Montreal, Quebec, Canada – May 5, 2008 – Meridian4 (http://www.meridian4.com) and SCS Software are pleased to announce that Bus Driver has gone gold and will be ready to ship to retail stores and be available for digital download in May.

“We have been working with SCS Software to change some minor things in the game for the North American market.” said Jeff Giasson, Production Director at Meridian4, “There was very little to be done to this surprisingly addictive driving sim.”

About Bus Driver

In Bus Driver, your job is to transport passengers around an attractive and realistic city. You must drive to a timetable on a planned route, while obeying traffic rules, and taking care not to upset or injure your passengers. This makes Bus Driver unlike any other driving game - the experience of driving a bus is very different from blazing through a racing circuit.

• 12 buses to drive – detailed models inspired by real-world buses, including London’s double-decker bus, America’s school bus, Europe’s low floor buses and many more
  
• 30 routes arranged into 5 tiers with increasing difficulty
  
• Multiple duties, such as driving a school bus, transporting tourists, sight-seeing tours and even the transportation of prisoners
  
• High replay value based on sophisticated system of traffic rules and game-play related bonuses.
  
• Large city to drive in, with several districts of varying styles: modern, old-town, suburb, airport, harbor and more with day/night cycles and realistic weather conditions.
  
• Living roads with intelligent traffic controlled by AI system
  
• Non-violent, easy to pick up gameplay, suitable for all ages.
  

Sega today revealed details of the squad-based first-person shooter, Aliens: Colonial Marines. Licensed through an exclusive agreement with Twentieth Century Fox and developed by Gearbox Software, the game will be available on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC in late 2008.

n Aliens: Colonial Marines, players are part of a United States Colonial Marine squad and must prepare to face an alien assault more intense and horrific than ever before. Driven by a compelling and original story penned by renowned writers Bradley Thompson and David Weddle Aliens: Colonial Marines will retain the atmospheric look and feel of the original films while leveraging next-generation technology to create an entirely new interactive Aliens experience.

Packing classic Aliens weaponry ranging from pulse rifles to flamethrowers as well as brand-new equipment and skills all within a squad-based combat system, players will become an elite United States Colonial Marine. Featuring claustrophobic environments, a brooding soundtrack, and a multitude of surprises and shocks, players will battle against menacing alien hordes in strikingly detailed levels that include the stark interiors of the abandoned Sulaco and unique environments created specifically for the game.

Aliens: Colonial Marines will feature a story driven single-player mode and an all-new four player co-op mode allowing players to share the chilling experience with three friends. In co-op mode, each player will assume the persona of a Colonial Marine and have a distinct role to play in the completion of every mission. Additionally, more multiplayer modes will be revealed later in the year that will complete the Aliens video game experience.

CDV Software announced today that Theatre of War, Battlefront.com's WWII battlefield simulation/RTS title for the PC, has gone gold and will ship to stores nationwide on May 19th.

Theatre of War offers a fresh take on the WWII Real-time Strategy genre by combining the look, feel, sounds and historical elements of WWII to create the ultimate warfare simulation. The game engine features realistic shell ballistics, armor penetration calculations and damage effects coupled with destructible environments, trenches, fortifications and individually tracked weapons, equipment, ammo and vehicles. More than 50 battles spread across seven different campaigns (US/UK, Soviet, German, French, Polish, Battle for Moscow and Panzer Lehr in Normandy), along with eight non-campaign scenarios, five Training scenarios and 11 different multiplayer missions are available in the game to offer a rich and challenging combat experience to players.

Turbine and Codemasters Online announced today the release and details of the fifth content update for subscribers to The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar. Book 13: Doom of the Last-king continues the epic story of The Lord of the Rings Online, adds an entire new region to the world of Middle-earth, a new Monster Play class and the introduction of the hobby system.

• New Region – In the far, frozen north of Eriador lies Forochel, a land unlike any other in Middle-earth. This new region lets players see the ocean for the first time and introduces several new temperature based landscape effects. Players will need to be mindful of the cold due to a new damage type – frost. Frost will slowly damage their character until they find a source of warmth in the form of shelter or a campfire.
  

  
  

• New Faction – Beneath the brooding skies of Forochel dwell the hardy tribes known as the Lossoth. Suspicious of outsiders, they have long warred against other folk – especially the Guaredain, bloodthirsty wolf-loving barbarians in league with the forces of Angmar. Players can earn favor with the Lossoth by helping them in the struggle against their ancient enemy in this latest addition to The Lord of the Rings Online’s (LOTRO) reputation system. Lossoth reputation rewards include unique armor sets, weapons, a new mount, housing decorations, and class specific items
  

  
  

• Introducing the Defiler — The first new class for Monster Players debuts in Book 13. The Defiler is a healer that will round out any War Band in their quest to dominate the Ettenmoors. The Defiler uses new healing skills such as Fertile Slime and Fungal Bloom to aid its party in battle and has a host of new Debuff skills including Curse of the Lethargic Heart to defeat their enemies.
  
