Blockbuster Lineup for 2008 Announced by Microsoft

San Francisco, California—Today at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2008, Microsoft provided an exciting glimpse at what promises to be another landmark year for games and online entertainment on Xbox 360® and officially announced the launch of Gears of War® 2, exclusively for Xbox 360 this November.

Providing a dramatic close to Microsoft's GDC keynote address, the


lead designer of Epic Games, Cliff Bleszinski announced that the epic saga of Marcus Fenix and Delta Squad continues exclusively on Xbox 360 this fall with Gears of War 2. This highly anticipated sequel to the 4.5 million-selling blockbuster Gears of War delves deeper into humanity's struggle for survival against the nightmarish Locust Horde, and promises to take high-definition visuals to a whole new level.

"Gears of War 2 is an even bigger, better, and more badass experience than the first game."
— Cliff Bleszinski, Epic Games

Fable 2 Pub Games
Acclaimed developer Peter Molyneux of Lionhead Studios also took the stage to showcase exciting new multiplayer features for Fable® 2, introducing dynamic cooperative play, a first to the franchise. Molyneux also announced that later this year, and before the launch of Fable 2, you can get a sneak peek at the game's world when the Fable 2 pub games debut as a stand-alone download on Xbox LIVE® Arcade.

When Fable 2 launches, you'll have the ability to transfer currency earned in the pub games directly to your character in Fable 2. This unique and first-of-its-kind experience, which can be found only on Xbox LIVE Arcade, will give the millions of Fable fans all around the globe the opportunity to jump into the Fable 2 world with money already in the bank.


Ninja Cinema
Tomonobu Itagaki also revealed new Ninja Gaiden II game-sharing features, including "Ninja Cinema." This feature, available solely through Xbox LIVE, lets you record and upload your best ninja moves to Xbox LIVE for the world to see.


"To our team the original game was just a tease, the appetizer to the Gears of War characters and new style of gameplay. We were so amped to get to the next chapter, and dig deeper into the universe of this franchise," said Cliff Bleszinski, lead designer for Epic Games. "Gears of War 2 is an even bigger, better, and more badass experience than the first game, and we can't wait to get it in the hands of eager gamers this November."

Must-Have Xbox 360 Exclusives
This year, the hottest games will be found exclusively on Xbox 360, including the next chapters of top franchises such as Gears of War, Fable, and Ninja Gaiden, as well as new titles such as Too Human™.

* Gears of War 2 (Epic Games): Gears of War 2 is the sequel to the 4.5 million-selling blockbuster that redefined the third-person tactical action game genre. Gears of War 2 continues the story of Marcus Fenix and Delta Squad in an epic saga of survival, loss and retribution. Developed by Epic Games exclusively for Xbox 360, Gears of War 2 launches this November.
* Fable 2 (Lionhead Studios): In addition to the dynamic co-op mode unveiled onstage, Peter Molyneux also announced that Carbonated Games is bringing the Fable 2 experience to Xbox LIVE Arcade. Before the game's launch, get an early taste of the Fable 2 experience and gain a head start on earning currency for use in Fable 2 by playing Fable 2-themed pub games, available for download from Xbox LIVE Arcade. The currency earned in these Xbox LIVE Arcade titles will let you to purchase items in Fable 2 when the game launches later this year.
* Ninja Gaiden II (TECMO/Team NINJA): Tomonobu Itagaki debuted several tantalizing new Xbox LIVE features of Ninja Gaiden II, including the ability to capture and share videos of your glorious battles via the Ninja Cinema feature and upload them to Xbox LIVE. Ninja Gaiden II launches worldwide this June.
* Too Human (Silicon Knights): Microsoft also showcased the epic action game Too Human from renowned Canadian developer Silicon Knights at a media event before today's keynote address. In Too Human, you are treated to a nonstop barrage of action powered by the seamless integration of melee and firearms combat, plus deep role-playing elements fueled by breathtaking visuals enabled by the power of Xbox 360.

With online multiplayer gameplay, content downloads, and ways to stay in contact with a global community, these forthcoming blockbusters harness the power of Xbox LIVE to create truly innovative and exciting entertainment experiences. Each game also comes packed with Achievements, so Xbox LIVE members can help add to the more than one billion Achievements already unlocked on the service to date.

Content Downloads
As with the Fable 2 pub games, content downloads in Xbox LIVE Marketplace give you the opportunity to customize and enhance your gameplay experiences. Since the service launched, Microsoft has seen more than $250 million in digital revenue from Xbox LIVE Marketplace through the purchase of more than 20 billion Microsoft Points.

Xbox LIVE members have been using a large portion of those Microsoft Points in Xbox LIVE Arcade, which is the premier destination for digitally distributed, high-definition original and classic games. With over 116 games to choose from on Xbox LIVE Arcade, everyone's invited to get instantly immersed in the fun.

Independent Developers
Xbox LIVE Arcade is also home to the world's most innovative independent developers, with more than 25 independent studios serving as the creative fuel behind the original games that represent more than a quarter of the Xbox LIVE Arcade library. The following titles represent a sample of games launching on Xbox LIVE Arcade in the near future from the world's leading independent developers:

* Braid (Number None Inc.): Developed by Independent Games Festival Winner and experimental game designer Jonathan Blow, Braid is a platform experience that bends all the rules with the manipulation of time. Braid will launch this spring.
* Castle Crashers (The Behemoth): Castle Crashers is the second title currently in development by award-winning independent developer The Behemoth, creator of Alien Hominid HD. The role-playing game (RPG) adventure will let up to four players hack, slash, and smash their way together through a visually stunning hand-drawn landscape. Castle Crashes launches this summer.
* Defense Grid: The Awakening (Hidden Path Entertainment LLC): Defense Grid: The Awakening is the definitive tower defense game experience designed specifically for Xbox LIVE Arcade and launches this summer.
* Go! Go! Break Steady (Little Boy Games): An Xbox LIVE Arcade exclusive, Go! Go! Break Steady is the debut title from independent developer Little Boy Games. The combination music and puzzle game combines break dancing with novel gameplay and launches this summer.
* Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness (Hothead Games): The first video game collaboration between Penny Arcade creators Mike "Gabe" Krahulik and Jerry "Tycho" Holkins and legendary game designer Ron Gilbert, Penny Arcade Adventures is an RPG-adventure game set in a highly stylized 1920s universe filled with bizarre characters, outrageous combat, and adult humor. The first episode of the game launches this summer.



source:XBOX.COM
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2008 Olympics Open in Beijing

The 2008 Olympic Games got underway on schedule at 8 p.m. local Beijing time, capping years of preparation and months of protests.

World leaders including China's President Hu Jintao, U.S. President George W. Bush and French President Nicolas Sarkozy are attending the four-hour ceremony at Beijing's emblematic Bird's Nest Stadium, along with about 90,000 other spectators. Security is tight throughout Beijing, with personal and baggage scans at nearly all subway stations. Beijing's Capital International Airport closed to air traffic at 7:59 p.m.


China Mobile's wireless LAN (Local Area Network) service is being turned off at the Bird's Nest during the opening ceremony, but will be available at other Olympic venues and at centers being used by the international media. "WLAN service will not be provided during the opening and closing ceremony of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. Thus Internet will not be accessible during the aforementioned ceremonies," China Mobile's service guide explained.

A representative from China Mobile's Olympic helpdesk, who declined to give her name, said it was for capacity reasons, not security. Reporters and Olympic officials will have access to wireline broadband connections provided by China Netcom, also an Olympic partner for the Beijing games.

Football (soccer) competitions for men and women actually began on Aug. 6, with many sports getting their start on Saturday, Aug. 9.

An hour before the opening ceremony began, Reporters Sans Frontieres (Reporters Without Borders, RSF) staged an online protest alongside demonstrations in European and American cities, decrying the incarceration of bloggers, cyber-dissidents and journalists along with what it perceives as a lack of press freedom at the games.

By 7:15 p.m. Beijing time, RSF indicated that over 7,800 people were participating in the online demonstration. Waving in front of the virtual representation of the Bird's Nest were placards reading "Yes to sport, no to repression" and "No Olympic Games without freedom."

Although billed as a "High-tech Olympics," few new technologies are getting playing time over the 16 days. However, China's homegrown 3G (third generation telephony) standard, TD-SCDMA (Time Division Synchronous Multiple Access) is getting what appears to be a final trial with 15,000 Olympic officials, as part of a marketing push by China Mobile to launch commercial services later this year.

The Beijing Olympics run through August 24, with most events held in or around Beijing. Some events will be staged in other cities, such as equestrian events in Hong Kong, sailing in Qingdao, and football competitions in Qinhuangdao, Shanghai and Shenyang.


SOURCE:PCWORLD.COM

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Dark Knight Game Shelved at EA

Electronic Arts' Pandemic Studio was working on a Dark Knight game, according to an AP report. Gary Oldman, who plays James Gordon in the film, recently commented that he had recorded dialog for the game and had seen snippets of it in action. The licensed movie game was apparently canned due to quality concerns, the controversy surrounding star Heath Ledger's death, and less than optimistic sales projections.

Due to the reception that the Dark Knight film has gotten, however, Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter believes a corresponding game released simultaneously might have sold 4 million units. That sales total would have racked up $100 million, with $70 million going to Electronic Arts and $30 million going to Warner Bros. These numbers assume a proportionate hit to other movie based games, such as Transformers, Spider-Man 3 and Iron Man, which have sold 2.6 million, 2.1 million and 697,000 units respectively, according to the NPD.

"I think publishers have concluded the only games that work are the surefire $500 million box office kind of games like Spider-Man and Shrek," said Pachter to the AP. "The Transformers game really surprised people how well it did, but the movie was big. I don't think they expected The Dark Knight movie to be this big."

EA's confidence in a Dark Knight game may have been rattled by the recent performance of some of their other DC Comic movie games. Superman Returns (which was delayed until the movie's DVD release) sold 705,000 copies and the Batman Begins game sold just 587,000 copies.



source:GAMEDAILY.COM

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