Thursday, September 11, 2008 Warriors Orochi 2 Comes To North America Johnny @ 10:39 AM Burlingame, CA -- KOEI, recognized worldwide as the premier brand of strategy and action games, announced today that WARRIORS OROCHI 2, for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, has reached gold status. The game will be available at North American retailers beginning the week of September 23, 2008. TNA iMPACT Slams Into Stores Johnny @ 10:29 AM CHICAGO - September 9, 2008 – Midway Games Inc., a leading interactive entertainment software publisher and developer, today announced that TNA iMPACT! began shipping to stores this week for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system and the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system. The game is expected to be available in stores by the end of the week, with a Wii version expected to ship to retail outlets next week. Combining fast-paced intuitive controls, state-of-the-art wrestler likenesses and a unique Story Mode, TNA iMPACT! will deliver the most authentic video game wrestling experience to date. "The development of the 'iMPACT' game has been an amazing process," said Dixie Carter, president, TNA Wrestling. "Midway and TNA share the common goal of creating a wrestling game focusing on great game play. TNA features the most exciting and athletic roster in professional wrestling today, so it was critical that the game deliver the in-ring action we have on our shows. Our superstars were very involved collaboratively in the development from day one with this goal in mind. The result is a product that any wrestling fan that plays videogames is going to love." "Working very closely with TNA allowed us access to numerous resources needed to make the best wrestling game on the market today," said Miguel Iribarren, senior vice president - publishing, Midway. "We worked countless hours in scanning and motion capture sessions with each wrestler to not only ensure that our game was visually stunning, but to make sure the realism of each punch, slam and finishing move was captured." TNA iMPACT! the video game is based on the fastest growing professional wrestling brand in the world and its flagship program TNA iMPACT!. Total Nonstop Action wrestling is in its sixth year of existence and offers sports entertainment fans a different look and feel from the traditional brand of wrestling. Focusing on athleticism, ground-breaking match types and captivating story lines, the TNA brand has quickly garnered world-wide recognition for wrestling excellence. TNA iMPACT! the video game drops gamers into TNA's signature six-sided ring to grapple as one of their favorite TNA Superstars for head-to-head and tag-team action. The game's Story Mode will entertain for hours as the player guides a fallen champion back to TNA glory. Players can also test the limits in professional wrestling's most innovative match, Ultimate X, and go online to battle friends or foes in head to head action. Metallica's Death Magnet Hits Guitar Hero III Johnny @ 10:21 AM SANTA MONICA, CA – September 8, 2008 – In a monumental first for the gaming and music industries, Metallica's highly anticipated ninth studio album Death Magnetic will be available in its entirety as downloadable content for Activision Publishing, Inc.'s (Nasdaq: ATVI) Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock day and date with the album release this Friday, September 12. Featured on the downloadable album will be two Guitar Hero exclusive renditions of "Suicide & Redemption" with extended solos by James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett. Gamers looking to shred, drum and wail away to the Death Magnetic downloadable album need only purchase the content once as it is forward compatible and will integrate seamlessly with Guitar Hero World Tour when it launches this October. In addition to the two exclusive versions of "Suicide & Redemption," Guitar Hero fans will live out the surreal Metallica experience with: "That Was Just Your Life," "The End of the Line," "Broken, Beat & Scared," "The Day That Never Comes," "All Nightmare Long," "Cyanide," "The Unforgiven Ill," "The Judas Kiss" and "My Apocalypse." "We've been working very closely with Metallica and we're extremely excited to offer Death Magnetic not only in its entirety, but also with the exclusive recordings of 'Suicide & Redemption' as downloadable content to Guitar Hero fans," said Tim Riley, Vice President of Music Affairs for Activision Blizzard. "We're proud to be setting a new precedent for our two industries, making an entire new album available in two different mediums simultaneously." Metallica's Death Magnetic album will be available for Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock on September 12, 2008 for download on Xbox LIVE Marketplace for Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft at a cost of 1440 Microsoft Points and in the PLAYSTATION Store for the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system at a cost of $17.99. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock offers the ultimate rock experience with new wireless guitars, freshly added content and features including a multiplayer action-inspired battle mode, grueling boss battles, a host of exclusive unlockable content and visually stunning rock venues. Expanded online multiplayer modes allow axe-shredders worldwide to compete head-to-head for true rock status as they riff through a star-studded soundtrack including master tracks by legendary artists such as Aerosmith, Guns 'N' Roses, The Rolling Stones, Beastie Boys, Rage Against the Machine and Pearl Jam, as well as original songs by guitar icons Slash and Tom Morello. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock is now available and is rated "T" for Teen by the ESRB. When the house lights go down this fall, a new generation of guitarists, drummers and fearless frontmen will come together and rock with Guitar Hero World Tour. The latest installment in the #1 best-selling video game franchise of 2007, Guitar Hero World Tour transforms music gaming by expanding Guitar Hero's signature guitar gameplay into a cooperative band experience that combines the most advanced wireless controllers with new revolutionary online* and offline gameplay modes including Band Career and 8-player "Battle of the Bands," which allows two full bands to compete head-to-head online for the first time ever. The game features a slick newly redesigned guitar controller, drum kit controller and a microphone, as well as an innovative Music Studio music creator that lets players compose, record, edit and share their own rock 'n' roll anthems. Music creators will also be able to share their recordings with their friends online through GHTunesSM where other gamers can download and play an endless supply of unique creations. Guitar Hero World Tour is being developed by Neversoft Entertainment for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system. The Wii version is being developed by Vicarious Visions. The PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system version is being developed by Budcat. The game is rated "T" for Teen by the ESRB. For more information on Guitar Hero World Tour, please visit www.guitarhero.com Wednesday, July 16, 2008 Microsoft and Netflix Team up Johnny @ 10:28 AM LOS ANGELES, July 14 -- An exciting new home theater experience is coming to living rooms this holiday season. At the E3 Media and Business Summit, Microsoft Corp. and Netflix, Inc., the world's largest online movie rental service, today unveiled an exclusive partnership to offer consumers the ability to instantly stream movies and TV episodes from Netflix to the television via the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system. Xbox 360 will be the only game system that lets users instantly watch movies and TV episodes streamed from Netflix. This movie watching innovation will be available to Xbox LIVE Gold members who are also Netflix subscribers and will let those users enjoy streaming movies from Netflix on Xbox LIVE at no additional cost. A growing library of more than 10,000 movies and TV episodes will be available from Netflix when it launches on Xbox LIVE in late fall, with more choices added over time. Through this agreement, along with the existing Xbox LIVE Marketplace Video Store, Xbox 360 will be home to more movies and TV shows on demand than any other device connected to the TV. Xbox LIVE quickly and easily connects consumers and their friends to the entertainment they want -- with no PC required for viewing. Netflix on Xbox 360 is an important component of the new Xbox experience, a new generation of games and entertainment experiences that will be available on Xbox 360 consoles this fall. The new Xbox experience, also announced today at the E3 Media and Business Summit, represents the first time in history that a mass-market consumer electronics device has been re-invented through free software, giving people more fun and intuitive ways to interact, play and enjoy entertainment content. "Watching movies at home will never be the same. Netflix on Xbox 360 is an entertainment first, and we are bringing friends together with the best in entertainment content like no other device in the living room," said John Schappert, corporate vice president of Interactive Entertainment LIVE, Software and Services Business at Microsoft. "We are creating a completely new social entertainment experience, and Xbox 360 will be the only video game system where you can access your library of instantly streamable movies from Netflix and turn any room into a virtual movie theater." From the Netflix Web site, members simply add movies and TV episodes to their individual instant Queues. Those choices will be automatically displayed on the TV screen via Xbox 360 and available to watch instantly. Once selected, movies will begin playing in as little as 30 seconds. In addition to instantly streaming movies to the TV, Xbox LIVE Gold members can fast-forward, pause and rewind, all using either their Xbox 360 Controller or Media Remote. In all, the user interface creates a highly personalized experience that puts viewers in control. "Netflix and Xbox 360 are a perfect combination, the leading online movie rental service and the leading games and entertainment system joining forces to create an all-in-one entertainment experience with content for everyone," said Reed Hastings, chairman and CEO of Netflix. "For Netflix, it represents an important step forward in making instantly streaming movies on the TV more broadly available to our members." The library of movies and TV episodes that will be available for instant streaming from Netflix via Xbox 360 includes scores of Academy Award winners and nominees, episodes from a number of popular, currently running and classic TV shows, and 24 of the movies rated by the American Film Institute as the greatest ever. Today, Xbox LIVE members can also download movies and purchase TV shows from the industry-leading Xbox LIVE Marketplace Video Store, currently packed with content from more than 45 networks and studios. The Xbox LIVE Marketplace Video Store offers more than twice the high-definition content than the nearest cable provider and more than 6,000 hours of TV shows and movies. Xbox 360 Console Now 60GB for Same Price Johnny @ 10:27 AM