Sadly, they have plumped for the more prosaic (and, lets be realistic, more practical) option of a website where you can sign up in the hope your name gets plucked from the wizard's hat.

The Mines final-stage beta is invite only, but you can apply for consideration at the official site. As well as the titular underground complex, the expansion will contain a couple of new character classes, hundreds of quests and Balrogs.

Invites Open for Mines of Moria Beta [Wired Game|Life]

"Hubert Larenaudie is an experienced senior executive who has successfully built or expanded Asia Pacific operations for prominent interactive entertainment and consumer goods companies," said Gary Dale. "His in-depth knowledge of the region; his skill in creating the right product development, distribution and marketing strategy for each local market; and his track record of driving growth will help Take-Two realize the tremendous opportunities in APAC."

Along with EA, Larenaudie's previous employers also include Vivendi Universal, with whom he helped establish World of Warcraft's foothold in the region.

This is Take-Two's way of showing their shareholders that they mean business. They aren't selling to anybody, dammit! This train is barreling at full-speed and no EA is going to bar their path! Don't bail on us please, okay? We'll see how this whole strategy pays off during Take-Two's annual stockholder meeting this Thursday.

Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. Announces Asia Expansion Strategy; Adds Senior Market Leader Hubert Larenaudie to Head Asia Pacific

Focus on Broadening Distribution and Launching Online Game Offerings in High Growth Asia Pacific Markets

New York, NY - April 14, 2008 - Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTWO) today announced that Hubert Larenaudie, an accomplished senior executive with more than 15 years' experience in building successful Asia Pacific businesses, has joined the Company to spearhead its expansion initiatives in this rapidly growing region. Mr. Larenaudie, who previously served in senior roles with Electronic Arts and Vivendi Universal Games, holds the newly created position of President for Asia and is establishing an office in Singapore as the focal point for Take-Two's Asia Pacific operations. He will report to Gary Dale, Executive Vice President of Take-Two.

The top priorities for Take-Two in the region include: expanding distribution in the Asia Pacific (APAC) for the Company's interactive entertainment products; developing a strong presence in Japan; and establishing a meaningful online game operation, especially in China and Korea.

"Hubert Larenaudie is an experienced senior executive who has successfully built or expanded Asia Pacific operations for prominent interactive entertainment and consumer goods companies," said Gary Dale. "His in-depth knowledge of the region; his skill in creating the right product development, distribution and marketing strategy for each local market; and his track record of driving growth will help Take-Two realize the tremendous opportunities in APAC."

Mr. Larenaudie added, "Many of Take-Two's franchises, such as Grand Theft Auto, Midnight Club, Sid Meier's Civilization, and BioShock are international hits, and already have attracted large and enthusiastic fan bases in markets such as Japan, South Korea and China. With the Company's portfolio of leading brands, growing sports business, extraordinary creative talent and global appeal, I see exciting potential to build a significant Asia Pacific business for Take-Two, with a particular emphasis on the online game segment of the market."

Before joining Take-Two, Mr. Larenaudie was President of Asia Online for Electronic Arts. While there, he established leadership positions in the South Korea, China, Japan, Taiwan and Southeast Asia markets and oversaw product development, licensing and studio acquisitions in the region. Previously, he was President-Asia Pacific of Vivendi Universal Games (VUG). Under his supervision, VUG became one of the most successful interactive entertainment companies in the Asia Pacific region, with extensive market penetration for its World of Warcraft brand. Prior to that, Mr. Larenaudie held a variety of management positions in Asia, Latin America and Europe in high growth consumer goods companies.

D3Publisher of America Reveals New Expansion Pack for Critically Acclaimed Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords on Xbox LIVE Arcade D3PA and Developer Infinite Interactive Call on Fans to Name New Addition to Puzzle Quest Universe at www.puzzle-quest.com

LOS ANGELES—(BUSINESS WIRE)—D3Publisher of America, Inc. (D3PA) today revealed a robust new expansion pack for critically acclaimed Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords™ for Xbox LIVE® Arcade. Code-named "Puzzle Quest: 1.5" internally to reflect its tremendous amount of content, the expansion pack includes four new Hero professions, scores of new spells to cast and items to collect, challenging new quests, monsters and bosses and much more including the introduction of a new archenemy, Antharg, the Lord of Plague. D3PA and Infinite Interactive ask the devoted fan base to leave their mark on the Puzzle Quest universe by submitting game title suggestions to www.puzzle-quest.com starting at noon PDT Monday, March 17 and ending at noon PDT, Friday, March 21. The winning game title and two runners-up will be announced on April 2. The soon-to-be-named expansion pack will be available for play as an addition to Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords for Xbox LIVE® Arcade for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft in spring 2008.

"Infinite Interactive has delivered much more than the average expansion pack and the incredible amount of content that it will include sets a new precedent for offerings on Xbox Live Arcade," said Peter Andrew, vice president of product development, D3PA. "As much as 'Puzzle Quest 1.5' appropriately describes the new content, we look forward to having our fans name the next iteration in the Puzzle Quest universe."

The expansion pack will offer fans hours of additional gameplay with four brand new Hero professions: Bard, Rogue, Ranger and Warlock. Players will adventure with new or existing Heroes to explore an expansive new area on the Southern Map containing more than 25 challenging quests, cast more than 50 new spells and collect more than 40 new magical items as they're immersed into the compelling story of Antharg, the Lord of Plague and brother to the infamous Lord Bane. New monsters, bosses and more will challenge veteran and casual fans alike for hours of compelling entertainment.

For more information about the story and features of the "Puzzle Quest 1.5" expansion pack and naming contest rules and regulations, please visit: www.puzzle-quest.com.

Developed by Infinite Interactive Pty. Ltd., Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords artfully blends match-three puzzle gameplay with strategy, character-building elements and a persistent storyline. This unique combination of gameplay elements produces an appealing new videogame genre that entices casual and hardcore gamers alike, offering hours of fun-filled gameplay for the whole family. Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords has received numerous accolades acknowledging the excellence of the game. These include the prestigious Best Downloadable Game at the 11th annual Interactive Achievement Awards, a Best Puzzle Game of E3 2007 Award from IGN.com, and the esteemed iParenting Media Excellent Product Award for 2007.

Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords and "Puzzle Quest: 1.5" are developed by Infinite Interactive Pty. Ltd. and are rated "E 10+" (Everyone 10 and older—suggestive themes) by the ESRB.

THE LORD OF THE RINGS ONLINE™: Mines of moria™ unveiled at connect 08

Volume II of the 2007 PC Game of the Year Expected to Arrive at Retail This Fall

BIRMINGHAM, UK - March 14, 2008 - Turbine, Inc. and Codemasters Online today unveiled Volume II of The Lord of the Rings Online™, the first retail expansion for the award-winning massively multiplayer online roleplaying game (MMORPG). Announced in Birmingham, the childhood home of J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings Online™: Mines of Moria™ will expand the online world of Middle-earth to let players explore the ancient underground cities of the dwarves, battle epic characters in the depths, face off with the Watcher, be a part of the fateful release of Durin's Bane and more! The Lord of the Rings Online expects to open Volume II of its epic story in the fall of 2008 with an increased level cap, two new classes and the introduction of a unique item advancement system.

