Archive - 2016

Time Machine VR Gets Release Date

2016/05/11
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News, Windows PC News

MONTREAL – May 11, 2016 – Minority Media Inc. has today announced that their VR exploration adventure game, Time Machine VR (TMVR), will be launching simultaneously on Rift and Vive on May 19 for $29.99 USD (with other regional prices adjusted separately). Featuring over 10 hours of single-player gameplay, the title takes players on a captivating journey through time, with a narrative written by Assassin’s Creed III and IV’s Jill Murray. For those who can’t wait for the end of the month to go nose-to-nose with dinosaurs and fight for the survival of the human race in a visually-stunning simulation of the Jurassic era, TMVR is already in Early Access on Steam and the Oculus Store.

“As kids, we all dreamed of encountering a dinosaur,” said Minority CEO Vander Caballero. “So when VR came around three years ago and we started experimenting with it, we immediately remembered this dream. Once we started bringing the megalodon and other creatures back to life in VR, we couldn’t wrap our minds around how huge and real they looked! This is the kind of mind-blowing contact with prehistoric creatures that can only happen in VR.”

Time Machine VR places players in the shoes of an adventurous time-traveling cadet, assigned to investigate the treacherous depths of the Jurassic oceans by harvesting data on the sea-dwelling leviathans of ancient Earth. But when melting ice caps in the present unleash a deadly prehistoric virus, this routine research mission quickly becomes a race to save humanity from extinction. Time travel is not an exact science, so players will need to navigate more than just the jaws of Earth’s mightiest ancient titans when time itself begins to splinter around them.

Built from the ground up as a VR-only experience, Time Machine VR’s breathtaking atmosphere uses the technology’s unmatched immersive power to kick your adrenal glands on overdrive. The Oculus’ Xbox gamepad offers one of the smoothest navigation systems in VR, and in the Vive version only, players can freeze the game and physically move around the space just by standing up.

As players glide through prehistory, they can use their pod’s high-tech powers of observation and time manipulation to engage with some of our planet’s greatest sea monsters, from the livyatan to the megalodon.

For more information please visit:

Civilization VI Announcement Trailer

2016/05/11
Jerry Paxton
E3, Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

New York, NY – May 11, 2016 – 2K and Firaxis Games are excited to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Civilization series by announcing that Sid Meier’s Civilization® VI, the next entry in the award-winning turn-based strategy franchise, is currently in development for PC. Sid Meier’s Civilization VI will offer players new ways to interact with their world, expand their empire across the map, advance their culture, and compete against history’s greatest leaders to build a civilization to stand the test of time.

“Sid Meier’s Civilization games hold a reputation for defining the 4X gaming genre for the past 25 years,” said Christoph Hartmann, President of 2K. “We can’t think of a better way to celebrate the silver anniversary of our longest-running franchise than launching the eagerly anticipated Sid Meier’s Civilization VI, which will provide the most detailed, beautiful and complete experience ever featured in aCivilization game.”

Sid Meier’s Civilization VI sets another milestone in the Civilization franchise, which has sold-in over 34 million units worldwide and changed the gaming landscape by bringing the strategy genre to unparalleled heights. In Sid Meier’s Civilization VI, cities will physically expand across the map to create new, deep strategic layers, active research in technology and culture will unlock new potential ways to play; and the large variety of leaders will pursue their own agendas based on their historical character traits as players race to achieve victory however they choose to play.

“Sid Meier’s Civilization VI builds on the firm foundation of the Civilization franchise, and we’ve added many exciting new elements,” said Ed Beach, lead designer at Firaxis Games. “The visual presentation of the game is inspired by the maps and tools of the Age of Exploration, and we’ve made several key gameplay changes such as expansive cities and active research that makes Sid Meier’s Civilization VI an entirely unique experience while remaining true to what makes the Civilization series so special.”

Key features of Sid Meier’s Civilization VI include:

  • EXPANSIVE EMPIRES: See the marvels of your empire spread across the map like never before. Each city spans multiple tiles so you can custom build your cities to take full advantage of the local terrain;
  • ACTIVE RESEARCH: Unlock boosts that speed your civilization’s progress through history. To advance more quickly, use your units to actively explore, develop your environment, and discover new cultures;
  • DYNAMIC DIPLOMACY: Interactions with other civilizations change over the course of the game, from primitive first interactions where conflict is a fact of life, to late game alliances and negotiations;
  • COMBINED ARMS: Expanding on the “one unit per tile” design, support units can now be embedded with other units, like anti-tank support with infantry, or a warrior with settlers. Similar units can also be combined to form powerful “Corps” units;
  • ENHANCED MULTIPLAYER: In addition to traditional multiplayer modes, cooperate and compete with your friends in a wide variety of situations all designed to be easily completed in a single session;
  • A CIV FOR ALL PLAYERS: Civilization VI provides veteran players new ways to build and tune their civilization for the greatest chance of success. New tutorial systems are designed to introduce new players to the underlying concepts of Civilization so they can easily get started on a path to victory.

