Rock Band® Celebrates 500 Song Milestone As It Adds No Doubt’s: ‘The Singles 1992-2003’ Pack to the Rock Band Music Catalog

MTV Games and Harmonix Give Rock Band Fans Access to 13 of the Most Popular No Doubt Tracks Including “Just a Girl,” “Bathwater,” “Spiderwebs” and More!

 

Cambridge, Mass. – December 5, 2008 – Harmonix, the world’s premier music video game development company, and MTV Games, a part of Viacom’s MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), today announced the rock-pop pioneers of No Doubt will bring 13 tracks to the Rock Band® music catalog of downloadable content expanding the Rock Band library to include more than 500 songs!

 

No Doubt’s: ‘The Singles 1992-2003’ pack will include 13 master tracks from the band’s 2003 album The Singles 1992-2003, which featured a compilation of hits from No Doubt’s previous albums Tragic Kingdom, Return of Saturn, and Rock Steady. The album sold more than 2.2 million copies in the United States alone.  The No Doubt tracks included in the pack are listed below.  Pricing will be $1.99 (160 Microsoft Points) per track or $19.99 (1600 Microsoft Points) for the pack. The tracks will be available for download starting December 9, 2008, for the Xbox®360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and December 11, 2008, for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system. 

 

1. “Just a Girl”
2. “It’s My Life”
3. “Hey Baby”
4. “Bathwater”
5. “Sunday Morning”
6. “Hella Good”
7. “Underneath It All”
8. “Excuse Me Mr.”
9. “Running”
10. “Spiderwebs”
11. “Simple Kind of Life”
12. “Don’t Speak”
13. “Ex-Girlfriend”

 

(Click on the song title above to watch the music video)

 

“Thanks to all at Harmonix and MTV Games, who, along with our artist, management, label and publishing partners, put an incredible amount of work into achieving this milestone,” stated Paul DeGooyer, Senior Vice President of Electronic Games and Music for MTV. “Now there can be ‘No Doubt’ that the Rock Band music platform offers the deepest and most diverse collection of songs available to gamers and music fans alike.”

Rock Band continues to satisfy music fans’ and gamers’ voracious appetite for rock with more than 28 million paid downloads since its launch on November 20, 2007.  The Rock Band Music Store allows players to preview and purchase downloadable individual music tracks and packs from the vast selection of offerings available to date without ever leaving the game as they build their own custom Rock Band library. See the attached document for a list of the more than 500 songs included in the Rock Band music catalog. To view a complete list of tracks go to www.rockband.com/music

 

Rock Band and Rock Band 2 allow online play and features that expand the boundaries of music gaming. Rock Band downloadable content is playable and integrated into setlists in all game modes.  In order to play downloadable content for head-to-head matches or multiplayer online, all players must own the same downloadable track.  Downloadable content for Xbox 360 is available for purchase via Xbox LIVE® Marketplace for Xbox 360 using Microsoft Points and is downloaded directly to the hard drive of Xbox 360. Downloadable content for the PLAYSTATION 3 system’s version of Rock Band is available for purchase on the PlayStation®Store through the free PlayStation®Network and is downloaded directly to PLAYSTATION 3 system’s built in hard drive.

 

Rock Band 2 for Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 system is now available nationwide and supports all previously downloaded content.  The groundbreaking music platform that forever changed the face of music video games is committed to taking gaming to the next level with the evolution of the franchise.  Rock Band 2 will be available for additional platforms later this year. 

 

Rock Band and Rock Band 2 are rated “T” for Teen (lyrics, suggestive themes) by the ESRB.

 

For more information on Rock Band 2 and Harmonix Music Systems please visit www.rockband.com  and www.harmonixmusic.com

Burda:ic Brings The Power Of The Elements To Florensia

Elementally-Aligned Skills and Resistances Bring a New Twist to the Fantasy MMORPG

MUNICH, Germany – Dec. 5, 2008

 

Burda:ic, a publisher of online games worldwide, today released a major update for the free-to-play, maritime MMORPG Florensia. The update includes a number of smaller changes, from land quest balancing to slight modifications to the user interface, but the biggest addition comes in the form of elemental resistances and attributes. These additions permeate the structure of the entire game so players both new and old will find the fantasy world of Florensia an exciting and dangerous place to adventure.

