32 Professional Teams From Around the Globe Compete for $1 Million Playing
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare

The Call of Duty Championship, presented by Xbox, Will be Livestreamed
Worldwide on Xbox Live, CallofDuty.com and MLG.tv

Tournament’s Final Match Livestream Starts Sunday, 29^th March at 9:00 p.m. (GMT)

Professional Football Players Golden Tate and Demaryius Thomas Lead All-Star Teams in
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Celebrity Pro Am Exhibition for Call of Duty Endowment

London, UK – 27^th March, 2015 – It’s time to determine who’s the best Call of Duty® team in the world with the start of the third annual Call of Duty® Championship, presented by Xbox, the biggest eSports first person action tournament of the year.  Beginning today through Sunday, in Los Angeles, Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard (Nasdaq: ATVI) and development studio Sledgehammer Games, in partnership with Xbox, welcome 32 of the most accomplished Call of Duty®: Advanced Warfare multiplayer professional teams from around the world to compete head-to-head on Xbox One, the all-in one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, for the honour of being named the “Call of Duty World Champions” and their share of the tournament’s $1 million total prize purse. 

Fans can tune-in to every thrilling, adrenaline-pumping moment through livestreamed coverage on Xbox Live, CallofDuty.com and at MLG.tv, as well as select editorial partners worldwide. Culminating on Sunday, 29^th March, the tournament’s final match livestream starts at 9:00 p.m. (GMT) on the Xbox Live Dashboard (in participating regions).

Fans tuning into the Call of Duty Championship, presented by Xbox livestream on Sunday will also see the world premiere of live gameplay from the upcoming Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Ascendance DLC pack and a new trailer for Infected, the next episode of Exo Zombies.  Ascendance is the definitive DLC package, with its four new, thrilling multiplayer maps, the formidable OHM directed energy light machine gun/shotgun hybrid, the OHM Werewolf custom variant, the all-new Exo Grapple ability playlist that introduces the Exo Grapple ability to multiplayer and Infected, the latest instalment of Exo Zombies.  Ascendance will be available first on Xbox Live on 31^st March.

“We have an amazing Call of Duty community.  From those who like to just have fun playing with their friends, to those who like to compete at the highest level at the Call of Duty Championship.  It’s a testament to our development teams that they can create an experience, which is so fun for everyone to play and watch,” said Rob Kostich, senior vice president, Call of Duty, Activision Publishing, Inc.  “Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare takes centre stage this weekend, as the top players from around the globe showcase their incredible skill.  The best four-player teams are here to compete head-to-head in intense objective-based game modes all weekend long and we can’t wait to see all the action and see who takes it all.”

These 32 teams from 5 continents and 11 countries around the world have trained extensively over the past several months playing Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, winning their respective regional competitions in qualifying events conducted by the professional competitive gaming organisations of Major League Gaming (MLG), Gfinity and the Australian Cyber League (ACL). Teams like Exile5.T1 Dotters from Australia, European Champions, Epsilon eSports from the UK and SSOF Gaming from Brazil, will compete against such notable teams from North America as Optic Gaming, Team EnVy and Team Kaliber.

The Call of Duty Championship, presented by Xbox, begins with round-robin style pool play among eight groups of four teams.  The top two teams from each group will advance to a 16-team double elimination bracket, where the team that places first will take home $400,000 of the tournament’s $1 million dollar total prize pool. The remaining seven teams will each take home prizes ranging from $200,000 for second place to $25,000 for eighth place. Further details on the 2015 Call of Duty Championship, presented by Xbox, including full rules and regulations, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare maps and modes for the tournament, livestream information, prizing distribution and more are available at https://CallofDuty.com/esports.

In addition to the hotly-anticipated tournament competition, professional NFL players Golden Tate and Demaryius Thomas will each lead a team made up of a professional eSports player, an internet personality and a fan picked right from the audience, in an exhibition grudge match for the Call of Duty™ Endowment.  The teams will go head-to-head playing new maps from the upcoming Ascendance DLC pack.  The winning team will have a $100,000 donation made in their name to the Endowment and its continued effort in helping veterans return to the workforce.

