Archive - 2017

SteelSeries Launches 1:1 TrueMove Gaming Mice

2017/08/01
Jennifer Paxton
Geek News, News, Peripherals News, Trailers / Videos

CHICAGO – August 1, 2017 – SteelSeries, the fastest growing major PC gaming headset brand in the US*, today sets a new standard in gaming mouse sensor technology with the launch of the SteelSeries TrueMove3 optical sensor, engineered in partnership with PixArt, becoming the first true 1-to-1 sensor. SteelSeries releases the TrueMove3 sensor exclusively in the newly designed Sensei 310 and Rival 310 gaming mice.

“We are launching the first true, esports sensor,” said Ehtisham Rabbani, SteelSeries CEO. “Our brand was built more than 15 years ago to help esports pros win championships. We are proud and humbled that our gear has won more prize money than any other brand. We have done this by ignoring conventional wisdom, and focusing on what truly makes esports pros better – out of that quest comes the new TrueMove sensor.”

The TrueMove3 Sensor – The First True Esports Sensor

The TrueMove3 is a 12,000 CPI, 350 IPS optical sensor that SteelSeries built with sensor industry leader, PixArt. Its ultra-low-latency, rapid-response tracking delivers the most natural and accurate mouse movement. Unlike other mouse sensors bogged down with inefficient jitter reduction and tracking latency, TrueMove3’s 1-to-1 tracking from 100 to 3,500 CPI delivers true esports performance. No other gaming mouse in the world has ever offered this.

From 3,500 to 12,000 CPI the TrueMove3 uses new, advanced jitter reduction to deliver natural mouse movement without slowing down response time. The custom-engineered TrueMove3 SROM dramatically reduces response time and greatly increases accuracy.

Thanks to the exclusive collaboration with PixArt, the TrueMove3 is the first sensor of its kind and is only available in the Sensei 310 and Rival 310.

EG Dota 2 player, Syed “SumaiL” Hassan says, “I win because I work hard to be the best, and I need gear that can keep up – a mouse that makes me forget that I’m even using it. That’s what we need as players, gear to match our pace and be an extension of us. I’ve been winning LAN’s using a prototype of the Sensei 310 since early this year – now it’s my mouse, and, when I’m finished with it, it will have won millions.”

Sensei 310 – The Master Respawns

The legendary SteelSeries Sensei is back with enhanced technology and features in the acclaimed ambidextrous Sensei design. The mouse features 8-programmable buttons, the industry’s first pure silicone side grips, a new, exclusive split-trigger button design with mechanical switches that guarantee an industry-leading 50-million clicks ensuring lifelong durability for a fast and consistent click feel.

Rival 310 – The Right Hand

The Rival 310 is the newest member of the Rival line. The new Rival 310 shares all the same features and sensor as the Sensei 310, but in an ergonomic, right-handed design that the Rival line is recognized for. The new esports mouse includes six programmable buttons and a soft resistance-free rubber cable.

SteelSeries Engine Software

On-board memory allows the user to save settings, so gamers don’t need to reconfigure their settings for the mouse on different computers. The mouse is also compatible with SteelSeries Engine Apps like PrismSync and GameSense lighting to provide synchronized lighting effects across SteelSeries devices and display reactive illumination responses to in-game events.

The Sensei 310 and Rival 310 exclusively featuring SteelSeries TrueMove3 Sensor are available now on SteelSeries website each for $59.99 / €69.99. For more information about SteelSeries’ Rival 310, Sensei 310 or SteelSeries complete selection of gaming accessories, visit www.steelseries.com/1.

Dreadnought PlayStation 4 Now in Open Beta

2017/08/01
boothby
Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos

HOUSTON and BERLIN – Aug. 1, 2017 – Grey Box, Six Foot and independent developer YAGER have launched Dreadnought, the class-based spaceship action game, into free-to-play open beta for all users on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system via the PlayStation®Store. The console-exclusive Hactar Hero Ship, a new ShareFactory theme, and two dynamic themes for the title are also available for free today through the PlayStation®Store.

In addition to the maps featured in closed beta, the PlayStation®4 open beta of Dreadnought introduces two game maps new to consoles and six bonus night map variations. It includes four game types: Team Deathmatch, Team Elimination, Training, and Havoc modes. Havoc is a cooperative mode exclusive to PlayStation®4 in which three players attempt to survive as long as possible against progressively tougher waves of enemies using ships they select and upgrade over the course of each match.

