Gravity Interactive has announced an open beta for "Requiem: Bloddymare," the upcoming MMORPG set in the world of Ethegia, which is scheduled to begin Thursday.

"MMO fans, the wait is over, registration for the Requiem: Bloodymare beta begins today. Gamers can begin playing on May 15, 2008.

Requiem: Bloodymare’s brand of horror is changing the face of massively multiplayer online games. With innovative ragdoll physics, buckets of blood and the unique Nightmare, DNA and Beast Possession systems, Requiem offers players gameplay they will not find anywhere else.

The DNA system allows players to customize their characters to their heart’s content by combining new pieces of DNA. There are five slots available but certain combinations can have special results and unlock a sixth slot.

The Beast Possession system allows players to transform their characters into menacing Beasts in order to slay even the fiercest of monsters. Beasts can be acquired starting on level 25 and gain experience with the user’s main character. Up to three beasts can be equipped allowing players to select between warrior and magic user beasts to balance their play style.

The Nightmare system is one of Requiem’s main differentiators. Requiem has day and night cycles; a full day takes two hours in-game. Every night, from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m., the world goes dark and much more powerful monsters come to life. Players are able to collect better loot from Nightmare monsters; however they’ll need backup in order to avoid repeated, painful deaths.

“We’re extremely excited about going into open beta. Requiem was developed from the get-go to take adult gaming to a whole new level and we achieved that with gut-wrenching battles and MMO bloodshed you have never seen before,” said Jay H. Choi, vice president, Gravity Interactive. “The open beta will give everyone the opportunity to seek adventure in Ethegia – and cut monsters in half, of course.”

Set in the frozen tundras of Crescent, the streets of Parness and many other mysterious locales, Requiem: Bloodymare plunges players in a world where technology has gone berserk and blood-thirsty creatures lurk around every corner, allowing for a unique horror MMO experience.

Requiem: Bloodymare is now available to all players. To play the game, go to www.playrequiem.com, create your free beta account and download the client.

The game will be free-to-play with two levels of premium subscriptions."

Got Game Entertainment has announced a publishing agreement with White Birds Productions to publish "Nikopol: Secrets of the Immortals," an upcoming adventure game based on Enki Bilal's comic series.

"Nikopol: Secrets of the Immortals is a visually striking, richly detailed point and click adventure game developed by Benoît Sokal's White Birds Productions. The game immerses players in a futuristic Paris and the tale of a son's search for his father and ultimate journey into the perilous world of political intrigue. As Nikopol, players must use cunning and puzzle-solving logic to thwart a dark conspiracy. Nikopol: Secrets of the Immortals is scheduled for release in August 2008 and will retail for $29.99 (USD).

Nikopol: Secrets of the Immortals opens in the Paris of 2023, now ruled by a power-hungry dictator, a place where the fascist rich and the abandoned poor are separated by both a literal and figurative wall. As we join our hero Nikopol, the son of an astronaut frozen in space decades ago, we find that a floating pyramid inhabited by Egyptian Gods hovers above the city. As one of their leaders plots to take control of Paris and its people, word reaches Nikopol that his father may be alive and hidden in the city's underground, a possible pawn in a looming battle. In the search for his father, Nikopol's journey finds him entangled in political intrigue, caught between two worlds, one of anarchy and one of immortality.

The game's official website will launch later this spring."

Frozenbyte Software, known for publishing the Shadowgrounds games, has announced a shift in strategy that will see the company focusing on creating games based on original intellectual property.

"Frozenbyte has expanded its development team and has three projects in development, all based on new original IP.

"Our decision to focus on games based on original IP gives the company a clear direction into the future. Whether it's a project of our own or a partnership project, our expertise in envisioning, developing and launching new IPs helps enormously. We feel that we've got that special creative spark that's needed for great, original games," said Frozenbyte CEO, Lauri Hyvarinen and continued: "We're letting our creativity run wild and the results are amazing. Two new projects will be unveiled shortly and that's just the beginning - you can expect big things from us in the future!"

