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Today's Press Releases PC Games: Silkroad Online Joymax, an independent developer and publisher of interactive entertainment for the global market, today announced the launch of the Legend IV: Tomb of the Qin-Shi Emperor, an update for historical fantasy MMORPG Silkroad Online. The Legend IV update includes a new Turkey Traditional Outfit item available in the store and adds new features, including a high level dungeon, high grade skills, and quest updates for the Qin-Shi Tomb and Roc Mountain. These new features will provide great challenges for players seeking to restore the Qin-Shi Tomb in Silkroad Online. "We are dedicated to providing our audience with new and entertaining storylines, challenging quests, and epic battles in Silkroad Online,” said Jina Song, General Manager at Joymax. "We're really looking forward to hearing how audiences react to the Legend IV Update: Tomb of the Qin-Shi Emperor." In the Legend IV update, an ancient white viper named BeakYung has been awakened from her meditation by humans exploring the Tomb of Qin-Shi. Players must fight their way through the dungeon’s powerful guardians and defeat BeakYung in order to restore order to the imperial tomb. The dungeon is playable by characters level 70 or above with six floors containing nearly 50 new monsters that must be defeated before facing BeakYung herself. New quests have been added for the Roc Mountain as well as the Qin-Shi Tomb, and the new Scenario Quest system gives players a true cinematic experience. Players will have access to new weapons and armor, and high-level abilities in order to take on the new monsters and BeakYung. For a limited time, slain monsters will also randomly drop Jewel Boxes to celebrate the new content. These boxes are valuable artifacts that may be traded in for B-grade Devil’s Spirits and mysterious alchemic stones. Players who are up to the challenge will be able to use these alchemical rewards to craft the most powerful 10th-grade weapons imaginable, tools that should serve them well as they explore dark and dangerous Tomb of Qin-Shi! - The Lord Of The Rings Online Codemasters Online and Turbine announced the details of the latest major update for subscribers of The Lord of the Rings Online™: Mines of Moria™ (LOTRO). Book 7: Leaves of Lórien is the latest of Turbine’s frequent and substantial updates to the Best MMORPG of 2008 (The Lord of the Rings Online™: Shadows of Angmar™ was awarded the Golden Joystick 2007 PC Game of the Year). Book 7 delivers the next installment to the epic story for Volume II of LOTRO including a new 12-player raid, major gameplay enhancements, the Spring Festival and access to the full region of Lothlórien. Book 7: Leaves of Lórien will be available to subscribers of The Lord of the Rings Online on March 17, 2009 in North America and shortly after this date in Europe. “The launch of our first expansion, Mines of Moria™, has been a huge success and has firmly established the game as one of the premier MMOs in the world,” said Jeffrey Steefel, Executive Producer of The Lord of the Rings Online. “For nearly two years LOTRO has been one of the fastest growing games in the industry and with Book 7 we continue to expand the world with the expansion of Lothlórien, the legendary home of Galadriel and the elves and the introduction of new tools and improvements based on player feedback including a new Quest Guide and an enhanced new player experience.” New Features In Book 7: Leaves Of Lórien: • The Epic Journey Continues – The first update to Volume II, Book 7 will take LOTRO’s unique storytelling to a new level as it introduces a new reputation faction, the reclusive elves of Lothlórien. Players will need to gain their trust in order to continue their adventure. After earning their favour, players are reunited with the Fellowship and begin a series of quests to root out the Orc influence within Moria ending with a climactic battle against the forces of Mazog and an audience with Celeborn and the Lady Galadriel back in their kingdom of Lothlórien. • New 12-player Raid – Book 7 introduces Strange Happenings, a new quest arc that begins deep within the Waterworks of Moria. Players will need to team up to unravel a mystery surrounding a newly revealed source corruption in Moria, engaging in a fierce battle with another monstrous threat to Middle-earth. • New Gameplay Enhancements – LOTRO continues to augment its award-winning experience for players with major improvements such as new daily solo quests for crafters that are very useful and fun and a significantly revamped new player experience for the Dwarves, Elves and Man races. Book 7 also introduces the new Quest Guide, a new set of features designed to make navigating through Middle-earth easier and more fun including display of quest locations on both the mini-map and main map. The Quest Guide will launch with the introduction of Book 7. • Celebrate the Spring Festival! – The Spring Festival will return to Middle-earth at the end of March. The world will explode in celebration