Archive - 2018

Ubisoft Unveils Assassin’s Creed Symphony

SAN FRANCISCO — December 3, 2018 – Ubisoft announced the first worldwide tour dates for the Assassin’s Creed® Symphony, opening at Hollywood’s acclaimed Dolby Theater on June 11, 2019. The world premiere coincides with one of the biggest video game industry events, the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles.

Assassin’s Creed Symphony is the ultimate fan experience, fusing the powerful sounds of a full symphony orchestra and choir with a groundbreaking, immersive 3D concert. This two-hour show will present the music, characters and stories at the core of Assassin’s Creed®, allowing fans to relive the most memorable moments from the series with music from talented composers including Jesper Kyd, Lorne Balfe, Brian Tyler, Austin Wintory, Sarah Schachner, Winifred Phillips, Elitsa Alexandrova, Chris Tilton, Ryan Amon and The Flight.

“We’re excited to partner with MGP Live to offer Assassin’s Creed fans a brand new experience to celebrate the series they have enjoyed playing over the last decade,” said Hinde Daoui, Live Entertainment producer, Ubisoft. “It’s always a pleasure to work with other entertainment industry leaders such as MGP Live who have a successful track record in introducing symphonic music to new audiences while bringing the sights and sounds of internationally renowned entertainment brands to life.”

“We are honored to partner with Ubisoft on this innovative multimedia project. We are approaching this production with passion and a sense of mission,” said Massimo Gallotta, CEO of MGP Live. “Our aim is to create concerts for all generations and let the power of music, which speaks every language, talk to the heart of gamers. We immediately felt Assassin’s Creed had the potential for a unique symphonic experience because of the diverse cultural influences in its iconic soundtrack. We love that this concert is opening up symphonic music to a new generation of fans.”

Following the world premiere in Los Angeles, the tour will visit the Palais des Congrès in Paris (June 29), Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco (August 3), Place des Arts in Montréal (September 27), Eventim Apollo in London (October 5) and Teatro Arcimboldi in Milan (October 6).

Pre-sale tickets are available starting December 7 for Ubisoft Club Members and will go on sale to the public December 10 at 10am (local time).

For more information on the Assassin’s Creed Symphony, visit ACSymphony.com.

THQ Nordic Acquires Carmageddon IP

December 3, 2018: THQ Nordic today announced that the acquisition of the intellectual property “Carmageddon” has been finalized with Stainless Games, based in Newport, Isle of Wight, United Kingdom.

The acquisition itself is being handled by THQ Nordic AB, based in Karlstad, Sweden, and daily operations (sales and distribution, evaluation of sequels & new content etc.) will be done via THQ Nordic GmbH in Vienna, Austria and/or www.handy-games.com GmbH in Giebelstadt, Germany, respectively.

About Carmageddon
Carmageddon is a vehicular combat video game released for PC in 1997. It was later ported to other platforms, and spawned a series of follow-up titles.

Mountain High Opening Day Tomorrow

December 3, 2018 – Mountain High’s opening Day is tomorrow, December 4 starting at 9:00 a.m. – Skiers and snowboarders can hit the slopes at the West Resort from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and the first 100 guests with a paid $59 lift ticket earn FREE skiing and snowboarding through December 21.

WHERE: Mountain High – West Resort
24510 State Highway 2, Wrightwood, CA 92397

MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries Release Date Trailer

VANCOUVER – Dec. 3, 2018 – MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries, the series’ first dedicated single-player entry in the classic PC gaming series in more than 15 years, has locked onto a Sept. 10, 2019 launch on PC, developer Piranha Games announced tonight at Mech_Con 2018.

Revealed live on stage in front of some of the world’s most dedicated MechWarrior fans at the fourth annual Mech_Con, MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries’ release date was announced with a new gameplay trailer showing off the explosive high-stakes battles and decisions pilots will face when they take control of their own mercenary unit on launch day: https://youtu.be/vCXcFJBb6BM

MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries will allow pilots to build, manage and guide their own mercenary unit through a multi-year campaign during the sprawling Third and Fourth Succession Wars. Whether braving missions alone, alongside AI-controlled pilots, or with the help of up to three friends via co-op play, players will face complicated situations with no perfect solution as they choose which contracts to accept, where in the galaxy to direct their attention, and how to balance repairs or upgrades with maintaining their unit’s precious resources.

Mech_Con is an annual celebration of the MechWarrior universe, as well as the world of BattleTech, which gathers the MechWarrior community’s most dedicated pilots in Vancouver. Now a two-day event as of Mech_Con 2018, attendees are treated to a full schedule of live presentations, developer Q&As, and hands-on demo opportunities for the latest MechWarrior titles, as well as front-row seats for the final matches of the 2018 MechWarrior Online World Championships.

