Archive - 2014

Square Enix and Amazon Launch THIEF Mod Contest

2014/02/18
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

thief-4-fire

Montréal (February 11, 2014) – Square Enix® and Amazon.com Inc., in collaboration with a host of gaming partners including AMD and the team behind The Dark Mod, today announced the ultimate THIEF™ mod contest in celebration of the upcoming reboot to one of the most renowned stealth franchises in gaming history.

Beginning today, we challenge the THIEF and modding communities to put their imagination to the test. Whether it’s creating a new heist for Garrett or reworking a classic level from the series, Square Enix and Amazon are looking for fans to submit entries in one of two categories; either a short video playthrough of a mod they’ve created, or a pitch for a mod they would like to create.

Once submitted, all entries will be voted on by the community, members of the Thief development team, and members of The Dark Mod team.

One winner from each of the two categories will be chosen and will receive a host of prizes from key partners, including:

  •    A high-end gaming rig from AMD which includes an AMD Radeon™ R9 290X graphics card
  •    An all-expenses paid trip to E3 2014 with Square Enix
  •    Steam code for all Square Enix Games with the matching Prima Guide
  •    A bundle of game development books on Kindle
  •    An Amazon Kindle DX

In addition, every entrant to the competition will also receive a free digital version of Thief: Gold (1999) courtesy of Amazon.com.

For more information on how to enter and the full list of categories and prizes, visitwww.amazon.com/thiefcontest

For information on how to create a mod, along with all the tools needed, visit TheDarkMod.com.

Closing date for entries is April 14, 2014.

Full Terms and Conditions apply

THIEF is due for release on February 25, 2014 in North America / 28th February 2014 in all European and PAL territories.

Related Links
Official Homepage:thiefgame.com
Official Facebook® Page:facebook.com/thief
Follow @Thief on Twitter®:twitter.com/thief

Grace Digital Unveils Encore WiFi Music System

2014/02/18
Jerry Paxton
News, Tech News

grace

San Diego, Calif. – (February 18, 2014) – Grace Digital, a leader in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and networked audio solutions, introduces the Encore (GDI-IRC7500) Stereo Wi-Fi Music System on Amazon.com. Boasting an impressive tweeter and woofer arrangement, the Encore guarantees clearer vocals and deeper bass compared to the industry standard.

With the Grace Digital Encore users simply connect to their Wi-Fi network and instantly access any preferred internet radio station with one-touch presets. Over 50,000 free internet radio stations, podcast, and endless on-demand content from around the corner to around the world are available, including NPR, BBC, iHeartRadio, CBS, Pandora, and leading pay services SiriusXM, Rhapsody, and Live365. One hundred favorite stations can also be saved directly to the Encore Wi-Fi music system for quick access to top station and artist choices.

“Competitive wireless Hi-Fi and speaker systems require using a smartphone to control them.  While you can control Grace wireless music systems and internet radios with smartphones, we provide the added convenience of  large color displays, one-touch presets, and full controls on every internet radio and wireless speaker in our music ecosystem,” according to Greg Fadul, Grace Digital’s CEO. “We put the customer in full control of the music experience …and frankly, they enjoy seeing the station and album art without having to get out their smartphones.”

Additional features include seven separate alarms with an adjustable sleep timer and large snooze bar, headphone jack, RCA line out, RCA aux-in, USB slot for charging smartphones, access flash drive stored tracks, or use the optional (not included) Grace USB to Ethernet (RJ45) connector.

The Grace Digital Encore (GDI-IRC7500) Stereo Wi-Fi Music System is available now on Amazon.com for $249.99.

Don’t just listen to music…listen with Grace.

Sword of the Stars: Ground Pounders Now on Steam Early Access

2014/02/17
Jerry Paxton
News, Windows PC News

groundpound

February 17, 2014 — Ground Pounders, the turn-based, cross-platform, Sci-Fi strategy Wargame from Kerberos Productions is out of closed beta and is now available on Early Access! Early adopters will be able to download and destroy that Very Special Someone in a PC multiplayer match! Singleplayer matches against a Very Special AI Someone are also available. Take control of a futuristic army of land, sea, and air units, then battle alien factions to control a variety of worlds! Turn experience into veteran unites and unlock event cards to turn the tide in your favour!

The game is available for an Early Access reduced price of £5.99/€6.99/$9.99.The Early Access release is feature complete and players cantest their military minds against one campaign and five scenario battles – with the final release, early adopters will automatically gain access to another campaign and five more scenarios.

