It's the global stage where dreams are realized, heroes are made, and moments that will be remembered for years happen right before your eyes. Now you too can create your own moments with London 2012 - The Official Video Game of the Olympic Games.
With new sports, new events and new gameplay modes, London 2012 brings the worlds ultimate sporting event to life bigger and better than ever before. Take to the track, negotiate the Velodrome and dive into the deep end in stunning HD while you compete for the pride of your nation. Hone your skills in the Olympic Games mode, and play with or against your friends and family in a variety of multiplayer modes.
Create your own golden moments, only with the London 2012 - The Official Video Game of the Olympic Games.
Key Features:
Go for Gold.
Compete in over 35 events including all the blue ribbon events plus some all-new events to Olympic videogames offering the ultimate depth and variety.
More ways to play.
Compete in a wide range of challenges and game modes including Olympic Games, Events Mode, Online Mode and Party Play.
Compete for Global Glory.
Take the competition online with leader boards tracking personal medal counts, and earn National Pride points with each medal you win for your country - keep playing and improve your nations standing!
The Ultimate Olympic Games Experience.
Get closer than ever to the experience of the Olympic Games with reactive commentary, super-realistic graphics and TV style presentation.
OnLive is having a Summer Gaming Academy Orientation Sale through July 8, with over 30 games up to 75% off. OnLive PlayPack subscribers can also take an
additional 30% off these already reduced prices to bring prices of some games
down 82%.
Here is a list of all the OnLive games that are on sale in the
US and UK:
AaaaaAAaaaAAAAa-aAAAAaAAAAA!!! – On Sale For $2.50 US / £1.62 UK
VIZIO, America’s number one LCD HDTV company, launched the highly anticipated VIZIO Co-Star Stream Player. Using the latest version of Google TV, the VIZIO Co-Star makes it easy to transform any HDTV into the ultimate Smart TV, merging live and streaming entertainment into one intuitive and easy experience. With VIZIO’s new stream player, users get instant access to thousands of apps, full-screen web browsing capabilities—via Google Chrome with Adobe Flash Player and HTML5 support—and the best in streaming entertainment.
In addition to favorite apps such as Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, YouTube and iHeartRadio, the VIZIO Co-Star is the first stream player to offer video games on demand through the OnLive Cloud Gaming Service, that comes pre-installed on the Co-Star. OnLive allows users to demo, watch and play hundreds of top-tier video games directly from the cloud via their VIZIO Co-Star, eliminating the need for users to own an independent game console. With easy access to thousands of apps through Google Play, Co-Star offers the most comprehensive stream player available today.
“OnLive allows users to demo, watch and play hundreds of top-tier video games directly from the cloud via their VIZIO Co-Star, eliminating the need for users to own an independent game console,” said OnLive’s Director of Corporate Communications Brian Jaquet. “The VIZIO Co-Star is compatible with the Universal OnLive Wireless Controller, but will also work with a number of OnLive-compatible third-party controllers as well.”
Complementing the overall experience, the VIZIO Co-Star includes a universal Bluetooth remote with an innovative touchpad that lets you touch, tap, scroll and drag. A full QWERTY keyboard helps users search for their favorite entertainment. Plus, its universal feature makes it easy to control home entertainment devices with one remote.
The VIZIO Co-Star will be available for pre-orders in July 2012 on VIZIO.com for $99.99, with an introductory free shipping offer, while supplies last.
The VIZIO Co-Star has the same price as the OnLive Game System, but lacks the wireless OnLive gamepad that comes with it. The included VIZIO remote will enable basic gameplay action, but for the best gaming experience, you can purchase the Universal OnLive Wireless Controller for $49.99 or hook up a standard USBXInput controller.
Unique to the stream player market, the VIZIO Co-Star offers the distinct advantage of connecting to a cable or satellite box. This allows viewers to enjoy live TV along with the web, apps, OnLive cloud gaming, and other streaming entertainment without interrupting what they’re already watching. This integrated experience along with the universal touchpad remote with keyboard eliminates the need to switch TV inputs or remotes to access alternative content and provides viewers with a truly Smart TV experience.
