Category Archives: Sweden

Microsoft’s confirmed to VG247 that Inside Xbox went live in eight extra European countries yesterday.

The online 360 magazine is now available in Denmark, Finland, Holland, Norway and Sweden, and in multiple languages in Austria, Belgium and Switzerland.

Up to yesterday, the service was viewable in America, the UK, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Ireland, Canada, Mexico, Japan and Taiwan.

To take a look, just boot up your 360 and navigate to the Inside Xbox channel.

Wow. A software company called Global Gaming Factory has bought The Pirate Bay for SEK 100 million (£7.8 million) with the intention of turning the file-sharing site into a legitimate business.

GGF boss Hans Pandeya said, “We would like to introduce models which entail that content providers and copyright owners get paid for content that is downloaded via the site.”

There’s a press release here.

The Pirate Bay’s founders – Frederik Neij, Gottfrid Svartholm Warg, Carl Lundstrom and Peter Sunde – were found guilty of breaking copyright law in April and sent to prison for a year by a Swedish court.

Attorney Peter Althin has filed a motion with the Swedish Court of Appeals, seeking a retrial for Pirate Bay clients Frederik Neij, Gottfrid Svartholm Warg, Carl Lundstrom and Peter Sunde.

Apparently the judge in the case, Tomas Norstrom, is a member of several anti-piracy groups and Althin feels it created a conflict of interest resulting in a biased verdict against his clients.

Judge Norstrom has denied any improper conduct or influence regarding his decision.

The Pirate Bay owners were recently convicted for breaking copyright law and sentenced to a year in prison.

More over on GamePolitics.

The Pirate Bay’s founders – Frederik Neij, Gottfrid Svartholm Warg, Carl Lundstrom and Peter Sunde – have been found guilty of breaking copyright law and sent to prison for a year by a Swedish court.

The site is the biggest file-sharing destination on the internet, and features a huge games section.

In response, Sunde said in a Twitter posting that, “Nothing will happen to TPB, this is just theatre for the media.”

More on the BBC.

2DBoy’s Kyle Gabler will deliver a speech at Nordic Game titled, “Developing your own game”.

It’s actually part of the show’s Career Expo bit, but it’ll be a good look at the thinking behind making World of Goo, if nothing else.

Nordic Game and it Career Expo will be held on May 19-20 in Malmö, Sweden.

Press release after the break.

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Capcom’s Keiji Inafune and Grasshopper’s Goichi Suda will both speak at Nordic Game this year, the event’s announced.

“Having Keiji Inafune and Goichi Suda join Nordic Game this year highlights the strong and growing relationship between the Japanese and Nordic games communities” said NG boss Tom Felices, “and will offer attendees a unique opportunity to meet two of the most exciting game creators today”.

Nordic Game takes place in Malmö, Sweden, on May 19-20.

Full details through the link.

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In a report published on the subject of gaming addiction, Sweden’s Youth Care Foundation has described World of Warcraft as “the most dangerous game on the market”.

Sven Rollenhagen, the report’s author, said, “There is not a single case of game addiction that we have worked with in which World of Warcraft has not played a part.”

He added: “It is the crack cocaine of the computer game world. Some will play it till they drop.”

The Swedish National Institute of Public Health gave the report a thumbs-up adding: “Computer game addiction is becoming more widespread across the world.”

The comments come after a 15-year old Swedish teenager collapsed into a fit of convulsions earlier this month after playing WoW non-stop for 24 hours.

The boy has since recovered from his ordeal.

Catastrophe this morning for the Nordic region, as news hits that the Animal Crossing-Wii Speak bundle won’t be available in Norway, Denmark and Sweden.

Apparently our Northern cousins will be able to buy the game and microphone peripheral separately, but not in the same pack.

Expect viking fury about this over the course of the day. Or not.

From Tendografen, via N-Europe.

On Shacknews. This massive demo’s taken from the recent DreamHack computer festival in Sweden, and shows the open-world Ubi shooter in all its glory. It’s area’s biggers than Oblivion, don’t you know. Watch it.

While GTA IV’s hanging on to the top spot in the UK, the Rockstar monster-game hasn’t been so evergreen in the rest of Europe.