Sid Meier’s Civilization® VI is not yet rated by the ESRB, is available for pre-order now on Windows PC, and will be released worldwide on October 21, 2016 for $59.99/£49.99/€59.99. Expand your empire further with the Civilization VI Digital Deluxe Edition, which includes the full base game, the 25th Anniversary Digital Soundtrack, and access to four post-launch DLC packs that will add new maps, scenarios, civilizations and leaders for a bundled discount.

Come see Sid Meier’s Civilization® VI at 2K’s E3 booth, # 1601, South Hall.

For more information on Sid Meier’s Civilization® VI, visit www.civilization.com, become a fan on Facebook, follow Civilization on Twitter and Instagram and subscribe on YouTube.

Firaxis Games is a 2K studio. 2K is a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTWO).

All trademarks and copyrights contained herein are the property of their respective holders.

MTV Promises Killer Scream on Friday the 13th

2016/05/11
boothby
Geek News, Halloween, News

May 11, 2016 – This Friday the 13th, MTV’s unveiling the first 7 minutes of the new season of “Scream.”

We all know that means this means one thing – an iconic opening kill.

Tune in at 6:00 p.m. ET and interact with “Scream” cast favorite Tom Maden during this terrifying Facebook Live event.

Oh, and one more thing…

Someone. WILL. Die.

Bone Yard Effects Announces Alice in Terrorland and More For Midsummer Scream

2016/05/10
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, Halloween, News

LOS ANGELES, May 9, 2016 – Veteran special effects makeup artist Larry Bones and his world-class team of artists from Bone Yard Effects will turn a host of volunteers into savage creatures that will roam the show floor and Hall of Shadows during this summer’s Midsummer Scream Halloween Festival held July 30 – 31 at the Long Beach Convention Center.

Bones, whose film credits include Congo, Outbreak and Shallow Hal, will oversee the transformation of dozens of volunteers throughout the weekend to populate the entire Midsummer Scream venue, from the ominous Hall of Shadows to the vendor/exhibitor show floor and beyond. For the past 10 years, Larry has overseen the makeup needs for Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights.

“We are thrilled to have Larry as a creative partner,” said Claire Dunlap, Associate Producer of Midsummer Scream. “The enthusiasm he’s had for our event since the onset is infectious. At launch Larry committed his full support for which we are ecstatic. Having Bone Yard Effects with FX Faces at the helm of our most anticipated portion of the show floor creates excitement for our organization and the thousands of guest who’ll get to admire – and be terrorized by – his amazing talents. Larry is providing all that his creative genius has to offer and it is a win-win for everyone involved.”

Alice in Terrorland is the theme Larry chose this year for the photo op portion of Bone Yard’s sprawling booth on the show floor. Brave guests will be able to pose to have their photos taken with the dark vixen Alice and Rancid Rabbit, a towering creature straight out of your childhood nightmares. To ensure everyone gets a great photo at the Bone Yard booth, Dstar Photography will be in place the whole weekend taking complimentary professional photos that can be downloaded following the show from their Facebook Page.

Another portion of the Bone Yard space will be dedicated to FX Faces, the company’s prosthetics and makeup supply division. July will be just the right time to purchase the perfect demon, troll or vampire face for Halloween. Bone Yard will have everything you need to become the most frightening ghoul on your block or most hideous creature at your office party this fall.

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Bone Yard Effects will also have a special guest at their booth – David Naughton, beloved for his starring role in An American Werewolf in London as David Kessler. Mr. Naughton will be available for autographs throughout the entire weekend.

“We don’t go out of our way to bring celebrities to the show floor,” said Johanna Atilano, Producer of Midsummer Scream. “However, anyone who’s had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Naughton will tell you, he truly enjoys meeting fans and interacts with people sincerely, which is something the team felt would be a fantastic addition to the Bone Yard space on the show floor. In 2014, Larry did many makeups for An American Werewolf in London at Universal Studios Hollywood’s Halloween Horror Nights event, so this is a perfect pairing in our opinion; we’re sure fans will agree!”

