Author - Jerry Paxton

Sony Online Entertainment Acquired by Investment Firm

2015/02/02
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, Industry News, News

soe-2011-05-02-600

This from Sony Online Entertainment President, John Smedley, on a reddit thread from earlier as well as a post on the official SoE forums – the company, and its IPs (which include EverQuest, PlanetSide, and more), have been acquired by investment firm Columbus Nova. SoE will now be known as Daybreak Game Company.

Letter to the Fans

Dear Players, Partners and Friends,

Today, we are pleased to announce that we have been acquired by Columbus Nova, an investment management firm well known for its success with its existing portfolio of technology, media and entertainment focused companies. This means that effective immediately SOE will operate as an independent game development studio where we will continue to focus on creating exceptional online games for players around the world, and now as a multi-platform gaming company. Yes, that means PlayStation and Xbox, mobile and more!

As part of this transition, SOE will now become Daybreak Game Company. This name embodies who we are as an organization, and is a nod to the passion and dedication of our employees and players. It is also representative of our vision to approach each new day as an opportunity to move gaming forward.

So what exactly does this mean for you? It will be business as usual and all SOE games will continue on their current path of development and operation. In fact, we expect to have even more resources available to us as a result of this acquisition. It also means new exciting developments for our existing IP and games as we can now fully embrace the multi-platform world we are living in.

Our games and players are the heart and soul of our organization, and we are committed to maintaining our portfolio of online games and pushing the limits of where we can take online gaming together.

Thank you for your continued support. See you in game!

Game of Thrones – Episode Two: The Lost Lord Launch Trailer

2015/02/02
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, Mac PC News, Mobile News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

game-tyrion

February 2, 2015 — Based on the award-winning HBO television drama series, Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series tells the story of House Forrester. Caught up in the events of The War of the Five Kings, they are placed in a precarious position where members of the household must do everything they can to prevent the house from meeting its doom.

“The Lost Lords,” the second episode in the critically-acclaimed game series, will be available Tuesday, February 3rd on PC and Mac from the Telltale Online Store, Steam, and other digital distribution services, and on the PlayStation®Network for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3. The episode will be available on Wednesday, February 4th on the Xbox Games Store for Xbox One® and Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. The series will also be coming to compatible iOS devices via the App Store on Thursday, February 5th and to compatible Android-based devices.

Critics have praised the game since its premiere episode, with Entertainment Weekly commending its “drama as intriguing as some of the HBO series’ most complex stories.” Nerdist.com also claimed that Iron From Ice was a, “deeply compelling, lovingly crafted, and exceedingly fun game tailor-made for Game of Thrones fans,” while Game Informer called it, “…thrilling, crushing, bloody and unpredictable.”

The game series is based on the world, characters and events seen in HBO’s TV show, which in turn is based on George R. R. Martin’s books (A Song of Ice and Fire). The events in the game series begin towards the end of Season Three of the series, and end right before the beginning of Season Five. Players will visit familiar locations such as King’s Landing and The Wall, as well as unfamiliar locations such as Ironrath, the home of House Forrester.

House Forrester is a noble house from the Wolfswood in the north of Westeros. Bannermen to House Glover, they have always offered unswerving loyalty to the ruling great house of the North – the Starks. The Forresters are seated at Ironrath, an imposing stronghold surrounded by towering ironwood trees. Built over fifteen hundred years ago by Cedric Forrester and his triplet sons, Ironrath is a testament to the strength and endurance of ironwood. The Forrester house words are ‘Iron from Ice’, which echoes their belief that – like the ironwood itself – the adverse conditions and unforgiving landscape of the North only makes them stronger.

The game will be played from five different points of view. Each is a member of House Forrester; either a direct family member, or a person in service to the House. Scattered across Westeros and Essos, each will play their part in seeking to save House Forrester from destruction.

Playing as five characters not only reflects the epic scope of Game of Thrones, but is also something that the player needs to be mindful of. This is because the actions of one character can ripple out to affect the rest of House Forrester. Multiply the actions of one character by five, and you’re truly playing the Game of Thrones… where you win, or you die.

For more information on Telltale Games, visit the official website, Facebook forGame of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series, and follow Telltale Games on twitter @TelltaleGames.

