Author - Jerry Paxton

Square Enix PAX East 2018 Lineup Announced

LOS ANGELES (March 29, 2018– Playable demos, developer panels, fan activities and giveaways are among the many offerings from SQUARE ENIX® at this year’s PAX East, taking place April 5-8 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. Fans who visit the SQUARE ENIX booth, #11017, can obtain special prizes and play current and upcoming projects including FINAL FANTASY XIV Online, FINAL FANTASY® XV WINDOWS EDITION and popular mobile titles FINAL FANTASY XV POCKET EDITION and DISSIDIA® FINAL FANTASY OPERA OMNIA™.

Fans will also bear witness to the first-ever North American FINAL FANTASY Trading Card Game (“FFTCG”) Crystal Cup tournament, held at the Westin Boston Waterfront’s Commonwealth Ballroom onApril 6-7. Players who pre-register for the tournament will compete for a seat at this year’s FFTCG North American Championship. New players are invited to visit the SQUARE ENIX booth for lessons, while experienced players can participate in Sealed Format FFTCG events and Gunslinger Challenges to earn a FFTCG Promo Card. Chocobo™’s Crystal Hunt card game demos will also be available at the booth’s merchandise section.

For more information and to pre-register for the FINAL FANTASY Trading Card Game Crystal Cup tournament, please visit fftradingcardgame.com.

Other fan activities at the SQUARE ENIX booth include:\

  • The FINAL FANTASY XIV Byakko Battle Challenge, where fans can challenge Byakko to win an “I Beat Byakko” t-shirt
  • A photo opportunity featuring backgrounds from DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY OPERA OMNIAand NieR:Automata™.
  • Daily giveaways, including:
    • DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY OPERA OMNIA button pins
    • FINAL FANTASY XIV Online foam samurai swords
    • FINAL FANTASY XV POCKET EDITION limited edition t-shirt

SQUARE ENIX will also host a series of developer panels at PAX East, providing fans with an in-depth look at the latest game developments and upcoming updates.

FINAL FANTASY XV WINDOWS EDITION: Making it Yours
Friday, April 6, 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. (EDT) at Albatross Theater, Boston Convention Center
FINAL FANTASY XV WINDOWS EDITION, released on March 6, 2018, features mod support for expanded playability. Join FINAL FANTASY XV WINDOWS EDITION Manager Shigefumi Tanaka and Global Brand Manager Raio Mitsuno as they offer a glimpse into new ways to further enjoy the game.

FINAL FANTASY XIV Online
Saturday, April 7, 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. (EDT) at Albatross Theater, Boston Convention Center
Join special guests Natsuko Ishikawa (Main Scenario Writer) and John Crow (English Localization Lead) from the FINAL FANTASY XIV Online team as they discuss the writing and story of Stormblood™.

NieR:Automata 
Saturday, April 7, 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. (EDT) at Albatross Theater, Boston Convention Center
Reminisce on a 2017 fan favorite as panelists YOKO TARO (Director), Yosuke Saito (Producer) and Keiichi Okabe (Composer) celebrate the one-year anniversary of the critically-acclaimed NieR:Automata.Those who attend the panel will receive limited NieR:Automata branded pins.

The full lineup of titles from Square Enix includes:

CHOCOBO’S CRYSTAL HUNT
Developer: Square Enix
Available: Now
CHOCOBO’S CRYSTAL HUNT is a fun, fast-paced card game for all ages. Use intuition and observation skills to send cute Chocobos on a journey to steal opponents’ crystals. All cards feature brand-new illustrations made specifically for CHOCOBO’S CRYSTAL HUNT.

DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY OPERA OMNIA
Platform: Android, iOS
Developer: Square Enix, Koei Tecmo
Available: Now
DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY OPERA OMNIA continues the DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY adventure on mobile devices, where players can form parties from dozens of their favorite FINAL FANTASY heroes and villains and equip them with a variety of weapons from the series. The mobile game features an extensive story and strategic turn-based combat that the FINAL FANTASY series is known for.

FINAL FANTASY Trading Card Game 
Developer: Square Enix
Available: Now
The FINAL FANTASY Trading Card Game (“FFTCG”) is the result of a close collaboration between Hobby Japan and Square Enix. Designed by former trading card game champion Taro Kageyama, the game has received high praise for its blend of strategy, luck and fast-paced gameplay, making it very versatile and appealing to all kinds of audiences.

FINAL FANTASY XIV Online
Platform: MAC, PC, PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system
Developer: Square Enix
ESRB: T
Available: Now
With more than 10 million players globally, FINAL FANTASY XIV Online continues to deliver on the promise of bringing the best of the FINAL FANTASY experience to the online realm. Players can begin the adventure, fight their way and live their story in FINAL FANTASY XIV Online. A free trial is available athttp://www.ffxiv-freetrial.com.

