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HTC VIVE Cosmos Elite with Half-Life: Alyx Ships Today

2020/03/18

Seattle, Wash. – March 18, 2020 – Today, HTC VIVE® announced that the VIVE Cosmos Elite will ship with Valve’s upcoming VR-exclusive “Half-Life: Alyx™.” Vive Cosmos Elite, launching globally today, pairs the performance of external tracking alongside the flexibility of the Cosmos platform to meet the needs of the most demanding VR entertainment enthusiasts.

Half-Life: Alyx is a new, full-length virtual reality entry in the Half-Life series. Half-Life: Alyx was designed from the ground up for Virtual Reality and features all of the hallmarks of a classic Half-Life game: world exploration, puzzle solving, visceral combat, and an intricately woven story that connects it all with the characters iconic to the Half-Life universe. Vive Cosmos Elite purchasers will receive a redemption code in-box that will unlock the game when it launches on March 23rd*.

“Since we introduced VIVE, the industry has clamoured for a seminal VR title,” said Yves Maître, CEO, HTC. “With Half-Life: Alyx, we believe Valve is delivering the experience and expertise to move VR gameplay forward. Congratulations to the Valve team on the upcoming launch.”

“There are few franchises that capture the hearts and minds of gamers around the world like Half-Life and we can’t wait to show our customers what awaits them when paired with Vive Cosmos Elite,” said Dan O’Brien, General Manager of North America, HTC Vive . “We know our customers are going to love the experience of playing on Vive Cosmos Elite from visuals to the ability to quickly flip up in and out of VR.”

Vive Cosmos is an adaptable premium PC-based VR system that can grow with customers over time by changing the front faceplate of the headset or by taking advantage of a host of Vive accessories like the Vive Wireless Adapter. All Vive Cosmos headsets include the same impressive visuals (2880 x 1700 combined pixel resolution), and comfort features including an innovative flip-up design that can transport users to and from their virtual world with ease.

In addition to all the platform features of the Vive Cosmos Series, Vive Cosmos Elite includes a pre-installed External Tracking Faceplate, two SteamVR base stations, and two Vive controllers. The External Tracking Faceplate can be used with base station versions 1.0 or 2.0 as well as the original Vive or Vive Pro controllers and is easily swapped with the original inside-out tracking faceplate that ships with Vive Cosmos.

By using Lighthouse base station technology, Vive Cosmos Elite users will be able to experience the power and precision of SteamVR tracking. Vive Cosmos Elite also supports Vive’s ecosystem of peripherals including the Vive Wireless Adapter for an untethered VR experience and the Vive Tracker—delivering unprecedented input freedom for VR controls.

The Vive Cosmos Elite bundle retails for $899 USD and launches today worldwide.

* While supplies last. Redemption code not available in China, Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, India, Malaysia, Singapore or Ukraine.

Trials of Mana Demo Out Now

2020/03/18

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Geek News, News, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos

LOS ANGELES (March 18, 2020) – SQUARE ENIX® invites players to start their epic Trials of Mana™ journey in a free playable demo available today for the Nintendo Switch™ system, PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and STEAM® ahead of the game’s release on April 24, 2020.

The demo for the upcoming action-RPG lets players be the first to explore the game’s vast fantasy world, selecting their party of three from six unique characters and setting forth on an exciting journey to battle against the forces of evil. Players will be able to try each character by experiencing the beginning of each hero’s story and following their adventures. Players will also be able to continue their progress made within the demo through to the full game.

For fans unsure of which character to choose first in Trials of Mana, a personality quiz is now available to see which hero suits you best. With a strict time-limit on each question, users will have to react with their instincts to discover which hero’s personality matches to their own. Square Enix Members who complete the quiz will also receive special character avatar portraits, so each user can show their hero in style. To take the Trials of Mana Personality Quiz, visit: https://sqex.link/TrialsofMana_Quiz.

Trials of Mana is rated T (Teen) and will be available for Nintendo Switch system, PlayStation®4 system and STEAM on April 24, 2020. To pre-order now, visit: https://sqex.link/c10.

