EA SPORTS ANNOUNCES MADDEN NFL 25 ANNIVERSARY EDITION; AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER ONLY AT AMAZON

Limited Edition Includes Special DIRECTV and NFL SUNDAY TICKET Offers;

Over $400 in value at an introductory price of only $99.99

 

May 17, 2013 –Today EA SPORTS and Amazon announced the Madden NFL 25 Anniversary Edition. Every copy of this limited-edition game will come packed with Madden NFL 25 plus exclusive offers for DIRECTV and NFLSUNDAY TICKET. Offers include:

• ·         Fans who are not currently DIRECTV subscribers but are able to receive DIRECTV service will receive a promo code entitling them to $10 off per month for their first year of service and one year of NFL SUNDAY TICKET MAX at no additional charge.
• ·         Fans who are already DIRECTV and NFL SUNDAY TICKET MAX subscribers can access NFL SUNDAYTICKET on computer and mobile devices using their current DIRECTV username and password.
• ·         For fans unable to receive DIRECTV service, each Madden NFL 25 Anniversary Edition will include a unique code to access the 2013 regular season (17 weeks) trial of NFL SUNDAY TICKET on computers, tablets, and mobile devices- including access to DIRECTV’s award-winning RED ZONE CHANNEL^®.
• ·         Owners of the Anniversary Edition will also receive an exclusive Madden Ultimate Team pack each week of the NFL season, starting week 1 through week 17.

 

“We’re delighted to offer our fans this special edition to celebrate the franchise they helped build over the last 25 years,” said Anthony Stevenson, Sr. Marketing Director for EA SPORTS.  “Pairing the ultimate football video game experience with the ultimate viewing experience in DIRECTV NFL SUNDAY TICKET will deliver incredible value and excitement all season long.”

 

With over $400 in value at an introductory price of only $99.99, the Anniversary Edition is available for pre-order in very limited quantities on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 gaming consoles, exclusive at Amazon starting today.

 

In Madden NFL 25, unlock the power, precision, and creativity of the NFL ball carrier.  Whether you’re a slashing running back, dual-threat QB, or ball-hawking safety, unleash 30 new moves and string together devastating combos with the all-new precision modifier.  For more details on all the innovative new features, check out theMadden NFL 25 Playbook.

 

Embraced by fans and honored by critics for 25 years, Madden NFL is known as the NFL’s “33^rd Franchise” due to its authentic gameplay, the development team’s unparalleled access to NFL resources and its prominent place in NFL culture.

 

Madden NFL 25 is developed in Orlando, Florida by EA Tiburon and will be available for the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system beginning August 27.To learn more about Madden NFL 25, visit http://www.easports.com/madden-nfl. Fans are also invited to become a Madden Insider for exclusive information on Facebook including the latest news, original content and more for Madden NFL 25, and keep up with franchise news on the Madden NFL 25 Bleacher Report hub.

 

Only available on DIRECTV, NFL SUNDAY TICKET enables fans to watch every out-of-market game every Sundayin HD. For more information visit: www.directv.com/sports/nfl.

 

All player participation has been facilitated by National Football League Players Incorporated (NFL PLAYERS), the licensing and marketing subsidiary of the NFL Players Association (NFLPA).

 

EA SPORTS is one of the leading sports entertainment brands in the world, with top-selling videogame franchises, award-winning interactive technology, fan programs and cross-platform digital experiences. EA SPORTS creates connected experiences that ignite the emotion of sports through industry-leading sports videogames, includingMadden NFL football, FIFA Soccer, NHL® hockey, NBA LIVE basketball, NCAA® Football, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® golf, SSX™ and Fight Night boxing.

New NHL 14 Gameplay Developer Diary Released

Developer Diary Features One Touch Dekes and True Performance Skating

May 16, 2013 – EA SPORTS^TM released today the second of three gameplay developer diaries for NHL 14. This NHL 14Gameplay Developer Diary features a first look at the all-new One Touch Dekes and core improvements to True Performance Skating, including behind-the-scenes footage of the EA SPORTS technology used in development.

