Author - boothby

OVERKILL’s The Walking Dead Behind-the-Scenes FX Video

2018/03/19
boothby
Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

Developed by OVERKILL – A Starbreeze Studio, OVERKILL’s The Walking Dead is a four-player co-op multiplayer FPS action game set in Washington, D.C., and inspired by the rich universe of Robert Kirkman’s original graphic novels. Each playable character has their own special abilities, skill trees, squad roles, play styles and background stories. It’s up to players to band together using stealth or brute force on a variety of raids and missions, securing supplies and survivors to strengthen their camp against the threat of both the dead and the living by any means necessary.

OVERKILL’s The Walking Dead is expected to launch this year on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One and Windows PC. For more on the game, check out https://www.overkillsthewalkingdead.com.

HTC Vive Pro Pre-Orders Up for $799

2018/03/19
boothby
Geek News, News, Tech News

Taipei, Taiwan & San Francisco, CA – March 19, 2018 – HTC Vive™ today announced that the HTC VIVE PRO HMD will be available for $799 with global pre-orders staring now. The company also announced a $100 price reduction for the current Vive full kit, bringing it down to $499 across the globe. All Vive Pro HMDs purchased by June 3rd, which will begin shipping on April 5th, will come with a free six-month trial to Viveport Subscription, where consumers can choose up to 5 titles per month from the more than 400 titles available.

“With the Vive Pro we are delivering the best quality display and visual experience to the most discerning VR enthusiasts. Our goal has always been to offer the most premium VR platform available and to drive adoption for VR,” said Daniel O’Brien, GM U.S, VIVE. “By lowering the price of the current Vive, we are making VR more accessible while expanding the potential market for developers. Whether you’re a VR enthusiast or new to the platform, there’s never been a better time to join the most complete VR platform available.”

Vive PRO HMD pre-orders begin today on Vive.com and other Vive retailers with units shipping globally on April 5th. Current Vive owners can upgrade their headset for the best display, audio, and comfort in the industry. The Vive Pro comes with dual-OLED displays, making for a crisper image resolution of 2880 x 1600 combined, a 78% increase in resolution over the current Vive HMD. In addition to visuals, Vive Pro also features integrated, high-performance headphones with a built-in amplifier that creates a heightened sense of presence and sound through noise cancellation capabilities. These improved graphics and audio allow for users to experience VR with enhanced clarity, making it the most realistic and immersive VR experience on the market today.

In addition, the Vive Pro has been rebuilt to maximize comfort for the most demanding VR users. The Vive Pro features a redesigned head-strap that balances the weight of the headset more evenly and features easy simple adjustment buttons for Vive users with glasses.

The Vive Pro works with both SteamVR Tracking 1.0 and 2.0, meaning existing Vive customers can upgrade the headset only and continue to use current generation controllers and base stations.

With more than 3,000 titles available, Vive continues to be the platform of choice for developers and consumers alike. Operating in over 60 countries, HTC’s content platform Viveport brings premium experiences in entertainment, education, arcade, arts & culture, and enterprise to a global audience. In addition, Viveport Subscription allows consumers to choose from over 400 pieces of content from a highly-curated offering, giving consumers the opportunity to discover the best VR content available. Vive Pro purchases made before June 3rd come with a free six-month trial of Viveport Subscription where owners will get the chance to play 30 titles with their new HMD. Pro purchases made after the first 60 days of orders will come with a free two-month trial. The price of Viveport Subscription will increase to $8.99 on March 22nd. Current Subscribers and those who sign up before the increase takes effect, will be locked in at the $6.99 price point through at least the end of the year.

Consumers who buy the current Vive full kit at the new price of $499, will continue to receive a free two-month Viveport Subscription, as well as a redemption code for the most popular VR title, Fallout 4 VR, a $59.99 value.

EVE Online Designer Joins Novaquark for Dual Universe

2018/03/16
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Geek News, News, Windows PC News

PARIS, FRANCE – March 16, 2018 – Novaquark, the company creating the seamless virtual online civilization ‘Dual Universe’, has acquired the talent of Hrafnkell Oskarsson, one of the original designers of EVE Online. Together, Novaquark and Oskarsson will be working on Dual Universe, the giant multi-planetary sandbox universe where potentially millions of people will be able to invent new stories for themselves, create new political systems, economies, cities, and empires.

