Consumer Electronics Daily News

BioWare Unleashes Its First Strike in the War to Take Earth Back by Enlisting Veterans and New Recruits with the Mass Effect 3 Demo

Commander Shepard -- a battle hardened, no-nonsense leader -- wants you to join the fight to take Earth back! Today BioWare, a label of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:EA), released the demo for Mass Effect™ 3 on the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and PC. Mass Effect 3 is the most anticipated game of 2012, blending world class combat, deep customization options, cinematic storytelling and blockbuster action on a huge scale. The demo delivers a preview of this powerful combination, whether you are an N7 veteran or the galaxy’s newest recruit. BioWare has designed Mass Effect 3 to deliver the satisfying payoffs veterans have been waiting for while also making sure it is the best entry point into the franchise for new players.

In continuing the lead up to launch, BioWare also revealed today that an all-new CG trailer for Mass Effect 3, “Take Earth Back,” will make a worldwide debut on Sunday’s episode of “The Walking Dead,” AMC’s critically-acclaimed, post-apocalyptic horror series*.

“I’m incredibly proud of what the team has accomplished with Mass Effect 3, and am very excited for fans around the world to experience something really special when they play the demo today,” said Casey Hudson, Executive Producer of the Mass Effect series.

The Mass Effect 3 demo kicks off with the devastating, all-out attack on Earth by an ancient alien race known as the Reapers. It also includes another thrilling single player mission from later in the game. Players will be able to choose the name, gender and appearance of their Commander Shepard. These initial choices along with choosing Shepard’s background cause the game to re-write itself, ensuring the player knows everything that happened in previous games, and can hit the ground running. Additionally, Mass Effect 3 allows players three different ways to experience the epic battle for Earth: “Action” allows players to focus mainly on combat, giving them the opportunity to pre-set the tone of decisions made during the interactive cinematic scenes; “Story” focuses more on the conversations and scales down the difficulty of the action; and “Role Playing” presents the classic Mass Effect experience which blends both challenging, intense action with rich, interactive storytelling where the choices lie with each player. All settings can be adjusted throughout the game, and all are available in the demo. Mass Effect 3 will also be one of the first pre-launch demos to support full voice recognition functionality on Kinect™ for Xbox 360.

Also included in the demo is a sample of the new multiplayer mode in Mass Effect 3. For the first time in the franchise, Mass Effect 3 will feature a fun, addictive co-operative gameplay as part of the Galaxy at War System**, which gives players an opportunity to link progress made in multiplayer or other applications directly back to the player’s main campaign to save the galaxy. The co-op portion of the demo will unlock on February 17, 2012. Gamers who have activated their Battlefield 3™ online pass will be able to unlock the co-op portion of the demo beginning today***.

Mass Effect 3 thrusts players into an all-out war to save the galaxy from an ancient alien race known as the Reapers. Players will assume 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.

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. The game arrives on the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system 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

* Check your local listings for airtime in your market and with your cable provider.

** The Mass Effect 3: Galaxy at War feature can be activated via the Online Pass code found in every new copy of Mass Effect 3. The Mass Effect 3 Online Pass can also be purchased separately on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

*** 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.

MushABellies Come to Life With 3D Augmented-Reality Game

More than 4.5 million MushABelly® plush collectibles have already captured hearts worldwide. Now all new MushABelly collectibles will include a cutting-edge 3D augmented-reality game that makes kids' favorite MushABellies come to life, right in their own living room, as they watch "Magic Before Your Eyes"™.

Augmented-reality (AR) technology is the hottest trend in apps, and Jay@Play is the first toy manufacturer to combine plush with a game experience for the entire family. MushABellies' new 3D augmented-reality game, powered by Jay@Play's ToyTube Network™, blends the game world and the real world using a smartphone device and exclusive, patented augmented reality from Gravity Jack.