“Our focus to deliver the best consumer experience continues with today’s announcement of the Co-Star, which delivers a superior Smart TV interface that anyone can add to their existing HDTV” said Matt McRae, VIZIO’s Chief Technology Officer. “We combined the powerful features of Google TV with an intuitive and easy to use interface, giving users the power to enjoy an entire world of entertainment.”
The added benefit of Google TV's powerful search feature lets viewers easily browse websites, hunt for streaming movies or locate their favorite TV shows; and with picture-in-picture technology, it can all be done while simultaneously watching live TV action.
The VIZIO Co-Star incorporates a number of power user features intended to satisfy the variety of user demands, starting with support for 1080p Full HD and 3D entertainment. The device supports playback of H.264, MP4 and MKV videos.
Built-in 802.11n Wi-Fi provides easy wireless internet access without unsightly wires. An integrated USB port connects to hard drives, keyboards and other peripherals. The VIZIO Co-Star even enables viewers to enjoy photos, music, and movies from any DLNA-enabled phone, tablet, or computer on the TV screen.
The VIZIO Co-Star combines a definitive user experience with a powerful Smart TV platform, resulting in an all-in-one solution that brings the ultimate Smart TV experience to any HDTV.
It is interesting that VIZIO is only selling the Co-Star on their web page. Does this mean that they have problems with retail because of OnLive integration? Recently I've multiple times heard that retail doesn't want to stock products that don't need retail game copies because they make most of their money with boxed games and have low margins on gaming hardware. This was mostly said by the console guys.
Could it be that VIZIO is having trouble getting the Co-Star on store shelves because of OnLive? I mean VIZIO is pretty strong in US retail and the Co-Star is a big product launch for them. Could OnLive be caught in a power struggle between VIZIO and retail? Even the console guys are afraid of retail and don't even dare to think of going fully digital.
If VIZIO can only sell the Co-Star on their web page this is not much of a product launch and OnLive won't get that much of a penetration into the market for people that only buy at retail, which is still huge. It doesn't look like OnLive will soon get a large market exposure through VIZIO that way.
Let's see what will happen with OnLive's integration into Smart TVs.
The price of the Sony NSZ-GS7 is not really cheap at $199.99 and it's now available for pre-order.
The Sony NSZ-GS7 comes with a large remote optimized for various web apps. With a large touchpad on one side
and a full keyboard on the other, it's optimized for ease of use. The clickable
touchpad works just like the one on your laptop, with one-handed operation plus
pinch-and-pull for zoom control. Flip it over and you'll find a backlit QWERTY keyboard. There's also a 3-Axis motion sensor for gaming.
The Sony NSZ-GS7 Internet Player with Google TV can be connected to your existing cable or satellite service so there's no need to
mess around with switching inputs when you want to use it. Of course you can connect it directly to your TV via HDMI.
In Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath the player takes on the role of 'The Stranger', a tough-as-nails bounty hunter who is part animal, part Clint Eastwood, who must somehow scrape together 20,000 'moolah' for a mysterious operation.
Key Features:
Use live ammo ... literally: Collect eight unique types of "live" ammunition, including Chippunks, Fuzzles, Thudslugs, and Boombats! Upgrade your "live" ammo to increase the power and effectiveness of your arsenal.
Employ different gameplay strategies: Switch smoothly between first- and third-person action with the touch of a button.
Play in first-person to take down your enemies: Take aim in first-person mode for an action-packed shooter experience with your trusty double-barreled crossbow. Customize your double-barreled crossbow with a plethora of ammo combinations. That's right, a plethora.
Play in third-person to get rewards: Subdue your bounties in third-person with melee attacks, including ramming and head-butting. Then, turn bounties in for moolah. You choose the bounties, allowing you to gather information on your quarry before going after 'em with everything you've got.
Journey through living towns, lush forests, and massive industrial facilities: There's plenty of room in the Oddworld universe for you to go about your mysterious business.
Converse with the locals: Use GameSpeak technology to gather information vital to your mission.
Experience the dramatic intensity of the frontlines of a war through the eyes of the first of a new breed of super soldiers in this gritty and epic first-person action game.
An augmented super-soldier must stop a renegade regime from eradicating the civilized world.
