Author - boothby

The Game Awards Announces The Game Festival

2019/12/11

LOS ANGELES (December 11, 2019) – This Thursday get ready to watch, celebrate and now play what’s next from the video game industry. Today The Game Awards founder Geoff Keighley announced The Game Festival, a new digital consumer event concept that ushers in a new era for The Game Awards, which live streams for free across more than 60 global digital networks.

The Game Festival is a first-of-its-kind digital consumer event that brings the magic of hands-on gameplay demos to fans around the world. For 2019, The Game Festival will launch a digital pilot program on Steam. The Game Festival will feature more than a dozen first-look game demos, available to play for a limited 48-hour window before they are removed from Steam.

“Six years ago I bet everything I had to create The Game Awards as a way to celebrate our passion for gaming,” said Geoff Keighley, creator, The Game Awards. “Now feels like the right time to take the next step with The Game Festival, a completely digital approach to the consumer event space. Let’s face it: Not everyone can attend a physical trade show or consumer event. The Game Festival is designed from the ground-up as an event without barriers, extending the benefits of a physical event to the global gaming community that watches The Game Awards.”

As part of the pilot Game Festival on Stream, more than a dozen games are scheduled to be playable. Some of the games that will release free, limited-time demos include:

System Shock (Nightdive Studios)
Eastward (Pixpil/Chucklefish)
Spiritfarer (Thunder Lotus)
Moving Out (SMG Studio/Devm Games/Team17)
Röki (Polygon Treehouse/United Label)
Chicory (Greg Lobanov)
Wooden Nickel (Brain&Brain)
Haven (The Game Bakers)
Heavenly Bodies (2pt Interactive)
Acid Knife (Powerhoof)
The Drifter (Powerhoof)
CARRION (Phobia/Devolver)
SkateBIRD (Glass Bottom Games)

Alongside the Festival, Steam will air The Game Awards live in 4K Ultra High Definition, feature The Game Awards Sale, and offer Steam viewers the opportunity to win a Valve Index VR headset and free game drops throughout the live broadcast.

For more information and to stay up to date on the latest The Game Awards announcements, please visit www.thegameawards.com

Vigor Update 1.2: Preppers Trailer

2019/12/11

boothby

December 11, 2019 – Bohemia Interactive is proud to announce the release of the Update 1.2: Preppers, for Vigor, which is available today. The update reveals the Battle Pass along with its first season: Preppers. We are also bringing Christmas to the Outlands together with Tools, Crafting Boosters, Charity Box Rewards, and much more.

Update 1.2: “Preppers” includes:

Battle Pass – Our Outlanders asked for more measurable progression other than the Shelter itself, and we listened. Everyone can receive various exciting rewards for XP — There is also a Premium Battle Pass for everyone who wants to get even more.
Season 1: Preppers – The Preppers were ready for humanity to fall, so they represent the elite of all Outlanders. They bring new tools and ways to play. Everyone can become one of them with the brand new Battle Pass!
Tools – Tools are a staple in any Prepper’s repertoire. Those bring new exciting ways to play. You can come across these 3:
Contact Bomb
Transmitter
Alarm Trap
Crafting Boosters – Tired of waiting? Make the process faster with Crafting Boosters!
Charity Box Rewards – If you were one of those who did not see the point of helping the other not-so-lucky Outlanders, these rewards will get you on board.
Shooting Range Moving Targets
Colour Blind Options
New Weapons
New Challenge Types
Teamkiller looting disabled
Weapon Destroying
Faster Radiation
Christmas Assets

To learn more about Vigor, visit: vigorgame.com

OVERPASS Vehicle Trailer Released

2019/12/10

boothby

Geek News, News, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

Lesquin, November 10, 2019 – Overpass, the new off-road simulation developed by Zordix Racing and published by Bigben, unveils all the licensed vehicles in the game in this new video:

Challenge yourself in the most extreme off-road conditions in the driving seat of the best all-terrain vehicles on the market. The game includes 24 licensed buggies and quads*: 9 ATVs (quads) and 15 UTVs (buggies) from major manufacturers such as Polaris, Yamaha, Arctic Cat and Suzuki for negotiating scree slopes, steep inclines and various obstacles on demanding off-road tracks.

With different challenges to overcome on varied terrain, you must choose your strategy and a vehicle based on its strengths in the race ahead. Adapt your driving style and acceleration, try out all the vehicle options, and plot the best route to try and win the race – local or online.

Overpass™ will be available on PlayStation 4TM, Xbox One, PC on Epic Games Store the 27th of February 2020 and later on Nintendo Switch™.

* 23 of the 24 vehicles in the game are officially licensed.

MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries Out Now

2019/12/10

boothby

Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

VANCOUVER (Dec. 10, 2019) – Almost 20 years since the last single player MechWarrior game hit pilot’s PCs, MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries from Piranha Games is now available for download on the Epic Games Store ($49.99 standard, $59.99 collectors edition.) Store link: https://www.epicgames.com/store/en-US/product/mechwarrior-5/home

Additionally, the full suite of short stories leading up to the events in MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries have been released, and now an anthology collection of all eight is available: https://mw5mercs.com/novellas. The new and original series is penned by Randall N. Bills, author of over half a dozen novels, and whose led the publication of hundreds of sourcebooks and rulebooks set within the BattleTech and MechWarrior universe over the past two decades. (https://store.catalystgamelabs.com.)

MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries marks the return of the series’ mission-focused campaign structure, allowing pilots to call the shots while leading either AI-controlled allies or up to three friends through optional co-op into dangerous contracts. Unit leaders will decide which risky missions to accept, where their priorities lie across the Inner Sphere’s volatile conflict zones, as well as how to best utilize the resources earned from their dances with death.

Featuring expansively destructible environments, pilots can tear through structures while swatting helicopters out of the sky and reducing rival pilots’ rides to scrap. Strategize in the moments in-between battles in the Mech Bay with mission recovery and choose your pre-deployment loadouts to maximize your chances of glory on the battlefield. Whether you play solo or team up via co-op with friends, MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries is all about risk, reward, and consequence.

To lock onto the latest with MechWarrior, pre-order MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries (https://mw5mercs.com/), visit the MechWarrior Online website (https://mwomercs.com/), and follow Piranha Games on Twitter through @PiranhaGames (https://twitter.com/piranhagames) and @MechWarriorF2P (https://twitter.com/Mechwarriorf2p).

Remastered Resident Evil 3 Announced

2019/12/10

boothby

Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Screenshots / Photos, Xbox One News

Dec. 10, 2019 – Today on PlayStation’s State of Play broadcast, Capcom celebrated the 20th anniversary of the survival horror classic Resident Evil™ 3: Nemesis by unveiling a completely reimagined Resident Evil™ 3. On the heels of the award-winning Resident Evil™ 2, this highly demanded follow-up in the 94 million unit selling franchise once again utilizes Capcom’s proprietary RE Engine to complete the Raccoon City story arc. Resident Evil 3 stars Jill Valentine – one of video games’ most iconic heroines – as she escapes from a crumbling Raccoon City while being pursued by the unrelenting bioweapon Nemesis. Players can also participate in previously untold Umbrella experiments on the outskirts of Raccoon City in the included online asymmetrical multiplayer game Resident Evil™ Resistance, previously known as the working title Project Resistance. Resident Evil 3 will be available on PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including Xbox One X and Steam on April 3, 2020.

Resident Evil 3 is set amidst the nightmarish outbreak of the T-virus, a biological weapon developed by the pharmaceutical company Umbrella Corporation. The game marks the debut of Nemesis – a towering humanoid bioweapon designed for both brutality and high-functioning intelligence – whose dogged hunt of S.T.A.R.S. member Jill Valentine made him an icon of the Resident Evil™ series. Armed with an arsenal of high-powered weaponry and wrapped in a black suit to hide his mutilated features, Nemesis will maim, pulverize or destroy any obstacle on the path to his target.

Jill’s harrowing escape takes place in the panic-stricken hours leading up to and following the events of the acclaimed best-selling Resident Evil 2. Intense combat and puzzle solving combine to deliver the heart-pounding final chapter of Raccoon City’s collapse. The horrific settings from the original game and new content come to life as never before with RE Engine, previously utilized to create the acclaimed Resident Evil™ 7 biohazard, Resident Evil 2 and Devil May Cry™ 5 with high-definition graphics and modernized gameplay mechanics.

Complementing the action-packed single player campaign is Resident Evil Resistance, an asymmetrical 4 vs. 1 multiplayer game originally unveiled as a working title at Tokyo Game Show earlier this year. As the Mastermind behind the scenes, players can assume the role of key Resident Evil characters like Annette Birkin in a series of deadly experiments. Manipulate the environment and wield a deck of cards to place vicious creatures, set traps and weaponized security cameras to snare hapless Survivors. A first for the franchise, Masterminds can even directly control elite bioweapons like G-Birkin and Tyrant. In turn, four Survivors must effectively work together, making the most of a variety of weapons and each player’s unique special abilities, to stand a chance of escaping the experiment before time runs out.

North American console players will also be able to purchase a Resident Evil 3 Collector’s Edition. This premium package contains a physical copy of Resident Evil 3, a high quality Jill Valentine figure, printed artbook, a Raccoon City map wall poster and a digital Resident Evil 3 soundtrack. Those who pre-order will also receive the exclusive Classic Costume Pack that features the original design for Jill Valentine and hairstyle for Carlos Oliveira.

