Category: Press Release

The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault On Dark Athena

Sierra Entertainment, a division of Vivendi Games, announced today that The Chronicles of Riddick will blast onto Microsoft’s Xbox 360, and debut on the PLAYSTATION 3 system, for the first time. Taking advantage of new hardware technologies, the game will present a reinvention of Escape from Butcher Bay, delivering 2004’s award winning experience in high definition with stunning enhancements. Also included is the Dark Athena chapter, an expansion of the original game with an exciting new story and new gameplay features. Scheduled to ship later in 2007, it is being produced under license from Universal Pictures Digital Platforms Group, in association with Vin Diesel’s Tigon Studios, and is being developed by Starbreeze Studios, acclaimed developer of the original edition.

With The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena, players will not only be challenged to survive Butcher Bay, but will also engage in a new single-player experience and, for the first time in the Riddick universe, take action in intense multi-player combat. The game introduces the ominous Merc-ship Dark Athena, which sits silent like a marauding spider, awaiting helpless prey in the dark reaches of the galaxy. Players must face a large, bloodthirsty operation led by the dreaded Captain Revas and her slaves-turned-controllable combat drones, storm though death-defying events and fight fierce enemies in a battle of malice and gore.

First released in 2004, The Chronicles of Riddick game features an original storyline that provides insight into the mythology of Universal Pictures’ films The Chronicles of Riddick and the cult classic Pitch Black, which first introduced Vin Diesel as enigmatic anti-hero Riddick. The game blends action and stealth elements, as players navigate Riddick through the harsh environments of dank tunnels, dimly lit corridors, and other hazardous areas filled with guards, savage inmates and deadly creatures that prowl the darkness.

“The Chronicles of Riddick is a genre defining game that helped shape the modern first-person shooter,” said Al Simone, senior vice president, global marketing for Sierra Entertainment. “We are proud to not only take this ‘Best in Class’ title to the next level for both the Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3, but to create a new single-player experience and multi-player campaigns for a truly robust product offering.”

“When the original The Chronicles of Riddick game exploded on the scene, gamers were taken with its fantastic graphics and hard-hitting gameplay,” said Bill Kispert, Vice President and General Manager, Interactive, Universal Pictures. “We are excited to now introduce new players to this character and world, while thrilling existing fans with the surprises and additional features this edition will offer.”

“The Riddick universe is incredibly rich source material for creating on-going stories and games,” said Cos Lazouras, Head of Production, Tigon Studios. “This next chronicle will take us to new, dark corners of that universe, which when combined with Starbreeze’s fantastic next-gen techonology, will deliver the compelling player experience gamers have come to expect of Riddick.”
“We’re very happy to be working in the Riddick universe again.” said Ian Stevens, Lead Game Designer, Starbreeze Studios. “Assault on Dark Athena gives us an opportunity to revisit the original game and share it with a new audience, as well as offer a continuation of the Butcher Bay gameplay and storyline. We’re also thrilled to be bringing Multiplayer to the game.”
Moving and attacking in darkness is particularly effective for Riddick as his haunting “eye shine” gives him the ability to see without ambient light. However, stealth won’t serve every situation and players will be able to take the action up close and personal. As Riddick, players will be able to sneak up behind enemies and snap necks or fight face to face using fists, elbows and grapples. Additionally, players will be able to capture weapons such as shanks, shotguns, or assault rifles and use these to cut a swath of destruction through anyone who gets in their way.

Nintendo Rules America

Already riding a streak as America’s No. 1 seller of video game consoles, No. 1 seller of portable game systems and No. 1 publisher of video games, Nintendo added more chips to its pile in April — with not just one, but the country’s four best-selling games.

According to independent sales data gathered by the NPD Group, the two best-selling games in April were Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl, exclusively for the Nintendo DS hand-held game system, followed by Super Paper Mario and Wii Play for the Wii home video game system.Combined sales for the two related Pokemon titles exceeded 1.75 million units in just 14 days of availability during the reporting period.

The DS remained the most popular game system of any kind in April, with projected sales of more than 470,000 units. At the same time, the Wii from Nintendo, despite nearly universal sold-out status, was still purchased by twice as many consumers as any other home game console, according to the NPD data. Unit sales of 360,000 Wii systems in April bring the console’s installed base in America to nearly 2.5 million in less than six months on the market.

“Nothing is more valuable in the entertainment world than an evergreen franchise,” says Reggie Fils-Aime, president and COO, Nintendo of America. “These new Pokemon titles have cemented their place alongside the most enduring intellectual properties of the book, music and movie industries. And that appeal will expand even further with the introduction of PokemonBattle Revolution to our Wii home console next month.”

