In Celebration of the Games For Change Festival, Global Gaming Initiative Expands Sidekick Cycle and Adds New Charitable Partner 

iOS Update Doubles Sidekick Cycle’s Content, Android and Kindle Versions Now Available 

Minneapolis, MN – April 22, 2014 – The Games for Change Festival kicks off this week in New York City as a component of the legendary Tribeca Film Festival. In celebration, Global Gaming Initiative today released a major update to its debut title, Sidekick Cycle, the exhilarating downhill cycling mobile game that shares half of its proceeds to give bikes to children in need around the world. The game’s content has been nearly doubled and every aspect of the game has been refined and optimized based on months of player feedback. The game is also now available for Android on the Google Play store as well as on Amazon for Kindle, expanding the community of players that can make a difference in children’s lives.

Sidekick Cycle’s latest heart-pumping content pedals players through the slopes of North America for 36 new levels of bike-busting action. The update also features:

• Two additional Sidekicks with special powers for conquering wild terrain.
• Three female cyclists joining the roster.
• Four more deluxe bikes to ride, including the new hover-bike!
• A mountain of new obstacles and challenges to overcome on the way down, including zip lines, loops, rolling boulders and more.
• Full Facebook leaderboard integration, letting riders compare high scores against their friends on every level.

To mark this new frontier, Global Gaming Initiative has added a new charitable partner – Minneapolis-based Free Bikes 4 Kidz. Fifty percent of all money spent through in-app purchases in Sidekick Cycle will help this important charity, which gives away thousands of bikes every year to needy communities in the United States and developing world. This week, Global Gaming Initiative will fulfill this mission and give away 45 bikes to deserving kids in the greater New York area.

Global Gaming Initiative will be debuting the new version of Sidekick Cycle at the Games for Change Arcade at the Tribeca Family Festival between 10 AM and 6 PM on April 26 (located on Jay St. between Greenwich St. and Hudson St. in Manhattan).

For more on Sidekick Cycle and Global Gaming Initiative, visit www.SidekickCycle.com, and follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/GlobalGamingInitiative) and Twitter (@GGinitiative). To learn more about Free Bikes 4 Kidz, check out www.FB4K.com. More info about Games for Change can be found at www.gamesforchange.org

THEATRHYTHM SEQUEL PUTS FINAL FANTASY MUSIC CENTRE STAGE 

Over 200 Tracks, Over 60 Characters, New Game Modes and Adorable Art Direction.

Take a look!

http://youtu.be/D1NHrAv0LFM

LONDON (22 April 2014) – Square Enix Ltd., the publisher of SQUARE ENIX® interactive entertainment products in Europe and other PAL territories, today announces THEATRHYTHM FINAL FANTASY CURTAIN CALL™, a rhythm action game combining classic FINAL FANTASY music with RPG elements, will be released later this year, exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS™ system.

THEATRHYTHM FINAL FANTASY CURTAIN CALL is the sequel to THEATRHYTHM™ FINAL FANTASY®, released on the Nintendo 3DS in July 2012, and includes three times as many songs and twice as many playable characters as its predecessor. In addition to the new features mentioned below, the sequel also boasts two new game modes: Quest Medley where you alternate playing FMS (Field Music Sequence) and BMS (Battle Music Sequence) games – and the exciting Versus BMS mode, where players can challenge and compete against friends and other players. The game also includes a number of customisation and progression elements that the FINAL FANTASY series is renowned for.

Featuring more than 200 songs and 60 playable characters from across the entire FINAL FANTASY series – including FINAL FANTASY VII: Advent Children®, FINAL FANTASY TACTICS® and recently released titles like LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY XIII and FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn®, THEATRHYTHM FINAL FANTASY CURTAIN CALL lets players relive their favourite moments from across the epic series, as they tap their way through key FINAL FANTASY events, environments and battle sequences.

“Music is an integral part of the FINAL FANTASY experience that serves as a complement to the gameplay,” said Ichiro Hazama, producer. “As with the previous title, we envisioned a game where the music takes centre stage and the RPG gameplay enhances that experience.  Our fans are definitely in for a treat as they’ll be able to re-experience their favourite songs across the entire FINAL FANTASY catalogue.”

Key features include:

• Versus Battle Mode – Players can now compete head-to-head with friends and other users
• Quest Medley Mode – Songs from the vast FINAL FANTASY music catalogue are used as backgrounds to unique quests; players can choose their own routes through various short, medium and long adventures. Players can also share these quests with friends.
• New Characters – The game features over 60 characters from across the series, including Barret (FINAL FANTASY VII) and Yuna (FINAL FANTASY X-2). Characters from spin-offs like Benjamin (FINAL FANTASY MYSTIC QUEST), Ramza (FINAL FANTASY TACTICS) and Zack (CRISIS CORE® -FINAL FANTASY VII-) also make their debut in this game.
• Collecta Crystarium – Clearing songs and winning battles allow players to obtain CollectaCards that boost their character stats.

