Battlefront has announced the release of their long-awaited next edition in the Combat Mission series, Combat Mission: Battle for Normandy. CM: BfN features a tactical re-creation of the battles which took place in Western France during World War II. The game has the tried-and-true Combat Mission turn-based (WeGo) gameplay as well as a real-time strategy mode and is available on both Windows and Mac PCs.
Talented indie developer Zombie Cow Studios, developer of the acclaimed Ben There, Dan That adventure game has closed its doors. Don’t cry as they are not disbanding to the winds but, instead, becoming Size Five Games! They have renamed their studio as they apparently just did not like the name. They are currently working on a new, as-yet unannounced title which they will hopefully be able to reveal soon!
“I’ve always hated the name Zombie Cow,” admitted Dan Marshall, formerly of Zombie Cow Studios, now head honcho at Size Five Games. “You only get one life, and there’s no point going through it unhappy with something if it’s well within your capability to change it. So I’m changing it.”
“That said, this is probably pretty reckless. Zombie Cow was just starting to get a bit of a name for itself. I think it’s fair to say we’re one of the better-known UK developers, so this could be a disaster. Hopefully we’re not going back to Square One. Rest assured that Size Five Games is exactly the same, just with a different name and a trendier website.”
Bethesda Softworks has released a brand-new trailer for their upcoming Hunted: The Demon’s Forge. In the trailer, the dev team at inXile Entertainment talk about what went in to the game’s sound design and overall audio experience. Hunted is due out on May 31st for the Windows PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 platforms.
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Bohemia Interactive has revealed its full 2011 Electronic Entertainment Expo games lineup. The expo, which runs from June 7th through 9th, will see the developer showing off its recently-announced wargame Arma 3 as well as Carrier Command: Gaia Mission and Take On Helicopters.
“We’re so excited to be attending E3 as a company and this year marks our biggest presence to date. We’re proud to showcase our strong lineup of PC exclusive titles,” said Michal Harangozo, Marketing and PR lead at Bohemia Interactive. “This is a great opportunity to reach PC gamers the world over and show them what we have planned for the coming months.”
Arma 3 – the latest installment in the successful tactical mil-sim
series, Arma, combines the strength of its predecessors with radical
engine improvements. Arma 3 will provide players with a unique
experience of sandbox-oriented combat gameplay set in the most
detailed and vast environment of the series. Players will fight
through a story-oriented campaign by taking control of a multitude of
aircraft, vehicles and ships; shooting anything from pistols to
sophisticated weaponry.
Carrier Command: Gaea Mission – The ground-breaking 80’s classic is
back in this highly-anticipated next generation experience. Players
will be treated to an immersive journey with an engaging story in the
vast, free-roaming environment that spans 33 unique islands in 6
different climatic areas. Players will battle over air, land and sea
in this exciting combination of the 1st and 3rd person action genre
with strategic elements where the exploration and mastering of tactics
is key and the thrill of a successful fight will spur the player
onward to a victorious experience like no other.
Take On Helicopters – The upcoming all-new helicopter game is built on
10 years of experience with the development of complex military
simulators. Immersing players in beautifully rich landscapes and an
authentic helicopter experience, players will prove their flight
skills in exciting challenges while mastering authentic roto-wing
flight dynamics and creating their own missions.
TikGames has announced that they are working on a video game for the Windows PC and unannounced console platforms based on Universal’s “Chucky” IP. The game is said to feature an original storyline and be a stealth-actioner where players take on the titular role of the killer doll as they bring gruesome death to their victims.
“We’re proud to be able to bring a fan-favorite movie character, such as Chucky, to gaming platforms,” said Alex Tikhman, Co-Founder and Vice President of Publishing for TikGames. “Fans have been asking for a Chucky game for years and, soon, gamers around the world will be able to enjoy highly-entertaining, interactive, downright gory experiences with this brand.”
The game is set to be released this Fall.
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and TT Games have announced a new Harry Potter title set during Harry’s final years at Hogwarts in the book series. LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 will be available this holiday season and is the direct sequel to LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4. The game takes place and will be available for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, the NGP system, the Wii™ system, the Nintendo DS™ and Nintendo 3DS™ hand-held systems and Windows PC.
“In LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7, we are giving gamers a truly epic conclusion to the most successful movie franchise in history with delightful gameplay for fans of all ages,” said Tom Stone, Managing Director, TT Games. “We have built upon the first game and are giving fans even more magical abilities, puzzle solving and exploration, in addition to our distinctive brand of hilarious LEGO humor and charm.”
LINK: LEGO Video Games Website
On the business front, mega-video game retailer Gamestop has posted record 1st quarter earnings for 2011. The company reported an increase in total sales of 9.5%, which equates to about $2.28 billion – this, in comparison to $2.08 billion in the 2010 quarter year.
Paul Raines, chief executive officer, stated, “GameStop continues to execute its strategic plan. Our strong comparable store sales reflect record share gains, pre-owned sales acceleration, robust digital sales growth and extraordinary consumer acceptance of our PowerUp Rewards™ loyalty program. Our unique, multichannel business model makes the GameStop network the premier gaming provider.”
Also reported was that the top five games for the quarter were Nintendo’s Pokémon Black and White, Mortal Kombat from Warner Home Video Games, Capcom’s Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds, Call of Duty: Black Ops from Activision and THQ’s Homefront.
The UTV True Games has wished us all a happy apocalypse and are hoping that we will continue playing their Heaven vs Hell MMO, Faxion Online. The game is set to launch officially on May 26th, though you can currently play in the open beta should that be how you would like to spend the Rapture. Of course, this would-be apocalypse was proclaimed to take place on May 21st by a very “wacky”, to say the least, cult. Will it happen? Well, I will tell you on May 22nd…
“The people left behind on May 22 are going to be spending a lot of time indoors, what with the plagues and blood red moon and all,” said Mike Madden, Director of Product Development at UTV True Games. “With its apocalyptic themes of Heaven versus Hell, Faxion Online can actually educate players while also offering some spectacular PvP action.”
Activision has announced that its popular Escalation DLC pack for Call of Duty: Black Ops is heading for Windows PCs starting on June 2nd. The pack features four new multiplayer maps and a new Zombie experience, featuring famed director George A. Romero and genre actors Robert Englund, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Michael Rooker and Danny Trejo – not to mention an original music track from Avenged Sevenfold titled “Not Ready to Die.”
A PlayStation 3 version is also in the works, however an official announcement has not been made to a release date yet.
Perfect World Entertainment has released a new cinematic trailer for their free-to-play MMO, Forsaken World, and its upcoming Gaze of Larex content update which will see a new threat emerge in the game world.
“Since launch, Forsaken World players have been busy reuniting the five races of Eyrda. With the emergence of Larex, players will be able to test their newly forged alliance against an enemy that not only threatens to take over the Sleeping Jungle, but also the entire world, “said Clifton Chu, Product Manager for Forsaken World. “Players can also look forward to new ways to gain favor with the gods as well as gain and unlock new, epic gear for their characters.”
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