JANUARY 9, 2017 – Leading action figure and collectibles maker NECA announced today that it has acquired the license to BLADE RUNNER 2049, the hotly anticipated sequel to the legendary sci-fi movie. The company plans to release a full range of figures, die cast vehicles, replicas, games and more in 2017. Additional details will be revealed at New York’s International Toy Fair in February.
ABOUT BLADE RUNNER 2049
Thirty years after the events of the first film, a new blade runner, LAPD Officer K (Ryan Gosling), unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge what’s left of society into chaos. K’s discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), a former LAPD blade runner who has been missing for 30 years.
The science fiction thriller is directed by Denis Villeneuve (ARRIVAL) and features a star-studded cast that includes Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks, Robin Wright, Mackenzie Davis, Carla Juri, Lennie James, with Dave Bautista and Jared Leto.
Original BLADE RUNNER director Ridley Scott executive produces the dystopian tale based on characters from the novel DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP? by Philip K. Dick. Produced by Andrew A. Kosove, Broderick Johnson and Cynthia Yorkin.
BLADE RUNNER 2049 opens in theaters on October 6, 2017. Visit official website bladerunnermovie.com for more details.
Oslo, Norway – January 6th, 2017 – This month, award-winning development studio Funcom will open the floodgates to an entirely new virtual Conan world. On January 31st, 2017, the open-world survival game ‘Conan Exiles’ will be entering Early Access on the PC, with Xbox One Game Preview to follow later this spring. Here players will have to survive, build, and dominate alone or in multiplayer on public and private servers. In a brand new video released today, developers give a unique glimpse into the building, the crafting, and the many different ways players can destroy their enemies’ settlements in ‘Conan Exiles’.
“They say that home is where your heart is, but in ‘Conan Exiles’ home is where you keep the hearts of your enemies,” says Joel Bylos, Creative Director at Funcom. “Building is a big part of ‘Conan Exiles’ and you will need to build smart and build strong in order to defend yourself from the environment, cannibals, monsters, and of course enemy players. We are working hard to make sure players have powerful tools to build and defend their kingdoms.”
In the new video released today, Joel Bylos and Lead Designer Oscar Lopez Lacalle talk about how players can build on mountainsides using a very flexible building system, and how you and your enemies will be able to summon giant avatars of the gods that can wreak havoc and destruction on anything made by players. They highlight the fact that ‘Conan Exiles’ is anything but an empty sandbox: here players will discover remnants of ancient civilizations, and they must build on top of and in between the dilapidated ruins of vast, forgotten cities.
Funcom is also excited to announce that Joel Bylos and Community Manager Jens Erik Vaaler will host another live gameplay stream on Twitch.tv/Funcom today. At 19:00 CET/1pm EST on Friday January 6th, the duo will once again turn on the camera and this time they will be showing advanced building and crafting gameplay.
Conan Exiles is an open-world survival game set in the brutal lands of Conan the Barbarian, the world’s greatest fantasy hero. The game can be played on private and public servers, either in multiplayer or local single-player. In the world of Conan Exiles, survival is more than tracking down food and water. Journey through a vast, seamless world filled with the ruins of ancient civilizations, uncovering its dark history and buried secrets as you seek to conquer and dominate the exiled lands. Conan Exiles will be released into Early Access on the PC on 31 January 2017and will hit the Xbox One Game Preview Program in Spring 2017.
Universal City, California, January 5, 2017 – Cult of Chucky, an all-new spellbinding chapter of the Child’s Play thriller franchise, begins principal photography in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, on January 9, 2017. The seventh film in the blockbuster series will be released in a bone-chilling Unrated Version on Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital HD in fall 2017 — just in time for Halloween. Packed with the franchise’s signature blend of horror and demented humor, Cult of Chucky is the latest production from Universal 1440 Entertainment, a production entity of Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.
“It’s hard to believe that it’s been nearly 30 years since Chucky first terrified moviegoers in Child’s Play,” said Glenn Ross, General Manager and Executive Vice President, Universal 1440 Entertainment. “Since then the films have generated millions in worldwide box-office revenue. Now Chucky’s back with more scores to settle in his trademark twisted style, and you can bet he won’t stop until he gets his revenge.”
