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Mass Effect Hype Machine getting cranked up

Posted by: Dan at 11/7/2007 12:39 PM - Comments (0)
More On: Mass Effect Bioware
Microsoft announced today the details of the Mass Effect publicity leading up to the November 20th launch. There will be a TV spot on Yahoo and Microsoft on Nov. 8th, Sci-Fi Channel and Microsoft on Nov 12th and a 30 minute special on the Sci-Fi network on Nov 20th. Check the release after the jump for full details:


Countdown Begins for Launch of “Mass Effect” with Exclusive Debut of TV Spot, SCI FI Channel Special, Micro-Site and Official Soundtrack

Microsoft, Yahoo! and SCI FI Channel celebrate the upcoming release of the holiday’s most anticipated new action role-playing game with two weeks of exclusive special programming and events


As the Nov. 20 launch date for “Mass Effect” for Xbox 360 draws nigh, the threat of an alien rogue force looms ever closer. To help unlock some of the secrets and mysteries of the vast universe in the highly-anticipated action RPG, Microsoft and Yahoo! will debut the exclusive television trailer for the upcoming game on Thursday, Nov. 8. On Monday, Nov. 12, the SCI FI Channel and Microsoft will continue its countdown for the retail release of “Mass Effect” by premiering the all-new, two-hour extended episode of “Battlestar Galactica: Razor” in select movie theaters. For those lucky enough to attend the Seattle premiere, Jamie Bamber, who plays Apollo in “Battlestar Galactica,” and show creator and executive producer Ronald D. Moore will be in attendance.

On Tuesday, Nov. 20, the SCI FI Channel will celebrate the launch of “Mass Effect” with the debut of a 30-minute special entitled “Sci vs. Fi: Mass Effect.” Scheduled to air at 11 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, the special will feature more in-depth information about the game, exclusive interviews and exciting behind-the scenes footage.

In conjunction with the special, fans are encouraged to go to http://www.scifi.com/masseffect to find all the show times and sign up for the “Mass Effect” sweepstakes, starting Nov. 13, for a chance to win the coveted limited collector’s edition of “Mass Effect.”

Also fueling anticipation for the game is the new “Mass Effect” micro-site on Xbox.com, which launched today at http://www.xbox.com/masseffect. The micro-site offers a wealth of “Mass Effect” content in one convenient portal, including the latest news and events on the game, as well as screenshots and special promotional items that no space traveling enthusiast should be without. Music fans will also find the “Mass Effect” Original Game Soundtrack, now available for presale and at retailers on Nov. 20.

From the creators of the critically-acclaimed “Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic” and “Jade Empire” comes an epic space saga exclusively for the Xbox 360 that spans the entire galaxy. Combining a rich and engaging narrative with intense sci-fi tactical combat, “Mass Effect” features an immersive and cinematic gameplay experience rarely seen before in video games.

For additional information on “Mass Effect,” please visit http://masseffect.bioware.com. “Mass Effect” is rated “M” for Mature.

About BioWare
BioWare Corp. is an electronic entertainment company which develops computer, console, handheld and online video games focused on rich stories and memorable characters. Since 1995, BioWare has created some of the world's best-selling titles including the award-winning Baldur's Gate™ and Neverwinter Nights™ series, as well as the 2003 Game of the Year, Star Wars®: Knights of the Old Republic™. Original BioWare-created IPs include the 2005 RPG of the Year, Jade Empire™, with next-generation titles Mass Effect™ and Dragon Age™ currently in development. Mass Effect will ship to retailers globally in November, 2007. The game has received more than 50 awards, including the 2007 Game Critics Awards for “Best Console Game” and “Best RPG” at the Electronic Entertainment Expo. With studios in Edmonton, Canada, and Austin, Texas, BioWare is also hard at work on a new title for the Nintendo DS™ based on Sonic the Hedgehog, as well as several unannounced projects including a massively multiplayer online game. For more information on BioWare, visit www.bioware.com.

*BioWare, BioWare Corp., Mass Effect, Dragon Age and Jade Empire are trademarks or registered trademarks owned by BioWare Corp. in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

About Microsoft Game Studios
Microsoft Game Studios is a leading worldwide publisher and developer of games for the Xbox® and Xbox 360 video game systems, the Windows® operating system and online platforms. Comprising a network of top developers, Microsoft Game Studios is committed to creating innovative and diverse games for Windows (http://www.microsoft.com/games), including such franchises as “Age of Empires®,” “Flight Simulator” and “Zoo Tycoon®”; Xbox and Xbox 360 (http://www.xbox.com), including such games as “Gears of War” and franchises such as “Halo,” “Fable®,” “Project Gotham Racing®” and “Forza Motorsport®”; and MSN® Games (http://www.games.msn.com), the official games channel for the MSN network and home to such hits as “Bejeweled” and “Hexic®.”

