Village Gamer

Burnaby – Electronic Arts Inc. announced today that Orlando Magic center, Dwight Howard, will be the cover athlete for NBA LIVE 10. A three-time NBA All-Star, Howard is currently looking to lead the Magic franchise to their first NBA Championship. The No. 1 pick of the 2004 NBA Draft was the 2009 NBA Defensive Player of the Year presented by Kia Motors, an All-NBA First Team selection the last two seasons, and stole the show at the 2008 NBA Sprite Slam Dunk Contest with his superhero antics. Additionally, Howard was the starting center of the 2008 U.S. Basketball Men’s Senior National Team which won the gold medal at the Olympics in Beijing. NBA LIVE 10 is currently in development under the EA SPORTS™ brand by EA Canada in Vancouver, B.C. and will be available worldwide this October.

“It’s an honor to be named as the cover athlete for NBA LIVE 10,” said Howard. “This year has been a crazy ride and this is a cool way to cap it off. Of course – there is one more thing I’m on the hunt for that would complete it.”
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Toronto – Wicked Interactive Ltd., a leading North American video game publisher, today announced the upcoming release of ACE Online Episode 3.2, a patch to the current Episode 3 -War of Pandea, that offers all new content including a new Nation War System, a revamped game interface, new maps, an all-new slot machine and new cash shops items. The game, which is part of the Suba Games library of free MMOs can be downloaded at the Suba Games web site.

“We are excited to launch this new update for ACE Online,” said Garvin Yeung, CEO of Wicked Interactive LTD. “Episode 3.2 offers several updates throughout many different areas of the game and we think players will be thrilled with the new content.”

Nation War System Updated
The mothership war system has been completely revamped. No longer will motherships be summoned based on nation points, instead they will be scheduled at a specific times decided by the nation leaders. In addition, Outpost Wars occur more frequently and are now activated concurrently of each other. Also, rewards earned within the war system are now totally performance-based. The better a player performs in combat, the better their reward.
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Montreal – Newly-founded Montreal-based game developer and publisher Gamesmith Studios is the latest company to board the iPhone games train, and it’s doing so in grand fashion by releasing 8 fresh new titles simultaneously.

The company’s founders, both under the age of 30, promise that this initial launch is the first of many, hinting that they have already signed a number of partnerships which will be revealed in the future. “Publishing great Apps conceived by other developers is an intricate part of Gamesmith’s strategy. We like to think of our arrangement as a collective of small independent developers, working together to increase our exposure on Apple’s App Store, and collaborating to create great new innovative products“ says Jasson Michaud, co-founder of Gamesmith Studios. “We want the Gamesmith name to be synonym of fun, high-quality interactive products.”
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Vancouver – Activision Publishing, Inc. announced today that Radical Entertainment’s highly anticipated video game PROTOTYPE has shipped to North American retail outlets, and additionally will be available at European retailers on Friday, June 12. With early critical acclaim, including a 9/10 review from PSW Magazine, the genetically mutated Alex Mercer is set to deliver a powerful, action-packed gaming experience as players begin to unravel his dark, conspiracy-ridden past and become the ultimate shape-shifting weapon! We’ve been trying to get a close-up hands’ on view of this game for months and months – we’re definitely looking forward to finally getting to play this new IP title from Radical.

You are the PROTOTYPE: Alex Mercer – a genetically mutated man without memory, armed with amazing shape-shifting abilities, hunting to discover what created you and determined to make those responsible pay. As Alex, gamers tear through a densely populated contemporary New York City moving with free-roaming Parkour-style fluidity, consuming anybody that gets in his way…assuming their physical form, memories and abilities. Fueled by a three-way war between Alex, the Blackwatch Military Special Forces and a viral outbreak known as the Infected, players venture into a deep, dark conspiracy 40 years in the making!

PROTOTYPE is available for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION3 computer entertainment system for a suggested retail price of $59.99, and for Games for Windows® for $49.99, and is rated “M” (Mature – Blood and Gore, Intense Violence and Strong Language – content that may be suitable for persons ages 17 and older) by the ESRB.

Montreal – Software publisher Strategy First Inc., and Out of the Park Productions are proud to present Bill ‘The Spaceman’ Lee Out Of The Park Baseball 10, which will be released June 9,2009.

Out Of The Park Baseball 10 is the 10th installment of the award-winning baseball management simulation game. The game will add more features to an already unparalleled feature set and improve already existing ones. With an improved artificial intelligence, which results the most realistic baseball management

Out of the Park 10

experience, Out Of The Park Baseball 10 continues the tradition of innovative management simulations.

Out Of The Park Baseball 10 includes a brand new never before seen 90 minute interview with Red Sox Hall of Fame Pitcher Bill ‘The Spaceman’ Lee. The celebrated pitcher provides his unique insight into baseball management, history, and tips on how to build a World Series caliber team.

“We are excited to bring Bill ‘The Spaceman’ Lee Out Of The Park Baseball 10 to Gamers world wide. Teaming up one of Major League baseball’s iconic pitchers Bill ‘The Spaceman’ Lee with the award winning franchise will provide Gamers with great game play, information and entertainment all in one offering.” Says Strategy First Business Development Manager Emanuel Wall.

