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.

Electronic Arts Inc., (NASDAQ: EA) announced today that the world’s number one selling golf video game franchise will return with an array of exciting new features, including Kinect for Xbox 360 integration, an opportunity to experience Tiger’s golf legacy, online and social features, as well as a Collector’s Edition providing even greater access to the Masters Tournament and Augusta National Golf Club. Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13® and Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® 13: The Masters Collector’s Edition, marks the 22^nd season for the EA SPORTS golf simulation video game franchise and will go on sale in North America on March 27 and worldwide on March 30, and be made available on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system.

With the most comprehensive swing mechanic revamp in over a decade, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13 will provide fans unprecedented control over their swing tempo, ball position and stance, allowing players to replicate countless swing combinations used by real-world PGA TOUR players. Coupled with complete integration with Kinect for Xbox 360, including voice-enabled controls, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13 lessens the gap between the real world and virtual golf course experience.

“Our fans asked us to deliver a new level of fidelity and authenticity to Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13 and our team delivered with the ability to literally choose millions of shot combinations through our new swing mechanic,” said Mike Taramykin, vice president and general manager of Tiger Woods PGA TOUR. “Fans will now be able to experience unparalleled control on the virtual golf course.”

“As the first of the EA SPORTS titles to feature Kinect for Xbox 360 integration in 2012, the controller-free and voice-enabled Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 experience will bring a whole new level of fun to fans worldwide,” said George Peckham, general manager, Global Publishing Group at Microsoft. ”We look forward to continuing to work closely with EA SPORTS to deliver the most immersive and engaging sports gaming experiences, only on Xbox 360.”

In addition to Kinect for Xbox 360 integration, EA SPORTS is providing fans with a fully immersive golf experience through all-new features such as Online Country Clubs, the chance to relive Tiger Woods’ memorable golf career accomplishments and the return of the pre-eminent tournament in all of golf — the Masters.

Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13 and The Masters Collector’s Edition include a number of features and enhancements that will make golfers feel as if they’re on the course, such as:

• Total Swing Control — Taking its most significant leap forward in swing mechanics in over a decade, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13 revolutionizes the virtual golf swing. Golfers will take full control over their swing with all-new tempo, swing plane and shot power controls along with an adjustable shot setup, allowing players to address the ball in a number of ways to create limitless shot types with just one club.
• 22 Licensed Professional Golfers — Fans can take to the course with any one of 22 PGA TOUR golfers in Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13, including Tiger Woods, 2011 US Open Champion Rory McIlroy, 2010 PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year Rickie Fowler and Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13 US cover art finalist Bubba Watson. More details about the new golfers in Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13 will be revealed during the week of January 16.
• Kinect for Xbox 360 Integration — Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13 will be the first-ever Kinect for Xbox 360 sports simulation title, tracking full body movements to create the most advanced and authentic swing to date on the virtual golf course. Controller-free and voice-enabled controls provides for a unique, never-before-seen sports gaming experience. More details will be revealed about Kinect for Xbox 360 integration the week of January 24.
• PlayStation Move Integration — Improve your game with the true-to-life golf swing created for the PlayStation Move. Fans will once again be able to experience the authentic golf swing created by the PlayStation Move, allowing golfers to emulate their swing style as they drive the ball down the fairway or sink a 30-foot putt.
• Experience Tiger’s Golf Legacy — Relive first-hand Tiger Woods’ most memorable golf accomplishments as he rises from a child prodigy to golfing legend. More details will be revealed about the Tiger golf legacy feature the week of February 6.
• Online Country Clubs — In Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13, gamers will be able to invite friends to join their own exclusive country club and team up to gain quicker access to downloadable golf courses or compete against other club members for the coveted Club Championship. More details will be revealed about Online Country Clubs the week of February 20.
• The Masters Collector’s Edition Exclusives — The Collector’s Edition provides fans with the ultimate Masters experience. Fans that purchase the Collector’s Edition will receive all of the features in the standard edition game, as well as exclusive access to Augusta National Golf Club’s Tournament practice facility, Augusta National’s famous Par 3 Course, an authentic Green Jacket Presentation and a chance to explore the hallowed grounds like never before.

  The Collector’s Edition also comes packed with five additional championship courses in addition to the standard edition, allowing players to experience 21 of the world’s greatest golfing destinations.

  More details will be revealed about features exclusive to The Masters Collector’s Edition during the week of March 6.

Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13 is developed in Orlando, Fla., by EA Tiburon and will retail for $59.99 and Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13: The Masters Collector’s Edition will be available for $69.99 on Xbox 360® and PlayStation®3.

Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13 and Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13: The Masters Collector’s Edition will be participating in the EA SPORTS™ Season Ticket program. Season Ticket subscribers will be provided full digital access to Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13 and Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13: The Masters Collector’s Edition three days before retail launch.

Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. and Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products today announced the full song list for the upcoming Karaoke Revolution GLEE: Volume 3, available on Xbox360 and Wii this Tuesday, November 22. The song list includes the following chart-topping tunes from the second season of GLEE:

•       Born This Way
•       Back to Black
•       Billionaire
•       Blame It
•       Don’t Go Breaking My Heart
•       Fat Bottomed Girls
•       Firework
•       Friday
•       Go Your Own Way
•       I Don’t Want to Know
•       I Follow Rivers
•       I Know What Boys Like
•       I Look to You
•       I Want to Hold Your Hand
•       I’ve Gotta Be Me
•       (I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life
•       Just the Way You Are (Amazing)
•       Last Christmas
•       Loser Like Me
•       Losing My Religion
•       Lucky
•       Marry You
•       Never Going Back Again
•       One Of Us
•       Only the Good Die Young
•       P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)
•       River Deep, Mountain High
•       Somebody to Love
•       Songbird
•       Stop! In The Name of Love/Free Your Mind
•       Sway
•       The Time Warp
•       Toxic
•       Valerie

In addition, Konami and Fox Consumer Products revealed that the game will have downloadable content available for the Xbox Live Arcade starting in November. Each song can be purchased individually for $1.99 (or 160 MS points) or in a bundle for $9.95 (or 800 MS points). The XBLA songs will be available for download routinely throughout the months of November and December. These songs will include:

•       And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going
•       Can’t Fight This Feeling
•       Hate On Me
•       Lean On Me
•       Papa Can You Hear Me
•       Smile (Charlie Chaplin version)
•       No Air
•       Take Me or Leave Me
•       Proud Mary
•       Smile (Lily Allen version)
•       Taking Chances
•       True Colors
•       Bad Romance
•       Gives You Hell
•       House Is Not A Home
•       Jessie’s Girl
•       Like A Virgin
•       To Sir, With Love

Karaoke Revolution GLEE: Volume 3 will be released on XBOX 360 and Wii on Tuesday, November 22, 2011. Karaoke Revolution GLEE: Volume 3 is rated T for Teen.

For more information and images from the game, please visit: http://www.konami.com/krglee.

Natsume Inc., a worldwide developer and publisher of family-oriented video games, announced today that the company’s full videogame lineup for 2011 is now available at retail and at Natsume’s Online Store. And, to celebrate the season of giving, Natsume is hosting a Harvest Moon Drawing Contest for its newest release, Harvest Moon: The Tale of Two Towns for 3DS.

Harvest Moon: The Tale of Two Towns for 3DS joins Gabrielle’s Ghostly Groove and Reel Fishing Paradise, also available for the 3DS, as well as Harvest Moon: The Tale of Two Towns for the DS, Rune Factory: Tides of Destiny on the PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii, making it a diversified lineup for every player searching for the perfect game this holiday season.

“We’re pleased to deliver something for every gamer this fall with new iterations of our Harvest Moon and Rune Factory series, along with a brand new IP – Gabrielle’s Ghostly Groove,” said Hiro Maekawa, President and CEO of Natsume.  ”No matter who’s on your holiday shopping list, we have something fun and entertaining for everyone. In addition, to help get everyone into the spirit of giving, we are holding a drawing contest for Harvest Moon: The Tale of Two Town, so everyone should try to enter and win!”

In order to participate in the contest, entrants must draw a picture of their favorite Harvest Moon: The Tale of Two Towns character and their favorite Harvest Moon animal and send it to Natsume by December 31, 2011. Five grand prize winners and fifteen runner-up winners will be chosen. The grand prize is a One-of-a-Kind Igusa Matsuyama Illustration (all five are different) and some Harvest Moon goodies. For more information on the contest, visit www.natsume.com.

