Nine new Games for Windows titles announced at CES 2008
Microsoft today announced at CES 2008 the addition of new titles to the Games for Windows portfolio and strong first-year results for the Games for Windows initiative. The addition of nine new Games for Windows-branded titles, brings the growing Games for Windows portfolio to more than 60 titles.
The nine new Games for Windows-branded titles announced at CES include the following:
* “Alone in the Dark” (Atari)
* “Bionic Commando” (Capcom)
* “Conflict: Denied Ops” (Eidos Interactive)
* “Empire: Total War” (SEGA)
* “LEGO Indiana Jones” (LucasArts)
* “Microsoft Train Simulator 2″ (Microsoft Game Studios)
* “Sins of a Solar Empire” (Stardock)
* “Space Siege” (SEGA)
* “Tomb Raider: Underworld” (Eidos Interactive)
Other Games for Windows-branded titles expected to release in 2008 include “Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures” (Funcom, Eidos Interactive), “Borderlands” (2K Games), “The Club” (SEGA), “Fallout 3″ (Bethesda Softworks) and “Frontlines: Fuel of War” (THQ).
At CES 2008 these six upcoming Games for Windows titles will be playable: “Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures” (Funcom, Eidos Interactive), “Conflict: Denied Ops” (Eidos Interactive), “Frontlines: Fuel of War” (THQ), “Space Siege” (SEGA), “Turning Point: Fall of Liberty” (Codemasters) and “Jigsaw Too Photo Edition” (Carbonated Games), a game for Windows Live Messenger.
In a year when gaming was one of the most popular choices of entertainment, Microsoft claims the Games for Windows initiative drove the PC gaming industry forward. Games for Windows has brought Windows-based gaming to the forefront of retail stores, raising consumer awareness of Games for Windows titles and positioning the category for successful sales. In November 2007 alone, the Games for Windows portfolio accounted for 20% of all PC game sales at retail stores in the United States, according to the NPD Group/Retail Tracking Service. However, without a sales number comparison to the years before, it’s not clear if any growth or decline took place in 2007.
According to the Casual Games Association, the casual games industry generated $2.25 billion in revenue in 2007 worldwide, with a projected increase of 20% in 2008. Microsoft is a leader in the casual games space through gaming platforms including MSN Games and Windows Live Messenger Games. Today, MSN Games is enjoyed by 14 million people each month and offers them more than 600 games to play including “The Office,” “Luxor 3″ and “Diner Dash: Hometown Hero.” Windows Live Messenger Games reaches 16 million people per month around the world and has 26 games to choose from, including the new exclusive title “Jigsaw Too Photo Edition.” “Jigsaw Too Photo Edition” is available now and lets players personalize the game by inserting their own photos. Players can also cooperate with each other via Windows Live Messenger to solve their personalized jigsaw puzzles.
