Archive - 2015

Great American Comic Convention Las Vegas this Weekend

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Las Vegas, NV – November 2, 2015 — On December 5th & 6th in Las Vegas, an all-star group of comic book creators, including 7 Eisner Award winners and several more Eisner nominees, will be coming to the Sports Center of Las Vegas for the inaugural Great American Comic Convention!  Special Guest Creators include Tim Bradstreet, Tommy Castillo, Howard Chaykin, Darwyn Cooke, Tony Harris, Bob McLeod, Terry Moore, Graham Nolan, James Robinson, Joe Rubinstein, Frank Tieri, Billy Tucci, Len Wein, Bernie Wrightson & Mike Zeck.

Fans will be able to get their X-Men merchandise signed by the co-creator of Wolverine, Storm, Nightcrawler, Colossus & many other fan favorites… comics legend and Eisner Hall of Famer Len Wein!  Doors open at 10am on Saturday, Dec. 5th.

Weekend passes are available online at gacclv.com for just $35, free for children 12 & under with an accompanying adult. Cosplayers welcome and panels to be announced.

Amplitude Launch Trailer and Track List

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Boston, Mass. – December 2, 2015 – Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. is thrilled to announce that the PlayStation®4 version of Amplitude™ will be available to download via the PlayStation®Network worldwide on January 5th, 2016. The Kickstarter funded reboot of the 2003 PlayStation®2 cult classic will be available for $19.99 and feature over 30 songs, breathtaking visuals, and a concept album approach to its narrative storytelling.

Amplitude features a single player campaign along with competitive and cooperative local multiplayer modes. The campaign is presented in the form of a sci-fi concept album with a narrative that surfaces through the game’s visuals, music, and lyrics. There are also leaderboards available for bragging rights.

The soundtrack includes music crafted by Harmonix’s talented in-house composers, as well as songs from well-known video game composers such as Darren Korb (Transistor), C418 (Minecraft), Danny B (Crypt of the Necrodancer), and Jim Guthrie (Below). The game also features tracks made by backers, including fellow game development studios Insomniac Games (Ratchet & Clank) and the Lab Zero (Skullgirls).

The entire soundtrack is as follows:

  • “All The Time” – C418
  • “Assault on Psychofortress” – Single White Infidel
  • “Astrosight” – Inter:sect Ft. Noelle LeBlanc & Naoko Takamoto
  • “Break for Me” – James Landino Ft. Noelle LeBlanc
  • “Concept” – Symbion Project
  • “Crazy Ride” – Insomniac Games
  • “Crypteque (1-2)” – Danny Baranowsky
  • “Crystal” – George & Jonathan
  • “Dalatecht” – Harmonix
  • “Decode Me” – Inter:sect Ft. Noelle LeBlanc & Naoko Takamoto
  • “Digital Paralysis” – Harmonix
  • “Do Not Retreat” – Komputer Kontroller
  • “Dreamer” – Harmonix
  • “Energize” – Harmonix
  • “Entomophobia” – M-Cue
  • “Force Quit” – Jim Guthrie
  • “Human Love” – Harmonix
  • “I.C.U.” Harmonix
  • “Impossible” – Darren Korb
  • “Lights” – Wolfgun
  • “Magpie” – Harmonix
  • “Muze (Amplitude Remix)” – Ingrid Lukas, Remix by Patrik Zosso and Nik Bärtsch
  • “Perfect Brain” – Harmonix
  • “Phantoms” – Freezepop
  • “Recession” – Jeff Allen Ft. Noelle LeBlanc & Naoko Takamoto
  • “Red Giant” – Kodomo
  • “Supraspatial” – Jeff Allen Ft. Naoko Takamoto
  • “Synthesized” – Symbion Project
  • “Unfinished Business” – Shiohito Taki & Junichi Kamiunten
  • “Wayfarer” – Harmonix
  • “Wetware” – Harmonix

Kickstarter supporters who backed at the $40 tier or higher do not have to wait until January 5th to get their hands on Amplitude. Those backers will receive the game two weeks earlier, on December 23rd.