Traditional approaches in gaming and entertainment are based around companies spending substantial amounts of money to create content, and sell it. Most of the time, players have little influence on the value of the platform, as they passively consume the content, and then move on to another game. Novaquark aims to reverse this logic with its one-of-a-kind technology providing users with a stage to collectively create the content and share it together, at an unprecedented scale. The value of Novaquark comes entirely from its users and the material they generate, giving the power back to them instead of a centralized system.

At the heart of Dual Universe is a truly innovative proprietary technology, that was developed to lay the foundations of the game: the CSSC (continuous single-shard cluster) manages one single universe with potentially millions of people interacting in it at the same time, with no loading screen. Coupled with this is an innovative voxel engine enabling players to physically modify the world and foster a persistent, continuous form of reality where meaningful contributions can accumulate. Novaquark offers users:

Seamless co-existence: Millions of people exist together at the same time within a continuous “no-loading screen” virtual space, with the actions of one affecting the rest. Empires will form and die, and alliances and betrayals will shape the destiny of the world.Modifiable and evolving environment: Rather than a world that is static and scripted, Novaquark provides one that is constantly changing and progressing based on actions taken by users.

Platform for content creation: Players can use harvested materials to build anything from spaceships to cities to political and territorial systems, at any scale they want. There can be war, drama, action, conflict, all put into one giant universe for people to take control of, and that never stops. Space to enact a common inner desire for new beginnings: Dual Universe works around the old dream of humanity for people to have a second chance at creating a new life for themselves, in a way even bigger than life itself.

EVE Online, the game that Oskarsson originally designed (together with Reynir Harðarson), is one of the most acclaimed online multiplayer virtual games, well known for its emergent gameplay and impressive large-scale player-driven stories. While very different from EVE Online, Dual Universe shares a cultural heritage with it, and the experience of Oskarsson will be invaluable to help build this next generation of a persistent emergent universe. Together they will allow users to leave their mark, make a difference, contribute content and have social interactions, all to bring a sense of meaning back to gaming.

“Competitors in the MMO genre tend to rely on simplified models to connect a few hundreds, sometimes a few thousands of players together in the same arena or instance, which are often not persistent and not interconnected,” says Founder and CEO Jean-Christophe Baillie. “The experienced content is made by the company, and the players “consume” it. We have a new proprietary technology to change that and let millions of people together inside the same persistent, never stopping, virtual universe, where they are free to modify the world and create their own stories as they see fit.”

Shadow of the Tomb Raider Teaser Trailer

2018/03/16
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Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

LOS ANGELES, CA (March 15, 2018) Square Enix® today announced Shadow of the Tomb Raider™ will be available in six months for the Xbox One family of devices including Xbox One X, PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and Windows PC/Steam®. All platforms will launch simultaneously on September 14, 2018.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider will be unveiled on April 27, 2018. Fans around the world can visit www.TombRaider.com for a chance to play the game and meet the developers at one of three exclusive reveal events.

The Unofficial Beyond Skyrim: Bruma Score Released

2018/03/16
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Geek News, News, Windows PC News

SEATTLE – March 16, 2018 – Materia Collective is pleased to present the Beyond Skyrim: Bruma (Original Game Soundtrack) by composer Daniel Ran. Beyond Skyrim: Bruma is an unofficial Skyrim expansion that revisits established themes from the award-winning soundtrack by Jeremy Soule while also incorporating influences from the Far East over the course of 60 tracks. Listeners can expect beautiful orchestral atmospheres that feel right at home in the world of Tamriel. Beyond Skyrim: Bruma (Original Game Soundtrack) is available now wherever digital music is sold:

“Jeremy Soule has been an influence of mine starting with The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind,” notes composer Daniel Ran. “I’ve also been inspired by the works of Japanese composers including Nobuo Uematsu, Yasunori Shiono and Masashi Hamauzu. For Beyond Skyrim: Bruma, I feel I was able to examine just why Soule’s music was so influential and merged both the Western and Far Eastern influences into a sound that reflects me. It’s my most important work to date, and I’m excited to continue composing for Beyond Skyrim: Cyrodiil.”

In Beyond Skyrim: Bruma, players will travel beyond the borders of Skyrim and explore Bruma, the northernmost county in Cyrodiil where they can delve into Ayleid ruins, meddle in local affairs or explore the wilds.

