Let’s sweat! Just Dance 2 has become the eighth Wii title to clear five million sold.

The October 2010 release is now part of an exclusive club, heretofore populated solely by Nintendo first-party titles. One can imagine smoking jacket Mario sitting by the fireplace in mid-conversation with Reggie, their private discussion interrupted when the door opens and the Ubisoft dancers stroll into the penthouse suite.

The other seven games to crest five million are Wii Play (13.04 million), Mario Kart Wii (10.64 million), New Super Mario Bros. Wii (8.36 million), Wii Fit (8.17 million), Wii Fit Plus (7.06 million), Wii Sports Resort (6.45 million), Super Smash Bros. Brawl (5.28 million). Quite a spread in the numbers, but that’s the Wii for you. There are all US totals, incidentally.

Just Dance 2 Becomes Eighth Wii Title to Sell More Than 5 Million Units

Just Dance® 2 from Ubisoft®, which plays exclusively on Nintendo’s Wii™ console, has sold more than 5 million units, according to the independent NPD Group, which tracks video game sales in the United States. With this milestone, the Wii system now has eight 5-million sellers* in the U.S., twice as many as competing current-generation consoles combined.

In the month of July, seven of the top 10 and 15 of the top 25 best-selling software SKUs play on Nintendo platforms. Just Dance 2 sold more than 120,000 units to finish No. 3 for the month.

“By crossing the 5 million sales mark, Just Dance 2 joins one of the most exclusive clubs in the world of video games,” said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “Nintendo systems have games for every type of player. We’re poised for a great holiday season, thanks to tremendous value across all our platforms and fan-favorite franchises delivering fun new surprises.”

During the next few months, Nintendo will release a huge selection of fan-favorite titles. This includes Star Fox 64™ 3D, Super Mario™ 3D Land and Mario Kart™ 7 for the Nintendo 3DS™ portable entertainment system, The Legend of Zelda™: Skyward Sword for Wii and Kirby™ Mass Attack for the Nintendo DS™ family of systems, which was the best-selling platform in July.

* The Wii titles to surpass 5 million units sold in the U.S. include: Wii Play™ (13.04 million), Mario Kart™ Wii (10.64 million), New Super Mario Bros.™ Wii (8.36 million), Wii Fit™ (8.17 million), Wii Fit™ Plus (7.06 million), Wii Sports Resort™ (6.45 million), Super Smash Bros.™ Brawl (5.28 million) and Just Dance 2 (5.09 million).

For those of you that like their Rock Band 3 with a lot of Aqua Net, this is the week for you as legendary rock band, Def Leppard, makes a return trip to the franchise with a six track pack.  The DLC pack includes many of the band’s greatest hits, including such titles as “Rock of Ages”, “Pour Some Sugar on Me” and “Photograph” to name a few.  All six of the tracks in the DLC pack also include Pro Guitar and Pro Bass tracks for an extra price.  About the only down side is that a couple of the tracks are Live versions, which I am never a fan of, as they tend to take weird twists away from the original recording.

All tracks can be purchased separately for 200 Wii Points, 160 MS Points or $1.99 depending on platform or can be bought at a discount in one bundle for 1000 Wii Points, 800 MS Points or $9.99 based on platform.

Check the jump for the full track listing and European pricing.

DEF LEPPARD BRINGS AN OUTSTANDING 6-PACK TO ROCK BAND THIS TUESDAY!
IN A ROCK BAND FIRST, ALL 6 TRACKS HAVE PRO GUITAR UPGRADES AVAILABLE

Cambridge, Mass. – August 5^th, 2011– Harmonix today announced that a 6-pack of tracks from rock icons Def Leppard will be available beginning August 9^th in the Rock Band 3 Music Store of downloadable content for the Xbox 360^® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation^®3 computer entertainment system and Wii^™.

Rock Band provides the deepest and best selection of artists, songs and albums through the Rock Band music platform, which features more than 900 artists and more than 3,000* tracks via disc and download purchase (complete list of tracks at www.rockband.com/songs). Rock Band’s gigantic music library dwarfs that of any other rhythm video game on the market. More than 100 million songs have been sold through the Rock Band Music Store since its launch Nov. 20, 2007.

Rock Band DLC Additions for Xbox 360, PlayStation®3 system and Wii
One of the most requested bands on RockBand.com, Def Leppard make their first appearance as downloadable content in Rock Band this week, and what an appearance it is! SIX iconic tracks from the 80s superstar group land in the Rock Band Music Store this Tuesday.

With epic guitar parts that helped shape a generation of musicians, it’s no surprise that Harmonix chose to break new ground with Def Leppard, authoring additional Pro Guitar and Pro Bass upgrades for every track in this stellar six pack. Rock Band 3 Pro players will be able to learn their favorite Def Leppard tracks starting this Tuesday!

