Archive - 2016

Activision Blizzard Launches New Content for MLG ESport Streaming Platform

2016/05/12

Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

NEW YORK, NY. – May 12, 2016 – Today at the 2016 IAB Digital Content NewFronts, Activision Blizzard Media Networks (ABMN), a division of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI), announced the launch of new content, broadcast experiences and distribution partnerships for its MLG.tv streaming platform.

MLG.tv debuted its Enhanced Viewing Experience (EVE) at the event, a High-Definition video stream with a built-in algorithmic system that provides viewers with match statistics, up-to-the-minute leaderboards, and situational insights based on the competition they are watching.

Steve Bornstein, Chairman of Activision Blizzard Media Networks and Former CEO of ESPN took the stage to introduce the network’s host, veteran broadcaster and retired professional gamer Chris Puckett. As host of MLG.tv’s daily ESR broadcast, Puckett will be producing up-to-the-minute premium highlights, interviews and news segments for a new generation of sports fan.

“We’re building a network dedicated to the thrill of competition and the passion of the fans,” said Steve Bornstein, Chairman Activision Blizzard Media Networks, “MLG.tv will play a defining role in realizing the full potential of this audience by creating meaningful, memorable and shareable content.”

“Esports is a cultural phenomenon at its tipping point, and we’re excited to work with the IAB to bring this message directly to advertisers as part of the 2016 Digital Content NewFronts,” said Mike Sepso, SVP Activision Blizzard Media Networks “The size of our digital network, coupled with our insights into this audience’s viewing habits, put us in a unique position to educate the advertising industry on how to safely target these viewers and reach them on their platform of choice.”

ABMN will launch this content and more during the MLG Anaheim Open, a two-day Call of Duty®: Black Ops III tournament set to kick off on June 10, 2016. The MLG Anaheim Open will also be the inaugural event as part of a deeper collaboration with Facebook. The collaboration will allow MLG.tv to broadcast live competitions and deliver ESR content to the 1.6 billion people on Facebook.

“Esports is an exciting space and continues to be a growing priority for us,” said Dan Reed, Head of Global Sports Partnerships for Facebook. “With over 1.6 billion people on the platform and a growing suite of VOD and live streaming products that partners can use to increase engagement, Facebook is uniquely positioned to help esports fans connect around exciting moments and great esports content. We’re thrilled to be working with Activision Blizzard Media Networks, a leader in esports, to help fans enjoy and share a variety of exciting new formats and programming on our platform.”

ABMN’s NewFronts presentation opened with a video showcasing the division’s record-breaking live championship held last month at Nationwide Arena. Sepso and Puckett were joined by Josh Cella, ABMN’s Head of Sales, to present the new content and advertising opportunities to a packed house at the PlayStation Theater in Times Square.

War Thunder Now Supports Oculus Rift – Next Update Brings Missile Tank

2016/05/12

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

May 12th, 2016 Gaijin Entertainment today announced that War Thunder’s next major update will introduce new tanks armed with guided missile weaponry. This type of missile will bring a totally new destructive capability ground battles in War Thunder, thus expanding the number of tactics and strategies players can employ. Players can fire missiles and guide them the whole way to the target until impact.

One of the first guided missile tanks planned to appear in the next update is the Soviet IT-1. Based on the hull of the T-62, it was the first and the last Soviet tank that had no guns at all – its only armament was 15 missiles ready to destroy an enemy vehicle, even if it was hidden on the other side of a hill. Most of the other nations in War Thunder will also get new guided missile tanks in the next update. Check out the developers’ blog for more information about upcoming additions: http://warthunder.com/en/devblog/

War Thunder also now supports Oculus Rift CV1, available since the last update, so players are able to play the game in exciting combat scenarios in VR. Available for both air and ground battles, Virtual Reality provides pilots and tankers with as much immersion as possible so that a player flying an aircraft in the game can experience similar feelings to what a real WW2 pilot would have experienced. With Oculus Rift CV1, fighters have detailed cockpits and instrumentation panels, providing important tools for controlling the aircraft whilst flying in a cockpit view. The detailed 2K resolution of the Oculus Rift CV1 lets players see enormous landscapes from the cockpit of their aircraft, leaving the enemy no place to hide.

To try War Thunder with the Oculus Rift CV1, download War Thunder, tick “Full client” and “Oculus Rift” in the game launcher, wait until the download is complete and run the game. Pick your favourite vehicle and join the battle. Virtual Reality is available for any aircraft or tank mode in War Thunder. Join multiplayer battles, try out the single or co-op missions or test the most breathtaking maneuvers in test flight. For a deeper level of immersion, a flightstick and throttle are highly recommended.

