Microsoft showcases groundbreaking approach to game shows; 'Final Fantasy
XIII' to be available on Xbox 360 at launch in North America and Europe.
LOS ANGELES, July 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Music, movies and
megahits. No matter what kind of game makes your heart race, today at the
E3 Media and Business Summit (E3) in Los Angeles the world of Xbox 360 just
got bigger, broader and more exciting than ever.
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Microsoft Corp. today unveiled a games portfolio for all ages and
interests. Included were new titles for music lovers such as "Lips" and the
exclusive launch of "Rock Band 2"; family-friendly games from the B-movie
maker "You're in the Movies" to next-generation game shows such as "1 vs.
100"; and even surprise announcements to make the hardest-core gamer weak
in the knees, with the reveal of "Final Fantasy XIII," to be available on
Xbox 360 at launch in North America and Europe.
"Xbox 360 delivers entertainment choices so broad that it now rivals
what people can find on television and at movie theaters," said Shane Kim,
corporate vice president of strategy and business development with
Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment Business. "Whether it's sports,
music, movies, game shows or great games you crave, Xbox 360 is home to the
biggest and best out there. From those new to games and eager to jump in,
to the hardcore gamer looking for the most intense games experiences, this
is truly the year to own an Xbox 360 system."
The New Game Show Experience, Live From Your Living Room
Xbox LIVE Primetime is a groundbreaking channel on the new Xbox
experience, a new generation of games and entertainment experiences that
will be available this fall for Xbox 360. The world's biggest virtual game
show stage, Xbox LIVE Primetime is a place where content is always fresh;
play is global, live and massively multiplayer; and prizes are plentiful. A
first-of-its-kind phenomenon, this new generation of interactive game shows
lets Xbox LIVE members challenge friends and choose to compete against
people from across the globe in real time. Xbox LIVE Primetime launches in
the fall with the following interactive game:
-- "1 vs. 100" (Endemol). From the makers of "Deal or No Deal,"
Endemol, the world's largest independent production company, brings the
popular television game show "1 vs. 100" to Xbox LIVE Primetime. The
exclusive game pits one Xbox LIVE member against 100 others from around the
world with a live host and great prizes. The goal of "the One" is to
eliminate all the opposition by correctly answering questions, hoping that
the opponents will answer incorrectly and be eliminated from the game. And
stay tuned for "1 vs. LIVE," where one lucky winner will have a chance to
compete against the entire Xbox LIVE community.
Bringing Music Games to Life
Whether you're an aspiring groupie, songbird or big-haired rocker, Xbox
360 transforms your living room into a thrilling soundstage for you and
your friends. No other system connects you with all the music you love:
-- "Lips" (iNiS/Microsoft Game Studios). "Lips," an all-new music
franchise exclusively from Xbox 360, is the only singing game that offers
wireless motion-sensitive microphones and the ability to sing from your own
music collection.* Start channeling your favorite pop star, because it's
you, your friends and, most important, your music that makes "Lips" the
world's ultimate party experience this holiday.
-- "Guitar Hero(R) World Tour" (RedOctane/Activision). When the house
lights go down this fall, a new generation of axe shredders, drummers and
fearless frontmen will come together and rock with "Guitar Hero World
Tour." The latest installment from the No. 1 best-selling video game
franchise of 2007, "Guitar Hero World Tour" will transform music gaming by
marrying the exhilarating guitar gameplay of "Guitar Hero" with a
cooperative band experience that combines the most advanced wireless
instruments with revolutionary new online and offline gameplay modes. The
game will feature a slick newly redesigned guitar, a genuine electronic
drum kit and a microphone, as well as an innovative Music Studio music
creator that lets players compose, record, edit and share their own
rock-and-roll anthems, along with online Band Career and eight-player
"Battle of the Bands." "Guitar Hero World Tour" is being developed by
Neversoft Entertainment and will be available for Xbox 360 this fall.
