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Moola.com unveils world’s first Massively Multiplayer Rewards Game

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moola.pngMoola.com unveiled the world’s first Massively Multiplayer Rewards Game (MMRG), combining a multiplayer game environment with an ad-supported cash rewards program. Mooola enables anyone to win up to $10 million in cash by playing and winning head-to-head matches, interacting with video advertising, searching the web, referring their friends– and now by shopping online with the new BoosterBar browser companion. With over 175,000 registered members and millions of dollars up for grabs, Moola is leading the next evolution in the multi-billion dollar casual gaming industry.

The BoosterBar (which is available exclusively to Moola players) gives players the opportunity to collect and win Moola cash when they shop online and search the web. The BoosterBar makes shopping recommendations, displays available coupons and discounts at participating retailers, and ensures that players never miss an opportunity to collect rewards when shopping online.

Originally posted on November 19, 2007 @ 2:41 pm

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock and Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare top video game searches on the web

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guitarhero.pngActivision, Inc.’s Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock and Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare have been the most searched for video games on the web, leading all U.S. Internet searches since Oct. 28, 2007 according to Hitwise, a leading online intelligence service. During the same period, Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock was the only video game listed among the top 500 search terms across all categories of web sites.

“Consumer interest in Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock and Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare has been incredible and places Activision in a strong position heading into the holiday season,” said Robin Kaminsky, executive vice president of Activision Publishing. “Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock sold through more than $115 million within the first seven days of its launch and we fully expect Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare will be one of the top-selling games of the year.”

Originally posted on November 16, 2007 @ 9:32 pm

AOL relaunches Games.com to broaden online game offering

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AOL has relaunched the gaming site Games.com to broaden its advertising capabilities and demographic reach by creating a new look, easier navigation and a more diverse library of games. The retooled site, which will add twenty new games by year’s end, will also facilitate collaboration among players by offering user-generated game reviews, tips and ratings.

To provide partners with multiple advertising opportunities, the new site will feature deep, in-game advertising integrations in several online games such as Bingo and Solitaire. In addition, pre-roll ads and in-game interstitials will also provide advertisers with a variety of methods to target an engaged audience. In an effort to expand the site’s demographic reach, Games.com will offer players of all ages a variety of gaming choices, while AOL’s games.aol.com will still target traditional adult gamers.

Games.com will feature more than 400 online and downloadable games and will add twenty new single and multiplayer exclusive online games such as multiplayer Solitaire to its roster by the end of the year. The site will continue to develop the next generation of single and multiplayer games to include card and board games, casino games, puzzles and more. These enhanced games will feature tournament functionality, a prizing system, player profiles and state of the art graphics.

Originally posted on November 15, 2007 @ 11:46 am

Microsoft announces next wave of social fun as Xbox LIVE turns five

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xbox.pngMicrosoft will celebrate tomorrow the fifth anniversary of Xbox LIVE with more than 8 million members actively engaged in the largest social entertainment network on TV. Xbox LIVE has grown from a small community of gamers in two countries, playing a handful of games online with their friends, to a worldwide social entertainment network offering online access to gaming, music, movies and TV shows.

As a gesture of thanks to the gaming community, all 8 million members will have the opportunity to download a free Xbox LIVE Arcade game, available for downloading between 12:01 a.m. PST on Nov. 15 and 11:59 p.m. PST on Nov. 16. In addition to this, every active member who joined the service in 2002 will receive 500 free Microsoft Points.

Starting on Dec. 4, all Xbox LIVE members will receive a free system update with a host of new features and enhancements. Included in this update will be the launch of Xbox Originals, which, for the first time, will enable consumers to download and own full Xbox games, such as “Halo,” “Psychonauts,” “Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge” and “Fable,” among others, directly to their Xbox 360. This new service will launch with an array of blockbuster titles spanning the most popular genres from action-adventure to classic role-playing games.

With no disc necessary, and at just 1,200 Microsoft Points per game, Xbox LIVE members can easily rediscover these hit titles, or check out a game they missed the first time around. This launch lineup is only the beginning, as Xbox 360 owners can expect to see a growing catalog of Xbox games to download and own over the coming year.

More information can be found online about the downloadable games available on Xbox LIVE, the evolution of Xbox LIVE or the Xbox LIVE is 5IVE member rewards at www.xbox.com.

Originally posted on November 14, 2007 @ 11:09 am

EA donates SimCity to “One Laptop per Child”

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simcity.pngElectronic Arts Inc. will donate the original SimCity to each computer in the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) initiative. OLPC is a not-for-profit humanitarian effort to design, manufacture and distribute inexpensive laptops with the goal of giving every child in the world access to modern education. By gifting SimCity onto each OLPC laptop, EA is providing users with an entertaining way to engage with computers as well as help develop decision-making skills while honing creativity. This is the first time a major video game publisher has gifted a game to the world.

In SimCity, the player takes on the role of mayor of a new municipality. Doing so requires laying out essentials such as housing, transport links, schools, factories and shops. The job also requires an ability to choose wisely. Players must also be financially savvy. The mayor must always be prepared for emergency situations as well, as earthquakes, floods and fires can wreak havoc on the town and require an immediate response so that fallout can be contained.

OLPC will begin distributing laptops in countries such as Uruguay, Peru, Mexico, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Haiti, Cambodia and India by the end of 2007. The idea to connect SimCity with OLPC came from internet pioneer, activist and OLPC advisor John Gilmore who knew the game’s history and recognized its potential relevance to the not-for-profit project. Not long after its 1989 release, SimCity became a phenomenon, winning more than 24 domestic and international awards. The game soon made its way into more than 10,000 classrooms as an educational tool and became part of the annual Future City Competition, a contest that still runs in seventh and eighth grade classrooms today.

Originally posted on November 8, 2007 @ 3:08 pm