Poland, 4^th September 2008. NoWay Studio is proud to announce they have signed with American publisher Graffiti Entertainment to publish their exciting debut title, “C.O.R.E.” in North America. Available exclusively on the Nintendo DS^TM, and launching in 4^th Quarter 2008, “C.O.R.E” is an action-packed multiplayer First Person Shooter. With a gripping single player mission, based on a Roswell style storyline, the game also boasts an exciting multiplayer experience in specially designed arenas.

“Capture the flag”, “team arena” and “free for all” multiplayer modes can now be played on a handheld games system. Ten specially designed arenas have been created with a range of weapons and shields strategically placed around these challenging environments. With a single game cartridge up to four players can now quickly set up multiplayer FPS game that can last for hours.

“C .O.R.E.” brings a classic sci-fi storyline and great multiplayer gaming to the Nintendo DS^TM.

Codemasters Draws Game Players into the Action by Exposing the Raw Emotions of War on Characters’ Faces

LOS ANGELES, CA - Sept. 3, 2008 - Image Metrics, the leading provider of facial animation solutions to the entertainment industry, is creating facial animation for key characters appearing in the cut scenes of Codemasters’
Operation Flashpoint 2: Dragon Rising. Slated for release in 2009 for major gaming platforms, the title is the much anticipated sequel to the genre-defining military conflict simulator game released in 2001.

Operation Flashpoint 2: Dragon Rising will simulate an immense conflict between advanced forces in which players can choose between a broad range of military disciplines, vehicles and equipment. To immerse game players in the action, Codemasters is using Image Metrics’ facial animation solutions in the cut scenes in order to enhance the range of human emotions expressed in the chaos of war.

“Operation Flashpoint 2: Dragon Rising will take players closer to war then they’ve ever come before,” said Brant Nicholas, Senior Producer, Codemasters Studios. “To achieve that end, we turned to Image Metrics’ facial animation solutions because of their unique ability to perfectly capture the range of emotions that soldiers experience in combat.”

“With Operation Flashpoint 2: Dragon Rising, Codemasters has set out to capture the gritty reality and human drama of warfare,” said Mike Starkenburg, Image Metrics’ chief operating officer. “We’re honored that Codemasters has chosen our facial animation technology to help achieve that realism and to further immerse players in the gameplay experience.”

Image Metrics will develop 57 shots for Operation Flashpoint 2: Dragon Rising, totaling 262 seconds of animation in about one month. The rapid delivery from start of production to final animation is a result of Image Metrics’ efficient, automated performance-driven facial animation solution.
Without markers or makeup, the solution captures an actor’s entire facial performance, analyzes it pixel-by-pixel, and then transfers it onto the computer generated (CG) character model. The facial nuances, subtleties and details the technology captures perfectly replicate the actor’s performance while helping studios like Codemasters cost-effectively achieve new heights in storytelling.

XIDER Games will soon release Ankh: Curse of the Scarab King on Nintendo DS. Players will meet vibrant and entertaining characters, including evil assassins, royal guards and strict bouncers on their quest to save Assil. Each character is important and could hold vital information or tools that will thwart the Mummy’s fatal curse.

Individual characters have been designed to add humour to the game by portraying modern ways of life in an ancient time. This is seen in Bakshish, the souvenir salesman who operates by the ancient Sphinx; Tarok and Blackeye, mercenary assassins with a surprising amount of knowledge about videogame developers, and Bulbul the bouncer from the fashionable club, Camella Loca.

The clever dialogue between the characters injects witty humour whilst providing essential clues on how to progress through the game. For example in a conversation with Tarok and Blackeye, Assil is told how to get to the Bazaar, whilst also being given a brief lesson on how to develop an adventure videogame.

Other colourful characters include Assil’s girlfriend Thara, the party animal who does not know when to stop; an ancient and frightening Mummy with a propensity to gossip and a mighty Pharaoh who puts more effort into partying than politics.

Following the success of the popular PC versions, this fun and colourful adventure will be available to play on DS in September 2008.

Fast facts:
Publisher: XIDER Games
Web: www.XIDER-games.com / www.Ankh-game.com
Release date: September 2008
Price: £29.99
PEGI: 3+
Format: Nintendo DS
Genre: Adventure

Virtual Wizard School Now In Session

Plano, Texas - Sept 02, 2008 - Tweens are grabbing their best spell-casting gear and rushing off to school… wizard school, that is. Online entertainment company KingsIsle Entertainment, Inc. has officially opened the doors of its highly anticipated Wizard101 (www.wizard101.com) virtual world, a magical 3D environment where aspiring wizards gather to adventure with friends and save their world from creatures like a pumpkin-headed Harvest Lord and a zombie named Wormguts.

Michael Lafferty of GameZone commented, “The game is thoroughly delightful, exuding a youthful sense of fun and excitement… KingsIsle is on track to have a certified hit title.”

Joe Blancato of GiantRealm said, “A kid-targeted [Massively Multiplayer Online Game] that’s charming the beard off anyone who plays it, regardless of age.”

Designed for pre-teens and attracting a wider audience of families and traditional gamers, Wizard101 features magical adventure and card style gameplay. Players enroll in the Ravenwood School of Magical Arts and begin a course of spell study. Immediately upon arrival at wizard school they are tapped by the Headmaster to help save the school from a renegade teacher who has disappeared but who seems to be behind some mysterious happenings.

Wizard101 features include:
• Extensive magical 3D worlds, each with its own creative theme such as a feudal countryside run by Samoorai cows, or an ancient Egyptian-inspired land where the treasured relics are being carted off by dogs from another world.
• More than 101 collectible spells that come to cinematic life as players learn to summon creatures such as Ninja Pigs and a Leprechaun that slides in on a rainbow and showers opponents with gold.
• Seven different schools of Magic, each with its own unique style and gameplay experience.
• The ability to adopt magical pets, like a flying dragon or a mischievous imp.
• A wide variety of outfits and accessories for customizable Wizard avatars.
• Puzzles and mini-games that challenge players and provide a place to rest and rejuvenate after duels.

Wizard101’s collaborative play style supports an environment where players benefit from working together in adventure quests and lower level characters can play alongside higher level ones. A three-tiered chat system and pre-defined character name generator create a safe community for younger players. The game contains no blood, and characters don’t die if they are defeated in a duel of spells-they simply go to a safe area on campus to regain health. An Arena provides a spot for more traditional gamers to show off their player versus player spell-casting skills. Wizard101 is free-to-play, with advanced play content available by subscription at the rate of $9.95 per month. Discounts are available for six-month and one-year subscriptions. For a limited time a 12 month subscription can be purchased for $60. Gift subscriptions are expected to be available online soon. To play, PC users may simply go to www.wizard101.com and download the game installer. A rating by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board is pending.

SANTA MONICA, CA – SEPTEMBER 2, 2008 – Activision Publishing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) announced today that Rapala Fishing Frenzy is now available in North America for PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and Wii™.

Activision has worked closely with developer Fun Labs and Rapala, the world’s largest manufacturer of fishing lures and #1 fishing brand in the world, to create an angling title that appeals to fishermen and gamers of all abilities. Rapala Fishing Frenzy represents an evolution of the perennially best-selling Rapala franchise by offering precision-crafted controls specifically for each console and visually stunning outdoor environments.

“We’ve focused on the thrill of battling trophy fish,” said Dave Oxford, Activision Publishing. “Rapala Fishing Frenzy offers the kind of fierce action that fishermen score on only their best days.”

The Wii™ version of Rapala Fishing Frenzy is packaged with a fishing rod controller attachment that takes family fishing fun to the next level. Place the Wii Remote™ in a secure handle and insert the Nunchuk™ into the “reel” - for the first time you have a high quality, licensed fishing rod that will allow everyone from Junior to Grandpa to bring in that monster bass.

This is the first fishing game for PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and it takes full advantage of its motion sensing controls. Serious gamers will find themselves “hooked” on a fishing game for the first time!

For more information on Rapala Fishing Frenzy, visit www.activision.com.

NEW YORK, NY. - September 2, 2008 - Videogame publisher XS Games along with developer Mana Computer Software announced today its new action game, Commando: Steel Disaster, for the Nintendo DS™ is now available at retailers nationwide. The game puts the player in the role of elite Commando Storm as he battles archrival Rattlesnake and his henchmen in a battle royale, putting an end to an evil plot for world domination.

A fast paced single player, 2D side-scroller, Commando: Steel Disaster is one of the most graphically rich games for the Nintendo DS. The title offers dramatic battle scenes, where up to 10 enemies can gang up at one time and attack in a variety of offensive patterns. The game features shocking boss characters, collectible items that can unlock hidden environments and challenging AI enemies that all add up to a very unique style of gameplay.

LOS ANGELES, CA – September 2, 2008 – Faramix Enterprises is proud to announce the release of the debut title CellZenith for PC on September 30th. CellZenith is the first title in a line of many Faramix has planned to develop in continuous growth into a full-fledged AAA developer.

As Faramix, we are calling out for the press’ attention to perform previews, reviews, or interviews on CellZenith in order to help get the title exposure for the growing company. We welcome contacts from the biggest websites, all the way down to the smallest, and are more than willing to participate in any requests you have. We appreciate any and all support in making our game to be the best it can possibly be.

“We’re proud with the quality we have incorporated into our first title CellZenith” explained Michael Dehen, President & CEO at Faramix, “CellZenith represents one of many original Intellectual Properties that Faramix is developing and it is only the beginning of our growth.”