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Previous News Articles EA announces NBA Street Vol. 2 Screenshots of NBA Street Vol. 2 have been on the Net for a very long time now, but Electronic Arts officially announced the game today for the PlayStation 2 and other console platforms. According to EA, NBA Street 2 is due out spring 2003 and it will feature 145 NBA players, six street legends, and 25 NBA legends -- including Magic Johnson, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Walton, Dr. J and many others. Other new features include a multiplayer mode for up to four players, an enhanced create-a-player mode, beefed up visuals, and even more street courts. -Matt C. Tuesday January 14, 2003 Midway looking for Slugfest 20-04 cheerleaders If you've ever played MLB Slugfest 20-03, you'd know that before and after each game, there are pictures of two saucy cheerleaders. Starting today, Midway is looking for two brand new girls to be the new cheerleaders for MLB Slugfest 20-04. Midway Sports will be accepting tryout videos from the first 15,000 women, ages 18 to 25, interested in becoming the next Midway Sports MLB SlugFest Cheerleaders. Videos will be accepted until March 11, 2003 and the two winners will each receive $5,000 and the opportunity to travel to and participate in exclusive Midway Sports promotional events and activities such as a photo shoot for MLB SlugFest, in-game exposure and the Midway Sports Cheerleader Calendar. "MLB SlugFest has not only received praise for its original and incredible gameplay, but also for being the only baseball game to include cheerleaders," said Helene Sheeler, vice president of marketing, Midway. "We thought we would turn the excitement up a notch by allowing women from around the country tryout to be a Midway Sports Cheerleader and let the many MLB SlugFest fans vote to decide who will be the next two cheerleaders." Even if you are not female, you can still participate by being a judge for choosing the final contestants! For more details, visit this web site: www.MidwaySports.net -Matt C. War of the Monsters Ships to stores Sony Computer Entertainment America announced today that it has shipped War of the Monsters for the PlayStation 2 to stores nationwide. War of the Monsters was developed by Incog Inc, the folks behind Twisted Metal: Black, and the game features 8 playable monsters, more than 12 cities to battle in, and a 2-player mode. "War of the Monsters is the classic, giant interactive monster movie that players have always dreamed of, but never had, until now," said Ami Blaire, director, product marketing, Sony Computer Entertainment America. "With the innovative two-player split screen that merges into one when opponents fight in close range, fully interactive and destructive environments, and big monster movie feel, War of the Monsters breaks through traditional fighting game boundaries." War of the Monsters is rated "T" for teen and it has a MSRP of $39.99. -Matt C. Dynasty Warriors 3: Xtreme Legends now available Koei announced today that it has shipped Dynasty Warriors 3: Xtreme Legends to stores nationwide. "Dynasty Warriors 3: Xtreme Legends abounds with new features that will satisfy any Dynasty Warriors fan: new challenge modes, a combo evaluation system, a bodyguard editor, and more weapons are just some of the features that gamers can look forward to," stated Amos Ip, Vice-President of Sales & Marketing at KOEI Corporation. "The low suggested retail of $29.99 makes the game a perfect starting point for gamers new to the series." -Matt C. Ubi Soft reveals new Splinter Cell screenshots Ubi Soft has released some new screenshots of Splinter Cell running on the PS2. To view the pictures, head on down to this page. -Matt C. Deadly Alliance reaches 1 million Midway Games announced today that Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance has sold more than 1 million units across all the major game platforms by the end of 2002. "We are thrilled the gaming community fully embraced the latest edition of the Mortal Kombat franchise," said Helene Sheeler, vice president of marketing, Midway. "Mortal Kombat titles have always been top sellers in the fighting game genre and the successful sales of Deadly Alliance reinforce that Midway is giving gamers exactly what they want." For more information on Deadly Alliance, please head on down to the reviews section to read our review of the game. -Matt C. MLB Slugfest 20-04 is on the way Midway Sports announced today that it is currently hard at work on MLB Slugfest 20-04 for the PlayStation 2. The first Slugfest title was the best selling PS2 baseball game during 2002, but Midway plans on improving the series by including a create-a-team mode, customizable replays, and a home run derby mode. In addition, Midway has listened to complaints about the previous game and team rosters will be given a boost, with all teams featuring at least 20 real-life Major League players. "In this year's MLB SlugFest 20-04, the new features are substantial, offering even more of what made SlugFest a best-seller the first year it was introduced," said Helene Sheeler, vice president of marketing, Midway. MLB Slugfest 20-04 is due out spring 2003. Expect a preview soon. -Matt C. Hunter: The Reckoning Wayward announced for PS2 Interplay