Paris, FRANCE — May 21, 2007 — Today Ubisoft, one of the world’s largest video game publishers, announced that it is expanding its casual video game business. Ubisoft has made significant investments and formed an internal development structure dedicated to the creation of games for everyone. Among the first projects of the new team are the introduction of the new “My Coach” product line and the significant expansion of the already successful Petz® franchise.
“Ubisoft has a proven track record of publishing and creating video games for non-traditional gaming audiences, with multimillion-selling brands like Petz and Rayman,” said Yves Guillemot, chief executive officer at Ubisoft. “The timing is right for us to leverage our creativity and to open up the video games market to new consumers who will be attracted by content that can help them learn, grow and feel better in an entertaining way.”
Ubisoft’s new casual games structure will be led by Pauline Jacquey, executive producer of casual games at Ubisoft. Pauline joined Ubisoft in 1998, working as a producer on some of Ubisoft’s best-selling brands including Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon® and Rayman®. Ubisoft will also continue to partner with third-party developers to publish casual game titles for the mass market.
“Ubisoft’s vision for this business is unique,” said Pauline Jacquey. “We are developing projects that make people feel that playing games is worth their while, allowing them to spend quality time with family and friends, learn a new skill, or improve their daily lives.
By creating games with real-life benefits, we are creating games that appeal to everyone.”
The “My Coach” series of games will allow players to improve themselves and learn in an interactive and stimulating way. The first two games in the line are “My Word Coach” and “My Life Coach.” “My Word Coach,” is being developed in collaboration with linguists and will help players improve their verbal communication and vocabulary in a fun way. “My Word Coach” can be played alone or with friends on Wii™ and Nintendo DS™ and will be released in Fall 2007. “My Life Coach” is being developed in collaboration with a behaviorist. “My Life Coach” is a personal coach that gives anybody concerned about their well being the willpower they need to change their habits the way they want in a motivating and fun way. “My Life Coach” will be available for the Nintendo DS in Holiday 2007.
Ubisoft will also continue to grow its extremely successful Petz® line of games and allow young players to learn how to take care of that special cat, dog or horse on their Wii for the first time. The Petz series sold more than 3.5 million units worldwide in fiscal year 2006-07.
Engine being used in five different franchises, reveals analyst
Industry analyst Todd Greenwald has revealed that Electronic Arts is recouping the development costs associated with it’s Godfather titles by using the engine in five different franchises, with the publisher also working on a sequel to the game based on Mario Puzo’s novel.
The game engine is also being used in upcoming movie tie-in The Simpsons, which Greenwald believes will be one of the biggest sellers on release later this year.
“We learned that EA is leveraging the significant amount of development time and costs that went into The Godfather game,” commented Greenwald.
“The open-world engine was built from the ground up for The Godfather, and is now being used by five different franchises, including The Simpsons.
“The Godfather 2 is also in development currently, though timing is unknown,” said the analyst.
After spending time at Electronic Arts in Redwood City, Greenwald came away impressed with the company’s current line-up.
As well as positive praise for the The Simpsons game, he was impressed with the latest in The Sims franchise.
“We expect continued growth this year to be driven by MySims, a new franchise for the Nintendo Wii.
“MySims looks like it has the potential to do very well with the Nintendo demographic, especially in Japan,” he commented.
And according to the NCP analyst, EA’s casual portal Pogo.com has yet to reach its full potential.
“Pogo.com looks like an undervalued asset within EA. [It] has yet to meaningfully expand beyond the United States,” he said.
More About: Electronic Arts, Godfather, The Simpsons
EA officially announces The Simpsons Wii game
A carnival atmosphere pervades as people in Squishee brand cut-off tees serve bright red and blue drinks from the store front of the Kwik-e-Mart and servers with tall blue wigs take drink orders.
It’s hot on the FOX lot, but on the set of what appears to be Main Street, Everytown USA the event feels like a block party. The slick socialites and chest-slung babies that dot the FOX lot speak to the mass appeal of the Simpsons, and though they are all waiting for the much anticipated 400th episode, everyone is busy taking photos on the familiar Simpsons’ couch or enjoying fajitas from the Krusty Burger.
A large film screen looms over a DJ. A naked running Homer is projected on screen, “The streak continues…” it says.
Elsewhere in the FOX studio, EA prepares to unveil the Simpsons Game to the press for the first time. Stand-ups border a large flat screen, each portrays the Simpsons characters comically interjected into game settings, they read: “NeverQuest,” “Medal of Homer,” “Bartman Begins,” and “Grand Theft Scratchy.”
As the press files in, there is a sense that something special is about to take place. Despite the fact that if one looks back, this is the 22nd in a storied series of Simpsons’ titles, the fact that the announcement of this game is taking place alongside the staggering accomplishment of the series’ 400th installment, sets it apart as unique.