“We are thrilled to be a part of this Rock Band 6-pack release. It’s almost like releasing a new album. We’re psyched to be out on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii,” added Phil Collen, guitarist for Def Leppard.

The amazing tracks span the Def Leppard catalog, including 1981’s High ‘n’ Dry (“Bringin’ On the Heartbreak”), 1983’s Pyromania (“Photograph”, “Rock of Ages”) and “Undefeated”, a new cut from Def Leppard’s recent album Mirrorball: Live & More. Also from Mirrorball: Live & More are two amazing live versions of mega hits from 1987’s Hysteria, “Animal (Live)” and “Pour Some Sugar on Me (Live)”.

As always, songs available as downloadable content for Rock Band 3 feature five-button guitar and bass parts, drums, Pro Drums, and keys, Pro Keys and harmonies, where applicable. Some songs also feature Pro Guitar and Pro Bass upgrades available for an additional $0.99 upgrade download.

Available on Xbox 360, Wii and PlayStation®3 system (August 9^th, 2011):

• Def Leppard – “Animal (Live)”^X
• Def Leppard – “Bringin’ On the Heartbreak”^X
• Def Leppard – “Photograph”^X
• Def Leppard – “Pour Some Sugar on Me (Live)”^X
• Def Leppard – “Rock of Ages”^X
• Def Leppard – “Undefeated”^X

(These tracks will be available in Europe on PlayStation®3 system August 10^th)

These tracks will be available for purchase as “Def Leppard Pack 01” and as individual tracks on Xbox 360, PlayStation®3 system and Wii. Tracks marked with “X” will include Pro Guitar and Pro Bass expansions for $0.99 per song.

Price:
$9.99, £4.99 UK, €7.99 EU (800 Microsoft Points, 1000 Wii Points^™) for “Def Leppard Pack 01”
$1.99 USD, £.99 UK, €1.49 EU (160 Microsoft Points) per song
$2.00USD (200 Wii Points^™) per song
$0.99 USD (100 Wii Points/80 Microsoft Points), £0.59 UK, €0.79 EU per song for eligible Pro Guitar/Pro Bass upgrade

** Dates for Rock Band game tracks are tentative and subject to change. **

*Available on-disc, via download and disc export. Internet connection and export key purchase required. Wii™ Shop Channel has more than 1,500 song tracks available for purchase on the Rock Band platform on-disc, via song import, and download. Not applicable to Nintendo DS™.

Website Links:
For more information, please visit:

Rock Band Website
Def Leppard Website

Rock Band 3 is available for Xbox 360, PlayStation®3 system, Wii and Nintendo DS. Xbox 360, PlayStation®3 system and Wii versions support downloadable content.

Downloadable content for Wii is purchased via the in-game Rock Band Music Storeusing Wii Points™ purchased through the Wii™ Shop Channel and can be downloaded to the system memory or to an SD card for additional storage. The tracks stream directly from the SD card for seamless play.

The Rock Band Music Store allows players to preview and purchase downloadable individual music tracks and packs from the vast selection of offerings available to date without ever leaving the game as they build their own custom Rock Band library. The complete list of tracks can be found at www.rockband.com/songs.

Rock Band 3 is rated “T” for Teen (lyrics, suggestive themes) by the ESRB. Music downloads are not rated by the ESRB.

For more information on Rock Band 3 and Harmonix Music Systems please visit www.rockband.com and www.harmonixmusic.com.

Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.

“PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Wii and Nintendo DS are trademarks of Nintendo. © 2006 Nintendo. 

GAME> The Legend of Zelda – Twilight Princess (2006)
SYSTEM> Nintendo Wii, GameCube
SOURCE> The Legend of Zelda – Twilight Princess Trading Cards, 2007

This is actually a mostly-useful tip. Another card I have suggests “find another Clawshot to create a Double Clawshot,” which is not especially useful.

This week in Rock Band 3, we get an eclectic mix of rap, funk and R&B for those that own a set of plastic instruments and Rock Band 3.  First off is a mix of old and new Beastie Boys, with “No Sleep Til Brooklyn” from the License to Ill album, and “Make Some Noise” off of their new album Hot Sauce Committee Part Two.  If the Beastie Boys are not your thing, we also have a track from the Godfather of Soul, James Brown with his hit, “Super Bad 1&2″.  Rounding out the mix is a track from Rufus and Chaka Khan with “Tell Me Something Good”, and Heart returning to the fold with “Barracuda”.

Tracks will cost you 200 Wii Points, $1.99 or 160 MS Points depending on the platform of choice.  As with all other Rock Band 3 tracks, you do need a full copy of the game to play the DLC tracks and Pro Guitar and Pro Bass tracks are available for several of the tracks above for a premium price.  Check out the particulars on the releases in the presser below.

