Don King Presents: Prizefighter will be available on June 10, 2008 for Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and this fall for Wii home video game system from Nintendo and Nintendo DS. For more information, please visit www.2ksports.com/prizefighter/.

Today, Sega has announced that they have reached a new licensing agreement deal with Epic Games to license the ever popular engine, Unreal Engine 3.  This deal extends the original deal reached in May of last year.  The engine has been licensed for a game - which will most likely look like all other Unreal Engine 3 games - that is unannounced.

“SEGA has cultivated some of the world’s most treasured game franchises, and we are thrilled that they have decided to make more games with Unreal Engine 3,” said Mark Rein, vice president of Epic Games. “Epic is committed to supporting SEGA with exceptional tools and technologies so it may continue to build upon its successes.”

The Unreal Engine 3 is the most widely used engine on the Playstation 3, Xbox 360, and PC across the world, and many games utilize it: Gears of War, Unreal Tournament 3, Too Human, and Army of Two.  Utilizing the engine this late in the game will allow for all of the advancements of the technology that have been made to be used in whatever game they decide to use it in.

Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. announced today the release of Critter Round-Up, an exciting new action-puzzle game now available on Nintendo Wii for WiiWare.

Developed by Epicenter Studios, Critter Round-Up is an action-puzzle game that challenges players in separating each different critter species into their own area by building fences.  Avoid the predators and other mischievous animals as they will try and stop you from rounding them up.  Test your skills and get more points by corralling all the same critters into just one area and by using less fence. Four player co-op and a great set of competitive mini-games will have you rounding up critters until the cows come home.

Key Features

·               Corral exotic critters from 5 environments across 50 levels by yourself or with a friend

·               Play Co-Op Adventure Mode with up to 4 friends in 20 additional levels

·               Marathon Mode will test up to 4 players on a nearly infinite number of levels

·               Compete with up to 4 players simultaneously in the Critter Games, a collection of mini-games, such as Snowball Soccer and Predator Rampage

The Wii Shop Channel serves as the Wii’s online storefront, where visitors can redeem Wii Points to download games and other items. Now available, Critter Round-Up can be downloaded from the Wii Shop Channel for 1000 Wii Points.  Users need a high-speed Internet connection to access the Wii Shop Channel. Users can purchase Wii Points at retail or with a credit card online from the Wii Shop Channel and redeem Wii Points.

Head to the snowy peaks as leading video games developer and publisher NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. today announced that We Ski has shipped to retailers throughout North America for Wii. An entire mountain of the sweetest runs are available for up to four players as they enjoy the best skiing action from the comfort of their homes. We Ski’s highly responsive and intuitive controls ensure that it will provide the thrill of a beloved winter sport all year round.

“We Ski offers an unparalleled skiing experience on the Wii,” said Todd Thorson, Director of Marketing and Public Relations for NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. “With four player split-screen, day and evening runs as well as support for the Wii Balance Board, NAMCO BANDAI has created the complete skiing experience for players of all ages.”

Players can hit the slopes using the motion-based Wii Remote and Nunchuk or step onto their Wii Balance Board to further increase the rush of downhill action. Various activities await as players explore the Happy Valley Resort complete with a ski school, races, moguls, and slaloms. Aspiring ski patrollers can even assist with a search and rescue mission. Robust customization options can be used to tailor characters to the players’ desire, including changeable face and body types, goggles, unlockable costumes, and the option of using their Mii. We Ski is everyone’s lift ticket to fun, no matter what the season may be.

We Ski is rated “E” for everyone by the ESRB and carries a suggested retail price of $29.99.

Tony Colafrancesco has joined the gaming industry’s first publisher sponsored in-game commerce network, PLAYSPAN, as Director of  Business Development and Game Integration, bringing with him more than 14 years of experience integrating gaming and social networks for Electronic Arts, AOL Games, and Wild Tangent.

“Tony’s vast hands-on experience in the game industry working on over dozens of AAA titles at large publishers is highly valuable to our publisher partners and a key asset to us and our online community,” said Karl Mehta, CEO and Founder of PLAYSPAN. “His expertise with the integration of third party tools and online games ensures the successful integration of PLAYSPAN technology with game publishers worldwide.”

“Joining PLAYSPAN is an incredible opportunity for me to provide game publishers and gamers a new level of gaming experience,” said Colafrancesco. “PLAYSPAN’s proven technology and market leadership is impressive and I’m excited to be part of it.”

For more information on PLAYSPAN visit: www.playspan.com

About PLAYSPAN INC.
PLAYSPAN is game industry’s first publisher-sponsored in-game commerce network. PLAYSPAN’s patent-pending in-game search, commerce, and micropayment technologies enable game publishers and developers to generate new revenues, acquire new users, and extend the loyalty of existing users. Leading game providers and virtual world publishers have selected PLAYSPAN as their official marketplace for virtual goods commerce. PLAYSPAN is based in Silicon Valley with offices in Mumbai, Seoul and Shanghai. Investors include Easton Capital, Menlo Ventures, South Korea based STIC and Hong Kong based Novel TMT Ventures.

As of 5 a.m. PST yesterday, millions of families in the Americas now have LostWinds available in their living rooms - an enchanting adventure bursting with new gameplay ideas that embrace the innovative controller of the Wii.

www.frontier.co.uk/games/lostwinds

That’s when Nintendo of America launched WiiWare, a brand new way of delivering games over the Internet straight to your Wii console, with LostWinds as a launch title.

LostWinds puts the power of the wind in the palm of your hand – from raging tornados to the gentlest breeze – as you wield your Wii Remote™ to guide and protect Toku, a young boy who is the only one who can help you in your quest to release a curse placed on the stunningly presented, magical land of Mistralis.  You’ll power Toku’s jumps and glides through different regions, suspend and smash enemies, meet friends and solve puzzles to progress through the game’s environments, which have been designed to encourage and reward exploration using LostWinds’ novel, intuitive and playful control system.

“LostWinds has a great new control mechanic that makes the game feel really fresh – I think the quality of the game and the fact it’s a WiiWare launch title are things we can be really proud of “ said David Braben, Frontier’s Chairman and founder. 

LostWinds can be downloaded for 1000 Wii Points, is rated E for Everyone [mild fantasy violence] by the ESRB, and has been created especially for Wii by Frontier, who are the developers behind RollerCoaster Tycoon 3, which was a USA #1 game and is part of the second biggest selling PC game franchise of all time, and Thrillville, which was the USA’s #1 original kids game in 2006.

Now, fans of the original survival horror videogame franchise, Alone in the Dark, can log on to the new, official website [www.centraldark.com/us], and join Edward Carnby in his search to discover just how deep the mysteries of Central Park go. The new website offers an immersive experience for visitors to investigate the graphically impressive and technically advanced world of Alone in the Dark’s fully-realized Central Park, and in the process, uncover the incredible level of interaction and depth of gameplay that promises to make Alone in the Dark a game unlike anything before it.

The site allows visitors to investigate some of the ominous Central Park locales that the title’s protagonist, Edward Carnby, will encounter throughout the game. With each click of the mouse lives information about in-game vehicles, items, weapons and item combinations that allow gamers to solve puzzles and defeat enemies creatively and intelligently. From the Huddlestone Arch to the Belvedere Castle, visitors can see the sites of Central Park, and investigate and collect the in-game items that form the advanced inventory system in Alone in the Dark. Items like lighters, screwdrivers and duct tape scattered throughout the game can be used to create improvised weaponry and ingenious tools, while visitors can get a glimpse at the intriguing gameplay depth that these items open up.

Visit the official Alone in the Dark Website at www.centraldark.com/us

Criterion Games, a studio of Electronic Arts, (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced that the award-winning driving game Burnout Paradise is being rebuilt specifically for the PC.  Burnout Paradise will be the first Burnout title ever made for the PC, customized with expanded multiplayer, enhanced online features, and community driven content.

Originally released for the PLAYSTATION3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment system, Burnout Paradise has won over 55 awards worldwide.  Burnout Paradise delivers an open-world environment built for intense speed, excitement and exploration and sets a new standard in the seamless transition from single-player offline to social online gameplay.

Burnout Paradise for the PC will combine all the open world racing, intense speed and action of the original game with new gameplay for the PC version.

You’ve been drafted to ‘B’ Company! DICE, a studio of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced that a demo for its highly anticipated summer release, Battlefield: Bad Company will be available on Xbox LIVE Marketplace* and PLAYSTATION Store* on June 5. Players will land on the battlefield as part of the ‘B’ or Bad Company, a wayward band of soldiers more interested in the pursuit of gold and personal financial gain than following the rules. Gamers will get a sneak peek at how tactical destruction changes the way shooters are played, both offline and online in the single player and multiplayer demo.

Players can also gain early access to the demo by pre-ordering the game through participating retailers in North America and Europe. More details on this special pre-order campaign can be found at http://www.battlefield.com/badcompany.

Players who missed their opportunity to participate in the closed beta get a second chance to experience the intense multiplayer Gold Rush mode on the Oasis map while the single player portion starts gamers at the beginning of their ‘B’ company career. The single player portion of the demo sets the stage for players as they’re introduced to the humorous and sometimes irreverent set of characters that make up the ‘B’ company. As gamers embark on their quest for gold, they’ll experience the same classic Battlefield gameplay including access to numerous vehicles, weapons and open maps as well as the new tactical destruction that only Battlefield: Bad Company can deliver.

In stores on June 25 in North America and June 27 in Europe, Battlefield: Bad Company is developed by Sweden-based developer DICE (Digital Illusions Creative Entertainment, www.dice.se). The game will be available for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the PLAYSTATION3 computer entertainment system and is rated “T” by the ESRB and “16+” by PEGI.