December 13, 2017 – Today, in the first free season of content in Star Wars Battlefront II, fans can jump into the action and experience the excitement of Star Wars™: The Last Jedi™. Finn joins the battle as a playable hero for the Resistance striving to keep the galaxy from oppression, while Captain Phasma is playable as a new villain leading the First Order in combat. Both characters are now unlocked without any Credits required for players who log in during the season. Players can also immerse themselves in the authentic sounds and high-fidelity visuals of two all new locations straight out of the film. Battle on Crait in epic 20 vs 20 Galactic Assault matches or go above the Resistance Base on the planet D’Qar in intense 12 vs 12 Starfighter Assault dogfights in space. To begin Star Wars Battlefront II The Last Jedi Season, players must first choose to fight for the Resistance or The First Order. This choice will be linked to recurring Challenges that rewards players on both the individual and faction-wide levels.
In Star Wars Battlefront II Resurrection, also available for free as a part of Star Wars Battlefront II The Last Jedi Season, players can continue Iden Versio’s journey through the First Order’s rise to power. Taking place after completion of the single player campaign, Iden returns to search for answers in three all new chapters. In her pursuit, she uncovers secrets of the First Order that leads into the events of Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
Star Wars Battlefront II is powered by three powerhouse studios – DICE, Criterion Games, and Motive Studios – and in partnership with Lucasfilm, delivers three times the content than its predecessor. Spanning all three cinematic eras, the game allows players to live out their deepest Star Wars fantasies as a trooper on the ground, an ace pilot dogfighting in space, and an epic hero dominating the battlefront.
* Requires Star Wars Battlefront II on applicable platform (sold separately), all game updates, internet connection, EA account, and, for console players, Xbox Live Gold or PlayStation Plus membership (each sold separately).
REDWOOD SHORES, CA — (December 13, 2017)–Today, Crystal Dynamics®, the renowned developer of the critically acclaimed and world-famous TOMB RAIDER® franchise, released a brand new video highlighting the studio’s 25-year legacy of great gaming experiences.
The developer began its 25th year in a newly redesigned, state-of-the-art facility that includes a fully equipped motion capture stage, six soundproof audio rooms, a dailies review room featuring a 4K HDR TV setup, a photogrammetry capture space, a full 4K HDR Dolby Atmos™ equipped theater, and more.
Embracing a diverse staff of the industry’s best, many of whom have been tenured for over 15 years, industry leader Crystal Dynamics has developed and published over 30 award-winning titles during its 25-year adventure. Some of the most beloved franchises include Gex™, Legacy of Kain and most recently Tomb Raider, which has now sold over 63 million copies worldwide including 11 million units for Tomb Raider (2013) and more than 7 million units for Rise of the Tomb Raider®. In collaboration with Marvel, the studio is currently hard at work on the highly anticipated ‘Avengers’ project, which was announced earlier this year.
“Crystal occupies a special place in the games industry. Over a third of our team have been with the studio for more than 5 years, and several have been here for more than 20 years, which makes us a tightly knitted team,” said Ron Rosenberg, Head of Studio. “Over the years, many industry luminaries have worked at Crystal and contributed to the creative culture that our current rock star developers embody and evolve. From the very beginning, we’ve shared a common goal of crafting incredible character-driven games, and 25 years later that flame of innovation burns brighter than ever.”
Additionally in 2017, Crystal Dynamics partnered with charity organizations and the Tomb Raider community to continue its campaign of giving back, making charitable contributions to GameChanger, Extra Life, and the Alzheimer’s Association.
“We exist thanks to the generosity and love our amazing players show us; and it’s a true privilege to do what we do for what we feel are the best fans out there. So following their example, we are always looking for meaningful ways to give back to those in need and share our good fortune,” added Scot Amos, Head of Studio at Crystal Dynamics. “Crystal exists to make the best games possible… be it within our legacy of Tomb Raider or our future with the Avengers project, we do this because we love making people happy. And that’s what giving is all about.”
December 13, 2017 – Building on its success as a fully distributed, all digital awards show, The Game Awards today announced that its 2017 broadcast tripled its viewership to over 11.5 million global livestreams, up 202% from 2016’s record-setting performance of 3.8 million livestreams. Airing live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Thursday, December 7, The Game Awards posted significant increases in live viewership and engagement across all key distribution platforms.
“We are thrilled by the viewership, engagement and reaction to The Game Awards this year,” said Geoff Keighley, executive producer. “With triple-digit viewership gains across the board, plus record setting social media metrics, one thing is clear: video games and gamers continue to grow in importance and prominence on the pop culture landscape.”
