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Loot Crate and Serial Box Team Up for Marvel’s Black Widow: Bad Blood Sweepstakes

2020/05/14

Los Angeles, CA (May 14, 2020) – Loot Crate and Serial Box have teamed up for an incredible sweepstakes to celebrate the release of Marvel’s Black Widow: Bad Blood, Serial Box’s newest ebook & audiobook series you can read OR listen to on your phone and on the web. One lucky winner will receive the Marvel 80th Anniversary Crate + Premium Jacket and all-access to Serial Box’s content. Ten First Place Winners will receive Marvel’s Black Widow: Bad Blood series from Serial Box + a Loot Crate “Best of Marvel” custom crate. Head to https://www.lootcrate.com/contests/serial-box-sweeps for your chance to enter.

Series Description: Someone has stolen the Black Widow’s blood. Now she must find them before it’s too late. As Natasha Romanoff follows the trail across the globe, she discovers she wasn’t the only target. Whoever is responsible stole Bucky Barnes’ blood, too. And one thing is certain: anyone who wants the blood of the Widow and Winter Soldier needs to be taken down, and fast. Despite a tangled web of shared history stretching back to their Red Room days, Barnes and Romanoff must join forces, confronting the demons of their past as they race to protect their future. A single drop of blood could be all it takes to save the world—or destroy it.

The series is narrated by Sarah Natochenny (Ash Ketchum in Pokémon). The all-female writing team, led by Lindsay Smith (Orphan Black: The Next Chapter; Serial Box’s The Witch Who Came In from the Cold), includes screenwriter Margaret Dunlap (Netflix’s “Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance,” Marvel Rising: Heart of Iron, Marvel’s Avengers Assemble: Black Panther’s Quest), writer Mikki Kendall (Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot and Amazons, Abolitionists, and Activists), L.L. McKinney (A Blade So Black), and Taylor Stevens (Vanessa Michael Munroe series).

Marvel’s Black Widow: Bad Blood is the second Marvel title to launch on Serial Box. Marvel’s Thor: Metal Gods is currently available on the Serial Box app and SerialBox.com and Marvel’s Jessica Jones: Playing With Fire will launch on May 28th.

Enter for your chance to win at https://www.lootcrate.com/contests/serial-box-sweeps

If you can’t get enough of your favorite Marvel characters, be sure to check out the Marvel Gear + Goods crate. Crates start at $36.99 plus shipping and handling. To subscribe to the Marvel Gear + Goods crate, go to https://www.lootcrate.com/crates/marvel

Crusader Kings III Release Date Trailer

2020/05/14

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

STOCKHOLM – 14 May 2020 – The herald rides forth to make the announcement all have awaited. Court and commoners hold their breath in anticipation. Jealous rivals, thwarted in their plots, sulk in the shadows, for the glorious day is coming. Crusader Kings III, the heir to the crown of grand strategy gaming, will take its throne on September 1, 2020.

Now available for pre-order, Crusader Kings III is a medieval grand strategy role-playing game from Paradox Development Studio. Guide a royal dynasty through the centuries. Claim new lands through diplomacy and marriage, or use your armies to conquer your neighbors or unite a divided realm. When swords and seduction fail, however, spies and poison may still be effective.

Crusader Kings III is the sequel to one of the world’s most beloved strategy games. Rich with new historical content and character options, it has never been easier to wrap yourself in the ermine cloaks of power, writing your own story of castles, knights, crusades, and murder.

Features of Crusader Kings III include:

Character Focused Gameplay: Every character you play or interact with has their own unique personality. Events and options in the game are largely determined by the type of person you are.
Infinite Possibilities: Play as any noble house from Iceland to India, Finland to Central Africa over five centuries. Interact with wandering guests, stubborn children, devious spymasters and saintly holy men in an elaborate tapestry of medieval life.
Waging War: Rally your vassals and raise your men-at-arms to besiege enemy castles or put down rebellions. Personal prowess on the battlefield can win you great honor, but strategic planning is the path to victory.
Royal Marriages: Spread your dynastic DNA throughout the world, stamping your royal seal on the crests of kingdoms and duchies far and wide. Marry for power and raise children to press claims on new lands.
Saints and Sinners: Keep faith with your religious leaders or perform great crimes in the interest of the state. When the going gets tough, you can always embrace a heresy or craft a new religion more in line with your character’s priorities.
Schemes and Skulduggery: Learn the secrets of your courtiers and vassals so you can blackmail them for their support. Seduce your way into a superior’s good books, or plot the untimely demise of an unfortunate relative.
Events Inspired By History: Experience great holy wars, peasant revolts, cadet branches of dynasties, heretics, superstition, castles, knights and wars over inheritance.
3D Character Portraits: Characters age and change appearance as their traits take a toll on their body. The higher the rank, the fancier the clothing.
And much more: Holy Orders, mercenaries, pagan and Viking raiders, easily customized rule sets and a beautiful new map to play on.

