Surprised? But Girls Like It

What makes the Elf Online ( http://elf.happymmo.com) specially favored by girls? Quest? PK? No, weapons? You got it.

Weapons are the most shinning point of Elf Online. Getting tired of the stereotyped Excalibur in every RPG shining with golden lights? Elf Online ( http://elf.happymmo.com) provide something that overthrow these stereotyped thing?

According to a survey in game, most of girls do not choose the dated swords, huge axes and falchions. They prefered these creative weapons that are unique in Elf Online ( http://elf.happymmo.com) such clothes rack, fishing rod, ferule, strap and some other strange items that makes them special in game. To some extend, what girls compete in game is not only who gets the most powerful weapons but also who get the most peculiar one.

Peculiar:

Dizarre dress, weapons, creative features and extrodinary game settings is what makes girls so addicted to Elf Online ( http://elf.happymmo.com). What you are expected to get may be a kitchen fruit knife, sanitary settings or even mummy's cloth rack. May be one day, you will wear a pair of slippers and a suit with a guitar in hand fighting with the final boss in game, being the top one in Elf Online ( http://elf.happymmo.com).

There is nothing you can't do. Let's see what you will get in Elf Online.

More information please visit http://elf.happymmo.com

Official Forum http://forum.happymmo.com

GRAVITY, Co., Ltd. (Nasdaq:GRVY) (the "Company"), an online game developer and publisher, today announced that the Company has formed L5 Games Inc. ("L5 Games"), a game development studio based in San Mateo, California, which will now be a wholly-owned subsidiary of GRAVITY Interactive, Inc., GRAVITY's operation in the U.S.

L5 Games has hired former Blizzard North employees who held leadership roles in successful franchises such as World of Warcraft, Diablo and the StarCraft and Warcraft series. Over half of the employees have more than 10 years of experience in game development and represent a variety of cultural backgrounds.

"We are happy to announce that former employees of Blizzard North have joined L5 Games as members of the GRAVITY family," commented Mr. Il-Young Ryu, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of GRAVITY. Mr. Ryu added, "We intend to develop online games targeting the North American market, one of the fastest growing online gaming markets, with the outstanding developers of L5 Games who have a successful track record and thorough understanding of the culture of the North American market."

FUZHOU, China, Dec. 7 /Xinhua-PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — The first domestic
online game (Warlords Online) based on the film of the same name, which is
jointly produced by Netdragon (Netdragon Websoft Inc. (SEHK GEM 8288) and
Central Motion Picture Corp., will be tested officially for the first time on
December 13. China's traditional recreational industry and emerging digital
recreational industry will greet the first annual show of a landmark work, and
it will become another important milestone in the development of China's
recreational industry.

Warlords, directed by Chen Kexin, is an epic war film represented by Jet
Li, Andy Lau, Takeshi Kaneshiro and Xu Jinglei. It profoundly depicts love
between brothers and lovers.

Warlords Online ( tmz.91.com/ ) is the first large and realistic
Oriental epic online game in ancient costumes in China based on the Chinese
night-errant culture. Thanks to the efforts of NetDragon, Central Motion
Picture Corp. and the team that produced the film Warlords, it vividly
reproduces a disorderly society full of love and hatred under the background
of the late Qing Dynasty by the super-realistic technique.

Warlords Online creates the unique opposition camps of the government and
bandits and has a bodyguard system that is composed of as many as one hundred
kinds of bodyguards' occupations, almost all in the Qing Dynasty. Especially,
it builds the first pure "brother (sister)" system in online game history, and
players can truly experience the meaning of the eight characters: share
happiness and share difficulties. Moreover, it contains exciting super-large
battles for attacking and defending cities to let players bring their wisdom
into full play.

In eager expectation of numerous players, the game was first tested
internally on November 30 at 3:00pm and the response was very enthusiastic. In
order to satisfy the needs of a great number of players, the game operator
decided to increase the activating code for internal testing by a wide margin
at that time. The enthusiasm of players not only shows the star effect of
Warlords, but also reflects the excellent brand image of NetDragon in the
online game field.

The time for developing Warlords Online was very short, but the
requirement for its quality was very high. "For NetDragon, it was a challenge,
but an opportunity even more!" Liu DeJian, Chairman of NetDragon, noted: "This
strategic cooperation between us and Central Motion Picture Corp. breaks
through the conventional development pattern of the traditional recreational
industry and emerging recreational industry and shows the new development
direction for the game industry in particular. The success of Warlords Online
is just a beginning and we expect there will be more and better online games
adapted from films, TV plays and novels in the future."