Learn more about Beyond Skyrim: Bruma (Original Game Soundtrack):
https://www.materiacollective.com/music/beyond-skyrim-bruma-original-game-soundtrack

World of Tanks Console Celebrates St. Patrick’s Day

2018/03/15
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Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Xbox 360 News, Xbox One News

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS (MARCH 15, 2018) — Award-winning online game developer and publisher Wargaming brings the luck of the Irish to players of World of Tanks on PlayStation®4, Xbox One and Xbox 360 this month. World of Tanks Console is one of the most popular free-to-play games, featuring team-based massively multiplayer online action dedicated to armored warfare in the mid-20th century. Beginning March 16, 2018, a new series of in-game events, new content and special missions will release for World of Tanks across consoles to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and the March Madness college basketball tournament season.

To kick off Wargaming’s March celebration, this St. Patrick’s Day players can look forward to the very special The Luck of the Irish Op. The Op will run over the weekend from March 16 – 18, 2018, and unlocks the opportunity for commanders to earn free War Chests packed with a random selection of treasure and goodies for every ten battle victories they secure.

World of Tanks’ latest Premium Hero also comes from the Emerald Isle. Available until April 2, the Banshee Comet is an Irish soldier that puts an interesting and unique spin on a true fan favorite. Taking its name from a mythological creature found in Irish folklore, the Banshee Comet combines incredible mobility, devastating impact power and pinpoint precision. Early adopters can benefit from an exclusive Op included with all Banshee Comet bundles, which gives a 25% boost to Crew XP earnings to every tank while active.

On the competitive front, eight nations will battle it out online in the Tank Madness tournament, featuring single eliminations and team-based competitions each and every weekend throughout March. Czechoslovakia takes on China in a David vs. Goliath showdown from March 16 – 18, with Sweden duking it out with the United States of America in the final bracket from March 23 – 25. Players can join the fray every weekend for the chance to earn Silver currency, Premium time and access to additional special Ops. And for commanders who can’t get enough of Tank Madness, the Final IV tournament awaits at the end of the month and lasts from March 30 – April 1. This special competition pits the victors from each bracket in March against each other. Commanders who back the winning team can look forward to flying the flag for that nation, with a Hero Flag tank available as the ultimate prize.

And last but not least, warriors from the east will join the World of Tanks store later this month. Mighty Chinese vehicles — the WZ-120-1G FT and WZ-111 — take the battlefield by storm starting March 20. The WZ-120-1G FT boasts high speed and heavy armour, for players looking for high agility and defensiveness in battle. The WZ-111 follows as a fast and furious heavyweight, rocking an almighty weapon that’s primed for maximum damage in the thick of battle. These tanks are available together in a Mega bundle, or separately in Ultimate, Loaded and Base bundles, and will wage war until April 9.

World of Tanks on console is one of the most successful Free-to-Play titles globally with more than 14 million players across the PlayStation and Xbox platforms. It continuously raises the bar in terms of quality and content by adding new seasonal game modes, campaigns, operations, and of course, maps and tanks to the game. The recently released War Stories extension of World of Tanks offers more than 12+ hours of single-player and co-op battles for console gamers, in addition to the game’s famously captivating and highly-tactical online 15-vs-15 competitive PVP modes — Standard Battle, Encounter, Assault and Team Destruction.

For more details on the Luck of the Irish Op, visit:
https://console.worldoftanks.com/news/game-events/up-all-night-to-get-lucky

For more details on the Banshee Comet, visit:
https://console.worldoftanks.com/news/general-news/deep-impact

For more details on Tank Madness, visit:
https://console.worldoftanks.com/news/general-news/m-m-m-m-madness

Six Flags Great Adventure March and April 2018 Calendar of Events

2018/03/15
boothby
Geek News, News

Six Flags Great Adventure has posted up its March-April 2018 calendar of events, which includes Spring Break. a hiring festival, and a lot more. Check out all the events below!

Six Flags Hiring Palooza – March 17 & 18

Six Flags Great Adventure will host a hiring palooza for jobs in ride operations and culinary services March 17 and 18 in the Six Flags Employment Center. Prospective employees age 16 and older can secure an on-the-spot interview from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Wages for these positions were recently raised by approximately $2 per hour over 2017 and begin at $10 to 10.50 per hour for day shift and $10.50 to $11.50 for night shift. New applicants are encouraged to visit www.sixflagsjobs.com to complete an online pre-employment application. Employment Center walk-ins are welcome Mondays to Fridays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1 Six Flags Blvd., Jackson, NJ 08527 – approximately 1 mile west of the main park entrance on Route 537.

