Over the course of two months, we turned the show into a product we were very proud of. The audience began growing thanks to your word of mouth and our partnership with companies like Stickam and uStream.tv.

Eventually we went daily, and what an incredible ride it was. We produced over 190 daily shows before we finally went back to weekly. That’s 190 scripts that were written for YOU GUYS everyday we aired. When we returned to our weekly format we did an additional 12 weeks, and of course added the mildly popular Faces for Radio. We also saw the introduction of “Live from the Future”, “Bukaku”, and “Up All Night”.

During the run of EG on GGL, we gained some soldiers (Summa, Virii, Cami) and we lost some soldiers (Rance, Summa, Virii). Because the show became so intimate with it’s fans and audience, these were tough times to go through… but it was never personal, and such is life.

Each one of these people brought a unique perspective and flavor to the show, and I thank each and every one of them for all the hard work and dedication they put forth. You’re the best around!

Additionally, I want to extend my gratitude and thanks to GGL for not only giving me a creative soapbox to stand on, but to also let us nurture and support a fantastic community. They spent a lot of money, time, and effort to make the show happen, and despite some decisions YOU, the audience, weren’t entirely supportive of… they were always the gasoline that was fueling the Epileptic Gaming car. GGL has offered to keep me involved with the show despite my new employment, but due to time constraints and scheduling conflicts in my new position, that’s not an option.

Before you go all emo and start slitting your wrists, I want to remind you that even though the show may be on hiatus, the community that was created around the show will always live and breathe through gaming. Epileptic Gaming Nights should continue as a community run event, and others have made mention of creating some fan sites to keep the community together.

I’ve made countless friends and acquaintances during the run of EG, and I don’t expect to lose touch with any of you even after this chapter closes. We’ll still be around to play, converse, argue, debate, laugh, cry, and be fanboys.

One of the things I’ve always encouraged on Epileptic Gaming is to GET IN THOSE COMPETITIONS AND KEEP PLAYING. And I hope that you guys will continue to play and win the competitions on GGL and ClanBase. I’ve played with so many talented individuals who are EG fans that I think have the potential to be big name gamers, and I would hate to see you guys lose that passion and drive just because I’m not there every week to scream in your ear (I’ll still find a way!)

It’s been a great run guys… and I hope you’ll agree when I say long live Epileptic Gaming! And long live the awesome community you guys have helped flourish.

Hit the EG GGL group for more discussion.

Sometimes it’s good to be a PC gamer.

The full press release is after the jump.

First Downloadable Content Free with Mass Effect PC EDMONTON, Alberta—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Leading video game developer BioWare™, a division of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS), has announced that “Bring Down the Sky,” the first piece of downloadable content for the award-winning space epic Mass Effect™, will be available for PC gamers to download free1 of charge when Mass Effect for the PC releases on May 28, 2008 in North America and June 6, 2008 in Europe.Fully optimized for the PC, “Bring Down the Sky” is the first in a series of planned downloadable content that will further expand the Mass Effect story and universe. It includes a new uncharted world that introduces the deadly Batarian alien race, approximately 90 minutes of new gameplay and an original soundtrack.

Batarian extremists have hijacked a mobile asteroid station in the Asgard system, setting it on a collision course with the nearby colony world of Terra Nova. Only Commander Shepard can save the millions of innocent civilians before the asteroid completes its deadly descent.

Originally released for the Xbox 360™ videogame and entertainment system, “Bring Down the Sky” has received critical acclaim as one of the “must have” downloadable expansion packs. Mass Effect has also received critical acclaim throughout the world with more than 80 awards including Console Game of the Year and Role-Playing Game of the Year.

The “Bring Down the Sky” downloadable content for PC will be available at the launch of Mass Effect for the PC, and will be free of charge to registered BioWare community members.

Harmonix also announced that the second album to hit the store will be The Cars’ self-titled album. We can expect that sometime in May. June will bring The Pixies’ Doolittle.

Read: Rock Band’s First Album Announced, Our Harmonix Q&A.

The full press release plus links to the 500MB download are after the jump.

TRACKMANIA NATIONS FOREVER - FULL FREE GAME AVAILABLE NOW

TrackMania Nations Forever is available today as a free download.

The highly awaited sequel to TrackMania Nations (launched two years ago), TrackMania Nations Forever offers a new complete ‘Forever’ version of the stadium environment, a complete solo mode and 65 brand new, progressively difficult tracks.

TrackMania Nations Forever will unite an even larger number of players thanks to its engaging multiplayer modes, innovative online functions and revolutionary interactivity between players.

TrackMania Nations Forever will allow the convergence of the huge TrackMania community. For the first time, players of the free versions will now be able to play online with players from the retail version of the new TrackMania United Forever. This is achieved by using servers dedicated to the Stadium environment common to both games.

In addition to being compatible with Nations Forever, the retail release of TrackMania United Forever has many more bonuses - including tracks that have never been seen before, new design blocks (build your own tracks) for the game environments and a spectacular graphics update for the Desert, Snow and Rally environments.

TrackMania Nations Forever features:
• 65 brand new, progressively difficult tracks
• A new ‘Forever’ version of the Stadium environment
• Engaging multiplayer modes
• A solid solo mode
• A brand new track editor
• Innovative communications between competing racers via PC

Links to download the free game TrackMania Nations Forever (500 MB)
FileFront
http://files.filefront.com/TrackMania+Nations+Forever+Free+Full+Game/;10013754;/fileinfo.html

Worthplaying
http://www.worthdownloading.com/game.php?gid=3261

GamersHell
http://www.gamershell.com/download_24766.shtml

ComputerGames.ro link:
http://computergames.ro/en/downloads/viewitem/id/10640/name/trackmania-nations-forever-free-full-game.html

Internode
http://games.internode.on.net/filelist.php?filedetails=16799

To celebrate the release of the maps, Infinity Ward will be hosting a Double XP weekend, starting at 12:01 AM PDT on Friday, April 25 and lasting until 11:59 PM PDT on Sunday, April 27.

Unfortunately for PC gamers, there is still no word as to when the maps will be heading your way.

Read: CoD4 PS3 DLC DAT(ed).

The news is yet another sign that gaming has arrived in China, with the full support of the Chinese government.