Hong Kong, 2065. 2nd Lt. Nathan Frost is just a regular grunt in an international army called the Liberty Coalition. When he takes massive injuries from an explosion on the battlefield, Frost undergoes an experimental procedure. The outcome of the surgery is something more than human; a transformation that makes him a unique weapons-grade warrior, with abilities that far surpass those of the average soldier.
Empowered with these extra-normal abilities via implanted augmentations, Frost is immediately sent to the frontlines of a war as a secret weapon against the destructive regime. Stranded in hostile territory, cut off from command and far outnumbered, Frost and a handful of men must try and stop the entire renegade militia's plan threatening to plunge the world into darkness.
The most popular multiplayer game on OnLive is on sale this week. Gamers who want to join in the multiplayer fun or even the short single player experience can get Homefront or the Homefront: Ultimate
Edition bundle, which includes the original Homefront and all of the DLCs released for the
game, which are The Rock Map Pack, the Fire Sale Map Pack and a
really big gun — the Express 870 Shotgun, for a great price. OnLive PlayPack subscribers can also take an
additional 30% off these already reduced prices.
To make a Homefront purchase even more enticing, OnLive is holding a Homefront multiplayer madness this Wednesday at 3PM PDT/11PM BST.
Here is a list of all the OnLive games that are on sale in the
US and UK:
The story in Darksiders is about War,
which is brought before the sacred Charred Council, indicted for his crimes and
stripped of his powers. Dishonored and facing his own death, War is given the
opportunity to return to Earth to search for the truth and punish those
responsible.
Hunted by a vengeful group of Angels, War must take on the forces of Hell, forge
uneasy alliances with the very demons he hunts, and journey across the ravaged
remains of the Earth on his quest for vengeance and vindication.
In Agricultural Simulator 2012 idyllic, expansive landscapes with lush pastures and fallow fields are waiting for you. Take over the role of a farmer and earn money by selling goods. But be aware: There is a lot of work to be done until you have your first finished goods. In the 2012 version of the Agricultural Simulator you are able to work with original machines from Fendt, Challenger, Massey Ferguson and Valtra. It is up to you if you want to drive the tractors directly or if the AI should do the work and you concentrate on the business part of the game. The income earned can be invested in more powerful farm equipment.
Features:
Vast gaming world with mountains and valleys.
Exciting career mode with trading feature.
Market place for animals, seeds and machines.
Countless economical circuits: growing of crops, breeding, bio gas.
It's the global stage where dreams are realized, heroes are made, and moments that will be remembered for years happen right before your eyes. Now you too can create your own moments with London 2012 - The Official Video Game of the Olympic Games.
With new sports, new events and new gameplay modes, London 2012 brings the worlds ultimate sporting event to life bigger and better than ever before. Take to the track, negotiate the Velodrome and dive into the deep end in stunning HD while you compete for the pride of your nation. Hone your skills in the Olympic Games mode, and play with or against your friends and family in a variety of multiplayer modes.
Create your own golden moments, only with the London 2012 - The Official Video Game of the Olympic Games.
Key Features:
Go for Gold.
Compete in over 35 events including all the blue ribbon events plus some all-new events to Olympic videogames offering the ultimate depth and variety.
More ways to play.
Compete in a wide range of challenges and game modes including Olympic Games, Events Mode, Online Mode and Party Play.
Compete for Global Glory.
Take the competition online with leader boards tracking personal medal counts, and earn National Pride points with each medal you win for your country - keep playing and improve your nations standing!
The Ultimate Olympic Games Experience.
Get closer than ever to the experience of the Olympic Games with reactive commentary, super-realistic graphics and TV style presentation.
Gamers are now able to pre-order the hotly anticipated Darksiders II on OnLive. The game is priced at $49.99 in the US and £34.99 in the UK. When you pre-order the game you get upgraded for free to the Limited Edition of the game which includes the Argul's Tomb add-on pack, which will become available one month after the Darksiders II launch in August 2012, so sometime in September of 2012. The Argul's Tomb content pack will offer extra gameplay content, including a whole new dungeon to explore, further extending the Darksiders II experience. When you pre-order the game by June 28, you also get an OnLive Game System worth $99.99 (£69.99 UK) via an email coupon code for free, that you can also gift to a friend.
