BELLEVUE, WA. – January 31, 2017 – VRstudios, a global virtual reality (VR) company offering commercial entertainment and enterprise solutions, announced today, a partnership with Knott’s Berry Farm and parent company, Cedar Fair, to design and install a specialized VR experience at the Southern California-based theme park.
Knott’s Berry Farm and Cedar Fair are recognized in the entertainment industry for their leadership in creative application of technology in their attractions. Cedar Fair’s Vice President of Strategic Growth, Christian Dieckmann, is leading the company’s pursuit of immersive and unique experiential technology through their relationship with VRstudios.
“Our collaboration with VRstudios to develop a new custom-built, immersive amusement experience at Knott’s Berry Farm is exciting for our customers and consistent with the memorable experiences they expect from our parks,” said Dieckmann. “We chose VRstudios for our inaugural free-roaming VR installation because of their successful track record providing VR globally for other location-based entertainment venues. No other VR company can offer a truly untethered multi-player experience. We believe the planned attraction will amaze our guests and encourage repeat visits.”
“It is rewarding to partner with entertainment visionaries who want to do something amazing with the new VR technology,” added Charles Herrick, Chief Executive Officer of VRstudios. “When clients want to push the limits beyond what is commonly available, it gets our entire team motivated because they know there will be an outlet for their innovation.”
Knott’s Berry Farm visitors will be able to enjoy the new VR experience for a small fee in addition to admission, beginning the second quarter of this year.
January 31, 2017 – Today Bethesda Softworks announced The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind, the next epic Chapter of ZeniMax Online Studios’ award-winning online RPG, The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO). This new adventure will returnElder Scrolls fans to the legendary island of Vvardenfell, the same iconic environment featured in Bethesda Game Studios’ genre-defining open world RPG, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind.
Introducing an enormous new zone, a new player class, more than 30 hours of main story content, a new Trial, and a new three-team, 4v4v4 PvP mode, The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind will be the biggest addition toThe Elder Scrolls Online yet, offering a new adventure for ESO veterans as well as a fresh Elder Scrolls saga for players new to the game.
The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind will release globally for PC, Mac, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on June 6, 2017. The game is now available for pre-order. To learn more and pre-order the game, please visit www.ElderScrollsOnline.com.
A NEW ELDER SCROLLS CHAPTER FOR EVERYONE
The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind redefines the traditional MMO expansion by delivering vast new content and features that are equally accessible and fun for both existing and new ESO players.
New Players: New players can jump into The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind and start a new character without having to complete any previous ESO content. And, since the original ESO game is included with The Elder Scrolls Online:Morrowind, new players will have instant access to hundreds of hours of additional adventures throughout Tamriel.
Existing Players: ESO veterans will be able to upgrade and immediately journey to Vvardenfell to start the new epic adventure. With the power of October’s One Tamriel update, existing players will find level-appropriate content from the moment they step onto the island of Vvardenfell, regardless of level. Existing players can also choose to create a new character and begin anew.
Haven’t played ESO in a while? The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind is a great chance to jump back in with your existing characters, or with a completely new one. Because ESO has no required subscription, you can just reinstall the game, log in, and start playing again.
RETURN TO MORROWIND
Vvardenfell is the largest zone added to The Elder Scrolls Online since launch and utilizes the same geographic footprint as The Elder Scrolls III, including all key points of interest from the classic game. Players will embark on a dangerous journey through legendary locales in Vvardenfell, 700 years before the events of The Elder Scrolls III, from the docks of Seyda Neen, to the volcanic Ashlands, to dense, mushroom-filled forests, and through the glory of Vivec City, still under construction in this time period.
NEW CLASS – THE WARDEN
Players will harness nature-based magic to master the powerful new character class – The Warden. The Warden is the first new class since launch of ESO and true to ESO and the Elder Scrolls franchise, the player will have the freedom to select from a number of abilities that enable a variety of play styles. The Warden also introduces a devastating new combat ally – the War Bear – a ferocious fighter will stay by the Warden’s side through the most intense battles.