Microsoft Introduces Star-Studded Lineup of Japanese Developers and Blockbuster New Games for Xbox 360

Japan's best developers are betting big on Xbox 360 in 2007 and beyond, as Microsoft announces best-ever holiday entertainment lineup.

London, 12th September 2007 — Flanked by a who's who of Japanese gaming luminaries and video game development legends, Takashi Sensui, general manager of the Home and Entertainment Division at Microsoft Co. Ltd., took the stage at the Yebisu Garden Hall during Xbox 360 Briefing 2007 to announce support from some of Japan's most renowned game developers and unveil an unparalleled lineup of holiday blockbuster hits and exclusives for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system.

Two of Japan's most celebrated game developers, Tomonobu Itagaki from Team NINJA/Tecmo Ltd. and Hironobu Sakaguchi from Mistwalker, joined Sensui onstage to announce their support for the Xbox 360 platform. Itagaki highlighted the announcement that Team NINJA will develop "NINJA GAIDEN® 2," the true sequel to the best-selling and critically acclaimed Xbox® original, exclusively for Xbox 360. Sakaguchi revealed pricing1 and availability for Mistwalker's upcoming role-playing game (RPG) "Lost Odyssey™," available from 6th December 2007 in Japan and around the world in early 2008. In addition, representatives from SQUARE ENIX took the stage to discuss two new games for Xbox 360: "INFINITE UNDISCOVERY™" and "THE LAST REMNANT™."

Japanese Developers Embrace Xbox 360

"NINJA GAIDEN® 2" is the long-awaited sequel to the platinum-selling Xbox original, where players once again assume the role of Ryu Hayabusa as they guide the ninja hero on a quest to avenge his clan and prevent the destruction of the human race. Team NINJA's announcement that "NINJA GAIDEN® 2" will be exclusive to Xbox 360 and available worldwide in 2008 provided gamers everywhere with plenty of reason for excitement, and served as yet another example of the blockbuster games being created by Japanese developers exclusively for the platform.

Xbox 360 owners in Japan will be the first to experience the magical world of "Lost Odyssey," created by Mistwalker/feelplus Inc., and featuring a beautifully told story by Hironobu Sakaguchi, creator of the "Final Fantasy" video game franchise. Available 6th December 2007 in Japan, January 2008 in Asia, and February 2008 in North America and Europe, "Lost Odyssey" headlines a lineup of games by Japanese developers for Xbox 360 owners around the world this holiday, including these:

· "Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation" (NAMCO BANDAI Games). "Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation" takes players up to the sky and into the heat of realistic air combat with next-generation audio and visual effects and online multiplayer action.2 Available this holiday, only on Xbox 360.

· "Beautiful Katamari" (NAMCO BANDAI Games). Marking the debut of Namco's beloved ball-rolling puzzle game on a next-generation platform, "Beautiful Katamari," the fourth installment of the "Katamari" series, features levels of quirkiness, cosmic animations and musical stylings never seen before. Available in October.

· "Lost Odyssey" (Microsoft Game Studios/Mistwalker/feelplus Inc.). Famed game producer Hironobu Sakaguchi leads a staff of gaming masters to bring a truly next-generation role-playing experience to Xbox 360 in "Lost Odyssey." Players will be led through a dramatic story of massive scale that features breathtaking visuals and an epic adventure made possible only by the power of Xbox 360. Available 6th December 2007, in Japan, and worldwide in 2008, only on Xbox 360.

Plus:

· "Battlefield: Bad Company" (Electronic Arts)

· "Battlestations: Midway" (Eidos)

· "Bladestorm: The Hundred Years' War" (KOEI Co. Ltd.)

· "CASTLE SHIKIGAMI III" (ArcSystemWorks Co. Ltd.)

· "Dynasty Warriors 6" (KOEI Co. Ltd.)

· "Dynasty Warriors: Gundam" (NAMCO BANDAI Games)

· "Final Fantasy XI Play Online All in One Pack 2007" (SQUARE ENIX)

· "Final Fantasy XI Wings of the Goddess" (SQUARE ENIX)

· "Just Cause" (Electronic Arts)

· "Mobile Ops: The One Year War" (NAMCO BANDAI Games)

· "Operation Darkness" (SUCCESS Corp.)