For more information on each of Natsume’s 2011 holiday lineup see the descriptions below.  Each title is rated E or E10+ by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) and available at retailers nationwide, or at the Natsume Online Store http://natsume.com/store/index.html

Gabrielle’s Ghostly Groove ($39.99 3DS)

Gabrielle’s having a bad day. She sneezed her soul right out of her body! She’ll have to travel to Monsterville, the home of all things that go bump in the night, to get help. Only by busting out the ghostliest dance moves and thrilling and chilling people will she be able to scare up the power she needs to get herself back into her body! It’s a spooktacular rhythm adventure!  The game is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB and is available for an MSRP of $39.99.

Harvest Moon: The Tale of Two Towns ($29.99 DS; $39.99 3DS)

Once the best of neighbors, Konohana and Bluebell villages were torn apart by their huge dispute over, of all things, food! Both towns were certain that their cooking was the best in the world. This feud has transformed these happy neighbors into bitter rivals.  It’s up to the player, as the main protagonist, to bridge the gap and bring friendship back to the two neighboring villages. As a new farmer to the area, players choose which village to live in. Will it be Eastern-styled Konohana with its abundant fields of crops, or the animal-loving, European-styled Bluebell? Players must pick a home, build a thriving farm, and compete in a huge variety of festivals. If they develop their skills enough, they might even find a way to bring these two towns together once again! Harvest Moon: The Tale of Two Towns is now available for an MSRP of $29.99 on the DST and $39.99 for the 3DS.

Rune Factory: Tides of Destiny($39.99 Wii; $49.99 PS3)

Aden and Sonja, two lifelong friends, live a tranquil life on Fenith Island until they’re struck by a mysterious curse: they awaken to find both of their souls are now trapped in the same body! On top of this unusual calamity, the Fenith Island they knew is gone, replaced by a strange island populated with unfamiliar faces. However, nothing will sink the spirits of the two friends, and by exploring this new world, they will be able to solve the mystery of their curse and save their beloved island. During the course of their journey, Aden and Sonja will be aided by a colorful cast of characters, as well as take command of a towering golem, Ymir. Using their newfound giant friend, they’ll cross vast seas, discover hidden islands and dungeons packed with riches, and battle fearsome monsters of the deep! Rated E10+ by the Entertainment Software Rating Board, the games are available for an MSRP of $39.99 for the Wii version, and $49.99 for the PS3 game.

Reel Fishing Paradise 3D ($29.99 3DS)

Reel Fishing Paradise 3D takes players to 15 stunning fishing locales in their quest to become master anglers. They’ll fish tranquil lakes, rocky coasts, flooded forests, and more, all rendered in eye-popping 3D that brings every leaping fish and splash of water to life. A huge variety of fish will test the expertise of even the most seasoned fishing veterans, from wily largemouth bass to powerful bluefin tuna. Players can choose from more than 100 pieces of tackle and three styles of fishing: lure, fly, and bait. With so much to see and do, Reel Fishing Paradise 3D is a game that will have players hooked!  The game is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB and is available for an MSRP of $29.99.

More details on all the game can also be found at www.natsume.com . You can also follow all of the latest Natsume news at www.natsume.com/facebook and www.twitter.com/natsume_inc.

Lights! Camera! Action! The EA™ Interactive Label of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) today announced the launch of FAMILY GAME NIGHT 4: The Game Show, giving families the ability to recreate the larger-than-life fun of the popular Hub Network’s FAMILY GAME NIGHT television game show in their own living rooms. The newest version of the award-winning video game series delivers five exciting Hasbro games, including: BOP IT! Boptagon, SCRABBLE Flash, CONNECT 4 Basketball, SORRY! Sliders and YAHTZEE! Bowling. FAMILY GAME NIGHT 4: The Game Show is now available for the Wii™, Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system, and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system. It also supports Kinect™ for Xbox 360 and PlayStation® Move.

“FAMILY GAME NIGHT 4: The Game Show brings the excitement of a TV game show to living rooms and lets families interact with their favorite Hasbro games as they never have before,” said Chip Lange, General Manager and Senior Vice President of EA’s Hasbro Division. “With new twists and gameplay designed to take advantage of Kinect, Move and Nintendo Wii MotionPlus controls, FAMILY GAME NIGHT 4: The Game Show will have players doing everything from bowling and shooting baskets to high-fiving as they compete for the big win.”

