Breakthrough Interactive Design Tools and Innovative Online Services Maximise Impact of Creative Content and Digital Marketing Campaigns

SYDNEY, Australia, — 3^rd May 2010 — Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced the availability of the Adobe® Creative Suite® 5 product family, the highly-anticipated release of the industry-leading design and development software for virtually every creative workflow. With more than 250 new product features, the Creative Suite 5 product line brings exciting full-version upgrades of flagship creative tools and workflow enhancements to designers and developers — enabling the creation, delivery and optimisation of content across media for greater impact and results.

The Adobe CS5 product family is powering the creation of content and applications for the upcoming releases of Flash® Player 10.1 and Adobe AIR® 2, which are optimised for high performance on mobile screens and designed to take advantage of native device capabilities for a richer, more immersive user experience. Featuring integration with online content and digital marketing measurement and optimisation capabilities for the first time, Creative Suite 5 products include access to signature Omniture® technologies, to capture, store and analyse information generated by websites and other sources. Adobe Creative Suite 5 products also integrate with Adobe CS Live*, a set of five innovative online services that accelerate key aspects of the creative workflow and enable designers to focus on creating their best work (CS Live services are complimentary for a limited time).

The Creative Suite 5 line-up includes five new versions: Creative Suite 5 Master Collection, Creative Suite 5 Design Premium, Creative Suite 5 Web Premium, Creative Suite 5 Production Premium, Creative Suite 5 Design Standard, as well as 15 point products and associated technologies. Creative Suite now includes a brand-new component, Adobe Flash® Catalyst™, a professional interaction design tool that allows designers to rapidly create expressive Web application interfaces and design interaction without writing code.

“We’ve seen from early customer reaction that Creative Suite 5 continues to inspire the design and developer world by combining time-saving workflow and productivity features with astonishing new capabilities, such as Content-Aware Fill in Photoshop CS5, that really push the creative envelope,” said John Loiacono, senior vice president of Creative Solutions at Adobe. “Whatever the media, CS5 is ensuring that publishers and creatives can deliver stand-out work and build great businesses around their unique digital assets and content.”

Also available as part of the Creative Suite 5 product family, sold separately or in one of the five Creative Suite editions, are new versions of the Adobe Creative Suite tools, including Photoshop® CS5, Illustrator® CS5, InDesign® CS5, Flash Catalyst CS5, Flash CS5 Professional, Dreamweaver® CS5, Adobe® Premiere® Pro CS5, After Effects® CS5 and more.

The Creative Suite 5 products offer more than 250 new features that embrace interactivity, enhance performance and maximise the impact of creative content and digital marketing campaigns. InDesign CS5 powers the transition to digital publishing with new interactive documents and enhanced electronic reader device support. Image creation and editing get a boost with Truer Edge technology in Photoshop CS5, which offers better edge detecting technology and masking results in less time. Photoshop CS5 also includes the ability to remove an image element and immediately replace the missing pixels with Content-Aware Fill. New stroke options allow Adobe Illustrator CS5 users to create strokes of variable widths and precisely adjust the width at any point along the stroke. New Text Layout Framework in Flash Professional CS5 provides professional-level typography capabilities with functions like kerning, ligatures, tracking, leading, threaded text block and multiple columns. In addition, Dreamweaver CS5 now supports popular content management systems Drupal, Joomla! and WordPress, allowing designers to get accurate views of dynamic Web content from within the product.

Performance improvements abound in the Creative Suite 5 product line with engineering breakthroughs, including native 64-bit support on both Mac and Windows® in Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects, that allows users to work more fluidly on high-resolution projects. The much anticipated NVIDIA® GPU-accelerated Adobe Mercury Playback Engine allows Adobe Premiere Pro CS5 users to open projects faster, refine effects-rich HD sequences in real time and play back complex projects without rendering. The timesaving Roto Brush tool in After Effects helps users isolate moving foreground elements in a fraction of the normal time.