FINAL FANTASY XV POCKET EDITION 
Platform: Android, iOS, Amazon Fire HD 10
Developer: Square Enix
Available: Now
FINAL FANTASY XV POCKET EDITION is an all-new adventure that retells the beloved story of FINAL FANTASY XV, giving fans and newcomers alike the freedom to journey through Eos whenever and from wherever they want. The mobile game features the main characters and story of the console version and newly-announced FINAL FANTASY XV WINDOWS EDITION, with an adorable art style and casual touch controls optimized for mobile devices.

FINAL FANTASY XV WINDOWS EDITION 
Platform: PC
Developer: Square Enix
ESRB: T
Available: Now
With FINAL FANTASY XV WINDOWS EDITION, players can journey through Eos in ultimate quality. Boasting a wealth of bonus content and supporting ultra high-resolution graphical options and HDR 10, fans can now enjoy the beautiful and carefully-crafted experience of FINAL FANTASY XV like never before.

GRAVEL
Platform: Xbox One®, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Windows PC
Developer: Milestone
ESRB: E for Everyone
Available: Now
Celebrating off-road arcade racing, GRAVEL takes players to exotic locations around the world, where they’ll compete in extreme challenges across more than 50 tracks as they choose from dozens of the most iconic vehicles ever created. Say hello to the four disciplines of GRAVEL: Cross Country, Wild Rush, Speed Cross, and Stadium Circuit. Delivering an adrenaline-fueled combination of fun and thrills, gamers will enjoy a wild single-player experience that’s centered around the Gravel Channel. Presenting the Offroad Masters, a new experience that will accompany players as they battle through 60 events along the road to fame and glory.

LIFE IS STRANGE : BEFORE THE STORM
Platform: Xbox One®, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Windows PC
Developer: Deck Nine
ESRB: M for Mature
Available: Now
LIFE IS STRANGE™: BEFORE THE STORM™ features Chloe Price, a 16-year-old rebel who forms an unlikely friendship with Rachel Amber, a beautiful and popular girl destined for success. When Rachel’s world is turned upside down by a family secret, their newfound alliance gives them the strength to overcome their demons.

MONSTER ENERGY SUPERCROSS – THE OFFICIAL VIDEOGAME
Platform: Xbox One®, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Windows PC
Developer: Milestone
ESRB: E for Everyone
Available: Now
Featuring innovative track designs and authentic stadiums, Monster Energy Supercross – The Official Videogame is the most realistic and immersive Supercross experience thanks to the following features:

  • The official 2017 Monster Energy Supercross Season;
  • Official bikes, iconic tracks, and athletes from both 250SX and 450SX Classes: Chad Reed, Ken Roczen, reigning champion Ryan Dungey and others will race across official challenging tracks;
  • An exciting career mode with extreme customization options for both riders and bikes;
  • A powerful track editor for endless gameplay possibilities. Thanks to the track editor, players can create their own custom tracks, race on them and share them online. Once uploaded on the server, users can “like” other gamers’ creations, vote on their favorite tracks and increase the prestige of the track designer;
  • Stunning visuals for an immersive gameplay experience;
  • Online modes include multiplayer with up to 12 players who can race on both official and customized tracks.

NieR:Automata
Platform: PlayStation®4 system, STEAM®
Developer: Square Enix, PlatinumGames Inc.
ESRB: M
Available: Now
Developed in collaboration with PlatinumGames Inc., NieR:Automata is a new third-person action role-playing game (RPG) and follow-up to the 2010 cult hit NIER®. The game recently won “Best RPG of the Year” at the D.I.C.E. Awards and offers a fresh blend of action and RPG gameplay styles. The game’s all-star development team consists of producer Yosuke Saito (DRAGON QUEST X/NIER), director YOKO TARO (Drakengard®/NIER), character designer Akihiko Yoshida from CyDesignation, Inc. (FINAL FANTASY XIV / BRAVELY DEFAULT®), game designer Takahisa Taura from PlatinumGames Inc. (Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance), and composer Keiichi Okabe from MONACA, Inc. (TEKKEN / Drakengard / NIER).

About Square Enix, Inc.
Square Enix, Inc. develops, publishes, distributes and licenses SQUARE ENIX®, EIDOS® and TAITO® branded entertainment content throughout the Americas as part of the Square Enix group of companies. Square Enix, Inc. is affiliated with a global network of leading development studios such as Crystal Dynamics® and Eidos Montréal. The Square Enix group of companies boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property including: FINAL FANTASY®, which has sold over 135 million units worldwide; DRAGON QUEST®, which has sold over 75 million units worldwide; TOMB RAIDER®, which has sold over 63 million units worldwide; and the legendary SPACE INVADERS®. Square Enix, Inc. is a U.S.-based, wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.

