Since its first release, the award-winning Call of Duty franchise has sold in excess of 55 million units worldwide. The latest title in the franchise, Infinity Ward’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, recently shattered box office and video game records with a worldwide estimated five-day sale through of approximately $550 million, establishing the game as the biggest entertainment launch in history.

“Call Of Duty has become one of the greatest entertainment franchises of all time,” said Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision Blizzard, Inc. “If you consider the number of hours our audiences are engaged in playing Call of Duty games, it is likely to be one of the most viewed of all entertainment experiences in modern history.”

Modern Warfare 2 picks up following the historic events of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, the blockbuster title that remains the top selling first person action game in history. Modern Warfare 2 is rated “M” (Mature) by the ESRB for Blood, Drug Reference, Intense Violence and Language. For additional information about the game, visit www.modernwarfare2.com.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products.

Activision Publishing maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, Russia, Japan, South Korea, China and the region of Taiwan. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activision.com.

Ayalogic announced the public beta availability of imVOX, a new voice communication service designed to broaden the use of voice in games. The free imVOX service allows up to 30 gamers to join a voice chat for free. imVOX runs in the background while a user plays a multiplayer game like Modern Warfare 2 or World of Warcraft to provide users with better communication with teammates. Premium services are available for $24.99 USD per year, and provide users with the ability to connect up to 250 users to a single server and expanded in-client features such as text-to-voice and a customizable client.

The imVOX software is currently available on Microsoft’s Windows XP, Vista and 7 and runs directly on your computer. Support for OS X is in the works. Additionally, social networking features and integration are currently in development, with login via Facebook Connect and Twitter integration available soon.

Ayalogic’s CEO Mike Rojas says, “We want to make it easier to enable gamers to connect with voice. There will be no more begging a friend to leverage their voice server to have a little extra fun in whatever game you want to play.”

The imVOX network of servers is set up on Amazon’s Web Services platform, utilizing EC2 for the main servers and S3 for backup and persistent storage– a first in the consumer game voice market. This solution allows for a low cost, redundant, scalable and cost effective infrastructure that passes its benefits for reliability and price directly to the gamer.

By providing not only the servers and technology for imVOX, but also the user client, Ayalogic is able to provide a smoother experience than existing solutions at a significantly reduced price – Free.

“Our architecture and technology will allow us to bring rapid innovation around communication services to the gaming market. The time has come to bring together to merge the benefits of embedded voice and dedicated gaming voice clients into a single solution,” says Mike Rojas.

Gamers can get started by downloading the free imVOX software at http://imvox.com/.

imVOX was created by Ayalogic to revolutionize communication in gaming. Ayalogic was founded in 2002 and is backed by Draper Triangle Ventures, Early Stage Partners, and JumpStart, Inc. Ayalogic also runs the Green-Ear network, and has been providing integrated voice services to indie game developers since 2008. For more information on imVOX visit http://imvox.com/.

Modern Warfare 2 was released on Tuesday, November 10th, to worldwide fanfare across the globe, including over 10,000 retail outlets in the U.S. alone which held midnight openings to meet consumer demand. In its first day, the blockbuster title sold through approximately 4.7 million copies in just North America and the United Kingdom, according to internal Activision estimates.

“The Call of Duty franchise has become a cultural phenomenon showing the power of video games as an entertainment medium,” said Mike Griffith, CEO, Activision Publishing, Inc. “The shattering of these entertainment records is a testament to the compelling, cinematic and uniquely engaging experience that the Call of Duty brand delivers. Modern Warfare 2 has taken interactive experience to unprecedented heights setting a new standard for entertainment.”

Modern Warfare 2 picks up following the historic events of Call of Duty® 4: Modern Warfare®, the blockbuster title that remains the top selling first person action game in history. Modern Warfare 2 is rated “M” (Mature) by the ESRB for Blood, Drug Reference, Intense Violence and Language. For additional information about the game, visit www.modernwarfare2.com.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products.

Activision Publishing maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, Russia, Japan, South Korea, China and the region of Taiwan. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activision.com.

“Star Trek Online is poised to become the ultimate Star Trek gaming experience,” said Jim Wilson, CEO of Atari, Inc. “Throughout the last four decades, Star Trek has been a mainstay in pop culture, influencing legions of fans through television, film, and more. Star Trek Online opens a whole new chapter and expands upon this incredible universe in 2010.”

Taking place in the year 2409, continuing the story of the latest film installment, Star Trek Online boasts extraordinary features and lets fans both new and old experience unparalleled adventures. Players will have the opportunity to become a high ranking Starfleet officer and will participate in missions that will take them into the depths of space, across exotic planets and even inside other starships. Star Trek Online offers total customization, where every ship players command can be customized, from color to construction. Additionally, anyone can create their own species in Star Trek Online, as well as customize the look of their avatar’s uniform.

