Click here to view the embedded video.

(XBOX 360) BioShock 2- I haven’t played the first one except the demo and really loved it and judging by the sales of that game and the fanbase that formed around it, this is going to be a big hit that will take some attention from Mass Effect 2’s rave reviews.

(DS) Scene It?Twilight- Obvious choice for sleeper hit 2010.

(Wii) Family Party-30 minigames in a winter setting.

(DS) World Cup of Pool

(Xbox 360) Dante’s Inferno-Reviews have been about 50/50 on this game I have seen a lot of 9 or highers then a lot of reviews blasting it because the gameplay was cool but it lacked in originality.(for obvious reasons) My friends that have tried the demo though have said they loved it because well its the closest they can get to God of War on the 360.

2/10

(PC)Windchaser

As you can see  Star Ocean,BioShock 2, and Dante’s Inferno will most likely dominate sales this week and I hope Dante’s Inferno gets appreciated for the sake that EA needs to make money or these more original ideas they come with will be pushed aside to go back to a safer level of game design and reiniate the evil company gamers hated a few years back.

LucasArts and TT Games Bring Back the Award-Winning LEGO®® Star WarsTM Series with LEGO®® Star WarsTM III The Clone WarsTM

LONDON, UK – 8th February, 2010 – LucasArts and TT Games today announced the development of LEGO® Star Wars™ III: The Clone Wars™. The next chapter in the award-winning LEGO® Star Wars videogame franchise, LEGO® Star Wars III: The Clone Wars will combine the best elements of all previous LEGO® games while adding brand new gameplay to make it the most action-packed LEGO® videogame to date. Developed by the same team at Traveller’s Tales that created the critically acclaimed LEGO® Star Wars and LEGO® Indiana Jones™ series, the game will ship on the Wii™, Nintendo DS™, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, and Xbox 360®videogame and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows in the Autumn of 2010.

“LucasArts continues to set the bar for next-generation family entertainment,” said Darrell Rodriguez, president of LucasArts. “The LEGO® Star Wars franchise is a massive hit with fans, bringing in sales of over 20 million units worldwide. We’re thrilled to extend this experience to LEGO® Star Wars III: The Clone Wars, delivering the humour and fun players expect from this award winning franchise.”

“LucasArts is an amazing partner, and working with them on the next iteration of the LEGO® Star Wars series continues to be a great experience,” said Tom Stone, director at TT Games. “The team at TT is working hard at making this simply the best LEGO® game ever with all new gameplay and features never before seen in a LEGO® game.”

LEGO® Star Wars III: The Clone Wars will include all the characters from both seasons of the hugely popular animated television series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, as well as some fan-favourite characters from the beloved theatrical Star Wars Saga. The game will feature brand new battle modes, giving players unique, head-to-head combat and an upgraded level builder, allowing the creation of customized bases and in-game battlefields. Play either as a Jedi or Separatist with all-new character abilities, such as Squad command, Lightsaber slicing, Lightsaber jumps, long distance Jedi attacks and Grapple Tie-Ups, all within a new, easy-to-navigate hub.

For more information on LEGO® Star Wars III: The Clone Wars please visit www.legostarwars.com.

About LucasArts

LucasArts, a division of Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd., is a leading developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software worldwide for video game console systems, computers and the Internet. Based in San Francisco, Calif., as well as on the Internet at www.lucasarts.com, LucasArts was created in 1982 by George Lucas to provide an interactive element to his vision of a state-of-the-art, multifaceted entertainment company.

About TT Games

TT Games aims to become a leading developer and publisher of interactive entertainment for young gamers and their families. Based in the UK, the Group incorporates the TT Games Publishing organisation with world-renowned developer Traveller’s Tales, and subsidiary studio TT Fusion. The first title to come from the TT Games partnership was the award winning LEGO Star Wars: The Videogame, which won over audiences both young and old alike, achieving critical acclaim rarely matched for a title aimed at children. For more information, visit www.ttgames.com

About The LEGO Group

The LEGO Group (www.LEGO.com) is a privately held, family-owned company, based in Billund, Denmark. It was founded in 1932 and today the group is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of play materials for children. The LEGO Group is committed to the development of children’s creative and imaginative abilities through its products, which can be purchased in more than 130 countries.

LucasArts and the LucasArts logo are registered trademarks of Lucasfilm Ltd. © 2010 Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd. or Lucasfilm Ltd. and ® or TM as indicated. All rights reserved. LEGO, the LEGO logo and the Minifigure are trademarks of The LEGO Group. © 2010 The LEGO Group.

Star Trek Online takes place in the vast openness of space.  And space is no tiny place.  The way the STO galaxy is broken down might be a bit of a shock to newbies, so I’ve decided to offer you a quick overview.  The game offers two in-game map levels, first the Galaxy Map which give you an over very of the entire games space.  Then you have an Area Map which changes slightly depending on your location.  The STO galaxy is broken down into “Sector Blocks” , but the sector blocks are then broken down further into sectors.  And then within the various sectors you will find the different systems/star bases.  The systems are starbases are where the action takes place, either in the space surround the system or on the ground of the system.
When traveling between systems you will be flying your ship within the sector map, which is laid out like a risk board, you see the various systems, other players, enemy contacts and cargo ships within the sector.

This system does take a couple minutes to get use to but once you understand how it works you’ll enjoy traveling around the depths of space.  Unfortunately there are no real quick way to get around the vast STO galaxy, there is no warp from one side of the galaxy to the other (besides Time Warp which brings you back to the Sol”earth” system and holds a 30 minute recharge)

Battlefield 1943 (EA Dice) – $12.5 million ($15.00)
Castle Crashers (The Behemoth) – $7.3 million ($15.00)
Trials HD (RedLynx, LTD) – $7.1 million ($15.00)
Shadow Complex (Chair Entertainment / Epic Games) – $6.1 million ($14.38)
Family Game Night (Hasbro) – $4.2 million ($9.53)
Marvel vs. Capcom 2 (Capcom) – $4.2 million ($15.00)
Magic: The Gathering (Stainless Games) – $2.8 million ($10.00)
Worms 2 (Team 17) – $1.8 million ($10.00)
Peggle (PopCap Games) – $1.8 million ($8.86)
Turtles in Time: Reshelled (Ubisoft Singapore) – $1.7 million ($10.00)

There are not a lot of other details so far but here is the trailer and the info we do have.

