Archive - 2015

Universal Studios Hollywood Unveils New Annual Passes

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Universal City, California, November 16, 2015 – In celebration of Universal Studios Hollywood’s five year epic transformation that has substantially altered its familiar footprint to essentially define it as an entirely new destination, The Entertainment Capital of L.A. is rolling out three all-new Annual Pass ticket options, inviting guests to visit the theme park as if for the very first time.

Effective immediately, new Annual Passes will provide guests with an array of privileges reserved for passholder membership, including access to Universal Studios Hollywood over a 12 month period to enjoy the park’s compelling thrill rides and attractions, including “Fast & Furious: Supercharged” as the grand finale to the world famousStudio Tour, “Transformers:  The Ride 3D“ and “Despicable Me Minion Mayhem,” as well as the much-anticipated “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™” when it opens in Spring 2016.

Each new Annual Pass member will embark on an exciting journey with Universal Studios Hollywood receiving regular newsletter updates, exclusive preview event invitations, discounts on food and merchandise, eligibility for sweepstakes opportunities that include the chance to win tickets to coveted Hollywood red carpet movie premieres, and more.

The Gold Pass, available for $299, includes 312 select days of fun. The California Resident Plus Pass, available for $199, invites members to enjoy 244 select days of fun, and the California Resident Pass, available for $139, includes 182 select days of fun.  To learn more about the Annual Passes options, please visitwww.UniversalStudiosHollywood.com/tickets.

Additional information is available at www.UniversalStudiosHollywood.com. Like Universal Studios Hollywood on Facebook and follow @UniStudios on Instagram andTwitter.

Prometheus 2 is now Alien Covenant

Prometheus 2 is now Alien Covenant

20th Century Fox has announced that Prometheus 2 has officially been renamed Alien Covenant. Due out on October 6, 2017, Alien Covenant will tell the story of a colony ship that happens across the severed head of “David” (Michael Fassbender) some time after the events of the first film. Ridley Scott is set to once again direct.

Six Flags Great Adventure Announces Holiday in the Park

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Jackson, NJ — November 16, 2015Six Flags Entertainment’s annual holiday extravaganza — Holiday in the Park® — debuts at the world’s largest theme park November 21and runs weekends and select days through January 3, 2016. More than a million glittering lights, dazzling holiday entertainment, delicious seasonal treats, Santa’s village and many popular rides will magically transform the summer thrill destination into a winter wonderland, and is included with all Season Passes and active Memberships.

Holiday in the Park provides an escape from the hustle and bustle of the shopping rush, and a way for guests to create their own magical, memorable holiday moments. A visual feast awaits just inside the gates throughout 10 newly-themed areas of the park.

“Holiday in the Park will be a winter spectacular on every family’s must-do list,” said Six Flags Great Adventure President John Fitzgerald. “We have invested years of research into making this the most incredible and immersive seasonal experience it can be, combining holiday traditions with thrills that are uniquely Six Flags.”

Signature Holiday in the Park attractions include:

  • Holiday Magic: A Celebration of the Season ─ Spectacular light show on a 52-foot-tall tree in the heart of the park that dazzles nightly every 30 minutes through eye-popping effects and classic holiday music
  • Jack Frost’s Magical Christmas ─ Jack Frost’s evil plot to steal Christmas is reversed by the warmth and magic of the holiday season in this live stage show filled with acrobatics, illusions and surprise guests
  • Gingerbread Junction ─ Features peppermint swirl-wrapped trees, dancing lights around the carousel pavilion, the Gumdrop Hop dance party and a giant gingerbread man towering above
  • Joy to the World ─ Tranquil pathway of lit trees, luminaries and stained glass showcasing religious holidays from around the world
  • North Pole ─ Guests are welcomed into the warmth of Santa’s home for a meet-and-greet and holiday photos by Kodak, plus kids can write letters to Santa, meet a reindeer and build a stuffed toy
  • Poinsettia Peak ─ Skull Mountain roller coaster has been transformed into a mountain of dazzling red lights with a crimson beauty, the Poinsettia Princess, greeting guests nearby
  • Treetop Summit ─ Parachute Tower transforms into one of the world’s tallest light trees
  • Polar Point ─ Stunning, ice-blue trees twinkle with the illusion of falling snow up above, while the towering, larger-than-life Snow Queen meets guests below
  • Storytime with Mrs. Claus ─ Kids can hear one of Santa’s favorite stories in Whimsical Wonderland
  • Holiday Memories ─ Green, red and gold brighten this section filled with special photo opportunities like Mistletoe Moments, Wishing Tree and With Love giant greeting card, while nearby the Jingle Jammers sing holiday tunes by the fire pits as guests toast s’mores
  • Stewie the Snowman ─ Guests can pass through a jolly, three-story inflatable in Snowman City