SINGLES FROM BEASTIE BOYS, HEART, JAMES BROWN AND RUFUS (FT CHAKA KHAN) LAND IN THE ROCK BAND MUSIC STORE

Cambridge, Mass. – July 29^th, 2011– Harmonix today announced that 5 singles from the Beastie Boys, Heart, James Brown and Rufus will be available beginning August 2nd in the Rock Band 3 Music Store of downloadable content for the Xbox 360^® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation^®3 computer entertainment system and Wii^™. 
 
Rock Band provides the deepest and best selection of artists, songs and albums through the Rock Band music platform, which features more than 900 artists and more than 3,000* tracks via disc and download purchase (complete list of tracks at www.rockband.com/songs). Rock Band’s gigantic music library dwarfs that of any other rhythm video game on the market. More than 100 million songs have been sold through the Rock Band Music Store since its launch Nov. 20, 2007.
 
Rock Band DLC Additions for Xbox 360, PlayStation®3 system and Wii
This week, the Rock Band DLC release features funk, Hip Hop, and Classic Rock with 4 amazing artists. Beastie Boys kick things off with the lead single off of their 2011 release Hot Sauce Committee Part Two, “Make Some Noise” and one of their breakout rock party anthems – “No Sleep till Brooklyn”.
 
From the world of funk, Rock Band fans get a one-two punch! Rufus (ft Chaka Khan) delivers the grooves with “Tell Me Something Good”. The Godfather of Soul himself, James Brown, picks up the tempo with the inimitable “Super Bad, Pts. 1 & 2”.
 
Lastly, Heart’s “Barracuda” arrives in the Rock Band Music Store. A frequent request on RockBand.com, this track features an optional Pro Guitar upgrade, letting you learn the galloping riff to the 1977 classic.
 
As always, songs available as downloadable content for Rock Band 3 feature five-button guitar and bass parts, drums, Pro Drums, and keys, Pro Keys and harmonies, where applicable. Some songs also feature Pro Guitar and Pro Bass upgrades available for an additional $0.99 upgrade download.
 
Available on Xbox 360, Wii and PlayStation®3 system (August 2^nd , 2011):

• Beastie Boys – “Make Some Noise”
• Beastie Boys – “No Sleep till Brooklyn”
• Heart – “Barracuda”^X
• James Brown– “Super Bad, Pts. 1 & 2”^X
• Rufus (ft. Chaka Khan) – “Tell Me Something Good ”

These tracks will be available for purchase as individual tracks on Xbox 360, PlayStation®3 system and Wii. Tracks marked with “X” will include Pro Guitar and Pro Bass expansions for $0.99 per song.
 
Price:
$1.99 USD, £.99 UK, €1.49 EU (160 Microsoft Points) per song
$2.00USD (200 Wii Points^™) per song
$0.99 USD (100 Wii Points/80 Microsoft Points), £0.59 UK, €0.79 EU per song for eligible Pro Guitar/Pro Bass upgrade
 
(These tracks will be available in Europe on PlayStation®3 system August 3^rd)
 
** Dates for Rock Band game tracks are tentative and subject to change. **
 
*Available on-disc, via download and disc export. Internet connection and export key purchase required. Wii™ Shop Channel has more than 1,500 song tracks available for purchase on the Rock Band platform on-disc, via song import, and download. Not applicable to Nintendo DS™.
 
Website Links:
Rock Band Website
 
Rock Band 3 is available for Xbox 360, PlayStation®3 system, Wii and Nintendo DS. Xbox 360, PlayStation®3 system and Wii versions support downloadable content. 
 
Downloadable content for Wii is purchased via the in-game Rock Band Music Storeusing Wii Points™ purchased through the Wii™ Shop Channel and can be downloaded to the system memory or to an SD card for additional storage.  The tracks stream directly from the SD card for seamless play. 
 
The Rock Band Music Store allows players to preview and purchase downloadable individual music tracks and packs from the vast selection of offerings available to date without ever leaving the game as they build their own custom Rock Band library.  The complete list of tracks can be found at www.rockband.com/songs.
 
Rock Band 3 is rated “T” for Teen (lyrics, suggestive themes) by the ESRB. Music downloads are not rated by the ESRB.
 
For more information on Rock Band 3 and Harmonix Music Systems please visit www.rockband.com  and www.harmonixmusic.com.
 
Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.
 
“PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
 
Wii and Nintendo DS are trademarks of Nintendo. © 2006 Nintendo. 

200 Club points can net you a Giant Mii AR Card… with the ? box on one side and Mario on the other. This is an upsized version of the cards packed with every 3DS, for use in the AR Cards app. The Giant Card is approximately 28.5″ tall by 18.25″ wide, allowing you to generate life-size pics of Mario and your Miis. Plus you could set up an AR target shoot or fishing game that encompasses your entire living room. Nintendo warns that the Giant Card arrives folded (quelle horreur!) but the single fold will not affect photography.

Donkey Kong is the latest star of a poster set; three posters for 400 points. And for the Metroid: Other M fan who has everything, 10 points gets you a downloadable screensaver. Unfortunately, this last item will constantly remind you about Metroid: Other M. Frowny.