Once everyone is settled, the event begins. After a brief introduction the series’ writers are introduced: Tim Long, Matt Selman and Matt Warburton take the stage. They talk for a few minutes about the experience of writing the original script for the game, close to an hour of original cinematics, and 8,000 lines of dialogue define the game as an extension of the show itself.
After the writers finish talking, the demo begins. We see the first glimpse of the game. A level entitled, “Around the World in 80 Bites,” showcases Homer as he runs through the Duff Brewery, eating everything from tacos to Chinese takeout. As never before, the game looks like just the show, bringing familiar characters like Barney Gumble and The Bumblebee Man to life.
As the demo concludes, Matt Groening enters the room and speaks enthusiastically about the game alongside the writers. He tells the press about the unique experience of playing an original season of the Simpsons, and the writers speak about the title as a rebirth of Simpsons as an interactive experience. Nancy Cartwright, the voice of Bart, shows up as well to show her support.
After the press leaves the room, people filter across the street. The sun sets softly on the same street, and hanging lights are lit overhead. Groening takes the stage and humbly thanks the animators of the show, the sound team, and everyone responsible for the last 20 years of the Simpsons.
As the lights dim and the familiar theme plays, we watch the 400th episode together, in the streets. As one looks across hundreds of faces, it is easy to see that the Simpsons is not merely a show, a movie, or a game, but an experience that has touched us all, its distinctly human humor is electric as the whole crowd chuckles, roars, and smiles together.
Source: EA
More About: EA, The Simpsons Wii
These are some new images of the Nintendo Wii game Soul Calibur Legends and some new info about the game
We know little of the story, though, other than understanding the characters come together to complete “a quest for ultimate power in order to save an empire from destruction.”
“Over the past ten years, since the release of the original Soul Blade, the team behind the Soulcalibur series has pushed the envelope of technology and innovation with each iteration,” said Makoto Iwai, exec. VP and COO of Namco Bandai America. “With Soulcalibur Legends, they saw the opportunity to once again create an immersive experience that is unique to the franchise.”
The control scheme’s being kept under wraps, but is said to incorporate both the Wiimote and nunchuck simultaneously. There should be something more than simply swinging the Wiimote around, just don’t expect the same depth as the fighting series. As more fighting experience is gathered, however, players can earn titles (i.e. Knight, Soldier) that unlock additional attacks.
More About: Nintendo, Wii, Soul Calibur Legends
EA: First Spielberg Title Is For Wii
Eighteen months after a collaborative deal was announced, the first fruits of the EA/Steven Spielberg agreement will be heading to Wii…
Whilst widespread reports of a further Spore delay into the 2009 fiscal year remain unconfirmed by EA (after all, the likes of Crysis and Burnout: Paradise also failed to get a mention in the publisher’s financial results), it seems that one upcoming title managed to sneak in under the radar.
The first in a three franchise collaboration with the acclaimed Hollywood director Steven Spielberg, which was first announced back in October 2005, EA has today confirmed that the untitled game will be heading to Nintendo Wii before the end of the 2008 fiscal year, which ends on March 31st next year.
Described as the “Wii Spielberg” title in an EA conference call to investors, little else is known about the game, though it will join both EA Playground and Boogie as exclusive titles on Nintendo’s so-called ‘new-generation’ machine.
Spielberg is just one in a small group of movie directors delving into videogames, along with Peter Jackson and James Cameron, but the fact that his first EA collaboration will be a Wii title is something of a surprising revelation.
THQ Announces New Nintendo Wii Games in development:
- Nicktoons 2007
- SpongeBob’s Atlantis SquarePantis
- Avatar: The Last Airbender — The Burning Earth
THQ Announces Robust Product Slate for 2007 Based on Nickelodeon’s Biggest Hits
AGOURA HILLS, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–THQ Inc. (NASDAQ:THQI) today announced the company’s 2007 Nickelodeon video game lineup. The upcoming portfolio will include the debut of El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera, as well as all-new titles based on some of the top-rated kids TV shows including SpongeBob SquarePants™ and Avatar: The Last Airbender. Nickelodeon fans can also look forward to a new installment of the popular Nicktoons. In addition, THQ plans to release new adventures based on highly-rated Nickelodeon live-action TV shows Zoey 101 and Drake and Josh. The company’s overall portfolio is expected to ship across multiple game systems, including the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, along with Nintendo’s Wii™ video game console, the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Nintendo DS™ and Game Boy® Advance.
“Our Nickelodeon video game portfolio continues to lead the kids market with more than 45 million units sold-in to date,” said Bob Aniello, senior vice president of worldwide marketing, THQ. “We expect a continued robust Nickelodeon business in 2007 with an even greater presence on the popular Wii, our first title slated for release on Xbox 360, and additional titles in our new series of games based on Nickelodeon’s live-action properties.”
