Archive - 2017

Ubisoft Unveils Gamescom 2017 Line-Up

2017/08/07
boothby
Geek News, News

PARIS — August 7, 2017 — Today, Ubisoft reveals its full lineup for gamescom, the world’s largest consumer video game event, which takes place from August 22–26 in Cologne, Germany. Visitors will be able to play hands-on demos of Assassin’s Creed® Origins, Far Cry® 5, Mario + Rabbids® Kingdom Battle, South Park™: The Fractured But Whole™ and The Crew® 2 as well as compete against each other in For Honor® and Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six® Siege.

Fan activities will be planned throughout the week at the Ubisoft booth (located in Hall 6.1, booth B020), including stage performances for Just Dance® 2018 and exclusive presentations, news, demos, trailers and giveaways. Visitors will also be able to buy Ubicollectibles items, including new Six Collection Chibi figurines, at the dedicated Ubisoft store which will be located hall 5.2 booth c-011.

The Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six® Pro League Season 2 Finals will be held at the Alpha Stage ESL Arena in Hall 9 during gamescom. The semi-finals will take place on Friday, August 25, and the Season 2 finals will take place on Saturday, August 26. There will be broadcasts from 9:45 am to 8 pm CET, including matches, live showcases of new content, as well as developer and community panels.

Ubisoft will be rewarding some of its most dedicated fans, inviting 15 Star Players, chosen from Ubisoft Club members, to enjoy a VIP experience and the chance to meet and greet Ubisoft developers. In addition, anyone who plays games on the Ubisoft booth at Gamescom will receive exclusive in-game rewards for some Ubisoft titles and have the opportunity to spend time in the Ubisoft Lounge, located within the booth, for meet and greets, demos and discussions about games. For more on Ubisoft Club activities during gamescom, please visit twitter.com/ubisoftclub.

“We are very excited to be able to put our diverse lineup in players’ hands in Europe, following the great reception it received at E3 in June,” said Alain Corre, EMEA executive director. “More than 300 pods, the most we’ve ever had at gamescom, will be set up for players to enjoy our new games and share their feedback with us. And by showcasing new content and competitive play in For Honor and Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, as well as the Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Pro League Season 2 finals for the latter, we’re happy to reassure fans that these titles are here to stay!”

For more about Ubisoft at gamescom, visit ubisoft.com, youtube.com/ubisoft and blog.ubi.com.

Motorsport Manager Challenge Pack Trailer

2017/08/07
boothby
Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

August 7, 2017 – Are you up to the challenge? The season has taken a horrific turn for the worse. During the tenth race your star driver was involved in a severe crash and is confined to the infirmary for the next few races: can you put everything in place for an epic comeback? Find out with the latest DLC for Motorsport Manager. SEGA® Europe Ltd. and Playsport Games™ confirm the new DLC and free update for Motorsport Manager PC will be available to pre-purchase starting today with a 10% discount, before releasing on Monday, August 21st.

The Challenge Pack DLC, which will release alongside a free update, includes 12 new challenges, some taking inspiration from motor racing history. The challenges range from having to deal with the controversially proposed rule of race sprinklers, your factory burning down hindering you from making new parts, or having to manage the Chairman’s frat-boy son who is now your lead driver! Each challenge lasts for a different amount of time, from a single race to an entire season, and will put the most experienced motorsport manager to the test.

The free update, The Devil is in the Detail, is sure to bring drama and increase the tension with more in-depth features than ever before, including lap charts, weight stripping and dynamic driver mistakes on the track. Weight stripping is a new mechanic within the game that allows the player to shave weight off parts to increase performance, adding loads of last-minute reliability drama! Much-requested by the community, managers can now save and load car setups too.

To hear more about both the new DLC and the free update check out the latest video from the development team, Team Radio, with Luke Finlay-Maxwell, Designer, Playsport Games.

To keep up to speed with all our latest news and updates, log on to www.motorsportmanager.net  and follow us on social media for game updates and general motorsport chat at www.twitter.com/playmotorsport & www.facebook.com/playmotorsport.

Surf World Series Tricks Trailer and Release Date

2017/08/07
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

Portsmouth, UK, 7th August 2017 – UK-based independent developer Climax Studios today announced that their upcoming surf game Surf World Series will be releasing on PlayStation 4 on August 29th, and Xbox One and PC (Steam) on 30th August, priced at £11.99 / 14.99€ / $14.99. A free demo version of Surf World Series is also launching today, and will be available to download on all platforms. is launching today on PS4 and Xbox One, and will be available to download on Steam later this week.

