Archive - 2017

EverSpace Gets Hardcore Mode, HOTAS Support, and Deluxe Edition

Hamburg, August 16, 2017 – Hamburg-based indie developer ROCKFISH Games just released a major update, adding the all-new Hardcore Mode, TrackIR, and fully customizable HOTAS (joystick) support to their fast-paced roguelike space shooter EVERSPACE™ on Steam and GOG.com. With this major update and the release of the original soundtrack and the official art book of EVERSPACE™, the veteran dev team delivers on the last remaining promises of their wildly successful Kickstarter from 2015, where they raised about $500,000 from close to 11,000 backers. Anyone who missed out on the soundtrack and the art book can now upgrade to the EVERSPACE™ Deluxe Edition for $9.99 on Steam.

The stand-alone Hardcore Mode offers a whole new level of challenge for veteran pilots. It is as demanding as hard difficulty, but players are not allowed to improve their starting conditions. Each new run starts out with the same fixed set of pilot perks and without any ship perks upgraded. Players can upgrade ship perks only at the end of each sector, provided they have collected enough credits. Hardcore Mode also introduces another nasty surprise: before entering a new sector, players must select from different “handicap” modifiers which have adverse effects on the overall gameplay, letting them choose between the frying pan or the fire.

In spite of the fact that the HOTAS support stretch goal was not unlocked, ROCKFISH Games also added fully customizable joystick support due to strong demand from the community. Now, space game enthusiasts can fully configure the controls layout including button and axis mapping, and even tweak settings for sensitivity and dead zones to their liking.

“EVERSPACE is still as fast-paced and twitchy as ever, so we still think that using the mouse and keyboard is the best way to fly. But, some of our fans have been pretty vocal about it, and we heard them loud and clear: they are finally able to use their HOTAS to pilot their space ship on their dangerous journey,” said Michael Schade, CEO and co-founder of ROCKFISH Games.

With this major patch, there are coming further features requested by the community, like options to toggle Motion Blur, Chromatic Aberration, different kinds of anti-aliasing, changing the screen percentage in non-VR Mode, Colorblind Mode, as well as mouse/keyboard controls and further improvements in VR. The complete changelog is available on the official EVERSPACE™ forum (requires registration): https://forum.everspace-game.com/categories/news.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance – Born From Ashes Trailer

August 17, 2017 – Warhorse Studios releases a new story trailer revealing unseen details for the upcoming medieval role-playing game Kingdom Come: Deliverance which will launch on February 13th 2018 for PlayStation®4, PC and Xbox One the all in one entertainment system from Microsoft. Pre-Order available on Steam. PlayStation®4 and Xbox One will follow in the near future for pre-order packages in their respective shops.

Knott’s Berry Farm Announces First Dive Coaster on the West Coast

Buena Park, Calif. – Knott’s Berry Farm will welcome HangTime, a brand new steel rollercoaster – and the only dive coaster on the West Coast – to the theme park in the 2018 summer season. HangTime will tower 150 feet over the Boardwalk area, showcasing gravity-defying inversions, mid-air suspensions and twisting dive tracks.

HangTime 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 once the highest peak is reached, and will leave riders suspended at the crest for several seconds staring downward at a 60-degree angle, giving the illusion of a disappearing track. Then the train will suddenly descend in a beyond-vertical drop, through 2,198 feet of steel track and five gravity-defying inversions. HangTime will be only the second rollercoaster in the Western Hemisphere to feature a negative-g stall loop, which gives riders the sensation of floating.

“HangTime’s disappearing track creates a memorable illusion of the unknown as riders feel like they are hanging over a cliff, staring at the ground in nervous anticipation,” said Jon Storbeck, vice president and general manager, Knott’s Berry Farm. “People who crave that adrenaline rush will want to ride this coaster again and again. Introducing a coaster like HangTime firmly positions Knott’s Berry Farm as a must see attraction among Southern California theme parks, and we look forward to welcoming our guests to this new experience.”

HangTime’s ride structure itself will come to life and illuminate the Boardwalk area with colorful nighttime track chase lighting that will accompany the coaster train’s travels across the smooth steel track. The coaster continues Knott’s legacy in rollercoaster innovation and industry firsts; the park introduced the very first corkscrew inversion rollercoaster with Corkscrew, and the first flywheel launch coaster with Montezuma’s Revenge.