Stephen Wilson, chief information officer for NSW Department of Education & Training has already signed up as a customer of CS5 and commented: “The release of CS5 is exciting and promises to be of great value to the Department. For our students, learning with CS5 will help to prepare them for their future in a workforce that is likely to be increasingly focused on creating digital content and driving innovation. The extent of the innovation and new features in CS5 underscores Adobe’s commitment to continually improving their products and justifies the Department’s decision to commit to purchasing maintenance and upgrades. The Department will plan to implement the upgrade in conjunction with normal hardware and software refresh cycles.”

With regard to shipping of CS5, Calum Russell, group marketing manager for Adobe, Pacific stated: “CS5 is now available to purchase from our Authorised Resellers, and on Adobe’s Australian and New Zealand stores online. Reaction to CS5 from our customers at our initial roadshows has been very positive and we believe the new features available will inspire customers to purchase what is a ground breaking product release.”

Accelerate Creative Workflows with Adobe CS Live
Adobe Creative Suite 5 products integrate with Adobe CS Live*, a set of five online services that accelerate key aspects of the creative workflow and enable designers to focus on creating their best work. CS Live online services are complimentary for a limited time and currently include: Adobe BrowserLab, Adobe CS Review, Acrobat.com, Adobe Story and SiteCatalyst® NetAverages™ from Omniture. Adobe CS Review enables online design reviews from directly within Creative Suite 5 applications, while Adobe BrowserLab is an indispensable tool for testing website content across different browsers and operating systems. NetAverages provides Web usage data that helps reduce the guesswork early in the creative process when designing for Web and mobile. Adobe Story is a collaborative scriptwriting tool that improves production and post-production workflows in CS5 Production Premium. Access to Acrobat.com services, such as Adobe ConnectNow Web conferencing, is also included to enhance discussion and information exchange with colleagues and clients around the globe.

Create and Deliver to More Mobile Platforms
Using Flash Professional CS5, designers and developers can create, test and deliver Web content across a wide range of mobile platforms and devices such as smartphones, tablets, netbooks and other consumer electronics. Users can look forward to deploying content in the browser with Flash Player 10.1 and as a standalone application with AIR.

Pricing and Availability in Australia and New Zealand
Adobe Creative Suite 5 products are available through Adobe Authorised Resellers, the Adobe Australia Store and the Adobe New Zealand Store. Estimated street price inclusive of GST for the full suites is expected to be AU$4344 for CS5 Master Collection, AU$3175 for CS5 Design Premium, AU$3005 for CS5 Web Premium, AU$2840 for CS5 Production Premium, AU$2172 for CS5 Design Standard and AU$129 a month in an annual subscription for a CS5 Design Premium subscription. Volume licensing is available through authorised distributors and Adobe License Centres. Adobe CS5 products integrate with Adobe CS Live Services which are complimentary for a limited time.*

For more detailed information about features, OS support, and upgrade policies, please visit: www.adobe.com/go/creativesuitemaster. 

Adobe Launch Events and Roadshows in Pacific Region
Join Adobe customers and communities at one of Adobe’s 2010 Roadshow events. Sessions are scheduled on the following dates and locations:

6th May Melbourne Sofitel
10th May Wellington – Hosted by Renaissance Corporation Limited
12th May Christchurch – Hosted by Renaissance Corporation Limited
25th May Adelaide – Hosted by Data#3 Limited
27th May Perth – Hosted by Data#3 Limited
8th June Brisbane Hilton
10th June Canberra National Convention Centre

To attend one of these events, simply fill out the online registration form here:

http://www.adobeonlinefestival.com/cs5roadshow/

About Adobe Systems Incorporated

Adobe revolutionises how the world engages with ideas and information – anytime, anywhere and through any medium. For more information, visit www.adobe.com.

AUSTRALIA, May 3^rd, 2010 – Today, Ubisoft^® revealed details of the Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands pre-order offer.

Customers who pre-order a copy of Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands for  Xbox360, PS3 or PC will be able to receive or unlock the following pre-order content, allowing an even more immersive experience in the amazing Prince of Persia^® universe.

