“Halo 5: Guardians” smashes record with biggest Halo launch in history

Latest entry drove more than $400 million in global sales of “Halo 5: Guardians” games and hardware during first week and pushes franchise over the $5 billion mark. 

REDMOND, Wash. — Nov. 4, 2015 — One week after launching worldwide, “Halo 5: Guardians” has made history as the biggest Halo launch and fastest-selling Xbox One exclusive game to date, with more than $400 million in global sales of “Halo 5: Guardians” games and hardware, pushing the franchise to over $5 billion lifetime. With the highest week one attach rate for a Microsoft first-party title on Xbox One, the game was the most played of any game on Xbox One, as well as the most played on Xbox Live.

Fans have logged more than 21 million hours of total gameplay, including 12 million hours in campaign mode alone. The widely praised multiplayer modes have also led to 9 million total hours played with nearly 7 million multiplayer matches played across Arena and the all-new Warzone mode. In addition, Halo fans are taking to the new Requisition System in a big way, with over 45 million REQ Packs acquired, totalling more than 568 million REQ Cards.

Last week’s “Halo 5: Live” earned a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for the most watched video game launch broadcast, setting a precedent with more than 330,000 unique streams on the evening of the broadcast. Additionally, content from the broadcast generated 5.5 million total views throughout the week. This resulted in a spike in digital sales of “Halo 5: Guardians,” leading to it becoming the best-selling digital game ever in the Xbox Store for an opening week.

“The success of ‘Halo 5: Guardians’ is a testament to the innovative work from the entire team at 343 Industries to bring this instalment to Xbox One and the incredible community of fans who have come to love the story, characters and gameplay central to the franchise,” said Phil Spencer, head of Xbox. “The game represents all the possibilities of Xbox One and has earned its place as the anchor title in the greatest holiday games line-up in Xbox history.”

Fans around the world have discovered the pure entertainment of what The Verge calls “an absolute masterclass in how to craft a first-person shooter” and currently the highest rated Xbox One exclusive, first-person shooter game of 2015, according to Metacritic. A custom Twitter emoji of the Master Chief — the first ever for a video game franchise — is the result of Twitter’s hunt for partnerships with iconic, global brands. The buzz also extended to Twitch, where “Halo 5: Guardians” was the most streamed Xbox One exclusive game, with more than 3 million hours watched in the first week.

Just as fans are diving into “Halo 5: Guardians,” professional players as young as 13 years old are also getting ready for the Halo World Championship that begins later this year. The competition will run December through March and be divided into five regions, with the best players from U.S. and Canada, Europe, along with the Middle East and Africa, Greater Asia, Latin America, as well as Australia and New Zealand coming together to battle for dominance. Due to the crowd funding enabled through the “Halo 5: Guardians” REQ System, the overall prize pool has reached $1.5 million and continues to grow daily. Additional information can be found by visiting halo.gg.

“Halo 5: Guardians” is available now for $99.95 (estimated retail price) at selected retail stores in Australia as well as via digital download on the microsoftstore.com. A sample list of participating retailers can be found at http://www.xbox.com/en-AU/games/halo-5-guardians/buy-now.

To relive the launch day excitement, fans can watch video on demand of “Halo 5: Live” through YouTube at http://www.xbox.com/Halo5Live. Photos and video from global launch events can be viewed at http://news.xbox.com/media.

About the Halo franchise

Exclusively published by Microsoft Studios and developed by 343 Industries, the Halo franchise is an award-winning collection of properties that has transcended video games and grown into a global entertainment phenomenon. Beginning with the original “Halo: Combat Evolved” (2001), the critically acclaimed and record-shattering series of games has reinvented how people think about video games and has since built a fan base of millions worldwide and inspired multiple New York Times best-selling novels, a live-action digital series, comic books, action figures, apparel and more.

About Xbox

Xbox is Microsoft’s premier entertainment brand for the TV, phone, PC and tablet. In living rooms or on the go, Xbox is home to the best and broadest games, as well as one of the world’s largest libraries of movies, TV, music and sports. Your favourite games, TV and entertainment come to life in new ways through the power of Kinect, Xbox SmartGlass and Xbox Live, the world’s premier social entertainment network. More information about Xbox can be found online at http://www.xbox.com.

About Microsoft

Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) is the leading platform and productivity company for the mobile-first, cloud-first world, and its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. 

More details about Xbox One, Xbox One games and the latest Xbox news can be found at http://news.xbox.com.