Entertainment and Vivendi Universal today announced that a new version of Hunter: The Reckoning is currently in development for the PlayStation 2. The PS2 version of the game will be called Hunter: The Reckoning Wayward and it will feature a new storyline, one new playable character, new weapons, new monsters, and something called "Hunter Headquarters", which allows players to select different characters, weapons and review objectives between levels. And much like the Xbox and Gamecube version (which are now available in stores), there will be a 2-player co-op mode. "We are thrilled to bring the Hunter: The Reckoning franchise to PlayStation 2 consumers with an all-new gaming experience," said Jim Molitor, vice president of production for Interplay. "The team has enjoyed stepping up to the challenge and surpassing the previous Hunter experience to make this a unique experience for this platform." Look out for Hunter: The Reckoning Wayward this summer. -Matt C. Thursday January 9, 2003 PS2 dominates 2002 Holiday Season Sony Computer Entertainment America announced today that more than 4 million PlayStation 2 units were sold during November and December of last year in North America. According to the company, that is a 42% increase from sales during 2001's holiday season. As for worldwide sales, 8.5 million PS2 systems were sold in Japan, North America and Europe during the last two months of 2002. "We operate our business based on the fundamental belief that great games drive consumer purchase decisions. As Sony Computer Entertainment America evaluates our eighth holiday selling season in tangible measures, we affirm yet again the value of our approach to our partners," said Jack Tretton, executive vice president, Sony Computer Entertainment America. "In the new year we will raise the bar in interactive entertainment even higher as we delve into exciting new internal development and licensee opportunities to grow our platform businesses." -Matt C. Tuesday January 7, 2003 Splinter Cell still coming to PS2 Ubi Soft Entertainment confirmed today that Splinter Cell is still coming to the PlayStation 2 and that it will be out by spring 2003, despite rumors saying otherwise. The Xbox version was released last November and it has all ready sold over 1 million copies in North America. Ubi Soft failed to reveal any new content for the PS2 version, but hopefully that will change soon. "With its all-around stupendous reviews and now its record sales, Splinter Cell is blazing a trail the likes of which the industry has rarely seen. We are eager to take the run-away success of this game to an even wider audience," said Yves Guillemot, President and CEO of Ubi Soft Entertainment. -Matt C. Midnight Club II Website reaches Phase 2 Rockstar Games has just opened up the "Paris" section to its official Midnight Club II website. In this section, you can see screenshots and movies of races in Paris. You can also look at a map of the city, browse through some of the vehicles, and download screensavers. Good stuff. Midnight Club II Official Website -Matt C. Monday January 6, 2003 EverQuest coming to PS2 in February EverQuest Online Adventures has been listed under "February 2003" in our release date calendar from quite a while now, but to drive the point home, Sony Online Entertainment has confirmed that the game is indeed coming out next month. In order to play the game, all you need is a Network Adapter, a dial-up or broadband connection, and you must be willing to shell out $9.99 per month to create and keep your online account/profile. Rest assured, EverQuest Online Adventures is only one of two PS2 games that will charge users to play the game online due to high server maintenance costs. "Console gamers are demanding an entirely new and unique online gaming experience and we've got it in EverQuest Online Adventures," said Michael Lustenberger, director of product marketing, Sony Online Entertainment. "We're delivering groundbreaking entertainment for the PlayStation 2 with EverQuest Online Adventures by offering console gamers an unmatched gameplay experience through intricate character development, continuous player interaction and a strong sense of community." -Matt C. THQ announces Splashdown 2 THQ announced today that it plans to publish Splashdown 2 for the PlayStation 2 in summer 2003. The original Splashdown was published by Infogrames, but due to the recent acquisition of the developer, Rainbow Studios, THQ will be the one to release the game. “Splashdown 2 is set to redefine the racing genre with its amazing graphics and cinematic gameplay," stated Scott Novis, vice president, Rainbow Studios. "We are thrilled to be able to utilize THQ's unparalleled publishing expertise for the project -- this is just the beginning of THQ and Rainbow's partnership to produce true cutting edge products that push the technology envelope." Very little information about the game has been revealed, but expect better visuals, track designs and more this summer. -Matt C. Monday December 23, 2002 Kingdom Hearts reaches 1 million in North America Square Electronic Arts L.L.C. and Disney Interactive informed us today that Kingdom Hearts has sold through more than 1 million units in North America, making it one of the top-selling "E" rated titles of the 2002 