Individuals interesting in becoming Midsummer Scream monsters at the hands of Larry and his team should contact him directly at Larry@BoneYardFX.com immediately. Please note that only those with haunt experience will be eligible for this opportunity and will be screened by Bone Yard Effects. Volunteers selected will be admitted free of charge to Midsummer Scream, and will need to be able to work in character for the duration of the day they wish to participate.

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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 screening room, haunted attraction previews and experiences, a darkened scare zone and more.

Additional information on Bone Yard Effects and FX Faces can be found at BoneYardFX.com.

Tickets are now on sale, and 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.

Mass Effect: Andromeda Shipping Window and EA Play 2016

2016/05/10
Jerry Paxton
E3, Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

May 10, 2016 – With Mass Effect™: Andromeda, our team at BioWare™ is exploring how far they can take this beloved franchise. Yes, we’re building the best of what we all love about Mass Effect – amazing stories, characters and fun third-person shooter combat – and bringing them along with us on the expedition to Andromeda. But we’re also excited to be introducing new features and ways you can enjoy a Mass Effect game.

• More Freedom: One of our biggest ambitions is to give players an unprecedented level of freedom for a Mass Effect experience –where you’ll go, how you’ll get there, and how you’ll play.

• New Uncharted Worlds: We’re leaving the Milky Way behind and headed to Andromeda, where we’ll meet new allies, confront new enemies, and explore fascinating new worlds.

• The Next Great Mass Effect Experience: Mass Effect: Andromeda will be the first Mass Effect game for today’s consoles and the first built on the Frostbite engine. We’re pushing the technology to deliver visuals, story, and gameplay that have never been done in franchise history.

As we’ve been playing the game at the studio recently, it’s showing us that we’re taking the game in the right direction. But we also know we need the right amount of time to make sure we deliver everything the game can be and should be – that’s our commitment from all of us to all of you. Because of that, Mass Effect: Andromeda will now ship in early 2017. We can’t wait to show you how far we’re all going to go. We’ll see you at the EA PLAY press conference on June 12, with an update.

Thank you for your patience and support.

This War of Mine: The Board Game Kickstarter Attracts Renown Artists

2016/05/10
boothby
Geek News, News

May 10, 2016 – Prepare to survive in a wartorn land, as the Kickstarter campaign for This War of Mine: The Board Game launches today. Based on This War of Mine, the critically-acclaimed and heart-wrenching survival game from 11 bit studios, the board game has been adapted as a tabletop experience by Michal Oracz, designer of the much-loved Neuroshima Hex!, and Jakub Wisniewski, the storyteller behind Dying Light. With players’ support, the developers will be able to produce the tense cooperative game with over 430 high-quality components, including 12 figures; a companion mobile app; over one thousand unique stories; an open & play system that makes it easy to start playing without previous learning the rules; a save-game mechanism; and, above all, the innovative Reality Impact system, introducing an enormous amount of meaningful plot, choices and consequences.

The start of the campaign will be accompanied by an extraordinary event. Join artists who worked on major tabletop and collectible-card-game franchises like Star Wars, A Game of Thrones, Magic: The Gathering and many more, as they unite as an ArtistsOnBoard group to work together on a large-format acrylic painting that will grace the game’s cover. Everything starts on May 10 at 3pm Pacific time, and the painting will be streamed live at https://www.youtube.com/11bitstudios.

Be sure to watch the livestream on May 10 at 3pm PST for the unprecedented opportunity to watch a game’s cover art come together, then back the game on Kickstarter and help bring one of the best, most poignant video games in recent years reach tabletop players worldwide. Find out more at http://www.thiswarofmineboardgame.com/.

Find This War of Mine: The Board Game on Kickstarter here:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/awakenrealms/this-war-of-mine-the-board-game

About ArtistOnBoard
ArtistOnBoard is an independent group of freelance artists, comprised of prominent Polish illustrators, concept artists and painters Tomasz Jedruszek, Grzegorz Bobrowski, Mariusz Gandzel, Rafal Szlapa, and Tomasz Larek. Their work has been seen in a wide range of top franchises, from Warhammer to Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, A Game of Thrones and more.
https://www.facebook.com/ArtistOnBoard

About 11 bit studios
A game dame development team from Warsaw, Poland. Comprised of long-time veterans of the gaming industry, 11 bit studios are the creators of the original PC version of This War of Mine. Find out more at http://11bitstudios.com.