Frozenbyte has also redesigned its company website. Among new features are the Frozenbyte Blog that gives gamers a glimpse behind the scenes, and the upgraded Community forums where fans can interact with the developers directly. Frozenbyte aims to continue to support all its current and future games.

Frozenbyte's latest game, highly praised Shadowgrounds Survivor for the PC, is currently available at retail outlets in North America and in some European territories, and worldwide in online distribution channels such as Steam, Direct2Drive, GamersGate and TotalGaming.net for $19.99. The game is rated M for Mature in North America and PEGI 16+ in current European territories. "

Paradox Interactive has released new screenshots from "City Life 2008," giving viewers more of a look at the upcoming city building sequel by Monte Cristo.

"Global publisher Paradox Interactive wishes to let it be known that City Life 2008 Edition approaches its official date of release. The real-time city-building strategy game will begin shipping to stores in North American from June 17, while stores in Europe will ship from June 20.

To celebrate the impending release, a number of additional screenshots depicting scenes from the actual game have been made available to everyone interested in creating their own mega-cities, full of life and wonder."

LucasArts has released a demo for "LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures," the upcoming action adventure game that is scheduled to be released on June 3rd.

"LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures takes the fun and creative construction of LEGO and combines it with the wits, daring and non-stop action from the original cinematic adventures that enthralled audiences everywhere (Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade). With a unique tongue-in-cheek take on the original adventures, LEGO Indiana Jones follows Dr. Jones escapades through the jungles of South America to the mountaintops of India. Fans can build, battle and brawl their way through their favorite cinematic moments, from Indy’s entanglements with snakes to his dashing boulder run."

The 465MB demo can be downloaded from AtomicGamer, FileFront, FileShack, Gamer's Hell, Strategy Informer, or Worthplaying.

Gamecock has released three new screenshots from "Velvet Assassin," giving viewers more of a look at the upcoming third-person shooter by Replay Studios.

"Velvet Assassin is a 3rd person shooter featuring intense combat action and guerrilla gameplay, coupled with extensive stealth elements and a challenging upgrade-system for your weapons and character. Players take on the role of MI6 agent Violette Summer. Alone and behind enemy lines, she infiltrates military installations, places explosive charges and takes out high-ranking enemies - silent and deadly. Her secret missions will take her to various hotspots of the war, such as France, Poland and of course Germany."

Game Factory Interactive has announced that "Officers" has gone gold in Russia and the former Soviet countries.

"Especially for this historic event the GFI company has dated the release of the long-awaited masterpiece – Officers. At the moment the territory of distribution is Russia and the former Soviet countries.

This powerful strategy title includes all features, that are usually expected by this genre fans. There are 3 difficulty levels at the game, which make it enjoyable for almost any gamer – from amateurs to advanced players. Historically true artillery offers to your choice different types of howitzers, anti-tank and flak cannons, reactive artillery, self-propelled artillery and multiple-launch rocket systems.

Among special features, Officers has got in stock multiplayer option, allowing to play on part of any army you choose: the Soviet army, the U.S. army or the British Commonwealth troops. The game’s strong points are also: a big number of units and a large-scale map. Extremely realistic landscapes with towns and settlements are placed on truly huge locations 25 square kilometer each. On top of that, the map editor and mod tools allow gamers create their own maps and scenarios with custom-made units."

PC Games:

• Baseball Mogul 2009
• Ford Racing Off Road

Movies Opening This Week:

• How the Garcia Girls Spent Their Summer (limited)
• Reprise (limited)
• Sangre de mi sangre (limited NYC)
• The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

DVD Releases:

• Autism - The Musical
• Backyardigans: High Flying Adventures
• Bob the Builder: The Three Musketrucks
• Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid [Blu-ray]
• Cover
• Curious George - Takes a Vacation & Discovers New Things
• Drawn Together - Uncensored!: Season Three
• Frank Sinatra - The Early Years Collection
• Frontier
• How to Beat the Bogey Man: 10 Quick Tips
• Lovejoy - The Complete Season 3
• Mad Money
• Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World [Blu-ray]
• Mission Impossible - The Fourth TV Season
• Mission to America: Pope Benedict XVI
• Mrs. Doubtfire [Blu-ray]
• Pink Floyd: Welcome to the Machine
• Saturday Night Live: The Complete Third Season
• Stargate Infinity: The Complete Series
• The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe [Blu-ray]
• The Great Debaters
• The Shadow Riders
• Twelfth Night
• Two and a Half Men - The Complete Third Season
• Welcome to the NHK, Vol. 4: 4nd Conspiracy
• You - Steps for Extending Your Warranty with Dr. Michael Roizen

Interesting and entertaining stories around the web along with submitted hardware reviews from the week of May 5th.

• Super-Fast Broadband Via the Sewer System
• PC gamers shun Vista, sticking with XP
• Teen Builds Chernobyl Themed PC
• At 107, Livermore centennial lightbulb is still a real live wire
• The X-Files: I Want to Believe Trailer Has Arrived! (video)
• The lightning storm that engulfed an erupting volcano

Submiited Hardware Reviews

GPU

• Palit 9600GT Sonic 1GB Graphics Card at TweakTown
• S3 Chrome 430 GT Graphics Card Review at TweakTown

RAM

• DDR3 RAM: System Memory Technology Explained at Benchmark Reviews
• Patriot Viper DDR3-1866 2GB Memory Kit Review at TweakTown

Cooling

• Xigmatek Achilles S1284 HDT CPU Cooler at Benchmark Reviews

Enclosures

• In Win B2 Stealth Bomber Mid Tower Case Review at TweakTown
• SilverStone Kublai Series KL03 Case Review at MADSHRIMPS
• Ultra m998 ATX Mid-Tower Enclosure Review at TweakTown
• Sans Digital MobileSTOR MS2UTN+ RAID Enclosure Review at ASE Labs
• NZXT Tempest ATX Mid Tower Enclosure Review at TweakTown

Other

• Interview with the Co-Author of Grand Theft Childhood at VGPRO

Blizzard Entertainment has announced plans for its third Blizzcon gaming convention, which will be held in Anaheim, California on October 10 and 11.

"BlizzCon is a celebration of the global player communities surrounding Blizzard Entertainment®’s Warcraft®, StarCraft®, and Diablo® franchises. In response to the demand to accommodate more attendees, this year’s event has expanded from two convention halls to three.

“Whenever we’ve been able to meet and interact with Blizzard gamers from around the world, it’s been a great experience for us,” stated Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “We’re looking forward to seeing even more of our players at this year’s BlizzCon and delivering another entertaining and informative event for them.”

BlizzCon will offer a wide variety of activities to help all attendees get the most out of the two-day event. In addition to serving as a gathering place for the different Blizzard Entertainment gaming communities, attendees will be able to enjoy:

• Hands-on play time with upcoming Blizzard Entertainment releases
• Discussion panels with Blizzard Entertainment developers
• Competitive and casual tournaments for players to showcase their talents
• Areas and activities devoted to licensed products such as the World of Warcraft® Trading Card Game
• Costume, machinima, and character sound-alike contests with great prizes
• Commemorative merchandise based on the Blizzard Entertainment franchises
• A silent auction
• More exciting activities to be announced

Tickets for BlizzCon will go on sale in the next few weeks at a price of $100 USD per person. As the event draws closer, further details will be announced on the official BlizzCon website: www.blizzcon.com."

Thanks to Gareth for passing the press release along.

Fireglow Games has released new screenshots from "Sudden Strike 3: Arms for Victory," showing off a new armor feature in the real-time strategy game that was released in March.

"In order to make battles more realistic and to improve the gameplay, we have decided to add a new feature for armor units to transport infantry."