PlayStation® fans attending PlayStation®Experience this weekend will be among the first to play Amplitude. Those who play the game at the booth will receive an exclusive dynamic theme for their PlayStation®4 and an Amplitude trading card. More details can be found inAmplitude’s latest backer update.

For more information, head to Amplitude’s Twitter and Facebook pages.

D23 Expands Membership Perks and Events in 2016

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BURBANK, Calif. – December 1, 2015 In 2016, D23: The Official Disney Fan Club will expand member events with more experiences on the East Coast and new twists on current favorites.

  • D23 BEHIND-THE-SCENES EXPERIENCES: In 2015, D23 Members had the opportunity to explore hidden Disney gems—such as the Animation Research Library—while hearing stories from Disney luminaries such as Walt Disney Archives founder Dave Smith and animator Andreas Deja. In 2016, D23 will bring back this popular event with incredible guests and new locations, while adding even more surprises and a special gift.
  • SCREENINGS ON THE DISNEY STUDIO LOT AND AT WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT: In 2016, D23 will once again offer special screenings on both coasts of Disney favorites including Alice in Wonderland, Finding Nemo, and Bedknobs and Broomsticks. Plus, to celebrate the 75th anniversary of The Reluctant Dragon, D23 will hold a special screening event on the Studio lot including special guests, picture spots, and more surprises.
  • D23’S LUNCH WITH A DISNEY LEGEND: Following a year that included exclusive luncheons with such luminaries as former Imagineer Orlando Ferrante and voice actress Kathryn Beaumont, D23 will be bringing back the popular event series on the Walt Disney Studios lot, as well as adding events on the East Coast. The first event will be at Walt Disney World Resort with Disney Legend Charlie Ridgway, who helped open Walt Disney World, Epcot Center, and Disneyland Paris.
  • D23 DAY AT THE WALT DISNEY STUDIOS AND ARCHIVES: D23 Gold Member-exclusive tours of the historic Studio lot and Walt Disney Archives in Burbank return, highlighting historic moments from Disney film, television, and theme parks—and in 2016 we will be enhancing the experience with a very special new location to be announced soon.
  • ADVANCE SCREENINGS: This year, D23 Members were able to attend previews of Cinderella and Inside Out in cities such as New York, Orlando, Chicago, San Francisco, and Philadelphia. Next year, in partnership with The Walt Disney Studios, D23 will screen a selection of upcoming releases. And for those guests who may not live in the cities where movies are screened, D23 Gold Members across the country will be selected at random to receive complimentary movie passes, which will be included in issues of Disney twenty-three, D23’s quarterly publication.
  • D23 MEMBER NIGHTS AT NEWSIES—ON TOUR: Disney fans are cheering for the Tony® Award-winning Newsies, now on tour. In 2016, guests in Salt Lake City, Portland, and other cities around the country are invited to see the show with premium seats on special nights and a talk-back with the cast following the show.
  • MEMBER MIXERS AROUND THE COUNTRY: After giving members a peek at the reimagined Disney Stores in Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, and Kentucky, in 2016, Disney Store will once again invite D23 Members for exclusive mornings of shopping, discounts, games, and goodies. Also this past year, D23 held mixers including Breakfast on Broadway in New York and Never Had a Friend Like D23 events to celebrate Aladdin in Phoenix, Sacramento, and Seattle. Look for more mixers in cities around the country in 2016.
  • MICKEY’S OF GLENDALE: The Walt Disney Imagineering employee store will once again offer shopping opportunities to D23 Gold Members at Walt Disney World Resort and in Southern California. Guests will be able to peruse collectibles and pick up official Imagineering merchandise. Dates to be announced in 2016.
  • D23 DISNEY FANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONBEAUTY AND THE BEAST: Following D23’s first “Home Edition” of Fanniversary, celebrating the 60th anniversary of Lady and the Tramp, D23 in 2016 will bring fans around the world unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to the spectacular, Academy Award®-winning animated feature Beauty and the Beast, which celebrates its 25th anniversary next year.
  • SIGNATURE EVENTS: Look for the return of some favorites, including SIP & SCREAM (a Halloween twist on D23’s Sip & Stroll event at Walt Disney World in the fall), as well as special holiday events on both the East and West Coasts. More details will be announced in 2016.