With the end of the closed beta for the game’s Indiegogo supporters, the team at Kerberos are looking for feedback from the general public. “Come help us put the finishing touches on this baby!” says CEO and lead designer Martin Cirulis. “Ground Pounders already has a ton of gameplay that we want players to have fun with while we load it up with the last of the ordinance it needs before launch.”

What can players expect in the Early Access game? “There’s already a complete Hiver campaign,” says Cirulis. “We’re hoping to get some feedback, tune the scenarios, and collect player suggestions for the future. What expansions would you like to see post-release? What challenges would you like to see in the upcoming Human campaign? What kind of information and historical data would you like to see in the game’s SotSdex archives? This is a chance for players to not only see the final game come together, but to actively participate, and help shape the final game.”

For those wondering what’s in store for Ground Poundersafter Early Access is over, COO and producer Christopher Stewart says there will be lots. “Right now we are incorporating the first round of player feedback, making some improvements to the tutorial and expanding it into its own mini-campaign. But we are already planning for new factions, new units, and new battles to come. We’ll continue to expand Ground Pounders throughout the 2014, and players will also have the ability to create their own content. We’ll give early adopters the inside-track on the dev tools for the game, and they should be ready to make their own battles and units when the tools are bundled with the final release.”

Look for Ground Pounders via Steam, GamersGate, and other fine online retailers. Android cross-compatibility will follow soon, and Mac/iOS/Linux compatibility will follow the game’s final release.

FINAL RELEASE FEATURES

  • Control one of 2 armies – Human and Hivers
  • 80+ units covering land, sea, and air
  • Battle across alien worlds on exotic battlefields, including airless moons, lava plains, and meteor-blasted wastelands
  • Seize orbital superiority and call down bombardment on your foes
  • Build airfields, fortify areas, and repair or destroy bridges
  • Improve your unit’s experience and abilities over 2 campaigns
  • Unlock and collect combat cards, including faction-unique cards!
  • Build unique combat card decks and even tune them for specific battles
  • Ten scenarios to play in skirmish mode or cross-platform multi-player
  • Enjoy a SotSdex filled with Lore details on famous units, personalities, battles and weapon systems

OFFICIAL GROUND POUNDERS WEBSITE:

http://www.sots-groundpounders.com

Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark Announced

2014/02/17
Jerry Paxton
News, Nintendo 3DS News, Nintendo Wii U News, PlayStation 3 News, PlayStation 4 News, Screenshots / Photos, Windows PC News, Xbox 360 News, Xbox One News

TransformersAnnounce_Screen2

Minneapolis, MN – February 17, 2014 – Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), and Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) today announced TRANSFORMERS™: RISE OF THE DARK SPARK™, a video game complement to Paramount Pictures’ upcoming film, TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION, set to release this June. This third-person action adventure video game goes beyond the movie by uniting the universe of director Michael Bay’s TRANSFORMERS movies with the ever-popular Cybertron universe. Players will choose from over 40 playable characters from the two different universes as they battle to secure the Dark Spark. TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE DARK SPARK will be releasing on Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, Sony’s PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360 games and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Nintendo’s Wii U™ system and the Nintendo 3DS™ handheld system and Windows PC.

“TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE DARK SPARK is an arc between the Cybertron and Earth based worlds of this popular franchise,” remarked Mark Blecher, SVP Digital Gaming & Corporate Development  at Hasbro, Inc. “This year marks 30 incredible years of TRANSFORMERS.  This game tells another chapter in the TRANSFORMERS story that all fans will love.”

Serving as a follow-up to both the upcoming TRANSFORMERS live-action film and Activision’s TRANSFORMERS: WAR FOR CYBERTRON and TRANSFORMERS: FALL OF CYBERTRONtitles, TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE DARK SPARK jumps worlds and factions as it weaves the tale of the hunt for an ancient relic as powerful as the Matrix of Leadership – the Dark Spark. Players will be able to switch between the heroes of the noble AUTOBOTS and the nefarious DECEPTICONS throughout the single-player campaign. Similar to High Moon Studios’ CYBERTRONentries in the highly regarded series, gameplay features nimble, fast-paced running-and-gunning combat paired with traversal and vehicle action across open battlefields for large-scale, dynamic conflicts.