“Experience all the sights and sounds of fabulous New Vegas, brought to you by Vault-Tec, America’s First Choice in Post Nuclear Simulation. Explore the treacherous wastes of the Great Southwest from the safety and comfort of your very own vault: Meet new people, confront terrifying creatures, and arm yourself with the latest high-tech weaponry as you make a name for yourself on a thrilling new journey across the Mojave wasteland. A word of warning, however – while Vault-Tec engineers have prepared for every contingency,* in Vegas, fortunes can change in an instant. Enjoy your stay.

* Should not be construed as a legally-binding claim.”

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Battlefield: Bad Company 2 demo features Port Valdez, a new vehicle focused map where up to 24 players can compete against each other in the game’s Rush multiplayer mode. Players have access to five land and three air vehicles including Main Battle Tanks as well as the fast-moving Quad Bikes and Mobile Armored AA. The fight is also packed with plenty of infantry combat fought alongside the waterline towards a great oil industrial landscape in the Alaskan mountains.

Star Trek Online puts gamers into the Star Trek universe 30 years after Nemesis. Players have a choice between 3 classes, Science, Tactical and Engineering.   Each class have different strengths and weaknesses. Once you have chosen your class you then begin creating your virtual character.  You have various races to choose and then a very in depth body/costume editor at your disposal.  Don’t worry you can tweak your character during the game, but many tweaks will cost you some energy credits(in game currency).

STO starts off with a very in-depth tutorial that shows you every major aspect of the game before letting you run wild in the universe.  Your goal is to work your way from an Ensign to an Admiral.  Once you have completed the tutorial you will find yourself with a basic ship and a single bridge officer.  Don’t worry you will quickly start customizing your ship with upgraded weapons and defenses from quest rewards and mob drops.  You will also quickly gain two additional bridge officers to fill your beginning officer openings.

The gameplay is very solid and fun for an MMO.  While yes it does suffer some of the repetitiveness of all MMO’s, it can be played out like a single player campaign.  This is all due to the games great auto grouping/teaming and instance use.  As you enter a planet system you will automatically be teamed with other players within the same area working towards the same quests.  This system really makes it easy for the casual gamer to pick up and play STO.  Unlike other MMO’s you won’t need to spend countless hours searching for groups or need to deal with clans/guilds, you can just play.
The  actions and controls are nothing new and any MMO player will pick them up instantly.  You have various customizable action bars, which change if you are on the ground or space.  And the best part is the very simple UI editor that allows you to move the different UI components around the screen as you desire.  Similar to other MMOs a simple mouse click locks you on the target, which also causes your camera to remain focused on the camera.  Interactions can be executed with either a double click or press of the F key.
Quests do range in both type and length, form the simple defeat an enemy contact to the more complex eliminate enemies from the space of a system, beam down to complete a task and then eliminate more space enemies or travel to another system.  Also the use of Starfleet communicators makes questing easy, as you don’t need to return to an NPC you can simply hail them.  Hailing Starfleet is a big plus, as the game is BIG and it would be very annoying having to travel back and forth on a constant basis.

Star Trek Online uses a rather unique rank system.  Instead of the straight forward level 1 to whatever, STO uses a more military type ranking system.  As you complete quests and kill enemies you get skill points.  As you gain more skill points you increase in grade (ie Commander 1 to Commander 2) as you spend the skill pints furthering your skills you gain new Ranks (ie Commander to Captain).  This makes for a game where your not focused so much on XP and more focused on your different skills.  As you skill up you’ll become strong in areas and evolve your character down your own desired path.  As you increase in rank you will also begin to unlock more of the game.  As you progress you will get the chance to purchase bigger and more powerful ships.  You will also unlock the ability to create a Klingon character.

Besides quests, the economy within an MMO is big.  While at first I found the economy to be baffling in STO, coming from World of Warcraft I know copper, silver and gold.  But STO has a real diverse and varying economy depending on what space sector you are in.  Firstly, there are Energy Credits, these are pretty much dollars(or “space bucks” as I like calling them).  Energy Credits are for buying goods and services.  Next up is Starfleet Merits, these are used for training your Bridge Officers.  Wait there’s more, then you get different Exploration Credits(and others), the best way to explain these is they are like the Battleground credits in WoW.  These change depending on the quest/sector you are in and can be used to buy specialized items, again similar to WoW’s battlegrounds.  Wait there’s more, Commodities. These right now are the most unknown and must annoying.  Commodities are such things as Medical Supplies or Provisions, which are just two and there are MANY more.  As of now these are drops or very expensive to buy from vendors.  They are used in some quests, but seem to be grossly over priced for there return.  AND WAIT THERES MORE….. Alien Artifacts, Radiation Readings and others.  I don’t’ know what to exactly call these, but as you travel through space you will be scanning for “readings” and after scanning a reading you get one of these items.  This is similar to a gathering item like in other MMO’s.  These items are used to again be combined with weapons to get even more powerful weapons.  As you can see there is a very vast economy and it can be very daunting.  I hope over time the economy is worked out and made a little more streamlined.  Commodities for one seem to be something everyone should just not pay attention to right now, as there is no real explanation of them until you need them for an Aid Quest.

Graphically the game is amazing, but is a system hog.  While I can run WoW smoothly at full on my machine STO needs to be turned down quite a bit to run smooth.  But cranking the graphics gives you an amazing experience.  The particle and lighting system is great and looks like no other MMO I’ve played.  The UI is also very well done and feels like something in the depths of space travel.  The best part of the UI again is the ability to customize the UI’s layout.
The game also has great sounds all of which will bring back memories of the movies and tv show.  The game has some voice over work done by the great Leonard Nimoy.

While STO like any MMO is an ongoing work in progress and will change over time, it is a great start.  The game graphically looks great and offers lots of hours of fun.  The change from space to ground is great as it switches up the pace of the game.  The game does have a few issues the biggest issues besides rocky servers(they are getting better) are the economics.  Right now it seems easy to get money and I really have no idea what to do with it, but then there are so many different economic aspects that make the economy daunting.  And like every MMO there are bugs here and there, obviously the game will be patched many times like any other MMO over time.  STO is easily the best MMO for the more casual gamer.  You aren’t forced to seek out groups to play with, as the game has a good auto grouping system, and having Bridge Officers at your side helps with soloing.  It’s hard to give an MMO a rating as the game can change greatly with a quick patch so I will leave you with this.  While STO is an MMO many non MMO gamers will find this game easy and fun to pick-up and play.  If you play MMO’s check out STO if you haven’t played an MMO check out STO if you are a gamer and a Star Trek fan CHECK OUT STO.

We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished this year with NBA 2K10, and this milestone is another fantastic reason to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the NBA 2K franchise, We would like to thank all of our loyal fans for their dedicated support and look forward to the continued success of this title.