Charts today show that MMO Age of Conan has now overtaken the game in Sweden and Germany, while Wii Fit has put Niko’s adventure in its place in Spain.

Full details on Next-Gen.

Nordic Game’s announced that attendance for this year’s event was up 38% over last year’s to 1,200.

Delegates from more than 300 companies attended the show, which formed a platform to 110 speakers.

Press release after the link.

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The GamesIndustry.biz Network will debut at next week’s Nordic Game, the site’s announced.

The Scandinavian event will host the launch of the Network’s event section, where delegates will be able to make the most of the conference by connecting with other attendees online and arranging meetings with them at the event.

All speakers, press and delegates who have registered for full conference passes will be personally invited to take part in the Gamesindustry.biz Network community starting today. Attendees will be able to start online scheduling for meetings at the conference on Monday May 11.

Nordic Games runs from May 14-15, at the Malmö Convention Center in Malmö, Sweden.

Press release after the link.

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Siren and Silent Hill developer Keiichiro Toyama is to speak at Nordic Game 2008, the conference confirmed this morning, as will Tameem Antoniades, co-founder of Ninja Theory.

The programme’s starting to look pretty good, in truth. Jet Set Radio Future guy Ryuuta Ueda, EVE Online boss Hilmar Pétursson and Age of Conan’s Jørgen Tharaldsen will also be making an appearance.

Nordic Game runs from May 14-15 this year, again at the Malmö Convention Center in Malmö, Sweden.

Press release after the link.

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Epic head Mark Rein is to speak in the business and production track at this year’s Nordic Game.

Rein will sit on a round-table discussion called Art of the Deal, which will focus on the publisher pitching process.

Othe panelists include MGS business development director Peter Zetterberg, Ross Erickson, VP acquisitions at Sierra Online, studio director Martyn Brown of Team 17, CEO Jeff Hilbert of DDM and Andy Boyes, product and business development director at Capcom.

Nordic Game 2008 takes place on 14-15 May 2008 at the Malmö Convention Center in Malmö, Sweden. Press release after the link.

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According to this, Traveller’s Tales boss Jonathan Smith will be headlining Nordic Game 2008 with a talk called “Putting the Pieces in Play”. We’re sure it’ll include all the Lego you can handle.

Rob Kay and Ryan Lesser from Harmonix are also going to be speaking, and will be bringing some “special guests”, apparently, presumably from the music world.

This year’s event takes place in Malmo, Sweden, as usual, from May 14-15

Both Edge and Next-Gen have been named as media sponsors of this year’s Nordic Game. The Future publications will join Eurogamer Network’s GamesIndustry.biz, now on its third year as a main media partner for the event, as show supporters.

Nordic Game is probably the greatest trade show in the world. It’s the most non-bullshit expo in games. And it’s in Sweden, which is always a good thing.

Nordic Game 2008 is being held on May 14-15 in Malmö. Hit the link for more details.

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Nitendo probably drowned in money this morning, with news that Spain and Germany can’t get enough of that shit, yo. Sweden isn’t to be fooled, however, preferring to rock out with Guitar Hero III and Singstar on PS2. Those wacky Nords. Lists from here.

Spain

01. Wii Play (Wii)
02. Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games (DS)
03. More Brain Training (DS)
04. Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games (Wii)
05. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (PS3)
06. Brain Training (DS)
07. Unreal Tournament (PS3)
08. Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 (Wii)
09. Big Brain Academy (Wii)
10. Trivial (Wii)

Germany

01. Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games (DS)
02. More Brain Training (DS)
03. Brain Training (DS)
04. Professor Kageyamas Maths Training (DS)
05. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (PC)
06. Wii Play (Wii)
07. Final Fantasy XII Revenant Wings (DS)
08. World of Warcraft (PC)
09. World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade (PC)
10. Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)

Sweden

01. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (PS2)
02. SingStar Sweden hits Schlager (PS2)
03. World of Warcraft (PC)
04. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (Wii)
05. Counter Strike 1: Anthology (PC)
06. World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade (PC)
07. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (360)
08. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (PS3)
09. Ratatouille (PS2)
10. Calll of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (PC)