-- "Rock Band 2" (Harmonix/MTV Games). Debuting exclusively on Xbox 360
this September, "Rock Band" is developed by Harmonix and published by MTV
Games. "Rock Band 2" is the next evolution of the franchise that allows
players to virtually step into the shoes of their favorite bands as singer,
guitarist, bassist or drummer. This next iteration of the best-selling
franchise will allow gamers to access all the great songs they purchased on
Xbox LIVE for the original game and will feature new online capabilities
and instrument options.
Xbox 360 Is the Life of the Party
Xbox 360 truly gets the party started with a wide-ranging portfolio of
exclusive games for the whole family, including the following:
-- "You're in the Movies" (Codemasters/Microsoft). Get ready for your
close-up. "You're in the Movies" brings the cool factor to kitsch as you
live out your dreams of becoming a scream queen, zombie or kung fu fighter.
Premiering exclusively on Xbox 360 this holiday season, "You're in the
Movies" is the first and only game of its kind to literally transport
players into a magical world of cinema mixed with the hilarious world of
improvisation. Using the Xbox LIVE Vision camera, players' actions are
captured and placed into short, riotous films. Performances never end up on
the cutting-room floor, and are never the same.
-- "Scene It? Box Office Smash" (Krome Studios and Screenlife/Microsoft
Game Studios). "Scene It? Box Office Smash," the revolutionary movie trivia
game on Xbox 360, will ignite your game night this holiday season with
totally new questions, movie puzzles and more high-definition (HD) content
from real movies including some of Hollywood's latest blockbusters. Trivia
night goes global as players challenge each other online over Xbox LIVE,
customize their own characters, and access extra questions and localized
content from films around the world.**
-- "Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts" (Rare Ltd./Microsoft Game Studios).
Available exclusively on Xbox 360 in November, from the creative
masterminds at Rare, "Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts" is an action-adventure
game that breathes new life into a franchise that has entertained people of
all ages for a decade. In a platform genre first, players create their own
abilities by building vehicles for Banjo to pilot over land, sea and air in
a variety of Challenges where their choice of vehicle and tactics
determines the course of the adventure. Players can test their customized
vehicles against other players' creations online or simply compare and
share their inventions with friends. The original "Banjo-Kazooie" also
debuts with "Stop 'N' Swop" on Xbox LIVE Arcade later this year.
-- "DanceDanceRevolution(R) UNIVERSE3" (Konami). Celebrating its 10th
anniversary, "DanceDanceRevolution UNIVERSE3" dances its way to you with
fun new modes -- including DJ Mode and Quest Mode -- and settings for
players of all skill levels. In addition to one of the biggest soundtracks
-- more than 70 songs spanning from the '70s to some of today's hottest
tracks -- "DanceDanceRevolution UNIVERSE3" brings friends together from
around the world via Xbox LIVE.** Character customization features more
than 400 options of clothing, faces, skin tones and hairstyles, allowing
players to create the ultimate dancer.
-- "UNO RUSH(TM)" (Microsoft). "UNO RUSH" is a challenging and exciting
party card game for up to four players. Developed by the same team that
brought the original, best-selling "UNO(R)" to Xbox LIVE Arcade, "UNO RUSH"
boasts a wide range of gameplay and social features -- multiple variants,
house-rule options, local and Xbox LIVE multiplay, camera support, avatar
support, and more -- plus fast-paced gameplay to keep the party going. "UNO
RUSH" is coming exclusively to Xbox LIVE Arcade in 2008.
-- "Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise" (Rare Ltd./Microsoft Game
Studios). In this sequel to the colorful sleeper hit "Viva Pinata" debuting
in September, players can venture outside the boundaries of the immersive
and ever-changing garden to retrieve exotic piņata species from two new
lands, the Dessert Desert and the Pinarctic. Developed by Rare, "Viva
Pinata: Trouble in Paradise" allows up to four players to work together to
create the ultimate online garden via Xbox LIVE.** Players can race their
favorite pinata or enter them into the P-Factor, Pinata Islands very own
talent show and beauty pageant, online against friends or against other
gardeners from the island. They can now use the Xbox LIVE Vision camera to
drop a new piņata right into their gardens, change the weather or share
their custom piņatas with others.