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

Guests can experience an entire season of fun including the thrill of HangTime with a 2018 Knott’s Season Pass, on sale now at the best price of the year. A Regular Season Pass includes unlimited admission in 2018 to Knott’s Berry Farm with no blackout dates, and a Gold Season Pass includes unlimited admission in 2018 to both Knott’s Berry Farm and the newly expanded Knott’s Soak City Waterpark with no blackout dates. Regular passes are just $92 or nine easy payments of $10.22 and Gold Season Passes are $110 or nine payments of just $12.22. These offers end October 29, 2017. Applicable taxes and fees apply online. Payment plans are only available at knotts.com.

For more information about HangTime, Knott’s Berry Farm and Knott’s Season Passes, please visit knotts.com. Join the conversation about the newly announced dive coaster coming to Knott’s using #KnottsHangTime #KnottsBerryFarm.

F1 2017 Born to Be Wild Trailer

LARKSPUR, Calif. – August 16th, 2017 – With the impending release of F1 2017, the official videogame of the 2017 FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP™, Codemasters® and Deep Silver have today released a new trailer highlighting the thrilling racing that fans will soon be enjoying. The new trailer can be viewed on the game’s official YouTube channel:

Releasing worldwide on PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One, the all-in-one entertainment system by Microsoft, and Windows PC via Steam on August 25th, F1 2017 is the most feature-rich game in the franchise’s history.

Lee Mather, Creative Director for F1 2017 commented, “We cannot wait for fans to play F1 2017. This is the biggest F1 game we have ever created. Not only do we have the addition of classic cars and a greatly expanded career mode but we have made a number of improvements to the online experience, including introducing spectator spots which should be great for league play.

“We also think that Championships is going to be a real hit with fans as it offers new ways to play the game with different rule sets and structures compared to the normal World Championship. It really adds to the variety in the game.”

MASSIVELY EXPANDED CAREER:
Players can make history as they hone their skills and develop their car over multiple seasons in the Career. First, they create their driver by selecting from a range of avatars, including female drivers for the first time, helmet design (including community created versions), race number and then the team they want to begin their career with. The Research & Development system is heavily expanded, with 115 upgrades now available, while the player also has to manage their engine and gearbox. Earn resource points by taking part in new Practice Programmes including ‘Fuel Management’ and ‘Race Pace’. The classic cars also take centre stage in the enhanced career mode as players are invited to race them in the new Invitational events.

NEW ‘CHAMPIONSHIPS’ MODE AND GAMEPLAY TYPES:
Championship mode allows players to experience unique race events following different rules and structures from the official Championship in both modern and classic cars. For example, the Classic Street Series sees you race the iconic cars around the six streets circuits on the calendar.

NEW CLASSIC F1 CARS:
Get behind the wheel of 12* iconic F1 cars from the history of the sport. The classic cars are also integrated into the career mode, and can be raced in both Single Class and Multi Class Races. Players can race the following cars:

· 1995 Ferrari 412 T2
· 2002 Ferrari F2002
· 2004 Ferrari F2004
· 2007 Ferrari F2007
· 1988 McLaren MP4/4* – (DLC car in F1 2017 Special Edition)
· 1991 McLaren MP4/6
· 1998 McLaren MP4-13
· 2008 McLaren MP4 -23
· 1992 Williams FW14B
· 1996 Williams FW18
· 2006 Renault R26
· 2010 Red Bull Racing RB6

ALTERNATIVE TRACK LAYOUTS:
As well as the 20 official 2017 circuits, there are four additional shortened track layouts in the game for the first time: Britain, Bahrain, USA and Japan. Players can also race the stunning Monaco circuit at night.

ENHANCED MULTIPLAYER:
Race either the modern or classic cars online with a full grid of 20 players in both public and private sessions. The game now offers two dedicated “spectator” spots as well as improved multiplayer matchmaking, new online stats and levelling system, and all multiplayer session types.

