| | | | 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.
| | 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.
| | 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.
| | 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.
| | 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.
| | Monday, February 23, 2009 |
| Street Fighter IV Breaks Two Million Sold Mark
The game has enjoyed successful first period sales thanks to the revitalization of the series with its first title in 11 years!
Capcom is proud to announce that it has shipped two million copies of Street Fighter IV, the newest title in the company’s popular series, Street Fighter. The all new Street Fighter IV has the unmistakable feel of a 2D fighting game and is jam-packed with beloved characters from previous iterations. Beautiful graphics only capable with the newest game consoles, combined with various new additions to the combat system has created a title can be enjoyed by both fighting game and Street Fighter fans alike. As a bonus, the multi-platform console versions (Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3) boast an array of additional characters.
| | Wednesday, February 11, 2009 |
| Covert Mission to Create Action-Packed G.I. JOE Video Game
G.I. JOE Set to Invade All Major Video Game Platforms in Summer 2009
Electronic Arts today announced that development is underway to bring Hasbro’s legendary G.I. JOE brand to all major console and handheld gaming platforms in summer 2009 to coincide with the theatrical release of the G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA live-action movie from Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Entertainment, in association with Hasbro, which opens in theaters August 7, 2009. EA will unveil a “first look” of the G.I. JOE video game at Hasbro’s Showroom at Toy Fair on February 15-17, 2009 in New York City.
| | Thursday, January 8, 2009 |
| Square Enix Signs Exclusive Distribution Agreement with Ubisoft
Agreement to Strengthen Square Enix’s Product Lineup and Diversify Japanese Game Market
Square Enix today announced that Square Enix and Ubisoft Japan entered into an exclusive distribution agreement under which Square Enix is entitled to distribute Ubisoft games exclusively in Japan starting April 2009.
| | EA Licenses NVIDIA PhysX Technology
NVIDIA PhysX Technology Made Available as a Development Platform for EA’s Global Studios
NVIDIA today announced that Electronic Arts has licensed NVIDIA PhysX technology as a development platform which will be available for EA’s studios worldwide. NVIDIA PhysX technology is the world’s most pervasive development platform for physics acceleration in interactive entertainment.
| | Thursday, November 6, 2008 |
| Sega Announces Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection
SEGA today announced the development of Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection for the Xbox 360 and the PLAYSTATION 3. This compilation will feature the best first-party games from SEGA’s venerable 16-bit Genesis years as well as feature bonus content from its 8-bit Master System and 1980’s arcade era games library. Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection is slated to ship to retailers in North America in Spring of 2009.
| | Tuesday, September 23, 2008 |
| Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Sells 1.5 Million Units
Becomes Fastest-Selling Star Wars Game of All Time
After less than one week on store shelves worldwide, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is on track to become the best-selling Star Wars game of all time. LucasArts today announced that more than 1.5 million customers worldwide have purchased Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, making it both the fastest-selling Star Wars game and LucasArts game ever.
| | Call of Duty: World at War Enlists for New Battles
Expanding Its Theater of Operations to the Pacific, Latest Title in Hit Franchise Poised to Re-Define the WWII Experience
Leave your packs and bring extra ammo, Activision and Treyarch announced today that they will be taking Call of Duty players deep into the South Pacific and European theaters this fall for Call of Duty: World at War, a gritty fight that will pit players against enemies that know no surrender and show no mercy. Utilizing the Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare engine, Call of Duty: World at War throws out the rulebook of war to transform WWII combat through a new enemy, new tactics and an uncensored experience of the climatic battles that gripped a generation. As U.S. Marines and Russian soldiers, players will employ new features like cooperative gameplay, and weapons such as the flamethrower in the most chaotic and cinematically intense experience to date.
| | Experience Kung Fu Awesomeness with the Kung Fu Panda Video Game
Activision is bringing a unique blend of humor and action to gamers with the release of Kung Fu Panda, the video game based on DreamWorks Animation's highly anticipated feature film. In order to become the Dragon Warrior and defeat the ultimate enemy, Tai Lung, players engage in kung fu moves and master the unique fighting style of unlikely hero Po the Panda and experience the legendary moves of Shifu, Po's Teacher, and the Furious Five - Monkey, Tigress, Viper, Mantis and Crane.
| | Get Your Meat Cleaver Ready, Splatterhouse is Coming
Classic Action-Horror Franchise to Debut on the Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 in 2009 with Gruesome Combat and Heart-Stopping Scares
NAMCO BANDAI Games today announced the long-awaited debut of the Splatterhouse franchise on next generation consoles with an all-new installment of the series for the Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3, developed by BottleRocket Entertainment. Inspired by the landmark 1988 arcade hit, Splatterhouse combines visceral, adrenaline-soaked combat with horror elements to deliver an original gaming experience that defies the boundaries of the traditional action category with over-the-top gore and shocking new gameplay mechanics.
| | Enemy Territory: QUAKE Wars for Consoles Invades Stores Nationwide
The alien invasion has begun with the announcement that id Software's Enemy Territory: QUAKE Wars published by Activision for the Xbox 360 and the PLAYSTATION 3 has shipped to retail stores nationwide. Set in the year 2065, Enemy Territory: QUAKE Wars pits the armies of Earth's Global Defense Force (GDF) against the invading alien menace, the Strogg, in an all-out struggle for the fate of the planet. Enemy Territory: QUAKE Wars is slated to arrive on European and Australian store shelves on May 30, 2008.
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