The Biggest Blockbusters of 2008 and Beyond
With the most blockbuster, million-selling games and the most
anticipated titles of 2008 and beyond, Xbox 360 is the pre-eminent place to
play all the big titles that gamers thirst for, including the following:
-- "Final Fantasy XIII" (Square Enix). "Final Fantasy XIII" is the
eagerly anticipated title from Square Enix that takes full advantage of the
superior power and technology in Xbox 360, providing tangible, intuitive
controls while delivering seamless transitions between real-time gameplay
and stunning in-game cinematics. Using the latest in cutting-edge
technology, this latest addition to the "Final Fantasy" series is worthy of
the title "next generation."
-- "Galaga Legions" (NAMCO BANDAI Games). The arcade shooter "Galaga"
has captivated players all over the world, and now the legend lives on with
"Galaga Legions." Featuring table-turning game dynamics, updated graphics
and vast waves of ferocious enemies, "Galaga Legions" was created by the
same team that developed the best-selling "PAC-MAN Championship Edition"
for Xbox LIVE Arcade. "Galaga Legions" will debut exclusively on Xbox LIVE
Arcade in 2008.
-- "Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2" (Bizarre Creations
Ltd./Activision). The latest version of the frenetic retro shooter,
"Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2" debuts exclusively on Xbox LIVE Arcade in
2008. Newcomers and pros alike will be blown away by the screen-melting
intensity and insane new features, including six action-packed gameplay
modes, new enemies, scoring strategies and a diverse list of exciting
Achievements. "Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2" also supports multiplayer
mayhem for up to four players, with versus or co-op modes, and features
razor-sharp 1080p graphics and new, pulse- pounding music.
-- "Portal(TM): Still Alive" (Valve/Microsoft). "Portal: Still Alive"
features the full award-winning "Portal" single-player game from Valve plus
a new challenge mode. Designed to change the way players approach,
manipulate and surmise the possibilities in any given environment, "Portal"
has earned more than 70 industry honors for its innovative gameplay, with
more than 30 Game of the Year Awards. Solve physical puzzles and challenges
by opening portals to maneuvering objects, and yourself, through space. The
game is debuting on Xbox LIVE Arcade in 2008.
-- "South Park" (South Park Digital Studios/Doublesix/Microsoft). Based
on the Emmy- and Peabody-award winning show, a "South Park" game (title
TBA) is coming exclusively to Xbox LIVE Arcade in 2009.
-- "Fable II" (Lionhead Studios/Microsoft Game Studios). This Xbox 360
exclusive action role-playing game offers players an epic storyline and an
unprecedented level of freedom and choice. Every decision defines who the
player becomes and influences the evolving world around them. "Fable II" is
the next great step for the genre, with an innovative dynamic cooperative
mode, where players can choose to invite a friend on the same couch or over
Xbox LIVE to experience the world together.** The journey begins in August
with a first-of-its-kind exclusive Xbox LIVE Arcade title, which allows
players to get a head start on earning gold that will transfer to the rich
world of "Fable II" when it arrives at stores in October.
-- "Gears of War 2" (Epic Games/Microsoft Game Studios). Epic Games'
design director Cliff Bleszinski gave a stunning new look at the "Gears of
War 2" campaign, and confirmed the ability to ride the fearsome Brumak.
Also detailed was the all-new five-player cooperative mode "Horde," where
players unite to battle a seemingly endless onslaught of Locust Horde
forces.** "Gears of War 2" is the most anticipated Xbox 360 exclusive title
this holiday season and will be released worldwide Nov. 7.
-- "Grand Theft Auto IV" (Rockstar North/Rockstar Games). Continuing
its blistering pace on the Xbox 360 platform, the first of the Xbox 360
exclusive downloadable episodes for this record-breaking game will be
available this fall - the only console with new "Grand Theft Auto IV"
content available this holiday season.