AN INCREDIBLE ELDER SCROLLS STORY
Set roughly 700 years prior to the events of The Elder Scrolls III, The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind will take gamers on a sweeping adventure through the legendary Vvardenfell, featuring iconic locations, characters, and storylines that will instill nostalgia with longtime Elder Scrolls fans and extend ESO’s narrative into a new chapter. Morrowind is in dire peril and it’s up to player heroes to help Vivec, the legendary warrior-poet and Guardian of Vvardenfell, solve the mystery of his mysterious illness, regain his strength – and save the world from ultimate destruction.
NEW PvP MODE — BATTLEGROUNDS
The Elder Scrolls Online is renowned for open world PvP battles, pitting hundreds of players in a massive battle for supremacy in Cyrodiil. The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind will introduce a new PvP mode – Battlegrounds – intense 4v4v4 battles in arena-like environments. Players take the battle to the Ashlands to claim their place among the fiercest and most accomplished combat veterans in Tamriel.
RELEASE AND VERSION DETAILS; PRE-ORDER BONUSES
The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind will release globally for PC, Mac, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on June 6, 2017. The game is now available for pre-order on all platforms. Please visitwww.ElderScrollsOnline.com for more information. Editions available include:
Standard Edition ($59.99): Includes The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind as well as The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited.
Upgrade Edition ($39.99): Existing players can upgrade their current game to unlock the new The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind content.
Digital Collector’s Edition ($79.99): New players can grab this special collection of in-game bonuses by purchasing digitally:
o Collector’s Edition Grey Bear – An exclusive grey War Bear for use while playing as the Warden.
o Armored War Horse – Players can charge into battle atop this steed clad in armor fashioned with ancient Dwarven plate.
o Dwarven Spider Pet – A personal Dwarven Spider is ready for adventure through Vvardenfell.
o Morag Tong Converter – Players can flaunt their commitment to the assassins by customizing their gear with the distinct style of the Morag Tong.
o Character Emotes – Celebrate victory in the battlegrounds with this bundle of exclusive emotes.
Includes all in-game rewards contained in the Pre-Order Bonus “Discovery Pack.”
Includes The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited.
Digital Collector’s Upgrade ($59.99): Existing players who only need an upgrade can grab all the digital goodies from the Digital Collector’s Edition with the Digital Collector’s Upgrade.
Collector’s Edition ($99.99): The ultimate fan of The Elder Scrolls Online can grab the Collector’s Edition, which contains everything included in the Digital Collector’s Edition, as well as:
Dwarven Colossus Statue – Recreated with the help of sacred Dwarven texts, this 12” tall replica of the Colossus that starred in the announcement trailer stands ready to defend treasures.
Naryu’s Journal – A full-color, large-format book chronicling Morag Tong assassin Naryu’s pursuit of a conspiracy across Tamriel. Illustrated with a broad array of concept art.
Map of Morrowind – Players can chart adventures throughout Vvardenfell with this handy map at their side.
Exclusive Game Case – A limited edition metallic case bearing the marks of Vivec and the Tribunal.
Includes all in-game rewards contained in the Pre-Order Bonus “Discovery Pack.”
Includes The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited.
PRE-ORDER BONUS — THE DISCOVERY PACK: Fans who pre-order The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind will be rewarded with a collection of exclusive in-game bonuses, including:
o Exclusive Warden Costume – An exclusive costume available for all classes that matches the Warden’s outfit as seen in the announcement trailer.
o Dwarven War Dog Pet – A unique armored non-combat in-game pet.
o Treasure Maps – Maps detailing the location of Vvardenfell’s greatest rewards.
o Dwarven Crown Crate – A special Crown Crate with a chance to contain Dwarven-themed mounts, pets, costumes, and more.
o Experience Scrolls – Advance through Vvardenfell gaining 50% more experience points for two hours.
