Archive - 2016

The Future of Battlefield Announcement Teased for May 6

2016/04/29

This just in from EA and DICE: Join the DICE team on May 6 at 1pm PT and witness live the world premiere of the new Battlefield™ game. Get insight into the minds of the developers as you hear from the Creative Director Lars Gustavsson and Lead Producer Aleksander Grondal on the past, present and the future of Battlefield. You will be able to join in the conversation as we open the floor to questions.

Enlist today to become a Battlefield Insider here. Get in-game rewards, exclusive content, and a sneak peek at news about Battlefield (plus news about other EA games, services, and events).

Obsidian and Paizo Launch Free Pathfinder Adventures

2016/04/29

Jerry Paxton

IRVINE, CA – Apr. 28, 2016 – Obsidian Entertainment and Paizo, Inc. today announced the release of Pathfinder Adventures, the free-to-play mobile adaptation of Paizo’s acclaimed Pathfinder Adventure Card Game. Pathfinder Adventures is compatible with Apple iPad and Android Tablet, with versions for Android phone, iPhone, and Steam in development.

“We’re huge fans and longtime players of both the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and the Pathfinder Adventure Card Game, and feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to collaborate with Paizo on Pathfinder Adventures,” said Obsidian CEO Feargus Urquhart. “Obsidian has worked on a wide range of computer roleplaying games, from Fallout: New Vegas to South Park: The Stick of Truth to Pillars of Eternity. Combining our cRPG experience and passion for Pathfinder, we had an absolute blast making this game, and hope you enjoy it as much as we had fun making it!”

In Pathfinder Adventures, your party of adventurers races against time on a quest to defeat a dangerous villain. Choose each character’s class, build a deck of allies, equipment, and magic; and explore dangerous locations as you journey through an exciting fantasy adventure. As your adventures continue, your characters add unique gear and awesome magic to their decks as they gain incredible powers, all of which they’ll need to challenge more and more powerful threats.

“The creativity and dedication Obsidian brought to making the right mobile game for the Pathfinder Adventure Card Game shines in Pathfinder Adventures,” says Erik Mona, Paizo Publisher and Chief Creative Officer. “It’s fun, engaging, and lets Pathfinder fans adventure like never before. Obsidian is a great partner and we look forward to continuing to work with them making great games.”

Visit pathfinder.obsidian.net today to learn more about Pathfinder Adventures, download the game for free, and start building your party!

Corsair M65 PRO RGB Mouse Review

2016/04/29

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Peripheral Review, Peripherals News, Reviews

We recently got the chance to take a look at Corsair’s new M65 PRO RGB gaming mouse. Retailing for $59.99, the M65 PRO RGB has some very gamer-centric features that goes to illustrate exactly how Corsair has listened to fans out there when designing this latest gaming mouse. The Corsair M65 PRO RGB is available in both black and white exterior colors, and has an overall shape that looks something out of science fiction. Continuing with its aesthetics, the mouse also features some very eye-pleasing lighting effects that, while I don’t usually need lights on a mouse, really dug with this particular product. It also features a strong aluminum frame which helps protect the mouse from the strain of long-term usage and any accidental drops.

One of the most interesting features on the M65 PRO RGB is its weight-tuning system. On the underside of the mouse, you will find three weight locations – on which little weights can be added or removed in order to adjust the mouse’s center of gravity. I prefer a mouse to have a little more weight than most in order to keep my movements smoother and more deliberate, and found the M65 PRO RGB to be a joy to glide around my mouse pad. Additionally, the M65 PRO RGB features a braided mouse cable which is always a welcomed addition to a gaming mouse. So many companies are not adding this feature anymore – Corsair is to be commended for recognizing its usefulness.

Of course, the review of any gaming mouse would not be complete without mention of what its got “under the hood” – i.e. it’s sensor system. Corsair has opted to outfit the M65 PRO RGB with an optical sensor capable of up to 12,000 DPI. While I am unsure as to what company manufactured this sensor (or if it is an in-house Corsair product), I can state that it does an incredibly-fine job of tracking the mouse’s movements. When coupled with the Corsair CUE (Corsair Utility Engine) software, you can even calibrate the mouse for your particular mousing surface. The software is fairly straightforward and should not give any gamers out there trouble in figuring out what options do what.

The Corsair M65 PRO RGB gaming mouse features a number of buttons – all which can be configured for whatever control scheme you prefer. The standout to the mouse controls has to be what Corsair refers to as the “sniper button”. When pressed, it allows you to immediately alter the current DPI sensitivity setting of the mouse, which is great to be able to do when, as it is named, sniping in a first-person shooter game.