Play right on your coffee table, rug, bedspread or anywhere you choose! Hold the virtual MushABellies in the palm of your hand or play catch with them in your kitchen, and listen to their hilarious sound effects. MushABellies love to be tickled, and each character has unique behaviors, sounds and treats.

Using a Toy Tube Tracker Card, launch MushABelly Mungo Monkey at the target barrel to score lots of banana points. Quickly tap them with your fingertip to earn more points. Move the Toy Tube Tracker Cards to make the game more challenging.

Six new MushABelly characters will debut in 2012: Heckle the Hedgehog, Buzzie Bee, Mungo Monkey, Racket Raccoon, Finless Frog, and Conan Cow. All are featured in the MushABelly games.

The Free MushABelly App is now available in the Apple App Store and soon to be in the Android Marketplace. At launch, supported devices will include the iPad 2, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, and soon to include Android 3.0+ operating systems and more.

To see a demo of the app right in the toy aisle, simply download the MushABelly app and aim your device at the ToyTube logo on the MushABelly package. Or visit www.toytubenetwork.com.

The MushABelly augmented-reality app was developed in partnership with Gravity Jack, the industry's leading developer of augmented-reality games and apps. Gravity Jack's patented augmented reality technology allows for the recognition and tracking of real world images and objects, instantly displaying fully interactive games, multimedia content, and more. As seen in the MushABelly App, this one-of-a-kind technology allows this information to be displayed, directly in a real-time scene, when viewed with a smart device. The MushABelly App promises to be just the start of many revolutionary new interactive ways to play, thanks to the ongoing partnership between industry leaders Jay@Play and Gravity Jack.

Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro Announce Kaijudo

Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro, Inc., (NASDAQ: HAS) today announced the launch of a new franchise entitled Kaijudo: Rise of the Duel Masters. Kaijudo will provide multi-platform entertainment that the whole family will enjoy, featuring an online game, trading card game (TCG), and a television series produced by Hasbro Studios and airing in the U.S. on The Hub TV network.

"As a world leader in creating compelling entertainment featuring stories and fantastic artwork in a variety of expressions, Wizards is looking forward to unleashing the excitement of Kaijudo this year," said Greg Leeds, President, Wizards of the Coast. "We are thrilled to be working with the talented team at Hasbro Studios and leveraging the growing popularity of The Hub to bring this unique franchise to the U.S. market."

Kaijudo offers an inspiring story about a young hero, Ray, who possesses the rare ability to befriend and duel alongside fantastical creatures from a parallel dimension. It's up to Ray to master the ancient art of Kaijudo in order to protect both worlds.  

Through the online game, the TCG and the TV series, kids will be immersed in a world of fast combat and deep strategy where they will develop strong, unique bonds with powerful and edgy creatures, leading them in a battle to save humanity from annihilation.

The Duel Masters TCG is a perennial Japanese market leader for boys 8-12, with millions of fans playing the Duel Masters TCG in Japan over the past 10 years. Kaijudo adapts this highly successful TCG to a new story and product line that are sure to connect with a new generation of kids around the world.

For more information about Kaijudo, visit www.Kaijudo.com or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kaijudodojo.

Turtle Beach Number One Third Party Console Gaming Accessory Brand for 2011

Turtle Beach, pioneers of the game audio category, announced today that based on year-ending NPD data for 2011, Turtle Beach was the number one gaming headsets/headphones company with 50% of the market for the year and the number one third party console video gaming accessories company, based on 2011 dollar volume.

The strong growth for the category has led NPD to create a dedicated Headsets category, splitting off from the general Audio category. Headsets continue to be the strongest growing segment in the gaming industry and is expanding rapidly. Turtle Beach led the field with 12 of the top 25 Gaming Headset SKUS in 2011. Overall, Turtle Beach dominated the market, taking an average of 50% market share for 2011, with a 58% share in December alone, a high for the year.