Atari group is a global creator, producer and publisher of interactive entertainment for interactive game platforms that include PC, online, consoles from Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony and advanced smart phones (i.e. iPhone). Divisions of Atari, SA include Cryptic Studios, Atari London Studio, Eden Studios, Atari Interactive, Inc. and Atari, Inc.

Atari benefits from its global brand and an extensive catalogue of popular games based on classic owned game franchises (Asteroids, Centipede, Missile Command, Lunar Lander), original owned franchises (Test Drive, Backyard Sports, Deer Hunter), MMO games from Cryptic Studios (Star Trek Online, Champions Online) and third party franchises (Ghostbusters, Project Runway, Dungeons and Dragons).

For the quarter ended September 30, 2009, Activision Blizzard’s GAAP earnings per diluted share were $0.01, as compared to its prior GAAP loss per diluted share outlook of $0.03. On a non-GAAP basis, the company’s earnings per diluted share were $0.04, as compared to its prior non-GAAP earnings per diluted share outlook of $0.03.

The company reports results on both a GAAP and a non-GAAP basis.

Robert Kotick, CEO of Activision Blizzard, stated, “Our performance was driven by positive audience response to Activision Publishing’s Guitar Hero 5, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2, and the Guitar Hero and Call of Duty franchises, as well as Blizzard Entertainment’s World of Warcraft. Year to date through September 30, the Guitar Hero franchise was the #1 best-selling third-party franchise in North America and Europe. For the month of September, sales of music games in the U.S. increased 72% in dollars year over year, which demonstrates the sustained interest in this new and important game category. During the quarter, we continued to see strong sales for Call of Duty World at War and associated map packs, which year to date have sold more than seven and half million units. Despite a challenging overall software market, the company grew its quarterly U.S. share by 3.1 points over the previous year to 13.3%. This success is the result of our focus on delivering the highest game quality and the best entertainment experiences possible for our consumers.”

Kotick continued, “We believe we have the industry’s strongest holiday release schedule which includes Bakugan Battle Brawlers, Band Hero, Infinity Ward’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, DJ Hero and Tony Hawk: RIDE. We are committed to making great games and our fall releases deliver against this more than ever before. As of today, our calendar 2009 financial outlook remains unchanged, and we still expect to deliver record non-GAAP operating margins based on the strength of the Call of Duty franchise and high consumer anticipation for Modern Warfare 2, which we project could be the largest entertainment launch of the year. Even though there is a great deal of economic uncertainty in the marketplace and the consumer risks around the holiday season are high, we believe that our strong balance sheet and solid cash position, coupled with our leading franchises, operational capabilities and broad global reach will enable us to take advantage of the long-term opportunities afforded by our industry.”

For the third quarter, Activision Blizzard increased its U.S. and European share 1.2 points over the previous year across all platforms to 12.3% and had two of the top-10 best-selling titles in the U.S., Guitar Hero 5 and Guitar Hero World Tour, according to the NPD Group (U.S. data) and Charttrack and Gfk (European data).

For the first nine months of the calendar year, with Guitar Hero World Tour and Call of Duty: World at War respectively, Activision Blizzard had the #1 and #2 best-selling third-party titles in North America, according to the NPD Group and in Europe, according to Charttrack and Gfk. Additionally, year to date, the company grew its U.S. share of the music/dance category 5 points over the previous year to 51%, according to the NPD Group.

Other highlights are as follows:

>  For the quarter, Activision Blizzard had two of the top-10 best
selling franchises in the U.S. with Guitar Hero and Call of Duty,
according to the NPD Group.
>  During the quarter, Guitar Hero was the #1 third-party console and
handheld franchise in Europe, according to Charttrack and Gfk.
>  For the first nine months of the calendar year, Blizzard Entertainment
had three of the top-five bestselling PC games in units in North
America, according to the NPD Group, and four of the top-10
bestselling PC games in units between North America and Europe
combined, according to the NPD Group,  Charttrack, and Gfk.
>  For the first nine months of the calendar year, Guitar Hero was the #1
third-party console and handheld franchise and Call of Duty was the #2
third-party franchise, in North America, according to the NPD Group,
and in Europe, according to Charttrack and Gfk.
>  For the first nine months of the calendar year, sales of the Guitar
Hero franchise for the Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 increased on a
combined basis 20% year over year in the U.S. according to the NPD
Group, and Europe, according to Charttrack and Gfk.
>  On September 19, 2009, Blizzard Entertainment’s massively multiplayer
online role-playing game (MMORPG) World of Warcraft was relaunched in
China.
>  As of September 30, 2009, Activision Blizzard had purchased $960
million, or approximately 89 million shares, of common stock at an
average price of $10.81, under its stock repurchase program since the
program’s inception in November 2008.