Awakened by the End of Days, Death, the most feared of the legendary Four Horsemen embarks on a quest to undo Armageddon. Along the way, the Horseman discovers that there are far worse things than an earthly Apocalypse, and that an ancient grudge may threaten all of Creation. Become the terrifying force which everything fears but nothing can escape. Death Lives in Darksiders II.
Features:
Play Death - Become the most feared of the legendary Four Horsemen, able to destroy entire worlds and battle forces beyond Heaven and Hell.
Epic Universe - Unlike anything the player has seen before, delivered in the unique style of Joe Mad.
Player Choice & Customization - Customize your experience with varied armor sets, weapons, and skill trees allowing players to create their own Death.
Replay-ability - Explore a vast open world, complete dozens of side quests and customize your Death with a full leveling system, skill trees and endless equipment combinations.
Traversal - Death is a nimble and agile character capable of incredible acrobatic feats allowing the player to explore the world like never before.
Well, Child's Play certainly has a noble goal, but I can't get rid of the feeling that it's a way for the games industry and for gamers to went their bad conscience and improve their public image, as the games industry is responsible for making big money on many destroyed children's lives because of their addiction to video games and making children immune from feeling anything when they encounter real violence in their lives, after being exposed to and brainwashed by countless hours of virtual violence.
Let's hope that not only does the games industry continue with their charity work, but also works on improving the games they churn out. I don't think that games have to include violence for violence's sake and killing for the killing's sake to be fun, though many teenagers certainly want to play such games because real life lacks the challenges that these games present or they flee from their real life challenges. It's easy and cheap selling legal drugs than go the hard way to make games that are emotionally compelling and make people think about the world they are living in.
Fortune is reporting that cloud gaming company Gaikai is up for sale. Their sources have told them that Gaikai has already hired bankers and they are expecting to be acquired for well in excess of $500 million.
Considering that cloud gaming is a capital intensive burgeoning business, one might think that the company has run into some money problems with their business model of providing free high-end cloud gaming demos and they can't convince their investors to pour more money into them or find new investors that are willing to risk with cloud gaming. Of course it might also be that the company and their investors have together decided that they need a large influx of cash to grow their business faster, or one or more investors want to purchase the company.
If one of the investors wanted to buy the company, the logical choice would certainly fall on Intel, as they would be very much interested to grow the cloud gaming business and use a lot of their chips in the data centers.
Let us not forget that Gaikai was a lot in the news before E3 because of a rumored buyout or partnership from Sony. At E3 nothing came of it, but this doesn't mean that the possible deal still isn't hot. And where there is Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo certainly are not far away.
Well, the list of potential buyers goes on and on like the telco giants, other large tech companies, the entertainment giants, the large game publishers like Activision Blizzard and EA, GameStop, Valve or even Facebook. Because Gaikai is providing cloud gaming services for other companies, they stated that they wish to remain neutral, being Switzerland of the cloud gaming world. This could limit their choices, but money can move such limits and a lot of money can get rid of such limits.
Become Ruler of the World by establishing and leading a civilization from the dawn of man into the space age: Wage war, conduct diplomacy, discover new technologies, go head-to-head with some of history's greatest leaders and build the most powerful empire the world has ever known.
Features:
Believable World - More than just a strategy game - the expanded visuals and immersive audio invite
would-be kings to take up the reigns of power and forge a mighty empire.
Civilization V offers a limitless variety of vast, realistic and diverse
landscapes for players to explore, battle over and claim as their own.
Inviting Presentation - An intuitive interface eases both new players and Civ veterans into the game.
Guided by a set of trusted advisors who will explain game functionality and
provide counsel for significant decisions, even first-time players will be
confident in the choices they make.
Huge Battles - Combat is more exciting and engaging than ever before. Wars between empires feel
massive with armies spreading across the landscape.The addition of ranged
bombardment allows players to fire weapons from behind the front lines,
challenging players to develop clever new strategies to guarantee victory on the
battlefield.
Live History - Write your own epic story each time you play! Choose one of eighteen historical
civilizations to lead from the stone-age to the space age on your quest to build
the world’s most powerful empire.
