Archive - 2017

THQ Nordic Acquires Biomutant Dev Experiment 101

2017/11/17

Vienna/AUSTRIA, Stockholm/SWEDEN, November 17th 2017: THQ Nordic is announcing today that it has acquired 100% of the shares from Experiment 101 AB, as well as the intellectual property of Biomutant® the open-word, post-apocalyptic Kung-Fu fable RPG, which is now part of the THQ Nordic portfolio.

The IP-acquisition itself is being handled by THQ Nordic AB, based in Karlstad, Sweden, whereas the day-to-day business will be handled by THQ Nordic GmbH, based in Vienna, Austria.

Experiment 101 is currently working on Biomutant® for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. More details on one of the biggest surprise hits of this year’s Gamescom will be revealed in 2018.

Christmas Comes to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter

2017/11/17

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Geek News, News

Universal City, CA, November 16, 2017 – Universal Studios Hollywood celebrated the opening of “Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry PotterTM,” transforming HogwartsTM castle with a breathtaking animated light projection show, choreographed to a musical arrangement from the Harry Potter movies as The Entertainment Capital of L.A. kicked off the yuletide season.

The evening program introduced Karen Irwin, President & COO, Universal Studios Hollywood, as she welcomed the land’s new holiday festivities. Following an original a cappella Frog Choir performance of “Christmas at Hogwarts,” Irwin and a group of children—clad in attire representing each of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry houses—wielded wands and cast a spell that revealed the light projection spectacular: “The Magic of Christmas at HogwartsTM Castle.”

“We are delighted to welcome ‘Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter’ as a new Universal Studios Hollywood holiday tradition,” said Karen Irwin. “Millions of guests visiting from around the world have already experienced the incredible offerings of this immersive land. This exciting new holiday program further expands the Harry Potter universe by bringing some of the holiday spirit from the films to life for guests to experience for themselves.”

The all-new “Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” experience will take place daily from November 24, 2017 through January 7, 2018.

Hogsmeade village also shines brightly as the quaint town celebrates with festive décor uniquely themed to each of the individual storefronts, along with holiday-themed fare served at Three Broomsticks and the eagerly-awaited seasonal return of hot Butterbeer.

The newly-introduced Holiday Dinner features a sumptuous roast turkey with gravy platter that includes pigs in blankets, a medley of vegetables, braised red cabbage and roasted potatoes served with cranberry sauce, along with Christmas Pudding.

As night falls on Hogsmeade village, the familiar sounds of Harry Potter music will resonate throughout “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.” Multiple times an evening, colorful projection mapping will illuminate Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with “The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle.”

The a cappella Frog Choir, comprised of Hogwarts students and their giant throaty frogs, will also perform original holiday themed songs over the course of the seasonal event.

From stockings to ornaments, the addition of specialty keepsakes and gift-giving items complement the land’s immersive holiday festivities as the theme park continues to envelope guests in the captivating world of Harry Potter.

A wide selection of all-new custom-made Christmas ornaments created especially for “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” are available this holiday season. Collectibles include a variety of decorative Hogwarts castle snow globes, Hogwarts crest and mascot ornaments representing each of the houses, as well as a collection of unique tree toppers and house pennant garland. Wizard robes and wands and an array of Quidditch game accessories are perfect for gift-giving.

Inspired by J.K. Rowling’s compelling stories and characters that were brought to life in the Warner Bros. films, “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” at Universal Studios Hollywood is a masterful recreation, faithful to the visual landscape of the films, including its iconic focal point, Hogwarts castle.

From its snow-capped roofs and cobblestone streets to the historic British sensibilities that characterize the whimsical look and feel of the land, “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” transports guests of all ages to the very places they watched on the silver screen.

The architecturally stunning land also includes the captivating and highly acclaimed “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey” thrill ride, now enhanced with 4K-HD and ride film projecting at an astounding rate of 120 frames-per-second for an even more immersive glimpse into Harry Potter’s world, as well as “Flight of the Hippogriff™,” Universal Studios Hollywood’s first outdoor family coaster.

“The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” resonates with immense detail, inviting guests to revel in J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World with the opportunity to enjoy authentic food and beverages at multiple locations, including Three Broomsticks and Hog’s Head pub, as well as the Magic Neep and Butterbeer™ carts.