Each skill in the game has been assigned an elemental aspect like Fire, Ice, or Holy. In addition, monsters and characters now carry resistances to the various elements. Thus, players in Florensia should be wary in choosing their foes, as they might find they just aren’t doing as much damage as expected. Parties no longer simply mean strength in numbers; they mean a wider range of damage across the elemental spectrum.

Of course, these new skills aren’t limited to the players. Four of Florensia’s major bosses have discovered elemental abilities of their own, making them all the more dangerous for those who would challenge them. Be especially cautious if your travels bring you face-to-face with Lanoir, Draug Brenin, Vampire Lord Robinson, or Serbetus, as their newfound powers may spell your doom.

 

For a full list of changes, visit http://www.florensia-online.com/

 

 

 

LEGO Batman wins Best Videogame Award at the Children’s BAFTA Awards

WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE

LEGO Batman scoops Best Videogame at the UK’s Prestigious 2008 Children’s BAFTA Awards

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment today reveals that LEGO Batman: The Videogame won the prestigious Award for Best Videogame at the Children’s BAFTA Awards this week.

Produced by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment’s development studio, TT Games, Lego Batman: The Videogame beat off stiff competition from Nintendo’s Mario Kart Wii, Professor Layton and the Curious Village, and its very own sister title, Guinness World Records: The Video Game to seal the BAFTA win.

“We’re absolutely thrilled with this win,” said Jonathan Smith, Head of Production, TT Games. “It crowns a brilliant year for us.”

TT Games was bought by Warner Bros. in 2007 and has since enjoyed a hugely successful 2008 with the releases of, among other titles, LEGO Indiana Jones and LEGO Batman: The Videogame.

Elven Legacy Developer Diary Debuts

Diary Follows Fantasy Strategy Title Through Development

Paradox Interactive today announced the launch of the Elven Legacydeveloper diary. The developer diary is written by Max Bodrikov, theElven Legacy lead game designer from Ino-Co, and will follow the development of the turn-based strategy fantasy title leading up to its release.

The first entry discusses the revolutionary camera. Max Bodrikov writes, “In our concept for Elven Legacy, the game camera allows not only zooming in close to the ground, but also allows the player to tilt the view so low that the player can see the horizon, the sky and the boundless scope of the Illis kingdom. However, by putting the camera in this position and changing the scale, the load on a graphics card grew like a snowball. When just a moment ago, 800,000 polygons were being drawn, there are now all of a sudden 8,000,000 polygons! We had to use an intricate optimization technique to remove the objects that won’t be seen in the frame from the graphics processing. As a result, the change of scale function works really well and, as far as we know, it is a unique graphics solution among war games.”

To read the complete developer diary entry for Elven Legacy, please visit: http://www.strategyinformer.com/news/2706/elven-legacy-developer-diary-1

New entries will be posted every two weeks on Strategy Informer.

Elven Legacy is a fantasy strategy game that sends players on an epic quest aimed to restore the former glory of the Elven race. With a thrilling non-linear storyline and tools that allow players to create their own missions and campaigns and share them in multiplayer mode, Elven Legacy will provide hours of exciting game play for strategy fans.

Elven Legacy is scheduled for release in March 2009 and will be published worldwide by Paradox Interactive. It will be available for digital download at GamersGate for a suggested retail price of $29.99 / €29.99.

Atari Live trailers

Here’s the trailers that came from the Atari Live event in London on the 2nd….

The Chronicles of Riddick – Assault on Dark Athena
 

 

Codename Panzer

 

Eve Online

 

Ghostbusters
 

 

Heroes over Europe
 

 

Q3 (Qubed)
 

 

Ready 2 Rumble: Revolution
 

 

RacePro
 

 

Sam and Max Season 2
 

 

The Chase

PlaySega

Sega has just opened PlaySega http://www.playsega.com/. It’s still “beta” but the casual games portal from Sega is taking on users. It’s free to join and you can create your own avatar (all the rage these days I guess). Go give it a try, some fun Sega-themed casual games.