Players will also see the return of the fan-favorite multiplayer mode, Escalation, which delivers wave-based, survival-style gameplay for up to four players online cooperatively. It features new, upgradeable defense systems, recognizable adversaries from the lore, and an expanded roster of playable characters from past and present. Additionally, an exciting new leveling system transforms single-player and multiplayer into one unified, persistent character development path. Experience earned in any part of the game unlocks potent awards and tactical loadout choices – including new characters, stronger weapons, special abilities and consumable bonuses – for use throughout the entire game.

TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE DARK SPARK is currently rated “RP” (Rating Pending) by the ESRB. Be sure to check out the latest information on the game at www.transformersgame.com.

Screenshots

Machinima League of Legends Week Begins

2014/02/17
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos

machlol

February 17, 2014 – League of Legends fans awaiting the launch of Chasing the Cup—Machinima’s new LoL competition series—can whet their appetites with a week-long celebration known as #LoLWeek. Airing on Machinima Realm (YouTube.com/MachinimaRealm), the series of live-action and CGI-animated videos will showcase a who’s-who of League of Legends champions, including Jax, Veigar, Fiddlesticks, Ahri, Graves, Miss Fortune, Kog’Maw, Lux, Mecha Kha’zix, and Ashe. A new video will debut each day at 9:00 am PST (12:00 pm EST), all leading up to the Friday launch of Chasing the Cup on Machinima’s Twitch channel (Twitch.tv/Machinima).

A synopsis of each video is below:

AVAILABLE TODAY, 2/17: Jax vs. Veigar (CGI)

In an epic battle outside the Fields of Justice in the fabled Bandle City, we get up close and personal with Jax and Veigar. Wielding his trusty brass lamppost, Jax goes head-to-head with Veigar, the dangerous and powerful wizard of the magical black arts. This short was created by The Rooster, a team of five CG artists from France.

2/18: Fiddlesticks vs. Ahri—First-Person League of Legends (Live-action)

The cleverness of Ahri the Nine-Tailed Fox has served her well in many battles, but will it be enough when she finds herself confronted by the Harbinger of Doom himself? Watch fear come to life from Ahri’s perspective as she battles it out with Fiddlesticks, portrayed by 4 itchy Tasty! Cosplay.

2/19: Graves vs. Miss Fortune—First-Person League of Legends (Live-action)

Graves the Outlaw has been in tough spots before, and today is no different. He and Leona find themselves pinned down by Miss Fortune’s barrage of firepower and maniacal laughter. However, with his trusty custom shotgun Destiny at his side, Graves is about to personally demonstrate to Miss Fortune the concept of being “outgunned.” Watch from Graves’ perspective as he and Leona battle it out with Miss Fortune! Costumes provide by Vensy Props and 4 itchy Tasty! Cosplay.

2/20: Kog’maw vs. Lux—First-Person League of Legends (Live-action)

Kog’maw, the Mouth of the Abyss, hungers for fresh prey; and his sights are set on Lux! But the Lady of Luminosity has a few surprises in store for this deadly denizen of the Void. Watch through Kogma’s strange perspective to find out who will emerge victorious—and at what cost? Featureing LUX cosplay by the uber talented Courtoon!

2/21: Mecha Kha’zix vs. Ashe—Live-Action League of Legends (Live-action)

Ashe and Mecha Kha’zix duke it out in the Rift! Kha’zix is in hot pursuit, and Ashe may not make it out of this alive! Cosplay created by the extreamly gifted D-slim and Missyeru.

2/21: Chasing the Cup premiere

Premiering February 21 on Machinima’s Twitch Channel (Twitch.tv/Machinima), Chasing the Cup follows the development of professional LoL teams Cloud 9 (C9) and Team SoloMid (TSM) during the off-season and into the regular season of the League of Legends Championship Series. Objective narrative captures team structure, training regimen, management, and player interaction. In addition, the team members will be live in studio, introducing the show, and then conducting a discussion and Q&A with the fans afterwards. The show will later air as VOD on the Machinima VS channel (YouTube.com/MachinimaVS).

Team SoloMid is a professional League of Legends team with the largest fan base across all eSports. Creating the first LoL gaming house, TSM members live and practice together, hosting livestreams and interacting with fans.

Cloud 9 is a professional LoL team with an unprecedented 30-3 record, including a record-breaking 13-win streak. Cloud 9 has quickly become one of the most highly respected eSports teams with the fastest-growing fan base.

Harmonix Announces Chroma for PC

2014/02/17
Jerry Paxton
News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

chroma2

Cambridge, MA – February 17th, 2014 – Today, Award-winning developer Harmonix announced an original free-to-play, music-driven, first-person, multiplayer shooter for PC – Chroma™. Developed in partnership with Hidden Path Entertainment (Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Defense Grid: The Awakening), Chroma completely reimagines the classic Arena FPS formula, infusing fast-paced shooter action with music-driven gameplay.