“Getting to meet with MechWarrior’s most diehard fans and see them react to the team’s hard work at Mech_Con has become an incredible tradition for us,” said Russ Bullock, president of Piranha Games. “The team has put so much work and passion into our mission to bring MechWarrior back into the spotlight, and seeing our excitement for what’s still to come for this classic series reverberate with the community in the room tonight was incredible.”

To keep all systems nominal, stay current on MechWarrior by visiting the MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries (https://mw5mercs.com/) and MechWarrior Online (https://mwomercs.com/) websites, or follow Piranha Games on Twitter through @PiranhaGames (https://twitter.com/piranhagames) and @MechWarriorF2P (https://twitter.com/Mechwarriorf2p).

Turtle Beach Unveils Battle Buds Ear Buds

San Diego, CA – December 3, 2018 – Leading gaming headset and audio accessory brand Turtle Beach (Nasdaq: HEAR) today announced the all-new Turtle Beach Battle Buds™ – a high-performance in-ear headset designed for gamers on the go. The Battle Buds’ standout feature is the removable high-sensitivity boom microphone which delivers crystal-clear in-game chat with other players. When not gaming, the boom mic can be easily detached, and the inline mic can be used for taking calls and chatting on the go. Additionally, Battle Buds have 10mm speakers that deliver full-range sound, as well as a standard 3.5mm connection to ensure compatibility with nearly all mobile devices, Nintendo Switch™, Xbox One, PS4™, and PC. Battle Buds arrive with two color combinations – bright white with teal accents, or sleek black with silver accents, and are available today exclusively at Target in the United States and at www.turtlebeach.com for a MSRP of just $29.95, making them a perfect stocking stuffer gift for the holidays.

“The Battle Buds use our renowned mic technology to deliver a great multiplayer chat experience, just in a smaller, more portable package created for gamers playing on Nintendo Switch™ and mobile devices,” said Juergen Stark, CEO, Turtle Beach. “Battle Buds sound great whether gaming or listening to music, and both mics pick up your voice loud and clear, whether you’re coordinating with your squad to ensure you get the next win, or on a call with a friend talking about your next match.”

Full details for the Turtle Beach Battle Buds in-ear gaming headset include:

CRYSTAL-CLEAR CHAT – A removable high-sensitivity, unidirectional boom mic picks up your voice loud and clear when your squad needs you most. Additionally, the built-in inline mic is great for taking calls on the go.

LIGHTWEIGHT COMFORT – Three sizes of interchangeable ear-tips with stabilizers ensure a great fit so you can use for hours in complete comfort.

MULTIFUNCTION INLINE CONTROLLER – The inline controller puts Master Volume, Mic Mute, and a Multifunction Button (for supported devices) at your fingertips.

HIGH-QUALITY 10MM SPEAKERS – 10mm speakers produce crisp highs and thundering lows.

MULTIPLATFORM COMPATIBILITY – Designed for Nintendo Switch™ and mobile gaming, and also works great with Xbox One, PS4™, and PCs with a 3.5mm jack.

For more information on the latest Turtle Beach products and accessories, visit www.turtlebeach.com and be sure to follow Turtle Beach on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Elite Dangerous: Beyond – Chapter Four Release Date

Cambridge, UK. 3 December 2018. Frontier Developments plc (AIM: FDEV) today announced Elite Dangerous: Beyond – Chapter Four, will launch on 11 December. The biggest Elite Dangerous update of the year, and the final chapter in the Beyond season of updates, Chapter Four is packed with content and is available for free to all Elite Dangerous Commanders on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

Beyond – Chapter Four is headlined by two new ships, a new discovery system for exploration, advanced mining techniques, additional multiplayer options, plus more. All of these features can be found in the Beyond – Chapter Four launch date trailer premiering today.

A breakdown of the key additions is below:

Exploration
A new Analysis Mode, with the improved Exploration Discovery Scanner and Detailed Discovery Scanner, is a game-changing new way for all Commanders to explore the galaxy. After an initial scan of the system, players will then be able to tune their scanners to find stellar bodies and other phenomena. Not only is this new system a more realistic, satisfying and engaging exploration experience, but also provides players with the freedom to make more informed decisions on where to look next, and be ultimately better rewarded for time spent exploring. Additionally, Commanders will have probes that can be arced onto planetary surfaces, and planetary rings, to map them in detail, locate points of interest and leave their mark on the galaxy in a new way.