Press releases and media assets can be found at http://news.xbox.com/media (and relevant content can be found by clicking on Select Category).

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://news.microsoft.com. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://news.microsoft.com/microsoft-public-relations-contacts.

ACTIVISION PUBLISHING, INC. LAUNCHES THE PEANUTS MOVIE: SNOOPY’S GRAND ADVENTURE VIDEO GAME FOR CONSOLES

The Imaginative World of Snoopy And Charlie Brown: The Peanuts Movie Comes Alive in Snoopy’s Town Tale, Available on Select Apple Devices Nov. 5

Sydney, Australia – Nov. 5, 2015 – Activision Publishing, Inc. has released The Peanuts Movie: Snoopy’s Grand Adventure, a new console game, as a part of its deal with Peanuts Worldwide. The game is inspired by the classic comic strip from Charles M. Schulz, which just recently celebrated its 65^th anniversary. This side-scrolling exploration platformer features simple, pick-up-and-play controls and the classic characters and humour of Peanuts, delivering a great experience for fans of all ages.

When Charlie Brown and the gang run off to play hide-and-seek, Snoopy hits the trail to track them down. As players dive into the wild worlds of Snoopy’s imagination, they’ll traverse a multitude of different environments, from the deep jungle to the moon itself, each teeming with surprises and dangers. Snoopy can reach new places with unique hidden costumes that give the beagle new abilities based on his many infamous alter egos, including Joe Cool and the Flying Ace, which unlocks special flight stages. A second player can partner up as Woodstock to help Snoopy get past dangerous creatures and obstacles, or find secret paths and collectibles such as jelly beans and the trusty Beagle Scouts.

The Peanuts Movie: Snoopy’s Grand Adventure draws from the distinctive style and playful charm of Snoopy And Charlie Brown: The Peanuts Movie, coming to theatres on Jan 1 from 20^th Century Fox and Blue Sky Studios. The varied worlds of Snoopy’s daydreams are painted in gorgeously colourful 3D detail, and the film’s vocal cast is showcased throughout the game.

The Peanuts Movie: Snoopy’s Grand Adventure is out today, Nov 5 in Australia and New Zealand on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One and Xbox 360, available exclusively in EB Games from $59.95 RRP in Australia and $74.99 RRP in New Zealand. It is rated G (General) by the Australian Classification Board.

In addition, Activision Publishing, Inc. will be launching Snoopy’s Town Tale, a free-to-play mobile game for select iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, on Nov. 5 via the App Store. Players can join Snoopy and other fan-favorite PEANUTS characters to build, explore, and go on quests through the iconic locations from the comic strip. Peanuts: Snoopy’s Town Tale will be available in December for select Android devices through Google Play and Kindle Fire via the Amazon Appstore.

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading global producer and publisher of interactive entertainment. Activision maintains operations throughout the world. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activision.com, or by following @Activision.

About Peanuts Worldwide

The PEANUTS characters and related intellectual property are owned by Peanuts Worldwide LLC, a joint venture owned 80% by Iconix Brand Group, Inc. and 20% by members of the Charles M. Schulz family.

About The Peanuts Movie

Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Linus and the rest of the beloved “Peanuts” Gang make their big-screen debut, like they’ve never been seen before, in state of the art 3D animation. Charlie Brown, the world’s most beloved underdog, embarks upon an epic and heroic quest, while his best pal, the lovable beagle Snoopy, takes to the skies to pursue his arch-nemesis, the Red Baron. From the imagination of Charles M. Schulz and the creators of the ICE AGE films, THE PEANUTS MOVIE will prove that every underdog has his day.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Publishing’s expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future, including statements about The Peanuts Movie: Snoopy’s Grand Adventure or Peanuts: Snoopy’s Town Tale, are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause Activision Publishing’s actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include unanticipated product delays and other factors identified in the risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Activision Publishing and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Activision Publishing nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Activision Publishing or Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.

©2015 Activision Publishing, Inc.  All rights reserved.  All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners. “PlayStation” is a registered trademark and “PS4” is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Acclaimed Author Chris Brookmyre Takes Players Inside Genre-Hopping FPS Bedlam

London, 4 November 2015 – Following a successful launch week, a new behind-the-scenes gameplay video for the genre-hopping FPS Bedlam is now available. In the video, Chris Brookmyre, celebrated author and writer of both Bedlam the novel and the game, takes viewers on a short tour through some of the worlds seen in Bedlam, explaining his thought processes and giving extra details on the creation of the game.