SAN FRANCISCO — January 31, 2017 — Today, Ubisoft® announced that the For HonorTM open beta will be available to all players from February 9 to February 12 on current-gen consoles and PC. Prior to the open beta and to continue the War of the Factions, Ubisoft will dispatch some of the fiercest warriors including Lauren Cohan, Jason Momoa, Alfie Allen and Demetrious Johnson, as well as several of the top Twitch streamers to pledge their swords in a live For Honor battle taking place on Tuesday, February 7 at 2:00 p.m. PST. This live War of the Factions competition, which will showcase the new Elimination mode, will be livestreamed on the For Honor Twitch channel: https://www.twitch.tv/forhonorgame
Players can continue to hone their skills on the battlefield by joining the For Honor open beta from February 9 to February 12. This beta will include the new Elimination mode, a best of five rounds four-versus-four match with no respawns. Elimination joins three additional modes playable in the open beta including Dominion, Brawl and Duel, and nine playable Heroes. At launch, For Honor will feature twelve playable Heroes and five different multiplayer modes.
The War of the Factions will continue into the open beta giving more players a chance to fight for one of the three Factions – Knights, Samurai and Vikings. Following the closed beta, the Vikings led the War of the Factions, which pulled data from the performance of players across all three platforms. Although the Vikings are currently in the lead, Samurai and Knight players have the chance to lead their Faction to victory during the open beta and earn rewards when For Honor launches on February 14, 2017.
Developed by Ubisoft Montreal in collaboration with other Ubisoft studios*, For Honor offers an engaging campaign and thrilling multiplayer. Players embody warriors of the three Great Factions – the bold Knights, the brutal Vikings and the enigmatic Samurai – fighting to the death on intense and believable melee battlefields. The Art of Battle, the game’s innovative combat system that puts players in total control of their warriors, allow them to utilize the unique skills and combat style of each Hero to vanquish all enemies who stand in their way. For Honor will be available on February 14, 2017.
Boston – January 31, 2017 – Hot on the heels of the Online Quickplay update for Rock Band™ Rivals come nine great full-band tracks to the Rock Band DLC library – perfect for playing together. Kicking off the month are two great songs from Ratt and Twisted Sister. These rock staples will be available on both Xbox One and PlayStation®4 this Thursday for $1.99 per track:
Ratt – “Round and Round”
Twisted Sister – “I Wanna Rock”
Rock Band’s tenth anniversary celebration continues with Rock Band Rewind this month. Four Rock Band soundtrack favorites are coming to the Rock Band 4 DLC library. They are:
Motörhead – “Ace of Spades” (First appeared on Rock Band 2)
Panic! At The Disco – “Nine In The Afternoon” (First appeared on Rock Band 2)
Ratt – “Round and Round” (First appeared on Rock Band 2)
Sum 41 – “In Too Deep” (First appeared on Lego Rock Band)
“Over the years a ton of really great songs have appeared on the various Rock Band soundtracks,” said Tom Bender, Rock Band DLC product manager. “With the release of Online Quickplay last week, we know a lot of players are excited to play some of their favorite songs from previous Rock Bands with old friends. These are some of the most played songs in Rock Band history and now they can once again be added to everyone’s music library and played together.”
The full list of songs coming to the Rock Band 4 DLC library this month is as follows:
Cake – “I Will Survive”
Jason Derulo – “Want To Want Me”
Motörhead – “Ace of Spades”
Panic! At The Disco – “Nine In The Afternoon”
Ram Jam – “Black Betty”
Ratt – “Round and Round”
Simple Minds – “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”
Sum 41 – “In Too Deep”
Twisted Sister – “I Wanna Rock”
Stay tuned to Rock Band’s Twitter and Facebook pages for song chart reveals throughout the month.
Gameplay Notes
Starting off our Rewind tracks for the month, “Round and Round” by Ratt comes to Rock Band as DLC for the first time. This 1984 hit from the 3x platinum selling album Out of the Cellar rose to #12 on the Hot 100 charts and would become the band’s signature song. Those who love belting it out on vocals will love singing this track in-game – both melody and harmony lines will have plenty to do, and we bet you can’t keep your head from banging during this tune. With what our Audio QA team calls a “rippin’ solo” on guitar added to the mix, “Round and Round” is a well-rounded pick for your Music Library.
