Pack your bags - "Age of Empires III" is heading east. Microsoft Game Studios, Ensemble Studios and Big Huge Games Inc. today unveiled the first details about "Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties," the second expansion pack for the top-selling "Age of Empires III" that arrives on Microsoft Windows XP- and Windows Vista-based PCs this fall. The expansion pack will introduce gamers to Asian civilizations, a host of new gameplay features, and a new developer that will provide a unique spin to a classic favorite. Players will experience firsthand the rich and historical influences of Asia while commanding their … Continue reading Age Of Empires Goes East →

Washington, DC – Michael D. Gallagher will serve as the next president of the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), the trade group representing U.S. computer and video game publishers, the ESA announced today. Mr. Gallagher was a former Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications & Information, serving as the chief telecommunications and policy advisor to the Bush Administration. Gallagher will start the ESA position later this month. "Mike's outstanding technology, policy, and government relations experience makes him a strong fit for the ESA, where issues like intellectual property, self-regulation, and industry social and economic contributions are at the forefront of the … Continue reading ESA Hires New President →

The wait is Ogre with the announcement that the Shrek the Third video game from Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) has shipped to retail stores nationwide. The fate of Far Far Away is in gamer's hands as they assume the role of their favorite characters from the film – Shrek, Donkey, Fiona, Puss-in-Boots, Artie and Sleeping Beauty – and embark on an all-new adventure to save the land from the clutches of the evil Prince Charming. The Shrek the Third video game is based on DreamWorks Animation's highly anticipated feature film, which opens on May 18. "Activision's Shrek the Third game … Continue reading Shrek The Third Ships →

SEGA of America, Inc. today announced the development of Ghost Squad for the Wiiâ„¢ Console. Developed by SEGA's AM2 arcade division, Ghost Squad became a smash hit upon release and was the top-earning arcade gun game in 2005 for SEGA's arcade division. The Wii version brings the arcade experience home and adds a number of new Wii-specific gameplay modes and features. The game features the use of the Wii Remoteâ„¢ as a multi-purpose tool that allows players to easily control the targeting of on-screen enemies, defuse bombs, and rescue hostages. The battle to eradicate global threats in Ghost Squad begins … Continue reading Ghost Squad To Deploy On Wii →

PopCap Games, the leading developer and publisher of casual games, today announced that it has hired Andrew Stein to the newly-created position of Director of Mobile Business Development. Mr. Stein, most recently the Senior Marketing Manager – Games for Cingular Wireless' MEdia Mall, will oversee the growth of PopCap's hugely successful puzzle, word and retro action games on cellular phones, BlackBerry, iPod, PDA and other mobile devices. Mr. Stein brings more than a dozen years of mobile and console games industry experience to his role at PopCap; his tenure at the company officially begins today. "We're excited to have Andrew … Continue reading PopCap Hires Cingular's Andrew Stein →

By: Chella Ramanan Today Microsoft has finally given us the news we've all been waiting for – the release date for Halo 3. Team Bungie will deliver the goods in North America on September 25th and gamers in Europe will be invited to "Finish the Fight" just one day later. Jonty Barnes, Executive Producer of Halo 3, is quietly confident, "Essentially at this point in the project all the hard-planned scheduling time is behind us and we're no longer re-evaluating or unblocking dependencies we're moving in to polish the game. External dates and announcements just bring home the excitement and … Continue reading Halo 3 Release Announced →

Today, Turbine, Inc., Midway Games Inc. and Codemasters Online Gaming announced that The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar is the #1 selling PC title across North America and Europe based on the most recent industry reports. The Lord of the Rings Online has outsold all other PC games across North America, Germany, United Kingdom and France according to data from NPD (NA), Chart-Track (UK), GfK (France) and Media Control (Germany). In addition to soaring sales, The Lord of the Rings Online (LOTRO) has been enthusiastically received by gaming critics around the globe: The New York Times proclaimed … Continue reading LOTR Online Is Number One In Sales →

Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATAR), one of the world's most recognized brands and a third-party video game publisher, today announced that New York Times best-selling author Lorenzo Carcaterra has teamed up with the company as script writer on Alone in the Dark. Poised to redefine action gaming, Alone in the Dark will deliver blockbuster-action on a cataclysmic scale set in New York City's iconic Central Park. Alone in the Dark is being developed by Eden Games for Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system and Windows platform. With more than twenty years of writing … Continue reading Lorenzo Carcaterra To Write Alone in the Dark Game →

Crave Entertainment, a leading publisher of console videogames, announced today that it will publish the first videogame based on the wildly popular Fox Searchlight motion picture Napoleon Dynamite. Napoleon Dynamite quickly gained cult-classic status with its quirky look at life in rural Idaho. Teens and adults alike love the movie's colorful characters and offbeat take on teenage awkwardness. Napoleon Dynamite catchphrases (Vote for Pedro!) have become pop-culture fixtures, with references to the movie popping up everywhere from T-shirts to ice- cream flavors. Crave's upcoming release will feature favorite Napoleon Dynamite characters including Kip, Uncle Rico, Pedro, Tina the llama, and … Continue reading Napoleon (Dynamite) To Conquer Wii, PSP →

D3Publisher of America, Inc. (D3PA) announced today that it will bring Cartoon Network's hit orginal series Ben 10 to video game systems for the first time this fall with Ben 10â„¢: Protector of Earth for the Wii home video game system, PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, Nintendo DSâ„¢ portable handheld system and PSP (PlayStationPortable) system. In Ben 10: Protector of Earth, players take on the role of Cartoon Network's popular everyday-kid-turned-superhero, Ben Tennyson. Using the power of the Omnitrix which has embedded itself on Ben's wrist, players will be able to battle as one of five popular alien heroes from … Continue reading D3 Bringing Ben 10 To Gaming →