On social platforms, The Game Awards posted double and triple digit gains in engagement – including on Twitter, where the number of people tweeting about Game Awards related-content doubled year over year, with #TheGameAwards hashtag usage up 2.7x compared to 2016 (Source: Twitter). When compared to social conversation around broadcast and cable TV programming, The Game Awards was the #1 program on December 7, excluding live sports. (Source: Nielsen).
This year, new interactive elements helped increase live engagement during the broadcast. On Twitch, The Game Awards Extension gave viewers a chance to interact with the show and predict winners in all the main show category. More than 70% of the Twitch audience interacted with the extension. On Steam, a “Game Awards Game Giveaway” during the live show helped drive record-setting live stream numbers, including an average watch time of 70 minutes per Steam viewer.
The Game Awards 2017 featured highlight moments such as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild winning Game of the Year, pioneering female game designer Carol Shaw receiving the Industry Icon Award, and the world premiere of a new trailer for Hideo Kojima and Norman Reedus’ new collaboration, Death Stranding. New game announcements included Bayonetta 3 from Nintendo and Platinum Games; From Software’s next project; In the Valley of Gods from Campo Santo; Soul Calibur VI from Bandai Namco; Witchfire from The Astronauts; GTFO from 10 Chambers Collective and more. Talent appearing during The Game Awards included Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Guillermo del Toro, Norman Reedus, Zachary Levi, Aisha Tyler, iJustine, Conan O’Brien, Lance Reddick, Jason Schwartzman, Felicia Day, Justin Roiland, and Andy Serkis, in addition to musical performances by Phoenix and The Game Awards Orchestra.
The Game Awards aired globally across a record number of screens and digital platforms including Facebook Live, GameSpot, IGN, KakaoTV (South Korea), Live.Playstation, Mixer, NicoNico (Japan) PlayStation Store, Steam, Tencent (China) Twitch, Twitter, and YouTube in 4K UHD.
Specific viewership highlights include:
– On Twitter, #TheGameAwards was once again the #1 worldwide trend during the broadcast. 2.7x more people use the #TheGameAwards hashtag this year than in 2016, and 2x more people tweeted about The Game Awards-related content this year than in 2016. (Source: Twitter)
– According to Nielsen, The Game Awards was the most social 24/7 program on Thursday, 12/7/17, eclipsing broadcast and cable television in the United States. (Source: Social Content Ratings, 12/7/17. Excludes sports events.)
– On Twitch, 70% of the audience watching on /TheGameAwards interacted with the Twitch Extension – completing over 700,000 predictions throughout the broadcast. 1,372 Twitch broadcasters co-streamed The Game Awards, and 3,522 Twitch viewers correctly predicted the winners in all the in-show categories via the Twitch Extension. (Source: Twitch)
– On Steam, an integrated The Game Awards sale experience and the first-ever The Game Awards Game Giveaway fueled incredible viewership growth. Viewers on Steam Broadcasting watched an average of 70 live minutes of the Awards. (Source: Valve)
– In the three weeks leading up to the show, more than 7 million authenticated fan votes were cast in all the major award categories using The Game Awards website (via Facebook Logon), Google Search, Twitter DM and Facebook Messenger.
– To date, here are the livestream numbers for The Game Awards (does not include VOD viewership):
Vienna, AUSTRIA, December 13th 2017: Behold, the PC gods have spoken… Titan Quest is granted to also release on all current-gen console platforms in 2018. Apart from the online- and offline-release of the Standard Edition of the game, a mighty Collector’s Edition has been melted in Hades’ hellfire, hammered and forged on Hephaestus’ anvil, infused with Mars’ wrath, and charged with Zeus’ lightning.
Titan Quest for consoles will launch for PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and Xbox One on March 20th 2018. The version for Nintendo Switch™ is in development and will be released (insert drumroll) when it is done.
The quick & dirty facts on these editions
Standard Edition contains:
– Contains Titan Quest and Immortal Throne
RRP: EUR/USD 29.99, £26.99
Platforms: PS4™ system, Xbox One
Collector’s Edition contains:
– Contains Titan Quest and Immortal Throne
– Replica of a Greek war helmet, 23cm (9,06 inches)
– Notepad
– Premium Box
RRP consoles: EUR/USD 119.99, £104.99
RRP PC: EUR/USD 109.99, £99.99
Platforms: PC, PS4™ system, Xbox One
December 12, 2017 – Hope you’re having a fun time in Fallout 4 VR! We wanted to let you know that we’ve identified a fix for any blurriness/low resolution that some players may be experiencing in Fallout 4 VR. There is a beta update now available on Steam.