"The Mines of Moria is one of the most epic settings in all of fantasy fiction," said Jim Crowley, president and CEO of Turbine, Inc. "No one delivers more quality content than Turbine and with our journey into Moria, we will raise the bar even higher. We are adding vast amounts of content, debuting massive new environments and unveiling numerous unique feature sets, like item advancement, which will create entirely new dimensions of compelling game play and social interaction which are unique to The Lord of the Rings Online experience."

NEW FEATURES:

Ø Speak Friend, and Enter - Moria, called Khazad-dûm by the dwarves, was their capital and the grandest of cities. This enormous underground cavern in north-western Middle-earth, comprises an immense network of tunnels, chambers, mines and huge halls that run beneath and ultimately through the Misty Mountains. For the first time, players of The Lord of the Rings Online will enter this ancient city which has served as the foundation for the modern-day dungeon-crawling adventures to battle the hordes of goblins and the Nameless of the Deep and journey through hundreds of new quests within six new kinds of stunning environments.

Ø The Epic Continues! — The Mines of Moria represents the beginning of Volume II of The Lord of the Rings Online. Players can experience six new books as part of this update and participate in the release of Durin's Bane, battle the Watcher, aid Galadriel and more!

Ø Increased Level Cap — Players will be able advance their characters up to level 60, gaining access to new traits, virtues, skills and class quests. The crafting system will also expand, giving players the ability to craft even more powerful items.

Ø Discover Two New Classes — The Rune-keeper and the Warden, the first new classes to be introduced since the launch of the game, allow players to build exciting and powerful new characters in The Lord of the Rings Online in diverse new ways.

Ø Forge Legendary Items - The Mines of Moria will introduce Turbine's new item advancement system to The Lord of the Rings Online. Players will be able to forge weapons and class-related equipment and evolve them to build a legacy the likes of Bilbo's Sting and Gandalf's Glamdring. These legendary weapons will level-up along with the player, allowing customization by advancing the item's virtues, adding runic legacies, modifying its titles and forming fables.

To celebrate this exciting news, Turbine and Codemasters also announced today that they will kick off a major promotion that invites everyone to unlock the Mines of Moria by visiting http://www.unlocktheminesofmoria.com. Visitors can learn more about Mines of Moria and play special mini-games that will be periodically released over the coming months. Certain players who participate can complete special deeds through game play and other means to unlock exclusive previews, assets and special in-game items that may help them when they delve into Mines of Moria this fall. The Unlock the Mines of Moria promotion is scheduled to begin at the end of this month.

Two Worlds To Get Bigger And Better Online Downloadable Content Packs To Add All-New Multiplayer Mode And Expand Online World Of Antaloor

Tuesday 26th February/... SouthPeak Games has announced two downloadable content expansions for its open-world role-playing hit, Two Worlds. Both packs will be made available through Xbox LIVE® for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft®, expanding and improving the game's online multiplayer experience.

The two expansions will add a host of new content to the vibrant and populous multiplayer universe of Two Worlds, featuring first and foremost an entirely new player-versus-player mode based around controlling key areas of a multiplayer map. Along with this new strategic play mode, additional maps, co-operative missions and a suite of new weapons are also included, adding a considerable amount of play time to the already content-packed world of Antaloor.

"Two Worlds has been a huge success for SouthPeak and much of its appeal can be credited to having a huge game-world to explore," said Melanie Mroz, CEO of SouthPeak Games. "Reality Pump has worked tirelessly to improve the multiplayer experience and this new downloadable content is geared towards expanding upon it, offering lots of new missions and areas to explore with friends."

The first expansion pack for Two Worlds will be available for download in March, with the second becoming available in April. Both will cost 600 MS points.

"We are happy to be part of the ZeniMax family," said Sean "Building upon their great reputation and extending their direct reach throughout Europe and the UK is an exciting, new phase in the expansion of the company."

ZeniMax Media Opens London Office

Bethesda Softworks Establishes European Publishing Arm

16th February 2008 (London, England) - ZeniMax Media Inc., the parent company of Bethesda Softworks®, today announced it has begun direct publishing operations in Europe with the establishment of its London-based subsidiary, ZeniMax Europe Ltd. ZeniMax Europe will be publishing titles throughout UK/EMEA territories under the Bethesda Softworks brand.

Bethesda Softworks has a successful history as a developer and publisher of award-winning titles, most recently with The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion®, which won critical acclaim and countless Game of the Year awards. While continuing to work with strategic European distribution partners, ZeniMax Europe plans to deliver a range of compelling titles to the European market in the coming years, including the highly anticipated Fallout® 3 in Fall 2008.

"This is an important step for us as we look to expand our presence in markets outside of North America," said Robert Altman, CEO of ZeniMax Media Inc. "We want to establish direct relationships with retailers and distributors throughout Europe and the UK as we bring exciting titles like Fallout® 3 and Rogue Warrior™ to gamers worldwide."

The European operations of the Company will be headed by Sean Brennan, an industry veteran with over 20 years experience in the European markets. "We are happy to be part of the ZeniMax family," said Sean "Building upon their great reputation and extending their direct reach throughout Europe and the UK is an exciting, new phase in the expansion of the company."

Working alongside Brennan are Greg Baverstock, Director of Sales and Business Development, and Christina Camerota, Director of Marketing and Public Relations. With a wealth of industry experience, the team has recently settled into the Company's new European offices which are located in the heart of London's West end.

Thanks for the mail! We are really enjoying the feedback from people about Monsters, it seems to have really hit a sweet spot. There should be some news about an expansion pack over the next few weeks, so keep your eyes peeled.

So there you have it, straight from the horse's mouth. You can expect more tower defense excitement soon. We'll let you know as soon as we hear any more details.

EA ANNOUNCES THE SIMS 2 FREETIME SOUNDTRACK FEATURING NATASHA BEDINGFIELD
International Line-Up Includes Artists from the US, Europe and Scandinavia

REDWOOD CITY, CA — FEBRUARY 7, 2008 — Electronic Arts, Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced the international line-up of artists who can be heard on The Sims™ 2 FreeTime soundtrack. The music for this expansion pack provides accompaniment for your Sims as they explore their creativity through a selection of all-new activities, hobbies and cool careers.

International pop star, Natasha Bedingfield, is featured on the soundtrack with her new single "Pocketful of Sunshine." This song is taken from her newest album of the same name, which was released on January 22, 2008. Natasha learned and recorded this song in the unique language of The Sims, Simlish, especially for the in-game The Sims 2 FreeTime soundtrack.

Also on The Sims 2 FreeTime soundtrack are the bands Lexington Bridge from Germany, I'm From Barcelona from Sweden, Datarock from Norway and the artist Lara from Spain. American bands, They Might Be Giants, Great Northern and Fire Flies also recorded songs which can be heard on this soundtrack.

"The Sims 2 FreeTime offers many ways for your Sims to express themselves creatively, including music," said Steve Schnur, Worldwide Executive of Music and Music Marketing at EA. "This in-game soundtrack full of talented musicians from around the world, such as Natasha Bedingfield, is the perfect backdrop for your Sims to discover and develop their passions."