  

  
  

• The Hobby System — The player hobby system is introduced in Book 13. Fishing is the first hobby being introduced in LOTRO. From the Midgewater Marshes to the Shores of Evendim, players will find fishing to be a relaxing, entertaining and beneficial pastime. Players can earn deeds and traits as they improve their fishing prowess and captured fish can be used to cook in recipes or be mounted as trophies in a player’s house. New features include:
  
  

  
  

• The Epic Continues! — At Elrond’s urging, players venture into the frozen wastes of the north to continue Laerdan’s search for the remnants of the ring Narchuil. Aided by the Snowmen of Forochel, players will uncover the fate of an ancestor of Aragorn and strive to thwart the terrible aims of Angmar.
  
  

  
  

• Over 100 New Quests — The story continues for players as they aid the Fellowship and encounter new adventures in Middle-earth.
  

Turbine announced today a special promotion featuring limited time pricing offers and a series of in-game events to celebrate the first anniversary of The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar. The month-long celebration of the first anniversary of LOTRO includes:

• Launch of Book 13: Doom of the Last-king: Turbine’s fifth content update to LOTRO delivers the frosty new region of Forochel, a new Monster Player class plus a host of other enhancements that continue to make LOTRO one of the fastest growing games in the world!
  

  
  

• Welcome Back Celebration: Former subscribers are invited to come back to Middle-earth beginning May 8th for five days of free play! Experience the new content added since launch that has increased the size of the world by over 30% including new regions, player housing, the outfit system and a myriad of new raids and instances.
  

  
  

• Save Middle-earth and Win: During the anniversary celebration, monsters throughout Middle-earth will drop rare items when defeated. Players can exchange these rare items for a special gift box that will reward the player with one of a variety of in-game items to aid them on their adventures in Middle-earth.
  

  
  

• Special Anniversary Pricing: For a limited time, Turbine is offering two new pricing plans! Players can choose to become lifetime subscribers for $199 and never pay a monthly fee again. Players can also choose any multi-month plan (90-days or longer) and lock in a monthly price of $9.99 for as long as they maintain their new subscription plan.
  

Capcom announced that the PC version of Devil May Cry 4 is locked and loaded for release this summer. A demo of the game will be released for PC before the retail version ships, allowing PC gamers to try the game ahead of time, as well as testing their system’s prowess with the included benchmark mode. The PC version of Devil May Cry 4 will feature new modes, enhanced graphics options and some additional content.

Good things come to those who wait as PC owners will benefit from having more modes and more visual customization options to help enhance their demon-slaying action. Turbo mode will turn-up the action to insane speeds, while Legendary Dark Knight Mode will harness advanced PC processing power and fill the screen with an unbelievable number of enemies for extra difficulty. Moreover, familiar enemies from the console versions will show-up in new locations in the PC version. The high resolution screen settings allow the cut scenes of the game to run at up to 120 frames per second (up from 30 frames per second in the console version of the game). Slider options are available to manage various visual effects seen throughout the game. Devil May Cry 4 for the PC will have both DirectX 9 and DirectX 10 modes, and will also be compliant with the Games For Windows program.

Word from Pete Hines of Bethesda Softworks, who says a demo for Fallout 3 is not in the cards:

When you build it as one thing, there's no way to portion off a section and have it stand on its own without putting the whole game in the demo, which we're just not going to do. And it doesn't really capture the fun of a game like an Elder Scrolls or a Fallout, where you can go where you want and do what you want. So no demo, sorry.

A pair of new trailers from The Wheelman are now available, introducing the
driving game and the main character based on actor Vin Diesel. Word is: 'An
in-depth video focusing on the game's features serves as a complement to the
minute-long cinematic trailer introducing gamers to Diesel's character, expert
Wheelman Milo Burik.' The features/diary clip is available from

FileFront, Gamer's Hell,
and


MyGameTrailers. The cinematic trailer can be found on

FileFront and Gamer's
Hell.

Paradox Interactive, having acquired the license for the Majesty brand, will be releasing a sequel, Majesty 2: The Fantasy Kingdom Sim, in 2009.

David Gardner of Infogrames says the company may adopt the Atari name as its moniker. Here is the logic that says that the devalued Atari brand may still be preferable over the lesser-known Infogrames, which he refers to as 'a start-up with 25 years of history:

We like to think of Infogrames, instead of being the tired, old company, we like to think of it as the best-funded, best-branded, most energetic start-up in the history of computer gaming.