Dates, ticketing information, and more D23 events will be announced throughout the year. Full details on D23’s lineup of 2016 special events can be found on the Fan Club’s website at www.D23.com/events. All events and dates are subject to change.

Current event calendar:

  • January 29: D23 Behind-the-Scenes Experience, TBA, Burbank, Calif.
  • February 20: Alice in Wonderland, Burbank, Calif.
  • March 18: Lunch with a Disney Legend: Charlie Ridgway, Walt Disney World Resort
  • March 19: Alice in Wonderland, Walt Disney World Resort
  • April 8: Lunch with a Disney Legend: TBA, Burbank, Calif.
  • April 9: D23 Day at The Walt Disney Studios and Archives, Burbank, Calif.
  • April 20: D23 Member Night at Newsies—On Tour, Portland, Ore.
  • May 21: Finding Nemo, Walt Disney World Resort
  • June 4: Finding Nemo, Burbank, Calif.
  • June 8: D23 Member Night at Newsies—On Tour, Salt Lake City, Utah
  • June 25: D23 Day at The Walt Disney Studios and Archives, Burbank, Calif.
  • July 18: D23 Behind-the-Scenes Experience, TBA, Burbank, Calif.
  • August 20: The Reluctant Dragon 75th anniversary screening event, Burbank, Calif.
  • September 23: Lunch with a Disney Legend: TBA, Walt Disney World Resort
  • September 24: Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Walt Disney World Resort
  • Fall: D23 Disney Fanniversary Celebration: Beauty and the Beast, more info coming in 2016
  • October 8: Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Burbank, Calif.
  • October 22: Sip & Scream, Walt Disney World Resort
  • November 18: Lunch with a Disney Legend: TBA, Burbank, Calif.
  • November 19: D23 Day at The Walt Disney Studios and Archives, Burbank, Calif.

The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing Xbox One Launch Trailer

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Budapest, Hungary – December 1, 2015 – NeocoreGames is proud to announce that the popular PC action RPG The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing is available now on Xbox One for $14.99 and is FREE for all Xbox Live Gold members in December, as part of the Games With Gold program.

In collaboration with Microsoft, NeocoreGames’ first chapter of the beloved trilogy has arrived on Xbox One with a multitude of additions and changes sure to delight hungry action RPG fans. Van Helsing, set in a gothic-steampunk world filled with monsters, weird science, humor and pop-cultural references, offers gamers overhauled controls and user interface specific to the Xbox One, a deep, story-driven single-player adventure, the two- to four-person multiplayer mode offered in either cooperative or competive modes, and more.

Additionally, starting Tuesday, December 1, all Van Helsing DLCs will be available on Xbox One for $3.99 each. Both ’Thaumaturge’ and ’Arcane Mechanic’add loads of new content, challenges, and narrative to the base game, including gear, weapons, skills and story-driven missions.

“We’ve been working very hard to bring The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing to the Xbox One,” said Zoltán Pozsonyi Producer, NeocoreGames. “We are delighted to introduce our Action-RPG to a brand new audience and we hope that they are going to have as much fun with playing the game as we had creating it.”