Fiona Dourif (Curse of Chucky) returns as Nica, the wheelchair-bound heroine framed by Chucky for the bloody murders of her entire family. She’s joined by franchise veterans Alex Vincent (Child’s Play, Child’s Play 2) and Jennifer Tilly (Monsters, Inc., Bride of Chucky), with Brad Dourif (The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest) once again providing the eerie, unnerving voice of the demon doll possessed by the spirit of a maniacal serial killer.
Don Mancini, writer of the Child’s Play franchise, is the executive producer of the new film, which he also directs from his original script. Longtime franchise producer David Kirschner (The Pagemaster,Frailty) is joined this time by Ogden Gavanski (Warm Bodies,Immortals). The production team includes special-effects guru and associate producer Tony Gardner (Zombieland, Curse of Chucky), director of photography Michael Marshall (“Killjoys”), production designer Craig Sandells (Mother’s Day) and costume designer Patricia J. Henderson (ATM).
SYNOPSIS
Confined to an asylum for the criminally insane for the past four years, Nica Pierce (Fiona Dourif) is erroneously convinced that she, not Chucky, murdered her entire family. But when her psychiatrist introduces a new therapeutic “tool” to facilitate his patients’ group sessions — an all-too-familiar “Good Guy” doll with an innocently smiling face — a string of grisly deaths begins to plague the asylum, and Nica starts to wonder if maybe she isn’t crazy after all. Andy Barclay (Alex Vincent), Chucky’s now-grown-up nemesis from the original Child’s Play, races to Nica’s aid. But to save her he’ll have to get past Tiffany (Oscar®-nominee Jennifer Tilly), Chucky’s long-ago bride, who will do anything, no matter how deadly or depraved, to help her beloved devil doll.
#chucky
#cultofchucky
About Universal 1440 Entertainment, LLC:
The Universal 1440 Entertainment banner develops and produces live-action and animated non-theatrical productions directly for distribution in all media worldwide. Since its formation in 2005, the group has assembled an exceptional roster of animated family fare, including the Daytime Emmy®-winning Curious George television series for PBS KIDS and Hulu; as well as the latest installment of the beloved TheLand Before Time series, The Land Before Time: Tale of the Brave. The group also has successfully built upon some of Universal’s highly celebrated live-action, comedy and drama franchises,Scorpion King, Death Race, Jarhead, American Pie, Honey, Bring It On andTremors. Universal 1440 Entertainment is a production entity of Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (www.uphe.com). Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (UPHE) is a unit of Universal Pictures, a division of Universal Studios. Universal Studios is part of NBCUniversal. NBCUniversal is one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group and world-renowned theme parks. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.
January 6, 2017 – Developer Battlestate Games today released a new video for their upcoming FPS/MMO — Escape from Tarkov. In the new video, the development team discusses the current status of the game, features they’ve worked on over the past year, in-game weapons and locations, and the ongoing Closed Alpha. Download or stream the Escape from Tarkov video from the links below, and get a first-hand look at the great features implemented in 2016, and maybe a few hints at what 2017 will bring.
Escape from Tarkov is a hardcore story-driven MMO featuring elements of FPS and RPG. The events take place in the Russian city of Tarkov, which has been sealed off by roadblocks and sunk into the chaos of local warfare between private military companies. Escape from Tarkov’s Hazardous Environment Combat Simulator employs a number of custom system modules to create incredibly immersive gameplay and make players feel the reality of what is happening in the game.
The closed beta-testing of Escape from Tarkov is planned for 2017. To learn more about Escape from Tarkov and to sign up for closed beta, visit www.escapefromtarkov.com. ‘Like’ the game on Facebook and follow the game’s development on Twitter @bstategames for all the latest developer updates and news.