REDMOND, Wash., July 13 -- Microsoft Corp. is giving consumers more gigabytes for their buck. The company today announced an Xbox 360 console with triple the storage space of the original console, but for the same price of $349 (U.S.) estimated retail price (ERP). Available in retail stores in the U.S. and Canada starting in early August, the upgraded Xbox 360 will include a 60GB hard drive for storing the growing wealth of digital entertainment available for the console, including music, movies, television shows and game content. In addition, Microsoft today dropped the price of its 20GB Xbox 360 console in the U.S. and Canada to just $299 (U.S.) (ERP) while supplies last, a savings of $50. "We know consumers need more and more space to store the amazing digital content Xbox 360 offers, and we're giving it to them at no extra charge," said Albert Penello, Xbox director of product management at Microsoft. "No one device offers the depth and breadth of entertainment that Xbox 360 can deliver, and now you'll have three times the storage to manage all that great content." Xbox 360 is just one of three Xbox 360 gaming and entertainment systems Microsoft offers. Microsoft's Xbox 360 Arcade, which comes with a 256MB memory unit and five Xbox LIVE Arcade games, is a value for the whole family for $279 (U.S.) (ERP), and the premium Xbox 360 Elite console is available with a 120GB hard drive for $449 (U.S.) (ERP). Out of the box, the Xbox 360 console is ready to provide an incredible gaming and entertainment experience: * Xbox 360 console. The console is equipped with a cool white finish and three powerful core processors capable of producing the best in high definition (HD) entertainment (up to 1080p for gaming), 16:9 cinematic aspect ratio, anti-aliasing for smooth textures, full surround sound, and high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) output. * 60 GB Hard Drive. The 60GB detachable hard drive allows gamers to save their games and store television shows, movies, music, pictures, trailers, levels, demos and other content available from Xbox LIVE Marketplace, the premier one-stop digital download center for entertainment. * Upscaling DVD Player. With an HDMI cable (sold separately), watch your favorite DVDs in near high-definition using the upscaling capabilities of Xbox 360. * Xbox 360 Wireless Controller. This award-winning, high-performance wireless controller features the Xbox Guide Button for quick, in-game access to friends and music. It has a range of up to 30 feet and a battery life of up to 30 hours on two AA batteries. * Xbox 360 Headset. The headset lets friends and family around the world chat while playing games, watching movies, or sending voice messages on Xbox LIVE. * Xbox LIVE Silver Membership. For no additional cost, Xbox 360 owners can chat with friends online, collect Achievements to improve their Gamerscores, send and receive voice and text messages, and access Xbox LIVE Marketplace content such as game demos, and purchase or rent HD movies and TV shows, as well as the best in downloadable games from Xbox LIVE Arcade. (Broadband Internet access required.) * One-month subscription to Xbox LIVE Gold. An Xbox LIVE Gold Membership provides a complete online entertainment experience. Those who subscribe to this premium service can engage in competitive online multiplayer matches, tailor their matchmaking via feedback and accomplishments, and chat with an entire group of friends at a time. Tuesday, June 24, 2008 Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath Ships to Stores Johnny @ 10:50 AM REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--The Dark Messiah is wreaking havoc on consoles again! Electronic Arts Inc. announced today that Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath has shipped to retail outlets in North America and Europe for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system. The standalone follow up to the award-winning, bestselling real-time strategy game of 20071, Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars 2, Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath for the Xbox 360 contains all of the key features from the PC version while adding exclusive enhancements including the revolutionary CommandStick interface, the all-new Kane's Challenge mode and all of the units, structures and superpowers from Tiberium Wars giving you command over 100 deadly tools of destruction – all for only $39.99. "Our team has been very passionate about delivering the same fast, fluid and fun gameplay that has defined the Command & Conquer franchise on the PC to consoles," said Jim Vessella, Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath producer. "Each time we release a new RTS on consoles, we want to make sure we help continue to bridge that platform gap, and with the CommandStick in Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath we are giving players an unprecedented amount of control." Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath on the Xbox 360 features four gameplay modes, including the all-new and exclusive Kane's Challenge – a grueling gauntlet of 90 matches against nine deadly armies, featuring exclusive cutscenes and taunts from Kane. Skirmish and multiplayer battles are available for up to four players over Xbox LIVE3, with VisionCam support and over 50 maps to choose from. Players will also be able to enjoy a 13-mission story-driven campaign, told through over 40 minutes of high-definition, full-motion videos starring Natasha Henstridge (Species), Carl Lumbly (Alias) and, of course, Joe Kucan as Kane himself. The epic story spans two decades of Tiberium Lore, focusing on the rebirth of the Brotherhood of Nod after the Second Tiberium War through the dramatic events of the Third Tiberium War and beyond. For more information about Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath, including a full list of the game's achievements, or the Command & Conquer series, please visit the franchise's official site at http://www.CommandAndConquer.com. And be sure to check out the latest news about Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath, Command & Conquer Red Alert 3 and all things Command & Conquer on Command & Conquer's own dedicated online programming network, Command & Conquer TV. Call of Duty: World at War Enlists For New Battles Johnny @ 10:45 AM Santa Monica, CA – June 23, 2008 – Leave your packs and bring extra ammo, Activision, Inc. and Treyarch, announced today that they will be taking Call of Duty players deep into the South Pacific and European theaters this fall for Call of Duty: World at War, a gritty fight that will pit players against enemies that know no surrender and show no mercy. Utilizing the Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare engine, Call of Duty: World at War throws out the rulebook of war to transform WWII combat through a new enemy, new tactics and an uncensored experience of the climatic battles that gripped a generation. As U.S. Marines and Russian soldiers, players will employ new features like cooperative gameplay, and weapons such as the flamethrower in the most chaotic and cinematically intense experience to date. "With Call of Duty: World at War, we're re-defining what it means to play a WWII game," said Mark Lamia, Studio Head for Treyarch. "We're excited to give players a host of new enemies that employ entirely new tactics, as well as new, groundbreaking tools – like co-op and the flamethrower – to succeed in the epic fight." Call of Duty: World at War introduces co-operative play, bringing fresh meaning to the "No One Fights Alone" mantra with up to four-players online for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC, or two-player local split-screen on consoles. Nintendo Wii will also support a unique co-op mode for two players. For the first time ever players will experience harrowing single-player missions together for greater camaraderie and tactical execution. The co-op campaign allows players to rank up and unlock perks in competitive multiplayer by completing challenges and earning experience points, adding continuous re-playability and team-based gameplay. Whether playing competitively or cooperatively – if players are online with Call of Duty: World at War – they will always gain experience points. Based on a player's experience rank and rank of the player's friends, Call of Duty: World at War will scale dynamically to provide a deeper level of challenge. Call of Duty: World at War is in development for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, Nintendo Wii and Games for Windows. The title is scheduled for release this fall and has not yet been rated by the ESRB. For more information and exclusive updates about Call of Duty: World at War, visit http://www.callofduty.com Ghostbusters' ECTO-1 Tour Kicks Off Johnny @ 10:40 AM Los Angeles, CA – Sierra Entertainment – a division of Vivendi Games, today announced that one of the most iconic cars in Hollywood history, the Ghostbusters' ECTO-1, is back and will be busting ghosts in a town near you! In conjunction with Sony Pictures Consumer Products and the eagerly anticipated Ghostbusters: The Video Game, Sierra Entertainment is taking the classic caddy on the road to give fans of the franchise a chance to experience this one-of-a-kind machine and the game first hand. "The ECTO-1 is one of the most memorable and loved vehicles of all-time," says Al Simone, VP of Marketing, Sierra Entertainment. "Sony has been a fantastic partner to work with and we're very excited to have a hand in taking ECTO off the screen and out on the road – this way fans can experience a true piece of ghost busting history first hand as they get a taste of Ghostbusters™: The Video Game." ECTO-1 will be stopping at several destinations across the U.S. throughout the tour, five of which are in partnership with the Boost Mobile Nightshift and Hot Import Nights events. Additionally, fans will have the chance to get up close and personal with ECTO-1 at Knott's Scary Farm and the L.A. Auto Show later this year. ECTO-1 Tour Schedule: June 21 – Nightshift New York (Belmont Raceway; New York, NY) August 9 – Nightshift Pomona (Pomona Fairplex; Pomona, CA) August 29-31 – Penny Arcade Expo (Seattle Conv. Ctr; Seattle, WA) Sept. 20 – Nightshift Pleasanton (Alameda Fairgrounds; Pleasanton, CA) Sept. 27 – Hot Import Nights (Minneapolis Conv. Ctr; Minneapolis, MN) Oct. 11 – Hot Import Nights (Dallas Conv. Ctr; Dallas, TX) Oct. 15 – Nov. 1 – Knott's Scary Farm (Knott's Berry Farm; Buena Park, CA) Nov. 19-30 – L.A. Auto Show (L.A. Conv. Ctr; Los Angeles, CA) In light of ECTO-1's tour to some of the hottest car shows throughout the country, Sony has taken the liberty to update the Ghostbusters' ride with the latest and greatest Sony Xplod mobile electronics. ECTO-1 now sports a Sony XAV-W1 double din touch screen A/V center, Xplod XS-GT1625A speakers and an Xplod XS-L10S slim subwoofer – all the essentials to keep ECTO-1's sound system on par with the rest of the ghost catching equipment found on the Ghostbusters' primary mode of transportation. Ghostbusters: The Video Game is planned to release this Fall for the PLAYSTATION 3 and PlayStation 2 computer entertainment systems, the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Games for Windows, Wii home video game system and Nintendo DS, and