Buccaneer: The Pursuit of Infamy out now, available worldwide

3D arcade pirate game out on Steam.

5 December 2008 Stickman Studios announces the release of their latest game, Buccaneer: The Pursuit of Infamy.

The game is available for download from Steam for $19.99 from 16:00 PCT today.

Buccaneer is an epic fully-integrated 3D arcade game with a single player campaign and multiplayer options. Players take control of a single pirate ship using a simple and intuitive control method, allowing them to drop straight into the game and tackle missions with little or no practice.

Originally inspired by a naval-themed battle game set in the Napoleonic Wars, Stickman Studios wanted to make a faster-paced arcade-style game based on the same period in history.

“We wanted to give the player control over a single ship rather than a squadron.” explains Simon Nevill of Stickman. “The idea was for the ship to become the character, and what would have more character than a pirate ship?”

And so Buccaneer was born. During the single player campaign, players are only given a basic ship to start with. They have limited gold and no knowledge of the surrounding seas. As missions are completed, more areas are opened up and new ships unlocked.

There are 56 non-linear missions within the campaign, which allows players to attempt their goals in any order they prefer.
Multiplayer pits the Golden Buccaneers against the forces of The Crown in what is essentially a deathmatch with a difference. Battles are fought across ten different multiplayer maps with all ships rated by overall effectiveness.

“The multiplayer is a major aspect of the game and tremendous fun to play.” says Chris Swan, Business Development Director for Blitz Arcade “And you really have to focus on the team-play in order to tackle the larger ships. The experience itself is full of contrast: one moment you’re sailing around an island that is full of tranquility, while the next you find two great Condor Galleons coming out of the bay and you’re being bombarded by cannon fire!”

Stickman Studios was set up in 2005 and is a two-man indie developer, comprising co-founders Simon Nevill and Harvey Greensall. Both the guys are artists with limited programming experience. Their years in the industry gave them the contacts and coder help to complete Buccaneer by hook or by crook.

And while doing some freelance for Blitz Games Studios, based in Leamington Spa, Stickman found the last piece of the puzzle to help them get their game to market.

“We showed Buccaneer to Blitz way back when it was very much a work in progress,” says Simon. “They saw a lot of potential in our game and offered us the chance to sign up to the Blitz 1>UP programme, which has benefitted us in a number of areas – especially QA support. Having been so close to the game for so long, it’s been invaluable to have unbiased feedback. This has helped us make something more polished and more enjoyable.

“Another massive area of support from Blitz has been with industry networking. While our own ‘cheeky charm’ might land us a free ice cream, Blitz’s connections and influence within the industry are considerable. Already this partnership has secured Buccaneer a release on Steam, one of the world’s leading digital distributors, as well as interest from a number of more traditional distributors for a boxed version of the game for 2009.”

Dora Saves The Snow Princess available now!

Dora Saves The Snow Princess available now!

2K Play and Nickelodeon team up to bring you a totally new Dora adventure on Nintendo DS™, Nintendo Wii™ and PLAYSTATION®2!

Grab your gloves and hat and get ready for a wintery journey with Dora! A mean witch has put a spell on the Magic Snowy Forest, and now it’s starting to melt. With help from new friends like the Snow Fairy, and everybody’s favourites Boots, Swiper and Pirate Piggy, you’ll need to build a snowman, paddle a canoe, steer a dog-sledge and ride Pegasus to reach the Castle Grounds and save the Snow Princess!

• Authentic character voices of Dora and many other characters from the Dora The Explorer TV show!
• Grown-ups can join in using the Snowy Forest Helper Feature and a second Wii Remote™ or a DUALSHOCK®2 analog controller!!
• Make your way through the Snowy Forest, Icy Coast and Frozen Mountains to reach the Castle Grounds and save the Snow Princess!
• Over 12 unique Wii Remote™ motions including: ringing a crystal bell, digging with a shovel and raising a flag on a pole!
• Ice skate, snowboard and ski your way to find the magic crystal!
• Shout into the Nintendo DS™ microphone to make the sea snake go away!
• Blow into the Nintendo DS™ microphone to help Snow Fairy fly across the moat!
• Nintendo DS™ version is packed with over 24 Adventure Mode games plus 3 Snowy Forest Games!
• Kid-tested and approved by children and moms for age-appropriateness, fun-factor and quality!

