PUBLIC MARKS from egoroff with tags video & gaming

Starting tonight Halo 3, the final chapter of Microsoft s epic video game trilogy, finally goes on sale around the world. By the end of the week, fans in 37 countries will be playing the game Wired magazine recently called a cultural touchstone, a Star Wars for the thumb stick generation. In the United States, more than 10,000 retailers across the country are opening their doors at midnight tonight solely to sell copies of the game and accompanying Xbox 360 consoles and accessories. With nary a pirate, a spider or a wand in sight, day-one sales of the video game are expected to shatter entertainment sales records and top the biggest entertainment launches of all time.

D2C Games has announced the creation of a new studio, D2 (squared) Comics. The studio will adapt existing printed comics, transforming them into a new form of digital video comics for the mass market.The products will offer original musical scores, action directed by the comics creators, and behind-the-scenes video and commentary that expands the digital reading experience. The comics will be available for download for Sony PSP, PC, and mobile platforms in fall 2007.

Sandlot Games has announced the long awaited launch of Cake Mania 2, the sequel to Cake Mania, Yahoo?s 2006 Casual Game of the Year and the best selling game of 2006.With more than 40 million downloads, Cake Mania followed the adventures of Jill Evans ? a young entrepreneur ? as she worked to raise enough money to reopen her grandparents? bakery. In Cake Mania 2, Jill has tasted success and saved the family bakery but has grown restless. Now it is up to gamers to decide what new adventures Jill should pursue. Each exciting choice leads to new baking challenges, as well as new dilemmas, ultimately resulting in Jill reaching one of six fun-filled endings.