Zombie Driver coming Dec. 4

The digital release of Zombie Driver is tentatively scheduled for December 4, according to developer EXOR Studios. Zombie Driver will be released on Steam and GamersGate and will be published in Russia through Akella. EXOR Studios is best known for creating the Source Engine modification, D.I.P.R.I.P. Zombie Driver, which was built using the open-sourced OGRE game engine, mixes top-down action themed driving with loads and loads of zombies and a dash of gore just for fun.

Your goals in the game are pretty straightforward: drive through the streets of a destroyed city to save the survivors of a disastrous chemical accident that changed most of the population into mindless zombies. Time is your enemy and your car is your weapon as you race through the streets smashing everything on your way including fences, phone booths, street lamps and hordes of zombies. When those zombies become too much to handle, players can buy a new car or get more guns and upgrades installed. You earn more money for finishing side quests, racking up kill combos and searching (and finding) hidden prizes.

The game will cost 9.95 dollars, 8.95 euro and 7.95 pounds at both digital distribution portals. Retail distribution in Russia and surrounding territories will be handled by Akella. Further retail distribution partners and other territories will be announced soon.

Learn more by visiting www.zombiedriver.com.

GamersGate’s latest deals

GamersGate today announced its “Game of the Weekend” promotions and an additional special offer on www.GamersGate.com. Games of the Weekend specials for Oct. 15-18 include Hollywood Pictures 2 - 50 percent OFF, X-Com Complete – 50 percent OFF, and Sword of the Stars Ultimate – $/€ 9.95.

Pre-order specials include Machinarium pre-order at 25 percent OFF and receive 250 bonus Blue Coins, Price Guarantee and Pre-Load), Football Manager 2010 at 20 percent OFF (receive OutRun 2006 Coast to Coast for free with 3,000 bonus Blue Coins with a price guarantee) and Borderlands at 10 percent OFF (receive 250 bonus Blue Coins with a price guarantee).

Next week, starting on Monday Oct. 19th, Elven Legacy and East Indie Company will be 50 percent OFF mainly to celebrate the release of the Elven Legacy: Ranger Expansion Pack on Oct. 20th and the East India Company: Privateer Expansion on Oct. 27th.

Strategy First games now on GamersGate

GamersGate has inked a distribution deal with Strategy First today to bring many of its popular titles to the digital distribution portal. The initial line-up of Strategy First titles will have an introductory 20 percent off their full price for a limited time as well.

These titles include the RPG strategy titles Disciples 2 Gold, Disciples Sacred Lands Gold, Jagged Alliance and Jagged Alliance 2 Gold, the real-time space strategy game O.R.B. and the space themed strategy titles Space Empires 4, Space Empires 5 and Star Fury.

More titles will be added to GamersGate at a later date. Find out more at www.gamersgate.com.

NPD to track online game sales

In an article on MCV, NPD Group revealed that it will finally start tracking sales numbers for digitally distributed games.

“It’s a about time,” said James Fudge, consumer and all-American adult male. “It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that online sales are a major portion of overall sales in the U.S.,” he added.

The company plans to track sales data for console, PC and mobile phone games, but how it will track all online game sales will be interesting. Obviously portal like Steam and Direct2Drive will be in the mix, but what about places like Impulse, Good old Games and GamersGate? We’ll have to see how all this is going to work.

GamersGate Deals August 25 – 30

GamersGate has passed along its details on its upcoming promotions and releases for August 25 - 30, 2007. The Publisher Special of the Week is Buka entertainment, which means consumers can pick up any Buka title in the GamersGate catalog for 50 - 75 percent off the normal price. the digital distribution platform is also offering pre-order deals on Alpha Protocol and Football Manager 2010; those who pre-order Football Manager 2010 will get Outrun Coast 2 Coast free and ordering Alpha Protocol will get you a free copy of Space Siege.

Finally, the “over the weekend” (August 27 – 30) specials include 50 percent off Grand Age: Rome, 40 percent off Gothic and 30 percent off AI War: Fleet Command.

To see a complete listing of new additions check out GamersGate.com or follow GamersGate on twitter at @gamersgate.

GamersGate weekend deal: Serious Sam 2

GamersGate today announced their weekly specials running until August 23. The deals include price reductions on digital downloads of Universe at War: Earth Assault, Serious Sam 2, and the Viva Media Chess Bundle:

Bundle Deal of the Week (until August 23rd):
Viva Media Chess Bundle - 40 percent off

Games of the Weekend (August 20-23):

Universe at War: Earth Assault - 50 percent off

Serious Sam 2 - 50 percent off

To see a complete listing of new additions check out www.GamersGate.com.

Dejobaan Games land on GamersGate

GamersGate today announced a distribution deal with Dejobaan Games to host The Wonderful End of the World as well as their upcoming game, AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAAA!!! — A Reckless Disregard for Gravity. The Wonderful End of the World is now available for download via GamersGate’s digital marketplace, and AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAAA!!! — A Reckless Disregard for Gravity is available for preorder up until it launches on September 3, 2009.

For more information about GamersGate visit www.gamersgate.com.