Moon and Sky won’t be the only professional gamers in the torch relay. StarCraft apostle Junchun “Pj” Sha, 2nd place finisher at the 2007 World Cyber Games, and Lei “Leilei” Shen, also a known SC player, will join the march.

There’s no word yet as to when these e-sports luminaries will appear in the torch relay.

This year’s torch relay began, as always, in Olympia, Greece, and has already wound its way through London, San Francisco and even Islamabad, Pakistan, to date. Many more cities are planned on the tour before its culmination in Beijing.

2008’s Olympic Games will also feature the GGL’s Digital Games worldwide tournament as an Official Welcome Event. GGL, in partnership with China Internet Gaming (CIG) and the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG), will organize and co-produce a competitive gaming tournament for gamers of all skill levels.

More information about the Digital Games is available at dg.ggl.com. Register now to be first in line to receive more information about the tournament.

Source: SK Gaming via Gamespot.China

According to Andy Reif, Commissioner of the CGS, “With this first-ever official Training Camp, we’re further realizing our vision of establishing the CGS as the only worldwide professional video gaming league.Our webcast programming for the Training Camp is merely the first step toward our ambitious 2008 online initiatives focused on original programming, all-new tournaments and other content which will provide us with more opportunities to engage our audiences.”

The Training Camp will allow team General Managers to observe how well the team interacts and, if necessary, make changes.

Footage from Training Camp matches will take place each week on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday nights. Thursday is reserved for live broadcasts and starts at 7 p.m. EST. To check out all the footage, hit up www.thecgs.com.

The full press release is after the jump.

CHAMPIONSHIP GAMING SERIES ANNOUNCES 2008 NORTH AMERICA TRAINING CAMP

General Managers will make final starting-roster decisions during Training Camp

LOS ANGELES – April 15, 2008 – In preparation for the 2008 North America regular season which begins in June, the Championship Gaming Series (CGS) announced the launch of the CGS North America Training Camp for players from all six North American CGS teams: Carolina Core, Chicago Chimera, Dallas Venom, Los Angeles Complexity, New York 3D and San Francisco Optx. Beginning April 22 and running through May 25, players from each team – selected during last month’s North America Draft in Austin, Texas – will compete in online matches four times each week for five consecutive weeks.

“With this first-ever official Training Camp, we’re further realizing our vision of establishing the CGS as the only worldwide professional video gaming league,” said Andy Reif, CGS Commissioner. “Our webcast programming for the Training Camp is merely the first step toward our ambitious 2008 online initiatives focused on original programming, all-new tournaments and other content which will provide us with more opportunities to engage our audiences.”

The North America Training Camp will allow General Managers (GMs) to evaluate player performance and make modifications to their teams – including player trades and substitutions in accordance with the CGS Trade & Taxi-Player Substitution Policy – serving as a valuable opportunity for the players and GMs to prepare for the regular season. The final deadline for player trades leading into the regular season is June 18.

“Training Camp is going to give me the opportunity to fine-tune the team roster that I believe will win the World Final this season,” said Jason Lake, General Manager for the Los Angeles Complexity. “My players will have to step up to the plate during Training Camp or sit down on the bench for the regular season.”

Competitions and web programming will take place each week on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday nights, with Thursday matches broadcast live beginning at 7 p.m. EST on thecgs.com. Footage from the other matches during the week will post online following the events. Matches during the five-week CGS North America Training Camp will consist of three competitions in a Round Robin format, with players from each team going head-to-head once each night:

Tuesdays (April 22, 29; May 6, 13, 20)
Match 1: Dead or Alive 4 – Male
Match 1: Dead or Alive 4 – Female
Match 2: Dead or Alive 4 – Male
Match 2: Dead or Alive 4 – Female
Match 3: Dead or Alive 4 – Male
Match 3: Dead or Alive 4 – Female

Wednesdays (April 23, 30; May 7, 14, 21)
Match 1: FIFA 08
Match 2: FIFA 08
Match 3: FIFA 08

Thursdays (April 24; May 1, 8, 15, 22)
Match 1: Counter-Strike: Source
Match 2: Counter-Strike: Source
Match 3: Counter-Strike: Source

Sundays (April 27; May 4, 11, 18, 25)
Match 1: Forza 2
Match 2: Forza 2
Match 3: Forza 2

More information including Training Camp schedules, instant score updates, featured streaming matches and the official CGS Trade & Taxi-Player Substitution Policy can be found online at thecgs.com.

About Championship Gaming Series

Headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, the Championship Gaming Series™ (CGS) is the only worldwide professional video gaming league. Launched in 2007, and a joint venture among BSkyB, DIRECTV and STAR, CGS features teams of the world’s best gamers from North America, Latin America, the United Kingdom, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australia. The league distributes entertainment content to more than 350 million viewers worldwide via DIRECTV in North America and Latin America, BSkyB in the UK, and STAR in Asia and Australia. CGS sponsors include Mountain Dew, Creative, Xbox 360 and Dell XPS.

“Tournament kit” and “extra customization content?” That is so vague that I can’t help but be intrigued. You can be sure I’ll post the details on these two elusive selling points one they are released.

Read: Soul Calibur 4 To Disregard Canon On July 29.

The tournament will take place over over 3 days. This is the biggest arcade fighting game competition inJapan.

Last year, top players from EU countries, Australia, Korea, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and three areas from the U.S. (west, central and east) participated this tournament. The Tougeki’08 committee will invite more players from the other countries for this year.

Here are the 9 titles that were chosen by popularity and sponsor for the competition:
1. Guilty Gear XX CORE (3on3)
2. Tekken 6 (3on3)
3. The King of Fighters ’98 Ultimate match (1on1)
4. Arcana Heart 2 (1on1)
5. Super Street Fighter II X (2on2)
6. Melty Blood Act Cadenza Ver.B2 (2on2)
7. Hokuto no Ken (Fist of the North Star) (1on1)
8. Virtua Fighter 5 (3on3)
9. Street Fighter III 3rd Strike (3on3)

The schedule until the Tougeki’08 Final starts as follows:
2008 end of Jan.: Announcement of the regulation and rule of this tournament
2008 end of Feb.: Area qualification announcement
2008 from April: Area qualification begins
2008 summer: Final will be held at Differ Ariake

Source: Tougeki

Sounds like a must have for die hard Aerosmith fans.