Additionally, on September 16, Activision Blizzard announced that George L. Rose was appointed to the newly created position of Executive Vice President and Chief Public Policy Officer. The company also announced that Christopher B. Walther, Procter & Gamble’s general counsel for Western Europe, has been named to succeed Mr. Rose as the company’s Chief Legal Officer.

During the fourth quarter of calendar year 2009, Activision Publishing plans to release five holiday titles. Bakugan Battle Brawlers is one of the most anticipated kids titles of the year and leverages the tremendous popularity of the award-winning toy line and television show. DJ Hero introduces an innovative turntable controller and expands Guitar Hero’s signature social gaming with the debut of new music genres including hip-hop, R&B, Motown, electronica and dance. Band Hero delivers an exciting music collection featuring top-40 hits designed to appeal to broad family audiences.

In November, Activision Publishing plans to release Infinity Ward’s highly anticipated first-person action game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 globally. The company expects the title will be one of the top entertainment properties of the holiday season and pre-orders for the game are higher than for any previous Activision title. The company also plans to release Tony Hawk: Ride in the U.S., U.K. and Germany. The game features an innovative skateboard controller that lets consumers experience the thrill of skating in an entirely new way.

Activision Blizzard’s outlook is subject to significant risks and uncertainties including declines in demand for its products, fluctuations in foreign exchange and tax rates, counterparty risks relating to customers, licensees, licensors and manufacturers and risks relating to the ongoing ability of Blizzard’s licensee, NetEase.com, Inc., to operate World of Warcraft in China on a paying basis without interruption.

The company’s outlook is also based on assumptions about sell through rates for its products, and the launch timing, success and pricing of its new slate of products. Current macroeconomic conditions increase those risks and uncertainties. As a result of these and other factors, actual results may deviate materially from the outlook presented below.

As of today, for calendar year 2009, Activision Blizzard’s financial outlook remains unchanged. The company expects to deliver GAAP net revenues of $4.05 billion and GAAP earnings per diluted share of $0.26. On a non-GAAP basis, the company expects net revenues of $4.5 billion and non-GAAP earnings per diluted share of $0.63.

For the fourth quarter, Activision Blizzard expects to deliver GAAP net revenues of $1.33 billion and GAAP loss per share of $0.04. On a non-GAAP basis, the company expects net revenues of $2.22 billion and $0.43 earnings per diluted share for the fourth quarter.

Boom for Event as Gamers Cast 1.2m Votes and Name Fallout 3 Their Ultimate Game.

The video games industry was recognised as the fastest-growing entertainment medium and the UK was acknowledged as a centre of creative excellence today as the winners of the world’s most popular video game awards show, the 27th annual Golden Joystick Awards were announced in London.

Fallout 3 was crowned “Ultimate Game of the Year”, whilst Call of Duty continued its annual winning streak with a hat-trick of accolades.

With UK consumers spending GBP2.7billion on gaming over the last year, the industry remains resilient through the current downturn. As games continue to increase in popularity, organisers of the Golden Joystick Awards reported a 47% surge in voting, with over 1.2m votes in another record breaking year.

The full list of winners in the 2009 Golden Joystick Awards is:
Family Game of the Year: LittleBigPlanet
Bliss Handheld Game of the Year: Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
Retailer of the Year: GAME
Mobile Game of the Year: Metal Gear Solid Touch
Nintendo Game of the Year: Call of Duty: World at War
MSN Multiplayer Game of the Year: Call Of Duty: World At War
The Rampage Soundtrack of the Year: Guitar Hero World Tour
Xbox Game of the Year: Gears of War 2
PC Game of the Year: Fallout 3
Amiqus Games UK Developer of the Year: Jagex
PlayStation Game of the Year: Killzone 2
Publisher of the Year: Activision Blizzard
Online Game of the Year: Left4Dead
ShortList One to Watch: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Ultimate Game of the Year, together with Zavvi.co.uk: Fallout 3

Rounding off the afternoon in style, the Golden Joystick Awards themselves were officially recognised by Guinness World Records as the “World’s Most Popular Video Game Awards.” The Golden Joysticks polled 1,223,646 votes in its 27th year.