The sweet and savory tastes of the holiday season can be found throughout the park. Spiked egg nog, holiday-flavored coffee and hot chocolate, peppermint and mocha fudge, holiday beers, festive funnel cakes with peppermint eggnog and caramel pecan bacon toppings, specialty holiday platters of sliced turkey, smoked turkey leg and chicken platters with cranberry sauce, chili bowls, harvest salads and flatbreads and hot soups will be available in various restaurants.

Holiday in the Park also features nearly 30 thrilling rides such as SkyScreamer, Carousel, Big Wheel and Tea Cups. Children can enjoy 11 pint-sized thrills in Whimsical Wonderland. Coaster fans can challenge world-class rides like Nitro, BATMAN™: The Ride, THE GREEN LANTERN and SUPERMAN – Ultimate Flight, THE DARK KNIGHT Coaster and Poinsettia Peak. All rides and entertainment are weather permitting. Frontier Adventures including Safari Off Road Adventure, Bugs Bunny National Park and Plaza del Carnaval will not operate during the festival.

The festival kicks off with two special events Sunday, Nov. 22. The morning begins with the park’s first Santa Run 5K race at 11 a.m., and an Elf Run 1K for kids that includes a meet-and-greet with Santa at noon. Tickets and registration are available online. The Holiday Express band will perform from 5 to 7 p.m. free with park admission. Holiday Express is comprised of 1,700 volunteers including more than 100 professional musicians and delivers music, food, gifts, financial support and friendship to those in need during the holiday season.

More information about Holiday in the Park is available at www.sixflags.com/greatadventure.

Final Fantasy Explorers Collector’s Edition Announced

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LOS ANGELES (Nov. 12, 2015) – SQUARE ENIX® today revealed the Collector’s Edition for FINAL FANTASY EXPLORERS® that will be limited and available exclusively through the Square Enix Online Store.

In addition to the game, the collector’s edition includes a variety of premium items, including:
·         32-page artbook featuring illustrations by renowned artists Yoshitaka Amano, Gen Kobayashi and Toshiyuki Itahana
·         “Songs for the Journey,” a 20-track music soundtrack sampler comprised of tracks by celebrated Composer Tsuyoshi Sekito
·         Themed FINAL FANTASY EXPLORERS Nintendo 3DS hard case
·         Exclusive box packaging, featuring the artwork of series concept artist Amano

The Collector’s Edition will also have codes exclusive to the Western release to unlock in-game quests that allow players to obtain a set of legendary FINAL FANTASY® weapons. These weapons include: Venus Gospel from FINAL FANTASY VII, Death Penalty from DIRGE of CERBERUS®: FINAL FANTASY VII, Crimson Blitz fromLIGHTNING RETURNS: FINAL FANTASY XIII, and Thyrus from FINAL FANTASY XIV.

FINAL FANTASY EXPLORERS will be available on Jan. 26, 2016, for Nintendo 3DS in North America, and will be priced at $39.99 MSRP. The Collector’s Edition will be sold through the Square Enix Online Storefor $69.99.

Fallout 4 Sells 12 Million Units at Launch

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November 13, 2015 (Rockville, MD) – Bethesda Softworks®, a ZeniMax® Media company, today announced that its award-winning game, Fallout® 4, is generating record sales at retail outlets and via digital download for Xbox One, PlayStation® 4 computer entertainment system and PC. Bethesda launched with approximately 12 million units worldwide to meet day one demand, representing sales in excess of $750 million. The collector’s edition, the Fallout 4 Pip-Boy™ Edition, sold out within hours of its announced availability.

Major retailers have informed Bethesda of the tremendous consumer interest in Fallout 4, with some noting it was the most pre-ordered game this year. In addition, the Fallout 4 Pip-Boy Edition was the fastest-selling collector’s edition of any game in history at leading retailers. Following the release, Bethesda was advised that launch day sales at some of the leading retail chains were the largest of any game released this year. Bethesda is now shipping more Fallout 4 units to retailers to meet ongoing market demand.

Digital sales of Fallout 4 are also breaking records. On Steam, Fallout 4 became the number one game played, surpassing the previous record for concurrent play with over 470,000 Fallout players. The companion app, Fallout Pip-Boy, became the number one game on the iTunes App Store. Fallout 4 also set the record as the most viewed game launch of all 2015 games, according to Twitch.