Consumers will be able to unlock the following in-game content if they pre-order their game at:

–      EB Games: The Forgotten Arena

–      JB Hi Fi: Prince Malik’s Armour

–      GAME: Sand Wraith Skin

Additionally, Ubisoft released a new Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands Development Diary video focusing on the powers over nature that the Prince will use in the game.

–      To view: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQU3jvaQRsA

Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands will be available on May 20^th on Xbox 360 and PS3 and in June for the PC version.

For more information on Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands please visit www.princeofpersiagame.com

New Trio of NDS Games Based on Popular Hasbro Brand in Development 3 May 2010, Australia – Young girls around the world are invited to start practicing their best skills for the ultimate LITTLEST PET SHOP competition.

The EA Play Label of Electronic Arts Inc. has announced it is developing LITTLEST PET SHOP 3 Biggest Stars, a collection of three Nintendo DS™ games slated for release in Spring 2010.  

The third iteration in the immensely popular LITTLEST PET SHOP video game series will encourage girls to hone and polish their team building skills as they further expand their collections with new pets, accessories and mini games.

LITTLEST PET SHOP 3 Biggest Stars will offer three separate games for the Nintendo DS – Blue Team, Pink Team and Purple Team. The collection of games shares an overarching storyline that will inspire and rally girls to prepare their LITTLEST PET SHOP pets to become the “Biggest Star,” by training their pets to compete in a variety of contests, such as fine tuning fashion sense, perfecting athletic ability and showing off artistic flair.

Each version of the LITTLEST PET SHOP 3 Biggest Stars collection will offer six in-game exclusive pets and team-themed accessories, allowing girls to do what they love most when it comes to LITTLEST PET SHOP – collect, customise and interact with an assortment of new pets as each character vies to be named the “Biggest Star.”  The game titles will also include a wide array of mini games featuring an expanded assortment of pet animations and interactions not found in previous games.  

“LITTLEST PET SHOP 3 Biggest Stars gives us an opportunity to continue our industry leadership over the young girls category in developing high quality games tailored just for them, particularly with our highly successful LITTLEST PET SHOP franchise, based on the Hasbro brand, which has sold nearly 4 million video game units worldwide,” said Chip Lange, General Manager and Senior Vice President of the Hasbro Division at Electronic Arts. “We have a world class online world dedicated to this space with LITTLEST PET SHOP Online, and have seen great success on our iPhone application, as well. Now our support continues with the third chapter in the exciting LITTLEST PET SHOP series that we just know girls will be delighted with as they’ll have a chance to live out the fun of performing with their favourite pets.”

For more information on LITTLEST PET SHOP 3 Biggest Stars, please visit: http://ea.com/games/lps3-biggest-stars-purple-team.

The Princess and the Frog marks the return of the classically hand drawn animated Disney musical in a fairytale setting in the mystical bayous of Louisiana, released to Disney DVD and Blu-ray/DVD Value Pack, 16 June 2010!

Creators of The Little Mermaid and Aladdin, JOHN MUSKER and RON CLEMENTS have once again revived the art of beautifully crafted, full feature animation with the creation of The Princess and the Frog; a spellbinding tale of romance, music, friendship and love!

Set in the backdrop of the romantic heyday of the French Quarter of New Orleans and the birth of jazz, Tiana (voiced by ANIKA NONI ROSE) is a hardworking waitress inspired by her beloved father, pursuing her dream of opening her own restaurant.

With this dream close to a reality, Tiana’s world is turned upside down when Prince Naveen (voiced by BRUNO CAMPOS) pays New Orleans a royal visit. Broke and in search of romance, and a wealthy wife, the Prince is instead seduced by the town’s evil voodoo magician, Dr. Facilier (voiced by KEITH DAVID).

Dr. Facilier’s evil plan is to fleece Big Daddy (voiced by JOHN GOODMAN), and sets in motion a series of events by transforming the Prince into a frog, and having the Prince’s servant take his place in proposing marriage to Big Daddy’s daughter Charlotte (voiced by JENNIFER CODY).

The now “frog Prince” mistakes the beautiful Tiana for true royalty, as an accident leaves her wearing Charlotte’s clothes. Promising her enough money to fulfil her dream on the proviso that she agrees to kiss him to break the spell, a hilarious twist of fate occurs with the spell being far from broken: Tiana herself turns into a small, green frog!

