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Friday - October 12, 2001
- Xbox Alliance with Sega
- 4Kids and Nintendo Strike New Agreement
- Buy $300 in Food, Get Two "Free" Monsters, Inc. Tickets
- News Link of the Day - The Magic of Manga

Xbox Alliance with Sega
(by digitalmediafx.com) Microsoft and Sega have struck an alliance that will see most of Sega's popular games, like Shenmue and Phantasy Star Online, created exclusively for Xbox in North America. The announcement comes just a few days after Sony invested heavily in Square. Sega will still create other lesser-known games for other systems.

"By bringing Shenmue II and Phantasy Star Online to Xbox, we are bringing Sega's renowned franchises to even more gamers worldwide," said Peter Moore, president and COO, Sega of America. "We expect that both titles will be killer apps on Xbox and that the technical capabilities of the platform will surely bring both games to new levels in terms of graphics and experience."

While most video game consoles first premiere in Japan, Xbox will hit U.S. shores first on November 15, then Japan in February 2002.

Sega also announced that Jet Set Radio Future will be released for the Xbox in "early 2002."

"Grand Royal kept below the mainstream radar by pushing the boundaries of underground music in the same fashion that Sega challenges the conventions of the videogame industry," said Mike Fischer, group director of marketing, Sega of America. "This compilation might mark the end of an era for the label, but its engaging unorthodox approach to hip hop, rock and electronic music provides the blueprint for the next era in videogame soundtracks."

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4Kids and Nintendo Strike New Agreement
(by digitalmediafx.com) 4Kids Entertainment, Inc. has announced that it signed a long-term agreement expiring December 31, 2005 with Nintendo of America Inc. to serve as the exclusive merchandise licensing agent for Nintendo game systems (Nintendo GameCube, Game Boy Advance), Nintendo Classic characters (Super Mario Bros., Donkey Kong etc.) and certain new Nintendo characters (Pikmin etc.) throughout the world excluding Japan.

The new agreement also gives 4Kids the exclusive right to license live action and animated television rights, home video rights and theatrical motion picture rights to Nintendo Classic properties, and certain new Nintendo properties. 4Kids also gains the right to produce, by itself or with partners, television series and other productions based on such Nintendo properties. The new agreement replaces the previous year-to-year agreement between Nintendo and 4Kids and does not affect Pokemon, which is covered by separate agreements between 4Kids and The Pokemon Company.

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Buy $300 in Food, Get Two "Free" Monsters, Inc. Tickets
(by digitalmediafx.com) From October 3 through October 30, 2001, Ralphs customers who accumulate $300 in grocery purchases using their Ralphs Club Card will earn two free tickets to Monsters, Inc.. The film opens Friday, November 2 in theaters nationwide. The free tickets may be used at any theater showing Monsters, Inc. from November 2 to November 18, 2001. Shoppers may also use their Senior Rewards Card to earn the free tickets.

In a rather unprofessional twist, the tickets given to those who spend $300 must be used either during matinee showings of Monsters, Inc. or for children. The tickets won't get an adult into a non-matinee showing of Pixar's latest animated production.

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News Link of the Day - The Magic of Manga

According to The Guardian:

"When Titanic broke the box office record in Japan in 1998, few in the west would have heard of the previous holder. It was Princess Mononoke, the most improbable smash hit imaginable - an animated, complex eco-fable set in the 16th century. True, the film features talking animals, but there any similarity with Disney or DreamWorks productions ends. The beasts here are fearsome forest gods, aggrieved at man's destruction and hell-bent on revenge..."

Click here for the full story.

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