The Elder Scrolls: Blades Gets Major Overhaul

2019/12/10

boothby

Geek News, Mobile News, News, Trailers / Videos

December 10, 2019 – Update 1.5 is now live for The Elder Scrolls: Blades and with it comes huge changes and community-requested features. The arena is now open for all players, bringing with it PvP, guilds and the opportunity to visit other players’ towns to buy and sell goods with guildmates. A major loot overhaul also lands with update 1.5 and revamps how players earn loot, including the removal of all chest timers.

Check out the new trailer here, showcasing all changes in Update 1.5:

· Arena mode PvP is here – Instantly available for everyone, Arena mode allows players to battle one-on-one against others for loot and glory once they reach level 5. Each victory in the best-of-three battles will help players advance up the in-game leaderboards

· Major Loot Overhaul – Update 1.5 brings with it the removal of Chest timers, one of the most highly-requested changes. All rarity levels of chests will now open immediately, and players will no longer have to wait to see what’s inside. The update also offers increased loot from enemies as well as a boss fight at the end of every job that will provide players with greater rewards than usual upon their defeat

· Build your guild – In addition to Arena mode, players can now experience Blades with friends through the brand-new guild system. Create guilds to trade items with guildmates, visit their towns and represent them by making a name for yourself in the arena

· Holiday Content – Finally, update 1.5 spreads holiday cheer to players with a new winter theme for towns along with holiday decorations, special bundles and discounts in the store through December

For more information on The Elder Scrolls: Blades, check out elderscrolls.com.

Kingdom Hearts III Re Mind DLC Announced for February

2019/12/10

boothby

Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Xbox One News

LOS ANGELES (Dec. 10, 2019) – SQUARE ENIX® invites Keyblade wielders to dive back into the journey with Sora and friends in the KINGDOM HEARTS III Re Mind DLC*, coming to the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system on January 23, 2020 and Xbox One family of devices on February 25, 2020.

For players who have completed KINGDOM HEARTS III, the Re Mind DLC provides a new playable episode as Sora adventures to make his way back to his friends and discovers truths that he has never before imagined. The new Re Mind trailer gives players a first look at the FINAL FANTASY® characters set to appear in the DLC, showcasing a glimpse of fan-favorite Aerith from FINAL FANTASY VII. The new Re Mind DLC trailer can be viewed on YouTube:

In Re Mind, players will be able to take on multiple boss battles, a Limitcut and Secret Episode, a new greeting mode, slideshow features and a new “Premium Menu” mode that includes diverse difficulty settings and gameplay challenges.

Additionally, a free patch update** (Version 1.07) is set to be released in January for all KINGDOM HEARTS III players which includes a main story update, new abilities and a new form for Sora along with the addition of Keyblades, “Oathkeeper” and “Oblivion”. Players will also be able to utilize expanded sharing features from January.

KINGDOM HEARTS III is rated E10+ by the ESRB and is available now for the PlayStation®4 system and Xbox One. Fans can pre-order the KINGDOM HEARTS III Re Mind DLC package (priced at $29.99) or KINGDOM HEARTS III Re Mind + Concert Video package (priced at $39.99), which includes all KINGDOM HEARTS III Re Mind content as well as footage from the KINGDOM HEARTS – World of Tres – Orchestra concert recorded in Osaka, Japan on November 30^th, 2019.

Pre-orders are open now at https://www.kingdomhearts.com/3/us/dlc/.

Free League’s ALIEN RPG Officially Launched Today

2019/12/10

boothby

Geek News, News

December 10, 2019 – Today, Free League Publishing officially launched the ALIEN roleplaying game worldwide, along with a host of supplements. The game is now available at the Free League webshop, at DrivethruRPG, and in retail stores worldwide. Pre-orders both to consumers and distributors have been selling fast, and the core rulebook is already being reprinted.

The ALIEN RPG core rulebook, published in partnership with 20th Century Fox, is a beautifully illustrated full-color hardcover book, both presenting the world of ALIEN in the year 2183 and a fast and effective ruleset designed specifically to enhance the ALIEN experience.

Alongside the core book, Free League is releasing the Chariot of the Gods scenario by Andrew E.C Gaska, two sets of custom dice, a GM Screen, a custom card deck, and Maps & Markers Pack including a huge star map of chartered space in 2183 AD.

The ALIEN RPG core book and its supplements can be found at the Free League webshop, at DrivethruRPG, and in retail stores worldwide. Due to the high demand, both the core rulebook and the Chariot of the Gods scenario are already being reprinted.

The ALIEN RPG can be played in two distinct game modes: Cinematic play and Campaign play. Cinematic play is based on pre-made scenarios that emulate the dramatic arc of an ALIEN film. Designed to be played in a single session, this game mode emphasizes high stakes and fast and brutal play. Player characters are not all expected to survive. Campaign play is designed for longer continuous play with the same cast of characters over many game sessions, letting players explore the ALIEN universe freely, sandbox style.

