iGames, the world’s leading game center organization, is pleased to announce The Gamers Tour, an ongoing series of competitive tournaments and events for gamers who like their summer gameplay hot and fun. Beginning in May and running through the end of the year, the Gamers Tour brings communities of gamers together to experience the excitement of competitive play in the social, fun environments that are iGames LAN centers.

Presented in association with CEVO, who will administer the WAN portion of the competitions, the Gamers Tour finds iGames teaming their elite member LAN centers with a variety of corporate sponsors to offer competitive play opportunities with impressive prize pools for six of today’s top competitive games, including Gears of War™, Halo™ 2, Call of Duty® 2, Counter-Strike™ 1.6, Counter-Strike Source™, and Command & Conquer™ 3: Tiberium Wars.

“With over 600 game centers in the US, Canada and Mexico, we look forward to bringing regional and national tournaments for all gamers to enjoy,” said Robyn Stein, Events Director of iGames. “Just like in traditional sports, localized clubs provide perfect venues for competitors of all skill levels. iGames and the game center industry look forward to supporting the continued development of eSports with the “clubs” of the games industry.”

First Round of Events:

• 5/5-5/6 - iZ3D $5K Counter-Strike 1.6 Open Tournament
• 6/9-6/10 – Comcast $2.5K C&C3: Tiberium Wars Challenge
• 6/30-7/1 – Comcast $5K C&C3: Tiberium Wars Open
• 7/14-7/15 - iZ3D $2.5K Counter-Strike Open Challenge

Prize pools among 3 classifications of tournaments range from $2,000-$20,000. Whether a casual or serious competitor, gamers of all levels can find a tournament that appeals to them.

These classifications include Open Tournaments, which are open to all, on a first-come, first-served basis. Invitational Tournaments, by contrast, are intended for top-placing individuals and teams from previously held Open Tournaments, while Restricted Tournaments are intended for the more casual player and are restricted to teams and players that have placed in a recent Open Tournament.

For the first round of events, the competitions are all open play LAN/WAN events, except for the iZ3D CS 1.6 competition on 7/14-715, which will be online from LAN. For registration and rules, and to get the latest info on the Gamers Tour, visit www.igames.org ...

press release:

Ozura Mobile (“Ozura”), a leading international publisher and developer of mobile entertainment, and ChinaByte today announced the official launch of its first and exclusive tournament based mobile gaming community portal “MOSTAR” in China.

MOSTAR runs on FunlogiX™, the proprietary Tournament Based Mobile Gaming Community (TOMOGIC) platform developed by Ozura which provides telcos and partners with a platform to build and manage mobile gaming community. FunlogiX™ also provides full-fledged suites of gaming services which are customizable to each telecommunication company’s commercial and marketing requirement.

In contrast with Ozura’s previous deployments with major telcos such as Maxis, Indosat, XL and AIS, MOSTAR differs by being the first community incorporated with virtual currency charging system. MOSTAR uses its own virtual currency called “M coin” which is served as the prepaid credit for users to download their desired mobile games over the community portal. In the next phase of MOSTAR, “M coin” can also be purchased via scratch cards, IVR (Interactive Voice Response), credit cards as well as bank cards.

“With the implementation of this new charging system, this has proven that FunlogiX™ is very flexible in terms of customization to meet different clients’ requirements. This new system enables us to work closer with ChinaByte to further increase and improve our gaming distribution and market share coverage in China. Furthermore, we can respond effectively by enhancing the Funlogix™ adaptation level with future upgrades and enhancements” said H.E.Mah, Ozura’s Vice President of Marketing.

MOSTAR offers users with a wide range of mobile games including tournament, multiplayer and standalone games. The first selected tournament game is Spot Check. This game’s storyline is based on the Gempak gang's reaction to a random spot check, a random and sudden search for items that are deemed illegal by the school systems. The Spot Check game is pre-destined to be a hit title among casual gamers and fans of the comic alike.

In addition to the launch of Spot Check, a multiplayer game The Duel Online is also presented in MOSTAR. The Duel Online, a highly colorful turn-based strategy game, is playable in both solo and multiplayer modes with the latter boasting great interactive features including but not limited to uploading of scores, an integrated lobby area, chatting and a buddy list. The gameplay is simplistic but strategy is needed to truly get a feel for the game and its inherent challenge.

