Unfortunately, we had some technical difficulties last night, and, though we tried, we were unable to publish last night's News Pop!. Thanks to a bit of tinkering, we've got things going again.

Welcome back for another week of News Pop!. We didn't have much to talk about on Friday, so unfortunately, we weren't able to go to “print”. That doesn't mean things aren't happening in the industry, it just means that we're either too busy making sure that we've got the best news to bring you, with all the correct information, or, more likely, we just weren't able to bring you the few stories we had on time. We are back for more, though, so here we go.

Gameloft's latest news

If you live in the West Coast of the U.S., specifically Los Angeles and Seattle, a trip to your local mall this week could mean that you will be able to try out a couple of Gameloft's newest games for free. Paris Hilton's Diamond Quest and Lumines Block Challenge will be available for demo at Westlake Mall in Seattle from October 20^th to the 26^th, and at Burbank Town Center in Los Angeles from October 26^th to the 28^th. Gameloft will also have representatives there to teach people how to download games to their cellphones. “This is a great opportunity for Gameloft to bring the mobile experience to those beyond the traditional gaming crowd. Malls have always been a social centerpiece where all types of people come to shop, socialize and be entertained,” said Gonzague de Vallois, Vice President of Publishing for Gameloft. “We are excited to be able to bring our games to this core group of influencers.” While it may seem like a bit of a poor way to go about promoting your wares, especially if you're only allowing two demos to be played, it may work, especially if Gameloft is trying to expand to the less traditional crowd.

Gameloft also announced today, that it has acquired the rights to feature Lleyton Hewitt at the cover athlete and as a character for its upcoming, and also first, tennis game, Tennis Open 2007 feat. Lleyton Hewitt. Having already created successful franchises in other sports such as football, golf and baseball, Gameloft is saying that Tennis Open 2007 feat. Lleyton Hewitt will make its mark as today's most realistic and fun tennis simulation on mobile. We don't think they should have too much trouble with that, considering the competition isn't that fierce. Even Virtua Tennis was considered weak by some of the biggest review sites. Hewitt on the other hand, truly is top ranked. The Australian player went pro in 2001, at the age of 17, and quickly became the youngest world champ in the history of ATP rankings at the age of 20. Since then, he has claimed two Grand Slam tournament victories (US Open 2001 and Wimbledon 2002), two Davis Cups with the Australian national team, two victories during the Master Series, and no fewer than 25 titles on the ATP circuit. Gameloft says the Tennis Open 2007 features a realistic presentation and exceptionally easy pick-up-and-play controls and is designed for short, intensive sessions on the go. Tennis Open 2007 feat. Lleyton Hewitt should be available for download this week from Gameloft and through 160 telecom operators, 150 partners, in 70 countries. It will also work on 600 different phone models. For more information, go to www.gameloft.com.

Medal of Honor Heroes out this week

EA announced the release date for Medal of Honor Heroes, the first Medal of Honor game for the PSP, today. The game will hit store shelves on October 25^th, that's this Wednesday. For the first time, players can take all the authentic WWII action of Medal of Honor on the go. The game builds on the key tenets of the Medal of Honor franchise, including historical accuracy and authenticity. Heroes will be exclusively for the PSP, with an entirely unique storyline and feature set. Players will experience a totally new single player campaign, and can choose from six different multiplayer modes within 15 different maps, while participating in wireless multiplayer sessions with up to 32 players, which is the most EVER offered in a PSP game’s multiplayer infrastructure mode. Up to either players can also play in the same room using a local ad hoc connection. The game will feature some of the lead characters from other Medal of Honor games including Lieutenant Jimmy Patterson, from the original Medal of Honor and Medal of Honor Frontline, Sergeant John Baker, from Medal of Honor Allied Assault Breakthrough and Lieutenant William Holt from Medal of Honor European Assault. There are also over twenty classic characters available to be unlocked. Medal of Honor Heroes will be available this Wednesday, October 25^th, for the PSP for $39.99 USD and is rated T for Teen. No word on Canadian pricing yet, though the exchange will probably be the common one for most new PSP games ($39.99 USD = $44.99/$49.99 CAD). For more information on the Medal of Honor franchise, you can check out www.moh.ea.com.

Disney's doing hardware

Disney is now getting into the video game hardware too. Specially designed for kids six and up, Disney Game It! is a portable video game device that is also capable of being plugged into a television. The system comes pre-loaded with twelve games from Buena Vista Games, features at 2.5 inch LCD screen and is available in two designs: Classic Pals and Princess Pals. Classic Pals features easy to play games with classic characters, including Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. Princess Pals features characters from beloved films in pick-up-and-play games. Game It! Starter Kits, which offer accessories, including interchangeable faceplates, a carrying case and A/V cables will also be available for a suggested retail price of $14.95 USD. Disney Game It! should be available at retailers in time for the holiday season for $34.99 USD.

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