Surf World Series celebrates the thrill of pure arcade-style surfing, where players will be able to:

  • Ride monster waves at 5 of the world’s most iconic shorelines, from the infamous Bell’s Beach, Australia, to the extreme waves at Waimea Bay, Hawaii.
  • Become masters of the waves, learning increasingly difficult tricks along the way, from nailing kickflips and cutbacks, to landing massive aerials and navigating treacherous tubes.
  • Trick their way through 44 single player challenges, or carve up the competition online against 15 other players across 3 different online game modes.
  • Rank up and unlock thousands of customization options to stamp their own style on their journey to become a surf legend.

For more information visit Surf World Series website, follow the game on Twitter or like it on Facebook.

About Climax Studios

Climax Studios is an independent games developer based in Portsmouth, UK, with a mission to create games with guts that blow away gamers and reviewers alike. Throughout their 25 year history they have consistently delivered great games, from original IP to conversions and ports, across all genres and platforms, working on franchises such as Assassin’s Creed, Silent Hill, Resogun, Serious Sam, Dirt Rally, Castlevania and Diablo.

 

Surf World Series will be published by Vision Games Publishing Ltd.

ScareLA 2017 Post-Mortem

2017/08/07
Jennifer Paxton
Geek News, Halloween, News, Screenshots / Photos

We got the chance to check out ScareLA 2017, a horror and Halloween convention, this past weekend. Unfortunately, our experience left much to be desired. This year, the event moved from it’s long-time home at the Pasadena Convention Center to the Los Angeles Convention Center. With the change in venues to Los Angeles, I had hoped they were experiencing a crunch of not having enough room for their exhibitors. More exhibitors means more stuff for attendees to see and purchase, which makes everyone happy. Unfortunately, exhibitors were purposefully spaced out from one another in an effort to fill the West Hall of the LA Convention Center, and this created an empty feeling throughout. There was a lot of unused space that could have been taken up by booths or shows or anything. Additionally, the West Hall of the LA Convention Center was very dimly-lit, and not in the spooky way. It is a very large space and the overhead lighting is not really bright enough to properly light it. This is why at E3 Expo, we usually see lighting elements on all the booths carpeting the hall (not to mention that it also makes their booth more eye-catching). Also, the West Hall food court was available to guests, but its food quality isn’t the best and LA Live is a bit of a hike from there, leaving people (especially those with mobility issues) fewer options for lunch.

The Scarywood Dark Zone was something of a mess, with a windy pathway that seemed to be severely lacking in mini-haunt experiences. The Decayed Brigade slider group was putting on a show when we walked through, and they were engaged in an audio war with the Rhythm Coffin Show band playing forty feet away. Someone should have timed that better so they didn’t blast guests with two entirely different audio tracks at the same time. I walked out of Scarywood with a quizzical look upon my face, unsure of what I just walked through.

There were several bright spots in the event, of course. Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights unveiled two brand-new attractions based on the “Titans of Terror”, the merging of iconic horror characters Freddy Kruger, Leatherface, and Jason Voorhees. The LA Convention Center is next to LA Live, but it is a bit of a walk as opposed to last year’s being right next to the marketplace with plenty of food options. There were some cool classes that people could attend (with the proper pass) including some on horror marketing, mask creation, and tips on succeeding in the haunted house business. They also had an array of celebrity appearances, like Dave Fennoy (Telltale Games The Walking Dead), Naomi Grossman (American Horror Story), and Jake Busey (Starship Troopers) to name just a few. They also had the local blood bank bring their truck into the hall to take blood donations, a noble and worthy cause.

Overall, this year’s Scare LA event was somewhat of a letdown, and I hope that the management team can regroup and create a better event for next year. If they rent out the entire West Hall of the LA Convention Center, they really need to fill it with everything they can. I would love to see them return to Pasadena, that city’s convention center has better lighting and is closer to an array of tasty restaurants.

Photo Gallery

Midsummer Scream 2017 Post-Mortem

2017/08/07
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, Halloween, News, Screenshots / Photos

Midsummer Scream 2017 has come and, unfortunately, gone for another year. This year’s event completely blew away their 2016 offering, which was already an amazing horror/Halloween convention. This year, the event saw even more panels, exhibitors, and mini-haunt experiences for guests to enjoy. Additionally, the screening room featured a number of horror shorts to view over the course of the weekend.

Knott’s Scary Farm announced the last year for Elvira to perform in the park as well as a revised Trick or Treat maze. Universal Studios went into more detail on their upcoming maze based on The Shining and some of their street zone areas. The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor crew hosted a panel where they announced a new maze and featured “Chef” character. Also of note was the panel for Into the Black, an upcoming four-part haunted attraction experience from Larry Bones, owner of Boneyard Effects. The Hall of Shadows was back, bigger and better with way more haunted experiences to take in. Also of note was the sliding group known as the Decayed Brigade. Made up of former and current scare actors, the group performs cool acrobatic stunts by throwing their bodies against a smooth runway and sliding along the ground.