Bedlam is available now on PlayStation®4, PC, Mac OSX and Xbox One, the all in one games and entertainment system from Microsoft. All versions are priced at $19.99 in the US.

In Bedlam, players take on the role of Heather Quinn (aka Athena), a programmer at medical scanning developer Neurosphere, who finds herself transported into the world of Starfire: a nineties FPS she remembers from her teen years. Searching for an explanation and a way home, she ventures beyond Starfire to discover a vast realm of interconnected game worlds documenting the evolution of the FPS genre and of video games in general. As Athena, players move through numerous game settings while battling against a digital conspiracy that seeks to destroy the game worlds and their characters. A fast-paced and authentically unique FPS, Bedlam serves up a dizzying variety of genres from fantasy RPGs to classic 2D arcade games to WWII shooters in an innovative journey through gaming nostalgia.

This title has been rated “M” (Mature) by the ESRB. For the latest on Bedlam, visit the game’s official website at http://www.bedlamthegame.com.

To download media assets including the new game trailer, screens, and logos please visit: https://app.box.com/BedlamGameplayWalkthroughVideo

About RedBedlam
RedBedlam Ltd. was founded in 2001 in order to create virtual worlds and to realise virtual economies. The company spent approximately five years developing its proprietary virtual world and virtual economics technologies alongside its first commercial virtual world, Roma Victor®, which was released in 2006. RedBedlam’s other MMORPG, The Missing Ink, launched in beta in 2012. RedBedlam’s virtual world technology is licensed by a number of clients including the popular kid’s virtual world and social network – www.dpals.com. RedBedlam is a fully independent privately held company. www.redbedlam.com

About Standfast Interactive
Vision Games Publishing is the publishing arm of Standfast Vision, a Guernsey based investment fund for video games, investing across genres, business models and gaming platforms.  Vision Games Publishing offers sales, marketing and production assistance, working closely with developers to help take their game to market.

KOEI TECMO ANNOUNCES STEAM® FREE PLAY WEEKEND AND DISCOUNT EVENT FOR NOBUNAGA’S AMBITION: SPHERE OF INFLUENCE

BURLINGAME, Calif. – November 4^th, 2015 – KOEI TECMO America today announced an exclusive four-day free-play event on Steam® for immersive strategy epic Nobunaga’s Ambition: Sphere of Influence. Specifically, gamers will be able to download and play the historical strategy simulation for free from Thursday, November 5^th at 10:00 AM PST until Sunday, November 8^th at 1:00 PM PST.

The full game will also be available for purchase at a $10 discount from Thursday, November 5^th at 10:00 AM PST until Monday, November 9^th at 10:00 AM PST. Additionally, for those who are already in the midst of conquering the land and uniting it under their clan’s banner, KOEI TECMO will offer a sale for the nine available DLC scenarios, which will be discounted from $2.99 to $1.99 for the same period!

After 10:00 AM PST November 9^th (Mon), the game and the DLC scenarios will revert to their original price.

Nobunaga’s Ambition: Sphere of Influence is now available on Steam at http://store.steampowered.com/app/392470/.

About Nobunaga’s Ambition: Sphere of Influence

Set against a backdrop of a fragmented nation, players take the mantle of a Daimyo, a feudal lord of the Sengoku era (15^th-16^th century Japan), and fight for the great ideal of uniting the war-ridden country under one rule. Providing the choice to play as either a historical personality or a uniquely created character, Nobunaga’s Ambition: Sphere of Influence offers an extremely wide pallet of choices for the player to shape the world as they please.

Three key elements help you on your path of unification: Creation, Diplomacy and War. Balancing these elements is crucial to expanding your influence and power during the warring period of Japan. Will you become Shogun? Or will you just become a distant memory? You control the fate of your clan.

Having recently celebrated its 30^th anniversary, Nobunaga’s Ambition is one of the longest running franchises for KOEI TECMO Games in Japan, and during its lifetime it has received high praise by an ever-growing fan base across an array of platforms.

For more information Nobunaga’s Ambition: Sphere of Influence news, please visit the official website at www.koeitecmoamerica.com/sphereofinfluence, Like KOEI TECMO America on Facebook at www.facebook.com/koeitecmous, and follow KOEI TECMO America on Twitter @KoeiTecmoUS.

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.