Check them all out at your Club Nintendo page.

It seems strange to think that the legendary rock band Yes, has never shown up in a Rock Band game up to this point in time.  That oversight has been rectified this week by the people at Harmonix, as a new five track pack from Yes will be available for Rock Band 3 next Tuesday.

The track pack leads off with one of their bigger hits, “Owner of a Lonely Heart”, but also includes other hits like “South Side of the Sky” and “I’ve Seen All Good People”.  Both the Lonely Heart and Good People tracks will have pro guitar and pro bass tracks available for $0.99, 100 Wii Points or 80 MS Points depending on platform.

Look for more for more on the Yes Five Track Pack after the jump.

UNPARALLELED BRITISH PROG ROCK KINGS YES DELIVER STANDOUT ROCK BAND 5 PACK!

  Cambridge, Mass. – July 22nd, 2011– Harmonix today announced that a 5 pack from Yes will be available beginning July 26th in the Rock Band 3 Music Store of downloadable content for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Wii™. 

Rock Band provides the deepest and best selection of artists, songs and albums through the Rock Band music platform, which features more than 900 artists and more than 2,900* tracks via disc and download purchase (complete list of tracks at www.rockband.com/songs). Rock Band’s gigantic music library dwarfs that of any other rhythm video game on the market. More than 100 million songs have been sold through the Rock Band Music Store since its launch Nov. 20, 2007.
 
Rock Band DLC Additions for Xbox 360, PlayStation®3 system and Wii
Fans of amazing progressive rock, powerful vocal hooks and challenging Rock Band gameplay – REJOICE. Yes has returned to the Rock Band platform with a 5-Pack featuring some of their greatest hits.
 
Super intricate and epic tracks like  “Heart of the Sunrise”, “Starship Trooper” and “South Side of the Sky” kick off the pack with winding multi-minute polyrhythmic sets of unique instrumentation and powerful melodies. The pack also features the band at their most straightforward and rocking, with “I’ve Seen All Good People and “Owner of a Lonely Heart”, rounding out this very solid 5 pack. For fans of any instrument, the tracks are amazing; for fans of keyboard gameplay, the entire pack is a must!
 
As always, songs available as downloadable content for Rock Band 3 feature five-button guitar and bass parts, drums, Pro Drums, and keys, Pro Keys and harmonies, where applicable. Some songs also feature Pro Guitar and Pro Bass upgrades available for an additional $0.99 upgrade download.
 
Available on Xbox 360, Wii and PlayStation®3 system (July 26th, 2011):

• Yes – “Heart of the Sunrise”
• Yes – “I’ve Seen All Good People”X
• Yes – “Owner of a Lonely Heart”X
• Yes – “South Side of the Sky”
• Yes – “Starship Trooper” 

These tracks will be available for purchase as “Yes Pack 01” and as individual tracks on Xbox 360, PlayStation®3 system and Wii. Tracks marked with “X” will include Pro Guitar and Pro Bass expansions for $0.99 per song.
 
Price:
$8.99, £4.39 UK, €6.59 EU (680 Microsoft Points, 900 Wii Points) for “Yes Pack 01”
$1.99 USD, £.99 UK, €1.49 EU (160 Microsoft Points) per song
$2.00USD (200 Wii Points™) per song
$0.99 USD (100 Wii Points/80 Microsoft Points), £0.59 UK, €0.79 EU per song for eligible Pro Guitar/Pro Bass upgrade
 
** Dates for Rock Band game tracks are tentative and subject to change. **
 
*Available on-disc, via download and disc export. Internet connection and export key purchase required. Wii™ Shop Channel has more than 1,500 song tracks available for purchase on the Rock Band platform on-disc, via song import, and download. Not applicable to Nintendo DS™.
 
Website Links:
For more information, please visit:
 
Rock Band Website
 
Rock Band 3 is available for Xbox 360, PlayStation®3 system, Wii and Nintendo DS. Xbox 360, PlayStation®3 system and Wii versions support downloadable content. 
 
Downloadable content for Wii is purchased via the in-game Rock Band Music Storeusing Wii Points™ purchased through the Wii™ Shop Channel and can be downloaded to the system memory or to an SD card for additional storage.  The tracks stream directly from the SD card for seamless play. 
 
The Rock Band Music Store allows players to preview and purchase downloadable individual music tracks and packs from the vast selection of offerings available to date without ever leaving the game as they build their own custom Rock Band library.  The complete list of tracks can be found at www.rockband.com/songs.
 
Rock Band 3 is rated “T” for Teen (lyrics, suggestive themes) by the ESRB. Music downloads are not rated by the ESRB.
 
For more information on Rock Band3and Harmonix Music Systems please visit www.rockband.com  and www.harmonixmusic.com.
 
Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.
 
“PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
 
Wii and Nintendo DS are trademarks of Nintendo. © 2006 Nintendo. 