Ready Player One VR Games Rolling out to VR Arcades

Seattle, WA – March 28, 2018 – The battle for OASIS is on at VR Arcades nationwide starting this week! HTC VIVE ™ today announced it is bringing experiences inspired by “Ready Player One” to life for consumers at location-based VR arcades across the country as a prelude to the film’s release on March 29, 2018.

“VR offers the ability to tell stories in an entirely new way for film audiences; they’ll be able to immerse themselves in worlds inspired by ‘Ready Player One’ like never before,” said Joel Breton, GM of Vive Studios. “With this program, we’re making great VR content available to arcades across the nation as a celebration of the movie and everything that VR can be.”

VR content inspired by “Ready Player One” will begin rolling out starting today at 35 VR arcades, with more to come. These titles were developed by many of VR’s most prominent developers and produced by Vive’s in-house publishing arm, Vive Studios.  Titles available in these arcades include:

The OASIS beta is the 2018 beta phase of the immersive virtual universe from the film Ready Player One, which is set in 2045. In the OASIS beta’s ever-expanding universe, players are able to explore, compete in, and launch multiple VR experiences using their own custom avatars. Global leaderboards track the performance of all players as they earn points (coins) throughout the following experiences: Rise of the Gunters, Battle for the OASIS, and Gauntlet.

o    Battle for the Oasis

Help to save the OASIS by defeating waves of IOI Sixers. Advance through the trenches of Planet Doom towards the snowy planes that surround Anorak’s Castle. With an arsenal only possible in the OASIS, you must stop IOI from gaining control.

o    Rise of The Gunters

Fight against a nearly invincible army of highly trained IOI Sixers. This mission is not for the faint of heart or first timers. Proceed with caution as you defeat Sixers, collect their coins, find power ups, and survive a merciless onslaught of hyper-explosive kinetic action for as long as it takes. The OASIS is yours. Take it back from IOI by yourself or with up to two fellow Gunters!

o    Gauntlet

Navigate through a seemingly endless dungeon while the undead seek to destroy you. Collecting Gold will improve your score and eating food will restore your health, but only your bow skills will ensure that you make it out alive.

  • Aech’s Garage in Sansar

Walk into the extraordinary world of Aech’s Garage in VR as interpreted from the original ILM design for Steven Spielberg’s “Ready Player One.”  Inspired by the virtual universe of the OASIS in 2045, Aech’s Garage represents the culmination of VR as it exists in the year 2018. Available viaViveport.

  • The Distracted Globe Music Experience in TheWaveVR

Step inside the fantastical space inspired by The Distracted Globe zero-gravity dance club scene from “Ready Player One.” TheWaveVR experience will let anyone immerse themselves in the dance club scene with specially-designed avatars, `80s visuals and music, plus the ability to fly to the music in zero gravity. Available via Steam.

To visit the Oasis and walk in Wade Watts’ footsteps, visit one of the following arcades featuring exclusive Ready Player One VR content:

City Arcade Name & Website
Albuquerque, NM (Coronado Mall) All Out Zone VR Arcade
Albuquerque, NM (Cottonwood Mall) All Out Zone VR Arcade
Austin, TX Originator Studios
Brooklyn, NY Yokey Pokey
Chandler, AZ VR Junkies
Charlotte, NC LiVReal
Daly City, CA Fliptout Gaming
Duluth, GA iSimU VR Arcade
Ellsworth, ME Rush Hour Gaming
Honolulu, HI VR Junkies
Houston, TX Omniverse
Lake Oswego, OR Red Rider VR
Las Vegas, NV Vegas VR
Los Angeles, CA IMAX VR Centre
Mechanicsburg, PA FeVR Gaming
Miami, FL Loft VR Arcade
Midland, TX Pandoras Box
Myrtle Beach, SC Myrtle Beach VR
New York, NY IMAX VR at AMC Kips Bay 15
New York, NY IMAX VR at Regal E-Walk Stadium 13
New York, NY VR Bar
New York, NY VR World
Norman, OK Immersion House
Orem, UT VR Junkies
Provo, UT Virtual Experience
Raleigh, NC VR Junkies
Salt Lake City, UT VR Junkies
Santa Fe, NM All Out Zone VR Arcade
Seattle, WA Portal
Slidell, LA Holotech
Slovang, CA Space VR
St. Augustine, FL VR Gaming – The Great Escape
Terre Haute, IN Accushot VR World
Toronto, ON IMAX VR at Scotiabank Theatre
Washington DC Ekstasis VR Arcade (Augment Arcade)

In addition to these VR arcades, Microsoft Stores will feature Ready Player One content in 65 locations starting March 29. Additional arcades and retail locations will be added over the coming weeks. To see the most current list, please visit: https://locator.vive.com/.