Please see below for the list of patch notes that reflect what’s addressed in this beta update now available on Steam and let me know if you have any questions.
Fixed an issue that would affect the in-game resolution based on desktop resolution
Increased default application supersampling value from 1.0 to 1.4x
To change this value up or down to adjust performance or quality, add the following to your Fallout4Custom.ini in My Games/Fallout4VR: [VRDisplay] fRenderTargetSizeMultiplier=
Fixed an issue where players would be unable to use the world rotate functionality while commanding companions
Stability improvements
To opt-in to the Steam beta update please follow the instructions here:
How to access the Steam Beta:
Log into Steam.
Right Click on Fallout 4 VR in your Library.
Select Properties.
Select Betas.
A drop down menu will appear. Select Fallout 4 VR Update 1.0.28.0
Select OK.
Wait for the game to update.
When done, Fallout 4 VR Fallout 4 VR Update 1.0.28.0 should appear in your Library.
December 12, 2017 – Netflix and DreamWorks Animation Television are set to release six new original series in 2018 beginning with Trolls: The Beat Goes On! premiering Jan. 19, 2018, exclusively on Netflix. The new slate includes series inspired by DreamWorks’ beloved animated films as well as classic properties including an all-new She-Ra. From executive producer Noelle Stevenson, the new She-Ra series will present a modern take on the ‘80s girl power icon for a new generation of young fans.
2018 series include (unless noted, premiere dates to be announced):
DreamWorks Trolls: The Beat Goes On! – January 19, 2018
Picking up where the film left off, the Netflix original series is an all-new chapter in the the endlessly upbeat adventures of the Trolls as Poppy, Branch and all of Troll Village keep the party going in their fantastical forest home. Executive produced by Matthew Beans (Robot Chicken), the series features Skylar Astin (Pitch Perfect 1 and 2) and Amanda Leighton (This Is Us, The Fosters) as the voices of Branch and Poppy with original songs written and produced by Alana Da Fonseca (Pitch Perfect 3). The series will premiere exclusively on Netflix in the U.S., Canada, Latin America, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, the Nordics, Benelux and France. Watch the Trolls: The Beat Goes On! trailer here and visit netflix.com/trollsthebeatgoeson for more information. The music from season 1 of Trolls: The Beat Goes On! is available for pre-order on iTunes, Amazon and Google Play.
She-Ra
From Eisner Award-winning author and executive producer Noelle Stevenson (Lumberjanes, Nimona) comes a modern take on the ‘80s girl power icon for a new generation of young fans. The trailblazing property originally debuted in 1985 to satisfy overwhelming demand for a female lead fantasy series. With Stevenson’s unique voice at the helm, fans are in store for an epic and timely tale that celebrates female friendship and empowerment, lead by a warrior princess tailor made for today. The series will be available to Netflix members worldwide in 2018.
The Boss Baby: Back in Business
Boss Baby, with the help of his big brother and partner-in-crime Tim, continues to navigate the cutthroat corporate jungle gym of Baby Corp, while angling to achieve the near-impossible: the work-life balance of a modern career baby. From Emmy-winning executive producer Brandon Sawyer (Penguins of Madagascar), the series will be available to Netflix members worldwide in 2018. Visit netflix.com//bossbabybackinbusiness for more information.
Harvey Street Kids
From its never-ending games of kickball to the infinite flavors of its ice cream truck to the greatest climbing tree in the universe, every day on Harvey Street feels like a Saturday. And that’s largely thanks to the Harvey Girls – Audrey, Lotta, and Dot – the block’s self-appointed guardians and the world’s bestest BFFs. They will do whatever it takes to keep Harvey Street the best block to never grow up on and transform every afternoon into a wild adventure. From executive producer Brendan Hay (Dawn of the Croods, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart) and Emmy-nominated supervising producer Aliki Theofilopoulos (Phineas & Ferb, Descendants: Wicked World), the series will be available to Netflix members worldwide in 2018. Visit netflix.com/harveystreetkids for more information.
The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants
Based on the epic books by Dav Pilkey, DreamWorks The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants follows the adventures of George Beard and Harold Hutchins, two best friends who’ve bonded through their love of pranking, comic books and being the thorns in Principal Krupp’s side. Their fun gets them mixed up in adventures crazier than their outrageous comic books, which is when they call on their greatest creation: Captain Underpants! From Peabody Award and Emmy-winning executive producer Peter Hastings (Animaniacs, Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness), the series will be available to Netflix members worldwide in 2018. Visit netflix.com/epictalesofcaptainunderpants for more information.
