FRANKFURT, Germany – Jan. 18, 2018– Starting on Jan. 31, a select group of PC gamers will be able to play Hunt: Showdown regularly as part of the game’s closed alpha testing phase via Steam. During closed alpha, the Hunt team will be testing gameplay, balancing, and backend functionality, as well as collecting feedback from the community. Closed alpha testers will be randomly chosen from the sign-up list, and those chosen will receive an email invite.
Hunt: Showdown is a competitive multiplayer bounty hunting game that mixes PvP with PvE elements in a handcrafted sandbox environment. During each match up to ten players, hunting solo or in teams of two, track and kill gruesome monsters for a bounty—when they aren’t tracking and killing each other in order to steal it. During Hunt’s closed alpha phase, new content—in the form of new weapons, equipment, traits, and ranks—will be continuously released and tested.
Invitations for the Hunt closed alpha will be sent out in multiple waves, and it is still possible to sign up at https://www.huntshowdown.com/. Watch the Hunt trailer on YouTube.
Leicester, UK, 18th January – The old-school tycoon game is back but with a modern twist as Kasedo Games today announced that Rise of Industry, by Dapper Penguin Studios, is hitting Early Access on 9th February 2018.
The announcement follows a hugely successful spell in early Alpha, in which Rise of Industry became the top selling game of 2017 on Itch.io gathering an already devoted community and was subsequently voted into the top four realistic simulation games of 2017 on IndieDB.com.
“We’re so excited to finally be bringing Rise of Industry to Early Access after an amazing and very busy couple of years developing the game, pouring all of our talent, love and care” said Alex Mochi, CEO, Designer & Producer at Dapper Penguin Studios. “We want to hit the ground running in Early Access, and already having over 15000 people who have played the game means that we have been able to use their feedback to deliver the best game possible as we continue with development, making sure it ends up a genre classic”.
Although there is already a lot in the game, such as sandbox and career mode, an updated development roadmap shows the sheer amount of additional content which will be coming during Early Access and beyond release. Modding, multiplayer, massive maps, full localisation in several languages and much more is all to come this year.
“There are many hours of challenging and extremely stable gameplay already in Rise of Industry and as the roadmap shows, we’ve got so much more to come with regular and sizeable updates coming throughout Early Access” continues Alex. “We’re always open to our community to answer any questions or address any feedback they may have and our Discord and social media channels continue to grow every day”.
Rise of Industry will enter Early Access on both Steam and GOG on Friday 9th February 2018 ($24.99, €22.99, £19.99).
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 18, 2018 – Today, Jam City, a Los Angeles based mobile games studio, in partnership with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, revealed new details for Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery – including the game’s first teaser trailer. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery is the first game in which players can create their own character and experience life as a Hogwarts student. In the roleplaying game, players will create a personalized student avatar, attend classes, learn magical skills, form friendships or rivalries with other students, and make pivotal decisions that will influence their character’s story arc as they traverse their years at Hogwarts and grow as a witch or wizard. The game will launch under Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment’s Portkey Games, a label dedicated to creating gaming experiences inspired by the magic and adventures of J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World.
Before launching this spring, the title will be introduced to fans at the upcoming A Celebration of Harry Potter event at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida from January 26-28. There, attendees will be able to go behind the scenes via two panels hosted by the Jam City team as well as visiting the Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery booth to receive exclusive swag, play the game, meet members of the game team, and experience other magical surprises.
“Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery is a role playing experience about magic, friendship, and life as a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,” said Chris DeWolfe, co-founder and CEO of Jam City. “We can’t wait to give fans a first look at the game at A Celebration of Harry Potter, and this spring players will be able to explore Hogwarts fully in their journey toward becoming a witch or wizard.”
The game is set in the time between Harry Potter’s birth and his enrollment at Hogwarts, when Nymphadora Tonks and Bill Weasley were students. The avatar customization system allows you to continually upgrade your avatar as you gain new expertise and magical skills – you can even choose your own pet. You will join one of the four Houses before progressing through your years at Hogwarts, participating in magical classes and activities such as Potions and Transfiguration. Building your skills will come in handy as you solve mysteries and go on adventures. As players improve their skills, they will unlock new locations, spells and other magical abilities.
Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery features both large plot arcs and smaller stories such as relationship quests. The game features a new encounter system in which player’s decisions in both actions and narrative impact their quests, and how other characters regard and interact with them. These choices will allow Harry Potter fans to create the legacy of the witch or wizard they want to become.
Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery is licensed by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, developed by Jam City and will be released this spring for mobile devices under Portkey Games, the new label for gaming experiences inspired by the magic and adventures of J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World. The title will be available on the App Store, Google Play, and the Amazon Appstore. For more details on Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery as they are revealed, and to connect with other Harry Potter fans as you await your owl, visit www.facebook.com/HPHogwartsMystery/, www.twitter.com/HogwartsMystery, and for more information visit www.HarryPotterHogwartsMystery.com/.
January 16, 2018 —Last year during Tankbowl 2017, we witnessed a close-fought competition between the victorious German nation and Team USA. TankBowl has returned to World of Tanks on Console today – this time Team USA is facing Team USSR. To partake in TankBowl, participants must complete in-game Tryouts between January 15 and February 4. During Tryouts, tankers can secure their spot in the TankBowl for Team USSR or Team USA by earning points during battles based on their performance. Tankers who complete Tryouts will move forward earning their spot in the four-day TankBowl event starting February 1, earning valuable in-game items and bonuses along the way.
Participation is easy. Tankers choose the nation they wish to support in TankBowl by playing in multiplayer matches with any Tier III or higher Soviet or US tank. During Tryouts, points will be awarded in each match for outstanding performance. Tankers who earn 100 points for their chosen nation will complete Tryouts and be able to contribute to their nation’s success during TankBowl.
For the players who qualify, the four-day TankBowl will commence on February 1. Each day during TankBowl, players will receive points for experience earned in multiplayer battles with Tier III -Tier X tanks from their chosen nation (USA or USSR). Every 15 points earned for their nation will result in one completion and a random drop reward. Tankers who earn 110 or more points will be rewarded with the prestigious MVP USA or MVP USSR Medal. The nation with the highest average completions (per qualifying players) will win TANKBOWL.
All players of that nation who score at least one completion will receive the “Champion M4 Sherman” bundle including a unique 2018 Champion Emblem as their prize. Players on the losing side will be offered the “Champion M4 Sherman” bundle at a discount.
For all players there are two dedicated TankBowl Team Captain tanks available starting January 15: The US Tier VIII heavy tank Patriot T26E5 and the Russian Tier VIII heavy tank Object 252U Defender. Both of these powerful vehicles embody the strength of their respective nation and are perfect to take to the battlefield during the event. Additionally TankBowl Emblems are available from January 9 – February 5, to show your support for your team.
This event is exclusively available to be played for free on Microsoft Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox One S, PlayStation®4 and in full 4K resolution supporting HDR on Xbox One X and Sony PlayStation®4 Pro.
London, England – January 16, 2018 – SEGA Europe Ltd. and Two Point Studios today announced a revolutionary new treatment for ‘Light-Headedness’ in their newly revealed game, Two Point Hospital, coming to Steam in late 2018. In what ‘experts’ are describing as a ‘light bulb moment for completely fictional medicine’, the Farnham based studio are drawing plaudits for their inception of the ‘De-Lux Clinic’, which is being rolled out across Two Point County to tackle the recent epidemic of this filamentally flummoxing affliction.
Light-Headedness was first experienced by patient zero, known only as Trevor. You can follow the illuminating story of Trevor and his battle with this rare disease by watching our enlightening infomercial about Two Point Hospital here:
Two Point Hospital, inspired by and from the creators of Theme Hospital, is set to be a return to one of gaming’s most loved sim genres. Two Point Hospital draws on the experience of some the gaming industry’s most experienced and successful sim developers, who between them, in addition to Theme Hospital, have worked on titles like Black and White, Theme Park and Fable at studios including Bullfrog, Lionhead and Mucky Foot. Two Point Hospital will deliver a compelling experience packed with the humour, charm and replayability fans of the genre have come to expect.
“We’re delighted to finally announce the fruits of our partnership with Two Point Studios and reveal Two Point Hospital to the world,” said John Clark, Executive Vice President of Publishing for SEGA Europe. “We’re committed to finding and working with the best new studios, ones that fit with SEGA’s ethos to deliver new IP with strong franchise potential. Two Point Studios’ vision for Two Point Hospital and their ambitions for it fit perfectly with that notion and we look forward to releasing their game later this year.”
