Electronic Arts Inc. Triple Treat Releases…

By: Edward Jackson (Senior Editor)

Electronic Arts Inc. Triple Treat Releases For The Up And Coming Seasons.

BioWare’s Action RPG Mass Effect 2 Makes PlayStation 3 Debut

The Highest Rated Game of 2010 Comes to PS3 in January 2011

Today at GamesCom, BioWare, a division of Electronic Arts Inc., announced that Mass Effect 2, the highest rated game of 2010 for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system and PC, is coming to the Sony PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system in January 2011. The PlayStation 3 edition will include the full Mass Effect 2 game and hours of bonus content, making this the perfect introduction to BioWare’s award-winning action RPG franchise.

Mass Effect 2 has already received over 70 perfect scores from media outlets such as the Associated Press, Eurogamer, MSNBC.com, G4TV and the Los Angeles Times, and is the highest rated game in the 15-year history of BioWare and the 28-year history of EA.

The Mass Effect franchise is an epic science fiction adventure set in a vast universe filled with dangerous aliens and mysterious, uncharted planets. In Mass Effect 2, PlayStation 3 players will step into the role of Commander Shepard for the very first time, leading a crew of the most dangerous special operatives from across the galaxy on a mission to save mankind. Featuring intense shooter action, a rich storyline, space exploration and emotionally engaging character interaction, Mass Effect 2 delivers an unparalleled gameplay experience.

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Mass Effect 2 will be available for the PlayStation 3 in January 2011. For more information, please visit http://masseffect.bioware.com/ and follow the development team at www.twitter.com/masseffect2 or at http://www.facebook.com/masseffect.

EA Wields Its Magic Adding Kinect Mode to Its Upcoming Harry Potter Videogame

The EA Play Label of Electronic Arts Inc. and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment have announced that the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 videogame will have an exclusive Kinect for Xbox 360 experience with unique challenges that puts more power into players’ hands. With all of the action taking place outside of Hogwarts for the first time, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 sees Harry on the run with a horde of merciless enemies on his tail. Players will find themselves in unknown territory, far from the safety of the school grounds, fighting for survival at every turn. The new game engine, built specifically to leverage the technology of HD consoles, ensures high definition graphics and intense action gameplay on all platforms while the Kinect experience on Xbox 360 offers exclusive challenges, for either single player or two player co-op, playing as Harry, Ron or Hermione.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 is non-stop action with Harry defending himself against a host of menacing enemies,” said Jonathan Bunney, Vice President and Head of Production at EA Bright Light Studios. “Our Kinect challenges allow players to literally cast magic from the palm of their hand, completely controller free, to enhance and deepen the overall play experience; and, even better, we have enabled a special co-op mode with Kinect allowing two people to fight Death Eaters side-by-side for the first time in any Harry Potter game.”

The Kinect experience in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 gives players the ability to get closer to the action than ever before, using physical gestures to cast magic through the screen and defeat their deadly opponents. In co-op mode, the fluid targeting system and leaderboard scoring add a competitive edge to the excitement. Under development by EA Bright Light Studio, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 will be available this autumn on Kinect for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, Nintendo DS, PC, and mobile devices.

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About the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 film

Part 1 begins as Harry, Ron and Hermione set out on their perilous mission to track down and destroy the secret to Voldemort’s immortality and destruction—the Horcruxes. On their own, without the guidance of their professors or the protection of Professor Dumbledore, the three friends must now rely on one another more than ever. But there are Dark Forces in their midst that threaten to tear them apart.

Meanwhile, the wizarding world has become a dangerous place for all enemies of the Dark Lord. The long-feared war has begun and Voldemort’s Death Eaters seize control of the Ministry of Magic and even Hogwarts, terrorizing and arresting anyone who might oppose them. But the one prize they still seek is the one most valuable to Voldemort: Harry Potter. The Chosen One has become the hunted one as the Death Eaters search for Harry with orders to bring him to Voldemort…alive.

Harry’s only hope is to find the Horcruxes before Voldemort finds him. But as he searches for clues, he uncovers an old and almost forgotten tale—the legend of the Deathly Hallows. And if the legend turns out to be true, it could give Voldemort the ultimate power he seeks.

Little does Harry know that his future has already been decided by his past when, on that fateful day, he became “the Boy Who Lived.” No longer just a boy, Harry Potter is drawing ever closer to the task for which he has been preparing since the day he first stepped into Hogwarts: the ultimate battle with Voldemort.

EA and Crytek Unveil Two Special Editions for Crysis 2

Special Editions Unlock Bonuses for Crysis 2 Multiplayer at Launch in March 2011

Electronic Arts Inc. and Crytek GmbH, Europe’s leading independent video game studio and award-winning developers of the critically acclaimed Crysis franchise, today announced two special editions for the highly anticipated first person shooter Crysis 2, the Crysis 2 Limited Edition and the Crysis 2 Nano Edition. Both editions feature premium packaging and special unlocks in the Crysis 2 multiplayer game. The Limited Edition and Nano Edition are available for pre-order now in limited quantities. EA and Crytek also announced today a closed multiplayer beta for Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment system starting this fall.

The Crysis 2 Limited Edition will be available for no additional cost, while supplies last, and features four must-have in-game unlocks for the ultimate multiplayer experience:

• Bonus XP – Players will jump into multiplayer battles with an edge by starting with enough experience points to gain early access to all 5 preset class load-outs.
• SCAR Hologram Decoy – This special attachment to the SCAR will project a hologram image of the player, allowing them to confuse their opponents with the decoy.
• SCAR Weapon Skin – This digital camouflage skin will allow players to add a personalized touch to one of the more popular assault rifles in the game.
• Platinum Dog Tag – This special one-of-a-kind dog tag is one of over 250 that will be collectible in Crysis 2 multiplayer, helping to separate you from the rest of the field.

The Crysis 2 Nano Edition is designed for the ultimate Crysis fan and will include the Limited Edition housed in a steel case plus an 11” / 28 cm statue of the game’s hero “Prophet” on top of a New York taxi cab, a high-quality art book, all packaged inside a backpack modeled after the Nanosuit itself. Not available in stores, the Nano Edition is available in extremely limited quantities via pre-order only for $149.99 / £119.99 / €129.99.

Crysis 2 is one of the most anticipated games of 2011, coming out of last June’s Electronic Entertainment Expo with 25 nominations and 12 awards including “Best Shooter” from GameSpy.com and “Best Graphics” from Gamespot.com. The game’s multiplayer is being developed by Crytek’s specialist multiplayer studio, Crytek UK. Just like the gripping single-player campaign, Crysis 2 multiplayer will grant players the superhuman powers of the Nanosuit, allowing them to be the weapon as they utilize their powers against each other across, above and below various locations and landmarks throughout New York City.

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Built on Crytek’s new state-of-the-art multiplatform game development solution, CryENGINE 3, Crysis 2 will be available for the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment system and PC in 2D and 3D on March 22, 2011 in North America and March 25, 2011 in Europe.

For more information on Crysis 2, please visit http://sosnewyork.com, http://www.mycrysis.com or follow the game on Twitter at www.twitter.com/crysis or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/crysis.