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is available for Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft and the Xbox 360 games and entertainment system from Microsoft, and is rated PEGI 18. For more information, please visit www.CallofDuty.com/advancedwarfare , www.facebook.com/CallofDuty , or follow on Twitter  @SHGames.

About Major League Gaming (MLG)
MLG is the leader in eSports delivering premium gaming content to viewers through its streaming platform - MLG.tv and promoting eSports globally through premier competition. MLG.tv is one of the fastest growing broadcast networks worldwide reaching 20 million highly-engaged fans each month via web, mobile, connected TVs, gaming consoles and social media. MLG pioneered the eSports industry as the longest-running competitive gaming league in North America and through Gamebattles, the largest cross platform online gaming tournament system with 9 million registered users. For more information:  www.mlg.tv . 

About Gfinity
Formed by gamers with the backing of successful investors, Gfinity was created to help push eSports within the UK to a professional level, to raise awareness and to provide an arena for gamers to showcase their talent. Gfinity was launched as a company in early 2013 and plans were immediately set in motion to deliver events unlike any that had been seen in European eSports before it. For more information on Gfinity, please visit  http://www.gfinity.net /, and follow us on Twitter for the latest updates.

About Australian Cyber League
The Australian Cyber League (ACL) established Australia’s first and only national circuit for gaming. Founded in 2006, ACL operates the most prestigious live gaming events for competitive titles across both console and PC platforms. Known for top quality production, ACL has been pioneering the broadcast practices of eSports in Australia, delivering engaging livestreamed content from events into the homes of gaming fans.

About Activision Publishing, Inc.
Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading global producer and publisher of interactive entertainment. Activision maintains operations throughout the world. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company's website, www.activision.com or by following @Activision.

About the Call of Duty Endowment
The Call of Duty Endowment is a non-profit, public benefit corporation conceived by Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision Blizzard. The Endowment supports organizations that provide job placement services to veterans. Since its founding, the Endowment has donated over $11 million to place more than 9,000 veterans into good jobs. For more information about the Call of Duty Endowment, please visit www.callofdutyendowment.org .

Submitted by: E. Thomas

Hamburg, March 25, 2015. Today, InnoGames published the highly anticipated Android app for the hugely successful online game Forge of Empires. From now on, players can expand their territories, not only in browser and on iOS, but also on Android devices. They will not have to start from scratch as the app offers full cross-platform functionality: players can use the same account on all platforms and switch back and forth.  

A new video with Lead Mobile Developer Tobias Hassenkloever introduces the Android app. It supports all devices with Android Version 4 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and up - on both smartphones and tablets. All of Forge of Empires’ events and eras will be playable with the Android app.

Forge of Empires is a browser-based strategy game in which players are tasked with leading a city to prosperity. They can research new technologies, build impressive historical buildings and enlarge their sphere of influence through military campaigns and skillful dealing. The game has been awarded the title of “Best Browser Game” at the 2013 German Computer Game Award (Deutscher Computerspielpreis). In 2014 it was one of the top five new strategy titles for iOS. Forge of Empires is playable in 23 languages and currently has 25 million players around the globe.

With about 150 million registered players, InnoGames is one of the world's leading developers and providers of online games. Currently, the Hamburg-based company employs over 350 professionals from 30 nations. InnoGames has scored major success with games such as Tribal Wars, Grepolis and Forge of Empires.

Submitted by: E. Thomas

March 24th 2015 - NiGHTS into Dreams

Hello from First 4 Figures!

Ever since we launched the SEGA All-Stars collection in 2013, SEGA fans have had one question that they have been asking us over and over - "when will you make a NiGHTS statue?". So today we're very pleased to finally unveil the mischievous Nightmaren of SEGA Saturn fame as our latest addition.

NiGHTS is best recognised perched in front of a glowing crescent moon, so that's the image we decided to capture for our statue. The base has a starry sky pattern, and NiGHTS is hovering above with a moon seamlessly attached behind to create the full scene. Together the statue comes to 12.5" tall, and is made from high-quality polystone.

