Pro Cycling Manager – Tour de France 2009
NEW SPORTS SIM TITLE HITS RETAIL AS THE TOUR DE FRANCE GETS UNDERWAY
Pro Cycling Manager 2009, the must have simulation game for cycling enthusiasts and sports management fans from Ascaron Entertainment and Focus Home Interactive is available to buy. Based on the world famous Tour de France race, the latest edition includes the Spanish Tour (La Vuelta) for the first time. Players can enjoy an exhilarating and competitive sports management experience whilst guiding their team to victory in four authentic events.
Fans of the series can watch the new trailer online at www.cycling-manager.com to view the game’s beautiful environments, realistic animations and experience the buzz of the most renowned cycling event in the world.
There are various competitive events in the velodromes that enable managers to put their team’s endurance, speed and skill to the test:
Scratch race – all contestants start the race on equal terms. Riders must overtake and lap their competitors, holding this lead until the finish to gain an advantage over those who have completed fewer laps.
Flying 200 metre time trial – time is critical in this speedy event as riders must race along the set distance to achieve the quickest time possible, ensuring a win for their team.
Points race – this official Olympic discipline involves many cyclists racing simultaneously on the same track for up to 160 laps. A sprint is held every ten laps, with points awarded to the top four finishers; the winner is the rider with the most points at the end. This event is very tactical, so players must decide the best racing style in order to secure a win for their team. Some racers prefer to sit back and conserve energy, only attacking for the sprints to accumulate points. Others may attempt to take control of a lap early in the race and defend their leading position.
Omnium – a multiple race event where all contestants compete against each other in a flying time trial, scratch race, individual pursuit, points race and shorter time trial. It is widely considered to be the event that determines the best all-round track cyclists due to the combination of sprint and endurance required. Team manager’s skills will be put to the test as they decide which riders are best at each specific discipline to ensure success.
Pro Cycling Manager 2009 is available today from all good retailers.
Publisher: Ascaron Entertainment / Focus Home Interactive
Web: www.Ascaron.com / www.Focus-Home.com
Developer: Cyanide
Release date: 10th July2009
PEGI: 3+
Format: PC and PSP
Genre: Sports Simulation
BioShock & The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion bundle now available
Winners of more than 80 Game of the Year awards combine to form a powerful value-packed experience
2K Games and Bethesda Softworks, a ZeniMax Media company, announced that the BioShock® & The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion® Bundle is now available in shops across the UK for a suggested retail price of £29.99 for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and £19.99 for Windows PC.
Creating a value-rich package, the BioShock & The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Bundle combines 2006 Game of the Year winner The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion with 2007 Game of the Year winner BioShock – two games with a combined bounty of more than 80 Game of the Year awards from the industry’s top publications. In addition to having achieved critical success and Platinum Hits status, both games rank among the bestselling titles on Xbox 360.
BioShock is the genetically enhanced shooter that weaves intricate storytelling with an intense and exciting journey through a decaying underwater Art Deco utopia gone mad. Caught between powerful forces and hunted down by mutated citizens, gamers are not only armed with a complete arsenal from simple revolvers to chemical throwers, but are forced to genetically modify their own DNA to use themselves as a deadly weapon.
Taking the world by storm in 2006, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion set a new benchmark for role-playing experiences for current generation gaming. Lush visuals, expansive worlds and limitless character customization combine with unprecedented levels of player freedom and NPC interaction to form one of the most successful and critically acclaimed games ever created.
The BioShock & The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Bundle is rated M by the ESRB. For more information on BioShock please visit www.bioshockgame.com. For more information on Oblivion please visit www.elderscrolls.com.
Command and Conquer 4 news
Next Game in the Best-Selling Real-Time-Strategy Series Will Reveal the Epic Conclusion of the Tiberium Saga
Behold disciples of Nod, the end is soon upon us. Electronic Arts Inc. announced that, after almost 15 years and 30 million games sold, EALA is bringing the award-winning Tiberium series to an epic conclusion with Command & Conquer™ 4. Shipping in 2010, Command & Conquer 4 will introduce a multitude of innovations to the to the classic fast and fluid Command & Conquer gameplay while retaining the core compulsions that fans have come to love over the series’ history. Introducing new class-based gameplay, mobile bases and persistent player progression throughout all game modes, Command & Conquer 4 offers players new, innovative and compelling strategic depth.