NHL 2K9 goes gold, skates into stores on September 9th

by: Chuck - posted: 8/29/2008 12:14 PM - Comments (0)
The NHL2KX hockey series used to be the best in the business until two years ago when EA passed them with their superb skill stick.  The folks at 2K Sports know this which is why they've gone back and re-tooled the game quite a bit for NHL 2K9 which went gold today.  Ben had some reservations about the Xbox 360 demo but the demo was a little too short to get a good feel for everything in the game.  I know he's also stoked about the Wii version of the game as he's been anxiously waiting a Wii hockey game for years.  I guess we'll get to see how good the idea is when it's released on September 9th. [READ MORE]

Gaming Gibs for 8/29/2008

by: Chuck - posted: 8/29/2008 12:08 PM - Comments (0)
Here are a few things I missed while marking my territory:

Launch trailer for Mercenaries 2 not going to win friends in Venezuela

by: Chuck - posted: 8/29/2008 12:40 AM - Comments (1)
At E3 I asked  Mercenaries 2 lead designer Scott Warner about the whole political controversy of setting a game in Venezuela and he mentioned that it didn't really impact their design at all but after seeing this trailer you have to wonder if Caesar Chavez isn't going to raise a fuss about the Americans creating a simulator to help people learn to invade his country.  While there's no obvious connection I do think that people are going to enjoy blowing stuff up in this game and it's not like you don't have the option of working for the government forces.

News Roundup: Ultimate Ninja Ninjatown Ninjas Dodgeball

by: Randy - posted: 8/28/2008 11:38 PM - Comments (0)
PATCHES
VIDEOS
SCREENS
ARTICLES
Thanks to Defunct Games, TheTechLounge, AtomicGamer, Crackle, Digit-Life, and Techgage for today's News Roundup.

Wizard101 School of Death gets lively

by: Randy - posted: 8/28/2008 10:53 PM - Comments (0)
Perhaps in response to the mini-diatribe I posted against Wizard101's over-recycled use of their own assets, these new screens -- depicting the family-friendly-titled School of Death Magic -- at least change up the camera angles a few times.  I can honestly appreciate how their summoning room doesn't just summon the creature itself, but conjures the creature's environment along with it.
[READ MORE]

Silent Hill: Homecoming king is a boy named Josh

by: Randy - posted: 8/28/2008 10:33 PM - Comments (0)
Find the boy, save the town.  Silent Hill: Homecoming switches up an old horror archetype by using a disturbed little boy instead of a disturbed little girl for that added creepy factor.  This video is about a kid named Josh.  Finding him will change everything.

SBK-08 screenshots capture fair-weather umbrella girls

by: Randy - posted: 8/28/2008 10:01 PM - Comments (0)
Filling out the previous screenshot profile we have for SBK-08: Superbike World Championship, these six new images reiterate all the slippery-when-wet roads, blurry speeds, brand-jammed bikes, and -- this is a first look -- the scantily-clad umbrella girls.  No clue what the umbrellas are for, but what the heck.
[READ MORE]

Geek Dad Takes a Shot at Super Swing Golf Season 2

by: Eva - posted: 8/28/2008 4:08 PM - Comments (0)
Wired Blog Network's Geek Dad has a review up for Super Swing Golf Season 2 for the Wii as part of his Parents' Guide series. He gives a detailed break down of what, where, why, how, when, who for the title and compares it to two other golf games: We Love Golf and Tiger Woods PGA Tour '09.

Geek Dad describes how the game handles using the Wiimote to simulate swinging a club. The only thing I would add is that as with bowling it's imperative to use the strap, unless you really wanted to buy a new television anyway. Geek Dad also gives gamers a heads up that playing 18 holes can take an hour or more playing solo and potentially much longer with a bunch of friends. Apparently it could be time well spent as you'll actually learn a little about the sport.
While Super Swing Golf doesn't quite have the level of detail of We Love Golf, and lacks the serious weighty proceedings of Tiger Woods, it still manages to provide the majority of information the player needs to make their shot selection.
Ultimately experts looking for a hardcore golfing experience are better off sticking with Tiger Woods. For kids and amateurs, it's a solid pick. If you've been looking for a golf videogame, check out Geek Dad's review of Super Swing Golf Season 2 before making your final decision.

NCsoft's "Positron" Talks Mission Architect Toolset for City of Heroes

by: Eva - posted: 8/28/2008 3:05 PM - Comments (0)
City of Heroes Lead Designer Matt "Positron" Miller has issued a letter to the community on the Issue 13: "Architect" update. He starts out by addressing the biggest new addition to CoH, the Mission Architect. This toolset will allow players to take their ideas for heroic adventures and create them from the ground up. There has been much concern (read shouting) over how to balance the system's rewards. It's not meant to spawn a bunch of scenarios that pander to "easy leveling" or "badging" or "farming". The NCsoft team is working on it and feels they've come up with a system that isn't "abusable." Positron is realistic enough to understand that virtually any system is abusable, but promises the team will keep tweaking it until they get it right.

