The game update, now available on PlayStation®Network and coming soon to Xbox LIVE®, addresses a number of issues, many of which negatively affected online gameplay experience:

• Ranked Match Filtering: One of the most requested additions, players may now set conditions for their opponent’s connection. When a player who doesn’t meet the standby conditions tries to enter the Ranked match, a warning message will be displayed and the match cancelled.
• Improved Filtering: Filtering functionality in general has seen dramatic improvements. Previously, certain connection data was not filtered sufficiently and the player had a chance of connecting to opponents with poor connection quality. Now, more aggressive filtering should ensure that players are only matched with opponents who meet their filter settings.
• Improved Connection Antenna: The computation behind the players’ connection antenna, the meter indicating the quality of a player’s connection, has been improved, resulting in a more accurate and consistent measurement.
• Temporarily Saved Custom Match Settings: Players may continue searching for opponents with the same settings as long as the player remains in the PLAYER MATCH/RANKED MATCH menu.
• Character-specific Bug Fixes: “NESTS-Style” Kyo and Iori with the Power of Flames no longer become unresponsive under certain circumstances.
• Additional refinements, fixes, and more!

In celebration of the update’s release, ATLUS also today announced a limited time $10 price reduction, dropping the game to $39.99 and making it even easier to justify picking up what GameSpot hailed as the “Best Fighting Game of 2011.” This discount also comes in commemoration of the title’s selection as an official part of Evo Championship Series, for which ATLUS today revealed a special bonus for all all paid KOF XIII entrants at the Evo World Finals.

Upon formally registrating for the KOF XIII tournament at Evo 2012, challengers will reserve an exclusive, extremely limited t-shirt featuring Mai Shiranui and the Evo Championship Series logo. Not only is the t-shirt poised to become an ultra-rare collectible, but because sizing information is taken as part of the registration process, public flauntability is ensured as well.

THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIII is out now in North America for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 systems. For more info, visit http://www.atlus.com/kofxiii.

Capcom®, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games today confirmed that Dragon’s Dogma™, its highly anticipated open world action title, will be released for the Xbox 360 ® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system in North America on May 22, 2012 and across Europe on May 25, 2012. Capcom is also pleased to announce that purchasers of Dragon’s Dogma will have the opportunity to be the first to experience a playable demo of Resident Evil® 6, ahead of its release on Nov. 20, 2012.

Retail versions of Dragon’s Dogma will contain a redeemable token that will allow owners to download the Resident Evil 6 demo. Purchasers of the Xbox 360 version of Dragon’s Dogma will be able to redeem this token and download the Resident Evil 6 demo globally on the Xbox LIVE^® Marketplace for Xbox 360 60 days earlier than any other platform starting on July 3. The demo for owners of the PlayStation®3 system version of Dragon’s Dogma will go live on the PlayStation®Store on Sept. 4 in North America and Japan and Sept. 5 in Europe.

An exciting new franchise which redefines the action genre, Dragon’s Dogma is from the team that produced some of Capcom’s greatest action games. Set in a huge open world, Dragon’s Dogma offers an exhilarating and fulfilling action combat game with the freedom to explore and interact in a rich, living and breathing world.

Dragon’s Dogma introduces an innovative team system to the genre. Known as Pawns, these three AI partners fight independently, demonstrating prowess and ability they have developed based on traits learned over time from the player and their actions. By utilizing the Xbox LIVE online entertainment network or PlayStation®Network, players will journey to the Rift where they can share their own Pawns with friends and be rewarded with treasure, knowledge of the world and strategies for taking down enemies. Conversely, players can borrow friends’ Pawns with the specific skills or experience required to tackle a particular quest.  In addition, Dragon’s Dogma will ship with thousands of ready-made Pawns for players to pick their allies offline.

For those wishing to reserve their day one copy of Dragon’s Dogma, the following pre-order initiatives will be available:
GameStop is offering the ‘Pawn Upgrade Pack’ which will give players additional Rift Crystals allowing them to rent higher level experience Pawns from the outset.
The ‘Armor Upgrade Pack’ offered through Best Buy and the ‘Weapon Upgrade Pack’ from Amazon.com will deliver higher level armour and weapons respectively giving players a real advantage when tackling the toughest of enemies.  Please check local retailers for details.

Furthermore, Capcom will be supporting Dragon’s Dogma post launch with a comprehensive suite of downloadable content including additional quests as well as weapon and armour upgrades.

To be the first to view the brand new story trailer visit www.facebook.com/dragonsdogma. The page also includes more secrets about the world of Dragon’s Dogma and access to exclusive artwork.

Capcom is pleased to confirm that B’z, Japan’s foremost rock band, will be writing and recording a brand new original track to feature in Dragon’s Dogma.