Crusader Kings III is available for pre-order at major online retailers and the Paradox store for a suggested retail price of $49.99/ £41.99/ €49.99 and will be available to desktop monarchs on September 1, 2020.

Six Flags Great Adventure Unveils Safari Drive-Through Experience

2020/05/14

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Geek News, News

JACKSON, N.J. ─ May 14, 2020 ─ Six Flags Great Adventure announced today that it will soon open its Safari adventure as a drive-through experience. This announcement follows New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy’s executive order permitting drive-through events implementing social distancing guidelines.

Six Flags Great Adventure’s Safari operated as a self-drive-through experience from 1974 through 2012. Since 2013, Great Adventure has offered guided truck tours of the Safari. Returning to a standalone, drive-through format enables guests to enjoy the Safari’s 1,200 exotic animals from the privacy and safety of their own vehicles, while allowing for proper social distancing. The theme park is currently finalizing new safety procedures to protect guests, team members, and animals.

To prevent overcrowding, the Safari experience will require advance registration using Six Flags’ new online reservation system. Once the opening date is confirmed, the reservation system will be activated to allow Members, Season Pass Holders, and single-day ticket holders to make reservations at www.sixflags.com/reserve. All tickets must be purchased online and in advance. Sales will not be available at the gate, and guests without advance reservations will not be allowed to enter.

Per state, local, and federal guidelines regarding COVID-19, the theme park and waterpark will remain closed until further notice.

World of Warships: Legends Unveils New Legendary Tier Ships

2020/05/14

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

AUSTIN, TX (May 14, 2020) – Today World of Warships: Legends announces the arrival of Legendary Tier ships along with a new feature to unlock them, the full release of Russian Battleships, and the new “Sword of the Pacific” campaign in the upcoming May 18 update. Players will be able to begin unlocking powerful unique ships along with other rewards throughout the new update, and there is a bunch of balance changes and maps coming too.

The first Tier VII premium destroyer, Yūdachi, is featured as the final reward in the new “Sword of the Pacific” campaign. She served in many of the early Pacific battles during World War II and eventually earned the nickname “Nightmare of Solomon” for her actions in the Guadalcanal campaign. In-game, she is a stealthy destroyer with excellent torpedoes and a torpedo reload booster consumable, more than backing up her historical reputation. Players will have five weeks to finish the 90-levels of the campaign, earning plenty of Boosters, consumables and more along the way!

The new Legendary Tier ships are unlocked via a new feature, the Bureau. In essence, the Bureau gives players the ability to research ships and other rewards over time by playing the game daily. The research can be boosted by completing daily trials and assigning specific ships to the project. Most importantly, the only way to command one of these powerful Legendary Tier ships is by completing projects in the Bureau. Players will be able to start working to unlock their first Legendary Tier ship after short introductory project, putting them on the way to the end-game of World of Warships: Legends.The Yamato, Alaska, and Großer Kurfürst will be the first three Legendary Tier ships available. These ships should be considered long-term goals for players, it will take a couple months to complete a project.

The Yamato, Alaska, and Großer Kurfürst are very powerful and pretty unique in their abilities. Yamato, for example, excels in medium to long range combat thanks to her immense 18-inch guns and armor scheme. However, Yamato can be surprisingly vulnerable at close ranges due to her armor weak spots—which is precisely where the other Legendary Tier Battleship, Großer Kurfürst, excels. This German behemoth is built for brawling combat with extensive armor protection and hit points. Alaska, the only cruiser in this Legendary Trio, is probably the most unique ship out of the bunch. Her punchy 12-inch guns—the largest on any cruiser in the game—put Alaska into a league of her own.

The Russian fleet is complete at last, as the Russian Battleships are leaving early access this update. They bring a lot of firepower into battle, though they do not have the best accuracy at long range. Skilled captains must use their heavy armor to get close before delivering devastating blows. The full release of the Russian battleships includes the Tier VII Vladivostok, the most modern battleship available to the Russian tech tree. Vladivostok has excellent firing angles and armor, but like most of the Russian behemoths she isn’t very maneuverable and has a large citadel.

Plus, there are 3 new maps on the way: Greece, Northern Waters, and Crash Zone for high tier battles. All this comes with UI improvements, new fire effects for ships, and balance changes! There’s a lot coming to World of Warships: Legends this update.