The full press release is after the jump.
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith features songs spanning their long chart-topping career as well as hits from their favorite groups like The Clash, Cheap Trick, Joan Jett and The Blackhearts and more . Pre-ordering will give you access to a special bundle which includes guitar, the exclusive Aerosmith faceplate, an Aerosmith tour book and of course, the game.
Pricing is as follows:

$99 for Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii
$89 for PlayStation 2 wireless
$109 for the two-guitar (wired) PlayStation 2 bundle which includes both a black and silver guitar.

For more information about Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, check out http://www.guitarherogame.com/ghaerosmith

Sounds like a pretty sweet demo. Hopefully the game has been improving after all the delays.

The full press release is after the jump.

MEDIA ALERT: HAZE(TM) - *4 Player Co-op / Campaign Demo Incoming Exclusively for the PLAYSTATION®Network*

April 15, 2008 - Ubisoft, one of the world’s largest video game publishers, today announced the imminent release of a fully playable demo for Haze, the new first-person shooter set in a harsh future where war is never quite what it seems. Coming exclusively to the PLAYSTATION®Network in early May, this playable demo will give gamers a taste of not only the single-player campaign in Haze, but will also allow up to four-player, drop-in drop-out co-op play online. Developed by shooter experts Free Radical, creators of the critically acclaimed TimeSplitters® series, Haze is scheduled for release exclusively on the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system on May 20th 2008 in the US. Haze is rated “M” for Mature by the ESRB.

If you pre-order Ninja Gaiden II from Circuit City, they will email you a code within a week, that lets you download the Legendary Map Pack for free. Sounds like a pretty sweet deal, as long as you don’t need the maps asap. All the details can be found here.

Read: Wait! You Might Not Want To Buy The Halo 3 Legendary Map Pack.

• “Call Me” by Blondie
• “Simple Man” by Lynyrd Skynyrd
• “Message in Bottle” by the Police

Also, there is good news for PS3 rockers; last week’s missing DLC should hit the Rock Band store at the same time as The Classic Rock pack.

Read: Rock Band DLC Brings More Classic Rawk And PS3 IOUs.

This first piece of content will be the Djinni Adventure Editor, a program that allows player to create mods and new adventures. Atari is also releasing the first official new adventure. Named “The Price of Neutrality”, the new adventure grants players a glimpse at the other witchers that are introduced at the start of the game. The last piece of content to be released is the 1.3 patch. The patch adds more polish to the game by adding more dialogue options, NPC models, and new character animations.

The official press release is after the jump.

Create New Legends With ‘The Witcher’ Adventure Editor, Plus First New Official Adventure For FansAtari Announces the Launch of the ‘D’jinni’ Adventure Editor, ‘Price of Neutrality’ Adventure and Patch 1.3 for CD Projekt’s Acclaimed PC Role-Playing Title

LYON, FRANCE - 14 April 2008 - Atari today announced the release of the D’jinni beta adventure editor and Price of Neutrality adventure together with patch 1.3 for The Witcher, the PC role-playing opus from Polish development studio CD Projekt RED which continues to garner high praise and new fans the world over thanks to its unique blend of mature fantasy universe, tough decision making and intense tactical combat. The first official adventure and patch 1.3 are available for free download via www.thewitcher.com, with a separate free download available containing the D’jinni beta adventure editor.

“CD Projekt has always been oriented to gamers’ needs, so releasing an adventure editor for the modding community is an obvious move. It’s quite a demanding tool, however, and it will bring loads of satisfaction to many of the fans. After all, we made The Witcher with this tool,” said Adam Kiciński, CEO, CD Projekt RED. “We’ve also prepared the first official mod with a completely new adventure which will be available to download for free.”

The Price of Neutrality is the first official adventure from the team at CD Projekt and features around two hours of gameplay during which the player is introduced to the other witchers in more detail following their brief appearance in the original game. Populated with new NPC’s and other new graphical assets, the adventure takes the player into the little explored outskirts of Kaer Morhen in a compelling story with tough decisions and more than one possible ending. The adventure text is localised in English, French, Italian, German, Spanish and Polish. In the same download, patch 1.3 readies the game for playing the new adventure.

The English language D’jinni beta adventure editor will let fans craft complete new adventures for Geralt using the existing graphical assets, maps and environments in the game. By creating new stories, cut-scenes, graphical effects, dialogue and gameplay actions, users of the adventure editor can let their imaginations run wild predicting the turmoil and tests waiting in Geralt’s future, or even filling in the missing years between the close of Andrzej Sapkowski’s last Witcher novel and the start of the game.

Based on the universe created by best-selling Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, The Witcher puts players in the role of Geralt, a professional monster slayer who exists on the fringes of a complex society troubled by the kind of problems more commonly found on the front pages of newspapers than in a fantasy universe. Taken as a child, mutated, and trained in the arcane ways of the witchers, Geralt is a reluctant hero, who nonetheless finds himself all too frequently in the heat of battles that are not his own. In this world there is no right or wrong, only decisions and consequences.

The Witcher is available now at retailers across Europe as a standard game pack and as a Limited Edition containing a wealth of exclusive content. For more information about The Witcher visit www.thewitcher.com and for more details about Atari’s entire product line up visit www.atari.com.

-ends-

Epileptic Gaming #159 will return next Thursday, for a special show with special guests!

Have a great weekend!  I’ll be playing my pedo-inspired ARCANA HEARTS and finally rocking out with a new Rock Band Guitar (it’s about time you bastards).

This sounds like everything I’ve ever wanted. As a die hard Fallout fan, you can be sure that I’ll be picking this up.

Read: GameStop Details Fallout 3 Collector’s Edition.

D3Publishing is looking for focus testers for the next Puzzle Quest game, which is either Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords - Revenge of the Plague Lord or Puzzle Quest: Galatrix. Either way, this is a chance to give your input for a major upcoming title.

The full press release after the jump.

Attention all Puzzle Quest fans in the Los Angeles Area! D3Publisher of America would like to give you the opportunity to participate in upcoming focus testing for the next game in the Puzzle Quest franchise. If you own Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords on any platform and would like a chance to participate, please e-mail lisa@mindofthegamer.com and put “Puzzle Quest Research” in the subject line. All e-mails must be received by April 18th, 2008. Participants will be considered on a first come, first served basis and will be screened for some additional criteria.