Stellaris Breaks Paradox Interactive Day One Sales Record

2016/05/10
boothby
Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

STOCKHOLM – MAY 10TH – Paradox Interactive and Paradox Development Studio launched into space last night with the release of sci-fi grand strategy Stellaris.  The launch was received  to almost universal acclaim by the community, with an impressive 95% positive user reviews on Steam.  With 68,000 simultaneous players on the day of release, Stellaris also managed to de-throne the publisher’s other recent success Cities: Skylines, which  previously held their record for highest amount of concurrent players at launch.  Less than 24 hours after release, Stellaris has sold over 200,000 units, breaking the revenue record for any of Paradox Interactive’s previous titles during the same time period. For the internal development studio, the game has broken every record available and is the studio’s fastest selling game ever.

“We are immensely proud of the Paradox team for putting together such a stellar release,” said Fredrik Wester, CEO of Paradox Interactive and master of puns. “This release is the result of hard work and dedication from the entire company and in particular Paradox Development Studio. The incredible reception by players, indicated for instance by the steam user reviews, is all the proof we could ask for that our hard work paid off. Our fans have put their faith in us and Stellaris will be a part of Paradox’s onwards journey for a long time to come.”

”Stellaris breaks a lot of new ground for Paradox Development Studio. It is a type of game we have never attempted to do before, and we are immensely satisfied to see this leap of faith work out well, especially with all the positive response we are getting from the players,” said Henrik Fåhraeus, Game Director of Stellaris.  “We are listening very keenly to all the feedback we are getting and look forward to many years of continued expansions and improvements to the game. Let’s make space great again, together!”

In Stellaris, players guide a species of their own design to power and glory in the depths of space. From humble beginnings, as players leave their home planet and explore the unknown, to tense “first contact” moments with alien species, to the difficult choices and responsibilities of managing diplomatic relationships with other star-faring races, Stellaris presents the iconic gameplay of a Paradox grand strategy title on a galactic scale. With randomly created opponents and procedurally generated star systems, no two games can ever play out the same way.

Stellaris is available now from digital retailers everywhere. To learn more about Stellaris, visit www.stellarisgame.com.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Blood and Wine Release Date Revealed

2016/05/10
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

CD PROJEKT RED, creators of The Witcher series of games, announce that the final expansion to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Blood and Wine, will premiere on May 31st (yeah, some of you were close). Pre-orders are available now at buy.thewitcher.com!

“Blood and Wine makes The Witcher 3 complete — it’s Geralt’s final mission. Containing more than 90 new quests, and over thirty hours of brand new adventures, it’s something that I think gamers will remember for a long time,” said Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, Game Director, CD PROJEKT RED. “There’s also a massive amount of features we’re giving gamers with this expansion like a dynamic Point of Interest system, a new Gwent deck, new endgame mutation mechanics, and even a place Geralt can call home…. And it’s all happening in a new region as big as No Man’s Land in the base game,” Tomaszkiewicz adds.

Dead Island Retro Revenge First Trailer

2016/05/09
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News

Larkspur, Calif., May 9, 2016 – Deep Silver released today the first trailer for the all-new 16-bit side-scrolling action game, Dead Island Retro Revenge.

Hell-bent on saving his cat, Max must carve a bloody path through a zombie-infested California, tearing his way through hordes of the undead, battalions of corrupt soldiers, and a slew of evil-minded ex-cons. Pull off crazy combos, collect power-ups, wield super weapons, and unleash insane magic attacks as you fight to become the amazing 16-bit side-scrolling hero you’ve always believed yourself to be!

Features:
• Retro look meets melee-based combat
• Featuring leader boards, achievements and a level of depth beyond the genre
• Game mechanics include power-ups, super attacks and a cool combo system

Dead Island Definitive Collection is a compilation containing Dead Island Definitive Edition, Dead Island: Riptide Definitive Edition and also includes for free Dead Island Retro Revenge. It will be available at retail and digital for a suggested price of $39.99.

The digital pre-order on Steam will start later today and make sure to check the Steam community hub for some fabulous discounts!

Available at the same time, Dead Island Definitive Edition, and Dead Island: Riptide Definitive Edition will each be available separately and as a digital download for Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and PC at suggested a price of $19.99.

All three titles, Dead Island Definitive Edition, Dead Island: Riptide Definitive Edition, plus the compilation Dead Island Definitive Collection are scheduled for release May 31, 2016 on Xbox One, PlayStation®4, and Windows PC.

Product Details
Release: May 31, 2016
Publisher: Deep Silver
Platforms: PS4™, Xbox One, PC
Price: $39.99 (Collection)
$19.99 (Editions)
Age Rating: ESRB M