The pair must now travel into the mystical bayous of Louisiana in search of Mama Odie (voiced by JENNIFER LEWIS) , a friendly, blind and powerful Voodoo magician who has the power to reverse the curse and turn them back to their true form.

With the help of a music-loving, guitar playing alligator named Louis and a love-struck firefly to light the way called Ray, a magical adventure begins that sets the scene for the founding of the first Disney Princess in eleven years.

Inspired by the book The Frog Princess by E.D. Baker, The Princess and the Frog comes to life with an exceptional jazz score, amazing hand-drawn animation, and an all-star voice cast that also includes TERRENCE HOWARD and OPRAH WINFREY.

The Princess and the Frog also comes to DVD and Blu-ray with exceptional bonus features including deleted scenes, audio commentary, games and activities.

In a DVD release that will have the whole family spellbound, The Princess and the Frog is a magical journey through the mystical bayous of Louisiana not to be missed when released to DVD and in a Blu-ray/DVD Value Pack 16 June 2010!

                                               Available to own: 16 June 2010

                                               Rated: G

Running time:  94 Mins

The Princess and the Frog is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.  A division of Walt Disney Studios (US), Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment is the worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Walt Disney, Touchstone, Hollywood Pictures and Buena Vista DVD releases.  Buena Vista is the Australian sell-through market leader and has been a recognised world video / DVD industry leader for over a decade

SBS TAKE OUT TOP LOGIES.

MELBOURNE, Monday, 3 May 2010: SBS DVD programs EAST WEST 101 and SAVED have taken out several Logie wins across the major categories of Best Drama, Best Actor and Best Actress at the 2010 TV Week Logie Awards ceremony.

EAST WEST 101 – now in its second season and already the recipient of the 2009 Logie for ‘Best TV Drama Series’ – has picked up another two awards at the 2010 ceremony. The second season of EAST WEST 101 has yet again proven itself a “superior drama” (SMH) series in receiving the 2010 Logie for ‘Best TV Drama Series, Miniseries or Telemovie’ amongst prestigious finalists that included Underbelly: A Tale Of Two Cities, and Packed To The Rafters.

EAST WEST 101 lead actor Don Hany has received the ‘Most Outstanding Actor’ Logie for his intense portrayal of Muslim detective Zane Malik. Hany was up against stiff competition in this category, including Aaron Pederson for his role in the second season of another award-winning SBS drama – THE CIRCUIT.

Claudia Karvan has also received a ‘Most Outstanding Actress’ Logie for SBS telemovie SAVED – the story of a married woman who saves a young Iranian refugee from detention, only to fall passionately in love with him. Even SBS ‘it’ dog WILFRED put in a surprise appearance at this year’s ceremony – presenting the ‘Most Popular Sports Program’ award to the gang from The Footy Show (NRL).

– ENDS –

NOTES TO EDITORS

–          EAST WEST 101 (Season 1 & 2), SAVED, THE CIRCUIT (Season1 & 2) and WILFRED (Season 1 & 2) are available now on DVD.

ABOUT SBS DVD

SBS DVD have been distributing their product for the past 10 years, and for the past 3 years via Madman Entertainment.  The eclectic catalogue consists of award-winning drama, comedy, documentary and sport.  You can choose from over 200 titles, most of which have been broadcast on SBS Television – from the extraordinary seven-part series First Australians to the off the wall comedy of Wilfred.

ABOUT MADMAN ENTERTAINMENT

MADMAN is Australia’s leading independent home entertainment and theatrical distribution and rights management company. Madman proudly showcases the best in collectable and special interest genres including Australian film, world cinema, TV kids’ content and Japanese animation, (anime). Other rights management activities include online distribution, licensing for television as well as VOD, hotel and airline.

Put simply, Madman is mad for entertainment.

Madman is owned by Funtastic Limited, one of Australia’s largest wholesalers of consumer products into retail outlets and an Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) listed company.

