ANNO COMING TO IPAD ANNO makes its mobile debut with ANNO: Build an Empire

London, UK — May 6, 2014– Today, Ubisoft announced that ANNO, the city-builder strategy game from Blue Byte will soon be available on iPad as ANNO: Build an Empire. The game is developed in close collaboration with Mi’pu’mi Games, bringing the ANNO experience to another level. The franchise has been rebuilt from the ground up to be compatible with mobile gameplay, featuring a touchscreen interface that makes building cities easier than ever.

Like its predecessors, ANNO: Build an Empire requires strategic planning to ensure players are weighing the options and consequences of their city planning in order to create powerful, successful islands. Taverns must be built to keep citizens happy and stress-free, churches will need to be built to satisfy the need for religion and homes will need to be built to keep citizens safe.

Players will start off with one island, building it from the ground up to ensure its citizens are happy and healthy. Once players become skilled city planners, the most determined players create additional islands, managing multiple islands while guaranteeing safe trading routes with their neighbours.

Social elements from previous ANNO titles will also be incorporated into ANNO: Build an Empire and players will have a chance to challenge friends and foes and invite them to take part in this stand-alone ANNO adventure.

ANNO: Build an Empire is available on iPad 2 or higher and requires at least iOS6 and an internet connection to play.

For the latest news on Ubisoft collectible merchandise, please visit and like the page www.facebook.com/ubicollectibles.

About ANNO: Build an Empire

ANNO: Build an Empire is about handling more than 60 resources and 150 different buildings, each with their own special traits. While the production of wool is a fairly straight forward task, the creation of glass requires multiple manufacturing branches to produce the final goods. Start off with just a few peasants on your island and a simple production branch. Soon the first artisans, merchants and noblemen will come to your island. Build a big fleet, discover new islands and widen your realm step by step. Every island in the game is unique, and offers specific resources which you can plant and harvest.

About Ubisoft

Ubisoft is a leading producer, publisher, and distributor of interactive entertainment products worldwide and has considerably grown through a strong and diversified lineup of products and partnerships. Ubisoft has offices in 29 countries and has sales in more than 55 countries around the globe. It is committed to delivering high-quality, cutting-edge video game titles to consumers. For the 2012-13 fiscal year, Ubisoft generated sales of €1,256 million. To learn more, please visit http://www.ubisoftgroup.com

About BlueByte, a Ubisoft studio:

Blue Byte was established in 1988 and released its first hit game in 1991: Battle Isle. This was followed in 1993 by the development strategy game The Settlers®, which established itself as a long-lasting favorite. In 2001, Blue Byte was acquired by Ubisoft, and in 2004 the studio moved into the premises of Ubisoft’s German branch in Düsseldorf. The team at Blue Byte is responsible for new productions of The Settlers® and ANNO®. The studio is also active in the free-2-play genre with the web-based browser game The Settlers Online, available in several languages and currently captivating millions of players worldwide. 

About Mi’pu’ mi Games

Mi’pu’mi Games is a Vienna-based independent game development company run by veteran developers with 10+ years of industry experience. We work on big brands and cutting edge technology. We are a passionate team that is dedicated to its craft: creating great games for smartphones, tablets, consoles and browsers.

To find out more about Mi’pu’mi go to http://www.mipumi.com 

© 2012 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Ubisoft and the Ubisoft logo are trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the US and/or other countries. Produced by Blue Byte. Anno, Blue Byte and the Blue Byte logo are trademarks of Ubisoft GmbH in the US and/or other countries

SPACE ENGINEERS LIFTS-OFF ON STEAM “EARLY ACCESS” WITH 500,000 COPIES SOLD

Keen Software House’s Space-Based Sandbox Engineering Game Becomes Next Viral Hit on Valve’s Community-Focused Development Platform

PRAGUE (MAY 6, 2014) – Independent developer Keen Software House is proud to announce that Space Engineers, a space-based sandbox game featuring astral engineering and construction, has sold more than 500,000 copies on Steam Early Access.  Space Engineers is available for $19.99 at http://store.steampowered.com/app/244850/ or at http://www.SpaceEngineersGame.com/.

Space Engineers has captured the attention of PC gamers with a unique take on the open-ended sandbox genre that features the application of real world science, physics, and engineering mixed with just the right amount of science fiction fun. Driven by community word of mouth, an incredibly passionate fan base, and the creativity of its many players, Space Engineers has become one of the most popular games on Steam. The development team is now focusing on optimizing and improving the multiplayer performance and implementing new features and fixes that will make the gameplay experience even better.

“We are very excited to celebrate this milestone with our fans, whose encouragement and active participation made this possible,” said Marek Rosa, CEO and Founder, Keen Software House. “As an independent developer, finding an audience of this size, with this kind of support for our game – even while the product is still in development – is incredibly inspiring. The fans, with their limitless ideas and passion, continue to push us to improve, add features, and develop innovations that our community deserves.”

As an “Early Access” game, Space Engineers remains in development, and takes feedback and suggestions from the community of players to further improve and expand the game. Keen Software House has added numerous major features to the title over the last several months, including the recent implementation of both Multiplayer and Survival modes – two features requested by the community.

ABOUT SPACE ENGINEERS
Space Engineers is a sandbox game about engineering, construction and maintenance of space works. Players build and pilot space ships and space stations of various sizes and utilization (civil and military), and perform asteroid mining to create the outer space world of their dreams. Featuring both single- and multi-player modes, as well as both Creative and Survival modes, there is nearly no end to what can be built, what can be played, and what can be explored.

Space Engineers utilizes a realistic volumetric-based physics engine: all objects can be assembled, disassembled, damaged and destroyed, and presents a new gaming genre to PC gamers: creative engineering games. For more information, please visit the game’s official web site at http://www.SpaceEngineersGame.com/ or connect with other players and the development team at https://www.facebook.com/SpaceEngineers.

ABOUT KEEN SOFTWARE HOUSE
Established in 2010 in Prague, Czech Republic, Keen Software House is an independent game development studio aiming to create games that are based on real science, real facts, real physics and real emotions. Company’s first title Miner Wars 2081 was released in 2012. Keen Software House develops its own in-house game engine VRAGE, currently in the second version, and its core feature is volumetricity of the environment. Space Engineers is the first title fully utilizing VRAGE 2.0.

More information about Keen Software House is available at www.keenswh.com.

ZOJOI AND REVERB TRIPLE XP ANNOUNCE SHADOWGATE COMING THIS SUMMER

Return To Castle Shadowgate In This Complete Re-Imagining Of The Classic Point-And-Click Adventure That Started It All

Twain Harte, CA – May 6, 2014 – Development team Zojoi and indie games partner Reverb Triple XP announced today that the complete re-imagining of  Shadowgate, one of the most renowned point-and-click adventure titles in video game history, will be available later this summer on PC, Mac, iOS and Android tablets. Fans can now pre-order PC and Mac versions of the title and get in on exclusive goods by visiting the Shadowgate website, www.shadowgate.com.

Watch the new Shadowgate video trailer HERE: youtube.com/watch?v=k0Tpi7FU8pQ

Like the original, Shadowgate features danger at every turn and lots of ways to meet your untimely demise…

Zojoi is comprised of industry stalwarts Karl Roelofs and Dave Marsh, the original talents that made the first iteration of Shadowgate. The fantasy adventure game was an instant classic and one of the most popular, well-received titles in the MacVenture series on a plethora of computer-based systems. It then continued its surge in popularity on the Nintendo NES, GameBoy Color, and later on the Nintendo 64 system. After a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2012, Karl and Dave are back, completely rebuilding the Shadowgate saga while accounting for today’s advanced technological and graphical capabilities.

“Dave and I are incredibly thrilled to be returning to Castle Shadowgate after all these years,” said Karl Roelofs, design director at Zojoi. “When we created the MacVenture series, we knew we had something special on our hands – the initial response from gamers around the world was overwhelming! Shadowgate has remained near and dear to not only our hearts but to those who remember the haunting original, greatly evidenced by the support our Kickstarter campaign generated. The past few years we have been hard at work re-building and updating the Shadowgate experience and cannot wait to inspire, challenge, and terrify an entire new generation of players.”

Nearly 30 years after the original version premiered on the Macintosh, Shadowgate returns, fully re-imagined and updated for today’s gaming landscape. With 4K-capable resolutions, Shadowgate not only features a stunning level of hand-painted detail but also tons of new mind-bending puzzles and more objects to interact with to help you on your quest. There are also plenty of throwbacks to the original version, so veterans and newcomers alike will all relish their journey through Shadowgate… if they survive.

“Discovering amazing indie game developers like Zojoi and helping power their success is exactly what Reverb Triple XP is all about,” said Tracie Snitker, president of Reverb Triple XP. “We see the tremendous potential in delivering Shadowgate to today’s gamer and we are working side-by-side with Zojoi to create customized programs for this unique game. We continuously evolve our initiatives to be ahead of the curve with versatile, aggressive marketing and PR strategies for indie developers around the world.”

Shadowgate is coming to PC, Mac, iOS and Android tablets late this summer at the retail price of $19.99, but gamers impatient to get a leg-up on their journey can pre-order the PC and Mac versions today to reserve a copy for only $14.99 –  a 25% discount off full retail price. Or choose the “Adventurer Pack” to receive the full game at release plus wallpapers and a digital Shadowgate calendar.  For the true fans of high adventure, the “Hero Pack” includes all the other pre-order items plus a complete digital soundtrack, digital art book, beta tester access with in-game credits, and access to the game one week before launch!  Full details on pre-order incentives and pricing can be found at www.shadowgate.com.

For upcoming Shadowgate announcements visit the game’s official Website www.shadowgate.com, follow the development team at Twitter, and “Like” Shadowgate on Facebook.

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About Zojoi Studios
Based in the Blue Ridge Mountains of central Virginia, Zojoi is an independent game developer helmed by industry legends Karl Roelofs and Dave Marsh, whose first title Shadowgate was a smash success on the original Apple Macintosh. The duo went on to help create the other titles in the popular MacVenture series (Déjà Vu, Déjà Vu II, and Uninvited) and ported these timeless classics to no less than 10 other platforms. Zojoi’s mission is to create memorable gaming experiences, either with remakes of their renowned originals or entirely new properties.

About Reverb Triple XP
An extension of interactive entertainment agency Reverb Communications, Inc., Reverb Triple XP provides a spectrum of services customized to focus on the needs of indie game developers. Reverb Triple XP powers up titles that stand out with excellent gameplay, creative design, and that elusive fun factor. Once chosen, our team of game industry veterans works with the game developers to fully understand and play the title,  then execute on world class marketing, PR, social, production and distribution services that are fitting for games of the highest quality. A cornerstone of the Reverb Triple XP program is that developers retain creative control and ownership of their intellectual property as well as receiving a custom solution tailored to their needs.

SOUND DIRECTOR EXPLORES THE ROLE OF MUSIC IN DRAKENGARD 3 

Updated Website Offers Music Samples and Additions to Online Novella

Sound Director, Keiichi Okabe, shares his thoughts on the working relationship between music and gameplay in Drakengard 3, the prequel to the Drakengard series. 

LONDON (6 May 2014) – Square Enix Ltd., today unveils a developer interview video that highlights Okabe’s involvement with the title and his thoughts on the role of music.  Fans can also hear samples of the game’s soundtrack in the new ‘Music’ section of the updated website, http://www.drakengardgame.com.

There, fans can also learn more about the gameplay of the title, as well as learn more about the backstory of the Intoner’ Disciples.  “Dito,” “Decadus,” “Octa” and “Cent,” the latest chapters for the Drakengard 3 novella, are now available online under the “Novella” section.

The Drakengard 3 Collector’s Edition is now available for pre-order via the Square Enix Store for £59.99, while stocks last. The regular edition is also available to pre-order via digital download on the PSN, and anyone pre-ordering via the PSN will receive the Japanese Voiceover for free.

For more information on Drakengard 3, including the video interview with Okabe and other press assets, please visit the official links below.

Related Links

Official Homepage: www.drakengardgame.com

Official Facebook® Page: http://www.facebook.com/Drakengard

A prequel to the original Drakengard, Drakengard 3 transports players to a medieval world where six goddess-like sisters known as “Intoners” have brought peace to the earth with their power to manipulate magic through song.  Harmony is disrupted, however, when the eldest sister, Zero, attempts to murder her younger sisters with the help of her dragon companion Mikhail. As the story progresses, players find themselves in a battle to unravel the mystery of Zero and learn her true intentions.

Featuring the series’ signature brand of action Drakengard 3 pits players against hordes of fiends and foes in remorseless hack-and-slash combat. Quickly switch weapons to launch devastating combo attacks to vanquish enemies that can only be defeated with the correct weaponry. Plus harness the power of your dragon for combat, allowing you to charge, bite, trample your foes and even demolish buildings.

Drakengard 3 will be a digital-only release in Europe and PAL territories.

About Square Enix Ltd.　　　　　　

Square Enix Ltd., a part of the Square Enix Europe business unit, develops, publishes, distributes and licenses SQUARE ENIX, EIDOS® and TAITO® branded entertainment content in Europe and other PAL territories as part of the Square Enix Group. Square Enix Ltd. also has a global network of leading development studios such as IO Interactive™, Crystal Dynamics® and Eidos Montréal. The Square Enix Group boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property including: FINAL FANTASY, which has sold over 100 million units worldwide, DRAGON QUEST® which has sold over 62 million units worldwide and TOMB RAIDER® which has sold over 35 million units worldwide; and the legendary SPACE INVADERS®. Square Enix Ltd. is a London-based, wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.

More information on Square Enix Ltd. can be found at http://www.square-enix.com/eu/en/. 

© 2013, 2014 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved. Character Design: Kimihiko Fujisaka.

DRAKENGARD, FINAL FANTASY, CRYSTAL DYNAMICS, DRAGON QUEST, EIDOS, IO INTERACTIVE, SQUARE ENIX, the SQUARE ENIX logo, SPACE INVADERS, TOMB RAIDER and TAITO are registered trademarks or trademarks of the Square Enix Group. “PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment. All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners.

MORE CHAOS AND CARNAGE IN ICEBERG INTERACTIVE’S GAS GUZZLERSEXTREME: TWO NEW DLC PACKS COMING SOON

Full Metal Frenzy and Full Metal Zombie DLC Packs Offer New Arenas, Cars, Modes, and More

Haarlem, the Netherlands – May 6, 2014 – Iceberg Interactive announced today that Gas Guzzlers Extreme, the fast, furious, trigger-happy, metal-tearing, rubber-burning, sparkplug-breaking and engrossing multiplayer combat racing game for PC that shipped last summer, has two new DLC packs coming soon to Steam – Full Metal Frenzy and Full Metal Zombie. Gas Guzzlers Extreme is available for PC and Mac on Steam with a Linux version currently in development.

Download the brand new Gas Guzzlers Extreme Full Metal Frenzy DLC screens

The first Gas Guzzlers Extreme DLC pack, Full Metal Frenzy, will debut on Steam next week and features two new race arenas, three new game modes, a female announcer, and many more new additions.

Full Metal Frenzy DLC Includes:

• Two levels (arenas)
• Two new cars
• One new team skin for all 20 cars, including police skin with siren and lights
• Female announcer voice-over
• Two new power-ups
• Three new game modes

The second DLC, Full Metal Zombie, will launch summer 2014, complete with nine different types of zombies and a thrilling new game mode Defend the Base.

Full Metal Zombie DLC Includes:

• One new level (arena)
• One New car
• One new team skin, for all 21 cars
• Nine zombie types and animations
• One new game mode ‘Defend the Base’

Gas Guzzlers Extreme is an enormously addictive racing game loaded with guns, cars, and an extensive set of great multiplayer maps. Providing an exciting new twist on the combat racing genre, Gas Guzzlers Extreme brings players to the next level of competitive gaming with intense team battles.

New cars, maps, and game modes will turn up while progressing through the Gas Guzzlers Extreme crash course. Level up low performance vehicles through speed and bullets to design cars that will rule the streets. Players can pimp their ride with fresh rims, stickers, and paint job to create the ultimate ride and progress through the game to crash and burn their way to glory.

Gas Guzzlers Extreme Key Features:

• Adrenaline-filled combat racing, featuring a blood-pumping single-player campaign with more than 12 hours of gameplay.
• Fast-as-lightning multiplayer tournaments with seven different modes (Classic race, Power race, Battle race, Knockout, Death match, Last man standing, and Capture the flag); with up to four teams available in team play mode.
• 350+ miles of road across 40 tracks, eight arenas and seven different environments.
• 12 unique weapons, on-track bonuses and power-ups.
• 18 customizable cars (12+ vehicle upgrades, including color, rims, stickers, etc.)
• Multi-path tracks and sponsored events.
• Instant play with vicious AI Bots populating multiplayer match while other players join in.
• Beautifully displayed high-definition visuals with extensive vehicle damage, motion blur effects and custom paint jobs.
• Full force feedback controller support as well as keyboards, joy pads, joysticks and racing wheels.
• Steam Achievements.

# # #

ABOUT GAMEPIRES

Gamepires expertise resides in the highly rendered and superior graphics gaming environments and relies on combining exquisite knowledge in physics and gameplay development with top-class graphic layouts. The team consists of creative groups of developers and designers continuously oriented towards innovation and perfection in game production, their daily passion. This has resulted in a unique game engine, the best of breed gameplay, design and art for each and every entertainment solution we produce. In the last 15 years every Gamepires team member has been engaged in some of the bestselling and top technology gaming products. Their experience and knowledge guarantee the highest performance and usage standards possible.

