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Atari Hotels Unveils New Designs

2020/10/19

GSD Group — an innovation and strategy agency — announced that it has hired world-renowned architecture and design firm Gensler and unveiled their vision for the highly anticipated pop culture and video game-inspired Atari® Hotels with the first two hotels to open in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Phoenix, Arizona. In addition, GSD Group has secured the rights to build future Atari Hotels opening in Austin, Chicago, Denver, San Francisco, San Jose, and Seattle. The newly announced Las Vegas location will bring an experience that has never existed in a market primed for evolution.

Announced earlier this year as an exclusive licensing agreement with Atari®, the iconic entertainment brand behind seminal video games properties such as Asteroids®, Centipede®, and PONG®, Atari Hotels will offer guests a wholly unique hospitality experience inspired by, and built with, classic and modern video game culture in mind.

Atari Hotels perfectly blends the past, present, and future of video games and entertainment for a destination that offers guests a one-of-a-kind hospitality experience, complete with state of the art amenities for esports fans and content creators. Guests can enjoy the latest in video games, experience cutting-edge immersive entertainment, purchase exclusive Atari Hotels merchandise, and play the night away in retro-style gaming arcades. A speakeasy and fully-equipped nightclub will be available for adult guests, as well as themed restaurants and bars. Atari Hotels delightfully plays with the themes of retro-futurism, pop culture, and nostalgia — offering fun for the whole family.

“Like Atari’s legacy in innovation, Atari Hotels is infusing synthetic reality into every aspect of the hotel, creating an immersive hospitality and gaming experience for our guests,” said Shelly Murphy, Managing Partner, GSD Group. “From our virtual interactive world to the physical locations, every element of Atari Hotels will offer a unique and authentic experience for everyone.”

“We are excited to join GSD Group on this journey to create a completely new kind of immersive experience with the debut of Atari Hotels,” says Tom Ito, Global Hospitality Director, Gensler. “We assembled a multi-disciplinary design team with experts from hospitality to branding, sports, and digital experience design to develop a dynamic brand that is unmatched in the hospitality industry.

“I have seen the vision that GSD Group has for Atari Hotels, and they are poised to shatter the perception of what hotels can be,” said Fred Chesnais, CEO of Atari®. “Atari Hotels will create a world that caters to gamers of all ages and experience levels, giving them a place to call home — a groundbreaking experience that shares Atari’s legacy of innovation.”

At Atari Hotels, experiential interactive entertainment and stylized accommodations await guests, providing a unique experience prior to even checking in, and lasting far beyond check out. Featuring a multi-use, cutting-edge gaming arena, players and spectators will thrive in a world of video games like never before, blurring the lines between the nostalgic era and contemporary ever-evolving digital worlds. Unlike other hospitality destinations in the Las Vegas area, Atari Hotels will give guests the chance to explore and enjoy groundbreaking hospitality innovations, business opportunities, and a revolutionary variety of entertainment options. Retro enthusiasts, casual and hardcore gamers, content creators, and esports professionals will consider Atari Hotels as a unique place to call their home away from home.

Analyst firm Newzoo estimates that the world’s more than 2.5 billion global video gamers will spend roughly $160 billion in 2020 and anticipate the video game industry to grow to an impressive 2.7 billion gamers generating over $200 billion in revenue by the year 2023. Atari Hotels has committed to investing in on-site immersive entertainment and will feature trending and breakthrough advancements in virtual reality and augmented reality technology, ensuring it is uniquely and ideally poised to capitalize on this tremendous demand and thriving opportunity.

For more information about Atari Hotels, please visit www.atarihotels.com.

They Bleed Pixels Nintendo Switch Launch Trailer

2020/10/19

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Geek News, News, Nintendo Switch, Trailers / Videos

Sharpen your claws! Indie cult classic They Bleed Pixels will be released in the Nintendo eShop Oct 22nd for $14.99 USD. Pre-orders start today (Oct 15) with a 20% launch discount running through Halloween (Oct 31). This is the first time They Bleed Pixels’ special blend of gothic-cute pixel art, punishing platforming and bloody one-button combat will be available on a console!