“Turtle Beach created the console gaming headset category and we have been the leader ever since releasing our first XBOX headset more than five years ago. We are number one because our products are based on the principle that quality audio is a critical part of the video game experience and the market has responded,” said Bob Picunko, Chief Marketing Officer at Turtle Beach. “The latest NPD data has shown the strongest growth in the history of Turtle Beach and the category itself. The creation of a dedicated Gaming Headset category and our significant market share is a testament to the quality of our product and the desire of players to have a more immersive audio experience.”

Turtle Beach kicked off with a strong start at CES 2012, where its Ear Force XP400 was named “Best Gaming Hardware” for IGN’s Best of CES 2012 Awards. The Ear Force XP400 features 2.4/5GHz dual-band Wi-Fi technology, an industry first, plus Dolby Post-Processing with six variable virtual speaker configurations that offer custom tuned angles to optimize the surround sound effect.

2011’s successes and continued growth in the category were driven by a range of new products with trailblazing innovations, bringing expanded offerings for gamers of all types. Leading the charge was the Ear Force X12, successor to the Ear Force X11, the best-selling stereo headset for the Xbox 360 of all time. Early in the year the Ear Force PX5 reinvented gaming headsets by introducing patent-pending audio “presets” which allow developers and players to customize audio settings that enhances the game experience and offers a competitive edge. Turtle Beach also launched a line of limited edition Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 headsets to coincide with the biggest entertainment launch in history. The end of the year brought the Ear Force XP500, the first Xbox 360 headset to feature completely wireless XBOX Live chat capabilities with integrated Bluetooth technology that enables gamers to answer phone calls and stream audio while gaming.

Be Among the First to Experience PlayStation Vita at GameStop

PlayStation®Vita (PS Vita) hits shelves this month and GameStop (NYSE: GME) is giving consumers a first glimpse at the highly anticipated new handheld system. More than 3,300 U.S. GameStop stores now have playable demo units that provide a first-hand look at PS Vita’s exciting new technology. In addition to the five-inch OLED multi-touch screen, front and rear touch pads, dual analog sticks, dual cameras and six-axis motion sensing system, players can experience a variety of games, including:

• UNCHARTED: Golden Abyss™
• Little Deviants™
• Hot Shots Golf®: World Invitational
• EA SPORTS FIFA Soccer
• ModNation™ Racers: Road Trip
• Virtua Tennis™4: World Tour Edition
• Escape Plan™
• wipEout® 2048

“We are excited to be the first retailer where consumers can experience the PS Vita,” stated Bob Puzon, vice president of merchandising at GameStop. “We are impressed with how the quad-core technology brings gaming to life and are confident consumers will be, too.”

To help consumers trade up to the PS Vita, GameStop is offering an extra $25 on the trade-in of a Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS or Sony PSP system toward the purchase of the new system. To learn more about the trade up offer or to find a GameStop store with a playable PS Vita demo unit, visit www.GameStop.com/PSVitaDemos.

The PS Vita launches in the U.S. on Feb. 22, 2012, but eager gamers can get their hands on it a week early by pre-ordering the First Edition Bundle. The bundle, available on Feb. 15, includes:

• PS Vita 3G/Wi-Fi system
• PS Vita case
• Little Deviants game
• 4GB memory card
• AT&T DataConnect Pass good for one free 250MB data session ($14.99 value) upon purchase of one 250 MB data session
• PlayStation Network game voucher provided upon 3G activation on the AT&T mobile broadband network.*

The bundle is valued at $435 and will sell for $349.99 – an $85 bonus value.

On Feb. 22, three additional PS Vita options will be available: a Wi-Fi model for $249.99, a 3G/Wi-Fi model for $299.99 and a limited edition PS Vita Launch Bundle that will include:

• PS Vita 3G/Wi-Fi system
• 8GB memory card
• AT&T DataConnect Pass good for one free 250MB data session ($14.99 value) upon purchase of one 250MB data session
• PlayStation Network game voucher provided upon 3G activation for $299.

This bundle is part of a promotional offer and availability is limited.

