Conduit 2 is now officially announced and we are very happy to unveil the title to our fans along with some of the new features, screens (peppered throughout), and a special Q&A from the High Voltage development team. First are features, as taken from our press release (which you can read in full across our website) has the following morsels of info:

Building upon the success of the original, Conduit 2 will take players to the far reaches of the world to stop an alien invasion that can be fought in single-player, online multi-player battles, and all-new off and online co-op modes. Armed with advanced and powerful weapons, players can expect massive action in large, multi-tiered levels featuring dynamic environments, cinematic battles, giant boss enemies, and deep customization features.
Conduit 2 introduces Team Invasion Mode, the new co-op mode where players will be able to battle side-by-side with up to four friends on the same screen. Additionally Team Invasion Mode can be played online.
Conduit 2 also features a new and more expansive 12-player online competitive multiplayer mode with larger and more intricate indoor and outdoor battlefields. Conduit 2 supports Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection, Wii Speak™ and offers increased multiplayer security for a better online gameplay experience.

As you can see, we’re taking the good stuff from Conduit 1 and expanding with all sorts of improvements and updates. We’re excited and we hope you are too.

Get Your Face in Conduit 2

We know we are nothing without our fans, and we’ve created a special sweepstakes to get one lucky fans face into the Conduit 2 game. We’re still putting on the finishing touches, but you can head to to bookmark the page and come back on April 2nd to be of the first to apply.

Q&A with High Voltage Software

I know what you are thinking, but you are wrong, we don’t hold back and ask the tough questions! Read on in our Q&A with High Voltage:

Describe yourself in three words so our readers/followers/fans know who you are
[Josh Olson] Josh Olson, producer
[David Pellas] Husband, Father, Hardcore-gamer

Please describe Conduit 2 in two words
[DP] Crafted experience
[JO] Whole lotta.

And now describe the game in three words please
[DP] The complete package
[JO] Whole lotta love.

Is there anything about the first Conduit you didn’t like at all?
[DP] Simple level design, online hackers, and the cliffhanger ending.
[JO] Quite a few things – ASE wasn’t well implemented, level design was a bit pedestrian, and we didn’t mix up the core gameplay experience in any meaningful manner. That core experience was fun – but it did get repetitive.

And will this be fixed in Conduit 2? (Hey, don’t read this question before answering the one above – we hate cheaters!)
[DP] Yes, yes, and yes.
[JO] Yes. And we hate cheaters too.

Please tell us something about the multiplayer features of Conduit 2 – we’ve heard they rock. Is this true?
[JO] It is true. They rock. We have bi-weekly company multiplayer sessions – moving forward with the foundation we laid with TC1 was great in that multiplayer worked from Day 1 of development – which has allowed us to iterate and test a lot of new things…as well as shooting our company management in the face. New weapons, maps, and game modes are no-brainers – but we’ve additionally spent a lot of extra attention on making the experience more rewarding and nuanced for players. A class system is in place where you can set distinct weapon load-outs to include suit upgrades (perks). Weapon sets are a thing of the past. We’ve added a sprint button. Teammates can be revived. In addition to the level rank and ELO matchmaking systems, we have an additional currency system that lets you purchase upgrades, be they weapon and suit upgrades, or different armor pieces to customize your character’s look. On the art front, we’ve more fully embraced the sci-fi, and have a lot more variety in our environments. TC1 multiplayer was a lot fun – but a bit basic. We’re changing that with Conduit 2.

[DP] While we are very proud of the online multiplayer action in Conduit 1, we are working very hard to provide a complete multiplayer gaming experience in Conduit 2 by offering more unique gameplay modes, unlockables, perks, character customization, and we are not limiting ourselves to online only any longer. Gamers will be able to compete online and offline via splitscreen and we are very excited about that.