Improved Diplomacy - Negotiate with some of history’s most cunning rulers, each with a well-crafted
plan for victory. Successful diplomacy will depend on players carefully managing
relationships with other leaders, trading items, plying them with gold, and
deciding if they are friend or foe. City States will present a new diplomatic
battleground on which the major powers of the world will vie for supremacy.
This robust expansion covers the entire scope of time from founding your first Pantheon of the Gods and spreading religion across the world, to deploying spies in enemy cities in order to steal information and technology.
As you move through the ages, you'll interact with new types of city-states, engage in new city-state quests and global competitions, and master exciting new systems for land and naval combat. Civilization V: Gods and Kings also includes nine new civilizations, nine new wonders, three original scenarios, and dozens of new units, buildings, and techs that offer even more ways for players to expand their empire and dominate the world.
Features:
Expanded Epic Game - The core game experience has been greatly expanded with the addition of new technologies (like Combined Arms), 27 new units (like the new 1-hex ranged unit Machine Gunner), 13 new buildings (like the Bomb Shelter), and 9 new Wonders. Additionally, there are even more new units and buildings included in the three new Scenarios.
New Civilizations - The expansion delivers 9 new civilizations, such as Carthage, Netherlands, the Celts, and the Maya (it is 2012, after all), along with their unique traits, units and buildings. The expansion also includes 9 new leaders including William I, Prince of Orange, Boudicca and Pacal the Great.
Religion - A righteous people will seek out Faith to found a Pantheon of the Gods. As your Faith becomes stronger, you can cultivate Great Prophets who build on these simple beliefs to create a religion that you can customize and enhance as desired. Are you tolerant of other religions or is this the one true faith? Are you focused on Gold, Arts or Military? Beliefs can even unlock custom buildings that only people of your religion can construct. Great prophets, missionaries and inquisitors help you spread your beliefs to other lands and gain the alliances of City States, and like-minded civilizations.
Enhanced Diplomacy and Espionage - Establish embassies at foreign courts for closer ties (or clandestine operations). As the religions of the world start settling in, and the world moves into the Renaissance, you unlock your first spy (with more to come). Send them out to establish surveillance of foreign cities, steal advanced technologies from your strongest or wisest competitors, or interfere with city-state alliances. All of your actions can have a diplomatic impact if discovered, so always tread carefully.
Naval Combat - Your navy is now split into two different ship types, melee and ranged. This means that no coastal city should be considered safe, and can now fall to a surprise naval attack. Additionally, all embarked units now have Defensive Embarkation, and can stack with a naval unit for extra protection. Add to this the new Great Admiral, and the high seas have become a much more dangerous place.
New Wonders - There are 9 new Wonders with all new effects including Neuschwanstein, the Great Mosque of Djenne, the Terracotta Army, the Great Firewall, and the Hubble Space Telescope.
City-States - Two new city-state types have been added (Mercantile and Religious) to bring all new advantages to the table. The city-state quest system has received a complete overhaul to decrease the importance of gold and add a whole range of new quests that further the narrative of the game, as well as make the diplomatic victory a more varied option. Ally with Marrakech to get access to their unique luxury resources! Vatican City and Jerusalem are holy cities that play key roles in the religious struggle.
Three new Scenarios - INTO THE RENAISSANCE: Grow your medieval kingdom into one of the great nations of Renaissance Europe, fending off outside invasions from Mongols and Ottoman Turks and fighting the religious wars of the Crusades and Reformation! - FALL OF ROME: Play as either Eastern Rome or Western Rome trying to fend off the barbarians or as one of the barbarians themselves. - EMPIRES OF THE SMOKY SKIES: Build flying airships and huge tractor-like tanks from the unique tech tree of this Victorian science-fiction scenario, then spread your empire across the pre-industrial world.
World Domination - The fight for world domination is now more dynamic than ever before. The Gods and Kings expansion features a reworked combat system and AI that puts more emphasis on a balanced army composition. The new system allows your lines to stand longer than they could before, so you, as a player, can make smarter tactical decisions without worrying about a single unlucky roll of the dice.
