According to assistant director of photography at 343 Industries, Paul Featherstone, the images are “100% untouched”.

Images courtesy of EuroGamer.

Entitled NeverDead Expansion Pack Volume 1, the DLC expands the online element of the game, with a new playable character, three new challenges within the expanded Asylum level and two new online costumes for the game’s immortal hero, Bryce Boltzmann.

The Expansion Pack offers the user the chance to control a fashionable, charismatic pop-idol called Nikki Summerfield within NeverDead’s cooperative online challenges, and take part in three new challenges within the reworked Asylum stage. These include:

·          Egg Hunt: Scour the expanded Asylum level for collectables scoring points by delivering them to designated ‘Score Zones’. Opponents will try to snatch any that you drop along the way, while enemy ambush points and environmental hazards at every turn up the ante.

·          Fragile Alliance: A competitive race through a number of checkpoints spread across the map. Users can interrupt their rivals’ progress by attacking each other. This mode also sees the number of environmental hazards and enemy spawn points upped for additional challenge.

·          Onslaught: Unlock the entire Asylum level section-by-section by defeating all enemies. Demon-seals that block off areas will dissipate as you defeat enemies from the previous area, providing more-controlled player movement and encounters.

Finally, the NeverDead Expansion Pack Volume 1 also boasts two costumes for online users to dress Bryce in.

The Nintendo 3DS also continues to dominate hardware sales in Japan, selling 75,018 units while the Playstation Vita sold 17,141 (beating out the PSP).

Top selling Software and Hardware for 1/30 to 2/5.

• [3DS] 01. Resident Evil Revelations (Capcom, 01.26.2012) 43,575 (190,134)
• [PS3] 02. Soul Calibur V (Capcom, 02.02.2012) 34,328 (NEW)
• [PSP] 03. Photo Girlfriend (Capcom, 02.02.2012) 34,095 (NEW)
• [PSV] 04. Ragnarok Odyssey (Capcom, 02.02.2012) 33,496 (NEW)
• [PS3] 05. Armored Core V (Capcom, 01.26.2012) 30,775 (194,681)
• [3DS] 06. Mario Kart 7 (Capcom, 12.01.2011) 26,791 (1,460,749)
• [3DS] 07. Monster Hunter 3G (Capcom, 12.10.2011) 24,128 (1,211,026)
• [3DS] 08. Super Mario 3D Land (Capcom, 11.03.2011) 22,817 (1,311,312)
• [PS3] 09. Gran Turismo 5 Spec II (Capcom, 02.02.2012) 21,416 (NEW)
• [PS3] 10. Dragon Age II (Capcom, 02.02.2012) 19,928 (NEW)
• [3DS] 11. Rhythm Thief R (Capcom, 12.15.2011) 9,511 (56,037)
• [360] 12. Monster Hunter Frontier Online Forward .3 Premium Package (Capcom, 02.02.2012) 9,047 (NEW)
• [3DS] 13. Inazuma Eleven Go (Capcom, 01.26.2012) 8,960 (379,764)
• [PSV] 14. Tales of Innocence R (Capcom, 01.26.2012) 8,397 (63,250)
• [WII] 15. Just Dance Wii (Capcom, 10.13.2011) 7,851 (527,050)
• [360] 16. Soul Calibur V (Capcom, 02.02.2012) 7,679 (NEW)
• [PSP] 17. Monster Hunter Portable 3rd PSP the Best (Capcom, 09.22.2011) 6,875 (185,853)
• [WII] 18. Wii Sports Resort Wiimote Plus Pack (Capcom, 11.11.2010) 5,635 (862,118)
• [PS3] 19. Final Fantasy XIII-2 (Capcom, 12.15.2011) 5,336 (774,415)
• [WII] 20. Mario Kart Wii (Capcom, 04.10.2008) 5,068 (3,500,168)

Here’s the full hardware chart for the same period with the prior week’s sales in parentheses.

• 1. 3DS: 75,018 (84,789)
• 2. PS3: 23,293 (22,924)
• 3. PSV: 17,141 (18,942)
• 4. PSP: 15,847 (16,008)
• 5. Wii: 8,814 (10,396)
• 6. X360: 1,382 (1,235)
• 7. DSi LL: 1,090 (1,180)
• 8. DSi: 669 (738)
• 9. PS2: 481 (713)

Source: Andriasang.com

Elite Drop 2: Piazza Map
This seaside Italian getaway is anything but idyllic, as tight corners and branching pathways pose great risk at every turn. Close-range combat dominates, and the team that best utilizes flanking routes will most often come out on top. Attacks from behind, above and below are an ever-constant threat. Keep up your awareness and don’t get taken by surprise.