is currently rated "RP" (Rating Pending) by the ESRB. For more information on Ghostbusters: The Video Game be sure to visit the official game web site located at: http://www.ghostbustersgame.com Thursday, June 5, 2008 Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit *Exclusive* Trailer Steve @ 02:05 PM Our friends at Atari were kind enough to send over an exclusive trailer to their upcoming title Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit. Check out the Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit game page to view the action. Tuesday, June 3, 2008 Bourne Conspiracy Demo Hits 1 Million Downloads Steve @ 06:40 PM May 30, 2008 – Sierra Entertainment, a division of Vivendi Games today announced that the Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Conspiracy™ demo has reached the 1 million download* mark. Gamers worldwide will receive their next assignments June 3rd as the game ships to retailers nationwide. The Bourne Conspiracy demo features: *A look into how The Bourne Conspiracy combines original missions with memorable film moments to plunge players into the role of both trained Treadstone assassin and a malfunctioning government weapon on the run *Brutal hand-to-hand combat choreographed by the films’ fight coordinator and stunt legend Jeff Imada, recreating Bourne’s signature combat style and ability to weaponize everyday objects in his environment *Shooting using cover, wallwork, and use of destructible objects to distract and destroy enemies, along with a unique ‘expert kill’ shooting takedown system *Seamless movement between combat styles combined with unique ‘escape & evade’ game play where Bourne must escape deadly situations, all framed by relentless pace and camera techniques inspired by the cinematography of the films *A taste of Bourne-style high speed pursuit, with a re-imagining of the escape from Paris sequence through a thrill-a-minute, arcade-racing inspired police car chase For more information on the Robert Ludlum’s The Bourne Conspiracy video game, including screenshots and video trailers, please visit http://www.bournethegame.com Monday, June 2, 2008 New Fallout 3 Screens Steve @ 01:36 PM We just posted 3 brand new Fallout 3 screens. Check them out at the Fallout 3 game page . New Prizefighter Trailer: Historic Fights; New Screens Steve @ 11:02 AM 2K Sports released a new trailer titled "Historic Fights" for the upcoming title Don King Present: Prizefigher. We also just posted 21 new screenshots. Check out the Prizefighter game page to view screens and the trailer. Don King Presents: Prizefighter will be available on June 10, 2008 for Xbox 360. 2K Sports Launches Prizefighter Web Site Johnny @ 10:57 AM May 28, 2008 - 2K Sports today announced it has partnered with the king of boxing and the godfather of hype, Don King, to launch HypeKingdom.com in support of the highly anticipated boxing video game, Don King Presents: Prizefighter. Fans can now enroll in the University of Hype to learn the art of larger-than-life self-promotion, while getting new insight into the man behind the mania. "To be the king, you've got to know the king, and HypeKingdom.com provides what you need to know to follow in my footsteps," said Don King. "You'll also be witness to the spectacular promotionalization of 2K Sports' Don King Presents: Prizefighter, the most exhilarating boxing title the world has ever seen!" At HypeKingdom.com, fans can experience the thrill of being the king through the following features: * Nickname Generator – Joe Smith isn't going to fill seats, so get a Don King-inspired nickname that screams "the champ is here!" * Customizable Hype Spoken by Don King - Generate your own hype, Mad Lib-style, with the voice of the king. * Complete Guide to King's English - Now fans can accurately sling the slang to raise their hype game. * Hype Boards - A place where members can share their own hype glory stories as well as enthusiasm for Don King Presents: Prizefighter. * Screen Savers and Screen Shots – View all the screen savers and screen shots in its tenacious spectaculocity to download and share with friends. Don King Presents: Prizefighter will deliver the deepest, most authentic and entertaining boxing experience available. The life of a boxer is more than just a night at the fights; it's about building a career and rising to stardom. In Don King Presents: Prizefighter, players must train, overcome adversity, get promoted and avoid temptation to rise in notoriety. The story of their struggle to become champion unfolds in a unique, live-action sports documentary style that features real-life legends and current stars from the world of boxing including Ken Norton, Larry Holmes, Andrew Gollotta, Joe Calzaghe, and many others. Heather Vandeven, the reigning 2007 Penthouse Pet of the Year, and popular video vixen Bria Myles, also star in the documentary and act as temptations for boxers throughout their career. Don King Presents: Prizefighter will be available on June 10, 2008 for Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft , and this fall for Wii home video game system from Nintendo and Nintendo DS. For more information, please visit www.2ksports.com/prizefighter Thursday, May 29, 2008 Street Fighter IV Commercial To Air During MMA Event Johnny @ 11:08 AM SAN MATEO, CA – May 28, 2008 – Capcom, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, today announced that the first television commercial for Street Fighter IV will debut during the CBS EliteXC Saturday Night Fights mixed martial arts (MMA) event. The EliteXC bout takes place on CBS on Saturday, May 31 at 9 PM EST. Immediately following the bout, the Street Fighter IV trailer will debut