Full Features from NeocoreGames’ Van Helsing include:

  • An Incredible Adventure  – Play through a refreshingly unique story, spiced up with wry humor and snappy dialogue.
  • New Interface and Controls – Completely overhauled controls and user interface, made especially for Xbox One.
  • Detailed Level-up System – Customize your character through and decide which skills and abilities you’ll need for the hunt.
  • Multiplayer – You can team up with your friends in a four-player cooperative mode and become the greatest monster hunter of all time in competitive multiplayer modes.
  • Tower-Defense Mini-Game – Build and develop your hideout and place traps to defend it from waves of terrible monsters.
  • Rage System – Modify your skills on the spot with a unique power-up system.
  • Unique Companion System – Use the special abilities and tailor the skills of your remarkable follower, Lady Katarina.

Put on your wide-brimmed hat, grab your weapons and embark on an incredible adventure in the gothic-noir world of Borgovia, where mad science threatens the fragile peace between monster and mortal. Be Van Helsing and save the day with your beautiful companion, Lady Katarina, the charming ghost. Explore the savage wilderness in the mountains and the soot-stained brick distrcicts of a grim metropolis twisted with weird science.

The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing is available now on Xbox One for $14.99 and is FREE for all Xbox Live Gold members in December, as part of the Games With Gold program.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Opening Date Announcement on Dec 8

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Universal City, California, December 1, 2015 – “When will “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™” at Universal Studios Hollywood open?

This has been the #1 question asked since the theme park first announced that “Hogwarts is coming to Hollywood” in 2011.  The perennial question will soon have an answer and Universal Studios Hollywood is about to shed some light on it.

More information is available here:

WHEN:       Tuesday, December 8, 2015

TIME:         7AM PT / 10AM ET

WHERE: The Universal Studios YouTube Channel

For more information, visit the newly launched interactive website for a virtual tour of “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” and sign up for the latest news and information at www.universalstudioshollywood.com/harrypotter/signup.

Join the conversation online using #WizardingWorldHollywood. Like Universal Studios Hollywood on Facebook and follow @UniStudios on Instagram and Twitter.

King’s Quest: Rubble Without a Cause Release Date

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. – Dec. 1, 2015 – Sierra™ has announced today that King’s Quest™: Rubble Without a Cause, the second chapter of the new King’s Quest, is expected to launch worldwide on Dec. 16 on the PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment systems, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and Windows PC via Steam. In North America, the versions for the PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®3 systems will be available late afternoon on Dec. 15.

In this latest page in the acclaimed reimagining of the classic adventure gaming series, King Graham takes players back to his first test as ruler of Daventry. When a band of goblins holds the kingdom hostage, a newly crowned and ill-equipped Graham must lead a daring rescue to free his people and prove himself the leader they deserve. But the choices he makes along the way may have dire consequences for those most counting on him.

In addition, King’s Quest’s first chapter, King’s Quest™: A Knight to Remember, is free to download on the PlayStation®4 system from the PlayStation®Store throughout December starting today for PlayStation®Plus members in North America.

Developed by The Odd Gentlemen, the new King’s Quest is a five-chapter journey that rekindles the timeless spirit of curiosity and wit the series was founded on over 30 years ago. As an aging King Graham looks back on a life of trials and triumphs with his precocious granddaughter, Gwendolyn, players will experience firsthand the untold puzzles, places and personalities of his incredible life.

King’s Quest: A Knight to Remember, King’s Quest™: The Complete Collection (a bundle* including all five chapters and a bonus playable story epilogue), and the King’s Quest™ Season Pass (a bundle* containing Chapters 2-5) are now available through the PlayStation®Store, Xbox Games Store and Steam. King’s Quest is rated E10+ (Everyone 10 and Up) by the ESRB. For the latest information, please visit www.sierra.com, and follow Sierra on Facebook and Twitter.

*Subsequent chapters and epilogue may be downloaded in-game upon individual release.

Elite Dangerous: Horizons Beta Begins Today with Planetary Landings

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Cambridge, UK. December 1, 2015. Frontier Developments plc (AIM: FDEV) today launched the Elite Dangerous: Horizons beta test for PC.