Those who pre-purchase or purchase the physical or digital versions of the game by May 21, 2020 for the Nintendo Switch or PlayStation®4 system will receive a Rabite Adornment DLC, allowing players to gain more EXP after battles up to level 10. Pre-orders of the digital version of the game from the PlayStation® Store will also include an exclusive avatar set featuring the game’s six heroes, while those who pre-purchase or purchase from STEAM by May 21, 2020 will receive the Rabite Adornment DLC as well as an exclusive wallpaper set.

R.B.I. Baseball 20 Out Now

2020/03/17

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

NEW YORK, March 17, 2020 – The iconic video game franchise that defined generations of arcade-style baseball fun takes a significant leap forward as R.B.I. Baseball 20 launches today on consoles, PC via Steam (all $29.99) and is coming soon for mobile ($6.99) with massive advancements in gameplay, including brand new hitting and pitching mechanics, as well as a host of detailed improvements. The game is available for physical purchase in store and online at top retailers such as GameStop, Target, Walmart and Best Buy and via digital download on platform storefronts.

New features and upgrades to gameplay both big and small abound in RBI Baseball 20 and include:

All-New Core Controls: choose pitch types based on real pitcher data, power up to swing for the fences or play it safe for contact & streamlined baserunning controls, this bold new interface gives R.B.I.
20 a totally new look and feel;
Significant Player Model Improvements: more detail, more personality and more accuracy bring you deeper into the game, with everything from eye black, pine tar on helmets, dirt and grass stains after dives & slides, and a broader range of hair styles and texture;
Centerfield Camera: brand new broadcast-inspired pitching camera gives you a new perspective when delivering pitches;
Insight Driven Details: improved stealing & pickoffs, revamped MLB ballparks, tailored cut-scene animations & camera angles, better crowd behaviors & improved ball collision;
All Your Favorite Modes: you wanted ‘em and we kept ‘em including Franchise, Exhibition, Online Multiplayer* & Home Run Derby;
Play as The Legends: 165+ MLB Legends & Legend Teams;
Phenomenal Soundtrack: songs from 20 artists including music from OneRepublic, Andy Grammar, Glorious Sons, Peking Duk, and others.
*Feature available on Xbox One and PS4 only

R.B.I. Baseball 20 is officially licensed by MLB and MLBPA. It is available now for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including Xbox One X, the Nintendo SwitchÔ system, and coming soon to iPhone, iPad, and supported Android smartphones and tablets. The game retails for $29.99 (U.S.) on consoles and PC via Steam and $6.99 (U.S.) on smartphones and tablets. For more information visit www.RBIGame.com, follow @RBIGame on Twitter, @RBIGame on Instagram, or @MLBRBIGame on Facebook.

D&D Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount Out Now

2020/03/17

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Book News, Geek News, News

RENTON, WA – March 17, 2020 – Wizards of the Coast unleashes two new Dungeons & Dragons products today: Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount and Forgotten Realms: Laeral Silverhand’s Explorer’s Kit. The Dungeons & Dragons team collaborated with Matthew Mercer, Dungeon Master of the popular liveplay show Critical Role, to publish Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount, a brand new tabletop roleplaying sourcebook detailing the continent explored in the second campaign season of Critical Role. Adventurers can also now pick-up Laeral Silverhand’s Explorer’s Kit, a new dice set and miscellany for the world’s greatest roleplaying game. Both products are available in stores everywhere starting today, March 17.

Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount

The 304-page Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount invites Dungeon Masters to start playing in any of Wildemount’s regions using introductory adventures, dozens of story-inspiring plot seeds, and the new heroic chronicle system. Adventurers can also expect to discover countless secrets revealed for the first time by Critical Role Dungeon Master, Matthew Mercer. Players and Dungeon Masters will find new character options available for play in any campaign, such as the Echo Knight fighter subclass, new spells, new monsters, and more! (MSRP: $49.95)

Forgotten Realms Laeral Silverhand’s Explorer’s Kit

Lady Laeral Silverhand is the Open Lord of Waterdeep, a centuries-old archmage, and the daughter of the god of magic. In the Forgotten Realms: Laeral Silverhand’s Explorer’s Kit, she guides you on your path to adventure. This new kit includes eleven dice in a durable, felt-lined box that functions as two dice trays. Fans can also enjoy the twenty illustrated, double-sided cards detailing Laeral’s expert insights on key characters, locations, and lore from across the Forgotten Realms, along with a foldout, double-sided map featuring the Sword Coast and city of Waterdeep. (MSRP: $24.95)

For more information about Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount, Forgotten Realms: Laeral Silverhand’s Explorer’s Kit, and Dungeons & Dragons, please go to dungeonsanddragons.com.

