Sequel to the 2007 Game of the Year welcomes players back to the decayed magnificence of Rapture with rave reviews from the industry’s top critics

Sydney, Australia – February 9, 2010 – 2K Games announced today that BioShock^®2, the highly anticipated sequel to the 2007 Game of the Year, is now available in Australia and new Zealand for the Xbox 360^® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation^®3 computer entertainment system and Games for Windows-LIVE. Building upon the original game that shipped more than three million units worldwide, BioShock 2 delivers a single and multiplayer video game experience that is both an artistic achievement in entertainment and a highly addictive first-person shooter.   

“BioShock represented a watershed moment in the gaming industry when it illustrated that games, like feature films, can be viewed as art – both in art design and in the rich depth of the narrative,” said Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K. “Most importantly, the media are stating what we’ve known all along; that whether or not you’ve played the original, BioShock 2 is a worthy successor to one of the best games of all-time that should not be missed.”  

The single player serves as a sequel to the original game and provides fans with an unsettling storyline, dazzling visual design and the evolution of the genetically enhanced shooter gameplay. Set almost a decade after a grueling civil war consumed the once magnificent city of Rapture, evil reverberates through the halls and a wickedness once thought gone forever returns along the Atlantic seaboard. An unspeakable series of kidnappings from local seaside communities by an unseen monster leads to the repopulation of Little Sisters in Rapture’s failed utopia under the ocean. Players must step into the boots of one of gaming’s most iconic characters, the Big Daddy, as they traverse through the fallen city, fending off attacks from an army of genetically modified Splicers, while searching for escape and the key to their survival.

Multiplayer in BioShock 2 provides fans with a rich and engrossing prequel experience that expands upon the fiction of Rapture’s origins. Set during the year before Rapture’s descent into chaos, players assume the role of a Plasmid test subject for Sinclair Solutions, a key provider of Plasmids and Tonics in the underwater city that was first explored in BioShock. Players will enter into areas from the original title as they struggle to gain superiority in franticly paced battles.

Following in the critically acclaimed footsteps of its predecessor, BioShock 2 has already received high scores from the top Australian and New Zealand gaming and consumer press:

• “BioShock 2 represents a massive improvement on the original, if such a thing could have been thought possible. Many of the niggles have been removed, and have been replaced by gameplay that is infinitely more varied and customisable.” – PC Powerplay, 9/10

• “It’s an undeniably enjoyable and slickly polished shooter from start to finish, jam-packed with secrets off the beaten path and hidden references to the first game that Rapture cultists will delight in seeking out.” –  au.IGN.com, 9.1/10

• “2K have once again proved that Rapture, through all its wild, twisted and crazy moments, is an unforgettable place to be. You may think you’ve seen it all before, but that’s no reason to deprive yourself of what is sure to be one of the best titles of the year.”- Gameplanet NZ, 9/10

BioShock 2 was developed by 2K Marin in collaboration with 2K Australia, Digital Extremes and 2K China for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Games for Windows–LIVE, and is rated MA15+ and R16+ in Australia and New Zealand, respectively.

For more information on BioShock 2 please visit www.bioshock2game.com, www.cultofrapture.com and www.somethinginthesea.com.

2K Games is a division of 2K, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).

About Take-Two Interactive Software

Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is a global developer, marketer, distributor and publisher of interactive entertainment software games for the PC, PlayStation^®3 and PlayStation^®2 computer entertainment systems, PSP^® (PlayStation^®Portable) system, Xbox 360^® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Wii^™, Nintendo DS^™, iPhone^™ and iPod^® touch. The Company publishes and develops products through its wholly owned labels Rockstar Games and 2K, which publishes its titles under 2K Games, 2K Sports and 2K Play. Take-Two also distributes software, hardware and accessories in North America through its Jack of All Games subsidiary. The Company’s common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol TTWO. For more corporate and product information please visit our website at www.take2games.com.

“PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Microsoft, Windows, the Windows Vista Start button, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies, and ‘Games for Windows’ and the Windows Vista Start button logo are used under license from Microsoft.

All trademarks and copyrights contained herein are the property of their respective holders.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

The statements contained herein which are not historical facts are considered forward-looking statements under federal securities laws and may be identified by words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “potential,” “predicts,” “projects,” “seeks,” “will,” or words of similar meaning and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the outlook for the Company’s future business and financial performance. Such forward-looking statements are based on the current beliefs of our management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to them, which are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Actual outcomes and results may vary materially from these forward-looking statements based on a variety of risks and uncertainties including: our dependence on key management and product development personnel, our dependence on our Grand Theft Auto products and our ability to develop other hit titles for current generation platforms, the timely release and significant market acceptance of our games, the ability to maintain acceptable pricing levels on our games, our reliance on a primary distribution service provider for a significant portion of our products, our ability to raise capital if needed, risks associated with international operations, and the matters relating to the investigation by a special committee of our board of directors of the Company’s stock option grants and the claims and proceedings relating thereto (including stockholder and derivative litigation and negative tax or other implications for the Company resulting from any accounting adjustments or other factors). Other important factors and information are contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2009, in the section entitled “Risk Factors,” and the Company’s other periodic filings with the SEC, which can be accessed at www.take2games.com. All forward-looking statements are qualified by these cautionary statements and apply only as of the date they are made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