These titles are also available for in-home Vive use via Viveport and arcade use via VIVEPORT Arcade. For more information, visit: www.viveport.com.

GDC 2018 Draws Record Attendance, 2019 Dates Revealed

SAN FRANCISCO – March 28, 2018 The 2018 Game Developers Conference (GDC), the world’s largest and longest-running event serving professionals dedicated to the art and science of making games, concluded Friday after a week of networking, learning and inspiration. This year, the event saw a record attendance of 28,000 industry professionals at San Francisco’s Moscone Convention Center from March 19-23. GDC and VRDC will be returning to the Moscone Convention Center on Monday, March 18 to Friday, March 22, 2019. The call for submissions for GDC 2019 will open this summer.

Over the course of the week, the conference hosted a total of more than 750 lectures, panels, tutorials and roundtable discussions, along with more than 550 exhibitors on the GDC Expo Floor. The cutting-edge content of the VRDC@GDC returned this year with sessions highlighting key insights into virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) development. GDC 2018 also featured the Vision Track, a series of mini-keynotes designed to provoke and inspire, which were presented by Supercell’s CEO Ilkka Paananen, Pixar’s Pol Jeremias-Vila and David G Yu, NYU Game Center Director Frank Lantz and Skydance Interactive’s Laralyn McWilliams.

This year, indie games received a major spotlight, with the GDC hosting multiple showcases for aspiring developers, including the award-nominated titles in the Independent Games Festival Pavilion, the rotating lineup of promising projects in the Indie MEGABOOTH, iam8bit and Double Fine’s “Day of the Devs” spaces, the traveling indie developers at Train Jam, and the super-chillaxed indie lounge called the Mild Rumpus. Third party publishers also got into the act, with major tech and game publisher, Epic Games, offering demo space for Unreal Engine games to a multitude of teams, Microsoft showcasing new Xbox One indie titles in the South Hall Lobby, and Unity & GDC teaming up for a 3D Game Art Challenge in the West Hall’s foyer.

The busy GDC Expo Floor in the Moscone Convention Center’s South Hall, featured more than 550 companies exhibiting new technologies, software and services. Industry-leading tech companies like NVIDIA, Intel, Google, Facebook, and Amazon were on the floor, along with key game ecosystem members including Valve, Xbox and Sony Interactive Entertainment America, among hundreds of other exhibitors. In the North Hall, the playable alt.ctrl.GDC space allowed attendees to experience unconventional controllers and alternative control schemes. 2018 also saw the return of GDC Play, which is a special area for emerging developers to display their games to key distributors, publishers and investors in attendance. Meanwhile, in the Moscone’s West Hall, the Shut Up & Sit Down area allowed attendees to enjoy the best tabletop board games of the year.

Awards night kicked off on Wednesday night, March 21, with the back-to-back Independent Games Festival (IGF) Awards and Game Developers Choice Awards (GDCA). The 2018 IGF Awards honored some of the most inventive independent games and projects of the year, with developer Infinite Fall’s Night in the Woods taking home this year’s Seumas McNally Grand Prize. The game also won the award for Excellence in Narrative.

Nintendo’s series re-defining open-world adventure, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, received the highest honor at the Game Developers Choice Awards (GDCA), earning the Game of the Year award, along with the prizes for Best Audio and Best Design. An archive of the IGF and GDCA ceremonies can be viewed at http://twitch.tv/gdc.

Within the sessions themselves, much of the content helped illuminate and foster discussion around some of the social and political issues being addressed by the games industry, including multiple talks about the newly-announced Fair Play Alliance and its constituent members including Blizzard, Riot, Supercell, Epic Games and others, spoke about their new initiative to encourage healthy online gaming communities and discourage harassment, discrimination and abuse.

The GDC has been at the forefront of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technology for a number of years, playing host to countless talks and showcases for emergent VR/AR hardware and software. This year was no different, with Oculus offering the first public demonstrations of its standalone VR headset, known as the Oculus Go, on the GDC expo floor.