“With They Bleed Pixels we wanted to make a platforming game where the combat and platforming had equal weight, and a big part of that is the game’s unique checkpoint system” says game designer Miguel Sternberg, “In They Bleed Pixels checkpoints are like a power up, and you’ll have to pull off fancy kills to earn them quickly. The game’s large levels really give each checkpoint weight, driving the player towards mixing it up. Kicking enemies into the air, saws, spikes, juggles, whatever it takes to fill that checkpoint meter faster!”

As an anonymous student of the Lafcadio Academy for Troubled Young Ladies, you must battle through your nightmares to defeat a curse that’s slowly transforming your body into a clawed demonic form. Originally released for PC in 2012, They Bleed Pixels balances a perfect mix of fast-paced acrobatic platforming and fierce, one-button, slash’em up combat. By suppressing their urge to button mash in favour of focusing on stylish and smart kills, players are rewarded with a checkpoint they can choose when to place for safety… or try their luck by holding onto it for extra bonus points.

Features:
Hardcore original difficulty, plus an easier novice mode, to match a wide range of skills.
Striking art style mixes low-fi pixel art with organic ink and paper textures.
Lush gothic-cute motion comics tell the story of a young girl haunted by eldritch nightmares.
Become a monster stabbing master or platforming speedrunner with individual level rankings, online leaderboards and 150 skill-based badges.
Unlock bonus guest levels + illustrations by comic and game artists from around the world.

You can pre-order They Bleed Pixels right now in the Nintendo eShop and get a 20% discount till Halloween!

ROCCAT Partners with Shellback Tech to Provide Relief for Disabled Vets

2020/10/19

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Geek News, News

ROCCAT, Turtle Beach’s (Nasdaq: HEAR) Hamburg, Germany-based PC brand, today announced a partnership with Shellback Tech. Founded in 2018 by disabled Iraq veteran Travis Peacock and his wife Brittani, Shellback Tech creates customized, one-of-a-kind, gaming and streaming PCs for disabled veterans and first responders in need, and donates them along with a monitor, desk, chair, and accessories at no cost. Through this partnership Turtle Beach is donating an assortment of ROCCAT’s latest award-winning PC accessories – including the all-new Elo series gaming headsets, Vulcan keyboards, and Burst mice – ensuring Shellback Tech’s forthcoming PC gaming battle stations come fully equipped with the best PC gaming accessories.

“It’s an honor for us to support Shellback Tech’s fantastic mission to help our nation’s disabled veterans and first responders by creating and donating these amazing customized PCs for them,” said Juergen Stark, Chairman and CEO, Turtle Beach. “Gaming has the ability to help people recover more quickly from injuries sustained during service, so we’re grateful for the opportunity to work with Travis and Brittani. They are doing great work and we’re happy to be a part of it.”

Travis and Brittani at Shellback Tech work closely with each of the recipients chosen, as well as their loved ones, to understand their individual needs in order to create the PC gaming system best suited for them. Travis and Brittani started Shellback after gaming helped Travis recover from injuries sustained while he was deployed in Iraq. By the end of 2020 they will have created over 60 custom built PCs – all donated to other disabled veterans and first responders, and this year’s remaining builds will be powered by ROCCAT’s latest PC gaming peripherals, ensuring each recipient receives the high-quality gear they deserve.

“As a disabled veteran, I know first-hand the impact injuries can have, and gaming has been a big help in not only my recovery but also to getting to where I’m at today,” said Travis Peacock, Co-founder of Shellback Tech. “Being able to meaningfully impact the lives of other fellow service members in a positive way by designing and building gaming PCs that help them, both in recovery and doing the work in their new careers, is enormously fulfilling. It is a genuine pleasure to be working with Turtle Beach and ROCCAT to make an even greater impact.”