Game Features

• Adrenaline-Packed Multiplayer – Go head-to-head with 12-player online multiplayer and race to the top of the leader boards
• Four Single Player Modes:
  • Quick Race: Put the pedal to the metal in a quick spin around the track.
  • Time Trial: The ultimate high-speed challenge – Determine your starting position in future races with a time trial. Earn your place at the start line.
  • Career Mode: Players race in four different circuits at varying difficulty levels.
  • Derby Mode: In this unlockable mode, players who deal the most destruction without breaking down win.
• Go Head-to-Head With the Best – Watch out for Cole Trickle’s reckless, aggressive driving, Rowdy Burn’s veteran skills and Russ Wheeler’s hot head. With all designed to match the film characters, each player will need to learn to work with or against them to reach the top.
• Three Car Types Based on the Cars of the Film:
  • Accelerator: Russ Wheeler’s car is the lightest, so it accelerates the fastest but is the most vulnerable to damage.
  • Regulator: Neither too heavy nor too light, Cole Trickle’s car has a balance of speed, durability and acceleration.
  • Intimidator: Rowdy Burns’ car is the heaviest, so its acceleration is the slowest, but its top speed is the fastest. It can also take and deliver the most damage, perfect for ‘rubbin.
• Drop the Hammer – Draft behind other cars to slingshot past other drivers or “drop the hammer”
• “And Rubbin’, Son, Is Racin’!” – Cars take on damage in real time as players rip up the track. Watch the damage meter – When the car has taken a few too many beatings, it’s time to hit the pit for repairs before heading back into the high-speed action.
• Pull into the Pit for a Tune-up – The pit is all about speed – quickly punch buttons in this mini-game to fill up with fuel, repair damage, and build up your hammer meter.
• SIXAXIS Support: Steer your car with motion control.
• Customize Your Ride – Your car is your car! Hundreds of color combinations enhance your car’s look and feel.  Unlock logos, decals and body types. Performance upgrades let you customize your car the way you like, whether you like to speed or if you prefer to grip the asphalt  around those turns. It’s your ride so you decide!
• Trophies and Achievements – Hit the tracks and win achievements and trophies to show opponents that “you can’t outrun the thunder!” 

It was easy to overlook the feature until you have played some recent releases. Games like Army of Two: The 40th Day and Mass Effect 2 (which I am deeply addicted too as I write this) both using the third person perspective and allowing players to sprint and take cover on obstacles.

Now Army of Two was a great game to play minus the inability to skip cutscenes and its length and Mass Effect 2 has 5 stars all across the board in my books. The thing is though when it comes down to combat when cover is needed it isn’t exactly user friendly. Sometimes you hit A and take cover immediately or you fly over a ledge as if to charge forward.

These things would be minor if not unnoticeable if it wasn’t for how the cover system was so smooth and fluent like in Gears of War. I have never been a big fan of the multiplayer for GoW strictly because I suck at it. The campaign on the other hand is one of my favorites by far and don’t think any game minus Bioware titles have been able to pull me in quite like that story has.

The Gears of War cover system though allows you to control yourself very dynamically behind cover. allowing you to push straight up and hit A to hurdle over low cover or to push up into a diagonal direction to sprint out from cover and immediately slam into some more.

Of course it is easier to demo the gameplay mechanics of all these and understand what I am talking about but the differences are obvious.

The reason for this article being that more and more titles are being released in third person. Of course the usual FPS will remain as such and were bound to see more of those and I hope we do because I am a fan. The third person shooters though will need to draw in crowds some which are turned off because it is third person.

If the controls are clunky and hard to move around with this perspective it will be tossed aside for a game like Halo or Call of Duty where they do not have to bother with the system. That is why it is important that these developers creating these games take note on how well the system works and how to improve it to greater their sales.

Playing through Mass Effect 2 now as I am writing this I am enjoying boss battles and laser pistol fights but when I need to run and take cover I either get stuck on some wall trying to get down or I accidently take cover when I am trying to sprint for whats left of my life. I imagine playing this in Gears of War cover system and although it has been some time since I played it have it deep in my mind thats how it should work when I am playing a game as such.

To be honest when it comes to First Person Shooters, Third Person Shooters, Sports games, and Racing. Not much in terms of gameplay can really change you need essential features that make those genres what they are. So gimmicky features should be out the door and focusing on core gameplay mechanics for those genres should be worked on tediously as if the programmers have OCD.

As popular as First Person Shooters are as obvious by all the hype that gets built around them (Halo,CoD,Killzone,GoW,etc) and how much I love them myself, when a game in third person comes out as rare as they are they should be the best experiences that the genre has to offer.

Many of Bungie’s ideas have appeared in various titles since the release of Halo 2 and has helped other games flourish because of it. No developer should feel as if they are stealing anything major if it betters the gaming experience and for the sake of gamers everywhere it could only help sales and make us happy.

BIOWARE’S MASS EFFECT 2 HAILED AS 1st BLOCKBUSTER OF 2010
Game Earns Rave Reviews, Sells 2 Million Units in Week One
Edmonton, Alberta (January 29, 2010) – 40 perfect scores. 2 million units. One pop culture phenomenon. BioWare™, a division of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS), announced today that Mass Effect™ 2 has sold-in over two million units worldwide in its first week of release*. Lauded for its intense shooter gameplay and deep, hand-crafted story, Mass Effect 2 has earned an average review score of 96** — making it the second highest rated game of all time on the Xbox 360® platform***. Mass Effect 2 has earned 40 perfect scores, amassed over 30 editor’s choice awards and has donned the covers of 45 magazines worldwide. On launch day, the term “Mass Effect” was in the top 10 trending topics on Twitter and most searched on Google News. MSNBC.com said, “Mass Effect will go down as one of the most influential video game series of all-time.”

Dr. Ray Muzyka, co-founder, BioWare and Group General Manager of the RPG/MMO Group of EA said, “Mass Effect 2 is poised to be one of the biggest games of 2010. We could not be more proud of the game’s universal acclaim and early commercial success.”

Mass Effect 2 launched this week hot on the heels of BioWare’s Dragon Age: Origins, the studio’s dark fantasy RPG which shipped in fall 2009. Dragon Age: Origins has earned an average review score of 91****, making it the highest rated original intellectual property from EA in the last year. Mass Effect 2 follows in BioWare’s tradition of delivering excellence on every front: gameplay, story, character development and visuals. Mass Effect 2 is an epic shooter/RPG set in a vast universe filled with dangerous alien life and mysterious, uncharted planets. In Mass Effect 2, players step into the role of the heroic Commander Shepard, leading a crew of some of the most dangerous operatives from across the galaxy on a mission so challenging that it’s potentially suicidal. Featuring intense action, a rich storyline, space exploration and engaging character interaction, Mass Effect 2 delivers an unparalleled gaming experience.

Mass Effect 2 is available for the Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment system and the PC and is rated ‘M’ for Mature by the ESRB and ‘18+’ by PEGI. For more information, follow the development team on Twitter at http://twitter.com/masseffect2 or visit http://masseffect.bioware.com/.
According to internal EA data.
** On Xbox 360 platform according to Metacritic.com.
*** Mass Effect 2 is tied for second place according to Metacritic.com.
**** On PC according to Metacritic.com.

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About BioWare
BioWare develops high quality console, PC and online role-playing games, focused on rich stories, unforgettable characters and vast worlds to discover. Since 1995, BioWare has created some of the world’s most critically acclaimed titles, including Baldur’s Gate™, Neverwinter Nights™, Star Wars®: Knights of the Old Republic™, Jade Empire™ and Mass Effect™. BioWare operates in Edmonton (Alberta, Canada), Montreal (Quebec) and Austin (Texas). BioWare’s announced projects include the dark heroic fantasy game Dragon Age: Origins, as well as Mass Effect 2™, the epic sequel to Mass Effect, and the story-driven massively multiplayer online game, Star Wars®: The Old Republic™. In 2008, BioWare was acquired by Electronic Arts, a leading global interactive entertainment publisher. For more information on BioWare, visit www.bioware.com; to join the millions of fans already registered on our community, go to social.bioware.com.

About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA™, EA SPORTS™, EA Mobile™ and POGO™. In fiscal 2009, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $4.2 billion and had 31 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA’s homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA’s products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.
BioWare, Mass Effect, Dragon Age and Jade Empire are trademarks or registered trademarks owned by EA International (Studio and Publishing) Ltd. in the U.S. and/or other countries. EA, EA SPORTS, EA Mobile and POGO are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Xbox and Xbox 360 are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Nick Diaz
Diaz is a former WEC and IFC Welterweight champion and will be fighting Marius Zaromskis for the STRIKEFORCE welterweight belt on January 30. The 6’0”, 170 pound mixed martial arts fighter has a current record of 20-7 and is riding a current five-fight win streak. He has defeated some impressive MMA fighters, such as Frank Shamrock, Robbie Lawler and Scott Smith.

Marius Zaromskis
Zaromskis, a 5’9”, 170 pound fighter from Lithuania, holds a career record of 13-3. He comes into the STRIKEFORCE welterweight title bout against Nick Diaz with a five-fight winning streak. He has fought in DREAM and won DREAM’s 2009 Welterweight Grand Prix title.

Joe Riggs
Riggs, a native of Sanford, Maine, is a former UFC fighter and puts his 32-10 record on the line as he faces Jay Hieron on January 30 in Miami. The 6’0”, 185 pound MMA fighter is extremely versatile as he has competed at weights ranging from Heavyweight down to Welterweight.

Melvin Manhoef
Melvin has an extensive kickboxing career is known for his aggressive fighting style and knockout power. He currently holds a career record of 24-6 and competed in a variety of promotions, including DREAM, K-1 and Cage Rage. The 5’8”, 205 pound MMA fighter will be taking on Robbie Lawler in the STRIKEFORCE fight on January 30.

Bobby Lashley
Lashley is a relative newcomer to the sport of MMA and is currently undefeated with a career record of 4-0. At 6’3” and 265 pounds, Lashley’s background is primarily in wrestling. He won three national amateur wrestling championships while in college, wrestled in the WWE and currently competes in TNA Wrestling.

Available on Xbox 360 and Wii (Feb. 2) and PlayStation 3 system (Feb. 4):
    Kenny Chesney – “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy”
    Montgomery Gentry – “Gone”
    Rascal Flatts – “Me and My Gang”
    Sara Evans – “Suds in the Bucket”
    Trace Adkins – “Swing”
    Willie Nelson – “On the Road Again”

The “Going Country Pack 03″ dlc will be available for purchase as individual tracks on Xbox 360 and Wii on Feb. 2nd,  and on PS3 on Feb. 4th  Priced at 160 MS points, 200 Wii points, and $1.99 on PSN each.

** Dates for Rock Band game tracks are tentative and subject to change. All songs are master recordings.**

EA Sports FIFA Online will first be released in a closed beta to Europe February 2nd.  then an open beta in June, and over the next 12 to 24 months the game will spread to North America and others.  For more information and to sign-up for the closed beta head here http://fifa-online.easports.com/

EA SPORTS UNVEILS free downloadable SOCCER game FOR PC

Fans Will Shape EA SPORTS FIFA Online Content During Development Process

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – January 29, 2010 – Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) announced today development of a free *, downloadable game called EA SPORTS™ FIFA Online that will make its most popular and highest rated^ videogame franchise available to soccer fans with a broadband internet connection and an average spec laptop computer or desk-top personal computer. The free-to-play EA SPORTS FIFA Soccer videogame will call on soccer fans and gamers to help shape features during closed beta testing prior to its English language European open beta release in June 2010.

“Listening to and engaging soccer fans has been one of the driving forces behind the success of our FIFA franchise and now we are inviting European football fans–in mass numbers and earlier than we ever have before–to help us develop a new soccer game,” said Executive Producer Kaz Makita. “Fans will determine the features that matter most, and at the end of this process, our goal is to deliver a game for fans looking for a quick soccer fix at home or at work.”

“There are a large number of soccer fans who do not want a console gaming experience due to time and other priorities in their personal lives but they still want to be able to play a top-quality soccer videogame,” explained Makita. “FIFA Online will be designed specifically for them.”

Beginning February 3, soccer fans across Europe are invited to register to participate in the closed beta development and testing of FIFA Online by visiting http://fifa-online.easports.com. More than 20,000 fans will be involved in the first phase of closed beta testing and then, during open beta in June, hundreds of thousands of fans will test the game, providing feedback directly to the game’s developers through exclusive discussion forums.

EA SPORTS FIFA Online will be released around the world in stages. The English language version will be available to all soccer fans in June, 2010. Over the next 12 to 24 months FIFA Online will launch in other languages across Europe and then in North America. Non-English speaking soccer fans will also be able to participate in the development process of these games.

EA SPORTS FIFA Online will offer an authentic soccer experience with 30 licensed leagues, 500 clubs and more than 15,000 players. During the first closed beta stage beginning February 3, the game will feature a 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa tournament mode and a control system that uses the mouse only. At the second stage of closed beta, the game will feature a League Mode that enables fans to manage and compete as their favorite soccer club, and the ability to play online matches. FIFA Online will enable soccer fans and gamers to build their favorite club into their dream team by developing or acquiring players, upgrading skills, and getting unique apparel by earning in-game currency to acquire items or through micro-transactions. Additional content will be designed for the game based on feedback by fans.

Register to play at http://fifa-online.easports.com.

EA SPORTS FIFA Online is developed by EA Canada and EA Singapore. The game is rated PEGI 3.

Screenshots can be downloaded at http://info.ea.com.

EA SPORTS™ is one of the leading sports entertainment brands in the world, with top-selling videogame franchises, award-winning interactive technology, global videogame competitions and breakthrough digital experiences. EA SPORTS delivers personal access to the emotion of sports through industry-leading sports simulation videogames, including Madden NFL football, FIFA Soccer, NHL® hockey, NBA LIVE basketball, NCAA® Football and NCAA Basketball, Fight Night boxing and Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® golf, while EA SPORTS Active for the Wii is the most critically acclaimed product available for interactive fitness.

For more information about EA SPORTS, including news, video, blogs, forums, fantasy leagues and game communities, please visit www.easports.com to connect, share and compete.

* Internet connection required. See website for details
^ according to Metacritic.com

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About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EATM, EA SPORTSTM, EA Mobile TM and POGOTM. In fiscal 2009, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $4.2 billion and had 31 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA’s homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA’s products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.
EA, EA SPORTS, EA Mobile, POGO and EA SPORTS Active are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. Official FIFA licensed product “© The FIFA name and OLP Logo are copyright or trademark protected by FIFA. All rights reserved.” Manufactured under license by Electronic Arts Inc. Player names and likenesses used under license from FIFA, International Federation of Professional Footballers “(FIFPro)” and national teams.

© The Official Emblem and Official Mascot of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ and the FIFA World Cup Trophy are copyrights and trademarks of FIFA. All rights reserved.

John Madden, NFL, NHL, NBA, NCAA, Tiger Woods and PGA TOUR are trademarks of their respective owners and used with permission

Fans will be able to participate in the $1,000,000 Major League Baseball 2K10 contest beginning on March 2, 2010 at 12:01 AM PST, and ending on May 1, 2010 at 11:59 PM PDT. To compete, gamers must play in MLB Today mode, select from any of the available matchups, and then choose the option to participate in the ‘Major League Baseball 2K10 contest’ that will automatically default to the proper gameplay settings according to the official gameplay rules. Entries must be recorded via camera or digital video recorder in compliance with guidelines provided by 2K in the Official Rules, and all eligible entrants must submit a copy of their recording in its entirety for verification. Submissions will only be accepted on DVD. To ensure accuracy in the verification and submission process, 2K Sports has partnered with Twin Galaxies International, the worldwide authority on video game world records, and provider of scores to Guinness World Records that are published in the Guinness World Records: Gamer’s Edition. For more information about the $1,000,000.00 Major League Baseball 2K10 contest, please visit: www.2ksports.com/perfectgame.

“After the success of the PS3 beta, we’re excited to provide gamers — especially our long-supporting, rabidly passionate PC fans — with another opportunity to get into the game before release,” says Patrick Bach, Senior Producer on Battlefield: Bad Company 2. “Our fans have been a huge part of the franchise’s success and we can’t wait for everyone to experience the amazing gameplay and unforgettable Battlefield moments in Battlefield: Bad Company 2.”

The Battlefield: Bad Company 2 console demo and PC beta will feature Port Valdez, a new vehicle focused map where up to 24 players (32 on PC) will compete against each other as either the US or Russian armies in the game’s Rush multiplayer mode. Players will have access to five land and three air vehicles where the Russian side can use everything in their arsenal including Main Battle Tanks as well as the fast-moving Quad Bikes and Mobile Armored AA. The fight will also be packed with plenty of infantry combat fought alongside the waterline towards a great oil industrial landscape in the Alaskan mountains.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 will be in stores on March 2, 2010 in North America and March 4, 2010 in Europe for the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and the PC. The Limited Edition can be pre-ordered now on all platforms at no extra cost, with participating retailers worldwide (while supplies last).

Boasting intense battles on a massive scale, players will wage war, creating enormous customizable armies and experimental war machines that can change the balance of power at any given moment. Assume the role of one of the three enigmatic commanders, each representing a unique faction with a rich story that brings a new level of emotional connection to the RTS genre.

“The partnership with Square Enix has been a highlight of my career,” said Chris Taylor, Founder and Creative Director of Gas Powered Games. “I couldn’t be more proud of what the team has accomplished, as the game has continually exceeded all of my expectations throughout its development.”

Larry Sparks, Vice President Brands PAL Region of Square Enix Ltd. comments, “SUPREME COMMANDER 2 has already achieved fantastic recognition across media and the RTS community winning E3 Best Strategy Game 2009 from IGN, 1UP and GameSpot. We’re thrilled to be working with Gas Powered Games to release a game that really pushes the genre’s gameplay and storyline expectations to a new level.”

While 3D TV does sound rather appealing to many there are many hurdles in-front of it, the biggest being are consumers willing to buy new slightly more expensive TV sets after just recently upgrading to HDtv sets.  Many consumers have only just recently made the upgrade to HD and with the current world economy they might not be really compelled to upgrade so soon.  Unfortunately for 3D TV it’s not as simple as a software upgrade, 3D TVs require different hardware then current HD models.  So while players might be able to receive free software based upgrades, TVs can not.  Unlike 3D technology of decades past, where red and blue images were presented on screen,  Current generation 3D requires two separate images to be projected, and to further enhance the image quality the projection needs to be fined tuned on the fly by the TV set to reduce blurring and other image quality issues.
The next hurdle is the glasses.  3D still requires glasses(though non glasses technology is being worked on) and glasses pose another price issue.  Consumers will be required to purchase multiple sets of glasses for each viewer.  But besides costs with glasses, do you want to be required to watch with glasses?
Another hurdle is image quality issues.  With 3D comes the chances of motion sickness, while this is a case by case issue, do consumers want to risk investing money in something that might make them sick?  The last thing you want to deal with while unwinding to your favorite show or game is needing to take a break due to feeling ill.

Now while the technology is being used as a way to enhance movies, by creating a more realistic feeling of depth, we haven’t heard any talk of how this might be adapted to games.  3D has many possible pluses in gaming, from the simple feeling of depth.  To possibly creating new ways heads up displays are presented.  Imagine playing Halo and getting a real feeling of being in the helmut of Master Chief, instead of a flat HUD you might get the curvature of your helmet.  Or playing Modern Warfare and bullets, explosions and debris really do wiz past your head.  While there are many options to incorporate 3D in gaming especially with the motion control movement later this year, but the possible price and physical issues(motion sickness) might become more of an issue.  Many people experience more motion sickness from FPS games due to the quick motions and who knows what type of pricing we might experience of game hardware and even software made for 3D.

3D TV is still in it’s infancy, and while hardware companies, service providers and TV networks are making a big push, there are still many obstacles and it will come down to the consumer.  3D might not become mainstream, however it might find itself a niche audience and it will be interesting to see how gaming incorporates the technology in the coming years.

mass effect 2 dlc

Early this morning Microsoft made a little boo boo and flipped the switch on a ton of Mass Effect 2 DLC a full 24 hours before the game launches.  However as soon as the DLC was there someone woke up and fixed the issue.

Built-In Video Capture To Ship With Just Cause 2

PlayStation players to publish their greatest achievements to YouTube

Friday 22nd January/… Square Enix London Studios, a part of Square Enix Europe, today announced that Just Cause 2 for the PlayStation 3 will ship with a built-in video capture feature, allowing players to record clips of their greatest in-game exploits and upload directly to YouTube.

With some of the most incredible emergent action sequences seen in any game, Just Cause 2 frequently features moments which simply defy description. Moments where the physics, gameplay and AI all come together to create an over-the-top stunt or spontaneously chaotic scene of carnage players will want to watch again and again. By activating Just Cause 2’s video capture feature, players will be able to automatically record the last 30 seconds of gameplay directly to the PlayStation 3’s hard drive and upload to YouTube.

BASE jumped from the highest bridge in the game? Captured. Jumped out of a jet fighter and crashed into an oil rig? Recorded. Parachuted off a cliff onto a passing helicopter, laying waste to a military harbour with missiles, before ejecting, skydiving down through enemy flak, grappling soldiers to passing aircraft, leaving nothing but the smoking remains of the military might? Saved, uploaded and published for the world to see.

Also available from the in-game menu is a 10 minute capture feature which allows players to create more detailed and planned presentations. Gamers will be able to capture and share in-game mission walkthroughs, create online speed-run competitions, direct their own South East Asian-inspired Machinima and more, with the best YouTube videos linked from the official website allowing users to vote on their favourites, with prizes awarded for the best of the best.

As Rico Rodriguez, the Agency’s most powerful weapon, players must take on the island of Panau and its military regime in order to track down Rico’s former boss and mentor, Tom Sheldon, who has gone rogue with millions in Agency cash and intel. Using a unique grapple and parachute combination, there is no vertical limit as the air becomes your playground: grapple a passing plane in flight, hijack helicopters, BASE jump from the tallest buildings or mountains and leave a trail of chaos and destruction in your wake. Just Cause 2 offers players the freedom to tackle missions any way they choose and, with over 100 vehicles and countless upgrades and collectibles, the choices for relentless adrenaline-fuelled action are limitless.

Just Cause 2’s video capture and upload feature will be available exclusively for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system. Just Cause 2 will also ship for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Games for Windows® and will be released under the EIDOS brand portfolio. All formats will release in-stores on March 23rd, 2010, in North America and March 26th, 2010, in Europe, Middle East, and Australasia. More information is available on the official website at www.justcause.com.

Available on Xbox 360 and Wii (Jan. 26) and PlayStation 3 system (Jan. 28):
    Blue Öyster Cult – “Godzilla”
    Blue Öyster Cult – “Transmaniacon MC”
    Hawkwind – “Master of the Universe”
    I Mother Earth – “Levitate”
    Motörhead – “Killed by Death ‘08”
    Nazareth – “Hair of the Dog” (2008 re-recording)
    Rage Against the Machine – “Bulls on Parade”

These tracks will be available for purchase as individual tracks on Xbox 360 and Wii on Jan. 26th,  and on PS3 on Jan 28th.  Priced at 160 MS points, 200 Wii points, and $1.99 on PSN each.

** Dates for Rock Band game tracks are tentative and subject to change. All songs are master recordings.**

Along with a decent storyline are nice visuals which look like a high res. Version of World of Warcraft. Take note blizzard, Just kidding. Decent combat, just think of God of War or any other hack n’ slash and you get the gist of it. Pulling off combos is as easy as hitting XXX. But the combat fits well in this Zelda style action game. Speaking of Zelda this almost feels like a demonic clone of the recent 3D Zelda games. You have your basic Z targeting by hitting the left trigger. The weaponry shares some similarity but also has some unique items to mix things up a bit. Finally you get Epona! Well, not exactly you get a horse but it’s more on the demonic side. While these may sound like pure rip offs they actually are implemented very well and keep the pacing of the game going.

Visually the game looks amazing. The opening cinematic was one of the better CGI cut scenes in a long time. It popped out at you and can get you wondering whats going on. Each environment feels fresh and has new and unique things to look at. You never feel like you’re in a spot for too long and what back tracking you have to do is not really a bad thing since will get to explore areas even further. The only lacking feature is that on the Xbox 360 version some screen tearing occurs. While it may not be noticeable to everyone it doesn’t hamper the experience of the game.

While Darksiders sounds like an amazing title it does have its fair share of problems. While playing the game you will come to section in which you are required to disband a curse in order to open up a new section. This has you travel about the map and go into these time trial like scenarios in which certain objectives must be done. It seems like they wanted to have the player play around with the different ways to dispatch enemies, they just felt tacked on. The other complaint is that sometimes when you would get too close to an edge or even the right spot to jump you would just fall to your death resulting in a loss of life. Toss in the few technical errors and that sums up the overall complaints. Again these are minuscule complaints in a 15+ hour game.

Darksiders has a lot to offer with its nice visuals and game play. And with the first quarter of this year being so jammed pack it is good to see that thus far we have rang in the New Year with a bang, or rather an apocalypse.

*We reviewed this game on the Xbox 360 but there is little to no difference to the PS3 version.

Gameplay
Presentation
Graphics
Sound
Replay Value
Overall Rating: 8.0/10

As Xbox Live Arcade’s Game of the Year, Castle Crashers delivers unique hi-res illustrated visuals like nothing you’ve ever seen before. Play with up to three friends locally or over Xbox LIVE to save your princess, defend your kingdom, and crash some castles with an arsenal of combos and magical attacks to choose from! Priced at 1200 Microsoft points, Castle Crashers boasts 20 levels, over 40 weapons, and 20 unlockable characters, making this one of the largest games available on Xbox LIVE Arcade.

MOTION CONTROLLER*1 FOR PLAYSTATION®3 TO BECOME AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE IN FALL 2010

Motion Controller, Together with an Extensive Line-up of Software Titles, Delivers Whole New Entertainment Experience on PlayStation®3

Tokyo, January 20, 2010 – Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) today announced that it will release its new Motion Controller (tentative name) for PlayStation®3 (PS3®) computer entertainment system in fall 2010 in Japan, Asian regions and countries, North America and Europe/PAL territories together with an extensive line-up of exciting software titles. The new controller, combined together with the PlayStation®Eye camera*2, can detect the natural and intuitive movement of the hand and reflect the precise movement within the game, delivering a whole new entertainment experience on PS3.

“We have decided to release the Motion Controller in fall 2010 when we will be able to offer an exciting and varied line-up of software titles that will deliver the new entertainment experience to PS3 users, ” said Kazuo Hirai, President and Group CEO, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. “We will continue to work to have a comprehensive portfolio of attractive and innovative games for the Motion Controller, not only from SCE Worldwide Studios but also from the third party developers and publishers, whom we have been working closely with. We look forward to soon unveiling the exciting software line-up that further expand and define the PS3 platform as the ultimate entertainment system for the home.”

SCE will vigorously promote the Motion Controller as the de facto controller of the PS3 platform along with the DUALSHOCK® series controller and will deploy various measures to enhance the software title line-up for the Motion Controller, delivering groundbreaking interactive entertainment only possible on the PS3 platform.
*1 Motion Controller is a tentative name.
*2 Users will need to use the PlayStation Eye camera to enjoy Motion Controller on PS3.

About Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
Recognized as the global leader and company responsible for the progression of consumer-based computer entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) manufactures, distributes and markets the PlayStation® game console, the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) handheld entertainment system and the PlayStation®3 (PS3®) system. PlayStation has revolutionized home entertainment by introducing advanced 3D graphic processing, and PlayStation 2 further enhances the PlayStation legacy as the core of home networked entertainment. PSP is a handheld entertainment system that allows users to enjoy 3D games, with high-quality full-motion video, and high-fidelity stereo audio. PS3 is an advanced computer system, incorporating the state-of-the-art Cell processor with super computer like power. SCEI, along with its subsidiary divisions Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd., and Sony Computer Entertainment Korea Inc. develops, publishes, markets and distributes software, and manages the third party licensing programs for these platforms in the respective markets worldwide. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, SCEI is an independent business unit of the Sony Group.

###

PlayStation, PS3 and PSP are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Dark Void’s unique combination of jetpack-booster aerial dog fighting and third-person combat creates a thrilling new gameplay dynamic to the third-person shooter experience. Taking 3D action to a whole new level, Dark Void’s unique vertical combat system allows players to dangle from thousand foot drops as they take cover and hurl enemies to their doom, bringing a whole new sense of tension and thrill to the player. Will is also equipped with a powerful rocket pack which allows for fierce in-air combat, hurtling through the Void at blistering speeds while shooting down anything that gets in his path.

You can grab the demo on Xbox.com’s Marketplace.

Key features

• Sci-Fi action/adventure combines aerial and on-foot combat for a totally unique third-person shooter experience
• Will’s jetpack delivers total freedom of movement allowing players to race against UFOs in high-speed chases and rain death from above onto unsuspecting otherworldly foes
• Speed and scale unmatched by any other action title: send Will zipping through tight corridors and then out into immense canyons and futuristic geoscapes
• Gravity-defying vertical combat system, where moving up is the only way to bring your enemies down
• Seemless transition between jetpack flight, ship-to-ship dog fighting and third-person shoot-‘em-up action all exists within the same level – not broken up into different “areas”
• Unique grip system that allows the players to scale walls by jumping from surface to surface and hijack UFO’s while in mid-air
• Huge bosses that require fast reflexes and aerial barnstorming manoeuvres to defeat
• Developed by Airtight Studios, a new group featuring team members from the Crimson Skies series of video games

Available on Xbox 360 and Wii (Jan. 19) and PlayStation 3 system (Jan. 21):
     Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – “A Woman in Love (Live)” *
     Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – “Breakdown (Live)” *
     Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – “Century City (Live)” *
     Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – “Jammin’ Me (Live)”
     Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – “Nightwatchman (Live)”
     Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – “The Waiting (Live)” *
     Phoenix – “1901” *
     Phoenix – “Lisztomania” *
     Silvertide – “Blue Jeans”

Price: 160 Microsoft Points/$1.99/200 Wii Points per track, 440 Microsoft Points/$5.49 for “Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Live Anthology Pack 02” Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii Respectfully.

Tracks marked with a “*” are also available in the family-friendly LEGO Rock Band Music Store.

** Dates for Rock Band game tracks are tentative and subject to change. All songs are master recordings.**

“We really enjoyed incorporating the contest winners’ designs into finished levels and have been playing them non-stop,” said Sukhbir Sidhu, Studio Director at PopCap and co-creator of Peggle and Peggle Nights. “These user-generated concepts turned out quite well in terms of playability and challenge, and it’s really interesting and inspiring to see level design ideas from fans of the game!”

The new levels in the Art Contest level pack feature whimsical “mash-ups” of PopCap characters and imagery as well as re-imaginings of past levels. Grand prize winners Matt Ward of Heanor, Derbyshire England (in the adult category) and Michael and Stephanie Liu, youth category co-winners from Naperville, Illinois, visited PopCap’s headquarters in August to play-test and provide feedback on the levels based on their designs.

The user-created levels, and their respective creators, are:
• “Bucket Revisited” – Michael and Stephanie Liu (Grand Prize, Youth category) – a redrawing of the classic Das Bucket level with Peggle characters.
• “Dynamic Two-Oh” – Matt Ward (Grand Prize, Adult category) – the Undercover Unicorn patrols the streets and rooftops of Pegopolis with his crime-busting partner, Kid Radical!
• “Fun Dead” – Anthony Maddaloni – (Runner-up) – a combination of Peggle and Plants vs. Zombies results in a graveyard scare!
• “Caykee” – Jessica Kozulbal – (Runner-up) – Caykee the Cupcake presents her argument for inanimate objects as Peggle Masters!
• “Peggle 3D” – Brice Johnson (Runner-up) – What if Peggle fully embraced the third dimension? This level presents one possible vision.

At least Splinter Cell has a new tentative date, but GT5’s lack of launch window is real disheartening, lets hope that GT5 doesn’t turn to vaporware and hits stores before the end of the year.