Elite Dangerous: Horizons is the new season of major gameplay expansions for the award-winning space epic Elite Dangerous, beginning this Holiday with Planetary Landings on 1:1 scale worlds. Elite Dangerous: Horizons will introduce further major gameplay features as the season continues into 2016, enriching the Elite Dangerousexperience with new activities and new ways to play.

In today’s Planetary Landings beta, players can explore epic, accurately simulated planets and moons throughout Elite Dangerous’ full scale re-creation of our Milky Way. Each of these life-sized worlds offer incredible vistas and new gameplay opportunities as players discover valuable resources, experience deadly combat encounters, raid bases, scout crash sites and cooperate with other players, both on the planet surface and flying high above.

Players can journey from space to surface for the first time in Elite Dangerous, coasting over mountaintops in their spacecraft, diving into canyons and venturing out on the ground in the new Scarab SRV wheeled vehicle, alone or with friends, all without loading screens or breaks in gameplay. Planetary Landings is an entirely new way to play Elite Dangerous, and is just the first of the Horizons season of expansions

Planetary Landings in Elite Dangerous is the closest most of us will ever come to visiting other worlds, and it’s just the beginning of Horizons’ new season of gameplay expansions,” Frontier Developments CEO David Braben said. “There is so much new gameplay to experience, new things to discover, and new ways to bring our amazing community together. It’s also a great technical achievement for our incredible team, using cutting edge technology to create realistic simulated worlds and add to the enormous depth and richness of the Elite Dangerous galaxy.”

Elite Dangerous: Horizons launches this Holiday with the first expansion Planetary Landings and continues into 2016 with further expansions including new missions, new ships, new Close Quarter Combat (CQC) arenas and massive new features dedicated to gameplay, community, and narrative, including:

  • Loot and Crafting, unlocking a world of customization options and adding new value and meaning to every action.
  • Multicrew, allowing teams of players to assume roles aboard the same ship.
  • Commander Creation, giving a unique appearance to players’ in-game avatars.
  • Ship-Launched Fighters, allowing larger spacecraft to carry their own short-range fighter ships for attack and defense.

All Elite Dangerous and Elite Dangerous: Horizons players will retain their progress and continue to fly together in the same galaxy as one community, and all Elite Dangerous players will continue to receive free updates, fixes and optimizations as the game evolves alongside Elite Dangerous: Horizons.

The Elite Dangerous: Horizons beta for PC is available now at FrontierStore.net for £49.99 (€67.99, $74.99), with beta and full access to every Elite Dangerous: Horizonsexpansion available throughout Elite Dangerous: Horizons season.

Elite Dangerous: Horizons will launch soon for PC, and is available for pre-order now atFrontierStore.net for £39.99 (€49.99, $59.99). An entire season of gameplay expansions for one price.

Existing Elite Dangerous players who pre-order either the beta or standard edition will receive a £10 (€14, $15) loyalty discount off the retail price and will unlock the exclusive ‘Cobra Mk IV’ spacecraft in Elite Dangerous: Horizons.

Star Wars Battlefront – Battle of Jakku: Live from London TONIGHT

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November 30, 2015Let’s play Star Wars™! Star Wars™ Battlefront™ – Battle of Jakku: Live from London (#StarWarsBattlefrontLondon) is taking place today, and will include the world premiere of The Battle of Jakku gameplay live streamed on Twitch. The below code can be used to embed the stream from the official EA Star Wars Twitch channel beginning at 11am PST / 2pm EST / 7pm GMT / 8pm CET:

Among the 40 player set up at Star Wars Battefront – Battle of Jakku: Live from London will be Ali-A, Vikkstar123 and JackFrags who will do battle on two maps set on Jakku as well as the debut of a new mode, Turning Point, a vast Star Wars Battlefront game mode for 40 players

The Battle of Jakku was created through a collaboration between DICE and Lucasfilm and takes place 29 years before Star Wars™: The Force Awakens™ in the aftermath of the Rebel victory in the Battle of Endor – the pivotal moment when the New Republic confronted key Imperial holdouts on a remote desert planet. Learn more here.