 

NHL 14 Gameplay Developer Diary Trailer: The official trailer can be found here.

 

NHL 14 Gameplay Developer Diary Blog: More information on One Touch Dekes and True Performance Skating can be found here.

 

One Touch Dekes – Experience what it feels like to be a superstar through a new, more responsive deking system controlled only with the left stick and one-button. From beginner to advanced gamers, the system allows for quicker reactive dekes and intuitive combination dekes, creating more moves than ever before.

 

True Performance Skating – Built on the breakthrough innovation that introduced physics-based skating and over 1,000 new skating animations to the EA SPORTS NHL franchise, the second year of the True Performance Skating features greater player responsiveness and unprecedented control through improved balance between speed and momentum, quicker pivots and enhanced lateral skating.

 

NHL 14 will be available for the Xbox 360^® video game and entertainment system, and the PlayStation^®3 computer entertainment system. NHL 14 releases on September 10, 2013 in North America and September 13, 2013 in Europe.

Boston Festival of Indie Games Announces Keynote Speaker Robin Hunicke

roducer of award-winning PSN game Journey to present featured talk at festival

May 14, 2013 —Cambridge, MA— The Boston Festival of Indie Games, presented by MIT Game Lab and Boston Indies, today announced game designer and producer Robin Hunicke as their keynote speaker scheduled to appear at this year’s festival, scheduled for Saturday, September 14 at the MIT campus. BostonFIG is currently in the last two weeks of their Kickstarter fundraising campaign:www.kickstarter.com/projects/bostonfig/boston-festival-of-indie-games-2013.

Hunicke is well known as the executive producer of the award-winning downloadable gameJourney on Sony’s PlayStation Network (PSN). Her presentation for Boston Festival of Indie Games, titled “Finding Meaning in Gameplay”, will focus on how developers can create games that inspire new feelings, by looking inward and examining the everyday experiences of their own lives.
As the executive producer of Journey, Hunicke ran a small indie team of roughly a dozen game developers. The game takes players from desert to mountaintop, through a breathtaking series of landscapes. Along the way, they cross paths with other players and can choose to adventure on together or alone. The experience struck the game world with its uniquely emotional qualities, while illustrating the high level of polish that a relatively small game development team can deliver. Journeyachieved worldwide critical acclaim and marketplace success, as well as securing countless awards and nominations for game design, online innovation and artistic execution from numerous respected organizations such as BAFTA and the Grammys.
An artist and computer scientist by training, Hunicke recently co-founded the independent game studio, Funomena. There, alongside fellow Journey developer Martin Middleton, she is building a team to work on experimental gameplay projects and games for social good. Robin’s interest in the unique power of games to bring people together began with her early work on family-friendly franchisesMySims and Steven Spielberg’s Boom Blox for Nintendo Wii.
Hunicke offers, “Speaking at national and international events such as Boston Festival of Indie Games gives me the opportunity to broaden our understanding of what games can be. It’s also a fantastic opportunity to talk with the Indie developers of tomorrow, as their ideas and ideals take shape. Our biggest strength as a community is our willingness to share ideas and dialog about what the future of the medium will be. I’m interested in being part of that incredibly inspiring and important conversation about how we can build a diverse, sustainable and creative community.”
Rik Eberhardt, BostonFIG co-producer and programming co-chair, says, “In part, we’ve developed Boston Festival of Indie Games on the foundation that game development is both highly collaborative and intensely creative, and that for indies in particular, you can successfully have the best of these two worlds, effective teamwork and focused creative inspiration.  Robin’s experience as a game designer and producer provides a model for this, encouraging indie game developers to reach for the highest heights when producing their games. We are incredibly thrilled that she is coming to Boston to talk with indie games enthusiasts in our community.”
The 2^nd annual Boston Festival of Indie Games will be held on Saturday, September 14, 2013at the Stratton Student Center and the Johnson Athletic Center on the MIT campus. A celebration of independent game development in a variety of media and genres, Boston Festival of Indie Games is free and open to the public. Festival attendees play video games, tabletop games and live action roleplaying (LARP) games in a casual, inclusive environment, plus attend film screenings and keynote talks. To register to attend and to receive regular festival updates, visit www.BostonFIG.com.

 

About Boston Festival of Indie Games (www.bostonfig.com):

The Boston Festival of Indie Games is a celebration of independent game development with emphasis on the New England and neighboring regions.  The Boston Festival of Indie Games seeks to support and showcase the efforts of independent game developers by providing a free public event that encourages attendees to share and interact with games in various media, including video games, location-based games and tabletop games.  Produced under the non-profit auspices of BeEpic, a Boston location-based games production group, the Boston Festival of Indie Games is focused on creating an intersection between community, academic and independent interests in game play.

 

About MIT Game Lab (http://gamelab.mit.edu):

The MIT Game Lab brings together scholars, creators and technologists to teach, conduct research and develop new approaches to applied game design and construction. Ranked by the Princeton Review as one of the top 10 schools to study Video Game Design in North America, the MIT Game Lab maintains MIT’s role as a leader in the study, design and development of games. The MIT Game Lab’s goal is to explore, educate and engage the public by creating groundbreaking games, interactive online courses and new applications to real world challenges.

 

About Boston Indies (www.bostonindies.com):

Boston Indies is a community of dedicated independent game developers in Massachusetts and the surrounding area. Boston Indies works to foster a sense of community among Boston’s independent game developers, facilitate monthly meet-ups and other related community events, encourage developers to create games independent of large budgets and large company ties, provide a safe environment to obtain critical feedback on game development works in progress and serve as a brain trust for important information sharing among local independent developers.

The Pocket Scavenger IOS APP

The Pocket Scavenger is the third creativity app based on a Keri Smith book and follows Wreck This App (derived from phenomenWreck This Journal), one of Penguin’s bestselling mobile apps, and This Is Not an App.

 

With The Pocket Scavenger app, users will be asked to find and photograph a spectrum of quirky items: three different textures, something that was planted, something you can only find in your local environment, a found note, something with text on it, and more. Once their quarry is in hand, they can choose to be assigned an alteration dictated solely by chance: turn it into a hat that someone is wearing, add five new colors,make it part of a self-portrait, turn it into a friend, and so on.

                                                          

After completing a scavenge, they can then upload their creation to a map…and see what scavenges are going on around them. They can also share their scavenges through Twitter and Facebook before embarking on a new hunt.

 

By incorporating chance into creativity, users are forced out of habitual ways of thinking or acting, discovering new connections. They will interact with the world around them in ways they might not have imagined before.

 

“While I’m always excited to publish a new Keri Smith book or app, The Pocket Scavenger is particularly exciting. I love the sense of possibility it opens around you as you begin to see the world through a scavenger’s eyes,” says Meg Leder, Executive Editor at Perigee Books.

 

In 2011, Perigee launched Wreck This App based on Smith’s popular creativity book Wreck This Journal, which has sold more than a million copies. Fueled by media coverage from USA Today, Wired’s “Geek Dad” blog, and MSNBC.com, and a plug as Gizmodo’s App of the Day, and featured in both “New and Noteworthy” and “What’s Hot” at the iTunes store, Wreck This App quickly become one of the bestselling apps in Penguin Group history.

 

2012’s This Is Not an App was also a critics’ darling, garnering praise from Cool Hunting, Wired magazine, DailyCandy, Gizmodo andKotaku.

 

Priced at $4.99, The Pocket Scavenger is now available for download on the iTunes App Store and on Google Play.

Surgeon Simulator 2013 Review

 

Surgeon simulator 2013 is out now and you can get it on Steam for $9.99 as of this review and it’s worth every penny this game will keep you entertained for hours. There are four surgeries that you can do, Heart, Kidneys and the brain you do those four in the operating room then you can do them again for more of a challenge in the back of a ambulance where everything is flying around with every bump.

 

After you complete those you get a special one you can do somewhere else I will let you find this one out on your own. This game has some basic controls mouse in one hand and the keyboard in the other hand for the movement of the fingers. The graphics are not super but they do not need to be this game is more for the game play than the graphics. It gives you a lot of tools to work with, the person is already cut open all you have to do is remove some bone and start moving around some stuff and find the heart or kidneys and cut them out then trow the new ones in and thats it.

It does show the insides of the man you are working on so if you don’t like a little blood or the insides of someone then don’t play this but it’s really not that graphic so even it bothers you I don’t think this game will. All in all I think this game is a buy it’s cheap and fun to play.

 

 

BETHESDA SOFTWORKS ANNOUNCES WOLFENSTEIN: THE NEW ORDER

MachineGames Forges A New Chapter For This Celebrated Franchise

May 7, 2013 (Rockville, MD) – Bethesda Softworks®, a ZeniMax® Media company, today announced a new title, Wolfenstein®: The New Order^TM, an action-adventure shooter slated for release in Q4 2013.  The game is being developed by MachineGames^TM, a studio comprised of seasoned developers known for creating compelling, critically-acclaimed story-driven games. Wolfenstein has been widely credited for helping establish and popularize the first-person shooter genre, and Wolfenstein: The New Order is a reimagining of this franchise – offering players a gripping and dramatic experience. The official announcement trailer can be seen today at GameSpot.com.

 

Wolfenstein: The New Order is scheduled for release on Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, PC, and next generation consoles. Additional details about the game will be revealed in a series of exclusive feature stories with GameSpot.com beginning on Wednesday, May 8^th.

 

“We are excited to bring a new chapter of Wolfenstein to gamers everywhere,” said Jens Matthies, creative director at MachineGames. “As fans of the series, working on this game is an honor, and our team is driven to create an unforgettable action-adventure experience that will make FPS fans proud.”

 

Wolfenstein: The New Order has not yet been rated by the ESRB.

 

About ZeniMax Media Inc.

ZeniMax Media is a privately owned media organization headquartered outside Washington DC with international publishing offices in London, Paris, Frankfurt, Eindhoven, Hong Kong, and Tokyo. Through its subsidiaries, ZeniMax Media creates and publishes original interactive entertainment content for consoles, the PC, and handheld/wireless devices.  ZeniMax Media divisions include Bethesda Softworks, Bethesda Game Studios, id Software, Arkane Studios, Tango Gameworks, MachineGames, Battlecry Studios, ZeniMax Europe Ltd., ZeniMax Asia K.K., ZeniMax Asia Pacific Limited and ZeniMax Online Studios.   For more information on ZeniMax Media, visit www.zenimax.com.

 

About Bethesda Softworks

Bethesda Softworks, part of the ZeniMax Media Inc. family of companies, is a worldwide publisher of interactive entertainment software. Titles featured under the Bethesda label include such blockbuster franchises as The Elder Scrolls®, DOOM®, QUAKE®, Fallout®, Wolfenstein®, Dishonored®, Prey® and RAGE®.   For more information on Bethesda Softworks’ products, visit www.bethsoft.com.  

 

About MachineGames

Established in 2009 by former founding members of Starbreeze Studios, MachineGames was acquired by ZeniMax Media in 2010.  MachineGames is developingWolfenstein: The New Order on id Software’s revolutionary id Tech® 5 technology. MachineGames is located in Uppsala, Sweden.

 

MachineGames, The Elder Scrolls, Skyrim, Bethesda Game Studios, Dishonored, Arkane, The Evil Within, PsychoBreak, Tango, Tango Gameworks, Battlecry Studios, Prey, Bethesda Softworks, Bethesda, ZeniMax and their related logos are registered trademarks or trademarks of ZeniMax Media Inc. in the United States and/or in other countries. Fallout is a registered trademark or trademark of Bethesda Softworks LLC in the United States and/or in other countries.  id, id Software, id Tech,DOOM, QUAKE, Wolfenstein and RAGE are registered trademarks or trademarks of id Software LLC in the United States and/or in other countries. Other product and company names referenced herein may be trademarks of their respective owners. All Rights Reserved.

 

Wolfenstein®: The New Order™ is a fictional story set in an alternate universe in the 1960’s.  Names, characters, organizations, locations and events are either imaginary or depicted in a fictionalized manner. The story and contents of this game are not intended to and should not be construed in any way to condone, glorify or endorse the beliefs, ideologies, events, actions, persons or behavior of the Nazi regime or to trivialize its war crimes, genocide, and other crimes against humanity.

ACTIVISION ANNOUNCES THE NEXT GENERATION OF CALL OF DUTY® WITH CALL OF DUTY®: GHOSTS

Call of Duty: Ghosts will set a new Benchmark for the Next Generation

All-New World, Story, Characters and Experience, All Powered by New, Next Gen

Call of Duty Engine from the Developer that started it all, Infinity Ward

For an Exclusive First Look at the Game, Tune in to Xbox: The New Generation Revealed, May 21 at 10AM PDT on Xbox.com, Xbox Live or SPIKE TV

Groundbreaking Title Lands on November 5

Santa Monica, CA – May 1, 2013 – Prepare for the next generation of Call of Duty®.  The franchise that has defined a generation of gaming is set to raise the bar once again with the all-new Call of Duty®: Ghosts.  Published by Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard (Nasdaq: ATVI),  and developed by Infinity Ward, the studio that created the original Call of Duty and the seminal Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® series, Call of Duty: Ghosts ushers in the next generation of the franchise.  The new title delivers a riveting all-new gameplay experience built on an entirely new story, setting and cast of characters, all powered by a new, next generation Call of Duty engine that redefines the series for the next generation.

“Infinity Ward set the gold standard for first-person action for a generation, and they’re going to do it again with Call of Duty: Ghosts,” said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing, Inc. “Ghosts delivers an all-new story, all-new characters, an all-new Call of Duty world, all powered by a next generation Call of Duty engine, which is a leap forward for the franchise.  Infinity Ward is going all-in to create the next generation of Call of Duty worthy of the world’s greatest fans.”

“Everyone was expecting us to make Modern Warfare 4, which would have been the safe thing to do. But we’re not resting on our laurels,” said Mark Rubin, executive producer of developer Infinity Ward.  “We saw the console transition as the perfect opportunity to start a new chapter forCall of Duty.  So we’re building a new sub-brand, a new engine, and a lot of new ideas and experiences for our players. We can’t wait to share them with our community.”

To see an exclusive first look at Call of Duty: Ghosts tune in to Xbox: the Next Generation Revealed on May 21 at 10AM PDT on Xbox.com, Xbox LIVE or SPIKE TV for the debut of the all-new game from Infinity Ward.

“We are consistently thrilled with the overwhelming response received from critics and consumers alike to the Call of Duty series, which has firmly established its home on the Xbox 360 with the game’s largest and most engaged community,” said Don Mattrick, president of the interactive entertainment business at Microsoft.  “With Call of Duty: Ghosts, we have no doubt that our longtime partners, Activision and Infinity Ward, will raise the bar higher than ever before for this incredible franchise.”

Starting today, fans can begin pre-ordering their copy of Call of Duty: Ghosts at retail outlets worldwide.

“There’s no other video game property like Call of Duty.  It’s the biggest game franchise on the planet that has had some of the biggest game entertainment launches in history,” said Tony Bartel, president of GameStop. “We are very excited for the launch of Call of Duty: Ghosts, as we transition to next generation consoles.”

Call of Duty: Ghosts will release on Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and PC on November 5.  Call of Duty: Ghosts will also be available for next generation platforms.  For the latest intel, check out:www.callofduty.com/ghosts, www.facebook.com/CODGhosts, or follow on Twitter @InfinityWard.  Call of Duty: Ghosts is not yet rated.

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products.

Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, Brazil, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, South Korea, mainland China and the region of Taiwan. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activision.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Publishing’s expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future, including statements about the expected Call of Duty: Ghosts release date of November 5, 2013, are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause Activision Publishing’s actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include unanticipated product delays and other factors identified in the risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Activision Publishing and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Activision Publishing nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Activision Publishing or Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.