“I Wanna Rock” by Twisted Sister makes its Rock Band debut this week. Featuring a memorable Animal House-inspired music video, “I Wanna Rock” placed #17 on VH1’s Greatest Hard Rock Songs of All-Time. This tune is perfect for beginner rock vocalists, getting harmony singers together for the energy-inspired “ROCK” in each and every chorus. Drummers should take heed to the fair amount of kicks throughout the song. A galloping bass chart will keep this spirited rock hit moving right along through the end.
About Rock Band
The latest entry into one of the best-selling and most beloved game franchises of all time, Rock Band Rivals adds two new online multiplayer modes, a dozen free songs, a new look and feel and a hilarious new campaign mode to Rock Band 4. The first Rock Band to be approached as a platform, Rock Band 4 has seen regular updates since its October 2015 launch, including the addition of several free, community-requested features like Practice mode and Setlists.
Last December, Oculus and Harmonix announced Rock Band VR, a completely new music simulation experience coming exclusively to the Oculus Rift.
For more information on Rock Band and to stay up to date with the latest news and announcements, head over to the Rock Band blog or follow @RockBand on Twitter for updates.
About Harmonix Music Systems, Inc.
Harmonix Music Systems, Inc., based in Boston, MA, and established in 1995, is the leading developer of groundbreaking music-oriented video games. Harmonix was founded to invent new ways for non-musicians to experience the unique joy that comes from making music and has pioneered music and rhythm gaming in the US. For more information, please visit www.harmonixmusic.com.
January 31, 2017 — Captured entirely from in-game footage, this six-minute ‘101’ trailer showcases all-new gameplay from Sniper Elite 4’s extensive feature set, including:
An expansive campaign for 1-2 players: Explore 1943 Italy and fight alongside the brave men and women of the Resistance. Hunt down a terrifying new weapon that threatens the entire Allied fightback.
A deep and rewarding sniping simulation: deliver pinpoint assassinations at extreme distance, adapting to wind and gravity, and adjusting for range with scope zeroing.
Traverse massive environments featuring hundreds of enemies and vehicles: Find your ideal sniper’s nest, out maneuvers your enemies or hunt them up close. Combine suppressed weapons with deadly traps to torment enemy formations and isolate priority targets.
Employ a massive, personalized arsenal including iconic World War II rifles, submachine guns, shotguns, explosives and heavy weapons. Adapt your loadout for each mission and upgrade core attributes like scope magnification, stability, recoil, muzzle velocity and more.
Challenging online co-op & multiplayer modes set across six gorgeous custom-designed maps. Take on dedicated co-op modes for up to four players and prove your mettle across seven competitive modes for up to 12 players.
It’s time to deploy, sniper. It’s time to liberate Italy and set the wheels in motion for victory in Europe.
SNIPER ELITE 4 releases for PlayStation 4, Xbox One & PC on February 14, 2017.
January 31, 2017 – Zen Studios is excited to announce that Star Wars™ Pinball: Rogue One™, the highly-anticipated pinball table based on the blockbuster film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, is now available across Zen’s pinball platforms. In Star Wars™ Pinball: Rogue One™, team up with Jyn Erso and steal the Death Star plans to bring hope back to the galaxy! To celebrate the launch, Zen has released a new trailer showcasing the table in action.
In Star Wars™ Pinball: Rogue One™, players are tasked with a special mission of the utmost importance. The Empire has begun testing a major weapon, and the Rebel Alliance needs to find out how to destroy it. As part of a small band of Rebels, you must infiltrate the Empire and steal the plans for the Death Star and restore hope to a hopeless galaxy.