Players can get guaranteed access to Escape from Tarkov testing stages by placing a pre-order on the official website: www.escapefromtarkov.com/preorder-page
CES 2017, Las Vegas, NV – January 5th 2017 – CORSAIR®, a world leader in enthusiast memory, PC components and high-performance gaming hardware today announced the release of the new SCIMITAR PRO RGB gaming mouse. Based on the same award-winning Key Slider™ 12 side-button design as the CORSAIR SCIMITAR RGB, the SCIMITAR PRO RGB adds onboard profile storage and a state-of-the-art native 16,000 DPI PMW3367 optical sensor developed in partnership with PIXART for precise control in single DPI steps for ultra-accurate, high-speed tracking.
The SCIMITAR PRO RGB also adds a comprehensive set of hardware playback options for both programmable buttons and RGB lighting effects, allowing gamers to save up to three profiles of keyboard shortcuts or RGB lighting right to the mouse. Engineered to revolutionize MMO and MOBA gameplay, the SCIMITAR PRO RGB has everything gamers need to conquer quests, win rounds and defeat the competition, all at the click of a button.
Designed from the start to give MMO and MOBA gamers the edge, the SCIMITAR PRO RGB is crafted to fit the contours of your palm, no matter your hand size, and provide comfortable, assured grip even over epic gaming sessions. Central to this is the exclusive patent-pending Key Slider™ system, allowing the 12 mechanical side macro buttons to be repositioned by up to 8mm, keeping every key within reach and exactly where you need it at the crucial moment.
Pre-loaded with three profiles of common shortcuts for MMOs, MOBAs and productivity, the SCIMITAR PRO RGB’s hardware playback makes it easy to customize control in your favorite games. Each of the SCIMITAR PRO RGB’s 17 buttons can be fully remapped in CORSAIR Utility Engine (CUE) software, with the macros saved to onboard memory for use on any system. The SCIMITAR PRO RGB also boasts four-zone RGB lighting, with gorgeous multi-color lighting effects and colors saved to onboard memory.
At its heart, SCIMITAR PRO RGB is powered by a custom gaming grade 16,000 DPI PIXART optical sensor. Granting phenomenal accuracy and high-speed tracking, the sensor’s DPI is adjustable in as little as single DPI increments using CUE, allowing players to tune their sensitvity settings to exactly their preference and prevent mis-clicks and over-shoots. What’s more, the SCIMITAR PRO RGB can actively tune its sensor to optimize performance for virtually any gaming surface using the surface calibration utility in CUE.
SCIMITAR PRO RGB Specifications
Exclusive Key Slider™ macro button control system: The patent-pending design provides 8mm of key travel with a secure lock to ensure every button is within reach.
12 Optimized mechanical side buttons: Designed to pro-player specifications for consistent tactile feedback and precise actuation. Textured side button keycaps provide enhanced grip and feel.
Onboard storage with hardware macro playback: Three predefined profiles include actions common for MMO/MOBA gaming as well as general purpose keyboard shortcuts. Advance your gameplay and create your own profile with custom actions and lighting effects.
Custom PMW3367 PIXART 16,000 DPI optical sensor: Ultra-accurate and high-speed tracking engine. Native 16,000 DPI resolution, settable in single DPI steps, can be custom tuned to virtually any type of mouse pad.
Available in yellow or black: Styled to suit your system, the SCIMITAR PRO RGB is available in both yellow and black finishes.
Surface calibration tuning utility: Optimizes sensor precision and responsiveness for your playing surface.
Dynamic multicolor four-zone backlighting: Customizable backlighting immerses you in the game by providing nearly unlimited lighting adjustability.
Comfortable, precision, optimized shape: Crafted to fit your palm for the highest level of comfort no matter your hand size or grip style.
Ultrafast 1ms lag-free game play: Supports up to 1,000Hz/1ms USB refresh rate for a near instant response to your movements.
CUE software control supercharges your mouse: Enables you to program custom MMO timer countdowns, double macros, DPI matrices, and more.