“Gary and I have been talking about this project for a number of years and are really excited to be announcing Two Point Studios’ first game,” said Mark Webley, Co-Founder of Two Points Studios. His fellow Co-Founder, Gary Carr added: “The amazing team we have managed to bring together, and our partnership with SEGA, has really allowed this first part of our vision to finally come to fruition.”
Two Point Hospital will launch for PC via Steam and the SEGA Store later this year. For more information about all things Two Point Hospital sign up for our Hospital Pass at www.twopointhospital.com. Hospital Pass will give fans of the game a chance to access exciting news concerning Two Point Hospital before anyone else as well as the gift of an exclusive in game item once the game launches. You can also follow the game’s progress on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.
For more information about SEGA Europe, log on to www.sega.co.uk, follow us on Facebook or on Twitter.
January 17, 2018 – Referred to as “the ‘Citizen Kane’ of bad movies,” “The Room” has received a remarkable resurgence due to the popularity of James Franco’s “The Disaster Artist” and Tommy Wiseau’s recent appearance on The Golden Globes. On January 10, fans came out in droves as Wiseau’s opus hit more than 500 big screens across the nation with “Tommy Wiseau’s ‘The Room.’” Due to overwhelming demand, an encore screening has been set for Friday, January 19, 2018. In addition to the full-length feature, moviegoers will enjoy a special look at the new “Best F(r)iends” trailer, starring Wiseau and Greg Sestero.
Starring Tommy Wiseau, directed by Tommy Wiseau, written by Tommy Wiseau, screenplay by Tommy Wiseau and produced by Tommy Wiseau, “The Room” follows the story of Johnny (Wiseau). Johnny is a bank employee who, seemingly, lives happily in a San Francisco townhouse with Lisa, his fiancée. One day she gets bored with Tommy and seduces his best friend, Mark (played by Wiseau’s best friend, Greg Sestero, author of the award-winning 2013 memoir “The Disaster Artist”). Johnny screams, “You’re tearing me apart, Lisa!”– and, with that, nothing, or no one, will ever be the same.
Tickets for “Tommy Wiseau’s ‘The Room’” encore will be available throughout the week online by visiting www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices. A complete list of theater locations will be available on the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).
Minneapolis, Minnesota – January 17, 2018 – The Video Games and Music Convention (VGM CON) is pleased to announce its lineup of special guests and musical performers for its 2018 event. Composers Jason Graves (Dead Space, Tomb Raider, Far Cry Primal) and Rich “Disasterpeace” Vreeland (Fez, It Follows, Hyper Light Drifter) will be joined by bands Super Guitar Bros., Do a Barrel Roll!, Nerd Enhanced Sound, Arc Impulse, Super Marcato Bros. and more to celebrate the artistry of videogames, including their music, visuals, and narratives. Formerly known as Gamer’s Rhapsody, which now acts as the organizer of this new event, VGM CON features musical performances, industry and fan-run panels, an indie game showcase, interactive videogame and music experiences, and much more. The 2018 event is set to take place March 2 through March 4 at the Sheraton Minneapolis West hotel.
“When I was young, I used to put PlayStation discs into my CD player to listen to the soundtrack” reflects VGM CON founder Thomas Spargo. “People thought it was really strange, but as a result, about 90% of my music collection is from videogames. This music spilled over into my classical guitar repertoire and now I make arrangements of videogame music. VGM CON was created to bring together a community of like-minded people and to inspire others to use their passion for videogames to develop skills in the arts, whether they be musical, visual, or the written word.”
Other highlights from this year’s event will include a 24-hour Midwest Game Jam, a talent show, a Super Smash Bros. tournament, an educational youth strings clinic, and a vendor room.
Learn more about VGM CON 2018 on the official VGM CON website: http://vgmcon.org
BURBANK, Calif. – January 16, 2018 – Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment today announced Scribblenauts™ Showdown, a new video game based on the inventive franchise that expands upon the puzzle-action series’ creativity by introducing two new party game modes for one to four players. Scribblenauts Showdown will be available March 6 for Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and Xbox One®.