“Command & Conquer is a powerful franchise with an amazing 15-year legacy. We are thrilled to bring the dramatic Tiberium saga to a conclusion in Command & Conquer 4. This game is designed to give fans all the answers they’ve been looking for,” said Mike Glosecki, Lead Producer of Command & Conquer 4 at EA Los Angeles. “With its objective-based multiplayer mode, persistent player progression and all-in-one mobile base, players will experience Command & Conquer like never before.”
The story of Command & Conquer 4 takes place after the events of the critically acclaimed Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars™. The year is 2062 and humanity is at the brink of extinction. With only six years left until the mysterious crystalline structure Tiberium renders the earth entirely uninhabitable, the two opposing factions – Global Defense Initiative (GDI) and the Brotherhood of Nod – inevitably find themselves in desperation for the same cause: to stop Tiberium from extinguishing mankind. The unthinkable becomes reality and Nod’s enigmatic leader Kane takes off for GDI headquarters. What is Kane planning in the heart of his enemies’ base? Command & Conquer 4 draws the epic conclusion to the beloved Tiberium universe, where fans will learn the fate of Earth, Nod, Tiberium, GDI and most importantly, Kane’s motivations behind his decade-long plan.
In addition to the two campaigns on the epic battles of GDI and Nod, which players will get to conquer alone or in a cooperative mode, Command & Conquer 4 will also feature a new 5v5 objective-based multiplayer mode, promoting teamwork and cooperation and delivering a social real-time-strategy experience never seen before in a Command & Conquer game.
Command & Conquer 4 is being developed at EA Los Angeles and will ship to retailers in 2010 for the PC. The game has not yet been rated by the ESRB or PEGI. For more information about the game, please visit www.commandandconquer.com or follow the community and development team on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ea_apoc. The July 24th episode of BattleCast™ PrimeTime will give fans the latest news and exclusive information on Command & Conquer 4. Additionally, Gametrailers TV will exclusively reveal the fist cinematic trailer for Command & Conquer 4 in its July 23rd episode on SPIKE TV.
Europa Universalis: Rome – GOLD ships to stores
Paradox Interactive announced that Europa Universalis: Rome GOLD has shipped to stores in the United States and Europe. This new compilation contains the acclaimed original grand strategy game set in ancient times – EU: Rome, along with the substantial updates available in the Vae Victis expansion pack.
Set your own goals of conquest or cultural assimilation as you take control of the great powers of the era, in the race for world domination. Conquer and subjugate your enemies or dominate the waters of the Mediterranean Sea and rise to become the greatest trading power in the world. Mobilize large armies to ward off the barbarian hordes or stave off the threat of invasion from powerful neighbors with gifts.
With new features previously only available through the digital download only expansion pack, the road to success is much more difficult to traverse. Governments now hold sway over the actions that can be taken. Senates and tribal councils will order players to conduct missions they see fit to test players’ abilities to achieve their goals. Players can also guide their nations to their ultimate goals with the enactment of beneficial Laws. The AI controlled opponents now behave with more vigor and purpose as they set about surviving the turmoil of these times.
Europa Universalis: Rome GOLD has a SRP of $19.99/ € 19.99/£14.99 and will also be available on all leading digital distribution portals on July 10, 2009.
For more information, please visit http://www.paradoxplaza.com/rome/.
Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition gets dated
LucasArts previously announced the return of the classic Monkey Islandâ franchise with two new projects due to be released in the near future. Telltale premiered the Tales of Monkey Island™ game series on Tuesday July 7, delivering a completely new epic storyline and swashbuckling flair that will unfold across five monthly episodes on PC and WiiWare™.
The Monkey Island celebration continues on July 15 when LucasArts publishes The Secret of Monkey Island™: Special Edition, a completely re-imagined version of the first game in the series that adds updated high definition graphics, a re-mastered musical score, and full voiceover to the classic adventure game originally launched in 1990. The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition will be made available on Xbox LIVE® Arcade for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and PC via Steam and other online distribution channels.
In addition, the company also announced a new initiative in its effort to revive its classic and beloved franchises by making select games available for the first time ever as digital downloads online via STEAM.
In this first round of releases, ten fan-favorite LucasArts PC games was made available Wednesday, July 8 on Steam®, Valve Corporation’s delivery and management platform for the PC.
The complete list of games released on July 8 via Steam includes:
- Armed and Dangerous™
- Indiana Jones® and the Fate of Atlantis
- Indiana Jones® and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure
- LEGO® Indiana Jones: The Original Adventure
- LOOM™
- Star Wars Battlefront® II
- Star Wars Republic Commando®
- Star Wars Starfighter™
- The Dig®
- Thrillville®: Off the Rails™
“This effort is going to make it possible to introduce a whole new generation of gamers to LucasArts’ classic games,” said Darrell Rodriguez, president of LucasArts. “It also gives more people a chance to play our games by making them available long after they’ve disappeared from store shelves. We hope our fans are as excited as we are about our plans and we can’t wait to share what’s coming next. This is just the beginning.”