New Edition of Twilight 2000 Tabletop RPG Announced

2020/05/13

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Book News, Geek News, News

May 13, 2020 – A new edition of the classic roleplaying game Twilight: 2000 was announced today by Free League Publishing, makers of the ALIEN RPG, in partnership with Game Designers’ Workshop and Amargosa Press. The new edition goes back to the roots of the franchise with a boxed set for sandbox roleplaying in the devastation of World War III. It will come to Kickstarter in August, to be released in early 2021.

The new edition of the apocalyptic RPG Twilight: 2000 will be the fourth in the series, the first being released by Game Designers’ Workshop in 1984. Just like the original version, the new edition is set in a year 2000 devastated by war – now in an alternate timeline where the Moscow Coup of 1991 succeeded and the Soviet Union never collapsed.

“The first edition of Twilight: 2000 was an iconic game for me back in the ’80s, and we are humbled and honored to work with Marc Miller and Game Designers’ Workshop to bring a new edition to life. The original game was really ahead of its time. Our goal is to build on the amazing sandbox survival gameplay and develop it further, making it more accessible using the tools of modern game design,” says lead game designer and Free League founder Tomas Härenstam.

“When I saw this proposal to revisit the Twilight universe, I signed on immediately. As I have seen the work proceed, I have not been disappointed, and I look forward to seeing this project become reality,” says Marc Miller of Far Future Enterprises and co-founder of Game Designers’ Workshop.

Also part of the project are Amargosa Press (who have recently announced the new Dark Conspiracy 4th Edition RPG), Polish RPG publisher Black Monk Games (who will act as a consultant on the Poland in 2000 AD game setting as well as publish a Polish edition of the game), and Far Future Enterprises (who publishes the fifth edition of the Traveller science-fiction roleplaying game).

The design team is led by Tomas Härenstam (ALIEN RPG, Forbidden Lands, Mutant: Year Zero), with setting and scenario writing by Chris Lites (Conan, Over the Edge), editing by Angus Abranson (Doctor Who, The One Ring), interior art by Niklas Brant (Forbidden Lands), cover art by Martin Grip (ALIEN RPG, Symbaroum), and maps by Tobias Tranell (Forbidden Lands). Several active and retired servicemen from the U.S. military are assigned to the project as consultants.

“Twilight: 2000 was a favorite of ours at school in the ’80s, with many a lunch hour spent salvaging what we could as we traveled across the ruins of Europe trying to survive. I’m honored to be involved in a new edition, and being able to work with the Free League is a fantastic bonus!” says Angus Abranson of Amargosa Press.

Just like the original game, the new edition of Twilight: 2000 is set in a Poland devastated by war, but the game also offers an alternative Swedish setting, as well as tools for placing the game anywhere in the world.

In the game, players take roles of survivors in the aftermath of World War III – soldiers or civilians. Their goal, beyond surviving for another day, can be to find a way back home, to carve out their own fiefdom where they are, to find out more about the mysterious Operation Reset, and maybe, just maybe, make the world a little bit better again.

The core gameplay uses a “hexcrawling” system established in the post-apocalyptic Mutant: Year Zero and survival fantasy Forbidden Lands RPGs (both Silver ENnie winners for Best Rules, in 2015 and 2019), developing it further to fit the gritty world of Twilight: 2000. The core rules are built on the Year Zero Engine used in those games (as well as in the ALIEN RPG), but heavily adapted to fit Twilight: 2000 and its focus on gear and gritty realism.

More information about the new edition of Twilight: 2000 will be forthcoming soon.

Unto the End Demo Available Now

2020/05/13

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

13 May, 2020 – Indie publisher Big Sugar is delighted to announce that a demo for Unto The End, the upcoming handcrafted cinematic platformer from developer 2 Ton Studios, has just launched on Steam as part of the Digital Dragons Indie Celebration showcase. The demo will be available for the duration of the three-day event, which will run until this Friday, 15 May.

The demo can be downloaded from the Unto The End Steam page:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/600080/Unto_The_End/

Unto The End is one of 50 indie games selected for the Indie Celebration event by a panel of industry figures, including representatives from Eurogamer, Destructoid, and Frostpunk developer, 11 Bit Studios. For the full line-up of showcased games, visit the Digital Dragons Indie Celebration page on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/digitaldragons

To coincide with the start of the Indie Celebration, anyone who joins the Big Sugar mailing list will receive two tracks from the Unto The End OST, composed by Francesco Ameglio and Johnny Knittle: https://mailchi.mp/bigsugargames/untotheend.