“Chroma has been a dream project of mine for some time,” said Harmonix co-founder and CEO Alex Rigopulos. “Watching the teams at Harmonix and Hidden Path begin to bring this vision to life has been tremendously exciting. We’re also thrilled to release an alpha version of this game and to evolve it in collaboration with our players. We can’t wait to hear what people think of this new approach to both first-person shooters and music games.”

Chroma is an all-new entry into PC Game development for the team behind cultural phenomena including Rock Band and Dance Central. With technology powered by Unreal Engine and a partnership with experienced shooter developers Hidden Path, Chroma aims high, even in its alpha release.

“Truly new experiences in video games are very rare,” says Mark Terrano, Chief Creative Officer/Founder of Hidden Path Entertainment. “At Hidden Path Entertainment we were delighted to help Harmonix realize their dream of a musical shooter, and are looking forward to the next step – seeing it continue to evolve with the energy, input and creativity from the game community!”

Harmonix has begun accepting applications for a limited Closed Alpha. Participants will get an early look at Chroma while it’s still in development, and will be able to give feedback to help shape the game! Interested players can register at http://www.playchroma.com.

Key game features:

  • Music-driven FPS gameplay – Music matters. Chroma features innovative first-person shooter mechanics that tie the game’s soundtrack directly to combat, traversal, and more.
  • Music is your weapon – Unleash streams of sound and music with your arsenal and bring the musical landscape to life in battle! From deep wobbling bass to the crunch of an electric guitar, crushing metal drums to poppy synths, choose a weapon load-out that reflects your musical tastes and personal style and take your sounds into battle.
  • Band together – Your team is your band: Join up with your friends and battle for glory.. Master multiple classes, each with their own unique musical gameplay mechanics and perks, and lead your team to victory.
  • Conquer shifting terrain – “Change Ups” at major musical moments dramatically alter the landscape of the battlefield in real time both physically and strategically, raising sniper towers, adding cover, and more in sync with the music.
  • Free-to-play, but not “pay-to-win” – Free to jump in and play with deep customization, but smartly designed to preserve a fun and fair experience for all players.
  • Chroma will be available free-to-play on PC via Valve’s Steam platform in 2014. For more information and updates, head to http://www.chromagame.com, follow @ChromaOfficial on Twitter, and at http://www.facebook.com/ChromaOfficial on Facebook!

New Bound By Flame Game Mechanics Trailer

2014/02/14
Jerry Paxton
News, PlayStation 3 News, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox 360 News

bound_by_flame-11

February 14, 2014 — Bound by Flame, the most ambitious RPG to date from Spiders studios due for release on PlayStation®4, PlayStation®3, Xbox 360® and PC in Q2 2014, is revealed today in meticulous detail in a new video! After a thrilling Epic Story Trailer that described the universe and the back story of the title, this trailer focuses on the game mechanics, the hero’s human/demon duality, combat, the bestiary, the “craft” system and much more.

Trailer

In this overview of the many possibilities Bound by Flame has to offer, we discover the great freedom of action given to the player, where the various decisions and different choices he makes during his quest or his attitude to the other characters will affect his experience in the game and the world around him. The player’s reaction to the flame demon that possesses him and his tendency to reject its influence or allow it to consume his soul to gain more power will also significantly affect his experience during the adventure and exert a strong influence on his relationships with his companions and his approach to combat.

This latest video also uses numerous gameplay sequences to reveal a little more of the spectacular and tactically complex combat in Bound by Flame. The battles will also be the focus of the next Bound by Flame video trailer to be released in the coming weeks!

Bound by Flame will be available on PlayStation®4, PlayStation®3, Xbox 360® and PC in Q2 2014.

LEGO The Hobbit Key Art Released

2014/02/14
Jerry Paxton
News, Nintendo 3DS News, Nintendo Wii U News, PlayStation 3 News, PlayStation 4 News, PS Vita News, Screenshots / Photos, Windows PC News, Xbox 360 News, Xbox One News

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment sent out this official key art for their upcoming LEGO The Hobbit this morning – enjoy! LEGO The Hobbit, will be available this Spring for Xbox One, Xbox 360,  PlayStation 4,  PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, the Wii U, Nintendo 3DS, as well as Windows PC platforms.

Click it!