Arcade Games Journal

Organizers Electronic Entertainment Expo have announced the list of participants of the nearest exhibition.
It is known, that in 2007 in action only 32 developer and the publisher of games will take part. On E3 will be presented Activision, Atari, Disney Interactive Studios, Capcom, Eidos, Electronic Arts, Konami, LucasArts, Microsoft, Namco Bandai Games, NCsoft, Nintendo, Sega, Sony Computer Entertainment, Sony Online Entertainment, Square Enix, Take-Two Interactive, THQ, Ubisoft, Vivendi Games and some other companies.
Let’s note, that in the past to year the number of participants of an exhibition exceeded 400. Besides organizers E3 have declared, that plan to let out in 2007 of all from 3000 up to 4000 invitations. Thus, the number of participants will noticeably decrease (in the past to year action have visited 60000 person).
Electronic Entertainment Expo 2007 will pass in Santa Monica from July, 11 till July, 13th.

Companies Microsoft and Namco Bandai have declared, that will lead the championship on classic arcade game Pac-Man, is informed on a site 1up.

Gamers will show the skills in the version of the game distributed through service Xbox Live. Tournament will begin on April, 25th, 2007. By May, 9th nine winners from various regions of the world (on two of the USA and the Europe and on one of Japan, Canada, Mexico, Asia and Australia) will be defined.

The final stage of competitions will pass in New York on June, 5th, 2007. To the winner will hand over prize Toru Iwatani, the founder of original game. The award to the champion become 100000 Microsoft Points which can be spent on Xbox Live, the opportunity of times in a week free of charge to eat in cafe of fast service Quisnos and the special version of console Xbox 360 with image Pac-man.

Original Pac-Man has appeared in 1979. Game process was rather simple: operating Pac-man yellow color, gamers were offered to collect all points in a labyrinth, turning aside from ghosts. Distributed through Xbox Live the port of game has been let out in August, 2006.

Codemasters announced on the site at once three new games which will appear in 2008.
In following year the company will let out the second part of a tactical shooter from first person Operation Flashpoint. Developers characterize the creation as the extremely realistic military simulator.
Also Codemasters works above a new series of races TOCA which has received name Race Driver One. It is informed, that gamers should compete on lines of the USA, Japan and the Europe. Both mentioned games are developed on the basis of cursor Neon.
Besides in 2008 on sale will appear RPG Rise of the Argonauts. Events of game will develop in the Ancient Greece. Heroes Rise of the Argonauts become characters of the Greek mythology.
All three games should appear on personal computers and consoles of last generation.

Company Bethesda Softworks has started a site, devoted to game Fallout 3.

While on a site the board of game and the reference to the official forum devoted Fallout 3 contains only. Developers do not specify, when game will appear on sale. But on the poster it is possible to notice slogan Prepare for the Future (” Be prepared for the future “).

Let’s remind, that the first part of RPG-serial Fallout has been let out in 1997. Game told about destiny of the American citizens who have gone through nuclear war. In 1998 there was a first sequel; then two games-branches have been let out. First two parts Fallout were created by developer Black Isle Studios, instead of company Bethtesda Softworks.

The game based on television serial Lost, will appear on personal computers and consoles PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2007, is informed on site Eurogamer.
Producers of an original television movie have informed on it. Also it is known, that Canadian division Ubisoft is engaged in creation of computer version Lost. We shall note, that the company has got the rights to release of the game based on a teleserial in 2006.
The first episode of serial Lost has been shown in September, 2004. Heroes appear on the desert island forgotten in Pacific ocean and are compelled to survive in unusual conditions.

Company Capcom will let out the version of shooter Lost Planet for personal computers, is informed on site Kotaku. Game will appear on PC in June, 2007. For start Lost Planet it is required DirectX 10 (that is game will work in Windows Vista environment). Founders inform, that the new version of Lost Planet will support the graphic sanction down to 2560 on 1600 points. The shooter from third party Lost Planet has appeared on console Xbox 360 in December, 2006 in Japan and in January, 2007 in Northern America and the Europe. Events of game develop on covered by a snow and an ice to planet E.D.N. III. Natives of this cold world – race of huge insects Akrid. Unusual feature of the Lost Planet is that fact, that vital energy of protagonist Wayne Holdena constantly decreases under influence of an aggressive environment.

The Chinese government has let out the order according to which the companies-operators should will to establish the special software limiting time of access of children and teenagers to the multiuser games, is informed on site Eurogamer.

In current of first three hours lead in the game world, the account of gamers will increase in a normal mode. The following two hours will give out to users only half of the glasses added for perfect actions. After five hours of game the account of players in general will cease to grow, and each fifteen minutes on the screen there will be a message of the following maintenance: ” Long game is injurious to health, be immediately disconnected from a network and have a rest. If you will not make it, to your health will be harmed, and your account will be nulled “. Thus it is not specified, whether health of the gamer or its virtual character will be damaged.

This restriction will extend only on the users who have not reached eighteen years. But for its introduction in action all Chinese players should be registered under the present names and with use of identification cards.

The software supervising time of access, should be established till July, 16th, 2007.

Founders Guinness World Records will let out the special edition, devoted to videogames, is informed on site Gamesindusrty. The collection will receive name The Guinness World Records – Videogame Edition 2008. It will include reviews of twenty major games of year, the records put by gamers (including the greatest accounts and the most high-speed passages), the most sold products and technical achievements of developers.

” We have added in the book the records, concerning videogames, several years ago, and this section became one of the most popular in constant readers. So to devote to this theme the independent annual edition – a step quite reasonable” – has declared Craig Glenday, one of editors Guinness World Records. Let\’s note, that Guinness World Records – Videogame Edition 2008 becomes the first collection from a series of Guinness World Records, completely devoted to one theme.

Heads Epic Games, the founder of shooter Gears of War for console Xbox 360, have declared, that gamers should pay for new cards for the multiuser game, is informed on site Gamespot.

Earlier representatives of the company declared, that all additions to their popular shooter will extend free of charge as Epic Games ” always cared of consumers and is going to continue in the same spirit “. Now vice-president Epic Mark Rein has informed, that the new cards first some months will extend for a payment.

” Epic considers what to receive the maximal feedback from game it is possible, distributing additional cards for free. But the Microsoft considers, that for this purpose cards need to be sold. So we send to the compromise: initially we shall establish a reasonable payment, and in some months we shall make cards free-of-charge ” – Rein has told. We shall remind, that all additions to Gears of War extend through Xbox Live, the network service created by company Microsoft for owners of consoles Xbox and Xbox 360.

Let’s note, that subscribers Xbox Live on April, 9th, 2007, have got access to new updating for Gears of War. This addition adds a new mode of game under name Annex (“Capture”): gamers should seize the set area on a card and to keep them in current of certain time, receiving for it points.

Developers will show three levels from Halo 3 in May.
Testing of game Halo 3, a shooter from developer Bungie Studios for prefix Xbox 360, will begin on May, 16th, 2007.

Three cards will be accessible to the multiuser game to users: Snowbound, High Ground and Valhalla. Testing will be prolonged till June, 7th, 2007. Full version Halo 3 should appear on sale in the fourth quarter 2007.

The first part of futuristic shooter Halo has appeared on console Xbox in November, 2001 (on personal computers in 2003). “Nimbus” born in the name is huge (diameter in tens thousand kilometers) a construction in the form of a ring, located in space. Inside of this structure the protagonist of game also should battle to space aliens.

First series Halo became starting game for Xbox, having gone on sale at the same time as console. In total it has been sold about 15 million copies of both parts of game.