"It was such a fun and delightful challenge to learn how to sing in Simlish," Natasha Bedingfield added. "The language of The Sims captures a wonderful sense of beauty, creativity and humor, so my song 'Pocketful of Sunshine' translated well!"
 
In The Sims 2 FreeTime, your Sims can build their skills and enhance friendships by exploring new pursuits based on their personal interests, helping them live life to the fullest. The Sims 2 FreeTime is the latest expansion pack that will ship February 26, 2008 in the US and February 22, 2008 in Europe.

In-Game Soundtrack Credits:

"Fa-Fa-Fa"
Performed by Datarock
Written by Fredrik Saroea and Ketil Mosnes
Published by Artwerk Music, LLC
Recording courtesy of Nettwerk Productions

"It's A Party"
Performed by Fire Flies
Written by Dan Romer
Published by Drawing Number One Publishing
Recording courtesy of Asteroid B-612

"Into The Sun"
Performed by Great Northern
Written by Rachel Stolte and Solon Bixler
Published by Songs Music Publishing LLC obo Ram Island Songs (ASCAP) and Kill The Piano Music (ASCAP)
Recording courtesy of Eenie Meenie Records by arrangement with Big Sounds International, Inc.

"Britney"
Performed by I'm From Barcelona
Written by Emanuel Lundgren
Published by EMI Blackwood Music (BMI)
Recording courtesy of EMI Records under license from EMI Film & Television Licensing

"La Otra Princesa"
Performed by Lara
Written by Massimiliano Minoia and Lara Pinilla Osuna
Published by Lara What Songs Pop S.L. and Globomedia Musica Publishing S.L.
Recording courtesy of Virgin/EMI Records - Spain and GloboMedia Musica

"Your Forgiveness"
Performed by Lexington Bridge
Written by Cliff Masterson, Mark Read, Pete Martin and Robert Heart
Published by Universal Music Publishing
Recording courtesy of Universal Records under license from Universal Music Enterprises
 
"Pocket Full Of Sunshine"
Performed by Natasha Bedingfield
Written by Natasha Bedingfield and Danielle Brisebois and John Shanks
Published by EMI April Music (ASCAP), Gator Baby/EMI Blackwood Music (BMI) and John Shanks Music/WB Music Corp. (ASCAP)
Recording courtesy of Epic Records by arrangement with SONY BMG Music Entertainment

"Take Out The Trash"
Performed by They Might Be Giants
Written by They Might Be Giants
Published by TMBG Music (BMI)
Recording courtesy of Idlewild Recordings

Music Production Credits:

Steve Schnur, Executive Music Producer
Cybele Pettus, Sr. Music Supervisor

Bedingfield's Pocketfull of Sunshine (Simlish Mix) [Kotaku]

Hellgate London To Get First Content Update [Gamasutra]

NCsoft® today announced the release of Kamael, the newest and largest addition to the Lineage® II franchise. At more than 1 Gigabyte, Kamael is the largest expansion ever for the massively multiplayer online PC game and adds an entirely new playable race, new lands, ongoing fortress battles, instanced dungeons and new account services to the game, which has continued to increase in depth and story.

The huge Kamael expansion is free to all current Lineage II subscribers. Lineage II is known as the gaming market's premier player-versus-player (PvP) MMO, and since its launch in late 2003, has reached more than 17 million players worldwide.

The main feature of the expansion is a new playable race called the Kamael, one-winged soldiers who control a form of dark magic and are presented in different class paths based on gender, with both male and female characters possessing distinct combat abilities. The ultimate goal of the Kamael warriors, born on the Isle of Souls, is to earn a second wing and reach the powerful "final form."

Adding to the intrigue and massive battles Lineage II is known for are clan-based, daily fortress battles. Smaller in scale to the enormous castle sieges, the fortress battles will allow smaller clans to gain a foothold on territory and elevating their clan in the larger political and military background.

Highlights for veteran players of the game include the addition of lands for those above level 70, Hellbound and the Isle of Prayer. Also coming soon, highly-requested game features such as character server transfers, name changes and gender changes will become available for purchase.

Newer players will enjoy new items and enhancements that will aid the solo play experience for those at lower levels, helping to make Lineage II more accessible without diluting the challenge for which the game is well known.

"The Kamael expansion is so epic that it is hard to pin down which feature is the most exciting," said Tim Tan, NCsoft's North American producer of Lineage II. "The new Kamael race is very unique and adds a new world of playability to the game. The new high-level lands will benefit our longtime players seeking harder challenges, while the new-player and soloing features will make getting to the heart of the game easier for more players. The sheer amount of content in this expansion is unbelievable and I really look forward to seeing the players' response."

Additional new features include a set of instanced dungeons and new item slots and items that include new more powerful weapons and armor. Instanced dungeons provide players a place where they can hunt by themselves, untouched by players or creatures. There are two different kinds of Instanced Dungeons: one that requires a quest to enter, and the other that requires the acquisition of a castle or fortress to enter.

Also, when players tackle particularly challenging adventures or overcome monsterous bosses, they can capture the moment on video with the game's newly polished record and replay system that allows players to speed up or slow down their footage when they view their captured battles.

Lineage II is available digitally in The Epic Collection edition, which includes the original game plus all five expansions in one box at the PlayNC® online store for an estimated street price of US $29.99. To purchase the game or other Lineage II merchandise, go to the PlayNC store at: https://store.plaync.com.

All in all, this sounds like a fantastic idea on GameStop's part. Local tournaments for the average gamer are an excellent way to bring the community together (while selling them some product, of course). We'll be interested to see how many such stores GameStop actually opens. Chances are, the San Jose location's success or failure will have a lot to say on the matter.

GameStop Opens "Tournament Store" [nextgeneration]

Guild Wars Holiday event includes 5 free hours of Eye of the North and Triple XP

Starting today at noon, and lasting for 10 days, Guild Wars players can try out Guild Wars: Eye of the North for free for five hours. Also, the level requirement to play Eye of the North has been lowered from 20 to 10 to make it easier for players to access the exciting content in Guild Wars first true expansion. To help players be competitive in the level-20 plus world of Eye of the North, players at levels 10-19 will be buffed up to in order to go toe-to-toe with the new content.

Additionally, to help celebrate the holidays, players in Eye of the North will receive:

- Triple experience from all primary storyline quests in Eye of the North.

- Double the chance to receive rare items from chests, and triple the drop rate of Lockpicks in Eye of the North.

- Double gold and experience rewards for vanquishing Eye of the North explorable areas while playing in Hard Mode.

In addition, all weekend long, three special items will be added that can drop from all creatures in Eye of the North: Sparklers, Hunter's Ale, and Honeycombs.

For more information on the event and to receive a "universal access code", go to http://guildwars.com/products/eyeofthenorth/trial/.

AM3 is aiming to capture 10% of the estimated 20 million strong Japanese DS user base, offering 300 titles at DSVision's launch with plans to expand to over 10,000 by the year 2010.