For more information on Game of Thrones, HBO Global Licensing, and all of their titles, visit http://www.hbo.com/game-of-thrones, facebook.com/GameofThrones,store.hbo.com and twitter @GameOfThrones.

Launch Trailer

Fast & Furious – Supercharged Preview During Super Bowl

2015/01/30
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News

FAST-AND-FURIOUS

Universal City, California, January 30, 2015 – Universal Studios HollywoodSM shifts into high gear with the debut of an innovative, national 30-second commercial for its summer 2015 launch of the “Fast & Furious—Supercharged” thrill ride during NBC’s Super Bowl Pre-Game coverage on Sunday, February 1, 2015.

The gripping spot will jump-start Universal Studios Hollywood’s campaign for the eagerly-anticipated opening of “Fast & Furious—Supercharged,” a high-octane, adrenaline-fueled thrill ride and new grand finale to the world-famous Studio Tour.

“What better place is there than the Super Bowl to launch a campaign where millions of viewers huddle for non-stop, edge-of-your-seat suspense,” said Larry Kurzweil, President, Universal Studios Hollywood.  “In just 30, thrilling seconds, our compelling spot resonates with the exhilaration this immersive thrill ride will deliver when it opens at Universal Studios Hollywood this summer.”

“Fast & Furious—Supercharged” will reunite stars from the Fast & Furious series in a groundbreaking mega-attraction, conceived as a new installment to the dynamic film franchise that can only be experienced at The Entertainment Capital of L.A.  Featuring Vin Diesel (Dominic “Dom” Toretto), Michelle Rodriguez (Letty Ortiz), Dwayne Johnson (Luke Hobbs), Tyrese Gibson (Roman Pearce) and Luke Evans (Owen Shaw), “Fast & Furious—Supercharged” will catapult guests into the high-stakes underground world of fast cars in a harrowing escapade to save one of their own from an international crime cartel.

The dynamic hydraulic motion-based ride will tell an original Fast & Furious story that fuses sophisticated hyper-realistic special effects with a state-of-the-art 3D audio system and 3D-HD imagery, projected onto the world’s longest and most expansive 360-degree screen.  Spanning nearly 400 feet in length to encircle Studio Tour guests within a newly constructed 65,000-square-foot structure on the legendary backlot, the sprawling custom-built screen will employ 34, 4K projectors and a sophisticated projection configuration system to fully envelope guests in unprecedented realism.

Coupled with an intense blend of thrilling visceral effects, “Fast & Furious—Supercharged” will take guests on a wild ride that begins the moment they board the Studio Tour.  Exclusive interstitial content, filmed with the cast members, will be featured on the tram monitors highlighting interactions as they engage guests en route to the ride’s climatic scenes.  Along the tram route and featured at the ride, sightings of numerous prop cars from the Fast & Furious series, including Dom’s iconic Dodge Charger, will enhance the story.

The adventure will culminate with spectacular action sequences that send guests careening through the streets of Los Angeles—at perceived speeds in excess of 120 miles per hour—aided by the elite team of unforgettable heroes.

Please click here to see Universal Studios Hollywood’s “Fast & Furious—Supercharged” Super Bowl commercial which will be accessible in conjunction with the spot’s national airing.  Join the conversation online using #FastFuriousRide, and for all the latest news, ‘Like’ us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram and Twitter at @UniStudios.

Battlefield Hardline Open Beta Date

2015/01/30
Jerry Paxton
News, PlayStation 3 News, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox 360 News, Xbox One News

hardline-beta

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – January 29, 2015 – Visceral Games™, an Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) studio, today announced thatBattlefield Hardline™, the next installment in the critically-acclaimed Battlefield™  series, will host an open multiplayer beta from February 3* to February 8. The beta will be available to all players around the world on Origin™ for PC, PlayStation®4, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, and Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system. Visceral Games also today released a new trailer that gives gamers an in-depth look at how new innovations with story, speed and strategy in single player and multiplayer are helping to make Battlefield Hardline a complete first person shooter experience. To see “What’s New in Battlefield Hardline” visit

“There’s nothing more valuable to our team than the relationship we have with our community. Their passion feeds our passion and their feedback has definitely helped make Hardline a better game,” said Steve Papoutsis, General Manager of Visceral Games and Executive Producer of Battlefield Hardline. “We want them to play the hell out of the beta next week and trust that they’ll keep that feedback coming so we can continue to fine tune the game.”