holiday season. This brings the total number of units sold worldwide to over 3 million. "Since its release, Kingdom Hearts has been embraced by gamers of all ages and we are pleased by the strong sales of this unique collaborative title," said Jun Iwasaki, president, Square Electronic Arts. "Given the large number and variety of video games available this crowded holiday season, we are thrilled by the success of the game with fans and at retail." -Matt C. Midway up for sale? According to the LAtimes.com, Midway Home Entertainment Inc. is up for sale due to financial trouble. Despite excellent sales from recent titles such as Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance and MLB SlugFest 20-03, the company is still searching for potential buyers. We'll have more information at a later date. Source: LAtimes Friday December 20, 2002 Xenosaga gets release date Hot off the heels of the MotoGP3 release date, Namco Hometek has announced that Xenosaga Episode 1: Der Wille Zur Macht will hit North American stores February 25, 2003. We'll have more information on Xenosaga Episode 1 at a later date. -Matt C. The Sims goes gold The Sims was supposed to come out on the PS2 in 2002, but EA purposely delayed the game so that it wouldn't compete with its other titles this holiday. However, Electronic Arts today announced that The Sims has officially gone gold. According to the company, the game will ship to stores on January 14, 2003. For more information on The Sims, please read our preview here. -Matt C. MotoGP3 gets release date Namco has announced that MotoGP3 will be coming out in North America for the PS2 on March 18, 2003. MotoGP3 features 4-player splitscreen action using a multitap, 35 playable tracks, and six game modes. "Thanks to new features in the game, MotoGP3 now delivers a well balanced experience that still provides a top-notch motorcycle enthusiast's title, but will also appeal to the all-around racing game fan," said Stacey Hirata, Namco director of marketing. We'll have a preview of MotoGP3 soon. -Matt C. Wednesday December 18, 2002 MLB SlugFest 20-03 is best selling baseball game of 2002 Midway Sports announced today that MLB SlugFest 20-03 is the top-selling baseball videogame for the PlayStation 2 in 2002 thus far. SlugFest was released July 2002 and according to NPD Funworld, it has outsold every competitive baseball game individually for the PlayStation 2 by two-to-one since its launch. "MLB SlugFest 20-03 combines Midway Sports signature over-the-top gameplay with real baseball aspects, delivering a one-of-a-kind videogame for next-generation systems," said Helene Sheeler, vice president of marketing, Midway. "We attribute the success of MLB SlugFest 20-03 to the game’s appeal to both longtime fans of the sport and action gamers alike." You can read our review of MLB SlugFest here. -Matt C. Alone in the Dark motion picture is on the way Infogrames announced yesterday that it has sold the worldwide theatrical film rights for Alone in the Dark to Germany-based Boll Kino. Boll Kino plans to start filming the movie in spring 2003. "Today we're seeing collaboration between Hollywood and the gaming universe at levels never experienced before," said Bruno Bonnell, chairman and chief executive officer of Infogrames. "While the trend has largely focused on licensing Hollywood franchises for games, certain gaming franchises possess all the qualities required for a successful motion picture, and Alone in the Dark is clearly one such property. Alone in the Dark has captivated gamers for more than a decade and we're thrilled that an entirely new audience will now be able to experience its suspenseful story on the big screen." -Matt C. MadCatz Holiday Giveaway Contests The folks at MadCatz currently have a giveaway going on that gives people the opportunity to win free Electronic Arts' games and MadCatz PS2 or Xbox controllers. The giveaway ends December 23rd, 2002 and you must be 18+ and live in the United States to participate. MadCatz.com Winter Sweepstakes -Matt C. European retailers still see strong game sales Despite recent drops in the Nasdaq, games sales overseas are still doing well according to a Reuters report today: European video games sales are still on track for a record Christmas despite a series of profit warnings from prominent developers and retailers this week, analysts said on Wednesday. A batch of new titles featuring dark alley shootouts or the maneuvering of a stolen car down city streets are, as expected, racking up steady sales. What has perplexed industry observers is a cut-throat price war that has blown holes in profit margins. The latest data from market research firm ScreenDigest of Britain shows that European video game software sales are poised to increase 23 percent this year to $5.9 billion despite a profit warning on Tuesday from Europe's biggest specialty games retailer Game Group Plc. "No doubt this will still be a record year," Ben Keen, executive director of ScreenDigest, told Reuters on Wednesday. But Game's share price has plunged some 65 percent in two days after its profit warning, triggering a raft of downgrades felt throughout the industry. At 1600 GMT UK retailers Dixons and GUS Plc, owner of the Argos chain, were down 4.2 percent and 3.3 percent respectively after similar