The famed Grand Theft Auto series has made headlines yet again! As newly-released sales figures show, Grand Theft Auto IV has crushed the competition by selling 3.6 million units and earning $310 million in its first day of release, earning Guinness World Records™ for the Highest Grossing Video Game in 24 Hours and the Highest Revenue Generated by an Entertainment Product in 24 Hours. These records establish GTA IV as the most profitable entertainment release of all-time, far surpassing other video game, film and book releases. According to Guinness World Records™, this is how the game stacks up against the competition:

Fastest-selling video game in 24 hours: Halo 3 at $170 million
Fastest-selling theatrical movie in 24 hours: Spider-Man 3 at $60 million
Fastest-selling book in 24 hours: Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows at $220 million

For more spectacular gaming records see Guinness World Records: Gamer's Edition 2008 (RRP £15), the first Guinness World Records book devoted solely to the world of gaming, is on shelves now and bursting with new records, high score statistics and fascinating facts.

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. announced that the cumulative worldwide shipment of the Gran Turismo franchise, a genre-defining racing and car-life simulator available on PlayStation, PlayStation2, and PLAYSTATION3 (PS3) computer entertainment systems, has exceeded 50 million units as of April 30, 2008. This remarkable sales figure was achieved in just 10 years and 4 months since the launch of the first title in the franchise - Gran Turismo, in December 1997.

The Gran Turismo franchise, from the original Gran Turismo to the latest Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, has continued to evolve alongside the PlayStation platforms. With its outstanding game play, beautiful graphics and the true to life driving feel, the franchise is recognized as the world’s number one automotive game title on the PlayStation format, receiving high regard not just from game fans, but also from professional racing drivers and people in the automobile industry.

The seventh installment of the world’s best-selling racing franchise, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue introduces entirely new entertainment modes by taking advantage of the broadband network, such as online head-to head racing for up to 16 players, “GRAN TURISMO-TV”; a new in-game online channel that delivers automotive video contents from around the globe, and downloadable additional contents including new cars and courses, only possible on PS3. Gran Turismo 5 Prologue has recorded strong sales since the first launch in Japan in December, 2007, followed by North America and Europe in Spring of 2008, with more than 2 million units of cumulative shipment worldwide and contributing to the further expansion of the PS3 platform. -Read More

"Assault Heroes 2," sequel to the award-winning action extravaganza, "Assault Heroes," ramps up the excitement on Xbox LIVE® Arcade this Wednesday, 14th May at 09.00.

"Assault Heroes 2" reveals that the original enemy in "Assault Heroes" is merely a pawn of a more sinister force, which players must now seek out and destroy. Armed with stronger weaponry and the ability to hi-jack more powerful enemy units, players must prepare to face relentless enemies and outrageous bosses in climactic battles, including an all-out skirmish in outer space.

In the sequel, players can experience the full fury of war outside of the safety of their vehicle with even more intense on-foot gameplay, where increased firepower and the new “dodge roll” feature are necessary to survive. Players can choose to fight alone or battle with a friend using the enhanced two-player cooperative mode. Either way, players will travel through diverse and interactive environments on land and in space to overcome the newest enemy and save mankind.

Where can I get this game from?
Developed by Sierra Online, "Assault Heroes 2" will be available worldwide for 800 Microsoft Points.

wo new Guinness World Record holders were crowned at the Give It A Name Festival, Earls Court, London, last night, as they took to the main stage to play Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock in front of over 9,600 fans.

The previous record for “Largest Audience For A Videogame Performance” was set at the Download Festival, Donington, in 2007, when the game was played in front of 3,000 people – so last night’s performance smashed this three times over.

Members of the public competed on the Atticus clothing stand during the day for the right to claim their place in Guitar Hero history – with Renos Georgiou, 16, and Lyndon Jones, 15, winning the chance to perform on the festival’s main stage ahead of headliner 30 Seconds To Mars.

And Guinness World Records’ records manager Gareth Deaves was on hand to adjudicate and issue Guinness World Record certificates cementing the achievement, giving the duo bragging rights for years to come. Their performance of Guns ‘n Roses’ “Welcome To The Jungle” in Co-Op mode on Expert difficulty will go down in videogame history as the largest audience for a videogame performance to date. -Read More

Electronic Arts Inc just announced Skate It, a new game in the award-winning Skate franchise that taps into the heart and soul of being on a skateboard. Designed exclusively for the Wii and Nintendo DS systems, Skate It has Nintendo players riding with the skate pros, owning the best spots in San Vanelona and pulling off the sickest tricks using the popular FlickIt controls. Loaded with all-new gameplay features, Skate It breaks new ground by introducing innovative support for the Wii Balance board which gives players a fresh way to create their own signature skateboarding style.