Battlefield Hardline builds on the foundation of the franchise’s signature multiplayer experience focused on team play and strategy and adds a new dimension of speed, making it the fastest Battlefield game ever. The open beta will feature three different maps and modes highlighting this cops and criminals fantasy world. The all-new Hotwire mode brings high-speed chases to the battlefield, as the criminals attempt to steal a list of marked cars while the cops try to repossess them. Available on two maps in the beta, Downtown and Dust Bowl, success in Hotwire will be predicated on teamwork and precision driving. Players can also experience the Battlefield franchise’s signature mode Conquest in Dust Bowl, with epic battles for up to 64 players**. And finally, the beta will also feature Heist, another new mode being introduced in Battlefield Hardline. Playable on the map Bank Job, the mode will pit criminals trying to pull off that big score and break into a bank vault, securing their take at drop off points in the map while a squad of cops work together to stop them.

The Battlefield Hardline beta will also provide access to the full breadth of multiplayer progression in the game, which features fresh new weapons, vehicles, gadgets and gear. Players will have to create new strategies on the battlefield with faster getaway methods like the zipline and muscle cars, or new entry tactics with the grappling hook and non-lethal takedown options like arrests, interrogations and stun guns. On top of all this, the beta will give the first look at another game mode called Hacker. This takes surveillance to the next level as one player on each side can hack the battlefield in different ways including hacking into security cameras, spotting enemies and specifying areas for their team to attack or defend. Hacker mode will be playable on all modes in the beta.

Battlefield Hardline brings the awe-inspiring, only-in-Battlefield destruction moments to LA and Miami in chaotic urban warfare. Powered by the Frostbite™ 3 game engine, Battlefield Hardline delivers an episodic single player campaign that follows rookie Miami Police Detective, Nick Mendoza, through a story of crime and revenge. This is brought to life by a veteran cast of Hollywood acting and writing talent, including Alexandra Daddario from True Detective, Wendy Calhoun from Justified, and Benito Martinez from The Shield.

Battlefield Hardline will be available March 17 in North America, beginning March 19 in Europe and March 20 in the UK on Origin for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One and Xbox 360.

Players can pre-order Battlefield Hardline now by visiting http://www.battlefield.com/hardline/buy. To join the conversation on Battlefield Hardline, please www.facebook.com/battlefield, follow us on Twitter® at www.twitter.com/battlefield, or sign up for the official Battlefield newsletter at www.battlefield.com.

Fractured Space Gets New Ships

2015/01/29
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News, Windows PC News

fractured-space-corvette

January 29, 2015 — Today, Edge Case Games adds more heft to its team-based tactical space combat PC game, Fractured Space, currently in Early Access on Steam. Adding Titan Defense Systems as a third ship manufacturer, today’s update introduces two new ships—the Corvette and the Enforcer—to the stable of colossal spacecraft players can command. To celebrate the update, the game is now 25% off on Steam for a limited time—it’s a great time to join epic, highly strategic space battles!

With a background as a military warship supplier, Titan Defense Systems has now expanded to manufacturing their own capital ships with their first entry in the game, the Corvette. This general support craft comes equipped with an aimed repair beam and a variant of Titan’s so-called “smart weaponry” known as the Smart Gun. The ship’s drones can shield the Corvette and its allies from enemy fire while increasing friendly targeting and damage.

Designed for the close-range capture of mining station, the new Enforcer from Zarek Industrial has been added to the fray. Enforcers have systems designed to allow the ship to get close to an enemy and prevent its escape before unleashing its unique Escalate weapon that uses the target’s own energy against it with escalating damage.

The addition of these new ships comes on the heels of major updates including:

  • Loadout System that allows players to customize ship configuration before battle
  • First ship skins for the game’s gigantic capital spaceships
  • Initial leaderboards for tracking stats
  • New Founders Pack tier

These new features were chosen with community input in keeping with Edge Case’s firm commitment to an open development process that keeps players in close contact with the development team through weekly playtest sessions and shared development plans.