Future announcements about the re-release of LucasArts’ back catalog titles will be made through LucasArts’ Twitter feed at http://twitter.com/lucasartsgames.
Street Fighter IV
Highly Acclaimed Fighter Heads To PC With A Level Of Graphical Detail Not Seen Before
Capcom®, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, announced that Street Fighter® IV has shipped to retail for PC and is available through online distribution platforms. Street Fighter IV, which has racked up awards and critical praise since its release on consoles in February, has redefined the fighting game genre with a return to the classic 2D Street Fighter fighting action mixed with new characters, high definition 3D visuals, and next-generation fluid gameplay.
Street Fighter IV is rated by the ESRB as Teen and is available now on store shelves in North America for $39.99 or through various online distribution platforms, including the Capcom e-Store, Steam, Direct2Drive, Metaboli, GamersGate, Impulse and others to be named later. Also, look for the Mad Catz Fight Pad bundle for a suggested retail price of $59.99, which includes the highly sought-after Ryu Fight Pad and game, available at Amazon.com, the Capcom e-Store and selected retailers.
Street Fighter IV features a mix of returning favorites such as Ryu, Ken, Chun-Li and Guile along with new characters created exclusively for this game such as Crimson Viper, Abel, El Fuerte, and Rufus. Characters and environments are rendered in high definition 3D, while the game is played in the classic Street Fighter 2D perspective with additional 3D camera flourishes. Six-button controls for the game return, with a host of new special moves and features integrated into the input system. Street Fighter IV also incorporates state of the art online match making and worldwide online gameplay. Mixing classic genre-defining game mechanics the franchise is known and loved for with all-new, never-before-seen gameplay systems, Street Fighter IV brings a brand new fighting game to fans the world over. With the inclusion of Capcom’s latest advancements in new generation technology, Street Fighter IV promises to deliver an extraordinary experience that has been re-introducing the world to the time-honored art of virtual martial arts.
Features:
• New for PC – Three visual shaders based on the “artistic” trailers give a new look to the gameplay: Watercolor, Poster, and Sumi-E ink styles.
• Online gameplay features, including instantaneous online challenges, versus mode, tournament mode, and world wide online gameplay through Games for Windows® – LIVE.
• New special moves that go beyond any Street Fighter fan’s wildest imagination, including Focus attacks, Super Combos, and the revenged-fueled Ultra Combo system.
• Classic Street Fighter characters recreated for a new generation of gamers, including the original cast of Street Fighter® II.
• New brawlers: female super-spy Crimson Viper, lucha libre wrestler El Fuerte, portly kung-fu master Rufus, mixed martial artist Abel and more!
• New gameplay elements provide new challenges for both newcomers and the most seasoned Street Fighter pro.
• Classic 2D Street Fighter gameplay with stunning high definition 3D characters and environments.
• Supports higher screen resolutions than console versions.
For more information, visit http://www.streetfighter.com.
Colin McRae: DiRT 2 delayed to make the most of the upcoming DirectX 11 release
Multi-threading, hardware tessellation and Shader Model 5.0 to turbocharge off-road racer – AMD (NYSE: AMD) powers new levels of visual realism with DirectX 11 software engineering expertise
Codemasters® announced that the Games For Windows® LIVE edition of Colin McRae: DiRT 2, the thrilling and stylish sequel to the award-winning off-road racer, will support the wealth of new performance enhancing features that will be available in DirectX 11.
With DirectX 11 hardware expected to ship in the second half of 2009, and DirectX 11 coming to home computers with the release of Microsoft Windows 7 on October 22, 2009, Codemasters also announced that the Games For Windows® LIVE edition of Colin McRae: DiRT 2 will benefit from an extended development program to take advantage of DirectX 11 and is now scheduled to be published in December 2009.
“While the console editions of Colin McRae: DiRT 2 will retain their September ship date, we believe that the DirectX 11 feature set is too compelling to ignore, especially considering how much more it can add to the visual experience for PC gamers,” said Bryan Marshall, chief technical officer, Codemasters. “As a leader in digital racing entertainment, we are staying ahead of the pack by immediately taking advantage of key new technologies such as hardware tessellation, multi-threading and Shader Model 5.0 to deliver the most realistic, immersive and exhilarating racing experiences in the business. The fusion of DirectX 11 with Codemasters’ EGO™ Engine will raise the technical bar considerably in the racing genre.”