on the newly redesigned StreetFighter.com, along with the first chance for gamers to preorder Street Fighter IV for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3) computer entertainment system exclusively through GamesStop. Viewers tuning in to catch the first MMA fight to ever air on US broadcast television featuring internet phenomenon Kimbo Slice battling British fighter James "The Colossus" Thompson, will be treated to the network premiere of a 60 second Street Fighter IV trailer and 30 second Street Fighter IV television spots, which feature a combination of stylized CG animation and game play, ending with a call to action that will drive viewers to the newly designed StreetFighter.com website. On the website, players will be able to watch the new "artistic" trailer, featuring a stylized brawl between Street Fighter favorite Guile and new character Abel along with several other Street Fighter IV trailers and then immediately pre-order the Xbox 360 or PS3 version of the game from GameStop. Fans who pre-order Street Fighter IV will receive a limited edition collectable Street Fighter Tribute artbook, illustrated by top artists from the comic book and video game industries. A countdown currently running on the website tracks the time remaining until the new trailer unlocks. When: Saturday, May 31st, 2008 at 10 PM Where: CBS (check local listings) URL: http://www.streetfighter.com, http://fight.proelite.com/elitexc-primetime.html Street Fighter IV Confirmed for Xbox 360 Johnny @ 11:06 AM SAN MATEO, CA — May 27, 2008 — Capcom, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, today announced the development of Street Fighter IV, the next iteration of the genre-establishing fighting game series, for the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system and , Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and Windows-based PC. Few videogame series have had such a strong impact on their perspective genres the way Street Fighter has over the decades. Creating a global legacy spanning over twenty years of fighting games, the Street Fighter series has become a pillar in the fighting videogame genre. Street Fighter IV for Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION 3 system and Windows-based PC continues this tradition of excellence with a return to the classic 2D Street Fighter fighting action mixed with new characters, amazing visuals, and next-generation fluid gameplay. Street Fighter IV features a mix of returning favorites such as Ryu, Ken, Chun-Li and Guile along with new characters created for this game, such as Crimson Viper, Abel, El Fuerte, and Rufus. Characters and environments are rendered in stylized 3D, while the game is played in the classic Street Fighter 2D perspective with additional 3D camera flourishes. Six-button controls for the game return, with a host of new special moves and features integrated into the input system. Mixing classic genre-defining game mechanics the franchise is known and loved for with all-new, never-before-seen gameplay systems, Street Fighter IV brings a brand new fighting game to fans the world over. With the inclusion of Capcom's latest advancements in new generation technology, Street Fighter IV promises to deliver an extraordinary experience that will re-introduce the world to the time-honored art of virtual martial arts. For more information, visit http://www.streetfighter.com Features: • Classic "2D" Street Fighter gameplay with stunning 3D characters and environments • New special moves that go beyond any Street Fighter fan's wildest imagination, including Focus attacks, Super Combos, and the revenged-fueled Ultra Combo system. • Classic Street Fighter characters recreated for a new generation of gamers, including the original cast of Street Fighter II • New brawlers: female super-spy Crimson Viper, lucha libre wrestler El Fuerte, mixed martial artist Abel and more! • Amazing locations never seen before in a Street Fighter game • New gameplay elements provide new challenges for both newcomers and the most seasoned Street Fighter pro. Tuesday, May 27, 2008 Cover Athlete For NBA 2K9 Will Be Revealed On June 5 Johnny @ 10:23 AM New York, NY – May 22, 2008 – 2K Sports, the sports publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), today announced that the cover athlete for the highly anticipated basketball video game NBA 2K9 will be revealed through a 30 second TV spot scheduled to air during the NBA Countdown pre-game show for Game One of the 2008 NBA Finals, June 5 on ABC. As part of revealing the new cover athlete, 2K Sports has launched a new community web site, www.2ksports.com/nba2k9, where registered participants can predict the cover athlete for NBA 2K9 from a selection of 16 NBA players. Fans who predict correctly will be entered into a special drawing for the opportunity to win exclusive prizes. "We're extremely excited to offer this online promotion to our loyal community of 2K Sports fans, as we think it's a fantastic opportunity for us to interact more closely with them through a refreshingly fun and rewarding experience," said Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K. "The NBA 2K franchise is king among basketball players and passionate fans who know and understand basketball. Revealing our cover athlete prior to Game One affords us a unique opportunity to capitalize on the anticipation surrounding the NBA Finals while simultaneously generating excitement for the release of NBA 2K9." To enter in the NBA 2K9 cover athlete reveal sweepstakes, participants must register from May 22 - June 4. Official contest rules and other important information can be found on www.2ksports.com/nba2k9. Fans will