“We knew it would be an exciting challenge to bring the soul and feel of skateboarding to the Wii and Nintendo DS,” said Scott Blackwood, Executive Producer - Skate franchise. “With fresh new designs and gameplay components built from scratch, we’ve been able to, once again, capture the true experience of skateboarding in a completely innovative way.” -Read More

Aardvark Records and Audio Surf LLC today announcing a partnership which will see the British record label supply the US-based gaming company with its extensive catalogue of pop, rock and dance tracks. The innovative deal will see the initial delivery of 160 songs - including chart hits from Yahel, Zetan Spore, Jeff Alford, Eric M, Little Spitfire and other artists signed to the label - available to Audio Surf enthusiasts.

Audiosurf is the Independent Games Festival 2008 Audience Choice Award winner and the Excellence in Audio award winner. The game is popular with hundreds of thousands of users and a top seller on Steam, the #1 online publisher, for three months with good reason. Audiosurf is a music-adapting puzzle racer where players use their own music to create their own experience. The shape, the speed, and the mood of each ride is determined by the song a player chooses. Players earn points for clustering together blocks of the same colour on the highway, and compete with others on the internet for the high score on their favourite songs. -Read More

The Polish game developer and publisher City Interactive S.A. (WAR: CIA) announced today that it has signed a license agreement with Nintendo Company Ltd The contract grants license to City Interactive to develop and publish games for the handheld Nintendo DS system on the European, Australian & New Zealand markets, with a future option to further expand the scope of the deal. The newly signed document also grants City Interactive rights to use proprietary Nintendo technology. The Warsaw-based developer is now planning to launch two Nintendo DS titles - I Love Beauty and Sushi Academy. Both games are slated for a Q3 2008 release.

Nintendo's Wii console has already changed the way people play games. Now its new WiiWare service decisively tears down limitations for how developers create games - and the way people receive them.

Starting today, Wii owners with an Internet connection can download new, creative games from a wide range of developers, from large publishers to indie shops. By reducing the barriers that make console game development prohibitively expensive, WiiWare showcases original ideas in the most democratic environment in industry history, connecting the people who make games more directly with the people who play them.

WiiWare frees developers from the traditional constraints of video game development. WiiWare lets developers experiment with big ideas and small budgets to the benefit of players everywhere. Newer, smaller teams now have an outlet for their creative ideas. The constantly growing WiiWare library will have a regular flow of unique video gaming experiences consumers might not otherwise have access to. -Read More

Sierra Entertainment today revealed plans to launch the Futures-Past Multiplayer Map Pack, a new downloadable content (DLC) package for TimeShift for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, available for free download on 9th May 2008. The map pack features five new multiplayer maps for players to unravel while annihilating online enemies with time-bending chrono grenades. Each map presented in the DLC package supports classic multiplayer modes: One-on-One, Deathmatch, and Team Deathmatch, but TimeShift’s exclusive multiplayer modes, King of Time and Meltdown Madness modes reveal the future of multiplayer fragging.

For more information on downloadable content package, Futures-Past Multiplayer Map Pack, be sure to visit the official website at www.timeshiftgame.com.

Players eager for a look at the highly anticipated Xbox 360™ exclusive “Gears of War® 2” can soon experience the heart-pounding action when the video becomes available for download on Xbox LIVE Video Store on Saturday 10th May at 7am.

With a personal introduction by Epic Games Design Director Cliff Bleszinski, the trailer captures the essence of the bigger, better and more badass gameplay in “Gears of War 2.” Featuring the first in-game look at chainsaw duels, large scale fire fights with Locust Horde and stunning new visuals, the action-packed video is sure to please fans around the world.

“Gears of War 2” is the highly anticipated follow up to the best-selling Xbox 360 exclusive “Gears of War,” and will be available this November from acclaimed developer Epic Games.

The “Gears of War 2” Assault trailer can be downloaded from the following locations shortly after 7am on Saturday 10th May