With the introduction of Microsoft Windows 7, DirectX 11 will be made available both as part of the operating system and as a downloadable update to Windows Vista. Codemasters intends to immediately take advantage of DirectX 11 features that add to the realism of the racing environment. Hardware tessellation will further improve the appearance of water and other surfaces as well as crowd animations.
The shader performance of Shader Model 5.0 (SM 5.0) will aid in creating an even richer 3D experience, enhancing key image quality parameters such as depth of field, ambient occlusion and shadows. These DirectX 11 features, and many others, will add the horsepower needed to improve performance.
“We expect Codemasters’ early move to DirectX 11 to place them in a leadership position in developing the next generation of PC games and simulations,” said Rick Bergman, senior vice president, AMD Products Group. “To aid in transitioning to DirectX 11, AMD is providing Codemasters with access to our software engineering expertise in DirectX 11 technologies such as tessellation and shader modelling. DirectX 11 has all of the ingredients needed to take PC gaming to a new level of realism by giving developers tools to effectively utilize the multi-CPU, multi-GPU systems now available to players.”
Colin McRae: DiRT 2 is being turbocharged for Games For Windows® LIVE supporting DirectX 11 and is set to ship this December. Editions for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft®, the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, Wii™, Nintendo DS™ and PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system are scheduled to launch in September. For the latest videos and information, powerslide over to www.dirt2game.com.
Two Worlds II: The Total Experience in RPG continues
The big box office hit once again issues your personal invitation to Antaloor – and a radical new player experience awaits you!
In the coming winter, the role-playing world of Antaloor will once again open its portals to PC, Mac and Next-Gen consoles. Following the fantastic worldwide sales success of the game’s famous predecessor, TopWare Interactive will once again open a radically new chapter in the fantasy world of Reality Pump.
“Two Worlds II” presents a totally new gamer experience, one in which 2 years of intensive development has enabled quantum leaps in all spheres: completely overhauled AI and balancing standards, experienced authors, the active combat system and the brand-new engine all combine to provide an unforgettable experience where excitement, sheer enjoyment and graphics rule. “Two Worlds II” simply sets new technical benchmarks in the RPG genre, thanks not least to its seemingly unlimited number of dynamic light sources, micro-detail Parallax Mapping, 24 Bit HDR Post Processing, Space Ambient Occlusion and Human Eye Accommodation.
The story of “Two Worlds II” is staged a couple of years after Part 1 – and it will lead you into hitherto unexplored parts of Eastern Antaloor where you’ll find many brand-new locations packed full of atmosphere – from dusty deserts to awe-inspiring temples.
Alexandra Constandache, the Executive Producer of TWII commented, “We intentionally opted for a completely independent game with radical new technology. This was the only way to ensure that we harness the enormous potential and experience gained from the making of the first “Two Worlds” project – and make full use of the further technical development of internal Reality Pump tools that has been on-going since the first “Two Worlds” was developed. This new release window gives us enough time to systematically implement both our own requirements and the feedback of the “Two World” fans, enabling us to create a breathtaking RPG experience.”
AND – we’ll shortly be bringing out the next version of your hotly-awaited ““Two Worlds” magazine, the “Antaloor Post” – and in it we’ll tell you all about the latest developments direct from the developers at Reality Pump!
If you want to be on the inside track when it comes to having inside info about Antaloor, go to www.twoworlds2.com and register for the newsletter – you won’t regret it!
Runes of Magic: French and Spanish closed beta launched
Official website now online in French and Spanish
Following on from successes already achieved, Runes of Magic now reaches another milestone with the start of its French and Spanish closed beta version. French and Spanish players now have the opportunity to explore the multi award winning fantasy online game world of Runes of Magic in their own languages on two new high-end servers.
Accompanying the beta start the official website is now available in Spanish and French, too. French players can find their channel at www.runesofmagic.com/fr/ , while Spaniards can surf over to www.runesofmagic.com/es/. New online adventurers can immediately register there for the closed beta to set up a character in their own language version. Players who are already registered can do this without any restrictions using their previous account.
The French and Spanish language closed beta phase is set to run until the end of July 2009 under current plans. Following a comprehensive update of the version, including a deletion of the beta characters, the open beta will begin subsequently. Frogster will be shortly announcing an exact date. In the following change-over to the release version Frogster will not perform another ‘character wipe’. This will allow players to carry over their characters from the open beta into the launch version. The release version will officially go live in France and Spain in September including the comprehensive new content of Runes of Magic ‘Chapter II – the Elven Prophecy’. Runes of Magic already counts more than 1,400,000 registered players worldwide up to now.
Runes of Magic – a world full of wizardry and adventure
The German and English versions of Runes of Magic have been commercially released on 19 March 2009. All interested fantasy fans can download the online role playing game for free at www.runesofmagic.com and can plunge into the game world after a short registration process.
With an extensive range of features Runes of Magic prepares to redefine the standard of free to play massively online role playing games. Runes of Magic conveys an absorbing story through more than 1.600 quests embedded in an atmospheric fantasy world. Players can choose between six main classes and combined with a secondary class they present 30 individual combinations of character classes over all. All characters possess unique skills with impressive combo attacks and can use mounts like war horses and more. A particularly attractive feature for guilds and players is the possibility to arrange their own virtual homes with individual furnishing. Thanks to an extensive crafting and reputation system, thrilling PvP, as well as demanding dungeons and boss-monsters, no wishes remain unsatisfied. The Taiwanese developer Runewaker has developed Runes of Magic according to western MMO standards within a time frame of three years. The studio will provide new challenges for players every four to five months with free add-ons and updates. MMO fans can find more information, pictures and videos on the official website www.runesofmagic.com.
Features
• Free to play: no monthly fees, free download
• Extensive dual class system (six primary and secondary classes)
• Versatile spell- and attack-combinations
• Enthralling background story
• More than 1.600 quests and quest series
• No zone boundaries thanks to seamless architecture
• Dungeons: Instanced and tile based as well as persistent
• Individually developable skills and spells
• Armour sets with special bonuses
• Dynamic item system with hundreds of runes for upgrading
• Optional PvP system with arena battles
• Ranking system with player-ranking lists
• Multitude of unique mounts
• Epic crafting system with the chance to improve existing items
• Personalization of player houses through individual furnishing
• Reputation system
• Customisable user interface with the option to use Add-Ons
• Map and radar system to find dealers, resources and quests easily
• In-game auction houses for trading items
• Teleport-Runes for instant travel
• Mouse and keyboard controls for movement
• Regular updates with new content
• Guild castles in special zones
• Cross-server fights in three-server-battle and guild wars in development
Bjorn threat Pers breaks new record officialised by Guinness World Records Gamer’s Edition 2009 on Counter Strike
A new record was set at DreamHack Stockholm on Monday 15th June for the “most kills in Counter-Strike (Valve, 2003) in 12 hours”. The record is 518 and was achieved by Björn “Threat” Pers (Sweden) at DreamHack Summer 2009, Jönköping, Sweden.
This new record will be shortlisted for inclusion in the next Guinness World Records Gamer’s Edition to be published in Spring 2010. The Gamer’s Edition 2009 is already available and can be found in all the good bookstores.
Gaz Deaves, Gaming Records Manager at Guinness World Records, said:
“Counter-Strike is one of the most enduringly popular online games, and players like Björn are constantly striving to push themselves to new levels of skill and achievement. With such a strong pro gaming scene in Sweden, I expect to see plenty more Swedish record breakers in next year’s Guinness World Records Gamer’s Edition”
Christer Körnbäck, CEO at QPAD Pro Gaming Gear, Organizer of the record attempt said:
“I have organized 1on1 competitions since 2004 and Björn “threat” Pers is one of the most skilled aimers we have encountered. I think we have a great record here that will be extremly hard to beat.”
Björn “threat” Pers was thrilled with his achievement:
“I wanted to make this record hard to break in the future so, although my first goal was 300 rounds, I finally went for 500 rounds in total. By the end of the attempt I was exhausted and my body was very tired. It was worth it, becoming a part of the Guinness World Records Gamer’s Edition is something every gamer dreams about.”
If you think that you’ve got what it takes to beat Björn’s record? Then the rules are:
1. Have to be played on the same map: QPAD AIM map.
2. 12 hours.
3. First to ten wins the match and meet the next challenger (King of the hill)
4. The player with the most rounds during 12 hours has to beat a total of 518 kills.
5. Players are only allowed to change ingame settings.
6. Counter Terrorist skin have to be used on both sides. (So both sides have same visibility)
7. No “duck” bind on mouse wheel
8. No scripts allowed
9. Freezetime 0 sec
10. After reaching 10 the result screen have to be pictured in combination with detailed written documentation.
All record claims need to be registered with Guinness World Records prior to the attempt at the following address:
http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/register/register.aspx?existing=0