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 game from Polish development studio CD Projekt RED. The first official adventure and patch 1.3 are available together for free download, with a separate free download available containing the adventure, patch and the D'jinni beta adventure editor.

The Price of Neutrality is the first official adventure from the team at CD Projekt and features approximately 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.

Wow, just when you think that you can't rehash an old game...

Empire Interactive will heat up the puzzle game genre with the summer release of Pipemania for the Nintendo DS, Wii, PSP, PlayStation 2 and PC.

Pipemania is a fast-paced puzzle game in which players lay down a pre-ordained set of pipes on a tiled grid in order to keep the Flooze, a constant flowing substance that speeds up with progression, moving through the pipes as long as possible without overflowing. Players will need to be fast with their fingers and utilize quick and forward thinking, precise coordination, and keen awareness if they plan to survive the time constraints, pressure and accuracy needed to navigate through the game. There is no chance for players to let their guard down, as complication increases with new elements as players progress through the game.

Pipemania tests players' skills in five different game modes - world, arcade, bonus, multiplayer, classic, and best of the all - the original Pipemania game. Players will navigate through more than 70 levels with seven different themes in order to build their Island World. The frantic puzzle game offers hours of entertainment with enhanced visuals, new play mechanics, multiple attacks and damages, various Floozes, and an army of characters for players to help and hinder along the way. The entire game can be played in single player or in co-op for competitive play between two players.

JoWooD Productions today announced Gothic 3: Forsaken Gods. The official expansion for the role-playing game Gothic 3 is planned for release in Q4 2008.

Gothic 3: Forsaken Gods will answer many open questions and guarantee a seamless step to Gothic 4. Once more you take on the role of the nameless Hero and again you have to raise your sword in anger to save the world of Gothic. On your journey you will meet old friends – but be careful, some old alliances may not have lasted the test of time….

Electronic Arts today announced The SimCity Box, a bundled pack of five games from the SimCity franchise. The SimCity Box contains SimCity Societies, SimCity Societies Destinations, SimCity 4, SimCity 4 Rush Hour and The Sims Carnival SnapCity. The SimCity Box will be available this June for $39.99.

Sega today revealed all of the suits that are playable and unlockable in the upcoming video game, Iron Man, scheduled for release on May 2nd.

• MARK I

  
  This is the very first Iron Man suit ever built. In a life changing moment, Tony Stark is attacked and captured by terrorists. While being held captive, Tony is forced to build a weapon of mass destruction. With the help of Yinsen, Tony builds the Mark I suit instead and uses it to escape. Thus, a new Super Hero is born: Iron Man!
  

  
  

• MARK II

  
  The Mark II was constructed as a prototype with an emphasis on exploring flight potential. As the first suit of Iron Man armor built at Stark Industries, the Mark II armor was soon replaced by the Mark III after initial flight testing.
  

  
  

• MARK III

  
  This is the main suit Iron Man uses in the game and film. After initial flight tests were completed on the Mark II, Tony built the Mark III. Designed for customization, the Mark III armor can be equipped with a variety of enhancements and upgrades.
  

  
  Unlocakable Suits
  

  
  

• Classic

  
  First debuting in 'Tales of Suspense #48', the suit that would become known as the iconic Iron Man armor underwent several subtle cosmetic changes before the look was finalized in 'Tales of Suspense #66'. Some of the major features of the suit were the first implementation of the palm mounted 'Repulsor Rays', ultra fine microscopic integrated circuitry that made the suit easier to control, and boot thrusters that enabled the wearer to fly for greatly sustained speeds and distances. Appearing in well over 200 issues of Iron Man's comic adventures, this suit is easily the most recognizable suit in Iron Man's arsenal.
  

  
  

• Extremis

  
  First appearing during the 'Extremis' story arc that ran from Iron Man Vol. 4 Issues 1-6, this armor has become the most prevalent look for the modern day Iron Man. This is the defining suit that Tony Stark has worn during major events such as 'Civil War' and 'World War Hulk'. In this armor, Iron Man has hit new levels of power.
  

  
  

• Hulkbuster

  
  The name says it all. In order to be ready for possible combat with the rampaging monster known as 'The Incredible Hulk', Tony Stark developed this suit of armor as the ultimate add on to the Iron Man suit. The first version of Iron Man's Hulkbuster armor appeared in Iron Man #304 and enabled Iron Man to lift up to 175 tons as well as provide enough durability to withstand repeated blows from the Hulk.
  

  
  

• Classic Mark I

  
  The first Iron Man suit ever created. Built during Iron Man's first appearance in 'Tales of Suspense #39', the suit functioned both as a life saving device for Tony Stark's injured heart and as a weapon to help him escape captivity. While reinterpreted by different artists, this design is based from the original version of the suit designed by Jack Kirby and Don Heck.
  