Six Flags Great Adventure Opening Weekend ­­– March 24 & 25

The World’s Ultimate Thrill Park opens for the 2018 season March 24 and 25. Guests can conquer cutting-edge thrills like JUSTICE LEAGUE: Battle for Metropolis and THE JOKER, and challenge chart-topping coasters like El Toro and Kingda Ka. The whole family can embark on the ultimate animal adventure on Safari Off Road Adventure, and take a spin on the Big Wheel to catch a glimpse of construction for 2018’s innovative, new ride, CYBORG Cyber Spin. This seven-story, three-axis gyroscope ranks as the first thrill ride of its kind in the world and will utterly defy gravity beginning this summer.

Spring Break – March 30 to April 8

Guests can emerge from hibernation to celebrate the launch of the blockbuster 2018 season with Spring Break March 30 through April 8. With thoughts of snow far behind and visions of a brilliant summer ahead, thrill-seekers can soar on Nitro, Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom, SkyScreamer and more. Guests can greet their favorite animals from six continents on the VIP-style Safari Off Road Adventure, and encounter small, exotic animals up close at Safari Discoveries. Spring Break tastes even sweeter with signature treats like funnel cake sundaes, churros, smothered candy apples, homemade fudge and more.

International Food Truck & Beer Festival – April 21 & 22

The 5th annual International Food Truck & Beer Festival features delicious treats from around the world plus an expansive variety of craft beer. Guests can enjoy a myriad of tastes ranging from barbeque and tacos to hibachi and sliders, plus sweets including gourmet waffles and cupcakes. More than 10 trucks are available from 12 to 7 p.m. each day in Movietown. Festival admission is included with theme park admission, Season Pass and active Membership. Food and beer are available for an additional fee. Discounted theme park tickets are available online for $37.99 with the promo code TRUCK.

Academic Adventure – Select Days April 9 to 30

Safari Off Road Education – April 9-13, 16-19, 23-26, and 30

Six Flags Great Adventure is proud to offer students K through 6 a journey in learning with 1,200 animals from six continents including elephants, giraffes, rhinos, bears and more. Experienced and entertaining tour guides facilitate this thrilling animal program for up to 400 students per day in its 350-acre wildlife preserve when the theme park is closed to the public.

Spring Physics Day – April 20

Students see and feel the principles of physics at this exclusive educational event that transforms theory into practical applications. For more than 30 years, students have utilized the theme park’s outdoor classroom as a method to measure scientific principles such as speed and force on their favorite thrill rides. Pre-registration may be required for activities. Park hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Middle School STEM Day – April 20

Six Flags dedicates an entire operating day exclusively to middle school students for STEM – a curriculum based on four specific disciplines (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) in an interdisciplinary and applied approach. Pre-registration may be required for events. Park hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Biology Day – April 20

High and middle school students learning about biology and life science can explore Six Flags’ outdoor classroom during Biology Day. Students get up close and personal with 1,200 animals from six continents in the park’s 350-acre wildlife preserve while being led by experienced and entertaining tour guides. Kids can see classroom principles in real-life settings and learn from a dedicated staff that works in the field every day. This exclusive day operates from 10 a.m. to     6 p.m.

General Park Information

For more information, guests can call 732/928-2000 or visit www.sixflags.com/greatadventure

Jack Tretton Launches Interactive Gaming Ventures

2018/03/15
boothby
Geek News, Industry News, News

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – MARCH 15, 2018 – After 28 years of leadership in the gaming industry, Jack Tretton has set his sights on working with a number of innovative software developers in hopes of helping them grow their business. Interactive Gaming Ventures will provide experienced indie developers with much needed investment capital and management strategy to help them achieve greater scale and success. Over the last four years since starting his own consulting firm, Tretton realized that despite a rich talent pool of creative independent developers, many face challenges getting financial support for their projects and lack the long term experience of providing go to market solutions and corporate relationships to maximize their success. With funding in place, Interactive Gaming Ventures will seek to identify the best possible partners to achieve commercial success for all parties.

Jack Tretton

“Traditional private equity and venture firms appreciate the 100 billion dollar size of the gaming industry, but most lack the understanding and the comfort level to invest in it,” said Jack Tretton, Managing Partner, Interactive Gaming Ventures. “We provide these studios structure, cash infusion, and use our relationships to ensure that they are getting an appropriate share of voice from first parties backed by investors that know the industry and seek the outstanding financial returns that a well run publisher can provide.”

