Buzz is my secret love.
I suck at trivia nights (oh boy, do I suck), but stick that custom USB controller with the big red button in my hand, and I’m more of a gun than a Kalashnikova.
Dedicated fans, and even a few casual players, will know that Australia’s own Jason Donovan provides the voice of the game’s titular character for the Oz version. The man does an excellent job of providing Buzz with just right amounts of sarcasm, sincerity and chauvinism.
Classic stuff.
If you’d like to let JD know how much you love him in Buzz, or simply how much you love him, he’ll be in Australia very soon to help Sony celebrate the PS2’s seventh birthday.
If you live in Sydney, Donovan will be on the 6th floor of Myer in Pitt Street Mall on November 21st from 1PM. Residents of Melbourne will have the same opportunity on the 22nd from 1PM, at the Myer store on Lonsdale Street, up on the 4th floor.
Press release after the jump.
Sydney, 14th November 2007 – Sony Computer Entertainment Australia (SCE Aust.) today announced that it will be bringing the voice of cheeky quiz show host Buzz, Jason Donovan, back home to Australia to celebrate seven years at the top for its PlayStation®2 (PS2â„¢) console. Coinciding with the release of Buzz!â„¢ The Hollywood Quiz, Jason will be conducting a promotional tour including public appearances at Myer stores in Sydney and Melbourne next week.
It’s a little known fact that Jason was involved in the creation of Buzz and has been providing the voice of Buzz since the franchise first launched in 2005 on the PS2 with Buzz! The Music Quiz. Since then there have been four different Buzz! iterations covering subjects from sport, music and trivia to Hollywood films. Buzzers can now be found under the TV in over 220,000 homes in Australia.
Jason Donovan commented, “˜I can’t tell you how excited I am to be coming back to Australia. Buzz! is a fantastic game and I’m really happy to be involved as it’s all about friends and family having fun together. It doesn’t matter how old you are. There’s a lot of myself in the cheeky character of Buzz! but I can’t deny that some inspiration came from the legend that is, Larry Emdur.”
Buzz! Is just one of the million selling “˜social gaming’ titles that have helped continue the success of the PS2 platform. Now enjoying its seventh year of success, the statistics are unrivalled, having sold 120 million consoles globally and 2.150 million in Australia alone. According to figures from GfK Marketing Services, the PS2 was once again the highest selling home console in Australia in October.
Michael Ephraim, Managing Director, SCE Australia and New Zealand commented, “˜Not many people know that Jason Donovan is the voice of Buzz. Not until you see Jason doing the voice, do you realize that it’s actually him. We’re delighted that he’s coming back to show his support for the game, which has proven to be a huge success across Australia. With the PlayStation 2 at its lowest price point ever; for under $200 you can enjoy a world of entertainment over Christmas, from DVDs to the latest games and fun games for groups, such as Buzz.”
Not only does the PS2 offer the largest software range of any platform, including popular social gaming titles such as SingStar, EyeToy and Buzz!, the console continues to offer great value for money, with the unit now priced at under $200 and supported by an extensive range of sub $30 Platinum titles.According to GfK, the PlayStation 2 has been dominating the last 12 months of software sales. Based on figures for a rolling calendar year, (ending October 07) PlayStation 2 software accounted for 50% of all value generated by the sale of video games in Australia (this figure includes all home and handheld consoles). “The PlayStation 2 business is as strong as ever and we will continue to support this platform all the way through 2008 with the release of strong new games in a variety of genres.” Concluded Ephraim.
From the platform that created “˜social gaming’, the PlayStation 2, comes two exciting new “˜Party Starter’ titles. Cheeky quiz show host Buzz is back in Buzz! The Hollywood Quizâ„¢ testing players on their Tinsel-town knowledge. While the best selling SingStar® franchise continues to grow, with the latest title SingStar® R&B launching this month. From classics like Salt N Pepa’s “Push it” to modern day hits like Gwen Stefani’s “Hollerback Girl”, like every SingStar title there is something for everyone. New kids’ titles Buzz! Junior: Monster Rumble and EyeToy Play: Astro Zoo appeal directly to a younger audience, ensuring there are social games that appeal to all ages. In addition, the PS2 will continue to enjoy some great third party titles over the next two months, including EA’s The Simpsons and THQ’s WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2008.
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