Would you say Conduit 2 will be the best Wii shooter ever?
[JO] Hmmm…smells like a trap. (smiles) We’ll let the fans decide. We learned a lot of great lessons on TC1 and feel we’re avoiding a lot of our missteps in the first title.
[DP] We are polishing and refining the experience from Conduit 1. We have incorporated much of the feedback that we received from Conduit 1 and have listened to what people liked and disliked from our competitors.

Would you say these questions are the best questions ever?
[DP] They certainly are the best questions I have seen in the last 2 hours.
[JO] A close second. You didn’t ask if we have a big-head mode or sasquatches in our game.

Wait, there’s more! For more information, be sure to pick up this month’s Nintendo Power with a full 8 page article on Conduit 2 with additional information and screenshots. As always, head on over to our forums to discuss the news and updates!

NOTE: This week’s giveaways will all happen between 9am and 12pm US Pacific time as Sega of America has a half-day of work due to the Good Friday holiday.

We’ve pulled together some great prizes for you this week, including a mystery prize. Let’s get to the video!

On the Block

1. Sands of Destruction pack

Get yourself some cool Sands of Destruction wristbands along with a rare glossy folder straight from Japan.

Congrats to our winner @KirbyGCN17!

2. Alpha Protocol pack

Get an Alpha Protocol T-shirt (winner picks size S-XL) and a brimmed beanie hat with the Alpha Protocol logo.

Congrats to our winner @KevinBarclay!

3. Resonance of Fate pack

Two t-shirts for the taking — a brown shirt (winner picks size S-XL) and a white shirt (sizes M & L only).

Congrats to our winner @Mooshywooshy!

4. Phantasy Star pack

A Phantasy Star Zero rappy t-shirt (winner picks size S-XL) along with an inflatable rappy and PSU figurine.

Congrats to our winner @Azrane!

5.  Yakuza pack

Some Yakuza temporary tattoos, a red Yakuza lighter from Japan, and some Yakuza-branded hangover remedy pills from Japan.

Congrats to our winner, @gorbitron!

6.Mystery Box

In the mystery box was a super rare, ultra limited edition, Ecco: Water Wars 2 plushie.

Congrats to our winner @foxsnipe!

How it Works

1. You must be following us on Twitter to be eligible. (If you don’t have a Twitter account, you can create one by going to http://www.twitter.com and click the green “get started — join!” button in the center of the page.)
2. At random times on Friday, we will announce the prize we are giving away, and what number of response you need to be to win. Send us a direct message (DM) via Twitter and be that number to win the prize. (@ replies do not count as entries!)
3. All followers are eligible to win all prizes, unless a restriction is noted. Restrictions are usually due to the prize being region-locked. For example, US games that won’t work on UK gaming systems. There may also be age restrictions due to the rating of the game.
4. We will announce the winner on our Twitter feed once eligibility is confirmed.

Make Sure We’re Following You on Twitter

If you are currently following us on Twitter, please be sure that we are following you as well. You can do this by making sure that SEGA is in your “followers” list, or by going to DoesFollow and typing SEGA in the first blank, your Twitter username in the second, and pressing the “check” button. You can reverse this to be sure that you are following us. If you are following us, but we’re not following you, please send a message to @SEGA and we will follow you. This is important, because only people we follow can send us direct messages (DMs), and DMs are the only way to enter the giveaways.

How to Send Direct Messages on Twitter

There are a few ways to send us a Direct Message on Twitter. The easiest way is to go to our Twitter page and select “message” under the “Actions” heading in the side bar. If you do not see “message”, this means that we are not following you. Please send a message to @sega to let us know, and we will follow you. When you click “message” you will be taken to a window where you can type a message and press send.

You may also select the “direct messages” tab from your Twitter homepage, and select SEGA from the drop-down menu at the top of the page. Again, if you don’t see our name there, it’s probably because we’re not following you. Let us know, and we’ll follow you.

There are also many Twitter clients that you can use instead of using the website. These include TweetDeck, Twitteriffic, Tweetie, and Twhirl. Each of these programs works differently, so you’ll want to figure out how to send a direct message on the program you use. If you want to send us a test message, we’ll let you know if we received it or not.

A little while back, we did a spotlight on some fan remixes of the Sonic 4 opening theme. With the music from Splash Hill Zone Act 1 now live on the website, it wasn’t long before the same was destined to happen for the first zone. Today, we’d like to give a spotlight to some of the really impressive renditions that are our favorites!

First up is a rock version, created by P4KOTV! You might remember him from our last spotlight, as he did a similar remix for the opening theme. Nicely done!

Next is a more classic Genesis style remix, created by geckoyamori. This one hearkens back to a much more original style, but I really like how it came out.

Our third remix was created by Tweaker from SonicRetro, and is actually one of two renditions he’s made. I got to chat with him about it yesterday, and he mentioned that while titled a CD Arrange, it also flows into more of a 90′s dance mix. Highly recommend having a listen.

Last but not least, another Genesis style rendition created by Nineko. This one is played with Green Hill Zone rolling by in the background, and it’s actually really cool how well it fits. Well done!

That’s all the time we have for today’s spotlights, but we’re sure there are even more out there worthy of the attention. If you enjoyed one we haven’t shown here, please post it in the comments so other readers can have a listen!

Until next time – nice work all around!

We are proud to unveil that the first downloadable content available for Napoleon: Total War will be free of charge. Entitled the Imperial Guard pack, this DLC will bring 6 new units to bolster the ranks of the French and British armies, giving players the chance to play as Britain in an alternative version of the Battle of Waterloo. For more information on the Imperial Guard Pack, please visit www.totalwar.com

The Imperial Guard Pack is available now, head on over to Steam to pick it up free of charge!

Happy Thursday! We’ve got some great new screens for Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode I. These action-packed screens show off some of the gameplay elements and awesome environment featured in the 4 acts making up Zone 1 (Splash Hill Zone) including some screens from the first boss battle against everyone’s favorite bad guy – Eggman! A return to the true classic Sonic game for the first time in 16 years, these screens will give Sonic fans out there just a taste of the great classic elements players will find in this addictive and irresistible game coming out later this year.

I’ve put some of the screens below, and you can download the rest from our Flickr. Don’t forget to keep an eye on the official website, as things are updated often!

After a bit of a tease from us, we’re excited to announce our first DLC  for Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing in the form of some awesome Xbox 360 avatar content. Here’s what’s available for you!

Ryo Hazuki Jacket (160pts)

“I hope they do Ryo’s jacket!” you said. I think we can manage that! Its the most iconic leather jacket in the history of video gaming, and yes, it has the tiger on the back. Caution: May make your avatar suddenly feel the need to hunt down sailors.

Dr.Eggman Glasses (80pts)

Villainy has never looked this good, the Doctor’s mirrored glasses are yours for the taking. The world, maybe not so much.

Crabmeat Prop (240pts)

Own your very own Badnik! This Crabmeat can be summoned at the snap of your fingers and is totally under your control… sort of. Watch your toes! (This one was suggested by ArchangelUK from the Europe community team and made at his insistence, so make him happy and buy it!)

Sonic Car Prop (240pts)

You may have seen a little sketch of this perhaps? Summon your very own Sonic RC racer!

Tails Tornado Prop (240pts)

When you’re alone in your chair, you can just go about wishing for a Tails Tornado RC plane as well. Shazaam! Your wish is our command.

SEGA T-Shirt (80pts)

You’ve been waiting for this one and we’ve made it happen! A SEGA logo t-shirt!

Billy Hatcher Helmet (80pts)

Its Billy’s chicken hat, what more is there to say? Epicluck-cluck win.

Beat Glasses (80pts)

The Rokkaku fashion police won’t be stopping you with these fancy shades of Beat from Jet Set Radio.

Samba De Amigo Sombrero (80pts)

Shake your maracas Amigo-style with this funky Sombrero, star eyes not included.

AiAi T-Shirt (80pts)

Wear the funky monkey’s iconic orange “A” t-shirt!

AiAi Monkey Ball Prop (240pts)

…or AiAi himself in a Monkey Ball!

SEGA helmet (160pts)
Sonic and SEGA All-Stars Racing Helmet (160pts)
Sonic and SEGA All-Stars Racesuit (160pts)

Available in both ladies and gents styles, suit up with some highly appropriate racing equipment.

Sonic and SEGA All-Star Racing T-Shirt (80pts)
Sonic and SEGA All-Star Racing Cap (80pts)
Sonic and SEGA All-Star Racing Beanie (80pts)

And some fashionable branded goods as well.

Hope you enjoy all of our SEGA and Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing themed avatar items! We’d love to see photos of your avatars in all this great gear, so take a screenshot and post the image below.

Although it’s not our week to pick the prizes and run the Free Stuff Friday giveaway, I wanted to alert you to some cool things that our friends on the Sega Europe community team are giving away this week.

First is this yummy-looking SEGA chocolate egg, in honor of the upcoming Easter holiday. Finally, you can have your SEGA and eat it too!

They are also giving away a great Phantasy Star package, some signed Madworld goodies, and to top it all off, they are giving away a Nintendo Wii! The Wii is PAL (not NTSC like we have here in the US) so you’ll need to keep that in mind if you plan on winning.

To see all the stuff that is up for grabs this week, check out the SEGA Europe blog.

I’m very pleased to announce that from tomorrow, and for a limited time only, full outfits and furniture items from Aliens vs Predator will be available in the PlayStation Home Thread Store on the PlayStation 3. These costumes, a male and female version for each species in the game, are offered as complete packages, but also available to download separately. Additionally, there are some special furniture items available, such as some Wall Art, mini-statues, and perfect for any living area – a Facehugger-in-a-tube!

These downloads are accessible for a limited time, and will be taken out of the Thread Store on April 30th, so don’t delay (because you know you’ll be jealous of a full Alien outfit later!)

The Wii exclusive weapon and magic based 3D-fight game Tournament of Legends features epic battles in fantastic fighting arenas where they will wield mythical blade weapons, launch 40 magic attacks, and dodge giant mythological creatures that protect the battle lairs. In intense one and two-player fights, players master  a range of character and weapon based magic attacks; including unleashing, amongst others, a man-eating lion, Jupiter’s Storm, Thor’s Fury and a nest of venomous snakes.

The new trailer (see it below) shows off the cinematic effects and graphics fueled by the High Voltage Software Quantum 3 engine, designed and optimized for Wii. Large, 3D mythological fighters move fluidly. Fighting arenas, characters, and magical attacks are polished by advanced real-time lighting, blended animation, cinematic color curves, and more.

Tournament of Legends hits shelves on July 6, 2010 for $29.95 (MSRP).

Trailer:

SEGA and Obsidian Entertainment are at Penny Arcade East this weekend to show off our upcoming game Alpha Protocol! In a very special panel at the PAX event, Obsidian Entertainment will be showing off a bit of the choice mechanic within Alpha Protocol, read on for the full description:

But Thou Must: Choice in Games

Role-playing games need choice to propel the plot and motivate the player. The methods can vary from smoke and mirrors to extreme branching reactivity – what is the right balance to strike in a game? This panel dissects SEGA and Obsidian’s Alpha Protocol, the issues involved with introducing choice into a real-world spy genre, and presenting the consequence to the player – along with the consequences it had for the development team.

Panelists Include:
Joseph Bulock [Cinematics Designer, Obsidian Entertainment]
Shon Stewart [Lead Cinematics Animator, Obsidian Entertainment]
Matt MacLean [Lead Systems Designer, Obsidian Entertainment]
Chris Avellone [Lead Designer, Obsidian Entertainment]

I think Alpha Protocol is one of the more unique games on the market, bringing in some pretty revolutionary changes to choice based games. Come to the panel and see for yourself, I hope to see you there!