For further information, please contact:

AGOURA HILLS, Calif. – May 03, 2010 – THQ Inc. today announced the launch of a new UFC^® Undisputed^TM 2010 community website at community.ufcundisputed.com, where all registered members can now sign up for early access to the playable demo on PSN and Xbox LIVE^®.

The following features and content additions to the community site will be rolled out in the weeks leading up to the May 27^th release of UFC Undisputed 2010 in Australia & New Zealand:

• Fight Camps: Create or join a Fight Camp and move up in the ranks
• Tournaments: Create or participate in Tournaments and battle your friends online
• Gamercard: Link your XBL or PSN Gamertag and have your in-game stats posted on the site
• Exercises: Participate in various activities to earn points and badges
• Rewards: Redeem your points to win exclusive prizes from THQ and the UFC in Australia & New Zealand

The playable UFC Undisputed 2010 demo will allow players to jump right into Exhibition Mode or challenge friends offline with Tournament Mode, and will feature four Light Heavyweight Fighters – Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida, Rashad “Sugar” Evans and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.

Go to community.ufcundisputed.com now to sign up and be one of the first to play UFC Undisputed 2010. 

About UFC Undisputed 2010

Scheduled for release on May 27, 2010, UFC Undisputed 2010 is the only mixed martial arts (MMA) videogame this year that will deliver the action, intensity and prestige of the Ultimate Fighting Championship^®.  Players will navigate an unparalleled roster of more than 100 prolific UFC fighters, each fully rendered to convey a photorealistic appearance.  Enhanced combat will bring greater authenticity and more customization, as players manage Octagon control with new strikes, submissions, transitions, cage positions and more.  UFC Undisputed 2010 will encourage online camaraderie like never before, giving players the ability to form fight camps and leagues, train like real-life UFC fighters and go online to compete against other camps in the virtual UFC world.  In addition to an expanded Career mode, UFC Undisputed 2010 will also introduce three new gameplay modes including Title Mode, Title Defense Mode and Tournament Mode.  So you wanna be a fighter?  This is how.  For more information about the UFC Undisputed videogame franchise, please visit www.ufcundisputed.com and www.thq.com.

Fans to See Sneak Peak of the Most-Anticipated –  Entertainment Title of the Year 

Sydney, Australia – April 30, 2010 – DECLASSIFIED:  Prepare for the follow-up to the biggest entertainment launch in history: on November 9^th Call of Duty®: Black Ops™ will introduce fans to the elite world of Black Ops.  Activision Publishing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) and award-winning developer Treyarch will take players behind enemy lines in an entirely new chapter in the groundbreaking and record-setting, No. 1 first-person action series of all-time.

“We can’t wait for our community to experience Call of Duty: Black Ops,” said Mark Lamia, Studio Head for Treyarch.  “We have focused our entire studio on this game, with dedicated multiplayer, single-player and co-op teams creating the most intense, gripping and riveting experience possible for our fans on all fronts.”

For more information, visit www.callofduty.com/blackops immediately following the game’s appearance on US GameTrailers TV on Spike, Saturday 1^st May and also, via Twitter at JD_2020.

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, Russia, Japan, 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, rapid changes in technology, industry standards and consumer preferences, protection of proprietary rights, litigation against Activision Publishing, maintenance of relationships with key personnel, customers, licensees, licensors, vendors and third-party developers, 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, integration of recent acquisitions and the identification of suitable future acquisition opportunities, and the other factors identified in the risk factors section 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.

New York— March 24, 2010—Atari, Inc. one of the world’s most recognized videogame publishers, in partnership with CD Projekt RED today announced the development of The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, the sequel to the award-winning The Witcher, which has sold more than 1.5 million copies worldwide on PC alone.  Atari will release The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings across North America for PC.

The second entry in the Witcher saga is characterized by an incredibly gripping, mature and non-linear plot. In addition, the new combat system is even smoother and guarantees a greater variety of tactical possibilities.

The game is built upon completely new technology, designed from scratch by CD Projekt RED to develop role-playing games with non-linear plot. The new technology also delivers beautiful visuals, transporting players to one of the most vivid RPG universes ever.