as the free people of Middle-earth ring in the season with special decorations, festive costumes and special quests including a challenging new hedge maze. The Lord of the Rings Online is the ultimate interactive adventure. This award-winning massively multiplayer online role-playing game delivers an interactive experience brimming with life and filled with the familiar people, places and monsters from the most beloved fantasy of all time. From the picturesque surroundings of the Shire to Moria, the most fearsome underground realm ever imagined, players will experience the world of Middle-earth as never before. The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria Complete Edition, which includes the original game, The Lord of the Rings Online™: Shadows of Angmar™ (Volume I), all content updates released since launch, and Mines of Moria (Volume II) is now available for purchase at major retailers across Europe. For more information or to download a free trial, visit the website. - Mystery Case Files: Ravenhearst Can you locate enough cleverly concealed clues to solve intriguing crimes and become a Master Detective? Grab this exciting new hidden object game from Focus Multimedia and find out! Licensed from new partner Big Fish Games - one of the world’s leading casual game developers and the world’s leading online destination for games - Mystery Case Files: Ravenhearst will have you staking out stores in search of your copy in no time! You’re guaranteed a thrilling adventure, as Mystery Case Files is the most popular hidden object franchise of all time. Put your inquisitive mind and clicking finger to the test with the deep, interactive storyline and brain-teasing puzzles which promise a new gaming experience every time. Mystery Case Files: Ravenhearst is not a game for the faint-hearted. Rumours surrounding the history of Ravenhearst Manor have circulated for decades. The discovery of late resident Emma Ravenhearst’s diary may help get to the bottom of the mystery… or at least it could have. Somebody obviously doesn’t want the pieces of this particular puzzle put back together as the diary pages are missing. You must ignore your misgivings and scour the dark, dusty and disorderly rooms of the spooky mansion for concealed clues to help solve the case. Some rooms are locked, meaning you have to decipher cryptic conundrums before being allowed access. Features: • 32 rooms to discover • Two game modes – Detective and Relaxed • High replay value – a new set of clues each time you play Mystery Case Files: Ravenhearst joins Focus Multimedia’s Essential range of great value PC games and software. Every Focus Essential title has the suggested retail price of just £9.78 including VAT. Mystery Case Files: Ravenhearst can be purchased from all good retailers, or may be ordered direct from www.focusmm.co.uk Also... Mystery Case Files: Huntsville Who’s pilfering goods from the shopkeepers of Huntsville, sneaking counterfeit bank notes into circulation and setting off false fire alarms? Can you examine the crime scenes, collect vital evidence and apprehend the culprits before your time is up? Mystery Case Files: Huntsville joins Focus Multimedia’s best-selling range of PC casual games courtesy of a recent licensing deal with Big Fish Games, one of the world’s leading casual game developers and the leading online destination for games. Huntsville is the ideal introduction to hidden object games, which are a fun test of your hand-eye coordination. It challenges you to leave your rookie detective status behind and rise through the ranks as you wipe out lawlessness in the town of Huntsville. You must unravel the crimes, locate the perpetrators and put an end to the chaos in this normally quiet town. Visit over 20 locations throughout Huntsville, including Alice’s Diner, Rudy’s Barbershop and the Mausoleum. In each location you’re presented with a scene full of items and a list of what you must find – but remember, the clock is ticking! Then it’s off to the Crime Computer where you’ll solve a puzzle and catch the criminal red-handed! Features: • For fans of puzzle and adventure games • 15 complex cases to solve • More than 20 unique locations • Thousands of items to find • A new game each time you play So go on, grab yourself a copy of the game that started the hidden object craze and prepare to be crime-fighting long into the night! Mystery Case Files: Huntsville joins Focus Multimedia’s Revival range of games. Each Focus Revival title has the suggested retail price of just £4.89 including VAT. Mystery Case Files: Huntsville can be purchased from all good retailers, or may be ordered direct from www.focusmm.co.uk And if that was not enough for you... Mystery in London: On the Trail of Jack the Ripper Do you think you can unravel what is perhaps the biggest unsolved mystery of all time? Focus Multimedia has added an exciting new game to its range which has you following the trail of the infamous Jack the Ripper. Licensed from Big Fish Games - one of the world’s leading casual game developers and the world’s leading online destination for games - Mystery in London: On the Trail of Jack the Ripper is an innovative new take on hidden object games. As a collector of rare books and curiosities, a leisurely trip to London takes a spine-tingling turn. You discover a very old and valuable copy of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde, and between its aged covers is a note, signed “J.R.” Further investigation unearths the realisation that you have stumbled across the trail left by infamous serial killer Jack the Ripper. You are immediately launched into an adventure which has you scouring the City of London in search of further evidence to uncover his true identity. Stunning cut scenes tell the story of the horrific crimes which took place in and around Whitechapel all those years ago. Search beautifully recreated historic locations such as Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace and London Dungeon using 360-degree panoramic views. Find the required items, then use your sleuthing skills to piece together the clues and expose the identity of the man who has eluded experts for over a century. But, watch out! There are those who will stop at nothing to prevent you from discovering the truth. Features: • A unique gameplay twist – as well as hunting for hidden objects from a list, you’ll also search for items based on their silhouette, category or even locate the subtly moving items in a scene. • Explore 30 iconic locations around the City of London. • Challenging mini-games will test your sleuthing skills to the max. • Fun Facts give you interesting snippets of information about each location on the map. Guaranteed to put your detective skills to the test, Mystery in London: On the Trail of Jack the Ripper will have you sleuthing into the wee hours of the morning. Mystery in London: On the Trail of Jack the Ripper joins Focus Multimedia’s Essential range of great value PC games and software. Every Focus Essential title has the suggested retail price of just £9.78 including VAT. Mystery in London: On the Trail of Jack the Ripper can be purchased from all good retailers, or may be ordered direct from www.focusmm.co.uk - Grand Chase Ntreev USA, Inc. today released new details and screenshots of the character Elesis from Grand Chase, the online action brawler developed by KOG. Elesis, one of the seven playable Knights in Grand Chase, will be able to advance to her fourth character class, or job, to become a Savior. Elesis is the first character to gain a fourth job in the North American version of Grand Chase. As a Savior, Elesis will wield a pair of giant swords. Because she has reached the most powerful class for Knights, she will be able to easily and efficiently handle these swords, moving them at such extreme speeds that the blades will move too quickly for the eye to see. The swords are long, giving Elesis a wider attack and defense range and allowing her to perform multiple combo attacks at high speed. To advance Elesis into the job of Savior, players must reach level 40, complete several very difficult missions and purchase a mission scroll using either in-game currency or cash. Grand Chase is an online action brawler set in a medieval fantasy world. It follows the story of a few brave young knights who join a group of nobles known as the “Grand Chase” to defeat an evil usurper to the thrown, a villainess known as Kaze'aze. Grand Chase combines traditional side-scrolling dungeon crawling with intense, skill-based player vs. player (PvP) matches. - GOG.com GOG.com (Good Old Games), the good-looking and adventurous archaeologist of the gaming world, has once again succeeded in its search for long-lost PC gaming gems, unearthing classics from TopWare Interactive’s catalogue. The international software developer and publisher will bring a wide range of titles to Good Old Games, including Earth 2150 Trilogy, Earth 2160, Septerra Core: Legacy of the Creator, Jagged Alliance: Wildfire and Gorky 17 (also known as Odi-um). As you read this, two games have already hit the site: the futuristic strategy Earth 2140 with two mission packs and the point-and-click adventure game, Jack Orlando: A Cinematic Adventure Director's Cut. And we’ll let you in on a little-known secret: all games at GOG.com are totally DRM-free and compatible with Windows Vista and XP. Best of all, these unique TopWare treasures can be yours for the incredibly low price of only $5.99 each! “It's a great pleasure to welcome TopWare Interactive to GOG.com, supporting our user-friendly and DRM-free distribution platform,” said Adam Oldakowski, Managing Director of GOG.com. “Thanks to the addition of titles like the Earth series or Septerra Core, I'm sure we'll make a lot of Good Old Games fans happy.” “We like the idea of GOG very much and will support this great marketplace with our titles in the future,” said Dirk Hassinger, Board Chairman of Zuxxez Entertainment AG. Earth 2140, with two mission packs, and Jack Orlando: A Cinematic Adventure Director's Cut are now available at GOG.com, while the rest of TopWare Interactive’s titles will hit the virtual shelves of the GOG.com store soon. - Warhammer Online The Call to Arms has sounded, and the Realms of Order and Destruction have welcomed two new combatants to the frontlines of Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning (WAR) – the head-bashin’ Orc Choppa and oath-sworn Dwarf Slayer. Playable from the 18th March, these new careers are brutal, unrelenting fighters who will stop at nothing to claim victory over their opponents on the Realm vs. Realm battlefields of WAR. The tattooed Slayer is the manifestation of the Dwarfs’ obsession with honour, seeking only a heroic and honourable death in combat. However, dying quietly is simply not in his nature. In WAR, the Slayer is a ruthless and terrifying fighter, throwing himself into battle with no regard for his own well-being. He is a force to be reckoned with and relies on his ever-escalating rage to power each swing of his dual axes. The ornery and savage Choppa is an offensive juggernaut that embodies the love of a good fight found in every Orc. He has a one-track mind that is dead set on wreaking havoc on enemy lines and bashin' heads! Driven by an inexplicably strong bloodlust, the Choppa is a whirlwind of destruction on the battlefield with a …debatable sense of self-preservation. These two new careers come to reinforce the plethora of updates and changes that have stepped into the Age of Reckoning: • The recently added Knight of the Blazing Sun and Black Guard tank careers • New easy, medium, and hard PQs designed for different group sizes and skill levels • Increased experience gain in Tiers 3 and 4 • New Influence rewards earned in Open RvR • A new Domination system to determine Tier 4 zone control • Frequent, fun and rewarding live events • New and improved Guild rewards • Improvements to overall performance and server stability • Official European WAR Forums - Gobliiins 4 Following the success of its predecessors, Gobliiins 4 continues the hilarious story of the three wacky characters Tchoup, Perlius and Stucco. Typically for goblins, they are not especially bright, and each is capable of one - and only one - type of behaviour. It's up to the player to combine their unique skills in creative ways in order to progress through the game. An introduction to Stucco! Stucco is often called Baby Stoo-stoo by his dear old grandmother (who just happens to be a caber tossing champion), but please bear in mind that Stucco doesn’t really like being called that by people other than his close friends. His previous employers include a circus, a brothel and the Royal Navy, but his habit of eating much and working little always cost him his employment. Stucco is very stuck in his ways: he enjoys tomatoes, dislikes jelly and loves exercise. Why, you ask? Because of his loveable personality, of course! Stucco is, well, strong. Not too smart, quite the opposite, in fact, but he doesn’t complain. Being able to hit stuff – and hit it hard – more than makes up for what he lacks in the thinking department. Stucco is the only goblin who can do heavy lifting, and he is strong enough to climb plant stems and hanging ropes. Gobliiins 4 will be released on 27th March 2009 for a recommended retail price of £19.99. - Runes Of Magic A new challenge arises in the east of Taborea. With the introduction of ‘Ravenfell’ shortly after the full launch on March 19th, Frogster will expand the online world of Runes of Magic with a new region, complete with new opponents and quests. Featuring idyllic sandy beaches, palm groves and quaint fishing villages, players will need to watch out for freebooters who haunt the Ravenfell region in their quest to solve the puzzle of the long perished kingdoms. Adventurers with a character level of over 45 will need to take the route north east from the regional capital Varanas to the coastal reaches known as ‘Ravenfell’. Its location by the coast, quickly made the region an important trading location that attracted pirates as well as merchants. Momentous clashes have left their scars on Ravenfell and so players will encounter notorious pirates throughout the whole region. A legendary treasure aboard the ship, the ‘Black Mary’ has long been presumed lost following the disappearance of the pirate leader ‘Snow Blake’. Now treasure hunters scour Ravenfell for clues that might lead them to the discovery of pirate gold. In the course of their search, players will explore the remotest corners of Ravenfell: from the ‘Shackle Coast’ with its turtle-like inhabitants, the Chelon, to the ‘Nameless Port’. Originally a flourishing trading post, it is now home only to villains and smugglers after being ravaged by pirates. A new in-game trailer offers a first impression of the high level territory and is available right now at www.runesofmagic.com/en/videos,id11,ravenfell.html Mobile Games: Fast & Furious I-play, Oberon Media’s publishing division and the world's leading multi-platform casual games publisher, today announced the global launch of Fast & Furious across all mobile devices. Developed in partnership with Universal Pictures Digital Platforms Group, the new Fast & Furious game is the sixth title to be released in the #1 best selling mobile racing franchise in the world. The Fast and Furious mobile game will launch across all major carriers 24th of March in support of the new Blockbuster movie from Universal pictures, which brings back the original cast of the first film and premiers April 3rd. “Having sold over 13 million units, our Fast and the Furious franchise is the most renowned title in mobile racing today" said Don Ryan, COO, Oberon Media, I-play's parent company. ”Our new title is the only official game of the new Fast & Furious movie and replicates the film story implicitly". The Fast & Furious mobile game lets you join the cast from the first Fast and the Furious movie and get behind the wheel of over 32 muscle, import tuner and exotic cars to master 7 exciting racing modes including: Road Race, Drift Race, Drag Race, GPS Race, Tunnel Run, Pursuit and Evade. The stunning graphics, responsive steering and smooth game play delivers the speed and intensity of real street racing while the frenetic one-on-one Pink Slip racing separates the street kings from the Sunday drivers. But remember, if you loose the race, you lose you ride! Fast & Furious which arrives in theatres on April 3rd in the US and April 10th in the UK see’s Vin Diesel and Paul Walker reteam for the ultimate chapter of the franchise built on speed. Heading back to the streets where it all began, they rejoin Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster to blast muscle, tuner and exotic cars across Los Angeles and floor through the Mexican desert in the new high-octane action-thriller. The Fast and the Furious mobile game will be available to download from all global mobile carriers 24th of March 2009. Wii Games: Rock Band Harmonix and MTV Games announced today the addition of 11 tracks to the Rock Band® Music Store catalogue of downloadable content for Wii™ home videogame console from Nintendo, including three live recordings from iconic classic rock band The Who. The lineup also features music from funk artists Average White Band, Earth, Wind & Fire and the legendary Godfather of Soul James Brown, in addition to songs from rock bands Against Me!, The New Pornographers and Papa Roach. Multi-Platform Games: Mass Effect 2 Leading video game developer BioWare™, a division of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS), today officially announced the development of Mass Effect™ 2, the highly anticipated sequel to the multi award-winning 2007 hit, Mass Effect. The Mass Effect trilogy is a masterful science-fiction adventure set in a vast universe filled with dangerous alien life forms and mysterious uncharted planets. In this dark second chapter, Saren’s evil army of Geth soldiers has just been defeated, and humans, still struggling to make their mark on the galactic stage, are now faced with an even greater peril… “We’re going to surpass the extraordinary gaming experience we brought our fans in Mass Effect by delivering intensified combat and expanded weapon options as well as increased depth of planet exploration, all while delivering a powerful, emotionally engaging story,” said Dr. Ray Muzyka, General Manager and CEO, BioWare and General Manager and Vice President, EA. “Mass Effect 2 is shaping up to be an unforgettable RPG-shooter experience, taking players on a non-stop roller-coaster ride filled with stunning plot twists and no-holds-barred action.” Mass Effect 2 is coming to PC and the Xbox 360 video game system in Early 2010. To see the exclusive new Mass Effect 2 teaser trailer check out the website Other Games News: Games industry welcomes European Parliament videogames report on the protection of consumers ELSPA (Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association), the trade body of UK games publishers, has welcomed the European Parliament's decision on games classification detailed in its recent “Report on the Protection of Consumers in respect of Videogames”. The report is essentially the formalising of a draft document submitted by Dutch EP, Mr Toine Manders, in late January. It strongly supports the PEGI (Pan-European Game Information), and PEGI Online rating systems, which the industry has adopted to ensure gold-standard protection for children when playing games on and offline, as well as the positive entertainment and educational impact game playing can have. Michael Rawlinson, director general of ELSPA, said: “We welcome the decision of the European Parliament on games classification which understands the changing nature of game playing as it moves increasingly online and advocates the PEGI system to ensure adequate protection of minors. “In line with the EP report, the industry is also committed to raising public awareness of the content of games, parental controls and the PEGI system, and continues to work to improve awareness and provide safer gaming environments for British children. “Parental controls are only effective if they are turned on by parents. By raising awareness of how these work, we can help protect child safety by guiding parents how to set age-appropriate settings, amongst others.” Industry Commitment A number of changes to further develop and improve these systems are being prepared and implemented. These include a 'traffic light' system and updated descriptors that make the PEGI ratings easier to recognise and understand. Parental Controls Almost all gaming consoles and PC operating systems are now equipped with parental control systems that enable parents to block or restrict access to content that is unsuitable for their children. These control systems also take into account the different age classification system for video games and some even restrict games using the PEGI descriptors. Retailers The games industry is also working with all relevant stakeholders, such as retailers, who can help to educate consumers on a one-to-one basis. In fact, the industry is currently engaged in discussions with retailers, which it hopes will lead to a European Retailers Code of Conduct that will ensure strict adherence to age rating rules and enhance communication of the PEGI system at retail. Education As part of its commitment to improving understanding, the European Game Industry Federation ISFE has also entered into a three year agreement with the European Schools Network EUN. This will enable the industry to work with schools and educational authorities to communicate the beneficial educational aspects of video games and the essential role of the PEGI systems in ensuring game content is enjoyed by the age groupings for which it was designed. - 12th International Art and Design Symposium – Reverie ConceptArt.Org, a leading international art community and foundation supporting the arts, today announced Reverie, The 12th International Art and Design Symposium featuring more than 50 top professionals from the Film, Game, Toy, Fine Art, and Special Effects industries. At Reverie, these visionaries collaborate, demonstrate and help students and professionals develop their creative skills. This momentous event, partnered with the AFI Film Festival in Dallas, is set to inspire artists and designers from around the globe. Film and videogame industry powerhouses Massive Black Inc., SMU, Wacom and ReelFX. are top sponsors for the event. Reverie will feature more than 150 live art demonstrations as well as design, creative theory, and business talks. The event kicks off with a multimedia party organized by the ConceptArt.Org team which is internationally known for blending live art creation and performance in a truly unique way. "Reverie is A unique and highly influential educational event that has been attended by hundreds of major companies, art schools and independent creators,” said Massive Black Inc. and ConceptArt.Org President Jason Manley. “Our program was designed by many of the best Game Developers, Film Makers and Fine Artists in the business with the goal of inspiring creatives from around the world seeking inspiration, jobs, and improved skills.” "Everyone who attends these events takes home concepts and input that can change their creative lives in ways they do not expect,” said Massive Black and ConceptArt.Org co-founder Coro Kaufman. “This is about more than learning, it’s about bringing opportunity to people and changing the art and entertainment world for the better. We have pulled out all the stops.” "Given how tough the times are nowadays, we really wanted to do something to help foster continued growth and creativity,” said Massive Black and ConceptArt.Org co-founder. Andrew Jones. “Artistic hearts and minds create opportunity when they come together like this. I expect many lives to be changed. We are really focused on teaching and showing the latest ways artists and world designers can be successful right now." All important information and full details can be found at www.conceptart.org/workshop and www.conceptart.org/forums - 2009 Game Developers Conference Europe Think Services, a Division of United Business Media, announced today an open call for speaker submissions for its 2009 Game Developers Conference Europe (GDC Europe), taking place August 17-19, 2009 at the Cologne Congress East Center in Cologne, Germany. The pan-European conference – dedicated to the art, science and business of creating games – is soliciting session proposals now through April 30th via the official GDC Europe website at www.GDCEurope.com GDC Europe will be the most important and influential industry gathering in Europe this year, attracting attendees from all corners of the globe. The event will take place for the first time in Cologne, Germany, and run adjacent to gamescom—the leading videogame event targeted for consumers. Lecture, panel, and roundtable proposals are solicited from the international developer community for the following tracks: Business and Management, Game Design, Production, and Programming. In addition, the conference will cover development of Mobile and Serious Games. For further information on the submission process, please visit www.GDCeurope.com
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