losses on Tuesday. U.S. video game publisher Activision Inc dropped nearly 22 percent on Nasdaq to $12.29 on Wednesday. Activision, maker of the popular "Tony Hawk Pro Skater 4" game, also issued a profit warning on Tuesday, citing weak holiday sales, particularly in the United States where November software sales fell sharply. PACKED AISLES Game's share price decline belies recent bustle at its London Oxford Street store. Last weekend, the store was heaving with games enthusiasts stocking up on the latest must-have titles such as Take-Two Interactive Software's "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City" and "The Getaway," a big hit by UK developer Team Soho. "The stores are packed to capacity," said Lisa Artemis, a Game spokeswoman. While products may be moving briskly off shelves, industry-wide discounting has dented sales significantly. The company said like-for-like sales in December are down 4.7 percent from a year ago. In an effort to steal market share from Game, high street chains Dixons and Argos have aggressively slashed prices on select games to below 30 pounds ($47.98), helping "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City" and "The Getaway" score first-week record unit sales. "Three hundred thousand units of Vice City sold in the UK when it launched in November, that's equivalent to the typical European-wide number," said Nick Parker, an independent games analyst with UK-based Parker Consulting. He said "The Getaway" sold over 200,000 units in Britain in its debut week earlier this month. "When you see such levels with game launches that tells me there isn't any harm in the market." LURING CUSTOMERS WITH GAMES With video games, retailers got caught in the typical move of sweetening the offer on a highly sought-after product to get customers in the store to buy other items. Judging by unit sales, analysts said, they went too far. "Demand is strong, though it's a touch less that what the market pundits were saying earlier," said one London-based analyst. Game admitted it bought into the early hype, saying it originally expected for 2002 "another year of significant progress despite the record levels of profit and sales experienced in 2001." What it didn't count on was "an unexpectedly high level of promotional activity as retailers attempt to stimulate demand." Few product categories have received as much buzz as video games, triggered by the launch earlier this year of two new console machines -- Microsoft Corp's Xbox and Nintendo's GameCube -- to join the hot-selling Sony PlayStation 2 in the market. ScreenDigest said it revised downward slightly its European software sales figure because of the recent retail pricing pressure and lower-than-expected sales for GameCube, which is now projected to sell 1.6 million units across Europe rather than 1.75 million. While price cuts have claimed its share of victims, one player, UK game publisher Eidos, may have dodged a bullet. Eidos stunned the industry in October announcing it would delay until March the launch of its latest "Tomb Raider" game, the top-selling title featuring cyber heroine Lara Croft. Source: Reuters Tuesday December 17, 2002 Next Grand Theft Auto game coming in 2004 Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. announced today that the next Grand Theft Auto game will be released in 2004. Also coming in 2004 are sequels to State of Emergency and Max Payne. As for Duke Nukem Forever, Take-Two still isn't sure as to when the title will hit stores. -Matt C. Monday December 16, 2002 Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Soundtrack Now Available
Featuring music written, orchestrated and conducted by Academy Award-winning composer Howard Shore, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers brilliantly captures the adventure and excitement of the central film in director Peter Jackson's phenomenally popular epic trilogy. Among the album's many highlights is "Gollum's Song," sung by pixie-ish chanteuse Emiliana Torrini. The critically acclaimed Italian/Icelandic singer lends grace and passion with a spellbinding voice that's been compared to the likes of Massive Attack and Bjork. The initial run of the standard jewel case package for The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers features an insert of one of five exclusive collectable character cards from the movie. In addition, the disc features an enhanced CD with bonus multi-media content, one exclusive online trading card, Screensavers, and Buddy Icons. Fans can also watch a behind-the-scenes making of the score and a score music video. Reprise are also offering a special limited edition version of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. It is beautifully packaged in a gold foil embossed, dark blue leatherette CD wallet containing a 20-page CD booklet. The package is also custom belly banded. Included on the disc is the audio exclusive of the "Farewell To Lorien (featuring Hilary Summers)" from The Fellowship of the Ring-a five-minute-long previously unreleased score from the first film. This special limited edition package contains all the enhanced CD elements of the jewel case package plus the following enhanced exclusives: a Two Tower's image gallery, two exclusive online trading cards, as well as lyrics and poems.