Today we’ll review Rainbow Six Vegas 2, Viking, and Super Smash Bros. Brawl with the assitance of Mike “Force519″ Dettman.

Join us live today at 7PM ET/4PM PT on epilepticgaming.ggl.com and wire.ggl.com, thanks to the magic of Stickam, uStream, and Mogulus!

Added content seem a little vague? Alright, how about a remixed score by Nobuo Uematsu? Not enough? There will also be a local wireless “head-to-head battle” mode. Not too shabby for $40.

Read: Final Fantasy IV hits North American DS on July 22.

If you preorder the game at select stores, you will not only get a copy of the Metal Gear Saga Vol. 2 DVD, but also a voucher to participate in the Metal Gear Online Beta.

Both the Limited and Standard editions will be arriving on shelves June 12, with the Standard costing $60 and the LE going for $85.

For all the details on each version and the preorder deal, hit the jump.

METAL GEAR SOLID 4: GUNS OF THE PATRIOTS STANDARD EDITION: $59.99
Marking the return of Hideo Kojima’s legendary tactical espionage action series, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots features a cinematic experience and visual masterpiece that will redefine this landmark franchise as a revolutionary game for the PLAYSTATION®3 system. The game is the final chapter in the saga of Solid Snake which sends him around the world in pursuit of his arch nemesis, Liquid Ocelot. Armed with new gadgets and abilities, Solid Snake must shift the tides of war into his favor, using the chaos of the battlefield to infiltrate deep into enemy territory. In his globetrotting final mission, Snake must sneak deep into enemy locations in the Middle East, South America, and other corners of the earth to foil Liquid Ocelot’s. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots includes Metal Gear Online “Starter Pack”, which is the full and complete multiplayer component of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.

METAL GEAR SOLID 4: GUNS OF THE PATRIOTS LIMITED EDITION: $84.99
Featuring collectible packaging with exclusive artwork by famed Kojima Productions illustrator Yoji Shinkawa, the Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots Limited Edition will contain everything that is included with the Standard Edition as well as an additional Blu-ray disc featuring two “making of” documentaries. The documentaries will include extensive interviews with Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima and the Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots Soundtrack CD. The Limited Edition will be available exclusively at GameStop.

METAL GEAR SOLID 4: GUNS OF THE PATRIOTS PRE-SELL PROGRAM
A special pre-sale program of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots will be offered at participating retailers. This pre-sell entitles customers that pre-order either edition, a copy of the Metal Gear Saga Vol. 2 DVD (while supplies last). Featuring extensive original video content the DVD primarily focuses on the interconnected history between all of the “Snakes”: Big Boss (Naked Snake), Liquid Snake, Solidus Snake, and of course, Solid Snake. The DVD also contains a compendium of the Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots trailers. Additionally, each DVD allocated during this pre-order period will contain a unique voucher code that will enable the consumer to download the Metal Gear Online Beta. The download of the Beta will be available from April 17th to May 5th and the gameplay will be available from April 21st to May 5th.

Read: LE Metal Gear Solid 4 Will Only Be Available at GameStop.

The full press release is after the jump.

Pirated Pirates Vs Ninjas Dodgeball Delays Release

Cockpit, Austin, TX - April 9, 2008 - Gamecock Media Group announced today that due to pirated copies of Blazing Lizard’s upcoming Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball being on the loose the game will be revamped and held until later this Spring.

“We see the irony in all this,” noted Christopher Stockman, Studio Director at Blazing Lizard. “Rest assured, we have a crack team of Ninjas on the case and hunting down all pirates. On the positive side it gives us a chance to go back and add in additional content to the game.”

What this means for fans of Pirates (the sea-faring kind) and Ninjas is more bang for their buck when the game releases (this also includes fans of the other teams in the game, Robots and Zombies). In addition to the free-flinging arcade dodgeball events already in place (look out for Peg-Leg Stomps and Shuriken Attacks.), Blazing Lizard is adding more traditional rules dodgeball modes where teams stay only on their side and multiple dodgeballs are in play. Now we can settle the score once and for all.

For more info visit www.piratesvsninjas.com. If you are one of the pirates, watch your back!

[disclaimer: the game has not been pirated but we wanted an excuse to announce the wait for the game and the new game mode.]

For the official list of changes, hit the jump.

The Top 10 problems reported by you have been fixed, these are:

* PS3 game can crash when a player is taken down and the player that has performed the Takedown leaves the game.
* The game indefinitely displays “Connecting to Paradise City Servers” if it’s having problems communicating with the rebroadcast server.
* Disconnecting the controller before a race begins can mean that race timings can be manipulated with players who didn’t cross the line first being awarded the win.
* Repeatedly joining and leaving a game with 8 players can cause the game to hang.
* Hammering the A (360) or X (PS3) after unlocking a car can cause the game to hang.
* East Crawford and Watt St achievements cannot be achieved if the player goes online and sets road rules before attempting them.
* Audio distortion when using 5.1 / DTS and looking back at the car.
* Enhanced 360 streaming performance stops instances where the game seems to pause for a second or so.
* Total time driven in player stats would stick at 145 hours.
* VoIP connection problems with 8 player games. This is now live on the Paradise City servers.

The update also adds the following game experience enhancements:

* We fixed Head-on Takedowns as these seemed generally unfair and unrealistic. Unfair low speed Takedowns have now been eradicated.
* Increase online race timer timeout so players have a greater chance of finishing the race.
* Fix drifting bug when drifting and boosting. There wasn’t any real control on the brake so players would grind around the walls of the corners. Giving you all better control of the car.
* Stabbing the boost has too much of a jerky behaviour in the car handling, when in Stunt Run.
* Surround sound fix - Centre speaker was 4dB louder, ruining the mix. The speech has now been positioned correctly.
* Increase the # of search results returned for online games.
* Increase Picture Paradise timer so it doesn’t kick in so quickly.
* Post event ticker commentary is not now displayed for disconnected players.
* Show player the number of Complete Challenges easily by listing X/50 in the Challenges menu.