Official Trailer:

http://square-enix-press.com/download/5092/2e296f5488e41d7c6b05e5d3eda284be02e30f3d

Accompanying Screenshots:

http://square-enix-press.com/download/5049/42556f8d1569c7cdbce18206fec0106c3ffaefd6

YouTube Link:

http://youtu.be/D1NHrAv0LFM

Related Links

Official website: www.theatrhythm.com
Official Facebook® Page:  www.facebook.com/theatrhythm

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.

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/.

©2014 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved. Developed by indieszero Co., Ltd.

ADVENT CHILDREN, A REALM REBORN, CRISIS CORE,FINAL FANTASY, FINAL FANTASYTACTICS, MYSTIC QUEST, THEATRHYTHM, THEATRHYTHM FINAL FANTASY CURTAIN CALL, the THEATRHYTHM FINAL FANTASY CURTAIN CALL logo, DRAGON QUEST, EIDOS, SPACE INVADERS, SQUARE ENIX, the SQUARE ENIX logo, TAITO, and TOMB RAIDER are registered trademarks or trademarks of the Square Enix Group. Nintendo trademarks and copyrights are properties of Nintendo. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

MINDBLOCKS STUDIO BRINGS THE GRAND ADVENTURE OF BLOCK STORY TO STEAM

Journey into a 3D Voxel Fantasy World Filled with Magical Monsters and Craft a Story of High Adventure

Dallas, Texas – April 22, 2014 – Mindblocks Studio LLC, the development studio behind Block Story, a crafting-building-exploration game for iOS and Android platforms, announced today that Block Story will be coming soon for PC.  The 3D sandbox, RPG adventure will be available on Steam Early Access on April 25.

Block Story combines popular 3D voxel, sandbox exploration gameplay with exciting and addictive role playing elements.  Complete a variety of quests to survive and become the greatest warrior in the realm by conquering ten diverse biomes. Build strongholds, encounter a wide variety of creatures, battle boss monsters, and mine valuable resources to upgrade weaponry, access better equipment and create artifacts to summon monsters.  Launched in 2012 for Android and iOS devices, Block Story has garnered over 4.5 million downloads and now, the story continues on the PC complete with cross-platform play between PC and mobile devices.

Block Story will be available for $9.99 on Steam.  For more information on Block Story, go to www.blockstory.net, and “like” it on Facebook.

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About MINDBLOCKS STUDIO LLC
Mindblocks Studio LLC is an independent video game development studio located in Dallas, Texas, specializing in 3D voxel role playing mobile and PC games.  Co-founders of the studio are Paul Pacheo and Andreii Vetoshko.

Batman: Arkham Origins – Cold, Cold Heart story add-on now live

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment today released Cold, Cold Heart, the action-packed story add-on for Batman ™: Arkham Origins. Set on New Year’s Eve, Cold, Cold Heart sheds light on the tragic origin story of Mr. Freeze and players will discover how he earned his place as one of Gotham City’s greatest villains. Cold, Cold Heart is available today for purchase on the PlayStation®Network, Xbox Live Games Store and STEAM for £7.99 and also for players who have purchased the Batman: Arkham Origins Season Pass and are connected to the Internet.

The Cold, Cold Heart Story Add-On introduces new locations including Wayne Manor and GothCorp, taking players on an ice-cold journey as Victor Fries encounters Batman for the first time. Players will have access to all new gadgets including Thermocharged Batarangs and Thermal Gloves. Batman is also equipped with his powerful Extreme Environment (XE) suit to take down Mr. Freeze and his Cryo-thugs in hours of new story content.

You can download assets for Batman: Arkham Origins – Cold, Cold Heart to share with your readers at the following links:
YouTube Link: http://youtu.be/etrccevOThM

Developed by WB Games Montréal, Batman: Arkham Origins is based on DC Comics’ core Batman license and introduces an original prequel storyline set several years before the events of Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City.  Taking place before the rise of Gotham City’s most dangerous criminals, the game features an expanded Gotham City and showcases a young and unrefined Batman as he faces a defining moment in his early career as a crime fighter that sets his path to becoming the Dark Knight. As the story unfolds, players will meet many important characters for the first time and forge key relationships.  The online multiplayer mode is developed by Splash Damage.

Batman: Arkham Origins is the latest instalment in the blockbuster Batman: Arkhamvideogame franchise and is available now for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, the Nintendo Wii U™ system and Windows PC.   Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate™ is also available for the PlayStation®Vita handheld entertainment system and Nintendo 3DS™ handheld and the HD version, Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate™ – Deluxe Edition, is available for PlayStation®3, Xbox 360, Wii U™ and PC.

BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS, BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS BLACKGATE software © 2013 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.  Developed by WB Games Montréal and Splash Damage.  “PlayStation” and “PS3”, are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.  All rights reserved. Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo Wii U are trademarks of Nintendo. © 2012 Nintendo. All rights reserved.

BMW Joins World of Speed

My.com are very excited to welcome BMW to World of Speed. BMW has a rich racing history dating all the way back to the golden age of racing and beyond. There are very few racing discipline that BMW hasn’t participated in and haven’t had tremendous success.

The first BMW that My.com are delighted to reveal is the BMW 135i. This sporty compact is an all-round solid vehicle good for racing on any track in World of Speed. Weighing in at 1,560kg with an in-line six cylinder engine producing 300hp makes the 135i well suited for racers of any skill. But performance isn’t everything, the 135i is a sleek car just waiting for the player to put their personal touch on it.

You can find screenshots available here: http://games.premiercomms.com/pics.asp?i=2750

There are more BMW’s to be revealed but the 135i is a great start. Gamers wanting to get behind the wheel can do so by signing up to the World of Speed beta.

Keep up with all the latest news about World of Speed, by liking on Facebook, following onTwitter and +1’ing on Google+.

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About World of Speed
World of Speed is a AAA massively multiplayer online action-racing video game, which introduces a new level of connected competition to the racing genre. Developed by the award-winning team at Slightly Mad Studios, World of Speed allows players to hop into the driver seat of their favorite cars and race across real world circuits and tracks carved from the streets of real world cities. As an online experience, players will be able to create and join in-game Clubs, compete against other players and teams in a variety of diverse team-based gameplay modes, interact and show off in the Airfield social hub and dominate the world in Territory Wars. World of Speed is a free-to-compete experience and will be available in 2014 on PC.

About My.com
My.com is a subsidiary of Mail.Ru Group, the largest Internet company in Russian-speaking countries with the audience more than 100 million users (comScore, September 2013), that is publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange (LSE:MAIL, listed since November 5, 2010).
My.com’s vision is to build an integrated communication and entertainment platform, dubbed ‘Communitainment,’ beginning with a family of mobile apps: myMail, myChat, and myGames.

System 3 reveals Putty Squad cross-buy promotion

Putty available now on PSN for PlayStation Vita and PlayStation 4

London, United Kingdom – April 22, 2014: System 3, the UK’s most successful independent publisher, is delighted to announce Putty Squad is now available digitally in a cross-buy promotion for PlayStation Vita and PlayStation 4 for a limited time.

Available at one great price, Putty Squad can now be bought online at the Official PlayStation store for £19.99 (€24.99), with immediate access to both the PlayStation Vita and PlayStation 4 versions. Putty Squad will also be available at retail for PlayStation Vita and Nintendo 3DS in early May.

Putty Squad’s Vita and PS4 release sees the unlikeliest of heroes, Putty, ready to morph to levels greater than ever before with complete graphical overhaul. Every background, bitmap, enemy and ally has been redrawn and re-rendered to take advantage of the Vita’s gorgeous display, re-mastered from the PS4 base assets.

“With the festive season recently taken place, we thought there’s no better way than to continue the festivities with the release of Putty Squad on both PlayStation Vita and 4 than as a cross-buy promotion,” said Mark Cale, CEO, System 3. “Gamers will now be able to receive both formats at one affordable price, giving players the option of playing as Putty in the comfort of their home or on the go, as another in a long line of brilliant PS Vita games.”

Putty Squad has been given a complete overhaul in graphics to deliver a modern, immersive experience. Gameplay has been finely tuned to offer an accessible platform game for all fans, and downloadable free levels will be made available for a year after launch. As Putty you can punch, inflate, morph, stretch, lie flat and absorb on his journey through a host of different levels.

Putty Squad is also available digitally on Nintendo 3DS, providing excellent 3D visuals as Putty morphs through beautiful vistas, leaving players immersed throughout Putty’s journey.

For more information on Putty Squad, please visit System 3’s official website.

END

About System 3
Formed in 1982 by Mark Cale, System 3 is recognised as one of the founding pioneers of the gaming industry and as a name synonymous with producing original genre defining gaming concepts year on year. System 3 stands proud as the last surviving British Independent Publisher from those grass roots years.