Mr. Lee, Chief Executive Officer of ChinaByte commented “This partnership with Ozura emphasizes both parties’ commitment to significantly expand the mobile data market with pioneering partnerships. In addition to that, it is equally paramount that we have a firm belief in the mobile gaming and entertainment segment which will be the key drivers to mass market usage of mobile data. Mobile gaming represents the next step in the evolution of the games industry, by adding interactivity, and mobility to traditional gaming options."

China had 449 million cell phone users as of October 2006, more than the populations of Japan and the U.S. combined and China Mobile, the world's largest mobile operator, itself has surpassed the total population of the U.S., which subscriber base grew to 301 million. The number of handset users in China is expected to rise by 11% to more than 500 million in 2007 and will add another 160 million users from next year until 2010, taking the total to 660 million.

“ChinaByte is one of the top 10 service providers in China. The amalgamation of Ozura’s technology and ChinaByte’s close partnership with China Mobile as well as their strong marketing channels in China, we are definitely positive on the future of the mobile gaming community in China,” said Mah.

For more information, please visit http://fun.mostar.cn ...

The World Series of Video Games (WSVG), Presented by Intel, the world circuit of video game tournaments, announced today that a record number of attendees showed up for the kick-off of the 2007 series this week, with more than 25,000 people showing up at the event for yesterday’s matches. This followed on a tremendous first-day turnout of 11,898.

"We were amazed to see such a turnout—there were 2,000 people in line outside who we could not let in,” said Matthew Ringel, president of the World Series of Video Games. “Last year’s event in China was the biggest stop on the 2006 tour with 17,000 over four days, and this year’s attendance numbers offer an incredibly promising beginning for our second season. Next year, we may have to find a stadium!”

The Wuhan event, the first of six events planned for the WSVG’s second season this year, is occurring during China’s “Golden Week” holiday and is one of the official welcome events for the Sixth Intercity Games of the People's Republic of China, the last major sporting event in China leading up to the 2008 Chinese Olympic Games.

Nearly $50,000 in cash prizes will be distributed at this week’s event, which features titles including “World of Warcraft®: The Burning Crusade,” “CounterStrike,” and “Warcraft® III: The Frozen Throne™“

Updates and highlights of the WSVG China event can be seen at www.thewsvg.com, with live streaming from 10am-7pm local time in Wuhan, and additional articles and coverage at http://www.ampedesports.com/coverage/wsvg/

World Series Schedule of Events:
April 30 - May 3 Wuhan, China
June 21 - 24 Louisville, Kentucky
July 5 - 8 Dallas, Texas
Aug. 23 - 26 Orlando, Florida
October TBA Major European city
Nov. 29 - Dec. 2 Jönköping, Sweden


About The World Series of Video Games

The World Series of Video Games is the world’s premier video game tournament circuit, which recently began its second season. In 2006, the World Series of Video Games attracted more than 90,000 attendees, produced 250 hours of broadband video, and 20 hours of programming on CBS, MTV, CSTV and GamePlay HD. Registration for all events, a full list of rules, and all prizing for circuit events is available on the WSVG website at www.thewsvg.com. ...

Penny Arcade, creators of the popular online comic strip of the same name, today announced key details about this year's Penny Arcade Expo (PAX), the game- culture celebration to be held Aug. 24-26 at the Washington State Trade and Convention Center in Seattle.

Providing the PAX 2007 keynote address will be writer, actor and geek icon Wil Wheaton. Best known for his role as Wesley Crusher on Star Trek: The Next Generation, Wheaton has gone on to appear in a number of films and become a prolific writer. Wheaton has authored two books, Dancing Barefoot and Just a Geek, maintains a popular blog at www.wilwheaton.net, and is a frequent contributor to a number of game, media and tech Web sites.

One of the highlights of each year's PAX is the Omegathon competition, which pits PAX attendees against each other in a tabletop, videogame and computer game competition that spans all three days of the festival. Twenty "Omeganauts" are chosen at random from pre-registered attendees to compete in the single-elimination tournament, culminating in a final match on stage in front of thousands of their peers. The final game has yet to be revealed (previous final round games were Pong, Atari's Combat, and Tetris), but the grand prize has been announced: a trip for two to the Tokyo Game Show, along with $5,000 in spending cash. The 2007 Tokyo Game Show will be held Sept. 22-23 at the Makuhari Messe convention complex just outside Tokyo.