Square Enix Announces Final Fantasy XIII-2 Now Available at Retailers

Square Enix, Inc., the publisher of SQUARE ENIX® interactive entertainment products in the Americas today announced FINAL FANTASY® XIII-2 for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system is now available at retailers.

FINAL FANTASY XIII-2 has already received critical acclaim from media. The game surpasses the quality of its predecessor in every way, featuring new gameplay systems, cutting-edge visuals and audio. In this game, players have the freedom to choose from a range of possibilities and paths; their choices affect not only the immediate environment, but even shape time and space.

“…playing FFXIII-2 will restore your excitement for the franchise’s future.”
-Official Xbox Magazine, February 2012 (9/10, Editors’ Choice Award)

“…Final Fantasy XIII-2 makes a great sequel.”
-GamesRadar.com (9/10)

“It’s fun, packed with content, and made me feel that old Final Fantasy magic again.”
-Machinima (9/10)

SQUARE ENIX also announced that extensive downloadable content is planned for FINAL FANTASY® XIII-2. The planned content includes Coliseum Battles pitting the player against adversaries from previous FINAL FANTASY titles that, when defeated, can be recruited into the player’s party. The Coliseum battle “Lightning and Master Sergeant Amodar” will be distributed on February 7. In addition, there will be episodes which enhance the experience and complement the narrative of FINAL FANTASY XIII-2 with storyline branches for key characters in the story.

Full details on each piece of content will be revealed at a later date.

FINAL FANTASY XIII-2 Key Features

• A New Tale Awaits
  FINAL FANTASY XIII-2 will reveal further events from the amazing mythology as presented in the original FINAL FANTASY XIII. The story is written in a way that it can still be enjoyed without playing the previous title.

• Larger, More Interactive Environments
  Places with multiple pathways to explore and many secrets to find offer players the chance to shape their own adventure.

• Time Travel – A New Dimension of Exploration
  The situation, scenery, flora, fauna and weather conditions all change, depending on when you visit locations. Untangling the threads of time is essential to experience the full story.

• Enhanced Battle System
  New elements, such as visually dynamic Cinematic Action sequences and the Mog Clock that rewards players for their actions, creating further variety and choice for the player.

• Master of Monsters
  A wide variety of more than 150 different monsters inhabiting the game world can be recruited into the player’s party and battle strategy, with each creature having unique and devastating special abilities.

ABOUT FINAL FANTASY

Since the release of FINAL FANTASY in 1987, this unique RPG series continues to showcase the spectacular visuals, highly imaginative worlds and rich stories leading the industry and earning the highest accolades from users around the world. Titles of the series have so far achieved a cumulative shipment of over 100 million units worldwide (as of June 2011).

American Gamers Declare 3D Gaming Dead

Nintendo has posted a $626m loss for the first 9 months of the fiscal year ending March 2012, a complete reversal of its fortunes compared to the same time last year, where the console manufacturer netted $637m in profit. An independent survey of site users shows that gamers are against 3D gaming, perhaps providing an explanation for Nintendo's about-turn.

It would appear that 3D enabled consoles have not been a hit with gaming fans, according to the results of a new study which has revealed that almost three quarters of gamers are opposed to future generation consoles having 3D capability.

The independent survey by leading coupon website CouponCodes4U.com polled 2,291 gamers and was conducted following Nintendo's recently announced financial losses, to delve into whether or not consumers were against 3D gaming. Nintendo cut the price of their handheld 3DS console in August following disappointing sales.

Gamers taking part in the study were asked; 'Are you in favour of future next generation consoles having 3D technology?' to which the majority, 71%, of respondents answered 'no'.

Of those who stated that they were not in favour of next generation 3D console technology in future devices, the majority, 84%, claimed that they simply thought 3D gaming was 'a fad'. More than a third, 36%, claimed to have played on the Nintendo 3DS and were 'unimpressed'.

18% of those who said they'd played the 3DS claimed that playing the 3DS made them feel dizzy, while 46% said they just didn't feel it improved their gaming experience.

