For SF4 European & Australian Fans | Para aficionados europeos y australianos de SF4

From: Capcom Europe

The SF4 PlayStation 3 Collector's edition box.

The SF4 Xbox 360 Collector's edition box.

To celebrate the return of the revolutionary Street Fighter series and the upcoming release of Street Fighter IV for the PLAYSTATION®3 and Xbox 360®, Capcom has created the ultimate Collectors Edition pack for European and Australian fans of the series.

Along with the game itself, the Collectors Edition pack, which will be available for both the PS3 and Xbox 360, will include the following contents housed in a classic Street Fighter scene outer case –

o Limited edition figurines of all time favourite character Ryu and the all new character Crimson Viper, positioned within the familiar settings of the ‘crowded Chinese downtown’.
o A bonus disc containing a feature length HD quality anime movie, created specially for the launch of Street Fighter IV and a selection of the best game trailers to date.
o A mini strategy guide created in the style of a comic art book detailing the moves and biographies of four of the new characters to the series; Viper, Abel, El Fuerte and Rufus
o Exclusive downloadable game content

Street Fighter IV the Collectors Edition will be punching its way into fans hands on February 20th 2009.

Fake consoles on sale? | ¿Consolas falsificadas a la venta?

Just because the price of a console at certain places sounds too good to buy online, don’t even think about getting them especially if you live in the UK. The sale of fake Nintendo DS and DS Lite portable consoles sold by certain websites with headquarters in Asia have been causing certain problems for gamers in the United Kingdom. Not only people have the possibility of getting counterfeited devices, those game systems can be dangerous to use because their adapters are not safe to use them in that country. Nintendo already knows about this problem. So, if you see a console at a cheaper price at a site you’ve never heard from, don’t buy it. It will most likely be a fake console.

Solo porque el precio de una consola en ciertos lugares parece ser muy bueno para comprarlo en línea, ni piensen en conseguirlo especialmente si viven en el RU. La venta de consolas portátiles falsificadas Nintendo DS and DS Lite vendidas en ciertos sitios web con base en Asia han estado causando ciertos problemas para los videojugadores en el Reino Unido. No solamente la gente tiene la posibildad de obtener un dispositivo falsificado, esos sistems de juegos pueden ser peligrosos al usarse porque sus adaptadores corren peligro al ser usados en ese país. Nintendo ya sabe acerca de este problema. Así que si ven una consola a un precio más barato en un sitio del que jamás hayan escuchado, no lo compren. Es más probablemente que sea una consola falsificada.

Christmas Danger From Fake Games Consoles

Issued on behalf of HM Revenue & Customs

Friday 5th December, 2008/… Fake games consoles and adaptors are potentially putting Christmas consumers’ lives in danger, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) warned today. Hundreds of imported counterfeit games consoles seized at UK freight depots were found to have been supplied with potentially dangerous power adaptors. The goods had been purchased from a range of websites, mainly based in Asia, which claimed the items were “genuine Nintendo products.” Many of the consoles, which are fake versions of the popular Nintendo DS and DS Lite had been bought for around £40, instead of the usual retail price of £100.

Nintendo confirmed that the Nintendo DS and DS Lite consoles were counterfeit, and the power adaptors being supplied with the product were not Nintendo manufactured and were, in fact, potentially dangerous, since they had not been electronically tested and do not meet strict UK safety standards.

HMRC’s Head of Intellectual Property rights Pamela Rogers said:

“UK consumers must be vigilant when purchasing goods online. Buy from a reputable or regulated site and, if purchasing from outside the UK or a new website, research the site – check all the facts before you buy.

“At best, these consoles would have led to disappointment on Christmas morning; at worst, they could have caused serious harm or injury.

“Counterfeit goods also cause considerable damage the UK economy by undermining genuine UK retailers and small businesses who are honest and abide by the rules.”

Mike Rawlinson, managing director for the trade body of the UK game’s industry ELSPA (the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association), comments: “We are asking all concerned parents to be diligent – often when a bargain seems too good to be true it actually is. We would also like to thank HMRC for their role in swiftly alerting all UK ports to be on their guard for similar counterfeit goods coming into the country. As a responsible industry we are also extremely committed to ending the damaging counterfeit games market, which not only defrauds UK tax payers with inferior products but in some cases actually puts children’s lives at risk too. This is an issue that affects all retail businesses, particularly at Christmas, and more needs to be done to work together to mitigate the risks posed by fake goods. We are also continuing to work very closely with Trading Standards Officers on this important safety issue and we also want to thank them for their diligence.”

