PopCap To Launch Bejeweled Twist In October

Casual games developer and publisher PopCap Games will launch Bejeweled Twist, the first new entry to its flagship franchise since Bejeweled 2's 2004 release, in October, 2008. The title will initially be available for purchase exclusively via web download through PopCap's site. PopCap intends to reveal more details behind the match-three puzzle game at a gala launch event in Seattle on October 27. The studio revealed in August 2008 that its Bejeweled titles sold over 25 million units across all formats since 2000, amounting to over $300 million in consumer spending over the history of the game. PopCap added that users have downloaded over 350 million trial editions of Bejeweled and Bejeweled 2. "We spent a long time conceiving and prototyping a totally new direction for Bejeweled Twist," says PopCap co-founder and CCO Jason Kapalka. "The game will be immediately recognizable to Bejeweled fans, and as accessible as earlier titles in the series, but with far more depth and flexibility. Previous versions of Bejeweled appealed to a pretty broad audience, but we’re confident Bejeweled Twist will offer a compelling experience for everyone, from the novice gamer to the seriously hardcore player."