – 66%

· Fake/replica products – 7%

· Loans and insurance – 5%

· Bundled malware – 3.5%

· Casino and gambling – 3.5%

Malware threats in review

Exploiting Windows’ Autorun feature – Trojan.AutorunINF.Gen ranked first with more than 11 percent of the total number of infections, while MBR worms have made a comeback with upgraded viral mechanisms. Late January saw the emergence of Win32.Worm.Zimuse.A, a deadly combination of virus, rootkit and worm. Upon infection, the worm would start counting down the days. 40 days from the infection, it would overwrite the hard disk drive Master Boot Record, thus rendering the OS unable to boot. China and the Russian Federation led the world in malware hosting, with 31 and 22 percent respectively.

Vulnerabilities, exploits and breaches

Critical zero-day exploits on popular software such as the Internet Explorer browser from Microsoft® or Adobe® Reader®, Adobe® Flash Player® and even Adobe® Photoshop® CS 4 have also played a key role in the malware landscape for the first half of 2010. Some of the Internet Explorer exploits have even been used to attack major companies such as Google, Adobe® and Rackspace®.

E-threat predictions – what should we be wary for 2H 2010?

BitDefender experts warn, while the first six months of 2010 have been dominated by conventional e-threats such as Trojans and worms, various exploits pointing at third-party applications have rapidly gained ground, both in count and in terms of impact. As seen in the case of Exploit.Comele.A, zero-day vulnerabilities may be used for purposes that are beyond identity theft or compromising banking accounts, but instead act as fully-fledged weapons used in cyber-warfare and top-level industrial espionage.

“With Facebook® surpassing 400 million users, most of the malware authors will focus on the social networking platform to deliver their newest payloads. Some of these attacks will focus on social engineering tricks (such as launching various malware offensives from compromised computers), while others will try to exploit different vulnerabilities or features already implemented across the platform,” said Catalin Cosoi, head of the BitDefender online threats lab.

“The introduction of HTML5, the upcoming major revision of the HTML standard, will add extra levels of online interaction and will probably change the face of the Web as we know it. The new technology is highly likely to be exploited by malware authors to compromise the browser security,” Cosoi warns.

New Plantronics GameCom 777 Surround Sound PC Headset Delivers Immersive Gaming Experience with Dolby 7.1 Headphone Technology

Lightweight, Open-ear Design Keeps Gamers Connected and Comfortable

Sydney, Australia – July 16, 2010 – Plantronics® (NYSE: PLT) today announced the local availability of a new version of the GameCom 777 Gaming Headset with virtual 7.1 surround sound enabled by Dolby® Headphone and Dolby® ProLogic® IIx technologies. The GameCom 777 combines immersive surround sound and Plantronics’ design excellence to deliver an unmatched sound and voice experience for gaming, music and home theatre.

The Plantronics GameCom 777 features 7.1 Dolby Headphone technology in a plug-and-play USB sound card for the PC and Mac. Dolby technology delivers a virtual eight-channel audio experience and positional microphone accuracy essential for competitive gaming.

In addition to its surround sound capabilities, the GameCom 777 headset was engineered with numerous functional and ergonomic wearing benefits including an open-ear design that keeps users connected to the game and their surroundings. Other GameCom 777 features include:

A lightweight frame and specially designed earpods that redistribute pressure for maximum comfort during long gaming sessions.
A unique ‘hide-away’ boom that turns the headset into a pair of high-quality headphones for music and multimedia use.
A telescoping, noise-cancelling microphone that provides accurate positioning for voice clarity.
An in-line volume and microphone mute controls to provide gamers fingertip audio and voice direction.

“When it comes to headsets, the gaming community demands extreme audio precision and comfort for continuous wearing,” said Peter Petrides, National Retail Sales Manager, Plantronics Australia. “We’ve reunited with Dolby to bring players virtual 7.1 surround sound for a more convincing gaming, music or home entertainment experience and leveraged our heritage in ergonomic headset design to alleviate discomfort that comes with extended headphone use.”

The GameCom 777 headset is compatible with VoIP internet programs such as Skype and Google Voice. The Plantronics Gamecom 777 will be available in mid-July for a RRP of $149.00. For more information please visit www.plantronics.com.au.