The rules of the game are designed by game director Tomas Härenstam and based on the Year Zero Engine, used in award-winning games such as Tales From the Loop, Forbidden Lands, and Mutant: Year Zero, but adapted and further developed to fully support and enhance the core themes of ALIEN: horror and action in the cold darkness of space.

Chicken Police Announcement Trailer

2019/12/10

boothby

Geek News, News, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

Eger, Hungary/Giebelstadt, Germany, December 10th, 2019: Sonny Featherland and Marty MacChicken, aka the “Chicken Police”, once a legendary detective-duo – now a washed-up wreck and a wannabe star-detective. But things are about to change when a most mysterious case comes along, getting weirder by the hour and more dangerous than anything the two have faced before. Sonny and Marty will have to face the demons of their dark past on this journey through the crooked city of CLAWVILLE… But the Chicken Police is back together!

Chicken Police – Paint it RED features a stunningly peculiar visual style with artistic photo-manipulation and lifelike 3D backgrounds. The game convinces with a dark story and satire which recalls the mood and atmosphere inspired by classic film-noir movies of the 40’s. And like all the best noir detective stories, this one feels so gritty and desperate, that it can only be served with a side of cynical humor. Experience a carefully crafted world, a grim, sinister story, and absurd humor. All mixed up with elements of story-rich adventures and a visual novel style dialogue system, complete with a complex interrogation mechanic, detective gameplay and an ever-changing city.

“This city never sleeps – they say .Maybe that’s why it is so cranky all the time.”
Chicken Police will be available in 2020 on Steam, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Xbox One and Sony Playstation 4.

New 2K Studio Formed to Helm Next BioShock Game

2019/12/09

boothby

Geek News, Industry News, News

New York, NY – December 9, 2019 – 2K today announced the founding of Cloud Chamber™, the newest, wholly owned game development studio under the Company’s publishing label. A collective of storytellers eager to push the frontlines of interactive entertainment by making unique, entertaining and thoughtful experiences that engage the world, Cloud Chamber will build its team at two locations: 2K’s San Francisco Bay Area headquarters in Novato, Calif., as well as in Montréal, Québec, which marks the first-ever Canadian office for a 2K studio. In addition, 2K announced that Cloud Chamber has started to work on the next iteration of the globally acclaimed BioShock® franchise, which will be in development for the next several years.

“As we continue growing our product portfolio, we remain inspired by opportunities to invest further in our valuable IP, great people and their collective, long-term potential,” said David Ismailer, President of 2K. “BioShock is one of the most beloved, critically praised and highest-rated franchises of the last console generation*. We can’t wait to see where its powerful narrative and iconic, first-person shooter gameplay head in the future with our new studio team at Cloud Chamber leading the charge.”

A 22-year industry veteran with more than 40 games shipped to date, Kelley Gilmore will serve as Cloud Chamber’s Global Studio Head and be the first woman in 2K history to lead a development studio. Her wealth of experience transcends executive production, marketing direction and public relations management, including nearly two decades of service to another of 2K’s wholly owned studios, Firaxis Games, on franchises such as Sid Meier’s Civilization® and XCOM®. Her role is based in Novato.

“We founded Cloud Chamber to create yet-to-be-discovered worlds – and their stories within – that push the boundaries of what is possible in the video game medium,” said Kelley Gilmore, Global Studio Head, Cloud Chamber. “Our team believes in the beauty and strength of diversity, in both the makeup of the studio and the nature of its thinking. We are a deeply experienced group of game makers, including many responsible for BioShock’s principal creation, advancement and longstanding notoriety, and honored to be part of the 2K family as stewards of this iconic franchise.”

Gilmore has tapped Ken Schachter to be Cloud Chamber’s Studio Manager in Montréal. An executive with extensive experience in development, production, technology and creative roles, Schachter will also be an ambassador for both the studio and 2K in establishing a significant Company presence in Montréal. Prior to joining 2K, Schachter served as General Manager for Zynga in Toronto, as well as founded independent game developer and publisher Trapdoor. He has also held notable positions with companies such as Gameloft, Autodesk and more.

Cloud Chamber’s decision to open a new office in Montréal was supported by the Gouvernement du Québec and Montréal International.

Cloud Chamber will join the Company’s family of wholly owned development teams, including Visual Concepts, Firaxis Games, Hangar 13, Cat Daddy Games and 2K Silicon Valley. Those interested in pursuing career opportunities with the new studio may visit the Cloud Chamber website or 2K Careers for more information.

For more information on 2K, visit www.2k.com, become a fan on Facebook, follow the Company on Twitter or Instagram or subscribe on YouTube.

* Based on Metacritic.com average ranking across available platforms