Click here for additional details on Shellback Tech, and be sure to visit the Shellback Tech Facebook page. For more information on ROCCAT’s line-up of high-quality, German-engineered PC gaming accessories, visit ROCCAT.org, and be sure to follow ROCCAT on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

Aquanox Deep Descent Launch Trailer

2020/10/16

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Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

Here we go – Aquanox Deep Descent is out today and you can finally play the underwater vehicle combat shooter. Whether you start your campaign solo or invite up to three friends, to start your journey in Aqua in the co-op mode or, if the PVP dogfights are your thing: Now it’s time to check out the anticipated next entry of the Aquanox Saga.

Check out the release trailer: YouTube:

Aquanox Deep Descent is available today, October 16th from 7 PM CEST / 10 AM PDT on. The SRP for the digital version is € 29.99 / $ 29.99 and there is a limited edition available, too.

Get it on Steam: http://n.thq.com/3jzW30jD5Kp

Get the Limited Edition on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08HRHDRW1 (SRP is € 39.99 / £ 34.99 / $ 39.99)

Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate Rain Gameplay Trailer

2020/10/15

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

Warner Bros. Games and NetherRealm Studios today revealed a new Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate gameplay trailer showcasing the return of the Edenian demigod, Rain. As the son of the god Argus, Edenia’s divine Protector, Rain wields a magical power allowing him to harness water and lightning, open dimensional rifts to a previously unknown water realm and even liquefy himself to avoid attacks. He is also equipped with a deadly katar to slash and stab opponents as he fights for his place in Edenia’s pantheon. Rain joins the roster as a new playable fighter on Nov. 17 as part of Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate and Kombat Pack 2.

Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate preorders are available beginning today for $59.99 (SRP), providing immediate access to Mortal Kombat 11, Kombat Pack 1 and the Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath Expansion upon purchase. Please note, Nintendo Switch preorders will be available beginning Oct. 22.

Players who already own Mortal Kombat 11 can upgrade their experience by preordering Kombat Pack 2 beginning today for $14.99 (SRP). Current Mortal Kombat 11 owners can also purchase Kombat Pack 1 for $19.99 (SRP) or the Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath Expansion for $39.99 (SRP).

Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate and Kombat Pack 2 preorders will receive the Time Warriors Skin Pack at launch featuring three new character skin variants, including “Dark Web” Noob Saibot, “HCF” (Halt and Catch Fire) Liu Kang and “Blood Moon” Skarlet.

Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate offers the definitive Mortal Kombat 11 experience with the addition of Kombat Pack 2 featuring new playable fighters Rain, Mileena and Rambo, along with the previously released Mortal Kombat 11 main game, Kombat Pack 1 and Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath Expansion.

Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate is scheduled to release globally beginning Nov. 17 on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 4 Pro, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One consoles, Nintendo Switch, PC and Stadia. Additionally, Mortal Kombat 11 and Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate owners and new buyers on PS4 or Xbox One can access free upgrades to the PS5 or Xbox Series X|S versions of their game at no additional cost, delivering 4K dynamic resolution, enhanced visuals, improved loading times and more, available in conjunction with the Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate launch.

Lust from Beyond: Scarlet Launch Trailer

2020/10/15

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Geek News, Halloween, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

You’ve probably got used to story-driven DLCs to video games. Free or paid extensions, that are somehow connected to the main plot. But who said that DLC has to be launched after the full game? We asked the same question ourselves some time ago and decided to create a pre-launch playable introduction to the upcoming “Lust from Beyond”, called “Scarlet”.

This is not a regular demo version. You can’t spoil the full experience by playing it. Quite the contrary – only by playing “Scarlet”, you will get the full picture of the story and the Lust universe. And it’s an opportunity to check how the franchise has evolved over the years – from “Lust for Darkness” in 2018, through the first Prologue, to today’s “Scarlet”, which almost reflects the final production value of the full game.

If you find “Scarlet” interesting, please share your thoughts in the review section on Steam, wishlist the full game, and get ready for the launch. If you didn’t like “Scarlet” for some reason – it’s OK, we’d love to hear your feedback as well.

