Redwood City, Calif. – June 22, 2006 – Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) announced today that Need for Speed™ Carbon is in development and will hit the streets this November. Developed by EA Black Box in Vancouver, British Columbia, Need for Speed Carbon delivers the next generation of adrenaline-filled street racing and will challenge players to face the ultimate test of driving skill on treacherous canyon roads.
“We pride ourselves on our ability to reinvent the franchise and continually uncover new and exciting trends in car culture. Canyon Racing is a real test of a driver’s skill and we think it provides a fantastic game play opportunity to lean into,” said Larry LaPierre, the game’s executive producer.
What starts in the city is settled in the canyons as Need for Speed Carbon immerses you into the world’s most dangerous and adrenaline-filled form of street racing. You and your crew must race in an all-out war for the city, risking everything to take over your rivals’ neighborhoods one block at a time. As the police turn up the heat, the battle ultimately shifts to Carbon Canyon, where territories and reputations can be lost on every perilous curve. Need for Speed Carbon delivers the next generation of customization giving you the power to design and tweak your crew’s cars in every way using the ground-breaking new Autosculpt™ technology. Represent your car class, your crew, and your turf in Need for Speed Carbon, the next revolution in racing games.
Redwood City, Calif. – Thursday, June 22, 2006 – Washington Capitals rookie phenom Alexander Ovechkin has signed with Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) to be the cover athlete and spokesman for its EA SPORTS™ branded NHL® 07 game. Drafted first overall in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, Ovechkin lived up to his potential and put forth the third most prolific rookie campaign in NHL history. Exceeding his freshman status, Ovechkin made his presence known by finishing the season third overall in the League for points (106), tied for third in goals (52), and first in shots (425).
“To me, I feel like your accomplishments have been recognized when you make the cover of a videogame,” said Ovechkin. “I have been playing EA SPORTS games for years and am honored to be a part of the NHL® 07 team.”
Ovechkin exploded onto the scene in the 2005-06 season, playing with a level of intensity, passion, and talent that is causing many to label him the new face of the NHL. At the age of 20, he has already won the Valery Kharlamov Trophy as the best Russian player in the NHL and is a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy for outstanding rookie. More telling of his reputation around the League is his nomination for the Lester B. Pearson Award, an honor bestowed upon the outstanding player as voted by his peers in the NHL Players’ Association.
The golden age of console hockey will return when NHL 07 debuts with gameplay innovations that will allow players to feel like they are actually on the ice. Featuring an unmatched level of freedom and control, NHL 07 will represent a watershed moment in the history of the console hockey when it ships throughout Canada and the United States in September 2006. Hockey purists and casual fans alike will feel like they can play like a pro when they pick up NHL 07.
NEW YORK – June 22, 2006 – 2K Sports, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), announced today that NHL All-Star center Joe Thornton of the San Jose Sharks is the official spokesman and cover athlete for NHL 2K7. The 2005-06 NHL assist and points leader was the catalyst behind the San Jose Sharks’ 2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs run, and has established himself as one of the best centers in the NHL.
The overall first pick of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, Thornton has achieved many awards in his successful career. Named an NHL All-Star three consecutive times, Thornton has been a valuable member of Team Canada in international play, winning a gold medal for Team Canada in the 2004 World Cup, and was named MVP in the 2005 World Championship. In his first year at San Jose, he helped lead the Sharks into the 2006 NHL Playoffs with his diligent work ethic, exceptional passing, and unselfish play. He is the 2006 recipient of the Art Ross Trophy, awarded to the League’s leader in points at the end of the regular season, as well as a nominee for this year’s Hart Memorial Trophy as the League MVP and the Lester B. Pearson Award.
“We’re very proud to have Joe Thornton represent NHL 2K7,” stated Erik Whiteford, vice president of marketing, 2K Sports. “Joe had an amazing season and it was through his leadership, team-first philosophy, and winning attitude that make him the ideal athlete to be the face of our finest NHL 2K title to date.”
“It’s a great distinction to have been selected as the cover athlete for NHL 2K7,” said Thornton. “The NHL 2K series has been recognized as the top rated and premiere NHL video game for several years and to be associated with such a great product is truly an honor.”
Available in Fall 2006 for the Xbox 360(TM) and Xbox(R) video game and entertainment systems from Microsoft, PlayStation(R)3 computer entertainment system and PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system, NHL 2K7 features completely new and unique skating animations and delivers a fresh look and impeccable feel to each on-ice stride. NHL 2K7 also debuts a unique approach to viewing and experiencing virtual hockey with new dynamic cameras and an innovative presentation system that will immerse players into the intense drama of each hockey game. 2K Sports expects NHL 2K7 to continue the tradition as the best rated hockey game on any system.