MOVIES, TV EPISODES STREAMED INSTANTLY FROM NETFLIX HEADED TO NINTENDO’S WII CONSOLE THIS SPRING

Millions of U.S. Wii Owners Will Have the Opportunity to Access the World’s Largest Online Movie Rental Service

REDMOND, Wash., and LOS GATOS, Calif., Jan. 13, 2010 – Nintendo of America Inc. and Netflix, Inc. [Nasdaq: NFLX] today announced an agreement that will allow Netflix members who are also owners of Nintendo’s Wii™ home console to instantly watch thousands of movies and TV episodes streamed from Netflix directly to their TVs. Netflix is scheduled to go live on the Wii console this spring in the United States at no additional cost to Netflix members who have a plan starting at $8.99 a month, a Wii console and a broadband Internet connection.

The partnership between the two companies will extend the reach of content streamed from Netflix farther than ever before, thanks to the mainstream popularity of the Wii console. Wii remains the fastest-selling home console in history, and reaches more consumers than any other device that currently supports streaming movies from Netflix. In December 2009, Nintendo sold well in excess of 3 million Wii consoles in the United States. Wii is the top-selling home video game system of this generation, and as such brings the Netflix experience to a broad and diverse mass market.

“Our research shows that 86 percent of all U.S. Wii consoles are located in the living room,” said Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. “The Wii console is the social hub around which friends and family members gather to play games and have fun. Soon both new and longtime Wii owners will enjoy the benefits of Netflix – and a variety of informational and entertainment options – by being Netflix members and connecting their consoles to the Internet.”

“Our goal is to offer Netflix members as many ways as possible to watch movies and TV episodes streamed from Netflix right to their TVs and to give non-members more and compelling reasons to consider the service,” said Netflix co-founder and CEO Reed Hastings. “Joining forces with Nintendo, which has been so immensely popular with consumers since its introduction, is a very meaningful step in that direction.”

With 11.1 million U.S. subscribers as of Sept. 30, 2009, Netflix continues to expand the ways in which its members can watch movies and TV shows streamed directly to TVs via a range of Netflix-ready devices such as the Wii console. Netflix memberships start as low as $8.99 a month, and members also can receive unlimited DVDs delivered quickly to their homes. At the same time, consumers continue to demonstrate a preference for Wii consoles, which offer tremendous value, whether measured in fun games, shared experiences or the suggested retail price of just $199.99.

To enable their systems to stream content from Netflix, Wii owners will need a Netflix instant-streaming disc for the Wii console, which will be available at no additional cost to Netflix subscribers. The free disc looks and operates the same as a disc-based Wii game, and the entire user experience will feel natural and intuitive to Wii console owners. Netflix members and Wii console owners can now reserve a free instant-streaming disc by going to www.netflix.com/Wii. Once available in the spring, the discs will be delivered for free by first-class mail.

When the instant-streaming disc is inserted into a member’s Wii system, an array of movie and TV choices will be displayed right on their TV screen. These titles will be conveniently organized into a variety of categories based on members’ personal preferences and will include popular genres, new arrivals and members’ individual instant Queues. Using the Wii Remote™ controller, members will be able to choose a movie or TV episode to watch from their instant Queues or pick one directly from any of the lists. They will also have the ability to read synopses and rate movies, and will have the option of fast-forwarding and rewinding their selection.

Netflix adds another dimension to the Wii console’s diverse online features, which range from downloadable new and classic games in the Wii Shop Channel, to online multiplayer gaming with games like Mario Kart™ Wii, to video highlights and information about titles for the Wii and Nintendo DS™ systems via the Nintendo Channel™.

About Nintendo
The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii™, Nintendo DS™ and Nintendo DSi™ systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold more than 3.2 billion video games and more than 535 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii, Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™ and Nintendo GameCube™ systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario™, Donkey Kong™, Metroid™, Zelda™ and Pokémon™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, visit the company’s Web site at www.Nintendo.com.

About Netflix, Inc.
Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX) is the world’s largest online movie rental service, with more than 11 million subscribers. For only $8.99 a month, Netflix members can instantly watch unlimited movies and TV episodes streamed to their TVs and computers and can receive unlimited DVDs delivered quickly to their homes. There are never any due dates or late fees. Netflix members can exchange DVDs as often as they want using a postage-paid return envelope. Members can choose from a vast selection of DVD titles and a growing library of movies and TV episodes that can be watched instantly. Netflix is partnering with leaders in consumer electronics to bring to market a range of devices that can instantly stream movies and TV episodes from Netflix directly to members’ TVs. These devices currently include Blu-ray disc players and Internet TVs from LG Electronics; Blu-ray disc players from Samsung, Sony and Best Buy’s Insignia brand; the Roku digital video player; Microsoft’s Xbox 360 game console; Sony’s PS3 computer entertainment system; TiVo digital video recorders; and Internet TVs from Sony and, soon, VIZIO.

A quick layman’s explanation from the article,  Natal’s camera is basically using a rather sophisticated AI to decipher what your doing in-front of the camera.  That AI then turns your actions into 1’s and 0’s for the different games to use.  Another neat fact is that the system learns and Microsoft is currently hard at work teaching and then further improving the AI before launch later this year.  For the full article and more pictures of the nuts and bolts head over the the PopSci site.

1. 2009 Audi RS 6
2. 2010 Ford Shelby GT500
3. 2009 Lotus 2-Eleven
4. 2010 Aston Martin One-77
5. 2010 Porsche Boxster S
6. 2009 Audi R8 LMS Show Car
7. 2010 Pagani Zonda R
8. 2010 Saleen S5S Raptor
9. 2010 BMW Motorsport M6 Coupe
10. 2010 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport

Information about where to obtain open beta keys and where to download the open beta client can be found on the official Star Trek Online website at: http://www.startrekonline.com/openbeta.

“We are thrilled to give open beta access to fans as we draw nearer to the official release of Star Trek Online,” said Craig Zinkievich, Executive Producer on Star Trek Online. “We are looking forward to the launch of our first-of-a-kind MMORPG with anticipation and excitement and we expect Star Trek Online to explode onto the scene, giving fans and gamers a Star Trek experience like no other.”

Taking place in the year 2409, Star Trek Online boasts extraordinary features and lets fans both new and old experience unparalleled adventures.  Players will have the opportunity to become a high ranking Starfleet officer and will participate in missions that will take them into the depths of space, across exotic planets and even inside other starships.  Star Trek Online offers total customization, where every ship players command can be customized, from color to construction. Additionally, anyone can create their own species in Star Trek Online, as well as customize the look of their avatar’s uniform.

Click here to view the embedded video.