Just as GDC looks into the aspirational future of game development, much of the content also takes a retrospective look back at classic titles and classic hardware with special classic game postmortem sessions. This year, Sonic the Hedgehog’s original game designer, Hirokazu Yasuhara, and character designer Naoto Oshima, spoke of the creation of one of gaming’s most iconic characters. Game creator Dr. Michael Cranford gave attendees a deep-dive into the creation of the seminal role-playing games, Bard’s Tale 1 & 2. Mark Turmell, the lead designer and programmer for NBA Jam spoke of the inspiration behind that legendary and off-the-wall basketball arcade game. Raph Koster, Richard Garriott and Starr Long, the creative team behind Ultima Online, offered an inside look into the production of the groundbreaking online RPG that bridged the gap between epic single-player experiences and collaborative multiplayer gameplay.

“True to its name, the Game Developers Conference is an event for everyone in the games industry, from the aspiring game makers in the indie showcases, to the legendary creators in the classic games postmortems, and everyone in-between. It also helps spotlight the best games of the year, the most promising indie teams, the most advanced technology, and the most pressing social issues as reflected by the industry as a whole,” said Katie Stern, general manager of the Game Developers Conference. “Games can be a vehicle for art, but they’re also the product of the hard work of game creators from around the world, and GDC will continue to work to showcase the best talent and to help support those on the verge of creating something special that pushes the medium forward. We hope that GDC 2018 has given that developer the push they needed.”

For additional information about GDC and VRDC@GDC, visit www.gdconf.com. The GDC Vault website – www.gdcvault.com – will offer access to a wide variety of GDC and VRDC@GDC 2018 lectures and sessions in the coming days and weeks, including speaker slides, synchronized video and presentations for select sponsor lectures, as well as a broad range of free conference videos. GDC All Access Pass holders and individual Vault subscribers will get access to hundreds of video sessions from this and previous GDC shows.

Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden Gameplay Trailer

OSLO, Norway – March 28th, 2018 – Funcom announced ‘Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden’ just a few weeks ago with a Cinematic Reveal Trailer that quickly made some significant ripples in the duck pond of the Internet. A lot of the credit for that goes to Dux, a duct-taped, crossbow-wielding anthropomorphic duck who saw a sudden rise to fame in the weeks that followed. Apparently, anyone can become popular on the Internet, all you need is ruffle a few feathers.

Last week the bird flu to San Francisco to present the game behind closed doors at the Game Developer Conference. This week you will soon see that if it looks like a duck and walks like a duck, it probably is much more than just a CGI duck as Funcom finally reveals how ‘Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden’ looks and plays through 30 minutes of unedited gameplay presented by the developers at The Bearded Ladies.

Tired of duck puns yet? We promise to send you some more later.

“I would just like to apologize for all the duck puns in this press release”, says Lawrence Poe, Chief Product Officer at Funcom. “Our PR people are nothing but a bunch of quacks.”

The game, which is being developed by Bearded Ladies and published by Funcom, is set to release in 2018 on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. Players must take control of a team of unlikely heroes, such as Dux (a crossbow-wielding, walking, talking duck) and Bormin (a boar with serious anger issues), and help them navigate a post-human Earth with its abandoned cities, crumbling highways, and mutated monsters on every corner. The team behind the game includes former ‘HITMAN’ leads as well as Ulf Andersson, the designer of ‘PAYDAY’.

‘Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden’ is powered by the Unreal Engine and will be available on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 in 2018. The game is based on the classic ‘Mutant’ IP that has spawned several popular pen and paper role-playing games since the 1980s, including the current ‘Mutant: Year Zero’ from Free League and Modiphius Entertainment. The IP is owned by the Cabinet Group and the interactive rights are controlled by Heroic Signatures, a company owned by both Cabinet Group and Funcom (see earlier announcement). For more video material, screenshots, and more information about ‘Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden’, please visit the official website that launched today on www.mutantyearzero.com.

PC Building Simulator Early Access Launch Trailer

LONDON – March 27, 2018 – UK-based independent game publisher, The Irregular Corporation, is delighted to announce that PC Building Simulator is out now on Steam Early Access.

The demo, originally created by Claudiu Kiss enjoyed viral success in 2017 and was the 3rd most downloaded free Itchi.io title that that year. It has now been lovingly developed into a fully-fledged simulation to allow players to learn and build the PC of their dreams.

In PC Building Simulator, players can create their own PC empire in career mode. From simple diagnosis and repairs to bespoke, boutique creations that any gamer would love to have, the sky’s the limit. With an ever-expanding marketplace full of real-world and realistically priced components you can finally stop dreaming of that ultimate PC and get out there, construct it in Free Build mode and see how it performs.