I also want to give a shout out to the Long Beach Convention Center which has, hands down, the best convention center food in Southern California. I have eaten at most of the big convention centers in this area and Long Beach sells custom sandwiches, gourmet coffee, and a lot more. We preferred to eat at their cafe instead of walking across the street to outside restaurants.

The biggest issue we experienced during our visit to Midsummer Scream was getting from the convention center to the main stage, which was located at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center. The walk in between was a bit of a chore, having attendees cross a narrow pedestrian bridge in a construction zone. The upside, of course, was getting to utilize the large house space of the Performing Arts Center, so it’s a trade-off. However, it is a shame there isn’t an internal walkway connecting the buildings.

Overall, Midsummer Scream was even better than last year’s offering, and it now marks the official start of the Halloween journalism season. The next upcoming event is ScareLA and then we begin preview events for the big haunted attractions out there. Stay-tuned for more!

Gallery

Halloween Horror Nights Announces Titans of Terror Maze and Tram Experience

2017/08/05
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, Halloween, News, Trailers / Videos

Universal City, CA, August 7, 2017 – Universal Studios Hollywood unites four slasher film legends—Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, Leatherface and Chucky—in two all-new terrifying “Titans of Terror” experiences as part of this year’s “Halloween Horror Nights” event which kicks off Friday, September 15, 2017.

In the new “Titans of Terror” maze, guests will fall victim to the silver screen’s most deplorable killers whose affinity for bladed weapons redefined the horror movie genre as slasher films: Leatherface (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) wielding his iconic chainsaw, Jason Voorhees (Friday the 13th) brandishing his relentless machete, and Freddy Krueger (A Nightmare on Elm Street) swiping his trademark glove armed with razor blades. The new maze will be an assault on guests’ sensibilities as they descend into the forbidden realms of these horror icons.

Taking terror to an unspeakable level of bloodcurdling screams, the “Titans of Terror Tram Hosted by Chucky” will transport guests into a nightmare of carnage pitting guests against these four modern horror icons, this time led by infamous serial killer doll Chucky (Child’s Play franchise). With his faithful army of degenerate chainsaw-wielding Good Guy Dolls, Chucky will unleash havoc upon guests as they navigate a portion of the world-famous backlot.

Further “Terror Tram” encounters will include Jason Voorhees (Friday the 13th) at the Crystal Lake Motel where he slaughters newly arrived camp counselors; an ominous confrontation with Freddy Krueger (A Nightmare on Elm Street) who takes his ultimate revenge on the town of Springwood; and a final foray through the barn from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, where Leatherface and the Sawyer family butcher victims for their cannibal cuisine.

Unique to Universal Studios Hollywood, the “Terror Tram” enables “Halloween Horror Nights” guests to walk along an area of the famed movie and television studio, where such sets as the Psycho House and the Bates Motel from Alfred Hitchcock’s classic thriller, and Steven Spielberg’s War of the Worlds, are located.

“Halloween Horror Nights” at Universal Studios Hollywood brings together the sickest minds in horror to immerse guests in a living, breathing, three-dimensional world of terror. Featuring an all-new slate of unrivaled film production quality mazes and frightful scare zones, “Halloween Horror Nights” will taunt, terrorize and torment guests with spine-chilling haunted attractions as part of Southern California’s most extreme Halloween experience.

Updates on “Halloween Horror Nights” at Universal Studios Hollywood are available online at HalloweenHorrorNights.com/Hollywood and on Facebook at: “Halloween Horror Nights – Hollywood,” Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter at @HorrorNights as Creative Director John Murdy reveals a running chronicle of exclusive information. Watch videos on Halloween Horror Nights YouTube and join the conversation using #UniversalHHN.

Release Date Announced for Hearthstone’s Knights of the Frozen Throne

2017/08/04
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

August 4, 2017 – Exciting news today – we are announcing the release date for Knights of the Frozen Throne expansion – August 10, 2017! I’ve included a brief recap of what players can expect in the upcoming expansion at the bottom of this email.

We’re also unveiling the next episode of the Lich King at Blizzard videos, which continues the story of the Lord of the Scourge’s plans to assert dominance over the Hearthstone Team. So far, he has interviewed for a job at Blizzard’s HQ, then started an esports team – The Frozen Pwn, and opened an Ice Cream Citadel. Today, he begins his first indomitable steps at Blizzard. Let’s see how well he fares:

In case you’re not caught up on the cards we’ve revealed for Knights of the Frozen Throne, you can check out the gallery here (more to come): http://blizz.ly/2feXfvS

Bloody Zombies Launch Date and Pre-Order Details

2017/08/04
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Windows PC News

(Farnborough, United Kingdom) August 4, 2017 — nDreams, the UK’s leading publisher and developer of VR content, and Paw Print Games have announced the E3 award-winning co-op brawler Bloody Zombies will launch September 12th for £10.99/€13.49/$14.99 on VR headsets (Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, PlayStation®VR) and gaming platforms (PlayStation®4 (PS4™), Xbox One, and PC’s. Beginning today, brawlers who pre-order Bloody Zombies through PlayStation®Store (PlayStation®Plus members only) or Steam will receive a 10% discount.

