NEW SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR SUPER MARIO MAKER ON Wii U WILL BRING MID-LEVEL CHECKPOINTS AND NEW COURSES

Super Mario Maker Cover Plates for New Nintendo 3DS systems coming in November

28^th October, 2015 – On November 5th, a free software update for Super Mario Maker will bring new content to the hit title for the Wii U console, including the ability to add mid-level checkpoints to courses, and additional Course World categories highlighting new levels from Nintendo and partner creators outside Nintendo. More than 3.3 million courses are now available to play globally, and these new features add even more ways to play and create in the game than ever before.

With the addition of mid-level checkpoints, users now have the option to add up to two flags to their courses, allowing players to resume from the last checkpoint passed if they lose a life – rather than having to start over at the beginning of the course. Players can choose to edit and re-upload their own courses, or create new courses from scratch using this feature.

Following the update, players can also insert power-ups that are dependent on Mario’s status. For example, by attaching a Super Mushroom to a Fire Flower and placing it inside a block, Mario will receive the Super Mushroom when he is small, and the Fire Flower when he is large.

The software update also introduces Event Courses in the game’s Course World online hub. Event Courses will feature levels from partner creators outside Nintendo. One of the first Event Courses will be “Ship Love,” the winning level from the “hackathon” event that was held at Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park earlier this year in co-operation with Nintendo of America*.

New Event Courses will be globally available and will be added to the listing on an ongoing basis, some of which may even feature new Mystery Mushroom transformations. Additionally, a new Official Makers section in Course World will be added after downloading the update, featuring specially selected courses, including some created by Nintendo.

Last but not least, owners of a New Nintendo 3DS system will be able to display their love for Super Mario Maker with a brand new set of Cover Plates for their handheld system, coming to shops on November 28^th.

The free software update for Super Mario Maker on Wii U is planned to go live on November 5th. For more information about Super Mario Maker, visit:

http://gamesites.nintendo.com.au/super-mario-maker/

*Facebook is the first outside partner in the US to design a course for Super Mario Maker. Employees had the opportunity to design and present their creations to a panel of judges before the winning course was selected.

Additional Links:
Nintendo Australia website: http://www.nintendo.com.au 
Nintendo Australia Twitter: https://twitter.com/NintendoAUNZ
Nintendo Australia Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NintendoAUNZ
Nintendo AU on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/nintendoau
Super Mario 30^th Anniversary website: http://gamesites.nintendo.com.au/super-mario-30th/

World’s First Call of Duty® Craft Beer

Call of Duty: Black Hops III – Midnight Pale Ale

Available exclusively in Australia from the 2^nd November, ahead of the launch of

Call of Duty: Black Ops III on the 6^th November

Sydney, Australia – 28^th October, 2015: To celebrate the upcoming release of the highly anticipated Call of Duty: Black Ops III on the 6^th November, three young Aussie craft brewers from the Gold Coast have created a world first, limited edition Call of Duty: Black Hops III – Midnight Pale Ale. The beer will be available to purchase in limited quantities, exclusively in Australia through www.beerbud.com.au/BlackHopsIII from the 2^nd November.

Gold Coast trio, Michael McGovern, Eddie Oldfield and Dan Norris started Black Hops Brewing on the 2^nd November, 2014. In just 12 months they have gone from home brewing in their garage and selling their beer in local pubs, to partnering with Activision to create Call of Duty: Black Hops III Midnight Pale Ale.

“This is a dream partnership. We love Call of Duty, so when the idea of creating Black Hops III to celebrate the launch of the new game came up, everyone was excited, the rest is history.” Said Michael ‘Govs’ McGovern, Head Brewer and Co-Founder of Black Hops Brewing.

Black Hops Brewing has been making waves in the Australian craft beer industry, sharing every step of their ambitious startup business online via their blog and social media channels. “Black Hops Brewing is an ironic name because we’re intentionally the least covert operation; we even put our business plan online to help others learn how to get started. We love the craft brewery scene and hopefully we can help grow it by making it easier for others to get involved. We’re massive Call of Duty fans too, so our name is also a subtle nod to the Black Ops franchise.” Said Black Hops Brewing Co-Founder, Eddie Oldfield.

Govs, Eddie and Dan wanted to create a unique beer that reflected both the creativity of the brewery and Call of Duty: Black Ops III, so they set about using a combination of special ingredients sourced from around the world and their knowledge of unique craft brewing techniques to take a classic American-style pale ale and paint it black.

“The beer is black in colour, but light and refreshing like a traditional pale ale, perfect for the Aussie summer.  It’s made with an ingredient new to the market from the U.S. called “midnight wheat” a roasted de-husked wheat grain that provides a rich dark colour without the bitterness you would expect from a dark beer. It messes with your mind, a bit like the Black Ops storyline I guess.” Said Govs.

