Tuesday, August 17, 2004
With competition heating up in the online music business, RealNetworks Inc. slashed prices Tuesday for downloading music.
From TechWeb.net, for the next three weeks, the Seattle-based company will sell songs downloaded from its RealPlayer Music Store for 49 cents each, and albums for $4.99. The price cut is definitely a money-loser, since its less than what RealNetworks pays record companies for the music.
Nevertheless, RealNetworks is apparently prepared for the temporary sacrifice as it seeks to lure customers from Apple's popular iTunes Music Store, which sells songs for 99 cents each and $9.99 an album.
Get the Full Story from TechWeb.net
Posted by
on 08/17 at 02:26 PM
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From Ferrago, "Not content with merely bagging John Woo to direct a Spy Hunter movie tie-in starring The Rock, the film's producers Adrian Askarieh and Chuck Gordon are also reported to have acquired the rights to make a picture based on Midway's Psi-Ops game too. No big names are currently being mooted in the Variety report, however this is the second Midway title the producers have acquired and we suspect a spot of wheeler-dealing may be going on behind the scenes - especially since the game itself isn't out until next month in some quarters."
Posted by
Al on 08/17 at 12:05 PM
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Friday, August 13, 2004
NCsoft, Cryptic Studios and CDS Books, announced today the inception of a multi-year, multi-book licensing agreement for CDS to publish a series of books based on the world of NCsoft's successful online computer game, City of Heroes.
City of Heroes is the comic book-inspired online computer game from developer Cryptic Studios. Players choose from a multitude of costume options and powers to create a unique hero that can join other players in protecting the fictional Paragon City from villains. City of Heroes has been a commercial hit and a favorite of critics since its release in late April. In only three months the game reached 180,000 active subscribers and topped computer game sales charts.
The first book, The Web of Arachnos, is expected in late 2005. It will detail the origins of Statesman, the signature hero of Paragon City, and will provide readers with some of the shadowy beginnings of one of City of Heroes' first villain groups.
"In the short amount of time since its release, City of Heroes has proven to be the fastest growing massive multiplayer role playing game in the computer game industry," said Hope Matthiessen, associate publisher of CDS Books. "We couldn't be happier working with NCsoft, Cryptic Studios and, of course, the City of Heroes property. We think the game's back story and the excitement generated by the fans provide a perfect combination for a successful series of books."
"This is indicative of the enthusiasm that is building around the City of Heroes property in the three and a half months since we launched the product," said Robert Garriott, president of NCsoft North America. "We're thrilled to partner with CDS. They have excellent experience and a proven track record in the book publishing and distribution business."
The City of Heroes game is available at major North American computer game retail outlets at a suggested retail price of US$49.99, which includes the first month of online game play. After the first month, players will be charged a monthly subscription fee of US$14.95. Sixty-day game time cards are available at many North American retailers for a suggested retail price of US$29.99. The game is rated Teen by the Entertainment Software Rating Board.
Posted by
Al on 08/13 at 10:45 AM
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Wednesday, August 11, 2004
Sir Ben Kingsley, best known for his Academy Award winning role in Ghandi, and most recently for his Oscar nominated performance in House of Sand and Fog, has signed on to play the villain in the film adaptation of one of the most popular action-horror video games in years, BloodRayne. Kingsley joins Terminator 3Ӕ star Kristanna Loken, who will play the films heroine, BloodRayne.
The film is set in 18th century Romania, where the film will actually begin principal photography later this month. The beautiful Rayne has a human mother and a vampire father, giving her superhuman strength, yet at the same time, allowing a softer, more vulnerable side to her personality. Still, she is driven by vengeance to overthrow her vampire father, who turns out to be the powerful and evil Kagan, King of the Vampires, who will be played by Kingsley. Kagan wants nothing to do with his daughter and is intent on bringing her to doom. On her journey, Rayne is befriended by two vampire hunters. Together, the three must combat the great Kagan before he manipulates the earth into darkness, with vampires ruling forever.
BloodRayne is written by Guinevere Turner ("American Psycho") and will be directed by Uwe Boll. Boll has recently raised $47 million through German film fund Boll KG 4, and this financing will be used for BloodRayne as well as other forthcoming videogame screen adaptations. The filmmaker most recently directed "House of the Dead," based on the Sega videogame, and "Alone in the Dark," starring Christian Slater, Tara Reid and Stephen Dorff, based on the Atari game. The first film was acquired by Artisan Entertainment; the latter has no domestic distributor as of yet.
The producers of BloodRayne are Shawn Williamson and Dan Clarke. Williamson is a principal at the Vancouver-based Brightlight Pictures which recently co-produced with Gold Circle Films "White Noise," starring Michael Keaton, which Universal Pictures will release in 2005, and line produced "Edison" for Millennium Films and Emmett/Furla Films, starring Kevin Spacey, Morgan Freeman, LL Cool J and Justin Timberlake.
Of Kingsleys casting, Williamson said, "It is an incredible honor to have an actor of Sir KingsleyҒs caliber involved in our film. His talent and strength as an actor will help us create an outstanding cinematic experience." Kingsleys more than 75 film and television credits include "SchindlerҒs List," "Sexy Beast" and "The Diary of Anne Frank."
Posted by
Al on 08/11 at 02:14 PM
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This year's 37-city tour brings together alternative and punk rock music and gaming with hotly tipped headliners Story of The Year and support acts lostprophets, My Chemical Romance, Letter Kills, Anberlin and Autopilot Off.
Two special shows are on tap for Seattle (Oct. 7 and Oct. 8), when Taking Back Sunday (whose new album, Where You Want To Be, entered the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart at No. 3), Fall Out Boy and Matchbook Romance join the tour's regular lineup. Tickets for most shows are priced at less than $20, plus applicable service charges, and go on sale Saturday, Aug. 14 (for specific prices and on-sale information, check http://www.nintendofusiontour.com).
At each tour stop, the Nintendo Fusion Tour will transform the lobby of the venue into an immersive entertainment space with music, custom lighting and specially designed gaming kiosks featuring the hottest upcoming Nintendo GameCube games. There will be giveaways at each show, and one lucky radio station winner will have the opportunity to compete against a member of Story of The Year. Fans also will get a sneak preview of the new Nintendo DS, an innovative dual-screen, wireless, hand-held video game system.
Story of The Year's debut album, Page Avenue (Maverick Records), is rapidly approaching platinum, spurred by the singles and videos "Until The Day I Die" and "Anthem of Our Dying Day," which was a buzzclip at MTV, as well as constant touring. The band headlined its own U.S. tour earlier this year. Check them out at storyoftheyear.net.
"We're excited to take part in the second annual Nintendo Fusion Tour this fall with our friends," says Story of The Year singer Dan Marsala. "Touring with these bands means there's a whole new group of guys we can beat up on while playing Nintendo video games on the bus!"
Start Something, lostprophets' critically acclaimed gold-certified album, features the single "Last Train Home," which reached the No. 1 slot on the Modern Rock chart, as well as the new single "Wake Up (Make A Move)," currently climbing the Modern and Active Rock radio charts.
My Chemical Romance recently released its "impressive" (The New York Times ٖ June 7, 2004) major-label debut, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (Reprise Records), which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Heat Seekers chart, and continues receiving praise for its live shows. In a review, Rolling Stone (Aug. 5, 2004) noted: "The New Jersey rockers were mesmerizing as they nailed powerful takes of songs such as, I'm Not OK (I Promise)'."
Letter Kills' debut CD, The Bridge (Island), produced by Jim Wirt (Incubus, Hoobastank) and mixed by Tom Lord-Alge (Blink-182, The Rolling Stones), debuted high on Billboard's Top 200 chart. The Bridge offers guitar-driven rock 'n' roll with a fresh edge. In its "100 Bands You Need To Know in 2004" issue, Alternative Press called Letter Kills' sound, "Big, swinging, Rage Against The Machine-style riffs mating with speedy '70s punk chord progressions."
Anberlin's debut CD, Blueprints for the Black Market (Tooth And Nail), has already sold nearly 40,000 copies. The band captivates audiences with their infectious pop choruses and has won over crowds while touring with bands like The Juliana Theory, Further Seems Forever and Fall Out Boy. Look for the brand new album from Anberlin in early 2005.
Autopilot Off's full-length Island release, Make A Sound, was produced by Greig Nori (Sum 41) and features tracks co-written with Tim Armstrong of Rancid. Stuff magazine called the album "a bold, stylistic stretch that reaches from arena anthems to down 'n' dirty club rockers," and named it "Album of the Month."
The Nintendo Fusion Tour is produced by Clear Channel Entertainment and booked by Ken Fermaglich at The Agency Group. The tour includes exclusive sponsors, such as the fastest-growing music magazine, Blender, North America's No. 1 specialty retailer of consumer electronics, personal computers, entertainment software and appliances, Best Buy, and LAUNCH, the music destination on Yahoo!
Clear Channel Entertainment and The Agency Group also handled the 2003 debut Nintendo Fusion Tour featuring Evanescence (whose debut album is now quintuple platinum), Finger Eleven, Cold, Revis and Cauterize.
For ticket availability, up-to-date tour dates, news and a chance to win a trip to see the Nintendo Fusion Tour in Seattle, visit http://www.nintendofusiontour.com.
Posted by
Al on 08/11 at 09:43 AM
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