Killzone: Extraction Hits The Sand

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The Killzone series has generally held an atmosphere of war is hell and the short film Killzone: Extraction captures it pretty well. Good job for a indie film with practically no budget.

Catherine: First U.S. Trailer

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If you think that the setting, theme, plot, gameplay or anything else about Catherine are confusing . . . well, this trailer won’t help very much. Still, it’s good to see something official on this game put out in the English language.

GameStop Offers Ultimate Mortal Kombat Tour

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GameStop has announced a special offer to its PowerUp Rewards members. They will have a chance to win a trip to see Mortal Kombat behind the scenes at NetherRealm Studios.

The grand prize will include a paid trip for two to meet creator Ed Boon and tour NetherRealm Studios in Chicago, receive a Mortal Kombat arcade cabinet and receive a tournament edition of Mortal Kombat signed by the Mortal Kombat development team. Those interested simply need to be PowerUp Rewards members and make a purchase or trade-in at a GameStop during March.

SupersonicAds Launches BrandConnect

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SupersonicAds has announced that it is launching BrandConnect. This new virtual currency monetization solution is designed for publishers using Cost-Per-Engagement (CPE) brand engagement and awareness campaigns, to maximize revenue for online games and social networks.

We see CPE video on Social Games as an important part of today s media mix and working with SupersonicAds enabled us to achieve mass reach across Europe . . . says Tim Connew, Vodafone Account Director at OMD International.

Social and online games are in a unique position to deliver creative and targeted brand engagement opportunities, says Greg Mills, VP of Business Development at Digital Chocolate. At Digital Chocolate, integrated branding campaigns play a significant role in the monetization strategy for our game titles. Integrating brand engagement campaigns with SupersonicAds has been working really well for us, doubling our offer wall revenues in European markets while maintaining a positive user experience.

Integrated with a JavaScript code, BrandConnect can be used in videos and branded widgets in-game in order to earn virtual currency.  Users do not even have to leave the destination site.

The best online publishers differentiate themselves by outstanding overall entertainment experiences, whether it is through mobile apps, social networks or online games, says Gil Shoham, CEO of SupersonicAds. BrandConnect allows publishers to maintain great user experience while increasing revenue opportunities beyond the offer wall. In addition, brands can now connect with their target audience during a highly rewarding experience across multiple platforms including web, iPhone, iPad and Android devices.

Sims Getting Accessories

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Electronic Arts has announced that they are partnering with Mad Catz. The company will create accessories based on the Sims franchise for the PS3, PC, Wii, DS, 3DS and Xbox 360.

We are excited to work with EA and one of the most popular gaming franchises of all time. The Sims is a new and exciting opportunity for Mad Catz to reach a wider audience that includes both casual and enthusiast gamers, said Darren Richardson, president and CEO of Mad Catz, in a statement. Our agreement with EA is part of our long-term strategy of working with the premium gaming brands and deliver innovative consumer focused accessories.

Catherine is Coming

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Despite denials and evasions over the release of Catherine on this side of the Pacific, Atlus U.S.A. has confirmed that it will release in North America in Summer 2011. The story of the game deals with a man named Vincent, his reluctance to marry his long term girlfriend Katherine and his chance encounter with the seductive Catherine.

“Catherine is an unprecedented exploration of the pleasures and horrors of love,” commented Aram Jabbari, Manager of PR and Sales at Atlus. “As Vincent, a man recently succumbed to the irresistible beauty of the game’s titular diversion, players find themselves swept into a treacherous love triangle. Catherine‘s core themes-those of free will, of the delicate nature of relationships and the choices we make within them, marry perfectly with the intense, terror-filled gameplay that serves to accurately reflect Vincent’s growing sense of anxiety. It is an experience wholly unlike any to come before it, and is certain to leave gamers talking and thinking about Vincent’s tribulations long after the credits have rolled.”

Lucy Lawless Tempts Demon’s Forge

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Bethesda Softworks has announced that Lucy Lawless will lend her vocal talents to Hunted: The Demon s Forge. Best known for her starring role in Xena: Warrior Princess and her more recent acting in Spartacus: Gods of the Arena and Battlestar Galactica, Lawless will play Seraphine in Hunted, who will lure the protagonists deeper into the dungeon containing the Demon Forge with promises of wealth and power.

Hunted is an incredibly dark, intense game and I m delighted to have the opportunity to work on such a thrilling project, said Lawless. After playing the heroine for so long it s refreshing to portray such a villainous, seductive temptress!

Hunted: The Demon s Forge will release June 1, 2011 for PS3, PC and Xbox 360.

Devil May Cry In Theaters

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Reports are that Screen Gems has purchased the film rights to Devil May Cry. Kyle Ward (Fiasco Heights, Kane & Lynch) will pen the script for the movie.

Screen Gems has taken the Resident Evil franchise and made it into more than a modest success, grossing over $580 million globally across four films. Capcom is hoping to expand the franchise, having already released an animated series and comic books along with a planned reboot DmC from Ninja Theory, and they’re clearly hoping for success similar to the Resident Evil films.

Source: Variety

PSP Ad: The Kids Are Alright

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In honor of the new pricing for the PSP, Sony has launched a new ad for the system. The audience and message is clear: younger people who want gamer’s games” can get the PSP.