The Star Wars™ Pinball: Rogue One™ table features 10 story-related game modes, each one with its own set of playfield toys and goals. You must avoid stormtrooper detection in stealth missions, hold your own in firefights and combat missions, evade the footsteps of an AT-ACT walker, navigate the U-wing to shoot down TIE strikers as the ship’s gunner, and face off against Director Krennic and his Death Troopers in a white-knuckle multiball mode.
Rebellions are built on hope – and the only hope the galaxy has lies at the feet of a rogue band of rebel fighters that is prepared for a daring mission. Welcome to Rogue One!
Tuesday 31 January, 2017: Little Bobby’s dead, the BBQ’s on fire, Jen’s eating poisonous berries and the birthday cake still needs icing. It’s just another wonderful day out with the kids in Think of the Children, a frantic new multitasking game revealed today by developer Jammed Up Studios and indie label Surprise Attack Games. Think of the Children will release on PC via Steam in mid 2017.
Hauled before the court for bad parenting and endangering your children, the prosecution present a series of family days out as evidence that will either condemn or exonerate you. To avoid jail players will have to play through each event in flashback to prove their parenting skills, and their innocence, to the judge.
Looking after kids is far from child’s play, however. Playerc1s are tasked with simple jobs to be done like setting the tables, tending the BBQ, putting suntan lotion on grandpa, having an adult conversation. Unfortunately their kids can’t seem to stop playing with dangerous hazards like rabid dogs, vicious seagulls, runaway trolleys or escaped gorillas. To get a good parenting grade and avoid jail time you need to get all your tasks done, keep the kids happy and, ideally, have as many of them as possible still alive at the end.
Players can parent solo or co-operatively with up to four players, locally or online and all kinds of families are welcome – single dad? Two mums? A mum, two dads and a horse in a long distance relationship? It’s all good.
Highlights:
Think of the Children officially announced, coming to Steam mid 2017
Frantic multitasking game
Get your tasks done whilst keeping the kids happy and, ideally, alive
Prove your parenting skills to avoid a jail sentence
LOS ANGELES (Jan. 31, 2017) – At today’s official FINAL FANTASY® 30th Anniversary Opening Ceremony in Tokyo, SQUARE ENIX® commenced a year-long celebration for the franchise’s 30-year legacy, revealing new details, art and videos surrounding some of the franchise’s most anticipated games, including FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE™, FINAL FANTASY XV, and FINAL FANTASY XII THE ZODIAC AGE™.
Square Enix also unveiled the official FINAL FANTASY 30th Anniversary logo and website (www.finalfantasy30.com) where fans can use the hashtag #FF30th to share their favorite experiences and stay up to date on the various events planned for the rest of the year.
During the opening ceremony, announcements were made by special guests including Shinji Hashimoto, Square Enix Executive Officer, FINAL FANTASY Brand Manager. Hashimoto presented several announcements surrounding new and upcoming content including:
FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE
Brand-new key art for the highly anticipated FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE was unveiled, depicting the game’s protagonist and mercenary Cloud and his iconic Buster Sword set to the background of Midgar, base of the Shinra™ Electric Power Company.
FINAL FANTASY XII THE ZODIAC AGE
North American players can look forward to returning to the world of Ivalice in FINAL FANTASY XII THE ZODIAC AGE on July 11, 2017 for the Playstation®4 computer entertainment system. The visual and audio remaster of series classic FINAL FANTASY XII will feature a job character progression system for the first time in the West. New key art from famed character designer and artist Akihiko Yoshida was also revealed, featuring the main cast of the game including Ashe, Balthier, Fran and Vaan.
FINAL FANTASY XV: Episode GladioDLC
The first sneak peek at some of the upcoming DLC for FINAL FANTASY XV was showcased on-stage, highlighting the brand-new perspective players will experience in the coming months. The FINAL FANTASY XV Booster Pack (Free Version) and FINAL FANTASY XV Booster Pack + are scheduled for release on February 21, and will be available for all players or Season Pass holders, respectively. The DLC content will include powerful items such as the invincible outfit, “Magitek Exosuit” that give players an advantage during battles.