Hardware manufacturers such as MSI, CORSAIR, COOLER MASTER, EVGA, NZXT, ARCTIC, SILVERSTONE, RAIJINTEK, TEAM GROUP LTD and more have allowed true-to-life models of their products to be included. More partners will be added throughout the game’s early access period and beyond.  In addition to the hardware partners, PC Building Simulator have also teamed up with Futuremark so players can benchmark their in-game systems using a simulation of 3DMark.

Fans can gain early access to PC Building Simulator on Steam for £14.99/$19.99/€19.99. As this is launching via Early Access, more content will be added throughout this time and players are encouraged to provide feedback on their experiences when possible.

For more information on PC Building Simulator, please visit: http://www.pcbuildingsim.com/. Follow PC Building Simulator on TwitterYouTube and Facebook for the latest news and updates.

The Irregular Corporation is a British games publisher, based in London. Founded by industry veterans based in the UK, their focus is on creating and supporting original games for niche markets and communities. Since March 2017, the company has been working on Sailaway: The Sailing Simulator for PC, which recently had its full release after evolving in Early Access. The publisher also recently announced that they’re working on the experimental-adventure title Under a Porcelain Sun from Studio Oleomingus.

Battletech Release Date and Story Trailer

STOCKHOLM – March 27, 2018 – Paradox Interactive and Harebrained Schemes today announced that BATTLETECH, the first turn-based tactical ‘Mech combat PC game in over 20 years, will be available on April 24, 2018. To celebrate the forthcoming launch, today marks the premiere of the BATTLETECH cinematic story trailer, available to watch now.

Developed by Harebrained Schemes, the studio responsible for the critically acclaimed Shadowrun Returns series, BATTLETECH is the next generation of turn-based tactical ‘Mech combat. In BATTLETECH, you play as the commander of a mercenary company on the edges of civilized space, negotiating and executing a variety of combat contracts while attempting to keep your ‘Mechwarriors happy and your operations prosperous. The game’s story features the player falling in with the deposed ruler of a noble house and, fighting for either coin or cause, becoming a player in her bid to retake her throne. BATTLETECH will be available for PC and Mac, at a suggested retail price of $39.99. Linux will be added post-launch.

“The entire team at Harebrained Schemes has been eagerly awaiting the day we deliver BATTLETECH to long time fans and introduce the joy of tactical ‘Mech combat and deadly interstellar politics to new ones,” said Jordan Weisman, CEO of Harebrained Schemes and creator the MechWarrior and BATTLETECH universe. “We’re massively thankful to our Kickstarter backers and fans of the MechWarrior legacy. Without their patience, dedication and support, this modern turn-based BATTLETECH wouldn’t soon be launching on PC and Mac.”

Pre-orders are available now at digital retailers and get more info, please visit https://www.paradoxplaza.com/battletech

For more information, please visit: www.paradoxplaza.com/battletech

World of Warships Announces Space Combat Mode

March 26, 2018 — Space, the final frontier. In light of today’s rapidly changing gaming landscape, World of Warships continues to astonish its audience and announces a new game mode—SPACE WARSHIPS—that will pave the way for a monumental shift in its developmental focus. Running from March 29 to April 11, this special April Fool’s release goes beyond sea skirmishes and historical battles, bringing a fresh and exciting experience to its audience. Players will soon learn that in space, no one can hear you cry “Action stations!”.

“We always strive to keep the game focused on history, but at the same time we are very open to bringing interesting collaborations and events into the game to entertain our players. Our community means the world to us and we always endeavor to treat it with the respect it deserves,” said Artur Plociennik, Executive Producer of World of Warships. “When trying something new, we always keep in mind that we’ve got quite a dedicated fanbase following our every move. We have to set the bar high for ourselves and then check with the community whether it’s high enough—which is why we’re letting them give us their feedback for this new mode.”

Space Warships introduces 9 unique Tier X spaceships and cosmic commanders—each with their own strengths on the battlefield, providing an out-of-this-world gaming experience.

These are the mighty space vessels leaving port:

FlyFire: an elegant design with excellent rocket armament and awesome stealth systems

Galaxy: quantum-cumulative shells and an anti-drone disruptor field will surely come in handy

Hellcarrier: control swarms of drones to conquer even the most distant corners of space!

Paris: armor and speed combined with quick-firing guns and unique ion thrusters

Zaya: as beautiful as a star butterfly, and as dangerous as a Tellurian serpent—that’s all you need to know

Norma: a special turbolaser battery with a unique reloading system, and ion rockets that obliterate all matter in their way

Aurora: “No phantoms shall pass” is the main motto of the engineers who designed this powerful and majestic cruiser

Alldestroyer: excellent all-rounder—thick armor, great guns and a large number of small laser turrets

Blue Aster: a good choice if you need to disintegrate another disintegrator, so that it doesn’t disintegrate your disintegrator

Space Warships will be available to all players who have reached Level 12 and have a Tier VI ship or higher. To unlock the above spaceships, each commander will have to first carry out a special battle mission.

