4th December 2009

BioWare Introduces Gift of the Yeti Facebook App

BioWare CorpEdmonton – Leading video game developer BioWare™, a division of Electronic Arts Inc., today announced Gift of the Yeti, a fun and fast-paced social game for people of all ages. Available now as a free Facebook app (Facebook account required, free to play on Facebook only), the game has been developed at BioWare by the studio’s new R&D group, BioWare Labs™. Gamers who play Gift of the Yeti will receive a $10 discount* off the purchase of the dark, heroic fantasy Dragon Age™: Origins. Additionally, BioWare will donate up to $10,000 to the Child’s Play charity, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing holiday gifts to children in need.Gift of the Yeti

In the Gift of the Yeti game, players have a chance to help a sick Santa by delivering gifts on his behalf. Facebook friends can compete to beat each others’ high scores. The backstory of the Yeti will unfold through a clever Advent day calendar, with each day revealing a new piece of the storyline. Gift of the Yeti also allows players to choose from a variety of different gifts that they can send to their friends to invite them to save the day for Santa, and support the Child’s Play organization.

“Gift of the Yeti is BioWare’s digital holiday card to its fans. We use social networking as a powerful tool to connect meaningfully with our tremendous fan community,” said Dr. Ray Muzyka, co-founder of BioWare and the Group General Manager of the RPG/MMO Group at EA. “Gift of the Yeti is a fun, engaging holiday present from BioWare to our fans, the first in a series of compelling social experiences from BioWare Labs.”

“Child’s Play draws the bulk of our support from video gamers and the games industry, and we are honored to be part of BioWare’s Gift of the Yeti campaign,” said Kristin Lindsay, Program Coordinator, Child’s Play. “Now gamers can help support pediatric hospitals in the US, Canada and worldwide simply by playing the game and having fun! When gamers give back, it makes a big difference.”

For every play of Gift of the Yeti, BioWare will donate a minimum of a penny, up to $10,000 to the Child’s Play charity. Child’s Play is a community-based charity grown and nurtured from the video game culture and industry, distributing toys, games, books and cash for sick kids in children’s hospitals worldwide. Originally supported by Penny Arcade, more information about Child’s Play can be found online at the Child’s Play website.

* Value of discount will be deducted from total order at time of purchase. Valid for new purchases of Dragon Age: Origins of equal or greater value only. Discount is valid only on purchases from the EA Store. This offer expires on January 1, 2010, and cannot be combined with any other offer, Gift Card, rebate or other discount coupons. Valid only in the U.S. and CANADA. Limit one offer per person. Subject to availability. Customers are responsible for shipping, handling and applicable sales tax. Offer may not be substituted, exchanged, sold or redeemed for cash or other goods or services. Void where prohibited, taxed or restricted by law.

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4th December 2009

Peter Allen Joins CATAAlliance Innovation Nation Platform

CATAOttawaCATAAlliance has announced that Peter Allen, President & CEO, DragonWave Inc., and recognized innovation leader, has endorsed the call for the adoption of the CATAAlliance Innovation Nation Platform, as a compelling model to improve the nation’s competitiveness and prosperity.

Peter Allen joins a growing list of business and community leaders, including Terry Matthews, Chair of Wesley Clover and Chairman of Mitel and March Networks, Dan Dodge, Co Founder & CEO, QNX Software, Dr. James Goodnight, CEO, SAS, Rod Bryden, President & CEO, Plasco Energy Group, Samantha S. Sannella, President & CEO, the Design Exchange, Rob Ashe, President & CEO, Cognos, Lionel Hurtubise, former CEO & Chair, Ericsson Canada Inc., Dennis Melnbardis, Lead Partner, Communications & High Tech, Canadian Practice, Accenture, Micheál J. Kelly, Dean of the Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa, the Hon. John Manley, former Deputy Prime Minister of Canada, Mike S. Zafirovski, past President & CEO, Nortel, Chris Fawcus, President & CEO, Aon Reed Stenhouse, Dr. Marc Garneau, MP Westmount, Villle-Marie Canada’s first astronaut, Dr. Charles Despins, President & CEO, Prompt and Arvind Chhatbar, President & CEO, Enablence Technologies Inc., to call for the adoption of the Innovation Nation Platform.

“The award of national prosperity will go to those countries that lead the world in the design, development, production and distribution of goods and services,” says Mr. Allen, “These countries will attract and retain investment and talent. For nations to prosper they must become leading innovation nations; we all need to do our part to get there.”