Dreadnought puts players in the captain’s chair of massive capital ships and on the front lines of tactical, team-based battles across a variety of competitive, multiplayer game modes. There are more than 50 playable vessels to master, each customizable with an array of weapons, modules, coatings and decals. Five distinct ship classes, specializing in vital roles like frontline assault, long-range bombardment, strategic support and more, offer captains unique powers to exploit the enemy team’s weaknesses and claim victory.

Dreadnought is being created for the PlayStation®4 by lead developer YAGER and co-developer Iron Galaxy Studios in partnership with Six Foot and Grey Box. It is also currently in open beta on Windows PC.

For further updates as open beta progresses, follow Dreadnought on Facebook, Twitter and Twitch.

Resident Evil Revelations Gets Release Date

2017/08/01
boothby
Geek News, News, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 News, Screenshots / Photos, Xbox One News

August 1, 2017 – Now updated for current generation consoles, Resident Evil Revelations is the acclaimed survival horror title featuring series veterans Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield as they investigate the reportedly abandoned “Queen Zenobia” cruise ship. This new version features a smoother 1920×1080 resolution, an improved framerate, increased environmental detail and refined creature movement, defining the best-looking version of the game to date. All previously released downloadable content is also included in the game as unlockable rewards.

Take on hordes of enemies with a friend online in the returning Raid Mode, which includes “The Ghost Ship: Chaos,” a fresh take on the popular stage with more powerful weapons and ways for players to upgrade their arsenal, and remixed enemy placements for an added challenge. Additionally, four controller schemes based on control types from across the entire series are available in this version of the game for a more flexible experience to accommodate different playstyles.

Resident Evil Revelations launches in North America at retail and digitally on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One August 29 for $19.99. A Nintendo Switch release of both Resident Evil Revelations and its follow up Resident Evil Revelations 2, which features series favorites like Claire Redfield and Barry Burton as they face untold horror, will also be available in Late 2017.

LA Haunted Hayride Announces ‘CLOWN’ for 2017

2017/08/01
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, Halloween, News

August 1, 2017 – Ten Thirty One Productions (TTO) is excited to announce the highly anticipated return of the most popular Halloween attraction in the country, the Los Angeles Haunted Hayride coming September 29th to Griffith Park with limited pre-sale tickets available now. TTO will allow guests to come face-to-face with their biggest, darkest fears for the scariest Halloween immersion experience on the West Coast.

Los Angeles Haunted Hayride (@LAHauntedHayride) returns with the most thrilling ride yet as guests become completely absorbed within the experience. Clown will feature four zones guaranteed to make your skin crawl: Haunted Hayride, House Of Shadows, Trick Or Treat, and Purgatory. Take a seat on our Haunted Hayride as we slither through the genuinely haunted woods of Griffith Park’s Old Zoo. Meet a legion of vicious clowns waiting with more psychopathic fun than any wagon can handle. And if you think you know clowns…you don’t know our clowns. The evolution of demonic apparitions that live within these trees have created a darkness that will leave with you and infiltrate your dreams. Clown – will literally have you on the edge of your seat and then forced out of those seats as you become immersed within your darkest fears escaping on foot to experience the winding, weaving Corn Maze smack dab in the middle of the ride! This year’s hayride will be your favorite hayride to date. We are sure of it.

“Hayride fans have been asking us to bring back the Clown Tent Finale for years. We just couldn’t escape it. Once we started we got so sucked into this rabbit hole of incredible clown content that we couldn’t just do one finale scene. So we decided to take the number one fan favorite experience of our entire history and make it the entire 30 acre attraction. I don’t think I’ve been this excited for the hayride since year one ” explains TTO CEO and Haunted Hayride Founder and author of the upcoming book “READY FIRE AIM: How I Turned a Hobby into an Empire”, Melissa Carbone (@MelCarbs).

Our legendary fan favorite scare zone, House of Shadows, will leave you completely blinded in total darkness, as the shadows of the most vicious, ugliest and depraved souls chase you through the re-imagined, colossally possessed demonic house – Southern California’s only true dark maze! At Trick Or Treat, it’s Halloween every night. Go get candy from strangers! The interactive neighborhood has doubled in size and has tripled the mischief. The suburb of Hell welcomes trick-or-treaters to go door to door and come face to face with its freakish occupants. You’ve always known your neighbors were a little off, so tonight let’s pull back the curtain. “Ding Dong!”