“We’re extremely proud of Todd Howard, Game Director at Bethesda Game Studios, and his experienced team of developers for their talent and dedication in creating this extraordinary game,” said Vlatko Andonov, President of Bethesda Softworks. “Fallout 4 is a masterpiece in game development and storytelling, providing fans hundreds of hours of fun as they explore and are challenged by this fascinating, beautifully crafted world.”

Fallout 4 has earned critical acclaim since its announcement in June 2015, winning over 160 awards at the 2015 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) including the coveted Game Critics Award for ‘Best of Show’, a selection voted on by an independent group of journalists from 39 leading media outlets that cover the videogame industry.

Following its release across the globe, this eagerly-awaited title has garnered additional raves from some of the industry’s most influential and respected critics. Reviewers have noted for particular praise the game’s storytelling, its vast, detailed world, crafting systems, exploration, meaningful player choices, shooting mechanics, hours of gameplay, and most importantly, total freedom of action.

“A huge thanks to our fans that’ve made this all possible,” said Todd Howard, Game Director on Fallout 4. “After four years of development, it’s not complete until our fans get to play it and make it their own. We can’t wait to hear about their adventures.”

Fallout 4 reaffirms the elite status of Bethesda Game Studios as among the finest development teams in the industry. Each of the last three games developed by Bethesda Games Studios were consensus ‘Game of the Year’ winners and rank with the highest-scoring titles in the industry. Fallout 4 is the follow up to the 2008 ‘Game of the Year’, Fallout® 3, and the first title from Bethesda Game Studios since the release of their global phenomenon and 2011 ‘Game of the Year’, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim®.

In Fallout 4 you play the sole survivor of Vault 111 and enter a world destroyed by nuclear war. Every second is a fight for survival, and every choice is yours. Only you can rebuild and determine the fate of the New England Wasteland. Welcome home.

Fallout 4 is rated M for Mature by the ESRB. For more information, visit: www.Fallout4.com.

Ronda Rousey EA Sports UFC 2 Cover Athlete

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REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – November 13, 2015 Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) today announced EA SPORTS™ UFC® 2 will launch this Spring, featuring UFC® bantamweight champion “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey as the game’s global lead cover athlete. Rousey, the undefeated UFC champion (12-0), is the most dominant and recognized fighter in the world. Hear what Rousey thinks about the cover and get a first look of the champ in the virtual Octagon® here.

“EA Sports is a cultural barometer to know what’s going on in sports at the moment,” said Rousey. “As a gamer myself, it’s pretty surreal to be on the cover of the game and to have a woman on the cover of a UFC game shows a lot of progress. I’m really happy to be involved with it.”

EA SPORTS UFC 2 takes the franchise’s stunning character likeness and animation to another level, adds an all-new Knockout Physics System and authentic gameplay features, and introduces the biggest ever roster of real-world fighters in a MMA game who will step back into the Octagon on Xbox One and PlayStation®4.

“Like any champion fighter going into their next fight, we listened to our corner – in our case, the fans – and took a detailed look at everything we can do to take the fight game to a whole new level,” said Creative Director Brian Hayes. “We’re doing that by introducing innovative gameplay features, delivering a game mode for every fighter regardless of their style of play, and adding helpful tools so fans can master MMA, all while producing the jaw-dropping visuals that fans expect.”

EA SPORTS UFC 2 is headlined by five brand new game modes including KO Mode and UFC Ultimate Team, a revamped Career Modethat lets fans create female fighters for the first time ever in a UFC game, and Grapple Assist, an integrated visual tool to help players learn and perfect takedowns, ground game transitions, and submissions. Full feature and mode details can be found athttp://easports.com/ufc/features.

Rousey will defend her title tomorrow in the Octagon at UFC® 193: ROUSEY vs. HOLM at Etihad Stadium, to mark the first UFC event in Melbourne, Australia. This event will also make UFC history as the first time two women’s world title bouts will headline a PPV event.

For pre-order information, visit http://easports.com/UFC/buy

EA SPORTS UFC 2 is developed in Burnaby, British Columbia by EA Canada. More information is available on the EA SPORTS UFCwebsite, and in-depth feature details will be announced in the months leading up to launch. Fans should keep an eye on the website, as well as the EA SPORTS UFC Facebook and Twitter pages to make sure they’re always up-to-date on the latest and greatest news.