After centuries we still look to the stars as symbols of love and romance. More than 95% of Melbournians surveyed consider an evening under the stars to be a romantic way to express their love for the first time, compared to just 5% who regard Twitter as romantic and 15% who regard SMS texting as romantic, according to a recently conducted Newspoll survey.

When asked to rate the romance in various different ways of expressing love, more than 95% of Melbournians surveyed said an evening under the stars was a romantic way to express their for the first time, with 71% considering it a very romantic way. This compares with just 1% who rated SMS texting as a very romantic way, or the less than 1% who rated Twitter as a very romantic way.

“People always have found stars romantic and have looked to the stars as symbols of love for centuries” says Tanya Hill, Museum Victoria Curator, Astronomy. “New technologies are affecting the way we see and understand the sky, and I suppose each other, but there is something about the night sky that still resonates with our deepest emotions, and I think always will”.

Melbournians will have the chance to experience the wonders of the night sky at the March season of Discover the Night Sky, a series of special after-dark sessions at the Melbourne Planetarium. Bookings for Discover the Night Sky open on Valentine’s Day, 14 February.

“Every night there is a romantic spectacular performed just above our heads, but in our everyday lives we don’t pay it much attention. Maybe we’re too busy Twittering and texting” says Hill.

“The Melbourne Planetarium provides a modern spin on an evening under the stars, allowing you to discover the depths of the universe – and who knows, maybe bring a distant romance just a little bit closer”. 

All evenings of Discover the Nights Sky include complimentary wine and cheese and the opportunity to chat to the Planetarium’s Astronomer, Dr. Tanya Hill. The evening will finish with stargazing through telescopes (weather permitting).

Each evening will showcase a different aspect of the night sky:

Thursday 4 March:       Backyard Astronomy

It’s not just stars you can see in the night sky – planets, comets, shooting stars and satellites are all there if you know when and where to look.

Thursday 11 March:     Travel the Universe

We invite you on a tour of the Universe that will take you from Spotswood to the far reaches of space.

Thursday 18 March:     Deep Sky Wonders

Explore magnificent galaxies, sparkling star clusters, mysterious gas clouds and much more.

Thursday 25 March:     Our Solar System

Journey through planets, dwarf planets, moons, asteroids and comets. Marvel at the beauty of each unique world and the stories they tell.

Discover the Nights Sky

Melbourne Planetarium at Scienceworks, 2 Booker St, Spotswood

Session times: Commence 7pm.

Cost: $26 per person, MV members $21, Season pass $89.

Bookings essential: Call 03 9392 4819 Monday to Friday 9.00am – 4.30pm

For more information visit http://museumvictoria.com.au/planetarium/

Newspoll survey was conducted in January 2010 on the Newspoll Telephone Omnibus amongst a representative sample of 200 Melbourne respondents aged 18 years and over.

Catch Hannah’s new look, new music and hilarious new stories – even more reasons to take Hannah Montana Season 3 home on Disney DVD, 31 March 2010!

She’s just your typical Malibu teen juggling school, boys and her secret double life as the chart-topping celeb, Hannah Montana! This latest series on DVD is the must-have addition to every Hannah fans collection! Season 3 showcases Hannah’s all new look, with new stories and awesome new music – so enjoy your favourite episodes as Hollywood superstar MILEY CYRUS is back as Miley Stewart AND Hannah Montana.

Hannah Montana Season 3, Part 1 is released as a double-disc to Disney DVD on 31 March, 2010! With a ton of totally rockin’ new songs, this brand new DVD includes the smash-hit sensation Let’s Get Crazy and Ice Cream Freeze (Let’s Chill!)!  Exclusive to DVD, Hannah Montana Season 3, Part 1 includes “The Best of Both Worlds: Cast Sync-tacular” bonus feature, where your favourite Hannah Montana cast members dance and lip sync along to Hannah songs.

In the first half of season 3, Miley and the gang are back with even more hilarious escapades! You’ll split your sides with laughter as Hannah finally gets her licence, but has to prove that she’s actually Miley when the police pull her over! You’ll love watching Lily and Oliver’s new romance as it starts to blossom but how will Miley deal with this change when and if they finally tell her?! And you’ll be laughing for hours when Jackson suffers from amnesia, leaving Miley to convince him to do the craziest of things! With a hit new movie, “Indiana Joanie” and a brand new look, Hannah has the world at her feet, but she’ll need help from her dad Robbie-Ray (BILLY RAY CYRUS), brother Jackson (JASON EARLES) and best friend Lily (EMILY OSMENT) to remind her that she is Miley first and Hannah second.