An ALL NEW layout may just make Purgatory the best part of the entire attraction. The charm and magic of our old world ‘haunted village’ invokes the nostalgia of Halloweens past; smell the freshly cut hay, feel the chill of cold fog, and see the deep, rich orange glow of jack o’ lanterns as you pass through our gates. Become a part of the show at Theatre Macabre, ride the Scary-Go-Round, enjoy food & drink at the Grub Shack, shop in the Bootique, visit a psychic, and get ready to see Purgatory like you’ve never seen it before from a seat around our 20-foot Living Bonfire that will send your jaws to the ground. Get ready for this never before seen spectacle.

If you’ve ever thought about going to Los Angeles Haunted Hayride, this is the year to do it.

The terror of Los Angeles Haunted Hayride begins on September 29th, 2017 and will be open select nights until October 31st, 2017. Operating hours are Sundays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 7pm-10:30 pm and Fridays and Saturdays from 7pm-12am. General Admission is $44 and VIP passes that surpass the line are $62. There are also a limited number of Hayride Only Passes $35, all expected to sell out during the pre-sale. Pre-sale for tickets will begin August 1st. Visit www.losangeleshauntedhayride.com for exact nights of operation and other details.

Daybreak Games Unveils Third Annual H1Z1 Invitational Details

2017/07/31
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News

SAN DIEGO – July 31, 2017 – Daybreak Games has revealed the first major details for this October’s third annual H1Z1 Invitational, the premier esports event at Twitch’s TwitchCon 2017. This year’s extravaganza raises the stakes with three unique tournaments of the massive arena shooter H1Z1®: King of the Kill® with a combined prize pool of $500,000.

The 2017 H1Z1 Invitational will take place at the “H1Z1 Arena” and feature three tournaments: All-Stars, Legends, and Challengers, each featuring a different group of players and prizing. The All-Stars tournament aims to celebrate the streamers and content creators who helped make H1Z1 into the success it is today and will feature some of the internet’s most popular personalities, including I AM WILDCAT, CDNThe3rd, Trick2g, Miniladd, and KYRSP33DY. The Legends tournament is focused on H1Z1’s growing professional scene and includes past Invitational winners Reed “inboxes” Tucker, Radek “Radek” Pozler, and Tyler “Ninja” Blevins, as well as Casey “Flamehopper” Pitel  and Chris “sweetdreams” Sexton, who were top finishers at the Elite Series solo and team tournaments at DreamHack Atlanta earlier this month. The third and final tournament will feature players selected through on-site qualifiers. Attendees will be able to participate in qualifiers throughout the weekend, with the 60 best-performing players earning a spot in the finals and their chance to compete for their share of the prize pool.

“H1Z1 has pioneered the massive arena shooter genre and proved that large-scale esports is possible,” said Anthony Castoro, H1Z1 General Manager. “The H1Z1 Invitational has grown and evolved over the years. As H1Z1’s popularity has increased, so has demand for this type of programming, and this new three-tournament format allows us to be inclusive of more players and provide a weekend full of content to viewers at home.”

In addition to the H1Z1 Invitational tournaments, Daybreak will host a variety of events, discussions and more at the H1Z1 Arena throughout all three days of TwitchCon 2017. Additional details and a full schedule of events will be posted on the website as the event approaches.

Daybreak will be celebrating its Road to TwitchCon with stops at gamescom, PAX West and Tokyo Game Show. For more information on the H1Z1 Invitational, including the Road to TwitchCon, schedule of events, competitors, and prize pool, please visit H1Z1.com/Invitational.

The H1Z1 Invitational has been the most-watched event at TwitchCon since its debut in 2015. Last year, more than 118,000 concurrent viewers tuned in to the finals to watch inboxes and Radek take the crown.

TwitchCon is Twitch’s annual ​convention that celebrates the platform’s entire community. This includes the content creators, viewers and the brands that cater to them. TwitchCon 2017 is being held onOct. 20-22 at the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center. For tickets, visit Twitchcon.com and for the best hotel selection and price, use Twitch’s online booking system.

FEAST Coming to Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor

2017/07/31
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, Halloween, News

LONG BEACH, Calif., (July 31, 2017) – A new voracious resident spirit has risen from the depths of the Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor, Southern California’s most authentically terrifying haunt, opening September 28. Chef and his long-forgotten legend have resurfaced and will be brought to life through FEAST, the new horrific maze onboard the ship venturing into previously unrevealed areas of the Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor. Chef and his carnivorous kitchen staff have resumed their deadly duties, collecting new victims for Chef’s latest recipes. All who dare will swelter with fear as they crawl their way out of Chef’s scorching oven to reach their final destination…Are YOU ready to be served?