-- "Halo Wars" (Ensemble Studios/Microsoft Game Studios). Microsoft is
further expanding the "Halo" universe with "Halo Wars," the blockbuster
strategy game designed exclusively for the Xbox 360. A piece of the "Halo
Wars" story is revealed through "Five Long Years," a trailer from Ensemble
Studios and Microsoft, which showcases the brutal struggle for control of
Harvest early in the Human-Covenant wars. "Halo Wars" will put gamers in
command of the entire battlefield, leading both UNSC and Covenant forces.
-- "Infinite Undiscovery(TM)" (Square Enix). "Infinite Undiscovery" is
the newest fantasy role-playing console game from Square Enix, drawing
gamers into a real-time world woven of countless threads where player
choices spin untold discoveries -- only on Xbox 360. Players will be
confronted with a variety of dramatic situational battles, such as
executing a daring escape while a gigantic ogre follows in hot pursuit, or
waging battle amid towering tidal waves. Dynamic environments change and
respond in real time, creating an entirely new experience never before seen
in the genre. The title is scheduled to release exclusively on Xbox 360 in
North America on Sept. 2, 2008.
-- "The Last Remnant(TM)" (Square Enix). "The Last Remnant" is a new
role-playing game crafted using the finest artistry and technology Square
Enix has to offer. Set in a fantasy world, war-torn and scarred by years of
conflict, gameplay revolves around mysterious artifacts -- Remnants -- that
possess magic powers. Groundbreaking graphics possible only on Xbox 360
bring the intensity to a whole new level. "The Last Remnant" is launching
worldwide on November 20 and will be available only on Xbox 360.
-- "Resident Evil 5" (Capcom). Destined to bring new fans to the
series, "Resident Evil 5" is the sequel to one of the highest-rated video
games in history (according to Metacritic.com and Gamerankings.com).
Promising to revolutionize the series by delivering an unbelievable level
of detail, realism and control, "Resident Evil 5" unleashes an
unprecedented level of fear for the next generation. New technology
developed specifically for the game, as well as incredible changes to both
the gameplay and the "Resident Evil" world, will make this a must-have game
for gamers across the globe.
-- "STAR OCEAN(R): The Last Hope(TM)" (Square Enix). "STAR OCEAN: The
Last Hope" is the long-awaited continuation of the celebrated science
fiction and fantasy role-playing game series. Slated for release on Xbox
360 in spring 2009 and published by Square Enix, this prequel set during
the aftermath of World War III combines science fiction and fantasy
elements spanning multiple planets and the vastness of space itself to
recount the origins of the STAR OCEAN universe. Exhilarating combat expands
upon the franchise's famous real- time battle system, introducing the
amazing graphics and visual effects possible only on Xbox 360.
-- "Too Human" (Silicon Knights/Microsoft Game Studios). "Too Human" is
an epic action game with integrated role-playing game elements, and will be
available in North America on Aug. 19 and in Europe on Aug. 29. The game
features a rich storyline with deep character development, both hallmarks
of Silicon Knights' legendary tradition of video game development.
About Xbox 360
Xbox 360 is a premier video game and entertainment system. It is home
to the best and broadest games plus more standard and high-definition
movies and TV shows on demand than any other device connected to the TV.
The digital center of the living room, Xbox 360 blends unbeatable content,
including personal pictures and music, with a unified online social network
to create a limitless entertainment experience that can be shared at home
or across the globe. More information can be found online at
http://www.xbox.com/xbox360.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) is the worldwide leader in
software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize
their full potential.
* The functionality of songs played from personal music collections
will vary.
** Xbox LIVE Gold Membership required for online play.
SOURCE Microsoft Corp.
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CONTACT:
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+1-323-202-1466, cliff.jin@edelman.com, both of Edelman, for
Microsoft Corp.
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