Other high priority issues that have been fixed:

* Instances where Barrel rolls were not registering correctly in Stunt Run.
* Takedowns online were not counting towards the Total Takedowns.
* Some instances where Revenge Rivalries desync & don’t get fixed until players are updated online.
* Some instance where the Host couldn’t change the game access if the game was created through an invite.
* Online challenge issues where the challenge couldn’t be completed if it was started at the exact time that a player left the game.
* Incorrect rivalry updates when European players played against English or Japanese players. Online connection issues.
* Rich presence on 360 didn’t change correctly when there is a change in the game parameters.
* Instances where Friends were not being displayed on the mini map.
* Some online race start points face the players in the wrong direction.

• Confirmed 16 player online play.
• The online map is the same as the singleplayer map.
• There will be no co-op for singleplayer missions, however there are many co-op multiplayer modes.
• Ranked online games earn you money for character customization.
• Races can be played with or without guns.
• Voice chat volume depends on how close players are to you.

All in all GTA4 seems to be shaping up quite nicely. It is going to be a hard few weeks as I count down the hours till it’s release day, April 29.Read: Grand Theft Auto IV Multiplayer Hands-On (PS3, Xbox 360).

• “Rock Rebellion” by Bang Camaro
• “Shake” by Count Zero
• “Super Sprode” by Freezepop

If these artists sound familiar, it is probably because they were featured in the bonus tracks of the Guitar Hero games; or you got these on the bonus disk from the Official Xbox Magazine.

The individual songs are going to cost you 80 Microsoft points ($1.00), or you can get them bundled for 240 Microsoft points ($3.00).

Unfortunately for PS3 owners, you will not be able to get these tracks until April 15. Sorry guys.

Read: Next Week’s Rock Band Tracks Require Many, Many Friends.

If you are unfamiliar with Ikaruga, I must warn you it is impossibly hard. If you don’t believe me feel free to check out videos of it on Youtube.

The full press release is after the jump.

The Japanese arcade hit “Ikaruga” receives the full Xbox LIVE Arcade treatment and is poised to launch on the platform this Wednesday, April 9, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. GMT (1:00 a.m. PDT).

“Ikaruga” is a fast-paced scrolling shooter with a twist - players must constantly switch their ship’s polarity to maximize their damage output and avoid incoming enemy fire of the opposite polarity.

“Ikaruga” on Xbox LIVE Arcade features a two-player co-op mode both locally and over Xbox LIVE. Newcomers can also easily bring their skill up to speed by using the game’s slow motion training mode. “Ikaruga” is a perfect combination of beautiful, manga-style storytelling and challenging arcade heroics, all brought to life in a gorgeous HD environment. Gamers itching to obtain a moment of “Ikaruga” glory will be wise to master the chaining system that detects when enemies of the same polarity are destroyed consecutively.

Doing so will reward players with huge score bonuses, which will be key to topping “Ikaruga’s” leaderboards. The ability to relive a particularly harrowing battle is also possible thanks to the game’s record and replay function, which is new to the Xbox LIVE Arcade version of the game. From the Japanese developer Treasure, “Ikaruga” will be available worldwide for 800 Microsoft Points and is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB.

Marcus enjoyed the “HEALTH BAR vs. HEAL & HIDE” argument that he wanted to open the phone lines to the rest of the well-spoken EG community to give their thoughts and opinions on it.  Get your speedy fingers ready to call in about this issue, or anything else going on in the Video Game Universe!

Join us live today at 7PM ET/4PM PT on epilepticgaming.ggl.com and wire.ggl.com, thanks to the magic of Stickam, uStream, and Mogulus!

Saints Row 2 will feature online co-op through the entire single-player campaign and an open world competitive multiplayer mode. It will also feature new vehicles, new locations and more options when it comes to player customization.

I was a huge fan of the first Saints Row, and the second one sounds pretty awesome. The real question is, How will it fare against Grand Theft Auto 4? I know that I will make room for both in my game budget.

Read: Saints Row 2 Release Date Announced.

Since I love the Warhammer 40K universe (I played the table top game until my wallet couldn’t support me), I can’t wait for Dawn of War II. I mean who wouldn’t be excited for a non-linear campaign, a fully co-op multiplayer campaign, fully destructible environments and chainsaw bayonets?

For the full press release, hit the jump. Also, check out GGL’s Dawn of War: Soulstorm tournament–only two weeks remain, and only one player can stand at the end of it all.

THQ and Relic Entertainment Set to Wage War of Epic Scale in Warhammer® 40,000™: Dawn of War® II

Sequel to Multi-Million Unit Selling Real Time Strategy Series Features Vicious Frontline Combat, Extensive Co-Op Campaign and Cinematic Visuals

AGOURA HILLS, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—THQ Inc. (NASDAQ:THQI) today announced that Warhammer® 40,000™: Dawn of War® II, the highly anticipated sequel from one of the industry’s premiere Real-Time Strategy (RTS) developers, Relic Entertainment, is scheduled to bring the 41st Millennium’s savage warfare to life like never before in spring 2009. Powered by an enhanced version of Relic’s proprietary Essence Engine 2.0™, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II will take players to the brutal frontlines of war where they’ll experience intense action and visceral combat through a non-linear single player experience and a fully co-operative multiplayer campaign. Set in Games Workshop’s (LSE: GAW) highly popular Warhammer 40,000 science fiction universe, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II is being developed exclusively for Windows PC.

In addition, THQ is pleased to announce that gamers purchasing copies of the recently released Warhammer® 40,000™: Dawn of War® - Soulstorm™ will be able to participate in an invitation-only multiplayer beta program for Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II set to take place at a future date.

“The original Dawn of War and its subsequent standalone expansions have established the series as one of the industry’s leading RTS franchises,” said Brad Carraway, vice president, global brand management, THQ. “Dawn of War II will re-define RTS gaming to gamers worldwide, delivering brutal frontline action and tactics, and allowing players to get straight to the action with unprecedented fast-paced RTS gameplay and a full co-op campaign, all in stunning cinematic detail.”

“We started with everything fans loved about the original Dawn of War and then added more than they ever could have hoped for in the sequel into Dawn of War II,” said Tarrnie Williams, general manager, Relic Entertainment. “Leveraging our critically acclaimed Essence Engine 2.0, gamers will develop and lead an elite strike force through Games Workshop’s war-torn universe, engage in devastating combat among the ruins of fully destructible battlefields, and be immersed in an ever-changing single-player and co-op multiplayer campaign.”

