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Gaming News
Latest News on Xbox 360 and Halo Movie.


AMSTERDAM, Netherlands - Oct. 4, 2005 - Today at X05, the Xbox(r) brand
experience for the games and entertainment industry, Microsoft Corp.
unveiled an incredible lineup of games for the Xbox 360(tm) video game
and entertainment system as it gears up for launch Nov. 22 in North
America, Dec. 2 in Europe and Dec. 10 in Japan. A series of special
guests, including Cliff Bleszinski, lead designer for Epic Games Inc.,
Todd Hollenshead, co-owner and CEO of id Software Inc., and Gerhard
Florin, executive vice president and general manager of International
Publishing for Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), joined Xbox executives Robbie
Bach, J Allard, Peter Moore and Chris Lewis on stage to talk about their
new titles for Xbox 360.

Titles that will form part of the impressive Christmas holiday portfolio
include these:

* "Kameo: Elements of Power(tm)" (MGS-Rare Ltd.). Renowned game
developer Rare introduces "Kameo: Elements of Power(tm)," a mystical
action-adventure game available exclusively on Xbox 360, in which the
ability to morph into unique and incredible warriors allows Kameo to
search out and battle ever-present evil. Boasting impeccable
next-generation graphics and innovative gameplay, "Kameo" shines as a
giant leap in game development. Continuing its legacy of creating
dynamic puzzles, immersive combat and enormous environments, Rare fuses
multiple genres to create a strikingly fun gaming experience destined
for widespread appeal.

* "Perfect Dark Zero(tm)" (MGS-Rare Ltd.). Joanna Dark returns in
the Xbox 360-exclusive "Perfect Dark Zero," the prequel to the
international award-winning and multimillion-selling first-person
shooter "Perfect Dark(r)" from famed game developer Rare. A secret war
has begun between shadowy corporations bent on world domination. Joanna
Dark and her father, Jack, are caught up in the fight for the planet's
future. A routine bounty-hunting mission rips open a global conspiracy
that will change Joanna's destiny - forever.

* "Project Gotham Racing(r) 3" (MGS-Bizarre Creations Ltd.). The
popular "PGR(r)" franchise zooms onto the Xbox 360, expanding many of
the "Project Gotham Racing" features that gamers have grown to love.
"PGR 3" creates the ultimate roster of the hottest supercars in
existence, introduces them to the high-definition era, and drops them
into a completely new gaming world, where style rules the road. Racers
define and create individually customized gameplay, and can race each
other - online or offline. The "Project Gotham Racing" franchise is
designed by Bizarre Creations, a long-established independent games
developer, based in Liverpool, England. Bizarre is focused on producing
high-quality, playable games that make the most of the advanced
technology for which they are designed. Bizarre Creations can be found
on the Web at http://www.bizarreonline.net or
http://www.bizarrecreations.com.

Other great games announced or shown at X05 included these:

* "Crackdown" (MGS-Real Time Worlds). "Crackdown" pushes the
action-driving hybrid genre into the next generation with the
introduction of the first truly 3-D persistent playground, highly
innovative cooperative gameplay, and an extensive prop interaction
system all while taking place in a massive and highly stylized urban
center. All strategies and tactics are acceptable provided players clean
up the streets. Players roam a virtual city built to encourage and allow
the full width, depth and height of the space to be explored and
exploited. "Crackdown" will offer free-form gameplay, over-the-top
action, and, for the first time in this genre, online cooperative play.

* "Gears of War" (MGS-Epic Games Inc.). Blending the best of
tactical action games with the best of survival horror titles, "Gears of
War" is the first game developed by Epic Games exclusively for Microsoft
Game Studios and Xbox 360. "Gears of War" thrusts gamers into a deep and
harrowing story of humankind's epic battle for survival against the
Locust Horde, a nightmarish race of creatures that surface from the
bowels of the planet.