  
  Platform Specific-Suits
  

  
  

• Silver Centurion - Xbox 360 Only

  
  Originally used as a means by which Tony Stark could test out new ideas for the Iron Man suit, it eventually became his new fully operational set of armor when used in the first comic book battle between Tony Stark and Obadiah Stane in Iron Man issue 200. Boldly sporting new colors, this version of the suit was worn during Stark's days as a West Coast Avenger and during the first 'Armor Wars' storyline.
  

  
  

• Ultimate - PlayStation 3 Only

  
  In the Ultimate Universe, an alternate version of the Marvel Universe, Tony Stark requires the help of an entire specialized crew to help maintain this bulkier Iron Man armor. As seen in The Ultimates, this ensemble functions more like a compact vehicle than a man-sized suit of armor.

Telltale today announced Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People, a new series of episodic games for WiiWare, in partnership with Videlectrix. Starring Strong Bad, the self-proclaimed coolest person ever, the series is based on Matt and Mike Chapman's online animated series, which has been running at Homestarrunner.com since 2000. Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People will launch on WiiWare this June and will also be available on PC.

Telltale is working closely with the Chapmans on the series' art style, storylines, and scripts. This hands-on collaboration will deliver long-time fans the ultimate Strong Bad experience and give new players a crash course in the series' offbeat and unusual humor. The episodes play like extended cartoons, during which the player assumes the role of Strong Bad—controlling his actions, hearing his innermost thoughts, and becoming part of his awesome world. SBCG4AP features the cast of characters and locations from the Homestarrunner.com cartoons, and the games are fully voice acted by Matt Chapman and the rest of the original cast.

Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People is a story-driven series with a comic spin that's undeniably Strong Bad. The player uncovers each episode's comedic plot through character interaction, dialogue-based puzzles, and the use (and abuse) of inventory items. In addition, each episode will be crammed with time-wasters to keep players poking around in the world, including Strong Bad emails to check, prank phone calls to place, and mini-games styled after the arcade games on the Homestarrunner.com website.

Marvel Entertainment and Sega today announced that all prominent cast members from the upcoming action-thriller from Universal Pictures and Marvel Studios, The Incredible Hulk, will also lend their voices and likeness to the video game of the same name, slated to release with the film in June. Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, Tim Blake Nelson and William Hurt will all take part in the game as their respective characters.

Sega brings the film’s A-list actors to the game to create a more authentic experience. Edward Norton (Fight Club, The Italian Job, The Illusionist) plays scientist Bruce Banner, a man desperately seeking to rid himself of the unbridled force of rage within him: The Hulk. Liv Tyler (The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Strangers) is Dr. Betty Ross, Banner’s love interest, while Tim Roth (Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction) voices Emil Blonsky (alter ego of The Hulk’s archenemy, The Abomination). Tim Blake Nelson (Syriana, Meet the Fockers) portrays Dr. Samuel Sterns, and William Hurt (Into the Wild, The Village) plays General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, the man who wants to capture The Hulk and brutally exploit his power.

Ubisoft today that Assassin's Creed Director's Cut for PC has shipped to stores nationwide with a SRP of $49.99.

PC players will experience four brand-new exclusive types of investigation missions, providing even more ways for players to explore the various locations of the Third Crusade. Players will assume the role of the main character, Altair, whose purpose is to stop hostilities by suppressing both sides of the conflict while learning the art of becoming a master assassin.

IGS today announced it will release a geo-political simulator game titled Commander In Chief. The game, which gives you the opportunity to become a head of state or government and make decisions on its behalf, is currently slated for retail release in the U.S. in Q2 2008.

In Commander In Chief, every country in the world is represented with its own unique data of over 400 key values (geographic, climatic, demographic, budgetary, environmental, etc.). Players are able to select the country of their choice and take on the role of the government’s leader. As the country’s leader, the players have a number of actions at their disposal. First, the player has to select a cabinet to oversee individual government services. In addition to specific decisions (changing tax rates, firing a minister, etc.), the player can also negotiate with labor groups, sign business or military contracts with partner countries, and participate in decision-making at international organizations. The game offers single player mode and a multiplayer 'Wargame' mode.

BioWare today announced an entirely new Tactical Heads-Up Display (HUD) for Mass Effect on the PC. The new HUD allows players to access the Individual Squad Command, Biotics powers and Abilities and Weapons command interfaces all in one screen, and can be accessed simply by pressing the space bar. The new Tactical HUD makes executing a variety of important commands a very natural and quick experience so players can get back into the action. Mass Effect for the PC will be available in May.