Trollhunters (Part 3) and 3 Below (Second installment of Tales of Arcadia Trilogy)
DreamWorks Trollhunters Part 2, from Guillermo del Toro, premieres on Netflix, on Friday, Dec. 15, with a third and final chapter of the Emmy-winning series set to debut in 2018. 3 Below, the second series in the previously announced Tales of Arcadia trilogy, will premiere in late 2018 and feature two royal teenage aliens and their bodyguard who flee a surprise takeover of their home planet by an evil dictator and crash land in Arcadia. Now on the run from intergalactic bounty hunters, they struggle to blend in and adapt to the bizarre world of high school all the while attempting to repair their ship so they can return and defend their home planet. A final chapter, Wizards, is set to debut in 2019.
Premiering in 2016 to critical acclaim, Trollhunters introduced audiences to the seemingly quiet town of Arcadia and an ordinary kid who embarks on an extraordinary adventure in a hidden world right beneath his feet featuring the voices of Anton Yelchin, Kelsey Grammer, Ron Perlman, Steven Yeun, Anjelica Huston and more. Recently nominated for six 2018 Annie Awards, the first season lead the Creative Arts Daytime Emmys with six wins, more than any other program, including writing for an animated program (Marc Guggenheim), directing (Rodrigo Blaas, Guillermo del Toro), casting (Ania O’Hare, Mary Hildalgo) and a voice acting win for Grammer.
DreamWorks Trollhunters is created and executive produced by Guillermo del Toro with Marc Guggenheim (Arrow, Legends of Tomorrow), Rodrigo Blaas (Alma) and Chad Hammes (Dragons: Race to the Edge) and Christina Steinberg (Rise of the Guardians) serving as executive producers. Dan Hageman (The Lego Movie, Ninjago) and Kevin Hageman (The Lego Movie, Ninjago) serve as co-executive producers.
Since 2013, DreamWorks Animation Television and Netflix have released 12 original series including DreamWorks Trollhunters, Dragons: Race to the Edge, DreamWorks Voltron Legendary Defender, All Hail King Julien, DreamWorks Spirit Riding Free, Dinotrux and more, winning 17 Daytime Creative Arts Emmys and six Annie Awards.
Ridgewood, NJ, December 12, 2017 – Good news for all budding industrialists! Kalypso Media is pleased to reveal the first gameplay footage of the PlayStation®4 version of Railway Empire to celebrate its impending journey to console. Inspired by beloved genre classics, the upcoming rail tycoon sim offers an unparalleled mix of in-depth simulation mechanics and strategic gameplay. Railway Empire is set to launch across North America for PlayStation®4 and Xbox One on January 30, 2018 following its worldwide launch for Steam on January 26, 2018.
Today, CCP Games is excited to launch the Winter Update for EVE: Valkyrie – Warzone – the acclaimed multiplayer first-person spaceship shooter set in the gritty-but-glorious universe of EVE – across PlayStation®4 and PC, including all high-end VR headsets (PlayStation®VR, Oculus Rift and HTC Vive®).
This update introduces highly requested community tools and Spectator Mode designed for player-run tournaments, along with a new EVE Online: Lifeblood-themed map, plus support for TrackIR and Tobii delivering head-tracking for non-VR players.
A video exploring the Winter Update and its features can be found here:
First is the long-awaited addition of Custom Matches. No longer will you have to wait for a specific game mode, now you can set up your own matches on EVE: Valkyrie – Warzone’sofficial dedicated servers. You can also control the lobby through passcodes, private invites and a public server browser. Additionally, you’ll find options for map rotation, game mode and a ton of other settings to tweak the game for maximum enjoyment (…or carnage, depending on your preference).
Next is Spectator Mode, allowing you to follow the action on the battlefield without having to get your hands dirty. This new suite of tools enables you to either fly around the battlefield as a third-person ship-anchored camera, or observe the carnage from fixed hotspots throughout key areas of the map.
In addition, newly implemented support for Tobii and TrackIR head-tracking evens the playing field whether you’re playing EVE: Valkyrie – Warzone inside or outside of virtual reality. PC gamers will be able to use comfortable head gestures to survey the battlefield like a VR player, without negatively impacting their ability to control their ship. Moreover, this feature allows non-VR players to take advantage of the head-tracked ‘look-to-lock’ weapon functionality present in the VR experience of the game, enabling you to enjoy the gameplay enhancing benefits of VR along with the graphical fidelity and accessibility of flatscreen gaming.