Also worth noting is the M65 PRO RGB gaming mouse’s scroll wheel. It’s easily one of those most gamer-friendly wheels I have used in a mouse. It is heavy and features some great texturing. They actually put a rubber exterior over a metal core, which makes this scroll wheel one for the record books. Of course, there cannot be that many entries into the “scroll wheel record books” but, if there were, this would be a stand out in the category. In fact, the only real issue with the M65 PRO RGB isn’t really an issue at all, and that is that the mouse is a right-handed only design. Again, this is not really an issue as it was designed to be right-handed only.

Finally, Corsair shipped us one of their MM300 Extended Edition mouse pads with this shipment, and it is worth mentioning that it is the widest mouse pad I have ever seen. It measures about 36 inches by 12 inches in dimensions and is made from foam and cloth. This mouse pad retails for about $30 dollars and is an excellent option if you need a lot of mousing real estate. It is so wide, in fact, that you can even put your keyboard on it and still have plenty of room for your mouse as well. This is kind of cool as it acts as not only a mouse pad but also a desk protector!

Overall, the Corsair M65 PRO RGB Gaming Mouse is a great gaming mouse with a lot of features built-in with the gamer in mind. Retailing for $59.99 at Corsair’s official website and various online retailers, the M65 PRO RGB is out now and well worth your hard-earned cash.

Official Corsair Product Page

[easyreview title=”Corsair M65 PRO RGB Mouse Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”5″ ]

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FATED: The Silent Oath Launch Video

2016/04/28

Jerry Paxton

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

Québec, Canada – April 28th, 2016 – Canadian independent developer Frima Studio today announced that its Norse-themed virtual reality experience, FATED: The Silent Oath, is now available on the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive VR platforms. FATED takes players on one man’s quest to protect his family from the destruction of their world at the hands of the gods.

“Exploring complex emotions and parent-child relationships has allowed us to weave a truly emotional story,” said Vincent Martel, Executive Producer at Frima Studio. “In FATED, parental bonds and protective instincts are at the root of a sensitive yet thought-provoking journey.”

In its first major public presentation at PAX East last weekend (April 22-24th), players were treated to an immersive VR ‘simulation experience’, complete with wind and drizzle, vibrating seats, and reins, for enhanced realism. Check out the PAX player experience video here: http://bit.ly/FATEDPaxReactions

Developed with Unreal Engine 4, FATED: The Silent Oath is a first-person immersive adventure set in the mythical age of Vikings and built specifically for virtual reality. Written by Jill Murray, one of the writers on Assassin’s Creed,FATED tells the story of a man and his family during Ragnarök – the end times. As he travels with them, he comes across a mix of touching and terrifying events, learning about himself and his loved ones in the process, and taking the players on an emotional rollercoaster that unfolds all around them in total immersion.

FATED harnesses the capabilities of VR to bring about a leap forward in storytelling. Featuring high-quality writing, characterization and voice acting,FATED aims to transport players to a world of myth and legend, and make them feel a strong emotional connection with the story and its characters.
Priced at $19.99/£14.99/€19.99, FATED is a first-generation virtual reality game available on all three major VR platforms in 2016: first Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, and then PlayStation VR in Q4 2016.

To learn more about FATED, visit the developer’s blog: http://fatedblog.com
Like FATED on Facebook visit: www.facebook.com/Fatedgame
Follow FATED on Twitter: @Fatedgame

Casting Call for The Walking Dead Attraction at Universal Studios Hollywood

2016/04/28

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Halloween, News

April 28, 2016 – Universal Studios Hollywood is casting a wide net in search of walkers and human survivors for its upcoming new permanent attraction based on AMC’s “The Walking Dead” opening this summer. 100 male and female actors will be cast from the thousands expected to audition and should arrive prepared to channel their inner “Dead Inside.”

“The Walking Dead” attraction will be a real-life interpretation of AMC’s award-winning television series. To elevate its authenticity, Universal Studios Hollywood is partnering with “The Walking Dead’s” creative team, including visionary executive producer and director, Greg Nicotero and his special effects company, KNB Efx. Nicotero’s team, responsible for masterfully creating the show’s realistic decaying walkers, will construct prosthetics, utilize original molds and painstakingly apply paint and detailing to the attraction walkers.

For those interested in auditioning, please visit: www.USHAuditions.com to sign up for an audition appointment. Auditions will take place on Thursday, May 5 and Friday, May 6 and is expected to attract over 1000 prospective walkers.

Animated Peanuts Series Coming to Boomerang

2016/04/28

boothby

Geek News, Movie News, News

April 28, 2016 – Peanuts, the brand-new animated series based on one of entertainment’s most iconic brands, heads to Boomerang on Monday, May 9. For the first time, the individual Peanuts print comic strips come to life in vignettes filled with humor and heart for the whole family. New episodes premiere daily at 11:30 a.m. ET/8:30 a.m. PT.