For more information on Oculus Rift CV1 support for War Thunder see the devblog page here: https://warthunder.com/en/devblog/current/899/

Check out the destructive capabilites of the anti-tank guided missile here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpKSqh-I3AY

For a look at the first two vehicle additions and updates to the next major War Thunder update, check out the devblog page here: http://warthunder.com/en/news/3718-news-victory-day-in-war-thunder-presentation-of-new-vehicles-en/

Serial Cleaner Announcement Trailer

2016/05/12

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

May 12, 2016 – The protagonist is a professional cleaner, which means he takes care of cleaning up murder scenes by disposing bodies, covering up blood stains and hiding murder weapons and other incriminating evidence. He takes on jobs without asking questions, working shady assignments for the mafia, as well as helping out (for a fee of course) regular people, who for one reason or another, murdered somebody or unwillingly caused a lethal accident. The storyline revolves around a copycat killer, who commits murders similar to the latest highly-popularized killings that have taken the media by storm.

It’s a dynamic stealth game, in which the player needs to figure out how to pick the location clean of evidence, while not getting caught. Exploring, experimenting and fast paced decision making are the key words here. Getting caught and questioned would put a black mark on the protagonist’s career and the environment is often crawling with itchy-fingered police officers accompanied by nosy bystanders. The game uses Real-World Data to modify gameplay according to the time of day in player’s location.

Serial Cleaner takes a humoristic, slightly macabre approach to its subject matter, and doesn’t treat itself too seriously. Just take a look at the protagonist. He is a 30-ish man with a sharp sense of style and an iconic 70s look, complete with a mustache, large sunglasses, and tight pants.

Game Highlights

Fully realized 1970s-inspired setting
Just take a look at that art style!
The game uses Real-World Data to modify levels accordingly with the current time of day in the player’s whereabouts
Levels take inspiration from actual 1970s murder scenes
Humor and atmosphere inspired by Fargo series and Pulp Fiction movie
Playful approach to solving each level, which rewards exploration and experimentation

Valentino Rossi: The Game Bringing MotoGP Once Again to North America

2016/05/12

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

LOS ANGELES – May 12, 2016 – Imagining the career experience of a nine-time MotoGP™ World Champion will soon become a reality. Square Enix® and Milestone S.r.l. today announced that Valentino Rossi: The Game will be released on July 26 for Xbox One, PlayStation®4 and PC (Steam).

Valentino Rossi The Game will feature more than 90 riders from the official 2016 MotoGP™ roster, with 18 official tracks and historical tracks from previous seasons. Players will get a unique perspective of the motorcycle grand prix world as they follow Rossi’s legendary career in a series of challenges from his debut in 1996 up thru the 2015.

More than just a MotoGP™ game, players will experience the exciting world of Valentino Rossi with all-new expanded game modes dedicated to the career of the 9-time World Champion, including special 2-wheel and 4-wheel drift, rally, flat track, and R1M-only challenges.

Players can start their own racing history in the VR|46 Academy through Career Mode and live the dream of becoming an Academy member as they train and craft their abilities at Valentino’s exclusive Rossi Motor Ranch, or any other Game Mode, proving grounds to become amongst the world’s greatest riders.

Valentino Rossi The Game will be available for download and at retail with a suggested retail price of $49.99 in North America. The DAY ONE EDITION will also be available and includes the Real Events: 2015 MotoGP™ Season Pack.

Console Release Date Announced For Banner Saga 2

2016/05/12

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos, Xbox One News

BALTIMORE, MD – May 12, 2016 – Stoic, an independent game development company, and Versus Evil, one of the leading independent video game publishers, today announced that Banner Saga 2 will launch on Tuesday 26th July, 2016 on PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and to the Xbox One via the ID@Xbox self-publishing program. Banner Saga 2 recently released on PC and Mac where it received excellent reviews across the board. Check out the accolades trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MN1lPeZWr5M

Banner Saga 2 is the exciting sequel to the award winning, BAFTA nominated, indie hit The Banner Saga, an epic Viking role-playing strategy game where a player’s choice directly affects their personal journey.