“We’re excited to expand our relationship with THQ in 2007 as we introduce our first El Tigre video game, along with all new games based on Nick’s biggest hits,” said Shaul Olmert, vice president of digital products, Nickelodeon. “Nickelodeon is the number one entertainment brand for kids and the innovation that THQ brings to our gaming lineup continues to elevate us to new creative heights.”
The 2007 THQ Nickelodeon videogame lineup includes:
* Nicktoons 2007 (Working Title) — Players must defeat Professor Calamitous’ vast army of evil toys based on the Nicktoons Heroes in this fast-paced action platform game. Featuring the largest selection of playable Nickelodeon characters from the most popular TV shows including SpongeBob SquarePants, Danny Phantom and The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius, Nicktoons 2007 (working title) is scheduled to release for the PlayStation 2 system, Wii, Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance this fall.
* SpongeBob’s Atlantis SquarePantis — The game will follow SpongeBob and the rest of the Bikini Gang as they leave Bikini Bottom and journey to the legendary city of Atlantis. Players will discover the treasures of Atlantis, while experiencing new game mechanics and multiplayer features. SpongeBob’s Atlantis SquarePantis is scheduled to release for the PlayStation 2 system, Wii, Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance this fall. In addition, SpongeBob SquarePants: Atlantis Treasures (working title) is scheduled to release for various mobile carriers.
* Avatar: The Last Airbender — The Burning Earth — Based on the popular Avatar: The Last Airbender animated series, players will follow the second season storyline as Aang teams up with friends to defend the greatest Earth Kingdom city against a deadly Fire Nation threat. Avatar: The Last Airbender — The Burning Earth is scheduled to release for Xbox 360, the PlayStation 2 system, Wii, Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance this fall.
* El Tigre (Working Title) — Based on the animated series, El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera, players will follow the adventures of Manny, the son of a superhero and the grandson of a supervillain. Players will help Manny as he must choose to use his El Tigre superpowers for good, or let his mischievous side take over. El Tigre is scheduled to release for Nintendo DS this fall.
* Zoey 101: Field Trip Fiasco — Players will take on the role of Zoey Brooks, played by Jamie Lynn Spears, as she embarks on a field trip to Red Stone Gulch Canyons with her friends. With the aid of a park ranger, players will learn the techniques needed to survive the seemingly hostile wilderness terrain once they become separated from their guide. Zoey 101 is available now for Game Boy Advance. Zoey 101: Field Trip Fiasco is scheduled to release for Nintendo DS this summer.
* Drake & Josh: Talent Showdown — Featuring all of the humor from the hit TV series, players will enjoy adventure-style gameplay as they help Drake and Josh win the infamous talent show, “Teen American Talent,” by avoiding sabotages from other contestants and by perfecting their music skills. The game allows players to interact with all of their favorite characters from the TV show, including Drake, Josh and Megan. Drake & Josh is available now for Game Boy Advance. Drake & Josh: Talent Showdown is scheduled to release for Nintendo DS this summer.More information about the THQ Nickelodeon videogame lineup can be found at www.thq.com.
More About: Nintendo Wii
Codename Revolution is reporting that Lego Star Wars I and II is heading to Wii, Thrillville sequel as well:
a new update from my distributor contact (Note: There is a difference between a distributor and a retailer!) reveals that LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga is heading to the Wii this holiday season! It seems obvious that the game is a compilation and a port of both LEGO Star Wars titles that was on the Gamecube, but this time with Wii-mote controls!
This is an excerpt from a long translated Ready 2 Rumble Wii Press Release:
Ready 2 Rumble “for Nintendo Wii is the first product of a co-operation put on on a long-term basis
Darmstadt, 25 April 2007 - as exclusive development and marketing partners of the ASIA GAMES & MEDIA PRIVATE EQUITY FIND PSE. Ltd. became the 10TACLE of STUDIOS PSE. Ltd., which in Singapore resident subsidiary company of the 10TACLE of STUDIOS AG, which development of „ready assigns 2 Rumble “for Nintendo Wii. For the 10TACLE of STUDIOS and the fund administered in Singapore this is the first realized project in the last year admits given co-operation. The conversion of co-operation and the transfer of the successful fund model from Europe to Asia preceded thereby substantially faster than planned of both parties first. The 10TACLE of STUDIOS takes over the complete project management and the international marketing for the assigned titles and participates to large extent at later proceeds.
More About: Ready 2 Rumble Wii
The Nintendo Wii Console Makes #1 On CNET’s Top 10 Must-Haves List
#1 Nintendo Wii
The Sony PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Xbox 360 may be the only boxes in town for hard-core gamers, but the Wii gets all the bonus points for mass appeal. Nintendo’s generation-transcending console is in high demand, thanks to its revolutionary motion-sensing controller and fun titles.
More About: Nintendo Wii, Must-Have
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