The game takes place between Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars Episode: IV A New Hope. Players will assume the role of Darth Vader’s apprentice during his quest to eliminate the Jedi.

As your typical Star Wars nerd, I will be eagerly waiting this title. The real question is, which platform should I get it on?

Read: The Force Unleashed Hits September.

Marcus hates April fool’s day, so be prepared for some epic rants. Is Tom Clancy a cashwhore? What’s wrong with having some bare-breasted females in videogames? And will Star Wars: The Force Unleashed be any good?

Join us live today at 7PM ET/4PM PT on epilepticgaming.ggl.com and wire.ggl.com, thanks to the magic of Stickam, uStream, and Mogulus!

Sounds pretty cool. Unfortunate for Sierra and High Moon Studios, The Bourne Conspiracy shares the same release date as Ninja Gaiden II. Luckily for me, I was Bourne on June 3, so hopefully I’ll get both. I know that was a bad pun, but I just had to use it.

The full press release is after the jump.

Sierra Entertainment Announces Robert Ludlum’s The Bourne Conspiracy Worldwide Debut in June 2008

Los Angeles - April 02, 2008 - Sierra Entertainment today announced that the Robert Ludlum’s The Bourne Conspiracy™ video game will ship in North America June 3, 2008 on Microsoft’s Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system and the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system. The game brings Jason Bourne’s signature combat style to life by sharply blending a seamless mix of hand-to-hand fighting, gunplay and dramatic escapes. To round out the non-stop action to the title’s hunter-prey game play, The Bourne Conspiracy will give gamers a re-imagination of the high speed pursuit through Paris in the MINI COOPER®.

Through close partnership with Ludlum Entertainment, and collaboration on story and character development with Bourne screenwriter Tony Gilroy, The Bourne Conspiracy is an intense interactive addition to the blockbuster films and best-selling novels. The game delivers an original story uncovering Jason Bourne’s past and the conspiracy shrouding his origins, plunging players into the role of Bourne as both trained assassin and marked government agent. Core to the experience is Bourne’s definition as a perfect weapon with heightened combat instinct, where players use Bourne’s characteristic capabilities to recognize threats, perform devastating takedown moves and use his surrounding environment to overcome deadly situations.
“Wrought with action, combat, elaborate escape scenes and untold story, the Bourne series is making a natural progression into the interactive medium,” said Al Simone, senior vice president, global marketing, Sierra Entertainment. “We’re pleased to announce that this June gamers will have the chance to experience the dangerously exciting aura and frenetic pace inherent in the Bourne franchise.”

Developed by High Moon Studios and based around a combat system co-designed by Jeff Imada, the renowned choreographer who defined Bourne-style combat in the films, The Bourne Conspiracy delivers gamers every signature Jason Bourne element, from hand-to-hand fighting to shooting to escape and evasion. Framing the experience is a relentless pace of action and an in-game camera system that captures the cinematography techniques that established the memorable visual style of the films.

Capturing the intense high-speed pursuit based on the memorable car chase from The Bourne Identity, players will take the wheel in an upgraded version of Marie’s red MINI COOPER trying to evade seemingly every police car in Paris. Arcade racing-style game play and destructive stunt setups combine with Bourne instinct-based game mechanics to create a previously unseen and unforgettable action driving experience.

“We’re creating a video game that is distinctly Bourne, based on a deconstruction of the character from action hero to game hero, and one that we ultimately believe gamers will discover as a distinctively original licensed action game,” said Emmanuel Valdez, chief creative officer, High Moon Studios and game director on The Bourne Conspiracy.

For more information on the Robert Ludlum’s The Bourne Conspiracy video game, including screenshots and video trailers, please visit http://www.bournethegame.com.

Hit the jump for the list of compatible games.

SCEA - Formula One Championship Edition* (PS3)
SCEA - MotorStorm* (PS3)
SCEA - PAIN (PSN)
SCEA - High Velocity Bowling (PSN)
SCEA - MLB 08: The Show (PS3)
SCEA - Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune (PS3)
SCEA - Resistance: Fall of Man* (PS3)
SCEA - Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction (PS3)
SCEA - Go! Sports Ski* (PSN) SCEA - Folklore* (PS3)
SCEA - Heavenly Sword* (PS3)
SCEA - Warhawk* (PSN / PS3)
SCEA - Super Stardust HD* (PSN)
SCEA - Snakeball (PSN)
SCEA - Toy Home (PSN)
SCEA - PSOne Emulation (PSN)
SCEA - Piyotama (PSN)
SCEA - PixelJunk Monsters (PSN)
SCEA - Blast Factor* (PSN)
Sega - Condemned 2: Bloodshot (PS3)
Ubisoft - Lost: Via Domus (PS3)
Ubisoft - Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas 2* (PS3)
EA - Burnout Paradise (PS3)
KOEI - Dynasty Warriors 6 (PS3)
Capcom - Devil May Cry 4 (PS3)
Atari - Dragon Ball Z Burst Limit (PS3)
Disney Interactive - Turok (PS3)

Read: PS3 Rumble Controllers Hit Next Week.

The story follows Cid and Chocobo as they hunt for treasure. Eventually the two get involved in solving why all the towns-people have mysteriously lost their memories.

One cool feature that Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo’s Dungeon has, is a unique online card battle mode. Sounds pretty interesting, however, being a male over 13 years old means I have to avoid the embarrassment of buying this at a store and order it online.

Read: Chocobo’s Dungeon kweh-ming to North America in July.

Vanguard sticks out as one of the biggest failures in MMORPG history. The game was praised as the hardcore player’s wet dream; promising as it was, the publisher made a crucial mistake by releasing the game before it was finished. The coding was largely incomplete, and the game required extensive polishing.

Without proper coding or optimization, the players who played Vanguard felt they had been sold an unfinished product. This lead many players to cancel their subscriptions and move on to another game. Furthermore,the developers were forced to spend their time fixing coding issues after the game was released. Players would soon leave the game in droves, and Vanguard would become just another failed MMO.

Hellgate: London had many of the same problems. Many players had the feeling that the game was unfinished when released and the developers should have been given more time. Even now, Hellgate: London players feel that the developers are still working to finish their game.