“Scribblenauts Showdown delivers imaginative fun and the humor that Scribblenauts fans love with new social elements to challenge friends and family,” said Steven Chiang, Executive Vice President, Production, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. “Players of all skill levels will enjoy testing their creativity in the fast-paced, head-to-head party style gameplay.”
In the game’s Showdown mode, up to four players face off and imagine their way to victory through card-based strategy and creative skill. “Wordy” mini-games require unleashing the best object or character from the vast Scribblenauts dictionary of over thirty-five thousand words to outsmart an opponent. Action-oriented “Speedy” mini-games reward the player who completes a given challenge first. A board game style map displays players’ progress. With multiple ways to make up ground, every player has a chance to win, which keeps the excitement going until the end!
In Versus mode, two players can go head-to-head in more than 25 mini-games that vary in every session. The mini-games can also be enjoyed by a single player. Versus mode allows continuous play of games by shuffling players into game after game for non-stop fun.
Sandbox mode, the Scribblenauts series’ cherished creative playground, allows one or two players to solve objectives in eight new levels by summoning any object they can imagine and earn hidden Starites and achievements. Players can also let their imaginations run wild by unleashing whatever objects they can think of and watching them interact in unexpected ways.
Adding to the family fun, players can either choose, or design, their own original Scribblenaut to represent them throughout the game, all drawn in the classic Scribblenauts art style. The Scribblenaut can be further customized with unique clothing and quirky accessories by earning Starites and completing achievements.
January 16, 2018 – 2K and Firaxis Games today released a new trailer, “New Features Explained” for Sid Meier’s Civilization VI: Rise and Fall. In this extensive gameplay preview, learn the details of all the new features like Great Ages, Loyalty, Governors, Emergencies and Enhanced Alliances, which are being added in Sid Meier’s Civilization VI: Rise and Fall.
The new trailer is available to view or embed on YouTube:
For the latest news on Sid Meier’s Civilization VI: Rise and Fall, visit the official site, subscribe on YouTube, like Civilization on Facebook, or follow @CivGame on Twitter.
SAN FRANCISCO – January 16, 2018 – Today, Ubisoft announced the Far Cry 5 x Mondo Edition, featuring a set of artwork inspired by the Project at Eden’s Gate, is now available for pre-order exclusively on the Ubisoft Store for PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices, and Windows PC: https://store.ubi.com/us/far-cry-5-x-mondo-edition/5a4bab4dca1a644b199566f1.html
Ubisoft has teamed up with Mondo, a collective of artists famous for their unique graphic take on movie poster art, to create an exclusive collection, which includes the following itemsart piece that highlights the deviously captivating power that Joseph Seed and the Project at Eden’s Gate hold. The Far Cry 5 x Mondo Edition also includes:
Far Cry® 5 Standard Game inserted in the game’s SteelBook®
A unique, exclusive and limited SteelBook® X Mondo designed by Jay Shaw, Creative Director of Mondo
A vinyl record, featuring Far Cry 5 original soundtrack
A code to download the digital version of the vinyl tracks
A unique box featuring Mondo drawing of FC5 villain
For Mondo, this capsule collection with Ubisoft was an exciting challenge. “Over the years, we have done pretty much everything related with film collectibles and this collaboration represents the next step: with gaming you’re lot more open, to interpret. It’s a bigger story,” said Jay Shaw, Creative Director of Mondo. “We are very happy to collaborate with an extraordinarily creative company like Ubisoft!”
Players, who will pre-order the Far Cry 5 by Mondo capsule edition, will receive the unique Doomsday Prepper Pack and the Chaos Pack, which include a set of cosmetic and consumable items to be used as players lead the resistance against The Project at Eden’s Gate..
Far Cry 5 will be available March 27, 2018 on PlayStation® 4 Pro, PlayStation®4, the Xbox One, Xbox One X, Xbox One S, and Windows PC. Set in America, a first for the franchise, Far Cry 5 offers players total freedom to navigate a serene-looking yet deeply twisted world as the new junior deputy of fictional Hope County, Montana. Players will find that their arrival accelerates a years-long silent coup by a fanatical doomsday cult, the Project at Eden’s Gate, igniting a violent takeover of the county. Under siege and cut off from the rest of the world, players will join forces with residents of Hope County and form the Resistance.