About Sudden Strike 3: Arms for Victory:

Sudden Strike 3: Arms for Victory is the latest instalment in the award-winning, critically acclaimed and hugely popular Sudden Strike series. It features historically authentic models built to scale, fully interactive giant maps and full 3-D state-of-the-art graphics in the popular Sudden Strike style. Only Sudden Strike plays like the 'real thing'. WW2 gaming at its best: on land, at sea and in the air!

Codemasters has released a demo for "GRID," giving players a chance to try out the upcoming racing simulation game and also to enter a contest to win a Ford Mustang GT-R. The top Five Players will receive an all Expenses-Paid Trip to the GRID(TM) Launch Party and a Chance to Win the eBay Motors Ford Mustang GT-R.

"The GRID playable demo is a US-exclusive fastest lap competition in which the ultimate winner will drive away with a brand new, customized, eBay Motors branded Ford Mustang GT-R.

Based on one of the coolest concept cars ever introduced to the market, the eBay Motors Ford Mustang GT-R has been built and modified to feature a complete custom body kit including a supercharged engine with 445HP, a race inspired side ported exhaust system, 20" GTR concept wheels, and a six stage custom pearl paint job, complete with eBay Motors' graphics. "

For the game that's all about the race, the GRID(TM) playable demo delivers intense competition right from the start as players compete in single-player GRID World events, 12-player online races, and then prove their worth in the white-knuckle Time Trial competition, which is home to the eBay Motors Challenge.

With the eBay Motors-branded Ford Mustang GT-R worth $90,000 as the ultimate prize, the eBay Motors Challenge has players competing for the fastest final lap time.

To participate, players submit their best time online at http://community.grid-game.com/win-ebay-mustang. Once authenticated, the lap time is then ranked against every other registered time on the online leaderboards. The challenge will end on May 25 at midnight. The top five players will be flown to San Francisco to attend a U.S. launch event for GRID on June 4 and compete in one final racing challenge for the Mustang GT-R.

The 894MB demo can be downloaded from AtomicGamer, FileFront, FileShack, Gamer's Hell, GameUpdates (torrent), or Worthplaying.

We at 2404.org are happy to announce a new contest, sponsored by GoGamer.com, which gives entrants the chance to win a copy of Assassin’s Creed: Director’s Cut Edition (PC) along with a pair of brand new Pulsar SX PC Gaming Headphones.

To enter, you must write a review for your favorite game and post it in our forums. The 2404 staff will judge the reviews and select a winner on Friday, May 23rd. Additional information, guideline hints, and rules can be found in the entry thread.

Assassin’s Creed: Director’s Cut Edition was recently given an 8.0/10 by our own reviewer, Mark E. Hengst II, who stated in his review: “While this game is not the best game this year, it is an excellent game and the presentation and production values cannot be praised enough.” Other reviews for the PC version of the game have been generally favorable and we think it will make a great addition to your game collection.

The Pulsar SX PC Gaming Headphones, by TekNmotion, feature virtual 7.1 surround sound, a detachable microphone, “Sonic Force Feedback,” and optional pulsating lights just to name a few things. Justin Desjardins, at Overclockersclub reviewed the headset and in his article said “Everything that most people look for in a gaming headset is offered. I would recommend them purely based on gaming usage. The Pulsars measured up and surpassed my favorite headset in all things gaming, so that in itself is pretty impressive.” Paul Falzon, of playreaction.com also recommended the headset to gamers. We will be posting our own review of the headset within a few days so be sure to stay tuned for that.

To enter, please head over to our forums.

After the controversy of Mass Effect's online authentication method, BioWare has officially decided to back down from the previous DRM method and will only require customers to initiate a one-time online authentication process after the initial installation. BioWare's official Mass Effect FAQ has the details:

Q: What is the difference between the old PC disc authentication solution and the new online model?

A: Two things have changed:

• First, authentication of discs has now gone from the physical format to the online format, freeing the need for consumers to have a disc in the drive at all times.

• Second, with online authentication consumers now connect to the Internet the first time the game is launched and are required only to reconnect if they are downloading new game content.

