Pojo's Friday News Page
May 5th - 2006

PRESS RELEASE
Anime Avenue Arrives at Gen Con Indy

SEATTLE (April 26, 2006) ­ It has long been a Gen Con tradition to set aside special rooms for fans to get together and screen anime, but this year expect a great deal more. In 2005 Gen Con So Cal expanded their anime event programming and created Anime Avenue. It was so well received, attendees to this year¹s Gen Con Indy will have a chance to see for themselves what all the talk is about at Gen Con Indy¹s Anime Avenue.

So what is ³Anime Avenue²? Think of it as a con-within-a-con. As a leader in gaming conventions, Gen Con is known for bringing the best in gaming to thousands of consumers each year. Now that anime and manga are one of the fastest-growing consumer markets in North America, and their influence has long since become mainstream it was time for Gen Con to take it to the masses.

Features of Anime Avenue
At Anime Avenue all the anime programming has been drawn together and put in a centralized area to showcase a range of events.

Artists¹ Alley
An entire room in the Anime Avenue at Gen Con has been set aside to host aspiring anime/manga artists and creative fans.

Karaoke
Karaoke gives you a chance to belt out your favorite classic anime tunes and themes. There will be karaoke contests as well as open-mic time.

Manga Library
Stop into what might be the quietest event in the Anime Avenue and have the chance to read a few volumes of manga from a wide variety of titles. The range just may be unprecedented.
Costume Contest- anime/video category
Celebrating its 21st year, the prestigious Gen Con Indy Costume Contest promises to dazzle you with the best creative costumes and talent at the convention. This year it includes a special anime/video game category!
Display your costuming skills and talent, or just relax and enjoy the show.
Visit www.gencon.com <http://www.gencon.com> to get details on entering the event.

Video Programming
Two video rooms completely dedicated to anime will be running all weekend at Gen Con, showing the latest anime releases as well as older classics.

Panel Programming
Would you like to hear about anime from a variety of experts? This year Gen Con will be hosting a number of anime-specific panels this year. Some panels are a great source of news, information and a way to give direct feedback to a company, while others give you a chance to meet a celebrity.

About Gen Con Indy
Gen Con Indy will be open to the public Thursday, August 10 through Sunday, August 13 with 24-hour gaming including a computer gaming area. The convention will take place at the Indiana Convention Center, a 620,000 square foot state of the art facility in downtown Indianapolis.

Sopranos Announced for Xbox 360

THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) today announced its upcoming videogame based on HBO’s critically acclaimed series The Sopranos. Currently under development, the game will evoke the atmosphere, action and conflicts that are the cornerstone of the hit show, which has found worldwide success as one of HBO’s premier original programs. The game is backed by key members of the all-star cast who will lend their voices and likenesses, including James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano. The Sopranos game is scheduled to release for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system this holiday season. FullStory

Nintendo's Revolution console rechristened 'Wii'

Almost since news about Nintendo’s plans to replace its GameCube console have hit the wire, industry vets and interested gamers have talked about the Revolution. Revolution was Nintendo’s code-name for the new system, which will hit store shelves later this year. Now Nintendo has introduced the console’s real name and brand: Wii, pronounced like the word “We.” FullStory

SpongeBob heading to Nintendo Wii

SpongeBob SquarePants will be one of the first games that will be available for the new next generation console from Nintendo, the Nintendo's Wii. FullStory

Lara catapults onto Nintendo

Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Legend will be released on Nintendo GameCube, Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance this autumn. Source