Emma Parkinson is Organiser of the Golden Joystick Awards: “The games industry remains innovative and vibrant despite economic pressures. Many of the winners at the Golden Joysticks demonstrate that UK talent remains crucial to the success of this industry across the globe and must be nurtured at all costs.

“I’m delighted by the record number of votes – gamers deserve to have their say about their favourite games, having spent GBP2.7billion of their hard-earned cash in the toughest year the industry has experienced.”

The company sold 5.7m Wiis during the six months to 30 September, compared to 10.1m during the year-ago half.

Global Wii videogame sales also dropped by six per cent during H1 FY2010, Nintendo said. Some 76.2m Wii games were sold in the half-year period, compared to sales of 81.4m during the same period last year.

“Wii has stalled,” said Nintendo’s CEO, Satoru Iwata, according to Japanese newspaper Mainichi Shimbun. “We were unable to continue to release strong software.”

The outlook for Nintendo as a global gaming powerhouse now looks dim, with the firm reporting a 52 per cent drop in net profit for half to ¥65.9bn (£440m/$721m/€491m).

Nintendo has also now cut its full-year net profit forecast by 23 per cent to ¥230bn (£1.5bn/$2.5bn/€1.7bn).

Read more at reghardware.co.uk.

“The God of War franchise has an incredibly loyal fanbase and we know they will be extremely excited with all the exclusive content and memorabilia we’ve packed into God of War III Ultimate Edition,” said Scott A. Steinberg, Vice President, Marketing, SCEA. “With fans waiting patiently for the arrival of God of War III for the PS3, we wanted to make sure their anticipation was properly rewarded.”

In addition to a copy of the highly anticipated God of War III and the limited-edition art book, fans will receive exclusive digital content headlined by the director’s cut of God of War: Unearthing the Legend, a full-length movie documentary depicting the history of the God of War franchise. The Ultimate Edition will also include God of War- inspired downloadable music in the form of the God of War Trilogy soundtrack and the God of War Heavy Metal EP (Extended Play). Lastly, fans will have access to the God of War Combat Arena, containing an exclusive environment and up to seven unique challenges, as well as the exclusive Kratos skin, Dominus, all available for download via the PlayStation Network. The God of War III Ultimate Edition will retail for $99.99 (MSRP).

Developed by Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios, Santa Monica Studio, God of War III is set in the realm of Greek mythology and is a single-player game that allows players to take on the climatic role of the ex-Spartan warrior, Kratos, as he treads through the intimidating heights of Mt. Olympus and the dark depths of hell to seek revenge on those who betrayed him. Armed with double-chained blades, Kratos must take on mythology’s darkest creatures while solving intricate puzzles throughout his merciless quest to destroy Olympus.

Utilizing a new game engine built from the ground up and state-of-the-art visual technologies, the development team behind God of War III have made significant strides in giving players the realistic feel of actually being on the battlegrounds. With texture resolutions that have quadrupled since God of War II, God of War III will feature fluid, life-like characters, as well as dynamic lighting effects, a robust weapon system and world-changing scenarios that will truly bring unmistakable realism to Kratos’ fateful quest. Players will have a chance to join battles on a grand scale with many more enemies on-screen and be able to interact with levels like never before.

Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. continues to redefine the entertainment lifestyle with its PlayStation and PS one game console, the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, the PSP (PlayStation Portable) handheld entertainment system, the ground-breaking PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system and its online and network services PlayStation Network and PlayStation Store.

Recognized as the undisputed industry leader, Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. markets the PlayStation family of products and develops, publishes, markets and distributes software for the PS one game console, the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3 and the PSP systems for the North American market. Based in Foster City, Calif., Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. serves as headquarters for all North American operations and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Visit us on the Web at www.us.playstation.com.

Available on PC and based on the award winning pen-and-paper role-playing game, Champions, from HERO Games and powered by the groundbreaking Cryptic Engine, Champions Online taps into a rich universe of heroes and villains with unparalleled intrigue and adventure. “Gamers everywhere will be able to enjoy a free trail of Champions Online between October 30 and November 2, coinciding with the recently announced Blood Moon Halloween Event,” said an Atari spokesperson.