A foray through the shops adds to the authenticity of the land with nine retail venues and locations, including Honeydukes™, Ollivanders™, Owl Post™, Zonko’s™ Joke Shop, Wiseacre’s Wizarding Equipment, Dervish and Banges™, Gladrags Wizardwear, Filch’s Emporium™ of Confiscated Goods and the Hogsmeade™ Station.

Additional information on Universal Studios Hollywood is available at www.UniversalStudiosHollywood.com. Join the conversation online using #UniversalHolidays and #WizardingWorldHollywood. Like Universal Studios Hollywood on Facebook and follow @UniStudios on Instagram and Twitter.

Hangtime Virtual Ride Video

2017/11/16

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos

November 16, 2017 – Take a virtual trip on HangTime, the first dive coaster on the West Coast, with the new POV HangTime video as it shows the new rollercoaster in action by showcasing its gravity-defying inversions, mid-air suspension and twisting tracks. The new rollercoaster will send riders up a vertical lift hill into a 15-story 96-degree drop, the steepest drop in California. The coaster’s train will come to a halt and will leave riders suspended for several seconds before descending in a beyond-vertical drop, through 2,189 feet of track. HangTime will be the second rollercoaster in the Western Hemisphere to feature a negative g-stall loop, which gives riders the sensation of floating. The video also features a glimpse into HangTime’s colorful nighttime track chase lighting that will illuminate the Boardwalk area as the coaster’s train travels across the smooth steel track.

HangTime Basic Stats:

· Height: 150 feet

· Track Length: 2,189 feet

· 5 inversions

· Capacity: 3 trains with 16 single passenger carrying units each

· Maximum velocity 57 mph

· HangTime is manufactured by Gerstlauer Amusement Rides, GmBH and is the company’s next generation “infinity coaster” model

Razer Unveils Wolverine Tournament Edition Xbox One Controller

2017/11/16

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Peripherals News

SAN FRANCISCO, (Calif.) – Razer™, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, today unveiled the Razer Wolverine Tournament Edition, an addition to its Razer Wolverine XBOX controller line designed specifically for professional gamers.

The new controller retains the ergonomic design and highly praised features of Wolverine Ultimate. Tested and validated by many of the world’s best professional esports athletes, the Razer Wolverine Tournament Edition ensures the highest levels of performance and comfort.

“Razer has been great to work with throughout the development of the Wolverine Tournament Edition, taking direct feedback from our professional players and implementing it into the controller,” says Alex Gonzalez, Head of Red Reserve’s North American Operations. “This process has helped guarantee that the wolverine gives our players the biggest edge over the rest of the competitive scene.

The Wolverine Tournament Edition also introduces Razer Mecha-Tactile Action Buttons, which combine the soft-cushioned touch of a membrane rubber dome with crisp tactile clicks of a mechanical switch. The distinct feel of the controller makes it a unique choice for professional console gamers.

The controller offers extraordinary customization via Razer Synapse for Xbox, the all-in-one configuration software designed for XBOX ONE and Windows 10.

Multi-function buttons can be mapped to create more than 500 customized profiles to fit different playstyles for each game title. They can also enjoy the advantage of “focus” and “agile” settings to reach greater headshot aiming precision or speedy response by changing sensitivity of thumb stick movement. Lighting effects powered by Razer Chroma™ allow for an immersive gaming experience, and the RGB LED lighting will flash together with the controller’s vibrations and other button actions. These visual settings can be customized and stored via Razer Synapse for Xbox.

The Razer Wolverine Tournament Edition is compatible with Xbox One and PC (Windows 10).

Visit www.razerzone.com/wolverine-tournament-edition for more information.

Price:

$119.99/ €139.99

Availability:

Razerzone.com: November 16, 2017

Worldwide: Q1 2018

Product features:

Razer Synapse for Xbox
4 Re-mappable multi-function buttons
Mecha-Tactile Action Buttons
Razer Chroma Lighting with selection from 16.8 million color palettes
Hair-Trigger Mode with trigger stops
Ergonomic non-slip rubber grip
Play anywhere – Play on Xbox One or PC (Windows 10)
Detachable braided cable

EVGA DG-7 Gaming Case Available for Pre-Order

2017/11/16

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Hardware News, News

November 16th, 2017 – The mid-tower is the ideal form factor that is well balanced between usable space and overall footprint. DG-7 is a case designed with aesthetics and function in mind, and is the perfect mid-tower solution. DG-7 features convenient and easy cable management, wide range of radiator support, and a durable steel frame. The tempered glass side panel is perfect to show off your system, no matter if you go with traditional GPU mount or vertical GPU mount.

