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Saturday, February 12, 2011
02/12/2011 - Sega's Yu Suzuki Honored GDC Pioneer AwardSEGA’S YU SUZUKI HONORED WITH 2011 GAME
DEVELOPERS CHOICE PIONEER AWARD Creator of
Shenmue and Virtua Fighter Series to Be Recognized for Nearly Three Decades of Creative and Influential Career Achievements
TOKYO (February 12, 2011) –
SEGA® Corporation is proud to announce that Yu Suzuki will be the recipient of the Pioneer Award, a Special Award presented
as part of the 2011 Game Developers Choice Awards and one of the highest honors in video game development. The Pioneer Award celebrates those individuals who developed a breakthrough technology,
game concept, or gameplay design at a crucial juncture in video game history. Yu Suzuki will be accepting his award at the
eleventh annual Choice Awards ceremony on March 2, 2011, during the Game Developers Conference 2011 at the Moscone Convention
Center in San Francisco. Suzuki, currently a Special Advisor
at SEGA® Corporation overseeing the company’s worldwide content strategy, joined SEGA in 1983 and has been one of
SEGA’s leading video game creators for almost three decades. Suzuki is known for many industry firsts and genre-breaking
games, including critically acclaimed and renowned game franchises such as Virtua Fighter™ and Shenmue™. One of his earliest works was the first real-time simulation arcade racer Hang-On™
in 1985, followed by the immersive rail shooter Space Harrier™, which featured the first full color computer graphics
in Japan, and the driving simulation Out Run™. With the aerial combat simulation After Burner™ and the racing
game F355 Challenge™, Suzuki then delivered some of the world’s most celebrated games of all time. His internationally
renowned 1993 creation Virtua Fighter spawned the 3-D fighting genre and has been recognized for its contribution in the fields
of Art & Entertainment by the Smithsonian Institution. In
1999, the release of the visually stunning Shenmue for the SEGA Dreamcast™ console marked the first console title for
Suzuki. Shenmue would break new ground with its open-world 3D gameplay, its non-linear story and revolutionized the adventure
game genre by giving players unprecedented control over the game’s character through Suzuki’s "FREE"
(Full Reactive Eyes Entertainment) concept. Until today Suzuki
has been responsible for the creation of more than two dozen titles at SEGA. In 2003, he became the sixth person to be inducted
into the Academy of Interactive Arts & Science’s “Hall of Fame.”
Yu Suzuki will be
on stage to receive the Pioneer Award at the eleventh annual Game Developers Choice Awards in San Francisco on March 2, 2011.
In addition to receiving the coveted Pioneer Award, Suzuki will also be presenting a lecture during the main conference portion
of the GDC at 10:30AM on Wednesday, March 2, 2011, discussing some of the landmark game titles that he has created over the
past two decades. For more information about the ceremony, please
visit http://www.gamechoiceawards.com. For more
information about SEGA, please visit www.sega.com.
Submitted By: E. Thomas
Friday, February 11, 2011
02/11/2011 - CT Digital Announces New 3DS AccessoriesGive Your Nintendo 3DS The Love It Deserves
Brooklyn, NY - CTA Digital (http://www.ctadigital.com) releases a wide range of peripherals in time for the big Nintendo 3DS launch
for techy gamers.
With even more goodies to choose from, the new product-line features everything from color coordinated
cases and starter kits to charging docks, speakers and retractable pens. 3DS owners can protect their new device, games &
accessories in style with a number of options that meet their personal style. Colorful options range from simple silicone
skins and hard plastic or modern metal shells to roomy zip-up EVA-style or luxurious leather cases. The clam-shell protective
cases feature cutouts for controls, camera, and ports for usage on the go.
There are several Accessory Packs in
black and blue to choose from - ranging from just the basics to a kit full of essential add-ons - for extended travel &
play. The basic 5-in-1 Starter Kit comes with EVA case, screen protector kit, stereo earphones, plastic stylus and a case
for games. More comprehensive packs, such as the 22-in-1 Ultimate, or the 18-in-1 Premium, include car and USB power adapters,
a Euro travel plug, additional choices for styluses, neck straps, tote bags and 3DS game cases.
CTA covers all
the bases with spare styluses in multi-packs, special retractable pens that expand for use and contract for storage. Snap
the 3DS into one of two hand-grips that adapt the 3DS to console-like gaming for easy long-playing sessions. Protect the screens
from use with easy-to-apply anti-scratch shield kits. The Cartridge Storage Solution Box organizes 22 games, two styluses,
and 2 SD cards in a translucent snap case designed for easy storage and travel.
Two docking stations provide a
home base that keeps your system ready to play. The Charging Dock serves as an AC-powered recharging station while the Speaker
Dock turns your 3DS into a self-powered desktop speaker system. Whatever you choose, these items will be available soon at
Amazon, Target, Best Buy & other retailer outlets.