The full track listing for The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is:
1 Foundations Of Stone PlayStation Pro 2 is giving away a soundtrack CD from The Two Towers movie, so click on the link below to enter! Lord of the Rings Soundtrack Giveaway Friday December 13, 2002 SCEA to sponsor The 2003 Rose Bowl Game The following is a press release posted by SCEA: Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. and PlayStation 2 announced today that it will be the presenting sponsor of The 2003 Rose Bowl Game presented by PlayStation 2 at The Rose Bowl in Los Angeles, California on January 1, 2003. This Bowl Championship Series game will air live on ABC at 5 p.m. EST and feature 6th ranked (BCS) Washington St. Cougars vs. 7th ranked (BCS) Oklahoma Sooners. Winner of the Pacific-10 conference, Washington St. (10-2) will be making just its fourth-ever appearance in the one of the most historic bowl games in college football. Big 12 champion Oklahoma (10-2) will be playing in the Rose Bowl Game for the first time in school history, and it will mark only the 2nd time in the more than 100 year tradition of the game that a Big 10 team will not be playing in the contest. In addition to the visibility of having PlayStation 2 branded as part of the official name of The 2003 Rose Bowl Game presented by PlayStation 2, the sponsorship package includes five television commercial spots during the game, print advertisements in the official game program, and signage at this, and all other, BCS games. Furthermore, PlayStation 2 is a part of the official logo which will adorn the field, the stadium, and the players' jerseys. "We are very excited to be the presenting sponsor of The 2003 Rose Bowl Game presented by PlayStation 2," said Andrew House, executive vice president, Sony Computer Entertainment America. "As the leader in the gaming industry, we are proud to align ourselves with the biggest and most historic college football bowl game, giving us the opportunity to bring great brand exposure to a broad national audience." Thursday December 12, 2002 Hitman 2 Christmas Game Eidos Interactive recently launched a Hitman 2 flash game on its website. Essentially, Santa's elves have gone crazy and it's up to you to set them straight with Agent 47's dual pistols. The game is rather short, but it still provides a couple minutes worth of entertainment. Check it out below. -Matt C. Buy one TDK game, get another one free! TDK Mediactive, Inc. announced today that it has launched a special "buy one, get one free" offer for holiday shoppers. For a limited time, anyone who purchases Robotech: Battlecry, Shrek: Super Party or Shrek: Extra Large can redeem a mail-in offer to receive a second TDK Mediactive title free. Qualifying customers only pay $4.95 (shipping and handling) and can select to receive one of the following games at no extra charge:
Robotech: Battlecry (PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube) The promotion is effective immediately and will run through Dec. 31, 2002. For more details, please check out the link below. http://www.tdk-mediactive-us.com/promo/ -Matt C. Wednesday December 11, 2002 Gran Turismo influences car sales According to Reuters, many Japanese car manufacturers have been claiming that the Gran Turismo series has helped car sales outside of Japan. "There's no doubt that Gran Turismo played a huge role in our decision to launch the Lancer Evolution in the United States," said Takashi Kiuchi, a product relations official at Mitsubishi Motors. "The car wouldn't have attracted as much attention as it has in the United States without the game." Mitsubishi Motors' Kiuchi says he has heard of Gran Turismo players overseas calling the automaker's local dealerships to ask why the Lancer Evolution wasn't sold in their home markets. The main reason is the existence of stricter emissions and crash-safety standards in the U.S. and Europe, but automakers are carrying out adjustments to get around that hurdle. According to the Reuters report, Sony Computer Entertainment has sold about 30 million Gran Turismo games since it launched the first version in 1997, mostly in the United States and Europe. Kazunori Yamauchi, the producer of Gran Turismo, said officials at Fuji Heavy Industries, which makes Subaru cars, have thanked him for bringing so much publicity to the Impreza. Yamauchi also says that he gets asked all the time by carmakers to feature their machines in the game but never considered charging for advertising. Source: Reuters -Matt C. |
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