Chances of the service coming to the states? Very slim indeed, though who knows? If it is as hugely successful as AM3 is hoping, we could all be watching television on fuzzy little screens within the next couple of years.

DS Gets Vision [IGN]
image courtesy of Famitsu

"Two Worlds moves on"!

"The Temptation", the add-on for the smash RP already in the pipeline

Karlsruhe, 28. November 2007 - Head for a new horizon! With the add-on, "Two Worlds - The Temptation", the "Two Worlds" universe continues to grow, introducing new game content, extended gameplay and providing you with the answers to many questions and mysteries which arose in the main story!

The developers are focusing on a blend of the proven and the new: besides several well-known regions of Antaloor, there are also completely new territories to explore. The combat system has been further enhanced too - now you can use active blocking, for example. Many other additional developments have been added - developments which have enabled a completely new means of transport and a much enhanced reaction from NPCs - but more on these and a whole host of other surprises shortly! The release of "Two Worlds - The Temptation" for PC and consoles is planned for the first half of 2008. You can get an idea of what to expect at www.2-worlds.com/temptation.

"Game mission can teach gamers Chinese philosophy," said Tan Teck Seng, CEO of iG-Interactive Sdn Bhd, adding that the quizzes in the game will also be localized for the local gamers.

Chinese online games have developed speedily in the recent 10 years, which are benefit from the hardworking personnel of science and technology and the support of the government, said Gu Hongxing, first secretary and head, cultural office of the Chinese Embassy in Malaysia.

I love poorly translated press releases. The interesting part about all of this is that Chinese developers are really ramping up international efforts - it was a big week for several companies. I wonder when this stuff will hit the US, if ever?

Chinese online game to be launched in Malaysia [Xinhua]

CDC Games Enters Japan Market with Launch of New Online Game
Minna de Battle Begins Closed Beta Testing in Japan

BEIJING, ATLANTA - Oct. 22, 2007 - CDC Games, a business unit of CDC Corporation (NASDAQ: CHINA) and a pioneer of the "free-to-play, pay for merchandise" model for online games in China, announced today it is entering the online games market in Japan, through CDC Games Japan K.K., a subsidiary of CDC Games International (CGI), with the beginning of closed beta testing of Minna de Battle, its new multiplayer online action game.

CDC Games entrance into Japan, one of the world's largest online markets, is the latest move in its strategy to expand internationally. As previously announced, CGI launched operations in the U.S. under a new business unit called CDC Games USA last month. Already, CGI has sub-licensing agreements for publishing five new games with leading online games providers throughout Southeast Asia and Taiwan. CDC Games also has a strong roster of games including Yulgang, Eve Online, Special Force, SHAIYA, Shine Online, and Mir III, all commercially available in China. In addition, The Lord of the Rings Online™: Shadows of Angmar™, Dragonsky, Stone Age 2, ChaosGem, Come on Baby, and Red Blood are planned for launch in China.

"We are very excited to launch our first online game in Japan," said Jeffrey Longoria, president of CDC Games International. "Along with our recent launch of our U.S. operations, our plans to offer five new games for southeast Asia and Taiwan and our strong games pipeline, we are positioning ourselves to become one of the leading global online games companies with a broad and diversified international games portfolio."

Developed by Korea-based Nimonix and licensed through Gretech Corp., the free-to-play, pay-for-merchandise 3D online action game features a range of Martial Arts Skills (Taekwondo, Kung Fu, Boxing, Kobudo), boasting simple gameplay with support for gamepad input devices. Game modes include Team Play, Battle Mode, and Rumble Mode.

Minna de Battle, also known as Gemfighter outside of Japan, is already in commercial operation in Korea and the United States. In Korea, Gemfighter (Minna de Battle) has reported 1.5 million registered users. The Minna de Battle website (http://www.minbat.jp/) is now live and available for closed beta registration and download of the game in Japan. The game is expected to begin open beta next month with general commercial availability later in 2007.

Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 Co-op Collection OVERVIEW: The GRAW™ 2 Co-op Collection consists of five Co-op Campaign missions that continue the story from GRAW 2. In total there are nine maps, seven of which are inspired by classic maps from Ghost Recon's illustrious history and two that are totally brand new. All nine maps (including adversarial versions of the Co-op Campaign maps) have exquisite visuals and support all of GRAW 2's thousands of customizable game modes.

ACHIEVEMENTS: The Co-op collection offers 9 new achievements for GRAW 2 totaling 125 achievement points (detailed list below).

CO-OP MAPS
Caves - (Ghost Recon®)
Azcona's squads are using the nearby caves as an operational base for raiding army convoys across the river. Detain and extract the rebel leader and recon the area for any hidden weapon caches.

Railroad Bridge - (Ghost Recon)
Intel reports the rebels are moving on a command post 60 clicks southeast of here. Protect the command post, recon the local rail line and hunt down the informant providing intel to the rebels.

Battlefield - (Ghost Recon)
The last rebel unit in the area is holed up in the village of Venta. An allied armor unit on the edge of town is pinned down by artillery. Ghosts, knock out the enemy comm transmitter. Then escort the armor through the village.

Plantation - (Ghost Recon®: Island Thunder®)
Intel shows a rebel leader's motorcade is moving through the farms south of here. Take out his convoy and destroy all of the surrounding ADATS before Sabre Seven arrives for extraction.

Swamp Airfield - (Ghost Recon: Island Thunder)
Azcona's rebels have occupied a small island airfield. Recon the area for intel on this operation and destroy all aircraft to prevent any means of escape. The landing strip is targeted for an air strike so get out ASAP.

ADVERSARIAL MAPS

Business Park - (Brand New) / Suitable for 8 to 12 players
Narrow alleys connect open courtyards with overlooking balconies in this concrete corporate paradise.

Rooftop - (Brand New) / Suitable for 8 to 12 players
Sitting on top of the world, the rooftop structure of a skyscraper has lots of cover and vertical combat.

Caves - (Ghost Recon) / Suitable for 12 to 16 players
Rolling terrain, forest and a cave structure tucked into the side of the mountains.

Railroad Bridge - (Ghost Recon) / Suitable for 12 to 16 players
A deep valley with a rail bridge spanning overhead, hilly and wooded areas nearby.

Battlefield - (Ghost Recon) / Suitable for 8 to 12 players
Open terrain with pockets of war-torn buildings, under the limited visibility of black skies and pouring rain.

Plantation - (Ghost Recon: Island Thunder) / Suitable for 12 to 16 players
Wet, foggy airfield located in the heart of a murky swamp.

Swamp Airfield - (Ghost Recon: Island Thunder) / Suitable for 4 to 8 players
A bright, sunny day overlooks the plantation fields and nearby structures, including a large warehouse.

Prison - (Ghost Recon: Island Thunder) / Suitable for 4 to 8 players
This dilapidated structure has many paths in and out.

Castle - (Ghost Recon) / Suitable for 12 to 16 players
The mighty castle walls and excavation within provide lots of cover and CQB, while thick wooded countryside offers ample stealth and sniping opportunities.

ACHIEVEMENTS

Caves (Co-op) Perfect: 15 points
Complete Caves Co-op Mission without respawning at default or hard difficulty.