With NBA 2K11, 2K Sports put together a basketball release that packaged up a great basketball sim, while adding the amazing talent of Michael Jordan into the mix.  The game became an instant hit with the fans, and after 5+ million units have been sold across all platforms, it was going to be interesting to see what 2K Sports would do to up the ante on the title.

Today, we have a small piece of the puzzle as to what might be happening, as 2K Sports has announced that NBA 2K12 would ship with three different covers in a limited edition run, with Michael Jordan returning, but adding Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.  All three are considered to be some of the best players in the game, and the covers will be a one off variant on the normal 2K Games packaging.

No word on whether we will get a Bird or Magic challenge, but after the success of the Jordan challenge, it would be a huge missed opportunity to add these greats into the mix.  Who knows, maybe they will all be playable on a 1992 Barcelona Olympics team mode?  One can dream.

NBA 2K12 is developed by 2K Sports and will be available on just about every platform on October 4th, 2012.

Jordan Returns: 2K Sports Announces Trio of NBA® 2K12 Covers Featuring Three NBA Icons

Michael Jordan, joined by Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, to grace three unique artistic covers in celebration of NBA legacy

New York, NY – July 21, 2011 – 2K Sports announced today that NBA® 2K12, the next installment of the top-rated and best-selling NBA video game simulation franchise*, will offer three separate covers for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360®video game and entertainment system from Microsoft featuring three of the NBA’s greatest legends of all time, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson.

The new stylized NBA 2K12 covers are a unique, one-time departure from the traditional 2K Sports brand artwork, and will spotlight each legendary athlete on his famous team: the Chicago Bulls, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Lakers. The covers featuring Bird and Johnson will be available at launch in a limited quantity.

A new feat in sports gaming, this three-part collection extends the strong legacy established by NBA 2K11, which has sold-in more than 5 million units worldwide and garnered over 20 video game accolades, including 14 ‘Sports Game of the Year’ honors.

“Bringing Michael Jordan to the virtual hardwood last year was a huge success for NBA 2K11; however, we didn’t want to stop there,” said Jason Argent, vice president of marketing for 2K Sports. “We’re bringing ‘His Airness’ back to the NBA 2K franchise as part of a multi-year extended partnership, along with two other legendary icons – Larry Bird and Magic Johnson – for a special cover athlete collection representing the NBA’s greatest heroes.”

The unprecedented, stylized artwork covers underscore 2K Sports’ passion for bringing fans authentic NBA basketball across generations, while celebrating the legacy of legendary hoops athletes, past and present.

The cover artwork for NBA 2K12 was created by Adam Larson of Adam&Co. Larson has created dynamic artwork for galleries, magazines and various product advertising campaigns. His work has received numerous honors, including the Kelly Awards, Cannes Lions, Clio Awards, and two primetime Emmy nominations

NBA 2K12 can now be pre-ordered from leading video game retailers nationwide, and will be available on October 4, 2011, for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360, Wii™ system, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system and Windows PC.

NBA 2K12 is currently rated RP-E by the ESRB. Visit www.esrb.org for updated rating information.

For more information on 2K Sports, visit www.2KSports.com.

2K Sports is a division of 2K, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).

*According to 2008 – 2011 Gamerankings.com and The NPD Group estimates of U.S. retail video game sales through June 2011.

About Take-Two Interactive Software

Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is a global developer, marketer and publisher of interactive entertainment software games for the PC, PlayStation®3 and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment systems, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Wii™, Nintendo DS™, iPhone®, iPod® touch and iPad®. The Company publishes and develops products through its wholly owned labels Rockstar Games and 2K, which publishes its titles under 2K Games, 2K Sports and 2K Play. The Company’s common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol TTWO. For more corporate and product information please visit our website at www.take2games.com.

“PlayStation” and the “PS” Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.

Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies and are used under license from Microsoft.

Wii and the Wii logo are trademarks of Nintendo.

All trademarks and copyrights contained herein are the property of their respective holders.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

The statements contained herein which are not historical facts are considered forward-looking statements under federal securities laws and may be identified by words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “potential,” “predicts,” “projects,” “seeks,” “will,” or words of similar meaning and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the outlook for the Company’s future business and financial performance. Such forward-looking statements are based on the current beliefs of our management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to them, which are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Actual outcomes and results may vary materially from these forward-looking statements based on a variety of risks and uncertainties including: our dependence on key management and product development personnel, our dependence on our Grand Theft Auto products and our ability to develop other hit titles for current generation platforms, the timely release and significant market acceptance of our games, the ability to maintain acceptable pricing levels on our games, our ability to raise capital if needed and risks associated with international operations. Other important factors and information are contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2011, in the section entitled “Risk Factors,” and the Company’s other periodic filings with the SEC, which can be accessed atwww.take2games.com. All forward-looking statements are qualified by these cautionary statements and apply only as of the date they are made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

When it was still working right, things were good.