EA Sports: 3 on 3 NHL Arcade

EA SPORTS Throws Rulebook out the Window for 3 on 3 NHL Arcade

New Title from EA SPORTS Freestyle Prioritizes Accessible Fun with Low Cost of Entry

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Electronic Arts Inc. (Nasdaq:ERTS) announced today that 3 on 3 NHL® Arcade – an all-new downloadable experience from EA SPORTS Freestyle™ – is in development at EA Canada by the team that produced the critically acclaimed NHL 09. 3 on 3 NHL Arcade is a no rules, fast paced, hockey experience that gamers of all types can enjoy. This fresh take on the NHL Hockey franchise will be available as a download in February 2009 on Xbox LIVE Arcade and the Playstation Network for 800 MS Points and $9.99, respectively.

“Available through a simple digital download, 3 on 3 NHL Arcade is perfect for sports fans who want to experience the thrill of NHL hockey at a great value without worrying about the rules of the sport,” said Dave McCarthy, vice president, EA SPORTS. “Accessibility is really important. We have worked to make sure that come February, 3 on 3 NHL Arcade is a lot of fun for players of all skill levels.”

GigaMedia Unveils Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning Traditional Chinese Website

TAIPEI, Taiwan–(BUSINESS WIRE)–GigaMedia Ltd (NASDAQ:GIGM), publisher of Warhammer® Online: Age of Reckoning™ (WAR) in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau, and Mythic Entertainment, an Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) studio, today announced the launch of the localized Chinese language (Traditional Chinese) website for the fantasy Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning.

Launched in September 2008 in North America, Europe and Southeast Asia, WAR has received multiple Editor’s Choice awards from media outlets including IGN, GameSpy and GameFocus. A fully localized traditional Chinese version of WAR is slated for launch in early 2009.

Best Buy and EA Announce the National “Invent-A- Game Challenge” with $10,000 U.S. Savings Bond Grand Prize

Best Buy and EA Announce the National “INVENT-A-GAME CHALLENGE” with $10,000 U.S. Savings Bond Grand Prize

Imagine the Thrill of Seeing Your Own Video Game Produced and in Free Worldwide Distributions

Stamford, CT- December 4, 2008-– Best Buy and Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) in association with The United Inventors Association (UIA) and By Kids For Kids (BKFK) announce the “Invent-A-Game Challenge,” a national competition offering America’s young people a unique chance to design an online game that Electronic Arts (“EA”) will produce. The Grand Prize winner will also receive a $10,000 (face value) U.S. Savings Bond. Complete contest rules can be found at www.bkfk.com.

The Invent-A-Game challenge is open to all American youth between the ages of 5 and 19. The contest period runs from December 3, 2008 until March 31, 2009. All entries must be received online at www.bkfk.com.

“Best Buy is excited about the opportunity to tap into the knowledge, innovation and talent of our youth to develop an online game,” said Jill Hamburger, vice president of gaming for Best Buy. “We’re especially interested in how kids tell us they use gaming in new and innovative ways to improve and enrich their lives.”

Game Active, an ancillary call for content, asks youth to consider how active gaming could improve ones’ life. For example, could a video game be used in an active way to promote a healthier lifestyle, or stimulate interest in and help track an exercise regime? Ideas submitted might even be celebrated on BestBuy.com and BKFK.com.

Innovative Game Active submissions may be shared with the public through www.bestbuy.com/familygaming or www.bkfk.com.

“EA is thrilled to give today’s youth the opportunity to see their idea made into a video game that people all around the world can enjoy,” said Daniel Hagerty, Producer, Electronic Arts. “We are eager to see the thought and creativity that kids put into this challenge and the ideas that are brought to the table.”

“BKFK appreciates the opportunity to partner with Best Buy, EA and the UIA to empower enterprising youth to create their very own video games, and to seeing the grand prize winner having their idea produced and distributed freely for the world to play!” added Norman Goldstein, the founder and CEO of BKFK.

“The United Inventors Association is very pleased to support the ‘Invent-A-Game Challenge,’ said Patrick Raymond, Executive Director of the UIA “Considering how much time youth spend playing video games, this contest is an opportunity to channel some of that toward an inventive challenge, especially for a game with a higher social purpose.”

Final Fantasy Distant Worlds | 2009

From/De: Final Fantasy Distant Worlds [ffdistantworlds.com]

…a holiday announcement from Distant Worlds: music from FINAL FANTASY music director and maestro, Arnie Roth

Dear FINAL FANTASY Fans,

Happy Holidays! I cannot believe a whole year has passed since our premiere of Distant Worlds: music from FINAL FANTASY in Stockholm. I am excited to announce on our one-year anniversary that we will be visiting even more cities in 2009! We have confirmed concerts all around the world, including many concerts in the USA and for the first time ever in Asia! I am happy to announce that more post concert meet & greet tickets have been made available for Grand Rapids. They are only available by phone, so call today and do not miss out on a chance to hang out after the concert with Uematsu-san and me. We will be signing autographs after the concert exclusively for fans with meet and greet tickets.