RR Bridge (Co-op) Perfect: 15 points
Complete Railroad Bridge Co-op Mission without respawning at default or hard difficulty.

Battlefield (Co-op) Perfect: 15 points
Complete Battlefield Co-op Mission without respawning at default or hard difficulty.

Swamp Airfield (Co-op) Perfect: 15 points
Complete Swamp Airfield Co-op Mission without respawning at default or hard difficulty.

Plantation (Co-op) Perfect: 15 points
Complete Plantation Co-op Mission without respawning at default or hard difficulty.

2-Point Swing: 15 points
In a CTF match with 5+ players, recover your stolen flag and score in a single run.

From Downtown: 10 points
Kill exactly 3 enemies and no teammates with one grenade on a map.

Clever Retort: 10 points
In a match, get a grenade kill while you are incapacitated or dead. Minimum 5 players.

Kickin' it old school: 15 points
Complete a Co-op Mission without respawning, hard difficulty, and the Drone off.

Ninja Bee: Now with Extra Ninjas!

Band of Bugs latest expansion adds extensive downloadable content

Orem, Utah - October 15, 2007 -NinjaBee, a division of Wahoo Studios and a leading independent developer of Xbox LIVE Arcade titles, announced yesterday its newest expansion pack, Ninja Sticks of Fury, for the Band of Bugs title. With this new expansion pack comes a new shadowy character, new achievements and a bigger challenge than anything that came before it.

The new campaign is set in a new desolate and mountain area beyond the known Insect Kingdom. Featuring a new unit class, players guide a ninja named Vail who leads a group of mercenaries while a mysterious group wreaks havoc across the snowy wasteland. The ninja adds a new level of strategy to Band of Bugs, forcing players to think in new ways.

Band of Bugs has gained popularity for its innovative level editor, which allows any user to create unique content for their friends and the community. Ninja Sticks of Fury adds a brand new unit and a winter tile set to the editor allowing level designers to push their creativity to the limit. The Snowy environment is not only available in the editor, but will automatically enhance select existing maps already in the game, adding new variety to old favorites.

Band of Bugs was released in June, 2007. It is available on Xbox LIVE Arcade as both a free trial and as a full game for only 800 Microsoft Points. It supports 1-4 players in co-op or in multiplayer versus modes and also supports the Xbox LIVE Vision camera. One of the few turn-based tactics games available, Band of Bugs provides gameplay deep enough to be satisfying to established fans of the genre, but friendly enough to appeal to casual gamers. Currently, the game has fifty levels, 3 map packs, 2 additional campaigns, and also features a level editor allowing gamers to design custom scenarios and play them solo or over Xbox LIVE with friends.

We'll be so much better off having a presence over there and really controlling the marketing, PR and creative... It's mostly about us trying to give our developers the best deal we can across the PAL territories too, when doing a co-publishing deal, it's really hard to do that.

Good for you, Mike! You go over there and show those UKers just what Gamecock is all about. I was lucky enough to get over and check out Gamecock's offerings at E3 and was really impressed by the innovation and originality that shined through in all the titles I saw. I'm glad to see them doing well enough to be able to make an expansion like this and look forward to seeing their many projects come to fruition.

Gamecock Founding UK Cockpit [Next Generation]

Tabletop-to-XBLA game Carcassonne is getting an expansion pack. The King and Baron pack comes with new five new town piece tiles and two new bonuses:

* The player with the largest completed Town will get the 'King' icon next to their Gamertag/Avatar. The player with the King icon at the end of the game will receive one point for each completed city in the game.
* The player with the longest completed Road will get the 'Baron' icon next to their Gamertag/Avatar. The player with the Baron icon at the end of the game will receive one point for each completed road in the game.

The "pack" will sell for 300 Microsoft Points.

City of Heroes / City of Villains - Issue 11: A Stitch in Time

First details of the latest free expansion pack, A Stitch in Time.

Wednesday 3rd October/... NCSoft Europe proudly brings you the the eleventh free expansion to the City of Heroes® universe, introducing a whole new level of depth, gameplay and excitement to the franchise.

SUMMARY
Issue 11: A Stitch in Time reveals that all that is and was is not as it should be! The mysterious Ouroboros organization, a group of beings from the ends of time, enlists the aid of Heroes and Villains to rewrite the past. Heroes and Villains are able to travel through time using the new Ouroboros System, which opens the gates to both new and existing content for players. Issue 11 also unleashes two brand new power sets: Dual Blades and Willpower, giving Heroes and Villains a slew of new power options. Additionally, Dual Blades offers Weapon Customization - taking the "City of" Character Creator to the next level! And the Inventions system is enhanced with new "Very Rare" Purple invention sets.

OUROBOROS SYSTEM
Through the mysterious Menders of Ouroboros, players gain the ability to "Flashback", that is to travel through time and relive major events from the history of Paragon City™ and the Rogue Isles™. Heroes who travel back in time will embark on missions such as preventing the Circle of Thorns from unleashing a devastating demon on a defenseless world, a story originally presented in the City of Heroes comic book. Villains who journey through time will get the chance to assist Lord Recluse™ in his initial campaign to conquer the Rogue Isles, and much more.

Heroes and Villains also use the Ouroboros System to return to story arcs that they may have missed and replay hundreds of missions from earlier in the game. Players will even get to set mission parameters for these missions to earn special badges. Heroes and Villains will be auto-exemplared to the appropriate level for each story arc to ensure the challenge level remains constant.

WEAPON CUSTOMIZATION
Sometimes an assault rifle just isn't the right tool for the job, or character, especially when he or she should be using a sniper rifle instead. Players can now change their weapons in the same way that they change their costume parts! From within the costume creator and tailor screen players select the new "Weapons" region. A number of new options are now available for appropriate power sets. Current power sets that benefit from this upgrade include Assault Rifle, Mercenaries/Assault Rifle, Bow, Broadsword, Claws, Villain Claws, Dual Blades (see below), Katana, Ninja Blade, Mace, Robotics/Pulse Rifle, and Thugs/Dual Pistols.

TWO NEW POWER SETS
The City of... universe expands with two new amazing power sets: Dual Blades and Willpower.

DUAL BLADES
With a flashing blade in each hand, the Stalker made quick work of the Coralax hybrids guarding the shipwreck.
Now Heroes and Villains can wield paired weapons to devastating effect! Use the new Weapon Customization interface to choose from several types of weapons. Dual Blades also uses a brutal new Combo system, where the order of your strikes can create new advantages for you to take down your foes! Dual Blades is available to Brutes, Scrappers, Stalkers and Tankers!

WILLPOWER
Available to Tankers, Scrappers, Brutes and Stalkers, the Willpower set offers a strong mix of resistance, defense and regeneration powers. This is the perfect power set for those characters who have the mental will and determination - the willpower - to ignore pain and press on through insurmountable odds!

NEW INVENTIONS
Issue 11 brings with it new invention sets including "Very Rare" Purple sets, as well as brand new invention sets for Taunt, Buff and Debuff powers, among others

Rohit Sharma, the chief operating officer of Zapak Digital Entertainment, told DNA Money the company is also looking at investing in content developers for gaming, from countries like US and Korea, and has a kitty of $5 million to $10 million for the same.