My launch Wii is on the verge of exploding or something, so I decided to go buy a new one. Toys R Us had a promotion yesterday, online only, where if you spent $125 or more on a MasterCard, they gave you a $25 discount at checkout. With Wii bundles rolling out the door at $150 with Mario Kart Wii and one of those fancy new Wii Remotes with the Remote Plus built into it, I figured I could use the $25 and whatever pittance I get for that shit-on-plastic Mario Kart episode on eBay to make this cheaper than a repair. How could I lose?

Here’s how I lost.

I couldn’t get my $25 off on the website, no matter how I did it. I made an order to have it shipped, I made an order to pick it up at the store, I paid with a MasterCard, and no matter what it wouldn’t work. The deal was yesterday only though, so I submitted the order and hoped for the best, and when the full amount went through I emailed support and waited for a response.

Earlier today I went to pick up the Wii from Toys R Us, hoping they’d be able to credit me the difference, but no. I had to call support and tell them what happened, then wait on hold for a while for them to decide that yeah, I did everything right but it still didn’t work, and issue me a credit. They were nice about it though.

I got home with the oddly massive box and set up the new system, deleted all the crap channels they leave on there and then realized I had to copy all my saves over from my old console. That would be fine, but some of the biggest games on the console have their saves locked to the console to “prevent cheating.” This includes Animal Crossing, Smash Brothers, and any other online enabled game. On top of this, the menus for copying things to and from the SD Card are astonishingly slow and clumsy. Here’s the process for copying one game save from one Wii to another.

1. boot the old Wii
2. open the menu for game saves and select Wii
3. locate the game save by looking for its low resolution icon that has something to do with the game (like on a PS1) and point at it to see a tooltip
4. select it, click copy, say yes
5. wait about 5-10 seconds for the one save to copy
6. select ok
7. back out of the menus and off the SD Card
8. eject the SD Card
9. put the SD Card in the new Wii
10. boot the game disc for the save you want to copy
11. once the game’s booted, hit menu and exit
12. open the menu for game saves and select SD Card
13. locate the game save by looking for its low resolution icon that has something to do with the game (like on a PS1) and point at it to see a tooltip
14. select it, click copy, say yes
15. wait about 5-10 seconds for the one save to copy
16. select ok
17. back out of the menus and off the SD Card

You see, Nintendo has gone to great lengths to prevent piracy on their console, and they’ve failed miserably, if all the hacked Wiis with external hard drives full of Wii games on eBay and Craig’s List are any indication. What they have succeeded in doing though is making it very hard for regular users to do reasonable things on the system. Like file management.

Fortunately for me my old Wii isn’t completely dead yet, so I can spend a little more time playing those games on the old system as long as I don’t try to play in progressive scan, because the system overheats if I do. I considered doing homebrew on the old one to see if I might be able to get my locked saves off (someone has to have figured out how to do that) but I guess that doesn’t work with the newest versions of the firmware.

Oh by the way, hi everyone. Been a while.

Activision will have a panel at the San Diego Comic Con this year that will feature the new celebrity voice talent for their two superhero titles, X-Men: Destiny and Spider Man: Edge of Time.  Jumping on for Spider Man, we have Val Kilmer as Walter Sloan, Laura Vandervoort as Mary Jane and Katee Sackhoff debuing as the new voice of Black Cat.

On the X-Men side of the fence, Milo Ventimiglia, Jamie Chung and Scott Porter will be providing the voices to the three new protagonist characters that you will play – Grant Alexander, Aimi Yoshida and Adrian Luca respectively.

For those that are attending San Diego Comic Con, you can attend the panel on Saturday, July 23rd, 2011 at 10:00AM in room 5AB, or you can get some hands-on time with both titles at the Activision booth.  Check out the full 411 on the event after the jump.

Activision Reveals Spider-Man(TM): Edge of Time and X-Men(TM) Destiny Voice Talent at San Diego Comic-Con

Val Kilmer Headlines Spider-Man: Edge of Time and Milo Ventimiglia Leads X-Men Destiny Casts
Talent to Take Part in Comic-Con Panel on Saturday, July 23, at 10:00am

SANTA MONICA, Calif., July 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — World-famous Super Heroes deserve world-class talent! That’s why, to kick off San Diego Comic-Con 2011, Activision Publishing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) and Marvel Entertainment, LLC are pleased to announce the top-tier celebrity actors that will voice characters in the upcoming Spider-Man™: Edge of Time and X-Men™ Destiny video games.  Both games will be playable at this year’s Comic-Con and are set to thrill comic fans this fall. 

The highly anticipated Spider-Man: Edge of Time game will feature legendary film star Val Kilmer as Walker Sloan, Smallville and V mainstay Laura Vandervoort as Mary Jane, and Katee Sackhoff, who played Lieutenant Starbuck from Battlestar Galactica, makes her debut as the Black Cat. 