Mining
New mining tools and mechanics provide a fresh, potentially lucrative mining experience for all Elite Dangerous Commanders. Miners can investigate rings to locate the best spots to start their mining sessions and identify mineral deposits within individual asteroids. Then, with the right amount of skill, can coordinate a detonation.

Squadrons
Squadrons is a new in-game way of uniting like-minded Commanders to support factions of their choice, take part in Community Goals together and compete for top spots in weekly leaderboards. Squadrons also feature new communication tools, including in-game chat channels, to coordinate activities across the galaxy.

More
Additionally, Beyond – Chapter Four also features a new lighting engine, numerous visual improvements, background simulation updates, and a number of cockpit interface changes to improve the flying experience of players.

Keep up to date with all things Elite Dangerous on Facebook and Twitter.

Red Dead Online Beta Open to RDR 2 Gamers

November 30, 2018 – The Red Dead Online Beta is now officially open to everyone with a copy of Red Dead Redemption 2.  Choose to make your mark as either a gunslinger or an outlaw. Join or form posses, battle enemy gangs, hunt, fish and search for treasure, challenge other settlers and much more in this brand new multiplayer story.

Over the first few days of early access, we’ve already received a lot of great feedback from the community. Please make sure to keep it coming at reddeadonline.com/feedback – as we’re constantly working to improve and evolve the experience.

In response to some early feedback we’ve seen from players, here are a few quick tips to help you succeed and thrive on the frontier.

  • Character Creation: Use the character creator’s in-depth tools to detail your character’s appearance and facial features. To further adjust a number of facial features, tap X/A to enter the Customize section and use the sliders to fine-tune your character. You can also click R3/Right-Stick to quickly see your character’s face without facial hair, and tap L1/LB and R1/RB to quickly check your character’s profile. While you can always make changes to your character’s hair, facial hair, makeup and dentistry at the local Barber or clothing from your Wardrobe or shops, your permanent features like your nose, eyes, mouth and freckles will not change after you finish creating your character. If you’d like at any point to start anew with a different character, you can delete your current character and create a new one by going to the PLAYER section of the pause menu and holding down Square/X; please keep in mind that this will delete your existing character and progression.
  • Player Menu: Tap d-pad left to bring up the Player Menu. From here you can find many practical tools and features: see other players in the session and your friends, form or join a Posse, manage your Camp and horses, quickly join matches or series, adjust your voice chat options – select Everyone to chat with everyone in your proximity, or isolate your chat to your Posse, Friends or Crew only – and much more.
  • Fast Travel: Visit Fast Travel signposts to quickly travel to where your Posse or friends are located and various other locations around the map, or return to your camp for a flat fee.
  • A Land of Opportunities: Visit Horley in Blackwater to start A Land of Opportunities, a cooperative series of story-based missions that can push your honor high or low based on your decisions. You’ll get to know some new characters in Red Dead Online, fight alongside fellow outlaws and earn a pretty penny along the way. If you made all positive honor decisions throughout and want to see how the storyline changes and push your honor in the other direction, you can replay making all negative honor decisions (and vice versa), all while receiving further payout and experience.
  • Treasure Maps: When you hit Rank 10 you’ll receive a Treasure Map, uncover the treasure for Gold and Cash. You’ll receive Treasure Maps for every 5 ranks after that. There’s also a chance you’ll uncover a Treasure Map when looting enemy bodies after clearing a Hideout or surviving an Ambush.
  • Catalogue: Hold down left on the d-pad to bring up the Catalogue and pick up provisions, tonics, weapons, ammo and more while on the go. Alternatively, when not in-game, purchases can be made via the web Catalogue on Social Club. Once purchased, you can recover most of your goods from your Camp’s lockbox or the Post Office, new weapons can be found on your horse and clothing will be added to your Wardrobe. Any horses or saddles will go to the Stable.
  • Ability Cards: Utilize different Ability Card categories (combat, recovery and defense) to help you survive the frontier. You can upgrade Ability Cards through 3 tiers of benefits and you can adjust them at any time to suit any scenario: use combat cards for attacking missions where you’ll rely on your weapons, or switch to defensive cards when escorting a wagon.

Look for lots more updates to the Red Dead Online Beta in the coming weeks and months, along with some more tips here at the Newswire

Total War: Three Kingdoms Diplomacy System Update Trailer

November 30, 2018 – The second (and last) part of a new video series detailing the diplomacy system in Total War: THREE KINGDOMS is available to watch now here: https://youtu.be/LG_Xy960Lqo. If you’ve missed part one, you can catch up here: https://youtu.be/qa-Sp1fwHmA

The diplomacy system has been rewritten from the ground up for THREE KINGDOMS, introducing a range of diplomatic tools which enable players to engineer a host of new outcomes.