The fun doesn’t stop there. You can relieve all the musical moments from Hannah Montana Season 3 with the official soundtrack, featuring 14 tracks performed by Miley Cyrus, including Ice Cream Freeze (Let’s Chill) and Let’s Get Crazy.
The perfect treat for the entire family, get ready for non-stop laughs with Hannah, Miley and all the gang as their music and mishaps make this DVD everything you’ll want for your Hannah Montana collection from 31 March, 2010!

Available to own on DVD: 31 March 2010

Rated: G

Running time: 161 minutes

Hannah Montana Season 3, Part 1 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

MADMAN ACQUIRES THE OSCAR®-NOMINATED OMNILAB MEDIA FILM – ‘THE MESSENGER’ 

MELBOURNE, Tuesday, 9 February 2010: Madman is proud to announce the acquisition of theatrical and home entertainment rights for the Oscar®-nominated film, THE MESSENGER for release in Australia and New Zealand.

Nominated in the ‘Best Actor in a Supporting Role’ and ‘Writing – Original Screenplay’ categories for this year’s Academy Awards, THE MESSENGER stars Ben Foster, Jena Malone and Woody Harrelson (in the role that earned him this year’s nomination for best supporting actor) and follows the challenges of two U.S. Army officers, recently returned from Iraq, as they are tasked with delivering bad news to the families of fallen soldiers.

The film is fast gathering major acclaim in the U.S., where the emotionally raw subject matter and particularly, the powerful performances from all involved, have become a highlight for critics and audiences alike.

The acquisition was made between Madman’s Paul Wiegard and Nick Batzias, and Omnilab Media representatives and Executive Producers on the film, David Whealy and Matthew Street at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.

THE MESSENGER is an Omnilab Media Presents production in North America and the Sydney-based media company were involved very early in the film from investment through to production as well as being the joint North American distributor with Oscilloscope.

Omnilab Media’s Christopher Mapp said of the announcement, “The two Oscar ® nominations are truly an extraordinary moment for all involved in this powerful film. The nominations duly reward the efforts and skills not only of Woody Harrelson, Alessandro Camon and Oren Moverman but of everyone involved in supporting, creating and distributing the film.”

“This is an exciting time for Omnilab Media and THE MESSENGER with Madman also signing on to distribute the film in Australia and New Zealand.  We very much look forward to working alongside Madman on the local release”. 

“We are excited to partner with Omnilab Media on THE MESSENGER”, says Paul Wiegard, joint Managing Director of Madman Entertainment. “It’s a remarkable directorial debut, audiences will bond with the characters and we see great potential in the films release.”

The 82^nd Academy Awards ceremony will be held in Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 7, 2010.

  Apple Consultants Network available NOW in Australia and New Zealand

As of today, Apple customers in Australia and New Zealand will have access to a group of local, independent experts that can help them make the most of their technology investment. 

The Apple Consultant Network (ACN) members are certified professionals who deliver technology advice, innovative ideas and expert implementation over the phone or in your home or business. Although not employed by Apple, each member company is staffed with technical personnel who hold the latest Apple Certifications.

Offering technology services that span the entire spectrum – from basic set-up and configuration for a home-user with a new Mac, to advanced enterprise solution deployments – you can search for members with the capabilities you want in the location you need.

Members of the ACN community in Australia and New Zealand today include:

• Computers Now, 
• Digistor, 
• gizmo, 
• Key Options Technology, 
• Kytec Group, 
• Renaissance Limited, 
• Winthrop Australia, and 
• XciteLogic

Further details on ACN can be found at https://consultants.apple.com.au/ or https://consultants.apple.co.nz/

Ace Attorney Series (Wii Ware)
The WiiWare™ version of Phoenix Wright™ Ace Attorney™: JUSTICE FOR ALL will be available for download on February 19, 2010 and it’ll cost 1,000 Wii Points™.

In Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: JUSTICE FOR ALL, Phoenix Wright has had six months of experience and five court victories under his belt. None of that will do him any good against the ruthless new D.A. in town though. Franziska von Karma wants revenge and she’s ready to take Phoenix down at any cost.

Each game in the series presents twisting storylines and intriguing gameplay with comical anime stylings. Players will collect evidence, search through inconsistent testimonies and overcome corrupt agendas to ensure that justice prevails! Present evidence with the wave of the Wii remote or press suspicious testimonies by wiggling it. These games can be played via single-player and will also have multiple save slots for you and your friends.

The first WiiWare™ version in the Ace Attorney series – Phoenix Wright™ Ace Attorney™ is available to download now.

