6/04/2010

Virgin Gambling On Gaming With Sony And AWOMO, by Greg Tingle - 4th June 2010

Gamers, gamblers, punters... Virgin or not...the world at large... the cat's out of the bag. Sir Richard Branson, communications, media and aviation "king of the kids", will be personally launching the global hard launch of his highly anticipated Virgin Gaming at the E3 Expo in Los Angeles cum 15th June. At least its 99% on the cards, unless there's last minute changes, but in the world of Branson's Virgin anything is possible. Media Man and Gambling911 toggle the gaming consul with this special report...

Those switched on folks at Virgin, Virgin Gaming to be precise, having been teasing us for months, every week releasing a new clue or two to the highly anticipated release of Virgin Gaming. The Media Man machine has been adding to the clues with inside tips offs on Twitter and its own Media Man website.

A Bit Of History Re Virgin in gaming

Circa 1981 Virgin Interactive launched

In May 2002, the Spanish arm of Virgin Interactive, known as Virgin Interactive EspaƱa, was purchased. The offspring was then separated from the main Virgin Interactive company, already part of Titus Software, and retained its own identity as a Virgin brand. Renamed Virgin Play in October 2002, this Spanish publisher has remained as the sole representation of the Virgin Group in the video game industry, until now!

Circa 2004 Virgin Games in born, hatching Virgin Casino, Virgin Poker and Virgin Bingo. Virgin also launch an impressive affiliate program.

This week

The VirginGaming.com domain name and website go live, albeit in a partial, soft fashion. Check out www.VirginGaming.com/modnation Virgin staffers, management and / or those with too much time on their hands may like to attempt to qualify for ModNation Racers. The website also sports logos from the likes of PS3, Playstation, EB Games and Game Stop. The site graphics also display a Sony branded gaming controller.

World has leaked to us that the developments also include tie ins to AWOMO (A World Of My Own), which sports games such as Warhammer: Mark Of Chaos, Tomb Raider and and Rome, and wait for it.... an acquisition of WorldGaming aka www.WorldGaming.com , which looks to be a good match for Virgin Gaming.

The WorldGaming.com website blurb includes the following:

WorldGaming.com is a safe, secure global platform that gives console gamers the chance to win real money playing video games. Combining a passion for technology with an obsession with fairness, WorldGaming.com is built on a promise to give users the best possible gaming experience on the web.

The WorldGaming.com platform combines a number of unique tools that automatically verify results, ensure secure payouts, and accurately reflect the skill levels of potential opponents. Registered members also gain access to a number of rich community features including member pages, clan support, stats tracking, an invitations to some of the biggest gaming tournaments in the world. For every gaming that has dreamed of holding a controllers high about their head and proclaiming they are the greatest freaking player alive, WorldGaming.com is the ultimate destination to play for real money against gamers from all across the globe.

*Gambling911 readers, please note that a Virgin Gaming - WorldGaming deal is not 100% for certain, however various leaks have tipped us to think its quite likely.

Media Man Inside Tips Of Potential Games (you won't read anywhere else)

James Bond 007 (Sony Pictures connection)
Dan Dare: Pilot of the Future (Virgin Comics and Virgin Play connection)
Marvel VS Capcom (don't ask, Excelsior!)
Doom II
Resident Evil: Gaiden
Inside The Playboy Mansion (no comment, tipster remaining anonymous)

Kids of all ages... "Gamers More Dangerous Than Bikies" as a former South Australian Attorney General said. You be the judge, and keep an eye on the potential censorship complexities re Virgin Gaming and a number of other online gaming sites. Some 'Thought Police' have even suggested a few hours of gaming is more addictive than cocaine, and gives a similar "buzz" and rush of excitement. Read up the UK rags for more on that.

Please enjoy your gaming and gambling, but don't forget to look after your general wellbeing. Tactics such as skipping meals and sleep to enhance gaming time is not recommended.

Virgin Games - Virgin Casino is not currently available for American or Australian players (which is part of the reason for the upcoming global launch of Virgin Gaming).

The late news...

Virgin Casino has just released the City Of Gold online slot game. Playing at Virgin Casino sees the player being able to accumulate exclusive V*Points which are able to be exchanged for a wide variety of Virgin goods and services.

Virgin Casino and Virgin Gaming competitors such as PartyGaming and its PartyCasino, as well as Playtech and Sega, have yet to publicly comment on the pending launch of Virgin Gaming.

Insiders remain divided as to whether Google and its Google Pac-Man will be a potential partner, competitor, or remain in the "grey area". Interestingly Google's Pac-Man had an "insert coin" animated slot, which may be a sign of things to come.

Sony will be heavily involved with Virgin Games, which is extremely exciting given the Sony also have Sony Pictures in their portfolio, and gamers (and gamblers) are known to be passionate about branded games, be it Marvel Superheroes, the DC Comics universe, Avatar, Tomb Raider, Cleopatra, James Bond 007 or other.

Do keep checking the official websites of Gambling911, Media Man and Virgin Gaming for more on the exciting developments at Virgin and Virgin Gaming.

*The writer is a special contributor for Gambling911

*Media Man is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. The gaming sector is just one of a bakers of dozen of industries they cover.

*Media Man has conducted b2b with a number of business arms of Virgin Enterprises Limited, including Virgin Games.

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