Category: Interactive

At the 2006 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Google Inc. announced the planned opening of the Google Video Store, the first open video marketplace enabling consumers to buy and rent a wide range of video content from a major television network, a professional sports league, cable programmers, independent producers and filmmakers.

MFORMA announced that it has released Activision Inc's. CALL OF DUTY 2 to mobile users everywhere. A sequel to MFORMA's CALL OF DUTY mobile game of 2004, one of the most successful mobile games of all time, CALL OF DUTY 2 is the mobile version of Activision's critically-acclaimed CALL OF DUTY 2 game.

The Walt Disney Co. will now offer additional programming from ESPN and ABC Sports, ABC Ent. and Touchstone Television, ABC Family, ABC News, Buena Vista Television, Disney Channel and SOAPnet, as well as content produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation on the iTunes Music Store (www.itunes.com).

Beginning later this month, Disney Channel will provide episodes of the animated series KIM POSSIBLE and THE PROUD FAMILY. In addition, the libraries of ABC Ent. and Touchstone Television will sell the popular 1970's Saturday morning SCHOOL HOUSE ROCK vignettes.

Starz Ent. Group Llc. (SEG) announced the premiere of Vongo a new video download application and service for broadband that delivers movies and other video content over the Internet for playback on Windows-based PCs, laptops and select portable media devices, as well as on a TV.

Vegas Buzz (www.vegasbuzzz.com) has launched a new channel dedicated to Anime News. The channel will cover the gamut of anime, including manga. The new service will cover TV series and features that have kids as their core audience or adults only in mind. Vegas Buzz hopes to capitalize on the ever-growing arena, which has quietly become a billion dollar a year business. For more information, visit www.animevegas.blogspot.com/.

Seoul, South Korea-based Gravity Co. Ltd. announced that it has decided to invest 1 billion Japanese Yen in "Online Game Revolution Vol. 1," an investment fund organized in Japan. "Online Game Revolution Vol.1," with a total proposed investment size of 10 billion Japanese Yen, has an investment objective of investing in companies that develop online games in Japan. Movida Investment Inc., an affiliate of SoftBank Group, will operate the fund as the general partner of the fund. Several Japanese and Korean developers of online games, including CJ Internet Corp.

Ubisoft revealed that its critically acclaimed game of the year contender, PETER JACKSON'S KING KONG: THE OFFICIAL GAME OF THE MOVIE features an un-lockable, exclusive alternate ending in which players can save the giant ape from his cinematic death, pilot an airplane and discover Kong back home on his native Skull Island. The game, rated "T" for Teen, based on Universal Pictures' release, KING KONG, from three-time Academy Award winner Peter Jackson, is positioned to be the top-selling title for the holiday season and is currently available nationwide.

Midway Games Inc. announced that it has shipped the latest installment in the legendary franchise, GAUNTLET: SEVEN SORROWS for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox.

Ubisoft announced that AMERICAS ARMY: RISE OF A SOLDIER for Xbox and HEROES OF THE PACIFIC for PS2, Xbox and PC have shipped to retail stores.

Ubisoft and the U.S. Army worked together to develop AMERICAS ARMY: RISE OF A SOLDIER. With unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to the vast military expertise of the U.S. Army, Ubisoft created the most authentic military console game to date by incorporating true-to-life character progression via an all-new Career mode. The PlayStation 2 version is projected to ship in Q1 2006.

San Diego-based 3D animation studio, Pendulum, recently completed cinematic work for the MTV/Midway Games co-developed interactive property, LA RUSH. Nearly 16 minutes of fully 3D CGI cinematic cut-scenes introduce the viewer to the games key characters and story. LA RUSH is the sequel to Midways hit racing title, SAN FRANCISCO RUSH. Along with a huge selection of signature and real-world cars, the game also features the crew from West Coast Customs of MTVs popular PIMP MY RIDE television series.