To date, some of the most notable critics within the gaming industry have praised the game, stating:

> “First, tremendous credit goes to the robust character creation
tools…Champions Online delivers some fantastic instanced content and
some fun public quests.” – IGN

> “Champions Online makes you feel like a hero, and its intensely robust
superhero creation tool ensures that you can stand out in a sea of
other online prima donnas clad in skintight spandex and hardy power
armor.” – GameSpot

> “Champions Online is a colorful, action-packed title with the finest
character creation system yet seen in an online RPG.” – G4

> “Champions Online is an unusual game….it quickly grows on you, and
becomes surprisingly endearing.” – Games Radar

> “Champions Online is one of the best MMO releases in years that will
wow you with its character creator.” – GameZone

> “One major bright spot the game has to offer is the Nemesis system,
which is a feature that truly sets Champions Online apart from all
other MMO’s.” – Big Download

Cryptic Studios, already a leading developer and publisher of massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), has taken the genre to new heights with Champions Online’s fastpaced, “real-time” action combat and the power of total customization. Through Champions’ unique character customization tool the player can create and individualize every component of their hero: name, back story, costume, powers and abilities can all be modified in countless ways. In addition to allowing players to transform into the ultimate hero, gamers can craft an enemy of the extreme opposite, concoct a villainous history for their ultimate foe and guarantee themselves a truly unique experience.

“We are very pleased with the wonderful praise Champions Online is receiving,” said Jim Wilson, CEO, Atari, Inc. “We credit the great MMO fan base and look forward to seeing what players create as the game continues to grow and develop. We are working hard on new content and updates that will expand the universe and give Champions fans more to explore.”

Champions Online brings epic heroism back to the MMORPG genre with depth that will certainly challenge the most experienced online gamers, while its fast paced action promises to engage new entrants to the online superhero universe Enter a world where the diabolical genius Dr. Destroyer has returned to wreak havoc. After he single-handedly destroyed the city of Detroit, many thought he had perished in the colossal explosion, but he is back to inflict his evil plans on the unsuspecting world. Join with Defender and the legendary Champions to stop Dr. Destroyer and his minions in an ultimate showdown of good versus evil.

Based in Los Gatos, CA, Cryptic Studios is a leading developer of massively multiplayer online games committed to delivering the next level of MMO gameplay. Cryptic develops AAA titles for PC and consoles, including Star Trek Online and Champions Online. For more information on Cryptic Studios, please visit the official website at: www.crypticstudios.com. Cryptic word mark and logo are trademarks owned by Cryptic Studios, Inc.

Atari group is a global creator, producer and publisher of interactive entertainment for interactive game platforms that include PC, online, consoles from Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony and advanced smart phones (i.e. iPhone). Divisions of Atari, SA include Cryptic Studios, Atari London Studio, Eden Studios, Atari Interactive, Inc. and Atari, Inc.

Atari benefits from its global brand and an extensive catalogue of popular games based on classic owned game franchises (Asteroids, Centipede, Missile Command, Lunar Lander), original owned franchises (Test Drive, Backyard Sports, Deer Hunter), MMO games from Cryptic Studios (Star Trek Online, Champions Online) and third party franchises (Ghostbusters, Dungeons and Dragons).

With wideband, Comcast has introduced a new echelon of Internet speed tiers, which will redefine the customer experience online and create a platform for Internet innovation in the years ahead. Comcast now offers some of the fastest speeds available today in Central California, including the Extreme 50 tier with download speeds of up to 50 Mbps. Wideband also enables Comcast to double speeds for the majority of existing high-speed Internet customers.

“Wideband utilizes our existing fiber-optic network in neighborhoods across our footprint. With this next generation of service, our customers’ online experience is dramatically enhanced,” said Steve White, Senior Vice President of Comcast’s California Region. “And this is just the beginning. Wideband, combined with our fiber-optic network, gives us the capability of meeting the needs of our customers for many years to come by offering even faster speeds in the future.”

Beginning October 29th, Comcast’s new services will be available to residential homes, and beginning November 5th to all businesses, so its customers will soon be conducting business, surfing the web and playing online games even faster.

As part of the wideband deployment, Comcast is launching two new premium speed tiers to its residential and business class customers. Both new services are ideal for households or businesses simultaneously using several computers or Internet-connected devices. They also will appeal to those who simply want some of the fastest speeds available today:

New Residential Tiers
> Extreme 50, offering up to 50 Mbps of downstream speed and up to 10
Mbps of upstream speed at $99.95/month.*

> Ultra, offering up to 22 Mbps of downstream speed and up to 5 Mbps of
upstream speed at $62.95/month.*

With Extreme 50, Comcast customers will be able to download a high-definition movie (6 GB) in about 16 minutes, a standard-definition movie (2 GB) in about five minutes and a standard-definition TV show (300 MB) in a matter of seconds. Customers with Extreme 50 also will be able to download digital photos, songs and games faster than ever.

In addition to the new speed tiers, Comcast will also increase speeds for its existing Performance tier customers, who will now benefit from doubled downstream and upstream speeds – offering up to 12 Mbps and 2 Mbps, respectively. Plus, with PowerBoost® technology, customers are able to enjoy even faster speeds to download and upload files such as videos, games, music and photos.