KONAMI’s Blockbuster Soccer Franchise Hits Social Media Milestone with Over 5,000,000 Pro Evolution Soccer fans on Facebook

Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. has announced that its Pro Evolution Soccer Facebook page is now followed by over five million people. In honor of this milestone, Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the world’s most recognized players and PES cover athlete, has recorded a special message for the Facebook fans!

The Real Madrid midfielder, and the new face of the Pro Evolution Soccer series, has recorded a dedicated message to this massive amount of fans. Five entrants in the competition will be chosen at random and will each receive a signed shirt.

The success of KONAMI’s Pro Evolution Soccer Facebook page comes following a concerted push by the publisher’s newly-established Social & Online Media Department. This division was established in April 2011 when just 1.6 million people were fans. Using a wealth of exclusive material to attract new fans and by increasing efforts to lead direct and credible conversations with them, the division has overseen an increase of over 600 percent in the number of monthly active users, and presided over a 1,300 percent increase in monthly page views.

The Pro Evolution Soccer Facebook page can be found at www.facebook.com/PES.

Award-winning independent game developer Klei Entertainment and EA Partners, a division of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA), today announced that the highly anticipated 2D action brawler, Shank™ 2, will be available on the PlayStation®Network and PC in North America on February 7, 2012 for $9.99 USD. The game will be available on the Xbox LIVE® Arcade and PlayStation®Network Europe on February 8, 2012 for 800 Microsoft Points or € 9.99.

Set in a pulp fiction world, Shank 2 puts players back in control of their favorite ex-mobster hitman, Shank. Klei has evolved the combat experience with precise controls, new weapons, smarter enemies, and more advanced combo techniques, all set to the backdrop of beautiful 2D art and animation. Players can put Shank’s trusty arsenal of handguns, chainsaws, grenades, plus all-new weapons to use in order to protect those close to him.

Introducing an all-new Survival Mode, gamers can team up with a friend online or locally, working together to take down hordes of goons in an action-packed, arcade-style brawl. Featuring stunning visuals from Klei’s veteran cartoon director, Jeff Agala, Shank 2 raises the bar even higher for 2D brawlers with art and animation that won Klei multiple awards and nominations, including IGF’s Excellence in Visual Arts nomination, and the Canadian Animator of the Year award for Klei’s lead animator, Aaron Bouthillier.

For more information on Shank 2, please visit shank2.ea.com and follow the development team at www.twitter.com/klei and at www.facebook.com/shankgame.

What began as a student project that won a Student Showcase prize at Independent Gaming Festival at the Game Developer’s Conference 2010, is now a full-fledged downloadable game like nothing players have experienced before. In Puddle, gamers guide puddles of fluid through a variety of novel, themed environments (the human body, a garden, a foundry, and more). But to do so, they must tilt the environment, balancing each fluid’s unique properties with the environmental factors of gravity, friction, and each course’s obstacles. With players never being able to see the entire level from the start, Puddle will offer plenty of unexpected twists, keeping players alert and ready for the next challenge waiting for them around the corner. Puddle initially began as a project from six students from the French videogame school ENJMIN, and was ultimately picked up and developed by Neko Entertainment.

About Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2:
Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 is the sequel to the popular RPG Hyperdimension Neptunia, in which you control personifications (humanoids) of videogame consoles with the objective of protecting the world of Gamindustri. In Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2, the four heroines are the younger sisters of the CPUs (Console Patron Units) from Hyperdimension Neptunia. Once again, fans can indulge in the mysteries and adventures found within Gamindustri!

And if you haven’t played the first game yet, head over to our review of Hyperdimension Neptunia to see what this game is all about!

Zombies, and mutants, and monsters, oh my!  Hot on the heels of a viral marketing campaign centered around NoHopeLeft.com, those mad scientists over at Capcom have unleashed the first hints of an all new horror with the announcement of Resident Evil 6 for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360!  Set ten years after the terrifying events in Raccoon City, this new foray into the world of survival horror features the return of franchise stars Leon Kennedy and Chris Redfield as they battle a surge of worldwide bio-terrorist attacks.  From the streets of China to the White House, itself, no one will be safe when the outbreak begins on November 20th.

Click to view the trailer!

Award-winning developer BioWare, a label of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:EA), announced today that the demo for 2012′s first blockbuster game, Mass Effect™ 3 will be available beginning February 14, 2012. The extensive demo will allow players to experience the all-out galactic war against an ancient alien race known as the Reapers from multiple fronts, including the mind-blowing opening attack on Earth that kicks off the single-player campaign. Players will go deeper into the campaign and also get a taste of the franchise’s new co-operative multiplayer mode as they preview the epic story, adrenaline-pumping action and deep customization options that lie ahead when Mass Effect 3 launches on March 6, 2012. The Mass Effect 3 demo will be available for the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and PC. Mass Effect 3 will also be one of the first pre-launch demos to support full voice recognition functionality on Kinect™ for Xbox 360.