©2015 KOEI TECMO GAMES CO., LTD. The KT logo is a registered trademark of KOEI TECMO HOLDINGS CO., LTD.

©2015 Valve Corporation. Steam and the Steam logo are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Valve Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.

Pokémon BREAKthrough with New Evolution!

BREAK Evolution now available in the newest Pokémon Trading Card Game expansion, XY—BREAKthrough and Level 50 Zoroark distribution at GAME from November 6

LEGO® Dimensions™ Gets Even Bigger with Release of Five Expansion Packs Based on Doctor Who, LEGO Ninjago, The Simpsons and The LEGO Movie! 

New “Hire-a-Hero” Feature Lets Players Sample Characters

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment announced today the release of five, highly collectible LEGO Dimensions expansion packs based on Doctor Who, LEGO Ninjago, The Simpsons and The LEGO Movie. Players can customize their gameplay experience with the purchase of these Wave 2 Level Packs, Team Packs and Fun Packs which provide an additional level, buildable characters, vehicles, and gadgets with special in-game abilities.  Plus, any expansion pack character can unlock the corresponding Adventure World of the same brand to provide players with additional open-world gameplay content based on that entertainment property.

Additionally, new to LEGO Dimensions is the “Hire-a-Hero” feature update that allows players to sample a selection of Wave 1 expansion pack characters using studs collected in the game. Players can select the hologram minifigure near certain hint stones to unlock characters for a limited time to try out their special abilities to solve problems and complete puzzles. Characters from subsequent waves of expansion packs will be added in the future.

Fans who want more of the Whoniverse beyond the Doctor Who level in the LEGO Dimensions Starter Pack can purchase the Doctor Who Level Pack which includes “The Dalek Extermination of Earth,” an additional mission-based Doctor Who level, along with a 12^th Doctor LEGO minifigure, TARDIS and K-9 – all playable in the game. The Doctor must prevent the Daleks from taking over London by travelling through time and space and even to the furthest extents of the galaxy. Equipped with his TARDIS, he is able to navigate the passageways of time and space to solve mysteries and avert hostile alien invasions.  Players can activate the Doctor’s special Hacking, Technology, Fix-it and Doctor Regenerate option to help him solve in-game puzzles and defeat menacing enemies.  The TARDIS and K-9 models can each be physically built and then rebuilt twice to do entirely different things in the digital game for massive variety.

The LEGO Ninjago Team Pack with Kai and Cole LEGO minifigures lets players use their golden Ninja weapons, unleash their Spinjitzu skills and activate other special abilities to overpower any enemy who stands in their way.  Players can also rebuild Cole’s Builder Bomber into a Boulder Blaster and Cyclone Jet and Kai’s Blade Bike into a Flying a Fire Bike and Blades of Fire vehicle.

Players can add a touch of mischief to their LEGO Dimensions gameplay with their choice of The Simpsons Fun Packs featuring Bart Simpson and Krusty the Clown.  In The Simpsons Fun Pack with Bart Simpson LEGO minifigure, players can activate Bart’s Target and Mini Access abilities to solve puzzles and battle enemies. They can also get on the move in Bart’s awesome Gravity Sprinter that rebuilds into a Street Shredder and Sky Clobberer for extra in-game powers.  In The Simpsons Fun Pack with Krusty the Clown LEGO minifigure, players can activate his special Growth and Hazard Cleaner abilities. When Springfield’s favourite entertainer needs a ride, players can use his Clown Bike and rebuild it into a Cannon Bike and Anti-Gravity Rocket Bike to upgrade its powers in the game.

Players wanting to bring a hop, skip and a dance to the crazy mash-up multiverse of LEGO Dimensions can add The LEGO Movie Fun Pack with the Unikitty LEGO minifigure. Players can activate her special Rainbow LEGO, Master Build, and Big Transform abilities to solve puzzles and defeat destructive enemies. Her Cloud Cuckoo Car can be rebuilt it into the X-Stream Soaker and Rainbow Cannon for upgraded in-game powers.

LEGO Dimensions is now available for Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation4 and PlayStation3 computer entertainment systems and the Wii U system from Nintendo.

Follow LEGO Dimensions at:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LEGODimensions

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/LEGODimensions (@LEGODimensions)

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/LEGODimensions (@LEGODimensions)

Tumblr: http://LEGODimensions.tumblr.com

Follow the weekly LEGO Dimensions YouTube series at: http://www.youtube.com/LEGODimensions