For more information, log onto http://www.2ksports.com
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – Wednesday, June 21, 2005 – Electronic Arts (Nasdaq: ERTS) announced today that Tracy McGrady, one of the most explosive and electrifying athletes over his nine-year NBA career, has been selected the new face of NBA LIVE 07, scheduled for release this fall under the EA SPORTS™ brand.
The Houston Rockets forward joins an exclusive list of NBA players to be selected to the cover of the best-selling EA SPORTS basketball franchise*. McGrady will serve as spokesperson and will be the center-piece of NBA LIVE 07 advertising, marketing and packaging in North America and several other countries around the world.
A two-time NBA scoring champion and six-time NBA All-Star, McGrady embodies athleticism and masterful skill, characteristics that the best-selling NBA LIVE 07 videogame brings to life. McGrady led the league in scoring by averaging 32.1 points per game in 2003, when he became the youngest NBA player to average 30-plus points per game since Bob McAdoo in 1974-75, and has remained one of the game’s most popular and entertaining players. McGrady finished 12th in NBA scoring (24.4 ppg) this year and averaged 6.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists. It was the sixth time in his career he has scored more than 24 points a game.
“I’ve always looked upon the EA SPORTS athletes as fan favorites so I’m honored to be named this year’s NBA LIVE 07 cover athlete and join the EA SPORTS family,” said McGrady. “Each year there is tremendous anticipation around the league as players wait to see themselves in NBA LIVE and I feel like this year my virtual self plays more like me than ever before. This is as close to playing in the NBA as you get.”
McGrady joins an exclusive list of superstar athletes previously featured on the cover of the best-selling NBA LIVE franchise, including Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat (2006), Carmelo Anthony (2005), Vince Carter (2004), and Jason Kidd (2003).
This year NBA LIVE 07 will play as good as it looks with gameplay advancements that build upon the depth and authenticity that the NBA LIVE franchise has delivered for more than a decade. Powered by next generation technology that EA showcased at Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), NBA LIVE 07 will introduce the next generation of basketball gameplay with EA SPORTS™ Total Freestyle Control, a new feature that gives users more control over athletes than they ever imagined. By introducing a ground-breaking next generation AI system that is both intuitive and intelligent, combined with advancements to fan-favorite features like All-Star Weekend and Dynasty Mode™, NBA LIVE 07 will continue to deliver its award-winning gameplay experience to fans worldwide.
This year NBA LIVE 07 will partner with the worldwide leader in sports to deliver more ESPN content in-game while you play than ever before. The most advanced ESPN integration package with never-before-seen features will be available only through NBA LIVE 07.
The official NBA LIVE 07 website will host news and information on this year’s game, behind the scenes looks at the TV commercial shoots and the making of the game, as well as contests, videos, screenshots and pod casts with some of the top 2006 NBA Draft picks. Go to www.nbalive07.com for the latest news and features for NBA LIVE 07.
Developed in Vancouver, B.C., by EA Canada, the studio which is also home to the popular NBA STREET and NCAA® March Madness® franchises, NBA LIVE 07 will be available on the Xbox 360™ and Xbox® video game systems from Microsoft, the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) system, and PC.
NBA LIVE Cover Athletes – North America
NBA LIVE 07 – Tracy McGrady, Houston Rockets
NBA LIVE 06 – Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
NBA LIVE 2005 – Carmelo Anthony, Denver Nuggets
NBA LIVE 2004 – Vince Carter, Toronto Raptors
NBA LIVE 2003 – Jason Kidd, New Jersey Nets
NBA LIVE 2002 – Steve Francis, Houston Rockets
NBA LIVE 2001 – Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves
NBA LIVE 2000 – Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs
NBA LIVE 1999 – Antoine Walker, Boston Celtics
NBA LIVE 1998 – Tim Hardaway, Miami Heat
NBA LIVE 1997 – Mitch Richmond, Sacramento Kings
NBA LIVE 1996 – Shaquille O’Neal, Orlando Magic
NBA LIVE 1995 – New York Knicks vs Houston Rockets
* Based on total franchise sales according to NPD Data.
Santa Monica, CA – June 14, 2006 – Issuing a call to Allied gamers everywhere, Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) announced today that it has joined with Best Buy to recruit players for the Call of Duty® 2 Xbox 360™ online gaming tournament, facilitated by the Global Gaming League (GGL). Now through June 16, 2006, gamers can log on to www.bestbuy.com/gamingtournaments and register to compete against the best Call of Duty®2 players for the chance to win a 2006 Jeep® Wrangler, Best Buy™ Gift Cards and more. Entrants must have Xbox Live® Gold to participate.