Key Features:

Up to 3 Sided Tempered Glass – Immaculate tempered glass side and front panels make the DG-7 series the perfect case to show off your components.
Vertical GPU Mounting (Optional) – Make your GPU the center of attention with vertical GPU mount.
Full RGB Control – RGB lighting and control board give you the control to sync up all RGB lighting in your system.
K-Boost for Optimum Performance – Get the most out of your system at the touch of a button. K-Boost features one button overclocking for the CPU and GPU
Convenient and versatile to build – Built in cable management, covered PSU shroud, and hidden hard drive trays for a clean and easy build. Supports up to 7 case fans, fully compatible with 360mm, 280mm and 120mm radiators.
DG Tuner Software Support – Allows you to fully control the RGB lighting in your case.
3 Year Warranty

Learn more and preorder now at https://www.evga.com/articles/01157/evga-dg-7-gaming-cases/

Dynasty Warriors 9 Launch Date

2017/11/16

boothby

Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

Burlingame, Calif. – November 16, 2017 – KOEI TECMO America eased fans’ anticipation today by announcing that Omega Force’s upcoming open-world epic, DYNASTY WARRIORS 9, will be released across the western regions on February 13, 2018 for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, and Windows PC via Steam®. DYNASTY WARRIORS 9 will venture into new territory as the classic, time-tested “one versus thousands” action, iconic to the Warriors series, is expanded to its first true open world installment.

KOEI TECMO America has put together an exciting bundle of bonus content for gamers opting to pick up the physical or standard digital version. Comprised of seven costumes for fan-favorite characters, the bundle includes an imposing Beijing opera-style costume for Zhao Yun and six costumes inspired by traditional Chinese undergarment styles – one each for Guan Yinping, Diaochan, Sun Shangxiang, Lu Lingqi, Wang Yi, and Wang Yuanji.

Offering a first look at this exclusive bonus content – showcasing more returning characters, features and a brand new entry into the Dynasty Warriors roster, Xin Xianying – KOEI TECMO America has released a batch of new artwork, costume designs and screenshots.

MSI Unveils Infinite X Gaming Desktop

2017/11/16

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Geek News, Hardware News, News

City of Industry, Calif. – November 16, 2017 – MSI, world leader in gaming hardware, announced today the availability of the Infinite X gaming desktop. The newest member of the Infinite line of desktops brings the power of an Intel Coffee Lake i7 processor and NVIDIA GTX 1080Ti graphics card with the innovation of a new liquid cooling system. The Infinite X was also honored under the “CES Innovation Honoree at Gaming” category for the 2018 CES Innovation Awards.

The MSI Infinite gaming desktop was inspired by a never-ending desire to game and for gamers who want endless possibilities to game the way they want. This desktop delivers the best gaming performance by equipping MSI’s renowned graphics cards to give games just that little more in-game advantage. The newest unlocked processor from Intel gives it the speed and performance gamers require, including the ability to overclock. All this is cooled by MSI’s exclusive Silent Storm Cooling 3 PRO thermal design.

The Infinite line gives gamers the ability to easily upgrade components – for gamers looking for a high-performing gaming PC now and into the future. It features two 3.5” HDD and three 2.5” SSD/HDD bays, supports up to 64GB of RAM and the graphics card is mounted vertically for safe transportation and optimized airflow in a small case. The exterior also features MSI accents like a tempered glass side panel (a classic black side panel is also available) and RGB Mystic Light so gamers can customize their desktop.

At the heart of the Infinite X is the powerful 8^th generation Intel Core K-series processor that can be overclocked without any complicated software or without having to open the case. Using the intuitive MSI software, the hardware inside can be amped up in speed and performance, making games and other demanding computing tasks run even smoother.

MSI’s Silent Storm Cooling 3 PRO is a unique way to keep the system as cool and quiet as possible. The system individually cools the most important heat-generating hardware using separated chambers. When performance really matters, the Infinite X delivers powerful gameplay without annoying gamers with noisy ventilators or overheating hardware.