The people spoke and the developers listened. If only this happened more often. It would've been nice if BioWare had absolutely zero anti-piracy measures for Mass Effect, because they tend to be very problematic to the customer who buys games legitimately. It's not like Mass Effect needs it either; the game will sell on sheer developer reputation alone.

During Activision's fourth quarter earnings conference call with investors yesterday, the company announced that the Call of Duty and Guitar Hero series will be continuing.

"Activision (ATVI) has confirmed that three times as many Guitar Hero SKUs will be coming in the next fiscal year, as well as that Call of Duty 5 will be released for Wii, PS2 and DS, in addition to Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.

With regards to Guitar Hero, the company commented that there will be three times as many SKUs during the next fiscal year. An SKU refers to any particular platform of a game, so Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, released on Xbox 360, PS3, PC, PS2 and Wii represents five SKUs. The company hinted that other studios will be joining Neversoft in handling additional versions of the game. Vicarious Visions is currently working on the DS version of the game, Guitar Hero On Tour, and the company confirmed that it will be bundled in a Nintendo DS package by Nintendo (NTDOY.PK).

Activision did not release any details on Guitar Hero IV but did comment that the series is "extremely expandable." Rumors point to the inclusion of drums and vocals in the next entry of the game. The publisher did confirm that the next Call of Duty game will be released for Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PS2 and PC but did not comment on the game's developer. In addition, Infinity Ward's Call of Duty 4 engine will be used in the next James Bond apartment."

Source: SeekingAlpha

In addition, the Preseident and CEO of Activision said the following about Call of Duty 5:

"For Call of Duty, we’ll bring the intensity of the recent Call of Duty: Modern Warfare title to yet a new military theater, to engage our significantly larger user based, which nearly doubled last year as new users came into the franchise."

You can view the full conference call transcript at SeekingAplha.

Criterion Games, a division of Electronic Arts, announced that "Burnout Paradise" is coming to the PC.

"Burnout Paradise will be the first Burnout title ever made for the PC, customized with expanded multiplayer, enhanced online features, and community driven content.

Originally released for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360™ videogame and entertainment system, Burnout Paradise has won over 55 awards worldwide. Burnout Paradise delivers an open-world environment built for intense speed, excitement and exploration and sets a new standard in the seamless transition from single-player offline to social online gameplay.

Burnout Paradise for the PC will combine all the open world racing, intense speed and action of the original game with new gameplay for the PC version."

A new "welcome to the PC" trailer can be found on the official site.

2K Games has announced an agreement with Universal Pictures that will turn BioShock into a film. Gore Verbinski, director of the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, is slated to direct and produce the BioShock movie. With a history of poor game to movie conversions in the industry, this will be the film that is most likely to turn everyting around.

"The prospect of bringing this blockbuster game to life has attracted not only a major studio, but top Hollywood talent. Gore Verbinski, director of the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, is slated to direct and produce the BioShock movie. John Logan, Academy Award-nominated writer of Gladiator, The Aviator and Sweeney Todd, is in talks to do the screenplay.

The expected release date and terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

An original property developed by 2K Games, BioShock is one of the most successful new interactive entertainment franchises to launch in recent years. A critical and consumer hit, BioShock has sold more than 2 million units worldwide since its release in August 2007. A sequel to the game, BioShock 2, is planned for a release in 2009.

"We are excited that 2K Games' vision for BioShock will be carried forward in a new medium," said Strauss Zelnick, Chairman of Take-Two. "BioShock has been hailed as one of the most highly cinematic and richly plotted titles in interactive entertainment, making it extremely well-suited to film. In partnering with Universal and Gore Verbinski, we have assembled a team that respects the uniqueness of BioShock and will translate it into a powerful movie experience."

Mr. Zelnick added, "Our ability to attract a major studio and unparalleled creative team speaks volumes about the strength of our BioShock franchise. It also demonstrates how Take-Two is delivering value based on our strategy of creating and owning our industry's most powerful intellectual property."

Christoph Hartmann, President of 2K Games, noted, "BioShock fans appreciate the depth and complexity of the game, and our partnership with Gore Verbinski will introduce the world of Rapture to an even wider audience. In addition to his impressive body of work, Gore is an avid video gamer and true fan of BioShock. That was extremely important to us in deciding to move forward with this project."

BioShock: Triumph of the Imagination

Considered to be one the finest games in the history of interactive entertainment, BioShock unfolds as a deep and exciting adventure. Barely surviving a plane crash, the player lands in icy uncharted waters and discovers an undersea city called Rapture, a failed utopia whose citizens had embraced genetic engineering before the city descended into pure anarchy. Power and greed have run amok and the city has succumbed to civil war. It is a gripping game that forces the player to make complex moral choices. Fans have embraced BioShock's mysterious world filled with powerful technology and fascinating characters. BioShock is also renowned for its rich visual detail depicting a gorgeous Art Deco world set deep beneath the sea.

BioShock has earned some of the highest ratings and strongest accolades in video game history. It is one of the best-rated titles for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, with a MetaCritic rating of 96. Numerous organizations bestowed "Game of the Year" status on BioShock in 2007, including The Associated Press, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), Game Informer, Spike TV's Video Game Awards, G4's X-Play, Amazon.com, The Houston Chronicle and Paste Magazine. Additionally, BioShock ranked among the top 10 titles on many other "Best of 2007" award lists, including The New York Times, Time Magazine and Maxim. BioShock was internally developed by 2K Boston and 2K Australia and is owned by the 2K Games label of Take-Two Interactive Software."

Valve and Queasy Games have announced the release of "Everyday Shooter" on Steam, the award winning independent arcade shooter that was previously released on the Playstation Network.

"Winner of numerous Independent Game Festival Awards including Design Innovation, Everyday Shooter is everything but what its name implies. Drawing upon a mixture of arcade shooter gameplay styles, Everyday Shooter stands apart from the crowd by offering both a wide variety challenges and an all-guitar soundtrack, including procedurally generated guitar riffs used instead of traditional game sound effects.

Everyday Shooter is now available for just $9.99 via Steam, and those who purchase during the first week of availability will save 10% off the regular price.

In other Steam news, Portal: First Slice -- the official demo for the title named Game of the Year by over 30 publications -- is now available for free to all gamers via Steam.

And, finally, Steam has been re-launched to better showcase the growing number of titles and publishers on Steam.
For more information, please visit www.Steamgames.com or the game's website www.everydayshooter.com"

Paradox Interactive has released new screenshots from "City Life 2008," giving viewers more of a look at the upcoming city building sequel by Monte Cristo.

"Do you ever tire of where you live? Are you fed up of rowdy neighbours? Forever disappointed at the lack of civic services? Think you could do a better job? Then escape the mundane habitat of your surroundings and build the city of your dreams in - City Life 2008 Edition.

Let the following screenshots feed your imagination with ideas of the possibilities the game's toolset places at your disposal. Select a location from a host of maps and scenarios, create housing, provide employment and services, while ensuring your citizens live in pleasant surroundings. Use reports to solve any problems and manage the city as it grows."

GamersGate has announced an agreement with GamersGate that will bring Gameckock titled to the digital distribution website.

"The first title to be released under this agreement is the Strategy title Stronghold Crusader Extreme in May, followed by the bisodic Action-Adventure game Insecticide, with the first episode available in June. Upcoming additions include among other titles Velvet Assassin, planned for Q3 2008.

"Gamecock has taken the entire gaming industry by storm and we are thrilled to add their exciting titles to our growing portfolio," said Theodore Bergquist, CEO of GamersGate.

"This is an important partnership for us because GamersGate really delivers to players," said Harry Miller, El Presidente at Gamecock. "Working with GamersGate to support independent gaming is awesome. Now fans will have a one stop online shop to get the goods."

To find out more about GamersGate, please go to http://www.gamersgate.com"