Among the core planks being developed for Innovation Nation is a national brand for Canada based on regional advantages, creating an industrial strategy based on strategic approaches to government procurement and global supply chains, adopting best innovation tax credit (SR&ED) practices, removing trade barriers as part of responding to the flat world and attracting and training and retaining the best talent.

CATAAlliance is also looking for measures that would advance executive leadership and promote the adoption of high technology tools in government and the private sector.

John Reid, CATAAlliance President, concluded, “We are living through an economic revolution created by technology, global interdependence and increasingly open markets” adding, “Canada is already a leader in many business sectors. But to maintain and grow this leadership, we have to expand our markets and be the best in the world. We are calling on all Canadians to work with us to create the necessary entrepreneurship, innovation, risk taking, and public policies for the Innovation Nation.”

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4th December 2009

MiniWarGaming Celebrates Its Move to Brick and Mortar

MiniWarGamingWelland ON – In spite of the economic recession, Matthew Glanfield is quite excited and confident about his new gaming store. MiniWarGaming celebrated its 2nd anniversary in October 2009, but it didn’t start as a brick and mortar store as most businesses do.

“I had a couple of years experience in online marketing from a past business that I ran,” said Matthew, “so when I got into the tabletop gaming hobby, the idea of starting an ecommerce store that sold what I was so passionate about was natural.” MiniWarGaming started in October 2007 as a small website selling Games Workshop’s popular Warhammer and 40k miniature lines, but later expanded to sell other tabletop, roleplaying, and even board games. MiniWarGaming

In March 2009 MiniWarGaming opened the doors of its brick and mortar store. Dave comments that “…some of the manufacturers that we purchased from required a brick and mortar store, which is why we originally opened the store, but it later turned into an even greater passion as we were able to deal with residents from Welland, St. Catharines, Port Colborne, and other surrounding areas that loved the tabletop gaming hobby as much (or more) than we did.”

Matthew states that this influx of gamers inspired him to work hard on turning the store into an area where gamers could maximize the enjoyment of their hobby, including a place to paint and play for free, as well as hosting events from tournaments to free weekly professional painting lessons.

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4th December 2009

New From Digital Leisure and Big Blue Bubble

Digital LeisureGormleyDigital Leisure and EA Mobile have announced that Dragon’s Lair will be coming soon to your iPhone and iTouch. Now Dirk the Daring fans can take their hero on new adventures in a visually stunning hand-drawn animated world adapted from Don Bluth’s original Dragon's LairDragon’s Lair title. Players will be able to guide Dirk through the game’s environment and battle enemies with their trusty sword.

As we reported earlier, Digital Leisure recently released two new titles for the Wii – Sudoku Challenge and Copter Crisis are both available now via WiiWare™ from Nintendo.

Big Blue BubbleLondon ONBig Blue Bubble Inc. is proud to announce that Masters of Mystery: Blood Of Betrayal is scheduled to launch on all major portals and is available now at Big Blue Bubble Arcarde. Blood Of Betrayal is the second in a Masters Of Mystery series of hidden object games that will appeal to fans of the genre and anyone who loves a good murder mystery!

It’s been nearly six months since Carrie Chase solved the Crime of Fashion murders. Since then, she’s Blood of Betrayalenjoyed a nice promotion, better apartment and even had time to mingle with one of the attractive new detectives at the station. Life has been great – until now. It’s late one night and Carrie Chase’s dinner plans get interrupted with unfortunate news… two grisly murders in a nearby condominium penthouse. Taking her new detective with her, Chase begins unraveling the clues behind the deaths of these two men and what she discovers will change her life forever!

Help Sergeant Carrie Chase solve the death at the penthouse and discover how deep betrayal can go. Enter the shoes of Carrie Chase as she works her way through deception, heartache, inter-office romance and a betrayal so deep it will change her life forever.

Game Play Features:

• Photo Realistic Crime Scenes
• Captivating Storyline and Voiceovers
• Countless Hidden Objects to Find
• Super Zoom Technology for Super Hidden Objects
• Crime Scene Mini-games
• Achievements
• Relaxed and Timed Modes

System Requirements:

• OS: Windows XP/Vista
• CPU: 1.0 GHz
• RAM: 512 MB
• Hard Drive: 70 MB
• DirectX: 7.0
• Video Card: 3D Supported

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