ABOUT ICEBERG INTERACTIVE

Iceberg Interactive (www.iceberg-games.com) is an independent video game publisher founded in 2009 by an international group of games industry veterans. Iceberg operates in the vibrant European games market through retail publishing and worldwide via direct relationships with dozens of digital download portals. With a distinct focus on the genres of simulations, adventure, strategy and MMO/action games, Iceberg has successfully released digital hits in European retail, such as Killing Floor, Wings of Prey, APB Reloaded and Endless Space — but is also known to back indie developers in getting their games into both the retail and digital space.

Nexon Europe announces that Carlo Ancelotti will be the new face of United Eleven

World’s top manager Carlo Ancelotti will be the promoter of a brand new football management game

Luxembourg, 6^th May 2014: Today, Nexon Europe has the pleasure to announce the partnership with the chief of Real Madrid, Carlo Ancelotti. The multi-title winning titan of football will be the new face of  United Eleven, the highly anticipated upcoming football management simulation game.

Carlo Ancelotti has demonstrated his management prowess time and time again, achieving enormous success in professional football with various clubs. The team work and personality of his squads together with his tactical nous have been key features in Ancelotti’s accomplishment throughout his career. The key aspects of United Eleven follow these traits perfectly, as the game focuses on building a united team and competing head-to-head against other football managers.

A press conference will be held on Thursday May 8^th 16:00 in central Madrid, InterContinental Hotel, to mark the occasion of Ancelotti’s involvement with  United Eleven, during which he will inform the press about his partnership with Nexon Europe.

“We are honoured to begin the first chapter of United Eleven with Carlo Ancelotti,” says Kenny Chang, CEO of Nexon Europe. “With the remarkable and distinctive strategies and tactics that Carlo Ancelotti has shown in the real football world, he is the perfect representative of the core features of United Eleven. I believe anyone who strives to be the best football manager in United Eleven will be inspired by Ancelotti’s experience and achievement. All in all, we’re enormously pleased he’s on board.”

Developed by NHN BlackPick Corporation , United Eleven combines the actual names and faces of over 50,000 football players registered at FIFPro with the most sophisticated match engine available – all accessible via browser and with mobile compatibility. It provides a complete football management experience by recruiting, training, and substituting players. Everything from team selection to tactics and player chemistry will need to be considered if victory is to be achieved.

The pre-season, which will be Beta testing for  United Eleven, will begin on 15^th May. The game will be published in Europe, North and South America, Oceania and North Africa in 8 languages: English, German, French, Italian, Polish, Spanish, Portuguese, and Turkish.

For more information, visit  www.united11.com and keep up-to-date with  United Eleven news on the official Facebook page:  www.facebook.com/united11.nexoneu

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About Nexon Europe

Established in March 2007, Nexon Europe is one of the leading publishers of free-to-play MMOs in Europe. The company has brought the worldwide hit casual MMORPG MapleStory to Europe in May 2007, and the successful FPS Combat Arms in January 2009. With the launch of the 3D action MMORPG Vindictus in 2011, Nexon Europe has strengthened its position as a promising publisher in Europe. Next to these in-house franchises, Nexon Europe was also able to acquire and fully operate Atlantica Online, an innovative, tactical MMORPG; Dekaron, an authentic action MMORPG set in a grim fantasy universe; and the action-packed FPS War Rock. The recent additions to its growing portfolio are Navy Field 2 alongside the legendary FPS game Counter-Strike Online in Turkey. For 2014, the company’s first browser-based full-scale MMORPG Arcane Chronicles and fun-packed, action-fighting game Lost Saga will join as new line-ups. Furthermore, with United Eleven, a browser-based, cross-platform football management game, Nexon Europe is seeking to reach diverse players globally. For more information on Nexon Europe and its games, please visit the official website at   www.nexoneu.com.

About NHN BlackPick Corporation

NHN BlackPick is a Korean mobile/online game developer and publisher that separated from NHN Entertainment, one of the most successful mobile/PC game companies in Korea. NHN BlackPick is continuously expanding its portfolio from well-recognized PC MMORPGs, to sports simulation games, such as United Eleven, EOS, and Baseball 9ners. In addition to the success of The Brain, a casual mobile game targeting adults who are 50 years of age and older, NHN BlackPick focuses on expanding business capability with its new mobile racing games. To bolster its competitiveness, NHN BlackPick has a large-scale goal of servicing various games in the global market with the launch of United Eleven.