– Over 40 stages of non-stop drilling action now available at the Nintendo DSi™ Shop –

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – 19 April 2010 – NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe S.A.S. today announced the release of Mr. DRILLER™: Drill till you Drop™ for the Nintendo DSi™ handheld system. Featuring a roster of improved features that enhance the classic Mr. DRILLER action puzzler experience, Mr. DRILLER™: Drill till you Drop™ is now available for download at the Nintendo DSi™ Shop.

Representing a piece of timeless puzzler gameplay from the arcades of yesteryear, Mr. DRILLER™: Drill till you Drop™ takes the classic gameplay of the Mr. DRILLER series and enhances it with 6 unique playable characters, over 40 stages, multiple modes, and dual screen action. Additionally, the Nintendo DSi™ system’s dual screen format offers a new strategic element as players have the added ability to foresee incoming falling blocks from above.

Mission mode tasks players to dig through ever increasingly deeper or more challenging locales. Time Attack mode enables players to race against the clock to reach your predestined goals. In addition to Mission mode and Time Attack mode, Mr. DRILLER™: Drill till you Drop™ features the Nintendo DSi™ Dristone mode where players drill through a labyrinth of stones to collect the Dristones which can be used to gain distinct advantages.

Mr. DRILLER™: Drill till you Drop™ is now available for download at the Nintendo DSi™ Shop. For more information about the game, please visit http://www.namcobandaigames.eu.

About NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe:

NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe S.A.S., is a leading interactive entertainment software publisher based in Cergy-Pontoise, France. The company is a part of the NAMCO BANDAI group of companies known for creating and publishing many of the industry’s top video game franchises including the RidgeRacer™, Tekken™, SOULCALIBUR™, Tamagotchi™, Digimon™, Dragonball® and Naruto™ brands.

Mr.DRILLER™: Drill Till You Drop TM & © 1999-2009 NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc.

Trademarks are property of their respective owners. Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DSiWare are trademarks of Nintendo.

Crowe, Hawkins, Rowland & Jackman support Xbox Konsoles for Kids Charity Auction  to celebrate landmark achievement 

SYDNEY – April 19, 2010 – Microsoft Corp. announced today that sales of Xbox 360 consoles have passed the magic 1 million mark across Australia and New Zealand (ANZ). To celebrate this milestone moment, Xbox is undertaking an online charity auction, the Xbox Konsoles for Kids Charity Auction, auctioning off unique, one-of-a-kind consoles to raise money for local charity, the David Peachey Foundation (DPF) (http://davidpeachey.org/).

International pop star, Kelly Rowland kicked off the Xbox Konsoles for Kids Charity Auction with her own airbrushed and signed console up for auction. “It’s great to be here to celebrate with Xbox, one million consoles sold is huge!” Rowland said. “What better way to celebrate the one million milestone than by raising money for a great cause, the David Peachey Foundation. All the one-of-a-kind consoles look awesome, so get bidding Australia!”

The airbrushed Xbox 360 consoles, will be auctioned off for five weeks from today with several A-List celebrities such as Russell Crowe, Jennifer Hawkins, Kim Kardashian and Hugh Jackman, signing up to raise funds, with all proceeds donated to the David Peachy Foundation. There will also be a unique Halo console designed by Oscar-winning, Richard Taylor of New Zealand’s Weta Workshop and a ‘Crystal’ console, boasting more than 10,000 semi-precious stones. Please see the following link for further detail around consoles, imagery and a further link to the eBay auction site: www.xbox.com.au/charityauction

David McLean, Regional Director, Entertainment and Devices Division, Microsoft Australia comments, “Xbox has been a strong supporter of the David Peachey Foundation for many years, providing Microsoft software and technology and helping the foundation and its students from communities across Australia. Reaching one million gave us a great opportunity to raise as much money as we can for ‘Peach’ and the Foundation, so get onboard and make a bid.”

McLean continues; “Reaching the one million console milestone is a great achievement and one that puts us in a great position for the coming year. Since 2006, we’ve taken the lead in the innovation space and driven the growth in online entertainment. Our online community, Xbox LIVE, is one of the largest online communities in the ANZ region with more than 525,000 subscribers. We also offer services such as Facebook and Twitter on Xbox LIVE and movies streamed in HD direct to your television, which really sets us apart from our competition.”

Over the course of the auction, signed and airbrushed consoles will be auctioned off from the following celebrities, with further celebrities still to be announced:

Founder of the DPF, David Peachey said of the milestone, “Xbox has been a great supporter of the David Peachey Foundation for a number of years. We’re proud to be part of Xbox’s one million console celebration and thank all the celebrities that graciously gave up their time to support our cause. The money raised will go towards education and encouraging young indigenous kids in our community to aspire to great things.”