We at Halfbrick are very happy to announce Age of Zombies – Rated T for TEEN – for the PSP and PS3 minis. We know what you are thinking – “Great, another %@&$in zombie game!”

We thought about that too. After years of research at the Halfbrick Researchalogical Datafiler Department, our team discovered a unique formula which determined that:

(Proximity of gamers to zombies + stupidness and stuff) x Headblast Ratio 7.4 = Increased ability to spend money.

There’s no denying it. Zombie games make money. No one has anything against a good zombie game really, it’s just that there’s a lot of them. So we needed to try something different. We didn’t want to kill zombies in the usual way. We didn’t want to survive a deadly undead army in the ruins of some scary-ass town. We wanted to travel through time and shoot zombie dinosaurs and mummies and junk. So, we created Age of Zombies!

To conduct field research, the development team actually journeyed back in time to experience what it meant to really blast zombie faces with guns while standing around the Pyramids and Japanese villages and such.

Mr. Morowitz, the game’s lead programmer, found the entire experience fascinating:“I particularly enjoyed the artwork of the Ancient Egyptians and their ability to persevere under extreme environmental circumstances.”

Creative consultant Anthony Hansen on his adventure: “I learned how to make moonshine in the 1930s.”

And lead artist Murry Lancashire: “I liked shooting cavemen.”

Truly an enlightening experience for the entire team! Upon returning to 2010, Halfbrick set about creating Age of Zombies, where the hero Barry Steakfries employs the use of time portals to stop the evil zombie scheme of Professor Brains. Using a huge pile of weapons and explosives, Steakfries is the real deal for blood-splattering needs.

And yay, the game was. Age of Zombies, releasing on PSP and PS3 minis for $4.99 on February 25^th. We hope, in the future, you do try it!

Debut trailer – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5hsCfMs90s

 About Halfbrick

Halfbrick is a professional game development studio based in Brisbane, Australia. Founded in 2001, it has developed popular titles for the Game Boy Advance, PSP, PlayStation 2 and Nintendo DS, with expansion into XBLA, PS3 and iPhone development. For further information, please visit www.halfbrick.com and follow on Twitter, Youtube and Facebook!

You can find the ‘Freedom and Chaos’ trailer on the official website at www.JustCause.com.

ModNation Racers™ goes handheld on PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable)

• Mod your characters, create your own tracks, and race with your friends wherever you are and however you like – ModNation Racers is going portable!

SYDNEY, 8 February 2010: Sony Computer Entertainment Australia (SCE Aust.) has announced that ModNation Racers™, the eagerly-awaited creative karting game arriving this year for PlayStation®3 (PS3™) will also be available on PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) – letting you mod, drive and race with your pals wherever and whenever you like. A new type of racing game that puts you in the driving seat and lets you run riot with your creativity, ModNation Racers is fast, easy, funky, stylish – and downright fun. The PSP version will have all of the features of the PS3 version, with players able to create and upload their own racetracks to share with kart-racing lovers around the world, and race with up to six people in PSP’s Ad Hoc mode or online.

ModNation Racers isn’t just a world of fast, furious and fun kart racing – it’s your own personal playground with your dream tracks and dream racers. You get to build it all with easy tools that allow you to create the stars, the cars, and the tracks to race them on. The only limit is your imagination! Here’s how you get started:

Step one: Make your Mod:

First, you get to create your own racer from thousands of different options. Choose a face, eyes and hair – will you have a rough and tough Mod to intimidate the opposition or a quirky character who’ll wreak havoc on the track with crazy manoeuvres? Once you’ve got the basics together, you can get really creative with clothes, helmets, jewellery, masks and whatever else you like.

Step two: Create your kart:

Repeat the above to create a killer kart for your Mod. You can make anything from a sleek, sporty number to an anarchic banger covered in graffiti – just express yourself.

Step three: Make tracks and have some fun!

Once again, you’re spoilt for choice. You can choose to take your Mod out to tackle the twists and turns of the game’s pre-made tracks or create your ultimate race track on your own. It’s so easy that you can make one in a few minutes – just drive your Mod around the blank backdrop (think of it as your canvas). Then choose the scenery around it or allow the game to fill trees, mountains, houses and all of the details spring into life behind you. When you’re done, you can race your own track, ‘remix’ it with new props, weapon pickups and obstacles, invite friends to race on it and even upload it to PlayStation®Network for the world to play.

There are also a host of the games pre-made mods, karts and tracks for you to race and enjoy or go online and download other creations created by other players to play. You can choose to race with friends or online opponents, or to hone your skills on your own. Look out for those traps, weapons and maniac drivers – it’s going to be a wild ride!

It’s more than a driving game – it’s a driving game that keeps on giving and lets you share your creative talent with everyone. Now, you’ll be able to take part on the move with PSP. So – do you fancy a race? ModNation Racers for PSP is arriving alongside the PS3 version this year.