Specifications and Features:

Model:	MSI Infinite X
Processor:	Intel® Core™ i7 -8700K Processor CPU Cooler – MSI Liquid Cooling
Operating System:	Windows 10 Home
Chipset:	Intel® Z370
Graphics:	Up to MSI GeForce® GTX™ 1080 Ti 11GB GDDR5X
Memory:	16 GB DDR4 2400MHz (2 x 8GB) – Expandable to 64GB
Storage:	512 GB (2x 256GB NVMe M.2 PCI-E SSD RAID 0 (2280)) 2TB HDD (3.5″ SATA)
Communication:	WLAN: 801.11 b/g/n/ac (Intel AC3168) LAN: Intel WGI219V 10/100/1000 Bluetooth V4.2
Optical Drive:	DVD Super Multi
Power supply:	550W 80 plus Bronze
Dimensions:	19.22 x 17.72 x 8.27 (in.)
I/O Overview:	Front: 1x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C, 1x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A, 1x USB 2.0 Type-A, 1x Mic in, 1x Headphone out Rear: 4x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A, 2x USB 2.0 Type-A, 3x HDMI out, 3x DP, 1x DVI-D, 5x Audio jack, 1x S/PDIF 1x RJ 45, 1x PS/2

The MSI Infinite X gaming desktop is available now at Newegg and Amazon starting at $1,699.99.

For more info about MSI’s award-winning products, follow us at:

MSI official website: us.msi.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/msicomputercorp/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/msiUSA

The Surge: A Walk in the Park – Teaser Trailer

2017/11/16

Jerry Paxton

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

November 16, 2017 – Hardcore action RPG The Surge is about to receive brand new content with a major new expansion! A Walk in the Park is coming December 5 to PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. Watch today’s Teaser Trailer to get a first glimpse of the amusement park-gone-wrong, CREO World!

The Surge brought players deep into the high-tech CREO industrial complex, overrun by deadly machines, rogue AI and deranged exoskeleton workers. A Walk in the Park gives players a breath of fresh air by taking them to an environment that’s more open and colorful, though no less deadly. CREO World is an amusement park built by CREO for its employees and their families. Forget your cravings for cotton candy – CREO World was not spared from the Surge. The entire park is a deadly trap, where roaming rescue teams have gone insane and robotic mascots patrol freely, patiently waiting for new visitors to offer a deadly welcome.

CREO World presents a wealth of fresh challenges for players. Originally created to celebrate CREO and its mission, the park is a radically different setting from the rest of the complex, full of branching paths and secrets to discover. Survive the raging mascots and explore the park’s attractions, before taking on a fearsome boss in the devastated park. Through technical and spectacular fights, you will face this new threat, cutting and equipping 16 all-new weapons, sets of armor, and new implants to upgrade and further customize the way you want to play.

New players will also be able to embark on the ultimate The Surge experience with the Complete Edition, which will include the full game and all its DLCs, including A Walk in the Park. The Surge: Complete Edition and A Walk in the Park will be available December 5 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. Preorders for the DLC and the Complete Edition are available on Steam right now, and on PS4 on November 21. The A Walk in the Park DLC will also be available for preorders on Xbox starting November 21.

New HTC Vive Tracker Bundles Announced

2017/11/16

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Geek News, News, Tech News

New York, NY, November 16, 2017 – HTC VIVE™, the leader in room-scale VR, today launched a slate of Vive Tracker bundles and announced the consumer availability of the Vive Tracker for the first time. Each Tracker retails for $99.99 and can be used with dozens of VR titles and multiple new accessories including Hyperkin’s Hyper Blaster, the Racket Sports Set and Rebuff Reality’s TrackStrap, which are now available for either pre-order or purchase.

The Vive Tracker is an interchangeable motion tracker that enables consumers, arcades and developers to take advantage of third-party hardware and software that improves VR experiences. One Vive Tracker can work with any number of VR accessories and software applications.

“With Vive Tracker, we’ve already seen the tremendous tools and experiences that the development community has created and unleashed into VR,” said Daniel O’Brien, GM US, Vive. “As we launch Tracker to consumers, we’ve lined up a number of developer and hardware partners that are committed to making VR on Vive more immersive than ever before. The Vive Tracker opens up a whole new set of experiences that can take advantage of full body tracking and a number of peripherals that set VR experiences on Vive apart.”

The first Vive Tracker accessory bundles will launch for pre-order on November 16 with expected arrival dates of mid-December.

Hyper Blaster with Duck Season
Racket Sports Set with Virtual Sports

A third partner bundle featuring straps to enable full body tracking, is available today.