"PAX has grown by leaps and bounds each year," said Robert Khoo of Penny Arcade, "and the Omegathon grand prize has grown along with it. This year, with a projected attendance of 30,000 and a brand-new venue, we're upping the Omegathon stakes again with the biggest and best prize yet."

Also announced today was PAX 2007 headlining band The Minibosses, known for their instrumental rock covers of videogame music. The Minibosses have covered videogame themes including Ninja Gaiden, Metroid and Super Mario Bros. 2.

Other musical guests at PAX 2007 will include The OneUps, MC Frontalot, Jonathan Coulton, Freezepop, The Neskimos and Optimus Rhyme. Microsoft, Sony, Ubisoft, Electronic Arts/Mythic, Sierra/Vivendi Universal, Wizards of the Coast, NCSoft, Sabertooth Games, Telltale Games, the Behemoth, Namco- Bandai, Upper Deck, Wizkids, ArenaNet, Harmonix and Rockstar top the list of over 50 announced companies exhibiting at PAX 2007. ...

LucasArts and development partner Day 1 Studios today announced Fracture™, in which players reshape the battlefields in a futuristic conflict with global implications. This epic war fought on American soil pits cybernetically enhanced soldiers against warriors augmented by the benefits of advanced genetic engineering. The company that brought you Star Wars and Indiana Jones, as well as successful new intellectual properties such as Mercenaries (the No. 1 new IP in 2005) and Thrillville (the No. 1 original children's IP of 2006), presents a new franchise full of groundbreaking next-generation gameplay, an intriguing storyline and compelling characters.

“Exciting new intellectual properties serve a vital role to the growth of LucasArts,” said Jim Ward, president of LucasArts. “Fracture represents the next step in this company initiative, complete with the intriguing story and compelling characters audiences expect of a LucasArts release.”

Fracture advances players to the year 2161, where ecological and seismological disasters have radically altered the planet’s landscape, and a clash in ideologies places society on the threshold of war. Players set foot on the frontlines of this epic conflict in the role of Mason Briggs, a demolitions expert fighting for the Atlantic Alliance, the side that relies upon cybernetic enhancement. Pitted against the genetically enhanced soldiers of the Pacifican army, players will experience a revolution in 22nd-century warfare. In utilizing the core gameplay mechanic of Fracture, a destructive next-generation technology known as Terrain Deformation, players are equipped with an arsenal of futuristic weaponry to strategically reshape their surroundings on the fly. Every action they perform dynamically reshapes the earth in ways no videogame has ever seen. When Briggs throws a tectonic grenade on a level battlefield, the ground blasts upward to provide access to an otherwise unreachable area. Moving on, when he comes across what appears to be an impenetrable structure, Briggs utilizes the alt-fire functionality on his rocket launcher to create enormous craters to burrow underneath the wall. Surrounded on all sides by enemies, Briggs heaves a vortex grenade, creating a swirling tornado-like mass of boulder, dirt and debris to dispatch his foes. These are just a few samples of the possibilities for Terrain Deformation. Players not only change the battlefield – they change the face of the battle itself.

“LucasArts sees simulation-based gameplay as an essential component of a true next-gen experience, and that’s exactly what Fracture delivers,” said Peter Hirschmann, vice president of product development at LucasArts. “Day 1 Studios has done a phenomenal job of creating true next-gen tech that not only dazzles on a visual level but also serves as a core gameplay mechanic. Unlike many other next-gen games on the market, Fracture simply isn’t possible in the previous generation of consoles.”

“LucasArts’ excitement for Fracture is palpable, and it only inspires us even further to ensure the game lives up to its lofty expectations,” said Denny Thorley, president of Day 1. “The opportunity to work with a company such as LucasArts, that knows not only how to launch large entertainment properties, but also successfully bring new IP to market, is truly a privilege. With Terrain Deformation leading the way, we know we’re creating something special, and we have absolutely no doubts that LucasArts is the only company to make sure Fracture receives its due.”

More information about the game can be found at the official Fracture website, www.fracturegame.com, which will continue to release details throughout the year. ...

LucasArts and development partner Day 1 Studios today announced Fracture™, in which players reshape the battlefields in a futuristic conflict with global implications. This epic war fought on American soil pits cybernetically enhanced soldiers against warriors augmented by the benefits of advanced genetic engineering. The company that brought you Star Wars and Indiana Jones, as well as successful new intellectual properties such as Mercenaries (the No. 1 new IP in 2005) and Thrillville (the No. 1 original children's IP of 2006), presents a new franchise full of groundbreaking next-generation gameplay, an intriguing storyline and compelling characters.