Business customers will benefit from wideband with increased efficiency and productivity. Customers can sign up for the Deluxe 50 Mbps / 10 Mbps tier for $189.95/month, which includes a full suite of features and support. As part of their service, Comcast Business Class customers receive Microsoft Communication Services, providing corporate-class e-mail, calendaring and document sharing, as well as additional benefits such as firewall protection, static IP addresses, multiple e-mail addresses and business class 24/7 customer support.

Existing business class customers also will receive complimentary speed increases – speeds on the Starter tier will be doubled to up to 12 Mbps / 2 Mbps and a new Premium Tier also will be introduced, offering speeds up to 22 Mbps / 5 Mbps for $99.95/month.

Sky and Microsoft will attempt to launch the new Sky Player for Xbox 360 for a second time after the companies had to pull the service on the official launch day on Tuesday.

“The service has been suspended due to an unforeseen technical issue.” Sky said in a statement. “Sky Player engineers are hard at work to resolve the problem. We expect to have the full service available on Wednesday.”

The breakdown of the service on launch left gamers confused as to what had happened.

“How do i actually pull up sky on my Xbox, i have Sky Player account and an Xbox Gold Account. Confused… :S,” said Sam in a comment on Pocket-lint.

“The Sky player system went “Offline” before I had a chance to try it! The current news is that it will be fully back online tomorrow (Wednesday) – so you’re not alone, Jamie! Shame – I’m itching to give it a try…” said Doombar.

To access the player you’ll need both an active Sky subscription and an Xbox Live Gold subscription. The former costs £15 per month, and the latter is £40 per year, totalling £220 per year. The same channels will be available to you that are available on your existing Sky subscription.

Alternatively, Sky will be selling a bundle pack of a month of Sky Player subscription (with the Sky Sports pack), a media remote, and 3 months of Xbox Live Gold subscription for £30. If you just want to try out the service without committing to a long-term plan, that could be an option.

His daughter, Leslie Baugh, confirmed his death, saying her father had been in declining health recently.

Born in 1922, Smith grew up in the oil patch in east central Oklahoma, attending Mountain View School and Seminole High School. In 1940, he married his sweetheart, Dollie Twiggs, before going into the Army Air Corps in 1943.

After World War II ended, Smith returned to Oklahoma, to Dollie and his two small children, and began driving a milk truck, then a bread truck route as he pursued a desire to own his own business. Between 1948 and 1953, Smith tried his hand at operating various restaurant concepts in Shawnee, Oklahoma, oftentimes while running his bread route. His first was a small diner called The Cottage Cafe. A year later, he sold the Cottage Cafe and opened a larger restaurant called Troy’s Grill featuring Troy’s Panful O’Chicken. It was a loyal Troy’s Grill customer who asked Smith to co-own a root beer stand and convert an old log home into an upscale steak house which was located on the same property. Smith liked the location of the businesses and idea of running a fine dining restaurant.

In 1953 in Shawnee, Oklahoma, Smith and his partner were operating the Top Hat root beer stand and the Log House Restaurant. For five years, they ran both restaurants. However, the two concepts had very different economics. Smith learned that high-end restaurants might earn more gross revenue, but profits were limited. In 1955, Smith ended his partnership and got out of the Log House Restaurant. The Top Hat had been the cash cow for the Log House because profit margins were four times greater than those of the steakhouse. Smith eventually put all of his efforts into the root beer stand while discovering a better way to make money in the restaurant business. It was called a drive-in.

An entrepreneur in every way, Smith focused on turning his Top Hat root beer stand into a successful drive-in concept. During this time, he pioneered the use of angled and covered parking, along with an intercom speaker system that allowed customers to place orders from their cars. “Service With the Speed of Sound,” became the tagline for the Top Hat.

Over the next six years, Smith, in partnership with Charlie Pappe of Woodward, Oklahoma, opened Top Hats in three other Oklahoma communities, Stillwater, Woodward and Enid. The Top Hat concept took off and the pair found themselves fielding queries from interested entrepreneurs who wanted the chance to run their own businesses. An attempt to copyright the Top Hat name in 1958 failed so Smith and Pappe looked up “speed of sound” in the dictionary and discovered the word “sonic”. The first Top Hat to adopt the fledgling chain’s new name of Sonic, was the drive-in located in Stillwater. From that point on, Sonic Drive-Ins began popping up in small towns throughout Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas and Arkansas. Today, there are nearly 3,600 Sonic Drive-Ins located in 42 states.

