Blizzard Entertainment today announced that World of Warcraft has become an overnight success in Europe, achieving record-breaking sales in its first 24 hours since the game launched on Friday, 11th February. World of Warcraft, the company’s subscription-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), has sold-through an estimated 280,000 copies at retail on day-one, selling more units in one day than what was previously thought to be the overall cumulative size of the European MMORPG market. This figure rose to more than 380,000 units being sold-through by the end of the first weekend. As the fastest-growing online game in European history, … Continue reading World Of Warcraft Conquering European Sales →

GameCamp! announces their national scholarship contest for two lucky winners to attend the GameCamp! summer program for teenage students interested in video game development careers. GameCamp! focuses on teaching students about leadership, team development, technical excellence, game industry production and business practices through actual game design and development planning projects. The GameCamp! scholarship is being offered to student contest entrants throughout the United States. The full scholarship will be awarded to the students that write the best 500-word essay entitled "Why I want to work in the video game industry." Two winners will receive free tuition, room and board, and … Continue reading GameCamp Sponsors Scholarship Summer Program →

Buena Vista Games, Inc. (BVG), the interactive entertainment arm of The Walt Disney Company announced today that Bob Picunko has been named Director, Business Development and Production. Reporting to Michael Ryder, VP of Worldwide Production for Buena Vista Games, Picunko will be responsible for strengthening relationships with video game developers and content creators. He will focus on assessing new game concepts for the company and drive the process of identifying, developing and growing new strategic business relationships with independent developers. Prior to this role, Picunko spent more than three years as Director of Marketing at the company. "We are pleased … Continue reading Picunko Tapped For Buena Visa Post →

At a joint press conference in Seoul, Korea, it was announced today that global online entertainment company, Webzen, Inc. (Nasdaq: Wzen) was awarded the worldwide online game publishing rights to All Points Bulletin (APB), the first online game developed by David Smith, the creator of the multi-million unit selling video game, Grand Theft Auto, and his UK-based game development company, Real Time Worlds (RTW). APB is scheduled to release in early 2007 and will be showcased at the video game industry's largest trade show, the 2005 Electronic Entertainment Expo, in Los Angeles this May. During today's press conference, Smith unveiled … Continue reading GTA Creator Awards APB Rights →

The video game industry singled out Malaysia and China as among the worst havens for piracy in the 2005 "Special 301" filing submitted to the U.S. Trade Representative by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) and other copyright-based industries. The purpose of the report is to underscore areas of concern about market access and high piracy rates, which exist in some countries at levels at or in excess of 90%. "Despite efforts by the U.S. Government over the years, it's déjÃ

When Europa Universalis II was released in 2001 it conquered the world and became a global bestseller. Paradox Interactive is now working with Pocket PC Studios to adapt the critically acclaimed title to handheld platforms like Palm OS, Nintendo DS and Windows CE. "Europa Universalis II is one of our most appreciated titles. As a leading force in the pocket PC entertainment business, Pocket PC Studios are the perfect partners to continue its legacy on a new platform. This additional accessibility is something that will suit the current fan base as well as attract new curious gamers", says Fredrik Lindgren, … Continue reading Paradox Takes Europa To Handhelds →

Sony Online Entertainment Inc. (SOE), a worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online (MMO) gaming, announced today that it has expanded operations with the formation of a development studio in Seattle, Washington. SOE-Seattle will further increase Sony Online Entertainment's global market share and will strengthen the overall planning and production of premium games. Matt Wilson will serve as Executive Producer of SOE-Seattle. Wilson had been with Microsoft for over 10 years, leaving to form FireAnt, Inc. with John Smith, Alex Pfaffe, Craig Link and Ed Fries in order to create cutting-edge massively multiplayer online games. All the members of FireAnt will … Continue reading Sony Online Opens Seattle Studio →

Microsoft is providing new power cords at no charge to replace the cords that originally came with some Xbox consoles after some people reported a failure in that component that could become a fire hazard. According to Microsoft "Fewer than one in 10,000 consoles have experienced these component failures. In almost all instances, any damage caused by these failures was contained within the console itself or limited to the tip of the power cord at the back of the console." The Xbox Cord will need replaced if it was manufactured before October 23, 2003, except for consoles purchased in Continental … Continue reading Microsoft Recalls Fire Hazard Xboxes →

Eidos (NASDAQ:EIDSY), one of the world’s leading publishers and developers of entertainment software, announces their first title for SCEI’s PSP handheld entertainment system, with Smart Bomb. Developed by Core Design, Smart Bomb will be released in conjunction with the European PSP handheld hardware launch. Smart Bomb delivers a tense gameplay experience as players are faced with a series of fast paced, challenging 3D puzzles based around diffusing sophisticated AI bombs. Gamers are faced with a series of bomb modules split into tiers and each tier must be disabled to unlock the next. As a tier is disabled the player moves … Continue reading Eidos Making PSP Title →

The Matrix Online Launches March 22, 2005 in the United States and April 8, 2005 in Europe. The highly anticipated continuation to the Matrix film trilogy, The Matrix Online will begin unveiling a story full of twists and action when the game is released in March in United States and April in Europe. The massively multi-player online game co-published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and SEGA has been in beta testing for months and features many of the original talent from the films – Laurence Fishburne (Morpheus), Monica Bellucci (Persephone), Mary Alice (The Oracle), Lambert Wilson (The Merovingian), Harold Perrineau … Continue reading The Matrix Launches In March →