Elite Drop 3: Overwatch Map
Overwatch drops you into a construction site atop a New York City skyscraper. The battle takes place along two levels in a near symmetrical layout, with the central bridge and side routes open to attack from multiple angles. Watch your every step, as a lack of safety barriers surrounding the perimeter leaves nothing between you and a 70 story fall to the ground below.

Overwatch is the third Content Drop in Modern Warfare 3’s Content Season, which will include more than 20 pieces of brand new content over the 9 month season. Elite Drops 4-6 will be available in March for Premium Members on Xbox Live and will include the multiplayer map Black Box and two brand new Special Ops Missions, Black Ice and Negotiator. The full calendar of content is outlined here – http://www.callofduty.com/contentcalendar

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The information contained in this fact sheet relates to a prerelease product that may be substantially modified before its first commercial release. Accordingly, the information may not accurately describe or reflect the product when first commercially released. This fact sheet is provided for informational purposes only, and Microsoft makes no warranties, express or implied, with respect to the fact sheet or the information contained in it.

Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360 and Xbox Live are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

Next Chapter in the Franchise Introduces More Than 20 New Figures Including Super-Sized Giants and Characters Featuring Light Technology

Global Marketing Partnership With Toys”R”Us Grows Alongside The Game

Bring Your Toys To Life. This novel premise takes a monster step forward with the worldwide unveiling of Skylanders Giants, the follow-up to the most successful kids’ IP launch of the year.¹ Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI), will debut the sequel at the North American International Toy Fair in booths 3151 and 3251 at the Javits Center in New York City from February 12-15.

Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure uniquely combined collectible real-world toys with an epic virtual game world, creating a new platform for communal play that was embraced by parents and kids everywhere. Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure was the #1 best-selling kids’ franchise worldwide in 2011, as well as the #1 overall new IP launched in North America, according to The NPD Group, Charttrack and GfK.

¹According to The NPD Group, Charttrack and Gfk

According to The NPD Group, Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure went on to become a Top-10 seller in North America and generated the greatest overall single-year sales, inclusive of software and accessories, of any new children’s IP in North America, since NPD has been tracking the category.

Skylanders Giants builds upon the breakthrough fundamentals of the first game-merging the physical and virtual realms with an innovative line of cross-platform toy figures that have “brains,” which players everywhere can magically bring to life in the world of Skylands. This next installment of the franchise features a variety of new characters, new challenges, a thrilling new story-driven adventure, and advanced integration across console, handheld, mobile and online:

Going Big: Skylanders Giants introduces eight new highly collectible figures that are more than twice the size of the main skylanders cast in both physical and virtual form. Their in-game powers and abilities reflect their colossal scale.

Bright Lights: Helping to further the real world magic of bringing toys to life, Skylanders Giants includes a set of characters that feature spectacular new light technology integrated into the toys, allowing the figure to light up when near or on the Portal of Power™. These characters have additional in-game benefits as well. Batteries are not required.

Brand New Skylanders: Eight new regular sized skylanders, each with their own unique powers, abilities, and personality, join the adventure alongside the Giants.

Forward Compatibility: Every beloved character from Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure is 100% compatible with Skylanders Giants, leveled-up stats and customizations intact.

Wider Worlds: Portal Masters will see all new arenas and more gameplay options in Battle Mode for exciting head-to-head play, as well as enhanced Elemental Zones, new Hero Challenges, and other features that encourage players to collect and level up every character.

Skylanders Giants also features closer integration with Skylanders Spyro’s Universe, the large online world that allows Portal Masters around the world to greatly expand their Skylanders experience.

“Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure’s success in 2011 validated an exciting idea-that with the right technology, and the creative minds to support it with engaging characters and story, we could define a new model for children’s play,” said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing. “Skylanders Giants marks the evolution of this core concept. We’ve got super-sized figures, remarkably cool new characters that light up, as if by magic, and more ways to play and explore Skylands than ever before. We’re delighted to announce the title at Toy Fair 2012 and can’t wait for fans to go hands-on this fall.”