Special Edition consoles

Halo console

Specially designed and built for the ‘Xbox 360 Konsole’s for Kids Charity Auction’, Oscar-winning, Richard Taylor and Weta Workshop (NZ) produced a truly unique Halo console inspired by the collectibles created for Halo 3. Featuring the iconic Master Chief figure propelling himself through the air and blasting the console with his UNSC battle rifle, this is a must buy item for any Halo fan.

‘Crystal’ console

Nothing sparkles quite like the ‘Crystal’ console. Boasting more than 10,000 semi-precious stones and valued at more than $1000.00 (AU), this one-of-a-kind design is set to be a showpiece for the most glamorous ‘bling’ living room.

Available now from participating retailers, the new Xbox 360 Easter pack features an Xbox 360 Elite console and comes with two critically acclaimed Xbox 360 exclusive games: Halo 3: ODST and Forza Motorsport 3 with an RRP; $449*.

Melbourne Museum will celebrate 20 years of the agIdeas International Design Week by showcasing some of the outstanding designers involved in the festival’s history alongside the work of emerging designers shortlisted for the agIdeas 2010 NewStar competition. The display opens on Friday 23 April.  

agIdeas is a major festival on the international design calendar, providing an opportunity for emerging designers and industry leaders to connect and be inspired, and to celebrate excellence in the design field.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to see the depth and breadth of design that has been a part of agIdeas over the last 20 years alongside the latest generation of emerging designers” said Luke Simpkin, Acting Manager, Melbourne Museum.

“At Melbourne Museum we are committed to recognising the importance of design in Australia, from inspiring and supporting young and emerging designers to celebrating leaders in the industry”

The agIdeas retrospective display explores the festival’s 20 year history, featuring a diversity of designers and disciplines from graphic design to fashion, and photography to yacht design.

Renowned designers featured in the display include, Stefan Sagmeister (graphic designer), Richard Seymour (industrial design, who worked on Richard Branson’s space shuttle, Virgin Galactica), Jacques Reymond (leading Australian chef), Jaime Hayon (product and furniture designer), and Heidi Middleton (from fashion label Sass & Bide)

Alongside these renowned designers are the works of recently graduated and current tertiary design students who have been shortlisted for the NewStar competition.

NewStar showcases works from some of the best emerging designers. 23 finalists have been chosen from across Australia, as well as one entry from Singapore.  Shortlisted works range from industrial design to multimedia and include a portable office chair, floating bridge, wine bottle packaging, logotype and laptop case.  

Finalists have the opportunity to win work experience at some of the world’s most prestigious design studios, or a scholarship to the Famous Fabrica College in Treviso, Italy. Winners will be announced at the agIdeas 2010 International Design Forum in Melbourne on 28 April.

agIdeas 2010 NewStar

Melbourne Museum, Discovery Centre Foyer

23 April to 23 May 2010

Melbourne Museum, Nicholson Street, Carlton. Open 10.00am to 5.00pm daily.  $8 Adults, FREE children and concession.  For further information, visit museumvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum or phone 13 11 02.  

agIdeas NewStar Design Competition is part of agIdeas International Design Week at the Victorian Arts Centre.  agIdeas 2010 International Design Festival at the Arts Centre, Hamer Hall from 26-29 April 2010. 

www.agideas.net

A group of Iraq War veterans looks to clear their name with the U.S. military, who suspect the four men of committing a crime for which they were framed.

Hot Tub Time Machine follows a group of best friends who’ve become bored with their adult lives.

 Adam has been dumped by his girlfriend. Lou is a party guy who can’t find the party Nick’s wife controls his every move and video game-obsessed Jacob won’t leave his basement. After a crazy night of drinking in a ski resort hot tub, the men wake up, heads pounding, in the year 1986.

This is their chance to kick some past and change their futures.

iPhone App
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hot-tub-time-machine-soundboard/id359274212?mt=8

Hull, UK / Chinese-based online games developer, TQ Digital confirm closed beta for visually striking, turn-based, fantasy-themed MMORPG, Heroes of Might and Magic Online to start in early May 2010.

Licensed by Ubisoft and developed by established China-based online games developer, TQ Digital, Heroes of Might and Magic Online (HoMM Online) weaves all the classic gameplay elements from a previous iteration of the franchise, Heroes of Might and Magic III, with the stunning updated graphics of Heroes of Might and Magic V, into a 2.5D turn-based massively multiplayer version worthy of its place in the esteemed Heroes of Might and Magic dynasty. The closed beta will commence in early May 2010.

Chose from a variety of 8 unique factions with two additions – Conflux and Empire, still in development by TQ Digital – develop elaborate castles that dominate the skyline of bustling metropolis, Harmondale – epicenter of trade in the sweeping Antagarichean continent – plunder resources in exhilarating missions and fortify your armies against the inevitable wars of domination that lie ahead as you carve out your own legacy like the legions of plucky adventurers before you.