With a rapidly expanding business, Black Hops Brewing are excited to release Call of Duty: Black Hops III – Midnight Pale Ale on the 2^nd November. “We’re not used to being covert but we kept this project a secret for the past 6 months, so we’re stoked to get it out there. Hopefully this will bring the up and coming Gold Coast craft beer scene some well-deserved attention too”. Said Black Hops Brewing Co-Founder, Dan Norris.

Call of Duty: Black Hops III Midnight Pale Ale will be available in limited quantities, exclusively via www.beerbud.com.au/BlackHopsIII in both six packs and 24 bottle cartons from 1:00pm on 2^nd November, 2015. 

Call of Duty: Black Ops III is in development at Treyarch for PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One, the all-in-one game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PC.

To learn more about Black Hops III watch this video: Link

The Official Call of Duty®: Black Ops III – Launch Gameplay Trailer can be viewed here: Link

For more info on Black Hops Brewing:

Web: http://www.blackhops.com.au

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackHopsBeer

Twitter: https://twitter.com/blackhopsbeer

Instagram: https://instagram.com/blackhopsbeer

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/blackhops

KOEI TECMO DETAILS PLAYSTATION®VITA SPECIFIC FEATURES FOR DYNASTY WARRIORS 8: EMPIRES IN NEW TRAILER 

Release Date and New Information Revealed; PlayStation®Store Early Purchase Bonus Content Confirmed

BURLINGAME, Calif. – October 27^th, 2015 – KOEI TECMO America released today a bundle of new information and assets, including a brand new trailer, for the digital only, PlayStation®Vita handheld entertainment system release of the famed tactical action title DYNASTY WARRIORS 8 Empires on November 24^th.

Specifically, players will be able to enjoy exhilarating Warriors action on the go, using new intuitive touchscreen controls for actions such as calling their faithful steed or activating the powerful ‘Rage’ state! The touchscreen can also be used to select and activate special skills called Stratagems, allowing the player more accurate control of the battlefield.

Since even the most powerful warriors need allies, DYNASTY WARRIORS 8 Empires encourages two-player ad hoc cooperative multiplayer, allowing nearby friends to join together and survive the fierce battles of ‘Empire Mode’, or overcome the challenging scenarios in ‘Free Mode’.

Furthermore, the title is compatible with PlayStation®TV, meaning gamers can enjoy the game on large screens. For those already in possession of the PlayStation®3 and PlayStation®4 versions, Cross-Save and Cross-Play functionality is enabled across all versions, and content downloaded for the PlayStation®3 and PlayStation®4 can be downloaded on the PS Vita version free of charge.

Lastly, KOEI TECMO announced downloadable early-purchase bonus content, available to those who purchase the game during its first month of release on the PlayStation®Network! Specifically, this ‘Special Edit Parts’ pack includes equipment and costumes based on fan favorite KOEI TECMO characters: Guo Jia and Guan Yinping from Dynasty Warriors 8, Date Mashamune from the (Japan-only) social game Nobunyaga no Yabou, and a very special Tenko costume from the sensational demon-hunting action title Toukiden!

For more DYNASTY WARRIORS 8 Empires news, please visit http://www.koeitecmoamerica.com/dw8e/, Like KOEI TECMO America on Facebook at www.facebook.com/koeitecmous, and follow KOEI TECMO America on Twitter @KoeiTecmoUS.

About DYNASTY WARRIORS 8 Empires

The most feature-rich and customizable Empires title ever to be released, DYNASTY WARRIORS 8 Empires was originally released for PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment systems and Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft earlier in 2015. DYNASTY WARRIORS 8 Empires boasts an array of new elements and upgraded modes, including a vast selection of 83 unique playable characters, the option to create original characters through the edit mode, as well as the ability to customize horses, banners, and NPC officers.

Warriors are called to fight not only against enemies, but also the forces of nature as the changing seasons and the passing of time alter fighting conditions on more than 40 battlefields. Additionally, the game’s ‘Custom Scenario’ mode adds the ability to control events across the vast Chinese continent, allowing players to adjust every last detail to form a brand new Three Kingdoms world. Finally, in ‘Empire’ mode, players can choose to adopt one of many distinct roles or to experience the epic history and its outcomes through a different methodology of warfare.

ABOUT KOEI TECMO AMERICA CORP.

KOEI TECMO AMERICA CORP. is a publisher of interactive entertainment software for current generation consoles, handhelds and digital download content based in Burlingame, California. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of KOEI TECMO HOLDINGS CO., LTD., headquartered in Yokohama, Japan. KOEI is best known for its Dynasty Warriors® and Samurai Warriors® franchises. TECMO is best known for the Dead or Alive®, Ninja Gaiden®, Tecmo Bowl®, and Fatal Frame® series.

“PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Sony and Crytek Collaborating to Bring “Robinson: The Journey” Exclusively to PlayStation VR 

CRYENGINE Unleashed for PlayStation VR 

Frankfurt, Germany – October 27, 2015 – Combining the breathtaking immersion made possible by PlayStation VR and the game-changing power of CRYENGINE, Crytek today announced a partnership with Sony Computer Entertainment to bring new IP “Robinson: The Journey” exclusively to the upcoming PlayStation^®4 virtual reality platform.