CORSAIR at CES 2017
CORSAIR is also launching several new gaming peripherals and technologies at CES 2017, including HX and TX-M series PSUs, Bulldog 2.0 and the K95 RGB Platinum gaming keyboard. To check out all the CORSAIR CES 2017 launches, please visit:
The SCIMITAR PRO RGBis available immediately from the CORSAIR worldwide network of authorized retailers and distributors and is backed by a two-year warranty and the CORSAIR worldwide customer support network.
For up-to-date pricing, please contact your local CORSAIR sales or PR representative.
Web Pages:
For more information on SCIMITAR PRO RGB, please visit
Taipei, Taiwan – January 5, 2017 – Tt eSPORTS, the energetic and powerful challenger announces the new CRONOS Riing RGB 7.1 Gaming Headset at Thermaltake CES 2017 held at the Venetian Hotel Titian 2303 Suite from January 5th (Thu) to 8th (Sun). Packed with latest tech features: an oversized 50mm state-of-the-art tilting neodymium driver, 16.8 million color RGB illumination with 8 different lighting effects, and the latest 7.1 premium virtual surround sound technology to offer the most immersive 3D sound experience to ensure you hear all sounds with pinpoint accuracy for that all-important competitive edge.
LAS VEGAS – JAN. 5, 2016 – Challenging people to imagine a new world through virtual reality (VR), Pico Technology unveiled the latest iteration of their all-in-one (AIO) fully untethered and lightweight headset designed to immerse users right out of the box – the Pico Neo CV. The Pico Neo CV marks Pico Technology’s first consumer-ready VR headset for the US, and is set to launch in 2017. Pico Technology will showcase its entire VR hardware lineup including the Pico Neo CV, the Pico Tracking Kit and the previously revealed Pico Neo DK at CES® 2017, Jan. 5 through Jan. 8, in booth number 26932, Tech East, Ground Level S2 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
As the flagship consumer product for Pico Technology, the Pico Neo CV is a completely untethered VR experience – free from PCs, consoles and smartphones – with a sleek and lightweight ergonomic design. ThePico Neo CV brings users blazing fast performance at high picture quality and clear resolution – perfect for fully immersing users in videos and games with two high-resolution displays. Based on the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 820 processor and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. Snapdragon VR SDK, the Neo CV features 6 Degrees of Freedom (6DoF), allowing for precise motion tracking and full VR immersion.
The headset’s advanced technology features:
Two 1.5K at 90Hz VR displays for high picture quality and clear resolution;
Six degrees of freedom (6DOF) for a deeply immersive VR experience;
True untethered portability, for viewing 360 degree videos and gaming on the go;
Built in Hi-Fi Speaker with world best AM3D 3D spatial rendering engine;
A stylish and comfortable ergonomic AIO VR headset design with built in safety battery to give users a longer, safer experience.
“Our talented Pico Technology team designed the Pico Neo CV with a consumer-first approach so that users can simply put it on and go without being tied to a computer, console or mobile phone,” said Paul Viglienzone, vice president, business development, Pico Technology. “As the premiere global center of innovation and technology, CES is the perfect place for us to debut the Pico Neo CV, as well as showcase our entire suite of Pico VR products, as the breakthrough headset prepares for launch in 2017.”
CES attendees will get the first-look, hands-on opportunity with the Pico Neo CV hardware. Pico Technology will also demonstrate the Pico Neo DK, the company’s business-to-business headset product featuring the Snapdragon 820, and the Pico Tracking Kit, showcasing the company’s full tracking technology compatible with PC based gaming and apps.
January 5, 2017 – Long War Studios, the development outfit responsible for great XCOM 2 PC content such as the “Alien Pack” and the “Perk” and “Laser Pack” mods, has a new name: Pavonis Interactive, and a new web site. And the team has been working on something ambitious. We’ll be sharing more in the coming weeks so stay tuned.
In the meanwhile, make sure you’re following the XCOM 2 Steam Community hub so you don’t miss any future announcements on XCOM 2. Knowledge is power, Commander.