FAMILY GAME NIGHT 4: The Game Show adds up to non-stop fun for family and friends as they experience new ways to play five well-known games, inspired by The Hub television series. In BOP IT! Boptagon opponents need to stay on beat and quickly replicate a sequence of unique verbs shouted at them. In SCRABBLE Flash, a nimble mind is needed to rearrange five tiles to create as many words as possible while racing against the clock. Strategy blended with basketball action comes into play in CONNECT 4 Basketball as players must shoot balls into the CONNECT 4 grid to be the first to get four in a row for the win! Tight teamwork is called upon in SORRY! Sliders as players push huge game pieces into the bulls-eye, while the perfect alleyway approach and ball release is the winning combination in YAHTZEE! Bowling.

“EA has a stellar track record of creating intensely fun and fresh compilations of Hasbro game brands that bring families and friends together for hours of entertainment,” said Mark Blecher, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Digital Media and Marketing at Hasbro. “The introduction of the game show element in FAMILY GAME NIGHT 4: The Game Show will take this innovative series to a new level of play that fans will rally around in a big way this holiday season.”

Separately, EA also has three family-oriented Hasbro-branded bundles hitting shelves just in time for the holidays, including TRIVIAL PURSUIT Bet You Know It, MONOPOLY Collection, and the HASBRO FAMILY GAME NIGHT Fun Pack. TRIVIAL PURSUIT Bet You Know It features both the wager-based TRIVIAL PURSUIT Bet You Know It and original TRIVIAL PURSUIT game modes on one disc and thousands of all-new questions based on recent current events. The MONOPOLY Collection includes the original version of MONOPOLY and MONOPOLY Streets and tons of extra MONOPOLY content including the new Stratosphere City game board and the ability to play as MR. POTATO HEAD or MRS. POTATO HEAD. HASBRO FAMILY GAME NIGHT Fun Pack delivers ten digital versions of popular Hasbro games from HASBRO FAMILY GAME NIGHT 2 & 3 such as OPERATION, CLUE, THE GAME OF LIFE, and TWISTER, all in one value-priced package.

FAMILY GAME NIGHT 4: The Game Show carries a rating of “E” for Everyone and is priced at $39.99 (MSRP). TRIVIAL PURSUIT Bet You Know It and the MONOPOLY Collection are priced at $39.99 (MSRP) and available for the Wii. HASBRO FAMILY GAME NIGHT Fun Pack is priced at $49.99 (MSRP) and available for the Wii and Xbox 360. MONOPOLY Collection and HASBRO FAMILY GAME NIGHT Fun Pack are rated “E” for Everyone and TRIVIAL PURSUIT Bet You Know It is rated “T” for Teen.

Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. and Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products today announced the partial song list for the upcoming Karaoke Revolution Glee: Volume 3, adding that the game will be available for Nintendo Wii™ and Xbox360® on Nov. 22, 2011.

The partial song list includes the following chart-topping tunes from GLEE Season 2:

•       Billionaire
•       Born This Way
•       Firework
•       Just The Way You Are (Amazing)
•       Last Christmas
•       Loser Like Me
•       Lucky
•       Marry You
•       River Deep/Mountain High
•       The Time Warp
•       Toxic

Karaoke Revolution Glee: Volume 3 has the largest lineup of all-new show hits and music performances to date. The game will feature many new key elements including:

•Popular Song Lineup – Sing up to 35 of your favorite songs from Season 2 and re-live classic scenes from the show.
•Memorable Performances from Season 2 – Perform alongside your favorite GLEE characters in unforgettable performances from episodes including ‘Britney/Brittany’, ‘Auditions’, ‘The Rocky Horror Glee Show’, and more.
•Party With GLEE – Compete in multiplayer singing games, including modes with up to six players.

-All-New Downloadable Content (Xbox 360 only) – Extend your gaming experience with additional downloadable songs from the first two releases of Karaoke Revolution Glee.
-Experience GLEE in High Definition (Xbox 360 only) – For the first time on Xbox 360, experience all of your favorite GLEE songs and music performances in HD quality!
-Compare Your Rankings with Fellow Gleeks Online (Xbox 360 only) – Enjoy new online leaderboards and see your score ranking against other karaoke players from around the world.

Karaoke Revolution Glee: Volume 3 is rated T for Teen.