The survey also took the opportunity to ask questions about other 3D technology. 42% of respondents said they thought 3D movies were 'unnecessary', with 61% admitting they thought it was overly expensive. Just 3% of survey participants said they owned a 3D TV, with more than two thirds, 69%, saying they didn't think it would add to the overall viewing experience. 

Mark Pearson, Chairman ofCouponCodes4U.com, commented on the findings:

"We've seen searches and sales of 3D games and consoles nosedive in the last year and Nintendo's financial fortunes as a pioneer of 3D gaming reflect this. As a gamer myself, I just don't see why manufacturers feel the need to jump on this particular bandwagon."

Momentum Surges for Star Wars: The Old Republic During the Holidays

Over a million gamers worldwide celebrated the holidays in front of their PCs with lightsabers, Sith lords and Jedi knights as BioWare™, a Label of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA), continued to see an unprecedented amount of player engagement for Star Wars™: The Old Republic™. Over this past weekend, players continued to flood the servers of the fastest-growing subscription MMO in history, immersing themselves in the game for over 5.5 million hours. Star Wars: The Old Republic is also proving to be a critical smash hit, with an average review score of 88*, making it the highest rated MMO of 2011, while also winning over 105 industry awards, including “Best Multiplayer Game of 2011” from MSNBC. Enthusiasm for The Old Republic has also gone viral, as over 1.6 million fans have viewed the Jedi vs. Sith Freeze Mob in Times Square on launch day, making it one of the most viewed videos on YouTube during this past weekend.

The Old Republic has been lauded for bringing innovation to the MMO genre by adding fully voiced characters and placing a true emphasis on story and player choice. These new innovations, combined with highly polished gameplay and a smooth service, have led to a number of incredible gameplay achievements from the rabid community, including:

• Over 60 million in-game hours – roughly equivalent to watching all six Star Wars movies over 4 million times
• Over 850,000 Sith Warriors and over 810,000 Jedi Knights created
• Over 260 million quests completed
• Over 44 million PvP battles
• Over 9 million space combat missions completed
• Over 3 billion NPCs killed

Star Wars: The Old Republic is set thousands of years before the classic Star Wars movies, with the Galactic Republic and Sith Empire locked in the middle of an epic, galactic war. Players choose one of eight iconic Star Wars characters, including the Jedi Knight, Jedi Consular, Smuggler, Trooper, Sith Warrior, Sith Inquisitor, Bounty Hunter and Imperial Agent, becoming the hero or villain of their own personal Star Wars saga. Players will team up with friends online, fighting in heroic battles reminiscent of the films, immersing themselves in a galaxy full of vibrant characters and planets, while experiencing visceral Star Wars combat.

Included with the purchase of every copy of Star Wars: The Old Republic is 30 days of access to the game, after which players can continue to play through subscribing** at either $14.99 per month, $41.97 for 3 months ($13.99 per month), or $77.94 for six months ($12.99 per month). For more information on Star Wars: The Old Republic, please visit www.StarWarsTheOldRepublic.com, follow the game on Twitter® at http://twitter.com/swtor or “Like” Star Wars: The Old Republic on Facebook® at http://facebook.com/starwarstheoldrepublic.

* According to Metacritic.com as of December 25, 2011.

* Subscription pricing in the United Kingdom is £8.99 per month, £25.17 for three months (£8.39 per month) or £46.14 for six months (£7.69 per month). Subscription pricing in Europe is €12.99 per month, €35.97 for three months (€11.99 per month) or €65.94 for six months (€10.99 per month).