Boston – January 3, 2017 – This November marks Rock Band’s tenth anniversary. As part of the year-long celebration, Harmonix announced today that it will be making some of the series’ most popular on-disc tracks available for purchase as DLC throughout the year. The festivities kick off when the following tracks become available on both Xbox One and PlayStation®4 later this month for $1.99 per track:
The All-American Rejects – “Swing, Swing” (Appeared on Lego Rock Band)
Blue Öyster Cult – “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” (Appeared on Rock Band)
Kansas – “Carry On Wayward Son” (Appeared on Rock Band 2)
Starting off the month’s DLC is “More Metal Pack 01”, the first of three packs to be released this month. The following songs will be available Thursday, January 5, as part of the More Metal Pack 01 on both Xbox One and PlayStation®4 for $5.49 or $1.99 per track:
Avenged Sevenfold – “The Stage”
Megadeth – “Trust”
Slipknot – “Dead Memories”
The full list of songs coming to the Rock Band 4 DLC library this month is as follows:
The All-American Rejects – “Swing, Swing”
Avenged Sevenfold – “The Stage”
Blue Öyster Cult – “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper”
Fun. – “Some Nights”
Kansas – “Carry On Wayward Son”
Lady Gaga – “Applause”
Lady Gaga – “A-YO”
Lady Gaga – “The Edge of Glory”
Megadeth – “Trust”
OMI – “Cheerleader (Felix Jaehn Remix)
Slipknot – “Dead Memories”
Toto – “Hold the Line”
Stay tuned to the Harmonix blog, as well as Rock Band’s Twitter and Facebook pages for gameplay reveals throughout the month.
Gameplay Notes
“The Stage” by Avenged Sevenfold starts off our newest DLC pack. A whopping eight and a half minutes long, “The Stage” is a force to be reckoned with. With devil horn difficulty on both drums and guitar, this is a Metal-lover’s dream. There is an extremely challenging intro for drums – we recommend getting into Practice Mode to nail those double kicks down. There’s plenty of tricky guitar parts outside of the song’s three guitar solos that will also need some special attention to perfect.
The next song in the More Metal Pack 01 is “Trust” by Megadeth. Peaking at #5, the Grammy-nominated “Trust” would become the bands highest charting Billboard Mainstream Rock single. Another track in the pack with three shredding guitar solos, “Trust” will have plenty of movement throughout the tune for guitarists and their bandmates. Be careful in the second guitar solo, as the difficulty spikes for that one.
Rounding out our Metal-focused DLC is Slipknot’s “Dead Memories”. Culled from their platinum-selling album All Hope Is Gone, “Dead Memories” has multiple gameplay highlights. Drummers should take note of that tricky drum pattern during the bridge of this song. And, for you Pro Drummers out there, the chart is notably different for you due to a healthy mixing of toms and cymbals at the same time. Cymbals can really make all the difference!
About Rock Band
The latest entry into one of the best-selling and most beloved game franchises of all time, Rock Band Rivals adds online multiplayer, a new look and feel and a hilarious new campaign mode to Rock Band 4. The first Rock Band to be approached as a platform, Rock Band 4 has seen regular updates since its October 2015 launch, including the addition of several free, community-requested features like Practice mode and Setlists.
Last December, Oculus and Harmonix announced Rock Band VR, a completely new music simulation experience coming exclusively to the Oculus Rift.
For more information on Rock Band and to stay up to date with the latest news and announcements, head over to the Rock Band blog or follow @RockBandon Twitter for updates.
Hillside, NJ — January 4, 2017 – WizKids is pleased to announce that D&D Icons of the Realms: Monster Menagerie 2 is now available in stores across North America! WizKids, the industry leader in quality pre-painted plastic miniatures, once again brings to life the heroes, villains, and monsters from the world of the Forgotten Realms in the sixth set of our exciting line of D&D miniatures, Icons of the Realms.
Collect all 44 figures of D&D Icons of the Realms: Monster Menagerie II, featuring a vast array of all-new sculpts, including the challenging monsters that your heroes will need to overcome and the loyal allies that have come to fight by your side.
Pick up your D&D Icons of the Realms: Monster Menagerie II Boosters from your friendly local game store today!