A lot of fans have asked us when we will be visiting the east and west coasts of the U.S. and I want to thank you so much for your kind and encouraging words. Your requests have been helpful in planning concerts in these regions in 2009. Today, via pre-sale only, you can buy tickets to see Distant Worlds: music from FINAL FANTASY in Seattle with the Seattle Symphony for two shows only on July 10th and 11th at 8:00pm. The Emmy award winning Seattle Symphony orchestra will be performing in Benaroya Hall – S. Mark Taper Auditorium, noted for its architectural and acoustical splendor. See below for full details including the pre-sale promo code.

Tickets will also be on sale soon for two more USA cities: May 16th with the Baltimore Symphony in Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, a gorgeous venue known for its pristine acoustics and versatility and July 17th and 18th with the Grammy award winning San Francisco Symphony! I know everyone has been waiting for these, so keep checking ffdistantworlds.com for info about these exciting events. We will be sending out email announcements early in the New Year about Nobuo Uematsu attending all of these Distant Worlds concerts!

Asia tour!

We are excited to perform Nobuo Uematsu’s music of Distant Worlds: music from FINAL FANTASY on tour in Asia in 2009! In May, we will travel to Taipei and Singapore for two concerts in each city. Distant Worlds will make its Asian premiere in Taiwan at the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall, and in Singapore we are proud to be part of the Singapore Arts festival for two concerts on the 22nd and 23rd at 7:30pm in the Esplanade Theatres on the Bay. Tickets will be on sale in March 2009.

Holiday Contest!

With each newsletter, we plan on bringing special offers available only to our fans. As an exclusive offer we are announcing a CD, T-shirt, and concert program give-away just in time for the holidays. The official concert T-shirt and program are usually only available at the live concerts and not online so don’t miss this great opportunity to win these gifts. Our CD, Distant Worlds: music from FINAL FANTASY is rapidly becoming the definitive recording of Final Fantasy music. To participate, simply forward this newsletter using the FORWARD TO A FRIEND link below to one of your friends, and you will be automatically entered in the drawing. Five lucky winners will be chosen at random from our list. We will contact the winner via email on Dec 22nd to claim the prize. Sign up and forward early and often to win!

Good luck and best wishes!

Sincerely,
Maestro Arnie Roth
Music Director of Distant Worlds

For details about all upcoming concerts go to ffdistantworlds.com/tickets
To purchase the CD “Distant Worlds: music from FINAL FANTASY” go to amazon.com or ffdistantworlds.com/cd

Tickets on sale now!

Tickets for Seattle Symphony exclusive presale offer are AVAILABLE NOW USING CODE 7097 BY PHONE AND ONLINE by calling 206-215-4747 or 1-866-833-4747 and on sale online now at ffdistantworlds.com/seattle or at seattlesymphony.org. Act fast! Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning at 10:00am on December 8th and start at $17.

Tickets for Grand Rapids are going fast AVAILABLE NOW BY PHONE AND ONLINE by calling (616) 454-9451, Ext. 4 and on sale online now at ffdistantworlds.com/grandrapids
Grand Rapids Meet and Greet details:
A limited number of meet and greet tickets remain. These tickets are available only by calling the Grand Rapids Symphony office at (616) 454-9451, Ext. 4 and will not be available online. Be sure to mention special offer code CHOCOBO when calling. Meet/greet ticket price is $50 USD and a ticket to the concert (sold separately) is also required to attend the meet/greet.

Seattle, WA
Fri, July 10th, 2009 – 8:00PM
Sat, July 11th, 2009 – 8:00PM
Benaroya Hall – S. Mark Taper Auditorium
Seattle Symphony
ffdistantworlds.com/seattle

Grand Rapids, MI
Tues, April 14th, 2009 – 7:30PM
DeVos Performance Hall Grand Rapids Symphony
ffdistantworlds.com/grandrapids

The Distant Worlds concerts are produced by composer Nobuo Uematsu and AWR Music Productions, and are an official production of AWR Music Productions LLC and SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD.
www.ffdistantworlds.com

Also coming soon!

Baltimore, Maryland, USA
May 16th, 2009
Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
Baltimore Symphony
ffdistantworlds.com/baltimore

San Francisco, California, USA
July 17th and 18th, 2009
San Francisco Symphony
ffdistantworlds.com/sanfrancisco

Taipei, Taiwan
Date/Time TBA
Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall
ffdistantworlds.com/taipei

Singapore City, Singapore
May 22nd and 23rd, 2009
Esplanade Theatres on the Bay
ffdistantworlds.com/singapore

Mirror’s Edge: Downloadable Content | Contenido descargable | Trailer

From/De: EA DICE

Are you the fastest Runner around? Now is your chance to try completely new Time Trials. Coming this January, the new Mirror’s Edge Map Packs will blow you away. No guns, no cops, and no city to stand in your way. Your speed is all that matters. Watch the video to see the amazing new maps coming in January!