“Exciting new intellectual properties serve a vital role to the growth of LucasArts,” said Jim Ward, president of LucasArts. “Fracture represents the next step in this company initiative, complete with the intriguing story and compelling characters audiences expect of a LucasArts release.”

Fracture advances players to the year 2161, where ecological and seismological disasters have radically altered the planet’s landscape, and a clash in ideologies places society on the threshold of war. Players set foot on the frontlines of this epic conflict in the role of Mason Briggs, a demolitions expert fighting for the Atlantic Alliance, the side that relies upon cybernetic enhancement. Pitted against the genetically enhanced soldiers of the Pacifican army, players will experience a revolution in 22nd-century warfare. In utilizing the core gameplay mechanic of Fracture, a destructive next-generation technology known as Terrain Deformation, players are equipped with an arsenal of futuristic weaponry to strategically reshape their surroundings on the fly. Every action they perform dynamically reshapes the earth in ways no videogame has ever seen. When Briggs throws a tectonic grenade on a level battlefield, the ground blasts upward to provide access to an otherwise unreachable area. Moving on, when he comes across what appears to be an impenetrable structure, Briggs utilizes the alt-fire functionality on his rocket launcher to create enormous craters to burrow underneath the wall. Surrounded on all sides by enemies, Briggs heaves a vortex grenade, creating a swirling tornado-like mass of boulder, dirt and debris to dispatch his foes. These are just a few samples of the possibilities for Terrain Deformation. Players not only change the battlefield – they change the face of the battle itself.

“LucasArts sees simulation-based gameplay as an essential component of a true next-gen experience, and that’s exactly what Fracture delivers,” said Peter Hirschmann, vice president of product development at LucasArts. “Day 1 Studios has done a phenomenal job of creating true next-gen tech that not only dazzles on a visual level but also serves as a core gameplay mechanic. Unlike many other next-gen games on the market, Fracture simply isn’t possible in the previous generation of consoles.”

“LucasArts’ excitement for Fracture is palpable, and it only inspires us even further to ensure the game lives up to its lofty expectations,” said Denny Thorley, president of Day 1. “The opportunity to work with a company such as LucasArts, that knows not only how to launch large entertainment properties, but also successfully bring new IP to market, is truly a privilege. With Terrain Deformation leading the way, we know we’re creating something special, and we have absolutely no doubts that LucasArts is the only company to make sure Fracture receives its due.”

More information about the game can be found at the official Fracture website, www.fracturegame.com, which will continue to release details throughout the year. ...

LucasArts and development partner Day 1 Studios today announced Fracture™, in which players reshape the battlefields in a futuristic conflict with global implications. This epic war fought on American soil pits cybernetically enhanced soldiers against warriors augmented by the benefits of advanced genetic engineering. The company that brought you Star Wars and Indiana Jones, as well as successful new intellectual properties such as Mercenaries (the No. 1 new IP in 2005) and Thrillville (the No. 1 original children's IP of 2006), presents a new franchise full of groundbreaking next-generation gameplay, an intriguing storyline and compelling characters.

“Exciting new intellectual properties serve a vital role to the growth of LucasArts,” said Jim Ward, president of LucasArts. “Fracture represents the next step in this company initiative, complete with the intriguing story and compelling characters audiences expect of a LucasArts release.”

Fracture advances players to the year 2161, where ecological and seismological disasters have radically altered the planet’s landscape, and a clash in ideologies places society on the threshold of war. Players set foot on the frontlines of this epic conflict in the role of Mason Briggs, a demolitions expert fighting for the Atlantic Alliance, the side that relies upon cybernetic enhancement. Pitted against the genetically enhanced soldiers of the Pacifican army, players will experience a revolution in 22nd-century warfare. In utilizing the core gameplay mechanic of Fracture, a destructive next-generation technology known as Terrain Deformation, players are equipped with an arsenal of futuristic weaponry to strategically reshape their surroundings on the fly. Every action they perform dynamically reshapes the earth in ways no videogame has ever seen. When Briggs throws a tectonic grenade on a level battlefield, the ground blasts upward to provide access to an otherwise unreachable area. Moving on, when he comes across what appears to be an impenetrable structure, Briggs utilizes the alt-fire functionality on his rocket launcher to create enormous craters to burrow underneath the wall. Surrounded on all sides by enemies, Briggs heaves a vortex grenade, creating a swirling tornado-like mass of boulder, dirt and debris to dispatch his foes. These are just a few samples of the possibilities for Terrain Deformation. Players not only change the battlefield – they change the face of the battle itself.