Exent Releases 2012 Game Industry Predictions

Closing out a year of significant growth and numerous company milestones, Exent, the world's largest Games on Demand provider, has released its 2012 Game Industry Predictions.  Below are five industry developments that Exent's Head of Content Programming, Rick Marazzani, says are coming in 2012:

Android tablets go mass market and gaming along with it!
"Led by the Barnes & Noble Nook and Amazon Kindle Fire, Android tablets will be on more night stands and in more purses and school knapsacks than ever before.  As powerful and easy to use as most portable gaming consoles, these tablets offer affordable, massively appealing games like Fruit Ninja and Angry Birds, plus they can be used for web surfing, reading, and playing music and movies. With the extensive functionality and low price points of these tablets, look for them to take a much bigger slice out of the iPad's market share in 2011." 

Location-aware mobile gaming will break out
"Your smartphone is always online and GPS location-aware.  Game developers will harness this fact to deliver gameplay that will change and offer challenges based on where you are.  Social game makers like Zynga, Mocospace and Booyah will make their games more social by tapping users' social graphs in locations to enhance the mobile versions of their games."

Massive layoffs in the social web game space
"With multiple hit games and big marketing budgets needed to stay afloat at the top of the Facebook game charts, many social publishers simply weathered 2011 waiting to see what Zynga's IPO would foretell for their own futures.  Faced with the reality that there are too many people working on too many games for the market to bear, social developers will be forced to place smarter (and fewer) bets as user acquisition cost and competition grows.  The result will be more belt tightening along the lines of developer RockYou (ZooWorld), who shed 40% of its staff in late 2011."

Mobile carriers will take back smartphone content
"Mobile operators once controlled all the content distributed to their phones.  Those days are gone thanks to Apple's tight grip on the iPhone user experience and the openness of the Android operating system and Market. But the expansiveness and quality diversity of those marketplaces are enabling carriers to bounce back as trusted advisors to offer their subscribers premium app stores with curated content and user friendly, integrated billing."

Family mobile data plans will emerge and spur game consumption
"As households add smartphones for each member, plus 4G tablets and netbooks, mobile carriers will lower their data fees per device and allow families to share plans.  Carriers will bet on this with the hope it entices subscribers to buy higher end devices.  With tablets poised to be the central entertainment hub in the household and game content ranking among the most consumed apps, operators will augment their games offerings as a key differentiator."

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Hits $1 Billion Milestone in Just 16 Days

Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc., announced today that Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare™ 3 crossed the $1 billion mark in sales since its launch on November 8, 2011, according to Charttrack and retail customer sell-through information.  Highlighting the trend of interactive entertainment gaining a greater hold of audiences worldwide, the game achieved this milestone in just 16 days, eclipsing the record set in 2009 by the feature film "Avatar," which reached the $1 billion milestone in 17 days.

While 2011 box office revenue is on the decline – down 4 percent this year at $9.4 billion, compared with $9.8 billion in 2010 -- the number of people purchasing and participating in gaming is on the rise, with no sign of slowing_.(1)  With more than 30 million gamers, the Call of Duty community now exceeds the combined populations of the cities of New York, London, Tokyo, Paris and Madrid.

"Engagement of our Call of Duty audience continues to rise around the world" said Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision Blizzard.  "Call of Duty® as an entertainment franchise has made an indelible mark on popular culture and its broad and continued success is further validation that audiences increasingly value interactive experiences over passive experiences.   

Call of Duty is now amongst that rarified group of sustained franchises like "Star Wars", "Harry Potter", "Lord of the Rings" and the National Football League (NFL) that attract or engage tens of millions of people every year or every new release.

Our Call of Duty Elite is one of the fastest growing online services ever with more than six million players registered since its launch November 8, 2011 and over one million premium subscriptions sold to date.   By comparison, the premium subscription services of Netflix, Hulu Plus, Sirius XM and Xbox® LIVE®, did not reach one million paid subscribers until almost one year after launch.

"Call of Duty has become that rare entertainment franchise that transcends its own genre. Core gamers love it, as our stellar reviews show. But every year, new people are drawn into Call of Duty," said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing.  "And while the franchise continues to set records, our fans still seem to want more, demonstrated by our record setting start on Call of Duty Elite. We are committed to helping everyone connect, compete and improve their game, Call of Duty style."