“We are happy that we were able to create a development schedule where the console version of Banner Saga 2 could come out shortly after the PC version,” said John Watson, Technical Director at Stoic. “Although our team size dictated what we could do with the first release, we knew that a two year wait for the sequel was just not acceptable, so we worked extremely hard to ensure that console gamers could continue their journey in a timely fashion. Our goal for Banner Saga 3 is to simultaneously ship on all platforms!” he added.

“This sequel continues to build on the legacy Stoic has created with the Banner Saga. New players can jump right in and play without any concern of not playing the original game. We didn’t want anyone penalized if they were jumping into this story for the first time.“ commented Steve Escalante, General Manager at Versus Evil. “However, the diehard fans who completed the first game will be able to continue their own saga based on all the choices they made in Banner Saga 1. The Stoic team has done an amazing job of ensuring this sequel is better than the first and addressed many comments their community had including improvements to combat, a wider variety of characters to play and interact with and the addition of more animations and cinematics,” he concluded.

To celebrate the launch of the sequel, the team recently released an “In Memoriam” trailer, an entertaining homage to the first game which is renowned for making gamers make some difficult choices which result in the loss of several beloved characters. The trailer, which was created by Penny Arcade contributor Kris Straub, can be viewed here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSxrkcmDCpk.

The Banner Saga, which launched to much critical acclaim has received several awards and nominations, including winner of the 2014 Geekie Awards for “Best Video Game”, winner of 2014 Game Developers Choice: “Best Debut” award, finalist placement for “Excellence in Visual Arts” category at the Independent Game Festival, 3 BAFTA Award Nominations, and winner of Pocket Gamer’s 2015 Best Adventure/RPG Game and Best Android Game of the Year. The sequel, Banner Saga 2 for PC is available now through most digital retailers including Steam: http://store.steampowered.com/app/281640/

To learn more about The Banner Saga and Banner Saga 2 visit:http://bannersaga.com

To learn more about Versus Evil visit: http://www.vsevil.net

DOOM Coming to Indy 500

2016/05/12

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos

May 12, 2016 (Rockville, MD) – Schmidt Peterson Motorsports (SPM) and Bethesda Softworks®, a ZeniMax® Media company, today revealed the DOOM car set to premiere at the Angie’s List Grand Prix of Indianapolis on May 14 – one day after the videogame’s eagerly awaited release on May 13. The No. 7 car, driven by SMP Racing driver Mikhail Aleshin, will go on to compete in the 100^th Running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 29.

DOOM, under development at id Software®, the studio that pioneered the first-person shooter genre, returns as a brutally fun and challenging modern-day shooter experience for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.

Aleshin is the first driver from Russia to race in the Verizon IndyCar Series. The 28-year-old native of Moscow spent the formative years in his racing career in Europe racing and winning on some of the most storied racetracks. Aleshin competed with SPM for a full season in 2014, earning one podium and seven top-ten finishes. He piloted a third SPM car at the 2015 season finale and is making his full-season return for 2016.

“We couldn’t imagine a more perfect sponsorship fit,” said Pete Hines, Vice President of PR & Marketing for Bethesda Softworks. “DOOM is all about pushing forward with incredible speed. We’ll all be cheering on Mikhail and the Schmidt Peterson Motorsports team as we celebrate the game’s launch.”

Relentless demons, impossibly destructive guns, and fast, fluid movement provide the foundation for intense, first-person combat – whether you’re obliterating demon hordes through the depths of Hell in the single-player campaign, or competing against your friends in numerous multiplayer modes. DOOM garnered numerous E3 2015 awards and in a recent preview, Game Informer aptly described the gameplay as “an absolute blast.”

“We are always pleased to invite a new sponsor into the Schmidt Peterson Motorsports family. However, according to my son, having DOOM on Mikhail’s car for the GP of Indy and the Indianapolis 500 is by far the most exciting sponsor we’ve ever announced,” said Sam Schmidt, SPM Team Owner. “We feel these types of partnerships are absolutely critical to creating the next generation of fans for the Verizon IndyCar Series. This sport is all about speed, innovation and technology, so gaming seems to be a natural fit.”

The team unveiled the livery for Aleshin’s No. 7 Indy car this morning at 8:30 a.m. ET in the SPM garages at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It will be on track at 11 a.m. for the first practice of the Angie’s List Grand Prix of Indianapolis.

DOOM has been rated M for Mature by the ESRB. For more information, visit: www.DOOM.com.