Consumers who pre-order or purchase ‘Day One’ copies of F1 2017 will have access to the iconic 1988 McLaren MP4/4, as part of the ‘F1 2017 Special Edition.’ Alternatively, the McLaren MP4/4 car will be available to be purchased at a later date. The eleven other classic cars are available in all editions of the game.

Sinister Pointe Announces HEX Halloween Gala

Santa Ana, CA – On October 27th and 28th, you’re invited to raise a glass to the occult and join the coven as Orange County’s eSports Arena will be transformed into ‘HEX’, the most twisted, sinister, Halloween gala outside of Salem. This unique costume party will feature heart-pounding live entertainment, interactive mischief, and devilish delights all wrapped into a wiccan décor which will leave you with nightmarish visions.

Enjoy intoxicating tunes from Jason Jass, the DJ who has been captivating audiences at the Mad T Party since 2012, the popular “Alice in Wonderland” nighttime offering at Disney California Adventure. In addition, a special performance from Monte Revolta and his Band of the Living Dead will wake the spirits and have everyone running to the dance floor. The most shocking front man to ever crawl from the crypt has assembled a show-band unlike any other and they’re hungry to be the afterlife of the party. Taking a chainsaw to classic tunes and mashing them up with modern day hits, they’ve stitched together a Frankenstein’d monster of music that will have any audience rocking to their deaths and rotting in the aisles.

‘HEX’ is proud to bring choreographer Eddie Garcia, former Michael Jackson dancer from the Bad and Dangerous tours, along with performers from the Affenix Dance Center (featuring Brendan J Brasier) as they perform a high-​energy, infectious, and THRILLING performance guests will not soon forget.

If you dare, venture through our gypsy encampment and visit one of our oracles to uncover your final fate. Perhaps our snake enchantress will relieve your worry and charm you into submission with her boa constrictor, Monty Python. Among other surprise acts, who knows what the divine powers will unearth.

Through the night, enjoy delicious fare from our catering partner, Dogzilla – Winner of the “Best Food Truck” by The Orange County Register, CBS Los Angeles, and OC Hot List. Drink the night away with your own concocted mystical potions, brewed to bubble and boil before your very eyes at our themed bars – The Poison Post, Serums and Spirits, The Tipsy Crow, and Lynx Elixir’s Mixing Den. If you are looking for the ultimate VIP experience at this year’s hottest Halloween event reserving bottle service will be your only choice, please contact us at Sinister Pointe Customer Service to reserve your spot in the coven and pick your poison.

The rest of the details sit in the shadows—just make sure to dress devilishly, as this is a costume party after all, and get ready to paint the town dead.

Featured event partners and key sponsors include: See Tickets, Monster Energy Drink, and Crystal Head Vodka.

SCHEDULE AND TICKET INFO:

“HEX” will take place on consecutive nights; Friday, October 27th and Saturday, October 28th opening at 8:00pm and concluding at 2:00am.

Ticket sales begin Monday, August 14th at  and
See Tickets.

Updates on “HEX” will be available at Sinister Pointe and also on Instagram and Facebook, as Producer Jeff Schiefelbein reveals a running chronicle of exclusive information.

World of Tanks Getting New Music

August 16, 2017 — World of Tanks is happy to unveil the set list on new in-game music that will soon be taking the stage as well as celebrate the musical talents of its very own community. The heavy-metal band Sabaton and veteran musician Akira Yamaoka, known to be avid tankers, have brought a special vehicle into the game and created an epic music score, respectively.

The World of Tanks Audio Team is constantly improving in-game sounds and music to give players the most authentic and immersive experience possible. The next big step in this mission will be an original soundtrack and sound effects for each map, provided by the team and in collaboration with musicians from around the world.

“Music is an important part of the gaming experience and these new soundtracks will inject a burst of life to World of Tanks,” said Maxim Chuvalov, World of Tanks Marketing Director. “Working closely with talented musicians like Sabaton and Akira Yamaoka was an awesome experience for us. Yamaoka-san’s track will be added to the OST as a gift to the World of Tanks community and fans will be able to check it out soon. Together with Sabaton, who are keen World of Tanks players, we’re releasing a new, awesome music video, which will drop today. There’s no doubt that a lot of talented people make up our community and we love inspiring them.”

