Category Archives: News and Industry Happenings

RealNetworks To Buy Game Trust

Digital entertainment services company RealNetworks, Inc. (Nasdaq: RNWK) today announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire Game Trust, Inc, a casual game infrastructure company based in New York. Real plans to add Game Trust's innovative community and commerce capabilities to the technology platform currently offered to Real's games syndication partners. The transaction is expected to close early in the fourth quarter. "Our partners want to add social networking to their sites to further engage their game players," said Harold Zeitz, senior vice president for Real's Games Division. "This acquisition will create enhanced consumer experiences for our partners' offerings … Continue reading RealNetworks To Buy Game Trust

Hardy Boys Getting A PC Game

JoWooD and The Adventure Company, leading publishers of PC adventure games around the world, are pleased to announce that they have entered into a partnership with Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing to develop a series of interactive games based on the works of the world's most popular boy detectives The Hardy Boys. With over 100 million copies of their beloved books in print, America's original crime scene investigators, Frank and Joe Hardy are ready to be featured in an exciting PC game format. The titles will release worldwide over the next 5 years, beginning with the first title The Tower … Continue reading Hardy Boys Getting A PC Game

Jackass Game Launches

Red Mile Entertainment (OTCBB: RDML), a worldwide developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software, and MTV Games, a unit of Viacom's MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B) and publisher of innovative interactive products, announced today the release of Jackass the game for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system and PSP (PlayStationPortable) system. Inspired by the popular MTV television series and hugely successful MTV Films Jackass and Jackass number two, Jackass the game is a natural extension of the Jackass property, taking it to new heights as the highly anticipated mission-based action adventure game comes to videogame systems for the first time. … Continue reading Jackass Game Launches

Ultima Online Turns 10, Invites Back Former Players

Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS), the world's leading interactive entertainment company, today celebrated the 10th anniversary of the classic massively-multiplayer online game (MMO), Ultima Online. Launched on September 25, 1997, Ultima Online broke new ground in the multiplayer game space and ushered in the modern MMO era. Anniversary celebrations include special in-game activities and rewards, plus a new amnesty program that invites former players back to experience the major game update, Ultima Online Kingdom Reborn, for free. "Ultima Online has thrived for 10 years and achieved the status of an MMO classic, thanks in large part to the devoted player … Continue reading Ultima Online Turns 10, Invites Back Former Players

The Settlers: Rise of an Empire Launches

Today Ubisoft, one of the world's largest video game publishers, announced that The Settlers Rise of an Empire has shipped to retailers nationwide and is available exclusively for Games for Windows. The Settlers Rise of an Empire is the sixth game in the popular PC strategy franchise that was created by Ubisoft's Blue Byte studio and has sold more than six million copies worldwide. The Settlers Rise of an Empire is rated "E10+" for Everyone 10 and Older and has an MSRP of $49.99. In The Settlers Rise of an Empire, the player builds lively, bustling towns in a medieval … Continue reading The Settlers: Rise of an Empire Launches

Dragon Blade Ships For Wii

D3Publisher of America, Inc. (D3PA), a publisher and developer of interactive entertainment software, today announced that Dragon Blade: Wrath of Fire has shipped to retail stores across North America. Designed specifically for the Wii system, Dragon Blade is a 3rd person action-adventure game where players unleash the magical powers of a fierce dragon, creating a unique and visually stunning weapon through their sword and arms. Players will utilize an intuitively designed, two-handed Wii control scheme and use both arms simultaneously to emulate the dragon's arms, wings, tail, fire-breathing head and more as they embark on an epic fantasy adventure in … Continue reading Dragon Blade Ships For Wii

Halo 3 Finally Launches

Starting tonight "Halo 3," the final chapter of Microsoft Corp.'s epic video game trilogy, finally goes on sale around the world. By the end of the week, fans in 37 countries will be playing the game Wired magazine recently called "a cultural touchstone, a Star Wars for the thumb stick generation." In the United States, more than 10,000 retailers across the country are opening their doors at midnight tonight solely to sell copies of the game and accompanying Xbox 360 consoles and accessories. With nary a pirate, a spider or a wand in sight, day-one sales of the highly anticipated … Continue reading Halo 3 Finally Launches

Team Fortress 2 Beta Opens

Team Fortress 2 (TF2), the successor to the granddaddy of class-based multiplayer action games and the multiplayer component of The Orange Box, is now available in beta to those who pre-purchase The Orange Box via Steam (www.steamgames.com). Pre-purchasers will find TF2 activated in their Steam account and available for immediate play. This year's most anticipated online action game, Team Fortress 2 delivers new gametypes, persistent player statistics, and the most advanced graphics of any Source-based game to date, featuring a signature art style powered by Valve's next generation animation technology. Players choose from a range of unique character classes–such as … Continue reading Team Fortress 2 Beta Opens

Baseball Mogul Sells 100,000+

Sports Mogul Inc. announced today that their award-winning product, Baseball Mogul 2008, has topped 115,000 units in sales in just six months, breaking their sales record for the entire year of 2006. According to data from NPD Research, this makes Baseball Mogul 2008 the number 1-selling PC baseball game for the second straight year. This year's Baseball Mogul was the first game ever to give the player full control of any baseball franchise while also adding the strategic option of playing each game one pitch at a time. To achieve this level of realism, Sports Mogul built a database tracking … Continue reading Baseball Mogul Sells 100,000+

Sonic Rush Speeds To Retail

SEGA of America, Inc. today announced that Sonic Rush Adventure, created exclusively for the Nintendo DS, has shipped to stores across North America. Sonic Rush Adventure takes Sonic fans on an exciting high-speed island-hopping adventure filled with action-packed gameplay and all-new vehicles. Taking full advantage of the DS Touch Screen, players can perform amazing tricks to avoid treacherous waters and dangerous enemies – all while keeping an eye on both screens thanks to the much-loved DS dual screen action. Sonic Rush Adventure delivers the fast-paced adrenaline rush that DS players crave. Players clash with ruthless pirates along irresistibly fun 2D … Continue reading Sonic Rush Speeds To Retail