Auran’s Fury suffered from the same issues. Fury billed itself as the ultimate alternative to other MMO’s. Featuring no player versus environment content, Fury stood apart from every other MMO on the market–or so it seemed. After hiring an excellent community relations team to interact with the players and report back the communities desires, Fury’s developers released an astounding build that made drastic improvements to the title, fixing many of the problems that turned players away from the game.

Then, suddenly, the developers released a patch that moved away from everything they had been building toward. The game immediately changed from a grind-free MMO to a game dominated by the items a player possessed.Soon after, Auran filed bankruptcy and players fled from Fury as though it was a plague.

The lesson is invaluable: When determining what the community wants, a good community relations team can be the difference between “making it” and being forced to lay off hundreds of staffers.

Relaying the thoughts and feelings of the players to developers, who may not have enough time to interact with the players themselves, is an important job that not everyone can do. When a breakdown in communication forms between players and developers, game changes will not represent the interest of the community. And MMORPG games are nothing without their communities.

Poor game changes and skill balances can cause the player base to lose interest in an MMO or leave the game altogether. This will usually result in an exodus of the player base. Guild Wars was celebrated for having fun and engaging player versus player content. Over time, however, poor balancing lead many players to wonder if the developers were even listening to them.

A player versus player community relations manager was added two years into the game’s existence, but he failed to bring the level of interaction necessary to get the job done. When plans for a third world championship were announced, the top tier teams left the game and the competition in Guild Wars would never be on the same level again. Had the developers listened to their player base, Guild Wars could have retained many of its players.

When a WoW killer costs an estimated one billion dollars in development, will we ever see another massive MMORPG? Can a game sustain its player base forever?

The history of MMOs says no, but the developers behind World of Warcraft have studied the deaths of other MMOs and taken steps to avoid many of the problems that brought down other MMOs. How can WoW die? Will the game alienate its player base, or will another game steal its players?

I’ll leave you with a quote from my favorite community relations manager, Dan Gray, who worked on Fury:

The management’s lack of experience with MMOs of this type was the main contributing factor of Fury’s downfall, along with poor engine choice and general incompetence. Fury had potential but lacked the development team to execute it, that’s about as straight up as it gets. The team had a few very strong members, but they were pulled down by the rest. Sadly, the biggest issues were in management, where it is most damaging. As far as I am concerned, it was fantastic experience, and has benefited me greatly. Probably more so than working on a game that was successful and had a minimal number of issues. I’ll definitely be staying away from smaller companies in future, particularly ones who hire a chemical engineer to direct the creative vision of the project…

Greg LoPiccolo, Harmonix’s VP of product development said: “While the cake may be a lie, the free download of ‘Still Alive’ is confirmed truth. ‘Still Alive’ is an awesome song that brings together great gaming and great music. We’ve teamed up with Valve to deliver a free download of ‘Still Alive’ as a thank you to our fans for their incredible support.”

Now I have to think of a way to coax my non-gamer friends into playing such a nerdy song. Then again, I already have them playing Rock Band, which is kind of nerdy.

Read: Still Alive for Rock Band Free Tommorrow.

The game modes included are: Classic Arcade mode, Quest Driller mode, Online split-screen Solo Battle and Online Tag Battle. For 800 Microsoft Points ($10), it doesn’t sound like a bad deal.

Read: Mr. Driller Live This Wednesday.

Will World of Warcraft still be on top? Will a WoW killer be released in 2008? What can kill a MMO? To find out, we must look to other MMOs who have withered away and examine their deaths.

Studying what kills an MMO can be an involved process. The life of an MMO is affected by countless variables and changing just one of these variables could result in a game’s upheaval. In 2007 alone countless MMO titles have died; Vanguard, Fury, Hellgate: London, and Tabula Rasa were all very promising, yet somehow they fizzled out.

While some MMOs have a dedicated audience that will allow a game to live on for years, other MMOs have had their population decimated in a matter of months. Many MMOs are destined to burn out quickly in a crowded and turbulent market.

Looking at what brought down promising MMOs in 2007 reveals several game-breaking problems that contribute to the deaths of many games in the genre. MMO are plagued by low player populations, developers alienating the player base, inadequately developed titles getting rushed out the door, and poor communication between the player base and developers.

Sometimes a game will suffer from several of these problems and die shortly, while some games can have one or more of these problems and still survive. These trends will not always be a factor in the collapse of every MMO; however, they are present in most MMOs that died in 2007.

The major draw of an MMO is that the game will provide a world full of interaction. NCSoft’s Auto Assault showed a lot of promise having Mad Max-like game play combined with the size and scale of an MMO. The game looked like it would be a successful alternative to the traditional fantasy MMO, but didn’t have a large number of subscribers, largely because of a lack of marketing, and the player base was spread across four different servers.

The massive world of Auto Assault was left desolate and deserted as each server contained one fourth of the total population. If the servers had been combined the player would have increased interaction and the game wouldn’t have felt like the Titanic as it was sinking. Auto Assault has the capacity to maintain a dedicated, long lasting player base.

Instead the players deserted Auto Assault for a different MMO and Auto Assault servers were shut down in under a year. The game could have grown or survived for many years as though it were a game like Star Wars Galaxies had its population been condensed…

In the second part of this article, I’ll go into how community relations can save a game. Keep your eyes peeled for it tomorrow.

Pokemon Ranger: Battonage is compatible with Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl, also for the Nintendo DS, allowing players to transfer the egg of the legendary Pokemon Manaphy to a Pokemon Diamond or Pokemon Pearl game.

The ranking is as follows:

1.*NEW* Pokemon Ranger (DS)
2.*NEW* Deca Sports (Wii - see a first look of Deca Sports on Epileptic Gaming’s YouTube channel)
3.*NEW* Armored Core For Answer (PS3)
4.*NEW* Sim City DS2 (DS)
5.*NEW* Tales of Rebrith (PSP)
6. Wii Fit (Wii)
7. DS Bimoji Training (DS)
8. Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii)
9. Dramatic Dungeon Sakura Wars (DS)
10. Crayon Shin-Chan: Arashi wo Yobu cinema land Kachinko Gachinko Daisakusen (DS)

Source: Famitsu

Warhawk

10 layouts on a brand new winter battlefield, Vaporfield Glacier.
2 new Armored Personnel Carriers (Chernovan and Eucadian styles).
10 bonus layouts for battlefields from the original game so that you can play with the APCs.