Game features:

▫️ Bold erotic motives adapted to the horror theme
▫️ Interactive sex scenes
▫️ Running from your opponents and fighting mechanics
▫️ A world inspired by the works of Lovecraft, Giger and Beksinski
▫️ Exploration of graphically advanced environment full of interactive objects
▫️ Rich sound and music design

“Scarlet”, as the upcoming full version, is available in 11 languages (Polish, Portuguese-Brazilian, German, French, Japan, Russian, Chinese (Simplified), Spanish, Turkish, Italian, Korean subtitles), and English voiceovers.

“Lust from Beyond” will be available later this year on Steam. Follow our Steam Group, social media platforms, and Discord channel, to be up to date with the following news and announcements.

Enlisted Now A Day One Xbox Series X Exclusive

2020/10/15

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Geek News, News, Xbox Series X News

Gaijin Entertainment and Darkflow Software studio announce that Enlisted – a new massive realistic WWII online shooter game – will be part of Xbox Series X|S launch line-up as a Game Preview title and a timed console exclusive. A ‘Founder’s pack’ purchase will be required to get access to the game.

Battles in Enlisted take place both on the ground and in the air, while players assume the roles of an infantry squad or a tank crew commander or an aircraft pilot. Each squad consists of several soldiers that can be trained, equipped with new gear and weapons and taken into battle. It’s possible to freely switch between them and stay in the most interesting point of the battle even when some of the soldiers in the squad have already fallen.

Enlisted is divided into campaigns, each of them covering a specific key battle of World War II. Available factions, squads, weapons, gear, ground vehicles and aircraft depend on the gear that was really present in the specific theater of operations, leading to a unique experience provided by each campaign. At first, players will be able to fight in the “Battle for Moscow” that recreates the heavy clashes between German and Soviet troops in the outskirts of the Russian capital during the winter of 1941-1942. The next campaign to arrive in the Game Preview will be the “Normandy Invasion” covering D-Day landing and following battles. There are more campaigns already in development including the “Battle for Berlin” and others.

Enlisted utilizes the new version of Dagor engine – the one that the military online simulation game War Thunder and brutal online shooter Cuisine Royale use. A Proprietary Ray Traced Global Illumination system makes sure that the in-game lighting is natural in appearance, reacts to game events like explosions and object destruction and will work better on the Xbox Series X|S thanks to ray tracing hardware support on the platform. The Xbox Series X version will work at 4K resolution, Xbox Series S works at 1440p, while in both cases, a stable 60 frames per second are achieved.

Xbox Series X|S Game Preview players will be the first to try the Enlisted beta version that follows a couple of time-limited playtests and closed alpha testing. Player feedback in this game that is still in development will be used to improve the quality even further and during the development of the new campaigns and other content.

This is the Zodiac Speaking Out Now

2020/10/15

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

Today, Punch Punk Games (developer) and Klabater (publisher) will release This is the Zodiac Speaking on PlayStation4 and Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. The game will be released at 10 am EDT (4 pm CET).

This is the Zodiac Speaking is a noir, fact-based single-player psychological thriller. Told from a first-person perspective, you play as Robert, a Bay Area journalist who survived a brutal attack by the notorious Zodiac serial killer. He will have to confront his traumatic demons if he hopes to stand a chance of discovering the Zodiac’s identity and bringing him to justice.

This is the Zodiac Speaking offers two distinct gameplay modes. One that blends storytelling with stealth and action gameplay elements while the second (Detective mode) emphasizes storytelling to fully immerse you in the Zodiac investigation. The game mixes factually recreated crime scene details, and clues down, including the Zodiac’s cipher and even the misspellings in the Zodiac’s letters to the press with a fictional storyline, a mind-bending experience.

Play This is the Zodiac Speaking and:

Discover real-life facts and evidence from America’s most famous never caught serial killer
Experience the story from the perspective of a person who survived the attack of the serial killer, face your trauma, and run an investigation that may lead you to the truth about Zodiac
Unravel the details of the murders, visit the crime scenes, and experience real psychological sessions that will help you to manage your traumas
Reveal the 3 alternative endings, all based upon your investigation decisions
Enjoy the atmospheric, soundtrack, and original stylized visual style
Stylized low poly retro-70s-inspired graphics based on a symbolic approach of J.W. Goethe’s theory and psychology of colors and how they impact mood and perception. It is supposed to look like you are watching TV in the 1970s.