Last Chaos – Closed beta launched!

Hamburg December 4th 2008, leading European MMOG publisher gamigo AG is happy to announce, that the French and Spanish closed beta-tests of the action online role-playing game Last Chaos are now launched. Players can register on the official websites at www.lastchaos.eu and get the chance to try the game early.

An Epic Adventure Awaits Thousands of Heroes 

Last Chaos is already taking players all over the world by storm, becoming one of the biggest free to play games in Asia, the US and Germany. Finally, the surprise MMORPG-Hit is coming to French and Spanish speaking gamers. The closed beta servers are now up and running, so interested players have the chance to be the first to experience the whole new versions. Beyond that, they can give their feedback to gamigo, influencing the further progression of the game.

On the official websites www.last-chaos.eu players are not only able to sign up to win a spot in the closed beta, but they can get all informations about the game and it’s features as well. In the forums players can talk about their first achievements in the game, or if they are still waiting for a spot share their expectations with the quickly growing community.

In addition to the normal registration, gamigo is working with different partners to give even more people the chance to get a sneak peak at the game before it commences official operation. Players can go to different websites to win a key, that grants them immediate access to the beta.

EA Sports throws rulebook out the window for 3 on 3 NHL Arcade

 

New Title from EA SPORTS Freestyle Prioritizes Accessible Fun with Low Cost of Entry

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – December 5, 2008 – Electronic Arts Inc. (Nasdaq: ERTS) announced today that 3 on 3 NHL® Arcade – an all-new downloadable experience from EA SPORTS Freestyle™ – is in development at EA Canada by the team that produced the critically acclaimed NHL 09. 3 on 3 NHL Arcade is a no rules, fast paced, hockey experience that gamers of all types can enjoy. This fresh take on the NHL Hockey franchise will be available as a download in February 2009 on Xbox LIVE Arcade and the Playstation Network for 800 MS Points and $9.99, respectively.

“Available through a simple digital download, 3 on 3 NHL Arcade is perfect for sports fans who want to experience the thrill of NHL hockey at a great value without worrying about the rules of the sport,” said Dave McCarthy, vice president, EA SPORTS. “Accessibility is really important. We have worked to make sure that come February, 3 on 3 NHL Arcade is a lot of fun for players of all skill levels.”

With fast paced action, crushing hits and loads of room to experiment, 3 on 3 NHL Arcade will have gamers from all walks of life excited about hockey. With no rules to hinder the action, deliver devastating checks that send your opponent over the boards and watch as he has to skate back onto the ice. If the goalie comes out of his crease to play the puck, check him. Exaggerated player-looks take center stage with 40 of the top NHL stars, representing every team, skating around the miniature rink. With game-changing power-ups falling on the ice throughout each session, serious is not the name of this game. Fly down the ice with a super-speed skater, and beat a giant sprawling goalie with a trick move for that highlight reel finish.

With two control schemes to choose from, players can pick between button controls that allow gamers of all skill levels to pass, shoot, hit and break out the all-new trick moves with ease, or the more advanced Skill Stick controls from NHL 09. 3 on 3 NHL Arcade also brings the online experience players have come to expect from EA SPORTS. In addition to standard ranked matches, 3 on 3 NHL Arcade allows the ability for three players on one console to play three other players on another console anywhere in the world.

This game has not yet been rated by the ESRB or by PEGI. For more information, log ontowww.easports.com/nhl09.

Video Games the Biggest Winner of 3D Customer Demand

Video Games the Biggest Winner of 3D Customer Demand

Meant to be Seen Announces Preliminary Results of U-DECIDE Initiative at the 3D Entertainment Summit

Los Angeles, California – December 4, 2008 – Meant to be Seen, the foremost authority group on stereoscopic 3D (S-3D) gaming and home entertainment, has announced the preliminary results of the U-DECIDE Initiative, an ongoing study of what customers think of 3D entertainment technologies and why.