EA SPORTS™ is one of the leading sports entertainment brands in the world, with top-selling videogame franchises, award-winning interactive technology, fan programs and cross-platform digital experiences. EA SPORTS creates connected experiences that ignite the emotion of sports through videogames, including Madden NFL football, EA SPORTS™ FIFA, NHL® hockey, NBA LIVE basketball, Rory McIlroy PGA TOUR® golf, SSX™ and EA SPORTS UFC®.

For more information about EA SPORTS, including news, video, blogs, forums and game apps, please visit www.easports.com to connect, share and compete.

Life is Strange Limited Edition Announced

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November 12, 2015 – Following the release of the final episode of LIFE IS STRANGE, we’re excited to announce that DONTNOD’s award-winning episodic series will be getting a boxed Limited Edition release on January 19th 2016 in the US and January 22nd 2016 in PAL territories.

“The response to Life is Strange really has blown us away,” explained Luc Baghadoust, producer at DONTNOD Entertainment, “to be able to share that experience with our fans in a traditional boxed format is something we’re really excited about and the decision to include the extra items for the Limited Edition is a direct response to fan requests.”

The Limited Edition includes a directors’ commentary, a physical 32-page art book, and 14 licensed tracks from the game’s official soundtrack as well as 8 tracks from the game’s composer Jonathan Morali. A full list of included tracks can be found below:

1. Syd Matters – ‘To All Of You’
2. José González – ‘Crosses’
3. Angus & Julia Stone – ‘Santa Monica Dream’
4. Sparklehorse – ‘Piano Fire’
5. alt-J – ‘Something Good’
6. Local Natives – ‘Mt. Washington’
7. Bright Eyes ‘Lua’
8. Mogwai – ‘Kids Will Be Skeletons’
9. Amanda Palmer – ‘In My Mind’ (feat. Brian Viglione)
10. Message To Bears ‘Mountains’
11. Breton – ‘Got Well Soon’
12. Mud Flow – ‘The Sense of Me’
13. Foals – ‘Spanish Sahara’
14. Syd Matters – ‘Obstacles’Original Score by Jonathan Morali
15. Jonathan Morali – ‘Golden Hour’
16. Jonathan Morali – ‘The Storm’
17. Jonathan Morali – ‘Blackwell Academy’
18. Jonathan Morali – ‘Kate’
19. Jonathan Morali – ‘Timeless’
20. Jonathan Morali – ‘Timelines’
21. Jonathan Morali – ‘Night Walk’
22. Jonathan Morali – ‘Max & Chloe’

LIFE IS STRANGE follows the story of Max Caulfield, a photography senior who discovers she can rewind time while saving her best friend Chloe Price. The pair soon finds themselves investigating the mysterious disappearance of fellow student Rachel Amber, uncovering a dark side to life in Arcadia Bay. Meanwhile, Max must quickly learn that changing the past can sometimes lead to a devastating future.

Tritton Katana 7.1 HD Wireless Console Headset Announced

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San Diego – November 12, 2015 Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. (“Mad Catz”) (NYSE MKT/TSX: MCZ) announced today the TRITTON Katana HD 7.1 Wireless Headset, a revolutionary new gaming headset and the world’s first to draw its audio signal directly through HDMI to deliver eight channels of uncompressed sound for pure high definition audio quality. With near-universal compatibility across today’s gaming consoles, PCs and smart devices, theKatana HD features state-of-the-art DTS Headphone:X audio technology that faithfully recreates the spatially accurate immersive sound experience from your favorite game. Whether your enemies are flanking or surrounding, you will hear them before you see them. Headphone:X technology allows gamers to immerse themselves in games, movies and music, as if they were actually there.

The Company also announced today that the TRITTON Katana HD 7.1 Wireless Headset received the distinguished CES 2016 Innovations Award Honoree for outstanding design and engineering in Gaming and Virtual Reality and will be featured during CES 2016 at Innovation Awards Showcase.

Designed as the new flagship in the TRITTON high performance gaming audio range, the Katana HD provides gamers with unparalleled audio immersion via oversized 50 mm drivers and crystal clear interference-free chat through an omnidirectional boom mic. Featuring Selectable Voice Monitoring (SVM), the removable and adjustable mic is designed to pick up only the designated audio sources and either delete or enhance the gamer’s voice. Fully wireless chat is a reality on Katana HD if playing on PS4, PS3, or PC, and when playing on Xbox One, a pass-through port is ready to accept the included 3.5mm to 3.5mm chat cable.