Toys”R”Us has reaffirmed its commitment to Activision and the Skylanders franchise, and will remain a marquee retail partner for the launch of Skylanders Giants. “While it was still in development, we recognized the potential that Skylanders had to connect with our customers due to its unique merging of physical and digital play,” said Jerry Storch, Chairman and CEO, Toys”R”Us, Inc. “The game was an enormous success last holiday shopping season, and the toys seem to evaporate as soon as they arrive on our store shelves. We’re excited to continue our enthusiastic support for Skylanders with a comprehensive, global marketing program to introduce Giants to our customers.”

Skylanders Giants is developed by Toys For Bob, an Activision studio located in Novato, California. The game is not yet rated by the ESRB. For more information, visit www.skylandersgame.com

BloodRayne: Betrayal is a retro throwback, bringing back the best of old-school platformers and blending it together with extremely satisfying, gorgeously bloody vampire slashing. It’s a beautiful game with style in spades set to a chilling narrative. This is the definition of a must-have game at a fantastic price.

BloodRayne: Betrayal delivers over-the-top stylish action with a healthy dose of bloodshed. You are Rayne, the sexy dhampir with superhuman strength, speed, and agility, recruited by the vampire hunting Brimstone Society for one last mission. The target is a lavish, yet sinister ball in a secluded castle with plenty of dark surprises. With the help of a mysterious friend, and members of Brimstone, Rayne must infiltrate the manor, take out the fiendish horde, and stop an evil master plot once and for all.
For more information about BloodRayne: Betrayal, please visit www.bloodraynebetrayal.com.

The February American Le Mans Series Pack features 10 vehicles prepped and polished for the avid car aficionado:

·         2011 #2 Audi Sport North America R18 TDI: Featuring a closed cockpit design (the first such Audi Le Mans car fielded in more than 10 years), the R18 is a marvel of modern racing design. Featuring a lighter materials and a premium on aerodynamic efficiency, it’s little wonder the R18 TDI brought home top honors during the 2011 24 Hours of Le Mans.
·         2011 Panoz #050 Panoz Racing Abruzzi: A five hundred horsepower engine that will feel right at home tearing down the straights of Le Mans, the Panoz Racing Abruzzi’s tusk-like front end marries unique styling with impressive performance.
·         2010 Dodge Quinton “Rampage” Jackson Challenger SRT8: Owned by UFC fighter Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, this 2010 Dodge Challenger SRT8 is one of the most aggressive-looking cars ever seen in the Forza Motorsport series. With red and black rims that need to be seen to be believed, this Challenger will turn heads in Forza 4 the moment the race begins.
·         1991 Mazda #55 Team Mazdaspeed 787B: One of the most unique sounding cars in Forza 4, the Wankel rotary engine-equipped 787B is also legendary for its performance. It won the 1991 24 Hours of Le Mans race and the model was soon retired after FIA rules changes subsequently banned the use of Wankel-type rotary engines.
·         2011 Bentley Platinum Motorsports Continental GT: This Bentley Continental GT features a widebody construction that was custom created by Los Angeles-based Platinum Motorsports. The Continental GT looks great and features some serious power underneath the hood—two factors that contributed it to being selected as Forza Motorsport’s “E3 2011 Car of Show”.
·         1986 #2 Audi Sport quattro S1: Introduced in 1985 as a Group B rally entrant, this was the car that put Audi’s rallying program on the map. One of the most powerful Group B cars ever made, the quattro S1 held multiple hill climb world records in its day and is still widely regarded as one of the most incredible race cars Audi has produced.
·         1992 Alfa Romeo 155 Q4: A “compact executive” with the heart of a touring car, the 155 Q4 features a 2.0 liter turbocharged engine capable of 187 horsepower and an all-wheel drive drivetrain.
·         1995 Ford Mustang Cobra R: Long sought after by Forza’s Mustang fans, the 1995 Ford Mustang Cobra R is big and beefy American muscle at its finest. Its SVT-modified 5.8 liter Windsor V8 pumps out 300 horsepower and plenty of torque. The car’s legendary status is further enhanced by its rarity—just 250 Cobra R models were produced.
·         2011 Holden HSV GTS: More power, better handling, and new technology are all hallmarks of Holden’s 2011 HSV GTS. The car’s MRC suspension brings a responsive ride in the corners that, when coupled with the 6.2 liter V8, makes the GTS a joy to drive.
·         2011 Volkswagen Polo GTI: A great-looking hatchback with surprising grit underneath the hood, the 2011 Polo GTI packs a 1.4 liter twin charged engine combining both a turbocharger and a supercharger, belting out an impressive 177 horsepower in a compact size.