Activity within HoMM Online is played out in a mouth-watering, gorgeous 2.5D fantasy world with randomly generated combat maps. The combat maps have been designed with strategic gameplay in mind, so players will be encouraged to think studiously about unit formations and tactics, although every faction has their own spheres of influence with neutral zones up for grabs.

HoMM Online differentiates itself from the other MMORPG’s in the marketplace by offering in excess of hundreds of unique campaigns, each with epic storylines and goals including 10 chapters of battlefield missions, all guaranteed to keep the gameplay refreshing. Quell a rebellion, visit ancient runs or slay a heinous dragon either solo or with friends to unlock treasure boxes spilling over with mysterious goodies.

Form guilds, gather resources, and prove your valiant leadership in the bloody-thirsty Challenging Arena. TQ Digital will be hosting a slew of PK events: Team PK and Extreme PK are only the tip of the iceberg. These PK events will provide invaluable opportunities to gain priceless honor points and increase faction reputation.

HoMM Online invites players to develop towns of different races with its unique Town Prestige System, an unprecedented feature to the MMORPG genre. Expand outside the borders of the trade capital, Harmondale with the official paperwork and corresponding reputation level and faction. Be careful though: while these castles will provide a steady source of income, they are open to attack and even buyouts from opportunistic rivals.

Experience magic based on an innovative in-game star system. Cast a new spell to increase your proficiency or perfect spells through a dynamic online training center. Once proficiency for a spell reaches the cap, then you may learn the higher star version of that spell. The more stars a spell has, the greater its power and area of effect.

Summary of HoMM Online game features:

• First Persistent World Turn-Based Strategy MMO
• 8 towns, 16 classes and 56 creatures
• Hundreds of campaigns with epic storylines
• Unique Anima and Dragon Scale Forge System
• Glorious Guild Building & Exciting Guild Wars
• Challenging Arena and PK Tournaments
• Heroes can build towns of different factions

Register for the closed beta, which is scheduled to commence early May 2010, today: https://account.91.com/common/signup.aspx and write your own legacy within the expansive horizons of Antagarichean, and the rich story-driven adventures promised by HoMM Online.

SZCZECIN, POLAND / Along with the announcement of a brand new “Slaughter” game mode, indie developers EXOR Studios are proud to introduce a ’50/50′ one week special offer for their indie smash-hit, Zombie Driver – that’s 50% more gameplay for a 50% lower price!

Available on www.zombiedriver.com, Steam, GamersGate and other major distribution portals, the 50% price drop comes in celebration of the brand new, aptly titled “Slaughter” game mode, which adds an incredible 50% more gameplay to the fast and furious, undead-flattening Zombie Driver.

The “Slaughter” update is available for free to all the players that have already bought EXOR’s game, as well as new players alike.
“Slaughter” features all new arena-based gameplay, where the player is tasked with surviving for as long as possible from the endless incoming hordes of zombies, played out on a selection 5 specially crafted arenas.

Exclusively for Steam users, the update features integrated online leaderboards and a total of 21 new achievements to unlock. On top of that, Zombie Driver has also been integrated with popular social-media websites, Twitter and Facebook – so if you have an account on either of those, you can easily post and show off your highest scores on your blog or wall from directly within the game!

To view the exciting, brand new trailer for Zombie Driver’s “Slaughter” update, follow this link – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvkHSiQnHZA
Alternatively, you can download and embed a HD (720p) version of the video here – http://www.zombiedriver.com/presskit/ZombieDriver_Slaughter_Trailer_HD.avi

For a screenshot pack featuring all new in-game action (and plenty of blood) – http://www.zombiedriver.com/presskit/ZombieDriver_Slaughter_screenshots_20100412.zip

Zombie Driver, which utilizes the lush graphics capabilities of the Ogre3D rendering engine and PhysX by NVIDIA, is available now. For more information, visit the official website – www.zombiedriver.com.

##ENDS##

About Zombie Driver™
Zombie Driver™ – is an action driving game with a top down perspective and a dynamic helicopter chase camera. Fight your way through the streets of a zombie infested city to save the survivors of a disastrous chemical accident that changed most of the city’s population into mindless brain hungry monsters. Time is your enemy and your car is your weapon as you race through the streets smashing everything on your way including fences, phone booths, street lamps and hordes of zombies.

Key Features:
– 17 story missions with sub quests and bonus objectives,
– Huge, free roaming city, infested by thousands of brain hungry zombies,
– 7 different cars including an unlockable super car,
– All cars can be mounted with miniguns, flamethrowers, rocket launchers or even dual railguns.