Developed by 2 Ton Studios’ husband and wife team, Stephen Danton and Sara Kitamura, Unto The End is a handcrafted cinematic platformer focused on player skill and featuring a one-of-a-kind combat system built specifically for 2D. It was chosen as one of NME’s best indie games at EGX 2019, and more recently featured on Rock Paper Shotgun’s list of 2020’s most exciting new PC games.

Unto The End is coming to PC and consoles later this year, including as a day one Game Pass title on Xbox One.

Hunting Simulator 2 Hunting with Your Dog Trailer

2020/05/13

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

Lesquin, France, May 12, 2020 – NACON is pleased to reveal more details on Hunting Simulator 2, a new hunting simulation developed by Neopica, releasing in North America June 25th on PC and on June 30th for the PS4™ and Xbox One.

A new video for Hunting Simulator 2 highlights a highly anticipated gameplay element that has been included for the first time in a long while in a hunting game: a hunting dog! Hunting dogs are essential companions for many hunters and this feature is one of the major additions in the second game in the Hunting Simulator series.

Finding game in the vast environments featured in Hunting Simulator 2 is not always easy. Just like in real life, players will need to be patient and pay special attention to the different clues found in the environment to locate and follow the tracks left by animals. For this crucial part of a successful hunt, players can now call on their faithful hunting companion for help.

Three dog breeds are available in Hunting Simulator 2, each with specific characteristics and skills that players will need to learn to use effectively. Beagle, Labrador Retriever or German Shorthaired Pointer: choose the ideal companion to achieve your goals!

Hunting Simulator 2 will be available in North America on June 25, 2020 for PC and June 30 for PS4™ and Xbox One. A Nintendo Switch™ version will be available at a later date.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2 Games Getting Remastered

2020/05/12

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

SANTA MONICA, Calif. – May 12, 2020 — The videogame that transformed the skateboarding world is back! The original birdman Tony Hawk, and Vicarious Visions, the studio that reinvigorated Crash with the Crash Bandicoot™ N. Sane Trilogy, have teamed up to bring fans remastered versions of the first two badass games in the critically-acclaimed Tony Hawk franchise — Tony Hawk’s™ Pro Skater™ 1 and 2. To provide players with breathtaking gameplay experiences, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2 will blend all the original levels, pro-skaters, old-school tricks and more that gamers remember from the ‘90s and ‘2000s with new, beautifully recreated levels. This faithful remaster will also include blockbuster songs from the original franchise. Dropping in on September 4, 2020, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2 will return remastered in one awesome package for PlayStation® 4, PlayStation® 4 Pro, the family of Xbox One devices from Microsoft, including the Xbox One X, and on PC through the Epic platform.

“The original Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series is a big factor in the evolution of modern skateboarding tricks and inspiring many of the pro skaters you know and love today,” said Tony Hawk. “I’m excited to help inspire a new generation of skateboarders and gamers – and existing fans – to grow the sport even further.”

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2 will also include fan-favorite features from games across the entire original franchise, including revert, lip tricks, wall plant and original multiplayer game modes, both online and for local couch play. And yes, Create-A-Park and Create-A-Skater modes are back! New to Create-A-Park this time around is a robust editor enabling new ways of customization. Players will be able to share parks online with friends and outfit skaters with customization options. Additionally, fans can select their favorite skaters from the complete roster of original pro talent, including Tony Hawk, Bucky Lasek, Steve Caballero, Geoff Rowley, Andrew Reynolds, Elissa Steamer, Chad Muska, Eric Koston, Rodney Mullen, Rune Glifberg, Kareem Campbell, Jamie Thomas and Bob Burnquist. New features to the remaster include even more goals than before, added challenges to amp up gameplay and more.

“Getting the chance to bring back the original two games which had such a meaningful impact not only on gaming, but on an entire sports genre, has been an epic experience for our team, many of whom worked on the original series,” said Jen Oneal, Studio Head at Vicarious Visions. “We’re taking what you knew and loved from the original games and mixing that with enhanced creative tools which will allow gamers to invent brand new ways to play the game they love. We’re confident it will be the ultimate Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater experience fans have been asking for.”