Additionally, Heroes icon Milo Ventimiglia, Sucker Punch and The Hangover Part II vixen Jamie Chung and Friday Night Lights star Scott Porter will bring three all-new playable mutant characters — Grant Alexander, Aimi Yoshida and Adrian Luca — to life respectively in X-Men Destiny. 

“These amazing casts of talented Hollywood actors help bring the rich storylines of Spider-Man: Edge of Time and X-Men Destiny to life,” said Vicharin Vadakan, Director of Marketing, Activision Publishing.  ”Players this fall will get to control the destiny of their own mutants or save Spider-Man and through this voice talent feel like they are part of the action.” 

Comic-Con fans can also catch their favorite stars from Spider-Man: Edge of Time and X-Men Destiny at the Activision Marvel Video Games Panel where they will join legendary comic creator Stan Lee, Marvel writer Peter David and Beenox Studio Head Dee Brown, among others, to discuss the latest Super Hero adventures and their roles in the upcoming video games.  The panel will take place on Saturday, July 23, at 10:00am in room 5AB.  Show-goers who visit the Activision booth (#5445) will be among the first to get their hands on both games. 

About Spider-Man: Edge of Time 

Playing the roles of the Amazing Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2099, Spider-Man: Edge of Time propels gamers on a high-octane, adrenaline-fueled adventure in which the heroic web-slingers must urgently work together across time to save each other and prevent a disaster that ultimately leads to the death of the Amazing Spider-Man.  Against the backdrop of a rich, tightly crafted narrative by acclaimed Marvel veteran writer Peter David, the game features two individual timelines evolving in parallel, as well as “cause-and-effect” moments driven by the narrative. The game utilizes “picture-in-picture” moments where the actions of the Spider-Man in the present immediately affect the Spider-Man in the future and his surroundings. 

About X-Men Destiny 

X-Men Destiny allows gamers to control the fate of one of three brand-new mutant characters forced to choose between saving humanity or ensuring its destruction.  Players are able to customize the path, powers and development of their character and decide their role in the mutant cause alongside, or against, some of Marvel’s greatest X-Men franchise characters.  Their mutant skills will evolve through a unique upgrade system that allows them to choose how they will mix and match the powers from their favorite X-Men and Brotherhood characters, then engage in fast and furious combat against a variety of opponents bent on defending their beliefs. 

Spider-Man: Edge of Time is being developed by Beenox for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Wii™ and Nintendo 3DS™.  Silicon Knights is developing X-Men Destiny for Xbox 360®, PlayStation®3 system and Wii.  Both games are being developed by Other Ocean for Nintendo DS™. 

For more information on Spider-Man: Edge of Time and X-Men Destiny tune in to the HeroHQ community on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/HeroHQ. 

About Marvel Entertainment 

Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of over 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years.  Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing.  For more information, visit www.marvel.com. 

About Activision Publishing, Inc. 

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

Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, 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. 

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Publishing’s expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Activision Publishing generally uses words such as “outlook,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “might,” “remains,” “to be,” “plans,” “believes,” “may,” “expects,” “intends,” “anticipates,” “estimate,” future,” “plan,” “positioned,” “potential,” “project,” “remain,” “scheduled,” “set to,” “subject to,” “upcoming” and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause Activision Publishing’s actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include, but are not limited to, sales levels of Activision Publishing’s titles, shifts in consumer spending trends, the impact of the current macroeconomic environment, the seasonal and cyclical nature of the interactive game market, Activision Publishing’s ability to predict consumer preferences among competing hardware platforms, declines in software pricing, product returns and price protection, product delays, retail acceptance of Activision Publishing’s products, adoption rate and availability of new hardware (including peripherals) and related software, industry competition including from used games and other forms of entertainment, litigation risks and associated costs, rapid changes in technology, industry standards, business models including online and used games, and consumer preferences, including interest in specific genres such as music, first-person action and massively multiplayer online games, protection of proprietary rights, maintenance of relationships with key personnel, customers, licensees, licensors, vendors, and third-party developers, including the ability to attract, retain and develop key personnel and developers that can create high quality “hit” titles, counterparty risks relating to customers, licensees, licensors and manufacturers, domestic and international economic, financial and political conditions and policies, foreign exchange rates and tax rates, and the identification of suitable future acquisition opportunities and potential challenges associated with geographic expansion, and the other factors identified in the risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Activision Publishing and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Activision Publishing nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Activision Publishing or Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations. 

SOURCE Activision Publishing, Inc.

This week for Rock Band 3, Soundgarden has returned for an encore apperance with six new tracks for you to rock out with in the game.  The six tracks in the download pack cover the early points in Soundgarden’s career with two tracks coming off the BadMotorFinger album, two from Superunknown and two from Down on the Upside.

Three of the new tracks will be available with pro-guitar and pro-bass tracks for an additional $0.99, 100 Wii Points or 80 MS Points depending on platform, and the entire track bundle can be had for $9.99, 1000 Wii Points or 800 MS Points again, depending on platform.