Stereoscopic 3D refers to the ability to display true volumetric 3D content through 2D media. Examples include explosions that pop out of the screen, and a sense of depth that makes viewers think they can reach inside the screen.

Made possible with the assistance of AMD, iZ3D, Blitz Games Studios, The Game Creators and Guild Software, U-DECIDE has become the most credible determination of what customers think of 3D entertainment with hopes of dispelling the leading myths and assumptions about the technology.

The U-DECIDE Initiative was designed to capture customer opinions in two separate online surveys. One was for traditional gamers who don’t yet own 3D equipment, and the other was for experienced stereoscopic 3D gamers and consumers. Each respondent was required to answer 26 multipart questions.

“3D is often judged before being seen. We wanted to learn how far apart the opinions were of traditional 2D and experienced 3D customers so our industry can have a reasonable measure of where we are, and how far we can go. Currently, the number of completed surveys is nearly equal between the customer types, and this makes the data invaluable,” said Neil Schneider, President & CEO of Meant to be Seen.

Information learned from 2D and 3D customers include 3D hardware quality expectations, perceived deterrents to 3D technology, motivators or messages that connect with customers at a marketing level, brand awareness for leading products and companies, gaming performance expectations depending on game type, and much more.

The first finding is that only a minority of 2D customers think that 3D is tacky or uncomfortable. Nearly 26% of respondents think 3D is a “must have” technology, and over 65% find it “intriguing”. Less than 4% think 3D is “tacky”, and just over 5% think 3D “sounds uncomfortable.”

For inexperienced 2D and existing 3D customers, wearing comfortable 3D glasses is an insignificant barrier to the technology for some types of content. Only 12% of 2D customers object to 3D glasses for video games, while this climbs to almost 30% for 3D broadcast television. Experienced 3D customers are more forgiving with a 3% objection level for video games, and 12% for broadcast television. Blu-ray movies fall in-between with 16% glasses objection for 2D, and 4% for experienced 3D customers.

All respondents are nearly unanimous about one market. Stereoscopic 3D is most suitable for video games with an 87% suitability rating by 2D, and nearly 97% rating by experienced 3D gamers. Without yet owning the technology for themselves, 93% of 2D customers want game developers to officially support true 3D in their games, and this climbs to 99% amongst 3D gamers.

“The customers have spoken, and it is clear that game developers have a real consumer need that requires answering. These findings will help them get it right the first time,” said Schneider.

Suitability ratings varied widely for Blu-ray, sporting events, and broadcast television. In-depth analysis will be announced in the formal U-DECIDE Initiative report.

“Success in the at-home 3D cinema and content markets is going to be more selective, and this new data will help ensure that 3D efforts tie in with customer demand for the best sales results,” Schneider explained.

The findings are still considered preliminary, and the surveys will remain open until January 1st, 2009. Participating respondents will qualify for a draw to win one of nearly 60 prizes including iZ3D 3D monitors, ATI GPUs, and a wide selection of video games by Blitz Games Studios, The Game Creators, and Guild Software. Gamers of all experience levels are encouraged to participate athttp://www.mtbs3d.com/udecide.shtml.

Preliminary graphics charts are available for download from mtbs3D.com in the U-DECIDE sub-menu, and the complete report is expected to be available for purchase in January 2009. Committed MTBS partners and qualified game developers who accept complementary MTBS Certification can get the report for free.

To date, leading game developers on record for MTBS certification include Epic Games for Unreal Tournament 3, The Game Creators for DarkBasic Professional, and Unigine for their game engine by the same name – the first modern game engine to natively support S-3D hardware solutions without a driver. More announcements are pending.

Meant to be Seen is made possible by unrestricted education grants from iZ3D LLC and TDVision Corp. Non-proprietary in nature, MTBS welcomes additional industry involvement to help grow the popularity and effective use of consumer stereoscopic 3D technologies.

About Meant to be Seen (MTBS)
Meant to be Seen is the foremost authority group on stereoscopic 3D gaming and consumer technologies. Featuring news, active forums, educational guides, reviews & certification of games and more, MTBS is the first stop for stereoscopic 3D excitement. For more information, visit http://www.mtbs3D.com.