To celebrate the reveal, Activision, a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI) has teamed up with @JablinskiGames on YouTube starting today to provide the world’s first look at gameplay from the iconic Warehouse level. Fans can watch as Jack Black and Tony Hawk offer hilarious commentary and banter while playing the level together. Those who digitally pre-order Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2 on PlayStation, Xbox or PC will receive access to the Warehouse Demo ahead of the game’s official launch. The demo will be available to download at a later date. Check out the official trailer here.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2 will be available worldwide for the suggested retail price in the U.S. of $39.99. A digital deluxe version that includes unique content and in-game gear will be available for the suggested retail price in the U.S. of $49.99. For the ultimate fan, a collector’s edition will be available for the suggested retail price of $99.99 in the U.S., complete with the digital deluxe content and a limited-run Birdhouse deck. Information about Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2 including local suggested retail pricing can be found at www.tonyhawkthegame.com. Also be sure to follow news on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram @TonyHawkTheGame, as well as subscribe to the YouTube channel at YouTube.com/tonyhawkthegame.

F1 2020 First Gameplay Trailer Released

2020/05/12

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

Larkspur, Calif. (May 12, 2020) – Codemasters today showcased the first full in-game trailer for F1® 2020, the official videogame of the 2020 FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP™. Against the backdrop of the rousing F1 theme music written by composer Brian Tyler, the trailer celebrates the 70th anniversary of Formula 1® with intense racing wheel-to-wheel battles on some of the season’s most demanding circuits.

The trailer also features Formula 2™ which makes its return following its successful debut last year. Now fully integrated into Career mode, F2 allows players to choose from full, half-season and three-race challenge options, creating the ultimate F1 training ground. Players will have access to the 2019 F2 season at launch with the 2020 season coming as a free update later in the year.

Alongside the stunning cars designed for the 2020 season, F1 2020 gives players a chance to race some of the most desirable classic cars from the glorious history of F1.

The 16 classic cars featured in F1 2020 are:

2010 Red Bull RB6
2010 Ferrari F10
2010 McLaren MP4-25
2009 Brawn BGP 001
2008 McLaren MP4 –23
2007 Ferrari F2007
2006 Renault R26
2004 Ferrari F2004
2003 Williams FW25
1988 McLaren MP4/4
1998 McLaren MP4-13
1996 Williams FW18
1992 Williams FW14
1991 McLaren MP4/6
1990 Ferrari 641
1990 McLaren MP4/5B

Included in the F1 2020 Deluxe Schumacher Edition:

1991: Jordan 191
1994: Benetton B194
1995: Benetton B195
2000: Ferrari F1-2000

“The first in-game trailer has become a key moment in the F1 game campaign and this year is no exception,” said Lee Mather, F1 Franchise Game Director at Codemasters. “Each season we raise the visual benchmark, and with more circuits and teams getting new liveries. We can’t wait for the season to start and for players to be able to race.”

F1 2020 will be released on Friday, July 10, 2020 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Xbox One X, PC, and Google Stadia (MSRP $59.99). Players who purchase the F1 2020 Michael Schumacher Deluxe Edition (MSRP $69.99) will receive exclusive content and three days early access.

For future news and details on all the new features follow Formula 1 game website and social channels on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook.

Historical RTS Ancestors Legacy Coming to Nintendo Switch

2020/05/12

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Geek News, News, Nintendo Switch, Screenshots / Photos

12 May 2020 – Developer Destructive Creations is delighted to announce that their squad-based RTS Ancestors Legacy, one of the best PC strategy games of 2018, will release on Nintendo Switch on 11 June this year, packing its main features: an enticing history-inspired storyline, tactical squad-based battles, day-night cycle, action camera, and the extra hours of gameplay in skirmish mode. Later this year, a physical version of the game will be made available in selected retail stores across Europe, the Americas and Asia.

Warriors must be strong and smart, skilled in analyzing the situation and predicting the enemy’s moves. They also must be able to move fast, not be bound to one spot. And that is what Ancestors Legacy will now offer, thanks to its release on Nintendo Switch – the ability to engage the enemy virtually anywhere and enjoy those 40 story missions and skirmish battles on the go.

Destructive Creations is looking forward to seeing gamers enjoy the medieval harsh battles of Ancestors Legacy also away from home. Ancestors Legacy will not let strategy fans down in terms of content, quality and accessibility via the controller, the use of which has been prepared and tested for right from the very beginning. Streamlined gameplay mechanics, on par with its original PC counterpart, user interface and control mappings are well optimized to bring a great gaming experience to console platforms, on top of which touch screen support has been added for Switch users.

Despite some hardware limitations, Ancestors Legacy still features the same refined gameplay experience, boosted by cinematic action-camera and over 600 single combat animations, all motion captured and each with a unique, precise usage in the game. The animations correctly correspond not only to the unit type and weapon it is carrying, but also to the opponent the unit is fighting, his own weapon, and the state of both units.