For the first time in Dark Harbor history, FEAST will be the 4th maze onboard the legendary vessel. FEAST tells the tale of Chef, a legendary spirit of the historic R.M.S. Queen Mary. As the tale goes, During WWII when the Queen Mary was in service as a troop transport ship, an enlisted military man serving in the ship’s kitchen quickly moved up the ranks to become a highly-decorated Chef.

Unbeknownst to the soldiers traveling aboard, Chef had a dark side.  Quietly he would sedate soldiers in the middle of the night to prepare them as ingredients for his latest dishes. Eventually caught, the Chef was thrown into one of his own ovens and cooked alive.

Loyal to their leader Chef’s dutiful kitchen staff sacrificed their lives to become his evil henchmen, burning themselves in the same oven. The spirits of Chef and his evil crew went into hiding aboard the ship for many years. Now, these long-time stowaways have resurfaced to resume their deadly duties of collecting and preparing victims for Chef’s latest concoctions.

FEAST and Chef will make their horrific debut as Dark Harbor returns to the Queen Mary on September 28.  Southern California’s most haunted Halloween event will welcome MORE monsters, MORE nights, and MORE mazes than ever before. Offering the most authentically frightening experience available, Dark Harbor tells the truly haunted, historic tales of the Queen Mary. The infamous spirits of Chef, Iron Master, Captain, Samuel the Savage, Graceful Gale, Half-Hatch Henry, Scary Mary, Voodoo Priestess, Ringmaster, plus hundreds of their bloodcurdling henchmen await to tempt your fate.

Live your nightmares aboard the Queen Mary with returning mazes Soulmate and B340. Mazes Circus, Intrepid, Deadrise, and Lullaby also return newly intensified, darker than imaginable, and evermore twisted. With 7 mazes and 13 bars, fire shows, aerialists, sliders, Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch’s Sinister Swings, monster DJs, Voodoo House Bar & Tasting Room, R.I.P. Lounge, and much more, Dark Harbor is a freakishly fun time.

The annual haunt opens its gates on September 28 and continues to scare those who dare on select nights through November 1. General admission ticket prices start at just $20 online, with Fast Fright, VIP Passes, Creepy Cabanas and lodging packages available. For more information or to purchase tickets online, visit www.queenmary.com/dark-harbor.

Activision Announces Continuation of Call of Duty Endowment Program

2017/07/31
boothby
Geek News, Industry News, News

SANTA MONICA, Calif., July 28, 2017 — Activision Blizzard (Nasdaq: ATVI) today announced it is continuing its award winning in-game program that supports veteran hiring with The Call of Duty™ Endowment (C.O.D.E.) Double Duty Calling Card. With the new animated calling card, players can view a service member transform before their eyes from a uniformed warrior to a civilian on their way to work to show their donation’s meaningful impact for the veteran community. Designed by Treyarch, the C.O.D.E. Double Duty Calling Card, along with a collection of three rare supply drops, is now available in the United States through Call of Duty: Black Ops III for a suggested retail price of $3.99. All gross proceeds received by Activision will be donated to The Call of Duty Endowment (“The Endowment”), which will use all funds to help veterans secure high-quality careers after their military service.

The Endowment is a non-profit founded in 2009 by Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick. With a mission to identify and fund the most effective and efficient employment-focused veteran-serving organizations, the Endowment has funded more than 37,000 job placements to date, at an average 2017 cost-per-placement of $552, with an average starting salary of $56,784, and with a six-month retention rate of 88 percent.

“We’re incredibly excited to continue to bring new content to our community in proud support of the Call of Duty Endowment’s mission,” said Dan Bunting, co-studio head, Treyarch. “This year’s Double Duty Calling Card is animated to highlight the good work the Call of Duty Endowment does to help veterans transition to civilian life.”

“The Call of Duty community has always come out in a big way to support the Endowment and its work to help veterans. We’re so grateful for their backing,” said Dan Goldenberg, Executive Director of The Call of Duty Endowment. “To date, the in-game purchase program alone has helped our grantees get more than 4,000 veterans back to work—that’s about the size of an aircraft carrier’s crew.”

Goldenberg added, “We are profoundly appreciative of the contribution by our partners. This program would not be possible without the continued support of Treyarch, Sledgehammer Games, Infinity Ward, Raven Software, Sony and Microsoft.”

The Double Duty Calling Card and its associated collection of three rare supply drops is available now through February 7, 2018 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC platforms in Call of Duty: Black Ops III.

MSI Unveils Quadro P4000 GPU Equipped Mobile Workstation

2017/07/31
boothby
Geek News, News, Tech News

City of Industry, Calif. – July 31, 2017 – MSI, a world leader in computer hardware, continues to innovate its workstation line with the announcement of the updated WS63, powered by Quadro P4000 with Max-Q Design. With its smaller design, improved graphics performance and optimized air flow system, MSI redefines portable workstation performance.

Based on NVIDIA Pascal architecture, the Quadro P4000 GPU delivers over 40 percent better visualization performance and 1.7 times the computing performance of the previous generation. The WS63 has the performance and memory capacity required for large models, detailed photo-realistic renderings and compelling VR experience in a thin and light mobile workstation chassis.

The P4000 is paired with 8GB GDDR5 memory to drive realistic VR environments, display complex models and easily handle large computational datasets. The WS63 also features NVIDIA GPU Boost 3.0 which automatically maximizes application performance in real time, while staying within the power and thermal envelope available to the GPU. The P4000 dramatically reduces visual aliasing with up to 64 times full-scene antialiasing, supports 16K texture and render processing and Pascal memory compression, increasing bandwidth by up to 20% by reducing the amount of data fetch from memory for each frame.

In addition to the new GPU, the WS63 still maintains all the best features and performance of the previous WS63 model. The WS63 boasts MSI’s Cooler Boost Trinity design with a 41-blade and 37-blade fan for the GPU, five pipes for optimized thermal designed and a 41-blade fan for the CPU. The Whirlwind blade design increases air pressure by 30 percent, reducing the running heat and resulting in a speedier cooling capacity.

“We are excited to bring NVIDIA’s Quadro P4000 GPU to our newest iteration of the WS63 workstation,” said Andy Tung, President of MSI. “With this upgrade, this line will continue to bring incredible performance to the professional market in a thin and light chassis.”

“We are proud of the continued partnership with MSI bringing to market the WS63VR, powered by the Quadro P4000, as a shining example of the technology of NVIDIA unlocking never before capable workflows for the ever-demanding customer today,” says Bob Pette, NVIDIA VP of Professional Visualization. “We look forward to continuing to drive the professional mobile market together with MSI with not only the new WS63VR but also the entire portfolio powered by NVIDIA Quadro solutions.”

The WS63 features built-in biometrics and high-level security for enterprise-grade security and is certified by Windows Hello. The workstation is also protected by an integrated discrete TPM to provide more security and stability in the commercial market.

The 15.6” screen on the WS63 is available as either a Full HD or 4K IPS – Level display. True Color Technology brings accurate colors to the screen panel and the WS63’s screen and performance can also be adjusted through MSI’s Dragon Center software.

The MSI WS63 workstation with Quadro P4000 GPU will be available on July 31 at Amazon, Best Buy and Newegg starting at $3,099.

Knott’s Scary Farm Midsummer Scream Panel Video

2017/07/30
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, Halloween, News, Trailers / Videos

July 30, 2017 – Knott’s Scary Farm, the largest most haunting Halloween experience in Southern California, unveiled hair-raising news and details about its 45th season at the Midsummer Scream Halloween festival. Knott’s held an exclusive panel for fans featuring Scary Farm maze designer, Jon Cooke. Here’s what’s coming to Knott’s Scary Farm this season:

·         The lineup for this year will return with 13 haunted attractions and over 1,000 monsters lurking in the fog

·         For the first time in Scary Farm history, Fright Lane will also include Fast lane which will give guest priority access to all mazes and select rides

·         Elvira, the legendary Mistress of the Dark, returns for her final appearance at Knott’s Scary Farm in an all-new spellbinding nightly show

·         Returning darker and more twisted than ever step inside the Green Witch’s home by venturing through the blacked out building in Trick or Treat: Lights Out. Armed with only a faulty flashlight, face the terror of the Green Witch’s house completely in the dark. Featuring new state-of-the-art effects, unexpected scares and other eerie surprises, Trick-Or-Treat is back to terrorize like never before.

Knott’s Scary Farm will return from September 21 – October 31st. Tickets are now on sale at: https://www.knotts.com/tickets-passes/scary-farm

Knott’s Berry Farm, 8039 Beach Blvd. Buena Park, CA 90620

San Diego Comic-Con 2017 Photo Gallery

2017/07/29
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News, Screenshots / Photos, SDCC

Here is our photo gallery from the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con – arguably the biggest comic book and pop culture convention in the world. Here are some of our images from in and around the San Diego Convention Center.

Photo Gallery