Developed by Crytek, Robinson: The Journey invites players to become pioneers as they crash-land on a mysterious planet and set out to uncover the rich secrets it conceals. The game is being crafted to capitalize on the boundless potential of PlayStation VR, and will empower gamers to explore the stunning world around them with an entirely new degree of freedom. The cooperation between Sony and Crytek also underscores the versatility of CRYENGINE for other developers looking to unleash their ideas on powerful VR hardware.

Crytek’s Director of Production, David Bowman, said: “PlayStation VR is the ideal platform for Robinson: The Journey. Our work with Sony so far has made it clear that they want to deliver the most immersive and unique home VR experiences imaginable to gamers, and we’re working hard to make sure Robinson fits that description perfectly.”

For a first glimpse of Robinson: The Journey in action, watch the new trailer for the game at https://youtu.be/aA5pT_H41mY. You can also visit the official website for Robinson: The Journey at www.robinsonthegame.com.

About Crytek

Crytek is an independent videogame developer, publisher and technology provider with headquarters in Frankfurt am Main (Germany) and seven other studios around the world. Established in 1999, Crytek has created multiple award-winning titles, including the original Far Cry, the Crysis series, Ryse: Son of Rome and Warface. All of Crytek’s games are developed using CRYENGINE, the company’s cutting-edge 3D game technology, which is also the first choice of other leading developers and licensees when creating games for PC, Xbox One, PlayStation^®4, and Android. Crytek’s ongoing growth in the games-as-a-service market has extended the company’s reach as they continue to deliver top quality interactive experiences to players through self-publishing platforms online.

For more information visit www.crytek.com and www.cryengine.com.

BLOOD WILL BE DRAWN AND BONES SPLINTERED AS BANDAI NAMCO ENTERTAINMENT AMERICA INC. ANNOUNCES TEKKEN 7 FOR HOME SYSTEMS

Following a Blockbuster Arcade Debut, the King of Fighting Games Returns with Enhanced Graphics, New Storyline Elements, and Hard-Hitting Martial Arts Fighting Action

SAN JOSE, Calif., (October 27, 2015) – Leading interactive entertainment media publisher and developer BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc. today announces TEKKEN 7 for home systems. With the TEKKEN franchise celebrating its 20^th anniversary; the newest chapter of the series returns to its gameplay roots with classic 1 vs 1 bouts and its canon storyline centered on the eternal struggle for power amongst the members of the Mishima clan. With newcomer Kazumi Mishima joining the fight, the epic battle between father and son, and also husband and wife, will come to its fated conclusion in TEKKEN 7.

TEKKEN 7 is currently in development at BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc.’s Tokyo, Japan studio under the leadership of franchise director, Katsuhiro Harada. Powered by Unreal Engine 4, TEKKEN 7 sets a new standard in graphics quality for the series, featuring highly detailed characters and dynamic environments. In its first appearance on home systems, TEKKEN 7 will feature numerous modes and enhancements beyond its arcade counterpart, including an in-depth story mode that lets players fully experience the canon storyline. Players will also be able to check out new fighters Kazumi Mishima, Claudio, Josie, Shaheen, Katarina, Lucky Chloe, Gigas, and more for the first time outside of the arcade.

“The TEKKEN series is not only a cornerstone series in BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc.’s illustrious line-up of game franchises; it has also been a foundational game in the fighting game tournament community for over two decades.” said Eric Hartness, Vice President of Marketing at BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc. “TEKKEN 7 promises to deliver an uncompromising fighting game experience that will deliver groundbreaking graphics, animation, and tournament style gameplay. Fighting game tournament players should be on notice as we’re setting our sights on lighting up the tournament scene with the hardest hitting TEKKEN game ever.”

Currently rated “RP” for Rating Pending by the ESRB, TEKKEN 7 will be available in North America, Latin America, and Brazil for home systems.

For more information about everything in the TEKKEN universe, please visit: http://us.tekken.com/#!/en/home. To learn more about BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc.’s other products and services go to: http://www.bandainamcoent.com/home.html. Join the conversation and follow us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/BandaiNamcoUS.

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About BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc.
BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc., part of BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc., is a leading global publisher and developer of interactive entertainment for all major video game consoles, iOS, Android, and online platforms. The company is known for creating and publishing many of the industry’s top video game franchises including PAC-MAN^®, GALAGA^®, TEKKEN^®, SOULCALIBUR^®, and ACE COMBAT^®. BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc. is the premier publisher in the Western hemisphere for anime based video games including NARUTO SHIPPUDEN™, DRAGON BALL Z^®, and ONE PIECE^®. More information about the company and its products can be found at http://www.bandainamcoent.com or www.facebook.com/BandaiNamcoUS