Midsummer Scream Horror Con Announces Oingo Boingo Dance Party

2016/05/12

boothby

Geek News, Halloween, News

LOS ANGELES, May 11, 2016 – Let’s have a party, there’s a full moon in the sky! Midsummer Scream is thrilled to announce Oingo Boingo Dance Party will headline its Noche de los Muertos (Night of the Dead) celebration and costume contest at the Long Beach Convention Center Saturday evening July 30^th, 2016.

Oingo Boingo Dance Party is comprised of former Oingo Boingo members Johnny Vatos, Steve Bartek, John Avila, Sam “Sluggo” Phipps, Carl Graves and Doug Lacy, along with a host of other wildly-talented musicians that keep the legacy of the iconic band alive and thriving for fans of multiple generations.

Known for their unique sound which includes explosive percussion, electrifying guitar riffs and a full horns section, Oingo Boingo’s extensive song catalogue includes Only a Lad, Little Girls, Weird Science, No One Lives Forever, and the venerable Dead Man’s Party. The band hosted Halloween shows in Irvine each year at the height of its popularity, with thousands of “Tender Lumplings” – the given nickname for their adoring fans – showing up in costumes and skeletal makeup, as the underlying thematic style of the group commonly centered around Dia de los Muertos.

“Oingo Boingo was synonymous with Halloween here in Southern California in the ‘80s and ‘90s,” said Rick West, Creative Director of Midsummer Scream. “What better way to launch our event than a concert featuring these legendary performers doing what they do best as Oingo Boingo Dance Party? To me, bringing these musicians and the haunt and horror community together under one roof is a no-brainer. They’re going to bring the house down!”

Oingo Boingo Dance Party will headline Midsummer Scream’s 21+ nighttime event, Noche de los Muertos, featuring a Best & Worst of the ‘80s Costume Contest, which will be judged by the band members themselves during the middle of their 90-minute concert performance. Midsummer Scream attendees are encouraged to dress up in their best – or worst – ‘80s Halloween costumes and strut their stuff across the stage as Johnny Vatos, Steve Bartek, John Avila, Sluggo and the gang cast final judgment!

For the ultimate Boingo fans in attendance, a limited amount of “Tender Lumpling Experience” passes are now available for purchase, which offers admission to the Noche de los Muertos party, as well as a personal meet-and-greet opportunity with the band that includes photos and autograph signing prior to the concert.

“Having Oingo Boingo Dance Party as part of our event was something the team wanted to do from the get-go,” said Gary Baker, Executive Producer of Midsummer Scream. “Very quickly, Johnny Vatos and the band were interested, which set everything in motion. We’re going to put on a show that no one will soon forget.”

Face-painters will be on hand to transform guests into fearsome skeletons or sweet sugar skulls if they’d like before and during the party for a small price – perhaps a golden coin, or a shiny silver dollar on either eye.

Tickets for Noche de los Muertos featuring Oingo Boingo Dance Party are now on sale at www.MidsummerScream.org, and will be sold throughout the day Saturday July 30^th including at the door. Tender Lumpling Experience passes will sell out extremely fast – there is a frightfully limited supply!

Midsummer Scream is California’s premier Halloween, haunt and horror festival featuring more than 100,000 square feet of artisan vendors, live entertainment, specialty workshops, makeup demonstrations, a multipurpose theater, haunted attraction previews and experiences, Hall of Shadows darkened scare zone and more.

One of the biggest draws to Midsummer Scream are its world-class theme park panel presentations throughout the weekend. They include Knott’s Scary Farm (Sunday July 31^st), Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor (Saturday July 30^th), Six Flags Magic Mountain’s Fright Fest (Sunday July 31^st), Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights and Walt Disney Imagineering (Saturday July 30^th).

Tickets are now on sale, with new information regarding Midsummer Scream is being updated frequently at MidsummerScream.org.

Fans may sign up on the site for email notifications and announcements, including discounts and other special offers. Be sure to follow Midsummer Scream on social media as well – Twitter/Periscope: @MidsummerScream, Instagram: @MidsummerScream, and Facebook: facebook.com/midsummerscream.

Watch D&D Live from Meltdown Comics on June 1

2016/05/12

boothby

Geek News, News

May 12, 2016 – There are always funny and interesting people hanging out at Meltdown Comics in Los Angeles and the NerdMelt Showroom has been a host to hundreds of comedians over the years. Now we’re going to set up a table back there with Matthew Mercer at the helm to play Dungeons & Dragons and see what happens.