Stellaris: Federations is Out Now

2020/03/17

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

STOCKHOLM – Mar 17, 2020 – Paradox Interactive, the game company that isn’t afraid to push the limits of intergalactic diplomacy, today released Federations, the newest expansion to sci-fi grand strategy title Stellaris. This expansion focuses on the galactic community and its internal politics, offering expanded capabilities for federations and the establishment of a powerful galactic senate. Aspiring legislators now have the chance to showcase their political prowess on an astronomical level. Stellaris: Federations is now available for PC platforms at a suggested retail price of $19.99 / €19.99 / £15.49.

“The Federations expansion offers a new take on the game that our community has been asking for,” said Daniel Moregard, Game Director of Stellaris at Paradox Interactive. “We can’t wait for Stellaris fans to enter the high-stakes world of galactic diplomacy!”

Federations is now available at the below platforms and will be available later today on the Microsoft Store:

Remnant: From the Ashes Physical Edition Out Now

2020/03/17

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Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

Vienna, AUSTRIA, Austin, TX, USA, March 17th, 2020 – Let’s get physical! The retail version of Remnant: From the Ashes is available today for PC, PlayStation®4 and Xbox One for an SRP of $39.99 | €39.99 | £34.99.

The third-person survival action shooter, developed by THQ Nordic’s Studio Gunfire Games and published by Perfect World Entertainment lets you, and up to two companions, dive into a post-apocalyptic world overwhelmed by deadly monsters and epic bosses. As one of the last remnants of humanity, rise from the ashes and seek an end to an ancient evil from another dimension as you take on a unique, customizable gameplay experience filled with intense shooting and melee combat, gear and weapon crafting, a one-of-a-kind character progression system, and dynamically generated levels that offer an infinite number of ways to explore.

Behind the Making of Final Fantasy VII Remake

2020/03/16

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Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos

LOS ANGELES (March 16, 2020) – Ahead of the April 10th launch of FINAL FANTASY® VII REMAKE, SQUARE ENIX® today unveiled the first in a series of videos which gives viewers a deep-dive into the creation of one of the most anticipated videogames of all time.

Bringing together interviews with the game’s creators, artists and developers, the series gives an exclusive look at some of the secrets behind the development of FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE – from the game’s story, characters, combat and action to its stunning music and spectacular visual design. The first video features insight from renowned developers including:

Yoshinori Kitase (Producer)
Tetsuya Nomura (Director & Concept Design)
Kazushige Nojima (Story & Scenario)
Naoki Hamaguchi (Co-Director – Game Design / Programming)
Motomu Toriyama (Co-Director – Scenario Design)

FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE will be available for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system on April 10, 2020. The FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE Demo is now available to PlayStation®4 system owners across the globe, allowing players to experience the opening chapter from the game. Those who download the demo before May 11, 2020 will also receive an exclusive PlayStation®4 system theme when the full game launches next month. To download the demo now, visit: https://sqex.link/FF7RDemo.

MotoGP 20 First Gameplay Trailer

2020/03/16

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

Milan, March 16th, 2020. Milestone today unveiled the first gameplay video of MotoGP™20, the latest chapter in the beloved MotoGP™ franchise. The selection of rider, track and weather conditions of the gameplay has been done following community requests, that massively voted for Valentino Rossi on the Mugello Circuit in dry conditions.

The video shows a much more realistic bike physics and behavior, that make the gameplay more technical and skill based. It also allows to have a glance at the new fuel management and asymmetrical tires’ consumption features that further raise the level of strategic skills needed to master the MotoGP™ Championship. Like in real life, tires stress and wear don’t apply on both sides and middle equally. MotoGP™20 will implement these three areas separately and it will reproduce some real-world dynamics down to the smallest details. In each race, players will be able to decide the quantity of fuel and which type of tire to use, always keeping in mind that bike physics are affected by their decisions.