guess the NBA 2K9 cover athlete from a list of NBA players provided, and all entrants that are correct will be entered into a random drawing to win the sweepstakes prizes on June 5. One grand prize winner will receive the NBA 2K9 cover athlete's authentic, autographed NBA jersey, along with a copy of NBA 2K9 on the platform of their choice. Ten other first prize winners will also receive a copy of NBA 2K9. All winners will receive their copy of NBA 2K9 upon release of the game. NBA 2K9, which is being developed by Visual Concepts, is not yet rated by the ESRB and will be available this fall for Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, and PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system. For more information, please visit www.2ksports.com. The 2008 NBA Finals are currently scheduled to tip off on June 5 at 8:30 p.m. EST on ABC. Tuesday, May 20, 2008 Xbox 360 Reaches 10 Million in U.S. Console Sales Johnny @ 10:38 AM REDMOND, Wash. — May 14, 2008 — Microsoft Corp. today announced that the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system has sold over 10 million units in the U.S., making it the first current-generation gaming console to break the 10 million mark in the U.S. The U.S. install base contributes to global sales of over 19 million. "This year will be the largest in the history of the video game industry, with Xbox 360 leading the charge in the U.S. and abroad," said Don Mattrick, senior vice president of the Interactive Entertainment Business in the Entertainment and Devices Division at Microsoft. "History has shown us that the first company to reach 10 million in console sales wins the generation battle. We are uniquely positioned to set a new benchmark for the industry." This announcement comes on the heels of one of the biggest entertainment launches in history, "Grand Theft Auto IV," on April 29, 2008. Gamers eager to experience "Grand Theft Auto IV" online helped boost Xbox LIVE global membership to over 12 million this month. Fueled by an unparalleled combination of access to friends and family, the best online gaming features, and the best entertainment content, the Xbox LIVE service has doubled in membership in only one year's time. "Reaching an installed base of 10 million consoles in the U.S. is a significant achievement and an essential milestone on the road to market leadership," said Billy Pidgeon, research manager at IDC. "Perhaps more important is the Xbox 360 worldwide online base — 12 million Xbox LIVE gamers is the largest community in the connected console games sector, which represents the greatest growth opportunity in the console market and where Microsoft has been the leader for two generations." Xbox 360 leads with the industry's highest software attach rate, more than any other console this generation, and is home to the best-selling games. With the launch of "Grand Theft Auto IV" in April, Xbox 360 is now the home to more than 16 platinum titles that have sold through 1 million units or more, including hits such as "Halo 3," "Madden NFL 07" and "Madden NFL 08," "Gears of War," "Guitar Hero II" and "Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock," and "Call of Duty 2," Call of Duty 3" and "Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare," giving Xbox 360 two times more platinum-selling titles than the Wii and a 16:2 lead over the PlayStation 3 in game titles topping one million in sales. Games not only sell better on the Xbox 360, they play better, too: Xbox 360 has 91 titles with a Metacritic review score of 80 or higher, compared with just 22 titles for Wii and 50 titles for PlayStation 3. Rockstar Releases Liberty City Invasion Soundtrack Johnny @ 10:37 AM Rockstar Games and Future Green Entertainment are proud to announce the release of an original production album from The Evil Genius DJ Green Lantern featuring music from and inspired by Grand Theft Auto IV. Containing eight brand new tracks crafted exclusively for DJ Green Lantern's "Liberty City Invasion" radio show on the in-game radio station "The Beat," as well as eight new songs directly inspired by Grand Theft Auto IV, The Evil Genius DJ Green Lantern has created an epic urban soundtrack. This special album release features an incredible lineup of hip-hop, reggae and R&B superstars including heavyweights Busta Rhymes, Wyclef, Fat Joe, Styles P and Fabolous as well as up-and-coming artists Mavado, Uncle Murder and Future Green Entertainment's own Johnny Polygon, Qadir and more. Singles include "Where's My Money" from Busta Rhymes and "Nickname" from the brand new artist Qadir. The perfect summer anthem "I'm So Fly," featuring Fat Joe and Fabolous is inspired by Grand Theft Auto IV and while included on the album is not in the game. "The Grand Theft Auto games have always featured stunning soundtracks and the amount of eclectic music in Grand Theft Auto IV goes above and beyond anything we have been able to do before" said Sam Houser, Founder and Executive Producer of Rockstar Games, "DJ Green Lantern's contributions give the soundtrack a true New York flavor and we're excited to be releasing his full album to fans." "From making mixtapes, to being on the radio, to touring with the biggest artists on the planet, and then for the biggest video game title to solicit me to create exclusive music is something most people could only dream about, it's like a graduation," said Green. "Rockstar Games understood what I bring to the table as far as not just presenting music, but creating music." Green Lantern originally came to prominence in the mixtape scene by consistently featuring exclusive self-produced music with hip-hop superstars like Eminem, Jay-Z, The Beastie