“As the most popular next-gen online multiplayer game on Xbox Live, Call of Duty®2 has a fan following that thrives on this type of competition. And by partnering with Best Buy and the Global Gaming League, we’re able to give gamers even more incentive to answer the call for some great action,” said Dave Anderson, senior director, licensing and business development, Activision, Inc.
More than 500, four-person teams will battle in single-elimination, bracket-style competitions that will narrow the field to the top eight players. Finalists will take to the front lines on July 22-23 for the chance to win the Grand Prize — a 2006 Jeep® Wrangler. First- and second-prize winners will each receive a $500 and $200 Best Buy™ Gift Card respectively.
“The Call of Duty® 2 Tournament gives our customers a chance to test their skills and compete for prizes in a game they really love to play,” said Jill Hamburger, vice president of video games at Best Buy. “Our online tournaments are really popular. By offering them, we’re helping people make the most of their gaming systems and experience their games like never before.”
“Call of Duty®2 has incredible gameplay and a rabid fan base, so this is going to be a fantastic tournament!” said Jason Carlton, GGL’s Head of Community and Gaming. “As the leading online tournament producer and gaming community, GGL will deliver a great experience to Best Buy’s and Activision’s passionate gamers.”
For complete registration information, along with rules and regulations, go to www.bestbuy.com/gamingtournaments.
Starting tomorrow, Xbox 360 gamers will be able to access a vigorous system-wide update creating a new pinnacle for next-generation gaming and entertainment. The Xbox 360 spring update introduces more than 125 revolutionary features and enhancements adding to Xbox 360’s sheer power, stunning high-definition graphics, rich online capabilities and innovative media offerings delivering a digital gaming and entertainment experience that simply can’t be matched.
Since the launch of Xbox 360 in November 2005, Microsoft has continuously focused on gamer and community feedback to determine further improvements and enhancements for the evolving next-generation experience, resulting in this inaugural mass update. With more than half of all Xbox 360 gamers connected online, Xbox is further catering to its fans by delivering the spring update in the way they want it. This free update will be digitally distributed over Xbox Live to all members (Xbox Live Silver and Gold) with no disc or hard drive required to take advantage of the plethora of new features. Gamers without an Xbox Live account can easily sign up for the free network by connecting their console to a broadband internet connection. Once online, downloading the update takes less than a minute and provides instant access to features including:
Xbox Live Marketplace Enhancements
· New background download manager gives gamers the ability to queue up and download six high definition items at a time including playable game demos, Xbox Live Arcade games, music videos and movie trailers while actively playing games or browsing the dashboard. As an added benefit, if gamers engage in multiplayer gameplay while downloads are in process, the new background download manager will automatically pause the download queue until the multiplayer session is complete ensuring a continuously optimal gameplay experience.
· Updated Xbox Live Marketplace menus makes it easier for players to find and store all of their gaming and entertainment content. This includes the addition of new menus for media and entertainment content as well as enhanced menus making it easier for gamers to find what’s new in each section as well as a quick view at all downloads by category.
· Full remote control features for Xbox Live Marketplace videos allow gamers to fast forward and rewind at various speeds (2X-16X) during all videos downloaded from Marketplace.
Music Player Improvements
· Custom background music now continues to play without interruption during game loads and when transitioning from game to game or disc content.
· During music play, the music playback screen now showcase the artist, song title and time remaining on the song along with a visualizer showing which song on the playlist or album is currently playing.
DVD Movie Playback Upgrades
· DVD movie bookmarking now allows gamers to pause a movie at any point, put in a game for gameplay and return to the movie at the exact point it left off.
· Improved DVD movie playback for a smoother, higher quality viewing experience, including additional VGA support.
These features are just some of the new experiences gamers can expect on the system as part of this spring update. For a list of additional new features and improvements, visit http://www.xbox.com/live .
BioShock looked great at E3! I loved it. The water effects were mesmerizing.
New York, NY – May 30, 2006 – 2K, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. announced today that BioShock has received multiple nominations in the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) Game Critics Awards and to date has won 17 E3 awards including a sweep of Best of Show awards from IGN, GameSpot, and GameSpy. BioShock is an innovative shooter in development at Irrational Games, a wholly owned 2K studio. BioShock will be available for next generation systems in 2007.
“We are very pleased with the overwhelming enthusiasm BioShock received at E3,” said Christoph Hartmann, President, 2K. “Irrational Games is at the forefront of defining next generation gaming with BioShock. Set in a rich underwater utopia gone horribly wrong, BioShock features emergent gameplay driven by player choice which seamlessly integrates RPG, adventure, and shooter elements.”
Awards:
E3 Game Critics – Winner to be announced
Nominated: Best of Show
Nominated: Best Original Game
Nominated: Best Console Game
Nominated: Best Action/Adventure Game
GameSpot
Winner: Best of Show
Winner: Best Xbox 360™ Game
Winner: Best Action Adventure Game
IGN
Winner: Best Game in Show
Winner: Best RPG (Xbox 360)
Winner: Best RPG (Overall)
IGN (cont.)
