Ubisoft has today announced that its upcoming WWII aerial combat title, Blazing Angels 2, will feature exclusive content for the PlayStation 3 when it launches in the summer.

Blazing Angels 2: Secret Missions of WWII sees players leading Operation Wildcard, an undercover and elite squad of pilots created by the American government. The player’s mission is to sabotage and destroy the Third Reich’s evil plans to create a weapon of mass destruction.

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Rise of the Argonauts is a large-scale action-focused RPG in development at Liquid Entertainment for Games for Windows and major console platforms.

Codemasters says the game will feature deep exploration and epic quests, with players taking the role of Jason, King of Iolchis, and battle alongside iconic mythological heroes including Hercules, Achilles, Atalanta and others.

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In announcing the release of Lost Planet: Extreme Condition for PC, Capcom has revealed plans to offer additional content and enhancements in the near future.

Capcom has supported the million selling Xbox 360 original with plenty of new content, including multiplayer maps, and it seems like the PC version is to gain similar post-release support.

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Gamesradar (via the UK’s Official PlayStation 2 Magazine) reports that Alone in the Dark: Near Death Investigation, previously a next-gen and PC title, will now also be released on PlayStation 2.

This doesn’t mean that PS2 owners will receive a watered down experience. Speaking to the magazine, Lionel Fumery, lead designer for the PlayStation 2 edition said, "All the next-gen features are in the PS2 version".

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Michael Giacchino’s credits include the TV series Lost and Alias; feature films Mission Impossible III, The Incredibles and Ratatouille; and soundtracks for the Medal of Honor and Call of Duty franchises. He previously worked with Spark Entertainment, developer of Turning Point, on Call of Duty: Finest Hour.

"I love working with Spark because they’re a group that’s focused on fusing innovation, quality and narrative into an intensity of game experience very few can create," stated Giacchino. "For this game, we’ve taken an interesting approach that will allow the score to be more unique and emotionally personal to the player."

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Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (C)2001 ELSPA Ltd
Entertainment Software (All Prices) Week 25, 2007

1: FORZA MOTORSPORT 2
2: FANTASTIC 4: RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER
3: COLIN MCRAE: DIRT
4: PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD’S END
5: WII PLAY
6: SPIDER-MAN 3
7: TOMB RAIDER: ANNIVERSARY
8: DR KAWASHIMA’S BRAIN TRAINING
9: PRO EVOLUTION SOCCER 6
10: COOKING MAMA
11: MARIO STRIKERS CHARGED FOOTBALL
12: TIGER WOODS PGA TOUR 07
13: SHREK THE THIRD
14: FLATOUT: ULTIMATE CARNAGE
15: NEED FOR SPEED: CARBON
16: THE SIMS 2: H&M STUFF
17: FIFA 07
18: GRAND THEFT AUTO: VICE CITY STORIES
19: THE SIMS 2: PETS
20: VIRTUA TENNIS 3

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Ubisoft and the Independent Film Channel (IFC) have today announced the creation of a short film contest inspired by Assassin’s Creed. Film students, video game fans and media aficionados are encouraged to submit their short film of six-minutes or less, based on Assassin’s Creed themes for judging via IFC’s Media Lab.

The creator of the winning film will receive $10,000, an Xbox 360 console, a copy of Assassin’s Creed for Xbox 360, and the inclusion of the film in the Limited Edition version of the game. The winning film will also be aired on the IFC television network in November.

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Yesterday Ubisoft rolled out an updated release schedule, detailing the launch dates for each of its titles for the remainder of the year. One title listed was Haze, which as you may recall hit headlines for last month when the game’s release on Xbox 360 and PC came under question.

In the new release schedule Haze was listed for release on PlayStation 3 on November 23, with Xbox 360 and PC versions arriving just a week later on November 30.

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As part of a new update to the Quake Wars developer blog over on the game’s official community website, Splash Damage MD, Neil Postlethwaite, has addressed the issue of in-game advertising in the upcoming game.

"For the last four years, we’ve put all of our effort into making Enemy Territory: Quake Wars. So, we’re not planning to ship this game and walk away," said Postlethwaite. "We want to keep supporting ETQW in as many ways as possible. We’ll be maintaining the persistent stats servers and the community site, and contributing to support ETQW with updates and improvements."

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Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (C)2001 ELSPA Ltd
Entertainment Software (All Prices) Week 24, 2007

1: FORZA MOTORSPORT 2
2: TOMB RAIDER: ANNIVERSARY
3: PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD’S END
4: COLIN MCRAE: DIRT
5: WII PLAY
6: DR KAWASHIMA’S BRAIN TRAINING
7: SPIDER-MAN 3
8: FANTASTIC 4: RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER
9: MARIO STRIKERS CHARGED FOOTBALL
10: PRO EVOLUTION SOCCER 6
11: TIGER WOODS PGA TOUR 07
12: THE SIMS 2: H&M STUFF
13: COOKING MAMA
14: COMMAND & CONQUER 3: TIBERIUM WARS
15: FIFA 07
16: NEED FOR SPEED: CARBON
17: GRAND THEFT AUTO: VICE CITY STORIES
18: MEDAL OF HONOR: VANGUARD
19: VIRTUA TENNIS 3
20: THE ELDER SCROLLS IV: OBLIVION

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The multi-million selling franchise is to make its debut on the PlayStation 3 this year, along with new versions for other home consoles and handheld platforms.

New in PES 2008 is a proprietary adaptive AI system entitled Teamvision that will learn and adapt according to the individual’s style of play. This means the game will learn new ways to build attacks and to counter specific movements, ensuring games are more in line with the real thing.

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Beginning later this week, Capcom will release Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition via Steam, with Onimusha 3 said to follow in the next few weeks.

"Steam is the right place for us to go with our titles. Valve has created a huge installed base of gamers who naturally fit with the profiles of the titles that Capcom develops," said Capcom’s executive vice president Mark Beaumont.

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Designed as a pick-up-and-play experience, players will assume the role of elite agents in a modern-day world, with both solo, cooperative and competitive story-driven missions to complete.

"The inspiration for The Agency came from the spy and espionage genre. We want to put players in the heart of the action to experience what it’s really like to live the life of an elite agent," said Hal Milton, Lead Designer, Sony Online Entertainment. "Players will jet set around this virtual world to exotic locales, infiltrate enemy organizations to steal secrets and perpetrate sabotage, all the while building their own agency with an eye towards global domination."

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SEGA has today announced the development of SEGA Rally for PSP. The title is in the hands of racing game specialists Bugbear Entertainment who are aiming to encapsulate everything previous entries in the series have delivered; top notch visuals, superb handling and closely fought competitive racing.

Built from the ground up for the PSP, the game will also include Wi-Fi and online multiplayer modes enabling friends to battle it out when in the same room or oceans apart.

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At a briefing in London, Disney’s chief financial officer Tom Staggs told gathered journalists, "We are ramping up our investment in video games… It is a market where there is real opportunity."

This year the company’s spend on video games will reach $130 million, but Staggs added: "Over the next five years or so we are ramping up to about a pace of $350 million per year in video game investment, principally consoles and handhelds."

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