The ADAG-promoted venture is expected to invest $100 million in Zapak's three verticals — gaming portals, gaming cafes and content creation — over the next 3-5 years.

"We are launching a European site and a Chinese site and are looking to be a global brand very soon. We may also invest in some studios because software creation and ownership are key in gaming," Sharma added.

It's nice to see players other than China, Korea, and Japan getting in on the act. I wonder, though, how many gaming portals of the casual variety does the world really need?

Zapak's game for global play [DNA India]

BECOME A WINNER WITH BAND OF BUGS NEW EXPANSION PACK, RED KINGDOM

New story, new characters, new challenges and one huge contest await gamers

Orem, Utah - August 8, 2007 - NinjaBee, a division of Wahoo Studios and a leading independent developer of Xbox LIVE Arcade titles, announced today its newest expansion pack, Red Kingdom, for its Band of Bugs title. With this new expansion pack comes more content for the level editor, leading to Ninja Bee's own "Design a Level Contest."

Red Kingdom moves the action from the Western Kingdom to the Southern Kingdom, and adds two new troop types - artillery and cavalry - and ten exciting new missions. The Southern Kingdom's arid desert comes to life with new main characters with special powers and a higher level cap. Players will be happy to see new Achievements have been added, as well as new cinematics which further the saga. The game can be enjoyed single player or co-operatively as well as in multiplayer battles.

Band of Bugs gained popularity for its level editor, which allows any user to create unique content for their friends and the community. Red Kingdom pushes the editor further by adding in desert tile sets and items such as stone huts, rock formations and more cactus types than any Bug needs. To make sure these new levels get seen, NinjaBee is hosting a contest for level editors. Once gamers have designed their entry level, they only need to post a description and screen shots to the user forums at www. NinjaBee.com. Members of the forum will vote for their favorite levels and NinjaBee staffers will take the top 3 levels with the most votes, play through them and select the number one level. Winners will get 4,000 Microsoft Points and a special edition NinjaBee tee-shirt. All levels are due by August 16, 2007. Contest rules will be posted on www.ninjabee.com.

Band of Bugs was released June, 2007. It is available on Xbox LIVE Arcade as both a free trial and as a full game for only 800 Microsoft Points. It supports 1-4 players in co-op or in multiplayer versus modes and also supports the Xbox LIVE Vision camera. One of the few turn-based tactics games available, Band of Bugs provides gameplay deep enough to be satisfying to established fans of the genre, but friendly enough to appeal to casual gamers. The game has fifty levels, and also features a level editor allowing gamers to design custom scenarios and play them solo or over Xbox LIVE with friends.

We're excited to finally pick up AOEIII if Ensemble is adding some more diversity into the mix. It's tough to get into RTS without our inherent, racist tendencies driving our obsession.

That's good news, sure, but those of us with cold cash ironically burning a hole in our wallets of holding want to know "What kind of licensed crap can I spend hundreds of dollars on?" Blizzard has the answer, highlighting some of the dozens of things one can buy at the Anaheim convention center. Posters, soundtracks, t-shirts, keychains, belt buckles, calendars—there's practically no limit to the amount of unnecessary stuff one can buy.

So bring plenty of cash and plenty of storage space. In fact, book a suite if it's not too late.

BlizzCon Goody Bag and BlizzCon Store [Blizzard]

1. Death Knight Hero Class (starting at higher level, damage-dealing tank)
2. Level 80 character cap
3. Siege weapons and destructible buildings in PVP
4. "hundreds of new recipes and thousands of new items"

But I'm not a WoW freak, so hit the jump for the entire FAQ and some bombshells that I may have missed.

FAQ for World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King

What are the features of the new expansion?

Wrath of the Lich King builds on the rich foundation established in World of Warcraft and The Burning Crusade, providing a wealth of new content for players to explore. The harsh, forbidding continent of Northrend, home of the Lich King and his undead minions, will be uncovered on the world map, and to contend with the new challenges found there, players will be able to advance to level 80, acquiring potent new abilities and talents along the way.

In addition, Wrath of the Lich King will introduce the death knight hero class to World of Warcraft. Once certain criteria are met, players will be able to create a new death knight character, which will start at a high level. Furthermore, player-vs.-player battles will reach a new level of intensity with the addition of siege weapons and destructible buildings, not to mention a new battleground. There will also be an abundance of new quests, dungeons, monsters, items, and recipes — as well as a new profession, inscription — for players to try out. The expansion will include some additional character-customization options for players as well. We'll be going into more detail on all of these features in the months ahead.

How will the death knight class fit into the game?

The death knight combines martial prowess with dark, necromantic energies. Players might be familiar with the death knight from previously released Warcraft games — most recently, in the campaigns for Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos and the Frozen Throne expansion, the former paladin Arthas became a death knight and wreaked havoc across Azeroth and Northrend before fusing with the spirit of Ner'zhul to become the Lich King. The death knight is the first hero class in World of Warcraft; once certain criteria are met, players will unlock the ability to create a new death knight character, which will begin play at a high experience level. We're currently exploring various options for how the death knight will play and the types of abilities at its disposal, and we'll be revealing more information about this new class as we get further along in development.

Will the death knight have any abilities from previously released Warcraft games?

The way we portrayed death knights in past Warcraft games is certainly a source of inspiration, but we are still determining how best to capture that feel within the mechanics of World of Warcraft, and haven't made any final determinations on specific abilities.

What role will the death knight play in groups and raids?

In general terms, the death knight can be considered a type of class that combines damage dealing and tanking, but naturally it will have an array of unique abilities as well.

What races will be allowed to play death knights?

We haven't yet made a final determination about which races can be death knights. However, the class will be available to both the Alliance and the Horde.

Will there be additional hero classes in the future?

Yes, we do intend to add more hero classes in the future, but right now our focus is on the current expansion.

What is the story background of the expansion?

Players last visited Northrend in the Warcraft III expansion, when Arthas Menethil fused with the spirit of Ner'zhul to become the Lich King, one of the most powerful entities in the Warcraft universe. He now broods atop the Frozen Throne, deep in Icecrown Citadel, clutching the rune blade Frostmourne and marshaling the undead armies of the Scourge. In Wrath of the Lich King, the greatest champions of the Alliance and the Horde will do battle with the Scourge amid Northrend's howling winds and fields of jagged ice, and ultimately face the Lich King himself.

Will players actually get to encounter Arthas himself?

Players will be skirmishing with the minions of Arthas from the moment they set foot on Northrend. He will be a constant presence as players progress through the expansion content — which will culminate in a showdown with the dread Lich King himself.

Can you discuss some of the new talents and abilities that will be available from level 70 to level 80?

As with character advancement up to level 70, players will gain access to an array of potent and exciting new abilities and talents as they make their way from level 70 to level 80. However, it's still too early to get into specifics on these.

How long will it take to advance from level 70 to level 80?

We were pleased with the pacing from level 60 to level 70 in The Burning Crusade, and we intend to take a similar approach to pacing character advancement in Wrath of the Lich King. However, the specific amount of time that it will take players to reach level 80 will vary widely based on play style.

