| | | | Call of Duty: Black Ops Goes Hot on November 9, 2010
Fans to See Sneak Peek Tonight of the Most-Anticipated Entertainment Title of the Year
DECLASSIFIED: Prepare for the follow-up to the biggest entertainment launch in history: on November 9th Call of Duty: Black Ops will introduce fans to the elite world of Black Ops. Activision and award-winning developer Treyarch will take players behind enemy lines in an entirely new chapter in the groundbreaking and record-setting, No. 1 first-person action series of all-time.
| | Bungie and Activision Announce Exclusive Partnership
10-Year Alliance Expands Global Reach for Leading Game Developer Across Multiple Platforms
Bungie, the developer of blockbuster game franchises including Halo, Myth and Marathon, and Activision, a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, the #1 online games publisher, announced today that they have entered into an exclusive 10-year partnership to bring Bungie's next big action game universe to market. Under the terms of the agreement, Activision will have exclusive, worldwide rights to publish and distribute all future Bungie games based on the new intellectual property on multiple platforms and devices. Bungie remains an independent company and will continue to own their intellectual property. Additional terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
| | Thursday, January 14, 2010 |
| U.S. Video Game Industry Retail Sales Reach $20.2 Billion
Software Sales Experienced 11 Percent Decline When Compared to 2008
According to leading market research company, The NPD Group, U.S. retail sales of video games, which includes portable and console hardware, software and accessories, generated revenues of close to $19.66 billion, an 8 percent decline over the $21.4 billion generated in 2008.
| | Thursday, November 12, 2009 |
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Shatters Opening Day Sales Records
Most Anticipated Game of the Year Becomes Biggest Entertainment Launch in History
Activision announced today that Infinity Ward's much-anticipated Call of Duty:Modern Warfare 2 has become the biggest launch in history across all forms of entertainment with estimated sell-through sales of $310 million in North America and the United Kingdom alone in the first 24 hours, according to internal Activision estimates.
| | Guitar Hero First Videogame With Million Facebook Fans
Activision's Guitar Hero is the first console videogame franchise to surpass 1 million Facebook fans demonstrating the global appeal and passion for the brand that is quickly becoming the next platform for experiencing music and social interaction.
Guitar Hero isthe #1 best-selling third party video game franchise in North America and Europe calendar year to date. Since its release, the franchise has sold more than 38 million units worldwide, including more than 7 million units in calendar 2009 alone, according to The NPD Group, Charttrack and GfK.
| | Monday, September 14, 2009 |
| Researchers Using Xbox GPU as Supercomputer
Xbox 360 Chip Shows Some Cardiac Arrhythmia are Unpredictable
A new study by a University of Warwick researcher has demonstrated that researchers trying to model a range of processes could use the power and capabilities of a particular Xbox chip as a much cheaper alternative to other forms of parallel processing hardware.
| | Wednesday, August 19, 2009 |
| Maroon 5 Frontman Adam Levine Takes the Stage as Playable Character in Band Hero
Famed Vocalist and Guitarist to Appear In-Game Rocking Out to Their No. 1 Single,' She Will Be Loved'
Adam Levine, popular guitarist and singer for pop-rock band Maroon 5, will soon be able to add virtual rock star to his repertoire as he prepares to take center stage in Band Hero. When the game hits retail stores in November, family and friends will be able to live out their musical fantasies as they strum, drum and sing along to an exciting collection of songs by some of the most popular bands and artists to ever hit a music game. Levine joins Taylor Swift as an exclusive, in-game playable character by lending his popular likeness to Band Hero. Fans will be able to play as Levine as he rocks out to the Grammy nominated "She Will Be Loved," Maroon 5's hit single from their debut album Songs About Jane, which has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide and is Gold and Platinum in more than 35 countries.
| The Race for the Crown of Albion Begins in Fable III
Microsoft and Lionhead Studios unveil a thrilling new adventure in the multimillion-selling “Fable” franchise, while introducing episodic distribution of “Fable II” only on Xbox LIVE.
Alexander the Great. Genghis Khan. Queen Elizabeth I. Che Guevara. Throughout history, revolutionary leaders have taken very different paths to power, bringing about prosperity and poverty, peace and sometimes anarchy to their people. Now Microsoft Corp. and Lionhead Studios will explore the journey to rule, with you in pursuit of a kingdom, in “Fable III,” the exciting new game in the critically acclaimed “Fable” franchise. The title’s debut was confirmed today at gamescom in Germany by Peter Molyneux, Lionhead’s creative director, and will be available exclusively on Xbox 360 in the 2010 holiday season.
| | Dark Horse to Publish Mass Effect Comic Series
Sci-Fi Comic Prequel Bridges Heroic conclusion of Mass Effect and Mysterious Beginning of Mass Effect 2
BioWare, a studio of Electronic Arts, and Dark Horse Comics today announced a new comic book series based on Mass Effect, the blockbuster sci–fi action videogame that IGN.com rated the #1 Xbox 360 game of all time. In Mass Effect: Redemption, the story takes readers through the treacherous events leading up to Mass Effect 2 which opens with galactic hero Commander Shepard having mysteriously gone missing and left to fight for survival. What unfolds next will expose readers to new locations, aliens and extended storyline in the Mass Effect universe. Mass Effect: Redemption is scheduled to launch in January 6, 2010.
| | Ahoy Matey! The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition Available!
LucasArts today announced that The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition is now available on Xbox LIVE Arcade for Xbox 360, Steam, and Direct2Drive.