Learn more about Space Warships at http://spacewarships.com.

D23 Expo 2019 Announced for Anaheim

BURBANK, Calif. – March 26, 2018 – All the magic and excitement of the past, present, and future of Disney entertainment will come together once again when D23: The Official Disney Fan Club presents D23 Expo 2019 at the Anaheim Convention Center the weekend of August 23–25. Each of Disney’s magical worlds—including Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars—will unite under one roof to celebrate what’s new and what’s on the horizon from Disney theme parks, television, music, products, and films.

Highlights planned for D23 Expo include more than 50 shows, presentations, and panels, including the Disney Legends Ceremony, which honors the talented men and women who have made significant contributions to the Disney legacy; an all-new exhibit curated by the Walt Disney Archives; a daily parade down the middle of the show floor; D23 Expo’s costume contest, Mousequerade, showcasing the most creative designs by fans; and the D23 Expo Design Challenge. (Details on the Design Challenge and Mousequerade will be forthcoming.)

D23 Expo 2019 will feature a massive show floor full of immersive experiences and special opportunities to see what’s next for Disney around the world—and guests may run into their favorite Disney stars, characters, Imagineers, animators, and filmmakers. Guests can enjoy numerous shopping opportunities with D23 Expo-exclusive collectibles and more at an assortment of Disney and partner merchants, including the D23 Expo Emporium, where Disney fans can buy, sell, and trade Disney collectibles, memorabilia, merchandise, and more. All of the popular presentation venues will return, including Hall D23, the Expo Arena, Stage 28, and Center Stage.

D23’s sixth Expo follows the success of D23 Expo 2017, which drew tens of thousands of Disney fans for three star-studded days and nights. Guests were treated to appearances by such celebrities as Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Whoopi Goldberg, Jordan Fisher, Robert Downey Jr., Mark Hamill, Kristen Bell, Chris Hemsworth, Mandy Moore, and the stars of Disney’s Descendants. Guests had the chance to take a jump into a life-sized DuckTales money bin; were the first to see a full-scale model of Galaxy’s Edge, the Star Wars-themed land coming to Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts; and were able to enjoy a full-length concert from Disney Legend Alan Menken. They also enjoyed a look back at Disney’s rich history through extraordinary panels, presentations, and exhibits and discovered the newest entertainment, technology, and products coming from Disney.

Tickets for D23 Expo 2019 will go on sale at D23expo.com beginning August 23, 2018. Special pricing on both one- and three-day tickets to the event—including an Early Bird Discount—will be exclusively available to D23 Gold Members. Additional special benefits will also be available to D23 Gold and Charter Members at the 2019 Expo. D23 Gold Members will also have an opportunity to purchase the Sorcerer Package, which provides a host of special benefits and amenities. Ticket prices will be announced later this summer.

ROCCAT Unveils Horde AIMO Gaming Keyboard

HAMBURG – March 26, 2018 – Today ROCCAT, esport equipment manufacturers, announced the worldwide availability of the Horde AIMO keyboard. Featuring unique Membranical® keys which combine the strengths of mechanical and membrane keys, it also boasts quick-fire macro keys, a configurable Tuning Wheel plus multi-zone RGB illumination customizable in 16.8 million colors, making it the most feature-rich rubber dome keyboard on the market. The Horde AIMO is currently available at ROCCAT.org, Amazon and Newegg for $89.99 and the non-AIMO version will be available in Q2 2018 for $69.99.

Designed and engineered to deliver a gaming-optimized keyboard that is more precise than the competition, it includes a column of five, low-profile macro keys which skirt the Horde AIMO’s main key zone, positioned on the left, for rapid and intuitive execution. The distinctive lower height of the keys ensures there are no accidental miss-hits. At just 5.0ms, their actuation is lightning fast. The Horde AIMO island keys offer up to a 44% faster response rate, securing the most precise trigger of every button.

Coined by ROCCAT, Membranical® represents the best of both worlds between standard and mechanical keyboards. Its midway travel actuation point provides a very precise and responsive key stroke with a fast yet silent typing feel. The island layout resists dirt for low-maintenance gaming and mid-height keys with a precision fingertip design to vastly improve key distinction. The Horde AIMO reduces the input lag of each keystroke, giving the gamer noticeable edge over the competition.

“With the Horde AIMO, we wanted to offer the fans of traditional keyboards the best choice in the market, there is no other option that feels as crisp, precise and offers this level of customization,” said ROCCAT CEO René Korte. “The Horde AIMO is one of a kind.”