Activision Publishing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI), in partnership with Columbia Pictures, today announced an all-new Men In Black™ video game, launching as a standalone title to coincide with the global theatrical release of Men In Black III in Spring 2012.  True to the spirit of the franchise, the original title will feature action-packed, yet light-hearted gameplay mixed with edge-of-your-seat shooting excitement from the universe’s most elite peacekeeping force.

“The Men In Black franchise is an unbeatable starting point to deliver a genre-bending gaming experience with a level of production value on par with Hollywood,” said David Oxford, Executive Vice President of Activision Publishing, Inc.  Mark Caplan, Vice President of Licensing at Sony Pictures Entertainment, stated, “With Activision bringing the Men In Black universe to life on next gen consoles for the first time, the Men In Black video game will be both familiar to fans, an exciting beginning for the uninitiated, and revolutionary for the franchise.”

The films’ unique blend of action, humor, and eye-popping special effects will fuel the Men in Black’s gameplay experience.  Utilizing the rich mythology of the Men In Black universe, the game’s original story will build on the history of the series to bring back familiar faces, while also introducing new foes.  More details on gameplay features and characters will be revealed soon!

The all-new Men In Black video game is planned to launch Spring 2012 for consoles and handhelds, and is rated “RP” (Rating Pending) by the ESRB.  For more information, please visit www.activision.com.

With the help of Glyde, GameSpot has now entered the used video game industry with their new GameMarket service.  The GameSpot GameMarket seems have a pretty beefy stock of newer and older games, for both handhelds and consoles (even the PS2!).  Prices for both selling and buying seem to be pretty competitive, and it’s always nice to give GameStop another source of competition!

If you have used the GameMarket or are planning on making a purchase soon, definitely drop us a line and let us know what you think of the services and prices!

After picking a turbo-charged race machine from 15 of NASCAR’s biggest names, including NASCAR Sprint Cup series drivers Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt, Jr, Jeff Gordon, and Joey Logano, players are transported into a fast-paced, special effect laden, thrill ride. In game NASCAR tracks include: Daytona International Speedway®, Chicagoland Speedway®, Homestead-Miami Speedway^SM, Martinsville Speedway® and Talladega Superspeedway®. Best of all, racers can break free from the oval as they explode onto the pavements, beaches and off-roads of the surrounding cities. For NASCAR fanatics and those new to the sport, the thrill is in discovering the joys of a completely unchained stock car experience. See the sights, feel the salty ocean breeze and blast past the lofty skyscrapers.

“NASCAR has been tremendous in that they’ve given us the flexibility to design different kinds of racing games for their vast audience,” said David Oxford, Executive Vice President of Activision Publishing. “We really wanted to make something electrifying for all NASCAR fans, not just the hardcore. NASCAR Unleashed gives players a new style of speed and excitement, without sacrificing accessibility.”

NASCAR Unleashed was made possible through an agreement between Activision and NASCAR Team Properties, which was formed in 2010 and is an industry-managed organization representing the sanctioning body and nearly all NASCAR teams for the sport’s licensed merchandise business. In June of 2011, NASCAR Team Properties was recognized as “Best Sports Program of the Year” by the International Licensing Industry and Merchandisers’ Association, edging out some of the biggest brands in all of sports.

“NASCAR Unleashed is a wild and imaginative experience with few real world boundaries,” said Blake Davidson, vice president of licensing & consumer products at NASCAR and board member of NASCAR Team Properties. “By integrating NASCAR into a high octane, blindingly fast, home racing experience, we can deliver an entirely unique style of racing that will captivate players and help introduce our sport to new fans.”

The gameplay has no limits and lax physics rules, as the key is bumping and grinding opponents out of the lead to seize the top spot. Mastering popular NASCAR techniques like drafting and sling-shotting earn drivers ‘Boost’ power-ups to pull out in front and pass the checkered flag first. Throughout, an easy to read, arcade style Heads-Up-Display will inform gearheads of their race position, current speed, achievements and unlocks.  Slick audio and visuals keep the game a pick up and play affair that is perfectly suited for young gamers. The end result is a breathtaking, arcade racer experience like no other.

NASCAR Unleashed will be available this holiday season on Xbox 360, PlayStation®3 system, Wii and the Nintendo 3DS. The game is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB. For more information, please visit www.Activision.com.

Keep checking back for more news on NASCAR Unleashed.  In the meantime, check out our review of NASCAR  2011: The Game!

Check out gameplay footage from the Square Enix press conference in the link above!