Submitted By: E. Thomas
Thursday, February 10, 2011
02/10/2011 - TeePee Games Giving Away an iPadWIGWAM BAM! STAMPEDE TO SIGN UP
London, UK – 10th February
2010 - TeePee Games, the new games discovery platform for Facebook, smartphone and Flash games, is delighted
to announce that it is on track to hit 20,000 beta program sign-ups by the end of Feb. Relying on a sophisticated sign-up
campaign that incorporates the company’s central belief that social connectivity is key in the modern age, TeePee
Games has driven take-up by inviting each applicant to invite their friends as well, with a chance to win an iPad offered
as an additional incentive.
Tony Pearce, CEO and co-founder of TeePee Games, comments: “It’s
highly encouraging to see so many people signing up, especially given that we only launched the registration at the beginning
of February and have yet to kick-start our marketing campaign for the full launch in March.” He continues, “This
confirms the market need for the unique service we’ve designed, but even so, the extraordinary level of interest we’ve
generated has been a real surprise.”
TeePee Games will become the only destination for finding and
playing a huge range of games across the most modern of gaming channels; social networks, smart phones and the web. TeePee
Games is focused on discovery, distribution and delivery of game content, utilising a unique discovery engine that merges
the advanced techniques behind Amazon’s recommendation engine and Apple’s genius playlists. Organically learning
and growing with the user, TeePee Games’ proprietary platform will build a detailed profile of what every user
has played across different gaming platforms and, in turn, will recommend games content, selected for each personally and
tailored specifically to their tastes.
TeePee Games is currently open for registrations and will be launching
a private beta towards the end of February, with a chance to win an iPad for beta members. Individuals interested in
becoming VIP beta testers for TeePee Games are invited to sign up online at www.teepeegames.com.
Submitted By: E. Thomas
02/10/2011 - Play WarFlow MMORTS Beta and Win an iTouchLeKool launches WarFlow MMORTS into Open Beta, win an iTouch!
WarFlow is a browser-based real-time strategy game that includes many traditional
MMORTS features, including resource management, city building, a hero system, battle against other players and NPC warlords.
It provides a comprehensive solution for heroism, leadership and espirt de corps. During the wars with NPC warlords, gamers
will be able to enjoy conquering the toughest battles. Meanwhile in the Legionary battles, gamers have to work together to
fight for their common interest and common honor.
To celebrate the official commercial launch, Lekool will be giving away an iTouch to the Top player, along with many other
rewards like Lekool credits, in game gold.
Get a head start; Join the official commercial launch on
February 10th at 7:00 PM (PST) at http://warflow.lekool.com!
Submitted By: E. Thomas
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
02/09/2011 - Super Meat Boy, Angry Birds, FarmVille talks at GDC 2011GDC 2011's Summits Add Super Meat Boy, Angry Birds, FarmVille/CityVille
Talks
The GDC 2011 Summits,
taking place on February 28th and March 1st at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, present a series of illuminating, focused
sessions about the technology, design, business, marketing, and future of key game industry markets.
There are
a total of seven notable standalone Summits, including Social & Online Games, AI, Indie, GDC Education, Serious Games,
Localization and the GDC Smartphone Summit, joining multiple high-profile tutorials on the Monday and Tuesday of Game Developers
Conference 2011.
As the final sessions get locked into place as part of the overall GDC
2011 schedule, the
following major lectures are now confirmed:
- In an Indie Games Summit lecture catchily entitled 'Team Meat
Presents: Super Meat Boy - A Team Meat Meatmortem', Edmund McMillen and Tommy Refenes will examine "sales numbers,
contract details... and revel as myths [are debunked]."
The talk will "touch on everything from development
of features, mistakes made during the final stages of development, the launch of a game that Microsoft didn't believe in,
why Steam is amazing, and the inevitable success of the best indie game of 2010."
- The newly added Social
& Online Games Summit lecture 'Click Zen:
Zynga's Evolution from FarmVille to CityVille' sees Zynga exec and veteran
game maker Mark Skaggs discussing "how [100 million unique user Facebook hit] CityVille represents a fundamental shift
in how Zynga makes games, highlighted by the similarities and differences between CityVille and FarmVille."
The description explains: "Learn how Zynga changed its product development process in the 18 months between the two
launches due to the rapid maturation of the industry, including new metrics processes and much more."
- Finally,
in a GDC Smartphone Summit lecture 'Angry Birds - An Entertainment Franchise in the Making', Rovio's 'Head Eagle' Peter Vesterbacka
will discuss how the Finnish developer made a signature franchise that "continues to be one of the most successful titles
in the App store."
Other recently confirmed GDC Summit lectures include an Indie Games Summit microtalks session
including appearances from Minecraft creator Markus 'Notch' Persson and Braid artist David Hellman, as well as an Artificial
Intelligence Summit lecture looking at postmortems of AI-centric titles such as DarkSpore and The Sims 3: Medieval.