The other big news is the "Booster Packs" coming out in an month or so. Due to popular demand, players will be able to buy the 30 day temporary jetpack from the CoH card game to use in the CoH MMO for $4.99. The Super Booster I: Cyborg Pack will also be available for CoH. The pack boasts an awesome set of costume pieces, emotes, auras and a power and will go for $9.99. For Positrons full letter visit the City of Heroes Community Site. You'll also find more specs on the update in a separate feature list for Issue 13: "Architect."

The Further Adventures of Vault Dweller, Master of Puppets Continues on Fallout Website

by: Eva - posted: 8/28/2008 2:21 PM - Comments (2)
Heads up all you Fallout and Penny Arcade fans. Your favorite web-comic artists have taken time out from prepping for PAX to upload a sixth strip to their Penny Arcade Comic on Bethesda's official Fallout website. The strip tells the tale of one lonely vault dweller and a crate of puppets.

The site is age gated due to the game's rating but well worth the small hassle for the wealth of Fallout 3 information within. Make sure to check out any strips you missed in the Vault.

Spore being pre-loaded.. one step closer to release

by: John - posted: 8/28/2008 1:14 PM - Comments (0)
Spore is launching next week but you can have it ready to go today by pre-loading the game. Those that pre-order can set their computer to start downloading some of it so you can get into the game right as it starts on launch day. It's been a long time coming and it's good to see the game finally get its release. [READ MORE]

Classic Gaming Trivia for 8/28/08

by: John - posted: 8/28/2008 12:56 PM - Comments (2)
Yesterday's offering was Escape from the Mindmaster on the Atari 2600. What was unique about this game was it came on a tape and you had to use a special cartridge called a Supercharger to play it. There were some awesome games made for the Supercharger and Mindmaster was one of the best. It had a 3D feel way back then and the mini puzzles scattered throughout the maze were a nice addition.

So what do we have for today? Well, as you can see below, it's an RPG that looked very similiar to a classic Origin game. This game had a really unique end fight and a pretty cool ceremony in the middle of the game.

Disney releases soundtrack information for Pure

by: John - posted: 8/28/2008 12:41 PM - Comments (1)
Pure's a new four-wheel action racing game coming from Disney and it's been getting some good buzz. Here we have the name of the songs and artists on the soundtrack for the game.  Some artists include The Answer, Fred Baker, DJ Hyper, and Noise Control. Check out the press release to see the rest of the folks that you'll be hearing while racing around. [READ MORE]

AMD Cinema 2.0 explained

by: John - posted: 8/28/2008 12:36 PM - Comments (1)
One of the big initiatives recently for AMD has been Cinema 2.0. If you don't know what that means, the video below does a good job explaining it and what gamers and developers will see in the future. From the video, you can see some impressive demonstrations using their latest AMD Radeon 4870 card generating some really slick effects. I als like the 3D hologram like display. Now, demos are great and all but we'll have to see if this does make it to the consumers anytime soon.

abit looks like it's exiting the motherboard business

by: John - posted: 8/28/2008 12:33 PM - Comments (0)
Hexus is reporting that long time motherboard maker, abit, will be exiting the motherboard business. The news makes me a little sad as I've owned a great deal of motherboards from them and I still have a few machines running abit mobos. It seems unless you're one of the big ones, it's hard to survive the tight margins. Thanks for all the great support and products abit. You'll be missed in this sector.

Gaming Gibs for 8/28/2008

by: Chuck - posted: 8/28/2008 11:44 AM - Comments (1)
Here are a few things I missed while tracking down the parts for my own :
  • Gamers are now doping for World Cyber Games...it's time to start testing for Red Bull and Cheetos
  • Lowest rated player in Madden 09 to play this week, it's still pre-season though
  • Video games cut into exercise time, once again people get paid for this kind of analysis
  • MTV talks to people  at Silicon Knights not named Denis Dyack
  • Old people tend to believe the "video games made me do it" argument more than others, also like prune juice more
  • Novint posts pictures of the "sweat shop" they are using to put together pistol grips
  • Full Throttle remembered, loved
  • Gearbox may do the next Halo game, try to care

EU: Rome gets an exspansion pack and I get a break

by: Nathan - posted: 8/28/2008 1:59 AM - Comments (1)
I was seriously sick of trying to spell Europa Universalis by memory but with the new expansion comes a new name. Paradox Interactive has announced EU: Rome- Vae Victis which is scheduled for release in Q4 of 2008 on GamersGate digital download service. What does this expansion bring to the table? Good question! EU: Rome- Vae Victis will bring the game characters to life by giving them a will of their own (I smell a revolt coming on), new political game play that lets you manipulate the Roman senate, revised AI, new interface, new missions and all for the low price of $9.99. You can read more about the game HERE at the games website. [READ MORE]