The series captures the spirit of the timeless adventures of Charlie Brown’s gang and his wildly imaginative, supremely confident and world-famous beagle, Snoopy. The watercolor art style, textured backgrounds and framing deliver a viewing experience that will excite both classic Peanuts enthusiasts and new fans alike.

Viewers will be able to catch a sneak peek of Peanuts on Cartoon Network the week of May 9 at 10:30 a.m. (ET/PT) and further engage with the series as select individual shorts roll out on the Cartoon Network video app.

Boomerang’s exclusive U.S. premiere of Peanuts further establishes the network as a prime destination for original, family-friendly animated programming with a slate that includes Bunnicula, Wabbit, Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!, The Tom and Jerry Show, and the hour-long special Super Hero High.

Peanuts is produced by Normaal Animation under license from Peanuts Worldwide LLC.

Retro-Futuristic RPG InSomnia Returns to Kickstarter

2016/04/27

boothby

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

SAMARA, Russia – April 27, 2016 – Today InSomnia, a dystopian dieselpunk RPG, from indie developer Studio MONO, has returned to Kickstarter to secure the funds required to complete the game.

“It was no easy decision to return to Kickstarter. After evaluating the progress made on the project, thanks to the funds from our previous Kickstarter campaign and the over £100,000 we’ve spent out of our own pockets, we’ve got to a point where we need additional funding. The money’s for one final push to take the game past the current Prologue Chapter we have released to the public.” said Anatoliy Guyduk, lead developer at Studio MONO.

“We switched from Ogre 3D to UE4, and are thrilled with the improvements in both the visuals and the performance of the game. The Prologue Chapter, which is up to four hours long – depending on how much you explore and do, will show you how passionate we all are for InSomnia. We hope that you’ll support us in our dieselpunk inspired journey, one last time!”

InSomnia is dystopian vision, set in a murky, retro-futuristic style. The game takes place on a colossal, semi-deserted interplanetary space station. Having left their dying planet behind, this space metropolis, along with its inhabitants, has been moving towards the distant, ghost-like Evacuation Point for the past 400 years, where the descendants of the once great people hope to start over the history of mankind.

Game Features

Multi-layered role playing game
Dark retro-futuristic setting
Hardcore gameplay
Non-linear story
Colossal space metropolis to explore
Realistic combat system
Generated quests and events
Atmospheric ambient soundtrack

About Studio Mono
Studio MONO was founded in Samara, Russia in 2011 by Anatoliy Guyduk. With a core development team, they’re joined by freelance individuals from all over the world – including Malaysia, the U.S., Russia, the Netherlands and Ukraine – Studio MONO is a talented group of professionals who have been active in the world of game design for many years.

Dead Island Definitive Collection PS4 Pre-Orders Live

2016/04/27

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Screenshots / Photos

Larkspur, Calif., April 26, 2016 – Deep Silver and Techland today released a splattering of screenshots from the remastered version of Dead Island in conjunction with the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system pre-order going live with an exclusive PlayStation®4 theme. Dead Island Definitive Collection is a compilation containing Dead Island Definitive Edition, Dead Island: Riptide Definitive Edition and for free, Dead Island Retro Revenge. It will be available digitally on May 31, 2016 for PlayStation®4, Xbox One, and Windows PC for a suggested price of $39.99.

This collection of screenshots shows off a mixture of iconic and gory gameplay as well as the beautiful scenery of Banoi from Dead Island. The images demonstrate the new high quality through the rebuilding of both Dead Island and Dead Island Riptide on Techland’s next gen engine.

With a substantial visual and performance overhaul, the Dead Island Definitive Collection introduces many cutting edge current-generation graphical effects including:

· Higher Quality Textures
Game textures have been redone in a higher resolution and the level of quality has been improved across the board

· Photorealistic new lighting system
The lighting system in the game has been vastly improved, providing a much more realistic look to the beautiful sunny tropical setting

· Physically based shading
The introduction of new physically based shading techniques means a higher quality look to the game models and objects as they react in a more realistic way to various lighting conditions

· Image quality enhancements via anti-aliasing
The addition of more sophisticated anti-aliasing means that console players can now experience a much cleaner look throughout

· Improved-quality game models and geometry assets
All major geometry assets (i.e. NPCs and character models) highlight a marked quality increase

· HBAO and motion blur effects
The introduction of Horizon-based Ambient Occlusion adds an extra layer of depth and realism to the world. Through a better implementation of object shadows and the all-new motion blur effects, players will get a much more cinematic feel to the game experience.