The overall level of simulation marks a big step forward in MotoGP™20; modern MotoGP™ bikes have very complex aerodynamic winglets that when damaged change significantly the bike balance. Crashing or colliding with other riders in game, may have a permanent effect on bike handling just like in a real race.

Last but not least, as it is one of the most important parts of a race and where the skills of a MotoGP™ rider shine, the development team worked hard to make substantial changes to the brake system, in order to make it more challenging, risky but also rewarding.

MotoGP™20 will be released on April 23rd on PlayStation®4, Xbox One, Windows PC®/STEAM, Google Stadia and Nintendo Switch™*.

Resident Evil 3 Demo Release Information

2020/03/16

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Geek News, News, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 News, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

March 16, 2020 – Resident Evil fans can get an early taste of the upcoming survival horror game, Resident Evil 3, with an action-packed playable demo that will be available starting this Thursday, March 19 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC players via Steam. The Resident Evil 3: Raccoon City Demo lets players step into the boots of the legendary heroine Jill Valentine, as she teams up with Carlos Oliveira and the Umbrella Biohazard Countermeasure Service (U.B.C.S.) to evacuate civilians from a crumbling Raccoon City. While Jill is fighting to save innocent civilians, she must also save herself from the relentless bioweapon Nemesis, whose sole objective is her demise. The Raccoon City Demo will reveal a brand new cinematic trailer exclusive to demo participants upon completion, and will be available starting March 19 at 12am ET on Xbox One and 1pm ET on PlayStation 4 and Steam.

As if Jill’s battle was not daunting enough, Capcom also invites players to test their limits with a challenging Mr. Charlie scavenger hunt within the Raccoon City Demo. Twenty Mr. Charlie statues are strewn across Raccoon City; can you seek and destroy all of them with Nemesis hot on your heels? An on-screen counter will help players keep track of their acquired statues and a final count will be displayed upon the demo’s completion.

Later this month, fans can also get a sneak peek at Resident Evil Resistance, the asymmetrical 4 vs 1 multiplayer experience that is included with Resident Evil 3. In the open beta starting March 27, players have the option to take on the role of Daniel Fabron, one of the game’s four Masterminds, to run twisted experiments using various bioweapons and traps on a group of everyday civilians. In turn, players can band together as one of four of the six Survivors, each possessing a unique ability to help their team escape the experiment before time runs out. The Resident Evil Resistance open beta starts March 27 at 3am ET for Xbox One and PlayStation 4, and 1pm ET for Steam. The open beta will end when the game launches on April 3.

TT Isle of Man 2 Career Mode Trailer

2020/03/13

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

Lesquin, France, March 13, 2020 – NACON and KT Racing are pleased to release two new videos for TT Isle of Man – Ride on the Edge 2. Featuring a fictitious motorcycle racer called James Wilson, the videos take us through his preparation for the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy.

For this new edition of the game, the teams at KT Racing have created the perfect playground, a biker’s paradise. Accessible from the Career and Free Roam modes, this open area is a place for riders to train, test their bike set-ups and push their skills to the limit on fast corners, tight bends and long straights where you can exceed speeds of 186 mph (300 km/h). As well as the ability to free roam, riders can tackle various challenges in different parts of the area, such as pursuits and time attacks. This bikers’ paradise is the ideal training ground to prepare for the legendary Isle of Man circuit.

In Career mode, players can live their motorcycling dream: win the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy. After proving themselves on one of 18 tracks, amateur riders can sign with a team, obtain new bikes and enter a variety of championships. Throughout the seasons, they need to manage their finances and reputation, plan their calendar and change teams to ride with different Superbike and Supersport bikes. By completing objectives set by these teams, players will win special rewards that will help them progress to the next level. Once their bike is optimized and their riding skills honed, they will get the chance to land the ultimate prize: winning the Senior TT!

Created in 1907, the TT is the world’s most famous motorcycle race. The 61km course with 260 bends is the most iconic circuit for road-racing riders. With officially licensed riders, bikes and tracks, TT Isle of Man – Ride on the Edge 2 boasts new physics and a new career mode for players to improve their riding skills.

TT Isle of Man – Ride on the Edge 2 will be available March 19, 2020 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC and later on Nintendo Switch.