* "Too Human" (MGS-Silicon Knights). In "Too Human," players are
treated to a nonstop barrage of action powered by the seamless
integration of melee and ranged firearms combat and fueled by
breathtaking visuals previously not possible thanks to a powerful
combination of Xbox 360 and the Unreal Engine 3. Battles unfold in
awesome scale as players engage with vast numbers of enemies.

* "Mass Effect" (MGS-BioWare Corp.). Set 200 years in the future
in an epic universe, "Mass Effect" places gamers in a vast galactic
community in danger of being conquered by a legendary agent gone rogue.
A spectacular new vision from legendary developers BioWare, "Mass
Effect" challenges players to lead a squad of freedom fighters as they
struggle against threatening armies to restore peace in the land. "Mass
Effect" is the first in a trilogy of games with an overarching story,
where the real conflict between organic beings and artificial
intelligence comes to life in startling clarity.

* "FIFA 06: Road to FIFA World Cup" (Electronic Arts). EA
celebrates its new exclusive FIFA World Cup interactive entertainment
partnership with the release of "FIFA 06: Road to FIFA World Cup," a
game that immerses players into the emotional intensity of the
next-generation football. Utilizing the power of the Xbox 360, fans will
be able to revel in the world's most sophisticated representation of
football ever. Experience a newly enhanced gameplay engine that delivers
extremely responsive controls and greater level of depth. New physics
and animations mean that players will now react more realistically to
every tackle, shot or pass of the ball. For the first time you'll see
and feel the joy, anguish and pain of 90 minutes of soccer in a
videogame. Through the power of high-definition technology you'll see
how the detail of the players is accurately recreated in fine detail.
The power of the Xbox 360 truly brings to life 80,000 chanting fans in a
stadium and immerses you in the emotional intensity of FIFA World Cup
football.

* "Saint's Row" (THQ Inc.). Under threat from rival gangs and
corrupt officials, the 3rd Street Saints must conquer the city of
Stilwater or face destruction. From the spectacular opening battle to
regain control of the local hood, "Saint's Row" offers an unparallel
level of freedom to explore this living, breathing city. Players are
free to engage in the multitude of different activates at their leisure,
all while building up respect in a gameplay-rich world. Build enough
respect and the 3rd Street Saint's lieutenants will trust the player
with more dangerous missions.

* "Full Auto" (SEGA Corp.). Combine fully-automatic,
weapon-equipped vehicles with highly detailed and interactive urban
environments and you have "Full Auto," the most destructive racing
action ever experienced in a video game. This racer allows players to
choose from a wide selection of unique vehicle designs and arm them with
any combination of machine guns, cannons and other deadly weapons. The
rules of the road don't apply in this high-octane, no-holds-barred
competition. And once players have honed their skills against computer
opponents, they can jump onto Xbox Live(r) and take on real players in
both destruction-heavy lap courses and last-man standing arena matches.

* "Condemned: Criminal Origins" (SEGA). "Condemned: Criminal
Origins" allows players to experience a heightened level of
psychological tension as they use their instincts, forensic tools, and
melee/firearms combat to track serial killers and bring them to justice.
Gamers will play as Agent Thomas, a detective in the FBI's Serial Crimes
Unit, whose pursuit of relentless serial killers leads him through
gritty, life-like environments filled with sociopaths lurking on the
brink of humanity.

Franchise titles that will make their debut on Xbox 360 were also
announced, including these:

* "Superman Returns: The Videogame" (Electronic Arts). "Superman
Returns: The Videogame," developed by Electronic Arts-Tiburon in
Orlando, Fla., in conjunction with Warner Bros. Interactive
Entertainment and DC Comics, features storylines from both the movie
that will be released in 2006 and more than 60 years of comic book
content. "Superman Returns: The Videogame" combines strong creative
vision and compelling new technology to deliver a powerful and emotional
gaming experience to consumers. Gamers will experience a real sense of
flying while mastering Superman's unrivaled superhero powers to save
Metropolis.

