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Q Entertainment to Develop Peggle for Nintendo DS

Jul. 28 7:03 PM by Alicia Ashby

PopCap's Peggle is a pretty rad game, and you should try it if you haven't. Soon we can all try out the DS version, which is being developed by Q Entertainment, the developer behind brilliant puzzle games like Meteos and Lumines.

There's not much in the way of official assets or info yet, though I'll have the original Peggle DS press release for you behind the cut. You should also check out this 1up interview with PopCap president Greg Canessa.

1UP: Can you clue us in a little on what the new features will be?

GC: A little bit -- we've decided to hold back on some of those details for a few weeks, but what I can tell you is that Peggle DS will be more than just a port. ... Obviously that starts off with controls that are reinvented and optimized for the DS, taking advantage of the two screens, the things you would expect. But then also features like new levels -- Peggle DS will contain a lot more levels than the original on PC, and exclusive DS levels. Part of that is we're allowing our developer, Q Entertainment, to do some exclusive, signature levels.

PopCap's Mega-Hit PeggleTM Coming to Nintendo DS® This Winter

Q Entertainment Tapped to Adapt Top Casual Game of 2007for Nintendo's Market-Leading Handheld

SEATTLE, Washington  July 25, 2008  PopCap Games Inc., the leading developer and publisher of casual video games, today announced that later this year the companys mega-hit game Peggle" will be available for Nintendo DS®. During his keynote presentation at CGA Seattle yesterday, PopCap CEO David Roberts provided an early glimpse of the DS version of Peggle, which is expected to hit North American retail shelves in Winter 2008 and carry an MSRP of US$29.95. In bringing Peggle to the worlds most popular handheld gaming device, PopCap has partnered with Q Entertainment, the acclaimed Japanese development studio. Q Entertainment is already underway with the adaptation of Peggle, and will be adding features unique to the DS version that are not available in the existing PC, Mac or iPod versions of the game.

I have a great deal of respect for Q Entertainment as one of the industrys preeminent game developers, with a proven reputation for creativity and innovation, stated Greg Canessa, PopCaps vice president of video game platforms. Q is a great choice to partner with us  they share many of PopCaps design and creative philosophies and are equally big believers in quality and attention to detail. These factors, combined with Qs impressive track record of success on DS and PSP, make this a natural fit. Im confident that Q will create an experience with Peggle for DS that will both satisfy existing fans of the game and attract a new audience of on-the-go gamers who appreciate the DS for its one-of-a-kind display format and other unique capabilities.

Q Entertainments best-selling franchises include Lumines (for PSP, PS2, XBLA, PC, mobile), Meteos (Nintendo DS), and Rez HD (XBLA). We at Q Entertainment are honored to be working with PopCap and view this as a fun, exciting challenge  taking a very popular casual game and bringing it to a more hardcore audience on the DS, stated Shuji Utsumi, Qs co-founder and chief executive officer. PopCaps games are simple but addictive, and Peggle demonstrates that even a simple game can be extremely deep. Weve always incorporated casual game elements into our console and handheld games, and now we have an opportunity to bring our gaming sensibilities and expertise to the DS version of Peggle, and make a very novel cross-over game for all ages.

Precise details of the forthcoming DS version of Peggle are not yet available, but the game is expected to feature more levels than any existing version of the game  including DS-exclusive levels  and will also offer re-mastered input controls and a wealth of surprise additions sure to please die-hard fans and novice players alike.

About Q Entertainment, Inc.

Formed in 2003, Tokyo-based Q Entertainment, Inc. creates, produces, and consults in digital entertainment content across multiple game consoles, PC broadband and mobile units. The company is best known for its critically acclaimed music and luminary action puzzle game series Lumines, which was released worldwide for PSP in 2004/2005 and has since become a hit on mobile, Xbox LIVE Arcade and PlayStation 2. Q Entertainments impressive line-up also includes the action puzzle title Meteos and the fantasy action title Ninety-Nine Nights. Founded by principal game creator and Chief Creative Officer Tetsuya Mizuguchi and industry veteran and Chief Executive Officer Shuji Utsumi (Sony Computer Entertainment America, Sega, Disney), Q Entertainment is composed of experienced designers, programmers, and producers. Q Entertainment collaborates with other creators, artists and development studios in Japan and overseas. More information can be found on the Internet at www.qentertainment.com.

About PopCap

PopCap Games (www.popcap.com) is the leading multi-platform provider of casual games  fun, easy-to-learn, captivating computer games that appeal to everyone from age 6 to 106. Based in Seattle, Washington, PopCap was founded in 2000 and has a worldwide staff of over 200 people in Seattle, San Francisco, Chicago, Vancouver, B.C., Dublin and Shanghai. Its games have been downloaded more than 1 billion times by consumers worldwide, and its flagship title, Bejeweled®, has sold more than 10 million units across all platforms. Constantly acclaimed by consumers and critics, PopCaps games are played on the Web, desktop computers, myriad mobile devices (cell phones, smartphones, PDAs, Pocket PCs, iPod and more), popular game consoles (including Xbox 360, PlayStation 2 and Nintendo DS), and in-flight entertainment systems. PopCap is the only casual games developer with leading market share across all major sales channels, including Web portals, retail stores, mobile operators and developers, and game device manufacturers.

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