Sounds like a good buy to me. If you don’t currently have Warhawk, there is a limited-time sale from the PlayStation Store and the full game will only cost you $29.99.

Read: Warhawk Operation: Broken Mirror details, trailer.

Once the demo is out, other downloadable content will begin to arrive. In the first pack, there will be one new multiplayer map, two new campaign maps and a SSC Challenge obstacle course. There is no official word on the release date or price of the DLC.

I can’t wait for this demo; I’ve been on the fence about picking up Army of Two and hopefully it’ll let me know what’s up.

Read: Army of Two Demo Coming April 1st.

He goes the way of emulation! I decided to pull out the Dreamcast and take a trip down memory lane with one of the first games I ever played: Shinobi.

I fired it up, dropped in some virtual quarters and shazam! I was eight years old again. I also realized something else. After twenty years of playing video games, I still suck at the bonus game.

Damn you, non-animated generic ninja! I had finished this game before on the Sega Master System (yes, I was one of a dozen people to own it), so that helped me finish it once again.

There are a lot of patterns, so playing through the same areas a few times helps to figure out where to jump and when to attack. Kind of like Ninja Gaiden for the NES. Now, continuing in the game at home isn’t the same as the arcade. I dropped like ten (fake) bucks in a couple of hours.

I sure as hell wouldn’t have done that when I was a little kid, because my mom never gave me that much for the arcade. Regardless, I grew up to be a lifelong gamer.

That’s all for this week, but are there any suggestions for next Thursday night? Is there a beloved game you want me to check and see if it stood the test of time? Make a suggestion and I will try to get my hands on it one way or another.

For those of you who don’t know, Clear Sky is the prequel to the FPS/semi-RPG S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl.

Clear Sky boasts improved AI, a more detailed story and better character development.

The full press release is after the jump.

GSC World Publishing and Deep Silver announce planned release date for S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear SkyGame will be released on August 29, 2008

Basingstoke, England - 27th of march 2008 - GSC Game World, computer games developer, its publishing subdivision GSC World Publishing and Koch Media, a leading marketer of video games, today announced the planned release date for the title S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky. According to the agreed plan, the game will ship August 29, 2008 worldwide. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky will be published by the games labels Deep Silver and GSC World Publishing.

“The topic of the release date for S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky has created a lot of interest among gamers, press and fans. We’re pleased to announce an exact date for this highly anticipated game now,” said Craig McNicol, Managing Director of Koch Media.

“Our intention to deliver the game simultaneously worldwide is both a challenge and big responsibility to the many fans of the game around the globe. We are looking forward to achieve this ambitious goal in August.” - said Sergiy Grygorovych, GSC World Publishing CEO.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky is a survival FPS game for PC based on a ‘what-if’ scenario of the second Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident. The game is created as a warning to mankind against mindless play with technologies. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky is the official prequel to the renowned S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game by the Ukraine-based GSC Game World studio. The game is set in 2011and brings forth the events to have preceded the third campaign of Strelok to the Zone center. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky introduces an alternative look onto the events of the original game and offers the player to try himself out as a mercenary s.t.a.l.k.e.r. in search of his own path in the world of S.T.A.L.K.E.R.

Official game site: www.stalker-game.com

There has been no word about these maps coming to the Xbox 360 version. I suspect that it has something to do with Microsoft wanting to charge for them; however, that is just speculation.

To get these maps, PlayStation 3 users can pull it off the PlayStation Network. PC gamers can head over to the Unreal Tournament 3 site and download them there.

Read: Unreal Tournament 3 Gets Free Classic Map Pack.

At this time, no release date or price has been announced.

I am pretty excited about this. Darwinia is a clever game that is a lot of fun. If you just can’t wait to get your hands of it, it is available on PC via Valve’s Steam service.

Read: Darwinia 360 Is Darwinia+.

Turok

The maps run the gamut, featuring one Co-Op, two remakes with new lighting and 2 new maps. The remakes are of “Testing Grounds” and “A Heated Rivalry.”

Also announced, Turok will be making its way onto the PC and will be arriving April 22, 2008.

The full press release is after the jump:

TUROK’S DINOSAURS RUN RAMPANT WITH MORE THAN 1 MILLION UNITS SHIPPED WORLDWIDE

Touchstone Also Announces Velociraptor Pack — Five New Multiplayer Downloadable Maps to be Available on Xbox LIVE Marketplace and PLAYSTATION Network Tomorrow

Release Date of Windows-Based PC Version Revealed

BURBANK, Calif. - (March 26, 2008) - The ravenous dinosaurs of Turok have made their mark all over the globe as Touchstone announced today the intense first person shooter has shipped more than 1 million units worldwide. The company also announced that the dinosaur-infested multiplayer mode of Turok will soon expand with the release of the Velociraptor Pack, five new downloadable maps. The new Turok downloadable maps will be available on Xbox LIVE® Marketplace for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft for 400 Microsoft Points and on PLAYSTATION®Network for PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system for $4.99 starting on Thursday, March 27, 2008.
“Turok has captured the imagination of video game players throughout the world,” said Craig Relyea, senior vice president of global marketing, Touchstone. “We’re now able to expand the multiplayer experience with the release of new maps. These five new maps are sure to satisfy Turok players who are hungry for more multiplayer challenges.”

Turok players of all skill levels can play the existing 10 maps with the development team from Propaganda Games. A Turok “Game With Dev” is scheduled for today Wednesday, March 26 from 3-6 p.m. PST on Xbox LIVE® online entertainment network.

Touchstone also announced an April 22, 2008 release date for the Windows-based PC version of Turok, the sci-fi first person shooter. Developed by Propaganda Games, the Windows-based PC version has been optimized for PC by Aspyr Studios. The game will give PC fans the opportunity to experience the engaging, story-driven single player experience and multiplayer modes for up to 16 players. The PC version, which will enable both the mouse and keyboard or a game controller, will be available for $49.99. The new downloadable content for the console versions will be available for Windows-based PC soon after that version’s release.

Of the five new Turok downloadable maps for consoles, two are c