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Burnaby – Via E3 – On the heels of winning 25 international gaming awards with FIFA Soccer 09, Electronic Arts Inc. today revealed the first features for its top-selling* soccer franchise from EA SPORTS™. Responding to consumer feedback from more than 275 million online games played**, FIFA Soccer 10 will deliver a new standard for authenticity with gameplay refinements and innovations that will make it the most complete and intelligent simulation of soccer.

On the pitch, critical gameplay fundamentals have been enhanced to ensure that FIFA Soccer 10 mirrors real-world soccer, providing more sophisticated ball control, and physical interaction between players. In addition, players now move, behave and position themselves more realistically. On attack, players analyze space more effectively, curve their runs in an attempt to stay onside, create passing lanes naturally, and drive for more variety in attacking options. On defense, new concepts like position priority enable defenders to multitask so dangerous spaces left open by teammates out of position are covered. Plus, slide tackle targeting, press marking, and better-urgency clearance logic provide new options that make defending a tactical skill in FIFA Soccer 10. In goal, a myriad of improvements and refinements to goalkeeper intelligence result in a more responsive and powerful rushing system and ultra-realistic saves.
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Vancouver – via E3 – United Front Games Ltd. is developing ModNation™ Racers, a creative twist on classic karting, designed exclusively for the PLAYSTATION® 3.

ModNation™ Racers puts innovation and creativity directly into the player’s hands with simple, intuitive and fun tools to create custom characters, karts and race tracks. These can be shared and played freely by anyone in the world on the PlayStation®Network.

“We are excited to be creating an accessible, endlessly imaginative and original property. Our team is inspired to push the limits of player creativity in this new take on racing.” said Julian Beak, Lead Producer. “Working directly with Sony is an honor.”

“With the creative pedigree and vision of this team and our plans for the PLAY CREATE SHARE™ genre, this partnership was a great fit for our strategic vision of this emerging genre.” said Scott Rohde, vice president of Product Development, Worldwide Studios America. “We are really happy to be working with United Front Games in bringing ModNation Racers to life, and excited to see what our consumers will create when they get to play in 2010.”

ModNation™ Racers was officially unveiled to the world during Sony’s E3 press conference.

Vancouver – Via E3 – Big Park Studios, which was recently acquired by Microsoft Game Studios has announced their new Xbox 360 title, Joy Ride. The title will only be available to Xbox Live silver and gold subscribers, and will allow players to race their XBL avatars against friends.

Game Details:

Put your avatar behind the wheel of a vehicle you select and customize to match your personal style, and drive your avatar WILD. Trick out your avatar with styles and animations to guarantee you’ll stand out in the crowd. The game universe constantly evolves and expands with new downloadable content, including new stunt parks, tracks, cars, car upgrades, avatar clothing and animations, and new events. Once you’re all customized, take your avatar out for a spin. Make friends around the world as you catch huge air, pull off crazy stunts, and participate in fun community events.
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Burnaby – Via E3 – EA SPORTS™, a label of Electronic Arts Inc., announced today that EA SPORTS Active™ has eclipsed 600,000 units sold worldwide at retail in less than two weeks on the market. EA SPORTS Active, which hit stores on May 19^th in North America and by May 22^nd worldwide*, is a virtual fitness product developed exclusively for the Wii™ and offers the benefit of a personal trainer in a box with customizable workouts that

EA Sports Active

can be done from the comfort of home.

“We’re delighted by the overwhelming response to EA SPORTS Active,” said Peter Moore, President, EA SPORTS. “This is, by far, the most successful launch of any Wii title in EA history, and even more encouraging is that our second week sales worldwide were as strong as our first week. Not only are we off to a great start at retail, but the feedback from people who are getting off the couch, breaking a sweat and using EA SPORTS Active to support living a healthier lifestyle, is that it is changing their lives.”

Critics and consumers alike have praised EA SPORTS Active. “EA SPORTS Active finally bridges the gap between house and gym, earning it top honors as the best exercise game currently out for the Wii,” according to 1up.com. In its five star review, Green Pixels says, “EA SPORTS Active easily wins top honors in this rapidly growing genre.” Read the rest of this entry »

Montreal – Activision announced earlier today that Artificial Mind & Movement (A2M) will be the developer for the Nintendo DS version of the upcoming title Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs.

The talent from Twentieth Century Fox’s highly anticipated Ice Age™: Dawn of the Dinosaurs feature film will reprise their roles in the upcoming video game. The game features the voices of Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Queen Latifah and Josh Peck as members of an unlikely herd of prehistoric pals on a rescue mission across the tundra and beyond as they meet new friends and discover a mysterious world teeming with lush vegetation and fierce dinosaurs.

“The actors have brought life and familiarity to these admired prehistoric Ice Age characters,” said Rob Kostich, head of marketing for licensed properties, Activision Publishing, Inc. “Their presence in the game brings authenticity to the experience, immersing players in the Ice Age movie universe.”
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