What can you reveal about Northrend?

The first area of Northrend we're showcasing is the Howling Fjord, a region of grasslands overlooking massive cliffs at the southeastern edge of the continent. This, along with the Borean Tundra, is the front line of the war against Arthas, and players will come face to face with his minions as soon as they set foot on Northrend. Eventually, as players progress further, they will explore the Grizzly Hills, Dragonblight, and more. We'll be showing off some of these new areas in the months ahead.

What's the level requirement to enter Northrend?

Players of any level who have purchased the expansion can visit Northrend. However, all of the content is designed for players level 68 and up.

How many new dungeons will be in the expansion?

The first dungeon players will enter is Utgarde Keep, which is intended for five players around level 70. Utgarde is inhabited by the Vrykul, a Viking-like race bent on proving their strength to the Lich King, who will raise the most worthy of their warriors to serve him beyond the grave. We intend to provide a variety of dungeons comparable to that in The Burning Crusade and will be revealing more details about some of these in the months ahead.

Do you plan to continue with the 25-player model for raids?

Yes, we've been pleased with the tactics, intensity, and variety of the 25-player raid model, and plan to continue with it.

In what ways will players be able to further customize their characters in the expansion?

In addition to the numerous new character-customization options that will be available with all of the new weapons and armor added by the expansion, we'll be offering some fun ways to alter both existing and new characters with regard to dances and hairstyles, but we're not ready to go into more detail just yet.

What can you reveal about the new profession coming with the expansion?

Inscription allows the player to permanently enhance their spells and abilities and to create mysterious items of power to use, trade, and sell.

What can players expect with regard to player-vs.-player combat in the expansion?

Players will be able to take control of siege weapons and use them to destroy opposing buildings, adding a new layer of complexity to PvP battles. Naturally, we'll be providing some fun places to put these new tools to good use, and we'll be revealing more information about them in the months ahead, in addition to the new battleground content being added.

Can you give a sneak peek at the new recipes and items in the expansion?

There will be hundreds of new recipes and thousands of new items available, but we're not ready to discuss specific examples just yet.

How many zones will be in the expansion?

Northrend will be roughly equivalent to Outland in terms of size and scope.

Will there be any new cinematic scenes?

Yes, our cinematics department is hard at work preparing a new intro movie for the expansion.

Release/Availability

Do you need to own the expansion to play with friends who have it?

There will be many aspects of the expansion that will be available to all players. However, in order to experience certain content, such as Northrend, or be able to play as a death knight, players must purchase the expansion.

Will there be an open beta test of the expansion?

We have not yet determined whether the expansion will require an open beta test. If we do decide to conduct a beta test, details will be posted on the official World of Warcraft website once we've gotten further along in the development process.

When will the expansion be released? How much will it cost?

We have not yet announced a release date for the expansion set. However, we expect to announce further details, including the release date and price, on our community website in the months ahead. Please stay tuned to [link] for more information.

Will there be a collector's edition?

We have not yet made any determination about whether there will be a collector's edition of Wrath of the Lich King. We'll be announcing details such as this closer to release.

Will a Mac version be available simultaneously with the PC version?

Yes. As with all of our games, Wrath of the Lich King will be compatible with and optimized for both the Windows and Macintosh platforms.

What are the system requirements?

We'll continue to ensure that the game is playable on a wide range of hardware. However, we have not made a final determination on the system requirements as yet.

Will the expansion be released globally at the same time?

We recognize that players throughout the world will be eager to experience all of the new content being added with Wrath of the Lich King, and we will make every effort to release the expansion simultaneously worldwide. However, there's always the possibility that unforeseen circumstances could delay the launch in any given region. We'll share the launch timing with players in each region as soon as the plans have been finalized.

What is the ESRB rating for the expansion?

The expansion has not yet been rated by the ESRB. However, we anticipate that it will receive the same rating that the original World of Warcraft received — "Teen."

It's tough to see this as WoW fanboy rantings, since writing it would have required at least 20 minutes not playing the MMO.

Exklusiv: Antworten zum neuen Addon [wowszene]

Guild Wars: Eye of the North
Prerelease Bonus Pack to Hit Shelves July 20th
Tuesday 17th July/...NCsoft® Europe and ArenaNet® announced today that the prerelease bonus pack for Guild Wars: Eye of the North™ is set to arrive on retailer's shelves on July 20th and will include a host of compelling features, including exclusive in-game items and access to the Guild Wars: Eye of the North Sneak Peek Weekend set for later this summer.

The Guild Wars: Eye of the North prerelease bonus pack will be available from retailers in North America and Europe as well as at the NCsoft store at PlayNC.com and via the Official Guild Wars online store.

Guild Wars: Eye of the North is the first ever expansion to the subscription-free Guild Wars franchise of fantasy online role playing games, which will be released to the public on August 31, 2007. This expansion will provide new content accessible to players who have any of the previously released Guild Wars campaigns (Guild Wars, Guild Wars: Factions™, or Guild Wars: Nightfall™).

Players who pre-order Guild Wars: Eye of the North will gain access to the Sneak Peek Weekend, August 24-26, 2007, where they will be able to log into the game for a first look at Eye of the North. Players will be able to explore the Far Shiverpeaks region of the world, home of the barbaric Norn. Everything players obtain during the Sneak Peek Weekend, including items, XP, Heroes, and loot, will be permanent and available when the expansion goes live.

The Guild Wars: Eye of the North prerelease bonus pack also comes with exclusive weapons, including the Glacial Blade, the Hourglass Staff, and the Darksteel Longbow. These new weapons are based on the winning designs from the Guild Wars Design-a-Weapon Contest held earlier this year. In addition, the prerelease bonus pack includes a Guild Wars Trilogy Trial DVD that provides access to all three of the Guild Wars campaigns for a special trial promotion lasting 10 hours or 14 days, whichever comes first*.

"We believe this feature-packed prerelease delivers real value to our players," said Mike O'Brien, co-founder of ArenaNet. "From past experience, we expect the Sneak Peek Weekend alone to be hugely popular, and players won't want to miss this chance to get a leg-up before the game goes live."

I really need to check out Eve Online. I've been saying that for months now. It seems like it could finally be the MMO that captures my attention for more than a week. I might even try it later this month. Any suggestions from the EVE players out there?

Pre-Order the Sims 2 H&M Fashion Stuff Pack [Sims Gamer]

Highlights include a new race, the Zuul, over 15 new weapons, 25 new technologies, a new trade-route system to focus more importance on economic control, new galaxy types, and a new combat arena.

I personally kinda like Sword of the Stars, though honestly I'm just a sucker these days for anything featuring space combat. Anything to try and patch the gaping hole Wing Commander games and Earth & Beyond once filled. Such a sad little man. Michael Fahey

Born of Blood to be delivered in May 2007

Haarlem, The Netherlands, April 20th, 2007. "Sword of the Stars: Born of Blood" is an add-on for the Sword of the Stars universe, designed to increase the diversity, tactical depth and replay value of the ground-breaking 4X game. This expansion for Sword of the Stars will unleash a new alien race, a new form of strategic movement, new ship sections, new weapons, new technologies, new scenarios and new unknown menaces. Many more updates and optimizations make this a must-buy for players of the original game (released August 2006). The Add-On will require the original game to run.