Fractured Space is the tactical space combat PC title that puts players in command of gigantic capital ships to engage in team-based battles that combine the intensity of a shooter with the big picture thinking of a strategy game. Each ship in Fractured Space looks and plays very differently, and every match features deep team tactics with multiple sectors and battles to capture stations that control the resource production necessary for leveling up ships for your team. The game currently has eight unique ships with more on the way and new features are being added on a regular basis with community input. Fractured Space is currently available on Steam Early Access before transitioning to a wider free-to-play release in 2015.

Players can get insights on the new manufacturer and ship designs and how they impact the game in a new developer diary video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBgOQeLBOJg&feature=youtu.be

Goetia Preview Now Available

2015/01/29
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, Mac PC News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

goetia

January 29th, Lannion, France — Imagine that you get back to your family manor after over 40 years, to discover the mystery from the past, that had forever changed your life and the lives of your loved ones. Imagine that you’re all alone in an old, abandoned house that you used to know so well. Imagine that you’re looking for clues, trying to figure out what led to the downfall of Blackwood Manor. And the only problem is… that you are dead.

Goetia is a point-and-click adventure game set in a haunted English mansion in the middle of World War II. You take control of Abigail Blackwood, a girl who died some 40 years previously and now returned to discover the mystery of her getting back from the dead and her perverted and mad lineage. A clan whose final members devoted their life to mysticism and fanatical experiments. You have no idea what happened during those 40 years, neither who and why brought you back but, you are dedicated to discover this mystery. In the end you are already dead, so what worse than that could possibly happen?

Unlike other adventure games where you collect objects, combine and use them to solve the puzzle, here you need to become an object to push the story further. Remember that you are a ghost, and as a ghost, you can walk through walls and fly through ceilings, you can explore everywhere as you see fit. But to manipulate objects, you’ll have to possess them, just like a real poltergeist would. And once you possess an object, you can’t pass through walls anymore…

After a successful campaign on Square Enix Collective platform and winning the Artistic Award at the European Indie Games Days back in December 2014, the team behind Goetia is now seeking support on Kickstarter looking for $30,000 fund to be able to finish the game. You can help the team achieve this goal by visiting the campaign website: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/438269196/goetia and becoming one of the backers or by spreading the word about the game and Abigail’s adventure.

The team behind the game is France-based Sushee game development studio: http://sushee.fr supported by a French artist Moeity: http://www.moeity.com. Goetia is being developed on PC and Mac and will be available in French and English.

To learn more about the game visit Goetia’s official website: http://playgoetia.com/en/home/,Facebook and Twitter profiles.

Offworld Trading Company Revealed with Trailer

2015/01/29
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

OffWorldTC_Buildings_03_full

Plymouth, MI – January 28, 2015 – Stardock and Mohawk Games pulled back the curtain today onOffworld Trading Company, the highly anticipated return of Civilization IV designer Soren Johnson to the traditional PC gaming world. Offworld Trading Company is headed for Steam Early Access on February 12, and the publisher revealed the first gameplay footage today, showcasing its fast-paced, cutthroat economic competition across its single-player campaign, Internet multiplayer, and AI skirmish modes.

Offworld Trading Company is available today for pre-purchase directly through publisher Stardock at http://offworldgame.com/store. For a limited time, the game will be discounted to $35.99 off of its regular $39.99 as a token of appreciation for the support of those first players through the door.

The initial Early Access version of Offworld Trading Company allows players to compete head to head or in free-for-all matches over the Internet, explore the dynamic single-player campaign that responds to your choices and the outcomes of the scenarios, and skirmish against the advanced AI that is already more than capable of wiping the floor with unsuspecting players.

Offworld Trading Company is a new direction for real-time strategy, where money is both your deadliest weapon and toughest defense. After the Earth is tapped out and the asteroids claimed by faceless megacorporations, the stark Martian surface is the final frontier on which dreamers and entrepreneurs can make something of themselves by staking their claim to the red planet’s abundant resources and building an economic engine capable of out-producing the competition.

The real-time, player-driven market is the foundation of the game, allowing players to buy and sell resources, materials, and even the food and water their colonists need to survive. Only by buying low and selling high – and perhaps engaging in a little more overt market manipulation with hacker arrays, black-market pirate raids, and more – can players build up enough capital to gain access to the incredibly lucrative offworld markets that bring in the cash they need to buy out their rivals and claim the Martian economy for themselves.