To celebrate EVE Online’s recent Lifeblood expansion, this update introduces the Moon Refinery map. Set against the dramatic backdrop of a moon mining operation, the area is populated with iconic mining and industrial ships from EVE Online, and culminating in a tremendous display of laser destruction, this new map will have your jaw dropping and your heart racing.
For more information about EVE: Valkyrie – Warzone, visit www.evevalkyrie.com/warzone and follow the official EVE: Valkyrie Twitter feed or Facebook page.
Costa Mesa, CA – Families can take free photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus from 10am to 2pm Saturday and Sunday, December 16 and 17. Children 12 and under receive free admission (adults are $2) and all activities are free to participate. Parking is free through gates 2 and 10 and be sure to tell our attendants you’re here for the Market Place.
In addition to taking your own photo with Santa, kids can enjoy free face painting Saturday and Sunday from 11:30am until 2:30pm. On Sunday, we will have a special performance by The Puppets & Players Little Theatre at 11:00am and 1:00pm, also free to watch. Guests are encouraged to wear their ugly Christmas sweater along with the staff at Orange County Market Place for a truly festive experience!
With several hundred vendors onsite, holiday shopping is a breeze. The Market Place will open from 7:00am until 4:00pm to shop. Be sure to stop by the Westside Grill for lunch and try the newly released holiday Grinch-amole Burger. This burger is piled with guacamole, bacon, and cheese.
To stay up to date on all upcoming events at the Orange County Market Place, including coupons, free admission and special offers, sign up for our EClub, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. More information can be found by visiting www.ocmarketplace.com.
About Orange County Market Place
The Orange County Market Place®, America’s most unique market, is a celebration of food, fun, value, and the entrepreneurial spirit. With hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, the Orange County Market Place has grown to become the centerpiece of the Orange County outdoor shopping experience. The Orange County Market Place®, founded in 1969, is owned and operated by Spectra and is located on the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa at Fair Drive and the 55 Freeway. The Orange County Market Place operates every Saturday and Sunday of the year except during the Orange County Fair in July/August. Operating hours for the general public are from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
About Spectra
Spectra by Comcast Spectacor is an industry leader in hosting and entertainment, partnering with clients to create memorable experiences for millions of visitors every year. Spectra’s unmatched blend of integrated services delivers incremental value for clients through several primary areas of expertise: Venue Management, Food Services & Hospitality, and Partnerships. Learn more at SpectraExperiences.com.
About Comcast Spectacor
Comcast Spectacor is part of Comcast Corporation, a global media and technology company that operates Comcast Cable and NBCUniversal. Headquartered in Philadelphia, Comcast Spectacor’s three core businesses are the National Hockey League’s Philadelphia Flyers, the Wells Fargo Center Complex, and Spectra, a leading hospitality firm that provides Venue Management, Food Services & Hospitality and Partnerships to more than 300 client properties in the United States, Canada, and Singapore. Visit us at ComcastSpectacor.com for more information.
Los Angeles – December 12, 2017 — Today, Jam City, a Los Angeles based mobile games studio, in partnership with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, announced a licensing agreement to create Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, the first game in which players can create their own character and experience life as a Hogwarts student. The game will launch under Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment’s Portkey Games, a new label dedicated to creating gaming experiences inspired by the magic and adventures of J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World.
“What an honor it is for Jam City to develop a mobile game for one of the largest and most iconic brands in history,” said Chris DeWolfe, co-founder and CEO of Jam City. “As Harry Potter fanatics ourselves, we have great respect for the millions of people throughout the world who have followed the Harry Potter stories for more than 20 years. This game is a labor of love for our developers and artists, who are dedicated to creating the most magical entertainment and game play experience for everyone who adores J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World.”
The new game lets Harry Potter fans live the dream of becoming a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry by creating their own character and progressing through their years at Hogwarts. Along the way players will participate in all of the magical classes and activities they have come to love – like Defence Against the Dark Arts, Potions, Duelling Club, and more. Most of the iconic professors from the Harry Potter stories reprise their roles in the game.
“Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery is a mobile gaming experience inspired by J.K. Rowling’s spell-binding lore, and it will be an exciting, fun way for fans to experience the Wizarding World,” said David Haddad, President, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. “It is great to work with Jam City on the game, as the company has a proven track record of bringing rich, beloved worlds to players of mobile entertainment.”
Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery is licensed by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and will be available next year for mobile devices via the App Store, Google Play, and the Amazon Appstore. For more details on Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery as they are revealed, and to connect with other Harry Potter fans as you await your owl, visit www.facebook.com/HPHogwartsMystery/, www.twitter.com/HogwartsMystery, and for more information visit www.HarryPotterHogwartsMystery.com/.