The fully programmable Tuning Wheel and corresponding multimedia keys provide fast and intuitive control for illumination, brightness, dpi, volume and more. It can be customized to suit each gamer’s specific needs. Rotating freely through 360 degrees with precise, tactile steps, the Tuning Wheel provides on-the-fly command power with accuracy. It’s also fully compatible with Windows 10 Dial functionality, making the Horde AIMO the first gaming keyboard with this feature.

As a member of the AIMO ecosystem, the Horde AIMO features ROCCAT’s intelligent living light system in which its functionality grows exponentially based on the number of AIMO-enabled devices connected, reacting intuitively and organically to user input. It joins the Khan AIMO and Kone AIMO to make a uniquely immersive gaming experience. Eliminating the need for configuration, AIMO presents state-of-the-art lighting scenarios right out of the box, for a completely fluid, next-gen experience.

The Horde AIMO is also fully compatible with ROCCAT’s Swarm driver system. Its high level of flexibility allows the gamer to adjust all aspects to their individual preferences.

Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition Review

Final Fantasy XV has finally hit the PC platform with the aptly named Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition. This game puts players in the shoes of Prince Noctis, who is about to set off for a once-enemy kingdom in order to bring peace by marrying its princess. He is accompanied by three faithful friends, each with their own specialties. The foursome embarks on an ultimate road trip to get their friend to his nuptials when things go all kinds of crazy. This review will contain no spoilers for any of the plot points of the game, instead opting to provide that brief synopsis.

Getting around the vast game world is mainly accomplished by way of the Regalia, a high-end convertible that is Prince Noctis’ personal vehicle. You can upgrade and customize the Regalia throughout the course of your adventure, however some upgrade components will be a big challenge to get – making it feel very worth it once accomplished. Driving is mainly done in a sort of Autopia (a driving-based kids ride at Disneyland) way, with the car sticking to the road while allowing a bit of free drive. You can also “fast-drive” eventually, as well as have one of your companions do the driving for you.

On your journey, you’ll encounter rest stops, tourist attractions, cities, villages, military facilities, caves, mines, swamps – the list goes on and on. There is so much to see and do in the world of Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition that you can spend hundreds of hours trying to complete everything. As usual in these kinds of games, you’ll also encounter NPCs that provide quests and other information of note. Food is a big component of adventuring in Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition. You will be able to purchase food and food carts, restaurants, cantinas, and more and gain various bonuses depending on the dish. One of your friends is the group cook and can learn new recipes to provide nourishment while camping. Speaking of camping, this is one of two ways to “rest” and turn in your experience points in the game – the other is lodging at a hotel or motor home. The difference is that, while camping, your friend can cook a dish for the party. While staying at a lodging, you cannot prepare a meal – but, you do gain a bonus multiplier on your experience points. Depending on the cost of the lodging, this multiplier can be well worth it.

Combat is reminiscent of most action RPG titles, albeit with more tactical options than most. You have 4 weapon slots and can utilize a number of swords, spears, guns, large swords, shields, etc. There is a huge array of weapons, clothing, ingredients for you to buy and I was pleased with how the shopping/vendor system was implemented in the game. Your three friends always have your back and will fight along side you eerily like real player characters. You can issue individual commands to them to perform special abilities and attacks, and even do combo attacks with them when the right conditions are met. There are some moments though when things devolve into button mashing as combat can get somewhat clumsy when the screen is packed with enemies or your view is obstructed by beautifully rendered flora that gets in the way. Overall though, that is a mild issue in the grand scheme of an otherwise amazing game.

Visually, Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition is stunning, especially after downloading the optional 4K texture pack. The game’s lush landscapes just “pop” and the various creatures you encounter look amazing and act as you would imagine they should – the game world just feels alive. The game’s English voice actors have done a great job bringing their characters to life – however, if you prefer the original Japanese voices and subtitles, you can enjoy those as well. Owing to both the voice actors and writing is the banter and interaction between your group members. They are all full characters with backstories of their own and watching them interact is a joy. At one point, you get offered by one of them to train on the beach in the morning after camping. This leads to a fun 80’s style training montage and some great dialog. Other times, your party members will react to what’s going on around them – whether it be you accepting a quest (they like to give their thoughts on your missions) or driving past a herd of creatures. They also LOVE ribbing on each other and this only enhances the feeling that you are playing with other real people. This really is an amazing road movie of a video game.

Overall, Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition is an outstanding open world, action RPG that will delight both new and veteran players of the series. This is no simple PC port but is, instead, one of my favorite games of the year.