GameTap Goes All Out for Lara Croft

Not only will they be adding the new Tomb Raider: Anniversary game to the library of almost 1,000 titles – they’ve released a retrospective documentary and they will also be releasing a new animated series called “Re\Visioned” airing July 10th on GameTap TV!

GameTap logo

Not only will they be adding the new Tomb Raider: Anniversary game to the library of almost 1,000 titles – they’ve released a retrospective documentary and they will also be releasing a new animated series called “Re\Visioned” airing July 10th on GameTap TV!

“10 Years of Tomb Raider – A GameTap Retrospective” profiles the creators, the games, the live-action models, and the fans who have collectively made Tomb Raider a pop culture phenomenon. The documentary will be available for free for all fans to view at www.gametap.com/tombraider and new segments will be added each week through June 7th.

“The Retrospectives series explores the most beloved game franchises and their impacts on pop culture. With ‘10 Years of Tomb Raider,’ we show the history of this legendary series of games,” said Ricardo Sanchez, GameTap’s vice president of content. “Fans of Tomb Raider will get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at one of the industry’s most successful game franchises.”

“We wanted to do something special for Lara’s 10th anniversary,” said Larry Sparks, Eidos’ head of brands management. “Working with GameTap allowed us to tell the Tomb Raider story like never before, complete with fan interviews from around the world and a first ever photo shoot that brought together the live action Lara Croft models.”

GameTap has also created a new original animated series, “Re\Visioned”, for GameTap TV. This all-new animated series explores and reimagines well known video game franchises. The first season features interpretations of video gaming’s leading lady, Lara Croft, by well-known animators, comic book artists and writers.

To create “Re\Visioned: Tomb Raider” GameTap commissioned Peter Chung, Jim Lee, Warren Ellis, Cully Hamner, Gail Simone, David Alvarez, Michael Stackpole, Brian Pulido, and Christos Gage, among others, to provide their ‘Re\Visioned’ view of the famous video game heroine. The first episode in this original animation series will debut on July 10th with new episodes running through August 23rd. There are 10 episodes in total and they will be available to view for free at GameTap.com.

“Lara Croft is an icon, so we brought in some of the most iconic creative talent of today,” continued Sanchez. “These writers and artists have created or worked with some of the best known characters from comics and animation and we’ve been honored to work with them to make the first season of our ‘Re\Visioned’ series a reality.”

Visitors to the newly launched micro-site, www.gametap.com/tombraider will get access to the new Retrospective documentary, “Re\Visioned: Tomb Raider” animated series, trailers and clips for both programs.

Fans can also purchase the PC version of Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Anniversary at GameTap.com’s new digital retail storefront and GameTap subscribers can play the game day and date when it hits retail shelves on June 5th, 2007.

Halo 3 Release Date is…

Halo 3

In a year when Hollywood is launching its biggest blockbusters ever, a video game is set to conquer them all. “Halo 3,” the final chapter in the groundbreaking “Halo” trilogy, is set to shatter day-one entertainment sales records when it is released worldwide beginning Tuesday, Sept. 25. Created by legendary developer Bungie Studios and exclusive to the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system, “Halo 3” will set a new standard for interactive storytelling and social gaming by engaging consumers worldwide in Master Chief’s epic battle to save humankind. “Halo 3” will be available to audiences around the world starting Sept. 25 and will release in Europe on Sept. 26.

“‘Halo 3’ is much more than a video game release; it’s the biggest entertainment event of the year,” said Peter Moore, corporate vice president of Microsoft’s Interactive Entertainment Business. “On Sept. 25, we intend to deliver a finale that will go down in entertainment history and leave people around the world with an experience that will be shared and enjoyed for years to come.”

Fueling the early buzz around “Halo 3”, Microsoft unveiled the multiplayer beta on the eve of its release at a star-studded event in Hollywood. Beginning tomorrow, May 16, Microsoft Game Studios will kick off the “Halo 3” multiplayer beta, which provides audiences worldwide with an exclusive, early look at some of the multiplayer elements of “Halo 3” on Xbox LIVE. Adding to the excitement, Microsoft is also announcing a special edition Zune digital media player inspired by the hugely successful “Halo” franchise. On shelves next month, the Zune-Halo 3 edition comes loaded with a collection of “Halo” content, including videos, soundtracks, trailers, ads and artwork.

In November 2004, the world’s view of video games changed forever with the release of “Halo 2,” which generated a record-setting $125 million in sales within the first 24 hours and changed the way people think about interactive entertainment. Three years later, it remains the most-played game on Microsoft’s Xbox LIVE online gaming and entertainment network, with nearly 1 billion hours of online gaming logged to date.