2015 GamingShogun Holiday Gift Guide Part 1

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It’s that time of year, GamingShogun readers, for part 1 of our official holiday gift guide series! Here are some of the products that we would highly recommend as gifts to your friends, loved ones, or even yourself!

Mega Gifts ($1000 and up)

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The Millennium Falcon Star Wars Bed ($3,999)

If you have kids that are getting into science fiction and/or Star Wars, and if you have an extra four grand laying around, you can’t go wrong with this Millennium Falcon Star Wars bed from Pottery Barn Kids. If I had this as a kid, I would never leave my bed… Ever. I would probably still be typing this article from it more than three decades later – much to the chagrin of my wife.

Pottery Barn Kids Store Link

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Self-Balancing Hoverboard Scooter ($300 to $1,200)

This new self-balancing hoverboard is all the rage right now around college campuses. Brought over by Chinese manufacturers and re-branded to kingdom come, you can find them for a wide range of price points depending on the retailer you go through. Just know, that most are exactly the same (albeit different brand labels).

Find these on Amazon

Expensive Gifts ($200 to $999)

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EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti FTW GAMING ACX 2.0+ ($679.99)

The EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti FTW ups the game with dual 8-Pin Power inputs, 8+2 Phase Power Design, Dual BIOSes and an included EVGA backplate. Not to mention this card packs 2816 NVIDIA CUDA Cores and 6GB of GDDR5 memory, giving you the horsepower to drive whatever comes next. In fact, the EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti FTW provides over 3x the performance and 3x the memory of previous-generation cards.

Amazon Product Page

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DJI Osmo ($649)

DJI’s new handheld, gimbal-stabilized camera is quite the technical marvel. Not only does it record video up to 4K in image quality, but it also features on-board gyroscopes to keep the thing level during action shots. It also wirelessly interfaces with a smartphone in order to use it as a monitor.

DJI Osmo Product Page

Mid-Level Gifts ($50 to $199)

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Sound BlasterX P5 ($69.99)

The Sound BlasterX P5 gaming earphones feature a huge amount of good quality sound in an ear bud form factor. Weighing at only 12 grams, the Sound BlasterX P5 is a tiny marvel that fits 7mm Neodymium magnets which deliver amazingly high sensitivity 114dB audio with excellent clarity.

Official Product Page

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Mad Catz R.A.T. PRO S Gaming Mouse ($69.99)

The Mad Catz R.A.T. PRO S provides everything you need in a tournament quality mouse, and nothing you don’t. Basically, you get the high-end PixArt optical sensor, configurable comfort points, and more all without crazy, function-less lights, etc.

Official Product Page

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Fallout 4 ($59.99) – Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC

Bethesda Softworks latest entry into the Fallout franchise is many things: Epic, fun, intense, and satisfying for hundreds of hours of gameplay.

Official Website

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Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain ($59.99) – Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC

Easily one of the year’s best games, Kojima’s last Metal Gear Solid title is an epic romp through the world of Big Boss and Co. as they try to build up Mother Base. It is an amazing gaming experience.

Official Website

Inexpensive Gifts ($0 to $49)

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NERF Rival Apollo XV-700 ($24.99)

As a long-time airsofter, I loved getting to check out the NERF Rival series of pop guns. Shooting small foam balls at an opponent is a great way to liven up the office or dorm room. They are a lot better than the NERF foam darts without being as dangerous as, say, and airsoft BB or paintball.

NERF Rival Apollo XV-700 on Amazon

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NYKO Type Pad for Xbox One ($29.99)

The NYKO Type Pad for Xbox One makes typing out long messages so much easier than scrolling through every letter on the virtual keyboard, one at a time. You will be sending off text messages or entering passwords like never before with this handy gadget.

NYKO Type Pad for Xbox One Product Page