· Updated game UI
The updated game UI provides a more consistent look for Dead Island and Dead Island Riptide

· The Current-gen Console Experience
The Dead Island Definitive Collection will also of course take advantage of the latest console features such as Online 4 Player Co-op, PS®Vita Remote-Play (PS4(TM)), Share-Play (PS4(TM)), streaming and recording

· Power Fists Power-up
And last but not least, the fan favorite unofficial PC mod will also now be added to both products. Punch your way through the mayhem with craziest power-up ever!

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 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 on May 31, 2016. For more information about Dead Island Definitive Collection, visit: http://deadisland.deepsilver.com/us/dide_us.html

Screenshots

ESL Launches First 24/7 ESports Channel

2016/04/27

boothby

Geek News, News

Cologne, Germany (April 27, 2016) – The world’s largest esports company ESL is happy to announce the launch of the world’s first 24/7 esports TV channel: esportsTV. Bringing the best of esports to fans around the world, the launch of esportsTV represents ESL’s commitment to the ongoing increase of content accessibility for the esports community worldwide.

The channel will launch in May on MTG’s Viasat platforms in the Nordic and Baltic countries, and it aims to feature ESL’s core competitions and tournaments. ESL and its parent company MTG are in talks with other TV distributors and platform operators to make the channel available around the world. With over 2,000 live hours of gaming and esports content delivered each year and reaching new territories, esportsTV will add to ESL’s current audience of over 100 million digital viewers. The launch of esportsTV and its distribution on new channels will tap into the audience of more than 2 billion gamers and 250 million esports fans that the industry will have by the end of next year.

esportsTV shall feature ESL’s competitions and broadcasts from the ESL One, Intel® Extreme Masters and Pro League circuits. This channel will enable partnerships with local linear and digital broadcasters and distributors, to better cater to local audiences with the most attractive esports content offering. esportsTV will operate alongside already existing partnerships ESL has in place with Twitch, Azubu, Hitbox and Yahoo.

“We have always dreamt of making esports the world’s most popular sport, and it’s the opportunities like this one that bring us one step closer to making that dream come true” said ESL’s Managing Director, Ralf Reichert. “Bringing new and existing content to more screens worldwide is key to further accelerating the growth and popularity of esports, and we’re on a mission to reach every gamer in the world.“

Dreadnought Enters PC Closed Beta on April 29

2016/04/26

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Windows PC News

HOUSTON and BERLIN – April 26, 2016 – Grey Box, Six Foot and independent developer YAGER have revealed that Dreadnought, the class-based spaceship action game, will warp into closed beta on April 29 on Windows PC systems. Players interested in commanding their very own capital ships can still sign up for a chance to join closed beta at www.playdreadnought.com.

But wait, there’s more! Players can get guranteed access to Dreadnought’s closed beta with one of two new Founder’s Packs, available today at www.playdreadnought.com/shop. Both bundles guarantee access to Dreadnought’s closed beta, as well as several other special bonuses, including distinctive vessel variants, in-game currency and other progression-related perks.

Beyond guaranteed access to closed beta, the $9.99 Hunter Pack delivers one uniquely designed and preconfigured Medium Dreadnought Hero Ship – the Morningstar – as well as 500 Grey Box Points (GP), which can be used to buy ship emblems, decals and much more. It also provides seven days of Elite Status, granting more experience and Fleet Points (FP) per match, when the game launches later this year. Finally, the package includes an exclusive Hunter Pack ship decal, emblem and coating, plus two Fleet Recruitment Packs, which let owners give two friends guaranteed access to closed beta, the Morningstar Hero Ship, 250 GP and a Fleet Recruitment Pack ship decal and emblem.

The Mercenary Pack ups the ante with five Hero Ships – the aforementioned Morningstar (Medium Dreadnought), Outis (Medium Corvette), Silesia (Light Artillery Cruiser), Huscarl (Heavy Destroyer) and Kali (Heavy Tactical Cruiser) – as well as 3,000 GP and 30 days of Elite Status at official game launch. It also grants four Fleet Recruitment Packs and an exclusive Mercenary Pack ship decal, emblem and coating, all for $39.99.

Set in a futuristic era of all-out galactic warfare, Dreadnought turns strategic, team-based warfare into one heart-pounding, grippingly gorgeous action experience. Each of the game’s varied vessels is designed to fill a unique, class-based role – from front-line assault and scouting to long-range damage and tactical support – and can be customized with specialized weapons, abilities, cosmetic enhancements and more. Dreadnought will launch as a free-to-play title on PC with competitive online multiplayer modes.

Dreadnought is powered by Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 4 (UE4) technology and is expected to officially release on PC in 2016. For the latest updates, please followDreadnought on Facebook, Twitter and Twitch.