“Providing gamers with first-to-market audio technology and an immersive sound experience via DTS Headphone:X technology, the wireless Katana HD delivers unrivaled sound quality to today’s passionate gamer,” said Darren Richardson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mad Catz. “With a focus on multiplatform accessibility, personalization and chat options, we feel that Katana HD has the ideal combination of new technology and high-end features to stand out from the competition and make a significant contribution to our audio category sales.”

For additional information on the TRITTON Katana 7.1 HD Wireless Headset please visit:

http://store.madcatz.com/Tritton-Katana-7-1-HD-Wireless-Surround-Headset-for-Consoles

MSI Unveils All-in-One Gaming PC

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City of Industry, Calif. – November 12, 2015MSI Computer Corp announces the availability of the world’s most powerful gaming All-in-One PC, the brand new Gaming 27T.  Packed with a plethora of advanced components and technologies, including Intel’s 6th Generation Core™ i7 desktop processor and NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX™ 980M graphics; MSI’s Gaming 27T stuns the multimedia lover and impresses even the most hardcore gamer.

MSI’s newest AIO transports gamers into the game through an anti-glare 27-inch Full HD LED touchscreen powered by NVIDIA’s most powerful mobile GPU, the GTX 980M.  The LED screen also features MSI’s energy stabilizing technology that prevents flickering and blue light emission, reducing eyestrain and fatigue even in long gaming sessions.  For gamers wanting an even more visual experience, the Gaming 27T comes with two HDMI-out ports that supports 2 additional external screens.

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“Gamers demand performance and our new the Gaming 27T will leave them breathless with unbelievable graphics, blazing fast speeds, and a mind-blowing sensory experience,” says Andy Tung, president of MSI Pan America. “Our Gaming 27T takes AIOs to a new level by focusing on user experience above all.”

MSI complements the Gaming 27T’s amazing graphics with a variety of cutting-edge components to make gaming even more enjoyable, including Killer Wireless and Killer DoubleShot Pro for blazing online speeds with decreased latency and lag; Nahimic Audio Enhancer, SABRE Hi-Fi DAC, and Audio Boost for a hair raising sound experience, and MSI’s own Gaming Center application for ultimate gaming customization.

The Gaming 27T is now available for $2699.99 at Amazon, NewEgg, Best Buy, and more. For more information on MSI’s entire selection of gaming solutions, including laptops, visit us.msi.com

Maingear Unveils RUSH Gaming Desktop PC

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Kenilworth, New Jersey – November 12, 2015MAINGEAR, an award-winning PC system integrator of custom gaming solutions, announces the availability of the RUSH, an elegantly brutish gaming desktop featuring a tempered glass body, origami wiring, advanced cooling design, and state-of-the-art components.

Designed to demolish gaming benchmarks without the traditional fierce gaming desktop look, MAINGEAR’s RUSH showcases the elegant side of gaming desktops through a tempered glass chassis highlighted by ultra-clean lines, expertly crafted wiring, advanced and customizable liquid cooling options, and artistically positioned components.

“The RUSH perfectly complements its gaming prowess with a stunning design guaranteed to turn heads,” says Wallace Santos, CEO and Founder of MAINGEAR.  “We pride in delivering the best designs and craftsmanship in the industry and the RUSH perfectly showcases it.”

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Individually hand-assembled, the RUSH delivers unmatched performance even under the most stress with EPIC SUPERSTOCK Liquid Cooling.  MAINGEAR’s signature cooling system features dual pumps for added reliability, easy to fill extra-large reservoir with a separate backup reservoir for headache-free maintenance and increase longevity, Rigid PETG Tubing, custom fittings, and premium copper core radiators.  To complement the cooling system, the RUSH also features Intelligent Airflow Control, which automatically syncs the speed of the fan with the temperature of the motherboard.

“The RUSH is the James Bond of gaming desktops,” adds Santos.  “It is lethal, resourceful and powerful, but elegant, cool and collected.”

MAINGEAR’s RUSH delivers blazing fast speeds with Intel’s Extreme Edition Haswell-E or Skylake processors, pumps out spectacular graphics with up to 3 NVIDIA® GeForce™ GTX Titan X or AMD® Radeon™ R9 Fury X GPUs, and supercharges the gaming experience with up to 64GBs of memory, 6 hard drive bays, and NVMe SSDs.  In addition, gamers craving more can get the most out of their system with MAINGEAR’s REDLINE, a factory tested overclocking service that safely pushes the system to maximum potential.

For more information about the Rush or MAINGEAR’s entire selection of cutting-edge gaming solutions, please visit www.maingear.com