Stay Up To Speed With the “Forza Motorsport 4” Season Pass: The “Forza Motorsport 4” Season Pass is your action-packed ticket to six game add-on packs as they’re released through the next year. Players can purchase the Season Pass on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace and at participating retailers for only 2,400 Microsoft points. The “Forza Motorsport 4” Season Pass is redeemable for six game add-on packs, representing a 30 percent overall savings as compared to purchasing the content separately. New purchasers will also receive all previously released game add-on content and the IGN car pack.

Fresh off the runaway success of Dungeon Defenders (which recently surpassed 1 million units sold across all platforms), digital experts Reverb Publishing today announced a partnership with the veteran development team at Coffee Stain Studios to publish the PC, Xbox LIVE and PlayStation Network version of Sanctum 2, the sequel to its incredibly popular PC title, Sanctum. Since launching on Steam in April 2011, the tower-defense/first-person-shooter genre bending Sanctum has sold over 300,000 units.

“We’re always searching for great games from passionate developers, particularly studios that have innovative ideas that get us excited to play them,” said Ted Lange, executive producer, Reverb Publishing. “Sanctum has been a huge success on Steam for Coffee Stain Studios, and bringing the next version to console players as well as the PC market is a great next step to share this unique experience. We all have logged quite a few hours with Sanctum and can definitively say that what Coffee Stain has in store for Sanctum 2 will blow the minds of Sanctum fans and new gamers alike.”

Sanctum is a fresh take on the tower defense genre and places the player right into the frenetic fray with tight first-person shooter gameplay mechanics. Gamers take the role of Skye, an elite soldier sent out to protect her home town, Elysion One, from hordes of mysterious alien creatures. To successfully defend your land, you must construct and upgrade a labyrinth of defensive structures and towers. When the havoc starts and the wave of baddies is unleashed, you jump right into the action with your own fully-upgradeable weapons and play a key role in the defense. Sanctum has taken the best features from FPSs and tower defense games to create something totally unique, and Sanctum 2 will only build on and improve that experience.

“With their combined public relations, marketing, sales and business development experience, Reverb Publishing has more than enough chops for us to be honored that they are publishing Sanctum 2,” said Anton Westbergh, producer and CEO for Coffee Stain Studios. “Reverb’s unique publishing model allowing us as the developer to fully retain our IP and keep the lion’s share of the revenue from the game made it a no-brainer. Their success with Dungeon Defenders proves they know how to take a digital title to market and make it a winner, and we can’t wait to see what they can do with Sanctum 2.”

Reverb Publishing’s unique business model is form fitted for each of its developers, ensuring that the developer receives the majority of the game’s revenue and maintains ownership of their titles’ IP while Reverb handles production support, first party management, marketing, public relations and distribution.

Sanctum 2 joins Reverb’s growing roster of titles, which includes the recently released Dungeon Defenders as well as the upcoming Jeremy McGrath’s Offroad, JAM Live Music Arcade, Black Knight Sword and much more. For more information on Reverb Publishing and its line-up of titles, please visit us at www.reverbpublishing.com, follow us on Twitter or ‘Like’ us on Facebook.

About Reverb Publishing:
Founded in 2010, Reverb Publishing offers digital publishing to independent game developers on PlayStation Network, Xbox LIVE Arcade, Wiiware, PC, iOS and Droid, by combining production and business development support paired with the proven public relations and marketing agency expertise from its parent company, Reverb Communications. Reverb Publishing’s unique business model is form fitted for studios, ensuring that they receive the majority of the game’s revenue and maintain ownership of their titles while Reverb handles all the non-developmental tasks including production support, navigating QA, and preparing for product submission.

The PR veterans at Reverb Communications have worked on recognizable brands like Guitar Hero, Rock Band, The Beatles: Rock Band, Dance Central, Star Trek Online, as well as stellar digital titles like ZEN Pinball, Battle Slots, Army of Darkness, BloodRayne: Betrayal, Kung Fu LIVE and the recently released Dungeon Defenders.

For more information about Reverb Publishing, please visit www.reverbpublishing.com