Winner: Best Artistic Design (Xbox 360)
Winner: Best Artistic Design (Overall)
Winner: Console Game of Show (Xbox 360)
Winner: Console Game of Show (Overall)
GameSpy
Winner: Best of Show (Overall)
Winner: Game of Show (PC)
GamesRadar
Winner: Best of E3 (Xbox 360)
Team Xbox
Winner: Best Sound
DailyGame
Winner: Best of Show (FPS)
CV Games
Winner: Game of the Show
Winner: Best of Show (Xbox 360)
Playboy.com
Selected as one of the top 5 best of show
Scripps Howard Syndicate
Selected as one of 10 notable games
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., May 23, 2006 – Electronic Arts (Nasdaq: ERTS) and the Jeep ® brand announced today that they have signed a deal that will give gamers a chance to experience Jeep vehicles in Medal of Honor Airborne™ as they were found in World War II. The classic Willys-Overland Jeep will appear for extended, action-packed sequences in several missions of Medal of Honor Airborne.
Medal of Honor Airborne is the newest installment from EA’s critically-acclaimed Medal of Honor™ franchise which was credited with pioneering the First-Person Shooter (FPS) WWII genre when it debuted in 1999, and is the best selling WWII FPS franchise of all time. By fully controlling the airdrop from the very first step through landing, Medal of Honor Airborne adds a new dimension of player choice by letting the player decide where every mission begins and how it plays out. Building on the key tenets of the franchise including historical accuracy, research, and authenticity, for the first time Medal of Honor Airborne will include fully player-drivable vehicles, including the Willys Jeep.
Jeep played an integral role in the war effort as an indispensable tool in tracking the enemy, exchanging information and moving troops. Over 350,000 Willys Jeep vehicles were built and used during WWII, and at one point the assembly line was pushing out one vehicle every 90 seconds. When driving a Willys Jeep in Medal of Honor Airborne, the player can choose to use it as a mode of transportation, or as a mobile attack platform taking full advantage of a variety of mounted weapons. Authentic to their use in WWII, the Willys Jeep will be able to access more areas than the other drivable vehicles featured in Medal of Honor Airborne, because of Jeep vehicle’s superior four-wheel drive off-road capabilities.
“Video games are quickly becoming the medium of choice for a new generation of consumers and Chrysler Group has been at the forefront of this exciting revolution,” said Jay Kuhnie, Director – Jeep Communications, Chrysler Group. “By teaming with Electronic Arts and Medal of Honor Airborne, Jeep is celebrating its history while helping to take this medium to its next level.”
“The Medal of Honor Airborne experience begins with unprecedented freedom of approach from the air. With the addition of the Willys Jeep, that freedom continues on the ground, on road and off, and in combat scenarios of all types.” explained Patrick Gilmore, VP and Executive Producer at EALA. “This is the first time in any Medal of Honor game that a player will have the ability to drive a Willys Jeep, and we’re very excited to see this new addition increase the fun and intensity of the gameplay.”
New York, NY – May 23, 2006 – Rockstar Games, the world-renowned publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), is pleased to announce that Rockstar Games presents Table Tennis for the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft is now available at retail stores in North America with a MSRP of $39.99.
Developed by Rockstar San Diego, Rockstar Games presents Table Tennis is a perfectly focused, addictive experience that features 11 playable characters from around the world, over 15 international arenas and supports up to 8 player tournaments via Xbox Live.
“Rockstar’s title is intense, fast and engaging” and “comes closer to replicating the feel of the real-life sport than maybe any sports game in history,” said IGN.com, while TeamXbox.com named it “Sports Game of the Show” at E3 2006.
Rockstar Games presents Table Tennis is rated “E” for Everyone. The title will reach European retail shelves on May 26th, 2006 for a price of €39.99, and £29.99 in the UK.
This demo lets you play the first mission of Hitman: Blood Money, teaching you the basics of what it takes to enter the world of high-stakes contract killing. Your mission is to eliminate the man known as “The Swing King,” who has been located at an old broken down amusement park now functioning as a drug lab. Though your objective is clear, it is up to you to determine the best way to perform the execution.
The latest installment of the popular Hitman franchise, Hitman: Blood Money, features enhanced artificial intelligence, a massive arsenal of upgradeable weaponry, as well as the new Blood Money system which allows characters in future missions to react to Agent 47 based upon how much his presence was noticed in the past. Hitman: Blood Money is set to ship May 30th, but you don’t have to wait to find out if you have what it takes to control the world’s deadliest assassin… download the demo now at www.hbmdemo.com and prepare to make a killing!
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