“LucasArts sees simulation-based gameplay as an essential component of a true next-gen experience, and that’s exactly what Fracture delivers,” said Peter Hirschmann, vice president of product development at LucasArts. “Day 1 Studios has done a phenomenal job of creating true next-gen tech that not only dazzles on a visual level but also serves as a core gameplay mechanic. Unlike many other next-gen games on the market, Fracture simply isn’t possible in the previous generation of consoles.”

“LucasArts’ excitement for Fracture is palpable, and it only inspires us even further to ensure the game lives up to its lofty expectations,” said Denny Thorley, president of Day 1. “The opportunity to work with a company such as LucasArts, that knows not only how to launch large entertainment properties, but also successfully bring new IP to market, is truly a privilege. With Terrain Deformation leading the way, we know we’re creating something special, and we have absolutely no doubts that LucasArts is the only company to make sure Fracture receives its due.”

More information about the game can be found at the official Fracture website, www.fracturegame.com, which will continue to release details throughout the year. ...

Press release:

Virgin PLAY is pleased to announce the signing of its publishing contract with I - Imagine studios to publish Final Armada for PAL territories PlayStation 2 and PSP.

I - Imagine studies, whose headquarters are located in Johannesburg, South Africa, were created in 1999 and have developed video games for PlayStation 2, Xbox, Game Cube, PC and soon, for PSP.

Dan Wagner, General Manager and founder of I - Imagine stated, “Final Armada is the first PS2 and PSP game to be developed in South Africa, and we are excited to be working with Virgin Play to release it throughout Europe"

Virgin PLAY´s General Manager Francisco Encinas remarked, “This is another important step for Virgin PLAY in our international expansion of the business. V.2Play has been established so that we can publish games developed by top studies. We work with the best to satisfy our public.”

Final Armada is an action/ combat game based on controlling vehicles, mainly ‘The Agressor’ a powerful and sophisticated combat vehicle of massive destruction with transformation capabilities. Personifying Lieutenant Zake Anderson, you will explore everything around you, interacting with other prominent figures in the game.

Soon there will be available the Official web page of the Final Armada in: www.finalarmada.com ...

FISHLABS, a leading developer of premium 3D mobile games, has signed a distribution agreement for a number of existing as well as upcoming 3D mobile games, all to be made available through Sony Ericsson’s Fun & Downloads service. The deal includes the multiple top award-winning titles Galaxy on Fire™, Planet Riders™, Heli Strike™, DEEP™ and the highly anticipated fantasy RPG Blades & Magic™, finalist at International Mobile Games Award and Mobile Gaming Hunt at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco (CA) this year.

Peter Ahnegard, Content Acquisition Manager at Sony Ericsson, says: „ Sony Ericsson is the leading manufacturer of 3D-enabled phones and was the first to bring mobile 3D gaming to mass-market Java™ phones in early 2004. We have introduced a strong lineup of more than 50 3D-enabled phones to date. Fishlabs has a proven track record of creating some of the finest 3D mobile games in the industry. Thanks to their ability to deliver outstanding 3D gaming experience on our phones, we are now making a range of these game available for enjoyment by consumers who have come to expect a great gaming experience on Sony Ericsson phones.“

FISHLABS’ CEO and Co-Founder Michael Schade added: “We are absolutely thrilled to see all our games live at Sony Ericsson Fun & Downloads. Probably, this is where gamers will look for 3D mobile games the most and Sony Ericsson phones have always been our key target platform to develop our games for. It’s because of their outstanding performance, unparalleled platform consistency and the strong footprint in the market. In our experience, the majority of the top 20 handsets for downloads are from Sony Ericsson.”

With five additional games developed by Fishlabs and distributed by Sony Ericsson according to earlier agreements with publisher THQ and Middleware Provider Exit Games, there are currently ten Fishlabs games available on Sony Ericsson Fun & Downloads.

The distributed games can be found on Sony Ericsson Fun & Downloads at www.SonyEricsson.com/fun. Screenshots and in-game videos of the games can also be found at http://www.fishlabs.net/clients/pressroom/ ...