New features introduced to Magi-Nation

by: Nathan - posted: 8/28/2008 1:51 AM - Comments (0)
Cookie Jar, every time I hear the name it makes me hungry. Developer Cookie Jar has announced new features for their online game based on the animated television series of the same name Magi-Nation. The new features include a true multiplayer world with In-Game Chat, Expanded PvP leader boards, new areas to explore, and new items. This may seem like a shopping list for an mmorpg but Magi-Nation is actually more like a certain monster collecting game with mmo qualities. This update shows that even those small free to play "kiddie games" get a lot of attention from the public, the developers, and the publishers. You go Cookie Jar! Now I need to go buy some cookies, excuse me.
MAGI-NATION WEBSITE [READ MORE]

News Roundup: Samba de Castle Crashers

by: Randy - posted: 8/28/2008 12:37 AM - Comments (0)
DEMOS
  • Strange Attractors 2 Demo (experimental top-down action puzzler)
  • Advanced Tactics: World War II v1.20 Patch
VIDEOS
SCREENSHOTS
ARTICLES
Thanks to Defunct Games, Xbox America, Champions-Online.com, AtomicGamer, ActionTrip, Digit-Life, and TheTechLounge for today's News Roundup.

EA shows more of the Wii controls in Skate It!

by: Chuck - posted: 8/28/2008 12:28 AM - Comments (0)
Here's a new video from EA showing off how you'll be pulling off tricks in Skate It!. 

Stardock releases second phase of Impulse digital distribution system

by: Chuck - posted: 8/28/2008 12:22 AM - Comments (0)
Stardock has released the second phase of it's Impulse digital distribution center which includes the ImpulseReactor which adds match making, multiplayer rankings, and a host of of cloud computing components to the service.  Political Machine 2008 (which Tyler liked) will be the first game to incporporate these features into a game with other games (including Demigod) being based on these services.

As part of this release you'll also be able to purchase and download select 2K Games titles including Sid Meier's Pirates and Civilization III.  Stardock is going directly head to head with Valve's Steam service right now and it will be interesting to see how it shakes out. [READ MORE]

New FIFA 09 screenshots released

by: Chuck - posted: 8/28/2008 12:19 AM - Comments (0)
I'm a recent convert to the world of soccer as I've been re-introduced to the sport over the last few months.  While I still prefer hockey and football the sport has grown enough on me that I'm actually thinking about checking out FIFA Soccer 09 when it comes out later this year.  The game certainly looks good but I do wonder if there's a dive and play hurt button in the control scheme or not.
[READ MORE]

Legendary can't promise that you'll remember the titans

by: Randy - posted: 8/27/2008 11:57 PM - Comments (0)
This behind the scenes look at Legendary's rather humdrum titan class creatures is -- while a decently put together video -- still just a look at Legendary's rather humdrum titan class creatures.  Sorry for the redundancy.  I thought maybe saying it twice would make these creature designs feel more exciting.  The fact that there's apparently more than one of these lazily-designed enemies doesn't really up the ante.  The big huge tentacoo creature is cool, only by virtue of the fact that it's hard to go wrong with those in the end.  Still, it can't be a good thing when you're stifling a yawn while looking at big huge city-wrecking anomalies.

Magi-Nation expands borders, expands PvP

by: Randy - posted: 8/27/2008 11:45 PM - Comments (0)
Since having gone live in April, the Magi-Nation: Battle for the Moonlands free-to-play web-based MMO has just released its first major content update, effectively doubling the game's area with seven new landscapes, and adding new in-game chat functionality.  Further, they've expanded PvP by incorporating leader boards, and they've added more than 30 new items to the in-game shops.  Magi-Nation operates on micro-transactions, perfect for the allowance-fed billfolds of 8 to 14-year-olds, the game's target audience. [READ MORE]

Star Wars Galaxies trading card game launched today

by: Randy - posted: 8/27/2008 11:28 PM - Comments (0)
Star Wars Galaxies is going 2-D and will now move to a trading card game format featuring starter decks and 15-card booster packs.  That statement is actually only half true.  SWG did indeed release a new electronic trading card game today, "Champions of the Force."  And you can play it in and out of game.  You can even try it out using SWG's 14-day trial, though current subscribers will be given -- free of charge with their regular subscription:
  • One starter deck of their choice:  Jedi, Rebel, Imperial, or Sith
  • A Cybernetic Experience Chip, which gives a 20% experience point icrease that can be used up to 50 times in SWG when redeemed
  • The complete third expansion, SWG: Rage of the Wookiees
The random nature of trading card games can be rather off-putting.  Especially when you open up a fresh pack only to find that these are not the droids you are looking for. [READ MORE]