This is the Regular Edition, featuring everything mentioned above. It can be preordered here for $209.99, and is limited to 1,000 units.

The Exclusive Edition, with ambient lighting inside the moon, can be ordered  here for $234.99. It is limited to 500 units.

Both editions of NiGHTS are set to be released in Q3 of 2015.

Be sure to follow our Facebook page, where we post regular updates and offer several sneak peeks and competitions on a regular basis. And for more information, be sure to check our website or send us an email.

Thank-you for your continued support!

Submitted by: E. Thomas

Celebrate and save with the “GORETRO” discount code until the end of March.

ORANGE COUNTY, CA - RETRO Videogame Magazine's parent company, RETRO Media Network, today announced the launch of the all-new ReadRETRO Shop. Located online at ShopReadRETRO.com, the streamlined and easy-to-use virtual storefront delivers instant access to digital downloads for all RETRO Media Network products as well as providing the ability to order printed copies of publications based on availability.

"We've listened to the fans and have delivered a simple, effective, and elegant solution for downloading digital copies of our publications and ordering prints," said RETRO Media Network co-founder and RETRO Videogame Magazine Editor-In-Chief Daniel Kayser. "Our primary focus is delivering the content that our readers crave and this all-new virtual store provides a profound improvement to the end-user experience when compared to our previous offering."

At ShopReadRETRO.com, users can view detailed descriptions and previews of each product offering, purchase and download digital publications with ease, order printed editions of RETRO Media Network products as available, and even browse RETRO's collection of posters, shirts, and other merchandise for sale. Upcoming features include the migration of subscriptions to the new storefront as well as the inclusion of gift cards, ongoing discounts, and more.

"In addition to our flagship publication, RETRO Media Network is branching out to provide print and digital services to the gaming world that will result in high-quality products that deliver insight into the design and development of today's hottest videogames." said Kayser. "We will be announcing each of these product partnerships within our store's blog and offering them for sale both there and around the web in conjunction with our product partners." Developers and retailers interested in discussing RETRO Media Network's newly-launched products and services division can learn more at www.RETROMediaNetwork.com.

To celebrate the launch of the all-new ShopReadRETRO.com, a limited-time discount of $5 off any purchase of $12 or more can be accessed by using the code "GORETRO" at checkout. This includes the latest edition of RETRO Videogame Magazine, Issue #6, which delivers in-depth coverage of the rise, fall, and resurgence of the Point-and-Click genre.

About RETRO Videogame Magazine
After being successfully crowd-funded via Kickstarter (1, 2), RETRO Videogame Magazine is quickly gaining notoriety within the landscape of interactive entertainment.

Dedicated to delivering timely, entertaining, and informative features focused on the biggest franchises and most memorable moments in interactive entertainment, the vision of RETRO Videogame Magazine is to "Celebrate Gaming's Past, Present, and Future".

Each edition is jam-packed with 76 pages of content written by industry icons and professional journalists that's designed to inform and entertain the global gaming masses. Beginning with Year Two (Issue #7), each issue will focus on honoring a major gaming franchise within the launch window of its next highly-anticipated release while using the franchise as a springboard to explore the genre it helped to create.

Preview and purchase individual digital downloads or prints right now at ShopReadRETRO.com.

About RETRO Media Network
RETRO Media Network creates print and digital products designed to celebrate the videogame industry.

Founded in 2015 and fueled by the desire to bring brands closer to their fans, we help small, medium, and large companies tell and sell their story in an effort to increase community engagement and drive brand awareness. Our products provide additional revenue streams to fund product development for smaller studios and increase profit margins via point-of-purchase sales at major retailers. Our flagship products include the bi-monthly print/digital RETRO Videogame Magazine, our unique "Mini-Mags", and specialty publications designed to meet a variety of needs.

For more information or to inquire about our products/services, please visit RETROMediaNetwork.com.

Submitted by: E. Thomas