“We are just as thrilled as Wargaming to release a World of Tanks-style music video for one of our most famous songs—Primo Victoria,” said Pär Sundström, bass player of Sabaton. “The shooting took place at Arsenalen Tank Museum in Sweden, and not far from Minsk. It was a true experience for us to ride real tanks and even crash one through a wall. Being involved in the creation of the music video and in-game content for the game is an honor for us. We put our heart and soul into it and are excited to present the results of our collaboration to the global community of tankers that we’re a part of.”

Today, the game is releasing a World of Tanks drive-style music video created in cooperation with Sabaton. Directed by famous German music video and commercial director Zoran Bihac, the video features the famous Sabaton song “Primo Victoria” and brings out heavy metal and the emotions felt in the heat of battle to create a new genre—Tank Metal.

Fans can expect more Tank Metal coming to World of Tanks. On August 17, the first ever music-inspired tank, the Strv 81 Primo Victoria, will be available in-game with some rocking camo and unique features like a Sabaton crew with a captain’s VO.

If all that isn’t enough to strike a chord, Wargaming will be bringing Sabaton and Akira Yamaoka to gamescom 2017. The guys will be hitting the Wargaming booth, with Sabaton treating fans to a live performance and making this year’s event something you don’t want to miss out on.

Elgato Stream Deck Announces XSplit Support

SAN FRANCISCO – August 16, 2017 – Elgato Gaming today announced XSplit software support for Stream Deck. With this API level integration, content creators who use XSplit as their primary software for recording and streaming can now easily control all aspects of their XSplit configuration directly with Stream Deck. Stream Deck is a professional-studio-grade controller that allows content creators to better manage their live broadcasts. The Stream Deck App supports many additional popular applications and services, including Elgato Game Capture, OBS, Twitch, Twitter and Tipeeestream, with plans to extend software support through regular, free updates.

Stream Deck v1.3 is now available via the Stream Deck app, and as a free download on the Elgato Gaming website: https://www.elgato.com/en/gaming/downloads

“Iterating based on community feedback is a big part of our process at Elgato, and XSplit integration has been one of the most popular requests for Stream Deck,” said Julian Fest, General Manager of Elgato Gaming. “This software update brings the effortless Stream Deck experience to XSplit, making switching scenes, launching media, and interacting with the audience easier than ever.”

“We’re always looking for strong partnerships that help us further support content creators, and joining the Stream Deck ecosystem was an easy decision,” said John Howe-Marshall, Chief Marketing Officer at SplitmediaLabs. “Stream Deck empowers content creators to take control of their livestreams and makes it easy for them to produce high-quality content, and this integration gives our XSplit family the opportunity to access this technology and elevate their production value.”

Stream Deck simplifies complicated workflows by allowing creators to easily switch scenes, launch media, send tweets, control chat, and configure up to 210 actions using a simple 15 LCD key setup with visual and haptic feedback. By supporting popular software in the Stream Deck ecosystem, Elgato Gaming helps creators further simplify their workflow and control their various streaming tools from a central device.

The Evil Within 2 The Twisted and Deadly Photographer Trailer

August 16, 2017 – We’ve just released a new trailer for The Evil Within 2. Not only will Sebastian have to contend with the myriad horrific creatures waiting for him in The Evil Within 2, he’ll also have to deal with the human “monsters” who have made their way into the new STEM world. Wretched creatures like Stefano Valentini, an artist with dark proclivities and unbounded imagination. You’ll see examples of his work scattered throughout Union – from grisly photographs of his victims, to the “moment of death” tableaus he creates, capturing the last seconds of a person’s life in a tangible, looping scene. Learn more about the man behind the art in the latest trailer for The Evil Within 2.

After losing his eye in an explosion during his time as a war photographer, Stefano rapidly descended into madness. His newfound “vision” drove him to become fascinated by the precise instant when death takes a person – that split second in time when people are, in his opinion, at their most open and most beautiful. Stefano returned home from the war with a newfound purpose. But he wouldn’t wait for these perfect moments to arise on their own. Why should he, when he could orchestrate those final breaths? One victim became two, and soon enough he had become a serial killer, photographing each of his victims’ faces at the exact moment of their demise.

But the real world could never appreciate his talents. Stefano was hunted, until he found himself in this STEM world – a world of “pure creation.” A world he could shape to suit his own desires. And Lily is the key to unlocking the potential of this world.

And he’s not alone in his endeavors. Born from an untethered and immoral imagination and sculpted from blood and bone and flesh, Obscura is one of Stefano’s greatest masterpieces. Somewhere inside of Obscura is a story from another life, long before Stefano ever even learned of the existence of STEM – a story you’ll have to uncover for yourself as you explore Union and discover more about the twisted artist behind some of the horrors hunting you. Check out Bethesda.net for even more details.

The Evil Within 2 will launch worldwide Friday the 13th, October 2017 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. The Evil Within 2 has not yet been rated by the ESRB. For more information about the game, visit www.TheEvilWithin.com

Empyre: Lords of the Sea Gates Launch Date

Auburn, New Hampshire – August 16, 2017 – Coin Operated Games announces today that its upcoming Neo-Victorian RPG Empyre: Lords of the Sea Gates, will be coming to PC via Steam starting on October 4, 2017. Developed by a team of industry veterans from such influential companies as Crytek, Creative Assembly, Codemasters and Digital Reality, Empyre: Lords of the Sea Gates is a top-down isometric RPG that takes place in an alternate industrial New York circa 1911.

… water is everywhere but none of it to drink…

Empyre: Lords of the Sea Gates features an original story penned by renowned writer/comic artist Paul Noth, a staff cartoonist for The New Yorker magazine, where his work has appeared regularly since 2004. He created the Emmy-nominated animated series “Pale Force” for Late Night with Conan O’Brien and was animation consultant for Saturday Night Live. He’s also developed shows for Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Nickelodeon, and his trilogy of middle-grade novels will be published by Bloomsbury, starting in April of 2018 with “How to Sell Your Family to the Aliens.”

“After writing for different media throughout my career, I’m very excited to be working with Coin Operated Games to write their video game script,” said Paul Noth. “The world that has been created in Empyre: Lords of the Sea Gates is amazing and truly unique, so I’m thrilled to be able to develop a story set in this new world.”

Although set in a fictional, alternate history, the game pays homage to historic accounts by adding authentic items such as patent medicines including poisons or tonics made from dangerous ingredients. Many of the games’ objectives and side quests will tie directly into the experiences that someone in the 19th century would have. The game’s authenticity reflects scenes from New York circa 1900, while tying the storyline to current day themes such as global warming and the rising of the oceans.

“We are very honored that Paul is working with us on the storyline for Empyre: Lords of the Sea Gates,” said John Randall, Creative Director of Empyre. “He is a world class writer, and has been invaluable to us with helping to shape the direction of our games’ signature Neo-Victorian story and experience.”

Currently in development by Coin Operated Games, Empyre: Lords of the Sea Gates will be available via Steam on October 4, 2017. More information will be shared in the coming weeks once the waters die down…

For more product information, visit www.empyrethegame.com, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Empyrethegame-272522026282358/, Twitter at https://twitter.com/EmpyreTheGame #nowatertodrink and on YouTube athttps://www.youtube.com/user/EmpyreTheGame

This October, there will be #nowatertodrink

PREY Trial Released

August 16, 2017 – Don’t miss the mind-bending sci-fi adventure that some are already calling one of the best games of 2017. If you’re a PC gamer and haven’t yet played Prey, now you have the perfect opportunity. Starting today, the critically acclaimed game from the masterminds at Arkane Studios will be available as a PC trial for the first-time ever.

Check out the newly released video to celebrate the trial at:

Also today, Prey will shift from a demo to a trial on both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. That means anyone who wants to test out Prey ahead of a purchase can retain their progress along with any Trophies/Achievements earned during the trial.

In Prey, you awaken aboard Talos I, a space station orbiting the moon in the year 2032. You are the key subject of an experiment meant to alter humanity forever – but things have gone terribly wrong. The space station has been overrun by hostile aliens and you are now being hunted. As you dig into the dark secrets of Talos I and your own past, you must survive using the tools found on the station, your wits, weapons, and mind-bending abilities.

Prey  has been rated M for mature by the ESRB.