The unveiling of the “Halo 3” launch date comes on the eve of the release of the “Halo 3” multiplayer beta, which will debut to audiences worldwide via Xbox LIVE on May 16 at 5 a.m. PDT and run through June 6 at 11:59 p.m. PDT.* The “Halo 3” multiplayer beta will provide audiences worldwide with an exclusive early look at some of the multiplayer elements of “Halo 3” on Xbox LIVE. Gamers who are interested in experiencing the multiplayer beta of “Halo 3” can still participate through the purchase of the critically acclaimed, Xbox 360-exclusive title “Crackdown™,” which was launched in February. Starting May 16, the specially marked copies of “Crackdown” will act as a key for gamers to participate in the “Halo 3” multiplayer beta. In addition to giving gamers their first opportunity to get their hands on the new levels, weapons, vehicles and game types, the multiplayer beta will also provide valuable data that Bungie will use in continued development.

The “Halo” franchise has expanded beyond video games into The New York Times’ best-selling books, graphic novels, collectible merchandise and now a new, special edition Zune digital media player. Encased in collectible packaging, the Zune-Halo 3 edition digital media player comes pre-loaded with artwork, trailers and music from all three “Halo” games, as well as an exclusive new episode of “Red vs. Blue” from the fan-adored machinima creator Rooster Teeth Productions LLC. The Zune-Halo 3 edition (estimated retail price $249) will be available exclusively at GameStop starting June 15.

ABC Online to Air Shows In HD

Lost

Dedicated to expanding its network and channel brands across multiple platforms and connecting viewers with their favorite shows anytime and anywhere, Disney-ABC Television Group announced today that it will begin to stream content in true high definition resolution this summer on its Emmy Award-winning ABC.com broadband video.

“We are excited to be the first in the industry to stream HD video available on the web, providing ABC.com users with an unprecedented online viewing experience,” said Anne Sweeney, co-chair, Disney Media Networks, and president, Disney-ABC Television Group. “By continuing to listen to our audience and enhancing our digital offerings with the best technology available, we further strengthen their relationship to our brands.”

Launching as a beta test in early July, the full-episode broadband player’s HD channel will feature a limited amount of content in true high-definition 1280 X 720 resolution from such series as “Lost,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Ugly Betty.” In conjunction with the launch of the new season in September, a more robust HD programming lineup will be offered.

“This is all about innovating and creating ‘what’s next’ to give consumers the best experience as they watch our content, regardless of viewing platform,” said Albert Cheng, executive vice president, Digital Media, Disney-ABC Television Group. “With the advancements in display devices and the prevalence of hardware with the processing capabilities to handle this technology, offering true HD content online is a natural.”

Additionally, this fall the ABC.com’s full episode player will be expanded further to included national news and local content, in addition to primetime entertainment programming. This new player will be geo-targeted, offering the ability for local ads and content to be more relevant to each individual user.

ABC.com’s broadband player currently offers full-length episodes in high quality, standard definition resolution of over a dozen series, including “Desperate Housewives,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Lost,” “Ugly Betty,” “Brothers & Sisters,” “Notes from the Underbelly,” “Dancing with the Stars” and “According to Jim,” free to consumers on ABC’s website the day after their broadcast premieres.

In April the full-episode player began offering full-screen viewing as well as a small “mini” screen that users can position wherever they choose on their desktops, in addition to the two original standard viewing size viewing options. To date, ABC affiliates covering 80% of the country — including all major affiliate groups and the ten ABC owned stations — have launched or have committed to launching the player on their own websites and are taking advantage of the opportunity to incorporate local advertising into the programming.

Soulcaliber Legends

Soulcaliber Legends

The legendary weapon-based fighting game franchise has been reinvented as NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. today announced Soulcalibur Legends exclusively for the Nintendo Wii. Developed specifically for the innovative console, Soulcalibur Legends fully immerses players in a third person action adventure and takes a unique approach to the series by truly utilizing the Wii Remote and Nunchuk. An unparalleled experience awaits gamers when Soulcalibur Legends is released this winter. To date the Soul series has sold more than 9 million units worldwide.”Over the past ten years, since the release of the original Soulblade, the team behind the Soulcalibur series has pushed the envelope of technology and innovation with each iteration,” said Makoto Iwai, Executive Vice President and COO, NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. “With Soulcalibur Legends, they saw the opportunity to once again create an immersive experience that is unique to the franchise.”

In Soulcalibur Legends, follow the 16th century exploits of Siegfried and Soulcalibur characters, new and old as they find themselves on a quest for ultimate power in order to save an empire from destruction. Using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk as their weapons of choice, players perform moves and combos using orchestrated slashes and movements. Sword fighting capabilities are pushed to the limit as gamers unleash special attacks to crush scores of enemies and large bosses. Earn honored titles such as Knight or Soldier as you master special attacks acquired throughout the adventure while battling through diverse stages and environments. With multiple modes of play and the help of familiar faces, the Soulcalibur universe will be viewed in an entirely new light.