* "Call of Duty 2" (Activision Inc.). The sequel to Infinity
Ward's 2003 Game of the Year, "Call of Duty 2" delivers an unparalleled
portrayal of the cinematic intensity and chaos of battle as seen through
the eyes of ordinary soldiers fighting together in epic WWII conflicts.
The sequel offers more immense, more intense and more realistic battles
than ever. "Call of Duty 2" features stunningly lifelike graphics,
advanced AI technology, dynamic sound effects, the most authentic squad
combat and astonishing action in new historic campaigns.

* "Castle Wolfenstein" (id Software). id Software's newest
chapter in the legendary "Wolfenstein" series will deliver players deep
behind the enemy lines of a war-torn Germany, where Nazi experiments
with technology and the supernatural threaten to turn the tide of World
War II. Utilizing a revolutionary new graphics technology targeted
specifically at next-generation hardware, this new "Wolfenstein"
experience will draw players into a world of unmatched exploration,
action and espionage.

* "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" (Bethesda Softworks LLC).
"Oblivion" is the quintessential role-playing game for the next
generation and another leap forward in gaming. Step inside the most
richly detailed and vibrant game world ever created. "Oblivion" is the
latest chapter in the epic and highly successful "Elder Scrolls" saga
and utilizes the latest next-generation video game hardware to fully
immerse gamers in the experience. With "Oblivion"'s powerful combination
of free-form gameplay and unprecedented graphics, players can unravel
the main quest at their own pace or explore the vast world and find
their own challenges.

* "Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell 4" (Ubisoft Entertainment). "Tom
Clancy's Splinter Cell 4" will thrust players into a new breed of
gameplay that promises to innovate and revolutionize the "Splinter Cell"
franchise. Ubisoft is taking the saga of Sam Fisher into entirely new
territory, expanding the story and depth of his character.

* "Quake 4" (Activision, id Software and Raven Software Corp.) is
the sequel
to the award-winning and historic "Quake II." In a war for Earth's
survival, against an unrelenting enemy, the only way to defeat them is
to become one of them. Built on id Software's revolutionary "Doom 3"
technology, "Quake 4" also features fast-paced multiplayer competition
modeled after the speed, feel and style of "Quake III Arena."

* "MotoGP Ultimate Racing Technology (URT) 2006" (THQ). "MotoGP
URT 2006" takes the franchise to the next generation as the only
official game of the MotoGP Championship on Xbox 360. Developed by the
same team behind the award-winning "MotoGP URT 3" and created
exclusively for the Xbox 360, MotoGP URT 2006 looks set to create a new
definition of high speed for racing fans looking for the fastest thrills
on the fastest console.



Commenting on the announcements made at X05, Peter Moore, corporate vice
president of Worldwide Marketing and Publishing for Xbox at Microsoft,
said: "The biggest and the best names in publishing are committed to the
success of Xbox 360, and looking at the titles we have announced tonight
we are very excited. From exclusive titles to debuting the next
installment of some of the world's best-loved franchises, Xbox 360 will
redefine gaming and entertainment. The high-definition era of gaming
starts now."

About Xbox 360

Xbox 360 is the most powerful video game and entertainment system,
delivering the best games, the next generation of the premier Xbox Live
online gaming service, and unique digital entertainment experiences that
revolve around you. The system will launch this holiday season in
Europe, Japan and North America, to be followed by availability in
Australia, Colombia, Hong Kong, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore
and Taiwan in 2006. More information can be found online at
http://www.xbox.com/xbox360.

About Xbox Live

Xbox Live continues to transform and unite Xbox game communities
worldwide, with a presence in 24 countries worldwide and a global
community of more than 2 million members. As the first and only global,
unified online console games service, Xbox Live offers world-class
games, intelligent matchmaking, tournaments, unique programming and
integration with Xbox.com. More information can be found online at
http://www.xbox.com/live.
About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in
software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize
their full potential.

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Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Kameo, Elements of Power, Perfect Dark Zero,
Perfect Dark, Project Gotham Racing, PGR and Xbox Live are either
registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. or Rare Ltd. in
the United States and/or other countries.

Rare Ltd. is a subsidiary of Microsoft Corp.

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the
trademarks of their respective owners.

Posted by Directory of Games on October 04.


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