“We are excited to be able to give gamers an expansive demo that will put them right on the front lines of this all-out galactic war,” said Casey Hudson, Executive Producer of the Mass Effect series. “The entire scale of the game is bigger than anything we’ve ever done. With its intense action, deep customization and raw emotional power, Mass Effect 3 will deliver a spectacular action RPG experience to fans of the series and newcomers alike.”

In Mass Effect 3, players will be thrust into an all-out galactic war to take Earth back and save the entire galaxy, assuming the role of Commander Shepard, a war-torn veteran who’s willing to do whatever it takes to eliminate this nearly unstoppable foe. With a team of elite, battle-hardened soldiers at your side, each player decides how they will take Earth back, from the weapons and abilities they utilize to the relationships they forge or break. Mass Effect 3 also features a new co-operative gameplay mode that allows fans to experience the war from a different perspective. Players who want to try this new mode will be able to do so on February 17, or by qualifying for early access to the co-op portion of the demo which begins February 14. Gamers qualify for early access if they have activated their Battlefield 3™ online pass* or though other opportunities that will be announced in the near future www.masseffect.com.

Recently named by over 100 outlets around the world as one of the most anticipated games of 2012, including winning the fan-voted Most Anticipated Game of 2012 award at the Spike TV VGAs, Mass Effect 3 is available for pre-order now at participating retailers. Fans who pre-order** have the opportunity to arm themselves with cutting-edge in-game weapons and armor to prepare for the all-out galactic war. Mass Effect 3 arrives on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC in North America on March 6, 2012 and in Europe on March 9, 2012. For more information on Mass Effect 3, please visit http://masseffect.com, follow the game on Twitter at http://twitter.com/masseffect or “like” the game on Facebook at http://facebook.com/masseffect.

* Conditions and restrictions apply. Early access requirement and availability may differ by platform and/or region. See www.masseffect.com for more details.

** Conditions and restrictions apply. See http://masseffect.bioware.com/me3/game/preorderbonus/ for more details.

Silent Hill HD Collection: March 6.
Silent Hill HD Collection serves as a tribute to the core Silent Hill fans by taking the most famous games of the series, Silent Hill 2 & 3, and re-mastering them in high-definition graphics and adding new voiceovers.

Silent Hill Downpour: March 13.
Silent Hill Downpour follows the story of Murphy Pendleton, a convicted felon, who finds himself trapped in Silent Hill after his prison transport bus crashes. Silent Hill Downpour is the most expansive Silent Hill to date, as players can embark on side missions, explore the town and piece more of the mystery of Silent Hill together.

Silent Hill Book of Memories: March 27
Available exclusively for the brand new PlayStation®Vita handheld device, Book of Memories is an all-new game in the Silent Hill series, with a unique premise and storyline. The story begins with a strange book that is received; inside that book is your entire life story and all of your memories. You discover that by altering what’s written you can actually change the past. You can write your own ideal history. And for the first time ever in a Silent Hill game, it will support multiplayer, so friends can share in the fright in a co-op mode

NIS America announces today that Atelier Meruru: The Apprentice of Arland will bring its alchemic adventure experience to its fans in North America and Europe in May, 2012. Atelier Meruru is the latest installment in the fan-favorite Atelier series. With Atelier Meruru, the Arland trilogy comes to a most enchanting conclusion. Atelier Meruru follows the story of spunky Princess Meruru, who finds herself entranced by alchemy and vows to become Totori Helmold’s apprentice. With new and updated game systems and returning characters from Atelier Rorona and Atelier Totori, Atelier Meruru will once again capture the hearts and minds of all the Atelier fans out there.
Game Features:
-New “Development” system: develop new areas and facilities in Arls to gain access to even more lands to explore!
-Developing new areas and facilities will change the appearance of the in-game world! How you develop the kingdom will alter the outcome of the story.
-Classic turn-based battles feature a Time Card turn system, making the battles even more strategic!
-Master item synthesis with the help of the ever-popular Homs!
-Fan-favorite characters from previous Atelier games return with more stories and mysteries to uncover!
About Atelier Meruru:
The tiny kingdom of Arls, located on the northeastern border of the Arland Republic, is where Princess Meruru calls home. Ever since she was exposed to alchemy by famed adventurer Totori Helmold, all she could think about was becoming an alchemist. With Totori’s guidance, Meruru sets out to develop her home kingdom of Arls using the power of alchemy. On her way, Meruru will encounter new adventures, obstacles, mysteries, and friends, and discover what life is like outside the castle walls. How you choose to guide her through the advancement of her land will determine the final outcome in the tale of Atelier Meruru.