Players can now employ new tradeable assets as leverage in negotiations, including ancillary items and characters, food supplies, and even territory itself. Players can also haggle to find the best deal – or sabre-rattle other warlords into acceptance.

Diplomacy is now a more subtle and powerful tool of statecraft than ever before, enabling players to to build relations, manipulate opinion, form coalitions and mighty alliances, and broker power across the campaign map in their rise to the throne.

Total War: THREE KINGDOMS launches March 7th, 2019.

For further information on Diplomacy, please see the CA dev-blog.

For more THREE KINGDOMS gameplay, see the Total War YouTube Channel.

PDXCON 2019 Announced for Berlin

STOCKHOLM – Nov. 30, 2018 – Paradox Interactive, a publisher and developer of games that take place all over the world, today announced the date and location for PDXCON 2019, the annual celebration of Paradox’s global community of fans and players. PDXCON 2019 will occur in Berlin, Germany, taking place on October 19-20, 2019, with debut announcements, appearances, and presentations featured for all attendees. Tickets for PDXCON 2019 will be available for sale early next year, with multiple admission tiers offering a variety of exclusive perks to attendees.

See the Paradox Team coming to grips with this process in a new trailer here:

Sign up for PDXCON updates and be first in line for Early Bird Tickets here: https://pdxcon.paradoxplaza.com/

PDXCON 2019 will be the third annual public convention for all things Paradox, where fans will have the chance to meet the creators of their favorite games, connect with fellow players and top creators within the Paradox community, and find out what’s in store for future titles. 2019 will mark the first year that the fan convention is held outside of Paradox’s hometown of Stockholm, offering greater opportunity for fans to attend from a wider variety of locations. Details on event hotels and accommodation will be shared early next year.

“PDXCON has come to mean a lot to our fans, and to all of us inside Paradox as well,” said Ebba Ljungerud, CEO of Paradox Interactive. “It’s not just a milestone for us as a company, it’s a personal highlight. As our first public PDXCON to take place outside of the comfort of our ‘home field,’ we intend to make this year’s show worthy of the global stage — bigger and bolder than ever before. I’ll see you all there!”

For more details on PDXCON 2019, visit: https://pdxcon.paradoxplaza.com/

Hell Fest Digital and Blu-Ray Release Dates Change

SANTA MONICA, CA (November 13, 2018) – Experience a terrifying celebration of the horror genre when Hell Fest arrives on Digital December 21 and on 4K Ultra HD™ Combo Pack (plus Blu-ray and Digital), Blu-ray Combo Pack (plus DVD and Digital), DVD, and On Demand January 8 from Lionsgate. From Gale Anne Hurd, an executive producer of TV’s “The Walking Dead,” executive producer Tucker Tooley (LimitlessDen of Thieves), and directed by Gregory Plotkin (editor of Get OutHappy Death Day, and director of  Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension), Hell Fest is one truly terrifying ride. The scary slasher film stars Amy Forsyth (TV’s “The Path,” “Rise,” “Defiance”), Reign Edwards (TV’s “Snowfall,” “MacGyver,” “The Bold and the Beautiful”), Bex Taylor-Klaus (TV’s “Scream: The TV Series,” “Arrow,” The Last Witch Hunter), and the legendary Tony Todd (CandymanNight of the Living DeadThe Crow). Story by William Penick & Christopher Sey and Stephen Susco, Screenplay by Seth M. Sherwood and Blair Butler and Akela Cooper.

A group of friends are bound for a horror-themed Halloween event at a local amusement park — a sprawling labyrinth of rides, games, and mazes that travels the country and happens to be in town. But for one visitor, the ghoulish carnival of nightmares is not the attraction — it is a hunting ground. On the night the friends attend, a masked serial killer turns the amusement park into his own playground, terrorizing attendees while the rest of the patrons believe that it is all part of the show. As the body count and frenzied excitement of the crowd continues to rise, who will fight to survive the night?

Take home Hell Fest and go behind the scenes with an exclusive, never-before-seen featurette, “Thrills and Kills: Making Hell Fest.” Experience four times the resolution of Full HD with the 4K Ultra HD combo pack, which includes Dolby Vision™ HDR, bringing entertainment to life through ultravivid picture quality. When compared to a standard picture, Dolby Vision can deliver spectacular colors never before seen on a screen, highlights that are up to 40 times brighter, and blacks that are 10 times darker.The Hell Fest 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, and DVD will be available for the suggested retail price of $42.99, $39.99, and $29.95, respectively.

 

4K UHD / BLU-RAY / DVD SPECIAL FEATURES

  • “Thrills and Kills: Making Hell Fest” Featurette
  • Theatrical Trailer