More information on the GDC 2011 Summits - part of the UBM TechWeb Game Network, as is this website - which can be attended
via All-Access or Summit-specific GDC 2011 passes, is available on the GDC website - http://www.gdconf.com
Submitted By: E. Thomas
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
02/08/2011 - ECA reaches over 500,000 Gamers across North AmericaENTERTAINMENT CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION (ECA) REACHES OVER 500,000 GAMERS THROUGHOUT NORTH AMERICA Non-profit Membership Organization for Gamers Celebrates Milestone with
Half Million Mark WILTON, CT –
February 8, 2011 – The Entertainment Consumers Association (ECA), the non-profit membership organization that
represents gamers, today announced that more than 500,000 have joined its active community and helped support the ECA’s
mission of video game advocacy and education. In just over four years since the organization was formed, the ECA has steadily
increased their population by ramping up their advocacy efforts, introducing new affinity benefits for members, and adding
a wide variety of features for the gaming community. The ECA has many exciting new announcements in store this year and looks
forward to serving even more video game consumers in 2011 and beyond. "As someone who's been an avid gamer her entire life, it's exciting to see video games take their place alongside
movies and music as a popular, mainstream form of entertainment and culture - but there's still work to be done. I'm
honored to support the ECA in its mission of video games advocacy and education - and to help video game consumers' voices
be heard," said Jessica Chobot, writer and host of online video content for IGN Entertainment, the world's leading gaming
information brand. “Perhaps the most important aspect
of this announcement reflects the fact that gamers care, that the trade supports them and that non endemic companies and brands
want to support gaming,” said Hal Halpin, President of the Entertainment Consumers Association. “It makes more
people want to join and more partners want to be associated, which translates into even more member benefits... a self-perpetuating
cycle. Truly, I couldn't be any more proud of our members, partners and staff.” Established in October 2006, the ECA’s primary mission is to represent consumers of interactive entertainment
in North America. Along with the grassroots advocacy efforts on behalf of gamers, the ECA is dedicated to providing a wealth
of community benefits to its members. With a membership, gamers can connect with like-minded fans, explore career and educational
opportunities in gaming, and more. Even better, by supporting the ECA, members instantly become part of an energized network
of passionate, politically aware gamers.
About The ECA The ECA is the non-profit membership organization which represents consumers of
interactive entertainment in the US and Canada. The association was founded to give gamers a collective voice with which to
communicate their concerns, address their issues and focus their advocacy efforts. As such, the ECA is committed to a host
of public policy efforts, empowering and enabling the membership to effect change. Additionally, the organization provides
members substantial affinity benefits including discounts on games-related purchases and rentals, as well as community and
educational initiatives. For additional information on the ECA, including affinity benefits, member discounts and joining
the association, please visit: www.theECA.com
Submitted By: E. Thomas
Monday, February 7, 2011
02/07/2011 - Ridge Racer: Unbounded - A new take on the classic seriesRIDGE RACERTM IS BACK... UNBOUNDEDTM
CERGY-PONTOISE, FRANCE
– 4 February 2011 – NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe S.A.S. today announced that the five million-selling global
smash racing franchise Ridge Racer is on its way back into the eager hands of gamers. RIDGE RACER™ UNBOUNDED™
is coming to PlayStation®3 system, the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows PC
to add an unexpected dimension to the series and deliver an original blast of ferocious racing adrenaline.
Breaking
free from all the pussyfooting around tame circuits, politely bumping into rivals' fenders, RIDGE RACER UNBOUNDED
has a new mantra – Drive, Destroy, Dominate – and it's one that's going to shake up the racing genre for good.
It’s time to break not only the rules, but plenty of cars too. You think you've seen crashes? You've seen nothing. In
RIDGE RACER UNBOUNDED your car is a high-octane wrecking ball.
“Ridge Racer Unbounded
is a fresh take on one of the most important racing franchises in video game history,” said Olivier Comte, VP Marketing,
Sales & Publishing at NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe. “As such, we're treating it with the reverence it deserves, and
with the talented Bugbear team at the helm we're confident of delivering a game fans new and existing will get a big destructive
kick out of.”
Developing the title is leading Helsinki-based racing specialist Bugbear Entertainment Ltd.,
whose games in the genre have earned widespread critical acclaim and sold millions of copies. With RIDGE RACER
UNBOUNDED, they are aiming to push the genre further and bring their own touch to the much-loved series.
Let the destructive driver inside you break free in RIDGE RACER UNBOUNDED, coming to PlayStation®3,
Xbox 360 and Windows PC. Stay in touch and be first on the grid for game updates at www.facebook.com/ridgefanSubmitted By: E. Thomas
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