Boys, Mike Shinoda's Fort Minor, D-Block, Busta Rhymes, Mobb Deep and many more. This led to an acclaimed career as a proper music producer in his own right which has yielded such Billboard hits as "Number One Spot" by Ludacris and "In The Ghetto" by Busta Rhymes featuring Rick James as well as the street hits Akon "Ghetto" feat. Notorious B.I.G. and 2Pac, Uncle Murda's "Bullet, Bullet," and many more. Green Lantern can be heard every week nationally on his Sirius Satellite Radio show. The Evil Genius Green Lantern makes his official production album debut with the release of Liberty City Invasion: Music from and Inspired by Grand Theft Auto IV. It will be available at all major digital retailers on May 20th with a physical release coming soon. Grand Theft Auto IV is currently available for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system and the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system. Wednesday, May 7, 2008 Retail Sales of GTA IV Top $500 Million in First Week Johnny @ 01:47 PM New York, NY – May 7, 2008 – Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., said today that Grand Theft Auto IV has surpassed all-time entertainment records for day one and week one sales by dollar value. Released on Tuesday, April 29th, Grand Theft Auto IV, the critically acclaimed video game, has sold through to consumers approximately 6 million units globally with an estimated retail value of more than $500 million in the first week. Grand Theft Auto IV sold approximately 3.6 million units on its opening day with a retail value of approximately $310 million globally. "We knew Grand Theft Auto IV would break new ground in terms of the player's experience, with its compelling story line, extraordinary gameplay and action that ranges over a broad urban canvas. Now, it has broken sales and rating records as well. Grand Theft Auto IV's first week performance represents the largest launch in the history of interactive entertainment, and we believe these retail sales levels surpass any movie or music launch to date. We congratulate the entire Rockstar team on creating a must-have experience that takes the legendary Grand Theft Auto franchise to a new level," said Strauss Zelnick, Chairman of Take-Two. "Rockstar's goal is to make each new title in the Grand Theft Auto franchise even better than those that preceded it, and Grand Theft Auto IV is a smashing success on that score. Grand Theft Auto IV makes full use of the power of next generation technology, and offers players an experience unique in the interactive entertainment medium. This game sets a new standard in the industry, with critics hailing it as both an artistic and technological masterpiece," said Ben Feder, Take-Two's Chief Executive Officer. Developed by series creator Rockstar North, Grand Theft Auto IV for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system is rated "M" for Mature. For more information, log onto www.rockstargames.com/IV Tuesday, April 29, 2008 Grand Theft Auto IV Now Available Steve @ 03:54 PM New York, NY – April 29, 2008 – Rockstar Games, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., is proud to announce that the eagerly anticipated Grand Theft Auto IV for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system including the special edition package is now available worldwide. "This release marks a major milestone for the series and for Rockstar Games," said Sam Houser, Founder of Rockstar Games. "Grand Theft Auto IV delivers on the vision we had when we began work on the game more than three years ago. Rockstar North has created an amazing interactive entertainment experience. We hope it will resonate with our audience around the world for years to come." Developed by series creator Rockstar North and set in Liberty City, the latest installment in the wildly successful Grand Theft Auto series features a painstakingly detailed and life like city for players to explore; a rich, immersive narrative experience; an original soundtrack highlighting the cultural eclecticism of Liberty City; and sixteen player multiplayer with more than a dozen online modes. "We worked hard to deliver a true high definition experience" said Series Producer and Rockstar North President, Leslie Benzies. "We are very proud of all of the innovations in the game and hope fans love it." IGN.com scored the game a perfect 10 and writes, "GTA IV gives us characters and a world with a level of depth previously unseen in gaming and elevates its story from a mere shoot-em-up to an Oscar-caliber drama. Every facet of Rockstar's new masterpiece is worthy of applause." Game Informer scored the game a perfect 10 and writes, "Grand Theft Auto IV doesn't just raise the bar for the storied franchise, it completely changes the landscape of gaming. Once you play it, you won't look at video games the same way again." New York Times writes the game "sets a new standard for what is possible in interactive arts". The Rockstar Social Club, a new website that will extend your experience of Grand Theft Auto IV and all future Rockstar Games titles, is now open for business. Please visit: www.rockstargames.com/socialclub. The Rockstar Social Club is more than just a standard gaming site. It features incredibly detailed, diverse and sometimes amusing leaderboards and player statistics that gamers have come to expect, and combines them with performance-based competitions and awards for players of all skill levels. Grand Theft Auto IV for the Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 is rated "M" for Mature. For more information, log onto http://www.rockstargames.com/IV More News >> Copyright © XBoxExclusive.com, 2007. All Rights Reserved.