FINAL FANTASY XV Episode Gladiolus releases on March 28, and will be available to players who purchased the Premium Edition or Season Pass and can also be purchased separately via the Xbox Marketplace or the PlayStation®Store. Through this DLC, players can enjoy an episode depicted from Gladio’s perspective. Gilgamesh, one of the franchise’s fan-favorite characters will also be making an appearance in the episode.
FINAL FANTASY BRAVE EXVIUS FINAL FANTASY BRAVE EXVIUS®, the full-scale FINAL FANTASY adventure for mobile devices that has achieved over 20 million downloads worldwide, recently began an in-game collaboration event with internationally renowned artist and actress Ariana Grande. All players will be able to acquire “Dangerous Ariana,” the Ariana Grande-inspired character exclusively designed for the game untilFebruary 2 by completing the first stage of the special in-game event, “Dangerous Woman Tour.”
MOBIUS FINAL FANTASY MOBIUS FINAL FANTASY™, the critically acclaimed mobile RPG adventure will be making its way to STEAM® next month on February 6. The title offers an all-new RPG adventure featuring a deep story, stunning visuals, in-depth character customization and a refined turn-based RPG battle system. To celebrate over 10 million registered users worldwide and the 20th anniversary of FINAL FANTASY VII, various in-game bonuses and a special FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE collaboration event will begin onFebruary 7 for a limited time.
STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN (January 31, 2017) Starbreeze AB and Behaviour Digital have agreed to bring asymmetrical multiplayer horror game Dead by Daylight to PlayStation®4 and Xbox One in digital format later this year. Released on PC in June 2016, Dead by Daylight has already sold more than 1.8 million copies on the digital distribution platform Steam and became an instant favourite with streamers on Twitch and other streaming platforms.
“We’re proud of Behaviour Digital’s success with Dead by Daylight and can’t wait to deliver it to consoles together.” said Mikael Nermark, Starbreeze CoO.
”Being able to share Dead by Daylight with console players, many of them counted among our loyal viewers, is very exciting” said Stephen Mulroney, Senior Vice President at Behaviour Digital.
Release date and pricing will be released at a later date.
Development costs relative to the console adjustments will be split equally between the companies and the revenue share model will follow the previous agreement in place between the parties.
Dead by Daylight is an asymmetrical multiplayer horror game in which one crazed killer hunts four friends through a terrifying nightmare. Players take on the role of both killer and survivors in a deadly game of cat and mouse. It’s a Mature Gamer take on the thrills of Hide & Seek. Dead by Daylight is out now and available on Steam: http://store.steampowered.com/app/381210/
IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 24, 2017 — Immersive Entertainment, Inc. today announced the launch of The Grand Canyon VR Experience, a virtual reality (VR) theme-park kayak experience aimed at creating a sense of presence and relaxation for all ages.
The experience is available to consumers with the HTC Vive or Oculus VR headsets as a download from STEAM, the Oculus Store, or VivePort. Licensing options are available for VR arcades and theme parks.
“The Grand Canyon VR Experience places you in one of the most realistic, organic nature experiences available today in VR. It provides an ideal jumping off point to high quality VR, allowing basic interactions that provide a sense of presence in a beautiful serene environment,” said Ciaran Foley, CEO of Immersive Entertainment, Inc. “This title is only the first step in a natural evolution of VR tools and core technologies Immersive is developing that will become the cornerstone of a new type of engagement in Virtual Reality and Augmented/Mixed Reality.”
“A recent report on VR Industry Trends, published by Sketchfab, cited the number one favorite use for VR is ‘exploring environments’, ahead of gaming, content creation, 360 videos and social experiences,” said Jeroen Van den Bosch, Chief VR Designer at Immersive. “The Grand Canyon VR Experience is the perfect embodiment of this type of experience.”
Irvine-based Immersive Entertainment, Inc. is a leading independent VR software company developing the world’s leading Virtual Engagement Platform for computer-generated Virtual and Augmented Reality, driven by Artificial Intelligence. For more information, visit http://www.immersiveentertainment.com.