On June 1, we’ll stream D&D Live from Meltdown featuring comedians playing through a brand new story with characters they’ve created with the D&D story team. D&D Live from Meltdown will be hosted by Alison Haislip on Wednesday, June 1 at 4pm PDT and broadcasted live on the D&D Twitch channel.

The adventuring party will continue throughout the summer with a new regular weekly series debuting on the Nerdist Twitch channel. More details on the cast and what characters they’ll be playing will be announced soon!

Matthew Mercer, veteran voice actor and leader of the popular series Critical Role, will be the Dungeon Master after working hand-in-hand with the team at Dungeons & Dragons to develop the adventure. Alison Haislip (G4, ABC’s Battlebots) will serve as host for D&D Live from Meltdown, unveiling new D&D products and corralling the shenanigans on stage including interviews with Chris Perkins, Mike Mearls, Rob Overmeyer (executive producer of Neverwinter) and other D&D creators.

Tune-in to the Dungeons & Dragons Twitch channel – twitch.tv/wotc_dnd – on June 1 at 4pm PDT for the exciting unveiling of the new storyline and the accompanying line of products from partners including miniatures, apparel, online play aids and video games from WizKids, Gale Force 9, We Love Fine, Fantasy Grounds and Cryptic/Perfect World.

For more information on Dungeons & Dragons, visit https://www.dungeonsanddragons.com.

Homefront: The Revolution Story Trailer

2016/05/12

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

May 11, 2016 – Today Deep Silver invites you to meet the leaders of the Philadelphia Resistance as we reveal the first details of Homefront: The Revolution’s gripping characters. As raw recruit, Ethan Brady, you are plunged into a desperate struggle for freedom as the Resistance try to save the one man who can inspire the people to rise up – Benjamin Walker, the ‘Voice of Freedom’ himself. What lengths will the Resistance go to in order to achieve their goals… and will the end ever justify the means?

Weaving state-of-the-art performance capture into a 30-hour open world single -player campaign, Homefront’s dark and brutal story will leave you reeling. Homefront: The Revolution will be released on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC on May 17th, 2016.

Scare LA Announces Interactive Haunts for Upcoming Convention

2016/05/11

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Halloween, News

PASADENA, Calif., May 11, 2016 — This August, the most anticipated Halloween haunt creators give attendees a taste of their darkest nightmares at ScareLA on August 6-7, 2016 at the Pasadena Convention Center. Since becoming the first U.S. convention dedicated to Halloween in 2013, ScareLA has been leading the charge in showcasing original interactive horror content unlike anything audiences have ever seen. Today, we are excited to announce three immersive experiences set to join the event’s extensive lineup and kick of Halloween in the summer.

Only at ScareLA: CREEP LA MINI HAUNT: CREEP LA will preview their latest attractionENTRY, inspired by cinematic styles from directors (David Lynch, Stanley Kubrick & Ti West) and influenced by productions like Sleep No More & Then She Fell. Experience a taste of ENTRY before the haunt season ONLY at ScareLA!

“ONE OF THE CLOSET THINGS TO FEELING LIKE YOU’RE IN A HORROR MOVIE”

– Nerd Reactor

#CREEPITREAL #CREEPLA @Creeplosangeles

Only at ScareLA: Snapshot Productions presents THE ROPE, an immersive horror experience taking you through the darkest moments of waking life utilizing sensory deprivation and physical/emotional tests to challenge your sanity.

Inspired by the From Software’s Dark Souls series, and Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem.

Website: www.screenshot.productions
Instagram: @whatwelearnedhere

Only at ScareLA: H E R E T I C Presents: THE DESCENT, a walk through a nightmare fragmented in real time to test your nerves.

Returning for their 3rd year at ScareLA they promise that this exclusive experience will give you a sample of how H E R E T I C cerebrally pushes guests to their limits.

Website: http://www.heretichorrorhouse.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HERETICHAUNTEDHOUSE/

For more information and to purchase tickets for ScareLA 2016 : Season of the Witch event, visit www.scarela.com.

# # #

About ScareLA

Founded in 2013, ScareLA is the Southern California convention dedicated to all things Halloween. Situated in the entertainment capital of the world, the event celebrates the American scare season traditions and the diverse cultural heritage of the Greater Los Angeles region. Featuring hundreds of specialty vendors, education programming, world-class industry presentations, ScareLA draws over 10,000 professionals, fans and families from the U.S. and abroad to celebrate Halloween early every summer. ScareLA is one of the fastest growing independent fan conventions in the U.S. addressing a $10 billion Halloween industry worldwide.