Smith’s entrepreneurial spirit, his pragmatic, no nonsense approach to the business, and his desire to create opportunities for others earned him many friends and admirers over his lifetime. He will be remembered for his generosity and gentle nature. He is survived by his wife of almost 70 years, Dollie, his daughter, Leslie Baugh, his son, Troy “Butch” Smith, Jr., grandchildren: Ronnie and Chris Baugh, Christi Bercher, Troy Smith, III, Eric, David, Travis and Kyle Smith, and nine great grandchildren.

A memorial service will take place at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 30th at the First Christian Church of Edmond, Okla. Donations may be made in Troy’s name to the University of Central Oklahoma Foundation, www.ucogiving.org or Integris Health Foundation, 3030 N.W. Expressway, Ste. 1600, Oklahoma City, OK, 73112. Designate Troy & Dollie Smith Wellness Center.

In the third annual Game Crazy Holiday Gift Tracker, conducted by Weekly Reader Research, more than 1,000 teens and tweens were asked to reveal the video games they want most this season. “Action” and “music” emerged as the hot game categories for 2009, with the most-desired titles including Guitar Hero 5, Wii Sports Resort, New Super Mario Brothers and Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games. For an added twist, Game Crazy also looked at the most popular games based on personality type, ranging from “girly girl” to “all things sport” to “music addict,” in an effort to guide parents.

Most-Wanted Games Across Age and Gender

Girls and boys are largely in agreement on the hottest games of the season, with musical phenomenon Guitar Hero 5 and the expansive sports action of Wii Sports Resort, leading the pack. The four most-wanted games overall are:

> Guitar Hero 5 (Rated T) – 48 percent
> Wii Sports Resort (Rated E) – 44 percent
> New Super Mario Brothers (Rated E) – 41 percent

> Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Rated E) – 33 percent

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun … on Wuhu Island

What girl doesn’t want to hang out at a beach resort? While both Guitar Hero 5 and New Super Mario Brothers are wildly popular choices, girls across all age groups want to get in on the resort-themed activities available with Wii Sports Resort.

Girls
> 8-10 Years-Old
> Wii Sports Resort (Rated E) – 56 percent
> New Super Mario Brothers (Rated E) – 49 percent
> Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Rated E) – 44 percent
> 11-13 Years-Old
> Guitar Hero 5 (Rated T) – 53 percent
> Wii Sports Resort (Rated E) – 52 percent
> New Super Mario Brothers (Rated E) – 42 percent
> 14-17 Years-Old
> Guitar Hero 5 (Rated T) – 57 percent
> Wii Sports Resort (Rated E) – 48 percent

> New Super Mario Brothers (Rated E) – 48 percent

Boys are a Mixed Bag

More than 50 percent of boys said they often play games they know have an Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating above their age. This finding is reinforced by the list of games that boys want most. While the top games of the year are popular across age groups, a few titles with mature ratings performed favorably in certain age categories, including Call of Duty (46 percent) and Halo 3 ODST (39 percent).

Boys
> 8-10 Years-Old
> Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Rated E) – 48 percent
> New Super Mario Brothers (Rated E) – 47 percent
> Guitar Hero 5 (Rated T) – 47 percent
> 11-13 Years-Old
> Guitar Hero 5 (Rated T) – 42 percent
> Call of Duty (Rated M) – 41 percent
> Wii Sports Resort (Rated E) – 41 percent
> 14-17 Years-Old
> Call of Duty (Rated M) – 46 percent
> Guitar Hero 5 (Rated T) – 45 percent

> Halo 3 ODST (Rated M) – 39 percent

“As Game Crazy’s survey indicates, it’s not unusual for younger kids to want to play what the older kids are playing. Parents need to understand that not all video games are intended for younger players,” explained Patricia Vance, president of the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), which assigns age and content ratings for computer and video games. “The ESRB ratings provide guidance about content and age-appropriateness so parents can make sure the games their kids play are suitable for their age. And if a parent wants more information than what is on the package, they can search at ESRB.org and find a game’s rating summary, which provides additional detail about game content.”

Additionally, the expert staff at Game Crazy will demo games in-store for parents before a purchase is complete. The “try before you buy” option lets parents make the decision on whether or not the content is appropriate. Parents with an iPhone or iPod touch can also download the free Game Crazy video game app and search game ratings, browse detailed information on video games, watch game trailers, and receive new, used and trade-in pricing for games.

Personality Impacts Gaming Choices

Game preferences are largely dependent on the personality of the child. Still, without fail, the most-wanted games of the season reigned supreme across interest types.

> “Girly Girl” -  Enjoys being indoors and loves fashion and all things
pretty
> Top game: Wii Sports Resort (Rated E) – 57 percent
> “Music Addict” -  If they had their way they would never stop
listening to their iPod
> Top game: Guitar Hero 5 (Rated T) – 57 percent
> “All Things Sports” – Loves all sports and if they’re not playing one,
they’re watching a game
> Top game: Wii Sports Resort (Rated E) – 54 percent
> “The Adventurer” – Loves to be outdoors, enjoying any new mystery or
adventure

> Top game: New Super Mario Brothers (Rated E) – 46 percent

Know Your Systems

Equally important is ensuring the game is for the right system. The 2009 survey reveals that 66 percent of kids plan to ask for a new video game system this holiday season. Game Crazy recommends when choosing a system, parents should consider the following:

> The most desired systems for the season are Nintendo DSi (24 percent),
followed by PS3 and Wii both at 21 percent
> It’s the ideal time to buy: all systems have dropped in price (ranging
from $50 to $100) since last holiday season

> Parents can go in-store to view and demo the numerous systems
available.  To find the nearest Game Crazy store visit
www.GameCrazy.com.

The Game Crazy survey was conducted online August 20 – September 2, 2009, by Weekly Reader Research. 1,005 U.S. male and female participants, ages 8-17, were recruited from Weekly Reader Research’s INSIDERS survey research community to participate. The margin of error is +/- 3.1 percent at the 95 percent confidence interval.

Respondents: 863 qualifying respondents (likely to ask for at least one video game this holiday season) composed of 450 boys and 413 girls aged 8-17 years-old

Game Crazy® (www.gamecrazy.com) is the nation’s second largest specialty game retailer. Its stores provide customers with a vast selection of game titles, consoles and accessories; terrific value on new, used and trade-in games; and unmatched expertise. Headquartered in Wilsonville, Oregon, Game Crazy is owned and operated by Movie Gallery, Inc, which is also the parent company for the Movie Gallery and Hollywood Video brands. Movie Gallery, Inc. is the second largest North American home entertainment specialty retailer.

The title will feature an incredible collection of 14 different puzzle types spanning such popular formats as Wordsearch, Sudoku, Crossword, Fitwork, Link-A-Pix, Codeword, Spot the Difference and Silhouette, as well as bonus games including Hangman and all-new puzzle formats Equate, Jigsaw, and more. Puzzler World will be available across North American retailers on December 8, 2009 for a suggested retail price of $19.99. In addition to the DS release, Puzzler World will also be available for PC download at Atari.com.

“Puzzler World gives everyone from puzzle amateurs looking for a travel companion to puzzle masters a chance to experience the classic, addicting games we all know and love,” said Jim Wilson, CEO, Atari, Inc. “Nintendo DS is the perfect system for casual puzzle gaming on the go and the new game formats are sure to become instant favorites.”

With an extensive array of classic games and all-new puzzle formats, Puzzler World will challenge users with endless entertainment and different degrees of difficulty. Players will be able to choose from two distinct game modes, Quickplay or Challenge, making it accessible for beginners and tough enough for even the most advanced puzzle gurus. Problem solvers who dominate Challenge mode will find that there are plenty of bonus games to further meet their brain-busting thirst; these include all-new gaming formats such as Chain Letters and Picture Quiz, as well as additional classic favorites like Hangman and Missing Piece.

In addition, Puzzler World features a handwriting recognition mode which will train the game to recognize the user’s handwriting.

Atari group is a global creator, producer and publisher of interactive entertainment for interactive game platforms that include PC, online, consoles from Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony and advanced smart phones (i.e. iPhone). Divisions of Atari, SA include Cryptic Studios, Atari London Studio, Eden Studios, Atari Interactive, Inc. and Atari, Inc.

Atari benefits from its global brand and an extensive catalogue of popular games based on classic owned game franchises (Asteroids, Centipede, Missile Command, Lunar Lander), original owned franchises (Test Drive, Backyard Sports, Deer Hunter), MMO games from Cryptic Studios (Star Trek Online, Champions Online) and third party franchises (Ghostbusters, Project Runway, Dungeons and Dragons).

The limited edition black Nintendo Wii will be released on November 6th and as a special treat Amazon has already knocked £15 off the retail price.

Nintendo fans can rejoice as they will also be able to choose between two free games, one of which is the record breaking FIFA 10. What is Amazon going to do next to sucker people in, start giving the games away for free with every toothbrush sold?

The black Wii would make for a great present this Christmas and will no doubt provide endless hours of family fun – if you haven’t already indulged in one on a previous Christmas. You might want to get your pre-order in quickly though, as we anticipate the consoles will fly off those virtual shelves.