“I am really glad to officially present what we’ve been working on for over two years,” said Adam Kiciñski, CEO of CD Projekt RED. “We learned a lot during The Witcher’s development process, and are using that knowledge to ensure the sequel is one of the best RPGs people have ever played.  By improving upon the successful parts of the original and adding new elements we believe that The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings will be loved by fans of the original and newcomers alike.” 

Tomorrow the game will be presented publicly for the first time, during the CD Projekt Spring 2010 conference. The event will be transmitted on www.cdprojekt.pl/konferencje. Additionally, new video materials related to The Witcher 2 have been posted at TheWitcher.com, and on April 7^th the brand new official website will be launched. 

 You can follow The Witcher on Twitter (@WitcherGame) and on Facebook.com/The-Witcher.

 ABOUT ATARI, SA

Atari group is a global creator, producer and publisher of interactive entertainment for interactive game platforms that include PC, online, consoles from Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony and advanced smart phones (i.e. iPhone).  Divisions of Atari, SA include Cryptic Studios, Eden Studios, Atari Interactive, Inc. and Atari, Inc.

Atari benefits from its global brand and an extensive catalogue of popular games based on classic owned game franchises (Asteroids, Centipede, Missile Command, Lunar Lander), original owned franchises (Test Drive, Backyard Sports, Deer Hunter), MMO games from Cryptic Studios (Star Trek Online, Champions Online) and third party franchises (Ghostbusters, Project Runway, Dungeons and Dragons).

For more information please visit www.atari.com

SOUTHPEAK GAMES LAUNCHES ONLINE CHARACTER BUILDER BASED ON RETRO ACTION ADVENTURE 3D DOT GAME HEROES™

Forget Radioactive Spiders, Chemical Spills or Deadly Nuclear Experiments Making Heroes Just Got a Whole Lot Easier…

SYDNEY, Australia — April 30^th 2010 – Leading videogame publisher, SouthPeak Interactive Corporation (OTC BB: SOPK), today announced in partnership with NAMCO BANDAI Partners Australia New Zealand the launch of an online character creator tool based on upcoming retro explosion 3D Dot Game Heroes™ for the PlayStation®3 (PS3™) computer entertainment system. Head to http://designer.3ddotgameheroes.eu/ so you can try out your pixel-placing skills before the game’s PAL launch on May 14th.

Ever wanted to save a kingdom as a walking pineapple? What about rescuing a princess playing as a zombie with one arm? Perhaps you just want to see a psychedelic badger wearing a fez swinging a huge sword that’s actually a fish (in fact, who hasn’t wanted to see that?). Well, thanks to 3D Dot Game Heroes’ fantastic character editor, you can create your own hero pixel by pixel and the only restriction is your blocky imagination. You can also trade designs with friends via a compatible USB storage device.

To help gamers prepare for all this thrilling and potentially life-changing (seriously, it’s that good) customisation, SouthPeak Games has launched a simple online character designer. It’s just a taste of the in-depth editing system in 3D Dot Game Heroes but gives you the opportunity to let your creative juices flow and you can even save your hero as an animated forum avatar, an image to add a dash of retro to your Facebook or Twitter page and a desktop wallpaper.

3D Dot Game Heroes will be available in PAL territories on May 14^th – just days after the North American release. For more information about the game, head to www.3ddotgameheroes.eu and to try out the character creator, go to http://designer.3ddotgameheroes.eu/

Stay retro, my friends – http://www.facebook.com/3DDotGameHeroes

Please see attached for some images of the latest airbrushed consoles up for auction as part of Xbox’s 1 million consoles sold celebration, the Konsoles for Kids charity drive.

This week, to coincide with the preparations for Australian Fashion Week, we’re auctioning off airbrushed consoles signed by some of the world’s most identifiable fashion celebrities including:

• Elle Macpherson
• Kim Kardashian
• Jennifer Hawkins
• Sass & Bide

For more details, check out the Xbox site which includes links to all the consoles currently up for auction – http://www.xbox.com/en-AU/konsolesforkids/default.htm