Author - boothby

EA Sports UFC 2 Introduces Competitive Gaming Events

2016/05/13
boothby
Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – May 13, 2016 – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) today announced the launch of Live Event Competitions, a brand new competitive experience in EA SPORTS™ UFC® 2 Live Events mode. Starting Saturday, May 14, fans around the world can play the qualifiers in the Live Event Competition to start fighting for their chance to earn Ultimate Team rewards and a trip to compete at the live finals coinciding with UFC Fan Expo®, part of the 5th Annual UFC International Fight Week™, and UFC® 200: CORMIER vs. JONES 2 in Las Vegas. The winner of the grand final match, taking place on Friday, July 8 at the UFC® Fan Expo in Las Vegas, will receive $10,000 USD* and walk away with the belt as the EA SPORTS UFC 2World Champion.

To learn how to compete and qualify, watch the Live Event Competitions trailer.

“Fans love EA SPORTS UFC 2 for the intense head-to-head competition, and we’re excited to raise the stakes for all our players,” said Todd Sitrin, Senior Vice President and General Manager of EA’s Competitive Gaming Division. “Live Event Competition encourages players to experience the thrill of each bout by bringing fans even closer to the intensity of mixed martial arts.”

“We are thrilled to launch our first online competition to find the top EA SPORTS UFC 2 players,” UFC Senior Vice President of Global Consumer Products Tracey Bleczinski said. “UFC International Fight Week is the largest celebration of combat sports in the world and we couldn’t think of a better place than the UFC Fan Expo to crown the first-ever EA SPORTS UFC 2 champion!”

Players enter the competition in Live Events on the EA SPORTS UFC 2 menu, select one of four athletes fighting on an upcoming card, customize their athlete by applying five out of 10 fighter perks, and start competing online. All available in-game fighters are balanced with the same overall attribute rating and move level. Rankings on the global leaderboard are determined by the number of wins a player can accumulate during the qualifying period before taking three losses. Players are encouraged to go back and fight again as many times as they’d like to improve their top score during the qualifying period.

At the end of each qualifying period, eligible players with the top scores on Xbox One and PlayStation®4 will be invited to compete in the finals in Las Vegas where the champion will be crowned at the UFC Fan Expo leading up to UFC® 200: CORMIER vs. JONES 2, which takes place on Saturday, July 9, at T-Mobile Arena. The semi-finalists will receive tickets to the landmark event and other special prizes. The finalists aren’t the only ones who win though, as all players who compete in the Live Event Competition will have a chance to earn in-game rewards based on their overall performance.

For complete details and Live Event Competition: UFC 200 rules visit, easports.com/UFC200LiveEvents.

To purchase tickets to UFC Fan Expo at the Las Vegas Convention Center and watch the finals, please visit UFCTICKETS.

EA SPORTS UFC 2 is developed by EA Vancouver, and is available now worldwide on Xbox One and PlayStation 4. EA Access** members can get 10% off the digital version of the game on Xbox One. Fans should keep an eye on the website, as well as the EA SPORTS UFC Facebook and Twitter pages to make sure they’re always up-to-date on the latest and greatest news.

EA SPORTS™ is one of the leading sports entertainment brands in the world, with top-selling videogame franchises, award-winning interactive technology, fan programs and cross-platform digital experiences. EA SPORTS creates connected experiences that ignite the emotion of sports through videogames, including Madden NFL football, EA SPORTS™ FIFA, NHL® hockey, NBA LIVE basketball, Rory McIlroy PGA TOUR® golf, and EA SPORTS UFC®.

For more information about EA SPORTS, including news, video, blogs, forums and game apps, please visit www.easports.com to connect, share and compete.

*CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS APPLY. SEE OFFICIAL RULES AT EASPORTS.COM/UFC200LIVEEVENTS.

**CONDITIONS, LIMITATIONS AND EXCLUSIONS APPLY. SEE EA.COM/EAACCESS/TERMS AND EA.COM/EAACCESS FOR DETAILS.

The Making of War Knows No Nation

2016/05/13
boothby
Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos

May 12, 2016 — Wargaming is excited to take viewers behind-the-scenes of how they revived history with the innovative “War Knows No Nation” 360° experience. The video, released May 2, brings to life the memories of three veteran World War II tankers and gives people the chance to experience history from a completely new angle.

In the “Making of”, Wargaming experts discuss the secrets to creating the immersive viewing experience of “War Knows No Nation”, from directing the filming process to the gripping CGI scenes in panoramic format—a first for a historical video. Viewers will learn how Wargaming utilized 360° cameras, custom rigging and innovative film techniques to give each viewer a front seat to World War II history.

To go behind-the-scenes of “War Knows No Nation”, please follow the link:

Activision Blizzard Launches New Content for MLG ESport Streaming Platform

2016/05/12
boothby
Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

NEW YORK, NY. – May 12, 2016 – Today at the 2016 IAB Digital Content NewFronts, Activision Blizzard Media Networks (ABMN), a division of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI), announced the launch of new content, broadcast experiences and distribution partnerships for its MLG.tv streaming platform.

MLG.tv debuted its Enhanced Viewing Experience (EVE) at the event, a High-Definition video stream with a built-in algorithmic system that provides viewers with match statistics, up-to-the-minute leaderboards, and situational insights based on the competition they are watching.

Steve Bornstein, Chairman of Activision Blizzard Media Networks and Former CEO of ESPN took the stage to introduce the network’s host, veteran broadcaster and retired professional gamer Chris Puckett. As host of MLG.tv’s daily ESR broadcast, Puckett will be producing up-to-the-minute premium highlights, interviews and news segments for a new generation of sports fan.

“We’re building a network dedicated to the thrill of competition and the passion of the fans,” said Steve Bornstein, Chairman Activision Blizzard Media Networks, “MLG.tv will play a defining role in realizing the full potential of this audience by creating meaningful, memorable and shareable content.”

“Esports is a cultural phenomenon at its tipping point, and we’re excited to work with the IAB to bring this message directly to advertisers as part of the 2016 Digital Content NewFronts,” said Mike Sepso, SVP Activision Blizzard Media Networks “The size of our digital network, coupled with our insights into this audience’s viewing habits, put us in a unique position to educate the advertising industry on how to safely target these viewers and reach them on their platform of choice.”

ABMN will launch this content and more during the MLG Anaheim Open, a two-day Call of Duty®: Black Ops III tournament set to kick off on June 10, 2016. The MLG Anaheim Open will also be the inaugural event as part of a deeper collaboration with Facebook. The collaboration will allow MLG.tv to broadcast live competitions and deliver ESR content to the 1.6 billion people on Facebook.

“Esports is an exciting space and continues to be a growing priority for us,” said Dan Reed, Head of Global Sports Partnerships for Facebook. “With over 1.6 billion people on the platform and a growing suite of VOD and live streaming products that partners can use to increase engagement, Facebook is uniquely positioned to help esports fans connect around exciting moments and great esports content. We’re thrilled to be working with Activision Blizzard Media Networks, a leader in esports, to help fans enjoy and share a variety of exciting new formats and programming on our platform.”

ABMN’s NewFronts presentation opened with a video showcasing the division’s record-breaking live championship held last month at Nationwide Arena. Sepso and Puckett were joined by Josh Cella, ABMN’s Head of Sales, to present the new content and advertising opportunities to a packed house at the PlayStation Theater in Times Square.

Midsummer Scream Horror Con Announces Oingo Boingo Dance Party

2016/05/12
boothby
Geek News, Halloween, News

LOS ANGELES, May 11, 2016 – Let’s have a party, there’s a full moon in the sky! Midsummer Scream is thrilled to announce Oingo Boingo Dance Party will headline its Noche de los Muertos (Night of the Dead) celebration and costume contest at the Long Beach Convention Center Saturday evening July 30th, 2016.

Oingo Boingo Dance Party is comprised of former Oingo Boingo members Johnny Vatos, Steve Bartek, John Avila, Sam “Sluggo” Phipps, Carl Graves and Doug Lacy, along with a host of other wildly-talented musicians that keep the legacy of the iconic band alive and thriving for fans of multiple generations.

Known for their unique sound which includes explosive percussion, electrifying guitar riffs and a full horns section, Oingo Boingo’s extensive song catalogue includes Only a Lad, Little Girls, Weird Science, No One Lives Forever, and the venerable Dead Man’s Party. The band hosted Halloween shows in Irvine each year at the height of its popularity, with thousands of “Tender Lumplings” – the given nickname for their adoring fans – showing up in costumes and skeletal makeup, as the underlying thematic style of the group commonly centered around Dia de los Muertos.

“Oingo Boingo was synonymous with Halloween here in Southern California in the ‘80s and ‘90s,” said Rick West, Creative Director of Midsummer Scream. “What better way to launch our event than a concert featuring these legendary performers doing what they do best as Oingo Boingo Dance Party? To me, bringing these musicians and the haunt and horror community together under one roof is a no-brainer. They’re going to bring the house down!”

Oingo Boingo Dance Party will headline Midsummer Scream’s 21+ nighttime event, Noche de los Muertos, featuring a Best & Worst of the ‘80s Costume Contest, which will be judged by the band members themselves during the middle of their 90-minute concert performance. Midsummer Scream attendees are encouraged to dress up in their best – or worst – ‘80s Halloween costumes and strut their stuff across the stage as Johnny Vatos, Steve Bartek, John Avila, Sluggo and the gang cast final judgment!

For the ultimate Boingo fans in attendance, a limited amount of “Tender Lumpling Experience” passes are now available for purchase, which offers admission to the Noche de los Muertos party, as well as a personal meet-and-greet opportunity with the band that includes photos and autograph signing prior to the concert.

“Having Oingo Boingo Dance Party as part of our event was something the team wanted to do from the get-go,” said Gary Baker, Executive Producer of Midsummer Scream. “Very quickly, Johnny Vatos and the band were interested, which set everything in motion. We’re going to put on a show that no one will soon forget.”

Face-painters will be on hand to transform guests into fearsome skeletons or sweet sugar skulls if they’d like before and during the party for a small price – perhaps a golden coin, or a shiny silver dollar on either eye.

Tickets for Noche de los Muertos featuring Oingo Boingo Dance Party are now on sale at www.MidsummerScream.org, and will be sold throughout the day Saturday July 30th including at the door. Tender Lumpling Experience passes will sell out extremely fast – there is a frightfully limited supply!

Midsummer Scream is California’s premier Halloween, haunt and horror festival featuring more than 100,000 square feet of artisan vendors, live entertainment, specialty workshops, makeup demonstrations, a multipurpose theater, haunted attraction previews and experiences, Hall of Shadows darkened scare zone and more.

One of the biggest draws to Midsummer Scream are its world-class theme park panel presentations throughout the weekend. They include Knott’s Scary Farm (Sunday July 31st), Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor (Saturday July 30th), Six Flags Magic Mountain’s Fright Fest (Sunday July 31st), Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights and Walt Disney Imagineering (Saturday July 30th).

Tickets are now on sale, with new information regarding Midsummer Scream is being updated frequently at MidsummerScream.org.

Fans may sign up on the site for email notifications and announcements, including discounts and other special offers.  Be sure to follow Midsummer Scream on social media as well – Twitter/Periscope: @MidsummerScream, Instagram: @MidsummerScream, and Facebook: facebook.com/midsummerscream.

Watch D&D Live from Meltdown Comics on June 1

2016/05/12
boothby
Geek News, News

May 12, 2016 – There are always funny and interesting people hanging out at Meltdown Comics in Los Angeles and the NerdMelt Showroom has been a host to hundreds of comedians over the years. Now we’re going to set up a table back there with Matthew Mercer at the helm to play Dungeons & Dragons and see what happens.

On June 1, we’ll stream D&D Live from Meltdown featuring comedians playing through a brand new story with characters they’ve created with the D&D story team. D&D Live from Meltdown will be hosted by Alison Haislip on Wednesday, June 1 at 4pm PDT and broadcasted live on the D&D Twitch channel.

The adventuring party will continue throughout the summer with a new regular weekly series debuting on the Nerdist Twitch channel. More details on the cast and what characters they’ll be playing will be announced soon!

Matthew Mercer, veteran voice actor and leader of the popular series Critical Role, will be the Dungeon Master after working hand-in-hand with the team at Dungeons & Dragons to develop the adventure. Alison Haislip (G4, ABC’s Battlebots) will serve as host for D&D Live from Meltdown, unveiling new D&D products and corralling the shenanigans on stage including interviews with Chris Perkins, Mike Mearls, Rob Overmeyer (executive producer of Neverwinter) and other D&D creators.

Tune-in to the Dungeons & Dragons Twitch channel – twitch.tv/wotc_dnd – on June 1 at 4pm PDT for the exciting unveiling of the new storyline and the accompanying line of products from partners including miniatures, apparel, online play aids and video games from WizKids, Gale Force 9, We Love Fine, Fantasy Grounds and Cryptic/Perfect World.

For more information on Dungeons & Dragons, visit https://www.dungeonsanddragons.com.

MTV Promises Killer Scream on Friday the 13th

2016/05/11
boothby
Geek News, Halloween, News

May 11, 2016 – This Friday the 13th, MTV’s unveiling the first 7 minutes of the new season of “Scream.”

We all know that means this means one thing – an iconic opening kill.

Tune in at 6:00 p.m. ET and interact with “Scream” cast favorite Tom Maden during this terrifying Facebook Live event.

Oh, and one more thing…

Someone. WILL. Die.

This War of Mine: The Board Game Kickstarter Attracts Renown Artists

2016/05/10
boothby
Geek News, News

May 10, 2016 – Prepare to survive in a wartorn land, as the Kickstarter campaign for This War of Mine: The Board Game launches today. Based on This War of Mine, the critically-acclaimed and heart-wrenching survival game from 11 bit studios, the board game has been adapted as a tabletop experience by Michal Oracz, designer of the much-loved Neuroshima Hex!, and Jakub Wisniewski, the storyteller behind Dying Light. With players’ support, the developers will be able to produce the tense cooperative game with over 430 high-quality components, including 12 figures; a companion mobile app; over one thousand unique stories; an open & play system that makes it easy to start playing without previous learning the rules; a save-game mechanism; and, above all, the innovative Reality Impact system, introducing an enormous amount of meaningful plot, choices and consequences.

The start of the campaign will be accompanied by an extraordinary event. Join artists who worked on major tabletop and collectible-card-game franchises like Star Wars, A Game of Thrones, Magic: The Gathering and many more, as they unite as an ArtistsOnBoard group to work together on a large-format acrylic painting that will grace the game’s cover. Everything starts on May 10 at 3pm Pacific time, and the painting will be streamed live at https://www.youtube.com/11bitstudios.

Be sure to watch the livestream on May 10 at 3pm PST for the unprecedented opportunity to watch a game’s cover art come together, then back the game on Kickstarter and help bring one of the best, most poignant video games in recent years reach tabletop players worldwide. Find out more at http://www.thiswarofmineboardgame.com/.

Find This War of Mine: The Board Game on Kickstarter here:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/awakenrealms/this-war-of-mine-the-board-game

About ArtistOnBoard
ArtistOnBoard is an independent group of freelance artists, comprised of prominent Polish illustrators, concept artists and painters Tomasz Jedruszek, Grzegorz Bobrowski, Mariusz Gandzel, Rafal Szlapa, and Tomasz Larek. Their work has been seen in a wide range of top franchises, from Warhammer to Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, A Game of Thrones and more.
https://www.facebook.com/ArtistOnBoard

About 11 bit studios
A game dame development team from Warsaw, Poland. Comprised of long-time veterans of the gaming industry, 11 bit studios are the creators of the original PC version of This War of Mine. Find out more at http://11bitstudios.com.

Stellaris Breaks Paradox Interactive Day One Sales Record

2016/05/10
boothby
Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

STOCKHOLM – MAY 10TH – Paradox Interactive and Paradox Development Studio launched into space last night with the release of sci-fi grand strategy Stellaris.  The launch was received  to almost universal acclaim by the community, with an impressive 95% positive user reviews on Steam.  With 68,000 simultaneous players on the day of release, Stellaris also managed to de-throne the publisher’s other recent success Cities: Skylines, which  previously held their record for highest amount of concurrent players at launch.  Less than 24 hours after release, Stellaris has sold over 200,000 units, breaking the revenue record for any of Paradox Interactive’s previous titles during the same time period. For the internal development studio, the game has broken every record available and is the studio’s fastest selling game ever.

“We are immensely proud of the Paradox team for putting together such a stellar release,” said Fredrik Wester, CEO of Paradox Interactive and master of puns. “This release is the result of hard work and dedication from the entire company and in particular Paradox Development Studio. The incredible reception by players, indicated for instance by the steam user reviews, is all the proof we could ask for that our hard work paid off. Our fans have put their faith in us and Stellaris will be a part of Paradox’s onwards journey for a long time to come.”

”Stellaris breaks a lot of new ground for Paradox Development Studio. It is a type of game we have never attempted to do before, and we are immensely satisfied to see this leap of faith work out well, especially with all the positive response we are getting from the players,” said Henrik Fåhraeus, Game Director of Stellaris.  “We are listening very keenly to all the feedback we are getting and look forward to many years of continued expansions and improvements to the game. Let’s make space great again, together!”

In Stellaris, players guide a species of their own design to power and glory in the depths of space. From humble beginnings, as players leave their home planet and explore the unknown, to tense “first contact” moments with alien species, to the difficult choices and responsibilities of managing diplomatic relationships with other star-faring races, Stellaris presents the iconic gameplay of a Paradox grand strategy title on a galactic scale. With randomly created opponents and procedurally generated star systems, no two games can ever play out the same way.

Stellaris is available now from digital retailers everywhere. To learn more about Stellaris, visit www.stellarisgame.com.

FATED: The Silent Oath PAX East 2016 Trailer

2016/05/05
boothby
Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

Québec, Canada – May 5th, 2016 – Canadian independent developer Frima Studio today released a behind-the-scenes video for FATED: The Silent Oath, its Norse-themed virtual reality game that launched last month on Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. The trailer provides a unique look into the inner workings of the game, and more insight into the development process of new experiences in virtual reality.

“Harnessing the power of virtual reality, FATED takes the players on a journey that packs an incredible emotional punch,” said Vincent Martel, executive producer at Frima Studio. “Our behind-the-scenes trailer offers a sneak peek of the different steps involved in bringing FATED to life in virtual reality.”

Developed with Unreal Engine 4, FATED: The Silent Oath is a first-person immersive adventure set in the mythical age of Vikings and built specifically for virtual reality. Written by Jill Murray, a writer on Assassin’s Creed, FATED tells the story of a man and his family during Ragnarök – the end times. On their journey, as he comes across a mix of touching and terrifying events, this man learns about himself and his loved ones, taking the players on a fully immersive emotional rollercoaster.

FATED leverages the capabilities of VR to bring about a leap forward in storytelling. Featuring high-quality writing, characterisation and voice acting,FATED aims to transport the players to a world of myth and legend, and to make them feel a true emotional connection with the story and its characters.

Priced at $19.99/£14.99/€19.99, FATED is a first-generation virtual reality game available on Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, and slated to launch on PlayStation VR in Q4 2016.

To learn more about FATED, visit the developer’s blog: http://fatedblog.com
Like FATED on Facebook visit: www.facebook.com/Fatedgame
Follow FATED on Twitter: @Fatedgame

Knott’s for the Cure Raises over $130k for Susan G. Komen OC

2016/05/04
boothby
Geek News, News

May 4, 2016 – Knott’s Berry Farm and Susan G. Komen Orange County partnered for a third year to raise $130,588.00 for breast cancer awareness, services and research in Orange County during the 2016 Knott’s for the Cure. From January 4 through March 18 Pink tickets were available for purchase online, and limited edition t-shirts were sold in the park. A portion of admissions and merchandise proceeds benefited Susan G. Komen Orange County. The three month promotion raised funds to provide under-served and under-insured women and men in Orange County with access to breast health care and services.

Knott’s and Komen are committed to raising awareness and vital funds that will provide local access to breast health and breast cancer services for women and men. This year’s campaign focused on the promise that Komen founder Nancy G. Brinker made to her dying sister, Susan G. Komen: that she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. In an effort to spread awareness, Knott’s Berry Farm and Komen Orange County invited guests to share their “for the cure promises” with social media using #KnottsPink. The promotion also provided guests with the opportunity to enjoy Knott’s world class entertainment, attractions and specially-themed pink décor, while supporting a great cause. The Calico Mine Ride and Knott’s 312’ tall Supreme Scream were lit pink in honor of the promotion and the drop tower overlooking the city of Buena Park glowed pink for miles around the park.