Mohawk Games is heavily invested in community-driven development – not only has the game been played by early adopters for months already, but the team will be livestreaming its own playtests and engaging with the community every week. Tune in to http://www.twitch.tv/mohawkgames every Thursday at noon Pacific (3pm Eastern) to see the latest on Offworld Trading Company development.

For more on Offworld Trading Company, please visit http://offworldgame.com and check out the Mohawk Games blog at http://mohawkgames.com.

For more on Stardock, go to http://www.stardock.com.

Trailer

Take On Mars 2015 Road Map Released

2015/01/28
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News, Windows PC News

tkom_roadmap2015

January 28, 2015 — Bohemia Interactive today published the 2015 roadmap to release for their space exploration sim game, Take On Mars – which is currently available as an Early Access title on Steam.

The highlights of the roadmap are the planned completion of the survival elements, the addition of a competitive and cooperative multiplayer mode, the integration of the manned mission into the Space Program campaign. Take On Mars is scheduled to transition from Alpha to Beta at the start of April, after which the team will focus on bug-fixing and optimization, plus preparing in-game video tutorials. The official full release (version 1.0) of the game is planned for June 2015.

Martin Melicharek, Project Lead on Take On Mars:
“Many, myself included, are looking forward to the addition of the Manned section to the Space Program mode, and we sincerely hope not to disappoint. This will be story driven, focusing on survival in a catastrophic failure scenario. I am sure this culmination to the Space Program mode will whet the appetite for playing with friends online in the Cooperative or planned Competitive modes. I hope to meet many of you on the surface of our red neighbour.”

More intel on Take On Mars’ Roadmap to Release 2015 can be found in Martin Melicharek’s latest devblog.

To enlist as a rover operator and/or astronaut, people can already pick up the Early Access version of Take On Mars on Steam and Store.bistudio.com. For more information, please visit takeonmars.com and/or follow Take On Mars on Facebook and Twitter.

Wargaming Reveals Grand Final 2015 First Details

2015/01/28
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News, Windows PC News

WLG_Poster_GrandFinal2015_phil

January 28, 2015 — Wargaming is excited to announce that the Wargaming.net League 2015 Grand Finals will be taking place on April 25–26 at EXPO XXI in Warsaw, Poland. Organized with support from the city of Warsaw, the event will see the 12 finest World of Tanks teams clash in a series of high-octane battles to determine who deserves the title of the world champion.

“The biggest WGL eSports event is about to start its engine,” said Mohamed Fadl, eSports Director of Europe and North America at Wargaming. “The recent revamp of tournament rules changed the surface of WGL eSports. Soon, we’ll see the best of the best meet in the final face-off in what’s set to be a breathtaking and action-packed Grand Finals.”

“I’m delighted that Warsaw, for a second time in a row, will be hosting the best World of Tanks pro players,” said Michal Olszewski, Deputy Mayor of Warsaw. “It’s thanks to the excellent cooperation and the great atmosphere of last year’s event that organizers decided to choose the Polish capital once again for the Grand Finals. The previous tournament gathered masses of spectators and I hope that this year will be another resounding success.”

Ahead of last season’s regional qualifiers, the Wargaming.net League introduced a revamped tournament format, coming up with Attack/Defense mode. The new setup and rules were developed in cooperation with pro gamers to strengthen gameplay and streamline objectives in eSports matches for World of Tanks. Whether playing in attack or in defense, teams now have to take a proactive role in order to win, enhancing the tournament’s entertainment value. Having no chance of a draw, players must seize the initiative in battle to ensure victory. The teams had one season to refine their tactics and master the new setup.

During its first year, the Wargaming.net League has attracted over 200,000 pro gamers and hosted over 1000 tournaments. Drawing on the enthusiasm of Wargaming, its players and fans, the upcoming Grand Finals are set to be an even larger spectacle than last year’s event.

The 2015 Grand Finals will be free to the public, with a variety of prizes and exclusive giveaways for the most passionate spectators.

For more information on the Wargaming.net League Grand Finals, please visit: