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Apple Unveils 9.7 Inch iPad Pro

2016/03/21
boothby
Geek News, News, Tech News

CUPERTINO, California — March 21, 2016 — Apple® today introduced the all-new 9.7-inch iPad Pro™ — at just under one pound it features a new pro Retina® display with greater brightness, wider color gamut, lower reflectivity, Night Shift™ mode and introduces new True Tone® display technology to dynamically adjust white balance. The new iPad Pro delivers incredible performance with the 64-bit A9X chip that rivals most portable PCs, along with a four-speaker audio system that is twice as powerful,¹ new 12-megapixel iSight® camera for shooting Live Photos™ and 4K video, 5-megapixel FaceTime® HD camera, and faster wireless technologies. And iPad Pro includes support for the breakthrough Apple Pencil™ and a new Smart Keyboard™ cover designed to fit the new 9.7-inch iPad Pro.

“iPad Pro is a new generation of iPad that is indispensable and immersive, enabling people to be more productive and more creative. It’s incredibly fast, extremely portable, and completely natural to use with your fingers, Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard. And now it comes in two sizes,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “The 9.7-inch iPad Pro has a new Retina display with True Tone technology, four-speaker audio system, blazing fast A9X chip, 12-megapixel iSight camera, 5-megapixel FaceTime HD camera, faster wireless, and support for Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard. It is the ultimate upgrade for existing iPad users and replacement for PC users.”

Designers, illustrators and businesses have quickly adopted iPad Pro and it’s changing the way they work:

“People don’t realize how much hand drawing is needed to produce computer animation,” said John Lasseter, Chief Creative Officer, Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios. “iPad Pro and Apple Pencil are the closest we’ve ever been able to get in the digital world to actually drawing on paper.”

“I’ve done everything including designing the latest cycling collection on iPad Pro,” said Alex Valdman, Head of Design for Rapha. “It goes with me everywhere, and has not only replaced my laptop, but my paper notebook as well. For the Rapha design team, iPad Pro will become standard issue.”

“At Citi, iPad Pro is truly transforming how we work,” said Stephen Gates, U.S. Head of Design for Citi Global Consumer Banking. “iPad Pro and Apple Pencil have played a huge part in the new Citi Design team’s work to create new innovative customer experiences. We use iPad Pro for sketching out new design concepts, presenting our work, answering our emails, working with our design files on Adobe Creative Cloud and participating in FaceTime meetings with our other design teams all over the world.”

Pro display
The 9.7-inch iPad Pro features advanced display technologies, including a True Tone display, which uses new four-channel sensors to dynamically adjust the white balance of the display to match the light around you for a more natural and accurate, paper-white viewing experience. The advanced Retina display is 25 percent brighter and 40 percent less reflective than iPad Air® 2, making content even easier to see indoors and out. It uses the same wider color gamut as the iMac® with Retina 5K display, delivering 25 percent greater color saturation¹ for more vivid colors. A custom timing controller, photo alignment and oxide TFT deliver incredible color, contrast and clarity. Night Shift in iOS 9.3 uses iPad Pro’s clock and geolocation to automatically adjust the colors in the display to the warmer end of the spectrum after dark and may even help you get a better night’s sleep.

Pro performance
The new iPad Pro is just 6.1mm thin and weighs just under one pound, yet delivers groundbreaking performance, connectivity and versatility so you can tackle the most demanding tasks wherever you go. The powerful A9X chip with third-generation 64-bit architecture provides performance that rivals many laptops and console-class graphics, while also delivering all-day battery life.² Ultrafast wireless connectivity keeps you connected wherever you go with 802.11ac Wi-Fi with MIMO technology, support for even faster LTE Advanced with up to 50 percent faster cellular connectivity³ and the most LTE bands supported by any tablet.⁴ Now with Apple SIM embedded directly in the new iPad Pro, it’s even easier to connect to wireless data plans right from your device when traveling in more than 100 countries and territories.5

iPad Pro has an advanced 12-megapixel iSight camera sensor featuring Focus Pixels for fast focusing, an Apple-designed image signal processor, advanced noise reduction, third-generation local tone mapping and better face detection, all resulting in sharp, detailed images, 63-megapixel panoramas and Live Photos. A True Tone flash improves low light shots and document scanning. The new iSight camera shoots 4K video, making the new iPad Pro the perfect device to shoot, edit and share pro-quality video. The improved 5-megapixel, front-facing FaceTime HD camera makes the new iPad Pro perfect for videoconferencing or connecting with loved ones.

Pro audio
The four-speaker audio system provides powerful, clear and rich stereo sound for more than twice the audio output.¹ Built-in sensors automatically adjust and optimize the audio no matter which way you’re using it. iOS 9.3 also adds support for playing video encoded with Dolby Digital Plus audio streams with support for multichannel output using the Apple Lightning® Digital AV Adapter.

Pro accessories
Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard, available for purchase separately, bring breakthrough levels of precision and utility to iPad Pro. Advanced sensors in Apple Pencil measure both pressure and tilt for a natural drawing, annotating and note-taking experience. A new Smart Keyboard is custom-designed for the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, offering a thin yet durable keyboard that never needs to be charged or paired over Bluetooth and is easily foldable into a protective Smart Cover®. The new Lightning to SD Card Camera Reader and Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter make it easy to download photos and videos from a digital camera to iPad Pro, while a new Lightning to USB-C Cable and Apple’s 29W USB-C Power Adapter enable faster charging.

Pricing & Availability

  • The 9.7-inch iPad Pro comes in silver, space gray, gold and a new rose gold metallic finish, and starts at $599 (US) for the 32GB with Wi-Fi model and $729 (US) for the 32GB Wi-Fi + Cellular model. Both iPad Pro sizes are available in offerings of 32GB, 128GB and a new 256GB capacity, the highest of any iOS device. For more information, please visit www.apple.com/ipad.
  • The 9.7-inch iPad Pro will be available to order beginning Thursday, March 24, from Apple.com, and in Apple’s retail stores, through select carriers and Apple Authorized Resellers on Thursday, March 31, in Australia, Canada, China (Wi-Fi models only), France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore, the UK, US Virgin Islands and the US.
  • The 9.7-inch iPad Pro will be available in early April in Albania, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Cayman Islands, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Greenland, Guam, Guatemala, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Lichtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Macau (Wi-Fi models only), Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand (Wi-Fi models only), Turkey and UAE.
  • Apple Pencil is available for $99 (US) and Smart Keyboard in charcoal gray for $149 (US). The Polyurethane iPad Pro Smart Cover and Silicone Cases for the 9.7-inch iPad Pro are available for $49 (US) and $69 (US), respectively, in a range of new vibrant colors.
  • The Lightning to SD Card Camera Reader is available for $29 (US), Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter for $39 (US), Apple 29W USB-C Power Adapter for $49 (US), Lightning to USB-C Cable (1 m.) for $25 (US) and Lightning to USB-C Cable (2 m.) for $35 (US).
  • Every customer who buys an iPad Pro from Apple will be offered free Personal Setup, in-store or online, to help them customize their iPad Pro by setting up email, showing them new apps from the App Store® and more.
  • Anyone who wants to learn more about the new iPad Pro or iOS 9 can register for the free workshops offered at every Apple Store®.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants in Manhattan Gameplay Trailer

2016/03/17
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Geek News, News, PlayStation 3 News, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox 360 News, Xbox One News

March 17, 2016 – Activision Publishing, Inc., Nickelodeon and developer PlatinumGames Inc. have released a new trailer from the upcoming third-person action game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles™: Mutants in Manhattan. Today’s video gets up close with the many colossal bosses facing off against Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo in this new adventure. It showcases popular franchise villains like Shredder, Bebop, Rocksteady, and General Krang, as well as first-time reveals for the ninja Karai, mutant-alien bat Wingnut, and mutant-snapping turtle Slash.

Mixing PlatinumGames’ always-energetic style with the attitude of Nickelodeon’s Heroes in a Half-Shell, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants in Manhattan delivers fast-paced, team-based brawling for up to four players in online co-op. Each Turtle offers a unique way to play, with distinct combat abilities and progression paths. It also features colorful cel-shaded 3D visuals and an original comic story from IDW Publishing series author Tom Waltz.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants in Manhattan is expected to launch on May 24 as a retail and digital release on the PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment systems, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and Windows PC via Steam.

Razer Announces Core Pre-Orders

2016/03/17
boothby
Geek News, Hardware News, News

SAN FRANCISCO – Razer™, a world leader in connected devices and software for gamers, today announced pricing, availability and compatibility of its 2016 “Best of CES” award-winning Razer Core.  The device is the world’s first plug-and-play Thunderbolt™ 3 external graphics enclosure that debuted earlier this year in tandem with the Razer Blade Stealth Ultrabook™, itself an official “Best PC” and “People’s Choice” CES winner.

“Razer continues to innovate in the laptops category where big systems brands either cannot or will not,” says Min-Liang Tan, Razer co-founder and CEO. “This time, in collaboration with industry leaders, we’ve created the world’s first external graphics card solution of its kind, bringing the GPU power of a desktop PC to the latest Razer laptops, such as the Razer Blade Stealth Ultrabook, through a single Thunderbolt™ 3 connection with plug-and-play convenience.”

“All consumers, non-gamers and gamers alike, now can easily migrate from their Razer laptop for on-the-go performance to driving a full desktop experience using Razer Core, including enhanced graphics and simple connectivity to peripherals.”

The graphics enclosure supports a single double-wide, full-length, PCI-Express x16 graphics card. Qualified AMD Radeon™ graphics cards are available for use with the Razer Core.  At launch of the Razer Core, NVIDIA will support GeForce GTX GPUs, including the entire lineup of Maxwell GPUs, such as the best-selling GTX 970. The Razer Core will be compatible with Razer’s latest systems including the Blade Stealth Ultrabook, and the new Razer Blade 14-inch gaming laptop in the near future.

The Razer Core will be available for pre-order starting today and will ship starting in April. The MSRP for Razer Core is $399 with the purchase of a compatible Razer notebook or $499 if purchased separately. Current registered owners of the Blade Stealth will receive the discounted price.

A single Thunderbolt™ 3 (USB-C) cable provides ample bandwidth and is all it takes to connect compatible Razer systems with the Razer Core. With the Razer Blade Stealth, the Razer Core also provides power to the notebook, charging the internal battery. Whether a laptop user is interested in gaming or editing 4K video with external desktop graphics performance, Thunderbolt™ 3 is the all-in-one connection that can make it possible with select Razer systems like the Blade Stealth and Razer Core.

razer-core-gallery-04

“Thunderbolt™ 3 brings Thunderbolt to USB-C at speeds up to 40 Gbps, creating one compact port that does it all,” said Jason Ziller, director of Thunderbolt Marketing, Intel. “Thanks to technical collaboration between Intel, Razer and the Radeon™ Technologies group at AMD, Razer Core is the first plug-and-play external graphics solution that transforms the Razer Blade Stealth Ultrabook into a desktop-like gaming experience”

The Razer Blade Stealth and Razer Core are the first products to ship that support AMD XConnect™ technology, which when configured with a qualified Radeon™ graphics card ensures seamless switching between discrete and integrated Intel® HD graphics for a true plug-and-play user experience.

“We believe powerful external GPUs are thrilling for gamers that have longed to connect serious gaming performance to an ultrathin notebook,” said Ravi Gananathan, Director, MNC Graphics, AMD. “With the advent of AMD XConnect™ technology, that dream is a simple and intuitive reality. Together, the Razer Core and AMD XConnect™ for Radeon™ graphics are the ultimate intersection of performance, simplicity and design.”

Physical installation of a graphics card into the Razer Core requires no tools. Its durable aluminum housing slides open elegantly, and a single included thumb-screw secures the graphics card in place. Razer’s solution helps future-proof systems, as graphics cards are easily swappable as new components become available. Traditional laptop designs with fixed internal processors could not easily allow for upgrading graphics capabilities over time, if at all.

Bringing desktop-level graphics and display connectivity to a notebook is only part of this innovative solution from Razer. The Razer Core also contains four additional USB 3.0 ports and Ethernet connectivity, and it has two-zone lighting technology Powered by Razer Chroma. It is now easier than ever to transform a thin and light notebook into a complete desktop experience.

Razer Core can accommodate graphics cards that draw a maximum of 375 W and no larger than 12.20 inches x 5.98 inches x 1.73 inches (310 mm x 152 mm x 44 mm). Plug-and-play support varies according to graphics chipset and notebook model.  Interested parties may go to the Razer website for full details. Compatible graphics cards are sold separately. More information about Razer Core is available at http://rzr.to/core.

 

Qualified AMD Radeon™ graphics cards (AMD XConnect™ supported with Blade Stealth):

– AMD Radeon™ R9 Fury

– AMD Radeon™ R9 Nano

– AMD Radeon™ R9 300 Series

– AMD Radeon™ R9 290X

– AMD Radeon™ R9 290

– AMD Radeon™ R9 280

 

Supported NVIDIA® GeForce® graphics cards (at launch):

– NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX Titan X

– NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 980 Ti

– NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 980

– NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 970

– NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 960

– NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 950

– NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 750 Ti

– NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 750

 

Compatible Razer notebook models:

– Razer Blade Stealth

– Razer Blade (w/ Thunderbolt™ 3) in the near future

 

Price:

U.S. $399 – when purchased with compatible Razer notebook

U.S. $499

 

Availability:

Razerzone.com – Pre-order March 16th, shipping in April

 

Razer Core Specifications:

Connection to PC: Thunderbolt™ 3 using included 40 Gbps cable

GPU Support: graphics card sold separately

– GPU Type: (1) double-wide, full-length PCI-Express x16 graphics card

– GPU Max Dimensions: 12.20” x 5.98” x 1.73” (310 x 152 x 44 mm)

– GPU Max Power Support: 375 W

– Graphics Output: Based on capabilities of installed graphics card

Input & Output:

– USB 3.0 x 4

– Gigabit Ethernet 10/100/1000

– Thunderbolt™ 3 (for connection to PC)

Lighting: Powered by Razer Chroma – 2 zones

Power Supply: 500 W

Approx. Dimensions: 4.13” (104.9 mm) wide x 13.38” (339.9 mm) deep x 8.6” (218.4 mm) high

Approx. Weight: 10.89 lbs. (4.94 kg)

ESL Partners with Microsoft on Xbox Live Tournaments Platform

2016/03/16
boothby
Geek News, News, Xbox One News

(Cologne, Germany) March 16, 2016 – ESL’s technical development team has teamed up with Microsoft to integrate ESL tournament systems directly into the Xbox Live Tournaments Platform. This partnership represents a revolutionary step for the evolution of esports, by allowing developers and publishers to gain easy and automated access to live tournaments, as well as giving them the ability to organize the logistics and handling of such.

“The tournament experience on ESL platforms looks to see a significant increase thanks to our partnership with Microsoft,” said Arne Peters, Vice President Strategic Relations & ESL Technology. “ESL platform integration is a big step forward in establishing competitive gaming and esports. We are very happy to be working with Microsoft on projects such and these and are excited to see them embrace the significance of esports and its phenomenal growth.”

Tournaments run by ESL can now be optimized by game developers to feature in-game integrations and more, allowing competition to be played out on the console and PC. Numerous ESL tournament integrations exist already on PC platforms across various game genres to enable quick and seamless gaming solutions for competitors, with the Xbox Live Tournaments Platform bringing a cohesive experience across both Xbox One and Windows 10 PCs.

ESL’s tech team is preparing to assist and consult with game developers, helping them to get their games ready for tournament integration. The first games to use the ESL tournament system on Xbox are already in the making with more to follow.

Samurai Warriors 4 Empires Launch Trailer

2016/03/15
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Geek News, News, PlayStation 3 News, PlayStation 4 News, PS Vita News

BURLINGAME, Calif.—March 15, 2016—KOEI TECMO America today announced that Samurai Warriors 4 Empires has shipped to stores and is now available across North America for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system for an MSRP of $49.99. The game is also available for PlayStation®3 as well as the PlayStation®Vita handheld entertainment system via digital download for $39.99. To celebrate the game’s launch, KOEI TECMO has unveiled a brand new trailer.

Samurai Warriors 4 Empires blends the best of the tactical action gameplay with an easy-to-learn, in-depth strategy system to create the most exciting installment in the Empires franchise yet! Regulate foreign affairs, and form political and military strategies with the new Castle feature, and personalize your character and castle with new customization options. Rise through the ranks to eventually rule the entire land!

Samurai Warriors 4 Empires marks the return of the Empires brand in the Samurai Warriors universe after a nine year hiatus. Since the 2007 release of Samurai Warriors 2 Empires for the PlayStation®2, Samurai Warriors has grown to become one of the most successful and acclaimed titles in the Warriors franchise.

Published by KOEI TECMO, Samurai Warriors 4 Empires is now available for purchase in North America. This title has been rated “T for Teen” by the ESRB.

For more news and information on Samurai Warriors 4 Empires, please visit the official website at www.koeitecmoamerica.com/sw4e/, Like KOEI TECMO America on Facebook at www.facebook.com/koeitecmous, and become part of the #KTfamily by following KOEI TECMO America on Twitter at @KoeiTecmoUS.

Six Flags Opening to Feature Lions and The Joker Coaster Countdown

2016/03/14
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Geek News, News

JACKSON, NJ — March 14, 2016 — Six Flags Great Adventure launches four seasons of thrills March 23 with Opening Weekend Presented by Allegra® and Spring Break running through April 3 from 10:30 am to 8 pm daily. The event is marked by the debut of adorable lion, tiger and bear cubs, special events, new offerings plus a countdown to the park’s 14th and most insane coaster, The Joker, and Hurricane Harbor’s new Caribbean Cove water playground.

Lions, Tigers, Bears (Oh My!) and Events Begin March 23

Guests can see the Safari’s adorable baby cub trio – consisting of lion, tiger and bear cubs — beginning March 23. The female lion named Zuri and tiger named Nadya were born late last year. The pair made news when the Six Flags animal care team began hand-raising them as sisters when their mothers did not adequately care for them. While the two would typically never cross paths in the wild, they have bonded and help each other gain socialization skills. The newest cub, a female European brown bear named Baily, was born January 12 and needed medical assistance. She has been thriving under veterinary team care. The cub trio will spend most of the season at Camp Aventura, and will be introduced to their respective species at the Safari later this season.

Easter Weekend presented by PEEPS® provides a “sweet” start to the 2016 season. On Saturday, March 26, Six Flags will host a special Easter Celebration giving guests the chance to search for eggs filled with PEEPS®. The morning event will also include onsite entertainment, games and giveaways. The first 100 guests (toddlers to age 12) to arrive by 9 am will receive a PEEPS® Egg Hunt Participant Wristband and up to three spectator wristbands for friends and family members to join in the celebration. All participants and spectators must have valid park admission to receive a wristband. The event will take place at 9:45 am, prior to park opening.

Two new shows will make their debut this spring. Versatile entertainers Cliff Woerner and Nick Spinelli will blur the line between the possible and impossible as they showcase a blend of comedy, wondrous illusions and audience participation in This Magic Moment, beginning March 23 in Adventure Theater. In SeaFari Theater, fun and friendly animal competition featuring sea lions, pigs, otters, birds and goats will take center stage in the new Wildlife Games, set to debut later this spring.

The theme park will also introduce new dining venues this spring including the Go Fresh Café with healthy food options near Nitro, Sky Bar featuring wine, beer, soda and a variety of snacks adjacent to the 24-story SkyScreamer, and Villains Café featuring turkey legs, snacks and drinks in the Lakefront. For Season Pass holders, the best dining value continues to be the All-Season Dining Pass which allows guests to pay once and eat all year and includes the new dining venues.

Educational programs will also welcome students back to Six Flags this spring. Boy Scout Camporee, Girl Scout Day, Biology Day, Physics Day and Safari Off Road Education turn the park into an outdoor classroom where kids can experience fun and learning.

THE JOKER Will Wreak Total Mayhem Along the Lakefront

Six Flags Great Adventure prepares for its most insane roller coaster experience in history with The Joker. After being lifted straight up a 12-story, 90-degree hill, this 4-D, free-fly coaster will wreak havoc as riders flip head-over-heels at least six times along the weightless journey. Thrill seekers will experience exhilarating leaps and dives along a horizontal plane, along with unexpected drops as they tumble from one level to the next. The wing seats amp up the pandemonium since riders will experience all of this chaos with no track above or below ─ just the sky, ground and adjacent Great Lake churning around them.

The unique design of The Joker features:

  • Massive, imposing, floating and twisting I-box track frame in a unique two-tone design
  • One-of-a-kind onboard magnetic technology featuring smooth head-over-heels free-fly flips providing guests the feeling of weightlessness as they soar outside the confines of a traditional track
  • 4-D wing vehicles that seat up to 8 per vehicle with a total of 5 vehicles
  • Face-off seats that allow riders to face each other as they tumble head over heels
  • A 120-foot-tall, 90-degree hill that is ascended by an elevator-style, chain link lift
  • Two beyond 90-degree “raven” drops giving the sensation of free-falling

The park’s 14th and most unique scream machine in its history, The Joker is expected to wreak total mayhem beginning Memorial Day weekend, and join the ranks of all legendary roller coasters at Six Flags Great Adventure.

New Caribbean Cove Splashes into Hurricane Harbor

Beginning May 21, Guests can cool down as the weather heats up at Hurricane Harbor. In June, the all-new water play area, Caribbean Cove, will add more family fun to the 45-acre water park.

Caribbean Cove cool facts:

  • Active and colorful water play center with more than 55 interactive features
  • Spray nozzles, jets, valves, water guns, action slide and a giant tipping bucket towering nearly two stories in the air
  • Two-foot-deep, beach-entry pool
  • Giant beach area with 300 new lounge chairs
  • New shade canopy will provide additional respite from the summer sun

Caribbean Cove will be situated between the between the Taak It Eez Ee Creek lazy river and Big Wave Racer slide complex and is slated to open June 2016.

Tickets, operating hours, park information and special events can be found at www.sixflags.com/greatadventure

About Warner Bros. Consumer Products
Warner Bros. Consumer Products, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, is one of the leading licensing and retail merchandising organizations in the world.

About DC Entertainment
DC Entertainment, home to iconic brands DC Comics (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash), Vertigo (Sandman, Fables) and MAD, is the creative division charged with strategically integrating its content across Warner Bros. Entertainment and Time Warner.  DC Entertainment works in concert with many key Warner Bros. divisions to unleash its stories and characters across all media, including but not limited to film, television, consumer products, home entertainment and interactive games. Publishing thousands of comic books, graphic novels and magazines each year, DC Entertainment is one of the largest English-language publishers of comics in the world.

About Six Flags Entertainment Corporation

Six Flags Entertainment Corporation is the world’s largest regional theme park company with $1.3 billion in revenue and 18 parks across the United States, Mexico and Canada. For 55 years, Six Flags has entertained millions of families with world-class coasters, themed rides, thrilling water parks and unique attractions. For more information, visit www.sixflags.com.

Lionsgate and Comic-Con International Unveil Comic-Con HQ

2016/03/14
boothby
Geek News, News, SDCC

SANTA MONICA and SAN DIEGO, California, March 14, 2016 – Comic-Con International and Lionsgate (NYSE:LGF) today unveiled launch plans for Comic-Con HQ, their newly named subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) platform debuting shortly before San Diego Comic-Con this Summer. Comic-Con HQ will launch with free beta access on May 7 with its official premiere in June leading up to Comic-Con International: San Diego in July.

The ad-free streaming service will feature an evolving slate of programming including original scripted and unscripted series, recurring daily and weekly entertainment commentary, plus unique access to a growing library of live and archival programming from their world-class events, a highly-curated selection of film and TV genre titles, and behind-the-scenes access and bonus features from genre titles that defy and define pop culture.

“For nearly half a century, Comic-Con has served as the definitive common ground where the fans of genre entertainment come together to express their passion for comics and pop culture,” said Seth Laderman, EVP and General Manager for Comic-Con HQ. “Comic-Con HQ aspires to extend that exchange 365 days a year, bringing everything we love about Comic-Con to the world in ways never before seen and experienced. The new platform will provide a year-round destination to enjoy all facets of the community and access the vast diversity of content the world has come to expect from the largest and longest-running pop cultural celebration of the year.”

“CCHQ is welcoming both attendees and fans new to the Comic-Con phenomenon to join our community and enjoy all aspects of the experience in ways never before imagined,” said David Glanzer, Chief Communications and Strategy Officer for Comic-Con International. “Lionsgate is a terrific partner in this venture and uniquely qualified to provide quality programming that speaks directly to our fans. We’re excited to see what we can accomplish with a dedicated Comic-Con channel 365 days a year.”

Comic-Con HQ’s slate of original, licensed and live programming for the Comic-Con community and genre enthusiasts everywhere will include:

  • Recurring daily and weekly programs featuring well-known personalities curating entertainment news and commentary across all facets of pop culture. G4 alum Adam Sessler (X-Play) will executive produce programs on comics, science and gaming, along with hosting his own insightful 1:1 interview series. Fellow G4 star Kevin Pereira (Attack of the Show) and his company Attack Media will executive produce an entertainment pop culture news show and a late night talk show format. Other formats on the fast track are two roundtable discussion shows, one weekly movie talk in partnership with Complex’s Collider inspired by their popular Collider Movie Talk series, and another all-female panel on pop culture from a female perspective.
  • Original scripted and unscripted series debuting on the platform include: the scripted comedy series Kings of Con inspired by real-life fan convention experiences from Supernatural stars Richard Speight and Rob Benedict; the science entertainment program Impossible Science starring world champion illusionist Jason Latimer, who explores breakthrough technologies capable of achieving his seemingly impossible feats of magic with real science; and the formerly announced unscripted series with fangirl fashion company and lifestyle brand, Her Universe, hosted by founder and actress Ashley Eckstein, following contestants as they design their geek couture concepts for the catwalk of a live San Diego Comic-Con fashion show in July. These series are the first of many originals to be revealed in the weeks leading up to SDCC.
  • Unparalleled San Diego Comic-Con access with live-streamed CCHQ programming, airings of select Comic-Con panels, and immersive access to the convention floor and sanctioned events never before available to the public such as the Masquerade and the Eisner Awards. Members will enjoy interviews and previews available only on CCHQ in a growing library of new and archival panels, bonus features, behind-the-scenes previews and more.
  • An eclectic collection of licensed film & TV series featuring genre greats and hidden gems from science-fiction, fantasy, cult classics, action/adventure and horror.

More news about upcoming programming and partnerships will be announced in the coming weeks. Anyone can now pre-register for free beta access on www.Comic-ConHQ.com to enjoy a full platform of programming starting Free Comic Book Day on May 7 via their browsers and iOS/Android devices. The paid subscription service will roll out across more connected devises in the months to come such as Roku, AppleTV and Xbox One, with additional devices and distribution platforms becoming available throughout the year.

HITMAN First Episode Launches

2016/03/11
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Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

COPENHAGEN, March 11, 2016 – Io-Interactive is delighted to announce that HITMAN™, the first digital AAA episodic game launches today.

“We are doing something bold and new which has the potential to shape how we experience AAA games in the future, ,” said Hannes Seifert, Studio Head at Io-Interactive. “Hitman is back and it’s clearly the game many fans have been waiting for, so that feels pretty special. And this is just the start, now our live content begins and then in April we head to Sapienza. We have a game that will evolve, grow and improve over time and deliver the best ever Hitman experience.”

HITMAN starts with the Prologue and a Paris location on March 11, followed by the next location, set in Italy releasing in April and then Morocco releasing in May. From there HITMAN will deliver regular monthly content updates, including three additional locations; Thailand, the United States and the season conclusion in Japan later in 2016.

In addition live content begins today.

The first Escalation Contract is in the game today, with the next one scheduled for Tuesday 16 March. These are in-game contracts created by Io-Interactive which gradually increase in difficulty the more you play them.

And the first Elusive Target will appear in the game at some point in the next ten days. These are targets who appear for a limited time only, the first one will be live for 48 hours in the game. And players get only one chance to take them out, there are no second chances. This is a new character with bespoke dialogue and behavior in the game. Players will only receive their Elusive Target briefing once the new character has entered their location.

The Intro Pack is available today priced at $15 (or local equivalent). Each subsequent location will be priced at $10 as an add-on item to the Intro Pack*. Alternatively, players can buy the Full Experience up front for $60, also available today. This includes all of this year’s content as it’s released, and guarantees not to miss any live or bonus content.

The disc version of HITMAN will ship in January 2017.

HITMAN is available on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, and Windows PC.

* If players buy the Intro Pack but then want to get into everything the Full Experience offers, they can also choose to buy the Upgrade Pack for $50.

Related Links
Official Website: hitman.com
Official Facebook Page: facebook.com/hitman
Follow @Hitman on Twitter: twitter.com/hitman
Visit the subreddit: reddit.com/r/hitman

Sheltered launches on PS4, Xbox One and PC next week

2016/03/10
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Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

UK – 10th March – Games industry veteran and games label Team17 and independent developer Unicube are excited to announce that their co-developed post-apocalyptic survival game,Sheltered, will be available to download for Xbox One, PS4, PC, Mac and Linux on the 15th March.

After a global apocalypse, a frightened family find their way to a deserted shelter, where they try to survive. You take on the role of protecting four family members. Their wellbeing and survival is your responsibility. One mistake, one bad decision and a loved one is gone, forever. Sheltered is a world where death is permanent.

Combat claustrophobia, radiation and mental exhaustion as you try to turn the cold and cramped shelter into a home. And as they cling desperately to life, you must send family members from the scant protection of the shelter, outside into the dangerous, desolate wasteland to scavenge for vital supplies. You’ll come across abandoned towns, roaming factions and feral beasts.

How you handle the many moral choices you’ll encounter could be the difference between the family surviving or dying.

Features:
•    Family comes first: Keep your family alive and protect them from the ravages of the harsh post-apocalyptic world
•    Pets: Your pet is family too. Choose between the dog, cat, fish, snake or horse
•    Make the shelter a home: Maintain your shelter – keep it secure, habitable and make sure that the family have enough resources to survive. Protect your shelter from hazards and infiltration!
•    Crafting system: Create comforts for your family’s shelter and weapons for combat
•    Customisation: Your family is unique to you; you decide their gender, names and their appearance
•    Exploration: Send out your family to explore and gather resources for everyday living and crafting
•    Recruitment system: Recruit outsiders with different personalities, integrate them into your shelter life and earn their loyalty
•    RPG mechanics: As your family develop, their stats will adapt with an evolving experience and trauma system. Attributes, strengths and weaknesses will dynamically change based on your choices
•    Dynamic encounter system: Your family will encounter various threats including roaming factions and feral beasts
•    Turn-based combat: For those that cannot be reasoned with, violence can be used as a last resort. Your family may depend on it
•    Vehicles: Make exploration quicker and safer
•    Bloodlines: Extend your family lineage

Sheltered will be available to download for Xbox One, PS4, PC, Mac and Linux on the 15th March for just £9.99 / $14.99 /12,99  €

To keep up to date with all the information on Sheltered please visit www.team17.com, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @Team17Ltd.