Multiplayer

The Final Fantasy series is one of the most long-running, well-known, profitable, and entertaining lines of video games in the industry’s short history. Starting with Final Fantasy (later known as Final Fantasy I) for the NES in the early 90’s, the series has had twelve titled "sequels" (though they are not continuous in their story or even occur in the same "universe"), and numerous non-sequels such as Mystic Quest, Tactics, Adventures, Legends, and Chocobo Racing. This admittedly incomplete list does not include the times a Final Fantasy is ported or remade for another system (which has happened quite frequently as aging gamers want to keep their classics and upgrade simultaneously).

It should be no surprise, then, that Squaresoft has announced another Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time, which continues the Crystal Chronicles Series. Echoes of Time will be released in the Spring of 2009 on both the DS and the Wii, allowing all of Nintendo’s next-generation owners to join the party. And it is a party, literally, as both versions have multiplayer capability in the game world. No longer are RPG fans forced to play in solitude or give up their passion. Wii owners won’t have to give up the control scheme they’ve gotten used to, either. Read more

November 19, 2007 – WolfKing, a world leader in the innovation and creation of gaming input devices, today announced the release of the WARRIOR XXTREME, the world’s first hybrid 2-in-1 PC gamepad and keyboard. Incorporating all the features that made the original WARRIOR a must-have device for laptop gamers and LAN center patrons, the WARRIOR XXTREME adds a second keypad for commands in massively multiplayer games or chatting with clan mates. Priced with an MSRP of $79.99, the WARRIOR XXTREME is available immediately at www.dell.com/gaming.

The WARRIOR XXTREME, which combines the original circular 54-key disc of the original WARRIOR with 40 additional keys in a modified “QWERTY” arrangement on a second attached disc, makes the WARRIOR XXTREME an easily portable mini-keyboard, eliminating the keys unneeded for gaming. A new “Blue Moon” backlight has been added to the keys - perfect for playing in low-light conditions - and two USB 1.1 ports are incorporated, allowing gamers to hook up other devices such as gaming mice and headphones. Read more

October 26, 2007--Activision, Inc. today announced that Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock will officially rip it up on retail store shelves nationwide this Sunday, October 28. To help celebrate the legendary launch, over 3,000 stores across the country are expected to organize their own midnight launch events this weekend, allowing all aspiring axe-shredders to unleash their inner-rock star.

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock will include explosive new content and features including a multiplayer action-inspired battle mode, grueling boss battles, a host of exclusive unlockable content and visually stunning rock venues. Expanded online multiplayer game modes will also allow fans worldwide to compete head-to-head for true legendary rock status. Fresh downloadable content will also be offered on multiple platforms, and players can now shred to a killer set list from many of the most popular rock songs ever recorded. Read more

April 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Microsoft Game Studios and Bungie Studios today confirmed the multiplayer beta of "Halo 3" will debut to audiences worldwide via Xbox LIVE on May 16 at 5 a.m. PDT and run through June 6 at 11:59 p.m. PDT. Coming exclusively to the Xbox 360 console this fall, "Halo 3" is the highly anticipated third chapter in the groundbreaking "Halo" trilogy from legendary developers Bungie. "Halo 3" lets gamers experience Master Chief's greatest battle as he launches an epic mission to stop the Covenant, destroy the impending Flood threat and ultimately save mankind.

Made possible through Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox LIVE gaming and entertainment network, which provides a robust online service for more than 6 million gamers worldwide, the multiplayer beta for "Halo 3" will give anxious Xbox 360 gamers their first opportunity to get their hands on the new levels, weapons, vehicles and game types, as well as a chance to provide valuable data that Bungie will use in continued development. Starting May 16, gamers who secured their admission to the multiplayer beta either through the "Rule of Three" promotion or by purchasing a specially marked copy of "Crackdown" for Xbox 360 will be able to don their Spartan armor, download the beta on Xbox LIVE, and jump online using their Xbox LIVE Gold account* to battle other gamers from around the world. Read more

June 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Charging off the dirt track and onto store shelves, AKA Acclaim, a division of Acclaim Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ:AKLM), today announced that it has shipped, SX Superstar for the Xbox video game system from Microsoft and Nintendo GameCube. A high-flying two-wheeled racing odyssey, SX Superstar gives players the opportunity to fulfill their dreams of making it to the ranks of supercross' racing elite.Read more

May 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Online Entertainment Inc. (SOE), a worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online gaming, announced that its highly-anticipated massively multiplayer online first-person action game, PlanetSide, has shipped to U.S. and Canadian retail stores. The groundbreaking game allows thousands of players to fight online in an all- hours-of-day global war that has never been seen before in the first-person action genre. The company also announced its first planned post-launch additional features including several new vehicles and game options. PlanetSide has a suggested retail price of $49.99, and includes a 30-day subscription to the game.Read more

April 3, 2003--The worldwide interactive video game publishing rights to "American Idol," the smash-hit reality television show, have been secured by game publisher Codemasters. Under the license from FremantleMedia and 19 Entertainment, joint owners of the blockbuster reality entertainment format, Codemasters will launch an "American Idol" video game this fall for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system and PC. Read more

From the makers of Goldeneye 007 and Perfect Dark comes the greatest multiplayer shooter of all time. Timesplitters 2 is the most varied, expansive, customizable first person shooter ever, and it is insanely fun to play, especially with friends. And since Timesplitters 2 is available on all three game consoles, there is no excuse for anyone to miss out on the fun. Read more

Oct. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Atari shipped the biggest fighting game ever, Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee for the Nintendo GameCube, to retail stores this week in a worldwide launch of nuclear powered monster mayhem. Based on the classic movie license from Toho Co., Ltd., the monster-on-monster fighting game faithfully recreates the look and feel of the titanic film legends and challenges players to punch, kick, stomp, throw and blast each other in massive, city-wide arenas.Read more

July 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Online Entertainment Inc. (SOE) announced today that EverQuest, the most successful online PC role-playing game in history, hosted a milestone number of simultaneous players over the weekend. More than 100,000 clerics, half-elves, gnomes, and other fantasy characters created one of the largest assemblies of game players to date. Read more