Hit the jump for all the tracks and more with the presser below.

SOUNDGARDEN MAKE THEIR TRIUMPHANT RETURN TO ROCK BAND!
6-PACK OF HITS CELEBRATES THEIR 2011 TOUR

Cambridge, Mass. – July 15th, 2011– Harmonix today announced that a 6 pack from Soundgarden will be available beginning July 19^th in theRock Band 3 Music Store of downloadable content for the Xbox 360^® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation^®3 computer entertainment system and Wii^™. 
 
Rock Bandprovides the deepest and best selection of artists, songs and albums through the Rock Band music platform, which features more than 900 artists and more than 2900* tracks via disc and download purchase (complete list of tracks at www.rockband.com/songs). Rock Band’s gigantic music library dwarfs that of any other rhythm video game on the market. More than 100 million songs have been sold through the Rock Band Music Store since its launch Nov. 20, 2007.
 
Rock Band DLC Additions for Xbox 360, PlayStation®3 system and Wii
This Tuesday, the seminal grunge masters make their way back to the Rock Band platform with a celebratory 6-pack of hits from across the band’s legendary career.  “Outshined” and “Rusty Cage” kick off the pack, both hailing from the band’s 1991 record Badmotorfinger. From Superunknown, the band’s influential 1994 classic, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200, Rock Band fans will be able to rock out to “Fell on Black Days” and “The Day I Tried to Live”. Rounding out the pack are two standout tracks from the band’s 1996 record Down on the Upside, “Blow Up the Outside World” and “Burden in My Hand”.
 
The band is currently on tour and recording a new album. For details and dates, head to www.soundgardenworld.com
 
As always, songs available as downloadable content for Rock Band 3 feature five-button guitar and bass parts, drums, Pro Drums, and keys, Pro Keys and harmonies, where applicable. Some songs also feature Pro Guitar and Pro Bass upgrades available for an additional $0.99 upgrade download.
 
Additionally, a Pro Guitar upgrade for the previously released Soundgarden single “Pretty Noose” also arrives to the Rock Band store this week!
 
Available on Xbox 360, Wii and PlayStation®3 system (July 19^th, 2011): 

• Soundgarden – “Blow Up the Outside World”
• Soundgarden – “Burden in My Hand”^X
• Soundgarden – “Fell on Black Days”
• Soundgarden – “Outshined”^X
• Soundgarden – “Rusty Cage”
• Soundgarden – “The Day I Tried to Live”^X

 
Pro Guitar Additions for Legacy Songs:

• Soundgarden – “Pretty Noose”

(These tracks will be available in Europe on PlayStation®3 system July 20th)
 
These tracks will be available for purchase as “Celebrating Soundgarden On Tour 2011” pack and as individual tracks on Xbox 360, PlayStation®3 system and Wii. Tracks marked with “X” will include Pro Guitar and Pro Bass expansions for $0.99 per song.
 
Price: 
$9.99, £4.99 UK, €7.99 EU (800 Microsoft Points, 1000 Wii Points^™) for “Celebrating Soundgarden On Tour 2011” pack
$1.99 USD, £.99 UK, €1.49 EU (160 Microsoft Points) per song
$2.00USD (200 Wii Points) per song
$0.99 USD (100 Wii Points/80 Microsoft Points), £0.59 UK, €0.79 EU per song for eligible Pro Guitar/Pro Bass upgrade
 
** Dates for Rock Band game tracks are tentative and subject to change. **
 
*Available on-disc, via download and disc export. Internet connection and export key purchase required. Wii™ Shop Channel has more than 1,500 song tracks available for purchase on the Rock Band platform on-disc, via song import, and download. Not applicable to Nintendo DS™.
 
Website Links:
For more information, please visit:
 
Rock Band Website
Soundgarden World
 
Rock Band 3 is available for Xbox 360, PlayStation®3 system, Wii and Nintendo DS. Xbox 360, PlayStation®3 system and Wii versions support downloadable content. 
 
Downloadable content for Wii is purchased via the in-game Rock Band Music Storeusing Wii Points™ purchased through the Wii™ Shop Channel and can be downloaded to the system memory or to an SD card for additional storage.  The tracks stream directly from the SD card for seamless play. 
 
The Rock Band Music Store allows players to preview and purchase downloadable individual music tracks and packs from the vast selection of offerings available to date without ever leaving the game as they build their own custom Rock Band library.  The complete list of tracks can be found at www.rockband.com/songs.
 
Rock Band 3 is rated “T” for Teen (lyrics, suggestive themes) by the ESRB. Music downloads are not rated by the ESRB.
 
For more information on Rock Band 3 and Harmonix Music Systems please visit www.rockband.com  and www.harmonixmusic.com.
 
Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.
 
“PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
 
Wii and Nintendo DS are trademarks of Nintendo. © 2006 Nintendo.