UK News: Christmas Danger From Fake Games Consoles

Apparently this has been happening over in the UK, but it’s still a good thing to be aware of here in the states with Wiis in short supply and Xbox360’s being sold like crazy…. If it’s TOO good to be true, and the place you’re purchasing it from isn’t WalMart or Best Buy…. make sure you’ve got your shopping A game out. Inspect the packages as well. I’ve heard a horror story or two of people buying an Xbox360 Pro and getting the Arcade model in a Pro box, or a phone book in a PS3 box. If it’s been opened, DEMAND to be able to check out the unit in the store. It’s your right as a consumer.

 

Christmas Danger From Fake Games Consoles

Issued on behalf of HM Revenue & Customs

Friday 5th December, 2008/… Fake games consoles and adaptors are potentially putting Christmas consumers’ lives in danger, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) warned today. Hundreds of imported counterfeit games consoles seized at UK freight depots were found to have been supplied with potentially dangerous power adaptors. The goods had been purchased from a range of websites, mainly based in Asia, which claimed the items were “genuine Nintendo products.” Many of the consoles, which are fake versions of the popular Nintendo DS and DS Lite had been bought for around £40, instead of the usual retail price of £100. 

Nintendo confirmed that the Nintendo DS and DS Lite consoles were counterfeit, and the power adaptors being supplied with the product were not Nintendo manufactured and were, in fact, potentially dangerous, since they had not been electronically tested and do not meet strict UK safety standards.

HMRC’s Head of Intellectual Property rights Pamela Rogers said:

“UK consumers must be vigilant when purchasing goods online. Buy from a reputable or regulated site and, if purchasing from outside the UK or a new website, research the site – check all the facts before you buy.

“At best, these consoles would have led to disappointment on Christmas morning; at worst, they could have caused serious harm or injury.

“Counterfeit goods also cause considerable damage the UK economy by undermining genuine UK retailers and small businesses who are honest and abide by the rules.”

Mike Rawlinson, managing director for the trade body of the UK game’s industry ELSPA (the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association), comments: “We are asking all concerned parents to be diligent – often when a bargain seems too good to be true it actually is. We would also like to thank HMRC for their role in swiftly alerting all UK ports to be on their guard for similar counterfeit goods coming into the country. As a responsible industry we are also extremely committed to ending the damaging counterfeit games market, which not only defrauds UK tax payers with inferior products but in some cases actually puts children’s lives at risk too. This is an issue that affects all retail businesses, particularly at Christmas, and more needs to be done to work together to mitigate the risks posed by fake goods. We are also continuing to work very closely with Trading Standards Officers on this important safety issue and we also want to thank them for their diligence.”

Namco Bandai games announces new “Surge” publishing label

SURGE Represents Robust Line of Titles and Audience Expansion

Santa Clara, Calif., (December 4, 2008) – Leading video games publisher and developer NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc., today unveiled the formation of SURGE™, a new studio and publishing label dedicated to providing cutting-edge, genre-defining games that are targeted at satiating the appetite of western gamers. SURGE will deliver quality interactive entertainment across a wide assortment of categories and platforms.

“SURGE presents a significant milestone for NAMCO BANDAI as it personifies our commitment to deliver compelling content for the discriminating player who is looking for games that are not only groundbreaking but also push the envelope,” said Andrew Lelchuk, executive vice president of sales and marketing at NAMCO BANDAI Games America, Inc. “Through passion and innovation, SURGE will complement our portfolio of established franchises and intellectual property while positioning the company as a creative force.”

Afro Samurai®, the high-style title that blends urban hip hop culture with traditional Japanese aesthetics, will be the first game to launch under the new label when it is released on January 27, 2009. Additional IPs currently in development and slated for 2009 will also be published under the SURGE label.

For more information about Afro Samurai and other NAMCO BANDAI Games products, please visit:http://www.namcobandaigames.com.

Red Lion inks contract with Play N Trade

RED LION INKS CONTRACT WITH PLAY N TRADE TO SUPPLY PERIPHERALS TO EACH FRANCHISE OF RAPIDLY EXPANDING VIDEO GAME RETAIL CHAIN

Red Lion Develops Web Portal that Allows Each Franchisee To Access and Order Accessories Direct from Site

Los Angeles, Calif. (December, 2008) – Play N Trade, the fastest growing franchise retailer in the video game industry, has signed an agreement with Red Lion Interactive that provides immediate access to Red Lion’s entire inventory of video game accessories. Inventory is available to each franchisee anytime, day or night, through a custom designed web portal that provides immediate access to Red Lion’s inventory.

The custom web portal establishes a new, advanced stage in retail distribution for Red Lion and provides each Play N Trade franchisee unencumbered product information. Each franchisee can simply log onto the Red Lion product portal, review product availability and order whatever they wish at any time. The order is then drop-shipped to each franchise location.

“With more than 200 individual franchises around the country, Play N Trade is a major force in video game retail and we are very excited to enter this new stage in our expansion as a supplier,” commented Red Lion CEO, Tom LaVoie. “The web portal we’ve designed for Play N Trade makes ordering products incredibly easy and efficient and serves the needs of each separate franchise.”

The contract with Play N Trade, and the development of the customized web portal, furthers Red Lion’s growth as the leading supplier of video game products in the interactive entertainment industry.

About Play N Trade 
Play N Trade is the largest and fastest-growing video game franchise in the country. PNT provides an atmosphere that is inviting to everyone from the amateur gamer to the hard core gaming enthusiast. PNT stores define “the ultimate gaming experience” by delivering uncommon customer service and interactivity. PNT’s diverse product lineup includes new and used video games, accessories and consoles from leading manufacturers. PNT is known for carrying everything from cool retro gaming products, such as the original Nintendo, to the latest state-of-the-art systems such as Xbox 360.

ngmoco’s Dr. Awesome, Microsurgeon M.D takes up residence on iPhone and iPod Touch

Accelerometer-Guided Surgical Arcade Action Now Available Exclusively in the App Store

ngmoco (http://www.ngmoco.com), creator and publisher of games exclusively for the iPhone™ and iPod® touch, is calling all surgical specialists to assist Dr. Awesome, MicroSurgeon M.D.™ with microscopic missions. Exclusively developed for the iPhone and iPod touch by Escalation Studios and ngmoco, Dr. Awesome, MicroSurgeon M.D.™ takes up residence in the App Store for the great price of $1.99.

As the world’s most skilled microsurgeon, Dr. Awesome has been called in to eradicate a deadly virus spreading throughout the entire population, including the players’ friends and family saved in contact lists on the iPhone and iPod touch.

Dr. Awesome, MicroSurgeon M.D.™ (http://drawesome.ngmoco.com) challenges even the steadiest of hands with intense arcade gameplay. Players perform microsurgery to isolate and eradicate mutagens that have infected their friends, personalized from the user’s iPhone and iPod touch contacts. With the accelerometer-guided micro scalpel, players must cut and trap the offending viruses, avoid disruptive virus counter attacks and collect various power-ups to succeed in saving their friends. An in-game autosave feature also saves patients when surgeons are called away from the operating table.

To buy Dr. Awesome, MicroSurgeon M.D.™ in the iTunes App Store, visit
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=298540154&mt=8

Dr. Awesome, MicroSurgeon M.D.™ follows the successes of ngmoco’s special effects-laden, touch-screen, arcade game MazeFinger (http://mazefinger.ngmoco.com) and the colorful, touch-and-tilt, block stacking game Topple (http://topple.ngmoco.com) which hit the App Store in October.

About ngmoco
Headquartered in San Francisco, ngmoco was founded in 2008 by games industry veterans committed to the new mobile landscape opened up by Apple’s iPhone. ngmoco creates and publishes games built specifically for the iPhone made in collaboration with the best and brightest game makers in the world. Founded by Neil Young, Bob Stevenson, Alan Yu and Joe Keene, the company’s investors include Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Maples Investments.

To witness the lives and minds of the ngmoco team at work on the future of iPhone and iPod touch games, visit http://www.ngmoco.com.