Bloody Zombies is a one-to-four player co-op brawler designed to be played with any combination of TV and VR players, online or on the couch. Set in a London wasteland, bloody zombies have taken over the city and four rough-and-tough cockney misfits must work together to beat back the rotting hordes.

Bloody Zombies features easily accessible moves, deep freeform combat, and brutal chainable combos. Players can also unlock special moves and discover melee weapons to expand their zombie-slaying abilities. The enhanced VR viewpoint means VR players can also find in-game secrets, provide tactical support, and conquer obstacles using a unique diorama view.

David Corless, VP of Publishing, nDreams, said:

“Bloody Zombies is a classic co-op brawler but with a new twist where VR players and non-VR players can battle the undead together, either online or couch co-op. Think Streets of Rage and Castle Crashers on amphetamines, throw in some friends, add in the unique viewpoint when playing in VR and Bloody Zombies is like no other game out there!”

Anthony White, Co-Founder and Director at Paw Print Games, said:

“We’re massive fans of brawler games and have spent countless hours analyzing the genre, crafting Bloody Zombies in to a modern interpretation of the classics. VR adds a new twist to what is already a great TV experience; enhancing the gameplay and visuals and adding a wow factor. We can’t wait for people to get their hands on Bloody Zombies…”

Bloody Zombies Worldwide Pre-Order Pages:

PlayStation®Store Page

Steam Page

Crytek Releases First Dev Diary for HUNT: Showdown

2017/08/04
boothby
Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

August 4, 2017 – Crytek has released the first developer diary for Hunt: Showdown, its upcoming PvP monster-hunting game. In the video, various members of the Crytek team, including creative director Magnus Larbrant and level design director Chris Auty, discuss the title’s origins, from its debut at E3 2014 to the many evolutions that brought it back to huge acclaim at E3 this June.

Hunt: Showdown pits you and a co-op partner against monstrous creatures, treacherous environments and other teams of rival players in pursuit of dangerous bounties through the dark swamps of Louisiana during the Old West. Use stealth, cunning, bold tactics and quick-trigger instincts to evade or eliminate the competition, track down and vanquish your prey, and escape in one piece with your trophy.

Hunt: Showdown is currently in development for Windows PC. You can learn more at www.huntshowdown.com, and follow the Hunt team on Twitter and Facebook.

Path of Exile: The Fall of Oriath Launches on PC

2017/08/04
boothby
Geek News, News, Windows PC News

Auckland, New Zealand – August 4, 2017 – Grinding Gear Games has announced today that its highly anticipated massive expansion, Path of Exile: The Fall of Oriath, has officially launched for PC after a very successful beta. Players interested in joining can go to: https://www.pathofexile.com/oriath to sign up. Path of Exile: The Fall of Oriath is completely free to play -but never “pay to win.”

“We invited our community to play the Beta for The Fall of Oriath and received lots of valuable feedback, said Chris Wilson, managing director of Grinding Gear Games. “Systems such as the Pantheon Powers, balance of Power and Frenzy Charges and monster variety in the new content have been directly improved as a result of the communication between our community and the developers during the Beta. We’re extremely happy with how the Beta went and are excited to open up The Fall of Oriath to a broad group of players upon release!”

Path of Exile: The Fall of Oriath is Grinding Gear’s largest launch of new content since the original game debuted in October 2013. The game features six brand new acts – doubling the size of current game. The Fall of Oriath also introduces a new Pantheon character-customization system that lets players wield the power of the gods themselves.

Path of Exile: The Fall of Oriath Features:

  • Act 5: The Fall of Oriath:  Return to Oriath. Home to the oppressive templar theorcracy. Explore frozen mountaintops, pristine temples and anarchic city streets. Leave a trail of furious destruction as you seek vengeance for your exile.
  • A Single Playthrough, A Complete Story: The previous difficulty level system has been removed to make room for another five brand new acts, bringing to the total to ten. In these five acts, you will weave through both new and familiar locations and witness the drastic results of your past actions.
  • Claim the Power of the Gods: Path of Exile’s new pantheon system provides you with potent powers taken from the gods themselves. But beware, the gods won’t go down without a fight.
  • New Ways to Play: With dozens of new items, new skills, new locations, new boss fights and more, Path of Exile: The Fall of Oriath will keep even the most die-hard fans busy for many months to come.