New Slaughter game mode:
– Fight endless waves of zombies to achieve the highest score possible
– 5 unlockable arenas with different environmental effects
– Post your high scores to Twitter and Facebook directly from the game
The game is developed using the Ogre3D rendering engine and PhysX by NVIDIA.

About Steam
The leading online platform for PC games and digital entertainment, Steam delivers new releases and online services to over 20 million PC users around the world. For more information, please visit www.steamgames.com.

About GamersGate
GamersGate is a leading digital distribution platform creating easily accessible gaming experiences for gamers worldwide – anytime, anywhere.
With the largest online catalog of downloadable games, GamersGate continues to redefine the download industry and future strategies including the launch of several accompanying services and comprehensive tools, in addition to an aggressively growing product portfolio from a wide range of internationally recognized publishers.

http://www.gamersgate.com.

About EXOR Studios™
EXOR Studios is an independent game development company founded in August 2007 and based in Szczecin, Poland. It is known for its work on the award winning and critically acclaimed Source Engine Mod – D.I.P.R.I.P.
Review copies are now available to the press upon request. For further information please contact Pawel Lekki at pawel.lekki@exorstudios.com. For more information about Zombie Driver visit www.zombiedriver.com.
© 2009 EXOR Studios, the EXOR Studios logo and Zombie Driver logo are trademarks in the United States, European Union and other countries. All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners.

With the purchase of Square, its historically exclusive distributor since 2001,  AVG confirms its commitment to the French domestic market 

AMSTERDAM, April 15, 2010 – AVG Technologies, developers of the world’s most popular free anti-virus software, today announced the purchase of Square, currently the exclusive distributor of the French version of AVG Antivirus, and the opening of its office in France. Since 2001, AVG offerings have been distributed exclusively across France and in several other French-speaking countries by Square through the avgfrance.com Internet site and a network of specialized resellers. More than 110 million users worldwide protect their computers and networks with free or paid products from AVG.

Today, AVG Technologies has nearly 6000 partners, distributors and resellers across the world, including 800 of them in mainland France. More than 150,000 users, with an overall combined total of more than one million PCs in France, are protected by AVG products. The company headquarters of Square, now known as AVG Technologies France, is located in the town of Anglet in the south west of France. 

“The decision to purchase Square to begin establishing offices in France was a logical one, given that Square has always been marketing our solutions locally. By establishing a local presence in France, we continue to show our commitment to the French domestic market,” said J.R. Smith, CEO, AVG Technologies. “The strong success of AVG, both with general consumers as well as small businesses, administrative bodies, local authorities and other organizations, is further proof of AVG’s leadership solution in terms of quality, performance and price.”

“I am very happy with AVG Technologies’ acquisition of Square, as France represents a key market for us,” said Thierry Bonhomme, former CEO of Square and General Manager of AVG Technologies France. “This will allow us to more rapidly expand our market share and improve even more on the service quality that we provide to our customers – it’s a very motivating time.”

Smith added, “A significant proportion of this success is achieved thanks to our partner network, all of whom daily enjoy the benefits provided by our AVG solutions marketing programs.”

AVG, the world’s fourth largest supplier of antivirus solutions in terms of installed user base, expects that in 2010 it will continue to evaluate and respond to global market needs by expanding its technologies and ensuring an ever-growing consideration of user languages and an ever-expanding compatibility with host operating systems. AVG firmly believes that basic internet protection should be free, and, as such, continues to offer one of the most robust free offerings on the market. AVG is focused on continuing to innovate and expand its protection against computer viruses as well as emerging web threats and malware. AVG offers real-time protection against all Internet threats thanks to its unique, free AVG Linkscanner technology, as well as strong protection of personal data with its IDP module. AVG maintains its constant presence close to its customers with the offer of free technical support via the web, available 7 days a week with rapid responses to all enquiries.

Links

• For breaking news, follow AVG on Twitter at www.twitter.com/officialAVGnews 
• For security trends analysis, follow AVG blogs at http://blogs.avg.com
• Join our Facebook community at www.facebook.com/AVGfree

About AVG Technologies  www.avg.com

AVG is a global security software maker protecting more than 110 million consumers and small businesses in 170 countries from the ever-growing incidence of web threats, viruses, spam, cyber-scams and hackers on the Internet. AVG has nearly two decades of experience in combating cyber crime and one of the most advanced laboratories for detecting, pre-empting and combating Web-borne threats from around the world. Its free, downloadable software allows novice users to have basic anti-virus protection and then easily upgrade to greater levels of safety and defense when they are ready. AVG has nearly 6,000 resellers, partners and distributors globally including Amazon.com, CNET, Cisco, Ingram Micro, Play.com, Wal-Mart, and Yahoo!