Korn Releases New Music Video for World of Tanks Blitz Halloween Event

2020/10/15

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Geek News, Halloween, Mobile News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

Wargaming today announced that the iconic band, Korn, and free-to-play video game titan, World of Tanks Blitz, launched a special Halloween collaboration, revealing the music video for ‘Finally Free’, a track featured on Korn’s latest studio album, The Nothing. The exclusive video sets the stage for World of Tanks Blitz’s brand-new Halloween mode: Burning Games.

Fans of the band and World of Tanks Blitz players won’t want to miss out on Convergence, a five-stage event which brings Korn to the widely popular game that boasts more than 137 million downloads globally. From October 16th through October 24th all players can complete in-game challenges to uncover pieces of band artwork and extra special items.

This event also features the brand-new Burning Games mode, where players will fight for dominance on the battlefield in order to secure in-game rewards. In a Halloween-themed twist, from the time the battle clock starts, every vehicle on the battlefield will start draining health like a vampire, and players will need to deal damage to their foes in order to get their health back. The Burning Games mode is available to all vehicles Tier V and above and runs from October 16th through October 24th.

“Wargaming is no stranger to musical collaborations, having teamed up with Iron Maiden, Swedish metallers Sabaton, and punk rock outfit, The Offspring, for previous projects,” said Andrey Ryabovol, Product Director of World of Tanks Blitz. “Korn is the perfect partner for our Halloween event, and we can’t wait for rock fans and World of Tanks Blitz players to experience this exciting collaboration.”

“I really like World of Tanks Blitz. It’s true to the era, there are a lot of great tanks in there, and you don’t just jump in and start shooting,” said Jonathan Davis, lead vocals, Korn. “I think there is a connection between rock and video games because video games are intense and rock ’n’ roll music is intense. It seems like they have always gone hand in hand.”

The music video for ‘Finally Free’ tells the story of Captain, a die-hard Korn fan (and a known character in the World of Tanks Blitz universe) who’s doing all he can to get to Korn’s live performance at the ‘Burning Games’. The problem is a crew of wasteland raiders who do all they can to keep him from his goal. Will he make it to the front row of the Korn show in time?

The Halloween extravaganza will also include The Way of the Raider, a 60-stage event. Tankers will be able to get Credits, Free XP, days of Premium Account, several camos, a сustom player profile, and two new post-apocalyptic vehicles: The Tier V Spike and the Tier VII Annihilator. Both tanks are featured in the new video from Korn. All tankers who complete all 60 stages will be able to get their hands on the unique animated “Radioactive Glow” camo. The Way of the Raider runs from October 16th through October 31st, and is available to all vehicles Tier V and above.

And finally, from October 24th through October 31st, Mad Games makes a welcome return. A true fan-favorite, the game mode gives tankers unique abilities ordinary tanks could only wish for.

Learn more about Korn’s latest release, The Nothing, here.

For more information, visit wotblitz.com.

Observer: System Redux Remembers Rutger Hauer

2020/10/15

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Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox Series X News

Bloober Team has released interview footage with the late Rutger Hauer from his time in-studio recording lines for Observer in one of his last acting roles as Dan Lazarski/Observer.

“Rutger was a good friend and will be missed,” said Piotr Babineo, Bloober Team CEO. “It was hard hearing him and knowing that he is not with us, but in a way, being able to share his voice again felt special. This interview really shows the depth of passion he had in his role as Dan — he was a wonderful person, and we’re deeply sorry that he passed.”

“While developing System Redux, many of us on the team would talk about what it was like to work with him.” Said Babineo. “As a team, we’re in love with Rutger’s work and this game is as great a tribute to him as we could make. There’s a hidden in-game Easter egg nodding to his iconic role as Roy in Blade Runner.”