· "Winning Eleven: Pro Evolution Soccer 2008" (Konami)

· "ZOIDS ALTERNATIVE" (TOMY Co. Ltd.)

This incredible lineup joins many other amazing games from developers around the globe that will be available this holiday in Japan and around the world, including the following:

· "Assassin's Creed" (Ubisoft Entertainment). "Assassin's Creed" is the next-generation game developed by Ubisoft that merges technology, game design, theme and emotions into a world where players will assume the role of the main character, Altair, and will have the power to throw their immediate environment into chaos and experience the art of a master assassin. Available this November.

· "Halo 3" (Microsoft Game Studios/Bungie Studios). In "Halo® 3," the third installment of the landmark "Halo" trilogy and hugely anticipated sequel to the critically acclaimed "Halo 2," people everywhere can take on the role of Master Chief™ and experience Master Chief's greatest battle as he launches an epic mission to stop the Covenant, destroy the impending Flood threat and ultimately save mankind. In this third chapter of the "Halo" trilogy, Master Chief returns to face his greatest challenge as he readies himself for the final battle and seals his place in history. A hero must rise. Believe. Available worldwide, with availability in Europe on 26th September 2007 only on Xbox 360.

· "Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom" (Microsoft/Blueside Inc.). Six heroes from the "Kingdom Under Fire" universe fight their way through the Dark Dimension against hordes of demented monsters in a twisted action RPG exclusive to Xbox 360. Coming this winter, "KUF:COD" features seamless four-player co-op2 via Xbox LIVE®, randomly generated maps and nearly infinite weapons combos with unique abilities, enhancements and magical powers for players to learn and master.

· "Project Gotham Racing 4" (Microsoft Game Studios/Bizarre Creations Ltd.). "Project Gotham Racing® 4" will redefine the acclaimed "PGR®" franchise by delivering a unique, exciting racing experience complete with dynamic weather and iconic cars and motorcycles. Available this October, only on Xbox 360.

· "Viva Piñata: Party Animals" (Microsoft Game Studios/Krome Studios Pty. Ltd.). An exciting new party game based on the critically acclaimed Xbox 360 exclusive and hit animated TV series, "Viva Piñata™: Party Animals" brings back the familiar piñata characters and invites players to compete in more than 40 mini-games against friends at home or over Xbox LIVE.2 Available this |Christmas, only on Xbox 360.

"Gamers around the world can look forward to the greatest holiday lineup in video game history," said Don Mattrick, senior vice president of the Interactive Entertainment Business in the Entertainment and Devices Division at Microsoft Corp. "We continue to evolve our strong relationships with Japan's best and most innovative developers, and we're looking forward to delivering exclusive high-definition titles for consumers worldwide, this year and beyond."

Xbox LIVE Arcade Continues High-Definition Downloadable Games Innovation in Japan

Japanese developers have long embraced and championed Xbox LIVE Arcade, with hits including "Pac-Man Championship Edition" (NAMCO BANDAI Games), "Bomberman Live" (Hudson Entertainment), "Frogger" (Konami) and "Fatal Fury Special" (SNK PLAYMORE Corp.). Several new titles from these and other Japanese developers will be added to the diverse portfolio of digitally distributed, high-definition original and classic games currently available on Xbox LIVE Arcade, including the following:

· "Every Extend Extra Extreme" (Q Entertainment). The latest creation from Q Entertainment, "Every Extend Extra Extreme," or E4, is a unique action-packed shooter where the goal is to perfectly time your self-destruction to create chain reactions that explode surrounding enemies. With outrageous visuals and the ability to play your own favorite music, E4 puts a new twist on puzzle shooter games.

· "EXIT" (Taito). An addictive, frenzied puzzle game, "EXIT" has players using their decision-making skills and wits to escape numerous obstacles, while rescuing people from more than 100 different emergencies. Players must save as many lives as possible while finding the fastest way out when "EXIT" arrives on Xbox LIVE Arcade by the end of the year.

· "Ikaruga" (Treasure Co. Ltd.). "Ikaruga" is a quick-paced shooter with strong strategy elements featuring a slow-motion training mode and co-op play for two.2 Available soon for download from Xbox LIVE Arcade, "Ikaruga" is the perfect combination of beautiful, manga-style storytelling and refined, ultra-challenging arcade heroics.

· "OMEGA FIVE" (Hudson Entertainment). "OMEGA FIVE" is a next-generation, high-definition shooter with awe-inspiring graphics. Players fly through dangerous 3-D environments in this side-scroller and try to avoid the enemies that come at them from all sides, even from behind.

· "Rez" (Q Entertainment). "Rez," the legendary action-shooter created by Tetsuya Mizuguchi, is coming to Xbox LIVE Arcade. A fast-moving, wire-frame adventure backed by industrial beats, the story of "Rez" takes players deep into the world's computer network, where they must hack the system, altering the visual output and even taking over the music, creating their own rhythms and eye candy as they dig deeper into the dreamlike cyberworld.

· "Triggerheart Exelica" (Warashi). A shoot'em-up game where players battle against hordes of enemy ships, "Triggerheart Exelica" dynamically adjusts the difficulty to match a player's skill level. "Triggerheart Exelica" launches on Xbox LIVE Arcade this year.

Other exciting Xbox LIVE Arcade games available in the coming months include these:

· "Braid" (Number None Inc.). Arriving in early 2008 on Xbox LIVE Arcade, "Braid" is a platformer/puzzle game. The player journeys across seven worlds to rescue a princess; in each world, time behaves in its own peculiar way. The player must cleverly manipulate the flow of time to solve puzzles. "Braid" aims to provide a mind-expanding, filler-free experience.

· "Castlecrashers" (The Behemoth). Arriving in early 2008 on Xbox LIVE Arcade, "Castlecrashers" is the second title currently in development by award-winning independent developer the Behemoth. The four-player RPG adventure will let players hack, slash and smash their way to victory. "Castlecrashers" delivers unique high-resolution illustrated visuals, including memorably hand-drawn characters that are cute and menacing at the same time. Gamers can play with up to three friends locally or over Xbox LIVE2 and discover mind-boggling magic and mystery in the amazing world of "Castlecrashers."

· "Schizoid" (Torpex Games LLC). "Schizoid," from independent studio Torpex Games, is the first Xbox LIVE Arcade game to be created with XNA™ Game Studio. Debuting on Xbox LIVE Arcade later this year, "Schizoid" is an action-packed game focused on co-op gameplay2 in which players smash barrages of glowing enemies while cooperating closely to protect each other.

Microsoft Brings Tokyo Game Show Home With Xbox LIVE

Once again, Microsoft will bring the Tokyo Game Show experience into living rooms worldwide as it offers its "TGS Bring It Home" programming, delivering hours of coverage from the press briefing, all the best highlights from the show floor, interviews with developers, gameplay videos, exclusive cinematic trailers and a variety of Xbox 360 content for gamers to download over Xbox LIVE Marketplace, beginning 13th September 2007.

[Photos Courtesy of Xboxyde]

Majesco Entertainment Announces 'Kengo Zero'

Samurai Fighting Game Marks Company's First Xbox® 360TM Release

BRISTOL, UK., May 30, 2007 - Majesco Entertainment Company (NASDAQ: COOL), an innovative provider of video games and digital entertainment products, today announced Kengo Zero for the Xbox® 360™ video game entertainment system from Microsoft. Developed by Genki and scheduled for an autumn release, Kengo Zero sets players in feudal Japan on a mission to become the best samurai warrior in the land.

"Kengo Zero's stunning high definition graphics bring the game's nine real samurai to life," said John Merchant, Marketing Manager, Majesco Europe. "With its 2-player head-to-head mode, attribute upgrades and fighter customization, Kengo Zero gives every player the opportunity to be the fighter they want to be and to test their metal against the very best."

Kengo Zero features nine real samurai warriors: Musashi Miyamoto, Jubei Yagyu and Sanako Chiba, among others. Each has his/her own storyline, attack techniques and upgradeable attributes (health, stamina, attack power and defense). Four modes of play offer a range of gameplay options, including the storyline advancing Main Mode; Mission Mode which challenges players to complete 10 missions within a specific time frame; Combat Mode that features two-player, head-to-head battles; and Xbox Live Leaderboard where players compete for new equipment and the best ranking against other Xbox Live gamers by pitting AI profiles against each other.

If ever there was an Xbox 360 from last year that needed a PS3 port, this is that game. Normally I would make some snide comment about Sony's system getting 360 leftovers, but this is pretty good news for PS3 owners...heck, I might even buy it again. Maybe this time around they'll even fix the bugs that inspired the musical that moved a nation to tears. Michael Fahey

THQ to Bring Award-Winning Saints Row(TM) to PLAYSTATION(R)3 System

AGOURA HILLS, Calif., Jan. 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — THQ Inc. (Nasdaq: THQI) today announced its critically acclaimed, next-generation property Saints Row(TM) is scheduled to make its PLAYSTATION(R)3 computer entertainment system debut this spring, featuring stunning next-generation graphics, extensive customization options and unparalleled player choice. Developed by renowned internal studio Volition, Inc., Saints Row brings the hugely popular open-world genre to Sony's new console for the first time and will mark the first open world online experience available through the PLAYSTATION(R) Network.

"Saints Row has established itself as one of the most successful original properties in next generation gaming, and we're excited to bring the groundbreaking experience to PLAYSTATION 3 system fans worldwide," said Kelly Flock, executive vice president of worldwide publishing, THQ. "Bringing the open-world genre to the PLAYSTATION 3 system for the first time will help grow the Saints Row fan base and expand the open-world online community."

About Saints Row

In Saints Row, players begin the game as a member of the 3rd Street Saints, battling rival gangs and corrupt officials while attempting to conquer the city of Stilwater. Gamers personalize their experience through an unparalleled level of character customization and the freedom to progress through multiple storylines in any order they choose. Unique activities such as Insurance Fraud and Snatch help a player earn respect, which in turn open up missions that stretch through a vast, fully dynamic game world. Saints Row will also bring open world gaming to the PLAYSTATION 3 system for the first time, allowing gamers to battle rival gangsters in a variety of single and multi-player modes. The game will support players online via the PLAYSTATION(R) Network.

More information about Saints Row can be found at http://www.saintsrow.com.

About THQ

THQ Inc. (Nasdaq: THQI) is a leading worldwide developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software. The company develops its products for all popular game systems, personal computers and wireless devices. Headquartered in Los Angeles County, California, THQ sells product through its global network of offices located throughout North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. More information about THQ and its products may be found at www.thq.com and www.thqwireless.com. THQ, THQ Wireless, Volition, Inc., Red Faction, Summoner, Saints Row and their respective logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of THQ Inc.

About Volition, Inc.

Located in Champaign, Illinois, Volition, Inc. is one of THQ's premier internal game development studios responsible for high-end creations on next generation systems and Windows PC. Its credits include best-selling console and PC franchises, including Saints Row, The Punisher, Red Faction(R), Summoner(R) and Freespace as well as the award-winning Descent as a part of Parallax Software.

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It might be even harder to get a Wii by Christmas. In a press release Nintendo released last night, the company congratulated itself for selling over 2 million pieces of hardware during the month of November. Admittedly, pretty impressive.

The original release contained the text "Despite spot shortages in some locations, well more than a million Wii systems will be available in the United States by the end of the year" with the "by the end of the year" portion in a different font-size, presumably a last minute edit.

Early today Nintendo issued a correction:

In the news release [...] issued yesterday, Dec. 7, by Nintendo over PR Newswire, we are advised by the company that the fourth paragraph, last sentence which reads, "Despite spot shortages in some locations, well more than a million Wii systems will be available in the United States by the end of the year," should be disregarded.

Hmm, that's pretty hard to disregard now. Is Nintendo being cautious? Are those reports coming in from the UK that certain retailers aren't getting full shipments a warning sign? It sounds like it might be a bit harder to score a Wii this holiday than we anticipated.

Corrected release after the jump. Michael McWhertor

Wii-MARKABLE! November Sales Show Nintendo Hardware Systems Outsell All Others Combined

REDMOND, Wash., Dec. 7 — For video gamers, it was the month that was — November 2006, the first time all three new home systems would be available to consumers, along with three established portable game devices.

It was a month that belonged to Nintendo.

According to independent sales data from the NPD Group, Nintendo sold 55 percent of all video game systems in November, led by the launch of the Wii(TM) home system and the incredible continuing success of the Nintendo DS(TM) portable.

In only the first seven days of availability after its Nov. 19 launch, Wii sold nearly half a million systems in the United States alone (as reported previously by Nintendo, total sales of Wii in the Americas reached 600,000 in its first eight days of availability).

While Wii sold through at a rate of more than 70,000 a day for the seven days represented in the data (substantially higher than any other game device), November's two top sellers of any type were the Nintendo DS, at almost 920,000 units, and Game Boy Advance, with nearly 642,000 portables sold. With Wii and Nintendo GameCube(TM) totals included, Nintendo sold through more than 2.1 million of the 3.9 million systems purchased for the month.

The data also reveals that the Wii title The Legend of Zelda : Twilight Princess achieved sales of 412,000, representing 87 percent of all Wii purchasers, the highest industry rate of sale for any launch title since introduction of Super Mario 64 with the Nintendo 64 a decade ago.

In addition, despite the inclusion of Wii Sports software with every system sale, Wii buyers also purchased an average of two additional games, compared to approximately one game per system for the installed bases of either competing new home system.

In addition to racking up lots of monies with their profitable Gamecube Turbo, Nintendo is also very proud of themselves for selling over 454,000 copies of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. (I assume this game is very good. Since I don't have a Wii to play my copy on, I wouldn't know, would I?)

Hit the jump for the full back-slapping, rubbing-it-in-my-face press release, while I slink off to hug my unopened Wii-mote, then write an angry letter to Reggie. Michael McWhertor

WII IS A MASSIVE HIT

600,000 First-Week Purchases Attracting Veteran and New Gamers

REDMOND, Wash., Nov. 27, 2006 - Built on a foundation of pure fun, Nintendo's new Wii video game availability. That's a rate of nearly one per second continuously since the Nov. 19 launch. Including just first-party software and accessory sales, Wii instantly has become a $190 million business in the Americas.

During the Thanksgiving holiday shopping weekend, there was plenty of conversation across the nation about the high demand for the Wii system, with the acknowledgment that if you see one, you'd better buy it.

"Even with sales already in excess of 600,000 units, demand continues to exceed supply, as it's clear this is one of the 'gotta-have' products for the holiday season," says Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. "We've shipped retailers several times the amount of hardware the other company was able to deliver for its launch around the same time - and we still sold out. Given the inclusive nature of Wii game play, we're seeing this new form of video gaming is already a huge hit with gamers and newcomers alike. It continues to be a phenomenal launch."

The system also is succeeding in its stated mission of reinvigorating current players, while attracting new ones. Every Wii system includes the five-game Wii Sports software, which is the talk of the Internet, featuring countless reports on how previously devout non-gamers have suddenly been converted via the amazing new way games are experienced using the system's remarkable controller. At the same time, the masterful The Legend of Zelda : Twilight Princess, a favorite of avid gamers, already has achieved sales of more than 454,000 units in the Americas, representing more than 75 percent of all hardware purchasers.

Licensees, pleased not only with the sales performance of the Wii, but also its creative development capabilities, are publicly sharing their comments:

"Madden NFL 07 is a great example of how the Wii gives players a whole new experience on their favorite games," says EA Studio President Paul Lee. "EA's creative teams are working to build more Wii features into some of our most popular franchises."

"The creativity we've been able to unleash on the Wii system with our game Red Steel has been eye-opening for our development teams," explains Ubisoft President Laurent Detoc. "Having the opportunity to design and develop entirely new game-play experiences using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk is both exciting and rewarding."

Classic games also are proving to be a hit on Wii, which offers downloadable access to 20 years of the best of Nintendo , Sega Genesis and TurboGrafx16 hits via the system's Virtual Console feature.

The worldwide innovator in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii , Nintendo DS , Game Boy Advance and Nintendo GameCube systems. Since 1983, Nintendo has sold nearly 2.2 billion video games and more than 387 million hardware units globally, and has created industry icons like Mario , Donkey Kong , Metroid , Zelda and Pok mon . A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo's operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, visit the company's Web site at www.nintendo.com.

After some none too subtle hints earlier this week, Electronic Arts has gone ahead and just plain announced the mouthful Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle Earth 2 expansion, The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle Earth 2, The Rise of the Witch King. A new faction, new units, a new single-player campaign and an entirely new setting are the highlight features... standard expansion fare.

The press release is after the jump. Florian Eckhardt

EXPLORE NEW DEPTHS OF MIDDLE-EARTH WITH EA'S THE LORD OF THE RINGS, THE BATTLE FOR MIDDLE-EARTH II, THE RISE OF THE WITCH-KING*

Award-Winning Game Franchise Announces Expansion Pack

CHERTSEY, UK July 27, 2006 - Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) officially announced today that they will continue to expand The Lord of the Rings universe with The Lord of the Rings , The Battle for Middle-earth II, The Rise of the Witch-king *. As the expansion pack to the fan favorite, The Lord of the Rings , The Battle for Middle-earth II , this Real-Time Strategy (RTS) game will enhance every existing feature and offer players the chance to command the rise of evil in Middle-earth while experiencing the epic battles that took place before those depicted in the New Line Cinema films.

Full of exciting content, including an entirely new faction, completely new single player campaign, and additional units for all six existing factions, The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II, The Rise of the Witch-king, allows players to explore the evil side of Middle-earth. The all new single player campaign's innovative units will help to tell the story of the evil Witch-king's rise to power, domination of Angmar and invasion of the great kingdom of Arnor, home to Aragorn's ancestors. To fully experience the evil side of Middle-earth, gamers can now play as the Angmar faction in skirmish, multiplayer, and War of the Ring modes.

"The Lord of Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II, The Rise of the Witch-king" will transport players to a new time and place in Middle-earth while adding strategic depth to the innovative gameplay gamers loved in The Lord of Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II," said Mike Verdu, Executive Producer at EALA. "Fans will love exploring the evil side of Middle-earth as described in Tolkien's fiction and brought to life in the visual style of the New Line Cinema films. This game is set to deliver the ultimate RTS Middle-earth experience."

Experience a whole new depth of strategy and upgraded War of the Ring and Create-A-Hero features. Create-A-Hero's entirely unique Troll class boasts additional weapons and armor that will allow players to have even more freedom in customizing their game play. War of the Ring, a risk-style meta-game, offers upgraded army persistence, a new siege dynamic on the Living World Map, and unified territories that serve as major control points.

An EA Los Angeles (EALA) game developed exclusively for the PC under the EA brand, The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II, the Rise of the Witch-king includes all new content from J.R.R. Tolkien's original fiction, and allows the player to delve deeper than ever before engaging in battles that go beyond the award-winning movie trilogy. EALA will bring The Lord of the Rings world to life in accordance with an agreement with The Saul Zaentz Company d/b/a Tolkien Enterprises that grants EA the rights to develop games based on the books, in addition to a separate agreement that allows for games based on the New Line Cinema films.

The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II, The Rise of the Witch-king requires The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II in order to play and will be available Winter 2006 for the PC. The game is not yet rated by PEGI or USK.

For more information about either title, please visit www.bfme2.ea.com. For information or to find artwork for any EA game, please visit EA's press site at www.electronicarts.co.uk/press.

This is our favorite part of the press release, though:

"By evolving our development process to an episodic approach, we're able to reduce risk from things such as schedule and funding and invest more in new types of gameplay," said Gabe Newell, president and co-founder of Valve. "This allows us to produce innovative titles such as Portal and Team Fortress 2 and deliver them in a timely fashion to customers along with Episode Two."

Team Fortress 2 was announced in 1998. In what lunatic asylum does that equal 'timely'? Next up, George Broussard disengorges his bulk from the 3D Realms home offices to tell us all that the partnership with Triton allowed Duke Nukem Forever to be created and published in mere nanoseconds. Florian Eckhardt

VALVE REVEALS NEW DETAILS ON EPISODE TWO

Includes Team Fortress 2 and Portal, Heading To PC and Next Gen Console

Bellevue, WA, July 14, 2006 - Valve , developer of the blockbuster series Half-Life and Counter-StrikeTM, unveiled Team Fortress 2 and Portal, two new games to be included in its next release, Half-Life 2: Episode Two. In addition, the studio announced its plans to deliver these products, plus enhanced versions of Half-Life 2 and Episode One, in one tremendous package for the PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

"By evolving our development process to an episodic approach, we're able to reduce risk from things such as schedule and funding and invest more in new types of gameplay," said Gabe Newell, president and co-founder of Valve. "This allows us to produce innovative titles such as Portal and Team Fortress 2 and deliver them in a timely fashion to customers along with Episode Two."

Episode Two advances the 16-million unit selling franchise, as Valve's trilogy of episodic single player releases continues the award-winning story of Half-Life 2. Armed with new weaponry and vehicles, Dr. Gordon Freeman must race through a countryside riddled with an increasingly feirce Combine threat.

Team Fortress 2, an all-new version of the title that spawned team based multiplayer action games, features the most advanced graphics of any Source-based game released to date. Players choose from a range of unique character classes such as medic, spy, sniper, or engineer and must work together to complete a variety of tactical objectives.

Portal is a new type of single player game that changes how players approach, manipulate, and surmise the possibilities in a given environment in a manner similar to how the Gravity Gun changed our approach to how an object may be leveraged in any given situation.

Team Fortress 2 and Portal will be included with all retail and Steam versions of Episode Two for the PC. In addition, these products plus Half-Life 2 and Episode One will be available in one tremendous offering for the PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. New videos from Episode Two, Portal, and Team Fortress 2 will be released next week.

About Half-Life 2

Half-Life 2 has been named Game of the Year by over 35 organizations and sold over four million copies worldwide. The intense, real-time gameplay delivered in the Half-Life 2 games and Team Fortress 2 is made possible only by Source, Valve's proprietary engine technology.

Finally... a console more expensive than the PS3! Envizions Computer Entertainment sent us the press release, announcing Evo: Phase One, a 'next generation media hub' that "allows customers to pause, rewind and record live TV, store family photos, play 3D PC games, and access console like applications." Stats?

The system will also boast amazing graphics supported by the Sapphire RADEON HDMI X1600 Pro graphic card. The Sapphire RADEON X1600 Pro has 12 pixel pipelines that provides the highest graphics performance in its class even for shader intensive gaming. Equipped with 128MB of DDR3 memory and this model features clock speeds of 500MHz (core) and 800MHz (memory). Other key features include customized liquid cooling system, built-in biometric fingerprint reader and digital video recording features.

The whole shebang will cost you $679.99 and the website is warning that there's a limit of one per customer. So all you millionaires envisioning building yourself a little fort entirely made of Evos will have to use 360s instead.

Press release after the jump. Florian Eckhardt

EVO: PHASE ONE LAUNCHES ON OCTOBER 20, 2006 IN NORTH AMERICA

Equipped with liquid cooling system, and integrated biometric fingerprint reader

For Immediate Release

Anniston, Alabama JULY 11, 2006 - Today the Envizions Computer Entertainment Corporation announced that the Evo: Phase One media entertainment console will go on sale via the internet October 20, 2006. The suggested retail price is $679.99 (80 GB HDD) The system will ship with the Akimbo video on demand application pre-installed, plus, customers can apply an additional discount on over 1,600 games from the Evo: Direct store upon purchase of their EVO unit.

Evo: Phase One combines computer, media center, and PC gaming into one unit. The system will also boast amazing graphics supported by the Sapphire RADEON HDMI X1600 Pro graphic card. The Sapphire RADEON X1600 Pro has 12 pixel pipelines that provides the highest graphics performance in its class even for shader intensive gaming. Equipped with 128MB of DDR3 memory and this model features clock speeds of 500MHz (core) and 800MHz (memory). Other key features include customized liquid cooling system, built-in biometric fingerprint reader and digital video recording features. EVO is designed much like a PC, customers can purchase extended warranties and get next day onsite assistance or 24/7 IT phone service and remote access service packages. The system's online and networkability will be more apparent in phase two and customized games will be available as the systems continues to expand. EVO will give customers the option to upgrade certain aspects of the system. The EVO: Phase One will offer one package option, with the suggested retail price of $679.99 . The package will carry one wireless PC game controller and a EVO: Direct discount card. Other accessories will sell separately. In addition, customers can order customize EVO paint applications upon request.

Derrick Samuels CEO and Founder reported today. "Evo will be one of the first true gaming hybrid consoles that will be built -to-order with few restrictions, but at the same time offer a platform that will constantly evolve to suit the customer's need. Evo is a computer but it will also provide the entire family the opportunity to access the different applications throughout the home via wireless network." Samuels added, " The final hardware units should be done in late August and is greatly improved from the unit displayed at E3 this year in Los Angeles. Upon request units will be available for review. Envizions' goal is to build on quality, service and reliability. To reward our customers we plan to ship all pre-orders first since the unit will have a limited release qualities available at launch."