Rebuff Reality’s TrackStrap with Redfoot Bluefoot Dancing

Hyper Blaster

The Hyper Blaster brings a retro light gun to VR for the first time. When paired with Vive Tracker, the Hyper Blaster serves as both a gun and motion controller in integrated games such as Duck Season, Arizona Sunshine, The American Dream VR, Operation Warcade, TacticalAR, and Practisim VR. The Hyper Blaster will be sold exclusively through Amazon and includesDuck Season as a pack-in title, and one Vive Tracker, all for $149.99. Duck Season, by Stress Level Zero, is a throwback to the golden age of 1980’s gaming and movies with a hint of horror in a Spielburgian universe.

Unique to Duck Season, the Blaster is virtually represented within the game world.

In addition to the six titles integrated at launch, Vive is working with 10 additional developers to integrate the Blaster by Q1.

Racket Sports Set

Custom-molded and weighted to feel like real paddles and rackets, the Racket Sports Set is packaged for both Ping Pong and Tennis games. Connected via a simple screw, the handles are integrated with five titles. The bundle will sell for $149.99 and includes both Ping Pong and Tennis handles, a Vive Tracker and a pack-in redemption code for Virtual Sports from Vive Studios. Virtual Sports brings Vive owners realism ping pong and tennis that is only possible on the Vive. Pre-orders are available today via Amazon, Abt Electronics, BH Photo, Fry’s, Gamestop, Micro Center and NewEgg with additional retailers expected

In addition to Virtual Sports, the Racket Sports Set is integrated with six titles today and expect an additional five by end of year.

TrackStrap

The Vive Tracker takes SteamVR tracking to another level of accuracy, easily adding feet, wrist, hip or leg tracking movement to VR experiences.

Rebuff Reality is selling TrackStrap, which easily attaches to Vive Trackers to your feet and other body parts to enable full body tracking. A pair of TrackStraps is available now for $24.99 via rebuffreality.com and includes a pack-in redemption code for Redfoot Bluefoot Dancing on Steam, inspired by Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) and Audioshield.

Dozens of developers have integrated body tracking into their experiences, including CloudGate Studios’ Island 359, which will launch a “Virtual Self” update on December 1, using Vive Trackers for full body tracking and movement.

Additional compatible titles include Climbey, Holodance, High Fidelity and more.

Additional Vive Tracker Integrations

Vive continues to recruit developers interested in working with these peripherals and future accessories for Vive Tracker. For information on integration with these accessories, please contact the Vive Business Team: support@htcvive.com.

Sparc Launch Trailer

2017/11/16

Jerry Paxton

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

16 November 2017 – London, UK – Today, CCP Games launches Sparc™ for Oculus Rift and HTC Vive® virtual reality headsets, bringing the energetic virtual sport to PC with full cross-platform multiplayer gameplay, connecting with players who have already been enjoying the game on PlayStation®VR.

With PC Gamer stating “Sparc might be the best VR game I’ve played,” and VG24/7 asserting “Sparc is the type of VR game that I’ve been waiting for,” VR multiplayer enthusiasts have been eagerly anticipating Sparc’s arrival on PC. Further accolades can be found in Sparc’s PC launch trailer.

“Cross-play between PS4 and PC means everyone can experience Sparc from their platform of choice, regardless of whether they are using a PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift or HTC Vive” said Morgan Godat, executive producer of Sparc at CCP Games. “Unifying all our players onto the same Sparc courts in a single interactive community is incredibly satisfying.”

Starting today, Sparc can be downloaded for PC from Steam and the Oculus Store at an MSRP of $19.99 USD ($22.99 CA, €19.99 EUR, £14.99 GBP).

Sparc enables players to connect online and compete with each other in fast-paced and physical one-on-one gameplay. Players use their motion controllers to hurl a projectile at their opponent from across the court, while dodging, blocking and deflecting incoming shots. Sparc’s unique full-body gameplay experience is only possible in virtual reality, where players’ VR equipment becomes their sports gear.

In Sparc, players express and improve their skills through their physical actions and can review their performance on the court with stats for throws, deflections, accuracy, and more. With two gameplay modes, Basic and Advanced, both novice and expert competitors will find a suitable difficulty level.

Along with three different arenas, Sparc includes “Courtside,” a freeform social area for spectating in VR where players can watch live matches in-person and queue for their next game. Sparc includes a broad range of customization options for competitors, as well as a selection of solo challenges to help players improve their skills and prepare them for human opponents.

Further details about Sparc can be found at www.playSparc.com and fans can follow Sparc on Facebook and Twitter.