Tretton is joined by Managing Partner Doug Kennedy, the CEO of Studio Wildcard who drove its mega-hit ARK: Survival Evolved to more than 13M copies sold. Kennedy co-founded Reverb Communications, veteran PR agency, that helped launch mega hits Guitar Hero, Rock Band and PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS. In 2009, Kennedy launched Reverb’s indie publishing initiative to discover small, funded studios and bring their games to PC and console. Tretton and Kennedy’s combined 50 years of experience bring a high level of expertise in all aspects of successfully bringing games to market.

Qualified studios can submit their projects: http://www.interactivegamingventures.com

Interactive Gaming Ventures will provide the following resources to 2-3 select studios per year, allowing them to focus 100% of their attention on building games:

  • Project Funding
  • Development Support and Resources
  • Full Service Marketing and Advertising
  • Public Relations
  • Distribution
  • Publisher Relations
  • Mergers and Acquisitions Resources
  • Community Relations
  • Brand Management
  • General Operations Management

Jack Tretton is the former CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America and a founding member of PlayStation’s original management team. Tretton was responsible for launching all of Sony’s consoles and portable devices including PlayStation 4. Tretton has publishing credits on more than 300 major software releases. Tretton has worked with Studio Wildcard since 2015 for the distribution of the mega hit franchise ARK: Survival Evolved and is a founding managing director of Ocean IQ Gaming and the funds investor in Blue Isle Studios, creators of Slender the Arrival, Valley and Citadel: Forged with Fire. As the founder of Interactive Concepts, LLC with leading gaming industry publishers and investment firms, he led the organization to realize multimillion dollar revenue since its inception in 2014.

Asmodee Digital Nomad Games Fighting Fantasy Legends

2018/03/14
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Geek News, Mobile News, News, Windows PC News

PARIS — Mar. 14, 2018 — Asmodee Digital, the industry leader in digital board game entertainment, announced today that they have added Nomad Games’ Fighting Fantasy Legends to their ever-growing catalogue. Taking place in the Fighting Fantasy world of Titan — a monster-filled mythical world created by legendary authors Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone — Fighting Fantasy Legends is a card-based RPG that blends digital card game mechanics with interactive fiction. Players can find Fighting Fantasy Legends on Steam ($9.99/€9.99/£6.99), the App Store ($4.99/€5.49/£4.99), and Google Play ($5.49/€ 5.49/£4.99).

Based on three of the classic gamebooks City of Thieves, Citadel of Chaos, and The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, Fighting Fantasy Legends has players traveling across the dangerous continent of Allansia facing rogues, monsters, and piecing together clues to solve cryptic quests. The adventurer must navigate various locations from across all three books to complete their goals. At each location there are deadly decks of cards to face, with potential danger at every turn. The hero must power up their dice, increasing their luck or adding to their skill to help maintain their stamina and survive the unyielding Fighting Fantasy world.

“We are huge fans of the Fighting Fantasy series and the folks at Nomad Games have done an excellent job at making a game that stays true to the lore” says Philippe Dao, Chief Marketing Officer of Asmodee Digital. “We’re honored to take over publishing responsibilities for such a storied universe, and we look forward to supporting Fighting Fantasy Legends for years to come.”

Ian Livingstone, co-creator of Fighting Fantasy, said, “In Fighting Fantasy Legends, Nomad Games have created a thrilling solo adventure by capturing the danger, detail and excitement of our gamebooks, re-imagining the experience for digital platforms. I’m delighted that Asmodee Digital will be publishing Fighting Fantasy Legends, leveraging their renowned expertise to take the game to new global audiences.”

Steve Jackson, co-creator of Fighting Fantasy said, “Ian and I are proud to have Asmodee publishing the Fighting Fantasy series of gamebook adventures. When I look at Asmodee Digital’s catalogue of e-boardgames, I find many of my own favorites, like Ticket to Ride. The Fighting Fantasy solo RPG series will fit comfortably into the existing range, but it’s not a straight conversion from the solo RPG format. Nomad developed an entirely new game design, creating an RPG card game in a style that fans have not seen before.”

Fighting Fantasy celebrated its 35th anniversary last year with the launch of Fighting Fantasy Legends. The game has been well-received by fans and critics alike with an average 4.5-star rating on the App Store and Google Play and “Mostly Positive” rating on Steam..

For more information: