SouthPeak Games announced today that its massive sci-fi shooter, Section 8, for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, has shipped to all North American retailers, with the Games for Windows LIVE version available this Friday. Section 8 casts players as futuristic, armor-clad soldiers who perform meteoric dives onto the battlefield, where they battle with up to 40 players on Windows PC or 32 on Xbox 360 for control of the immense cosmic landscapes.

Developed by TimeGate Studios, Section 8 opens up the tactical possibilities of team-based shooters by placing players in vast, open battlefields, and giving them the ability to Burn-In anywhere they choose from 15,000 feet above the map. In addition, every player in the game is equipped with a jetpack and an overdrive sprint ability, which they can use to quickly get to any objective and attack from any angle.

"Under a familiar veneer of power armor and guns, TimeGate has carved out its own niche by designing something special," said Richard Iggo, VP of Marketing at SouthPeak. "Players will get schooled if they go into this expecting the same old multiplayer combat. Spraying and praying will result in a pretty quick death and fans of a certain Spartan won't last long unless they can adjust to truly tactical combat. They have to think; using tactics beyond simple run-and-gun such as selecting loadouts and deployables and how to coordinate their squad for maximum lethality. It's the game that TimeGate, as massive fans of the multiplayer FPS genre, wanted to make and they've succeeded in delivering a gamer's game; a benchmark of gameplay excellence."
Section 8 allows players to join the epic conflict between the 8th Armored Infantry - nicknamed 'Section 8' - and the Arm of Orion by taking part in fierce combat across majestic alien worlds. Players create their own unique game experiences by customizing equipment Loadouts, and dramatically impact the flow of battle through strategic vehicle and asset requisitions. Dynamic Combat Missions (DCMs) are player-driven objectives, generated during the course of combat, that affect gameplay with tangible rewards for completion. In addition to the deep single-player campaign and multiplayer mode for up to 40 combatants, Section 8 features an Instant Action mode where players can challenge the game's competitive AI on any of the multiplayer maps. For the competitive gamer, Section 8 will implement an online stats portal on Friday, September 11, which boasts a phenomenal in-depth stat-tracking system, showing clan and individual rankings on over 50 unique fully-searchable Leaderboards.

Section 8 is the first Xbox 360 title to allow players to host their own dedicated servers using a Windows-based PC. These "X Servers" will support up to 32 players for Xbox 360. Windows PC users can play on dedicated servers with up to 40 players. When dedicated servers are not used, Section 8 supports up to 16 players on Windows PC and Xbox 360. More information about the X Server software is available on the official Section 8 website.

Section 8 is available now in North America on Xbox 360 for the suggested retail price of $59.99 and will be available this Friday, September 4, on Games for Windows LIVE for $49.99 and is rated T for Teen. Section 8 will be available on September 11 in the UK and Asia Pacific, and September 18 in the rest of Europe.

For more information on the game, X Server, player stats, and to join the community, visit the official site at www.joinsection8.com.

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