Lighthouse Interactive CEO Erik Schreuder said: "Developer Kerberos are in the middle of the final phase of development and are preparing for a beta test, the outcome of which will determine a final release date. Right now it looks very much like the middle or end of May for fans willing to buy it online."

A spokesman said the release will start with direct download sales, followed by boxed online and retail sales a few weeks later. More news to follow soon.

"Sword of the Stars: Born of Blood" Key Features:

1 new race - the Zuul - with 80+ ship sections and Tunnel Drive FTL technology.
Massive Zuul slaver disks allow them to take slaves and use them to boost production on Zuul fortress worlds.
Over 15 new weapons to battle with including Boarding Pods!
Over 25 new technologies to research and deploy.
New diplomatic Data and Comm systems. Make demands! Ask for help in attacking specific targets. Warn players off from the worlds you have yet to claim!
More Intelligence technologies allow you to keep track of enemy ships, tech and battles.
A new trade route system making economic control and output even more vital for military success. Star freighters ply the trade routes making money for the player but are also vulnerable to raiders. Active piracy and escort battles enter the SotS universe with a bang.
Details combat results and status graphs allow you to track the rise or fall of your empire over time.
A variety of new ship sections for the original races to help meet this new threat.
More tactical combat options.
New combat arena as ships are called upon to battle in the dangerous depths of Node-space.
New random menaces / exploration threats.
2 new Scenarios (for both single- and multiplayer).
5 new galaxy types.
Various GUI and multiplayer enhancements.

###

Atari today unveiled an expansion pack for Neverwinter Nights 2.

In Mask of the Betrayer, which is set to hit this fall, returns players to Forgotten Realms shortly after the events of Neverwinter Nights 2. The game picks up directly after the battle with the King of Shadows, with the player waking up alone and stranded underground. I hate when that happens.

The game is set in Rashemen near Thay and includes a new campaign, new weapons, armor, monsters, crafting options and enhanced modding tools. Brian Crecente

NEW YORK, April 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATAR), one of the world's most recognized brands and a third-party video game publisher, today announced the development of the next chapter in the Neverwinter Nights saga — Neverwinter Nights(TM) 2: Mask of the Betrayer. Developed by Obsidian Entertainment, the expansion to the award-winning Neverwinter Nights 2 is set in the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS(R) Forgotten Realms(R) universe created by Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE: HAS). DUNGEONS & DRAGONS is under license from HPG, the licensing division of Hasbro. Neverwinter Nights(TM) 2: Mask of the Betrayer will be available in North America in Fall 2007.

In Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer, players are transported back to the Forgotten Realms shortly after the events detailed in the original Neverwinter Nights 2. Following the climactic battle against the King of Shadows, the player awakens alone and stranded deep beneath the earth. Surrounded by a horde of evil spirits, the player embarks on an epic adventure that reveals his true destiny.

"Atari's commitment to the Neverwinter Nights franchise and the enormous community is strong," said Nique Fajors, Vice President, Sales, Marketing, Atari, Inc. "We are on track to release the Neverwinter Nights 2 expansion pack this Fall, less than one year since the launch of Obsidian's outstanding sequel, and are confident the new features will deliver a role-playing experience that further engages and satisfies fans."

Set in harsh, spirit-rich Rashemen, near the powerful nation of Thay, Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer will present players with an exciting new campaign; epic levels; dozens of new feats and spells; new races, base classes and prestige classes; new companions; new weapons, armor and crafting options; hordes of new monsters; and enhanced modding tools.

"Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer's engrossing campaign will conclude the storyline that began in the original Neverwinter Nights 2 and focus on combat, exploration and classic D&D dungeon-crawling," said Feargus Urquhart, CEO, Obsidian Entertainment. "We're also making new advances in story and character development as well as improving upon the acclaimed companion Influence System used in both Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords and Neverwinter Nights 2."

The Neverwinter Nights franchise has sold more than three million copies worldwide, is translated into 10 languages, sold in more than 40 countries and features one of the largest and most active fan communities in all of gaming. To date, fans of the franchise, which includes Neverwinter Nights, Neverwinter Nights: Shadows of Undrentide(TM) Neverwinter Nights: Hordes of the Underdark(TM) and Neverwinter Nights 2 have created more than 5,000 modifications to the original game using the award-winning toolset included with the full game that allows players to create their own universes, quests and storylines.

Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer is scheduled for release in Fall 2007. More information about Neverwinter Nights 2 can be found at www.nwn2.com, which includes user forums, project news, development updates and more.

Medieval II: Total War Expands Its Kingdom

The Total War experience reaches further in to the New World...

LONDON & SAN FRANCISCO (March 30th, 2007) - SEGA Europe Ltd. and SEGA of America, Inc. today announced Medieval II: Total War Kingdoms, the expansion pack for one of 2006's biggest PC strategy games, Medieval II: Total War . Due for release on PC in Autumn 2007, Kingdoms will offer an unprecedented amount of new content that gives gamers over 75 hours of epic new gameplay.

Medieval II: Total War Kingdoms will feature 4 brand new campaigns, including an opportunity to more fully explore The New World that was unlocked toward the end of Medieval II. In the Americas campaign, players will be able to retrace the steps of Hern n Cort s in 1519, as he seeks to explore and conquer The New World. Players can earn the support of Spain and explore the mystery and riches of the New World, or take control of the Aztec or Native American factions and call on the Gods and the bravery of vast armies to see off this new threat.

Three other campaigns will offer more detailed "magnifying glass" campaigns within Great Britain, Northern Europe and the Holy Land, with many more regions than were originally shown in Medieval II. Featuring 13 new playable factions and over 150 new units, Kingdoms will allow players to control thousands of men on a single battlefield and lead them into conflict with new hero characters such as Richard The Lionheart and Saladin, each armed with new, powerful battlefield abilities. In addition, players will use moated forts to garrison vast armies or seize control of key strategic points and explore new technology trees, governed by religion and prestige.

Players can experience a bloody clash between pagans and Christians in the Northern European Teutonic Wars, or take control of one of 5 factions in the Britannia campaign when England faces war on 4 fronts as once conquered lands rise up against them. Kingdoms will also include a new expanded Crusades campaign, where players renew their fight for control of the Holy Lands, with new factions, devastating new units (such as the terrifying Greek Flame Thrower), legendary heroes and powerful holy relics.

"With Medieval II: Total War we offered unrivalled scope of warfare, both on and off the field of battle, as you conquered the known world" commented George Fidler, Studio Director, The Creative Assembly Australia, "Now with 'Kingdoms' we're looking to offer unrivalled richness and detail with four completely new campaigns, each offering its own unique features, challenges and flavour of Total War."

Kingdoms will also include six new multiplayer scenarios, and 20 new Custom Battle battle maps. Each of the campaigns is also fully compatible with a brand new Hotseat multiplayer mode, making this an essential additio