Back by popular demand, The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition faithfully re-imagines the internationally-acclaimed classic game (originally released in 1990) for old and new audiences alike. The development team at LucasArts has brought the game into the modern era with all-new HD graphics, a re-mastered musical score, full voiceover, and an in-depth hint system has been added to help players through the game's side-splitting puzzles. Purists will also delight in the ability to seamlessly switch between the updated HD graphics and the original's classic look.
| | Need for Speed SHIFT Puts Racers in Control
Los Angeles Racer Wins the Need for Speed SHIFT Competition, Drives Home in a Brand New 2009 BMW M3
Electronic Arts today announced details on the exclusive driver profile system in Need for Speed SHIFT. Driver profile is the ultimate extension of the true driver’s experience. Extending through the single player career and online multiplayer modes, driver profile gives each player a unique game experience based on the way each player drives on the track. This exclusive driver profile system pushes the entire racing genre forward.
| | Dwight Howard on the Cover of NBA LIVE 10
hree-Time NBA All-Star Currently Looking for First NBA Title
Electronic Arts announced today that Orlando Magic center, Dwight Howard, will be the cover athlete for NBA LIVE 10. A three-time NBA All-Star, Howard is currently looking to lead the Magic franchise to their first NBA Championship. The No. 1 pick of the 2004 NBA Draft was the 2009 NBA Defensive Player of the Year presented by Kia Motors, an All-NBA First Team selection the last two seasons, and stole the show at the 2008 NBA Sprite Slam Dunk Contest with his superhero antics. Additionally, Howard was the starting center of the 2008 U.S. Basketball Men’s Senior National Team which won the gold medal at the Olympics in Beijing. NBA LIVE 10 is currently in development under the EA SPORTS brand by EA Canada in Vancouver, B.C. and will be available worldwide this October.
| | Multiplatform Development of Crysis 2
Next Installment of the Critically-Acclaimed Crysis Franchise Will Be First Game Built on Crytek’s Multiplatform CryENGINE 3 Technology
Electronic Arts announced today that it has agreed to a deal extension with Crytek GmbH, the award-winning developers of the Crysis universe, to publish Crysis 2. Renowned for their technical excellence, artistic craftsmanship and commitment to quality, Crytek is building Crysis 2 on their new state-of-the-art multiplatform game development solution CryENGINE 3 for the Xbox 360, the PLAYSTATION 3, and the PC.
| | Jay-Z, Eminem and DJ Hero Bring DJ Culture to Gaming
Innovative Partnership Includes Special Edition Featuring Music CDs from Both Artists
Jay-Z and Eminem - two of the music industry's most influential and successful artists - will join DJ Hero), the highly-anticipated new game that is bringing DJ culture and new music genres including hip-hop, electronic, R&B and soul music to the successful Guitar Hero platform, Activision announced today.
| | Xbox 360 Sees Record Growth in 2009
Year-over-year growth jumps as Xbox 360 console sales hit 30 million globally and Xbox LIVE community reaches 20 million users.
Microsoft announced today that sales of Xbox 360 consoles have passed the 30 million mark globally, with its Xbox LIVE community swelling to more than 20 million active members. After the biggest year in its history in 2008, Xbox 360 achieved the highest percentage growth in hardware sales of any console so far in 2009, up 28 percent over the previous year.
| | Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony for Download on Xbox 360
Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City Available on Disc for Xbox 360 this Fall
Rockstar Games, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, is proud to announce the fall release of both the second episode of Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony - exclusively for download on Xbox LIVE online entertainment network, and Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City, which will include both episode one The Lost and Damned, and episode two The Ballad of Gay Tony together on a single disc exclusively for Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.
| New Zune HD Portable Media Player
Premium Zune digital entertainment service to be available internationally on Xbox LIVE.
Microsoft today announced the evolution of Zune, the company’s end-to-end music and entertainment service, to a new platform and new markets. Zune will extend its video service to Xbox LIVE internationally this fall. This marks an important development in the Zune strategy and brings the Zune brand to more than 17 million international Xbox LIVE subscribers. In addition, Microsoft confirmed the next generation of the Zune portable media player, Zune HD. Available in the U.S. this fall, Zune HD is the first portable media player that combines a built-in HD Radio receiver, high-definition (HD) video output capabilities, organic light-emitting diode (OLED) touch screen, Wi-Fi and an Internet browser.
| | Megan Fox in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Video Game
Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Peter Cullen and Frank Welker Return to Provide Voice-Over Performances
Activision has assembled an all-star cast for the upcoming Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen video game, including the film's leads Shia LeBeouf and Megan Fox, who will reprise their starring roles in the game, and fan favorites Peter Cullen and Frank Welker, the voices of OPTIMUS PRIME and MEGATRON from the original animated series. In the new game, developed under license from Hasbro, players are thrust into an adrenaline-pumping battle to defend Earth from a DECEPTICON attack that threatens mankind.
| | Xbox 360 Elite Includes Halo 3 and Fable 2 Free
Beginning in May, the Game of the Year Xbox 360 Elite Console arrives on store shelves. Enjoy the premium experience of the Elite console with two highly-acclaimed Xbox 360 exclusives included at no additional cost. Halo 3 is the thrilling conclusion of Master Chief's epic fight against the Covenant and Fable II is the masterful role-playing sequel with limitless choices and consequences.
| | EA Montreal Announces Army of Two: The 40th Day
The Ultimate Two-Man Private Military Team is Back in Action Delivering New and Groundbreaking Cooperative Gameplay
EA Montreal today announced ARMY OF TWO: THE 40th DAY. The ultimate two-man private military team of Salem and Rios return in this epic sequel where they must survive and prevail in a city under siege. EA Montreal is once again leading the next evolution in co-op shooter games offering a fresh, innovative and fluid co-op experience with a deep arsenal of customizable weapons so players can team up with their friends online for the fight of their lives.
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